April 30, 2008
“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
Dear Lord, just as I know that I want and need You in my life, I know that simply stating my faith is not enough. I need to firmly and wholly believe in You and the resurrection in order to completely justify my faith. Heavenly Father, I pray for the wisdom to believe in You, for the desire to continue learning about Your many wonders and miracles, for the courage to speak of my faith openly, honestly, and with reverence, and to never look past You as the guiding force in my life. Thank You for all Your blessings and gifts, and for the precious gift of Your son, whose blood gives me everlasting life. Amen.
April 29, 2008
“God’s love is like a river, at every turn and every bend, and faith in Him will turn your heart around.”
‘Cause even though we sin, there’s forgiveness in the end, and the river’s gonna keep on rollin’ on.”
Dear Lord, this song brings to mind a question I often wonder about – if You forgive my sins and offer me everlasting life, what incentive do I have to not sin? After all, since You will forgive me and offer me continuous blessings and peace, everything is taken care of, right? Wrong. I know that when I even think about not following You, not worshipping, and not praying, I feel a cold chill, and I know that a life not lived in You is a life not worth living. The rewards I gain from following You are more precious than anything I could attain in this earthly life, and I achieve a satisfaction and peace from knowing I am doing Your will. Heavenly Father, I pray for the strength to always follow Your path, and to be a good and faithful servant in Your kingdom. May I remember Your blessings and gifts to me, may I never take them for granted, and may I always look to You no matter what life may bring. Amen.
April 28, 2008
“And through the storm, yet I will praise You; despite it all, yet I will sing.
Through good or bad, yet I will worship, for You remain the same, King of Kings.”
Dear Lord, These words build on my prayer from last night. I know that I need more of You in my life, and I ask You to fill me more fully in every aspect of my life. You are the only one who can guide me through the rough waters of life, who can reach down and protect and save me, who can forgive and bless me, and who can offer salvation and peace. Heavenly Father, thank You for the assurance of Your love. I pray that I will look inward, upward, and onward to listen and see You in every step of my way, and to rely only on You for support and guidance. No matter the circumstances of life, may I always draw near to You for my needs. Amen.
April 25, 2008
“It’s as high as the heavens above – such is the depth of Your love to all those who fear you.
O Lord, far as the east is from west, You have removed my transgressions, You made my life brand new.
Father, I love You.”
Dear Lord, the word fear intrigued me when I truly realized Your presence a few years ago. I understand that it means awe, wonder, and belief, and by living a life in You, I really have no need to fear. I still think of it, though, because I know there are fears in my life that I cannot let go of. Heavenly Father, I pray for a deeper faith and belief in You, and the trust and confidence that You will make all things new, good, and pure within me, so I that I truly will have nothing to fear. Knowing that You love me as much as You do, I realize that I have nothing to fear, and that I can rest in peace and contentment now and at all times. I pray that my love for You will grow stronger, deeper, and more assured every day of my life. Amen.
April 24, 2008
“And age to age He stands, and time is in His hands – beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead, Three in One: Father, Spirit and Son; the Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb.”
Dear Lord, Just as I give You thanks for giving me my life, I need to thank You for continuing to let me live. I know that anything and everything can be taken away at any time, and my continued presence here tells me that You have amazing plans for me. Despite my pain and disappointments, and the times when I have negative and hurtful thoughts, You are there to comfort me and ease my pain. You see something in me that I do not, and while I yearn to know what that is, I am comfortable with the faith that You are watching me, guiding me, protecting me, and preparing me. Lord, I give You thanks and praise for my life, for the joy of each new day, and the blessings of living a life in You. May I always be grateful and never take it for granted. Amen.
April 23, 2008
“Crucified, laid behind a stone; You lived to die, rejected and alone.
Like a rose, trampled on the grass, You took the fall, and thought of me above all.”
Dear Lord, just when I needed a gentle reminder of Your presence, I heard the words ‘I Need Thee Every
Hour.’ When I needed another nudge, I heard the words above: ‘You lived to die … and thought of me
above all.’ My troubles, frustrations, hurts, and disappointments are so minor when compared to what You
went through, and I humbly seek forgiveness for the times when I snap, am hurtful to others, and say the
wrong words. Heavenly Father, thank You for sacrificing Your Son for me. Thank You for giving me a life
of hope and promise, and one that will be fulfilled when I see You in Heaven. Thank You for reminding me
that I do need You in my life all the time, and how rich my live will be because of Your presence. For all
blessings and gifts, I give You my thanks and praise. Amen.
April 22, 2008
“Welcomed in to the courts of the King; I’ve been ushered in to Your presence.
Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground, yet with every step, tread with reverence.
And I’ll fall facedown as Your glory shines around.”
Dear Lord, a phrase came into my mind this morning: ‘Know God, know love; no God, no love.’ When I feel discouraged and hurt, I know that it’s because I am not prayerful enough, and therefore do not have a strong enough faith and relationship with You. Prayer is one of the many things I know I need to do more of, and it is something I enjoy, something that comforts and relaxes me, and something I know is valuable. Heavenly Father, I pray for the motivation, strength, and desire to be a more prayerful disciple; to bring my cares, concerns, joys and thanksgivings to You; and that I will truly fall facedown to thank You for all You have given me. I offer my thanks and praise and a grateful heart. Amen.
April 21, 2008
“When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee – How great Thou Art, how great Thou art!”
Dear Lord, all things seen and unseen were created and given by You. Those things I can see – mountains, animals, flowers, other people – that makes sense, and I fully accept that. But the thought of You moving the wind, or directing the rain, or causing the earth to move … those are amazing thoughts. You are at once all-powerful and have unlimited strength, yet You are gentle enough to carefully guide the path of a butterfly on a windy day. Lord, thank You for Your strength and Your gentleness, Your mercy and kindness, Your gifts of creation in is many forms, and for the great blessing of life You gave me. May I reflect Your love in the life that I live every day. Amen.
From cnn.com:
“You can see which way the questions are going,” (Hillary Clinton) firmly told a mostly female audience gathered at Haverford College, a small liberal arts school outside of Philadelphia. “What if the military commanders tell you its dangerous to withdraw? That question is backwards. The president tells the military commanders what the mission is.”
Uh-oh. So no matter what the generals say, she would overrule them? The military officers – the men and women who are on the ground 24/7, who know the situation firsthand, who know the people, who know the struggles, the perils, the dangers, the risks … she would ignore them all?
Those who haven not declared their support for John McCain or Barack Obama, please do so NOW. If Hillary will wantonly do her bidding in Iraq, despite what the military leaders say, what else could she do? Why even have advisers, or a cabinet, for that matter? If she is going to make decisions of this magnitude on her own, then just anoint her as Queen of All She Surveys, and let her do her thing.
A Clinton presidency already put this country behind the 8-ball once, and led to a host of problems it will take decades to fix. Please – let’s not make another disastrous choice by committing to a second Clinton presidency.
April 18, 2008
“You’re the center of the universe – everything was made in You, Jesus.
Breath of every living thing, everything was made in You – You hold everything together.”
Dear Lord, two thoughts come to me as I listen to these words: You must be at the center of my life,
and if I put You there, You will keep my life whole, complete, unified, and together. What a glorious
thought – now if I could just do it. The issue of control comes up again, and there are so many times
when I think I can do things on my own without Your guidance or support. Experience should prove to
me the folly of this practice, but I try again. Heavenly Father, I pray for the strength and faith to put You
first among all, and at the absolute center of my life. I want nothing if it is not from You or through You,
and I want You to guide my thoughts and activities. Help me look to You first, last, and always as the
Lord and Savior in my life, and to be the one to hold everything together. Amen.
