Timeless Prayer

Letter to a Young Lady

2007-01-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

Romans

1 and 16
Dear child of God I've birthed across the sea
I write of Him Whose grace set you apart
I pray the day I see whom you'll grow up to be
Olympas, Prisca, saints, all with one heart

2-5
In Christ is God's own Holiness revealed
The world, both Jew and you, were lost in sin
But grasping Him you're found and cleansed and healed
Our Head obeyed, and we gained life in Him

6-11
He bathed in death that you might rise up free
You drowned but rose, for holiness you're meant
Now live in Christ a branch of The true Tree
Enfolded in His timeless, kind intent

12-15
The holiness indwelling you flows through
To fruit of zeal, humility and grit
Give to each one the love that you've shown true
And to one King together you'll be knit

In love lift up one voice to praise the Son
And lift up all by word and deed well done

1 Tim 3:16: Jesus, Whom Heaven Received

2007-01-17T16:02:00.000-08:00

1 Tim 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
received up into glory.

Jesus, Whom Heaven Received (1 Tim 3:16)
(To: O Come All Ye Faithful)

Sing all you Christians
Sing the Son Victorious
Oh sing of the great myst'ry unfolding from God
Yahweh in flesh
Proven in the Spirit

(chorus)
The angels watched Him guiding
The gentiles heard His dying
Now we embrace His rising
Whom heav'n received

Sing all you Christians
Sing the Lamb victorious
Oh sing how He took the book, and broke every seal
His, every glory
By Blood His victory

Sing all you Christians
Sing the King victorious
Oh sing of that day when He will sunder the clouds
We, rising to Him,
Join the Lord we cherish

Psalm 113: Praise Jesus!

2007-01-11T00:42:00.000-08:00

Jesus, You are wonderful
And we are subjected to You
Jesus, You are beautiful
And we raise ourselves to You

Your name is to be revered
Now and always
Your name is to be adhered
All nights and days

You govern over us all
Your glory is above the skies
To You we all would fall
We raise our heads, our eyes

Who is like You?
The heaven is Your throne
Who is like You?
The earth is Your own

The poor, the stricken
With these, You raise
The prince, the affluent
With them, You place

The barren woman
You give a home
Once barren
Now children roam

Jesus, You are wonderful
Jesus, You are beautiful

The Deacon

2007-01-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

1 Tim 3
8 In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the women [b] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

The Deacon born of Spirit and warm womb
Unknown to those who looked for lofty name
Our Servant started toward His tasks and tomb
And with His sweat enobled mortal frame
With single eye and feet that would not tire
Drunk only on the Master's golden will
God's myst'ry all the meat His tongue'd require
The devil found the Faster'd ate His fill
Each Word He spoke built hope and heart and hand
To raise a house to guard the holy thing
He laid Himself as Stone on solid land
To start His builders well to house a King
In serving all, all praise He earned in heav'n
I'll walk with Him, and relish work I'm giv'n

Psalm 91: The Shelter of the Most High

2006-12-27T19:09:00.000-08:00

I stay close to the side of Jesus
I stand in His presence
He is my safe haven
He is my shelter
I trust in Him

He will deliver me from my troubles
From enemies, sickness and death
He will cover me with His hands
I will be safe with Him
He is the Faithful One

When I am afraid
When I am harassed
When others may fall into temptation and sin
But I will be safe in Him
He is my Guard

I will still sometimes be hurt
I will still have problems over problems
Just hold fast to my love for Christ
He will deliver me, He will protect me
He is my Owner

Call to Him, He will answer
Call to Him, He is here
He will save me
He will honour me
He is my Salvation

Isaiah 9: A Light in Our Desperation

2006-12-25T06:05:00.000-08:00

We were walking in darkness
But in the distance, You hinted a light.
We wept, feeling our way to nowhere
Then You came, and shone full on us

You made Your church a nation of the living
You turned our tears to joy
We rejoice in Your Light
As wage-slaves rejoice in a year-end bonus
As day traders party
After a big kill.

Like the victory at Appomattox
Your birth shattered
The shackles that enslaved us
The chains that bound us
The whips of those who oppressed us.

Every device that deceived us
Every false hope for which we bled
You will save for burning
With them You fuel the fires of hell

Your brightness put on flesh
When to us the Son was given
All government descended upon Your shoulders
We learned to call Mary's Son
Wonderful Advisor, God Over All
Everlasting Sire, Warlord of Peace.

Your government grows, century after century, in power and quietness
Endlessly
You reign from the eternal Throne
Lord of Your Father's kingdom
Indwelling us and supplying us
Forgiving us and making us true
From the day You rose until the day You return
Your righteous ambition
Accomplishes all this.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my owner

2006-12-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

The LORD is my owner
I have everything in place
He prepares what’s good for me
He puts me in his storehouse

He assures me of who I am
He leads me to live my life for Him

Even though sometimes I am unwanted
I will not be affected by it
Because he still owns me
His words and His presence assures me

You prepare everything I need in the presence of my world
You call me your child, I am so blessed

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 121: God, Our Provider

2006-12-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

I lift my eyes to the cross-
All my help flows from that hill.

Jesus is my Help
This Man that made heaven and earth.

He will make you stand firm, too-
God, Who suffered for you, will not sleep;

Ever. He saw your need
And He roused Himself to deliver you

He sees you struggling through the desert-
And He shades you from the midday sun

The blazing furnace will not burn you
Nor the night madden you.

Jesus will keep you from all harm-
He will guard your life

Our Shepherd will protect you, coming and going
Today and tomorrow and forever.

Psalm 124 - Christmas is True

2006-12-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

If Messiah did not come and God walked not among us-
Let the church remember and say -
If the Child had not been born to us -
When they who hated Him rose up
Then they would have buried our joy in His advent
When they vented their spleen against Him
Their rage would have drowned our praise
Their flood of correctness would have silenced our songs
Diversity would have buried our souls

But Emmanuel came,
We see Him, and are delivered for praise
He preserves us from their rending lies
He shields our hearts from ambush
From their hatred we are freed
Freed to love our Master
His nativity we proclaim!
Our salvation is in the Babe with no bed
He was born to redeem heaven and earth and us - His own.

God Over America (Psalm 138)

2006-12-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

Jesus, I love you with all my heart.
In the face of wealth and power and politics, I will praise You

I will bow myself to heaven, where You are my temple
And I will praise the Name of Emmanuel
Your love brought You to me, and You finished Your work
You kept Your Promise to save your People
And Your work is more famous than fame

Before I ever called on You, You ransomed me
You encouraged my heart. I could not stay away

May all the CEOs of the earth praise you, Jesus
When they hear what you have done

May they sing how You worked salvation by Your Blood
And the glory of Your resurrection

The Word is exalted as God, and yet He suffered for the lowly
But did not come near the proud

Though I walk in the midst of greed,
You renew my life as a fountain
You stretch out Your hand against those who plot for my heart
By the strength of Your weakness and death You save me

Jesus will prove His church true
Your Love will never waver
Do not abandon Your kingdom, Jesus

My Soul Waits in Silence (Psalm 62)

2006-11-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

My soul waits in silence for Christ alone, my Savior,: My Rock, my Fortress, in Whom I am secure.
The Lord will protect me from those who plot against me,: From their lies and their empty words.
He is my Rock and my Refuge, He will deliver me and restore me.: Let the whole world trust in Jesus and pour their hearts out to Him!
For what weight is there in men? What weight is there in riches?: Wealth and poverty are nothing in the midst of the Christ.
All things come from the Father,: Who rewards each for his works.
The power to build up or tear down riches is God's,: But moreso is the power of unfailing love.
Therefore, let your soul wait in silence for Christ alone, your Savior,: Your Rock, your Fortress, in Whom you are secure.

Psalm 29: The Psalm of the Seven Thunders/Voices

2006-11-30T06:31:00.000-08:00

Give praise to the Lord
Give Him praise all you creation
Give praise to the Lord
Give Him glory and strength

The voice of God
Is over the waters
Is thundering over many waters

The voice of God
Is powerful

The voice of God
Is full of majesty

The voice of God
Breaks the trees
Breaks the firmest of trees

The voice of God
Flashes flames of fire

The voice of God
Shakes the wilderness

The voice of God
Makes the deer give birth
Makes the forests bare

We are in His temple
We cry to him, “Glory!”

The Lord
Sits enthroned over the floods
Sits enthroned forever as king

God
Give us strength
Give us peace

based on Psalm 2

2006-11-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

Lord, I see the kingdoms of this world in turmoil
Contending against each other with futile posturings, rage and violence,
Like dogs tearing at each other
Over a meatless bone.
They stand against each other –
Yet with each other too,
For they recognise in You, Lord, their common enemy.

The kingdom of Jesus threatens them,
Displaying how empty are their gains,
How foolish all their boasting.
Nothing shows up the follies of this world
Like the cross of Christ.

But You are the king, established forever.
All the kingdoms of this world fall to dust before You:
The One that the nations crucified
Was exalted by the Father.
You are lifted up so high
And the ones who fought against You
Are now Your own possession, to do with as You please.

Lord, I pray for us all
(and my own rebellious heart)
That wherever we raise up strongholds
In defiance of Your name
You will humble us and teach us,
Now, in the time of Your mercy,
To abandon our foolish pretensions
And take refuge in You alone.

For the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory
Are Yours for evermore.

Psalm 26

2006-11-28T01:40:00.000-08:00

Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.

For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.

I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.

I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.

O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.

But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.

My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

Psalm 105: Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

Speak your praise to God.
Call His Name with thanks
Publish His work abroad
Sing of Him alone
Tell His acts out loud
Glory in the Name of Jesus

You who seek the Lord
Rejoice in your deepest heart

Look to your Lord
See His strength
Seek His face always
Remember His wonders
His miracles
His judgements

You, His servants
You, His children
You, His chosen
You, His believers

---

You are the Lord our Father
You have passed judgement in all the earth
You remember Your Covenant forever
You remember Your Promise to the last trumpet
The Covenant You swore with Yourself
The Covenant You embraced

You confirmed Your promise to Abraham.
You confirmed Your Oath, and your Law, and Your Covenant
To Your seed in Abraham.

You preserved Your Kingdom
From the day it was one family
While they were strangers in the land of Your promise
You kept them from harm

You grew them into your Kingdom
When You made them sojourn in Egypt
They endured harsh treatment from Your enemies
And under them, Your kingdom grew strong
And You delivered them

You delivered them by the mighty power of the Passover
By the death of the first born
By the death of the lamb
By the roasting and eating of its flesh
Your Kingdom was released to Your promises

Through David and Solomon,
You showed the greatness of your Kingdom
By your prophets,
You showed the holiness of Your Kingdom
By Your silence at the end,
You showed how great would be Your final work

You were born in the trough of a barn
Helpless and subject You grew
Covenant Maker and Keeper,
King of all kings
You obeyed Your mother and Father

When the time was full,
We saw Your Light
We heard Your Words
Words of Life, judgement and perfection
Words that kept Your covenant

You brought Life to earth
Food for the poor
Words to the deaf
Light to the blind
Freedom to the captives
Forgiveness for rebels
Your kingdom

And then You sealed your Covenant
With Your Blood
In that You had sworn by Yourself
You kept Your Word
You bought for us everything You had brought
You bought for Your Father everything He had desired

Life, pure and undefiled
Life, virile and fertile
Life, eternal and unchanging
Life, by creation's most impossible mystery
Died

The wrath of God flowed
The fire of Your anger
Against all that was not good
In Your creation
Roasted You, the Lamb
And all Your creation was made clean

The Seed was buried behind a stone so,
Your eternal kingdom is come
Your Spirit is poured out on us
Your Life multiplies within us
Your Will is made known to the angels
As we live it out on earth

We know You
We see Your face
In a glass, darkly
Because You have bought us this grace

You have made us alive to You
You have made us alive to Love
We rejoice in all Your feasts
And we do all that You have commanded
Thank You for awakening us

Praise to You

Psalm 42: Part 3 (Psalm 43) - Seeing

2006-11-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

You took my judgement, Jesus
And against my enemies You make me stand
You deliver me from the liar and the accuser

You are all my strength
Why do I find weakness instead of You?
Why does my enemy fill my vision, and drive me to tears?

Shine Your Truth before me
Let my feet follow the path You show
Let Light and Truth lead me to Your church
and into Your Presence

With You I will go to the altar
With You I will find all my joy
With You I will sing
Jesus my God

Why do I collapse?
And why am I shaken?
Hope in Jesus
I will yet praise Him Who has walked this path before
He will heal my spirit

Psalm 42: Part 2 - Remembrance

2006-11-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Jesus, my soul is crushed.
So, I will remember You
I will remember You on Golgotha
I will remember You in Judea
I will remember You in the Holy of Holies

Your deep Waters call forth the water in me
The sound of Your Father stirs the well in my heart
Your waves of Life overflow me

Your love will find me in the day
Your sweetness will sing through the night
And I will call to You in my prayer

I will say to You, my Rock
Why did Your Father forget You?
Why did He allow Your enemies to surround You?
Why did He allow them to pierce Your side?
Why did He let them mock You
And ask where Your Father was?

Why do I collapse?
And why am I shaken?
Hope in Jesus
I will yet praise Him Who has gone before

Psalm 42: Part 1 - Thirsty

2006-11-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

As the deer pants for the water
So my soul pants for You.
My spirit thirsts for the Living Water.
For the Fountain of Life.

When will I throw off this life
And stand in Your Truth?
My drink is my own tears day and night.
And no one can see You in my life.

These thoughts won't leave, and my courage melts away.
I used to pray with the saints
I used to praise with the church
And celebrate Your triumph.

Why do I collapse?
And why am I shaken?
I fix myself on Jesus.
I will yet see His Face and be helped.

Psalm 23 -- Let me trust my shepherd

2006-11-20T01:30:00.000-08:00

Lord Jesus, help me to trust You as my shepherd
To believe You will meet all my needs
When my wants are overwhelming.
To be willing to lie down at Your command
And cease from striving
For I cannot make myself;
To let You choose my pastures
And to drink of You
In every bitter thirst.

Lord, let me yield my soul to You
To the Potter’s hand, the Refiner’s fire,
And the tenderness that breaks me.
That I might be remade
According to Your plan.
Work Your righteousness through me
For Your glory, not my own.

When You lead me through the shadows
When fear overwhelms me
When my soul feels crucified
And my self is put to death
Let me trust in the mercy of Your presence
And be unafraid in You.

In the very place where the Accuser
Has torn my hope to shreds
And I drown in guilt and shame
This is the very place You meet me
And crown me in Your righteousness
And hold me in Your arms
Grace overflowing
Floods my deepest wounds,
And washes me so clean.

Let me hold fast through all things
To Your certain promise
I will not be separated from the love of Christ.

Psalm 99: A Call to Worship

2006-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

It is Sunday here and my first post in Timeless Prayer. I automatically went to Psalm 99, being my favourite psalm for a Sunday call-to-worship, though this Psalm is already posted not 4 days ago, in an NT perspective.

This is my prayer and call-to-worship for this Sunday morning: to exalt the Lord, our God, and worship at his holy hill, for the Lord our God, is holy.

The Holy King

I
1The Lord is King! Let the people tremble!
... He sits above the cherubim;
... Let the earth tremble!
2The Lord is great in Zion;
... He is exalted above all peoples;
3Let them praise thy great and awesome name!
... For He is holy.

II
4The King is holy; he loves justice.
... It is thou, thyself, who hast established equity.
Justice and righteousness
... That thou, thyself, executest in Jacob.
5Exalt the Lord, our God, and worship at his footstool.
... For he is holy.

III
6Moses and Aaron among his priests,
... And Samuel among those who call on the Lord's name,
They cried unto the Lord, and he answered them.
... 7He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;
... They kept his testimonies and the statutes he gave them.
8O Lord our God, it is thou, thyself, who answeredst them.
... Thou has been for them a forgiving God,
... Although thou didst discipline them for their faults.

Envoi
9Exalt the Lord, our God, and worship at his holy hill!
... For the Lord, our God, is holy.

Strophe I
Yahweh is King! He sits enthroned on the cherubim. Cherubims are the heavenly being which are endowed with wings and the Lord flies on them through the heavens. He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind (2Sa 22:11). God addresses himself to the community in worship. Worship the Lord, for He is holy.

Strophe II
While our Holy God sits on the cherubim, it also flows out with rectitude and righteousness. It has been executed in Jacob, in the whole of Israel. And in our times, in the body of Christ. Worship the Lord, for He is holy.

Strophe III
Three heroes, Moses, Aaron and Samuel, are selected among those to called on the Lord and received answers. They are our witnesses, they are our spiritual fathers who attest to the holiness and faithfulness of God.

Envoi
Worship the Lord, for He is holy.

Translation by Samuel Terrien, The Psalm, (Grand Rapids: Eerdsman, 2003): 685

Psalm 93

2006-11-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

Jesus reigns, robed in majesty,
wearing the scars which are his glory.

He has conquered, His strength is proven,
His holy love made manifest
in everlasting glory.

You called the world into being by Your Word
Your church has been birthed through Your blood
And the gates of hell will never stand against her

For You are on the throne
And you are the Head of us, Your body,
you shall bring us into Your eternity
Where You are everlasting King.

Symbol of chaos, the seas rise up,
The powers of this world seem to mock Your everlasting reign,
Their voices cry out against your truth
They manifest destructive dominion...

So what? Our Jesus is unassailable.
King of Kings, Your truth endures,
and no one can diminish it.

Lord adorn us with Your Holiness
till we reflect Your everlasting splendour.

Psalm 99: Jesus, the Holy One

2006-11-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Jesus reigns:
Let the people tremble!
The Holy Flesh sits on the Mercy Seat:
Let the world be shaken!

Jesus is great in His kingdom
And He is Head over His body
Let His church praise the Name found worthy
The Holy Name

The King bought justice by defrauding Himself
He established fairness at His own expense
He passed judgement on the church
And made her righteous by His own guilt

Exalt Jesus our God
He raised us to His right hand
And made us holy to stand in His presence

Peter and John, His disciples
And Paul, born out of season
Called on His Name
They called Jesus Whom they knew
And the church was made clean!

He was their Oracle
He was their Law
He was their Practice

Jesus, You answered them
You cleansed them
You tore down their every invention
And nothing separated You from them

Exalt Jesus, our God and Deliverer!
Worship with His holy people
For Jesus our God is holy

Psalm 115: Christ Reigns on Earth - In Us

2006-11-15T17:16:00.000-08:00

Not to Your church, O Lord, not to Your church
But to Your Name
Be glory for Your grace
And for Your Truth's sake.

Why should the blind say,
"Where is their God now?"
Our God stands in the heavens
On feet of flesh like brass.
He has done what His Father has pleased.

Their idols are silicon and glass
The work of men's hands.
They have theses, but they don't guide their thoughts.
They have proofs, but they don't lead to Truth.
They have vision with no sight
Missions with no goal
Charity with no love.
The path of their understanding leads to confusion
They are confounded by their wisdom.

Church!

Trust in your Lord!

He is your Deliverer.
You that are born into Him,
Trust in Him.
He is your Redeemer.

The Lord has remembered us
And given us everything He promised.
He has blessed His kingdom.
He has blessed His bride.
He has blessed every one who loves Him
The man on welfare, and the man with options.

He has multiplied Himself to us.
Every blessing in heavenly places He has given
To us and to all who call on His Name.
We are the blessed of the earth.

The heavens are the Lord's
And Jesus added the earth to His possessions.
He put His feet down on the earth,
And left His kingdom to conquer in His Name.

Those with no spirit breathe no praise to the Lord
Those with no mouth say nothing to His glory.
But we must sing of the glory of the Lord.
But we bless the Father and the Son
Here on earth
And in heaven
Forever.

Praise the Lord

Welcome

2006-11-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Timeless Prayer!

The goal of this blog is simply to allow saints to love the Lord together in word and agreement. In prayer we can minister, not merely of Him or to each other, but directly to the Lord. We can bless Him and love Him as a praying body. We will start by repraying the Psalms in light of the full revelation of Jesus Christ.

Where we will end depends upon all of us together.

Please comment on this post (or any other) to begin sharing your own timeless prayers here.