Daily Prayer

The Cup

Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

John 18:11 (NLT)

Jesus went where no one else could go, did what no one else could do and endured what no one else could survive. His victory was won in Gethsemane, completed at Calvary and sealed by the Empty Tomb. It is summarized in the following passages of Scripture.

The submission of Gethsemane. Mark 14:32-36 (NLT)

"They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.”33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”35 He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

The stress of Gethsemane. Luke 22:41-44 (NLT)

"He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood."

The sacredness of Gethsemane. Hebrews 5:7 (NLT)

"While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God."

Father because of the cup Jesus drank for us we have forgiveness that reveals your love, the compassion of Jesus and the merciful ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Your forgiveness so deep that it is beyond human understanding. "God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways." Romans 11:33 (GW)

Your forgiveness is so lofty that it exceeds human imagination. "I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

Your forgiveness is so broad that its expanse reaches human boundary. "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." Psalm 103:12 (NLT)

Thank you Jesus for drinking the cup of the Father's wrath to provide forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption for us.

"For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity— the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)

Amen.

Amen

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good friday prayer

Today, O good Jesus, you did not hide your face from shame and spitting for us.

Today, Jesus our Redeemer,

you were mocked,

struck by unbelievers,

and crowned with thorns for us.

Today, good Shepherd,

you laid down your life for the sheep on the cross,

and you were crucified with robbers,

and had your sacred hands nailed through.

Today you were laid in the guarded tomb,

and the saints burst open their tombs.

Today, good Jesus,

you put an end to our sins,

that on the day of your resurrection

we may joyfully receive your holy body,

and be refreshed with your sacred blood.

Amen.

-an ancient Mozarabic prayer

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maundy thursday prayer

Lord God,

You sent your Son into the world,

And before his hour had come,

He washed his disciples’ feet.

You had given all things into his hands.

He had come from you, and was going to you,

And what did he do?

He knelt down on the floor,

And washed his friends’ feet.

He was their teacher and their Lord,

Yet he washed their feet.

Lord God, help us learn from his example;

Help us to do as he has done for us.

The world will know we are his disciples

If we love one another.

Strengthen our hands and our wills for love

And for service.

Keep before our eyes the image of your Son,

Who, being God, became a Servant for our sake.

All glory be to him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

One God, now and forever.

Amen

-prayer from ibelieve.com

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Holy Week

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ your Son 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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PALM SUNDAY

Mark 11:7-10 "When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

"Hosanna"

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"

Hosanna in the highest!"

No pomp, high flying banners or red carpet for You my King. Your retinue were peasants. Your banner were palm branches. Your welcoming carpet was coats strewed on a dusty road. So You entered Jerusalem: God on a donkey. Here is humility that will imprint itself on my heart forever. Here is the character of God. Lord, remove every trace of arrogance from my soul. Make me like You. I love You. Amen.

googleimages.com

Maranatha Worship Bible

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Timing is Everthing

"...when the right time came, God sent his Son,..."

Galatians 4:4 (NLT)

Father in your divine providence. at just the perfect time, your brought to fulfillment the prophecies that spoke of Jesus suffering and paying the price for our redemption.

You remind us Father through the Apostle Peter: "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)

Thank you Father for not only such precise providential timing but especially for the infinite greatness of your love for us. " But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8 (NLT)

How Deep the Father's love for us. [Verse 3]

Stuart Townend

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no powr, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

Thank you Triune God, which words alone cannot express. Amen.

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a prayer of contrition

O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.

To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.

O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God. Amen

- excerpted from the book of Daniel

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drawing near

I love this passage of scripture. It says that we can present our prayers with confidence. What you may ask can we be confident of? The answer is simple. When we pray we can be confident that we will receive mercy and find grace to help us. Notice that it did not say that our prayers would always be answered the way we prayed them. Just that mercy and grace would be given.

We bring ourselves to you today dear Father. We bring our hurts to you. We bring our health to You. We bring all of our needs to you. We trust You with our prayers and thank You that You will give us grace and mercy. Amen

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His Image

I was headed to my daughter’s house yesterday and the beautiful song “Image of God” by We are Messengers came on.

And I was really listening to the words and not merely singing them.

And I was struck by message of the whole song. It is so gorgeous as it touches so many truths in the lives of all of us who profess Christ as our Savior.

And then the strains of the chorus began playing again and this time my HEART heard the words rather than simply my ears...

We are made...

Made in the image of...

Made in the image of God.

Beautiful shades of love.

We are made...

Made in the image of...

Made in the image of God.

That's where the light comes from...

And it hit me. Hard.

We are made in the Image of the HOLY and PERFECT God. We are made in His LIKENESS. We are fashioned after the CREATOR. The sustainer of LIFE. The PURE ONE.

We were made in His IMAGE..

But...

We haven’t REMAINED there.

We have strayed from that image. We have pushed back from that image. We have turned our backs on that image.

We have not stayed in that place we were created in and created to be.

My heart broke when I came face-to-face with that reality.

I was made in the IMAGE of a HOLY and PERFECT God. And I want to remain there.

I want to reflect Him.

I want others to see Him within me.

I want to look like Jesus.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in Our Image, according to Our likeness...” (Genesis 1:26)

May our hearts and spirits be awakened to this truth today and begin living our lives to reflect the beautiful IMAGE of God.

Amen

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simply loved

Sometimes my inner critic

and the voices of the outside world

speak much louder to me than You do, O Lord

Maybe I'm messy. I know I sin.

Maybe I'm mixed up most of the time. I know You are not.

I seek Your heart, but I most often fail.

I accept Your love, but often fail to give it to others.

I understand Your grace but rarely live in light of it.

I call myself Your child, but usually live like an orphan.

I'm complicated. I know I don't always get it right.

May I be reminded this day that I am simply loved.

Amen

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To the Cross

Jesus, you set your mind on going to Jerusalem, even though it meant going to the cross. As we draw near to commemorating your sacrifice for us, help us to remember that you have called us to take up our cross to follow you. Amen

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REMEMBER

How profound Lord, that Your ultimite gift to us ~~ Your body and blood ~~is symbolized in a simple piece of bread and a cup of wine. As I eat and drink at the communion table, those elements become a part of me. They identify me with You and with Your body the church. They become my declaration that Christ is in me and I am in Christ. O Lord, may I be a person through whom you can speak and act and love and care in this broken world. I love You! Amen

painting by Wanda

Maranatha Worship Bible

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Peace in the Storm

“..I will trust, and will not be afraid...”

Isaiah 12:2 (ESV)

Mark 4:37-40 (ESV)

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Father it appears that the storm did not cause the disciples fear but rather exposed their lack of faith which resulted in them being afraid. The storm was great, their fear was great and the calm was great.

Father like the disciples we face fierce storms in life that sometimes come without warning. In those stressful experiences in which we have no control we need the peace Jesus spoke of in John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.... Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

I am so thankful Father that we don't need to wait till the storm is over to have peace. Rather in the midst of the storm, while it rages around us, You give peace as we trust You. Your promise is real and powerful. "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

Father may we have the conviction and confidence of Isaiah: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 (ESV)

In the name of Jesus who is our peace, Amen.

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Talking to God

Help us Lord to find a way to center ourselves in prayer.

Teach us to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Cause us to be people who regularly talk with you.

Grant us patience that we might hear before we speak.

Give us ears to hear what you are saying in our hearts.

Amen

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