Simple faith

His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

“Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from questioning you and simply know and obey, I don’t have to understand. Allow a faith beyond understanding to come to me and allow your Peace to be my guide.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Delightfully strong

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

 “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Lord God my Father,

Open my ears so I may hear and give me faith so I may obey. Allow me to see the difference between the good and bad, give me desire to speak Truth in Love so more can hear. Help me to release my life to your care where there is no fear.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Fresh and new

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.35A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 

“Here are my mother and my brothers!35Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Lord God my Father,

Help me to yield my heart to your will and protect it from bitterness. Help me to represent you as you like so others may be drawn to you and find your peace. Help me to fill my heart with your way and protect me from allowing Satan to recapture the parts I have overcome in your name.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Power filled

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,11:12 Or been forcefully advancing and violent people have been raiding it.

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’35But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Lord God my Father,

Give me faith without doubt, allow me to see. Allow your courage to carry me past any struggle and proclaim your Truth. Cause me to become friends with the lost and give me a powerful faith that can lead others to you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

His patience

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24And we are among those whom he selected, 

Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law9:32 Greek by works. instead of by trusting in him.

Lord God my Father,

You have made me new yet I struggle with my past. Help me to keep my complete focus on you and bring separation from the past. I wish to be only what you desire of me today. Your spirit in me is the answer to overcome all my struggles and accept myself as a new creation. I am grateful for your patience with me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

One heart

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Lord God my Father,

Restore my heart to your design, remove my desire to shape things to my way. Keep me in your Truth that you have it all under your authority. Allow your Truth to guide my actions to be faithful to serve those who seek you. Give me the heart you desire me to carry.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

His desire alone

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister5:22 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verse 23.5:22 Some manuscripts brother or sister without cause will be subject to judgment.

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.37All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Lord God my Father,

Keep check on my heart, help me to learn to keep every thought captive and only act on thoughts in your Truth. Keep me from judging others when I am such a sinner. Help me to only follow your desire in me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Whole

How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand. “So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Lord God my Father,

Make me Holey, cause me to your will. Soften my stubborn heart and free me from my compromised way.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

New

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 

 “Follow me,”Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’9:13 Hosea 6:6 For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Lord God my Father,

Lord God, you accept me with all my sin, craw me close and cause me to move out of my way and into yours. Give me a heart that just follows you without my thinking. Heal me and make me new.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

One in spirit

“Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”20At once they left their nets and followed him.

 “Be quiet!”said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”26The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Lord God my Father,

Give me the obedience to follow your call without hesitation. I ask you to search my soul and drive out any spirit that is not of you, restore me to your desire.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen