Father, we earnestly pray that You will help us in what seems like an unending quest, punctuated by tests, permitted by You. If our journey seems uncertain, in terms of events and goals, we have assurance that all things work to the good for those that love You and obey You. Your grace is sufficient in all things. Give us comfort this day that You are present and that You care, constantly. Your love is made manifest in everything we see.
Is our guilt transparent mostly to ourselves?
Father, here we learn from David that works of righteousness matter. What we say and do is noticed by You. But, You have taught us elsewhere that Your grace, in calling us to Your side, and that Your mercy and our faith in Jesus, makes our works become a reflection of our faith. We know that without works our faith seems powerless and that works alone hardly distinguish us from being like any other good citizen.
Help us today to be free of self-imposed guilt. We know that You have lifted our guilt from us and that if we
You say “be holy”…I feel so unworthy at times.
Being “sober-minded” is another admonition and we know that is different than intoxication from drink. You teach us that we should be orderly in our conduct, to not speak coarsely and to therefore have Your Spirit in us. You also tell us to be full of joy, so to be sober minded must not mean to be long faced and stern in our demeanor.
Am I adopted? What does predestination mean?
Father, You know the beginning from the end, the alpha from the omega. Nothing we do surprises You. You “see” what is not yet and our faith and love for You, though it requires an act of faith on our part, was foreknown to You. Thus we are predestined, adopted as sons, Holy and without blame, only because of the cleansing of You, Jesus.
Joy, the inspired truth about heaven
Father, when You tell us to “sing a new song”, that implies that it is not a song we know. Is that what heaven is like Father, a place of new songs, new understandings?
We can not, from this side, gain an appreciation of what heaven will be like. You have promised us that it will be beautiful, unlike anything our hearts and minds have imagined or seen.
My anguish is such that I actually cry out…who cares?
Father, we too live in a time of many false gods and many are simply without any faith in any god. O’God, help us this day to show men who You are by our faith and obedience to You. We know You care. Give Your strength to Your servant…
You are invited to enter, behind the veil.
Father, first You have called us saints and now You invite us to enter into Your Holy Presence, a place where only the High Priest could enter once a year, behind the veil.
What is God’s fire extinguisher?
Jesus, we know that having Your presence in our lives and hearts brings us peace. Yet, we do not always feel at peace. We sometimes say the wrong things, do the wrong things and think the wrong things. We know, Jesus, there is no peace in disobedience.
What is wrong with fitting in? You know; get along, go along.
Father, This topic of Salvation is both pivotal and challenging. The scriptures leave us no “wiggle room”. We are either in Your Holy hand, being cared for, for eternity, or we remain what we may have considered a safe distance. Father, we know You would rather have us hot than cold in our Spiritual life and that you detest a lukewarm response.
Do angels actually comfort God’s children?
Jesus, we know that when You suffered on the cross for our sins and took our sins upon yourself, that it meant separation from the Father, for the moment, since the Father will not allow sin or sinners in His Holy presence. You suffered as we would have had to suffer if it was not for Your sacrifice. Your assumption of our sins accomplished for us what we could never accomplish on our own.