Archive for the ‘ Prayer ’ Category
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7, ESV
This is what Jesus means first and foremost, that in accordance to His will, when we ask, He wants to and will provide all of our needs.
Just like a good Father, though, God also enjoys giving us more than we expect or deserve.
So, seek Him and ask Him.
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV
God wants to respond to His people. He is about relationships. If we seek Him, we will find Him. This is the first step in changing our world.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV
A grateful heart cannot help but rejoice in all things. Look at the disciples in Acts who thanked God for being worthy to suffer because it was for their Lord. This only becomes possible by continuously being in contact with Him.
Do you have a grateful heart?
Know wisdom more clearly, and learn more from Proverbial Thought!
The prayer today reminds me of Peter’s words in his first letter:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9, ESV
Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which you have given us,
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day.
Amen.Saint Richard of Chichester, 1197-1253
Cry out for wisdom, and get some help from Proverbial Thought.
Life can be hard. The Bible tells us it is the fault of humanity (Genesis 3, Romans 3) and promises it (John 16:33).
It is in John 16:33, and really all of John 14-17, we see the promise of the Holy Spirit and His peace:
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Life may be difficult, but all we need to do is rely on God. He has promised to help those who call on Him!
this life can be so hard
at times i am over whelmed
i find i want to cry
or that i might break down
my God
my God
i feel ready to give up
my strength has all but left me
please take from me this cup
yet i implore You
do not let me control this
though life may be hard for me
i want the character of Jesus
O Lord
O Father
grant some peace in this ordeal
my Daddy and my Lord
Your strength I need to feel
and though i want to quit
for my life feels too surreal
i will press on in Your Spirit
in Whom i am sealed
Increase your wisdom, and get a start at Proverbial Thought!
I will simply let this prayer speak for itself.
The Universal Prayer
Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.
I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end.I praise you as my constant helper, and call on you as my loving protector.
Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me with your mercy,
protect me with your power. I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
my words: to have you for their theme; my actions: to reflect my love for you;
my sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory. I want to do what you ask of me:
in the way you ask, for as long as you ask, because you ask it.Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will,
purify my heart, and make me holy.
Help me to repent of my past sins and to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses and to grow stronger as a Christian.
Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
and see myself as I really am: a pilgrim in this world,
a Christian called to respect and love all those lives I touch,
those in authority over me or those under my authority,
my friends and my enemies.
Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others.
Make me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer, temperate in food and drink, diligent in my work, firm in my good intentions.
Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault, my speech blameless, my life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me, keep your law, and come at last to your salvation.
Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
that my true future is the happiness of heaven,
that life on earth is short, and the life to come eternal.
Help me to prepare for death with a proper fear of judgment,
but a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven.
Grant this through Christ Our Lord. AmenAttributed to Pope Clement XI (1700-1721)
Bestow upon your mind the wisdom of God, and start with Proverbial Thought!
As we continue through prayers of the Saints, today I am taking a slightly different approach. Firstly, the prayer today brought to mind this passage.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:15-23, ESV
Secondly, this prayer is not attributed to any single saint, but as we finish the month of March it feels right to use a Celtic prayer.
Lastly, seeing as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord this weekend (in what is commonly referred to as Easter these days), this is also a fitting prayer.
I am bending my knee
In the eye of the Father who created me,
In the eye of the Son who purchased me,
In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,In friendship and affection.
Through Thine own Anointed One, O God,
Bestow upon us fullness in our need,
Love towards God,
The affection of God,
The smile of God,
The wisdom of God.
The grace of God,
The fear of God,
And the will of God
To do on the world of the Three,
As angels and saints
Do in heaven;Each shade and light,
Each day and night,
Each time in kindness,
Give Thou us Thy Spirit.Eight Century Celtic Prayer
Find understanding to know God, and get a start at Proverbial Thought!
As we continue this series of prayers from the Saints, I could not help but think of Psalm 51:
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
vv. 10-12, ESV
Give me, O Lord,
A steadfast heart
Which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;
An unconquered heart
Which no tribulation can wear out;
An upright heart
Which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.
Bestow upon me also,
O Lord my God,
Understanding to know Thee,
Diligence to seek Thee,
Wisdom to find Thee, and
A faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee;
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
May the wisdom of God instruct you, and may it start with Proverbial Thought!
There is so much in this prayer from all over the Bible that point to God’s attributes and sovereignty!
In honor of his day, here is a prayer from St. Patrick:
May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.
May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.
May the Host of God guard us.
Against the snares of the evil ones.
Against temptations of the worldMay Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!
May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore.
Amen.Patrick (387-461)
Find knowledge and wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
Here is a continuance of a series on prayers of the saints, and this one reminds me of this passage:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9, ESV
Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know,
To love what I ought to love,
To praise what delights thee most,
To value what is precious in thy sight,
To hate what is offensive to thee.
Do not suffer me to judge according to the sight of my eyes,
Nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men;
But to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual,
And above all, always to inquire what is the good pleasure of thy will.Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
a simple man of God 