An Evening Prayer

If I have wounded any soul today,

If I have caused one foot to go astray,
If I have walked in my own willful way,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have uttered idle words or vain,
If I have turned aside from want or pain,
Lest I myself shall suffer through the strain,
Dear Lord, forgive!

If I have been perverse or hard, or cold,
If I have longed for shelter in Thy fold,
When Thou hast given me some fort to hold,
Dear Lord, forgive!

Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee;
Forgive the secret sins I do not see;
O guide me, love me and my keeper be,
Dear Lord, Amen.

~ Unknown

Far from Perfection...Close to His Mercy

I've been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction 

that I had nowhere else to go.

Abraham Lincoln

Thank you Father that You let me fall...in front of You, in front of all.                                                         

Thank You Lord for leaving me there...when I was down and clothed in shame.  For it was there that I saw my brothers and sisters...and there that I felt their pain.                                                                               

Thank you Jesus that it was there you humbled me...Once again, I will never be the same. Your blood so close, it was on my hands. In my own deep wounds, I could feel Your pain.                                                 

Thank you Jesus that now I understand...that however far I fall, I cannot hide. For at the lowest, with the lowly, amongst the lost and hurting...You do reside.                                                                                     

Thank you Father that You allowed me to see...temptation and sin be not far from me.                               

Thank you Father that You have revealed...the pain and darkness I could not conceal.                             

Thank you Father that You have taught...that to think I'm so far removed from a sinner's walk, is to think more highly of myself, than I ought.                                                                                                          

Thank you Father for showing me...I am never so far from you as when I was sure, "It can't happen to me! For I've grasped so much infinite knowledge, my faith is strong, my reputation secure...my walk so close to perfection and my heart so close to pure!"                                                                                                 

Thank you Father that Your Word says...it's not the healthy that need a doctor, and it's the sick that You came to make well. Thank you Jesus that you have now blessed me...with a truer knowledge of where You dwell.                                                 

Thank you Jesus that now I see You...in eyes of blue, brown, green and hazel...in faces young and old, weathered and worn...in lives not pretty, not at all perfect; but lives broken, shattered and torn.        

Thank You Jesus for reminding me of who You are and why You came...So that in my need for Your mercy and forgiveness, around my story You could put the frame. A tale of blood, at my own hands, shed by Your Son to give me life...My hopeless state now cleansed by the power of redemption, thy "Crown of Glory" shining bright.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,  so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us.                                 Psalm 103:11-12

Gina Higgins

Set up a Standard, LORD

flickr.com/photos/ roxym/234029734/

So shall they fear 
      The name of the LORD from the west, 
      And His glory from the rising of the sun; 
      When the enemy comes in like a flood, 
      The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59:19

Thus says the Lord GOD: 

     “ Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, 
      And set up My standard for the peoples; 
      They shall bring your sons in their arms, 

      And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; . 

Isaiah 49:22

Father God,

Convict us if we think being a Christian is easy...because it is often very difficult actually, when we are trying to walk out Your word.  Help us see that our reactions versus Spirit-led obedience are never justified...show us where we've gone wrong and turned from You. Remind us that it is never too late to make something right. Heal us from our backslidings LORD, and set up a standard LORD in every area of generational sin and the cyles and habits that go on repeating themselves to our detriment. Force us to look at the things our pride would rather deny than bring to the foot of the cross. May we see that our own denial, avoidance and superficial tending to things requiring deeper attention are the very things that keep our healing "slight" and the circular pattern locked.

We are betrayed...and we betray.

We are wounded...and we wound.

We are treated insensitively...and we are insensitive.

We are judged...and we judge.

We are rejected...and we reject.

We are gossiped about...and we gossip.

We are excluded...and we exclude.

We are treated unkindly...and we are unkind.

We are taken advantage of...and we take advantage.

We are slandered...and we slander.

We are treated with impatience...and we are impatient.

We are served bitterness...and we serve bitterness.

We are ignored...and we ignore.

May we not deny our feelings but acknowledge them and come to You for truth, healing and comfort so that we can break free of the cycles that enslave us.  May we see that the key that unlocks our chains and interrupts the pattern is Your unchained Word. May we be willing to admit and bring our pain to You.

Set up a standard LORD so that we do not continue in and lead others into captivity based on our own wounded-ness, but so that we will able to respond in ways that the chains that go 'round and 'round our feet, hands and neck - are broken, and we are able to move out of vicious cycles of pain and forward freely into Your places of promise.  

 

 Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.
      Sit in a place of honor.
   Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,
      O captive daughter of Zion.

Isaiah 52:2

So that,

when we are betrayed...we choose to be loyal.

when we are wounded...we comfort and heal.

when we are treated insensitively...we ooze compassion.

when we are judged...we love without condemnation.

when we are rejected...we live with open doors and open hearts.

when we are gossiped about...we protect each other's reputations.

when we are excluded...we become thankful and even more secure in You.

when we are treated unkindly...we lavish love.

when we are taken advantage of...we become known for our integrity.

when we are slandered...we edify and encourage.

when we are rushed...we are careful to be patient.

when we are served bitterness...we serve joy to overflowing.

when we are ignored...acknowledge another's significance and worth.

What a difference it makes to look into Your face LORD, when in looking to

one another's we can only see our own pain reflected back...but when we

look to You, we see peace and a better, higher way...a way that has already been

paved and wrought with the precious blood, sweat and tears of Jesus...a way that

leads us into the everlasting...healing our wounds and calming our fears.

Thank you for setting up a standard LORD and thank you for the gift of salvation.

Open our eyes to see how often we break Your heart when all You want to do is heal ours.

"Stop! In the name of love...

Before you break my heart...

Think it over."

Lyrics from The Supremes

2009 "Shining Truth"

But also I am writing a new command to you, and you can see its truth in Jesus and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

John 1 2:8

Truth that shines is illuminated truth.

Truth that is illuminated has been touched by the light and revealed.

 

And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
      A morning without clouds, 
      Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, 
      By clear shining after rain.’

2nd Samuel 23

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend^[a] it.

John 1:4-5

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,
      That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. 

Proverbs 4:18

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works

and glorify your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Arise, shine for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD, is

risen upon you." Isaiah 60:1

He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 

Revelation 1:16

Father God, 

May this new year be one of "shining truth." May we commit to seek Your "shining truth" in all things - this year and always.  May those of us that see...be blinded...and those that have been blind, gain sight. May Your Truth, that has become flesh and walked among us... lead us in a way we haven't gone before...a path where we lean not on our own understanding but completely and fully on the Light of the World to illuminate the way. May the Jesus that shines forth through us, blind others to "us"...to our person...obscurring "us"...but radiating and illuminating Him. May we not hesitate to follow and to put our trust in You LORD, for Your glory is risen upon us and the true light is already shining.  Thank you for these present tense promises and Your "shining truth", LORD. Thank you for Your Son, Jesus. It is in His Name, we pray.  Amen.

 

Praise for the Small Things

    

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

Hebrews 13:15 AMP

The world's greatest gift was delivered in a little package - a baby. God loves to use small things and improbably small situations to speak BIG.  He used David against Goliath and He often uses the situations we've almost taken for granted to make a huge point. 

This week my son had basketball try-outs and I offered and he asked for prayer - at least 6 times.  It was when he asked if I could pray for him and his friend and then I turned to find them both down on bended knee...that I noticed His great power at work in the "small" moment.  When I got in the car this morning, wincing from stiffness in my body, this same "small" person put his hand on my shoulder and said, "LORD, please make mom's shoulder feel better. In Jesus' name, Amen" it was all I could do to see and drive at the same time, as tears of thankfulness and the realization of God's speaking BIG flooded in.

Please join me in making a different kind of Christmas list...a "Praise List" of God speaking in the small things. May the words of our testimony speak BIG and glorify His name! (Send your praise to gdhiggins@gvtc.com and I will gladly post it.) Merry Christmas!

Praise List for the Small Things That Speak BIG!

* Thank you LORD for showing me that my youngest child is already a BIG prayer warrior in Your kingdom. Gina Higgins

*Thank you LORD, that when I was discouraged this week, you sent the perfect antidote at the perfect time. Your love is humbling...and HUGE! Sonia Roper

*Thank you Lord for the small changes my husband made this week, that spoke HUGELY to my heart, without me even saying a word to him and instead bringing the issues to You. That's exciting! AB

*Thank you so much LORD for people, and friends that listen to Your Holy Spirit when you tell them to call and spend time with someone, like someone did for my daughter today.  It may seem like a small thing, but to those who are lonely and hurting it is HUGE!!! Andrea Baine

Our Gift This Year: Open and Broken

Photo courtesy of sharemycraft.hgtv.com 

Let's face it - we all fall short, all the time.  But are we waiting, as if we were in airport security, for the "sin" wand to beep incrementally louder and louder until everyone is looking... before we actually admit it and open up our hearts?  Are we confessing that it was us?  Or are we lumping our sins in with the collective offering and sliding through airport security undetected; our unconfessed sin in someone else's "personal items" bowl?

Only the sin that is confessed and laid at the foot of the cross can be touched by the atoning blood of Christ.  Our confession, releases His power and His power releases us from the wage of sin that is, "death."

We know God wants our sin revealed so that we may be healed.  He wants it out in the open and our natural man broken in order that we might be desperate enough to repent, and humbled enough, to receive. For He longs to forgive us. He longs to redeem us from the pit, so that we might know He is God.

Can we ever gaze upon the cross without "confoundedness and shame?"  Think about Christ...the one without sin, out in the open and broken. A Savior altruistically loving us into an eternity...our freedom bought by what only the wage of our sin could pay.

 Just as Christ was open and broken before the world, we must be "open and broken" over our sin.  Without it, we cannot repent of our wrongdoings...and if we cannot repent (because we are not sorrowful enough for all of our dealings not leading to righteousness) then we cannot receive "the Greatest Gift the world has ever known." 

Praying we will all receive Him anew this season as we celebrate how

"He so loved the world..."

"O Come Let Us Adore Him"...Thank You Father that You love us unconditionally so that we never need suffer shame but can come to Your throne of grace unhindered and with repentant hearts that are soft and ready to receive Your forgiveness.  Please accept our gift this year of our open hearts and broken, surrendered selves  in order that Your love and Kingdom power be further released into our lives and the world. In Your Son's Precious Name We Pray, Amen.

FRIDAYS AT TEN: A Community at Prayer

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Colossians 4:2

Scripture Readings:

Gal. 5:15-26

Zephaniah 3:9-17

Heb. 12:25-27

1st Chronicles 14:8-17

Isaiah 60:1-9

Words Given:

*In a plowing season

*Pray for breakthrough, protection, provision

*Stand!

"Power of Prayer" Testimony:

We prayed that the wedding Steve Craig was officiating at would be an evangelistic tool for God.

A man came up to him at the wedding and asked him, "should John 3:16 mean something to me?" 

Prayers:

 Arise, shine;

      For your light has come! 
      And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 
      Isaiah 60:1

A predominant theme this past week was children and so we lifted up our children,

parents, schools, leaders, churches and nation for God's hedge of protection to

be around all the places we frequent and for their to be less of us and more of 

God...all the time.  

Join us every Friday at 10 a.m. in the Crossroads Building (the first Friday of the

month is specifically dedicated to our community's children.)  

May God Bless You this Thanksgiving.

The "B" in Butterfly is for...Becoming

I pray, we, as parents would have the grace and guidance from the Father that when we look at our children, we won't see them as their sin.  Not that we don't discipline or correct them, but that we would realize that He is continually working and creating in their lives even when we only see ugliness or things we don't like (worms); that we would look beyond that and see them as He sees them; beautiful, colorful butterflies that are delightful to the eye. Being someone who has experienced firsthand, the devastation that a child's sin and rebellion can bring upon a family, I can honestly say that the Father speaks beautifully to the heart of a mother who is feeling as if she is in the pit because of what her child has done.  Only the Father can glue a mother's broken heart back together making it more loving and compassionate than it ever was before.  Only the Father can show the birthing and hope of His new creation in Christ through a parable of butterflies and caterpillars.  Not just stories that have somehow made their way to me, but solid, tangible living creatures in my own backyard.  He gives me reminders of this every day and calms my soul with lovely strokes of colorful flutterings.  When I see a butterfly it takes my breath away, it is such a reminder to me of what my child is "becoming" through this time of struggling in her cocoon (sin).  Only a loving, merciful Father would be kind enough to sustain me that way.  I pray that you also will allow Him to show you butterflies and that you would not focus on the worms!

~ Andrea Bain