Speak What Is True

In a land where lies have been spoken for generations, it's hard to help people recognize the truth.  While it is the story of all humanity since that fateful day in the garden when the serpent lied to Adam and Eve, there are areas of the world where the Truth of Christ hasn't broken through to raise multiple generations walking in that truth.  So as I pray for God's truth to reign in Nsoko, and for the Swazi people to walk intimately with the Truth (John 14:6), a song from David Crowder resonated with the prayers of my heart for myself this year, but also the prayers for the people of Nsoko.

Here's my heart, Lord.

I surrender again to you, Lord, the most central part of who I am.

Lord, capture the hearts of the people of Nsoko.

Speak what is true.

Hide your truth deep in my heart.

Let your Truth be spoken in every heart and on every homestead.

Here's my heart, Lord.

I hand it to you again, every day, even when I am tempted to hide it,
guard it, or let it become numb.

Even in the midst of so much pain and hurt, allow the
Swazi people to quickly hand their hearts to be entrusted to You.

Speak what is true.

Speak to me, Lord, from Your word, louder than the voices around me.

Open the eyes of the Swazi people to see your Truth and your
Word for the living truth that is.  Speak louder than tradition.

Cause I am found,

Your eye is on each flower, each bird, and on me as You pursued
me and found me while I was running from You.

Lord, pursue Your people, and Holy Spirit,
draw them to the Father through Christ.

I am Yours,

You have bought me at a price...the price of Your Son dying on the cross.

You have many people in this area that You are drawing to Yourself
because You purchased them on the cross 2000 years ago.

I am loved,

You rejoice over me with singing.

Even those who have never experienced earthly parents love are loved
by You, Lord.  Let your love transform them from their innermost being.

I'm made pure.

Though I was like crimson, You have cleansed me as white as snow.

Let them trust in Your sacrifice that is the only thing that can
make us pure, not any actions of our own.

I have life,

 You are my daily breath, the Life living in me.

Let us be quick to acknowledge you as giver of life in a place
full of sickness and death.

I can breathe,

 Your mercies have given me new life again this morning.

Extend the people's lives in Nsoko until they can hear
the truth of the Gospel, Lord.

I am healed,

Your Spirit is transforming and healing me from the inside out.

Do a radical work in your people here in Nsoko, Lord.  Heal them from
their hurts, their sicknesses, their losses, their grief, their poverty.

I am free.

 Your Truth has set me free...from my sin, from myself,
from eternity apart from You.

Free the Swazi people from the strongholds
of satan, from the generational sins,
from the chains that bind them in addiction and abuse.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 I don't just ask You to be my Savior, but I submit my whole life
to Your Lordship.

Reign in Nsoko, Lord, starting in our hearts, our lives,
our homes, our communities, this country, this world.

Speak what is true.

 Keep my eyes focused on You & Your truth in the midst of so many
lies about You, about me, about this world. 

Holy Spirit, illuminate Your word so that people would be
quick to discern between truth and lies.

Cause You are strong,

 You speak stars into being, but can make a mountain crumble.

Lord, sustain Your people so they may live to praise You.

You are sure.

 When all else in this world is uncertain, You remain.

Lord, remind those who have lost so much that You are unchanging.

You are life,

 When I am surrounded by death every day, You are life within me
and around me.

Lord, revive our souls in the midst of pain and hurt and grief.

You endure.

 All else in this world will pass away, yet You endure
through every storm.

Lord, give your people in Nsoko the strength to persevere as
they fix their eyes on You and all that you endured.

You are good,

 You are pure, holy, lovely, righteous, and good.

Lord, may you be seen for who You truly are here in Nsoko,
not in the misunderstood ways of who You are and how you act.

Always true.

 In you there is no untruth, for You embody Truth in your very life.

Lord, may Your truth reign above all other beliefs here in Swaziland.

You are light,

 You are the Light of this world that shines brighter than the sun.

In the midst of the hot, bright sun, remind us that 

You are brighter and your light is eternal and 

You call us to embody that light in a dark world.

Breaking through.

 You don't just shine from afar but you break into our lives 

and our hearts to flood us with your light.

Lord, break through in Nsoko.  Let your light shine forth 

in the lives of people here so that you may see you in 

action regenerating people & working to radically transform 

their hearts so that they unashamedly live for You.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 I lay me down again today, Lord.

Lord, let us be quick to surrender to Your leading in our lives.

Speak what is true.

 Give me ears to hear.

Lord, speak through Your word in the lives and hearts of 

people in Nsoko.  Through your church, through audio Bibles, 

through Siswati Bibles, through your people 

who have memorized Your word.

Here's my life, Lord.

 I surrender my life to follow & walk with You.

May the people of Nsoko not live their lives for themselves, 

but surrender to Your Lordship.

Speak what is true.

 Let your Truth be heard from the mountaintops, speak in my heart 

and let my life speak to testify of your Truth. 

God, silence those in Swaziland who aren't speaking in accordance 

with your truth so that children may not be led astray.

You are more than enough,

 You satisfy more than anything or anyone this world has to offer.

For those who go to bed hungry tonight, remind them that 

You satisfy and give them peace in their stomachs. 

You are here.

 You are present in and around me all the time.

Lord, make yourself known and Your name famous in Nsoko.

You are Lord,

 Though countries and kingdoms come and go, 

You are Lord over the earth forever.

You reign over this place, over these homesteads, 

over these people's hearts.

You are hope,

 True, eternal hope is found only in You and found now, 

not just in the future.

In a community that the world calls hopeless, You Lord, 

are our hope, allowing us to rejoice in all circumstances.

You are grace,

 Your extravagance moves us to worship for all that 

You do for us that we can't earn & don't deserve.

Pour your grace out in the lives of your people here in Nsoko, 

that they would live in grace and trust in grace 

and accept the gift of your grace.

You're all I have,

 You alone are the only One who won't disappoint me, who is my life.

For those who feel alone today, Lord, remind them that they 

have You, the only One who truly matters in the universe.

You're everything.

 You are all I need and you satisfy my deepest needs continually.

In the midst of poverty and desire, fill our hearts with you to 

remind us that You satisfy more than any earthly thing or 

relationship or experience can.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 Here I am, take my heart and transform it as only You can.

Lord, transform your Church in Nsoko...that your Bride, 

the Church, would be quick to submit to your leadership as

 You wash her and lead her.

Speak what is true.

 Rid me of any lies, build the foundation of my life on Your Truth.

Break down the strongholds of lies and protect your people 

from the deception of satan.  Declare your truth to the 

hearts that are listening and hungry to hear.

Here's my life, Lord.

 I surrender all.

You are Lord of Nsoko. May your name be famous above all and 

may your kingdom come and your will be done here.

Speak what is true.