Joy to the Heart, Insight for Living

 

 

The commandments of the LORD are right,

    bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are clear,

    giving insight for living.

 

—Psalm 19:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

Grant me the hunger to know, and the desire to obey, the commandments of Your Word—so my heart may be full of joy, and my mind would be filled with insight for how I should live.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands are exactly right—that they flow from Your Truth and are written for my good, and for Your glory.

 

Help me to understand that, as I obediently follow them, I not only demonstrate my love for You, but my heart is also filled with joy—as protection, provision and peace flood my life in proportion to that obedience.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands are perfectly clear—that they are pure, clean, that there is no darkness in them at all, and they are clearly understood.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands allow me to see with certainty the best paths for me to follow—as You guide me by Your Spirit on my journey through this life on my way home to You.

 

Grant me the hunger to know, and the desire to obey, the commandments of Your Word—so my heart may be full of joy, and my mind would be filled with insight for how I should live.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

He Makes My Way Perfect

 

God arms me with strength,

    and he makes my way perfect.

He makes me as surefooted as a deer,

    enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

 

—Psalm 18:32-33 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for arming me with strength in every season and circumstance of life and for making my way perfect—so I can stand high on the mountain tops of victory with You.

 

Thank You that though life here is seldom easy—and I am daily faced with challenges along the way—You are always with me in those challenges to offer me Your strength as You walk with me through each one.

 

Thank You that You turn each adversity that I face to my own benefit—causing me to learn and grow—so that the way that I travel becomes the perfect path for me to become that person You have called me to be.

 

Thank You that in each challenge You enable me to overcome, and You cause me to be better equipped to walk in the high places where You have called me to live—standing surefootedly with You by my side—having risen high above any obstacles that would hold me back from Your best for me.

 

Thank You for arming me with strength in every season and circumstance of life and for making my way perfect—so I can stand high on the mountain tops of victory with You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

No Rock Like Our God!

 

 

No one is holy like the LORD!

    There is no one besides you;

    there is no Rock like our God.

 

—1 Samuel 2:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

Unchanging and Holy LORD,

 

There is no one like You, LORD!  You are my Rock—firm and unchanging—the strong and solid foundation of my life.

 

Because you are Holy—and because there is no one Holy as you are—I can confidently place all my trust and hope in You. 

 

May I build upon the foundation of unchanging truth that I find in You—as declared in Your Word, revealed by Your Spirit, and demonstrated in my life through my experience of trusting You.

 

May I set my eyes only on those things eternal, so that when the things of this world slip through my hands and fall away, I will remain standing on the Rock—my ever-present, never-changing, and never-failing Hope!

 

There is no one like You, LORD!  You are my Rock—firm and unchanging, the strong and solid foundation of my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

What Do You Count On?

 

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,

        nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—

        for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear him,

        those who rely on his unfailing love.

 

    —Psalm 33:16-18 (NLT)

 

Almighty God, My Father,

 

Watch over me today and always.  Help me to fear nothing and no one, but You.  Help me to rely completely on You—and on the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love for me!

 

You teach me through Your Word that a king should not count on a great army to be able to protect and save him, nor should a warrior believe that his great strength is enough to deliver him, nor that his warhorse will bring him victory.

 

So, help me to examine my heart and remove those things that I may have allowed to become my “warhorse”—those things in which I have foolishly placed my trust and hope, for my safety, salvation, and deliverance.

 

Keep me from the false hope that comes from allowing anything to remain in my heart that would try to take Your rightful place—and let true hope fill my heart until all that is left in my heart is my complete faith and trust in You alone.

 

Watch over me today and always.  Help me to fear nothing and no one, but You.  Help me to rely completely on You—and on the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love for me!

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Cherish My Law

 

 

“Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults.”

—Isaiah 51:7 (NLT)

 

 

 

O LORD my GOD,

 

Grant that I would always cherish Your law in my heart—so that I would know right from wrong, walk in obedience to all Your commands, and have no reason to fear the scorn and insults of others.

 

Through Your Word You have laid open before me that which is right and that which is wrong. Help me to choose to live according to all that is right—so that the light of Christ may be seen in me, and You would be glorified.

 

Help me to cherish the Truth of Your Word in my heart—to read Your Word to know it, to study Your Word to understand it, and to obey Your Word to experience all the peace and joy it brings to those who truly love You.

 

Do not let me be afraid to be scorned or insulted because of my faith but let me take comfort in knowing that Your Truth will prevail. Help me to pity those who do such things and show them the love and compassion of Christ—since it is not me that they are rejecting, but the One that loved them enough to die for them.

 

Grant that I would always cherish Your law in my heart—so that I would know right from wrong, walk in obedience to all Your commands, and have no reason to fear the scorn and insults of others.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

God is Faithful!

 

 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

 

—1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father, 

 

Thank You for being faithful to provide the way of escape—from the temptations of this world—to all who have received the salvation you offer through Jesus Christ.

 

Don’t allow me to think that the temptation that overcomes me is any different than those that the rest of humanity experiences. Help me to see that every temptation is common to mankind in this broken world—and allowed by You that I may grow through them.

 

Help me to remember that because of the Holy Spirit who lives within me, I have the power available to resist and withstand every temptation, to choose a different way—the way of escape. I have been set free from my slavery to sin—set free to choose what is right and good and to reject that which is not.

 

Help me see that the way of escape is found within my relationship with Your written and living Word. Keep me willingly obedient to every instruction of Your Word, trusting every prompting of Your Spirit—as You lead me in the path of life and peace.

 

Thank You for being faithful to provide the way of escape—from the temptations of this world—to all who have received the salvation you offer through Jesus Christ.

 

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Live a Holy Life

 

 

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

 

—1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 (NIV)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

You have called me to live a holy life, but You have also equipped me to live that life by sending me the Holy Spirit, who empowers me for my journey toward holiness.

 

Help me never forget that the instruction to live a holy life does not come from a man, but from You—and is given to me out of Your unsurpassed wisdom and for my own benefit, because of Your great and unfailing love for me.

 

May I always remember that when I reject this instruction, I reject You, my Creator and Protector—instead of allowing Your instruction to work within me the protections and blessings it brings.

 

Keep me from grieving Your Holy Spirit in that way—causing separation from the One who makes it possible for me to turn from impurity and choose to live a holy life.

 

Help me to understand fully that when I choose impurity over Your call to holiness, I don’t have my own best interests at heart—because I have rejected You, and Your very best for me.

 

You have called me to live a holy life, but You have also equipped me to live that life by sending me the Holy Spirit, who empowers me for my journey toward holiness.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Look at the Heart

 

 

 

“The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 

 

—1 Samuel 16:7b (NLT)

 

 

 

O LORD, who sees each heart,

 

Help me not to judge others based on their outward appearance, but rather help me to take the time to see them as You see them—at the level of their hearts—and then empower me to love them as You do.

 

Keep me from being that person who makes snap judgments about others based on what he sees on the surface—discounting another person's value with the glance of his eye.

 

Rather, teach me to take the time to try to understand the heart of each person that I encounter—to search out the treasures that You have hidden there, just waiting to be discovered.

 

Then help me to see what You see, LORD—a soul worth saving, a life worth sacrificing Your only begotten Son to redeem—and give me that kind of love for them.

 

Help me not to judge others based on their outward appearance, but rather help me to take the time to see them as You see them—at the level of their hearts—and then empower me to love them as You do.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This is the Way!

 

 

Your own ears will hear him.

        Right behind you a voice will say,

    “This is the way you should go,”

        whether to the right or to the left.

 

    —Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

Help me to know, understand, and believe that You always have my best interests at heart and that every path You will guide me down will be for my good—when I carefully listen and willingly obey.

 

As I walk in all Your ways, unfold before me the plans that You have for me—and help me to learn the things You have for me to learn, to remember what You have taught me, and to faithfully apply those lessons to my life, that I might better live for You.

 

Don’t allow me to wander from Your side—to leave the protection, provision, peace, and purpose that I find only when I remain with You—but let me walk each step I take under Your divine direction.

 

Help me to listen for the voice of Your Spirit—as You faithfully guide me along the best path for me, today.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Honesty

 

 

An honest answer

    is like a kiss of friendship.

 

—Proverbs 24:26 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

God of Truth and Love,

 

Help me to give each person that You put in my path the high honor of always and only speaking the truth to them.

 

I don’t want to be deceived into believing that there is ever a reason for me not to be straightforward and honest with everyone.

 

For only in speaking truthfully—from a heart filled with kindness, love, and compassion—can I claim to be a true friend.

 

Help me to remember that deep down we all are searching for someone who will just tell us the complete and absolute truth—out of their genuine love for us—exactly like Jesus does.

 

Help me to be that person who always answers honestly—and in doing so, offers the true kiss of friendship.

 

Help me to give each person that You put in my path the high honor of always and only speaking the truth to them.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Carefully Consider Your Steps!

 

There is a path before each person that seems right,

but it ends in death.

 

Only simpletons believe everything they’re told!

The prudent carefully consider their steps. 

 

—Proverbs 14:12, 15 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Save me from the world of lies that now surrounds me and help me carefully consider my steps—so that I don’t take a path that seems right to me now, only to find out it ends in death!

 

The world would say, “Follow your heart!” But I am not a simpleton! I know the Truth from Your Word, that even my heart cannot be trusted. 

 

So, let me put all my hope in Your Word, and trust the Holy Spirit to guide me into all Truth—as I willingly and obediently follow His every prompting.

 

Help me always choose the path that leads to the life that You have for me and fulfill Your purpose for me within Your great plan for humanity.

 

Save me from the world of lies that now surrounds me and help me carefully consider my steps—so that I don’t take a path that seems right to me now, only to find out it ends in death!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Grace and Peace

 

 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.  Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.  All glory to God forever and ever!  Amen.

 

—Galatians 1:3-5 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

No matter what might be happening in the world around me, help me to remain in the grace and peace that You have provided through the Lord Jesus Christ—in that assurance that Jesus gave His life to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

 

I am so grateful that You always had a plan—even from before time began—for Jesus to give His life for my sins, so that I might be rescued from this evil world and no longer be crippled by the fear it brings.

 

Help me to remember that though I have not yet been rescued out of this present evil world, I have been rescued from its evil power over me—no longer bound by Satan’s lies, which enslaved me to sin, but free to choose to live my life in Christ and for His glory, honor and praise.

 

So let my life be a continual and ever-perfecting reflection of the One who saved me, a demonstration of my gratitude for all that He has done for me—as I live my life in the grace and peace of Christ and give You all the glory forever and ever!

 

No matter what might be happening in the world around me, help me to remain in the grace and peace that You have provided through the Lord Jesus Christ—in that assurance that Jesus gave His life to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Things of Heaven

 

 

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

—Colossians 3:2-3 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

Help me to fix my thoughts on the things of heaven—those things that have eternal value and meaning—rather than on the quickly fading distractions of this world, which would try to steal my heart away from You.

 

Help me to take on life from Your eternal perspective, so that the things of this world—and the lie of their promises to make me happy—will fall away as nothing, when compared to the glory of all that I can experience with You through Christ.

 

Help me to believe and to live, knowing my life is concealed and kept safe with Christ—that my salvation is sure, that it has already been accomplished, and that my eternal life with You is not some future event, but is both now and forevermore. Help me live obediently submitted to Your will.

 

Let me live, having died to this life—taking no pleasure in the world’s evil enticements—being confident that my contentment, peace and joy can only be found in the home Christ has made within my heart.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.