One idea to kick-start your prayer life

Everyone needs to reinvigorate their prayer life from time to time. When I sense a need for a fresh injection of vigor into my ongoing conversation with God, I find the most helpful practice is to revisit the names, characteristics, and attributes of the One to whom I am praying. There is a reason that Jesus begins his famous prayer with the phrase "Our Father". It is deceivingly easy to subtly slip into focusing more on what we are praying about than who we are praying to. When my prayer life wains, it is often because I have become more enamored with the results of prayer rather than the Receiver of my prayers. There is a selfish inertia within our souls that wants to make our prayers about us. Its no wonder we so often struggle with prayer. 

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How you can be praying for Downtown Cornerstone this fall

Summer extends through the end of September in Seattle so consider this a fall preview. As we approach this next season of life and ministry in the city, there are a number of key areas of the church for which you can be praying. If you’ve been running with us for any amount of time, you know that we believe our God is alive, active, and personally involved in the nitty gritty of our every day lives. We are his people. This is his work and, astonishingly, he has entrusted it to us. Us? Us. That includes you too. Amazing, isn’t it? READ MORE…

“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their fait…

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:18–20, ESV)

Father in Heaven, none of us are beyond the possibility of making shipwreck of our faith. Keep us afloat, sails full, on the great sea of the gospel. May we not steer into uncharted, dangerous waters. Rescue those caught upon the treacherous, and hidden, reefs of sin. Save those who are sinking in the insatiable waters of guilt, shame and unbelief. Captain us safely, through the tempestuous storms of life to the safe harbors of the One you love. Amen.

A Prayer to Stir Your Prayer

Every month our church gathers together corporately to pray. This, of course happens, every week in our communities and discipleship groups, but once a month roughly 40 of us gather in a 33rd floor conference room in the middle of downtown Seattle to ask Our Father to do what only He can do in this city and in our lives. If you’re anything like me, I often need a prayer to stir my prayer. I find that most quickly happens when I pray through the gospel, which is exactly how we started our time together last week (see below). I hope it serves as a prayer to stir your prayer too.

Heavenly Father, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds [we] have been healed. For [we] were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of [our] souls.” (1 Peter 2:24-25) Jesus said,”Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-29)

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set [us] free from the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:1) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

We know “the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3:23-24) As Jesus said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:9-10) “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4)

Therefore, the invitation to all is, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live.” (Isa 55:1-3) Amen!

Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,



You have brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see you in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold your glory.



Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.



Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter your stars shines;



Let me find your light in my darkness,
your life in my death,
your joy in my sorrow,
your grace in my sin,
your riches in my poverty,
your glory in my valley.

— The Valley of Vision, “The Valley of Vision” p.xxiv-xxv
Isn’t it tragic that many pastors often spend hours polishing every nuance of their sermons while hardly investing any time at all in prayer and waiting upon God to be freshly filled with the One who can supernaturally assist them? What we need today is not cleverness or oratory—we need messages from God’s Word set on fire by the Holy Spirit!
— Jim Cymbala, Fresh Power (p. 46)