Exodus 39-40

Making the Vestments for the Priesthood (Ex 28.1—43)

Exodus 39:1 Of the blue, purple, and crimson yarns they made finely worked vestments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the sacred vestments for Aaron; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

2 He made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 3 Gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads to work into the blue, purple, and crimson yarns and into the fine twisted linen, in skilled design. 4 They made for the ephod shoulder-pieces, joined to it at its two edges. 5 The decorated band on it was of the same materials and workmanship, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

6 The onyx stones were prepared, enclosed in settings of gold filigree and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7 He set them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

8 He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 9 It was square; the breastpiece was made double, a span in length and a span in width when doubled. 10 They set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald was the first row; 11 and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a moonstone; 12 and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13 and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. 14 There were twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. 15 They made on the breastpiece chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; 16 and they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece; 17 and they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 18 Two ends of the two cords they had attached to the two settings of filigree; in this way they attached it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. 19 Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 20 They made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the decorated band of the ephod. 21 They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it should lie on the decorated band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22 He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue yarn; 23 and the opening of the robe in the middle of it was like the opening in a coat of mail, with a binding around the opening, so that it might not be torn. 24 On the lower hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 25 They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the lower hem of the robe all around, between the pomegranates; 26 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate all around on the lower hem of the robe for ministering; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

27 They also made the tunics, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, 28 and the turban of fine linen, and the headdresses of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twisted linen, 29 and the sash of fine twisted linen, and of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, embroidered with needlework; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

30 They made the rosette of the holy diadem of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the Lord.” 31 They tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it on the turban above; as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Work Completed (Ex 35.10—19)

32 In this way all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished; the Israelites had done everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 34 the covering of tanned rams’ skins and the covering of fine leather, and the curtain for the screen; 35 the ark of the covenant with its poles and the mercy seat; 36 the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37 the pure lampstand with its lamps set on it and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38 the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; 39 the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; 40 the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41 the finely worked vestments for ministering in the holy place, the sacred vestments for the priest Aaron, and the vestments of his sons to serve as priests. 42 The Israelites had done all of the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 43 When Moses saw that they had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded, he blessed them.

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed

Exodus 40:1 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3 You shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain. 4 You shall bring in the table, and arrange its setting; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps. 5 You shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 6 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, 7 and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. 8 You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. 9 Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy. 10 You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy. 11 You shall also anoint the basin with its stand, and consecrate it. 12 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water, 13 and put on Aaron the sacred vestments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest. 14 You shall bring his sons also and put tunics on them, 15 and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all generations to come.

16 Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up. 18 Moses set up the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; 19 and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 20 He took the covenant and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above the ark; 21 and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the curtain for screening, and screened the ark of the covenant; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain, 23 and set the bread in order on it before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the curtain, 27 and offered fragrant incense on it; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He also put in place the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. 29 He set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, 31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33 He set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen at the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

The Cloud and the Glory (Ex 13.21—22; Num 9.15—23)

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.

I have the privilege of being a Spiritual Director for George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Most of the people I sit with are already pastors or soon will be. Theirs is an insight that comes from serving and leading others, from being with people in the good times and the bad, the happy times and the sad. It is a unique calling with many challenges. In one session my directee said walking in the Spirit is like being in the cloud mentioned in the passage above. I like his comparison. I think metaphors, heart language bring us much closer to the Spirit of God than dogma and doctrine.

Gal 5:22-26 ... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. (Think of the cloud above) Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

Devotionals, Videos and more ...

American Minute
by Bill Federer

“Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere… Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch… One if by land, two if by sea…” These lines are from the famous poem, Paul Revere’s Ride, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who was born this day, February 27, 1807. He was an American poet and Harvard Professor, and wrote such American classics as: Evangeline; The Song of Hiawatha; and The Courtship of Miles Standish. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow stated: “Man is unjust, but God is just; and finally justice triumphs.”

Federer, B. (2003). American minute. St. Louis, MO.: Amerisearch, Inc.

Proverbs
by D.H. Stern

Proverbs 19:20-22

Listen to advice, and accept discipline,
so that in the end you will be wise.

One can devise many plans in one’s mind,
but ADONAI’s plan will prevail.

A man’s lust is his shame,
and a poor man is better than a liar.

Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible-OE
: An English version of the Tanakh (OT) and
B'rit Hadashah (NT) (1st ed.). Clarksville, Md.: Jewish
New Testament Publications.

My Utmost For The Highest
by Oswald Chambers

The impoverished ministry of Jesus

From whence then hast Thou that living water? --- John 4:11..

“The well is deep”—and a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! Think of the depths of human nature, of human life, think of the depths of the ‘wells’ in you. Have you been impoverishing the ministry of Jesus so that He cannot do anything? Suppose there is a well of fathomless trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says—“Let not your heart be troubled”; and you shrug your shoulders and say—‘But, Lord, the well is deep; You cannot draw up quietness and comfort out of it.’ No, He will bring them down from above. Jesus does not bring anything up from the wells of human nature. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and by saying—‘Of course I cannot expect God to do this thing.’ The thing that taxes almightiness is the very thing which as disciples of Jesus we ought to believe He will do. We impoverish His ministry the moment we forget He is Almighty; the impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus as Comforter or as Sympathizer, but we will not come to Him as Almighty.

The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity is because we have no Almighty Christ. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying—‘Of course He cannot do any thing,’ and we struggle down to the deeps and try to get the water for ourselves. Beware of the satisfaction of sinking back and saying—‘It can’t be done’; you know it can be done if you look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness is deep, but make the effort and look away to Him.

Chambers, O. (1993). My Utmost for His Highest

The Coming
the Poetry of R.S. Thomas

The Coming

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look, he said.
The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce
Colour. The light burned
There; crusted buildings
Cast their shadows; a bright
Serpent, A river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.
On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed
Boughs. The son watched
Them. Let me go there, he said.

Thomas, R. S. H'm

Swimming in the sea of the Talmud:
Technical Terms

     Every discipline develops its own particular “language,” a unique way that its practitioners express themselves and communicate with one another. Sometimes it involves using specific words that no one else uses (as when the police speak about “perpetrators”). Other times, it entails giving ordinary words a unique meaning. (When a diplomat says “The talks were constructive,” he or she really means that things are going poorly, everyone is yelling at each other, but there is still hope.)

     The same is true of the Rabbis in the Talmud. There are literally hundreds of technical terms that they use in the Mishnah and the Gemara. Many are concepts that are specific to the Jewish religion; tefillin, lulav, yibum, muad, treif, and niddah to name a few. (In this book, we explain these terms as they appear and define them again in the Glossary.) But there is another kind of technical term that is found in almost every line of the Talmud. Translated into English, it may seem obvious and ordinary, but in actuality, there may be a very specific meaning that the Rabbis are attempting to convey. The novice may be unaware of these coded phrases and thus may miss out on what is being taught.

     For example, three phrases which are very similar in the Aramaic, and might be rendered into English in the same way, actually have specific meanings:

     t’nan (“we are taught”) introduces a teaching from another Mishnah;
     tanna (“he taught”) brings a brief tradition from the Tosefta;
     tanya (“it was taught”) quotes a passage from a baraita.

     Sometimes, even a minor change in word order can have real significance:

     Amar Rabbi Ploni (“Said Rabbi so and so …”)—when the word amar (“said”)
     precedes the name of the Rabbi, the statement will be undisputed.

     Rabbi Ploni Amar (“Rabbi so and so said …”)—when the Rabbi’s name comes first,
     the statement will usually be followed by the views of another Rabbi who disagrees.

     Another example: In the give-and-take of a discussion, one view may be introduced with the word leima, translated as “let us say.” But the use of this particular word is a clue that the opinion stated will ultimately be rejected.

     How is the beginner to know any of this? Sometimes we are able to figure these things out by ourselves as we study more and more and notice recurring patterns and forms. It is more likely, however, that we will need to turn to an expert for help. Here we begin to understand the important role a teacher plays in the enterprise of learning Talmud. In addition, it is important to have the proper tools as we begin to swim in this sea. There are dictionaries, encyclopedias, and guides (mentioned in the back of this book) which are indispensable to the study of Talmud.

     We’re coming back to the surface now, after having taken a brief glimpse of what lies below. Our intent has not been to overwhelm the reader or frighten you away. Rather, it is to make the point that the Talmud is a very complex literature. Having said that, we hasten to add: There is nothing to match its power, its beauty, and its wisdom. Anyone who seriously undertakes to study Talmud will be rewarded immensely by the experience. At times it will be quite difficult. If you stick with it, and if you reach out for help, you will find your way. You will also find that swimming in this sea will change your life.

Katz, M., & Schwartz, G. (1998). Swimming in the Sea of Talmud: Lessons for Everyday LIving . Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society.

Take Heart
by Diana Wallis

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. --- Psalm 37:4

     Without cheerful seeking we cannot have a gracious answer.

     God will not give an answer to prayers that dishonor him. A flat and lumpish attitude is not for his honor. We do not read of lead employed about the temple but the purer and most glittering metals. God wants the most excellent service, because he is the most excellent Being. He wants the most delightful service, because he bestows the most delightful gifts. It is a dishonor to so great a majesty to put him off with low and dead-hearted services. It is not for the credit of our great Master to have his servants dejected in his work, as though God were a wilderness and the world a paradise.

     Dull and lumpish prayer does not reach him and therefore cannot expect an answer. Such desires are as arrows that sink down at our feet; there is no force to carry them to heaven.

     Lumpishness speaks an unwillingness that God should hear us. Any who coldly and dully put up a petition to a sovereign give the ruler good reason to think that they do not care for an answer. That farmer has no great mind to harvest who is lazy in tilling the ground and sowing the seed. How can we think God should delight to read over our petitions when we take so little delight in presenting them? God does not give mercy to an unwilling person. God makes his people willing. Dull spirits seek God as if they did not care if they find him; such attitudes either account God not real or their petitions unnecessary.

     Without delight we are not fit to receive a mercy. Delight in a mercy wanted makes room for desire, and large desires make room for mercy. If no delight in begging, there will be no delight in enjoying. If there is no cheerfulness to enliven our prayers when we need a blessing, there will be little joy to enliven our praise when we receive a blessing. A weak, sickly stomach is not fit to be seated at a plentiful table. God will not send his mercies except to a soul who will welcome them. A cheerful soul is fit to receive the least and fit to receive the greatest mercy. Such individuals will more prize a little mercy than dull petitioners will prize a greater, because they have a sense of their needs. If Zacchaeus had not a great joy at the news of Christ’s coming by his door, he would not have so readily entertained and welcomed him. --- Stephen Charnock

Wallis, D. (2001). Take Heart: Daily Devotions with the Church's Great Preachers (27). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

Teacher's Commentary by L.O. Richards
Moses, the Man Part 1 of 2

     Scripture gives us an unmatched picture of the formative decades of the life of Moses, the man God selected to lead Israel from slavery to freedom. We all know the familiar details of his infancy. But we can learn much by looking ahead, at the full scope of his ministry.

     Formation (Ex. 2–5). Moses, placed in a floating basket of reeds, was found by the daughter of Thutmose I, Hatshepsut. Captivated by the infant, she adopted him as her own. Later, when a youth, Hatshepsut seized power from a nephew who had been crowned Thutmose III, and she ruled impressively for 22 years. Moses, secure in the affections of this powerful and brilliant woman ruler, was well trained: “Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22).

     When about 40, Moses was forced to make a choice. The burdens on his people Israel had grown greater during his lifetime. Finally Moses actually stepped in and killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite slave. When he discovered the killing had been observed, and when Thutmose III tried to kill him, Moses fled. No doubt this Pharaoh, who resumed the throne after his aunt’s death (and immediately ordered the defacing of all her monuments and the destruction of all records of her rule!) was glad to find an excuse to remove his aunt’s favorite.

     Moses fled to Midian, a desert country far from Egypt, probably east of the present-day Gulf of Aqaba. There he lived for 40 years, his culture and his pride worn away by the harsh, simple life of a shepherd. Moses abandoned his vision of himself as Israel’s deliverer (cf. Ex. 2:11–15). Now, meek at last, Moses was finally a usable man.

     What lessons can we learn from Moses as we meet him in Exodus 2–5? Several.

     Use opportunities. God placed Moses, of slave heritage, in the palace of his people’s oppressors. There he was “educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). We too need to take opportunities to grow, and to develop within our own culture.

     Dream dreams. Moses had a vision of himself as his people’s deliverer. When he killed the Egyptian taskmaster he supposed “that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not” (Acts 7:25). Not all of us are called to fulfill our early dreams. But the desire to do great things for God, and to dare great things to help those for whom He cares, is admirable in us as well as in Moses.

     Accept discipline. The Jews didn’t share Moses’ vision of himself as a hero. Pharaoh heard what he had done, and Moses fled. For 40 years he lived as a simple shepherd in a backward land. The image of the hero faded under the stress of repetitious toil. Finally Moses learned to accept himself as a “nobody.” We too need this kind of discipline. God does not want to break our spirits. But He cannot use pride. When we accept ourselves as nobodies, only then can we become somebodies whom God can use.

     Face limitations. At the burning bush Moses carried his “nobodyness” too far. At 80 God spoke to him, and announced that the youthful dream would be fulfilled. Now Moses hesitated. He saw so many reasons why he could not do what he had once planned to do.

     “What if they do not believe me?”

      “Lord, I have never been eloquent.”

     “Lord, please send someone else.”

     Each of these objections indicates clearly that Moses now was all too aware of his inadequacy. From “I can” he had swung to “I can’t.”

     It’s important that we face our own limitations, and reject trust in our natural abilities. But we can be too overwhelmed by our weaknesses. We need to remember God, and shift our gaze from ourselves to Him.

     Accept God’s commission. In the call to Moses, God had announced His purpose. “I am sending you … to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Ex. 3:10). For each objection, God had a promise:

     “The elders of Israel will listen to you.”

      “Go, and I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

     God is well able to do in us what He intends. With the commission of God comes the presence and power of God that enables us to fulfill it.

     Expect disappointments. Moses did go as God commanded. And the Hebrews did welcome him. But, as God had also warned, Pharaoh did not listen. The burdens of the slave race were now increased. The people of Israel turned on Moses, and Moses turned to God. “Why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?”

     Every ministry knows disappointments. No path God asks us to follow will always be smooth. Learning to accept the disappointments and yet to always turn back to God is an important aspect of preparation for ministry.

     Faithful service (Ex. 15–40). The events immediately following the Lord’s exhilarating victory over Pharaoh thrust Moses into burdensome spiritual leadership.

     Moses’ basic problem was with the people he had been called to lead. Their character was all too quickly revealed. When Pharaoh’s army followed Israel to the sea, the people begged in terror to return to slavery (14:11–12). Even after the parting of the Red Sea, the people “grumbled against Moses” within three days because of a lack of water! As the journey toward Sinai continued, the attitude of the people became more and more sour. The “whole community murmured” (16:2), and finally expressed their rebelliousness in an anger so fierce they were ready to stone Moses himself! (17:4)

     As we look at Moses the man, we need to see him as a person under pressure. Being a leader means carrying very real and very heavy burdens. Yet this stage of Moses’ life also has helpful lessons for us.

     Don’t try to do it alone (Ex. 17–18). Exodus 17:4 shows Moses crying out in frustration. “What am I to do with these people?”

     What a fascinating question. What shall I do? Moses was about to learn a vital lesson. He had begun to look at himself as the only one God uses, the one who had to provide all the solutions. He was alone, and indispensable. “What shall I do?”

     All too often this is the cry of the ordained in our churches. Somehow the pastor and people alike come to feel that the ministry is one person’s task, and his or her responsibility alone. No wonder it seems impossible. It is!

     God’s instructions to Moses give us insights. “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel” (v. 5). Then God told Moses to strike a rock: “I will stand there before you,” God told him, “and water shall come out of it.”

     Here are two ways that Moses was not alone. God was there before him. And some of the elders of Israel were there with him.

     The lesson was immediately reinforced. As Israel traveled on, they met an enemy force. Joshua led Israel against the Amalekite army, and whenever Moses held up his arms, stretching them out toward the battlefield, Israel won! But soon Moses’ arms became tired. He couldn’t hold them up alone. And when he lowered his arms, Israel lost. There was only one solution. Moses sat on a rock, and allowed Aaron and Hur to stand beside him and hold up his arms.

     What a message for Moses. Moses couldn’t do it alone. He had to have others’ help.

     In chapter 18 we see the culmination. Moses, the lonely leader, was still trying to do it all himself. All day long he sat and settled disputes that arose among the people. Finally his visiting father-in-law, Jethro, broke in. “Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” (v. 14) Moses explained: “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.” Jethro’s comment was as potent today as it was then. “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out.… You cannot handle it alone.”

     At last Moses heard! Moses chose capable men, and delegated authority to them (vv. 24–27). Hard cases were still brought to Moses. But the others were solved within the community.

     Ministry in the Christian church is a shared responsibility. Even when members of a congregation are not yet spiritually mature, no leader is to bear the burden alone. The people of God are dependent on God, but interdependent on each other.

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The Teacher's Commentary (323). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

An emailed prayer
with tweeks ...

     Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

     Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

     Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

     And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

     Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

     I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

     I pray that Your will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.

     I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.

     This is my prayer.
     In Jesus' Name,
     Amen.

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