Daily Prayer
The Word:
Proverbs 9:9 (HCSB) 9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.
My observation:
In the Proverbs we see the wise and the righteous linked. The reason for this is that they are the same person.
One of the characteristics of wise people is that they welcome feedback. I have heard it said that, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions”. The feedback of Godly people is a blessing. However, the wise person can even profit from the feedback of their harshest critics.
The key character traits of the wise and righteous person are to be teachable and to be able to listen. We receive much instruction in the educational system on reading, but I don’t recall receiving a lot of instruction on the art of listening. The wise observer will notice that God gave us two ears and only one mouth. Could it be because we should listen twice as much as we talk?
Proverbs 1:5 (HCSB) 5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
Proverbs 27:6 (HCSB) 6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.
My inspiration:
Psalms 35:27 (HCSB) 27 Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in His servant’s well-being.”
Psalms 141:5 (HCSB) 5 Let the righteous one strike me— it is ?an act of? faithful love; let him rebuke me— it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. Even now my prayer is against the evil acts of the wicked.
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I thank you for the knowledge that I can gain by listening to the feedback of my friends and my foes.
Lord, I thank you that when we live our lives in total dependence upon the Lord as our source, we need not fear the opposition we encounter along our earthly journey. When we walk with Jesus, we can experience joy everyday because our joy comes from being joyful in the Lord.
I am so thankful that I can be joyful in any circumstance I encounter in life because my joy is not dependent upon right things happening, but my joy is in the Lord, my Savior.
Psalms 35:9 (NKJV) 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
My song:
This joy that I Have (Click on link below to listen to Shirley Caesar sing of being joyful in the Lord):