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.

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.

Kept Safe

 

 

Those who trust in themselves are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

 

—Proverbs 28:26 (NIV)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Save me from the foolishness of trusting in myself and help me to walk as a wise man—with my eyes fixed on You and with a heart that beats only after Your own heart!

 

Don’t allow me to start believing that my thoughts are necessarily wise just because I think them, or that my own strength and power is sufficient to carry me, or that my own actions could ever be enough to justify me before You.

 

Keep me ever close to You—and help me to remember that the times that I am most likely to be deceived by the enemy are those times when I have foolishly wandered from Your Holy Presence.

 

Make me wise enough to put all my trust in You—in Your power at work in me, in Your promises given to me, and in Your unfailing love for me—the One who is faithful to keep safe all those who wisely humble themselves and step forward in faith, to walk with the One who is mighty to save!

 

Save me from the foolishness of trusting in myself and help me to walk as a wise man—with my eyes fixed on You and with a heart that beats only after Your own heart!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Far Beyond

 

 

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."

 

—Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Sovereign LORD,

 

How limited I am in my understanding—and yet, how gracious You are to show me things I could never come to understand on my own!

 

You are the Sovereign LORD—my infinitely powerful, infinitely present, infinitely wise, infinitely loving, Heavenly Father. How foolish it would be for me to depend on my own understanding, when Your thoughts reach infinitely further than mine!

 

Help me understand that I cannot ever fully understand Your thoughts and Your ways, because of the finite limits of my mind. My thinking can be distorted by the ongoing assault of the enemy’s lies, so help me remember that I am totally dependent on You to lead me into all Truth.

 

Draw me close and teach me to pursue a more personal and intimate relationship with You always—so I might learn to trust more completely in Your love for me and Your absolute knowledge of, and provision for, everything that I need to accomplish Your will and purpose for me.

How limited I am in my understanding—and yet, how gracious You are to show me things I could never come to understand on my own!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Don't Live Like Fools!

 

 

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

 

—Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live like one who is wise—like one who makes the most of every opportunity You give—as I take the time to consider, understand, and submit to Your will, Your plan, and Your purpose for me.

 

Help me to be careful how I live. Help me not to live foolishly but help me carefully consider and seek to understand what You would have me do—as I pour out my heart to You in prayer, search Your Word for truth, and as I listen for and trust the promptings of Your Spirit to guide me.

 

Reveal Your will for me and help me to be willing to eagerly and obediently walk with You wherever You lead—knowing that Your plan is the very best path for me to walk, and will always bring You glory, honor, and praise.

 

And keep me always ready to accept Your invitation to join You in the opportunities You put before me to advance Your Kingdom here on earth—as I choose to live every day of my life with the intention and purpose of taking on more and more of the character of Jesus Christ.

 

Help me to live like one who is wise—like one who makes the most of every opportunity You give—as I take the time to consider, understand, and submit to Your will, Your plan, and Your purpose for me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

True and Right Paths!

 

Let those who are wise understand these things.

    Let those with discernment listen carefully.

The paths of the LORD are true and right,

    and righteous people live by walking in them.

    But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.  

 —Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

 

LORD of Heaven and Earth,

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

I know that all Your paths are true and right—and that because You chose to make me righteous through the sacrifice of Christ, I will find the abundant life that You promised me, by faithfully walking in those paths.

 

I know that without Christ, I could not walk those paths without stumbling and falling. So help my heart to swell with compassion for those who don’t yet have Your light within them to illuminate the path before them.

 

And make me bold to share that precious hope that is mine in Christ—that they, too, can walk in those true and right paths that lead to abundant life and a forever home with You.

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come and Listen to My Counsel

 

 

 

Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
    and make you wise. 

 

—Proverbs 1:23 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father, 

 

Let me never forget that the highest and best counsel that I can receive comes from You!  For when I come and listen to You, You share Your heart with me and make me wise.

 

So, give me a hunger to come boldly into Your presence with a heart to listen for, to hear, to understand, and to follow Your counsel—as You speak to me through Your Word, and teach me by Your Spirit, revealing everything I need to know in order to accomplish Your plans and purposes for me.

 

Continue to show me more of Your heart with every day that passes—so that my heart might beat more and more fully after the things I find in You, and less and less after my own desires and distractions.

 

Teach me to draw from the deep wells of wisdom that I only find in You—as I allow Your great power, Your complete understanding, and Your perfect wisdom to flow through me and guide my every choice in truth.

 

Let me never forget that the highest and best counsel that I can receive comes from You!  For when I come and listen to You, You share Your heart with me and make me wise.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Perfect and Trustworthy

 

 

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.

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.

Walk in Wisdom

 

Those who trust in themselves are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

 

—Proverbs 28:26 (NIV)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Save me from the foolishness of trusting in myself and help me to walk as a wise man—with my eyes fixed on You and with a heart that beats only after Your own heart!

 

Don’t allow me to start believing that my thoughts are necessarily wise just because I think them, or that my own strength and power is sufficient to carry me, or that my own actions could ever be enough to justify me before You.

 

Keep me ever close to You—and help me to remember that the times that I am most likely to be deceived by the enemy are those times when I have foolishly wandered from Your Holy Presence.

 

Make me wise enough to put all my trust in You—in Your power at work in me, in Your promises given to me, and in Your unfailing love for me—the One who is faithful to keep safe all those who wisely humble themselves and step forward in faith, to walk with the One who is mighty to save!

 

Save me from the foolishness of trusting in myself and help me to walk as a wise man—with my eyes fixed on You and with a heart that beats only after Your own heart!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

My Thoughts, and My Ways

 

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."

—Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

 

Sovereign LORD,

 

How limited I am in my understanding—and yet, how gracious You are to show me things I could never come to understand on my own!

 

You are the Sovereign LORD—my infinitely powerful, infinitely present, infinitely wise, infinitely loving, Heavenly Father. How foolish it would be for me to depend on my own understanding, when Your thoughts reach infinitely further than mine!

 

Help me understand that I cannot ever fully understand Your thoughts and Your ways, because of the finite limits of my mind. My thinking can be distorted by the ongoing assault of the enemy’s lies, so help me remember that I am totally dependent on You to lead me into all Truth.

 

Draw me close and teach me to pursue a more personal and intimate relationship with You always—so I might learn to trust more completely in Your love for me and Your absolute knowledge of, and provision for, everything that I need to accomplish Your will and purpose for me.

How limited I am in my understanding—and yet, how gracious You are to show me things I could never come to understand on my own!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Be Careful How You Live

 

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

 

—Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me to live like one who is wise—like one who makes the most of every opportunity You give—as I take the time to consider, understand, and submit to Your will, Your plan and Your purpose for me.

 

Help me to be careful how I live. Help me not to live foolishly but help me carefully consider and seek to understand what You would have me do—as I pour out my heart to You in prayer, search Your Word for truth, and as I listen for and trust the promptings of Your Spirit to guide me.

 

Reveal Your will for me and help me to be willing to eagerly and obediently walk with You wherever You lead—knowing that Your plan is the very best path for me to walk, and will always bring You glory, honor, and praise.

 

And keep me always ready to accept Your invitation to join You in the opportunities You put before me to advance Your Kingdom here on earth—as I choose to live every day of my life with the intention and purpose of taking on more and more of the character of Jesus Christ.

 

Help me to live like one who is wise—like one who makes the most of every opportunity You give—as I take the time to consider, understand, and submit to Your will, Your plan and Your purpose for me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Paths of the LORD

 

 

Let those who are wise understand these things.

    Let those with discernment listen carefully.

The paths of the LORD are true and right,

    and righteous people live by walking in them.

    But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.  

 —Hosea 14:9 (NLT)

 

LORD of Heaven and Earth,

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

I know that all Your paths are true and right—and that because You chose to make me righteous through the sacrifice of Christ, I will find the abundant life that You promised me, by faithfully walking in those paths.

 

I know that without Christ, I could not walk those paths without stumbling and falling. So help my heart to swell with compassion for those who don’t yet have Your light within them to illuminate the path before them.

 

And make me bold to share that precious hope that is mine in Christ—that they, too, can walk in those true and right paths that lead to abundant life and a forever home with You.

 

Give me the wisdom to search Your Holy Scriptures, that I might gain understanding.  And grant me the discernment to listen carefully to Your Spirit and walk uprightly in Your paths—to faithfully apply the Truth of Your Word to my life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Come and Listen!

 

Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
    and make you wise. 

 

—Proverbs 1:23 (NLT)

 

Heavenly Father, 

 

Let me never forget that the highest and best counsel that I can receive comes from You!  For when I come and listen to You, You share Your heart with me and make me wise.

 

So, give me a hunger to come boldly into Your presence with a heart to listen for, to hear, to understand, and to follow Your counsel—as You speak to me through Your Word, and teach me by Your Spirit, revealing everything I need to know in order to accomplish Your plans and purposes for me.

 

Continue to show me more of Your heart with every day that passes—so that my heart might beat more and more fully after the things I find in You, and less and less after my own desires and distractions.

 

Teach me to draw from the deep wells of wisdom that I only find in You—as I allow Your great power, Your complete understanding, and Your perfect wisdom to flow through me and guide my every choice in truth.

 

Let me never forget that the highest and best counsel that I can receive comes from You!  For when I come and listen to You, You share Your heart with me and make me wise.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.