Show True Humility

 

 

 

Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.  They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. 
—Titus 3:1-2 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to take seriously my responsibility to submit to the government and its officers—as long as doing so does not violate Your commands.

 

Your Word commands me to be obedient—especially to Your Word and Your Spirit—and to be ready to do that which is good.

 

Your Word commands me to never slander anyone and to avoid quarreling—to speak only truth, with grace, in love.

 

Your Word commands me to be gentle with others, and to show true humility to everyone—not thinking more highly of myself than I ought to but living within the truth of who I am in Christ—with the knowledge that any good in me comes from You.

 

Help me to take seriously my responsibility to submit to the government and its officers—as long as doing so does not violate Your commands.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

What is Good

 

 

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.

 

—Micah 6:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Help me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You, today.

 

Thank You, for showing me Your character and Your will through Your Word—so that, out of my own personal experience with the goodness I see demonstrated in You, I am able to understand what is good.

 

Help me live out my life with an overflowing gratefulness for the gifts of Your unrelenting and unfailing love, Your ultimate sacrifice for my redemption, and the fullness of my salvation.

 

Let that heart of gratefulness govern my thoughts, words, and actions—so I might always respond by doing what is right and just in Your sight.

 

Help me to live my life in service to You and to others—in demonstration of the love and mercy that has been poured out on me.

 

And help me to walk with You—living for You and drawing my very essence from You—with a humble spirit that is void of pride.

 

Help me to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You, today.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Don't Just Pretend to Love!

 

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

 

—Romans 12:9 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving LORD GOD,

 

With Christ as my example, teach me to love others in Spirit and in Truth, to hate what is evil, and hold tightly to what is good—for You are the source of all that is good.

 

Keep me from the hypocrisy of only pretending to love others—from “loving” others out of impure motives that falsely promise to serve me well, but in the end leave me empty and far from You.

 

Out of a grateful heart for Your love for me, help me to love others as You do—with complete selflessness—putting the needs of others before my own selfish wants and desires, so that they might see Your love for them through me.

 

Like Christ, help me to fight passionately against all that is evil—wherever it may raise its ugly head—by always speaking truth, always giving grace, and always walking in His perfect love.

 

With Christ as my example, teach me to love others in Spirit and in Truth, to hate what is evil, and hold tightly to what is good—for You are the source of all that is good.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

God Chose You!

 

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 

—Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me today, as I seek to live a holy life—in grateful response to Your amazing love for me.

 

Help me to put on tenderhearted mercy for others—as I see each person through Your eyes of compassion.

 

Help me to clothe myself in kindness to all—having experienced for myself the abundant kindness of my Savior.

 

Help me put my own selfish desires aside and dress myself with humility—as I consider others before I consider myself.

 

Help me to put on the garment of quiet and gently disciplined strength—as I look to You as my only source of strength.

 

Let the clothing of tireless patience be mine to wear, as I bear with those around me, forgiving them freely, quickly, and completely—just as You, through Your Son, Jesus, have forgiven me.

 

And over all of these, help me to wear Your love—which holds every virtue in perfect unity—so that I might be known by the love of Christ in me.

 

Help me today as I seek to live a holy life—in grateful response to Your amazing love for me.

 

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.

Childlike

 

“I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

 

—Mark 10:15 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Loving Father God,

 

Teach me how to come to You like a child, that I might enter into all that You have for me—both in the here-and-now, and for all eternity to come.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike humility—knowing that I have only my heart to offer You and that I can do no good thing apart from You.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike dependence—knowing I am helpless and hopeless without You, but that even still, I can find my help and hope in You.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike inquisitiveness—that I might gain knowledge, grow in wisdom, and leave behind my foolish ways.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike faith—asking confidently for Your best for me and believing You will give me every good thing You have for me.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike obedience—willingly going and doing that which You require of me, knowing You always have my best interests at heart.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike gratefulness—giving thanks and rejoicing in all situations for all Your goodness, knowing You work all things together for my good.

 

Teach me how to come to You with childlike love—a love that is purely motivated and freely offered, just because of who You are.

 

Teach me how to come to You like a child—that I might enter into all that You have for me, both in the here-and-now, and for all eternity to come.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Control

 

 

Indeed, we all make many mistakes.  For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

 

—James 3:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Save me from the many sinful mistakes I make when I carelessly open my mouth. Help me control my tongue, so that I might be made perfect in You.

Keep me from gossiping. Help me never to say anything about a person behind their backs, that I would not say—with love—to their face. Don’t let me taint the reputation of another with the negative things I might say. Help me build others up, not tear them down. 

 

Keep me from using my tongue to exaggerate, flatter, or exchange the truth for a lie—knowing that the motive behind each of these is manipulation. And help me to speak the truth in love—from a pure motive of reflecting Christ’s love for us all.

 

Keep me from complaining—since complaining drives gratefulness and joy out of my heart and robs me of my very life. And help me to be thankful—in all situations—for the blessings You so richly pour out on my life.

 

Keep me from boasting—except when I testify to what You have done in my life. Help me to be humble—since I know any good thing found in me is all because of You and is only given to me that I might bring You glory.

 

Remind me that in order to bring You glory, I must know when to speak, where to speak, how to speak, and understand why I should speak—just as much as I need to know what to speak.

Save me from the many sinful mistakes I make when I carelessly open my mouth. Help me control my tongue, so that I might be made perfect in You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Turn Away From Evil!

 

 

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

 

—Proverbs 3:7 (NLT)

 

 

 

All-Wise Father,

 

Don't allow me to be impressed with my own wisdom—when You are the only wise God.

 

Keep me from thinking that my own intellect or reasoning will produce any wisdom outside of You—but let me pray, asking You to make me wise, as You reveal Your Truth to me through Your Word and by Your Spirit.

 

Help me humbly and reverently fear and worship You alone and turn my back on all that is evil—repenting of all my sin and determining to find Your best for me—by submitting myself to Your will, plans, and purposes for my life.

 

Grant me the wisdom always to seek You first, in all things, so that my life would be lived out in Truth—both in private moments and in public moments—as a testimony to others, all for Your glory, honor, and praise.

Don't allow me to be impressed with my own wisdom—when You are the only wise God. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Always Be . . .

 

 

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

 

—Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Show me how to love others, just as Jesus has loved me.

 

Grant me a humble heart—that I would not think more highly of myself than I ought—knowing that any good thing that may be found in me is only there by Your hand.

 

Grant me a gentle spirit—that I would act with loving gentleness in all my dealings with others—offering them both truth and grace, which are born out of Christ’s great love for us all.

 

Grant me a patient disposition—that I would not blindly rush past any invitation of the Holy Spirit for me to be a part of what You are doing to change the hearts and lives of those You put before me.

 

Grant me a merciful attitude—that I would make allowances for the faults of others, out of my love for them—remembering that all of us are broken in some way and need Your healing touch.

 

Show me how to love others, just as Jesus has loved me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

An Example to Follow

 

 

I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

 

—John 13:15 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, to us all! May I always follow His example of obedience, humility, and sacrifice, as I serve those whom You have entrusted to me, with the love of Christ.

 

Help me to follow His perfect example. May I reflect His heart more perfectly, offer His grace more compassionately, speak His Truth only out of love, and emulate His servant leadership more completely.

 

Help me to walk in His humility. May I set aside all my pride—not considering anything You ask me to do to be beneath me—and joyfully embrace any invitation that You give me to be a part of what You are doing.

 

Help me to love as Jesus loves. Make me humbly and willingly obedient to every command and instruction of Your Word and every prompting of Your Holy Spirit within me, as evidence of my love for You and my love for my neighbor, for Your glory, honor, and praise. 

 

Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, to us all! May I always follow His example of obedience, humility, and sacrifice, as I serve those whom You have entrusted to me, with the love of Christ.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Our Present Troubles

 

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

 

—2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Renew me once again today, so that I won’t be tempted to give up!

 

Help me to draw on the power of Your Holy Spirit within me, to renew my strength, so I can boldly face what lies before me today.

 

Remind me that though my body has been aging since the day I was born, You cause me to be renewed in the inner man of my spirit—so that I can find new life in You, discover more about who You are, and become more like You every day.

 

Show me how to trust and hope in You, for I know the temporary troubles that I face, You will use for my good—to mold and fashion me into the person that You want me to be, for Your glory.

 

Grant me the humility to accept my human limitations, recognize my dependence on You, and to take my eyes off my troubles long enough to see You—for it is only by Your great power that I am saved me out of them all!

 

And help me to embrace each moment of the life You have given me and walk in the joy and peace that You have called me into—until You call me home to be forever with You in glory. 

 

Renew me once again today, so that I won’t be tempted to give up! 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Because People Disobey

 

 

Rivers of tears gush from my eyes
    because people disobey your instructions.

 

—Psalm 119:136 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Ever-Loving LORD,

 

May my heart break—along with Yours—and may my tears gush over the disobedience of Your people!

 

I confess that my heart has not been truly broken and far too few of my tears have been shed over the choices that Your own people have made to disobey, dishonor, and disregard Your instructions.

 

Instead of being broken, my heart has been self-righteously critical and judging of others when I witness the mess that they have made of their lives by the choices that they have made—thinking in my heart that they have gotten what they deserve.

 

Then I am reminded that I, too, have broken Your heart through my own disobedience and am deserving of much worse than I have received—and yet, You have loved me back to Yourself, time and time again.

 

Help my heart to break over sin—both mine own and the sins of others—and show me how to love others in the same way You have shown Your love to me. 

 

Grant me the humility of heart to love them as You would have me love them—to love them enough to love them back to You!

 

May my heart break—along with Yours—and may my tears gush over the disobedience of Your people!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

His Name Will Be Called

 

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

—Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

Immanuel, God With Us,

 

Thank You for coming into our world as a baby, living a sinless life, taking our sin on Yourself, and dying in our place to gain, for us, the victory over sin and death—so that we could find our life in You!

 

You were born into the world, through a virgin girl—to be fully human—and You were conceived in her womb, by the Holy Spirit, as the Son of God—to be fully God—and sent to a world in desperate need of a Savior.  

 

You brought a new government, a new covenant—perfect and just in all its ways—that would rest on Your shoulders, and not our own, so that it would never end.

 

You are my Wonderful Counselor—awesomely wonderful in all Your ways and perfectly wise in all Your counsel.

 

You are my Mighty God—strong and powerful on my behalf, protecting me from my enemies, preserving me with Your mighty right hand and never letting me slip from Your loving grip.

 

You are my Everlasting Father—the One who gave life itself in the beginning, the One who gave life to me when I was conceived in my mother’s womb, and the One who gives me life forevermore in You.

 

You are my Prince of Peace—as in You alone do I find that peace that is far greater than I can understand, when I humbly submit myself to Your will for me.

 

Thank You for coming into our world as a baby, living a sinless life, taking our sin on Yourself, and dying in our place to gain, for us, the victory over sin and death—so that we could find our life in You!

 

In Your Most Holy and Glorious Name, Amen.