Strength In Joy

They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our LORD. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”

And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.”  So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

—Nehemiah 8:8-12 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

May my joy never waver, my strength never wane, as You help me to understand the good plans You have laid out before me in the pages of Your Word.

As more and more I come to understand Your Word—and in that understanding, my sins are brought to light before me—help me not only to mourn my sin and repent, but help me even more to rejoice in the power of Your love to remove my sin from me, so my joy in You might not waver and cause me to lose strength.

Help me, rather, to spread the joy that acceptance of Your salvation and obedience to Your Word brings, by sharing with others Your abundant blessings on my life—both physical and spiritual.

Help me to live in the understanding that my joy in You will strengthen me to be obedient to the things that You have placed before me to do and cause me to be able to resist the temptations of the enemy to do the wrong thing.

May my joy never waver, my strength never wane, as You help me to understand the good plans You have laid out before me in the pages of Your Word.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Keeping No Records

LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,
    who, O Lord, could ever survive?
But you offer forgiveness,
    that we might learn to fear you.

—Psalm 130:3-4 (NLT)

Gracious and Merciful God,

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—completely removing my sin from me and remembering it no more—so that there is nothing left between us that can keep me from You.

If You kept a record of my sins, how could I ever survive?  For my sin would be a wall that separated me from You—that kept me from the strength of Your presence—and I would be left to face this world in my own strength.  How could I live without You?

But You, LORD, hold no grudge against me, when I sincerely repent of my sins—when I demonstrate my rejection of my sins by turning my back on my sinful behavior, asking for Your forgiveness and pursuing the ways of truth and life. 

You remove the wall of my sin that keeps me from You and You look upon me as if I had never sinned, so that I can continue in fellowship with You—speaking freely to You about anything and everything—and so I can learn to give You the reverential respect and awe that is due You.

Help me to use Your model of complete forgiveness, when I forgive others—by not keeping a record of wrongs—so that the walls between myself and others may be torn down and I can live at peace with all men.

Thank You, that for my sin You offer me Your forgiveness—completely removing my sin from me and remembering it no more—so that there is nothing left between us that can keep me from You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"Spirit Led" Living

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

—Galatians 5:16 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Grant me the wisdom to allow Your Holy Spirit to guide my life and keep me from doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

Remind me to examine the outflow of my character in action to ensure that I find love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flowing from me—indicators of my submission to Your Spirit’s promptings.

Help me to discern the difference between my own subjective feelings and the leading of Your Holy Spirit, by sincerely desiring to hear what You would say to me and always being ready to act in obedience to Your Word.

Help me to continue to take the time to get to know You and Your plans and purposes for me by reading and studying Your Word daily.

Help me to live every moment of my life under the guidance and control of Your Spirit, allowing the words of Christ to fill my thoughts, to determine my actions, and to be the power within me that helps me control my selfish and sinful desires.

Grant me the wisdom to allow Your Holy Spirit to guide my life and keep me from doing what my sinful nature desires to do.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.