Morning prayer

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.

Good work

/ The Pastor

Holy God,
through the good work of Jesus Christ You have sent me on a good mission for Your glory,
works prepared by Your good, mighty and holy hands.
Help me to see the good work You have for me
and may I never take credit for any good work I do.
It is all for Your glory,
as any good work I do is empowered by You.
Oh God,
thank you for beginning in me this good work,
as I long to bring it to completion.
Until then,
help me by Your Spirit.
In Jesus good name I pray,
Amen.

Prayer ~ My Hope

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

O Lord, as the hymn goes,
“My hope is built on nothing less,
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
And that is a hope that is rock solid.
Nothing can stand against.
Nothing can take that away.
Nothing can rise higher.
Nothing can ever replace…
…at least that is my prayer.
May I not be seduced by the fear of this world.
May I not be distracted by political ideologies.
May I not be lured away by the fast talk of elected leaders.
May I not be enticed to satisfy the perceived wants of man.
O God, Father Almighty,
May I stand,
Always,
On the rock solid promises of Jesus.
May I cling to Your love which clings to me.
May I bask in Your peace which washes over me.
May I embrace the hope of the resurrection to
Eternal life
in YOUR kingdom.
This kingdom is fading away,
But,
Yours, O God, never will.
Yes, O God,
“My hope is built on nothing less,
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.“
And therefore,
May my hope in and through Jesus resonate loudly for all to hear.
In Jesus’ holy and righteous name I pray,
Amen.

Beginning My Day

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

I start my day in a particular way:
I grab my coffee.
I begin to pray.
I read my Bible,
and seek Your way.
To begin my day in another way,
Is sure to bring me much dismay.
I seek Your Spirit,
To quiet mine,
To focus my heart
on love divine.
No other way can give me peace.
No, not even the news
of a “Well written” piece.
I need your Word to jump start me,
For in only You can I find true glee.
And so,
I will start my day in this particular way,
And seek Your face,
All
The live long day.

Morning Prayer ~ Turning My Eyes

/ The Pastor

Father God,
I turn my eyes upon You this morning;
seeking You.
I long to see Your face that I may not sin –
defiling this temple,
this jar of clay.
I long to know You better that I may not stray –
seeking after other gods,
placing my hope in them.
I long to be held by You and feel Your embrace –
knowing I am secure,
being at total peace.

O God,
Surround me.
Hem me in.
Guard me.
Protect me.
The Evil One seeks my demise and I am weary of fighting.
Fight for me.
Strike him with a devastating blow.
Glorify Your name in victory.

O God,
I praise You that the ultimate battle has been won –
the battle over sin and death,
the battle for me.
I praise You that Jesus is Lord, my Savior –
that he took my sins to the grave
and You forgive me.
I praise You that through him I will wear the crown of life.
O God,
You are mighty –
mighty in love,
might in mercy,
mighty to save.

Father God,
I turn my eyes to You this morning
and always.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.

Where Does My Help Come?

/ The Pastor

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.
[Psalms 121:1‭-‬8 ESV]

I love this prayer that I came across – from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It’s my prayer today (and everyday) and I share it with you to pray as well…

O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray; and to concentrate my thoughts on you; I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness, but with you there is light; I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with you there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me. . . .

Restore me to liberty, and enable me to live now that I may answer before you and before men. Lord, whatever this day may bring, your name be praised.

Amen.

God help me this day, for you are my shade at my right hand for You have THE place of honor in my life. To You be all glory and honor, through Christ Jesus my Lord. Amen.

Purpose

/ The Pastor

Creator God, this day is Yours – masterfully designed and purposed by You. I am Yours – wonderfully knit together in my mother’s womb and purposed by You. Bring me together with this day and send me forth empowered for Your purposes and Yours alone.
May I seek no glory for myself but seek to display Your glory.
May I make much of You and less of me.
May I decrease and You increase.
May Your will – Your purposes – be done.
Creator God, Creator of this day and me, You beautifully created both and for that I will praise Your holy name – my purpose in life.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior I pray, Amen.

Adoring My God

/ The Pastor

Father God,
You are mighty and strong.
You are the Creator.
You are my refuge and strength.
You are my Vindicator.
Nothing of this world can shake me when You are the One who holds me.
Nothing of this world can scare me when You are the One in whom i’m free.
Satan takes his best shot, but he always misses the mark.
Satan fights the fight, but You have victory over the dark.
Father God,
My life is Yours and thus I will rest secure.
My life is Yours, through the Spirit You reassure.
And so I praise Your holy name through Christ Jesus my Lord.
My God, You will be forever adored.
Amen.

Level Ground

/ The Pastor

My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord .
Psalms 26:12 ESV

You have placed me on level ground, oh God, through Christ Jesus my Lord.
You have placed me on the firm foundation of Your Word.
You have given me hope beyond this life.
You have placed me upon the Rock.
And i give You thanks and praise – in the assembly and through my life.
Oh God, I honor and worship You,
On level ground.
This world proclaims a message that sits precariously on shaky ground.
It’s hope is false and death-ridden.
But You are my God and You alone, for through You i am on level ground.
With You,
I never feel like I’m running up hill.
I never feel like I’m spinning my wheels.
I never feel like I’m running into dead ends.
For with You i am on level ground.
And so I will praise You in the great assembly and I will praise You with my every breath.
I will praise You with my brothers and sisters, and I will praise You in the midst of the world.
Thank you for placing me on level ground through faith in Jesus Christ.
Thank you for saving me.
Thank you for holding my life.
Oh God I praise You –
On level ground.
Amen!