S: “I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words.”

O: I’m not always able to summon the words to express Your righteousness, but I can proclaim Your saving power by the way I live my life.

A: I will seek to be a man of integrity and good character.

P: I love you, God. I’ve been feeling torn down a bit lately, but I hope you are using it to build my character. I don’t want to live a life of wasted opportunities. Refine me; make me to shine as gold.

O: Hearing from God or reading His Word is only part of the equation. Doing/obeying is the other part.

A: I will obey, even though I may not like it.

P: God, thank you for bringing me to this point in my life. I know I still need to submit myself to you completely. I hear you speaking to me a lot lately…”obedience, obey”. To be honest, I’m afraid to submit completely. I fear that you will ask me to do something big…I’m afraid I’ll fail. I fear that I’ll be vulnerable…I’m afraid I’ll be hurt. I fear humbling myself before you…I’m afraid I will be irreparably broken. Having said all that, I know that obedience to you will ultimately strengthen me in your name. Forgive my lack of faith, Lord.

O: Wow…what a God-filled man Stephen was! He didn’t do anything worthy of being stoned to death. Even in his last moment he petitioned to God to forgive the them.

A: Even when I am being treated unjustly I can choose to respond with grace. I will choose grace and kindness the next time I feel as though I am being wronged.

P: Jesus, help me choose grace.

(S)cripture, (O)bservation, (A)pplication, (P)rayer

S: Acts 6:3 NLT
“And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.”

O: The believers selected wise, well-respected men who were so filled with God’s holy spirit that they were trusted to oversee ministry needs among the people. I want to be like the men who were selected!

A: I will continue to study scripture and to be honest with God in my prayer time. I will welcome accountability through my accountability partner. I will strive to be an good example of a godly man.

P: Thank you, God, for your word. I’ve really enjoyed studying and researching the scriptures tonight! Please bless me in this endeavor. I need encouragement from time to time to stick with it, will you provide that to me? Thank you.

S: Psalm 37:5 NLT
“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

O: If God already knows what’s on the horizon, shouldn’t I seek him through prayer and then trust in the answers he provides? I really don’t know why I hardly think to seek out God first, instead of making my own plans and then expecting him to join me.

A: I will seek God first when decisions or plans need to be made. I will also trust in the answers he provides and then thank him when he blesses my obedience!

P: Thank you, Father, for tolerating my thick-headedness. I am often times a bit slow in catching on in understanding that my way really doesn’t equal the best way. Please help me to seek you when decisions and plans need to be made. Thank you for your faithfulness to me.

(S)cripture, (O)bservation, (A)pplication, (P)rayer

S: Psalm 36:5-7 NLT
“Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.”

O: As deep as the oceans, as strong as the mighty mountains, and even higher than the clouds above and more vast than the heavens…your love and your faithfulness is far greater than these!

A: I will remember that my God, the mastermind of all creation, is far greater than any troubles I may have. When I feel the weight of the world pressing in on me, I will hold fast to his love and his faithfulness to me.

P: Abba, I love you. Thank you for loving me. There is a song* that comforts me; it’s about you. I’m singing it to you now as my prayer…

You are my strength
Strength like no other
Strength like no other
Reaches to me

You are my hope
Hope like no other
Hope like no other
Reaches to me

In the fullness of Your grace
In the power of Your Name
You lift me up
You lift me up

Unfailing love
Stronger than mountains
Deeper than oceans
Reaches to me

Your love O Lord
Reaches to the heavens
Your faithfulness
Reaches to the skies

* “You Are My Strength” by Reuben Morgan/Hillsong

O: Jesus was sent to us, to save us all so that we might spend eternity with him. This scripture tells us that Jesus knew he couldn’t trust the very people he was sent to redeem.

A: I will strive, as best as I can, to stop foolishly taking the gift of salvation for granted.

P: Jesus, thank you for saving me! You paid a high price for my eternal freedom, despite knowing the wickedness of my heart. Renew in me a clean heart; nudge me when I begin to turn from you.

(S)cripture, (O)bservation, (A)pplication, (P)rayer

O: The Lord has blessed me with relationships for a purpose. To my neighbors, my friends, my family…I have opportunities to serve them and represent Jesus to them.

A: I will not hesitate to lend a hand when there is a need.

P: Help me, Jesus, to be a godly man by serving my friends, family, and neighbors (both literal & figurative). Help me obey your holy spirit when there is a need. Teach me to look for ways to help others without being asked to do so.

O: God, in his masterful artistry, created the earth and all living creatures. Throughout the process he saw that all he was creating was good. When he finished he didn’t keep it for himself, instead he gave it away – to mankind, a part of that very creation!

A: God was pleased with his creation and gave it over to man tend after. I imagine it gave him great joy to share his masterfully designed creation. I, too, can mirror the Father by giving to others with a God-given joy.

P: Thank you, Father, for the beauty of your creation. Show me ways I can give to others of my time, resources, encouragement…whatever I can do to meet a need or to bring joy to others. Help me to give joyfully, help dissolve any selfishness in me.

O: How often do I create more trouble for myself and my family when I refuse godly counsel or ignore the discernment of the holy spirit that lives in me? As a bird knows to stay away from trouble wisdom, discipline and discernment helps one do the same by making good choices.

A: I will accept correction that comes from God through wise counsel and through the prompting of the holy spirit.

P: Thank you, God, for placing people around me who truly care for the well-being of my family and for me. Please open my heart to receive your grace and your wisdom through these godly people. Help me to understand your correction when I mess up, and give me a heart that is willing to change.