Exodus 3: 14-15

14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

You are holy, holy, holy Lord, God, Jehovah. I join with all creation to praise and worship Your magnificent name. There’s no God like You in heaven or earth. You are the everlasting One, the God with no beginning or end. You always were, are today, and always will be the same unchangeable God. You are whatever I need whenever I need it. In a world where morals, values and laws are consistently changing, I can find peace and stability in my unchanging Jehovah. When I call on Your name, You reveal the truth to me. Your authority is divine.

Because I believe You are holy above all else, I respect You, follow You, love You, serve You, and obey You. For my faithful love and obedience, You will set me apart as holy, ready to do Your will. Blessing and honor will be mine. Forgive me Jehovah, for all the times my rebellion has grieved Your heart. Wash me. I want to walk with You and receive the blessing of Your presence.

Thank You for revealing Yourself to me as Jehovah, the great I AM. Please give me a deeper understanding of who You are. I want to know You more, live in Your blessing, and trust You always. I want to believe You are all I ever need, Jehovah. Help me to overcome my unbelief! Amen.

Do you know God as Jehovah? Do you believe He is all You ever need? If so, praise His holy name. If you are struggling with unbelief, I encourage You to spend time getting to know Him personally. Talk to Him. Ask Him to reveal himself to You as Jehovah, the great I AM. He is an awesome God!

Deuteronomy 28: 1-2, 15
1 If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
15 However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

Deuteronomy 10: 12-13
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

Genesis 1: 1-3

Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. (Emphasis mine)
Colossians 1: 15(Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Elohim,
God the Father,
God the Son and,
God the Holy Spirit,
You are the One Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. When You spoke, the Spirit moved, and all things were created, including me! Thank You God, for intricately designing me in my mother’s womb. You hold the pattern for my life. The characteristics that I see as flaws, You intentionally built into me. You don’t make mistakes. I praise You that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am precious in Your sight. You love me just the way I am. You know me and call me by name. I am created for Your glory and Your pleasure. I want to live my life like a mirror with Your image reflected in me. When people peer into my looking glass may they see Your love, mercy, and goodness.

Elohim, I want to know You more. You are God of gods and Lord of lords, the mighty and awesome One, my Creator and King. You are worthy O Lord, to receive glory, honor and blessing because You created all things! All things exist for Your pleasure. Hallelujah! I will live my life for You because I believe You are Elohim, my Creator King. Amen.

God made you just the way you are for His glory! Celebrate your uniqueness, including the flaws, and He will be glorified.

(Ps 139:13-14, Isaiah 43: 4,7)

Phil 3: 7-11

7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What 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 9and 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. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

My Jesus,
My Savior,
My great and glorious King, You are my heart’s desire. All the power and possessions I once pursued are worthless. All the accolades and accomplishments I accumulated are insignificant. None of the pleasures and treasures of the world compare to knowing You, Jesus. Please show me all the stuff cluttering my life that needs discarded to make room for more of You.

I want to know You more and more each day. My deepest aspiration is to be more like You in every way. I am inferior and inadequate. My trinkets and trophies can’t save me. They mean nothing to You. All You want is all of me. To know You personally and intimately is the only thing that matters. By faith, I believe that You are my only saving grace. There is nothing I can do to be right with God, apart from my relationship with You. It is the most important thing in all of my life.

After the home of my heart is cleared of the rubbish, there will be plenty of room for Your all-consuming power. Using the mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead, I can overcome evil and temptation. In Your strength, I will die to my past addictions and attractions. Sharing in Your suffering, I will lay down my sinful life to follow You, Jesus.

Thank You for preserving History so that I can have heavenly hope. After the excruciating pain of death, joy comes in the mourning … beautiful life that never ends.

There is no greater thing than knowing You, Jesus. You mean the world to me. The most valuable treasure of all time is found in You – sweet salvation. With a song in my heart and a smile on my face I will praise You for Your greatness. You are my righteousness and I love You, Jesus. Amen.

What are you willing to give up to know Christ better? Time each day for Bible study and prayer? Approval from friends and family? Your personal plans, ambitions, and dreams? Knowing Christ is worth the sacrifice.

Psalm 113: 2-3

2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.

3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Blessed is Your name O Lord!
I will praise it forever! When I rise in the morning, I will exalt Your magnificent name. When I lay down at night, I will worship Your glorious name.

You are the Great I AM
The Alpha & Omega
The Beginning & the End
You are my Creator and King
You are wonderful God
God Most High
All-sufficient
My Lord, Adonai
You are the Lord of Peace and the Lord of Hosts
The Lord Who sees and the Lord Who Provides
The Lord Who heals and the Lord Who Smites
You are my Shepherd

Your holy name is greater than all names. You are my Risen Savior, Wonderful Counselor and Glorious Lord. Immanuel, You are with me always. Blessed be Your name, O Lord! Blessed be your beautiful name now and forever. Amen.

As you prepare to worship the Lord this week, reflect on His many splendid names!

John 8: 31-36

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jesus, You are the One and Only Source of Truth.
Thank You for continuing to show me the importance of buckling the belt of truth around my waist. Your Word is Truth and it sets me FREE!

Free from my sinful nature
Free from death’s grip
Free from Satan’s snare
Free from fear
Free from selfish desires

Free to be Your dearly beloved child
Free to live with You forever
Free to love and serve others
Free to bear the sweet fruit of my salvation
Free to be all that You intended me to be

The shackles of sin are gone and the belt of truth is on! I’m free to stand up and walk in holiness. I’m free to make right choices and spread the Gospel of Peace. I’m free to BELIEVE You! Hallelujah! I am FREE indeed!

Please dear Lord, teach me the truth and give me faith to BELIEVE so that I can walk in the freedom of the cross every day of my life. I am forever Yours because of Jesus, the One and Only Source of Truth! Amen.

Do you BELIEVE Jesus? He has set you free! Claim your freedom today by removing the shackles of sin and putting on the belt of truth.

Matt 17: 1-9

1After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters–one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

6When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." NIV

Jesus, Son of God~
I love and adore you. You are more than a great leader and awesome teacher. You are the Son of God. All power and authority is Yours. My only adequate response is to bow down and worship you in the beauty of Your holiness.

I am like Peter. You invited him to be with you on the mountain, but he wasn't content unless he was busy doing something ... building you a shelter. So it is with me. You tell me to just be still and know that you are God. You invite me to come just as I am to worship You. But, like Peter I am not comfortable with silence and my natural response is to do something. Teach me dear Lord to come into Your presence quietly. By your grace I will be quiet and listen. I revere You and respect You, Son of God.

Thank you for taking me with you to the top of the highest mountain. There, I have experienced awesome moments of wonder and have seen Your glory and power. Away from the reality and problems of life, I do not want to leave. It is good to be there. Struggles await me in the valley. I do not like conflict. On the mountain with You, the enemy cannot come near me. You command me to "go and not be afraid." Out of fear and respect, I will bravely go to the valley to minister to others. I will go with Your power and strength. Thank you that Your Word is available to me.

Help me dear Lord, grasp the Truth so that I can be a powerful witness in the valley. God, please show me people who need Jesus. I will testify to the glory of the Son of God because of my mountain top experiences. Amen

Have you seen God's glory on the mountaintop? If so, take it into the valley and share it with someone today.

Isaiah 6:1-8

1In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. 3In a great chorus they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" 4The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke.

5Then I said, "My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!"

6Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. 7He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven."

8Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?"

And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me." NLT

Living God,
You are holy and mighty,
You are King of my heart and
Lord of my life
I have mysteriously seen Your divine glory in the temple of my heart when Jesus came in and freed me from my sin. Seated high on the throne of my soul, Your Holy Spirit flame continuously burns away all the impurities within me. You crush me from my sinful nature. You reshape me repeatedly until I’m Your perfect pot. Then You wash away my guilt and shame with the precious blood of Jesus, forgiving my sins and shortcomings. When I’m clean, You fill me to overflowing with extravagant peace, Jesus joy, and heavenly hope. The painful purification process sets me apart as holy, ready to do Your will.

Purified others can see the face of my King exalted in me. Lord, I am shining for You. Please send me! I will go in the name of Jesus so that others will see and believe. You are my God and my King. All glory to You for the changes in me! Amen.

Are you willing to allow God to destroy you and reshape you for His use? If so, cry out to him, admitting your sin and weakness. Surrender to His power and He will use you.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Living Water,
Pure,
Crystal Clear,
Refreshing …
Fall on me! Wash me! Fill me!
I am dirty cup, O God. Wash me with sparkling Living Water, the priceless blood of Jesus, so that I shine radiantly. I trust You to wash away the bitter brew of criticism, rejection, and humiliation. Replace it with the pleasant taste of peace. I trust You to remove the pungent solution of pride, perfection, and conceit. Replace it with the delightful taste of joy.

Filled with unexplainable peace and glorious joy, the hope of heaven will spill out of me into the world in which I live, work, and play. Glistening with Jesus joy, I will invite people to come and drink from my cup full of luscious Living Water. When they sip the sweetness of my salvation, and realize that my hope is in heaven, they too will long to be filled.

Please dear Lord, crush me, shape me and fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus.

What is contaminating your cup? Will you hand it over to the Maker and allow Him to wash it with the Living Water of Jesus? Then, you will glisten with Jesus joy and precious peace.

Jeremiah 18: 1-6

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD . "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand."

Living God,
You are the Perfect Potter. I am clay in Your hands. Let Your Spirit fall on me. Mold me into a valuable vessel You can use. Keep my heart soft and pliable. I want to be responsive to Your touch of greatness.

Father, into Your hands I go! Crush me. Shape me. Infuse me with grace. Cover all my defects and imperfections with Your gentle hands of mercy. Willingly and receptively I surrender myself to You. Please make me a cherished container to hold more of Jesus. Conform me into an instrument that is holy, blameless, and pure.

In the hands of my Perfect Potter, I will mold into the Perfect Pot. Just let Your Spirit fall on me, making me more flexible for Your glory. Amen

Are you willing to allow the Potter to crush you and mold you even if it requires major sacrifices?

Malachi 3: 2, 3

Malachi 3: 2, 3
He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal or like a strong soap that whitens clothes. He will sit and judge like a refiner of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold or silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. NLT

Living God,
Almighty Lord,
You are the greatest Refiner in the world. Let Your Spirit fall on me. Melt me. Although the process is excruciatingly painful, the result is gloriously beautiful. As I melt under the intense flame of the Holy Spirit, You skim off my impurities that rise to the surface. Only purity and holiness remain. Cleanse me with the blazing fire of my afflictions. Separate me from the corruption that renders me worthless and useless. With the dross removed, Your reflection appears in the smooth, pure surface of my soul. Others see it shining through and desire a piece of it.

Thank You Lord for the perfection process. Because of Your unfailing love and compassion, the melting procedure will not consume me. I look with hope to my fabulous future when I am perfect in Christ Jesus. Show me Your ways. Teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth. You are my Perfect Savior. I long to be holy, like You. Fall on me. Melt me for Your name sake. Amen.

Are you willing to surrender yourself to the Refiner’s fire?

Luke 18: 9-14

9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

My Father in Heaven,
Holy is Your name. There is no God like You in heaven or earth. I am unworthy to come into Your awesome presence. I come humbly, to the Most Holy Place as a despised and despicable person in need of divine mercy. Unable to face You, I bow down, crying out, "Have mercy on me, a sinner!" I lift my hands to You, Lord, to show my desperate need for grace!

Lord, forgive me for all the times I am full of myself like the Pharisee. I trust in my own abilities. I look down on others with contempt and disrespect. It makes me sick to think of how haughty and proud I can be of my accomplishments and myself. My heart is deceitful above all things. It is beyond cure!

Please give me a gentle and quiet spirit. Keep my heart humble and teachable. With an attitude of gratitude, I will dress myself in humility, wrapping the belt of truth around me. Covered in gentleness, I will:

• Ensure that my actions bring glory to You and not me
• Honor others above myself
• Refuse to be judgmental
• Forgive as You have forgiven me
• Risk failure to conquer unfamiliar territory for You
• Take You more seriously, and myself less seriously
• Confess my weaknesses to a friend, and seek help, advise and prayer
  

Please dear Lord, teach me wisdom so that I can honor You with humility. Then, I will experience Your glory. Not to me, O Lord, not to me, but to Your name be the glory because of Your love and faithfulness. Justify me through Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Pride gets the best of everyone from time to time. Do you need to take off pride and put on humility? If so, will you do it immediately before you fall?

Luke 18: 1-8

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "
6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Honorable Judge~
Your great compassion and mercy are unending. I am dreadfully needy like the widow, but have not been as persistent with my prayer life. Rather than constantly complaining to You about my on-going troubles, I easily give up and give in. Forgive me for my lack of faith! Thank You for reminding me that I should always pray and not quit! If an unjust judge buckles under my continuous badgering how much more will an honorable and patient Judge like You pity me when I keep pestering?

Please dear Lord, increase my faith so that I will persistently plead with You like the widow. By faith, I will incessantly cry out to You day and night. When You are sick and tired of hearing my wailing and whining You will quiet me by responding quickly. Please have mercy on Your chosen child. Hear my prayers and answer favorably! Give me faith to persist and believe that You will not put me off permanently. I know that You love me deeply because of Jesus. Amen.

Is there something you have given up praying for because you feel like God is not listening? Do not give up! Be persistent like the widow.

John 18:37

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

Jesus, You are my King! I bow down before You! I love and adore You because I believe You! I believe You left Your holy and glorious throne of dignity in heaven to come down to this miry, muddy pit to save and teach me the truth. I was sinking in slippery slime when You showed up. You lifted me out of my deep, dark, dwelling and set my feet on strong, solid ground. Standing on a firm foundation, You spoke the truth to me. I believed You were a King, the Son of God, the source of all Truth who came to rescue me from my desperate dilemma. For this reason, I earnestly seek You!

Forgive me O God, for the times that I have casually dismissed the Truth, like Pilate. I have missed blessings and opportunities because I have turned my back on the Truth. You have given me Truth through Bible Studies, sermons, daily devotions, radio messages, television broadcasts, inspirational books, and godly friends. Yet, I have chosen to ignore, deny, and avoid the Truth when it complicates my plans. Forgive me for my defiant disobedience! My heart has become callused. I can hardly hear with my ears. My eyes are closed. I cannot see. I do not want to believe!

Honorable Risen King, forgive me for my unbelief! Open my eyes to see, my ears to hear, and my heart to understand the Truth. I want to believe the secrets of the kingdom of heaven that You whisper to my quiet heart. Obeying the Truth, I will reap all the rich, abundant blessings You want to give me because of Jesus. Amen.

Have you dismissed the Truth because it has complicated your plans? If so, will you listen to Jesus?

The Speedway of Life

This Prayer Pal is a testimony of God’s saving grace as revealed to me on my recent escapade through the Ohio River Valley.

Dangerously traveling down I-71 from Ohio to Kentucky at a speed more than 90 mph, God revealed the speed demon in me. It comes out when I am tired, driving down an open highway, and urgently wanting to get to my destination. God in His saving grace turned on the flashing red light and sounded the shrill alarm. Capturing my undivided attention, He screamed into my heavy heart, "You reckless fool! (Proverbs 14:16) Slow down! Fools die for lack of judgment!" (Proverbs 10: 21)

Out of fear and respect for His Authority, I acknowledged my disastrous decision to drive like Speed Racer. Recognizing the potential consequences of my belligerent behavior, I immediately released the petal from the metal. As I obediently exited the collision course for the Heavenly High Way, God took advantage of my recklessness to teach me a good lesson on the speedway of life.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

I lift my heart to You O Lord!
In You I place my trust!

Thank You for slowing me down and safely guiding me to the Heavenly High Way. In the midst of my recklessness and potentially disastrous decision, I learned that life is a speedway. Zooming down it carelessly, I often pay little or no attention to the limits of the Law. Often I am on a collision course that could lead to death or destruction, while inflicting pain or injury on others. Traveling down the open freeway of life, I am often tired and just want to get to MY destination. In my haste, I do not have time to stop for Bible Study or prayer. I dash into church on Sunday morning for a fly-by sermon with my mind racing to the next destination. I am in such a hurry that I bypass all the beautiful blessings You have for me on the Heavenly High Way. With my mind focused on reaching MY destination, I miss Your good, pleasing and perfect will for my life.

Forgive me for recklessly abandoning Your Authority! I am on a dangerous road to destruction! Stop me! Go to any length to get my attention! Surround me with Your mercy and love. Guide me safely to the slower Heavenly High Way where beautiful blessings abound. At a safer pace, I will be more cautious. Unhurried, my mind will be free to think about the Law and obey it. I will have more deliberate time for Bible Study and prayer. Church will no longer be a drive-by experience, but a time of meaningful worship. Relaxed and refreshed, I will follow the road leading to Your good, pleasing and perfect will. It will be a delightful and peaceful ride to a pretty place of purpose and pleasure.

You are God my Savior. In the name of Jesus, please deliver me from the speed demon that is robbing me of the fullness of life. Save me from the destructive road of destruction for Your name sake. Amen.

Are the red lights flashing? Is the shrill alarm sounding? Is God trying to get your attention to stop and turn to the High Way to Heaven? If He is speaking to you through my experience, pull over and obey! In obedience there is always blessing.

I did not get pulled over by the authorities of the world. But I did get stopped by the only Authority. Unfortunately, I continue to find myself speeding down the highways. Now, however, I am acutely aware of God’s strong hand on me convicting me of my foolish rebellion.

John 15: 9-11

Jesus said, 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. "

Heavenly Father-
The Gardener & Vinedresser-
Cultivate my heart to produce exuberant, extravagant, extraordinary love. I long for Your amazing love to exude from my pores so that it will be seen and felt by those around me. Saturate me with Living Water. Fertilize me with Your Word. Graft me permanently to You so that I will produce delicious juicy fruit for Your kingdom. As I grow in my relationship with You, submitting to Your snips and clips, Jesus will overflow from me into the lives of others.

Filled with Jesus Joy, my face will shine, my eyes will sparkle, my mouth will laugh, and my feet will dance. O Holy Gardener, please shape me in such a way that people will keep coming back to pluck more of the plump, luscious fruit produced from my branch. Create in those around me a ravenous hunger for more Jesus Juice! Make me a healthy source of spiritual nourishment. Release the flow of Divine Sap through the branch of my life as I rest and grow on Your glorious Vine. I am Yours O Lord, because of Jesus! Amen

John 15: 1-5

Jesus said, "I am the vine and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful ... Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."


Heavenly Father-
This is one of my favorite pictures! You are the Gardener. Jesus is the vine. I am the branch. Apart from Him I am nothing but a dead branch. Completely connected to You, the "sap" of Your Spirit flows through every part of my being - my heart, mind, and soul. Cultivate me to produce baskets full of sweet succulent fruit for Your kingdom.

more self-sacrificing love
more joy in my salvation
more peace as I trust You, the Gardener completely
more merciful patience
more tender loving kindness
more goodness
more faith to believe You
more humility and gentleness
more self-control

O Gardener, prune me and clip me, even though it hurts, so that I can be shaped into the fruitful branch You want me to be. Pick up my leaves when they get dirty and wash them. Cleanse me, Jesus! Saturate me with the fertilizer of Your Word so that I can know Your good, pleasing and perfect will. I desire to grow the fruit of changed lives through my branch! Please use me to connect others to You for Your name sake! Amen.

What fruit are you producing for God’s kingdom?

John 12:24

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But, if it dies, it produces many seeds.


Glorious Father-
Thank you for this beautiful word picture. Like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to live anew, I lay down all my plans and worldly desires to follow you. Plant me wherever you want to produce a harvest for your Kingdom. Press down on me, crush me, and break me. Soften me and release me to press upward to reproduce an enormous multiplication of blessings. God please crucify me with Jesus – fully yielded, completely surrendered, totally submitted. Use the problems and challenges that are part of my every day life to put me to death. Then raise me, like a kernel of wheat to an abundant ... victorious ... blessed ... fruitful ... powerful ... Christ-like ... Spirit-filled life. I love you Lord and want to be more like you! In Jesus name, I surrender all. Amen.

What do you need to surrender in order to reproduce abundant blessings for the Kingdom of God?

Ps 61: 1-4

Hear my cry O God;
Listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge;
a strong tower against the foe
I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

My Father, My Maker , My Rock , My God , My Refuge,
I praise You for Your greatness. You are mighty and powerful. Thank You for showing me Your wonderful gracious love. As my eyes gaze at the fascinating red rock sculptures You created in Sedona I remembered that You are my Rock. In their breathtaking beauty I see pillars of glory and feel Your presence. Your work is marvelously perfect! You are upright, steadfast, solid, stable and unmovable. I desperately want to climb to the pinnacle of one of these spectacular wonders and hide in the shelter of Your presence where:

Calamities cannot find me
Pestilence cannot consume me
Deadly plagues cannot devour me
Venomous vipers cannot make me their victim
Terror cannot reign down on me

As I look up and all around, I realized there was no way I could climb the rocks because they are inaccessible to humans which is what keeps them pristine and beautiful, holy and pure. Thank You for whispering in my ear, "Follow me, I will guide You to the Rock. Trust me I will lead You." Thank You for making the Rock accessible to me through Christ Jesus. My heart is weak. I am depending on You to be my strength and energy. I am counting on Your protection. With Your help O God, I will climb and find refuge in the overwhelmingly beautiful Rock. I will peacefully rest in the safety of Your presence forever because You alone are my Rock and my Salvation. Amen

Reflect on the beauty of the Rock.

Eph 6: 18-20

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. NIV

Matt 26: Jesus said, 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

My Dear King~
I confidently come to Your holy temple, to the heavenly throne to receive mercy and find in my time of need. I come with reverence because You are my King. You hear my voice and answer. You are my wise Counselor and Best Friend. Forgive me for watering down my true feelings and not telling You the whole truth. You love to when I share my openly, honestly and sincerely. When I cannot find the words to say, You hear my quiet heart.

Like a loving Father, You know the weaknesses that lead me into temptation. I climb up into the high and holy fort where I watch for the enemy to sneak up on me. From my safe tower, I shoot a prayer heavenward. Boldly, I ask for more faith to believe, and more power to receive. Surrendered to Your authority, You defend me every time. In Your strength, I defeat the power of sin and temptation. The impossible is suddenly possible.

Triumphantly, I claim the peace prize to guard my heart and mind. With peace oozing from my heart, the words flowing from my mouth will naturally spread Good News of Your great love. By Your grace, I will be more joyful in the hope of my salvation, more patient in my affliction and more faithful in prayer. Then I will claim the final victory for Your name sake. Amen.

Prayer is a powerful weapon. Do you use it to fight the enemy of sin and temptation? Try it! Jesus commands it.

You now have prayer for the full armor of God: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word, and prayer. Memorize them. As you get dressed in the morning, put on each piece for the protection you need. May God bless and protect you when you are wearing His armor.

Eph 6: 17

Take the helmet of salvation.

Ps 27: 1-3
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Romans 12: 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

O God my Savior~
Thank You for noticing and rescuing me when I was an unnoticed, unattractive, and unpopular crippled child. Not only did You notice and rescue me; but You also adopted and accepted me into Your loving family. In Your home, You healed and sanctified me. You made me righteous and holy. I was near death, but now I am ALIVE! Thank you for the gracious gift of Your salvation! I will wear it as a helmet to protect my head.

I am surrounded by bullies who try to prevent me from advancing Your kingdom. They devour me with doubt and discouragement. They attack my abilities and adequacy. They make me feel unworthy and unacceptable. They preoccupy me, and then steal my time and treasure. Anxiety and fear besiege me.

When I trust in You and Your saving grace the brilliant, illuminating light transforms my mind. In the luminosity, my fearful thoughts are changed. You shine truth on deception and empower me to make right choices. As I spend time with You, I see things that are noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. With my mind renewed, reeducated, and redirected I begin to think like Jesus. Wearing the helmet of salvation protects me from the brutal bullies. With complete confidence in Your strong power, one by one they stumble and fall.

Thank You for freeing me from their devastating power. Out of love and gratitude, I will set aside my fears, trust You, and go where You send me to serve others with love, kindness and gentleness. I will march forward victoriously, claiming new territory for Your kingdom, honor, and glory because of Jesus. Amen.

I am reading Bruce Wilkenson’s book, The Dream Giver. He is showing me that God has given me a dream to write books and inspire people to grow in faith. The Holy Spirit has shown me the bullies that could prevent the pursuit of my dream: doubt, inadequacy, lack of experience, knowledge, and time. Understanding the power of Christ Jesus in me, I am determined to wear the helmet of salvation to protect my mind from the bullies. With God’s power, I will march forward into unknown territory to discover the dream He has planted in my heart … to write and teach.

God has given you a dream too. Will you put on the helmet of salvation to protect your mind from the bullies?

Eph 6:14, 16

Stand firm then … and take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Heb 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Almighty God~
You are strong and powerful! Thank you for the mighty weapons you give me to battle the rulers and authorities who want to control me with their power. Because I understand my dire need for them, I will intentionally put them on each day with determination to defeat the devil.
When Satan’s fiery arrows of insult impede and induce my tender heart, the shield of faith will protect me. The family crest is drawn in the precious blood of Jesus, telling the enemy that I belong to You.

This morning You took me to a story in Mark 8: 21-36 about a synagogue ruler who believed Jesus could heal his dying daughter. The ruler sought Him, found Him, fell at His feet, and earnestly pleaded with Him. Jesus responded to this man’s faith by walking with him and healing his daughter. Along the way, they encountered a hopelessly suffering woman. She heard about Jesus, believed He could heal her of a lifelong of affliction, determined to find Him, and touch Him. Because of her persistent faith, she was healed, set free, and sent out with peace.

Please dear Lord, give me a shield of faith to:

Seek You in life’s most difficult moments
Fall at Your feet
Tremble in fear
Tell You the whole truth
Not be afraid
Just BELIEVE!!

Walking beside You with the shield of faith in place, there will be peace and freedom because I BELIEVE in the power of Jesus the One and Only. Amen.


Will you seek Jesus for your hopeless situation? Then fall at His feet, tremble in awe of His holiness, not be afraid to tell Him the whole truth, and just BELIEVE. He will touch you and heal you because of your faith.

Matt 6: 33 Jesus said, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well."

I wrote today's PP with a heavy heart for a suffering friend whose only hope is Jesus.

Beautiful Feet of Jesus

Today, let's be the beautiful feet of Jesus, bringing Good News to everyone we come in contact with! Imagine the joy that would fill our little piece of the world!

Eph 6: 14-15 Stand firm … with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Romans 10: 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"[

Matthew 5:9 Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God."

O God of Love and King of Peace~
I come before you with a humble and contrite heart seeking the blessing of your beloved child. I want to climb the mountain and stand in Your holy place. Wash my feet and fit them with a good pair of walking shoes for the journey. Today, I will then take Your outstretched hand and begin walking boldly in faith. Together we will spread the Good News about the Gospel of Peace. Satan wants me to believe that telling others the Good News is hopeless and worthless. As I power walk with You, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred let your love increase. I am unable to manufacture the kind of love that results in this kind of peace. Because I am your child and I know you, I am able to love others through you. I want to know You more intimately and deeply day by day so that in knowing You, I can administer Your peace to a broken and hurting world. As I come to You in Bible Study and prayer, in obedience and fully surrendered, please fill my life with more of You and Your holy, just and perfect love. You are love! Fill me O God, with so much love that it will overflow into the world in which I live, work and play. Help me, dear Lord, to focus on my relationship with You rather than my relationship with people. Then Your love will naturally flow out of me and into every person I encounter. I will naturally be an instrument of your peace. When your love flows walls of pride and prejudice will cease and I will be an instrument of peace.

Where there is hatred, I will show your love.
Where there is injury I will never judge.
Where there is striving, I will speak Your peace
to the people crying for release.
Where there is blindness I will pray for sight.
Where there is darkness I will shine your light.
Where there is sadness I will bear their grief.
I will be Your instrument of peace.

Please, dear Lord, bless my beautiful feet as I faithfully love the people You have given me to love. Thank You God for giving me Jesus and making His love complete in me. Thank You for Your laws. Let me carefully, deliberately, and intentionally obey them so that a wicked watching world will see Your beautiful love and peace shining through me because of Jesus, the Lover of Peace, Jehovah Shalom. Amen.


Who can you share God's peace with today? Put on the armor of God: truth, righteous, and peace.

(Lyrics from Instruments of Peace by Kirk & Deby Dearman modified from the Prayer of St. Francis)