Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with You, O God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but You will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. Then I will praise You with music on the harmonica, because You are faithful to Your promises, O my God. I will sing praises to You with string instruments, O Holy One of Israel. I will shout for joy and sing Your praises, for You have ransomed me. I will tell about Your righteous deeds all day long. [Psalm 71:19-24]
Holy Spirit I realize that I am the reason most often why I sin. According to the inspired writings of James—Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. And John wrote—If we confess our sins You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [James 1:14&15; 1 John 1:9] I need to learn to be like Daniel and purpose in my heart to not defile myself with sin from temptation. I also need to be like Caleb and develop a different spirit within me that is bold enough to face all challenges because I know without doubt that God will make me victorious of any and all enemies who seek to destroy my spirit or my righteousness.
Let me continually offer the sacrifice of praise to You, oh God, that is, the fruit of my lips, giving thanks to Your name. Help me to not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices You are well pleased. I will do my best to obey those who rule over me and be submissive for they watch out for my soul, and they will give account for how they lead. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for me. For I am confident that I have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially am urged to do this. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make me complete in every good work to do His will, working in me what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:14-21)