Contemporary Psalms

8-29-13

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance, the 

heart is made better.

Ecclesiastes 7:3

I give you these needs, LORD, knowing that You allow suffering and that we walk in trials to the purpose of learning to turn to You and cling to You. But it is a struggle to obtain wisdom from on high, which is what we need to be strengthened. We know from Your Word that he who fears God will escape foolishness and madness, that the sinner shall be entrapped by his folly. And so I pray for the blind to seek wisdom that is not found by intellect or physical eyes. I pray for them that, in their troubles, they would not forget what they once knew about You, O God, Who forgives and redeems our lives from destruction, Who alone is able to crown us with lovingkindess and tender mercies  to satisfy us with good things!

I pray, O Spirit of God, arise! That the lost may search and seek and find Your wisdom in order to discern and discard the wickedness of folly. That their youth may be renewed like the eagle's; that they may soar to Your mountain heights even as they walk the earth.

In Christ, I rebuke all temptation to panic or fear or despair in the face of trouble. I recognize the lies and the liars, and I cast them far from us in the authority granted to me by Christ, my Savior and LORD. These minions have no dominion over Christ's sheep -- or His lambs. In His authority, I send them back to hell whence they came, and I speak Life to the valley of dry bones that lies before me. In Christ, I speak Life to these dry bones, declaring that they shall live, LORD -- these bones shall live; they will live, LORD, in Your Name.

This photograph is from a Facebook page called Live Life in Color.