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Praying the Promise, May 17/18, 2025

 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness—I John 1: 8-9 (NLT)

Dear Lord, accepting our total depravity—our capacity to sin, that our character is filled with pinholes and gaping holes where our old nature leaks out and shows its ugly head when we least expect it and in the most surprising ways—is essential to living a victorious Christian life. 

If we presume that when we became Christian—whether through Holy Baptism or profession of faith—however we came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and that we are sanctified by the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit—thinking that we became good and no longer sin, we have missed the point. Jesus Christ shed His blood to forgive our sins. Our sin is not removed. We have a continuing sinful nature which requires us to guard our heart and mind constantly (Prov. 4:23); to police our thoughts and examine our motives. We must put a twenty-four seven, guard around our heart and mind for the rest of our earthly days. As Paul said in Romans 7, were it not for Jesus Christ saving us and interceding for us we would be doomed! 

Father, help me to accept my sinful nature, not as in complacency and disregard, but as a humbling reality that I am a sinner saved by grace in need of the blood that Jesus shed to cover me all of my life, and I need the Holy Spirit to keep me every day for the rest of my life. The only good in me is found through the blood of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is at work transforming me constantly.

I am humbled by the prophet Jeremiah’s words when he wrote, “More than anything else, a person’s mind is evil and cannot be healed. No one truly understands it” (Jer. 17:9). Thank you, Lord I don’t need to understand it, just accept it gladly and live under the generous outpouring of Your grace, mercy, love and forgiveness each day. Amen  

Praying the Promise, May 16, 2025

The Scripture ask, “Has anyone ever known the thoughts of the Lord or given him advice?” But we have the mind of Christ.—I Corinthians 2:16 (GWT)

God, this statement signifies a profound truth for believers. It indicates that through the Holy Spirit, we can understand Your will and purposes. Through the mind of Christ, we can overcome fear of the unknown and embrace the promises of our faithful and loving God. It means we have the thoughts and feelings and purposes of Your heart. There are no others who can say this. You purposed human beings with the capacity to feel and think with the mind of Christ Jesus which is higher and purer than those in the world who remain unattached by choice.  

Lord, we realize that human wisdom and understanding are limited when compared to Your infinite wisdom. At best—for now—we see as in a mirror dimly and understand only in part (I Cor. 13:12). It would be impossible for us to council You! But, having the mind of Christ we can be counseled and filled with Your good and beauty. 

Paul’s rhetorical question reminds us that we are to be humble in all our ways. We cannot possibly know Your mind. It is too great for us to comprehend. We are to remain humble in our thinking, actions and heart. 

We may be in this world O Lord, but we are not of the world. Though some choose to use their mind to contrive and plot evil, we choose to stay connected to Your Holy Spirit, to Your holy good. May we use our minds—as the wondrous and magnificent organs as You intended them to be—so we can think good thoughts, meditate on the things that are good and worthy of praise, think well of others, and glorify You, first in thought, and then in word and deed. For these are the ways that please You and You will prosper. Amen   

Praying the Promise, May 15, 2025

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you reset.”—Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

God, one of the things that happens as I sit quietly in Your presence is my heart and mind are filled with calmness and my emotions are regulated, my heart is lifted and the weariness I feel in my soul, heart, and spirit dissipate; I am refreshed and renewed. 

The more I spend time with You the more I can see my situation more clearly. The more I see solutions I did not see before. The more Your word and counsel seems to apply to my situation, and I realize There is hope for me. I am no longer hopeless, desperate, or discouraged, but filled up with hope and encouraged. In Your presence I see my options and paths more clearly than ever.   

Sitting quietly in Your presence amidst my trials, troubles, and darkness gives me a new perspective. No longer am I tossed about in my emotions or mind, being thrown every which way like the lawn furniture in my backyard that is tossed here and there during a windy or stormy day. No, I am grounded, and able to control my actions and reactions.

Today, God call me to Your side as often as You see I need it. Call me to Your side when You sense I could go into a panic. Call me to Your side, Lord, when I am tempted to take matters into my own hands. Call me to Your side Light of the world, whenever I cannot see the light in the distance. Call me to Your side Father, when I am feeling alone and untethered spiritually. Call me to Your side Jesus whenever I am reaching that point I cannot take one more maligning or insult. Call me to Your side heavenly Friend as often as I need to be alone with You so I can gather the treasures You have for me once I get there. Amen  

Praying the Promise, May 14, 2025

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.—Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Creator God, no one knows these human brains and minds better than You. After all You touched every part of us as You knit us together in the womb, including the brain. You know the way we think, and You know how easy it is for us to go between ruminating and worrying.

 We ruminate over the past, things we regret and would like to take back, and the things that have gone in a negative direction. We turn events and conversations over and over in our mind, rehashing, wearing every thought strand to a frazzle. You know the mind ruminates when it cannot resolve discrepancy between its current state and the state it wants and needs life to be. 

You also know how easily we take the bait of worry, Lord. We can worry over just about everything and anything. We worry about our present circumstances, outcomes, and our unknown future.  

Thank You for the counsel given through Apostle Paul. Paul introduces a healthier pattern of thought that leads to peace of mind, problem-solving, seeing things from a heavenly perspective which brings life and wholeness.

Keep me from circling back around to unhealthy mental and emotional patterns that contribute to emotional or mental unwellness. Instead, may I think on those things that bring healing and peace and strength. If I must ruminate let me ruminate on the good things You have done for me and in this world in the past. If I must ruminate let me ruminate on how Your everlasting love has been with me from the beginning of time. Transform my thoughts, Lord! Let Your Word become medicine for my soul. Let my mind be healed so I can let go of unhealthy habits.   

I pray to enjoy a healthy mind, a healthy train of thought and think only of those things that are excellent and worthy of praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen     

Praying the Promise, May 13, 2025

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?—Romans 8:31 (NLT)

Does it matter Lord, whoever is against us? When You are for us, supporting us, defending us, covering us, providing for us, there is nothing anyone else can do that will overrule, be stronger or more powerful than You and Your presence.

You didn’t even spare Your own Son, Jesus Christ—who also is my beloved Savior and Redeemer—He is your precious Son, but You didn’t spare Him. Instead You willingly sacrificed Him in order to save us from an eternity of suffering under Satan’s reign (Rom. 8:32). What does that say and prove to us? That there isn’t anything You wouldn’t do or sacrifice for us; for me. 

That is love beyond my limited human comprehension.

I realize that because You are for me and because I am Yours doesn’t mean no one will ever oppose me. As Jesus spoke so prophetically and truthfully, "in this world we will have trouble, but we can take heart (believe with all our heart) that He has overcome this world" (John 16:33). It means that having You on my side is the most important fact of my existence. The world doesn’t have this assurance which leads to peace of mind, peace of heart, and peaceful living; only those who love you and follow Jesus. 

In the past, many have and will continue to do their best to malign us. Sometimes simply because we are Your children and confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But it doesn’t matter, because in the end they will not have the victory even when it appears they have the upper hand. Jesus is the eternal Victor and because we belong to him, we share in His triumph.

Let me increase in faith, Lord. Let my knowledge that Jesus is my Victor and will never leave me nor forsake me influence my every action and decision. I turn the things that have made me worry or stress and live sheepishly over to You. Amen            

(May 12, 2025)

Praying the Promise, May 12, 2025

I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into e; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].—Philippians 4:14 AMP 

I know this, Lord. I can’t remember how many times I’ve read and studied and meditated upon this promise. I can say it backwards and forwards. I know it like the back of my hand, and I’ve quoted it to so many others over the years. I’m good at motivating others, however, my problem is living it in my day-to-day, and as I face the big challenges going on in my life.   

It’s amazing—I can do all things through You, Lord! This is fantastic. You give me the power! You give me the energy! You give me the courage and the ways and the means! As I sit here in Your presence, all the energy emanates from You. 

That’s some kind of feeling, Lord! I pray; give me the strength I need to accomplish the goals You set before me. If they seem big and boldacious, if they feel audacious and impossible and scary that’s because they are not supposed to be so little I could do them all alone. They are meant to approach and be worked at with your help and through Your power. 

Lord, I pray, plant the words, “I can do all things through God—He strengthens me!” in my heart and spirit forever and ever and when I’m tempted to doubt and regress to fear and give in to uncertainty remind me over and over. You don’t ask me to do this alone and not even all at once. Every day. One day at a time; one step of faith at a time. You will supply all my needs and every need can be met through You. Amen

(May 11, 2025)

Praying the Promise

Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all—Proverbs 31:29  

Lord, at creation You created human beings. First You created Adam, then You created Eve who would become an invaluable helpmeet to Adam and the mother of all the living. You also created human beings in Your image (Gen. 1:26). That means we bear the image of our Holy God and share the nature and attributes of goodness, wholesomeness, kindness, 

generosity, and love. Strength and resilience aren’t the only attributes human beings share with You, we also have the ability to be compassionate, procreate, and nurture others.

Lord, mothering takes place in so many ways. Thank You for those who continue to use that gift and call to support others on their journey, especially the young and children who need to have a solid, Christ-centered start in life. Thank You for those who firmly believe they are to tap into the good nature You gave us and see themselves as sowers of good and righteousness and love and peace. So many will benefit from the way they have been poured into. Thank You for those who are nurturing, compassionate and use their creative powers for good.  

Creator God, sharing Your nature means we can nurture and care for others in the same manner as You. It means we can take the weak under our wing. It means we can accompany the hurting and sorrowed as they journey toward healing and strengthening. We praise you, God.

Thank You for those who are willing to raise up little ones so they can be strong and independent later in life. Thank You for those who use their God-given instincts to protect and not harm, to affirm and not discourage.

Thank You for the numerous ways parenting and mothering can happen. Whether we have children naturally, foster, adopt or simply make ourselves available to the orphaned to provide, shelter, mentor, lead and guide, not only in this world so they can have a better future, but helping them know they are made for a purpose, belong, and are deeply loved. Thank You for opportunities to lead little children to faith so they can enjoy a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for all eternity. 

Thank You for special days and times we are reminded that parenting is not a task to lament, but a privilege and we can choose to excel and please You in that role. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen       

(May 9, 2025)

Praying the Promise:

 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer—Romans 12:12

Lord, thank you for making it so easy to pray; so easy to stay in prayer. We can be anywhere and be in prayer. 

Prayer is as private as we want to make it. We can be in prayer during work hours, praying as we run errands, in prayer as we take care of our family needs, in prayer as we drive down the street, ride the bus or take a flight from one city or state to the next. We can pray with others or alone. We can pray when we sense danger and when we find ourselves in a tense situation. It’s such a blessing to talk to you any time of the day or night. There are even times, Lord, when we discover we have been praying through the night and in our sleep!

Lord, so much of life is beyond our control. So much brings us to our knees and to Your throne of grace and mercy, seeking Your wisdom, help and answers. Sometimes our prayers begin and rise due to our circumstances that are uncomfortable. Sometimes our prayers come from our uncertainties, fears and anxieties. Sometimes they flow from our struggles, our trials and troubles and at times our prayers are full of praise and thanksgiving. Whatever their genesis You receive them. You hear and accept them.

It’s comforting that our prayers don’t have to be formally thought out, Lord. They don’t have to be flowery or eloquent. They don’t even have to sound good or proper to human ears, but they can be Spirit-led. Others may think they are scrambled or incoherent, but to Your ears they are like music. Your Holy Spirit unscrambles our thoughts and puts our prayers in order. He even takes our grunts and groans and makes them make sense. Thank You for the Spirit who prays for and through us. 

There’s nowhere else to turn God. There’s no one else who can change our situations or bless us the way we need to be blessed. You are the only One who can give us the peace or strength or wisdom we need. Thank You God, for being able to enjoy a constant flow of communication and for uninterrupted access to You. 

When Jesus died on the cross the curtain in the temple that kept us separated was torn into and now, we can pray any time of the day or night, we can pray constantly and without ceasing. Amen  

(May 8, 2025)

  Prayer Note:

Thirsts, longs, seeks, all are words that express yearning. When David says he thirsts, or longs for, or seeks God he is expressing his yearning for the God of heaven and earth; he is yearning for the God who loves him and whom he loves. God’s heart yearns for His creation and in return, when we have filled up with God, think about God, meditate on His word, consider God’s character and heart of love for us we learn what it means to yearn for God. 

The process of encoding happens when we are intimate with others. Not just sexually, but something as beautiful as giving birth, nursing an infant or bonding through touch. Humans aren’t the only ones who encode others on their brain. We have been encoded on God’s brain as He nourishes and cares for us. The bible says God has “knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). Meaning God’s touch is the first and most intimate touch we can know. God created us purposely and from the vision He had. We are encoded on His brain just as we are engraved on the palms of Jesus’ hands (Isa. 49:16). Because we are encoded on God’s brain He longs for us, He yearns for us, He searches for us. God’s yearning for us, just like our yearning for Him will not be quieted until we are at home with Him in heaven. As we pray Psalm 63 we can ask that 

God is deeply and irrevocably encoded on our brain and heart. 

Prayer:

O God, you are my God; with deepest longing I will seek You; My Soul [my life, my very self] thirsts for You, my flesh longs and sighs for you, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have gazed upon you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in your name. My soul [my life, my very self] is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises [to You] with joyful lips. (Psalm 63:1-5, AMP) 

Loving God, in this world that has no lasting loyalties of pure loves I yearn for You. Help me to love You more than anything or anyone else. May my soul cling to You more than it clings to anyone or anything in this world. You have been my help and protected me in the shadow of Your wings (Ps. 163:7-8). Because I yearn for You I will not be empty but I will be filled and satisfied. I will not be abandoned or forsaken. In my hour of need You will cover me. Though the wicked seek to destroy me I will be saved and delivered. I will yearn for you and be rewarded with Your beauty and glory. Amen 

(May 7, 2025)

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’—Matthew 25:23

‘Faithful with a few things’, Lord, that’s an encouraging and strengthening word we are reading! Most of us haven’t been given big things or grand things to manage, invest, or oversee. Most have been given small or a few things that we are to do something good with and be faithful in. A few things that we can invest and are guaranteed to produce big results and increase when we work with them. 

Lord, help us to become such good stewards of what You give and send us that we make the Master happy with what we do. In the parable about the servants who were given a few things (Matt. 25:14-30) we can see how being smart, savvy, strategic, and bold, by doing something wise with what we have—no matter how few or small—will result in reaping not only good but will multiply and produce abundantly.

Help me take my little and my few things, Lord, and invest in a way that makes it grow and multiply. 

Whenever I have only a few or little: whether it’s a little talent, a little money, a little time, a little knowledge, a little health, I may be tempted to bury it in the ground, to feel sorry for myself, to be jealous of those who have more, to tuck it somewhere where it can have no increase. I may be tempted to hide my few things so there’s no possibility of life or growth but instead I need to put it to use somewhere where Your blessing and promise of growth await it. Help me become like the servants who used the few things You gave them and put them to work and gained more. 

When I invest what You give me with godly wisdom and spiritual guidance, I will see increase in my life, in my family, in my business, in my finances, in my ministry, in my health. When I use what You give me, I will experience Your blessing over my life and I will hear Your words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come share your master’s happiness!’. 

Lord, I pledge to work with and invest the few things You have given me. I will do good with…and trust in You to increase and multiply. In Jesus’ name. Amen   

(May 6, 2025)

 So go and make disciples of all the people in the world—Matthew 28:19

Dear God, for the New Testament Christians, witness was not a sales pitch, they simply shared in their own way what they had received. Their witness was not a formally prepared, carefully polished presentation with a gimmick to manipulate conversation with a closer for an on-the-spot-decision for Christ. They had not attended some conference where they learned the most effective or impactful approaches or words that would rouse the soul and emotions. But their witness was spontaneous, irrepressible, effervescent enthusiasm of those who had met the most fascinating Person who ever lived. 

Heavenly Father, the Gospel is not theology. It is a Person; it’s Your Son Jesus Christ! Theology doesn’t save us. Jesus saves us! Thank You, God, the first-century disciples were totally involved with a Person: Jesus Christ. They got to know Him and the power of His love. They were followers of Jesus Christ. They were students of Jesus. They were committed to Jesus and more than that, they were filled with Jesus. They had encountered Jesus, and it could not be concealed. Even those who were determined to be “secret” followers eventually let their faith in Him be seen and known by others. They witnessed, not because they had to, but because they could not help it.

Lord God, the first-century Christians may have lived generations before us, but we also share and enjoy a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We may not have met Jesus face-to-face, in the flesh, as they did but we can still have that up-close-and-personal relationship with Him and He shows up in so many ways. Through the Scriptures we can still learn from Him. By the Holy Spirit, we can still be filled with Him and because He comes to us and is at work in our lives, healing, guiding, and living us, we can have that same fire and enthusiasm to witness Him to others as Lord and Savior. We can enthusiastically share the One we know and have come to love. 

More than ever, God, the world is in need of authentic Christian witness that is born of the Spirit. Nothing is more important or impactful or convincing than the authentic, simple, unembellished word of those who have met the risen Savior on their life journey. May this be a season and time where the Kingdom of God on earth increases through the witness of those who have met Jesus. We don’t need to polish our presentation, we don’t need to rehearse what we would say, we don’t have to press for people to make an on-the-spot decision for Christ, simply share what we know about the One we have met, trusting the Holy Spirit do His work going forward. 

Today, I especially pray for…

In the name of Jesus my risen Savior, my Redeemer and Lord. Amen 

(May 5, 2025)

 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you—Jeremiah 1:4

Heavenly Father, I’m so glad I’m not a stranger to You. You know me so well; better than my closest relatives, better than my dearest friends, better than anyone. I love the Scriptures that remind me You knew me even before You formed me in my mother’s womb. That’s awesome, Lord! That means You know my little quirks and idiosyncrasies, You know my likes and dislikes; You know what stirs up my emotions: what makes me happy, angry, and sad. You know my hidden faults, and those secrets I’ve never shared with anyone. The Bible says You know what I’m thinking in my head, You know what my responses are going to be. You know the things I regret doing and not doing even though I’ve never shared those feelings with anyone. You not only know my past and what’s going on in my life presently, but You know my future also. All the way from the tiniest bit of information to the major things: You know me full well.   

There’s something even more important to remember Lord, and that’s Your knowledge of me includes Your knowing my sinful past; all of it. Yet, even with all You know about me: the good and the bad, You have never broken relationship with me. You’ve never abandoned me nor left me to myself, You’ve never disowned or turned Your back on me. That You keep covering me and keeping me close and making sure I become all You created me to be like a skilled potter delights in the work he is creating. 

Thank You for being so vested and invested in my life. Thank You for hanging onto Your vision for my life and for me. Thank You for looking beyond my faults and seeing my needs: my need for Your love, my need for Your approval, my need for Your grace, mercy, and patience, my need for Your healing, compassion and forgiveness.

I’m safe in Your care, Lord. I’m so glad, so ecstatic that Your knowledge of me goes deep and lasts for all eternity. In Jesus’ name I praise You. Amen          

(May 3/4, 2025)

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. may your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you—Psalm 33:20-22

Have You noticed how some have forgotten how to hope, Lord? Some have been disappointed so many times that they are afraid to risk being let down again. It seems safer to just forge ahead stoically, mechanically; not getting their “hopes” up. They seem more like robots than human beings with feelings and emotions. Some may feel it’s safer to put their “hope” in the lottery, or stock market, or problem-solving or even undependable people. Once our hope is gone, Lord, there’s not much joy in life. We don’t really expect anything new or anything to change. 

God, the Bible tells us, based upon Your promises and creativity, that our stories can have a happy ending. It’s not necessary that we be able to understand how this will happen or be able to visualize how You will accomplish that. Sometimes our life is in such a mess, happy endings don’t seem possible; happy endings are what happen to and for other people.

Lord, even as we’re in the season of Easter, and learned how the stone was rolled away, the strips of linen that wrapped Your body were folded and laid to the side, how quickly we’ve forgotten what happened on the cross; how Your finished work on the cross secured heavenly hope for us. Is there a story that can give us greater hope? Anything that could inspire us more or fill us with hope like the Easter story?

The Bible defines hope as having a “strong and confident expectation; a firm assurance that what You have promised will come to pass. It teaches us that hoping in You means having an anticipation of a favorable outcome under Your guidance; confident that what You have done in the past guarantees our participation in what You will do in the future. 

No matter what’s happening in my life right now, Lord, fill me up with hope. I pray to have that strong and confident expectation, that firm, unshakable assurance that what You’ve promised in Your word will come to pass. May I always have that feeling of anticipation of a favorable outcome even when things don’t look too favorable. May I always remember You didn’t give me a spirit of fear or dread but one of hope and confidence. 

God, You can take my little and make it much, so today, I put my little, my weak, my barely-there hope in You and believe it will grow and increase until it is rebuilt, established and unmovable.

Renew my hope, O Lord my God! Let me be joyful in hope and convinced I have every reason to hope in You. In the name of Jesus my Savior. Amen 

(May 2, 2025)

  Why my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God—Psalm 43:5

Kindhearted Father, David dealt a lot with despair and depression in his lifetime, as king, as your servant, and as a man in general. How many of his journaled prayers do we find him holding onto to You for dear life, admitting his inner turmoil, those overwhelming emotions of sadness and depression.

We cannot get past the Easter story without the reminders of sorrow and depression. They are real. People were hurting badly in their emotions and spirit. Following Your unjust execution, all your followers must have been utterly depressed. There was the death of their Savior/friend/Teacher/Master; there was the unbelievable betrayal of their Lord by one of their very own; there was their own scattering during a time the Lord needed them most; there was the denial of Peter—strong Peter! Ther was the suicide of Judas. It was a lot to handle all at once. It would not be a surprise to learn that there was depression.

We get depressed today also, 

Understanding and Compassionate Father. Life can be so much to handle. Things don’t well for us and sometimes we’re taken aback at the wide swing of the pendulum, not in our favor, but in disfavor and for no reason at all! Sometimes we’re overcome with disappointment at how life is going and have gone for us. Sometimes our losses overwhelm us and it’s hard to see how we will rebuild. Sometimes it seems our souls are like sponges, soaking up all the sorrows of the world around, all the pain of our loved ones and friends and all our inability to help anyone or change our own course in life is just too much and we become depressed.

Thank You Kind-hearted, loving, Gentle, Forgiving Father, for not judging us when we become depressed. Thank You for not pointing an accusatory, holy finger at us, telling us to shape up or ship out (of the faith). Thank You for understanding that life can just be a lot to take in and take on. We pray, restore our broken, over-loaded, burdened down spirit and grant relief and healing to our sorrowing soul. 

Thank You for living in a time where we can talk more openly and freely about being depressed and not receive so much judgment or being whispered about as though we have the plague and belong in an institution, categorized as being beyond help and healing.

Heal our wounded spirits Gracious Father. Help us in our helplessness. Walk with us through our valleys and help us to know—even while we are passing through the dryness of depression—there is fullness of life on the other side—and as long as we hang in here with You—there will be another side. Like all sorrows and darkness depression will lift and disband. There is no shame in treatment, there is no shame in being depressed, there is no shame in coming to Your throne and crying out for help as David often did. 

Gentle Father, today I pray for the depressed and their healing. May they be surprised with breakthrough of the darkness enveloping them and visited with emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual relief…

In the name of our beautiful Savior, Jesus. Amen 

(May 1, 2025)

For I know that the LORD is great and that our Lord is above all gods.—Psalm 135:5 

God, You truly are above all things. There’s none that are greater, bigger, more powerful, intelligent or wiser than You. Thank You for lending to me the wisdom I need to resolve the issues that come up not only in my life, but in my day-to-day. On my own, I don’t have the degree of wisdom, and I don’t know the depth of things as You do. Yet, I’m not overly concerned about that. I know whenever I need a higher wisdom or a deeper understanding or vaster knowledge, all I need to do is call upon You and, as Your word assures us, You will not withhold wisdom or refuse us. 

I could read all the self-help books on the market, God. I could ascribe to all the teachings of the smartest teachers. I could take all the classes offered through the most prestigious schools of learning that are available in this age, and still, I will never know enough or understand enough to encompass and possess the amount of wisdom You bring when You enter my situations. What are my little life problems to You; nothing more than a hiccup and even less than that!

No wonder You laugh at us, Lord when we are scrambling to figure things out. No wonder You smile as we mull things over in our head day after day, season after season, losing sleep at night. No wonder You wonder what takes us so long to turn Your way, to open Your Word, to say a prayer and ask the One who knows all things. 

Father, there are many things on my life-plate I need to work out. I turn to You; I look to You for help. Thank You for not burdening me with greater knowledge, understanding or wisdom than I possess in my human body and brain. Thank You for being that Person, Source and Destination I can call upon when I need help. Thank You for Your patience and especially, thank You for Your love for me that does not grow old, does not give out, cannot be measured. Thank You for the gifts that I enjoy due to having a personal relationship with You, our great God that is above all else in heaven and on earth. 

I look to You Father and ask Your help to (with)…

In the name of Jesus my Savior, I pray. Amen 

(April 30, 2025)

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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—Romans 8:38-39

Jesus, in this world there is so much we can become convinced of. We can become convinced that some people will never change due to their consistency of behavior over time. We can become convinced we’ll never have any “good luck” like many others seem to enjoy. We can become convinced the odds are stacked against us and we’ll never know anything except misery and suffering. We can become convinced that the God of kindness, blessing and compassion many others talk about or seem to be acquainted with is not the same God we experience. We can become convinced that our problems are beyond Your ability to solve. We can become convinced that since we are followers of Christ, we deserve favor, blessing, and prosperity. I can go on and on Lord, about the things we can become convinced about. As You know, sometimes we become cynical about life and about You and it’s hard to convince us otherwise but not everything we become convinced about is true and not everything can hold up under Your scrutiny and truth. 

I love what Paul is convinced of Lord. Paul’s not like the cynic we meet or become. He’s not one of those hard cases that’s beyond Your touch. Paul is convinced that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God that’s found in You. That’s a promise we can all grab hold and tuck in our heart. Paul could say it with assurance because he’d tested the genuineness and depth of Your love and discovered not only is it unquenchable and without limits, but it also tethers us to You and You to us. 

Your love rescued Paul from the deep end of no-return and anchored him to the truth. Your love helped him see what was important and lasting. Your love made his life make sense and caused what he valued and treasured to be reevaluated and put in righteous perspective. 

Thank You Jesus, for anchoring us to the love that does not run dry. 

Because of Your love we are attached to the source of love for all eternity.  No condition of this life, no amount of suffering we go through in this world, no demon or darkness will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen    

(April 29, 2025)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world—John 16:33

Yes, Jesus, this world is full of trouble. Thank You for the truthfulness You always point out. You don’t promote us having a fairy-tale-mindset or looking at this world through rose-colored glasses. There is wickedness, darkness and evil all around us even when we cannot spot or sense it. You know the truth and You help us know and see the truth through Your wise counsel. The thing we must caution ourselves about is letting our problems become larger than You. That can be challenging, because at times, when world events are swirling around us and when our own personal situations cause stress or make us feel unsteady, our mind is playing tricks on us, not to mention the devil who’s always seeking out the weak and vulnerable to devour (I Peter 5:8). 

It’s at those times, especially that we need to tell ourselves the truth You’ve stated throughout the Scriptures in several ways, “Yes, this world is full of trouble, but You have overcome this world and You’ll help us overcome the trials and troubles that enter our life. You already have a plan to make these troubles work out for good for those who love You (Rom. 8:28). Another thing to remember is that “You’ll never leave us and You’ll never forsake us” (Heb. 13:8). This “Jesus factor” makes all the difference in our life.

Jesus, when turmoil hits help me to change the focus in my brain from my problems to Your Presence. No matter how many times I must tell myself this throughout my day or throughout the season I’m in. I know I need to retrain my brain so I’m not lingering or focusing on my problems more than I’m thinking about the truth I know about you. 

When You rose from the grave You spent time with Your followers. Your “aliveness” was exactly what they needed to be reminded of all the truths You had shared with them over the time You worked, lived, and traveled together. By the time You ascended into heaven they had the perspective they needed. Today we have the empty cross, and we have the Scriptures as our reminder. Shake me Jesus, when I start to stress or lose that perspective I need. Help me remember promises You spoke through the prophet Isaiah such as, “The Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you’re mine (Isa. 43:1). And to that I say Amen.          

(April 28, 2025)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God—Ephesians 3:16-19

Jesus You are both loving and faithful. Your love cannot be measured nor limited. The Bible says Your love reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies! It’s so natural (and instinctive) to put our confidence in systems, in others, and in ourselves, our abilities, our education, our wealth, our fame if we have any, our popularity on social media, our looks/appearance and if life is going well, our circumstances. But all these things fail us and will let us down or come up short at times and more often than we like or plan. When these failures happen You remind us, once again, to put our complete trust in You because You are worthy of all our confidence, worthy of all our trust. 

Why do we look elsewhere Lord? Why do we still—after much experience and proof—continue to turn to the world, to others, and to ourselves—even after all we know, looking for answers, looking for help, looking for hope. We look for love in all the wrong places, Lord.

I don’t want to be slow to get-it, or spiritually dull like you used to warn Your followers because they just couldn’t get a lesson You were teaching—but I want to be spiritually sharp, in tune, and accepting that I’ll never come to the end of Your love. Your love is limitless and lasts forever.

Knowing who You are Jesus, what You can do and how much Your love changes my life for the better, I don’t need to be frightened by my ever-changing, unpredictable even unpleasant circumstances but I can have that peace that that comes from having Your abiding presence. Christ, You’re not only the Rock of my salvation, but You are the Roack of my faith, the Rock of my peace, the Rock of my hope and joy. It’s my confidence Lord, that “Your love reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Ps. 36:5). Amen

(April 19, 2025)

  Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard—Matthew 27:65-66

Jesus, very little is written in the Scriptures about the Saturday following Your crucifixion on Good Friday. We only have a few short verses that give an account. We know that the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate for permission to post guards at Your tomb. And we can safely assume Your disciples were very quiet that day. They must have had so many grief emotions going on, especially considering the circumstances of Your death: shock, denial, anger, guilt, shame, confusion, and we won’t forget fear. That was a lot to process in such a short amount of time.

From the earthly and human perspective there was only silence and everything was over: Jesus was dead. The ministry was over. No more travels with the Lord. No more meals with their friend. No more hearing the sound of Your voice or laughter, feeling your touch or embraces. No more lessons or miracles. What they didn’t know was, they were less than twenty-four hours away from the greatest event in history taking place. Surprise! Surprise! 

Sometimes, Lord, we find ourselves in situations where nothing is going as planned. From our human perspective everything is at a standstill and nothing is working out. Since we don’t see any movement or progress with our earthly eyes, we conclude that nothing is happening; that’s it the answer is “No.” The door is closed. Just like when they rolled the heavy stone in front of Your tomb, that was it. Closed tomb meant Your life was ended and there was nothing more to look forward to. 

Lord, when we’re waiting it’s so easy to give up. Silence is so hard to endure. So easy to assume all is lost if we don’t see any (favorable) activity. In those times help us to hold onto what the prophet Isaiah wrote in his scrolls:   

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19) 

Gracious God, You are always making a way! As the Scriptures teach us You are always working on our behalf, always working things out for the good of those who love you, always making a way out of no way! Making a way even when times are dark. Making a way when all around us is nothing but silence. Making a way when things look dead and beyond reviving. Making a way when nothing any human touch or activity could do to change things.  

Jesus, teach us to trust You and especially in seasons of waiting. Help us to wait with hope and not slide into hopelessness. Help us to wait with faith and not doubt. Help us to believe in our heart of hearts that You’re at work even when we can’t see what’s happening with our eyes. 

Lord, You possess resources we don’t know about. You have plans for our lives You haven’t revealed to us. The stone may have been rolled in front of the tomb where Your body lay but it couldn’t keep You from descending into Hell to show Satan You were alive. The stone may have been blocking the opening of the tomb but it could not block what God was up to as He fulfilled His promise to raise You from the dead. And heavy stones may be rolled in front of some of our situations, but the same God is at work today just as He was then. We’ll believe. We’ll have faith. We’ll look with expectation and joyful anticipation.  In Jesus’ name Amen. 

(April 18, 2025)

 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose—Romans 8:28

Jesus, this verse is standing front and center today. Its truth has been with us through the ages, ever since You spoke it, and ever since the world began and You put Your promise to send us a Savior. Your Holy Spirit spoke to and through the Apostle Paul but this wasn’t the first time we’ve been reminded of Your power to turn what Satan meant for harm into something good. After Joseph’s brothers had schemed against him, thrown him into the cistern and sold him to the Ishmaelites, Joseph would have an opportunity to tell his brothers “what they had plotted against him and meant for harm”, did not turn out the way they planned; instead, God’s good was accomplished (Gen. 50:20).

We know that on Good Friday what the prince of darkness planned backfired.  He thought victory was in the bag. After centuries of waiting and watching, decades of scheming and contriving evil, stirring evil hearts, years of stalking and seeking whom he could devour, finally everything seemed to be lining up in his favor. Finally, finding one who was willing to betray You for a small price—Satan thought he had a victory. Your head hung low, last words spoken, breath gone, body limp, Satan thought he had the victory. But his victory and celebration didn’t last very long. The moment You appeared in Hell, invaded Satan’s den he knew not even Hell was beyond God’s reach. It was clear to see he doesn’t control anything, he doesn’t own anything, including people, no space is beyond God’s reach and touch. 

The culmination of darkness, sorrows and pain on Good Friday can remind us—even in today’s world—that no matter what Satan tries to contrive, no matter how clever or strategic he is, he can never outdo our God. He’ll never be the one in control of events or outcomes and when You want, Lord, You’ll use evil to fulfill and accomplish Your purposes. 

The cross is our sign that You are more powerful, bigger and eternal minded. When You have a plan nothing and no one can keep it from being fulfilled.  On Good Friday we are reminded we are blessed and you are great and greatly to be praised.         

(April 17, 2025)

And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39 (AMP)

How did you feel when You opened Your eyes on this Thursday, Jesus? What was the first thing that came to mind? You must have been fully aware of what day it was and what was ahead. Certainly, the Passover meal with Your believed disciples was on the agenda. And any other time the thought of that might have stirred good feelings and sweet memories of past observances, but today must have been different. This particular Thursday must have had its own set of strong emotions. We know Your resolve was strong; Your spiritual face was set like flint, but were You nervous or even a bit anxious in Your flesh? 

Holy Thursday. Calvary is no longer thirty-three years away or forty days away, but less than twenty-four hours to go. Less than twenty-four hours before You took the sins of the entire world, past, present, and future to the cross. Who could judge You for anguishing in the Garden of Gethsemane later today? For checking with the Father—one last time—to see if this redemption and salvation couldn’t be accomplished another way. Of course, You already knew there wasn’t but there was no harm in asking—just in case.

Lord, emotional anguish is a serious matter. People die in their anguish. Anguish can take us out. The heart can only stand so much, and You had more on You than any ordinary person could handle. No wonder You sweated drops of blood. Surely it was the Father who kept You alive. There was no redemption for mankind if You had a stroke or heart attack, or dying because You ran out of breath or the will to live. No. You had to stay alive all the way through. Nothing but the splintery cross and nails, and crown of thorns. Nothing less than hanging there for three hours working out our salvation while Your insides collapsed, Your body ached and throbbed, and Your thirst intensified.

Thank You Jesus for not running away or choosing a different path than the one set by the Father. Thank You for not choosing marriage, family, and career over being Servant-God. Thank You for choosing obedience and humbling Yourself and walking the Via Dolorosa. You did that for us Jesus. You did that for me. Amen           

(April 16, 2025)

 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes—Psalm 37:7

Jesus, Wednesday may have been the only day You had to enjoy peace and quiet before the spiritual storm intensified at the end of the week. Who could blame you for taking time to be quiet, considering everything that was still ahead.

On Sunday You rode into Jerusalem on the donkey and on Monday You went into the Temple and cleared out the money changers, which enraged the religious leaders even more. Later that day You traveled back to Bethany and perhaps stayed with good friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. 

On Tuesday You went to the Mount of Olives. That’s the day you came across the fig tree and cursed it and talked to Your disciples about the importance of having faith. Later that day you left the city and preached about end times and the Second coming. While You were doing that, it seems Judas was busy making arrangements to betray You. He was selling You out.

The Bible doesn’t record anything for you on Wednesday. Perhaps that was a day of rest and quiet for You. Who could blame You for etching out some time to be still and prepare for the Passover, Your arrest and suffering that was to follow.  

We know what the rest of the week was like for You, Lord: Thursday was the last Supper where You would example for Your disciples what true servanthood was about. By the time You entered the Garden of Gethsemane to pray every event prophesied from the beginning of time, and written in the Scriptures would unfold like clockwork. There was no turning back. 

Did Your quiet downtime on Wednesday help You have the physical, mental, and emotional strength needed to get through Thursday and Friday? Just like our down times help us face and get through the difficult times we come to?  

We all need quiet times in our life, Lord. Spiritually speaking, we need quiet times to help us grow. Moments of stillness and silence are vital because they help us become more self-aware and more aware of You at work in our life, our circumstances, and the world around us. Through Your example we learned we don’t need to be afraid of the quiet, and that includes when You are quiet. 

Thank You for spiritual seasons such as Lent that naturally lend themselves to quietness. Thank You for opportunities to disengage from the noise and enjoy some much needed solitude that gives us a chance to recalibrate and recharge. If You found time to do it on Your way to the cross then I certainly can find time to do so in my life. Amen

(April 15, 2025)

  But I’m afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”—2 Corinthians 11:3 

It’s Tuesday of Holy week already Lord. And I’m thinking, not only of how fast the week is going, but of the things I’ve learned from You during the Lenten season.  

For one thing, I learned the simpler I keep my life the better off I am. In this journey too many things compete for our time and attention. Each of us may live different lives and have different demands on us. Some people’s days are filled with family responsibilities, some with work, some with chores at home. Others are responsible for the care of people; like adult children caring for aging parents. 

In these days, Lord, distraction is the new normal. Being swamped or overloaded is like a badge of honor these days. We’re always tending to something. Our computers, tablets, laptops, phones and favorite social media sites are always calling to us; always demanding a piece of us. 

I wish I knew how to scale back, Lord. I wish I could unplug without that nagging sense of guilt or anxiety over what I might be missing out on. When You sent the disciples out for their missionary trip You reminded them, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave.” (Luke 9:14)        

Thank You Jesus, for the example You set for us. You may not have had social media to put up with or saddled with today’s culture, but everything was real-time, and every need was pressing. The demands on Your time were just as demanding—perhaps even more so. 

I remember one lesson You gave in keeping things simple happened when You went to dinner at Martha’s, Mary’s, and Lazarus’ home. That was a good one I still think about today. Martha was encumbered with the cares of entertaining a large group and wanted to pull Mary into her concerns and feelings of urgency. Surprisingly, right in front of all those men You defended Mary and told Martha Mary deserved to keep her life simple. Mary deserved to sit and listen to Your teaching without feeling pulled in every direction at once or feeling overwhelmed.

Will You help me sort the important from the things that can wait? I can take a lesson—okay more than a few—from You, Jesus. Today, help me think about the areas and ways I can simplify my life and reflect on Your own earthly life as an example I can follow.  I’d love to come away from this Lenten season and Holy Week with a renewed perspective and outlook on the benefits of simplifying life. Jesus, teach me to prioritize in a way that reflects You as my main priority. I can’t go wrong approaching it this way. Amen            

(April 14, 2025)

  Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”—John 12:27-28  

Lord, yesterday You rode into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey and great crowds of people lined the roads to cheer, honor and praise You. It was a great day for so many. They were excited. They thought they were going to see their next earthly king take his seat of power. They still don’t know that’s not how it’s going to go at all. Your ascent wasn’t to the king’s palace so you could wear kingly robes and crowns laden with jewels.

You, on the other hand knew all along Your ride into Jerusalem wasn’t going to end with Your kicking out the current administration or governing officials. Instead, it would end with Your going to the Cross of Calvary.

What were You feeling today, Lord, on this Monday before Good Friday? I’d have been a bundle of nerves. I would be ready to run the other way. In fact, knowing what was ahead, I’d probably never even come anywhere near Jerusalem.      

As Holy Week begins, I’m led to think about how profoundly troubled You must have been. The rest of the week wasn’t a mystery; not one little detail was a mystery to You. There would be no surprises, no last-minute changes. God was not going to do like He did when Abraham took his son Isaac to the mountain to sacrifice him and at the last minute told Abraham not to do it and Isaac was spared. No, this time the sacrifice of God’s Son—You—was going to happen. There was no ram in the bush, nothing waiting in the thicket. You were going to suffer and die, and You would be awake and aware every second. You were going to feel every punch, every slap, hear every slander and lie, feel the grossness of being spit upon and if these weren’t demeaning and disgusting enough, you would feel every pound of the nail being hammered into Your flesh.

Today is Monday of Holy Week Lord, and I’m feeling led to reflect on the reason You came into time and space, why You emptied Yourself and became a servant. Grant me grace to see and hear and know and receive and be changed through Your suffering journey. Grant me a Holy Week that’s blessed. Amen 

(April 12/13, 2025)

Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes I the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”—Mark 11:9-10 (NIV)

Jesus, we can almost hear the roar of the crowds as You proceeded slowly into Jerusalem. Like a triumphant general returning from a great victory. From the dusty roads of this earth, where the lips of little children sang Your praises, to the throne of heaven where angels’ anthems rang, this was Your moment.

Not only on the day of days, but down through the centuries, You have reigned in triumph in the hearts of men and women who have accepted Your glorious life and teaching. The Pharisees could hardly have known in that time how prophetic their words would be, “Look how the whole world has gone after Him…”

And why wouldn’t we follow You Jesus! Why wouldn’t the “whole world seek and go after You! You lead us into triumph! You are so loving and gentle and kind and compassionate. You are a healer to the sick, a mender of the broken, a listening ear to those who need to pour out their heart. You love everyone unconditionally and forgive those who have carried their guilt and shame until it has become a burden too great to bear…Why wouldn’t we clamor after You and long to be Yours!   

Jesus, just when we think we have had all the trouble we can handle, You reach down and lift us gently onto the colt You are riding into Jerusalem. Just when we think nobody cares You open our ears and we can hear Your encouragement spoken over us, using the voices of those who speak Your messages of affirmation and love. Just when we are feeling worthless or invisible You help us see we are riding with the King of kings; we are not invisible, we matter to You! And just when we think there is no reward for being humble, being a peacemaker, pure in heart, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, being persecuted for righteousness's sake…You smile and quietly reassure us “My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Even though You knew how it would end, Lord. Thank You for riding into Jerusalem. Thank You for being our King in the way that matters. Thank You for the week You began by sitting on the colt but that led to the Cross at the end. King Jesus, regardless of how some were disappointed You didn’t take an earthly throne, living in ivory palaces, and sitting on an earthly throne, we rejoice that Your throne in heaven was reserved for You. We rejoice that You have taken Your rightful place on the throne of our heart. We are humbled that You have chosen us to ride and reign with You both now and for all eternity. Amen    

(April 11, 2025)

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”—Matthew 11:2-3

Every day of His life Jesus was acquainted with those who had doubts that He was from God, those who questioned His authority, those who were uncertain who He was, those who asked for proof. Jesus was well acquainted with the doubtful and skeptical. In the beginning of His ministry even Jesus own brothers were doubtful He was the Messiah (John 7:5). 

Many, with a doubtful and skeptical heart, seek answers in the wrong place. The world will not answer our questions. The already skeptical or anti-religious will not be able to give clarity and assurance. Certainly, the devil will not be a reliable source. Jesus says he is the father of lies and full of darkness and deceit. He doesn’t come to give nor point us to light or life he is a thief and full of darkness and will do everything in his power to turn us away from Jesus.

When we have questions and doubts, we should go to the source. When we’re full of questions or having a surge of doubts about the existence or power of Jesus, like John sent his followers to ask Jesus if He was the one and received the answers he needed straight from Jesus—we can turn to the Word of God that holds the truth we are looking for. 

Jesus told John’s followers to report what they saw and heard. They had seen Jesus give sight to the blind, make the cripple walk, heal skin diseases that could not be treated with medicine, Jesus had even raised the dead and made deaf people hear (Matt. 11:4-5). No doubt there was something extraordinarily different about Jesus. Jesus, was doing things were not humanly possible. John’s followers were to report to him the facts so John could settle matters in his own heart.

The people sitting in darkness saw a great light and those living in darkness in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned (Matt. 4:16) was more than a metaphor. It symbolized ignorance, sin and separation from God. In the biblical context, darkness often represented the absence of divine truth and guidance (Isa. 9:2). The people were living without the revelation of God’s salvation, highlighted their need for a Savior. The dawning of light signified the beginning of a new time. When we receive Jesus as the one who is the fulfillment of God’s promise and all prophecy, we also experience light and life.   

Paul said down here we only see as in a mirror and our understanding is limited (I Corinthians 13:12). Our earthly minds are not big or broad enough to understand everything. Still, we can look to the Word of God to receive understanding and answers and when we do, we will not remain in spiritual darkness. When we take our doubts, skepticism and uncertainty to the word of God our eyes will be turned toward Jesus where all truth is found, and light is shined.

Lord, when we bring our questions and wondering to you, doubt doesn’t have to be our undoing. You will open our eyes, and we’ll see and know the truth. Whatever questions you don’t answer down here will be satisfied when we see our Savior face to face. Amen  

(April 10, 2025)

 Then Jesus sad to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace”—Luke 7:48-50

Are you like many who spend the night hours rehashing what you did or didn’t do during the day? Beating yourself up for what you did or did not say? Picking apart every conversation, action, thought and every response? Asking and accusing yourself for where you made mistakes or fell short throughout the day? Mentally and emotionally we can be like that hamster on the wheel in their cage, going round and round except we are going nowhere except in circles.

Too many of us lose precious sleep turning things over and over in our mind and burdening our heart until we are mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. The truth is, whatever we have done or left undone cannot be undone. The day is as it is and was. Sometimes we just need to practice self forgiveness and stop tormenting ourselves with our woulda-coulda-shoulda’s.

With a world that is more than wiling to remind us of our shortcomings, a mind that examines and reexamines our faults, and the devil who’s all too happy to accuse us, we can easily be burdened down with guilt and self-accusation. It’s all too easy to remember we are sinners but far too easy to forget we are forgiven sinners. 

Our God of grace and mercy longs to have us place our day in His hands. Jesus stands with His arms outstretched to receive us and the Holy Spirit whispers in our ear so we will remember what has been done for us. Again and again Jesus spoke the words that freed the burdened. Many came to Jesus for physical healing but Jesus knew it wasn’t just their body that needed healing, it was their soul also. 

“Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” How refreshing and releasing to hear those words. The devil may be standing there condemning us, our mind may be beating us up but Jesus reaches out to defend us.

Dear Jesus, hindsight isn’t always perfect, and we should tread lightly as we mentally revisit our day. When the day is over, we can’t undo any of it. Where we have messed up, made silly mistakes or even blatantly sinned against You and others, please forgive us. Help us to release our mistakes and sin to You and give us rest from the things that weigh heavily on our mind and heart. Amen      

(April 9, 2025)

 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near—Matthew 3:2

There are countless moments in the Bible where God nudges people to respond with delay. We’re getting close to Holy Week; there’s only a few more days to go in Lent. Before we know it we will be observing Palm Sunday, when Jesus mounted the donkey and rode through Jerusalem as people waved their palm branches and shouted supportive praises as He rode down the street, then comes Holy Thursday: the day when Jesus ate the Last Supper with His disciples, went into the Garden of Gethsemane where He would be arrested by the soldiers and start His long night of being accused, cursed, beaten, and paraded through the streets on His way to the cross of Calvary.

Traditionally, for those who have been observing the Lenten season, marking the days, counting down or up to Easter Sunday, things get a little more intense as we near Holy Week: the fasting gets more serious, the Bible reading more disciplined, the praying, more intense’ everything feels more intentionally. Even if we’ve been nonchalant during most of Lent, Holy Week seems to find us more disciplined and focused.

The days leading up to Jesus’ final week must have felt more intense also. We read in Scripture they were more intense for his enemies. The religious leaders were more determined to find something to pin on Jesus. They were looking for a way they could trap Jesus in a way that led to His arrest. They were getting desperate and even sloppy in nailing Him with something the people could buy into without them looking like the bad guys. They knew Jesus had a large following and making charges stick wasn’t going to be easy. The last thing they wanted was an uprising.  

The urgency of Jesus’ enemies was evil driven. Satan was using the hard, unbelieving hearts of some, egging them on to rise up against Jesus. But at the same time the urgency Jesus felt to accomplish His mission on earth was from the Father and He was Holy Spirit led and driven. 

Today we might feel an urgency also. It’s possible our urgency is about making sure we have everything we need for our family celebrations, beautiful Spring outfits and baskets full of goodies, or, if our head and heart are in the right place, if we’ve discovered the true treasure our urgency may be more about paying attention to our Savior’s words, drawing closer to God, going deeper in prayer and the study of God’s word. If our urgency is about drawing others to Christ so they receive Him as their personal Lord and Savior before it’s too late for them, that’s a good urgency to have. 

Like Jesus, our urgency—when it’s not misplaced—is also God-sent and Spirit led. Like Jesus, our urgency may lead us to the Cross of Calvary, not so we can be crucified and suffer there but that we can find the grace and receive mercy that flowed down from Jesus as He hung, bled, and died upon it.

Jesus let me have a right urgency as the end of Lent draws near.   

(April 8, 2025)

  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”—Matthew 18:21-22

For the proficient teacher every moment of the day has the potential to develop into a teaching moment. A good and aware teacher doesn’t need to be in the physical classroom, but this great big world and their immediate environment can become their classroom and become a lesson to teach the students.

A teachable moment is a moment in which a student is most ready to learn about a topic; it’s the perfect moment to teach something. Often, a teachable moment occurs on accident. It can be an unexpected event that happens in the day-to-day operations of the class that makes a student curious. Teachable moments can develop out of natural curiosity about a topic. They can happen as a student has an epiphany. The term was popularized by psychologist, chemist, educator, expert on human development and physicist Robert Havighurst in 1952. 

The understanding came to Dr. Havighurst while he was in the process of writing his book on human development.  

Jesus didn’t need a book or study on human development to convince Him about recognizing and taking advantage of teachable moments. He was an expert on the subject. Whether it was feeding 5,000, or 4,000 thousand people, spending time with a hurting woman by a well, going off the beaten path to heal a sick child, turning water into fabulous wine for a wedding feast, defending a young woman who just wanted to learn at his feet, or stilling raging winds on the sea, Jesus used every day events to teach his disciples about himself. The disciples were always learning something, there was never a wasted day. 

When we read the Gospels, we can identify at least eight teachable moments Jesus used:

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

Parable like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23)

The Commandment of Love (Matt. 22:37-39)

Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Matt. 18:21-22)

Humility and Service (John 13:1-17)

Faith and Trust in God (Matt. 17:20)

Lessons on Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13)

And the Importance of Truth and Integrity (Matt. 23) to name a few. 

Jesus timeless lessons remain relevant, offering wisdom that can transform individuals, families, and communities. As we reflect on His teachings, we can strive to incorporate them into our daily lives. Jesus lessons are limited to Sunday morning but can happen at any time, on any given day. Even our losses, sickness, painful experiences, and sorrows can teach us valuable lessons about our Lord’s power and show the many ways He demonstrates His love for frail humans.

Jesus, thank You for spotting and shaping a teachable moment in my life. I’m always blessed through them. Amen   

(April 7, 2025)

 Jesus got into a boat, and his followers went with him. A great storm arose on the lake so that waves covered the boat, but Jesus was sleeping. His followers went to him and woke him saying, “Lord, save us! We will drown!” Jesus answered, “Why are you afraid? You don’t have enough faith.” Then Jesus got up and gave a command to the wind and the waves, and it became completely calm—Matthew 8:23-26, NEV

This wasn’t the only occasion Jesus quieted a storm out on the water. Each time He did so, it must have been an affirmation of His powers and what He was able to do—even with the elements no human has control over.

On this occasion Jesus, tired out from a day of preaching, feeding people, and healing the sick, was trying to get a (quick) nap in while they were going across the lake, when a storm arose that was so fierce His followers thought they were going to be drowned. As soon as Jesus awoke, He spoke to the winds and waves, so the storm was quieted at the sound of His voice.

At times we experience storms. Not only the meteorological storms that sweep across our world and rattle our environments, but other kinds of storms. Sometimes we can experience storms in our relationships. Those can be hard to navigate and wait out. We can have stormy times on our jobs. We can be in a storm that shakes our financial well-being or security. We can go through spiritual storms that have us wondering and doubting God’s power, presence or concern about our wellbeing. 

While we’re in our storm Jesus doesn’t want us to lose sight of what’s true and certain like those long ago. Jesus wants us to keep in mind we have the Master-storm-calmer in our boat and there’s no need to panic. He wants us to remember even when His eyes appear to be closed to our situation He’s always aware and always in tune with our situation and Jesus will always calm our storm the moment our storm has served its purpose in our life.  

Jesus didn’t admonish His followers for calling out to Him during their storm—we’re supposed to turn to Him at all times. Jesus admonished them because they doubted His presence was enough. 

Whether Jesus is speaking with authority to our storm or quietly observing, His presence makes everything alright. Our storm is always a servant and never more powerful than God.

Jesus sometimes I forget You are right here with me. It might be storming everywhere in my life but that doesn’t mean You’re not aware or in control. When I call out to You let it be in confidence not panic.   

(April 5/6, 2025)

And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day—Mark 2:19-20, 

Dear Jesus, as Lent is wrapping up, I’m reflecting on the season and all it held for me. For the remaining days, I pray I am blessed to look at the cross and what You did for me, differently. As I prepare my heart and mind for the celebration of Easter—which is the foundation of my hope and the foundation of eternal joy—I pray that my faith is grounded in a new way.

Jesus, for your glory and our growth, we ask you to inundate us with fresh grace as we approach the cross of Calvary, Holy Week and Easter season. We don’t want (or need) to conclude Lent as we ordinarily do; we’ve had far too many of those already. We pray, saturate us and this time with the Gospel so that our lives are changed at the deepest levels in the needful places. Though we want to make Lent our story, make these days and season all about You. All about what You’ve said and done for us, not what we have promised to do for You.

Where we have previously dreaded this season or completely ignored it, forgive us, Lord. Where the cross hasn’t had center stage in our life, forgive us, Lord Jesus. Where we have misused this season in the past, focusing more on us than You, caught up in our Lenten rituals and missing opportunities to be completely changed and renewed, forgive us, Lord Jesus. And where there has been nothing sacred about Lent or looking deeply at the sacrifice You made for us, brashly and arrogantly jumping ahead to Easter, forgive us, Lord Jesus.

Jesus, on a personal note, keep me from living a dismal Christian life; of giving a wrong impression of what being a Christian is about. Keep me from giving others the impression that there is no joy in belonging to You. I pray, saturate me with new joy and new enthusiasm eager to share with others what You did—not only for the entire world—but for me! 

In Your Name we pray. Amen  

(April 4, 2025)

   For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” –Jeremiah 29:11, NIV

Do you get your recommended 10,000 steps daily? You might not only do ten thousand, but you may also exceed those. One of our daughter’s works at a hospital. She has to do a lot of walking during her workday. It doesn’t take any effort to not only get in the recommended 10,000 steps but she can easily double that number within her shift.  

Part of Jesus’ care for us included walking not only from village to village, making himself known to people, but in the final hours and moments of His life, taking every one of those steps meant for us. Jesus took our steps all the way up the hill of Calvary. He walked every single one of them. He didn't call for angel assistance or levitate to the top of the hill and wait till everybody else arrived. He walked the streets, He walked the hill, Jesus took the steps while carrying the weight of our cross.  

Do you wonder how many steps it was between the Praetorium where Jesus was sentenced—which was located on the Southwest side of Jerusalem—to the top of the hill where they nailed Him to the cross. 

It’s been estimated that the distance could have been around 600 meters or a third of a mile, but very likely they made Jesus go the long way, parading Him around so people could see how weak and helpless He was. Their goal was to humiliate Jesus as much as they could.  

For the average adult walking briskly, that would have been about 2500 energized steps. If we add on the extra distance Jesus would have needed to walk then we can add to that 2500, not discounting the extra weight on His bruised and bleeding back. 

What was Jesus thinking during that time? We know what His seven last words were from the cross but what was He saying to the Father while he walked all those steps? Was He praying for strength to endure, for His enemies, was He praying for us even then? Jesus’ warm and loving thoughts toward us must have motivated Him to continue taking those steps. 

2,500 steps, 5,000 steps, or 10,000 steps. No matter how many steps Jesus carried that cross or walked alongside Simon of Cyrene, regardless of the exact distance we are blessed to this day and for all eternity because our Lord was willing. Our Warrior didn’t give out. Our Healer and Comforter, Deliverer and Savior made it all the way to the top of the hill where His cross was waiting. On those days we don’t feel we can take one more trouble, one more trial, one more storm in our life we can remember the length Jesus went to, to secure our salvation. Because Jesus lasted and endured we can do our part now.    

Dear Jesus, thank You for taking our cross. Thank You for thinking me of as You carried that load on Your back and as You hung, bled, and died for me. Thank You, that Your thoughts towards me are always of peace and for my future hope. Amen   

(April 3, 2025)

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed—Isaiah 53:5-6

What’s your favorite healing story in the Bible? Is it located in the Old Testament where there are twelve occurrences of individual healings like the one about Naaman who was healed of his leprosy after dipping in the Jordan River seven times (2 Kings 5:1-14). Or when Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his slave girls so they could have children (Genesis 20:1-18). 

Maybe you loved one or several of the healings recorded in the New Testament. Especially those about Jesus as He traveled from town to town healing all the sick. In one story Jesus healed a blind man using dirt and spit, making a compress of mud (Matthew 12:22-29). Or when Jesus healed the man with the withered hand (Matt. 12:9-13). Or maybe you like reading how the woman with the issue of blood was healed just by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment (Matt. 9:20-22). No matter which Gospel you read, you can come across stories where Jesus healed people with all kinds of ailments. 

Reading about personal and individual healings in the Bible can encourage us, especially when we are suffering and on our sickbed, struggling to get well. Whether we have a fever like Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt 8:14-15) or have been given a diagnosis of cancer that does not have a good survival rate, knowing Jesus, our Healer is at work around and within us can keep us from giving up, keep us having faith in what our healing Savior can do in our life, regardless of medical diagnosis or prognosis.

In the Old Testament there are twelve occurrences of individual healings and in the New Testament there are 51 healing accounts. Approximately three quarters of the (38) are in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and all but one of the remaining accounts are in the book of Acts.

Even if we are not healed today and spend our life’s journey suffering in our body there is a healing all of us are promised: the spiritual healing Jesus secured when He went to the cross and died for us. 

Isaiah said, by Jesus stripes we are healed. By the punishment, floggings, and beatings with fists our Lord Jesus Christ endured before they nailed Him to the cross, we are healed. Because Christ took the beatings that belonged to us, because Christ took the nails pounded into His flesh and hung on the cross for our sins, we are healed. The atonement for our sins came at a great price which our Savior paid for us. As it’s been said, our salvation was free, but it wasn’t cheap. 

When we invite Jesus into our heart and ask Him to be the Lord of our life, we automatically experience His powerful, healing presence. Because Jesus is with us, and we belong to Him we will experience healing in our life that includes all aspects and areas of our life. In fact, in our lifetime we'll be healed again and again, just as we can become sick again and again. Praise Jesus there is an ultimate healing awaiting us. We can rest in the assurance that by the sufferings Jesus endured we have the healing that counts the most and lasts for all eternity: our sins are healed, and we have been set free.

Jesus, thank You for enduring the sufferings that were meant for me. Thank You for dying for me and for the healing You secured for me through Your death and resurrection. Amen     

(April 2, 2025)

  At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him—Mark 1:12-13

Lent is a season of reflection, spiritual growth, sacrifice, and generosity. Traditionally Lent lasts for forty days, modeled after Christ’s forty-day fast in the desert, and it ends on Good Friday. Today, in the Western Church, Lent officially begins on Ash Wednesday with a reminder of our mortality as many receive the imposition of the ashes: ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Whether we spend forty days fasting as Jesus did or we choose to fast on certain days or not at all, Lent is a time we can focus on repentance and reflection and growing our faith as we think of everything Jesus did for us.

We know that after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness where there were wild animals. There were no soft beds to sleep on, no plush pillows to lay His head upon, no warm blanket to cover Him on chilly nights, no protection from the elements, no human companionship. 

Jesus did not go on a nice retreat enjoying a quiet setting marked by quiet reflection, basking in sun rises and sun sets like we often enjoy when we participate in a spiritual retreat. Jesus endured forty days of preparation for His public ministry. Satan was stalking and observing, waiting for the Son of God to grow weaker in His flesh because He was not taking in any nourishment. For Jesus, it was a time of deep focus, complete fasting, and prayer. Jesus was setting His face for Jerusalem and the cross even then. 

Because Jesus suffered in isolation in the wilderness, going without food or drink, successfully overcame the temptations brought to Him by Satan at the end of forty days, we can spend our season of Lent as we choose. Whether we fast or choose not to, attend special worships, enjoy spiritual reading material or participate in spiritual retreats we can have peace of mind knowing the outcome: our Savior endured from beginning to end and nothing and no one kept Him from His destination: the Cross of Calvary where He fulfilled the Law and secured our salvation once and for all. 

Jesus, thank You for enduring hunger and thirst in the wilderness for forty days and for rejecting each temptation Satan brought. He tried to make You sin and keep us in bondage. Because You remained sinless from the beginning of Your earthly life until the very end, we are set free and Satan has no claim or hold on us. We can now live eternally in heaven. Amen      

(April 1, 2025)

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house—Isaiah 58:6-7

Do you fast from food during Lent? If so, what do you ordinarily fast from? Many people will cut out sweets, desserts. Some don’t eat bread or red meat for the forty days or at times. People have been using fasting as a spiritual practice and discipline for centuries. Even back in Jesus’ day and before that, people fasted. Fasting was such an ordinary practice during that time, Jesus made sure to instruct His followers about how they should be fasting. He told them, 

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces tat their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:16-18).   

Just as many observe the practice of fasting with regularity there are those who are unable to fast for medical reasons. Many people have physical ailments that prevent them from fasting. Sometimes certain medications will not allow us to fast from food. Fasting isn’t commanded by God. It’s not a Law or part of the Ten Commandments. If we don’t fast, we will not be punished by God. But if we do fast, we should do it the way God says in His word: with a pure heart, as a private matter between us and God, and for an outcome that does the good God wants. We are not to use fasting as a way of getting the admiration of others or make ourselves appear to be super-spiritual in the eyes of other.  

Jesus neither encouraged nor discouraged His disciples to fasting. Once He told the religious leaders His disciples didn’t need to fast as long as He was still with them. Fasting would be for after He had returned to heaven (Luke 5:33). Jesus just wanted to make sure if they did fast, they did it in the correct way. Even before Jesus came to earth God admonished the Israelites about their fasts. It seems they were attempting to use fasting as a means of gaining favor with God. through the prophet Isaiah God told them their practice of going without food was not impressing Him because their hearts were not right and at the end of their fasting they were the same as before their fast started. Their hearts were still the same: wicked and selfish. People were still hungry, homeless, and oppressed. 

God can do powerful and amazing things when we engage in the spiritual practice of fasting from food. If we choose to fast we should do so with a pure heart and in fullness of faith. God still uses the worshipful heart to do great wonders and miracles over the earth and in our lives.

God, whether I can fast from food or not, my heart is always humble. When and if I do fast, I pray it’s for all the right reasons. Amen           

(March 31, 2025)

As the deer pant for streams of water, s my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?—Psalm 42:1-2

When you’re thirsty what do you thirst after? Are you a soda drinker? What about coffee or tea? What beverage satisfies and quenches your thirst more than any other? Some people say they don’t like water. They can’t stand the taste of water without any additives. If that’s you, there are plenty of additives on the market you can reach for. It’s been scientifically proven the best beverage you can drink is water. Nothing is healthier than plain H2O.

The thirst David talks about in Psalm 42 isn’t about his physical thirst. Even though he’s in the desert where water is scarce. The thirst David is talking about here is spiritual. He is thirsting after God. David was one who could not get enough of God. He paints a picture of a dehydrated deer, panting for streams of water. His tongue may be protruding. His breathing shallow.  

David’s psalm is a metaphorical expression of his longing to draw near to God in His temple. David describes his thirst for God to be like the intense thirst of a little deer on a blistery heat-parched day. It’s not difficult to imagine the little deer’s urgency to find even a stream of water to dip his tiny tongue in.

Do you feel that urgency for God like David? Do you thirst after God? Are you panting for God in your spirit? Are you someone who can’t get enough of God? Do you open God’s word, eager to meet Him there? Do you look forward to being in the presence of God as you pray? Do you prepare for worship with a sense of anticipation, knowing you are going to be in God’s presence. Going to the throne room of God? 

God promises to bless those who seek Him by drawing near to those who draw near to Him (James 4:8). God will not deny the thirsty seeker. He will refresh and revive those who pant for Him. God will quench their thirst as He pours out His peace, and joy and wisdom and strength and hope and love. 

Just as water is the surest way to quench the physical thirst, God is the surest way to satisfy the spiritually thirsting.

Dear God. as a deer pants for streams of fresh, cool water so my heart and soul pant after You. Satisfy my thirsty soul, Lord. Amen