July 24 4 Gifts: Prayer, Plans, Presence, Power

Father, there are so many comforts in this passage of Romans today.  You are gracious to me in so many wonderful ways.

What a gift prayer is!

What an immeasurably awesome gift to be able to speak to and hear from the Creator of the Universe!  Sometimes I am so filled with joy and thanks and praise, I hardly know how to express the overflow of my heart.   But Your Holy Spirit communicates for me what I do not know how to say.

Other times I am so filled with grief and sorrow I cannot even mouth the words for my crying and tears.  And again, Your Holy Spirit knows my heart and conveys my requests for help to You.   Thank You for knowing me so well and providing for this meaningful non-verbal interaction.

Your plan for me.

Beyond prayer and communicating with You, I can know without a doubt, that You have my very best interest in mind and in Your plans for me.  Because I love You and am Yours, I seek to know and do what You have purposed for my life.  When I am in Your will, regardless of how things look to me from my limited perspective, I can trust that You have the power and the ability and the desire to work all things together for my good.

Father, help me know Your will so I can remain in it.  Being obedient is how I can show I love You.  There is nothing too difficult for You.  And nothing limits You.

Your presence is a gift.

You have told me that nothing can separate me from Your love.  No person, no trouble, no hardship, no persecution, no danger or sword, no famine or nakedness.

“In all these things, I am more than a conqueror through You!”  For “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from Your love!”

With all the experiences and emotions that I have, how comforting to know that there is no power above or below or anywhere, that will keep You away from me.

Your power is ultimate!

You can span any distance, overcome any obstacle, move any object, overpower any influence.

Your love is not dependent on me or on anything I do.  I cannot mess up so badly that it would keep You away.  You will always love me.  It is Your character and Your promise.

Thank You for these words of comfort, for these promises I can count on.  Thank You for being You.  Amen

Romans 8:26-39

July 14 The Bible: Your Gift to me

Father, David inquired of You through the prophet Nathan.  Back then people did not have all of Your Word for wisdom and direction.  And the Torah, the part of the Word they did have, was only known to the Priests.  So, since You spoke through the prophets, that’s where David went to know Your will.

To hear from You now, I don’t have to go to a seer or prophet.  I can read Your Word. 

Although it is not a privilege afforded to all people, it is still available to me freely in my country.  Your Word, the Bible, is rich in wisdom, instruction, correction, encouragement, and tells me of Your great love for me.

Time and time again I marvel at how words written so long ago have relevance and impact in my life today.  And how I can simply read a passage of scripture one day, but at another time, it jumps off the page to me with personal revelation and meaning.

Once David had heard from You, he sat before You in prayer.  He began by recognizing who he is and then acknowledging who You are.  That is still a good pattern for me to follow.

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?”  David wrote in Psalm 103, “You know how we are formed, You remember that we are dust.  The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower in the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

My life is so temporary and short.  And I am formed from dust with the breath of the Living God in me to give me life.  All I am and all I have was given to me from, and is dependent on You, Lord.  I am weak and imperfect and I so easily fall into sin.  Who am I that You would concern Yourself with me?

“There is no one like You, O Lord, and there is no God but You.”  You Lord God, are One of a kind. 

You are Supreme, Sovereign, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Forever Faithful, Eternally Strong, Infinitely Wise, Unfathomably Creative, Immeasurably Imaginative, Inexhaustibly Compassionate, Unceasingly Merciful, and Everlastingly Loving.

I am forever grateful and eternally blessed to have You as my Father, my Savior, my Counselor, my Friend, my Lord.   Amen

I Chronicles 17:1-27; Psalm 103: 14-16  

July 14 Your Gift to me

Father, David inquired of You through the prophet Nathan.  Back then people did not have all of Your Word for wisdom and direction.  And the Torah, the part of the Word they did have, was only known to the Priests.  So, since You spoke through the prophets, that’s where David went to know Your will.

To hear from You now, I don’t have to go to a seer or prophet.  I can read Your Word. 

Although it is not a privilege afforded to all people, it is still available to me freely in my country.  Your Word, the Bible, is rich in wisdom, instruction, correction, encouragement, and tells me of Your great love for me.

Time and time again I marvel at how words written so long ago have relevance and impact in my life today.  And how I can read a passage of scripture one day, but at another time, it jumps off the page to me with personal revelation and meaning.

Once David had heard from You, he sat before You in prayer.  He began by recognizing who he is and then acknowledging who You are.  That is still a good pattern for me to follow.

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?”  David wrote in Psalm 103, “You know how we are formed, You remember that we are dust.  The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower in the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

My life is so temporary and short.  And I am formed from dust with the breath of the Living God in me to give me life.  All I am and all I have was given to me from, and is dependent on You, Lord.  I am weak and imperfect and I so easily fall into sin.  Who am I that You would concern Yourself with me?

“There is no one like You, O Lord, and there is no God but You.”  You Lord God, are One of a kind. 

You are Supreme, Sovereign, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Forever Faithful, Eternally Strong, Infinitely Wise, Unfathomably Creative, Immeasurably Imaginative, Inexhaustibly Compassionate, Unceasingly Merciful, and Everlastingly Loving.

I am forever grateful and eternally blessed to have You as my Father, my Savior, my Counselor, my Friend, my Lord.   Amen

I Chronicles 17:1-27; Psalm 103: 14-16

Apr 9 God bless you

Lord, I believe everyone desires to be blessed.  I truly do.  But many people did not grow up receiving a blessing.

One result is that very few people know how to give a blessing to others.  The overused “Bless you” when someone sneezes carries little meaning.

Culturally, Jewish parents recite a blessing over their children every Shabbat (Sabbath) at Friday dinner.   In Old Testament times, before they died, Hebrew fathers spoke blessings over their sons as a way of passing on the leadership and possessions of the family.  Both of these have a prophetic piece to them, as well as words of favor resting on the receiver.

Even before that, You blessed Your creation of man and woman.  It was an empowerment for them to be all You created them to be; a release from any and all restrictions or limitations preventing them from reaching their potential to participate in their divine purpose.

In Hebrew, the verb form “to bless” means “to kneel;” while the noun for “blessing” means “a gift or present.”  So the concept is to bring or receive a gift or present, something of value, while kneeling out of respect.

The one who receives a blessing is changed, energized, empowered and enabled by the gift or the words of blessing.

Lord God, would You bless each one of us right now. Bless every reader as they speak this prayer, with the full definition of the meaning of the Hebrew word for bless:

Heavenly Father, infuse us, fill us, permeate us, saturate us with unlimited potential to achieve all You would invite us to do that will glorify You and bring honor to Your Name.

Release us from any restriction or limitation, whether physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, psychological, social, financial or personal that would prevent us or hold us back from becoming all You created us to be.

Empower, energize and enable us to reach the fullness of our divine purpose.

We kneel before You to receive this divine blessing.  Amen

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

July 14 The Bible: Your Gift to me

Father, David inquired of You through the prophet Nathan.  Back then people did not have all of Your Word for wisdom and direction.  And the Torah, the part of the Word they did have, was only known to the Priests.  So, since You spoke through the prophets, that’s where David went to know Your will.

To hear from You now, I don’t have to go to a seer or prophet.  I can read Your Word.

Although it is not a privilege afforded to all people, it is still available to me freely in my country.  Your Word, the Bible, is rich in wisdom, instruction, correction, encouragement, and tells me of Your great love for me.

Time and time again I marvel at how words written so long ago have relevance and impact in my life today.  And how I can read a passage of scripture one day, but at another time, it jumps off the page to me with personal revelation and meaning.

Once David had heard from You, he sat before You in prayer.  He began by recognizing who he is and then acknowledging who You are.  That is still a good pattern for me to follow.

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?”  David wrote in Psalm 103, “You know how we are formed, You remember that we are dust.  The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower in the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

My life is so temporary and short.  And I am formed from dust with the breath of the Living God in me to give me life.  All I am and all I have was given to me from, and is dependent on You, Lord.  I am weak and imperfect and I so easily fall into sin.  Who am I that You would concern Yourself with me?

“There is no one like You, O Lord, and there is no God but You.”  You Lord God, are One of a kind.

You are Supreme, Sovereign, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Forever Faithful, Eternally Strong, Infinitely Wise, Unfathomably Creative, Immeasurably Imaginative, Inexhaustibly Compassionate, Unceasingly Merciful, and Everlastingly Loving.

I am forever grateful and eternally blessed to have You as my Father, my Savior, my Counselor, my Friend, my Lord.   Amen

I Chronicles 17:1-27; Psalm 103: 14-16

Jul 24 4 Gifts: Prayer, Plans, Presence, Power

Father, there are so many comforts in this passage of Romans today.  You are gracious to me in so many wonderful ways.

What a gift prayer is!

What an immeasurably awesome gift to be able to speak to and hear from the Creator of the Universe!  Sometimes I am so filled with joy and thanks and praise, I hardly know how to express the overflow of my heart.   But Your Holy Spirit communicates for me what I do not know how to say.

Other times I am so filled with grief and sorrow I cannot even mouth the words for my crying and tears.  And again, Your Holy Spirit knows my heart and conveys my requests for help to You.   Thank You for knowing me so well and providing for this meaningful non-verbal interaction.

Your plan for me.

Beyond prayer and communicating with You, I can know without a doubt, that You have my very best interest in mind and in Your plans for me.  Because I love You and am Yours, I seek to know and do what You have purposed for my life.  When I am in Your will, regardless of how things look to me from my limited perspective, I can trust that You have the power and the ability and the desire to work all things together for my good.

Father, help me know Your will so I can remain in it.  Being obedient is how I can show I love You.  There is nothing too difficult for You.  And nothing limits You.

Your presence is a gift.

You have told me that nothing can separate me from Your love.  No person, no trouble, no hardship, no persecution, no danger or sword, no famine or nakedness.  “In all these things, I am more than a conqueror through You!”  For “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from Your love!” 

With all the experiences and emotions that I have, how comforting to know that there is no power above or below or anywhere, that will keep You away from me.

Your power is ultimate!

You can span any distance, overcome any obstacle, move any object, overpower any influence.

Your love is not dependent on me or on anything I do.  I cannot mess up so badly that it would keep You away.  You will always love me.  It is Your character and Your promise.

Thank You for these words of comfort, for these promises I can count on.  Thank You for being You.  Amen

Romans 8:26-39

May 1 I believe

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” 

In today’s scripture You come onto the scene and are recognized as Messiah, the Lamb of God, the One who saves!

You came in the flesh, to my physical world to sacrifice Yourself to make a way for me to be reconciled to You.  You are the Only Way.  Yet there are still people who do not recognize You for who You are.

John recognized You because he was spiritually aware.  You revealed to him that the one on whom he saw the Spirit of a dove come down and rest, was the Son of God.  He saw the Spirit rest on You so he could know for certain, proclaim and testify that You are the Son of God.

Two of John’s disciples first followed You because they had studied with John.  They knew the scriptures, the prophecies and trusted John’s testimony, so they believed.  Nathanael believed because You knew things about him You could not have naturally known.

Lord God, You call and You save.  But it is my personal decision whether to respond to or ignore Your call.

I accept Your free gift of eternal salvation, but there are so many who do not.

Lord God, Your Word says it is Your will that every single human being would be saved from the penalty of their sin.  That penalty is death, eternal separation from You.  You desire that they would answer Your call and accept Your payment for that sin and be reconciled to You.

Some will come to You because they are aware of spiritual truth, like John.

Some will come because they study out the scriptures for themselves, or because someone they trust will share with them, like John’s disciples.

Some will come because they see You doing things, miracles, that are not naturally possible.

Father open the ears of those who do not yet know You, so they can hear Your call to them.  Sensitize their minds, hearts, and spirits so they are ready to accept Your salvation.  And show me how I can speak or act in a way that will draw people to You.  Use me to point them to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

A time is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  I can’t wait!  Amen

John 1:29-51

Apr 4 Teach me to pray

Father, thank You that when asked by Your disciples, You taught me more than just some words to say when I pray.

In three verses You instruct me to honor Your Holy Name and ask for You to meet my needs.  You indicate it is important to confess my sin and be forgiven of it, as well as to forgive others who have sinned against me.  And You show me how to ask for Your divine direction and protection.

But You didn’t stop there.  You use further illustrations to teach me that I need to be persistent in my prayer life.  I am not to give up just because I don’t get an immediate answer.

You also promise my patience in prayer will be rewarded.  “For everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Next You reinforce that I can trust You for specific answers to prayer, through the Holy Spirit, because “You are the Father of Lights, and every good and perfect gift comes down from You.“

Thank You, precious Heavenly Father, that I can come to You with every joy, every sorrow, every praise, every need; and know that You hear me and You enter into dialogue with me.  Help me to take time to listen for Your voice in answer; and not just call out my grocery list of wants.

Let me sit at Your feet, like Mary.  Do not let me be distracted by anything, but teach me to drink in Your presence.  Remind me to include time with You in setting my priorities.  And open my ears and heart to all You will tell me.  Amen

Luke 11:1-13; James I:17

 

July 31 Sight and Sound

“The earth is Yours, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it…” .

What a majestic place You have created! I watch a sunrise or sunset, and as the colors fill the sky, I marvel at the Creator who made every daily beginning and end full of such beauty. You have brought such splendor to the mundane!

The tiny wings of a butterfly, the miniature iridescent feathers of the hummingbird – these are resplendent with color and design. Who but You would have taken such care and creativity to craft such detail?

“Ears that hear and eyes that see – the Lord has made them both.”

How amazing that we can behold so much of the beauty You created, simply because we have eyes and ears! The mere fact of their workings defies scientific explanation. The cells that make up an eye are so specialized, and they work together to produce an image in our brain in such a unique and complex way.

Just a single cell or a few together would not operate a functioning eye. There were no small steps that cold have evolved into a working eye. Yet, we see.

Father, Thank You for the gift of hearing and seeing. Beyond all the elegance I perceive in Your creation, I ask that You would also open the ears and eyes of my spirit to understand Your Word, Your ways, Your thoughts, Your purposes, and Your will for my life. I want to “see” all You have for me. Amen

Psalm 24:1-2; Proverbs 20:12

July 16 Robed in Righteousness

Thank You Father for giving me a righteousness I could never earn on my own. You know human tendencies and have proclaimed “There is no one righteous, not even one.” David even wrote in a song: “the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men”. When You gave the Law You knew no one could ever live up to that standard. What it did was make people aware of their sin, pointing them to their need for a Savior.

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from the Law, has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it. This righteousness from God comes from faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”   The Savior that was needed is a gift from You. So thanks to You, I have the righteousness that will allow me to live and be with You forever.

David knew this righteousness, even in his sin. And he knew You would keep Your promise to him. He had dreams for his son, as I have for mine, and prayed for Solomon. I join him in asking that my sons “will be [men] of peace and rest…that You would be with them and give them success…may You give [them] discretion and understanding…[may they] be strong and courageous and not afraid or discouraged.”

Father, I thank You for Your righteousness. Apart from You I have nothing. I am nothing.   You protect me and keep me safe. No matter the circumstance, my faith and my trust are in You.   Amen

I Chronicles 22:1-13; Romans 3:9-26; Psalm 12:1

July 14 The Bible: Your Gift to me

Father, David inquired of You through the prophet Nathan. Back then people did not have all of Your Word for wisdom and direction. And the Torah, the part of the Word they did have, was only known to the Priests. So, since You spoke through the prophets, that’s where David went to know Your will.

To hear from You now, I don’t have to go to a seer or prophet. I can read Your Word. Although it is not a privilege afforded to all people, it is still available to me freely in my country. Your Word, the Bible, is rich in wisdom, instruction, correction, encouragement, and tells me of Your great love for me.

Time and time again I marvel at how words written so long ago have relevance and impact in my life today. And how I can read a passage of scripture one day, but at another time, it jumps off the page to me with personal revelation and meaning.

Once David had heard from You, he sat before You in prayer. He began by recognizing who he is and then acknowledging who You are. That is still a good pattern for me to follow.

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far?” David wrote in Psalm 103, “You know how we are formed, You remember that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower in the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

My life is so temporary and short. And I am formed from dust with the breath of the Living God in me to give me life. All I am and all I have was given to me from, and is dependent on You, Lord. I am weak and imperfect and I so easily fall into sin. Who am I that You would concern Yourself with me?

“There is no one like You, O Lord, and there is no God but You.” You Lord God, on the other hand, are One of a kind. You are Supreme, Sovereign, Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Forever Faithful, Eternally Strong, Infinitely Wise, Unfathomably Creative, Immeasurably Imaginative, Inexhaustibly Compassionate, Unceasingly Merciful, and Everlastingly Loving.

I am forever grateful and eternally blessed to have You as my Father, my Savior, my Counselor, my Friend, my Lord.   Amen

I Chronicles 17:1-27; Psalm 103: 14-16  

June 5 All I have is from You

Dear Lord, I see myself all over today’s scriptures. Like David taking a census of Israel, I sometimes do things that are not right for my family or me. I persist in the activity or behavior by some sense or motivation that I become adamant about.   Father, open my ears to the wise counsel You send into my life. Let me be dissuaded from pursuing ungodly ends.

Lord, I identify with the man at the gate, crippled from birth. Surely I was also unable to walk in Your light until I came to know You. All I could do was rely on others to carry me, and beg from those who knew You for bits of life giving faith. But Peter said “Look at us!” And when the man gave them his attention, he received. It wasn’t until I gave You my full attention, read Your Word, really listened to the lessons others taught me from Your Word, that I received the ability to walk in Your truth, Your light. Thank You for sending each one of these helpers into my life. Thank You for directing my understanding, and opening my eyes to Your truth.

Peter also said “And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made …” And I too am an heir of all that You revealed through the prophets – because I live in a time when I can see that they have been fulfilled in You! In Your death on the cross. In Your resurrection from the dead. In Your outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Thank You for the inheritance I have in You.

Like the psalmist, so I also “lift up my eyes to You”. I live only because of Your mercy. Although I am not familiar with being a slave, I can understand that a slave receives only what is provided by the master. I also realize that all I have comes from You: the goodness and blessing I do not deserve, the loving family and friends, the freedoms I enjoy in this country, the medical and technological advances I benefit from. Thank You for choosing this time and place for me to be born. All I have is from You, and I am richly, richly blessed.

Lead me in the way that will direct my words, my actions, my attitudes to honor You and bring glory to Your name. Amen

2 Samuel 24:1-25; Acts 3:1-26; Psalm 123:1-2

 

May 25 Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Lord, thank You for letting me live in a time when You have sent Your presence to be with believers continuously. In the Old Testament scriptures, You visited people in physical form, or You were ‘with’ them for a time, but not like You are now. I remember Gideon saw You, and after speaking face to face, made an offering You accepted and consumed with fire.

You were ‘with’ Saul, but then You left him. When You were with David, You promised to never take Your love away from him or his descendants, and to be their Father. This was something new.

When You walked on the earth, You were with Your disciples day to day in the flesh.   You taught and guided them in truth. But that was short-lived.  What You promised them, and what they received, had never been heard of before.

People made their own gods. They imagined what powers the god had, then they fashioned a wood or stone or a ceramic figure to worship. This god could only be at one place and only at one time, and could not hear or speak, move or act.

What You did was truly revolutionary!

You have sent a part of Yourself to every believer! Your presence can be felt and experienced by every single person who has accepted You as Lord. We call this presence the Holy Spirit, or the Counselor, or the Holy Ghost: the third part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is given to every person who believes that You are the One True God. It is invisible but present as a Spirit of Truth who teaches, reminds, comforts, convicts, and guides.

Thank You for this marvelous presence that acts as a helper, teacher, revealer, comforter, strengthener, renewer, and so much more.

Thank You that You are real and true and not crafted by man. Help me hear what the Spirit says, and understand what the Spirit teaches. Do not let me do anything that would hinder or impede the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Thank You for this tremendous, invaluable gift. Amen

2 Samuel 7:1-29; John 14:15-31