Harmony Presbyterian Church
Prayer for Week of June 26-July 2, 2013
This
Wednesday, June 26
Mark 9 The Message (MSG)
28
After arriving back home, his disciples cornered Jesus and asked, “Why
couldn’t we throw the demon out?”
29
He answered, “There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by
prayer.”
O God, I love to spend time with you in conversation, in prayer, and in
contemplating your self revelation. In your word you have told me more than
I seem able to contain, and in this your world, you inundate me with
experiences and feelings that point to you and tell me truths about you and
my calling as your servant. I ask your forgiveness for all the wasted years
of my life as I took prayer so casual, so “me” oriented, not knowing what a
wonderful gift prayer is. – I know you call me to prayer, you invite me to by
like you demonstrated and take conscious time with you, not just my spare
time. You demonstrate what prayer is, truly powerful and transforming,
thank you for this passage, for it has opened my eyes. I think I finally get it,
Lord, prayer is really a big thing, perhaps the most important thing we do. I
discover in prayer that I can’t do it alone, I can join your actions with my
prayer, but that prayer is more powerful than all our weapons and learnings
for prayer is our connection to your eternal power. O God, help me to
appreciate what our prayer is about – what the power of prayer with you is.
Let me pray expecting and full of faith that others will be healed by you and
that evil will be confounded. I don’t understand fully my role in this, but I
know you want me to pray and that is enough. I am your’s. Amen
Thursday, June 27
Mark 9 The Message (MSG)
30-32
Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know
their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, “The Son
of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God.
They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive.” They didn’t
know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.
O Jesus, I love to do things, to get my hands dirty and be involved and
actually be accomplishing something. I’ve never been an ideal student, finding
school for me was more like prison than joy. So clearly, sitting and learning
has not been my biggest pleasure – loved recess though!. I prefer to just
start and then read the directions if needed. But here you again make me
rethink my ways, for you take time to teach the followers. I really do want
to be where you are, and be part of what you consider important or valuable,
I want to be there too. So even if it’s learning, I hear you, You expect me
learn and to teach others to also be his pupils. It really highlights that
calling to be a Teacher you have given to some to teach and educated the
next generation of Christians. All those who have worked in Christina
Education or Vacation Bible School are great examples of people whose lives
have been well used in sharing about you. thank you for good teachers who
opened my eyes and heart to your I do want to learn, so give me the ability
to sit still and the energy to listen to you that I can grow into your faithful
servant. I hope I don’t overwhelm you with my asking, for I do want to know
– teach me Lord, educate me and give me not only faith you, but also
knowledge and new ways of thinking that I stand for you admirably. Amen.
Friday, June 28.
Mark 9 The Message (MSG)
33
They came to Capernaum. When he was safe at home, he asked them, “What
were you discussing on the road?”
34
The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who
among them was greatest.
You are so gentle, Lord. You are the awesome King of creation, Lord of all
that is, you are powerful and the creative source of all life. We have met
you in love and forgiveness and yet we are still in awe of you, you are
intimate and close yet you have a depth of raw power that makes you risky to
be around, you are not tame.
You hear your disciples arguig, angry,
frustrated with each other, but you, in the midst of conflict, you stay loving
and open to all of your friends and even your enemies. Lord Jesus, take me
on a retret with you and dreveal to me wha I need to know to be a frithull
follower and do great things for your kingdom. I is so frustrating to be
caught doing things embarrassing to you. I want to not do it at all. Lord I
think I am ready for you now. Amen.
Saturday, June 29
Mark 9 The Message (MSG)
35
He sat down and summoSened the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take
the last place. Be the servant of all.”
servant of all? What a hard and humbling call that is – our world rewwrds us
by prizes, promotions, public acclaim, we receive power, rewards and money
for our being slightly better than average. Your kingdom expects us to be
ready to lose everything as we grow up in your love. I pdray you dreveal to
me this great miystery, for I hve found that my stuffs has become much less
valuable to me as I faollow you – for you have changed my way of seeing
what is important – it I the life of your children, the sould of all who have
not found your love yet, all who haven’t heard of you, the children who livein
poverty , illness, and hunger. I pray you just love me, smile on lme and let
me know I am doing ok. I cdrave your love amen.
Sunday, June 30
Mark 9 The Message (Msg)
36-37
He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his
arms, he said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me,
and far more than me—God who sent me.”
It is so t easier to trust you, Jesus, when I see your Love for the little child
– innocent, trusting, caring – children who believe everything you tell them,
who implicitly trust you and step out into life just knowing they are ok
because you said so. Children who are encourage for being who they are nad
are wisely steared away from the world’s steriotypes – children who grow up
to be come like you,Jesus, fully human, capable4 of doning great things. Your
love , your time for the least and weakest is really impdressinve t me. Help
me to be likeyhou, to take time to do what is right and not worry about what
others might sya – just to respond to your spirit and do what is rigeht. Lord,
I love you and that changes how I see ad embracechildren and the weak, the
senior, the outcast – for as you love the child, you love all athe others who
are in need atoo. O jEsus help my life to conform to your life, soI may be
recognized by you as faithful, and I may hug you in my loving of a chled.
Monday, July 1
Mark 9 The Message (Msg)
38
John spoke up, “Teacher, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and
we stopped him because he wasn’t in our group.”
39-41
Jesus wasn’t pleased. “Don’t stop him. No one can use my name to do
something good and powerful, and in the next breath cut me down. If he’s not an
enemy, he’s an ally. Why, anyone by just giving you a cup of water in my name is
on our side. Count on it that God will notice.
O God you see everything and you pay attention. As we do gracious or good
actions in your name, thank you for noticing, we are humbled that you watch
over us. I pray you remove the competitive nature within me that gets
jealous at another getting praise for doing a mighty act, or who does things I
think only my part of the body of Christ should have done. I know there are
differences in the denominations of your church but if we honor you and do
your ministry, help me to give you the credit and not be so small I think only
my group should have had permission to do it. I forget the big goal, to tell
the world the good news. I admit I will also get distracted by the work of
other Christians and find I am critical and nasty when I should be praying
and encouraging. Forgive me, Lord, for I am lost in my sins and I need to be
turned around and started on the path that leads to your kingdom. Let me
be able to work with all who follow you and be loving in your name that your
kingdom may grow and your church thrive. Amen
Tuesday July 2
Mark 9 The Message (Msg)
42
“On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard
time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you
hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone
around your neck.
O Master, you call us your adopted children and you love us as Father. Your
model for us is almost unknown in our world of sin, for we have families that
all dysfunction, children that are abused, neglect and violence mark almost
every child in growing up, and they pass it on. Lord, you love us and you
demonstrate that in how you treat the children. Not only hugs and play, not
only words of love and encouragement, not only boundaries for living that
keep them safe and creative, but you also protect and watch over them. You
teach us how to parent, how to watch out for the lost in our world and you
start it all with love for the child. Lord give us your passion for life, for life
to be as you created it to be. Keep me concerned for justice and hope for all
your children, especially those who have no advocates
See our “Prayer” page on our web site:www.HarmonyPres.com
Scripture quoted from (MSG) “The Message, the Bible in contemporary Language”, translated by
Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 Used by permission of
NavPress Pulishing Group
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