Freedom From Sin

I shudder at how I was once in sin's bondage, Lord Jesus. Then you saved
me. All I had to do was ask You into my heart and You forgave my every single
sin. How wonderful to be set free of all that horrible baggage I was
carrying around in my life. How marvelous to enjoy fellowship with You.
Thank You, Lord, for Your saving grace.

Although my life was a mess when I gave it to You, You loved me anyway.
Step by step You performed miracles within me, like You did years ago for
Paul when he was in prison. You broke my chains of sin and entrapment.
You led me through every door of my life and helped me to mature in You.

How can You forgive me for my wrong doings? Over and over I slip. Over
and over You catch me and stamp out the destructive rotten sins. I have
difficulty even forgiving myself, but with Your mighty hand You cast my sins
in to the deepest sea. Help me, Lord, for only then am I free from sin.

How amazing, the way You freed me. I'm so much happier, my health even
improves. You give me energy and life each day, life more abundant than ever.

Once I had no hope. I lived in utter confusion without directions or
goals. My paths were like quicksand, ready to swallow me up into total darkness.

For so long I held back from giving my heart to You. I didn't want
to lose control. Yet, when I was willing to let my will be crucified on
the cross with You, Lord, You began to live within me. You are my Deliverer
and loving Friend. You have set my feet on a firm path, and I fear no more.

Thank You for how You love me and give of Yourself. How I praise You,
Lord, for freedom from crippling sin. I'm so thankful Your death wasn't a
lost cause. You have saved so many sinners such as I and given joy beyond measure.

Here in calm communion I seek Your guidance. Thank You for how You lead
me along the right paths. Thank You for hearing me and helping each time I
call upon Your name. I walk within Your strength. I praise You for how
You wrap me in the garments of Your salvation and place the robe of
righteousness about my shoulders.

I take joy in putting other things aside, for You are first in my life.
No longer will I depend on my own good works, but instead on Your
wonderful grace. Thanks be to You, God!

The Savior

Behold the Savior of mankind
Nailed to the shameful tree;
How vast the love that Him inclined
To bleed and die for me.

Hark! how He groans, while nature shakes,
And earth's strong pillars bend!
The Temple's veil asunder breaks,
The solid marbles rend.

'Tis finished! now the ransom's paid,
"Receive My Soul!" He cries;
See--How He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!

But soon He'll break death's iron chain,
And in full glory shine,
O Lamb of God! was ever pain--
Was ever love like Thine?

Written by Samuel Wesley, Sr.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such
things there is no law. Galatians 5:23-23, NIV

The Five Finger Prayer

1 ~ YOUR THUMB is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for
those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved
ones is as C.S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2 ~ The next finger is THE POINTING FINGER. Pray for those who teach,
instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.
They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep
them in your prayers.

3 ~ The next finger is THE TALLEST FINGER. It reminds us of our leaders.
Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and
administrators. Those people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They
need God's guidance.

4 ~ The fourth finger is our RING FINGER. Surprising to many is fact that
this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should
remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need
your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5 ~ And lastly comes our LITTLE FINGER; the smallest finger of all. Which
is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As
the Bible says, "the least shall be the greatest among
you." Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself.

By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs
will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself
more effectively.

A Blessing To Friendship

Creator, I ask you to bless my friend reading this right now!

Lord, show them a new revelation of Your love and power.

Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them Your peace & mercy.

Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability
to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding,
patience, & strength as they learn to follow Your leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing
Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage.

Where there is blockage, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders,
and friends to support, and encourage them.

Give each of them discernment to recognize the oppositional forces around
them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to deal with it. I ask You
to do these things in Jesus' name!

In Christian love, Your friend in Jesus this prayer was sent to me by a
friend, who received it from a friend, so I'm passing it along to all of
my friends. I do not take credit for the writing of it, just in the sintiment
of the body of it as far as I know the author is unknown.

Balancing the Budget

Dear Father, how can I pay these bills? Sometimes I don't even know
where food money will come from. I'm working as hard as possible, but
on paper I can't meet the budget.

I give it to You, dear Lord. I place myself and these bills in Your hands
and ask for Your direction. Show me how I can help others even while I hurt
financially. Help me share a portion of my earning with You for Your glory.
Remind me to give You first place in my pocket book!

Teach me to be prudent in my spending, wise in my financial decisions, and
responsible in attempting to pay my obligations.

Enable me to trust You to provide for my needs so I won't worry about
food or drink, money or clothes. You already know my needs. I thank You for providing.

Let me not be anxious about tomorrow. I know You will take care of that,
too. I will take each day as it comes and commit it to You.

I will trust You, Lord, and not lean on my own understanding of these
situations. Instead, with all my might, I will recognize Your will to direct my paths.

~ Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat
or drink; or about your body, what you will wear...Look at the birds of the
air...your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than
they?...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these
things will be given to you as well. Matthew 5:25-26, 33, NIV

Dear Lord thank You for this day. Thank You for my being able to see
and to hear this morning. I am blessed because You are a forgiving
and gracious God. You have done so much for me, and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for I have sinned, I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Keep me and my love ones safe from all hurt, harm, and danger. Let me start
this day, and every day forward, with a new attitude and an abundance of
gratitude for your blessings and mercy toward me. Let me make the best of
each day and give my best in all that You put before me. Clear my mind that
I can hear from You. Broaden my mind that I can accept all things without
mummering and complaining. Let me not whine and whimper over things that
I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through Your eyes and
acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess my
wrong doing immediately, and receive Your forgiveness. And when this world
closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example, to slip away and find a
quiet place to pray. Knowing that it's the best response I can give when I'm
pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to the
cries of my heart. Continue to use me to do Your Will. Continue to
bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may
be of help to the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement
for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way to You. I
pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who
refuse to share a word from You today. I pray for those that will read
this prayer and not accept its' blessings or use it in their own lives. I
pray for those that will delete it without reading it, or sharing it
with others. I pray for those who don't believe in Your Word. Thank You
Lord for my faith in the power, presence, and workings of Your Holy Spirit,
because I know that even my faith comes from You, and I know that You
are able to change people and things through prayer. I give thanks and
pray these blessings for all my sisters and brothers. In Jesus' name Amen.

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