The Body of Christ

Father, You put all things under the feet of Jesus and gave

Him to be head over all things to the Church , w h i ch is

His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all . We were dead

in trespasses and sins, but You made us alive! Christ is our Pe a c e,

and we are no longer strangers and fore i g n e r s , but fell ow citize n s

with the saints and members of the household of God. Jesus is

our Corn e r s t on e .

Father, You want us to grow up, to know the whole truth

and tell it in love — like Christ in eve ryt h i n g.We take our lead

f rom Christ, Who is the So u rce of eve rything we do. He keeps

us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow

t h rough us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in

God, robust in love.

M ay we be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all

w i s d om and spiritual understanding. As the elect of God, holy

and belove d , we put on tender merc i e s , kindness, humility,

meekness, longsuffe ri n g ; b e a ring with one another and forgiving

one another. If we have a complaint against another, even as

Christ forgave us, so we also must do. Above all things, we put on

l ove, w h i ch is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God

rule in our hearts, to which also we were ca lled in one Body, and

we are thankful.

Full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out,

we keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. Father,

You always keep Your Word. Now we will see how inventive we

can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding

worshiping together as some do, but spurring each other on,

especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Since we are all called to travel on the same road and in the

same dire c t i on , we will stay together, both outw a rdly and

inwardly. We have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God

and Father of all, Who rules over all, works through all, and is

present in all. Everything we are and think and do is permeated

with oneness.

Father, we commit to pray for one another, keeping our eyes

open and keeping each other’s spirits up, so that no one falls

behind or drops out. Also, we pray for our spiritual leaders that

they will know what to say and have the courage to say it at the

right time.We are one in the bond of love, in the name of Jesus.

Scripture References

Ephesians 1:22,23 NKJV Hebrews 10:23-25 MESSAGE

Ephesians 4:15,16 MESSAGE Ephesians 4:4-6 MESSAGE

Colossians 3:12-15 NKJV Ephesians 6:18,19 MESSAGE

Stand In The Gate