Heavenly Father, I give You glory and praise for today. I praise You for the sunrise and sunset. I praise You for the air I breathe and the country I have seen and get to see. I praise You for the yellow fields of wheat, rows upon rows of corn, the sweet smell of fresh cut hay, or sawdust from fresh cut wood. I praise You for my job that allows me to be a leader and to have finances to take care of the needs my family has. I praise You for Your word and the wisdom that I can dig from it. Help me today to take command of my day and shake the evil from it.
In some name books I have found the life verse that goes with Glenn is Psalm 1:1-3—Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in its season; its leaf will not wither, and whatever he does will prosper. As I have grown in my salvation and faith over the past 43 years of my 59 and a half years of life, I can say I feel that I have dug my roots deep in the word of God. I have done my best to grow and to be strong and yet flexible. I am learning to drink deeply of the living water the Holy Spirit provides and to listen quietly as He speaks to me. I hope that I have been fruitful and productive in building the kingdom of God here on the earth. I know that, like that tree, I need to be available and usable, but it is ultimately God who uses what I offer for His glory. I also know that I have failed at times in my life to be strong when it was needed of me. God is merciful. I have relived the time of finding Philip dead in my study and wondered if I would have been more of a man of faith if God had changed the outcome. I should have prayed, I should have fully submerged myself in His Spirit, but shamefully, I did not. I went out, called 911, and then started screaming at God why, why him and not me. I was foolish. I have since come to peace with God on this, but the wonder and pondering will always be a part of who I am. Help me to dig deeper, meditate better on Your word, and stand stronger in my faith so that I do not fail like that ever again.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has given us a new birth into the living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that does not fade away, kept in heaven just for me, I am protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this I greatly rejoice, even though now, if for a little while, I have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of my faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tried by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, I still love and in whom, though I do not see Him now, I believe and I rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving as the result of my faith the salvation of my soul. [1 Peter 1:3-9]
Grace and peace will be multiplied to me through the wisdom and knowledge I gain and retain of God and of Jesus. He has given me the ability to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness through this knowledge I am learning of Him and how He sees me and the world around me so that I can learn to strive for perfection and righteousness as seen in His own glory and excellence, and through this I am learning of the blessings and precious promises He has bestowed upon me for learning and knowing. This way I can abide and partake in being a child of His and to avoid and not be influenced by this world through lust, envy, pride, rebellion, or bitterness. I will make every effort to increase virtue in my faith and that virtue to the kind of knowledge that leads to self-control. This self-control will teach me patient endurance that I need to endure this evil world and the hate of godliness. From the virtue I add to my knowledge and endurance, I will learn to demonstrate and exhibit brotherly kindness and ultimately the love of God through every part of my being. All of this growing in the knowledge of God will lead to me being useful and fruitful as I fulfill the purpose God created me for and the drive of my will to serve God and help build the kingdom. I will not forget that for this reason I was cleansed from my sins by the blood of Christ, and I am a new creation that needs to grow and be productive while I continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God. This will help me know when doubt attacks that I am God’s child and that I am doing His will so that I do not stumble and fail. For I know that God provides for me enough to live life fully and with a joy that can not be stolen, and that one day I will enter into heaven, my eternal home. May Jesus be praised and glorified for my salvation. Amen. [2 Peter 1:2-11, paraphrased to align within me]