Father, may I never cease to be amazed at the marvelous work You do in the lives of those who yield their hearts to You, however hard or darkened their lives may be. Hardened souls become pliable in Your skillful hands, our Master Potter. You reshape and mold us into the image of Your Son, so that we are on equal standing with all repentant believers at the foot of the cross. We thank You for Your bountiful mercy and generous grace that gives us right standing with You when we come to You in faith and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name we give You thanks. Amen.

Jesus, You are the Solid Rock that keeps us anchored in this vast landscape of shifting sands. Our unfading hope is secured in Your finished work on the cross and our guide map is the inspired Holy Scriptures that make us wise unto salvation. Help us to resist the temptation to look further or to add to Your clearly prescribed plan for living a life that pleases You. We offer to You our lives as living sacrifices. May they be holy and pleasing to You. Amen.

Father, in the words of Paul we’re taught that we who are still alive when Christ returns will be caught up together with believers in the clouds to meet You in the air, and so we will always be with You. We encourage each other with these words of Scripture reminding us that as our Christian friends and family go before us we will see each other again at Your appointed time. Keep us faithful, hopeful and always watching for that glorious everlasting reunion. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Father, thank You for giving us the capacity to forgive those who sin against us. Jesus serves as the supreme example of One who forgave those who betrayed, abandoned, lied, scourged, and drove the nails in His hands raising Him on the cross to be humiliated and mocked by onlookers. We will bear no offense on this side of heaven that Jesus will not uphold us in our pain and comfort us in our sadness. We can forgive others because You have forgiven us. Help us to bear with those who repeatedly hurt us. Show us how to love those who are most unlovely and unloving toward us. We pray this through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Father, we look to You this day to bring us word of Your unfailing love, for we have put our trust in You. You are our strength every morning and our security at night. Your steadfast love reaches to the heavens and Your faithfulness fills the skies. There is no one like You that provides for our every need. You are our salvation in times of distress, so it is under Your protective wings that we find refuge and safely abide. Amen.

Father, thank You for Jesus who came that we might have life and have it in abundance. We thank you so much for a full life. We’re grateful for Your grace that teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. We’re thankful that Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own. We realize that the one who sows to please the sinful nature from that nature reaps destruction, but we choose to sow to please the spiritual nature and from that nature reap eternal life. Keep us faithful in doing so. Amen.

Father, though Satan has a sinister and deceitful scheme for my life I will not fear. Your guidance for me in discerning his evil schemes is revealed throughout the entire Bible. Not only do we receive warning through the prophets, the disciples and other people of faith, but we see Jesus as the supreme example of One who resisted the temptations of the evil one. His time of testing in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane reveal that resistance to temptation brings present and future reward. Though Satan wants me so that he can destroy me, You want me so that You can save me, here and now, and for the hereafter. Thank You for the spiritual armor that protects me from the evil one.

Father, the commandments that You give are not only to be impressed upon our thoughts but also implanted in our hearts. Help us to be cautious and prayerful about new teachings that are pleasing to the ear and popular with our present generation, but do not bear witness with the eternal Scripture. Keep us on guard against the easy-isms of a shallow Christian experience, for that will eventually give way to our surrendering during intense enemy warfare. We hold on to that which is of most importance and pass on to those who come behind the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints of all generations. We want to contend for the faith no matter the cost. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Father, You sent Jesus to be the Light of the world, and He now sends us out as redeemed messengers in the places where we live. Some of those places are very dark and we’re afraid to share the message of light and truth because we feel inadequate, unworthy, and unprepared to convey such a wondrous message. But in holding back we fail to introduce others to You whose searchlight from the Holy Spirit guides us into all truths, delivers us from the evil one, and sets our feet upon a rock to stay. We know that it is not by our might or power that we are able to shine like stars in the universe, but it is through Your Spirit that we can lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Amen.

Father, when we are angry You tell us to stay above the fray and sin not. There are times when it is appropriate to be angry such as when we see a person harming another individual; when we have been lied to; or when we have been unfairly accused. These circumstances along with many others stir up strong emotions with us and often require a response to the matter. Keep us prayerful as we are quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. May we respond as Jesus did to His many accusers, though innocent, He spoke not a word in His defense. And may we be careful not to keep a scoreboard of other’s offenses. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus who forgives us and does not count our sins against us, but rather took them upon Himself. Amen.