Have No Idols!

 

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,

    shaped by human hands.

They have mouths but cannot speak,

    and eyes but cannot see.

They have ears but cannot hear,

    and noses but cannot smell.

And those who make idols are just like them,

    as are all who trust in them.

 

—Psalm 135:15-18 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Save me from worshiping anything or anyone but You!

 

Keep me from counting on anything made with human hands, as if those things could save me. Let me instead count on You, the One who created all there is by the power of Your Word.

 

Keep me from worshiping anything that cannot speak to me, anything that cannot reveal the Truth. Let me instead worship only You and listen to hear You speaking to me through Your Word and Your Spirit, in every moment of every day.

 

Keep me from looking to anything that cannot see and understand what I am going through. Let me instead look to You, the One who is personally and intimately acquainted with every trial I face.

 

Keep me from crying out to something that cannot hear or help. Let me instead cry out to You, the One who patiently and compassionately waits to hear my cry for help and is ready and able to supply all my needs.

 

Keep me from trusting in anything that cannot sniff out trouble coming my way. Let me instead trust You to smell the stench of evil coming and warn me by Your Spirit, so I can avoid the disaster of succumbing to its temptations.

 

Keep me from becoming like those things I am tempted to put in front of You—powerless and unable to speak, see, and hear the truth, and unable to smell trouble coming and avoid it. Let me instead be empowered by You to become more like Your Son, Jesus.

 

Keep me from merely making You first among the many objects of my worship. Let me instead worship You—and You alone.

 

Save me from worshiping anything or anyone but You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This is the Way!

 

 

Your own ears will hear him.

        Right behind you a voice will say,

    “This is the way you should go,”

        whether to the right or to the left.

 

    —Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

Help me to know, understand, and believe that You always have my best interests at heart and that every path You will guide me down will be for my good—when I carefully listen and willingly obey.

 

As I walk in all Your ways, unfold before me the plans that You have for me—and help me to learn the things You have for me to learn, to remember what You have taught me, and to faithfully apply those lessons to my life, that I might better live for You.

 

Don’t allow me to wander from Your side—to leave the protection, provision, peace, and purpose that I find only when I remain with You—but let me walk each step I take under Your divine direction.

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

My Ears Open, My Mouth Shut

 

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God.  After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth.  So let your words be few.

 

—Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (NLT)

 

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

Let me never come before You unless my ears are ready to listen, my heart is ready to receive, and my flesh is ready to obey all that You would ask of me.

 

Help me to thoughtfully consider every offering that I bring to You—that I might offer it with the humble acknowledgment that You alone are the One who takes each thing that I have to offer and makes it worthy to be received.

 

Keep me from making rash promises to You and to others—but help me consider my weaknesses and my propensity to fail to deliver on my promises, apart from Your power at work in me enabling me to do so.

 

Never allow me to come before You carelessly, abruptly, irreverently, or arrogantly—as if I deserved Your attention or could dictate to You what You should do to accommodate my wishes.

 

For You are the LORD of Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of all there is, and all that there will ever be.  So, let my words be few.

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Unworthiness of Idols

 

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,

    shaped by human hands.

They have mouths but cannot speak,

    and eyes but cannot see.

They have ears but cannot hear,

    and noses but cannot smell.

And those who make idols are just like them,

    as are all who trust in them.

 

—Psalm 135:15-18 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Save me from worshiping anything or anyone but You.

 

Keep me from counting on anything made with human hands, as if those things could save me. Let me instead count on You, the One who created all there is by the power of Your Word.

 

Keep me from worshiping anything that cannot speak to me, anything that cannot reveal the Truth. Let me instead worship only You and listen to hear You speaking to me through Your Word and Your Spirit, in every moment of every day.

 

Keep me from looking to anything that cannot see and understand what I am going through. Let me instead look to You, the One who is personally and intimately acquainted with every trial I face.

 

Keep me from crying out to something that cannot hear or help. Let me instead cry out to You, the One who patiently and compassionately waits to hear my cry for help and is ready and able to supply all my needs.

 

Keep me from trusting in anything that cannot sniff out trouble coming my way. Let me instead trust You to smell the stench of evil coming and warn me by Your Spirit, so I can avoid the disaster of succumbing to its temptations.

 

Keep me from becoming like those things I am tempted to put in front of You—powerless and unable to speak, see, and hear the truth, and unable to smell trouble coming and avoid it. Let me instead be empowered by You to become more like Your Son, Jesus.

 

Keep me from merely making You first among the many objects of my worship. Let me instead worship You—and You alone.

 

Save me from worshiping anything or anyone but You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Your Own Ears Will Hear Him

 

Your own ears will hear him.

        Right behind you a voice will say,

    “This is the way you should go,”

        whether to the right or to the left.

 

    —Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

Help me to know, understand, and believe that You always have my best interests at heart and that every path You will guide me down will be for my good—when I carefully listen and willingly obey.

 

As I walk in all Your ways, unfold before me the plans that You have for me—and help me to learn the things You have for me to learn, to remember what You have taught me, and to faithfully apply those lessons to my life, that I might better live for You.

 

Don’t allow me to wander from Your side—to leave the protection, provision, peace, and purpose that I find only when I remain with You—but let me walk each step I take under Your divine direction.

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Keep My Ears Open, My Mouth Shut Before God

 

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God.  After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth.  So let your words be few.

 

—Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (NLT)

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

Let me never come before You unless my ears are ready to listen, my heart is ready to receive, and my flesh is ready to obey all that You would ask of me.

 

Help me to thoughtfully consider every offering that I bring to You—that I might offer it with the humble acknowledgment that You alone are the One who takes each thing that I have to offer and makes it worthy to be received.

 

Keep me from making rash promises to You and to others—but help me consider my weaknesses and my propensity to fail to deliver on my promises, apart from Your power at work in me enabling me to do so.

 

Never allow me to come before You carelessly, abruptly, irreverently, or arrogantly—as if I deserved Your attention or could dictate to You what You should do to accommodate my wishes.

 

For You are the LORD of Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of all there is and all that there will ever be.  So, let my words be few.

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Only Object of My Worship

 

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.

They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.

They have ears but cannot hear,
    and noses but cannot smell.

And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them.

—Psalm 135:15-18 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

Save me from worshiping anything—or anyone—but You.

Keep me from counting on anything made with human hands—as if those things could save me.

Let me instead count on You—the One who created all there is by the power of Your Word.

Keep me from worshiping anything that cannot speak to me—that cannot reveal the Truth.

Let me instead worship only You—and listen to hear You speaking to me through Your Word and Your Spirit, in every moment of every day.

Keep me from looking to anything that cannot see and understand what I am going through.

Let me instead look to You—the One who is personally and intimately acquainted with every trial I face.

Keep me from crying out to something that cannot hear or help.

Let me instead cry out to You—the One who patiently and compassionately waits to hear my cry for help and is ready and able to supply all my needs.

Keep me from trusting in anything that cannot sniff out trouble coming my way.

Let me instead trust You—to smell the stench of evil coming and warn me by Your Spirit, so I can avoid the disaster of succumbing to its temptations.

Keep me from becoming like those things I am tempted to put in front of You—powerless and unable to speak, see, and hear the truth, and unable to smell trouble coming and avoid it.

Let me instead be empowered by You—to become more like Your Son, Jesus.

Keep me from merely making You first among the many objects of my worship.

Let me instead worship You—and You alone.

Save me from worshiping anything—or anyone—but You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The Giver of All Things Good

 

Ears to hear and eyes to see—
    both are gifts from the LORD.       —Proverbs 20:12 (NLT)

The LORD will withhold no good thing
    from those who do what is right.      —Psalm 84:11b (NLT)

 

Loving LORD, Giver of All Things Good,

Grant me ears that really hear, and eyes that really see—by the wondrous power of Your Holy Spirit at work within me.

Your Word tells me, “You will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”  So, help me to tap into the power of Your Spirit to do what is right—that I might walk in the very best that You have for me.

Give me that truly perceptive discernment that comes only from You—so that I can hear with an understanding that goes beyond my limited mental capacity, and so I can see, through Your eyes, the Truth of every situation.

Make me ready to hear and careful to see—so that my understanding would be correct and complete, and so the clear insight of Godly wisdom would become my friend—that I might better live my life for Your glory, honor and praise.

Grant me ears that really hear, and eyes that really see—by the wondrous power of Your Holy Spirit at work within me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.