Such is the generation of those

   who seek Him,

who seek the face of the

                   God of Jacob.

                Psalm 24. 6

(The lives of the faithful 

look very different

   and are distinguished

by Whom or what they pursue,

   seek, and are faithful to.

Even in the face of

       the same circumstances

       as those around us,

we have opportunity

     to make different choices

in what we do, say, pray,

          and how we respond.

We are all in full-time ministry,

  wherever and among whomever

God has appointed us today.)

O LORD,

We seek You today,

   not a pre-made answer,

   not the most convenient way,

   not even what succeeds,

              but we seek You.

You guide and provide

    and bring Your fruit

    to whatever we do today.

Show us how to approach

   the volatile, the difficult,

   and even the unexpected

for Your glory

       and to point others to You.

 

He set himself to seek God

in the days of Zechariah

who instructed him

          in the fear of God,

and as long as

     he sought the LORD,

God made him prosper.

              2 Chronicles 26. 5

(How do we set ourselves up

           to seek God?

What choices do we make,

patterns, practices,

               and direction?

Do we pursue growing in Him,

both in knowledge of God

           and knowing Him?

Prosper does not imply

    always winning,

    always easy and comfortable,

but God's grace and goodness

   and nurturing

   even in impossible places.)

O LORD,

Help us to seek You even more,

not just as we go about our days,

but how we intentionally

    set ourselves up to know You.

Bring the faithful and wise

     into our lives to instruct us.

Order our days and thoughts

                and prayers.

Draw our attention to You.

Anoint this day with Your Word

    and appoint our steps.

Walk with us, dear Jesus.

    Hold our hands and hearts.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Do not

    be conformed to this world,

but be transformed

    by the renewal of your mind...

              Romans 12. 2

(What am I intentionally doing

to nurture transformation

      of my heart and mind?

Daily choices

    are never insignificant.

What am I exposing myself to?

How am I investing my time?

What habits help me to grow

       or make me stumble?

How am I approaching this day,

   this struggle,

   this opportunity,

        even crisis,

   differently this time

           in intimacy with Jesus?)

O LORD,

Draw us to You.

Help us to run to You.

Align our hearts

             with Yours.

Bring about Your greater good

    in ways that glorify You.

Help us to see

    how to respond to You,

even in what we face today.

Glue us to You.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

But Jehoshabeath,

the daughter of the king,

took Joash the son of Ahaziah

and stole him away

from among the king's sons

  who were about to be

  put to death,

and she put him and his nurse

              in a bedroom.

           2 Chronicles 22.11

(There are no secondary characters

          in God's story.

God knows our names.

    God appoints each of us

     for His purposes

                   and His glory.

A single act of courage

    in the face of the overwhelming

    changed the course of history.

Faithfulness even on ordinary days

       still does that in significant ways,

       beyond our vision

                    and our lifetimes.)

O LORD,

Help us to be faithful to You,

our shoes tied on,

      ready to run with You.

You have anointed and appointed

       each of us

       for Your glory on this very day.

May we realize what we do

        is all significant in Your eyes,

    no detail too small,

    nothing mundane.

You redeem.  You reign.

Help us to trust You in this

   and respond to Your nudges.

 

For we are powerless

against this great horde

   that is coming against us.

We do not know

           what to do,

but our eyes are on You.

          2 Chronicles 20.12

(This is one of my favorite verses.

What does it take for us

  to realize we cannot do this life

           without God Almighty?

We are all in some sense

  surrounded by hordes

  of fear, anxiety and worry.

May we keep our eyes

   not on circumstances

                 but on Him.

Do not be afraid. Do not dismay.

   But trust Me in this.

Fear only deflates our tires.)

O LORD,

We praise You.

We need not be afraid

   but rely on You

and see this struggle

             differently

   because You are with us.

It is no longer a matter

          of winning or losing,

          surviving or thriving,

    but trusting You in this.

You protect.  You guide. You provide.

    You redeem in unexpected

               and Almighty ways.

You bring about something

       even greater than we can see

       from where we are standing.

May we go forth worshiping You

     even before we realize

         not just an outcome,

         but Your glory in this.

 

Some trust in chariots

   and some in horses,

but we trust in the name

   of the LORD our God.

They collapse and fall,

  but we rise

            and stand upright.

            Psalm 20. 7-8

(In what we trust

changes the course of our days,

     our decisions, our actions,

and ultimately,

        the trajectory of our lives.

No matter the struggle,

   when we trust in Him,

God brings His victory to it.

   Winning may not be the point.

When we fall, even in that,

  we can trust Him

              and bear witness.

      that He is still with us.

He picks us up

   and puts us back on our feet.

We don't have to be first place

    to bring honor to Him.

What are we trusting in?

Our own ideas and strength,

         or the Almighty?

No matter how it unfolds,

       "I am with you.")

O LORD,

Help us to trust You

   in the struggle before us.

Grant to us the strength

                  and wisdom we need

to approach and navigate

      this situation differently

because we trust in You,

     love You, and serve You.

Reveal Your way in this

    and redeem

    even the broken pieces

              for Your glory.

We trust in You.

Align our hearts

            with Yours.

But you,

    take courage!

Do not let your hands

          be weak,

for your work shall be

     rewarded.

          2 Chronicles 15. 7

(One of our greatest discouragements

      is to think that

            our work doesn't matter.

One of our greatest encouragements

      is to know

                   that it does.

Not for just the sake of work,

      but used mightily

                  for His sake.

May we fulfill what God has

    laid before us to do today.

God uses it far more

    and in many lives

    than we can even imagine.

The world calls it endurance.

God calls it faithfulness.)

O LORD,

Help us to grasp Your strength

    and Your courage

   in the work You have given us.

Every detail is profound

             in Your economy.

Whatever we do today,

    may we work in Your name,

    for Your Kingdom,

              and for Your glory.

Help us to be faithful

     even in what seems ordinary,

because it is extraordinary

                  in Your sight.

 

 

For You

equipped me with strength

             for the battle...

           Psalm 18. 39

(Every step of faithfulness,

even on the

    most ordinary of days,

even in what does not

    appear to matter,

equips, trains,

    and strengthens us

for what comes next

    --the expected or unexpected.)

O LORD,

Thank You for preparing us

and teaching us

      to lean on You.

You are our strength.

You do not just help us

     to survive this hard thing,

but You redeem

  and turn all things

  right side up,

even that which we

   cannot understand now.

You strengthen us

    both for today

           and the next.

Your strength

     becomes our own.

 

For I consider that the sufferings

       of this present time

are not worth comparing

       with the glory

that is to be revealed to us.

                Romans 8. 18

(I have been watching

      the Tour de France this month.

These men have trained hard

     for this opportunity,

riding to the utmost of their strength

                 and then a little more.

And each one would consider

      all that "suffering" as nothing,

compared to the joy

           of crossing the finish line.

God is doing something

   far more awesome in our own lives.

This broken world produces suffering.

But God redeems it

            for His glory.

Suffering aims to bring us down.

God uses it

           to make us stronger,

    one step and then another.

He brings us to a new place.

"Hold My hand in this.")

O LORD,

You are the God of all comfort.

You are the God of all strength.

You cover us with a shield,

    not to make us impervious,

            but responsive.

You empower us to go forth

into the impossible,

       stronger with You.

Your glory far exceeds

    anything we can imagine.

Not resulting in "it was all worth it,"

   but standing in awe of You.

 

...reprove a man of understanding,

      and he will gain knowledge.

                   Proverbs 19. 25

(We are distinguished

not by what we know,

     but how we respond

     to what we don't know

 and to others' criticism

                 or reproof.

The wise know

   that they don't know everything.

Those who are wise

       are always teachable,

not a weakness at all

    but an incredible strength.)

O LORD,

We humble ourselves before You

that we may learn even more,

   not just about You,

   but to know You more.

Help us to be discerning

   in our choices

to keep our way before You

and to keep our hearts

     and minds set on You.

Help us to have teachable hearts

    and be gracious to others.

 

...that we may bear fruit for God.

                Romans 7. 4

(In whatever we face today,

      difficulty or favor,

wherever He guides us,

among whomever we live

    and are appointed,

how we run,

our deeds, our words,

our attitudes, our hearts,

    even on our errands,

sowing His Word,

planting His grace,

nurturing souls

   and this sacred ground.)

O LORD,

Remind us in all we do today

    and wherever we are

that You have divinely appointed

      us to bear fruit for You.

May we worship You like that.

No encounter is random,

no choice insignificant,

   but that You bring

          Your glory to it,

even in the ordinary,

even in what we succeed

          or fall short.

We seek You.

We seek to serve You,

   in the most unexpected places

and among unlikely people,

those we know well,

and those You appoint

        for even a moment.

Bear Your fruit

      through us today.

Help us to point others

         to You.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Many are the plans

in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the LORD

            that will stand.

             Proverbs 19. 21

(God orders our days,

guides our thoughts

              and steps,

aligns our hearts with His,

when we seek Him

  and seek to bring Him glory.

We approach what is before us

                  differently,

we choose with hearts

    that have been changed,

we see new ways

          even on the same trail,

and navigate differently

   both the difficult stuff

   or an ordinary day

       --which is never just ordinary

         in His sight.)

O LORD,

Help us to walk with You

      in the newness of life

even in what is familiar

              and ordinary,

   even in what we struggle.

Give us wisdom and knowledge

    in our comings and goings

         to bring You glory.

May we realize wherever we are,

    we stand on sacred ground

on which to worship You

       in whatever we do today.

 

Then David said to Solomon his son,

"Be strong and courageous

                    and do it.

Do not be afraid

    and do not be dismayed,

for the LORD God,

                   even my God,

        is with you.

He will not leave you

                or forsake you,

until all the work for the service

     of the house of the LORD

            is finished."

                   1 Chronicles 28. 20

(Be faithful to Him

         all the way through.

God is with us.

We abide in a strength

     that is not ours,

              but His.

He is not about to

      abandon us now.

Even in the hard stuff,

   we can trust Him

for His purposes

           and for His glory.

How can I approach 

      and navigate this situation

                      differently

    because I love and follow Him?)

O LORD,

Our lives should look

             very different

because we abide with You.

Grant to us this very day

   Your strength and courage

to be faithful to You

and to finish the work

      You have given us to do

with all excellence

                for Your glory.

There is nothing insignificant

      in Your sight,

no detail too small

               to honor You.

 

No distrust made him waver

concerning the promise of God,

   but he grew strong in his faith

   as he gave glory to God,

fully convinced

     that God was able to do

what He had promised.

                Romans 4. 20

(Fear and worry don't do anything

    but let out all the air in our tires.

Abraham was not naturally strong,

   but grew strong

   in his relationship with God.

God transformed him over time

         as He does us.

Abraham gained strength

   as he gave glory to God.

When we choose to

          give glory to God,

even in the hard stuff

    and what we don't understand,

God builds His strength in us.

"Trust Me in this.")

O LORD,

May our default in difficulty

           or in joy

    be to give You glory.

Help us to stake our lives

          in Your steadfast love.

Please grant to us

   Your strength in whatever

    You place before us today

           or place on our hearts.

May we know that

     this day is significant

           as they all are

      in honoring You.

Help us to grow in You,

   step by step,

not to make us tougher,

       but more like You.

 

But I have trusted

   in Your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice

   in Your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

   because He has

   dealt bountifully with me.

            Psalm 13. 5-6

(Trust in Him,

          rejoice and sing.

Push back against circumstances

         with His Presence

  and the chronicle of His

               faithfulness.

Not with "everything will be ok,"

nor "I'll make it through,"

     but "Trust Me in this."

Keep singing the

         songs of the faithful.

God is engraving

     His strength in us.

God is aligning our hearts

                      with His.

And He is doing

    a mighty work in our hearts.

"What if God is more committed

      to your sanctification

      than to your comfort?"

             --Jackie Hill Perry)

O LORD,

You are drawing us ever closer

                  to You

   even in these hard things

that we would know You more

    and point others to You.

Bring Your glory to this day.

Help us not just to believe You

   or invite You into our agenda,

but grant us the courage

      and Your strength

      to take Your hand

                 and follow You.

May we be honoring to You

   in how You have appointed us

   to serve You today,

            even in the hard stuff.

You are with us.

We need not waste our time

                  with fear or worry.

    Just to be faithful.

 

"I will therefore

    make preparation for it."

So David provided materials

           in great quantity

before his death.

              1 Chronicles 22. 5

(What we are doing

    is not limited

    by the length of our lifetimes.

It is not that our work is

             left unfinished,

but ready for another

             to carry on.

What are we doing even now

   that prepares, equips

  and encourages others to go forth?

It is not about us after all,

but for generations to come

        that they would know,

        love and serve the LORD.

Our work matters in this day

    and in the lives of others,

nothing insignificant

             in God's economy.)

O LORD,

Help us to set our minds and hearts

       to seek You

and to know that You are using

          our work in Your name

   and for Your eternal kingdom.

Empower us to rise and work

   and be very aware

   of encouraging others.

Direct our steps.

Guide our thoughts.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Be glorified

       through our work

       and our being today.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

Good sense makes one

                slow to anger,

and it is his glory

   to overlook an offense.

              Proverbs 19. 11

(What distinguishes us as believers

   are matters of the heart

and how we respond

  on the most ordinary days,

  in the smallest infractions,

         huge irritations,

     and when things go south.

Our transformed heart

      is revealed in difficulty.

Do we react with anger?

Or do we respond with grace?

Practice resurrection.

Others are constantly watching us,

not to see if we are perfect,

but if we really live differently

   because we abide in Him.)

O LORD,

Mold our hearts

   that we would bring You glory

even in the most unexpected

     circumstances.

Align our hearts with Yours

  that we would respond

  with a love and strength

       that are not ours,

especially when everyone

     expects something different.

Be glorified in our words and deeds

      and even in our responses.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

...chosen and expressly named

to give thanks to the LORD,

for His steadfast love

            endures forever.

            1 Chronicles 16. 41

(As believers, we are marked,

chosen and named,

   distinguished by how we speak

   and of Whom we speak.

The tone and content of our words

     come with the job description.

We are chosen to bear witness

                     to others

and express our thanks to God

for His steadfast love,

which is not limited

       to favorable circumstances.

Are we known by our grumbling

       or by our hope in God?)

O LORD,

 You have anointed us

      with Your love and grace.

You have appointed us

     to bring Your praise

     and honor and glory

        to unexpected places

    and among unlikely people.

We are right here

            for Your glory.

May our words

    reveal our transformed hearts.

May our transformed hearts

    radically change our words.

 

 

Then he appointed

some of the Levites as ministers

before the ark of the LORD,

to invoke, to thank,

   and to praise the LORD,

           the God of Israel.

             1 Chronicles 16. 4

(Wherever God assigns us today,

we are appointed

        to minister to Him and others

to bring His name and grace there.

And to leave in our wake

    the deep aroma of thankfulness

                       and praise.

Even in this difficult situation,

         even in this hard relationship,

may something be very different here.

    And that would be a witness.

The Almighty has changed us.)

O LORD,

We seek You,

     Your strength and Your Presence

wherever You position us today,

among whomever You bring us.

You have appointed us

     to minister to You,

even in the unexpected.

Fill our pockets with grace

    and our hearts with joy,

and to know whatever unfolds,

      You are right here with us.

Help us in our words and deeds

  and even attitudes

        to point others to You.

 

And David said,

"God has broken through

   my enemies by my hand,

           like a bursting flood."

Therefore the name of that place

   is called Baal-perazim.

              1 Chronicles 14. 11

(Baal-perazim literally means

    "The Lord of breaking through."

God does not just show up.

God reveals Himself to us

     in great and mighty ways,

     in unexpected events,

           and in unlikely places.

God is already here.

Watch for how

   He reveals Himself to us today.

Even in this difficult situation,

   look for the fingerprints of His hands

   in what He is doing.

And His footprints

   to direct us in His ways.)

O LORD,

Break through our fears

and assure us of Your Presence.

Help us not just to know

           what to do

           and how to do it,

   but how to pray about this

  and how to know You more.

Thank You that even in this,

     You are already redeeming.

We just can't see

    how You are unfolding it yet.

Encourage us

          to be faithful to You.

 

But he took his stand

in the midst of the plot

     and defended it.

...And the LORD saved them

     by a great victory.

             1 Chronicles 11. 14

(God grants to all of us

         each day

a patch of sacred ground

   on which to be faithful

and people whom to nourish,

    sow grace,

              and encourage.

We may never see in our lifetime

    the forest that God brings

through our faithfulness to Him.

God nurtures.

God redeems.

God multiplies.)

O LORD,

You have strategically placed

      each one of us

in the most unusual places

   and unlikely situations

to build Your kingdom,

nurture the church,

encourage the faithful,

      and change the world

      for Your glory

            and by Your grace.

Help us to be faithful to You

   in all we do and face today

and sow Your name here.

 

...of the God to Whom I belong

   and whom I worship.

              Acts 27. 23

(That we belong and worship God

   changes everything about us--

what we choose in this situation,

how we treat others,

what we do and say,

how we respond and not react,

loving God and serving Him,

bringing His name here

and watching His glory

       invade our circumstances.

God unfolds His anointing here.

God redeems

    even what we don't understand.

We can trust Him in it.

How do we approach

   and navigate differently

because we belong to God

       and worship Him?)

What does that look like

                  today?)

O LORD,

Everyone worships something.

We choose each day

           to worship You,

no matter the circumstances.

Because we are Yours

and we abide in You,

    everything is different.

We realize who You are.

We realize who we are.

     Beloved by You.

Anoint this day with Your Word.

Appoint our steps

      and even our attitudes.

Align our hearts with Yours.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

When neither sun nor stars

  appeared for many days,

and no small tempest lay on us,

all hope of our being saved

      was at last abandoned.

                 Acts 27. 20

(We have all been at that point,

when we realize that our hope

       is in God alone.

We realize that we are not able

    to do this life without Him.

When we are faithful,

   God provides a way,

even in the most impossible

                   situations,

not just to get through this,

but to walk with Him

   and trust Him in every step.

He directs not just our path

      but our hearts to Him.

And God redeems.

                 Even this.)

O LORD,

In the storms all around us

  and a scary forecast,

help us to walk with You,

knowing You are in the boat

           right with us,

and You are in the storm

   to help us to know

   You are the Almighty One.

Protect us in ways

    we are not even aware.

Help us to be faithful to You

        even in the hard stuff.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

...to whom I am sending you

  to open their eyes,

so that they may turn

       from darkness to light

and from the power of Satan

               to God,

that they may receive

     forgiveness of sins

and a place among those who are

   sanctified by faith in Me.

                 Acts 26. 17-18

("To whom I am sending you."

What does that look like today?

The people we meet

   and the relationships we have

   are not arbitrary meetings,

        nor random encounters,

   but divine appointments.

God has anointed

             and appointed us

to love others to Him,

to proclaim the gospel

         in words and deeds,

     and bring His name there.

God works through relationships.

      He always has.

There are no strangers in His sight.)

O LORD,

Open our eyes to the people

   to whom You have

   strategically and purposefully

       placed on our paths today.

May we be sensitive to needs

   and fully aware

   that everyone struggles with something.

Help us to bring Your grace

  even in unexpected places

  and among unlikely people.

We can never know

   who is searching for You.

May we be not just "nice" people

     in these situations,

but Your faithful ones.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

 

...the clans of the house

     of linen workers...

            1 Chronicles 4. 21

(Nothing is insignificant

    in God's economy

    or for His Kingdom.

All work is precious

              in His sight.

All of our work matters

         to God

   and for His glory.

Everyday we inscribe on what we do,

       "Belonging to our God.")

O LORD,

Help us see what we do

      differently,

not for the praise of others

or the accolades of the world,

     but for Your glory

which invades everything.

Help us to not concede

   to the sin of thinking

   it does not matter.

You see our work.

You value our work.

You redeem all we do.

May we be faithful to You

    in our pursuits today

and know You care deeply.

You are using us mightily

       for Your sake

       and for Your Kingdom.

Far more than we

           can ever imagine.

 

A man's gift makes room for him

and brings him before the great.

                    Proverbs 18. 16

(God has gifted each one of us

   in beautiful and wonderful ways

                for His glory

   and to worship Him in our work.

He has strategically placed us

      in time and space

to fulfill what He has given

          us to do

          and how to do it.

Nothing is insignificant in His sight.

We have only to be faithful.

We may not see it as a calling

    but God sees it as

    responding to Him.

God brings to completion

   every step of faithfulness.)

O LORD,

You are working 

Your might work in us

          and through us,

  even in what seems like

  daily tasks.

But You bring Your glory

       to whatever

       we offer to You.

Help us to realize

   it is not just what

             we are good at,

   but what we are

         faithful in doing.

Train and equip us

   to be faithful to You

   in whatever we do.

And to write Your name

             all over it.

 

The following night

the Lord stood by him and said,

"Take courage,

    for as you have testified

    to facts about Me

                 in Jerusalem,

so you must testify also

                 in Rome."

               Acts 23. 11

(In what we experience

     from day to day,

the Lord stands by us

         and speaks into our hearts.

We are not on our own.

         He is still with us.

Through each step of obedience

       and faithfulness we take,

God rises the next step

            to the surface.

Each moment of trusting Him

leads us, trains, equips,

and strengthens us

                    for the next.

We rely on His courage

   which is not our own

and we learn

     how to walk with Him.

Being a witness is not

  what we put on or take off

but a new heart embedded

     in who we are now.

How does that play out

     in what we do today?)

O LORD,

Grant to us the courage

   to follow You

into what is right before us,

even as we see beasts under the bed,

     or around the bend,

     or looming ahead.

Help us to trust You

   with what we fear,  

   both real and imagined.

Equip us

          to walk with You

and bear witness to others

        Your glory and grace.

May we see that You

   have already written Your name

      all over this.

 

Go,

for I will send you

far away to the Gentiles.

           Acts 22. 21

(God grants to each of us

unexpected opportunities

      to share the gospel.

Even among the most unlikely

    situations and people,

we would be amazed

by who are listening,

watching us,

         and seeking Him.

God has placed us

            strategically

for His glory,

        even right here today.

Always be prepared

  to share the hope within us.

How many opportunities

       do we miss

because we are

       not paying attention,

even in the familiar?)

O LORD,

Help us to run with You today.

Open our eyes

to the needs around us

to love others

          right to You.

No matter the situation,

  we can be faithful to You

in words and deeds

        and attitudes.

Help others to see

     something different in us

and let that be You.

 

And I said,

   "What shall I do, Lord?"

And the Lord said to me,

"Rise,

   and go into Damascus,

and there

      you will be told all

that is appointed for you

                       to do."

              Act 22. 10

(Willing for the Lord to lead,

    step by step.

And follow Him into His day

        for each of us.

His appointments

   are not always within our sight

        nor even on our radar.

God enlarges our hearts.

Each step of faithfulness

   strengthens us

                    for the next.)

O Lord,

What shall we do?

Reveal to us

   how to be faithful to You

in this day

wherever You lead us,

however we can bring You glory.

May we respond

   when You say, "Rise and go/"

May we be resilient

   when You say,

          "Stay and be faithful here."

Even in this.

 

After greeting them,

he related

        one by one

the things God had done

among the Gentiles

   through his ministry.

             Acts 21. 19-20

(There are few things

more impactful

  than the power of testimony.

God has given each of us

    a story for His glory,

unfolded day by day

     to point others to Him,

and to encourage the saints.

God is working mightily

   through each one of us,

our very lives a ministry.)

O LORD,

May the stories You have

   woven in our lives

   draw others to You.

Help us to boldly share

  how we have seen

  and experienced

  and known You.

Grant us the words and grace

         to seize every moment

    to be a witness for You.

May others see You

    in all we do and say.

 

Hezekiah received the letter

from the hand of the messengers

                   and read it,

and Hezekiah went up

   to the house of the LORD

and spread it

             before the LORD.

And Hezekiah prayed

      before the LORD...

            2 Kings 19. 14-15

(First response,

         not last resort.

Spread out

      the whole situation

                   before God,

trust in Him,

listen and respond,

   and know that He is God.

God unfolds.

God redeems.

Trust Me in this.)

O LORD,

There will always be things

               to fear.

But they are always

   times to trust You.

Be our strength

  and help us to walk in this

  to bring Your glory

       even to this situation.

We trust that You are redeeming

     and bearing fruit in this.

Help us to be a witness

        before others

that You are God alone.

We spread it out

    before You,

            Almighty One.

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