Prayers That Marked My Journey July 30 – Dec 9, 2020

We ask that you will cause the tide of transformation to rise as people everywhere receive forgiveness of sins in your name.

King Jesus, Be our strength every morning, our salvation in times of distress. You are the foundation that keeps us stable in the midst of change.

Teach us to pray and give praise in the middle of our darkest moments. Release grace to all of our friends who are in a dark place. Free them from shame and remind them that you have set them free already. In Christ, their chains are broken and their prison doors are opened.

Open our eyes and our understanding to beauty on earth today. Our world misses so much of your glory. It is all around us but we don’t see it. Change us by helping us see you and your new creation here and now. We lift our voices today on earth and we join with heaven saying “Alleluia! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king!

We freely confess that on our own we don’t have what it takes to keep it all together. But, you don’t expect us to make this journey alone anyway. So, we aren’t ashamed to say that we need help, support, strength, perseverance… we need YOU. Thank you for telling us the truth. You are the one who announced that the kingdom of heaven has come. And, you are the one who dwells in us… the hope of glory. Fill our conversations with hope today because we know you are with us. 

King Jesus, you are the One sent from God. You are the fullness of God… Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the flesh. Fill us with awe and wonder today that the sign that you had arrived was a naked, new-born baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a cattle feeding trough. Please show us similar, humble signs that you are present in our troubles today. Help us see your glory, God. 

You are the One in whom the fullness of God dwells… Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through you everything and everyone is being aligned with God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you for loving and accepting us, even though we are a work in progress. Restore peace today in us and through us wherever we go.

Prayers That Marked My Journey July 14 – July 27, 2020

Jesus, we have peace because we are One with you and you have defeated everything that intimidates us. Wake us up to reality… the life of God’s coming age is wrapped up in knowing you.

Your kingdom is completely different than worldly powers. As your kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven, powers of darkness are revealed as chaotic, self-serving, and murderous. Cause your perfect love to drive out all of our fears today.

King Jesus, we speak your word over our lives today. We love being your witnesses. Come upon us Holy Spirit. Teach us to live submerged in You.

Most of your great followers will remain nameless to us. We pray that your church would overflow with the joy of heaven on earth. And that we, your daughters and sons would throw away the idol of earthly fame and live for the glory of Your name more than ever before.

God, in the middle of chaos and upheaval, I can trust You to build your church person to person, home to home, day by day.

You do not live in houses made by human hands. All of Creation is your dwelling place. That includes us. Release something new in us that calls all nations to follow you.

Prayers That Marked My Journey July 3 2020 – July 13 2020

King Jesus, you are real provision from God. You are the food that completely satisfies us. Increase our belief in you today.

King Jesus, you came into the world for judgment, to correct our ‘seeing’. Here in the year of 2020, bring our vision into alignment with heaven.

You are the One Shepherd who chose to lay down your life and then receive it back again. You are not a victim, You are the King of all. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

King Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. Give us courage to open our eyes to your faith deposited in us. Help us face this ordinary day in your power and authority.

Thank you that the helper, the spirit of truth is with us. Thank you that you see us. You have seen us, you see us now, and you will see us tomorrow. Our hearts celebrate, and NOBODY will take our joy away from us.

Jesus, we have peace because we are One with you and you have defeated everything that intimidates us. Wake us up to reality… the life of God’s coming age is wrapped up in knowing you.

Your kingdom is completely different than worldly powers. As your kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven, powers of darkness are revealed as chaotic, self-serving, and murderous. Cause your perfect love to drive out all of our fears today.

Prayers That Marked My Journey June 24 – July 2, 2020

King Jesus, awaken us and empower us to stay awake. Pour strength into us to endure with joy all the way through these very hard times.

King Jesus, You are the provision we need. As we receive you today, come and live in all we do.

We are overwhelmed that you laid down your life for us and all creation. Open our eyes so that we can be transformed by the fact that you rose again.

We freely confess that on our own we don’t have what it takes to keep it all together. But, you don’t expect us to make this journey alone anyway. So, we aren’t ashamed to say that we need help, support, strength, perseverance… we need YOU. Thank you for telling us the truth. You are the one who announced that the kingdom of heaven has come. And, you are the one who dwells in us… the hope of glory. Fill our conversations with hope today because we know you are with us. 

We exalt you as the One who laid down your life, your body and then raised it up again. Awaken us, renew in us what it means that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Awaken the youth of our region so that they come alive in your Spirit.

King Jesus, teach us to pray with boldness and courage. Awaken us to your presence as the only path to wellness. 

Prayers that marked my journey, June 16-23 2020

Every Friday I am going to share SEVEN prayers that have marked my path toward a prayer-soaked life. It’s a blessing to share these. ENJOY!

God, we agree with the prayer of King Jesus. Make us One as you are One.

In this time of transformation, empower us to be humble and to release heaven’s joy on earth.

Restore our hearts so that we will welcome others and bless them the way you do.

King Jesus, help us pray the way you did at your friend’s tomb as you called him back to life.

Open our eyes and our understanding to beauty on earth today. Our world misses so much of your glory. It is all around us but we don’t see it. Change us by helping us see you and your new creation here and now. We lift our voices today on earth and we join with heaven saying “Alleluia! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king!

We need grace to trust you more. You are the spring of living water. We are resilient because you are in us.

King Jesus, your authority comes from heaven. Mere human authority cannot overtake you. We pray that heaven’s authority would be revealed more and more on earth today.

Through Christ Jesus Our Lord – AMEN

Prayer is Living With God

All of Creation is God’s place. There is nowhere that God doesn’t belong. Anywhere that there is life, there is God. Discovering prayer is discovering God. Discovering God is discovering prayer. Our prayer must expand to make room for us to live. Our lives must expand to make room for our prayer. Together we are a dwelling place for God. God is a dwelling place for all of us together. Prayer is you hearing God’s voice. Prayer is God hearing your voice. Prayer is where we are shaped. Prayer is us shaping things. There is no life outside of prayer. There is no prayer outside of life. Your life is meant to be a prayer. So God make our lives a prayer and make prayer our life. Through Christ Jesus Our Lord. – AMEN

The OTHER story about the two sons… “First son” followers

One of Jesus’s best stories is a story about two sons. But, I bet it’s not the story you are thinking about. It’s the other one. Not the story about the “prodigal” but the one about a vineyard and a Dad and work he assigned to his sons. You can read the story for yourself in Matthew 21:28-32

The son who eventually does what his father wants is the “first son”. Even though he actually flat out disobeyed in the beginning, as the story goes, he changed his mind and went to do the work. Jesus explains that a life that taps into heaven looks a lot like that. The second son DID NOT do what his father wanted even though he gave the right reply in the beginning. He lost connection with his father’s agenda when he never went to the vineyard.

HUGE picture of life!!

THE VINEYARD = engaging in the life you have been given here through faith in Jesus.

ENTERING GOD”S KINGDOM = looking for the culture of heaven in the life you have been given

here and now. Eternal life isn’t just about what happens after you die.

It is available in this moment we are in right now.

I have been drawn into this story many times as a way to remind me that being truly ALIVE is about letting wishful daydreams blow away in the reality of the life right in front of me. This life regularly requires  me to “change my mind” and to actually roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty in the work of “the vineyard” my Father in heaven has given me to do here in this day. I have learned that is where the Holy Spirit meets me… in the vineyard of my ordinary stuff!

There is a powerful fresh “Aliveness” in living like the “first son”. How would things look and feel different in our lives, friendships, families & communities if we followed Jesus like “first sons”?