November 29 Prayer
Advent has begun It is the time of waiting of looking ahead and remembering the promises Advent is a time to come near, dig deeper into mystery and wonder and hold space for hope to grow. “Come let us climb the Lord's highest mountain raised above the hills below. Come let us walk in the light and learn His ways so we can walk them out.” Come let our hopes be raised up to live in hopeful anticipation as God is secretly revealed as love in the world and in our lives. Pause here to pray; ‘Lord we come in our waiting…. May we climb higher in our hopes. We ask you to show us where the graces are along the suffering path that is not easy. In the waiting and in our anticipation may our eyes become clearer to behold your glory. May we grow to understand the deeper truth of Emmanuel. God you are always with us. May we be present to your presence in one another and meet you there this day.’ Amen Isaiah 2:1-6 Dee Brill November 20 Prayer
Saturday slowdown On the road On the way There will be an encounter There will be a choice during the day Slow down and let your heart and soul settle down all that you have carried this week Let grace settle there with you on the floor of your heart There will be many choices for the heart to make as you go throughout this day. Look for the blessings that are before you and give thanks. For in every shadow there is a light shining Otherwise there would be no shadow. May your heart become a little lighter with the grace to give thanks today. Amen Dee Brill November 19 Prayer
We look everywhere on the outside for what will fulfill us. Our families and relationships, our jobs and ministries, our homes and possessions. There is only one who will truly satisfy our every longing and desire. We must choose to find our fulfillment within where the Lord dwells. He has chosen to make his holy place within us. We are his house. That’s why Paul refers to our bodies as a ‘holy temple’ and Jesus calls us a ‘house of prayer.’ Where does the thief come in to steal your time and attention, your love and affection? Stop trying to fix everything on the outside. Take care of the inside. Lean in now to be present to the place where the Lord dwells in you. Breathe deeply into prayer for you are a house of prayer. Praying; “Jesus you are our living water, the well that never runs dry. Only You will truly satisfy our souls. Forgive us for seeking only on the outside. We give you all of the things we think will satisfy and look within to the places you are calling us deeper. You are a holy hiding place for us to be kept from distress. We set ourselves apart as your holy place in the world through times of quiet, and times of our full presence to your presence within us. Come Holy Spirit to ignite within us the living flame of your love so we become a house of prayer. Today we pray, Amen Lk.19:45-45, 1Cor.3:16-17, Ps.32:7 Dee Brill November 18 Prayer
The kingdom of God is near. Peace comes as a visitation to break down the ramparts that close in upon you. Upon your sorrow and sadness, your searching and striving to get things right. You're trying to hold things together. And there He is, weeping tears of compassion… Compassion He has for us to let him in and compassion to give to others whose tears are not seen. He is visiting us all! Let him in to share your tears as you share his. He is always near to the broken hearted. Come near him now to Pray; “Lord, we give to you the walls of pain and fear to tear down before they crush us. We receive the inheritance of peace to pass on to our families. Peace within and peace with God and peace with one another. We draw strength from the Lord and his mighty power against the power of darkness that surrounds us. We give thanks with grateful hearts that You,God are with us now. We pray for those whose tears are not seen and feel alone. May we be your eyes to see and your heart to carry their tears with you. How sweet and tender is your love and desire to share everything that we are going through. Send us out today to bring your message of peace to our world we pray. Amen Lk.19:45-48, Eph.6:10, Matt.28:18-20 Dee Brill November 11 Prayer
Where do you need wisdom today? Where are you full of anxiety and worry with the concern of matters way beyond your own understanding? Where are you feeling out of control, disoriented and displaced? Whose pain are you sitting with? Is it yours or another’s ? Let in the One who was before the beginning of all time and who orders all things well. With this blessing; “Blessed is the one who dwells with wisdom, For she is brighter and more beautiful than the sun and any created constellation in the dark skies.” Let her light break in and penetrate your spirit. Take the hand of wisdom and invite her to teach you all that you need to know as you walk through your day. Let this blessing rise up when the tide of worry comes in. Look for the eyes of wisdom as she is gazing upon your soul. She awaits to bring you into her pure clear water of understanding. Do not fear what will come your way for she is there to guide you. Wisdom is the very breath of the power of God. The reflection of eternal light and a spotless mirror of the workings of God. May her stirrings bring you closer into God's workings in you today, and keep you in the mobile motion of prayer. O’ Wisdom Be our companion Make us pure and clear as a spotless mirror so we may become a reflection with you to our world with compassion and truth. We desperately need you in every situation. For you order all things well. And all will be made well We pray, Amen Wisdom 7:22-30, 8:1 Dee Brill November 10 Prayer
Ten sick shamed men crying out for mercy to be healed. One sick shamed woman reaching out to touch the very one she was not allowed to touch. Mercy shown Healing given Only one healed man comes back to say thanks. The one healed man was a foreigner and enemy of the one who healed him. Faith is to act. Faith is to believe and faith to reach out and touch. Faith to break down the barriers between us. Faith to seek the face of Christ and to be healed. Faith will free us from our shame. Pause to realize where you are in your faith and what you are reaching out for? ‘Lord, you call us to come and seek your face with our whole hearts. We come now asking for mercy for ourselves and mercy for those we are estranged from. We ask you to heal our hearts from the barriers and untrue thoughts that keep us far from you and your ways. May we encourage one another’s faith with grateful hearts always seeking your face in the midst of our struggles. We reach out today to You in faith and ask you to help us to reach out to others held in the prison of their shame. Everything we have been given has come from your hands. We give thanks with grateful hearts for all the mercy we have received. For your love for us just as we are that changes us into your image. Fill us all this day with your great overwhelming mercy to begin again and have heaven's sight here on earth. May we have faith that the road of our own healing will lead us to find Your face in the ones we meet there. May we reach out and become a healing presence too. Thank you Lord for your great love and mercy.” Amen Lk. 17:11-19, Mark.6:24, Ps.27:8-14 Dee Brill November 9 Prayer
Jesus, In the holy temple drives out all that is not holy. Jesus, the very foundation we are built upon Holy we are made A place A place of prayer A place of peace A bearer of his face in the world Everything must be built upon Jesus How we think and how we act For we are the place ‘Lord Forgive us for all that we have allowed into our temples that is unholy. All the things that have kept us from your peace. Fear, control, pride, envy, hopelessness ….. Thank you that in your mercy you correct us, humble us and make us whole. Help us to see that we are each a holy place where you live. Help us to live as you live in the world . Where justice and mercy meet. Where peace is within the walls. Wash us today and make us clean. Let us see with bright new eyes the future you will bring. Let us be a bright,washed clean holy temple to shine in the world today. By your grace we pray, Amen John 2:13-16, Eph.2:19-20, Ps.122 Dee Brill November 8 Prayer
“Increase our faith Lord” They asked Jesus.” For He had called them to forgive the ones that caused harm to them. Lk.17:1-6 ‘You must forgive them over and over again.’ Thus their request for more faith. Forgiveness does indeed take more faith and the power to release others from holding us hostage to the hurt inside. It takes love for Christ in us who has made us worthy of respect. When we are able to forgive ourselves then we may forgive others and speak truth to them about the hurt they have caused. Faith gives us the ability to speak out when someone harms you so they are not kept in their own prison of pain. If we want to grow in faith and relationship with God and others then we must release our hurts. Let God give you courage today to see his life in you, something to protect and watch over. Pause here to pray; “Lord, may my heart not be proud or haughty but like a weaned child I will rest close to your heart. Ps.131 Lord who do I need to forgive today? Help us to receive forgiveness where we have wronged another and forgive others who have hurt us. Lord have mercy. increase our faith to believe you will bring good out of hurtful situations and heal our relationships. Lord have mercy. We thank you for the faith you have placed within us. May our faith grow and multiply by your power of love this day. Amen Dee Bril November 5 Prayer
As Jesus prepares for his own death on earth he tells his followers that they must follow him.John 12:25-26 “You must be my servant if you want to follow me and you will be where I am…. My Father will honor you.’ He shows us how to live and how to die. In order to live fully we must fully follow. Heart, mind , body . It takes our all to be fully alive to Christ. This is hard because in order to really come alive in Christ and be where He is we must first let go of our own self focus, our own power and control, our own self will. This takes prayer and attention to surrender to love. Praying in Christ, ‘We give you our lives, our desires and our complete selves for you to take and direct us. May we serve you today by following you where you are. Right where we are right now we say yes to trusting in the fullness that comes when we let go. We confess that our own wills are too strong to conquer so we ask for your help from the Holy Spirit to bring about the change in us. As we serve You, Jesus, may we begin to see what you're doing in the world and be there with You to change it.’ Amen Dee Brill November 4 Prayer
God's love is unconditional. He seeks out the one that is lost, alone and wandering away. He leaves everything and gives himself away just to find the one he is seeking. Unconditional love does not demand change but it compels it. This kind of love may only be experienced through relationship Once we have been found by this kind of love, and turn towards the One who pursues us we will be changed! We cannot help ourselves once we have been captured by love. There will always be places where we are a bit lost. Where we are hiding within ourselves, thinking we have to figure this all out on our own. But we are not alone, we just need to be found. We are always being sought after by the lover of our souls. So turn, change your mind and self direction and let yourself be found by God. Pause just to notice how it feels to be held by the shepherd close to his heart. Praying; ‘Lord, I come to you now to be found by you. I Lay down my selfish desires and turn to be embraced and known by you. I open myself up to you and others in my life to live a fully engaged life. To be a part of the more and better plan you have for me. Together we seek You with our whole hearts and receive You as our helper in every area of our lives . We confess that we cannot do this life alone but need you and others to walk this out. Show us the ones that are lost and wandering that you are pursuing. May we be the light and become a helper to them as you are to us. Amen Lk.15:1-7, Ps.19:7,Ps.146:6-7 Dee Brill |