Evening: Short Prayer to Forgive Others    

Dear Lord, I thank You for the power of forgiveness, and I choose to forgive everyone who has hurt me. Help me set [name anyone who has offended you] free and release them to You [Romans 12:19]. Help me bless those who have hurt me [Romans 12:14]. Help me walk in righteousness, peace, and joy, demonstrating Your life here on earth. I choose to be kind and compassionate, forgiving others, just as You forgave me [Ephesians 4:32]. In Jesus’ name, amen.
- Debbie Przybylski

God's Peace to all who view our Blog and Live Cast;    

Guds Frid,

神の平和 (sinohirawa),

Gottes Frieden,

Pacea lui Dumnezeu,

Мир Божий,

The Pathway of Spiritual Growth  

By Dr. Charles Stanley    

Romans 8:29  

God predestined us to grow into His likeness, but this doesn't happen at the moment we are saved. While we are redeemed by the Savior's precious blood and immediately have a new heart, our transformation is a lifelong process.

The Holy Spirit enables this journey. Growth is impossible without Him, regardless of our efforts. Yet we can welcome or hinder His transforming hand.

One way we give God willing access to our lives is by obeying this mandate in Romans 12:2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

Everyone chooses either a biblical or worldly philosophy as his or her source of truth--and that choice shapes the mind and spirit. Therefore, the Lord tells us to immerse our mind in Scripture, allowing Him to mold us into His beautiful image.

The Bible story about the Israelites wandering in the wilderness illustrates this principle. After saving them from Pharaoh's abuse, God did not bring them immediately to the Promised Land. The Lord knew doing so would bring sinful ways with them. Instead, He led them to the wilderness and gave the Ten Commandments. Only after they learned to obey and turn to almighty God were they ready for the next step.

The process of sanctification isn't always pleasant. In fact, it's often painful for us, just as it was for the Israelites. In God's amazing wisdom and love, however, He knows what we need to leave our old ways that lead to death. And He builds new character in us--full of life and joy.

A Prayer for When You are Waiting on the Lord  By Christina Fox    

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope" (Psalm 130:5).  

Are you currently in a place of waiting? Perhaps you are waiting for a job, for healing, for restoration in a relationship, or for wisdom to know where you should go next. That place of waiting is a place we are all familiar with. It's a place we find ourselves in often over the course of our lives. Though it's a familiar place and one we know well, we can often grow wearing in our waiting. Sometimes our hearts grow heavy with worry and doubt. Sometimes we might wonder if God has forgotten about us or given up on us.

Father in Heaven, I come before you with my heart filled with so many different thoughts and feelings. I am tense and uncertain about what I should be doing and where I should go. I feel weak and helpless. Powerless. I am worried about what happens next and whether I have the strength to handle it. Deep down I wonder, how long will I be here? Will I be stuck in this place of waiting forever? But most of all, I wonder, where are you? Why haven't you responded to my cries for help?

But even as I pray that, I know you are right where you've always said you would be. You've never left me and you will never forsake me. You hear all my cries. In fact, as David wrote in Psalm 139, you know my thoughts before I even think them. You know exactly what is happening in my life and what will happen next. All things are in your control and nothing can happen apart from your will. Not a sparrow falls to earth without your willing it to and you know the number of hairs on my head. You are never surprised. Even about this issue in my life today. You know why this is happening and will use it for your glory and my good.

As the prophet wrote in Lamentations, "It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord" (3:26). Help me to remember that it is good to wait for you. In this place of waiting, help me to remember all that you have done for me through Jesus Christ. Help me to remember that your grace is sufficient to not only save me from sin, but to sustain me each and every day. Your grace is at work in me right now, transforming me and making me more like your Son. Nothing can separate me from you. I am safe in your love. 

May I live for you even while I wait. Help me to obey and remain faithful, no matter how long I am in this place of waiting. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” -Colossians 3:16-17    

Who Is Running This Place?  
By Chris Russell    

Imagine a universe in which everything is completely random. There is no order; there is no consistency; there is no purpose. What a horrible place that would be! Yet those who believe in a purely naturalistic explanation for the origin of the universe find themselves in precisely such a place.

I’m thankful that we can know that there is purpose, there is direction, and that there is order in the universe. This universe was designed, laid out, and is maintained by the Creator, the God of the universe, Himself. The laws of physics are such a beautiful picture of the great order that God gives to His creation. Not only has God created this world, but He is intimately involved in keeping everything running according to His perfect plan.

This truth actually brings us great comfort. I don’t know if you’ve figured this out, but I have noticed over the many years that I’ve been alive that life does not actually turn out the way that I thought it would when I was much younger. As a matter of fact, life regularly takes turns that I never would have ever imagined in my early years.

Unexpected tragedies come. We experience loss. We experience pain, heartache, sorrow, failure, and despair. But knowing that God reigns on His throne on high is an incredible comfort. We can be assured that nothing takes place that is outside of His control. Take a moment to think about God’s perspective on this universe. Consider God’s perspective on your problems. God is not stressed out. God is not sitting on His throne wringing his hands in worry about how things are going to turn out.

As you go throughout this day, take time to ponder God’s sovereignty. Meditate on the reality that He is in control of everything. Take time to ponder His sovereignty and how it makes a difference in your life. Consider how big of a deal that is.

TODAY’S BIG IDEA:  “God is in control, and you can relax and trust in Him.”

 A Morning Prayer for Hope Today        

Lord, help me to hear you saying, "I am your hope" over all the other voices. Lord, your word says, you are the hope for the hopeless so I'm running to you with both hands stretched out and grabbing on to you. Fill me up with hope and give me a tangible reminder today that hope is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Hebrews 6:19-20). God, you know those things in my heart that I barely dare to hope for, today I give them to you, I trust them to you, and ask that you, because I know that you can do more than I could ever guess, imagine or request in my wildest dreams (Eph 3:20). God, you are my hope and I trust you. Amen. - Wendy can Eyck