Thursday, December 10, 2009

From the Pages of My Journal

homepageImage.jpgImage via Open Journal Systems

Today I’m filled with so much inspiration. God truly is faithful to bring joy to those who are in the house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). There’s so many words that are brimming on my lips to express in this moment. Yet only so many can come out. So in asking God to help me choose them, I’m led to just copy the prayer that poured out from my heart and into my journal at the end of my time of soaking in His presence in the prayer room of my beloved Prayer House in Baltimore. Here it goes:

Oh, my soul delights in You alone, my God! I just praise Your Name! Wow, how much Your Word and the power of praise have given me life even during this time where my body’s so weak. You alone are faithful, oh God!

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,

the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Psalm 146:5-9 (TNIV)

Thank You, God! You’re the best company there is. Even when I grown deep within as I’m daily being hidden in You – going against every natural instinct I have to surround myself with people and just be in that “go, go, go” mode, You’ve placed me here to be with You as an Anna, dwelling in Your courts, with no regard to who may or may not be around me. My place is here, and it’s so evident that this is where I belong.

Oh God, continue to strengthen me even as the enemy tries to always bring something else along to steal my time away from this precious place of being with You, hearing Your voice, receiving Your heart, and standing in the gap for those who are in need.

Jesus, thank You for this call. I pray You would have Your way today. May my eyes not turn to the right or to the left, but only stare straight into Yours, for I know You’re looking at me with Your loving gaze. Oh, I feel the warmth of the fire in Your eyes. It’s beautiful, and yet terrible – for Your passion is so consuming.

So consume me, God, and burn up anything that’s not of You. Strengthen me to watch and pray.

I love You.
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Saturday, December 5, 2009

Quick Thoughts about a Long Walk

The ministry I've been getting plugged into in Baltimore City, Maryland has a monthly routine of prayer walking on North Avenue on the last Saturday of each month. I haven't missed a single one since I've started coming up to the city to join them in prayer and intercession for God to turn things around and make this city beautiful again. We're believing for a complete transformation in the hearts and lives of every individual, and in return a massive overhaul in the atmosphere of this city.

Baltimore Eastern District ImageImage via www.copinthehood.com



A perfect picture of the desolation of this city can be seen as you walk down North Avenue. Many blocks of the street still show the painful scars of the riots that took place in 1968 following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. At that time, the combine efforts of the city, state, and federal government with their police and military forces, could not bring peace. The solution they finally came up with was to ask the drug lord of that day for help in getting peace in the land.

On that day, the authority over the land was transferred – and we still see the effects of that dark leadership. At one community meeting a young person made the comment that they respect their neighborhood drug dealer more than their neighborhood police officer. Something is definitely wrong with that mindset. But sadly, it’s the reality the majority of our city’s young people live in.

As we ventured out on Saturday, November 28, 2009, we proclaimed the same word God gave Joshua before he crossed the Jordan river to take the land that was ruled by evil men:
“I will give you every place where you set your foot…”
Joshua 1:3
The weather was a bit blustery for us that day, but we pressed on. Then, a beautiful thing happened about ¾ of the way down our 5 mile trek of the entire length of North Avenue. I was in the midst of one of my general approaches to prayer – simply asking God what He wanted me to pray and praying it. A simple chorus came to my mind from Misty Edward’s song “Light of Your Face” (that you can download for free by clicking here). I allowed the melody to pour over me, “Let the light of your face shine down on my heart, and let me feel it.”

No sooner did I finish that line did we crest a hill and the sun came shining brilliantly down upon us. My heart was filled with so much joy. I have no doubt that God has a unique destiny for this city. He only asks that we partner with Him in bringing it to pass.

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