The Vineyard
Speak to me today Lord Jesus. Examine what I am thinking, writing, planning, hoping—- and the very goals I have set before you. Remove any relationship, text, email, imagination or dream within me that would disappoint you! Hold my feet to a holy fire.
Help me to see things and people from your point of view! Teach me to treat them better than they treat me and to serve them as if I were serving you. Forgive me for allowing the words and actions of others to steal my attention from you and your kingdom—keep whispering to me that my ultimate goal is to glorify you, and not to vainly “succeed”. And more than anything, have mercy on me for every poor choice or stupid action that brings shame on the name of Your Son.
Protect me from the very ones that I love—because they are the ones that harm me the most. Shield me from the ones that don’t love me and the one that desires to destroy me. I am far too dependent upon the approval of those that I care deeply about, and I let the blows and assaults from those that are indifferent me to wound me far too easily and deeply. Father, help me to have more compassion on those that are luke-warm to you or challenge my devotion to you. I listen too much to the taunts and half-truths of the Enemy and find that my energy and zeal is drained because of it. Help me to be deaf to him! But worst of all, have mercy on me when I take my own self and my own needs too seriously and consider my reputation and standing among my own brothers and sisters to carefully. Lead to reckless abandonment for you!
I know my own frailties and vanities. I wish to be vindicated when slandered or thought of poorly. When I have been wronged I wish to have the matter “righted” and for all those whose opinion I covet to know that I was wrongly accused. Lord deliver me from this urge to be absolved and appreciated by others.
My life is a mist—please come quickly. Maranatha.
Warmly,
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)
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