Archive for the ‘Blessings’ Category
Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Oh Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
Saint Francis of Assisi
Palm Sunday – Who is Jesus to You?
I had the privledge of singing special music at church service today. It was a very uplifting experience, after attending Bayfair Baptist Church for over a year, to be able to tell my church family how much they have all touched and impacted my life, how great the church is – and how special it’s members truly are. My spiritual growth over the past year has been incredible and I thanked each of them for the part they played in that.
On this Palm Sunday, I pray that you find out for yourself, who God is to you. Don’t allow the misconceptions of others, or what you’ve *’heard* about God, Jesus, or the Bible, turn you away or disuade from discovering Christ for yourself. You can’t have an opinion on something you know nothing about. I”m not asking you to believe – I’m asking you simply to find out what it’s all about. And hey, don’t take my word for it…all you need to do is ask Him to reveal Himself to you and then listen for God’s still small voice – and He will respond. For the Bible, which is God’s word, tells us to
I pray our Lord blesses you and your loved ones this day, and brings you joy, peace and happiness.
Shalom!
The Miracle of Miracles
Ps 77:13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
Ps 77:14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
We witness God’s miracles in our lives each and every day; the sun rises, the birds sing, and we live and breathe them through the harmonious and spectacular beauties of life, love and nature. For those who choose to see, God opens their eyes to the miracles all around us and in giving thanks to Him for his goodness, He blesses us. Paul tells us that: “The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance.” 2Co 12:12 NIV
Morning Devotion
Read Psalm 37 then recite the prayer below in your morning devotion:
Father in Heaven,
Thank You for blessing me with this day. I pray your wisdom guides me in Your ways. I pray Your hand leads me down roads I am intended to follow. I pray for shelter and Your armor of protection from the enemy. I pray for the opportunity to serve You and witness Your love and mercy this day. I am forever grateful for Your love, Your mercy, and Your abundant blessings over my life.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.
Psalm 37
Author’s Comment: In Psalm 37, David expresses a deep trust that he has discovered; as long as he finds his life’s delights in the Lord, all his desires are fulfilled. To delight in someone is to find joy in their presence, to welcome their unique qualities and to express pleasure in their company. When we make the Lord the object of our delight, spending time in His presence and reveling in His character, our deepest heart’s desires gradually align themselves with his own. We discover that what we want is what He wants – and how delighted God is to honour our heart’s desire by keeping us in the centre of His will! As we believe in Him and grow to love him more each day, we will be ”filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy”, for we will be enjoying the ultimate prize of our faith, the utlimate desire of our hearts; the eternal salvation of our souls (1 Peter 8-9)
PSALM 37 of David
Ps 37:1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
Ps 37:2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Ps 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Ps 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Ps 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
Ps 37:6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Ps 37:7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Ps 37:8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
Ps 37:9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
Ps 37:10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
Ps 37:11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
Ps 37:12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
Ps 37:13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
Ps 37:14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
Ps 37:15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Ps 37:16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
Ps 37:17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
Ps 37:18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
Ps 37:19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
Ps 37:20 But the wicked will perish: The LORD’S enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish—vanish like smoke.
Ps 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
Ps 37:22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
Ps 37:23 If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm;
Ps 37:24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
Ps 37:25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Ps 37:26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.
Ps 37:27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
Ps 37:28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
Ps 37:29 the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
Ps 37:30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
Ps 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
Ps 37:32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;
Ps 37:33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Ps 37:34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
Ps 37:35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
Ps 37:36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
Ps 37:37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
Ps 37:38 But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
Ps 37:39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
Ps 37:40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
The Holy Bible – New International Version
