Gracious Lord, it’s a new day with its troubles.
Hear my prayer, and incline Your ears to my humble petitions.
In Your faithfulness and righteousness, bring relief to me.
Prayers
The Lord’s House
How lovely are Your dwellings, Lord of Armies!
My soul longs, and even faints for Your courts.
My heart and my flesh cry out for You, living God.
No place is safer than where Your altars stand, Lord of Armies.
Every living thing would love to make their home near Your altars;
For what better place is there to have rest and raise their young?
A King’s Benediction
King David is arguably the most beloved king of Israel. Besides being a king, his songs and psalms have had great impact far beyond his time. Myself and many others have identified with and found solace in his expressive demonstrations of love and faith even in the midst of hardships and doubts. In this psalm, this beloved king declares a blessing over his people in word and song. Words of encouragement and faith in times and seasons of trouble and unrest. We may not have leaders today as beloved and as attuned to the plight of their people as David was, but we can still identify with and find solace in his benediction to his people. As leaders in our homes, families, communities and organizations, let us take some cues from his rule-book, and be sources of encouragement, hope, and blessings for those placed under our care. There are better days ahead.
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Calling For Mercy
Have mercy on me, Father, according to Your loving kindness. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions (they are so many that I lost count.) I am in need of a thorough washing from iniquity and a complete cleansing from my sin. Lord, I am confronted by the gravity of my misdeeds, and my sin continually stares me in the face. Against You, and You only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your sight. Your holiness demands a righteous judgement, and no one can reasonably claim my sentence unjust. I plead guilty to every charge You lay against me, Lord, but I plead that You remember that I was born in iniquity – conceived in sin. My most base nature is contrary to Your desire for truth in the inward parts. But You have taught me wisdom in the depths of my heart – the conviction of conscience that cannot be shaken.
Father, say the word, and I will be free of the heavy weight of guilt hanging over my head. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow – free of the shame and filth that clothes me. Let Your love that shines forth within Your verdict bring joy and gladness to my soul, that the pain I suffer because of my punishment be overrun with rejoicing.
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Search Me
Father, You have searched me, and You know me – even better than I know myself. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts long before they are formed within me. You search out my path, even to where I lay my head to rest; there is no part of my life’s journey that is obscured from You. No word has reached my tongue that You didn’t already know about. You hem me in behind and before; and You have laid Your hand on me. You give me knowledge of things beyond me, lofty things that I cannot attain.
Is there a place that Your Spirit cannot reach? Is it possible for me to escape Your presence? If I were to ascend to heaven, that is Your throne and You would be there; but even if I were to make my bed in the depths of Sheol, I would not be beyond Your piercing gaze. If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will hold me.
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The Psalmist’s Desire
Lord, there’s a thirst in me that can only be quenched by You;
My soul yearns for You, like the deer pants for the water-brooks.
Every minute I spend away from You is a minute too long for comfort;
When will I find myself before You, my King?
As I wait night after night and day after day,
I’m compelled to feast on my tears shed from excessive longing.
My soul cries out from within me
Every time I lack awareness of Your presence –
Whenever I find myself asking where You are, Lord.
Because I remember, in times past (that seem so long ago)
How I used to go with the saints, and led them into Your presence
With such joy, and with praise on my lips, keeping my date with You.
Help Comes
I lift up my eyes to the heavens. Where does my help come from? My help comes from You, Lord, Maker of heaven and earth. I know you will not allow my foot to be moved. I trust my entire being in Your care, because You watch over me tenderly, and You neither slumber nor sleep.
Lord, You are my Keeper, closely guarding and sheltering me. Because of You, neither the sun or moon, nor any force of the day or night can harm me. You are the secure fortress that keeps my fragile soul, and You preserve me wholly when I step out and when I come in. Lord, thank You, and please continue to be my Ever-present Help, now and forever more. Amen.
#Personalized
#Psalms 121:1-8
#Praying_The_Scriptures_004
Father, Son.
Faithful and benevolent Father, listen to my prayer this day, that I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Cause me to walk worthily of You, Lord, pleasing You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing steadily in my knowledge of You. My Lord and God, strengthen me with all power, according to the might of Your glory, that I may be able to endure and persevere with joy and thanksgiving. Grant me comfort in the knowledge, that it is You, Father, who has made me fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, delivered me out of the power of darkness, and translated me into the Kingdom of the Son of Your love, in whom I have my redemption, the forgiveness of all my sins.
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On My Knees
“I bow my knees to You in reverence, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is from You that every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that You will grant me according to the immeasurable riches of Your glory, sustaining strength and prevailing power through Your Holy Spirit in the inner person. Let Christ dwell permanently in my heart through faith, to the end that being rooted and grounded in love, I may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints, the width, length, height and depth of Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge. Let me be filled with all Your fullness, Lord God Almighty. Amen.”
#Personalized
#Ephesians 3:14-19
#Praying_The_Scriptures_002
Beloved Father
“Beloved Father in Heaven, I hallow Your Name; I long for the establishment of Your Kingdom on earth; How awesome it would be, if everything was here as it is in Heaven. Notwithstanding, You are my Lord, and I look to You this day for everything I will need. Please teach me not to hold the faults of others against them, even as You do not hold my trespasses against me. Order my steps away from the things and places that will cause me pain and sadden You. Deliver me from every evil, because I am Yours, and You have the power to keep me; And I will glorify You with every breath that is in me, now and forever. Amen.”
This is the first in a new series where I take portions of Scripture that are directly ‘prayable’ and personalize them. I hope you pray along and be blessed.
#Personalized
#Matthew 6:9-13
#Praying_The_Scriptures_001
Makafui's Journal 