Post on 03-Jan-2016
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““O come, Holy Spirit, inflame my heart, O come, Holy Spirit, inflame my heart,
set it on fire with love. set it on fire with love.
Burn away my self-centeredness so that I Burn away my self-centeredness so that I
can love unselfishly. can love unselfishly.
Breathe Your life-giving breath into my Breathe Your life-giving breath into my
soul so that I can live freely and joyously, soul so that I can live freely and joyously,
unrestricted by self-consciousness, and unrestricted by self-consciousness, and
may be ready to go wherever You may may be ready to go wherever You may
send me. send me.
Come like a gentle breeze and give me Come like a gentle breeze and give me
Your still peace so that I may be quiet and Your still peace so that I may be quiet and
know the wonder of Your presence, and know the wonder of Your presence, and
help diffuse it in the world. Never let me help diffuse it in the world. Never let me
shut You out; never let me try to limit You shut You out; never let me try to limit You
to my capacity; act freely in me and to my capacity; act freely in me and
through me, never leave me, O Lord and through me, never leave me, O Lord and
giver of life!”giver of life!”
Michael Hollings and Etta GulliMichael Hollings and Etta Gullick
““O Spirit of God, brooding over the O Spirit of God, brooding over the
formless world: Brood over my spirit. formless world: Brood over my spirit.
Blest Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, giving Blest Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, giving
form to the formless: fashion my spirit. form to the formless: fashion my spirit.
Blest Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, bringing Blest Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, bringing
order out of chaos: order my spirit. Blest order out of chaos: order my spirit. Blest
Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, giving life to Holy Spirit. O Spirit of God, giving life to
the lifeless: give life to my spirit. Blest the lifeless: give life to my spirit. Blest
Holy Spirit.Holy Spirit.
O Spirit of the Lord, inspiration of the O Spirit of the Lord, inspiration of the
prophets: Speak of my spirit. Bless Holy prophets: Speak of my spirit. Bless Holy
Spirit. O Holy Spirit, author of holiness: Spirit. O Holy Spirit, author of holiness:
sanctify my Spirit. Blest Holy Spirit. O sanctify my Spirit. Blest Holy Spirit. O
Holy Spirit, knowing the deep things of Holy Spirit, knowing the deep things of
God: Move in the depths of my being. God: Move in the depths of my being.
Blest Holy Spirit. Fire of the Spirit! Burn Blest Holy Spirit. Fire of the Spirit! Burn
all that is not holy, Blest Holy Spirit. all that is not holy, Blest Holy Spirit.
Fire of the Spirit! Shine with thy light.Fire of the Spirit! Shine with thy light.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Fire of the Spirit! Kindle with thy warmth.Fire of the Spirit! Kindle with thy warmth.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Fire of the Spirit! Generate in us power.Fire of the Spirit! Generate in us power.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Fire of the Spirit! Generate in us power.Fire of the Spirit! Generate in us power.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Fire of the Spirit! Inflame us with love.Fire of the Spirit! Inflame us with love.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Wind of the Spirit! Breathe in us thy Wind of the Spirit! Breathe in us thy gentleness. gentleness.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Wind of the Spirit! Blow in us thy strength.Wind of the Spirit! Blow in us thy strength.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Let us pray for the gift of the Spirit.Let us pray for the gift of the Spirit.
The gift of the Spirit is wisdom and The gift of the Spirit is wisdom and understanding, understanding,
resourcefulness and spiritual strength, resourcefulness and spiritual strength, knowledgeknowledge
and true godliness, and holy fear. Grant usand true godliness, and holy fear. Grant us
thy sevenfold gift, O Holy Spirit.thy sevenfold gift, O Holy Spirit.
Blest Holy Spirit.Blest Holy Spirit.
Let us pray for the fruit of the Spirit. The Let us pray for the fruit of the Spirit. The
harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, harvest of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
good temper, gentleness, goodness, good temper, gentleness, goodness,
humility and self-control. Produce in us humility and self-control. Produce in us
thy harvest, O Holy Spirit. Blest Holy thy harvest, O Holy Spirit. Blest Holy
Spirit.”Spirit.”
George George AppletonAppleton
““You are holy, Lord, the only God, and You are holy, Lord, the only God, and
Your deeds are wonderful.Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.You are strong.
You are great.You are great.
You are the Most High,You are the Most High,
You are almighty.You are almighty.
You, holy Father, are King of heaven and You, holy Father, are King of heaven and
earth.earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all good.You are Three and One, Lord God, all good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.Lord God, living and true.
You are love,You are love,
You are wisdom.You are wisdom.
You are humility,You are humility,
You are endurance.You are endurance.
You are rest,You are rest,
You are peace.You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and you suffice for You are all our riches, and you suffice for
us.us.
You are beauty.You are beauty.
You are gentleness.You are gentleness.
You are our protector,You are our protector,
You are our guardian and defender.You are our guardian and defender.
You are courage.You are courage.
You are our haven and our hope.You are our haven and our hope.
You are faith, Our great consolation.You are faith, Our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and You are our eternal life, Great and
wonderfulwonderful
Lord, God almighty, Merciful Saviour.”Lord, God almighty, Merciful Saviour.”
St. Francis of AssisiSt. Francis of Assisi
““O Lord, prepare my heart, I beseech O Lord, prepare my heart, I beseech
Thee, to reverence Thee, to adore Thee, Thee, to reverence Thee, to adore Thee,
to love Thee; to hate, for love of Thee, all to love Thee; to hate, for love of Thee, all
my sins and imperfections, short-my sins and imperfections, short-
comings, whatever in me displeaseth comings, whatever in me displeaseth
Thee; and to love all which Thou lovest, Thee; and to love all which Thou lovest,
and whom Thou lovest. Give me, Lord, and whom Thou lovest. Give me, Lord,
fervour of love, shame for my fervour of love, shame for my
unthankfulness, sorrow for my sins, unthankfulness, sorrow for my sins,
longing for Thy grace, and to be wholly longing for Thy grace, and to be wholly
united with Thee. Let my very coldness united with Thee. Let my very coldness
call for the glowcall for the glow of thy love;of thy love;
let my emptiness and dryness, like a let my emptiness and dryness, like a
barren and thirsty land, thirst for Thee, barren and thirsty land, thirst for Thee,
call on Thee to come into my soul, who call on Thee to come into my soul, who
refreshest those who are weary. Let my refreshest those who are weary. Let my
heart ache to Thee and for Thee, who heart ache to Thee and for Thee, who
stillest the aching of the heart. Let my stillest the aching of the heart. Let my
mute longings praise Thee, crave to Thee, mute longings praise Thee, crave to Thee,
who satisfies the empty soul that waits on who satisfies the empty soul that waits on
Thee.”Thee.”
E. B. PuseyE. B. Pusey
““Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that Behold, Lord, an empty vessel that
needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am
weak in the faith; strengthen Thou me. I weak in the faith; strengthen Thou me. I
am cold in love; warm me and make me am cold in love; warm me and make me
fervent that my love may go out to my fervent that my love may go out to my
neighbour. I do not have a strong and neighbour. I do not have a strong and
firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable
to trust Thee altogether. O Lord, help me. to trust Thee altogether. O Lord, help me.
Strengthen my faith and trust in Thee. In Thee I Strengthen my faith and trust in Thee. In Thee I
have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am
poor; poor;
Thou art rich and didst come to be Thou art rich and didst come to be
merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; Thou merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; Thou
art upright. With me there is an art upright. With me there is an
abundance of sin; in Thee is the fullness abundance of sin; in Thee is the fullness
of righteousness. Therefore, I will remain of righteousness. Therefore, I will remain
with Thee of whom I can receive but to with Thee of whom I can receive but to
whom I may not give. Amen”whom I may not give. Amen”
Martin LutherMartin Luther
““O Behold my Lord Jesus ChristO Behold my Lord Jesus Christ
my misery, needy and poor am Imy misery, needy and poor am I
and yet so loathe to accept thyand yet so loathe to accept thy
remedy that I do not sigh for the remedy that I do not sigh for the
riches of thy Grace. riches of thy Grace.
Set aflame in me, O LordSet aflame in me, O Lord
the desire for thy grace and faith in thy the desire for thy grace and faith in thy promisepromise
that I may not offend thee my most gracious that I may not offend thee my most gracious GodGod
by my perverse unbelief. Amen” by my perverse unbelief. Amen”
Martin LutherMartin Luther
““Lord Jesus Christ, who returned from this Lord Jesus Christ, who returned from this
world to the Father and loved those who world to the Father and loved those who
were here in this world, make my mind were here in this world, make my mind
turn from worldly preoccupations to the turn from worldly preoccupations to the
contemplation of heaven, to despise contemplation of heaven, to despise
everything transitory and to yearn only everything transitory and to yearn only
for celestial things, and to burn with the for celestial things, and to burn with the
glowing fire of your love. And you, Lord, glowing fire of your love. And you, Lord,
who deemed Yourself worthy to wash the who deemed Yourself worthy to wash the
feet of your holy Apostles with your feet of your holy Apostles with your
sacred hands, sacred hands,
cleanse also my heart by pouring in the cleanse also my heart by pouring in the
radiance of the Holy Spirit, so that I may radiance of the Holy Spirit, so that I may
be able to love You, our Lord Jesus Christ, be able to love You, our Lord Jesus Christ,
in all things and above all elsein all things and above all else.”.”
Latin, 11Latin, 11thth century tr. Bernard Muir century tr. Bernard Muir
Disturb us, Lord,Disturb us, Lord,
when we are too well pleased with when we are too well pleased with
ourselves;ourselves; when our dreams have when our dreams have
come come true true because we dreamed too because we dreamed too
little;little;
when we arrive safely because we when we arrive safely because we
sailed sailed too close to the shore.too close to the shore.
Disturb us Lord, Disturb us Lord, when with the abundance of things when with the abundance of things
we we possess we have lost our thirstpossess we have lost our thirst
for the Waters of Life;for the Waters of Life;
having fallen in love with life, we having fallen in love with life, we
have ceased to dream of eternity;have ceased to dream of eternity;
and in our efforts to build a new and in our efforts to build a new
earth, we have allowed our vision of the earth, we have allowed our vision of the
new heaven to dim.new heaven to dim.
Disturb us Lord, Disturb us Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on to dare more boldly, to venture on
wider wider seas where storms will show seas where storms will show
your mastery; your mastery; where losing sight of where losing sight of
land, we shall find land, we shall find the stars.the stars.
We ask you to push back the horizons We ask you to push back the horizons
of our hopes, and to push us in the of our hopes, and to push us in the
future with strength, courage, hope future with strength, courage, hope
and and love.love.
Sir Francis Sir Francis DrakeDrake
““Let not the world ensnare our hearts by itsLet not the world ensnare our hearts by its
attractions nor overburden us by its cares. attractions nor overburden us by its cares.
Enable us to abandon all hope of lasting Enable us to abandon all hope of lasting
consolation from created things, and to consolation from created things, and to
esteem nothing honorable, nothing pleasing, esteem nothing honorable, nothing pleasing,
nothing great and worthy the affections of nothing great and worthy the affections of
our souls, but thee, the Lord, and that which our souls, but thee, the Lord, and that which
directly tends to the improvement of our directly tends to the improvement of our
state in thee.state in thee.
Lord, thou art the chief among ten thousand, Lord, thou art the chief among ten thousand,
and the one altogether lovely. It is only by and the one altogether lovely. It is only by
abiding in thy truth that we can taste the abiding in thy truth that we can taste the
consolations of grace or the hopes of glory. consolations of grace or the hopes of glory.
Whenever we look for support out of thee, Whenever we look for support out of thee,
we find nothing but weakness and distress. we find nothing but weakness and distress.
If thou dost not strengthen, illumine, deliver If thou dost not strengthen, illumine, deliver
and preserve us,and preserve us,
the friendship of mankind can give no the friendship of mankind can give no
consolation, the strength of the might bring consolation, the strength of the might bring
no support, the counsels of the wise and the no support, the counsels of the wise and the
labors of the learned impart no instruction, labors of the learned impart no instruction,
the treasures of the earth purchase no the treasures of the earth purchase no
deliverance, and the most secret places deliverance, and the most secret places
afford no protection. Thou, Lord, thou alone afford no protection. Thou, Lord, thou alone
art the supreme, the essential and final art the supreme, the essential and final
good, the perfection of life, and light, and good, the perfection of life, and light, and
love.love.
Oh grant us thyself; may we ever abide in Oh grant us thyself; may we ever abide in
thy doctrine; then shall we have both the thy doctrine; then shall we have both the
Father and the Son, and then shall we be Father and the Son, and then shall we be
able to do all things through Christ who able to do all things through Christ who
strengtheneth us.”strengtheneth us.”
Lutheran Prayer Book p. 146-147Lutheran Prayer Book p. 146-147
““We face a choice to be worldly Christians We face a choice to be worldly Christians
or world Christians.”or world Christians.”
Paul BorthwickPaul Borthwick
““The church is by nature missionary to The church is by nature missionary to the extent that, if it ceases to be the extent that, if it ceases to be missionary, it has not just failed in one missionary, it has not just failed in one of its tasks, it has ceased being of its tasks, it has ceased being church.”church.”
J. Andrew KirkJ. Andrew Kirk
““But you are a chosen people, a royal But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”have received mercy.”
I Peter 2:9-10I Peter 2:9-10
““But even if you should suffer for what But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.’ what they fear; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts set apart Christ as But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”respect.”
I Peter 3:14-15I Peter 3:14-15
““Then Jesus came to them and said, "All Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
““Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.‘ This is the soul and with all your mind.‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.‘”neighbor as yourself.‘”
Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39
““Spirituality wrongly understood or Spirituality wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.”misery and rebellion against God.”
Dallas WillardDallas Willard
““We are not Christians because of what We are not Christians because of what
we believe, but because we have been we believe, but because we have been
called to be disciples of Jesus. To called to be disciples of Jesus. To
become a disciple is not a matter of a become a disciple is not a matter of a
new or changed self-understanding, but new or changed self-understanding, but
rather to become part of a different rather to become part of a different
community with a different set of community with a different set of
practices …”practices …”
Stanley HauerwasStanley Hauerwas
““The church is not something we make The church is not something we make or compel to happen. We do not plan its or compel to happen. We do not plan its emerging future; we do not define it in a emerging future; we do not define it in a vision statement that can be realized vision statement that can be realized through a controlled and managed through a controlled and managed strategic plan. The church’s future is strategic plan. The church’s future is elicited from among the people who elicited from among the people who make up the ecclesia. Leaders who get make up the ecclesia. Leaders who get people to follow their strategies and people to follow their strategies and plans do not build the future of the plans do not build the future of the church. church.
Missional leaders cultivate a way of life Missional leaders cultivate a way of life among a people through which God’s future among a people through which God’s future is elicited among the people. God eludes our is elicited among the people. God eludes our systemizing; systemizing; God’s ecclesia cannot be God’s ecclesia cannot be mastered or managed or made. God gives mastered or managed or made. God gives us our future by the Spirit; we are invited us our future by the Spirit; we are invited to participate in the unfolding of the to participate in the unfolding of the present and the future of the kingdom in present and the future of the kingdom in the concrete places where missional the concrete places where missional communities live.communities live.
The Missional LeaderThe Missional Leader
Alan J. Roxburgh/Fred RomanukAlan J. Roxburgh/Fred Romanuk
“’“’Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a
man of unclean lips, and I live among a man of unclean lips, and I live among a
people of unclean lips, and my eyes have people of unclean lips, and my eyes have
seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’ Then one seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’ Then one
of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in
his hand, which he had taken with tongs from his hand, which he had taken with tongs from
the altar. With it he touched my mouth and the altar. With it he touched my mouth and
said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your
guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’ guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’
And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ “ “
Isaiah 6:5-8