Begin Again

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

—2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that with each new day You call me to repent—and You give me the chance to begin again.

Thank You for showing me the meaning of true repentance from my sin.

Thank You that as I humble myself before You by admitting my sins and shortcomings, as I pray for Your forgiveness, as I seek after You without ceasing, and as I turn my back on my sinful behavior and go a different way, You are faithful to hear my prayers and forgive me of my sin and restore me.

Thank You for showing me that true repentance from my sin means that my new behavior will reflect the words of my mouth.

Thank You that with each new day You call me to repent—and You give me the chance to begin again.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come Let Us Worship And Praise

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.

He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.

The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

       for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
    the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!

—Psalm 95:1-7 (NLT)

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to listen for Your voice, as You shepherd me into the peace and joy that You planned for me today and every day.

May songs and shouts of joy erupt from my grateful heart and be lifted up to You—for You are the Rock, the God of my salvation!

May I come before You with thanksgiving in my heart—for You have wonderfully blessed me!

May I always praise You—for You are a great God, far above all other gods, an almighty King of all!

May I stand in awe of You—for You are the Creator of everything, the One Who made it all and it owns it all!  From the lowest depths to the highest heights You hold it all in Your mighty hands!

So, may I come to You to worship You, to bow down and kneel before You, my LORD, my Creator—for You are my God, and I am one of Your sheep.  You watch over me to guide me, direct me, provide for me, and protect me, out of Your great love for me.

Help me to listen for Your voice, as You shepherd me into the peace and joy that You planned for me today and every day.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Finding Wealth In Contentment

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.  After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.  So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.

—1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NLT)

Generous God,

Help me always to seek to be a truly godly man, so that I might experience the depths of wealth that contentment brings.

The more that I walk in step with Your Son, Jesus, the more I am able to be content with those things with which I have been blessed—and the more I see that I am a truly wealthy man, regardless of how many things of this world I have accumulated.

Help me remember that I brought nothing into this world and that every good thing that I have has surely come from You—that there is nothing that I truly own, for it all belongs to You.

Keep me mindful that I can take none of the things of this earth with me when I leave to come to home to You—that there is no eternal value in earthly things.

Help me to trust You to see to it that I will have those things that I truly need, like food and clothing—and within that trusting, find my contentment made complete in You.

Help me always to seek to be a truly godly man, so that I might experience the depths of wealth that contentment brings.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

When LOVE Came Down

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

—Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

Gracious God,

Thank You that You came to our world as a baby—fully human, fully God—to save us from our sin.

You were born into the world through a virgin girl to be fully human and You were given as the Son of God to be fully God, to a world in need of a Savior. 

You brought a new government—perfect and just in all its ways—that would rest on Your shoulders and not our own, so that it would never end.

You are my Wonderful Counselor—awesomely wonderful in all Your ways and perfectly wise in all Your counsel.

You are my Mighty God—strong and powerful for me, protecting me from my enemy, preserving me with Your mighty right hand and never letting go of me.

You are my Everlasting Father—the One Who gave life in the beginning, and the One Who gives me life everlasting with You.

You are my Prince of Peace—in You alone do I find that peace that is far greater than I can understand, as I submit my will to Yours.

Thank You for that precious day, when LOVE came down and changed our world forever.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

With No Promise Of Tomorrow

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”  Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

—James 4:14-16 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

May I always look to You as I make my plans, knowing You hold my future in Your hands.

You know everything about me—my past, my present, and my future—while I have forgotten much of my past, am uncertain what my present means, and have no idea what my future holds.  How foolish it would be for me to make my plans without first seeking Your guidance and direction!

You give me each moment that I live, each breath that I take—but You do not promise me another.  How foolish it would be to waste the time You have given me and find my life cut short, leaving Your plans for me undone!

Keep me from arrogant boasting about what I plan to do and may I only boast in what You have done, what You are doing, and what You have shown me You will do—so that You will receive all the glory, honor and praise.

May I live each moment You give me for Your glory, having sought out Your plan for me, so that no matter when my life ends, I will have fulfilled Your purpose for my life.

May I always look to You as I make my plans, knowing You hold my future in Your hands.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.