"For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25a

Not much is "forever".  We may want something to last "forever" and there are things in our lives that we think will last "forever" but they don't.  Forever is ... forever.  Our lives are anything but consistent and constant.  Change is more of an attribute of life than consistency.  But God is always consistent.  God is always the constant in the every changing world.  God is forever.

Lord, help me to realize that I should never expect anything to be the same, besides You.

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God."  Ephesians 6:11-13

Who are you fighting and who are you fighting for?  If we don't know the answer to each of those questions, it is hard to be successful.  Are we fighting ourselves?  Are we fighting for ourselves?  Both are not good answers.  Unfortunately, they are both accurate a lot of the time.  If we are fighting for ourselves and against ourselves, we will always win ... but we will always lose.

Lord, help me to fight for You and help me to fight the right enemy.

The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"  Matthew 25:40

We tend to be selfish.  We tend to do more for those who can do more for us.  We unfortunately do less for those who can't offer us much.  I am glad God doesn't function that way.

Lord, help me to love all, especially those who can do absolutely nothing for me.

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  Luke 9:23-24  NIV

It is a daily, if not moment by moment decision, to be less selfish and to follow Jesus.

Lord, help me to seek You more than my selfish desires.

​Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." Luke 11:1

Praying has always been an interesting paradox for me.  It is the easiest thing to do.  Praying doesn't require that we go to a specific place or assume a specific position or say specific things at a specific time of day.  We aren't required to wear specific clothes or be in the company of anyone else.  Praying costs no money and does not inconvenience anyone else when we do it.  Praying is simple yet it is so difficult to do.  We fail to see the value in doing it and that is what makes the easiest thing in the world to do, so difficult to do as much as we should.

Lord, help me to value prayer more so I do it more often.

"So Moses went back to the LORD and asked "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? And why did you ever send me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all"  Exodus 5:22-23

We are not alone in the world.  We are not the only one who has had trouble or who has had questions unanswered or not in the time we desire.   Patience.  Trust.  Faith.  Perseverance.  All are skills that we must learn and often God values those skills over what we think we need.  God values the process over the product.  God's answer isn't "No" but His answer is often "Not Yet".  

Lord, help me to see the value in patience and trusting over getting what I want in the timing I want it.

"The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm." Proverbs 13:20

We need to be careful who we associate with.  We can get away with being around fools if we are in the position to influence them to be wise.  We must be careful to avoid fools when we are vulnerable and when we can be influenced by them to be foolish.  

Lord, help me to surround myself by those who will make me better and when around others, please protect me and help me to be an influence on them to make them better.

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14:6

There are a lot of ways to do things.  And often, many different ways can be successful.  Then there are times when only one way works.  We can try to fit a square peg into a round hole but the truth is that the square peg will be damaged in the process.  The round hole remains the round hole and doesn't change.

Lord, help me to accept that You are the way and I am the one who needs to change. 

" ... but Christ is all and in all." - Colossians 3:11b

There is a lot of comfort in knowing that God is involved in everything and is with us always.  We are never alone.  We are never left to do things on our own.  God is always near.  We don't need to look for him.  We merely need to recognize and acknowledge Him.

Lord, help me to see You right beside me!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Colossians 3:23

The Who is You!  The Whats are Whatever and All!  The Why is the important part of the equation.  The Why is God.  The Why is because God has loved you and provided for you and this is the only way you can thank Him.

Lord, help me to keep my focus on You as that should drive the answer to any other questions I may have.