Small Troubles?

"For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." - II Corinthians 4:17-18

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." - II Corinthians 11:24-27

Dear God, 

What lessons are You trying to teach me through the suffering of our nation under Trump and the republican monsters who threaten lives every day with their hatred of the least of these who need healthcare? I am not sure I can call that a small trouble. Even though the eternal glory and Your love is still greater, I just don't feel I can call these troubles small. Please intervene on behalf of the least of these. That's all I ask.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

I Will Give You Victory

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - I Peter 5:6-7

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" - Psalm 46:10

And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." - Exodus 33:14

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." - Micah 7:7

Dear God,

You are taking care of me. You are loving me and are working in my life even when it seems that my day keeps going from bad to worse. Your love is always perfect and always mine, even when I make mistakes. Please forgive me when I fall. You will give me victory.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Ugly Thoughts and Things

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or frustrated." - Hebrews 12:3

"This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." -  Psalm 34:6-7

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Dear God,

The ugliness of what is happening in this world, the ugliness coming from the Republican Party with regard to the least of these and healthcare for the disabled is tiresome. It is frustrating. I can choose what to think about. Please help me. Show me Your light and Your love. If I am thinking about last mistakes, help me to move on. Forgive me. And help me to forgive myself. Those ugly thoughts sure do like to sneak up on me! God, You have control. Show Yourself. Intervene on behalf of the least of these. Do not let the republicans throw them off comprehensive insurance plans. Do not let them hurt the least of these.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Fuel for You

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9

"He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." - Psalm 33:5

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

"For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." - Colossians 1:29

"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - I John 4:15-16

Dear God,

Your love will never fail me. It is my fuel and the best source of energy for me. Your love will never run out. Your love will help keep me going and to keep doing the right things.

Thank you.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

I Will Go Before You

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." - Deuteronomy 31:8

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - I John 4:18

Dear God, 

You will go before me. You will be with me. I should not be afraid. I should not worry. You love me. You are everywhere all the time. No matter what is going on, You will be with me. I can be brave and bold because You are with me. Fear and worry doesn't belong. Your perfect love takes away fear. Right now, God, I present to You with my fears and worries. The republican monsters are at it again attempting to make healthcare far far worse than the ACA. They want seniors to be charged far more than they already are. They want women to have no care. They want the disabled to have no primary care. And they claim to be doing this in Your name! God, You say You provide. You say You will go before me and be with me. Please show Yourself in a huge way in this matter. Do it not just for me. Do it for the least of these. 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen

I Will Never Fail You

"His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love." - Psalm 147:10-11

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - I John 4:16

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed." - Isaiah 51:6

Dear God, 

Your love never fails. Failure is everywhere in this world. People make mistakes, people lie, and people let me down. I also make mistakes and bad choices. A love that never fails is hard to understand. You are God. You are perfect. You are forever. Yet You came down to earth as a tiny baby. You grew up here on earth. You know everything I'm going through. You understand. Your mercies never stop. Your salvation and goodness will never end. You are pleased with those who trust Your love and You will never let me down.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Seasons

"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of man." - Lamentations 3:31-33

Other translation focal verse: Although the Lord brings sorrow, he also has mercy. His love is great. - Lamentations 3:32

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ..." - Ecclesiastes 3:1

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26

Other translation focal verse: May the Lord show you his kindness. May he have mercy on you. - Numbers 6:25

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."  - Lamentations 3:22-24

Dear God, 

My life has seasons just as the earth has seasons. But the seasons of my life are harder to predict as they do not necessarily have a calendar marking them. Joy and happiness, sorrow and sadness. There so a right time for everything. Sadness. Seasons of sadness. They stink. They bring me down. But they are the times when I do feel the most discouraged and the most let down. Even when I anticipate they will occur. Help me to look for signs of Your presence when I am hurting. I have seen I the rainbow in the sky that you tend to place when I am going through the season of sadness. Your love and mercy are new every morning. Oh God, I place everything in Your hands right now. You know my needs and my fears and my anxieties and my frustrations. Please fill those areas and take the reins. Please continue to fight for me.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen