The Inspirational Life

Welcome to the Inspirational-Prayers Newsletter

Also called

The Inspirational Life.

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This edition contains:

WHAT'S NEW on the Website

BETH'S NEWSLETTER BLOG

PRAYER: Full Armor of God Prayer

BIBLE DEVOTIONAL: Receiving the Desires of my Heart

MARRIAGE INSIGHTS: Secrets for Spouses

MARRIAGE PRAYER

DISCovering Success: Why am I angry today?

UNDERSTANDING DISC

PRAYER FOR YOU: Ephesians Chapter Three

What's New

We at Inspirational Prayers are honored that you have visited our site.

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We want this website to be a place that you visit multiple times a week.

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What's New on the website since the last newsletter?

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NEW PAGES

Shoes of Peace - Learning to FEEL the Peace of God

Prayer and Worship page

FEELING the Love of God

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Take note that all new pages are featured on our "Info on What's New" page.

You can easily get to the "What's New" page on the website, because it is featured on the top right side of every page.

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Below is a link to our website, in case you haven't visited lately.

https://www.inspirational-prayers.com

Beth's Blog

Last week I accidentally sent out a newsletter. I had just started working on the new newsletter, and I was using the last month as a template. So most of what you got was from the previous month.

I apologize.

Thank you for your understanding.

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In August I offered a 21 day e-mail called Daily Power.

I want to congratulate and celebrate with all those who went through the 21 Day Daily POWER Plan with me!

Full Armor of God Prayer

Of all the Full Armor of God Prayers that I have written - this one is my favorite.

I intentionally added some - JOY of the Lord!

It has extra zing and some obvious fun included in this truly sincere and powerful prayer.

I hope you will consider putting on your Armor – afresh and anew this day.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Full Armor of God Prayer ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today I will put on the Full Armor of God!

I put on my Stupendously - Strong Helmet of Salvation.

My Holy Helmet saves me from the sin-soaked schemes of the enemy.

I put on my Powerfully - Protective Breastplate of Righteousness.

My Righteous Breastplate saves me from the tempting traps of the enemy.

I put on my Super - Spiffy Shoes of Peace.

My Shoes give me the surefootedness I need to move through the half-hidden land mines of the enemy.

I put on my Battle - Ready Belt of Truth.

God’s Truth saves me from all the deceptive plans and sneaky lies of the dastardly - dark forces.

AND - My Belt of Truth EXPOSES and SILENCES the lullabies sung to lull me into lukewarmness.

I pick up my FABULOUSLY Fire - Resistant FAITH Shield.

My Shield of Faith saves me - by quenching all the fiery darts that the enemy directs at me.

I pick up my Spectacularly – Sharp Sword of the Spirit.

My Supernatural Sword saves me from a defeated, demoralized life.

I have victory because Hebrews 4:12 tells me that the Word of God is QUICK, and POWERFUL, and SHARPER than any two-edged sword.

When the enemy’s evil forces come to attack me, they are PELTED, POUNDED, and PULVERIZED with God’s Word.

I fight VIGOROUSLY and I win VALIANTLY.

I NOW SHOUT Victoriously - “ NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER!” *

In Jesus' name I pray,

AMEN!

Copyright © 2015 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

*Isaiah 54:17

Receiving the Desires of my Heart

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 NKJV

For many Christians, Psalm 37:4 is a favorite verse.

It certainly is one of mine.

A few years ago as I was yearning for a desire of my heart, I began to really think about that verse.

What does it mean to “delight yourself in the Lord”?

The word “delight” has the idea of having an uplifted, happy attitude.

Also, when I “delight” in a person, I enjoy being with that person and seek to have that person enjoy me.

In thinking of the definition of “delighting in a person” I would also add the idea of “honoring” the person. When we seek to treat someone with honor, it expresses our love and delight in that person. It shows that we think that person is valuable and worthy of our time.

So to me it was obvious that God wants us to approach him as with a real person.

Just because God is invisible to us, doesn’t mean we should forget that he is right there with us all day. I’ve often thought about how it looks to God if a person goes about his life for days at the time without ever acknowledging the one who walks with him every step. Thinking about that makes me feel sad for God. He loves us so much, and so often we ignore him.

So - often approaching God with a happy, cheery, grateful, honoring attitude seems a part of the understanding of the verse.

And enjoying my times with God also seems to be a part of the verse.

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Below is a prayer that I wrote one day after thinking about Psalm 37:4.

This prayer is written to express my gratitude to God. Praying it also focuses my attention on increasing my delight in HIM.

You are amazing.

I delight in you this day.

I delight in your divine love that sought me and brought me to salvation.

I delight in your divine peace that assures me of my eternal home.

I delight in your healing mercies that have given me testimonies of overcoming weaknesses and sicknesses.

I delight in your provision that gives me my daily bread.

I delight in your beauty that manifests in the earth and in the sky. The beauty of nature surrounds me and gives me joy.

I delight in your friendship that daily shares my joys and my sorrows.

I delight in your wisdom that guides me toward your will and your ways.

Heavenly Father, help me to delight in you more every day.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

Copyright © 2015 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next Insight ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next, as I continued to think about Psalm 37:4, I thought back to Matthew chapter 25 when Jesus was inferring that when we feed the hungry, give the thirsty a drink, visit those in prison, and help the sick and needy – then we are actually doing it to Jesus.

Another instance of this is when Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Jesus asked Saul why Saul was persecuting HIM. Saul was confused until he understood that when he persecuted the Christians, he was persecuting Jesus.

From those verses and others that came to mind, I realized that intentionally blessing people and delighting in them (approaching them with a happy, uplifted, honoring attitude) is very pleasing and delighting to God.

So if I want to delight God, I need to give some form of “delight” to all the people he deeply delights in.

In Conclusion

Psalm 37:4 is sometimes approached by people (me included) with some selfishness in our heart. Sometimes a lot of our motivation is about getting from God. But if we will not let that truth hinder us, we will find that the journey to manifesting Psalm 37:4 in our life will be filled with an ever – increasing evidence of a changed heart. So, as we seek to delight in God and the people he loves, we begin to notice that our heart has become even more genuinely loving and kind – and thus more pleasing to God!

Copyright © 2015 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

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The following is a prayer about blessing other people. It is posted here because it relates to the above article. Even though it doesn’t have the word “delight” in it, it expresses the concept of treating others as valuable. And through blessing people, we honor God.

Prayer to God

Lord of my heart,

I value you, and I value your Word.

Your Word tells me to love and bless other people. Your will is for me to view everyone in my life as valuable. You want me to honor people and treat them with respect every day.

I receive my mission to love people this day. I receive my mission to be helpful toward their needs, compassionate toward their hurts, encouraging toward their trials, enthusiastic toward their victories, warm toward their presence, and forgiving toward their mistakes and sins.

Change my heart, Lord. Teach me to be more like you.

I will yield to you this day.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

Copyright © 2014 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

Secrets for Spouses

Today I am giving husbands and wives a few quick thoughts to reflect on and consider.

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You will never be an "AMAZING Spouse" if you aim to be average.

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Every amazing piece of artwork took time and thought.

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Every amazing accomplishment took extra effort.

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Every amazing spouse has given a lot of time, thought, and effort into loving his or her mate.

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Most amazing spouses try to think "outside the box" and be a little creative and fun.

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Most amazing spouses aren't worried about looking foolish. They are just full of amazing love for the one they chose as their life partner.

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I invite you to visit two pages that bless marriages:

* Prayers for my Husband

* Prayers for my Wife

The links are below.

Prayers for my Husband And the next link is: Prayers for my Wife

Marriage Prayer

Lord God, Creator of Marriage,

Grant me new insights into my spouse in order to bless my spouse.

Grant me wisdom, encouragement, strength, and motivation in order to be a great spouse.

Guide me away from selfishness and self-centeredness.

May we both become awesome givers of kindness and thoughtfulness.

Share with us amazing solutions to marital problems.

Draw our hearts together.

May our hearts learn to beat as one.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

Copyright © 2015 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

Why am I angry today?

AND, understanding the thoughts of others helps us to know how to help others. It gives us clues on how to be loving and kind to others AND tender toward their weaknesses!

To begin, let's get some basic personality knowledge.

There are 4 basic DISC personality styles.

They are:

The "D" which is outgoing and task-oriented.

The "I" which is outgoing and people-oriented.

The "S" which is reserved and people-oriented.

The "C" which is reserved and task-oriented.

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Note that each of us is a blend of traits from each of the four personality styles. Yet, the style that contains most of our traits tends to powerfully pull our thoughts in certain directions.

Each style has a tendency to see life in a different way. So each style approaches tasks with a different mindset, different thoughts, and different goals.

We are all unique, but the following are generally true for children and adults.

Underlying Causes of Anger

Let's listen in on the thoughts of the "Ds" as they begin to get angry in various situations:

"You are hindering me."

"You are wasting my time."

"You are slowing me down."

"You are not letting me control."

"Ds" are generally quick to get angry and quick to get over anger.

The "Ds" would say, "Let's all get my goals done today."

Tips

"Ds" need to understand that they are not the center of the universe. "Ds" need to understand that the "D" style is found in about 10% of the population - and the rest of us think very differently from them. "Ds" need to understand that they will ruin relationships if they do not gain some insights into how mean and selfish they can be.

People who want to express love toward "Ds" need to remember that giving lots of unimportant details during a conversation will often aggravate "Ds." People with the "D" style are very picky about how they spend their time. They want to accomplish a lot of tasks in their day. They are results-oriented and want an environment with lots of choices.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Understanding the anger of "Is" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Let's listen in on the thoughts of the "Is" as they begin to get angry in various situations:

"You aren't paying any attention to me."

"You are no fun."

"You are being too serious."

"You are pointing out my mistakes and making me feel that you don't like me."

"You are criticizing me and making me feel ashamed and that you don't like me."

"You make me feel like I don't matter."

"You are making everything too hard for me."

"You are taking the fun out of my life."

The "Is" want to say, "Let's all have fun today."

Tips

"Is" need to understand that sometimes fun has to to wait. They also need to understand that when someone points out a mistake, it doesn't always mean that the person doesn't like them." "Is" need to understand that they can greatly wound people by not honoring their promises. (Saying you are going to do something is not the same as doing it.)

People who want to express love toward "Is" will need to be aware that "Is" need to know they are liked. So during a stressful conversation, always assure them that they are liked. In all situations, give lots of compliments and encouragement to "Is".

Let's listen in on the thoughts of the "Ss" as they begin to get angry in various situations:

"You are creating conflict. I feel upset because there is conflict."

"You are taking away my peace."

"I am not feeling emotionally safe."

"You are not being nice."

"You make me feel terrible about myself."

"You are pushing me."

"You are not giving me enough time."

"Ss" don't like to discuss what is making them angry. "Ss" are generally slow to get angry, and they will usually not let people know when they are angry. When angry, they will often choose to be passive aggressive.

The "Ss" want to say, "Let's all be nice."

Tips

"Ss" need to understand that sometimes conflict is necessary. "Ss" need to understand that people are not mind-readers. It is helpful if "Ss" practice saying "no." It is helpful if "Ss" realize that sometimes we have to make ourselves discuss our feelings with others, or we will have to face the consequences of having our feelings squashed over and over. "Ss" need to realize that after awhile, even the most gentle "Ss" will get shockingly upset if they allow their feelings and needs to always be ignored and forgotten.

People who want to express love toward "Ss" need to remember to be more aware of the "Ss" feelings and needs. Understand their huge inner reaction to conflict and words said in intensity. Also, giving them time to adjust to change is a big kindness to most "Ss".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Understanding the anger of "Cs" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Let's listen in on the thoughts of the "Cs" as they begin to get angry in various situations:

"You aren't following the rules."

"You are creating a mess."

"You are doing jobs in a sloppy way."

"Everything is so unorganized."

"You should know how to do this right."

"You are not helping me."

"I am feeling like I have to do everything."

"Cs" have a deep desire to do things the right way. Unfortunately other people don't always have that desire. And to make things even more complicated, sometimes there is more than one right way - but "Cs" don't often see it that way!

"Cs" are generally slow to get over anger.

The "Cs" want to say, "Let's all follow the rules and do things the right way."

Tips

"Cs" need to understand that everyone doesn't share their deep desire to have everything organized, orderly, and perfect. They need to realize that sometimes there is more than one way to do things right. They need to realize that fun is important. And they need to realize that expecting people to deal with their high standards for a long period of time will often lead to mutiny.

People who want to express love toward "Cs" need to remember that "Cs" care deeply about people, but they don't always verbally express it. "Cs" are trying really hard to be helpful. "Cs" do not realize that they are too critical - they think they are helping. Also, please remember that "Cs" are internally harder on themselves than they are on anybody else. They carry really heavy burdens of trying to be perfect. Use gentleness and logic when talking with them about problems.

Copyright © 2015 Beth McLendon of Inspirational - Prayers.com

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God tells us to Love One Another. Learning about DISC helps us to love others the way they want to be loved.

So consider getting my book about DISC - and learning how to bless others more effectively.

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Understanding DISC

It is called "Praying for your Child" but it is not just for parents.

It explains ADULTS also.

It will explain in easy terms the 4 styles and give you lots of information about children AND adults.

It also has great prayers to pray.

People rave at how it helped them understand their spouse, their family, their boss, their co-workers, and their friends.

And for those who serve in leadership roles - at work or at church - DISC will enable you to greatly enhance your leadership strengths.

The book is available to be shipped to those who live in the United States.

There is a link for information about my book located directly after the prayer.

Prayer for You

I pray that prayer for you today:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources God will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in him.

Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.

Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

From Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT