RIVERSIDE PRAYER

May we be men of the Lord.

Let us rise up and stand with the cross at our backs,

Forever growing taller, surrounding us as we surround our community.

Let the light and the love that You provide Lord,

 Flow through our clean hands onto the women and children that we have sworn in Your great name to protect.

Let us be the faithful and strong men You have called us to be.

To Lead.

To Protect.

To serve.

To fight in Your name.

And to love.

Bless us and strengthen us, so that You may rise up from Your throne and call us Your good and faithful servants.

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Your anger is fire spewing from your lips,

It burns and causes pain to your brother and sister, making them fearful and sad.

Your anger is a poison that will, and spread, and devour your very community.

It numbs your ears, clouds your eyes, and laces your lips with venom.

As you hold anger deep inside your heart,

The Lord will keep you from His alter,

Flames of holy fire will push you back until your words turn from death to life.

Repent for your wrong doing, seek reconciliation with your brother,

Pursue the light and the love of the Lord so that He may tame your tongue.

For it is much to evil got you to handle alone.

May he bless you with a family, a community of forgiving, heart healing followers of God.

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Smile and let live, turn and walk from the face of rage.

Be the noble man that walks in righteousness,

Rather than the foolish man that lets his tongue run untamed.

Blessed is the man that remains strong in the discipline of the Lord and

Places the very poison of his tongue and the sin of his heart in the hands of God.

For the Lord can take every piece of anger, bitterness, venom, guilt, and resentment

That we hold inside and make it pure.

Though it may be a painful road of many tears,

The light that you will stand in will be a reward that makes up 10 times over.

For when you lie in obedience, the Lord is pleased and has great favor upon your soul.

Be brave my brothers, have the courage to know when you have done wrong,

And the wisdom to make it right with your neighbor and the Lord.

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When it comes down to the wire, who will you be?
The face of nobility, righteousness, courage, wisdom. 
Or will you fear the end of this short life and turn and run.  
I beg you, think clearly and stand tall, you have nothing to fear. 
The sting of death has been dulled into nothing. 
The victory of hell has been pushed into submission. 
All that is before us as we stand in the light, 
is the everlasting freedom of true life. 
True life in Jesus Christ. 

By Justin Silcox