Bits An' Pieces
In this section Words to Bless and Prayer Tho'ts have arisen (and continue to arise) from my own interaction with these themes, and represent just two aspects of my personal "Raising the Gaze," by first raising my own. I invite you to join in this quest and chew on these simple lines, which will change or be added to every couple of weeks or so.
Words to Bless
May the increasing busyness of the season be unable to rob you of the peace and joy that your Heavenly Father desires you to have in contemplation of the indescribable Gift of His Son. (Isa. 9:6; 2 Cor. 9:15; Lu.2:8-14.)
Previously: May the sensory experiences of autumn – its own peculiar sights, sounds, and smells, and its activities – both indoors and out – evoke memories of former days when life seemed simpler and more connected with deeper realities. And may these be to you as golden threads of meaning, embroidered into the tapestry of your heart.
~~♥~~ Tho't on Prayer Prayer is needful in every season, for ourselves, and those for whom we pray. The Advent / Christmas Season affords great opportunity to accompany our gifts with private prayer. Therefore, our gift-giving and alms-giving can be like seed, watered by the warm rain of our prayers, so that God who gave His Son, the greatest Gift of all, may cause the good things of His grace to germinate and grow in those who receive them. (1 Cor. 3:6-8; James 1:17-18; 2 Cor. 9:15.)
Previously: Prayer is not the only thing of value we can do for others, yet is the foremost thing, without which nothing else we do for them will attain its full heaven-intended value. Such is the work of God’s Kingdom: it is either empowered through prayer, or it doesn’t really get done at all. (Mat. 6:9-13; Luke 11: 1-13,15; Jas. 4:2b-3.)
~~♥~~ Words to Bless and Prayer Tho'ts formerly displayed are shuffled further down on the page, and can be viewed by scrolling: Words to Bless: May the glorious shades of autumn gladden your heart, for even in their end-of-season decline, trees, shrubs, and grasses have something valuable to offer those who appreciate beauty in nature’s paradox of complex simplicity. Previously: May the cooler air of autumn invigorate your body and refresh your mind, and may this result in warmth of heart and overflowing joy. Previously: May the days of transition from summer to fall provide opportunities for reflection on the blessings and challenges that each season brings. May the song of a bird, the ripple of a stream, the carefree laugh of a child, the merry dash of colour in a medley of wayside flowers, and so much more, delight your soul with the thought that Creator God has made everything beautiful in its time. (Eccles. 3:11-12) May your vacationing be a time of physical and emotional rest, and a time for spiritual renewal. May your vacationing experience of the natural creation around you serve to open your heart to the spiritual re-creation within you. May your courage be insuperable and your victory unassailable. May your hope be undiminishable and your joy inexpressible. May love fill your heart and laughter fill your life. May your gladness be insuppressible and your joy irrepressible. May your satisfaction increase and your dissatisfaction diminish. May your appreciation flow and your thanksgiving overflow. May your heart be grateful and your words gracious. May your complaints be few and your compliments many. May your meditations on the events leading to and surrounding the crucifixion of our Lord open up to you fresh insights into the meaning of the Cross to enrich your life and inspire your faith. Given a superficial view the Cross seems all too simple a plan; but upon closer inspection and applying deeper intelligence with a sensitive heart, there is to be found a multilayered complexity; a complexity that invites a lifetime of investigation. It is the romance of God, expressed in the simple words of John 3:16, "God so loved the world that He gave ..." May your heart be humbled, your thoughts elevated, and your soul enriched as you contemplate the sacrifice of Christ in His sufferings and death on the Cross for your sins, and those of all. May your heart be both giving and forgiving. May your mind be at peace and your heart at rest. May your mind enquire and your spirit learn. May your attitude be humble and your manner gracious. ~~♥~~ Prayer Tho'ts: Previously: Let your prayers be a natural extension of your worship and daily walk with God, for this enables them to arise from a present experience of the fulness of the Holy Spirit, rather than from the hollow shell of mere religious effort or observation. (Mat. 6:6-15; Rom. 8:26-27; Acts 4:23-31) Let your prayers arise from a heart of worship; allow them free expression, for then, the Holy Spirit will enable you to form them according to the will of God. Let your prayer life include a silent sharing of your deepest thoughts and concerns with your Wonderful Counsellor, a respectful appeal to Almighty God, an upward look into the face of your loving Heavenly Father, and a two-way conversation between you and the Prince of Peace who is the Pioneer and Captain of your salvation. Prayer is more than a thermometer to measure one’s spiritual temperature. It acts as a thermostat to regulate both the temperature and atmosphere of the life. Thoughtful, unhurried, and heartfelt prayer has a way of bringing us to the place of humble dependence on God’s grace; it is the place of new beginnings and restored hope. Prayer moves us beyond seeking solutions to our problems, to seeking the will of the Ultimate Provider. Prayer - Who is It About? It’s not all about me, It’s all about You, Lord. Yet, because I am all about You, Then it is also about me. Therefore, I may bring my concerns and requests, My hopes and dreams, before Your throne of grace, Knowing that even these things are about Us. Prayer refreshes the soul like a fresh morning breeze clears the mind. Prayer to some might be the ugly duckling of their spiritual life – to be banished to a cramped corner of their existence; yet those who nurture and feed it discover that it’s really a swan of regal grace and enduring beauty that’s impossible to confine. Prayer is an admission of our need. It is an expression of humility and dependency on God. Scant, shallow praying is the ‘lame duck’ of many a Christian life, church, and ministry. Prayerlessness is the ‘achilles heel’ of many a minister and ministry. True spiritual praying is not indicated in the volume and forcefulness of the voice, nor in one’s animated emotional state, but is recognized by God in the intention and intensity of the heart’s deepest expressions, informed by His Word, and energized and guided by the Holy Spirit Prayer involves my highest thought; my experience and expression of deepest gratitude. It encompasses not only my wants and wishes, my cares and concerns, but also the needs of others; and, above all, considers what God’s purpose and will might be in any given matter. ~~♥~~ Words to Bless: May your patience be long and your frustrations few. May your opinions be flexible and your convictions firm. ~~♥~~ Words to Bless: May the friendly porch light that welcomes you on your arrival home on a bitter, blustery night serve as a reminder of the warm welcome awaiting you in the place of worship and prayer. May your spine be strong and supple, and your heart warm and tender. May your day be bright; and your burdens light; ~~♥~~ Words to Bless: May the blessing of the Lord that truly enriches with all that is good, valuable and enduring–all that is of God–be the portion of you all and of those whom you love, throughout the New Year, and always. Amen.
Your courage strong, and your patience long!
Prayer Tho't
God moves us, His children, to prayer, so that He can move through our prayers.
Prayer is not one's presenting a 'honey-do list' to the 'man upstairs'. Prayer is two-way. It is communion. It is communication.
Prayer is the breathing of my spirit. It is the interaction of my spiritual being--the essence of who I am--with the essence of who God is. It is worship.
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Prayer is communion with God, and is therefore two-way communication.
Prayer is my concerns becoming aligned with God's interests.
Prayer, as worship, is my offering up to God all that I am, and what He requires of me at any given time.
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Prayer is to the spirit what breath is to the body. Prayer, as the soul's sincere desire is what nourishment is to the body. Prayer, being more that talking to God, is also listening for His voice.
God the Father has entrusted us with the all-excelling name of His Son Jesus / Yeshua, our Saviour, Redeemer, and Lord. It is only through that name we approach the Father in prayer, and in Jesus’ name we pray. What does that mean? but to pray in His stead–for what He would pray; to pray according to the Father’s purpose and will. We have divine authority to pray with confidence in Jesus’ name, and His purpose and will are always on the ground of redemption, grace, and the sovereignty of God. I must beware of praying outside of that divinely ordained sphere. (Mat. 6:9-13; John 14:12-15; Luke 21:8; John 15:16; Acts 2:38; 3:6, 16; 4:10, 30; 9:27-28; Rom. 8:22-34.) ~~†~~
