Dear Father, hear my prayer, listen to my groaning heart. Lord, listen as I call to only you for help; no other will I bow down to. You are the one and only true Lord. Listen to my voice this morning, listen to my voice this afternoon, and listen to my voice as I end my day. Each day, I bring requests to you, and then I wait expectantly. I know, Father, that wickedness causes you sorrow and sin of any kind you cannot tolerate. So, I come before your throne and ask that you purify my heart and help me to sin less and less, for I am not so proud to bow my head in front of you and ask forgiveness. I know that you turn your back on and even destroy the liars and sinners of this world. I want to look into your face and see the love that you have for me. This I can do because of your unfailing love.

Lead me, Lord, in the path you have chosen for me. On this path, my enemies cannot conquer me. Tell me in very clear, concise terms what you would have me to do and which way you would have me to go. I can tell my enemies from the deceitful lies they spread. If lies could smell, it would be like a stench from a dead animal. Father, let the traps they set snare them; declare them guilty for all to see. Drive them away for their many sins.

However, for those that love you, Lord, allow us to take sanctuary in your love. Protect us so that our joy will be abundant. Bless us with your shield of protection as we stand in this world as lights to your kingdom.

It is hard at times to stay in the Word. I hope I am not the only one that feels this way. I struggle with life at times. Sometimes, I struggle with my faith. Not that I doubt, but I question, so maybe ‘”struggle’” is not the right word. Maybe I am just growing.

Just when we think we’’re comfortable, we run into a road block. Well, perhaps not a road block, but a thorn bush: a thorn bush of life. It pricks and it sticks and it just downright hurts and is annoying. Our Father did not promise us a path free from thorns. He did not promise that the days would be without their troubles. He has promised us life everlasting, if we follow Him throughout this life. He has promised us He would be here through all our trials, if we invite Him to be.

If we cannot travel without running into thorns and road blocks, then how can we be assured that He is with us? How can we be assured that His promises are true? That is where faith comes in. That is where we cling to His Word. That is when we tie a knot and hold on.

Our Savior defeated Satan during His trials with God’s word (Matt. 4). The example is plain to see: when we go through the thorn bushes of life, we need to be covering ourselves with God’’s word. When those times come that we have to fight our way through the briar patches, we need to grab hold of the Bible and use God’’s word to see us through. It is the sword we need to cut the branches and the balm we need for the scrapes (Heb 4:12).

If God is for us, who can be against us?Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Who can be against me if I have on my side the power that created all things? This doesn’’t mean I won’’t have to climb tall mountains, but that, though I climb higher than I have ever climbed before, God will be by my side. I will not be alone, if that is what I choose. The fact that nothing can separate me from my God is comforting. God lives in my heart, and He will be there as long as I allow Him to stay. This means the only thing that can separate me from my God, from my Father, from my Savior, is me. I would have to leave. And, amazingly, even if I leave He will still love me. If I walk away from His protection, if I cease to abide in His house, if I choose not to listen to His counsel, He will still love me.

Why then would I choose to leave? Why would I choose not to be safe? Why do I get scared and run? Human frailties? Not abiding in His word? Forgetting that He is the Creator and He knows best? It is hard to say why we wander away. We are children and we sometimes act as children. I do know that the more we are abiding in His word, the more we will keep Him in our hearts.

When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say, "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

Isn’’t this what we do everyday? We go into battle with our enemies. Our chief enemy is Satan himself and he has so many tools to use against us. We often forget that we are in a battle, and it is when we forget this that he attacks: when we have our guard down. It is hard to say what I would do if the battle I am in was with swords that had blades that I could see, if the battle had bullets from guns that made a loud boom when they were fired. Would I remember more clearly to reach for my shield, the Word of God? Would I remember more clearly to call upon the Lord for help? Would it help if I saw someone ahead of me leading the way? God tells us that this battle we are in is not for the fainthearted person. Following God is the correct thing to do, but it takes courage. God goes before us today just as He did in the Old Testament. He may not be in a cloud; He may not shower manna down for us to eat; but He is there, guiding our footsteps, if we will just stop and listen to His words, as it says in Isaiah 30 verse 21. He will tell us which way to go. We just have to be willing to listen and to follow.