How I Found the Strength to Do This Day

Father, as I find my way to being quiet and worshipful before You, it occurs to me that you preceded me here and will be here long after I’m gone.  I realize Your presence remains with me, in me, and around me…  but I’m thinking more of the fact that You made these times for me to be quiet before You, and yet I sometimes approach them as if I’m making them.  I guess this is sort of the “making time to do what I must do” syndrome.  Instead, I will insist that today my brain recognizes that this was never about me or my time, but it’s always about You and Your centrality to who I am.

I feel like I’m lecturing you a bit here in this prayer journal entry, but thank You for helping me to sort out these important truths nonetheless.  I cry out to You for Your renewal, the inspiration that only Your hope can bring.

Just as I stir my morning’s big cup of coffee, I desire to be sweetened and stirred by Your presence.

Take from me the anger that cripples my emotions.

Take from me the bitterness that keeps me from tasting the sweetness of truth.

Take from me the rage of injustices done against me and replace it with the wonder of grace.

Take from me the lack of attention to Your voice and fill it with the beauty of Your song.

Take from me the inattentiveness to the crucial and transformational and give me real focus on what is good, right, pure, honest…

Give me the strength to do this day.  Give me the direction and counsel I need so that I may do it in Your Name.

Give me wholeness in relationships and healthy attitudes in communication.

All for You, Jesus…  let Your glory rise afresh in us today!  Yes!

God Politics

Good morning, Father.

My heart is stirred by the divisiveness of our systems here in this country.  In our fragile, imperfect world, we’ve devised a system that eschews any notion of bringing people together.  It seems the whole deal is predicated on dividing and hating.  What will become of us?  Are we near our end?  Have we made you sick to the stomach?  

In the midst of my despair, I see here in this quiet place that there are many good people working together in local settings to do right things, to bring hope, to lift despair.

As our government tells us we must hate people of different ideologies, as each party mires itself deeper in its drunkenness on power at any cost, as our leaders turn up prideful noses and speak words of contempt – I see this on every side – change me here in the tempest.

Make my heart like Yours – right as breathing, merciful as the new morning, full of the riches of Heaven and bankrupt of any morsel we might hold here in the flesh.

Make my thoughts like Yours – neither traditional nor contemporary, progressive nor conservative, this side nor that side, but simply loving what is right and full of grace and compassion.

Make my actions match this calling;  not for the free gift of salvation You’ve already given me, but BECAUSE You have saved me.  Lead me afresh to Your words, Savior, that I might learn and grow.  All to Your glory.

Help us to rise up as the true hope of men and women – made of nothing but what is pure, just, honest and admirable.  Let Your glory rise in us today, my Lord.  May Your Name be given the great waves of admiration it deserves.  All to You, Jesus.

Remembering the Power

Gentle, peaceful, grace-full, merciful…

All the things I needed in You today, I found.  Thank You Father that You meet me at my point of need, and that You don’t make me drag myself past the point of despair!

You are always enough.  Sufficient, abundant, filling me to meet my need then overflowing so that I can be a part of meeting the needs of others.

Take this Friday thing to the max, Lord.  Overflow me so that this city is ablaze and stirring with all the good things You bring.  Keep my eyes sharp, my back strong and my heart ready.  Be my words, my silence, my demeanor, my every breath.

Align my thoughts to Yours with wisdom and discernment.  Remind me now of the power I have in You so that I may be on stand-by, ready to act as the moment arises.

Just as You’ve filled me full of hope-words and head-knowledge, season it well with Your gentleness; I will need that for sure!

Just as I’ve asked, I sense that I am asking in accord with what Your Spirit wants for me.

Keep me steady, keep me focused, equip me now.  Here in the waiting I listen, I worship, I respond heartily into the full of You.  Be my cloak and marrow!  Yes!

Let Your glory rise!  Let it be so today.

More Than Awake: Alive

Good morning, Father!  What a great pleasure to have these quiet moments with You.

How can I be at my best for You today?  Keep me sharp!  Keep me fired up!  Keep my mind ablaze and my body strong.

As I’ve contemplated this last month at my new ministry venture, I am excited, optimistic, and admittedly overwhelmed.  I wonder…  are we really getting it?  Have I come close to grasping the great things You have set in motion?  Has this flurry of excitement and good-will blurred our focus to the deep and difficult things to which You’ve called us?

I understand Your power and Your provision more than I ever have in my life (though, admittedly, I have much to learn yet!).  Still, I know that You desire much of me so that I can grow stronger.  Weakness, I’m told, is good because it breeds trust in You.  But I’m also experiencing this heart-rending understanding that You didn’t give me these “talents” so that I would bury them in the ground.  Make me wiser, more discerning, so I will invest well.

Move me, move us, oh God!  I sense the atmospheric change…  Your winds are blowing…  the sky is right.  Things are shaking and moving.  The enemy will soon be on the run.  There is nothing that can hold back the powerful things You intend to do.  Form me here in these private moments for the powerful movements of the public moments.  Shape me here in these hours of forming so that I will be fit for the hours of action.

Train my ear to Your stillest, smallest of whispers so that I will be in tune with You when the noisy battle rages.

Sharpen my battle skills so that I’m so sharp and precise, my movements cut away only the things of the enemy.  Let no person be harmed…  this is a mission of saving graces, not murderous rage!

And yes…  yes… yes…  strengthen me in the area of tenderhearted kindness and mercy so that I may be more like You.  Firm up my resolve to speak truth and grace all in the same mouthful.

Rise up workers to walk along with me.  I will go it alone, but I prefer to go with many alongside.  Even now, ready the workers around me.  Fuel us for the mission.  Unite us with love and concern.  Let compassion rule our motives.  Let the clouds roll away and Your glory rise!  Yes!

Spark me now for the work of the day.  Keep me attentive and useful.  Hear my words of worship and adoration…  may they saturate all that I do.

Let Your glory rise.  Let it rise in me today, my Lord!

Lightning At My Fingertips

Oh, Father, for a day awash in the beauty of this hour.  This is like the dessert I want to last all day, and the stomach that wants to stay hungry for it!

What a needed balm for my soul, to borrow an old turn of words.  What a remedy for the pain that plagues creation.  Just at the moment when I seek, I find You already there and patiently waiting.  Glory to You, favorite of my soul.

Blessings to You, Father.  May Your eternal Spirit revel in Your magnificent joy.  I want to walk so close to You that I am always soaked with the overflow of Your presence.

Though officially I am facing what I call a “study day” in the office, help me to make the most of every moment to be prepared to serve You better.  If interruptions come, may I treat them as divine and inspired.  Just as You give the full of Yourself to me without holding back, help me to give the full of myself to anyone who has need.

Light my way, so that I may walk confidently.

All around me are the trigger words:  start, go, do it, be empowered…  how can I not get Your message?!?!  Fuel me up with your grace – the ultimate rocket fuel for life!  Rev my motors, squeal my wheels, I’m starting to get really excited for what You are about to do!

Break the bond of the ordinary so I may walk in Your extraordinary.  Loosen me from my safety measures – my inclination towards emptied routine and ritual – may my only safe haven be in the new of You.  Refresh me, oh Lord.

Teach me to teach.  Give me Your words, Your wisdom, Your discernment so that I may teach well.  Help me to lead like the effective, energetic leader You’ve made me to be.  Help me to encourage others.  Help me to encourage them out of their doldrums and into Your life.  Help me to encourage them to rise up as You rise, to take hold of what lies ahead, to get back up and resume running the good race.

Bolt through me so that I have lightning at my fingertips and fire on my breath.  I’m not seeking to be some sort of super hero, but rather, to walk in Your power in an everyday, every moment sort of way.  I want the full of You, Jesus!  Set a fire down in my soul that I can’t contain, that I can’t control…  I want more of You…

Let it rise today, let Your glory rise…

 

 

Dealing With the “Uns”

Aaaak.  Lord, I promised honesty in these journaled prayers, and today I am feeling unhooked, unhinged and unwell.  So I bring these “uns” to You for the thing You do so well.

Prevent me from whining!  Rather than affording me the ability to filter my words and interactions, change my heart.

Prevent me from slowing down.  I’m pretty certain that’s the enemy’s ploy.  Not that I don’t need my rest, but I at the end of the rest, I don’t want to rust!

Prevent me from losing one moment with You.  When the “uns” hit me upside the head, my heart generally follows.  Not today!  I refuse!  I want the full of You, and I want to enjoy the full privilege of knowing You in every moment.

And may I be so bold as to pray that you would hook me, hinge me and well me?!?!  That is, connect all the scattered thoughts of my mind, bring wholeness to my body, soul and mind, and settle me into the place of powerful servanthood where nothing stops or hinders what You are doing in me.

Let this be so for the glory of Your Name in this community.

While I certainly wish I could sneak some of the extraordinary things You are doing past the enemy’s glare, I know I cannot.  The stealer/killer/destroyer is on the prowl.  So for that I pray that You make me a BIG DOG with a BIG BITE that never allows the yipping of that little dog to slow me down.

Teach me fresh from Your Word today.  Speak to me.  Counsel me.  Shine Your light on the way You have prepared for me.

And let it all be to Your glory, my risen Lord and Savior and friend.  You are all I want, take all I am.  Let it be so.

Discernment and Diligence

Good morning, Father.  Your patience and mercy are extraordinarily welcoming to me.

Two words on my heart:  discernment and diligence.

I recognize that I need to have sharp discernment skills.  Hone me, equip me, train me, counsel me.  As I seek Your wisdom, I also seek Your discernment.  I think of Solomon who had massive gifts of wisdom, but was lacking in the area of discernment.  Father, give me a keen, attentive, Spirit-led mind.  Lead me to greater sources of learning and understanding.  Most of all, though, I lean on You, I lean into YOUR understanding.

I pray too for diligence.  I haven’t always been so good at this.  I have recognized Your hand at work in me over my years as I’ve grown in diligence.  Keep prodding me to stay on task, and to be focused on the vision You have given me.

I can’t help but want to pray these words over the people I serve as well.  Unite us, God!  Bring us together in discernment and diligence.  May we not be beholden to either “traditional” or “contemporary” mentalities, but instead, make us more like You.  Help us to get beyond culture wars and into the peace of serving You with all means possible.  Give us discernment so we never become a closed-house or naval-gazers.  Give us diligence so that we serve others as You have told us to do.

As these prayers evolve in me this morning, my heart begins to cry out for a unifying vision that will bring old and young alike together and determined to serve.  Fire us up with a fresh sense of importance; give us clear vision for how crucial every moment we have here is.  Though many postulate about end-times ideas, I see that we are all in our own personal little end-time.  Awaken our hearts, reverberate our bones, put us on message with renewed vigor.

Here I am, Lord, here I am.  Awake my soul.  Let Your glory rise.  Oh my God, let it rise today!  Let it shine bright for all to see.  Use us, God.  Let it be so for Your Name’s sake…  the Name above all names!

God, Much Bigger

You are the God who surpasses all we can imagine!

Father, I see how we try to confine You to boxes of understanding that we can easily contemplate and frame.  You are much greater!  Our notions, our words, our frames are inadequate for Your greatness.

You can fill the most desolately empty places.  Your answers are far greater than simply an amen to our questions.

I praise You, honor You, adore You, I give You my worship and praise because You are all-surpassing God.

I revel in this idea today not only because I see how You are at work in my life, but I am continually dismayed at how many fellow believers insist that You be a small God, only fitting to their constructs.  No wonder our faith is so small.

Your day is centuries to us, Your breath is a lifetime of breathing to us, Your knowledge cannot be contained in the greatest library, Your beauty cannot be held in the most magnificent museum.

Forgive me for the constraints I’ve placed on my thinking about who You are and what You are willing to do today.  I’m tired of groveling in mediocrity when it comes to my thoughts of You.  You have inspired me in fresh, wonderful ways today.

As I bring the questions of my heart and the hurts of my community to You, I have a new depth of appreciation for Your ability and willingness.  You are far more.  You are greater than.  You are leagues above.

I understand more everyday what it means to rest in You.  It’s not about sleeping, it’s about trusting and being at peace!  Thank You, my wonderful Father.

You are Lord of Heaven’s armies, You are the gentle Shepherd.  Let Your glory rise.  Let it rise in me today!

This Is THE Day…

Father, what song would You like for me to sing for You this morning? What meditation do You have for my heart? What great thing would You have me search out? For little or much, I am here and I am ready. I have everything in You, I need or want for nothing else but You.

Lead me to know what things to record here in this journal and what things are simply for me to ponder at this time.

I sense a great moving of Your Spirit, I sense the prayers of Heaven so strong they move the air here. But I also sense a great tearing away, a breaking in fact. A strong warning to be aware and be ready. My stomach churns, and I confess I’m not emotionally ready for this, so I lean into You now. You are my rock and my builder. Your word is enough so speak courage and wisdom into me.

There is much discussion about the times we are in. I know that since the dawn of our New Covenant, every age has firmly believed they were in end times. I confess I don’t know how to interpret the “signs”, but I do know You and I know You are enough. I know that we are all in our own little personal end times… some will have few years, some many. But I doubt that anyone standing today will stand 100 years from now on this earth. So Father, let hope arise. Let faith stir vision and let vision create action. We have been given the Good News, how can we hold it back? Let grace and mercy and love rule. There are too many precious ones around us starving for hope and freedom. Let Your justice roll like a mighty flood, let righteousness spring forth like an endless river.

I am so compelled by Your Spirit to proclaim this to any who come share this prayer with me today… this is no ordinary day for sitting back. I want You to arise and minister mercy and love and healing and hope. Stir us up now, we pray! Our hearts are thrilled at the assignment! We know that Heaven’s prayers are with us and that we go under the authority of The Lord of Heaven’s Armies. We move not trampling flesh, but overtaking the accuser. The blood has already been shed for us on Your cross… we bring life, and for that matter, abundant life.

Oh my God, what a commission! What a command! We rejoice at its sound in our ears. Move us today, let us proclaim and apply Your righteousness and mercy like a salve to a wound. Let us not destroy and separate, but build and mend. Let us not cast aside the sinner, but draw them in full embrace just as You embraced us. Your love does the work – it never fails, never gives up, never runs out. Let us now be afraid to speak gently, to love extraordinarily, to demonstrate Your love and mercy through acts of kindness.

Lord I long to see these victories won. I long, with You, I pine with Your Spirit, to see hope and life arise out of death and ashes. To see the power of depression and anxiety and hopelessness and despair and turmoil replaced with Your peace, Your comfort, Your love. Oh, Mighty One, move us now I pray!

This is Your day, a day You have made. We will get it right – we will have joy multiplied many times over. We will let gladness paint the sky. Let Your glory rise, my King! Let it rise in me today!

Breaking Fear

(It sounds foolish, but there has been something I have let fear prevent me from addressing.  This morning was a remarkable time of prayer as God canceled the power of that fear, and reminded me of my authority in Him.  I pray the same for you today.)

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me!

Use my fingers and my words as I write this prayer journal – an expression of my heartcry, a place of hope and peace to any who come here to pray with me.

Guide me now that I may sing of Your glory, that the words of the song will bring hearts to life, that lives will be saved and spared from the destroyer.

You are God over all, none can stand against You. Your most powerful enemy is but a small fraction of what You are. You are powerful enough to create this entire universe, and You even hold it in Your hand. Yet, You are able to get up close and personal with me in this time of prayer. What a remarkable, glorious God You are!

I speak now into the lives of those who come to this journal perhaps not sure what to expect. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will speak beyond the simplicity of these words into the complexity of their heart. Stir their intellect, awaken their passion, even ripple their flesh and stand hairs on end with a sense of Your majestic, mighty presence available to them now.

Help them to pray words of submission, words of praise, words of sacrifice, words of healing. Speak through them so that they may get a real and present sense of Your power, availing much in them now.

Let this be a day when the believers arise. Let the worshippers arise! Let the faithful follow after You. Let Your Spirit awaken the sleeping that they may be full of joy and peace even now.

Then, send us to the battle. Today Your call sounds out to those willing to arise and step into the fray with You. We do not go alone! We follow You, our banner is Your Name, our protector is Your righteousness (it’s a good thing You are righteous – it keeps the enemy fearful of You!!!)

Lord, my God, I want to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS. I will not be terrified, I will not be afraid. I pray that over the one praying here with me now that they too will be strong, courageous, and free of terror or fear of the enemy. You’ve shown me it’s OK to admit that we’ve been afraid, but not OK to stay that way. Let us arise with You this day.

Let great power pour out on the willing believers, the anxious followers, the servant who is waiting on You now. We are at Your service, we are activated at Your word. Speak over us great words of peace, love, grace, mercy and healing. Speak over us great words of boldness and innovation and humility. Speak over us great words of willingness, tenderhearted mercy and kindness. Speak over us great words of power and authority.

I have to laugh that You reminded me of this great authority by evoking the numerous image of Barney Fife’s badge! In the story, Barney is weak and timid. But he learns that his badge gives him great authority. May I take the great authority of Your Name and do mighty things in You.

Let it be so for all the worshippers and prayers who gather at this journal and beyond. Let the new great awakening begin. Revive this land, restore us, renew us.

A big YES to You, my King! We will arise!! Let Your glory rise, let it arise in us today. Praise to You!