Nov 2 Don’t miss it!

Don’t let us miss the message today like the people in Ezekiel’s time – but give us wisdom and discernment to recognize Your truth, and apply it to our lives…

Father, what You had Ezekiel do seems so hard.  Surely people must have thought he was crazy!  And yet, his strange behavior was an exact representation of all that would happen to Jerusalem!

He obeyed You so he would be a warning to the people.  But the people did not pay attention or return to You.  It makes me wonder about prophetic messages You are sending today, that no one is taking seriously…

Today, the good news is still being proclaimed!  But there are those who hear and it is “of no value to them, because they do not share the faith…”

Father, open their ears!   Soften their hearts!   Do not allow them to be swept away by believing the lies and deception of the evil one!

“Your Word is active and alive.”  It’s truth can set people free from the darkness and deceit of the world and the evil one.  It can show them the way to go, and how to turn from evil desires.  Father, You can give them the strength to walk away from what they have known, and toward what is right; because you, Yourself, have walked this path of flesh!

Thank You that in Your  humanness, You empathize with my weaknesses.   And thank You that You have invited me to “approach Your throne of grace with confidence…” in boldness, knowing I will “receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need.”  Your amazing grace provides me with forgiveness and eternal salvation.

Father, help me hear Your truth when You speak it to me.

Thank You for providing all that I need in my times of need.  Thank You that You know what I need even before I do!  Amen

Ezekiel 4:1-5:4; Hebrews 4:1-16

Sept 4 Apply my heart to what You teach

Father, I do desire to have Your wisdom. So I will heed the words Solomon wrote.

“A good name is better than fine perfume.” I want my name to stand for loyalty, honor, noble character and honesty. So help me act in a way that when people hear my name, they will think well of me. And they will know that You are my God and that I am Your servant.

“Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.” Wisdom is greater than power. So when a wise person corrects me, let me learn from it. Let me reject pride that would keep me in ignorance. Help me embrace patience. Do not let me be quickly provoked, or waste time yearning for ‘the good old days’. Let me not simply seek the approval of fools. Instead, help me turn and apply wisdom to the present circumstances of my life. Rather than be a fool, I want to recognize and learn from wisdom. Let it shelter me, preserve me, and give me an advantage.

Father, in this wisdom, let me be obedient to the authorities You put over me. Give me a wise heart so I will know the proper way to act at the proper time.

There are many things that only You know and I will never understand or see the reason behind it all. That is as it should be. But regardless, let me always seek the way of Your wisdom. Help me “pay attention and turn my ear to the sayings of the wise; apply my heart to what You teach…so that my trust will be in the Lord”.   For You are “Great and most worthy of praise…You are my God forever and ever; You will be my guide even to the end.” Amen

Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-19

May 10 The Best Father

O Father, how many times have I behaved like the Israelites here, and asked for something so I could be like everyone else? Instead of trusting Your will and the plan You had for me, I settled for what You allowed because I asked for it.

So many times the wisdom of the world seems right. It makes sense to the mind. It pleases the eye. It pacifies the emotions. But one can follow logic and still be dead wrong.   A person can feel like things are going well, when they are not. Things can look good, but be rotten to the core. This is proven each time someone is tricked or duped; because we trust our eyes and our logic.

But You, Father, can see the end from the beginning. You have a perspective that I do not.

I protect my child when I prevent them from a danger I can see that they cannot. To them, it may feel like I am restricting them, not protecting them.   Hopefully as they grow, they trust my judgment until they can see the dangers for themselves.

And sometimes, I need to let them make their own choices, even if they are unwise, in order to learn for themselves. For instance, when you eat a tube of raw cookie dough, there are unpleasant consequences, even though it tastes really good during the eating part.

Though I like to think of myself as independent and smart enough to make wise decisions, I have learned that simply lining up pros and cons and judging by worldly standards is not the only or even the best method. I have access to the God who created the universe! You have wisdom I could never in a million years attain.   And praises to You, You are willing to share it with me!

Father, when I want something, let me examine my motive. Help me discern what is best from Your perspective. Give me godly understanding that surpasses the world’s view. And help me accept that wisdom if it turns out that what I think I want is not the best thing. Help me wait for the right thing. Teach me to be wise. Amen

I Samuel 8:1-22