There is a fair amount of debate, in intellectual circles and scientific communities about where a person’s morality and conscience come from. People without a religious belief, atheists and agnostics would argue that morality and conscience are learned, and are only a result of upbringing and exposure.

God is pretty clear through Paul’s writing in Romans, though, that our conscience and morality were placed in each of us by God. Romans 2:14,15 says, “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.”

How great it is to have a conscience to help us see the boundaries for our behavior. God put these reminders there for us, all we have to do is follow them

Dear Lord, We thank you for having written your law on our hearts. Please give us the strength to listen to our conscience, and choose to do the right thing. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have you heard this prayer? “Dear Lord, please give me patience, and give it to me right now.”

Psalm 37:4 Says, “Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires.” however, the Psalm goes on in verse 7 to say “Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act. Don’t be envious of evil men who prosper.” TLB

It is important to trust God’s timing and “rest” or stay in peace patiently while we wait for Him.

Dear Lord, Help us wait patiently for the things for which we desire and pray. Help us trust your timing knowing that you care for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

When we need God’s help, the essence of having faith is trusting he will help us, without knowing how.

There is a story about Elijah in 1 Kings 17:8-16 that describes this. God tells Elijah to go to a town called Zaraphath where a widow will feed him. Elijah finds this widow and asks her for a piece of bread. The widow tells Elijah, that she had no bread, and only enough flour for one meal for herself and her son. She expected that would be their last meal after which they would have no more food and would die.

In verse 13-16, Elijah says, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”

She could not have known how things would work out, but she trusted and did what God had told her through Elijah. There was always enough food.

It is often very difficult to believe problems will be solved, troubles will be avoided, and things will work out for the best when we don’t know how they could. Those are the most important times to have faith, because those are the times God is the only way.

Dear Lord, You control all things and all circumstances. Help us remember to ask for your help with our challenges, particularly when they seem impossible. Help us believe that you have a way even when we cannot see the way. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We all have hopes dreams, and desires that we would like to achieve. It is good to have aspirations and goals. God knows what they are and will help us achieve them. Psalm 37:4 says, “delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Part of getting what we want, however, is being thankful for what we have. I think of it as, ” be thankful for what you have while you pursue what you want.”

Paul writes in Philippians 4:12,13, ” I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want; for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” TLB

No matter where we are on the economic ladder, we all have something for which to be thankful, so let us thank God first then ask for what we want.

Thank you Lord for all that we have. Help us be content while we pursue our dreams. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Different denominations of Christians have different processes for confession, whether that is personally to a pastor or priest, or during the service as a group, or on one’s own. The important thing is that we confess our sins to God, ask for forgiveness, and relief from the temptations that pull us toward those sins. The more specific we can be when we confess, the better. Confessing to God is so much different than confessing our mistakes to other people. When we confess our sins to God, we can expect the weight of the guilt to be lifted, and to receive the peace of being forgiven.

The Living Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins”

Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” NIV

Dear Lord, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Help us remember for our own good to confess our sins to you, and carry-on with renewed peace to avoid them in the future. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.