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.

Don't Just Pretend to Love!

 

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

 

—Romans 12:9 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving LORD GOD,

 

With Christ as my example, teach me to love others in Spirit and in Truth, to hate what is evil, and hold tightly to what is good—for You are the source of all that is good.

 

Keep me from the hypocrisy of only pretending to love others—from “loving” others out of impure motives that falsely promise to serve me well, but in the end leave me empty and far from You.

 

Out of a grateful heart for Your love for me, help me to love others as You do—with complete selflessness—putting the needs of others before my own selfish wants and desires, so that they might see Your love for them through me.

 

Like Christ, help me to fight passionately against all that is evil—wherever it may raise its ugly head—by always speaking truth, always giving grace, and always walking in His perfect love.

 

With Christ as my example, teach me to love others in Spirit and in Truth, to hate what is evil, and hold tightly to what is good—for You are the source of all that is good.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

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.

Teach Me!

 

 

Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

 

—Psalm 143:10 (NASB)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit open the eyes of my understanding, so that I am fully able to discern the depths of meaning found in Your Holy Scriptures—so I can always know Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit usher me into the plans You have for me, as I step out in faith to do Your will—so I can always walk within the safety of Your will.

 

Teach me!  Let Your good Spirit continue to do Your work of sanctification within me, so that my life would become wholly set apart for You—so I can always live to the glory of Your will.

 

Teach me, both to know what Your will is and to do it always, so that my journey here on earth is marked by a faithful and settled course of holy living—as You lead me, by Your good Spirit, on that level ground that takes me to my eternal home with You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Strayed Away

 

 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him
    the sins of us all.

 

—Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

 

 

 

Loving LORD,

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away. 

 

I need You to lead me today.  Because just like a sheep, if left on my own, I will wander from the path of Your will for me—and follow a path marked by my own self-centered desires. 

 

Sometimes, I do it somehow blindly unaware of my wandering—as if I were sleepwalking—failing to wake up to the error of my way, until I am lost and a long way from home.

 

Sometimes, I fall back into my old ways of stubborn and willful rebellion—fully aware, but foolishly wanting what I want, more than wanting what You want for me.

 

And yet, always, even in my sin, You call me to return to You—having laid all my sin upon Jesus, so that I might stand in the peace and protection of Your Presence once again.

 

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to value Your Presence as I should, so I will hear Your instruction and choose to follow You in obedience—as You lead me to every good thing that You have prepared for me.  

Like a shepherd lead me, along Your paths today,

and teach me by Your Spirit’s voice, to never stray away.  

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God of My Salvation

 

 

But as for me, I will look to the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

my God will hear me.

 

—Micah 7:7 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

God of My Salvation, 

 

Help me to remember that You are my source of help—that all my help surely comes from You!

 

Help me look to You and wait—in quietness of spirit and in confidence of heart—for You to save me from whatever circumstance or situation in which I find myself.

 

And help me to see Your hand working to accomplish Your plans and purposes for me along every path that You lead me down—as You teach me more about Your ways and show me Your salvation.

 

May I always cry out to You in faith—trusting that You will hear me. For You know my thoughts, even before I put them into words and are ever eager to answer the cries of my heart.

 

Help me to remember that You are my source of help—that all my help surely comes from You!

 

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.

The Power of Goodness!

 

 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

—Romans 12:21 (NIV)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

May I never be overcome by the evil that surrounds me, nor miss the opportunity to overcome evil with good.

 

When I feel overwhelmed by the evil that is evident all around me, remind me that it is the power of Christ’s love that has delivered me out of the enemy’s hand and has made me an overcomer.   

 

And help me to enforce the enemy's defeat in my life—to stand against evil as You lead me to do what is good and right in Your sight, to choose light over darkness.

 

Remind me that the only way to conquer evil is with good—that good will always win over evil in the end. Let the power of Your goodness flow into me and through me to overcome every evil thing I face.

 

May I never be overcome by the evil that surrounds me, nor miss the opportunity to overcome evil with good.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Your Unfailing Love, Our Hope!

 

 

Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD,
    for our hope is in you alone.

 

—Psalm 33:22 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Loving and Merciful LORD,

May I forever place all my hope in You, LORD—as You faithfully surround me with Your unfailing love.

 

Teach me not to place my hope in my possessions. Help me to understand that what I have is not my own, but Yours—and remind me that if it were all stripped away from me today, I would have lost nothing, because I still have You, the One who is everything to me.

 

Teach me not to place my hope in other people. Help me to see that other people are human and just like me, they sometimes disappoint, they sometimes fail, and they sometimes let me down. Remind me that even if everyone else abandoned me, You would still be with me always.

 

Teach me not to place my hope in my position or in my own strength. Help me to see that any position or strength that I have was given by Your hand—to be used for Your glory and not my own—and that even if I was removed from my position and all strength was drained from me, You would still uphold me in Your everlasting arms.

May I forever place all my hope in You, LORD—as You faithfully surround me with Your unfailing love.

 

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.

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.

Foolish, Ignorant Arguments

 

 

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

 

—2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

Instead of allowing myself to be drawn into meaningless arguments over things which don’t matter at all, help me to be patient and kind. Help me to make more room in my conversations for listening and seeking to understand the opinions of others.

 

Help me to build my reputation as one who is approachable and eager to hear other points of view so that when the time is right, I might have a platform from which to be heard concerning those matters that are of eternal consequence.

 

Help me be especially patient with difficult people. Help me to be ready to accept Your invitation to speak into their lives—as the Holy Spirit prepares their heart to receive the Truth of Your Word and be set free.

 

Keep me far from foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. Help me not to quarrel with others, but to be kind to everyone—even the difficult—so that You might one day use me to teach them about the things that really matter.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Arise! Shine!

 

 

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

 

—Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)

 

Dear Lord Jesus,

 

Thank You that the light of a new day has come, but even more so, that Your Glorious Light has come to dispel all the darkness!

 

Help us to receive Your Light—to receive everything that You have for us, in this new day, with open, willing, and eagerly obedient hearts.

 

Teach us what You want us to learn. Help us walk in the depths of all that You want us to experience as Your lead us by Your Light. And instruct us in the way that we should go, how we should think about things, and what we should say, and do!

 

May the Light of Your Glory be upon us and within us, that we might shine with it brightly and dispel the darkness surrounding us!

 

Thank You that the light of a new day has come, but even more so, that Your Glorious Light has come to dispel all the darkness!

 

In Your Name, Lord Jesus, Amen!