Conversations, Reflections & Meditations


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Sign Guestbook \| View Guestbook Comments? Questions? [email protected]	Prayer topics Beginning to Rain Repentance Conversation: Wings Morning Prayer Filling the Void Help me Pray Beginning to Rain Date: July 2, 2005 Lord, lately I have found myself singing so often, "Its beginning to rain!" The amazing amount of rain this spring and early summer starts me singing the song. Could You also be giving it as a sign of the new life, the new green, growing life You are bringing upon Your church here in this place, this province, this nation, this continent? Oh, mighty God! Do Your work by the unlimited, mighty power of Your Spirit. We have been through a time of great drought, brought about as we have allowed our focus to depart from You to the things of the world and the influence of the camp of the enemy, the influence of the "Baals" of our day. But Lord, please break the drought. Break the power of the enemy. Show Yourself strong and powerful far beyond all the enemy has to offer - for he has nothing, indeed, he is nothing, unless You have allowed it. For he, too, is only a created being, totally under Your control, our Father, Mighty God, our creator - and his creator too. You are the great and mighty Creator of all created things! Hallelujah! Return to the top Repentance Date: July 3, 2005 Oh, dear God, please clarify to my heart those things in me that are an impediment to my growth and relationship with You and others. Thank You for all that You have been doing in me already. I do surrender those things that are keeping me separated from You. But God, dear God, please particularly give me courage to confess my sins to those I have wronged by my attitudes, words, and actions, in such a way that healing may occur in Your church and in my relationships with others and with You, as Your Word demands and promises in Colossians 1:10. Let me totally recognize sin in my life and call it out for what it is. Help me to repent of it before You and others, seek Your forgiveness and theirs, and get on with growing in You and fulfilling Your purposes for me, with You, within Your church, and within this world. You know my fear, Lord. You know my pride. Oh, dear God, give me courage. And yes, just asking this makes me "feel" afraid, but in the doing courage comes! So please break my pride, Lord. (Phew! That's done! I just let out a huge breath of relief - or is that release? Thank You for giving me the courage just to ask that of You). Now, dear Lord, give me the strength to carry through with You as You do what You must to fulfill Your purposes in my life. Put Your hand upon me, Lord, I pray. Thank You. Amen. Return to the top Conversation: Wings Date: July 4, 2005 Lord, I have been labouring. I already knew that, of course, and You have been dealing with it in my life. But Lord, once again these past couple days I've found myself starting to panic, to feel overwhelmed by the "responsibility" of "leading" Morning Prayer, especially I think because those attending are for the most part more highly trained, experienced, life-long mature Christians, and mostly Christian leaders, and I feel like they should be leading me. Oh! "A little lamb shall lead them!" Oh, Father, thank You for Your still, small voice. I never understood before what that line might mean in practical ways in my own life. I know You have called me, I have no doubt about that at all, but all along I've been arguing to myself that due to my gender, my frailties, my lack of "formal" Bible education, I'm not capable of more than work with children or perhaps younger women (oops! as if they aren't just as important as anyone else...). But, oh Lord, I have had untold hours alone being tutored one-on-one by Yourself through Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Indeed You have made my whole life experience a classroom of training in Your will, Your purposes, Your grace and mercy and great salvation. Oh, thank You, Father, for showing all this to me right now! What a relief, Lord! Forgive me for my panic, for trying once again to take responsibility upon myself, to do Your work myself instead of just resting and letting You work through me. Oh, dear God, thank You for the message in the service last night. You've been teaching me to rest in You in many ways recently, Lord. You've been bringing me to the end of myself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. And last night You brought those lessons together in a summary of a few, concise words. Thank You! "When I am weak, then I am strong." Yes, Lord. Thank You for weakness. Thank You for giving me a call that is far beyond myself and my capabilities. I am willing, Lord. You know I cannot do it myself. But dear God, I am so excited about stepping out into this great adventure with You. Thank You! Thank You for Your rest, Your peace, Your strength, Your wisdom, Your grace, Your guidance, Your great love, Your salvation, Your holiness. Thank You for Christ in me, the hope of my salvation. Thank You for speaking to me, Lord. Oh dear God, help me to be submissive, willing, obedient. I love being Your child, dear Heavenly Father. I love being able every early morning to come into Your Presence, to climb into Your lap, or sit at Your feet, to learn from You, listen to You, share my heart with You, and receive Your heart. Make my heart and will one with Yours, my Father. Thank You for loving me. I love You, Lord. I do love You. Thank You for finally teaching me what it is to love. You are so amazing and gracious and kind and patient and forgiving, my Lord! Oh, Father, I praise Your Holy Name! Hallelujah! What a mighty God we serve! Praise Your Name, dear Jesus! Here I am, take me, use me for Your glory alone, dear God. Thank You. "He shall dwell in the heights... Thine eyes...shall behold the land of far distances." Isa 33:16,17. What do You want to say to me from Your Word this morning, Lord? My dear child, Listen. Sit quietly. Slow down your restless pace. Relax in me. Do you not hear the birds as they call out their early morning hails? Be like them, my child. Just rest in Me. I love you, my child. My plan for you is already worked out. It has been worked out from before the foundation of the world. If I, the Creator of the birds, care for them, feed them, fill their nests with new life, Can I not do the same for you? My birds dwell among the branches of the tall trees. They wing their way through the open skies. They behold the far distances. And I am with them. I lift them up; I place the winds under their wings; I give them strength, and balance, and life, and rest. If I do this for these little creatures, will I not do so, and far more, for you, My own dear child, for whom I have already given My life? Come up hither, spread your wings, fear not. I have long been waiting for you to raise your eyes, To leave your busy scurrying around in the dust of the valley, To look straight up and fix your eyes on me, To stretch out your arms to Me, To call out with joy as the birds call out to Me with joy In the early hours of dawn. It is time to life off, to take the leap, to spread your wings, And soar out to behold the land of far distances Where I have a great work, a great purpose, And a place prepared for you. I am with you. Relax. It's my work. Enjoy it with Me. Thank You, Father. Here I am. Take me. Thank You, Lord, for confirming again by Your Word that which You have been teaching me in so many ways. Thank You for showing me so clearly the need for daily repentance and a daily cleansed, purified, holy heart and soul and mind. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Fill me anew right now, dear God. Keep on filling me, renewing me, transforming me, guiding me, empowering me, Oh Holy Spirit. Make me like Jesus, I pray. Make me trusting and obedient and willing. Bring me into ever closer relationship with my Heavenly Father. Make me pleasing to You in all things, just like Jesus. And thank You, oh thank You, Lord, that I don't have to do it in my own strength, because You know I have none at all. Thank You that I can rest in You, trust in You, just obediently do Your will as a little child. And You will do Your work through me, empowering me, strengthening me, providing for all my needs through Your Holy Spirit. Oh dear God, what a great privilege to be Your child! Thank You, Lord. Amen! Return to the top Morning Prayer Date: July 5, 2005 Lord, Your Word is a sharp two-edged sword. Please use it this morning to reach to the depths of our beings as we meet together before You. Use it to change us, mold us, make us like You, dear Jesus. Lord, make us obedient, make us disciplined before You, willing to deny ourselves, to set time aside for You alone, to sacrifice our momentary comforts and earthly, fleshly pleasures in order to truly repent, to humble ourselves before You, so that through obedient worship and through intimate disciplined communion with You, we may grow in relationship with You, and come to love You with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength, and love our neighbours as ourselves; that Your kingdom may come and Your will be done in all the earth as it is in heaven. Thank You, Lord. Amen. Return to the top Filling the Void Date: July 5, 2005 _______ was talking to me after Morning Prayer. She is feeling confused and at lost ends. You know her heart, Lord. You know her strong sense of family, not just her biological family, but Your family, too, Lord. You know she is quite deeply distressed by the lack of commitment and direction she sees. And with _____ leaving, it does seem a "void" is being created. But Lord, You are the filler of voids. When You created the heavens and the earth, "the earth was void and darkness was upon the face of the deep." It was a time of emptiness and chaos, Lord. And then You moved upon the water. You spoke. And You created a perfect, beautiful new world from the dark void. And Lord, You do the same in the dark, void, chaotic, empty heart of every lost, doomed, wandering person whom You call, who turns to You and believes, accepts, and confesses You as Lord. Lord, it is so often this very sense of "void" that draws people to You. You created us to be in intimate relationship with You, and in close, loving relationship with others because of the love with which You loved us and gave Yourself for us. As Augustine pointed out, You created in each person a God-shaped vacuum or void, which can only be filled with You. Lord, it seems to me that this seeming "void" that is happening in the history of this place, may simply be another example of Your pattern of creating voids, in order that it, too, may be filled with You, with Your creative love, Your plans and purposes, Your will for Your children and for the building of Your kingdom. I have no idea, Lord, of how this situation will "play out." I see young people stepping up to take leadership in worship. I see you using the message of "appropriate relationships" to reach our children when we as parents feel unable to reach them. I see You giving the same message to all the different leaders You have raised up here. I hear conversations all over this place that center on You and on Your work and purposes. I hear Your call for holiness among Your people, for discipline, for love, for simplicity. I hear You calling out leaders, missionaries, pastors, laborers for the Kingdom harvest. I see a small group of people called to gather at this place, hand-chosen and directed by You, I believe. Lord, usually a lot more people turn up for this event, but many of them seem to come only for the holiday, looking for their own comforts and pleasures rather than coming with a deep desire for more, more, more of You in their personal lives, for the sanctifying of Your church, for the building of Your kingdom. Lord, these last things are what I see in the people gathered here at this time. I believe You have called together those who would truly seek You, who truly want to be cleansed and to pursue holiness, to become like Jesus, to trust You, to obey You, to discipline themselves to seek You alone. I see people who are willing to sacrifice all else, to deny themselves, to take up their crosses and follow You, for the building of the Kingdom of God, and for the honour and glory of You alone, dear God. Thank You, Lord, for this very special gathering. We are here, Lord. Our hearts are open to You. Our hands are willing to do Your work, whatever it might be, wherever You might take us. We love this place, Lord. We love the family, the memories of good times together, the times for each of us personally when we have met and encountered You in a special way. And for many here, the memory of becoming Your child in this place. We love the place, the enjoyment, the inspiration. But God, we want what You want. If your plan includes this place continuing, this event continuing, of course we will be happy. If Your plan includes this place, but in a different format and vision related to what You want to do for the world we live in today, that would be awesome, too. And Lord, if You want us to move on, out of this place, and into a new vision and a new way to fulfill Your never-changing mission to reach all men for You, help us to accept that, too, with joy and determination and obedience to Your will. Come to us, Lord, I pray. Open my heart. Open all our hearts. Infuse us with Your vision, Your purpose, Your plans for our lives, for this place, for Your church, for this world. Use us, Lord. "Here I am, send me." Thank You, Lord. Amen. P.S. I am so excited! You are about to fill this void with Your great, creative love and purposes, and You have called me, You have called each of us to become a vital part of Your great Kingdom work. Praise Your Name! Return to the top Help me Pray Date: July 8, 2005 Lord, You know that praying daily for certain individuals, in a continuing intercessory way, is difficult for me to focus on and remember. Please give me a desire to do this, Lord. I can't really lead other people in learning to pray if I am not following Your will and growing in this area myself, can I? Please gift me with an intercessory burden, Lord, I pray. How can I minister for You, if I can't pray effectively? I am becoming more and more convinced that prayer - intimate communion with You - is not only Your command, but also, by Your amazing plan, prayer is an incredibly powerful undergirding factor in all You want to do through Your people. You want us to pray, because it helps us to remember that we are totally dependent on You, it helps us to focus on You, it helps us grow in relationship with You, it teaches us to be obedient to You as we obey Your command to pray, it helps build our faith and trust in You, it helps others to come to faith and growth with You, You use it to build the Kingdom of God, and so on and on and on. Amazing! Thank You for the honor of being able to reach out, cry out, commune and grow in prayer with You. Thank You, Lord! Return to the top
Main Page \| My Articles for The Life Connection \| Prayers and Meditations \| Poetry Haida Gwaii Reflections \| Education & Home-School \| Family


	Main Page \| My Articles for The Life Connection \| Prayers and Meditations \| Poetry Haida Gwaii Reflections \| Education & Home-School \| Family
Sign Guestbook \| View Guestbook Comments? Questions? [email protected]	Prayer topics Beginning to Rain Repentance Conversation: Wings Morning Prayer Filling the Void Help me Pray Beginning to Rain Date: July 2, 2005 Lord, lately I have found myself singing so often, "Its beginning to rain!" The amazing amount of rain this spring and early summer starts me singing the song. Could You also be giving it as a sign of the new life, the new green, growing life You are bringing upon Your church here in this place, this province, this nation, this continent? Oh, mighty God! Do Your work by the unlimited, mighty power of Your Spirit. We have been through a time of great drought, brought about as we have allowed our focus to depart from You to the things of the world and the influence of the camp of the enemy, the influence of the "Baals" of our day. But Lord, please break the drought. Break the power of the enemy. Show Yourself strong and powerful far beyond all the enemy has to offer - for he has nothing, indeed, he is nothing, unless You have allowed it. For he, too, is only a created being, totally under Your control, our Father, Mighty God, our creator - and his creator too. You are the great and mighty Creator of all created things! Hallelujah! Return to the top Repentance Date: July 3, 2005 Oh, dear God, please clarify to my heart those things in me that are an impediment to my growth and relationship with You and others. Thank You for all that You have been doing in me already. I do surrender those things that are keeping me separated from You. But God, dear God, please particularly give me courage to confess my sins to those I have wronged by my attitudes, words, and actions, in such a way that healing may occur in Your church and in my relationships with others and with You, as Your Word demands and promises in Colossians 1:10. Let me totally recognize sin in my life and call it out for what it is. Help me to repent of it before You and others, seek Your forgiveness and theirs, and get on with growing in You and fulfilling Your purposes for me, with You, within Your church, and within this world. You know my fear, Lord. You know my pride. Oh, dear God, give me courage. And yes, just asking this makes me "feel" afraid, but in the doing courage comes! So please break my pride, Lord. (Phew! That's done! I just let out a huge breath of relief - or is that release? Thank You for giving me the courage just to ask that of You). Now, dear Lord, give me the strength to carry through with You as You do what You must to fulfill Your purposes in my life. Put Your hand upon me, Lord, I pray. Thank You. Amen. Return to the top Conversation: Wings Date: July 4, 2005 Lord, I have been labouring. I already knew that, of course, and You have been dealing with it in my life. But Lord, once again these past couple days I've found myself starting to panic, to feel overwhelmed by the "responsibility" of "leading" Morning Prayer, especially I think because those attending are for the most part more highly trained, experienced, life-long mature Christians, and mostly Christian leaders, and I feel like they should be leading me. Oh! "A little lamb shall lead them!" Oh, Father, thank You for Your still, small voice. I never understood before what that line might mean in practical ways in my own life. I know You have called me, I have no doubt about that at all, but all along I've been arguing to myself that due to my gender, my frailties, my lack of "formal" Bible education, I'm not capable of more than work with children or perhaps younger women (oops! as if they aren't just as important as anyone else...). But, oh Lord, I have had untold hours alone being tutored one-on-one by Yourself through Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. Indeed You have made my whole life experience a classroom of training in Your will, Your purposes, Your grace and mercy and great salvation. Oh, thank You, Father, for showing all this to me right now! What a relief, Lord! Forgive me for my panic, for trying once again to take responsibility upon myself, to do Your work myself instead of just resting and letting You work through me. Oh, dear God, thank You for the message in the service last night. You've been teaching me to rest in You in many ways recently, Lord. You've been bringing me to the end of myself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. And last night You brought those lessons together in a summary of a few, concise words. Thank You! "When I am weak, then I am strong." Yes, Lord. Thank You for weakness. Thank You for giving me a call that is far beyond myself and my capabilities. I am willing, Lord. You know I cannot do it myself. But dear God, I am so excited about stepping out into this great adventure with You. Thank You! Thank You for Your rest, Your peace, Your strength, Your wisdom, Your grace, Your guidance, Your great love, Your salvation, Your holiness. Thank You for Christ in me, the hope of my salvation. Thank You for speaking to me, Lord. Oh dear God, help me to be submissive, willing, obedient. I love being Your child, dear Heavenly Father. I love being able every early morning to come into Your Presence, to climb into Your lap, or sit at Your feet, to learn from You, listen to You, share my heart with You, and receive Your heart. Make my heart and will one with Yours, my Father. Thank You for loving me. I love You, Lord. I do love You. Thank You for finally teaching me what it is to love. You are so amazing and gracious and kind and patient and forgiving, my Lord! Oh, Father, I praise Your Holy Name! Hallelujah! What a mighty God we serve! Praise Your Name, dear Jesus! Here I am, take me, use me for Your glory alone, dear God. Thank You. "He shall dwell in the heights... Thine eyes...shall behold the land of far distances." Isa 33:16,17. What do You want to say to me from Your Word this morning, Lord? My dear child, Listen. Sit quietly. Slow down your restless pace. Relax in me. Do you not hear the birds as they call out their early morning hails? Be like them, my child. Just rest in Me. I love you, my child. My plan for you is already worked out. It has been worked out from before the foundation of the world. If I, the Creator of the birds, care for them, feed them, fill their nests with new life, Can I not do the same for you? My birds dwell among the branches of the tall trees. They wing their way through the open skies. They behold the far distances. And I am with them. I lift them up; I place the winds under their wings; I give them strength, and balance, and life, and rest. If I do this for these little creatures, will I not do so, and far more, for you, My own dear child, for whom I have already given My life? Come up hither, spread your wings, fear not. I have long been waiting for you to raise your eyes, To leave your busy scurrying around in the dust of the valley, To look straight up and fix your eyes on me, To stretch out your arms to Me, To call out with joy as the birds call out to Me with joy In the early hours of dawn. It is time to life off, to take the leap, to spread your wings, And soar out to behold the land of far distances Where I have a great work, a great purpose, And a place prepared for you. I am with you. Relax. It's my work. Enjoy it with Me. Thank You, Father. Here I am. Take me. Thank You, Lord, for confirming again by Your Word that which You have been teaching me in so many ways. Thank You for showing me so clearly the need for daily repentance and a daily cleansed, purified, holy heart and soul and mind. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Fill me anew right now, dear God. Keep on filling me, renewing me, transforming me, guiding me, empowering me, Oh Holy Spirit. Make me like Jesus, I pray. Make me trusting and obedient and willing. Bring me into ever closer relationship with my Heavenly Father. Make me pleasing to You in all things, just like Jesus. And thank You, oh thank You, Lord, that I don't have to do it in my own strength, because You know I have none at all. Thank You that I can rest in You, trust in You, just obediently do Your will as a little child. And You will do Your work through me, empowering me, strengthening me, providing for all my needs through Your Holy Spirit. Oh dear God, what a great privilege to be Your child! Thank You, Lord. Amen! Return to the top Morning Prayer Date: July 5, 2005 Lord, Your Word is a sharp two-edged sword. Please use it this morning to reach to the depths of our beings as we meet together before You. Use it to change us, mold us, make us like You, dear Jesus. Lord, make us obedient, make us disciplined before You, willing to deny ourselves, to set time aside for You alone, to sacrifice our momentary comforts and earthly, fleshly pleasures in order to truly repent, to humble ourselves before You, so that through obedient worship and through intimate disciplined communion with You, we may grow in relationship with You, and come to love You with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength, and love our neighbours as ourselves; that Your kingdom may come and Your will be done in all the earth as it is in heaven. Thank You, Lord. Amen. Return to the top Filling the Void Date: July 5, 2005 _______ was talking to me after Morning Prayer. She is feeling confused and at lost ends. You know her heart, Lord. You know her strong sense of family, not just her biological family, but Your family, too, Lord. You know she is quite deeply distressed by the lack of commitment and direction she sees. And with _____ leaving, it does seem a "void" is being created. But Lord, You are the filler of voids. When You created the heavens and the earth, "the earth was void and darkness was upon the face of the deep." It was a time of emptiness and chaos, Lord. And then You moved upon the water. You spoke. And You created a perfect, beautiful new world from the dark void. And Lord, You do the same in the dark, void, chaotic, empty heart of every lost, doomed, wandering person whom You call, who turns to You and believes, accepts, and confesses You as Lord. Lord, it is so often this very sense of "void" that draws people to You. You created us to be in intimate relationship with You, and in close, loving relationship with others because of the love with which You loved us and gave Yourself for us. As Augustine pointed out, You created in each person a God-shaped vacuum or void, which can only be filled with You. Lord, it seems to me that this seeming "void" that is happening in the history of this place, may simply be another example of Your pattern of creating voids, in order that it, too, may be filled with You, with Your creative love, Your plans and purposes, Your will for Your children and for the building of Your kingdom. I have no idea, Lord, of how this situation will "play out." I see young people stepping up to take leadership in worship. I see you using the message of "appropriate relationships" to reach our children when we as parents feel unable to reach them. I see You giving the same message to all the different leaders You have raised up here. I hear conversations all over this place that center on You and on Your work and purposes. I hear Your call for holiness among Your people, for discipline, for love, for simplicity. I hear You calling out leaders, missionaries, pastors, laborers for the Kingdom harvest. I see a small group of people called to gather at this place, hand-chosen and directed by You, I believe. Lord, usually a lot more people turn up for this event, but many of them seem to come only for the holiday, looking for their own comforts and pleasures rather than coming with a deep desire for more, more, more of You in their personal lives, for the sanctifying of Your church, for the building of Your kingdom. Lord, these last things are what I see in the people gathered here at this time. I believe You have called together those who would truly seek You, who truly want to be cleansed and to pursue holiness, to become like Jesus, to trust You, to obey You, to discipline themselves to seek You alone. I see people who are willing to sacrifice all else, to deny themselves, to take up their crosses and follow You, for the building of the Kingdom of God, and for the honour and glory of You alone, dear God. Thank You, Lord, for this very special gathering. We are here, Lord. Our hearts are open to You. Our hands are willing to do Your work, whatever it might be, wherever You might take us. We love this place, Lord. We love the family, the memories of good times together, the times for each of us personally when we have met and encountered You in a special way. And for many here, the memory of becoming Your child in this place. We love the place, the enjoyment, the inspiration. But God, we want what You want. If your plan includes this place continuing, this event continuing, of course we will be happy. If Your plan includes this place, but in a different format and vision related to what You want to do for the world we live in today, that would be awesome, too. And Lord, if You want us to move on, out of this place, and into a new vision and a new way to fulfill Your never-changing mission to reach all men for You, help us to accept that, too, with joy and determination and obedience to Your will. Come to us, Lord, I pray. Open my heart. Open all our hearts. Infuse us with Your vision, Your purpose, Your plans for our lives, for this place, for Your church, for this world. Use us, Lord. "Here I am, send me." Thank You, Lord. Amen. P.S. I am so excited! You are about to fill this void with Your great, creative love and purposes, and You have called me, You have called each of us to become a vital part of Your great Kingdom work. Praise Your Name! Return to the top Help me Pray Date: July 8, 2005 Lord, You know that praying daily for certain individuals, in a continuing intercessory way, is difficult for me to focus on and remember. Please give me a desire to do this, Lord. I can't really lead other people in learning to pray if I am not following Your will and growing in this area myself, can I? Please gift me with an intercessory burden, Lord, I pray. How can I minister for You, if I can't pray effectively? I am becoming more and more convinced that prayer - intimate communion with You - is not only Your command, but also, by Your amazing plan, prayer is an incredibly powerful undergirding factor in all You want to do through Your people. You want us to pray, because it helps us to remember that we are totally dependent on You, it helps us to focus on You, it helps us grow in relationship with You, it teaches us to be obedient to You as we obey Your command to pray, it helps build our faith and trust in You, it helps others to come to faith and growth with You, You use it to build the Kingdom of God, and so on and on and on. Amazing! Thank You for the honor of being able to reach out, cry out, commune and grow in prayer with You. Thank You, Lord! Return to the top
Main Page \| My Articles for The Life Connection \| Prayers and Meditations \| Poetry Haida Gwaii Reflections \| Education & Home-School \| Family