“God, I have a prayer, for the little ones and the old, that the children wake up surrounded, not by evil thoughts that are cold, but that the Spirit breathes on them a new ‘old’ song. God I have a prayer for the children of the world, red, brown, yellow, black and white, race, rank, and ages of every kind: “Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick and lead the blind,…”
“God, I have a prayer, that the children hear Your voice, and no longer the lies that are so loud through the night. God, I have a prayer, that the children unaware, would begin to see that the things that are REAL are really the things that are out of their sight.” “God may the children with sight of a whole new kind begin to repeat: “More than all, in Thee I find!”
“God, I have a prayer, that the ol’ words in the Wesley hymn would be read and repeated :“Just and holy is Thy name; I am all unrighteousness. False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.” That children young and old would know, the words to the hymn, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul!”
As easy as ABC, yet harder than any Chemistry – there is no need for ‘outside clean-up’ jobs, the main event’s gotta happen INSIDE, where the heart of the child sees their own mess, and finally cries: “Just and holy is His name, and I am all unrighteousness.”
“ALL the children of the world must admit these words, “I am all unrighteousness!” But God, Oh God, may the children of the world see the color of Your face! May the children of the world see that the Your color is… GRACE!”
” For ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,’ are Your very own words, dear Lord God, You, Yourself had said, when You sat on the hill with the crowds all around. “The Kingdom of heaven is yours today, be poor in spirit and blessed you’ll be.” But not one man likes to hear that sound! ‘Poor in Spirit?’ that means ‘I have -need’!
“God, I have a prayer that the children can say, “Other refuge have I none; hangs my helpless soul on Thee. Leave, ah, leave me not alone; Still support and comfort me!” Dear Lord, that the children would sing, “All my trust on Thee is stayed; All my help from Thee I bring. Cover my defenseless head, With the shadow of Thy wing.”
” Yes, God, I have a prayer that the children of the world that You love so much would change their tune and sing a new song: “Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly, While the nearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high! Hide me O my Savior hide, Till the storm of life is past. Safe into the haven guide. Oh, receive my soul at last!”
” But God I have a prayer, that the children don’t sing this song as an escape, but they sing it as they place their lives in Your hand. In the hand of God to live today in this hard, cold world, on the rough and stormy seas, in Your stay, Lord God and in Your way.” “That the children wold trust as they rest in Your hand, and sing and sing, “Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to Thy bosom fly, while the rearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high!” “God I have a prayer, that the children of the world to YOU would direct their cry!”
“God, I have a prayer, that the children would admit all the sin that they have, and believe in Your Son and call out His name, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want; More than all, in Thee I find.” That revival would spread like a fire in the forest, the children would pray, “Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick and lead the blind. Just and Holy is Thy name, I am all unrighteousness. False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.” Yes, this is my prayer for me and for them!”
“Faith is believing in what is not seen, so God I have a prayer and its answer I believe! I pray that the children find the answer in YOU. I have a prayer, yes, I have a prayer! That the children of all colors and ages and rank, speak with one voice:“Plenteous grace with Thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin. Let the healing streams abound…” I pray for the children, the children of the world, that they would turn around and speak this new ‘old’ song, “Make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the Fountain art, Freely let me take of Thee. Spring Thou up within my heart; Rise to all eternity.”
May the children of the world soon sing, “Spring Thou up within my heart;” May revival around us speak louder than the lies, “Plenteous grace with Thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin… “Thou of life the Fountain art, Freely let me take of Thee. Spring Thou up within my heart; Rise to all eternity!”
I have a prayer dear Lord, ‘Let it be! Let it be! Amen and Amen, that all the children of the world would sing, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want; More than all, in Thee I find.” My prayer dear Lord is for the children, You see, I know You are working,…ever working in me!
Tag: prayers to the father
He paints His presence daily…
Holy Father of Heaven and of Earth, draw me nearer, so much nearer to you, and the children, dear Lord, yes, draw the children too. Nearer to Thee, oh how we busy ourselves. We get moving so fast that we don’t take time to give You our ear. We don’t give You our eyes either, and notice the faithfulness in each rising sun and we forget it’s You… that painted the sunset as we run, here and there everywhere. Oh Father, draw us near!
Remind me again of the story that’s told of Pilgrim’s journey, written so long ago. How he ever so slightly, ever so slight began to keep walking a bit off the path. But in turn it lead him in chains and dismay as he found himself hopeless in ‘Giant Despair’s’ wrath! But in the scroll it is written, that there’s a Way of escape, a Table has been prepared in the presence of our enemies – yes, it’s a ‘cup of blessing’ and ‘bread that’s been broken’ – our Rescuer, our hope… may we see Him who’s been smitten.
But it’s a mystery so deep at times, we feel You’r so distant, so we journey along as time is insistent! Seasons come; the joys and sorrows of Christmas pass, New Year’s promises and the winter’s blast…grace is needed, ‘Want’ and need are the cries of Your sheep – there are no flowers, no songs and mountains seem so, so steep!
“Increase my faith! Help me believe! My unbelief overshadows and brings me down deep!” So ‘deep cries to deep’ my Father of earth,where are You now? “Your kingdom come, Your will be done! I have trouble trusting! Trusting in and waiting on the Faithful One!”
How can that be? I just don’t know, but it’s true and it’s evident in my worry and fret. Winter comes, and sometimes winter stays, and a rut becomes comfort, but a rut brings regret! So, help me ‘do hard things’ , even to lift my eyes…give me courage to pray and to lay down ‘my rights’, that I might not be believing in things that are lies!
It’s hard to humble myself before You dear Lord, and sometimes Your words are ‘just words’. I, like a sheep hear… but don’t understand:’flee from idolatry’, and ‘resist satan’s roar’- Suddenly I find myself instead of ‘fleeing’ just standing there. Just like dear Pilgrim in ‘Giant Despairs’ grasp, now what? what do I do to stay on the path?
“Oh, search me O God, and know me through. Test me and know even my thoughts, I ask You. Is my heart hard as a stone, give me courage to face it, and God in Your great mercy, with ‘flesh’ will You replace it? Not a stone, but a heart soft as flesh, in Your mercy – grant me Your grace and forgiveness.”
“You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me, I humbly pray, into a vessel of honor, but can I be twice baked? You see I’ve been broken and set aside, can You use me again? Lead me and guide me in Your Self-Less Way, and when I wake each morrow-morn, may I be able to receive with humility, just what You say.”
Winter – cold and hard, turns into spring. And in the sun and all the new color – we can see with our eyes that Your mercy never ceases and Your love, steadfast and true, is abounding in grace and kindness besides! This is your plan that leads our dark hearts, to see once again, what is True, what is True! It’s true that You love me, it’s true that You care, it’s true that You are always, You are always there!
Summer comes, summer fun and warmth, but the enemy is lurking in our rest and recreation to ‘put off’ the narrow road, ‘oh, it’s just for a season’. But we believe him, we do – and often forget, what God has to say: “Seek Me first, I’m loyal and faithful and love at all times, come to Me you who are weary, I am the Way…”
satan’s a liar, (I can’t capitalize his name), he wants us all to believe that You are hard and demanding with a scowl on Your face, with You, nothing fun is thought to be OK. But You took all my garbage and all of my shame, so I could be free and have real life in me again! You say, “Do you love Me?” And it doesn’t really matter the words that I say, because dear Lord, You’re watching to see if I…simply obey.
But God, there is nothing ‘simple’ in obeying You Lord. But You led by example by walking that Via Delarosa. It reminds me of the cold fall winds that blow hard and strong… but they are needful, yes needful to bring us to our knees. When those cold winds blow, You know their purpose, it’s all good, even though they seem OH SO WRONG!
Winter to spring, and spring into summer, and the fall winds blow all the old leaves away, but the winds make us dig deeper to survive the cold…This is Your plan full of surprises, this is how You paint Your picture for us. New months, new weeks, and with each new day, Your faithful and early sun… rises.
“Can you see Me?” “Can you see Me?” your still small voice speaks and even sings in a song. Many don’t notice, but today I say, “I do!” Your Bride is preparing, your Bride is getting ready. “Help me in my weakness, help me stay on the path even when it’s seems so terribly long.”
Your face! Your face! As we ‘run this race! Through the journey we go in the beauty of Your presence! That’s how it is that the joy of the Lord is my strength, Because You are there, even in the valley of the shadows of darkness. You shine in the sky and the Evergreens, even the rocks, You are speaking, and You are Our Ever -present Fortress!
“I will never leave you nor forsake you,” You say. “I will direct your paths for the day.” “I love you with an everlasting love,” You whisper, but, sometimes I make some rough choices, and choose not to listen. I don’t run to the Strong tower that is there, instead like Pilgrim, I think I’ve got it right, but the next moment I find I’m in Giant Despair’s prison!
Oh my! I still walk in circles it seems, forgive me again, my Father of the earth as well as the heavens! And You do, You do, You never give up on Your child. Your love is complete, it’s faithful as the winter that turns into spring, You make all things work together for good, even when I make a mess of things, when I’m head-strong and sometimes wild!
“I want to see You!” I cry. And You answer Me. “Can you see me in the sky I’ve painted for you? Can you see me when it’s dark or shining bright and blue? I am here, when you choose to humble yourself and surrender…I am with you now, abide in Me, FOREVER!”
“Teach me to abide, to You the Vine. I am the branches! Help me not forget! Teach me to abide in You my dear Jesus. Flow through my veins, may Your Spirit guide me yet! Help me from going off the path again, when winter comes, and I’m caught by ‘Giant Despair’, help me see that there is no death in Christ. That hidden inside those ‘dead’ looking trees, is life; Life that is greater than any enemy! Life for today, life for tomorrow. Life for all of eternity!
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“Today you can see Me and feel that I’m near, but tomorrow when You can’t, please remember, I AM here.”
My response is the very first verse I learned when I was three: “I love You Jesus, because You first loved me. I love You Jesus…Because You first…loved me!”
"Who is this King of Glory?"
“Who is this King? Please, I really don’t have time for such things,” might be the attitude of your heart this morning.
Perhaps you have suffered loss. Perhaps the last year has ended and left you…fearful, or full of doubt and uncertainty. Yes, when one is hit with a ‘ton of bricks’ that often this world throws our way, there is bruising and pain! Yes, there is.
But God!…Never-the-less-God! Haven’t you heard?
“Who is this King of Glory?” (Ps. 24:8). I can’t see Him in this frantic paced, pressure-filled life that this world has to offer. I can’t see Him through the sickness, through the loneliness, through the pain… “Who is this King of Glory?” These might be your thoughts.
Imagine hearing in the distant hills the sound of a song, no instruments, just melody and words: “As I went down to the river to pray, studying about that good ol’ way, and Who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord, show me the way.” (Alison Krauss, As I Went Down To the River).
“Oh sisters, let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down…””O brothers, let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down…” “Oh fathers, let’s go down, let’s go down, won’t you come on down?…” “Oh mothers, let’s go down, let’s go down, come on down…”
“But, I am not close to God right now…I don’t know if I even want to come…’who is this King anyway? Is there really a King of Glory?'” Could these be your thoughts.
Sisters, brothers, fathers, mothers…hear the word of the Lord; ‘as I went down to river to pray, studying about that good ‘ol way,’ …“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”(Ps. 24:3,4). “STOP right there! STOP right there!” You may say, “Who has clean hands and a pure heart?” Not me! And most likely not you!”
Yes, this is true. And the sword gets even sharper, I mean, God’s word speaks: “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?…He…Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully…” (Psalm 24:4).
‘Well, then, that’s impossible! No one can arise to the ‘hill of the LORD!’
And again,I agree. It is impossible…with man that is. That’s why the Great Physician didn’t come for the healthy, but for the sick. That’s why the Good Shepherd came to lead ‘sheep’. That’s why the word reminds us of a truth that brings healing, a truth that brings hope, a truth that restores life, God’s word says, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”(Matthew 19:26).
Even if you ‘don’t believe it all’ if you even have a little faith, even as small as a mustard seed, (which I heard was one of the smallest of seeds,) God tells us through His Son, Jesus who took off His Robe and all His Majesty in heaven to ‘come down’ to the river on earth here for us, “…for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you…” (Matthew 18:20). Can you give an ear to the song in the background? Can you hear the invitation to ‘all’, even ‘all the children of the world, red brown yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight…’ Can you hear the song?
“Oh sinners, let’s go down,let’s go down, come on down. Oh sinners let’s go down, down to the river to pray.”(Alison Krauss, As I Went Down to the River). COME, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! And lift them up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (Psalm 24:7-9).
If you’ve got a closed gate over your heart, ask God to give you the willingness to ‘open the gates!’Give Him your filthy clothes, He will give you His Robe. Give him your eyes, lift them up to His face. He’s giving you a crown.
“Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the king of glory. Selah (Psalm 24:10).
Selah “The Lord says, “You are my servants, I have chosen you, and I have not turned against you. So don’t worry, because I am with you.”Isaiah 41:10.
Selah “Comfort, Comfort my people, speak kindly to the people of Jerusalem. Tell them that their time of warfare is ended…This is a voice of a man who calls out: “Prepare in the desert the way of the Lord. Make the road in the dry lands straight for our God…” Isaiah 40 1-3.
Selah “I will feed my flock and lead them to rest, says the Lord God. I will search for the lost. I will bring back those that were scattered. I will put bandages on those that were hurt. I will make the weak strong…
So I will save my flock. they will not hurt anymore…
Selah “I will break the bars of their captivity.
And I will save them from the power of those who made them slaves. They will not be led captive…again.”
Ezekiel 34:15,16,22,27.
“Who is this King of glory?” “He is ready to rescue. He is ready to resurrect life and beauty and hope. “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the king of glory shall come in…”(Ps. 24:7). And for all who believe and receive, “He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Ps. 24:5).
Yes! He gives us His robe of righteousness and He let’s us follow Him through those everlasting doors where we will be with Him and in fellowship with His people, forever! Amen! “Oh sinners, let’s go down, let’s go down, won’t you come on down? Oh sinners, let’s go down, down to the river to pray…”