January 30 Prayer

‘ I want you to be free from anxiety, concerns, complications
To live a good ordered life, with an unhindered devotion to God.’
1Co.7:35

‘The widow carefully placed her few copper coins in the offering,
giving everything she had. ’Mat.12:41-44

There is some kind of freedom that comes
when we can give all we have,
letting go of their grasp.

It takes a certain kind of intentionality
and devotion.

But if all of one’s heart is on the true treasure then perhaps
the things of this world could loosen their grip upon the heart.

Take a moment to ask what you are anxious about?

What hinders your interior freedom?

What is the one true treasure that calls your heart?

Now carefully give all that you are concerned and care about to the one who treasures you.

Pray a prayer of trust ;

‘Let my trust be in your mercy, not in myself.
Let my hope be in Your love, not in health or strength,
Or ability or human resources.

I trust you that everything else will become for me,
strength, health, and support.
Everything will bring me to heaven.” - Thomas Merton

We give to you all that hinders us now.
So that our lives will be ordered by your love and mercy.

Amen

January 29 Prayer-

Do you remember those days after you were enlightened,
when the light came on
and your heart opened wide?
Do you remember that feeling of
the grace your received after suffering a great loss?

Do you remember when your faith grew so strong and you
saw the hand of God move mountains…?
You were there arm and arm with others
in the trenches,
those that were suffering just like you…?

So wherever you find your self today
be encouraged to not shrink back.

Do not waste your sorrows,
Do not throw away your courage
but choose the better and more lasting possession-

The way of blessing;
A pure heart that chooses the will of God,
trusting like a child,
brave and bold,
knowing you are always safe in the loving
arms of a loving Father-

Show compassion and understanding
with those that are going through struggles,
for you know what it is like..

Call upon your remembrance now of
God’s goodness to you in your life-

‘Thank you, gracious God
for you have met me where I was before
and you meet me where I am now-

I remember the light when it came and
you strengthened me.
I call upon the courage you gave me then
to live from a pure and trusting heart...

May I be an encouragement to those in the trenches.
To those in the dark places
and hold up a lantern of hope -

To comfort others with the comfort I
have received.

May we all have an increased confidence
to stick it out and not shrink back in fear
nor doubt
but hold fast to the promised
completion of Your plan…

Bring your kingdom order of love and redemption
on the earth!

Help us all to choose that which is the better
and more lasting way.

Amen
Hebrews 10:32-39, Phil.2:3-9.2Cor.1:4

January 28 Prayer

There is a door way for us to enter
the blessed way to walk in
to walk through
an open door

Without fear we can enter
with full assurance and full faith
for God is faithful to meet us
cleanse us, and purify our hearts

When we are open
surrendered,
willing,
vulnerable
that is when we can enter in
to the holy place
of His presence-

When troubles and problems arrive at our door
we can enter in with God for He is there
too
ready to meet us and give us the hope
we need to make it though

Know what you believe,and what you desire
and let the work of your hands come in alignment with your heart

‘We pray with one voice
to hold fast to our hope
to encourage one another
and to keep on praying-

In the midst of calamity and pain
we keep on praying and believing
so endurance will have its perfect way in us

So Love may grow between us as we carry
one another's burdens-

We come with full assurance that You, God are faithful.

May we be faith filled as we pray,
as we ask for you to eradicate evil and disease from our earth.

We ask for you to inspire and strengthen hands today
that serve the sick
and attend to others,
to all that you have created.

May we all know how close we are to you
as our hearts are inside You
and You are inside us
through
your poured out love,
Jesus flesh and blood opens a way for us-

Praise be and glory to the One who makes this possible

We offer our hearts and hands to you this day
that we would walk your blessed way’ ~

Amen
Heb.10:19-25, Psalms 24:3-4, Rom.5:3-5

January 27 Prayer

Washed away, remember no longer
There is no need to offer a sacrifice
for our sins
no weight to carry
For there is One that carried it all
One sacrifice, one offering for all
so we my enter into a blessed way
and learn to walk in this way

God’s law is put in our hearts and written on our minds
placed there by his Holy Spirit
by his Son’s sacrifice

So why do we try so hard to prove ourselves,
to be recognized by others and desire noteworthy approval?

To walk the blessed way of a pure heart
we need to rest in the law of God
the law of love
being loved
being known by Him.

Why this need to be affirmed and known for
we are already known?

So let us live out of this place of knowing
with a fresh start
with a new covenant
where past sins are no longer remembered
the opinion of others need no longer to be considered

Only live in love
that is his law written in you
that is his commandment
in your heart and in your mind

Live for One only and you will be blessed

Pause a moment and take a look inside your heart
motives.
What drives you?
Why do you do what you do?

Now see grace like rain washing every part of your heart

See the etching of God there,
branded with His name,
Love

Soak here a while until your very breath becomes your prayer.

‘Lord Jesus,
Reshape our heart motives into your law of love
that everything we do we do from this place of being known.

And when we fall short and revert back to our unhealthy thinking
and ways of doing,
remind us that our very breath is a prayer,
our hearts are made new,
and we are able to begin again.

Let us live for Love this day
and show it in a secret way for your eyes only.

Praise and glory be
to the One who has set us free to live in love.

Amen

Heb.10:11-18, Ps.116:2, Matt.6:1-4
Jer.31:33-34,

January 26 Prayer

After the dark clouds dissipate
Clear skies and seas open

To walk the blessed way of a pure heart
something needs to be cleared away
to find a pure heart
to rekindle the gift of God within you

Remember your faith
is it sincere
is it in the power of grace, mercy and peace?

Remember what ails you that which clouds your heart
and come and make things right
Right with God and right with others
a pure heart begins here.
Then we can offer our pure gifts to God
and to others
What better gift can we offer
than to be a reconciler in this fractured world of ours?

So come and remember to
be membered again with God in Christ
‘who makes the world firm and governs all peoples with equity.’
Our King Jesus-

Pray for a pure heart...

“I confess my wrong thoughts, unforgiveness, grudges,
anything that has fractured my relationships.

Show me now how to make things right,
and who to make things right with.
May I be quick to notice and swift to respond with love and sincerity

Thank you, for making all things right in my heart

Teach us all how to walk the blessed way of a pure heart
May we receive this gift of reconciliation and offer it to others
We pray as Christ church;
‘drop our differences to enter God’s work
of making things right between us.’

For the world that YOU have made.
BECAUSE OF YOU JESUS
This is made possible.

Amen
2Cor.5;18-20msg,Matt 5:23-24,Ps.96:15

January 25 Prayer

Rain and more rain
the clouds are beholden
the air is brisk
my soul and body does rest
on the inside

This day, a new day to hear God’s voice
deep within you
Not to call you to do more, change more,
prove yourself
to be enough

Today is a day to focus solely on the king
Jesus,
and his name is the name you are called by
commissioned by
to be purified by

A name that is authority, safety, belonging
You have his name
The anointed one to heal and proclaim grace to all who believe

‘Blessed are the pure in heart’
who are able to recognize their need for God
their need for grace and to be held in love's embrace
this is the good news we can freely share with others

I ask this question, am I secure enough in my belovedness in God,
and in His grace to be brave enough to reveal my impure heart
in need of
redemption?
Am I willing to cry out David’s prayer ‘create in me a pure clean heart’
and believe that His spirit will do so?

Pause a moment to sit with these questions.
Name the condition of your own heart that it is in right now.
See the loving hands of God cleansing, reshaping and forming a new heart in you.

This is what He wants to do for everyone.
For you and for me..
We come to a place of need and pray for those in need.

‘Jesus, In your beautiful name we pray.
Show us this blessed way to walk in purity of heart,
with your heart for others that walk a lonely, self sufficient way.

Let us see your hands reshaping our world and let us see
the power of your redemption for all of creation.

May we be compelled by your love to share your good news with others.
May we receive this in our hearts in a fresh new way.
To have confidence through faith in the riches of Christ to be revealed
through his name.

‘Blessed be the name of our Lord now and forever.’
Amen
Matt.5:8, Ps.51,113:1,Phil.3:7-9

January 23 Prayer
‘I will have mercy,
I will have compassion’ Ex.33:19

Gods’ spoken words
of righteousness and justice for those treated unfairly

‘He is out of his mind’
spoken words over Jesus by his own family
unkindly words

How do we handle spoken words over us?
What are our spoken words over others?
By what we think and how we act,
how quick we are to condemn.
Like the ones surrounding the condemned woman before Jesus
ready to throw their stones

Spoken words of Jesus,
‘Then neither do I condemn you.’

Mercy is offered, yet mercy must be received.
Mercy cannot be received if we try to earn it by our own self condemnation
our own self focus and deprecation

it comes when we allow the human bitterness to
turn into unusual sweetness,
and that sweetness is the kindness of our God.

So now by Christs blood we have a cleansed conscience
no longer having to prove ourselves as good

We can lay down the dead works and come alive to worship
a living God.
Who will have mercy and compassion.
Let us live in the ‘now of eternity as our present possession in this life.’*
Pause, breathe to Pray;

Lord show us where we are not living with you in your mercy and compassion
toward others, towards ourselves.

I lay down my dead works of striving and competition
judgments and stories I make up about others
misunderstandings and …..

I receive your mercy and compassion
Give me a desire to enkindle hearts with the love of God
for this is your eternity now, your blessed kingdom come.

Let our spoken words say,I will have mercy and I will show compassion.

May we each enter into your lovingkindness today with spoken words
that bring life.

For that which we freely give we will receive.

Amen
John 8:3-11,Heb.9:14,Ps.103:6-8 * Bd. Henry Suso (1298-1366)

January 22 Prayer

Jesus calls us because He wants us
He wants us to be with him
Jesus calls us by name
He anoints and appoints us
sent out to proclaim

He wants us to be with him
in our imperfection and our shame
He anoints and appoints and
calls us by name

Return, refocus, the message is plain
‘Be merciful as I am merciful
Be my hands and be my feet
Make my joy complete
and live in unity’

Jesus calls you
because he wants you
now hear him call your name...

Pause- a prayer of response

‘Here are my hands, Lord
here are my feet
Make my heart willing to be your anointed
and appointed
I am weak and unworthy
If it is your voice that calls me
I am willing..

To be a host of your mercy
to become your bread and wine
to restore, heal and bring your peace
that the whole earth would see your glory

Show us this day where to place our feet
to be with you, to stand by you
Show us where to place our hands as an offering
as a cup of blessing
that we receive
that we can give-

May the broken find wholeness
as they hear you call their name-
Direct the steps of those that are seeking
and those that follow you,
the way of blessing
the way of hope in us
Christ, the glory!

With an Alleluia we sing,
make it our glory to praise you
in everything!

Amen
Mk.3:13-19, Ps.67:1-3, 106:48,Mt.8:1-4,Col.1:27

January 21 Prayer

‘My heart is ready, O God
my heart is ready..
With your right hand, grant salvation and give answer;
O come and deliver your friends.’ Ps.108:7

Jesus, carries our hearts in his as he is our priest forever
He lives to make intercession for all.
He is the blessed doorway to mercy
And it is there we enter in
with our hearts to give
with the hearts we carry within
to pray with HIm

The One who is always good, always kind,
so merciful to all
this extravagant heart of God

Is your heart ready?
Ready to receive and give mercy?

Let him have your heart, once again
in honesty and vulnerability
let him
take it and shape it into his prayer for you.

‘Lord, Jesus
God of Mercy
our priest forever
We need your help to pray
Lord have Mercy, Christ have mercy

We open the widow and let your breathe in
blow away the chaff that covers our hearts
anything that clouds our seeing and prevents us from being
your mercy givers

Wrap our hearts in the cloak of your love
let us always remember that you are good to all
that means all, even the ones we see that are not good

We pray, Lord have mercy upon all

those who are facing death
those who are giving life
those that are crying out
those that are not
save them we pray

Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Let them know how kind and how good you are
bring salvation and open a way for life

Renew our childlike faith when we pray
knowing that you are always there waiting for us
to pray with you
to give our hearts and let you carry them
for you have given your life for all-

We pray...
Christ have Mercy
May we have mercy this day~
Amen

Heb.7:25-8:2,Ps.116:4-6,108:8

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