Devotions 30-03-07

Ps 72:18-20
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

There is no one who does wonders like the God of Israel. He alone is the miracle working God and He does it all in righteousness. His name is to be blessed forever and the whole earth is to be filled with His glory. I just need to be sure I am doing this and try to influence others to do this as well. This truth is not easy to grasp but it is so vital for everyone to see in the life of someone. I am grateful to the one's who lived this kind of life before me.

This prayer of David is all for his son, Solomon. God heard David's prayer and gave his son a heart to serve the Lord like his father David. It is so important to pray for our children and grandchildren. God will listen and He will do even more than what we ask. God has promised to do this in many places in the bible. (ie Eph:3:20)

Lord, thank you for the prayers of my wife for our children and grandchildren. I have prayed as well but not as consistently as she. Lord, help me to pray more diligently for our children and grandchildren but also for our children in the faith who will be parents of children and children in the faith. Lord, what a privilege to be Your servant to help build Your eternal Kingdom.

Devotions 29-03-07

Ps 71:17-19
O God, You have taught me from my youth; and I still declare Your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come. For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who has done great things; O God, who is like You?

Even when a youth I was interested in the bible and loved to be with my Aunt Lila at her bible study. She often had me read the scripture at her study when I was spending the night with my cousin, Curtis. I never had a bible of my own until I was about 16 but then I carried it with me to military training and it was while in training that Christ found me and I became a Christian.

I am still sharing His wonderful deeds to others around the world and to my grandchildren. Now in my old age (nearly 74) I pray God will be with me as I speak of God's strength and power to this generation and to those who will come after them. Lord, help me to teach them how to multiply and to pass this Word on to succeeding generations.

You have done great things for me and here are a few for me to remember and to cherish.
1. You have kept me pure from my youth and I have known intimacy with only
my wife.
2. God saved me from the Jehovah Witnesses cult as my parents were part of this when I was young.
3.God has saved me from death at least 7+times so far in my life.
4. God has given me a perfect mate for me who I love dearly and we have such a wonderful marriage We have four wonderful children who love God as well. My children's mates are believers and we have now 14 wonderful grandchildren.
5.God has protected us as we have lived in 5 countries around the world and traveled many thousands of miles.We have been doing missionary work for 40+ years.

Who is like our God? No one, He is supreme above all. He is Lord of All.

I do not want to ever forget all God has done for me and for many others besides me. I pray I would review this list often and even make it longer as I pray with gratefulness for the privilege of knowing the God of all creation. I pray others might read my blogg sometimes and seek to know the God of whom I am speaking.

Devotions 28-03-07

Ps 71:1-3
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed. In Your righteousness deliver me, and rescue me; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be You to me a rock of habitation, to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.

God is the one I turn to when I am in trouble and do not know what to do. I should never be ashamed of this very vital truth. Those in the world turn to drink or drugs or something that will ease their pain but it does not help solve their problem. I know that God has answers to all my problems but I need a clear head and mind so He may instruct me in what I should do.

God is my righteousness and His deliverance will be done in justice. He will listen to me and rescue me from my problems. I want Him to be my home that I can continually come for safety and rest. God has commanded salvation for me in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for me and now lives to help me. God is my rock from which I can battle the enemy and my fortress which shields me from the attacks of the evil one.

Maybe I should memorize these verses to say every morning to myself to encourage me in the tasks of my day. I seem to forget so easily and get bogged down in the struggles of life. Maybe they will be good only for a week and then become routine but even that would be wonderful. Lord, use these thoughts in my life today to walk humbly and securely in Your love and majesty.

Devotions 27-03-07

Ps 70:4-5
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified." But I am afflicted and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.

I should be seeking the Lord every day and I should be rejoicing with gladness. God has done so much for me and I must be grateful for all His goodness. Then on top of all this is God's great salvation to me and those I love. As a recipient of this great salvation I should say repeatedly "Let God be magnified."

When I am needy and struggling I need God's help. Our trials and difficulties are a distraction to the joy and gladness I have in God. It is then we stop and cry out to God for His help and deliverance. Generally I am pressed and I desire for Him to act quickly.

I do rejoice and am glad in the Lord. I do love the salvation that God has given to me and I must say more often "Let God be magnified". Yet today I am burdened with the problem in how to help Melanie. How can I communicate with her and help to understand the situation that she is in and the urgency of getting things done. Yesterday's conversation did not go well and I came away very frustrated. Lord, I need your help in knowing how to handle all of this. I am tired and weary of the whole matter. I need Your strength to do what is right and pleasing to You.

Devotions 26-03-07

Ps 69:32-34
The humble have seen it and are glad; you who seek God, let your heart revive. For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise His who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

The humble of God's people will be glad when they see me praising the Lord. I am encouraged to seek the Lord and to let Him revive me. I need reviving when I am going through difficulties are seeing those I love going through difficulties. Sometimes I am a prisoner to my sin or my difficulties but God does not despise me or think bad of me.

Lord, I have been a prisoner to sin but You delivered me. I was a prisoner to debt but You rescued me. I have been a prisoner to many things but You have always given me strength to get free and to continue to be Your servant.

Lord, thank You for Your great mercy and grace. Thank You for the many times you have revived me when I have sought You. You have always watched over me even when I did not seek You. Your love and grace is truly amazing and more wonderful than anything in the whole world. Lord, watch over Melanie as she is a prisoner to debt and struggling to know how to live life. Watch over her and guide her and revive her as she seeks You.

Devotions 23-03-07

Ps 69:16-19
Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly. Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it; ransom me because of my enemies! You do know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; all my adversaries are before You.

David was in much distress and all he had was God to turn to and plead his case. He needed God to act quickly because his enemies were near to destroy him. Have I been in such a situation. Not in the exact same situation but some that were very similar. It is good for us to be at the end of our rope without any possible help from anyone but God. Then we can see the lovingkindness and compassion of our great God.

I may feel shame and dishonor but God's love is far richer and takes away all that I feel when He redeems me and rescues me. God's time in coming to my aid seems so slow but He will come at just the right time. He knows the time I must struggle to get clear in my mind and heart all that God wants to teach me. It seems like eternity but it is really not that long for all I am to learn.

I must realize that others I love may have to go through the same process and I can encourage them as they do. It is so hard to see your children struggle or those you are seeking to disciple. It is all part of our spiritual maturity and being all God wants us to be. Lord, be with Melanie as she is struggling with this very situation. Give her grace to submit to Your ways.

Devotions 22-03-07

Ps 68:19-20
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death.

What is this burden that God daily bears for me? I think it may be my sinfulness. My proneness to sin and go in directions that are harmful to me. God is the one who has saved me and given me such a wonderful salvation. Selah, means to stop and really think about this. This is not something you should read over lightly but realize the greatness of this truth!

Now He explains more about the previous thought. God is the one who delivers me and protects me on a daily or moment by moment basis. In fact if you have ever been close to death or being killed it is God the Lord who protected you. With out much thinking I can think of about 7 to 10 times that I could have been killed but God spared me. It does make one stop and think. I am sure there may have been twice that many times and I was just unaware of what was going on.

I must pause more in my prayers and thank God for His deliverances from death and serious injury. He is the God of deliverances. He daily bears my burden, He is my salvation and He is my deliverer.

Devotions 21-03-07

Ps 68:11-13
The Lord gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: "Kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home will divide the spoil!" when you lie down among the cooking stones , you are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions(flight feathers) with glistening gold.

Do women have important positions in God's work? From these verses I would think so! The godly women of God's children have done remarkable work for His honor and glory. There are not just a few but there is a host of them. They may even out number the men who are serving our Lord. There is not a competition but a desire to serve the Lord in the gender He has given each one of us.

It may be the men who are in armies who chase away the armies of Kings but the women who are serving these men and are supporting them will divide the spoil with the men. The women will be equally rewarded as the men. David the King of Israel once said this same thought when he was King.

What a beautiful description of a woman who is working in the kitchen and serving others. Not that a woman must be in the kitchen to be part of God's army but being in the kitchen is of no lesser value than someone doing other tasks. She is like the wings of a dove covered with silver and if that is not enough she is like the flight feathers of a dove glistening with gold. Just think there are a host of women out there serving the Lord eagerly and sacrificially. I am privileged to have one of these women as my wife. These women are scattered around the world and are part of the mighty army of God building God's Kingdom.

I want to encourage women to be part of this host who are significant laborers for God's Kingdom. God has created men and women to be His messengers to a world that needs to hear the wonderful story of God's love and grace. Men must be men and women must be women to fulfill our creator's purpose for each one of us. God help me to be all you have created me to be.

Devotions 20-03-07

Ps 67:5-7
Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

God has made it possible that all the peoples of the earth can give praise to God because He has provided salvation for all peoples through His Son Jesus Christ. He has made it possible but people must respond to His loving provision. I am so grateful for this wonderful gift of salvation that He has provided for me. I do praise and worship Him.

God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth might hear of His message and fear or deeply respect Him. God does not bless me to just keep it to myself but to share it with others. That is why it is my task to live and speak so others might hear this wonderful message. I need His strength and power to make this message clear so others might receive this message eagerly and with great joy.

Lord, am I doing all I should in making Your message clear to those in Estonia so the lost may hear of Your grace. It is Your love and grace which is the power of this wonderful message to the whole world. Lord, help me to be attentive to all You want me to do in the remaining months that we are living in Estonia. Prepare lifetime laborers to go to the Estonian people to make Christ known to the people of this land how wonderful and loving and gracious You are!

Devotion 19-03-07

Ps 66:16-20
Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear; but certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor His lovingkindness from me.

The continued call to prayer and what it will do for me. The only ones who are really interested are those who fear or deeply respect God. What has God done for your soul and mine? The list would be quite long if I stopped to make it. Those who recognize what God has done will lift Him up with their words of praise.

One warning we must not forget is that if I hang onto sin my prayers will not be heard. If I refuse to turn from my sin the Lord will not be able to help me. God hates sin and will not help us to continue in our sin. Oh the wonder and the joy to leave my sin and to know that God listens to me. He hears my voice and the cry of my heart.

It is so wonderful to know the God who has not turned away my prayer nor His great deeds of love toward me. Just this fact should burn in my heart a greater desire to pray often to the Lord and seek His help in all of life. This should cause me to be ever so grateful to God and seek to honor and obey Him in all I do.

Lord, thank You for reminding me again and again of Your desire for me to come to You and that You delight to hear my voice. You are always showing me Your loving actions and always eager to forgive my sin. Lord, help me to hate sin as You and find the joy in following You and living in Your righteousness that You have so graciously given to me.

Devotions 18-03-07

Ps 65:1-4
There will be silence before You, and praise in Zion, O God; and to You the vow will be performed. O You who does hear prayer, to You all men come. Iniquities prevail against me, as for our transgressions, You do forgive them. How blessed is the one whom You do choose and bring near to You, to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

This whole Psalm is about the goodness of God to Earth and Man. You must read the whole Psalm to get the beautiful picture of the greatness of God and His love for mankind.

First there is the silence before God and then there is praise. God is so great and so majestic that I stand before Him in silence which soon erupts into praise. Then I would vow to do whatever He wishes. I am sure He is beyond any description and is more magnificent than anyone or anything.

This God is the one who hears prayer and all the world comes to Him for their needs and desires. Oh, how I must take advantage of this privilege while I have it; I must become a man of more dedicated prayer.I must make my six hours of prayer happen this week.

I am grateful for God's forgiveness and for His call upon my life. I must focus more on what I am doing with my time and make sure I am putting my efforts into the right people and the right activities. Lord I thank You for the team of eager disciples that want their lives to count for Your glory.

Lord, You are my strength and I am so grateful to be in Your courts and in Your house; to be in Your presence regularly. Thank you today for all You have done for Lou and me. Give us grace to do Your work this coming week and for the work of tomorrow.

Devotions 15-03-07

Ps 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

I must trust God all the time and not just some of the time. I must be serious about my trust in God. I must trust in Him for everything. I must grow in my trust in Him. I memorized this verse years ago but I am still far short in following this truth in my living life.

I must pour out my heart to God. He longs for my fellowship and I know I need Him so much in my life. I want to grow in my relationship to Him and to know Him as I know He desires me to do. What an amazing truth that I can have a personal relationship with the living God of the whole universe.

God is my refuge. Not money or things I posses or anything of this world. There is no refuge like God. He is the perfect refuge. When I am weary or exhausted or just to weak to go any further, He is there ready to revive me and to give me rest and refreshment. Not because of anything good I have done but because He loves me and I am a child of His by faith in His Son.

I have such good intentions or desires but it is a true battle to have the faith and trust I want to have with God. I am truly weak these days and I have to work hard to have this time in His presence. I yearn for it but there are so many distractions and I grow weak doing the normal things of life. Thank You Lord, for the lessons You are teaching me. Help me to truly trust You in all that I do.

Devotions 14-03-07

Ps 61:1-4
Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

A cry is not some quiet words of request but more a serious or desperate need. My prayers may have those urgent cries from time to time. God is available to hear me wherever I am and that is a comfort to know. He will lead me to Jesus Christ who is the rock who is higher than anything. God is my refuge and a tower of strength against my enemies.

God has invited me to come to Him for comfort and safety and that is such a blessing and privilege. There is no safer place on the whole earth or all creation than in God's presence. The writer of this Psalm says to us Selah. Stop and think about this and try to grasp the depth and the greatness of these words.

I think my application to this passage of scripture is Pray, Pray, and Pray. I must learn to pour out my heart in prayer to God. I must learn to set aside time to have no other tasks to do but to pray. I must get my heart in tune with God and just enjoy His presence. I must desire to do His will more than mine. God has a plan for the earth and all the peoples in the earth and I want to fit into His plan and bring Him honor and glory.

Devotions 13-03-07

Ps 60:11-12
O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain. Through God we shall do valiantly, and it is He who will tread down our adversaries.

My adversary is greater than I or anyone can handle. I must call out to God and let Him do the fighting. Only God has the strength and power to defeat the enemy of my soul and life.

There is a fine line here that sometimes gets confusing. God is the one who must do the fighting but I also must be there. I must cooperate with God and be one with Him in His purposes and goals. He is not serving me but I am serving Him.

There is a song entitled "Channels Only" which captures the truth of these scriptures.

How I praise You, precious Savior, that Your love laid hold of me; You have saved and cleansed and filled me that I might Your channel be.
Channels only blessed Master,but with all Your wonderful power,
flowing through us, You can use us every day and every hour.
Emptied that You should fill me, a clean vessel in Your hand, with no power but as You give graciously with each command.

So I must be a living channel that is very much a part of what God is doing in the lives of people in the world. I have no strength of my own except to be involved with God in His great work in our world.

I think this is the lesson God is trying to teach me through His Word and through the weakness of my flesh since having the flu a month or more ago. I must be in close harmony with God and make sure I am doing what God wants me to be doing. Then through His strength He and I will work together to fight the enemy and do great things for God's glory.

Devotions 12-03-07

Ps 59:16-17
But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold, and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

I know that God is my strength and I do want to sing of that every morning. What is it that keep me from doing this? What is it that I want to get me going. I think I am looking for a button that I could push that would make me eager to get time with my Lord. Some way to get me in the right spirit to enjoy my time with God.

My conclusion, there is not button or easy way to get in tune with God. It is also true in any important relationship. It takes time and energy and the process is a vital part of a treasured relationship. I must have time to have a non-rushed relationship with my Lord. There may be singing or crying or just pouring out my heart to God. He is my strength and also my stronghold or place of safety and comfort. He is always available when I am in distress or hurting or weary.

I think it would be good for me to memorize these verses and quote them a few times when I first get up in the morning. I will start this tomorrow and see how the Lord might use these thoughts in my life. But I know the real key is my daily time with God in my devotional life. Just being in His Word and letting Him speak to me and having the opportunity to pour out my heart to Him. He does show me loving kindness every day and many times I am not even aware of it.

Devotions 11-03-07

Ps 57:7
"My heart is steadfast, O God my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!"

What is a steadfast heart? One that is determined to do what it has purposed. In this situation the heart is determined to follow and honor God. When this is settled then I will also be determined to sing praises to Him. Oh, the wonderful joy there is in having God to be God over my life. Not trying out all the false gods that are in the world but determined to follow the one true God over all creation.

Lord, I can be steadfast only by Your grace and strength that only You can give. I long to be steadfast but I know that my strength is so small and I must find refuge in You and allow You to work through me to be steadfast. Lord, help me to sing and to sing praises to You is all that I do.

Devotions 09-03-07

Ps 56:13
"For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living."

God has protected me from death on several occasions and probably many more times that I am not even aware of. His first was when I was about 5 years old and crawling into the horse corral and my dog rescued me from being trampled on by the horses.God used my dog to notify adults that I was in danger of being killed.

When going to the University I was in a car accident with some friends that took us to the edge of a cliff but we did not go over. I was 18 then and not a believer.

God has protected me from immorality by His grace these 73 years. I remained pure until I was married and have been faithful all these years to my wife. God has protected me from stumbling in my walk with God and I give Him all the praise. II Cor 9:8 has been very true in my life and I am so very grateful.

So God has enabled me to walk with Him before others in 5 countries of the world and to share the wonderful Grace of God. I am very humbled by His marvelous grace toward me and my family.

Lord, continue to give me Your grace so I might serve You and honor You to my family and grandchildren and those that You bring into my life. Lord, I have done nothing but You have done far beyond what I could even imagine through my life. Lord, help me to continue to honor You and to exalt You before those who are around me.

Devotions 08-03-07

Ps 55:16-18
As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice. He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, for they are many who strive with me.

In verses 12-14 David had some friends that came against him and against the Lord. They were not enemies but someone that he did some good things together and he thought they were friends. Now they were attacking him which was a great disappointment to him.

The first thing it caused David to do was to cry out to God and trust that God would deliver him from the attacks of his former friends. He even began to increase his prayer time with God; three times a day. It is God who allow difficult times to come into our lives so we might learn the great importance of prayer and other disciplines of our walk with God. It is so important that I learn from my trials and not give in to discouragement.

God will deliver me from those who attack me and I must be confident in this and trust God so completely. I must not lose heart and be discouraged. That is what the enemy of my soul desires. God wants me to see His greatness and to continue to show the world around me the all sufficiency of Almighty God.

I so want difficult times to draw me to time with God rather than to focus on my difficulties or my failures. Oh, that prayer would be my first reaction and cause me to be more serious about listening and communicating with God. I must use these times to focus on doing what would honor God and would give me the strength to do His will. Thank You Lord for your perfect plan to help me to grow into spiritual maturity and endurance as I walk this life with You.

Devotions 07-03-07

Ps 54:1-3
Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your power. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me, and violent men have sought my life; they have not set God before them.

I need to always begin with God. His name and His power. Now I must speak to Him with words from my mouth. Not just think about my problems but actually talk with a personal God who wants to hear what I have to say. Sometimes I just do not know what to say but the Holy Spirit knows even my thoughts and groanings and will help me to communicate my needs to God. Romans 8:26

I live in a world that is hostile toward God and to those who follow His Word. Just as they disliked Jesus so they will dislike me as well. I must be prepared more and more how to handle the evil in the world and how to stand for Christ and not to be discouraged.

Eph 6:10-12 tells me that it is not people that I am fighting but it is the evil forces in our world that is working through unbelievers. I need all of God's armor to be able to withstand the flaming missiles of the evil one. I know this is not easy and that it will become harder and harder depending where I am. Lord, help me to stand and to honor You in all I do.

Devotions 06-03-07

Ps 53:1-3
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good not even one.

This is a pretty sad description of mankind and is the very reason that Jesus Christ had to come to earth to die for men and women who were denying that He even existed. Our very own creator was forgotten and we lived the very opposite of what He created us to be.

How does this strike me as I read this description? Can I see my lack of seeking after God and doing the good He wishes me to do? Do I sometime live and act as if there is no God that I should be accountable to? Do I understand what God is doing in our world? Do I see His love for His creation and how much He longs for us to receive His salvation in Jesus Christ.

Lord, thank You for reminding me of my sin and rebellion toward You. Use my life to communicate to the world in which I live that there is a God who has created us all. He has provided for us a salvation or deliverance from the sin that is all around us. Help me to boldly live for You and to share with others what You have done in my life. What a contrast between the world around me and the joy and peace You have given to me and our family.

Devotions 02-03-07

Ps 52:8-9
But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever because You have done it, and I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones."

I want to be always learning more about God and growing into maturity like the green olive tree. If I am green I will be growing if I am ripe I will be rotting. I want to always be growing. This includes my trust in the mercy or lovingkindness of God. Oh, to completely trust God in everything and at all times.

I also want to be grateful to God for all that is happening in my life and around my life. He is the one that is in control of all situations that affect my life and the life of my loved ones. This would include the trials and tests that are so hard sometimes but they are for my good and the good of those I love so very much.

I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. I am not sure what that is saying but it sounds like prayer. It sounds like God is saying it is good when you and other believers gather in My Name and look to me and wait for Me to give you guidance and strength and all God does for us as we wait together before Him. I really need to do this more than I do.

I need to spend more time with my team in prayer. We need to share what is on our hearts and be praying more for each other and for what is happening in our lives. It is so good and so important to be waiting on God with each other. Lord, help us to do this tomorrow after our bible study.

Devotions 01-03-07

Ps 51:10-13
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You."

I need a clean heart everyday and many times a day. I want to maintain a clean heart as much as possible. So I need a renewed spirit of steadfastness. That I be strong against all the temptations around me to pull me into sin. In order to do this I need the presence of God in my life and the Holy Spirit to be my strength.

I am grateful, that as a believer, that God will not take His Holy Spirit from me as in the Old Testament but I am sealed by Him as His child. (Eph 1:13,14) I do need my joy restored because sin takes away the joy of my salvation. I am not sure about this willing spirit but I think David is praying for him to have a willing spirit to sustain his walk with God.

When I am right with God I will want to teach others the joy of the Lord and guide them into that most wonderful relationship. When I am sin I do not think of others but I become a selfish and prideful man. How miserable I am when I am in sin and away from the joy and peace that I have in God.

Lord, I pray David's prayer for my own life. Thank You for reminding me of all You have given me in Jesus Christ.