prayer

Prayer, Confidence, and the Who?

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Ask, seek, knock.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8
Our confidence in prayer is not in our capacity for communication or even our desperation.
Our confidence in prayer is drawn from the character of the one to whom we ask, seek, and knock.
Jesus says of Him,
“…If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him.”  Matthew 7:11
Jesus reveals what the Father is like through His life, His teaching, and the Cross.
Confidence in prayer grows as we experience the grace of His answers.
Confidence in prayer never grows though unless we ask, seek, and knock during the seasons and days of our lives.

Prayer for today ~ Desert Song

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This week at the Origin worship gathering Alex introduced what was a new song for some.
It reminded me of the text we would use for our prayer time on Tuesday morning:
“For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.  Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”
Psalm 143:3-6
Here’s the text and a link to the song.
“Desert Song”

[Verse 1:]
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that’s within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides[Verse 2:]
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me, Lord, through the flame

[Chorus:]
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

[Verse 3:]
And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I’ll stand

[Chorus:]
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

[Bridge 4x:]
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

[Chorus 2x:]
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

[Verse 4:]
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I’m filled to be emptied again
The seed I’ve received I will sow

Passion Week ~ Thursday ~ Unload your heavy heart.

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In the week of Jesus’ passion, His passion ran strong.

But he warns that a heavy heart wears down passion.

What makes a heavy heart?

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down

with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life,

and that day will come upon you suddenly like a trap.

For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.

But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have

strength to escape all these things that are going to take

place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”  Luke 21:34-36

Dissipation:  like a drop of colour in water, purpose dissipates; it must be renewed.

Drunkenness:  fake passion fueled by consumption steals life.

Cares of this life:  can stand in for real purpose; they lose meaning when

disconnected from the Lord of life.  The normal tasks of life and relationships

where never meant to bear the weight of our souls.

Jesus draws us into the relationship with Him:  attentive prayer.

In prayer purpose is renewed.

In prayer consumption is held in check.

In prayer the cares of this life meet the promise of the Lord of life.

In prayer we discover His passion ~

the capacity to suffer, sacrifice, and love meaningfully.

In prayer we unload the heavy heart.

Praying with Patrick

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It’s St. Patrick’s Day this weekend.  And some in our University are already celebrating.  Here is a part of a famous prayer attributed to Patrick.

I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me:

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s way to lie before me,

God’s host to secure me–

against snares of devils,
against inclination of nature,

against everyone who shall

wish me ill, afar and anear,

alone and in a crowd.

 

Christ to protect me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit,

Christ where I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

 

I arise today through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Trinity,

through belief in the Threeness,

through confession of the Oneness towards the Creator.

 

Salvation is of the Lord.

Salvation is of the Lord.

Salvation is of Christ.

May Thy salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. AMEN.

 

This prayer is part of the Breastplate of St. Patrick, missionary to Ireland.  Born 385 AD in England.  Enslaved in Ireland at age 16.  Escaped but returned to Ireland to proclaim the way of Jesus.  Died March 17, 461.

Before its too late.

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Before.

Before there was stuff, there was God.

Before there was a sunrise, there was the community of Father, Son and Spirit.

Before there was life there was God’s glory.

Before we spoke God spoke.  (See Genesis 1:1-5)

Before.

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:1-5

Before it was too late…

14the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

This makes me want to see Jesus before I…

speak.

take up a cause.

despair in the darkness.

create momentary loves.

Quick, Come Lord Jesus,

Before…