Pray continually…—1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)
Today’s faith exercise is to pray throughout your day. Make an effort to consciously work God into your thinking. Invite Him into your mind, ask Him to show you opportunities and inspired ideas. Reach out and invite His amazing power to manifest in your life.
Heavenly Father, I want to talk with You about everything.
He must increase, but I must decrease.—John 3:30 (ESV)
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said, “Did it ever occur to you that you do not really own a thing, not a single thing? You are entrusted by the Lord according to your own ability to handle some of His goods for a while. If you use things selfishly for yourself, you will probably lose them and you will certainly lose the values that would come to you if you would use them for God.“
Heavenly Father, free me of selfish thoughts and deeds.
Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that You, Lord, are God, and that You are turning their hearts back again.—1 Kings 18:37 (NIV)
When Elijah was afraid and hiding in a cave, God’s voice came as a gentle whisper encouraging him to continue on. Do you hear God’s whispers in your life? A good way to tune your ear to His guidance is to take several moments throughout the day, be still and focus on Him. Invite Him into your heart.
Heavenly Father, help me to be quiet so that I hear Your whispers.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.—Psalm 37:23 (NLT)
It’s been said that man plans and God laughs, but it can be upsetting when it happens to you. Trust is the key to keeping your chin up when your best plans and the future you had mapped out suddenly take a sharp, unexpected detour. Only God knows what tomorrow holds. By developing a strong faith, you can confidently walk wherever God calls you to go.
Lord, I’m doing my best to be faithful and flexible, to follow Your lead anywhere it takes me.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways.”—Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
It’s not easy feeling thankful when you are aggravated by setbacks. No matter what you face, one thing remains the same—God. He is with you through life’s big and small problems. Thank Him for being there and trust Him to see you through.
Lord, help turn my complaints into praise. Praise for You!
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12 (ESV)
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said if you want to make a new start in your life put this verse in your mind and center your thoughts on it every day. Repeat, “I am the light of the world. Follow me and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”
Heavenly Father, help me to see You as the One who walks with me, blessing my day and guiding me to live my life meaningfully.
Therefore, I say to you, don’t worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or about your body, what you’ll wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes?—Matthew 6:25 (CEB)
Are you a chronic worrier? Do you agonize over big things and little things no matter how hard you try? If so, take Jesus’ words to heart. He tells you not to worry. Worry is a choice you have power over. Instead of feeding your anxiety, focus your trust on Him.
Dear God, I give You my worries so that You may give me Your peace.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.—Romans 12:1 (KJV)
Sometimes stress and responsibilities and can take up all your time. Don’t get caught in the trap of running from place to place without spending too much time thinking about where you are going and why. Take a moment and reflect. Review your priorities and ask God for insight and guidance. Are you in the center of His will or have you let other things crowd Him out?
Dear Lord, align my life with Your purpose.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.—Colossians 4:2 (NIV)
There’s an old saying attributed to St. Ignatius, “Pray as if everything depends on God, work as if everything depends on you.” When you pray and work with all you’ve got, you really can’t lose. Even if you fall short of reaching your goal, you will be better for the experience.
Dear Lord, encourage me to keep working, keep trying, keep hoping, and keep praying.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”—Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
The Bible is filled with different people praying the amazing prayer, “Here I am Lord. Send me.” Have you dared to pray this prayer? Of course it requires deep devotion and a bold courageous heart—but its benefits are amazing! Be prepared to have your life changed by His grace and instruction.
Dear Lord, Here I am. Send me!
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.—Psalm 40:3 (NIV)
Our struggles, our successes, even our failures, these are not our song. God is our song. When you make time for Him and put your faith first, you experience a new song, a way of life, a symphony of His beauty.
Heavenly Father, help us to live joyously, to celebrate the song in our heart and rejoice always.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.—Psalm 51:7 (NIV)
Take a moment and reflect on your faith. Go through your life and see what’s getting in the way of your relationship with God. Ask Him for guidance as you dig deep into the clutter and clear away any grime separating you from Him.
Heavenly Father, clean my heart, wash me clean by Your Spirit and Your Word.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly…—1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 (NIV)
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.—PROVERBS 12:25 (NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.—Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.—Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.—Matthew 5:5 (ESV)
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.—Hebrews 10:24 (ESV)
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.—James 3:6 (NIV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.—Romans 15:13 (NIV)
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.—Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.—James 1:2 (NIV)
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.—Philippians 4:11 (NIV)
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.—1 Peter 2:2 (ESV)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.—Revelation 22:13 (NIV)
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.—Luke 2:14 (NIV)
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.—Luke 2:7 (NIV)
And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.—Genesis 1:31 (KJV)
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.—1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”—Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.—John 15:12 (ESV)
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
