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Wisdom Prayer

God’s Promises!

God’s Promises!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who know the generation of the upright will be blessed. In Jesus’ name, amen.

At the time it was written, Psalm 112:3-8 (ESV) tells us that he who followed God’s commandments was promised the following:

“His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.”

What a list of promises. It is well for a man who conducts his affairs with justice. Follow God. Are their things in your life that need to change? Ask God’s guidance for what he recommends for next steps. Step out in faith.

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Wisdom Prayer

Overcoming the Oppression of the Wicked!

Overcoming the Oppression of the Wicked!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who feel the oppression of the wicked. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The psalms characterize the reality of David’s world. Wicked people pursued him seeking his destruction. David looked to God for mercy.

Psalm 55:1-3 (ESV) gives us a glimpse of how oppressed David felt.

“Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.”

David never doubted God could answer his plea for mercy even when the circumstances looked bleak. He never lost sight of God’s ability to rescue him. Feeling oppressed? Seek God for his mercy. Hold fast to hope in the face of adversity.

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Wisdom Prayer

A Royal Priesthood!

A Royal Priesthood!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who know they are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for his own possession. In Jesus’ name, amen.

It is hard to believe how highly God regards those who believe and follow Jesus. Not everyone believes or follows, but those who do have a special relationship. This relationship goes both ways. We have a very high standard to live up to as it is described in 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV):

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

We should be acting as a chosen race – and more! Realize the concluding verse of this section of Scripture deals with mercy. Asking God to have mercy on us is great. But this verse tells us: “You have received mercy.” Taken together, these two verses are good news indeed. Praise God!

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Wisdom Prayer

Saved by Grace!

Saved by Grace!

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who were dead in their trespasses and sins, but God being rich in mercy showed the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward them in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Ephesians 2:2-7 details the depravity of man, and then describes what happens to those who believe. Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV) describes sinful man.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Ephesians 2:4-7 addresses how knowing Christ and receiving God’s grace changes everything.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

What a difference there is in a person’s life before knowing Christ compared to after knowing Christ! Are you a believer? If not, take action to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.

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Wisdom Prayer

Plead for Mercy?

Plead for Mercy?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who plead for mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In modern warfare, booby traps are used to kill, maim, or otherwise incapacitate an enemy.

In Psalm 142:1-7 (ESV) the psalmist, David, is concerned about the traps set for him, and he cries out to the Lord.

“With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.

When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.

I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.”

Are some people setting traps for you? Are you feeling persecuted? Whatever your circumstances, be like David, and cry out to God.

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Wisdom Prayer

Plentiful Redemption?

Plentiful Redemption?

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who know with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. In Jesus’ name, amen.

It is amazing that God loves us even with all of our shortcomings. God forgives.

In Psalm 130:1-8 (ESV) we see there is a plea to be heard, forgiveness, patience, hope, and redemption.

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

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.”

Are you willing to wait for the Lord’s timing? The psalmist not only says his soul waits, but he has hope. Let us be hopeful whatever comes our way.

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