A prayer for guidance

(Originally written June 26, 2005 in Talks With God)

Why am I so angry and agitated by him? Why is he so obnoxious to me? What about him makes me insane? Why can't I just fall into place and get along with him? Help me to deal with these emotions in a good and proper manner. Lord I hate the way he operates. I can't help but be angered by his every action. Is this jealously or am I simply searching for justification? Help me to either solve, thwart or subdue this problem Lord. Help me please. Hear this prayer.

Isaiah 11-12 & a prayer

(Originally written June 25, 2005 in Talks with God)

I'm just tired of being lonely.

Isaiah 11-12

Pave the path for me to come to righteousness. Make me Holy in your eyes. I will praise your Holy name because of what you have done. Even when you were angry or disappointed in me you watched over me. Praise you for your everlasting love. You are my song, my strength and my salvation. Hear my prayer of praise.

Praise you Lord for your eternal watch.
Praise you Lord for your eternal wisdom.
When I was wicked, you kept me safe.
When I was sinful, you kept me alive.
Thank you Jesus for your mercy.
Thank you Jesus for my strength.
Thank you Jesus for my song.
Thank you Jesus for my salvation.
These things are mine because
you have given them to me.
Thank you Jesus for all you do.
Amen.

Isaiah 10 & a prayer

(Originally written June 24, 2005 in Talks With God)

Forgive me for my ignoring your call last night. It was arrogant and selfish. I am sorry Lord. Forgive me for my sin today Lord. I am weak and evil in your eyes. Purify me with fire. Cleanse me even if it hurts. Just give me the strength to make it day by day.

Isaiah 10

When your anger is turned away from me and turn it upon my enemies. Turn it upon those that wish to harm me. It is going to be a hard week Lord. Give me the strength I need to go through it. Lord, hear my prayer.

Isaiah 7-9 & a prayer

(Originally written June 22, 2005 in Talks With God)

Thank you again for another day completed. Praise you for all you are doing in my life. Forgive me for the sin I committed today. Forgive me please. Help me to overcome my earthly and sinful desires. Help me to overcome my sinful, destructive self. Replace my desire to sin with the desire to serve you. I asked to be broken if I am disobedient. Do your will, but hear my cry for mercy. Hear my cry for forgiveness. If discipline comes I will accept it, but do not make it so harsh that I cannot cope. Please do your will, but have mercy on this wretched man.

Isaiah 7-9

Lord, turn away your anger. I will praise you. Lord turn away your anger. I will serve you. Let me not be wicked, but let me bring glory and honor to you. Let me not be destroyed as Israel and Judah. Turn away your anger for I hail you as my king. My God, my God, the words  I write cannot begin to bring enough praise and worship. But Lord, accept this offering for it is all I have. Let all I do be pleasing; let every breath I take be a testimony to your greatness. Lord hear my prayer.

Isaiah 6 & a prayer

(Originally written June 21, 2005 in Talks with God)

Thank you for a stress relieving day! Praise you for dropping me low so that you could raise me up! Your wisdom is amazing! Now to the reading...

Isaiah 6

Holy, Holy, Holy are you Lord. Woe is me, for I have unclean lips and live among those who have unclean lips. TOuch me with alive coal to purge me and atone for my sin. Hear my prayer oh God.

Isaiah 5 & a prayer

(Originally written June 20, 2005 in Talks With God)

Happy 16th Birthday Colleen.

Lord watch over my sister and help her to grow into a godly woman. Giver her the tools and strength necessary to succeed.

Isaiah 5

Thank you Lord for the warning. It is incredible that this chapter would be the one I read after my last conversation. Hear my prayer Jesus and grant me forgiveness.

Matthew 11:28-30

(Originally written June 19, 2005 in Talks With God)

Not my normal devotional time but this passage is the one I used to write a letter. God please help your message get through.

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light".

Thank you Lord for giving me the strength I needed for today. Thank you for your faithfulness and your love which endures forever. Happy Father's day Lord. Look after my earthly father.

Amen.

Isaiah 4 & a prayer

(Originally written June 18, 2005 in Talks With God)

Lord you have been faithful to my prayer to be stretched. Every day you find new ways to twist and stretch me. For this I am somewhat thankful.

Isaiah 4

If I am faithful God will cleanse me. You will send out your spirit of judgment and shelter me. Shelter me if I am faithful. Bless me if I am obedient. Break me if I am not. Hear my prayer tonight. Thank you Lord.

Isaiah 2-3 & a prayer

(Originally written June 17, 2005 in Talks with God)

Today was a long day Lord. I am tired and somewhat frustrated. Help me to be an influence and help me to stay focused. Help me to stay positive. Give me the strength needed to get through the day tomorrow.

Isaiah 2

Let me not be a man who hides from the dread of the Lord. Let me not be a foolish man who clings to his pride. Humble me now so that I can be forgiven. Make my idols totally disappear.

Isaiah 3

Let me not be wicked. Let not my sin bring down the God of Jacob. Let my life be filled with righteousness. Not my own, but God's. Who am I to be righteous? Who am I to be strong? Let me be strong in you and not in my own futile weakness.

Lord lift up the workers in this place. Let us not be divided. Let us lead like men and women of God. Do not destroy us like Sodom & Gomorra. Do not let us fall as Judah & Jerusalem. Lift us up with your strength. Hear my prayer.

Isaiah 1:21-31 & a prayer

(Originally Written June 16. 2005 in Talks with God)

You are a wondrous God. The talk I had with Adam tonight truly helped. it was the much needed answer to yesterday's prayer. Help me to get what you want from tonight's reading.

Isaiah 1:21-31

See how I once was faithful. See how I once delighted But now I am full of murderous intentions. But I am comforted that you will purge me from my impurities. I am comforted that you will restore the judges and counselors who once helped me to be faithful. Let me not be rebellious or sinful, for if I am break me. Make me tinder and my work a spark. Burn me if I am unfaithful. This is my prayer.

Devour me if I am not

(Originally written June 15, 2005 in Talks with God)

The fronting ends here. My life has reached a boiling point. I can no longer hide behind things. Anger, depression and a loss of hope have arisen in me due to my Nazi-like team leader. Give me the strength and wisdom to deal with this. Equip me with the tools to fix the problems I see. Or give me the perseverance to overcome these trials. I opened to Isaiah, I will read it in its entirety. This is my oath to you. Please give me the message you want me to hear.

Lord,

I persist in rebellion. My head is injured and my heart afflicted. There is no soundness in me. I have wounds, welts and sores left un-bandaged. My words, my sacrifices have fallen on deaf ears. I have driven you away with my sin. My words are detestable offerings to you. My hands are full of blood. I will wash them clean by stopping doing what is wrong. I will seek justice and encourage the oppressed. Make my sins white as snow as you promised to Israel. Bless me if I am obedient. Devour me if I am not. Amen.

Lord,

Fill me with hope
Fill me with hope
Fill me with hope
I come to you
a broken man,
stripped of all
my pride and
dignity. I
cannot persevere
through these
trying days
alone. I need
you. I need hope.
Lord fill me with hope.
Please God, fill me with you.

Psalm 9:18 & a prayer

(Originally written June 6, 2005 in Talks with God)

Psalms 5-9

Psalms 9:18 "But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish".

This is a strong verse! The needy will not be forgotten and the afflicted will always have hope! Use me to remember the needy and use me to give hope to the afflicted. Tonight Lord remember me and my request.

Forgive me of the sins I have committed. Forgive me for my vanity. Forgive me for my two-facedness. Bless those who are faithfully serving you. It is in your power to do so. I have faith in that. If it is in your will, grant this prayer. My prayer does not fall on deaf ears, nor is it offered to a weak God. Your strength and admiration is my desire. Give me just a taste of your wisdom to help those in need and lay a hand of healing on Michelle's back. Thank you for your eternal watch. Thank you for all you do.

Chris

Prayer and Psalms 1

(Originally written June 4, 2005 in Talks with God)

I read Psalms 1-5 today.

Psalms 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit at the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

Lord, help me to be like this man. Help me to bear fruit in season, so that others may be sustained by your never ending love. Help me to prosper. Help me to excel at what I do, not for my credit but for the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. Today enter into a pact with me. As long as I remain help me to prosper. If this means prosper in earthly manners, great. If this means to prosper in heavenly manners, even better. Lord I am a weak willed man. Give me the strength and encouragement to make it through this life. Help me to prosper so that you can be exalted. Be my shield when they rise against me. Help me to cultivate the world, sot hat your good fruit can be enjoyed by all who seek you. Use me to help you prosper.

A prayer for forgiveness

(Originally written June 2, 2005 in Talks with God)

As you can see I have not been diligent in writing in this journal as it has been over a week since I last wrote. I picked up my Bible and laid it out when we first arrived, but I haven't read it. I have had a rough time because you have been faithful to my request to be stretched, but I have not been faithful to my promise in staying in your Word. I am sorry I have failed you. Pleas help me to make this an aberration and not a trend. Lord, I have been trusting myself and not you to get me through this. I am sorry. I have fallen back into sin, and even as I write this I am in sin. I just cannot let go. I am sorry. These are only words - all I have is words. All I have ever had are words. Help my words become action. You have surrounded me with strong Christian men & women. Help me to gravitate to the right ones. Help me to give up the power struggle within and throughout my life. Help me to conquer this new sin and my old one. I know what I must do, I just don't know how. Help me to see how. Let this journal be the dialogue I asked, but let it be a story of triumph so I can look back on my growth and be encouraged.

With Love,

Chris Linehan