Lord, Teach Us How To Pray...

For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, 

Rom.8:26

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. 

For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, 

but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us 

with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Isa.49:15-16

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;...

Part 2 of the devotion shared yesterday

(Part 1 at the bottom of this post)

Lord, teach us how to pray

To pour our hearts to Thee

Not with easy eloquence, nay

But with humility

Lord, let the fellowship

Twixt branches and the Vine

Be more than sentiment of lip

But worship’s blood-red wine

Lord, teach us to repent

Beneath love’s pruning hook

Until the whole of Self is spent

And each idol forsook

A secret stutter braved

Thou Lord, wilt understand

Thy remembrance of us engraved

In the palm of Thy hand

Better a wordless groan

For Thee to intercede

Than hollow phrases we intone

Lord, Thou knowest our need

…for You behold the heart

Nothing is hid from Thee

The broken and the stubborn part

Unveiled in clarity

How great Thou art, oh Lord

Faithful in every way

Equip us with Thy Spirit’s Sword

And teach us how to pray

Our Father in Heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name

Then teach Thy child by grace forgiv’n

Salvation to proclaim

Lord, convict us of sin

Lord, comfort our grief

Lord, let Thy Word calm storms within

And guard 'gainst unbelief

In Thy Name we pray,

Amen

Janet Martin

Part 1

Lead Me In Paths of Righteousness (For Thy Name's Sake)

What, for you, kindles the cry of the first verse in the chapter below?

The good times or the hard times?

The answered prayers or the unanswered prayers?

Worship or want or need?

Or all the above?

If life's trials and seemingly unanswered prayers

 serve no other purpose than to bid us call upon the Lord,

they have served purpose enough!

Ps. 141:1-4

I call upon You, O LORD; come quickly to me.

Hear my voice when I call to You.

2May my prayer be set before You like incense;

my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.

3Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips.

4Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing

or take part in works of wickedness

with men who do iniquity;

let me not feast on their delicacies...

Read the rest of David's prayer HERE BSB

or HERE NKJV...

Ps.23:3

He restores my soul; 

He leads me in the paths of righteousness 

For His name’s sake.

This prayer began this morning (until Grandsonny arrived)  and ended

while dinner is cooking/baking....

 and darkness is falling, a bit early

because of the falling snow...

Dear Heavenly Father,

Sometimes the snares that seek to veer me from Thy paths of righteousness

Seem not to be as they appear; disguised as 'harmless happiness'

Then, help me give more earnest heed to hide Thy word within my heart

To equip me with Thy sound creed to thwart Deception's subtle dart 

Sometimes life's disappointments stir a hunger nothing satisfies 

Lord, let not sight my walk deter, but keep me fixed upon faith's prize 

And guard me from doubt's shifting sea/plea in a world where skeptics increase  

Lord, help me stay my mind on Thee; thus, keeping me in perfect peace

This world is not my home, oh Lord; keep me from falling prey to goals

Dull to Thy Word's double-edged sword that cuts to the quick of man's souls 

Lead me in paths of righteousness; no matter what the cost may be

For Thy name's sake, direct my step lest I wander away from Thee 

Sometimes what seems unanswered prayers bids me to examine my heart 

To test the spirit of my cares, to study the important part

To see if there is any wicked way in me still unconfessed

That you are searching out to see if it is Thee that I love best 

In Jesus' Name I pray,

Amen

Janet Martin

A Prayer

Prov.22:1-2&4

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

The rich and the poor have this in common,

The Lord is the maker of them all.

By humility and the fear of the Lord

Are riches and honor and life.

A Prayer to begin this blistery, blustery day in Ontario.

Hold onto your hats!

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord to riches money cannot buy

To wealth the world cannot afford, and lucre cannot satisfy 

Grant me the pleasures of the soul, not flaunted before mortal gaze

But in fond happiness made whole through contentment to sing Thy praise

Mold me through life's hardships with grace to help me trust and thus rejoice

Hold me in Thy nail scarred embrace; open my heart to hear Thy voice

Let the desires of my heart be fashioned by faith, hope and love

Fulfilled with riches You impart and the world can know nothing of

In Jesus' Name I pray

Amen

Janet Martin

Oh may I learn to truly pray like the apostle Paul...

Not that I speak in respect of want;

for I have learned in whatsoever state I am

therewith to be content.

Phil.4:11

Here's My Heart by David Crowder with lyrics

Divine Dialogue

2025 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 13

For the 2025 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, 

poets write a poem a day in the month of November. 

Day 13 is to write a dialogue poem.

The Lord's Prayer (Our Father)

Dear Father up in Heaven

How can I give/live my best?

Just love and look and listen

And let Me do the rest

Dear Author of creation

How can I honour Thee?

Just learn to be more patient

And leave the rest to Me

Dear Lord of my salvation

How can my love reply?

Trust without explanation

And watch Me satisfy

Dear Father up in Heaven

I bow with heart undone

Because I am forgiven

Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son

Dear child, then do not worry

In every word and deed

My Kingdom, pow'r and glory

Grants everything you need

Janet Martin

...and He is before all things,

and by Him all things exist.

Col.1:17

A Birthday Prayer For You, Dear Mother (For Each and Every Day)

 

On Saturday, Lord willing, Mom will

celebrate her 83rd birthday!

Today we gathered for our annual 

daughter-daughter-in-law birthday 'tea' .

The past two years have been so bittersweet as we

miss Lucy at these gettogethers.

The photo below of mom and dad, was taken on Sept. 17,

on Lucy's porch swing.

Mom and dad are getting older and with aging comes new challenges

that require fresh leaps of faith and courage.

With these changes I pray that we (their family) return

in every way we can, the help and sacrifice

they modeled so generously through their whole life! 

A Birthday Prayer for You, Dear Mother

(for each and every day)

May God’s unfailing hope and love

And might and mercy cheer

Each step of faith with His Enough

To calm the storms of fear

May God’s enduring promises

Anoint faith’s earnest prayer

With Very Present Help to bless

And meet each need and care

May God’s sufficient grace increase

As years go by, to gird

Each longing of the soul with peace

And courage through his Word

May God’s abiding Spirit fill

Your heart with comfort true

No matter what befalls, He will

Not fail to care for you

Dear Mother, may God’s goodness bear

And bind you night and day

With joy and peace beyond compare

In Jesus Name I pray

Amen

Rom.15:13

Now the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that ye may abound in hope,

through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Ps.46:1

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Thank-you Lord, For Your Patience

2 Pet.3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, 

as some understand slowness.

 Instead he is patient with you, 

not wanting anyone to perish,

 but everyone to come to repentance.

His mercy is new every morning!

Hallelujah!

Lam.3:22-24

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

Today's 'poem/prayer' was inspired in part

by *my church family's weekly prayer digest.

The 'adore' section begins with this truth;

God is patient.

The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Ex. 34:6

Thank-you Lord, for Your patience with us;

For your patience when we are impatient.

When we are complaining instead of thankful,

When we are selfish instead of generous

When we treat serving like a burden instead of a privilege/blessing

When we are lazy instead of intentional/industrious

When we have good/best intentions without discipline to see them through

When we are worldly instead of holy/carnal instead of spiritual

When we are talking instead of listening

When we are careless instead of careful

When we are willful/stubborn instead of surrendered

When we are blind instead of seeing

When we are doubting instead of trusting

When we are hurrying instead of being still and knowing you are God

When we are worrying instead of worshipping

When we are boasting instead of praising

When we are bitter instead of forgiving

When we are judgmental instead of helpful/prayerful

When we are thoughtless instead of thoughtful

When we are neglectful instead of faithful

When we are hateful or apathetic instead of loving

Thank-you Lord, for your patience with me,

Your daughter, Janet

*Do you have a  'my church family'?

Do you feel loved and supported by a faith-community?

(If not, I am praying that you will find one!)

Do you, in order to feel truly connected with your church family, 

commit to gathering with them every week, (health permitting)

making 'gathering' a priority, over other enticing options?

Lord, convict us where we need convicting.

Correct us where we need correcting.

Forgive us, as we confess.

Encourage us as we endeavor anew to

seek first your Kingdom

'for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory

forever and ever,

Amen.

Take time to be holy

What Matters Most

I turn to Ps.119 over and over

as sorrows, like sea billows roll...

Ps.119:27-28

Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: 

so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

My soul melteth for heaviness:

strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

This past weekend we received word of tragedy after tragedy on our highways!

Close to home three girls (ages 14, 6 & 4) have lost their parents

(my daughter's neighbour's/friends)

The school my brother teaches at lost a student in another accident.

A man from our church family lost his sister and her husband in yet another accident.

(and these tragedies mentioned are only the ones with personal ties. There were more!!)

Please lift the community up in prayer (esp. the orphaned children!)

And those on the other side of each of these accidents 

where another whole community of families and loved ones suffer

because life as they knew it has been shattered!! 

This is the second neighbour/friend my daughter has lost suddenly

a little over a month apart!

Please pray for Emily and her husband Rob,

 as they continue to support the other family as well!

 

Oh, how harsh seem the various trials we encounter

yet without them how would our faith mature/grow?!

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

when you encounter trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith

develops perseverance.

Allow perseverance to finish its work,

so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

Oh Lord, we cannot know Thy thoughts

The way Thy mercies move

Are through the trials life allots

Thy faithfulness to prove

Oh Lord, we cannot comprehend

Thy plans Thy love empow'rs

As high as heavens o'er earth ascend

Are Thy ways above ours

Oh Lord, without faith and hope tried

We would grow proud and boast

And forget Thee in our pride

Then miss what matters most

Oh Lord, restore our hearts to Thee

To trust Thy perfect will

Through Thy Word let our comfort be

The power/precepts You instill

Janet 💔🙏

We sang the song It Is Well With My Soul at my sister's funeral a little over a year ago...

(When it is well with our souls, what matters most is well!

Hallelujah!)

It Is Well With My Soul

 

Till the Storm Passes By

I Set My Hope on Jesus

A Monday Morning Rest/Reset Prayer

Sometimes a new week can feel a bit daunting,

when we try to shoulder it's to-do dues all at once!

The beginning of today's devotion offered a restful reset-reminder!

Whatever our role is today, as we owe no one anything but love,

may we find the rest that comes from relinquishing anxiety 

as we cast our care on God, who cares for us! 1 Pet.5:7

Ps.51:10

Create in me a clean heart, 

O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Rom.13:8

Owe no one anything except to love one another, 

for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Create in me a clean heart, Lord

And let my spirit prove

Thy dwelling place; through deed and word

To owe nothing but love

Then, may love’s divine debt compel

More humble praise unfurled

That Thou shouldst kindle in my shell

The Light that lights the world

So that my fellowman may see

You in me, and be blessed

To bring all glory unto Thee

And there find perfect rest

Create in me a clean heart, Lord

My flawed spirit, renew

Then, by Thy righteousness restored

Lord, let me shine for You

Janet Martin

Here's My Heart by David Crowder with lyrics

On Conditional Promises

We all desire a beautiful life,

as glorious as a chocolate-cherry hibiscus in full bloom!

But there are certain conditions necessary for flowers to

bloom profusely, such as adequate sun and rain!

So too,  there are conditions when it comes to a truly, beautiful life

 rich with spiritual blessings; 

the beauty of true hope, joy and peace

Each of the preciously comforting promises below, 

(a few of many)  are conditional;

God's part contingent on our response to Him,

reserved for all who fear God and keep His commandments. (Eccles.12:13)

Ps.145:18

The LORD is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call out to Him in truth.

Ps.103:17-18

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

On those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children’s children,

18To such as keep His covenant,

And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

Rom.8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,

who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Rom.8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,

to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Matt7:21

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,

but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

John 14:15-17

“If you love Me, [d]keep My commandments. 

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another [e]Helper, 

that He may abide with you forever— 

17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,

 because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; 

but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

In light of promises such as these, a prayer,

(because God sees my heart and who/what I most truly worship)

Without His help and righteousness, my faith is impossible to please Him! 

Lord, help me do my part to trust You and obey

Then You will satisfy my heart and hear me when I pray 

The comfort You instill grants joy and peace divine

Impossible to know, until I yield my will to Thine

You are the God of hope; there is none besides Thee

Without You, Want is doomed to grope in faithless misery

But with You, come what may, Your promises abide

To all who trust You and obey You faithfully provide

And satisfy our need beyond our wildest ken

You hear our prayers and intercede with perfect love. Amen  

Janet Martin

Rom15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, 

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

My camera is on its last gasp!

I'm so thankful it worked well enough to capture

this beauty before it fades

Take Time Out For Jesus 

Because True Love Must Suffer Long...

“In every temptation we face and every trial we endure,

both Satan and God are active, and they have opposite designs, opposite purposes.

God is always proving your faith and your obedience in every temptation and trial.

And Satan is always seeking to destroy your faith and undermine your obedience

in every temptation and trial.”

—John Piper

Rom.8:6

For to be carnally minded is death;

 but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

God had one Son without sin,

but none without sorrow

J.R. Miller

Love suffers long...1 Cor.13:4

For this midweek, midmonth morning, a prayer.

Happy (or not) Mid-July! 

Dear Lord, waken our wanting to veiled blessings burdens bear

Expose the carnal taunting of the tempter’s cunning snare

By Thy own life, remind us how true love must suffer long

How before and behind us, your Hand on us makes us strong

Let Your Word be our buffer in a world vile and untrue

Through all that love must suffer, shape us to be more like You

As You bless those who mourn with comfort of courage renewed

As You infuse hearts, sorrow-worn with humbler gratitude

Surely goodness and mercy will not fail us all our days

Surely, through sorrow, You instill love’s purer joy and praise

Surely, through self-denial You bestow riches untold

Surely, through each new trial some new blessing You unfold

Dear Lord, help us humbly receive the gifts You long to give

Guard us against lies that deceive; show us how we should live

Then help us walk by faith, not sight; in weakness make us strong

As Your law becomes our delight and love’s suff’ring, our song

© Janet Martin

another soul-cheering reminder from the book pictured HERE 

The Beatitudes

Matt.5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the [a]earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, 

and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 

12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 

for great is your reward in heaven, 

for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

A Sober Petition (or, An Earnest Appeal)

Today, there’s a surplus of noise in our lives,

 yet God still speaks in a quiet voice 

through the Scriptures and by His Spirit. 

Taking time to prayerfully focus our attention on God 

will help us tune in to His comforting, guiding voice.

 (Daily Bread Devotion-Listening for God's Voice)

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, 

but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:18

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, 

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Ps.90:14

***

Lulled by this world's noise

oh may it not be so

Deafened and blinded to the joys

Only God can bestow

***

We live in an age of unprecedented distraction!

Oh God, protect me/us from senses dulled

by constant appeal...

The prayer below is a sober petition

inspired in part by my dream last night

when I learned I only had a short time remaining to live,

and in part by the awful reality 

of the regard/disregard of the Word of God

as if it were the word of man! 

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour

Grant me not peace where sin resists

Repentance, with Reason’s clenched fists

Where surrender is ‘but in part’

Rather than fully yielded heart

Grant me not joy where pride defends

Choices of disobedience

Convict me where sly snares invade

Lest ‘faith’ becomes a masquerade

Dear loving, gracious, holy God

While I behold but the façade

Whereby judgement is oft inclined

You see my heart and soul and mind

Then, grant me not dull hopes unfurled

By prospects of this fleeting world

But rather guard with watchful eye

The place where true affections lie

And grant me not, where sin still reigns

A false sense of its broken chains

Forbid that I should be deceived

By erring rationale believed

Lord, grant me meeker, purer thirst

To seek you and your kingdom first

Then, help me live each day of grace

Prepared to meet Thee, face to face

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

© Janet Martin

Take Time To Be Holy

Unparalleled Relinquishment

In the course of my prayer this morning,

 what-ifs suddenly tried to force their way in,

seeking to overthrow trust with doubt, faith with fear!

Lord, you know all!

My parents, my husband and my children are in Thy faithful care!

'what a privilege to carry everything to You in prayer'

What unparalleled relinquishment,

what peace,

 to release to God

 full control!

...and then, this is today's devotion!

Thank-you Lord

Help me Lord, where unknowns tarry, to trust Your unfailing hand

Though your way is oft contrary to the purposes I planned

Help me not to dread tomorrow or to fret its mystery 

Keep me from stooping to borrow sorrows that may never be

In life's course of love and learning, testing courts of heart and soul

Help me to release my yearning to the peace of Your control 

Janet Martin

A morning sky like this makes me think of this hymn...

Still, Still with Thee

Lyrics by Harriet Beecher Stowe

1 Still, still with Thee, when purple morning breaketh,

When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee;

Fairer than morning, lovelier than daylight,

Dawns the sweet consciousness I am with Thee.

2 Alone with Thee amid the mystic shadows,

The solemn hush of nature newly born;

Alone with Thee in breathless adoration,

In the calm dew and freshness of the morn.

3 Still, still with Thee! as to each newborn morning

A fresh and solemn splendor still is given,

So does this blessed consciousness, awaking,

Breathe each day nearness unto Thee and heaven.

4 When sinks the soul, subdued by toil, to slumber,

Its closing eyes look up to Thee in prayer;

Sweet the repose beneath Thy wings o'ershading,

But sweeter still, to wake and find Thee there.

5 So shall it be at last, in that bright morning,

When the soul waketh, and life's shadows flee;

O in that hour, fairer than daylight dawning,

Shall rise the glorious thought, I am with Thee.

Amen.

Faith's Sacred Enrollment

Through what lies behind

we are being prepared

for what lies ahead!

***

Regret has but one merit;

to learn from it

***

God cares for each of us beyond our wildest comprehension;

and invites us to cast our cares on Him!

Why do I/we often attempt to shoulder care

as if He didn't care?!!

***

What great fun and frustration, as we cheer on

our favourite teams, for better or worse!

When we put our faith in God

we become part of a 'team'

whose 'Coach' puts us through drills we often don't recognize

unless/until they produce His desire's sacred result;

a more humbly prayerful people.

Oh Lord, we give thee thanks

Whatever comes our way

May circumstance unveil the ranks

That teaches us to pray

...that tutors hope and trust

Though sorrow's throes increase

As we surrender what we must

You fill us with your peace

Lord, nothing is too hard

For You to will and do

Where the deceiver preys, you guard

The heart, humble and true

And should we stumble, still

You do not turn away

But with the shards of broken will

You teach us how to pray

Oh Lord, kindly renew

Our courage through your love

Help us to wholly lean on You

The wellspring of Enough 

For we know no true loss

Whatever comes our way

As long as You command/commend the cross 

That teaches us to pray

To wallow in regret

Is futile; Lord, pray we

Will learn from the mistakes that set

More sorry sights on Thee 

Forgiver of our sin

Help us as You prepare

The sacred drills faith enrolls in; 

Today's lessons in prayer

Our faith ought never be

In throne-rooms of this world

Lord, open eyes of faith to see

Your mighty Hand unfurled

Then, as a soldier/soul-dier true

Whatever comes our way

 Help us to put our trust in You

Who teaches us to pray

Your strength, through weakness gleams

In grief, Your comfort cheers

From the ash-heaps of broken dreams

We cry; Your kindness hears

And bends to bind the ill

That comes through creature care

That tests us with love's best until

We lean on You in prayer

 

 © Janet Martin 

Prov.3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; 

and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy ways acknowledge him,

 and he shall direct thy paths.

Lord, Teach Us How to Pray Aright