Tag Archive for Prayer

A Hearing Heart

2016-02-09 Devotional with Hymn No comments

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Solomon said…“Give Your servant an understanding heart.” (1 Kings 3:5-6, 9, NASB)

Solomon had succeeded his father, David, as king of a united Israel. David’s reign had been the golden age for the country, and now the young Solomon was stepping into his rather intimidating shoes.

God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him what he wanted from Him for this  huge new responsibility. Solomon was acutely aware of how unprepared he was for the task:

“I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart.” (1 Kings 3:7-9, NASB)

Solomon didn’t ask for wealth or success, health or long life. Literally, he asked for a “listening” heart, a heart that hears and obeys.

Father, that is what I want. I want a heart that hears You every time You speak, a heart that eagerly listens and follows wherever You lead. Truth is so little valued in our world. People shout whatever they want us to believe, usually to advance their own petty self-interests.

Father, You always speak the truth, in perfect wisdom and perfect love. When You speak, I want to hear every word. I want to listen and obey.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Here I Am
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Christ Helps Me Pray

2016-01-05 Devotional with Hymn No comments

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27, NASB)

Father, the more I talk to You,
the more I realize that
I don’t know how to talk to You.
I want to better know how to pray.

I look to Your Son Jesus as my example, and
I hear such beautiful, personal faith in His prayers, such
trust,
submission, and
worship.
But His only prayers I see recorded in the gospels are
a few prayed on special occasions,
intentionally formed for His disciples to hear.
How did He speak to You when
You and He were alone?
On those occasions when He prayed all night,
what did He say?
What did You talk about?

But Father, You show me that
Jesus helps our prayers in far greater ways than this.

When His disciples asked Him how to pray,
He gave a short prayer that models how we are to speak to You.
Through that prayer, He taught us to speak to You
as a child speaking to his or her Father,
simply,
honestly,
trustingly,
with our hearts turned to You.

But what’s more, Jesus has given us His own Spirit.
This Spirit leads us to You and
binds us to You,
as Father and child.
His new life cries out to You from within us,
“Daddy!
Father!”

Your Son Jesus helps us pray,
not by leaving us His prayers written on a page,
but by breathing His own Spirit within us.
This Spirit helps us pray
when we don’t know how.
He takes our
simple,
childish,
fumbling prayers
and speaks directly to You on our behalf
as only He can.

So Father, I come to You as Your Son taught us.
I come as a child,
pretending to be nothing else.
I come with no hiding, with my
weaknesses,
failures, and
imperfect self in full view.
I come in the Spirit of Christ, relying on Him to
shape my heart,
form my words, and
graciously speak for me.

Father, I come to You in Jesus Christ,
trusting in Him alone.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Our Father Exalted
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Lord, I Am Listening

2015-10-27 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. (1 Samuel 3:9, NIV)

What a great encouragement when I learned for myself that God delights to speak to us. He knows how to speak to us, and He will speak to us. We don’t have to strain to hear Him or work up just the right frame of mind.

But He doesn’t shout. We need to listen.

He doesn’t insist. We need to obey. He will let us ignore Him if we choose.

We need to read the Bible with our heart and mind tuned to listen and to obey Him.

Speak, Lord.
I am listening.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: God Is Speaking
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Only by the Lord

2015-08-23 Creative Process, Devotional with Hymn, Prayer No comments

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

My fruitfulness flows from the presence of Christ within me. I am completely dependent on His working in and through me.

That’s why my devotional life is so critical – not just in those special private times but also as I look to Him throughout the day. Such prayer keeps me in touch with Him and open to His influence. Without it, I tend to sink into preoccupation with myself and lesser concerns.

Writing teaches me this dependence more than anything else ever has. Every morning when I get up and begin, I have to face my own inability and release the work to Him: “Lord, this time is Yours. I can only work as You enable me. I look to You now and will just follow as You lead.”

This is especially necessary when the task gets difficult. When I get stuck at a spot, my first instinct is to press harder. I want to get past the frustration and finish the job. But I’m learning I have to stop and pray: “Lord, I did not choose this task, nor can I make it happen. It is Yours. I am simply available to You.”

I have to open myself to Him and wait, letting Him work in His way and time. And He does – beautifully, bringing me solutions and directions I never could have found on my own.

Frequently the wait is relatively short. Something unexplainable just happens when I release the task to Him. He works so naturally and perfectly.

Yet sometimes the wait is longer. I’m forced to live with unfinished business, and I can become anxious and discouraged. During such times, I repeatedly go to Him, intent on talking about the doing. But He wants to talk about us. He reminds me to look at Him, enjoy Him, and be at peace in Him. He invites me to just rest in His doing.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)

Remain in him by praying to Him throughout the day. It will help keep your heart set on Him. And you will know that He, himself, is life’s sweetest gift and the source of all your fruitfulness.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: As I Pray
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Let Love Fill My Moments

2015-08-02 Devotional with Hymn, Prayer No comments

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water. 

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 

On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
(Psalm 63:1, 3-8, NIV)

Lord, help me spend my thought time
more wisely.
Let’s keep an open conversation
between You and me,
talking and listening,
no matter what else is going on.
As we face each other, Lord,
let Your love fill
all my spare thoughts and moments.

Make my life a constant gift of love
from You
to Your children. 

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Lord, May Our Thoughts Begin with You
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Listen

2015-07-07 Devotional with Hymn No comments

I will hear what God the Lord will say;
For He will speak peace to His people.
(Psalm 85:8, NASB) 

God, Your ways,
Your wisdom,
Your guidance
are so precious,
so perfect,
so life-giving.
They are always spoken in the purest love, and
specifically for me.

You lead me moment by moment.
When I have a need,
Your love never fails.
Your wisdom never falls short.

But, Lord, I fear at times that I miss some of Your
most delicate,
most tender,
most precious words to me.
I fear Your voice is drowned out by the noise of
my own plans and
foolish desires.

God, I set aside my desires and open myself to You.
When You speak,
I want to hear every whisper.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: God Is Speaking
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

As I Begin to Pray

2015-06-09 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Father,
as I walk through this false and foolish world,
reshape my false and foolish thoughts
by Your reality,
by the beautiful truth of all You are.

Help me see You and know You in Your transcendence.
Purify my desires by the holy breath of Your Spirit.
Keep me joyful in the unending flow of Your pure goodness.
Give me peace in the assurance of Your never-failing love.
Flood my being with the light of Your unspeakable greatness.

Give me a heart and mind that
are conscious of Your presence and
are fully responsive to You, my Father.

Make me like Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: God My Father
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Speak, Lord

2015-06-02 Devotional with Hymn, Prayer No comments

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Father, You speak to us when we are
too young,
too ignorant, and
too self-absorbed to know Your voice.
You come and
stand and
speak.

You speak our name.
You, the Almighty, the Transcendent, the Timeless One, speak to us
individually,
personally,
one on One.
You come to call us to Yourself,
(Why do you CARE?) and
to invite us to a personal relationship with You.
You call us into Your service
that we might play a part in Your greater work.

Thank You for the privilege
of hearing Your voice,
of knowing You personally,
of serving Your gracious purpose for all humankind.
Thank You, Father!
Speak, for Your servant is listening!

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Here I Am
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Resting in You

2015-05-31 Devotional with Hymn, Prayer No comments

Father, You are wisdom.
Your working is deeper,
higher, and
more far-reaching than I can imagine.

You are absolute power.
You do what pleases You.
No one challenges Your mighty arm.
Nothing stops Your purpose.

Father, You are love.
Nothing exhausts Your gentle compassion.
Nothing strains Your joyful self-giving.

So when You whisper, I will listen.
When You lead, I will follow wherever You go.
When Your will brings me
delay or
sorrow or
sacrifice,
I will love You and
trust You and
rest in the rightness of all You do.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Good Gifts
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Welcome in His Holy Presence

2015-05-26 Devotional with Hymn, Pictures of God No comments

from the devotional book, PICTURES OF GOD

Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-25; 12:18-24

Before Jesus Christ, God’s holiness was often met with fear…with shame…with vain attempts to make themselves worthy. For some who unworthily came too near God, His holiness brought death.

In Jesus Christ, we draw near to our holy God

  • at His special invitation
  • with a clean conscience
  • completely blameless
  • with confidence and full assurance
  • in the glad and loving company of other children of God
  • with great joy
  • assured that He is always ready to give us whatever we need

The book of Hebrews paints a beautiful picture of all the wonderful realities that are now ours in Jesus Christ. My favorite is Hebrews 2:11: 

Both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren (NASB).

Jesus Christ is holy, transcendent, and utterly sinless and pure. Without Him, we are the opposite. But as we trust Him, He gladly puts His arms around us and calls us His brothers and sisters. By simple faith, we become children of the same Father and are welcomed as members of the family.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15, NASB)

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Our Destiny Is Jesus Christ
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

« Older Entries   Recent Entries »