Rejoice!

 

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

 

—Philippians 4:4-5 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Lord Jesus Christ,

 

Make me always mindful that You are near—for heartfelt knowledge of that truth will cause me to rejoice and will inform my every interaction with those around me.

 

Your Word instructs me to rejoice in You always—to make You my delight and to find my pleasure in You, no matter what my circumstances are, or what situations I may face—confident that You are always near to help me.

 

May my mindfulness that You are near also cause me to act with a gentle spirit toward others—unselfishly showing mercy, grace, patience, kindness, and making a loving allowance for the faults of others—while still standing up against all evil and injustice, and boldly speaking the truth in love.

 

Help me to remember that not only are You near to help, but that the time of Your return is also near—so that I will be ready and not be ashamed when I see You face to face.

 

Make me always mindful that You are near—for heartfelt knowledge of that truth will cause me to rejoice and will inform my every interaction with those around me.

 

This I pray in Your Most Holy Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Walk by the Spirit

 

 

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

 

—Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Make me make aware of Your Holy Spirit within me and help me submit to His guidance—so I won’t find myself doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

 

May my actions reflect my character, and my character be an overflow of the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that I find in Christ. 

 

Help me to be able to discern the difference between my own subjective feelings and the leading of Your Holy Spirit—as I commit to listen for, to hear, and to willingly obey all the instructions You give me through Your Word and by Your Spirit.

 

Strengthen me to live every moment of my life under the guidance and control of Your Spirit. Fill my heart with the words of Christ and cause my actions to reflect Your truth. Show me how to rely on Your power within me to control of my selfish and sinful desires. 

 

Make me more aware of Your Holy Spirit within me and help me submit to His guidance—so I won’t find myself doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

 

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.

Just Love!

 

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.  —Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

 

 

 

Dear LORD God,

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—that love that overwhelms me and consumes my soul—so that I would never miss any opportunity You give me to participate with You in loving those around me.

 

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could ever be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I may find myself.

 

Just as You have loved me, help me to love others well—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently reflecting Your love for them in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

No Greater Love!

 

 

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

 

—John 15:12-13 (NLT)

 

 

 

My Lord Jesus,

 

Help me to love others as You have loved me—to lay down my life for my friends.

 

Help me more fully understand and more completely receive Your love for me—so that same love will flow through me, in all my thoughts, words and actions, toward others.

 

Your love for me is not dependent on my love for You—for Your love continues constant, unchanging and unfailing, regardless of my faults and failures.

 

Your love for me is demonstrated in Your compassion for me—and poured out over me with mercy and grace, by Your goodness and kindness toward me.

 

Your love for me is evidenced in Your patience and gentleness with me—for Your love for me is perfectly genuine and never superficial.

 

Your love for me changes me and always points me to my Heavenly Father—back to the love relationship I was made to have with Him.

 

Your love for me is sacrificial. You laid down Your life for me, so that I could have life—so I could then follow Your example, by setting aside my will, so that the Father’s will would be done through me.

 

Help me to love others as You have loved me—to lay down my life for my friends.

 

In Your compassionate and loving Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

The Essence of All

  

 

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

 

—Matthew 7:12 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to prove my love for You, by loving others in the same way that I would want to be loved—in the same way that I have been loved by You.

 

Help me to see that how I want others to treat me goes far beyond merely wanting them to refrain from hurting me. Help me to recognize how much I desire to be truly seen and not ignored, heard and well understood, and sincerely loved despite all my failures and shortcomings—as evidenced by what others say to me and about me, and by their actions toward me.

 

Then, help me always look for opportunities to actively do those good things for others, just as I would want them to do for me—with the pure motive of a sincere heart that wants what You want for all Your children.

 

Just as You have poured over me Your immeasurable love, according to Your patience, compassion, kindness, goodness, gentleness, mercy, and grace, let me pour out all these things on others—as You empower me by Your Spirit to fulfill the law of Christ.

 

Help me to prove my love for You, by loving others in the same way that I would want to be loved—in the same way that I have been loved by You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

By the Way You Live

 

 

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

 

—Matthew 3:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Father God,

 

May the way that I live be evidence of my repentance for my sins—my decision to leave my old ways behind, to turn, and run to You.

 

Save me from the hypocrisy of claiming that I have repented of my sins, when there is no visible proof of my claim to be found in the way that I live my life.

 

Instead, help me show others—by the way I live my life—that I have been changed, been set apart to do Your will, and that I am submitted to Your will, plan and purpose for my life.

 

May the best evidence of this change in me be seen in the way that I love others—with all the compassion, kindness, patience, mercy, forgiveness, and grace which can only come through Christ.

 

May the way that I live be evidence of my repentance for my sins—my decision to leave my old ways behind, to turn, and run to You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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,

 

Let my actions be proof of my love for You and for others.

 

Let my actions show genuine love, not just my words. Fill me with Your love so that everything I say and do reflects true lovingkindness.

Help me to share Your love freely with anyone who needs it, offering it openly with compassionate kindness in every thought, word, and deed.

Guide me to remain humble before You and others, and encourage me to generously use the gifts I have been given to help meet the needs of those searching for real love.

 

Let my actions be proof of my love for You and for others.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Rid Yourselves Completely

 

 

But now rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene (abusive, filthy, vulgar) language from your mouth.

 

—Colossians 3:8 (AMP)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to purge my life completely of anything that is not pleasing to You—so that I can truly honor You, and bring You glory, by the way that I live.

 

The world around me is filled with people who live in anger and rage, people who are malicious and slanderous, and who use obscene language—and it can become tempting to my flesh to join in those things, if I spend too much time listening to the world, instead of feeding my spirit with the Truth of Your Word.

 

So, help me to turn away from those things—and as much as I am able, to remove them completely from my life—so that the things that I choose to watch, read, dwell on, and participate in, won’t become a hindrance to my becoming all that You have created me to be.

 

Help me to live according to the instruction of Your Word, so that I would show patience instead of anger, demonstrate calmness instead of rage, offer kindness instead of malice, speak truth in love instead of slander—and let words of life fill my mouth, rather than the sinful, vulgar, and blasphemous language of this world. 

 

Help me to purge my life completely of anything that is not pleasing to You—so that I can truly honor You, and bring You glory, by the way that I live.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

What the LORD Says!

 

 

“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.”

 

—Zechariah 7:9 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

O LORD of Heaven’s Armies,

 

May all my judgments be fair, and may I always show mercy and kindness to others—as I am reminded of the way You judge everything about me fairly, yet still lavish me with love and grace, pouring out Your mercy and kindness upon me.

 

Keep me from standing arrogantly in rash judgment of others—from being too quick to condemn people for how they act.  For only You can truly know the deep wounds of a person’s heart, and only You can judge their motives and intentions.

 

So instead, give me the boldness to speak the Truth in love against that which is sin—as You have revealed it in Your Word—all the while showing the same mercy and kindness that You pour out upon us all, because of Your great love for each one of us.

 

Grant me the wisdom to fairly judge for myself between that which is right and good, and that which is wrong and evil—so that I would live a life full of truth and grace, and bring glory to You in all my thoughts, words and actions.

 

May all my judgments be fair, and may I always show mercy and kindness to others—as I am reminded of the way You judge everything about me fairly, yet still lavish me with love and grace, pouring out Your mercy and kindness upon me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Honesty

 

 

An honest answer

    is like a kiss of friendship.

 

—Proverbs 24:26 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

God of Truth and Love,

 

Help me to give each person that You put in my path the high honor of always and only speaking the truth to them.

 

I don’t want to be deceived into believing that there is ever a reason for me not to be straightforward and honest with everyone.

 

For only in speaking truthfully—from a heart filled with kindness, love, and compassion—can I claim to be a true friend.

 

Help me to remember that deep down we all are searching for someone who will just tell us the complete and absolute truth—out of their genuine love for us—exactly like Jesus does.

 

Help me to be that person who always answers honestly—and in doing so, offers the true kiss of friendship.

 

Help me to give each person that You put in my path the high honor of always and only speaking the truth to them.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Unless God Gives It

 

 

John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.” 

—John 3:27 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Never allow me to forget that there is no talent that I have, no position I hold, no power I wield, and no possession I own, that You haven’t given to me—and help me to walk humbly before You in that understanding.

 

Keep me from the pride that comes when I am deceived into believing that the talents that I have are a result of my own striving—rather than the blessing of Your hand alone, which You intend to be used for Your glory and honor and praise.

 

Help me to represent Christ well in any position in which You have placed me—knowing that You have put me there to make me known, so that I would make You known to others.

 

Help me to use any power that You have entrusted to me with gentleness and kindness, to bring about good—as I reflect Your goodness in every thought I think, every decision I make, every word I speak, and every action I take.

 

And help me to hold any possession that You have given to me, with open hands lifted to You—that You might use it, or take it from me, according to Your perfect plans and purposes, that Your will would be accomplished in me.

 

Never allow me to forget that there is no talent that I have, no position I hold, no power I wield, and no possession I own, that You haven’t given to me—and help me to walk humbly before You in that understanding.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.