Thank you, Lord Almighty, for your daily blessings!
Praise is yours for giving wise and spiritual lessons!
For the kingdom’s progress, make us selfless servants,
Save our peaceful spirits from Satan’s sly disturbance.
The humility of Jesus humbles me
Psalm 131; Philippians 2
Heavenly Father, the humility of the Lord Jesus humbles me. His condescension to low estate flattens me. He was willing to descend to earth, to take on our nature, to live a common life, to experience all of human thought, emotion, and suffering. All the while, we seek to become someone important. Using education, wealth, associations, position, or talents, we strive to rise in the opinion of others.
Father, I renounce all these attempts. I repent of my self-importance. I seek my worth and value in you. Let me be content to occupy the seat of the least of your family.
Let not my heart be proud. Keep me from the haughty look. Trim back my great aspirations. Let me not concern myself with subjects that are beyond my comprehension. Help me to be content with what you have revealed.
Make me composed and quiet, like a young child carried by its mother. Let my hope and aspiration be centered in the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We breathe your air
Lord God, you are sovereign over all creation. You spoke absolutely everything into existence with the word of your mouth. You planned it all and brought it all to fruition. You sustain the universe and keep planets and galaxies in line. All life depends on your moment-by-moment, constant care. We breathe your air. We eat food you cause to grow. We move within a protective bubble of atmosphere, gravity, earth, weather, seasons, and water, with perfect conditions for our well-being. You are to be praised and thanked every day, time and again, for all you have done and continue to do for us.
We’ve no idea what might happen today. Misfortune may fall. Time and chance occur in our lives. Disaster and death may invade our routine. Things we consider blessings may happen as well. Plans will most certainly go awry. We confess that we do not have control over our world or our surroundings. But you know all things. You are in control. We cannot blame you for anything, for you intend only our good. Often, we suffer because of sin. This world has been affected by it. We must cope and work in between Eden and Heaven. We trust in you. We want to live by the power of the Word and the strength of your Spirit. Glorify the Lord Jesus in us.
Give us courage to speak and act like your people. Help us to live out the Good News. Put words into our mouths to speak to those in need, from the outflow of holy Scripture which we have stored up in our hearts. You do not offer us religion, but life. In the Way is love, hope, goodness, joy, and peace. Let us speak constantly of these and possess them in our hearts.
The world is in need of them as well. Thank you for folding us into your plan of salvation, for making us a part of this great mission to save souls. The responsibility awes us, we feel the weight of the work before us. Such an eternal impact that we can make causes us to rejoice. We can do something that truly will last forever. As we also do when we pray for others’ salvation and for our brothers’ effort to teach about Jesus’ death.
- Bless plans of some brothers to travel to China and teach.
- Give good results to our friends in New Zealand, Britain, Belgium, Nepal, Bangladesh, Ireland, Bolivia, South Africa, South Sudan, and Japan.
- Bring the gospel to the Bind people of India, who as far as we know have no one to work among them.
- Bless the efforts of our good friends Randy and Kathy Short in Recife, Brazil.
Father, you give your children unity of purpose, mind, and heart. Help us to speak the same language. Cause the Good News to give us one voice. May we be known for our love for one another. May the truth shine forth, and not opinions or personalities.
Make this day a moment of victory, whatever happens. Bless our families and our marriages. Lead our children and our siblings to your love. Give our parents your blessing for their patience with us. Let friends and neighbors be touched through your presence in us. Glorify yourself in us, may your name be praised in every way.
Not afraid to do good
Dear God, let me do my tasks with dedication and with all powers at my disposal. Let me enjoy the present. Thank you for the pleasures of the moment that, although eternity is but a step away, you provide for us as reminders of heavenly blessing.
Give strength and patience to us, to our children, and to our family of faith, as we face life’s misfortunes and sadness. Let the peace of Christ rule in us at every moment and in every circumstance.
Be with us and help us to feel your presence, so that we might be content and full of love. Keep tiredness at bay. Let our zeal not flag.
Help us not to be afraid to do good. May your grace make us stand and keep us strong to overcome. Let nothing upset our firm trust in you and our certainty of hope.
Give us the attitude of our Lord Jesus who saw each moment as a chance to let your glory shine.
You know my weaknesses and strengths
Lord God, you know my weaknesses and my strengths, my struggles and my thoughts. There is nothing you do not know about me and about the whole universe, for you made it all and give life to all things.
Give me humility, help me to be small in my own eyes, break the pride that remains. Let me trust in you and place you in front of my life—my God and my Lord!
Make this month a time of reflection and purpose, a period of mindfulness and opportunity. If it will serve the kingdom, let us reset our faith and firm up our determination by “reinventing” ourselves, as the author of one book suggests. Let that activity be toward the image of Christ, in the power of the Spirit, according to your word and will.
- Please bring quietness and peace to the country of Honduras, in their presidential elections.
- Make a solution surface for N. Korea, at the same time opening that country to the gospel. Let our brethren prepare for that moment.
- Open China further to working there for the gospel’s sake.
- And give us more workers here in Brazil for the fields.
- Make our own work effective, bring forth fruit that will spread the word across our region.
Bless our families with faith and vitality and resilience. Make them strong to meet the challenges, loving to serve their neighbors, compassionate in their dealings with everyone.
Give to all your people faith and love and hope. Use me to encourage, to instruct, to motivate toward good works.