Father, as we live in daily communion with You, our presence will make a difference in a classroom, in a workplace, in a neighborhood, in a community and most especially in our families. With Your sanctifying seal upon our lives we no longer live according to the lust of the flesh, but the life of the Son who resides in us. May we see our world turned upside down as people walk away from evil while being transformed by Christ’s redemptive power. It is in His name that we pray, Amen.

Father, You have poured out Your abundance on us from the heavenly realms in all manner of blessings. You forgave our sins and broke the chains that once enslaved. You brought fulfillment in our lives as You gave us a sense of purpose. You provided for us a roadmap through the Holy Scriptures that leads ultimately to heaven. You’ve promised us eternal life. We experience peace that surpasses human understanding and the list is unending. For this and so much more we are eternally grateful. We deserve none of Your blessings and yet we receive them all, not only in this life but we lay hold of future blessings in the life to come. Prompt us to focus on our blessings since they far outweigh our troubles. Even when shadows darken the view of our blessings may they visibly surface as the indwelling Holy Spirit brings them to our remembrance. May it be our heart’s desire to refresh others whom we meet from day to day in life’s journey as we walk in the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; Teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain; Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.”

Father, all I have needed Your hand has provided. Help me to live with a grateful heart in constant assurance that You are more than enough! Your goodness overflows in my life, so much so, that I certainly don’t want to hoard Your blessings, but share them with others. Keep me mindful of those who are needy so that I can share Your goodness with them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Father, it comes naturally to fix our sights and build our hopes on that which is seen by the human eye. Not only are our eyes drawn to the visible, but our affections are also caught up in that which we can see with our eyes or touch with our hands. And yet we’re reminded in the book of Colossians that if we are risen with Christ we are to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth, for we are dead [to the things of the world] and our spiritual life is now hidden with Christ in God. Father, You are the Masterbuilder working in the invisible realm preparing for us a kingdom that cannot be shaken by the folly of man or the sins that so easily corrupt. Our future resting place is eternally fixed in the heavens where we will dwell with You and the saints of all the ages. Keep our anticipation stirred and our affections above where Jesus is seated at Your right hand. It is because of His sacrificial death on our behalf that we can look forward to dwelling in the eternal city of Heaven. Amen.