Currently Listening Facedown By Matt Redman Facedown see related

Praying for Holiness

"Sin wears a cloak of deception.  Therefore, the first stage of attaining holiness involves the exposure of our hearts to truth and the cleansing of our hearts from lies.  This process of becoming holy is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, and the way the Spirit sanctifies us is with the truth.  Once the Spirit breaks the power of deception in our lives, He can break the power of sin[...] for without a love of the truth, no area of our lives can be corrected."

--Francis Frangipane

Lord, may I love your truth and may your Spirit continue refining me.  "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God"--may I see you God and may you continue showing me areas where I have made selfishness an idol.  You saved me Lord, not so that I start living for myself again, but to live for YOU.  Lord have your way with me! 

Currently Reading Ruthless Trust : The Ragamuffin's Path to God By Brennan Manning see related

Trust in the Lord

Currently Reading Dialogues with Silence : Prayers & Drawings By Thomas Merton see related

Always Traveling

Another prayer of Merton:

"In one sense we are always traveling, and traveling as if we did not know where we were going.  In another sense we have already arrived.  We cannot arrive at the perfect possession of God in this life, and that is why we are traveling and in darkness.  But we already possess Him by grace, and therefore, in that sense, we have arrived and are dwelloing in the light.  But oh!  How far have I to go to find You in Whom I have already arrived!"

Who else can relate to this tension...always traveling to draw closer to God even when we don't know exactly where we're going...but in another sense knowing that through Christ we somehow already "arrived" by His grace?  Thoughts?

Currently Reading Dialogues with Silence : Prayers & Drawings By Thomas Merton see related

Withdrawing Love From Things That Have Little Eternal Value

Thomas Merton prays:

"Tribulation detaches us from the things of nothingness in which we spend oursleves and die.  Therefore, tribulation give us life and we love, not out of love for death, but out of love for life.

Let me then withdraw all my love from scattered, vain things--the deisre to be read and praised as a writer, to be a successful teacher praised by my students, or to live at ease in some beautiful place--and let me place everything in Thee, where it will take root and live, instead of being spent in barrenness."

God, may I withdraw my love from things that have no eternal value...the scattered things...especially the things that are for my own selfishness.  When I am captivated by anything that becomes more important than You, I become a fool...and it is sin.  May I take hold of You alone so that I am consumed in Your love.  That is where I want to live.  And Your love is what I want to give.

Currently Reading Life of the Beloved : Spiritual Living in a Secular World By Henri J Nouwen see related

Living in the Fullness of the Father's Blessing

"The movement of God's Spirit is very gentle, very soft-- and hidden.  It does not seek attention.  But that movement is also very persistent, strong and deep.  It changes our hearts radically.  The faithful discipline of prayer reveals to you that you are the blessed one and gives you the power to bless others."

--Henri J. M. Nouwen--

Sometimes it is so hard to hear and believe the Spirit of God when he says that we are blessed.  Instead we listen to the lies of the enemy: "look at our culture, look at the church, look at how you're struggling, look at your sin, look at your appearance, look at your lack of purpose, look at how you are the vicitm, look at how others are treating you, look at how you really are nothing...you're a failure."  How do we embrace the voice of the Spirit that brings blessing and truth rather than curses and lies?  The Heavenly Father voices from heaven a blessing after John the Baptist baptizes Jesus that sustains him throughout his ministry:

"You are my beloved Son, on you my favor rests." 

In the same way, the Holy Spirit speaks to us with words of truth that we are the Father's beloved.  The more time that I spend seeking the Lord, even in silence, I am more aware of the Spirit's gentle voice saying that I too, am beloved...and on me His favor rests.  May I walk and live in the fullness of his blessing so that I may have the power through Him to bless others.