Isaiah 50:4 ” He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”

Wake us O Lord.   We have walked so far from You that many no longer hear Your voice.  We are an apathetic and disengaged people…thinking someone else will kindle the fire within us.  Our spiritual lethargy squelches our passion and excitement to read Your Word and obey.   Lord, stir Your people…let us shake off our indifference and give you our undivided attention.  Wake us up O Lord.

I Corinthians 3:11 ” For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Anchor us O Lord.  We are flailing and thrashing alone in the ocean of life…about to go down for the last time.  Rescue us Lord and support us with You love and mercy.  Let us be grounded by Your Word and have security in Your promises.  For the only firm foundation we have is a Christ-shaped one that the Church can be built on.   Anchor us O Lord.

Colossians 3:12 ” Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Humble us O Lord.  We are a selfish, self-serving generation.  A proud and arrogant  people who put themselves first  in every vain endeavor.  Lord show us how to be meek and gentle…respectful and unpretentious in our everyday interactions.  Cause us to consider others and their needs before ours.  Humble us O Lord.

Colossians 2:2 ” My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God…”

Unite us O Lord.    Join us together as one Nation,  one World.  Let us stand together , oblivious to color, race or religious background.  Lord help us to lock arms together for the good of all, and in one voice,  declare that you are God.  Unite us O Lord.

Mark 10:17 ” As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. ‘Good Teacher,’ he asked, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ “

“What must I do?”   The short answer to the question  is that you can’t  do anything.  No amount of good works will get you any closer to the promised land  and the peace you seek.  The only thing you can do is to say Yes to Jesus,  turn from your sinful life, and  come into agreement with Him that you can’t run your miserable  life anymore.

Psalm 44: 6-7 ” I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame.”

We can’t put our trust in others.  Our security can’t be found in our  shrewdness or the most noblest of acts.  For the confident expectation we seek can only be found in God.   Zechariah 4:6 states, ” Not by might nor power, but by My spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”  Our victory can only be in and by the Lord.

II Corinthians 6:2 ” For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Isaiah echoes this verse in Chapter 49, verses 8 and 9, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ ”  Today the Lord is extending His favor towards you…offering His grace and kindness in order to deliver your soul from the guilt and punishment of sin.  He’s uncovering and revealing to you the sin in your life…He’s shedding light upon your spiritual blindness and beckoning  you to come out of the darkness and be free.

John 1:12 ” Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

As a Christian, we have the birthright and authority as children of our Heavenly Father.  We have identified and embraced the name above all – Jesus Christ…for it is only by His name we can be saved.  Thus as joint heirs, we are beneficiaries of the glorious riches and splendor of heaven.

Romans 10:9 ” That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Do you admit that you’ve been living a life far from God?  Do you accept the fact that you’ve made a mess of your life so far? Do you acknowledge that Jesus came into this fallen world to save your soul from eternal damnation and hell?  Do you recognize that saying yes to Jesus and turning from your old life isn’t the end but just the beginning of a brand new life…a life filled with peace rather than strife, and love where there was loneliness and fear.  Do you agree that you need a Savior today?

Ephesians 2:8-9 ” For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

It is simply by God’s unearned and unmerited favor that we have the chance to be saved.  It’s by His absolute free expression of His loving kindness towards us that we may come into a right relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ.  This divine gift…the gift of eternal life is not to be taken lightly, or with a casualness that doesn’t fully take into account the terrible price Jesus Christ paid for our freedom.  The gift of salvation can not be bought with a price…for what Jesus did for mankind was priceless.