February 16

Quote:
Have you reached such an intimacy with God that the
Lord Jesus Christ's life of prayer is the only explanation
of your life of prayer? Has Our Lord's vicarious life
become your vital life? "At that day" you will be so
identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction?
~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

1 John 4:9 NASB
... God has sent His only begotten Son into the world
so that we might live through Him.

Prayer:
O God,
Make me more intimate with Christ each day so that
I draw ever closer to His ideal. May my prayers be as
He would pray and my life lived as He would live it. Amen.

February 17

Quote:
The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes
an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the
day he forgives himself, he becomes wise. ~ Alden Nowlan, poet,
novelist and playwright, 1933-1983 {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Luke 6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Prayer:
My Lord,
Help me to grow and mature so that I may learn not only how to forgive
others but also how to forgive my own self. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

February 18

Quote:
The more godly a man is, and the more graces and
blessings of God are upon him, the more he needs to
pray, because Satan is busiest against him, and
because he is more likely to be puffed up with a
conceited holiness. ~ Richard Greenham {adapted}

1Corinthians 10:12 ESV
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands, take
heed lest he fall.

Prayer:
O God,
When I become puffed up and so pleased with my own self
that I forget from Whom my blessings come, take me to
my knees in prayer. Humble me and keep me alert to the
many deceits of Satan. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

February 19

Quote:
The value of persistent prayer is not that He will
hear us, but that we will finally hear Him. ~ William McGill

James 4:6-7 ESV
...Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives
grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God....

Prayer:
O God,
Prayer is not just me talking, it is me listening. Open
my ears that I hear. Make me humble so that I willingly
receive Your instruction. Give me the strength and fortitude
to act according to Your desires. In the name of Jesus I pray.
Amen

February 20

Quote:
Love is more than a feeling;
For the Christian it is a commandment.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Prayer:
O Lord,
I not only want to love others, I want to love the Lord
my God with all my mind and heart and with my entire
being and with all my might -- always! Amen.

February 21

Quote:
Do not have your concert first and tune your instrument afterward.
Begin the day with God. ~ J. Hudson Taylor {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Psalm 59:16-17 ESV
But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge
in the day of my distress.
O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.

Prayer:
Father,
As the day begins, may I lift my eyes unto You and
seek Your face. May I sing Your praises and lean
upon You for the guidance and strength I need. In
the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

February 22

Quote:
Tell God all that is on your heart, as you would unload your heart,
its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend.
Tell Him your troubles, so He can comfort you;
tell Him your joys, so He can sober them;
tell Him your longings, so He can purify them;
tell Him your dislikes, so He can help you conquer them;
talk to Him of your temptations, so He can shield you from them;
show Him the wounds of your heart, so He can heal them;
lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability.
Tell Him how self-love has made you unjust to others,
how vanity tempts you to be insincere,
how pride disguises you to yourself and others. ~ Francois Fenelon {adapted}

Psalm 30:2
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.

Prayer:
O Lord,
I lay my heart bare to You. I place my cares at the foot of the
cross. I talk to You as my dearest friend. Amen.

February 23

Quote:
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
~ Mother Teresa {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Matthew 7:1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I have no right to judge others for I suffer from the same
frailties and make the very same mistakes. Give me a
heart of forgiveness and compassion that I might lead
them to You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

February 24

Quote:
All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will
certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and
desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very
thing which they ask. Yet they will obtain something greater
and more glorious than they had dared to ask. ~ Martin Luther

Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and
mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Prayer:
Dear Father,
I see only a tiny sliver of reality. You are the Almighty creator of
heaven and earth who is all knowing and all seeing. When I pray
grant me the wisdom to pray for the right things and to have patience
as You work in marvelous ways. Amen.

February 25

Quote:
Trust the past to God's mercy,
the present to God's love
and the future to God's providence.
~ Augustine of Hippo

Matthew 6:32-34 NASB
"...for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these
things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for
tomorrow will care for itself...."

Prayer:
O God,
I shall seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness and leave
all else to You. I praise Your holy name that I can trust the past to
Your mercy, the present to Your love and the future to Your gracious
providence. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

February 26

Quote:
The one who says - "Yes, Lord, but . . ." is the one who is fiercely
ready, but never goes.... When once the call of God comes, begin
to go and never stop going. ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Luke 9:61-62
Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say
farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one
who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom
of God."

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I am guilty of saying, "Yes Lord, but....." Forgive my hesitation.
Forgive my excuses. Make my heart burn to serve You and to
follow that up with action. In You name I pray. Amen.

February 27

Quote:
Whatever man loves, that is his god. For he carries it
in his heart; he goes about with it night and day; he
sleeps and wakes with it, be it what it may - wealth
or self, pleasure or renown. ~ Martin Luther

Philippians 3:19-21 ESV
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and
they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly
things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it
we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body,
by the power that enables him even to subject all
things to himself.

Prayer:
Almighty God,
There is only one true God. Forgive me for looking upon
other people, places and things as "gods." They may appear
to shine for a moment but they always fade away. Keep my
eyes eternally upon You. Amen.

February 28

Quote:
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time
is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to
be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day
with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will live each
minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be
gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I
will make a difference. I can do all things through Jesus Christ who
strengthens me. ~ Max Lucado - Shaped by God

Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
You have made this day and I shall rejoice in it. Self-pity, anxiety and
boredom are destroyers. I will face this day with the joy and wonder of
a child and the courage of a giant. Thank you for enabling me to do this
despite all circumstances. In Your name I pray. Amen.