Give Thanks to the LORD!

 

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.

 

—Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

May I always offer sincere thanks for Your enduring love and all You have done.

 

For too long I have continued in my sinful tendencies to whine and complain about things that are not within my control to change—things that You either allowed or caused to happen—instead of praising You for Your unfailing love for us, and for all the amazing things You have done, are doing, and still have yet to bring to pass.

 

Help me to understand the seriousness of continuing down the pathway of complaining—a pathway which can lead me to a place of turmoil, even to the point of questioning Your goodness and rejecting the truth of Your Sovereignty.

 

Help me to remember that You long for me to always express my thanks to You—not because You need my thanksgiving, but because within that attitude of gratefulness You cause my faith to grow and are able to satisfy the hunger and thirst of my soul with good things.

 

Work in me to keep me grateful in all situations—so that I might stay at peace and experience the joy of knowing that You are always working for my ultimate good.

May I always offer sincere thanks for Your enduring love and all You have done.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

He is the One!

 

 

“Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods. You must worship only the LORD your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies.”

—2 Kings 17:38-39 (NLT)

 

 

 

O LORD, My God,

 

You alone, O LORD, are the One who rescues me from all my enemies! May I never forget this truth.

 

I am tempted, on all sides, to put my faith in—and thus make objects of my worship—the things this world has to offer, counting on them to rescue me, keep me safe, and to sustain me during these difficult and trying times.

 

Don’t allow me to make gods of the things with which You have given to bless me. Help me instead to use every blessing, as You direct me, only to bring You glory, honor, and praise.

 

Help me cling to the truth of Your Word, being ever mindful of the power that lives in me by the Holy Spirit, who leads me into that truth—as I put all my trust and faith in the only One who can truly rescue me from all my enemies.

 

You alone, O LORD, are the One who rescues me from all my enemies! May I never forget this truth.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Comfort Others

 

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

—2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

 

Merciful and Comforting Father God,

Teach me to show others the same mercy and extend to them the same loving comfort that You pour out on me when I am weighed down with troubles.  

 

Help me be careful to give You all the praise—as the Father of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and the source of all comfort—for Your continuing faithfulness to bring good out of all my troubles.

 

Don’t let me forget that You allow hardships, so that I can experience Your faithfulness in my hardships—whether You choose to deliver me from them altogether or walk with me through them to ultimate victory in Christ.

 

Remind me that, as I find comfort and help from You in my troubles, You are equipping me then to be able to offer that same comfort to others who are troubled—and to point them to the only true source of help and hope.

Teach me to show others the same mercy and extend to them the same loving comfort that You pour out on me when I am weighed down with troubles.

 

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.

My Strength, My Song, My Salvation!

 

“Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For the LORD GOD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”

 

—Isaiah 12:2 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

LORD GOD Almighty,

 

You are my strength and song—the One who saves me in every way! I choose to trust You and not be afraid!

 

With wide-eyed wonder and an ever-grateful heart, I declare that You are my salvation—not only because of the saving work of grace that was accomplished through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, but also because of the place of perfect peace and safety You have reserved and called me to in Him. 

 

Knowing what You did for me, how can I still be afraid?  How can I not believe that You will take care of every temporal need while I am here—working all things for my good because of Your great love for me—until You take me to my forever home with You?

 

Help me to always reflect Your faithfulness to me—by my consistent obedience to Your Word and Your Spirit—as I put all my hope and faith in You for the continuing salvation that You have promised to me.

 

Be my strength—flooding the void of my weakness with Your sustaining power—equipping me in every way for every battle of faith that comes along the path upon which You have set me.

 

Be my song—overwhelming my spirit with Your Holy Spirit—so that the music of my life would be one of continual praise and thanksgiving for all You have done, and uninterrupted worship for all that You are.

You are my strength and song—the One who saves me in every way! I choose to trust You and not be afraid!

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Good Things Stored Up

 

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

—Luke 6:45 (NIV)

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

—Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Help me to become a better reflection of Your goodness—someone who chooses to fill his heart only with that which is good—so that whatever overflows from my heart and across my lips will always bring You glory!

 

Let those things I have stored up in my heart be those things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise—so that the life I live will be a pleasing offering to You and be a source of blessing to those around me.

 

Help me not to allow any evil thoughts, or the lies of the enemy, to have any place in my heart—for if I allow them to remain, they will corrupt the good treasure of my heart, and pollute and poison every part of me.

 

Through Your Word, and by Your Spirit, continue to fill my heart with Your Love and Truth—until I overflow with all things good, and become that faithful representative of my Lord, Jesus Christ, that You have called me to be.

 

Help me to become a better reflection of Your goodness—someone who chooses to fill his heart only with that which is good—so that whatever overflows from my heart and across my lips will always bring You glory!

 

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 Sing, I Cling!

 

 

Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

 

—Psalm 63:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Almighty God, My Helper,

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

While there are those who seek to find their help from the things of this world, You have shown us the Truth in Your Word—that our help is found in You alone.

 

You are the One who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence—so where else would I go to find help for my life, if not to the Creator of life, Himself?

 

Because You are my helper, I can always sing for joy—no matter what outward circumstances I face—for You shelter me under the protection of Your covering wings from the troubles of this life. 

 

As I cling to You, You hold me securely—You take on Yourself the force of each storm that comes against me—so I can fulfill Your plan and purpose for me.

 

So, let my unending song in this life be a joyful song of praise, worship and thanksgiving offered to You—my only help and my sure salvation!

May I always sing for joy, and may I forever cling to You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Hope in God!

 

 

Why am I discouraged?   

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! 

—Psalm 42:11 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

In those times when I am tempted to become discouraged, help me to reason with my heart—and remember that all my hope is found in You, my Savior and my God!

 

Help me to see that when I become discouraged, I have “mis-placed” my hope—that I have placed my hope in something or someone other than the only One who is worthy of my praise.

 

Help me to see that when my heart is saddened, I need only raise my voice to You, the One to whom all praise is due—and You will lift me up once again into your Presence, where I find the joy of my salvation and the abundant life that You offer me.

 

Because You are my Savior and my God—the One who drives away all doubt, fear, and sadness by Your love, the One who renews my courage, hope and joy—I will sing my praises to You, yet again!

 

In those times when I am tempted to become discouraged, help me to reason with my heart—and remember that all my hope is found in You, my Savior and my God!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

With JOY!

 

 

If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,

    I would have died in my misery.

I will never forget your commandments,

    for by them you give me life.

 

—Psalm 119:92-93 (NLT)

 

 

 

Father God,

 

Thank You for the sustaining joy and the abundant life that You give to all who will listen to Your instructions—to those who are careful to remember, and to obey, Your commandments!

 

Too much of my life I wandered from Your instructions—reaping the consequences of my disobedience—until finally I learned that each of Your instructions are meant to benefit me, not to harm me or hold me back from life in any way.

 

When I learned to follow Your instructions and ordered my steps by Your commandments, trouble still came my way—but misery could no longer take away my life, for You sustained me with a deep and abiding joy!

 

Let me never forget Your commands, for by them You give me abundant life—life that is rich, and deep, and full, and overflowing—so that I can do everything You have called me to do, and be all that You have called me to be, for Your glory, honor, and praise.

 

Thank You for the sustaining joy and the abundant life that You give to all who will listen to Your instructions—to those who are careful to remember, and to obey, Your commandments!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

I Devoured Them!

 

 

When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
    They are my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
    O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.

 

 —Jeremiah 15:16 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Dear LORD,

 

Keep me hungry—eager to receive and ready to apply every word that You would speak into my life. Let Your words be my joy and my heart’s delight!

 

Continue to speak to my heart through Your Holy Spirit, and by that same Spirit reveal and illuminate the words of the Bible to my spirit—that I might devour the fresh Truth that You have waiting there for me to discover.

 

Use that Truth to help me grow in obedience and faithfulness to You, so that I can live my life submitted to Truth and can become all that You have planned for me to be in Christ—for Your own glory and honor and praise.

 

For it is in Your words that I find my strength and hope! And in them I discover the responsibilities of obedience that I carry, because I have been chosen—and I have chosen—to bear Your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies!

 

Keep me hungry—eager to receive and ready to apply every word that You would speak into my life. Let Your words be my joy and my heart’s delight!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Each Heart

 

 

Each heart knows its own bitterness,
    and no one else can fully share its joy.

 

—Proverbs 14:10 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to remember that only You can fully know the depths of the hearts of the those around me—and help me to carefully consider that truth, and love them with all the love of Christ.

 

Teach me to look through eyes of compassion at each person I encounter, realizing that I do not fully know the particular experiences that have helped to shape them into the persons that they now are—whether for the good, or for the bad.

 

Don’t let me forget that each person’s heart carries its own bitterness and pain—each heart its own hurts, wounds and brokenness—which cry out, searching for healing wherever it might be found.  

 

Use me to help point the broken-hearted to Your Son, and our Savior, Jesus—the only One that can bring true healing to the broken—as I speak truth and grace, motivated by love, into their lives.

 

And help me also to rejoice with those whose hearts are rejoicing—though I can never fully share the joy that is uniquely theirs—in order that my own joy would be awakened within me, and my mouth would be filled with praise to You.

 

Help me to remember that only You can fully know the depths of the hearts of the those around me—and help me to carefully consider that truth, and love them with all the love of Christ.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Search for Good!

 

 

If you search for good, you will find favor;
    but if you search for evil, it will find you!

 

—Proverbs 11:27 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Good and Gracious Father,

 

Help me search for that which is good—as You unfold this day before me—so that evil will not find me, but I will experience favor wherever You lead.

 

Remind me that there is good to be found all around me—when I search for it! Help me to look for that good in every person I encounter and in each circumstance that I face.

 

Save me from every temptation to search for evil—and don’t let me walk away from Your sheltering protection. For I know that I will never find evil before it finds me—because it watches for every opportunity of catching me unprotected, that it might destroy me.

 

In everything, help me keep my eyes fixed on You—the Author of all things good—so that all my thoughts, words and actions will be filled with Your goodness and love, and I would bring honor to You.

 

Help me search for that which is good—as You unfold this day before me—so that evil will not find me, but I will experience favor wherever You lead.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.