Dear Lord Jesus, every day help me to remember all that You have done for me. Thank You for the teaching You give me in the Bible. Help me to think about Your words and act on them. Sometimes I find it difficult to sit down, read, and think about Your Word. Help me not to give up and think about what Your Word tells me to do and then I can walk on that ‘path’ safely with You. I can avoid making the same mistake twice if You will please help me to learn. Thank You that the Holy Spirit helps me as I think about Your words in the Bible. Help me always to remember how good You are, how good You want me to be and to be willing to do whatever You want me to do. Thank You that You died to ‘wash away my sins’.
Heavenly Father, help me to take your message about Jesus to those who don’t know Him. Help me to be obedient when Your Word tells me to do something hard and remember that Your Holy Spirit is with me to help me. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that I don’t need to worry in troubled times. With You, I can face any storm! I pray that nothing will put me off or stop me following You. You’re the best teacher!
Dear Jesus, You are so amazing! Thank You that there is nothing You cannot do and that even in difficult times You are still taking care of us. You are my King and I want to obey You. Please help me to do that. Thank You that for each time You have used Your great power to help me. Help me to trust You when things seem to be going wrong and keep away from things which I know are wrong.
Thank You, Lord, for helping me to do what is right and good. No one is as good and great as You, but I want to be more like You. Help me to be glad to do good things for my family and friends. Thank You that You love even nasty people, and help them change. Help me to speak out against wrong things – as You did.
Thank You, Lord, that You are always with me and that my sins can be forgiven because of Your death on the cross. Thank You, Lord, that my future is in Your hands. Please help people who have never met You to see that they really need You. When I am facing difficult things, Lord, please give me Your peace in my heart and help me not to be afraid.
Dear Lord Jesus, help me not to be careless about things. Please help me in times of trouble. When I feel down, help me to look up to You. Thank You that You are always with me, and that I can always turn to You. Thank You too for good friends who stand by me at all times. Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that You’re always with me, and that I can always trust in You. Thank You that You never leave me to fight my battles by myself. You are stronger than all my enemies. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You fight for me. But help me to do my best as well.
Dear God, thank You that I can pray to You at any time – like Nehemiah – and You help me. Help me to follow You and not listen to bad advice. Thank You that when we come to You for help, You hear our prayers. You loved John so much, even though he had a bad temper. You love me, in spite of my faults. Help me to be loving, not bossy. When there are troubles all around, help me to stay with You, like John. Teach me to love You as John did. Help me to use my mind to understand the proof You have given that You are alive. Thank You that You are the same everyday – so kind and powerful and exciting. Help me to do what You say even when others don’t want me to. Thank You for all I can read about You in John’s Gospel. Thank You that You give me life. You are the living One who conquers all fear and wrong.
Dear Father God, please help me to grow to know You better and to be more like Jesus. Help me to welcome strangers to my church or visitors to my home as if I was welcoming You. Thank You for being my Protector, always on watch to care for me. I am sorry for anything I have done to damage Your wonderful creation. Thank You for the Bible to guide me in the right way. Help me to obey what it says. Hallelujah! My Father, You are wonderful! Thank You for giving us so many good things that we can enjoy! In Jesus most precious name, I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Every Day with Jesus on 01/09/08 - Nothing missed
'"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord..' Jeremaih 29:11
If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as your Saviour then your life is not a series of haphazard events, but a narrative.
God has the ability to take everything that happens to us and make out of it a story - a story that has coherence and purpose and that fits into the bigger story He is telling. A story has a beginning, a middle and an ending. Everything in it has a point. Nothing need be irrelevant.
A writer has been defined as 'someone on whom nothing is missed'. The Divine Author, I assure you, misses nothing. God can make a story out of anything.
O Father, drive deep into my spirit the truth that nothing is being missed in my life. Everything that happens to me is being used to form a story. You turn everything into something meaningful. And I am so grateful. Amen.
If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as your Saviour then your life is not a series of haphazard events, but a narrative.
God has the ability to take everything that happens to us and make out of it a story - a story that has coherence and purpose and that fits into the bigger story He is telling. A story has a beginning, a middle and an ending. Everything in it has a point. Nothing need be irrelevant.
A writer has been defined as 'someone on whom nothing is missed'. The Divine Author, I assure you, misses nothing. God can make a story out of anything.
O Father, drive deep into my spirit the truth that nothing is being missed in my life. Everything that happens to me is being used to form a story. You turn everything into something meaningful. And I am so grateful. Amen.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Every Day with Jesus on 31/08/08 - Growing in wisdom
'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.' Proverbs 9:10
From now on, I will steal time out of my schedule to read continually from the book of Proverbs; that I will drink regularly from its clear refreshing waters; that I will lie on your bed at night and mediate on its great themes; and that i will swear by the grace of God to put is powerful principles into practice every day.
Remember, do not seek wisdom for its own sake. Seek it so that you might more effectively represent Jesus Christ. If you still do not know Jesus Christ, then bow your head this very moment, repent of every sin you have committed and quietly surrender your heart and life into His hands. Committing your way to God is the beginning of wisdom; continual trust in Him will see it develop and grow.
Father, please grant me this wisdom, not so that I might have an advantage over others, nor to fulfil selfish needs, nor even to advance my fortunes. I seek it that I might know You better, love You more, and do Your perfect will. Amen.
From now on, I will steal time out of my schedule to read continually from the book of Proverbs; that I will drink regularly from its clear refreshing waters; that I will lie on your bed at night and mediate on its great themes; and that i will swear by the grace of God to put is powerful principles into practice every day.
Remember, do not seek wisdom for its own sake. Seek it so that you might more effectively represent Jesus Christ. If you still do not know Jesus Christ, then bow your head this very moment, repent of every sin you have committed and quietly surrender your heart and life into His hands. Committing your way to God is the beginning of wisdom; continual trust in Him will see it develop and grow.
Father, please grant me this wisdom, not so that I might have an advantage over others, nor to fulfil selfish needs, nor even to advance my fortunes. I seek it that I might know You better, love You more, and do Your perfect will. Amen.
Every Day with Jesus on 30/08/08 - No one has a double
'Do not forsake your friend...' Proverbs 27:10
The 6th and final step to developing friendship is to 'stay loyal and loving to your friends as far as you possibly can.' They may commit and continue in some sin, such as adultery, for example, and this demands action by the church as described in Matthew 18:15-17.
Discipline may have to be given and you will need to reconsider the grounds upon which friendship can continue. Clearly, the matter of friendship is of major importance and those who ignore it do so at their perils.
God made us for relationships and it is His will that we cultivate a circle of friends. Every friend is different. No one has a double in friendship. The more we have, the richer we are. Everyday we ought to move out from our base in the home and say to ourselves: Lord, help me reach out and touch someone deep in their being today, not for the rewards it brings me in terms of good feelings, but for the blessing I can be to them.
This is the way in which Jesus lived and related to others. Perhaps this is why they called Him 'a friend of..."sinners"' (Matt. 11:19). He hated sin, but He loved the sinner.
Father, one thing is clear: the wise are those who know how to make friends. Guide me in my future days so that in every frinedship I may be able to apply the principles I have just learned. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
The 6th and final step to developing friendship is to 'stay loyal and loving to your friends as far as you possibly can.' They may commit and continue in some sin, such as adultery, for example, and this demands action by the church as described in Matthew 18:15-17.
Discipline may have to be given and you will need to reconsider the grounds upon which friendship can continue. Clearly, the matter of friendship is of major importance and those who ignore it do so at their perils.
God made us for relationships and it is His will that we cultivate a circle of friends. Every friend is different. No one has a double in friendship. The more we have, the richer we are. Everyday we ought to move out from our base in the home and say to ourselves: Lord, help me reach out and touch someone deep in their being today, not for the rewards it brings me in terms of good feelings, but for the blessing I can be to them.
This is the way in which Jesus lived and related to others. Perhaps this is why they called Him 'a friend of..."sinners"' (Matt. 11:19). He hated sin, but He loved the sinner.
Father, one thing is clear: the wise are those who know how to make friends. Guide me in my future days so that in every frinedship I may be able to apply the principles I have just learned. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.
Every Day with Jesus on 29/08/08 - When not a true friend
'Wounds from a friend can be trusted...' Proverbs 27:6
The 3rd step to win friends is 'be prepared to be vulnerable'. By this means be prepared to be hurt. No relationship is free from pain this side of eternity.
Friendship demand that you leave the comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and unknown wilderness. There will be times when your words or actions are misunderstood, but stay with it when this happens. This is what friendship is all about - sticking closer than a brother. It is loving as you yourself are loved.
The 4th step to win friends is to 'love your friend enough to talk with him or her about anything you feel is not right.
One of the greatest tests of friendship is to ask yourself: Am I prepared to lose this friendship in the interests of God's kingdom? If not, then you haven't got a true friendship. You are in it for your own reasons, not God's. You are not a true friend.
Where you see wrong, deal with it, but do so lovingly, gently and firmly. You see, that's what friends are for - to help us see what we might otherwise be missing.
The 5th step to win friends is to 'allow your friend to have other friends also.' Don't suffocate your friend by being processive and demanding that he or she maintain just your friendship and no one else's. It is this attitude, more than any one thing, which is responsible for the death of friendships.
Give your friend the freedom to move out into other relationships, to make new contacts and see new people, and be happy for them when they do so. You will desecrate a friendhsip if you try to dominate it.
O Father, may i never suffocate a friendship by being processive. And help me to have such a secure relationship with You that I can risk losing a friend if it is the interest of that which is right. In Jesus' name i pray. Amen.
The 3rd step to win friends is 'be prepared to be vulnerable'. By this means be prepared to be hurt. No relationship is free from pain this side of eternity.
Friendship demand that you leave the comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and unknown wilderness. There will be times when your words or actions are misunderstood, but stay with it when this happens. This is what friendship is all about - sticking closer than a brother. It is loving as you yourself are loved.
The 4th step to win friends is to 'love your friend enough to talk with him or her about anything you feel is not right.
One of the greatest tests of friendship is to ask yourself: Am I prepared to lose this friendship in the interests of God's kingdom? If not, then you haven't got a true friendship. You are in it for your own reasons, not God's. You are not a true friend.
Where you see wrong, deal with it, but do so lovingly, gently and firmly. You see, that's what friends are for - to help us see what we might otherwise be missing.
The 5th step to win friends is to 'allow your friend to have other friends also.' Don't suffocate your friend by being processive and demanding that he or she maintain just your friendship and no one else's. It is this attitude, more than any one thing, which is responsible for the death of friendships.
Give your friend the freedom to move out into other relationships, to make new contacts and see new people, and be happy for them when they do so. You will desecrate a friendhsip if you try to dominate it.
O Father, may i never suffocate a friendship by being processive. And help me to have such a secure relationship with You that I can risk losing a friend if it is the interest of that which is right. In Jesus' name i pray. Amen.
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