Heavenly Father, I praise You for today. I praise You for Your word, which is one of the foundations of my faith. I praise You for allowing the Holy Spirit to reside within me and to lead and teach me every day. I praise You that my faith continues to grow and that You love me enough to have patience with how slow sometimes it takes me to understand. Help me today to take every thought into captivity and to keep my focus on You and to have You take command of my day and shake the evil from it. I ask that You put a hedge of protection around my family and especially their minds so that they see You and not let evil or harm touch them today.
Holy Spirit, as I face today, I stand on the foundation of Your word to know that I have victory. Your word says: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But
he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [John 3:16-18; Romans
10:9-13; Romans 5:1-5] I know that in Revelation it tells us that one day every knee will bow before Christ and judgment will occur for the last time, and then we get to share eternity with God. Unfortunately, I am human, and I am constrained by time on this earth. My vision is limited to the view around me unless God occasionally opens my spiritual eyes to more than what my physical eyes can see. I also must constantly fend off Satan and his lies, and my doubt and pride. I am not in control of life, no matter how much I may think I am. I also live in a very sinful, hateful, vengeful, dark world where hope is laughed at. I fight my fears and insecurities and must constantly remind myself of who I am and to whom I belong. My faith rests on my belief that God is and will always be my savior, defender, and creator. That I was made in His image for a purpose and He desires a relationship with me. He knows my thoughts, my failures, my abilities, my talents, and my spirit. I have to own the words of the writer of Hebrews: But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in
this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things visible. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 6:9-12; Hebrews 11:3&6; Hebrews 12:1&2]
Let me learn to be strong and courageous in my faith and know that through Christ that I am victorious and that in the end of when I know to be time for me, God wins, so I win. Let me pray what Paul wrote so long ago: Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore, I am glad on your behalf, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:17-20)