Prayer: Words and Ways
Your words and ways are
Perfect
Sure
Right
Clear
Your words and ways are
Pure
True
Righteous
Every one
Their value, beyond price
Their goodness, beyond delight
Their counsel, enduring blessing
Place in me a longing
To desire them
Become them
Every one
Prayer: Rock and Redeemer Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Revive my soul
Make me wise
Re-joy my heart
Enlighten my eyes
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Grant me holy reverence
A desire for you
And your goodness, alone
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Clear me of hidden falsehood
Making way for your ways
Your innocence, reborn
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14
Most Wednesdays I post a devotion. This includes a song or two, a few moments of stillness, a conversation on a scripture passage, and a prayer.
The devotion is the Facebook Live recording from the Trinity UMC Sarasota Facebook page. We gather Wednesdays at 8:00 AM EST. You’re also welcome to join us there.
I sometimes post a check-in of evening reflection questions as well. This is also a Facebook Live recording from the Trinity UMC Sarasota Facebook page. We gather Wednesdays at 7:00 PM EST. Again, you are most welcome.
Lastly, I sometimes post other things.
Different folks like different platforms. I hope this helps you make a connection to God.
1. How we relate to our money goes to the heart of our relationship with God
There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the conversion of the mind, and the conversion of the purse. – Martin Luther
2. If you look for money to do what only God can do, money will fail you
Money cannot forgive your sins, bring you wholeness, nor save you
Money is not a Rock and a Refuge from the pain and trouble of this world
Money does not define you, nor make you valuable
3. Is money is good or evil?
Neither! Both!
Money is a powerful tool and gift of God. Like any gift, it can be twisted into something it was never meant to be: greed, envy, exploitation, materialism, hoarding… Like any gift, it can be received, nurtured, blessed, and multiplied for the greater good.
In the hands of [God’s] children, [money] is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked. . . . By it we may supply the place of a husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless; we may be a defense for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain. It may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death! – John Wesley, The Use of Money
So it’s not about money. It’s about being in right relationship with money.
It is about using God-given spiritual practices to manage God’s powerful gift of money faithfully. There is no reason to fear or avoid speaking about money.
4. Where do we start? Wisdom is more valuable than money
Think of the consequence of money without wisdom
What is Wisdom? Accumulating knowledge is being smart, educated, informed. It is good to seek the help of experts and best practices, but it is not enough. Wisdom goes beyond accumulating knowledge to the use of knowledge. Wisdom takes into account experience, best practices, but goes beyond to seek and apply timeless Biblical truth and Divine Insight. Wisdom reveals what to do with what you have and why you do it.
Psalm 19:1-6, gaining God’s wisdom via nature
God reaches out to everyone, speaking to us. God wants to be in relationship with us through Jesus Christ, to lead us and guide us and give us wisdom. Yes, we consult experts. Yes, we use our God-given brains. Yes, we seek God’s will and wisdom.
Psalm 19:7-11, gaining God’s wisdom through God’s Word
God’s wisdom is
perfect
sure and reliable
right and correct
clear and clarifying
pure
true and sound
more to be desired than gold
sweeter than honey
The wisdom that God’s Word provides
revives the soul
makes us wise if we have an open mind and a teachable spirit
causes our hearts to rejoice and be satisfied
enlightens, opens our understanding and perspective
brings answers, perspective, clarity
results in a healthy fear, awe, and holy reverence for God
results in appropriate humility before God
sustains and endures
warns, correcting us that we may live a rewarding life
In short, God’s wisdom puts us in right relationship with God, with others, with ourselves, with the earth, and with money. It’s why we can trust it, seek it, and surrender to it.
5. Ask God for Wisdom, that you may be in right relationship with money.
Do you pray and thank God for “daily bread,” trusting God as the source of your provision and asking God to provide? Do you seek God’s will when making a purchase or an investment or making an offering or for the courage to tithe?
Consider Solomon, a young man about to follow his father David in becoming king. God comes to him in a dream. “Ask what I should give you.” What would you ask for? Long life, love, wealth, power, peace, revenge, victory over your enemies…
Solomon asks for this Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people? (1 Kings 3:9)
Notice Solomon’s love and respect for God. He was a king yet humble. He refers to himself as God’s servant. Notice Solomon’s love of others. He understands his call as a leader is beyond his strength, skill, intelligence, and resources. He understands his responsibilities to the greater good.
God answers his prayer and God will answer you. Ask God for Wisdom, that you may be in right relationship with money.
Prayer
Mighty God, grant me wisdom
Let the words of my mouth be acceptable to you
Let my every desire be acceptable to you
Let the resting place of my heart be acceptable to you
Open me to growth and guidance
Purify my reverence and awe for you
Sustain me and satisfy me
May the revival and sanctifying of my soul bring you delight and glory
I trust your Holy Word and Holy Wisdom to put me in right relationship with all things
With money, myself, my motivations, with others, with you
You alone are my Rock and my Redeemer
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I’m excited to now offer mp3’s of my Sunday messages. A huge thank you to Sean and my brothers and sisters at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota for all their help in making this possible. If you’re ever in Sarasota, please drop by for worship Sundays at 9am or 10:30am, or join us live on our Facebook page at 9am Sundays, or drop by during the week for a chat or small group. You and those you love are always welcome.
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