For the New Year

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

Lord, I stand in awe of Your wisdom and grace, for You have made everything beautiful in its perfect time. As I reflect on my past and look ahead to an unknown future, I know that I can trust You to lead me. Help me to hold on to the promise that, regardless of my past or what the future holds, I can believe that You are always at work—from beginning to end. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Glorify God

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

God, I’m in awe of Your goodness and power each day. I’m amazed by Your love for me and the beauty of Your creation. Thank You for being King overall—for protecting those You love, creating good things, and keeping Your promises. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Humble as a child

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:2‭-‬4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

God, You are strong and faithful. Thank You for strengthening me through Your Spirit, even when I am weary and tired. Help me never give up but to continue to follow after You regardless of my circumstances. In Jesus Name, Amen

Do Good to Others

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

God, thank You for giving me opportunities to do good to others every day. Help me to act on those opportunities—even when I don’t feel like it. Give me the endurance to serve, the strength to always be kind, and the courage to pray bold prayers on behalf of others. Make me more like You each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trusting God through the pain

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭73:26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

God, thank you for being faithful to me every day. Even in the midst of suffering, pain, and sickness, You have sustained me and kept me. Although things don't always go how I might like, I praise you in the midst of my circumstances. Please help me grow in my awareness of your sustaining presence, and continue to praise you daily. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Honoring the poor

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!

God, Thank You for giving me the greatest gift imaginable—salvation through Jesus Christ. Help me to cultivate a heart of giving and helping those who are in need. Open my eyes to see opportunities to share Your love with those who do not know You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Jesus saves us

‭Matthew‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

God, today we come before You with hearts full of gratitude and awe. We reflect on the powerful and matchless name of Jesus. Thank You for sending Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, to save us from our sins. May His selfless act inspire us to live lives of gratitude and purpose. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Celebrating Jesus' Arrival

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:13‭-‬14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

God, we thank You today for the gift of Jesus Christ. We thank You for the royal announcement of the shepherds that You remained true to your promises to send the Savior to redeem us. Thank you for the gift of new life that came through Jesus. Just like the shepherds announced Jesus's arrival, help me tell others about the good news of Jesus Christ this Christmas. In Jesus name, Amen.

For a child is born to us

‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭NLT‬

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

God, thank You for teaching us how to live lives that honor You and also showing us how to challenge the world around us confidently. Thank You for being my Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. You are my everything, Lord. Amen.

Immanuel

‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NLT‬

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

God, thank You for always fulfilling Your promises. Today, I thank You for fulfilling Your most special promise—sending Your Son, Jesus, to live and die on earth as a man. Because of Him—I can learn to live a God-honoring life and spend eternity with You. I’m forever filled with joy and gratitude for Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Worthy of our praise

‭Psalms‬ ‭100:2‬ ‭NLT‬

Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

God, You make all things beautiful. You bring beauty out of ugly situations, and You can turn mourning into joy. No matter what comes my way, I will choose to worship You with gladness—because You are worthy of my worship. I will view my pain as an opportunity to find fulfillment in You and my blessings as opportunities to praise You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God's glory

‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:10‬ ‭NLT‬

Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

God, I praise you today because of your glory. You are more wonderful and magnificent than I could ever imagine. Thank you for loving me and calling me Your own. Even though sometimes I wander and go astray, You are faithful to keep me in your hands. Lord, help me to be in awe of Your beauty and continually seek You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Joy

‭Psalms‬ ‭47:1‬ ‭NLT‬

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise!

God, You are worthy of all my praise. I’m grateful that no matter my circumstances, I can be joyful because I know You are good. Thank You for loving me despite the mistakes I’ve made and for being close to me at all times. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My Strength and Shield

‭Psalms‬ ‭28:7‬ ‭NLT‬

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

God, thank You for being my strength and my shield. I trust You because I know You will always be there for me. I can rejoice each day knowing that You are good, and I praise You because You love me. Thank You for being my Savior. Amen.

Joy & Peace

‭Romans‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NLT‬

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father God, please fill me with joy and peace because I trust in You. And if I start to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, confused, or fearful—remind me that You are near. Please make me aware of Your presence. Fill me up, God, so that way I might overflow with confident hope, regardless of what comes my way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Love others well

‭John‬ ‭13:35‬ ‭NLT‬

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

God, thank You for being the perfect example of love. In a world filled with hatred, I want to choose to love others like You. Sometimes, loving those who have hurt or wronged me is hard. In those moments, I ask that You give me the strength to choose love. And I pray that because of this, others will know that I belong to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Honor God with your life

‭Colossians‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭NLT‬

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

God, with everything I do, I want to honor You. You have given me my life and all that I have. You inspire me with ideas, words, and actions. Help me to humble myself and not take credit for what You’ve done in my life. Thank You for wanting me to play a part in Your plans. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Keep God’s Commands

‭John‬ ‭14:21‬ ‭NLT‬

Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

God, I love You—and because I love You, I want to keep Your commands. Help me each day to become more like You. Help me to serve and love others when it’s hard, and give me the discipline to keep my thoughts on You. I devote my life to You—use me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Honor the Creator

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭95:6‭-‬7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!

God, I am honored to be Yours, and I’m grateful that when You created the universe—You thought of me and decided to give me life. Each day, I’m in awe of Your goodness, power, and love for Your people. Thank You for sending Your only Son to the cross so I could have a relationship with You. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Son of God

‭1 John‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NLT‬

All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. Thank You for allowing me to serve You and have a close relationship with You. I am constantly in awe of Your goodness and love for Your people. Help me each day to live a life that honors You and draws others closer to You. Amen.

Trust

‭Matthew‬ ‭6:25‬ ‭NLT‬

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

God, You know what I need and what I want. And regardless of what my current situation is—I believe that You are enough for me. Your provision is enough for me. Your love is enough for me. Your will is enough for me. So today, I surrender my concerns for the future and my current worries. I will pursue You and trust that You will take care of me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sharing the Good News

‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:3‬ ‭NLT‬

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!

God, the world is desperate to know You, and I want to allow others to experience Your love. Guide me to those who are open to You, and please give me the courage to share my experience with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

God, You created faith, hope, and love. And it is because You loved me first that I can love others. During this season of Advent, increase my ability to show faith, hope, and love to everyone around me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Hope in God

‭Psalms‬ ‭147:11‬ ‭NLT‬

No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

God, I want to honor You. But too often, I fear people more than I love You. You are greater than any situation or person. You alone are worthy of my devotion. So please help me to put You first in everything I think and do. Remove any distractions or fears that keep me from staying focused on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God's promises

‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:23‬ ‭NLT‬

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

God, I am holding tightly to my hope in You. I trust that You are faithful, and I believe that You will always fulfill Your promises. Thank You for promising to bring justice to unjust situations. Thank You for promising to fulfill Your plans for my life. Thank You for promising to return to Your people. You are faithful, Lord—and I will trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be like Jesus

‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:15‬ ‭NLT‬

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

Jesus, make me more like You. Please remove any behaviors or thought patterns that don’t reflect Your character or heart for people. Make me bold, brave, and courageous—but keep me humble, kind, and gentle. Let the way I live reflect Your hope and love. And when the opportunity arises, help me to share my faith with genuine joy. Amen.

Be strong and courageous

‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬ ‭NLT‬

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

God, I trust that You are always with me. Even when I’m experiencing challenging circumstances, I can find peace in knowing You are close. With You, I can be strong and courageous. Thank You for being my guide and protector. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thankful for God's grace

‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8‭-‬9‬ ‭NLT‬

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

God, I am in awe of Your love for me. Thank You for allowing me to have a relationship with You and always meeting me where I am. Please remind me that I don’t have to perform to earn Your favor—I am worthy just as I am because You make me worthy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Forgiveness

‭Matthew‬ ‭6:14‬ ‭NLT‬

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

‭God, sometimes I have a hard time forgiving others—I’m sorry. You always give me grace when I mess up, and I want to extend that same grace to others. Help me to be quick to forgive others because You are quick to forgive me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.