The Course of World Events

 

 

He said, 

“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
    for he has all wisdom and power.
He controls the course of world events;
    he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the scholars.”

—Daniel 2:20-21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Sovereign God Almighty,

 

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

Let me praise Your name, O God, forever and ever, for You have all wisdom and power—and it is You who gives wisdom and knowledge to men who are wise enough to seek You, and who study to know You.

 

So, may I never second-guess the wisdom of things that You do—as if I could ever know better than You.  Let me instead trust in the Truth that You control everything and will use all things to accomplish Your Will.

 

Help me to continue to seek You, that I might grow in wisdom and understanding, and teach me the lessons You have for me, when things don’t go the way I think they should.  Then lead me forward by Your Spirit in the good  work You have given me to do.

 

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I Am Your God!

 

 

You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

 

—Ezekiel 34:31 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Sovereign LORD,

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

I am one of Your people, a sheep in Your pasture, and You expect me to listen for Your Voice and follow You obediently wherever You lead me—to place all my life in Your hands—for my own well-being.

 

You are the Good Shepherd, the One who continuously watches over me to protect me in every way—the One who loves me with an unfailing love and compassionately cares for my every need.

 

You are the Sovereign LORD, the One who created all things and the One who holds all things in Your hands—the One who bends all things according to Your will and the only One in whom I can confidently place all my faith, hope and love!

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Everything!

 

 

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

 

—2 Corinthians 6:10 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

There will always be times when my heart will ache—because of the loss, disappointments, and injustices that I experience personally, or that I may observe in the world around me.  

 

But You came to give me hope, that my heart would rejoice in You—as I trust in Your sovereignty, mercy, grace and love, as I watch for You to work all things together for my good, and as I trust You to guide me to my forever home with You.

 

Help me to remember that You have given me this hope-filled joy, so that I will always have something to give to others—no matter how poor I might be—that their joy might also be full.

 

What joy is mine to know that—even though I own nothing in this world, because everything I have belongs to You—I have everything I need and more, in Christ!

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Awe-Inspired Reverence and Obedience

 

 

The LORD favors those who fear and worship Him

[with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.

 

—Psalm 147:11 (AMP)

 

 

 

LORD of Mercy and Lovingkindness,

 

May I fear and worship only You—as I wait for Your mercy and lovingkindness!

 

Help me to find the favor You show to those who truly fear and worship You—to those who tremble before You because You are the God who does what He says He will do, the One who sovereignly reigns with perfect justice.

 

Let the power that You display in me, through me, and in all Your creation around me, inspire me to reverently worship You with all my life—to obey every command and instruction of Your Word, and every prompting of Your Holy Spirit—trusting You will guide me into Your very best plan for me.

 

And help me to expectantly wait for and joyfully anticipate the mercy and lovingkindness that You promise to show me—both today and forevermore—as I put all my hope in You.

 

May I fear and worship only You—as I wait for Your mercy and lovingkindness!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Eternity in the Human Heart

 

 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

 

—Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Oh, that I would see the beauty of everything that You have created and rest in the comfort and assurance of Your sovereignty over all things!

 

Help me to accept that I am not able to see the whole scope of the work You are doing from beginning to end—and that sometimes it will be hard for me to see the beauty of what You have done, because the things that You have planned are still unfolding before me.

 

Thank You for that glimpse of the perfection of eternity that You have planted in my heart—a taste of what is yet to come that keeps me never quite satisfied with anything this world has to offer but always yearning for the perfect world that will only come by Your perfect rule.

 

Thank You for making me in Your image—and for showing me that the longing and hungering of my heart can only be truly satisfied by more of You in my life.

Oh, that I would see the beauty of everything that You have created and rest in the comfort and assurance of Your sovereignty over all things!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The LORD is Close!

 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.

 —Psalm 34:18-19 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

Teach me to trust You—whether my troubles appear to be insurmountably huge in my own eyes or are just a series of small frustrations that have piled up on me to wear me down and rob me of my strength.  Remind me that You are always here to rescue me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have sovereignly chosen to rescue me by either shielding me from the trouble I was facing or by entirely removing the trouble from me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have chosen to rescue me by equipping me with the strength, courage, and discerning wisdom that enabled me to remain in Your peace and push through the trouble that came against me.

 

And even though I may face many troubles—because I have chosen to walk in the righteousness of Christ—let me not be afraid but only believe that I will see Your goodness through it all, as I look to You to rescue me.

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come and Talk!

 

 

Hear me as I pray, O LORD.

    Be merciful and answer me!

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

    And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

 

—Psalm 27:7-8 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Gracious and Loving LORD,

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

Grant me the kind of faith that fully believes that You hear me when I pray—and that You answer me in Your perfect timing, according to Your sovereign purpose and plan for my life, and always with my best interest at heart.

 

Let me experience the wonderous depths of Your merciful love and goodness—as You faithfully answer me and draw me into the unfathomable peace of Your abiding presence once again.

 

Give me the strength to push aside every distraction and accept this gracious invitation into Your glorious presence, knowing that it is in Your presence—within that place of intimate fellowship with You—that everything I need to accomplish Your will for my life is supplied.

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Help Us!

 

 

 

Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name;
And save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.

 

—Psalm 79:9 (NASB2020)

 

God of our Salvation,

 

Only You can help us—for only You can save us and forgive us of our sins!

 

Help us! Move as only You can move! According to Your absolute power and Your never-failing love for Your children, unfold before us what is best for us—for the glory of Your name.

 

Save us! Deliver us from evil! Because You are Holy and Just, do not let the evil of this fallen world overtake us—for the sake of Your name.

 

Forgive our sins! Bring us to repentance! Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us and call us into Your Presence once again—that Your name would be made great in all the world.

 

Only You can help us—for only You can save us and forgive us of our sins!

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

He Has All Wisdom and Power

 

He said, 

“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
    for he has all wisdom and power.
He controls the course of world events;
    he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the scholars.”

—Daniel 2:20-21 (NLT)

 

Sovereign God Almighty,

 

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

Let me praise Your name, O God, forever and ever, for You have all wisdom and power—and it is You who gives wisdom and knowledge to men who are wise enough to seek You, and who study to know You.

 

So, may I never second-guess the wisdom of things that You do—as if I could ever know better than You.  Let me instead trust in the Truth that You control everything and will use all things to accomplish Your Will.

 

Help me to continue to seek You, that I might grow in wisdom and understanding, and teach me the lessons You have for me, when things don’t go the way I think they should.  Then lead me forward by Your Spirit in the good  work You have given me to do.

May I never forget that it is You who controls the course of world events.  It is You who removes kings and sets up other kings—for Your divine purposes, by Your unlimited power, and according to Your infinite wisdom.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

You are My People

You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

—Ezekiel 34:31 (NLT)

 

Sovereign LORD,

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

I am one of Your people, a sheep in Your pasture, and You expect me to listen for Your Voice and follow You obediently wherever You lead me—to place all my life in Your hands—for my own well-being.

 

You are the Good Shepherd, the One who continuously watches over me to protect me in every way—the One who loves me with an unfailing love and compassionately cares for my every need.

 

You are the Sovereign LORD, the One who created all things and the One who holds all things in Your hands—the One who bends all things according to Your will and the only One in whom I can confidently place all my faith, hope and love!

 

What a joy it is to live in this covenant relationship with You—knowing that You hold every part of my life in Your hands; knowing that I am Yours, and You are mine!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

And Yet We Have Everything

 

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

 

—2 Corinthians 6:10 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

There will always be times when my heart will ache—because of the loss, disappointments, and injustices that I experience personally, or that I may observe in the world around me.  

 

But You came to give me hope, that my heart would rejoice in You—as I trust in Your sovereignty, mercy, grace and love, as I watch for You to work all things together for my good, and as I trust You to guide me to my forever home with You.

 

Help me to remember that You have given me this hope-filled joy, so that I will always have something to give to others—no matter how poor I might be—that their joy might also be full.

 

What joy is mine to know that—even though I own nothing in this world, because everything I have belongs to You—I have everything I need and more, in Christ!

 

Thank You for making it possible for me to experience a deep and abiding joy in You—a joy that is not dependent on my circumstances and is mine to keep—as I fix my eyes on Christ and look to Him to be everything I need, and more.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Fear, Worship, Revere, Obey, and Wait

 

The LORD favors those who fear and worship Him

[with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.

 

—Psalm 147:11 (AMP)

 

LORD of Mercy and Lovingkindness,

 

May I fear and worship only You—as I wait for Your mercy and lovingkindness!

 

Help me to find the favor You show to those who truly fear and worship You—to those who tremble before You because You are the God who does what He says He will do, the One who sovereignly reigns with perfect justice.

 

Let the power that You display in me, through me, and in all Your creation around me, inspire me to reverently worship You with all my life—to obey every instruction of Your Word, and every prompting of Your Holy Spirit—trusting You will guide me into Your very best for plan for me.

 

And help me to expectantly wait for, and joyfully anticipate the mercy and lovingkindness that You promise to show me—both today and forevermore—as I put all my hope in You.

 

May I fear and worship only You—as I wait for Your mercy and lovingkindness!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Everything Beautiful For It's Own Time

 

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

 

—Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Oh, that I would see the beauty of everything that You have created and rest in the comfort and assurance of Your sovereignty over all things!

 

Help me to accept that I am not able to see the whole scope of the work You are doing from beginning to end—and that sometimes it will be hard for me to see the beauty of what You have done, because the things that You have planned are still unfolding before me.

 

Thank You for that glimpse of the perfection of eternity that You have planted in my heart—a taste of what is yet to come that keeps me never quite satisfied with anything this world has to offer, but always yearning for the perfect world that will only come by Your perfect rule.

 

Thank You for making me in Your image—and for showing me that the longing and hungering of my heart can only be truly satisfied by more of You in my life.

Oh, that I would see the beauty of everything that You have created and rest in the comfort and assurance of Your sovereignty over all things!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The LORD Comes to the Rescue

 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.

 —Psalm 34:18-19 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and You never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

Teach me to trust You—whether my troubles appear to be insurmountably huge in my own eyes or are just a series of small frustrations that have piled up on me to wear me down and rob me of my strength.  Remind me that You are always here to rescue me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have sovereignly chosen to rescue me by either shielding me from the trouble I was facing or by entirely removing the trouble from me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have chosen to rescue me by equipping me with the strength, courage and discerning wisdom that enabled me to remain in Your peace and push through the trouble that came against me.

 

And even though I may face many troubles—because I have chosen to walk in the righteousness of Christ—let me not be afraid, but only believe that I will see Your goodness through it all, as I look to You to rescue me.

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and You never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

LORD, I am Coming!

 

Hear me as I pray, O LORD.

    Be merciful and answer me!

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

    And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

 

—Psalm 27:7-8 (NLT)

 

Gracious and Loving LORD,

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

Grant me the kind of faith that fully believes that You hear me when I pray—and that You answer me in Your perfect timing, according to Your sovereign purpose and plan for my life, and always with my best interest at heart.

 

Let me experience the wonderous depths of Your merciful love and goodness—as You faithfully answer me and draw me into the unfathomable peace of Your abiding presence once again.

 

Give me the strength to push aside every distraction and accept this gracious invitation into Your glorious presence, knowing that it is in Your presence—within that place of intimate fellowship with You—that everything I need to accomplish Your will for my life is supplied.

 

When within my heart I hear You calling, “Come and talk with me,” let my response always be an eager, “LORD, I am coming!”

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.