Monthly Archives: January 2017

Oh to be pure of Spirit

I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom,

How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live!

Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. 23They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’

Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.”

Lord God, Turn my heart against my way, allow me to release my tendency to blame others for my sin and accept full responsibility for my sn and turn it over to you to destroy. Lord God, purify my heart and turn me towards you and away from this world and help me to shine your glory above any desire I have to shine mine. Give me courage to do the hard things I know I should but don’t. Guide me into revealing your glory in all I do.

In Jesus name,
Amen

To be obedient

Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.

Each day, offer two lambs that are a year old, 39one in the morning and the other in the evening.

Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46and they will know that I am the lord their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the lord their God.

Lord God, why is it so hard to believe in your power in my life. Lord God, I see you everywhere in creation but I struggle in allowing you to be Lord over my life. I pray Lord for your pure goodness and grace to overwhelm my own selfish desire and that I my release my own desires and allow you to have your way. Lord God give me strength over my desire with your holy presence as my compass.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Perspective

17“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

“for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”

Build my altar wherever I cause my name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you.

“Make no treaties with them or their gods. 33They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry.”

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the lord has commanded. We will obey.”

Lord God my father,
Soften my heart so it can be reshaped in your image, make my ways apparent to me so I may turn from them and surrender to your way, Lord protect my thoughts and keep the ways of the world away from me so I may only have thoughts that are pleasing to you, Direct my actions so I may delight you.

In Jesus name,
Amen

How much do I allow God to fight for me?

With a strong hand, the lord rescued you from Egypt.’

A firstborn donkey may be bought back from the lord by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son.

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14The lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the lord your God and do what is right in his sight,

Lord God,
Place on my heart a desire to listen to you and soften my heart to do your will without delay. Lord God, I am too weak to do what is before me, I crave your power to push me forward and pray my actions will release your glory in your kingdom. May defeat the enemy with your power and strength and bring you glory.

In Jesus name,
Amen

May God’s abilities shine thru me.

Then the lord said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubbornso I can display my miraculous signs among them

And we won’t know how we are to worship the lord until we get there.”

(Now the lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.)

The lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for.

Lord God, you have made me stubborn so you can display your miraculous signs thru me. I pray Lord that you would soften my heart so I may allow your power to flow thru me and do amazing things to reveal your glory in your works in me. Soften my heart and protect me from evil thoughts and allow your glory to be my life force.
In Jesus name,
Amen

To understand His ways, in my weakness I am made strong.

But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”
12God answered, “I will be with you.

But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The lord never appeared to you’?”

But Moses pleaded with the lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”

But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

Then the lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” he said. “What about your brother,

Then Moses went back to the lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?

Then the lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh.

So Moses told the people of Israel what the lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.

Lord God,
May my protest against your desires for me make me strong, overcome my suborn ways and give me the strength to overcome and release your glory I have covered with fear,in me and lets overcome my weakness together.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Why do I struggle with what is good for me?

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are.

“Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks.

But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.

Lord God,
may I submit to your every desire for me. Lord protect me from my sinful way and deliver me into our delightful path. Lord may I stop struggling to understand and simply follow you will for me.
In Jesus name,
Amen

May I serve the lord with all my desires.

Judah recognized them immediately and said, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah.” And Judah never slept with Tamar again.

The lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.

From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake.

The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything.

Lord God,
Show me your favor and may I care for all you trust me with here and bring you glory in all I do. Transform my desire so I may serve you fully.
In Jesus name,
Amen

I don’t understand

“But are you really my son Esau?” he asked.
“Yes, I am,” Jacob replied.

for she said, “I have struggled hard with my sister, and I’m winning!”

You know how hard I have worked for your father, 7but he has cheated me, changing my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to do me any harm.

In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac—you would have sent me away empty-handed.

Lord God,
Help me to understand the ways of you. How you bless those who trick to gain favor and those who do not. May I simply accept your way and not question you but be patient until you see fit for me to understand.

In Jesus name,
Amen

Oh to be pure of spirit

The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.”

Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.

And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.

“Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

“O lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.

“Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the lord!

“The lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say.

May your descendants be strong
and conquer the cities of their enemies.”

Lord God my father,
I ask you to drive out the enemies struggling to influence me in my daily actions, Lord open my eyes and reveal them to me so I may allow you to conquer them and purify my to the point of living in your blessed actions. Lord God may I sacrifice what I hold precious in my heart that separates my from your will for me and give me power and energy to serve you in ridiculous ways.