Jesus Listens November 12

Delightful God,

You’ve been showing me that I can find Joy in Your Presence no matter what my circumstances may be. On some days, Joy is generously strewn along my life-path, glistening in the sunshine.

During these bright, cheerful days, being content is as easy for me as breathing the next breath. But other days are overcast and gloomy, and I feel the strain of the journey- which seems end. less. Dull, gray rocks greet my gaze and cause my feet to ache.

On gray days, I must search for Joy as for hidden treasure.

Help me remember that You have created this day; it is not a chance occurrence. Please remind me throughout my day that You are present with me whether I sense Your Presence or not.

I’m thankful I can talk with You about whatever is on my mind. I rejoice in the truth that You understand me perfectly and You know exactly what I’m experiencing. I’ve found that if stay in communication with You, my mood gradually lightens.

Awareness of Your marvelous Companionship can infuse Joy into the grayest day!

In Your glad Name, Jesus, Amen.

“For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭21‬:‭6‬

“1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭5

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens November 6

Dear Jesus,

“Help me to lead a victorious life by living in deep depend-once on You. I used to associate victory with success- not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But being successful in my own strength made me vulnerable to going my own way, forgetting about You. It is through problems and failure, weakness and need, that I’m learning to rely on You.

I realize that true dependence is not simply asking You to bless what I have decided to do. It involves coming to You with an open mind and heart inviting You to plant Your desires within me.

Sometimes You instill a dream in me that seems far beyond my reach. I know that my own resources are inadequate for attaining such a goal. Thus begins my journey of profound dependence on You. It’s a faith-walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on You for strength and guidance. This is not a path of continual success but a way of multiple failures. However, each failure is followed by a growth spurt nourished by increasing reliance on You. I want to enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life by deepening my dependence on You.

In Your victorious Name, Amen.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭34‬:‭17‬-‭18‬

“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭7

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13

Jesus Listens November 5

Almighty God,

Thelp me not to be overcome by evil but to overcome evil win. good. Sometimes I feel bombarded by all the bad things hap. pening in the world. News reports are alarming, and people are calling evil good and good evil. All of this can be overwhelming unless I stay in communication with You. It’s so comforting to know that You are not stunned by the horrors of this world that appall me. You have perfect understanding of the deceitful, desperately wicked condition of human hearts. Nothing takes

You by surprise!

Instead of being disheartened by the condition of this world, I long to be a light shining in the darkness. When evil appears to be winning, I need to be more determined than ever to accomplish something good! Sometimes this involves working directly against the bad things that are troubling me. At other times, just try to do whatever I can to promote true goodness according to my abilities and opportunities. Either way, I want to focus less on bemoaning evil circumstances and more on doing the good works that You prepared in advance for me to do.

In Your sovereign Name, Jesus, Amen.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.””
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬-‭10‬

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬

Jesus Listens October 28

Promise-keeping Lord,

It’s awesome that You have an eternal grip on me. Your Love will never let me go! I live in a world that is unpredictable and unsafe in so many ways. As I look around me, I see broken promises littering the landscape.

Thankfully, Your Love is a promise that will never be broken. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, Your unfailing Love for me will not be shaken. This verse paints a picture of dire circumstances: quaking mountains and disappearing hills. Yet no matter what is happening, Your Love remains unshakable. I can build my life on it!

I admit that it’s difficult for me to receive Your Love in full measure. Please strengthen me with power through Your Spirit-helping me to really grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your Love for me. Lord, I yearn to know this Love that surpasses knowledge!

I ask You to set me free from faulty self-images so I can view myself as You see me radiant in Your robe of righteousness, wrapped in luminous Love.

In Your righteous Name, Jesus, Amen.

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭10‬

“That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭19‬

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭10‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 22

Glorious Jesus,

You are the firm foundation on which I can dance and sing and celebrate Your glorious Presence! I receive this precious gift as Your high and holy calling for me. You’ve shown me that glorifying and enjoying You is vastly more important than maintaining a tidy, structured life. Still, my natural tendency is to pour my energy into trying to keep everything under control. Help me relinquish this striving to be in control-recognizing that it’s both an impossible task and an affront to Your faithfulness.

I realize that You guide each of Your children individually.

That’s why listening to You through Scripture and prayer- is essential for me to find the way forward. Please prepare me for the day that awaits me and point me in the right direction.

Because You are with me continually, I don’t have to be intimidated by fear. Though it stalks me, I know it can’t harm me as long as I cling to Your hand. Instead of being fearful, I want to walk trustingly with You along my pathway-enjoying Peace in Your Presence.

In Your high and holy Name, Amen.

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭5‬:‭11

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭24‬-‭25

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 20

Merciful Jesus,

I want to make You the focal point of my search for secu-rity. In my private thoughts, I’ve been trying to order my world so that it’s predictable and feels safe. However, I realize this is an impossible goal; it’s also counterproductive to my spiritual growth.

Help me learn to rely on You more and more, especially when my private world feels unsteady. Instead of striving to regain control, I need to grip Your hand for support-living in conscious dependence on You.

I’ve been yearning for a problem-free life, but You’ve been showing me that trouble can highlight my awareness of Your Presence. In the darkness of adversity, the radiance of Your Face shines brightly beaming out encouragement and comfort.

Please enable me to view the problems in my life as benefi-cial, considering it pure joy whenever I face trials of many kinds.

No matter what is happening, I can always rejoice that I have an eternity of trouble-free living awaiting me in heaven!

In Your amazing Name, Amen.

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭9‬-‭10‬

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 19

Sovereign Lord,

You are my Strength! You enable me to go on the heights- -to wander with You in the Glory of Your Presence. I admit, though, that sometimes I feel as if I can barely take the next step on this long journey upward. As I look ahead, I see steep mountains that seem insurmountable. Yet I am always with You;

You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, helping me find the best way to scale those heights.

Although my journey with You is challenging even grueling at times- -it is much more than an endurance contest. The fact that You are with me can infuse Joy into the most arduous climb! So I’ll be on the lookout for all the pleasures You have prepared for me. Yet no matter what delights I discover, the greatest treasure is You, my beloved Companion.

I used to think that “the heights” referred to the very top of the mountain I’m climbing. But when I stop and look back at where my journey began, I can see how far up I’ve already come.

As I take time to relax and gaze lovingly at You, I sense the Glory of Your Presence all around me!

In Your glorious Name, Jesus, Amen.

“God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭19

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭73‬:‭23‬-‭24

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 14

Lord Jesus,

There’s a mighty battle going on for control of my mind.

Heaven and earth intersect in my brain; I can feel the influence of both realms tugging at my thoughts. Thank You, Lord, for creating me with the capacity to experience tiny foretastes of heaven. When I shut out distractions and focus on Your Presence, I can enjoy sitting with You in the heavenly realms. This is an incredible privilege reserved for those who belong to You and seek Your Face. You have instilled in me a strong desire to spend time communing with You. As I concentrate on You and Your Word, Your Spirit fills my mind with Life and Peace.

The world exerts a downward pull on my thoughts. Media bombard me with cynicism, lies, greed, and lust. Please give me discernment and protection when I’m facing these things.

I need to stay in communication with You whenever I walk through the wastelands of this world. Help me resist the temptation to worry- a form of worldliness that weighs me down and blocks awareness of Your Presence. And keep me alert to the battle that is continually being waged against my mind.

O Lord, how I look forward to an eternity of strife-free living in heaven!

In Your powerful Name, Amen.

“and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭6

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 12

Jesus, my Treasure,

Teach me how to live more fully in the present refusing to worry about tomorrow. I really do want to live present tense in Your Presence, making You the main pursuit of my life. This is quite a struggle for me because planning and worrying come so naturally to me.

Please help me resist the temptation to worry. I live in such a fallen world-full of sin and struggles. I’m continually faced with things that can make me anxious if I let them. But Your Word tells me that each day has enough trouble of its own. You carefully calibrate the amount of difficulty I’ll encounter on a given day, and You know exactly how much I can handle.

Moreover, You are always near—ready to strengthen, encourage, and comfort me.

I’ve found that pursuing a close walk with You is the most effective way to live abundantly. I need to keep bringing my thoughts back to You whenever they wander. I can return to You joyfully, knowing that You take great delight in me and rejoice over me with singing.

In Your delightful Name, Amen.

““Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬

“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young

Jesus Listens October 11

Beloved Jesus,

You’ve been training me to replace my “I have to” mentality with an “I get to” approach. I’ve found that this makes all the difference in my perspective transforming drudgery into delight. I realize this is not a magic trick; the work still has to be done. But this change in my viewpoint enables me to face the challenging chore joyfully and confidently.

When the task before me looks daunting, help me to view the challenge as a privilege rather than a burdensome duty.

I’m learning that perseverance is essential as I go about my work. If I start to grow weary or discouraged, I need to remind myself: “I get to do this!” I can thank You for giving me the strength and ability to do what needs to be done. Thankfulness clears my mind and draws me closer to You.

Please guide my mind as I’m thinking things out in Your Presence pondering problems and seeking solutions.

Whatever I do, I want to work at it with all my heart, as working for You.

In Your transforming Name, Amen.

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬

Excerpt from Jesus Listens by Sarah Young