Daily Prayer

in preparation for Lent

Note: Though not all Christians practice or observe Lent, the purpose of Lent can be universal for us all. So if you typically to do observe Lent, I encourage you to read this prayer as a simple act of surrender - for a season or even for today - asking God to reveal to you what he is calling you surrender or sacrifice to right now.

Father,

We praise You for all the ways You have shown Yourself faithful to us this past year. We praise You for how You have strengthened our relationship with You in the midst of questions and doubts, and we praise You even for the dark times which cause us to cry out to You. (Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4) It has not been easy to find that joy, so please help us persevere in continuing to search and seek for it as we are tested and matured.

In the next 40 days, as we consider the time Your Son spent withdrawn in the desert, please You reveal to us the ways in which we can most honor You in the days leading up to the celebration of Easter. We desire to live in victory, but know that without the darkness of Good Friday, the victory of Easter wouldn't be the powerful victory it is. We must learn to examine the darkness of our hearts and see the sin that still lives within us, the reason the cross was necessary.

Show us the parts of us that we have not fully surrendered to You. Whether it's giving something up as an act of surrender or taking something on as an act of sacrifice, remind us to examine ourselves so that we are continually growing to be more like Your Son, Jesus.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139: 23-24)

Amen

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Before Lent

O God,
who before the passion of your only-begotten Son
revealed his glory upon the holy mountain:

Grant to us that we,
beholding by faith the light of his countenance,
may be strengthened to bear our cross,
and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,

for ever and ever. Amen

Book of Common Prayer

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LOVE OF JESUS

Oh Holy and Loving Father. How better can we say we love You on the Valentine Day than to share the words of this old hymn that tells of the Deep Deep Love of Jesus. Thank You for loving us. Thank You for choosing us, Thank You for saving us and santifying us. Deepen our Love for you every day. May we show that love to others. I love You. Amen.

Lyrics, googleimages.com

Heaven

The Prevailing Atmosphere of Heaven is Joy.

It is permeating joy, in ever aspect, of being in God's eternal and glorious presence. Psalm 16:11 (ESV) " .....in your presence there is fullness of joy;"

It is profound joy of being in heaven's assembly. Hebrews 12:22-23 (GW) ".....you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together 23 and to the assembly of God's firstborn children ...."

It is personal joy of being with God. Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; Enter into the joy of your lord.' "

It is promised joy. "Acts 2:28 (NIV) ".....you will fill me with joy in your presence."

Father, thank you for the blessed and sure hope we have of heaven. Thank you that heaven is made possible in Jesus, your Son, who said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6 (NLT)

Thank you Father for the joy that awaits us in heaven of being in your wonderful presence and with those we love who have preceded us there. It will be infinitely beyond our greatest expectation. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” I Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

We pray In the name of Jesus who said: "I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." John 14:2-3 (ESV)

Amen.

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to bring beauty from ashes

Dear God,

In this season of Lent we’re reminded of our own difficulties and struggles. Sometimes the way has seemed too dark. Sometimes we feel like our lives have been marked by such grief and pain, we don’t see how our circumstance can ever change.

But in the midst of our weakness, we ask that you would be strong on our behalf. Lord, rise up within us, let your Spirit shine out of every broken place we’ve walked through. Allow your power to be manifest through our own weakness, so that others will recognize it is You who is at work on our behalf.

We ask that you would trade the ashes of our lives for the beauty of your Presence. Trade our mourning and grief for the oil of joy and gladness from your Spirit. Trade our despair for hope and praise.

We choose to give you thanks today and believe that this season of darkness will fade away. Thank you that you are with us in whatever we face, and that you are greater than this trial.

We know and recognize that you are Sovereign, we thank you for the victory that is ours because of Christ Jesus, and we are confident that you have good still in store for our future.

We thank you that you are at work right now, trading our ashes for greater beauty.

We praise you, for you make all things new.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

- a prayer by Debbie McDaniel posted at Crosswalk

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Ways to pray during Lent

Years ago Beliefnet posted a piece by Therese J. Borchard called 12 Ways to Pray During Lent. Some of the ways on her list might resonate more with Roman Catholics but some I think resonate with many of us who pray. Here are a few ways that made her list:

Say Thank You: Gratitude, they say, is the highest form of prayer. ... During Lent, I try to pay special attention to all the small, wonderful things around me: that my kids aren't using diapers anymore, that they don't have disabilities, that my husband works around the corner and can come home for lunch.
Sing the Verses: In the church bulletin recently, I read that "singing is praying twice." So if I sing a refrain three times, that's like saying six prayers, right?
Yell like Heck: Indeed the prophets and saints were not always in the habit of simply saying, 'Thy will be done.' They often fought, challenged, squirmed and begged as a way of saying 'Thy will be changed!'"
Repeat one Word: During several months when I felt suicidal, I repeated four words: "Jesus, be with me." And that mantra was enough, at times, to beat back my fear and sadness.
Laugh: I believe that God wants us to laugh because laughter heals in ways traditional and alternative medicine can't.
Eat and Drink: When we do this during Lent, we celebrate Jesus and each other just like he did at the Last Supper. I especially like this form of prayer since eating and drinking come so naturally to me.
Give Something Up: Why must we give up something we enjoy to be enlightened? I don't know. But I do think the lines of communication between God and me are better on the days I've abstained from a desired object.

Therese goes go into more detail. Feel free to check out her entire list here.

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Prayer is everything

Amen

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welcoming prayer

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I welcome everything that comes to me today

because I know it’s for my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions,

persons, situations, and conditions.

I let go of my desire for power and control.

I let go of my desire for affection,

esteem, approval and pleasure.

I let go of my desire for survival and security.

I let go of my desire to change any situation,

condition, person or myself.

I open to the love and presence of God

and God’s action within. Amen

-Father Thomas Keating

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DAILY MERCIES

Lamentations 3:22-25 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, the Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait on him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him."

Heavenly Father, You Word tells us we will have daily troubles, but not to dispair, along with the daily troubles, you have given us daily mercies. They are new every morning. Thank You for meeting our daily needs. Help us to take one day at a time, receiving you mercies to deal with the troubles of the day. Help us to look beyond our troubles and reach out to those who have hurts and needs and share this good news. I love You. Amen.

Let us with gladsome mind,

Praise the Lord for He is kind;

For His mercies shall endure,

Ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living He doth feed;

His full hand supplies their need,

For His mercies shall endure,

Ever faithful, ever sure.

~James Milton (1623)

Amen

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Life's Most Important Decision

Life's most important decision is not pollical, financial, philosophical, educational or social. It is spiritual. It is a once in a life time decision, which is renewed daily and lasts eternally. It is to choose to accept Jesus call to follow him.

Luke 9:23 (ESV)

"And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Father, the core of this decision is our heart, the context of this decision is our life, the circumference of this decision is the influence of our behavior and the cost of this decision may be suffering for following Him.

Father you remind us in the Scriptures:

Philippians 1:29 (ESV)

"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,"

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,"

1 Peter 4:16 (ESV)

"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name".

Father thank you for the honor of being called to follow Jesus. Thank your for the privileges of suffering for his Name. Thank you that by your grace we are not pessimistic about persecution, nor intimated by hostility, nor frozen by fear. Thank you, not for the pain but for the One we endure the pain for.

Father may we be a joyful, powerful, truthful and loving witness to all regardless of their reaction. And may we remember Jesus affirmation to his followers: “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers." Matthew 5:11 (NLT)

In the name of Jesus the one who suffered so much for us we pray. Amen.

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when people are hard to love

Lord, some of Your people are hard to love.

They can be moody, mean, difficult, and impossible to understand. They blame me for things I didn’t do and have expectations I can’t meet. Sometimes I wish You hadn’t put them in my life.

I need You to show me how much You love them. Reveal what You see under the surface, where they’re hurting, and tell me how to make a difference.

Thank you for giving me your patience to be kind and compassionate when I don’t have my own
and for loving me when I’m the one who’s difficult in someone else’s life. Amen

- a prayer from crosswalk.com

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enemy love

Dear Lord,

Have mercy on we who name your name.

That we might pray for our enemies and those who hate us.

Yet in you we see a better way to live and to love.

Help us Father to see past our tears and embrace love.

We pray that love and compassion will be returned for hate.

Help us to become peacemakers.

Teach us the ways of restoration and reconciliation.

Cause us to follow the ways of Jesus Christ.

In his name we pray. Amen.

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for faithfulness

Father,

The first word that comes to mind when someone asks me to describe you is faithful and it seems that each time I pray your character, faithful is the words that is murmured from my lips.

You are faithful.

Perhaps it's because everything else in this world has let me down. Perhaps it's because nothing else in this word is sure. Perhaps it's because everything feels uncertain. Perhaps it's because I've put my trust in people and things I shouldn't have and they have failed me. You, of course, have always been faithful when people, situations, the world and all the others things have not been.

But lately, I think I've been praying about your faithfulness because I, too, need to be reminded of my own need to be faithful. For you have called us to be a faithful people, in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit, our faithfulness is evidence of Your work and transformation in our lives.

I still find myself faithful to someone or something other than You at times, Lord. Though You are faithful, I am not. So perhaps my prayer about Your faithfulness is Your Spirit interceding for me, convicting me to be a steady and faithful child.

May I remember how much I am dependent upon Your grace and mercy as I seek to walk in step with the Spirit, in faithfulness.

May Your faithfulness inspire me to be faithful.

Amen

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Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer

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