The Course of World Events

 

 

He said, 

“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
    for he has all wisdom and power.
He controls the course of world events;
    he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the scholars.”

—Daniel 2:20-21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Sovereign God Almighty,

 

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

Let me praise Your name, O God, forever and ever, for You have all wisdom and power—and it is You who gives wisdom and knowledge to men who are wise enough to seek You, and who study to know You.

 

So, may I never second-guess the wisdom of things that You do—as if I could ever know better than You.  Let me instead trust in the Truth that You control everything and will use all things to accomplish Your Will.

 

Help me to continue to seek You, that I might grow in wisdom and understanding, and teach me the lessons You have for me, when things don’t go the way I think they should.  Then lead me forward by Your Spirit in the good  work You have given me to do.

 

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

In The Name!

 

 

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

 

— Colossians 3:17 ESV

 

 

 

Father God,

 

Help me to represent my Lord Jesus well this day—in my thoughts, words and actions—and may my life become a continual act of giving thanks, through Him to You.

 

As a grateful follower of Your Son, Jesus, let every aspect of my daily life reflect well on the One whose Name and Love I carry with me, into this dark and lost world. 

 

Let me ever be conscious of the impression that I leave with others, so that I would always show them the love of Christ—that they might be changed by the Christ they see in me, for Your glory.

 

Help me remember to speak only words of life, truth, love and encouragement to everyone that I encounter, both today and every day.

 

Help me always remain obedient to Your commands and submitted to Your authority—to depend on Your strength and remain in Your peace, serving You in all things with joy.

 

Let my life be an offering of grateful worship to You for all the gentle compassion, patient mercy, complete forgiveness, amazing grace, and unfailing love that You have poured out over me through Jesus Christ.

 

Help me to represent my Lord Jesus well this day—in my thoughts, words and actions—and may my life become a continual act of giving thanks, through Him to You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Therefore Be Holy!

 

 

“For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

 

—Leviticus 11:45 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

 

Holy LORD,

 

Thank You for being the One who called me and brought me out of my slavery to sin, in order that You might be my God—for being the One who makes me holy in Christ Jesus.

 

I praise You, for You are holy! Just as You brought Your people, Israel, up out of their slavery in Egypt, so have You brought me up out of my slavery to sin, through the redeeming sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus.

 

I exalt You, for You are holy!  Just as You called Your people, Israel, to be holy—set apart and uniquely different from the world around them—so have You called me to be holy in Christ—set apart and uniquely different from the world around me.

 

I worship You, for You are holy!  Just as You desired to be the only God of Your people, Israel, so You have called me into a personal relationship with You through Christ—so that You would be my only God!

 

Thank You for being the One who called me and brought me out of my slavery to sin, in order that You might be my God—for being the One who makes me holy in Christ Jesus.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

His Faithful Promises

 

 

 

He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

 

—Psalm 91:4 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Out of Your great love for me, You cover me—lovingly sheltering me under Your wings.  Help me to put my hope in the armor and protection of Your faithful promises. 

  

Just as a hen gathers her chicks close to herself and covers them with her protective wings, so gather me to Yourself and shelter me there—that my life would be hidden in You.

 

Thank You that throughout my life I can personally experience Your faithfulness to all Your promises—because You are always faithful to Your Word.

 

Help me to find within Your Word all the armor I need to cover me when attacked, and the protection that keeps me from harm. 

 

Out of Your great love for me, You cover me—lovingly sheltering me under Your wings.  Help me to put my hope in the armor and protection of Your faithful promises.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Be Transformed!

 

 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

—Romans 12:2 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Transform me into a new person by changing the way I think—so I can learn to know Your good and pleasing and perfect will for me.

 

Grant me the wisdom not to copy any of those behaviors, customs and values of this world, which are birthed out of selfish pride and nurtured with corruption—those things that this world so quickly and casually accepts.

 

Do the work of transformation in me—by the power of Your Holy Spirit—so that my thoughts will be like Your thoughts and Your ways will become the only ways that I choose to follow.

 

Help me to learn to know Your will for me—and to trust that Your will is good, pleasing and perfect—so that I can walk down every path You place before me in willing obedience, confident that it will lead to Your very best for me.

 

Transform me into a new person by changing the way I think—so I can learn to know Your good and pleasing and perfect will for me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Walk by the Spirit

 

 

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

 

—Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Make me make aware of Your Holy Spirit within me and help me submit to His guidance—so I won’t find myself doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

 

May my actions reflect my character, and my character be an overflow of the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that I find in Christ. 

 

Help me to be able to discern the difference between my own subjective feelings and the leading of Your Holy Spirit—as I commit to listen for, to hear, and to willingly obey all the instructions You give me through Your Word and by Your Spirit.

 

Strengthen me to live every moment of my life under the guidance and control of Your Spirit. Fill my heart with the words of Christ and cause my actions to reflect Your truth. Show me how to rely on Your power within me to control of my selfish and sinful desires. 

 

Make me more aware of Your Holy Spirit within me and help me submit to His guidance—so I won’t find myself doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

His Home, Your Heart

 

 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

 

—Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)

 

 

Gracious God,

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

According to Your glorious and unlimited resources, pour spiritual strength into us—change us by the working of Your Spirit within us—so our outward lives would be made visibly different, to the Glory of Christ.

 

Help us to surrender anything that doesn’t honor Christ, to the sanctifying work of Your Spirit—making Him Lord of our hearts, so that our hearts would be a place suitable for our King to make His home.

 

And grant that our roots would go down deep and be nourished by Your amazing love—so that we would be made strong and firmly established, forever abiding with You.

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.