Dear Lord, I thank You for this day,
I thank You for my being able to see
and to hear this morning.
I ‘ m blessed because You are
a forgiving God and
understanding God.
You have done so much for me
and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything
I have done, said or thought
that was not pleasing to you…

I ask now for Your forgiveness..
Please keep me safe
from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day
with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day
to clear my mind so that I can hear from You..
Please broaden my mind
that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper
over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response
when I ‘m pushed beyond my limits..
I know that when I can’ t pray,
You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be
a blessing to others.

Keep me strong that I may help the weak…
Keep me uplifted that I may have
words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost
and can’ t find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged
and misunderstood..
I pray for those who
don’ t know You intimately.
I pray for those who don’ t believe.
But I thank You that I believe
that God changes people and
God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member
in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy
in their homes; that they are out of debt
and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this
knows there is no problem, circumstance,
or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.
I pray that these words be received
into the hearts of every eye that sees it .
Amen!

Lord, in every need let us come to You with humble trust saying, “Jesus, help us.”
In all our doubts, perplexities, and temptations, Jesus, help us.
In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials, Jesus, help us.
In the failure of our plans and hopes; in disappointments, troubles, and sorrows, Jesus, help us.
When others fail us and Your grace alone can assist us, help us.
When we throw our self on Your tender love as a Father and Savior, Jesus, help us.
When our heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from our efforts, Jesus, help us.
When we feel impatient and our cross irritates us, Jesus, help us.
When we are ill and our head and hands cannot work and we are lonely, Jesus, help us.
Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls, and shortcomings of every kind, Jesus, help us and never forsake us.
Amen.

History notes that Emperor Shah Jahan so loved his wife that he undertook to build a monument in her memory. He began the project in 1631. It took 22 years to construct the breathtaking structure with 22,000 smart people working behind the scenes. Precious building materials were brought from all over India and Central Asia. It took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport these materials to the construction site! And that’s the story behind the famous Taj Mahal!

Taj Mahal is considered as one of the seven wonders in today’s world including a 2007 opinion poll with 100 million votes! And it’s all about a love gift given by a loving husband to his lovely wife! Today Shah Jahan is famous in history books and in many people’s hearts because of something that he gave.

In the Scriptures, Jesus taught on various kinds of giving such as loving your enemies, blessing your accusers, praying for the abusers, showing mercy to the offenders and helping the poor – all with a non-judgmental, non-condemning and forgiving attitude (Luke 6:20-37). This is sacrificial giving. This brings in marvelous rewards to the giver.

That’s why Jesus tied up these ‘giving’ teachings with this famous statement, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

Your giving can be in the form of money, time, property or resources. It can also be in the form of love, mercy, service or forgiveness. It can be demonstrated through words, behavior, looks or deeds.

You may not fully understand what your gift means to the receiver. It may have come as a much needed help at the 11th hour. It may have saved an about-to-be-broken marriage. It may have rescued someone from committing suicide. It may have lifted someone up from failure to success.

Only God knows the huge results of your giving. So He rewards you accordingly. Therefore Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The Scripture says, “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). As you make ‘giving’ a daily habit, at the appropriate time, God will begin giving you back its fabulous rewards!

- – - By Joe Abraham & Ancy Joe