God Is My Everything | Daily Morning Prayers To Start Your Day

tough times and difficulties can be a blessing for each of us as children of god i say this because if you look throughout the bible many people have found themselves in troubling situations only for god to use those troubles to remind us that he is a great deliverer he is a god who saves and this should give us hope this should give us peace and joy that we are not alone when tough times come into our lives we are not forsaken you see we love to recite psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd i shall not want he makes me to lie down in green pastures he leads me beside the still waters but when the bible tells us that yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me when we read that we sometimes forget that the valley is still a place that we need to walk through yes the lord is my shepherd he will supply all of my needs and make me to lie down in green pastures but there is still a valley for me to go through and the thing about valleys is that valleys for a child of god are not an accident or some sort of mistake your time is in fact ordered by the lord there is purpose for your time in the valley every problem has its purpose valleys are there for our character development for the maturing of our faith rather than for our comfort everyone who experienced a miracle in the bible had gone through their own valley experience [Music] job lost everything but in the end he came out of that valley knowing that god can restore what was lost with a double portion those who were blind and could not see those who are sick and lame those who are paralyzed or struck with leprosy they all came out of that valley experience knowing that god is a healer so for whatever trial you're facing today i'd like to encourage you that your valley experience is there to strengthen you and not to destroy you we must recognize that christ has already won we must realize that his resurrection power is available to us as his children we must release our lives to the leadership to the council of the holy spirit we must hold on to god's promises which tell us that in all things and through all things he will be with us and finally we need to continue to stand firm in the word of god let's be rooted and anchored in his unchanging word now let us pray lord we bless your holy name because you are the god of the impossible you are able to do all things and we trust in you because you can do anything you are a god with no limitations together with everyone listening we pray and bring before you every challenge and every difficulty that we face lord we bring before you everything that is troubling us everything that is worrying us father we have faith and we believe that there is absolutely nothing for us to fear with you on our side because of this we will be strong and courageous even in hard times we will not be terrified we will not be discouraged because you are our rock our shield our strength and our hope we place our faith in you and we believe that you will see us through our valley experience god we trust in your ability and not in our own teach us to see the challenges the difficulties in our lives through the lens of faith even as we go through our valley experiences help us to grow and mature as christians help us to develop our faith and even if our emotions try and get the best of us we will remain steadfast knowing that you will never leave us nor forsake us and lord please help us to focus on you and your power instead of the problems that we face give us the strength to focus on you even in hard circumstances may the holy ghost guide us to carefully read trust and be obedient to your word your word tells us not to be anxious and not to be troubled in our hearts meaning that we do not need to figure everything out you already know the best plan for us we ask that you move in our lives lord show us your supernatural power teach us how to walk by faith and pray fervently because your word says the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much we choose to have faith in your ability to break through every obstacle we face in agreement with everyone listening to this prayer we declare deuteronomy 31 verse 6. be strong and courageous do not fear or be in dread of them for it is the lord your god who goes with you he will not leave you or forsake you in you lord we trust in you we have courage and strength even in our weakness we will boast in your strength and praise your name forever because you are with us lord jesus we will not be shaken by any valley any problem or obstacle our hearts are made glad because we know that you are on our side our hearts rejoice because we know you as savior our souls are at peace and we are secure because we believe that you lord jesus you will not abandon us so lord we will praise your name today and forevermore continue to fill us with joy continue to bless us with your presence lord i pray that you will give us strength not to fear but that you will help us to trust you in each and every situation we face we confess that our trust and our faith is in your word and in your ability to fulfill your promises be with us lord regardless of what we are going through fight for us stand beside us stand with us as we face the trials of this life i bless your name for listening to this prayer you are mighty you are powerful you are righteous and true and i thank you for hearing this prayer in jesus name amen we all experience nostalgia from time to time we've all taken out old photos reminiscing about the good old days as so many of us would call it but when does reminiscing become unhealthy where's the line between appreciating our past and longing for something we can never get back in genesis we see the perfect yet tragic example of someone who crossed that line [Music] genesis 19 verse 17 says and as they brought them out one said escape for your life do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley escape to the hills lest you be swept away in this scene god was about to destroy the land of sodom and gomorrah due to the wickedness of its residents two angels of the lord commanded lot and his family to flee and unfortunately many of us know how this story ends as they are fleeing lot's wife looks back and immediately she is turned into a pillar of salt at first this seems like a harsh punishment but lot's wife was not punished for merely turning her head no she was punished for failing to trust god she was punished for longing for and holding on to a sinful past god had provided a place of refuge for lot's wife along with a new life but she was too busy lamenting the loss of the life she was leaving behind this story shows us that if we are to follow god we must keep our eyes on him never looking back luke 9 verse 62 says jesus said to him no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of god we can never make progress when we're constantly looking behind us we can't move forward in our walk with god while our heads are turned and our gaze is fixated on the things of this world we cannot advance toward the kingdom of heaven while we're still flirting with the sin we've left behind and the bible is clear about this issue of longing for the past as ecclesiastes 7 verse 10 reads say not why were the former days better than these for it is not from wisdom that you ask this sometimes we tend to romanticize the past even if the past had many flaws we tend to over emphasize the good memories and convince ourselves that we were happier back then as a result we become discontent with our current situation we become unable to fully enjoy the blessings that god has given us right here and now philippians 3 verses 13-14 say brothers i do not consider that i have made it my own but one thing i do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead now forgetting the past can be a scary thought but we take comfort in knowing there is something better ahead so move forward press on don't return to your sinful ways which destroy your mind your body and your soul instead put all your energy into running this new race that god has set before you if your past has been marked by shame and brokenness you can trust that god will redeem it all he is always doing something new in your life he is always making a way for us so let us not be enslaved to memories of the past but rejoice in the glorious future that christ has prepared for us let us pray father god thank you for your faithfulness throughout every part of my life though the seasons change though people change and even though relationships come and go you king jesus you remain the same there has never been a day when you did not know me and love me and work all things for my good your word in isaiah 43 verses 18 through 19 say remember not the former things nor consider the things of old behold i am doing a new thing now it springs forth do you not perceive it i will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert lord do a new thing in my life do a new thing in our lives as your children you are a god who can make rivers in the desert and so you can speak life into any situation and father i thank you for bringing me out of my sinful past and giving me a better future thank you for helping me to move forward past every struggle and every mountain in my way god i thank you for all the miracles that you have performed to get me to where i am today lord i'm so grateful for all that you've done in my past and i thank you for keeping me for protecting me even before i knew you thank you for loving me lord god forgive me if ever i have longed for the past in my heart give me the wisdom to know that these thoughts are not from you lord you have broken sin's curse on me not so that i can go back to the way i was before but so that i can now walk in freedom i pray lord that whenever my mind wanders and begins to reminisce about a past where i was living in sin give me the strength to run from such thoughts lord give me the courage to walk away from the things that try to entice me may i never turn back i don't want to turn back like lot's wife did but god i want to keep pressing on with my eyes and my desires fixed on jesus lord give me the grace i need to move forward in my walk with you and to step into the calling that you've placed on my life all my efforts used to be in vain but now god you have equipped me for every good work and for amazing things in your kingdom jesus may your precious blood destroy any remaining ties that i have with my former life sever every court of sin let not even a memory of those days remain in my mind instead help me to strive for holiness help me to strive for continual growth help me to become more like you enduring all things for the joy that is set before me lord i can't comprehend all that you've done from beginning to end but already i can see the progress that you've made in my life and i am excited for all that you will continue to do father give me the freedom to develop and grow as a follower of christ help me to run the race that is set before me keeping my eyes on the prize i ask all these things in jesus name amen a prayerless christian is powerless show me a christian who prays and i'll show you a christian who's strong in this life we cannot get away from prayer and a few points that you should be mindful of when it comes to prayer are through prayer the impossible becomes possible prayer isn't optional for us as believers it's a necessity we need to pray we need to commune with god we need to seek the lord through fervent and honest prayer prayer is you not only obeying god's word which tells us to pray always and to pray without ceasing but it's us going into alignment with the life of christ when he was walking on this earth jesus prayed he prayed often he went to quiet places isolated places so that he could pray as people who believe in the gospel we need to learn from this because there must be some importance to prayer if jesus did it there must be some effectiveness to prayer if jesus did it now i believe prayer is a pillar of strength because when you are going through hard times the bible especially tells us to pray james chapter 5 verse 13 says is anyone among you in trouble let them pray is anyone unhappy let them sing songs of praise did you get that is anyone among you in trouble let them pray other translations say if anyone is suffering if anyone is in great hardship and distress let them pray why why prayer why not find a pastor and get them to pray for you why not send a prayer request online because prayer is when you as an individual go before god and humble yourself you lower yourself in recognition of god's power you go to the foot of god's throne and pray that he may have mercy on you that he may give you grace and it's here it's in your weakness that god's strength is made perfect there is power in prayer so to the believer who finds themselves in a difficult situation pray to the believer who finds themselves in the middle of an attack from the devil start praying to the believer who finds themselves feeling disappointed and frustrated pray god will come through in your darkest hour so let this verse be etched in your heart james chapter 5 verse 13 is anyone among you in trouble let them pray you see the thing about prayer is that it doesn't have to be formal or scripted you don't need to be the most eloquent speaker or articulate person in the world prayer doesn't have to be in front of an audience or the entire church it's simply about daily engagement and communication with god and as a believer grows in their relationship with the lord prayer becomes more than just a quiet time of communion it becomes an intimate connection to the one who supplies your every need it becomes a sacred time to speak to the one who provides wisdom and guidance the one who moves mountains and brings comfort in times of need even though god knows our every need before we make it known he has still commanded us to pray to pray without ceasing in fact he wants us to have that open communication with him and to rely on him no matter our circumstances now let us pray [Music] father you alone are worthy of my adoration each and every day give me a passion to seek you lord give me a passion to hunt for your presence the last thought in my mind before i sleep should be you and let my first thoughts each and every morning be you i submit to you and align my spirit to your will and purpose for my life open my ears so that they will be sensitive and receptive to your voice lord i pray that your word would not depart from my mouth but instead i will read and meditate on it day and night so that i may be careful to do everything in accordance to your will [Music] may the holy spirit help me to keep seeking things that are above where christ is seated at the right hand of god help me holy spirit to set my mind above and to keep focused on everything related to the kingdom of god help me not to conform to the things of this world help me not to be distracted by things that are on the earth which only have temporal value and for me to even do this lord i need your supernatural strength and so i declare that you lord jesus you are my source of strength that leads me to overcome the devil you lord jesus are my source of strength that leads me to walk in victory you are my source of strength that leads me to defeat sin you have said in your word that in the last days you will pour out your spirit on all flesh and so i welcome you holy spirit i invite your presence to encamp around me and to fill me help me to realize the promises of god promises for peace that surpass human understanding promises of a sound mind promises of protection i pray that you would move with me holy spirit walk with me and speak to me be the still small voice that guides me and leads me lord jesus you are ever faithful you are my hiding place at this present time i ask for your protection and covering over my life and over my family's life so lord help me to guard my heart help me to fill my heart with your word help me to be vigilant against every force of evil and every cunning lie of man help me to be in the world but not of it help me to be in this world but not to love it empower me to be a strong godly influence in this world rather than for me to be influenced by this world help me to be salt in this earth help me to be a light in the darkness guiding my friends and my family and neighbors and strangers alike to the glorious cross your word calls me in philippians 4 verse 8 to say finally brothers whatever is true whatever is honorable whatever is just whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is commendable if there is any excellence if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things lord i pray that i would not be a sponge that absorbs all the filth of this world no instead let me be like a mirror reflecting your goodness for all to see let me be like a mirror that reflects your love lord like david wrote in the psalms create in me a clean heart renew in me a right spirit i know that such a heart is pleasing to you more than sacrifices or good works you desire a heart that is broken over sin and one that humbly seeks your forgiveness i pray that the holy spirit would continuously be tugging at my heart and soul teaching me how to be obedient to the lord teaching me how to stand in faith and to fully trust in god i praise your holy name king jesus be glorified i thank you for hearing my prayer in the mighty name of jesus christ i pray amen the apostle paul has one of the most fascinating stories in the new testament paul was a highly respected jewish leader who gave orders to persecute and even kill christians but everything changed when one day on the road to damascus he came face to face with the resurrected christ jesus blinded him and after three days something miraculous happened acts 9 18 says and immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight then he rose and was baptized when jesus removed the scales from paul's eyes paul saw the world in a brand new way before he had seen christianity as vile and blasphemous now he saw the gospel as the most beautiful and glorious cause on earth reality did not change but paul's outlook did he allowed god to change the way he saw the world psalm 146 verse 8 says the lord opens the eyes of the blind the lord lifts up those who are bowed down the lord loves the righteous one fascinating thing about humanity is that two people can see the exact same thing and hear the exact same sound but will come up with very different interpretations we can see this in the church today though we are all children of god we interpret certain scriptures and even the commands of jesus in different ways [Music] differences of opinion are acceptable when it comes to some things musical preferences dress codes coffee flavors but when it comes to the gospel there is only one truth and we have to make sure that we don't miss it it is only when we ask god to restore our vision that we are able to behold the absolute truth of jesus christ on a personal note one of my main prayer requests can be found in psalm 119 verse 18 which says open my eyes that i may behold wondrous things out of your law god's way is wondrous when we come to christ he makes what is ugly to seem beautiful and what is beautiful it seems ugly we begin to hate our sin and love the commands of jesus the rest of the world scoffs at us not because they necessarily choose evil but because they simply can't see first corinthians 1 verse 18 says for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of god a correct view of god doesn't come from our own wisdom or theology it comes only when we ask him to remove the scales from our eyes and when he does we stop seeing christianity as a label or category and we begin to see it as a lifestyle we stop seeing christianity through the lens of denomination or doctrine instead we focus on the urgent gospel of jesus christ the one that needs to be preached to everyone now ephesians 4 verses 4 through 6 say there is one body and one spirit just as you are called to the one hope that belongs to your call one lord one faith one baptism one god and father of all who is over all and through all and in all when the scales in our eyes are removed christianity becomes more than an accessory more than a cross worn around our necks it becomes more than a tattoo on our arm it becomes about living to serve jesus and to testify about all the wondrous things that he has done now let us pray holy father thank you for giving me the capacity to see and appreciate the beauty of the gospel lord thank you for opening my eyes thank you for removing the scales from my eyes so that i can truly see the wonders of your glory and your grace open my eyes so that i can really see your amazing grace indeed i once was lost but now i'm found i was blind but now i see and i am only able to see your goodness because you have opened my eyes and given me understanding father only you can see the realities of this world as they truly are only you are able to tell right from wrong with perfect judgment lord jesus open my eyes and give me wisdom forgive me if my focus is on the wrong things help me not to waste my time and quarrel over minor things i pray that you would help me to see the greater picture lord help us shift our focus to the glorious and true gospel of jesus christ the gospel in which there is no room for misinterpretation or debate as your word says there is one god and one mediator the person of jesus christ help us all to grasp that reality and to stand amazed in all lord you are all powerful and all-knowing you see far beyond what i am humanly able to perceive you see every dimension every point in time all at once so help me not to question what you have spoken to be true help me not to let doubts creep in and cloud my vision lord remove the scales from my eyes help me to see clearly help me not to cloud reality with my own interpretation or my own vision of the world let my world view be completely grounded in your word help me to walk by faith and not by sight expand my view from the earthly to the heavenly give me the ability to be able to see and recognize those who are wolves in sheep's clothing these people may appear trustworthy on the outside but they are only out to deceive father don't let me fall for any of their clever words give me the ability to see the devil's true colors even as he masquerades like an angel of light temptation is strong but god you are stronger help me to fasten tightly the belt of truth so that none of satan's lies make it into my heart god help me to see the spiritual realities that aren't apparent to me help me to see things the way you want me to and not just what my sinful heart wants to believe make the gospel beautiful in my sight and make sin appear to me as the abomination that it is i want to perceive this world in the same way you do lord jesus and so father rid me of my own desires my own lenses my own preconceived biases and like paul on the road to damascus awaken in my heart a greater love for you in jesus name i pray amen [Music] we all know what it's like to procrastinate on something important perhaps it's tackling that to-do list that's sitting on your desk at work maybe it's making an overdue phone call to clear the air with someone or maybe it's simply cleaning your house now if you've ever put off cleaning for a long period of time you know how quickly everything piles up dirty laundry dirty dishes dust and even unpleasant odors can become a problem and if you don't keep up with it or keep on top of it it can turn into one giant mess pretty quickly and the same is true for our spiritual lives ecclesiastes 10 verse 18 says through sloth the roof sinks in and through indolence the house leaks do you know what this means the amplified translation offers a more descriptive picture as it reads through laziness the rafters of state affairs decay and the roof sags and through idleness the roof of the house leaks now you'll find that the bible in romans 12 verse 11 encourages us and it says never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor serving the lord the reality is that far too often we push god to the back of our minds we know that there are areas where we need to improve but we aren't moved by any sense of urgency we know we need to improve in our prayer lives but we procrastinate we know that we need to improve in our reading of god's word but once again we procrastinate our relationship with christ becomes an afterthought and the list of repairs keeps getting longer and longer that pile of dirty dishes of sin in our lives it becomes a problem however today if you proclaim to follow christ i urge you to walk with god daily don't save him for sundays only don't take him for granted don't think that you'll have tomorrow to get right with him you have access to the creator of the universe you have access to all of his grace all of his love and all of his blessings there's nothing more important in this life than knowing him and growing in him if you're spiritually asleep the devil will sneak up on you and attack you where you are most vulnerable when it comes to confidence and strength in god don't be found lacking don't be left exposed don't be found without the blood of jesus on the doorpost of your heart and your home instead stand guard at every possible point of entry stand firm in the gospel first thessalonians 5 verse 6 so then let us not sleep as others do but let us keep awake and be sober so often we just coast through life forgetting about god until we realize that we need him but it shouldn't take a struggle for god to get your attention a trial shouldn't be the only thing that brings you to your knees a problem shouldn't be the only way god will ever hear from you we are meant to seek and obey him every single day of our lives our greatest defense against the schemes of the devil is to be grounded in god's word make his word and his way a priority in your life each day saturate your mind with the gospel paul sums it up perfectly in colossians 3 verse 16. let the word of christ dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to god if we do these things then we are on our way to a vibrant and healthy spiritual life ask god to bring every flaw every failure and every area of weakness under his sovereign rule so that when the wind howls and the storm blows your house will stand firm in him let us pray heavenly father forgive me forgive me for all the times i've neglected my walk with you and for all the times that i've pushed you aside for my own selfish ambitions in your kindness you have given me the gift of eternal life and all you ask in return is my full and complete surrender yet still i fail i failed to give you the priority and the attention that you deserve so father i'm asking you to help me help me to take my walk with you seriously and intentionally [Music] help me to get my spiritual house in order if there is any part of my faith that needs attention lord give me the urgency and the desire to fix it open my eyes to the things i should be doing that will cultivate and grow my faith so often i treat you as optional to my life when you are absolutely essential lord i need you i need you in my career in my family in my home and in all my hopes and dreams without you my whole life means nothing everything i have is from you even the air i breathe is a gift from you so lord fill my heart with gratitude and by your grace let me earnestly seek to become a better servant and follower of christ help me to dwell in your word help me to be a person of prayer help me to be active in my church and in my community for the sake of the gospel help me to sacrifice my time and my gifts for the things that matter and father as i go about my life protect me from anyone and anything that might lead me astray lord cleanse me from all unrighteousness help me to be vigilant over my spiritual life and not leave any opportunity for the devil father i ask that you would help me to maintain this house with all diligence and care show me the areas in my life that are in dire need of maintenance whether it's my prayer life my scripture reading habits or my unforgiveness towards others motivate me to address these areas before they collapse inwardly and cause serious damage father help me to ultimately rely on your grace i can't fix everything myself i can't keep everything functioning as it should but you you lord are the one who is able to heal and mend every area of brokenness in my life you are the one who creates order out of chaos father i thank you i thank you that even though my life can be a mess you still love me and you're willing to help me get back on track with you in jesus name i pray and i give you thanks amen tough times and difficulties can be a blessing for each of us as children of god i say this because if you look throughout the bible many people have found themselves in troubling situations only for god to use those troubles to remind us that he is a great deliverer he is a god who saves and this should give us hope this should give us peace and joy that we are not alone when tough times come into our lives we are not forsaken you see we love to recite psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd i shall not want he makes me to lie down in green pastures he leads me beside the still waters but when the bible tells us that yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me when we read that we sometimes forget that the valley is still a place that we need to walk through yes the lord is my shepherd he will supply all of my needs and make me to lie down in green pastures but there is still a valley for me to go through and the thing about valleys is that valleys for a child of god are not an accident or some sort of mistake your time is in fact ordered by the lord there is purpose for your time in the valley every problem has its purpose valleys are there for our character development for the maturing of our faith rather than for our comfort everyone who experienced a miracle in the bible had gone through their own valley experience job lost everything but in the end he came out of that valley knowing that god can restore what was lost with a double portion those who were blind and could not see those who were sick and lame those who were paralyzed or struck with leprosy they all came out of that valley experience knowing that god is a healer so for whatever trial you're facing today i'd like to encourage you that your valley experience is there to strengthen you and not to destroy you we must recognize that christ has already won we must realize that his resurrection power is available to us as his children we must release our lives to the leadership to the council of the holy spirit we must hold on to god's promises which tell us that in all things and through all things he will be with us and finally we need to continue to stand firm in the word of god let's be rooted and anchored in his unchanging word now let us pray lord we bless your holy name because you are the god of the impossible you are able to do all things and we trust in you because you can do anything you are a god with no limitations together with everyone listening we pray and bring before you every challenge and every difficulty that we face lord we bring before you everything that is troubling us everything that is worrying us father we have faith and we believe that there is absolutely nothing for us to fear with you on our side because of this we will be strong and courageous even in hard times we will not be terrified we will not be discouraged because you are our rock our shield our strength and our hope we place our faith in you and we believe that you will see us through our valley experience god we trust in your ability and not in our own teach us to see the challenges the difficulties in our lives through the lens of faith even as we go through our valley experiences help us to grow and mature as christians help us to develop our faith and even if our emotions try and get the best of us we will remain steadfast knowing that you will never leave us nor forsake us and lord please help us to focus on you and your power instead of the problems that we face give us the strength to focus on you even in hard circumstances may the holy ghost guide us to carefully read trust and be obedient to your word your word tells us not to be anxious and not to be troubled in our hearts meaning that we do not need to figure everything out you already know the best plan for us we ask that you move in our lives lord show us your supernatural power teach us how to walk by faith and pray fervently because your word says the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much we choose to have faith in your ability to break through every obstacle we face in agreement with everyone listening to this prayer we declare deuteronomy 31 verse 6 [Music] be strong and courageous do not fear or be in dread of them for it is the lord your god who goes with you he will not leave you or forsake you in you lord we trust in you we have courage and strength even in our weakness we will boast in your strength and praise your name forever because you are with us lord jesus we will not be shaken by any valley any problem or obstacle our hearts are made glad because we know that you are on our side our hearts rejoice because we know you as savior our souls are at peace and we are secure because we believe that you lord jesus you will not abandon us so lord we will praise your name today and forevermore continue to fill us with joy continue to bless us with your presence lord i pray that you will give us strength not to fear but that you will help us to trust you in each and every situation we face we confess that our trust and our faith is in your word and in your ability to fulfill your promises be with us lord regardless of what we are going through fight for us stand beside us stand with us as we face the trials of this life i bless your name for listening to this prayer you are mighty you are powerful you are righteous and true and i thank you for hearing this prayer in jesus name amen [Music] we all experience nostalgia from time to time we've all taken out old photos reminiscing about the good old days as so many of us would call it but when does reminiscing become unhealthy where's the line between appreciating our past and longing for something we can never get back in genesis we see the perfect yet tragic example of someone who crossed that line genesis 19 verse 17 says and as they brought them out one said escape for your life do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley escape to the hills lest you be swept away in this scene god was about to destroy the land of sodom and gomorrah due to the wickedness of its residents two angels of the lord commanded lot and his family to flee and unfortunately many of us know how this story ends as they are fleeing lot's wife looks back and immediately she is turned into a pillar of salt [Music] at first this seems like a harsh punishment but lot's wife was not punished for merely turning her head no she was punished for failing to trust god she was punished for longing for and holding on to a sinful past [Music] god had provided a place of refuge for lot's wife along with a new life but she was too busy lamenting the loss of the life she was leaving behind this story shows us that if we are to follow god we must keep our eyes on him never looking back [Music] luke 9 verse 62 says jesus said to him no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of god we can never make progress when we're constantly looking behind us we can't move forward in our walk with god while our heads are turned and our gaze is fixated on the things of this world we cannot advance toward the kingdom of heaven while we're still flirting with the sin we've left behind and the bible is clear about this issue of longing for the past as ecclesiastes 7 verse 10 reads say not why were the former days better than these for it is not from wisdom that you ask this sometimes we tend to romanticize the past even if the past had many flaws we tend to over emphasize the good memories and convince ourselves that we were happier back then as a result we become discontent with our current situation we become unable to fully enjoy the blessings that god has given us right here and now [Music] philippians 3 verses 13 through 14 say brothers i do not consider that i have made it my own but one thing i do forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead now forgetting the past can be a scary thought but we take comfort in knowing there is something better ahead so move forward press on don't return to your sinful ways which destroy your mind your body and your soul instead put all your energy into running this new race that god has set before you if your past has been marked by shame and brokenness you can trust that god will redeem it all he is always doing something new in your life he is always making a way for us so let us not be enslaved to memories of the past but rejoice in the glorious future that christ has prepared for us let us pray father god thank you for your faithfulness throughout every part of my life though the seasons change though people change and even though relationships come and go you king jesus you remain the same there has never been a day when you did not know me and love me and work all things for my good your word in isaiah 43 verses 18 through 19 say remember not the former things nor consider the things of old behold i am doing a new thing now it springs forth do you not perceive it i will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert lord do a new thing in my life do a new thing in our lives as your children [Music] you are a god who can make rivers in the desert and so you can speak life into any situation and father i thank you for bringing me out of my sinful past and giving me a better future [Music] thank you for helping me to move forward past every struggle and every mountain in my way god i thank you for all the miracles that you have performed to get me to where i am today lord i'm so grateful for all that you've done in my past and i thank you for keeping me for protecting me even before i knew you thank you for loving me lord god forgive me if ever i have longed for the past in my heart give me the wisdom to know that these thoughts are not from you lord you have broken sins curse on me not so that i can go back to the way i was before but so that i can now walk in freedom i pray lord that whenever my mind wanders and begins to reminisce about a past where i was living in sin give me the strength to run from such thoughts lord give me the courage to walk away from the things that try to entice me may i never turn back i don't want to turn back like lot's wife did but god i want to keep pressing on with my eyes and my desires fixed on jesus lord give me the grace i need to move forward in my walk with you and to step into the calling that you've placed on my life all my efforts used to be in vain but now god you have equipped me for every good work and for amazing things in your kingdom jesus may your precious blood destroy any remaining ties that i have with my former life sever every court of sin let not even a memory of those days remain in my mind instead help me to strive for holiness help me to strive for continual growth help me to become more like you enduring all things for the joy that is set before me lord i can't comprehend all that you've done from beginning to end but already i can see the progress that you've made in my life and i am excited for all that you will continue to do father give me the freedom to develop and grow as a follower of christ help me to run the race that is set before me keeping my eyes on the prize i ask all these things in jesus name amen [Music] a prayerless christian is powerless show me a christian who prays and i'll show you a christian who's strong in this life we cannot get away from prayer and a few points that you should be mindful of when it comes to prayer are through prayer the impossible becomes possible prayer isn't optional for us as believers it's a necessity we need to pray we need to commune with god we need to seek the lord through fervent and honest prayer prayer is you not only obeying god's word which tells us to pray always and to pray without ceasing but it's us going into alignment with the life of christ when he was walking on this earth jesus prayed he prayed often he went to quiet places isolated places so that he could pray as people who believe in the gospel we need to learn from this because there must be some importance to prayer if jesus did it there must be some effectiveness to prayer if jesus did it now i believe prayer is a pillar of strength because when you are going through hard times the bible especially tells us to pray james chapter 5 verse 13 says is anyone among you in trouble let them pray is anyone unhappy let them sing songs of praise did you get that is anyone among you in trouble let them pray other translations say if anyone is suffering if anyone is in great hardship and distress let them pray why why prayer why not find a pastor and get them to pray for you why not send a prayer request online because prayer is when you as an individual go before god and humble yourself you lower yourself in recognition of god's power you go to the foot of god's throne and pray that he may have mercy on you that he may give you grace and it's here it's in your weakness that god's strength is made perfect there is power in prayer so to the believer who finds themselves in a difficult situation pray to the believer who finds themselves in the middle of an attack from the devil start praying to the believer who finds themselves feeling disappointed and frustrated pray god will come through in your darkest hour so let this verse be etched in your heart james chapter 5 verse 13 is anyone among you in trouble let them pray you see the thing about prayer is that it doesn't have to be formal or scripted you don't need to be the most eloquent speaker or articulate person in the world prayer doesn't have to be in front of an audience or the entire church it's simply about daily engagement and communication with god and as a believer grows in their relationship with the lord prayer becomes more than just a quiet time of communion it becomes an intimate connection to the one who supplies your every need it becomes a sacred time to speak to the one who provides wisdom and guidance the one who moves mountains and brings comfort in times of need even though god knows our every need before we make it known he has still commanded us to pray to pray without ceasing in fact he wants us to have that open communication with him and to rely on him no matter our circumstances now let us pray [Music] father you alone are worthy of my adoration each and every day give me a passion to seek you lord give me a passion to hunt for your presence the last thought in my mind before i sleep should be you and let my first thoughts each and every morning be you i submit to you and align my spirit to your will and purpose for my life open my ears so that they will be sensitive and receptive to your voice lord i pray that your word would not depart from my mouth but instead i will read and meditate on it day and night so that i may be careful to do everything in accordance to your will may the holy spirit help me to keep seeking things that are above where christ is seated at the right hand of god help me holy spirit to set my mind above and to keep focused on everything related to the kingdom of god help me not to conform to the things of this world help me not to be distracted by things that are on the earth which only have temporal value and for me to even do this lord i need your supernatural strength and so i declare that you lord jesus you are my source of strength that leads me to overcome the devil you lord jesus are my source of strength that leads me to walk in victory you are my source of strength that leads me to defeat sin you have said in your word that in the last days you will pour out your spirit on all flesh and so i welcome you holy spirit i invite your presence to encamp around me and to fill me help me to realize the promises of god promises for peace that surpass human understanding promises of a sound mind promises of protection i pray that you would move with me holy spirit walk with me and speak to me be the still small voice that guides me and leads me lord jesus you are ever faithful you are my hiding place at this present time i ask for your protection and covering over my life and over my family's life so lord help me to guard my arm help me to fill my heart with your word help me to be vigilant against every force of evil and every cunning lie of man help me to be in the world but not of it help me to be in this world but not to love it empower me to be a strong godly influence in this world rather than for me to be influenced by this world help me to be salt in this earth help me to be a light in the darkness guiding my friends and my family and neighbors and strangers alike to the glorious cross your word calls me in philippians 4 verse 8 to say finally brothers whatever is true whatever is honorable whatever is just whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is commendable if there is any excellence if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things lord i pray that i would not be a sponge that absorbs all the filth of this world no instead let me be like a mirror reflecting your goodness for all to see let me be like a mirror that reflects your love lord like david wrote in the psalms create in me a clean heart renew in me a right spirit i know that such a heart is pleasing to you more than sacrifices or good works you desire a heart that is broken over sin and one that humbly seeks your forgiveness i pray that the holy spirit would continuously be tugging at my heart and soul teaching me how to be obedient to the lord teaching me how to stand in faith and to fully trust in god i praise your holy name king jesus be glorified i thank you for hearing my prayer in the mighty name of jesus christ i pray amen [Music] the apostle paul has one of the most fascinating stories in the new testament paul was a highly respected jewish leader who gave orders to persecute and even kill christians but everything changed when one day on the road to damascus he came face to face with the resurrected christ jesus blinded him and after three days something miraculous happened acts 9 18 says and immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight then he rose and was baptized when jesus removed the scales from paul's eyes paul saw the world in a brand new way before he had seen christianity as vile and blasphemous now he saw the gospel as the most beautiful and glorious cause on earth reality did not change but paul's outlook did he allowed god to change the way he saw the world psalm 146 verse 8 says the lord opens the eyes of the blind the lord lifts up those who are bowed down the lord loves the righteous one fascinating thing about humanity is that two people can see the exact same thing and hear the exact same sound but will come up with very different interpretations we can see this in the church today though we are all children of god we interpret certain scriptures and even the commands of jesus in different ways differences of opinion are acceptable when it comes to some things musical preferences dress codes coffee flavors but when it comes to the gospel there is only one truth and we have to make sure that we don't miss it it is only when we ask god to restore our vision that we are able to behold the absolute truth of jesus christ on a personal note one of my main prayer requests can be found in psalm 119 verse 18 which says open my eyes that i may behold wondrous things out of your law god's way is wondrous when we come to christ he makes what is ugly to seem beautiful and what is beautiful it seems ugly we begin to hate our sin and love the commands of jesus the rest of the world scoffs at us not because they necessarily choose evil but because they simply can't see first corinthians 1 verse 18 says for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of god a correct view of god doesn't come from our own wisdom or theology it comes only when we ask him to remove the scales from our eyes and when he does we stop seeing christianity as a label or category and we begin to see it as a lifestyle we stop seeing christianity through the lens of denomination or doctrine instead we focus on the urgent gospel of jesus christ the one that needs to be preached to everyone now ephesians 4 verses 4 through 6 say there is one body and one spirit just as you are called to the one hope that belongs to your call one lord one faith one baptism one god and father of all who is over all and through all and in all when the scales in our eyes are removed christianity becomes more than an accessory more than a cross worn around our necks it becomes more than a tattoo on our arm it becomes about living to serve jesus and to testify about all the wondrous things that he has done now let us pray holy father thank you for giving me the capacity to see and appreciate the beauty of the gospel lord thank you for opening my eyes thank you for removing the scales from my eyes so that i can truly see the wonders of your glory and your grace open my eyes so that i can really see your amazing grace indeed i once was lost but now i'm found i was blind but now i see and i am only able to see your goodness because you have opened my eyes and given me understanding father only you can see the realities of this world as they truly are only you are able to tell right from wrong with perfect judgment lord jesus open my eyes and give me wisdom forgive me if my focus is on the wrong things help me not to waste my time and quarrel over minor things i pray that you would help me to see the greater picture lord help us shift our focus to the glorious and true gospel of jesus christ the gospel in which there is no room for misinterpretation or debate as your word says there is one god and one mediator the person of jesus christ help us all to grasp that reality and to stand amazed in awe lord you are all powerful and all-knowing you see far beyond what i am humanly able to perceive you see every dimension every point in time all at once so help me not to question what you have spoken to be true help me not to let doubts creep in and cloud my vision lord remove the scales from my eyes help me to see clearly help me not to cloud reality with my own interpretation or my own vision of the world let my worldview be completely grounded in your word help me to walk by faith and not by sight expand my view from the earthly to the heavenly give me the ability to be able to see and recognize those who are wolves in sheep's clothing these people may appear trustworthy on the outside but they are only out to deceive [Music] father don't let me fall for any of their clever words give me the ability to see the devil's true colors even as he masquerades like an angel of light [Music] temptation is strong but god you are stronger help me to fasten tightly the belt of truth so that none of satan's lies make it into my heart god help me to see the spiritual realities that aren't apparent to me [Music] help me to see things the way you want me to and not just what my sinful heart wants to believe make the gospel beautiful in my sight and make sin appear to me as the abomination that it is i want to perceive this world in the same way you do lord jesus and so father rid me of my own desires my own lenses my own preconceived biases and like paul on the road to damascus awaken in my heart a greater love for you in jesus name i pray amen [Music] we all know what it's like to procrastinate on something important perhaps it's tackling that to-do list that's sitting on your desk at work maybe it's making an overdue phone call to clear the air with someone or maybe it's simply cleaning your house now if you've ever put off cleaning for a long period of time you know how quickly everything piles up dirty laundry dirty dishes dust and even unpleasant odors can become a problem and if you don't keep up with it or keep on top of it it can turn into one giant mess pretty quickly and the same is true for our spiritual lives ecclesiastes 10 verse 18 says through sloth the roof sinks in and through indolence the house leaks do you know what this means the amplified translation offers a more descriptive picture as it reads through laziness the rafters of state affairs decay and the roof sags and through idleness the roof of the house leaks now you'll find that the bible in romans 12 verse 11 encourages us and it says never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor serving the lord the reality is that far too often we push god to the back of our minds we know that there are areas where we need to improve but we aren't moved by any sense of urgency we know we need to improve in our prayer lives but we procrastinate we know that we need to improve in our reading of god's word but once again we procrastinate our relationship with christ becomes an afterthought and the list of repairs keeps getting longer and longer that pile of dirty dishes of sin in our lives it becomes a problem however today if you proclaim to follow christ i urge you to walk with god daily don't save him for sundays only don't take him for granted don't think that you'll have tomorrow to get right with him you have access to the creator of the universe you have access to all of his grace all of his love and all of his blessings there's nothing more important in this life than knowing him and growing in him if you're spiritually asleep the devil will sneak up on you and attack you where you are most vulnerable when it comes to confidence and strength in god don't be found lacking don't be left exposed don't be found without the blood of jesus on the doorpost of your heart and your home instead stand guard at every possible point of entry stand firm in the gospel first thessalonians 5 verse 6 so then let us not sleep as others do but let us keep awake and be sober so often we just coast through life forgetting about god until we realize that we need him but it shouldn't take a struggle for god to get your attention a trial shouldn't be the only thing that brings you to your knees a problem shouldn't be the only way god will ever hear from you we are meant to seek and obey him every single day of our lives our greatest defense against the schemes of the devil is to be grounded in god's word make his word and his way a priority in your life each day saturate your mind with the gospel paul sums it up perfectly in colossians 3 verse 16. let the word of christ dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to god if we do these things then we are on our way to a vibrant and healthy spiritual life ask god to bring every flaw every failure and every area of weakness under his sovereign rule so that when the wind howls and the storm blows your house will stand firm in him [Music] let us pray heavenly father forgive me forgive me for all the times i've neglected my walk with you and for all the times that i've pushed you aside for my own selfish ambitions in your kindness you have given me the gift of eternal life and all you ask in return is my full and complete surrender yet still i fail i fail to give you the priority and the attention that you deserve so father i'm asking you to help me help me to take my walk with you seriously and intentionally help me to get my spiritual house in order if there is any part of my faith that needs attention lord give me the urgency and the desire to fix it open my eyes to the things i should be doing that will cultivate and grow my faith so often i treat you as optional to my life when you are absolutely essential lord i need you i need you in my career in my family in my home and in all my hopes and dreams without you my whole life means nothing everything i have is from you even the air i breathe is a gift from you so lord fill my heart with gratitude and by your grace let me earnestly seek to become a better servant and follower of christ help me to dwell in your word help me to be a person of prayer help me to be active in my church and in my community for the sake of the gospel help me to sacrifice my time and my gifts for the things that matter and father as i go about my life protect me from anyone and anything that might lead me astray lord cleanse me from all unrighteousness help me to be vigilant over my spiritual life and not leave any opportunity for the devil father i ask that you would help me to maintain this house with all diligence and care show me the areas in my life that are in dire need of maintenance whether it's my prayer life my scripture reading habits or my unforgiveness towards others motivate me to address these areas before they collapse inwardly and cause serious damage father help me to ultimately rely on your grace i can't fix everything myself i can't keep everything functioning as it should but you you lord are the one who is able to heal and mend every area of brokenness in my life you are the one who creates order out of chaos father i thank you i thank you that even though my life can be a mess you still love me and you're willing to help me get back on track with you in jesus name i pray and i give you thanks amen [Music] so [Music] you

Channel: Grace For Purpose Prayers

Views: 178,578

Rating: 4.8753381 out of 5

Keywords: Meditation, Christian, Sleep, Relaxation, Godly, Meditate, Abide, Peaceful, Scriptures

Id: W-c5lhxWeak

Length: 90min 56sec (5456 seconds)

Published: Sat Aug 14 2021