“Your faith in Jesus and love for all believers are a powerful testimony to the work of the Spirit in your midst. By heaven’s hope and the grace of the Gospel, we are praying for more of the same fruit in your hearts and midst. To God’s glory, this Gospel is bearing fruit all over the world.” (Paraphrase Col.1:3-6)
Heavenly Father, do it again and again and again. Awaken, renew, revive our church families—and each of our hearts. We pray for thriving churches, lukewarm and dying ones—new church plants and century-old ones. For all of us equally need the riches of your grace all the time.
By the glorious Gospel, buckle our knees, grace our hearts, fuel our joy. Deepen and strengthen our faith in Jesus. Stun and dazzle us afresh with Jesus’ beauty, goodness, and truth. Take us out of our comfort zone into your “Spirit’s zone” of unabated, non-domesticated, compelling love for Jesus.
By the power of the Gospel, Father, make us great lovers or all of your image bearers—including our enemies. And give us fresh love for all believers—not just our “tribe.” Tear down our divisions, rescue us from our prejudices, eradicate our pettiness. Help us demonstrate the difference the Gospel of your grace makes in our worship, conflicts, and suffering. Keep us from biting and devouring one another. Supersize our humility and gentleness. May the Gospel become beautiful and believable to our neighbors and the nations by the way we love.
By the hope of the Gospel, liberate our hands, hearts, and resources for the work of your kingdom in our cities and among the nations. Forgive us for making more of our earthly citizenship than our citizenship in heaven—more of our own nation than the every-nation Story you have given us in the Gospel. Make us a generous servant people. Father, free us for your sovereign and saving purposes. So VERY, VERY Amen!
