For from him and through him and for him are all things.

Romans 11

For from him and through him and for him are all things. v36

Lord, You are the creator, the beginning, the end, and everything in between.  I am desperate without You!  I need You in all ways, all of the time.  Yet I often am disrespectful of You.  This is a grave sin for which I am deeply sorry.  Thank You for Your love and I once again appeal to You for Your continued love and forgiveness.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I love You.  You provided wisdom that can be found nowhere else...You protect, You provide, You are kind...You are the fruits of the Spirit.  I deeply desire to fully have within me all the fruits of the spirit.  Yet I often act as if my relationship with You is not important.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of Your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

Romans 9

I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. v17 (See also Exodus 9:16).

All of us a purpose and that is to glorify God.

See also Psalms 139, Jeremiah 29, etc.

My Prayer: Lord, You indeed are a great God able to do amazing things through Your children...all through sinners and ordinary people.  Indeed amazing.  I am humbled that You want to use me...for Your purposes...which are perfect and of course great.  I am not worth such love, trust, blessing, etc.  I am selfish, lazy, harsh with thoughts, words and actions, quick to anger and slow to listen...and of course these are just a few of my sins.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me and help me turn from such sin and towards You!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and everyday. 

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel.

Romans 9

I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. v2-4

I should great sorrow for those who have yet to hear and receive the Good News of Jesus Christ...this should motivate me to tell my story and to tell others of Jesus.  I must be more intentional.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great in that You are goodness...all the time...You provide a peace and a joy that is unsurpassed and only available in and through You.  You provide the Holy Spirit so You can be with us all the time.  What an amazing gift You are!  I am not worth such a gift.  I am selfish, lazy, disobedient, harsh with my thoughts, words, and actions....I am prideful, I am quick to anger and slow to listen...and of course there is more.  Thank You that You love me anyway...knowing everything about me.  Please forgive me for my sin and help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and everyday.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. v28

I often wonder whether I am truly being obedient to God's will and whether decisions I am making are according to God's will.  Rather than choose to focus on the unknowns, I focus on what is known...that I am to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  I am then to love others as Jesus does.  I also focus on God's promises, such as this one today that God works all things (the good and the bad in my perception as for God it is all good) for the good of those who love Him.  I pray that my life, my love, etc. for Him is sufficient.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great...beyond my or any description. I know You have always and always will work for me...doing things for me...and that You are always there.  What a great God You are!  I am not worth such love and devotion.  I am weak...full of excuses for disobedience.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Romans 8

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. v26

Our God cares about us deeply.  He listens to us...even when we don't use words.  He knows what is in our hearts and on our minds...

My Prayer: Lord Jesus...I am weak in prayer but I deeply desire to know and glorify You...I know You love me deeply...more than I will ever comprehend.  Thank You Jesus...I know I am not worth such love but You provide it freely...as a gift to me...the greatest gift of all time.  Please forgive me for my sin...I fail to love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength...and this is the #1 command!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today...and every day.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again....

Romans 8

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again....v15

Having posted Friday that I (as we all do) struggle with sin....although I desperately desire to live a holy life.  Today's verse provides hope in the sense that we are both saved from the wrath of God due to our sin and also from the cycle of shame and guilt we often suffer due to our sin.  God is both gracious and full of unbounded love for me..(and all of His children).  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed a great God!  I am not worthy of the love, mercy, grace...all of the fruits of the spirit, that You freely give me.  I am impatient, harsh with my thoughts, words, and actions, quick to anger and slow to listen, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me...and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength...help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.

Romans 7

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. v22-23

I am often reminded that our earthly life is filled with battles against sin...if you do not believe that Satan is at work in your life and in the lives of your family (for whom you are to lead spiritually) you are sorely mistaken.  Paul speaks of this and thus provides an explicit scriptural example.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are pure, holy and blameless.  You did not have to die for me yet You willingly did so...for me specifically.  Your death and resurrection for me gave me freedom from sin and eternal life...the greatest gift of all-time.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift.  I continue to battle against sin, including anger, selfishness, pride, impatience, etc.  Thank You that You love anyway but please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You!  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.