Category: Time to Pray

  • Ephesians 2 19-22

    So then
    you are no longer
    strangers and foreigners
    but you are
    fellow-citizens
    with the saints
    and members of God’s household,
    having been built on the foundation
    (consisting of) the ‘apostles and prophets’
    Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone
    in whom the whole building
    is growing together
    into a holy temple
    in the Lord
    in whom you also
    are being built together
    into God’s dwelling place
    in the Spirit.

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    Where there is injury, pardon;
    Where there is discord, union;
    Where there is doubt, faith;
    Where there is despair, hope;
    Where there is darkness, light;
    Where there is sadness, joy,
    For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

  • Ephesians 4 14-18

    For he himself is our peace,
    who made both (groups) one (group)
    and
    broke down the dividing wall,
              that is the ‘fence’;
      in his flesh
    having abolished the hostility
    the law,
              that is the commandments
                  (consisting) in decrees
    so that
      he might create
    (from) the two (groups)
        in himself
          one new human
            so making peace
      and to reconcile
    them both
      into one body
        to God  
          through the cross
    thereby killing the enmity.
    And he came
      and preached peace to you – who are far away
    and peace to those who are near,
    for through him
      we both have access
        by one Spirit
          to the Father.

    (unknown)

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

  • Ephesians 2 11-13

    Therefore
      remember
         you ‘gentiles in the flesh’
       called the uncircumcised
          by those called circumcised in the flesh
                      by human hands
      that you were at that time
        apart from Christ
        excluded from the commonwealth of Israel
        and strangers from the covenants of promise
        having no hope
        and without God
         in the world.
     But now in Christ Jesus,
      you
        who were formerly far away
        have been brought near
          by the blood of Christ.

    God be in head and in my understanding;
    God be in my eyes and in my looking;
    God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
    God be in my heart and in my thinking;
    God be at my end and at my departing.

  • Ephesians 2:8-10

    For,
    on the basis of grace
      you are saved,
        through faith.
      And this is not from you,
        (God’s is the gift),
      not from (dependent upon) works,
        so that no-one may boast,
      for we are his handiwork
        because we were created
          in Christ Jesus,
        for the purpose of good works
          which God prepared beforehand
          so that we might walk in them.

    Lord God,
    your feed us with the living bread from heaven.
    You renew our faith
    increase our hope
    and strengthen our love.
    Teach us to hunger for Christ
    who is the true and living bread
    and live by every word that comes from your mouth,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  • Ephesians 2 4-7

    but God
      being rich in mercy,
        because of his great love
        with which he loves us
          and
        although we were dead
        because of our transgressions
    made us alive together with Christ
        - by grace you are saved-
    and (that is)
        raised together
        and made to sit together in the heavenly places
            in Christ
            so that
                he might show in the coming ages
                    the surpassing riches of his grace
                        in kindness
                        towards us
                        in Christ Jesus.

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • Ephesians 2 1-3

    And you,
     although you were dead
       in transgressions and your sins,
          in which you formerly walked
             according to the age of this world
             according to the ruler of the domain of the sky  
                the spirit
                   who is at work in the children of disobedience
    among whom we all also formerly lived
       in the passions of our flesh
       doing the will of the flesh and (its) thoughts,
       and were by nature children of wrath
    and the others…



    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • Ephesians 1 20-23

    and what is the surpassing great power
              toward us who believe
            according to the working of his mighty strength…

    …which (God) accomplished
       in regard to Christ
      by raising him from the dead people
    and
      by seating him at his right
        in the heavenly places
          far above
            every ruler
            and authority
            and power
            and dominion
            and every name
              that is named
              not only in this age
              but also in the one to come
    and h e subjected every thing
      under his feet
    and he gave him as head
      over all things
    to the church
      which is his body,
           the fullness
            from the one who fills all things
           in all ways.

    Be thou a bright flame before me,
    Be thou a guiding star above me
    Be thou a smooth path below me
    Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
    Today – tonight -forever
    Amen.

    St Columba



  • Ephesians 1 17-19

    …in my prayers,)

    (I pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
      the glorious Father,
        might give
        to you
          (the) Spirit of wisdom
                        and revelation
               in knowledge of him
           (since) the eyes of your hearts have been enlightened
           s o that you might know
            what is the hope of his calling
            what is the richness of his glorious inheritance
              among the holy ones
            and what is the surpassing great power
              toward us who believe
            according to the working of his mighty strength…

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert

           
              


            


              
              
            


              
              
            

  • Ephesians 1 15-16

    Because of this,
    I, too,
      having heard
        of your faith in the Lord Jesus,
        and (your) love for all the holy ones
       do not stop
        giving thanks for you
          making mention (of you)
            at my prayers.

    O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
    O Love, who redeemed me,
    fill up in me whatever part of your love
    has fallen into neglect within me.
    O Love, O God, who first loved me,
    grant that with my whole heart,
    and with my whole soul,
    and with my whole strength,
    I may love you.

    Gertrude the Great

  • Ephesians 1 11-14

    (in whom we have
      redemption
        through his blood…)

    also in whom we have been ”chosen as (God’s) portion’
        having been ‘chosen beforehand’
      according to the purpose
        of him who works everything
          according to the purpose of his will,
    so that we
      - the ‘first to hope’ in Christ –
        might be for the praise of his glory.

    In whom you also
      having heard the word of truth
        the good news of your salvation
    in whom
      having also believed
        you have been marked
        with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.
          who is a down payment of our inheritance
    until the ‘redemption of possession’
            for the praise of his glory.

    Teach us, good Lord,
    to serve thee as thou deservest;
    to give and not to count the cost;
    to fight and not to heed the wounds;
    to toil and not to seek for rest;
    to labour and not to ask for any reward,
    save that of knowing that we do thy will,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Amen

    St Ignatius