My Prayer for You...July 20, 2014

My prayer for you and me this week...

Worship the Lord in spirit and in truth!

Lord, Jesus, help us!  Will You hear our prayers and provide for us, please!  Will You come to our aid in this time of need?  We need You, Lord!  Won't You help us?

Even as we utter these words of desperation, the Holy Spirit residing in us recognizes the sound of hopeless, "help my unbelief" cries sent out into space with many question marks.

The Holy Spirit pricks us with reminders of Truth, Scriptures memorized and hopeful memories of the Lord's previous abundant provision.  The Holy Spirit whispers comfort, encouragement, and through His prodding, we desire to move toward God, our Father and Savior.

You bid us, "Come to Me!"  Tenderly You reach out, "Speak to Me about Your great need."  Your love and mercy, Jesus, attract us and draws us closer to Your Throne.

As we enter Your gates and walk into Your courts, we are awestruck with the awareness of Your True identity as King.  We've taken Your ever-presence for granted.  

How long has it been since we've bowed at Your Feet?  How long has it been since we came just to tell You how wonderful You are or simply to offer thanksgiving for our very breath?

The closer we come into Your presence, the greater are You.  Your Majesty is overwhelming! In the Light of Your Glory, we fall face down, grateful You call us to Your Throne; we cry desperate for Your assurance we need not fear.   

Repentance, Lord Jesus, we come to You in repentance; we turn away from the things of the world and gladly, willingly offer our full allegiance to You.  Obediently, we surrender our loyalty and receive Your Lordship.

King Jesus, we praise You and proclaim You are worthy.

You are Holy, Holy, Holy.

Thank You for reconciling us to Father.

Thank You for spilling Your blood in payment of our rebellion.

Thank You, King Jesus, for robing us with Your Righteousness and placing on our heads Your royal crown.

What, Jesus?  What was it we had need of?  Well, Jesus, in Your presence it's difficult to remember what we were so worried over.  

We were out there looking at the world.  We thought we should come tell You all that is wrong and bad and in dire need of repair.  We were looking at our own circumstances out there... with our backs to You.  

And for awhile, we took our focus from You and forgot Who You are.  Now that we are close enough to be consumed by Your Glory and our eyes are once again fixed on You, we remember You are the Christ; You know all things!  

And so, Jesus, our King, we choose to trust You and Your Kingdom plan.  We choose to proclaim Your Sovereign plan is more than enough for all we need.

You are good and You have blessed us beyond measure, more than we deserve.  

King Jesus, worthy of all praise, how may we, Your people, serve You today?

For Your Glory, Good King, Almighty God, 

For Your Glory and Praise, we worship You!

John 4:23, Mark 9:24, John 14:26, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 100:4, Isaiah 6, I John 1:9, Isaiah 45:23, Revelation 4:8, Mark 8:29, I John 3:20, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 3:20, Hebrews 12:28, 

Revelation 4&5

My Prayer For You...July 13, 2014

My prayer for you and me this week...

Praise the LORD.
Praise, O servants of the LORD, 
  praise the name of the LORD.
Let the name of the LORD be praised, 
  both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place
  where it sets, 
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

LORD, You are exalted over all the nations, 
  Your glory above the heavens.
Who is like You, LORD, our God, 
  the One Who sits enthroned on high, 
Who stoops down to look 
  on the heavens and the earth?

LORD, You are the One Who raises the poor from the dust
  and You lift the needy from the ash heap; 
You, LORD, seat them with princes, 
  with the princes of their people.
You, LORD, settle the barren woman in her home
  as a happy mother of children.

O, we praise You, LORD!

Psalm 113

This Week's Lightbulb Moment

God is Creator.

I am His creation.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

I am His lamb.

Holy Spirit is the Comforter.

I am His restless wanderer.

God is the Potter.

I am His clay.

Jesus is the Teacher.

I am His student.

Holy Spirit is the Fire.

I am His kindling.

God is Sovereign and Most High King.

I am His loyal subject.

God is Infinite and Eternal.

He is Life.

He is Good.

I get to live the number of days He has provided for me.  

I get to take my next breath and feel my heart beat as He has commanded it so.

And then, I get to live eternally in His Presence because 

Jesus is Redeemer.

I am His redeemed.

Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness;

come before Him with joyful songs.

Acknowledge that Yahweh is God.

He made us and we are His -

His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

and His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For Yahweh is good and His love is eternal;

His faithfulness endures through all generations.

Psalm 100

HCSB

This Week's Lightbulb Moment

No one will ever say of me, after I'm gone to live with Jesus in my forever home, "I never saw her except she was cleaned up, dressed up and made up!  She always had it together."

I've heard those comments during a number of funeral home visitations or in conversations memorializing a dear one's life.  I'm not criticizing.  I just know that's not going to be said of me!  

And, I'm glad...because it's not who I am.

And it's not real life!  I don't have a Facebook perfect life.  I'm not an airbrushed model.  I'm not a Barbie doll either.  I'm a real human being full of real imperfections...just like all the other imperfect people I interact with on a daily basis.

To me, it is very freeing to just be who I am whether I'm soaking wet because of the rain storm that popped up while walking the dogs...

working around my house with hair pulled up and no make up...

 or dressed up pretty for a nice dinner with my man!

It's the inside that counts.  It's within me the Holy Spirit resides.  So, no matter the circumstances, I only care that anyone, should they care to look deeper, is able to look past my exterior to see Jesus' image coming more clearly into focus.

My mom always told me, "Pretty is as pretty does!"  As a child I was never quite sure what that meant.

However, I think Peter explained it well with these words...

Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes.  Instead, it should consist  of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God's eyes.

I Peter 3:3-4 HCSB

Let's fix our eyes on Jesus....and SHINE!