No [actual] evil, misfortune, or calamity shall come upon the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil, misfortune, and calamity. (Proverbs Chapter 12, Amplified Bible)
Oh Lord, grant me the wisdom to know and avoid evil, that I may live a righteous life. I urgently need this blessing to avoid the misfortune and calamity that assail me.
24 The thing a wicked man fears shall come upon him, but the desire of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be granted. (Proverbs, Chapter 10, Amplified Bible)
Oh Father God, please bring me into your righteousness and keep me there. I want the blessing of this promise. I need it. My desire is to be a good and successful steward of the finances and health and all the resources you have given me. Make me a good servant of family and especially of your Kingdom. I want to hear you say when the time comes, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”
Proverbs 8 (Amplified Bible)
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them.
What a daunting standard! If this had been without exception my code of verbal conduct my entire life, how much better off would I be now?!! I’d have more friends. I’d be healthier. I’d be wealthier. I’d be more successful in every way. I pray that from this moment forward this will be my standard, the diamond standard of speech. I pray that every time I begin to formulate an utterance in my mind that is contrary to this standard, the Holy Spirit will warn me, strongly (because I can be self absorbed), to erase that thought and come out with something much superior or if not, nothing at all.
When I was a child, the family owned property with a swimming hole called Twin Falls. Most kids today probably don’t know what a swimming hole is. Anyhow, it was lots of fun. Seven falls, though, don’t make for much fun.
Proverbs 24
16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
I have fallen a lot. Help me, Lord, be righteous so you can lift me up and keep me up!