Father, in Jesus' name, quiet my heart and soul before You, the glorious King of all creation. There is so much going on in my heart and mind that makes it hard for me to be still and know that You are God. Help me to be silent in Your holy presence, remove all the distractions, and speak to me.
Open up my ears to hear what Your Spirit is saying to the Church in this hour. Open up my mind to understand Your holy Word. Open up my eyes, Jesus, to see You and Your activity in my life, marriage, family, work, the Church, and in the world. Cause my heart to burn for You while You speak to me along the way. Soften my heart and empower me to live by faith and in obedience. Guide my feet and take me to the places and people that You've prepared me to take the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to. Open my mouth wide and fill it with Your words as You anoint me to speak them to all that You send me to.
I feel so disconnected and disengaged with what is going on in the Church and in the world. I am saddened because, from my perspective (which I admit is limited), the Church does not look or sound much different from the world. We are not being the salt in the earth, lights of the world, or a city on a hill. We have mixed the city of man with the Kingdom of God, worldly philosophies and theories with the Word of God, and science with theology. God, I confess that I know so little about the things of this world whether it be history, current affairs, worldly philosophies/theories, politics, and science. Because Your Word is inexhaustible I know even less about the things that pertain to who You are, Your coming Kingdom, and what You want to say to the Church and the world about both of these things.
God, what I realize is that I do not know much and I do not have the power to change people's hearts (including my own). Yet I do know this that You know all things and You do have the power to change people's hearts. For some reason You have made it Your will for me to partner with You and I avail myself to You for this purpose. Apart from You this is too hard and even impossible. Yet it is neither too hard or impossible for You to use my life to proclaim Your Words and reveal Your Son Jesus. For with You all things are possible.
God, send Your holy presence before me and send me to those who You have anointed and called me to minister Jesus to. Do not allow me to step into things unless You have equipped and prepared me and those that You are sending me to. God, I am asking You to download Your Word upon my heart by Your Holy Spirit in an overflowing measure that out of the abundance of my heart my mouth will speak and life will be lived. May You and You only be glorified for what You do through my life. Jesus, may it be noted, like with Peter and John, that I am an unlearned, ordinary man who has been with You.
Give me a heart like Mary, Martha's sister, to sit at Your feet Jesus and listen to Your Words. May what I hear in secret You use me to live and proclaim out loud without apology, compromise, and reservation. Regardless to where or who You send me let me have one message Jesus Christ and Him crucified. At all times help me do all that I do for You, my audience of One, and not unto men. Help me to realize that everything that I say and do, even the intents and motivations of my heart, are seen by You so that at all times and in all things I have one aim and that is to please You.
God, would You align my heart and will with Yours and above all else cause me to be a man who loves You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Make me a man who loves my neighbor as I love myself, a man who loves my brothers and sisters in Christ as Jesus has loved us. Fill my heart with Your compassion for those who do not know Christ and send me forth in the power of the Holy Spirit to bear witness of Jesus to them. O God help me to walk worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to exhort my brothers and sisters to do likewise.
Jesus, revive my soul and revive Your Church. Use Your Church to bring a spiritual awakening to our neighbors and the nations. Bring a great shaking that causes multitudes to come out of the valley of decision and into the Kingdom of our God. God, I sit and type this with great expectation of the great things that You'll do through Your Church for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen!
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