Psalms 5:8
Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies

In preparation for the New Year, I want to challenge you to take time to pray for yourself. The greatest prayer you can pray as a believer is to ask the Lord to lead you in the path of righteousness, to ask Him to teach you how to live so that you do not go astray and bring reproach to His Name.

  Charles Spurgeon writes:

“Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a special motive for walking very carefully before God”.

“If we live carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly. ‘Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man.’ Thus will much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His name…”.

May the Lord help us to stand, as we live daily to bring great testimonies to the very cause of Christ!

Your Turn

• Pray for yourself, and for all believers – to live right for God.

Hymn:  I’m pressing on the upward way.

Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:16.