I pray Thee...

 MY PRAYER

Pic:~GOSh.~

And shall I pray Thee change Thy will my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But no, Lord, no, that shall never be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.

I pray Thee hush the hurrying eager longing
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire.
See in my quiet places wishes thronging,
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.

And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure.
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Wellbeloved's leisure,
At last, at last, even as a weaned child.

~ Amy Carmichael ~

DIVINE REMINDER

AT THE END OF THE DAY

THE BIRTH DAY OF LIFE

 BEING THANKFUL

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings;and of the gay
great happening ilimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e.cummings

GIVING THANKS

 PRAYER FOR HARVEST

‘As long as the earth endures,

 seedtime and harvest,

 cold and heat, 

summer and winter,
day and night will never cease.’ 

(Gen 8:22)

Lord...

For the promise of harvest
contained within a seed
we thank you.

For the oak tree
within an acorn
The bread
within a grain
The apple
within a pip

The mystery of nature
gift wrapped
for us to sow
we thank you.

: http://www.faithandworship.com

REMEMBERING ISRAEL

 PEACE OF JERUSALEM

As America plans its response to the chemical attack by the Assad Syrian regime against its citizens, it seems an appropriate time to remember Israel. Surrounded by mostly hostile neighbours the little state could easily become a focal point for revenge attacks to any U.S.led strike...

 

MOST RICHLY BLESSED

 

A SOLDIER'S PRAYER

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men most richly blessed.

EVENING PRAYER

pic : Ann Phillipson

 .

PRECIOUS TIME

                                                       (GOSh)

 AT THE START

 OF A YEAR

Forgive me when I fail to take time
to be in fellowship with you
when I fail to take time
to be in fellowship with others
when I have been so wrapped up
in my own existence
that I have wasted time
precious time
your gift of time

Grant me the desire
to walk with you
talk with you
and be your voice and comfort
to those I meet
this day and all days.

taken from ...

http://www.faithandworship.com

CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

(AP Photo/Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks)

Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., following a reported shooting there earlier today.  28 people are reported dead, 20 of them reported to be children. Christian writer Max Lucado blogged this prayer a couple of hours ago, it's one prayer that we can all 'Amen' in the wake of this terrible tragedy.

 IN THE SHADOWS

Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated. 

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mum into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger. 

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

LIFTING THE GLOOM

WE HAVE A PRAYER !

O God, I beg two favours from you;
let me have them before I die.
First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

Proverbs 30: 7-9

My friend Antoin brought these verses to my notice recently as we discussed our present woes, they are from the Book of Proverbs and would make an appropriate national prayer in this hour of uncertainty.
As the International Monetary Fund negotiate with our government as to the extent of our economic rescue package and the atmosphere of fear amongst the general population grows, truly these are uncertain times. During our Celtic Tiger feeding frenzy, Consumerism became the new Irish state religion, and by now the shopping trips to New York would have been booked as hordes of Gaels descended upon the U.S. metropolis in search of seasonal gifts. I heard that at the peak of the Boom we joined the global league for ownership of most helicopters per head of population (handy for popping off to race meetings, don’t you know). Things are different now though, as our European paymasters take control of our economic affairs ( and by extension, our sovereignty), and we wait with deep foreboding for Budget Day on December 7th. The air of gloom is real and palpable and it seems as if many will face even deeper cuts into their income or welfare allowances. There might be an upside to all of this if the coming era of austerity causes us as a nation to rediscover that life does not consist just of consumerable things but that there are qualities like truth and love which are essential to the functioning of a vibrant and healthy society. These lost gems reflect our spiritual aspect which can be smothered by the glitter and glam of the world. I would argue that as a nation we have sold our birthright for a bowl of EU subsidy pottage, and now we are beginning to reap that whirlwind.

Gerard O'Shea

LOOKING UP

That old cliche, ‘ when the outlook seems bad-try looking up’ has become a lifeline for many in these trying times, as people return to ‘old fashioned’ prayer in the extremity of their needs. It’s human nature to turn to God in our need and then quickly ignore Him as our fortunes improve and this seems have been the case for this land as we hit the boom years. Now that the ‘bust’ is upon us those old materialistic certainties are gone and there is some evidence that there is a return to a spiritual pursuit, one aspect of which is Prayer. With our back to the wall as a nation there are precious few we can call to for help, how reassuring then that God is only a prayer away. ~GOSh.~

A PRAYER FOR OUR
ECONOMIC TIMES

O Lord God,
As I survey the stormy economic seas troubling our nation,
Troubling me, my family, my friends, my community,
I ask Lord that we may steady ourselves in these winds of change,
By reaching out to you, being stronger servants.

O Lord God,
You banished Adam from the garden for disobedience.
You told him to work with the scare resources of the earth.
I ask Lord that we may learn to manage our resources more wisely,
By reaching out to you, being wiser stewards.

O Lord God,
You told the rich young ruler to give everything up and follow,
You understand the material walls we build to shut you out,
I ask Lord that we may constantly seek to break down the barriers,
By reaching out to you, being better disciples.

O Lord God,
You provide all that we need to live a life fulfilled,
You never abandon us even when we are selfish and foolish,
I ask Lord that we may see the wealth we have in you,
By reaching out, being dependent only on you.

O Lord God,
You sustain your faithful people through good times and bad,
You know when we fail and when we are faithful to your will,
I ask Lord that we may show the Gospel in the midst of economic confusion,
By reaching out to you, being beacons of your Word.

David Cowan

SPURGEON'S PRAYER

Charles H. Spurgeon

COME, HOLY SPIRIT

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) is still known today as the ‘Prince of Preachers’ as his skills of oratory and exposition in that department were legendary. It has been estimated that in his lifetime Spurgeon preached to 10,000,000 people, often having 10 speaking engagements a week in several different locations, where congregations of 10,000 were not uncommon. Some while ago I picked up a copy of a book of Spurgeon's Prayers and became transfixed as I read these gems of worship and intercession from the great Preacher. There is more solid Biblical exposition in these recorded utterances than you might find in many modern sermons, and the man’s passion for the living God and his thorough familiarity with the Scriptures leap off every page of this collection. I find the best way to read these pieces is aloud and at least two or three times, to allow the power of the prayer to seep into the innermost chambers of the spirit, and then to spend some time in quiet reflection on the words as one is led in to the very presence of God. From a perusal of Spurgeon’s prayer collection it is easy to understand why he was such an anointed preacher, his pulpit performances being firmly undergirded by a deep and passionate secret life of waiting at the Throne. ~GOSh.~

LORD, we would come to Thee, but do Thou come to us. Draw us and we will run after Thee. Blessed Spirit, help our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. Come, Holy Spirit, and give right thoughts and right utterance that we may all be able to pray in the common prayer, the whole company feeling that for each one there is a portion. We are grateful as we remember that if the minister in the sanctuary should not be able to pray for any one of us there is One who bears the names of all His redeemed upon His breast, and upon His shoulder, who will take care with the love of His heart and the power of His hand to maintain the cause of all His own…
Dear Savior, we put ourselves under Thy sacred patronage. Advocate with the Father, plead for us this day, yea, make intercession for the transgressors. We desire to praise the name of the Lord with our whole heart, so many of us as have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Truly Thou hast delivered us from the gulf of dark despair, wherein we wretched sinners lay. Thou hast brought us up also out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay, Thou hast set our feet upon a rock, and the new song which Thou hast put into our mouths we would not stifle, but we would bless the Lord whose mercy endureth for ever.
We thank Thee, Lord, for the love without beginning which chose us or ever the earth was, for the love without measure which entered into covenant for our redemption, for the love without failure which in due time appeared in the person of Christ and wrought out our redemption, for that love which has never changed, though we have wandered; that love which abideth faithful even when we are unfaithful.

O God, we praise Thee for keeping us till this day, and for the full assurance that Thou wilt never let us go. Some can say, “He restoreth my soul,” they had wandered, wandered sadly, but Thou hast brought them back again. Bless the Lord, our inmost soul blesses the Lord. Blessed be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Triune; blessed be the Lord for every office sustained by each divine person, and for the divine blessing which has come streaming down to us through each one of those, condescending titles worn by the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Lord, keep us right, true in doctrine, true in experience, true in life, true in word, true in deed. Let us have an intense agony of spirit concerning the many who are going down to the everlasting fire of which our Master spoke. Lord, save them! LORD, SAVE THEM! Stay, we pray Thee, the torrents of sin that run down the streets of London; purge the dead sea of sin, in which so many of the heathen are lying asleep. Oh! that the day were come when the name of Jesus shall be a household word, when everybody knew of His love, and of His death, and of His blood, and of its cleansing power. Lord, save men, gather out the company of the redeemed people; let those whom the Father gave to Christ be brought out from among the ruins of the fall to be His joy and crown. “Let the people praise Thee, O God, yea, let all the people praise Thee.” Let the ends of the earth fear Him who died to save them. Let the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.
This is our great prayer, and we crown it with this: Come, Lord Jesus, come Lord and tarry not. Come in the fullness of Thy power and the splendor of Thy glory! Come quickly, even so come quickly; Lord Jesus.
Amen.

(abbreviated)