Heavenly Father I praise You today for allowing us to have Your word to learn and grow in wisdom and our faith. I praise You for the example and preaching of Jesus Your Son. I praise You for all the testimonies of the people who went before me and had to learn to trust You and grow in faith. Help me to follow in what You told Job and take command of my morning, shaking all evil from it.
Holy Spirit help me heed Jesus's preaching and be a peacemaker so that I can be called one of Your sons. Help me to show mercy when it is needed. Let me be like Caleb and have a spirit that sets me apart and gives me the courage to stand for what is right. Let me be bold like Peter and Paul but also knowledgeable like Philip. Help me to be full of Your Spirit like Stephen so that I can forgive even if it means my death. Help me to give thanksgiving and sing with all that I am so that I bring the walls of prison down around me like Paul and Silas. Help me to trust even when I am continually put down and considered insignificant like Joseph when he was sold as a slave and then a prisoner for a crime he did not commit.
Lord, You are my shepherd, I lack nothing. You help me to rest in the open with my integrity as a blanket and You as my shield of faith. You lead me by and help me drink from the living water that flows from Your Holy Spirit. You continue to restore my soul no matter how many times I fail, I am hurt, or how much I grieve. You lead me daily on the path toward righteousness so that I can learn to be holy. You have been with me as I have walked through the valleys and even in the shadow of death a few times. How can I fear evil when You reside with me and in me? Your principles, guidelines, and desires comfort and give me guardrails to stay on the right road and not fear slipping or veering off course. You feed me daily, even though my enemies and Your enemies surround me throughout the day. You anoint me on my head and give me pure thoughts to ponder and my cup is full of life because You have restored it. I will dwell as Your living temple for the rest of my life and offer daily my life as a living sacrifice. I desire and will dwell with You now and in eternity. Because of Your Son Jesus and Your Holy Spirit within me, I give You glory, amen. [Paraphrased from 23 Psalm]