Wholeheartedly Committed!

 

 

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

 

—Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

O LORD my God,

 

Help me to learn to live in that place where the love I have for You flows freely out of me, in wholehearted obedience to everything You have commanded me—that place where I truly love You with everything that I am.

 

Your Word shows me that it isn’t enough just to say I love You and then go on my way—pouring my heart into my own pursuits and disregarding Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for my life.  

 

Your Word cries out for me to have a love relationship with You as it commands me to love You completely—so that there is not anyone or anything that can take Your rightful place in my heart.

 

I want my love for You to burst from my spirit and flood my mind, will and emotions—so completely saturating me that, with every ounce of strength in me, I prove my love for You in my every thought, word and action.

 

Help me commit to love You that way, so that I can fulfill all Your commands and instructions—and experience the joy of living in Your peace, under Your protection, because of Your provision for my every need.

 

Help me to learn to live in that place where the love I have for You flows freely out of me, in wholehearted obedience to everything You have commanded me—that place where I truly love You with everything that I am.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Hidden in My Heart

 

 

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

 

—Psalm 119:11 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to hide Your Word in my heart, so I might not sin against You. May it cleanse me as it continuously washes over my soul.

 

Thank You that Your Word answers everything that I encounter on my earthly journey and takes me down the path of abundant and everlasting life in Christ, both in the here and now, and forevermore.

 

Help me truly know Your Word. May it be so much more than simply lines that I recall having read. Help me to grasp the depth of meaning contained in every verse, so that, with Your Spirit as my teacher, I can receive all the life-giving Truth that each word offers me.

 

Don’t let my hunger for Your Word ever wain but may I always hide it—as I would any great treasure—within the deepest parts of my heart.  And strengthen me as I commit to meditate daily on Your Word and apply each truth that I find there to my life.

 

Help me to hide Your Word in my heart, so I might not sin against You. May it cleanse me as it continuously washes over my soul.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

This is My Comfort

 

This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me and given me life.

 

—Psalm 119:50 (AMP)

 

 

 

 

 

LORD of All Comfort,

 

Help me always run to Your Word—for only there have I found comfort when I am afflicted, a reviving for my soul, and the promised gift of new life, forevermore!

 

Grant that I would be able to see beyond any afflictions that I may face to the God who was made flesh for me, so that I can be comforted as I put my trust in the truth of both His unfailing love for me, and His faithful promises to me.

 

May my soul—my mind, will, and emotions—be continually revived and refreshed as Your Word washes over me, and may Your Spirit teach me to know and believe all that You say I am in Christ.

 

Let me forever praise and celebrate Jesus Christ with my life! For He is the One who heals me and makes me whole. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the One who gives me the promise of eternal life, fresh and anew, with every day that comes.

 

Help me always run to Your Word—for only there have I found comfort when I am afflicted, a reviving for my soul, and the promised gift of new life, forevermore!

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Perfect Instructions, Trustworthy Decrees

 

The instructions of the LORD are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.

 

— Psalm 19:7 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Dear LORD,

 

Thank You for giving me Your Word—that perfect instruction manual for my life! Your Word brings new life to my soul and shows me how even a simple man like me can become wise.

 

Thank You, that Your instructions are perfect and pure—full of only that which is good for me, and designed to equip me in every way, for every good work that You have planned for me.

 

Thank You, that Your instructions revive and renew my mind, will, and emotions, with new strength, so that I can continue to walk in that close, personal relationship with You which brings me life.

 

Thank You, that Your decrees are trustworthy, that Your words represent Your holy will and go forth in Your power. They endure throughout all generations and fulfill their purpose, as I honor them with my life.

 

Thank You that as simple-minded as I am, through Your words I grow in understanding and judgment. They give me insight into Your ways, and even grant me revelation of things that are yet to come. Your words make me wise.

 

Thank You for giving me Your Word—that perfect instruction manual for my life! Your Word brings new life to my soul and shows me how even a simple man like me can become wise.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Deep Waters

 

 

When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

 

     —Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

 

 

Loving LORD,

 

You are the One who is always with me—for you have placed Your loving affection upon me! You take each step of this life with me and are always faithful—never letting go of my hand—so that I never walk alone!

 

When I feel as if I am in too deep, like I am no longer able to touch bottom, and am drowning in my troubles, You are there to give me my next breath and to help me to regain my footing once again.

 

When I feel as if I am going to be swept away by the raging currents around me—the tides of evil that come against me—You are there to help me stand firm and to discover that You are my refuge and strength.

 

When I feel the burning oppression of the enemy seeking to consume my very soul, You are there to shield me in Your loving arms—to remind me of who I am, and assure me of Your immeasurable love for me, so that I can continue to walk with You through every attack, in victory.

 

You are the One who is always with me—for you have placed Your loving affection upon me! You take each step of this life with me and are always faithful—never letting go of my hand—so that I never walk alone!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Just Love!

 

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  No other commandment is greater than these.  —Mark 12:29-31 (NLT)

 

 

 

Dear LORD God,

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

Help me to make room within my heart, so that You can fill it completely with Your love—that love that overwhelms me and consumes my soul—so that I would never miss any opportunity You give me to participate with You in loving those around me.

 

Help me to avoid the trap of believing that there could ever be anything more important than these all-inclusive commands—commands that are not restricted by time or place, commands I should follow no matter where I may find myself.

 

Just as You have loved me, help me to love others well—with that same compassion, patience, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, and grace that You have shown me—by willingly and obediently reflecting Your love for them in all my thoughts, words, and actions.

 

Oh, that I could more perfectly return to You that same love with which You first loved me—and then actively love others in the same way that I love myself!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Turn . . . and Be Saved!

 

 

 

Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.”

 

—Isaiah 45:22 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Righteous God and Savior,

 

From all the ends of the earth, may each soul You have created turn to You—the One and Only God—and be saved!

 

You are indeed God, and there is no other. You created all that there is and set in perfect motion every interdependent complexity of Your creation.

 

You created each one of us to bear Your image and placed us within Your creation, so that we could know You through a deep and personal relationship with you, to worship You, and to bring You glory.

 

You have made known to us Your love for us and made Your creation to declare to us the wonders of Your power and goodness—that we would make You known to the ends of the earth.

 

May we continue to turn to You in every moment of this day—to turn to the only One who can save us—and find that You are the God who is faithful to save, always.

 

From all the ends of the earth, may each soul You have created turn to You—the One and Only God—and be saved!

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Love the LORD!

 

 

“Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”

 

—Joshua 22:5b (NLT)

 

 

 

 

O LORD, My God,

 

May everything that I think, say, and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

Grant me the wisdom to walk in all Your ways—to be faithful to follow, even when the path is hard, and steep, and narrow—for all Your ways are perfect.

 

Grant me the willingness to obey all Your commands—for in obedience to You, I find the path to life and well-being, to healing, and to wholeness for my soul.

 

Grant me the strength to hold firmly to You—and to believe that You will uphold me in every way and provide for my every need along this journey to my forever home in You.

 

Grant me the humility to submit to You in all things—as You work in me the desire and the power to offer all my heart and soul in service for You.

 

May everything that I think, say and do, be evidence of my unwavering love for You—so that there would never be any doubt about who owns my heart and keeps my soul!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

For They Bring Life

 

 

My child, pay attention to what I say.

    Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them.

    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

for they bring life to those who find them,

    and healing to their whole body.

 

—Proverbs 4:20-22 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me pay attention to what You say!

 

With Your Holy Spirit as my teacher, help me fully hear what You would say to me—when I read and study my Bible, while I listen to teaching and preaching, through my conversations with others, and as I quiet myself before You.

 

Help me receive, remember and treasure every word—allowing the truth of Your words to find a home in the deepest parts of my heart and abide there forever.

 

Then help me apply the truth that I have hidden in my heart to everything I think, say, and do—so I can experience the life, healing, and wholeness it brings, to my body, soul, and spirit, for the rest of my days, for Your glory and for my good!

 

Help me pay attention to what You say!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Obedient to Christ

 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 

—2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Help me always remember this:  The real battles I must fight in this life are spiritual battles against anything that challenges Truth—that is, the knowledge of God—for the control of my heart. 

 

Thank You that my battles are not like those of the world which—because they are waged in the flesh—only bring misery and destruction to all who fight them.  Thank You there is victory in Christ for every battle I face!

 

Remind me that You have given me divinely powerful weapons—to use in the spiritual battles I must fight for the control of my heart, soul, and spirit—weapons that are able to demolish any strongholds of the enemy, every argument he may make, and each lie that he spews which contradicts the Truth I find in Your Word.

 

Grant me the wisdom to use these weapons—the weapons of prayer, the power of Truth of Your Word proclaimed, the witness of Your Holy Spirit within my spirit, and my authority in Christ as Your child—to enforce Your victory over the enemy in my life.

 

Help me carefully examine every thought or argument that enters my mind and hold it captive and isolated—unable to escape, deceive, or influence me in any way—until such time as it conforms to, and agrees with, and is obedient to Truth I find in Christ.

 

Help me always remember this:  The real battles I must fight in this life are spiritual battles against anything that challenges Truth—that is, the knowledge of God—for the control of my heart. 

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Word of God

 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

 

—Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

Never let me forget that Your Word is filled with Your life and power as the Almighty God. For it tells me who You are—as my Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Sanctifier—and tells me who I am as Your child, in Christ—so that when I go to Your Word and allow Your Word to wash over me, it heals me and makes me whole.

 

Help me to hear and understand Your Word—so that I can receive all the Truth that it contains into my heart. And then help me willingly and obediently apply that Truth to my life—as my loving and grateful response for all You have done for me.

 

Use Your Word to plunge deeply within me, to separate and expose the innermost thoughts and desires and motives of my soul and spirit—and to bring to light anything within me that is not in line with the Truth, so that I can repent and walk in the fullness of life to which You have called me.

 

Thank You that Your Word is so much more than just words on a page. Thank You that it is alive and powerful in me!

 

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.

 

Filled With Light!

 

 

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.”

 

—Matthew 6:22 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Sovereign God,

 

Help me remember that a healthy eye is one that has fixed its gaze upon You. So let my eyes see You, all around me, in each moment of every day and night.

 

Fill me with the Light of Life—as You reveal Yourself to me and cause the lamps of my eyes to flood my whole body with the Light that gives Life to my soul.

 

Fill me with the Light of Truth that I find in You—and help me walk in that Truth, unmoved by my circumstances, wholly devoted to Your Word, Your Will, and Your Way.

 

Fill me with the Light of Love—and help me to accept and receive the fullness of the Love of Christ, so that I can’t help but release that same Love to every person that You put before me.

 

Help me remember that a healthy eye is one that has fixed its gaze upon You. So let my eyes see You, all around me, in each moment of every day and night.

 

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.