Troubled? Draw near to God. He is there for you…

Father, this simple admonition by James is a verse that constantly reminds us where the initiative must lie. We often lament over our circumstances, we feel alone, deserted and not cared for. Here we are taught by Jesus’ brother that when we set out to draw near to You, You will draw near to us. The ball is in our court. It is our responsibility to act rather to complain about feeling impotent, lonely or depressed.

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.

What would make Satan happy concerning you?

Father, You do know who has chosen to serve You. If we name Jesus as our Savior, You tell us to depart from iniquity, to stop sinning. Father, when we were young, youthful lusts pursued us but as we mature You tell us to pursue (chase after) righteousness, knowing that Satan will delight in our sins if we falter.

Are you staying in Spiritual shape…or is “working out” more important.

Father, You tell us to reject tales and fables and to exercise our mind in a way that brings us into Your presence. Your word says that exercise of the body profits a little and that exercise of our mind toward godliness profits us in a most complete way. Father, we want to “stay in shape” and You proclaim that as good, but You warn us that if that is our physical goal, absent a more encompassing spiritual goal, then we have a priority problem.

Is perfection, apart from Christ in you, possible?

Father, we feel weak and ineffective in our witness and in the circumstances of our lives, too often. We know that if we have needs that have not been declared to You or if we set out to do something in our own strength that we are leaving out the one variable that changes everything and that is You.

The whole law…love God and your neighbor as yourself

Jesus, this straightforward instruction teaches us of Your expectations. It is by our love that we are known as Your disciples. When we love You and then disobey it is a contradiction that needs correcting. Help us “to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in You but to trust and obey.” That old hymn restates John 14:15 in a perfect way.

Life is not a dead end, God’s grace is a gateway

Father, we are reminded by the Psalmist that You who created all things are mindful of us and visit us, individually. The Scriptures say that even the rocks would cry out if we did not tell men about You. Every created thing, including us, acknowledges You.

God will avenge? I can’t wait that long…

Father, it is so difficult not to seek revenge when we are offended. We instinctively react in an aggressive manner whether we know the offender or not. That Father is not Your way. You have told us not to hold a grudge about new or old offenses and to love others as ourselves. There is no way we can do that unless we are filled with Your Holy Spirit. To be like You is to forgive as we have been forgiven.