I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God,
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
Psalm 40:1-3

kit and stacked borders:  Puppy Love by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, We pray that indeed many will see and have the beginning of wisdom, that is the fear of the Lord.  Let us live as though we actually do believe in your greatness, that we know you see and hear everything, even our very thoughts, that we are expecting Jesus to return and want to be found ready and waiting.  Thank you for forgiving us and washing us clean when in our weakness we sin, but we repent and confess it to you.  Thank you for loving us first and reaching out to us, drawing us near by your Spirit.  Thank you for the assurance that Jesus will lose none of all He has been given and raise it up on the last Day.  Please work out from inside of each of us these intense feelings of gratitude and love for you that the world may see how beautiful you are and give you glory as we do.  Please make us more like Jesus every day, filling us with your Spirit to overflowing and completing the work you prepared to be done through us before the world even began.  You are amazing and we are in awe of you and the love you have for us.  Please make us worthy to enter your kingdom.  In Jesus' indescribably precious and beloved name, Amen.

For you know how, like a father with his children,  we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12  

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.  Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—  since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,  and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels  in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,  when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.  To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,  so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12  

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

Please note that "tolerance" is not of SIN (which would contradict "walk in a worthy manner"), but in matters of preference (such as eating meat or not) or in each person's calling in how to serve the Lord.  We shouldn't criticize our brothers and sisters who have received different gifts of the Spirit, all for the benefit of the Body of Christ.  We are on the same team, wanting to reach the lost with the message of salvation.  As to sin, we are to be on our guard that we don't let it permeate the whole church or cause us to slip ourselves.  Our motive in dealing with sin is to restore the sinner to fellowship and preserve the holiness of the church, for which Jesus died to make holy.  When we love each other, it is in holiness, with mercy and grace--not in careless disregard for the precious blood of Jesus.