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

I turn to You this day, O God, asking for wisdom to discern Your presence in the events of my life, whether positive and good or negative and trying.  May I never turn away from You, O God.  Disciplines, 17 Aug 1987

Give me patience, Lord, to wait confidently for Your answers.  Upper Room, 14 Oct 1986

Lord, cleanse our minds of negative thoughts, so that we can reach our potential.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 35, 20 October.

Open my eyes, Lord, to the all-time great moments in my life, so I don't miss a single one.  Daily Guideposts, 17 Oct 2002

Grant that we may progress today in Your love, and that all things may work together for our good and good of all.

O Lord, we seek You because we know that we cannot live successfully by relying only on our own resources.  Thank You for Christ, who is our access to You and gives us opportunity to walk in Your ways.  Disciplines, 24 Sep 1984

Some Longer Prayers

Lord, help me to resist the foolishness that I can stay young forever, and let me not forget that as I grow older I grow closer to You.  Edward Grinnan, Daily Guideposts, 7 Dec 2002

Accept, Lord, our thanks and praise for all that You have given us in meeting our physical and material needs.  Grant that we may express our thanksgiving by sharing with others.  The Upper Room, 1 Jan 1986

Give me a stout heart to bear my own burdens, Give me a willing heart to bear the burdens of others.  Give me a believing heart to cast all burdens upon Thee.  John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, 27th morning

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, 21 November.

Father, Your love calms me and moves me forward with new understandings.  I surrender to Your care.  B.J. Funk, Daily Guideposts, 12 Nov 1989

Dear Lord, expose those areas of my life that I need to work on.  Roberta Messner, Daily Guideposts, 26 Nov 1996

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 have tried to walk in Your way, God.  Help me in time of trouble.  Three Minutes a Day, Vol. 28, 25 Nov.

I won't shame myself today by thinking negatively.  Instead, I will stop, get quiet, and think of my good fortune.  A Woman's Spirit, 25 Nov

Thank You most of all for those we love and those who love us.  Daily Guideposts, 23 Nov 1995

Lord cause me to hear Your word for my life today.  And lead me to the places and people who need to receive that word.  A Treasury of Wisdom, 17 Nov

May I make thoughtful preparations, Lord, as I contemplate coming to You.  Mary Jane Clark, Daily Guideposts, 14 Nov 2002

 

Galatians 6:7,9,10 (TLB)

Don't be misled; remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows! ... And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and give up. That's why whenever we can we should always be kind to everyone, and especially to our Christian brothers.

Refresh me, Lord, when I am weary.  3 Minutes a Day, Vol. 35, 10 November

Lord, remind me that, the divine moment is the present moment.

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.  Guide me with patience and love, Father.  Wisdom from the Bible, 5 November

Lord, let me take Your hand today.  I trust that You will lead me by your goodness, mercy, and love.  Joni Tada, 6 November

Lord, fill me up to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit this day.  I commit my ways to You.  Becky Tirabassi, Let Prayer Change Your Life, p. 157

Lord, help me to remember the only thing I should take personally is "myself."

I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.  Psalm 119:10

Make me pure in heart and mind and keep me from from going where I should not go.  Wisdom from the Bible, 21 November.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.  Hebrews 10:21-22

Make us the servant of Your peace, renew our strength, remove all fear; be with us Lord, throughout this day, for all is joy if You are near.  James Quinn, "O God of Light"

Grant us, O Lord, the courage to live in the present.  Upper Room, 19 Nov 1984

Give me courage for each new day, Lord, so that I may bravely face whatever challenges are before me.  Fay Angus, Daily Guideposts, 30 Nov 2000

 

Just For Today

I do not have to plan the rest of my life this morning.  All I have is today.  I do not need to worry about what will happen tomorrow.  All I need to be concerned about today is today's plan.

I make plans for things that need to be done, but I find time left over to use as the Spirit moves.  I will not decide today what I will do with that free time tomorrow.  Tomorrow will bring new possibilities and promptings.

Just for today, I will not worry about how hard things will be tomorrow.  Tomorrow I will have new strength and fresh insight.  Just for today, I will remember to stop and listen to the inner voice and follow where it leads.  When I follow it, there is adventure in the day and joy in my heart.

Lord, thank You for today.

Food for Thought, May 15, adapted by Richard E. Henthorn

Lord, remind me, trouble comes to pass, not to stay!  Iyanla Vanzant, Faith in the Valley, p. 95

May Your help and saluation be ours now and through all eternity.

Lord may my prayer rise up to You, and Your blessing come down to me.

Help me to have realistic expectations today.  This New Day, 7 December

O God, give us complete trust in You.  The Upper Room, 28 Nov 1984

Lord, help me to remember two Christian business questions.  Am I in compliance?  Have I excerised due diligence.  Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts, 8 Dec 1998, adapted by Richard E. Henthorn

Norman Vincent Peale

I affirm that life is operating in me.  Life is going through my nerves, my bloodstream, life is in me.  I shall live by the life which is from God.

There is so much that is out of order in my life Lord.  Remake all the parts that need the infinite healing of your re-creation.  Billy Graham, Day by Day, 21 March

I pray today and every day, for healthful, wholesome thinking, so that I may not generate trouble for myself.  One Day at a Time, 21 February

Lord, in all my disagreements remind me to use my "no fault" insurance.  Richard E. Henthorn

Take my thoughts Lord and straighten them out.  Food for Thought, 11 August

May I be prepared for times of temptation.  Food for Thought

May I keep life simple today and use my energies to the glory of God.  Food for Thought, 7 August

May I live up to the maximum of my abilities today.  Food for Thought, 2 August

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

Billy Graham - Unto the Hills - 13 May

In the midst of sorrow and trouble, this life has many blessings and enjoyments which have come from the hand of God.

Life itself, preservation from the dangers to which life is at every instant exposed, every bit of health that we enjoy, every hour of liberty and free enjoyment, the ability to see, to hear, to speak, to think, and to imagine -- all this comes from the hand of God.  Even our capacity to love is a gift from God.

We show our gratitude by giving back to Him a part of that which He has given to us.

Lord, put the sound of love in my voice today so that those I love may know it.  Daily Guideposts, 28 Feb 1992

My tongue is my sword of power, teach me to use it wisely.  Acts of Faith, 27 February

I trust in You, O Lord, I say "You are my God," my times are in Your hands.

Help me today, to listen, to love, and care for my loved ones with a heart that is made sensitive by you, Jesus.  Billy Graham, Day by Day, 5 January

Teach me to listen so that I might be a blessing to those whom I serve.  Wisdom from the Bible, 10 December

Lord, today help me to make my words tender and sweet.  Because tomorrow I may have to eat them.  Robert Schuller, Living Positively, 6 December.

A Small Cog

I am only a small cog in the machinery of the universe; my trying to run things my own way is doomed to failure.  A bright and serene success is at hand once I learn to let go.  Then I'll have time to count my blessings, work on my own shortcomings, and enjoy each minute of every day.

One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, May 11

God, teach me the art of paying attention.  Kay Arthur, How Can I Live, 16 February

Dear Father, guide me in my decisions today.

Guide me through the dark valleys of my life until I come home to Your kingdom.

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

I pray for the wisdom to distinguish between appetite and hunger.  Food for Thought. 19 Nov

May I have the courage and strength to accept life as it is.  Food for Thought, 27 Aug

May I remember the importance of emotional abstinence today.  Food for Thought, 22 Aug

Lord, remind me, scorekeeping isn't part of marriage, forgiveness is!  H. Norman Wright, Quiet Times for Couples, 31 March

Lord, help me to be a gracious receiver.  Marilyn Morgan Helleberg, Daily Guideposts, 31 Mar 1992

Keep guard over my thoughts, words, and actions, and make me pleasing in Your sight this day.  Shorter Christian Prayer

Lord, help me to live in confident trust in You every day, so that when I die, all I have to do is die.  God's Best for My Life, Lloyd Ogilvie, 27 February

Lord, help me to be conscious of Your presence this day.

Give me strength to be patient with those I met today.

Affirmation

Wonderful gifts are coming my way today.  I don't have to do anything to deserve them.  They are coming to me just because I live.  I expect them and am open to receiving them.  I wonder what magic the world has in store for me today.

Perry Tilleraas, The Color of Light, January 1

Grant Me Courage

Grant me courage to trust You completely.

Grant me wisdom, grant me courage.  (Harry Emerson Fosdick)

With God's help I will not be afraid of anything or anybody.  (Norman Vincent Peale, Positive Thinking, p. 20)

Lord, today I'll remember if I want others, "to put up with me," I must be willing to "put up with them."  (Thomas a' Kempis)

Grant me the wisdom to discern the difference between a "want" and a "need."

I trust You to supply my needs.

Minute Meditations from the Popes, 5 April

May the literature I read, the movies and TV I watch, and the music I listen to, all give witness to my faith.

Thank You, for Your Holy word.

Lord, thank You for my life.

Let my tears be shed for the right reasons.  Glimpses of God, Dorothy Minchin-Comm, 3 April

When I'm angry teach me to use it constructively.  Marilyn Morgan Helleberg, Daily Guideposts, 5 Apr 1993

Praise the Lord!

Deliver me from impatient speech and angry action.  Christian F. Reisner, God's Minute, 5 April

 

Blessed be God who comforts us in all our trials.  2 Cor. 1:3-4

Lord, I give thanks to You and bless Your Holy name.

Without You I can do nothing.

You are my hope and my strength, in you I trust, may I never despair.

My God, stand by me. All my trust is in You.

I will hear what the Lord has to say.  Psalm 85

Give me Your saving help.  Psalm 85

 

Edward Mote & Wm. Bradury's hymn "The Solid Rock"

On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.

May I bear this hardship with courage.

In the early hours of the morning I think of You, O Lord.

Help me to leave sin behind.

I give You thanks, O Lord.

Keep us free from error and sin.

My hope is in the Lord.  Psalm 146:5

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.    Job 1

Meditation

A period of meditation, every day, is necessary to spiritual development.  I control these "thinking times."  If I meditate on what is good in my life, it will increase day by day and crowd out the self-pity and resentment over what I lack and what is hurting me.  Suddenly I will find myself able to use God's help in managing my life in order and serenity.

One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, May 5th

God, I need Your help to recognize my shortcomings and admit to them instead of casting them on to others.  Sue Monk Kidd, Daily Guideposts, 1 Apr 1992

Turn my thoughts to what is Holy.

Help me to follow Your guidance.

Direct my thoughts, feelings and actions this day.

Lord, Jesus, I come before You and ask you to teach me to pray.

Lord, help me make an "attitude" adjustment.

Keep me mindful of my eternal destiny.

Keep me honourable and generous in my dealings with others.

Keep me humble in my estimation of myself.

Keep me faithful and diligent in my work.

Keep me temperate and truthful in speech.

Keep me chaste in thought.

When I pray for healing, Lord, help me believe that perception of health will soon catch up with fact.  John Sherrill, Daily Guideposts, 27 Jun 1996

When things look bleak, help me to remember that change and renewal are a law of life.  The Promise of a New Day, June 21

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer.

With God's help, I can do this.

I dedicate this day to You!

When a critical thought comes to mind, I pray for the willingness to look at my own attitudes and leave the judging to You.

Without You I can do nothing.

What shall I do, Lord?  Acts 22, Paul's Prayer

Yes, rescue me and give me back my life again just as You have promised.  Psalm 119:154

You are my refuge and my shield and Your promises are my only source of hope.  Psalm 119:114

You know what I need in a church, Father, help me find the one for me.  Toni Sortor, Daily Guideposts, 11 jun 1989

Prayer Is ...

Prayer is the contact I make with God in my thoughts.  It is a powerful medicine for the spirit.  Prayers for guidance are perhaps the most potent of all, providing I keep myself receptive, and am willing to act according to His inspiration.

One Day at a Time in Al-Anon, May 2nd

 

We thank Thee that Thou art hearing us even now.  We thank Thee for the grace of prayer.  Peter Marshall

We give thanks to you, O God, as we call upon Your name.

Wisdom of God, be with me, always at work in me.

When I go off half-cocked, Lord, and overplay my role, remind me once again Who's in control.  Fred Bauer, Daily Guideposts, 2 Jun 2001

Watch over our welfare on this perilous journey.

When morning gilds the skies, my heart awakening cries, may Jesus Christ be praised.  Daily Guideposts, 28 May 1994

When my life is overwhelming, help me to realize how much depends on my point of view.  This New Day, 25 May

When I run into obstacles, dear Lord, help me to look for ways around them.  Phyllis Hobe, Daily Guideposts, 26 May 1999

 

Drue Duke, Daily Guideposts, 9 January 2003

Thank You Father, for this and the many prayers You hear and answer.  Let me always be ready to come to You when there is a problem.  Amen.

Thank You God, for all the books, new and used, that continue to enrich our lives.  Mary Ruth Howes, Daily Guideposts, 28 Jan 1998

Thank you God, for creation's beauties and life's joys.

Train me, Lord, to be quiet and still listening each day to know Your will.

Thank You, O God, for all the help you have given me today.  William Barclay (1907-1978)

Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.  Psalm 90:12

Teach me to pray, pray thou thyself in me.  Francios Fenelong (1651-1715)

Turn my thoughts to what is holy.