To Do What He Says

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?”

—Luke 6:46 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me to fully realize that making Jesus Christ the Lord of my life involves so much more than me just calling out to Him, “Lord, Lord!”

Help me remember that for Jesus to be my Lord, I must freely surrender my liberty of free will to His will—and then, and only then, find true freedom.

Help me remember that my obedience to His instruction is the best measurement of His Lordship over my life—and that His life is the only standard of comparison which I should use to examine my life.

Keep me from the hypocrisy of claiming Christ as my Lord, while choosing to go my own way—allowing my own fleshly desires to control me, rather than the Spirit of Christ that lives in me.

Help me to fully realize that making Jesus Christ the Lord of my life involves so much more than me just calling out to Him, “Lord, Lord!”

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Turning, Looking, Living

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

—Titus 2:12-13 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me both to live in this evil world—in the way that You have asked me to live—and look forward with hope to Christ’s return.

You have told me to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures and yet I must still live in a world that is full of godlessness and sin.

So help me to stand against the temptations of the world—by granting me the wisdom I need to correctly discern good from evil, the strength I need to live righteously, and the assurance of Your love and goodness that I need, so I can live a life devoted to You.

Help me to live purposefully while I am here—using the gifts and talents that You have given me to build Your Kingdom—while I look forward with great hope and anticipation to the day I will see Christ face to face, the battle with sin having ended and my redemption having been perfectly completed in Him.

Help me both to live in this evil world—in the way that You have asked me to live—and look forward with hope to Christ’s return.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Putting Out The Fire

Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

—Proverbs 26:20 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me to keep myself from being like the wood in a fire—to keep myself from being that one who fuels the fires of contention and strife by gossiping about others.

Let the thoughts, motives and intents of my heart be pure and holy—as You have called me to holiness—so that the meditations of my heart will produce good fruit in both my words and my actions.

Help me to refuse to listen to gossip and to challenge anyone who repeats gossip to repent—that we all might benefit from the resulting peace and unity that will come when gossip stops.

Help me to only speak truth—and to speak that truth in love—so that everything that comes out of my mouth will be for the encouragement and edification of anyone who might hear.

Help me to keep myself from being like the wood in a fire—to keep myself from being that one who fuels the fires of contention and strife by gossiping about others.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.