February 16 Prayer
‘Do you still not get it, do you not understand?’ Jesus has just fed the multitude of over four thousand with only a few loaves of bread and afterwards his friends quickly forget and start to worry about what they are to eat for lunch. Oh how our earthly minds and appetites overtake us at times. Our focus so easily becomes on things that overwhelm us but that already are taken care of by the Father. We look for bread instead of looking to the giver of bread. The true bread of life. Our eyes can see but are blind, Our ears can hear but are deaf, So we acknowledge our helplessness and lack of focus, Our inability to get it, to truly understand the Father’s heart for all of humanity. Offer to God all of your senses now to be blessed by his hands as you pray; ‘God, help us, You reach all the way down into the ocean of hate, blindness and judgement and set us free. Free to really see where you are moving, to hear the sounds of heaven's glory coming to earth to set things right. Oh May we begin to understand your ways are so much higher than ours. May we remember your miracles and provision, and be our sighted guide to lead us when we are blinded by our lack of understanding. Help us this day to start to get it, and live the way you have destined for us to live with faith, hope and love. With eyes that see and ears that see and hear your heavenly realm. So we may open the eyes of the blind with you. Glory be given and grace received. Amen Mark 8:14-22,Ps.18:17-18msg February 15 Prayer
‘Show us a sign,’they demanded of Jesus, testing him to prove himself. And he answered back with a sigh from the depth of his Spirit, ..’there will be no sign for you.’ We long to see results and we want our answers now. When they do not come how do we respond? If God is elusive and beyond our reach, it is not because he has left us but because we are not seeing where he is. He knows our hearts and what we really need. Our desire must be only to search and find him there. Follow him On the other side Of our own understanding Our own reasoning. It says in Hebrews that faith is the realization of what is hoped for and the evidence of the unseen. To walk the way of blessing must mean we walk the way of faith The way of hope The way of love Can we climb into the boat with him and go to the otherside? Leave our stubborn doubts and anxieties behind? Open ourselves up to the better, the higher, the blessed way of God Our hope and source of power within. Pause to Pray; Change us Lord, In our thinking and reasoning To reach for that which is beyond ourselves. Turn our natural inclinations into supernatural faith Empower the church through your grace with the very flavor of God So others would want to taste and see the loveliness of your kingdom. We invite your presence into our day Guide us along the path we take ‘For you are the hope of all the earth and of the distant seas.’ Show us the ones along the ways that are lost and need and hand to lead them home to You. Our home and dwelling place of faith, hope and love.’ Amen Mark.8-11-13,Heb.11:6, Matt.5:13,Ps.65:6 February 13 Prayer
“Call out to me in the day of your distress, and I will deliver you and you will give me glory.” There is a story of an outcast man, sick and desperate to be healed, crying out, ‘make me clean.’ To the one who he knew could heal him if he willed it. In boldness and humility, without holding back he cried out and God heard. Jesus was moved with compassion. Some translate compassion as he was moved with anger. God sees everything that contributes to our distress, and to our state of being whatever the cause. He desires us to be healed, to be clean in heart, in body and in our soul. The connection of the leper with Jesus doesn't stop there. It's an ongoing ripple effect of one response to another to another. How we respond to Jesus and how He responds to us will affect the world. When we are clean and pure in heart we will see God. And we will behold him in everything. Stop now and offer him thanks for seeing you in your own situation. He is willing to touch you now. He desires to make you clean. ‘So Lord, we come and declare who you are to us . We thank you that you have the power to heal and make anew. Make us a people who honor you and give you glory. Let us see the world around us in distress waiting for your touch. We offer you our hands now to be the very conduit of your love and grace. We will not be silent but tell of your great mercy and love to all! Amen Mark 1:40-45,Ps.50:15,Ps.95:6,Ps.107:8-9 February 12 Prayer
There is another story... When a woman and a man hid themselves from God’s presence- Now why would anyone hide from love? Perfect Love, a presence in a glorious, flourishing garden, with everything one would ever need. But they did not believe or did they not fully know just how loved they were? What keeps us from God’s love and presence? Where do we hide ourselves away from him? Was it the giving into temptation and listening to lies that shamed the two in the garden into hiding? Love offers us a seamless garment to cover us and make us whole. So come out of hiding and wherever you have taken the bribe of lies, just say so now. Return to the presence of Love where we are known and fully accepted. He understands our heart and motives, our willfulness and our willingness. ‘O, Loving God, Where can we go that your presence does not find us? We confess our wandering doubts when we take matters into our own hands and try to control them. When we think that we are the potter instead of the clay. Forgive us of our stubborn ways and rend our hearts to yield to your loving, gentle, yet firm hands. May we let you hold us there in the center of the potters wheel, to shape us into beautiful vessels containing your glorious presence To be poured out for love, and ever filed containers of your reconciling peace. Help us this day to bring your love and peace to all we meet. Let us live fully in your light of love and keep us from hiding our failings and struggles from one another. Only then can we become reconcilers in our world. We pray in the name of Jesus, the true peacemaker, Amen Gen.3:1-8, Is.29:15-16,Ps.32:1-2 February 11 Prayer
There is a story in Genesis, the creation of man and woman, humankind. Our God sees when we are alone when it is not good. He provides a helper, bone from bone, flesh from flesh, He made us His mercy, his wonders satisfies the thirsty soul and the hungry he fills with good things. There is one bread an one wine One chalice for all to partake from A vow of love that never leaves us. For power to be in and through us His very Spirit that provides a way for life for reproduction and abundance to save the world. Take and eat of Christ willingly let his love nurture you until you have all you can to give it all away for you will never run out of his spirit. We pray; We thank you GOD that you see You know what we need when we are lonely when we are afraid Come Lord Jesus We receive Your covenant with us To fill us with your spirit that never leaves us To fill our mouths with your words always to be there and fill our children's mouths until the next generations We take each others hands to walk this blessed way May we always see Jesus in the hand we take in the hands we hold and share our lives with- Let us walk the greater way and see all of humankind as You see, with eyes of great Love As one bone and one flesh. We are never alone~ Amen Gen.2 18-25,Ps.107:8-9 February 10 Prayer
The inside of the heart is what matters for what comes out comes from within. How do we gain a pure heart so our outward actions are expressed with pure love? Our intentions, and motives are usually driven by selfish desires unhealthy thoughts, attachments that keep us bound. Jesus calls us to a higher ground of grace, the workings from within our hearts. He, the suffering servant, innocent without blame, pure in heart was pierced and persecuted for our sake. What is your true desire? Where do you find your heart wandering now? ‘One thing I ask, only do I seek, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life.’ Ps.27 God’s house, God’s heart, my home, my heart. pierced through with perfect love- All that I am I bring, every false attachment, prejudice, bitterness and pride dispelled in the face of your love. Take a moment and with the Holy Spirit look deep within your heart. We do not always want to go there but it is where we will find freedom, to live in the house, in the heart of the divine. Cast your fears and pride aside, find the freedom from within, and let His light shine bright as the sun. “Let your mind look into the Spirit’s eternal mirror Let your soul bathe in the Father’s glorious light Let you heart contemplate the divine Son of God” ~ St. Clare of Assisi Lord we set our hearts on You today May we walk the blessed way of a pure heart. Purify our every motive, intention and desire, so we may live in your house of love forever. May we see you and find you in all things. Amen Mark 7:14-23,Jn.19:1-6,Ps.27,Ps.104 February 9 Prayer
‘A stream would rise from the ground a human being comes out of dust earth's dirt Molded and shaped By the wind of God Breathed upon A word spoken creates The spirit breathes where it will a life happens- Gen.2:4-9 Our life is but a breath Our words spoken may create life or death, wounding or healing. Pr.12:18 “Forever is your word O Lord, Standing firm in the heavens From age to age is your truth Like the earth, it stands firm.” Ps.119:39 Speak the truth in love… And a stream of living waters will rise up in the midst of the garden Where we dwell where God lives in us- So make space to breathe To allow his words of healing to come to you to come through you. “For though you may be in pain and suffering hard times now, He will restore you to life again and lift you up from the depths of the earth”- ps.71:20 By His wounds we are healed By His words we live O God of heaven and earth we are your created beings Turn our words to your words of truth in love Our strength is in you Our hearts are set on the pilgrimage Revealed to us and in us The words of life- We take and breathe in and out healing for our land For our leaders and our community Mold us and shape us into your created expression of love Here on the earth For we are made of earth and are nothing without your breath of heaven Come now We pray in Jesus Amen- February 8 Prayer
Lord, you are light and you are love, Peace comes Out of chaos and a formless void. Creation story is our story We are children made out of the earth When only the face of the waters covered it all Darkness and formless A wind blew Scattered and gathered Into a beautiful day Sky and land Morning and evening We were born to the light of love Bring your void and darkness inside and let his loving light emerge from the depths Peace comes to those that love. Take a long breath in God’s spirit of new life into you As if it were your first Pray O’ breath of God Bring your order to me today I offer my chaos and longing My disordered life My false over controlled life To let you bring a fresh wind there To blow away all the substitutes from what it real and true O’ creative hands of God Shape in me now what you desire Fill my emptiness Fill the void May your wind sweep over us so we do not drown in bottomless waters Rise up your people like a dome to make a new sky May we see the beautiful land you have formed before us A land of hope, of a light and love where we walk through our doubts and fears and meet you there- “O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away, overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor! May we live in peace as you have destined us To lead the way for others to follow you As we hear you say, “It is so, and it is good.” Gen.1:1-19, Ps.104: February 6 Prayer
‘Our help is in the name of the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. .. Our life, like a bird, has escaped from the snare of the Fowler.” Where do you feel trapped, suspended or troubled? Look to the heavens See them open up for you God is our ever present help in times like these He watches over us like a mother cares for her children He is a good shepherd that is our protector Looking out for our good When you need rest, he calls you to come away, rest here a while, There will always be people that need you demands that will tug at you like snares, Let Jesus, who has compassion turn to meet their needs Come and rest a while and let him meet your needs today Sit down Move slowly Take flight Glide smoothly Let your view change to a long gaze a love embrace Where sky meets sea Waves meet shore Where your heart is warm Secure in love Sheltered and safe ‘Let Jesus, the good shepherd, through his blood of the eternal covenant provide you with all that is good that you may do His will. Let him teach you many things. May He carry out in you what is pleasing to him, All glory to him be forever and ever.’ Simply pray, ‘Lord Jesus, I will listen to your voice and I will follow You and none other. I willingly let go of the things that snare me up, things that are out of my control I trust in the way you will bring help and give to us all what we need.’ Amen Heb.13:20-21,Mk.6:30-34,Ps.124 February 5 Prayer
“God is nothing but love, Dare to give all for love, Give yourselves without fear.” If God Is love then we have nothing to fear. Yet why do we still worry? Why the anxiety and concern for matters that are out of our control? Jesus is our constant He never changes Love is love Always totally true to himself His presence is his promise He will never leave you alone He will never fail you For love never fails Love lasts forever Pause and let go of the concerns that weigh heavy on your heart See everyone of your worries be carried to the constant one Say with confidence, “The lord is for me, and I will never be afraid of what people may do to me.” Be filled with his grace and peace now Let your mutual love continue to be content with what you have been given Let this consistency run through us all; Jesus in us who never changes Who is totally true to himself May this same presence be practiced in us to love without fear for there is no fear in God Receive his grace and peace As you dare to give your all for love. ‘Lord, I want to give my all to you But I confess I am afraid I do not know what to do but I pray and Surrender to your promise made to me I believe you will not leave me alone in these matters to difficult for me I rest in your love where there is no fear Make my heart content, whole and pure May I be constant and true to you in every way In what I do and in what I say Not wavering in my love May I stay grounded with confidence that you are always present to me and present in me May I trust in the grace that goes before me to walk a pathway of peace’ Sustain us all with a willing spirit this day ~ Amen’ Grace and peace to you! Heb.1:1-8,1 John 4:18 |