Don't Speak Evil!

 

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.  If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law.  But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

 

—James 4:11 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

Replace any critical spirit within me with a spirit of grace and truth.  Grant me the wisdom to discern truth in every situation—and as I seek after what is just and right, help me remain submitted to Your laws of forgiveness, kindness and grace.

 

Help me to capture and bring my every thought into obedience to Christ and His character, as revealed in Your Word—so that any word I speak would be true and useful to bring encouragement and unity between myself and others.

 

And if I ever feel offended by someone, keep me from sharing that offense with others.  Rather, help me always to go directly to the offender to express my complaint against them—in humility, with kindness and love—so that understanding can come, our relationship can be restored and strengthened, and the enemy’s plans to bring division between us can be stopped.

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

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.

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.

 

Watch and Pray!

 

 

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

—Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

 

 

Heavenly Father,  

 

Help me to watch and pray.

 

Help me keep watch against all the schemes of the enemy by living each moment of my life in prayerful fellowship with You—so that my spirit will remain sensitive to every prompting of Your Holy Spirit within me, and my life can be lived in the peace You offer to those who will trust and obey.

 

By Your Holy Spirit, grant me wisdom and discernment to identify and confront any deceit that may lead to temptation. Enable me to counter these falsehoods with the truth of Your Word, so I may experience the liberty inherent in truth.

 

I acknowledge that, although my spirit is willing, my flesh is weak. May I rely on Your Spirit to strengthen me and enable me to resist every temptation I encounter, ensuring that my life is filled with only the best that You have for me.

 

Help me to watch and pray.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Living in This Evil World

 

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

—Titus 2:12-13 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live in this evil world in a way that brings glory to You—as I look forward with hope to that wonderful day when all of Christ’s glory will be revealed.

 

You have told me to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, and yet I must still live in this world—which is full of godlessness and sin.

 

So, help me to stand against the temptations of the world—by granting me the wisdom I need to correctly discern good from evil, the strength I need to make right and pure choices, and the assurance of Your love and goodness that I need to live a life that is devoted to You.

 

Help me to live purposefully while I am here—as I use the gifts and talents that You have given me to be a part of building Your Kingdom here on earth.  And let me look forward with great hope and anticipation to the day when my battles with temptation will end—when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, comes again.

 

Help me to live in this evil world in a way that brings glory to You—as I look forward with hope to that wonderful day when all of Christ’s glory will be revealed.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

True and Right Paths!

 

Let those who are wise understand these things.

    Let those with discernment listen carefully.

The paths of the LORD are true and right,

    and righteous people live by walking in them.

    But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.  

 —Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

 

LORD of Heaven and Earth,

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

I know that all Your paths are true and right—and that because You chose to make me righteous through the sacrifice of Christ, I will find the abundant life that You promised me, by faithfully walking in those paths.

 

I know that without Christ, I could not walk those paths without stumbling and falling. So help my heart to swell with compassion for those who don’t yet have Your light within them to illuminate the path before them.

 

And make me bold to share that precious hope that is mine in Christ—that they, too, can walk in those true and right paths that lead to abundant life and a forever home with You.

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Sent Into This World

 

 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

 

—John 17:15-18 (ESV)

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as You send me into this world. 

 

Just as You sent Your Son, Jesus, into the world, You have sent me into the world, not to be of the world, but to be a light to illuminate the darkness of the world.

 

Just as Jesus prayed that You would sanctify His disciples by the truth—purifying and setting them apart to minister that truth as healing for this broken world—I pray that You would sanctify me with the truth for Your service to this world.

 

Protect and keep me from the temptation to become like the world. Grant me the wisdom and discernment to reject every scheme, trap, and lie of the enemy, and to replace it with the truth of Your Word. Deliver me from the evil one and his demons.

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as you send me into this world. 

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Don't Speak Evil

 

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.  If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law.  But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

 

—James 4:11 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

Replace any critical spirit within me with a spirit of grace and truth.  Grant me the wisdom to discern truth in every situation—and as I seek after what is just and right, help me remain submitted to Your laws of forgiveness, kindness and grace.

 

Help me to capture and bring my every thought into obedience to Christ and His character, as revealed in Your Word—so that any word I speak would be true and useful to bring encouragement and unity between myself and others.

 

And if I ever feel offended by someone, keep me from sharing that offense with others.  Rather, help me always to go directly to the offender to express my complaint against them—in humility, with kindness and love—so that understanding can come, our relationship can be restored and strengthened, and the enemy’s plans to bring division between us can be stopped.

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The LORD Comes to the Rescue

 

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 You 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 You never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Do Not Trade the Truth for Lies!

 

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,

 

Keep me from ever trading the truth about You for a lie. 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 hold onto the Truth that I find in Your Word—as revealed by Your Spirit—so I can stand against the assault of lies that this world would have me believe.

 

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

 

Help me quickly repent any time that I 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 great wisdom and discernment, so that I allow nothing to take Your rightful place of worship in my heart. 

 

May my praise be offered to You alone, throughout eternity.

 

Keep me from ever trading the truth about You for a lie. 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.

To Watch and Pray

 

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

—Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

 

Heavenly Father,  

 

Help me to watch and pray.

Help me keep watch against all the schemes of the enemy by living each moment of my life in prayerful fellowship with You—so that my spirit will remain sensitive to every prompting of Your Holy Spirit within me, and my life can be lived in the peace You offer to those who will trust and obey.

 

By Your Holy Spirit, make me wise and help me to be discerning—so I can expose every evil lie sent against me that might cause me to fall to temptation.  Help me to stand against those lies with the truth of Your Word—so I might live in the freedom that can only be found in Truth.

 

I know that, though my spirit is willing, my flesh remains weak.  Help me to depend on Your Spirit to strengthen me and enable me to resist every temptation I face—so that my life will be filled with only Your very best for me.

 

Help me to watch and pray.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Living as Instructed

 

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

—Titus 2:12-13 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live in this evil world in a way that brings glory to You—as I look forward with hope to that wonderful day when all of Christ’s glory will be revealed.

 

You have told me to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, and yet I must still live in this world—which is full of godlessness and sin.

 

So, help me to stand against the temptations of the world—by granting me the wisdom I need to correctly discern good from evil, the strength I need to make right and pure choices, and the assurance of Your love and goodness that I need to live a life that is devoted to You.

 

Help me to live purposefully while I am here—as I use the gifts and talents that You have given me to be a part of building Your Kingdom here on earth.  And let me look forward with great hope and anticipation to the day when my battles with temptation will end—when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, comes again.

 

Help me to live in this evil world in a way that brings glory to You—as I look forward with hope to that wonderful day when all of Christ’s glory will be revealed.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Paths of the LORD

 

 

Let those who are wise understand these things.

    Let those with discernment listen carefully.

The paths of the LORD are true and right,

    and righteous people live by walking in them.

    But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.  

 —Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

 

LORD of Heaven and Earth,

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

I know that all Your paths are true and right—and that because You chose to make me righteous through the sacrifice of Christ, I will find the abundant life that You promised me, by faithfully walking in those paths.

 

I know that without Christ, I could not walk those paths without stumbling and falling. So help my heart to swell with compassion for those who don’t yet have Your light within them to illuminate the path before them.

 

And make me bold to share that precious hope that is mine in Christ—that they, too, can walk in those true and right paths that lead to abundant life and a forever home with You.

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Obey the Law of Love

 

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.  If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law.  But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

 

—James 4:11 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

Replace any critical spirit within me with a spirit of grace and truth.  Grant me the wisdom to discern truth in every situation—and as I seek after what is just and right, help me remain submitted to Your laws of forgiveness, kindness and grace.

 

Help me to capture and bring my every thought into obedience to Christ and His character, as revealed in Your Word—so that any word I speak would be true and useful to bring encouragement and unity between myself and others.

 

And if I ever feel offended by someone, keep me from sharing that offense with others.  Rather, help me always to go directly to the offender to express my complaint against them—in humility, with kindness and love—so that understanding can come, our relationship can be restored and strengthened, and the enemy’s plans to bring division between us can be stopped.

 

Help me never speak evil against my brothers and sisters—never say anything about someone which would hurt them or defame their character in the eyes of someone else—as I choose instead to live by Your law of love.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Giver of All Things Good

 

Ears to hear and eyes to see—
    both are gifts from the LORD.       —Proverbs 20:12 (NLT)

The LORD will withhold no good thing
    from those who do what is right.      —Psalm 84:11b (NLT)

 

Loving LORD, Giver of All Things Good,

Grant me ears that really hear, and eyes that really see—by the wondrous power of Your Holy Spirit at work within me.

Your Word tells me, “You will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”  So, help me to tap into the power of Your Spirit to do what is right—that I might walk in the very best that You have for me.

Give me that truly perceptive discernment that comes only from You—so that I can hear with an understanding that goes beyond my limited mental capacity, and so I can see, through Your eyes, the Truth of every situation.

Make me ready to hear and careful to see—so that my understanding would be correct and complete, and so the clear insight of Godly wisdom would become my friend—that I might better live my life for Your glory, honor and praise.

Grant me ears that really hear, and eyes that really see—by the wondrous power of Your Holy Spirit at work within me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.