Ken Crawford

A man finds joy in giving an apt reply — and how good is a timely word!
– Proverbs 15:23 (NIV)

Knowing the right word at the right time is a great gift. But even the best of speakers has to admit that the best of his or her words are not nearly as good as those the Spirit gives. Nevertheless, we must not excuse ourselves for our insensitive speech, unkindness, or missed opportunities. Not paying attention to what was said is no excuse. Not being spiritually in tune with the needs of our companions is a cop out. Simply not knowing Scripture well enough to bless others with gracious speech at the appropriate time is self-deception. Listening to others after having listened to God in his Word is what tunes our ears and our hearts to bless others.

Loving Shepherd, I will spend much of my time today with people. Some of them know you, but most do not. Please give me wisdom to say things that lead people closer to you. Give me words of help and hope for the broken. Give me words of tenderness for the fainting. Give me words of direction for the confused. Father, I pray that whatever words I do say today may reflect your will and may be led by your purposes to bless others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
– Psalm 37:4 (NIV)

Rather than seeing this as a way to get our wishes list granted, let’s see it for what it really is … an invitation to seek a love relationship with God above all other things. In finding him, we will find our priorities properly aligned and our hearts tuned to know what is really valuable and what is not. Then we will see that what we have in him is our hearts greatest desire.

Awesome and Gracious Father, I confess to you that so often my heart is full of selfish things. But in moments like these, Father, I recognize that you are what I most need and your will is my heart’s desire. Please kindle your Spirit in me so that I may see through any selfish deception that would rob me of having you first in my life. Forgive me when I’m petty, selfish and shallow. May I know you as much as possible for a mortal to know you, not so that I may be full, but that you may be honored. Because of your grace and in the name of Jesus I pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
– Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

We pursue so many things, but only one pursuit brings wisdom. Paul reminded the Athenians that God made us to seek after him and find him (Acts 17). The wisdom of Proverbs keeps leading us back to “knowing God” and having a deep and reverential awe toward him as the source of wisdom. Understanding of priorities, needs, purposes, goals, problems, and issues can only occur when we first recognize who the Lord is and know him in our day to day lives.

Holy, Majestic, Righteous, and Eternal God. I confess that I know you so much less than you know me. But your faithfulness in my life, your power displayed in history, your grace shared with so many through the cross of Christ, and your promise to bring me home to you one day all help sustain me. I want to know you so that my life can be lost in your will — not for my glory or gain, but for your praise, I ask that you make yourself known to me in the things I do today. In the name of Jesus I ask it. Amen.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
— Hebrews 4:12 NIV

The Holy Spirit guides and strengthens Christians in multiple ways (e.g., Romans 8:13-14, Galatians 5:16-26), including through Scripture. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture and uses Scripture to teach, rebuke, correct, and train us so we can be useful to God and equipped to do good things in the world (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This influence of the Spirit means that the Spirit penetrates into the areas of our being using Scripture to remake us more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The real question for me, and I think for you, is whether we are intentionally asking the Spirit to remake us as we open the word of God. Are we hungering and thirsting for the righteousness of our Lord, and are we longing for the compassion of Jesus that only Spirit-led people can live?

O God, you are my God, and I hunger to be like you in righteous character and gracious compassion. May the Holy Spirit have your way in my heart and remodel my life to be a living echo of the life of your Son, Jesus, my Savior. In his name, I pray. Amen.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
– Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)

I get to choose which sources of information I feed my mind. But this privilege and freedom is also a responsibility. God longs to bless me, but that blessing remains dormant until my heart delights in knowing and doing his will.

Wondrous Creator, just as you fashioned such a beautiful world and put me together in my mother’s womb, I also ask that you create in me a desire to know your truth and an insight in how to live that truth. I know your Holy Spirit is in me to help me in this journey, but I want so much to please you and bless you because of all the ways you have blessed me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
– John 17:17 (NIV)

God’s promises, God’s Scripture, and God’s clearest message of all, his Son, are truth. But only the last of these is truth, grace, deliverer, friend, Lord, Savior, brother, Redeemer…

Father God, give me a holy passion to know your truth and live it in both word and deed. Make my life a reflection of your Word, who both proclaimed and lived your truth. In the name of Jesus, your ultimate Word, I pray. Amen.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
— Psalm 1:3

We have become accustomed to instant service and rapid results. Waiting for a few minutes in a fast food line is stressful for many people. We know what we want and we want it NOW. Some kinds of earthly delight can feed our hearts for a short time, but when difficulties come, our hearts will wither in the drought. Delighting in the LORD and in his will for us, however, provides us with ongoing and ever-fresh joy. Out of this lifestyle comes both short-term and long-term benefits and a resiliency that withstands life’s worst droughts.

Dear God, Holy One of heaven, I do find my delight in you and your ways and find refreshment in your abiding Spirit. Please give me the wisdom to seek your will every day of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
– Psalm 25:14-15 (NIV)

Where does true deliverance come from? Only from God. Deliverance is found in God through deep reverential respect for his holiness and might, through living in covenant relationship with him, and through maintaining our focus on him. Any other roads to deliverance are false and ultimately prove themselves to be a snare. Like the tight rope walker whose eyes are not on the ground or the surroundings, but on the rope in front of him where he will walk, so too our eyes must be on the Lord. Only by looking to him will he lead us to safety.

Precious Father, you have done so much to save me. You who are so holy and righteous, have reached down to take my hand when I was a sinner and in rebellion to your love. Teach me your ways. Correct the wrongs in my life. Guide me into the ways of your truth. I want to not only be saved from my sin, but from days of uselessness and frustration. Make me a vessel that can be used to honor you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
–  Psalm 19:14

God does so much for us. He is the Strength and Promise that undergirds our lives. He is the One who has saved us from sin and death. Our worship comes from our gratitude for what he has done, recognition of who he is, and anticipation of what he is going to do. But worship can never be compartmentalized to just fit into church places or quiet times. Worship involves every aspect of life. That is why it is so important for us to tune the words of our mouths and the motives of our hearts to God’s will and work. Then private worship, whether alone in quiet or in a group with Christians, becomes the tuning time for our hearts and lives so that our public worship, our lives lived out in the world, will play the song of God to a world who has not yet heard his tune.

Holy and Almighty God, I want this day to be a day of worship and honor to you. May my life praise you: not just in thought, not just in words, but also in action. In the name Jesus I pray. Amen.

How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
2 Samuel 7:22 (NIV)

“I am Yahweh, who saved you out of Egypt. You must never have any other god, but me!” The Lord God Almighty at the beginning of the Ten Commandments reminded us of this central, seminal, and consummate truth. What else is there to say?

Holy, Righteous, and Only Living God, I hold you in the highest place in my heart. Forgive me when I do not hold you in the highest place in my life. Empower me with your Holy Spirit to give up all the little things that distract my allegiance to you and interfere with you being the Supreme and Sovereign God in my day to day life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.