Our Confidence Found in the Bible

Heavenly Father I praise You for today and the availability of Your word in so many languages and translations so the wise and the simple have a chance to read and understand. I praise You for the pastors, teachers, and mentors who enlighten us to the nuances and meanings of many parts of Your word so that it is clear in our understanding and our application of it. Help me today as I pray and work to take command of my morning and shake all evil from it.

Holy Spirit You inspired John to write: He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, which is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son

of God. [1 John 5:10-13] Since 1982 I have had Christ in my life with the guidance of Your Spirit. I have grown, struggled, learned, been tested, and continued my journey with many mistakes along the way. The anchor that holds me together is this knowledge of who I believe in and why. I may never be a scholar or a theologian but I am a believer who lives with the understanding that I am a living temple where the Holy Spirit resides and goes to the throne room on my behalf to Christ who is my king and my intercessor to lay at His feet my petitions and then the Holy Spirit prompts or tells me what I need to know from Christ. I live with the guidance of the word, the testimony of the saints, and the inner workings of the Spirit within me. Continue to build wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment into who I am so that I can live fully in Your will.

Since I am receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let me be gracious, by which I may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For God, You are my consuming fire. I will perpetuate brotherly love to continue. I will not

forget to entertain strangers, knowing that at times that has meant entertaining Angels unknowingly. I will remember those who have been imprisoned around the world for their faith and join with them in prayer and solidarity. I will stand with and remember those who have been abused, berated, or beaten because of being a child of God and will identify with them no matter the cost. I will honor my marriage and keep my bed undefiled. I will let God judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. I will use money but never love it or desire it so that it never interferes with my devotion to God. I will learn to be content with what I have for I know Your word says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So that I can always boldly proclaim, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear, what can man do to me?” I will remember those who rule over me, who have proclaimed to me the word of God. I will follow their faith, considering the results it has produced in their lives. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Jesus’ name, I anchor my salvation, amen. [Hebrews 13:28-8, MEV and my paraphrase]