Thursday, March 31, 2016

Meditation on times of pain

1 Peter 4:12-13

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Lord, I should not have been surprised but I was surprised.  With all my acceptance of "East of Eden", I thought I was prepared for anything.  But then that which I was not prepared for happened.   It did seem strange and unreal to me.  It does seem strange and unreal with me.  Help me see it as a test me and mature me.

Let me see that my suffering reflects and is similar to the suffering of Messiah Jesus as he lived East of Eden.   Help me rejoice that there is a gain in my pain even as there was salvation in the suffering of Messiah Jesus.  Let me connect this process with the joy that will come when all the impact of our rebellion will have been redeemed and restored.

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Romans 8:18-23

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Lord, let me have a greater vision of the glory of the kingdom so that I can see that this suffering great as it is, cannot be compared to the goodness and grandeur of that paradise on earth.

Lord, bring your kingdom to earth today.  Let the pregnancy of creation and the expectation of our redemption be fulfilled in total completeness and bring the final day to us today.    Free us from the curse and rebellion.  Set our souls straight in righteousness.  Come quickly Lord Jesus!

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John 16:33

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (ESV)

Lord, in this world of rebellion, East of Eden we have tribulation, struggle, pain, and grief.   Bring to me your words of promise and let me remember that in your suffering and resurrection you have defeated the rebellion and ended the power of the curse.  Lord help me now see this truth in the middle of deep tribulation.  Lord have mercy.  Amen

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Meditation on Psalm 55

Meditation on Psalm 55

Lord, hear me today because of the great grace poured into my life at your sacrifice for my sins on the cross.  Let me now come before you due to your unconditional love and mercy alone.  

Answer me Lord!  I need you!

Defeat the enemy in my life.  Take from me the lies of the devil, the temptation of the unbelieving culture to conform, and the unbelief of my own heart.  

Lord, I want to escape from the complicated life you have ordained for me to live and be in a simpler and safer place.  Circumstances are more than I think I can handle.  So let me find in you, my shelter and refuge.  

Lord, come and save the culture of the United States.  Our society is filled with violence and abuse.  Those who seek to spread insanity go around 24/7 to promote immorality and strife.  Those weakest are oppressed and lies dominate in the marketplace of ideas.   Unless there is a great spiritual awakening then there is no hope.  You must break out among us.  YOU and YOU alone can save us.  Lord have mercy now.  Come to us. 

Begin this awakening in your Church.  The insanity begins with us.  We who are called YOUR "friends" are at the root of the problems.  We have sided with insanity and supported wrong in the hope it will bring right.  Lord, drive from us our dependence upon ungodly means as the way to move towards righteous ends.  Without YOUR LIFE bearing fruit in us then nothing of worth can be accomplished.  

YOU, will for your glory save your CHURCH.  You will redeem us because of YOUR blood that has been shed.  LORD, humble us that we may be lifted up.  Be with us as we battle for YOUR love in this generation.  

Save us from those who would befriend us only to betray us.  Who are manipulators and would want to use your Church as a pawn in their game.  Save us from such plots. 

Lord, the weight of my life.  The weight of our times.  The weight of the needs.  I cast upon YOU who are all powerful and all loving.  Carry them for me.  Sustain me now this day.  Help me not be moved from my faith or love.  Lord, sustain me!

Lord, confront those who plot evil in every land.  Cripple and convert ISIS.  Frustrate the plans of those who plot evil to their families, friends, and communities.  Give them a change of mind and heart.  Pour out the spirit of repentance upon us.  Bring us to our right minds.  Bring your prodigals home.  

Increase my trust in YOU this day!  For your glory, my good, and that I may be of good to others.  Amen

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Prayer based on 2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (ESV)

Lord, I would like to see a general revival. One in which masses of people humbled themselves, prayed, began seeking YOU and turning away from vile sins. This would be good. But I can envision that in a very abstract way and one in which I am happy about something that is big but beyond me. 

I want today to switch my heart from such a big and grand thing to just seeking inside of me a touch from YOUR spirit that would be a spark of personal revival and renewal in my walk with you. 

I begin by calling, crying out, reaching out, and begging you who have all authority in heaven and earth, Messiah of Israel, Creator of the universe, Eternal ONE, 

You who are GOOD, You who are GREAT, You who are GRACE, You who are PRESENT with me always, and YOU who make all things work for GOOD. ETERNAL CHESS MASTER, ARTIST, AND COMPASSIONATE PHYSIAN OF SOULS, now hear me as I cry to the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, and Paul. Hear the cry of my heart. 

Let me face the reality about myself. Allow me to see the many ways I have failed. Things that seem self-evident now but at the time, I did not see. 

How I should have been more in prayer, but was busy working. 

How I wasted time when I should have been working. 

Should have been more aware of the spiritual danger but felt I had things handled. 

So caught up in the crisis of the day that I failed to prepare for the future spiritual good. 

I see now how weak, short-sighted, distracted, and proud I have been. 

Without you, I can do nothing. Help me finish well. 

Give me a greater and greater burden, passion, focus, and desire to pray. Teach me to pray. Show me how to speak to you and hear your voice. Increase my understanding but most important my practice of prayer. 

More than prayer put in me a passion, to spend time with you. To hunger and thirst for YOU just to see you more clearly and love you more dearly. Let me seek you just for YOU, and not for what you can do for me. 

Lord, help me define and know where I fall short of your will. Where my thinking is not your thinking. Where my ways are not your ways. Transform me and change me. Turn me away from trusting in my sins to win and let me trust in you alone for victory. Give me a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Let me put my energy into seeking YOUR will be done on earth as in heaven. 

Hear my cry. For the sake of your sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, now forgive and heal my soul. 

Revive me, renew me, restore me, and reform me. Now come and awaken me from my spiritual sleep. 

With this work in my soul as a foundation. Now Lord, I also seek a general revival. One in which masses of people humble themselves, pray with passion, began seeking YOU and turning away from vile sins. Lord, have mercy on our times and increase those who have true faith and are true disciples. Lord come to us now! Amen

Prayer based on 2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (ESV)

Lord, I would like to see a general revival. One in which masses of people humbled themselves, prayed, began seeking YOU and turning away from vile sins. This would be good. But I can envision that in a very abstract way and one in which I am happy about something that is big but beyond me. 

I want today to switch my heart from such a big and grand thing to just seeking inside of me a touch from YOUR spirit that would be a spark of personal revival and renewal in my walk with you. 

I begin by calling, crying out, reaching out, and begging you who have all authority in heaven and earth, Messiah of Israel, Creator of the universe, Eternal ONE, 

You who are GOOD, You who are GREAT, You who are GRACE, You who are PRESENT with me always, and YOU who make all things work for GOOD. ETERNAL CHESS MASTER, ARTIST, AND COMPASSIONATE PHYSIAN OF SOULS, now hear me as I cry to the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, and Paul. Hear the cry of my heart. 

Let me face the reality about myself. Allow me to see the many ways I have failed. Things that seem self-evident now but at the time, I did not see. 

How I should have been more in prayer, but was busy working. 

How I wasted time when I should have been working. 

Should have been more aware of the spiritual danger but felt I had things handled. 

So caught up in the crisis of the day that I failed to prepare for the future spiritual good. 

I see now how weak, short-sighted, distracted, and proud I have been. 

Without you, I can do nothing. Help me finish well. 

Give me a greater and greater burden, passion, focus, and desire to pray. Teach me to pray. Show me how to speak to you and hear your voice. Increase my understanding but most important my practice of prayer. 

More than prayer put in me a passion, to spend time with you. To hunger and thirst for YOU just to see you more clearly and love you more dearly. Let me seek you just for YOU, and not for what you can do for me. 

Lord, help me define and know where I fall short of your will. Where my thinking is not your thinking. Where my ways are not your ways. Transform me and change me. Turn me away from trusting in my sins to win and let me trust in you alone for victory. Give me a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Let me put my energy into seeking YOUR will be done on earth as in heaven. 

Hear my cry. For the sake of your sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, now forgive and heal my soul. 

Revive me, renew me, restore me, and reform me. Now come and awaken me from my spiritual sleep. 

With this work in my soul as a foundation. Now Lord, I also seek a general revival. One in which masses of people humble themselves, pray with passion, began seeking YOU and turning away from vile sins. Lord, have mercy on our times and increase those who have true faith and are true disciples. Lord come to us now! Amen

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Prayer based on Mark 11:12-25

Meditation on Mark 11:12-25

Lord, help me bear fruit.  Grant your Church to bear fruit.  Give to us the life within to bear fruit.  Have mercy upon us.  Forgive us our sins. 

Lord, cleanse my heart even as you cleansed the physical temple.  My soul was to be a house of prayer for all nations but I have become distracted and seek to gain my own desires instead of your desire.  Lord, renew, revive, restore, and reform my soul now to reflect you will on earth as in heaven. 

Lord, give me faith in YOU!  Let me believe you have the power to move mountains, shake kingdoms, bring down empires, change the direction of elections, in order to have your kingdom and righteousness to the earth.  Let me not doubt your power to do the impossible for nothing is impossible for you.   Let my prayers be filled with the faith that you can do as you will upon the earth.  

Lord, steal from Isis their power and wealth.  Convert their leaders and cripple their efforts to harm.  Stop them on every side and frustrate their plans.  Help me understand your words and ways.  Show me how to pray in true kingdom faith.  

Let my heart be filled with grace, mercy, pardon, and forgiveness.  May I not stand in self-righteous judgment of others but in the knowledge that I have been forgiven by your grace alone.  Lord, let me share the unconditional love you have had on me with others. 

Lord have mercy now on me.  

Friday, March 25, 2016

Zechariah

Zechariah 

9:9-12

Humble and great King Jesus, you have come bringing righteousness and salvation. Your blood of the covenant has been shed that we will see your kingdom come to all nations. You have come to set the prisoners free, to restore us, and give us hope. 

12:9-11

Pour out on us today the spirit of grace that we may turn to you with sincere pleas of mercy for forgiveness for all that we have done against YOU and your kingdom. Give us tears of repentance this day. 

Grant Israel repentance that all Israel may be saved. Provide for them true faith in the true gospel of YOU, LORD Jesus, as their Messiah. 

Save Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Irag, Afghanistan, and Iran from the false teaching of Mohammad and open their eyes to the true gospel of YOUR great grace and sacrifice for the sins of believers. Bring a wave of real revival to the Middle East. Fulfill Isaiah 19:19-26 in our times. Lord have mercy. Exalt yourself among the nations. 

13:1

LORD Jesus, help me see you as the true fountain that alone can cleanse me from sin and uncleanness. Wash us and make us free of the guilt of our transgressions and the power of rebellion. Lord, revive, renew, restore, and reform us. 

13:7-9

Good Shepherd, you were struck down for my sins. Refine us that our impurities will be removed. Grant us the faith and grace to call upon your name in sincerity and truth. Call us your people. LORD Jesus, you are my God. 

Lord, revive me. Lord revive your Church. Lord turn back the darkness of lies and bring in the light of your life and truth. Come now and act in our times in ways beyond what we could ever hope. 

Lord have mercy. Amen

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Meditation on Luke 24

Meditation on Luke 24

Lord Jesus, you are alive. You have risen on the third day as you said you would. Help us to believe this report and trust in it. Help us marvel at the wonder of such great power and glory, Lord Jesus, open our eyes to your risen glory. 

Lord Jesus, let me find you in Moses and all the prophets. Let me be able to read the LAW and see you in its midst. Help me see you as the Joseph who had died and raised up to become king of the world. Allow me see Moses, rejected and buried in the desert only to be raised to become the savior of Israel. Let me see Israel herself dead and buried in the deportation to Babylon and raised to life again by your mighty hand. Open my eyes to see the pattern of death, burial, and resurrection on every hand and see that you have been telling us from the beginning that salvation would come by overcoming death and a rebirth of life from the dead. Lord Jesus, open my heart and mind to see the gospel as always your plan. 

Lord Jesus, as we take communion let us see you alive. Reveal your resurrected self to us in the bread and the cup. Let this remembrance come to us and bring us to greater faith. Let us see you more clearly, that we may love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly. Lord have mercy. Revive us and use us to revive others. 

Bring the reality of your resurrection to us. Not a story. Not an idea. But a historical and physical reality. Help the impact of that hit us. Lord help me to really and deeply believe that you have risen from the dead and have overcome the curse of the garden. Lord, I believe and help my unbelief. 

Holy Spirit fill me and fill your people, around the world, that we might have the power to give clear and real witness of the Messiah Jesus to all nations and call all to repentance. Bring forgiveness to many through our witness. Revive us and allow us to be the means by which others are revived. 

Lord Jesus, allow us to worship you this day in spirit and truth. Great High Priest and mediator, pour out the grace of heaven upon us today. Bless us this day and in that blessing transform us into your likeness. 

Lord have mercy! Amen

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Prayer based on John 20

Meditation on John 20

Lord, you have risen.  You are alive.  It is a surprising and hard to believe reality.

Lord, help me have the loyalty and love of Mary Magdalene who still calls you LORD, even when she thinks you have not risen from the dead.  Open my eyes this day, as you did for her on the day of your resurrection, that I may see more deeply that you are indeed alive today.

Bless me with the faith to believe even though I have not seen your wounds or touched your scars.  Forgive me for the times that I am a doubting Thomas.  Grant me the ability to trust you on even dark days.  Let me have a reasonable faith but not a cynical attitude.

LORD Messiah Jesus, give me a full experience of the eternal life you offer those who believe in YOU.  Grant that your gospel would indeed provide for me fresh faith and passion for you.  Open my eyes to see your great sacrificial love and the power of your resurrection from the dead.

Risen Lord, transform me for your glory.

Lord, come to me this day and bless me with your peace in my soul.  Help me to see that you have sent me out to continue your mission of living for and telling others of YOUR kingdom of redemptive love.

Help me sense the Holy Spirit who you have sent.  Holy Spirit, make me aware of your presence with me and in me.  Let me not only have received you but help me bear your fruit this day in all I do.   Allow me to share your message of forgiveness to others and comfort those who believe in the gospel that their sins are forgiven.








Monday, March 21, 2016

Meditation on Matthew 27

Meditation on Matthew 27

LORD, how is it that we can listen to and act on poor counsel that we give to each other?  Sometimes, it should be clear that what we plan is evil, yet because we have found others who agree it seems reasonable at the time.  Save us from the dark deception of sin.

LORD, we have rejected you even when you have come to save us.  How hurtful to your heart it must be to see us so indifferent to your passionate and pure love for us.  Lord, help us to receive and not reject your love this day.

LORD, save me from the foolishness of Judas.  So often we see only later that what we have done is insane.  Betraying you is insane.  Thinking that the money paid to betray you was contaminated and not recognizing that the actual act of giving the money in the first place was the real contamination.  Lord how blind we can be.   Lord, you have planned to use all things for good even our wildly wicked things but this does not remove from them their evil.  Lord have mercy now and help us avoid the way of Judas.

LORD JESUS, you are the Messiah.  YOU are the promised redeeming King of Israel.  YOU are the hope of the nations.

LORD, Barabbas represents our efforts to through violence and self-reliance defeat our enemies.   When given a choice we will choose something or someone who will offer us deliverance now in practical ways that rely on our own strength than the salvation you offer based on divine intervention.   Lord, this day let me choose you over Barabbas.  Give me a loyalty to you even when the crowds are rejecting you.    Win my heart this day.

LORD JESUS,  save us from a cynical, mocking, and cruel attitude that will abuse and hurt.   Help us not be blasphemous in how we deal with you and save us from a need to make fun of what we don't understand.

LORD JESUS, you died rejected and with your enemies mocking you.  Your death was brutal and harsh.  Such a great price to pay for my sins.  Upon you, the just penalty of my sins was laid.

LORD,  your death has caused the way to be open to being in union and communion with the FATHER.  The full price has been paid.  Truly you are God the Son who has become the Son of God.

LORD, may I be in a fellowship of friends that even during the darkest moments we will seek to serve and honor you.  Bless our fellowship with such a bond of seeking and trusting you even in the midst of pain, sorrow, and confusion.

LORD,  all the power of humanity cannot stop your plans.  Even when we plot to keep your will from getting done, you will overcome it.  YOU are in control.

LORD JESUS,  thank you for accepting such pain and penalty for my sins.  Help me to see more clearly the depth of your love that would take you to the cross.  Provide for me new insight into the wonder of your sacrificial and substitutionary death.   Allow my vision of your suffering create in me a new love for you.  Help me see that you first loved me.   LORD COME NOW AND HELP ME MORE DEEPLY BELIEVE IN YOU!  AMEN

Friday, March 18, 2016

MEDITATION ON JOHN 17

Meditation on John 17

FATHER, in heaven, allow the awesome truth of the LORD JESUS to be seen and accepted.   Grant the true experience of ETERNAL LIFE to us.  Grant to us a truly personal relationship in the deep parts of our souls.

FATHER, open my eyes to see your true and wonderful essence in the LORD JESUS.   Let me see YOUR love in HIS sacrifice for my sins. 

LORD, help me to keep your revealing word.  Help me be a keeper, guardian, protector, and one who treasures your WORD.   Help me to believe that you have sent the LORD JESUS as the ultimate revelation of your heart and as the answer to my rebellion.  FATHER IN HEAVEN, have mercy!

Help me to be one of your true children and help me to know that I am your adopted child in the LORD JESUS.  

Help me to be in the culture and not part of the culture.  Guard me from the pollutions and contaminations of the society in which I live.  Help me to love my brothers and sisters, who are also disciples and grant us unity.  Form a community which is full of faith in your TRUTH. 

Do not take me out of my culture or society but protect me from the attacks of the dark lord who desires to kill, steal, and destroy my life.  Allow me to know your joy, here East of Eden.  Allow your WORD to guide me and comfort me. 

Help me see that I am not of the unbelieving culture.  Grant me a vision that my true citizenship is in heaven.  LORD, set me apart by your TRUTH and send me into this culture as one who brings truth and purity.  Help me function as salt and light.  

Dear FATHER IN HEAVEN, let your people be one  in love and truth.  Allow your Church to reflect your true character, competence, and compassion to all the societies of the world.  May all nations, peoples, and tongues; see YOUR awesome truth of sacrificial love in us.   Let us be perfectly ONE in YOU!  Allow this witness to convince all the world that the LORD JESUS was sent from heaven to earth to bring healing and hope.  FATHER FILL US WITH YOUR LOVE!

FATHER, ANSWER THE PRAYER OF JESUS FOR US IN THIS GENERATION!  

LORD, revive, renew, restore, and reform us.  Lord help us.  Amen






Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Meditation on Romans 1:16-20

Meditation on Romans 1:16-20

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

Lord, help us to not  be ashamed of your truth and the story about the love you had for us in YOUR sacrifice and resurrection as the energy that will save us from just condemnation for our immoral acts and the enslavement we have to such unloving lifestyles.  

Help us to truly, sincerely, and fully believe in the reality of your actions in history to save us.  Help us call upon you in spirit and truth.  Help us to live our lives based on trust, dependence, reliance, and faith in the gospel.  May our lives be lived in a manner worthy of your great sacrifice on the cross. 

Lord, cripple and convert all those forces which reject your truth and promote unloving ways of living.  Awaken people to your truth and overcome that which would seek to hide and push away the reality of your love found in the gospel.   

Open our eyes to see you all around us.  Let your creation sing to us of your character, competence and compassion.  Awaken us to your presence in every atom of the universe.  That which you have clearly revealed help us not be able to deny we perceive.   Lord, our blindness is our fault, but overcome our love of darkness and bring us to your light.   Have mercy upon mercy, and open our eyes that we may see your glory in all created things. 

Lord, convert those who would promote radical unbelief in our days.  Bring them evidence that overcomes their objections.  Help your people to give honest answers to honest answers.  Provide to your disciples a love of truth and an integrity of intellect which can be seen by the unbelieving world   Help us to give a loving, real, and substantial witness to your truth before the watching culture.  

Lord, turn back the darkness and bring the light.  Amen



Monday, March 14, 2016

Prayer of Surrender

James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (ESV)
Lord, I surrender.  
I am weak, fragile, just a breath.  Give me strength to resist the dark lord and the lies of the darkness.  Help me seek you even though I cannot seek you without your grace awakening me and drawing me.  
Lord, I come to you.  I am in desperate need of you.  Come to me now.  
Lord, protect me by the power of your sacrifice on the cross and the testimony of your resurrection in power.  Defeat the devil and his plans for my life.  
Cleanse me, purify me.  and focus me to now seek first your kingdom and righteousness.  Use me to bring your kingdom to earth as in heaven.  
Lord have mercy.  
Amen
Lyrics to I Surrender
Here I am 
Down on my knees again 
Surrendering all 
Surrendering all

Find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

I surrender

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I want to know You more
I want to know You more

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Play "I Surrender"

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Sunday, March 13, 2016

Prayer based on John 4:23,24

John 4: 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

Lord, why are the simple things so hard for me.  What could be more natural and right than to worship you sincerely and in the fullness of your Spirit?  Your Spirit and my spirit in honest communion.  Simple, clean, and full of life.  Yet, so hard here "East of Eden."   

Lord this day teach me to do this simple thing and grant to your people around the world this great gift.  Heavenly Father here is the one thing you seek, may you find it today in me.   May you find it today among your people.  

Lord, you desire for us to worship in a real way based on the reality of who you are and not false concepts of you.  A good relationship means that people know each other.  YOU know us and you call us to know YOU, for who you are.  Take from us false teachings and conceptions about you.  Let YOUR revelation in  your WORD rightly guide us into the right understanding of YOU in truth.  Keep us from false and misleading interpretations of your WORD and world.  Make of us a community who loves truth and has true integrity in our seeking after you.  

Make all of us, true, passionate, sincere, faithful, and orthodox seekers after an accurate and right vision of YOU that will create in us awe, admiration, wonder, thankfulness, praise, and a hunger to know you more intimately.   Show us your LOVE in YOUR sacrifice for our immoral words, actions, attitudes, and feelings on the cross.   In light of such unconditional and costly LOVE let us see you in the revelation of amazing grace.  Use this vision to break our apathy and indifference.  Come now and awaken us to see you more clearly than we have ever seen you before.  

LORD, hear our cry.  Reform us, revive us, renew us, and restore us.  For you glory, our good,  and that we may be of some good to others during these desperate times.  Amen

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Meditation on Luke 15

Meditation on Luke 15

Lord, help me rejoice in what has been saved and not focus on the things that have been lost.

I have been the prodigal all so often and at times the self-righteous elder brother.   My heart has been tempted with lawlessness and with legalism.  Two different roads to destruction.  

Let me come to my right mind.  Change my heart.   Let me trust in the Father's great love demonstrated by YOUR suffering for me on the cross.   Let me abandon this culture and all of its false values.   Help me bottom out so that I know that I can only trust in  your grace alone.  

Lord, let me see many sinners repent.  Let the repentance be deep, true, transforming, and lasting.  Give me a reason to rejoice in your great unconditional grace.  Awaken the dead and make them alive. 

Lord, we are living with the pigs.  We don't see it.  But that is where we are at this hour.  Come now, awaken us to see that to be with the Father in true fellowship is better than all our culture can offer.  Give to us a hunger and thirst for YOUR kingdom and righteousness.  Amen

Friday, March 11, 2016

Meditation on Matthew 6

Meditation on Matthew 6

LORD, let me strive to live a life with you alone as the audience and not for the praise or recognition of people. 

Lord, let me see the need of the needy and give to them because you care for them.  

Lord let me pray not to be seen praying but to have you hear my heart.

Help me dear Father in heaven to not just say lots of words as if by magic this would give me some power over your power.  Help me know that you already know what I really need.  Holy Spirit, intercede for me out of the deepest groanings of my heart.  

Dear beloved heavenly DAD.

May your character, compassion, and competence be demonstrated before all nations and all creation.   

May you bring your moral rule and will to the earth that the righteousness of heaven would be manifested here on the earth. Give to us a hunger and thirst for your kingdom and righteousness. 

Good Father, you know our physical needs, meet them as best fits your kingdom purpose in our lives.  Help us to be content in every circumstance with the trust that all things are being controlled by YOU for good purposes.  Help us to trust you during the darkness of our hardest days. 

Lord, forgive our transgressions which are many based upon your payment for our sins on the cross.  Help our hearts be won to loving loyalty to you as we see your infinite sacrifice to save us.  Help our own forgiveness seems so vast that we will give forgiveness to those who have abused, betrayed, and hurt us.  Give to us forgiving spirits. 

Do not bring us into the space where we may be tempted to sin to win.  Keep us from putting ourselves in situations that encourage us to do moral evil.  Help us hate sin and see it as the poison of  our souls.  

Lord, defeat the dark lords purposes in our lives.  Deliver us from his lies and deceptions.  Allow us to see reality clearly and not give in to illusions.  

Help us to see that unforgiving spirit in us is a sign of unbelief controlling us.  True faith in you leads to having a heart able to give grace and mercy.  Save us from bitterness and self-righteousness.   Help us give grace as we have received grace.  

Lord, teach us to fast as you would have us fast.  Help our prayers become more intense.  Put passion into our petitions.  Give us the faith to believe that you will fervent prayers.  

Lord, save us from the materialism and greed which surrounds us on every side in our culture.  Every commercial tells us we need more.  Our greatest concerns are in what we don't have or may lack in the future.  

Provide for us a vision of your provision.  Show us that our anxiety and fear do not make us safer or more secure.  Help not trust in our worry to save us.  

Give to us a heart fully devoted to seeking your kingdom and righteousness in our personal lives and community.   Help us see we know nothing about the future and that today has enough challenge in it to keep us fully occupied.  

Lord, this day let us live in a sane manner, have an inner stability of soul, and be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT!  Come now and control us from the inside out!  Manifest your kingdom and rule in us this day!

Revive, renew, restore, and reform us!  Awaken us now!








Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Prayer based on Matthew 5

Meditation on Matthew 5

Lord, I need your transforming blessing in my life. 
Make me see that I am poor in spirit and need you to make me rich. 

Grant me true sorrow over my sins and comfort me with your promises of forgiveness and salvation. 

Help me to see myself as I am in my weakness, that you may not resist me in my pride. 

Give to me a passion and drive to be holy and a person of virtue that you may make of me a righteous person. 

LORD Jesus help me see the great mercy you have shown me by your sacrifice for my sins and create in me a merciful attitude towards others. 

Make my heart sincere and simple so that I might understand YOU as YOU really are. 

Put into my heart one that seeks to resolve conflicts and redeem relationships so that your saving love might be seen in me. 

Prepare me to accept persecution from those who reject both righteousness and reason that I might effectively be restraining force against evil and a source of truth for a lost culture. 

Protect me from losing my way and being corrupted by the unbelieving culture. 

Lord, help me express my love for you by applying the law and prophets into my lifestyle. Help me do this without becoming self-righteous and proud. Grant me an ability to do your will on earth in humility and motivated by real admiration for YOU. 

Help me seek to have peace in the relationships in my life. Help me to have a passion, to set relationships straight. Free me of bitterness and teach me to love those that hurt and oppose me. 

Lord, put into me a pure attitude towards all thing sexual. Let me not be drawn into the polluted outlook of my culture. Let me see people as worthy of respect and honor. Watch over my soul and keep every aspect clean from impure thoughts or feelings. 

Grant me the power to have integrity in all my speaking. Let my yes, be yes. Allow my no to be no. Let me not use your name in vain to convince people that I have an integrity that I already have because of your grace alive in me. 

Lord, fill me with your grace and concern for others. Let me have an attitude of generosity and grace. Let me reflect your love for me in my love for others. Help me become mature and complete in my practice and understanding of love. 

Lord, bless your Church in this hour. Awaken us to a new intensity of faith, love, and hope. Act now I pray. Pour out your Spirit upon us anew. Lord, reform, revive, renew, and restore your people in this generation. Start that awakening among the covenant children, those raised in Christian homes but who have strayed away. Touch them in ways they would never imagine they could be touched by you. Act now LORD, we need you. Come to us! Amen

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Prayer based on Mark 9

Meditations on Mark 9

Lord, let me see you in the glory of your kingdom. Help me see in you the hope and fulfillment of both the law and the prophets. God the Son, who has become the Son of God now help me to listen to you in my heart of hearts. Let me see you Lord Jesus and only you. 

Lord, give me insight into your redemptive plan. Allow it to make sense to my mind and bring amazement to my heart. Awaken mind and heart to the greatness, goodness, and grace of your coming to save us. Keep me from fighting against your plans of salvation and grant me the faith that will follow you in these plans. 

What is the faith that you want us to have? That you want me to have? Where there is this "faith" then there is power to free children of darkness. But such "faith" must be rare. The most dedicated of souls to those who they sacrifice and love can lack it. The ordained representatives of your kingdom are without it. 

Lord, we believe, help our unbelief. 

Deepen our faith in prayer and understanding of a relationship with you means. Grant us understanding that every kingdom good can be attained if one believes in YOU as the KING. Open our eyes to understand and allow us to experience such faith that can bring kingdom power to us. Lord, have pity on us and teach us to have such faith. Lord have mercy now. 

Lord, you were destined to die for my sins. For the sins of your people. To suffer our pain and shame on the cross for our lack of seeking YOU and instead seeking sin to save us. Help me understand more your great love that led you to such an infinite sacrifice. Thank you for dying for me.

Messiah Jesus help me see what it means to be a leader who serves and to seek to understand that serving means leading. The one that serves much leads much and the one who serves little leads little. Help me not want power and control but to serve. 

Grant me to see the greatness of your authority working through a wide range of people who you have called. Let me now think that I am more than them. Help me be thankful that you have called me to follow and let me rejoice that they seek you as well. Open my eyes to the vastness of your kingdom work on earth.

Give me a hatred of sin. Provide me a desire and means to protect the children to be led astray by our unbelieving culture into dark lives and deeds. Save your covenant children who have slipped into moral and spiritual chaos. 

Grant to me a radical repentance and one that fears the consequences of immorality and rebellion. Let me see that sin brings death and not victory. I sin to win but that is a lie. Sin brings death and condemnation. Your sacrifice is my only hope. 

Put into me the holiness of your love for righteousness. Purify and preserve my soul. Renew and revive me. Make me the presence of your temple in the midst of a fallen culture. Shine your glory into those I touch this day.  Amen

Thy kingdom come. Amen

Monday, March 7, 2016

Prayer based on Psalm 80

Meditation on Psalm 80

Help me accept you as the great and good Shepherd of your people.  You are the LEADER and KING of your community of disciples.  YOU have the ability to save us and raise us up to  be all you designed us to be.  LORD, you have the power to restore us. 

I am thank you for your faithfulness even when we are unfaithful.  Now in this hour, we need your FACE to shine upon us that we may be saved in a new vision of your goodness, greatness, and grace.   Open us to understand YOUR perfect competence, character, and compassion.  I am thankful that in YOUR sacrifice on the cross our prayers now can come boldly before your throne and be unconditionally heard before your open heart.  LORD, you have brought us out of the world to demonstrate your greatness and revive, restore, and renew us that we may accomplish the purpose you first designed. 

I confess that I have forgotten that without you I can do nothing.  My pride blinds me to the reality that I can do nothing of worth without you.  Forgive me my self-reliance and lack of trust.  Forgive me for doubting your ways in the middle of hard times.  Come now and increase my vision of you.  Help me see you more clearly.  Help me to know myself as well. 

Lord, give us tears of repentance.  Break our hard hearts.  

Those covenant children who have strayed from the instruction of their youth, bring back to a new and vibrant faith.  Do not allow these children that have been separated by your Word and the faith of their parents to be lost to the world.  What glory can they give you in their apostasy or their shallow cultural faith?  Bring them back and show how strong YOUR hand is to save!  Lord have mercy on them.  Lord remember them.  Increase your church by bringing back the straying children of the covenant.  Open their eyes to see you for themselves and not only have heard about you from their parents.  

Restore them!  Restore us!  Let your face shine upon us and give us your peace.  Save your Church!  Save us now!  

Sunday, March 6, 2016

A prayer to follow

Matthew 4:19 
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
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LORD, you have said, "follow me".   YOU who left heaven and came to earth.  God the Son, who has become the Son of God came for me and to me.  YOU who went to suffer hell for me on the cross.  Now you say to me "follow me".  

Come join me in life and death.  

Be married to me.  

Embrace my life as your life.  

My death as your death.  

Come now, follow me. 

Thank you, Lord Messiah, for calling me to follow you.  This is really what you meant when you asked me to believe in you.   Without YOUR call I could not follow, believe, repent, or trust.  YOUR voice now is the empowered voice of command and raises from the dead my spirit that I might respond and not reject.  YOUR call gives me, life. 

I confess, I don't follow well.  I forget the simplicity of it all.  Just follow that is all.  Put my foot in your footprint.   How hard can that be?  Yet, it is hard for me.  I get distracted and doubt.  Like Peter, you have to call me several times.  I need to get my direction fixed.  Lord, forgive my lawless heart and convert it at its the deepest parts. 

If I do follow, in some poor way, then my pride grows and self-righteousness comes in.  I compare myself to others and I find myself condemning other souls and neglecting my own.  To just follow and not become captured by insane legalism.  All is your grace and yet I would make it about my goodness.  Lord forgive me, and save me from self-confidence and self-deception.  

LORD Messiah Jesus, grant a revival of following you in truth, sincerity, and humility, come now upon your people.  Make us true disciples.  Allow us to hear your voice.  Reform our thinking so we can repent of the lies that hold us captive in insanity and sinful lives.  Pull down the strongholds of darkness within us and replace them with fortresses of light and gospel truth.  Without YOU, we can do nothing.  For your glory sake, Come!  For your kingdom's sake, Come!  For our sake, Come!  For our children's sake, Come!

Come quickly in a new great awakening that will do what we know is impossible.  Awaken your people!  Raise the spiritually dead to life.  Convert the skeptics.  Save your covenant children!  Help us now!  Save us from ourselves!  Make of us true followers.  Lord have mercy.  Amen

"Above all, grace is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘ye were bought at a price’, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God."

 On two separate occasions, Peter received the call, ‘Follow me.’ It was the first and last word Jesus spoke to his disciple (Mark 1.17; John 21.22). A whole life lies between these two calls. The first occasion was by the lake of "Gennesareth, when Peter left his nets and his craft and followed Jesus at his word. The second occasion is when the Risen Lord finds him back again at his old trade. Once again it is by the lake of Gennesareth, and once again the call is: ‘Follow me.’ Between the two calls lay a whole life of discipleship in the following of Christ. Half-way between them comes Peter’s confession, when he acknowledged Jesus as the Christ of God. Three times Peter hears the same proclamation that Christ is his Lord and God - at the beginning, at the end, and at Caesarea Philippi. Each time it is the same grace of Christ which calls to him ‘Follow me’ and which reveals itself to him in his confession of the Son of God. Three times on Peter’s way did grace arrest him, the one grace proclaimed in three different ways."

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich (2011-08-16). The Cost of Discipleship (SCM Classics) (Kindle Locations 614-628). Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd. Kindle Edition. 

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Praying Psalm 23

The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.

23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (ESV)

LORD, you have taught me that YOU are my provider, protector, and provide guidance moment by moment.  When I am out of out of strength YOU LORD restore me.  YOU GOOD Shepherd will defeat all the enemies of my soul and provide for me, YOUR victory as my own.  

I thank you, LORD, for making me one of your sheep and including me in your plan of salvation.   I am 100% dependent on you for my physical needs and the restoration of my inner needs.  For your own glory, you have led me into the paths of leading a sane, stable, and spiritual life.    At the worst of times, you are to praised for being with me and allowing me to not fear that you have abandoned me.  YOUR promise of ultimate victory over the  enemies of my soul is my one great comfort in this life. 

I confess, dear Shepherd, that I have many times been a straying and disobedient sheep.  YOU have had too many times chase after me and take me out of darkness.  YOU have been a faithful shepherd always bringing me back and keeping me safe.  Help me hear your voice and to be wise enough to follow. 

GOOD DIVINE SHEPHERD!  Gather your sheep into one united and true body who can follow you into paths of righteousness.  Help us be fearless even when facing the promised persecution.  Help us to find in you comfort and strength in knowing that the ultimate victory will come and YOU will allow us to be at your great feast of celebration in YOUR kingdom.   Provide for us a true revival, reformation, and renewal.    Come now and lead us this day to live in a way that is worthy of your great love seen in the gospel.    Amen

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Musing on Genesis 43:1-15

Genesis 43:1-15

LORD, you work in our lives during severe times.  We develop our plots and plans to get through them.  Many times these severe times are made worst by our sins and blameless people are hurt because of our attempt to manipulate events to go our way.  But somehow our sins always find us out.  Help us see your hand at work in this present time in our lives and abandon all hope in our own schemes. 

I am thankful Lord that you are aways working with full knowledge and control of the future.  Everything is going according to your plan.  Even the dark and painful things that happen because of our sin you have calculated for your purpose.  All things will work for good through the messy process of our personal history.  You can work all things together for good. 

I confess Lord that I focus more on what my plans are and my ability to shape events than acknowledge that you are alive and active in every moment and circumstance.  My confidence is foolishly reliance on myself instead of on your love and plan of redemption.   Help me see the insanity of this and turn my trust towards you and away from myself. 

Lord, today let me see that you have made provision for the severe and hard times in my life.  You have a plan already in motion to handle hard times.  Give me peace today not based on my plans but your plans.  Let me rest in your love and allow me to find refuge in you.  

Lord, you will build your church, you will renew the faith, you will revive our love, you will reform our minds, you will bring your kingdom to earth and your will, will be done on earth as in heaven.  These things are as sure as the sun will rise.  Help me to trust and work for your will.  Lord have mercy.  Amen