Year End

Lord, as this year draws to a close, teach me how precious time is.  Let me never put off till tomorrow those words of love and forgiveness that I need to say today.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 31 December)

Lord, I look forward to the new year, and all the blessings it will bring.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 31 December, adapted)

Thank you, Lord, for all you did this year ... and all you will do in the next. (Joni Eareckson Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 31 December)

I give thanks that all my needs are being met - emotional, spiritual, and physical.  I live in peaceful harmony - body, mind, and soul.  (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 23 December)

Hear my prayer and come to save me.

Lord, help me find and share the positive in any situation.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 25 December)

Lord, thank You for this day and all it offers.  I am at peace.  (The Promise of a New Day, 22 December, adapted)

Suggest all my decisions.

Keep me from sinful ways.

Lord, may I heed the danger signals that you send.  (Food For Thought, 23 December)

Help us to see that in doing Your will our lives will not only be blessed, but they will be abundant.  (Moravian Daily Texts - 2001, 22 December)

Holiday Prayer

God, help me enjoy and cherish this holiday.  If my situation is less than ideal, help me take what's good and let go of the rest.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 25 December)

Thank You, Lord, for satisfying my needs and helping me grow old gracefully.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 14 December)

What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the king, whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary!

 

Help me, Lord, to have courage and determination to face even seemingly insurmountable odds.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 17 December)

Lord, let me not ask more of others, than I do of myself.  (REH)

Billy Graham in Day by Day, 23 December

To Christians the joy of Christmas is not limited to His birth.  It is built even more on the triumph of His death and resurrection -- that gave meaning to His birth.  The mysterious spirit of generosity which possesses us at Christmas is the afterglow of Calvary.  The fact of the cross illuminates this day and hallows it.  As we exchange our gifts, let us remember that they are symbolic of the unspeakable gift of God's love.  I do not believe that Christians should be giving expensive gifts to each other.  We should quietly give simple little gifts that are expressions of our love and devotion to the recipients.  These gifts become symbolic of the gift of God's love.  How much money could be saved and invested in the Kingdom of God by thousands of Christian families every year if the true meaning of Christmas was observed.

Let me be generous in my judgment of others.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 11th day)

I pray that You will direct my concentration.  (Food for Thought, 18 December)

Make me gentle, Lord, with my loved ones.  (God's Minute, 18 December)

Make me brave to face all the changes in my life.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 12th day)

Teach me to listen, O Lord.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 11 December)

Forgive me, Lord, for this I pray, the wrong that I have done today.  May peace with God and neighbor be, before I sleep, restored to me.  (Moravian Daily Texts - 2001, 10 December)

Support me in time of temptation.  (Brooke Foss Westcott)

Help me to do Your work with good courage.  (Brooke Foss Westcott)

Thank You, Lord, for this day!

Teach me to listen that I might be a blessing to others.

Show me how to nourish myself for my good and the good of others.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 9 December)

Inspire me, O Lord, to accomplish more and worry less.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 7 December)

God, thank You for the many blessings bestowed upon our family.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 38, 7 December)

Son of God, who didst marvellous things of old; be favorable in our day also.  (Early Schottish Prayer)

Keep me from looking elsewhere for initiative, O Holy Spirit, when I should do something constructive myself.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 9 December)

Lord, help me to use my program to restore myself to a reasonable and secure frame of mind.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 2 December)

Stop me when I want to boast about my accomplishments.

Teach me to be faithful to the tasks you assign to me.  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 6 December)

Lord, forgive me, day by day, debts I cannot hope to pay, duties I have left undone, evils I have failed to shun.  (Moravian Daily Texts - 2001, 1 December)

Help me recognize and accept my limitations, O Lord.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 5 December)

God help keep me on the course that will change my life for the better.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 4 December)

Start the day in prayer knowing that your prayer invites God to walk through your day with you.  (What Would Jesus Do?, 5 December, adapted)

O Lord, help me!

Help me to give whatever I can, whenever I can.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 3 December)

 

Advent Prayer

O Lord, as Christmas draws near, there are so many things to do and I lose patience so easily.  Let me not allow the trials of these days to rob my peace.  Help me to see them as opportunities for greater efforts to be charitable.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 13 December)

Abraham Lincoln said

We on our side, are praying to Him to give us victory, because we believe we are right; but those on the other side pray to Him too, for victory, believing they are right.  What must He think of us?

God, give me the courage and strength to see clearly.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 24 Jul)

Calm me, Lord.

Lord, help me to cherish my children for who they are, not for what I expect them to be.  And, let me support their dreams, too, through all their seasons of change.  (Linda Ching Sledge in Guideposts, 13 Aug 1994)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Whatever you do, do not make all your prayers into the form of asking God for something.  The prayer of thanksgiving is much more powerful.  (Norman Vincent Peale, Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 11 December)

God bless me with a keen sense of humor.

Thank You, Lord, for guiding me through the storms of life.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 29 November)

Thank You, Lord, for the sheer joy of sleep when I'm terribly tired.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 1 December)

 

Some prayers are followed by silence because they are wrong, others because they are bigger than one can understand.  It will be a wonderful moment for some of us when we stand before God and find that the prayers we clamored for in early days and imagined were never answered, have been answered in the most amazing way, and that God's silence has been the sign of the answer.  (Oswald Chambers, Daily Thoughts for Disciples, p. 75)

Heavenly Father, I ask for Your blessing.

Lord Jesus, let me find a quiet place where I may pray and gain perspective.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 3 December)

I give thanks for my body, however sagging and worn, which insists on continuing for at least another day.  (Today's Gift, 28 November, adapted)

Lord Jesus, I know that apart from You I can do nothing of lasting value.  Help me to come to the end of self and allow You to control the reins of my life.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 28 November)

Eliza M. Hickok

I know not by what methods rare,
But this I know: God answers prayer.
I know not if the blessing sought
Will come in just the quise I thought.
I leave my prayer to Him alone
Whose will is wiser than my own.
 

Christmas Season Prayer

God of wisdom, help us to see through all of the distractions of this season, so that we might wait only for you.  May we not seek our salvation in the mad rush of commercialism, but in the quietness of your presense with us each and every day.  (Moravian Daily Texts - 2001, 7 December)

Lord, I seek the blessing of a joyful heart, the gladness of a happy countenance, and the delight of Your eternal pleasure today.  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 28 November)

Author of all life, give me the strength to face the challenges of this day.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 28 November)

Rid my heart of all vain anxieties and paralyzing fears.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 29th day)

Deliver me from fretfulness.

Enable me to live so as to not spoil a single day or grieve a single heart by deeds that may never be undone, or words that may never be recalled.  (God's Minute, 27 November, adapted)

Your power in my life, God, is greater than suffering's grip can ever be.  Help me to believe that.  Help me to live it.  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 21 November)

Help me to give love freely today.

I pray that my thoughts will no longer get trapped in the past.

Remind me how important it is to listen to Your still small voice at every moment of the day, God.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 3 December)

 

Lord, accept our prayers and petitions as the first fruit of our day.

Help me open myself to healing in all areas of my life.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 23 November, adapted)

God, you're up all night.  You can worry about it.  I need to get some sleep.  (Mary S. in A Woman's Spirit, 21 November)

Help us to live in such a way, Holy Spirit, that hardships do not throw us for a loss.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 21 November)

Another Viewpoint on Arrow Prayers

Offer ejaculatory petitions.  Often send up brief, unspoken petitions.  "A single cry for strength against sudden temptation or help in immediate work, a word of intercession for another, of thanksgiving, or joyful communion."  You will thus acquire the habit of "praying always." (Eph. 6:18)  Stonewall Jackson, asked about praying without ceasing, said, "I never raise a glass of water to my lips without asking God's blessing, nor seal a letter without putting a word of prayer under the seal, nor take a letter from the post without a brief sending of my thought heavenward, nor change my classes without a minute's petition on the cadets who come in."  [He was asked,] "don't you sometimes forget to do this?" [He replied,] "I scarcely can say that I do.  The habit has become as fixed as breathing."   (Abbie C. Morrow in Daily Meditations for Prayer, 18 November)

More About Arrow Prayers

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thess. 5:17)

We miss very much devotional joy, by the neglect of fragmentary prayer.  In the intervals which separate periodical seasons of devotion, we need a habit of offering up brief ejaculatory expressions of devout feeling.  The morning and the evening sacrifice depend very much upon these interspersed offerings, as these in return are dependent on those.  Communion with God in both, is assisted by linking the "set times" together by a chain of heavenward thoughts and aspirations, in the breaks which occur in our labors and amusements.  Sunrise and sunset may attract our attention more strongly than the succession of golden rays between them, but who can say that they are more cheering?  (Austin Phelps, found in "Daily Meditations for Prayer, 17 May)

Arrow Prayers

"I will direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up."  (Psalm 5:3)

If we merely read our English version, and want an explanation of these two sentences, we find it in the figure of an archer, "I will direct my prayer unto Thee."  I will put my prayer upon the bow, I will direct it toward heaven, and then when I have shot my arrow I will look up to see where it has gone. 

But the Hebrew has a still fuller meaning than this -- "I will direct my prayer."  It is the word that is used for the laying in order of the wood and the pieces of the victim upon the altar, and it is used also for putting of the shewbread upon the table.  I will lay it out upon the altar in the morning just as the priest lays out the morning sacrifice.  "I will marshall up my prayers," I will put them in order, call up all my powers, and bid them stand in their proper places, that I may pray with all my might and pray acceptably.  "And will look up" or as the Hebrew might better be translated, 'I will look out,' I will look out for the answer.

(Charles H. Spurgeon quoted in, "Daily Meditations for Prayer, 17 January)

O Lord, let me treat others with the same consideration that I expect them to show me.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 26 November)

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of creation, the fragrance of flowers, the singing of birds, the warmth of the sun, and the savor of good food.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 26 November)

I pray for each one of those near and dear to me, and ask that You keep them, and defend them from all evil.  (God's Minute, 26 November, adapted)

O Lord, let me always treat my body as a gift from You.  May I give up those things that harm the health of my body and do those things that promote its well-being.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 25 November)

Keep me Lord, on Your path.

 

Thanksgiving Day

You bring us such abundance almighty God.  On this Thanksgiving Day, may our hearts be completely consecrated to Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that through Him our life will show our gratitude to You.  Amen.

When I feel a critical thought go through my mind today, I pray for the willingness to look at my own attitude and leave the judging to you.  (This New Day, 24 April)

I pray for (say topic or name of a person) today!

Lord, when I seek to become centered, let it be in Thee, not in my "self".  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 15th day, adapted by REH)

Let me keep in mind how uncertain is my hold upon my bodily life.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 15th day)

Give me strength to be patient with those4 I meet today.

Lord, help me to make the most of this day.  Teach me to live a full life, and to do everything in my power to please you.  Bless my life, Father, and make me a blessing in the lives of others.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 13 November)

I pray to remember to attend to first things first.  (One Day at a Time, 19 November)

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.  (Proverbs 27:1)

 

The Secret of Prayer

The secret of prayer is to find the process that will most effectively open your mind humbly to God.  So experiment with fresh prayer formulas.  Practice new skills and get new insights.

Anonymous

Nothing is discussed more and practiced less, than prayer.

I pray for the wisdom to distinguish between appetite and hunger.  (Food For Thought, 19 November)

Lord, help me to set a good example.

Help me keep my body fit and healthy.

Lord, help me to make the most of this day.  Teach me to live a full life, and to do everything in my power to please You.  Bless my life, Father, and make me a blessing in the lives of others.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 13 November)

Lord Jesus, heal me from the inside out.  Get to the heart of the matter in my life, and show me the better way. ... the best way!  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 18 September)

God, thank you for each moment of quiet and reflection in my life.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 15 November)

Thank you, Lord, for the valuable lessons of life that usually result after periods of intense inner struggle. (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 27 October)

Lord, hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away.

Lord, forgive me day by day, debts I cannot hope to pay, duties I have left undone, evils I have failed to shun.

 

Certain thoughts are prayers.  There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.  (Victor Hugo quoted in What Would Jesus Do? 17 November)

O Lord, You are my all.  Guide me through the dark valleys of my life; lead me to Your verdant pasture.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 11 November)

When physical afflicitions come into my life may they draw me closer to You.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 1 November)

Thank you, Lord, for the power available to me through prayer.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 12 October)

 

May all remnants of negativity be burned from my heart so that the purity of love can burst forth in joy.  (Joan Borysenko, Pocketful of Miracles, 2 November)

Grant unto us the strength we need to overcome temptation, and to be brave and cheerful amid the trials and sorrows of life.  (God's Minute, 8 November)

Dear Lord, what would You have me do?  What would You have me say?  (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 7 November)

Lord, help me to meditate upon my own death.  Let me do so not in a morbid fascination or fatalism, but rather in recognition that in death I come home to You.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 14 November)

Lord, teach me humility and grace.  Put my life into perspective, so that I might live as I ought to.

Thank you, Lord, for Your loving kindness to such an undeserving person as myself.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 13 November)

The Desert Fathers

There is no effort comparable with prayer to God.  When you undertake any other good work, and persevere in it, you gain rest.  But prayer is a battle all the way to the last breath.  (The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, 14 November)

Increase my appreciation, O Lord, of the marvelous way in which You create and sustain all things.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 9, 13 November)

I need Your guidelines in my life, Lord. (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 13 November)

Hear me, and help me, I pray.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

My faith is small, but God, You are my strength.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 10 November)

Lord, make me patient, loving, thoughtful and helpful.  (God's Minute, 10 November)

Moravian Daily Texts 2001 - 12 November

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies; Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour of the day, and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light; Lord of all to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

Veteran's Day 2004

America the beautiful
May it always stay that way --
But to keep "Old Glory" flying
There's a price that we must pay...
For everything worth having
Demands work and sacrifice,
And freedom is a gift from God
That commands the highest price...
For all our wealth and progress
Are as worthless as can be
Without the faith that made us great
And kept our country free...
Nor can our nation hope to live
Unto itself alone,
For the problems of our neighbors
Must today become our own...
So in these times of crisis
Let us offer no resistance
In giving help to those who need
Our strength and our assistance --
And the stars and stripes forever
Will remain a symbol of
A rich and mighty nation
Built on faith and truth and love.

Helen Steiner Rice

 

May Your peace, O Jesus Christ, dwell within us, be expressed in our daily lives, and bring us closer to one another.  (Moravian Daily Texts 2001, 4 November)

May I be satisfied with enough.

Lord help me to keep my wits about me in every situation.  Help me to avoid doing things which make me less than You want me to be.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 5 November)

We thank You for the day that is before us, with its opportunities, its privileges, its unexpected pleasures, and its disappointments as well.  (God's Minute, 7 November)

From Billy Graham's "Unto the Hills" - 10 November

Abraham Lincoln said, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.  My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day."  (Billy Graham's comment.)  Would that our leadership were as humble today!

Some Authors and Books I Like

There are a number of authors whose books I have found particularly helpful.   Most of these books are designed for daily reading, with one page devoted to each day of the year.  Some of the books were written for people with substance abuse and codependency issues.  If you don't have these issues don't be put off from investigating the books.  The discussions of the Twelve Step philosophy found in these books can be very helpful to anyone who is working on self improvement.

Guideposts, The One Year Bible (TLB)

Iyanla Vanzant (Any book by this author.  Her books are written mostly for African American women.  There are two of her later books, which I am aware of, which are addressed to African American men.  No matter whether you fit the intended audience for the books or not they should work for anyone, that is to say, whenever she says "woman" just substitute "man" and where she mentions "race" just plug in your own ethnicity.  It works for me and I think it will work for you.)  I particularly like: Until Today!; Faith in the Valley; and Acts of Faith.  If you know anyone with relationship problems I recommend, In the Meantime.

Melody Beattie (Most books by this author.)  The Language of Letting Go; Codependents' Guide to the Twelve Steps

Norman Vincent Peale (Any book by this author)  Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year

Hazelden Series (Any book in this series of daily devotion/meditation books.)  Food For Thought is particular good if you have problems with overeating or obesity.

H. Norman Wright, Quiet Times for Couples; Quiet Times for Parents

The One Year Book of Personal Prayer

The Catholic Church, Shorter Christian Prayer

John Baillie, (A small book with a page of  prayer for morning and evening of each day of the month.)  A Diary of Private Prayer

Oswald Chambers(A Christian classic), My Utmost for His Highest

William C. Creasy (He is the translator of this version of this Christian Classic.  There are other versions.  I found his translation to be easy to read and comprehend.)  The Imitation of Christ - A Timeless Classic for Contemporary Readers, written by Thomas 'a Kempis. 

John Baillie

Dear Father, take this day's life into Thine own keeping.  Control all my thoughts and feelings.  Direct all my energies.  Instrust my mind.  Sustain my will.  Take my hands and make them skilful to serve Thee.  Take my feet and make them swift to do Thy bidding.  Take my eyes and keep them fixed upon Thine everlasting beauty.  Take my mouth and make it eloquent in testimony to Thy love.  Make this day a day of obedience, a day of spiritual joy and peace.  Make this day's work a little part of the work of the Kingdom of my Lord Christ in whose name these my prayers are said.  Amen.  (A Diary of Daily Prayer, 9th day)

Isaiah 55:8-9

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my way," declares the Lord.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Almighty God, how glorious are my thoughts of You, for You are everywhere -- loving and caring for the minutest details of our lives!  (What Would Jesus Do? 8 November)

I give thanks to God that I am still alive.  (Joan Borysenko, Pocketful of Miracles, 31 October)

In all things give me the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that I may serve and please You, Heavenly Father.  (God's Minute, 8 October)

Strengthen my faith!  (God's Minute, 11 October)

Be with us this day, O God! (God's Minute, 8 October)

I know that I do plenty of silly things, O Lord.  Help me to stop being foolish, and empower me to use the mind and body that you have given me for good works.  Let me see the errors I make, so that I do not repeat them.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 6 November)

Accountability

Help me strive for personal accountability.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 4 November)

May I always appreciate Your gift of good health, Lord.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 4 November)

Give me the strength to resist, patience to endure, and constancy to persevere.  (Thomas a' Kempis)

I delight in knowing, Lord Jesus, that there is nothing in my life that is incapable of being changed through Your redemptive power.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 4 November)

Lord, I'm really concerned about this problem, but I'm going to give it to You.  I will rest in the confidence that You are working even though I don't know the outcome.  I give my problem to You, and I anticipate Your peace in my life.  (H. Norman Wright, Quiet Times for Couples, 4 November)

I pray that I may be ready to accept Your spiritual gifts.  (Food For Thought, 31 October)

Enlighten me, O Holy Spirit, so that I may recognize and overcome my own shortcomings.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol . 9, 31 October)

 

May I replace my negative feelings with those of love, compassion and gratitude. Help me to remember that resentment allows a person to "live rent-free in my mind."  (This New Day, 16 November)

Election Day - 2 Nov 2004

Thank you for blessings of liberty, Lord of the nations.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 2 November)

Lord, when I do all that I can make me secure in that knowledge.  When I am doing less, help me to see ways to improve and grow.  Help me to handle insults with grace, and let me not be troubled by comments which are not true.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 1 November)

We come to you, our Father, with thoughts and thanks and praise, for your abundant mercy, and all your love and grace; we praise you for your goodness and for your loving care, for daily showers of blessing, for answers to our prayers.  (Moravian Daily Texts 2001, 1 November)

17th Century Scottish Prayer

From ghoulies and ghosties and long legged beasties and things that go bump in the night, may the good Lord deliver us.

Francios Fenelon

Even if no command to pray had existed, our very weakness would have suggested it.

Pass me not O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others thou art smiling, do no pass me by.

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my Father's throne, make all my wants and wishes known!

 

I fully am persuaded and joyfully declare, I'm never left unaided, my Father hears my prayers.

Thank you, Lord, for the assurance that the past is settled and the present and future are in Your hands.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 8 October)

Thank you, Lord, for enabling me to be at peace with myself and with others.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God,  23 October)

 

Sir Richard Chichester

Day by day, day by day,  O dear Lord, three things I pray: To see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day.

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer!

Frederick Denison Maurice

The Lord's Prayer may be committed to memory quickly, but it is slowly learnt by heart.

The things, good Lord, that we pray for, give us the grace to labour for.  (St. Thomas More)

Lord, ... I am discouraged, take away the blindness of my wavering faith.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 25 October)

God, help me be emotionally present in the relationships I choose to be in.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 25 June)

O Lord, give me the courage to use tough love when that is what loved ones need.  Help me to challenge them when I see they are involved in self-destructive behavior.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 28 October)

Help me to see beyond the negatives in my life.  Allow me to nuture a positive attitude so that I may be truly and honestly grateful for the good in my life.  (This New Day, 21 October)

Help me today to be gentle, considerate and courteous -- not only with others but with myself.  Help me to grow into a mature and thoughtful person.  I am willing to change.  (This New Day, 25 October)

Help me to be more aware of Your presence every day, as I take time to quiet my mind, praying for Your strength and guidance.  Help me to feel the spiritual changes within and grant me the peace that comes through prayer and meditation.  (This New Day, 30 November)

 

Billy Graham in "Unto the Hills, 26 October

If this nation was born in a meeting based on prayer, some of its most important decisions being made only after careful prayer to God, how can we go on unless there is renewed emphasis on prayer today?

Holy Spirit, guide me into all truth when I read Your word this week.  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 24 October)

Today, I pray for the courage to be who I am, true to myself, in the presence of my [friends] and family.  I also pray for the courage to ask for what I need.  (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 23 October)

Help me, O God, to show imagination in coming to grips with problems that I would prefer to avoid.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, October 25)

Lord Jesus, move the hearts of those who lead our country.  May Your Spirit guide them.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 22 October)

God grant me the sense of proportion to judge the difference between an incident and a crisis.  (One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 19 October)

May I not let a day go by, O Father, without thanking You for the ordinary joys I may take for granted.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 24 October)

The Promise of a New Day, 18 October

Let's not confuse war with patriotism, we're all citizens of the whole world, and war hurts our human family.

May I be what You intend.

Lord, help me to realize the power of my words.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 5 October)

Let my word be just and charitable, always building up and not tearing down.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 5 October)

O Lord,, grant me insight into the choices I make.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 8 October)

J.C. Ryle

A man's state before God may always be measured by his prayers.

Norman Vincent Peale

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the days you have given us.  Grant, O Lord, that we may demonstrate in our lives that every day, be it dark or sunlit can be a good day.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  (Positive Thinking for Every Day of the Year, 19 October)

O God, incline my heart to follow in Jesus' way.

Protect me from every evil way.

Let me keep my body fit and healthy.

Lord, touch my life today in the personal yet powerful way You have touched people through the ages.  (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 21 Oct)

Let me accept my family and friends as they are, even when they do not understand or approve of my program.  Help me to detach with love, always remembering that you are guiding me to become more content with myself and others.  (This New Day, 12 Sep, adapted)

If I feel overwhelmed today, remind me that You will carry me through.  I am learning that good things take time.  Show me how to slow down.  (This New Day, 15 Oct)

 

Show me new ways to appreciate the gift of family, Lord.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 12 October)

Teach me to deny my selfish desires and obey Your commandments.

Let me keep in mind how uncertain is my hold upon my bodily life. (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 15th day)

Oh God, enable me to discipline my will so that in hours of stress I may honestly seek after those things for which I have prayed in hours of peace.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, adapted)

Lord, help me to set a good example for others.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 38, 1 Oct)

Help me, God, to be open to feeling whatever I need to feel to be healed and healthy.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 3 Oct)

Comfort me in time of distress.

Help us, Lord, to understand where we can make change and help us to have the courage to do so.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 38, 5 Oct)

 

O heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for the peace of the night.  I praise and thank you for this new day.  I praise and thank you for all your goodness and faithfulness throughout my life.  You have granted me many blessings; now let me also accept what is hard from your hand.  You will lay on me no more than I can bear.  You make all things work together for good for your children.  (Dietrich Bonhoefer)

Norman Vincent Peale

Our Heavenly Father, help us to remember that when things go wrong it could very well be that we are wrong ourselves.  Make us right.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Positive Thinking for Everyday of the Year, 5 October)

I pray for the tolerance and wisdom to avoid reacting to what other people say and do.  (One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 15 Sep)

I'll stay in the right, relaxed and hopeful frame of mind.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 38, 27 July)

Lord, I do know what to do.  Help me do it!

Thanks to You, O God, for all the blessings I have so readily accepted.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 25 Sep)

Thank You, Lord, for helping me focus on blessings instead of troubles.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 25 Sep)

I ask that you remove my character defects according to Your will.  (Food for Thought, 26 Sep)

 

Help me to see my priorities clearly today so that I may achieve balance in my life.  Guide me in the practice of these principles.  (This New Day, 19 Dec)

Today God, help me let go of my need to control outcomes by influencing the belief's of others.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 19 July)

O Lord, give me the courage to choose the good and to resist temptation.  May my conduct never be a source of temptation to others.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 22 Sep)

Thank You, Lord, for the power to control my thoughts and make decisions.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 21 Sep)

O Lord, teach me how to pray.  Enable me to lift up to You the ordinary events of my day, so that what I say and do may be filled with Your love.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 20 Sep)

I commit myself today, O Lord, to kaing this a better world, a place where all prejudice and all hatred disappear and Your love reigns.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 19 Sep)

 

Today I am devoted to acknowledging my responsibility for every aspect of my life!  (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today!, 28 June)

Loving God, help me focus on my true priorities.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 27 July)

Lord, help me to avoid unnecessary crisis and trauma in my life.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 18 Sep, adapted)

Show me God, what it is I am learning.  Guide my growth and me.  (Melody Beattie, Codependent's Guide to the Twelve Steps, p. 169)

Help me to be all I ought to be as a parent, teaching by example as well as precept.

Deliver me from the power of  Satan and wicked people.

O Lord, teach me to be honest with myself.  Help me to recognize my strengths as well as my weaknesses, and to allow You to transform both of these in Your love.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 17 Sep)

Give me a heart to pray and praise You during all of my waking hours.  (Moravian Daily Texts 2001, 18 Sep)

Guide me, O Holy Spirit, to lighten the burdens of others as far as I can reach.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 16 Sep)

With every breath, with every heartbeat, I give You thanks, Father, for Your gift of life and for Your love.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 11 Sep)

I pray for the wisdom to not involve myself with the personal lives and beliefs of others.  (One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 14 Sep)

Inspire me, O Holy Spirit, to improve my own character.

Deepen my spiritual roots, O Holy Spirit.

O Lord, ease the pain of those who have lost loved ones to substance abuse, cults or violence.  Console those whose children are rebelling and ungrateful.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 15 September, adapted)

Give me courage to change my mind, when that is needed.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 14th night)

Be with me Lord, so that I may know Your healing, saving presence this day.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 38, 13 September)

Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 186

Dear God,
Please remind me that my days are numbered.  Teach me that my time here in this life is precious so that I will not waste it.  Help me to recognize how precious every moment is so that I spend it doing those things that will bring me closer to You.  In the time I have left, please teach me how to serve You, Dear God.  Teach me how to give joyously, share willingly, and love totally.  Remind me that I cannot serve in greed, doubt, fear, or anger.  Fill my soul with Your light, so that Your bountiful blessings will shine through my soul into the world.  Each day that I awake, I pray that You will be present in my thoughts, my words, and all of my deeds.  I ask that every moment that I have left in this life be a channel through which some measure of Your love and light may reach those with whom I come in contact.

John Oxenham

Through every minute of this day,
Be with me, Lord!
Through every day of all this week,
Be with me, Lord!
Through every week of all this year,
Be with me, Lord

So shall the days and weeks and years
Be threaded on a golden cord,
And all draw on with sweet accord
Unto Thy fullness, Lord;
That so, when time is past,
By grace I may at last
Be with Thee, Lord!

Dear Father, make me the human channel, so far as in me lies, through which Thy divine love and pity may reach the hearts and lives of a few of those who are nearest to me.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Daily Prayer, 10th night)

Even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting You.  (Psalm 56)

God, make me grateful for all the good things I have been taking for granted.  (One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 9 Sep)

Thank You for keeping me straight yesterday.  Please help me stay straight today.
For the next twenty-four hours, I pray for knowledge of Your will for me only, and the power to carry that through.
Please free my thinking of self-will, self-seeking, dishonesty, and wrong motives.
Send me the right thought, word, or action.  Show me what my next step should be.
In times of doubt and indecision, please send Your inspiration and guidance.
I ask that You might help me work through all my problems, to Your glory and honor.
I trust that You will do for me what I cannot do for myself.
(Based on a section of the "Big Book of Alcoholics Annonymous," found in "The Language of Letting Go," by Melody Beattie, 1 May)

Show me where I am falling short, Lord, and lead me to higher ground.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 7 Sep)

Guide my steps.

God of all, inspire us to weather life's storms with grace.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 5 Sep)

Grant that, as the days go by, Your spirit may more and more rule in my heart.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 4th Night)

Help me let go of feeling excessively responsible for those around me.

Son of God, who did marvellous things of old, be favorable in our day also.

Dear Lord, I pray for the faith and courage to think postiviely in all situations.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 7 June)

Guide me in these challenging times.

Clear me from apparent and hidden faults.  (Psalm 19:12, adapted)

O Lord, forgive my slowness to see the goodness in others and to see the evil in myself.  (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 2nd day)

 

 

Lord, whatever burdens come my way I ask for the strength and grace to live my days as well and bravely as I am able.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 15 June, adapted)

O Lord, forgive my hardness of heart towards my neighbors' faults and my readiness to make allowance for my own. (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 2nd day)

Thank You for teaching us that work is a blessing.  (Day by Day, Billy Graham, 3 Sep)

Father, send us Your healing love and grant us Your peace.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 13 June)

Many words do not a good prayer make; what counts is the heatfelt desire to commune with God, and the faith to back it up.  (Anonymous)

Thanks to You, O Father, for the precious gift of free will.  May I always use it wisely.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 1 Sep)

Show me the way in which I should walk. (Psalm 142:8)

Thank you, Lord, for enabling me to accept things I cannot change.

George Macdonald

Like others, I have prayed for healings, for miracles, for guidance, and for assistance.  Frankly, there were times I was sure God would answer me because I had mustered strong feelings of faith.  But many of those times nothing happened -- or if it did, it was entirely unlike what I had anticipated.... The fact is that my prayer life cannot be directly tied to the results I expect or demand.  I have had many opportunities by now to see that the things I want God to do in response to my prayers can be unhealthy for me.  I have begun to see that worship and intercession are far more the business of aligning myself with God's purposes than asking Him to align with mine.

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways, like lost sheep.  We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.  We have offended against they holy laws.  We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.  Spare thou those, O God, who confess their faults.  Restore thou those who are penitent; According to they promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord, and grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy name.  Amen.  (Book of Common Prayer)

Give me the wisdom and prudence, O Lord, to carry out my life's mission according to Your will.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 29 August)

Today I will do my best, then let it go.  God, help me stop criticizing myself so I can start appreciating how far I've come.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 30 August)

Grant joy and peace to us, and to all we meet today.

Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901)

Almighty and most merciful God, who hast given us a new commandment that we should love one another, give us also grace that we may fulfill it.  Make us gentle, courteous, and forbearing.  Direct our lives so that we may look to the good of others in word and deed.  And hallow all our friendships by the blessing of thy spirit; for his sake who loved us and gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Take My Life and Let It Be

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice and let me sing.
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own;
It shall be they royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At they feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee. (Frances Ridley Havergal)

Praise be to God, who has not withheld his love from me!

Lord, teach me patience and endurance when faced with adversity.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 6 May)

Transform my beliefs and thinking from negative to positive.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 16 March)

Thank You, Lord, for helping me in any difficult relationship.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 26 August)

I am grateful for the gifts my problems bring to me.  Help me always be aware of what they are.  (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 26 August)

May I use Your gifts wisely.

Thank You, Lord, for sustaining me through adverse situations.  (Daily Fellowship with God, 25 August)

Father, do not let me take advantage of anyone because I know them so well. (Wisdom from the Bible, 25 August)

God, when I am discouraged strengthen my resolve and calm my fear.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 26 August)

 

William Booth

Work as if everything depended upon work and pray as if everything depended upon prayer.

Thank You, Lord, for Your many blessings.  Help me find ways to pass them on. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 23 April)

O God, give me greater patience.

Help me to live to my fullest potential.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 17 April)

Guide me in the choices I make everyday.

Let me do small acts of goodness to those around me, O Lord, even if they do not recognize what I am doing or why. Teach me to trust that You will bring these acts of goodness to fruition in Your own time.

Thou that has given so much to me,
Give one thing more, a grateful heart.
Not thankful when it please me,
As if they blessings had spare days;
But such a heart whose very pulse may be Thy praise.
George Herbert (1593-1633)

Morning Prayer

Father, I come to You this morning, asking You in Jesus' name, to take me, just as I am.
Please send Your Holy Spirit to guide me throughout this day.
Oh Lord, help me to be myself, striving to do better, and to look forward in appreciation to You, Father, for all Your Blessings around me.
I ask Your help in honesty, to You, myself, and others.
To admit my faults, I ask Your forgiveness and Your mercy and accept Your great love.
I ask You to help me read Your word, Lord Jesus and grant me the grace to go by Your promises and facts, not my feelings.
Please help me today, Lord, to take the opportunities You give me to share the goodness You have given me with others.
I thank You for this day, Lord, for the time You've given me.
Please help me to use it for Your honor and Your glory, in Jesus name.   Amen.(Marlys Foster in The Lutheran Prayerbook)

 

God help me let go of my fears about defining and understanding the nature of my present relationships. (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 20 August)

Guide me into clarity -- clear, healthy thinking. (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 20 August)

Empower me to make appropriate, healthy choices. (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 20 August)

Keep guard over our thoughts, words, and actions, and make us pleasing in Your sight this day.

Lord, bless this day, which is a precious gift from You.  I thank You for every day that I live.  Life is a wonderful gift, and one that I can never hope to repay.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 17 August)

May God be with me and with his messenger whom he will send to greet me and lead me to heaven.  May the Lord who is great and blessed look upon me, have pity on me and grant me peace.  May he give me greater strength and courage that I may not be fearful or afraid.  For the angels of God are about me and God is with me wherever I may be.  (Jewish Prayer, adapted)

Send me the right thought, word, or action.  Show me what my next step should be.  In times of doubt and indecision, please send Your inspiration and guidance.  (Alcoholics Anonymous)

I pray today and each day that my thoughts, words, and actions may be Divinely led.  I pray that I can move forward in confidence knowing my steps are guided.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 11 Feb)

Father, I need Your strong hand in my life.

Keep me from becoming anxious.

Help me to pay attention to the things of the mind, and spirit, O Lord.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 16 August)

God our Father, hear our morning prayer and let the radiance of Your love scatter the gloom of our hearts.  The light of heaven's love has restored us to life: free us from the desires that belong to darkness.  (Shorter Christian Prayer, Week 1, Tuesday morning)

O God, the Father of lights, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift: mercifully look upon our frailty and infirmity, and grant us such health of body as thou knowest to be needful for us; that both in body and soul we may evermore serve thee with all our strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (John Cosin - 1595-1672)

Lord, teach me the art of patience while I am well, and give me the use of it when I am sick.  In that day either lighten my burden or strengthen my back.  Make me, who so often in health have discovered my weakness presuming on my own strength, to be strong in my sickness when I solely rely on thy assistance.  (Thomas Fuller - 1608-1661)

Lord, help us to differentiate between the important and the trivial in our lives.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, March 29)

Teach me the way I should go. (Psalm, 143:8)

Father God, I pray for the ability to use difficult times to grow and change. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 24 March)

Thank You, Lord, for the many ways in which You touch our hearts each day. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 18 March)

Give me courage to change my mind.  (John Baillie, 14th Night)

Clear my mind of needless thoughts.  (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 15 August)

Show me the lessons I need to learn.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 5 February)

Lord, I want to listen, before I speak.  (Lloyd John Ogilvie, God's Best for My Life, 15 August)

'Tis good, Lord, to be here!

O God of mercy, guide me toward spiritual growth.

Prepare me for times of temptation.

O God, give me a quiet mind.

Help me to walk in a spirit of constant prayer.

Help me embrace the discipline necessary for my own good, Lord. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 15 March)

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below:
Praise him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)

Higher Power, help me become ready to let go of my resentments.  Bring any resentments that are hidden within me, and blocking me, to the surface.  Show me what I need to do to take care of myself by letting go of resentments, and then help me to do that.  (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 20 January)

Lord, I know there is a solution.  Please help me find it.

Father, I thank You that you have heard me.  (John 11:41)

Help us, Lord, to look beyond the obvious. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 22 February)

At daybreak be merciful to me.

Help me to be compassionate and caring.

Inspire me, O Lord, to be prompt, intelligent and courageous in my everyday life.

O God, give me power to follow after that which is good.  (John Baillie, 6th night)

Increase my faith, Lord, so that I may not be anxious or fearful.

 

Thank You, Lord, for teaching me to be content in any situation.

God give me vision and understanding to know what you want me to do and faith and strength and courage to do it. (Bean Robinson, quoted in Positive Thinking for a Time Like This, p. 154)

Help me today!

In times of distress, I call to You.  Father light my path that I may find my way to You. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 38, 28 June)

 

 

 

I've posted all of the Arrow Prayers from my Rolodex collection.  In the last couple of months I haven't been recording as many as I did in the past.

Next, I'm going to post some longer prayers and poems that I have collected and enjoyed.

 

The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying.  He fears nothing from prayless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion.  He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.  Samuel Chadwick

We cannot drop out of human involvement without endangering our spiritual health.

(One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, 13 July)

Fretting is caused by planning without God.

(Oswald Chambers, 4 July)

Lord Jesus, may my faith in You and Your abundant promises be ever increasing each day. (Billy Graham, Day by Day, 29 July)

As it is, I am content.  (Janell Moon, How to Pray Without Being Religious, p. 29)

Thank You for this day, the loving people in my life, the bird outside my window. (Janell Moon, How to Pray Without Being Religious, p. 25)

Give me the good sense, Lord, to think things through before I act. (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 9, 24 May)

Deliver me from my negative personality. (Food for Thought, 6 July)

 

This is my prayer: grace and forgiveness, an arrow shot through the storm to sun and light.

(Janell Moon, How to Pray Without Being Religious, p. 84)

Guide Me!

Thank You, Lord, for loving me in spite of my shortcomings and defects of character.

Thank You, Lord, for new direction, insight, values, priorities and possibilities. (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 30 July)

Let me find a way.

Rid my heart of anxiety and fear.

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for the peace of today in me and around me. (Janell Moon, How to Pray Without Being Religious, p. 163)

Protect us.

Let the best happen.

Affirmation

I will live today in the liberating assurance that God has heard my prayers and is active in answering in a way that is best.  I will not compete with Him in trying to do His job by continuing to worry.  I will “go my way,” leaving the matter in his hands. (Lloyd John Ogilvie - God’s Best for My Life, 9 June)

Let me accept my journey.

Thank You for the change I need.

Thank You for helping me find my prayer.

Let me be a vehicle for positive change.

Here I am, a wreck.  Be with me.

Spirit I accept Your guidance.

Help me live through this.

As I pray, I become!

Affirmation

Today I'll experience self-control by refusing to let my moods master me.

(Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 27 April)

Lord, as I grow older, may I be blessed with faith enough to make the journey from aging body to ageless life. (Frank Topping, Prayers for Every Need, p. 102)

O Lord, send Your spirit into my heart so that my every thought may conform to Your will and my every action give witness to Your love. (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 30 July)

Make me sensitive to the state of my emotions and physical health, I pray.  (Food for Thought, 15 June)

Let me keep in mind how uncertain is my hold upon my bodily life. (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 15th day)

Help me to something.

God, please help me do Your will.

Teach me, O Holy Spirit, to face my own responsibilities and problems, not run away from them.  (Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 9, 6 April)

 

Make me willing, Lord, to accept the discipline of an ordered life.

O Lord, I thank You for Your presence in my life. (Wisdom from the Bible, 20 June)

Protect us from harm and guide us in all the duties of this day.

Please answer the prayer of _______.

You are not what you think you are, but you are what you think!

Affirmation

Growing spiritually means I must talk to God and trust God's presence every moment today.  That's easier than walking alone.

(A Woman's Spirit, 14 June)

 

Patience is one thing I could use more of, Lord.

Protect me, Lord, from the dangers I do not see!

I pray for the strength to say "no" to what is not good for me.  (Food for Thought, 1 July)

Son of God, who did marvellous things of old; be favorable in our day also.

 

Affirmation

I will live today in the liberating assurance that God has heard my prayers and is active in answering in a way that is best.  I will not compete with Him in trying to do His job by continuing to worry.  I will “go my way,” leaving the matter in His hands.
(Lloyd John Ogilvie, “God’s Best for My Life,” June 9th)

Thank You, Lord, for never failing to answer my prayers. (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 3 March)

Today I'll examine my life and deal with my shortcomings as well as my sins.

Thank You, Lord, for comforting me in times of emotional upheaval.  (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, 10 January)

Help us to spend this day for Your glory and our neighbors good.

Thank You, Lord, for the good that comes from failures as well as successes.

In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. (Psalm 5:3)

Holy Spirit, keep me from becoming a victim of either anger or fearful temper. (Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship With God)

What a blessing!  I am so thankful! (Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 252)

I pray that I will be clear headed, totally present and conscious...I don't want to miss a thing.  (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 28 January)

Increase in us, Lord, the faith you have given us!

 

Thank you, Lord, for Your protection wherever I go.

Thank you, Lord, for enabling me to resist temptation.

Please let me see the beauty in the ordinary and usual.

Help me not to brood on this injury but show me where I am at fault.

By the grace of God, I will do it!

Grant us a peaceful day.

Teach me constructive habits, I pray.  (Food for Thought, 17 May)

Thank You, Lord, for uplifting me spiritually and emotionally when I stumble and fall.

Lord, as a new day dawns send the radiance of Your light to shine in our hearts.  Make us true to Your teaching; Keep us free from error and sin.

Guard me from entering into debt that I cannot pay. (Wisdom from the Bible, 17 May)

Grant me wisdom that I might know my limits. (Wisdom from the Bible, 17 May)

 

Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this. (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, 14 May)

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, Be now our guide while life shall last, And our eternal home.  (Isaac Watts, 1674-1748)

Always You are there to help me.

Give us prudence, Lord, to follow Your lead.  (Food for Thought, 22 May)

Lord, direct my goals.

 

Make my speech a blessing to those who hear.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 6 May)

Please make me slow to speak, quick to listen and grant me the wisdom to speak as Christ would.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 5 May)

I am willing to do whatever it takes by any means honorable and necessary. (Iyanla Vanzant, Acts of Faith (Adapted))

Lord Jesus, help me to have faith through the crisis I'm in right now. (Joni Tada, 5 May)

May I keep a realistic perspective on myself.

 

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me. (Psalm 66:20)

The wings of prayer carry high and far.

Today I pray, Thy will be done. (The Color of Light, Perry Tilleraas)

O Lord, thank you so much for the eventful day You are going to give me.  (Norman Vincent Peale, 18 May)

God, help me with the easy, as well as the hard, decisions I face today.  (A Woman's Spirit, 15 May)

 

I pray for emotional and spiritual maturity. (Food for Thought, 25 May)

Today, I pray for the gift of fortitude.  Grant me rightful thinking and self-control.

Destroy my selfish spirit and replace it with Your giving grace.  (Wisdom from the Bible, 24 May)

Lord, take my lips and speak through them; take my mind and think through it; take my heart and set it on fire. (W.H.H. Aitken)

Make me content with what I have, that I might not be tempted by what I do not have. (Wisdom from the Bible, 17 May)

 

Where I've Been

I haven't been able to get online since the beginning of the month.  After a storm came through our phone went dead.  To make a long story short, after a couple of failures to understand what broke I discovered that there wasn't a problem with the phone system or the modem card in the computer.  Rather, the headset phone that I had beside the computer apparently was the culprit.  For now I have the phone line coming from the basement connected directly to the computer.

O God of Mercy, guide us toward spiritual growth.

We look to You, O Lord, for strength and guidance in all we do. (Moravian Daily Texts, 9 June)

O Lord, give me the grace to do well those things that I have been called to do.

Teach me to live, so I will always be ready to die.  (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 18 February)

Lord, help me to avoid extremes and learn moderation.

Lord, help me to keep from dreaming up "if only" scenarios in my mind. (Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 27 May)

 

Rejoice in the Lord

When we rejoice in the Lord, we begin to see life from God's point of view.  Praise is our means of gaining new perspective and guidance for our bogged-down lives.

(H. Norman Wright, Quiet Times for Couples, May)

Never let me get discouraged, O Lord, but rather give me the strength to keep pushing on. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 29 June)

Grant me the grace of reasonable self-control, O Lord, over all I think, say, and do. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 4 June)

Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of distress.  Psalm 24:17

Lord, I need to be more tolerant.

Dorothy Sayers

If we want Christian behavior, then we must realize that Christian behavior is rooted in Christian belief.

I am grateful for the miracles happening today in my life.  (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 18 April)

I thank you for bringing the perfect solution, in the perfect way, at the perfect time, for the best of all involved.  (Iyanla Vanzant, Tapping the Power Within, p. 32)

How marvelous our bodies!  May we care for them today with all the reverence and honor we might extend toward any great gift that defies explanation. (Margaret Anne Huffmand & Gary Wilde)

O Lord, teach me to escape from the busyness of life to find a quiet place in which I can converse with You.  (Minute Meditations from the Popes, 6 June)

 

Grant, O Holy Spirit, that I may be hopeful when it would be so easy to be hopeless. (Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 9, 31 May)

I do not find it easy to forgive and forget.  Help me, O Lord.

God, make me worthy of my friends. (Frank Dempster Sherman)

Tomorrow will become today soon enough.

By the grace of God.

 

Lord, loosen me up, activate my funny bone.

I am open to receiving help from powers I don't understand and forces I can't see. (Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 29 May)

Be with me through the rest of my days, in good times and bad, so that I am never alone. (Wisdom from the Bible, 29 May)

Give me grace this day to put my trust in Thee. (John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 29th day)

 

 

 

 

 

I give thanks to the Lord for what I have and who I am.  Quiet Times for Parents, H. Norman Wright, 13 April

Stay with me, Lord Jesus.

Lord, I am thanking you for little things.

Thank You for the house in which I live.

 

Make me brave to face all the changes in my life.  (John Baillie, 12 day)

Lord, until I am with You, on Your mountain, remind me, that my opinion is formed from my vantage point.

Teach us to pray that we may cause the enemy to flee.  (Watchman Nee)

Make known to me the path that I must walk.

Hear our humble prayer, O God. (Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965)

Shower Your love upon my family, O Lord.

Defeat the enemy within me, Lord.  Food for Thougth, 8 April

Fill me with brotherly love.

Open my heart to the needs of all men.

Make me intent on doing Your will.

Purify my heart of every evil desire.

Take away my greed, O Lord.

 

Benjamin Franklin

Work as if you were to live one hundred years; pray as if you were to die tomorrow.

Lord, keep me aware that, you know what I need, and that I don't always need what I want.  Richard E. Henthorn

Disturb us when we go astray.

Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.  Psalm 86:1

Lord, help me to do the best I can, according to the insight given to me, and to leave the results to You.  Food for Thought, 16 April

Dear God, come with[in] me to clean out the cluttered temple of my life and make it a quiet house of worship and prayer.  Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 13 April 1992

Lord, grant me peace.

 

Affirmation

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

 

I pray that my Higher Power will help me guard against deceiving myself.  One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, 14 April

Help me to see the real temptations which confront me.

Grant me the wisdom to accept the helpful criticism of others.  Wisdom from the Bible, 8 April

Help me avoid lies.

 

 

We thank Thee for our friends and neighbors, and ask a blessing on them.

Give me courage to change my mind, when it is needed.  John Baillie, 14 April

Lord, take from my thoughts all ill will, grudges, hates, jealousies.  Norman Vincent Peale, 14 April

By Thy grace, protect me from gluttony.  Food for Thought, 14 April

Teach me to do Your will.

I pray not to fail in my responsibilities.

Lord, thank You that I am significant to You.  Joni Tada, 14 April

I will praise the Lord all my days.

Come to my aid in this time of trouble.

Lord, replace the whine in my life with wine.  Adapted from Oswald Chambers, 14 April

Mother Teresa

To show great love for God and our neighbor, we need not do great things.

O Lord, increase my faith.

Father, let me be open to the wonder and mysteries that You send as gifts of answered prayer.  Daily Guideposts, 25 Mar 1992

I need Thy presence every passing hour.  Henry Francis Lyte (1847)

Lord, give me strength to persevere.  Food for Thought, 19 April

Inspire all my thoughts.  John Baillie, 21st day

Affirmation

I'll endeavor to write my life story in the center of the page, not in the margins.

"The Promise of a New Day," 15 June

Guide me to the real work of the day.

He who prays as he ought, will endeavor to live as he prays.  John Owen

Cleanse me of that which destroys my peace of mind. Norman Vincent Peale, 23 April

Enable me to enjoy the simple things that are so easy to take for granted.

Help me to receive criticism with grace, and to work always to improve myself.  Wisdom from the Bible, 22 April

 

Consider every action a prayer.

Joan Borysenko, Pocketful of Miracles, 27 April

 

Lord, I'm stumped.  Please tell me what to do.  Norman Vincent Peale

Deliver me from all fretfulness.  John Baillie, 27th day

May I do simple things greatly.

Give us this day a sound mind in a sound body.

 

 

Thank you, God, for helping me do this chore.

May I not waste time and energy judging others.

Our goal is progress, not perfection, since none of us will ever be perfected.  Food for Thought, 28 April

Tnank you, Lord, for coming to my aid when I make a mess of things.  Larry W. Wilson, Daily Fellowship with God, April 30th

Let me remember that life is an incredible gift.  Joan Borysenko, Pocketful of Miracles, 28 April

 

May I learn to cooperate with Your will.

Show me the way, O Lord.

What do I need to pay attention to right now?  Joan Borysenko, 27 March

Lead me to expect the best of others and myself, today.

Lord, guide me, "Keep me on purpose."  Iyanla Vanzant

Teach me Your ways, Lord Jesus.

 

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Let me be always alert to every possibility You set before me.  Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Glimpses of God, 28 March

Lord, get me out of this!

Lord Jesus, may I use this time of prepartion wisely.  Eleanor Sass, Daily Guideposts, 27 Mar 1991

Keep us safe the whole day through.

How Do You Spend Your Time?

If Christians spent as much time praying as they do grumbling, they would soon have nothing to grumble about.

Lord, thank You for those who have prayed for us over the years.  Mary Ruth Howes, Daily Guideposts, 7 Jul 1996

Savior, guide my decision making.

Gracious God, make me aware of Your power surrounding me constantly, even in my darkest hour.  Upper Room, 6 Sep 1999

Lord, show me what I can do today to bring about the answer to a prayer.  Rick Hamlin, Daily Guideposts, 30 Mar 1992

Lord, help me to walk and talk softly so I don't disturb people.  Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 198

Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior accept our worship as our gift of love.  Moravian Daily Texts, 30 Mar 2001

 

With Your help, Lord, I'll choose the way I react today.  Marilyn Helleberg, Daily Guideposts, 25 Aug 1989

Dear Lord, help us to throw off the weights from our past that we have carried all our lives, and to forgive ourselves and others.  Fay Angus, Daily Guideposts, 5 Jul 1996

Father, grant me the wisdom to know when the time is right for hard decisions.  Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 8 Jul 2002

Dear Lord, help me to accept what I cannot change in my life.  Brenda Wilbee, Daily Guideposts, 5 Jul 2002

Lord, help me to remember in thought and prayer those whom You have brought into my life.  Bill Irwin, Daily Guideposts, 8 Jul 1995

Holy Spirit, may I be an inspiration, however humble, to those who come after me.  Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 28, 8 July

Grant us a holy rest, and peace at the last, Lord.  Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 6 Jul 1989

May I have a young-at-heart-and-mind attitude, Lord God.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 28, 19 August

Help me to enjoy life's journey, Lord, don't let me wander from Your road.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 36, 9 July

Father in heaven, the numbering of my days is in Your hands.  Help me to enrich the quality of those days.  Marilyn Morgan Helleberg, Daily Guideposts, 17 Sep 1998

Lord, empty my mind of all disturbances so that I can reflect on You.  Rick Hamlin, Daily Guideposts, 12 Jul 1996

Help me to choose my words carefully, Lord, to heal instead of hurt.  Fay Angus, Daily Guideposts, 9 Jul 1997

Soften my heart and the words of my mouth, dear God.  Wisdom from the Bible, 8 July

Let me be a peacemaker, rather than an agitator.  Wisdom from the Bible, 8 July

Let my words spread comfort and calm, and make my actions a testimony to Your great love.  Wisdom from the Bible, 8 July

Keep my ego small and my heart large.  Joni Tada, 7 July

Strengthen me to keep my promises, God, to take them seriously and to make the necessary sacrifices to fulfil each one.  Joni Tada, 3 July

Lord, help me to fill my mind and heart with words and songs of praise.  Mary Ruth Howes, Daily Guideposts, 23 Jun 1997

For Thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my quilt, for it is great.  Psalm 25:11

Lord, as a new day dawns send the radiance of Your light to shine in my heart.  Make me true to Your teaching; keep me free from error and sin.

Keep me from emotional decisions, Father. Enable me to interlace my feelings with knowledge and insight.  Joni Tada, 25 June

Remind me that in Thy will is my peace.  Disciplines The Upper Room, 10 Jul 1984

I will praise my God all the days of my life.

Increase in me, Lord, the faith You have given me!

The Lord is My Pacesetter

We need to pace ourselves.  In races -- whether horse, auto, or human -- there is often one who sets the pace.  What we need is a pacesetter.  This rendition in the style of Psalm 23 by Toki Miyashina can help put your life into a better perspective.

The Lord is my Pacesetter, I shall not rush;
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals.
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity;
He leads me in the ways of efficiency through calmness of mind,
And His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here.
His timelessness, His all-importance, will keep me in balance.
He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity,
By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquility.
My cup of joyous energy overflows.
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours,
For I shall walk in the pace of my Lord, and dwell in His House forever.
(H. Norman Wright - Quiet Times for Parents, 5 June)

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Father, help me to live more wisely, making the most of my time instead of squandering passing days on misplaced fear, [or interests].  Brenda Wilbee, Daily Guideposts, 24 Jul 1997

Lord, help me to use my time to enrich the lives of those around me.  Billy Newman, Daily Guideposts, 31 Jul 2002

Heavenly Father, give me courage to do what I know I ought to do and to believe that I never walk alone.  Upper Room Disciplines, 28 Jul 1999

Anger rises within my heart, Lord, help me to control it and channel it in constructive ways. Wisdom from the Bible, 29 June

Renew my courage and reveal to me the promises of hope where now I see only despair.  Upper Room Disciplines, 27 Jul 1984

Words of Thomas Aquinas

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  James 1:19

Do not seek to plunge into the sea of knowledge all at once, but go there by way of the many streams that flow into it, since it is wiser to reach the more difficult things by way of the less difficult. ... I charge you to be slow to speak and slow to frequent places where men talk.  Embrace cleanness of conscience.  Be constant in prayer.  Love to dwell in your inner room if you would penetrate into the inner room of your Beloved.  Be courteous to everyone.  Do not look too deeply into the deeds of others.  Do not be overly familiar with anyone, for too great a familiarity breeds contempt and offers an occasion for being distracted from study.  Do not in any way wish to pry into the words and deeds of wordly people.  Flee from useless conversations.  Do not forget to imitate the ways of the saints and holy people.  Do not feel obliged to listen to what everyone says, but commit to memory anything good that you might hear others say. ... By these steps you will bring forth useful branches and fruits in the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth while life is in you.  If you walk this way, you may obtain all that your desire.  (Thomas Aquinas)

Dear God, help me to see what matters most, and to ignore the rest.

Give me strength, Creator, to face the challenges of this day.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 35, 25 August

Thank You, Lord, for the assurance that whatever happens, You will get me through.  Daily Guideposts, August 2003

Loving Father, in spite of the unexpected turns my life may take, help me to receive Your gift of a peaceful heart.  Mary Jane Clark, Daily Guideposts, 19 Jul 2001

Jesus, help me when the task of forgiving others becomes to heavy for me.

Father, help me to become more fruitful with age, gentle on myself and all those I meet.  Diane Komp, Daily Guideposts, 11 Jul 1994

Dear God, be with the President of the United States this day.  Give him Your strength and wisdom.  Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 17 Feb 1997

As David Prayed, So I Pray

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always found acceptable in thy sight.  O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.  Amen.

Remind me, Lord, that our relationship, like any other, takes work.  Please give me the strength to cultivate it.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 35, 3 August

When I come to You in prayer today, dear God, may it be with simple and honest words, and an open and listening heart.  Keith Miller, Daily Guideposts, 24 Feb 1997

Dear God, please give me the gift of patience.

Lord, help me to focus on what's left, not what's gone.

Thank You, Father, for teaching me how to use my tongue - wisely.  Marion Bond West, Daily Guideposts, 11 Jul 2002

Renew my courage and reveal to me the promises of hope where now I see only despair.  Disciplines, The Upper Room, 27 Jun 1984

 

Give me the wisdom to know what I should do.

God grant me the sense of proportion to judge the difference between an incident and a crisis.  One Day at a Time, 19 October

Hear my cries, Lord, and help me in my need.

Lord, I will endeavor to accept my life; it is taking me where I need to go.  The Promise, 4 August

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Father, help us to live so that when the time comes, You can welcome us home.  Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 12 Apr 1997

 

Be with me when I make decisions and guide my actions.  Wisdom from the Bible, 31 July

Lord, help me avoid using a poor memory as an excuse to ignore Your presence among us.  Disciplines, 24 Sep 2002

Holy Father, teach me to commune with You through prayer and journaling.  Marion Bond West, Daily Guideposts, 13 Sep 2003

Lord, today help me to forget self-pity.  Joni Tada, 31 July

Dear God, we are discovering new joy in giving.  Help us grow in this attitude.  Disciplines, 30 Aug 1986

Father, I pray today, I place my trust in Your greater vision.  Hadge Harrah, Daily Guideposts, 5 Jul 1997

 

Take Care of the Temple

... Mike [Yuen] had something else to say: “I’ve learned we’re not in control of life, and it’s arrogance [if] we think we are.  Each day is a precious gift from God we shouldn’t waste.  We have a purpose in this life, so let’s not neglect it.  Secondly, we can’t take health for granted.  While we do not have control over whether or not we contract cancer or have a disabling accident, there’s much we can do to take care of what we have -- we owe it to those who love us and depend on us, and we owe it to God who created us.”

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16)  Too many of us take better care of our cars than we do our bodies.  We can affix a dollar figure to a luxury automobile, but who can put a price on the ability to see, hear, think, walk and talk?

What can you do today to better maintain your physical [and mental] health?  Have you been putting off a checkup?  Ignoring your body’s warning signals?  As a Spanish proverb says, “From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health."

Prayer: Lord, you’ve given me so much, when I think of all the things my body can do.  I bless you for the gift of good health -- I commit myself to taking better care of the temple you have given me.
(Joni Eareckson Tada, “More Precious Than Silver,” May  30th)

May the Strength of God pilot me.  May the power of God preserve me.  May the wisdom of God instruct me.  May the hand of God protect me.  May the way of God direct me.  May the shield of God defend me.

Patrick of Ireland, The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, 8 October

When life seems meaningless and suffering hard to bear, dear God, send Your spirit to teach me the hope of glory.  Disciplines, 21 Jul 1984

Lord, help me to take seriously the reading and study of my Bible, and give me opportunities to share its truth with others.  Barbara Chafin, Daily Guideposts, 21 Nov 1993

Give me the faith I need today, O God.  Put my faith in Jesus, the rock of salvation.  The Upper Room Disciplines, 11 Oct 1986

O God of mercy, guide me toward spiritual growth, fill my mind with thoughts of truth, justice and love.

Lord, remind me that I alter my condition by altering my attitude.  Robert Schuller, Tough Minded Faith, Day 238

 

O Lord, help me to allow you your rightful place in my life.  Upper Room, 12 May 1986

Thank you, God, for quieter times and the awareness of new opportunies.  Kenneth Chafin, Daily Guideposts, 22 Oct 1996

Lord, even as I continue to turn to You in prayer, help me be patient in waiting for your answers.  Upper Room, 18 Oct 1986

God, I bring my hurts and my problems to Thee.  Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 11 Sep 1995

God make me grateful for all the good things I have been taking for granted.  One Day At a Time, 9 September

May I free myself of impatience or procrastination today.  Help me to use this day to its fullest.  This New Day, 1 Sep

 

 

Lord, may I decide today to be happy and joyful.  Scott Walker, Daily Guideposts, 4 Sep 2002

O Lord, let the words of my mouth be acceptable.

O Lord, I do not understand everything You tell me, but I am trying, and I trust that You know what is best.  Wisdom from the Bible, 2 August

May I learn obedience through the hard thing I'm going through right now, God.  Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 19 August

Divine Master, teach me the difference between right and wrong.  And give me the courage to accept responsibility for my actions.  3 Minutes a Day, Vol. 33, 20 Sep

God, grant me peace through trial.  Wisdom from the Bible, 13 August

 

 

Do I want to pray or only to think about my human problems?  Do I want to pray or simply kneel there contemplating my sorrow?  Do I wan to direct my prayer towards God or let it direct itself towards me?

Hubert Van Zeller

The Wonderful Thing

The wonderful thing about prayer is we don't need to know it works before we do it.  We can just try.  And though we may never know what effects our prayer has on others, we can at least know our prayers for others return to us as healing energy.

Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, 27 May

Help me to grow spiritually.

Lord, may Your spirit within me put my prayer into words.

Lord give me grace to live peacefully with other people without judging them.

Lord, I was wrong.  Help me to make the necessary amends.  Christopher de Vinck, Daily Guideposts, 7 Aug 1994

Lord, when I'm upset, help me to keep my words brief - save my wordiness for praising.  Patricia Lorenz, Daily Guideposts, 28 Sep 1995

Shut my lips from making hasty replies, O Lord.  Grant me the wisdom to hear what people are saying, taking time to let the words sink in.  Keep me from being a know-it-all, always reminding me that I have a lot to learn.  Amen.  Wisdom from the Bible, 23 August.

Lord, thank You for turning my annoyances into a lesson on prayer.  Daily Guideposts, 1 Sep 2001

Jesus, help me avoid negative thinking which erodes my spirit and dampens my enthusiasm for life.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 36, 31 August

Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?  Acts 9:6

When earthly days are through and my life draws to a close, come, be my guiding light, dear Lord, and take me to Thy home.

Help me to always put forth the best image possible.  Help me to know the right words to say in difficult situations.  Thank You, God, for taking over this problem before it does untold damage to my spirit.  Robert Schuller, day 201

Lord, I have what I need.  Please make me content with that so I don't go running off pursuing things I do not need.  Make me content with my life as it is.  Keep me from dreaming of things that are really unimportant.  Wisdom from the Bible, July 27th.

Lord, help me to give love to everyone, even those who seem unlovable.  Upper Room, 5 Sep 2002

Lord, help me to see the other person's point of view.  Upper Room, 7 Sep 2002

O Lord, our physcian, heal us of our infirmities, and keep us humble to receive according to Your will.  Disciplines, 22 Jul 1986

Saving Lord, forgive us our sins.  Show us the sins of which we may not be aware.  Show us the ways we fall short of Your glory.  Forgive us and bless our walk with You.  Amen.  Moravian Daily Texts, 31 Aug 2001

I submit myself, God, to Your care and providence.  I put myself, body, spirit, in Your care: correct, guide, heal, restore.  Be to me the Great Physician.  A Year with the Psalms, day 241

O Lord, guide us into a life of concern for others, not yearning for what we lack.  Disciplines, 20 Jul 1986

Affirmations

Today I'll replace negative, disturbing thoughts with secure, constructive ones from memorized scripture verses.

Today I'll press on toward good health by caring for my body, developing my mind, and growing closer to the Lord.

Daily Fellowship with God, Larry W. Wilson, 4 March and 24 May

Today I pray to be free of criticism.  Remind me to be tolerant of others, and of myself, so I may grow emotionally and spiritually.  This New Day, 18 Sep

Lord cleanse me from every sin and renew a right spirit within me.

I will live this day in the power of the Lord, who makes things happen.  God's Best for My Life, 1 Oct

Teach me how to plant peace in my heart, Lord.  Then show me ways to sow seeds of peace in other's lives.  Joni Tada, 19 Sep

Lord, hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away, strengthen in every way my love for You!

Hear my prayer and come to save me.

Billy Graham - Unto the Hills, May 20th

No matter how advanced its progress, any generation [or nation] that neglects its spiritual and moral life is going to disintegrate.  This is the story of man and this is our modern problem.

Staying Healthy

We tend to ignore our bodies most of the time and then, when ill, focus on the disease.  But we have a choice.  We can see illness as a curse, or we can see illness as the path our bodies are taking us to health.  We can be angry with our bodies for failing us, or we can listen to what our bodies are trying to tell us.

We need to make sure we’re making the choice that is right for us.  We need to make sure we aren’t being negatively pressured by the huge weight of the existing medical extablishment.  Because we do have the option to focus on our health, not just our disease.  We can see illness as our body’s way of telling us what we need to do now to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.

Affirmation: I choose health and healing.  My illnesses are like signposts that keep me moving in the right direction.
(The Color of Light - Perry Tilleraas)

Rebellion

“They  wouldn’t obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life. ...”  Ezekiel 20:13

Sometimes our rebellion can be so stubborn that we refuse to obey even when obedience means our very life.  (Touchpoints, page 236)

Thought for Today

God answers prayer -- but don't expect a million-dollar answer to a ten-cent prayer.

365 Daily Answers to What Would Jesus Do?  Nick Harrison, 23 May

Lord, as a new day dawns send the radiance of Your light to shine in our hearts.  Make us true to your teaching; keep us free from error and sin.

I give You praise, Lord, that from sunrise to sunset You are with me.  You are with me now!  Amen.  Upper Room, 3 Jun 1986

Protect me from myself, O Lord.  Wisdom from the Bible, 25 Sep

Father, help me to be faithful in small things, even when it's difficult.

Help me to see what is lacking in my life, and support me as I try to change.  Wisdom from the Bible, 21 Sep

Lord Jesus, heal me from the inside out.  Get to the heart of the matter in my life, and show me the better way ... the best way.  Joni Tada, More Precious Than Silver, 18 Sep

The Time Has Come

The time has come to quit saying "if only" and be glad, instead, for "what is."

Each Day A New Beginning, 21 May

Walk with me, and be with me this day, and all the days to come.  Wisdom from the Bible, 6 Sep.

Lord, what do You want me to say?  God's Best for My Life, 8 Sep

O God, be patient with me, enrich me, and give me the resolve to become what You want me to be.  Upper Room, 28 Feb 1986

Help me, generous Lord, to treasure the days of my life and to use them to do good for Your people.  3 Minutes a Day, Vol. 31, 8 Nov

Lord, give me the strength to do the right thing especially when not doing it would be to my advantage.  Arthur Gordon, Daily Guideposts, 28 Oct 1998

Heavenly Father, please help me to see my errors.  Give me the wisdom and courage to correct them. Madge Harrah, Daily Guideposts, 5 Nov 1997