So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.

And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,1:17 See Mal 4:5-6. and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Lord God my Father,

May I please you with my thoughts and actions, Lord God, give me strength in my struggles to not stumble and keep my gaze on you. Give me courage and boldness to carry your word to those around me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross.

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. 6His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,

Lord God my Father,

Quiet my mind to live in your peace where I don’t worry about your plan, bring all doubt and fear to the surface and skim it off leaving me pure in my faith. Open my eyes and ears to your truth only, protect me from deceit.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.

So I purged out everything foreign and assigned tasks to the priests and Levites, making certain that each knew his work.

This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.

Lord God my Father,

Bring a spirit of reverence to my thoughts do I may always have your desire on my heart, use me to lead others to find the relationship you desire to have with your people.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love.

Lord God my Father,

Your forgiveness is astounding, create in me a heart that desires to never look away from you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.

This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to see your Glory above the struggles, this is a day to rejoice simply because you made it. Keep a spirit of praise on my heart as I walk thru the darkness focusing my eyes on you, not on the issues Satan is using to distract me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?

 Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.

They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

Lord God my Father,

Keep your Truth on my at all times, help me to see the game play of the deceiver, Give me courage and determination to follow thru with your request and bring hope to others.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.

Lord God my Father,

Instruct me on how to restore your kingdom and inspire others to do the same. Lord God, I am a sinner weak and lazy, unable to lift myself up, I need you and your power and direction to be my only motivation. I cry out to you for restoration to who you created me to be.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him. 

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Lord God my Father,

I ask that your gracious hand be on me, make my heart obedient to you alone. Bring Peace to my thoughts and provide a path to follow that brings you honor. Soften my strongholds I have yet to surrender to you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 

“Excellent!” the king said to Haman. “Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!”

 when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from arrogance and humble so I may experience you properly in my day. All that is good is your fault.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice.

Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Lord God my Father,

Bring wise people into my life and give me a heart that seeks their advice and courage to follow it.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen