Written by Chuck Swindoll, these encouraging devotional thoughts are published seven days per week.
We acknowledge that death is the last thing we want to think about, but thank You for bringing us face to face with reality. Thank You for the gift of living on earth and the reminder that our days are fleeting. Make us ready for the harsh moments that are before us, calm our spirits, and remove our fears.
Father, we acknowledge that anxiety is not simply a worrisome little habit but rather, it is a sin...a repeated sin. Worry compromises our fellowship with You and with others. We thank You that the death of Your Son, Jesus, provided the payment in full for our sins, including the sin of worry. We trust Him to take care of our worries, just as the psalmist said, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."
Our Father, we confess that placing Jesus first in our lives precludes competition from all other loyalties: that no hobby or occupation or pursuit, however engaging, can contain all of our passion. No relationship, however intimate, can compete with Christ for first place in our hearts. No possession, however prized, can come between us and You.
Lord, we give You thanks for the genius of the family. It's all Your idea. We pray we'll have very sensitive hearts as we grow in these areas of nurturing and discovery.
Lord, today we are living in a culture that has forgotten Your pattern for marriage. The world has lost its way because Your Word is being ignored. We have gotten the threads of that divine tapestry all mixed up, and the whole thing is a mess.
Lord, we realize that this is straight talk from You: "Preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It doesn't win votes, but it gets attention. It doesn't promise that we'll get our way, but it teaches truth. Your way is the best way...forbid that we ever go any other way. We've tried those ways. They're all dead-end streets or, if not that, they lead into dangerous swamps.
Lord God, Your Son has closed yesterday's door, therefore Your people don't have to live enslaved to sin or shame anymore. Not because we've been strong and good and noble, but because You have transformed our lives. You've changed our course of direction. Even though You've left us on foreign soil, as aliens and strangers, we have a home in heaven. And sometimes we get pretty homesick!
Our Father, our tongues are far too often wicked and out of control! We have breached confidences that were meant to be held in trust. We have told several people of the offence we received but have failed to speak with the offender to make things right.
Anchor us, our Father, to the bedrock of truth and remind us that Your Son, Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday and today and forever. It's all His story. Our Father, our eyes are upon Jesus. It is in His merciful, matchless name we pray. Amen.
Father, we pray that You will turn reproof into restoration and thereby change us so that we become like Christ—and unlike the Pharisees who were so impressed with themselves. May we instead be so impressed with You that we lose sight of ourselves.
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