Delight and Desires

 

 

 

Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

 

—Psalm 37:4-5 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

Let the deepest desires of my heart, my greatest pleasure, and my most complete joy simply be found in experiencing the blessing of Your Presence in my life—as I commit all that I am to You and trust You to help me, no matter what I face.

 

This day, may I truly take delight in You, as I seek to know You in a more intimate and personal way, and as I make this commitment to walk in Your Presence—to walk continually mindful of the truth that You are always right here with me.

 

As I seek to understand more completely the vastness of Your unfailing love for me, the mystery of the perfection of Your ways, and as I reflect on Your steadfast faithfulness to me, help me learn to trust You even more. 

 

Help me to commit all that I do to You, so my heart’s desires will be melded with Your will for my life, and so I can walk fearlessly in the plans and purposes that You have for me—as I make the choice to believe that You will always empower and equip me in every way, for the good plans You have for me.

 

Let the deepest desires of my heart, my greatest pleasure, and my most complete joy simply be found in experiencing the blessing of Your Presence in my life—as I commit all that I am to You and trust You to help me, no matter what I face.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Come and Pray!

 

 

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

—Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NASB)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

Give me the wisdom to call upon You, come to You, pray to You—with an unwavering faith that believes You listen to hear my every prayer. Help me seek You with my whole heart, fully confident that You are the God who can be found—the God who desires that all His children find Him.

 

Thank You that You are not a god who is unconcerned about those things that concern me—but rather, the God who is intimately acquainted with my every need, and with every desire of my heart.

 

Thank You that, when I come to You in prayer, You are eager to put into action Your already existing plan to provide for my every need—in accord with what is the very best for me—because You always have my best interests at heart.

 

So, help me to seek You with all my heart—holding nothing back—knowing that as I seek You, You will reveal Yourself to me and draw me into that close, intimate and personal relationship that You desire to have with me. 

 

Give me the wisdom to call upon You, come to You, pray to You—with an unwavering faith that believes You listen to hear my every prayer.  Help me seek You with my whole heart, fully confident that You are the God who can be found—the God who desires that all His children find Him.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Choose to Obey God!

 

 

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

 

—Romans 6:16 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to remember that I become the slave of whatever I choose to obey—and may I always choose
to obey You, so that I might live a righteous life, in Christ, before You.

 

Help me to be careful, in every choice I make today, to choose that which honors You—so that in my choosing I don’t enslave myself once again to sin.

 

Help me look to the Truth of Your Word to be my standard, and to listen to Your Holy Spirit as You teach me, along that path of becoming more and more like Christ. 

 

Let my obedience, be proof of my love for you—as You take me to that place of intimate and personal relationship with You, where I find the abundant life You have hidden there for me in Christ.

 

Help me to remember that I become the slave of whatever I choose to obey—and may I always choose to obey You, so that I might live a righteous life, in Christ, before You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Like a Breath of Air

 

 

O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them,
    mere mortals that you should think about them?

For they are like a breath of air;
    their days are like a passing shadow.

 

—Psalm 144:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

O LORD, Our Father in Heaven,

Out the vastness of all that You have created, You choose not only to notice us, but to pour out over us Your mercy, grace, and love, in abundance!  Such things are too great for me to ever fully understand—and yet I believe!

 

What is it about human beings—mere mortals—that You should pay us any attention, that You should set Your thoughts on any one of us?  And why would a holy, righteous, and just God want anything to do with me?

 

The answer lies somewhere in the truth that though You are holy, righteous, and just, You are also equally merciful, gracious, and loving.  It is the completeness of Your perfect character that has chosen to call us into relationship with You.

 

You have loved us, chosen us, called us, and wanted us in this intimate relationship with You so that we could be made perfect in Christ—and so we would show forth the glories of our God to all the world with our lives! 

 

So, though I may not see or fully understand Your plans and purposes for my short life, may I submit myself to Your Will in all things—trusting in Your great love for me—and love You back as a reflection of all the love I have been given.

 

Out of the vastness of all that You have created, You choose not only to notice us, but to pour out over us Your mercy, grace, and love, in abundance!  Such things are too great for me to ever fully understand—and yet I believe!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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.

One Thing

 

 

One thing I ask from the LORD,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
    and to seek him in his temple. 

 

 —Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

 

 

O LORD My God,

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

King David wrote of his desire to make Your house his home—knowing that Your house was where Your Presence could be found, and that in Your Presence he would find everything that He needed.

 

And so, it is true for me, that in Your Presence I can experience provision for all my needs, protection from all my enemies, comfort for all my sorrows, wisdom to discern the truth of Your Word, knowledge beyond my own intellect, the power, strength and courage to do Your will, and a peace that surpasses my own understanding.

 

Help me to be ever mindful that You are always with me, You never leave my side, and that You are, in truth, alive within me—so that I won’t be tempted to wander my own way, but can personally experience all the grace and truth of the abundant life that I find, when I seek out Your Presence.

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Glorious Splendor, Wondrous Works

 

 

 

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,

And on Your wondrous works.

 

—Psalm 145:5 (NKJV)

 

 

 

Almighty and Glorious God,

 

Let me meditate on the majestic and glorious splendor of who You are and on the wondrous works of Your hand—works that are on full display before me in every moment of my life.

 

Help me to constantly consider the magnificence of Your sovereign power and stand in awe of You, who—by Your great power and by the Word of Your  mouth—created all there is from nothing.

 

Help me to be overwhelmed by the perfect brilliancy of Your character and—since You have made me in Your own image—walk in the hope that I might reflect enough of that brilliance of character that others would be drawn to You by the Christ they see in me.

 

Help me to recognize the wondrous works of Your hand in the beauty that surrounds me and overtakes me—as well as in the minutest details of my personal life—as You reveal to me Your intimate interest in every facet of my existence, by Your faithful and unfailing love.

 

Let me meditate on the majestic and glorious splendor of who You are and on the wondrous works of Your hand—works that are on full display before me in every moment of my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Right Path!

 

Show me the right path, O LORD;
    point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you.

 

—Psalm 25:4-5 (NLT)

 

O LORD, My GOD,

 

Show me the right path—the road that I should follow, the way that I should go.  Lead me by Your Truth, teach me by Your Spirit, and save me in every way—as I put all my hope in You, through every moment of each new day.

 

Help me to find the path that is right and good—the road where I find myself walking in intimate, personal relationship with You—where I choose to humbly serve You and obediently submit to Your will for me in all things.

 

By the power of Your Holy Spirit at work within me, open my heart to receive the Truth You have waiting for me in Your Word—as You teach me to apply that Truth to every situation and circumstance, so I might always journey forward, moving ever closer to You.

 

Help me never forget that You are the God who saves me in every way—emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually—so that I put all my hope in You, no matter what I face.

 

Show me the right path—the road that I should follow, the way that I should go.  Lead me by Your Truth, teach me by Your Spirit, and save me in every way—as I put all my hope in You, through every moment of each new day.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Desires of Your Heart

 

 

Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

 

—Psalm 37:4-5 (NASB)

 

Loving LORD,

 

Let the deepest desires of my heart, my greatest pleasure, and my most complete joy simply be found in experiencing the blessing of Your Presence in my life—as I commit all that I am to You and trust You to help me, no matter what I face.

 

This day, may I truly take delight in You, as I seek to know You in a more intimate and personal way, and as I make this commitment to walk in Your Presence—to walk continually mindful of the truth that You are always right here with me.

 

As I seek to understand more completely the vastness of Your unfailing love for me, the mystery of the perfection of Your ways, and as I reflect on Your steadfast faithfulness to me, help me learn to trust You even more. 

 

Help me to commit all that I do to You, so my heart’s desires will be melded with Your will for my life, and so I can walk fearlessly in the plans and purposes that You have for me—as I make the choice to believe that You will always empower and equip me in every way, for the good plans You have for me.

 

Let the deepest desires of my heart, my greatest pleasure, and my most complete joy simply be found in experiencing the blessing of Your Presence in my life—as I commit all that I am to You and trust You to help me, no matter what I face.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I Will Listen to You

 

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

—Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NASB)

 

Loving LORD,

 

Give me the wisdom to call upon You, come to You, pray to You—with an unwavering faith that believes You listen to hear my every prayer. Help me seek You with my whole heart, fully confident that You are the God who can be found—the God who desires that all His children find Him.

 

Thank You that You are not a god who is unconcerned about those things that concern me—but rather, the God who is intimately acquainted with my every need, and with every desire of my heart.

 

Thank You that, when I come to You in prayer, You are eager to put into action Your already existing plan to provide for my every need—in accord with what is the very best for me—because You always have my best interests at heart.

 

So, help me to seek You with all my heart—holding nothing back—knowing that as I seek You, You will reveal Yourself to me and draw me into that close, intimate and personal relationship that You desire to have with me. 

 

Give me the wisdom to call upon You, come to You, pray to You—with an unwavering faith that believes You listen to hear my every prayer.  Help me seek You with my whole heart, fully confident that You are the God who can be found—the God who desires that all His children find Him.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

What You Choose to Obey

 

 

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

 

—Romans 6:16 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to remember that I become the slave of whatever I choose to obey—and may I always choose to obey You, so that I might live a righteous life, in Christ, before You.

 

Help me to be careful, in every choice I make today, to choose that which honors You—so that in my choosing I don’t enslave myself once again to sin.

 

Help me look to the Truth of Your Word to be my standard, and to listen to Your Holy Spirit as You teach me, along that path of becoming more and more like Christ. 

 

Let my obedience, be proof of my love for you—as You take me to that place of intimate and personal relationship with You, where I find the abundant life You have hidden there for me in Christ.

 

Help me to remember that I become the slave of whatever I choose to obey—and may I always choose to obey You, so that I might live a righteous life, in Christ, before You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

What are Human Beings?

 

O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them,
    mere mortals that you should think about them?

For they are like a breath of air;
    their days are like a passing shadow.

 

—Psalm 144:3-4 (NLT)

 

O LORD, Our Father in Heaven,

Out the vastness of all that You have created, You choose not only to notice us, but to pour out over us Your mercy, grace, and love, in abundance!  Such things are too great for me to ever fully understand—and yet I believe!

 

What is it about human beings—mere mortals—that You should pay us any attention, that You should set Your thoughts on any one of us?  And why would a holy, righteous, and just God want anything to do with me?

 

The answer lies somewhere in the truth that though You are holy, righteous, and just, You are also equally merciful, gracious, and loving.  It is the completeness of Your perfect character that has chosen to call us into relationship with You.

 

You have loved us, chosen us, called us, and wanted us in this intimate relationship with You so that we could be made perfect in Christ—and so we would show forth the glories of our God to all the world with our lives! 

 

So, though I may not see or fully understand Your plans and purposes for my short life, may I submit myself to Your Will in all things—trusting in Your great love for me—and love You back as a reflection of all the love I have been given.

 

Out of the vastness of all that You have created, You choose not only to notice us, but to pour out over us Your mercy, grace, and love, in abundance!  Such things are too great for me to ever fully understand—and yet I believe!

 

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.

This Only Do I Seek

 

One thing I ask from the LORD,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
    and to seek him in his temple. 

 —Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

 

O LORD My God,

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

King David wrote of his desire to make Your house his home—knowing that Your house was where Your Presence could be found, and that in Your Presence he would find everything that He needed.

 

And so, it is true for me, that in Your Presence I can experience provision for all my needs, protection from all my enemies, comfort for all my sorrows, wisdom to discern the truth of Your Word, knowledge beyond my own intellect, the power, strength and courage to do Your will, and a peace that surpasses my own understanding.

 

Help me to be ever mindful that You are always with me, You never leave my side, and that You are, in truth, alive within me—so that I won’t be tempted to wander my own way, but can personally experience all the grace and truth of the abundant life that I find, when I seek out Your Presence.

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.