A Broken and Contrite Spirit

Father,
You know better than we the perilous times we are living in. You warned us in Your Word that in the last days perilous times would come. There are many voices in the world, all striving to be heard, and so many would lead your people astray. God I ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, Your Precious Son, that you strengthen your people, that you would open our eyes and ears and send the Holy Ghost to show us who Jesus is! Help us to look away from ourselves so He can show us Christ. To understand who Jesus is, to know Him, is to love Him, and want more than anything to be like Him. Show us what we can be so we will have the desire to let go completely of everything we are now. Draw Your people back to their prayer closets, turn their hearts Father, back to You. Help them to see those who have failed you and those who are struggling that You do not despise their struggle or their weakness-for no, You told Paul Your strength is made perfect in weakness.

So many are struggling with fear, with guilt, and feel condemned for their failures. They are hurting and ashamed and they want to come back to You but the voice of the condemner is harsh in their ears. God Almighty grant them eyes to see and ears to hear. So many are tired of the fight and weary and need to be refreshed and refilled with Your Holy Spirit. Father, so many have not been filled, they have been struggling with confusion, and longing to understand Truth, but someone has so misrepresented You to them, that they need help and You promised You'd make the crooked places straight! Straighten the crooked places, Oh, Lord, break the bars of iron, destroy the yoke of the flesh, of self, of religion, My God, destroy that yoke! Expose what is not like You! Rise up, Lord, oh, it is truly time for You to work for they have made void Thy Law!

Help Your people oh, Lord, to remember it's not about us, it's about You. Grant us Your boldness, Your strength, Your Holy Spirit's power in us that we may be accurate witnesses of You, and share Your heart. Your heart is not one be lost or perish. You came to seek and save that which was lost-not to gather things and possessions to Yourself! You didn't come to build a ministry or reputation! You came to show GOD to a people who were in great darkness and so blind they didn't even know they were blind! You came into a hostile, dark world and the Light of the life of the Father in You showed those around You HOPE-a bright shining hope!

Help us get over ourselves and get back in the altar and learn what it means to pray through to the glory again, Father. You told us to tarry in Your presence until we got the power we needed to overcome what we struggle with. You promised we'd receive that power-but we've made excuses, we've allowed so many trivial things to interfere, because we have catered to self so much. Forgive us, Father. Please forgive us for being religious, for not putting You first, for thinking You would understand. We've been chasing our tails and struggling with ourselves because we haven't wanted to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost to the cross and just let self die. And all around us a lost and dying world is perishing. Oh, God I don't want to waste the life You gave me on myself! What a tragic waste! I give it back to You, I want YOU not me! There is nothing good in ME apart from You. Oh, Lord help your people who are hungry and thirsty to come, for You promised whomever came to You that You would never cast them out! You won't turn them away or send them away empty! You are willing to forgive and cleanse and purify and sanctify and fill people with the Holy Spirit who will just come and yield to You, and let You take them to the cross and put that hostile nature that is so carnal in us to death so You can raise up the life of Your Son in us.

Give us clean hands, Father, and pure hearts. Forgive us for bowing to the idol of self. Give us hearts full of Your love, Holy Spirit pour God's Love in us as we empty ourselves of self to make room. Pour the Father's love in us so others around us can see the light and be ministered to. We aren't to serve self-but to minister Christ to those who will perish without Him. If we believe You are coming and could come at any time, why aren't we more broken? Why aren't we willing to weep between the porch and the altar and rend our hearts and fast and pray and humble ourselves and repent and turn from our wicked ways? Forgive our unbelief, Father. Cleanse us, and forgive us. It is wicked to think we can live the Christian life without being totally dependent on Your power, Your leadership, and Your Spirit to do it! You said it's not by might, not by power, but by YOUR Spirit. There is no place for human strength or reasoning in there.

For those who are fighting hard battles, and need to be refreshed and encouraged, grant them to remember the deliverances You have already brought them through. Help them understand You didn't bring them this far to fail them now. You know exactly where they are-You haven't changed. You haven't abandoned them. Sometimes it's hard to see and hear in the storm, Father. Speak peace into their troubled hearts. For those who are grieving and mourning the loss of loved ones, for those who are fretting because they have a child who is ill or suffering, Father grant them grace to endure and commit it into Your mighty hands. For those whose marriages have come under attack, grant them grace and strength to return to the altar to get the help and power they need to stand, and trust You to intervene and move on their behalf. You said Your eyes run to and fro in the earth searching for those whose heart is completely honest before You. The enemy is sending out his flood to try to carry away Your people in despair, and desperation, in fear. Many are struggling to pay bills, and feed their families. God help them remember You are their Resource.

All around the world Your people are hurting, but God You are moving. For those who are truly being persecuted, who live outside the United States, they are already enduring what is coming to us. Many live in fear of corrupt governments, and vicious militias who would slaughter them for their faith in Jesus Christ. God You promised You'd never leave them nor forsake them and You'd go with them all the way for those who go with You all the way. Oh, God help Your church get back to what You birthed her to be-a vessel for Your life to minister to others. Let Christ be seen once again in Your church, enlarge our hearts, grant us vision to see for without a vision the people perish. They who don't understand who You are and what Your purpose is, they don't fear, they throw off restraint, they begin to let truth slip from them, Lord. For those who are asleep, who are too busy, Father interfere in their lives. Trouble their souls until they return to the altar and bring self to be the sacrifice there. Oh, God grant us courage to lay self on the altar and trust You to send the Fire of the Holy Ghost to consume the sacrifice, burn up the chaff, and then raise us up in the resurrection life of Christ-

Father, Peter was so full of Christ, He walked so close with You, his shadow had the power to heal. OH GOD, do it again. Send forth the power of Your Holy Word to separate between soul and spirit, You said it's sharp, quick, powerful, and would accomplish what You send it to do. For those in a dry place Father, help them hold on until the rain gets there. I know it's coming. It's already begun falling in places. That latter rain. Grant us strength to hold on until it gets to us. We need to be a prepared people, Father. Show us the way back, Lord, and grant us the strength and courage to face our sins and transgressions, and return with all our heart. In the name of Jesus Christ, grant it to be so. We praise You, Father, oh, Lord You have been so good to us, so merciful, so long suffering with us. Forgive us for our excuses, our ignorance, our weakness. We bring it all to You, Lord, we know only YOU have what we need. We lift Your name High, we ask You to come and be glorified in us, through us, Lord. That our lives no longer be an expression of selfishness, but an expression of YOU. You alone are worthy, You speak and Your Word creates life, hope, restores order out of chaos, brings light out of darkness. Your Word has the power of to heal and comfort and strengthen. Father, You have been speaking, but so many have not heard, they've not taken heed. Open their ears, Lord, send the convicting power of the Holy Ghost, send forth Your fear into their hearts, shake what needs to be shaken so they will know.

For our lost, Father, we hold to Your promise that if we believe on You, You will save them. We commit them into Your hands, we ask you begin to trouble their souls, whisper to their hearts, Lord, like You did mine when I was lost, cause them to question what they are trusting in, turn their hearts back to You, oh, Lord. Help them see through the lies of the devil who would keep them bound. Help us as Your people be unwilling to let go of the horns of the altar until they are free. Help us understand what has them bound and pray Your Word and power and deliverance into their lives. We want to share Your heart-and Your heart is that the souls of men and women are more important than anything. No matter what they have done, no matter how bad they have messed up, Father, send forth Holy Ghost filled laborers into Your harvest to minister Your life, Your grace, Your love to them. Your truth.

For the homeless and helpless, Father we pray, grant us to be Your hands and feet, to minister help and hope wherever we can. That early church sold everything they didn't need so others could be ministered to. Help us to see this and be willing to do likewise. Father, not our will but THINE be done. It's time to get down to business, and stop playing church. The hour is so late, Lord. Oh, Father, deliver us from ourselves. For we are our own worst enemy. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for Your mercy, for everything You have done for us. You have brought us so far, and You will not leave us perish. But help us to realize You are the Light, and You do not stop moving. Neither does the darkness, Lord. We don't want to be overtaken by darkness. Strengthen the weak, Lord, so they can continue on to know and follow You, and draw us close to You so we may know You, for You are eternal life. Knowing You is what matters. We ask it in Jesus' name, as humbly, and honestly as we know how.

Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Psa 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psa 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Psa 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.