The book of Proverbs is full of God’s wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Proverbs instructs, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (4:23). The heart is a metaphor for our inner being, the essence of who I really am. It is the dwelling place of my emotions, attitudes and intentions. I am called to be holy, a holy temple in the Lord, according to Ephesians 2:13-22, with Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone. This holiness is a result or by-product of my passion for the Lord, in pondering and praying the Word in passionate prayer. My love and passion for God and His Word awakens my heart and increases my awareness of His presence, restoring the fear of the Lord and my hunger and thirst for more of Him.
I encourage you to press on in pondering and praying the Word of God in passionate prayer, as you walk in the Spirit by faith, not according to the world, but by the work of the Holy Spirit, in the will of God the Father, in and through the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the Word of God in your heart and mind, as it is in heaven upon the earth.
Almighty God, Your Word is filled with all wisdom, knowledge and understanding. As I pray through all that You have said to me, help me to apply it to my life and to obediently allow Your truth to sink deeply into my heart. May it transform me from the inside out so that my life will reflect Your kingdom to others.
–Adapted from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 21, The Bible and Personal Passion in Prayer by Earl Pickard).
Prayer Points
Praise God, the one whose name is great among the nations (Mal. 1:11). Give thanks that the good news is being preached in so many countries today and that it has been proclaimed to you, too. Confess anything in your life which hinders your own witness to the saving grace of Christ. Commit yourself to regular prayer support of missionaries whom you know. Ask God to open doors for their ministries.
Your family can be a missionary family right in your neighborhood! Ask for opportunities for your family to be a witness among your neighbors and friends. (And then be ready when God answers!)
–Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend