June 28, 2024
“1 ¶ Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, 4 Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. 5 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. 7 At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. 8 They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. 9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth.” (Psalm 104:1-9 NKJV)
Jesus is the Light of the world
before sun, moon and stars
God declared the Light is good
and Jesus limits all darkness
Prayerful question: Do I have faith in the Truth of the Bible and us it as a guide for my prayer?
June 27, 2024
“19 ¶ The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm 103:19-22 NKJV)
The glorious God rules over all
Bless the Lord wondrous angels
Bless the Lord ministering host
Bless the Lord all of Creation
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Prayerful question: Does my prayer bless God who is a blessing to me?
June 26, 2024
“1 ¶ «A Psalm of David.» Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
“6 ¶ The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.” (Psalm 103:1-18 NKJV)
I will bless God eternally
and I bless His holy name
For God has cast all my sin
away from Him eternally
Prayerful question: Does my prayer praise God who eternally forgives?
June 25, 2024
“23 ¶ He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. 24 I said, “O my God, Do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 26 They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed. 27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end. 28 The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You.”” (Psalm 102:23-28 NKJV)
Death is our reality
because of the fall
Death is our punishment
because we are sinners
Death is God’s gift
because Jesus died for us
Death is God’s gift
so we can escape sin
(Can you imagine if we had eaten from the Tree of Life after the fall and would never die but just continue to grow in weakness and sinfulness? I shudder to think!)
Prayerful question: Does my prayer thank God for life and even for the final healing of death?
Father’s Day blues
Father’s Day holds a three-fold shame
Shame of the “father” who left me
Was I not worth staying for?
Shame of the father whose words hurt
He cared enough to adopt me
Shame of the father I was for my kids
I was worse than either was to me
I hate and fear Father’s Day
Forgive me Heavenly Father
June 24, 2024
“12 ¶ But You, O LORD, shall endure forever, And the remembrance of Your name to all generations. 13 You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come. 14 For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, And show favor to her dust. 15 So the nations shall fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Your glory. 16 For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. 17 He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer. 18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. 19 For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the LORD viewed the earth, 20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To release those appointed to death, 21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem, 22 When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.” (Psalm 102:12-22 NKJV)
“Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Remember God has created you
Remember God’s fingers formed you
Remember God longs for you
Remember God sacrificed for you
Remember God died for you
Remember God conquered death for you
Remember – NEVER FORGET – God loves you
Prayerful question: Do I remember and celebrate God’s love for me and everyone else?
Is evil real?
Look at the world around you and know there are different degrees of evil.
There is the absolute evil which calls all that strengthens bad.
There is the evil of fear leading to anger, anger to hatred and hatred to violence.
There is the evil of lust and desire which perverts and destroys relationships.
There is the evil from not standing up for what is correct and right.
The weakness of evil is it is self destructive and will not and cannot overcome true good.
Is evil real? YES!!!
Know God is good and His goodness is eternal while evil is temporary.
Evil cannot hurt God so evil hurts those whom God loves.
Humans cannot fight evil and must seek the power of God to stand for good.
June 23, 2024
“1 ¶ «A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the LORD.» Hear my prayer, O LORD, And let my cry come to You. 2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; Incline Your ear to me; In the day that I call, answer me speedily. 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth. 4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass, So that I forget to eat my bread. 5 Because of the sound of my groaning My bones cling to my skin. 6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. 7 I lie awake, And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. 8 My enemies reproach me all day long, Those who deride me swear an oath against me. 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, And mingled my drink with weeping, 10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; For You have lifted me up and cast me away. 11 My days are like a shadow that lengthens, And I wither away like grass.” (Psalm 102:1-11 NKJV)
I cry out to the Lord, hear my scream
Reveal Yourself in my time of trouble
My body is born to die and I wither
Others reproach and persecute me
Prayerful question: Do I prayer in honesty and reveal myself to the God Who reveals Himself to me?
June 22, 2024
“1 ¶ «A Psalm of David.» I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises. 2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure. 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. 8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.” (Psalm 101:1-8 NKJV)
How can I live a perfect way
Help me hate and despise evil
Help me love mercy and justice
Help me sing praise to the LORD
Prayerful question: Does my prayer cry to the LORD for help in hating evil and loving God and His Way?
(Early followers of Jesus were called People of the Way.)
June 21, 2024
“1 ¶ «A Psalm of Thanksgiving.» Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100:1-5 NKJV)
Sing and shout your thanks to God
Love and serve the Lord in song
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving
And into His courts with praise
Prayerful question: Does my prayer enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and through praise come into His presence?
June 20, 2024
“6 ¶ Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called upon His name; They called upon the LORD, and He answered them. 7 He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; They kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. 8 You answered them, O LORD our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, Though You took vengeance on their deeds. 9 Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the LORD our God is holy.” (Psalm 99:6-9 NKJV)
The glorious God heard those who called on His name
The Lord heard their cries and He spoke His answer
God demands a blood debt for each ones sinful deeds
Cry out to the Lord our God, the God-Who-Forgives
Prayerful question: Does my prayer time reach beyond myself to the glorious God Who holds sin as a blood debt and is the God-Who-Forgives?
June 19, 2024
“1 ¶ The LORD reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! 2 The LORD is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. 3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name—He is holy. 4 The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His footstool—He is holy.” (Psalm 99:1-5 NKJV)
I am in awe of the glorious LORD
The LORD God is above all others
Kings and presidents bow to God
I bow before the holy Lord my God
Prayerful question: Do I recognize the Lord God is a greater source for hope than any earthly ruler?
(Who or what you see as your source of sustenance and protection is your god.)
June 18, 2024
“4 ¶ Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. 5 Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, 6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together 9 before the LORD, For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.” (Ps 98:4-9 NKJV)
Shout joyfully to the LORD
Sing joyfully to the LORD
Roar joyfully to the LORD
God will judge us all fairly
Prayerful question: Do I rejoice in the righteous judgment of God as I pray?
June 17, 2024
“1 ¶ «A Psalm.» Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. 2 The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” (Ps 98:1-3 NKJV)
Sing a new song to God
His works are marvelous
Jesus has defeated death
and all can see salvation
Prayerful question: Is my prayer a new song to God and not a token repetition?
June 16, 2024
“8 ¶ Zion hears and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O LORD. 9 For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. 10 You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.” (Psalm 97:8-12 NKJV)
The glorious God hates evil
I am afraid
The glorious God is just
I rejoice in God
Prayerful question: Does my prayer help me experience the awe of being and talking with the glorious God?
June 15, 2024
“1 ¶ The LORD reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! 2 Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. 3 A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about. 4 His lightnings light the world; The earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory. 7 Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods.” (Psalm 97:1-7 NKJV)
The Living God reigns
rejoice and be glad
God’s always present
see the glorious God
Prayerful question: Am I in awe of being able to talk with the glorious God?
June 14, 2024
“10 ¶ Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.” 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice 13 before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.” (Psalm 96:10-13 NKJV)
The Lord reigns
Creation is safe
Creation praises
The Lord is just
Prayerful question: Do I celebrate the safety of creation even in storms and earthquakes? (These are not acts of God or even natural disasters but are a result of sin.)
June 13, 2024
“1 ¶ Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 4 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. 7 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. 9 Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Psalm 96:1-9 NKJV)
Sing to the Lord a new song
Sing to the Lord all the earth
Sing to the Lord your song
Prayerful question: Do I sing my own song to God as my prayer?
June 12, 2024
“7 ¶ For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 When your fathers tested Me; They tried Me, though they saw My work. 10 For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”” (Psalms 95:7-11 NKJV)
He is my God
God of His pasture
I’m the sheep of His hand
Let me rest in God’s hand
Prayerful question: Do I pray for God to heal those with hardened hearts?
I was watching a TV show and was struck when a character said a person should not be shackled by their family. This sounds wonderful but I believe it is not true. My biological father left when I was a baby and I know nothing about him. To me my mothers family was chaotic and broken.
From my biological father I am shackled with a desire to run when things get tough. Please know I do not judge him as I do not know him or the circumstances when he left. There is an emptiness and shame coming from him leaving that has grown as I grow older. Some have suggested I should try to contact him but to me since he left he should return.
From my mother I am shackled with a fear of intimacy and closeness. Pain and rejection make it difficult for me to share even when I care for and love someone. I remember a desire to lift themselves up by putting others down. This is not a judgment of them but how I experienced my early years.
These shackles extended into other parts of my life and I believed I was left with no choice but to locked away the painful parts of my life. The young man I had to remove from a jet engine, the man cut in half by a jets wing during a storm, the police officer who was shot when I was on shore patrol and I had to perform CPR, seeing a pedophile raping a child and realizing I had been raped and nearly beating him to death and so many others.
I believe you can loosen the shackles but they are part of you even if you do not know them. Another character in the show said they had to guess at a birthday for him because they did not know. He felt he had no true beginning even after he was adopted by a loving family. Only when we accept our shackles can we hope to live a free life.
June 11, 2024
“1 ¶ Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3 For the LORD is the great God, And the great King above all gods. 4 In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. 5 The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” (Psalm 95:1-6 NKJV)
Sing to the Lord
Shout psalms joyfully
He is a great God
He is our Creator
Prayerful question: Does my prayer time include a time of joyfully celebrating God who is our Creator?
Creator God
forming us
gentle touch
loving fingers
LOOK FOR GOD'S FINGERPRINTS IN YOUR LIFE!!!
June 10, 2024
“12 ¶ Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD, And teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked. 14 For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. 15 But judgment will return to righteousness, And all the upright in heart will follow it. 16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 17 Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. 18 If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. 19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. 20 Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? 21 They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood. 22 But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. 23 He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The LORD our God shall cut them off.” (Psalm 94:12-23 NKJV)
God is my rock
God is my defense
God is my help
God is my hope
Prayerful question: During prayer do I “Count my Blessings” which can give me hope to seek help?
June 9, 2024
“1 ¶ O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs—O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. 3 LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? 4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. 5 They break in pieces Your people, O LORD, And afflict Your heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. 7 Yet they say, “The LORD does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand.” 8 Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? 9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? 10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? 11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile.” (Psalm 94:1-11 NKJV)
I am angry God
I crave vengeance
God I beg of You
be my vengeance
Prayerful question: During prayer do I turn my anger, hatred and desire for revenge over to God?
June 8, 2024
“1 ¶ The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. 4 The LORD on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea. 5 Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever.” (Psalm 93:1-5 NKJV)
God reigns
reigns in strength
is everlasting
God is holy
Prayerful question: As I pray do I thank God for what He does and praise God for who He is?
