Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
Have you ever noticed, as the dark gives way to morning light, a symphony of sound? One or two birds begin to waken; then a multitude of birds, all rejoicing in the light. God must’ve made the songbirds to delight His heart, and ours.
Psalm 148 begins, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the Heavens; praise Him in the heights. Praise Him all his angels, praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you stars of light.” And in verse 10, others are called to praise Him: “Beasts and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl.” In other words, let all His works praise Him!
Lately, the Lord has been leading me to think about systematic prayer. Some things are so important that we should pray about them daily; but it can be hard to remember to do so as other priorities take over. I feel strongly about many issues like hunger, homelessness, unjust persecution, and human trafficking. As I was considering these before the Lord, I was impressed with a system that I could incorporate into my daily activities and use to succeed in active, regular prayer.
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Peter 4:7
Here are some examples I pray and the system I developed. I hope will encourage you in your quest for systematic prayer.
The Hungry: As I give thanks for my food at mealtime, I pray for the hungry.
I pray that the Lord will fill them with good things, and provide a daily portion.
I pray that He would ease the pain of hunger, and bring compassionate people who are willing to share their abundance into the lives of the hungry.
The Homeless: As I lay my head down to sleep at night, I pray for the homeless.
I pray that God will supernaturally keep them warm in the cold and provide shade in the heat.
I pray that He will provide safe places where they may lay their heads and that the Lord will give them rest.
The Persecuted: After morning Bible reading, I pray for the persecuted church.
I pray that the Lord will show Himself in a powerful way to give them strength to endure, to overcome fear, ease their suffering and remain steadfast until the end.
I pray that their testimony will be strong, that their suffering will not be in vain, and that their tormentors will encounter Jesus and be converted.
The Trafficked: As I am driving in my car, I pray for those that are trafficked and forced into slavery.
I pray that God will comfort the sex slaves, that He sees their tears and dries them.
I pray especially for the children, that God will show His mercy.
I pray that as they are defiled Jesus will wash them in His love and show Himself in an intimate way.
I also pray that they will be visible to those who will help them to escape.
I would love to hear your system of prayer, so please comment below!
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
Planning for the future is important. Being concerned with how things will work for our old age, having the resources to pay bills, having a savings, leaving an inheritance, are all concerns that are valid and a part of life. But how does that square with what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:34?
“Take therefore, no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Could it be we are so caught up planning for the future, we often fail to enjoy the beauty of the day? Stop and smell the roses, people.
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
You know what a community is, but have you heard of a famunity? It’s a family living and working together. The family unit has been called the core of society. As families grow and thrive, a community is strong. How much better is it for love and peace to prevail in a Christian community following the teachings of Jesus?
Listen to Psalm 133:1 and 3: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethern to dwell together in unity. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. ” May there be peace and harmony in your family.
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
We were on the on the Freedom Jubilee Tour 2016, traveling down I-40 in Oklahoma. Debbie was driving, and I was napping in the back. Suddenly, I woke to, “Oh no!” A tow truck pulled over to the side while a tire from the jeep they were towing continued rolling down the road ahead of us. Debbie said, “God told me not to follow too closely, so I backed off– and a tire broke off! And a fender and stuff landed right in the middle of the land.”
In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Thank you, Lord, for speaking to us. Jesus wants to speak to you too, my friend. Are you listening?
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
There is something about the stillness of the early morning that makes it the perfect time to spend with God. Before all the activity, the noise, the busyness begins, we can not only look for our father, but find him.
Psalm 5:3 says: “My voice shall you hear in the morning, O lord. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto you, and will look up.” And Isaiah 26:9 says, “With my soul have I desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me, I will seek you early.” God is waiting to spend time with you, my friend. Seek him early, and enjoy his presence.
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
Fear can be very debilitating, and it comes in many forms. It can actually shape our behavior and influence our decisions. I think one of the worst kinds of fear is the fear of other people. There are actually vicious people that use fear to control folks.
There’s a good perspective on fear, recorded in Matthew 10:28. Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” A proper fear and respect of God is healthy, my friend; so fear God, and you won’t fear man.
It was a sunny afternoon when Howie and I were pulled off the highway fixing lunch at a lake. A man (who I will call “John,” to protect his privacy) heard Howie playing music. He came up and asked what kind of guitar Howie was playing. After some conversation, Howie asked him to join us for lunch. He replied, “No, thanks” and started to leave. Howie shook his hand and said, “Man, it was great to meet you, John.” John’s response is vividly engraved in my mind as he said with amazement in his voice, “Wow, nobody ever says that to me. Usually people just tell me to get away.” You see, John was homeless, wearing a jacket and carrying his pack in hand. He didn’t look neat and kempt like the tourists in this area.
Howie began to share with him the value John had in the eyes of God. This is a priceless message to those who feel like the offscouring of the Earth. It is really heartbreaking to think there are so many around us who feel worthless, ashamed, and alone because hard times hit.
We ended up praying with him, hugging him as tears streamed down his cheeks. Howie gave him a Living Water: The Gospel of John that is small enough to fit in his pack – some encouragement for the dark, lonely days and a copy of his CD “Wayfarin Strangers Amped”. As John left Howie told him he loved him that Jesus loves him, hugging him again. Tears softened his eyes, and John went his way, deeply touched, apologizing for crying.
Many of us pass the homeless regularly. What is our response? Are we inconvenienced by their presence? Do we wish they would just go away, take a bath and somehow not disrupt our view? Or, do we see them as dearly loved by our Heavenly Father and therefore, by us. My heart is challenged to respond to the “lowly” in our communities with kindness and mercy.
Heavenly Father, make us vessels of your love. Show us how to personally care for those we see that are in the greatest need a touch from you today.
“…Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Matthew 24:34-36
Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.
“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6.
There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. It’s easy to get information to know things; but to be wise, to use knowledge for good, is almost supernatural. It involves the action of God in one’s life. Combine that with truth, hidden inside us, and you have the tools necessary to become an incredibly good and useful person in God’s eyes. Wisdom and truth are much needed today, my friend.
