Father, Give Me a Good Kick!

Father, in the abundance of your blessings, you give me opportunity. Opportunity to serve, to love, to share, to give, opportunities to bless others. But, so much of the time, my fervor to serve, to love, to share, to give, and to bless wanes. I am so preoccupied with my own concerns, needs, activities, and ambitions. With the opportunities you give me, grant to me also a willing heart, motivation, give me a good kick and move me out of my comfort (or my rut) so that I may be about your business, your concerns, to share the blessing of your love with others.

Teach Me Lord To Wait

"Teach Me Lord To Wait," by Stuart Hamblen, (c) 1953, ren. 1981 Hamblen Music Co.  Inspired by the words of Isaiah 40.30-31.

Teach me Lord, to wait
Down on my knees
Till in Your own good time
You answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely
On what others do
But to wait in prayer
For an answer from You

They who wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not grow weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me Lord
Teach me Lord, to wait

Teach me Lord, to wait
While hearts are aflame
Let me humble my pride
And call on Your name
Keep my faith renewed
My eyes on Thee
Let me be on this earth
What You want me to be

They who wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not grow weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me Lord
Teach me Lord, to wait

For You Will Answer Me

Psalm 86

Hear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God; save your servant
who trusts in you.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.

You are forgiving and good, O Lord,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of trouble I will call to you,
for you will answer me.

Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, O Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.

Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

The arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life--
men without regard for you.
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
grant your strength to your servant
and save the son of your maidservant.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
tht my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Pray for Rain!!!

A photo certainly worth a 1,000 words . . . and some tears!

(Photo of wildfire burning near Bastrop, Texas)

Please pray for rain to come to Texas and drench these awful fires.
Our God is much greater than any wildfire.

Thank You For Our Labor

Father, thank you for the work you give my hands to do.
You have made me to be productive:
To create just as you do;
To sustain;
To aide and to help;
To bless others who are in need;
To lead and direct;
To teach;
To heal and to soothe;
To plan and to build;
To grow;
To mentor and inspire;
To entertain;
To learn and discover;
To recover and rebuild;
To counsel;
To protect and defend.
You did not create us to sit and be still,
for you gave us two arms and two legs,
hands that grip and feet that move,
and a mind that initiates and executes.
Thank you for our labor.
May we ever use our work as praise to You.

Forgive Me For My Absence

O Lord my God
To you I lift my praise
You remind me daily of your love
And I don't have to look far to see your presence

But, forgive me for my absence
In my busyness I shove you out of the way
In my selfishness I give you no time
But my neglect only brings worry
Anxieties and stress
I can't do it on my own
That becomes clearer each day

So thank you for staying with me
For your long-suffering patience
For your love that knows no end

May I learn to pray to you daily
Not merely in those moments of despair
But also in gladness and smooth sailing seas

Out of the Depths

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in His word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

O [man], put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Psalm 130

My Whole Being, Praise the Lord

The prayer of Psalm 146:

My whole being, praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praisies to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes
or other people, who cannot save you.
When people die, they are buried.
Then all of their plans come to an end.
Happy are those who are helped by the God of Jacob.
Their hope is in the Lord their God.
He made heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in it.
He remains loyal forever.
He does what is fair for those who have been wronged.
He gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.
The Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord lifts up people who are in trouble.
The Lord loves those who do right.
The Lord protects the foreigners.
He defends the orphans and widows,
but he blocks the way of the wicked.

The Lord will be King forever.
Jerusalem, your God is everlasting.

Praise the Lord!

The One Who Hears Prayer

Praise is rightfully Yours, God, in Zion;
vows to You will be fulfilled.
All humanity will come to You,
the One who hears prayer.
Iniquities overwhelm me;
only You can atone for our rebellions.
How happy is the one You choose
and bring near to live in Your courts!
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
the holiness of Your temple.

You answer us in righteousness,
with awe-inspiring works, God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the distant seas;
You establish the mountains by Your power,
robed with strength;
You silence the roar of the seas,
the roar of their waves,
and the tumult of the nations.
Those who live far away are awed by Your signs;
You make the east and west shout for joy.

You visit the earth and water it abundantly,
enriching it greatly.
God's stream is filled with water,
for You prepare the earth in this way,
providing people with grain.
You soften it with showers and bless its growth,
soaking its furrows and leveling its ridges.
You crown the year with Your goodness;
Your ways overflow with plenty.
The wilderness pastures overflow,
and the hills are robed with joy.
The pastures are clothed with flocks,
and the valleys covered with grain.
They shout in triumph; indeed, they sing.

The prayer of Psalm 65 (HCSB)

A Night Prayer

Answer me when I call,
God, who vindicates me.
You freed me from affliction;
be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

How long, exalted men,
will my honor be insulted?
How long will you love
what is worthless
and pursue a lie?
Know that the Lord has set apart
the faithful for Himself;
the Lord will hear when i call to Him.
be angry and do not sin;
on your bed, reflect
in your heart and be still.

Offer sacrifices
in righteousness
and trust in the Lord.

Many are saying
'Who can show us
anything good?"
Look on us with favor, Lord.

You have put more joy
in my heart
than they have when their grain
and new wine abound.
I will both lie down and sleep
in peace,
for You alone, Lord, make me
live in safety.

Psalm 4 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)