Posted on 11/09/2006 6:49:58 PM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Psalm 127:1>
At this time, when feelings run high, the world seems crazy, and anger seems to be the one thing the peoples of the world have in common, I invite you, my fellow FReepers, to join me in prayers and meditation for guidance, God's help and for our fellow man, for America, our troops, and all our own needs.
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
William Bradbury
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Psalm 46: 1-3
Bump that.
BTTT
Meditation on Luke 6: 27-36
Breaking the Chains
Black as the night, and blacker than dark
Are the ways of sin that burn through the world,
Hatred and Greed and Pride's banner unfurled,
Coursing so redly like Cain's throbbing mark.
O Lord you have shown me, shown all who would see
What the wages of sin are across the land,
Wages that hunger and ever command
Payment in blood and death and grief and misery.
Each harsh word, each blow, each theft in the night,
Bombs blowing up in unwary market places,
Each lording over another, injustice that races
To breed new darkness and hate to smother the light --
These are creatures of the pit, the dragon's delight,
Brought forth in abundance since Mother Eve's choosing,
Binding us in chains of dark bitter accusing --
Satan wanting to show God we are not worth his sight.
And yet God still loves us, the work of his hands,
And showed us the way to break those dark chains
Long ago it seems now, but his touch still remains
To deliver the hearts of those caught in dark lands.
"Love those who hate you, " his soft words proclaim,
A message that seems overwhelming to do,
Breaking the hate chains of darkness anew
By refusing to pass on by action the same.
By action and prayer and love do not stain
Your soul with the evil passed down from the fall,
This is his answer, this is his call
To those of us who would break dark night's chain.
So hard to do, this call now to love,
So hard for us sin-sick, made out of mud
So hard that he gave his own bright heart's blood
To give us the strength from heaven above
To change the world and let in the light,
Showing there's hope in the sorrow of life,
Showing a way out of sin and of strife,
Showing a way out of the endless night
If we answer the call.
prayer:
Lord, you ask the hardest things sometimes,
to love those who hate us,
to act kindly towards those who wish to harm us,
to bless those who wish us dead.
O Lord, give me the strength
to break the chains of hate
that tie us to sin's blackness,
weighing us down with anger,
and pain,
retaliation,
shame,
breeding darkness from darkness,
grief from grief..
When I see the depths of anger and hate that surrounds us,
I recoil in fear and disgust and disbelief,
for such a thing comes not from above,
no matter how much they do it in the name of God,
or Peace,
or Right,
or Self-determination.
Such things come only from the pit.
Teach me how to be an instrument of your peace
In an era fraught with danger, hate and night.
Touch my hands that they may act in peace
your way, for your reasons.
Touch my lips, that they may say words of blessing
the way you would have it be,
even to those who would harm me.
Touch my heart
That I may learn how to act lovingly
Even when my mind screams out for blood,
Help me to do this because you asked it,
Help me to do this through your help,
Help me to do this for your glory,
This day, and always,
Amen.
BTTT
AMEN
Meditation on Daniel 5:1-31
O see, an unseen hand now writes
Upon life's trembling wall,
Carving letters made of light
To read, for one and all.
Counted, counted, weighed, divided --
The words He writes in warning.
O will you watch them fade away,
Forget ere comes the morning?
The writing is upon the wall,
Counted, weighed, divided --
O will the hand bring you to tears,
When you find out what's decided?
The book of life is in His hands,
Your actions tallied, all
O will you turn and walk away
Or listen to the call?
Counted counted are the cries
That rise to Heaven's door,
Mothers weeping in the night,
Their hearts a-breaking sore,
Hungry children, broken souls,
Forgotten, left to die,
God hears the pain that we let slide,
and marks down every sigh.
Weighed each answer to His call,
weighed each turn away.
Weighed each time we answer yes,
Weighed each quiet nay,
The answers written in His book,
the count made very sure --
The motives noted for each act,
greed or lust, or pure.
The day will come with trembling knees,
when we stand there at his call,
He will look within his book
to judge us one and all.
Each sheep and goat will take their place,
Each stand to left and right,
O will you name be in the place
of darkness or of light?
The writing comes as no surprise,
The Word gives out its warning.
No hidden scripts to puzzle out,
The truth as clear as morning.
Two thousand years God's made it clear,
Two thousand years and more.
O let His words work in your heart,
O open up the door!
(note - this can actually be sung to the tune of Good King Wenceslas)
Rom 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
....
Rom 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
......
Rom 9:23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory--
.......
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
.......
Eph 3:8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
.......
Eph 3:16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
.......
Phi 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Heavenly Father,
Your Word shows me that I am certainly an Heir of Marvelous wealth beyond understanding.
The Riches you have bestowed upon us, Riches of Knowledge of you and Wisdom in Christ; Riches of Kindness and Patience and Mercy toward us; Riches of your Glory in Christ, which strengthens us and to which there is No End of supply.
You have given us every good thing in Jesus.
Psa 34:10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing
.......
Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly
........
Phm 1:6 My prayer is that our fellowship with you as believers will bring about a deeper understanding of every blessing which we have in our life in union with Christ.
Guard and guide us today by your great Power and undeniable Grace and Generosity toward us.
I thank you for your Blessings, seen and unseen, in the Wonderful Name of Jesus.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/i/giheaven.htm
God in heaven hath a treasure, riches none may count or tell;
Hath a deep eternal pleasure, Christ, the Son, He loveth well.
God hath here on earth a treasure, none but He its price may know—
Deep, unfathomable pleasure, Christ revealed in saints below.
Christ, the Light that fills the heavens, shining forth on earth beneath,
Through His Spirit freely given, Light of life ’midst shades of death;
Down from heaven’s unclouded glory God Himself the treasure brought,
Closing thus His love’s sweet story with His sweetest, deepest thought.
God in tongues of fire descending, chosen vessels thus to fill
With the treasure never ending, ever spent—unfailing still.
Still unwasted, undiminished, though the days of dearth wear on,
Store eternally unfinished, fresh, as if but now begun.
Earthen vessels, marred, unsightly, but the treasure as of old,
Fresh from glory, gleaming brightly, heaven’s undimmed, unchanging gold.
God’s own hand the vessel filling from the glory far above,
Longing hearts forever stilling with those riches of His love.
Thus, through earthen vessels only, shining forth in ceaseless grace,
Reaching weary hearts and lonely, beams the light in Jesus’ face.
Vessels worthless, broken, bearing through the hungry ages on,
Riches given with hand unsparing, God’s great gift, His precious Son.
Thus though worn, and tried, and tempted, glorious calling, saint, is thine;
Let the Lord but find thee emptied, living branch in Christ the Vine!
Vessels of the world’s despising, vessels weak, and poor, and base;
Bearing wealth God’s heart is prizing, glory from Christ’s blessèd face.
Oh, to be but emptier, lowlier, mean, unnoticed, and unknown.
And to God a vessel holier, filled with Christ, and Christ alone!
Naught of earth to cloud the glory, naught of self the light to dim.
Telling forth His wondrous story, emptied—to be filled with Him.
--translated, Emma Bevan
BTTT
Amen to the heart-song!
I'm so blessed with these marvelous hymns, scriptures and prayers.How great is our Lord God! I am in a state of deliberate praising. I would call it a sacrifice of Praise..
I have been ill for over 2 months and satan is trying to discourage me.I am claiming the Promises of God for me and my family.
God Bless You ,
Polly
PS... my family needs prayer. One daughters' marriage is breaking up, and both of our adopted daughters' seem to be going back to the sin's of their parents.
I am claiming Jeremiah 31:16-17
"thus saith the Lord;Refrain your voice from weeping; your eyes from shedding tears;For there is a reward for your labor declares the Lord; They shall return from the enemy's land. And there is hope for your future declares the Lord;Your children shall return to their country"
Oh this is just marvelous!!!You are so anointed dear Knitting!
prayers, Pollywog! I've spent more of the last 4 years sick than not, and God has released me from most of it, once in a (felt to me) miraculous way after six months of getting worse and worse...and with a teenager who had deep troubles...and I have made it through this far, by his loving help and kindness.
He holds us up especially when we are powerless.
Thank you dear Knitting. You are a encouragement to me. We have been foster parents to special needs children for 30 years.Several are returning to their parents same sins! We hold them up in prayer constantly. My heart has been so filled with grief and pain. That is why I developed what has been the worse case of shingles. Dr. says they are " imbedded" , what ever that means.
Through this I have learned what real patience is. I am learning more about trusting God. Just taking Him at His Word.
""Whenever this happens, my heart stops—
I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.
Listen to it! Listen to his thunder,
The rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.
He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon,
Lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice,
Powerful and majestic.
He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back.
No one can mistake that voice—
His word thundering so wondrously,
His mighty acts staggering our understanding.
He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!'
And the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
No one can escape the weather—it's there.
And no one can escape from God.
Wild animals take shelter,
Crawling into their dens,
When blizzards roar out of the north
And freezing rain crusts the land.
It's God's breath that forms the ice,
It's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater
And hurls lightning from them every which way.
He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—
Commands them to do what he says all over the world.
Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love,
He makes sure they make their mark." (Job37:1-13)
How Glorious You are, Your Highness, our Awesome Lord! We Celebrate You, we Sing of You, we Offer our Fervent Praise. Our Compassionate One, our Gracious One, Fill us with the Graces of the King. To be Conformed to Thine Image; Please Grant it, is our Fervent Plea. Your Royal Excellency, how we Love You and Cling to Thy Grace. Forgive us, Papa-Father, of All our Iniquities and Sins. In Christ Alone is All our Hope and Trust.
Be Pleased, our Shepherd, to Bless Thy Children from Thy Throne. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be Exalted Forevermore, amen.
I will pray with you for them and you.
Isa 40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
...
2Co 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
2Co 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2Co 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
Dear FATHER, No one knows how to comfort us as you do.
You dispel our grief and trouble and replace them with Hope and Peace and confident Trust in you.
I ask that you would comfort those in need.
We know you will supply everything that is lacking and look over those in trouble and guide them into Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD.
Hear what God the Lord hath spoken,
“O my people, faint and few,
Comfortless, afflicted, broken,
Fair abodes I build for you:
Themes of heartfelt tribulation
Shall no more perplex your ways;
You shall name your walls, Salvation,
And your gates shall all be praise.
“There, like streams that feed the garden,
Pleasures, without end, shall flow,
For the Lord, your faith rewarding,
All His bounty shall bestow;
Still in undisturbed possession
Peace and righteousness shall reign;
Never shall you feel oppression,
Hear the voice of war again.
“Ye no more your suns descending,
Waning moons no more shall see;
But your griefs forever ending,
Find eternal noon in Me:
God shall rise, and shining o’er you,
Change to day the gloom of night;
He, the Lord, shall be your Glory,
God your everlasting Light.”
--William Cowper
I would request prayer tomorrow. I have minor surgery around 11:30 AM CST
Thank you.
Round me falls the night; Savior, be my Light:
Through the hours in darkness shrouded
Let me see Thy face unclouded;
Let Thy glory shine in this heart of mine.
Earthly work is done, earthly sounds are none;
Rest in sleep and silence seeking,
Let my hear Thee softly speaking;
In my spirit’s ear whisper “I am near.”
Darkened now each ray o’er the traveler’s way;
Let me know that Thou hast found me,
Let me feel Thine arms around me,
Sure from every ill Thou wilt guard me still.
Blessèd heavenly Light, shining through earth’s night;
Voice, that oft of love hast told me;
Arms, so strong to clasp and hold me;
Thou Thy watch wilt keep, Savior, o’er my sleep.
Bless you for your fostering. I'm sure those who have strayed will come around.
A friend of mine used to say "in the meantime is *mean* time" - those long hours and days spent waiting for something good to happen.
I don't know what embedded means in regard to shingles, either - just had an outbreak of something that may have been shingles, so I certainly sympathize with the pain. I'm so sorry.
We just have to work harder at keeping the stress levels down - I know, easier said than done.
{{{Huggss}}}
I don't normally ask for prayers, but I could use a few tonight.
I have said a prayer for you.
Father of bp7 through the Glorious Son Jesus our Christ, Best of Fathers Who Always Gives Good to Your Children - "If you ask for bread, will I give you a stone?" - we ask on behalf of this Your child, favor and fortitude, the Guiding Hand to the hand of man, the Wisdom that comes to us from On High, the working together of every single detail this day into Good for our FRiend and Your Precious One, for Glory to Your Name and multitudes arising in Praises, Testimony, Wonder and Love! Because this is Your child, bless, and prosper: Make it all a wonderfilled orchestration of Your Power to Perform, and grant everyone involved the eyes to see Your Hand at Work. O Father! Thank You that we are Your children, and all that pertains to us, to our life, to godliness in Christ Jesus, is ours, contained in Your Precious Promises, and we are welcomed to ask and receive! You give Good Gifts, dearest most magnificent of all Fathers, Father above fathers! We come to present this sibling before You, because of Jesus Christ, Who has glorified Your Name and will indeed bring You Glory Ever, amen.
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