I Sought the LORD!

 

 

I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
    And delivered me from all my fears.

 

—Psalm 34:4 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

 

O LORD, My Deliverer,

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

For far too much of my life, I lived full of fear—not knowing intimately, nor trusting completely, the One who could deliver me from that fear and usher me into the abundant life that He wanted me to experience.

 

But then I sought You. I searched Your Word for Truth, studied to understand who You are and all that You have done, and I prayed to You. I found that You are the God who can be found—the Father who wants to have a deep and personal relationship with each of His children.

 

I found that You are the God who hears and answers my prayers, according to the perfect plans that You have for me, always with my best interests at heart—out of Your great love for me. 

 

I discovered, through my personal experience of relationship with You, that You are faithful—that You are who You say You are, and that You do what You say You will do—and that my trust is never misplaced when I put my trust in You.

 

And then, I looked back at where I started and followed my path to where You have brought me thus far, and I realized I was no longer afraid. You had delivered me from all my fears. Now, fear no longer has a hold on me, and I am free to continue becoming all that You have called me to be in Christ.

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

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.

 

Foolish, Ignorant Arguments

 

 

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

 

—2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

Instead of allowing myself to be drawn into meaningless arguments over things which don’t matter at all, help me to be patient and kind. Help me to make more room in my conversations for listening and seeking to understand the opinions of others.

 

Help me to build my reputation as one who is approachable and eager to hear other points of view so that when the time is right, I might have a platform from which to be heard concerning those matters that are of eternal consequence.

 

Help me be especially patient with difficult people. Help me to be ready to accept Your invitation to speak into their lives—as the Holy Spirit prepares their heart to receive the Truth of Your Word and be set free.

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

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.

Shining Like Bright Lights!

 

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

 

—Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live a life free from complaining and arguing, so others would not have reason to criticize me. May my life be clean and innocent—like a bright light of hope in a world that is darkened by crooked and perverse people.

 

Help me never to complain about anything but choose a life full of gratefulness and thanksgiving—knowing that Your plan for me is always good and that You use everything that I experience to draw me to Yourself, turning all of it to my benefit and for Your glory.

 

Help me not to needlessly stir up strife between myself and others with petty arguments, when You want me to walk humbly before others, full of truth and grace, as expressed in the perfect love of Christ—leaving to You the work of changing hearts.

 

As Your very own child, let my response to the Truth of Your Word and the promptings of Your Spirit always be one of willing obedience, so others will have no room to criticize me and so they might be drawn to the light of Christ at work in me.

 

Help me to live a life free from complaining and arguing, so others would not have reason to criticize me. May my life be clean and innocent—like a bright light of hope, in a world that is darkened by crooked and perverse people.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Love in Deed and in Truth

 

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

 

—1 John 3:18 (ESV)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

May every deed I do confirm the truth of every word I speak of my love.

 

Don’t allow me to merely talk about my love. Cause Your love to fill my heart and drive my words to produce in me the actions that demonstrate the proof of real love.

 

Don’t allow me to withhold Your love within me from anyone who needs it. Help me give it freely and generously in my every thought, word, and action toward another.

 

Don’t allow me to be any less than humble before you and others. Help me to give the best of what I have been given to meet the need in someone else—that need that cries out for real love.

 

May every deed I do confirm the truth of every word I speak of my love.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

I Sought, He Answered, and Delivered Me!

 

I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
    And delivered me from all my fears.

 

—Psalm 34:4 (NASB)

 

O LORD, My Deliverer,

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

For far too much of my life, I lived full of fear—not knowing intimately, nor trusting completely, the One who could deliver me from that fear and usher me into the abundant life that He wanted me to experience.

 

But then I sought You. I searched Your Word for Truth, studied to understand who You are and all that You have done, and I prayed to You. I found that You are the God who can be found—the Father who wants to have a deep and personal relationship with each of His children.

 

I found that You are the God who hears and answers my prayers, according to the perfect plans that You have for me, always with my best interests at heart—out of Your great love for me. 

 

I discovered, through my personal experience of relationship with You, that You are faithful—that You are who You say You are, and that You do what You say You will do—and that my trust is never misplaced when I put my trust in You.

 

And then, I looked back at where I started and followed my path to where You have brought me thus far, and I realized I was no longer afraid. You had delivered me from all my fears. Now, fear no longer has a hold on me, and I am free to continue becoming all that You have called me to be in Christ.

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

In the name of 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.

Be Patient with Difficult People

 

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

 

—2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

Instead of allowing myself to be drawn into meaningless arguments over things which don’t matter at all, help me to be patient and kind. Help me to make more room in my conversations for listening and seeking to understand the opinions of others.

 

Help me to build my reputation as one who is approachable and eager to hear other points of view so that when the time is right, I might have a platform from which to be heard concerning those matters that are of eternal consequence.

 

Help me be especially patient with difficult people. Help me to be ready to accept Your invitation to speak into their lives—as the Holy Spirit prepares their heart to receive the Truth of Your Word and be set free.

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Way of Escape

 

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.

As Children of God

 

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

 

—Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live a life free from complaining and arguing, so others would not have reason to criticize me.  Let my life be clean and innocent—like a bright light of hope in a world that is darkened by crooked and perverse people.

 

Help me never to complain about anything but choose a life full of gratefulness and thanksgiving—knowing that Your plan for me is always good and that You use everything that I experience to draw me to Yourself, turning all of it to my benefit and for Your glory.

 

Help me not to needlessly stir up strife between myself and others with petty arguments, when You want me to walk humbly before others, full of truth and grace, as expressed in the perfect love of Christ—leaving to You the work of changing hearts.

 

As Your very own child, let my response to the Truth of Your Word and the promptings of Your Spirit always be one of willing obedience, so others will have no room to criticize me and so they might be drawn to the light of Christ at work in me.

 

Help me to live a life free from complaining and arguing, so others would not have reason to criticize me.  Let my life be clean and innocent—like a bright light of hope, in a world that is darkened by crooked and perverse people.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Delivered From All My Fears!

 

I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
    And delivered me from all my fears.

 

—Psalm 34:4 (NASB)

 

O LORD, My Deliverer,

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

For far too much of my life, I lived full of fear—not knowing intimately, nor trusting completely, the One who could deliver me from that fear and usher me into the abundant life that He wanted me to experience.

 

But then I sought You.  I searched Your Word for Truth, studied to understand who You are and all that You have done, and I prayed to You.  I found that You are the God who can be found—the Father who wants to have a deep and personal relationship with each of His children.

 

I found that You are the God who hears and answers my prayers, according to the perfect plans that You have for me, always with my best interests at heart—out of Your great love for me. 

 

I discovered, through my personal experience of relationship with You, that You are faithful—that You are who You say You are, and that You do what You say You will do—and that my trust is never misplaced when I put my trust in You.

 

And then, I looked back at where I started and followed my path to where You have brought me thus far, and I realized I was no longer afraid.  You had delivered me from all my fears.  Now, fear no longer has a hold on me, and I am free to continue becoming all that You have called me to be in Christ.

 

Thank You for delivering me from all my fears!

 

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.

To Be a Servant of the Lord

 

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

—2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.  Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

Instead of allowing myself to be drawn into meaningless arguments over things which—in the light of eternity—don’t matter at all, help me to be patient and kind, allowing more room in my conversations for listening and seeking to understand the opinions of others.

Help me to build my reputation as one who is approachable and eager to hear other points of view—so that, when the time is right, I might have a platform from which to be heard, as I share the Truth of Your Word on those matters that are of eternal consequence.

Help me be especially patient with difficult people, so that I will be prepared to accept Your invitation to speak into their lives—should You choose to move on them by Your Spirit and soften their hearts—so they can receive the Truth, apply it to their lives, and be set free.

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.  Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.