My LORD and My King

 

 

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

 

—Judges 21:25 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

My LORD and My King,

 

May You remain forever my only LORD and King, so that the way I conduct my life will be according to Your Truth and not according to my own opinion.

 

Help me to seek Your perfect will, rather than my selfish will; Your eternal plans, rather than my fleeting plans; Your righteous desires, rather than my corrupt desires; and Your pure motives, rather than my sinful motives—so that my heart would be fully Yours and I would reflect the character of Christ.

 

Keep me from the chaos that comes from deciding for myself what is right and what is wrong—based on my own limited and flawed intellect and perspective—and give me the faith to trust You for the best answers, knowing Your intellect is infinitely beyond my own and Your perfect perspective is limitless.

 

As I commit to obediently follow Your instructions—as revealed to my spirit by the Holy Spirit through Your Word—let my actions reflect Your standards for morality, mercy, forgiveness, grace, justice, truth, and above all, love.

May You remain forever my only LORD and King, so that the way I conduct my life will be according to Your Truth and not according to my own opinion.

 

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.

Our Potter

 

 

But now, O LORD, You are our Father,
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all of us are the work of Your hand.

 

—Isaiah 64:8 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

It is You, O LORD, who has created me and given me life—and it is to You that I owe my life and my existence—so mold me as You will and make me Your very own!

 

With gentleness and patience, remove from me that which does not reflect Your long-planned purposes for my life—and smooth away any rough edges, so that I would become all that You intend for me to become, according to Your perfect design.

 

To those areas where I am vulnerable to failure, those places where I am weak, add the strength of Your grace—as You help me to seek out, and more fully depend on, the power of Your presence in my life to lead me through.

 

According to that same marvelous grace which You pour out over me, let others see Your hand at work in me and through me—that they may also want to know intimately the One who uniquely and masterfully crafted them to carry His image for His good purposes.

Like a skilled potter patiently fashions his lump of clay according to his plans, continue to make me into that uniquely original vessel which is perfectly suited for Your purposes and divinely marked for all to see—a product of Your gentle, loving hand, who bears within himself the image of his Maker.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This Same God

 

 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

 

 

 

Provider God,

 

All thanks be to You, for You are always faithful to take care of me—to supply all my needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus!

 

Because of Your faithfulness, and out of Your unfailing love for me, I have always had everything that I needed to be able to carry out Your plans and purposes for me—and so it shall be for the rest of my days.

 

Never let me forget that the supplying of my needs is not according to any of the limited resources that I can see here in the natural, but rather, according to the supernatural and inexhaustible supply of Your glorious riches—prepared for us who have found our life in Christ Jesus.

 

Help me to be faithful to carry this message of hope to others—that this same abundant and glorious supply is available to all who believe and have received the redemptive gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

 

All thanks be to You, for You are always faithful to take care of me—to supply all my needs according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

No Other Gods!

 

 

You must not have any other god but me.

   —Exodus 20:3 (NLT)

 

For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

   —John 12:43 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

O LORD, My GOD,

 

Be the only God I serve!  Help me to care only about the praise I get from You—as I trust You to show me how to think about things, to tell me what I should say, and to make me certain of everything You want me to do. 

 

Don’t allow me to be moved by what others may think—but only be moved by what You would say to me, through Your Word and by Your Spirit—so I can be set free from the bondage that I put myself in, when I try to please others.  For You are the only One who fully knows the plans You have for me.

 

Don’t allow me to exalt what I may think over what You think—so that I don’t allow my own thoughts to move me away from Your very best for me.  Keep me aware that my heart can and will deceive me—tainting my motives, making me prideful—and may work to push You from Your rightful place within me.

 

Don’t allow me to have any other gods before you—whether it be people, things, ideas, or even myself.  Let there only be one throne in my heart, reserved for You.  May You be pleased with me as I put all my faith in You—as I walk in step with You in freedom!

 

Be the only God I serve!  Help me to care only about the praise I get from You—as I trust You to show me how to think about things, to tell me what I should say, and to make me certain of everything You want me to do. 

 

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.

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.

Seven Detestable Things

 

There are six things the LORD hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family.

 —Proverbs 6:16-19 (NLT)

 

 

 

LORD of my Heart,

 

Help me surrender all my heart and life to You—so You would have no reason to detest the things that You find in me.

Remove any haughtiness or conceitedness from within me—especially when my eyes show contempt for others. Keep me from sinning by thinking more highly of myself than I ought to, while undervaluing others.

 

Check me by Your Spirit should any lie be formed in my heart—before it spills across my tongue—that my words would always reflect that I hold Truth as sacred in my life.

 

Purge from me any desire for the shedding of innocent blood—for cruelty or bloodthirstiness.  Help me to have precious reverence for the sanctity of life.

 

Expose any tendency to devise wickedness in my heart or to entertain or rehearse evil plans in my mind—that I might chose to meditate only on what is good and right.

 

Make my feet quick to run to do what is good, so that my feet will be kept from that which is evil.

 

Let me only speak the truth about others—and let those words be pleasing to You—so that I cannot be used as a tool of the enemy for his purposes.

 

And stop me from sowing any seeds of discord among my family—whether my natural family or my brothers and sisters in Christ—that unity would be preserved.

Help me surrender all my heart and life to You—so You would have no reason to detest the things that You find in me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Don't Get Sidetracked!

 

Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.

Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

 

—Proverbs 4:26-27 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

Keep me on that straight path of willing obedience to Your will and Your decrees—as You prove Your loving faithfulness to me by keeping me in every way, when I choose the safe path you have offered me.

 

And don’t allow me to get sidetracked by the distractions of this world—to wander off that path—but help me stay focused on honoring Your ever-abiding Presence with me, as You show me the next best step for me.

 

For then my feet will not follow after evil and I won’t find myself lost along the way—as I journey through this life, on my way home to You.

 

With each new day, help me to mark out the straight path for my feet—the path which leads to a more abundant life!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Great and Mighty Things

 

 

“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” 

—Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

O LORD of All Creation,

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

May I forever remain in reverent fear and overwhelming awe of Your power and majesty—as You continue to surround me with the glories of Your creation and reveal to me the intricacies of the order by which You alone have established all things.

 

Through Your unfailing love for me, teach me to know more perfectly Your will and Your ways—so that my will would be conformed to Yours, and so my prayers would be offered up in harmony with Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for me. 

 

Grant me the courage to call out boldly to you with prayers of faith.  And help me to believe that You always hear and will answer my call—and that You will reveal to me great things that I cannot discover within my own intellect or power.

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Teach Me!

 

 

Teach me to do your will,

    for you are my God;

may your good Spirit

    lead me on level ground.

 

—Psalm 143:10 (NIV)

 

 

 

Gracious LORD,

 

Teach me to do Your will, and by Your good Spirit lead me!  For You are my God—the One who leads me on level ground, ever unfolding before me Your very best plans and purposes for my life.

 

Help me to overcome my great tendency to be self-centered and self-willed—to do only what I want to do—expecting You to bless my plans and cause my self-serving purposes to succeed.

 

Show me how to set aside my own will and trust You to direct my steps according to Your will—according to Your very best for me—knowing that only by submitting myself to Your will can I ever hope to bring You honor and glory with my life.

 

Lead me, by Your good and gracious Holy Spirit, so I might walk uprightly along the level ground of Your unfailing love—on that path of willing obedience that You have called me to travel.

 

Teach me to do Your will, and by Your good Spirit lead me!  For You are my God—the One who leads me on level ground, ever unfolding before me Your very best plans and purposes for my life.

 

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.

Follow Jesus!

 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

 

—Luke 9:23 (NLT)

 

 

Dear Jesus,

 

Grant me the strength to turn away from my selfish ways and to embrace with courage and patient endurance any challenge I may face—as I daily commit to follow You, wherever You may lead me.

 

Help me always remember that my life is found in Christ—that I belong to Him and that the life I am called to live serves Your plans and purposes, not my own selfish ways.

 

Give me a sacrificial heart—one that is willing to deny myself—and give me hands and feet that move quickly and willingly toward the work at hand.

 

Help me not to merely serve You with my mouth but rather demonstrate my love and my gratitude for You, by obeying Your Word and following Your example—for Your glory, honor and praise.

 

Grant me the strength to turn away from my selfish ways and to embrace with courage and patient endurance any challenge I may face—as I daily commit to follow You, wherever You may lead me.

 

I pray these things in Your Precious Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.