Daily Quote, Bible Verse and Prayer - December

[bluidkiti]

December 16

Quote:
Anger makes you smaller,
While forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.
~ Cherie Carter-Scott {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Colossians 3:13
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,
if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ
forgave you, so also do ye.

Prayer:
Lord,
Thank You for teaching me that anger makes
me less of a person while forgiveness encourages
me to grow as a follower of Christ. Amen.

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December17

Quote:
We are given each day as a gift. Once a day is gone, it can never
be recaptured. Too often we live our lives as if they are going to go
on forever just as they are. Lives change, and we need to be ready
to change with them. God helps us to accept where we are and to
grow to new levels of maturity. ~ Chaplain Michael Clark

Psalm 102:26
You shall change them, and they shall be changed;

Prayer:
Father,
Thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for change. Make me adaptable
and open to all kinds of change so that I grow to new levels of maturity. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 18

Quote:
To choose to suffer means that there is something wrong;
to choose God's Will even if it means suffering is a very
different thing. No healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he
chooses God's will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering
or not. ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

1 Peter 4:19 NASB
Let them that suffer according to the will of God,
commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing.

Prayer:
Father,
Thank you for teaching me the difference between choosing
to suffer and choosing to do Your will even if it means suffering.
Thank you for allowing me to rise up over suffering and to achieve
victory in Christ. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 19

Quote:
Trust in God, even when you distrust others. ~ Chaplain Michael Clark

Psalm 65:5 NASB
By awesome deeds
You answer us in righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest sea;

Prayer:
Father God,
You are the only One who can be trusted at all times and under all
conditions. Other people may appear trustworthy but eventually they
will fail. You are ever faithful and righteous. I praise Your holy name. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 20

Quote:
There are stages in life when there is no storm, no crisis,
when we do our human best; it is when a crisis arises that
we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning
to worship God and to trust Him, the crisis will reveal that we
will go to the breaking point and not break in our confidence in Him.
~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Matthew 8:26
Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that I can depend upon You to carry me over
every crises and through every storm in life. Amen.

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December 21

Quote:
Life is an adventure in forgiveness. ~Norman Cousins
{submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Prayer:
Dear Father,
Forgiveness is rarely easy and that is what makes it an adventure.
You ask me to grow and stretch; to do that which seems impossible.
But with the guidance of Your Holy Spirit I can do all things through
Christ...even forgive the unforgivable. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 22

Quote:
Look back and thank God.
Look forward and trust God.
Look around and serve God.

Psalm 136:24-26
And hath redeemed us from our enemies:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven:
for his mercy endureth for ever.

Prayer:
Almighty God,
I look back and thank You for all of Your mercies.
I loo forward and trust You for all provision in the
days ahead. I look around me and see great need.
Show me how to serve You in the best ways possible.
In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 23

Quote:
The shepherd isn't always out in front, leading his sheep.... In the
lengthening twilight, when the sheep must pass through the darkest
shadows in the deepest wadis, the shepherd drops back and walk
with them. ~ Ray Vander Laan

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep.

Prayer:
My Savior,
You are not some remote deity. You are my loving shepherd Who
walks before me to guide and who walks with me as I pass through
the darkest shadows. Thank you for Your protection and love. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 24

Quote:
Don't try and fit your faith into your busy schedule,
build your schedule around your faith. ~ Kenneth Copeland

Luk 10:40-42 ESV
But Martha was distracted with much serving. And
she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her
then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha,
Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good
portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Prayer:
O God,
I desire to have my faith as the center of my life. All
else is just incidental. May all I do, say and think be
centered around You and Your precepts. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 25

Quote:
If you are convinced you are unable to overcome your
addiction or behavior, you are probably right. But you
can put yourself in the place where God's almighty
power will come through you. Make a deliberate
commitment and turn your will and your life over to
His loving care. Allow Him to do the marvelous work
that you cannot. ~ Chaplain Michael Clark

Matthew 9:36
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with
compassion for them, because they were weary and
scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I cannot overcome my addictions and behaviors,
but I can surrender to You, committing my will and
my life to Your loving care so that You can do the
marvelous work which I cannot. I surrender now. I
surrender all to You today. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 26

Quote:
Prayer opens the heart to God, and it is the means by
which the soul, though empty, is filled by God. ~ John Bunyan

Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication
for all saints;

Prayer:
Almighty God,
Thank you for the gift of prayer for it opens my heart to You.
No matter how empty my soul feels, when I come to You
in prayer You always fill and nourish me. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 27

Quote:
When we are busy doing what we should, there is no time to do
what we should not. {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Tit 2:13-14 ESV
...our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to
redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for
his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Prayer:
O Lord,
Grant me a heart to do good works at all times. May I put Your
Kingdom and the welfare of others first. There will be no time for
me to even look down the wrong path. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 28

Quote:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…

And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins. ~ Howard Thurman

1 Timothy 6:11
...follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Prayer:
Father God,
Christmas does not end on December 26th. The work
has just begun! May I manifest Christmas every day as
I go about my daily life. Help me to reflect Christ, be his
hands, feet and voice. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 29

Quote:
Three essentials: a faith to live by, a self to live with,
and a purpose to live for. {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Daniel 11:32
The people that do know their God shall be strong.

Prayer:
Dear Father,
Grant me a faith that I can live by, a self that I can live with and
that is pleasing to You, and a godly purpose to live for. Amen.

[bluidkiti]

December 30

Quote:
Our strength is not sufficient;
God's strength is. {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

2Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Prayer:
Almighty God,
My strength is never sufficient. It is intimidating when I see so many
obstacles ahead of me. But I can courageously walk forward knowing
that the power of Christ rests upon me. Thank You for Your grace and
mercy in my life. Amen.