Sweet Hour of Prayer

God's Warrior · Sweet Hour of Prayer

An Aging Christian's Prayer and Assorted Other Prayers

DEAR LORD:

The days and years have sped so rapidly by, and now I find that not only am I no longer young. I'm past the years called middle age.

I also find that as I continue to grow older, I truly need Your help and stamina to keep me close to Your house of prayer. The Devil would have me think of my aching bones and worn muscles.

It is true that at times I am unable to get out to church, although You know, Lord, how much I really want to come. Yet, I pray that I may not give in to Satan by using my minor aches and pains as excuses to stay home from worship on Sunday and Wednesday nights, opting to follow the easy way by watching TV.

Lord, as I near heaven's gate, may I be found more and more in prayer. Satan would try to deter me by whispering that I have prayed enough down through the years, and that since I am old, I do not need to spend as much time in that exercise. May I always remember that the Devil is a liar.

Lord, help me also with my Bible reading. You know how Satan tries to make us think that the stories recorded in Your Word are "old hat" by now. I have gone over them time and time again, but I know better than to believe I have learned everything there is to know about them. Take me back to the Book with a new zeal and a renewed ardor.

Help me to keep on serving by being faithful in my Sunday school class, by attending the monthly mission service downtown, by helping in the convalescent home outreach, by writing notes of cheer to others, by keeping myself joyfully active rather than becoming mousy and withdrawn, by being young at heart--even when my body tells me that old age is slowing me down.

Lord, the baits of Satan are a bit different for me now than they were when I was younger. I am no longer tempted by lustful pastimes or superficial pleasures. Yet I am tempted to boredom, even to monotony, and this spills over into my spiritual life.

Can I dare forget that it is still more blessed to give than to receive? Or that giving can be merely a cup of cold water in His name--a smile, a handshake, a call, a greeting card, a right attitude, an encouraging word, a pat on a child's shoulder, an uplifting word to a teenager, an intercessory prayer. There is still a great deal that I can do of worth.

Lord, my hands are not pretty like they used to be. They are not smooth and muscled like they once were. But they still can clasp another hand in Christ's love. They can make a pie for someone else. They can pick up a phone to call another person with the note of Christ's love and encouragement.

Lord, my mind is not always as alert as it once was. But it still recalls past answers to prayer, the wonderful services I have experienced, the memories of bodily healings and spiritual touches from heaven. So remind me to share my faith in Christ with those who are younger. Help me to encourage and lift those who are starting out on the Christian walk.

Lord, I see the teens and remember when I was young. But don't let me pass the youth by, myself contributing to the generation gap. Instead, help me to put my arm around their shoulders, to whisper in their ears that I am praying for them. It is easy to be critical. But, Lord, I want to love them.

Lord, I need You now as much as I've ever needed You. I am growing older. In the short time still allotted to me on earth, please make me more and more like You!

Author Unknown

God's Warrior

A Fisherman's Prayer

I pray that I may live to fish.......
Until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast,
I then most humbly pray:
When in the Lord's great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged
Big enough to keep.

God's Warrior · A Physician's Prayer

A Physician's Prayer

Lord, Thou Great Physician, I kneel before Thee.

Since every good and perfect gift must come from Thee:

I Pray Give skill to my hand, clear vision to my mind, kindness and sympathy to my heart.

Give me singleness of purpose, strength to lift at least
a part of the burden of my suffering fellow men,
and a true realization of the rare privilege that is
mine.

Take from my heart all guile and worldliness,
that with the simple faith of a child I may rely on Thee.

God's Warrior · VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

May the Lord open up the windows of heaven and pour you a blessing
that you will not have room enough to receive it all.

May the Lord bless you exceedingly and abundantly, above all you could ever hope for the rest of your days in the name of Jesus.

Amen!

God's Warrior · Sweet Hour of Prayer

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Dear God, much too often we seek you in prayer,
Because we are wallowing in our own self-despair,
We make every word we lamentingly speak,
An imperative plea for whatever we seek.

We pray for ourselves and so seldom for others,
We're concerned with our problems and not with our brothers.
We seem to forget that the Sweet Hour of Prayer
Is not for self seeking, but to place in your care,
All the lost souls unloved and unknown
And to keep praying for them until they're your own.

For it's not enough to seek God in prayer,
With no thought of others who are lost in despair.
So teach us, that the power of prayer
Is made stronger by placing the world in your care.

Author unknown

God's Warrior · A Prayer

This day, I pray, God give me strength anew
To do the task I do not want to do,
To yield obedience, not asking why,
To love and own the truth and scorn the lie.
To look a cold world bravely in the face,
To cheer for those who pass me in the race,
To bear my burdens daily, unafraid.
To lend a hand to those who need my aid,
To measure what I am by what I give-
God, give me strength that I may rightly live.
Arthur Guiterman

God's Warrior · A Final Prayer

When my life has reached its very end,
And I take that final breath;
I want to know I've left behind
Some "good" before my death.

I hope that in my final hour
In all honesty I can say;
That somewhere in my lifetime,
I have brightened someone's day.

That maybe I have brought a smile
To someone else's face...
And made one moment a little sweeter
While they dwelled here in this place.

Lord, please be my reminder
And whisper softly in my ear,
To be a "giver", not a "taker",
In the years I have left here.

Give to me the strength I need
Open up my mind, my soul,
That I might show sincere compassion
And love to others before I go.

For if not a heart be touched by me,
And not a smile was left behind,
Then the life that I am blessed with
Will have been a waste of time.

With all my heart, I truly hope
To leave something here on earth...
That touched another, made them smile
And gave to my life, worth.

God's Warrior · VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

May the Lord open up the windows of heaven and pour you a blessing
that you will not have room enough to receive it all.

May the Lord bless you exceedingly and abundantly, above all you could ever hope for the rest of your days in the name of Jesus.

Amen!

God's Warrior · A Prayer

A Prayer
Arthur Guiterman

This day, I pray, God give me strength anew
To do the task I do not want to do,
To yield obedience, not asking why,
To love and own the truth and scorn the lie.
To look a cold world bravely in the face,
To cheer for those who pass me in the race,
To bear my burdens daily, unafraid.
To lend a hand to those who need my aid,
To measure what I am by what I give-
God, give me strength that I may rightly live.

God's Warrior · Blessings

Blessings

I knelt to pray when day was done
And prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone,
Lift from each saddened heart the pain
And let the sick be well again."

And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way,
The whole day long I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.

I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road.
I did not even go to see
The sick man just next door to me.

Yet once again when day was done
I prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone."
But as I prayed, into my ear
there came a voice that whispered clear,

"Pause now, my son, before you pray.
Whom have you tried to bless today?
God's sweetest blessing always go
by hands that serve him here below."

And then I hid my face and cried,
"Forgive me, God, I have not tried,
But let me live another day
and I will live the way I pray."
Unknown

God's Warrior · Thank You, God, for a Hundred Things

Thank You, God, for a Hundred Things

Thank you, God, for a hundred things
For the flower that blooms, for the bird that sings,
For the sun that shines,
And the rain that drops,
For ice cream and raisins and lollipops.

Thank you, God, for the gift of time
For the clocks that tick, and the bells that chime,
For days gone by,
For my boss and co-workers, for future cheers,
And seasons, and moments, for hours and years.

Thanks for the people who give life pizzazz
For folks who play sports, those who write and play jazz,
For friends and for families,
For folks of all races,
For hands that give help and for bright smiling faces.

Thanks for the planet you give as our safe home
For the sky with its clouds, for the oceans' white foam,
For the creatures and critters,
The lakes, falls and fountains,
For hills and for valleys, for canyons and mountains.

Thank you, God, for the gift of your Son
For the love Jesus shared, for the battle He won
Over death, for the promise
That He would be near
To lead and to guide and to hold us so dear.

Thank you, God, for a hundred things
For autumn and pumpkins, for dragonfly wings,
For Thanksgiving dinners,
For sea sides and shore,
For a hundred things, and a thousand things more.

Author Unknown

God's Warrior

No Time
Author unknown

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.....

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"

God's Warrior · Prayer

Prayer
James Montgomery - 1818

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear.
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice
And cry, "Behold, he prays!"

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
Our watchword at the gates of death;
We enter heaven with prayer.

The saints in prayer appear as one
In word and deed and mind,
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.

Nor prayer is made by man alone,
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus on the eternal throne
For sinners intercedes.

O Thou, by Whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way;
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

God's Warrior

Wings of A Prayer
Helen Steiner Rice

Just close your eyes
and open your heart
And feel your worries
and cares depart...
Just yield yourself
to the Father above
And let Him hold you
secure in His love,

For He hears every prayer
and answers each one
When we pray in His name,
"Thy will be done" --
And the burdens that seemed
too heavy to bear
are lifted away
on the wings of prayer

God's Warrior

Wait...My Child
Author Unknown

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait!"

"Wait?, you say, wait!" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is Your hand shortened? Or have You not heard?
By faith I have asked, and am claiming Your Word."

"My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and You tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign."

"And Lord, You promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, as we shall receive.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine,
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.
All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want...but, you wouldn't know Me."

"You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence were all you could see."

"You'd never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save ... (for a start),
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart."

The flow of My comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have last."

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! if I lost what I'm doing in you!"

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me
And though oft may My answers seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to wait"

God's Warrior

Of All the Joys
Author Unknown

At times I'm so discouraged
with problems of the day
I fail to see the joyful things
that are along the way

When troubles overwhelm me
It's then my nerves may fray
that's when I need to take the time To simply sit and pray

Reflecting on God's many gifts
It makes me so aware
Of all the joy in little things
around me everywhere!

I must try to remember
though problems come my way
not to miss the joyful things
and the beauty of the day.

God's Warrior

I Asked the Lord to Bless You

I asked the Lord to bless you
As I prayed for you today.
To guide you and protect you
As you go along your way.

His love is always with you,
His promises are true,
And when we give Him our cares you know
He will see us through.

So when the road you're traveling on
Seems difficult at best,
Just remember I'm here praying,
And God will do the rest.

God's Warrior

From Fear into Faith
Margaret E. Sangster

Father, do Thou this day free me-
From fear of the future;
From anxiety from the morrow;
From bitterness toward anyone;
From cowardice in face of danger:
From laziness in face of work;
From failure before opportunity.
From weakness when Thy power is at hand.

But fill me, I beseech Thee, with-
Love that knows no barriers:
Courage that cannot be shaken:
Faith strong enough for the darkness;
Strength sufficient for my tasks;
Loyalty to Thy Kingdom's goal;
Wisdom to meet life's complexities;
Grace to meet life's perplexities;
Power to lift me unto Thee.

God knows, not I, the reason why
His winds of storm drive through my door;
I am content to live or die
Just knowing this, not knowing more.
My Father's hand appointing me
My days and ways, so I am free.

God's Warrior

On The Wings of A Prayer
Author Unknown

Just close your Eyes
And open your heart
And feel your worries
And cares depart
Just yield yourself
To the Father above
And let him hold you
Secure in his love

For life on earth
Grows more involved
With endless problems
That can't be solved
But God only ask us
To do our best
Then he will take over
And finish the rest

So when you are tired
Discouraged and blue
There is always one door
That is open to you
And that is the door
To The House of Prayer
And you'll find God
Waiting to meet you there

And The House of Prayer
Is no further away
Than the quiet spot
Where you kneel and pray
For the heart is a temple
When God is there
As we place ourselves
In his loving care

And he hears every prayer
And answers each one
When we Pray in His name
Thy will be done
The burdens that seemed
Too heavy to bear
Are lifted away
On the wings of a prayer

God's Warrior

Ask Him
Author Unknown

You can ask and will be given
You can seek and ye shall find
That the door that leads to Jesus Christ
Stays open all the time

You can pray to our Lord of Lords
Hold daily chats with He
He who is the King of Kings
Whose truth shall set you free

You can Ask and He will save you
Anytime and Anywhere
God gave His only begotten Son
To show how much He cares

You can Ask Jesus Christ
Our Lord Today
To save your soul
For this is the only way
To be on Heaven's roll

My friends.....
The time may not be better
To receive Jesus Christ
As your Lord and Savior
Tomorrow may come and be too late

To Ask Him for this favor
He is there right now waiting patiently
With His arms reaching out for you
Waiting and wanting to save you
If only you will ask him to

A preacher cannot save you
Neither can I my friend
If you want Salvation
Won't you now Ask Him?

God's Warrior

The Lord Always Hears Our Prayers
Author unknown

The Lord always hears our prayers,
But He does not always say, "Yes!"
Sometimes He says, "Wait"
Sometimes He says, "No"
For He has something better for us.

God's delays are not denials,
He has heard your prayer;
He knows all about your trials,
Knows your every care.

God's delays are not denials,
Help is on the way,
He is watching o'er life's dials,
Bringing forth that day.

God's delays are not denials,
You will find Him true,
Working through the darkest trials,
What is best for you.

*****************************

When God does not immediately respond to the cries of His children, it is because He wants to accomplish some greater purpose in their lives. If you are waiting for an answer to some heartfelt petition, don't become impatient. Commit the matter into the hands of your loving heavenly Father and trust His wisdom.

God's Warrior

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
John 15:7

Always There

Hello God, I called tonight
To talk a little while.
I need a friend who'll listen,
To my anxieties and trials.

You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own.
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence,
For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things,
I can't change in any way.

I thank you God, for being home,
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice,
When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
Never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening,
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You, too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!

God's Warrior

Traveling on Your Knees

Last night I took a journey
To a land across the seas.
I didn't go by ship or plane
I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there
In bondage to their sin,
And Jesus told me I should go,
That there were souls to win.

But I said "Jesus, I can't go
To lands across the seas."
He answered quickly, "Yes, you can
By traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need.
You call, and I will hear.
It's up to you to be concerned
For lost souls far and near."

And so I did; knelt in prayer,
Gave up some hours of ease,
And with the Savior by my side,
I traveled on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved
And twisted persons healed,
I saw God's workers strength renewed
While laboring in the field.

I said, "Yes Lord, I'll take the job.
Your heart I want to please.
I'll heed Your call and swiftly go
By traveling on my knees."

[ Author unknown]

God's Warrior

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Galatians 6:2 (NKJ)

Walking the Talk

I knelt to pray when day was done
And prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone,
Lift from each saddened heart the pain
And let the sick be well again."

And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way,
The whole day long I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.

I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road.
I did not even go to see
The sick man just next door to me.

Yet once again when day was done
I prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone."
But as I prayed, into my ear
there came a voice that whispered clear,

"Pause now, my son, before you pray.
Whom have you tried to bless today?
Gods sweetest blessing always go
by hands that serve him here below."

And then I hid my face and cried,
"Forgive me, God, I have not tried,
But let me live another day
and I will live the way I pray."

[ Author Unknown ]

God's Warrior

A One Word Prayer
*By Greg Asimakoupoulos

I just breathe the name of Jesus
when my heart is filled with fear.
And though I cannot see His face,
I know that He is near.

When I whisper, "Jesus", softly
I'm admitting I'm in need.
By calling out that precious name,
my stress-bound soul is freed.

It's a one-word prayer I utter
when I'm not sure what to pray.
It's a prayer of sweet surrender
when I'm weary of "my way."

I pray, "Jesus", when I'm worried
or when I am depressed.
I say, "Jesus", when my mind's confused
or when my life's a mess.

It's a prayer He always answers
as He gives me eyes to see
evidences of His presence
and His tender love for me.

*Posted with permission from the author, Greg Asimakoupoulos. See other poetry and essays by this "creative Christian writer" at the following sites.
http://peggiesplace.gospelcom.net/biblebytes208.htm
Be sure to visit the links below the poem, “A One Word Prayer”.
www.partialobserver.com
www.pastorport.com

God's Warrior

Whatever Our Hands Touch

Whatever our hands touch
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture,
On doorknobs, dishes, books,
As we touch we leave our identity.

Oh please where ever I go today,
Help me leave heart prints!
Heart prints of compassion
Of understanding and love.
Heart prints of kindness
and genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter,
Or an anxious mother,
Or, perhaps, a dear friend!

I shall go out today
To leave heart prints,
And if someone should say
"I felt your touch,"
May that one sense be...
YOUR LOVE Touching through ME.

Author Unknown

God's Warrior

Talk To Him

Talk to Him, soon as you open your eyes,
Thank Him for every new day,

Tell Him you love Him, throughout every hour,
Don't be too busy to pray.

Tell Him good night, when you lie down to sleep,
Ask His forgiveness if there,

Is something you feel that you shouldn't have done,
Go to Him often in prayer.

Talk to Him, make Him a part of your life,
Include Him in all that you do,

He knows the heartaches you've learned how to hide,
The things you are going through.

He knows all your questions, but better than that,
He has the solutions, too...

So talk to the Lord, and know in your heart,
... He's waiting to talk to you!

Author unknown

God's Warrior

Teach Me to Pray

Please teach me, Lord ...
I want to know
Exactly how to pray.

I need some words
Which ones are right?
Please tell me what to say.

I've bowed my head
I have knelt down,
But ... should I be upright?

I've closed my eyes,
I've raised my hands,
Or ... should I fold them tight?

Do I stand up?
Should I sit down?
Dear Lord ... what do you like?

Are lights turned on
Or are they off?
Maybe ...
candle light?

Wear my glasses? Take them off?
Be at my desk or table?
Should I whisper?
Speak out loud?

Do I quote the Bible?
What do you think about the time?
Do You prefer the dawn?

Should I pray fast,
Or keep it slow?
Better short ... or long?

I'm new at this
What are the rules?
I want to do it right.

How do I know
You'll even hear
That I am in Your sight?

And while I sat there quietly,
Waiting for some sign,
I heard a gentle voice say,

"Oh, dearest child of mine ...
Do you think I really care
About the time of day,
Or whether you are standing up,
Or kneeling when you pray?"

"I don't care about your posture,
Or about the place you choose;
Just open up your soul to me,
I have no other rules.

Tell me what is in your heart,
And tell me what you seek;
Tell me of your sorrows,
And of those things that made you weak."

"Speak to me in private
About what concerns you most;
I know about your good deeds ...
You have no need to boast.

My child, you don't need lessons,
Just talk to me each day;
Tell me anything you want, dear child,
Anyone can pray."

Author unknown

God's Warrior

Thank You, GOD

Thank You, GOD for everything

I've experienced here on earth--

Thank You for protecting me

from the moment of my birth--

And Thank You for the beauty

around me everywhere,

The gentle rain and glistening dew,

the sunshine and the air,

The joyous gift of "feeling"

the soul's soft, whispering voice

That speaks to me from deep within

and makes my heart rejoice--

Oh, GOD, no words are great enough

to thank You for just living,

And that is why every day

is a day for real THANKSGIVING.

Helen Steiner Rice

God's Warrior

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
1 Peter 5:7

Just Close Your Eyes

Just close your Eyes and open your heart,
And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above,
And let him hold you secure in his love.

For life on earth grows more involved,
With endless problems that can't be solved,
But God only ask us to do our best,
Then he will take over and finish the rest...

So when you are tired, discouraged and blue,
There is always one door that is open to you,
And that is the door to The House of Prayer,
And you'll find God waiting to meet you there.

And The House of Prayer is no further away,
than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.
For the heart is a temple when God is there
As we place ourselves in his loving care.

And he hears every prayer and answers each one
When we Pray in His name - Thy will be done.
The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear
Are lifted away on the wings of a prayer.

God's Warrior

Prayer
Henry David Thoreau

Great God, I ask for no meaner pelf
Than that I may not disappoint myself,
That in my action I may soar as high
As I can now discern with this clear eye.
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,
That I may greatly disappoint my friends,
Howe'er they think or hope that it may be,
They may not dream how thou'st distinguished me.
That my weak hand may equal my firm faith
And my life practice what my tongue saith
That my low conduct may not show
Nor my relenting lines
That I thy purpose did not know
Or overrated thy designs.

God's Warrior

The Fruit of Prayer
Mother Teresa

The fruit of silence is prayer
the fruit of prayer is faith
the fruit of faith is love
the fruit of love is service
the fruit of service is peace.

Love to Pray
Mother Teresa

Feel often during the day the need for prayer and pray.
Prayer opens the heart, till it is capable of containing God himself.
Ask and seek and your heart will be big enough to receive Him and keep Him as Your Own.

God's Warrior

A Little Prayer
Robert Service

Let us be thankful, Lord, for little things -
The song of birds, the rapture of the rose;
Cloud-dappled skies, the laugh of limpid springs,
Drowned sunbeams and the perfume April blows;
Bronze wheat a-shimmer, purple shade of trees -
Let us be thankful, Lord of Life, for these!

Let us be praiseful, Sire, for simple sights; -
The blue smoke curling from a fire of peat;
Keen stars a-frolicking on frosty nights,
Prismatic pigeons strutting in a street;
Daisies dew-diamonded in smiling sward -
For simple sights let us be praiseful, Lord!

Let us be grateful, God, for health serene,
The hope to do a kindly deed each day;
The faith of fellowship, a conscience clean,
The will to worship and the gift to pray;
For all of worth in us, of You a part,
Let us be grateful, God, with humble heart.

God's Warrior

Lord Let Me Live
Robert Service

Lord, let me live, that more and more
Your wonder world I may adore;
With every dawn to grow and grow
Alive to graciousness aglow;
And every eve in beauty see
Reason for rhapsody.

Lord, let me bide, that I may prove
The buoyant brightness of my love
For sapphire sea and lyric sky
And buttercup and butterfly;
And glory in the golden thought
Of rapture You have wrought.

Lord, let me linger, just for this,--
To win to utterness of bliss;
To see in every dawn design
Proof of Your Providence divine;
With night to find ablaze above,
Assurance of Your love.

Lord, for Your praise my days prolong,
That I may sing in sunny sort,
And prove with my exultant song
The longest life is all to short:
Aye, even in a bead of dew
To shrine in beauty--YOU.

God's Warrior

The Doubters Prayer
Anne Bronte (1820-1849)

Eternal Power, of earth and air!
Unseen, yet seen in all around,
Remote, but dwelling everywhere,
Though silent, heard in every sound;

If e'er thine ear in mercy bent,
When wretched mortals cried to Thee,
And if, indeed, Thy Son was sent,
To save lost sinners such as me:

Then hear me now, while kneeling here,
I lift to thee my heart and eye,
And all my soul ascends in prayer,
OH, GIVE ME--GIVE ME FAITH! I cry.

Without some glimmering in my heart,
I could not raise this fervent prayer;
But, oh! a stronger light impart,
And in Thy mercy fix it there.

While Faith is with me, I am blest;
It turns my darkest night to day;
But while I clasp it to my breast,
I often feel it slide away.

Then, cold and dark, my spirit sinks,
To see my light of life depart;
And every fiend of Hell, methinks,
Enjoys the anguish of my heart.

What shall I do, if all my love,
My hopes, my toil, are cast away,
And if there be no God above,
To hear and bless me when I pray?

If this be vain delusion all,
If death be an eternal sleep,
And none can hear my secret call,
Or see the silent tears I weep!

Oh, help me, God! For thou alone
Canst my distracted soul relieve;
Forsake it not: it is thine own,
Though weak, yet longing to believe.

Oh, drive these cruel doubts away;
And make me know, that Thou art God!
A faith, that shines by night and day,
Will lighten every earthly load.

If I believe that Jesus died,
And waking, rose to reign above;
Then surely Sorrow, Sin, and Pride,
Must yield to Peace, and Hope, and Love.

And all the blessed words He said
Will strength and holy joy impart:
A shield of safety o'er my head,
A spring of comfort in my heart.

God's Warrior

To the Supreme Being
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

The prayers I make will then be sweet indeed,
If Thou the spirit give by which I pray:
My unassisted heart is barren clay,
Which of its native self can nothing feed:
Of good and pious works Thou art the seed,
Which quickens only where Thou say'st it may;
Unless Thou show to us Thine own true way,
No man can find it: Father! Thou must lead.
Do Thou, then, breathe those thoughts into my mind
By which such virtue may in me be bred
That in Thy holy footsteps I may tread;
The fetters of my tongue do Thou unbind,
That I may have the power to sing of Thee,
And sound Thy praises everlastingly.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

A Physician's Prayer

VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

Sweet Hour of Prayer

A Prayer

A Final Prayer

VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY

A Prayer

Blessings

Thank You, God, for a Hundred Things

Prayer