The Word

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

—John 1:1-3 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Ever-existing Jesus,

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

Help me to understand that You have always been here—that You were here before You created time and set it into motion . . . before there was a beginning, “In the beginning.”

 

Help me to understand that everything that was created was created through You—that nothing that was made was made without You.

 

Help me to understand that You are, and always have been, fully God—that even though You took on human flesh and became fully man, You never ceased to be fully God.

 

Help me to understand that when I look to You, Jesus, I am looking to the Creator of the universe, the highest revelation of God to man, the living example to me of perfect and complete holiness, and the One who holds everything together by the power of His might.

 

May all my praise and worship forever be lifted unto You, my God, my Savior, my Lord, and my soon-returning King!

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

All Glory to Your Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

I Sing, I Cling!

 

 

Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

 

—Psalm 63:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Almighty God, My Helper,

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

While there are those who seek to find their help from the things of this world, You have shown us the Truth in Your Word—that our help is found in You alone.

 

You are the One who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence—so where else would I go to find help for my life, if not to the Creator of life, Himself?

 

Because You are my helper, I can always sing for joy—no matter what outward circumstances I face—for You shelter me under the protection of Your covering wings from the troubles of this life. 

 

As I cling to You, You hold me securely—You take on Yourself the force of each storm that comes against me—so I can fulfill Your plan and purpose for me.

 

So, let my unending song in this life be a joyful song of praise, worship and thanksgiving offered to You—my only help and my sure salvation!

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Light That Leads to Life

 

 

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

 

—John 8:12 (NLT)

 

 

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

Thank You that the darkness of evil doesn’t have the power—nor will it ever have the power—to overcome that Light we find in the Creator of life itself, Jesus Christ, whose life brings light to all humankind.  

 

Thank You that though I once was a prisoner to the evil at work in me—an evil which held me captive in sin—I am now free from its bondage, because of the Light, which exposed the works of darkness in me and showed me my desperate need for a Savior.

 

Thank You that, as I follow after Jesus, I don’t have to walk in darkness—blindly stumbling through life, driven by evil to fall into sin—but I can choose to walk in the Light of Your Truth, which leads me to life, because of the power of Christ within me.

 

Thank You that, in Jesus, I experience Your presence with me, Your love for me, Your protection over me, Your provision for all my needs, and Your guidance, as You reveal Your plan for me to truly live in the freedom of Your marvelous Light.

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The Word of God

 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

 

—Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

Never let me forget that Your Word is filled with Your life and power as the Almighty God. For it tells me who You are—as my Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Sanctifier—and tells me who I am as Your child, in Christ—so that when I go to Your Word and allow Your Word to wash over me, it heals me and makes me whole.

 

Help me to hear and understand Your Word—so that I can receive all the Truth that it contains into my heart. And then help me willingly and obediently apply that Truth to my life—as my loving and grateful response for all You have done for me.

 

Use Your Word to plunge deeply within me, to separate and expose the innermost thoughts and desires and motives of my soul and spirit—and to bring to light anything within me that is not in line with the Truth, so that I can repent and walk in the fullness of life to which You have called me.

 

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Great and Mighty Things

 

 

“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” 

—Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

O LORD of All Creation,

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

May I forever remain in reverent fear and overwhelming awe of Your power and majesty—as You continue to surround me with the glories of Your creation and reveal to me the intricacies of the order by which You alone have established all things.

 

Through Your unfailing love for me, teach me to know more perfectly Your will and Your ways—so that my will would be conformed to Yours, and so my prayers would be offered up in harmony with Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for me. 

 

Grant me the courage to call out boldly to you with prayers of faith.  And help me to believe that You always hear and will answer my call—and that You will reveal to me great things that I cannot discover within my own intellect or power.

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

My Ears Open, My Mouth Shut

 

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God.  After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth.  So let your words be few.

 

—Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (NLT)

 

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

Let me never come before You unless my ears are ready to listen, my heart is ready to receive, and my flesh is ready to obey all that You would ask of me.

 

Help me to thoughtfully consider every offering that I bring to You—that I might offer it with the humble acknowledgment that You alone are the One who takes each thing that I have to offer and makes it worthy to be received.

 

Keep me from making rash promises to You and to others—but help me consider my weaknesses and my propensity to fail to deliver on my promises, apart from Your power at work in me enabling me to do so.

 

Never allow me to come before You carelessly, abruptly, irreverently, or arrogantly—as if I deserved Your attention or could dictate to You what You should do to accommodate my wishes.

 

For You are the LORD of Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of all there is, and all that there will ever be.  So, let my words be few.

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

With You!

 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

 

—Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

Help me to see that there is nothing to fear, because You are always actively present with me to protect and deliver me from all the attacks of the enemy—whether they be attacks against my body, my mind, or my spirit. Thank You that You never leave me!

 

Keep discouragement far from me by helping me to find my courage in You, knowing You—the Creator and Sustainer of all things—are my loving Heavenly Father and the all-powerful LORD God.  Thank You for being my God!

 

Help me to receive Your strength—as by Your Spirit, You show me Your power at work within me to help me. Thank You that You help me according to Your unmatched strength!

 

Hold me up with Your victorious right hand—that I might not fall, but rather accomplish everything that You have called me to do in service to You. Thank You for being my victory in all things!

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Because You are My Helper

 

Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

 

—Psalm 63:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

Almighty God, My Helper,

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

While there are those who seek to find their help from the things of this world, You have shown us the Truth in Your Word—that our help is found in You alone.

 

You are the One who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence—so where else would I go to find help for my life, if not to the Creator of life, Himself?

 

Because You are my helper, I can always sing for joy—no matter what outward circumstances I face—for You shelter me under the protection of Your covering wings from the troubles of this life. 

 

As I cling to You, You hold me securely—You take on Yourself the force of each storm that comes against me—so I can fulfill Your plan and purpose for me.

 

So, let my unending song in this life be a joyful song of praise, worship and thanksgiving offered to You—my only help and my sure salvation!

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

In the Beginning . . .

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

—John 1:1-3 (ESV)

 

Ever-existing Jesus,

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

Help me to understand that You have always been here—that You were here before You created time and set it into motion . . . before there was a beginning, “In the beginning.”

 

Help me to understand that everything that was created was created through You—that nothing that was made was made without You.

 

Help me to understand that You are, and always have been, fully God—that even though You took on human flesh and became fully man, You never ceased to be fully God.

 

Help me to understand that when I look to You, Jesus, I am looking to the Creator of the universe, the highest revelation of God to man, the living example to me of perfect and complete holiness, and the One who holds everything together by the power of His might.

 

May all my praise and worship forever be lifted unto You, my God, my Savior, my Lord, and my soon-returning King!

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

All Glory to Your Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

If You Follow Jesus

 

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 

—John 8:12 (NLT)

Gracious Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

Thank You that the darkness of evil doesn’t have the power—nor will it ever have the power—to overcome that Light we find in the Creator of life itself, Jesus Christ, whose life brings light to all humankind.  

 

Thank You that though I once was a prisoner to the evil at work in me—an evil which held me captive in sin—I am now free from its bondage, because of the Light, which exposed the works of darkness in me and showed me my desperate need for a Savior.

 

Thank You that, as I follow after Jesus, I don’t have to walk in darkness—blindly stumbling through life, driven by evil to fall into sin—but I can choose to walk in the Light of Your Truth, which leads me to life, because of the power of Christ within me.

 

Thank You that, in Jesus, I experience Your presence with me, Your love for me, Your protection over me, Your provision for all my needs, and Your guidance, as You reveal Your plan for me to truly live in the freedom of Your marvelous Light.

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Alive and Powerful

 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

 

—Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

Never let me forget that Your Word is filled with Your life and power as the Almighty God. For it tells me who You are—as my Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Sanctifier—and tells me who I am as Your child, in Christ—so that when I go to Your Word and allow Your Word to wash over me, it heals me and makes me whole.

 

Help me to hear and understand Your Word—so that I can receive all the Truth that it contains into my heart. And then help me willingly and obediently apply that Truth to my life—as my loving and grateful response for all You have done for me.

 

Use Your Word to plunge deeply within me, to separate and expose the innermost thoughts and desires and motives of my soul and spirit—and to bring to light anything within me that is not in line with the Truth, so that I can repent and walk in the fullness of life to which You have called me.

 

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Thus Says the LORD!

 

“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” 

—Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NASB)

O LORD of All Creation,

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

May I forever remain in reverent fear and overwhelming awe of Your power and majesty—as You continue to surround me with the glories of Your creation and reveal to me the intricacies of the order by which You alone have established all things.

 

Through Your unfailing love for me, teach me to know more perfectly Your will and Your ways—so that my will would be conformed to Yours, and so my prayers would be offered up in harmony with Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for me. 

 

Grant me the courage to call out boldly to you with prayers of faith.  And help me to believe that You always hear and will answer my call—and that You will reveal to me great things that I cannot discover within my own intellect or power.

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Keep My Ears Open, My Mouth Shut Before God

 

As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God.  After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth.  So let your words be few.

 

—Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (NLT)

 

Almighty God,

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

Let me never come before You unless my ears are ready to listen, my heart is ready to receive, and my flesh is ready to obey all that You would ask of me.

 

Help me to thoughtfully consider every offering that I bring to You—that I might offer it with the humble acknowledgment that You alone are the One who takes each thing that I have to offer and makes it worthy to be received.

 

Keep me from making rash promises to You and to others—but help me consider my weaknesses and my propensity to fail to deliver on my promises, apart from Your power at work in me enabling me to do so.

 

Never allow me to come before You carelessly, abruptly, irreverently, or arrogantly—as if I deserved Your attention or could dictate to You what You should do to accommodate my wishes.

 

For You are the LORD of Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, the Creator and Sustainer of all there is and all that there will ever be.  So, let my words be few.

 

Help me carefully guard my steps as I enter Your house—as I come before Your Presence—that I might not foolishly dishonor You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Don't Be Afraid!

 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

 

—Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

Help me to see that there is nothing to fear, because You are always actively present with me to protect and deliver me from all the attacks of the enemy—whether they be attacks against my body, my mind or my spirit.  Thank You that You never leave me!

 

Keep discouragement far from me by helping me to find my courage in You, knowing You—the Creator and Sustainer of all things—are my loving Heavenly Father and the all-powerful LORD God.  Thank You for being my God!

 

Help me to receive Your strength—as by Your Spirit, You show me Your power at work within me to help me.  Thank You that You help me according to Your unmatched strength!

 

Hold me up with Your victorious right hand—that I might not fall, but rather accomplish everything that You have called me to do in service to You.  Thank You for being my victory in all things!

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.