July 25 We make choices

Father, You give me choices, and in You I am free.   Strengthen me to make the right choices, godly choices.

Asa started out with such fervor for You.  He tore down the idolatrous worship places.  He led the people to seek You and worship You as they should.  He sought Your deliverance from military enemies.  And You gave him victory, and rest on every side.

Like Asa, I can trust in Your promise: “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you…But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Father, help me seek You in all the battles I face.  In truth, there have been so many times already, when You have come through for me.

You have saved me from close calls.  You have stopped calamity when it could have been much worse.  You have provided resources and solutions I never could have seen without You.  You have brought unique answers that I had never imagined to problems that seemed unsolvable.  You have acted in my life in ways that seem nothing short of miraculous!

Yet, like Asa, I am also guilty of forgetting to seek You, neglecting to ask for Your help.  When Asa was faced with another battle, he took silver and gold out of the Temple to bribe another ruler to withdraw support from the enemy.   It was a foolish thing.  And he paid for it by being at war the rest of his reign.

It reminds me of the words to a song You gave me:

In other times I knew Your will
And I became the vessel You would fill
Why is it hard now, to take a stand
When I have seen the power of Your hand?
You give me choices, in You I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

Lead me, hold me, guide me, Lord enfold me
Cover me with the blood of Calvary, and be with me, be with me

Lord let me make Your strength my own
Let me feel it flowing from Your precious throne
Right by Your side, O let me be
And let me feel Your power washing over me
You give me choices, in Christ I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

Father, strengthen me to seek You always.  Whatever the problem, whatever I face.  Let me never make the mistake of thinking I can “handle it” without You.  I know when I seek You earnestly, I will find You.  And the reward of Your peace will be mine.  Thank You!  Amen

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14

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 used 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. “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.“

Father, we approach You now to ask and seek and knock on the door of Your abundant provision in this time of challenge and disunity.  We ask for healing of those who are ill.  Return them to good health. And comfort for those who are hurting.  And justice for those who are oppressed.

We seek Your purpose for our lives and desire Your direction to help us fulfill all You created us for.

And we knock so You will open the door of provision for all those who are in dire need.  Father, release the abundance in Your storehouse and pour out a blessing so amazing that all will see it is from You, and give You thanks.

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 take time to listen for Your voice in answer; and not just call out my grocery list of wants.

Open my ears and heart to all You will tell me.  Amen

Luke 11:1-13; James 1:17

July 25 We make choices

Father, You give me choices, and in You I am free.   Strengthen me to make the right choices, godly choices.

Asa started out with such fervor for You.  He tore down the idolatrous worship places.  He led the people to seek You and worship You as they should.  He sought Your deliverance from military enemies.  And You gave him victory, and rest on every side.

Like Asa, I can trust in Your promise: “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you…But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Father, help me seek You in all the battles I face.  In truth, there have been so many times already, when You have come through for me.

You have saved me from close calls.  You have stopped calamity when it could have been much worse.  You have provided resources and solutions I never could have seen without You.  You have brought unique answers that I had never imagined to problems that seemed unsolvable.  You have acted in my life in ways that seem nothing short of miraculous!

Yet, like Asa, I am also guilty of forgetting to seek You, neglecting to ask for Your help.  When Asa was faced with another battle, he took silver and gold out of the Temple to bribe another ruler to withdraw support from the enemy.   It was a foolish thing.  And he paid for it by being at war the rest of his reign.

It reminds me of the words to a song You gave me:

In other times I knew Your will
And I became the vessel You would fill
Why is it hard now, to take a stand
When I have seen the power of Your hand?
You give me choices, in You I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

Lead me, hold me, guide me, Lord enfold me
Cover me with the blood of Calvary, and be with me, be with me

Lord let me make Your strength my own
Let me feel it flowing from Your precious throne
Right by Your side, O let me be
And let me feel Your power washing over me
You give me choices, in Christ I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

Father, strengthen me to seek You always.  Whatever the problem, whatever I face.  Let me never make the mistake of thinking I can “handle it” without You.  I know when I seek You earnestly, I will find You.  And the reward of Your peace will be mine.  Thank You!  Amen

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14

Mar 5 All I am, All the time

Your greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  That is a mouthful!

The Greek words from this scripture quoting the Hebrew words don’t have the exact meanings of the English translated words that are used today.  But the idea is that I need to use all that I have to adore, worship, spend time with and follow You, my Lord.  There is no element of my life that is to be without Your influence.

For my heart, I think my emotions need to be measured by You, so I don’t get overly carried away or swept up into something without thinking.  I need to be aware of where my passions are leading me and find a place of balance.

When discouraged or depressed, I need to fight back against that inner voice berating me with negativity, by speaking Your truth in scriptures about my identity in You:

“I am a child of God” John 1:12
“I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.” Colossians 3:12
“I am forever free from condemnation” Romans 8:1

I heard once that people spend the first half of their lives trying to satisfy body and mind and the second half trying to satisfy their soul.  That inner part of me that seeks peace and wholeness gains it by recognizing the truth of Your Word.  So I will learn the real peace and wholeness that comes from You, not the world’s counterfeit found in popular philosophies.

My mind needs to seek “godly wisdom, which is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The wisdom of the world is based on the logic of the mind, and the weight of pros and cons are only understood by a limited human viewpoint.

Godly wisdom is what must guide my choices and decisions.  As I seek this wisdom, protect my mind from thoughts that do not come from You.

I dedicate my strength to Your purposes: the strength of my body, of my will, my self-determination.  Help me realize when my strength isn’t enough, and rely on Your strength to work through my weakness.

And I need to do this all the time?!  It is obvious that I can never achieve this on my own.  I will never be able to love You this perfectly.

Fortunately, “with God, all things are possible!”  So I rely on You, Lord, to guard and guide my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength; and to use them for Your glory.  This is how I desire to be obedient.  Amen

Mark 12:29-30; James 3:17; Mark 10:27

July 25 We make choices

Father, You give me choices, and in You I am free.   Strengthen me to make the right choices, godly choices.

Asa started out with such fervor for You.  He tore down the idolatrous worship places.  He led the people to seek You and worship You as they should.  He sought Your deliverance from military enemies.  And You gave him victory, and rest on every side.

Like Asa, I can trust in Your promise: “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you…But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Father, help me seek You in all the battles I face.  In truth, there have been so many times already, when You have come through for me.

You have saved me from close calls.  You have stopped calamity when it could have been much worse.  You have provided resources and solutions I never could have seen without You.

You have brought unique answers that I had never imagined to problems that seemed unsolvable.  You have acted in my life in ways that seem nothing short of miraculous!

Yet, like Asa, I am also guilty of forgetting to seek You, neglecting to ask for Your help.  When Asa was faced with another battle, he took silver and gold out of the Temple to bribe another ruler to withdraw support from the enemy.   It was a foolish thing.  And he paid for it by being at war the rest of his reign.

It reminds me of the words to a song You gave me:

     In other times I knew Your will

          and I became the vessel You would fill

     Why is it hard now, to take a stand

          when I have seen the power of Your hand?

    You give me choices, in You I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

     Lead me, hold me, guide me, Lord enfold me

     Cover me with the blood of Calvary, and be with me, be with me

     Lord let me make Your strength my own

          Let me feel it flowing from Your precious throne

     Right by Your side, O let me be

          And let me feel Your power washing over me

     You give me choices, in Christ I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

Father, strengthen me to seek You always.  Whatever the problem, whatever I face.  Let me never make the mistake of thinking I can “handle it” without You.  I know when I seek You earnestly, I will find You.  And the reward of Your peace will be mine.  Thank You!  Amen

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14

April 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 used 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. “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.“

Father, we approach You now to ask and seek and knock on the door of Your abundant provision in this time of crisis for so many people.  We ask for healing of those who are ill.  Return them to good health.

We seek Your purpose for our lives and desire Your direction to help us fulfill all You created us for.

And we knock so You will open the door of provision for all those who are in dire need because of the impact of this virus.  Father, release the abundance in Your storehouse and pour out a blessing so amazing that all will see it is from You, and give You thanks.

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 take time to listen for Your voice in answer; and not just call out my grocery list of wants.

And open my ears and heart to all You will tell me.  Amen

Luke 11:1-13; James I:17

Jul 25 We make choices

Father, You give me choices, and in You I am free.   Strengthen me to make the right choices, godly choices.

Asa started out with such fervor for You.  He tore down the idolatrous worship places.  He led the people to seek You and worship You as they should.  He sought Your deliverance from military enemies.  And You gave him victory, and rest on every side.

Like Asa, I can trust in Your promise: “The Lord is with you when you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you…But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Father, help me seek You in all the battles I face.  In truth, there have been so many times already, when You have come through for me.

You have saved me from close calls.  You have stopped calamity when it could have been much worse.  You have provided resources and solutions I never could have seen without You.  You have brought unique answers that I had never imagined to problems that seemed unsolvable.  You have acted in my life in ways that seem nothing short of miraculous!

Yet, like Asa, I am also guilty of forgetting to seek You, neglecting to ask for Your help.  When Asa was faced with another battle, he took silver and gold out of the Temple to bribe another ruler to withdraw support from the enemy.   It was a foolish thing.  And he paid for it by being at war the rest of his reign.

 

It reminds me of the words to a song You gave me:

In other times I knew Your will

And I became the vessel You would fill

Why is it hard now, to take a stand

When I have seen the power of Your hand?

You give me choices, in You I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

 

Lead me, hold me, guide me, Lord enfold me

Cover me with the blood of Calvary, and be with me, be with me

 

Lord let me make Your strength my own

Let me feel it flowing from Your precious throne

Right by Your side, O let me be

And let me feel Your power washing over me

You give me choices, in Christ I’m free, O Lord, strengthen me

 

Strengthen me Father, to seek You always.  Whatever the problem, whatever I face.  Let me never make the mistake of thinking I can “handle it” without You.  I know when I seek You earnestly, I will find You.  And the reward of Your peace will be mine.  Thank You!  Amen

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14