Today We Pray

Dear Lord, bless me this day to live with Your Spirit, to resist temptation to evil, and to show Your joy and love to all. Make Your home with me, that I might be truly blessed. I give You my love without reservation. 

Your words are sacred and I aspire to live by them, this day and always. I glorify You for Your sacrifice of pain and death. It was made out of Your love for us, that all who follow You might find salvation and eternal life.

I humbly pray You so to guide and govern me by Your Holy Spirit, that in all the joys, occupations, and cares of this day I may never forget You. But, remember that I am ever walking in Your sight. In Christ's name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Romans 12:10

"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another"

Be devoted to one another with authentic brotherly affection. Be devoted like as one member of the family. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Take delight in honoring each other.  Love each other with genuine affection. Treat each and everyone nicely. Be kind to them and care for them always.

The Daily Grace - Many Advisors

The fifteenth-century theologian Thomas a Kempis said, "Who is so wise as to have perfect knowledge of all things? Therefore, trust not too much to your own opinion, but be ready also to hear the opinions of others. Though your own opinion be good, yet if for the love of God you forego it and follow that of another, you shall the more profit thereby". Thomas recognized the importance of seeking the opinions of trusted advisors when making plans for life.

In order to determine God's course for life, the wise person should open up to several avenues of counsel, through which God will bring His guiding wisdom. When a person seeks the wise counsel of others, he shows his realization that he might be overlooking some important factors in his decisions. Solomon, the wisest man in Israel, wrote about how important it is to have counsel from others: "Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established" (Prov. 15:22).

The Lord is the Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6). He desires to protect us through wise advisors. Seek them out and thank God for them. Let them help you discover a clearer picture of His plan for your life. If you seek wise counsel, you multiply your chances for sound decisions.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I pray for commitment and enthusiasm in every good work, showing the happiness and cheerfulness that comes only when we work for You. Let me live in Your presence. Give me patience in difficulties, Lord, being happy and cheerful as I place my trust in You. 

Show me how to live in your presence. When difficulties arise, teach me to be patient. Let me break the cycle of evil, conquering it with goodness, for only with Your help and Your strength can I live fully in obedience to Your Word.

I bind myself to You this day, oh Christ, in Your truth and in Your sacrifice. I give to You my anxiety and my fear, my depression and my doubt, for You have promised to take them if we only ask; and I take upon myself Your burden, for it is light and Your way is gentle. May I keep this in my heart and mind all this day.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Ephesians 2:10

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

We are God's own master work. We are His work of art. We are reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed and ready to be used for good works. He did this so that we will live the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are.

The Daily Grace - God's Origami

Not long ago, I attended a class in origami, where I learned that the term comes from two Japanese words that mean "folding paper". In this process, a piece of paper is transformed into a bird or other unique shape by a series of geometric folds and creases. Our facilitator was Hitoshiro Akehi, a Japanese brother in Christ. As we folded our paper into different shapes, Mr. Akehi shared some of his life experiences. The youngest of 11 children, he was raised by his mother after his father died during World War II. Through many twists and turns, his family came into contact with missionaries. As a result, many of his family members became Christians.

As I refashioned a simple piece of paper into a beautiful new form, I thought of how God shapes us. First, He uses circumstances to bring us to our knees and to Him. Then, by grace He continues to use life's twists and turns to reshape us into more Christlike persons, "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). 

Has your life taken an unexpected turn? Remember, in the hands of our Creator and Redeemer, we are "[God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:10). We are His unfinished works of art. God can use the twists and turns in our lives to make us more like His Son. Christians are God's work in progress.

Today We Pray

Dear God, open my eyes that I may see Your hand in all of Your works this day and most especially in those You have made in Your image. Open my heart that I may see Your holy presence surrounding me. Let me hear Your voice like the uninterrupted roar of a great waterfall that cannot be silenced and cannot be stopped and cannot be overcome by any temptation of flesh.

Draw my heart back to Your love the instant I begin to hate. If I am proud, drown my pride in Your glory. Teach me to be careful in nothing when it comes to You, Holy God, and let me know and shine forth the truth.

I pray to be filled with Your Holy Spirit for the rest of this day. Let me go forth, walking with Your Spirit in my heart, that I may be filled with the joy and energy and praise for Your entire creation, thankful in the many gifts you have given me, and showing forth Your light in my every word and deed. This I pray in Christ's name.

Amen