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Give me LISTENing ears. May I avoid the leadership pitfalls of Pharaoh who turned deaf ears toward You. Exodus 7:13: "And He hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he did not listen to them." Open my ears to whispers, shouts and loving expressions of those near me, to the cries of the needy nearby and to distant rumbles from afar. Give me the ability to receive information without prejudice, with empathy and an open heart. Open my lips to SPEAK to those lacking direction, Lord. As You stir me in prayer, direct my words to You in a way that will help me grow in my ability to glorify You. Give me the boldness of Abraham. Genesis 18:27: "Abraham answered and said, Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to Jehovah, I who am but dust and ashes." I am less than dust and ashes in Your eyes, but You have chosen to honor me above Abraham in this age of grace by making my body Your temple of service, allowing Your purposes to work through me to all those I contact each day. Give me a passion, Lord, to READ not only Your Word, but all the information I need in order to impact my world with the concepts You can use to fulfill Your purposes for me. Daniel did not fear to stand before the powerful of his age and read to them challenges for change. Daniel 5:17: "Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing to the king and make the meaning known to him." Give me facts through my research that will provide the tools to challenge those who need Your correction. Dear Lord, I love to WRITE. Help me do it with incisive words, wasting none, and may those words prompt many readers to action. You wrote through Luke. My writing cannot gain his audience, but as my written words reach the limited public who might read my words, may they lead those who read to yield their lives entirely to You. Luke 1:3: "It seemed good to me also, following all things accurately from the very first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus." Whether I write to men of God or to people of the world, may the words I place in order express clear meaning and, in all the thoughts they represent, proclaim Your desires. Listening, reading, speaking and writing could all fall into the condemnation of I Corinthians 13:1: "sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." Keep me from this purposelessness by sharpening each day my ability to THINK. Matthew 22:17: "Tell us. What do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?" Help me to think through and to analyze all the issues of the day important to You and to express the sharp results of that thinking to those who need to learn not just to follow You but to live in You and to allow You to live in them. Lord, may I glorify You as a skilled leader, listening, speaking, reading, writing and thinking with superb skill. In Your name, Lord, Amen -- Richard Palmquist Send email to frontoffice@truthradio.com with questions or comments about this subject. |
