We awaken this morning with the news that Whitney Houston has died. The media seems to be trying to drum up some state of shock but really, are we? When the Mr. came in to tell me the news, I wasn't shocked. I was sad. Not shocked.
We are fragile, that is the only lesson to be learned. We are self-destructive by our very instincts. We are uncomfortable saying things like sin, we never want to say that anyone is bad. But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat; for in the day that you eat from it, you will surely die. Genesis 2:17
Did Eve 's heart stop when she took that forbidden taste? No, indeed she went to Adam to share. What she shared was not food, it was knowledge. The death they experienced was a different definition than that which we usually consider. To paraphrase,
"You must not do things which I tell you not to do (you must not eat). The moment that you disobey (gain knowledge of evil), you step outside of my presence (die.)"
There was not special power in the fruit itself, the power was in the will of man to rebel.
The serpent said-"For God knows, the moment you eat thereof, your eyes will be opened and you will be as gods; knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5
Knowing good and evil, that is the death which God desired to spare us. After their disobedience, Adam & Even began a chain of events that we still stumble through. They realized they were naked. Shame was born. Condemnation spoke, "what you are is ugly." They attempted to cover themselves with inadequately with fig leaves, "do what you have to do to feel better." With their new knowledge of their own brokeness, they saw God through the lens of sin and no longer trusted him, "run & hide."
Then again, another link was added to the chain, God went after them. He gave them adquate covering (and the first blood sacrifice occured, the first statement that we would need Jesus.)
God didn't erase the memory of their sin, he covered it and enabled them to continue to live. But they lived with consequences. Things were changed. A price was paid.
I cannot sit and shake my head at Whitney Houston's life. I have, in my own ways, taken from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
After God had covered Adam & Eve, he cast them out of the garden and prevented them returning. Perhaps, a loving God, took Whitney Houston at a moment when she was covered? We cannot know.
We can only know that we are fragile. The knowledge of sin is a stone that weighs heavily in our souls. We must not be the voice that whispers, "you are naked...run & hide." We must go after those who are hiding in the leaves and assure them that they can be covered.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
You're not ready.
This morning I was laying in bed having my morning prayer time and laying my day and my heart before God when something happened that I don't recall ever experiencing before. I felt the Holy Spirit's response to a request I was making and it was, "You're not ready for that." I actually smiled laying there in the dark! Was the Lord making fun of me? I think so! He was right, of course. I was asking for a change in the way I was handling something but what I really wanted was to suddenly become Super Christian Woman. In other words, I wanted to skip all of the steps in changing my heart (you know, all of the painful and humbling steps?)
Lord, don't let _______________get under my skin.
You're not ready for that.
God wants us to feel some of the frustration and disappoint in life while we are often desperate to be insulated from them. In my prayer time this morning, I realized God was not going to remove the person who is irritating me nor is he going to build an emotional wall that prevents me feeling this irritation. He wants me to be aware of that feeling and then to repent of it. This, I had not asked for!
Then I'm to examine my heart to find hidden sin there. A defensive attitude, a prideful heart, a past offense that I'm hanging on to, the assumption that the same thing is going to happen all over again. All of these things harbored in my spirit are manifested in my irritation. It doesn't matter what the situation is, it's my own heart that I am responsible to examine.
Jumping to not being bothered? I'm not ready for that. I need to back up to step on and repent of the me-ccentric instincts that drive this.
I realized that my hopes and plans for the day are so often completely earth-bound. No wonder there are so many opportunities to feel disappointed. It's not eternally important if I am talked over in a meeting or the credit for my project goes to someone else. It's not eternally important if my family doesn't notice that I cleaned the house or rave over the delicious meal I've made. The works of my hands are all submitted to the life of a servant; a servant never waits for applause. Often I deceive myself into thinking that I don't want applause, just a simple thank you. But it's the same attitude either way, pay attention to me. Recognize me for doing this or that. Be nice to me.
As I finished praying this morning, I had a thought that made everything clear. I pictured Jesus hanging on the cross and his final words, "It is finished." What if his final words had been, "A thank you would be nice." or "Hey, does anyone see what I'm doing here?" or "Father, remove the pain and humiliation from this experience."
I'm not anxious to be "tried" by the stuff that God doesn't find important. I seek the heart and mind of Christ so that I can understand the eternal significance of every moment.
My heart, being redeemed to eternity, can bear it.
Lord, don't let _______________get under my skin.
You're not ready for that.
God wants us to feel some of the frustration and disappoint in life while we are often desperate to be insulated from them. In my prayer time this morning, I realized God was not going to remove the person who is irritating me nor is he going to build an emotional wall that prevents me feeling this irritation. He wants me to be aware of that feeling and then to repent of it. This, I had not asked for!
Then I'm to examine my heart to find hidden sin there. A defensive attitude, a prideful heart, a past offense that I'm hanging on to, the assumption that the same thing is going to happen all over again. All of these things harbored in my spirit are manifested in my irritation. It doesn't matter what the situation is, it's my own heart that I am responsible to examine.
Jumping to not being bothered? I'm not ready for that. I need to back up to step on and repent of the me-ccentric instincts that drive this.
I realized that my hopes and plans for the day are so often completely earth-bound. No wonder there are so many opportunities to feel disappointed. It's not eternally important if I am talked over in a meeting or the credit for my project goes to someone else. It's not eternally important if my family doesn't notice that I cleaned the house or rave over the delicious meal I've made. The works of my hands are all submitted to the life of a servant; a servant never waits for applause. Often I deceive myself into thinking that I don't want applause, just a simple thank you. But it's the same attitude either way, pay attention to me. Recognize me for doing this or that. Be nice to me.
As I finished praying this morning, I had a thought that made everything clear. I pictured Jesus hanging on the cross and his final words, "It is finished." What if his final words had been, "A thank you would be nice." or "Hey, does anyone see what I'm doing here?" or "Father, remove the pain and humiliation from this experience."
I'm not anxious to be "tried" by the stuff that God doesn't find important. I seek the heart and mind of Christ so that I can understand the eternal significance of every moment.
My heart, being redeemed to eternity, can bear it.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
An inconsistent devotion
One of the things I have always "disliked" about my spiritual growth style is that I have never found the thing that I always do. You know, like people who read the entire Bible every year starting on January first? I know a gentleman now in his 80s who has done this every single year since he was 25. Can you imagine how deeply the Word has saturated his heart? I know a woman who has a prayer board in her home, in her prayer corner, where she hangs pictures of people who she faithfully prays for every single day. Some of the pictures are worn and yellowed, curling around the edges they are so old. Some of them are elementary school pictures of people who are now grown and have their own children. And still, every day she faithfully prays picture by picture for each person.
I have heard of a person who reads her local paper every week and clips out articles of people in need of prayer, these become her daily prayer list until next week's paper comes out.
My grandmother would often be sitting in her family room with the Bible on her lap and a cup of tea (and one cookie!) on the coffee table when I stopped by in the afternoon.
But I am not so consistent. I latch on to something and think, this is it! This will be the method that I use to grow in God. It never seems to last long and it leaves me feeling like a bit of a failure. I'm rethinking that though. Maybe it's not a matter of doing one thing always, but always doing something. So I'm forgiving myself that for that critical attitude and I'm going to just concentrate on being daily active in some form of drawing closer to God.
Today I am deeply enjoying reading a chronological Bible. There are two kinds of chrono Bibles, one is a reading program to get you through the entire Bible in one year. Another is a Bible that is sort of re arranged to give you the events of the Bible in the order in which they actually happened. I'm using the second one presently, which I've downloaded onto my Kindle.
New Christians can be confused as they try to study the Word to find that it isn't already in chronological order. Case in point are the Gospels, all telling the same stories from the different points of view of the authors. The Old Testament is the same, events from Genesis are mentioned in first and second Chronicles, Psalms, etc. The events from first and second Kings are re-interpreted in the Psalms. I have the Tyndale Chronological Bible (which is also divided into a year-long reading program in addition to being the story of God in order.) I have been so OCD in the past that I would have put off this project until next January 1 because the heading of each chapter is a date and I'm already a month behind! But I'm not so worried about a daily dose or being on track with the calendar presented. I am using this as a tool to be in the word.
Will I stick with it daily or make it through in a year? I don't know. I started a wonderful Joyce Meyer daily devotional that lasted about 2 months before I lost interest. That really doesn't matter all that much. What matters is that yesterday and today I had time in the word. Tomorrow I will need time in the word again. The ease of the Kindle has given me a tool for use and I am thankful for an opportunity to hide scripture in my heart.
I have heard of a person who reads her local paper every week and clips out articles of people in need of prayer, these become her daily prayer list until next week's paper comes out.
My grandmother would often be sitting in her family room with the Bible on her lap and a cup of tea (and one cookie!) on the coffee table when I stopped by in the afternoon.
But I am not so consistent. I latch on to something and think, this is it! This will be the method that I use to grow in God. It never seems to last long and it leaves me feeling like a bit of a failure. I'm rethinking that though. Maybe it's not a matter of doing one thing always, but always doing something. So I'm forgiving myself that for that critical attitude and I'm going to just concentrate on being daily active in some form of drawing closer to God.
Today I am deeply enjoying reading a chronological Bible. There are two kinds of chrono Bibles, one is a reading program to get you through the entire Bible in one year. Another is a Bible that is sort of re arranged to give you the events of the Bible in the order in which they actually happened. I'm using the second one presently, which I've downloaded onto my Kindle.
New Christians can be confused as they try to study the Word to find that it isn't already in chronological order. Case in point are the Gospels, all telling the same stories from the different points of view of the authors. The Old Testament is the same, events from Genesis are mentioned in first and second Chronicles, Psalms, etc. The events from first and second Kings are re-interpreted in the Psalms. I have the Tyndale Chronological Bible (which is also divided into a year-long reading program in addition to being the story of God in order.) I have been so OCD in the past that I would have put off this project until next January 1 because the heading of each chapter is a date and I'm already a month behind! But I'm not so worried about a daily dose or being on track with the calendar presented. I am using this as a tool to be in the word.
Will I stick with it daily or make it through in a year? I don't know. I started a wonderful Joyce Meyer daily devotional that lasted about 2 months before I lost interest. That really doesn't matter all that much. What matters is that yesterday and today I had time in the word. Tomorrow I will need time in the word again. The ease of the Kindle has given me a tool for use and I am thankful for an opportunity to hide scripture in my heart.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
A gracious spirit
The intent of this blog initially was to create a prayer journal and in a way, to discipline myself to a more purposeful and dedicated prayer life. I've not posted for a few weeks as the Holy Spirit has used this intent to bring a change to my spirit. My prayer posts have been replaced by a deeper call to prayer that has manifested itself in early morning prayer as soon as my alarm sounds. I am thankful for this new and more consistent prayer life that has become instinctive rather than forced. I believe that the discipline of a prayer blog finally brought this long-sought change into my life. The Holy Spirit has also brought a daily focus of prayer to my heart which is to always end by submitting myself more fully to God and to accept the manner by which he changes me into a daily more holy woman.
In this time I have found a new peace that is not dependent upon the removal of obstacles nor even a strength within me to endure. I have seemed to peek around a corner and discovered that the challenges and frustrations before me are placed there intentionally by God and so, my pleas for rescue were never from the heart of the Lord. The desires of our hearts must align with his for us to claim that promise, he will give you the desire of your heart. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 The new desire of my heart, the 2012 resolution of my spirit, has become the manifestation of a mature me.
To explain, it doesn't matter what the deep dark roots of my weaknesses are (despite the great popularity of analysis and psychobabble.) It is only important to stop it. This past week I had two such moments that began as the wobbling in my stomach and tension in my shoulders that signals that I am offended or defensive. It's the moment when I'm tempted to defend myself or try to get a nod of approval to erase what I have perceived as insult.
I was asked at work to make a checklist for the nurses to use before a patient receives ECT (electroconvulsive therapy.) I had made a rough draft quite a while ago and was informed a few days ago that the process was not working. My first reaction? I made that worksheet and it was just exactly what was needed and if it wasn't working, someone else was messing up. Then it was that I had plenty of other things that I needed to do and why was I always the one to be given the extra last minute assignment (this, by the way, is a lie of the enemy.) I made the worksheet and sent it out presuming the response would be "thank you." However, the response was a flurry of e mails with suggestions for changes. My stomach wobbled again as my ego flinched. The work of God is in this thing and only recognized by the maturing of my heart. I know this because after the initial offended thought, my spirit overtook my brain and I was able to stop and ask God to use this moment to give me a gracious spirit. Not the self-control of swallowing my frustration or faking a smile, this I have long ago mastered. But a gracious and anointed spirit that is happy to make the changes, to share the glory (and after all, wasn't a part of this the idea that if someone else contributes it is no longer all mine?) A spirit not afraid of being found lacking. I praise God to say that immediately, such graciousness was given to me and I tolerated not only one such suggestion but a multitude until the worksheet was very different than my fist version. The version accepted at the end had some improvements and some changes that I personally thought were inferior. But I was truly and deeply peaceful to have done the thing requested and to give it over for its intended use. A servant's heart was satisfied without any particular attention to myself.
Another such opportunity happened on Wednesday night. On Tuesday night I experienced my usual insomnia which resulted in about four hours of sleep. On Thursday morning I am required to go in to work at about 6:30 a.m. for a midnight shift staff meeting. So Wednesday evening I was exhausted and dreading the idea of another sleepless night and early morning. On Wednesday afternoon, my partner Natosha asked if I could cover her midnight staff huddle as well because she has small children to get off to school. Of course, I will already be there. Natosha is forever giving to and doing for me and I honestly was happy to do this for her. I told her to just shoot me an e mail to confirm that she wanted me to do her meeting. I took a Benadryl at 8 p.m. in the attempt to sleep better and actually fell asleep at 9:00 p.m. Then at about 10:30 p.m. my cell phone chimed, Natosha texting me to tell me she did need me to do her early meeting. My response? A few hours earlier I was more than happy to do this. Then awakened at 10:30 I was angry. My spirit was nasty. I wanted to text her back immediately, "I asked you to e mail me. Please do not text me late at night, I have insomnia, as you know." Nasty nasty nasty. I actually held the phone in my hand for a few minutes battling this urge. Then I laid awake for 2 more hours because, indeed the interruption had triggered my insomnia. Or had my hateful spirit done so? Finally, the Holy Spirit was able to break through my anger to remind me, God awakened me to give me another opportunity. I could force that smile and pretend I hadn't been angry. I could tell Natosha she had awakened me. Or I could submit myself honestly with all of the ugliness revealed and seek a gracious spirit. Around midnight, I fell asleep still frustrated. But when I awoke at 5:00, I was peaceful. I was repentant for my reaction and thankful for the true peace that would be the source of my smile. I was not rested. I was exhausted and my head hurt. But my spirit was so very joyous.
I am thankful for this moment to see a maturity that is born of frustrations welcomed instead of tolerated. The Lord has revealed the self-righteousness that forces a smile and a "no problem!" when my heart is snarling with offense. This is immaturity. It is a part of the journey of redemption but cannot be as far as it goes. At some point, God must no longer have to hold his hand over our mouth to stop us from sinning. The instinct for sin, the angry mortal spirit must become quieter and quieter. If we are to grow toward holiness we must eventually be trust-worthy to bear offense not with forced tolerance but with true graciousness. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119:165 With a heart that is not easily insulted instead of an insulted heart that is wrestled into submission.
And so, as my prayer blog has been replaced with morning prayer perhaps this blog will serve as a record of a new journey. There is no promise of daily or weekly posts and perhaps there will never be another. But here I am today.
In this time I have found a new peace that is not dependent upon the removal of obstacles nor even a strength within me to endure. I have seemed to peek around a corner and discovered that the challenges and frustrations before me are placed there intentionally by God and so, my pleas for rescue were never from the heart of the Lord. The desires of our hearts must align with his for us to claim that promise, he will give you the desire of your heart. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 The new desire of my heart, the 2012 resolution of my spirit, has become the manifestation of a mature me.
To explain, it doesn't matter what the deep dark roots of my weaknesses are (despite the great popularity of analysis and psychobabble.) It is only important to stop it. This past week I had two such moments that began as the wobbling in my stomach and tension in my shoulders that signals that I am offended or defensive. It's the moment when I'm tempted to defend myself or try to get a nod of approval to erase what I have perceived as insult.
I was asked at work to make a checklist for the nurses to use before a patient receives ECT (electroconvulsive therapy.) I had made a rough draft quite a while ago and was informed a few days ago that the process was not working. My first reaction? I made that worksheet and it was just exactly what was needed and if it wasn't working, someone else was messing up. Then it was that I had plenty of other things that I needed to do and why was I always the one to be given the extra last minute assignment (this, by the way, is a lie of the enemy.) I made the worksheet and sent it out presuming the response would be "thank you." However, the response was a flurry of e mails with suggestions for changes. My stomach wobbled again as my ego flinched. The work of God is in this thing and only recognized by the maturing of my heart. I know this because after the initial offended thought, my spirit overtook my brain and I was able to stop and ask God to use this moment to give me a gracious spirit. Not the self-control of swallowing my frustration or faking a smile, this I have long ago mastered. But a gracious and anointed spirit that is happy to make the changes, to share the glory (and after all, wasn't a part of this the idea that if someone else contributes it is no longer all mine?) A spirit not afraid of being found lacking. I praise God to say that immediately, such graciousness was given to me and I tolerated not only one such suggestion but a multitude until the worksheet was very different than my fist version. The version accepted at the end had some improvements and some changes that I personally thought were inferior. But I was truly and deeply peaceful to have done the thing requested and to give it over for its intended use. A servant's heart was satisfied without any particular attention to myself.
Another such opportunity happened on Wednesday night. On Tuesday night I experienced my usual insomnia which resulted in about four hours of sleep. On Thursday morning I am required to go in to work at about 6:30 a.m. for a midnight shift staff meeting. So Wednesday evening I was exhausted and dreading the idea of another sleepless night and early morning. On Wednesday afternoon, my partner Natosha asked if I could cover her midnight staff huddle as well because she has small children to get off to school. Of course, I will already be there. Natosha is forever giving to and doing for me and I honestly was happy to do this for her. I told her to just shoot me an e mail to confirm that she wanted me to do her meeting. I took a Benadryl at 8 p.m. in the attempt to sleep better and actually fell asleep at 9:00 p.m. Then at about 10:30 p.m. my cell phone chimed, Natosha texting me to tell me she did need me to do her early meeting. My response? A few hours earlier I was more than happy to do this. Then awakened at 10:30 I was angry. My spirit was nasty. I wanted to text her back immediately, "I asked you to e mail me. Please do not text me late at night, I have insomnia, as you know." Nasty nasty nasty. I actually held the phone in my hand for a few minutes battling this urge. Then I laid awake for 2 more hours because, indeed the interruption had triggered my insomnia. Or had my hateful spirit done so? Finally, the Holy Spirit was able to break through my anger to remind me, God awakened me to give me another opportunity. I could force that smile and pretend I hadn't been angry. I could tell Natosha she had awakened me. Or I could submit myself honestly with all of the ugliness revealed and seek a gracious spirit. Around midnight, I fell asleep still frustrated. But when I awoke at 5:00, I was peaceful. I was repentant for my reaction and thankful for the true peace that would be the source of my smile. I was not rested. I was exhausted and my head hurt. But my spirit was so very joyous.
I am thankful for this moment to see a maturity that is born of frustrations welcomed instead of tolerated. The Lord has revealed the self-righteousness that forces a smile and a "no problem!" when my heart is snarling with offense. This is immaturity. It is a part of the journey of redemption but cannot be as far as it goes. At some point, God must no longer have to hold his hand over our mouth to stop us from sinning. The instinct for sin, the angry mortal spirit must become quieter and quieter. If we are to grow toward holiness we must eventually be trust-worthy to bear offense not with forced tolerance but with true graciousness. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119:165 With a heart that is not easily insulted instead of an insulted heart that is wrestled into submission.
And so, as my prayer blog has been replaced with morning prayer perhaps this blog will serve as a record of a new journey. There is no promise of daily or weekly posts and perhaps there will never be another. But here I am today.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day and the blessings you have held in store for us. Touch especially, my mom this morning as she is going into surgery. Give peace,wisdom and skill to the surgical team. Grant them success in this endeavor and grant her a quick and easy recovery. Give all of us wisdom who will help her in her recovery so that we are able to do all that she needs and more. Put your hand on her body and control her pain. If she experiences anxiety or worry, take that from her mind as you do not give us a spirit of fear. In Jesus name, amen.
Thank you for this day and the blessings you have held in store for us. Touch especially, my mom this morning as she is going into surgery. Give peace,wisdom and skill to the surgical team. Grant them success in this endeavor and grant her a quick and easy recovery. Give all of us wisdom who will help her in her recovery so that we are able to do all that she needs and more. Put your hand on her body and control her pain. If she experiences anxiety or worry, take that from her mind as you do not give us a spirit of fear. In Jesus name, amen.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Show me your glory God.
A faithful heart does not need isolation from pain, this is where your glory is shown.
Heal me from fear and doubt and raise up a warrior within my imperfection. Give me a voice that sweeps across the heavens and shakes hell. Make me the enemy of brokenness. Close my fist and plant my feet to destroy the plans of any who rise up against you. Give me anger that is holy and wise.
Reign glory on Taira, Heather, Rowan, Deb, Randy, my mom, Terry, Anna, Natosha, my children, Amy, Phyllis, Margie. In Jesus name, Amen.
A faithful heart does not need isolation from pain, this is where your glory is shown.
Heal me from fear and doubt and raise up a warrior within my imperfection. Give me a voice that sweeps across the heavens and shakes hell. Make me the enemy of brokenness. Close my fist and plant my feet to destroy the plans of any who rise up against you. Give me anger that is holy and wise.
Reign glory on Taira, Heather, Rowan, Deb, Randy, my mom, Terry, Anna, Natosha, my children, Amy, Phyllis, Margie. In Jesus name, Amen.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Father God I thank you for this new day and for peaceful sleep last night. I give this day to you as I attend a new church under a different steeple. I ask for your leadership and wisdom.
I ask you to be with Baby Ro as she has ongoing procedures for her heart, above all we ask for her complete healing. Give her mom and dad an extra measure of strength and peace.
Be with my friend Heather as she continues her chemo, give her a feeling of wellness and let this time pass quickly for her so she can return to her life and put this illness behind her as a testament to you.
Touch Randy and relieve the chest pain he has experienced. Guard his health and give him wisdom to seek medical care when he needs to.
Do a miracle in Taira's life as she is dealing with the recurrence of the cancer she thought was conquered. Bind the hands of the enemy as he comes against this family and inhabit their home with glory and power.
Be close to the president of the United States. Give him courage and humility. If he has cause to repent, let his burden be great and without relief until he bows himself before you. Let all that he does within your will be blessed and multiplied and let all intentions of his own creation fail. Move on the hearts of your people, forgive us for the days we have spent thinking and speaking against this man. Bring us into a submitted mind of prayer and intercession. Let there be no peace in the hearts of those do not call you God. Protect our military and especially be a guard against the Christians who are in the military as well as in government service. Raise them up and change the disrespect the enemy has whispered into the thoughts of men into a recognition that it is through your servants you will save us. Bring conviction even when it is painful and break pride where it raises up against you.
All of this in Jesus name, amen.
I ask you to be with Baby Ro as she has ongoing procedures for her heart, above all we ask for her complete healing. Give her mom and dad an extra measure of strength and peace.
Be with my friend Heather as she continues her chemo, give her a feeling of wellness and let this time pass quickly for her so she can return to her life and put this illness behind her as a testament to you.
Touch Randy and relieve the chest pain he has experienced. Guard his health and give him wisdom to seek medical care when he needs to.
Do a miracle in Taira's life as she is dealing with the recurrence of the cancer she thought was conquered. Bind the hands of the enemy as he comes against this family and inhabit their home with glory and power.
Be close to the president of the United States. Give him courage and humility. If he has cause to repent, let his burden be great and without relief until he bows himself before you. Let all that he does within your will be blessed and multiplied and let all intentions of his own creation fail. Move on the hearts of your people, forgive us for the days we have spent thinking and speaking against this man. Bring us into a submitted mind of prayer and intercession. Let there be no peace in the hearts of those do not call you God. Protect our military and especially be a guard against the Christians who are in the military as well as in government service. Raise them up and change the disrespect the enemy has whispered into the thoughts of men into a recognition that it is through your servants you will save us. Bring conviction even when it is painful and break pride where it raises up against you.
All of this in Jesus name, amen.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Praying for me
Oh Lord! After a week off this morning, my first back to work, this is the morning you bring the snow and cold? You know I love to be cuddled up inside my house with wicked weather outside the windows! And how quickly and simply I am frustrated because as soon as I looked out the window I became disheartened. Forgive me for that and silence the enemy who whispers disappointment into my ears.
You know my mind and the hopes and goals I have for 2012. I ask for your blessing and anointing, both to accomplish and to let go of the things you have ordained. Above all, give me a submitted and sensitive spirit. Let me be continually living in the state of mind that I am building my life in eternity and not in mortality. Give me a great ability for small joy, give me peace when there is a storm and give me wisdom. Show me more of who I truly am so that I will be able to truly shine your glory as you intended me to.
Give me a hunger for you, give me a desperate need for you unlike any I have ever known. Give me a craving for your scripture. Teach me to be humble and to trust that you are my defender. When I am weary or burdened with worry, protect my heart and lift my spirit.
Thank you Lord for this day as you have made it. I confess that I wish it were different already but I speak truth, that you have created it with purpose. I thank you for the renewal of my mind that you have allowed over the last year and I thank you for expected blessing. Amen.
You know my mind and the hopes and goals I have for 2012. I ask for your blessing and anointing, both to accomplish and to let go of the things you have ordained. Above all, give me a submitted and sensitive spirit. Let me be continually living in the state of mind that I am building my life in eternity and not in mortality. Give me a great ability for small joy, give me peace when there is a storm and give me wisdom. Show me more of who I truly am so that I will be able to truly shine your glory as you intended me to.
Give me a hunger for you, give me a desperate need for you unlike any I have ever known. Give me a craving for your scripture. Teach me to be humble and to trust that you are my defender. When I am weary or burdened with worry, protect my heart and lift my spirit.
Thank you Lord for this day as you have made it. I confess that I wish it were different already but I speak truth, that you have created it with purpose. I thank you for the renewal of my mind that you have allowed over the last year and I thank you for expected blessing. Amen.
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