Saving The Lost

Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."

Jesus didn't just come to save His lost children. He didn't just show up and say, 'Here I am, are you coming or what?!'  He came to find us and then save us.  Our relationship with Him is a two-way street, and He has traveled near and far on His side of it.  He seeks us!  Only a God of abundant mercy and unfailing love would take the time to do that.

When I understood the meaning of this passage, I was all in for Jesus.  I am so unworthy of my salvation because of my sinful ways.  But, because God loves me so much, He never gave up on me.  He continued to seek me until I accepted Him and His precious gift of life eternal with Him in His Glorious Kingdom.  His love and mercy have made me worthy to Him.  How awesome is this?!!

Dear Lord, thank You for never giving up on me.  Thank You for doing so much more for me than I could ever deserve.  I know that I could never repay You for any of the amazing gifts You have given me, but I just pray that You will use me in whatever way is according to Your will to bring You glory and spread the Word of Your love and redemption.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Unworthy

Luke 18:13 - "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to Heaven as he prayed.  Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner'."

The humility of the tax collector is on full display here.  He knows he is not worthy of God's love and mercy.  All he can do is confess his sins to God and beg Him for mercy.

I know that I am no better than anyone else.  I am unworthy of God's mercy, as is everyone.  All I can do is pray for God's forgiveness.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your new mercy for me everyday.  I know I don't deserve it, and I do not understand what You see that makes You want to stay, but I will trust Your plan and will for my life.  I know You have great things planned for me.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Greater Pleasure

Ephesians 1:5 - God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.

God's plan for us since the beginning was to bring us into fellowship with Him, and He used Jesus' sacrifice to atone for our separation by sin.  This gave Him great pleasure, but imagine how much greater pleasure He gets when another person accepts Jesus Christ into their hearts as their Lord and Savior.

I lived for so long unconcerned if I was pleasing anyone but myself.  Since developing the relationship I have with Jesus, I cannot imagine doing anything but working for the greater glory of God to spread His Word and help bring others to Christ and give God great(er) pleasure.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your love and this precious gift of salvation that I have received through the shed blood of Your Son Jesus Christ.  I ask for Your guidance and wisdom as strive to do Your will, and share the Gospel that will bring others into Your Glorious Kingdom.  In Jesus' precious and Holy name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Working It Out

Psalms 138:8 - The Lord will work out His plans for my life - for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.  Don't abandon me, for You made me.

David's heart for God is such a great encouragement.  David had to deal with a lot of serious problems.  He endured a lot of trials and tribulations, but through it all he trusted that God was working it all out for Him, and He completely trusted God's will and plan for his life.

Do I have this level of trust in God's plans for me?  Have I totally surrendered my will to His?  One thing I have always struggled with is my total surrender.  In the last couple of months, I have felt God working overtime, it seems, on my heart so that I get to that point of total surrender that He wants for me.  And I am loving this feeling.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for taking the time to do the work in me that You have.  I'm sure You are pretty busy as it is, but because of Your faithful and unending love for me, I have felt Your presence in my life and Your touch on my heart.  I am not sure what You see in me that makes You want me, but I will trust Your plans for me and surrender to Your will.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Absolute Comprehension

Psalms 147:5 - How great is our Lord!  His power is absolute!  His understanding is beyond comprehension!

One thing in particular that I used to use as an excuse for not reading the Bible was, "I don't get it."  There was so much I didn't understand about God and His love for us, and I listened to a lot of peoples misguided interpretations instead of finding out for myself.

When I began my relationship with Jesus and began to pray in earnest for wisdom and understanding that only He could provide, I really began to understand more.  One thing I learned, among many other things, is that we as humans are not capable of understanding 100% everything about God and His plans for us.  We lost that ability with sin.  When we turn from our old ways and trust completely in God by faith alone, He will begin to reveal Himself little by little until we enter His Glorious Kingdom where all will be revealed to us.  I don't know about you, but I'm super excited for that!

Dear Lord, thank You for this work that You have done in my heart so that I began to seek You and not someone else's idea of You.  I truly believe the words of this Psalm that Your power is absolute, and I completely trust in Your plan for me and for all of us, that it is a plan for good and never for evil.  All honor, praise, and glory be to You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Exalted Humility

Luke 14:11 - "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

I have said before regarding humility that there are two types of people in the world, those who are humble and those who are about to be.  It's not mine, but I think it is a great way to restate this passage.

Pride is something I used to struggle with quite a bit.  I have gotten a lot better about it (by no means perfect), but there are times where I will let it show.  Whenever I do, I feel the Holy Spirit gently talking to me to correct me, and I thank God for teaching me humility.  He is just to correct me, and even reprimand me harshly for my repeated sins, but He doesn't do that because of His unfailing love and grace.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me the way You want me to live.  I am prepared to do whatever You require of me that will bring You greater glory according to Your will and purpose.  I thank You for all that You have shown me, and all that You will reveal to me in Your time.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Hard Work

Luke 13:24 - "Work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail."

Some might read this passage to mean that we only get into Heaven through our good deeds and works.  This is simply not true.  We have to work hard to stay faithful to God and His will for us, and to resist the pressures and temptations of this world.

For someone like me who lived according to the world instead of His Word for so long, I can definitely testify to how tough the pressures and temptations are and can be.  I have been blessed to see God at work in my life and to know that He has great things planned for me.  He is forever my future and my hope, and I am confident that if I keep my trust and faith in Him, I will achieve victory in the end.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your grace and mercy every day.  I don't know how I went so long without You, but I know now that I won't make it without You.  You have given me final victory because of Your unfailing and unending love.  Thank You so much.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

No Worries

Luke 12:25-26 - Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  And if worry can't accomplish a little thing like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?

Anxiety solves nothing.  God already has everything figured out and planned, and we must trust in Him.

I used to be such a worry-wart.  My anxiety was very bad, and would creep up on me without any warning.  My biggest fear - death.  I knew that life would always go on without me, but my problem was, 'what am I supposed to do then?  What's next?'  God cured my anxiety by teaching me that it solves nothing and that as long as I trust in Him and remain faithful, death will have no power over me.

Dear Lord, thank You for curing me of my biggest fear.  In You death has lost its sting, and I look forward to being in Heaven where I will be able to worship and praise You for all eternity.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Time

Ecclesiastes 3:1 - For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

There is a time and place for everything.  And it all happens according to God's will.  God's timing is perfect, and He makes everything come together for good in the end.

I know that my timing stinks.  I have learned to be more trusting in God's timing and plan for my life.  Whenever I have tried to figure it out without His guidance, I just make a mess of things.  Hard lesson to learn, but definitely well worth it.

Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me to trust in Your timing and plan for my life.  I know I get impatient and try to speed things along.  But knowing that I have You in my corner and that You won't let me fail, makes me so appreciative of Your awesome patience and grace.  Thank You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Showing Mercy

Luke 10:37 - The man replied,"The one who showed him mercy."  Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."

Great instructions from our Savior.  When the man asked Jesus who was our neighbor, Jesus used this parable to illustrate that we are all each other's neighbor.  Even the people who we would normally despise (as the Jews and Samaritans did), deserve our love and mercy.  Why?  Because Jesus said so.

I have always had a sympathetic heart for those who are less fortunate than me.  Does that make me special?  Not even close.  But have I always shown love and mercy to the ones that I don't get along with?  The answer plainly is no.  I have to do better about loving those who make it difficult to love them.  As Jesus said, if you only love those who love you, where is the reward in that?  Loving those who make it difficult to love them doesn't give us any earthly reward. Our reward is in Heaven.

Dear Lord, I ask You to work on my heart so that I may follow Your command to love ALL regardless.  I want to show others what it means to love like Jesus loves, so that Your name will be glorified even more.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Still A Man

Luke 9:20 - Then He asked them, "But who do you say I am?"  Peter replied, "You are the Messiah, sent from God!"

Peter was a great man.  He was obviously very much loved and blessed by Jesus.  There are times in the Bible where Peter has the best answers, and yet others where he just doesn't seem to have a clue.  And even though here he states what he knows is the truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, he still denies him later.  Why?  Because for all his greatness, he was still just a man.  Fear and uncertainty overcame him sometimes, and he would lack confidence and faith.  But Jesus loved him.  Jesus knew he was a special man despite his shortcomings.

I love reading about Peter.  Such a great example of an imperfect person loved by a perfect God.  Stories like his always help renew and strengthen my faith and hope in God's love and grace.

Dear Lord, thank You for this today.  You always know what I need to hear and when I need to hear it, because Your timing is perfect.  I am so blessed by Your love and grace of an imperfect (big time) person like me.  You have new mercy for me everyday, and I am eternally grateful.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Go Away

Luke 8:37 - And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.  So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.

These people didn't understand that they had nothing to fear from Jesus.  They were afraid of God's judgement, and I believe ashamed of their sins as well, so they rejected Jesus.

The human mind is funny to me sometimes.  We tell ourselves 'if I push the problem (or sin) to the side and don't think about it, it won't be a problem anymore'.  I know I used to do that a ton.  But if we stare down our sins and fears and ask for God's help and forgiveness, He is just to forgive and help us.  The last thing we should ever do is reject God out of fear and shame.

Dear Lord, I thank You for Your unfailing love and forgiveness that I am completely undeserving of.  I ask for continued strength as I face my fears and sins, so that I may always remember to turn them over to You, and not give in to fear.  With You, I have nothing to fear.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Stirring

Ezra 1:1 - In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy He had given through Jeremiah.  He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom.

Throughout the Old Testament, and indeed the entire Bible, God uses some of the most unlikely people to do His work and fulfill His prophecies.  I am sure that the Jews (for the majority) were expecting more of the same when Cyrus became king.  But in his first year he set them free, returned everything taken from their temple, and ordered everyone to help them.  Talk about unlikely!

I would definitely consider myself an unlikely one to be used by God.  But He has.  I've had the opportunity, by the grace of God, to share the Gospel with a couple of people, and I know God has more in store for me.  Because He loves me.  Because the Bible says He does.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for my life.  I am not worthy of Your love and grace, and the new mercy you have for me everyday.  Thank You for allowing me to serve Your Kingdom and glorify You.  I ask that You use me for whatever You want me for.  Whatever glorifies Your Name is all I want to do.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Full-Time Love

Luke 6:9 - Then Jesus said to His critics, "I have a question for you.  Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil?  Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"

While addressing the critics who were upset about Him healing on the Sabbath, Jesus makes a point about doing good out of love at all times.  Love for everyone is a full-time gig.  Not when it's convenient.  All the time, 24-7.

I know I am guilty of being a part-timer here.  There have been days when I am just in a mood and don't feel like it.  That's not glorifying God.  He always gives me His best, and I owe Him nothing less than mine in return.  With God's help and guidance, I will be better.

Dear Lord, please forgive my transgressions as I work harder at living out the example of love that Jesus gave us.  I know with Your infinite and awesome patience, wisdom, and love, I can and will do better.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Great Blessings

Jeremiah 17:7 - "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence."

Jeremiah was one of the blessed ones to be sure.  Despite what God told him that He was going to do to the wicked ones of Israel, he kept praying for them and asking God to spare them.  That's love.  That's confidence in God.  Jeremiah knew that God would use their bad to bring good for His people.

Sometimes I feel like Peter who asked Jesus to leave because he was so ashamed of his sin that he felt that he didn't deserve to be around Him.  But I desire to be more like Jeremiah. Praying for my and other's salvation and rescue.  I have hope and confidence that God will use me where He sees fit.  I have hope and confidence that God provides great blessings, not necessarily for those He loves because He loves us all, but for those who put their hope and confidence in Him.  And for those that haven't yet, He loves them regardless, and He has promised to shower them with those same great blessings when they turn their hearts to Him as well.

Dear Abba Father, I pray to You now that You will keep me strong in my faith and my heart focused on You at all times.  I ask You to use my gifts that You have blessed me with in whatever way Your name is glorified.  For those that haven't turned their hearts to You yet, I pray that You will continue to knock.  I have the faith and confidence that they will open the door.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Boastful Pride

Jeremiah 9:23 - This is what the Lord says: "Don't let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches."

Being boastful about things that are of this world, and therefore temporary, is a waste of time and draws us away from our worship of and relationship with God.

Someone once said that there are two types of people.  Those that are humble and those who are about to be.  I have been proud, but Jesus humbled me.  I am forever thankful for His saving grace so that I may know the loving nature of my God.

Dear Lord, thank You for humbling me and showing me Your loving and forgiving nature so I will never again let pride rule my life.  I know I am not perfect, and that I will sin from time to time, but because of Your love and mercy, I am no longer a slave to my sin, and I know that You will always be there to help me overcome it.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Earnest Prayer

Daniel 6:10 - But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem.  He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Daniel was not afraid of what any man would do to him.  He knew that God would continue to bless and protect him as long as he stayed faithful in prayer.  There was nothing anyone could do that would keep Daniel from staying faithful to God.

Do I pray enough?  Do I trust God enough?  I know that I am unwavering in my faith in Jesus, and I trust Him implicitly, without any reservation.  But I need to pray more.  I'm sure God would like to hear from me more.  He knows my heart, but I still need to tell Him what He means to me.

Dear Lord, You mean everything to me.  Please continue to bless me and protect me, as I try to resist the temptations of this world and remain faithful to You.  I know I can accomplish anything with Your strength, guidance, and protection, and most importantly, Your love.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Promise Kept

Luke 2:30-32 - "I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel."

God's Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah first.  Simeon recognized Jesus for who He was when He was still a baby.  God kept His promise.

Like Simeon, John the Baptist recognized Jesus for who He was right away.  A lot of people did.  I feel sad for those who didn't or wouldn't despite what Jesus did for them.  I am blessed that once I understood who Jesus is and what He did for me, to have accepted Him for who He is - my Savior and my God.  And I pray for those who haven't yet to opened their hearts to Him.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who don't know You yet to open their hearts so that they can come to understand who You are, and accept Your gift of salvation and love, that they can receive from nowhere else.  Soften their hearts so that they may open their eyes to Your amazing and wonderful gift.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Belief

Luke 1:38 - Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant.  May everything you have said about me come true."  And then the angel left her.

While Zechariah doubted the angel by asking how could he be sure, Mary believed.  She did ask for clarification so she could understand, but she didn't get punished like Zechariah, because she humbled herself by proclaiming herself as God's servant.

There's nothing wrong with asking for clarification to understand God better.  That's what he wants, for us to seek Him and His wisdom.  He is the Father of Understanding, and He is happy to make Himself known to us.

Dear Lord, please continue to give me the wisdom and understanding I need to be a better servant of Jesus, and to better glorify You in all I do.  I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Great Truth

Revelation 22:6 - Then the angel said to me, "Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true.  The Lord God, who inspires His prophets, has sent His angel to tell His servants what will happen soon."

Everything God tells us is trustworthy and true.  I love that.  In this busy and hectic world, it is comforting to have something, and Someone, that we can count on 100%.  As long as we remain faithful to God, He will make good on all of the great promises and truths He has spoken of.

Quieting my mind and learning to be still so that I can be closer to God was not something that came easy for me.  But then again, nothing worth doing is ever easy, right?  I am so thankful and blessed by my relationship with Jesus, and I will remain forever faithful.

Dear Lord, thank You for being so trustworthy and true.  Thank You for hushing the rage in me that kept me from knowing You and knowing the great and wonderful things You have planned for me.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

God Bless!!!

A Great Promise

Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever.

God's promise of life in the new Heaven and new Earth and new Jerusalem is something we should all be looking forward to as believers in Christ.  All the hurts and pains of this world will be gone forever, and everything will be fresh and perfect.

Life in this world can, and often is, difficult and hard.  But it doesn't have to be.  That isn't God's will for our lives.  The promise of the new Jerusalem and new Heaven and new Earth is what God has always wanted for us.  But we have to seek Him to get it.  He sent His Son to die so that we could attain it.  When I was first starting to develop my relationship with Jesus, I suffered incredible anxiety.  This passage here cured it.  No more anxiety or depression for me.  God has promised to do away with all of that.  And He always keeps His promises.  I'll trust Him on this one too.

Dear Abba Father, thank You for coming through on this and every other promise You have made to us.  Please continue to guide my steps along Your path for my life according to Your will, so that I may continue  to honor and glorify You in every way possible.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Guiding

Isaiah 58:11 - The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

When we put our trust in God, and look to Him for answers, He will faithfully guide us on the path He has chosen for us.

I read something once that said,"never once does the Bible say 'figure it out', but over and over it says trust God, He already has it all figured out."  This is great advice, and I will continue to seek His guidance and counsel in all I do.

Dear Lord, all I ask is for You to continue to guide me and counsel me in the decisions I make every day, so that I may bring You honor and glory in all that I do.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Change

Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of wrong doing.  Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them.  Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously.

To accept Christ as our savior, and go to church and sing isn't good enough.  We have to follow God's word and completely change the way we do things.  People say that insanity means doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  If we don't give God our whole heart, He knows.  If we go all in for Him, He promises to forgive generously.

When I finally understood this, and went all in for God from my heart, I felt the difference.  I felt God working in my heart.  It wasn't just that I changed my ways, but I felt God changing me.  Now this does not mean that I am perfect, and that I never make mistakes or ever sin.  Far from it.  But I am a different person because of my relationship with Jesus.  I know, and more importantly God knows, that I will sin from time to time.  But I trust God to forgive me because although He knows I am human, He knows where my hearts loyalty lies.

Dear Lord, thank for redeeming and changing this unworthy servant of Yours.  I know I don't deserve Your unfailing love and everlasting grace, but Your mercy has made me worthy and deserving, and I will forever treasure my salvation that is found only in You and through the blood of Your Son Jesus.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Never Again

Ezekiel 33:16 - None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live?

Once we ask for God's forgiveness and accept Jesus in our hearts, our slate is wiped clean.  NOTHING will be remembered ever again.  The only time it is too late, is at the last moment before we die in the flesh.  God has promised that we will be with Him in His Kingdom forever...I'll trust Him to keep His word.

I am so thankful that God has promised to remember my sins never again.  I know I will forever be grateful for His opportunity of salvation for my life.

Dear Lord, thank You for wiping my slate clean and saving me from eternal destruction.  I pray that You will use my life in whatever way Your Name is glorified.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

His Will

Daniel 3:18 - But even if He doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.

Daniel's friends were just as steadfast in their devotion to God as Daniel was.  In the previous verse, they tell the king that God will rescue them.  But here they tell him that even if He doesn't, they will not waver in their loyalty to Him.  They weren't doubting God's ability to save them, they were trusting in His Will for their lives.  If it wasn't His Will, so be it, they would not hesitate to die for God.

Of course God rescued them.  He had great things planned for them.  He wanted to use them for His glory.  God has definitely rescued me from my own blazing furnace...more than once.  That's how I know He has great things planned for me.  And I will wait patiently for His Will to be done.

Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing me from myself.  I know that I cannot do this without You.  I ask for Your continued wisdom to be patient, be still, and know that Your are God.  That You are in control, and everything happens according to Your purpose for Your MUCH greater glory.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Determination

Daniel 1:8 - But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king.  He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.

Daniel was a man of great faith and determination.  He would not allow himself to be defiled  by eating food that was offered as a sacrifice to idols.  Whenever Daniel was in a situation he needed help in, he was always quick to prayer.

This is something I have gotten better at, although it has taken some time, being quick to prayer.  God loves when we talk to Him.  He knows what we need already, but we have to ask for it.  When we do, He is happy to provide.

Dear Lord, thank You for providing for me in ways that I never thought possible.  In ways that I never knew existed.  I ask you to give me the determination that You gave Daniel, so that I may be strong and true in my faith and service to You.  Your will be done.  Amen!

God Bless!!!

Hope

Lamentations 3:21-24 - Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.  I say to myself,"The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him!"

The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah expressing his sorrow over Israel's punishment from God.  However, while Jeremiah is expressing his sorrow, he remembers that the punishment was more than justified because of Israel's idolatry and rebellion to God, and God has promised to restore them.  All because of His faithful love.

I can't speak for anyone else, but knowing how faithful God's love is gives me hope.  God would be more than justified to not accept me because of my past sins and transgressions.  But He has wiped my slate clean because He loves me.  He has new mercy for me everyday.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me hope when I had none.  Thank you for making me new in Your grace and love when You had every right to refuse me.  All I am and all I have I owe to You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless!!!

Patient Endurance

Revelation 14:12 - This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying His commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

We are reminded that we must stay faithful to God no matter what may be brought upon us.  Our reward for our faithfulness will be nothing short of amazing, and our punishment for our rebellion will be nothing short of justified.

My grandmother used to tell me that I had the 'patience of Job'.  I would never argue with her, because she was usually right, but do I have the patient endurance to hold strong when I am tested and persecuted?  I'd like to think I will, but to be completely honest, I can't answer that question.  All I can do is pray for God to give me the strength and confidence to persevere and succeed.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You will continue to comfort, protect, and guide me like only You can.  I ask for the strength to endure, and the confidence to know that I will succeed, when I am put to the test, so that I may be able to bring You the honor and glory that You so richly deserve.  In Jesus' name, Amen.