Today's Quote Options

[OnHoldAZ]

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
-- Ephesians 6:10

THOUGHT:
Some of our strength to fight evil comes from our experiences in
the past, from the encouragement of others, and from our knowledge
of the truth in the Scriptures. Ultimately, however, our strength
comes from God's mighty power. Paul uses his letter to the
Ephesians to remind Christians that this power is what raised Jesus
from the dead (1:19-20). Through that power in us, God can do much
more than we can ask or imagine (3:20-21). Most important of all,
as we put on our spiritual armor and dedicate ourselves to
spiritual discipline, God blesses us with his power and might. We
can be strong in God's mighty power.

PRAYER:
O LORD God Almighty, my Abba Father and loving Shepherd,
strengthen me with your might and grace so that I can withstand the
attacks and temptations of the evil one. In Jesus' name I ask it.
Amen.

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand
against the devil's schemes.
-- Ephesians 6:11

THOUGHT:
So often we are focused only on the things that we like, that we
are good at doing, or that we are interested in accomplishing. God
wants us to use every piece of his spiritual armor. He wants us to
be disciplined and grow in the areas of our spiritual weakness and
the areas we don't necessarily find exciting or interesting. Our
evil opponent is crafty and will try to attack us in the areas of
our weakness and vulnerability. So let's not just commit to be
diligent in the areas of our interest and strength, but also in
those areas where we are not.

PRAYER:
Father, strengthen me in the areas where I am most vulnerable to
sins or lethargy. Open my eyes to help me see my areas of weakness.
Rekindle my heart to passionately seek after your holiness. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms.
-- Ephesians 6:12

THOUGHT:
The battle we face is not just a physical one. Instead, it is a
spiritual battle with powers that we do not easily see and which
are very powerful. We shouldn't dismiss this as an imaginary battle
or as an irrelevant struggle. Just as clearly as Satan was
crouching at Cain's door, desiring to have him, so he crouches at
our door (Gen. 4:7). He will use his forces of evil to do all he
can to defeat, destroy, or corrupt us. We must take this war
seriously and recognize the spiritual power of our foe.

PRAYER:
Father, forgive me for the times I have not taken the threat of
evil seriously. Give me a holy revulsion for anything that is tied
to what is unholy and opposed to your work and will. Let me not be
deceived by temptation and deliver me from the power of the evil
one in all of his forms. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be
afraid. What can man do to me?"
-- Hebrews 13:6

THOUGHT:
How can we be confident in what happens today? What is our
assurance for tomorrow? Where do we muster excitement about
eternity? The Lord is our helper! Fear will not be our master
because our future, our destiny, our eternity rest in the hands of
the eternal Lord. The worst that man can do is to send me home to
my Lord.

PRAYER:
Almighty God, my Father and my helper, I place my trust in you.
As the Alpha and Omega, I trust you for all of my tomorrows and
place my trust and dependence in you for today. In Jesus' name I
praise you. Amen.

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the
Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
-- Romans 14:8

THOUGHT:
We are the Lord's. He bought us out of bondage to sin and death.
We have voluntarily placed our lives in his hands. No matter what
we do or where we go, his grace goes with us. He has promised to
never leave us. He has assured us that nothing can separate us from
his love. So let's live with a sense of excited anticipation,
looking to see where the Lord will lead us. Let us face difficulty,
and even death, with the assurance that we will not face tough
times alone. Even in the shadow of death, we don't have to fear
what the evil can do. We are the Lord's.

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for sending your Son to redeem me. Lord Jesus,
thank you for coming to earth, paying the price for my sin, and
sending the Holy Spirit to be your presence in me. Take my life and
use it to your glory. May my faith not fail in the face of life's
worst challenges. I pray that whether I live or I die that you be
glorified in me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all
your crops…
-- Proverbs 3:9

THOUGHT:
Honoring God comes first in everything. We don't give him the
last, the least, or the leftovers. He gave us his best, most
precious, and most perfect of gifts -- his Son Jesus. Thanks be to
God for his indescribable gift! How could we give him anything less
than our best, our first, and our most precious?

PRAYER:
Gracious God and loving Father, thank you for every good and
perfect gift you have lavished upon me. Please accept the offering
of my heart which I freely give to you. Soften it and make it
gracious and generous like you. I commit to give you and your work
in the world, my first and best. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

And this just seemd to fit.......................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y_lHevMdpc...feature=related

[OnHoldAZ]

VERSE:
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other
and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
-- 1 Thessalonians 3:12


THOUGHT:
God is love. God is also the source of love. He pours love into
our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). So how do we make
our churches, our families, our small groups, and communities more
loving? We pray for God to grow the love in those in groups, let
them know that we are praying that prayer for them, then
communicate and demonstrate our love to those very same groups.

PRAYER:
Father, use me to help be an example of love to those around me.
Please pour your love into my heart through your Spirit and then
channel that love out of my life to others. Please help the loving
spirit in our congregation grow more and more, not just to each
other, but also to those around us who are not part of your Kingdom
family. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.