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 |