God loves us and He showed that love by sending His son Jesus to live among us, to die for us, and to be raised from the dead so we could, too. This is the work of God -- amazingly simple and awesomely powerful.

Holy Father, I believe that Jesus came to earth, died, and was raised from the dead. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to those around me who are searching, grant me the courage; help me show and share that message with those around me looking to find hope, comfort, peace and help.

God is willing to do His part in helping us- but we must be willing to do yours. 
 
The principle is this - surrender to Him; you supply the willingness, and He will supply the power; become strong at the broken places.

Psalm 94:18-19

While we are amazed at the vastness of God's reach and the awesome breadth of His power and the glorious sweep of His majesty, the incredible truth is His personal nearness to us. He chooses to know us and be actively involved in the trials and triumphs of each day with us. How will today, or tomorrow, be different because I am aware of His presence and companionship?

God who is near, You know my heart. I am overwhelmed at Your presence near me and within me. The comfort You bring when I am lost, the strength You offer when I am weak, the courage You give when I am fearful, and the hope You instill when all seems hopeless -- these gifts of Your presence are precious to me. Without Your presence I would not know where to go or why I am here.
 
All thanks, praise and glory to You Father.

Conversion means a turning, moving round a corner. It can be a sharp, sudden, hairpin bend, as was Paul’s on the road to Damascus, or it can be a gentle, open curve, in which we change our direction only gradually. It is the Holy Spirit who does the work of sanctification, pulling us round the bend.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Lord, you tell me, as you told Simon Peter, to ‘Put out into the deep water.’ You are ready to surprise me with the depths I can find in myself, with the work you can do through me. Save me from complacency, from settling for a routine existence. Open me to recognizing your hand in my daily encounters.

A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you….and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Ezekial 36:27-28

I think today not of what I want to do for God but of what God wants to do for me. God cares for me in all of my being - body, heart and soul - wanting to refresh me, invigorate me and call me back to life.

I pray that I may let God be God and think of what it means for me to be a child of God.

We are wonderfully made and God has something definite planned for us. We display his craftsmanship and skill when we live for Him.

Master, teach me to recognize Your opportunities and will when they come into my life. I want to live for You without reservation. I pray for patience as I wait....... I pray for protection on those close to coming to Christ........ I pray not for me but for your Kingdom to be glorified.
 
Through Him, in Him and from Him....all things for You Father!

I recognize that because I am finite I will never be able to fully understand the ways of God. It was a wonderful moment in my life when I was delivered from the torment of trying to figure this out...... the reasons that life happens.....: God is in control of the world. Don't try to grasp all the ramifications of this truth; just accept it. I have never spent a single moment since in trying to figure out why God does what He does. I accept His sovereignty without question - and I am all the better for it.
 
"One of the marks of maturity," says Charles Swindoll, "is the quiet confidence that God is in control ... without the need to understand why He does what He does."
 
Feverishly trying to unravel all the knots of life can bring us to the edge. The finite can never plumb the infinite. Face the fact that God's ways are unsearchable and unfathomable. Then start to live - really live.....free from self....free from worries of this world....safe in the Masters' hands!

Ask the Lord Jesus into our hearts, our home, and lives. It's not that He's not there, it's just that He awaits our invitation -- he will not barge in. He only inhabits hearts into which He has been invited!

In the path of your judgements, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and your renown are the soul's desire. My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.

Isaiah 26:8-9

Like Isaiah, I wait for the Lord. I know that in waiting I can become impatient, disheartened or inattentive. I bring what I desire and yearn for it before God, asking for blessing. I wait for You Lord.

I yearn for You for You Lord. Ma-ra-na-tha....  

We may face malicious vandalism, like the enemy who sowed weeds in his neighbour’s field. In their early stages the weeds looked like wheat, and you could not root up weeds without taking some wheat as well. So too some of the evils we face are dressed up to look respectable. We have to fight evil, but we need not give ourselves ulcers if we find that society remains far from perfect. The final judgment lies with God.

Lord, you remind me of my impatience when faced with evil in the world. Let me learn to wait for the wheat and the weeds to grow. Otherwise my judgments will likely be too hasty and mistaken. You warn us against the illusions of inquisitions which tried to eliminate sin by laws and bonfires. You do not ask us to coerce people into what we think is the right path. Part of me is impatient to root out evil, like the servants offering to weed out the darnel. You tell me to wait on God’s judgment and trust that the goodness of his seed will prevail over the weeds. When faced with violent people, I will not let their way of treating me determine my way of treating them.
 
May I learn patience...teach me Father.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:28-29 

Romans 12:12

Sometimes the key to survival is simply "setting our jaw" and going on faithfully trusting that God is there helping us, despite the outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer are all decisions of the will.
 
 

Create in me, Father, a resolute and steadfast heart so that I might persevere with joy no matter!

How wonderful it would be to have someone come along and lift us up out of the struggles. God can do that. His Spirit renews and strengthens us. Through the loving power of God, we are pulled out of the darkest pit and set upon solid ground.
 
Lord, hear me as I call out to You. Whether my problems are huge or tiny, I find I need Your help to get me through. Pull me up into Your loving arms, and surround me in Your love!

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way.

Psalm 142:1-7

Someone has defined loneliness as "the surprising opportunity to know God". It is. When there is no one but God - those are the times when we learn to know God - and really know Him. The experience of loneliness is not easy to go through, yet, it is worth far more than the cost.

Father, something within me still shrinks away from the challenge that You are putting before me. Help me to understand, however, that in order to know You - really know You - I must be honest with myself, willing to surrender and open to Your love and healing grace.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Remember the prodigal son? He thought he was ready to set out on his own, and it almost led to his ruin. He squandered all his wealth and found he really couldn't make it by himself. He had to humble himself and return home, where his father awaited him with open arms, unconditional and providential love.

Life's blows make some people querulous and bitter; others, they sweeten and refine. The reason some respond to life positively and turn their problems into possibilities is because of right inner attitudes. 
 
Though God may allow what appears to be a disaster in the life of one of His children, He does so only if He can turn it to good effect. If transformation is not possible, then God would never have allowed it to happen in the first place. So let this truth sink deep into your spirit - God only allows what He can use.
 
God will let nothing happen to one of His children without supplying the necessary grace to turn the stumbling block into a stepping stone, then we ought meet whatever life sends us with confidence and faith.
 
Loving and comforting Father grant me the inner freedom to overcome the fear and anxiety that challenge me....open my heart to Your eternal source of peace and love to guide and comfort me through all life's storms...
 

Yet I always stay close to you, and you hold me by the hand. You guide me with your instruction and at the end you will receive me with honor. What else do I have in heaven but you? Since I have you, what else could I want on earth? My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is my strength; he is all I ever need. But as for me, how wonderful to be near God

Psalm 73:23-28

Psalm 22:1

 God is with us all along; I sometimes choose to look the other way. His divine love breaks through on the wings of a moonbeam, and His answers moves through my heart; comforting and reassurring. Never does the Lord forsake His own. The only distance that is ever between us is the distance that we put there.
 
Gift of my life, continue to shower me with Your love. Let me feel Your gentle weight upon my heart, and keep me ever mindful of Your presence in my life.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God

2 Cor 1:3-4

Comfort

By Os Hillman

I was 14 years old in September 1966. I was home watching I Dream of Jeannie on television when the program was interrupted by a news bulletin: "Three prominent local businessmen have died in a plane crash in the mountains of Tennessee." That's how I learned of the death of my father.

It was difficult and painful growing up without a father. I loved and needed my dad. I couldn't understand why God would take him away from me so suddenly. I certainly didn't see the death of my father as a "blessing" in any sense of the word.

Yet I have seen blessings come out of that terrible tragedy. In the years since my father died, God has brought a number of men across my path that have lost fathers at an early age. Because of my own loss, I had an instant connection with others who suffered similar losses. We shared an experience that other people couldn't fully understand.

I went through a seven year period where I experienced major financial problems. I can't say that it was a blessing to go through those seven years of adversity, but God has used my trial to bring blessing to other people. It actually was a catalyst to move me into a whole new calling. When I meet someone who is going through a business failure or a financial loss, there's an instant bond between us of shared experience.

God can take our adversity—a heart attack, cancer, an automobile accident, violent crime, bankruptcy, a marriage crisis, the loss of a loved one—and transform that pain into encouragement for the people around us. We come out of those experiences stronger and better able to comfort others.

Although adversity may never be a blessing, God in His grace can bring blessing out of our adversity. The key is releasing the hurt and pain to the Lord so He can bring the needed healing to our lives. Why not give your circumstance to the Lord today and let Him use it in the lives of others. This will be the first step toward healing

Psalm 139:23-24

God knows us. We can't pretend we are something we are not with Him. This should liberate us to a remarkable degree of intimacy, but most of us run from such a close relationship with God. If our desire, however, is to become more like Him, the only way to be transformed is by inviting Him and looking at our heart, our motivations, and our desires.

O God, I know You are the one who "searches hearts and minds" ....I surrender to You, I open my heart and am willing for You to help me become healed and whole.....through Your love, grace and mercy.

    ²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].^(B)

    ³Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.^(C)

    ⁴Behold, I have appointed him (Him) [David, as a representative of the Messiah, or the Messiah Himself] to be a witness [one (One) who shall testify of salvation] to the nations, a prince (Prince) and commander (Commander) to the peoples.

    ⁵Behold, you ^[a][Israel] shall call nations that you know not, and nations that do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.

    ⁶Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near.

    ⁷Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon.

    ⁸For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.

    ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Never alone. What a promise. As Psalm 139 emphasizes later, Joshua hears first hand. God will go with him, and us, through all the seasons of life, through all our ups and downs, through temptations and triumphs, even through death. So we can take courage and feel his strength. We are not alone!

Psalm 73:25-26

What can truly fulfill and sustain me? Only my relationship with God. He is what lasts and the only thing eternal......thus how can we displace him for anything that isn't?

El Shaddai, all sufficient....Emanuel, God is with us--you are my hope, my strength, and my future. I live this day in wide-open amazement that the Sovereign King knows my name, hears my voice, and cares for me. Thank you Father for being my past, my present, and my future, the Great I Am.

Father of all grace and mercy, thank you. Thank you for extending grace when I have not deserved it. Thank You for giving mercy when I most needed it. Thank You for giving life. May peace, comfort, strength and hope is in Your mercy, grace and love.

It's all very simple. God is love. He is its origin, example, and architect. I love because he loved me first. I know how to love because he has demonstrated it. I can love because he made me to have his likeness. He is the fountain, the motivation, and the pinnacle of love. I love because he does, first, last, and always.

God of comfort, thank you for comforting me with your love. Just as a child learns from parents how to do so many things, I want to learn to love as you do: sacrificially, selflessly, and submissively, so that others may know that they do not have to earn your love, only receive it

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

1 John 4:18

His perfect love……What is there to fear if God sent his Son to die to redeem us? What is there to fear if we cannot be separated from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus? What is there to fear except ourselves? As we love God and his children, we are reminded by His love for us, which is far better than our meager love for others.

Rather than run from Him in fear, we bow before Him in thanks, turn towards
His perfect love, that is always present and available, knowing that He who hears our prayers is also He who loves us and stops our fears.

Romans 8:38-39

Separation is something we fear whether it's from a child, a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, or from God.
 

Abba Father, thank you for loving me. Thank you for giving me the promise that nothing can separate me from your love. Please fill me with your Spirit and make me more aware of your accompanying presence in my life today.

There are some situations that arise in our lives that are as difficult to get through as a deep snowdrift or shifting sand. We struggle, and the more we do, the worse off we become. God reaches out to us in those times, gladly lending a hand. He will enlarge our steps, so that we might get over the toughest problems. Believe it.
 
Dear Lord, thank you for your comfort and strength! All things are possible through you.

Although the psalmist's feet are no longer slipping and sliding, he continues to struggle inwardly with his problem. Listen to what he says: "But when I considered how to understand this, it was too great an effort for me and too painful" (Psa. 73:16).
 
It is clear that although he has stopped himself from falling, he is still in great anguish of heart and mind; he is still perplexed and has to face all kinds of difficulties. 
 
 Have you ever been in this position in your spiritual life - saved from slipping and sliding but still harassed by a giant-sized spiritual problem? You know enough to stop you falling, but not enough to start you climbing. It is a strange position to be in but one, I must confess, in which I have found myself on many occasions. Perhaps you are there right now - your feet have stopped slipping, but strong emotions continue to rage inside you.
 
This is a very critical position to be in - critical because the temptation at this point is to quieten the raging emotions within by settling for answers that are less than the real ones. I know many who have been in this position, and because their goal has been to alleviate the pain in their heart rather than find the real solutions to their problem, they have grasped at answers that do nothing more than provide temporary relief.

O Father, save me from settling for less than the best, even though it means struggling a little longer with some difficult and turbulent emotions. Help me be concerned with maturity, not just temporary relief

Psalm 59:16

So many things in our lives are transient and can be "taken" away. But God is immovable and eternal! We can invest ourselves in him and know our spirits are secure in his care. He is a fortress and a refuge.

Psalm 18:1-2

Father in heaven, I love You. I love you because You have first loved me. I love You because of Your faithfulness. I love You because you have permitted me in Your grace to be forgiven; so that I may love myself and love others as You love us.

Psalm 86:5

Forgiveness is such a sweet blessing. But God does more than forgive! He cleanses and forgets. His love is not metered out or carefully rationed.
 
He pours it out upon us if we genuinely seek him as our God and Father. Come Lord Jesus come!

Matthew 7:7-8

Ask! So often we're afraid to ask for help because we have to admit we don't have the answers. Seek! Effort and interest and perseverance are necessary and that's sometimes hard. Knock! But God wants us to use the A.S.K. principle and bring our hearts before him. So let's not whine, complain, desire, and want. Let's A.S.K. our Father and seek his glory.

Waiting Father, I am sorry that so often you hear only my whines, complaints, and concerns. You have been so generous with your love. Help me to keep my heart set on you and your will today.

Philippians 4:8

My actions follow our thoughts like a heat-seeking missile follows the exhaust of a jet fighter's engine.
 
So in a day when so much around us trains us to find the negative in life, I must aggressively think and pursue the character, the qualities, and the things of God's goodness.

 
Father in my thoughts, words and actions may Your Spirit fill me with Your love so that I mau do Your will.

Psalm9:9

 "God has made sure that I've had enough to get by on. I don't need any more than that. When He needs me, He lets me know and shows me what I can do, and when I need Him, all I have to do is call. I've faced hard times, but the Lord has always given me strength and given me a place to run to."

 
The Lord is our refuge and our strength. Our lives are gifts from God; given to us and to others for His glory. We need not ask what more God can do for us, but wh at we might do for God. He will surely let us know.

Father, I sometimes need to escape: from the world, from myself, from the things that tie me down. Be my liberation and my sanctuary.

Psalm 118:5-6

My prayer is that all may know the comfort of God's presence. Whether it's the popular little poem "Footprints" or the familiar "Yea though I walk through the shadow of death, thou art with me," the presence of the Lord is absolutely vital to standing up against our anguish! The Lord does long to be with us, especially at those moments when we feel most alone. He told us that by experiencing it himself at the cross.

I am thankful, O God, that you refused to be God from a safe distance. Because you came and felt what it was like to be abandoned, forsaken, and alone, I know I can trust that I will never be forsaken by you. Please give me a clearer sense of your presence with me in my life today.

John 8:31-32

There are few things more coveted than freedom. People die for it. People pray for it. People strive for it. True freedom comes from knowing truth. Knowing truth only comes by living in obedience to God. Truth is not something you merely think about or believe. Truth is something you do, you live. Jesus' teaching always ends with the exclamation: Blessed are you who do these things! Only by doing will we ever know the truth that liberates us.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice. We will not live in the perfect society in this life. We are like Abraham, on a pilgrimage of faith, facing the huge risks of the Christian, moving from one piece of Holy Ground to another, seeking God!

The closer we get to God, the more glaring are our faults. The brighter the light of perfection that we subject ourselves to, the more flaws are revealed. The better we understand the awesome magnificence of God, the more we expose our own imperfection. This, however, is no cause for despair. Our Lord wants nothing more than for us to come to depend on Him. We can only truly become dependent as we acknowledge our inadequacies. As Paul found out, true strength comes from admitting our weakness, and total healing comes by realizing that without God we are weak and incomplete. When we cry out for the mercy of God He strengthens us; in asking for His healing we will be made whole.

 Fill me with Your Spirit Father and do for me all that I cannot do for myself

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD.

Isaiah 45:3

When God takes us to a depth of soul experience be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During these times God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. It can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul. 

"Whenever you get into a prison of circumstances, be on watch. Prisons are rare places for seeing things.  God has no chance to show His mercy to some of us except when we are in some distressing sorrow and our attention is captive. The night is the time to see the stars."

We must live each day to the fullest. We can't live in the past or in the future. We must live in the moment God that gives us right now. Our time of deliverance will come according to God's schedule. Meanwhile, we need to be faithful in doing what God has given us to do and be content in the place where He has placed us.
When we go through a trial of adversity, we need to understand that God is performing radical surgery on our life. The purpose of this surgery is not to destroy us, but to give us a new heart. God is making a fundamental change in who we are and who we will be. He will always reveal treasures from these secret places if we are willing to walk through the process patiently.

Titus 2:11-12

In a world that has no absolutes, in a world in search of moral standards, salvation by the costly grace of God beckons us to change our lifestyle in response to God's grace. Anyone who receives grace and refuses to pursue righteousness demonstrates his/her ignorance or hardness of heart. In our day, in our time, to be saved means to pursue righteousness -- not so that we may earn our salvation, but so that God's saving grace will not be fruitless in us.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

The trouble learning and accepting God's will may stem from the old belief that God's will is going to be something unpleasant or dull. On the contrary God only intends what is best for us: therefore, the only real happiness and security comes from learning and carrying out His will.  God's plan is always better and greater than anything we might produce when depending solely on human reason.  Our own view and understandings are limited, but God can see a breathtaking sweep of wonderful activities and opportunities for us.

        Most of us, by yielding to self-will, lose out in the search for real joy, true success, and genuine happiness. It is only when we turn to God that we began to find the things that we had been vainly seeking. God had brought us this far and will not fail us when we ask for guidance and understanding in other matters.

...........I will keep in mind today that God's will for me is good, and that God gives me the power to live in peace and harmony with myself and others.

The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.

Psalm 145:18

 The Lord is always as close as a prayer. In times of need, we can call out to Him and He will be there with us immediately. Christ gives us the assurance we need to live full lives, for we need have no fear of life when He is present with us.

In times of joy, in times of sorrow, in times of need, I thank You, Lord, for being there when I call upon You. You are my comfort, my strength, my hope and my peace.

For nothing will be impossible with God. Then Mary said, Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.

Luke 1:36-38

By responding positively to God's messenger, Mary becomes the model believer and servant, responding wholeheartedly to God's will and plan of salvation.

Lord help me surrender myself to You and model myself on Mary in my response to Your call.

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied

Ecclesiastes 6:7

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Philippians 3:7-9

O Father, stir in us the need for complete and utter surrender, in all things…all thoughts, all words and actions…..to you Lord….all things from You, through You, with You and for You!

Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Jeremiah 17:14 

Thy will be done….

Psalm 139:14

The potter sat at his wheel, turning the clay into beautiful pots. It was hypnotizing to watch. After a time, the pot looked as though it were emerging directly from the potter's hand. With love and care, the potter put his style and mark on every piece he created. Each piece was different, but each bore the striking mark of its maker.
 
We, too, are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are individual, yet we bear the stamp of our maker. God's image dwells within us all. With love and care we are fashioned, emerging from the Father's hand, and one day we will return to Him, where we will be afforded a place of honor and love. God's works are marvelous, and His Spirit fills them all.

Abba Father by Your hands I came into being. Make me useful, Lord, to do Thy wil be done not mine

The ninth fruit of the Spirit -- self-control. The King James Version uses the word "temperance" but in most translations the Greek word (enkrateia) is rendered as self-control. Underlying the word is the idea of self-restraint, a fine mastery of one's personality, a controlled and disciplined nature. It is noteworthy that Paul puts self-control last. Most systems of thought, both ancient and modern, would put it first. Consider the various philosophies that have fascinated man over past centuries, and what do you find? They all seek to produce a happy and contented person through self-control. Some advocate thought control, some breath control, others will-control. God's way is different -- it produces happy and contented people, not primarily by thought control or even will-control, but by God-control. This is a self-controlled person, but he becomes that, not by self-effort alone but by the gracious supply of the Holy Spirit who indwells him. You do not gain God, Christ or the Holy Spirit through self-control: you gain self-control through God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.

 
You see, if you begin with self-control, then you are the center -- you are controlling yourself. But if you begin, as Paul does, with love, then the spring of action is outgoing and you are released from yourself and from self-preoccupation. When you begin with love, you end with self-control. But it is not a nervous, anxious, tied-up self-control; it is a control that is natural and unstrained -- hence beautiful.

Gracious Father, help me grasp the thought that self-control is not really myself in control, but God in control. I surrender to You.....You are in control and You then put me in control. It is indeed beautiful. Thank You, dear Father!

Our Lord goes with us into the dark times of our lives. He holds us by the hand and lets us know that we have nothing to fear. Darkness and light are the same to the Lord. He will lead us through our times of fear and bring us back into the light every time.

Psalm 100:4-5

 We come to God to praise Him for all he has been, all He is, and all He will be. We come to enter and worship in His comforting presence.

I remind myself that I am in the presence of the Lord. I will take refuge in His loving heart. He is my strength in times of weakness. He is my comforter in times of sorrow.

On this day - a day of remembrance for all those who fought and those who have died, pray also for the enemies who have also fallen.

 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Job 37:5-6

Isn't that a beautiful phrase! "God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding." God is great!
 
All praise, glory and honour are Yours Almight Father!

Psalm 134:2

 Whether we approach Him on bended knees deep in the silence of our own hearts, or with hearts, hands, and heads lifted in jubilant praise, we can know beyond doubt that God accepts us and is honored by our expressions of worship.

Receive me as I am, Lord. I worship You in the best way I know how. Help me to be open to new and different expressions of faith, and teach me to grow.

"Kindness" is a very beautiful word; it means "a kindly disposition, or warm goodwill toward others; kindness is a virtue endowed upon us by the Holy Spirit. 
 

Gracious Father, help me today to be clothed with kindness. Make me a person who can show warmth and goodwill to others. I ask this for Your glory, honour and praise

Hebrews 4:12

Almighty God, Your will is my heart's desire. I realize that I need to be fed more consistently by your Word revealed in Scripture. Give me strength and consistency in my walk with You through Your Word. Through Your Spirit, inspire me to change what needs to be changed and to be blessed and encouraged in the areas that I need it most. I turn to You and trust in Your Word to point me in the way of life.

 
When life wears us down and we just can't go on, we need a port in the storm; a source of shade and comfort. The Lord is just that. He is the place we can rest and be renewed. Turn to the Lord when you are weary, and he will rejuvenate you and set you back on your feet.

Let me find my rest in You, Lord. When the day gets to be too much for me, welcome me into Your presence, where I can find sanity and reason.

When things are tough or things are going well, I call on God and lean on his mercy and grace. I acknowledge that all the blessings I have and all the opportunities I have received come because of his grace.
 
 

Gracious Father, every good thing I have in my life has come because of you. The family I have been blessed with, the protection I have received, the values that I hold, the successes I have enjoyed, the hope I have, the salvation I have received, and the future I anticipate are all mine because of your grace and not my goodness. Thank you!

Isaiah 55:6

God is always close to those who genuinely seek after Him. The problem is that we drift away from Him, lose interest, and leave His presence. Seek Him and receive His grace and His help while we recognize that He alone is the One who truly saves.

 
God is the great purifier. He will remove all that is impure in our lives and fill us with good things. We no longer need earthly crutches, because we have found total healing in the Lord. All that is required is a willingness to change. The Lord will help us do the rest.

Lord I surrender my will and completely abandon my "self" to You. Make me a new person, Lord. Cleanse me, heal me.......help to wash it all away, and replace it with Your blessed love.

Isaiah 46:4

God will not forget us when we're in trouble or when we are old. We may outlive our friends and be forgotten by those who know us, but God will never leave us or forsake us. He will sustain, carry, protect, and rescue us.

Thank you my Father, for promising to never forget me. I know you will never forsake me. I trust that no matter where I am or where I go, you go with me.

Blessings; I can't think of a better one! Grace, love and fellowship rooted in the eternal, sacrificial, and gracious nature of our God, and we share it with all!

For those who, though they have been forgiven by God, are unable to forgive themselves. A man came to me recently at the end of a meeting at which I had spoken, and told me the details of a particularly horrendous sin in which he had been involved. He said, "I know God has forgiven me, but the memory of what I have done is constantly with me. It is quietly driving me insane.
 
This brought to mind a story I heard many years ago of a father who taught his son to drive a nail into a board every time he did something wrong, and then to pull out the nail after he had confessed the wrong and had been forgiven. Every time this happened, the boy would say triumphantly, "Hurray! The nails are gone!" "Yes," his father would say, "but always remember that the marks made by the nails are still in the wood." The message is this: the Carpenter of Nazareth can not only pull out the nails, but can also varnish and beautify the wood so that the marks become, not a contradiction, but a contribution.'
 

Lord Jesus Christ, You who once were known as a carpenter's son, take the stains and blemishes of my past and work through them so that they contribute, rather than contradict.

In relationships I need to focus more on what I can give than on what I can get. This can be exceedingly difficult, of course, if you I'm not allowing God to meet your needs, but once I'm secure in Him, everything He asks me to do becomes possible. Assuming our needs for security, significance, and self-worth are being met in God, we are then in a position to fulfil God's true purpose in relationships, which is this: God, who is an invisible, intangible, eternal Being, has designed relationships to be a visible, tangible demonstration of the reality of His love as we love one another. Just think of it - in relationships we have the marvelous privilege of demonstrating God's love to others in a way that they can feel, touch, and understand. Our love will not add to the fact of their security in God, but it will add to the degree to which they feel it. No wonder Martin Luther said that marriage was the greatest way God had of teaching us the truths about Himself. 
 

Father, to realize that I have the privilege of bringing the reality of Your love to others, and thus making You more real to them, is so incredible that it almost blows my mind! But I know it is true. Make me worthy of this privilege.

The first principle to learn if we are to recover from brokenness caused by troubled relationship is: Depend on God, and not on anyone else, to meet the deepest needs of your personality. Allow this truth to take hold of your innermost being and you will become a transformed person. The most basic needs of our personality are these: (1) the need to be loved unconditionally (security); (2) the need to be valued (self-worth), and (3) the need to make a meaningful contribution to God's world (significance).
 
Human beings can only function effectively to the degree that these needs are met. If they are unsatisfied, our ability to function as a person is greatly hindered; if they are adequately met, then, other things being equal, we have the potential of functioning effectively. Notice, however, this important point - our needs for security, significance, and self-worth can be fully met only in a close and ongoing relationship with the Lord. No human being, however loving, kind, and considerate they may be, can fully meet these needs.
 

 Help me to grasp this, for I sense that if I do, I shall become a transformed complete person in You.

"Life " as Hemingway put it, "breaks us all ". Have you been broken? Then take heart - out of the brokenness God can bring strength. What kind of troubles bring us to a breaking point? 

O God, You know how easy it is to blunder in this delicate and difficult business of relationships. I needsomeone to lead me in the right way. You lead me, Father - I will follow. May I rest in You.

A principle for healing the brokenness that arises from troubles those God has presented to us; spouses, friends, children, relatives, colleagues, etc., and don't just endure them. Too difficult? Look again at the verse at the top of this page, where we are instructed to accept each other just as God accepts us. And remember that when we supply the willingness, God supplies the power. There is quite a difference, of course, between accepting others and enjoying them; the former is a scriptural requirement, the latter is something that is dependent on their response and behavior. Relationships sometimes involve living with an irritating, infuriating, and obnoxious person: how can we accept such a person, let alone enjoy him or her? Acceptance does not mean that we have to enjoy everything others do: it means rather that we see others as someone to whom God wants us to love whether we feel like it or not. Many stumble over this. Depend on God to meet (gives us the courage. strength and hope) that need, and then see what happens. 
 

Thy will be done!

Psalm 16:8

There are many things that can trouble our lives, but none that can shake us loose from the grip of God's grace if our hearts remain close to Jesus as our Lord, and our hope remains focused in Him. If Jesus is our Lord, then all of life's greatest blessings lie ahead of us!

Holy Lord, you are worthy of majesty, honor, and praise. I lift up your name, O God, and place it above every name. As I look to the future, I want to honor you and find you there. Since I believe you will never leave or forsake me, I will always look ahead to find you leading the way.

In a world with skewed values, and false promises, and fleeting fame, what can we boast in other than the steadfastness of the Lord's love, the incredible riches of the Lord's grace, the incomparable supply of the Lord's blessings, the mercy of the Lord's plan for our salvation, the promise of the Lord's tomorrow! All beacuase of You!

Luke 12:6-7

In a universe so vast, among all the billions of people what significance do I have? Jesus reminds us that our significance is great -- not because we are so important but because we are known personally by God. We don't have to be afraid, we are known and loved by the One who is and was and is to come!

Eternal God, Almighty Father, Tender Shepherd, You already know my heart. You know my fears, please encourage and strengthen. You know my weakness, please comfort and heal. I am awed by the fact that You choose to know me. Thank You for letting me know how valued I am!

Hebrews 11:1

While the road ahead of us may be filled with questions and concerns, we can look back and see the many ways God has acted in our behalf to get us to the places we need to be. We see His work through history and we can take assurance that His promises are true and His victory in us is assured.

Almighty God, I trust that even now You sustain our world with Your word of grace. I am confident that before the future arrives You are already there preparing it for us. Help me when I worry to remember my faith and to press on trusting that You are always there, holding my hand!

 
"What life does to us in the long run depends on what life finds in us." Life's blows can make some people querulous and bitter, others they sweeten and refine; the same events, but with opposite effects.
 
The Gospels tell us that there were three crosses set up on Calvary on the first Good Friday. The same event happened to three different people, but look at the different results. One thief complained and blamed Jesus for not saving Himself and them; the other thief recognized his own unworthiness, repented of it and found an open door to Paradise. Jesus, of course, saw it as the climax of His earthly achievements and made it the fulcrum on which He moved the world. What counts, therefore, is not so much what happens to us, but what we do with it. 
 

Gracious heavenly Father, write this precept upon my heart so that I shall never forget it: it's not so much what happens to me, but what I do with it that is important. Thank You, Father.

Philippians 1:6

In each of us, God is still at work and will continue to work to His glory (see Philippians 2:12-13)!

Thank you Father, for being at work in my life. I can see Your fingerprints and Your grace leading me to where I am today. Please make Your presence more powerfully known in my life as I seek Your will and live to Your glory.

When the voice of the Lord calls out to us, may we respond to it with the same childlike glee that our youngsters demonstrate at the approach of the ice cream man. May the name of the Lord bring joy to our hearts and smiles to our faces.

Fill me with a joy that remains untouched by the trials of the day. When I hear Your name, Lord, let me respond in jubilation. Be the source of my comfort and peace

Isaiah 41:10

 

Fear saps our will power and leaves us feeling depleted and hopeless. Few of us have ever experienced defeats, loss, despair and suffering. This shared message of hope is a powerful reminder that underneath us are the everlasting arms of a mighty, forgiving and always loving God.

Almighty and Eternal Father, it is such sweet comfort to know that you are always there. Thank you!

A pillar of wisdom to occupy our attention is that of friendship.
 

The wise are those who know how to make friends. The book of Proverbs emphasizes the whole area of relationships - love and respect for parents, love for one's spouse and so on - but it pays particular attention to the matter of friendship. Why is friendship such an important theme in Proverbs? What exactly is friendship? How do we go about the task of developing good friendships? First - what exactly is friendship? Many years ago a magazine offered a prize for the best definition of friendship sent in by its readers. Of the thousands of answers received the one that received first prize was this:
 
"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out." One way I describe friendship is this: "Friendship is the knitting of one soul with another so that both become stronger and better by virtue of their relationship." Another definition of friendship by an ancient philosopher is "a single soul dwelling in two bodies."
 
 It goes without saying, I think, that romantic relationships like courtship and marriage ought to contain and demonstrate the qualities of friendship; one's life partner ought to be one's best friend.

 
Father, teach me the selflessness and unconditional love requied for my friendships. Help me see that being a friend is more important than having a friend. Thank you for ny friendships and blessings.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Of all the names for God in the Bible, this is my favorite: Him who is able to do immeasurably more. He longs to do more than we ask and imagine, but most of us haven't really given him much of a challenge. Dream big dreams for God. Then hang on!
 

Almighty and awesome God, give me faith to believe and then amaze us at the smallness of our faith. Give us vision to see your plan and do greater things. We ask this, not for ourselves or our experience, but for your glory! All things through Him, with Him and in Him! 

Isaiah 12:4

 God loves all people and wants them to come to share in his grace. We are his salt and light, here to touch all the people of the world and beckon them to the loving arms of the Father, who is always waiting.

Holy God, stir in my heart a greater passion to share your love with the world.

  Father of Mercies and God of all Compassion, thank you for not only knowing and caring about my struggles and problems but sending me help in Jesus and the Divine Spirit. May Your Spirit of compassion be found in my relationships; my thoughts, words and actions, for Thy will be done .

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:31-32

The whole thrust of the universe which God designed and created is simple, uncomplicated, and built on truth. There are great mysteries, of course, but no lies. Scientific laws are upheld by truth. Gravity, for example, will not lie.

Why does telling a lie make a person anxious? Because we are built for truth, and any departure from it registers on the inside in a way that can be picked up on the outside (anxious and uncomfortable). A lie detector is not infallible and can sometimes (though not often) be fooled. But what cannot be fooled is the soul of the person who is lying. The worst thing about being a liar is to be the person telling the lie.

Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

Psalm 25:5

Abba Father envelop and shroud me in Your Spirit of truth; guard my thoughts, words and actions, so that I may do Your will and live free in Your love.

When we experience adversity, we generally respond in one of three ways: (1) we become angry; (2) we try to gut it out; or (3) we accept it with joy.

Anger

When adversity comes our way, we say, "Why me, Lord?" We become bitter and resentful and blame God and others for our problems. We view ourselves as victims and demand that God answer our accusing questions: "Why don't You love me, Lord? We feel entitled to life, health, wealth, and happiness.

Gutting It Out

Another way we respond to adversity is by adopting a stoic attitude, repressing our emotions. We lie to ourselves and say, "I'm gutting it out. I'm demonstrating endurance." In reality, we are merely isolating ourselves with a shell of false bravado. We don't meditate on God's love, we don't pray, we don't believe God really has anything good planned for us. We simply tell ourselves, "This will soon be over. I'm a survivor." We never receive what God has planned for us if we stay here.

Acceptance with Joy

This is the response God seeks from us. When adversity comes, we rest in His love and trust that He knows best. We realize that nothing can happen to us without His permission. If there is pain in our lives, we know it's because God deems it necessary for our growth or wishes to use our pain to minister to others.

Blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

Proverbs 16:10-20

You can put your trust in God without fear of ever being let down. Peter puts it like this: "' the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6). Drop your anchor into the depths of this reassuring and encouraging revelation, and then we can rejoice in the Lord no matter what comes our way.

Zephaniah 3:17

  O God, I pray that when the storms of life rage against me, I will remember these words and find refuge, comfort and peace in Your sheltering care. Make me aware of Your presence each day.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Colossians 4:5-6

There are no random acts of kindness, only intentional acts given the opportunity to happen.
 
Lord grant me the inner freedom to love and bring peace to all I encounter, in Your name!

Where does your heart live? That's what these verses are all about. Is there a constant awareness in my life that God is present? Is He the unseen but always present companion in all my ups and downs? Joy comes from knowing we are never alone. Prayer is the ongoing conversation we have, Spirit to Spirit, with God. Thanksgiving is the great reminder that we have been blessed no matter what the circumstances may suggest.

Precious and Loving Father, thank You for being there. Give me a deeper appreciation and a always more profound awareness of Your presence today. May my life reflect the joy You have given me by saving me by grace. And may my heart always find its home in You.

Philippians 4:6-7

Gracious and providential Father, I have so many reasons to praise You and give You thanks. In the face of challenge I have Your promises to reawaken my hope. In the moments of peace and comfort I have You to thank for my blessings. In the humdrum of the routine, I have great joys in Your surprises. Thank you, God,

Romans 12:12

 God is there helping us, despite the outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer are all decisions of the will.
 

Create in me Father a resolute and steadfast heart so that I might persevere with joy no matter what the challenge.

Colossians 3:2

The centre of the kingdom of God is a cross. We must go through spiritually what Jesus went through physically - we must die and be buried in order to experience a resurrection into freedom and fullness of life.

From then on, you live in a state of Christ-reference - not self-reference. You look out at ambiguity and uncertainty and say: "I may not know what the future holds - so what? I know who holds the future."

Sure of God, we do not have to be sure of anything else.

 "God never uses anyone unless He puts them through the test of suffering and pain." Strong words. It is not wrong to flinch at the approach of a spiritual test. God knows how we feel. Are we willing to open our hearts to the Lord and say: "Do to me as You will"?
 
 God will never allow us to go through anything without providing all the grace we need to bear it, and turn the test into a testimony that will eternally glorify Him and make our characters more like His. Faith in God does not save you from suffering, but it will save you through it!

 
Abba Father allow me the inner freedom to surrender completely to You........the willingness to cling to Your hand and not let go!

Psalm 46:10

Prayer is the time we allow ourselves to just listen; allowing the love and the life of God to flood into our lives and hearts; allowing His love to surround us; little needs to be said, only to be received.

Here I am, Lord. I come to seek your presence. I long for your healing power.

Psalm 46:1

The cross I wear around my neck is not there for show, nor is it the object of my worship. I would not be lost without it, though I do like it. I do not believe it has some mystical power, nor does it protect me. The cross that I wear reminds me of the great love that God has for me. Christ's gift of eternal life is made real to me each time I look down at the cross or feel it lightly resting on my chest. In difficult times, I look at the cross and feel warmth and comfort. From its gentle reminder I draw strength when I am weary, refuge when I need to rest. Whether I wear my cross or not, God is with me!  
 

I run to You when I need peace and comfort Lord. You take me in Your arms and protect me from the pressures of the day. In every time of trial, You are the source of my help.

John 20:19

He showed himself as one bringing peace, and that was His greeting. Given the humanly hopeless situation of the disciples, the notion of peace might seem like a “over the top” optimism - "hopefully things will turn out alright." Jesus' peace is not like that. He knows the score. His peace does not depend on politics, finances, people or places, but on his infinitely compassionate, unconditional love and strong presence. It sometimes requires time to recognize His presence: it was only after Jesus had left them that the disciples on the road to Emmaus realized how their hearts were burning.

Lord, make me alert to Your continuous presence, peace and comfort.

Psalm 42:5

There are times when we feel anxiety that will not easily be gotten rid of. That's all right. Even in those times. God is with us. Trust in the Lord, and He will guide us. It is not so important that we feel His presence with us as it is that we have faith in His being with us always. Feelings come and go, but the presence of God in our lives never changes.

God's delays are not His denials. Our Master has a purpose in everything He does.  One of the most difficult things to do in this life is to wait for God's purposes to come to pass. Waiting for God to bring about His purposes is more the rule than the exception.....
 

O Father, teach me to trust You when Your plans and purposes for my life are not revealed as soon as I'd like. I confess that impatience is one of the most difficult things for me to "die" to. I cannot do it on my own. Help me, my Father.

 To live for the Lord means to give oneself to Him, body, mind, and spirit. As the deer pursues the cooling brook with all that it has, so must I pursue my Lord.

You are my goal, Lord. Grant me the innert freedom to keep my eyes focused on You. Make sure that I don't turn away; guard my thoughts, words, actions and prayers, so that I may do Thy will.

What is the point He is making? It is this: as we are faithful in following the Lord, we can expect Him to reveal His special plan for our lives. Just as Nehemiah caught the vision of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, so we, too, if we are ready and alert, will catch the vision of what God has specially equipped us to do. Many years ago, I asked God to give me a vision of the special thing He wanted me to achieve for Him. He gave me the vision of launching a daily Bible reading programme which is now read by half a million people daily. He also, so I believe, inspired the choice of the title, Every Day with Jesus. I sometimes tremble at the awesome responsibility I now have of developing a spiritual theme month by month which will minister to the needs in people's lives. What if I had not asked God to give me a vision of what He wanted me to do? I might have continued in a ministry that would have been good, but not the best. I believe there are many of you now reading these lines who are living faithful lives for God, but you have never asked Him to show you the special thing He wants you to achieve for Him. And don't think of that special calling in terms of something that will bring you prestige and glamour - to do that will take you right off the track. If you have never done so before, ask the Lord right now to give you a vision of what He wants you to achieve for Him. Who knows - this could be, not just a new day, but a new beginning.
 

O Father, I don't just want to achieve the good - I want to achieve the best. If I have not yet caught the vision of that special thing You want to achieve through my life, then reveal it to me today. In Jesus' Name I pray

2 Corinthians 12:9

The route to a deeper relationship with God often passes through the valley of profound weakness, emptiness, surrender, despair, loss, trial or loneliness. The depth of character, trust and dependence that is developed through this test is something that not only enriches the life of the individual concerned, but spills over into the lives of many others also. In these periods, the Master draws us into His presence so that later, when we speak to others, they sense we are speaking to them from experience that fosters hope, comfort and peace!

Just when it looks as if you are facing what seems like unmitigated disaster, the "God of remarkable surprises" turns a desperate situation into an opportunity for unparalleled joy. How does He do it?
 
Just when we are feeling as if there is no one in the world who cares and that we will not be able to get through the day, He draws close to us and wraps the warmth of His presence around us in a way that makes the experience of temporary isolation worthwhile. We know Him in our heads, but we dont really know Him in our hearts. In the depths of turmoil, loneliness, despair. fear and uncertainty, this undergoes a deep change the theory is turned into reality. Someone has defined turmoil as "the surprising opportunity to know God". It is. When there is no one but God - those are the times when we learn to know God - and really know Him. The experience is not easy to go through, but it is worth far more than the cost.
 
Father, something within me still shrinks away from the challenge that You are putting before me. Help me to understand, however, that in order to know You - really know You - I must be willing, not just to trust, but completely surrender and abandon myself to You and Your care and comfort.

If I am afraid to die to my own purposes and allow God's purposes to become supreme, then I finish up trying please myself but not liking the self I have become.
 
Willing to face any situation that comes with the conviction that God will provide and see us through, enables us to face life with an inner fortitude and poise. Understanding this truth and being willing to apply it to all circumstances and situations is one of the greatest safeguards against emotional or spiritual distress or hardships. What greater hardship can there be than internal loneliness? God will never allow one of His children to find themselves in any situation where He is not able to help them - loneliness included. Someone has referred to our heavenly Father as "the God of remarkable surprises". What a fascinating description - and how true. In the midst of life's loneliest moments, God has a way of approaching us and revealing Himself in ways that we would never have conceived possible......and on the third day!

When I focus on my interests alone, my life soon becomes less than satisfying; there is an emptiness. Those who have no one to centre on other than themselves and live only to have their own needs met finish up bankrupt, beggared and defeated.  "The man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." In other words, lose your life in the plans and purposes of God and you will find the true meaning of your existence. It is a paradox, but nevertheless true, that you are never so much your own as when you are most His. Bound to Him, you walk the earth free. Low at His feet, you stand straight before anything or anyone else. You suddenly realise that you have aligned yourself with the creative forces of the universe, so you are free - free to create, free to love, free to be at your best, free to be all that He desires you to be. And this is not just mere acquiescence. It is co-operation with the Divine Power. No wonder someone called this principle, "the deepest law in the universe".

O God, Isurrender to You; Your will; to selflessness; I need You... the deep living waters of Your presence and comfort and peace. Amen.

Psalm 37:4

There are few people I would rather spend my time with than You. Lord, though often I don't spend time with You as I need. Forgive me when I forget to turn to You. Make Your desires my desires

Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Abba Father in dying to my selfish, self-centered needs (ego, pride, righteousness, etc.) I live in the freedom of Your unconditional love, providential comfort and eternal peace.

Lord grant me the inner freedom to completely abandon my cares to You; surrender my will; Thy will be done. God of peace, relax the tensions of my body, still the anxieties of my mind, calm the storms of my heart…..grant me the courage to wait for the deep, deep peace of God.

Faithful love builds up the one to whom we are faithful, expresses our hope in them. It is a grace, a gift: not so much what we do for God as what he does for us. It would make us feel humble, that in spite of all our inadequacies, we stuck it.

Lord I surrender my will to You; send forth Your Divine Spirit to increase my faith, remove my doubt and cleanse me!

The love of God can help me to endure many things. I cry out to God in times of affliction, and He will comfort me and lift me above the fear. Truly, all help is in the Lord.

There is nothing in this life, Lord, that I cannot face as long as You are with me.

Exodus 33:14

Dear Lord as I come to You today Fill my heart and my whole being with the wonder of Your presence; You gave me the great blessing of freedom of spirit. Fill my spirit with Your peace and Your joy.

 
I need to admit my weaknesses. When I admit weakness, it becomes strength, because I understand my need for God. God will protect us, comfort us, guide us, and never leave us alone. He truly is the Good Shepherd.
 

Lord, I have difficulty admitting that I cannot do everything on my own. Help me to see that leaning on Your strength is not weakness at all, but power beyond measure.

Here I am, Lord. I come to seek your presence. I long for your healing power.

1 John 4:19

 God is love. He is its origin, example, and architect. I love because he loved me first. I know how to love because he has demonstrated it. I can love because he made me to have his likeness. He is the fountain, the motivation, and the pinnacle of love. I love because he does, first, last, and always.

God of Comfort, God of Peace, God of Love; thank you for comforting me with your love. Teach me, mold me, heal me, cleanse me; I want to learn to love as you do: selflessly, and completely, so that others may know that they do not have to earn your love, only receive it.

Father, help me see the power that flows towards us from You, through You and in You. Just as I am encouraged by it, help me to encourage others with the hope and peace of Your love.

The Lord listens to our prayers, and He responds by giving the strength we need to meet every situation. He truly is my strength and fortress. Trust in the Lord, and He will grant His peace.

I can be totally honest with the Lord as I tell him of my worries and my cares. I will open up my heart to him as I tell him of my fears and my doubts. I will ask him to help me to place myself fully in his care, to abandon myself to him, knowing that he always wants what is best for me.

Proverbs 21:21

When I set off to find happiness or joy or significance or meaning, I seldom find it. Instead, when I offer to serve others and give myself wholeheartedly to the Lord and His work, it is then that I find what I most need.

 Lord help me remember it is in giving that I receive and in dying that I am born to eternal life.

Philippians 4:8

Actions follow our thoughts like heat-seeking missiles. So in a day when so much around us trains us to find the negative, I must aggressively think and pursue the character, the qualities, and the things of God's goodness.
 
Lord I jumbly ask You to send forth Your Divine Spirit to guide and gaurd my thoughts, words and actions....to seek only You and Your will.

Lord, be my strength. When I need help to get through the day; grant me the courage and humility to  turn to You and reach out my hand; knowing that You are always there!

Philippians 4:8

Actions follow our thoughts like heat-seeking missiles. So in a day when so much around us trains us to find the negative, I must aggressively think and pursue the character, the qualities, and the things of God's goodness.
 
Lord I jumbly ask You to send forth Your Divine Spirit to guide and gaurd my thoughts, words and actions....to seek only You and Your will.

Give me strength and patience, O God, that I may be as loving, gentle, and patient with others as you have been with me.

Matthew 11:28

Here I am, Lord. I come to seek Your presence. Help me fully surrender/rest in You. I long for your healing power.

 
It is the place where Jesus resided in His walk with His heavenly Father. It is the place of conviction;  daily seeking Him and His will in our lives; deepening our relationship, trust and love; motivated by a deep love and yearning for Him.
 

Luke 9:24

 The spirit of self-giving is the most beautiful thing in life. Through it life rises to the highest level. "The extent of the elevation of an animal and of course any free moral agent," said Pascal, the great French Christian and philosopher, "can be infallibly measured "by the degree to which sacrificial love for others controls that being."

 Giving Father remove me from the bondage of self so that I may do Thy will; loving unconditionally and selflessly!

The awesome splendor of Christmas began with the indescribable generosity of God, who loves and provides everything! God who nourishes and sustains. God who carries us beyond the terrible disappointments that impact upon us with a remarkable regularity. God in His infinite goodness leads us always onward to find meaning and direction in our lives.

The incarnation, where God’s only Son entered into humanity and became flesh, is the story of God’s greatest blessing for us. It is His most treasured gift designed to show us a way of living that fulfills our humanity, in the image of the One who created us. His gift; the Chosen One; His every moment of life, exemplifies grace and selflessness; for us to follow. His gift today is made ever present through the work and peace provided by the Holy Spirit; among us now…..and with such a realization in our hearts we thrive, fulfilled, as He intends!

May this Christmas deepen our gratitude to God for the cherished gift of His Son and may we come to know, love and follow the guidance of the Father, Jesus and the Divine Spirit more intimately each day!

May His Peace and Love reign in Your hearts!

Be with me Lord, I cannot live without You. I cannot bear to take one step alone. Father, I need Your presence to face the challenges of life. I am thankful to greet each day knowing that I will not face it alone.

 
God does not force anyone to make time for Him. It is from a willing heart that God wants our time with Him to come. 
 
Every day will I praise You Lord. I will try to take time each day to reflect on the great gifts I have been given and the wonderful love of the Spirit You send into my heart!

We are the little ones.....children of God.....little at prayer......little in comparison to all God's creation and creatures......yet Most! cherished in the sight of God because all we are and have is from God.......so much so that He sent His only Son to sacrifice Himself so that we may be with our Father......God wants us to be at our best, our most alive......free from the worries and concerns of the world.....trust in Him .....He shall provide...abandon and surrender ourselves to Him..... God wants nothing good in us to perish. Nothing good we have done or have tried to do is wasted. All is valued in the mind and heart of God, and we are saved, honoured and loved by the one who creates us each day. Advent (waiting for God) reminds us of what it is like to be a little one, dependent on others and on God for so much in life

Precious Lord, I want to obey Your word, Your will, and Your example. I want to obey You to honor You, to love You, and to know You. So please, help me come to know You better as I walk more closely in Your steps

Matthew 24-25

There are many ways to ‘hear' words. They can be just sound, external meaning, like giving information or directions. The word of God is more like the word of a friend, spoken to the mind and to the heart. Or it is like the words of a caring parent giving advice or directions out of love. The Word of God gives meaning to life and is spoken always in love. Prayer is giving time to hearing this word on the deepest levels of our heart.

 

God's desire for each of us is to see Him working in our daily work life. He wants us to avoid looking to our own effort to gain an outcome.

 

One day Jesus called out to Peter from the shore of the lake and suggested he throw his net on the other side of the boat. It was this simple act of obedience that yielded a tremendous catch that he would not have received unless he obeyed.

 

We are called to work; He is called to bring forth the fruit. He is the vine. We are the branches. Fruit comes forth naturally from a healthy tree.

 

Today, I ask God to show me the difference between loving trust and obedience and striving for outcome. Grant me the freedom Father to follow Your will and walk in this freedom and rest.

1 Chronicles 16:8

Giving thanks is more than being thankful to God, it is letting others know of his gracious works so they too can come to know him as Father!

When I am fearful, Lord, I will reach out to You. Walk with me through the dark times. Fill me with your courage. Teach me to walk in Your light always

Psalm 100:4-5

Worship is always about entering - entering into grace, entering with thanksgiving, entering to share with others, but most of all entering into the Lord's presence in a special way. But entering is not the basis of worship. Instead, worship is about the Lord's faithfulness, goodness, and enduring grace. I come to praise Him for all He has been, all He is, and all He will be. I come to enter and worship.

John 14:21

Why can't I hear or sense God's presence in my life always. It is because I do not continuously seek Him with a whole heart, and not obedient to the things He has asked. I was like many today who are so focused on seeking the activity of God rather than seeking God Himself. Hebrews tells us that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. In the Old Testament we are told, "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut. 4:29).

I realized if I was going to hear God's voice, I had to make time to seek Him and hear Him. I had to spend focused time alone reading, studying, and seeking His face only. Jesus set the model for this when He often left the crowds to be alone and seek His heavenly Father. I also had to tune my "radio" to His frequency. Static comes into that frequency when I am disobedient or selfish. My level of seeking determines the power of my "radio" to reach Him. The more I seek Him, the more I hear Him.

Philippians 4:1-9

Fruits of the Spirit -- peace. The order is an inspired one: first, love -- love is preeminent; then joy -- joy comes as a result of love; and then peace -- peace is joy grown quiet and assured. "Joy is peace with its hat thrown high in the air and peace is joy with its arms folded in serene assurance.

My peace I give to you ... Let not your hearts be disquieted or timid.

John 14:27 

Father, I am conscious that the peace You desire to give me is a peace that reaches down to the depths of my being. Help me to open up those depths to You today

I feel so burdened myself, that sometimes I can't even see others' burdens.

Compassionate Father, help me to see and respond to the burdens in other lives around me. I want to be a blessing to the heavily ladened, the broken and discouraged, so please help me find my place and my way of serving.

Father, at those times when the last word needs to be silence, help me to have that last word.

Loving Ever-present Father, I see that unless I am held at the center of my being, then I am just not held. I humbly ask for the inner freedom to completely abandon myself and will to Your trust ….hold me at my center, dear Lord -- today and every day.

O Father, breathe into my spirit the deep serenity and peace that characterize Your own nature……grant me the inner freedom to abandon my cares and concerns of this world into your hands so that I may have peace at the depths of my spirit

It is no mere accident that "joy" follows love. Joy is a by-product of the Divine Spirit filling the heart with the love of the Lord. Abba Father free me to be more open to the works of the Spirit , to be filled with the deep peace of God. 

It is no mere accident that "joy" follows love. Joy is a by-product of the Divine Spirit filling the heart with the love of the Lord. Abba Father free me to be more open to the works of the Spirit , to be filled with the deep peace of God. 

1 Peter 3:8

Unity and harmony are no accident! They happen because of intention and submission.  How do we have unity and harmony? Peter reminds us that we must have three commitments 1) actively share concern 2) share love just like a healthy family does; and 3) show compassion rather than arrogance as we interact with others 

Father, I have let my over-sensitive self be wounded, and reacted with self-pity at times.... I humbly ask you remove these character defects.....enable me to love and be understanding.
 

Father, let me be an instrument of your peace, harmony, and unity.

Matthew 21:28-31

Lord teach me to walk the talk…so my actions reflect Your will…..help me not to be judgmental of others…..yet my I examine my motives and surrender to Your Divine Spirit…. granting me the inner freedom and peace to become......Thy will be done!

Before and after -- that's the story of grace. "I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see."
 
Lord God Almighty, by your grace I know today that I stand before you welcomed into your presence and received as a beloved child. Thank you for rescuing me and bringing me into your light. Guide my heart and my feet so they will walk your path and show forth your light.

1 John 4:16

How do you know God is at home in your heart? You know when you are doing loving things for others! Just as we trust and rely on God's constant love for us, those we encounter on this journey need love expressed to them, too!

Loving God and Almighty Father, fill me with your Spirit, teach me to be more self-less, so I can be more loving to my family, my friends, and those whom you place in my path.

Philippians 4:4

Joy is found in the Lord, not in things. Joy is found in knowing that He always accompanies, sustains, helps, protects, and upholds me. How can I not rejoice?

Precious Father, thank you for always being there, knowing what is on my heart, and caring for me in ways that I cannot even imagine. I rejoice because I know my future is in your hands!

Psalm 121:1-2

In a world of startling beauty and a universe of dazzling diversity, our hearts are to be drawn back to the One who made it and now sustains it. He knows us and will help us if we will believe what he has tried so many ways to say: "I love you as my child and I care what happens to you and those you love."

Thank you Father, for promising to never forget me. Because of your faithfulness to your children, I know you will never forsake me. I trust that no matter where I am or where I go, you will go with me

I will never forget you my people.
I have carved you in the palm of my hand.
I will never forget you.
I will not leave you orphaned.
I will never forget my own.
Does a mother forget her baby,
Or a woman the child within her womb?
Yet, even if these forget,
Yes, even if these forget
I will never forget my own.
 
Isaiah 49:14-16

I want the Spirit to be at work in me. For this to happen, I must open my heart to the will of God. There are no greater words God wants to hear than "teach me to do your will."
 
Almighty God, mold me, fashion me, heal me, teach me your will; I submit my will to yours.

When life doesn't add up, it leaves the heart sick. When we have done all we know to do and the formula has not worked, it leaves us questioning. These are times that try the very souls of men. There is no human sense to be made of it. We are left with a choice: to cling or not to cling. There is only one answer to life's disappointments.There are times when holding on to our Master's robe is all that we can do. It is all that He wants us to do.

Psalm 16:8

There are many things that can trouble our lives, but none that can shake us loose from the grip of God's grace if our hearts remain close to Jesus our Lord.......  all of life's greatest blessings lie ahead of us!
 
I believe you will never leave or forsake me, I will always look ahead to find you leading the way.

May Your Holy Spirit guide me to follow You freely. Instill in my heart a desire to know and love you more each day.

Jesus, who left heaven and made himself a servant, did so to enable the last to be first, the servant to be greatest, and the least to be best.....help me to be humble mild and meek so that I may find You Lord mySavior

Matthew 14:27-32

The hand of God is a human hand. Jesus reaches out to guide us, steady us, support us - all the things a touch of the hand can do. Peter found that also in Jesus - when he took his eyes off the Lord on the water, he began to sink. The Lord then held him close. Like Peter, we are always walking on water, putting our trust in Jesus Christ. We trust in Him for protection in the most frightening times of life, like at the hour of death. At times we can do nothing for those we love except place them in the hand of God, knowing that God loves them more than we do.

Father free me from self to abandon myself and trust You always and completely.

James 1:22

What we know and even what we believe are not that significant if they don't show up in the way we live. Pure and simple, faith not lived everyday is not faith, it is facade.

Dear Lord as I come to You today fill my heart and my whole being with the wonder of Your presence. Holy God, help me put into practice what I know is Your will and Your truth today.

Real and authentic discovery of God brings joy. It is the joy of being in love and of staying in love with the one who never changes. We may let go of other loves then - even of people who keep us from the love of God. We are committed only to the treasure in the field, the love of God and the love of people who bring us to God.

While the road ahead of us may be filled with questions and concerns, we can look back and see the many ways God has acted in our behalf to get us to the places we need to be. We see His works and we can take assurance that His promises are true.
 
 I trust that even now You sustain our world with Your word of grace. I am confident that before the future arrives You are already there preparing it for us. Help me when I worry to remember my faith and to press on trusting that You are there with us through it all.

May the name of the Lord bring joy to our hearts and smiles to our faces.

Fill me with a joy that remains untouched by the trials of the day. When I hear Your name, Lord, let me respond in jubilation. Be the source of my comfort and peace.

Matthew 4:4

True and Faithful God, through your Holy Spirit create in me a hunger for your word that is much more demanding of life than my hunger for things of this world.

Romans 12:2

 God has called us to play to one audience-the audience of Himself. When we seek to please any other audience in life, we become susceptible to situational ethics and motivations based on the need for the moment, or self. Our audience becomes a pawn in our hands because we know what they want. Or do we? Who does know what they need, not want? Not us! Only our almighty Father, who is Omniscient.

Pure obedience to pleasing God in our lives will often meet the needs of those around us. It is God's will that we love each other and look to the interests of others before ourselves. This will result in meeting many needs of the audiences in our lives.

What audience do I play to?. Why do I take particular actions, check my motives. Is it to please the audience of One? Or is it to please the audience of others or self?

Of all the names for God in the Bible, this is my favorite: Him who is able to do immeasurably more. Dream big dreams for God. Then hang on!

Almighty and awesome God grant us faith to believe and then amaze us at the smallness of our faith.

Psalm 18:30

A shield whose word can be trusted. If we take refuge in him, His flawless word for us is a blessing and His presence a shield.

God has a purpose and plan for each of our lives. The greatest thing I can do is to find that purpose and live it out. I can trust His purpose because it is based on His wisdom and love. As long as I seek his will, I'm not going to do anything that can ultimately spoil His purpose in us. At times I may stray from the perfect channel He wants me to travel, but never get totally out of the main channel.

O Sovereign God and guiding Father, help me discern today what my life is intended to fulfill. Thank you for loving me and promising to walk beside me every step of my life. I live trusting that You are with me through it all.

Matthew 16:25

The key to is letting go of ourselves; surrender of self (needs and desires) and self-will to God. When we lose our life/self to Him, He gives us all we need; could ever want and wraps us in His deep eternal peace and love.

Leviticus 19:18

Hanging on to bitterness and keeping alive grudges is consuming work. It leaves little energy for blessing others, praising God, or enjoying life. The only way to get over these things is to actively love (i.e., serve them) others in ways that bless their lives.

Father of light, love and mercy, please remove from my heart any resentment or judgement of others. Teach me Abba, to love unconditionally; to accept and forgive without condition; as You have done with me!

Help me Lord to be more conscious of your presence. Teach me to recognize your presence in others. Fill my heart with gratitude for the times Your love has been shown to me through the care of others.

Father, may my life, my compassion reflect Your heart for those who need care and protection and love. Give me eyes to see this need more clearly and a heart to responded more certainly so that Your love may be demonstrated through me....

Colossians 3:13

Holy Father, help me to release any grudge or bitterness that I may have.
 
Abba Father, I need the help of your Holy Spirit to follow your example in forgiving, even when it is hard; to love above all.

Hebrews 13:6

Habakkuk 3:19

"The Lord is my strength!" Wow, what hope we have in His abiding and empowering presence in the Holy Spirit.

Sovereign God and Loving Father, be not only my strength, but the strength of those battling depression, grief and despair. I ask Your blessings especially and specifically for those in need, in time of difficulty and struggle.
 

At times we can feel lost and think that nobody cares if we are alive or dead. Prayer becomes difficult, and we are thrown back on our own weakness.

The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means. (Romans 8:26)

In time of crisis, despair, challenge, old age, and in sickness, prayer does not become easier, and Saint Paul's words matter more and more. We have a place in God's mind. God knows everything in our hearts. Do not despair nor be afraid He is with us through it all!

1 Chronicles 29:11

I thank You not only for Your grace, without comparison, Your majesty and might; holiness and faithfulness; righteousness and mercy; love, forgiveness and justice ……all without comparison!

Proverbs 15:1

Why is it so hard to endure an unjust or unfair criticism? Why do I have to defend myself no matter how ridiculous the comment? Often the problems we have with others simply escalate because we do not choose to forgive and let them go on in the Lord!

Proverbs 19:21

The gleam of hope, that I cannot underrate, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence.

James 1:19

Lord put a brake on my tongue, open my ears. Blessings delivered not curses!

Mighty and Holy God, you are incredible; beyond my comprehension. I ask that You release the Holy Spirit to convict my heart and guard my lips from any form of hurtful speech. I want my voice to be as much Yours as my heart is, so that I may do Thy will….loving all.

Lord, in your kindness fill our deepest being with Your holy light,  so that we may be steadfast in our devotion to You:  for Your wisdom created us and Your providence guides us.

Romans 11:33

 His blueprints for the creation of our universe are beyond our imagining. He is so rich in wisdom and knowledge. What else can we do but go to Him and ask Him to open our minds to his work and His will in our lives.

Precious and Almighty Father, thank you for reawakening me each spring to the power of Your sustaining presence in the world, but even more in my life. Help me today as I seek to put You first in all I do.

Psalm 95

Psalm 139:13-14

I am made by God! You are made by God. He knew us before anyone knew we were there. He had plans for us before anyone planned our arrival. And he made us well! How do we know? Look at all God has made.

God Almighty, my Savior and Redeemer, thank you for knowing me before I was able to know. Thank you for choosing my life and giving it to me. Thank you for giving me the gifts, abilities and talents that you have given me. Now help me live as if I was made special by you, because I am!