LORD, you teach us not to endorse, support, or ignore open immorality among those who claim to be disciples. At the same time, you encourage us to seek to make disciples of unbelievers regardless of their lawless behavior. YOU desire your church to exercise discipline towards those who are not repentant and who would sin that grace may abound.
I am thankful that so many of your people have been transformed from lawless lives to living now in repentance and faith.
I confess that I have sometimes fallen into lawless moods and have failed to discipline myself to love righteousness as I should have. Lord forgive me my lack of love for you and desire for holiness.
Help me to seek first your kingdom and righteousness in all that I do. Grant me wisdom with unbelievers so that I do not avoid them because they live consistent with their unbelief. Allow me to be able to share your love and logic with them. Let, me not endorse or enable wicked behavior among those who proclaim themselves to be believers but instead rebuke them with encouragements to repent.
LORD, you teach us that we need to consider our union and relationship as believers as special and sacred. We need to see ourselves as first of all members of your kingdom Church and only secondarily as citizens of our nations. Our loyalty to each other as Christians needs to be greater than our seeking civil justice in the civil courts. The church itself should be helping us resolve issues instead of seeking help from the unbelieving courts of this culture.
Thank you for all the times that others have forgiven me wrongs I have done. For the times that your people have been able to resolve conflicts and avoided court actions. Thank you for allowing me the grace to forgive others who have hurt me.
I confess that at times I have trusted the unbelieving and secular government more than I have trusted your Church. I have seen in the civil government a greater community of hope than in my brothers and sisters in the faith. Help me see the Church through your eyes and to love the fellowship of disciples as you do.
LORD, help us to become the Church you need us to be in this hour. Make of us a true community of caring, concern, and conscience. Send a great awakening to your people that we may give a clear witness of love to a watching world.
Lord, help us now. Show us how to show real love to each other as believers and give a clear testimony to the watching culture. Help us to be effective in being the salt and light of the world. Amen
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