Our God and Lord of the Church,
We praise you as the one who rightly orders the lives of his people, freeing us from all encumbrances to joy and fruitful living. We thank you that you’ve made clear what sort of lifestyles we ought to teach, learn, and live; you desire for us a unity in purity, though never a uniformity in expression.
Graciously raise up in our midst a generation of men who are sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness! Likewise raise up a generation of women who are reverent, free from addiction and slander, loving their husbands and children, self-controlled, pure, hard-working, and kind. Lord, grant that all the leaders at CTK would be models of good works, honest in our teaching, dignified, and sound of speech. And for all the congregation, as we go to our places of work, mature us to be cooperative, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything we may adorn your doctrine, O God our Savior.
We want you to sanctify us in these ways because we know that with Jesus, the old way of life is over! For in him your grace appeared, bringing salvation, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. We want to become those sorts of people because we’re preparing for life in the fully-manifest Kingdom. We’re waiting for our blessed hope – the appearing of Jesus Christ. Come quickly, Lord! Until then, keep us amazed every day that you gave yourself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and make us a pure people for your own possession. Be glorified in us, as we zealously and joyfully pursue the good works you’ve prepared for us.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Righteous One,
Amen.