Father, we thank you for the absolute truthfulness of your Word. We rely on Your promises in Scripture concerning our future eternal home. Help us as we deal with what Your Word says are “our light and momentary troubles” and to recognize that they are “achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Today “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Amen.

God, You are the only source of eternal life to whom I can cling. I am confident that You will be with me to the end of my life here on this earth. I am grateful for the many people who bring me support, encouragement and companionship from day to day. They are a source of joy as they enrich my life daily. But as I grow older I’m recognizing that nothing stays the same and much of what I came to rely on is no longer present. Losses of those people very dear to me and things once considered important mount up as I reflect upon the passing years. I find great comfort as I cling to the words of the 73rd Psalm, “Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none that I desire on earth beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Amen.

Father, we pray for our leaders that they will look to You for guidance and follow Your commands as recorded by the prophets long ago. We want to be a blessed nation and will be so if men and women in positions of authority live godly lives as commanded in Scripture, and those who follow respond in like manner. Help us to be faithful in doing our part. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Father, we thank You for sending Jesus and clothing Him in the garment of flesh. As He walked on earth so much was revealed about You, our Father, through the person of Your Son. To read the passage, “God is love” is doctrinal in nature, but to see Christ’s miracles and His compassion toward sinners we also see Your love in action. Certainly those who walked the earth during Christ’s ministry on earth are the only ones who personally knew Him. But we, along with the apostle Paul, know Him in whom we believe through surrendering our hearts, embracing the truths Jesus espoused, following His commands, producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and by faithfully devoting ourselves to prayer as we learn to trust You wholeheartedly. Amen

Father, it is because of our sinful human condition that we spend so much time worrying about what others think and live our lives with their view in mind, instead of Yours. You who view our minds and hearts from inside out – You know that which motivates our actions, when others simply judge us by our actions. We lay out our hearts bare before You today and ask Your Spirit to reveal that which honors You and that which should be burned like chaff. Remove our pride and replace it with humility as we confess our need for cleansing. “More of You and less of me” is my prayer today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.