October 26

Philippians 3

Our goal in life should be to forsake temporal things for the sake of the eternal.

INSIGHT

Benjamin Franklin once decided to become morally perfect. He chose 13 qualities he felt embodied moral perfection and tried to perfect one a week – at the end of 13 weeks he would be morally perfect. He failed, yet later wrote he had become a much better man for trying and failing than if he had never tried at all. Our situation with the Lord is similar. We will never become morally perfect, as Paul writes, but we can experience maturation as we grow into the image of Christ.

PRAYER

Because the Lord knows our weaknesses and loves us anyway, we can praise Him with enthusiasm:
Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
Who would not fear You,
O King of the nations?
For this is Your rightful due,
For among all the wise men of the nations,
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You…
But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth will tremble,
And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation
(Jeremiah 10:6-7, 10)

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit
(Psalm 34:17-18).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
(Romans 8:26)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

A stronger desire to be like Christ
Churches across the nation
Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this prayer to the Lord:
To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17). Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(Ephesians 6:13)