Just a Moment, But a Breath

 

 

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”

 —Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Infinite LORD,

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

Help me to use the time that has been given to me in a way that honors You. Don’t let me allow apathy, complacency, or fear to hold me back from moving boldly forward with the things that You have given me to do.

 

But at the same time, help me to remember to wait for You, to never run ahead of You. Since any good thing I do requires me to be completely dependent on You, help me to take every step of my life’s journey in concert with You.

 

Help me to live each moment in trust and obedience, by faith—so I can enjoy Your presence and rest in Your peace, unencumbered by my past failures or any of the uncertainties of my future. 

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

The Word

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

—John 1:1-3 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

Ever-existing Jesus,

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

Help me to understand that You have always been here—that You were here before You created time and set it into motion . . . before there was a beginning, “In the beginning.”

 

Help me to understand that everything that was created was created through You—that nothing that was made was made without You.

 

Help me to understand that You are, and always have been, fully God—that even though You took on human flesh and became fully man, You never ceased to be fully God.

 

Help me to understand that when I look to You, Jesus, I am looking to the Creator of the universe, the highest revelation of God to man, the living example to me of perfect and complete holiness, and the One who holds everything together by the power of His might.

 

May all my praise and worship forever be lifted unto You, my God, my Savior, my Lord, and my soon-returning King!

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

All Glory to Your Name, Lord 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.

Fully Convinced!

 

 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

 

—Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

Remind me that—though my life has been filled with many mistakes, much sin, and multiple failures of my faith—You have always remained faithful to love and forgive me, and to use every circumstance I find myself in, to call me to a deeper faith in You.

 

Grant me the wisdom to seek out Your promises within the pages of Your Word, so I might, by faith, remain obedient to You in all things—and teach me to trust You even more, through my experience of Your faithfulness to me.

 

With strengthened faith, let me never again allow any doubt or unbelief to cause me to question Your faithfulness or Your ability to carry out that which You have promised—but let me remain fully convinced that You are able!

 

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Fear and Serve the LORD!

 

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!  And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” —Joshua 24:14-15 (NKJV)

 

LORD GOD Almighty,

 

Show me how to fear You, LORD—in awe and reverence of everything that You are and all that You have done!  As I seek to serve You in sincerity and in truth, let me put no other gods before You.

 

Multiple times within each new day, I am faced with making the same decision that Joshua told the children of Israel they must make. Because I have free-will, I get to choose whom I will serve, but I still must make that choice. Help me to choose only You.

 

Help me to understand and remember that it is impossible for me not to worship—whether it is some thing or someone—and that whatever I give my time, talents, and money to, has the potential to be my god.

 

So, help me to reject any of the false gods that others, who came before me, may have served—gods of success, money, power, possessions, or even other people.

 

Help me also reject the false gods of this present world in which I must dwell—paying close attention not to allow any of the so-called “good things of this life” to become gods that I place before You.

 

Help me to repeatedly make the right choice for me and my house, as to whom we will serve. Help us always to choose You, LORD.

 

Show me how to fear You, LORD—in awe and reverence of everything that You are and all that You have done!  As I seek to serve You in sincerity and in truth, let me put no other gods before You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Servant of Everyone Else

 

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?”  But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”—Mark 9:33-35 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

May everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

 

Help me to guard against being caught up in chasing after any man-made ideas of what success or achievement might be—only to find that my own self-promotion has kept me from Your higher plans and better purposes for my life. 

 

Help me to watch that I don’t allow my own deep-rooted insecurities or foolish pride cause me to put too much stock in the power of a position, or the amount of prestige it might happen to carry—but humbly remember that I am nothing without You.

 

Help me to fully understand that all my energy, time and talents should be directed to knowing Christ for myself and making Him known to others—by following His example of leadership and reflecting His love—as I become a servant of all.

 

May everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

You Are God!

 

 

Before the mountains were born, Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 

 

—Psalm 90:2 (NASB)

 

Everlasting God,

 

I worship You for who You are—the God who always was, always is, and always shall be—the only One worthy of my worship!

 

I worship You for only You are timeless! Only You existed before time began—before You created everything that now exists, put it all in order, and set in motion, thus creating time itself.

 

I worship You, for among the so-called gods and other worshiped things of this world, only You are the Living God—the One who gives life to all things! Yes, You are alive and live here within me. You make yourself known to me through Your Word, as revealed by Your Spirit, so I can personally experience Your great affection for me as Your dearly loved child.

 

I worship You, for out of all of that which begs my worship, only You will remain steadfast and unchanging for all eternity—only You will always love me with an unfailing love that passionately and unrelentingly pursues me.  And only You will remain worthy of my love and worship and devotion, forevermore.

 

I worship You for who You are—the God who always was, always is, and always shall be—the only One worthy of my worship!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Each of Us is But a Breath

 

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”

 —Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

 

 

Infinite LORD,

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

Help me to use the time that has been given to me in a way that honors You. Don’t let me allow apathy, complacency, or fear to hold me back from moving boldly forward with the things that You have given me to do.

 

But at the same time, help me to remember to wait for You, to never run ahead of You. Since any good thing I do requires me to be completely dependent on You, help me to take every step of my life’s journey in concert with You.

 

Help me to live each moment in trust and obedience, by faith—so I can enjoy Your presence and rest in Your peace, unencumbered by my past failures or any of the uncertainties of my future. 

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

In the Beginning . . .

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

—John 1:1-3 (ESV)

 

Ever-existing Jesus,

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

Help me to understand that You have always been here—that You were here before You created time and set it into motion . . . before there was a beginning, “In the beginning.”

 

Help me to understand that everything that was created was created through You—that nothing that was made was made without You.

 

Help me to understand that You are, and always have been, fully God—that even though You took on human flesh and became fully man, You never ceased to be fully God.

 

Help me to understand that when I look to You, Jesus, I am looking to the Creator of the universe, the highest revelation of God to man, the living example to me of perfect and complete holiness, and the One who holds everything together by the power of His might.

 

May all my praise and worship forever be lifted unto You, my God, my Savior, my Lord, and my soon-returning King!

 

Help my finite mind and limited understanding grasp the depths of this truth: You exist outside of the limits of time—You always were and always shall be, from eternity past to eternity future—and are the Creator of all there is and that You created it from nothing!

 

All Glory to Your Name, Lord 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.

Believing God's Promises

 

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

 

—Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

Remind me that—though my life has been filled with many mistakes, much sin, and multiple failures of my faith—You have always remained faithful to love and forgive me, and to use every circumstance I find myself in, to call me to a deeper faith in You.

 

Grant me the wisdom to seek out Your promises within the pages of Your Word, so I might, by faith, remain obedient to You in all things—and teach me to trust You even more, through my experience of Your faithfulness to me.

 

With strengthened faith, let me never again allow any doubt or unbelief to cause me to question Your faithfulness or Your ability to carry out that which You have promised—but let me remain fully convinced that You are able!

 

May my faith never waver, but rather grow ever stronger, so that my life will bring glory to You—and may I ever remain fully convinced that You are able and will do everything that You have promised, at just the right time, according to Your perfect plan.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Choose for Yourselves

 

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!  And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” —Joshua 24:14-15 (NKJV)

 

LORD GOD Almighty,

 

Show me how to fear You, LORD—in awe and reverence of everything that You are and all that You have done!  As I seek to serve You in sincerity and in truth, let me put no other gods before You.

 

Multiple times within each new day, I am faced with making the same decision that Joshua told the children of Israel they must make.  Because I have free-will, I get to choose whom I will serve, but I still must make that choice.  Help me to choose only You.

 

Help me to understand and remember that it is impossible for me not to worship—whether it is some thing or someone—and that whatever I give my time, talents, and money to, has the potential to be my god.

 

So help me to reject any of the false gods that others, who came before me, may have served—gods of success, money, power, possessions, or even other people.

 

Help me also reject the false gods of this present world in which I must dwell—paying close attention not to allow any of the so-called “good things of this life” to become gods that I place before You.

 

Help me to repeatedly make the right choice for me and my house, as to whom we will serve.  Help us always to choose You, LORD.

 

Show me how to fear You, LORD—in awe and reverence of everything that You are and all that You have done!  As I seek to serve You in sincerity and in truth, let me put no other gods before You.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Be the Servant

 

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?”  But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”—Mark 9:33-35 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Let everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

 

Help me to guard against being caught up in chasing after any man-made ideas of what success or achievement might be—only to find that my own self-promotion has kept me from Your higher plans and better purposes for my life. 

 

Help me to watch that I don’t allow my own deep-rooted insecurities or foolish pride to cause me to put too much stock in the power of a position, or the amount of prestige it might happen to carry—but humbly remember that I am nothing without You.

 

Help me to fully understand that all my energy, time and talents should be directed to knowing Christ for myself and making Him known to others—by following His example of leadership and reflecting His love—as I become a servant of all.

 

Let everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

From Everlasting to Everlasting

 

Before the mountains were born, Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. 

 

—Psalm 90:2 (NASB)

 

Everlasting God,

 

I worship You for who You are—the God who always was, always is, and always shall be—the only One worthy of my worship!

 

I worship You for only You are timeless! Only You existed before time began—before You created everything that now exists, put it all in order, and set in motion, thus creating time itself.

 

I worship You, for among the so-called gods and other worshiped things of this world, only You are the Living God—the One who gives life to all things! Yes, You are alive and live here within me. You make yourself known to me through Your Word, as revealed by Your Spirit, so I can personally experience Your great affection for me as Your dearly loved child.

 

I worship You, for out of all of that which begs my worship, only You will remain steadfast and unchanging for all eternity—only You will always love me with an unfailing love that passionately and unrelentingly pursues me.  And only You will remain worthy of my love and worship and devotion, forevermore.

 

I worship You for who You are—the God who always was, always is, and always shall be—the only One worthy of my worship!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

At Best, Just a Breath

 

“LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”

 —Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

 

 

Infinite LORD,

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

Help me to use the time that has been given to me in a way that honors You. Don’t let me allow apathy, complacency, or fear to hold me back from moving boldly forward with the things that You have given me to do.

 

But at the same time, help me to remember to wait for You, to never run ahead of You. Since any good thing I do requires me to be completely dependent on You, help me to take every step of my life’s journey in concert with You.

 

Help me to live each moment in trust and obedience, by faith—so I can enjoy Your presence and rest in Your peace, unencumbered by my past failures or any of the uncertainties of my future. 

 

Help me to be willing to accept every invitation that You extend to me to be a part of what You are doing in the lives of those around me, so that my brief life here—while little more than a single breath—will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.