Praise the Name of Jesus

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. – (Ephesians 1:3, NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. – (Ephesians 1:3, ERV)

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who grants us every spiritual blessing in these heavenly realms where we live in the Anointed – not because of anything we have done, but because of what He has done for us. – (Ephesians 1:3, VOICE)

The blessings from God are far too numerous to count. He has given us faith, salvation, family, friends, home, health, life, love, peace and so much more. Jesus meets us where we are and supplies us with what we need. Grace surrounds us, goodness is poured out upon us, and peace is present through the abundance of His perfect love. For these reasons and so many more, it is right to give Him our thanks and praise. May our lives be a constant offering of worship to He alone who is worthy.

All praise to the One,

Our God and our King;

Savior, Provider,

Lord of ev’rything.

His blessings poured out,

Our reason to sing;

In love, let’s worship,

Full of thanksgiving.

For health and for hope,

For goodness and grace;

Peace, love and comfort,

Strength throughout our days.

Because You pursue,

Us with Your great love;

Forever we’ll praise,

Jesus, Lord above.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have poured out Your blessings upon us in abundance. Thank You that everything good that we see, feel and experience is a gift from You. Forgive us for neglecting to properly praise You for who You are and how You love and provide for us all. Teach us to recognize and acknowledge every good and perfect gift that comes from You. Show us how to love those around us in a way that reflects Your goodness and is an act of worship unto You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for how You pursue and love us, for the people that You purposefully place in our lives, and for the grace that gifts us with a fresh start each new day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praise to Your Name, O Most High. – Psalm 92:1

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who  believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, NIV)

I pray that God will open your minds to see His truth. Then you will know the hope that He has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised His holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, ERV)

Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19a, VOICE)

This is a great prayer for all of us, as everyone needs hope to hold onto. God’s hope is that which is an anchor for our souls. The glorious riches of His inheritance include an eternity that goes beyond what our minds can fathom. As we begin to grasp hope in Christ, His power is made evident in and for us as we walk out our days. May we ever seek the Lord to reveal more and more of who He is and how He loves so that we may hold fast to His hope that holds us secure forever.

In Christ, there is hope, 

For all who believe;

Blessed assurance,

To Him we can cleave.

Glorious riches,

In God’s great power;

Peace that is present,

In our Strong Tower.

Let us run to Him,

Ever seek His face;

Faithful, He meets us,

And shows us His grace.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to open the eyes of our hearts to see who You are and how You love when we choose to seek You. Thank You that we have eternal hope in You. Forgive us for losing sight of how temporary the here and now is in comparison to forever with You. Teach us to have an eternal perspective on all that we face, and teach us to trust You to bring good from all things. Lead us in Your unending love, so that we might love those around us as You do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to continue to show us more and more of who You are and how You love, leading us to securely place all of our hope in You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… – Hebrews 6:19a

Sight to the Seeking

I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the work of His vast strength. – (Ephesians 1:18-19, HCSB)

I pray that God will open your minds to see His truth. Then you will know the hope that He has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised His holy people are rich and glorious. And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. – (Ephesians 1:18-19, ERV)

Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power. – (Ephesians 1:18-19, VOICE)

Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus applies to all of us still today. The more our eyes are opened to see His truth, the more we understand the hope we have in Him. His power goes beyond what our minds can conceive, and His blessings are ever-present through His nearness and His mighty love. This is not only in the here and now, but also in the hope of what is to come throughout eternity with Him. God has granted each of us a free will. For those who choose to believe and receive all that He offers, all of these things are given unto us – open eyes to the light of truth, hope that holds us up, power that will work in us, and the blessings beheld in His presence with us. May we ever seek the Lord to open the eyes of our heart, so that we may understand and embrace who He is and how He loves.

May eyes be opened,

To the light of truth;

To God’s great power,

That will see us through.

To see the blessings,

Of love and of grace;

His endless power,

The Ancient of Days.

Hope that is made known,

As we understand;

His loving kindness,

And eternal plan.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You open the eyes of our hearts to come to know and understand who You are and how You love. Thank You that Your power is greater than anything that stands against us, and Your goodness outweighs the struggles we face. Thank You that not only do we get to behold the blessings found in You in the here and now, but we hold fast to the hope that is held in all of eternity in Your presence. Forgive us for forgetting that what we face here is temporary, and the hope we hold is what lasts forever. Teach us how to keep an eternal perspective on all of our days. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness, power and blessings evident. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we continue to seek You to grow us in understanding of who You are and how You love us all. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. – Matthew 6:33

Called to Hope

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people. – (Ephesians 1:18, NIV)

I pray that God will open your minds to see His truth. Then you will know the hope that He has chosen us to have. You will know that the blessings God has promised His holy people are rich and glorious. – (Ephesians 1:18, ERV)

Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance. – (Ephesians 1:18, VOICE)

The reality is that we all could use more hope. When things are good, there is great joy in knowing that what is yet to come is even better. When in the midst of sorrow or trials or strife, hope is what propels us forward to persevere. As we invest time with intention to seek to know the Lord better, we grow in our understanding of all that He has for us, both in the here and now, and forever. His blessings are present, even in the midst of pain. It is up to us to truly see all that is around us, for He shows us again and again how vast His love is and how faithful He is to His promises. May we ever seek the Lord, for it is in the seeking that we find and discover the blessings and hope that are held in His hands.

Lord, open our eyes,

So that all may see;

The light of Your truth,

Hope’s reality.

For in Your strong hands,

We shall be upheld;

Grace for each new day,

As You love so well.

Help every heart,

So truth may be seen;

For that’s how hope grows,

In this time between.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us and provide blessings and hope both now and forever. Forgive us for losing sight of Your goodness and grace on our toughest days. Teach us to ever look to You to show us who You are and how You love so that hope will be securely held in our hearts. Lead us to love each other like You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, so that they too may know hope, help, peace and love in the way that only You provide. Be glorified O God, as we look to the light of Your truth and purposefully pursue the path that You have set before us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… – Hebrews 6:19a

Giving Grace and Peace

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. – (Ephesians 1:2, NLT)

 

Though the words are simple, they are not always easy to receive. For the peace of God goes far beyond silence or stillness, and is a space within our hearts and minds where we find that we are in a state of being free from distractions or anxiousness; untroubled; content – despite what surrounds us. Grace that God gives is the freely given, unmerited favor and love of the Lord. As the seasons change, and life seems to be in a space of reawakening, all of us could use more of God’s grace and peace. As I glance ahead at my calendar for the next several weeks, I am acutely aware of just how near I need the Lord. Much of the busy is good, but when life becomes so scheduled, it does not take much to become overwhelmed and lose sight of His grace. When our sightline becomes askew, the peace of God is far more difficult to find. May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us as we navigate the new of this next season.

 

May God, our Father,

And Jesus, His Son;

Grant us grace and peace,

So His will be done.

As we know favor,

The love that God gives;

We find that we’re free,

To rise up and live.

Live in the power,

Strength, hope, love and grace;

That God intended,

To run well our race.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You give Your grace and peace to those who seek You. Thank You that Your grace is freely given, and that You love and favor us as Your children because we are Yours. Thank You that You give us Your perfect peace, despite that which surrounds us, when we choose to come before You. Forgive us for spiraling in our spaces of chaos, rather than reaching out to You. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would seek Your peace and grace in all things. Show us how to be Your hands and heart to those around us, so that we love in such a way as to offer Your grace and peace to all whom we encounter. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as Your grace and peace go forth from our hands and hearts to the world. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

He Chose Us

Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. – (Ephesians 1:4, NLT)

God chose us to be in relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him. – (Ephesians 1:4, VOICE)

 

When I read this verse, I am a bit overwhelmed. I am very aware of my faults and sinful nature, and know that what He gives, is the last thing that I deserve. However, God does not base His love for us on what is deserved; there are no conditions. He loves because we are His created, and when we choose to place our trust in Him, He forgives all our sin and views us through a fault-free filter. As His Spirit comes and covers us, making us holy before Him, we are able to live according to His plan, and go forth and love as we are loved. No, we will not be without fault or flaw, but we will be forgiven and loved as we forge forward in our pursuit of His plan. May we invest well in our relationship with the Lord, and allow His love to cover and transform us, so that we may recognize the remarkable in relationship with Him, and live out a life of love.

 

We each are chosen,

Called and loved by God;

Fault free and holy,

As our path we trod.

Before time began,

God had thought of us;

He knew that we’d fail,

So He sent Jesus.

Oh what love is this –

To be chosen, known?

God’s love sets us free,

As we’re called His own.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You loved us and chose us to be holy and without fault before we even came into being. Thank You that Your love, mercy and grace are far greater than we can even begin to grasp. Thank You that we are forgiven and free in You; able to stand blameless before You, despite the things we have done before. Forgive us for not receiving what You offer, or for not seeking that which You freely and lovingly give. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would invest well in our walk with You, and reflect Your character in our actions. Show us how to love those around us, so that they may come to know the depth and breadth of Your mercy and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose You, just as You have chosen us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8