A Lamp and a Light

 

 

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.

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.

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.

No One Can Stop You!

 

 

“I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.”

 

—Job 42:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Almighty God,

 

Expand the limits of my heart, my mind, and my faith, so that I might more fully embrace the Truth of Your unlimited strength and power, unlimited knowledge and wisdom, unlimited authority and dominion, and unlimited love for me as Your child.

 

Help me to repent of all the times when, by my thoughts, words or actions, I have shown a lack of faith in the Truth of Your greatness, glory, and perfection—times when I have put limits on what I believed that You were able, or were willing, to do.

 

Help me to see, believe, and take comfort in the Truth that Your Plan cannot be stopped—cannot be restrained or prevented—even by the mistakes and misjudgments I make in my life.  You work all things—good and bad—together for my good and interweave them all into the perfection of Your plan!

 

So, help me to move boldly forward with my life, trusting that You will guide my every step and position me in the place that You want me to be, so that You can receive the greatest glory—because of Your unfailing love for us all.

Expand the limits of my heart, my mind, and my faith, so that I might more fully embrace the Truth of Your unlimited strength and power, unlimited knowledge and wisdom, unlimited authority and dominion, and unlimited love for me as Your child.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God of My Salvation

 

 

But as for me, I will look to the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

my God will hear me.

 

—Micah 7:7 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

God of My Salvation, 

 

Help me to remember that You are my source of help—that all my help surely comes from You!

 

Help me look to You and wait—in quietness of spirit and in confidence of heart—for You to save me from whatever circumstance or situation in which I find myself.

 

And help me to see Your hand working to accomplish Your plans and purposes for me along every path that You lead me down—as You teach me more about Your ways and show me Your salvation.

 

May I always cry out to You in faith—trusting that You will hear me. For You know my thoughts, even before I put them into words and are ever eager to answer the cries of my heart.

 

Help me to remember that You are my source of help—that all my help surely comes from 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.

Personally

 

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  

 

—Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Omnipresent and Sovereign LORD,

 

May my confident hope—for the facing of this day before me—be found in Your promise that You will personally go ahead of me, that You will be with me, and that You will neither fail me nor abandon me!

 

Help me to remember that You are always with me, and that where I am going, You are already there—that You have gone before me to make a way for me, so that with each step I take, I can be where You are, as You call me to Yourself.

 

Don’t allow any situations or circumstances before me draw me into fear or discouragement. Help me to reject any thoughts or doubts that come up against the Truth of Your promises to me—help me trust in Your love for me!

 

Help me to walk boldly forward into the plan that You have for me today—knowing that You will never fail me nor abandon me, but will walk with me to empower me, provide for me, and protect me along the path You have chosen for me, today.

May my confident hope—for the facing of this day before me—be found in Your promise that You will personally go ahead of me, that You will be with me, and that You will neither fail me nor abandon me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Light That Leads to Life

 

 

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

 

—John 8:12 (NLT)

 

 

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

Thank You that the darkness of evil doesn’t have the power—nor will it ever have the power—to overcome that Light we find in the Creator of life itself, Jesus Christ, whose life brings light to all humankind.  

 

Thank You that though I once was a prisoner to the evil at work in me—an evil which held me captive in sin—I am now free from its bondage, because of the Light, which exposed the works of darkness in me and showed me my desperate need for a Savior.

 

Thank You that, as I follow after Jesus, I don’t have to walk in darkness—blindly stumbling through life, driven by evil to fall into sin—but I can choose to walk in the Light of Your Truth, which leads me to life, because of the power of Christ within me.

 

Thank You that, in Jesus, I experience Your presence with me, Your love for me, Your protection over me, Your provision for all my needs, and Your guidance, as You reveal Your plan for me to truly live in the freedom of Your marvelous Light.

 

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World—so that we wouldn’t have to walk in darkness!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Trust

 

 

 

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

 

—Psalm 37:3 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

 

Loving and Gracious LORD,

 

As I purpose to put all my trust in You, LORD, help me also actively seek to do good—so that I might dwell in the safety of Your Will for my life here on earth, and be fed by Your great faithfulness.

 

May I never claim to trust You by my words but then fail to demonstrate that trust through my obedience to Your Word. Help me hold fast to the truth that only through my obedience can I demonstrate the depth of my faith—and only by my faith can I please You.

 

Show me that when I am obedient to do that which is good, You are faithful to bless me with everything that I need to accomplish Your Will—to provide for every spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental need I have, according to Your plan and purpose for me.

 

Teach me that it is only within Your Will that I can find the satisfaction, peace and joy of true contentment. So let me feed on Your faithfulness to sustain me through everything that might come against me—as You prove Yourself forever faithful and true.

 

As I purpose to put all my trust in You, LORD, help me also actively seek to do good—so that I might dwell in the safety of Your Will for my life here on earth, and be fed by Your great faithfulness.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Mark Out a Straight Path

 

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

 

—Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

When I find myself facing difficulties—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—and when I am weary from the fight, help me take a new grip on the call You have placed on my life to follow You.

 

Help me to push forward through those fears that would weaken my knees and undermine my effectiveness—as I courageously face the unknown in the confidence that I am not alone, because Your Spirit upholds me according to the power of Christ at work in me.

 

Help me to follow that straight path of willing obedience to You in all things, so that those who are weak and have been injured in this good fight of faith will see You at work—both in me and through me—and be encouraged, strengthened, healed, and made whole again in You, for Your glory!

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Prayerful, Watchful, Thankful

 

 

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

 

— Colossians 4:2 ESV 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

May I forever devote myself to continue in steadfast prayer to You and watch with great expectation and thanksgiving for You to answer with my best interests at heart—bringing You the greatest glory and me the greatest good.

 

May I never grow weary in prayer but remain steadfastly committed to deepening my personal relationship with You through continual, prayerful, conversation with You.

 

May I remain alert, watchful, and persistent in prayer, confident that You hear the requests that I make and are faithful to answer according to Your perfect timing and best plan for my life.

 

May I always be thankful to You for the answer—even before the answer comes—as an act of my faith and trust in Your mercy, grace, goodness, and unfailing love towards me.

 

May I forever devote myself to continue in steadfast prayer to You and watch with great expectation and thanksgiving for You to answer with my best interests at heart—bringing You the greatest glory and me the greatest good.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Be Still, Don't Worry

 

 

Be still in the presence of the LORD,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes.

 

—Psalm 37:7 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

Bring me into the stillness and peace of Your presence and help me wait patiently for You to act, as You work in me, through me, and all around me. Don’t allow me to worry or fret over evil people, or their wicked schemes, but keep my eyes fixed on You.

 

Help me rest confidently in Your loving presence, far from the restless anxiousness that this life brings. Make me content to be where You have me now, and assured that You never stop working, never stop unfolding Your perfect plan.

 

Help me not to get caught up in fretting over those who seem to be getting away with their evil schemes—who make a game of life and appear to be winning, as they play that game by their own set of rules and leave the truth behind to chase after lies.

 

Help me remain in Your presence and live out my life within the protection that Your instructions promise, never compromising the truth. Help me remember that as I wait for You, You will set all things right—every hurt, every offense, every injustice—according to Your perfect timing, plan and purpose, and for Your greatest glory.

 

Bring me into the stillness and peace of Your presence and help me wait patiently for You to act, as You work in me, through me, and all around me. Don’t allow me to worry or fret over evil people, or their wicked schemes, but keep my eyes fixed on You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Share Each Other's Burdens

 

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

 

—Galatians 6:2-3 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Keep me from getting so caught up in my own self-perceived importance that I fail to be obedient to Your call to share the burdens of those You place in my path.

 

Give me the heart to do the hard work of sharing the burdens of others—of lightening their load of care and helping them back to the peace and joy that You have called them to in Christ.

 

In willingly obedience, let me submit to the law of Christ—to be faithful to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and allow the love of Christ to reach through me, to love others as I have been so greatly loved.

 

Save me from the pride and arrogance that tempts me to think more of myself than I ought to think—when I know that any good in me comes from You alone, and can only be made known when I submit myself completely to Your plans and purposes for me.

Keep me from getting so caught up in my own self-perceived importance that I fail to be obedient to Your call to share the burdens of those You place in my path.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Fully Convinced!

 

 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

 

—Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

Remind me that—though my life has been filled with many mistakes, much sin, and multiple failures of my faith—You have always remained faithful to love and forgive me, and to use every circumstance I find myself in, to call me to a deeper faith in You.

 

Grant me the wisdom to seek out Your promises within the pages of Your Word, so I might, by faith, remain obedient to You in all things—and teach me to trust You even more, through my experience of Your faithfulness to me.

 

With strengthened faith, let me never again allow any doubt or unbelief to cause me to question Your faithfulness or Your ability to carry out that which You have promised—but let me remain fully convinced that You are able!

 

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.