A Scripture and a Prayer: “God’s Support System”

“If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:18-19)

Prayer:

Lord, while we deserve the consequences of our sins, Your mercy is ever present. Therefore, thank you Lord, for being there when we slip and fall, because in Your love and mercy You pick us up and set us not only upon our feet, but upon the sure foundation of Your saving grace. And when we were lost and far from You, You sent Your Holy Spirit who led us not only to You, but also back to You and to Your loving arms. And when we are anxious and worried about not only what we see around us, but also what has been happening to us, we are blessed to not only know, but also experience the comfort You provide to see us through another day. And so, may we always be aware of Your loving kindness every day. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “A Good Imitation”

“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11)

Prayer:

Lord, how easy it is to imitate the world and all the evil that surrounds us. It is always before us through social media and the commercial airways, not to mention in schools and the politics of our land. Yet, You tell us to be careful in what we look at and in what we do, because the gateway to our mind, heart, and spirit, are found through what we hear and see. Instead, help us be grounded in Your word, which is not only truth, but it is also good for our soul and healing to our bones, so that we can now be imitators of what is good, or better, we can be an imitator of Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Give Thanks for His Unfailing Love”

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us for once again taking Your love for granted. While we take time with You in prayer and in your word to hear Your voice for our lives, we really don’t take the time to just sit and bask in Your love. And for that, please forgive us. We want to above all things thank You for Your unfailing love towards us, and how You, Father, gave Your Son to die for our sins. And thank You Jesus, for willingly coming and taking our place and dying the death that we deserve. And when we think about all of that, just to say, “thank you,” isn’t enough. May our lives and how we deal with others also reflect this wonderful gift of Your love You have extended. And Father, this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God’s Kindness”

“Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

Prayer:

Lord, forgive us when we take for granted showing contempt for Your gracious loving-kindness, knowing how long You have been patient with us as we’ve wandered away, seeking our own plans and pleasures. Instead, help us to not only realize and confess this waywardness, but to repent and turn back to Your will and way for our lives. Forgive us Lord and draw us back into that sweet fellowship with You. This truly is our one desire, to walk in Your love and to worship You in the fullness of Your glory. And this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Jesus is the Truth”

“For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are not only the giver of all truth, as it says that while the law was given through Moses all grace and truth came through You, but You are truth, as You said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Lord, I ask that You open our minds and hearts to hear what You have to say through Your word, which is truth. But not just hear it but to obey it as well, because to be “of the truth,” we must be living our lives by it. Yet Lord, we am weak, and far too often come up short in this area. Therefore, give us the strength to live our lives in accordance with Your truth that we may be faithful until the end. And for this we thank you Jesus. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Wait and Not Worry”

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:7)

Prayer:

Lord, there is so much around us that reveals the wickedness of the world, and how it is trying to tell us that this or that is the way to prosperity, but it is a lie. The easy and the quickest way is not always the best, but this is the way that appeals to our “must have it now,” mindset. Instead, You tell us to be still and to wait patiently for You to act, because You see the road ahead, and You know the good and right way we should take. Help us, therefore, be faithful to wait upon You, because Your promise is that You will renew our strength, that we will mount up above the fray like an eagle, and that we shall run on not grow weary, and walk and not faint. Thank you for this promise that we can lay hold of for our lives. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Time to Take Possession”

“Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8)

Prayer:

Lord, You have placed a calling on all of our lives, and have given to us a land to possess, that is, You have given to us promises and Your desire is that we enter in and possess them. And the beauty is that as we enter these promises, and travel through this life in those promises You will not leave nor forsake us until the ultimate promise takes place, and that is the promise of heaven and in Your presence forever. Therefore, help us not to be afraid nor dismayed when things don’t go according to plan, because it isn’t about our plans but Your plans for our lives and for Your church. Help us to be faithful and fulfill Your calling and enter Your promise. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God’s Paying Attention”

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Prayer:

Lord, I have heard, and at one time believed, that You were far away and above of us, and that You really didn’t have the time to look in on each person, and that we were on our own. But, since we have come to know You by faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we have found that this is not true. And in this verse, we find comfort and strength, knowing that You are paying attention to all of us, and that Your desire is to show Your strength to and through all those whose hearts are like David’s, that is, a heart after Your own heart, and a heart that is totally committed to Your plan, purpose, will, and ways. Therefore, we humbly ask that You help us follow fully after You, and that we take up the cross and follow faithfully Your will and way. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Taste and Trust”

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for allowing us to taste the goodness of Your mercy and grace, it truly is sweeter than honey to the lips. And Lord, as we taste even more of You for our lives, we realize just how blessed we truly are, secure in Your presence and under the shadow of Your wings. Therefore, we can do nothing less than trust You, even when the things that are going on around us make no sense and are a cause of great aggravation. Help us, therefore, to want and desire more of You in our lives. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God is Still Writing”

“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

Prayer:

Lord, what a precious promise this is, that You are writing Your law, Your words of life, upon our minds and hearts. What this is saying is that Your words of life are continuing to be written within us so that we can live a full and complete life in You. You said that You will be our God, and we will be Your children. Therefore, we humbly ask that You open our minds and hearts to hear Your words, and not harden ourselves so that we do not hear what You, Holy Spirit, are speaking to Your church, that is, what You are speaking into our lives. And Father, I ask this in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God Is With Us”

“I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:11-12)

Prayer:

Jesus, You said that where two or more are gathered in Your name, that You are there in their midst. And while this speaks of our need to gather, Your presence is with us always as believers, and that’s because when we come to faith in You, that You place within us Your holy temple. Therefore, Lord, come close and help us walk in Your ways and no longer according to our ways. Make us vessels of honor, vessels where You dwell and move mightily on our behalf. And let us know and walk in this surety, that You are our strong tower and refuge. Therefore, help us not to be afraid, and not to fear, because what can any man or woman do to us, seeing that we believe in You. And this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Pray – It’s Later Than We Think”

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7)

Prayer:

Lord, while we know this verse speaks of the End Times to come, and how much closer it is, what it also says is that the end of our time might come at any time, for no one knows the day or the hour in which You may call us home to heaven. Therefore, help us, Lord, to live a life that is full of meaning, not as far as the world is concerned, but full of meaning as You have described it to be, or, for the furtherance of Your Kingdom. So, we can pray as You have directed, saying, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Therefore, help us to pray before we take another step, because it’s not about what we want, or the way we want it, but it’s about what You want and the way You want it. And this we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God’s Will For Our Deliverance”

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-5)

Prayer:

Father, to realize Your wonderful grace and love towards us in sending Your Son, Jesus Christ to deliver us from our sins and from the evil of this age is beyond any human scope of understanding. But even more, to realize that all of this is in accordance with Your will is amazing. That by Your will You have made a way for us to be a part of Your family and to live with You in heaven and to forever behold Your glory is an immense wonder. And so, this morning we want to lift our heart and soul and give You praise and thank You from the bottom of our hearts. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “With God Nothing’s Impossible”

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Prayer:

Lord, as we look at and ponder this great promise, we realize that while we believe it to be fully true, we don’t always believe it in for our lives. There are just some things that seem beyond human understanding and ability, or capability. Yet, Your promise is that while these may seem impossible, they are not impossible for You. But, in saying that, we also realize that we shouldn’t have presumptuous faith, that is, expecting something that You never promised. This seems to be our bane. Therefore, help us to move forward in Your promises, even though we may not understand just how they will be accomplished, because nothing is impossible for You. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “What Profit?”

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Prayer:

Lord, how easy is it to look at the world and all its enticements and desire what is often termed as “the good life.” But the truth is that it isn’t all that good, in fact, it is a trap set up by the enemy of our faith, Satan. Therefore, Lord, forgive when we focus on our desires, on the things we have prioritized over You, and help us to get our eyes, and the eyes of our heart and mind upon You and the goals that You have set for Your people. This begins with the Great Commandment, that is, to love You above everything else, and others. And it also begins with being Kingdom oriented and carrying out the Great Commission, to share Your good news and to make disciples. What a glorious goal and job You have set before us, and therefore we thank You. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Forgiveness Expected”

How often should we forgive? Jesus said, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:22)

Prayer:

Lord, help us realize the importance You have attached to our need to forgive others their wrongs and the hurtful things they may have done. And not just forgive them for a while, but to forgive them until the job is done, that is, when we no longer hold the hurt against them. Jesus, thank You for this promise, that when we forgive others, then You will forgive us. But let us also remember the reverse of that request, and that is if we do not forgive, then you will not forgive us. And let us always understand that our sins against You far exceeds other’s sins against us. Therefore, may our lives be an example of forgiveness to this lost and dying world. And this I ask in Your name, Lord Jesus. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Love as a Lifestyle”

“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” (Colossians 3:14)

Prayer:

Lord, knowing the extent of Your love towards us, in how wide, long, high, and deep it is, there is nothing that I will face that Your love is not there for. Further, knowing that Your love towards us is without limits reveals that You will not divvy it out, rather, Your love will flow like a never-ending river into our hearts, souls, and spirits. Therefore, I want to thank You God for Your never-ending love, which started at the cross, and will continue and remain eternally. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “Signs of the Times”

“Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?” (Luke 12:56)

Prayer:

Lord, we humbly ask that You give us the gifts of discernment, wisdom, and understanding that we may know what is going on in our world today and how it relates to Your word, and not the other way around. In other words, help us not try to make Your Holy Scriptures match the events of our world, but that we would understand the world based upon Your Word. Help us be like the of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, and who knew what Israel ought to do, and how we then need to live our lives with such understanding. And this I ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN

A Scripture and a Prayer: “God Our Refuge and Help”

“Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge … do not be far off! O You my help, come quickly to my aid!” (Psalm 16:1; 22:19)

Prayer:

Lord, with all that is going on in our lives, and in this world, which plays a big part of what is going on around us, we humbly ask for You to be our refuge in these times of trouble, our strength in times of weakness, and our help when wounded and in need of aid. Therefore, we call upon the promise of Your word at this time. “You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, and a shade from the heat … (And) Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:4, 9) Therefore, we give You thanks and all glory, for Your word is true, and Your promises are sure. AMEN