I Give Myself

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.

—Psalm 143:8 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You this day.

Too often, I have rushed into the new day that You have set before me—eagerly pursuing my own plans and ideas—without first spending time with You.

Help me not to forget how critical it is that I open Your Word—the Bible—and allow You to speak to me, by Your Holy Spirit, through the Truth that I find there.

As I read and study my Bible each morning, help me to hear of Your unfailing loving-kindness for me and teach me of the goodness of Your ways—so that I will trust You more.

As I come before You in prayer, help me submit my will to Yours alone and show me where to walk, so that I might be just where You want me to be—that place where You can continue to provide for me, protect me, and most of all, use me.

Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You this day.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Great Shepherd

He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.

—Isaiah 40:11 (NKJV)

O LORD, My Shepherd,

Help me to look to You—just as a sheep looks to its shepherd—fully and confidently trusting that You will see to it that all of Your sheep have everything that they need in You.

Help me to know You as the Great Shepherd, who sees to it that His flock is fed in every way—with food and water for their bodies and Your Word and Your Spirit for their souls—as they abide with You.

Help me to understand how You gather in Your lambs—those most dependent on You for protection and provision—with Your mighty, yet gentle and loving arms, and how You carry them close to Your heart, never letting go of them.

Help me to believe that You gently lead those who are with young—carefully showing them the way they should go and guiding them on every step of their journey—as they put their trust in Your strength, wisdom and love.

Help me to look to You—just as a sheep looks to its shepherd—fully and confidently trusting that You will see to it that all of Your sheep have everything that they need in You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Never Rejecting The Truth

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

—2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me always to be ready to listen to, recognize, receive, accept and apply to my life, all sound and wholesome teaching and preaching of the Word of God.

Help me never be one who—because of his longing to hear and believe only what he wants to hear—rejects the truth and chases after someone who, while believed by many, does not proclaim the Truth of Your Word.

Help me always seek out those preachers and teachers who are prepared—have that sense of urgency and are always ready to lovingly speak Truth—to patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage Your people with good teaching, at all times.

Help me always prayerfully support and attend to those preachers and teachers who are not moved by the opinions of man, but only by the Spirit of God and the Truth of Your Word—and help me to open my heart to accept, through them, what Your Spirit would say to me.

Help me always to be ready to listen to, recognize, receive, accept and apply to my life, all sound and wholesome teaching and preaching of the Word of God.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.