Keep Them, Sanctify Them!

 

 

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

 

—John 17:15-18 (ESV)

 

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as You send me into this world. 

 

Just as You sent Your Son, Jesus, into the world, You have sent me into the world, not to be of the world, but to be a light to illuminate the darkness of the world.

 

Just as Jesus prayed that You would sanctify His disciples by the truth—purifying and setting them apart to minister that truth as healing for this broken world—I pray that You would sanctify me with the truth for Your service to this world.

 

Protect and keep me from the temptation to become like the world. Grant me the wisdom and discernment to reject every scheme, trap, and lie of the enemy, and to replace it with the truth of Your Word. Deliver me from the evil one and his demons.

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as you send me into this world. 

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Be One Who Dwells!

 

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

 

—Psalm 91:1 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

 

Almighty and Most High God,

 

May I always live in Your secret, sheltering place—that place where I find serenity, security, and safety—forever abiding under the shadow of Your Holy Presence!

 

Help me remember that I am drawn into that secret place when I live in constant, prayerful communion with You; as I allow the Truth of Your Word, as revealed by Your Spirit, to fill me; and as I believe and apply Your promises to my life.

 

Help me to find my place of rest in Your shadow—in closest proximity to You, under Your covering, and firmly held in Your everlasting arms of love.

 

Help me not to wander in and out of that secret place, but rather, make it my place of permanent residence—so I can remain under Your protection, provision, and peace—where You are my rescue, refuge and rest, and my only hope, forevermore. 

 

May I always live in Your secret, sheltering place—that place where I find serenity, security, and safety—forever abiding under the shadow of Your Holy Presence!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Live to Please the Spirit

 

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

 

—Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me live to please Your Spirit—planting only good seeds and harvesting the best that You have for me here, in this world—as I look forward, with confidence, to that time when You will call me to my heavenly home.

 

Don’t allow me to forget that there are either good consequences or bad consequences associated with everything that I think, say and do—for You are a Holy and Just God. 

 

Remind me that when I live for myself—living only to satisfy my own sinful nature—only death and decay can come as a result.  But when I live in faithful obedience to Your Spirit, I get to enjoy a harvest of abundant and everlasting life. 

 

Keep me mindful that while You will show me mercy, completely forgive me, and even extend to me Your grace when I repent of my bad choices, there will always be consequences of my sin which remain—consequences that hurt both myself and others.

 

Show me how the choices I make—that is, the kind of seeds that I plant—will determine the kind of harvest that I will reap.  And help me to choose wisely to plant the seeds that lead to life.

 

Help me live to please Your Spirit—planting only good seeds and harvesting the best that You have for me here, in this world—as I look forward, with confidence, to that time when You will call me to my heavenly home.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

A Close Watch!

 

 

Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.

 

—1 Timothy 4:16 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to keep a close watch on how I live and what I teach. May I stay true to what is right, not only for the sake my own salvation, but also for the salvation of others.

 

Don’t allow me to indulge in any carelessness in the way I live my life—so that I don’t ever leave room for my actions to become a stumbling block for any who may be watching me.

 

May I especially watch the things that I teach to others—staying true to all that is right, knowing that as a teacher I am held to a higher standard of accountability, because of the influence I have on those whom I teach.

 

Help me remember that my lifestyle should be the primary evidence of my salvation—and that a life of inconsistency is contrary to the gospel and may cause others to fall.

 

Help me to keep a close watch on how I live and what I teach. May I stay true to what is right, not only for the sake my own salvation, but also for the salvation of others.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Amazing Deeds of the LORD!

 

 

How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!
    All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.

 

—Psalm 111:2-3 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Oh, that I would faithfully delight in You—pondering Your amazing deeds, reflecting on Your glory and majesty, and marveling at Your unfailing righteousness—so that every aspect of my life would remain centered on You!

 

Help me to rekindle that awestruck wonder that I first had for the truly amazing and awesome things that You have done—both for me and for others—out of Your great love for all of us.

 

Help me to look for the amazing in the common place occurrences of my day and give You all the honor, glory and praise that You deserve—for all the things You have done, are doing now, and have yet to bring to pass.

 

Don’t let my familiarity with the story of my own life dull my sense of gratitude for how You have always been faithful to reveal Yourself to me—allowing me to experience for myself the truth of Your never-failing righteousness.

 

With great joy and excitement, help me look for opportunities to tell the story of Your goodness and Your faithfulness to me—so that others would come to believe how truly great You are, and be drawn to receive Christ for themselves!

 

Oh, that I would faithfully delight in You—pondering Your amazing deeds, reflecting on Your glory and majesty, and marveling at Your unfailing righteousness—so that every aspect of my life would remain centered on You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

By Worrying

 

 

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

 

—Matthew 6:27 (NIV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Wise God,

 

Help me to remember that I never lengthen or add value to my life by worrying.

 

Help me to understand that when I worry, I am allowing the enemy to steal from me—to steal my peace and my joy, and the time that You have given to me to praise, honor and glorify You with my life.

 

Help me to understand that when I worry, I am inviting the enemy to come and kill me—because worry chokes the life from me and draws me physically, intellectually, emotionally, and worst of all, spiritually closer to death.

 

Help me to understand that when I worry, I open myself up for the enemy to come and destroy me—that worry leaves me powerless to carry out the plan of God for my life and makes me ineffective in my battle against the enemy.

 

Help me to understand that worrying is sin. It is in direct opposition to Christ’s command not to worry—a command that is intended to protect and keep me in every way. So, help me to feel the conviction of Your Spirit when I worry—and repent of my sin.

 

Help me to understand that worry is the opposite of faith—and that without faith it is impossible to please You. So, give me a heart to seek out the Truth of Your Word, that I would strengthen my faith and leave all my worries in Your loving and capable hands.

 

Help me to remember that I never lengthen or add value to my life by worrying.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Boast Only About the Lord

 

 

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.  Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

 

—1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Merciful and Gracious God,

 

Let me never boast about anything, except Jesus, my Lord!

 

Thank You for uniting me with Christ Jesus, Your Son, so that I can walk in the blessing of being joined with wisdom itself.

 

Thank You that because You have called me, and I have believed and confessed that Christ died and rose again for me—because I have received Him into my heart and life as my Lord—I am made right with You.  

 

Thank You that by Christ’s transforming power, I am made pure and holy—and by His death and resurrection, the power that sin once had over me has been broken, and I am free to choose good over evil.

 

Help me always remember that anything good in me has come through Christ who is Worthy of all the Honor, and Glory, and Power, forevermore!

 

Let me never boast about anything, except Jesus, my Lord!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.