June 6, 2017

Praying for God to empower the church


Kneeling before the Father –
from Whom every family
in heaven and earth
has its true Family Name –
let's pray for God’s great glory
to give us the power to be
strengthened in our spirit
through the Holy Spirit.

Let's pray for Christ to quicken
our hearts with faith,
so our lives will be built
on unshakable love.

And pray for all of God’s people
to be fortified by Christ’s love,
so we can see how wide,
how long, how high, how deep
His Fortress of Love really is.

For Christ’s love is greater
than anything we can know!

And His love fills us with God.

Now to Him Who Is Able
to do far more than we
can ask or imagine,
let's let His power be at work in us,
the Body of Christ, and may we,
as one church, bring glory to God
for ever and ever.


Ephesians 3:14-21 prayer-a-phrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017, using scripture from various translations on Bible Gateway.



May 5, 2017

May the peace of the Lord be with you

Don’t worry!
Be prayerful.

Ask God
for everything
you need, and
thank God,
even as you pray.

And the peace
of the Lord,
which is too great
to understand,
will keep watch
over your heart
and mind
in Christ Jesus.


Philippians 4:6-7 prayer-a-phrased by Mary Sayler, © 2017, using scripture from various translations on Bible Gateway


January 23, 2017

Praying for the media with Psalm 12

As you read Psalm 12, keep the media in mind and prayer. Perhaps our complaints about them and our prayers for them might help them to see the tremendous power they have for good, for healing, and for unity in this country and around the world.

Help, LORD!
Have godly people gone?
Have the faithful disappeared
from the human race?

Who’s lying now? Slick speech
and double-mindedness
make it hard to tell.

LORD, please put a stop to slick talk!
Shut boastful mouths who have said,
“We can say what we like!
Who will stop us?”

LORD, You know how
poor people have been oppressed,
and needy people
from every race and culture
groan.

Help us to stand up for them!
And, please, LORD, provide the help
they’re gasping to get!

Only Your promises
have no self-serving motives.
Your Word is like silver
purified seven times.

You, O LORD, will protect us from all ills.
You will guard us from all jadedness,
even while wickedness struts about,
and people keep lifting up the evils
in the land.



Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017, prayer-a-phrased Psalm 12, using many of the translations found on Bible Gateway.

January 17, 2017

Praying with Psalm 11

LORD, I choose to hide myself in You.

Some might say, “Fly like a bird
to the mountains to escape
the bow and evil arrows
ready to shoot in the dark
the upright in heart.
If our foundations
collapse, then what could
a good person do?”

LORD, from Your holy temple –
from Your holy throne in heaven,
surely Your eyes see! Surely
You lift Your eyelids to see
how people are acting, LORD.
You examine each action, but
Your soul hates wicked ways
and violence.

Someday You’ll rain coals of fire
on all evil and fill the cups
of Your enemies with nothing
but a scorching wind!

You alone are righteous, LORD,
and You love what’s done right.
May decent, honest people
see Your face
everywhere.


Psalm 11 prayer-a-phrased by Mary Sayler, using many of the translations found on Bible Gateway, ©2017.



January 9, 2017

Praying with Psalm 10

LORD, why does it feel like You’re so far away?
Why do I have trouble finding You in my troubles?

I could go on and on about how
wicked ways seem to prosper,
and helpless people get crushed,
but I know You know.


O LORD, arise! Lift Your hand to help!
The wicked think You won’t,
but I know You see and note wrongdoings.
Take them in hand!

Helpless ones commit themselves to You.
Don’t leave us Fatherless!
Break the hold of evil on us, and call
us into account for anything not of You
until You find nothing ill in us.

LORD, be our King forever
for people and nations perish without You.

Hear our desires, O LORD.
Strengthen our hearts.
Incline Your ear to us and do justice
to those who feel oppressed
and Fatherless without You.
Let no one on earth strike us
with terror.


prayer-a-phrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2017



December 13, 2016

Praying Psalm 7


NOTE: The first half of Psalm 7 prays for God’s rescue from adversaries, which, as Christians, we might think of as the nemesis or archenemy of Christ.


O LORD my God, I want to run and hide
inside You!
Save me! Deliver me from ill will
ready to rip my soul apart like a hungry lion,
tearing it to pieces before help arrives.

O LORD my God, if I have done something wrong
or used my hands for a poor purpose –
if I have repaid good will with ill will
or taken something without cause,
then let me be overtaken!
Let my life be trampled to the ground.
Cover my glory in dust.

Arise, O LORD, with wrath
against the fury of the enemy.
Awake and give Your judgment.
Let Your people gather around You.
Rule us from on high.


Psalm 7:1-7, prayer-a-phrased by Mary Sayler, ©2016, after studying scriptures from the many translations found on Bible Gateway

….

December 12, 2016

Praying with Psalm 6

O LORD, please don’t scold me when You’re angry
or discipline me in fury.
Have mercy, LORD, for I am suffering.
Heal my trembling, troubled bones.
Even my soul feels shaky!
O how long, LORD, will this go on?

Turn back to me, LORD, and rescue me
with Your unfailing love.
It’s hard to remember You
when I feel dead inside.
How can I lift Your Name in praise, LORD,
when grave worries weigh me down?

My sighs tire me. My sobs wear me out!
My pillow swabs my face.
Grief blurs my vision.
My eyes ache with distress.

Get away from me, you evil thoughts!

The LORD hears my cries.
The LORD listens!
The LORD answers all my prayers.


prayer-a-phrased by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2016, with scriptures from many translations on Bible Gateway

A joyful prayer of Habakkuk

  Habakkuk 3:17-19   Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and no grapes huddle together on the vines…. Even though olive crop...