Into Light

 

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;

    my God turns my darkness into light.

 

—Psalm 18:28 (NIV)

 

 

 

 

Light of my life,

 

May the oil of Your Holy Spirit always keep the light of my lamp burning brightly—illuminating me from within and turning my darkness into glorious light!

 

When I begin to allow my troubles and trials to overwhelm me, pour out again the oil of Your Holy Spirit within me to keep my lamp burning—to comfort my spirit with hope and lead me forth in peace.

 

When I find it hard to see the way which You would have me go, help me step out in faith and believe that You will lead me, as You make the way clear before me—lighting each next step along Your path for me.

 

Cause my lamp, which is the Light of Christ, to shine so brightly within me, that it drives out all the darkness hidden there. And make that same Light shine through me, to touch a dark world that so desperately needs to know the joy of Your Presence and the depth of Your love for them.

 

May the oil of Your Holy Spirit always keep the light of my lamp burning brightly—illuminating me from within and turning my darkness into glorious light!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

No One Can Stop You!

 

 

“I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.”

 

—Job 42:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Almighty God,

 

Expand the limits of my heart, my mind, and my faith, so that I might more fully embrace the Truth of Your unlimited strength and power, unlimited knowledge and wisdom, unlimited authority and dominion, and unlimited love for me as Your child.

 

Help me to repent of all the times when, by my thoughts, words or actions, I have shown a lack of faith in the Truth of Your greatness, glory, and perfection—times when I have put limits on what I believed that You were able, or were willing, to do.

 

Help me to see, believe, and take comfort in the Truth that Your Plan cannot be stopped—cannot be restrained or prevented—even by the mistakes and misjudgments I make in my life.  You work all things—good and bad—together for my good and interweave them all into the perfection of Your plan!

 

So, help me to move boldly forward with my life, trusting that You will guide my every step and position me in the place that You want me to be, so that You can receive the greatest glory—because of Your unfailing love for us all.

Expand the limits of my heart, my mind, and my faith, so that I might more fully embrace the Truth of Your unlimited strength and power, unlimited knowledge and wisdom, unlimited authority and dominion, and unlimited love for me as Your child.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

His Peace

 

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

 

—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Lord of Peace,

Help me to receive Your peace—that peace that You offer, at all times and in every situation, to everyone who chooses to believe that You are with them always.

 

I know that it is not Your will for me to lose my peace—trying to figure my way out of a situation that I am facing by relying on my own understanding—as if I could ever do anything without You!

 

In fact, it is the “relying on my own understanding” that is the very thing that keeps me from entering into Your peace—that peace which is far beyond my intellect, and way beyond my understanding!

 

So, help me to quiet the wandering thoughts of my mind, so I can fix my eyes on You and be still in Your Presence, as I create room for You in my heart and invite You in to fill me with Your Spirit.

 

Then take over all my thoughts and saturate my mind and spirit with the Light of the Truth of Your Word—so I can know the path forward that You have prepared for me to take.

 

Help me to understand that it is your great desire that I walk with You in peace—at all times and in every situation, so that I can live find my best life in You.

Help me to receive Your peace—that peace that You offer, at all times and in every situation, to everyone who chooses to believe that You are with them always.

 

In Your Precious and Glorious Name, Lord Jesus—my Prince of Peace! Amen.

  

Our Present Troubles

 

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

 

—2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Renew me once again today, so that I won’t be tempted to give up!

 

Help me to draw on the power of Your Holy Spirit within me, to renew my strength, so I can boldly face what lies before me today.

 

Remind me that though my body has been aging since the day I was born, You cause me to be renewed in the inner man of my spirit—so that I can find new life in You, discover more about who You are, and become more like You every day.

 

Show me how to trust and hope in You, for I know the temporary troubles that I face, You will use for my good—to mold and fashion me into the person that You want me to be, for Your glory.

 

Grant me the humility to accept my human limitations, recognize my dependence on You, and to take my eyes off my troubles long enough to see You—for it is only by Your great power that I am saved me out of them all!

 

And help me to embrace each moment of the life You have given me and walk in the joy and peace that You have called me into—until You call me home to be forever with You in glory. 

 

Renew me once again today, so that I won’t be tempted to give up! 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Saved by Love!

 

 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. —John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

  

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for loving us!

 

Thank You for Your amazing love for us all—a love which is ever reaching out to us to draw us into relationship with You.

 

Thank You for the perfect love that You freely gave in the form of Your only begotten Son—who You willingly sacrificed, so we could know just how far true love will go.

 

Thank You for the complete freedom from our sin that You bought for us, and the path to joy and peace that You laid out before us—when Christ laid down His life for us all.

 

Thank You for not sending Your Son to condemn us to die as we deserved—but to offer everlasting life with You to all who would believe in Jesus.

 

Thank You for loving us!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Something New

 

“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.”

 —Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

 

 

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me not to dwell so much on the past—even on those great and wondrous miracles that have marked my life thus far—that I end up missing out on the new things, those even far greater things, which will define my future with You.

 

Teach me to see—to stop, and look, and perceive Your will for me—as You work in me, through me, and all around me, in new and fresh ways to bring glory to Yourself.

 

Make me open to receive all that this ever-changing gift of life You have given me has to offer—as You unfold before me the newness of the perfect path that You have for me to walk.

 

Grant me the faith to believe that You are able—and You certainly will—make a road for me in the wilderness and cause life-giving rivers to flow in any desert that lies before me, both now and forevermore.

Help me not to dwell so much on the past—even on those great and wondrous miracles that have marked my life thus far—that I end up missing out on the new things, those even far greater things, which will define my future with You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The LORD is Close!

 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.

 —Psalm 34:18-19 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

Teach me to trust You—whether my troubles appear to be insurmountably huge in my own eyes or are just a series of small frustrations that have piled up on me to wear me down and rob me of my strength.  Remind me that You are always here to rescue me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have sovereignly chosen to rescue me by either shielding me from the trouble I was facing or by entirely removing the trouble from me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have chosen to rescue me by equipping me with the strength, courage, and discerning wisdom that enabled me to remain in Your peace and push through the trouble that came against me.

 

And even though I may face many troubles—because I have chosen to walk in the righteousness of Christ—let me not be afraid but only believe that I will see Your goodness through it all, as I look to You to rescue me.

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come and Talk!

 

 

Hear me as I pray, O LORD.

    Be merciful and answer me!

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

    And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

 

—Psalm 27:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Gracious and Loving LORD,

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

Grant me the kind of faith that fully believes that You hear me when I pray—and that You answer me in Your perfect timing, according to Your sovereign purpose and plan for my life, and always with my best interest at heart.

 

Let me experience the wonderous depths of Your merciful love and goodness—as You faithfully answer me and draw me into the unfathomable peace of Your abiding presence once again.

 

Give me the strength to push aside every distraction and accept this gracious invitation into Your glorious presence, knowing that it is in Your presence—within that place of intimate fellowship with You—that everything I need to accomplish Your will for my life is supplied.

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Only The Creator is Worthy!

 

 

They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

 

—Romans 1:25 (NLT)

 

 

Creator God,

 

May I always worship and serve only You, the Creator of all that there is and all that there will ever be!

 

Help me to fill my mind, my heart, and my mouth with the Truth of Your Word, that I may live in that Truth forever, in Christ.

 

Convict me and may I quickly repent, if I should ever allow myself to make an idol—an object of worship—out of something that You have created and intended for my good, but not for my worship.

 

Give me the knowledge, understanding, discernment, insight, and wisdom I need to never allow anything, or anyone, to take Your rightful place of worship in my heart. May my praise be offered to You alone, throughout eternity.

 

May I always worship and serve only You, the Creator of all that there is and all that there will ever be!

 

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.

 

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.

Hidden Safely

 

 

 

My name is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

And I have put my words in your mouth

    and hidden you safely in my hand.

 

—Isaiah 51:15b-16a (NLT)

 

 

 

O LORD of Heaven’s Armies,

 

Thank You for being the self-existent One, the redemptive God—for all who choose to believe, receive and respond to Your passionate, unrelenting and pursuing love. You are the God of all the armies of Heaven—and the One who holds me safely hidden in the palm of Your hand!

 

It is You who has put Your words in my mouth—that I might boldly proclaim the Truth of all that You are and of all that You have done. May You always receive all the glory and honor and praise that You are due.

 

You have chosen me as an ambassador of the Good News—placing Your hand of blessing upon me, so that my entire life would be a testimony to the power and glory of the God that I worship.

 

You hold me safely hidden in Your hand and shielded from my enemies—where I am kept perfectly at peace, protected against any kind of evil that would try to come against me.

 

Thank You for being the self-existent One, the redemptive God—for all who choose to believe, receive and respond to Your passionate, unrelenting and pursuing love. You are the God of all the armies of Heaven—and the One who holds me safely hidden in the palm of Your hand!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Cared For by God!

 

I have cared for you since you were born.

    Yes, I carried you before you were born.

I will be your God throughout your lifetime—

    until your hair is white with age.

I made you, and I will care for you.

    I will carry you along and save you.

 

—Isaiah 46:3b-4 (NLT) 

 

 

Everlasting LORD GOD,

 

You are the one true God—the One who made me and loves me, who cares for me, carries me, and saves me!

 

Yes, it is You who made me, and You who has cared for me every day of my life, even from before I was born—always loving me, despite my wanderings—always calling me back into intimate fellowship with You.

 

It is You who has carried me safely into, through, and out of every trial and storm that has come against me—my constant source of strength and the supplier of my every need along the way.

 

And, it is You who will remain faithful to save me, just as You always have—because Your love for me never falters nor fails, and Your plans to bring me good will never change and can never be stopped.

 

So, help me to walk forever in Your peace and experience the fullness of joy that comes from being conscious of Your ever-abiding Presence in every moment of the day ahead—as I choose to believe that what You have said, You will do.

 

You are the one true God—the One who made me and loves me, who cares for me, carries me, and saves me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.