Heavenly Father I praise You for the friends that I have in life. I praise You for my wife who I can share all that I am too. I praise You for the close friends I have who will listen, not judge, but will hold me accountable. I praise You for the mentors I have had in life like Ken O’neil, Mr. Ball, Mr. Wernette, Mr. Lodden, Rev. Dan Shinabarger, and Warren Dexter. They each had an influence on my life and how I think.
Holy Spirit Your word tells us: While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son, Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. [1 Samuel 23:15&16, NIV] How often I have found myself in the deserts of life, fearing the worse, when You would send one of my closest friends along to strengthen me in who You are and who You are to me. Help me to pass this forward by helping others who are in their desert of life. Help me to strengthen them in You.
Holy Spirit, Christ told us to expect troubles but do not fear for He has overcome the world. I know that being a follower of Christ does not exempt me from troubles or pain, what it does do for me is help me to know that I can lean on and trust You to help me through the trouble and to learn how dependable You are. I have learned in life that I draw closer when I face troubles than I do when things are going fine. I put my trust in You. At this point in life, I have faced some very terrible storms in life and I have even faced death a couple of times, yet only because of You and the people You have put in my life have I continue to move forward, often one step at a time, to live and struggle to fulfill the purpose You created for me to do.
But, beloved, remember the words that were previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last days there will be scoffers who will walk after their own ungodly desires.” These are the men who cause divisions, sensual, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God while you are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which leads to eternal life. Some have compassion, using discernment. Others save with fear while pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to Him, who is able to keep you from falling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. Jude 17-24 (MEV)