Goodnight Prayer for Blessings    

Bless us with rest tonight, Jesus, and a good night’s sleep. Forgive us for the things we did today that did not honor you. Thank you for loving us so much and that you know us through and through. We need your help every day, and we thank you for the strength you give and for helping us know that with you, even hard things are possible. Bless our family and our home, and keep us safe through the night. May your angels guard us and watch over us, just like you promised.

You've told us we are just like sheep. And that you lead us and guard us like a shepherd. You know our names, and you make us feel special and loved. When we hurt, you help us feel better. Thank you, Jesus, for your good care and for giving us [mom/dad/parents/foster parents/pastors] to help. Thank you for the Bible, and for teaching us stuff in life that helps us grow. Bless the people in our world, and help them to know you love them, too. Thank you for all the people who help us so much: teachers, doctors, policeman, and fireman—and so many more.

Hypocrites among Us      

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

I know it is very easy to be critical of the church today, and granted, there are a lot of things wrong with it. But don’t forget this: When Jesus Christ walked this earth, He started only one organization, and it is called the church. And He said, “The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

Some might say, “Yeah, but there are a lot of hypocrites in the church.”

Guess what? That isn’t new. There were hypocrites in the first-century church as well. In fact, one of our Lord’s handpicked disciples turned out to be a hypocrite. So yes, hypocrites and hypocrisy are nothing new. That is not to even mention that in the early church, there were rivalries, heresies, and some flat-out immorality.

Jesus told an interesting parable that we call the parable of the wheat and tares. In this story, He talks about a farmer who goes and sows wheat in his field, and at night his enemy comes in and sows tares, or weeds, among the wheat. Now the tares Jesus was describing are also known as darnel seeds, which look exactly like wheat initially and even through the growth process. But in the end, the darnel, or the tare, uproots the wheat. Jesus was saying, “You’re going to have the fake right next to the real, the counterfeit right next to the genuine.” The tares and the wheat will grow together, and we won’t necessarily know who is who and what is what until that final day.

Yes, there will be hypocrites among us. Only God knows who they are. But let’s also remember that every one of us has moments of hypocrisy. What we need to concern ourselves with is whether we are hypocrites and whether we are living godly lives.

By Greg Laurie

A Prayer for the Lost  
by Debbie McDaniel   

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

Dear God,

You know our hearts, you hear our prayers, and care about all that concerns us. You understand the burden we carry and how we want, more than anything, to see our loved ones come to you. Help us to remember that you love them more than we ever could. And you desire to extend your great love and forgiveness, your mercy and hope.

Thank you that nothing is too difficult for you. Thank you that your power is unlimited and you came to set the captives free. Thank you that you wait, arms open, for the prodigal to return, that you look for his arrival to lavishly celebrate that he’s come home.

We praise you for you are Redeemer and Rescuer, Savior and Lord. We know and believe that there’s no pit so deep that your love can’t reach us still. We understand that your mercies are new every morning, and your faithfulness is great. 

Lord, we ask that you would halt the plans of the enemy over these we love as we bring them before you right now. We pray that his schemes be demolished and that your plans for good, for a future and hope, would prevail. Would you open blind eyes that they might see your Truth. Would you rescue those walking in darkness and heal the deep wounds of those who’ve been hurt.

We pray for the miraculous intervention of your Spirit to draw them to yourself, to work strong on behalf of our loved ones who are lost and wandering.

For you came with good news, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release for the prisoners.

Though we deserved penalty for our wrong, you stood in our place and took the blows on our behalf.  You choose to die, so that we can live. Forever and free.

Lord, forgive our unbelief. Forgive the times we’ve doubted that you could ever change a distant heart. Forgive our hard-heartedness, our weariness, or forgetfulness to “pray continually.”

Thank you that you never give up on us.

Remind us of how you’ve changed our own hearts. How your miracle of life and hope has sprung up deep within our souls.

We love you Lord, we need you, and we thank you that you hear our prayers and are at work even now.

Powerfully. Faithfully. Miraculously.

Thank you for the gift of our Savior, God with us. Thank you for your goodness and love…

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

3  Habits of Happy People  

by Debbie Holloway   

1. Express gratitude for what you have

Gratitude, or thankfulness, is encouraged throughout Scripture. Just a few verses espousing this attitude include:

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” (Psalm 95:2)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).

Followers of Christ are meant to be selfless, other-focused, and God-focused, not wrapped up in our own temporary discontentment. Noticing the blessings we do have, and expressing gratitude for them, helps us remember the big picture: we have already been given the ultimate gift of life through Christ!

2. Dream big

The most important thing the Bible tells us about ourselves is that our identity in Christ, and our status as God’s creations and children, should underscore everything we do. Do you think of yourself as a slave to sin, or to a static, hum-drum life? Well, Paul says:

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).

Co-heirs. Sharing in his glory! According to Christ, God notices the fate of sparrows – so how much more does he care for the hopes and dreams of his sons and daughters? Christ also says that our faith is strong enough to move mountains, and that we will accomplish greater things for his Kingdom than even he did during his ministry. If that doesn’t say “dream big!” – I don’t know what does!

3. Don’t sweat the small stuff

Not only do the Scriptures encourage us to let go of anxiety over “small stuff” – but God even wants us to relinquish worry over BIG stuff! Consider this passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Is active gratitude part of your daily routine? What about anxiety? Is a skewed perspective of yourself limiting your potential?

A morning Prayer for 06/26/2019 



"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You."Isaiah 26:3