Category Archives: Verses, Quotes, and Inspiration

How to Fight Spiritual Battles for the People You Love

It sometimes feels like the enemy is attacking the people we love more than ever but praise God, He has given us a spiritual battle plan so we can fight back. #spiritualbattle #prayer #God'sWord #BibleStudy #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

I recently reread Priscilla Shirer’s book – Fervent.

This time I added a journal . . . taking notes and writing prayers.

I have felt the need to go to battle in my war room more often lately because everywhere I look it seems like the enemy is ramping up his attacks on the people I love.

But rather than getting anxious and discouraged over his efforts to…

  • deceive and distract us with lies and distortions
  • make us doubt and forget who we are in Christ
  • make us selfish and destroy our unity
  • keep us focused on past failures with guilt and shame
  • magnify our problems and make them seem insurmountable
  • taunt and tempt us with our weaknesses
  • keep us overwhelmed and busy with no time to rest
  • keep us from forgiving those who have hurt and betrayed us
  • destroy relationships and break apart families

I want to pray “fervent” prayers and give it all to God . . . asking Him to give us, and the people we love, everything we need to stand with strength and courage and to fight our spiritual battles.

In the prayer Jesus taught, He told us to pray…

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:13 (NIV and NLT)

You see…

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood [what we can see] but against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places [what we can’t see]. (Personal Paraphrase of Ephesians 6:12)

Jesus knew we would need the Holy Spirit’s help daily to fight the temptation of the evil one. So much so, that the night before His crucifixion, He asked the disciples to…

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Matthew 26:41 and Mark 14:38

The way to fight the enemy and his temptations is to “stay alert and pray.” (LAB Notes) STAY ALERT by remaining aware of our areas of weakness and wise to satan’s techniques. And PRAY for the Holy Spirit to give us all we need to stand strong on God’s Word of Truth.

We fight spiritual battles through prayer for ourselves and for the people we love.

This has been a really hard year for most of us. And many of us are feeling anxious about the year ahead. What will it mean for our nation, our communities, our churches, our families? But rather than giving in to worry . . . it’s time to fight back. It’s time to stay alert and pray!

Because my friend, remember this is just a battle . . . Jesus has already won the victory. What ultimately lies ahead for His followers is glorious!

I know, sometimes the battle feels overwhelming but God has given us everything we need to fight spiritual battles both for ourselves and for the people we love.

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 5:10–11, 18
It sometimes feels like the enemy is attacking the people we love more than ever but praise God, He has given us a spiritual battle plan so we can fight back. #spiritualbattle #prayer #God'sWord #BibleStudy #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Are you ready? Let’s Pray!

Fight Spiritual Battles
for the People You Love

I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.

Ephesians 3:16–18

Father, I pray that you will pour out your strength on __________. I love that Your Word says You have glorious, unlimited resources of strength to give Your children. It’s so easy for us to focus on the world’s problems to feel like the enemy is at times—winning. But Your Word says, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)

I pray that Jesus will make His home in __________’s heart. May __________ trust You completely. May Your love keep him (her) strong and to KNOW that Your love is wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anyone can fully grasp or imagine. By Your grace, please give __________ all that is needed to live full of faith and hope he (she) might be filled overflowing with Your love.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do,
    and He will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5–6

Father, I pray __________ will SEEK You above all else. Please make the desire of her (his) heart a longing to know Your will. Please guide and direct her (him), showing her (him) the path You want her (him) to take. And by Your grace, please help __________ to KNOW with confidence that she (he) can trust You and depend on You to bless her (him) with all that is needed moment by moment.

Your ways are perfect! Please place a hedge of protection around __________ and keep her (him) safe and strong as she (he) faces any or all temptations and attacks from the enemy. Bless her (him) and fill her (him) with faith and Your perfect love.

[Jesus prayed] Holy Father, You have given me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as we are.

I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 

Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. 

John 17:11, 15, 17

Father, I love this prayer Jesus lifted to You for His disciples of all generations. It’s so easy for us to focus on the world and its temporary problems but Jesus prayed about eternal things that last. He prayed about the things that are most important. So, Father, I am joining Jesus and praying for ________, asking You to protect him (her), to give him (her) all that is needed to be united to Your family and theirs.

Please keep him (her) safe from the evil one. Give him (her) a hunger and thirst for Your Word and teach him (her) the TRUTH by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Your Word points out our sin, moves this to repent, assures us of Your love and forgiveness, renews our relationship to You through Jesus, and helps us trust and obey You in the future. (LAB notes) With all my heart, I pray _________ will live those truths with the help and power of Your Spirit. And I pray that will all be true in my life as well.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:31

Lord, I know trials and sorrows are inevitable because we live in a world plagued by sin but I pray for __________ that she (he) might live each surrounded by Your peace that goes beyond all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Please help her (him) remember that You are always with her (him) and that You have overcome the world. The enemy has been defeated and our future is secure in You.

Although, he attacks Your followers with trials and temptations . . . You, Lord, are with us and promise that when our hearts and mind are focused on You we will have all we need to have victory over his tactics. So, I pray that __________ will come to You that You might give her (him) patience and peace.

‘May the Lord bless you
    and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
    and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you His favor
    and give you His peace.’

Numbers 6:24–26

Father, I pray this blessing will cover ________.

I ask that You will protect __________.
Please smile on and be gracious,
merciful, and compassionate toward. __________.
May You show __________ Your favor
and grant __________ Your perfect peace.

Father, Your Word is full of hope and I pray that this hope will fill __________.
Please surround him (her) with love and encouragement and give everything needed that they might live each day for Your glory.
In Jesus holy name, I pray. Amen.

It sometimes feels like the enemy is attacking the people we love more than ever but praise God, He has given us a spiritual battle plan so we can fight back. #spiritualbattle #prayer #God'sWord #BibleStudy #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

I am so thankful God has given us all we need to fight our spiritual battles.

He’s given us a battle plan and the tools we need in His Word and He has given us His Spirit to guide and help us fight. May you and I boldly and faithfully fight for our loved ones. And may we most of all praise God for Jesus who fought and won the victory for our souls.

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

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Who is the God-Man – Jesus

The Bible says that Jesus is the God-Man. Fully God and fully man. This takes a closer look at what that means . . . a closer look at the Word made flesh. #Prayer #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #WordMadeFlesh #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Who is the God-Man – Jesus?

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.

John 1:1–3

Jesus is the Word made flesh . . . God-Man.

100% God. 100% Man.

Impossible to understand, yet essential for faith. But that’s why we call it faith, isn’t it? Believing even when we don’t understand.

The Life Application Bible Notes say…

Although Jesus took upon Himself full humanity and lived as a man, He never ceased to be the eternal God who has always existed, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and the source of eternal life.

That perfect creation the Lord made fell into sin. People became sinners and sinners need a Savior. You and I need a Savior. We need Jesus!

The God-Man Jesus who came to earth to:

  • suffer our punishment. (Romans 6:23)
  • die for us. (Romans 5:8)
  • save us. (Romans 10:9)
  • show us God. (Romans 15:8 & John 14:9)

Every word of Scripture from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22 points to Jesus – the God-Man . . . God’s grace, mercy, and love in human form.

But why? Why would God choose to create us with a free-will knowing we would selfishly fail to use it well?

John Piper wrote…

God created the world for His glory. [And] We were created to see His glory, be thrilled by His glory, and live so as to help others see Him and savor Him for what He really is — to know, to love, to show His glory.

And Bible.org says…

He desired to share His life with others.

His love is so great for people created in His image that He chose to graciously make a way to save us from our sinful nature so that we might love and trust Him and spend eternity with Him thrilled by His glory.

So today, we’re praying and thanking God for the Word Made Flesh . . . for Jesus, the God-Man, the One who physically showed us God’s character of grace, mercy, and love. We can trust Him. He took a fallen and broken world and began the beautiful process of redemption . . . of making all things new!

And [Jesus] the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” 

Revelation 5:21

Thank God for the God-Man – Jesus

The Bible says that Jesus is the God-Man. Fully God and fully man. This takes a closer look at what that means . . . a closer look at the Word made flesh. #Prayer #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #WordMadeFlesh #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Son of God

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:35

Thank you, Father, for Jesus. He is our Emanuel . . . God with us. Deity in human flesh. It is impossible for me to fully grasp or understand but by Your grace, I believe!

We all carry our inherited sinful human nature but because of Your great love for us . . . through Jesus, we can all enjoy a new spiritual nature. Because of Jesus, our guilt can be replaced with forgiveness. He suffered our punishment so that we might live in freedom forever.

I thank and praise You, Lord! Your plans are full of love. Your grace is sufficient.

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.

John 1:18 (NIV)

Father, thank you for allowing us to know You through Jesus. He showed us how merciful You are. He made it possible for us to know that You are faithful even though we are not. He demonstrated that Your character is full of love and forgiveness. He is the living example of Your compassion and care for us.

I love knowing that I can honestly come to You with my questions, feelings, and emotions. You never turn Your children away. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14) Please give me childlike faith that I might love and trust You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Son of Man

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:28

Jesus, how can we ever sufficiently thank You for paying the price to rescue us from the chains of sin and death. You perfectly loved and cared for people when You lived on earth and because You have redeemed us, You will continue to love and care for all who trust You for the rest of forever and always.

You showed us how we are to sacrificially love and care for each other. Please help us, Lord. We can be so selfish and self-absorbed. We can get so focused on what we want, we fail to live with gratitude thanking You for giving us everything we need. And we fail to serve one another the way You want us to. Lord, please forgive us and by Your grace, help us to share Your generosity by giving of ourselves to those You place around us.

“The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:10

Oh, Lord Jesus, You came to seek out those who are lost in selfishness and sin and to offer them a brand new way to live. You not only sat with people who were broken and hurting, You made a way to heal and restore them. Our sin caused You to experience pain and rejection. You know and understand all our emotions. You are God. You could have left us to find our own way and yet, You made a way for us. David wrote, “God arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” (Psalm 18:32)

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Please help me keep my heart and mind focused on You and help me live each day in ways that will bring glory to Your holy name!

Word Made Flesh

In the beginning, the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.

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.

John 1:1,14
The Bible says that Jesus is the God-Man. Fully God and fully man. This takes a closer look at what that means . . . a closer look at the Word made flesh. #Prayer #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #WordMadeFlesh #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Father, Your Word tells us that You sent Your one and only Son to save the world from sin. And these words written by John and inspired by You tell us that He has always been. Your Word says that You and Jesus and the Spirit are One God. You have always and will forever be on the throne, the Great I AM.

Thank you. Through Jesus, You have shown us the source and foundation of all truth. You have shown us Your unfailing love and faithfulness. You have shown us Your glory. Please help us to never minimize either His divinity or His humanity. He is Lord of All—God in human flesh.

I thank and praise You for who You are, for all You have done and continue to do. You are the One my heart and soul need. You are my Lord and Savior. Please help me seek You first, love You with all that I am, and live each moment of my life for Your glory. Amen.

Jesus the God-Man! The One who saves us!

Stop for a moment each day throughout this Christmas season and beyond to thank God for becoming Man! Not part God and part man but fully God and fully man!

He is not God who sits far off leaving His creation to take care of this mess they’ve made. He is God with us! He is the Son of God and Son of Man. He is the Word Made Flesh. He knows our weaknesses and understands our emotions. He is unfailing love and faithfulness.

He is the reason to celebrate Christmas and Easter every single day of the year!

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

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If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

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Jesus is the Sacrifice of Love You Need

When fear and doubt overwhelm us, we can turn to God's Word and pray . . . trusting His promise that Jesus is the sacrifice of love now and for all eternity. #Jesus #Prayer #God'sPromises #JesusSacrifice #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Have you ever doubted God’s love or His willingness to care for you?

Maybe you had a heart’s desire prayer that He didn’t answer as you’d hoped. Maybe one of His followers broke your heart or betrayed you and you blamed God. Maybe life’s circumstances have you in a pit of despair and you feel hopeless.

Jesus is God’s answer of LOVE to all of our doubts and pain.

John wrote:

God is love!

1 John 4:8

He is holy, just, and perfect, and even when we don’t understand His ways we can always trust His heart!

How do we know?

JESUS!

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.

1 John 4:9

Jesus said:

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! 

John 14:9

Jesus showed us God’s justice, righteousness, care, and compassion. Jesus showed us God’s LOVE.

Because He is God! He is the Word made flesh!

Jesus is the Light in the darkness to show us the way, the Bread of Life to feed our spiritual hunger, the Vine to give us the nutrition we need to be fruitful, and the Sacrifice of Love we need to pay the penalty for all our sins once and for always.

So today, I’m going to God with thanks and praise for His love and for all He has given us in and through Jesus. And I’m surrendering all doubt and pain to Him. I’m thanking Him for…

Jesus the Sacrifice of Love You Need

When fear and doubt overwhelm us, we can turn to God's Word and pray to trust His promise that Jesus is the sacrifice of love now and for all eternity. #Jesus #Prayer #God'sPromises #JesusSacrifice #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Light of the World

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8:12

Lord, thank you for being the LIGHT! The darkness of sin and evil can feel like a heavy burden but You are the light that overcame and continues to faithfully overcome that darkness. Your gift of forgiveness overcomes the darkness within us and replaces it with the glow of Your love. You light our path and help us trust Your will and follow Your ways. You provide, protect, and lead us with grace and mercy! I thank and praise You! Help me live in ways that reflect Your light and give You glory!

Bread of Life

The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.

John 6:33–35a

Lord Jesus, You satisfy the emptiness within me. You satisfy my spiritual hunger and sustain me with life-giving nourishment. Lord forgive me for failing to pause each day to spend time in Your Word and prayer. May I faithfully spend time with You each day that You might fill me with the truth and counsel I need to trust and obey Your perfect will. You are the Giver of Life may I forever make You the center of my life.

The Vine

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:1

Father, this is my prayer! With all my heart, I pray to remain connected to Jesus, the Vine. My heart’s desire is to produce fruit that will glorify You. I know the truth of the words, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Please forgive me. By Your grace, please help me grow in faith and in knowledge of Your truth. Please fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit that I might share Your blessings of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness. Your grace is sufficient. Thanks and praise now and forever.

Sacrifice of Love

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:9–10

Father, Your love overwhelms me. You provide everything I need today and forever. You gave Jesus.

Thank you for allowing us to know You through Him. Thank you for saving us through His sacrifice. Thank you for showing us the truth of Your perfect love.

Your Word says that because Jesus is the sacrifice for sin, the only sacrifice You want from Your children is a broken and repentant heart. (Psalm 51:17) You want us to humbly turn to You in repentance admitting that we are unable to save ourselves and acknowledging out need for Jesus.

So, I come to You once again to ask You to forgive me and to thank you for promising that through Jesus I am forever Yours.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

Romans 8:3

Father God, no matter how hard I try or how badly I want it . . . I can never earn Your grace and mercy. I cannot save myself. Yet, You freely give Your grace and mercy. You graciously pour undeserved blessings into my life and mercifully spare me from the punishment I deserve. Rather than making me pay the price for my own sin . . . You sent Your Son to save me. And then, You ended the reign of sin’s control in my life. You give me Your Spirit to give me courage, strength, and power. Your Son continues to sit at Your right hand to plead for me.

I praise You! And I surrender myself to You. I trust Your promises and rest in Your love. By Your grace, help me live each moment of my life for Your glory. In the name of Jesus, who is the Sacrifice and the source of my faith. Amen.

When fear and doubt overwhelm us, we can turn to God's Word and pray . . . trusting His promise that Jesus is the sacrifice of love now and for all eternity. #Jesus #Prayer #God'sPromises #JesusSacrifice #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Jesus is the Sacrifice of Love

Friend, whatever concerns you today, whatever your doubts . . . give it all to the Lord. He gave His all for you and me. He is the Sacrifice who saves us, the Light to guide us, the Bread of Life to nourish us, and the Vine to give us everything we need to live for God’s glory.

May you be blessed today and enjoy the peace of His grace, mercy, and love.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Praising God for Jesus – He is the Savior of the World

Verses and prayers that thank God for Jesus, the Savior of the World. The One who is the Lamb of God, who saves and delivers all who come to Him in faith. #Prayers #Christmas #Advent #Faith #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

I wonder if it isn’t hard for people to admit their need for a Savior.

We are taught from little on to be self-sufficient . . . to find ways to fix what’s wrong and succeed on our own. We are always on the look for ways to supply and satisfy ourselves.

How often do you hear someone somewhere “preaching” about your need to “save” the planet, “save” the country, or “save” the whales, seals, puppies, or __________ (you can fill in the blank)?

Or your need to “do what makes you happy.”

A “savior” is defined as someone one who:

  • saves from harm, danger, destruction, or loss
  • saves, rescues, or delivers
  • brings salvation

And because we are sinners . . . we need a Savior. We just CAN’T save ourselves no matter how good we are or how hard we try. You and I can not, on our own, ever meet God’s perfect standards.

Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

And he said to the people of Antioch:

Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in Him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.

Acts 13:38–39

Through Jesus, there is forgiveness. Through Jesus, God no longer sees our sins . . . He sees the perfect holy covering of our Savior, Jesus.

So, you and I can stop trying to climb out of the pits of our own making but instead we can surrender ourselves and take hold of the hand of the Messiah reaching down to us and pulling us safely to a future of faith, hope, and love.

[The Lord] lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:2a,3

Will you join me today as I praise God for Jesus our Savior Messiah, our Deliverer – the Lamb of God?

Praising God for Jesus – He is the Savior of the World

Verses and prayers that thank God for Jesus, the Savior of the World. The One who is the Lamb of God, who saves and delivers all who come to Him in faith. #Prayers #Christmas #Advent #Faith #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #CountingMyBlessings

Jesus the Savior

It was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through Christ Jesus. And now He has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

2 Timothy 1:9–10

Father, It overwhelms me to think that You knew we would fall short of living up to Your glorious standard (Romans 3:23) and yet, You still created us and gave us free-will. Because You had a loving plan to save us from our own self-destruction all along.

We don’t deserve to be saved but You freely offer us Your grace, mercy, and love in the person of Jesus that we might be forgiven and blessed with a beautiful life that lasts forever. Thank you for breaking the power of death for us. Thank you for Jesus, our Savior.

Lamb of God

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 

1 Peter 1:18–19

Father, how can I begin to thank you. You sacrificed Yourself, Your one and only Son, to pay the price for my flaws and failures. You could have continued to require sacrifices and rule following but instead You paid the ultimate sacrifice once for all and for always.

Please help me SEEK You and Your Kingdom faithfully. Help me LOVE You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. And by Your grace, help me TRUST and OBEY You with all I am every day of my life.

They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Revelations 7:16–17

Lord, I can’t imagine . . . no hunger or thirst, no tears or pain. A forever home where every need is more than met, and every moment is filled with LIFE! No more sin for all our sins have been forgiven and replaced with holiness.

Thank you for allowing me to carry the burdens of this life to You, trusting that You will guide me and care for me in perfect love. By Your grace, please help me to be still in Your presence trusting that with You I can pause from my problems and rest in Your peace.

Our Deliverer

Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior!
    For each day He carries us in His arms. 
Our God is a God who saves!
    The Sovereign Lord [delivers] us from death.

Psalm 68:19–20

Father, I praise You! Jesus, I praise You! Spirit, I praise You! You, Lord, are my deliverer. You are the God who saves and delivers me. When I am overwhelmed by failures that hurt me . . . my own or someone else’s, You are the One who carries me giving me the strength I need to face each moment. When I think of all the ways You have held me and protected me in the past, I have the faith I need for today and the hope I need for tomorrow. I have no need to fear anything, even death, because You promise to be with me and bring me safely to the perfect place You are preparing for me.

They speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has [delivered] us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

1 Thessalonians 1:10

No more fear because You, Lord, have delivered us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Through problems or persecution, we can anticipate Your glorious return. You promise that You, our Deliverer, are coming again soon . . . and I join Your people in praying, “Amen, come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) You are our eternal hope and promise! I love You and surrender my life today and forever to Your loving care.

Messiah

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name.

John 20:30–31

Father, this may be one of my favorite verses in Scripture. John walked with Jesus throughout His ministry and death, and he spent time with Him following His resurrection. By Your grace, You inspired him to write an account of grace, hope, love, and life.

I believe that Jesus is Your Son and my Savior. I believe that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I believe that through believing in Him, I will live with You forever. Please help me by the power of Your Spirit to trust and obey You in all I do and say.

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. ( Psalm 119:114) I thank and praise You now and forever. Amen.

Verses and prayers that thank God for Jesus, the Savior of the World. The One who is the Lamb of God, who saves and delivers all who come to Him in faith. #Prayers #Christmas #Advent #Faith #Jesus #HopeoftheWorld #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Jesus, the Savior. The Lamb of God, Our Messiah . . . the One who Deliverers Us

He is the One who rescued us by becoming the perfect Lamb of God. Why? Because that’s how much He loves us.

So, pause today and look in the mirror and see the Lord who loves you and promises to be with you and give you everything you need when you offer your life to Him in faith.

So, repeat the following until it fills your soul . . .

“My Father loves me! He really loves me! I have everything I need!”

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

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Praising God for Jesus the Hope of the World

Whatever is going on in your life right now, no matter how difficult because of Jesus, the Hope of the World, you can face the day with confidence. #Hope #Jesus #Prayer #PeaceofMind #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Do you need hope?

It can be hard to feel hopeful when we’re exhausted from carrying life’s burdens. Then we look around and the world is overwhelmed by problems and confusion.

I don’t know about you, but I have times when it’s hard for me to look past my momentary feelings and view the future with hope.

Truth is . . . I need hope! Everyone needs hope!

Because hope believes that things will ultimately get better. Hopelessness believes that nothing will improve that what is wrong will at best remain and likely get worse.

Synonyms for hopeless are: impossible, pointless, useless, despondent, downhearted, irreparable, and more.

It’s depressing isn’t it? Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that so many people suffer from depression. The enemy of our souls wants us to focus on at life with a “what if, ain’t it awful” attitude.

That’s why I’m so thankful that this is not where our journey ends. You and I don’t have to live without hope. No matter how AWFUL things appear or how hopeless the enemy wants us to believe things are, you and I can live full of hope. We can surrender our hopelessness at the foot of the cross and give it to the One who is our hope. The One who said…

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:28–29

I like the way The Message says it as well…

“Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Because of Jesus, you and I can have a hope that makes it possible for us to live freely and lightly covered by grace!

Praise God, it is possible to have a present and future filled with hope when we place our trust in Jesus – the Hope of the world.

Today, I’m surrendering my hopelessness to Jesus – the Hope of the World, trusting Him to give me peace today and a hopeful future. I’d love for you to pray with me.

Praising God for Jesus the Hope of the World

Whatever is going on in your life right now, no matter how difficult because of Jesus, the Hope of the World, you can face the day with confidence. #Hope #Jesus #Prayer #PeaceofMind #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Hope of the World

“And His name will be the hope of all the world.”

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy He has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Matthew 12:21 and 1 Peter 1:3 (NCV)

Father, Please forgive us. We have distorted and twisted Your Word of promise. We cling to the fragile changing and temporary things of this world and fail to fully place our trust in Your Son, our Messiah. We foolishly try to define who we want Jesus to be and what we want to define as Your will. Please transform us. You have given us everything we need for this life and for eternity. Thank you!

Thank you Jesus, for being my Hope and the Hope for the whole world. Because of Your death and resurrection I have the hope of salvation. Because of Your victory over the enemy . . . all of creation is full of promise. You are the hope of the world. You are the hope of my heart and because of You, it is well with my soul.

Our Advocate

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

1 John 2:1–2

Father, thank you for Jesus, our Advocate. I so badly want to honor and obey You with my life but like Paul, I fail to do the good things I want and I do sinful things that I don’t. (Romans 7:18–19) But because of Your mercy, grace and love, Jesus pleads on my behalf. Because of Your love and His sacrifice, I am forgiven. And by His Spirit, I am being transformed.

Jesus, how can I begin to thank you for all You have done and continue to do for me. Thank you for being my Savior and my Defender. Because of You, my sin is not only forgiven . . . it is erased. By Your blood, I am washed clean. I surrender my life to You. Please use me for Your glory!

The Living Cornerstone

You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Ephesians 2:19b–21

Father, thank you for Jesus, our Cornerstone. Our faith as a community of believers is not based on new or “progressive” ideas, it is built on the firm foundation of Christ Jesus Himself. Please unite us as a loving and caring family. The world is watching us. People look to Your children to understand who You are, what You are like, and what You want for the world You created. Please help us show them Your love. Help us show them the sacrificial love of Jesus. Make us forgiving and kind, caring and compassionate. Make us one and grant us Your peace.

Rock of Our Salvation

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5–6

Father, through Your grace, mercy, and love demonstrated in and through Christ Jesus, my faith is built on the Rock of My Salvation. Because He is my safe place, I can live free of worry and anxiety. I can let go of resentment and forgive as I have been forgiven. I can rest on the hope I have in Him and wait quietly for Your perfect timing to be revealed. Thank you, Father. Because of You, I can trust that I have a hope-filled future planned for me. (Jeremiah 29:11) I can seek Your Kingdom above all else and trust You to give me everything I need to live each day by Your grace and for Your glory.

The King Eternal

God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; He alone is God. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:16–17

Lord, You love me! You really love me! You claimed me when I was a sinner and began a life-changing work in my heart, my mind, and my soul. Oh, how I want everyone to know, love, and trust You for every moment of their lives . . . now and for eternity. I pray for all those I hold dear to my heart and for those I’ve never met around the world. Each soul is Your creation. Each one is dearly loved and precious to You.

By Your grace, help me live this prayer of faith now and forever…

All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; He alone is God. Amen.

Whatever is going on in your life right now, no matter how difficult because of Jesus, the Hope of the World, you can face the day with confidence. #Hope #Jesus #Prayer #PeaceofMind #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Thank you so much for praying with me!

Whatever is going on in your life right now, remember . . . Jesus, the Hope of the World is your Advocate, the Cornerstone of your faith and the Rock of your Salvation. He is the Eternal King forever and ever. He is the One who redeems you and promised to give you everything you need today, tomorrow, and forever.

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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Leave your prayer requests…

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Praising God for Jesus Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Jesus is God's greatest gift - I'm pausing to thank and praise God for Jesus - the Great "I AM" the Way, the Truth that sets us free, & the Everlasting Life. #Thanksgiving #Hope #Faith #ForeverLife #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Jesus is the greatest gift God has ever given to His creation. Through Jesus the lost are found, the broken are made whole, and the bound are set free. He is able to transform lives, heal broken hearts, and give people a purpose full of hope and promise.

The Scripture from Genesis through Revelation gives us a written account of God’s love for us and every verse points to Jesus, the Word made flesh.

He is God’s grace, mercy, and love in human form given to sinful people to save them from the eternal consequences of their rebellion.

From the Genesis promise:

I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”

Genesis 3:15

To John 1:1–3:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.

John 3:16:

 This is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 

And Revelations 22:7:

“Look, I [Jesus] am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”

And those are just the beginning.

That’s why for the rest of the year, I’m going to pause and pray prayers of praise to God for the gift of Jesus and for His grace of revealing the truth about Him in His Word.

Each Friday as we lead up to our celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, I will select several verses that share the identifying names the Bible uses to describe Jesus and I will thank and praise Him for being all our souls need in this crazy mixed up world and for all eternity.

Will you pray with me? Will you join me as I praise God for Jesus…

Praising God for Jesus Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Jesus is God's greatest gift - I'm pausing to thank and praise God for Jesus - the Great "I AM" the Way, the Truth that sets us free, & the Everlasting Life. #Thanksgiving #Hope #Faith #ForeverLife #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

The Resurrection and the Life

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.

John 11:25–26

Father God, You are the giver of life, the creator of heaven and earth. Thank you for Jesus, the One who is able to restore life to fallen and condemned people. Because of Jesus, You promise that death has no power over Your children. You promise that through Him, I will live with You forever and always.

Father, I believe! With Your help and by the power of Your Spirit I will live in Him as He lives in me. I will trust and love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Father, thank you for making it possible for me to be claimed as Your own forever and ever.

The Truth that Sets us Free

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31–32

Lord Jesus, thank you for making it possible for me to know You and those things You taught Your disciples when You walked upon the earth You created. Thank you for teaching the truth. Thank you for being the Truth.

The enemy is the father of lies who constantly works to keep Your creation bound in the consequences of sin. He continuously attempts to steal the beautiful future You fought to give us.

By Your grace and mercy, keep me focused on and faithful to Your truth and grant me the forever freedom that only You can give. Your grace is sufficient. I place my hope in You alone.

The One who is Holy and True

This is the message from the One who is holy and true, the One who has the key of David.
What He opens, no one can close;
    and what He closes, no one can open.

Revelations 3:7

Father, I thank and praise You for Jesus, the One who is holy and true. He is perfect in every way and set apart as the One You appointed to save a fallen world. He is the Messiah the Word of truth in the flesh. He holds the key of salvation and He alone is able to open the door to Your kingdom.

Please hold me close, Lord. I want to grow closer to You every day. I pray to remain faithful to not only reading Your Word but to holding it close to my heart and applying it to my life. May I never stop praying and remain thankful in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18) By Your grace and for Your glory.

The Great, “I AM”

Then the high priest asked Him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14:61–62

Father God, I praise You for Jesus, the “Mashiach.” The One appointed to save people broken by sin and its consequences. Jesus showed us You Father, as You really are . . . the “Great I AM.” Jesus, the One who sits at Your right hand and who will come again to bring Your children home to heaven.

Thank you for allowing us to know You, Father, through the words of those who physically walked with Jesus. Thank you for allowing us to see Your compassion and love, and for showing us Your heart to forgive all who come to You in repentance. Thank you that we can have a hopeful perspective on all life’s problems as we anticipate the fulfillment of Your eternal promises.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

Jesus told Him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 

John 14:6

Jesus, I thank and praise You for who You are and for all You have done for me. Thank you for showing me the WAY to the Father. Thank you for revealing the TRUTH that I might fully trust the reality of all God’s promises. Thank you for giving me a LIFE today that will last eternally. When I have You, I have everything I need for every moment of life. I have strength, courage, peace, and joy. I have a future filled with hope. I have love! I have the fullness of life.

Lord, I am so overwhelmed with gratitude. By the power and with the help of Your Spirit, I give myself completely to You. Help me live fully surrendered to You that I might live every moment of my life for Your glory. Amen.

Jesus is God's greatest gift - I'm pausing to thank and praise God for Jesus - the Great "I AM" the Way, the Truth that sets us free, & the Everlasting Life. #Thanksgiving #Hope #Faith #ForeverLife #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Praise God for Jesus!

Are you lost? Jesus is the WAY.
Are you confused and uncertain? Jesus is the TRUTH.
Are you weary and broken? Jesus is LIFE.

Do you feel trapped because of a broken past? Jesus wants to set you free.

Jesus is God’s gift. He has shown us God because He is God.

After Jesus told the disciples, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” John 14:6

He said, “No one can come to the Father [God] except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!” John 14:7

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” John 14:8

Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” John 14:9a, 10a

When you and I know Jesus . . . we know God Himself. And by His grace, we have His Spirit…

“The Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth . . . you know Him because He lives with you now and later will be in you. He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:17, 26

Friend, praise God! We have everything we need because of the Lord’s grace, mercy, and love . . . because of Jesus.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

A Prayer to Be United by the Truth

Imagine the difference followers of Jesus could make if they were all united in their beliefs and lived like they believed the Bible is God's Word of Truth. #BibleStudy #Truth #God'sWord #Faith #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Not long ago as I was scrolling through Pinterest notifications, I noticed a comment critical of the 35,000 Christian sects and denominations.

I don’t know if the commenter had the facts right or not but I do know there are plenty of things about which self-proclaimed Christians disagree. You and I can see evidence of that all over social media. . . and unfortunately, so can everyone else.

Can you imagine the difference believers could make and the influence we could have if we were united and lived like we truly believed….

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 

2 Timothy 3:!6

And…

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

2 Peter 1:20–21

What if we truly believed that the Bible is God’s Word intentionally written that we might personally know Him?

What if we lived our lives and made our decisions based on the truth of our relationship with the Triune God as He has revealed Himself through the pages of Scripture?

What if we believed..?

God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind.
Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?

Numbers 23:19

And…

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

The Word of God is not evolving. It applies to all generations.

God commanded His people to be united to one another and faithful to Him. Can you imagine the difference His children could make if we all united around the truth of God’s Word?

We are about to vote in one of the most important elections of our time and sadly we often appear more divided than ever.

But although we seem to be divided by politics and perspectives, I’m pausing today to ask God to unite us through His truth “that the world will know.”


Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. 

I am in them and You are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent me and that You love them as much as You love me.

John 17:17, 23

You and I will never change hearts and minds with our platitudes and pontifications but we can love one another and we can point people to the One who is offering them a way that is greater than any government can ever promise them.

I believe if we are willing to humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and ask God to fill us with His Spirit and to unite through His truth amazing things will happen.

Will you pray with me?

A Prayer to Be United by the Truth

Imagine the difference followers of Jesus could make if they were all united in their beliefs and lived like they believed the Bible is God's Word of Truth. #BibleStudy #Truth #God'sWord #Faith #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.

Psalm 19:7–8

Father, Jesus prayed, “Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.” (John 17:17) Please help us!

Forgive us for listening to the lies of the world. Messages that twist and distort the words of Scripture to push a selfish agenda. Forgive us for picking and choosing the commandments we deem important while undermining and ignoring the ones we don’t.

Your Word is truth! Your commands are right and bring joy because they are intended to protect us and keep us safe.

Please unite us through Your Word and by the power of Your Spirit. May our church leaders prayerfully lead us without personal or political intentions. Heal us. Guide us. Unite us in Jesus.

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:15–17

Father, we need Jesus to rule in our hearts! Please unite us through His love and help us live in peace with one another. Please keep us free of distractions that make us prideful and divide us. Please give us the wisdom we need to know and follow the paths of truth. Please help us discern Your will for us in every area of our lives.

By Your grace, help us love You completely with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Help us love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Give us thankful hearts and strengthen us to live as Your representatives that the world may know Your truth and follow Jesus.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:31–32

Father, please help us to be consistently forgiving and kind one another. Thank you for forgiving us through Christ Jesus. We can be selfish and prideful, bitter and judgmental. Yet, You promise when we come to You in faith with repentance, You are faithful to forive. Please help us to be tenderhearted and compassionate with one another . . . even those with whom we disagree.

Please unite us through Your love that the world might see You in us and want the blessing of Your transforming mercy and grace.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:34–35

Father, I want to make a difference. I want to love people the way You command. I want to extend forgiveness to others the way You have so graciously forgiven me. I want people to see the difference Jesus’ love makes in my life. I pray that the world will want to know and love You because of the “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23a) they see in Your followers.

“I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in us so that the world will believe You sent me. I have given them the glory You gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and You are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent me and that You love them as much as You love me.”John 17:21–23

John 17:21–23

Father, I love Jesus’ prayer. It always blesses me to read these words from His heart.

Please help us focus on the truth of Your Word. Help us love You completely. Help us surrender our lives to Your will and faithfully follow Your commands. Help us “be still” and rest with You in prayer.

Please keep us from arguing over foolish divisive things of this world and help us focus on the things that are precious and important to You. Please unite us and help us show the “world” that You love them so much You sacrificed Your Son to give them LIFE FOREVER. I pray this in the name of Your Son and our Savior, Jesus. Amen.

Imagine the difference followers of Jesus could make if they were all united in their beliefs and lived like they believed the Bible is God's Word of Truth. #BibleStudy #Truth #God'sWord #Faith #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friend, can you imagine the difference we could make if we built our lives on God’s Word as it is found in the Bible and together celebrated the unity and hope we have in Jesus?

Will you join me in praying for God’s people to turn their hearts and minds to the Lord and that by His grace they will all be united by the truth of His Word for His glory and the benefit of those who don’t yet know and love Him?

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

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Pray When You Need to be Confident You Know the Truth

Taking our questions and confusion to God in prayer asking Him to help us be confident we know the truth, that we can trust His promises and rest in His love. #BibleStudy #Hope #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

How is it possible for a group of people to attend the very same event or hear the very same message and share completely different accounts of what they saw or heard?

How can something be the truth one day but the exact opposite be cited as truth the next?

I have absolutely no patience with twisting the truth for the purpose of controlling or manipulating others.

So, as you might imagine, this year of mixed messages hasn’t been easy for me and I’m guessing that some of you are finding it more than a little challenging as well.

That’s why I’ve found it important to take my questions and confusion to God in prayer. You see, years ago I experienced a situation where I was getting many varied and contradictory information that left me feeling confused, frustrated, and painfully aware that I had no idea who or what to believe.

But I was certain of one very important truth.

I knew the One who always knows the truth.

You and I can turn our confusion over to Him.

So, when we don’t understand and we’re getting mixed messages, we can take our feelings and frustrations to God in prayer. We can honestly tell Him we’re confused and confess our frustrations and doubts. And then we can humbly express our desire to know the truth.

When I’ve found myself lifting these prayers, I’ve also expressed my faith to the Father that I believe His Spirit is able to give me what I need to handle the truth whatever it is but I also understand that if He chooses to never reveal the truth to me . . . He will give me the strength and peace I need to handle that as well. Finally, I ask Him to give me everything I need to simply live with faith and rely on Him.

And you and I can simply live with faith relying on Him because the Good News is our Heavenly Father has given us access to the only absolute TRUTH we really need.

He has given us the truth in Jesus…

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 

John 14:6

And He has given us the truth through the Holy Spirit…

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. 

John 16:13

You and I have what we need to be confident we know the most important truth of our lives . . . God has spoken to us in and through the Word made flesh and He has given us His Spirit to help us understand the words of Scripture.

So today, in the midst of all of life’s mixed messages, chaos, and confusion, I’m turning to God in prayer and I’m asking Him to help me focus my heart and mind on the only truth that really matters. The truth that holds the power of life and death. The truth that is unchanging and lasts forever.

Pray When You Need to be Confident You Know the Truth

Taking our questions and confusion to God in prayer asking Him to help us be confident we know the truth, that we can trust His promises and rest in His love. #BibleStudy #Hope #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31–32

Lord, I believe. Please help me when I doubt. Help me when the world confuses me with messages I don’t understand. May I remember that I can always turn to You. I have Your inspired Word and Spirit to guide me with Your truth and promises.

Thank you for freeing me from the enemy’s power. Thank you for freeing me to love and trust You and for giving me the strength I need to love others even when it’s hard.

By Your grace, please strengthen me by the power of Your Spirit to be confident of Your truth . . . to hold fast to Your promises, follow where You lead, and obey Your commands. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.

Luke 12:31

Father God, You are Lord of all, I pray that I might give you control of all I think, do, and say. I pray, with Your help, to surrender every part of myself to Your truth and Your will.

I trust Your promise to give me everything I need. You are loving and faithful to forgive. (1 John 1:9) You give me courage and strength when life is hard. (Psalm 29:11) You are the peace that passes understanding. (Philippians 4:7) And You are my hope and my eternal promise. (Romans 15:4)

Thank you, Lord. My heart’s desire is to SEEK You and Your kingdom above all else every day for the rest of my life. You are the TRUTH I need now and forever.

Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:7

Father, may every part of my life be rooted in Jesus. Your Word says when I am rooted in Christ, my faith will grow strong in the truth and I will overflow with gratitude. I want that! More than anything else in life . . . I want that!

I commit my life to You. I surrender myself to Your will. Teach me. Guide me. And help me keep my focus on Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life who is the source and sustainer of my faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.

Psalm 25:5–6

Father, my heart’s desire is to make Your truth the foundation of not only my faith but of every area of my life. Through Jesus, You have forgiven me and healed my heart. Your compassion and perfect forever love fully surround me.

Please remind me through Your Spirit to daily put on the full armor I need to fight any battle that comes my way. Help me stand firm wrapped in the belt of truth. The enemy tempts and taunts me with lies but by Your grace, You have given me the Truth I need to resist and fight back. Thank you, Lord, for giving me the truth I need to live with strength today and with hope for tomorrow.

The Lord is righteous in everything He does; He is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.

Psalm 145:17–19

I worship You, Lord. You are the Savior of my soul and King of my life. I praise You for You reign over all creation and yet, You care intimately about me. It is too wonderful to understand but I believe because You are who You say You are and do what You say You will do.

You are perfect and kind, merciful and loving. You provide for my needs and You hear the cries of my heart. You are the source of wisdom, knowledge, and truth and I trust You with every area of my life. By the power and with the help of Your Spirit, I can be confident that You are TRUTH!

I give myself to You today. Guide me according to Your will and help me live for Your glory. Amen.

Taking our questions and confusion to God in prayer asking Him to help us be confident we know the truth, that we can trust His promises and rest in His love. #BibleStudy #Hope #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Where do you go when you want to be confident you know the truth?

Do you search the internet?
Ask the experts?
Look for the best book on the topic?

You and I are so very blessed!

We have the best Book . . . the written words of the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and truth. We have the perfect expert in the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us understand the words of Scripture.

And we have the blessing of prayer to ask every and any question without ridicule or rejection.

Isaiah wrote the following words of the Lord…

“Let all the world look to me for salvation!
    For I am God; there is no other.
I have sworn by my own name;
    I have spoken the truth,
    and I will never go back on my word:
Every knee will bend to me,
    and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.” The people will declare, “The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.”

Isaiah 45:22–23

The Lord is my source of TRUTH!

I’m praying for you today and asking God to be your source of TRUTH as well!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

5 Verses to Pray When You Need Strength and Courage

Asking God to pour out His Spirit and give us strength and courage to stand on His truths and face the world when it's easier to run away and hide. #Prayer #WarRoom #BibleQuotes CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

You’ve probably seen the quote before.

“Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” ~Ian MacLaren

Everyone carries the burden of emotional baggage. Baggage that can so easily turn into fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, or overwhelming sadness.

Everyone gets out of bed each morning with a need for enough strength and courage to face the day. And I don’t know about you, but I know I’m unable to get there on my own. If it were up to me, most days, I would pull the covers over my head and hide in bed. Too often the baggage feels overwhelming and the strength and courage I want feels just out of reach.

But there is Good News! By God’s grace, You and I are not alone to deal with our emotional burdens and we don’t have to conjure up strength and courage on our own.

Isaiah wrote:

God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.”

Isaiah 12:2

God wants to give us victory over all the junk filled burdens we carry around. He invites us to run to Him rather than foolishly looking for worldly answers and solutions to our spiritual problems.

I’m running to God in prayer today, asking Him to pour out His Spirit and give us the courage and strength we need to stand on His truths and face the world when it seems easier to gather up our baggage and hide.

I’d love for you to join me in praying…

5 Verses to Pray When You Need Strength and Courage

Asking God to pour out His Spirit and give us strength and courage to stand on His truths and face the world when it's easier to run away and hide. #Prayer #WarRoom #BibleQuotes CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Jesus, I’m bringing all my emotional junk to you today. All my fears, worries, anxieties, frustrations, anger, pain, confusion, and so much more. It’s so easy for me to pick up my painful past any time difficult memories flash to mind. It’s even easier for me to worry about the future when I watch the news or listen to the fretful.

Please help me. I need Your Spirit’s help to remind that my past is forgiven and given completely to Your loving mercy and grace. And the future is in Your loving hands. I can rest in Your love and live each day as You direct me and give me the strength and courage I need.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

Daniel 10:19 (NCV)

Father, I love reading Your Word. You used many different ways to bless your children with strength and courage. You sent angels, prophets, judges, and kings. You used warriors and everyday people. And You even sent Your Son to save us.

Your unfailing love and provision overwhelms me. You promise that when I “seek You first”, You will give me everything I need. I believe that even means strength when I am weak and courage when I am afraid.

By Your grace, I am learning day by day that when You are with me . . . I will always have everything I need. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

For I hold you by your right hand—
    I, the Lord your God.
And I say to you,
    ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

Isaiah 41:13

Father, thank you for faithfully holding me. Thank you for Your Word to remind me that You are here with me, willing to help me no matter what I am facing.

You give me peace to protect my heart and mind (Philippians 4:7). You are for me (Romans 8:31) You help me endure (1 Corinthians 10:13) You forgive me (Psalm 65:3) And You give me strength and courage.

Please give me child-like faith to keep my eyes on You. May I rest my hand in Yours, trust You to give me everything I need, and help me keep my eyes on You and trust that You are able to handle whatever we face together.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my
victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Oh Father, I read Your words spoken through Isaiah and I am ashamed. How could I have lived with fear for so very long? I was so foolish. You were always with me. I had reason to be discouraged or afraid. Please forgive me.

With the help of Your Spirit, please help me keep my focus on You and Your promises of victory. When the enemy tries to tempt me with worldly lies and terrors, help me remember that Jesus has already defeated him and by Your grace, I have Your Word, the Sword of the Spirit, to fight any battle he wages against me.

Please help me face each day clothed in armor, protected and strengthened by Your grace, mercy, and love.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Romans 8:35,37

Lord, I pray that You will help me hold these words close to my heart. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trials and sorrows but take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) When I am afraid of trouble, calamity, persecution, or danger . . . even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4), You are with me. Nothing can separate me from Your love. You have won my victory. No evil can defeat or overpower me. Your grace is sufficient. It is all I need.

And with Your Spirit’s help, I can have strength and courage for no weapon formed against me will succeed (Isaiah 54:17) Thank you! I pray that with Your help, I will boldly live each day for Your glory. I love You, Lord. You are all I need today, tomorrow, and forever. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Asking God to pour out His Spirit and give us strength and courage to stand on His truths and face the world when it's easier to run away and hide. #Prayer #WarRoom #BibleQuotes CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friend, I believe God is the One who gives us the strength and courage we need. I believe He is the One who helps us look at life through the lens of faith. He is the One who helps us trust that nothing can overwhelm us when we are in His presence. He is Love. And He helps us respond to His love and love one another.

With God’s help, you and I can have the strength and courage we need to treat each other with kindness. We can look at people and see the person God created. We can lift each other up in prayer and forgive one another for the words and actions that hurt or offend us.

God is the One who truly gives us everything we need each day. He is with us, holding us, strengthening us . . . giving us peace and making it possible for us to live victoriously.

May He bless you today with the strength and courage you need to live for His glory.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When You Need to Know that for God Anything is Possible

Whatever you are praying for, no matter how long the wait . . . God keeps His anything is possible promises. He is true to His Word! #Faith #GodKeepsHisPromises #BibleTruth #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

It seems that so many of the people I talk with lately are overwhelmed with feelings of frustration and discouragement. They feel like they’ve been praying for months or longer and their waiting never seems to end. And that’s just addressing the current year’s problems.

Many of us have things we’ve prayed about for years and years wondering when or if we will ever receive a positive answer to our pleas.

Typically, I can persistently pray with an “it is what it is” attitude . . . which is my way to trying to cope as I tell myself I’m trying to be patient. But other times, my waiting overwhelms me and I wonder if I should just give up and quit bombarding the gates of heaven with this particular petition.

Maybe you’ve been there . . . or maybe you’re there right now.

Recently, I read the following words…

“Is anything too hard for the Lord.”

Genesis 18:14

God spoke them to Abraham.

Why?

Because for Abraham the wait had been long and he had begun to wonder … to quit hoping.

Can you blame him? I sure can’t.

He was almost one hundred years old and Sarah was almost ninety when the Lord visited them and told them they were about to finally have the son they had been promised decades earlier.

Can you imagine?! It’s no wonder really that Abraham questioned and Sarah laughed. You and I probably would have done the same.

And that’s when the Lord replied, “Is anything too hard for the Lord.”

But that’s not the only example of God doing the impossible . . . look at Jeremiah…

God told Jeremiah to buy a field just north of Jerusalem and Jeremiah obeyed but he also questioned…

 O Sovereign Lord, You have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.

Jeremiah 32:25

God told Jeremiah to buy a field near Jerusalem as a promise that He would bring the people home . . . 70 years later.

Imagine God asking you to buy a home in an area that He has also told you is about to be captured and almost all of the people including you are going to be taken captive and hauled away to another country.

You might be wondering . . . WHY?

Seriously, even if some of the people do come back there’s no guarantee that the property deed will even be acknowledged.

So, once again, God patiently and lovingly replied to doubt with the words…

 “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?“

Jeremiah 32:27

Sarah, Abraham, and Jeremiah all learned that the answer to the question is always…

No! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD!

With God . . . ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Abraham and Sarah had a son and God’s people returned home.

But throughout those decades of waiting, I would imagine there were many times they wondered if they’d heard God correctly, times when they began to doubt, and even times when their hope began to fade.

Maybe you can relate, I know I can.

When you and I have something or several somethings that we’ve prayed about for years … even decades. The wait is long and hard and possibly even painful. We can get discouraged and even start questioning if we misunderstood and we should just give up hope and stop our persistent praying.

Whatever you are praying for, no matter how long the wait . . . God keeps His anything is possible promises. He is true to His Word! #Faith #GodKeepsHisPromises #BibleTruth #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Today, I want to remind you, and me too, of two very important truths.

1. Anything is Possible

Nothing! Absolutely nothing is too hard for God!

Not your broken relationship.
Not your illness.
Not your loneliness.
Not your broken heart.
Not your doubts.
Not the state of the world.
Not the desires of your heart.

Not fires, or climates, or chaos, or anything else this broken world has to offer.

With God, anything and everything is possible.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Matthew 19:26

I do believe even Abraham, Sarah, Jeremiah, and others would all admit that waiting is hard. Which leads to point number two. I’m grabbing hold of verses to hold close when the wait is hard, when my heart is heavy and doubt creeps in because God’s Word tells us exactly what to do in those moments.

2. Never Stop Praying

Having a prayerful attitude acknowledges our total dependence on God. Persistent prayer is an expression of child-like faith.

Paul wrote…

Never stop praying. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

And Luke shared the following two accounts where Jesus told His disciples about the importance of persistent prayer. 1. Luke 11:5–13 and 2. Luke 18:1–8

Luke 18 begins like this…

One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Luke 18:1

He went on to tell them about a widow who went to a judge day and night pleading with him to rule in her favor over a dispute she was having with her enemy. And the judge finally does…

Finally, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Luke 18:4–5

Jesus not only invites but encourages us to be persistent when we pray.

The Life Application Bible Notes describe persistent prayer the following way…

Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day believing He will answer. Then live by faith and don’t give up. God may delay answering but His delays always have good reasons. And as we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. (LAB notes for Luke 18:1)

Whatever you are praying for, no matter how long the wait . . . God keeps His anything is possible promises. He is true to His Word! #Faith #GodKeepsHisPromises #BibleTruth #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Remember…

All things are possible with God!

Mark 10:27

Jesus promised…

 I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Luke 11:9

And Paul, the one who was persecuted, stoned, beaten, whipped, and imprisoned wrote…

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen

Ephesians 3:20–21

He also wrote…

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. 

Romans 4:18

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Romans 12:12

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Romans 15:4

And the writer of Hebrews wrote…

This High Priest [Jesus] of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:15-16

And…

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.

Hebrews 10:23
Whatever you are praying for, no matter how long the wait . . . God keeps His anything is possible promises. He is true to His Word! #Faith #GodKeepsHisPromises #BibleTruth #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friend, when you and I have to wait. When we feel discouraged and want to give up . . . God is faithful. He has promised to always give us what we need.

And I don’t know about you, but what I need most is…

Faith to trust that God is doing what is best even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Forgiveness when I fall short of His will for me.
Hope to trust Him and never give up.
Peace to calm me when life overwhelms me.
Patience to remain persistent in prayer.
Strength to keep doing what He calls me to do each day.
Wisdom to know His will and make godly decisions.
Comfort to get me out of bed when my heart hurts.
Guidance to know His will and the ability to obey Him.
Courage to face the day when I want to hide in bed.
Love to give Him and others.
And Jesus, who is all you and I need today and eternally.

David wrote…

You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands.

Psalm 16:5

And Paul wrote…

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20

I know waiting is hard and sometimes waiting with hope seems impossible. It’s understandable that you and I can take our eyes off Jesus and stare straight at our unchanged circumstances. Yes, even wonder if we should just give up and stop bothering God with the same repetitive need.

But then … when we stop and reread Jesus’ words about God’s “anything is possible” love and our persistent prayer . . . we remember that He sometimes allows us to wait because He is working on our hearts.

So, will you join me as I continue to pray the words of Jeremiah…

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”

Jeremiah 32:17

Whatever you’re waiting on today . . . never stop praying because with God, anything is possible!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

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I’m asking God to bless you today!

Simple Prayers that will Help You Praise and Worship Every Day

What is "praise and worship"? Is it something to do on weekends or part of your daily life? These prayers will help you praise and worship God every day. #PraiseandWorship #WorshipVerses #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

What do you think of when you hear the words “praise and worship”?

Is it something you do on the weekend or the music you sing along to at home or in the car.

What if it’s more basic than that? What if praise is simply the expression of worship and worship is…

Well, let’s take a closer look at the definition of worship.

In 1828, Webster’s Dictionary defined worship as:

Worship is 1.to adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration 2. to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission.

And the most recent version of Webster’s Dictionary defines it as:

Worship is 1. to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power 2. to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.

Although the definitions are similar, I think the worship God wants from us is part two of the 1828 version . . . to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission.

It seems that Brother Lawrence could best relate to that explanation as well. He once wrote:

“To worship God is to admit that we are entirely contrary to Him and that He is willing to make us like Himself.”

You see, God knows you and I are contrary. He knows we’re not going to do life “right” not any part of it—not even worship.

Jesus told us how God wants us to worship Him.

Jesus said,

“The time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

John 4:23–24

The Life Application Bible Notes say this about Jesus’ words…

It is not where we worship that counts, but how we worship. Is your worship genuine and true? Do you have the Holy Spirit’s help? How does the Holy Spirit help us worship? [He] prays for us (Romans 8:26), teaches us the words of Christ (John 14:26), and tells us we are loved (Romans 5:5).

Knowing we are loved . . . having Jesus’ example and the Spirit’s help gives us what we need to worship in Spirit and Truth!

So, today, with the Spirit’s help, we are going to lift up prayers of praise and worship.

Because…

“Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.” ~Richard J. Foster

Will you join me in responding to the Father’s love by praying this prayers of praise and worship.

Simple Prayers that will Help You Praise and Worship Every Day

What is "praise and worship"? Is it something to do on weekends or part of your daily life? These prayers will help you praise and worship God every day. #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care.

Psalm 95:6–7

Father, I come to You with quiet awe and humble adoration. Your loving and watchful care surrounds me. I have nothing to fear and no need to worry because You are with me. You go before me on the paths You have prepared for me and You follow me and protect me from behind. By Your grace, I have everything I need to live this day without the baggage of yesterday or the burdens of tomorrow.

You created me for this time and place. Please use me for Your glory that everything I do and say might be a testimony of who You are and that I belong to You. By Your grace and with Your help, may my life be an act of praise and worship to You!

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

Psalm 103:1–4

Father, You are so gracious and good. You gave Your only Son, Jesus, to save me from sin, death, and satan’s power. And through all Jesus has done for me, You allow me to come to You and receive complete forgiveness and the ultimate healing of heaven.

You surround me with love and compassion, righteousness and justice. No matter what I am experiencing, You are always worthy of my praise and worship. I thank you, Lord! Please help me live each day in ways that show You, and everyone I come in contact with, how very much I love You.

O Lord, I will honor and praise Your name, for You are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.

Isaiah 25:1

Lord God, I praise You. You are Lord of All. You are my Creator, Savior, and Spirit. You are the God who keeps every promise. You are the One who gives me strength and peace. You are my hope, the One who lifts me out of the pit and plants me on a solid foundation. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You are my everything and I praise You.

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.

Psalm 63:3–5

Oh Father, Yes . . . this is the truth! Your love is better than life. In the wilderness, David cried out to You and then paused by Your grace to remember who You are. He knew You . . . his Shepherd, his Provider, and his Peace. (Psalm 23) You are faithful! Like David, I cling to You trusting that You are the One who holds me securely. (Psalm 63:7)

You are the God who satisfies my heart, mind, and soul and I praise You with songs of worship and joy! Great are You, Lord.

So, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:1–2

Father, I give You my all. You have done so much for me. You gave me life. You sustain my life. And You promise me life eternal.

Please empower me by Your Spirit that my life might be a sacrifice of praise to You. I ask that You would help me know, trust, and obey Your will for me. Please continue to transform me into the person You want me to be, someone who is more like Jesus. Forgive for those times when I fight Your hand of change because of my foolish stubborn selfishness. I don’t want to follow the ways of the world . . . I want to follow You. Because I love You Lord. And by Your grace and with Your Spirit’s help and power . . . I pray to love You every day forever with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Because You are my Lord and Savior. You are worthy of all my praise and worship. You are the Great I AM. Amen.

What is "praise and worship"? Is it something to do on weekends or part of your daily life? These prayers will help you praise and worship God every day. #PraiseandWorship #WorshipVerses #Prayer #BibleQuotes #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friends, I am asking God to give you everything you need to live your life as a living sacrifice . . . a life that is filled with praise and worship, and one that overflows with joy.

I want to close today with words from Chris Tomlin’s Song,
Who You Are to Me…

You’re forever Holy
You’re the Lamb who is worthy
My forgiveness (My forgiveness), my healer (My healer)
The Messiah, my Redeemer

You’re amazing, faithful, love’s open door
When I’m empty You fill me with hunger for more
Of Your mercy, Your goodness
Lord, You’re the air that I breathe
(Lord, You’re the air I breathe)
That’s who You are

You are greater, higher over it all
In Your presence, Jesus, I stand in awe
Of Your mercy, Your goodness
Lord, You’re the air that I breathe
That’s who You are to me

source: https://lyricsondemand.com/c/christomlinlyrics/whoyouaretomelyrics.html

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

Powerful Verses to Pray When You are in a Battle with Addiction

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction.

Too many families are suffering because of the pain caused by addiction.

Addiction is defined as a persistent, compulsive dependence on a behavior or substance.

Researchers speak of two different types of addictions: 

  • substance addictions (for example, alcoholism, drug abuse, and smoking);
  • process addictions (for example, gambling, spending, shopping eating, and sexual activity).

And an Addiction Diagnosis is based on 5 criteria:

          1. loss of willpower
          2. harmful consequences
          3. unmanageable lifestyle
          4. tolerance or escalation of use
          5. withdrawal symptoms upon quitting (Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine)

Based on that definition, I believe every family is or has been touched by addiction in some way. Everyone knows someone whose life is being controlled by its addiction’s power.

Here are a few quick facts about Addiction in America from June of this year:

  • Almost 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, yet only 10% of them receive treatment.
  • Drug overdose deaths have more than tripled since 1990.
  • From 1999 to 2017, more than 700,000 Americans died from overdosing on a drug.
  • Alcohol and drug addiction cost the U.S. economy over $600 billion every year.
  • In 2017, 34.2 million Americans committed DUI, 21.4 million under the influence of alcohol and 12.8 million under the influence of drugs.
  • About 20% of Americans who have depression or an anxiety disorder also have a substance use disorder.
  • More than 90% of people who have an addiction started to drink alcohol or use drugs before they were 18 years old.
  • Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 are most likely to use addictive drugs.
    Addiction Center (for more statistics, information, and help)

But although the power of addiction is great, there is a greater power … Jesus is the Power who has overcome this world’s evil. And He has invited us to come to Him in prayer with every need. Even those needs that crush our spirits and seem to be overwhelming and impossible.

So… let’s take Him at His word and go to Him on behalf of ourselves and our loved ones—those who are a battle with addiction.

Pray When You are in a Battle with Addiction

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the LORD your God goes with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I am weak and afraid. Temptation taunts and tempts me. Some days the battle feels too great. But Jesus … I believe You are with me. You do not leave me to fight hard battles alone. You promise to to be with me and give me courage and strength when I have none of my own. You are close enough to hear my cries and hold me close. I believe that with Your help, I can be strong and courageous. I need You. Please help me Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, My loved one is hurting and fighting a terrible battle. I see them feeling helpless and alone. But Jesus … I know You are with __________. Please help them know and feel Your loving presence. Give them courage and strength. Please hold them close when they cry out to You and give them everything they need to fight this dependence. Give them victory and restore them to health. Amen.

But if we confess our sins to Him,
He is faithful and just to forgive our
sins and cleanse us from all wickedness.

1 John 1:9
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I struggle with so much guilt and shame. The enemy continuously taunts me with my past failures. But Your Word says You are faithful. Faithful! That means always. Every time. You promise to forgive me every time I come to You in repentance. So once again, I ask You to wash me clean. Heal me by Your grace and mercy. I am so sorry. Forgive me. In Jesus name. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord God, I see __________ struggling to be free of the past. They continue to carry the guilt of past pain and failures and it hurts me to see them in so much pain. Your Word promises that when we ask You to forgive us . . . You do! Please help __________ come to You for forgiveness. Help him/her trust Your healing mercy and grace. Help them know the joy of being washed clean through Jesus.  Amen.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
He is a new creature;
the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Jesus, You can make all things new … even me. You can restore me. I’ve made a mess of things but You suffered and died to redeem me from my mess and give me a future filled with hope. With Your help, I can have a fresh start. I can rise above the pain and misery of my past, and live with joy. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I know You love _____________ even more than I do. I believe You are able to transform him/her. Please turn them around and place them on a new path. Help me trust that You are at work in my loved one’s life. Keep me from interfering and each time I start to worry, help me to return to You in prayer. Amen.

But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and
all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord God, my addiction is powerful but I believe You are more powerful. So, I ask You to help me seek You first. Please help me turn to You when I need strength. Please help me surrender my all to You, trusting that You are able to make me righteous … to take my sinfulness and make me blameless. You are able to give me everything I need. Thank you for this beautiful promise of hope. I am humbled and so very thankful. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Jesus, please help my loved one to seek You. You alone are able to meet their needs. I pray that ___________ will begin to know how much You love him/her. Please surround them with people who will point them to You. Unsettle them, Lord, until they turn to You in humble surrender. Please help them fight and with this battle with addiciont. By Your grace and for Your glory. Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5–6
A Prayer for the Person in a Battle with Addiction

Lord, I surrender my heart, my addiction, my all to You. I trust that You are able to guide me today and every day in the future. You are my Healer and my Redeemer. You are my future hope and happiness. Thank you, for Your grace, mercy, and love. I trust You with all my heart. Help me stay strong as I live each day humbly dependent on You. Amen.

A Prayer for a Loved One in a Battle with Addiction

Lord Jesus, please make __________’s path straight. Help him/her find in You the recovery they so desperately need. I believe You are greater than their circumstances. I believe You are able to do the impossible. You are the God of miracles and we need a miracle. Please help __________. Please help us all. Through Your power to heal, please deliver and transform . . . that we might lift Your name in praise and live for the glory of Your name. Amen.

Too many lives are being destroyed by the overwhelming power of addiction. Too many families are suffering in their battle with addiction. Join us in prayer. #addiction #Recovery #codependency #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

Friends the battle with addiction is real and painful for everyone it touches. I am praying for every one of you touched by the feelings of helplessness and fear brought on by its influence.

Remember all of Jesus’ miracles. Remember the times He delivered people who came to Him. Remember His promise that with God “all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

You are not alone in this battle with addiction. The Lord is with you and loves you.

Today, I am asking the Lord bless and comfort you. I am asking Him to hold you close and lift you and your loved ones up with His healing love as you go through this difficult time.

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

5 Promises to Pray That Will Help When You are Grieving

It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

It seems like everywhere I look, friends and family . . . even complete strangers are overwhelmed by grief.

Covid and chaos have caused us to lose loved ones, jobs, and financial security. Isolation and emotional stress has broken relationships, worsened depression, and increased substance abuse.

The list of reasons people are grieving is growing by the day.

If you are grieving, you may be able to share your loss publicly making it possible for you to receive prayer and encouragement from the people around you.

But there are others who…

Are carrying around a personal private pain they’re unable to talk about . . . grief they don’t feel they can share.

Maybe you are one of those people. Maybe your heart is breaking and a small part of you is wondering “why” God would allow this horrible pain to touch your life.

Or maybe you know someone in that situation and you’re desperately trying to find a way to help them.

David wrote:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18

I have to admit, although I’ve known this verse since I was a child, I didn’t always rely on it as TRUTH. Because doubt and uncertainty caused me to believe there were things that could break my heart and crush me beyond the point of rescue.

But God allowed me to experience a grief that put David’s words to the test in my life. I was crushed and alone . . . I imagine most people who experience grief feel they have to go through it alone. Grief is personal and comes with its own individualized timetable.

But our Heavenly Father is personal and individual too. He meets us in our unique circumstances and He met me in my grief.

How?

Through His Word and prayer.

As I spent time in His Word and turned to Him in surrendered prayer . . . I slowly began to heal and my trust in the Lord’s faithfulness to keep His promises grew as well.

Today, I’m sharing some of the verses and prayers God used to help me heal when I was grieving. Promises that held me through tears and reminded me of His sufficient grace, mercy, and love . . . promises that gave me hope for the future.

I’d love for you to join me. You can pray these prayers for yourself or place the name of someone you love and care for in the blanks as you pray with me.

Promises to Pray That Will Help When You are Grieving

It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

He heals the brokenhearted and
bandages their wounds.

How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!

Psalm 147:3,5

Father, when my heart is broken, I trust You to be my Healer. I believe You will give me (my loved one) everything I need one day at a time.

I really hate this situation and I believe You hate it too. Pain was not Your will for Your children . . . we are sinful people in a sinful world. Thank you for Your love for us and for being great in power and understanding. Thank you for sending Jesus to give us a relationship that supplies us with everything we need to heal. I surrender my grief (__________’s grief) to You. Please help me to focus on You as You provide for us throughout this day.

He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.

Isaiah 53:3–4a

Jesus, You experienced grief. You wept over the death of Your friend and in anticipation of Your own suffering and death . . . even though You knew (You know) that death is not the end for those who place their trust in You.

Thank you for carrying our weaknesses, failures, and sins to the cross. Thank you for experiencing pain and sorrow. You “understand our weaknesses. [You] were tempted in every way that we are, but [You] did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus, please walk with me (__________) through this grief and increase my faith as I place my hope in You.

Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Psalm 55:17,22
It's hard to find the words to pray when you are grieving. We tend to cry "why" through exhausted tears and pain. But God gave His promises to pray. #Grief #VersestoPray #PromisesofGod #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

Father, thank you for listening to my prayers. You know my voice and even when I can’t put my prayers into words, You hear the cries of my heart. So, I bring You this burden. I lay this grief at Your feet trusting that You will hold me (__________). I believe You will keep me from slipping and falling into doubt and fear. Please fill me (__________) with Your Spirit and grant me (__________) Your peace.

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.”

Revelations 21:4

Father, I love this promise of hope for the future. No more death or sorrow or crying or pain. That is the future You promise Your children. No more tears of grief or brokenness.

You are making everything new. (Revelation 21:5) And You promise these words are true and trustworthy. With Your help, I hold Your Word close to my heart. You, Lord, are the One who fills my future with hope and promise. Thanks and praise.

 I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:38

Oh, Father, how I love this promise. Nothing can separate Your children from Your perfect unfailing love. Not death or pain, problems or failures, fear, worry, or heartbreaking grief. Not even the enemy himself can remove us from Your loving care and compassion.

Thank you! I surrender this grief to You. The life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, is the proof of Your unconquerable love. You surround us with a love so great it calms our fear, dries our tears, and assures our future.

Thank you, Father! You promise me a future filled with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) You are the source of my hope for the future . . . for healing from grief and pain because Your Word promises “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

I come to You, in Jesus’ name and I ask that You might answer my prayer that I might live each day for Your glory. Amen.

Thank you so much for praying with me. I am asking the Lord to be with you when you are grieving and give you everything you need. I have experienced His healing grace and pray that He will allow you to heal and be blessed with His perfect peace and joy.

God bless you!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

5 of the Best Verses to Pray for Your Friends

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers #HisGraceGirls

I want to stop and celebrate the blessing of friends today.

Not our list of Facebook friends with whom we share the edited versions of our stories but the close group of people who know our real stories … those stories we keep hidden away from most of the world. I want to celebrate the people who truly know us and love us anyway.

I’ve learned there is a life truth we all need to remember. Everyone has a difficult or painful story. Everyone!

We all have a page or two in our stories that we keep tucked away because they are hard to share…

It’s been several years and yet, I can still picture every face gathered around that table like it happened last week. Seriously, I still remember where each person was sitting.

But more than our location at the table, I remember the question that invited us to share those tucked away pages of our stories…

” I WANT TO KNOW MORE, TELL ME YOUR TESTIMONY.” 

In other words, I want to know YOU – not just the pretty social media version but I want to know the parts of your story that make you … YOU!

And that’s hard, isn’t it?

It’s especially with people we don’t know well. We don’t like allowing ourselves to become vulnerable. We can’t help wondering … can I trust this person, this new friend, with my pain?

I still get emotional whenever I remember … when I think about that night and yes, even now, years later … because those girls are Romans 12 to me.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 

Romans 12:9–10, 15

I BELIEVE WE ALL WANT ROMANS 12 FRIENDSHIPS BUT IT’S HARD, ISN’T IT?

But we’re afraid.

Somehow that night, God gave us the courage to trust each other … to open up and share those pages that we typically kept locked away.

And it quickly became evident that the Lord was there with us…

“If two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them.”

Matthew 18:20

Because He was with us, we saw Jesus’ love in each other’s eyes, and one friend after another we told our stories. We cried. We laughed. We encouraged. We loved.

That’s friendship! That’s what we all want. Friends who love like Jesus!

So, today I want to pray for our friends and our friendships and I’d love for you to join me…

5 of the Best Verses to Pray for Your Friends

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Father, thank you for creating us to live in community. Thank you for knowing that the love of friends is an important part of our lives. You have instilled in us a need for companionship and You have established in us the ability to be kind to each other. You have made it possible for us to set aside our selfishness so that we might show compassion. You have given us an example of forgiveness and then You give us the ability to forgive one another.

Your grace shines in my friendships. Thank you for blessing me with beautiful souls who love You and love like You. They make every day better! Thank you Lord the gift of my beautiful friends!

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Father, I want to be a better encourager. I try … but I know I could do more. It’s so easy to be selfish or get distracted. Please forgive me.

By Your grace and with Your help, may I love like Jesus. May I be the one who builds up my friends. May I remind them of the ways I see You in them. May I faithfully pray for them. May I take the time to know them and love them as You love them.

Thank you for covering my failures with Your grace and mercy. Help me generously cover my hurts and disappointments with the love You pour into my life. May I always give the same forgiving love to my friends that I want them to give to me … that You give to us.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 

Romans 12:10–11

Father, what a blessing to have friends who are filled with the love of Christ Jesus. Friends who don’t just pretend to love … but who love with genuine kindness and humility.

Please be with my friend as they walk with You. Please hold them close as they journey through the highs and lows of life. Give them courage and strength for the battles they face. Give them peace to replace anxiety, hope to replace worry, and faith when doubts creep in. And more than anything, faithfully remind them that whatever they face today or in the future … nothing can separate them from Your love. (Romans 8:38) You are with them now as You will be forever. (Matthew 28:20)

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Colossians 3:12–15

Father, I need Your help. I want to consistently wear a wardrobe of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience but I fall so far short every day. I have to admit that I want my friends to be patient and forgiving of my faults when I can be short on patience and forgiveness myself.

You are so patient and merciful to me. You have blessed me with wonderful friends. I realize when I fail to love the way You want me to love … it has more to do with me than it has to do with them.

Please fill me with the love of Christ Jesus. Please make His love be what guides, guards, and rules in my heart. Thank you for each one of the beautiful people who have brought into my life. Love them, Father, through me.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.

1 John 4:11–12

Oh, Father, thank you! I see Your love in my friends! You show Yourself in their lives … the way they humbly serve others, the way they listen and encourage, the way they care with compassion, the way they offer help and hope, and the way they forgive, and the way they love.

Each friend is a precious gift! Thank you! Please bless my friends today, Lord. Meet every need. Give them strength and courage for every battle they face. And cover them the power of Your promises and love. By Your grace and for Your glory shine Your light in them and through them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Praise God for the people who walk beside us, pull us along, and even nudge us from behind. Oh, the blessing of finding Scripture to pray for your friends... #Friendship #Prayer #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers #HisGraceGirls

Finally, pray for your friends by name.

Stop for a moment today and….

Thank God for the people with whom you have been able to share the hard pages of your story. The friends who wanted to know the real YOU and have continued to love you just the way you are.

The friends who walk beside you when life is great, who hold out their hand when you need hope for the future and maybe even give you a little nudge when you need to leave the past in the past.

Thank God for the blessing of friends. Life just wouldn’t be the same without them!

I’m praying you are blessed today with much joy, as you think about and celebrate your friends.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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Promises That Will Give You Hope When You Need It Most

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Terrorism, politics, illness, heartbreak, loss, and pandemics…

Sometimes this broken world feels like it’s too much … too painful. Too hard.

Then I stop and remember Solomon’s words:

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

Nothing’s new. It’s all happened before.

No, I’m not trying to totally depress you, especially when I promised you hope.

But the truth is … our hope is not in this broken world. Our hope is in Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus stepped into a painfully dark and broken time in history. Roman dominance. Temple dissension. Hurting broken people.

Remember … there’s nothing new under the sun.

But Jesus came to give us something new. A NEW that He alone could give.

New life. Changed life. Purposeful life. Redeemed life. Abundant life. Eternal life.

History may repeat itself. But the truths and promises of the newness you and I have in Jesus are only repeated as they become new lives in people who turned to Him in faith.

And that is what gives us hope. Real, renewing, and lasting hope. Promises of hope!

It’s a hope that reminds us we can trust every promise about Jesus that was ever made. So, let’s surround ourselves with Jesus’ hope today.

Let’s lay down our fears, anger, frustration, and hopelessness as we embrace the truth of promises that are forever true. Promises that give us eternal hope no matter what is happening in the world around us.

Having these promises we can count on in this nothing new under the sun world changes everything. Because under the Son, our everything is full of hope through His grace, mercy, and love.

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

20 Promises of Jesus that will Give You Hope

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28–30

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” John 4:26

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” John 11:25

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:16–17

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

“I am the good shepherd. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:11, 27–30

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” John 14:27–28

“I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” John 15:26

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” John 17:20

“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:2–3

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8

“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:17–18

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelations 22:12–13

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Having the promises of Jesus gives us hope when life is uncertain. His Words offer encouragement for today, tomorrow, and into the unknown future. #PromisesofGod #HopeinJesus #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Praying the Promises of Hope

Father, Thank you so much for loving us so much that the moment we sinned You had a plan to save us. You Word says You love us so much that You gave Your only Son to save us … the highest price You could possibly pay. All because of love!

Thank you for Your Word! You want us to KNOW You. You want us to live each day knowing we are safe and secure in Jesus. He is the WAY of Life, He is the TRUTH we need for Life, and He is LIFE itself. He gives us the promise of eternal life and the blessing of a full and abundant life now.

Today, I come to You for rest. I bring You the junk of my life. Please forgive me for the ways I have failed to follow Your will and change me into the person You want me to be. I believe Your way is best. I want to trust and obey You in everything I do and say. I want my thoughts to be focused on Jesus, the One who is the source of my faith and the One who strengthens me and gives me all I need each day.

So, I’m pausing to thank and praise You! By Your grace, it is well with my soul. Help me live this day for Your glory. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Friend, I’m asking God to bless you today! I’m asking Him to hold you close and surround you with the love of Jesus as He reminds you that in Him … you have everything you need. His promises are true and His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful to keep His promises of hope.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Take a moment to subscribe to Counting My Blessings and join more than 7500 of us as we read the New Testament together. We will share short posts every Monday through Friday that you can read each day or save for the weekend. Let’s study God’s Word together!

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Leave your prayer requests…

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

No matter what a busy week may throw your way, God is with you in every moment. Take a breath and find peace in Him with the 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women, a weekly devotional full of Scripture passages, unique insights, and journal prompts. Strengthen and deepen your relationship with God as you focus on faith over the course of the year.
Get your copy here!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment. 

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!