With Me Always

My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

—Haggai 2:5b (ESV)

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

—Matthew 28:20b (NLT)

Ever-present LORD,

Thank You that Your Spirit remains with me always and I have no reason to fear.

Help me never to stop believing Your promise that You are always with me—even when I cannot sense You at work; even when I am feeling frustrated, confused and alone in the work that I believe You have given me to do.

When the problems I face become overwhelming—because I have allowed them to become larger in my eyes than You, the Almighty God that I serve—refocus my heart on You and remind me not to be afraid, because Your Spirit fills me and surrounds me always.

When the world doesn’t make sense and I begin to lose all hope that things will ever be made right, help me find my hope in the truth that You are ever-present—with me always, even to the end of the age.

Thank You that Your Spirit remains with me always and I have no reason to fear.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Choices And Consequences

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 Holy Spirit, so that I may enjoy the joy, peace and everlasting life that can only come from You.

Don’t allow me to ever forget that there are consequences to everything that I do—for You are a just God.

Keep me mindful that for every bad thing I do, there are bad consequences—just as for every good thing I do, there are good consequences.

By the choices I make—the seeds that I plant by my actions—I get to decide the harvest that I will reap.

Caution me with the knowledge that while You forgive me and extend me mercy and grace when I repent of my bad choices, there will always be consequences of my sin which still remain—consequences that can cause as much harm to others, as they do to me.

Help me live to please Your Holy Spirit, so that I may enjoy the joy, peace and everlasting life that can only come from You.

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 ponder Your amazing deeds at all times and reflect on the glory and majesty that is Yours alone—which is revealed in everything that You do!

Help me to rekindle that awestruck wonder for the truly amazing things that You have done—out of Your great love for all of us.

Don’t ever let my familiarity with the story that You have written on the pages of my life to dull my sense of amazement for Your never failing righteousness.

Help me to look for that which is amazing in the common place occurrences of my day—and give You all the praise and glory for all you are doing.

With great joy and excitement help me to tell my story of Your goodness and Your faithfulness to me—so that others might hear and be in awe of how good is the God that I serve.

Oh, that I would ponder Your amazing deeds at all times and reflect on the glory and majesty that is Yours alone—which is revealed in everything that You do!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.