Category: Prayer

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Wake Up, This is Real

 

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy them; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:17

This world is changing, our climate is warming, the balance of our living world is degrading and few of us are paying attention

It appears, that the ways in which our climate is changing does not easily set off alarms in us. Perhaps it is happening at such an incremental rate that it defies our deep perception

We notice things are different, but we endure or adjust, and then move on. This  has left us profoundly vulnerable to this danger

Wake yourself, arouse your mind and sharpen your perception, become an observer and listener of nature. This is more important than we realize, a problem which will be difficult to recover from

Never forget that this planet was made by our God, created for life and for wonder. It is a miracle of His work

Do you think God applauds its destruction?

Many say they don’t see the climate changing. Look more intently, study the data determined by the experts.

Remember the harm you have seen across the lands nearby. Recall the gigantic fires, the powerful storms, the unusual freezes and unrelenting heat; the devastating droughts, and all of the collective damage done so far

Sense the enormity of environmental stress that covers most of the world now. It is all there for you to see, just open your eyes and understand

Some say it is a hoax or scheme to defraud us. But, why are so many brilliant people telling us there is now no doubt?

Climate change is happening. It is real, and our own actions are to blame. The real hoax may lie in the disinformation and lies spread abroad, sowed by those who can gain by creating confusion and distrust in the truth

Our God is a God of justice and righteousness, He considers those who act justly, and those who aspire towards what is good, but He is against anyone who acts selfishly and propagates lies

How do you think He feels about those who are damaging this precious Earth?

Some say it is our right to subdue this World that God gave us to live in. But we have gone far past overcoming the challenges of living on this planet

Never has there been so much destruction wrought upon our land, seas, and air; harm that has affected all life, especially our poor and our defenseless, the ones God calls precious in His eyes

Oh Lord, I pray for our collective climate awareness, that we might sharpen our focus upon this threat. Please help us grow closer and more united as we seek to find good solutions

We elevate you, the Lord of the heavens and of this Earth, so that we might regard You in all our ways, that justice may be served, and the health of our world, upheld

May we always acknowledge You, as we work to restore the bountiful abundance of this world, so that it may be well for us, and for all who live here, and so that You may be forever praised for your all Your awesome works. 3/5/2021

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Seek Unity in Christ

“Even from your your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” Acts 20:30

How wonderful it is, when God’s people can get along with each other, when our differences can be overlooked, and our judgements, dismissed

Joy bursts out when the followers of Christ lay down their arms and focus on the greatness of His salvation, which renders every element of discord as petty and meaningless

Blessed are the peacemakers in the eyes of our God. For they see and understand His incredible mercies. They recognize the dangers that arise from divisions within our ranks, and seek to mend and heal that which has become a cancer within our society

Who are they, who seek to fan the flames of division? Are they not our enemies?

And what do they hope to gain from their actions? Is it not to persuade us away from peace for their own gain?

Wake up America, and listen, all you people of the world; Seek peace, and turn your ways towards the righteousness of God

Bring together all of God’s children through the outworking of His love, so that God’s perfect work may abound within us

There is an extreme level of anger and division building within our world. It threatens to overrun us, and take away our liberty

I have seen that everyone who joins into the discourse of division believes they are right, but each one only aids and abets the mistruths of our enemies

Believe and trust in the truth of God, for it is where our strength and peace resides

Live according to His ways, and have faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. For without these we will revert to our old ways of sin

Stay away from all who cause divisions, who claim to be righteous only to further their own cause. Avoid their messages, for they seek to divide us to one side or the other, so they can gain power, riches, and control

We are one in Christ, and each of us is a child of God

Our God is truly a God of love, justice, and mercy. How do you think He regards those who scheme to divide us?

Most often we never meet or see the purveyors of these lies. They hide within cyberspace, or talk in carefully crafted media. Some are not even real, but computer-generated algorithms designed to amplify their effect

Do not get caught in their trap, or be persuaded by the shocking tone of these staged opinions, for they are skilled in crafting their message and given to deception

Consider then, the quality of the ‘fruit’ that results from their words. Do they create harmony, or foster discord? Will it help to bring peace between those on both sides of the issue?

Does the message build up the Church as a whole, and not seek to separate some to one side and the rest to the other?

Pray that God will give us a spirit of unity and love in these times.  3/18/2021

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A Benediction For Renewal

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

May the Lord draw you near this day and remind you of His presence, so that you might remember your place in Him, and be restored towards a completeness in faith

On this day, come back to your God. Return from your wandering, so that you might be made whole again, and be healed from the wounds that sin has inflicted upon you

May God richly bless you this day with the revealing of His truth and wisdom. So that you may see clearly the road ahead, and begin again, to follow His ways of living

By His power and through His love, He will begin to restore every broken place, and lift up those who may be broken, to renew them by His truth and goodness

May the Lord of righteousness, walk with you each day, our one true savior, and heal those wounded places, so that you may be of sound mind, body, and soul

Cease from your wandering. Leave behind, those things that cause desolation. Build up your life within the strength of God, and be made new

May you come before the Lord each day; and with each waking of the morning, return again to Him, so that you might call upon His name, and listen

Never tire from seeking our Lord, for He will return to all who look for His presence, and will soon be beside those who desire His friendship

Cry out to God, and come back home to a place of safety and communion with Him

Return, once again, and be filled with God’s Spirit and truth. There you will find a safe haven from the storms of life

May the Lord always remind you of His love for you, and bring to remembrance  the magnitude of His goodness. For all good things come from Him. All that has ever been a blessing in your life, has been a gift from God

Sin is a liar. It promises, but always withdraws true reward. Instead, it’s bite is like a venomous snake, which shows no mercy upon its victims

May God continue to deliver you from every form of evil, and draw you near today, so that you may be filled with all fullness of life.  11/18/1006

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Encouragement

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, and who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

For all of you who have been called of God, to employ yourselves in accomplishing His holy work, and to those who had heard His voice clearly, to live out their lives in faithful service to His will, Be strong and stand firm in Christ

Humble yourself, and conduct your life worthy of His calling. Nourish your relationship with Him, so that you will never stray far from His path for you

At all costs, make every part of your life as His home, and He will come in and strengthen you for your labor, giving you holy wisdom to accomplish all things

Defeat can only come from within you

Never accept criticism as a barrier to progress, or a reason for giving up. Rather, consider what council, if any, might come from these words so that you can improve your efforts

Don’t give in to failures. God is more powerful and wise than anything in creation. He will never leave you, or forsake you, on your journey

Don’t give up, but grow through every experience, trial, and victory

It is a sin to be weak in Christ, so never allow yourself to be completely defeated

Be wise about what people say about your work and your call. Do not fret if roadblocks are placed before your path. Accept it for what it is, but do not give up, or retreat

Place all matters before before God, and He will give you wisdom. Be courageous and brave, for there will be opposition

In Christ, you can overcome every kind of trouble

If God has truly given you this calling, then never believe the lie that what you’re doing doing is all a waste of time. God has ordained you, He has given you the strength and skill, and anointed you for this service

Your work is of infinite value, no matter how the world rates what you do

Guard yourself, so that you don’t stray off the path. Focus your life upon what our Lord has shown to you

Don’t become lazy about what God has said is vitally important, nor should you spend out all your energy in overheated activity. Instead, strive for a consistency of effort each day, and our Lord will will give you the strength and wisdom to continue on

Share in your effort with like minded believers, and have them pray for work, as you also do the same for them

Always maintain close contact with God. Pray to Him each day with requests and petitions for your work. Stay vitally connected to Christ, through His Spirit and His Word. As you do these things, God will use your work to bless many others. 1/18/2006

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Psalm of Surrender

“If any person be in Christ, they are a new creature: old things have passed away.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Today, this day, I give over my life to God

My right, to myself, I freely give to You, for I am not my own

You formed me from this earth, and breathed life into these lungs. You placed Your Spirit into this body, and set me here, to walk amidst this place

There is nothing I have that was not given to me by You

Why am I here, at this place, in this time? Is it not to praise You, and to lift Your name up above all names; to bring honor and glory to You, oh Lord, for You are holy, above all things

I am nothing, filled with sin, but You filled me with Your Spirit, and placed a joy within my heart

Your presence amazes me. That you, who are above all, and who dwells, even beyond all creation, would spend time with one so lowly

My spirit sings praises to You. I lift up my hands to honor Your Name. For you are my God, you have blessed my life to overflowing

I cry out Your name and feel the presence of Your Son. His love and righteousness hold me. They keep me safe from harm, and give me hope within eternities span

How glorious is our God! I am amazed at the depth of His goodness

Today in humility, I give myself to God. I let His perfect will be the light that guides me, and His love, the strength that moves my feet

May every particle of my being be given over to Him, so that I may glorify my God and my Maker. 4/9/2006

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A Conversation

Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs AR
For this is what the high and lofty One says- He who lives forever, whose name is holy; “I live in a high and holy place, but also with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite”.

My life is continually before You, Oh Lord. Every particle of my being is known to Your Eye; and yet I don’t always see the face that so loves me, and my thoughts are often on earthly things

How far, oh Lord, am I from You; yet Your thoughts are always upon me

Even though I seek You diligently, my mind is apt to wander; and though I often spend time in prayer, I can lose sight of You

As I make my way through life, I realize more each day just how weak I am, and how dependent I am upon You. For my life is held in Your hand. You could crush it out, but all I have ever felt is Your love and Your power

If You were to judge righteously, my life, and how I have managed it, You would not be found too harsh if You were to give me the stiffest of penalties

But, in all that You have done, I have found only gifts of forgiveness, second chances, and the chance to live the fullest life imaginable

Where do I go from here Lord?

It’s hard to believe that You have not grown tired of me asking that question. But I am reminded, that You have a plan for me, as You do for everyone

Help me to have the courage to follow Your ways, and not my own. Remind me of how futile it is to strike off in my own way, and strengthen me to know that Your way is always the best path I can take

You hold my life in a vise grip. I cannot wander far before Your Word reminds me of the route I should take

I praise You that You care enough lay hold of my life, and I thank You that You have never let me go, even when I have struggled with all my might against Your grip

I do not know what the future holds, only that someday You are going to send Your Son back to us. Someday, I am going to stand in front of You, Jesus; and I don’t know if I am going to be able to look You in the eye. For I would be undone by You. There is nothing worthy enough within me to stand in Your presence

But, You have placed Your Spirit within me, and it is preparing me for that day.

The very Spirit of Your being dwelling inside of me, attesting day by day of the incomprehensible goodness that is in You, that leads me to live out that goodness in my life

Lord, You have formed me from the dust of this incredible universe, breathed life into my body, and placed me here in this time and place

No doubt, You have a purpose for my life. I know now that it is not always to achieve the success of mankind, but to live out Your loving ways day by day throughout my life; and to continually seek to glorify Your most Holy Name.   1997

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Hope For This New Year

And we, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Arise, all you who trust and believe in the Lord God Almighty. Stir yourself and awaken to this new year. For there is hope for our future, and brighter days ahead

The wisdom and goodness of our God will lead us; He will show us a way, for He loves those who trust in Him and cares for every believer

He calls out to us so that we might follow His ways; and encourages us to pray and study His Word, so that we might be instruments of peace and goodness

His Spirit is with us, to lead us on pathways of healing that fosters renewal and mends divisions between us

Praise our God and seek Him, for He is just and will guide us in the best course

Arouse your heart and your mind to create a spirit of forgiveness. First, towards others, and then to mend a wrong spirit within you.

Confess these to our God, and seek His forgiveness. Repent of anything that does not side with His nature. Align yourself with the perfect power of His love, for it will be as healing you, and to those around you

Become a living blessing upon this earth, so that God’s will could be made real through your life, and so that its goodness might ripple out across our land

Arise, awaken His life within you. Lift up your spirit to meet His. Praise Him, and thank Him, for allowing you access to His heart

Cast off the Spirit of blame, and seek a way to mend divisions and distrust

Denounce any scourge of hatred of others that resides within you. Replace it with understanding, for we all share the same needs; we all require love and care to survive in this world

The Lord, our God, calls out to every one of His believers; He speaks to those who call upon His name

He whispers to us in gentle words that pack infinite power; they are strong enough to break down the walls between us, and convey truths that can melt away our fears and anger

God brings us to the realization that His Wisdom is greater than ours; that we are weak and easily misguided

Arise, all you believers, go before your God; seek peace and harmony, for our God is a God who values peace far above conflict

He is a God of love, not hatred. He wants to draw all people towards His truth, so that His love would be all in all throughout the world.  1/19/2021

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Love

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Do you sense God at work in your life today? Does His still calm voice call out to you when you pray?

Love

Love, the single most important quality that God has imparted to the universe. Love, do you hear His whisper in your ears? Does the song of His love play on your internal soundtrack?

Love; it’s what makes us Christians. It is the difference between good and evil. Has it seeped into your pores and changed you from within? Will you give it a chance this day to work wonders within your heart?

Love is patient, it endures and is willing to wait for what it hopes for. It bears only good intentions in all that it inspires within us

Love is not envious of others, because it seeks the best for everyone. Love does not exist in those when they boast, or in those, when they let their pride rule their behavior; for those actions only manifest self-seeking for personal benefit

Love transcends all selfish action. It remains apart from evil, because love exists as God’s most basic principal

It overcomes all doubt and fear. It believes in the truth behind all things, because that is where God is at work in the most fundamental ways

Love gives us hope to overcome all things that come against it. It empowers us to endure and persevere, even when things are most difficult

Love overcomes all things, because of its perfect goodness. It upholds us, even though we may suffer. It convinces us to act out in kindness, though we may have been provoked

Love is a miracle

It is the essential nature of our God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. It is the common thread found throughout His Word, and the intent of every message He gives to us by His Holy Spirit

Love is a resounding note that sounds and echoes throughout all the creation. Because of love, we were made and have our being and through the outworking of its power in creation, this place was made to be our home

We were made to know and deeply understand what love is. It is our purpose to live a life that abounds in love, so that we might rightfully rejoice in our life and all the goodness that love brings

Our God is a God of love. He is the one true God, and He loves without measure. By His love, He forgives us. Through His love, He offers us a more perfect way

In His love, we can rejoice in living our lives no matter what may happen. For by God’s love, and through God’s love, we become connected to the greatest and most powerful force there is.   11/21/2020

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A Flower For Each Season

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Last month I replaced the flowers growing in some large planters at the entrance of a commercial office. It was time to pull out the summer Zinnias that were still blooming in order to plant flowers that would do well in the coming winter. A receptionist came out and was upset with me for tearing out ‘those perfectly beautiful flowers’. What she did not understand was that it was getting into late in fall and I needed to have the winter flowers established before the cold weather set in. If I waited any longer, they would be limited in producing beautiful flowers during the next five months. As it turned out, we had a hard frost two days later and those Zinnias would have died anyway.

There are times and seasons that come and go throughout everything in life. It is God’s will for us that we be prepared to react appropriately to everything that lies ahead. We must respond by using every bit of knowledge we have gained through living, with the perfect wisdom of God’s Word, and through the careful leading of His Spirit.

When we stay rightly related to God, and found our choices upon His Word and principals, we will keep to the best path for our lives. Seasons will come and go, some good and others not, but He will always keep our souls safe and secure. Therefore, continue to be a person of prayer; spend time with Him daily, in solitude, where He can instruct you in the preparations for the upcoming season. Ask for His advice, and God will by no means keep it from you. Be a student of His Word. Don’t give up.

There are times when God will show you something difficult. A way that we should go, a person we need to talk to, a relationship we must cut off, or, to make a change in our life that is easier said than done. We may balk and say to ourselves, “how can we ever do that”? The Lord won’t demand that we do so, but He may bring it up time and time again until we either obey, or its season passes and the opportunity that it held is lost forever. “Oh ye of little faith”; It must grieve the Spirit of God every time we step back and make the safe and easy choice, at the expense of our growth and life in Him.

God knows what is best for our lives. He sees the frosts that are coming in a few days. He can sense when we are protecting a weakness in our lives or when we’re putting up a front that only serves to keep us longer in chains. He knows that other people may not always approve of the way He has laid out for us, but His Spirit continues, nonetheless, to remind us and coax us towards His perfect way. How great is the love and direction of God. He works so that we may grow in our faith and realize that His way is really the best and most joyous road we could have ever taken.

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A Benediction For Prayer

Then Jesus told His disciples parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1

May you pray each day to your Father in Heaven, and speak to your God, so that He may begin to be known to you; as you are completely known by Him

May you pray, not as one who wants to be seen, or someone who is interested only in what others think, but, as one who seeks after God alone

So that the life of Christ, and His will might overtake your own life, so that you would be changed and made complete in Him

May you find a quiet place where you might close off the noise, and disable every distraction of this earth; so that you might be alone with God and clearly hear His will

May Jesus Christ reward you with His presence, as He sees your faithfulness and genuine honesty

May He listen intently, as you speak to Him in truth with an open and honest heart

For our God will not turn anyone away, who genuinely seeks Him in faithful prayer

He will not ignore their cries, or turn away from their voice, as they go before Him. But, He will draw near and be present with them in the fullness of His life

His truth and wisdom, He will not withhold from this who seek it. His love and comfort, will be a His gift to all those who trust in Him

May you pray from a right motive of heart. Not with vain and repetitious words, or through some formula, for God easily sees through our motives. He knows the condition of our heart and the nature of our prayers, immediately, as we go before Him

Therefore, become completely transparent before Him, so that your prayers may not be hindered, and so that His life can flow freely into yours

Prayer is a quietly powerful means of communication with God. It is uplifting and strength giving and one of the the best ways to experience His presence in your life.   2/9/2007