a prayer to work together

If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. [Romans 12:18 MSG]

Work at getting along with each other and with God. [Hebrews 12:14 MSG]

These words sounds like something my parents used to say to me and my siblings.
Sadly we humans do such a horrible job. I think that 'getting along' begins with prayer.

Heavenly Father we need you! Help us to return to you. Cause us to love each other.

Jesus have mercy on us. Help us to accept your mercy. Cause us to be merciful.

Holy Spirit comfort us. Help us to receive your comfort. Cause us to comfort others.

Lord give us the wisdom of love. Cause us to lead others in the wisdom of love.

Amen

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the blessing of keeping grace

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them." (Numbers 6:22-26 ESV)

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Here is the way that John Gill comments on the phrase "keep you":

from, the evil of the world, from the evil one Satan, from the evil of sin, and the power, prevalence, and dominion of it, and from falling totally and finally by it, and keep in a state of grace unto everlasting salvation.

I love the way he speaks to grace being a state. The blessing of grace is what keeps us - it is God's grace that causes us to stand when we are tempted to bow to temptation. It is complicated though because, as in the Lord's prayer, we must ask for grace to stand against temptation.

Father, we come to Your throne of grace today with thankful hearts. Please shower mercy and grace on us that we might stand in the face of temptation ... that we would triumph as our faith is tested ... that endurance would be sown deep in our souls.

Amen

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Don’t fear the storm...

Powerful words from a beautiful song help us to understand the importance of a strong PRAYER life.

“I don’t want to fear the storm just because I hear the roar...”

We will always have storms in our lives. We will always have situations that seem unbearable and overwhelming.

But just because we hear the sound of an impending storm...

Just because we hear the roar of its approach...

We don’t have to fear. We don’t have to be afraid. We can know that God is near. He hears our cries. He feels our pain. And He is there.

The sound of a coming storm is a call for us to draw near. To pray. To cry out to the God who created us and loves us above all. 

“Oh peace be still,You are here so it is well.

Even when my eyes can’t see, I will trust the voice that speaks.”

We can know His voice. We can TRUST fully in who He is. 

When the storms rise, we must simply pray. It is a very  powerful weapon against the enemy of this world. 

Today... whatever the problem... pray and let God work.

Amen

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a prayer for healing

Father, 

We call out to You today as Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals, The great God of healing, the God of power and grace. Our bodies are tired, our hearts are sick, and we need You. We need Your healing power in our lives and in this world.

Lord, may every cry of ours go forth, giving way to our grief, knowing You have heard each groan, gathered each tear, and are holding each cry close to Your heart. As we come to the end of this year of trials, though we do not know what is to come, may we know You are near. We ask for Your mercy. Heal the racial strive in America, heal hearts that are prideful for their skin color and hearts angry for how they have been marginalized. Teach us, Lord, how we can be a soothing balm to heal those whose open wounds are raw from all that has happened this year and so many years past. Teach us a new way forward that honors You.

Jehovah Rapha, heals bodies broken from COVID. Cross this planet with Your mercy and bring about compassion and empathy for one another, wisdom for scientists, health care workers, and governing leaders as the virus continues to rage. Retrain it and us, O Lord. Call us to serve one another with humility and remind us that the freedom You give us as Your children is to be used to serve each other.

Heal the bitter hearts between Democrats and Republicans, in those governing and in those living in houses next to one another. Help us to find more common ground than differences, acknowledge where we are wrong, and see how we can live united. Teach us to love well.

Call us back to You, Lord, to our knees in worship and submission to all that You have called us to be. Give us eyes to see those who do not know You, and the willingness to be in relationships with those who do not know You so they may see Your light and be drawn closer to You and not further from You.

Amen

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FAITH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

                                        2 Corinthians 5:7 "We live by faith, not by sight!"

Dear Father, In uncertain times, we need to remember what real faith is.  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Lord, we know we do not see things as they really are.  True spiritual sight is reserved for the day when when we will see as we are seen.  Faith is for this world, sight for the next.  You bless those who believe without seeing,  Oh Lord, give us strength to walk by faith until that great Day when we will truly walk by sight.  May our faith prove stronger in uncertain times.  I love You.  Amen

image, googleimages.com

Maranatha Worship Bible

Amen

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Overwhelmed? No!

Psalm 8:3-4 (ESV)
     ³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

 ⁴  what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Father the perplexity and pressure of human problems do at times feel overwhelming. From our finite and feeble view there are circumstances beyond our comprehension and control. But these are the moments when we need to remember Psalm 113:5-7 (ESV) “Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, ⁶ who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 

⁷ He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,”

Again Father you remind us of the knowledge and compassion you have for us in Isaiah 43:2 (ESV) ”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;”

Father there is never really a time when we should feel overwhelmed, whatever the condition, if we keep our focus and faith on you. Your power is true, your promise is faithful and that is why we can rely on 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Thank you Father that you not only hold the universe in your hands, but that you especially hold our lives in your heart. And that nothing can touch us without your will, for our good and your glory.

Through Jesus our Savior we pray and praise You! Amen.

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for renewal

Renew your church, Lord,

your people in this land.

Save us from cheap words

and self-deception in your service.

In the power of your Spirit transform us,

and shape us by your cross. Amen.

- South African prayer

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for times of transition

    God of Love,

    You are with us in every transition and change.

    As we enter into this new era with excitement and even some anxiety,
    we recall your deep compassion, presence, and abounding love.

    We thank you for the gifts, talents and skills with which you have blessed us.

    We thank you for the experiences that have brought us to this moment.

    We thank you for the work of others that gives breadth and depth to our own work.

    Be with us as we move forward, rejoicing with you and supporting one another.

    We ask this in your Holy Name. Amen

- Joseph P. Shadle

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Simply pray...

Today, simply PRAY a and TRUST in the God of all creation. He always has a plan...

Amen

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In Whom Do We Trust?

Father,

On a day when many of us will feel uncertain, either in the outcome of this US election or in how we cast our vote, teach us to lean into a deeper trust in you.

Remind us that if our candidates win, we ought not to gloat... for that means someone we love may be hurt and grieving. And that doesn't mean we ought to love them less. because you don't love them less.

Teach us to comfort those who will be hurt, not with unhelpful platitudes of "God is still in charge" - though God - please know we still believe this to be true! But show us a better way to comfort those who are hurt, realizing that sometimes even true words aren't always helpful. Help us point others to the truth of Jesus, the truth of the gospel, and to acknowledge pain and sit with people in their grief.

If our candidates lose, Father, may we resist bitterness that will try to rise in us. May the hope you promise break through and settle into our hearts. May we not feel forgotten by you, because God we know that you remember us - that way you remembered Noah, remembered Abraham, remembered Rachel, remembered Joseph. You do not forget your people.

Lord, we put not our trust in political candidates or man-made systems, but in you alone.

Amen

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In Whom Do We Trust?

"I trust," says the Christian, "in a triune God. 

I trust the Father, believing that He has chosen me from before the foundations of the world;

 I trust Him to provide for me in providence,

 to teach me, to guide me, to correct me if need be, 

and to bring me home to His own house where the many mansions are.

I trust the Son. Very God of very God is He--Christ Jesus.

I trust in Him to take away all my sins by His own sacrifice, 

and to adorn me with His perfect righteousness. 

I trust Him to be my Intercessor, to present my prayers and desires before His Father's throne.

I trust Him for what He is, for what He has done, and for what He has promised yet to do.

And I trust the Holy Spirit--who reveals and convicts me of my sins each days.

I trust Him to drive them all out; I trust Him to curb my temper, to subdue my will, 

to enlighten my understanding, to check my passions, to comfort my despondency, 

to help my weakness, to illuminate my darkness; I trust Him to dwell in me as my life,

to reign in me as my King, to sanctify me wholly, spirit, soul, 

and body, and then to take me up to dwell with the saints in light for ever."

Oh, blessed trust! To trust Him whose power will never be exhausted, 

whose love will never stop, whose kindness will never change, 

whose faithfulness will never fail, whose wisdom can never be matched

 and whose perfect goodness can never know no boundary.

 

Have peace, dear one, if this trust in God is yours.

Rest in the trust that He holds you fast, 

and that the truth of His faithfulness will never end.

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Amen

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All Saints and Election Day

Father, we in America are about to choose who will be President for the next four years. Our nation is divided and we don’t know what the next few days will hold. Let the celebration of All Saints Day remind us that your Church has stood for over 2000 years and the gates of Hell have never been able to stand against it. Help us to trust that no matter what happens, your Kingdom still stands strong and you are still in control. Amen 

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COURAGEOUS DEFENDERS

Acts 17:11 "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

Oh God, we live in a culture without a moral compass, lost in a desert of relativistic notions.  Your eyes look to and fro across our land, searching for those noble ones who eagerly seek truth and test it against Your unchanging Word.  For Your Word, Lord, is the measure of all truth.  May we, Your people become courageous defenders of Your Word in our generation.  I love Your Word.  I love You.  Amen.

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The Blessing Bag

“Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.”

Deuteronomy 28:5 (HCSB)

How many times when we take out a bag of garbage do consider that we are carrying out a blessing bag. When I think of how many flavors of food I have eaten and the delicious tastes of such homemade dishes it tantalite’s my desire and expectations for more. Well do I remember sick days when I couldn’t even taste the food I was eating and no hunger motivated me with any desire for a menu of any kind? In my illness I forgot the blessing bag. But, OH……… when the taste buds revived and the smell of cooking fragrances reached the sense of my nose, what a delight.

I appreciate how David and his men were satisfied with the generous provision made for them and the joy they surely experienced as spoken of in 2 Samuel 17:28-29 (NLT) “²⁸ They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, ²⁹ honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”

Thank you Father for creating me with the wonderful ability to see colors, hear music, smell flowers, taste food and touch others with compassion and love. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:14 (NLT)

Thank you Father for The Blessing Bag. Amen.

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for wisdom to move forward

Father, I confess that I don't have the wisdom I need.

I desperately need to know your wise heart today. 

I need your help to abandon my hope in this world. 

I need your wisdom to move forward in divine hope. 

I ask for wisdom dear Lord and confess my trust in You.

Help me to hear what You are saying in my heart.

Amen

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