Father, the light and power of Your glory now shines within our perishable containers, that is, in our weak and aging bodies. You plan it this way so that all can see that any glorious power seen in us is not our own but from You. In the midst of our ups and downs, we pray that our bodies constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in us. That is why we never give up. Though our mortal bodies may be perishing, our spirits can be renewed daily. Though we suffer unending discomfort and troubles the time is short when compared to the time of eternity, and on the up-side they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! As we grow older we seek to be stalwarts of the faith in our homes, churches and communities. In the name of Jesus we pray. 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, when we have been unfairly accused or when we see the rotting decay around us due to the forces of evil. 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.

Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank You for calming the raging storm in my soul when You took up residency within my heart, as You removed my sins and replaced them with Your righteousness. This eternal exchange has brought me countless joy, abiding peace, and a home in heaven. It is once and for all established in the heavens and serves as an anchor to provide unwavering hope even while the torrential waves of world tragedies, wars, fears, strife, and personal difficulties attempt to shatter my peaceful state of mind. You have promised to keep me in perfect peace when my mind and heart are fixed upon You* rather than the besetting problems that confront me daily. Help me to wholeheartedly seek You and rely on Your Holy Word so that I will experience perfect peace. It is in this spiritual attitude that I will fully trust You to work out the problems that greatly concern me and it will help me not to take matters into my own hands which only leads to more trouble. You have overcome the world and You will also help me to overcome my troubles. Amen.

Father, with my whole heart I have sought You and made You my Lord and Savior. I have turned my eyes away from worthless things so that my life is preserved here and now and for all eternity. And yet there is a tug of war that battles within me from time to time as I journey here below; the lure of that which satisfies the flesh vs. that which builds me up in the spirit. May Your grace bind my wandering heart so that during times of temptation I hold steady and resist the enemy who seeks to endanger and lead me astray. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Father, those whom You call You also equip to do that which we cannot do in ourselves. Some of us come up against extremely difficult odds, whether it’s due to our family history, physical limitations from birth, an accident, disease or aging. Any or all of these negatives have a way of consuming us and can contribute to a victim’s outlook. But You don’t victimize us, Father, You make us Victors as You give us helps along the way, provide caregivers who support and cheer us on. You perform small and big miracles within us to accomplish Your intended will for our lives. You assured a frightened Moses with these words, “I will be with you” and You assure our spirits with the very same message, “I will be with you” no matter how hard the test, how long it endures, or the timing of its appearance. Faithful God, You never change, but are always the same and we’re assured the victory just like Abraham, Moses, Job, Daniel and all the other common, ordinary people of the Bible who became heroes in our eyes. We walk in victory because You are the great I AM and You are with us. We love You and look to You in the name of Jesus. Amen.