Daily Quote, Bible Verse and Prayer - August
 

August 4

Quote:
To live by faith is a far surer and happier thing than to live by
feelings or by works, The branch, by living in the vine, lives a
better life than it would live by itself, even if it were possible
for it to live at all apart from the stem. ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

John 15:5-6 NASB
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him,
he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone
does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and
they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Prayer:
My Lord Jesus,
If I tear my branch away from the Vine, I will quickly wither and die.
You have grafted me onto You for good reason -- so that I may be
amply nourished and that I may flourish. It is by faith, and faith alone,
that I remain grafted unto You. Make this union strong. In the name of
Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 5

Quote:
The more you read the Bible; and the more you meditate on it,
the more you will be astonished with it. ~ C. H. Spurgeon

Isaiah 34:16 NKJV
Search from the book of the Lord, and read.

♰ Recovery:
O God,
Thank you for the gift of Your Word. It comforts my soul
when I feel in turmoil, gives me direction when I am lost
and instills wisdom when I need guidance. May I read it
with care and thoughtfulness so that I apply the words
to my daily life. Amen.

August 6

Quote:
God will help you get up the river, but don’t expect to sit back in
the boat while He does it. If He has the tiller and you have the
oars, you will get there, but He expects you to do some rowing
in the process.

2 Corinthians 9:6
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
If I am not picking up the oars and rowing, let me know loud and
clear. The 12 Steps are useless unless I work them. The Scriptures
are meaningless unless I apply them directly to my own life. Prayer
is fruitless unless it is pursued with all of my heart. Make me Your
instrument. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 7

Quote:
Every one of us receives and passes on an inheritance. The inheritance
may not be an accumulation of earthly possessions or acquired riches,
but whether we realize it or not, our choices, words, actions and values
will impact someone and form the heritage we hand down. ~ Ben Hardesty,
musician {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

1 Peter 1:3-5 NASB
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in
heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for
a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Prayer:
My Lord Jesus,
You have blessed me with an incredible inheritance. May I freely pass
it along to others through my words, actions and values. In Your holy
name I pray. Amen.

August 8

Quote:
The eagle flies in storms while other birds seek shelter and other
animals run and hide. With an adjustment of his wings, the eagle
can fly almost motionless even in the face of great winds. The
eagle uses the strong winds of the storm to lift him higher and higher
until he rises above the clouds. The eagle has no power to stop a
storm, but he knows how to overcome without fear. ~ Kenneth Price

Isaiah 40:31 NASB
Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will
mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Prayer:
Dear Father,
Sometimes I have to wait patiently for You before I can gain new strength.
But when that strength comes, it makes me soar as an eagle! Thank you
for lifting me up above the storms of life. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 9

Quote:
Believe God's love and power more than you believe your own feelings
and experiences. Your rock is Christ, and it is not the rock that ebbs
and flows but the sea. ~ Samuel Rutherford

1 Corinthians 10:3-4 NASB
And all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and
the rock was Christ.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I believe in Your love and power far more than I believe in my own feelings.
My feelings and troubles ebb and flow. But You are my rock, a sure foundation
in Whom I can trust. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

August 10

Quote:
Take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly, and try another.
But by all means try something. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
{submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.

Prayer:
O God,
Sometimes I seem to fail at everything I try. But it is in failure that I
learn what does not work. This, in turn, leads me to the things that
do work. Help me to persevere and keep trying until I finally do
succeed, for I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Amen.

August 11

Quote:
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.
~ Charles Schultz {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Proverbs 17:22 NASB
A joyful heart is good medicine,

Prayer:
Lord,
Remind me to eat a little chocolate now and then to
gladden my heart. Amen.

August 12

Quote:
Keep your heart as you would keep a Garden. Your heart is a garden;
weed all sin out of your heart. Among the flowers of the heart, weeds
will be growing -- the weeds of pride, malice, and covetousness: these
grow without planting and cultivating. Therefore be weeding your heart
daily by prayer, examination, and repentance. ~ Thomas Watson

Hebrews 6:7
For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth
vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a
blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless
and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Lead me to weed the garden of my heart each and every day. Through
daily prayer, examination and repentance may I remove the weeds of
pride, malice and covetousness. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 13

Quote:
However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will
always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts. ~ John Calvin

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Prayer:
My Lord,
I never knew what true freedom was until You set me free from the yoke
of bondage. Help me to stand fast in that liberty that I may experience all
of the blessings You have in store for me. Amen.

August 14

Quote:
Knowing God makes us humble.
Knowing ourselves keeps us humble.
[submitted by Rev. Nancy]

Romans 11:30
Be not high minded, but fear:

Prayer:
Almighty God,
When I ponder Your greatness I am truly humbled. And when I consider
myself and take inventory I am certainly kept humble. Help me to keep a
right attitude toward myself -- casting away all false pride and maintaining
healthy self-esteem. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 15

Quote:
If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another
chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the
staying down. ~ Mary Pickford, actress (1892-1979) {submitted by Rev. Nancy}

2 Corinthians 9:6
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I will make mistakes, even serious ones. But You enable me to get back up.
You give me the strength to persevere and to sow bountifully. Thank you Jesus.

August 16

Quote:
Don't put a small value on yourself
when God has paid the ultimate price for you.

Romans 5:8
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Prayer:
Father God,
Help me to realize my true worth. In Your eyes I am Your
beloved child so worthy that Christ died for me. Amen.

August 17

Quote:
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects
it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. ~ William A. Ward
{submitted by Rev. Nancy}

Proverbs 4:26
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Prayer:
My Savior,
Forgive me when I complain. The winds will be contrary at times.
Lead me to ponder the path of my feet, adjust my sails and look
forward to the future with joyful anticipation. Amen.

August 18

Quote:
Love is God's preservative. It surrounds our souls with a power greater
than the power of the devil and the world around us. It keeps us balanced;
it insulates us against the hostility that exists in our world. Love is the
shelter of the Most High; it is the substance of the Place of Immunity.
~ Francis Frangipane

Zephaniah 3:17 NASB
"The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will
exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice
over you with shouts of joy."

Prayer:
O God,
Thank you for Your tremendous love that surrounds my soul. It is
far greater and more powerful than Satan and the evil of the world
around me. I am secure under the shelter of Your wings. Amen.

August 19

Quote:
No literature is more realistic and honest in facing harsh facts of
life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that
the life of faith exempts us from difficulties. What is promised is
preservation from all the evil in them. All the water in the oceans
cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside. Nor can all the trouble in
the world harm us unless it gets within us. That is the promise of
Psalms 121. The Lord will keep you from all evil. ~ Eugene Peterson

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Prayer:
Thank you Lord, for being my Keeper, my Fortress
and my Strong Tower. Amen.

August 20

Quote:
The first thing to do in examining the power that dominates me
is to take hold of the unwelcome fact that I am responsible for
being thus dominated. If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame
because at a point away back I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I
obey God I do so because I have yielded myself to Him.
~ Oswald Chambers,My Utmost for His Highest

Romans 6:16 ESV
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone
as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which
leads to righteousness?

Prayer:
My God,
The only power that should dominate me is You
for only then am I truly free. The chains of bondage
to self are broken and the shackles of addiction and
idolatry are shattered once and for all. Amen.

August 21

Quote:
The cross is laid on every Christian. It begins with the call to
abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the
old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

John 12:24-25
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground
and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many seeds. Those who love their life will lose it, while those who
hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
Help me to abandon my worldly attachments, desires and lusts.
Lead me to die to self and be reborn to You. In Your holy name I
pray. Amen.

August 22

Quote:
Tomorrow's memories will come from today's decisions.

John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.

Prayer:
Lord,
When decisions have to be made, lead me to always bring them
before You. Grant me wisdom that I make Godly choices. Amen.

August 23

Quote:
Come now, turn aside for a while from your daily employment, escape
for a moment from the tumult of your thoughts. Put aside your weighty
cares, let your burdensome distractions wait, free yourself for a while
for God and rest awhile in him. Enter the inner chamber of your soul,
shut out everything except God and that which can help you in seeking
him, and when you have shut the door, seek him. Now, my soul, say to
God, "I seek your face; Lord it is your face that I seek." ~ Anselm

Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD...

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that I can escape from the turmoil of this world and find
rest in Your loving arms. Amen.

August 24

Quote:
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

1 Peter 1:6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be,
you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of
your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and
glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
My Lord,
Just as storm clouds fill the sky, troubles are sure to come to everyone.
I will not dwell on the rain but instead look forward to the added color
and beauty of the sunset. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Wonderful promise and blessing to have learned that those "trials"
are stepping stones to spiritual growth

August 25

Quote:
Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go;
they merely determine where you start. ~ Nido Qubein

Phillippians 3:13-14 NASB
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but
one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to
what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
O Lord,
So often I feel as if I am a prisoner of my past or present circumstances.
But You came to set me free. Keep my eyes always focused on You as
You lead me into the future. You said, "For I know the plans that I have
for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a
hope." I stand on Your word. Amen.

August 26

Quote:
God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.
~ Jim Elliot

Isaiah 41:13 NASB
"For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'"

Prayer:
Dear Father,
There are days I am overwhelmed. Lead me to first seek Your will in
all situations. Thank you for upholding my right hand. Amen.

August 27

Quote:
Nothing is impossible, the word itself says "I'm possible!"
~ Audrey Hepburn

Luke 1:37 NASB
"For nothing will be impossible with God."

Prayer:
Father,
May I never forget You are LORD over the impossible and make all
things possible. Amen.

August 28

Quote:
Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something
you design for the present. ~ Jim Rohn

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
You have instructed me to "take no thought for tomorrow." I choose to live
one day at a time, making the most out of this 24 hours that You have graced
me with. It is my resolve to raise up above my circumstances and be thankful
for the blessings I have. Amen.

August 29

Quote:
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree. ~ Martin Luther

James 4:14 ESV
You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life?
For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are the creator of each day. I do not know what tomorrow will
bring but I can choose to plant today. Help me to make wise decisions
and to take actions that are pleasing to You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

August 30

Quote:
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds
that you plant. ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Matthew 13:3-9 NASB
"Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell
beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the
rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they
sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen,
they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them
out, and others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold,
some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."

Prayer:
My Father,
Make me a sower of seeds that I plant abundantly each and every day.
I leave the harvest up to You. Amen.

August 31

Quote:
The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower; share a bit
of knowledge and it becomes another's; smile at someone and receive
a smile in return; are to me continual spiritual exercises. ~ Leo Buscaglia

Galatians 6:9-10 NASB
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if
we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let
us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the
household of the faith.

Prayer:
O God,
Just as deeds are tiny bits that blossom into great things, so are the
smallest of gestures. May I give that much-needed smile today to
someone whose heart is cast down. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.