I'm in the River: 06/01/2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Intercession

Sweet Spirit,

Who placed in me this yearning

Desire for redemption of all things,

Give a language to these groans,

These slippery unformed thoughts.

Make flesh and bones of my cries:

That all petitions would be fully formed before the Father’s

Piercing gaze.

O Holy Light,

Who placed in me this burning,

May Your will be done in each

Ripple of man, family, country, world,

And to the uttermost of the heavens.

Sweep Your love across the skies

Of deaf, dumb, dreamer, and skeptic… and with it,

Perfect glory.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Breath of Life

You breathed into Adam

The breath of life—

A mighty wind of inspiration.

A transaction took place in that holy blast.

Your resurrection power electrified him,

Your love warmed the cold dirt of man.

Breathe, breathe, breathe on me.

O Beautiful Breath, come from the four winds,

Gush from the depths.

I surrender to You;

I open my mouth to receive You.

I need divine intervention, divine resuscitation!

Without Your life-giving breath,

I am but a pile of bones:

Hopeless and dry.

Blow, Mighty Wind,

Blow

That I may live.

Suggestions for Going Deeper

READ - Read the Scripture verses that inspired this prayer: Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:1, 4, 9-11; Job 33:4 ; John 20:21-22

OBSERVE - Notice which words or phrases stand out to you in the prayer or Scripture; consider why they resonate with you.

TALK - Tell God the thoughts and emotions stirred in you.

LISTEN - Spend a few minutes in listening prayer so God can bring His thoughts to your attention.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Do Not Worry: Meditations on Scripture Matthew 6:25-34

Note: Put your own name in the blanks.

_________, do not worry.

I know you feel like you can’t help yourself, but,

Little one, you do have a choice.

_________, do not worry about your life.

So many areas of life that feel out of your control.

Just when you have “this” fixed,

“That” seems to break.

Even if you control yourself,

You can’t control other people or things that happen to you.

Your peace can’t be dependent on circumstances.

Your sense of well-being, your joy in life

Can’t depend on what happens… because

That’s ever changing, an unstable foundation.

_________, do not worry about what you will eat and drink.

I know how to feed you.

I know how to provide for you.

I know how to take care of you and

I DO take care of you

In ways you can’t even imagine.

I’m like that.

I’m good.

I’m not your earthly father and

I’m not your earthly spouse,

So don’t even try to compare us.

_________, is not life more important than food?

Don’t miss out on REAL LIFE because you are worried

About a little meal.

I came to fill you to overflowing

With all that I am, all that I have.

Remember, I will be what you need Me to be when

You need it.*

I CAN. I AM.

_________, are you not much more valuable than the birds that I feed each day?

Maybe you doubt your value;

Maybe you don’t see it.

But, little one, YOU are the treasure in the field.

I found you and then I went and sold everything

To have you.

I’m not going to walk away now.

You are My treasure, and I will guard you

With My life.

_________, who by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

I know that you don’t know any other way to respond

Except by worrying.

That is the way of man.

But you are no longer your own.

You already gave yourself to Me and

I already put Myself in you.

I do things differently.

I respond differently.

If you want to learn from Me, ask Me.

If you want a new response,

Then allow Me to take over.

Hand over the controls to Me

And let Me land you in a new direction.

I can develop a response in you that is

Patient, self-controlled, peaceful, and

Supernaturally powered.

I can change the outward circumstances

But it’s the changing of your inward man,

Your inner person,

That is most laborious because

I have to wait for you to be ready.

Are you ready this time?

Note: Treasure in the field concept from a John Wimber teaching.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Come to Me

For Barb and Ruth, in heaven and on earth

Come to Me, if you’re weary.

Come to Me, heavy of heart.

Come to Me, if you’re tired of fighting.

If you’re struggling for breath, come to Me.

Bring to Me those who need to be carried.

Bring to Me the load on your back.

Bring to Me all of your disappointments.

Bring all that you have and all that you lack.

Did you think that I’d give you stones

When you asked for bread?

Did you think I’d withhold from you

What I know you need?

I have promised you manna.

It’s all you need today.

Come to Me…

From Matthew 11:28-30 and Matthew 7:9-11