Extraordinary Prayer - Expecting Great Things

O Lord, I notice in my life how often I get so busy with so many things. I get obsessed with staying on top of things, busying myself with things to be informed, and suddenly I have so many things in my life I am trying to accomplish and do and then i am just staying busy but not really accomplishing much. Like the magazine Christianity Today. I love reading it, but it is easy for me to make it an obsession as I start getting RSS feeds on every article that gets added and somehow think I must read every article. It is interesting information, but is it just knowledge overload and what am I doing with the information, if anything. I am tempted to feel a need to look at Twitter and Facebook and other sites to stay informed, and yet for what? It is not fruitful. And yet, in my life I am noticing how I can try to justify not praying or not visiting people in need. I can justify a need to relax and sit in front of the tube and just drain time away. Deal with me God. Wake me up. Re-shift wha...

God, I am depressed. I am struggling with being pursued and of interest. I want that, but that is a struggle, a need I believe I have right now and rather than focusing on the unmet expectation, I turn to you. I run to You God. I lean on You. I surrender to You. Meet me in this moment and assure me of the Love you have for me. Help me to remember you pursue me and you want me. I have been struggling with prayer Lord and what it means. I am not praying much these days. I lean on You for help. I need to find my rest in You and Your promises. Make that more than enough Lord. You are more than enough and I want that to be more than words I say or a song I sing, but a reality of meaning in my life. Bring a smile back to my face Lord. Bring contentment. Bring joy. Bring peace and assurance of Your love for me.

Lord, I didn't get out what I wanted to say. I just left the time with that person. I believe you directed me to have that conversation, even though after you led me and I made the appointment that I began to be nervous about what to say. I decided to trust you on the way to the appointment and prayed ahead of time for the conversation and to trust you through it, as I spoke, for what was said. And there were some amazing things said. Things that came out, the way I had hoped. You were moving through me and helping me with the words to speak. Then I left and started rehearsing all that was said and suddenly I am saying, "Darn, why didn't I say that?" And then I began to reinforce that in my thinking more and more, to the point that I started to get down on myself and nervous and mad and feeling like I need to reach out to that person and get those things said.  Oh God, I am doing it again to you. I am making it out that you are not in control, but I am. That the only ...

O Lord, I thank you for the mercy you have shown me - continually. You granted me life, creating this world and all that is in it. You give me great gifts of creation - the food I eat, the surroundings I live in, the beauty of your creation. You give me great people to be with each day - people that encourage me and that I enjoy being with and living alongside. Family is a gift from you. There is joy in being with one another. And then you bestow abundant life to me, both now on this earth as I live and walk and breath and see each day this hand of providence in my life. You bestow on me pardon for my sin, peace of soul, grace, adoption into you - the trinity, and the blessing of eternal life. You take care of my hope for the future. My responsibility is through my words that need to honor you and yet I know left to myself, I am a person of wickedness and violence. All that comes from you is a gift of grace and riches of kindness. I praise you. I thank you. I trust in you. I pray alway...

Here is a prayer for today based upon Genesis 12:1-3 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Gracious and Sovereign Father, remembering your big story of redemption is not only a great joy but a critical discipline. For so many different narratives compete for our hearts, days, energy, and resources. Remind us today of the main story line that unfolds in the Bible, connects all of history, and reveals your generous heart. And help us once again to find our place in this story.  We praise you for making incredible promises to an unsuspecting pagan, Abram--promises you alone can keep. Indeed, from beginning to end your story...

Jacob wanted to be blessed and wrestled God until he received that blessing. Lord, I want your favor, unmerited. You chose Abraham, spoke to him and blessed him, choosing him out of the sheer pleasure of Your mysterious will and for Your name's sake. I do not earn salvation, but instead You chose me, blessing me and sanctifying me. I bless you God, by honoring You and esteeming You in my heart and life. I praise You. " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name " (Psalm 103:1). Remind me to Bless You Lord, to honor and esteem You, not partially but with my whole being.