Hebrews 12: 10-11, 14

10God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Lord of Peace, My Father,
Forgive me for only seeing You as a gracious, merciful, gentle, loving Father and rejecting You as a stern disciplinarian who has all authority over me. While You are my loving Father, You are also the judge of all mankind. Help me dear Lord, by Your grace to understand Your holiness, Your righteousness, Your justice, and Your wrath against sin. Thank You God, that I am Your child and with that comes high expectations. You may let other children alone in their sin, but because I am Your child and under Your authority, I am held to higher standard and You will discipline me. I don't like being disciplined. It's painful and humiliating! Help me to accept it gratefully as a means of developing me into a righteous, peaceful, gentle, patient, quiet, holy child. May people recognize by my behavior the family to whom I belong.

God, I'm sorry that I live a double life - one minute praising and worshipping You; the next sinning before the holy, righteous judge of all people as though You were blind and deaf! I am so childlike! Please dear Lord, just give me more faith to BELIEVE that You are who You say You are:

Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient
Merciful, Kind, Compassionate, Patient
Long-suffering, Full of Love and Grace
Holy, Just, Pure, Stern, Unchangeable
A Righteous Judge who means what He says about his holiness!

Pardon me for not taking You more seriously! I've doubted what You've said to me in Your word and treated You more like a little playmate than my great big Father, the Judge of the Most High Court. Please forgive me! Open my eyes and reveal Your holy God-ness to me.

God, I want to respect Your authority and obey You so that You will reveal Yourself as Jehovah Shalom! Come to me in my doubt, laziness, despair, discouragement, and fear as my Lord of Peace. Fill me with supernatural strength and courage to overcome every enemy! You have every right to cast me aside and punish me forever, but instead You deliver me from temptation, empower me to overcome evil and give me the gift of peace. You are Almighty God, high, holy, and righteous. I humbly come to You in the name of Jesus seeking to harvest the succulent fruit of righteousness and peace. Amen


Do you make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy? Do people recognize from your behavior the family to which you belong?