Psalm 109 Transformative Prayer

Psalm 109:4b

…..but I am a man of prayer.

Are we?

Are we living………..

Are we living in vital, powerful, continual prayer?

Are we seeking the Heart of God……..

In all things?

Do I consciously invite Jesus into every……….

Conversation

Action

Thought

Feeling

Dream………

David was said to be a man after God’s own Heart,

And yet he was certainly not a perfect man….

Far from it…….

An adulterer,

A deceiver,

Even a murderer,

Yet continually, he chased after the Father.

He sinned………..

Like you and me,

But he never turned away from....

The One True God;

No,

He never turned away from………

The Only One,

The Only One Who can give………

Life.

And so Christian,

Let’s become;

Yes, 

You and I,

Let’s become………

Men and Women after God’s own Heart-

Let’s become………..

Men and Women of prayer.......

And so then.........

Allow the Love and Power and Goodness of

God Himself to.........

Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit

I have nowhere else to go.

In all of my existence,

In all of my ways,

In all of my thoughts,

In all of my words,

You alone offer the Life I long for.

All praise honor and glory be to You.

Amen

Psalm 66 God- Are You Listening?

Psalm 66:17-18

I cried out to the Lord with my mouth,

High praise was on my tongue-

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

The Lord would not have listened.

Sometimes I wonder if God is listening?

I ask and ask and yet…………

I see no results.

God are You there?

Are You not listening?

Have You forgotten me?

I have come to believe……..Over time........

Through many requests to God-

Requests where He did not seem to listen to me………

Requests that He did not work out for me………

Requests where He did not follow my advice………..

Yes, I have come to believe………

That in some of those requests………

Not all of them…………

But in some of them-

Even some where I tagged on-

“In the Name of Jesus” to the end of the prayer…….

There was truly a cherishing of iniquity in my heart.

Iniquity-

Sin-

The valuing of my way above His way-

The valuing of my way above……..

Him.

In the end-

His ways are Good.

In the end-

He is…………..

Good.

In the end, I know……..

He Loves………… Even me.

Father-

I choose here and now to trust You with all my life.

I lift my desires to You-

I will continue to lift my desires to You-

I pray my greatest desire always be for………

Simply You.

Amen

What will God give me?

My wife says I am needy- She is right. Oh by that she means I am needy in terms of her time, her presence, being engaged with her- wanting to have deep conversation and undivided attention. Again- she is right!

Truthfully, my neediness goes far beyond those things- to depths of my own spiritual poverty and abject weakness. I am truly a Man in need of a Saviour on every possible level.

John 16:23-24 Jesus said,"I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your Joy will be complete."

So what does all this mean- this asking in the Name of Jesus? Are these the magic words we can throw on the end of our prayers and somehow obligate God to come through? I don't think so.

A man is known by his name- In a sense, when I hear a name and I know the person, immediately impressions based on that knowlege rise up in me. I have a sense of the man's character- who he is- really. On the other hand if I don't know the man I have no impression - the name means nothing to me. Maybe asking in the name of Jesus is somehow dependent on knowing Jesus- Intimately- Personally.

So then, maybe this business of asking in Jesus Name is at it's core, really an invitation to get to know Him.

In all this- some would accuse me of watering down the power of asking in His Name. They might say that My faith is weak and I am just looking for an excuse to cover that up. They might say if I really beleived I would boldly ask specifically for what I want and God would come through because of my faith. I will be the first to admit that my faith is not stong enough- I cry out with the man in Mark 9 who brought his son for healing

"Jesus, I do believe- Help me to overcome my unbelief."

There is power in Jesus Name. There is power in Prayer- asking in Jesus Name- I believe that with all my heart. He will give me what I ask in His Name- that is in accordance with the Father's Will- those things that will bring the Father Glory- Express the Father's Character- and to the extent that I am in touch with the Heart of God- that I know Jesus- that I am united to His Heart- I will be able to ask in His Name.

Lord God Almighty, I ask in the name of Jesus that You give me Courage to overcome fear. I ask that You give me Wisdom that I might know Your Will- what is the right thing to do or say in all my dealings in this life. I ask that You give me a will to follow You more closely. I ask that You make Love and Truth and Justice the marks of my Life. I ask that You come against my enemy the Devil and all his work and plans and demons that attack me and my family. I ask that You be at work in Julie and Rebecca and Matthew's lives to bring each of their hearts to be united to Your own Great Heart. In the name of Jesus I ask that You increase my Faith- my Trust in You. Do this Lord God, please do these things by supernatural means and natural means. Father, give me opportunities to be Courageous and Wise, but please Lord, beyond these opportunities rise up in me to actually be Courageous and Wise. I am needy- I need Your salvation in all these things. I do believe- help me overcome my unbelief. In the name of Jesus I pray all these things. Amen

Prayer- Just some Thoughts

My work place has very interesting- strange- thermostsats. I say this because sometimes they work perfectly- responding almost immediately upon adjustment, but other times.......... Well, like today when my buddy Dave came into the break room (which really was a bit warm) and went immediately to work in great earnestness trying to reset the temperature. The first thought that went through my mind and the immediate words out of my mouth were,

"You're working on that thing like you really expect to get some results."

My words oozed sarcasm.

James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

John 15:7-8 Jesus said,"If you remain in Me and My words remain in you- ask whatever you wish and it will be given you-

This is to My Father's Glory."

How many times do I approach prayer like I do those thermostats at work? You know- it works sometimes- if I hold my mouth just right- Or if I punch the buttons in just the right way- Maybe it will work this time. Maybe it will give me what I want. It can't hurt to try. Maybe the great air conditioner gods will have mercy on me this time. I suppose this is better than denying the possibility the thermostat may work...........or is it? I wonder what God must think of my prayers- Is He pleased when I come to Him looking for a little comfort- You know- like when the room is a little warm and playing with the thermostat looks like the best alternative.

Where is the Power of God in that?

How is the Father Glorified in those pissy little prayers?

Oh now, don't get me wrong- I am not one of those who believes if I pray with more fervor and tag Jesus name on the end.......... God is somehow obligated to give me what I want- No, I am more inclined to believe the Power of Prayer is not so much to manipulate God into more favorable circumstances for myself as it is about connecting with God in such a way that He changes me. Chambers calls it "Forming the Mind of Christ".

Can God change my circumstances? Absolutely Yes!

But many times He offers so much more-

He offers to give me a part in expressing His Glory-

He offers that I may become United to His Heart-

United with Him in His Purposes-

Even in all the things that are making me uncomfortable.

Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, Jesus fell with His face to the ground and prayed,"My Father if it is possible may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not My Will, but Thy Will be done."

Great Father in Heaven- I do not pretend to know all that You have in mind and so this one thing I pray- Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit - bring me into Your Great purposes. Work out Your Power in my life in such a way that somehow I may have a part in expressing Your Glory- Your Character- Your Goodness- Your Love- to all those around me. Amen