Voices Together for Monday, 27 September 2010

Psalm 25:16-22

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Guard my soul, Lord, guard my soul. Guard it from the attacks of the Evil One who would destroy my testimony to the power of Your love and mercy. Guard it from those attacks which would discourage me and cause me to focus on my shortcomings rather than on Your strength. Lead me, Lord, to be an active agent for Your Kingdom.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 26:1-5

Of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

David can make these positive statements, Lord, but I cannot. I don't need proving, I need improving. I don't need the testing of an assay to prove my worth; I need a quality control test to highlight my shortcomings. I need the continued teaching and leading of the Holy Spirit to rasp away at the flaws of my nature, to grind at those affections that stand between me and faithful obedience. Thank You, Lord, that I can come to You, pleading for relief, knowing that You take pleasure in seeing this child of Yours learn to walk in Your Kingdom.

 Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm26:6-8

I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.

Lord, give me the boldness, give me the willingness to speak Your name, proclaim Your glory, shout of Your goodness, mercy and love to all and sundry. Let there be no lapse in my testimony, either by word or deed. Lord. cause me to be a big mouth for You.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 26:9-12

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

Thank You and praise You that I can turn to you in my distress, knowing that You will provide a level ground to stand on. I know that You stand between me and all the wiles of the Evil One, that Your grace is a might bulwark, an impregnable shield if I keep my eyes on You and seek Your Kingdom first in all my life. Praise You, Lord

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location..

Psalm 27:1-3

Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Years and years, Lord, years and years, You have demonstrated Your constancy and faithfulness. time after time, day after day, You stand between me and all assaults; if I remember to turn to You. This is a "no other gods before me" concept. I must turn to You for guidance and solace, You are at my side, but I must acknowledge Your presence and seek Your face. Then I can join with David and shout, "I am confident that my Lord is with me."

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 27:4-7

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!

Here's the answer to my dilemma about the relationship with our ministry partners; You will hide me in Your shelter and conceal me in Your tent, but I am to sing and make melody with shouts of joy. Back to "Let the praise of God be ever in my mouth and a two edged sword in my hands."

So it is to be a day of praising You and blessing them.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants.

That sense of being manifest, Lord. Your word fixed in the heavens, You enduring faithfulness, the establishment of the creation, all speaking of You and by You to the world. There for all to see, and all do see for the vehement denials of many are the kicking against what they know to be true and know that they are powerless to change.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 27:8-10

You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek." Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.

Seek Your face, Lord, O how I want to seek Your face, but sometimes it seems beyond me. Teach me and lead me in the way everlasting, I can feel the hunger for Your presence, let it grow in me. There have been tastes, little nibbles, I want it all, a full meal.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 27:11-14

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Lord, to look upon You in the land of the living, to see Your goodness there, in the Kingdom of Heaven, in the here and now, to see and live in the not yet and the yet to come. Wait for You, wait for the full revelation of Your presence, give me strength and courage.

Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Voices Together for Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Psalm 28:1-2

Of David. To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

I need You, Lord, every hour I need You. Be with me, O my Savior, be with me today. Guide my hand and my mind, let the meditations of my mouth be pleasing in your ears, let every step of my feet be set securely in Your path, let all that I am be used in Your service today.

 Voices Together is also available in a weekly formats suitable for distribution within prisons and for insertion into church bulletins at this location.

Psalm 19:1-6

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Another day is breaking, a cold, crisp winter day, and I can watch the interplay of light and color as Your creation is revealed again. A demonstration of I John 1:5 that You are light and in You is no darkness at all. I see trees and shrubs waiting to be reborn, I see snow covering the land and hiding the imperfections from sight foreshadowing Your redemption and salvation. I see form and function speaking of Your wisdom in the design of the Creation. All declares Your glory and shouts praise to the work of Your hand.

Psalm 19:7-11

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

The Word of the Lord is:

• • • Perfect

    • Sure

    • Right

    • Pure

    • Clean

    • True

    • Desirous

Praise You, Lord, for You have provided the ne plus ultra of gifts to Your people, through them I am:

• Revived

• Made wise

• Filled with joy

• Enlightened

• Cleansed

• Made righteous

• Had my hunger sated and my thirst slaked.

Praise You, my Lord.