Father, James, the half-brother of Jesus, seems to be one of the more direct persons in proclaiming Your will for us. He speaks clearly and bluntly and always with a sense of urgency concerning our salvation. May we listen intently to the words You gave him.
Want to avoid persecution…keep quiet!
Help us this day to run the risk of
being persecuted as a result of our declared love for You.
God is Holy…how can I enter His presence?
Father, Just as You declared Jesus, as Your only begotten Son, You assure us that we can cry out as Jeremiah did, for Your help. We know Father that Jesus made it possible for us to come into Your presence, cleansed, and prepared to speak to You.
Is there any meaning to life aside from God’s will for you?
Father, if King David, a man after Your own heart, said, “teach me, lead me, revive me”, we surely want to look to his example and do the same. Our lives are so full of decision-making opportunities from very minor things to life-changing things, that we confess we need Your direction, Your counsel.
Do you mean that Jesus paid for my way into heaven?
We look to all that You have given us to enjoy and to work with and we rejoice in Your omniscience for no one but You could have conceived such a perfect circumstance for us to know You.
Private prayer, a compelling prelude to God’s constant presence
Jesus, we thank You for these specific teachings. We read Your word because it is a lamp unto our feet. You guide us in paths of righteousness. Here You make it clear that prayer is not a performance, to be seen by others, nor a vain repetition of words that are repeated over and over.
How do you achieve “goodness”?
Father, we know that our goodness, absent the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, is more than just inadequate. When our fleshly instincts take over, we know we are running away from Your presence. Your word tells us that You delight in your saints, a designation none of us feel able to accept, yet it remains Your expectation.
Omnipresent… God’s thoughts towards me exceed number?
Father, When we look at all You have created, we are overwhelmed with Your omniscience and omnipotence. You are indeed all knowing and all powerful. Here You tell us of Your omnipresence in our lives. Your thoughts towards us exceed number. You are a constant reality. We are truly never alone.
True liberty…not what you might think!
You say, we walk in liberty because we seek Your precepts. Father, is the opposite also true, that if we walk in darkness, there is no true liberty? Father, we want to keep Your law forever and forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Our eternal High Priest, Jesus, is our advocate…perfect!
Father, we stand before You all day, every day, completely exposed. We
have no secret thoughts or actions and You tell us here that we must give
an account for our decisions.