July 29 Be transformed

Father, I see this list of admonitions of how to live a godly life, and it shows how much room I have for improvement.  The truth is, I can’t even do one of them without You!  It is only in experiencing Your grace that I can be gracious to others.

Forgive me Father, when I “think of myself more highly than I ought.”  With the advertising slogans of today it’s easy to become focused on self, and what I “deserve” to have.  It puffs me up, making it hard to “honor one another above yourselves.”   I find myself feeling proud and entitled.

Lord, turn me around when this happens.  Help me see my behavior through Your eyes.  Remind me to “share with Your people who are in need” and “practice hospitality.”  Show me how to “live in harmony with others”, and “as much as I can, to be at peace with them.”

That may mean giving up what I perceive as some of my “rights” and saying “I’m sorry, I was wrong” when I am in the wrong.  I realize that I hate being wrong; and even worse, I hate to admit it.

How can I change the way I am, Lord?

It has to come from You.

But I can do my part.  You challenge me, no, You command me: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The pattern of this world is selfishness, egotism, greed, if you want it – get it, or if it feels good – do it.  And I need to be more than a non-conformer.  I need to be a Transformer!

How?

I can be transformed by spending time with You in prayer.  Hearing from You can redirect my focus, rewrite my priorities.

I can have my worldview reshaped by reading Your Word.  The Bible tells me how to gain Your perspective and consider eternity rather than just my immediate concerns.

The way I think affects the way I act.  So if I think on things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy – I will act accordingly.

Thank You Father for showing me the way.  For inspiring me to achieve.  For helping me accomplish.  I desire to be all You created me to be, and to receive all that You have for me.

Today, help me see one thing I can change and help me do it.  Amen

Romans12:1-21; Philippians 4:8

July 29 Be Transformed!

Father, I see this list of admonitions of how to live a godly life, and it shows how much room I have for improvement.  The truth is, I can’t even do one of them without You!  It is only in experiencing Your grace that I can be gracious to others.

Forgive me Father, when I “think of myself more highly than I ought.”  With the advertising slogans of today it’s easy to become focused on self, and what I “deserve” to have.  It puffs me up, making it hard to “honor one another above yourselves.”   I find myself feeling proud and entitled.

Lord, turn me around when this happens.  Help me see my behavior through Your eyes.  Remind me to “share with Your people who are in need” and “practice hospitality.”  Show me how to “live in harmony with others”, and “as much as I can, to be at peace with them.”

That may mean giving up what I perceive as some of my “rights” and saying “I’m sorry, I was wrong” when I am in the wrong.  I realize that I hate being wrong; and even worse, I hate to admit it.

How can I change the way I am, Lord?

It has to come from You.

But I can do my part.  You challenge me, no, You command me: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The pattern of this world is selfishness, egotism, greed, if you want it – get it, or if it feels good – do it.  And I need to be more than a non-conformer.  I need to be a Transformer!

How?

I can be transformed by spending time with You in prayer.  Hearing from You can redirect my focus, rewrite my priorities.

I can have my worldview reshaped by reading Your Word.  The Bible tells me how to gain Your perspective and consider eternity rather than just my immediate concerns.

The way I think affects the way I act.  So if I think on things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy – I will act accordingly.

Thank You Father for showing me the way.  For inspiring me to achieve.  For helping me accomplish.  I desire to be all You created me to be, and to receive all that You have for me.

Today, help me see one thing I can change and help me do it.  Amen

Romans12:1-21; Philippians 4:8

July 29 Be Transformed

Father, I see this list of admonitions of how to live a godly life, and it shows how much room I have for improvement.  The truth is, I can’t even do one of them without You!  It is only in experiencing Your grace that I can be gracious to others.

Forgive me Father, when I “think of myself more highly than I ought.”  With the advertising slogans of today it’s easy to become focused on self, and what I “deserve” to have.  It puffs me up, making it hard to “honor one another above yourselves.”   I find myself feeling proud and entitled.

Lord, turn me around when this happens.  Help me see my behavior through Your eyes.  Remind me to “share with Your people who are in need” and “practice hospitality.”  Show me how to “live in harmony with others”, and “as much as I can, to be at peace with them.”

That may mean giving up what I perceive as some of my “rights” and saying “I’m sorry, I was wrong” when I am in the wrong.  I realize that I hate being wrong; and even worse, I hate to admit it.  How can I change the way I am, Lord?

It has to come from You.  But I can do my part.  You challenge me, no, You command me: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The pattern of this world is selfishness, egotism, greed, if you want it – get it, or if it feels good – do it.  And I need to be more than a non-conformer.  I need to be a Transformer!

How?

I can be transformed by spending time with You in prayer.  Hearing from You can redirect my focus, rewrite my priorities.

I can have my worldview reshaped by reading Your Word.  The Bible tells me how to gain Your perspective and consider eternity rather than just my immediate concerns.

The way I think affects the way I act.  So if I think on things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy – I will act accordingly.

Thank You Father for showing me the way.  For inspiring me to achieve.  For helping me accomplish.  I desire to be all You created me to be, and to receive all that You have for me.

Today, help me see one thing I can change and help me do it.  Amen

Romans12:1-21; Philippians 4:8

June 21 In You I am made and known

Oh Father!  There is no person or created being like You!  Nothing on earth, or beneath the earth, or in the heavens above.

There is no other who knows me inside and out.  Although billions and billions of people have lived, You are personally familiar with who I am.  You recognize me; know what I do, when I come and where I go, when I lie down and when I get up.

You also know me on the inside: my thoughts, my mind, my heart, and my  motivation for all I do.  Before I form a sentence, You know what I will say before I speak it.

You are everywhere at all times.  There is no place to hide from Your presence.  I could go as far as is humanly possible, into the depths of the earth, or beneath the sea, or out into the vastness of space beyond the other planets and stars; and You would already be there.

There is nothing that can conceal me from Your watchful eye.  Even darkness does not prevent You from seeing me.

In one way, You are like a parent who knows their child.  A parent learns the aptitudes and personality of their child so well that the child’s actions do not surprise the parent.  Even motivation can be seen sometimes because children are often so transparent in their behaviors.

Because they are younger and they have limited ability to think and reason, a parent can often protect and teach them.  But You are much more than simply older and wiser than me.  As a child is amazed by the power and ability and wisdom of a parent, I am amazed by You – to the zillionth power!

In Your sovereignty and power, You created my body, my mind, my spirit – before I was even born.  You formed all that would be me in my mother’s womb.  How amazing is that?

By Your design I have two hands with the ability to work and craft, and gently hold a baby.  By Your design I have two eyes that can see the wonder You created in the beauty of the earth: flowers, birds, mountains, oceans, a sunrise.  You gave me ears to hear, a brain that thinks, and a mouth that speaks.

You chose when I would be born, where, and to whom.  And You will close my eyes when my time on earth is ended.

In all this, You gave me the ability to know You.  As You reveal Yourself to me in Your Word, and as we communicate in prayer, I am blown away by who You are.  Your thoughts, Your creativity defy human imagination and understanding.  They are too wonderful for me.  And I am blessed beyond measure to know You.

Continue to lead me, teach me, test me, mature me, Father.  Know me.  And let me know You.  Amen

Psalm 139:1-24

Apr 8 No Rock like our God

Lord, do not let ours be a nation without sense, with no discernment, like Israel was.

When You gave them an inheritance and set up boundaries for Your people according to the number of their sons, You shielded and carried them.  You protected them and guarded them as an eagle cares for and trains its young.

You nourished them with the best, and yet, when they became fat and sleek, satisfied, they turned from You.  They abandoned the God who gave them all they had, and sought other “gods.”   They became perverse and unfaithful, not caring that it would call down Your curses and judgment on them and their children.

Father, give me discernment so I can know when I am being tempted away from You with the values and philosophies of this world.  Help me be wise and understand that there are consequences to my decisions and actions.

Give me the ability to be able to think ahead and see where things will lead so I can choose what will lead me to a closer relationship with You.

Father, give the leaders of my country sense to see where they are taking our people with their choices as well.  Give them discernment and wisdom to know that Your judgment is real and You will not be mocked.  Our Constitution was written to govern a moral people, and when morality fails, we have little hope of living in safety or security.

I can already see signs that we have gone too far.   We, as a people – even Believers, have put You to the test and rebelled against You, the Lord Most High.  We have not kept Your statutes.  We have become disloyal and faithless.

Do not reject us O God.  Do not abandon us.  But show us the error of our ways; teach us to walk rightly again and make wise decisions that honor You.

Help me give You the place in my life that You deserve.

Remind me to read Your Word so it can guide and encourage me.  Recall to my mind, Your faithfulness to me in the past: all the ways You have protected and delivered me.

Speak to me when I pray to You, giving me direction.  Let me feel Your presence near me, assuring me of your love, healing my wounds, and giving me Your peace.

Thank You that You are the One True God, the Most High, who will never leave me or forsake me.  Thank You that Your faithfulness endures forever.  I praise You for Your unending love.  You are my God.  Amen

Deuteronomy 32:28-43; Psalm 78:56-64

Mar 26 Help me hear

“We will listen and obey.”  This was the Israelites response to all You said on the mountain when they heard Your voice telling them how they should live.

Many things in the world keep me from hearing You.  The world is a loud, noisy place, with so many voices that distract or actively deceive.  Those voices suggest what I need and how I should live to be “accepted” and “successful” by the world’s standards. They tempt me into materialism, humanism, and all kinds of ungodly ideologies.

But to listen and obey, I must listen specifically and intentionally.  I need to walk a path, live a lifestyle that purposely shows others what I believe.

Please remind me when I speak or act or make a decision, that everything I do will either draw me closer to You, or move me away from You and Your will.  Help me examine my thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes, to ensure that they are honorable and do not cause distance or separation from You.

You also tell me I am responsible to teach others about You and Your truth.  So I need to live what I believe – talk about my faith and who You are to me and how You impact my life.  Help me do that when I have others in my home.  And when I travel.  From the time I get up until the time I go to bed.

When I am not speaking of You, my faith should still be obvious to others by my dress, my countenance, my attitudes, how I treat others.  When people come to my home, they should see more than just the symbols of the world’s values.  They should sense Your peace.  I

n my emails, tweets, facebook posts and any other presentation to the world, I must be mindful that I represent You.  As I am a Christ-follower, my presence in others’ lives shows whether I truly listen and obey, or whether I am a Christian in name only.

I will listen.  And I will obey.  And I will “proclaim the power of God!”  Amen

Deuteronomy 5:1-6:9; Psalm 68:34

Apr 30 The power of words

Jephthah is the very definition of a rash vow, a careless oath, a promise made without thinking.   At least he lived by his word and upheld his vow, but it cost his daughter her life!

Lord God, how often do I speak without thinking? Have I made promises I either had no way to meet or no intention of keeping?

Help me be more aware of how I speak.   Do not let me take my words lightly. Let my yes be yes and my no mean no.

In Your Word, You teach me not to lie or give false testimony. As You became flesh and dwelt among us, You were a living example of speaking truth. So, I am to speak the truth in love and use words that are edifying to the other person.

I desire to use my voice to bless others, to sing of Your love and justice, to praise You.   Lord, set a watch over my mouth to make me aware of all I say. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord. Amen

Judges 11:29-40; Psalm 19:14