The Light Was Good!

 

 

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

 

—Genesis 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creator of Light and Life,

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

You spoke, “Let there be light,” and light came into being from nothing—forever demonstrating for us the creative power of Your spoken Word. 

 

Knowing that You have made me in Your image, may I ever be mindful that the words I speak also contain a power to create—either something that is good, or something that is evil. 

 

Forgive me, LORD, for too often my careless words have created doubt, instead of hope; resentment, instead of respect; discouragement, instead of encouragement; hurt, instead of healing; darkness, instead of light; and death, instead of life.

 

Just as You saw that the light was good, help me to speak in such a way that I might see good things created from the words that You give me to speak—that with every word, I would represent Christ well and bring You glory.

 

Help me to walk fully in Your light—so I can be the messenger of light, that You created me to be, to those who are lost and separated from You by the evil darkness of this world.

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

A Dangerous Trap!

 

 

 

Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
    but trusting the LORD means safety.

 

—Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)

 

 

Loving and Caring LORD,

 

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

 

Don’t allow me to let my fear of people keep me from doing that which You have called me to do, or from being who You have called me to be—but help me keep my eyes focused on You, so that I won’t be enslaved by the power that the fear of others can hold over me.

Let me fear You only—to respect, reverence, and honor You with wholehearted trust—knowing that You are well able to turn what others intend for evil into great good, and to protect me and provide for my every need, through Christ Jesus.

And let me fully experience the liberating freedom of rejoicing in all things, by placing them and leaving them all—both the overwhelmingly big and the seemingly small—in Your hands for safe keeping, with the absolute assurance that You are always in control and want the very best for us all.

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Remember Your Mercy!

 

 

I have heard all about you, LORD.
    I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
    help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
    remember your mercy.

                 —Habakkuk 3:2 (NLT)

 

 

 

Merciful LORD,

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness! 

 

As I search the words of Your Holy Scriptures, fill me with awe and wonder—with reverential fear and respect—because of Your amazing works and the demonstrations of Your unlimited power and unfailing love for Your people.

 

Remind me of all the times that You have tempered Your anger toward the unfaithfulness of Your people with Your mercy—so that they were not destroyed, and the glory of Your Name could continue to be proclaimed throughout the world by the remnants of the faithful.

 

And grant us, again today, Your mercy—that Your glory might yet shine from within us, that we would return to You in repentance, and find You waiting there to help us, just as You did in years gone by.

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness!

 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Offer Forgiveness

 

LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,

    who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness,

    that we might learn to fear you.

 

—Psalm 130:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Gracious and Merciful God,

 

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

 

If You kept a record of my sins, how could I ever survive?  For my sin would be an ever-enlarging, impenetrable wall of judgment that kept me separated from You—that kept me from the strength of Your presence and left me to face this world on my own. How could I live without You?

 

But You, LORD, hold no grudge against me, when I sincerely repent of my sins—when I turn my back on my sinful behavior, ask for Your forgiveness, and pursue the ways of truth and life. 

 

You remove my sin—that wall of separation—and You look upon me as if I had never sinned, so that I can continue in fellowship with You, being strengthened by Your presence, so I can offer You the reverential respect and awe that is due You.

 

Help me to use Your model of complete forgiveness, when I forgive others—by not keeping a record of wrongs—so that the walls between myself and others may be torn down and I can live at peace with all men.

 

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Respect, Love, Fear, Honor

 

 

Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

 

—1 Peter 2:17 (AMP)

 

Holy God,

 

May my fear of You—my absolute reverence and overwhelming awe of You—be proven by my obedience to all Your commandments.

 

I confess that I have not always shown respect for all people—that I have forgotten that every one of us has been made in Your image, and therefore is worthy of being treated with respect.

 

I confess that it is easy to respect and treat honorably those who agree with what I believe, but very difficult for me when it is apparent to me that they are not living in the Truth of Your Word.

 

I confess that I have not loved my brothers and sisters in Christ as I should—much less the unbelievers of this world, or those that You have placed in authority over me.

 

Forgive me I pray, and help me to remember that You control all things—that You give power and authority over me to whomever You choose—in order to bring about Your plans and purposes for us. 

 

And help me to remember that my part remains the same:  to fear and worship You alone, as I put all my hope in Christ; to show respect to all people and treat them honorably; to love well my brothers and sisters in Christ; and, as much as I can do so, without violating Your commandments, to give honor to those in authority over me.

 

May Your Kingdom come, and Your Will be done—that the whole earth would be filled with Your Glory!

 

May my fear of You—my absolute reverence and overwhelming awe of You—be proven by my obedience to all Your commandments.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Light!

 

 

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

 

—Genesis 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

Creator of Light and Life,

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

You spoke, “Let there be light,” and light came into being from nothing—forever demonstrating for us the creative power of Your spoken Word. 

 

Knowing that You have made me in Your image, may I ever be mindful that the words I speak also contain a power to create—either something that is good, or something that is evil. 

 

Forgive me, LORD, for too often my careless words have created doubt, instead of hope; resentment, instead of respect; discouragement, instead of encouragement; hurt, instead of healing; darkness, instead of light; and death, instead of life.

 

Just as You saw that the light was good, help me to speak in such a way that I might see good things created from the words that You give me to speak—that with every word, I would represent Christ well and bring You glory.

 

Help me to walk fully in Your light—so I can be the messenger of light, that You created me to be, to those who are lost and separated from You by the evil darkness of this world.

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

Fearing People, A Dangerous Trap

 

Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
    but trusting the LORD means safety.

—Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)

Loving and Caring LORD,

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

Don’t allow me to let my fear of people keep me from doing that which You have called me to do, or from being who You have called me to be—but help me keep my eyes focused on You, so that I won’t be enslaved by the power that the fear of others can hold over me.

Let me fear You only—to respect, reverence, and honor You with wholehearted trust—knowing that You are well able to turn what others intend for evil into great good, and to protect me and provide for my every need, through Christ Jesus.

And let me fully experience the liberating freedom of rejoicing in all things, by placing them and leaving them all—both the overwhelmingly big and the seemingly small—in Your hands for safe keeping, with the absolute assurance that You are always in control and want the very best for us all.

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Remember Your Mercy!

 

I have heard all about you, LORD.
    I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
    help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
    remember your mercy.

                       —Habakkuk 3:2 (NLT)

Merciful LORD,

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness! 

 

As I search the words of Your Holy Scriptures, fill me with awe and wonder—with reverential fear and respect—because of Your amazing works and the demonstrations of Your unlimited power and unfailing love for Your people.

 

Remind me of all the times that You have tempered Your anger toward the unfaithfulness of Your people with Your mercy—so that they were not destroyed, and the glory of Your Name could continue to be proclaimed throughout the world by the remnants of the faithful.

 

And grant us, again today, Your mercy—that Your glory might yet shine from within us, that we would return to You in repentance, and find You waiting there to help us, just as You did in years gone by.

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness! 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Offer Forgiveness

 

LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,

    who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness,

    that we might learn to fear you.

 

—Psalm 130:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

Gracious and Merciful God,

 

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

 

If You kept a record of my sins, how could I ever survive?  For my sin would be an ever-enlarging, impenetrable wall of judgment that kept me separated from You—that kept me from the strength of Your presence and left me to face this world on my own.  How could I live without You?

 

But You, LORD, hold no grudge against me, when I sincerely repent of my sins—when I turn my back on my sinful behavior, ask for Your forgiveness, and pursue the ways of truth and life. 

 

You remove my sin—that wall of separation—and You look upon me as if I had never sinned, so that I can continue in fellowship with You, being strengthened by Your presence, so I can offer You the reverential respect and awe that is due You.

 

Help me to use Your model of complete forgiveness, when I forgive others—by not keeping a record of wrongs—so that the walls between myself and others may be torn down and I can live at peace with all men.

 

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Fear and Serve the LORD

 

Only fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider how great are the things He has done for you.

 

—1 Samuel 12:24 (AMPC)

 

Great and Glorious God,

 

Let me forever stand in Your presence and tremble with awe at the greatness of Your absolute power and authority—and out of my gratefulness for who You are, and for all that You have done for me, may I faithfully serve You with all that I am.

 

Let every part of me always be filled with reverential fear, deepest respect, and complete humility, because of the majesty of all that You are—and grant me the undeserved privilege of being used by You in Your glorious plan for us all.

 

May my gratitude, for what You have done to bring us into relationship with You, continuously flow from my heart in thanksgiving—as it permeates my thoughts, guides my words, and determines my actions, with each new day You give to me.

 

And may I never forget how many truly great things You have done for me, personally—things You did so I could experience for myself the depth of the compassion, mercy, forgiveness, grace, patience, kindness, and gentleness with which You pour out Your love over me.

 

Let me forever stand in Your presence and tremble with awe at the greatness of Your absolute power and authority—and out of my gratefulness for who You are, and for all that You have done for me, may I faithfully serve You with all that I am.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Fear God

 

Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

 

—1 Peter 2:17 (AMP)

 

Holy God,

 

May my fear of You—my absolute reverence and overwhelming awe of You—be proven by my obedience to all Your commandments.

 

I confess that I have not always shown respect for all people—that I have forgotten that every one of us has been made in Your image, and therefore is worthy of being treated with respect.

 

I confess that it is easy to respect and treat honorably those who agree with what I believe, but very difficult for me when it is apparent to me that they are not living in the Truth of Your Word.

 

I confess that I have not loved my brothers and sisters in Christ as I should—much less the unbelievers of this world, or those that You have placed in authority over me.

 

Forgive me I pray, and help me to remember that You control all things—that You give power and authority over me to whomever You choose—in order to bring about Your plans and purposes for us. 

 

And help me to remember that my part remains the same:  to fear and worship You alone, as I put all my hope in Christ; to show respect to all people and treat them honorably; to love well my brothers and sisters in Christ; and, as much as I can do so without violating Your commandments, to give honor to those in authority over me.

 

May Your Kingdom come, and Your Will be done—that the whole earth would be filled with Your Glory!

 

May my fear of You—my absolute reverence and overwhelming awe of You—be proven by my obedience to all Your commandments.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Bringing Light and Life

 

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

 

—Genesis 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

 

Creator of Light and Life,

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

You spoke, “Let there be light,” and light came into being from nothing—forever demonstrating for us the creative power of Your spoken Word. 

 

Knowing that You have made me in Your image, may I ever be mindful that the words I speak also contain a power to create—either something that is good, or something that is evil. 

 

Forgive me, LORD, for too often my careless words have created doubt, instead of hope; resentment, instead of respect; discouragement, instead of encouragement; hurt, instead of healing; darkness, instead of light; and death, instead of life.

 

Just as You saw that the light was good, help me to speak in such a way that I might see good things created from the words that You give me to speak—that with every word, I would represent Christ well and bring You glory.

 

Help me to walk fully in Your light—so I can be the messenger of light, that You created me to be, to those who are lost and separated from You by the evil darkness of this world.

 

Let every word I speak be birthed out of truth, seasoned with grace, spoken in faith, and motivated by love—bringing light and life to anyone who has ears to hear. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

A Dangerous Trap

 

Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
    but trusting the LORD means safety.

 

—Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)

 

Loving and Caring LORD,

 

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

 

Don’t allow me to let my fear of people keep me from doing that which You have called me to do, or from being who You have called me to be—but help me keep my eyes focused on You, so that I won’t be enslaved by the power that the fear of others can hold over me.

 

Let me fear You only—to respect, reverence, and honor You with wholehearted trust—knowing that You are well able to turn what others intend for evil into great good, and to protect me and provide for my every need, through Christ Jesus.

 

And let me fully experience the liberating freedom of rejoicing in all things, by placing them and leaving them all—both the overwhelmingly big and the seemingly small—in Your hands for safe keeping, with the absolute assurance that You are always in control and want the very best for us all.

Keep me far from the dangerous trap of fearing people—whether it is a fear of what they may think of me, or a fear of what they might try to do to me, or even a fear of what they might choose to do to themselves—and help me find my safety and rest in trusting You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Even Still Have Mercy!

 

I have heard all about you, LORD.
    I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
    help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
    remember your mercy.

                       —Habakkuk 3:2 (NLT)

 

Merciful LORD,

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness! 

 

As I search the words of Your Holy Scriptures, fill me with awe and wonder—with reverential fear and respect—because of Your amazing works and the demonstrations of Your unlimited power and unfailing love for Your people.

 

Remind me of all the times that You have tempered Your anger toward the unfaithfulness of Your people with Your mercy—so that they were not destroyed, and the glory of Your Name could continue to be proclaimed throughout the world by the remnants of the faithful.

 

And grant us, again today, Your mercy—that Your glory might yet shine from within us, that we would return to You in repentance, and find You waiting there to help us, just as You did in years gone by.

 

In this time of our deep need, please help us once again!  Though we deserve Your anger, even still have mercy upon us according to Your loving-kindness! 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

How Could I Ever Survive?

 

LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,
    who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness,
    that we might learn to fear you.

—Psalm 130:3-4 (NLT)

 

Gracious and Merciful God,

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

If You kept a record of my sins, how could I ever survive?  For my sin would be an ever-enlarging, impenetrable wall of judgment that kept me separated from You—that kept me from the strength of Your presence and left me to face this world on my own.  How could I live without You?

But You, LORD, hold no grudge against me, when I sincerely repent of my sins—when I turn my back on my sinful behavior, ask for Your forgiveness, and pursue the ways of truth and life. 

You remove my sin—that wall of separation—and You look upon me as if I had never sinned, so that I can continue in fellowship with You, being strengthened by Your presence, so I can offer You the reverential respect and awe that is due You.

Help me to use Your model of complete forgiveness, when I forgive others—by not keeping a record of wrongs—so that the walls between myself and others may be torn down and I can live at peace with all men.

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—You completely remove my sin from me and choose to remember it no more—so that there is nothing left between us to keep me from You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.