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The History: A couple of years ago, I started journaling my prayers and God's responses to them. I told my friends about this, they were really interested. I told my Pastor about it and he said, how about sharing those on line. When I asked God, He said, my words are for you, but not just for you. And, here we are...I hope He speaks to you in these words.
My prayer:
Mighty God, I come tonight with a bit of a heavy heart. One friend who found out his wife is not keeping their vows, another whose daughter was taken out of state without her permission, and I just heard on the news that a local man shot and killed his wife, in front of their kids and then killed himself.
My God, there are some truly awful things happening and there is nothing I can do about it other than ask for your help. God I pray and ask for you to step into these awful situations and somehow turn them for their good. I pray God that with your all knowing wisdom and all powerful ability, that you somehow help, heal, and change these situations and the millions of others that I don't know about.
God, thank you for taking care of us. Thank you for the every day that there is not a major tragedy. Thank you God that no matter what is happening or not happening, I can come to you. I love you Father.
What God Said Tonight:
Things are not always what they seem. Yes, there is tragedy in this world every day. There is tragedy that is the result of sin that continues to run rampant in this world. However, there are other events and circumstances that appear to be tragedies at first look but later can be seen in a different light.
Remember Lazarus. His sisters thought the worst had happened. Their beloved brother had died. They trusted me to come and heal him, I did not get there in time and he died. They were devastated by his death and even more distraught that they had trusted me and I had let them down, or so they thought. What they did not understand is that I had a bigger plan.
The "tragedy" of his death was nothing more than an opportunity for me to show people who I am and what I can do. His "tragedy" was a temporary state that was completely reversed when I stepped in.
Know that you don't necessarily know everything that you think you know. My will shall be done. I love your heart dear daughter.
My prayer:
You are my awesome God. You told me to start reviewing old posts from the last year. I started with reading what you said last Christmas and were you ever RIGHT! I never could have imagined the year that you have given me God. I never could have imagined the miracles you have shown me. I never could have imagined 24/7 Lighthouse Ministries. I never could have imagined the outreaches. I never could have imagined the success you have given me at work. I never could have imagined the relationships that you have put in my life and grown in my life. I never could have imagined.
I wonder what I haven't imagined yet that you are about to do? I wonder what you have planned for tonight, tomorrow, next week, and next month? I love you so much. Thank you for letting me be a part of your amazing plans.
What God Said Tonight:
That is the funny thing about imagination. You can't imagine what you can't imagine. Your imagination is somewhat limited by the things you know or have heard about. There are very few brand new ideas in the world. Most new ideas are minor adjustments on things that you already know. Now, sometimes, those minor adjustments are brilliant and create great change; but, they are still only adaptations of what you know.
Things are different with me. I can conceive of things that have never existed or been thought of. I had the idea of the earth before there was an earth. I had the idea of you before there was a you.
I love creating. I love creating things that are brand new. I love to see the surprise and knowing grin on your face when I do something new. I love that when I do something brand new, it is hard for people to deny that it was me. I love the new.
I have made you brand new. I have cleaned away the old and made you into a new creature who is capable of so much more than you ever were before. I love you and we have a lot more new stuff to do.
My prayer:
Happy birthday Jesus! What a wonderful day celebrating you. Worship was amazing. Thank you God for the visions and the interpretations! Thank you for time with family. Thank you for friends that are like family.
Thank you God most of all for deciding somehow that we were worth the trouble of you coming to earth, being born, living and dying all so we could be saved and know you personally forever! Thank you.
I celebrate your power, your love, your joy, your guidance, and your magnificence. I celebrate how you almost never do things the way that I think you should but you always do things in the perfect way to accomplish more than I can imagine. Thank you God that you still surprise me on a regular basis. Thank you God that the more I know you, the more I want to know you. Thank you God. I love you so much!!
What God Said Tonight:
Look out over the horizon. As far as you can see is yours. Your inheritance is greater than you realize. I promised land and dominion to you, to the seed of Abraham, to my followers and you have not yet seen the full manifestation of that inheritance.
You have dominion and power wherever you walk because you are my child and you are saved and redeemed by me. There is no power greater than the power that you carry in you every day. There is nothing that can overpower you with me in you. There is nothing that is bigger than the promise that I have on your life.
There is much more for you to see, to do, to have, than you have seen so far. You have a great future because you are mine. You have a great future because you make decisions for me every day. Every decision for me takes you closer to the promise on your life. Every decision that is not for me, takes you farther away. Make smart decisions and get all that I have for you.
Look out over the land, it is yours if you want it. It is my gift to you. It is time to unwrap it.
My prayer:
The night before your birthday God. I don't know if I will ever get over the awe of that you, the God of all creation were willing to be born here on earth, grow, struggle, and die for me. It is really pretty unbelievable. I have heard the story my whole life and I still have trouble understanding the kind of love that motivates that kind of sacrifice.
I am in awe of you tonight God. I am so grateful that you chose the things you chose to do. I thank you for loving me enough to sacrifice all. You are amazing God and I would not want to live this life without you.
What God Said Tonight:
I know you cannot understand my love with your head. Love is not meant to be understood in the head. Love is meant to be experienced with the heart. Let your heart experience the love that I have for you.
I love you so much, the sacrifice was nothing. The pain, was nothing. Just as a mother forgets the pain of birth as she cradles her newborn, the pain I experienced was immediately forgotten when I got to be reconciled with you. I would do it all over again, if I needed to. I would do anything to be with you. I would do anything to be with my children.
I love you and I am excited to celebrate with all of you tomorrow. I am here for you always.
My prayer:
Mighty God! What a great start to my vacation! Today had a little bit of everything...well, almost everything.
God, as I start to think about the last year, really think about it, think about all of the amazing things you have done, how far you have brought me, I stand in awe with my jaw hanging open. How could I have ever imagined a year like this?
When I started calling out to you about ten years ago begging for a purpose and a plan for my life, you had this year in mind. When I begged to serve you 24/7 you had this year in mind.
I really have to remember that you know everything. You know the end from the beginning. I need to remember that I need to trust you when you say you will work it all out, and you have said that you will always work things to my good. I need to remember that you aren't just making a promise, you have already seen it. You know that it will all turn out to my good.
God I love you. Thasnk you for the most amazing year of my life.
What God Said Tonight:
When you have time this week, I want you to review the posts from the last year. I want you to see with some clarity that while this was the best year of your life so far, it was not always easy. I want you to remember that there were sacrifices and struggles. I want you to remember that at times you were confused, scared, upset, and worried. Then I want you to remember again all the amazing things.
I want you to look through both and see how well you were able to rely on me for how you felt instead of relying completely on the circumstances to make you happy.
You are old enough to know my daughter where joy comes from and where it does not. Remember it as we move forward.
My prayer:
Mighty God, I am falling asleep sitting up tonight but I have to hear your voice before I go to sleep. You are more important than air to me. What do you want to talk about?
What God Said Tonight:
I won't keep you up for long tonight. I want you to rest. Life has been hard work lately and it is time to rest, refresh, and rejuvenate.
I want to enjoy this weekend with you and you will need to be rested for that. I am your restoration. I am what fills you up when you are empty. Let's spend a lot of time together, really together this coming week. Let's spend more time where you are focused on me. I have a lot to tell you this week. I have a lot to prepare you for.
Will spend a little extra time with me? Spend time in worship, in my word, hiking together, and in prayer. Rest, yes, but rest in me so that it will actually produce the rest that you need. Have fun, yes, but have fun with me so it can fill you with my joy which is your strength.
I love you daughter. Sleep now and let's spend this vacation together.
My prayer:
Sweet Father. I am reflecting on your birth more and more as we get closer to Christmas, Imagining what that day was like.
There are a lot of traditional depictions of what it is like. Then there are the people who say that the traditional portrayals are wrong, that the manger was not a "barn" but was the courtyard in the middle of the familial home. There are those that say that Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem the night of your birth and those that say that they had been in Bethlehem for awhile when you were born. All very interesting to ponder.
But, the things I think about are how were Mary and Joseph feeling? Did they completely believe you were the son of God being born in her? Did they have doubts? I mean, it had never happened before. I would think they had to have some level of doubt. Then, when the angels began to sing, the shepherds came to see you, and then the Magi, WOW! That had to confirm for them that something crazy, wonderful, and special was happening.
God, I hope that Mary and Joseph were blessed abundantly for their obedience and willingness. We don't get to hear much about Joseph over the years. Did he have a good life? What was it like to be the earthly "father" of the Son of God the Father? Did he fell honored or did he feel inadequate? What happened to him between the time that we hear about him when you were young and the time you began your ministry. Was he still around?
Then there is Mary. We have always been fascinated with Mary. The mother of God! Almost too much to wrap my mind around. One of my favorite moments with Mary is when after only one question to the angel who just told her that she was going to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God, the Messiah, she responds, OK, let it be done just as you have said it...Whaaaa? I am trying to imagine that. An angel comes and tells me something that sounds completely crazy and after one minor question of logistics, I say OK...I would love to think I am that obedient, but I don't think I could have done that. I am sure that is a big reason why you picked her, you knew that she could believe it and receive it (as they say).
Well, I have really gone on tonight God. I am simply fascinated by how you accomplished it all. There were a lot of easier ways that you could have come to be our Messiah and savior. Thank you for doing it the way you did. I LOVE YOU!
What God Said Tonight:
I needed to do it just the way that I did. There was no other option that could accomplish all that needed to happen. I needed and wanted to know the experience of life. I needed to understand and experience the joy and the agony of my children.
You have seen that I am a lot angrier more often in the "Old Testament" than I am in the "New Testament." The difference was my experience as a human. Experience breeds compassion. I understand the struggles. I understand so much better now.
I hear you asking, "But are you not all knowing? How or why would you need to learn more about what it is like to live as a human?" It is the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. You are right, I know everything. I knew how I created you. I knew how the sin with satan and the apple robbed you of so much that I wanted you to have. I know and knew all of that. I didn't know what it felt like to be betrayed by a friend. I did not know what it felt like to be cold and hungry. I did not know what it felt like to be sick.
Now I know. Now, I won't lose patience with you. Now, I will never stop giving you second chances to get it right. It was my absolute great pleasure to provide salvation for you. And now that i accomplished that, I am ready to wait as long as it takes for you to be all that I intended you to be. I love you daughter. You are precious and exactly what I hoped for.
