As God's Obedient Children

 

 

So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

 

 —1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Since You have adopted me into Your family, claiming me as one of Your own, help me to live as Your obedient child—rejecting my old life and embracing completely the wonderful new life that You have freely offered me in Christ.

 

Save me from slipping back into the attitudes and patterns of behavior from which You rescued me—those old selfish ways that I once thought served me well, but in fact, only led me closer to my own destruction and death.

 

Since I now know better, let me always be led by Your Spirit, according to the Truth of Your Word. May I be found grateful in every circumstance and willing submitted to You in all things.

 

Continue to sanctify me, making me holy, because You are holy. Help me daily put on the clothing of Christ’s righteousness and be set apart for Your service.

 

Since You have adopted me into Your family, claiming me as one of Your own, help me to live as Your obedient child—rejecting my old life and embracing completely the wonderful new life that You have freely offered me in Christ.

 

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.

I Am Your God!

 

 

You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

 

—Ezekiel 34:31 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Sovereign LORD,

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

I am one of Your people, a sheep in Your pasture, and You expect me to listen for Your Voice and follow You obediently wherever You lead me—to place all my life in Your hands—for my own well-being.

 

You are the Good Shepherd, the One who continuously watches over me to protect me in every way—the One who loves me with an unfailing love and compassionately cares for my every need.

 

You are the Sovereign LORD, the One who created all things and the One who holds all things in Your hands—the One who bends all things according to Your will and the only One in whom I can confidently place all my faith, hope and love!

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Glory, Honor, and Power!

 

 

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

 

—Revelation 4:11 (NASB)

 

 

 

My Lord and my God,

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

You are worthy to receive glory. Help me glorify You by accurately reflecting Your character in everything that I think, say, and do—imitating the example of Jesus.

 

You are worthy to receive honor. May the value that I personally attribute to You be evident by the honor that I give to You—from within the deepest parts of my heart—as demonstrated by the way I live my life.

 

You are worthy to receive power. Help me never foolishly try to hold on to control of my life—as if I had the power to determine its course.  May I surrender it completely to the You—the One who holds my life in His powerful right hand.

 

You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power—for You created all things. By Your will alone, I was created and now exist.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I Have Given Rest . . . and Joy!

 

 

 

“For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

 

—Jeremiah 31:25 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

O God, the One who sees me,

 

In those times when I become weary, in those times when sorrow fills my heart, may I find in You the rest You promise, and may You strengthen me with inexpressible joy!

 

You know me completely! You know how easy it is for me to let the cares of this world weigh me down. So, let me find my rest in You—as I choose to live my life in Christ.

 

You know every sorrow that fills my heart! Yet, You offer to restore me to a place of strength and gladness—as, by Your Holy Spirit, You fill me with the joy of my salvation!

 

So draw me close to You—so I can find rest for my weariness, and joy for my sorrow, in Christ Jesus alone!

 

In those times when I become weary, in those times when sorrow fills my heart, may I find in You the rest You promise, and may You strengthen me with inexpressible joy!

 

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.

Completely Love God!

 

If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.  But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him.  That is how we know we are living in him.  Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 

 —1 John 2:4-6 (NLT)

 

 Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live in the truth—to obey all the commandments of Your Word as a demonstration of my sincere love for You—so I would be found truly alive in Christ, and so my life would be an acceptable and living sacrifice to You.

 

May any claim that I make that I “know you” be established as truth by my commitment to study Your Word and to be instructed in truth by Your Spirit—in order that I would fully know and understand, then carefully follow, all Your instructions and commands.

 

May my faithful obedience to You be an outflow of my love for You, as a fitting response to the amazing love that You passionately pour out over me—a love that is unending, unfailing, unrelenting, and far beyond measure.

 

Continue to work in me to make me more like Jesus—as You call me into an ever-deepening relationship with You and cause the character of Christ to be formed within me—so that my life would be a more perfect reflection of the life of Christ.

 

Help me to live in the truth—to obey all the commandments of Your Word, as a demonstration of my sincere love for You—so I would be found truly alive in Christ, and so my life would be an acceptable and living sacrifice to You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

And We Beheld His Glory

 

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

—John 1:14 (NKJV)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your perfect plan to send forth Your Word to become flesh—in the fragile form of a baby—so that He could dwell among us and so we could behold His Glory!

Help me to be a good student of Your Word, that I might learn the lessons that Jesus came to teach us all—about who You are, and who we should be—and help me faithfully apply them to my life, so that Christ Jesus might more perfectly shine through me.

Help me to follow the example of Jesus in the way that I live my life in this world, so that my life would stand out in its uniqueness, rather than blend in with the “norms” of this world’s thinking—and would draw others to Christ.

And help me to learn to live a life of sacrifice—to represent well the life of perfect sacrifice that Jesus came to live, so that I could have an abundant life of grace and truth here and now, and eternal life with You forevermore.

Thank You for Your perfect plan to send forth Your Word to become flesh—in the fragile form of a baby—so that He could dwell among us and so we could behold His Glory!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Lead Me

 

 

Send out your light and your truth;
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
    and to your dwelling!

 

—Psalm 43:3 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Send out Your Light and Your Truth to guide me! 

 

Send out Your Light!  It is in Your Light that the paths before me are fully illuminated—that all darkness is driven away—and I can see clearly and move forward with confidence into Your plans for me.

 

Send out Your Truth!  It is in Your Truth that the perfect path that You have for me is revealed—as You graciously guide me into all Truth by the empowering of Your Spirit, who abides in me.

 

Let Your Light and Your Truth lead me into Your Glorious Presence—to that place where You live—so that I can abide there in the abundance of Your very best for me.

 

Send out Your Light and Your Truth to guide me! 

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen!

And Not Forget Your Word!

 

 

I will study your commandments

    and reflect on your ways.

I will delight in your decrees

    and not forget your word.

 

—Psalm 119:15-16 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

May I forever study Your commandments and reflect on Your ways! Let Your decrees be my delight and may I never forget Your Word!

 

Help me to study Your commands that I might know the Truth behind all that You have commanded us in Your Word—and rightly apply that Truth to my life and more perfectly live my life for You.

 

Teach me to know You, as I reflect on Your ways—so that in coming to know You more completely, I can better understand Your love for each one of us and so be compelled to share that love with others around me.

 

Show me how to take my highest delight in what You have decreed—knowing that Your love for us is the foundation upon which every decree is established, each one being framed for our benefit.

 

May I forever study Your commandments and reflect on Your ways! Let Your decrees be my delight and may I never forget Your Word!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

An Untroubled Heart

 

 

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”

 

—John 14:1 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord Jesus,

 

As we live our lives in this very troubled world, help us to remember Your instruction to us—help us never allow our hearts to be troubled.

 

Thank You for not only giving us this instruction, but also for empowering us to obey this instruction by showing us the pathway to an untroubled heart—that an untroubled heart trusts in God, and trusts in You.

 

Show us how our capacity to trust in You is dependent on the depth of our relationship with You—and that the depth of that relationship is determined by our understanding of who You are and of Your great love for us, which is revealed to us in the Word and by the Spirit.

 

Help us to realize that the more that we act on the Truth we find in Your Word, and put our trust in You, the more we give You the opportunity to show Yourself faithful to us, which in turn causes our trust to grow because of our experience of that faithfulness.

 

As we live our lives in this very troubled world, help us to remember Your instruction to us—help us never allow our hearts to be troubled.

 

In Your beautiful and powerful name, I pray, Lord Jesus. Amen.

 

Your Most Essential Need

 

 

“Seek the LORD [search diligently for Him and long for Him as your most essential need] so that you may live….”

 

—Amos 5:6a (AMP)

 

 

 

 

LORD of Life,

 

Help me keep my relationship with You in its rightful place—as the most important thing in my life—so that I can truly live.

 

Give me a heart to seek after You—to search for You diligently—that I would know and better understand Your character and Your attributes, as You reveal them to me, in Your Word and by Your Spirit.

 

Within my understanding of who You are, help me also to discover who I am to You—along with Your expectations for how I should relate to You, and honor You with my life.

 

Be my deepest longing and help me to realize that You alone are my most essential need.  For in You I find everything I need for this life here on earth, as You prepare me for the life that is to come.

 

Help me keep my relationship with You in its rightful place—as the most important thing in my life—so that I can truly live.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Turn, and Live!

 

 

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.

 

— Ezekiel 18:32 ESV

 

 

Dear Lord GOD, 

 

Thank you that even in my unfaithful wanderings away from You, You never wanted me to die. You wanted me to turn back to You and live!

 

Thank You for loving me with an unfailing love and for the unrelenting way that You call me to Yourself—because You want me to be in right relationship with You.

 

Thank You for showing me that You want me to walk in the abundant life that is available to all who will accept Jesus as their Savior, and who choose to make Him Lord of their lives.

 

So, help me to trust and obey each command and instruction of Your Word and every prompting of Your Spirit within me. Help me turn my back on the sin that leads me to death, and walk, with Christ, down the path that leads me to the life you want me to have in Him.

 

Thank you that even in my unfaithful wanderings away from You, You never wanted me to die. You wanted me to turn back to You and live!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Came When I Called

 

 

Yes, you came when I called;

    you told me, “Do not fear.”

Lord, you have come to my defense;

    you have redeemed my life.

 

—Lamentations 3:57-58 (NLT)

 

 

 

Faithful Lord, My Redeemer,

 

Thank You that, because of Your faithfulness to me, I don’t ever have to be afraid.

 

Thank You for being the God who hears me when I call out to You in prayer—the One who comes to me and speaks words of comfort to my soul, the One who speaks only truth and tells me, “Do not fear.”

 

Thank You for coming to defend me, by surrounding me with Your angelic armies—who fight against every attack of the enemy as he seeks to destroy me—and for ushering me safely through every battle by covering me in Your unfailing love.

 

Thank You for redeeming my life—for sending Christ to lay down his life and pay the price I could never pay—that I might find my life in Him, and live that life for Him alone!

 

Thank You that, because of Your faithfulness to me, I don’t ever have to be afraid.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.