July 11 Make Mighty Men

Father, I pray that my sons would be Mighty Men. Like those men You brought to surround and support David, let my sons be able and capable. Let them know what is right and not be afraid to stand up and fight for it.

I don’t mean I want them to be killers of men as David’s Mighty Men had to be, but to be of strong character. All the verses in today’s scriptures contain wisdom for those who would be open to learn. Father, let my sons have open eyes, ears and hearts to learn from You and Your Word. Show them truth in their lives, and do not let them be swayed or misled by the lies and deceit of the world or the evil one.

Like David’s Mighty Men, let them see Your hand at work in the world, and join You in it. Let them have the skills they need to be victorious in today’s battles. Today’s battles are not against the Philistines, but against greed, lust, envy, entitlement, spiritual strongholds, social pressures, political agendas and those who would derail them from Your purpose for their lives. Father, let them know the truth that will combat these lies and set them free.

Paul quoted the prophet Isaiah about the condition of the Israelites. Lord, let my sons be the opposite. So when they hear Your Word, let them understand it, as they see You at work, let them perceive how to work with You. Do not let their hearts become calloused, their ears deaf, or their eyes blind. But let them be open to You and understand with their hearts, and turn to You for healing.

Along with the psalmist, let them “praise You, O Lord, with all their hearts. Let them tell of Your wonders and be glad to rejoice in You. Let them sing praise to Your name. Turn their enemies back and cause them to stumble and perish.”  Uphold my sons, Lord. Teach them that You judge righteously.

As the Proverbs teach, Lord, “let their walk be blameless. Do not let them become fools with perverse lips. Do not let them be hasty and miss the way, or have zeal without knowledge. Do not let them rage against You. Help them learn from mistakes, so they will not ruin their lives with folly.” All these things will make them mighty men of the Lord. They will know You and trust in You, for You have never forsaken those who seek You.

I would desire to be all these things as well, Lord; to have these character traits, and be mighty in my faith. Let me be a good role model to my children and all those around me. Thank You, for doing more than I can even ask or imagine. Amen

I Chronicles 11:10-12:18; Acts 28: 25-27; Psalm 9:1-3; Proverbs 19:1-3

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

Oct 6 Your Word is my path

“Stand at the crossroads and look;  ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,  and you will find rest for your souls”.

Father, destruction was coming and You instructed Your people with this verse. Yet they did not obey or follow You. Do not let me reject Your wisdom. Today I stand seeking. I look to You to guide and direct my thoughts. Show me the way to go. Help me be steadfast to walk in Your way. I trust Your leading. Even if it is not the ‘popular’ path. Or the one that seems ‘logical’ at the time. Or the ‘easiest’ one that seems to be clear of obstacles. Give me strength to be obedient to what I hear You saying.

Paul said it this way: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

There are many followings today, many belief systems that are portrayed in the media as right and credible. Do not let me be misled by these false, socially acceptable representations. You have taught me the truth. And I have aligned myself with You by faith, by public profession, by baptism and by the way I choose to live.

Just as false religions lead me away from You, so do the attitudes that would bind me to legalistic practices that come from man. Such rules and regulations that many keep, and look down on those who do not, are just as damaging. Their obedience is based on human commands and teachings of men’s interpretation. Believers are Your Body. And when the members of Your Body obey only each other, they have lost connection with You, their Head.

Bottom line Lord: let me hear Your voice, and obey what You tell me. Let me truly live my life for an Audience of One. You. Amen

Jeremiah 6:16-21; Colossians 2:8-23

Oct 4 Fill me!

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives 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, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.  For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

 Father, I continually ask You to fill me with the knowledge of Your will: not my own or anyone else’s. Do not let me be distracted by the glitter of what the world would show me I could do or have. Or be swayed by trying to please others to earn their approval. Do not let me be led astray by my own sense of pride or selfishness. But give me a true understanding of how You have created me, with specific gifts, talents, personality and temperament, and how You would use those to accomplish Your will through my life.

Lord, would You do this through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives: not the wisdom of the world, or the logic of the mind, or the sense of the flesh. For these are the influences that so often affect my mind and decisions. I seek the wisdom that Your Spirit gives through Your Word in scripture, and in prayer and meditation as I open my ears and heart and spirit to You alone. Close my ears to all other sources that would seek to lead me away from You and Your purposes.

Father, give me Your strength, that comes from Your power.   Strengthen me physically when I need it. I do not desire to do great physical feats, but Father, sometimes my energy wanes long before the end of the day or the task. And as I age, I can feel weakness creeping into my body. Fortify my organs and my immune system to function according to how You created them to function. Lord, I also need Your support mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. Empower me in all these areas with Your strength working in and through me.

Father, I ask for these gifts so that I may live the life You died to give me; pleasing You, doing good works that will bring glory to Your name. And that I would accomplish these in Your power and in Your timing. This will help me know You better and deepen our relationship. I offer up sincere thanks and praises with total joy, as a beloved and blessed child of Yours. Amen

Colossians 1:1-17

Sept 10 Give me understanding

Father, what a vision You gave Isaiah! It is as if he were privileged to peek into the actual Throne Room in Heaven itself! His eyes were opened and he saw and described amazing things that are like nothing ever seen on earth. And once again, when confronted with glimpses of Your glory, the human response is the recognition of our unworthiness. In the presence of such greatness and holiness, human frailty pales in comparison.

You gave Isaiah a message for Your people. You directed him to say to King Ahaz in the face of military invasion: “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”. It was true then, and it is true today.

A paraphrase I heard growing up was ‘If you don’t know what you stand for, you’ll fall for anything.’

Because I believe You are God, Creator of the universe and the only Savior for all who You created, I can stand. My faith is the firm base I need to plant my feet on. You are a firm and solid rock.

Sometimes it helps to have scripture verses that remind me of these truths. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 Sometimes, it helps to remember statements of truth that are based on scripture. ‘God is who He says He is. God can do what He says He can do.’ Or to proclaim in song, ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” These are some ways I find reassurance when I feel afraid or doubtful.

Father, I do not want to be “ever hearing but never understanding; ever seeing but never perceiving”, with my “heart calloused”, my “ears dull”, and my “eyes closed”. I want to “see with my eyes, hear with my ears and understand with my heart…and be healed”.

When You open my eyes and ears, I have understanding. And I can stand. Father, help me stand even in the face of the invasion of the enemy. Help me remember Your truths. Help me recall Your faithfulness to me in the past. These things build my faith even stronger. And give me a firm place to stand. Amen

Isaiah 6:1-10