January 5, 2023 - Proverbs 5:21-23

“For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes. An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.” Proverbs 5:21-23 NLT

Lord, we thank you that you see us. If we think of you as someone longing to judge and condemn us, then thinking about you seeing our every thought, motive, and action can be scary, making us want to run and hide from you. But that is not who you are. You are a loving Father, who loves us, forgives us, and encourages us forward. You long to see us grow and become stronger. When you discipline us, it isn’t out of spite, but love and a desire to protect us. You are very attentive to us because you love us and long to help us. It is not to gather points to use to condemn us. Thank you for how you love and care for us. You are a wonderful Father.

Lord, show us the places that we are blinded to our sins. We don’t want to give place to anything that will hold us captive. You have bought our freedom and we want to fully live in it. Teach us how to live and walk in self-control and overcome the temptation that draws us into sin. Open our eyes to things that we are justifying that are not of you. Give us hatred for those things. Grow our desire to walk a righteous life. Where are we being fooled? Give us your revelations to these areas and an overwhelming desire to change them. We want to be wise people who follow your instructions and not fools who go their own way. Strengthen us to stand up against evil and sin. Show us how to have a humble strength that sends the Devil running when he comes along to tempt us. Help us get your Word deep within us and know how to use it as the effective and powerful weapon that it is. We praise you that this is your desire, and you will help us walk it out.

In Jesus name, amen.