Personalizing the Beatitudes

Heavenly Father I praise You today for the rainy seasons of life, for without them I would never see growth.  I praise You for lightening, for not only is it fun to see, but it helps purify the air.  Bring lightening into my life so that I can dwell on Your purified word which breathes fresh wind into my heart and soul.  I praise You for the lessons of humility that I continually get to experience. 

Holy Spirit help me to be poor in spirit so I can inherit the kingdom of heaven. I need Your comfort when I mourn especially these past few weeks. Teach me to be meek so I can inherit the earth.  I will continue to hunger and thirst after righteousness so that I can be filled.  Holy Spirit continue to help me to become merciful so that I can continue to be shown mercy.  Cleanse me and continue to work in me so that I will have a pure heart because I want to see You.  Teach me how to be a peacemaker so that I can be called Your child.   Help me to remember that when I am persecuted for righteousness in my life and actions I will inherit the kingdom of heaven.  (Matt. 5:3-10)  

Holy Spirit help me to become a light in this very dark and broken world so that others can be drawn to You.  Let my words and my actions be like seasoning to food to help improve other lives around me each day.  Continue to work in my life so that the words that come out of my mouth, which are from my heart, are words of affirmation and of life.  Help me to learn to live peaceably with all who live around me, especially my family.  Teach me to look to the Father to learn how to be a father, and to look to Jesus to learn how to love my wife as Christ loves the church.  Teach me to listen to the Holy Spirit so that I can be a comfort and prompt and lead people to salvation. 

Holy Spirit I ask that You move on the churches and ministry teams in such a way that communities will see what it truly means to be forgiven and free.  Help each of these churches learn how to pray, work, study and most of all love.  Help them to be the neighbor that everyone comes to for help.  Let these churches pray with boldness to see giants defeated, mountains moved, sick healed, and broken people and homes restored.  Help these churches learn that fellowship is important as long as it is productive, but that loving your neighbor should be our number one priority.  Help these churches learn how to be generous with their talents, abilities, time and their resources.  Help them to make such a difference in their communities that people will come to see why they are so different from the norm. 

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34&35)  Teach us to love, and to believe so firmly that we can live a life that is a testimony to who You are.  In Jesus’ our savior and king, amen.