Mar 26 Help me hear

“We will listen and obey.”  This was the Israelites response to all You said on the mountain when they heard Your voice telling them how they should live.

Many things in the world keep me from hearing You.  Especially now, the world is a loud, noisy place, with so many voices that distract or actively deceive.

Those voices fill my mind with stress, fear, anger.  They are confusing, contradictory and portray hopelessness.  They tell me what I need and how I should live to be “accepted” and “successful” by the world’s standards.

They tempt me into materialism, humanism, and all kinds of ungodly ideologies.

So to “listen and obey” I must listen to You specifically and intentionally.  And live a lifestyle that purposely shows others what I believe.

Please remind me when I speak, act, or make a decision, that everything I do will either draw me closer to You, or move me away from You and Your will.  So let me listen carefully, and examine my thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes, to ensure that they are honorable.

When I am not speaking, my faith should still be obvious to others by my dress, my countenance, my attitudes, how I treat people.

In my emails, tweets, posts and any other presentation to the world, I must be mindful that I represent You.  As a Christ-follower, my presence in others’ lives shows whether I truly listen and obey, or whether I am a Christian in name only.

When I feel overwhelmed by the world and all its noise, remind me to make time to hear from You.

I will listen.  And I will obey.  Amen

Deuteronomy 5:1-29

Sept 15 Blessings: Old and New

Father, I thank You that You sent evangelists out to both the Jews and the Gentiles of the time.  Although the backgrounds of the two were different, and still are today, You offer salvation to both.  One is not better than the other, as all Believers are equal in Christ Jesus.

For Jews today – Father, help them see the truth of the salvation You offer, apart from their culture.  Help them come to a saving knowledge of who You are, and bring them into a personal relationship with You through Jesus Christ. 

For Christians – show them the value and blessing to be had in the Tanakh: our Old Testament.  For although the Law You gave Moses is not the basis of salvation, that comes by grace through faith in You, there is blessing for everyone in that Law: for instance, in observing the Sabbath, and honoring our parents. 

In fact, what are known as the Ten Commandments, along with other Jewish writings that contain things spoken by You, are actually “Divine empowerments” that can release us from bondage to sin and bring us blessing. 

Too often the groups look at each other with misunderstanding and throw out even the good that would bless them.  Father, teach me to embrace Your whole truth, and live according to it. 

You are my God – who delivers me, who protects me, who arises to help me conquer whatever enemies come against me.  “You are my Strength… my fortress, my loving God.” 

Old Testament and New are filled with pictures of You, of Your strength, Your character.  Let me revel in the whole entirety of my Savior.  I sing Your praises!  Amen

Galatians 2:1-16; Psalm 59:1-17

Mar 26 I will listen and obey

“We will listen and obey.”  This was the Israelites response to all You said on the mountain when they heard Your voice telling them how they should live.

Many things in the world keep me from hearing You.  Especially now, the world is a loud, noisy place, with so many voices that distract or actively deceive.

Those voices fill my mind with stress, fear, anger.  They are confusing, contradictory and portray hopelessness.  They tell me what I need and how I should live to be “accepted” and “successful” by the world’s standards.

They tempt me into materialism, humanism, and all kinds of ungodly ideologies.

I must first learn to balance what I hear from the world, with how much I listen to You.  And I must listen and obey.

That means I must listen specifically and intentionally.

Please remind me when I speak or act or make a decision, that everything I do will either draw me closer to You, or move me away from You and Your will.  So let me listen carefully, and examine my thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes, to ensure that they are honorable and do not cause distance or separation from You.

When I am not speaking, my faith should still be obvious to others by my dress, my countenance, my attitudes, how I treat others.

In my emails, tweets, facebook posts and any other presentation to the world, I must be mindful that I represent You.  As a Christ-follower, my presence in others’ lives shows whether I truly listen and obey, or whether I am a Christian in name only.

When I feel overwhelmed by the world and all its noise, remind me to make time to hear from You.

I will listen.  And I will obey.  Amen

Deuteronomy 5:1-6:9

Dec 3 Pray for peace

Father, my trips to the Holy Land were so wonderful!  They were spiritually uplifting, eye-opening and life-changing.  Our four weeks in Jordan, Israel and Egypt left me with the ability to visualize places now when I read Your Word, that make it come more alive!

The eight days in Jerusalem amazed me as I saw people from all over the world visiting there.  It truly is the crossroads of three continents, with trade and cultural influences from Europe, Asia and Africa.

It is also a crossroad in a spiritual sense.

Muslims trace their roots back to Abraham, and worship there, holding Jerusalem as a holy place.  It is the place of David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them, who were great prophets in Islam.  Besides Dome of the Rock being there, Jerusalem was the first city Muslims turned to pray towards, many years before it was changed to Mecca.

Jews also worship in Jerusalem as the seed of Abraham their patriarch, and believe it was given to them by You in Your promise to Abraham.  David brought the Arc of the Covenant there, and Solomon built a Temple where You placed Your Name and Your Presence was seen, making it a holy place.

And Christians hold Jerusalem in reverence because of the great history of our roots, but mostly because You walked, were crucified and rose from the dead there.

The prophets say You will come again to Jerusalem.  You are the Prince of Peace and You will bring peace.  David tells me in Psalm 122 to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

So, Heavenly Father, I ask for Your peace in Jerusalem now.  Would You place in the hearts of each individual there, whether young or old, man or woman, Arab or Israeli, politician or shopkeeper, a sense of unity and a desire for Your peace to invade the Middle East.

Father, for the Christians there empower those believers with courage to live out their faith in unity as Your body.  Let there be unity in their churches, so the people who are seeing them are not put off of believing in You because of Your followers. Give these believers an extra dose of Your protection so they can live out Your love in front of an unbelieving world.

Lord, protect them as they witness to their unbelieving friends and neighbors.  Protect their lives, families, businesses, and possessions as they spread Your love and Your Word through their spoken and unspoken testimony.  Cause a revival in their lives, so they are filled to overflowing with Your love and Your blessing and want to share it with others.

Prepare the hearts and spirits of unbelievers to hear Your Word and believers’ testimonies.  Cause them to question whatever it is they are believing in now: another religion, a government power, a cultural system of beliefs.  Open their eyes and ears to see and hear what is happening around them.  And open their spirits to understand and discern spiritual truth.

Speak to unbelievers as only You can.  Give them dreams and visions that lead them to the truth of who You are.  Let them hear Your Word in their own language.  Let them see examples of godly lives lived out.

Tear the veil away from their minds that keeps Your truth in darkness.  Reveal Yourself to them in ways that will lead them to accept You as their own personal Savior.  And let that have an impact on them individually, and then on their families, their neighbors, their community, their culture and their nations.

Let Your message of truth and peace spread from one to another in a way that no government or oppressive organization can stop!

Father, because this is a world-wide issue, send and empower godly leaders and counselors to countries around the world who recognize and acknowledge You as Supreme and Sovereign God.

I pray for Your Word to invade the earth.  And for Your Will to be done in all the earth.  If this will only happen when You return, then I pray for Your quick return.  For You are the Prince of Peace.  You wept over Jerusalem.  And You can bring peace back to her.   Father, bring Your peace.  Amen

Psalm 122:1-9