What A Wretched Man Am I

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my intervene I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man am I! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:15, 17-25)

Jesus my Savior,

Rescue me from my wretched state. 

Rescue me from this destructive pattern of sin. 

Rescue me from the evil that surrounds me. 

Rescue me from the things I hate. 

Jesus my Lord, 

Purify me from the sin of my past.

Convict me of the sin in my life. 

Reveal the sin that lays before me.

Amen. Let it be.

Lord, Teach Me How To Pray

Jesus, 

My prayer today is like the request of Your disciples when they asked You; "Lord, teach us how to pray".

I am not asking You to teach me how to pray in public; in worship services or in Bible Studies. I am asking You to teach me how to pray, wholly seeking Your face and Your glory. I am asking You to teach me how to pray, yearning for Your presence. I am asking You to teach me how to pray, with a hunger and a thirst for Your touch. 

Lord, teach me how to pray alone with You.

Lord, teach me how to pray with my wife.

Lord, teach me how to pray with my kids.

Lord, teach me how to pray for my family.

Lord, teach me how to pray for Your Church.

Lord, teach me how to pray for the lost. 

Lord, teach me how to pray for our church family.

Lord, teach me how to pray.

Increase My Faith

Jesus,

You spoke about faith a lot. I read Your words to Your disciples, those that you healed, and others that you encountered. I read that the faith of the Centurion Soldier amazed You. Likewise, I read that the lack faith of those in Your hometown amazed You.

Often I believe that my faith would amaze You as well. Yet I fear that Your amazement would be in disgust or disappointment rather than pride.

Christ, I want to increase my level of faith. I feel like the father of the boy that You healed who called out to you "“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Savior, in the same way that You proclaimed to the Father of the dead girl, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.", won't You proclaim over me, "Don't be afraid; just believe and you will be healed."

Jesus, I look to You for Your healing and a miraculous amount of faith in You. 

Amen. Let it be.  

A Life Of Holiness

Jesus, my Savior, my King, and my Lord,

Daily I claim that You are The One that rules my life. Daily I claim that I want to be more like You. Daily I claim that I was to live and love more like You. Yet daily I make decisions that prove the contrary. 

God, You called he Israelites to be holy as You are holy. Christ, You call all thise who desire to come after You - those who desire to be your followers and Your disciples - to pick up their cross and die to this life. 

I admit that I have let You down, Father. I confess that I have failed You Lord. I have forsaken my first love and forgotten the price that You paid for my soul. I have lost the joy of my salvation and caused others to stumble through my attitude and example. 

Forgive me, I pray.

Holy Spirit, remind me of Your presence all around me. Make me aware of Your power within me. Keep Your call to holiness ever before me. Focus my eyes on the path that you have called me to.

For this day forward, keep my mind on Your holiness. Let my eyes remain fixed on You. Let my ears stay tuned to Your voice alone. Let my mouth speak words that are pleasing to You. Let my heart be filled with love for You and for Your creation. And let my life bring glory and honor to You.

Amen, let it be. 

Called To Perfection

Father God, you call me to perfection - sanctification - in You. You call me to something that is far beyond what I can achieve on my own. I know that You call me to something that I an not achieve - can not attain - on my own so that I will seek You out in the desperate moments of life - moments when I am face-to-face with temptation and there seems to be no way out.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that no temptation will overtake me - only that which is common to man, and that You are faithful to me in these times - that You will not let me tempted beyond what I can bear - and that You will always provide a way so that I can stand up under the stress of these temptations that I am faced with.

Holy Spirit, fill me now. Do not allow temptation to have a grasp on me any longer. Fill me with the knowledge - like never before - that You are with me and that You have provided the strength I need to stand up under the temptations that I am faced with now - and the temptations that I will face throughout this day.

Jesus, let Your promises remain on my mind and in my heart. Lead me, once again into the perfect life that You have called me to live. When I am faced with temptation to sin, remind me that You expect me to obey You always.

Amen, let it be.

The Word of The Lord

God, Your Word states the Your Law - Your Word - is perfect and that it revives the soul (Psalm 19:7). I Lord, let Your Word be written in my mind and on my heart. Let Your Law, Your commands, and Your precepts never depart from me. Give me the wisdom to know Your ways and the strength to obey them. Great be me the respect I need for Your Word and everlasting joy as I live it out. 

Amen, let it be.