Hello, my friends,

Writing in my prayer journal has been an absolute joy, allowing more time for searching and praying over His word. The two boxes on each page further reflect on what I learned about God’s attributes and what I’m thankful for. 

I’m praying over the Psalms, primarily those I skipped last year. Also, praying over the book of Colossians. For memorization for 2024, we will memorize the book of James and make a schedule of how many verses I’ll learn each week. Planning ahead is so worth it!

Are you a planner, or simply wing it as you go? Whatever your intentions are, abide in His word and prayer.

Newness of Life

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Almighty God, Through you, only can life begin. We’re alive to God through Your grace. Our baptism is into Christ by faith, and we’re sealed in Him. Christ is risen, and we can enter Your sanctuary of peace. A newness of life begins at the feet of Jesus.

United with Christ

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We are thankful that we’ve been united with Christ through His promises. Our old self was crucified with Him, and we’re set free from all our iniquities. Not that we no longer sin, but that Christ redeemed and gave us the heart to repent our sins to Him. In Him, we’re forgiven!

O Jesus, death has no dominion over You. You have the power and authority to subject all things under Your Sovereignty. Our word is a double-edged sword. Let me live a life that will glorify You.

Sin has no Dominion over You

12 Let not sin reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions. 3 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 4 For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.

Holy Spirit, teach us not to let our passions take over us but let us present ourselves as instruments of righteousness, pleasing to the Father, for we’re no longer under the law but under God’s grace.

No Longer Slaves to Sin

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 6 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 7 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 9 I speak in human terms because of your natural limitations. Or just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification.

O Father, forgive us of our sins. We must reflect and obey Your will and not abound in unrighteousness. We’re thankful Jesus freed us from the domain of darkness, which is being enslaved to the desires of this world that lead to our destruction rather than a beautiful relationship with You and others. How are your attributes and characters so that our righteousness is in You?

Sanctification & Eternal Life

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 1 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Or the end of those things is death. 2 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 3 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let life count counts for something that my old self is dead, and now I’m free in Christ. My heart rejoiced that I was a slave to a God who had loved and given Himself to me. He has redeemed my life and sanctified my faith through many struggles, trials, and sufferings. Trusting Him through those difficult times has given me peace, rest, hope, and comfort, strengthening my faith.