Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
8 5 2023
A Prayer: You have given me everything – Please help me use it.
Use me, Lord, for all those who are seeking after you. Use my ears, Lord, so that I may hear those who are crying for help because they live in constant fear of failure or not being enough. Use my tongue, Lord, so I may confess my sins, Lord, and then give testimony to the world of your goodness. In Jesus’ name.
I read that prayer this morning and thought yes. Send me Lord. To those who are hurting and confused. Lead me Father to those malnourished in their relationship with you. Open my eyes to see things in the spirit and not just what my natural eyes observe in my finite little world. Give me discernment to see beneath the surface to the strongholds that hold me hostage and show me how to break out of these prisons, large and small. Give me a voice full of wisdom and grace like you did when you walked among the same type of people I do. Give me the courage to jeopardize my reputation to mingle with the unsavory, unholy, and unaccepted so that I might tell them about your salvation and how much you love them and have a way out for them, just like you did. Jesus, you moved from the temple mount and taught thousands to have dinner with sinners and prostitutes to show us you came to meet the needs of your people where they live… To show them the water of truth that would quench their eternal thirst and heal their festering sores. I want to do that… show me the way.
You said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
God help me use your strength, not mine. Help me be dependent on you and you alone. When we say, “God help me,” we are acknowledging that, above all else,
we are dependent upon you.
We are saying, “I don’t have the strength in and of myself to make it through these circumstances…to be effective in the Spirit…to be enough…but You do. Only you My God are strong enough to sustain me,
even though it may seem everything is going to pieces.”
When we say, “God help me,” we are agreeing with what the Psalmist said in
Psalm 121:1-2:
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth
Our help comes from one source and only one source: You the living God who created the heavens and the earth.
You God are our refuge. Our fortress. We don’t need any other help. We don’t look for any other savior. We look to you our ONLY God to rescue us in our time of need and lead us along still waters.
How easy is it to look to our own talents to achieve a sense of security and even rescue? We look to money…our own intellect… our resolve to succeed against all odds. Our own resourcefulness. Forgive me, Father!
But instead, I pray, “God help me,” saying, “I reject any hope other than yours.
You alone are my hope and stronghold.”
Psalm 46:1 puts it this way, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” PRESENT – Not tomorrow or next week, but it means right now.
We need to rely on You to be useful. Rely on the Holy Spirit for direction.
Rely on You Lord for the will to persevere.
I love how you say Lord that you are a very present help in trouble. You want to work through us. You want us to succeed. Help us see that you are never far off.
Never distant. Right here with us, and that you won’t leave us or forsake us in the midst of our trouble or our need to be fulfilled.
When we’re struggling, when we’re weary, when we’re stumbling, when we want direction and clarity of purpose, we can know that you are with us every single step of the way. We just need to keep moving forward. We have not, because we ask not. You are VERY present with us right now. Help me Lord grab ahold of that truth.
Father, I put my faith in you at this time. I want to be useful to you and for you. I want to be faithful and make a difference. I ask for your help.
Because you love me, I believe you will.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus lauren daigle
