Freedom Through Truth

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

—John 8:31-32 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that if I remain faithful to the Truth—the Truth that You teach me by Your Spirit and through Your Word—I can walk in that freedom which only comes in my obedience.

Help me to understand that to truly be Your disciple, I must be a student of Your Word, so You can reveal the Truth of Your Word to me—through Your Holy Spirit.  And I must purpose to be obedient to all Your teachings, as I allow Your revealed Truth to guide me in all my affairs.

Don’t allow me to forget that Jesus is that Truth and help me to steadfastly cling to Him.  For He is the One who sets me free from my slavery to sin—from my tendency to do the wrong thing, my inclination to deceive myself, and my propensity to believe the lies of the enemy.

Let me always remember that the freedom You give is freedom to walk out my life in obedience to Christ—the one true example of everything that is right and just—and that as I am obedient to Him, He makes it possible for me to become everything You intended for me to be and experience the peace, protection, provision, sustaining strength, and abounding joy that only You can give.

Thank You that if I remain faithful to the Truth—the Truth that You teach me by Your Spirit and through Your Word—I can walk in that freedom which only comes in my obedience.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Like A Tree Planted

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

—Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father,

Help me to delight in being faithfully obedient to Your law.  Let it become my habit to meditate on Your precepts, instructions, and teachings both day and night.

Keep me from being a person who takes the advice of the ungodly to heart—or who follows after their example of bad behavior—only to find I have been led away from the Truth that can only be found in Your Word.

Keep me from being a person who stands around doing nothing, in the midst of an evil people who continue in pursuing their sinful ways, when I should be declaring the Truth of Your Word—having been motivated to such boldness by my great love for others.

Keep me from being a person who sits down, joining company with those who would dare to ridicule You and defiantly reject You—mocking the blessings that are made available to all of us, when we embrace the Truth of Your Word.

Let me be a person who has cultivated a desire to hold Your Word in his heart—whose best joy comes from considering, studying and meditating on the Truth of Your Word, at all times.

Let me be a person who is like a tree that was planted by the streams of water—nourished, strong and steadfast—producing the kind of fruit that brings blessing to all those around me, as I allow the Truth of Your Word to guide my life and bring glory to Your Name.

Help me to delight in being faithfully obedient to Your law.  Let it become my habit to meditate on Your precepts, instructions, and teachings both day and night.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.