Integrity

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him

Day by day walking in integrity takes maximum effort.  Lying, cheating, stealing and getting-over is all so easy and so easily justified.  Ill gotten gain is indeed sweet at first but I want the blessed end.  I strive so that my children and children’s children will know and love you God.  I strive so my children will choose to follow my footsteps on the difficult path of integrity; one foot infront of the other, step by step, day by day; making the right choice, no matter how difficult. 

The payoff of integrity may not always be cashed by me, but I pray that my children will always reap the benefit.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

Shut up and serve

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Humilty should be so simple.  It’s just staying in my lane, serving on my road and minding my own business.  It’s easy to see the  potholes on someone elses lane and offer suggestions on how and why they should fix it or even worse, criticize them for not doing so.  It’s easy to look ahead and pretend; if only I were the boss, the pastor, the parent, the president; how wonderful things would be.  It’s easy to plan what I would do if; I get rich, a better job, married, or  have children while I do nothing with the opportunity I have now.  It’s so easy to put my words  out there, speak about matters that don’t directly concern me.  It’s effortless to share a little too much, feel a little too much and judge a little too much.  Like James 3 says;

 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,  and set on fire by hell. 

Father, help me to; stay in my lane, serve on my road and stifle my tongue as I strive.  In Jesus name, amen.

 

Just as I am

Proverbs 12: 9 Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.

It’s vital for us to look in the mirror and accept what we see.  Instead we often walk away and pretend that the mirror has become a trick mirror suddenly.  We are people of pretense, but God requires, He seeks for worshippers who present themselves to him without disguise or arrogance.  Pride prevents prudence and arrogance agitates anger. 

Lord, help me to be humble; to serve on my road, to work my land, to be content and diligent with all you have given me and where you have placed me.  Help me to be wise; to use my words with the measurement of a baker, to conceal knowledge and wisdom and not squander them like an undisciplined youth who received an inheritance.  Let the words of my mouth, the places I rest my mind, the things I pursue and the people in whom I confide always be pleasing to you, just and wise.  Amen

 

Sweet Water Pleasant Bread

Proverbs 9:17

Her voice cuts through the clutter, her message is beautifully encoded.  She is in the right place at the right time to be heard.  Folly, the seducer, is offering her dish. 

“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”

The ambiance of her place is immaculate, the service is above par.  Not for one minute does she leave you without attention.  If she lets you think, you might come to your senses.  If she moves aside, you may focus on more than her cleavage.  If she stops flirting, you may observe all the dead, rotten flesh of men, laying under the table.  If she turned off the baby making music, you would hear the annoying alarm of the buzzing flies.  She is a master of distraction and disguise. 

Look again at her menu.  Sweet water and pleasant bread.  Bread and water have always been considered a punishment.  a punishment so severe it’s classified as cruel and unusual.  Add the words sweet and pleasant and somehow it just doesn’t seem that bad. 

Sweet Sin and Pleasant Disobedience still pay the same wage.  Death.

Father, may my eyes always see what’s real.  Please tune my hearing to the truth.  Set blinders on my eyes, allowing me only to see the path you’ve set before me.  May I only feast at the table you prepared for me and speak only when it’s worth it. Walk with me, be my guide.  In Jesus name.  Amen

 

Haughty eyes, lying tongue

Proverbs 6

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers

Father I want to hate what you hate and love what you love.  Help me not to be involved in theses things that are an abomination to you.  May I never look upon another disdainfully proud, with a look that says I am better than you.  May I never be involved in the devastation of another by hand or by tongue.  Lord, I need you to help me with my speech.  May I walk in forgiveness and never seek revenge or intend evil for another.  May my feet run to you and away from evil, never asking how close can I get to sin on a technicality but how far away can I stay from it, for you have set me free.  Finally, Father, may the words of my mouth be truth and love, never bitterness, contempt and hate. 

Father, help me as I strive to worship you in my speech, and in my ways, all day long.  Amen