Speak Up!

Proverbs 31:8 & 9 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Who do I defend? Who is it that I speak for?  Do I only speak in my best  interest, am I always fighting for my rights and ignoring the rights of others?  Am I mute if the mute need a defender?  Do I become poor in words when the poor need a speaker?  Father I know people are your prize possession and loving people is my greatest responsibility.  Help me to open my mouth when the poor, the fatherless and the defenseless need someone to stand up for them.  Help me Lord to get all that I can get that I may give all that you have called me to give, in Jesus name.  Amen

BOLD

Proverbs 30:29 & 30 Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any…

When I was a sin follower I was bold.  I pursued sin in open fields, devoured it and did not turn back.  I did what ever was necessary to get my fill; I lied, stole, cheated, hid, deceived, abused.  So addicted was I to the taste of sin nothing else really matter.  As a reward sin locked it’s fingers of steel around my neck and tried to press the life out of me. 

Now I am a Christ follower and I want to be bold.  I want to pursue obedience in open fields, devour it and not turn back.  I want to do whatever is necessary to obtained the prize set before me.  I must; be honest, upfront, transparent, forgiving and healing.  Everything matters!   I stand in the grip of your grace and love. 

Lord, Lion of the tribe of Judah, make be bold for your kingdom.  Amen

See Danger

Proverbs 27:12 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Father my prayer today is simple; help me to see danger coming from a great distance away and give me the wisdom to avoid it.  In Jesus name. Amen

A man with no walls

Proverbs 25:28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Its been difficult to rebuild or repair the areas of my life that have been broken into.  When the violence and choices of others left me desperate for care and reassurance of my value, immediate options appeared.  Options boasted relief but instead deliver a hook; the hook of addiction.  Addiction steps in and instantly starts the coup, taking control of all decisions and governance of my life.  In what seems like seconds pain leads to more pain, misery to more misery and abuse to self-abuse.  There was  no direction, no compass, no guide.  Your word has been a place of safety and healing.  Your love has lifted me.  You have given me the strength to thwart the enemy’s plans and regain control over myself, my actions and my choices. 

 Where there are still broken walls in my life, areas unguarded and open to attack, I pray your strength and wisdom, I pray for your healing and protection.  May I never again be a man with no walls.  Amen

It’s all about rescue!

Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

Get up, get ready, get dressed, get going, get there, get busy, get done, get home, get clean, get relaxed, get some (maybe), get sleepy, get up… get lost in getting.   What about rescue? 

I am so grateful for the opportunity you have given me to change lives; to rescue others with words of hope and smiles of grace, to give a portion so that they might live a portion of their lives not worried about living a portion of the day.  To give my time, talent and thoughts to those who think they have no time for thinking about anything more than dying.  Rescue!  You rescued me and gave me a reason to recover.  Life is worth living because of the rescue.  Adversities are worth overcoming because of the rescue.  The fight I face is because of the rescue and defeat is not an option because of the rescue. 

I will not faint in the day of adversity for my strength is not small, my strength is in you.  I will rescue the one being dragged off to death. I will save the one stumbling to the slaughter or I will die trying.  It’s all about the rescue!

No is Okay!

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

I remember being in a youth choir and singing passionately, God is in control!  That simple fact is so hard to remember when things don’t go my way.  Every now and again, even as an adult, I struggle with hearing no; no you were not chosen, no you cannot have what you desire, no it’s not your time.  I have come up with a saying to teach the lesson I am still leraning.  No is okay!  I must remember, Lord, that you are in control.  Every yes and every no ultimately comes from you.  I pray, press, and prepare, but the answer belongs to you.  Some trust in money and some in strength, but I will trust in you.  You are my God and my guide.  Your plans for me are sure and you designate my times.    Light your path up for me, like a runway at night, I pray? I love you. Amen.

Integrity

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him

Day by day walking in integrity takes maximum effort.  Lying, cheating, stealing and getting-over is all so easy and so easily justified.  Ill-gotten gain is indeed sweet at first, but I want the blessed end.  I strive so that my children and children’s children will know and love you, God.  I strive so my children will choose to follow my footsteps on the difficult path of integrity; one foot in front of the other, step by step, day by day; making the right choice, no matter how difficult. 

The payoff of integrity may not always be cashed by me, but I pray that my children will always reap the benefit.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

Just so angry

Proverbs 16:32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

The greatest war that I have ever fought is the war within me.  It’s challenging not to let anger rage and words of flames incinerate those who offend me.  It’s easy to feel offended when it’s time for promotion and my name is not called.  I so easily feel taken advantage of by others, but it’s anger that tries to manipulate me.  Anger shouts and fills my head with noise so I cannot hear reason.  Anger floods my veins with fire and so consumes my compassion.  Anger’s proud voice tries to mimic my own and says, you have a right and they have none.  But who am I but ash and dust?

Father, I thank you for the gift of anger and the understanding that anger is for danger; not for me to become a danger to those undeserving.  Help me to become mighty in self-control and great in perseverance.  May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be ever filtered by your great grace and your mighty mercy towards me.  Amen

Shut up and serve

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Humilty should be so simple.  It’s just staying in my lane, serving on my road and minding my own business.  It’s easy to see the  potholes on someone else’s lane and offer suggestions on how and why they should fix it or even worse, criticize them for not doing so.  It’s easy to look ahead and pretend; if only I were the boss, the pastor, the parent, the president; how wonderful things would be.  It’s easy to plan what I would do if; I get rich, a better job, married, or  have children while I do nothing with the opportunity I have now.  It’s so easy to put my words  out there, speak about matters that don’t directly concern me.  It’s effortless to share a little too much, feel a little too much and judge a little too much.  Like James 3 says;

 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,  and set on fire by hell. 

Father, help me to stay in my lane, serve on my road, and stifle my tongue as I strive.  In Jesus name, amen.

When hope hurts

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart-sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

It was on the darkest of days.  The drought of unemployment had lasted much longer than I ever imagined it would.  Signs everywhere boasted that the water of employment was available. Water over here!  Water available here! Some even invited, come taste our great water, but then they revealed that the water drinker position had already been designated to another.  Once I even received the water drinker position but complications dried up the opportunity. On that darkest of days, I cried with every fiber in my body, my tears burned and my heart ached.  I was at the lowest place, in pain and pleading with you God for the ability to provide for my family.  In the darkness of my despair, I couldn’t understand why nothing I hope in would get me a drink of employment; not my experience, not my personality, not my education. Then I remembered…

Psalms 20: 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Father, it is only you who can grant my heart’s desire and fulfill all my plans.  As dreams drift into the distance and hope-clouds hide beyond the horizon, may I always remember and be comforted in my calamity, knowing my hope is in you God.  Amen