Heavenly Father I praise You for today and for all You have done for me. I praise You for family, friends, and community. I praise You for choosing me before I chose You. I praise You for believing in underdogs like me who have been told they will fail or not measure up. Today, Help me to take command of my day and shake the evil from it.
Holy Spirit You inspired to Matthew to write of Jesus as He preached: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be very glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in this manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [Matthew 5:3-12] I still mourn the loss of Philip even though I am fairly certain he is in heaven right now and more protected than ever. I have known what it is like to be poor in Spirit in my lifetime and this reassurance gives me hope. I have always desired to know, understand, and utilize more from God and the Holy Spirit. I seek wisdom daily. There have been times in my life when I have shown mercy and there have been times when I have failed to show mercy when it was needed. Help me to continue to improve on this in my life. I only have a pure heart because of the salvation and grace afforded me by Christ. I have been persecuted at times in my life for my faith and for the sins of so-called believers who ruin the reputation of God to others. I let God fight for His reputation and I stand ready to give account of the hope that is within me. Help me to improve in all these areas in my attitude and how I live my life.
Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! In all I do may I glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen. 1Chronicles 4:9&10