cooperation

Psalm 58, Proverbs 27

 ²³ Know the state of your flocks,
      and put your heart into caring for your herds,
 ²⁴ for riches don't last forever,
      and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
 ²⁵ After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears
      and the mountain grasses are gathered in,
 ²⁶ your sheep will provide wool for clothing,
      and your goats will provide the price of a field.
 ²⁷ And you will have enough goats' milk for yourself,
      your family, and your servant girls.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that I will work diligently at the work you have given me.  Lord, I do not trust in money, I trust in you, and I know that you are in control regardless of political instability.  Lord, I trust you to sustain me and provide for me.  Lord, please give me ability, opportunity, and wisdom to serve and provide for my family.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

hope

Psalm 57, Proverbs 26

This weekend, my wife and I are teaching small groups at my biological/spiritual Brother's church in west Texas.  The three lessons that we will teach are faith, hope, and love.  I think I have a handle on faith and love, but I've really been growing in understanding as I study for the hope lesson.  "Serendipitously", King David efficiently communicates hope in the Psalm that I read this morning:

 ¹ Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
      I look to you for protection.
   I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
      until the danger passes by.
 ² I cry out to God Most High,
      to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
 ³ He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
      disgracing those who hound me.

Hope is living your life in yearning and constant expectation of the the destruction of sin and death, the completion of our sanctification, the final transformation into glorification, and the universal realization of the eternal lordship of Christ Jesus.  Of course, we who Believe are great beneficiaries of His grace, to not only be permitted to reside with Him, but to be invited to commune with Him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are the Most Holy God.  I praise you for your greatness, and I trust that you will accomplish all of your purposes.  You are so kind to include me in the goodness of your love.  Lord, please help me grow in hope.  I pray that I will glorify you as I live a faithful, hopeful, loving life.  Jesus Christ, I long for your return, and I am waiting to see your face.  I love you, and it is in your precious and holy name that I pray.  Amen.

a new day

Psalm 56, Proverbs 25

As I walked from the bus stop through the cool stillness of the morning to my office, and as I type this blog on my new computer this morning, I am reminded of the Lord's faithfulness and blessing.  He is so good, and His mercy endures forever.  As I meditate on Psalm 56 this morning, I am reminded that the Lord is just, and He is not capricious with our sorrow; in fact, He has a good purpose:

⁸ You keep track of all my sorrows.
      You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
      You have recorded each one in your book.

More than that, we have hope in the Everlasting God: hope of His rescue, redemption, and defence:

⁹ My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
      This I know: God is on my side!
 ¹⁰ I praise God for what he has promised;
      Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
 ¹¹ I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
      What can mere mortals do to me?

Yet even more, we see that He cares for us to know Him, to love Him, and to walk with Him - and He sustains us in relationship with Him.  We see that He gives us Himself. Through the person and work of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He gives us His LIFE and LIGHT:

¹² I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
      and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
¹³ For you have rescued me from death;
      you have kept my feet from slipping.
   So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
      in your life-giving light.

Oh, that we may commune with Christ and glory in the Light of His Loving Life!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for rescuing me from death!  Thank you for redeeming me to be a son of the Living God!  Thank you for the gift of Life!  Thank you for giving us yourself!  Lord, may we walk with you today, and may the joy of our salvation be expressed to those around us.  Lord, please grow your life in us, and may we walk in the light as you are in the light.  Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!  Amen.

cast your cares

Psalm 55, Proverbs 24

At the start of a worship service, I have heard people say something like, "Many of us came in here with burdens and distractions of this world.  Let's not think about those things right now so that we can focus on God."  The thing is, I don't think that concept is Biblical.  We don't clean up and then come to God, we come to God through Jesus Christ, and He cleans us up.  Sure, I can appreciate the point that we need to focus on Christ, and we will see everything else in the light of His love.  But as for the burdens of our heart and the troubles of our minds, I think Scripture calls us to honestly and humble cry out to God for deliverance and healing:

Psalm 55
 ¹⁶ But I will call on God,
      and the Lord will rescue me.
 ¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night
      I cry out in my distress,
      and the Lord hears my voice.
 ¹⁸ He ransoms me and keeps me safe
      from the battle waged against me,
      though many still oppose me. ...
 ²² Give your burdens to the Lord,
      and he will take care of you.
      He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

1 Peter 5
⁵Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." ⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ⁸Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. ¹⁰And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. ¹¹To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for being so kind and gracious.  Lord, you are so loving and compassionate.  I pray that I will come as I am before you and trust you to take care of me.  Lord, please expose those things which weigh me down, and may I give those things to you.  Lord, I love you, and I want to have a close relationship with you.  I trust you with my burdens, and I know that you love me and care for me.  Thank you for proving your love through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray.  Amen.

delight

Psalm 54, Proverbs 23

When I read this verse in Proverbs this morning,

 ²⁶ O my son, give me your heart.
      May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

I immediately began to pray that I would focus on Him and that I would delight in His beauty and not in any of the worldly junk around me.  I realized that the world is competing for the focus of our eyes, and once we are distracted, the Enemy deceives us into delighting in those worthless and hurtful things.  In fact, the very next verse gives an example:

 ²⁷ A prostitute is a dangerous trap;
      a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

Depending on your spiritual condition, something like prostitution might not be distracting.  The tough thing about it is, the Enemy is very subtle.  For instance, this weekend the thing that has subtly distracted me is a new laptop computer which came in this week, but it wasn't formatted properly, so I haven't been able to use it.  My impatience and materialism has distracted me from enjoying Christ to the fullest.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for being materialistic.  Lord, please deliver me.  Thank you for exposing the condition of my heart; I pray that you will help me turn my eyes to you and delight only in you.  I pray that I will be humble and wise.  Lord, I want to honor you.  Thank you for your many blessings.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

long week

Psalm 52, Proverbs 21

Wednesday morning, my advising professor, Mike (another student in my research group) and I left the school at 6:45 and drove to south Texas to collect some water samples for our research experimentation.  Mike is also a Believer, and on Tuesday, we had prayed that the Lord would give us good opportunity to visit with our professor.  During the six hour ride down to Harlingen, we discussed technical matters related to our research and then I asked my professor about how he got into environmental engineering.  It was very interesting to learn of his background, which I had not heard before.  When we arrived, we collected samples and promptly headed back to Austin.  On the ride back, we had more technical discussion, and then near the end, we had a great philosophical/theological discussion.  We each shared a brief summary of what we believe, and I feel like I know my advisor much more personally now.  I am thankful to the Lord that He gave me opportunity to be His witness (martyr).

Thursday morning, my wife and I drove to my grandparents' house for my Granddaddy's funeral.  It was good to see our family, and I was glad to see that my Grandmother was handling it well.  We were able to view his body at the funeral home before the funeral, and as my Grandmother had warned us, his body didn't look like my Granddaddy.  I realized that it was because he had lived a life full of the joy of the Lord - he had lived with the spirit of the Living God inside him!  At his funeral, we were given the opportunity to share a few words, and I shared how I felt with Matthew 25:23 applied to my Granddaddy:

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

Friday morning, my wife and I drove back to Austin, and I was able to hear a presentation from Dr. Tony Fane, an internationally renowned membrane technology treatment researcher.  His presentation was very encouraging for me, and I felt that what he said confirmed the value of my research.  After the presentation, I had opportunity to visit with him and discuss some of the technical advances related to the area of my research.

This morning, as I read Proverbs 21, I feel the tension between doing and being.  I have many responsibilities these days, and sometimes I feel overwhelmed.  But I know that I must trust His sovereignty:

¹ The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
      he guides it wherever he pleases.
³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
      but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please direct my heart to you.  Lord, please guide me to you.  Father, I pray that you will be what I desire.  I pray that the Lord Jesus will be the treasure that I seek. Please help me rest in you; help me be who I am and not get distracted by doing a bunch of stuff.  Lord, I trust that you will give me the victory in Christ Jesus.  May I walk in the power of your Holy Spirit.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

exalted

Psalm 48, Proverbs 17

In Psalm 48, Yahweh is revealed as residing in Mount Zion, and He is the great King, Jerusalem's towers, defender, glory, safety, God, and guide.  I especially like these verses:

¹ How great is the Lord,
      how deserving of praise, ...
⁹ O God, we meditate on your unfailing love
      as we worship in your Temple.
 ¹⁰ As your name deserves, O God,
      you will be praised to the ends of the earth.
      Your strong right hand is filled with victory.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are my King!  I praise you for your goodness, mercy, and love.  Lord God, thank you for defending me, for showing me your glory, and for keeping me safe.  Yahweh, you are my God, and I trust you to guide me all of the days of my life.  Your name deserves praise from every tribe of every nation.  I pray that you will empower me with your Holy Spirit to be your martyr for your glory.  I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

sing praises!

Psalm 47, Proverbs 16

 ¹ Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
      Shout to God with joyful praise!
 ² For the Lord Most High is awesome.
      He is the great King of all the earth. ...
 ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises;
      sing praises to our King, sing praises!
 ⁷ For God is the King over all the earth.
      Praise him with a psalm!

I don't know much about Hebrew, but I heard once that in the Hebrew language and culture, repetition was used to describe the importance of something.  If it is stated twice, it is something you should remember.  If it is stated thrice, then it is extremely important!  Here we are commanded FOUR TIMES to sing praises to Him!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you because you are worthy of every praise I could possibly give.  Lord, please inspire my heart with songs of praise so that I may honor your greatness.  Lord, please fill my heart with the joy of salvation and the privilege of knowing you.  Lord God, I pray that my life will be a praise song to you.  Please fill me with your love today, and may I feel the warmth of your smile and the strength of your arms.  I pray that Jesus Christ will be exalted in my life today, and it is in His precious name that I pray. Amen.

continuous praise

Proverbs 13, Psalm 44

I was really encouraged by these verses, and I was especially challenged by the last verse:

 ⁴ You are my King and my God.
      You command victories for Israel.
 ⁵ Only by your power can we push back our enemies;
      only in your name can we trample our foes.
 ⁶ I do not trust in my bow;
      I do not count on my sword to save me.
 ⁷ You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
      you disgrace those who hate us.
 ⁸ O God, we give glory to you all day long
      and constantly praise your name.

I am convicted because I know that I don't give Him glory all day long.  I don't constantly praise His name.  I want to, though.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I am a sinner, and I am frequently distracted by my self and this world.  Lord, please lift up my face; lift up my eyes to you O Lord!  May I gaze upon your beauty and strength; may I be captivated by your love.  Lord God, I want to praise you all day long; I want to give you glory all day.  Father, please help me - not by strength or might, but by your Holy Spirit.  I don't trust myself as far as I can throw me!  Lord, I know that you are the Victor through Christ's sacrifice at Calvary!  May I live in the power of the Holy Spirit today, and I pray that I will obey the Spirit to glorify you in my spirit.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

revelation

Psalm 43, Proverbs 12

 3 Send out your light and your truth;
      let them guide me.
   Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
      to the place where you live.
 4 There I will go to the altar of God,
      to God—the source of all my joy.
   I will praise you with my harp,
      O God, my God!

By His grace, He leads us to Himself.  He desires that we know Him, fellowship with Him, and worship Him.  Through our experience of Him, we find our ultimate satisfaction.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please illuminate my spiritual eyes with your Light - the person of Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit.  Father, please consume my mind with your Truth - the person of Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit.  Lord, please lead me to your holy mountain - Mt. Calvary where Jesus paid it all.  Please lead me to the place where you live - the Holy Spirit alive in my spirit.  Lord, please lead me to your dwelling, so that I may spend eternity with you.  I pray that my relationships will be an altar on which my body and life are offered as a sacrifice to the Most High God.  O Father, let me experience the joy of fellowship with you.  I want to praise you, because I love you and because you are worthy of all praise.  Lord, you are the God of the universe, and you are my God.  May your kingdom advance, and may the nations know of your goodness and love.  I love you, Lord.  May you be blessed and pleased with me today.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

heart

Psalm 42, Proverbs 11

 1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
      so I long for you, O God.
 2 I thirst for God, the living God.
      When can I go and stand before him? ...
 5 Why am I discouraged?
      Why is my heart so sad?
   I will put my hope in God!
      I will praise him again—
      my Savior and 6 my God! ...
 8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
      and through each night I sing his songs,
      praying to God who gives me life.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that I will want you like the dear wants water.  The reality is that I need you like water and air; I am nothing without you.  Lord, give me an unquenchable thirst to know you and love you.  I want to be in your presence and fellowship with you.  I pray that I will hope in you and nothing else.  I pray that I will praise you in every circumstance because you have saved me.  Lord, thank you for your unfailing love; please forgive me for taking it for granted.  Lord, please put a new song in my heart - a hymn of praise to you.  Lord, you give me life abundantly.  May I continually grow in your life, light, and love.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

praises

Psalm 41, Proverbs 10

This morning I attended a prayer meeting for our pastor, and it was so encouraging!  Pastor kneeled, and we all gathered around him and lifted him up in prayer.  I love joining older Brothers in prayer, especially when they pray Scripture.  The Lord teaches me and grows me through hearing and agreeing with their prayers.  I praise the Lord that he has blessed me with a pastor dedicated to the Lordship of Christ, and I praise the Lord for a group of Brothers who are committed to support our pastor.

Over the past several months, I've been trying to set up some mentorship time with two of those Brothers.  I have much respect for Brother Gorham and Brother Pinkston, and we finally had opportunity to fellowship.  After the prayer time this morning, the three of us sat down for a few minutes and simply shared our testimonies.  These are such sweet Brothers, and I am so excited to learn from them!  It is sort of like getting to fellowship with both of my Grandfathers.  I praise the Lord for answering my prayers for mentors, and I praise the Lord for the testimony of these godly men.

One of the things that both of them said was that they could tell that my wife is a sweet Christian woman.  They both spoke very highly of her.  I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful wife!  Her testimony of Christ shines through her sincere eyes and warm smile!  I praise the Lord that He is so gracious and kind to provide such a godly wife.

Psalm 41:13
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
      who lives from everlasting to everlasting.
   Amen and amen!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you because you are worthy to be praised.  Lord, you are worthy of praise even if I had not been blessed by you, but you are worthy of thanks on top of praise because you have blessed me with so many good things.  Lord, your goodness and love are immeasurable.  Your mercy and kindness are so deep.  Please forgive me for taking them for granted.  Lord, thank you for saving me from sin and death.  Thank you for reconciling me to be a son of the Living God - a Brother with Christ!  Lord, I pray that you will use me for your glory.  May I be faithful to share your goodness with those around me.  Lord, please annoint me with your Spirit to obey your will.  I pray that your Kingdom will come and that your will be done in my life.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

enjoyment

Psalm 40, Proverbs 9

I usually think of wisdom as very logical, binary, black and white.  But one of the things I noticed in Proverbs 9 this morning is that there is enjoyment associated with wisdom:

5 "Come, eat my food,
      and drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;
      learn to use good judgment."

I think the food and wine speak of enjoying the Lord and the benefits of knowing Him.  King David spoke of these joys of knowing the Lord:

4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, ...
8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
      for your instructions are written on my heart." ...
16 But may all who search for you
      be filled with joy and gladness in you.
   May those who love your salvation
      repeatedly shout, "The Lord is great!"

I need the Lord to soften my heart and fill me with joy.  I need Him to help me see the wonder of His salvation and the wonder of knowing Him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me from my self, from sin, and from death.  Lord, thank you for rescuing me.  Lord, you are so good, and your love endures forever.  Father, please turn my heart toward you and away from the things of this world.  Lord, please deliver me from pride and let me enjoy you more completely today.  I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

waiting and delighting

Psalm 37, Proverbs 6

In high school, one of my favorite verses was Isaiah 40:31:

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
      They will soar high on wings like eagles.
   They will run and not grow weary.
      They will walk and not faint.

Here King David writes along the same theme:

7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
      and wait patiently for him to act. ...
34 Put your hope in the Lord.
      Travel steadily along his path.

But more fundamentally, I think delighting in the Lord naturally leads to waiting on the LORD:

 3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
      Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
 4 Take delight in the Lord,
      and he will give you your heart's desires.
 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
      Trust him, and he will help you. ...
 23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
      He delights in every detail of their lives.
 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
      for the Lord holds them by the hand.

It is so encouraging to realize that the Father delights in us!  He loves us so much, and He is so kind toward us.  I think this ties in with some of the verses I am memorizing this week from Romans 8:

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I delight in you!  You are so wonderful!  I am constantly amazed at the complexity of structure that you embedded in creation!  And I am so thankful for the many blessings you have shown me.  Lord, I pray that I will honor you with my life and that you will take great delight as I bring glory to your name.  May you be praised among the nations!  I pray that I will wait patiently for you to accomplish your will, and may I cooperate with you to establish your Kingdom today.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

delighting in the character of Yahweh

Psalm 36, Proverbs 5

It's out of order, I know, but I think verses 8-9 in Psalm 36 explain verses 5-7:

8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
      letting them drink from your river of delights.
 9 For you are the fountain of life,
      the light by which we see.

5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
      your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
 6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
      your justice like the ocean depths.
   You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
    7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! ...

As I read Proverbs 5:18-19, I am reminded to consider how the Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful wife.  She is the wife of my youth, she is a graceful doe, a loving deer.  I am captivated by her love.  Over the last couple of days, we have talked about our love and trust in the Lord, and my fellowship with her is so encouraging and strengthening.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are so good, and your love endures forever.  Your character is infinite!  Your righteousness and justice are perfect, and yet, at the same time, you are full of mercy and grace!  Lord God, may I be used to improve your reputation among the nations!  May the whole earth know and experience your wonderful kindness.  I praise you, Lord, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

infiltration

Psalm 35, Proverbs 4

This Sunday we will study Jesus's parable of the sower, seed, and soil in Mark 4.  I think these verses summarize that parable.

Proverbs 4
 20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
      Listen carefully to my words.
 21 Don't lose sight of them.
      Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
 22 for they bring life to those who find them,
      and healing to their whole body.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, my heart is so hard; would you please soften me so that your words can infiltrate to the core.  Lord, may I be redefined by your Word and regenerated by the Holy Spirit!  Lord, please fill me with Life as your word takes root in my heart.  I ask that you produce a crop of 100 fold in me!  Please make the soil of my heart tender to your sowing, and please water me and flood me with the shining of the Son.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

such a fool

Psalm 34, Proverbs 3

Through several experiences the past couple of days, the Lord has exposed impatience within my heart, and I am ashamed of my passive-aggressive behavior and lack of self-control.  Recently, I have been eating too much food (gluttony), and I have been really short with my wife.  On Sunday, as we drove back from my cousin's wedding, we were having great conversation.  As we were talking, our conversation turned to our frustration with the Lord not yet blessing us with a child, and my wife was trying to communicate to my that she has come to a place of accepting the Lord's will and trusting Him no matter what.  But foolishly, before I let her finish, I got hung up on the way she said something, assumed that she was implying something else, got really upset and defensive, and then offensive.  I reacted fiercely, and I was so wrong.  I gave "full vent to anger", and I am so ashamed.

After I finally gave her a chance to explain herself, I realized how stupid I had been.  And before the conversation was over, I apologized, and she mercifully forgave me.  I asked the Lord to forgive me, but I have remained acutely aware of my foolishness.

Last night I woke up about 2:30, and my heart was heavy because of my recent foolish behavior.  I finally got out of bed and got down on my knees and humbled myself before the Lord and asked Him to forgive me and make me holy.  These verses are so encouraging to me this morning:

Proverbs 3
 11 My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline,
      and don't be upset when he corrects you.
 12 For the Lord corrects those he loves,
      just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

 Psalm 34
 4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
      He freed me from all my fears.
 5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
      no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
      he saved me from all my troubles.
 7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
      he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
      Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

I need the Lord to deliver me from my mechanical behavior and fill me with His joy and compassion so that others will be able to taste and see that the LORD is good.  And, as one of the Brothers says, I need to repent, apply the Blood of Christ, and move on in Grace.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your compassionate mercy and grace.  Lord, I praise you for the work of your hands which testifies of your person.  Lord, I praise you because your character is so beautiful.  Lord, I have tasted, and I have seen that you are good.  Father, thank you for your faithful and loving discipline.  Lord, I am such a fool, and I need you to save me from my self.  Lord, please humble me and teach me to fear you so that I will walk in your ways.  Dear Father, please be patient with me and give me the joy and radiance that comes from walking with you personally.  Lord, help me delight in you and love you with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

humility before the Creator

Psalm 33, Proverbs 2

 4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
      and we can trust everything he does. ...
 6 The Lord merely spoke,
      and the heavens were created.
   He breathed the word,
      and all the stars were born.
 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
      and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
      and let everyone stand in awe of him.
 9 For when he spoke, the world began!
      It appeared at his command.

I am such a proud and arrogant man.  I act like I know everything, and I treat people as inferiors.  I am ashamed.  If only I could get a little glimpse of God - not so much that it would kill me, but enough to kill the pride within me!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the way I behave.  Lord, you are the Creator, and I should fear you.  Please teach me to fear you and walk in your ways.  Lord, I love you, and I want to know who you are so that I can properly understand who I am.  Lord, please kill this heinous disease in me by revealing yourself to me and filling me with your life!  Lead me to the place where I can stand in awe of you and praise you.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.