Grace Essentially

"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name."

Psalm 86:11

Majestic Lord, we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving. Teach us to walk in the truth of your Word and demonstrate this truth in thought, word and deed to those we encounter today. Open to us the mysteries of your grace so that we can know the difference between what is essential and what is convenient. Grace is essential.

Create in us a clean heart and renew right intentions within us. In Jesus Name, remove from us all evil intentions so that wrong motives do not ever mingle with holy desires. Amen

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Repeat After Me: Grace is essential! 

It's Still Amazing

Lord Jesus, in your name we thank you this morning for a grace that still amazes. Our lives would be terribly different if it wasn’t for your grace. Our names could be listed in the obituary section of the newspaper this morning or on the hospital registry, a court docket, or a sign-in sheet of a mental institution – prognosis poor and future dim.

Thank for your unmerited favor!Thank you for a grace that lifts us up out of the pits of hell,. Thank you for a grace that cannot be earned and is not deservedThank you for the finger of grace that woke us up. Thank you for the hand of grace that keeps us up. Thank you for the grace that stands us up again when life trips us up.

In Jesus name, may we live this day in anticipation that grace will meet us along the way

Amen and Amen.

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Keeping Power!

Lord Jesus, in your name we thank you today for a grace that still amazes. Our lives would be terribly different if it wasn’t for your grace. Our names could be listed in the obituary section of the newspaper this morning or on the hospital registry, a court docket, or a sign-in sheet of a mental institution – prognosis poor and future dim.

Thank you for speaking life into all of our dead places. Thank for your unmerited favor!Thank you for a grace that lifts us up out of the pits of hell,. Thank you for a grace that cannot be earned and is not deserved

Thank you for the hand of grace that holds us up. Thank you for the grace that stands us up again when life trips us up. Thank you for a grace with amazing keep power. In Jesus name, may we live this day in anticipation that grace will meet us along the way.

Amen and Amen.

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Essential Grace

"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name."

Psalm 86:11

Majestic Lord, we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving. Teach us to walk in the truth of your Word and demonstrate this truth in thought, word and deed to those we encounter today. Open to us the mysteries of your grace so that we can know the difference between what is essential and what is convenient. Grace is essential.

Create in us a clean heart and renew right intentions within us. In Jesus Name, remove from us all evil intentions so that wrong motives do not ever mingle with holy desires. Amen

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Light On!

"Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning..."

Psalm 30:5

Almighty God, thank you for reaching out to us in the midst of our sin and rebellion to draw us again into your forgiveness and love. Thank you for your transforming grace that changes darkness into light, bitterness into compassion, stubbornness into obedience, hatred into love and tears of grief into tears of joy.

Help us today to become tools of grace in the lives of others. Help us to bring light to all dark places for we are no longer children of darkness but children of light. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Unfathomable Grace

O lord, our God, how excellent is your name in all the earth. Forgive us for coming too often with our petitions for our right now and tomorrow needs without proclaiming your great and mighty acts or thanking you for the joy of our salvation.

We rejoice this morning for your unfathomable amazing grace, unequaled peace and endless love. Help us to make known today all the marvelous things you have done in us and in the lives of those we know and love.

We pray for the victims of earthquakes and tsunamis; gang violence and acts of hate; victims of AIDS and other diseases; those who risk their lives on the fields of conflict and those who live in the gap between what is promised and what is delivered. Giver of every good and perfect gift, help us to share with the hungry and marginalized; help us to bless those who can't bless us back.

In Jesus name, Amen
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Shower Us

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Philippians 1:2

Most holy and gracious Father, who turns the shadow of night into the glory of new dawning, shower us with your mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all the day. Lift the light of your countenance upon us, calm our troubled thoughts, and guide our feet into the way of peace. Let your strength be more than sufficient to meet and manage our weakness. Let your guidance lead us into all truth and action. Help us in this moment of our lives to be your witnesses as we have received power from the Holy Spirit. In your name, Amen.

Henry Fields, revised.

Mercy and Grace

Gracious God, help us to slow down long enough today to abide in your presence and recognize your voice amid the cacophony of sounds that assail us. Whisper words of hope when people try to dampen our day. Tell us again of your everlasting love when we face dream dashers and peace snatchers. Remind us that we can do all things through you when things seem impossible.

We come to this throne of grace confidently so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. Speak to our hearts again Lord, your servants are listening. Amen

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Hebrews 14: 14-16

Gifted

Gracious giving God, thank you for every good and perfect gift that has come from your hand in our direction. Thank you for the expected and the unexpected gifts.

The gift of grace works powerfully within us. The gift of your love cast out all fear. The gift of your perfect peace helps us to move through strife with a supernatural calm. The gift of forgiveness encourages starting over again. The gift of joy makes our hearts sing in tough times. Help us to celebrate these and other gifts today. In Jesus name, Amen.

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All Night All Day

All night all day angels watching over me my Lord!
Hope of my present and future, I thank you for my experiences today. In the morning I praise you for new mercies and in the evening I thank you for grace. Thank you for the high positive moments and thank you for standing with me as storms cloud gathered. I can't help but thank you for your presence and care in the deepest struggles of my life.

May the experiences of today produce in me the deepening of my faith, strengthening of my love and affirmation of my Divine purpose. Thank you for every good and perfect gift and the favor you shared that was so undeserved.

In the name of Jesus, grant me perfect peace and perfect rest tonight, Amen.

Grace Amazing

Lord Jesus, in your name we thank you this morning for a grace that still amazes. Our lives would be terribly different if it wasn’t for your grace. Our names could be listed in the obituary section of the newspaper this morning or on the hospital registry, a court docket, or a sign-in sheet of a mental institution – prognosis poor and future dim. Thank for your unmerited favor!

Thank you for a grace that lifts us up out of the pits of hell,. Thank you for a grace that cannot be earned and is not deserved

Thank you for the finger of grace that woke us up. Thank you for the hand of grace that keeps us up. Thank you for the grace that stands us up again when life trips us up. In Jesus name, may we live this day in anticipation that grace will meet us along the way.

Amen and Amen.
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LEANING INTO GRACE

Let us pray together:

Oh God
On this morning
I lean into Your grace
So glad that Your mercies
Are new every morning
For I confess
I have sinned
Fallen short
Of Your Glory.
Have mercy Lord
Have mercy on me
And echoing
Rebounding
throughout eternity
I hear Your voice
Father
Forgive
S/he knows not what
S/he does...
Oh!
Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost
But now am found
Was blind
But now I see…
Thank you
O Merciful God
For your
Amazing Grace
Which looks beyond my faults
And sees my needs…

Inspired by: John 18:28-32 (NRSV), Amazing Grace (John Newton), & He Looked Beyond My Faults (Dottie Rambo)
Rev. Yolanda D. Lehman
Publisher, Ainta That Good News?!: A daily online Christian devotional that makes Good News easy to read and fun to share! © 2009
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/

Prayer Experience

Consumed by Grace:

So often when I am tempted to take matters into my own hands and my soul is flooded, there are only two choices that I have: I can sink and allow my life to be consumed, drowning in sorrow.... OR I can swim and allow my life to be consumed, overwhelmed by GRACE...rising from agony through the Power of Prayer...walking on water.

Can I get a witness from all you non-swimmers out there? (Luke 22:42; Zech. 4:6b).

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Another Day!

Let us pray together:

Eternal God, creator of all things, thank you for allowing me to see another day. Somebody was not able to wake up this morning, but you saw fit to give me the activity of my body and to touch me with your finger of love. Thank you.

God I understand that it is not because I have been so good, but because of your grace and loving mercy that you have allowed me to see another day. Thank you.

Bless this day and all that takes place in it. Bless my going out and my coming in. Please put a shield of protection around me from all hurt, harm, or danger, in the name of Jesus. Thank you for being the God above—and over—all things. Keep me by your power.

In The Mighty Name Of Jesus!

Thank God and Amen!

Rev. Demetrius Chester
Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church
St. Cloud State University, Class of 2011
Saint Paul, MN

Open Our Eyes

Praying together and out loud, we pray:

Gracious God, we come before you, unworthy of your grace, unworthy of your love and unworthy of you. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Today, we come in confession that too often we have chosen the fruit over the garden; too often we have bowed down to the golden calf; too often we have begged for a sign; too often we have declared Caesar to be Lord; too often we have demanded to see the wounds in your hands; too often we have substituted our image of you, for you. Too often we have neglected your call to be salt and light; too often we have reduced our relationship with you to a moral code; too often we have forgotten Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection; too often we have acted on sight and not on faith.

Lord, have mercy. Heal us now. Open our eyes. Empower our lives. Fill our hearts with your eternal love.
In the matchless Name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.


Dr. Lance D. Watson, Senior Pastor
Saint Paul's Baptist Church
4247 Creighton Road
Richmond, Virginia 23223
804.643.4000/648.4526 (fax)
"A Church for People On the Grow"
www.myspbc.org