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To Pray or Not To Pray

Need some inspiration to keep praying? Here are a few great nuggets to inspire and encourage you to keep the divine-conversation going!

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” 

― Søren Kierkegaard

“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.” 

― Mother Teresa

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” 

― Abraham Lincoln

“You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.” 

― Kahlil Gibran

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. ” 

― John Bunyan

“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.” 

― Andrew Murray

“He who kneels the most, stands the best.” 

― D.L. Moody

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3-30 Prayer Challenge

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I am excited about the response received about engaging my 3-30 prayer challenge!

Just as a reminder, here is the plan:

To pray three types of prayers three times a day for the next thirty days!

Here is the prayer breakdown:

1. morning prayer: Start your day with a morning breath prayer like “Abba, I belong to you.” Breath in fully while you pray the name “Abba” for about 2 counts, and then breath out for 5 counts on “I belong to you” Abba is the word Jesus used to acknowledge God the Father. It is a very person word that means “Daddy” Isn’t that powerful that Jesus helps us relate at a far more intimate level with God as we embrace Him as Daddy.

I tend to pray this in a Trinitartian format of “Abba” (which speaks of God the Father as Daddy) “Yeshua” which is the Hebrew name which Jesus translates from. And “Ruach” Which is the Hebrew term for the Holy Spirit. So it goes like this:

Abba…I belong to you
Yeshua…I belong to you
Ruach…I belong to you…

The ancient church, going back to the first century practiced this kind of prayer which they called “The Prayer of the Heart” The most tradition prayer was” Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” That is still a prayer that i meditate on through the day as well. I also enhace the aforementioned prayer in this way:

Abba…I love you (please forgive me) (thank you)
Yeshua…I love you (please forgive me) (thank you)
Ruach…I love you (please forgive me) (thank you)

Feel free to select words that help you focus on who God is and align your heart through confessiona nd repentence…there is no wrong way to pray this!

2. mid-day prayer: Sometime around mid-day, pause and slowly pray through the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.

Here is The Message translation of the same prayer. Reading this translation helps you see the original thoughts in a more cureent way:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
    as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.

3. Afternoon or later: Redemptive prayer:

What I mean by a redemptive prayer, is to simply pray God’s blessing on someone, escpecially someone with whom you might currently be struglling with, for example:

* pray for someone you are currently angry, bitter or struggling with.
* pray for your enemy, as jesus asked us to…who is your enemy?
* pray for the people you disagree with, politically, philosophically, theologicalley etc.
* pray for those you know who struugle with God or are anti-God 

So each day pick one person and pray the God would simply bless them, eve if you disagree with them!

I am excited for what God will be doing in you as you pray this way the next 30 days with me! I have already been receiving emails telling me that God started working on day 1!

Grace and Peace

Monty

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God of Silence and Sound

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God of silence and sound,

Help me dance around the spaces and textures of your voice.

In this moment, Holy One, speak new life into me

the way you spoke in beginning;

Brushstrokes of breath…

Colors of conversation…

Landscapes of language…

Allow the words that wound create in me a silent melody

which sings the song of genesis

of pain and promise

of purpose and presence

God of silence and sound,

Teach me to sing in the darkness of my day.

On this night, Holy One, sing over my tired soul

the way you refreshed Elijah;

as he slept beneath the tree…

as his anxiety obscured his reality…

yet still, you nourished his soul…

May the notes caress away the fear in my heart

which sings a song of captivity

of love lost and misplaced

of loneliness and isolation

God of silence and sound,

I know I am a singer of confused songs.

In this chaotic space, Holy One, teach me the tune of paradox

of beauty and ash, joy and sorrow, frivolity and sincerity.

Teach me to listen…

Help me to see…

Free my voice to sing without sound

The beautiful songs of Your love.

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It’s Hard To Describe God

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This morning I was reading through some writings and prayers of Francis of Assisi. I enjoy entering into Francis’ journey of seeing God through creation. A bird, a flowing stream, the sound of crickets at night…

All these things center the mind and heart of Francis on the sovereign God who created all things and gives life to all things.

There really are no words to describe the indescribable God, but Francis paints a beautiful picture with his language.

Slow…

Still…

Listen…

Pray…

_____________________________

You are holy,
O my Lord and only God,
mysterious and holy,
holy and amazing!

You are mighty, magnificent, transcendent.
You are all-powerful,
O most holy Creator,
beneficent ruler of heaven and earth.

You are manifold and One at the same time,
Lord God,
You are utterly wonderful.
You are wonderful, perfectly wonderful,
the very essence of all that is most wonderful,
O Lord God!
You are real and alive.

You are generosity and wisdom,
humility and patience,
safety and serenity,
ecstasy and delight.

You are righteousness and balance,
prosperity that surpasses all basic needs,
you are harmony and beauty.

You are my protector, guardian, and defender.
You are my strength.
You are my sustenance and my courage.

You are faith, hope, and charity.
You are my deepest tenderness.
You are everlasting vitality.

O supreme and marvelous Lord,
Almighty God,
Beloved redeemer,
You are absolute mercy.

~St. Francis of Assisi