Daily Devotion 1 2 2015

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, we are blessed with a new day today. This new day is a chance for a new start as yesterday is gone and with it any regrets, mistakes, or failures I may have experienced. It's a good day to be glad and give thanks for the blessings of life. Lead me forth this day through your spirit and guide me through all I am called to do. Thank you for today Lord, a new opportunity to love, give, and be all that you want me to be. I pray this in Christ's name, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, keep us safe on this new day, for in you we take refuge. Look on us as your children, and grant that we may feel in you the highest good for time and eternity. Even if we have to deny ourselves and make great sacrifices, you remain our treasure, our riches, our love, and our joy. Give us strength as a gathered people ready to serve you. Grant us your Spirit whenever we do not understand what we should do. Shelter us always in your hands, and allow us to see your miracles in souls and in bodies. For you are our God, the Almighty, and you find the way to help in everything. Be with us today. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”—Matthew 1:21

God's Dream for You before You Were Born

Expectant parents often have high hopes and dreams for their babies. Some dream of their daughter or son becoming the President of the U.S.A., a New York Times best selling author, or an Olympic athlete.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, didn’t have to guess God’s plan for her son. Before Jesus was conceived, she was told His heavenly Father’s purpose in Him being born. Jesus was coming to save people from their sins.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, as the daylight floods into this new day, may your joy and spirit shine through us. We come before you and drink in this moment of peace, that we may carry something of your hope, love, and joy today in our heart. Lord, grant us tenacious winsome courage as we go through this day. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

“Your life is like the morning fog—here for a little while—then gone.” - James 4:14
Your Life Is Like the Morning Fog
It’s inevitable. One day you will pass from this life and go into the next. So, in light of this fact, the Bible says that whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. We are meant to bring glory to our Creator. You didn’t do anything to bring yourself into this life, so what you do with your days on earth shouldn’t be solely about you. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

[Suzuki Johnny]

VERSE OF THE DAY
December 16
Micah 5:2
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Read Micah 5

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, may our lives be awakened on this new day, for you send your Spirit to blow through heaven and earth and you stir everything to life. May we long for your Spirit’s prompting. Grant that we not be overpowered by evil and sin. May we be born anew to be fighters for the highest good on earth, which leads into heaven. Hear the prayers of all people far and near who are sighing for the Savior. We pray for them all as we pray for ourselves, and you will hear our prayer. You will send power to lift up their hearts and souls so that there may be a great throng of your joyful people on earth. In spite of all the misfortune, adversity, and danger in the world, there will be a people exulting from one end of the earth to the other, a people trusting in you and sure of victory through the great grace you give in answer to our prayers. Lets us go forth to serve and do your will. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, as the daylight begins this new day, I pray to be filled with your Holy Spirit for this day. Let me go forth, walking with your Spirit in my heart, that I may be filled with the joy and energy and praise for your entire creation, thankful in the many gifts you have given me, and showing forth your light in my every word and deed. Bless us, guide us and protect us in all we are called to do. This I pray in Christ’s name,
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, on this new day we are blessed through the spirit and given a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. You awaken us morning by morning, to listen as we are being instructed.
We thank you for giving us the task of serving you in the name of your servant, Jesus Christ, for letting each of us have a part in carrying out your will. Keep us true to this service. We want to be faithful, always listening to you, for you open our ears and help us know your will and respond to it. Be with us in these days. Strengthen your love and compassion in all hearts. May the life of Jesus Christ gain greater and greater power in all people on earth. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

The Manger Was a Clue

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:2-5

In truth, that beautifully decorated tree, those gorgeously wrapped presents, and all that tasty holiday food, which make us happy during the Christmas season, are poor representations of the world into which Jesus was born and what his everyday life would be like. Jesus didn’t show up for a celebration. He wasn’t here for a vacation. His world wasn’t well decorated, and he surely wasn’t well fed. He came to a world that had been dramatically broken by sin, and his calling was to expose himself to the full range of its brokenness. This is where the details of Christ’s birth are important. It means something profoundly important that the cradle of his birth was a feeding trough in a borrowed barn. You are meant to pay attention to the fact that he wasn’t in a palace, attended to by servants. It’s important to notice that the first smells that entered his infant nostrils weren’t oils and perfumes, but animal smells.

These seemingly unimportant details set up a sharp contrast between our celebrations at Christmas and the true conditions of the Messiah’s entry into our world. Most of us would be in a complete panic if we had to birth a baby in such conditions. But none of this was an accident. These conditions were God’s plan. They announce to us that the Messiah came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Since he came to rescue sufferers, it was essential that he suffer too. And his suffering wasn’t reserved for the cross; it started the moment he was born. Everything he suffered was on our behalf. He would suffer but not lose his way. He would suffer and not quit and walk away. He would suffer and not grow bitter and angry. He would suffer and not respond with vengeance. He would suffer without thinking, desiring, saying, or doing even one wrong thing. He exposed himself to our world, to live as we could not live, so that as the righteous One, he could pay the penalty for our sin and give us not only peace with God, but a ticket to a future where suffering would be no more.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, our blessings of this new day all our praise is due to you. Protect us your children in the task you have given us. Watch over us so that we can serve you in the right way and receive from you the gifts we need in order to go toward your kingdom and witness to your name. Help us on every step of our journey. May our lives be entrusted to your hands, and may we always find our strength in you, our God and Savior.
In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”– John 3:16

Growing up the first Scripture verse I remember memorizing is John 3:16. I loved hearing it and repeating it to myself and all who would listen to me recite it.

It not only tells of the very first Christmas present ever given, the gift of Jesus, but also assures me of God’s love, where Jesus came from, and God’s purpose in sending Him.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, thank you for bringing us into this glorious day. Let the rays of your grace, the grace of Jesus Christ, shine into our hearts so that we are truly born of the Spirit and serve you as your children at all times, also when hard days come. Through your might and your revelation pry us loose from all earthly things. We are your children, O Lord God. We come before you, our Father in heaven, and you will accept us so that we may be a people who prepare the way for you. Accept us. Hear us. Set the light aflame in our hearts for the coming of your great day.
In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, to you we may lift our eyes, for you have broken free from our world of death and live in the glory of life, and you offer your life to us on earth. As we go forth this day let the power of your life be revealed today in us as we celebrate Christmas. Send your Spirit to move our hearts so that we hear, see, experience, and understand what you and your gift of eternal life truly mean for us. So watch over us in these days and strengthen us in faith. Shed the light of your grace over us and within us. Protect us as your disciples. Lead us into communion with our Father in heaven and into community with you for all eternity. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer For This Day
Lord God, we come before you on this new day and pray that your joy be always in us, your children. Let your joy bring light and peace to our lives, no matter what happens around us. May we serve you in joy, aware of your peace at all times, so that something of this peace may go out from us to grieving hearts and to regions of the world that are in darkness. Let all people look up to you knowing where to find help. Be with us in all we are called to in serving you this day. In Christ we pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Lord God, you call us to the newness of this day which Calls me to an untried way; Lead me and let me gladly take the road,
Give me strength to bear my load. Thou my guide and helper be — I will travel through it with Thee.
In Christ I pray, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

God, I am at the rising of a new day rested and fresh. I pray that this day and this week, you will continue to bless me, that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help 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. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don’t know and seek you. I pray that others will find your strength, so that they can love and help one another. I pray for those who don’t believe, that they may find you.
When this world closes in on me, let me remember the example of my Lord and Savior: to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. Remind me, to find you when I feel like I'm pushed beyond my limits. In Christ's name, I come to you,
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Lord God, we are awakened to the light of this new day. As we go forth in the newness of this day, may your spirit fill us full of guidance and protection to do your will. This new day calls me to an untried way. As I carry out the duties of this day, let me gladly take the road,
give me strength to bear my load.
Thou my guide and helper be —
I will travel through this day with Thee. I pray in Christ's name,
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for The Soul
Lord God, you have blessed us with this day alive and breathing. We pray this day that you wrap us with your Spirit and help us that we might serve you this day and know that your will be done. May we never be at a loss of words when we are called upon to help those who seek you. Let us speak always in love and respect of others, this day and always, we pray this in Christ's name,
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Lord God, you bring us to the light of this new day. As I face another day, I know I will face many challenges: to my faith, to my patience, to my love for others. I am going to have constant temptations to lapse into sin. Come to us now, Lord, and be with us all day. Let your Spirit encompass our minds. Let us know and feel your presence in all we are called to do. Steer our hands, direct our words, guide our thoughts in everything we think and say and do. I resolve to live this day as a beacon of your glory, the best I can, with your help. I commit myself to give this day to you. In the name of Christ, be with me and help me,
Amen.