Glory, Honor, and Power!

 

 

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

 

—Revelation 4:11 (NASB)

 

 

 

My Lord and my God,

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

You are worthy to receive glory. Help me glorify You by accurately reflecting Your character in everything that I think, say, and do—imitating the example of Jesus.

 

You are worthy to receive honor. May the value that I personally attribute to You be evident by the honor that I give to You—from within the deepest parts of my heart—as demonstrated by the way I live my life.

 

You are worthy to receive power. Help me never foolishly try to hold on to control of my life—as if I had the power to determine its course.  May I surrender it completely to the You—the One who holds my life in His powerful right hand.

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Our Potter

 

 

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.

 

—Isaiah 64:8 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

It is You, O LORD, who has created me and given me life—and it is to You that I owe my life and my existence—so mold me as You will and make me Your very own!

 

With gentleness and patience, remove from me that which does not reflect Your long-planned purposes for my life—and smooth away any rough edges, so that I would become all that You intend for me to become, according to Your perfect design.

 

To those areas where I am vulnerable to failure, those places where I am weak, add the strength of Your grace—as You help me to seek out, and more fully depend on, the power of Your presence in my life to lead me through.

 

According to that same marvelous grace which You pour out over me, let others see Your hand at work in me and through me—that they may also want to know intimately the One who uniquely and masterfully crafted them to carry His image for His good purposes.

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Chosen!

 

 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

 

—1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Help me to walk fully in the truth of who I am in Christ—so that I will never cease to declare the praises of the One who called me out of darkness into His wonderful light!

 

Thank You that You chose me—that You wanted me even before You created me—and that by Your grace, You gave me Your invitation to choose You back by faith.

 

Thank You that You called me to be a part of a chosen people—the family of believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ—set apart to be distinctly different from this world in which we live.

 

Thank You that You invited me to be a part of a royal priesthood—a royalty that flows from my adoption into Your family—and that my justification, by the blood of Christ, and my sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me, make my service to You holy and acceptable in Your sight.

 

Thank You that I am privileged to be a part of a holy nation—joined with other believers, committed to following Your commandments, and consecrated to You under the Lordship of Christ Jesus.

 

Thank You that I am included as part of Your special possession—and that as such, I am given the honor of declaring Your story of salvation, as told through my life, by both my words and my actions, to a dark, lost, and dying world.

 

Help me to walk fully in the truth of who I am in Christ—so that I will never cease to declare the praises of the One who called me out of darkness into His wonderful light!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Saw Me!

 

 

You saw me before I was born.

    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed.

 

—Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

 

 

 

Omniscient and Sovereign LORD GOD,

 

You are the One who knows the end—even from before the beginning—the One who holds every moment of my life in His hands!

 

You saw me—before I came to be, You saw me! You saw every detail of every aspect of who You created me to be, and You saw exactly how I fit into Your perfect plan for all of mankind.

 

You knew me—You knew how every moment of every day of my life would go—and even recorded it all in Your book, to establish it, before a single day had come to pass.

 

Thank You that I can rest in the assurance that Your plans never fail to accomplish all that You intend for them to accomplish—and that You have invited me to live fully the life story You wrote especially for me, in Christ.

 

You are the One who knows the end—even from before the beginning—the One who holds every moment of my life in His hands!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

No One Like The Sovereign LORD!

 

 

“How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!”

 

—2 Samuel 7:22 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

O Sovereign LORD,

 

Let all that I am boldly and freely declare—to anyone who will hear—how uniquely great and marvelously wonderful You are!

 

There is no god that surpasses Your greatness, for it is from You alone that greatness flows!  Anything or anyone that is made great is made so by Your divine design, according to Your divine purposes, and ultimately for Your highest glory, honor, and praise!

 

There is no other god that is Sovereign, but You!  For it is You who created all things and holds all power and authority in Your hand—assigning that power and authority to those You choose!

 

There is no other god that is like You—alive and living within those who believe!  For You didn’t wait for me to love You and desire a relationship with You, but rather You loved me first—when I was bound in filthy sin—and called me to Yourself and made my heart Your home, forever!

 

Why would I follow after some other god—when I have never even heard of another God like You?  None better, none greater, none higher, none like You!

 

Let all that I am boldly and freely declare—to anyone who will hear—how uniquely great and marvelously wonderful You are!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Rejoice and Be Glad!

 

 

This is the day the LORD has made.

    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

 

—Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

 

 

One and Only Creator God,

 

You, O LORD, have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!

 

Before You created everything there is—before You placed it all in order and set it all in motion—You knew this day would come, You knew the good plans You had for me today!

 

Today, I get to choose whether to embrace Your plans with joy and gladness, or to resist Your plans—as if to think that I would know better than You what is best for me—and only reap a harvest of trouble and hardship for my efforts.

 

So, help me open my eyes to all that You have done for me, to rejoice, and gladly and obediently submit my will to Your sovereign plans for me.  Help me to see that You have called me and saved me for such a time as this. 

 

Grant me the faith to believe that You have already arranged to supply me with everything that I need to accomplish Your will for me today and that, in doing so, You have made it possible for me to live this day with deep peace and enduring joy!

 

You, O LORD, have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Overwhelmed!

 

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?    

 

 —Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)

 

Creator God,

 

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I think that Your creation is no more than a mere glimpse of Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would choose to set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

 

I am amazed at the intricate details with which You designed, created, set in place, and put in perfectly synchronized motion, the moon and each of the stars in the multitude of galaxies that You spread across the vastness of an endless space.

 

I am even more amazed that You created them all and put them on display for us—to demonstrate Your power, greatness, and majesty to all of mankind—in order to reveal who You are and to draw us into relationship with You.

 

I am most amazed that You would make mankind the reason for, and focus of, everything that You have created—that You not only would think about us, but would want us, and truly care for us—making us the objects of Your amazing and immeasurable love.

 

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I think that Your creation is no more than a mere glimpse of Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would choose to set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

A Servant of Christ

 

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

 

—Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

May I always seek the approval of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ—the One to whom I choose to surrender myself, as a servant, forever! 

 

Forgive me, for too many times I have sought the approval others—allowing what they think to determine my decisions, and thus, the course of my life—while disregarding what is required of me to win Your approval, O Lord my God.

 

I know that to win Your approval, I must completely set aside my own will—breaking down all my fleshly impulses to act independently of the One who created me for His purposes—and live every moment of my life in service to Christ.

Each day, let me surrender my life anew—signing away my own “perceived rights” to my life and living in absolute surrender to Christ—so that I may be found to be a true bondservant to the One to whom I owe everything.

 

May I always seek the approval of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ—the One to whom I choose to surrender myself, as a servant, forever! 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Worthy!

 

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

 

—Revelation 4:11 (NASB)

 

My Lord and my God,

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

You are worthy to receive glory. Help me glorify You by accurately reflecting Your character in everything that I think, say, and do—imitating the example of Jesus.

 

You are worthy to receive honor. May the value that I personally attribute to You be evident by the honor that I give to You—from within the deepest parts of my heart—as demonstrated by the way I live my life.

 

You are worthy to receive power. Help me never foolishly try to hold on to control of my life—as if I had the power to determine its course.  May I surrender it completely to the You—the One who holds my life in His powerful right hand.

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Work of Your Hand

 

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.

 

—Isaiah 64:8 (NASB)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

It is You, O LORD, who has created me and given me life—and it is to You that I owe my life and my existence—so mold me as You will and make me Your very own!

 

With gentleness and patience, remove from me that which does not reflect Your long-planned purposes for my life—and smooth away any rough edges, so that I would become all that You intend for me to become, according to Your perfect design.

 

To those areas where I am vulnerable to failure, those places where I am weak, add the strength of Your grace—as You help me to seek out, and more fully depend on, the power of Your presence in my life to lead me through.

 

According to that same marvelous grace which You pour out over me, let others see Your hand at work in me and through me—that they may also want to know intimately the One who uniquely and masterfully crafted them to carry His image for His good purposes.

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Out of Darkness, Into His Wonderful Light!

 

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

 

—1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

 

Heavenly Father,

Help me to walk fully in the truth of who I am in Christ—so that I will never cease to declare the praises of the One who called me out of darkness into His wonderful light!

 

Thank You that You chose me—that You wanted me even before You created me—and that by Your grace, You gave me Your invitation to choose You back by faith.

 

Thank You that You called me to be a part of a chosen people—the family of believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ—set apart to be distinctly different from this world in which we live.

 

Thank You that You invited me to be a part of a royal priesthood—a royalty that flows from my adoption into Your family—and that my justification, by the blood of Christ, and my sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me, make my service to You holy and acceptable in Your sight.

 

Thank You that I am privileged to be a part of a holy nation—joined with other believers, committed to following Your commandments, and consecrated to You under the Lordship of Christ Jesus.

 

Thank You that I am included as part of Your special possession—and that as such, I am given the honor of declaring Your story of salvation, as told through my life, by both my words and my actions, to a dark, lost, and dying world.

 

Help me to walk fully in the truth of who I am in Christ—so that I will never cease to declare the praises of the One who called me out of darkness into His wonderful light!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Every Day, Every Moment

 

You saw me before I was born.

    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

    before a single day had passed.

 

—Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

 

Omniscient and Sovereign LORD GOD,

 

You are the One who knows the end—even from before the beginning—the One who holds every moment of my life in His hands!

 

You saw me—before I came to be, You saw me! You saw every detail of every aspect of who You created me to be, and You saw exactly how I fit into Your perfect plan for all of mankind.

 

You knew me—You knew how every moment of every day of my life would go—and even recorded it all in Your book, to establish it, before a single day had come to pass.

 

Thank You that I can rest in the assurance that Your plans never fail to accomplish all that You intend for them to accomplish—and that You have invited me to live fully the life story You wrote especially for me, in Christ.

 

You are the One who knows the end—even from before the beginning—the One who holds every moment of my life in His hands!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

No Other God

 

“How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!”

 

—2 Samuel 7:22 (NLT)

 

O Sovereign LORD,

 

Let all that I am boldly and freely declare—to anyone who will hear—how uniquely great and marvelously wonderful You are!

 

There is no god that surpasses Your greatness, for it is from You alone that greatness flows!  Anything or anyone that is made great is made so by Your divine design, according to Your divine purposes, and ultimately for Your highest glory, honor, and praise!

 

There is no other god that is Sovereign, but You!  For it is You who created all things and holds all power and authority in Your hand—assigning that power and authority to those You choose!

 

There is no other god that is like You—alive and living within those who believe!  For You didn’t wait for me to love You and desire a relationship with You, but rather You loved me first—when I was bound in filthy sin—and called me to Yourself and made my heart Your home, forever!

 

Why would I follow after some other god—when I have never even heard of another God like You?  None better, none greater, none higher, none like You!

 

Let all that I am boldly and freely declare—to anyone who will hear—how uniquely great and marvelously wonderful You are!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This is the Day!

 

This is the day the LORD has made.

    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

 

—Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

 

 

One and Only Creator God,

 

You, O LORD, have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!

 

Before You created everything there is—before You placed it all in order and set it all in motion—You knew this day would come, You knew the good plans You had for me today!

 

Today, I get to choose whether to embrace Your plans with joy and gladness, or to resist Your plans—as if to think that I would know better than You what is best for me—and only reap a harvest of trouble and hardship for my efforts.

 

So, help me open my eyes to all that You have done for me, to rejoice, and gladly and obediently submit my will to Your sovereign plans for me.  Help me to see that You have called me and saved me for such a time as this. 

 

Grant me the faith to believe that You have already arranged to supply me with everything that I need to accomplish Your will for me today and that, in doing so, You have made it possible for me to live this day with deep peace and enduring joy!

 

You, O LORD, have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Overwhelmed!

 

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?      —Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)

 

Creator God,

 

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I think that Your creation is no more than a mere glimpse of Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would choose to set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

 

I am amazed at the intricate details with which You designed, created, set in place, and put in perfectly synchronized motion, the moon and each of the stars in the multitude of galaxies that You spread across the vastness of an endless space.

 

I am even more amazed that You created them all and put them on display for us—to demonstrate Your power and greatness and majesty to all of mankind—in order to reveal who You are and to draw us into relationship with You.

 

I am most amazed that You would make mankind the reason for, and focus of, everything that You have created—that You not only would think about us, but would want us, and truly care for us—making us the objects of Your amazing and immeasurable love.

 

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I cannot even begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I think that Your creation is no more than a mere glimpse of Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would choose to set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.