Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
M.O.M.: Ephesians 4:31
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.(English Standard Version)
Today's reading: GENESIS 1-3 MATTHEW 1
Dear God,
Father, instead of the folks reading what I think, I thought we could just talk to You. All of us have weaknesses and needs and all of us sit here in a new day and a new year with no idea what will happen this year.
We ask God that You clear our minds to see Your leading us like footprints out there in the snow this morning. Let each of us be truthful about our own sin and humble ourselves under Your hand like it says in 1 Peter 5:6&7.
Teach us, Lord, not to worry as Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:25 but to be strong and courageous as You cammanded in Joshua 1:9. Teach us to sit and reason with You as You said Isaiah 1:18 through Isaiah 2:11. Let us see our sins as absolutely opposite from Your heart and give us the courage to quickly tell You we are wrong. Then, God, give us the clarity to accept Your forgiveness and forgive ourselves and move on.
And the Loving Father, we all fall so short of loving the way You want for us and from us. We don't love You as we should but, Father, but we want to. So lead us to that state in our hearts where we want with all our beings to love You as You want.
We still let our neighbors upset and anger us from time to time so teach us to give those feelings to You and let You control our emotions as we take those feelings captive. Teach us to lock up all those bad feelings and let them go no further.
Teach us, God, to go directly through the problems and trials and remind us constantly that no one can go through this stuff alone. The pain of this world is heavy and dark and we complain and groan but show us how to walk through it clinging to You and Your grace.
Lord, our country is having at war with itself, so, while all of that is happening we pray that You let us set our faces like flint-to stand stubbornly for You and Your truth. We ask that You work through us to break the back of the enemy's influence where we live and then all the way to Washington. Let the lost see that the war is within themselves. Let them see their lost condition and their need for Jesus and humble us to be strong and live Jesus in front of them all.
Take the fear from our hearts and faces and let the world around each of us see strength and joy in the face of certain pain. Let them see our humility in our victories and not pride. Let them feel Your unconditional love from us and not condemnation.
Lord, our hearts are Yours. Now, this minute, we take up our crosses and die to self and follow. Show each of us how precious it is to be in Your presence and selfless we have to be to get there.
Father, give each a desire to become less and less as You become more and more until You are all to us.
Our words fall so short but You are the beginning and the end. You are here as well as at the end of the horizon-here and at the other side of the universe. Thank You for sitting here with us, with me with nothing but Love. Thank You for being our comforter and restorer and our peace.
Oh, Lord, may our entire beings be full into You and Your grace and mercy and our obedience grow to completion.
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