One Man's Thoughts

Father, please help me become someone who can give a gentle answer to those around me. There is so much anxiety in the world today and it causes so much confusion and anger. Use me to be your tool to give gentle answers because they turn away wrath. –v1

Please create in me the discipline and the ability to have a wise tongue. I desire to make the knowledge of who you are pleasant to those around me. I want everyone I come in contact with to know your love for them just a little deeper after having spoken with me. –v2

It is great comfort to me to know you take an active stance towards your creation. Thank you that your eyes are in every place, watching the evil and the good. It calms my heart knowing that you see me. I know that when I face trials, when I am in the season of suffering, you see me. Your eyes are on the evil and the good alike and there is nothing that escapes your careful and intentional watch. Thank you for being intentional in your care for me. –v3

Lord, I am reminded that a soothing tongue is a tree of life. Christ is the tree of life and He is the Word (John 1:1) Jesus, your words come to us from a soothing tongue. Your word, Lord, is such a comfort to in this day. It wases the tasks of this life. When I go out into the world, I crave to be near your word, for it is a loving, soothing balm unto my soul and it becomes a wellspring of life within me. –v4

Create in me a teachable disposition. May I not be a difficult servant, for I know that it is sensible to comply with any rebuke you may bring before me.  –v5

Please give me wise lips, Father, that I may spread the knowledge of your Son to all who come in contact with me by the guiding of your Spirit. –v7

Thank you that you take delight in me. You do not want sacrifice from wicked intent, which you consider an abomination. You have given me an upright heart, so I know the prayers I offer to you are your delight. –v8

Help me to pursue righteousness. Jesus, you have become my righteousness, and it is my desire to pursue you. I will seek you for you are willing to be sought; I will find you for you are willing to be found. You love the one who pursues you. Master, I do. Please create in me the desire to come after you in all I do, and may we love together. –v9

I am reminded, Lord, that there is severe punishment for the one who abandons the way and that the one who hates rebuke will die. You are the Christ and you have said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). Lord, you have shown great kindness to your servant. Teach me to walk by the Spirit, so that I will not carry out the desire of my flesh (Galatians 5:16) –v10

Please give me the continual feast of a cheerful heart. No matter the situation, or the circumstance, may the Lord sustain me and may the reminder of your salvation always cheer my heart. –v15

Father, you know my heart when it comes to money. I do not hoard it. I do not seek it. I only want to be diligent in my labor and that the Lord allows me needs to be met. You have blessed me many times over from that desire. I would rather have little and have the fear of the Lord, than gain great treasure and have my heart be in turmoil from not remembering you. “Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, so that I will not 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,” (Proverbs 30:8-9). –v16

I want to be a good son to you, Father. I want to be an obedient servant, and not someone who causes your heart grief. Please give me wisdom, knowing that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of the lifelong journey, (Proverbs 9:10). Let us walk that road together, Father—You and I, hand in hand. Make me wise, knowing that a wise son makes you glad. –v20

Keep me upon the path you have given. Lord, I do not want to wander onto roads the world says are good for a man to tread, for they lead me away from your heart. They appear wide and easy at first but soon become crooked and broken to traverse. Give me understanding of your love for me and I will walk upon the path that leads straight to your arms. –v21

Please surround me with Godly men. You have given good friends—men who desire to seek your face and wat to see our body and community know Jesus. Help me be humble and to seek their advice often, knowing that without their consultation, plans are frustrated. I know that I may say I will go in one direction or another but that, in truth, my steps are ordered by you, (Proverbs 16:9), and that through the many friends you have given, by their advice the plans set forth may succeed. –v22

If I go away from your presence, I will go down to death. Every time that I say in my heart, ‘I am sufficient for this task,’ I find that I am not living in your will for my life. I remember, Father, that the path of life starts with wisdom, and trying to go it alone misses the whole reason you’ve put me on this path to begin with. It is to know you, to have fellowship with you. The path of life leads upward when I accept the wisdom you have prepared for me to share in you. –v24

Father, in you there is much pure gold. There is no blemish in your kingdom, and all your ways are holy. I bless the name of the Lord, for His words are pleasant to my soul, and your pleasant words are pure. –v26

May I be secure in the personality and character that you have provided for my soul. May I not be a man who takes bribes, but one who love the truth. Please keep me in the company of honest men. With men who delight in the Lord makes my soul glad. I will not delight in evil but will rejoice with the truth (I Corinthians 13:6). Keep me from the bribe of the enemy who sets before me that tree of the Garden that separated us so long ago. I will flee such bribes and will cling to the Cross and live. –v27

Your word holds many mysteries, and the world enjoys distorting them to make your servants stumble. May I take all matters into my heart and not be quick to reply to them simply to fill a space with words. Teach me to ponder the qualities of who you are in my heart. Then I will be ready to reply to those that demand an answer. Teach me to ponder your words, Lord. For in doing so, I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11). Then I will be assured that I have, in my heart, set apart Christ as Lord and will be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks me to give the reason for the hope that I have in you, (I Peter 3:15). –v28

Thank you, that you hear my prayer. My faith would surely shrivel and die if I knew for certain that you did not hear me. But you do hear me. You have promised that your eyes will be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered by your people (2 Chronicles 7:15). It is such a burden lifted, knowing that you hear me when I pray. Thank you. Thank you. –v29

Teach me to accept your instruction. There are many times I feel I know what is best. But the one whose ear listens to the life giving rebuke will stay among the wise. Lord, make my heart tender to your voice, so that I may know indeed when my Shepherd calls me. You are constantly in the process of shepherding me and I will fear no evil for you are with me; surely your rod and your staff are comforts to my soul (Psalm 23:4). –v31

Most High Lord, as I conclude my prayer before you, please keep me close to your side. Help me focus upon your Spirit and those things that are honoring to you. I realize that it is the fear of the Lord that is the instruction for wisdom. Please give me wisdom, Father. Your word says that if any should lack wisdom, we should ask you and that you give generously to us without finding fault, (James 1:5). The only honor I want is that which allows me to be called your child, and one where I accept the humility of Christ dying on the Cross to receive such an honor. I honor you, Lord Chirst, for saving me and for not leaving me in my death. Thank you for making me right with the Father once more. I love you and I praise you, Amen. –v33