New Year to Share God's Love

On Sunday, our  pastor helped us reflect on the past and the coming New Year with his sermon “Everlasting.”   The word is found primarily in the Old Testament, and is equivalent to the New Testament word, Eternal.  However, the two have different connotations.  While eternal  has a linear quality, as in a time that never stops, everlasting is far reaching, outside of time altogether.  God is everlasting.  If God is everlasting, therefore so are his attributes and promises, giving us great comfort. 

Lord God, what we ultimately need from you is this promise that you will be our dwelling place…everlasting…both from outside of time, and right into our moments.  As Noah, Isaiah, Jeremiah all experienced God’s everlasting love and faithfulness, this love from outside of time came down to us as Jesus Christ,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, God With Us. Our hearts are full of gratitude.

And in very individual ways, Lord, you have shown your love and faithfulness to us.  Give us a thirst to take time to reflect on the ways you have been with us in this past year.  These precious remembrances give us the hope and expectancy of your presence with us in the coming year.  We give thanks for the remarkable ways you make yourself know to us, and we pray we will see you at work in our lives. 

Father God, as we begin the New Year, help us invite you in, to be with us in our ordinary moments, our significant moments, and in the unexpected.  You have claimed us for your own, and given us the wisdom, heart and character of Jesus Christ, your only Son.  Through the power of your Holy Spirit, help us shine this everlasting love out into our world, wherever we are, so the world will see and know that to know you, is to be Loved.  In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Joyful Prayer

Isaiah 56:6-7 "And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to  be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant - these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.... for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." Lord, I thank you for the steadfast promises I find in your scriptures.  Thank you for the consistent reminders that you are everpresent.  You are strong, mighty, and sovereign. You will not leave us nor forsake us. You have called us, and you invite us into prayer.  You have promised that you will hear our cries, and you will answer.  You will take our mourning and from the ashes, you will create beauty. In all circumstances you call us to praise you, and in that, we find our joy.  In the quiet rain, your voice is near, and in the storms, your voice is strong.  If we quiet ourselves to listen, we can hear you.  Lord, I thank you for this day of rest, and for the gift of time to focus on you. Hear my prayers for friends and family, as I offer them up to you, for peace of mind, for protection, for direction, for health, for restoration of relationships, and for a thirst for relationship with you.  In the name of Jesus, I pray.

Everything

Father God, we  owe all to you. You are strong, we are weak. You are perfect, we are not. You are omniscient, we are of small mind. Lord, we seek you, and we find you. We call on you….you are near. Your love for us is wide and deep.Your world is in magnificent order. Ours is one of ordinary days.
We are grateful to be your people. Teach us to set our minds on you. Lord, give us a thirst for your Word. Call us into knowing you. It is in knowing YOU, that we begin to see who we are. You are our Father, and we, the inheritors of your Godly plan.  Lord, you are everything to us. You are our rock in times of trouble, our strength in times of sorrow, and our song In times of joy. I thank you, Father, that you have chosen us, and called us to be your people. You are everything to us, and we love you.

Open our Eyes

I come before you, Father God, humbled. I enter into your presence, which is LOVE and healing wholeness. And there, Lord, I am convicted of the ways I have not been obedient to your call. I ask for the forgiveness that you have promised, if I come to you. I acknowledge I am wounded. And, therefore, I have hurt others. Stir my heart, now, to see where I need to ask the forgiveness of others. Urge me to seek that forgiveness, Father.Make me aware of grudges I hold, and help me release them. In your love, God, bring forward my needs for healing. Only you can heal me Lord, and make me white as snow.
Father, you are a loving God. You know no boundaries, and your love is vast and deep. You are faithful. You are powerful. You are God.
I thank you. Open my heart to needs of people I see daily – and open my eyes to the needs of people I choose not to see. Open my mind to people too far away to see. Urge me to pray for them every day, to disrupt my comfortable routine to help them. Put a thirst in the hearts of each one of us to serve one another….to reach out to those in need of love, support, encouragement, justice. Lord, we give you thanks that you first loved us, even before we opened our eyes to you. You shelter us and provide for our every need. Your grace amazes us, and your mercies overwhelm us. Through the power of Christ Jesus, may we be the arms that shelter one another. In Jesus’ sweet name. Amen

Speaking Without Stopping

Back to School Night is finally over, and the basic organizational pieces are in place in Room 13! I have stayed home today to breathe deeply and rest my way out of a little illness. With the giftt of time, after the season of busyness (ok, craziness!!) I finally took the time to listen to a CD sermon from August, that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. I am inspired by the words of the apostles, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard," and the call to action. I ask your prayers, now that my days may come back to equilibrium, Lord, that I would thirst for getting into the Word on a daily basis again, and that I, too, will be unable to stop speaking about what I have seen and heard. Thinking about serving and surrendering to Him, is so different from actually prioritizing it and doing it! I know what I am to do, yet I do not do it, letting myself be trapped by the duties of the day. Lord, do what only you can do, in me. "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant, Jesus." Acts 4:29-30

Singing to Jesus

"Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts.
He is our great Redeemer.
Sing to Jesus, Honor His name.
Sing of His faithfulness, pouring His life out unto death

Come you weary and He will give you rest
Come you who mourn, lay on His breast
Christ who died, risen in Paradise
Giver of mercy, Giver of Life"
(by Fernando Ortega) 

Lord, my redeemer and life, how I need you!   I fail to do the things you want me to do, and I do the things I ought not do!  I take my own path, spending my hours and days as I would have them.  I fail to give you my time....even when I think I am!  I decieve myself. Your blessings on my life are so many and so rich.  I thank you for time to rest and gather my strength, and for time with my family. I thank you for my husband and his faithfulness to me.  I praise you, Lord. I long for you...you who are always here.

Trust

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him , and He will make your path straight." Wondrous Lord, please help me turn my will over to you. I insist on my way. I want to manipulate the circumstances of my future. I fight for my relevance in this world, when I have such a precious place in you.   I am the salt of your earth. I am the light of your world. Help me to trust that I am valuable because of You. Help me drop my cloak of useless thoughts and and beliefs. Erase my anxieties about the future by overpowering me with your love and presence today. You alone are mighty. You alone are the power. You are soverign. You are generous with your grace, and your love knows no end. Help me to rest in you, and trust in your provision for today and for every today in the future. Thank you, Father God.

Holy Week

John 20:16 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Dear Lord, it is during this wondrous Holy Week, that we turn to you once again to have the blinders pulled off of our eyes. We see a vision of you, standing there in our midst, yet unrecognized by us. Unseen. You are patiently, gently, waiting for us to call out to you. And, how often we repeat this story! Lord this year, let your call resonate deep within us. Open our ears to hear you, our eyes to take in the majesty of your Holy light. Move us to kneel at your feet and reach out to touch your garment. Stir us into prayer and take over our daily lives. We are nothing without you, Lord. You are our breath and our provision. Teach us your ways, Oh Lord. "But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you,....'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'" Isaiah 43:1

Imperfections

Jeremiah 25:7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the LORD, “and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.” Lord, how you love us! Though we are imperfect, you searched us out and called us to be yours. You sent your son to forgive us and the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, growing us toward your likeness. You are patient with the process, planting desire in our hearts to reflect your face in our lives. To each you have given a purpose, one which compliments the community of the body of Christ. We lose our step, you redirect us. We fall, you catch us. Jeremiah tells us of your wrath toward those who turned away from you, yet you offer us forgiveness if we repent and follow you, wrapped in the gift of your son. You have protected us from evil, you have sheltered us from storms, and you offer hope in apparent tragedy. Lord, I praise you and thank you for the power in calling on your Name. We are humbled before you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Everlasting Light

Isaiah 60:19 "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." Lord, I need your light. It is always there for me, but I let circumstances bog me down, I can't see it! Lord, I pray the Hoy Spirit will take over! I give my circumstances to you...but the tension in my body creeps back, overwhelming me! Where, then, is my trust in you, I have to ask? Your power can accomplish all that needs to be done, and can make way for calm. Wash over me, oh Lord, with your peace! Be my light. Calm my nerves. Right my path. I pray in Jesus' precious name.

Confidence

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 Lord, and we have confidence in this, as we know your word is true! Lord, today is a day of quiet, of prayer, of reading your word. How I needed that extra time to spend with you. You know just what I need....a call from a friend, a quiet walk in the sunshine, time with you. The grief is there, but the load is lightened through you. I love how you put sisters around us to walk your path in faith together. I am so very grateful for that. What a comfort. And, Lord, the laughter! Laughter with our precious sisters refreshes our souls. Life can bring worrisome circumstances, but as we walk together in joy and in the confidence of your Word, we can let go. We can rest in your assurances. Thank you! Lord, I ask that each of my sisters in Christ, with their individual needs, can feel the balm of your assurances, through your quiet whispers. Thank you Father.

Christmas Time of Year

Lord, it is the time of year when much of the world celebrates your birth. Even nonbelievers sing the carols and read the wondrous stories. Teachers help their students make cards and gifts for their parents, and send letters off to servicemen abroad. It is a time of great caring, and our hearts soften toward others. But, Lord, it is also a great time sadness for many people. Memories of past hurts resurface. Loved ones are missing from the gathering for the first time. Oh, then, how do we rejoice? In obedience, in gratitude, we praise you for sending your son to us. All of the celebration is short lived. The suffering will pass. But your gift of grace includes us in your family, and that family celebration lasts forever. Your promises are a gift that is there for us every day. Your Word is true every day. You are sovereign and just every day. Your name is Holy, Lord, every day. Let the nonbelievers be touched by your spirit, and believe. Thank you, Lord.

I Just Prayed For You

"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised." Romans 4:20-21 Lord, I am so thankful that you gave me the desire to intercede in prayer for others. It glorifies you, and brings me such joy when I can do so. But I am shaken after my earnest and faithfilled prayers seem to fail....when your answer is "no", or where there is physical death rather than healing. So I am afraid to say, "I have prayed for you." The words hold such hope....but what if..? It is then I must return to your word, which is truth. You are able. Knowing your word lifts the burden from me, and places it where it should be - with you. My responsibility is to stand firmly on this scripture, convinced that you are able to do what you have promised, and you are sovereign. When my small mind cannot understand your ways, these familiar words comfort me. "I am not skilled to understand, what God has willed...what God has planned." You are God, Lord, and I glorify you, even in my grief, my sadness, my pain. I continue praying. I look to the blessings in life, and I am grateful. I trust you, Lord.

Goof morning, Lord.

Lord, I come to you this morning, falling on your grace. I am physically depleted, mentally overwhelmed, and emotionally burdened. I am up talking to you, asking for your help in facing my day. Move my feet forward toward what you would have me do. Give me your words to speak. Free my mind of the endless details circling there. Feed my physical body with healing foods, so I have your strength. Help me discern my priorities, and lift the feeling of burden I have been carrying for so many dear ones close to me. Comfort me, slow me down, and use me to bless others through your Holy Spirit. I thank you for your promises. I praise you for your Word, and the truth on which my faith stands. You are a big god, with an endless love for us. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord!

Hope

Ephesians 3:20 says, "God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes!" Lord I believe you! Help me erase any doubts. I come to you today asking for complete healing for Kristine, and for complete recovery from today's surgery. I pray for her family to have hope, and I pray for Kristine to have courage. I pray for the doctors and their wisdom, and I pray for the chemotherapy to be effective. I pray for the resilience of her children. I ask you to completely eliminate any harmful cells in her body. I boldly ask you to do what only you can do. And I ask these things in your precious name.

Little Pearls

Dear Lord, I have been thinking a lot recently about my new little students. Now that I have the list, I can pray for them by name. I pray that you will give me the capacity to love and the wisdom to teach each one of them! I pray that I will look upon them, every day, as your children. I pray that with each irritant, I will see the opportunity to be the shaper of a pearl. Lord, give me fresh enthusiasm, give me quiet in the midst of the daily rush, give me the competence to meet each need. Smile from within me, Lord, so they may see your reflection in my face. I pray for their homes and their families, that they be love centered and responsibility driven. I pray that I can work with each parent on behalf of their child in a way that empowers them towrd their maximum potential. Hear my prayer, oh Lord. Guide me in my serving you through my role in this classroom. Ephesians 4:16b : "...when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Strength

Ephesians 3:16 "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." This prayer I pray for my many sweet friends who need the strength of God right now, due to grief, ill children, ill parents, and also surgeries. I pray this prayer for each one of you! And I pray you feel the power of the Holy Spirit in each of your coming days.

Priorities

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Lord, in the summer, when I have the gift of time, I can spend lavish time with you. My mind is relaxed. I can make thoughtful decisions. But what about the rest of the year, when life is hectic and demanding? My eyes are on the clock! Lord, that is not where you want my eyes. Lord, as I dive into your Word, you teach me where to turn my thoughts. You show me how to line up my priorities. I need to keep my eye on you....and you will do all the rest? I know that is true! I forget, Lord. I forget and forget. Lord, help me do my days putting you first, so that you can manage the rest. Help me make choices, as I look to this new school year, that would honor you. Help me make decisions that would put me in positions to glorify you. Draw my eye to you. In your name, I pray.

Perfect Results from Surgery

"13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139
Father God, I praise you for your faithfulness to us! In good times and in times of trouble, Lord, you are right there with us, paving the way before us, putting people in our path and solutions into motion. Thank you Father! Today I put before you my prayers for my sweet friend who is in the throws of a breast cancer diagnosis. In two weeks, so much has already been accomplished, and I thank you for that. Her family members love you and love one another, and they are a united team in support of her, along with her husband, and Lord I praise you! I pray for her continued faith and peace of mind. I pray for the doctors hands and minds to be directed by you! I pray for a perfect result from the surgery, and quick healing. And, Lord, I pray for a clear report from the surrounding tissues. You are a mighty God. And though we do not understand all of your ways, we do trust in your plan for us, yearn to follow your will for our lives, and keep a firm belief that it is good! In your precious Son's name, I pray.

The Harvest

Matthew 9:37 "Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." With Harvest Crusade coming up, the Harvest is on my mind, and I have listened to sermons from three different pastors, calling me to action - to be a worker in the harvest field. As I listen, I have ask myself, am I simply a spectator, an attender? Or, am I a worker in the field? Am I living intentionally for Christ? What is my agenda? What are my priorities? Do my choices Glorify God? Do I continually think about working in the field some day? Because that is very different from actually getting out there and doing it! Lord, I know personally so many people, young and old, whom you have raised up to be workers and leaders in the field. Lord, call me. Lord, I pray I will answer your call to be a worker, and I pray that I will recognize that call when it comes!