I want you, Lord.

 I Want You, Lord

I want You, Lord.

Not as an addition to the life I’ve made,

But as the life itself,for which my life was laid.

Not as a solution to a momentary need,

But as the deepest hunger to which my soul must heed.

I want You more than answers, more than comfort, more than peace,

More than every other blessing that from Your hand may cease.

For if I had ten thousand worlds,and You were not inside,

They would be a hollow desert where my soul could not abide.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you... (Psalm 63:1)

I want Your nearness, not just Your far-off throne.

I want to know by spirit what my flesh has never known.

I want the conversation that begins before my prayer,

The settled,sweet awareness that You are always there.

I want Your "yes," Your "no," Your "wait," Your "go."

I want my will dissolved in Yours,my weakness made Your show.

I want to love what You love,hate what You despise,

To see the world through mercy,through Your own holy eyes.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)

This wanting is a gift—a holy, burning ache,

A grace that pulls me from the shallow to the deep,wide lake.

For You have planted this desire;You will satisfy its call.

In wanting You,I find I have, indeed, my All in All.

So here I am. A wanting heart. A vessel, empty, clean.

Come,Lord Jesus, be my passion, my reality, my dream.

I want You.

Only You.

Forever.

Amen.

Your Presence is all that I want.

 Your Presence

Your presence is all that I want.

Not the gifts You give,though they are good and true,

Not the path You light,though it leads me through.

Not even the answers to the prayers I’ve prayed,

But the One who is Answer,in whose shadow I’m made.

Let the noise of blessing fall to a sacred hush,

The clamor of wanting fade to a single rush

Of knowingYou are here. And in that knowing, rest.

To be fully present in Your presence—this is best.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

In the stillness, You are enough. In the struggle, You are my peace.

In the hunger of my spirit,You are the feast.

When other lights grow dim and other wells run dry,

The constant,shining “enough” is the light in Your eye.

So I still my soul. I quiet every part.

I seek not Your hand,Lord, but Your heart.

For if I haveYou, I have everything I need—

The beginning,the journey, the life, the creed.

Your presence is my portion.

My promise.

My home.

Amen.

---

The One Thing Necessary

This cry echoes the heart of true worship throughout Scripture:

· The Psalmist's Priority: David declared that a single day in God's courts was better than a thousand elsewhere, desiring above all to gaze upon God's beauty (Psalm 84:10, 27:4).

· Mary's Choice: Jesus affirmed Mary, who chose to sit at His feet in His presence, calling it the "good portion" that would not be taken away (Luke 10:42).

· The Promise Fulfilled: God's ultimate promise is not just a place, but His personal presence—"My Presence will go with you" (Exodus 33:14). In Christ, this becomes our reality (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5).

To want God's presence above all else is to align your heart with the greatest treasure and the deepest source of life. It is the fulfillment of every other blessing.

We are the Living Sacrifice.

 We Are the Living Sacrifice

We are the living sacrifice—not slain upon a stone,

But breathing,walking altars, for His glory made His own.

Not a one-time offering of a life now stilled and spent,

But a constant,conscious yielding, a daily, glad assent.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

Here, these hands—no longer clenched in selfish toil or strife,

But lifted,open, ready for the purposes of life.

Let them serve,and build, and comfort, as instruments of grace,

Extending Your own mercy in this time and in this place.

Here, these feet—no longer chasing after emptiness and wind,

But planted on the Rock,and to Your call forever pinned.

Let them walk the path of kindness,let them carry peace and news,

Let them stand upon Your promises,and in Your ways not lose.

Here, this mind—no longer captive to the world’s decaying thought,

But by Your truth renewed,and with Your holy wisdom fraught.

Let it dwell on what is noble,let it ponder what is true,

Let it be transformed completely,shaped and fashioned now by You.

Here, this will—the inner throne where I have fought to reign and reign,

I now surrender fully;come, O Christ, and take the chain.

Let Your will be my desire,let Your pleasure be my food,

Let this living sacrifice be found in You,both holy and renewed.

The fire that falls upon us is the Spirit’s burning zeal,

Not to consume to ashes,but to perfect, cleanse, and seal.

It is the holy flame of love,of purpose, and of praise,

That marks us as His own throughout our ordinary days.

We are the living sacrifice.

Not dead, but fully, freely alive in You.

Our every breath an offering, our every act a prayer.

Take us, break us, fill us, send us—holy, pleasing, Yours.

Amen.

---

The Sacrifice That Is Alive

This declaration transforms the ancient concept of sacrifice:

· The Altar is Alive: In the Old Covenant, sacrifices were killed. In the New, we are called to be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), meaning our entire, ongoing life is the offering.

· The Motivation is Mercy: We offer ourselves not to earn favor, but in view of God's mercy—as a response to the grace already received through Christ.

· The Means is Transformation: This worship happens through the renewal of our minds, aligning our thoughts with God's truth and will (Romans 12:2).

· The Manifestation is Bodily: It involves our physical bodies—our tangible actions, time, and resources—presented to God for His holy use.

To say "we are the living sacrifice" is to acknowledge that true worship is no longer confined to a temple ritual but is the continuous offering of our whole selves in everyday obedience and love.

Build an altar to the Lord.

 Build an Altar to the Lord

Here, on this ground where Your grace has met my need,

Where You provided ram,where You caused the seed

Of promise to take root within my yielded soul,

I will gather uncut stone,and build an altar to the Lord.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord... and offered burnt offerings on it. (Genesis 8:20)

I build it of remembrance, stone on solid stone,

For every mercy You have made so thoroughly known.

This stone for Your deliverance,that stone for daily bread,

This one for healing spoken,that one for what You said.

I build it for surrender, to lay my all upon—

My will,my prized possession, my first and only son.

Not to earn a blessing,but because I’ve heard Your voice,

And in the sacred yielding,my heart finds its rejoicing choice.

I build it for communion, a meeting place of grace,

Where I behold Your glory,and seek but Your face.

Where heaven touches earth again in covenant flame,

And I am never,ever again the same.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

For now the altar is not one of wood and stone alone,

But of a life surrendered,a heart that is Your throne.

My body,mind, and spirit—a living sacrifice,

A holy,pleasing offering, at Your eternal price.

So let this life be an altar, Lord, in every thought and deed,

A testament of worship in each moment’s humble need.

A place where fire falls from heaven,not to consume but to refine,

And where Your steadfast love and glory ever shine.

I build my altar here.

Take my all.

Amen.

---

The Altars of Faith

This call echoes the faithful practice of the patriarchs and prophets,now fulfilled in Christ:

· An Altar of Remembrance: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob built altars to mark encounters with God, creating memorials of His faithfulness (Genesis 12:7, 26:25, 35:7).

· An Altar of Surrender: The ultimate altar was the one Abraham built to obey God's difficult command, a place of ultimate trust where God Himself provided the sacrifice (Genesis 22:9).

· An Altar of Atonement: The Mosaic altar was where blood was shed for sin, pointing toward the final, perfect sacrifice of Christ (Exodus 27:1, Hebrews 13:10).

· A Living Altar: In the New Covenant, the physical altar gives way to the spiritual reality. We ourselves are to be living altars, offering our whole lives as spiritual worship to God (Romans 12:1). Our praises, good works, and shared possessions become sacrifices pleasing to Him (Hebrews 13:15-16).

To "build an altar to the Lord" today is to consciously dedicate a place, a moment, or a domain of your life as a point of total surrender, intimate worship, and lasting memorial to His grace.

God's steadfast loves will never end.

 Your Steadfast Love

Your steadfast love will never end.

Not a fleeting affection,changed by circumstance or day,

But the bedrock of the cosmos,the everlasting way.

It is the cord that binds the stars within their course on high,

And the whisper in the darkness that will not pass me by.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

Higher than my highest thought, it is a boundless sea.

Deeper than my deepest failure,it yet reaches out for me.

It outlasts every rebellion,out-prays my weak despair—

An eternal,fixed horizon, an everlasting prayer.

This is the love that chose a people, bore them on eagle’s wings,

The patient,covenant-keeping heart from which all mercy springs.

It is the fountain of the grace that meets me every morn,

The love for which the Christ was crucified,and crowned with thorn.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

No power in all creation, no depth, no height, no fear,

Can make it falter,diminish, or disappear.

It is the final word over every chapter of my story,

My unshakable foundation,my undeserved glory.

So let my life be an echo of this endless, faithful song,

A testament that this love alone makes the weak heart strong.

From this moment through the ages,when time itself shall cease,

I will rest within the wonder of Your love that never ends—my peace.

Your steadfast love endures forever.

It will never end.

Amen.

God's Mercy renew every Morning.

 Renewed Every Morning

Your mercy, O Lord, is not a well that runs dry,

Not a pardon recalled,not a fading sigh.

It is the dawn’s first light,breaking faithfully through—

Your mercies are new, Lord, every morning, and true.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Yesterday’s failures, yesterday’s fears,

Are met with today’s mercy,that wipes away tears.

The slate is made clean with the rising of sun,

A fresh start bestowed by the Holy One.

It is the daily manna, the bread for the soul,

Enough for this day,making brokenness whole.

Not a future assurance alone,but a present, real grace,

That meets me right here,in this time and this place.

So I greet this new day not with dread of the test,

But with trust in Your mercy,in Your faithfulness blessed.

For Your love never fails,and Your compassions remain—

A covenant promise,through joy and through pain.

Great is Your faithfulness, Lord, to me.

Your mercy, renewed, is my constant plea.

From sunrise to sunrise, my heart will proclaim:

Thank You for mercy, new every morning, in Your holy name.

Amen.

Bless the Labor of my hands.

 Bless the Work of My Hands

Bless the produce of my hands, O Lord.

Not as the world’s reward for frantic skill,

But as the promised yield of serving Your will.

Let my labor be an extension of Your heart,

A faithful,fruitful place where Your grace takes part.

May the seed I plant in trust, in diligence, and in prayer,

Find its growth in sunlight of Your kind and constant care.

Let not my toil be rooted in anxiety or pride,

But in the settled peace that in Your presence does abide.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. (Deuteronomy 28:12)

Bless the work of my mind—the plans, the thoughts, the art.

Bless the work of my strength—each task I play my part.

Bless the gentle work of kindness,the hidden work of grace,

That leaves a trace of heaven in every time and place.

And when the harvest comes—whether measured great or small,

Let me remember,Lord, that You gave the strength for all.

Let the produce of my hands be bread for those in need,

A testimony planted from a trusting,grateful seed.

So, bless the work, the worker, and the field where I must stand,

And let the produce of my hands spring from Your guiding hand.

To Your glory be the gain, to Your purpose be the plan.

Amen.

---

Reflections on This Blessing

This prayer is rooted in the scriptural principle that our work and its fruitfulness are under God's blessing when we walk in obedience and dependence on Him.

· Divine Partnership: The blessing in Deuteronomy 28:12 comes as part of a covenant relationship. It is God who provides the conditions for growth ("rain...in season"), and we are called to faithful labor.

· Purpose Beyond Profit: The "produce" or fruit of our hands is not merely for our own consumption. It is to be a blessing to others and a testament to God's goodness (see also Proverbs 10:16, Ephesians 4:28).

· A Prayer for Sanctified Labor: We ask that our work itself—its process and purpose—would be pleasing to God, not just its final product (Colossians 3:23-24).

This is both a prayer for provision and a prayer of consecration, dedicating our daily work and its results to the Lord's service.

Bless my walk with the Lord.

 A Blessing for Your Walk

May your walk with the Lord be close.

Not a distant following,but a side-by-side companionship,

like Enoch who“walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 5:24)

May you know the conversation,the quiet understanding,

the shared silence between friends.

May your walk be true.

A steady pace on the ancient path.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.”(Micah 6:8)

May justice,mercy, and humility be the footprints you leave behind.

May your walk be upheld.

When the path climbs steeply,or when your strength fails,

may you know the everlasting arms beneath you.(Deuteronomy 33:27)

“Though you stumble, you will not fall,

for the Lord upholds you with his hand.”(Psalm 37:24)

Your walk is not a test of your endurance alone,

but a testament to His sustaining grace.

May your walk be guided.

By the lamp of His Word,(Psalm 119:105)

by the gentle nudge of His Spirit.

May you walk“in the light, as he is in the light,” (1 John 1:7)

where fellowship is deep and every shadow flees.

May your walk be fruitful.

Rooted in Him,the True Vine, (John 15:5)

may your life naturally bear the mark of His presence:

love,joy, peace, patience—the harvest of a life abiding.

May others taste His goodness through you.

May your walk be confident.

Not in your own sense of direction,

but in the faithfulness of your Guide.

“The Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.”(Psalm 121:8)

You are seen.You are known. Your every step matters.

And when the road is long, and the destination unseen,

may you find that the greatest blessing

is not the scenery along the way,

or even the promise of a journey’s end,

but the sacred reality ofWho walks with you.

For He has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

So walk on, beloved.

Walk in grace.

Walk in faith.

Walk in the blessed assurance that you are

utterly accompanied.

May the road rise to meet you with His kindness,

may the wind be at your back with His Spirit’s push,

and may you finish this walk—wherever it leads—

more in love with Him than on the day you began.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

your constant Companions,

Amen.

Holy Spirit, Guide me.

 Holy Spirit, Guide Me

Holy Spirit,

Not as a force,but as the Breath of God—

Guide me.

Be my first and final orientation.

When I am lost in the thicket of my own thoughts,

“Lead me into all truth.”(John 16:13)

When my wisdom reaches its brittle end,

be my“Counselor.” (John 14:26)

Guide my seeing.

Open my eyes to the world as You see it:

the hidden hurt,the quiet grace.

Let me discern not just the surface,

but the spiritual reality beneath.

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”(1 Corinthians 2:10)

Guide my choosing.

At the crossroads of will and obedience,

where self-interest shouts loudest,

speak with that persistent,inner nudge—

the whisper that aligns with the character of Christ.

“I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees.”(Ezekiel 36:27)

Move me.

Guide my praying.

When I do not know what to pray,

when my groans are too deep for words,

“the Spirit himself intercedes for us

with wordless groans.”(Romans 8:26)

Pray Your perfect will through my imperfect heart.

Translate my chaos into communion.

Guide my becoming.

Shape in me the“fruit” that is Your signature:

love,joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Prune what is dead.Nurture what is alive.

Let my life be a living portrait of Your presence.

Guide me into surrender.

For Your guidance is not a tool I wield,

but a current I must trust.

It requires the releasing of the tiller,

the unclenching of my plans.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”(2 Corinthians 3:17)

Guide me into that liberty—the freedom of a child

led by a trusted Father’s hand.

Come, Holy Spirit.

Be the Wind in my sails,

the Fire on my altar,

the Oil in my lamp,

the Seal on my heart.

Guide me today.

Guide me into the next moment,

the next step,the next breath.

Guide me deeper into Jesus.

Until my will echoes Yours,

and my path,however winding,

is unmistakably walked with You.

Amen.

Love of God.

 The Love of God

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade—

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

O, the love of God!

It is higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea.

It is longer than eternity,and it has found me.

It is a pursuing love,a covenant embrace,

That chose me in my brokenness and saved me by His grace.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

It is the love that held Him to the cross, the love that paid the cost,

The love that counts my rebellion as forever dead and lost.

It is the Father running,though I wandered far and wide,

To wrap me in His righteousness,and call me to His side.

Nothing can separate me—not the present or the past,

No height of joy,no depth of grief, no die that fate has cast.

No power of hell,no scheme of man, no angel’s whispered word,

Can sever me from this great love found in Christ my Lord.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

It is a patient love that teaches, a kind love that defends,

A love that never fails me,and never, ever ends.

So let this love be my beginning,my ending, and my song,

My safe and certain dwelling place,my all, my whole life long.

The love of God—

Wider, longer, higher, deeper than the soul can fathom.

My forever story.

Amen.

---

Reflections on Divine Love

This poem touches on the nature of God's love as revealed in Scripture:

· Its Source: It originates entirely in God's own character (1 John 4:8). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

· Its Ultimate Expression**: It is definitively demonstrated at the cross. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

· Its Scope: It is immeasurable (Ephesians 3:18-19) and unbreakable. No created thing can separate the believer from it (Romans 8:38-39).

· Its Effect: This love, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), casts out fear, compels our love for others, and becomes our eternal hope.

To meditate on the love of God is to be anchored in the most secure reality in the universe.

Unlimited Grace

 Unlimited Grace

Unlimited grace.

Not a measured portion,not a carefully rationed tide,

But an ocean without shore,where all my fears subside.

Not a reward for goodness I could never quite attain,

But the free,pursuing love that washes out my stain.

Where sin increased, grace increased all the more. (Romans 5:20)

It is the voice that called me when I had no song to sing.

It is the strength within me when I have no strength to bring.

It is the endless pardon when my failures multiply,

The dawn that greets me after every faithless night.

It outruns my rebellion, it out-loves my doubt,

It digs me out from under every shame I’ve brought about.

It is the gift that keeps on giving,the well that will not dry,

The kindness of the Savior who for my sake chose to die.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Unlimited grace for the moment I am in,

For the hidden,secret battle with the tempter’s voice and din.

Grace for the weary traveler,grace for the stumbling saint,

Grace that says“I love you” when my own heart would complain.

So let me dive headlong into this bottomless, boundless sea,

And find that in its depths is where You’re making me truly free.

No longer counting merits,no longer keeping score,

But resting in the grace that is,and ever shall be, more.

Unlimited grace.

My story.My hope. My eternal place.

Amen.

Ensure us in the Book of Life.

 Written in the Book

Lord, before the world was formed, You knew our name.

Your gaze of love beheld us,in the eternal flame.

And in Your sovereign knowledge,a record You began—

The ledger of the living,the census of Your clan.

The Book of Life.

We ask not from presumption, nor from our works’ account,

But from the crimson fountain of mercy’s endless count.

We plead the righteous credit of Christ,and Christ alone,

The Lamb who was forsaken to claim us as His own.

Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women… whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3)

This is the quiet confidence, the blessed, settled peace:

That from our warring chaos,our faithless, weak decrease,

You transfer us to kingdom,to sonship, and to grace,

And in that holy volume,we find a listing-place.

Ensure us there. Let no accusation stand.

Let every charge be answered by Your nail-pierced hand.

When the enemy recounts our failures,sin, and strife,

Let heaven’s only answer be:“Their name is written in Life.”

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

So hold our names secure, O God, beyond all mortal skill,

Beyond the power of hell to alter or to kill.

Let this assurance steady us through every trial and test,

Until we see the City,and enter into rest.

For the promise is to the overcomer, clothed in white,

Who holds to Christ,the Truth, the Way, the Life, the Light.

We overcome by trusting in the victory He won.

Our life is hid with Christ in God. Our place is with the Son.

Amen.

---

The Assurance of the Book

This prayer touches the heart of eternal security, grounded entirely in God’s grace:

· God's Sovereign Record: Scripture speaks of a "book of life" belonging to the Lamb (Philippians 4:3, Revelation 13:8, 21:27). It symbolizes God's intimate knowledge and gracious choice of His own.

· The Ground of Assurance: Our names are written there not by our merit, but through faith in Christ's finished work. He is the guarantor (Hebrews 7:22).

· The Promise to Hold Fast: The call to the believer is to "hold fast" to Christ in faithful endurance (Revelation 3:5, 21:7). Our perseverance is evidence of the genuine life He has given.

· The Ultimate Confidence: True assurance comes from looking to Christ, our Mediator, who promises that no one can snatch us from His hand (John 10:28-29) and that He will confess our names before the Father.

To pray "ensure us" is to express both our deepest dependence on His keeping power and our active trust in His promise. It is to rest in the finished work of the One who said, "It is finished."

Protect us from Evil.

 Protect Us From Evil

Our Father… deliver us from evil.

Not with a frail and hesitant request,

But with the confidence of children,deeply blessed,

Who know the One they ask is strong to save,

Mighty to rescue from the shadowed grave.

Protect us from the evil that assails without—

The prowling lion’s fury,the enemy’s dark shout.

Be our shield and rampart,our fortress and our tower,

Our hiding place of power in the threatening hour.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

Protect us from the evil that arises from within—

The subtle,silent whisper that beckons us to sin.

Guard the gates of thought,the wellspring of desire;

By Your Holy Spirit,purge the smoldering fire.

Protect us in our going out, our coming in.

On the open road,in the quiet place where dreams begin.

In the clash of conflict,in the lull of peace,

Let Your guardian grace and mighty power never cease.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

For You have overcome. The victory is won.

By the blood of the Lamb,the battle’s fight is done.

We stand now in the triumph of the cross,of love, of grace,

And claim Your covering for our spirit,soul, and pace.

So we ask, our Father, in the name above all names—

Jesus Christ,the Lord, who hell’s own power disarms and maims.

Deliver us. Protect us. Be our sovereign, holy shield.

To You alone,our safety, our future, we now yield.

Amen.

---

The Shield of Faith

This prayer echoes the heart of the Lord’s Prayer and the whole counsel of Scripture on divine protection:

· A Foundational Plea: Jesus taught us to pray explicitly, “Deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13), acknowledging our need for God’s intervention in a fallen world.

· The Nature of Protection: God’s protection is often a matter of strengthening and guarding (2 Thessalonians 3:3) rather than removing all difficulty. It is spiritual armor for the battle (Ephesians 6:10-18).

· The Ground of Our Confidence: Our assurance lies in Christ’s victory. He has “disarmed the powers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15), and “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

· The Scope of the Request: We seek protection for our whole being—from external attacks and internal temptations—and for our entire journey.

To pray this is to actively “take up the shield of faith” (Ephesians 6:16), trusting not in our own vigilance but in the faithful might of our delivering God.

Make us your children.

 Make Us Your Children

Not by our birthright, not by blood or line,

But by Your Spirit’s breath,Your purpose and design.

Not by our merit,but by mercy’s call—

O God,our Father, gather us, and make us Your children all.

Make us Your children.

To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

Unbind us from the orphan’s lonely dread,

The spirit of a slave,in fear and bondage bred.

Break every chain of that old,distant story,

And write us in the family book of glory.

Send forth Your Spirit of adoption, now,

To teach our trembling hearts to speak the word,

To cry with confidence we never knew—

“Abba! Father!”—and to know it’s true.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:14-15)

Let the family likeness settle on our face,

Your eyes of grace within,Your hands of mercy trace

The shape of our living,until all can see

A growing,true resemblance to our Brother, Christ, in me.

And as Your children, heirs with Christ, we stand,

To inherit what our minds can’t understand—

Not just a future glory,but a present, loving hold,

A place within Your house,a story to be told.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

So hold us close, correct us, shape us for Your own.

Let this truth define us:we are known.

No longer strangers,but the daughters and the sons

Of the everlasting Father,the Holy One.

Make us, keep us, seal us as Your children,

Loved, secure, and free.

Our Father.

Amen.

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The Miracle of Adoption

This prayer reflects the heart of the Gospel:

· A Gift, Not a Right: We become children of God not by natural descent or human decision, but by receiving Christ and believing in His name (John 1:12-13).

· The Spirit's Role: The Holy Spirit actively accomplishes this adoption, placing within us the familial cry of "Abba, Father" and confirming our status as heirs (Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4:4-7).

· A Present Reality and Future Hope: We are called God's children now (1 John 3:2). This identity transforms how we live and gives us confident hope for the full revelation of our likeness to Christ when He appears.

To ask God to "make us Your children" is to ask for the fullness of this grace—to be brought from the isolation of sin into the security, intimacy, and inheritance of His family through Jesus Christ.

Bless us to your Holy Ground.

 To Your Holy Ground

Bless us, O Lord, not merely to stand near,

But to cross over,to draw close, to hear

The voice that speaks from the midst of the flame,

To know the weight and the sound of Your name.

Bless us to Your holy ground.

Where the bush burned with You, yet was not consumed,

Where common sight is by Your presence illumed.

Command us here to remove from our feet

The dust of the world,the familiar street—

All casual tread,all our hurry and pride,

For this is a place where the sacred must bide.

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)

Let this ground be Bethel—the house of God, the gate

Where heaven stoops low and our futures await.

A pillow of stone turned to pillar of praise,

A marker of mercy for all of our days.

Let this ground be Horeb—the cleft in the rock,

Where we are hidden while Your glory walks by.

Where after the fire comes the whisper,so clear,

Directing the next step,dissolving all fear.

Bless us to stand, trembling, alive in this space,

Overwhelmed and enveloped by holiness and grace.

Here,let our questions find rest in Your will,

Our ambitions grow quiet,our longings grow still.

For the holy ground is wherever You are.

It is not a location,but the nearing of God.

It is the altar we build when we finally see

That the Lord was in this place,and we did not know—until we.

In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)

So bless us to journey, to seek and to find

The ground made holy to heart and to mind.

And there,as Your temple, Your Spirit-filled place,

We’ll stand on the holy ground ofYour grace.

Amen.

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Stepping Onto Holy Ground

In Scripture, "holy ground" is not just a location, but a revelation of God's nearness and call:

· An Invitation to Encounter: It begins with God's initiative—He reveals Himself and calls us near, as He did with Moses (Exodus 3).

· A Posture of Reverence: It requires a response of humility, reverence, and readiness to be changed ("remove your sandals").

· A Place of Commissioning: Holy ground is often where God reveals His purpose and sends His people out, equipped with a new identity (Exodus 3:10, Genesis 28:15).

· Now in Christ: For the believer, the ultimate "holy ground" is found in Christ Himself. Through Him, we have continual access to God's presence (Hebrews 10:19-22), and we become the dwelling place of God (1 Corinthians 3:16).

May you be blessed with a profound awareness of His nearness, making every place of yieldedness a holy ground for His glory.

Clean hands, Pure Heart.

 Here is a poem on the theme of purity, drawing from the desire for clean hands and a pure heart as expressed in Scripture.

Clean Hands, Pure Heart

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?

Who may stand within His holy place?

The one withclean hands and a pure heart,

Who does not lift the soul to what is base.

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? That one shall receive blessing from the Lord. (Psalm 24:3-5)

Clean hands—from deeds that harm and cheat and lie,

From taking what was never mine to own.

A life of active mercy,reaching low,

By serving,making Your compassion known.

Pure heart—a wellspring guarded, deep within,

From idols subtle,selfishness, and pride.

A single,undivided loyalty,

Where only You,my God, reside.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

I cannot scrub these stains with my own strength,

Nor polish up this heart of stone to shine.

So come,O Refiner’s Fire, burn away

All but Your gold,Your righteousness divine.

For blessed are the pure in heart, for they

Shall see their God.This is the highest prize.

Not just to serve You from a distant place,

But meet the glory shining in Your eyes.

So wash me, Lord. Purge every hidden part.

Let grace accomplish what my striving fails.

That I might dwell with You,and You with me—

A life where clean hands and a pure heart prevails.

Amen.

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Reflections on the Path to Purity

The journey to "clean hands and a pure heart" involves both grace and response:

· A Work of Grace: True purity begins with God's cleansing work through Christ (Hebrews 10:22). We ask Him to create a pure heart in us, as David did (Psalm 51:10).

· A Life of Response: It is also lived out through our choices—turning from wrongdoing ("clean hands") and cultivating an undivided devotion to God ("pure heart").

· The Promise: Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8). This purity is the pathway to deeper intimacy with Him.

May this prayer be your heart's cry, trusting in His power to cleanse and keep you for His glory.

Holy Spirit, Make me a dwelling place.

 Make Me a Dwelling Place

Lord, make me a dwelling place—not made with hands of stone,

But with a yielded spirit,a heart that is Your own.

Not just a visitor’s room where You might briefly stay,

But a settled,permanent home. Lord, come, and do not delay.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Prepare this place. Sweep clean the shadowed, dusty hall.

Where pride has built its towers,let humility stand tall.

Where fear has laid its flooring,let trust be set anew.

Let every hidden chamber be open,Lord, to You.

Let the foundation of my life be Your unchanging Word.

Let the walls be built with worship,in Spirit and in truth heard.

Let the windows be of faith,to see with heaven’s light.

Let the door be love,swung wide, both in the day and night.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

Come, take Your rest here, Holy Spirit, gentle guest.

Be the fire on the hearth,the peace within my breast.

Be the master of this household,the ruler of each thought,

Until this heart—Your dwelling place—with Your own life is wrought.

Let there be no other altar, no idol in any space.

Let every breath be incense in this,Your holy place.

For You have promised:“We will come and make our home with you.”

This is the miracle:the God of glory, dwelling in my dust, so true.

So I surrender every key. I give You every room.

Dissolve the gloom with glory;let Your presence fill and bloom.

Make me a dwelling placewhere heaven’s joy is known—

A living temple,for Your glory alone.

Amen.

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This prayer echoes scriptural truth:

· God Desires to Dwell: From the Tabernacle to the incarnation, God's desire has always been to dwell with His people (Exodus 25:8, John 1:14, Revelation 21:3).

· We Are His Temple: Through Christ, believers individually and collectively become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 2:22).

· A Prepared Place: This dwelling requires our active surrender and sanctification, making room for His lordship (2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 3:17).

To pray this is to offer every part of your life—mind, heart, will, and body—as a sacred space for His presence to rule, rest, and radiate.

God, I seek your face.

 I Seek Your Face

God, I seek Your face.

Not just Your hand,to know the gifts You give,

Not just Your will,to know the way to live,

ButYou—the source, the wellspring, and the end.

My soul’s one true desire,my everlasting Friend.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. (Psalm 27:8)

I turn from every distraction, every counterfeit of light,

From the noisy claims of daytime and the whispers of the night.

I still my soul and listen;I lift my eyes above.

I seek the radiant glory of Your everlasting love.

This is not a fleeting glance, a hurried, passing prayer,

But a staying,deep abiding, a releasing of all care.

To seek Your face is to be changed,unveiled before Your gaze,

Transformed from fading glory into everlasting praise.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:8)

Let me find You, God, in the quiet of this hour.

Let me know Your presence,Your nearness, and Your power.

Let my seeking be my finding,my prayer be my home.

Let my restless heart find rest in You,and You alone.

I seek Your face, Lord.

The face of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

The brightness of Your glory, the expression of Your grace.

In seeking, I am found.

In looking, I see love.

Amen.

To seek God's face means to earnestly pursue His manifest presence, His character, and His intimate companionship—to know Him, not just about Him. Scripture promises that "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). This holy pursuit is answered through prayer, worship, and attentiveness to His Spirit and His Word.

Encounter with the Holy Spirit.

 Encounter

Not with a spectacle of earthquake, wind, or flame—

though He is the essence of all from which these came—

but with a whisper that rearranges the soul’s deep grain,

a gentle pressure,a soft, insistent rain.

An encounter with the Holy Spirit.

It is the breath that hovered over creation’s deep,

the promise of the Father,a vow He swore to keep.

It is the rushing wind that filled the waiting room,

the tongue of fire dispelling every gloom.

And suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2)

He comes as Comforter—the Paraclete—to stand

beside us in the trial,to hold our trembling hand.

AsTeacher, bringing back to mind all Christ has said,

illuminating Truth,the Living Bread.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)

He is the seal, the guarantee, the down-payment divine,

marking us as God’s own,a sacred sign.

He is theriver flowing from the inner-most part,

flooding arid places of the doubting heart.

He convicts—not to shame, but to liberate and free,

unmasking hidden sickness for the Healer’s remedy.

Heprays within us with deep, wordless sighs,

when our own strength fails and our own language dies.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26)

This encounter changes everything. It turns the “ought” to “is,”

exchanges duty’s burden for the joy that’s truly His.

It turns the timid follower to a witness,bold and clear,

and makes the love of God an atmosphere.

So come, Holy Spirit. Not as a fleeting guest,

but as the Sovereign Lord of this,my yielded breast.

Breathe,fire, flow, teach, and intercede.

In this encounter,meet my deepest need.

Encounter me.

I am present.I am still.

Have Your way.Accomplish all Your will.

Amen.

Revival: Presence of God.

 The Presence of God

Not a distant force, a theory, or a clouded space,

But the very atmosphere of being,filled with grace.

Not a“somewhere out there,” but a “here and now within,”

The place where true existence and true healing both begin.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7)

Your presence is the fullness—joy’s unshakable domain.

It is the end of searching,the ceasing of all strain.

It is the fire that guided through the desert’s deepest night,

The whisper in the silence that turns terror to delight.

Your presence is the promise: “I will never leave your side.”

The rock-foundation certainty where trembling hearts abide.

It is the glory-cloud that filled the temple’s holy room,

And now,the living temple of a heart that breaks the tomb.

“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

For in the mystery of mercy, by the work the cross achieved,

The unapproachable Light drew near,and we by faith received

Not just a visitation,but a permanent, indwelling Lord—

The Spirit of God Himself,our life, our crown, our cord.

So let my life be lived here, in this conscious, waking rest,

As one profoundly known,and held, and chosen, and possessed.

Let every breath acknowledge what Your word has made so clear:

The greatest of all blessings is thatYou are present here.

Holy, holy, holy—the whole earth is full of Your glory.

Amen.