Prayer: The Gate

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God, we lift up the people of Haiti, placing them tenderly in your care.  We ask that an end is brought to the suffering.  We ask for strength, wisdom and a spirit of cooperation for them and the relief workers.

Let there be divine order and complete restoration for their lives there.  We ask for miracles of their behalf.

Guide them, keep them, comfort them, prosper them and build up their nation.  Let there be more than enough aid, medical care and supplies to sustain them.  Let the clean up and rebuilding get moving quickly.  Move the hearts of their neighbors to assist in the best possible way. Be with them, and all those who volunteer, donate, and pray for the people of Haiti.  Amen

Yes you can!

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

Many of us begin the new year with the hope of changing something in our lives.  I want my life to improve in 2010.   My personal goal is to slim down and eat less.  We all have something, smoking, drinking, gossiping, overeating, wasting too much time on video games and Internet surfing, and countless other things.  Let he who is without sin toss the first rock.

The important thing to know is you can overcome.  You are more powerful than you realize.  What ever you want to do, do it today.  Just today.  Don’t even think about or worry about tomorrow.  Time is a finite resource.  How will we use it best today?

Holy God, our rock and our strength.  Help us to overcome the weakness of the flesh.  Give us courage to act, and fill our spirits with your breath and resolve. You have said that through Christ all things are possible.  You have given us authority to do many things.  You have said that both life and death are in the power of the tongue.  Let us choose life.  Let us find our stride and our courage.  Today we call on you and you hear our prayer and answer us.  Amen

Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

 

There is a spirit within us that is never poor, yet I think sometimes we go hungry because we are afraid to ask for what we want. We fear we may be inadequate.  We fear there may be some powerful world-changing gift we have, and therefore we are responsible to utilize it.  Is there a huge audacious idea you caught a glimpse of that could make a positive impact on humanity? What holds us back?  What keeps us from acting on the large, or small important things?  Our fears.  What if we are wrong?  What if we fail?  We can’t see too far ahead. Usually that is a good thing.

 

Father God, guide our steps.  Help us live in faith.  Help us each to know we are capable of sharing the great and wonderful gifts you have given us.  We invite the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and connect us to you.  Let us each be a force for good.  Let us encourage each other and bring out the very best in all that surrounds us.  Amen

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

Heavenly Father, Keep me in this present moment.  I draw strength from your redeeming love.  Let me overcome those old habits and ways I wish to change. Make me strong in spirit and body.  Allow me in this exact and present moment, to sow to the spirit and not to the flesh.  I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.   I choose to stand on the word of God and to believe that what I pray for and ask in faith has come to pass. Fill me with your word and a faith that leads me through the valley of the shadow and into the light.  Amen

I overheard several conversations yesterday while at the grocery store.  A couple of young men (one with a wife and new baby) were talking about needing jobs as they had been out of work for a while.  I also have 4 friends trying to sell houses and properties. 

I would like for us all to pray for people to find great jobs with wonderful pay.  Also let’s pray for property to sell at the asking price. 

Father God, we ask for your rich and wonderful blessings for people everywhere.  Let those who need work, find it.  Let property be released and sold at asking price.  We thank you for answered prayer.  We thank you for hearing us, caring for all of us, and for guiding and directing us.  Amen

 

Willows bent and shaped

In our minds we work it all out.  Sometimes being flexible and open to other ideas can be better.  It seems that some folks are quite rigid while some are like cooked spaghetti and all over the place.  Which one are you?  Are you something in between?

The Unity Minister Catherine Ponder always suggests we ask that God’s unlimited good will be done in our lives in prayer.  Also when we ask for something specific, to say “This or something better, Father”.  In this way we are not limiting God.  I do ask for very specific things  when I pray and don’t usually add the qualifier.  In the Lords prayer it does state “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.”  You hear people say, “God willing”.

Holy and powerful God.  I would open my heart and mind today to the unlimited good you have for my life.  I am grateful that you care so much for me and your blessings for my life are far greater than I can even imagine. Let me be flexible and able to bend without breaking.  Shape my life.  Amen