Mar 6 Receive

Father, I have heard this blessing many times throughout my life.  I used to hear it sung in Chapel – a beautiful melody and sentiment.  But it seemed more like a ritual refrain than words invoking a powerful blessing upon me personally.

Over the last years I have studied the Hebrew verbs at work in this blessing, and now it means so much more to me.

Bless me.  Oh Father, may Your blessing be upon me.   As when You blessed Your creation: infuse me with unlimited potential and empower me.  Remove any and all limitations that would prevent me from achieving the fullness of Your purpose for me and my life.

Keep me.  Zealously cherish me and keep watch over me, my comings and goings, protecting and defending me from any physical, mental, emotional, psychological, financial, social or spiritual enemy or harm.

Let Your face shine on me.  Let the light of Your radiance be upon me to invigorate and empower me.  Let me live in the favor of Your presence and feel You near.

Be gracious unto me.  Let me see and recognize those times when You bestow gifts and unmerited favor on me.  Even when those gifts do not look like what I might expect.

Lift up Your countenance upon me.  O my God, do not turn Your face away from me, but continue to guide me and urge me on, speaking clearly and gently to me.

Let me live in the fullness of Your peace, Shalom: which means and encompasses wholeness, wellness, purposefulness with joy, abundant provision, harmony, tranquility, safety, and security.

Thank You Lord that You in all Your power and mercy, do bless me, keep me, make Your face to shine upon me, are gracious to me, lift Your countenance upon me, and give me Your perfect peace.  You are the Prince of Peace.   And these powerful Words are indeed a blessing.  Amen

Numbers 6:24-26

Mar 6 Receive

Father, I have heard this blessing many times throughout my life.  I used to hear it sung in Chapel – a beautiful melody and sentiment.  But it seemed more like a ritual refrain than words invoking a powerful blessing upon me personally.

Over the last years I have studied the Hebrew verbs at work in this blessing, and now it means so much more to me.

Bless me.  Oh Father, may Your blessing be upon me.   As when You blessed Your creation: infuse me with unlimited potential and empower me.  Remove any and all limitations that would prevent me from achieving the fullness of Your purpose for me and my life.

Keep me.  Zealously cherish me and keep watch over me, my comings and goings, protecting and defending me from any physical, mental, emotional, psychological, financial, social or spiritual enemy or harm.

Let Your face shine on me.  Let the light of Your radiance be upon me to invigorate and empower me.  Let me live in the favor of Your presence and feel You near.

Be gracious unto me.  Let me see and recognize those times when You bestow gifts and unmerited favor on me.  Even when those gifts do not look like what I might expect.

Lift up Your countenance upon me.  O my God, do not turn Your face away from me, but continue to guide me and urge me on, speaking clearly and gently to me.

Let me live in the fullness of Your peace, Shalom: which means and encompasses wholeness, wellness, purposefulness with joy, abundant provision, harmony, tranquility, safety, and security.

Thank You Lord that You in all Your power and mercy, do bless me, keep me, make Your face to shine upon me, are gracious to me, lift Your countenance upon me, and give me Your perfect peace.  You are the Prince of Peace.   And these powerful Words are indeed a blessing.  Amen

Numbers 6:24-26

May 16 Praying Psalm 112

Father, I pray the words of this Psalm for myself, and my loved ones.

I give You praise!

Blessed am I because I fear You – have an earnest respect for You – and delight in knowing and obeying Your commands.  May my children be mighty in the futures You have promised them.  May they live uprightly so their generation will be blessed.

Thank You that I possess wealth and riches.  Perhaps not as the world recognizes wealth and riches, but as You count them.   And thank You that Your righteousness remains with me forever.

Even in the dark and challenging times we find ourselves in, let me live in Your light as You give me grace and compassion to deal with whatever comes.  Your goodness pours into my life.  Let me generously pass that goodness on to others.  I will seek Your justice in conducting my affairs and act in accordance.

As I have planted my faith in You, I will never be shaken.  The circumstances of  the world will not make me fall apart.  Keep my heart strong even in the face of bad news, so I will not fear.  And draw me ever closer to You, who I trust completely.

Because I know that You win in the end, my heart and mind are secure.  I know that at the end of the age, when You return, all Your foes will be vanquished, and I will look triumphantly on those enemies.

I will send my service and prayers and financial support to the poor, here and around the world.  Let Your righteousness done through me be remembered forever.  And my family be remembered honorably.  Amen

Psalm 112:1-9

Nov 2 Don t miss it!

Don’t let us miss the message today like the people in Ezekiel’s time did – 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.”  Its 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

Mar 8 Only You

Thank You for having mercy on me O Lord.  Thank You for withholding from me the penalty that my sins deserve.

I praise You that Your mercies are new every morning; that You are not like a human, who would reach a limit of forgiveness or loving kindness.

I am so fortunate that I am not dependent on my own goodness or ability to “earn” any kind of favor from You, but that I am at the mercy of Your great, unfailing love and boundless compassion.

Because of this, Lord, You blot out my transgressions, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from all my sin.  And because Your love for me is so great, You only show me what I can bear at any given time.  Your Holy Spirit convicts my heart, but does not condemn me.

I will be cleansed only when You cleanse me.  Only You have this power.   You can wash me whiter than the pure, sparkling snow.

You do not desire legalism or jumping through hoops to earn forgiveness; but desire my own recognition of my sin, and my true repentance.

Father, I ask You to do a work in me and purify my heart.  Renew a spirit in me that will not give way to these sins again.   That way, when I do sin, it will break my heart and make me aware immediately, so I can turn from it and return to You.

Return the joy of Your salvation to me Lord, and all that it means.

I am ever grateful for Your forgiveness, for Your cleansing, so I can again be in Your presence.  I open my mouth and declare that all blessing and honor are due You.  To You I give all glory, all praise, all thanks.  Yours is the power and strength forever. Amen

Psalm 51:1-19; Revelation 7:12

 

Feb 8 Praying Your words

 

Your Words are holy.  Sometimes I simply pray Your very own words back to You!  It’s as if You already know what I need and have prepared the prayer for me.

“I trust in You.  My times are in Your hands;” They always have been whether I acknowledged it or not – my comings and goings, my living and dying, and all the moments in between, were already determined before even one of them came to be.

“Deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.”  Whether physical, emotional, mental or spiritual adversaries – You are Sovereign over them all and can defeat them all.

“Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love.”  May I feel the impact of Your illuminating presence on my body, mind and spirit and be saved from harm not because of anything I have done or earned, but because of Your benevolent generosity and grace.

“Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I have cried out to You; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.” Let me see victory in the utter defeat of our enemies and the fulfillment of Your justice. Strengthen me to walk in Your way.  Amen

Psalm 31: 14-17

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

Apr 27 Your attention, Your abundance

O Jesus. How hard it is to read of the awful beatings, the unfair treatment and the terrible crucifixion You endured. I cannot even imagine the pain You suffered and the overwhelming agony. So many around You were unsympathetic and called for Your death. Yet even in the midst of all this, You were concerned with others.

When they crucified You, You called out for their forgiveness. And even as You were dying, You were not too busy to listen to the petition of one of Your hurting children, the man on the cross next to You. He asked only that You remember him, and You gave him paradise.

Father, You are like that with me. You hold the whole world together by Your power: the earth, the stars, the solar system. The motion of the seas is in Your hand, every storm, every person on the earth, not even a sparrow falls without Your awareness. Yet You are never too busy to hear my cry, my prayer, my thanks. Thank You, that I can come to You at any time and have Your attention.

And You always give more than You are asked. The thief asked for remembrance, You gave him paradise. Your mercy and grace overflows. Your lavish abundance is so great. Many times I ask for something and You blow me away with Your generosity and graciousness. And even when the answer is no, or wait, I can trust that You have my best in mind. Thank You for knowing even better than I, what I need. And for providing it.

The thief said “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.” It is the same with me. My deeds deserve death.   Only Your blood pays the penalty for my sin, and awards me life, not death.

Thank You for enduring death on a cross, so that I can walk with You in eternity. Thank You Father, for paradise.   Amen

Luke 23:25-43

 

Apr 19 Only God can make a tree…

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”

I am sick of waiting for some people to make good on their promises. The delays that come are hard to take. Even when I can understand there may be a good and logical reason behind postponements, it doesn’t make the waiting any easier. And when no reason is apparent, the frustration builds up and I literally feel ill.

This happens time and time again when I put my hope in people. The wondering if they will come through, the anxiousness of not knowing when things can be planned due to the uncertainty, the anticipation of desiring something but having it drag on indefinitely – all these things bring mental exhaustion and emotional collapse!

“but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

When I think of all a tree provides, it is comforting.

A tree is beautiful to look at. It is sturdy and provides shelter to sit or stand under or hide behind. It’s boughs and leaves give shade from the heat. I can lean up against it, climb it, sit in it, hide in it.   Depending on the type, it’s leaves may be a balm of healing, or its fruit may be nourishment.  A tree of life is life giving and life sustaining.

This verse paints a beautiful picture of Your provision in a world where there can be so much disappointment.

Thank You Father, that all Your promises are true. You promise salvation and You deliver. Your mercy and grace are renewed every day. You always forgive and never leave me. All this is according to Your Word, Your promise.

Father, I place my trust, my hope in You. If I have hopes or longings that are not honoring to You, please remove them. Do not let me become sick waiting or hoping for something that is not right for me. Show me if I need to move my focus or change my perspective.

When I need to wait on Your plan or purpose, help me wait patiently, purposefully and prayerfully. And when my longings are fulfilled, remind me to thank You and give You the credit.

For all You have already done, and for all You will do, thank You Father. Amen

Proverbs 13:12

Dec 9 Blessed is he who reads and hears and heeds

Father, I believe “the Day of the Lord is coming. It is close at hand…”. You gave Daniel dreams about the end times. You showed Ezekiel, and now Joel and John. All these prophets heard from You at different times, yet the message was the same. The time has come to “Blow the trumpet…sound the alarm…”.

I do not pretend to know the day or time, but I know that each day that goes by, is one day closer. It will be the end of everything known: the earth, the sun, moon and stars. But there is still time. You desire that all people will ”return to You with all [their] heart”.   Amazing things will happen. There will be spiritual signs, “wonders in the heavens” and many will be saved – everyone who calls on You. And there will be a new day, with blessings for Your people. And You will avenge.

John writes that You will bless everyone who “reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it…” In John’s Revelation, he not only saw with great detail: “dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” but was also given the interpretation of the meaning of what he saw. And all this was to be passed on to the seven churches so believers would know what was and what is and what is to come.

Proverbs tells me that “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction”.   And right here, You are giving a revelation!   Father, let me read and hear and heed what You have given here and in the whole of Your Word! Do not let me “cast off restraint” and walk in the way of the world. But let me sound the alarm to call people’s attention to Your wisdom, Your Word, and the blessing You want to give to all: salvation and eternal life with You! For the alternative is still eternal life, but separated from You. Vengeance is Yours. And You will avenge when the end comes. You are allowing time so all may come to You. And You have sent Your Word so all can know. I pray that all will “hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Amen

Joel 1:1-3:21; Revelation 1:1-20; Proverbs 29:18

Nov 14 Help me run the race

Father, I love Your Words in today’s Scriptures! And so I pray them back to You.

From Hebrews: “Therefore…let [me] throw off everything that hinders [me] and the sin that so easily entangles [me], and let [me] run with perseverance the race [You] marked out for [me]. Let [me] fix [my] eyes on You, the Author and Perfecter of [my] faith…”

Father, point out to me anything that is a hindrance to my being obedient to You; so I may follow the course You have laid out for me. I know You give me choices. There are many things I could do, many ways to spend the energy You give me that would serve You and be a blessing to others. But I also believe that when I am able to use the talents and spiritual gifts You have given specifically to me, I will experience more growth and more fruitfulness. In that role I believe I will have more perseverance, more joy, and more success than if I go off on my own. So I will fix my eyes on You, look to You for direction. Open my eyes to see You, and all You have to show me.

From Psalm 112: I pray that “[my husband and my sons] will be blessed as men who fear the Lord, who find great delight in Your commands. [May their] children be mighty in the land. [Would You place] wealth and riches in [their] houses and [let their] righteousness endure forever. Even in darkness, let light dawn [for them]. [Let them] be gracious and compassionate and righteous men. Let good come to [them when they are] generous… and conduct their affairs with justice. [Father, let them] never be shaken from their faith.”

“[Lord, let them] have no fear of bad news; [but let their] hearts be steadfast, trusting in You. [Whatever comes, let them] have no fear; and in the end, look in triumph on their foes. [Let them] scatter abroad their gifts to the poor. [Let their] righteousness endure, and lift [them] high in honor.” Father, if they are not as described here yet, bring them to this place. Draw them to You. Teach them. Let them know Your voice and feel Your love.

Lord, for them and myself, bring people and circumstances into our lives that will make us stronger, better, more obedient followers. Use others as iron to sharpen us to be useful tools in Your mighty hands. Thank You. Amen

Hebrews 12:1-4; Psalm 112:1-10; Proverbs 27:17

Nov 2 Don’t miss it!

Don’t let us miss the message today like the people did 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! The number of days, the military siege, even his shaved hairs became a picture of what would happen to the people!

He obeyed You to 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, there is still time for people to hear Your message and be saved. You say “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” 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 is the truth that 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 because You lived a human life here on earth, 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”.

Father, help me hear Your truth however You would speak it to me. Use me in the lives of people whose hearts You are softening. 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! Thank You that I can approach You with boldness and confidence, and that Your amazing mercy and grace has provided me with forgiveness and eternal salvation. “I will sing to You, my Lord, all my life. I will sing praise to You, my God, as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to You as I rejoice in You, my Lord.” Amen

Ezekiel 3:16-6:14; Hebrews 4:1-16; Psalm 104:33-34