Connecting my heart to the heart of the Father

Loving Father, it is in Jesus’ name I come to You and I confess that I have been an imitator of the world rather than an imitator of Christ. In my relationships with others, more often than not, I have been full of myself – what I want, how I feel – self-absorbed. Forgive me Lord! Teach me the way of Jesus, who did nothing out of selfishness or conceit, but truly considered others better than Himself. Keep me, I pray, from looking out for my own interests, but open my eyes to see those around me and serve them and their needs before my own. Help me to live out Jesus to those around me.

Forgive me Father, for I confess that I often treat those closest to me, dearest to me, with the least amount of respect, love and care. I am often self-centered, self-righteous, arrogant and proud. Have mercy on me, O God. Change me Lord (Pray for your relationships with those closest to you)!

Forgive me Father, for I confess that often my involvement in the needs of others is based on my own comfort and convenience – if I ‘feel like it’. Teach me what it means to love sacrificially, I pray. Help me to become more and more a person of grace in my relationships and dealings with others, that I might extend grace, mercy and love to others as You Father, have extended grace, mercy and love to me.

Destroy pride in my life in all of its ugly forms

• the need to have my own way,
• the need to be heard,
• the need to be right,
• excusing sin in my life,
• resisting Your Holy Spirit.

Help me to be keenly aware of the ways that I exalt myself, and may I instead, exalt Christ. I choose this day to submit to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And I humble myself under Your mighty hand.

May I be an extension of Your love and mercy to those who are burdened with the cares and brokenness of this world and are in desperate need of the Saviour – but also my family, friends, co-workers and brothers and sisters in Christ who need to experience the love and gentleness of Jesus.

In every situation, on each person I encounter, may the imprint of Jesus be left on all I touch. I ask these things in His precious name. Amen.

Father, I ask that Your Church in Bangkok will be unified. Make a way for us to come together in prayer! Revive the hearts of Your people across this city. Breathe the life of Your Spirit into Your Church (Ezekiel 37:4-14)!

O God, give us a hunger for holiness! Open our eyes to see the ways that the philosophies and standards of the world have pushed out the standard of Your Word in our lives (Colossians 2:8)!

Help us to love what You love. May we be built up in the love of Christ.

Refresh us by Your Spirit Lord, so that we do not become weary in doing good. Help us to stand firm and to be faithful (Galatians 6:9).

As Your people Lord, may we live as strangers in this world. Remind us continually, that our true home is in heaven. Remove the love of the things of this world from our hearts and renew first-love passion for Jesus in all of us (1 Peter 2:11-12; 1 John 2:15-17)!

Father, may we increasingly live in harmony with one another, may we be sympathetic with one another and love as brothers and sisters – may compassion and humility increase among us. Teach us how to bless one another (1 Peter 3:8-9).

Lord Jesus, help us to abide in You – keep us from going our own way.

May spiritual fruit increase from each of our live, increase.

May those around us who do not yet know You, recognize that we belong to You (May our Gospel influence increase as we live out Jesus in the market places of our lives.) (John 15:5-8)!

Allow us, I pray to see harvest come in, and souls come to know Jesus! Father I pray for pre-Christian friends, co-workers and family members, who are connected to the ECB community of faith – Lord Jesus, may their longing for You increase (Pray for the pre-Christian people in your life by name…).

Make each of us ready to give the reason for the hope that we have in You (1 Peter 3:15)!

Ask God to release the gifts of the Spirit among us. Pray that we will be obedient in using our giftings for the building up and edifying of the body of Christ so that there is no lack among us (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Father, by Your Spirit, help us to bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we may have with one another. May we forgive as You have forgiven us and choose to love one another, that we might be bound together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:12-14).

May all cultural preferences represented among us that are contrary to Your Word, fall away. Unify us under the culture of Christ I pray! May Your Word be the only standard for our lives!

Father, I thank You that You are always devising ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from You – and so I ask Lord, – call the prodigals home to Yourself!

I lift up those represented by the ECB community of faith, sons, daughters, husbands, wives and friends who have walked away from You, O God, draw them to Yourself once again.

And I pray for those who wait for their return. Strengthen them and encourage them this day so that they do not lose heart (2 Samuel 14:14).

I ask Lord, that You fill us, fill me, with a fresh determination to press on, to forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead (Philippians 3:12-13).

Father, teach us as Your people to serve one another out of our love for Jesus (Luke 10:25-38).

Empower us by Your Spirit, I pray, to die to all sin and live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24)!

May all bitterness, rage, anger, slander and all malice be eradicated from our midst and replaced with the kindness and compassion of Jesus.  May we forgive each other as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:29-32).

Father, I pray for those among the ECB community of faith who are broken hearted and struggling with emotional wounds. Heal and restore I pray. May they be set free, in Jesus’ name from the things of their past that still bind them (Isaiah 61:1-3).

Father, make me hungry for Your Word! Prepare the soil of my heart to receive the message that You have for me tomorrow. Speak powerfully through our pastor and may we as Your people have ears to hear what Your Spirit would say to us.

Anoint our Pastor I pray – may those who lead us in worship be empowered by Your Spirit, those who come tomorrow who do not yet know You, be drawn to You.

Pour out Your Spirit on the ECB campus, hem us in with Your presence. Be the wall of fire around us and the glory within us (Zechariah 2:5).