No Lies

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Isaiah 53 is an Old Testament description of Jesus.

Isaiah 53:9 (NIV)
… though he had done no violence,
 nor was any deceit in his mouth.

 

No deceit. No lies. No exaggeration. No embellishment. No half-truths. No spin.

Only Jesus.

 

Good morning, Lord. Seems like truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth is hard to come by in our world. Facts come with a spin, distorted to fit the speaker’s personal agenda. Sometimes I doubt the truth when I hear it … help me. Sometimes I twist the truth when I speak it … forgive me. Make me more like Jesus, with no deceit in my mouth.

 

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I Lie

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

I lie. You lie. We all lie.

Romans 3:23 (my own version)
All have lied and fall short of the glory of God.


Why lie?

John 8:33 (CEV)
… everything he [the devil] says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies.

I lie because I’m hanging out with the wrong guy.

 


Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for lying — to avoid the consequences of my actions, to impress others, even to convince myself that I’m not so bad. Forgive me for listening to the enemy’s lies, his whispers telling me lying will be good for me.


Teach me to own up to my own mistakes, to be honest but not hurtful, to tell the truth without exaggerating. Remind me that You’ve seen it all, and You’re always listening.

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Teach Your Children … for Your Own Good

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 


Want the key to a good, long life?

 


Deuteronomy 6:1-2 (NIV)
These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

Do it God’s way … good for you, good for your children.

 

Good morning, Lord. Your rules for living work — makes sense: You created the world, You created me, You see the big plan and the little details. And yet, so often I think I know better; forgive my foolishness. I complain when things don’t go my way; forgive my selfishness. I try even harder to control things; forgive my arrogance. 

Grant me the faith to trust Your plan, the self-discipline to walk in obedience, the assurance that Your way is best for me personally, for those around me and for those who come after me … a win-win-win all around, for now and forever, amen.

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Teach Your Children … the Holy Scriptures

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Paul praised the important lessons Timothy learned as a child.

 


2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15 (NLT)
… you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you …

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

Be like Lois and Eunice. Share your faith and God’s Word with the children you love.

 


Good morning, Lord. Thank You for Your Word. Forgive me for neglecting it, for letting my Bible sit on the shelf untouched for days at a time. Forgive me for giving it a quick look and then forgetting what I read. Forgive me for paying more attention to social media than I do to Scripture. 

Teach me to diligently study Your Word, to make it my primary source of wisdom. When I read, let me hear Your voice. Fill me with Your light. Make me a reflection of Your glory. Empower me to share what I learn with others.

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Teach Your Children … about God’s Power

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Faith — pass it on. Don’t keep it secret.

 

 

Psalm 78:4 (NLT)
We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.

Teach your children what God did, is doing and will do. Teach them Bible stories. Tell them your story. Point them toward eternity in heaven. Leave a legacy of faith.

 


Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for keeping my faith to myself. Forgive me for pretending that I get through each day in my own strength and wisdom. Forgive me for hiding my light under a basket (Matthew 5:15).


Teach me to speak up. Nudge me to tell Your story. Grant me the words to tell not only Bible stories, but also the story of my own faith journey. Guide my steps, and let me leave a set of steppingstones for the next generation.

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Teach Your Children … the Way to Go

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.


This is a proverb, not a promise or guarantee. It’s logical. It makes sense.

Walk the straight and narrow path with your children when they’re young. Don’t assume they’ll find it for themselves. Don’t hope they’ll stumble across it later in life. Show them the way, give them a good head start.

 


Good morning, Lord. You command us to teach the next generation to walk in paths of righteousness. I want to be a person who teaches not just with words, but also by example. 

 

Teach me to watch my own steps before I tell other folks where to walk. Remind me to admit my mistakes before I criticize someone else. May I stop, look to Your Word, and listen to Your Spirit before I change direction. Guide me, O God, keep my feet on the straight and narrow.

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Teach Your Children … It’s Your Job

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Here in the US, it’s Labor Day, a day to honor American workers. Teaching our children is job #1.

 


Deuteronomy 11:18-19 (TLB)
 So keep these commandments carefully in mind. Tie them to your hand to remind you to obey them, and tie them to your forehead between your eyes! Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are sitting at home, when you are out walking, at bedtime, and before breakfast!

So, how’s your job performance? Are you meeting expectations?

 

Good morning, Lord. It’s my job, I know, to teach the next generation about You — to teach my children, my grandchildren, any children within my circle of influence. Forgive me for passing the responsibility on to others, thinking an hour of Sunday School a week is enough. If You are the center of my life, if all I do revolves around You, teaching the next generation is a 24/7 thing.

Give me wisdom, give me strength, give me perseverance. Grant me the right words and the right opportunities.

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Prayer Is Like Water

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Amos 5:8 (ESV)
… who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name.

 

Still water, shallow enough to play in. Rushing water, powerful enough to polish rocks and rearrange landscapes. Gentle streams and raging floods, poured out by God.

Prayer, full of joy. Prayer, reshaping hearts and moving mountains. Poured out to God, poured out by God.

 

Good morning, Lord. My praise and problems, my gratitude and requests — I pour them like water before Your throne every day. In so doing, my heart becomes kinder, my soul less-self-centered, my mind more focused on goodness and mercy. Folks say, “prayer changes things,” and that is true. But prayer changes people … it changes me. For that, I am eternally grateful.

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Prayer Is Like the Wind

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


John 3:8 (ESV)
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.

This Bible verse is about the Spirit-filled life. The basic idea also applies prayer.

I can’t explain prayer. I don’t know how it works. And I can’t live without it.

 


Good morning, Lord. Some of my prayers are like a gentle breeze — delightful, refreshing, full of hope. Some prayers are like a mighty wind — twisting, breaking, rattling the windows of my soul. Some prayers come from my own mouth, others from a deep place I can’t control.

Prayer is that unseen connection between me and You. It is the power that lights my way, changes my direction, moves me forward. I know it, but I don’t understand it. I am in awe of it. Thank You for this lifeline to You.

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Prayer Is Like My Hair

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Matthew 10:30 (TLB)
And the very hairs of your head
are all numbered.

 

I can’t begin to guess how many prayers I’ve sent heavenward in my lifetime. I have no idea how many people have prayed for me, and how often. But just like the hairs on my head, God keeps count. He’s never missed even one.

 

 

Good morning, Lord. You hear every prayer from me, every prayer for me. You listen to each one like it is the only one — You never think, “Not her again” or “I’ve heard enough already.” You don’t tune me out, You don’t ignore me. Thank You.

When You don’t instantly do what I want, I think, “God’s not listening” or “God doesn’t care.” Forgive me for jumping to that conclusion. Grant me patience. Teach me to accept “No” or “Not now” as an answer. Teach me to pray, “Your will be done.”

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