Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your word and for how Your Holy Spirit inspired the men who wrote the verses we use to draw wisdom, encouragement, and understanding of Your ways and who You are. I have always been amazed by the testimonies that are written within Your word. Help me today to learn from King David, who lived so long ago and wrote many of what we call the Psalms. Let me take command of my day and shake the evil from it.
Holy Spirit, You inspired David to write: For this cause, everyone who is godly shall pray to You. In a time when You may be found, surely in a flood of great waters, they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. [Psalm 32:6-8] Let me always lean into who You are and to seek You for my protection and for my instruction. Let me live as a living sacrifice, constantly renewing my mind with meditation on Your word and seeking wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to make my foundation solid so that the helmet of Salvation can protect my thoughts and desires to be aligned with You.
Therefore, let me not sleep as others do. But let me be alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But let me, who is of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed me to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for me, so that whether I am awake or asleep, I will live together with Him. So, I will comfort myself and edify my brothers and sisters. I will acknowledge those who labor around me, and/or are appointed over me in the Lord, and instruct me. I will esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among the members of the body of Christ. I have been exhorted to warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, and be patient toward everyone. I will not render evil for evil to anyone. But always seek to do good to others. I will rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me. I will not quench the Spirit. Nor will I despise prophecies. I will examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good. Abstain from all appearances of evil. May the very God of peace sanctify me completely. And I pray to God that my whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For I know that faithful is He who calls me, for He also will do it. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-24