From Handbook to Prayer
Affirmation
A Shoot will come forth from the stump of Jesse;
From his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—
The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and of power,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
And He will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes,
Or decide by what He hears with His ears,
But with righteousness He will judge the poor
And decide with fairness for the meek of the earth.
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth;
With the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be His belt,
And faithfulness the sash around His waist.
(Isaiah 11:1–5)
Behold, a virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
(Psalm 34:6–7)
I waited patiently for the Lord,
And He turned to me and heard my cry.
God lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
And put their trust in the Lord.
(Psalm 40:1–3)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
(Psalm 19:14)
