Category: Prayer Starters

Posted in Prayer Starters

Making Peace With the Past

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Are you holding on to the past? Maybe you’re so lost in the good memories that you’re missing out on enjoying the present opportunities to make new ones. Or, perhaps there are pieces from your past that haunt you and taunt you – invoking emotions of fear or resentment and regret – or even anger or bitterness. These emotions can stem from past decisions or words spoken or things left undone. They can also stem from things others have said or done to you. Whatever they are and wherever they come from they are not meant for us to dwell on.When writing about making peace with your past, Criswell Freeman said it like this: “Since we can’t change the pains and disappointments of the past, why do so many of us insist upon replaying them over and over again in our minds? … Obviously we can’t change the past. It is what it was and forever will be. The present of course is a different matter. Today is filled with opportunities to live, to love, to work, to play, and to celebrate life.” To the Israelites, God said it like this: “Do not remember the past events, pay no attention to things of old, look, I am about to do something new…” (Isa 43:18)

If we allow the past to take us captive we will miss all of these opportunities. We will get caught up with trying to recreate or undo or find ourselves trembling in fear or seeking revenge. The apostle Paul had many things to regret in his lifetime but he also said he had many reasons to put confidence in his flesh – he describes both in the third chapter of Philippians but concludes with this summation: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained [perfection], instead I am single-minded: forgetting what is behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14). I know of no better way of making peace with my past or not living in past accomplishments or enjoyments than to fix my mind on God and the opportunities He sets before me today in living out His call on my life and the hope of eternity. Concerning the former, Criswell Freeman concluded: “Instead, live in the precious present, where opportunities abound and change is still possible.”

Father, thank you for the reminder this morning that holding onto or living in the past – for whatever reason – only serves to keep my mind distracted from You. The enemy’s goal is to steal and kill and destroy. He knows that if I am distracted from You I will not know Your peace and instead will follow after my own desires or wallow in sorrows or bitterness or anger and regrets. Christ came so that I might have life and have it to the full – but this is only possible when my mind is stayed on You – for in You there is perfect peace. So, help me to not dwell on the past events of my life, or pay attention to the things of old but instead fix my eyes on You – so that I do not miss where you lead or what You do 💜 In Jesus’ Name –



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Why we need to Recharge

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For me this was another perfect starter for the days we are living through. Does anyone remember the song from the 70s called “Pass it on”? “It only takes a spark to get a fire 🔥 going and soon all those around will warm up to its glowing – that’s how it is with Gods love – once you’ve experienced it … you want to pass it on…” can you imagine what would happen if we lived these words of Paul?! How we would be affected and how we would affect the world (believers and non-believers) around us? 🙌 praying for our batteries to be recharged and sparks to fly 🙏😁


Prayer starter by Criswell Freeman – Smith freeman publishing (Prayers to Start Your Day)

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Which Message?

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The Following Prayer Starter is shared from “Prayers to Start Your Day” by Criswell Freeman, Smith Freeman Publishing.

Good morning ☀️ for the sake of peace I almost skipped this particular prayer starter – but seeing how it feeds so perfectly into our current “Know Love” study I am trusting it is meant to be shared. I am praying for openness as you read and an understanding that this is not meant to bash “the media” – not to focus our attention in the media but rather to remind us where our true focus is to be. I believe that media can be, and is often, used for good. However, there is no denying the truth of the statement that it can distort the truth and draw our mind to focus on the world. In this “2020 culture” may our prayer daily echo this mornings starter: “Lord, help us to focus not on the world’s [message], but on the message of Your Son.”


Journey Through the Word
In This World

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Posted on by MaryEllen

Recently, I was blessed to be a part of something different – something life changing – something on the verge of uncomfortable but something so right. Four wonder-filled, worship-filled evenings where God was the focus of our prayers. Prayers were the purpose. Prayers for our city – prayers for the people of our city – prayers for our churches – prayers for the believers of our city and prayers for the lost of our city. Four nights of unifying with a diverse group of believers to approach the throne of the One True Living God, not because Scripture mandated it, not because I was guilted into it or because I wanted to meet a quota, but because God had so moved in my heart to make it a priority. God would have heard me at home in my closet just as surely as He heard me there in that place, but it was so much sweeter for those four evenings to join in prayer with other believers, to worship through song and to hear the testimonies of lives radically changed by God through prayer, and the Word boldly preached.

“Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer that calls me from a world of care and bids me at my Father’s throne – make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief and oft escaped the tempter’s snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.” 

Not all of the conference was comfortable – we were pushed outside of our boxes. Our training, or the standard, in corporate worship even in corporate prayer meetings, is to have someone praying and perhaps music playing in the background – but in the span of these four evenings there were times where we sat praying in perfect silence. In that silence I strained to hear the voice of God – entreating Him to hear me and to lead me in prayer. There were also moments where it was not at all quiet, and instead of one praying many joined in and prayed, a beautiful blend of voices lifting in harmony of hearts for a city and a people in need. Uncomfortable? Maybe. Spirit-filled and Spirit-led? Definitely!  I left there thankful to have been in that place – thankful, but yearning for more – thankful, but realizing God had just moved me towards a deeper prayer life – thankful, but aware that my life will never be the same again.

So now what? 

Now I find myself praying more and more for God to teach me to pray, not just the ABCs of prayer but what He wants – what matters to Him. I don’t just want to know that the Word says to pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion, but I want to understand what that means and then to do it. We are told to approach God’s throne with confidence and boldness – oh, that I might learn to pray with boldness, with a passion that is fueled not by the need alone but by the knowledge of and belief in the God to whom I pray. Prayer is a big gift and God is a big God and to treat either as less than this, I believe, is verging on negligence of my faith and the resource – the divine resource – of God’s Spirit and His invitation to pray. I read a quote once that said “Worship-based prayer seeks the face of God before the hand of God. God’s face is the essence of who He is. God’s hand is the blessing of what He does. God’s face represents His person and presence. God’s hand expresses His provision for needs in our lives. I have learned that if all we ever do is seek God’s hand, we may miss His face: but if we seek His face, He will be glad to open His hand and satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts.” (Daniel Henderson)

I am no longer satisfied to simply seek His hand for the necessities or blessings of the day. I don’t want to be satisfied in just seeking His hand. I want to seek His face – for it is there I will find the relationship I so deeply need and want with Him. It is there my prayers will become worship-based and not seeker-based. Don’t get me wrong – I, like any other person, enjoy the blessings of His hand; but at the end of the day if I have to choose His presence over His blessing, I am learning that I would choose His presence – which in itself is the blessing.