The Righteousness of God

Scripture Reading: Esther 8 & Romans 3

 What can I say to the One who saved me? In Your great acts lie the propitiation of my sins, my justification, and my tranformation unto righteousness. You have given me the great gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Father, You are my justifier. To Christ I owe my everything according to Your wisdom and grace. There is nothing I can do or say other than ‘thank you.’  May my thoughts, words, dreams, and actions be statements of thanks and continual proclimation of Your glory and grace.

Thank Your for Christ

Amen

His praise is from God

Today’s Reading: Esther 7 & Romans 2 

The one whose heart has been circumcised by the Spirit and not by the letter of the law receives praise not from men but from God.

Father, I fear I have sold myself to the law and to selfishness. In the way Haman sought to buy victory of Mordecai and the Jews I seek to buy victory in this life through selfishness. If I get more I will be happy. This selfishness will never work. Abba Father I long to know the power of Christ’s resurrection. I long for the Spirit to come and do His work on my heart. Meet with me God in your glory. Show me the value of seeking glory, honor, and immortality. Place in me a white hot passion for eternal life. May I desire to know Christ more than I desire anything else. May I desire the One who is himself eternal life. Give me a life that  is worthy of your praise.  Use me to raise up in Granbury men and women of whom the world is not worthy. Make me what I can never make myself. Make me like Your Son and my Holy Brother. Make me like Christ.

In His Name and for His glory

Amen

The God who gives up

Today’s Reading: Esther 6 & Romans 1 

Righteous God, You are the giver of righteousness and the One who judges in righteousness. You are full of mercy and grace. Yet evil and faithless men do not find that grace in You. May I tremble before You like Isaiah who saw Your holiness. May I fear You like the Hebrews who saw Your power in the Exodus. May I put my hand over my mouth like Job when he learned what is true. You are great and loving and kind. And you are just, full of wrath, and will surely punish. Fill me and Your church with right knoweldge of You, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach us the power of grace and the finality of judgment. Teach us to celebrate and fear.  Teach us to be faithful. Make our joy full.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen

Blindness

Haman did not see or understand the things of God. After hearing of Christ, the Jews in Rome disagreed and departed. They clinched their eyes shut. Their hearts could not feel the joy of the gospel.  The shout of salvation was only as a whisper in their ears. But others will hear. Others will see. Others will grasp and hope in the things of God instead of opposing them. This is still true today. May God lead us as we seek to tell everyone about the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gracious Father, do not let me heart grow dull, my eyes shut, or my ears become weak.  I want a heart that has one passion- to know and follow hard after You. I want eyes that see the glory of the coming of the Lord. I want ears that hear the cries of the lost and the leading of the Spirit. Make me bold in Christ Jesus. Make me an evangelist for the glory of Christ and the salvation of souls. Make me a Christ-centered soul winner.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen

Become Like Me

Today’s Reading: Esther 3 & Acts 26

 Acts 26:29 “And Paul said, ‘Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.'”

Father, give me the boldness of the Apostle Paul by giving me the faith of the Apostle Paul. Make it so that the life I live as a Christian is the life I want everyone else to live.  Fill up what is lacking in me. Help my unbelief.  Show me the power of Christ’s resurrection.  Show me the strength of the light Jesus proclaimed after His resurrection. You have chosen me and appointed me to go and bear fruit that will last.  My Vinedresser, make me a man who bears Christ-glorifying fruit in my character, my love for others, and in my work as an evangelist. 

Make me like Christ

Amen

Doing What’s Right For the Glory of God

Today’s Reading: Esther 2 & Acts 25

 Father, give me boldness to proclaim Your truth and do what is right. I want Christ to be honored through what I think, say, and do. I want my family, neighbors, and the world to see the power of Christ’s resurrection lived out in me. Give me Your wisdom to know what to do as You did with Mordecai and Esther.  Give me endurance like You did with the Apostle Paul. Whether it cost me my life or whether it cost me way I live my life I pray that I will count Christ as more valuable. Help me Father to do what is right so that Christ will be exalted in me.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen

God’s Greatness

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 12 & Acts 23 

Nehemiah 13:22, “spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.”

Father, like Nehemiah and the Apostle Paul I realize that no matter what good I might do for Your people and in Your name I will never measure up. I will serve You, I will love Your people, and I will always need Your grace. Do not judge me according to my service or sacrifice judge me according to your steadfast love. Look upon me with the love You have for Your Son. Hear my prayer as if it was Your Son was speaking into Your ear. I long to know You as Christ knows You. I long for boldness; the boldness of Christ. Remember me Father and always remember me according to Your steadfast love.

In Jesus’ Name

Amen

Pray with me

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 11 & Acts 21

 Father, You give me such great promises because of Your Son. You give me wonders that I cannot comprehend. And Father, I do not take advantage of those blessings. Today I have gone until 2:45 to open Your Word and seek to abide in Christ’s message.  I know I must abide in Christ and His word must abide in me. If the church is going to be built like the walls of Jerusalem it will take work, dedication, and sacrifice. If I am going to be faithful like the Apostle Paul was faithful I must dedicate myself to the work You have given me. Give me the mind of Christ. Give me the strength of Christ. May I pray like Christ.

For Christ,

Amen

Going Public

Christianity is not made for private life outside the public square. God’s people have never been excluded nor have they when faithful excluded themselves.  From public reading to public explanation, from public confession to public worship, God’s people have followed Him into every arena and every sphere.  God is the God of the private prayer closet but He is also the God of the public square. Denying His sovereignty and involvement may make some sleep better at night or life contrary to His law in the daylight but it doesn’t change the fact that God has been and always will be public.

Father do not let my fear or my sin keep me quiet.  For too long I have let what is false guide the way I life and serve my neighbors and coworkers. I have bowed to their way of life to the hurt and eternal damnation of those around me. Use me to bring You into every conversation and every action. From bible reading, worship, teaching, and confession among Your people may I always strive for more. As I live among unbelievers may I conduct myself in a way that shows Your true glory and shame removing salvation.  May I live for Christ and may others see Jesus in me no matter if it’s public or private.

In Jesus’ name

amen

Assurance

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 7 & Acts 17 

When you look for assurance of your faith where do you look? When you look for the proof of your forgiveness where do you look? For all things we look first to Christ and the power of His resurrection.

My Father in heaven exalt Your name over all the earth. May all peoples see You and be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. At times I feel in myself a struggle to believe. The fruit I desire is not evident in my life.  The things I despise are prevalent and the harvest of those things is full. Guard me from going where I should not go. Do not let me go inside myself for hope or proof of salvation. Send me where You send the Areopagus. Send me to the empty tomb. Send me to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.  There is my proof.  There is my hope. There is my salvation. Give me assurance of righteous judgment and my own righteousness in Christ by increasing in my mind the power of Christ’s resurrection. Make me noble like the Bereans. Make my search of the Scriptures fruitful. Make my desire to search the Scriptures strong.

Trusting in Christ

Amen