Prayer

Without Ceasing

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Holy God,
my prayer rises to You in the morning,
and at the noontide.
My prayer rises to you in the evening,
and as my eyes close to hide.
I can come to You in any moment.
though I am thoroughly unclean.
I need to come you in Jesus,
for my sin is not unseen.

You have commanded me to pray without ceasing,
You have commanded me to run to You.
You have commanded me raise my petitions.
All glory to you is due.

And You command me so because,
well,
You love me.
You want fellowship with me.
You want me to draw closer to You.
You desire me – a sinner.

Through Jesus I am forgiven.
Through Jesus I am Yours.
Through Jesus I have hope.
Through Jesus Your love ensures.

Father Almighty and Holy God,
draw me closer for I want more of
You.
In Jesus holy and awesome name I pray –
continually,
Amen.

I Am Yours

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

I am Yours and not my own.
I am Yours and not alone.
I am Yours and not exposed.
I am Yours and not opposed.

I belong to You,
     A tender, little child.
I belong to You,
     On me You have smiled.
The world trips me up,
     Trying to hold me back.
But I am Yours,
     Thus they'll always attack.

But I shall not fear,
Nor will I fret,
For I am Yours,
thus I am set.

I am Yours and not my own.
I am Yours and fully known.
Through Jesus Christ Your dear Son,
I am Yours and I have won.

Air

/ The Pastor 
As air fills the earth,
so Your love surrounds me.
Never a moment passes that I am devoid of it.
It gives me life and sustains -
     remove it and I die.
Every waking and sleeping moment -
     I am surrounded.
It fills me.
I do not have to seek it.
     It seeks me.
Never can I hide from it,
     for it is relentless.
Never does it run out,
     for it is abundant.
You are the air I breathe.
You are the life I live.
You surround me - 
     with love.
O God,
in Jesus' awesome name,
     I praise You.

[Breathe]

Prayer in Weakness

/ The Pastor

Whatever weakness or vulnerability you are facing, may You know the grace and love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. He will never leave you nor will He desert you, leaving you to deal with your affliction alone. He is faithful and will be your strength. Praise Him in the storm. Praise Him always and forever. Praise Him. Let us pray…

Oh God,
I feel weak and vulnerable, frail and helpless. My strength has been melted away. But, You never promised the easy way in this life, but Jesus did promise to be with us to the very end of the age.
Oh my God,
sustain me in that promise.
For that promise, in the midst of affliction and weakness, is what gives me strength and hope. It cheers my heart when I am down and lifts me up when it feels I am at rock bottom.

May I not forget Your faithfulness.

Though my body feels frail, you are my strength.
Though I feel vulnerable, You are my Helper.
Though I feel useless, Your Spirit still works through me.
Though I feel pain, You are my Comforter.
Though I feel hopeless at times, You never desert me.
Though I feel overwhelmed, You are in complete control.

Oh God, my Father, Sustainer, Good Shepherd, Sovereign God, Lord and my Rock,
I praise You in the storm.
Though the waves are crashing into my boat,
You hold me tight
and will not let me be swept away.
Though the winds are blowing hard against me,
You hold me firm
and have placed me upon the Rock.
And so I beseech You,
Oh my God,
bind Satan that he may not drive me to despair.
Cast him away that my strength is not in fighting him,
but rather,
spent glorifying You,
knowing that my strength is from You.
And so,
as I sit here,
may You be glorified despite and though my weakness,
for You are worthy,
and my Good God almighty.
It is in Jesus name I pray,
Amen.

Steal Me Away

/ The Pastor

Father God,
Steal away my affections from the world who holds me captive.
Steal away my affections from myself who clings to the lies sold to me.
Steal away my affections for false gods and worldly pleasures.
Destroy my misguded sense of obligation to satify the flesh; to pay it back for promises on which it cannot deliver. The flesh can only deliver death, but through Jesus Christ You are life.
Steal away my gaze that I may know You more intimately.
Steal away my heart that I may desire You more passionately.
Steal away my mind that I may long for you more deeply.
O God,
I am lost without You.
I am weak without You.
I am defeated without You.
Father God almighty, sovereign Lord of Creation, the great shepherd of the Sheep,
Steal me away and hide me in Jesus.
Secure
Safe
Forever
Father God,
Steal me away.

The River

/ The Pastor

Relentless
Powerful
Uninhibited
Purposeful
Your waters flow
To fall in I would be carried away in Your current.
To fight would be a losing battle.
To acquiesce
To surrender
would be to go with Your flow
Not mine
To be carried away is to end up,
somewhere.
You know
So here I go,
I want jump in.

Read

/ The Pastor

“O God, You are not silent, for You speak through Your Word.
Open my ears to hear.
Open my heart to receive.
Transform me and remake me that I may better glorify You.“
[From my prayer journal]

I wrote that above prayer because of a quote that came to mind. I forget the source and the exact quotation, but the spirit of it was that if you think God is silent or does not speak to you, then open your Bible and read. The Bible is God’s inspired, infallible, inerrant Word.
Read and hear, for His voice is speaking to you.
Read and listen.
Read and obey.
Read and remember.
Read and be excited, for our creator God is speaking.
Read and wonder.
Read and read some more.
The Bible is timeless and relevant. As Dr Steven Lawson has said, “The Bible is more relevant than tomorrow’s news.” And it will always be relevant. It will never go out of style for it is the Word of Life, Jesus Christ, crucified for your sins and raised for your salvation. Everything of this world will eventually fail and fall away, but the Word of God is FOREVER.

So…

Read, read, read…

God is speaking.
God is speaking — TO YOU.

Pitiful But Redeemed

/ The Pastor

Father God
I am a pitiful sinner,
But Jesus Christ,
My Lord,
My Savior,
Over Satan is the winner.
My soul You did redeem.
My life You did set free.
And now, O God, I am filled,
With Your Spirit,
With Your life,
That I may know true glee.
Sustain me now in this life,
And keep me close by Your side,
That all may know,
And never go,
The way of eternal strife.

Engaging God’s Word ~ A Prayer

/ The Pastor

This following is a prayer I wrote for engaging God’s Word. Reading scripture should never be something we approach carelessly. It should never be something we do as a matter of crossing off a to-do list item. Reading God’s Word is listening to the voice of God and therefore approach your Bible reading as a matter of life and death. Read with joyful expectation that the Creator of all is waiting to speak to you. Let us pray…

Holy God, as I read Your Word, may I not seek my own understanding but may I listen to You. May I not seek to fit my meaning into Your Word, but may I seek to hear what You are saying. And, with words that I think I know well, may I not take them for granted but rather read them with new eyes and an open heart. O God, teach me Your Word, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Morning Prayer ~

/ The Pastor

Father God,
For each beat of my heart,
For each breath I do take,
For each blink of my eyes,
I give You thanks.
For this world You did make,
For this life You sustain,
For my hope that You are,
I give You praise,
For the love You have showed,
For my sins forgiven,
For my hope that’s secured, 
I give You glory.

For many reasons, Lord…

I worship You.