Praying Together on Monday - 12/30/12

Abba, 

I thank you today for these my brothers and sisters your children and servants. I pray today for them as you called them to serve your sheep and Kingdom. What an awesome responsibility and privilege. An so often the weight of what I and they are called to do seems not only weighty, but frankly heavy. Sometimes, too heavy. Yet you said "... come unto me for yoke is easy and my burden is light." Why then does this seem upside down? I pray for them, because they are yours. You who called us, commissioned us and sent us out in the power of your Holy Spirit. 

Be their comfort and hope, may they in this moment remember how much we are yours. Grant them at least one brother or sister who will walk the journey with them, and until they find them bless their walk With strength enough for just today. With all of those we serve, how few understand what we do or how we do it. You called us to be leaders; you equipped us for it and you continue to do it; yet those behind us can't see you as clearly as we do, Frankly, there are moment so uncertainty in my own life; not I would not admit it, for fear there are those who would think me weak. Come Holy Spirit, be near to my wounded and broken heart; which aches to have you heal the wounds I feel. You bear them, but I often feel them.

Bless this lonely place, or so it seems; you are near, even now. THANK YOU! Today, I start again to prepare for another week of service, visitation, planning and execution of the work I am called to do. Be fully present Lord, sit with me as I stare another blank piece of paper or computer screen; as I search the Legionary or study guide for a word that goes beyond the surface. Create within me, your direction for the work which others don't seem to get or willing to take up. 

I thank you for help, hope and yes, healing. Help not only for me, but those with whom I work; hope for our community of faith and where we are called to serve; healing, for those who are broken and yes, even myself because so few see or know my wounds. Here Lord I present us before you, so that you may complete the work you began. For the frustration that comes from not seeing the kinds of results I want in what you called me to do.  

Jesus you are the victory, our victory, yes my victory. May I be satisfied with you, and not just in what I do. Results are up to you, help us to rest in you and when and how you do it. Thank you for making  me your own and calling us to be your Sons and Servants. Thank you for your presence, here, how and forever, thank you for your blessings, those I see and those I can't see, feel or sense. You're here and you are with me, Thank you, seems like so little for all you've done, doing and about to do. 

In your own Name I pray, AMEN!!!

T A Burns Ministries: Thanks for visiting

T A Burns Ministries: Thanks for visiting: I'm not sure why you stopped by to visit my blog, but thank you! I can only pray that you have been blessed, inspired and yes challenged, ...

Thanks for visiting

I'm not sure why you stopped by to visit my blog, but thank you!

I can only pray that you have been blessed, inspired and yes challenged, by what you find here. I'm not trying to be impressive but sharing things that challenge and move me. I pray you are as well.

I was created for relationship with God and His people and for those who are seeking or wanting to know Him in a personal way. Please provide your thoughts and comments and as a result I hope there will be a dialog that will bless us both, as we struggle together. I can't promise I will always agree with you or you with me, but if we are 'brothers and sisters' in Christ, we have the same Father. As His children, we often tussle with each other, but when the dust settles, we remember, 'we are family!'

If you'd like you can reach me via e-mail: thobur1@gmail.com

God bless you and again, thanks for stopping bye.

Love ya, T.A.B.

Praying Together on Monday 1/23/2012

Abba, 

Today i begin with thanksgiving for the love you have shown me, Oh yes, I bless you for all of the gifts and blessings you have allowed to bless me and our lives, but today, I thank you for the love you have shown me. A love that was and is undeserved, nor earned, you have have shown me what love is. Jesus you gave yourself, without reservation, you died for those like myself who didn't and often don't deserve a love so great. 

There are things others have done to me and against me, why I don't now, and because of what you did for me, your love demands love, even to those who in my mind least deserve it. I can't do this alone or of myself, frankly there are moments when I say, "I don't want too!" And there stands your love again, staring me in the face, with a look of compassion so great, I'm almost wounded by it (who am I kidding.) Jesus you know me, so help me here where I stand. Loving is easy when it's you doing it, so help me here, now in this moment, because I need what you are and offer. 

Remember these my loved one, (yes, and those who aren't so lovely as well,) these who you called me to serve and yes, even in places I'd rather not be. forgive me for wanting where or what I cannot be (or perhaps should not be.) Grant me grace to love my here and now, too embrace what you've given and even that which you have withheld. I'm yours, not be right or how good I've been, (that's a joke!) Lord, I've been everything and every bit of what I should not have been, you know me, and yet you love me, provide for me make ways for me, why you even make friends for me. Before facebook you declared yourself my friend, when others failed me or let me down, you stood strong by and for me. THANK YOU! How little that seems in the grand scheme of things, but THANK YOU!!!

Bless I pray this week that lies ahead, with it dark alleys, and questions about the future. You know what your doing, and you've promised never to leave me or forsake me, so I thank you for being the God how holds my and and my heart; a friend and brother, but even more than these you are my God, who cares for everything that touches my life. thanks for being here, for walking with me through he valley of the shadow of death, and whispers, "fear no evil," I am with you. I love you Abba, but just like when we were kids, we'd say "... he started it!" Lord, you sure did! Thanks, in Jesus great name I pray, AMEN!!! 

--
T.A.B.

The Dirty Truth About Honoraria

Once again I get to share something that true, factual and often 'hurtful.' I believe we the church can and should do better. It's often difficult to read things like this, but necessary. God bless you as you read, and if you agree (and I hope you do,) why not share this with your circle of influence.

Love ya, T.A.B.

The Dirty Truth About Honoraria: Count up all of those hours: is that what we really think our preachers are worth?

Praying Together on Monday 1/9/12

Since Crossing Paths with you

Abba, today I thank you for these my brothers and sisters, whom you have allowed me to cross paths with. Most of them I didn’t know before we met along this path we call ‘life.’ They came from places I didn’t know existed, our lives are so different and varied, yet each of them have impacted me in ways I could not have seen or understood. THANK YOU for them.

Some of them embraced me, and some even now wonder … but you won’t let me get away from them, for reasons I don’t and perhaps will never understand. Each of you is a blessing in some way, even I don’t understand; God has used you to be a person I care for and about. Why, just because you are His! We are both a part of His family and as a result we find a member who’s shall we say, ‘different’ from all of the others, perhaps that what I am, but Father I thank you for each of these are made, no matter how different we are.

I thank you for them, even in the silence or absence from each other. They each have a responsibility or calling which drives them, often we don’t know why. We are pulled in different directions and if it weren’t for the urging of your Spirit we’d quit or stop and yes, go in a different direction. Jesus, this is all about you, so encourage them now, to keep going, even against the tide of the times in which we live. So many of us, would rather be doing something else, but you just won’t let us go, may we learn to say “I trust you,” and keep moving, in what we hope is forward.

Bless these your children and my brothers and sisters, some close in spirit, some at a distance; for those who struggle with their woundeness, their brokenness or just being alone, even while surrounded by others; for those who struggle with resources, while others struggle with limits, grant us a concern for each other that drives us to our knees to be intercessors for each others.

I pray that you will send those into their lives who will embrace them, even for a moment that they shall never forget. And for those who they do forget, may the blessing of that moment or time never be forgotten, even if I can’t remember who it was that you used to a blessing.  

Again, Abba, I thank you for their lives, mine won’t be the same without them, and what a blessing they have been. For that one word, spoken in my time of need, the prayer offered even when they didn’t know it was I who needed it. You allowed us to cross paths, even for a moment, and I am all the better for it; THANK YOU for each of them!

“…The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace."'

Numbers 6:24 - 26

Praying Together on Monday 1/9/12

Abba,

I bless you today for your faithfulness to me. You have shown yourself to so much more than I could have known, thank you.

I pray today for these who have not only given their lives to you, but accepted you call to service to your body the church to those who don’t know your love them and our communities and those who live here.

As we set goals for this New Year and wonder what these new days will hold, may we seek not our own wisdom, but you. May we be content with accomplishing your goals and not our own. Help us to see the work we do from your prospective and not just numbers and dollars.

Holy Spirit we welcome you to our planning and purpose, and should you want to change our direction or provide a ‘course correction,’ may I be open to it, although I can’t see where you’re going with ‘that move.’ You are ‘up’ to something I can’t see just now; you’ve chosen not to let me in on what you’re doing, but I trust your heart.

As I sit alone in my cave, with its darkness, dampness and sometimes despair, comfort my heart, encourage my soul and allow me to believe that I will sing and dance once more, and for some of us, dance for the first and perhaps the only time in my life. I thank you that there will be a time of rejoicing and victory. Perhaps not over or in an event, but in the work and daily outworking of your Holy purpose, through people just like myself.

I pray today for those who serve in places that go unnoticed, with limited resources, and frankly for those without them; for those who are using their own resources and doing so without complaint. Bless them, you know who and where they are. And for those who fight for those who don’t or won’t fight for themselves, grant them blessing and peace knowing they did what they know is and was right for others. Others who are often tired from lost, from lack and yes, limitations, may they learn to stand again, and declare your truth and blessing for those beyond themselves.

I thank you for your love and blessing simply because you love us. In Christ name I pray, AMEN!!!

for someone who needs to hear this...

Colossians 1

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, ² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters^[a] in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.^[b]
Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. ⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,^[c] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our^[d] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[e] 10} so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Love ya,
T.A.B.