Worship the King

Psalm 95:1-7
1 Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing him psalms of praise.
3 For the LORD is a great God,
the great King above all gods.
4 He owns the depths of the earth,
and even the mightiest mountains are his.
5 The sea belongs to him,
for he made it.His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
7 for he is our God. NLT

Lord, You are a great and awesome God! You are King of kings! Maker of mighty mountains and surging seas! Owner of the depths of the earth and lofty skies! You rule and reign from heaven on high!

In reverent awe, I come just as I am, humble, meek, and poor, to worship You in the splendor of Your sovereignty. I’m not worthy to climb the mighty majestic mountain into Your presence. I can’t stand on this holy ground without purifying my heart. With a clear conscience, I’ll enter the beauty of Your holiness to adore You with deep devotion.

Because Your precious Son bought me with His priceless blood, I’ll come before You with thanksgiving exalting You above the heavens. Seeing Your radiant face, I’ll kneel before Your throne and anoint Your feet with the sweet aroma of joyful praise.

With my hands, I’ll extol You. With my lips, I’ll lift You up. With my feet, I’ll serve You. With my tongue, I’ll sing of Your unfailing love and faithfulness. Gladly, I’ll give my life to You in worship. Please receive my humble sacrifice of praise because I love and adore You above all, my great God and King. Alleluia. Amen.

Prepare your heart for corporate worship by focusing on God’s reverence. Then, go in awe of Him and be blessed!

Christian Family Rules

Romans 12:9-16
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Father in Heaven~
Thank You for clearly posting the Christian Family Rules:

1. Unconditionally love your brothers and sisters even when they’re unlovable, undeserving, and unresponsive
2. Don’t feed your mind evil thoughts; instead fill it with truth, righteousness, and purity.
3. Lay aside selfishness; delight in treating each other with respect and common courtesy.
4. Never give up!
5. Serve me enthusiastically.
6. Persevere under pressure.
7. Let your hope of heaven make you glad.
8. Never stop praying.
9. Take care of each other.
10. Welcome strangers into your home.
11. Ask me to bless everyone who mistreats you.
12. Be happy when others are happy.
13. Be sad when others are sad.
14. Be friendly with everyone.
15. Don’t be proud.
16. Be willing to do menial tasks.
17. Be willing to interact with people who are different from you.
18. Don’t be a know it all.

Father, only by Your grace can I stand before You as Your beloved child, adopted, redeemed, and forgiven. Because I love and respect You with all of my heart, I will do my best to obey the rules of Your house. Please fill me with more of Your love, grace and power. Show me who I can love in Your name today. Amen.

Which of these rules do you have a hard time obeying? Ask God to fill you with more of His power to overcome your selfish desires. Then, look for an opportunity to enthusiastically serve someone in a difficult situation.

Today I will lay aside my selfish desires and love ______________________________ in the name of Jesus. (fill in the name of someone whom you will show God’s love.)

The Debt of Love

Romans 13:8-10
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Luke 6:31
Jesus said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Lord of Love,
The only way I can begin to pay You back for Your infinite love is to love others. In love You came down from heaven to bless, choose, adopt, accept, redeem, and forgive me while I was unattractive, unworthy, and unlovable. The least I can do is obey You.
I won’t let myself starve; therefore, I need to feed the hungry.

• I make sure that I’m properly clothed before leaving the house; therefore, I’m expected to dress the destitute.
• I put a warm and cozy roof over my head; therefore, I’m required to find shelter for the homeless.
• I don’t want to be cheated or deceived; therefore, it’s necessary for me to be honest and fair to others.
• I despise being stabbed with hateful, hurtful words; therefore, I can’t kill the spirits of others with my own unkind works.
• I’d be angry if someone tried to interfere with my marriage; therefore, I’m obligated to stay out of someone else’s marriage.

I don’t want anyone to covet my possessions; therefore, I can’t be jealous when someone has something bigger or better than me.

The only way I can properly respond to Your immeasurable, inexhaustible love is to behave decently as a Christian child by fully obeying Your law of love. Please dear Lord, clothe me with power and love to make a difference where it matters today because tomorrow may be too late. Open my eyes to see someone who needs love today and I will obey no matter the cost because I appreciate the high price of the love You lavished on me. To You who rules on the throne of my heart forever and ever be the glory. Amen.

In light of God’s incredible gift of love given to you, what will you do today to obey His command to love your neighbor as yourself? Admit your own selfishness. Repent and reach out in love to someone in a difficult situation. Do it today because tomorrow may be too late.

Today I will reach out in love by _________________________________ as a token of appreciation for the high price Jesus paid for my pardon. I will do it today because tomorrow may be too late

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

Psalm 122:6-8
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.

7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."

8 For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."

9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

This Scripture has very special meaning to me. A very dear friend asked me to pray for the peace of Jerusalem for her family. I had no idea what that meant, but the Holy Spirit taught me through a very wise old man and this Scripture that it means we should pray for peace, protection and the prosperity of God’s presence for one another. What a blessing and a privilege it is to carry one another to the King’s throne in prayer!

I wrote this Prayer Pal for my friend and her family. You can pray it for your friends and family too.

Prince of Peace,
What a joy and privilege it is to carry my hurting friend to You in prayer. You know how much she adores You. Her family is precious to You. You know the depth of the trials they face daily. You understand their anguish and heart ache. Precious Savior, be real and active in their lives today. Let Your truth rule their minds. Guard their hearts with perfect peace. In the safety of Your presence, let them live happily, assure of Your divine protection.

Why should they fear man, when You went a great distance to save them from death and destruction? After paying an exorbitant price for them with Your life, You won’t abandon them now. Why should they be afraid when You command and calm the winds and waves? Why should they lose heart when they know how magnificent You are? Why should they give up on You when they know You have a loving plan to take care of them and give them a bright future? Please give them faith to trust in Your promises today.

Father in Heaven, watch over their lives. Keep them from harm. Give them courage and strength to bravely face each new challenge. As they seek Your touch of greatness, make them rich with good health and godly friends. Be kind and gracious to them because they love You more than life itself.

Lord, one thing I ask today – please bless my friend and her family with Your holy presence, perfect peace, and divine protection so that wherever they go unbelievers will notice their beautiful spirit and pursue the same peace they possess because of Jesus. Amen.

Too often we are quick to pray for our own needs and desires, and forget to intercede for others. Who will you intercede for today? Pray for their peace, protection, and prosperous presence of God.

Pray this Scripture for your church too! See the Prayer Pal from Friday, August 12, 2006.

Lighten the Load

Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

John 13: 34-35 Jesus said, 34"So now I am giving You a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved You, You should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that You are my disciples."

Glorious Lord,
You are my wonderful Savior! When I stumbled and fell over shame, You found me, and compassionately picked me up in Your strong arms. Injured and weak from the fall, You resiliently carried my wounds on Your body to Calvary. There, You disinfected my sore soul with Living Water from the gash in Your side and cleansed me with the antiseptic of Your blood. You covered every mistake I ever made and ever will make.

Miraculously, You healed me and gave me a vivacious new life full of love and strength. You promised that I can cast all my problems and pressures on You any time, any day, any place. If I lean on You, I won’t stumble and fall from the weight of my anxieties. I’ll stand up tall under stress, affectionately praising Your mighty power!

All around me are indignant, hurting people who have stumbled and can’t get up. The weight of their troubles is more than they can bear. Please enlarge my heart. Fill me with a spirit of compassion to notice the fallen people in my path. Just as You mercifully care for me daily, I’ll graciously stoop down, pick them up, and carry their burdens. Since You went a great distance to save me, I’ll go the extra mile to lift up needy people. I’ll go out of my way to attentively listen to them, boosting their spirits with kind words of encouragement and prayer. Make me a mighty magnet to draw others to You for mercy. In doing so, I’ll fulfill Your command to love others, and show the watching world that I belong to Jesus through whom I live and pray. Amen.

If you know someone who’s struggling financially, deliver groceries to their door. I often use the buy one get one free specials at the grocery store, buying one for my family, giving the free items to someone less fortunate.

If you’re aware that someone has received devastating news, pick up the phone and call them. Just tell them you’re thinking of them and ask them to let you know how you can help.

Go visit an elderly or disabled person. Take along a balloon bouquet to brighten their surroundings.

Write a letter to a prisoner who’s been forgotten by society. Tell them about God’s forgiveness. Show them His mercy.

Offer to pray for someone who is hurting and do it on the spot. It will bless their heart to hear their name being carried to the throne!

Ask God to give you a spirit of forgiveness and forbearance. Ask for an enlarged heart and a spirit of compassion. I can guarantee He will be delighted to give you these things! Then, open your eyes. Look around and you will see someone close by who has fallen and needs your help. Show them that you belong to the family of God by lightening their load today.

Find someone with a load heavier than your own, and help them carry it today. It’s not optional!

Delighted to Worship

Psalm 122:1, 6-8
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the LORD."

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.

Great God of Glory!
I can hardly wait to go to Your holy house this Sunday! It’s a joy and delight to worship You with other believers. Having practiced loving others actively and deeply this week, I can confidently come into Your presence with peace of mind and a pure heart expecting to see Your beautiful face. Please anoint my lips with grace to speak kind, encouraging words to others in the church family. With a sweet song in my heart I’ll lift heavy spirits and soothe sad souls for You. I’ll praise and adore You for the great things You’ve done through me in the name of Jesus, Your Son. All glory to God in the highest!

God of Peace, as we gather in the splendor and majesty of Your holy presence, please fill the temple of our hearts with perfect peace. Satan wants nothing more than to wreck and ruin our fellowship with You and each other. Please place a throng of angels around our sanctuary to protect our precious family time. Hang a life size portrait of Jesus, Your Son, on the wall of each mind to remind us of Your prosperous presence.

As we come together to bless and adore You, give us endurance and encouragement, along with a gentle spirit of unity. Fill us with joy, peace and the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit as we trust You. Then with one heart and voice, we’ll enter into Your presence with our lives singing harmoniously. Overflowing with love, we’ll glorify You, our heavenly Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Do you delight in going to the house of the Lord? Do you enjoy the sweet fellowship God intends for your church family?

If you find going to God’s house a chore, then perhaps there is unconfessed sin your life, or your love for God has turned cold. Pray and ask God to search your heart and shine the light of His love on any dark places in your life. Ask Him to rekindle the fire of the Holy Spirit in your heart.

If you’re close to God and enjoy His presence, you won’t want to miss the chance to praise and worship Him.

Romans 15:5, 6, 13
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

13May 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.

Loving Magnificently

1 John 3:16-23
16We know what real love is because Christ gave up His life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. 17But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help--how can God's love be in that person?
18Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 19It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22And we will receive whatever we request because we obey Him and do the things that please Him. 23And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. NLT

Dearest Father in Heaven-
Your divine love is incredibly amazing! That You would leave Your beautiful, majestic, celestial home in heaven to come to this wretched, ugly, hell-hole on earth to rescue detestable, antagonistic humans is unfathomable. I might die for someone really special, like my spouse or my child, but I’d never die for someone who despises me. Yet that’s exactly what You did for me. While I was Your vilest offender, You intentionally died for me.

In light of the high price You paid to secure my freedom, I ought not think twice about giving up my comfortable lifestyle for unpleasant, unattractive, and despicable people. I believe You put arrogant, obnoxious, mean-spirited individuals in my life to teach me to love Your way. Remind me daily of my own idiosyncrasies. I don’t like to admit it, but You know I’m far from perfect. Instead of uttering idle, meaningless chatter, help me to actively, consistently, deeply love nasty, unlikable people the way You love me. Recognizing my own unworthiness, will be my first step toward tolerating and showing mercy to them.

Practicing extravagant love will clear my conscience and purify my heart. Then, I can worshipfully, penitently, and joyfully come to You with confident expectation that You will hear my problems, doubts, fears, and needs. Rejoicing in my childlike faith that believes in the name of Jesus, Your Son, You will reward my obedience by responding to my urgent requests.

Please dear Lord, fill me with so much of Your magnificent love and mighty power that my vibrant faith will be contagious, proving to the watching world that I am Your beloved child. Because I long to make You happy, I’ll try my best to obey You by loving others in the name of Jesus. Amen.

How can you show the selfless love of Christ to an unlovable person today? It’s not easy and it’s not optional. It’s a command from the High King of Heaven who has paid a high price for you. It’s the least you can do to honor and glorify Him.

Jesus didn’t come to rescue good people, he came to save sinners. He expects us to love them too; after all, we’re amongst the throng!

Showing the Way

Colossians 4:5-6
5Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone. NLT

Colossians 3:12-17
12Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father. NLT

Holy God~
I praise You for showing me the Way to eternal life. I now have the responsibility to show others the Way. When You brought the message to me it was not only with words but also with all-consuming power. Assure of who You are and the great distance You went to rescue me from death and decay, I’ll confidently point others in the right direction by my attitudes and actions.

Everything I do and say is a witness for or against You. People every where are watching me, waiting to see my response to difficult people and tricky situations. Before I go out of the house each day, please dress me in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Clothe me with an even-temper and quickness to forgive. Never allow me to leave home without wearing LOVE or tucking peace in the pocket of my heart.

Walking hand-in-hand with my brothers and sisters, I’ll appreciate the family You’ve given me. I’ll praise, encourage, and respect them. Open my mind to Your Holy Word spoken to me through older and wiser siblings. Listening to their real life experiences will help me make sensible choices.

I want to make the most of every opportunity to be a witness for You. People will die today without knowing the Way to live happily ever after. I have the answer that will save them from an eternity of misery. You are the One and Only Way. Please give me courage to share Your love with a lost soul today. Because You have shown me true love, I’m obligated to graciously, tenderly, and effectively show it to others through my words and conduct for the sake of our glorious family name. Amen.

Do your words and conduct truly represent our Christian family name? People are watching us, waiting to see how we’ll react to situations. Pay attention to how you respond to people and circumstances today. It is your witness to a watching world. Will anyone see Jesus in you? What will you do to live wisely, making the most of every opportunity to represent the Kingdom of Heaven on earth today?

Extravagent Love

1 John 4: 9-11
9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Lord of Love~
Your amazing love is steady and unchanging! I can’t fathom its depth, comprehend its width or imagine its height. While I was unfriendly, unkind and unappreciative You sent Your One and Only Son, the Living Christ, into the world to offer His body and blood as a sweet sacrifice for me. Mercifully, You touched my callused heart, removing my hostility. You lovingly restored the damage that was done to our relationship making me right with You. Thank You Jesus!

I adore the beautiful, new heart You graciously gave me. It reflects Your sweet love, tender kindness, and generous goodness. It’s an honor and a blessing to live differently through You. Please open my spiritual eyes to see someone who is destitute, depressed, or demoralized. I will obediently and selflessly love that person through Jesus today. All glory is Yours because of Your extravagant Love. Amen.

Look around and find someone who is destitute, depressed, or demoralized to love extravagantly today. It’s not optional if you are the recipient of God’s love.

Bending Your Knee

John 13: 4-5, 12-17
4He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."


Jesus, Humble Servant,
You are the perfect Teacher and Lord. You reign in power with full authority over heaven and earth. Yet willingly, You left Your heavenly kingdom, becoming human to identify with me. Out of love for Your Father, You voluntarily laid aside Your own rights and privileges. Stooping down to wash filthy, dirty feet, You taught me how to serve others meekly. If You, High King of Heaven, can take on the menial task of cleaning stinky, muddy feet then who am I to stand around, watching and waiting for someone else to do the dirty work?

Make me a servant, humble and meek. Lord, let me lift up those who are weak, and, may the prayer of my heart always be "make me a servant today."

Please give me a willing spirit and power to …

• Concentrate on the work You’ve called me to do and not what others are doing
• Base my identity in You and not seek the approval of man
• Think like a servant and not a master
• See my ministry as an opportunity and not an obligation

Father, I want to be more like Jesus. Open the eyes of my heart and show me who I can bend down to serve today in Your name. I will obey because I love You and anticipate the prosperous reward You will give me because of Jesus. Amen

Who can you stoop down and serve today?

Reflect on the words to this catchy little chorus. If you know the tune, make it the song of your heart today!

Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up those who are weak
And, may the prayer of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant today.
© 1982 Maranatha! Music Words and Music by Kelly Willard

Encouraging Others

Malachi 3:16-18
16Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him. 17"They will be my people," says the LORD Almighty. "On the day when I act, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

My Dear Father in Heaven,
Your Words are dear to my heart. O how I’m blessed when I stop, sit and listen to You. It tickles me to hear You say that I’m Your special treasure. My worth doesn’t come from accomplishments or accumulated wealth; it comes from being Your dearly loved child. I’m a glittering jewel in Your treasury because Jesus paid for me with His life. I’m valuable because of Your love and mercy, not because of my personal successes or failures.

Lord, You know I’m living in a time of rampant ungodliness just like the prophet Malachi when he penned these words. All around me, arrogant people are proud of their achievements, flaunting their hoarded possessions, and seemingly enjoying a rich luxurious lifestyle. Those of us who are dedicated to You are growing weary waiting and wondering if walking with You is worth it.

Thank You for telling us how to persevere through troubling times of temptation. We need to hang out with other believers, openly talk about our struggles, and encourage one another. Rather than fussing and fretting about what we don’t have, we need to give thanks and praise You for what we do have. We have a powerful King enthroned in our hearts, a rich inheritance and a guaranteed place in Your palace where we’ll live happily ever after with You and each other.

It’s frightening to think that you listen to every conversation we hold and notice the way we treat each other. Admittedly, I don’t always sparkle with compassion. Because You write down and remember every kind word spoken, every pleasant phone call made, every cheerful letter written, every effort to gently console the downcast, we ought to generously and intentionally spread more love, mercy, and peace. Then, we will twinkle like treasured diamonds in the darkness.

Please dear Lord, show me someone who’s at their end of their rope and ready to give up on You. I’ll joyfully refresh their spirit with an extra dose of encouragement for the honor of Your worthy name. Amen.

Are you complaining that you don’t have a calling or ministry? Stop fretting and find someone who’s hurting. Refresh them with a kind word, a phone call, a letter or email. There are many discouraged and disheartened people in your church family who are longing to have their spirits lifted. Brighten someone’s life today with a kind word. God is listening and you will be blessed!

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve but your grief will turn to joy."

Do you believe the truth?

Gettin' Ready

2 Peter 3: 10-18
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming … make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation…17… be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. NLT

Truthful God and Righteous Judge,
You tell it like it is … You’re poised and ready to speak again! This time You’ll give the signal for the judgment and destruction of desecrating doubters. I don’t want to be among them! Please help me to:

• Be holy by spending time with You each day in intimate friendship, reading Your Word, praying and making friends with other believers. I want to know and recognize You.

• Be godly by demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I want You to know me and recognize me by my Christ-like characteristics.
  
• Be watching by remaining alert and paying attention so that I won’t be surprised or alarmed when You show up.
  
• Quickly, go tell the story of Your dramatic rescue to everyone and anyone who will listen because You’re not coming until everyone’s heard the message.
  
• Make every effort to be spotless, pure and at peace with everyone.
  
• Believe the truth about Your mercy and patience. You don’t want anyone to perish.
  
• Be on guard so that I won’t be misled by false teachers with a feel good message that twists the truth and justifies inappropriate activities.
  
• Keep growing deeper in my understanding of You and Your amazing kindness.
  

Since everything here today will be gone tomorrow, it is essential that I live my life for You. Joyfully, I look forward with great hope to my new home in heaven where I’ll live happily ever after with You, my Lord and King. Thank You for warning me of what’s to come and telling me precisely how to prepare! I praise You Jesus for Your wonderful Words! Amen.

God clearly tells us that He will come at an unexpected time. Do You believe Him? Are you ready if He comes tonight? How will you prepare to meet Him? Will you recognize Him? Will He recognize You?

A Special Visitor

Luke 12: 35-40
Jesus said, 35"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

Dear Jesus-
In the classroom of my heart, there are so many valuable lessons when You’re the Teacher. Please help me to concentrate and apply the things I learn. Sometimes it’s hard to believe You, but all I have to do is look in my Bible and know that You will do the things You say You will do. I know You’re coming back. I want to be dressed and ready for service. I want my lamp to be burning brightly with a Holy Spirit flame so that no matter when You come You will see the light on and know that I’m expecting You. When You knock I’ll immediately open the door, recognize You, and joyfully welcome You inside.

I’ll prepare my heart by:

• Being authentic and sincere
• Being ready to witness with bold courage
• Trusting You and not worrying or fussing about unimportant things
• Being generous with my time, talent, and treasures
• Being diligent about the work You have given me to do
  

Please dear Lord create in me an acute awareness of who You are so that I will know You. I don’t want to be caught off guard when You show up. When You come I hope You will find me living out my faith, doing something that pleases You so that I will not be ashamed. Amen.

What do you need to do to get the home of your heart ready for a special visitor who may show up today?

Family Gatherings

Hebrews 10:24-25
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

High King of Heaven,
Thank You Lord, for my church family! I’m ecstatic for the opportunity we have to freely and regularly meet together to worship You. Forgive me for taking this great benefit for granted. Christians in many countries do not have this precious liberty. Because You have blessed me with this privilege I’ll willingly go out of my way to be helpful and kind to others any chance I get. It’s the least I can do to serve and honor You for rescuing me from death and destruction.

Because of Your amazing love, I’ll eagerly anticipate our regular family gatherings. Getting together to share our unique life stories honestly and openly is a wonderful way to worship You. It gives us the chance to persuade each other to persevere through problems. Noticing someone has strayed from the right path, we can gently lead them back with the light of love. When someone falls we can tenderly pick them up and wash their wounds. Not only do we encourage those who are hurting, but we also celebrate with those who are happy. When Your children gather together the fellowship should be delightful, like the aroma of sweet perfume.

Please dear Lord, teach me to be an imitator of Your love. Fill me to overflowing with Your merciful patience, kindness and goodness so that You splash out of me onto others. The day is quickly approaching when You will return. I want nothing more than for You to find us living harmoniously, blessing and praising Your glorious name despite our differences! Amen.


What is one way you can urge other believers on toward loving God and each other?


What is one way you can encourage other believers on toward good deeds?

Living Together Happily

Psalm 133
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

Loving Lord and Prince of Peace,
Your Words are wonderful! They persuade me to live my life for You! There’s nothing more pleasant or beautiful than living in harmony with my Christian brothers and sisters.

Brotherly love is comforting, sweet perfume to the sick and sad soul. It’s expensive! I pay for it every time I give up my selfish desires. It’s well worth the high price because the delightful fragrance cheers my spirit as I pour out Your love. The rich, heavenly scent uplifts the thoughts of the recipient, flowing from their head to their heart. Please dear Lord, give me a gracious tongue to speak pleasantly and peacefully, lavishing love, like sweet perfume on my brothers and sisters today for the glory of Your name.

Your love is like cool moisture falling fresh on sin scorched souls. As I’m around my brothers and sisters, let me shower them with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-discipline. Let Your blessings fall like dew from heaven watering and reviving us to live happily ever after with You.

O Lord, I long for the prosperous blessings You generously give to those who live harmoniously in Your family. Please show me someone who is sick or sad today and I will lavish them with the sweet perfume of Your love. Show me someone whose soul is scorched by sin and I will mist them with mercy for the blessing of Your beautiful, majestic and holy name. Amen.

It is wonderful, but not always easy, to live harmoniously in the family of God. Find someone to lavish His love on today. Comfort someone who is sick or sad. Show mercy to someone who has hurt you. Encourage someone who’s discouraged. Be a blessing!

Today I will bless __________________________________ with God’s love.

I dedicate this Prayer Pal to my small group. I cherish these dear brothers and sisters with all my heart and I’m extremely thankful for the love, patience and kindness they show not only me, but also each other! They are living proof of good and pleasant living in the family of God.

Ready For Use

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me, melt me, mold me, fill me, use me ...

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.

Full of Joy & Peace

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me … Melt me, Mold me, Fill me…

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 a 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 my heavenly home 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 cleansed by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit.

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

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.

The Perfect Pot

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me ... Melt me, Mold me ...

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 treasured 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 valuable 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?

Refiner's Fire

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me … Melt me

Malachi 3: 2, 3
He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal or like a strong soap that whitens clothes. 3He 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 and 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.

Thank You Lord for the perfection process. Because of Your unfailing love and compassion, the melting procedure will not consume me. I will 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?

Set on Fire

Acts 2:3-4
3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, Light the match and breathe on me! Set me on fire! Brand me with Your signature so that I’m Yours alone! I want to be a Christian in my heart, blazing with the zeal of Your love. With intense heat, burn away anything that isn’t of You. Turn my stubborn will to soot. Melt my cold, hard heart until it glistens with righteousness. Then, teach me with tongues of living flames what You would have me do.

Ignite me with divine power. Make me spiritually combustible today! Exploding with love, I’ll be tenderhearted and merciful. Bursting with joy because you saved me from the depths of hell, I’ll glow brilliantly for You. Blast away my sin, so that I crackle with kindness. Fully ablaze, I will not live for myself. Consumed by Your love, I’ll live to please only You. May people recognize me on the outside by Your flickering flame that’s burning in my heart. Lord, let Your righteousness shine through and be glorified in me today for Your name sake. Amen.

If you are a believer God has branded His seal on your heart (Eph 2:9). What do people see when they look at you? What do they see in your actions? Do they match the seal of God’s love burned on your heart? If not, I encourage you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to ignite a fire in your heart so that others will see Jesus when they encounter you.

Reflect on the words to this little chorus:
Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me
Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me
Melt me, Mold me, Fill me, Use me
Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me

The Cleansing Fountain

Reflections from Psalm 51
10Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Have mercy on me O God, according to Your unfailing love and great compassion. Blot out my blemishes, wash away my wickedness, and cleanse me from corruption.

I know that I have broken Your sacred laws and blatantly disobeyed You. I know I’ve done bad things. They haunt me relentlessly. I’ve hurt others causing You pain and grief. I haven’t acted like the child of a King. I’ve been a rebellious brat since I was conceived.

Cleanse me in the refreshing fountain of forgiveness! Wash away the gunk and grime so that I’m whiter than the glistening snow. Hide Your face from the ugly stains marked by the consequences of my poor choices. The marks that won’t go away are embarrassing. Please don’t pay attention to them.

Create in me a pure heart, O God by cleansing me from the inside out. Renew a steadfast spirit within me. Fill me with wholesome thoughts and desires. Please don’t cast me from Your presence! Don’t take Your power from me. I need it to live above my foolish faults and failures.

Sparkling in the Son shine I can hear joy and gladness again. I can come close to You and experience the rich full life as a child of the majestic, dignified King. Gladly, I will bring my friends to the refreshing fountain of forgiveness, praising You for Your righteousness along the way. Lord, please put a merry melody in my mind. Remove my guilt and shame so that I can sing a sweet song for You.

Build me up from my brokenness and make me prosperous in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Do you feel that you can’t come close to God because of something terrible you’ve done? God can and will forgive any sin if you tell Him about it. He will always cleanse you, but not always remove the stain. While a stain is clean; there is often a mark left behind from the sin.
David was truly sorry for his adultery with Bathseba, and for murdering her husband to cover it up. He knew his actions had hurt many people. He repented and God mercifully forgave him. No sin is too great to be forgiven.

Go to the refreshing fountain of forgiveness. Admit your sin, and it will be flushed away forever by the blood of Jesus.

Healing Hearts

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Jehovah-rapha, Healing Lord,
How great You are! There is no Doctor like You in heaven or on earth! You compassionately and lovingly take care of Your patients who pursue You with all their heart. Thank You God for my heart transplant. Through intricate surgery, You made a Most Holy Place in my heart for Your Name. When my heart was open, You placed Your sacred laws in me. God, I rejoice that You will dwell there forever.

Divine Doctor, as I spend time with You this week, examine my heart. Find the diseases that are devouring me. Make a diagnosis. Open my mind to receive it with acceptance. Then, let the medication of Your glory fill my sad soul. Breathe new life into me. Resuscitate me and I will follow Your prescription for healing:

• Humbly, I will admit that I am sick and sad in need of Your care.
• Prayerfully, I will ask You to wash my wounds and heal my hurts.
• Continually, I will seek Your advice by spending time in Your Word, the Holy Bible.
• Daily, I will bring my afflictions, addictions and attractions to You.
  

Then, You will hear my cries from heaven and cure me. You will heal me because of Your wonderful name, Jehovah-rapha, the Lord Who Heals. Thank You for the blessing of healing grace given to Your beloved friends! I am eternally grateful because of Jesus. Amen.

What sickness is hindering your friendship with God? It could be spiritual - a sin that you need to confess; physical - a difficult diagnosis; emotional - a painful situation that’s hurting your heart; mental – a lie that you’re believing in your mind; or social - a broken relationship with a family member or friend.

He tells you exactly what to do to restore your friendship with Him.

• Humble yourself and admit your weakness.
• Pray, telling Him what ails you. Ask others to pray for you and with you.
• Seek His face by spending time in His presence. Read your Bible.
  

Will you obey? If you obey, He promises to hear from heaven and heal your disease.

The King's Friend

Proverbs 22:11
He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the King for his friend.

Jesus,
You are my King and Beloved Friend! A pure heart is what I seek! As I read Your Word, speak to me softly showing me how to stay wholesome. Teach me Your rules for clean-heart living. I’ll recite them and rejoice in them more than riches. Reflecting on every morsel of wisdom from You, I’ll relish everything You tell me about life in order to resist doing wrong. I’ll give You my fullest respect by being submissive. Please write Your Words on my heart, O Lord, so that I can live decently as Your cherished friend.

Anoint my lips with grace so that the words that flow from them will bring dignity and honor to You. I want to speak softly and tenderly proclaiming truth, humility and righteousness. Tame my tongue to talk pleasantly and peacefully. I only want to express things that are good and helpful to build others up and bless them. With love and forgiveness on my lips, I will praise You, my King.

O King of my heart, I know that You love what is good and hate what is wrong. Create in me a clean heart. Give me a gracious tongue. Your throne endures forever and I want to be known as Your forever friend because of Jesus. Amen.

Do you have a pure heart and gracious speech? Jesus says, “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What are you putting into your heart?

This verse made me think of a little childhood tune …
O be careful little ears what you hear
O be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little ears what you hear.

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little eyes what you see.

O be careful little tongue what you say
O be careful little tongue what you say
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little tongue what you say.

O be careful, dear reader, what you hear, see and say! Fill your ears and eyes with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy then what comes out of your mouth will please the King.

To learn how to have a pure heart, I suggest reading Psalm 119:9-15.
To learn how to have gracious speech, I suggest reading Ephesians 4:17-32.

Just Thinking About the Lord

Psalm 16:8-11
I am always thinking of the Lord;
And because he is so near, I never need to stumble or fall.
Heart, body, and soul are filled with joy.
For you will not leave me among the dead,
You will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave
You have let me experience the joys of life
And the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence. The Book

My Dear Friend,
You are my Lord! You light up my life, making my heart happy. O how I need you every minute of every day! You are absolutely precious to me! I’m constantly thinking of You. It keeps me out of trouble and away from temptation.

My problems and pressures turn to joy when I think about Your deep love for me. You love me so much that You died saving me from destruction and death while I was a hateful, hostile and hard-hearted enemy. Not only that, but You came back to life and chose to live in my heart! Since You’ve moved in, my life hasn’t been the same. The crud and cob webs are gone. You polished me with loving kindness and now I sparkle. I’m no longer lonely, hungry or thirsty. You’re my Provider and Best Friend! Your powerful presence is my protection. I’ve finally found peace and contentment – the exquisite pleasures of Your eternal presence living in me.

You fill my heart, body and soul with pure joy! I smile just thinking about the future You promise me! All around me are beautiful mansions. When I wish I could live in one of them, Your remind me that they pale in comparison to the palace You promise me in Paradise. I look forward with hope to the day when my sorrows and pain will cease and I’ll live happily ever with You in the beauty of heavenly holiness.

Please dear Lord, let me glow with delight from the joy of Your presence living in me because of Jesus. Amen.

Who are you thinking about today? If you think about the Lord, He promises:
-You will never stumble and fall
-You will be filled with joy
-He won’t leave you among the dead, rotting in a grave
-You’re His beloved one
-You will experience the exquisite pleasure of His eternal presence

Just thinking about my friendship with God excites me! Why He would befriend a sinner like me, is beyond my understanding. I’m choosing to believe Him and accept the cherished gift of His friendship because of Jesus! May the smile on my face reflect the joy in my heart, O Lord, because I am Your beloved friend!

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Light in the World

1 John 1:5-7
5This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. 7But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. NLT

Light of the World,
You stepped out into darkness opening my eyes so that I could clearly see the way to everlasting happiness. Thank You for shining Your brilliant light into the darkness of my heart enabling me to see myself as I really am – a sinner, in need of grace. I admire You for leaving Your cozy, comfortable home in heaven to step out into a cold, dark world to rescue me. Because You made Your home in my heart the Light is always on. Darkness has disappeared and I never have to stumble again. Thank You, Jesus!

I’m delighted that Your Word shows me how to live contentedly with others. First, I need to love You deeply and spend much time alone with You. Then, when I’m with my Christian brothers and sisters I’ll:

• Love them unconditionally even when they’re mean-spirited and ill-mannered
• Be patient with them, tolerating and accepting our differences
• Be kind, generously giving of my time, talent and treasure to help those less fortunate
• Be satisfied with what I have and not be resentful of the successes, possessions or character qualities of others
• Speak humbly about my achievements giving all the credit to You for the things You’ve accomplished through me
• Be courteous and considerate, listening attentively to others even when what they’re saying is uninteresting
• Set aside my selfish desires in order to appease others
• Be cool, calm and self-controlled, not easily losing my temper
• Do everything possible to maintain peace, conceding rather than arguing over disputable matters that are neither right nor wrong
• Celebrate with those who are happy and cry with those who are sad
• Go the extra mile to protect the reputation and well-being of my siblings
• Trust others to help me with my troubles and temptations
• Persevere with others through extreme challenges, offering them encouragement and comfort
  

Dear Lord, purify my heart with Your blood and let me walk in the Light of Your presence where I’ll experience a cherished friendship with You and a rich, satisfying life with other believers enjoying "koinonia" – the happy fellowship You intend for Your family because of Jesus. Amen.

What do your actions show about your love relationship with Jesus? Can others clearly see that you love God by the way you treat others? Turn on the Light and examine yourself today. Ask God to shine His Word on Your heart and point out the areas where you need improvement in order to enjoy friendship with Him and fellowship with others.

"Koinonia" is an intimate relationship with God that results in intimacy with other believers. It’s not optional! To be "in Christ" and be a member of His body requires fellowship with the Living Christ. Friendship with God is the most cherished privilege of the child of God.

God's Love Language

John 14:21
Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."


Jesus, You are the Lover of my Soul!
My heart leaps for joy at the sound of Your Voice! Your Words are more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. You disclose to me the deepest desires of my heart. Motivated by love, I long to please you, live in the prosperity of Your presence, and experience Your unlimited power. In loving responsiveness, I want to walk in Your way, forging an intimate, everlasting friendship with You.

Please dear Lord, give me the faith of Abraham who heard Your voice and obeyed, even when it didn’t make sense. You loved him, revealed Yourself to him, and called him Your friend. Jesus, I want nothing more than that kind of relationship with You. I want to be Your friend!

Today, as hard as it may be, I surrender my life to Your good, pleasing and perfect will. I willingly abandon my spouse, children, hobbies, career, dreams, and treasures, no matter where they came from or how they affect my life, in order to accomplish Your great commission. Intentionally, I’ll forget the past, leave the future in Your hands, and give the present completely to You. Full of Your amazing love, I’ll recognize Your eternal plan for me and joyfully respond with obedience.

Please increase my faith so that I can experience in a mighty way the realization of Your promised love to those who obey You. Amen.

What do your actions tell about your friendship with God or lack thereof?

Here are two more ways you can tell if you are a friend of God:

We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 1 John 3: 21b – 22

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 1 John 2:3

He speaks - I obey
I pray - He answers
Obedience is God’s love language.

Wheat & Weeds

Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43
The Parable of the Weeds
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

37He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

Jesus,
I love the stories You tell! You create a vibrant vision of Your glory. The pictures You paint with Words are crisp and clear. Perusing and pondering them, I will discover the Only Way to eternal life and happily-ever-after living.

Two kinds of people appear to be members of Your Kingdom. Those who believe You and those who believe in You. Thank You for showing me the difference.

The good seed are those individuals who know You as their friend. You’ve sown the seed of Your Word in the soft soil of their soul. They believe what You say and grow as children of the kingdom. They’re fertilized with the Holy Spirit and watered with the Truth. The Son shines on them. They grow and multiply, spreading the good seed of Your Word in the world where it produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. They are the rich golden grain of wheat that glistens and glows with Your glory.

The bad seed are the people who are familiar with You. The seed of Your Word falls on them but never takes root. They don’t know You personally; therefore, they can’t understand You. Sadly, they are children of the devil. Unlike the good seed, they are fed watered down truth and sugar coated lies by false teachers. They grow and multiply, spreading the shallow seed of deceptive philosophy that depends on human traditions and worldly principles. Outwardly, they look exactly like the wheat planted by You. However, upon careful examination after the harvest, You notice that their grain doesn’t glisten or glow with Your glory. Instead, it is black as night and of no value to Your Kingdom. You separate and throw these weeds into the fiery furnace where they will burn with eternal weeping and everlasting misery.

Lord, since the wheat and the weeds are growing together in the same field and impossible to differentiate with the naked eye, please help me to be non-judgmental. Only You can verify the weeds, and only You have the right to pull them. Forgive me for all the times, I’ve tried to uproot unbelievers and ripped out Your tender plants instead! Lord, I want to love You and everyone You’ve planted in the field surrounding me. Then, You will recognize me during the harvest by my glistening glow of Your glory. Amen.

God has impressed on me recently that there are two types of church members - those who are friends with Jesus and know Him personally, and those who are merely acquainted with Him.

There’s a huge difference:
His beloved friends will admit their sin, believe that He died and rose to save them from destruction, and commit to following Him. They’ll trust and obey Him. Believing that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do, they’ll live their lives to please Him. At the harvest, He will recognize them by their golden glow. If you are God’s good seed, you will love Him and others unconditionally. You will set aside your selfish interests for the benefit of others. What will you do today to show Him how much you love Him?

Acquaintances are only familiar with Him. They believe in Him, but don’t take Him at His Word. Denying the reality of sin, they twist the truth to make themselves and others feel good. Because they do not trust and obey Him, at the harvest, He will recognize them by the black grain they produce. If you’re growing as a weed in the field, it is of utmost importance that you befriend Jesus quickly or you will be thrown into the fiery furnace, guaranteed! God says so!

Surrender yourself to Him today by:
Admitting with your mouth that you’re a sinner in need of His grace
Believing in your heart that He died and rose again to save you from destruction
Committing to follow Him from this day forward

I Am a Friend of God

Psalm 25:14
Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant. NLT

Living and Loving God,
In awe of Your greatness, I marvel at the affection You show me. Thank You for giving me the key to Your friendship.

While You are altogether perfect and pure, I’m completely crushed and cruddy. Humbly, I come to You with my broken and contrite heart. You carefully pick up and save the pieces of my life shattered by sin. Meticulously, You fix me with the bond of Your redeeming blood. Gently, You immerse me in the sparkling Living Water of Your Word, scrubbing away the scum until I glitter and glisten with Your glory. Fixed and flushed, You fill me with Your powerful purifying presence, making me fit to be Your dearly beloved friend.

I can’t wait to hear Your Voice. You’re my Prayer Pal! When I call out to You in prayer, You always answer. Trusting You, I open my Bible and You clearly speak to me. You show me Your thoughts and plans. You give me wisdom and knowledge to understand Your unfamiliar and mysterious ways. Respectfully, I listen to Your wise counsel and commands. Looking up to You, I believe every Word You say. I want to please and obey You. Impressed with who You are, I don’t want to desecrate Your name or berate Your reputation. You are Holy God and I am merely a sinner in need of grace!

Because I honor and respect You, You invite me to come be with You, just as I am. Beside the warm fire in my heart, You share with me Your secrets and promises. I’m consumed by Your persistent love for me. You never lose Your patience! You’re always kind and forever faithful! Gently, You take my hand and guide me to Your hidden treasure. O the irresistible joy that fills my heart when I see all the riches You have for me! I just want to stay near You! I never want to break away from this sweet fellowship! I am tickled that You have chosen to confide in me! I am Your beloved friend because of Jesus! Hallelujah! Amen!

Wow – what a promise! God guarantees us His friendship when we love and respect Him! Friendship with a Holy God is almost unimaginable! It’s the most valuable gift we’ll ever receive when we choose to believe Him!

If you haven’t accepted God’s priceless gift of friendship, I encourage you to go to Him in prayer. Give Him your sin shattered life and tell Him you want to be His lifelong companion. Then, spend time cultivating the relationship by reading Your Bible, praying, and fellowshipping with His other friends. Obey Him and He will fill you with overwhelming joy!

Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:14

A Blessing of Peace

John 20: 19-22
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Prince of Peace,
It’s comforting to know that no door can shut out Your presence. There is no lock strong enough to keep You out! Blessed assurance! I cherish the moment when You came, stood in the living room of my heart and spoke a blessing of peace to me.

What a joy it was to see Your mighty nail-pierced hand and feel the warmth of Your amazing love. It’s the hand that was hammered to the cross to blot out my blemishes, erase my errors and fix my flaws. It’s the hand that forever changed me and gave me new life. There is precious peace in Your pardon.

I rejoice at the sight of the spear-torn flesh in Your side. From it spewed the innocent blood that made me holy, pure, and blameless in Your sight. A fountain of water flowed from Your wound to heal me of mine. Because of Your torn flesh, nothing can separate me from You – no grief, no fault, no fear. There is peace in Your presence.

Finally, You breathed on me and filled me with Your Spirit. You empowered me to go persuade people to drop their differences and pursue friendship with You. I am required to confidently and courageously tell the life-changing story of my extreme encounter with my crucified Lord. There is peace in Your power.

Please dear Lord, come stand in the living room of my heart today. Breathe a fresh blessing of peace on me. Renew the Holy Spirit power with in me and remind me of my mandatory mission. Then, I will go speak a blessing of peace to others for the praise of Your glorious kingdom. Amen.

Have you seen the nail-pierced hand and spear-torn flesh of Jesus? If so, go tell others the difference it made in Your life. It’s not optional.

Transform Your Mind

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.

O Great God,
You are the most famous artist of all time. I could search the whole wide world and find no one as creative or talented as You.

Unscrupulous con artists continually corrupt Your creation. The world presses people into cookie cutter patterns that perform for power, possessions and pleasure. It uses symbols of status to stamp us with success. When we conform to their hard pressed image we become heartless, mindless and lifeless like plastic toys and trinkets.

You however, have a unique technique for sculpting original works of art that are eternally beautiful, valuable and useful. All we have to do is stay soft and pliable in Your meticulous hands every day. Throughout the lifelong process, our eyes will turn toward You, our Designer, when we open our Bibles. Meditating on Your sacred Scriptures will form our true character. They’ll expose the rough spots of rebellion that need to be scraped away. They’ll correct our cracks, flaws, and blemishes. They’ll squeeze us and change us into Your perfect plan. Through the heat of life we’ll come out of the fiery furnace glazed with Your glory.

With Your Holy Word permanently etched on my heart, my mind will be altered to live Your way. Please don’t let con artists squeeze me into the rigid mold of the world. I want to remain soft and pliable in Your skillful hand where I can be shaped into a pleasantly perfect pot to pour out Your extraordinary love. Please dear Lord, transform my mind today, making me an eternally beautiful, valuable vessel for the praise of Your most creative name. Amen.

What pattern of the world is pressing you today? What will you do differently to prevent con artists from corrupting you?

Turn your eyes toward Jesus by opening your Bible and meditating on His sacred Scriptures. He will transform your mind enabling you to demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation and take captive your thoughts making them obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Worship the Lord

Psalm 100
1 Shout for joy to the LORD , all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Father God, I worship You with gladness and wholehearted devotion. You are the sweet Song in my heart. I know, with confident assurance, that You are GOD, my creator, Elohim. I rejoice because You uniquely designed me and I belong to You. I know You, hear Your voice and follow You. A dependable provider, You lead me to green pastures where I can graze on Your Word until my heart’s content. You guide me to steams of living water in my Bible, where I can drink until I’m satisfied. A reliable protector, You defend me from the wolves of sin and temptation that hound me.

Father, I willingly enter the gate and come into Your presence with a thankful heart and praise on my lips. You're my Good Shepherd. Strong and mighty, You're always with me, Emmanuel. I gratefully adore You for Your goodness, love and faithfulness. Your name is Wonderful! Your love delightful! Your faithfulness is infinite! I'm constantly praising You because of Jesus, my Savior, Redeemer and Friend. Amen

Prepare your heart for corporate worship this weekend, by pondering God’s goodness. Make a list of five blessings you received this week. Carry it with you when you go to church. Before the service starts, reflect on your blessings, thank God for each one and offer them to Him as a sacrifice praise!

I’m blessed and thank God for:

1. The USA where I’m free to worship Him openly – July 4th was Independence Day
2. Rest, relaxation and refreshment – I was on vacation this week
3. Precious time with my family – picnics, pleasure, and play time
4. Friends – I had breakfast with a girlfriend yesterday, dinner with another last night, and quality time with Jesus, my Best Friend in between!
5. The beautiful flowers in my garden – especially for the surprise sunflower that poked its pretty face through this week. A squirrel, digging in my pot this spring, planted it. At the time, I wasn’t very happy with him … but now I’m tickled with the treasure he left me!

The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 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.

Hebrews 11:6
And 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.

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

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 protection, 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.

There is 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, don’t be afraid to tell Him the whole truth, and just BELIEVE. He will touch you and heal you.

You now have prayer for the full armor of God: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word, and prayer. I encourage you to know your weapons. 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.

Be An Instrument Peace

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

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. 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.

I want to know You more intimately and deeply day by day so that I can administer 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.

Please, dear Lord, bless my beautiful feet as I faithfully love the people You’ve put in my life. 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 your walking shoes and go, 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.
Prayer of St. Francis

Guard Your Heart

Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the … breastplate of righteousness in place.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:21-25
21To this You were called, because Christ suffered for You, leaving You an example, that You should follow in his steps.

22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds You have been healed. 25For You were like sheep going astray, but now You have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of Your souls.

Righteous God~
You are my Shepherd and the Overseer of my soul. Holy and awesome is Your name! I praise You with all my heart for Your wonderful works. It is a delight to think about them. They are glorious and magnificent! Your righteousness endures forever! It is the foundation of Your throne

I am unfit to approach Your holy throne. My righteousness is nothing more than torn and tattered rags. Bare naked and disgraced, I have nothing to offer You but my hollow heart. Humiliated and ashamed of my rotten rags, by faith, I gratefully accept the costly robe of righteousness You freely offer me. Bought with the blood of Jesus, it has immeasurable worth! It truly is the greatest transaction of all time. I give You nothing and You give me amazing grace! Your deeds are great!

The glorious and magnificent robe, protects my heart and covers my shame enabling me to stand firmer and taller before the adversary. Clothed and unashamed, I will show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience even to the inconsiderate, unkind, proud, abrasive, and impatient. Zipped with love, I will forgive those who hurl insults at me, as You have forgiven me. Even when the pain is excruciating, I will follow Your example and exercise self-control. You are the Perfect Example of righteousness. With the robe of righteousness in place, I will follow in Your footsteps. By Your grace, I will seek to live a holy life so rivers of blessings will flow through me for Your name sake. Amen.

Gratefully exchange your shameful sack of sin for the radiant robe of righteousness freely offered to you by Christ Jesus. Praise Him that you can appear holy, blameless and pure!

To put on righteousness, choose to follow Jesus. He is righteousness. Put Him on your heart first each day by spending time in His Word, and He will protect you from the father of lies today. This too will help you demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation and make your thoughts holy, pure, and obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Watch and Pray

Ephesians 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.

Matthew 26:41
Jesus said, "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 comfort 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 when I share my heart openly, honestly and sincerely. When I cannot find the words to say, You hear my silence.

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.

Add prayer to the tools God gives you to combat the enemy. It's useful for demolishing the stronghold of sin and temptation. Help make your thoughts obedient to Christ - PRAY. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Next week I'll give you prayers for the remaining pieces of spiritual armor. I first wanted to focus on a few of the specific tools that will demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation, making our thoughts captive to Christ. God bless you!

The Mighty Sword

Ephesians 6:17
Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Matthew 4: 1 – 11
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."

11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

My Jesus,
What an incredible and awesome teacher You are! Oh how I love Your principles. I meditate on Your laws all day long. Your lessons make me wiser than my enemies. When You write them on my heart, they are always with me. I have more insight than many influential, intelligent individuals because I carefully study Your Word. It has infiltrated my heart and mind. I have more understanding than highly regarded, respected, religious leaders because I listen to and obey Your holy Scriptures.

You sympathize with my weaknesses because You were tempted in every way, yet were without sin.

When I'm weak and hungry, longing to satisfy my deepest dreams and desires, you understand. Please give me patience to wait for You to feed me. Your Words are sweet to my taste. They are like rich, sweet chocolate to my mouth. They are the only thing that will satisfy my craving.

When I'm feeling insecure and inadequate, disillusioned and disheartened, you empathize. Please give me simple faith to believe that You are who You say You are, and can do everything You say You can do.

When possessions, power, and prestige are pursuing me, you commiserate with me. Please give me Holy Spirit power to resist worldly pleasures and worship You and You alone.

People will try to twist Your Words and take them out of context. Save me from lying lips and deceitful tongues. Give me more knowledge to recognize errors of interpretation and believe only the truth. By Your grace, I will try to memorize Scripture so that when I'm tempted, I can be like You in every way. Your Word will be the sharp sword I use to combat the enemy. With a complete understanding of Your principles for living, along with an obedient heart, I will walk on the pathway of righteousness. I long to be more like You, Jesus. It is through You I pray for power to triumph over temptation. Amen.

Are you prepared to be like Jesus and battle the enemy with the Word of God? If not, what will You do about it?

The sword of the Word is another tool God gives you to demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation and make your thoughts obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Guard Your Mind

Ephesians 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.

O God my Savior~
Thank You for noticing and rescuing me when I was unhealthy, unattractive, and unpopular. 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 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.

How will you put on the helmet of salvation, trusting God to protect your mind from the fearsome bullies?

Putting on the helmet of salvation is another way to demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation and make your thoughts obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Buckle Up to Truth

Eph. 6: 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around Your waist.

John 14: 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 8: 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were Your Father, You would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to You? Because You are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to Your father, the devil, and You want to carry out Your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, You do not believe me! 46Can any of You prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't You believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason You do not hear is that You do not belong to God."

Jesus,
Thank You for giving me direct access to Your Word, the Truth. What a blessing! When I seek You with all my heart and mind, You show me Your ways. You teach me and guide me. Your love and truth protect me. Thank You, Jesus!

Forgive me for not believing You! I recognize that Satan is the father of lies. There is no truth in him. Everywhere I go he is trying to deceive me. He entices me with lucrative language that sounds sumptuous. Please don’t let me give in to his lies, not even for one minute. He’ll subtly suck the life right out of me. Give me strength to cling to the fullness of life and Gospel of Truth. Please keep Your mighty hand on me. Help me to clearly understand and believe You. When I spend time with You, the Perfect Teacher, I’ll learn how You think and speak, and therefore how I should think and speak. You are the Perfect Example, showing me how to live. You give me the power to live like You. Thank You that the Truth is no longer etched on cold stone tablets, but carved on my heart through Your warm-blooded flesh as I spend time with You. What a blessing!

Please dear Lord, buckle the belt of truth around my waist so that I’m protected when Satan lures me with his counterfeits that look good. Surrounded by Your promises I’ll remain tightly fastened to You. Attached to You, I’ll believe that You are who You say You are: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Amen.

Do you believe God? What He says is true! Buckle the belt of truth around your waist by spending time in His Word, then your mind will be prepared to battle the father of lies.

This is one way to demolish the stronghold of sin and temptation and make your thoughts obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)