Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all.  1 Chronicles 29:11

stacked papers: Heavenly Kristmess by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, You overwhelm us with your beauty, greatness, wisdom, love and all that you are, have always been and will always be.  Just pondering everything you have done and what you're like--how holy and infinitely powerful--brings us to our knees.  All that you have made and the incredible way that it all works--your beautiful and diverse designs and absolute control over it all--are too amazing for us to comprehend.  We are utterly humbled by your love for us, that you would send your only begotten Son to save us from ourselves, from our willful, rebellious nature that delights in sin instead of righteousness.  Thank you for rescuing us and making a way back to you, for freeing us from the penalty for our past sins and also from enslavement to the desire to continue sinning.  Thank you that your Spirit within us empowers us to overcome, one moment at a time, as we seek your will and your way and abide in Jesus, our Ransomer.  Thank you for forgiving and cleansing us when we slip.  Thank you for the immeasurably valuable inheritance that is kept for us in heaven as your dear children--a future worshiping and serving you for eternity.  We love you with all that we are and ever will be, forever.  In the precious, beloved name of our Redeemer, Jesus, Amen.

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. Proverbs 11:5

kit: Vagabond Adventures by Holliewood Studios

Heavenly Father,  You know that these days we live in are full of deceit and evil.  Just as your Word warns us, people have become incredibly self-centered, ungrateful, arrogant, greedy and focused way too much on the things of this world instead of on you.  Please help us to stand firm in your Word, with our eyes fixed on you, trusting that everything works out for the best when we rely on you instead of on our own strength and wisdom or that of others.  Please help us not to blend in--complaining, coveting and giving in to fear with the rest--but to be lights shining brightly for others to see your goodness, mercy and grace.  We want people to be drawn to your love through us so that they can receive salvation.  We want Jesus to be pleased with how we served Him when He returns.  All we have and are is at your disposal, for your glory.  In the beautiful name filled with hope and love of our Savior, Jesus, Amen.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5  

Friends, you are invited to read my article "The Glass Fence" here on the blog (click on pdf downloads at the top of the page).

They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west. Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One.  Isaiah 24:14-16 a

stacked papers: Kristmess Robins by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, We can't wait for this day to arrive when the whole earth recognizes and acknowledges your beauty, majesty, infinite worthiness, almighty power, and perfect wisdom and love, praising you with songs everywhere.  Now we see in part, but then we will see in full and rejoice even more over the miracle that we belong to you, as we see your promises fulfilled right before our eyes.  To you all honor and glory--never was there anyone like you and never will there be--only you are deserving of our worship and our undivided devotion.  Please help us to keep our eyes fixed on you for our help, confidence and hope in these troublesome days while we wait for Jesus to return.  Please help us not to grow weary of doing good when it seems to go unappreciated, remembering that we are working for YOU because of our great love for you, not the approval of others.  Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers in your perfect way.  In Jesus' glorious, victorious name, Amen.

I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Psalm 57:9-10

stacked papers, clouds: Heavenly Kristmess by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, I can't speak for other people, but for myself, I am looking forward to that pure language that you will be giving us so that we can all worship only you in unity with fitting words and glorious songs of praise.  For now, we are so grateful that your Spirit within those of us who have become your children searches our hearts and prays for us as we would if we could find the words to adequately express what needs to be said, in alignment with your higher ways.  We are indescribably awed by the miracle that He dwells in us, enabling us to desire to please you and to know and do your good, perfect and pleasing will in all things.  Thank you from the bottom of our humble hearts.  In the worthy and unspeakably beautiful and beloved name of our precious Savior, Jesus, Amen.

 “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord." Zephaniah 3:9

 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and whosoever had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4

I thought this verse was especially appropriate for today, since it is my 1,000th post on this blog.  All glory be to God--may He make use of my very humble offering in whatever way He chooses, to accomplish His good purpose, according to His perfect plan, which will never fail.  Hallelujah!  (Highest praise to God.)

Heavenly Father, We know that to you a thousand years is as a day--that you exist outside of time and this dimension to which we're confined during our earthly lifetimes. Many of us believe that what you taught us in Genesis about the six days of creation was meant to be combined with Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 to arrive at 6,000 years before the beginning of Christ's millennial reign of peace, for He is our Sabbath rest and you rested from creation on the seventh day. That being the case, we are eagerly anticipating His return as we get closer to 2,000 years since the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (the final two "days" before the "Sabbath"?) We reject date-setting and fear mongering, but we do recognize the signs of the times and that inspires us to get ready, to be found faithfully waiting and watching as your word instructs us to do. Please help us to know and do your will, to put your kingdom first in everything we do, say and think, and to be steadfast, selfless, tireless and trustworthy like Jesus even if His return may appear at some point to be delayed, as His parables cautioned us.  In His glorious, worthy and mighty name, Amen.

As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. Matthew 25:5

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:1-18
kit: Every Day a Miracle by Feli Designs

"You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships You."   Nehemiah 9:6

stacked papers: Heavenly Kristmess by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, How marvelous are your works!  You have designed and made everything that exists from nothing.  You preserve and maintain it all and you alone give life.  Please let us never lose our sense of wonder at all you have done.  You alone are worthy of our praise.  We await  with great anticipation the day when everyone knows that.  Please fill our lamps with oil so that we burn brightly for the world to find their way to you, the only one who saves.  We rejoice in our salvation and want to share our joy with the lost so that we can all praise you together for eternity.  In the highest name of all names, Jesus, who ransomed us with his precious blood, Amen.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of 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. Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. Titus 2:11-15

stacked papers: Splash by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, We look to you for help.  We know that you are our help to renounce ungodliness and control ourselves, help to become pure and holy like you, to be zealous for the good works you prepared in advance for us to do, help to be worthy of being your set-part possession, help to stand firm in your word as we wait for Jesus' return, and help to exhort others to aim for purity and faithfulness along with us.  Thank you for our Helper, the Holy Spirit, who enables us to want to please you and to know and do your will.  In Jesus' altogether lovely name, Amen.

Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. Philippians 3:17

kit: Gingerbread Kisses by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, We are so grateful for the beautiful example of the worthy ones who have gone before us, as their stories are recorded for us in the Bible.  Thank you for giving their testimony through the word and their lives of how we should live.  We want our lives to please you and to bring you honor and glory as well.  Please help us to do just that--to do only your will and all of your will.  In the most highly exalted name of your Son, who conquered sin and death by His perfect love and obedience, Amen.

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.  Deuteronomy 4:39

kit: Gingerbread Kisses by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, We praise and thank you that by your very name, the great I AM, we can know that there is no other and never has been or will be any other God but you.  The fact that you reveal yourself to us is as amazing to us as the wonders of your creation itself.  As David said in Psalm 8:4, who are we?  As he said in v. 9, "How majestic is your name in all the earth!"  We can't wait until the whole world knows and acknowledges that you are Lord of all.  We lay all that we are at your feet and pray that you will make us into useful, worthy vessels for your service.  Please fill these jars of clay to overflowing from your spring of living water so that everyone around us gets a taste of your goodness, leaving them wanting more of you--the hope of the world.  In the name of Jesus, the giver of eternal life, Amen.

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Proverbs 11:28

kit: Gingerbread Kisses by Kristmess Designs

Heavenly Father, Thank you for never changing.  You are always there.  You have always have been there and always will be.  You never fail, fall short, make a mistake, or do anything that is wrong, ever.  Your ways are all perfect and good.  We love you so much!   Please help us to put all of our trust in you and to remember that our hope in you will never lead to disappointment in the long term, even if we can't see why bad things happen at the time.  You know it all from beginning to end, and you see the complete picture.  We believe Jesus when he said he will never leave or forsake us and nothing can separate us from his love.  Nothing can take us from his grasp and so we rest secure, knowing that everything that happens has a good purpose in the scope of eternity.  Please help us to remember that this life is only temporary and what matters most is that your beautiful, holy name is honored and glorified by those whom you have adopted as your children.  Let us be bright lights in this increasingly dark world so that others can see you are trustworthy and altogether worthy of our praise.  In Jesus' saving, redeeming name, Amen.