His Home, Your Heart

 

 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

 

—Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)

 

 

Gracious God,

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

According to Your glorious and unlimited resources, pour spiritual strength into us—change us by the working of Your Spirit within us—so our outward lives would be made visibly different, to the Glory of Christ.

 

Help us to surrender anything that doesn’t honor Christ, to the sanctifying work of Your Spirit—making Him Lord of our hearts, so that our hearts would be a place suitable for our King to make His home.

 

And grant that our roots would go down deep and be nourished by Your amazing love—so that we would be made strong and firmly established, forever abiding with You.

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Teach Me!

 

 

Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

 

—Psalm 143:10 (NASB)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit open the eyes of my understanding, so that I am fully able to discern the depths of meaning found in Your Holy Scriptures—so I can always know Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit usher me into the plans You have for me, as I step out in faith to do Your will—so I can always walk within the safety of Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit continue to do Your work of sanctification within me, so that my life would become wholly set apart for You—so I can always live to the glory of Your will.

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Everything!

 

 

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

 

—2 Corinthians 6:10 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

There will always be times when my heart will ache—because of the loss, disappointments, and injustices that I experience personally, or that I may observe in the world around me.  

 

But You came to give me hope, that my heart would rejoice in You—as I trust in Your sovereignty, mercy, grace and love, as I watch for You to work all things together for my good, and as I trust You to guide me to my forever home with You.

 

Help me to remember that You have given me this hope-filled joy, so that I will always have something to give to others—no matter how poor I might be—that their joy might also be full.

 

What joy is mine to know that—even though I own nothing in this world, because everything I have belongs to You—I have everything I need and more, in Christ!

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Don't Get Sidetracked!

 

Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.

Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

 

—Proverbs 4:26-27 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

Keep me on that straight path of willing obedience to Your will and Your decrees—as You prove Your loving faithfulness to me by keeping me in every way, when I choose the safe path you have offered me.

 

And don’t allow me to get sidetracked by the distractions of this world—to wander off that path—but help me stay focused on honoring Your ever-abiding Presence with me, as You show me the next best step for me.

 

For then my feet will not follow after evil and I won’t find myself lost along the way—as I journey through this life, on my way home to You.

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Your Refuge, Your Shelter

 

 

If you make the LORD your refuge,

    if you make the Most High your shelter,

no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

 

—Psalm 91:9-11 (NLT)

 

 

O LORD my Refuge, my Shelter,

 

Be my only refuge, my shelter from every evil thing. Help me not to wander from the sheltering safety of Your Presence, and order Your angels to protect me, wherever You direct me to go.

 

Help me fix my eyes on You. Don’t let me look to anyone or anything else to be my refuge, my place of protection, from the forces of darkness that seek to destroy me.

 

Be my shelter against all the storms of life—that quiet place of peace and rest, amidst the chaos and turmoil of this world.

 

Help me make Your heart my home, and let my heart beat after Yours alone—so that no plague can ever come near me.

 

Be my only refuge, my shelter from every evil thing. Help me not to wander from the sheltering safety of Your Presence, and order Your angels to protect me, wherever You direct me to go.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Joy to the Heart, Insight for Living

 

 

The commandments of the LORD are right,

    bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are clear,

    giving insight for living.

 

—Psalm 19:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

Grant me the hunger to know, and the desire to obey, the commandments of Your Word—so my heart may be full of joy, and my mind would be filled with insight for how I should live.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands are exactly right—that they flow from Your Truth and are written for my good, and for Your glory.

 

Help me to understand that, as I obediently follow them, I not only demonstrate my love for You, but my heart is also filled with joy—as protection, provision and peace flood my life in proportion to that obedience.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands are perfectly clear—that they are pure, clean, that there is no darkness in them at all, and they are clearly understood.

 

Help me to understand that Your commands allow me to see with certainty the best paths for me to follow—as You guide me by Your Spirit on my journey through this life on my way home to You.

 

Grant me the hunger to know, and the desire to obey, the commandments of Your Word—so my heart may be full of joy, and my mind would be filled with insight for how I should live.

 

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.

Restore Me!

 

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
    but you will restore me to life again
    and lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honor
    and comfort me once again. 

—Psalm 71:20-21 (NLT)

 

Loving and Gracious LORD,

 

In Your sovereign and infinite wisdom, You have allowed me to suffer much hardship in my life. And still, the story You are writing with my life is—and always will be—a testimony to the faithfulness of my God!

 

For I have seen You use every hardship that You have entrusted to me, as part of my story, to bring about something good—always drawing me closer to the abundant life that I find only when I totally surrender to Your plan for my life.

 

So, help me to continue to look for Your hand in every difficulty that may come, that I would see Your faithfulness once again—as You lift me up from the depths of this earth, from heartache, pain and evil of this fallen world, and restore me to life in You again.

 

Be my source of comfort in this world, as by Your grace You honor me, taking me to those higher and deeper places I have yet to discover in Christ. Keep me and sustain me in every way through everything that I may face—until that day You rescue me completely out of this world and its hardships and take me home with You.

 

In Your sovereign and infinite wisdom, You have allowed me to suffer much hardship in my life. And still, the story You are writing with my life is—and always will be—a testimony to the faithfulness of my God!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Your Word

 

 

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.

 

—Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to take up the lamp of Your Word, discover the Truth that it holds, and trust it to light my way through all the perils of this world—as I journey home to You.

 

Help me study, embrace, and apply to my life the Truth that Your Word holds for me—Truth about who You are, and who I am in Christ, about right and wrong, and good and evil, and about Your great plan for my life.

 

Show me how Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet—so that when I carry the lamp of Your Word within me, I can see clearly each step that I am taking and be kept from falling, in my thoughts, words, and actions, as I navigate this life here on earth.

 

Teach me that Your Word is a light for my path—that as I move forward in faith, I can trust that You will illuminate before me the best path for me to walk and will safely lead me all the way home to You.

 

Help me to take up the lamp of Your Word, discover the Truth that it holds, and trust it to light my way through all the perils of this world—as I journey home to You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Open My Eyes to See!

 

 

Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.
I am only a foreigner in the land.
    Don’t hide your commands from me!

 

—Psalm 119:18-19 (NLT)

 

Loving LORD,

 

Do not hide Your commands from me, but rather open my eyes and let me see and understand the wonderful truths in your instructions—so that I may find my way through this foreign land, down the path that leads me safely home to You.

 

Do not ever let me forget that Your Word contains every instruction that I need to navigate this evil world through which I now pass—that Your Word shows me how to live protected by Your peace, filled with Your joy, and strengthened by Your presence in me—as You make provision for my every need.

 

Help me faithfully search Your Word and be filled with the truths that You have waiting there for me.  Then help me to apply each truth to my life—that I might better honor You with my life and bring glory to Your Holy Name.

 

Command me in the way that I should go!  Never withhold Your instructions from me and grant that I would willingly submit to Your Word and Your Spirit—for You are the only One who knows the good plans You have for me.

 

Do not hide Your commands from me, but rather open my eyes and let me see and understand the wonderful truths in your instructions—so that I may find my way through this foreign land, down the path that leads me safely home to You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ's Home, Our Heart

 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

—Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)

 

Gracious God,

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

According to Your glorious and unlimited resources, pour spiritual strength into us—change us by the working of Your Spirit within us—so our outward lives would be made visibly different, to the Glory of Christ.

 

Help us to surrender anything that doesn’t honor Christ, to the sanctifying work of Your Spirit—making Him Lord of our hearts, so that our hearts would be a place suitable for our King to make His home.

 

And grant that our roots would go down deep and be nourished by Your amazing love—so that we would be made strong and firmly established, forever abiding with You.

 

Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, so that we would be made spiritually stronger—that our hearts, rooted and nourished in Your love, would be a place for Christ to call His home, as we put all our trust in Him.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Spirit Lead Me

 

Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

 

—Psalm 143:10 (NASB)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit open the eyes of my understanding, so that I am fully able to discern the depths of meaning found in Your Holy Scriptures—so I can always know Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit usher me into the plans You have for me, as I step out in faith to do Your will—so I can always walk within the safety of Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit continue to do Your work of sanctification within me, so that my life would become wholly set apart for You—so I can always live to the glory of Your will.

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

And Yet We Have Everything

 

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

 

—2 Corinthians 6:10 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

There will always be times when my heart will ache—because of the loss, disappointments, and injustices that I experience personally, or that I may observe in the world around me.  

 

But You came to give me hope, that my heart would rejoice in You—as I trust in Your sovereignty, mercy, grace and love, as I watch for You to work all things together for my good, and as I trust You to guide me to my forever home with You.

 

Help me to remember that You have given me this hope-filled joy, so that I will always have something to give to others—no matter how poor I might be—that their joy might also be full.

 

What joy is mine to know that—even though I own nothing in this world, because everything I have belongs to You—I have everything I need and more, in Christ!

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

A Straight Path, A Safe Path

 

Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.

Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

 

—Proverbs 4:26-27 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

Keep me on that straight path of willing obedience to Your will and Your decrees—as You prove Your loving faithfulness to me by keeping me in every way, when I choose the safe path you have offered me.

 

And don’t allow me to get sidetracked by the distractions of this world—to wander off that path—but help me stay focused on honoring Your ever-abiding Presence with me, as You show me the next best step for me.

 

For then my feet will not follow after evil and I won’t find myself lost along the way—as I journey through this life, on my way home to You.

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

My Refuge, My Shelter

 

If you make the LORD your refuge,

    if you make the Most High your shelter,

no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

 

—Psalm 91: 9-11 (NLT)

 

O LORD my Refuge, my Shelter,

 

Be my only refuge, my shelter from every evil thing. Help me not to wander from the sheltering safety of Your Presence, and order Your angels to protect me, wherever You direct me to go.

 

Help me fix my eyes on You. Don’t let me look to anyone or anything else to be my refuge, my place of protection, from the forces of darkness that seek to destroy me.

 

Be my shelter against all the storms of life—that quiet place of peace and rest, amidst the chaos and turmoil of this world.

 

Help me make Your heart my home, and let my heart beat after Yours alone—so that no plague can ever come near me.

 

Be my only refuge, my shelter from every evil thing. Help me not to wander from the sheltering safety of Your Presence, and order Your angels to protect me, wherever You direct me to go.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.