Dec 17 Two things I ask

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; 

give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord? 

Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Father, I see much wisdom in these words.  I also ask for these two things.

First, do not let me be entangled by telling or believing lies. 

Let me be true to my word and speak the truth in love; by the words I say and the way I allow others to perceive me.  Do not let me put on airs or mislead anyone into thinking I am something I am not.

And do not let me be misled by the lies or deceptions of others.  Help me see truth by shining Your light to dispel the darkness of lies and deception.

Second, let me live with what I need.  Not in poverty and not in riches.  Each of these might cause me to overlook You and focus on my circumstances.  For in both directions, I have seen people take their eyes off You.

If the need is so great, it can be a temptation to sin by stealing and cursing You.  And if the excess is too great, it can lead to pride, greed, and a self-sufficiency that disregards the need for You.

These are wise words Father, and they are my prayer.  Amen

Proverbs 30:7-9

Nov 21 Your Word is treasure

Father, thank You for warning me not to trust in earthly riches.  Wealth, possessions, gold and silver are not the treasure I seek.  They can lead to greed and the sins that greed temps a person to commit.

Rather, I treasure Your Word.  It gives me a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about how to receive Your blessing: something of far greater value.

You Word says I will be blessed when I “walk according to the law of the Lord…keep Your statutes and seek You with all [my] heart.”  I can keep my way pure “by living according to Your Word.”   So Father, “I seek You with all my heart: do not let me stray from Your commands.”  I desire to be blessed; show me how to walk in Your path.

Lord, I will “hide Your Word in my heart.”  I will read it, honor it, study to understand it, memorize it, and do what it says.  When I do not understand it, I will pray for clarity of meaning and how to apply it to my life. 

When people around me say one thing and Your Word says another, give me the conviction to be obedient to Your truth.  Help me see through the misleading lies and the deceiving values of society and not be tripped up by them.  Give me the strength I need to be true to You.

Because You tell me how powerful prayer is, I will pray

for the wisdom to stay on Your path
giving thanks when I am happy
for healing when I am sick
for help when I am in trouble
for forgiveness when I have sinned.

Father, help my prayers be powerful and effective.

Besides me, so many people need Your help in so many ways. I believe praying for them is one way I can help; even the best way I can help them.

So, like Elijah, I pray earnestly and in faith, knowing that You are the One who can answer.  You have the power, Lord.  And You have the desire to answer.

We are all Your creations, Lord.  Thank You that You love and care for us.  Amen

James 5:1-6; 13-20; Psalm 119:1-16

Dec 17 Two things I ask

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; 

give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Father, I see much wisdom in these words.  I also ask for these two things.

First, do not let me be entangled by telling or believing lies. 

Let me be true to my word and speak the truth in love; by the words I say and the way I allow others to perceive me.  Do not let me put on airs or mislead anyone into thinking I am something I am not.

And do not let me be misled by the lies or deceptions of others.  Help me see truth by shining Your light to dispel the darkness of lies and deception.

Second, let me live with what I need.  Not in poverty and not in riches.  Each of these might cause me to overlook You and focus on my circumstances.  For in both directions, I have seen people take their eyes off You.

If the need is so great, it can be a temptation to sin by stealing and cursing You.  And if the excess is too great, it can lead to pride, greed, and a self-sufficiency that disregards the need for You.

These are wise words Father, and they are my prayer.  Amen

Proverbs 30:7-9

Nov 21 Your Word is Treasure

Father thank You for warning me not to trust in earthly riches.  Wealth, possessions, gold and silver are not the treasure I seek.  They can lead to greed and the sins that greed temps a person to commit.

Rather, I treasure Your Word.  It gives me a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about how to receive Your blessing: something of far greater value.

You Word says I will be blessed when I “walk according to the law of the Lord…keep Your statutes and seek You with all [my] heart.”  I can keep my way pure “by living according to Your Word.”   So Father, “I seek You with all my heart: do not let me stray from Your commands.”  I desire to be blessed; show me how to walk in Your path.

Lord, I will “hide Your Word in my heart.”  I will read it, honor it, study to understand it, memorize it, and do what it says.  When I do not understand it, I will pray for clarity of meaning and how to apply it to my life. 

When people around me say one thing and Your Word says another, give me the conviction to be obedient to Your truth.  Help me see through the misleading lies and the deceiving values of society and not be tripped up by them.  Give me the strength I need to be true to You.

Because You tell me how powerful prayer is, I will pray

for the wisdom to stay on Your path

giving thanks when I am happy

for healing when I am sick

for help when I am in trouble

for forgiveness when I have sinned.

Father, help my prayers be powerful and effective.

Besides me, so many people need Your help in so many ways. I believe praying for them is one way I can help; even the best way I can help them.

So, like Elijah, I pray earnestly and in faith, knowing that You are the One who can answer.  You have the power, Lord.  And You have the desire to answer.

We are all Your creations, Lord.  Thank You that You love and care for us.  Amen

James 5:1-6; 13-20; Psalm 119:1-16

Dec 26 In God I Trust

Father, people look to many things to protect them, to save them, from hardship and the trouble of this world.  Zechariah prophesied Your judgment on people here who had put their faith in and were trusting many things other than You.

These people were skillful.  It’s easy to trust in yourself when you have skills.  You know what you are doing and you know that you do it well.  It offers you a sufficient level of confidence and security to be able to do what you need to do to make a living and build a strong shelter for protection.

People today also trust in their abilities.  They believe they can trade their skills for whatever else they need: food, clothing, shelter.  Beyond that, they may also derive their sense of self-worth from their abilities.

They had many possessions.  So much so, that they are described as having “heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.”  When you have possessions, it is easy to feel insulated from need.  You can literally see your wealth around you.  If you want something, you just buy it; or can sell something to buy what you need.

Again, people in my day often trust in their possessions.  And they often get their sense of personal value from what they own.

They had power.  When you have power, you can take what you want.  Your security comes from your strength.  As long as you maintain that strength, you have no need to fear anyone, or trust anything besides yourself.

People today trust in power.  They put their faith in their own personal power and their ability to control.  Or the power of their business, or their country, or their military.  They get their view of their worth from the power they can use to overcome others.

All these things are faulty reliances.

Zechariah tells me You will “take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea and she will be consumed by fire.”  “Her” and “She” refer to the cities and the people who oppress Your people.  But none of these things they trust in will save them.

It is the same today.  None of these things: abilities and skills, possessions and money, power and might, can save anyone.  No one and nothing can stand against You, Father.

So I agree with David.  No one is so great as You, or more worthy of praise.  Your glorious splendor and Your wonderful works have been passed down for generations.  Your character is unmatched.

To a greater extent than is humanly possible, You are good, gracious, compassionate, trustworthy, faithful, and righteous.  You are mighty and powerful above all things, but are just in all Your ways.

And I am blessed, supremely fortunate, that You are my God, my King.  You hold me up when I fall.  You satisfy me with good things.  You are always near to me and answer my call.  You watch over me although I have done nothing to deserve all this lavish care.

So I give You all my praise!  I worship You alone.  I look to You and trust in You, no matter what befalls me.  I know that Your faithfulness to me deserves my complete and absolute trust.

“My mouth will speak in praise of You.”  I will join with every other creature Your hand has made, and praise Your Holy Name.  Amen

Zechariah 9:1-8; Psalm 145:1-21

Dec 26 In God I Trust

Father, people look to many things to protect them, to save them, from hardship and the trouble of this world. Zechariah prophesied Your judgment on people here who had put their faith in and were trusting many things other than You.

These people were skillful. It’s easy to trust in yourself when you have skills. You know what you are doing and you know that you do it well. It offers you a sufficient level of confidence and security to be able to do what you need to do to make a living and build a strong shelter for protection.

People today also trust in their abilities. They believe they can trade their skills for whatever else they need: food, clothing, shelter. Beyond that, they may also derive their sense of self-worth from their abilities.

They had many possessions. So much so, that they are described as having “heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.” When you have possessions, it is easy to feel insulated from need. You can literally see your wealth around you. If you want something, you just buy it; or can sell something to buy what you need.

Again, people in my day often trust in their possessions. And they often get their sense of personal value from what they own.

They had power. When you have power, you can take what you want. Your security comes from your strength. As long as you maintain that strength, you have no need to fear anyone, or trust anything besides yourself.

People today trust in power. They put their faith in their own personal power and their ability to control. Or the power of their business, or their country, or their military. They get their view of their worth from the power they can use to overcome others.

All these things are faulty reliances.

Zechariah tells me You will “take away her possessions and destroy her power on the sea and she will be consumed by fire.” “Her” and “She” refer to the cities and the people who oppress Your people. But none of these things they trust in will save them.

It is the same today. None of these things: abilities and skills, possessions and money, power and might, can save anyone. No one and nothing can stand against You, Father.

So I agree with David. No one is so great as You, or more worthy of praise. Your glorious splendor and Your wonderful works have been passed down for generations. Your character is unmatched.

To a greater extent than is humanly possible, You are good, gracious, compassionate, trustworthy, faithful, and righteous. You are mighty and powerful above all things, but are just in all Your ways.

And I am blessed, supremely fortunate, that You are my God, my King. You hold me up when I fall. You satisfy me with good things. You are always near to me and answer my call. You watch over me although I have done nothing to deserve all this lavish care.

So I give You all my praise! I worship You alone. I look to You and trust in You, no matter what befalls me. I know that Your faithfulness to me deserves my complete and absolute trust.

“My mouth will speak in praise of You.” I will join with every other creature Your hand has made, and praise Your Holy Name. Amen

Zechariah 9:1-8; Psalm 145:1-21

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 times, let me live in Your light as You give me grace and compassion to deal with whatever comes.  Let goodness pour into my life.  And 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 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

Dec 17 Two things I ask

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; 

give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Father, I see much wisdom in these words.  I also ask for these two things.

First, do not let me entangle myself in telling lies.  Let me be true to You, speaking the truth in love.  And not just by the words I say, but in the way I allow others to perceive me.  Do not let me put on airs or mislead anyone into thinking I am something I am not.

And the reverse: do not let me be misled by the lies and falsehoods of others.  Help me see truth.  Let me understand by Your light shining, dispelling the darkness of lies and deception.

Second, let me live with what I need.  Not in poverty and not in riches.  Each of these might cause me to overlook You and focus on my circumstances.  For in both directions, I have seen people take their eyes off You.

If the need is so great, it can be a temptation to sin by stealing and cursing You.  And if the excess is too great, it can lead to pride, greed, and a self-sufficiency that disregards the need for You.

These are wise words Father, and they are my prayer.  Amen

Proverbs 30:7-9

 

Nov 21 Your Word is Treasure

Father thank You for warning me not to trust in earthly riches. Wealth, possessions, gold and silver are not the treasure I seek. They can lead to greed and the sins that greed temps a person to commit. Rather, I treasure Your Word. It gives me a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about how to receive Your blessing: something of far greater value.

You Word says I will be blessed when I “walk according to the law of the Lord…keep Your statutes and seek You with all [my] heart”. I can keep my way pure “by living according to Your Word”. So Father, “I seek You with all my heart: do not let me stray from Your commands.” I desire to be blessed; show me how to walk in Your path.

Lord, I will “hide Your Word in my heart”. I will read it, honor it, study to understand it, memorize it, and do what it says. When I do not understand it, I will pray for clarity of meaning and how to apply it to my life. When people around me say one thing and Your Word says another, give me the conviction to be obedient to Your truth. Help me see through the misleading lies and the deceiving values of society and not be tripped up by them. Give me the strength I need to be true to You.

Because You tell me how powerful prayer is, I will pray. I pray for the wisdom to stay on Your path.  I pray giving thanks when I am happy.   I pray for healing when I am sick. I pray for help when I am in trouble. I pray for forgiveness when I have sinned. Father, help my prayers be powerful and effective.

Besides me, so many people need Your help in so many ways. I believe praying for them is one way I can help; perhaps the best way I can help them.   Father, like Elijah, I pray earnestly and in faith, knowing that You are the One who can answer. You have the power, Lord. And You have the will. We are all Your creations, Lord. Thank You that You love and care for us. Amen

James 5:1-20; Psalm 119:1-16

Sept 5 Fear God and keep His commandments

Father, there are so many things Solomon saw and experienced and wrote about: wise men and fools, hard work and laziness, feasting and mourning, rich and poor, old age and youth, life and death. He ends with this: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of this matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

My whole purpose is to honor and revere You! To acknowledge who You are, and respect You for it. To do what You show me to do. And not do what You caution or command me not to do.   It is not to amass wealth. It is not to leave a legacy of institutions or businesses. It is not to make scientific discoveries. It is not even to compose a masterpiece, write an inspiring book or create a memorable work of art.

The Psalmist adds his wisdom to the collection as he reminds me ‘you can’t take it with you’. Riches cannot add time to the length of my days. And none of these things can come with me past my life here on earth.

But You, Father, will be with me for eternity. It is You who will “redeem my life from the grave, and take me to be with Yourself”. You “will bring every deed into judgment…”. And Solomon says he has written down “sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to Him who sent you.” Meaning that if I abide by his counsel, knowledge, teachings and words, I will be able to give a godly account of my life here on earth.

So Father, teach me to apply this wisdom. Show me how to make decisions about my life that keep me focused on the right things and set godly priorities. Do not let me chase after meaningless things: riches to boast in, prideful reputation, positions to exalt myself.   Help me remember that You are my future. And whatever blessings You bring into my life, are to be used to honor You. Let me have a true understanding of the wisdom that comes from You. Amen

Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14; Psalm 49:1-20; Proverbs 22:20-21

Dec 17 Two things I ask

 

 

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord? Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Father, I see much wisdom in these words. I would also ask these two things of You. Do not let me entangle myself in telling lies. But let me be true to You, speaking the truth in love. And not just by the words I say, but in the way I allow others to perceive me. Do not let me put on airs or mislead anyone into thinking I am something I am not. And the reverse: do not let me be misled by the lies and falsehoods of others. Let me see truth. Let me understand by Your light shining, dispelling the darkness of lies and deception.

And let me live with what I need. Not in poverty and not in riches. Each of these might cause me to overlook You and focus on my circumstances. For in both directions, I have seen people take their eyes off of You. If the need is so great, it can be a temptation to sin by stealing and cursing You. And if the excess is too great, it can lead to pride, greed, and a self-sufficiency that disregards the need for You.

These are wise words Father, and they are my prayer. Amen

Proverbs 30:7-9