What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Words by Joseph M. Scriven, (1855)
Music by Charles C. Converse, (1868)
YouTube performance by Rosemary Siemens

Trust and Obey
Words by John H. Sammis, 1846-1919
Music by Daniel B. Towner, 1850-1919
YouTube performance by The Vagle Brothers

A Prayer for Guidance

Holy Spirit,

You know my heart. You understand my deepest wants and needs, and You know my every intention. You know me better than I know myself. There is nowhere I could run to escape Your presence, and nothing I could hide from You!

And that’s why, right now, I am asking You to give me Your divine wisdom and guidance.

I don’t always know what to pray for. My soul is weary and I am tired. I often worry about making the right decision—but I want to live a life that honors You.

Even though I may feel like I can’t move forward or see what’s ahead—You see me. And You know me. So please guide me. Show me the paths that lead to abundant life, and convict me when I am tempted to stray from You.

As You guide me, restore me. I will place my hope in You at all times because You know all things, and by You, my life is held together. You are my strength in times of need, and You have become my salvation.

So hold me close, Lord, and teach me to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given me. Direct my steps as You guard my life, because I want to glorify You.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Prayer from YouVersion daily devotionals, YouVersion Bible

Dear friends, this is the second letter I’m writing to you. In both letters I’m trying to refresh your memory.  I want you to remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and what the Lord and Savior commanded you through your apostles.  First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule [God’s promise]  by saying, “What’s happened to his promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of the world.”  They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth [appeared] out of water and was kept alive by water.  Water also flooded and destroyed that world.  By God’s word, the present heaven and earth are designated to be burned. They are being kept until the day ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.  Dear friends, don’t ignore this fact: One day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.  The Lord isn’t slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn’t want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.  The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed.  All these things will be destroyed in this way. So think of the kind of holy and godly lives you must live as you look forward to the day of God and eagerly wait for it to come. When that day comes, heaven will be on fire and will be destroyed. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and melt. But we look forward to what God has promised—a new heaven and a new earth—a place where everything that has God’s approval lives. Therefore, dear friends, with this to look forward to, make every effort to have him find you at peace, without [spiritual] stains or blemishes.  Think of our Lord’s patience as an opportunity [for us] to be saved. This is what our dear brother Paul wrote to you about, using the wisdom God gave him. He talks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in his letters are hard to understand. Ignorant people and people who aren’t sure of what they believe distort what Paul says in his letters the same way they distort the rest of the Scriptures. These people will be destroyed. Dear friends, you already know these things. So be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of people who have no principles. Then you won’t fall from your firm position. But grow in the good will and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to him now and for that eternal day! Amen.

GOD’S WORD Translation. (1995). (2 Pe 3:1–18). Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish council. He came to Jesus one night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that God has sent you as a teacher. No one can perform the miracles you perform unless God is with him.” Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus asked him, “How can anyone be born when he’s an old man? He can’t go back inside his mother a second time to be born, can he?” Jesus answered Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Flesh and blood give birth to flesh and blood, but the Spirit gives birth to things that are spiritual. Don’t be surprised when I tell you that all of you must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where the wind comes from or where it’s going. That’s the way it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus replied, “How can that be?” Jesus told Nicodemus, “You’re a well-known teacher of Israel. Can’t you understand this? I can guarantee this truth: We know what we’re talking about, and we confirm what we’ve seen. Yet, you don’t accept our message. If you don’t believe me when I tell you about things on earth, how will you believe me when I tell you about things in heaven? No one has gone to heaven except the Son of Man, who came from heaven. “As Moses lifted up the snake [on a pole] in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Then everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.” God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. Those who believe in him won’t be condemned. But those who don’t believe are already condemned because they don’t believe in God’s only Son. This is why people are condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather than the light because their actions were evil. People who do what is wrong hate the light and don’t come to the light. They don’t want their actions to be exposed. But people who do what is true come to the light so that the things they do for God may be clearly seen.

GOD’S WORD Translation. (1995). (Jn 3:1–21). Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group.