As I enter prayer now;
I pause to be still;
to breathe slowly;
to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Matthew 16:24
But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!
Isaiah 26:19
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Hebrews 12:1
O God, you understand our sorrows and are with us in all our grief, bearing it for us when we cannot. We are grateful that our loved ones who are no longer with us now reside with you. Amen.
In your name Papa, Jesus and Spirit. Amen
I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
Psalm 130:6
From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
Psalm 130:1-2
I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord! I will obey your decrees.
Psalm 119:145
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?
Psalm 130:3
I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word.
Psalm 130:5
Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day; and though I am poor, today I believe.
Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day; and though I am weak, today I believe.
Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day; and though of anxious heart, today I believe.
Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials; and now, tried as I am, today I believe.
Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day; and though it may be hidden, today I believe.
Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine; and though the night is here, today I believe.
Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe; and though you be silent now, today I believe.
Don’t let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, let the poor and needy praise your name.
Psalm 74:21
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”
Ruth 1:20-21
And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’
Luke 11:7
You need to be generous to yourself in order to receive the love that surrounds you.
You can suffer from a desperate hunger to be loved.
You can search long years in lonely places, far outside yourself.
Yet the whole time, this love is but a few inches away from you.
It is at the edge of your soul, but you have been blind to its presence.
We must remain attentive in order to be able to receive.
When a great moment knocks on the door of your life,
it is often no louder than the beating of your heart,
and it is very easy to miss it. Boris Pasternak
Father God, we thank You for the remarkable bravery of our brothers and sisters in North Korea. Continue to encourage, equip and empower them as they follow You amid such extreme persecution. Protect secret gatherings of believers – may their meetings be places of divine encounter. Give wisdom, boldness and discernment to Your children to know how to express their faith in society without drawing the attention of the authorities. We cry out to You for this nation, Lord, asking that You will build Your church and soften the hardened hearts of Kim Jong-un and his regime. Amen.
Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:7
The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
Psalm 27:1
Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:7
The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord ’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
Psalm 27:4
Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:7
Yet I am confident I will see the Lord ’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 63:7
I will be at peace with my brothers and sisters, and love them.
I will follow the example of the wise and good, knowing You will comfort and help me, both in this world and in the world to come.
In your name Papa, Jesus and Spirit. Amen
Father, help me to live this day to the full, being true to You, in every way.
Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, being kind to everyone I meet.
Spirit, help me to love the lost, proclaiming Christ in all I do and say.
Amen.