January 20 PRAYER
Jesus heals on the sabbath a withered hand and offend their hearts- Mark 3:1-6

Hearts
our own hearts is where change may begin
a new start
a new way
sometimes this can be threatening to what we think we know
what we have become comfortable with
what keep us held straight up
balanced and not tilted

Jesus spoke into the hearts of the
people he came to
some with soft hearts, some with hard
some that were hungry and desperate
some stuck and set in their ways-

When he healed on the designated day of rest
the day made for all to enter
many did not enter the time of rest but
confined themselves to a form of rules and
restrictions that kept them safe

so the work of God could not accomplish what it was set out to do
to heal and restore
to plant the seeds of love
God’s love

Pray with your heart now;
See the soil softening and his faithful love and truth blossom forth -

‘Let not the soil of our hearts resist your seeds of love
Sow them deeply
Break the hard walls of clay
crack open the caked mud
the rules and restrictions of our ground
shake, quake our hearts until we are softened soil
toiled and ready to receive a new beginning
to grow the way of blessing
a new ground of being

Let revival come, Lord Jesus, Come
Save the church, heal our divisions and our land
may your unfailing love and tender mercy
be planted firmly in our hearts

We give to you all of our frustrations,
our resistance to change
May we no longer grieve your heart
but welcome your way of peace
so the land may be filled with your glory
to see truth spring forth on the earth

May we hunger after the food of Jesus
to do the will of God and finish his work
to restore and heal
bring your peace.

Amen
Mark 3:1-6,Ps.85:9-11Jn.4:31-34

January 19 Prayer

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
for they will be satisfied.’

We all want to see things made right again.
Discontent and dissatisfaction draw us to a hunger and thirst for what could be.
What should be.
What is righteousness and how can the world ever be right again?

I see the waves far out in the sea rolling in.
One at a time and a hope begins to rise up within me for us all.
As this year began I had two consecutive dreams of very large tidal waves coming into the shore but I was not afraid.
I only wanted others to come to the shore and look, watch and wait with me.

To set all things right- inline with what is true.
To turn right everything that is wrong.
It is not seeking to be right all the time
it is seeking the One who is our right.
Jesus tells us to take and eat of Him.
Jesus is the bread of life, he is our righteousness,
He will make everything right again as intended in the beginning.
We become a part of the showbread the priest laid out before the presence of God.

Let us present our daily hunger for what
needs to be made right before his presence now.

Lord, we pray as we give to you our hunger and thirst for more.
May we be a part of your creative power in making all things new.
We are not always right in our thinking so
change us into your likeness,
to love what you love, and seek what you seek.
Untangle the knots in our world and in
our hearts to see the cord we are to hold unto.

Fill us with a longing for more and let us never lose the hope of your promise.
You will fill the whole earth with your glory.
Empower our faith to believe in your righteousness to come.
May your beauty be seen by all and bring their hunger to you.

We will hold fast inline with the promise given.
Let the tide of your blessing roll in.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen
MAtt.5:2-6,Mk.2:23-38, Rev.21,Rom.4:18-22

January 18 Prayer
“Blessed are the makers of peace for they are called children of God.”
““You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:9‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Peace making isn’t easy.
It certainly cost the life of many a great leader,
one that we honor today for having a dream for peace and justice and working towards that dream.

Oh, that we may be able to live a life of justice, walking humbly and loving mercy .
This is the blessed way Jesus asks us to walk.

It starts with discovering who you are, a blessed child of God and to receive others as called by him too.

The invitation is a great one. To come and belong to someone higher and stronger who has a dream for you.
A dream that he desires you to live out here on earth.
We look towards a promise like the children of God long ago sought out the promised land.

Not all saw that promise come into actuality yet they still sought after it.
Traveled towards it. Believed in it.

Take a moment and hold your dreams and desires before God now.

How are you waiting in the space between?
What are Gods feelings for you as you are waiting?

Pray a prayer of response ;
Lord you know who I am and what my dreams are
I lay them down before your feet and ask you to reveal the dreams you have for me to live out.

Show me the next step in my faith to believe and stand firm on the rock that is higher than my reach.
You are my safety and my strength.

Holy Spirit show me the way to follow today .
Show us as your body how to cooperate with one another and bring the way of peace,
Through our words and in our actions.

May it start with an awareness of what and how we think of others.
May it start inside of our hearts to make a place for peace there.
For You
to heal our divisions and unite us in the peace of Christ.

In the great name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit .
Amen
Micah 6/8, Ps.61:2,

January 16 Prayer

Know who calls your name.
It's easy to hear our name being called as we are
taught at a very young age to recognize it.

Like in the story of young Samuel.
He was very familiar with the sound of his name but not
so with the one who called it out.
Samuel was sleeping near the presence of God.
He was woken up at the sound of his name and
it definitely caught his attention,
yet it still took a while before he recognized
that it was actually the voice of God calling his name out..

Pause to ask these questions of your soul and mind;

What has captured your attention lately?
Who is it that is calling your name?
Do you know the sound of God’s voice and how do you respond to it?
When do you stop to listen and ask him to speak?

Revelation comes after we listen and know his voice as Jesus proclaimed;
“My sheep hear my voice and follow it.” John 10

What a lovely picture for us to hold as we pray and draw near to his call.
‘Lord,
May we ever be near your presence, expecting to hear your voice.
Open up the way of blessing,
the humble way that allows our ears to listen and follow.
We lay down our own agendas and the way we think we are supposed to go.

We ask for you to reveal to us where
you are leading and to trust in the way you go.

Speak to us today
in the ordinary, in our true name
in the inner cave of our hearts
in the ones you have placed in our lives
in your creation all around us.

May we enter in fully in who we are,
in our true name and call
wherever we are in life,
young or old
You are there ready to speak, ready to lead us.

Wonderful Shepherd,
we look, watch and wait
and enter in the gentle way you call us.
Where Your voice will guide and Your staff will bring comfort .’

Amen
1Sam3:3-10,Jn.10,Ps. 145:17

January 15 Prayer

There is a promise of rest for all who believe. Heb.4:1-5,11

I was awake in the darkness of night,
the sound and vibration of a gong ringing inside my chest
To the promise of entering into the place of rest.

It’s there if we want to enter in
to be fully awake.

Not in our slumber nor sleep, no longer resistant
in thoughts too deep but finally
Resigned to a place of peace,
a holy calm starts settling in-

With open hearts to want what God wants;
For us to listen and respond to the invitation
Of entering in-

The promise of rest for torn open hearts,
tired, weary and worn out
hurt souls
waiting to be awakened-

Sometimes all we need to hear is ‘you are forgiven’
and then healing will follow.

Look for the entrance sign
It is there right outside your door
In front of you
In the silence and in the ordinary
in the reality
of the moment
calling forth the real you.

Let go of all the thinking that
wears you out
Unsought Burdens you carry sifting
through your hands

To come and be held by holy hands
Hands that hold the great expanse of earth, sky and sea
Safe, calm and at peace
His holy hands hold mine
until my humans hands become His-

‘We come, so come, Lord and be our rest
Keep us ever close to you to learn from you,
to watch and work and walk along your side
The blessed way, humble and gentle in heart
You are the way we enter in -

We pray for all of those we know that need your rest
In body, heart and soul today.
May each find the entrance to your promise of rest.

Come Holy One and make a way that we will follow this blessing,
we pray-

Amen

Heb.4, Matt.11:28-30, Mark 2:1-12

January 14 Prayer

Walk the way of blessing;
of the meek
gentle of heart
sweet spirited
self controlled
for they will inherit the land- Mt.5:5

What is my inheritance?
What am I striving for?

I already have it when i enter in
enter into the heart of Christ
into His wounded side
it is wide open for all to enter in.

it starts with our hearts
to be softened and committed to trust
trust in someone that is greater than ourselves
trust that God is our inheritance
our cup of blessing

and... your destiny is secure
pleasant places are already marked out for you
a wonderful inheritance waiting for you -

Know your inheritance
it's not about you
but about the One who gives it to you-
Stand in strength
trust and be committed to
the work of grace

The way will open before you
when you walk meekly
knowing who you are
whose you are-

Let your heart soften, listen to his words to you
draw in closer to Christ -
and pray;

“You are enough for me,
everything I need to live and rest secure in my future

I bless You, O Lord in me
I am content in being yours.

Shape our hearts and souls into your strong
image of humility
and gentleness
To fully be present in who we are
and walk in truth
in kindness and control
under your spirit
we own everything that we need for this hour

Lead us along the way of blessing
May we enter the wounds of the world
to find your grace there-

To be patient and kind with others that are hurt and hungry
and give to them out of what you have given to us
Your very self,
Jesus, the One and only

You are enough
You are all we need

May we walk a way of blessing
in meekness today,
in the power of your kind spirit~

Amen
Ps.16:1-11, Ps.37:5-6,Heb.3:14-15

January 13 Prayer

The sea roars
cries out all night long
Awakens the dawn
I can see the swells far out
Upon the waters

I hear the cries of all those that mourn
All of those that are weary and worn down.

‘Bless the Lord O my soul,
God, my God, how great you are!’

Jesus, carries all of our sorrow
for he too
was overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death. Mat.26

O How he knows,
when he spoke the word of blessing over all who mourn
He surrendered his will to the spirit
His spirit is the comforter
His will brings life where there is pain and suffering
He knows and will help those who are tested, Heb.2:18

Let us be the place where his spirit may come forth to pray for healing
as he prayed in the garden and grieved for the whole world.

‘Lord, we come with heavy hearts and worn out souls
For all those who face death daily tending to the sick.
May your higher will be done on the earth
Renew us with your strength and power
Your greatness for all to be seen

May we fix our eyes on what you are creating in our midst
With hope and without fear

May we be a part of comforting others and
releasing their pain to you through our prayers.

We breathe in your spirit that brings forth life
and exhale a renewal
Of the earth.

Your will be done and
May your kingdom come
Breathe upon us this day,
like the mighty waves that are coming to the shore.

Heal us and renew us we pray!
Bring comfort and hope to all that mourn.

Amen

“When you send forth your spirit they are created and you renew the face of the earth.” Ps.104:30

January 12 Prayer

Walk the road of blessing
It begins with a look,
then a sharpening of focus comes into view
as if our lense become new and the scratches removed

A first look may turn into a second gaze
one that you do not turn away from
one that you remain in
to expand your ability to enter.

Enter into the brotherhood of Jesus
He calls us there
to belong along His side
unashamed He calls us His own family
proclaims our praises
before all

Walk the road of blessing
with our eyes turned upon Jesus
looking into His face
His glory and His grace
and let the things of this earth fade away
to enter into the mission that calls you forth

Close your eyes and look for Jesus
see His face and
let him look at you

Turn your heart to pray;

‘We turn our eyes upon Jesus
We look for your glory to shine forth
in our lives and in the ones around us
We look for your grace to lead us

May your grace cover all
the helpless to find hope
The ill to find relief
the grieving to find comfort

May our first look become a
gaze into the heavenly realm
where all things of this earth grows strangely dim~

Let us each become a window for others
to sharpen their view
and see Jesus looking back at them.
Amen-

Heb.2:5-12, Is.61:1-4

January 11 Prayer

“Teach me the way of blessing
And what is the way of this blessing?

‘Blessed are those who mourn
For they will be comforted.’ Mat.5:2

Blessed, happy, delight,
count it all joy…
Mourning and sorrow, pain and suffering doesn't feel good
but it is there that comfort comes, ‘God draws near
and saves the crushed in spirit.’ Ps.34:18
It's a promise, it is true.

How do we live this way of blessing?..
for even in our happiness there is an ache
a longing for fulfillment , completion,
justice and an end to the story.

Jesus calls his friends to follow him .
This was right after
his closest friend John was arrested.Mk.1:14-15

He leads the way into mourning, the way of the cross to follow.
‘Sorrow in the night with the promise of joy in the morning.’

This is the gospel he proclaims
“You are blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you.
Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.”
Mat.5:4 MSG
This is the fulfillment of why He came
“The kingdom of God is here, change your life and believe the message.”

There is Joy in the mourning because Jesus is there with you
You can go there without fear and feel the pain of difficulties.
The blessed way is this way to enter
the power of the resurrection in the reality of the moment.

Create space now in your heart to hold whatever pain you are feeling now
and allow God's presence to be there with you.

‘Jesus, You are the blessing we hope in.
You are the one most dear to us.

Show us how to live the blessing and bring your comfort to others in their sorrow and pain.
Let us not shrink back when difficulties come.
May we always find You there and allow your
embrace to encompass all
beyond our own reach.

Let us put our hope in this real true blessing.Ps.146:3-10

Amen

January 9 Prayer

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’
‘He must increase, so I must decrease.’

Words found in the gospel, spoken by Jesus and John.

Jesus surrendered himself to become poverty for us,

For our sake
For love
Because of love
God is pleased
And delights in his son
Delights in us
Surrendered to love
To trust
Preferring nothing else

God offers us a cup of blessing
A wonderful inheritance
A pleasant land

This is the way, the way of surrender and humility
To bow our allegiance to none other
than the lover of our souls

May our hearts believe in a God who sees,
Who hears and feels wherever you are,
Who you are becoming
Surrendered to love
held captive to change
Until the face of Christ is revealed there

Take a deep breath in
of all that your holding unto,
all that stands in the way of Christ increasing in you.

Breath out all the excuses, and guilt,
regrets and resentments.
And let the light of Christ warm your soul with every breath.

Surrender to trust
Trust in love
For he is your beloved and you belong here.

Now you can be free to receive even the pain of others and release them into the love of the one who cares for you.

Lord God, we ask you to mold us and shape us into your image.

‘May we have stamped on our souls the soft outline
of the caring face of Jesus.”
(Joan Chrittsler)

Amen
Mark 1:7-11, Matt 5, Ps.16:5-6, 2Cor.8:9