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A Prayer for Victory Over Sinful ThoughtsBy Jessica Van Roekel “But who can discern their own error? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” – Psalm 19:12-14, NIV The skeins of yarn, the hook, and the directions piled in my lap. I pulled apart the pages and found pictures depicting the progression from yarn and hook to completed project. Somehow, the mess I had would become something identifiable if I followed the steps in the right order. Following directions can be difficult. We need to decipher what the picture means and what the abbreviations stand for. We refer to the key, then reread the instructions, and then attempt to translate it into action. In frustration, we can toss the directions aside, which leads to finished projects not quite the way the instructions depicted. Or we put it away in the closet with a shrug of our shoulders, failing to accomplish our goal. But if we persevere and follow the instructions closely, we end up with a beautiful object. Victory comes with a set of instructions, too. Builders review the plans, golfers study the course, and runners prepare their bodies to handle the rigors of a marathon. Gaining spiritual victory means conquering the things in our lives that separate us from God. Christ-followers love and serve God with all their hearts, but we are still imperfect in this life, and we may fall short of God's standards and purposes without knowing it. Then, there are the times when we take a deliberate stand against God's principles and guidelines. The Psalmist David calls these choices "great transgressions" because they show contempt for God. We gain victory when we desire God to keep our hearts, words, and lives pleasing to him. This comes from an ongoing spiritual relationship with God, where we align our thoughts and speech with what pleases him. David calls God his Rock, Refuge, and Redeemer. In Israel, limestone rocks provided shade, protection, and landmarks for travelers. God is solid, constant, and trustworthy. He is the one who saves us from destruction from sins done in ignorance or deliberation. David rejoiced because God rescued him, liberated his soul from spiritual oppression, and restored his relationship with God after spiritual failures. In Psalm 19, David reflects on the times he ignored God's warning and did not keep God's will. He refers to errors-those done in ignorance, secret faults-the things we try to hide but know they are wrong, and willful sins-those choices planned and sought. Sin follows a progression. It starts with a passing thought and moves to a chosen thought. Then, from a chosen thought to the object of our meditation to wished-for fulfillment to planning to seeking opportunity to action to habit to delight to idolatry to sacrifice and, finally, to slavery. All along this progressive journey, the Holy Spirit says, "Stop," and gives us a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says it beautifully: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.  Victory over sinful thoughts starts with dependence upon God to stay free from enslaving sin. It's a life lived with a surrendered mouth and heart before God. Winning requires us to remember our Rock, who rescues us and gives us a firm standing place, and our Redeemer, who rescues us from total loss. Let's pray: Holy God,You know my heart better than I do. You see my errors and bring me into your Truth. And those faults I try to hide? They are not hidden from you. Hebrews 4:13 tells me that you see everything. Then, there are the actions and words I speak that I know go against everything you hold dear. I am a mess. But I am your mess. I'm ready for you to clean me and make me new. I want to have victory over these sinful thoughts-the thoughts I think way too often-because I know they don't please you. God, I come to you and confess. Please forgive me. Like David, I appeal to you for help. You are my strength. You are my freedom. Keep me from willful sins so they don't rule over me. I want to follow your ways and instructions. Lead me in paths of right living for your name's sake. Thank you for your forgiveness and for your love for me. Thank you for helping me live in victory. God, I rejoice in what you're doing in my life. May the words I speak and the thoughts I think bring you pleasure.In Jesus' name, Amen Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Doucefleur Jessica Van Roekel loves the upside-down life of following Jesus as she journeys to wholeness through brokenness. As an author, speaker, and worship leader, she uses her gifts and experiences to share God's transformative power to rescue, restore, and renew. She longs for you to know that rejection doesn't have to define or determine your future when placed in God's healing hands. Find out more reframingrejectionbook.com You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer for Victory over Sinful Thoughts – Your Daily Prayer – July 26 appeared first on GodUpdates.

Who doesn’t love to be greeted at the airport with love and affection? You’ve probably seen people greeting loved ones outside the terminals with signs, flowers, or balloons. However, you’ve probably never seen people being greeted by a dog, especially not a dog carrying an adorable gift. This woman was lucky enough to have received a warm welcome from her daughter’s golden retriever, Lilo—and catch it on camera. View this post on Instagram A post shared by lilo (@lilothepawfect) Lilo the Pawfect Greeter According to Newsweek, Zhenwei, who is the dog’s owner, went to the airport to pick up her mother, who was arriving on an international flight. She thought it would be a nice idea to bring Lilo along with her. However, she didn’t just want Lilo to come for the ride. Zhenwei wanted her to make the encounter extra special. Zhenwei went on to explain that Lilo likes to show off when she carries things in her mouth because It adds to her adorable appearance and playful habits. So Lilo’s owner thought it would be fun to have her “show off” a bouquet of flowers.  She claimed that her mother was very happy and loved the surprise. But who wouldn’t love an adorable golden retriever greeting you with a bouquet of flowers? Dog Superstar Zhenwei’s mother was not the only one who loved seeing Lilo prance around the airport. Apparently, the onlookers thought it was the most adorable thing in the world, as well. Zhenwei said she just hopes that Lilo can help make people smile. Well, with this video gaining over 41,000 likes, I’d say that there are a lot of people smiling now. Lilo earned endearing comments such as: “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen” and “Toooooo much. The trot. I cannot”. It is clear that people are loving this adorable golden retriever. The source of the featured image in this post can be found here. The post Golden Retriever Prances Up To Grandma At Airport With Sweetest Gift appeared first on InspireMore.

There seems to be a special place in God’s heart for those who choose to bring peace when strife is rampant.

Victory over sinful thoughts starts with dependence upon God to stay free from enslaving sin. It’s a life lived with a surrendered mouth and heart before God. Winning requires us to remember our Rock, who rescues us and gives us a firm standing place, and our Redeemer, who rescues us from total loss.

Subway Series baseball at its finest