She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!

Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

Lord God my Father,

I am unworthy, yet you love and bless me. Thank you for allowing me to grow close to you. Allow me the understanding to live as you desire and give me discernment to only follow your design.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

 “When an evil  spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”

Lord God my Father,

Keep me close so I may hear your desire. Help me to learn how to allow you to carry my burdens. Keep my mind from thoughts that separate me from your Peace and keep your spirit in me loud enough to make me undesirable to evil.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

3Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” 

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

 “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Lord God my Father,

I am willing, help me to remove all doubt. Give me a faith without compromise and confidence. Keep me from allowing fear to be any part of my thoughts, heal me from my weakness. Use me for your will and thank you for loving me without condition.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The highway to hell  is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!

He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to keep my heart completely focused on you, protect me from judging others. Keep my decisions under your control and keep me from worry. I want to stay on your path even when I struggle with myself and do your will. You are my authority, keep me close and protect me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.

 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’

 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to stay close to you and not wonder away. Give me discernment to notice Satan when he is tempting me. Keep me from following my sin nature and obedience to act as you ask me to. I am so grateful you are so close to me, continue to shape me as you desire.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.

I will praise my God to my last breath!

34May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

Lord God my Father,

You are everything good, rest in me and keep me from falling for any deceit. Keep me near and be my God.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?

Lord God my Father,

Direct me to be free of the past so I may live today with confidence and peace under your authority. Help me to release all desires that conflict with your will. Restore me to your design and past my poor thoughts.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16to reveal his Son to me1:16a Or in me. so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really2:4 Greek some false brothers.—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. 

You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.

But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

Lord God my Father,

Thank you for your son and the promise he brings through my faith. Thank you for using me for your desire, help me to surrender the strongholds I carry to your care and give me the courage to face them. Keep my thoughts close so I may hear deceit before it can rest on me. Help my faith to be complete and my sin nature to be replaced with your Peace.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders12:11 Or the Jewish people. had planned to do to me!”

Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?

But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said.

Lord God my Father,

You are always here, help me to rely on you, protect me from distractions. Give me discernment to know your Truth above all else and keep me in your desire when I don’t understand. Keep me close.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. 5But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Lord God my Father,

Keep my thoughts pure and filled with your hope. Help me to carry the good news in such a way others will desire it. Help me to be in prayer in all things.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen