Apr 20 Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever”

So many songs have been written about Your love:

“Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.  Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…”  “Your love never fails.”  So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own.

My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born.  You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love.  You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”  “Amazing Grace.”  But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me.

You have been faithful when I have not.  You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone.  I can post them on social media.  I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You.  I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.”  Not in heaven.  Not on earth.  Not under the earth. 

No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love.  None. 

And I will proclaim it!  Amen

Psalm 89:1-14

Apr 7 Your strength, Your courage

“Be strong and courageous.”

Father, lend me Your strength when I am weak.  Let me draw on Your power to accomplish all that You direct me to do.

How do I appropriate Your strength and Your courage for myself?

These are some things that have helped me:

1 – Read Your Word

Even sitting at my computer, I have made a little flip book of 4×6 cards, each with an encouraging scripture.  And I carry one in my bag wherever I go.  It lightens my load to flip through them occasionally or just have one open for me to see.  I have typed in my name so they’re like personal messages from You to me.

“Do not fear Laura, for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

2 – Be obedient to Your Word

For instance – Today’s Proverb says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth.”  So I need to speak honestly and tell the truth.  To be obedient to Your commands.

If You call me to a place of danger, if I am there by Your invitation, it is the safest place on earth I can be.  There is protection in simply being where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. Show me by Your word where I should be and what I should be doing.

3 – Remembering Your faithfulness in the past

Father, so many times You have protected me and helped me through hardships.  Recalling those times from the past helps me trust You more now, and be strong, even in the face of trouble.

I only journal sporadically, but once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points.

With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down.  They confirm Your faithfulness to me.

4 – Watch for courage in others

You have put people in my life who are living examples of how to get through difficulties.

I can watch and learn what encourages and strengthens them.  Some have come through a hard time and some are in the midst of troubles right now.

5 – Trust that You are WITH me!

You promise Your presence: “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So when I am feeling weak I will remember that You are with me, and all the times You protected me and brought me through hardship in the past.  I will look to Your Word and do what it says, and to the people around me who are examples of courage and strength.

Thank You for Your abundant and everlasting provision!  I will draw on that.  Amen

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Mar 14 Love and Faithfulness

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character.  Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word.  It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection.

It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love.  The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love.  It is only made possible because of You – the One doing the loving, and Your Divine nature.

I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out; but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable.  The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.

Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait.  Husbands and wives partnered for life.  Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships.  These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who YOU are.  You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion.  You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children.

As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness.  You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High.  Be exalted!  Let Your glory fill the earth!  I will praise You and sing of You!  My faithful and loving God!  Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

Dec 19 Rejoice…and sing!

In the midst of Zephaniah’s vision of absolute devastation, You speak of a remnant: “the meek and humble.”  They will “trust in the name of the Lord.”   And You will gather them, honor them, restore their fortunes, take great delight in them and rejoice over them with singing.

You sing!!

Father, thank You for inventing music! 

Thank You for melodies I have learned, and words that give voice to my praise!  So when David says, “I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart… I will sing Your praise” – I can join with him and praise You!

I know songs that praise Your name, Your power, Your attributes.  I sing to You at the top of my lungs, with my hands held up, facing the sun, or the mountains, or looking up to the sky.

I drive around with praise music playing loudly and sing along. I can sit at the piano and sing with my eyes closed, to the music so many have written to help me glorify You.

Or I can quietly bow my head or fall to the floor and sing, barely audibly – but knowing You can hear me.

Your love and Your faithfulness are praiseworthy.  Your faithfulness to me alone gives me reason to sing and praise You.  And when there is no song that expresses my thanks, I just listen, and You teach me a new one!

As great and exalted as You are, You are still willing to come to the aid of Your people.  When I call, You have answered.  Many times You have come and rescued me.  You see me wherever I am, and are right there beside me.

You have defeated my foes, encouraged me and made me bold enough to act when I was too fearful.  I love David’s words: “though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.”

I have faith, and I trust, that Your plan is the absolute best for my life.  And that You can make that happen.  I know that You will never, ever leave me.  I praise You for Your steadfastness, Your faithfulness to who You are, and Your faithfulness to me and my loved ones!   Many thanks.  Amen

Zephaniah 3:9-20; Psalm 138:1-8

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.   There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today.  My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on.

When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess.

At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding “freedom” in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups.  But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You. 

 Even my freedom to express my spiritual viewpoint is being stifled when it is not ”politically correct.”

The list You gave Hosea of  “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of what most Americans call entertainment.   Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.”  Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You.

Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right.  Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world.  Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.”

Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up.  Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises.  Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-2

Oct 20 Example of obedience

Father, let me learn a lesson and be like the Rekabites.

You instructed Jeremiah to go and tempt the Rekabites, inviting them to do something contrary to the way they had faithfully chosen to live

Their forefather had told them “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.  Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents…”  And they did it!

You rewarded them for their faithfulness and made them an example for the people of Judah and Jerusalem to follow.  And for believers today.

It’s not that I should never do these specific things, or should live in a tent, but that I should be faithful to what You tell me.  Help me “learn this lesson and obey Your words.” 

You told Your people to “turn from their wicked ways and reform their actions; do not follow other gods to serve them.”  Father, the world I live in is so very far from Your standards in its values and morality.  Show me if I have any “wicked ways” that need to be changed.

Speak to me of the values You want me to have – in my attitudes, my speech, my thoughts, my relationships, my vote.  Father, I open everything in my life for Your evaluation and Your comment.  I desire to bring it all into alignment with You.

Lord, if there are actions I have taken that need reforming, show me those and how to make them right.  Likewise, if there are actions I have not taken that I need to, move me to be obedient.

I do not want to “follow other gods” or “serve them.”  Show me if there is anything or anyone I have put before You in my life.  Sometimes I may not even realize the significance or influence I am drawn to or led by. So I depend on You to keep me faithful to only You as my God and my Lord.

Thank You for this faithful example, that I don’t remember ever noticing before.  But will remember now.  Amen

Jeremiah 35: 1-19

Sept 16 God’s plan for all of us is the best plan for each of us

Father, what an amazing plan You set out before Abraham so long ago.  He believed You even at a time when there was no evidence to show Your plan was working.

You have truly kept Your promise to him in blessing the whole world through him and his offspring.  For through his descendants came salvation on the cross.  And we who believe are all the seed of Abraham, and the children of promise.

Father, I belong to You as much as Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah.  And just as Your promises to Abraham were true, so are Your promises to me.  You will “aid me against the enemy.”   With You I will “gain the victory and You will trample down my enemies.”   

Lord, You kept Your word across hundreds, thousands of years.  But just like Abraham had to wait till Your timing was right, help me wait on Your perfect timing in my life as well.

I desire to see all my enemies thwarted and in defeat immediately!  I would rather see my children and loved ones freed from the lies and deceit of the evil one right now.  I long to see their lives and mine free from the influences of the world and the flesh, living in total victory over all that is not godly.

But I also know that You know better than I what is best for all of us.  Help me rest, content in Your time table, ready to rejoice at each and every victory.

Father, fulfill Your plan for my sons.  Make my sons’ hearts wise.  Do not let them be misled by the “wisdom of the world” or the philosophies of men, or the frailties of the flesh.  But let them see through the falseness that masquerades as truth in the world today.  Then my heart will be glad, and I “will rejoice when their lips speak what is right.”

I know that You, who have kept Your plan in place since the creation of the world, are faithful and able to accomplish all You have promised.  Thank You.  Amen

Galatians 3:6-9; Psalm 60:11-12; Proverbs 23:15-16

Aug 15 God is in control

“No temptation has seized you that is not common to man.
And God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out
so that you can stand up under it.”

Father, this is a verse You have made personal in my life over and over again.  What a great assurance that there is nothing I can be tempted with or have to face, that hasn’t been faced before by someone else somewhere.

Your Word tells me “There is nothing new under the sun.”   And although some of the specifics or details change over the generations, the temptation boils down to the same thing, the same weaknesses, the same sin.

In this, You reassure me that You are faithful.  It is not a matter of opinion or feeling.  It is a fact of Your identity – who You are, how You are.  It cannot be changed.

Another unchanging truth is that You are in control.  You have the power, the authority, the sovereignty to take charge of any situation, any circumstance.  And while I do not always understand why some things happen, why they are allowed into my life; I choose to trust that You know better than me.

I trust that You can see all the way into eternity, and know what You are doing.

And in that faithfulness and sovereignty, You set a limit on how far I will be tempted.  The hard part here, the part that is so worrisome for me is:

what You know I can bear,
is often much more than I think I can bear.
And definitely, more than I want to bear.

So it is a challenge to remind myself that since You created me, You know me better than I know myself.  And in that, there is a peace I can rely on.

I have heard, that the strength of a ship is only proven in the storm.   And that the beauty of music produced by a piano, is only possible by the 39,000 pounds of pressure applied to the strings!

So, stress can provide what is needed for proving the strength and beauty within to be shown without.

When I am tempted, and I notice You didn’t say “if I am tempted”, You have promised a way of escape so I can stand up under it.  The Greek word “hupomeno” means to “bear up under.”   So the weight will not crush me.  You will give me a way to persevere and endure.

Thank You Father that others have endured whatever I am to go through.  Thank You that Your character of faithfulness is sure, and Your control is indisputable.  I praise You that You direct Your faithfulness towards me, and that You know me personally, and so well, that You set the limit of my circumstances.

Thank You that I am assured, that no matter what, You will provide a way for me to endure.  Only Your love would protect me like that.  I am so blessed by knowing You.  And by knowing I can trust You, in all things.  No matter what.  Amen

I Corinthians 10:13

July 20 Direct my path

Father, like Solomon who built a Temple to house Your glorious Name, I long to build something of substance with my life that will bring You recognition and glory.

It doesn’t have to be magnificent, or expensive, or what the world would judge as spectacular.   But it is the desire of my heart to be part of something special: a legacy that, when I leave this earth, others who come behind me will see my faithfulness and be pointed to You.

Paul left a different kind of testament to You with the letters he wrote.  His explanations, though sometimes long and arduous, explain the basis of much of my faith.

He explains that before You came and died on the cross, I was a slave to sin.  But because I put my faith in You, and am united with You, crucified on the cross with You; I died to sin.  I am no longer its slave, because death frees one from the bondage they lived in.

So I am raised from the dead with You, a free believer – no longer a slave to sin!  You set me free with Your death and resurrection!  Since my life is with You, and I live it freely; if I sin, it is because I choose to, since I am no longer a slave to it.

Lord, help me choose daily, to walk away from sin.

Show me how to walk with You in righteousness; how to live my life as a testimony to You.

Empower me to face the choices I have to make every day.  Don’t let me just pick what is the easiest, or safest, or most popular.

Let me look at my options from Your perspective.

Let me make decisions based on the long, eternal view, not just for the immediate benefit.

There’s a wonderful song written by Steve Green whose chorus says:

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

With You directing my path, I can live that life. I trust You. “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.”   Amen

2 Chronicles 3:1-17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-2, 11

Click HERE to hear the song

Apr 20 Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever”

So many songs have been written about Your love:

“Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.  Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…”  “Your love never fails.”  So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own.

My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born.  You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love.  You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”  “Amazing Grace.”  But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me.

You have been faithful when I have not.  You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone.  I can post them on social media.  I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You.  I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.”  Not in heaven.  Not on earth.  Not under the earth. 

No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love.  None. 

And I will proclaim it!  Amen

Psalm 89:1-14

Apr 7 Your strength, Your courage

“Be strong and courageous.”

Father, lend me Your strength when I am weak.  Let me draw on Your power to accomplish all that You direct me to do.

How do I appropriate Your strength and Your courage for myself?

These are some things that have helped me:

1 – Read Your Word

Even sitting at my computer, I have made a little flip book of 4×6 cards, each with an encouraging scripture.  And I carry one in my bag wherever I go.  It lightens my load to flip through them occasionally or just have one open for me to see.  I have typed in my name so they’re like personal messages from You to me.

“Do not fear Laura, for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

2 – Be obedient to Your Word

For instance – Today’s Proverb says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth.”  So I need to speak honestly and tell the truth.  To be obedient to Your commands.

If You call me to a place of danger, if I am there by Your invitation, it is the safest place on earth I can be.  There is protection in simply being where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. Show me by Your word where I should be and what I should be doing.

3 – Remembering Your faithfulness in the past

Father, so many times You have protected me and helped me through hardships.  Recalling those times from the past helps me trust You more now, and be strong, even in the face of trouble.

I only journal sporadically, but once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points.

With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down.  They confirm Your faithfulness to me.

4 – Watch for courage in others

You have put people in my life who are living examples of how to get through difficulties.

I can watch and learn what encourages and strengthens them.  Some have come through a hard time and some are in the midst of troubles right now.

5 – Trust that You are WITH me!

You promise Your presence: “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So when I am feeling weak I will remember that You are with me, and all the times You protected me and brought me through hardship in the past.  I will look to Your Word and do what it says, and to the people around me who are examples of courage and strength.

Thank You for Your abundant and everlasting provision!  I will draw on that.  Amen

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Dec 19 Rejoice…and sing!

In the midst of Zephaniah’s vision of absolute devastation, You speak of a remnant: “the meek and humble.”  They will “trust in the name of the Lord.”   And You will gather them, honor them, restore their fortunes, take great delight in them and rejoice over them with singing.

You sing!!

Father, thank You for inventing music! 

Thank You for melodies I have learned, and words that give voice to my praise!  So when David says, “I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart… I will sing Your praise” – I can join with him and praise You!

I know songs that praise Your name, Your power, Your attributes.  I sing to You at the top of my lungs, with my hands help up, facing the sun, or the mountains, or looking up to the sky.

I drive around with praise music playing loudly and sing along. I can sit at the piano and sing with my eyes closed, to the music so many have written to help me glorify You.

Or I can quietly bow my head or fall to the floor and sing, barely audibly – but knowing You can hear me.

Your love and Your faithfulness are praiseworthy.  Your faithfulness to me alone gives me reason to sing and praise You.  And when there is no song that expresses my thanks, I just listen, and You teach me a new one!

As great and exalted as You are, You are still willing to come to the aid of Your people.  When I call, You have answered.  Many times You have come and rescued me.  You see me wherever I am, and are right there beside me.

You have defeated my foes, encouraged me and made me bold enough to act when I was too fearful.  I love David’s words: “though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.”

I have faith, and I trust, that Your plan is the absolute best for my life.  And that You can make that happen.  I know that You will never, ever leave me.  I praise You for Your steadfastness, Your faithfulness to who You are, and Your faithfulness to me and my loved ones!   Many thanks.  Amen

Zephaniah 3:9-20; Psalm 138:1-8

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.   There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today.  My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on.

When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess.

At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding “freedom” in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups.  But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You. 

Even my freedom to express my spiritual viewpoint is being stifled when it is not ”politically correct.”

The list You gave Hosea of  “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of what most Americans call entertainment.   Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.”  Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You.

Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right.  Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world.  Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.”

Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up.  Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises.  Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-2

Oct 20 Example of obedience

Father, let me learn a lesson and be like the Rekabites.

You instructed Jeremiah to go and tempt the Rekabites, inviting them to do something contrary to the way they had faithfully chosen to live

Their forefather had told them “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.  Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents…”  And they did it!

You rewarded them for their faithfulness and made them an example for the people of Judah and Jerusalem to follow.  And for believers today.

It’s not that I should never do these specific things, or should live in a tent, but that I should be faithful to what You tell me.  Help me “learn this lesson and obey Your words.” 

You told Your people to “turn from their wicked ways and reform their actions; do not follow other gods to serve them.”  Father, the world I live in is so very far from Your standards in its values and morality.  Show me if I have any “wicked ways” that need to be changed.

Speak to me of the values You want me to have – in my attitudes, my speech, my thoughts, my relationships, my vote.  Father, I open everything in my life for Your evaluation and Your comment.  I desire to bring it all into alignment with You.

Lord, if there are actions I have taken that need reforming, show me those and how to make them right.  Likewise, if there are actions I have not taken that I need to, move me to be obedient.

I do not want to “follow other gods” or “serve them.”  Show me if there is anything or anyone I have put before You in my life.  Sometimes I may not even realize the significance or influence I am drawn to or led by. So I depend on You to keep me faithful to only You as my God and my Lord.

Thank You for this faithful example, that I don’t remember ever noticing before.  But will remember now.  Amen

Jeremiah 35: 1-19

Sept 16 God’s plan for all of us is the best plan for each of us

Father, what an amazing plan You set out before Abraham so long ago.  He believed You even at a time when there was no evidence to show Your plan was working.

You have truly kept Your promise to him in blessing the whole world through him and his offspring.  For through his descendants came salvation on the cross.  And we who believe are all the seed of Abraham, and the children of promise.

Father, I belong to You as much as Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah.  And just as Your promises to Abraham were true, so are Your promises to me.  You will “aid me against the enemy.”   With You I will “gain the victory and You will trample down my enemies.”   

Lord, You kept Your word across hundreds, thousands of years.  But just like Abraham had to wait till Your timing was right, help me wait on Your perfect timing in my life as well.

I desire to see all my enemies thwarted and in defeat immediately!  I would rather see my children and loved ones freed from the lies and deceit of the evil one right now.  I long to see their lives and mine free from the influences of the world and the flesh, living in total victory over all that is not godly.

But I also know that You know better than I what is best for all of us.  Help me rest, content in Your time table, ready to rejoice at each and every victory.

Father, fulfill Your plan for my sons.  Make my sons’ hearts wise.  Do not let them be misled by the “wisdom of the world” or the philosophies of men, or the frailties of the flesh.  But let them see through the falseness that masquerades as truth in the world today.  Then my heart will be glad, and I “will rejoice when their lips speak what is right.”

I know that You, who have kept Your plan in place since the creation of the world, are faithful and able to accomplish all You have promised.  Thank You.  Amen

Galatians 3:6-9; Psalm 60:11-12; Proverbs 23:15-16

Aug 15 God is in control

“No temptation has seized you that is not common to man. 

And God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out

 so that you can stand up under it.” 

Father, this is a verse You have made personal in my life over and over again.  What a great assurance that there is nothing I can be tempted with or have to face, that hasn’t been faced before by someone else somewhere.

Your Word tells me “There is nothing new under the sun.”   And although some of the specifics or details change over the generations, the temptation boils down to the same thing, the same weaknesses, the same sin.

In this, You reassure me that You are faithful.  It is not a matter of opinion or feeling.  It is a fact of Your identity – who You are, how You are.  It cannot be changed.

Another unchanging truth is that You are in control.  You have the power, the authority, the sovereignty to take charge of any situation, any circumstance.  And while I do not always understand why some things happen, why they are allowed into my life; I choose to trust that You know better than me.  I trust that You can see all the way into eternity, and know what You are doing.

And in that faithfulness and sovereignty, You set a limit on how far I will be tempted.  The hard part here, the part that is so worrisome for me is:

what You know I can bear,

is often much more than I think I can bear.

And definitely, more than I want to bear.

So it is a challenge to remind myself that since You created me, You know me better than I know myself.  And in that, there is a peace I can rely on.

I have heard, that the strength of a ship is only proven in the storm.   And that the beauty of music produced by a piano, is only possible by the 39,000 pounds of pressure applied to the strings!

So, stress can provide what is needed for proving the strength and beauty within to be shown without.

When I am tempted, and I notice You didn’t say “if I am tempted”, You have promised a way of escape so I can stand up under it.  The Greek word “hupomeno” means to “bear up under.”   So the weight will not crush me.  You will give me a way to persevere and endure.

Thank You Father that others have endured whatever I am to go through.  Thank You that Your character of faithfulness is sure, and Your control is indisputable.  I praise You that You direct Your faithfulness towards me, and that You know me personally, and so well, that You set the limit of my circumstances.

Thank You that I am assured, that no matter what, You will provide a way for me to endure.  Only Your love would protect me like that.  I am so blessed by knowing You.  And by knowing I can trust You, in all things.  No matter what.  Amen

I Corinthians 10:13

Apr 20 Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever”

So many songs have been written about Your love:

“Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.  Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…”  “Your love never fails.”  So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own.

My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born.  You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love.  You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”  “Amazing Grace.”  But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me.

You have been faithful when I have not.  You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone.  I can post them on social media.  I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You.  I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.”  Not in heaven.  Not on earth.  Not under the earth. 

No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love.  None.

And I will proclaim it!  Amen

Psalm 89:1-14

Apr 16 Your Voice, not the world’s

Lord, let me and let my sons be like Caleb and Joshua.

They spied out the Promised Land and saw all the goodness there.   They also saw the enemy for who they were, but knew that You would give victory and deliver them according to Your Word.

They held to their convictions and lived a long life receiving all You had promised.  Even in their old age, they were strong and vigorous because they served You wholeheartedly.

Help  us not listen to the world or the voices of the enemy who wants us to be discouraged and overwhelmed.  Draw us to seek out Your promises and hold to those even in the face of trials and trouble.  Let us see Your hand at work in our lives.

Remind us that when we serve You, we will receive all You promise.  Your will, Your plan will not be thwarted.  Even in my old age, help me be faithful, and I will be blessed and receive an inheritance from You.

Father, let me also be like the widow who made her plea to the judge so persistently that she received the justice she wanted.  Let my faith be unstoppable – not giving up, but lifting my concerns and needs to You in prayer.

When You return, let me be found faithful, continuing in prayer, not being dissuaded by circumstances or the influences of this world.

Lord, keep me and my loved ones mindful that my only righteousness comes from You, so I will not look down on anyone else, but remain humble.  I am ever dependent on You, on Your mercy and on Your grace for my life and all that I have.

Thank You for Your faithfulness – to warriors, to widows, to me.  Amen

Joshua 14:6-15; Luke 18:1-14

Mar 14 Love and Faithfulness

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character.  Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word.  It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection.

It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love.  The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love.  It is only made possible because of You – the One doing the loving, and Your Divine nature.

I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out; but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable.  The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.

Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait.  Husbands and wives partnered for life.  Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships.  These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who You are.  You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion.  You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children.

As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness.  You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High.  Be exalted!  Let Your glory fill the earth!  I will praise You and sing of You!  My faithful and loving God!  Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

Feb 13 I will testify and praise You

So many prophecies fulfilled just in today’s verses from Matthew, Lord. 

In so many ways, You made good on Your Word to send a specific deliverer by a specific pre-ordained way: a Savior who would be the Lamb of God and take away the sin of the world, if we would just accept and believe. 

These were not easy promises to fulfill.  They were quite costly.  Jesus paid the ultimate price with His very life, in a painful and torturous way.  And even after His death, more prophecies were satisfied.  

So many people, so many years, so many ways the plan could miss the mark, be off the prophecy just a bit.  But You brought Your plan down through the ages to fruition.  You accomplished the saving of man’s soul and his reconciliation to Yourself.

For these reasons as well as Your faithfulness, Your trustworthiness to Your promises, Your Sovereignty and power in accomplishing all You set out to do, “I will extol You!”

According to a dictionary, that means I will praise You, exalt You, commend, admire and worship You.  I will tell others of You with highest recommendations.   “Your praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in You!“

I will invite others to glorify You and lift up Your name with me in song, in prayer, to other believers and to anyone who will listen. 

I will tell them how You heard my prayers and saved friends and family from illness and injuries, how You protected them from bad decisions and bad people and bad situations.  I will share how friends at death’s door were returned to their loved ones, and how in Your mercy, others were spared from terrible pain. 

I will let them know that You are in the business of revealing wisdom when I ask for help making decisions and don’t know the way to go.  When I have felt trapped, You made a way out of the situation I had never thought of or considered. 

I will recall times when I was too afraid of what was about to happen, but You gave me peace and the courage to make it through by giving me songs, or visions, or specific scriptures to help. 

I will share how there were times when I thought things were going so wrong, but You worked them out and brought blessings out of them I never thought were possible.

These are the things, the testimonies that I have tasted, and have proven over and over again that You are good. 

Thank You – for being there for me every time I knew I needed You.  And thank You Lord for being there for me when I didn’t even know I was in need.  Amen

Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm34:1-8

Feb 11 Omnipotent

Lord, I believe Your Word is right and true; and that You are faithful in all You do.  So when the Word tells me You created the heavens and the earth, I believe it and am amazed.

Not only did You have the imagination and endless creativity to think it all up, You had the power and sovereignty over the elements and forces to do the creating!

How?  I don’t know.

Science is still wrestling with the questions of how our universe works.  Theories come and go about physics, matter, gravity wells, space and time; more than I can grasp.

Every generation we learn more, sometimes refuting what was previously believed.  I don’t know that we will ever reach a level of truly understanding it.

But I know that when I see the diversity and organization, I marvel at it – and see past it to the Creator.

I can look through a microscope or a telescope and see things beyond my imagination that amaze me.  I can observe connections and repeated patterns that cannot possibly exist by coincidence.

The recognition and glory are due the Creator.  “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him,” meaning I will acknowledge Your handiwork and have the utmost respect for Your power and authority over all our world.

“The Lord foils the plans of nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” 

I will sing of the mercy of the Lord!  Your faithfulness endures forever!  Amen

Psalm 33:1-11

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.   There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today.  My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on.

When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess.

At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding “freedom” in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups.  But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You.

Even my freedom to express my spiritual viewpoint is being stifled when it is not ”politically correct.”

The list You gave Hosea of  “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of most of what Americans call entertainment.   Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.”  Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You.

Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right.  Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world.  Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.”

Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up.  Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises.  Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-2

Oct 30 Great is Your Faithfulness

Father, Jeremiah continues here, not only beginning each stanza with successive letters of the Hebrew alephbet, but each verse within the stanza begins with the same letter!

Still, the outpouring of the description of all this suffering continues.  There are vivid word pictures and comparisons that describe personal devastation.

Yet, in the middle of all of this, come the words fashioned into a famous hymn.  “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Even in the midst of this harsh punishment, Jeremiah reflects on Your goodness.  And instructs the people:  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say; ‘We have sinned and rebelled…’”   

It’s the same today.  Father, You seek the lost and the rebellious.  You still hold out salvation for them.  They need only come to You.

But there will be a time when it is too late.  When You will surely punish.

O Father, turn the hardened hearts back to You before it is too late!

In Jeremiah’s day, You spoke through prophets.  But now You speak through Yourself.  You walked the earth as Jesus Christ.  And You left us Your actions and words and heart in Your Bible.

There are people who are heavy on my heart now, who need You.  Speak to these who need You in their lives.  Show me how to encourage them toward You without being harassing or pushy.

Bring someone into their lives who they will listen to.  Use circumstances in their lives to get their attention directed to You.  Convict their hearts that they need a Savior.

Draw back the veil of lies and deceit they have been believing.  Or they will “walk in darkness rather than the light”…they will be “dragged from the path and mangled and left without help.” 

Your love for them is clear.  Your compassion is renown.  Your faithfulness is great.  I rely on all these Lord, and totally trust in You!  Amen

Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 1:1-4

Oct 20 Example of Obedience

Father, let me learn a lesson and be like the Rekabites.

You instructed Jeremiah to go to them and invite them to do something that was contrary to how they had faithfully chosen to live.  And they refused to do it.

Their forefather had told them “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.  Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents…”  And they did it!

You rewarded them for their faithfulness and made them an example to be followed for the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  And for believers today.

It’s not that I should never do these specific things, or should live in a tent, but that I should be faithful to what You tell me.  Help me “learn this lesson and obey Your words.”

You told Your people to “turn from their wicked ways and reform their actions; do not follow other gods to serve them.”  Father, the world I live in is so very far from Your standards in its values and morality.  Show me if I have any “wicked ways” that need to be changed.

Speak to me of the values You want me to have – in my attitudes, my speech, my thoughts, my relationships, my vote.  Father, I open everything in my life for Your evaluation and Your comment.  I desire to bring it all into alignment with You.

Lord, if there are actions I have taken that need reforming, show me those and how to make them right.  Likewise, if there are actions I have not taken that I need to, move me to be obedient.

I do not want to “follow other gods” or “serve them.”  Show me if there is anything or anyone I have put before You in my life.  Sometimes I may not even realize the significance or influence I am drawn to or led by. So I depend on You to keep me faithful to only You as my God and my Lord.

Thank You for this faithful example, that I don’t remember ever noticing before.  But will remember now.  Amen

Jeremiah 35: 1-19

Oct 18 Promises fulfilled

Father, part of Jeremiah’s prophecy has already come true.  You did indeed send Your people “into the hand of the king of Babylon.”  And seventy years later, You did “gather them from the lands where You banished them.”  They once again bought and sold fields in the land.  Jerusalem was rebuilt.

Part of Jeremiah’s words are yet to be fulfilled.  You promised Jerusalem would never again be demolished.  And although the city was rebuilt when the king of Persia sent the Israelites back, it has been destroyed again and again.

Also, they were to “live in safety.”  But the Israelites have been under the rule of many conquerors since then.  Even today, as a formal nation, their neighbors are not on peaceful terms with them, and war is an ever-present concern.  So those “days” have not arrived yet.

But Your fulfillment of Your promises in the past assures me that Your promises for the future are true.  And that the prophecies You have given will all come true.  

One day, “All will know the Lord, from the least …to the greatest.” And we will have Your instructions and plans in our minds and written on our hearts. 

I desire to live my life guided by Your instruction.  So in the meantime, I will worship You, the Creator of the sun and moon and stars and seas, the King of the Universe, Almighty God.

And thank You for caring for me enough to let me know, through Your Word, of Your faithfulness to keep all the promises You have made.  And for showing me what is to come.

And I will bless Your name and thank You for teaching me how to live until that time: in great hope and in humble obedience.   Amen

Jeremiah 31:27-40; 32:36-42

Sept 16 God’s plan for all of us is the best for each of us

Father, what an amazing plan You set out before Abraham so long ago.  He believed You even at a time when there was no evidence to show Your plan was working.  You have truly kept Your promise to him in blessing the whole world through him and his offspring.  For through his descendants came salvation on the cross.  And we who believe are all the seed of Abraham, and the children of promise. 

Father, I belong to You as much as Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah.  And just as Your promises to Abraham were true, so are Your promises to me.  You will “aid me against the enemy.”   With You I will “gain the victory and You will trample down my enemies.” 

Lord, You kept Your word across hundreds, thousands of years.  But just like Abraham had to wait till Your timing was right, help me wait on Your perfect timing in my life as well. 

I desire to see all my enemies thwarted and in defeat immediately!  I would rather see my children and loved ones freed from the lies and deceit of the evil one right now.  I long to see their lives and mine free from the influences of the world and the flesh, living in total victory over all that is not godly.  

But I also know that You know better than I what is best for all of us.  Help me rest, content in Your time table, ready to rejoice at each and every victory.

Father, fulfill Your plan for my sons.  Make my sons’ hearts wise.  Do not let them be misled by the “wisdom of the world” or the philosophies of men, or the frailties of the flesh.  But let them see through the falseness that masquerades as truth in the world today.  Then my heart will be glad, and I “will rejoice when their lips speak what is right.” 

I know that You, who have kept Your plan in place since the creation of the world, are faithful and able to accomplish all You have promised.  Thank You.  Amen

Galatians 3:6-9; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 23:15-16

July 21 I am Chosen !

Father, what an amazing legacy David left because You chose him!

He was the youngest of all his brothers.  Normally that meant he would not be the leader of the family or inherit a large portion from his father.  Those were the things that usually brought significance in those times.   But You chose him!

Three of his older brothers went to battle with Saul.  They were men’s men, while David cared for the flocks, and spent his days with smelly, stupid, sheep.  But You chose him! 

Because of Your choosing, he was anointed to deliver his people from the threat of the Philistines.

He slayed a giant!  Not as a mighty warrior, but as a boy, with a stone and a slingshot.  He was humble and would not go against Saul, and was patient and waited on Your perfect timing.  He even had to run and hide out time and time again, because Saul chased him down to kill him.  But You protected him, because You chose him.

You showed Your faithfulness, fulfilling all Your promises.

Father, You have also chosen me.   You tell me “I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.”  Col 3:12  “I am chosen and dearly loved by Christ to bear his fruit.”   John 15:16

I am no David, but I can know that You will fulfill all Your promises to me too.

Help me look to You, not to man or earthly treasures for my inheritance.

Remind me to use the gifts You have given me, not idly wish that I had the gifts and talents of others.

Teach me to be humble, and to wait on Your perfect timing for everything in my life.

Show me when to back down and rely on Your protection.

I may not be much by the world’s standards, but let me have a mighty legacy like David.  Help me live my life in a way that inspires faith and devotion to You.   “I call on You, Lord, for You will answer me.”   Amen

2 Chronicles 5:1-6:11; Psalm 17:6

July 15 Lessons from David

Lord, David, who was known as a “man after God’s own heart” ordered that a census be taken of the Israelites.  The implication here is that he wanted to know how many fighting men he had available.  It seems like a reasonable thing to do to the logical mind.  But what the scripture says is that “satan incited David to take a census of Israel.”

So the question becomes: how or why did this happen?

One observation is that “In the Spring, at the time when kings go off to war…David remained in Jerusalem.”  So it’s possible that if he had been present with the troops, where he should have been, he would have seen first-hand how many men he had.

Or could it be that his faith in Your ability to continue to give him military victories was waning and he wanted to bolster his confidence by seeing the numbers?

What he should have done when this idea came to him, was hold it up to what he knew of You.  And seek Your counsel on whether or not to go ahead with it.  Even his commander Joab knew this was a bad thing.   His response to David was “Why does my lord want to do this?  Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

So Father, help me learn from this mistake David made.

1 – If there is a place I am supposed to be, do not let me make excuses to avoid being there.

Help me take my responsibilities seriously and not be swayed by fear, or laziness, or arguments to the contrary.  If I am in the center of Your will, I am less vulnerable to the suggestions and oppression of satan.

2 –  Bolster my faith with Your truth from Scripture so it doesn’t fail me.

When I hear the whisperings of satan telling me to question myself or Your love and faithfulness to me, let me take those wrong thoughts captive and come against those lies with the truth of scripture.  So –

If satan tells me “What do you think you’re doing?  You can’t do that?”  Let me respond with “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me!” Philippians 4:13

If he taunts me with “You’re not good enough/smart enough” let me respond with Your truth that “I am God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do the work which He has prepared in advance for me.”  Ephesians 2:10.

If I hear a voice saying ‘”You’ve made so many mistakes, you’re worthless,” I can boldly respond with “I am chosen of God, holy, and dearly loved.” Colossians 3:12

3 – If You place people in my life to speak the truth to me, like Joab did for David, do not allow me to be too stubborn or bull-headed to listen to them.

4 – Mostly, Father, let me be consistent to always lay my plans before you, asking if it is Your will.  Then listen to and be obedient to Your response to me.

Regardless of how illogical it may seem, or how much sense it may make to others, I desire to follow Your voice: the voice of my Shepherd.

David and his people paid a terrible price for his disobedience.  Let me learn from his mistake, and be led by You.  Amen

I Chronicles 21:1-17; 1 Chronicles 20:1

 

April 20 Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever”

So many songs have been written about Your love:

“Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.  Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…”  “Your love never fails.”  So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own.

My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born.  You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love.  You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness,”  “Amazing Grace.”  But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me.

You have been faithful when I have not.  You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Even in times like these, I can share examples of Your faithfulness in my life with someone every single day.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone.  I can post them on social media.  I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You.  I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.”  Not in heaven.  Not on earth.  Not under the earth.

No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love.  None.

And I will proclaim it!  Amen

Psalm 89:1-14

Mar 14 Love and Faithfulness

 

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

 

 

 

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character.  Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word.  It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection.

It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love.  The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love.  It is only made possible because of You – the One doing the loving, and Your Divine nature,.

I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out; but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable.  The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.

Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait.  Husbands and wives partnered for life.  Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships.  These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who You are.  You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion.  You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children.

As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness.  You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High.  Be exalted!  Let Your glory fill the earth!  I will praise You and sing of You!  My faithful and loving God!  Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

Feb 13 I will testify and praise You!

So many prophecies fulfilled just in today’s verses from Matthew, Lord.

In so many ways, You made good on Your Word to send a specific deliverer by a specific pre-ordained way: a Savior who would be the Lamb of God and take away the sin of the world, if we would just accept and believe.

These were not easy promises to fulfill.  They were quite costly.  Jesus paid the ultimate price with His very life, in a painful and torturous way.  And even after His death, more prophecies were satisfied.

So many people, so many years, so many ways the plan could miss the mark, be off the prophecy just a bit.  But You brought Your plan down through the ages to fruition.  You accomplished the saving of man’s soul and his reconciliation to Yourself.

For these reasons as well as Your faithfulness, Your trustworthiness to Your promises, Your Sovereignty and power in accomplishing all You set out to do, “I will extol You!”

According to a dictionary, that means I will praise You, exalt You, commend, admire and worship You.  I will tell others of You with highest recommendations.   “Your praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in You!“

I will invite others to glorify You and lift up Your name with me in song, in prayer, to other believers and to anyone who will listen.

I will tell them how You heard my prayers and saved friends and family from illness and injuries, how You protected them from bad decisions and bad people and bad situations.  I will share how friends at death’s door were returned to their loved ones, and how in Your mercy, others were spared from terrible pain.

I will let them know that You are in the business of revealing wisdom when I ask for help making decisions and don’t know the way to go.  When I have felt trapped, You made a way out of the situation I had never thought of or considered.

I will recall times when I was too afraid of what was about to happen, but You gave me peace and the courage to make it through by giving me songs, or visions, or specific scriptures to help.

I will share how there were times when I thought things were going so wrong, but You worked them out and brought blessings out of them I never thought were possible.

These are the things, the testimonies that I have tasted, and have proven over and over again that You are good.

Thank You – for being there for me every time I knew I needed You.  And thank You Lord for being there for me when I didn’t even know I was in need.  Amen

Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm34:1-8

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.   There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today.  My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on.

When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess.

At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding “freedom” in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups.  But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You.

Even my freedom to express my spiritual viewpoint is being stifled when it is not ”politically correct.”

The list You gave Hosea of  “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of most of what Americans call entertainment.   Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.”  Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You.

Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right.  Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world.  Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.”

Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up.  Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises.  Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-2

Oct 30 Great is Your faithfulness

Father, Jeremiah continues here, not only beginning each stanza with successive letters of the Hebrew alephbet, but each verse within the stanza begins with the same letter!

Still, the outpouring of the description of all this suffering continues.  There are vivid word pictures and comparisons that describe personal devastation.

Yet, in the middle of all of this, come the words fashioned into a famous hymn.  “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Even in the midst of this harsh punishment, Jeremiah reflects on Your goodness.  And instructs the people:  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say; ‘We have sinned and rebelled…’”   

It’s the same today.  Father, You seek the lost and the rebellious.  You still hold out salvation for them.  They need only come to You.

But there will be a time when it is too late.  When You will surely punish.

O Father, turn the hardened hearts back to You before it is too late!

There are people who are heavy on my heart now, who need You.  Speak to these who need You in their lives.  Show me how to encourage them toward You without being harassing or pushy.

Bring someone into their lives who they will listen to.  Use circumstances in their lives to get their attention directed to You.  Convict their hearts that they need a Savior.

Draw back the veil of lies and deceit they have been believing.  Or they will “walk in darkness rather than the light”…they will be “dragged from the path and mangled and left without help.” 

Your love for them is clear.  Your compassion is renown.  Your faithfulness is great.  I rely on all these Lord, and totally trust in You!  Amen

Lamentations 3:1-66

Oct 20 Example of obedience

Father, let me learn a lesson and be like the Rekabites.

You instructed Jeremiah to go to them and invite them to do something that was contrary to how they had faithfully chosen to live.  And they refused to do it.

Their forefather had told them “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.  Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents…”  And they did it!

You rewarded them for their faithfulness and made them an example to be followed for the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  And for believers today.

It is not that I should never do these specific things, or live in a tent, but that I should be faithful to what You tell me.  Help me “learn this lesson and obey Your words.”

You told Your people to “turn from their wicked ways and reform their actions; do not follow other gods to serve them.”  Father, the world I live in is so very far from Your standards in its values and morality.  Show me if I have any “wicked ways” that need to be changed.

Speak to me of the values You want me to have – in my attitudes, my speech, my thoughts, my relationships, my vote.  Father, I open everything in my life for Your evaluation and Your comment.  I desire to bring it all into alignment with You.

Lord, if there are actions I have taken that need reforming, show me those and how to make them right.  Likewise, if there are actions I have not taken that I need to, move me to be obedient.

I do not want to “follow other gods” or “serve them.”  Show me if there is anything or anyone I have put before You in my life.  Sometimes I may not even realize the significance or influence I am drawn to or led by. So I depend on You to keep me faithful to only You as my God and my Lord.

Thank You for this faithful example, that I don’t remember ever noticing before.  But will remember now.  Amen

Jeremiah 35: 1-19

Sept 16 God’s plan is the best

Father, what an amazing plan You set out before Abraham so long ago.  He believed You even at a time when there was no evidence to show Your plan was working.  You have truly kept Your promise to him in blessing the whole world through him and his offspring.  For through his descendants came salvation on the cross.  And we who believe are all the seed of Abraham, and the children of promise.

Father, I belong to You as much as Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah.  And just as Your promises to Abraham were true, so are Your promises to me.  You will “aid me against the enemy.”   With You I will “gain the victory and You will trample down my enemies.” 

Lord, You kept Your word across hundreds, thousands of years.  But just like Abraham had to wait till Your timing was right, help me wait on Your perfect timing in my life as well.

I desire to see all my enemies thwarted and in defeat immediately!  I would rather see my children and loved ones freed from the lies and deceit of the evil one right now.  I long to see their lives and mine free from the influences of the world and the flesh, living in total victory over all that is not godly.

But I also know that You know better than I what is best for all of us.  Help me rest, content in Your time table, ready to rejoice at each and every victory.

Father, fulfill Your plan for my sons.  Make my sons’ hearts wise.  Do not let them be misled by the “wisdom of the world” or the philosophies of men, or the frailties of the flesh.  But let them see through the falseness that masquerades as truth in the world today.  Then my heart will be glad, and I “will rejoice when their lips speak what is right.”

I know that You, who have kept Your plan in place since the creation of the world, are faithful and able to accomplish all You have promised.  Thank You.  Amen

Galatians 3:6-9; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 23:15-16

Aug 15 God is in control

“No temptation has seized you that is not common to man.  And God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Father, this is a verse You have made personal in my life over and over again.  What a great assurance that there is nothing I can be tempted with or have to face, that hasn’t been faced before by someone else somewhere.

Your Word tells me “There is nothing new under the sun.”   And although some of the specifics or details change over the generations, the temptation boils down to the same thing, the same weaknesses, the same sin.

In this, You reassure me that You are faithful.  It is not a matter of opinion or feeling.  It is a fact of Your identity – who You are, how You are.  It cannot be changed.

Another unchanging truth is that You are in control.  You have the power, the authority, the sovereignty to take charge of any situation, any circumstance.  And while I do not always understand why some things happen, why they are allowed into my life; I choose to trust that You know better than me.  I trust that You can see all the way into eternity, and know what You are doing.

And in that faithfulness and sovereignty, You set a limit on how far I will be tempted.  The hard part here, the part that is so worrisome for me is: what You know I can bear, is often much more than I think I can bear.  And definitely, more than I want to bear.

So it is a challenge to remind myself that since You created me, You know me better than I know myself.  And in that, there is a peace I can rely on.

I have heard, that the strength of a ship is only proven in the storm.   And that the beauty of music produced by a piano, is only possible by the 39,000 pounds of pressure applied to the strings!

So, stress can provide what is needed for proving the strength and beauty within to be shown without.

When I am tempted, and I notice You didn’t say “if I am tempted”, You have promised a way of escape so I can stand up under it.  The Greek word “hupomeno” means to “bear up under.”   So the weight will not crush me.  You will give me a way to persevere and endure.

Thank You Father that others have endured whatever I am to go through.  Thank You that Your character of faithfulness is sure, and Your control is indisputable.  I praise You that You direct Your faithfulness towards me, and that You know me personally, and so well, that You set the limit of my circumstances.

Thank You that I am assured, that no matter what, You will provide a way for me to endure.  Only Your love would protect me like that.  I am so blessed by knowing You.  And by knowing I can trust You, in all things.  No matter what.  Amen

I Corinthians 10:13

May 20 Wisdom, prophecy, life, death

Wisdom, prophecy, life and death.  All are in Your hands.

David showed Your wisdom when he did not kill Saul, the one You anointed as king over Israel.  He prophesied when he said “the Lord Himself will strike him.”  David recognized that a man’s life and death are for You to determine.

Saul showed wisdom when he acknowledged his sin acting like a fool trying to kill a man who had spared his life twice.  He prophesied when he said, to David “you will do great things and surely triumph.”  He too, recognized that You had spared his life through David and that David’s life was not his to take.

The woman who acted as a medium recognized her life could have been forfeit for what she did, had You not allowed Saul to hear again from Samuel the prophecy You had already given through him: that Saul would lose the kingdom because of his disobedience and it would be given to David.  You also revealed that Saul would die the next day.

In one of Your most dramatic public miracles You demonstrated that You are the resurrection and the life by raising Lazarus to life.  It was Your wisdom to wait when the word came He was sick so that this greater miracle could be done.

You prophesied to Your disciples that “this sickness will not end in death” so that You would be glorified through the circumstances to follow.  And although the disciples didn’t understand at the time, You were given glory as many who saw, believed.

Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year thought he was being wise, but actually prophesied when he said “it is better that one man die for the people than the whole nation perish.”   For You did indeed lay down Your very life so that Your people would have everlasting life.

Thank You that these important issues are in the hands of the One, Almighty God who judges justly and can be trusted because of Your faithfulness and love for Your people.

My life and times are in Your hands. I know that my life came from You and nothing can take it out of Your hands.

Give me wisdom to live each day in faith.  Show me how to use my gifts, talents, abilities and experiences to the fullest measure to bring You honor and glory every day that I have.

And then close my eyes in peace when the final day arrives, to reawaken in Your eternal presence.  Amen

I Samuel 26:1-25; 28:3-25; John 11:1-53

May 12 There is none like You

Because You can be trusted, O Lord, my heart is strong and steady.  I am secure in my faith.  I will stand steadfast and give You the praise You deserve!

I will shout and sing!  I will make music that honors You with all that is in me!  I will sing along with praise music.  Add my voice to those of others in praise and worship.  And will compose new songs that tell of Your faithfulness to me!

I will stay up late to praise You Father!  I will even get up early when the sun is coming up to honor You!  Break out the guitars, pianos, cymbals, harps, harmonicas, drums, whatever instruments can make music that acknowledges Your love and faithfulness!

Your love is boundless!  As high as I can see with my eyes or even perceive with satellites to the farthest reaches of our galaxy – Your love goes farther still!  Beyond what is calculable or even imaginable!

I stretch out my arms to encompass all I can measure from end to end till it wraps around the earth and begins again – that’s the way Your unending faithfulness is.  You are over and above and beyond all that I can see or comprehend!  I place Your name above all others.  Your glory is limitless!

With just the power and strength in Your right arm, You can save me from any foe, rescue me from any enemy, deliver me from any calamity.  Deliver me Lord, from the lies and deceit of the evil one.  Do not let me be pulled into false philosophies, lying schemes, or political intrigues only to see the truth when it is too late and I have been corrupted.

I am Yours, Lord.  Defend me and bring me to Your fortified place.  Free me from the weaknesses of my flesh: selfishness, laziness, lust, jealousy, pride, arrogance, and greed.  Help me against all these enemies.  No one can help me like You.  There is none like You!

With You, I am victorious!  With You, nothing is impossible!  Thank You for coming to my aid.  Thank You for loving me faithfully.  And for being lovingly faithful.  Amen

Psalm 108:1-13

 

Apr 20 Love and faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever” 

So many songs have been written about Your love:

“Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.  Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…”  “Your love never fails.”  So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own.

My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born.  You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love.  You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations.”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”  “Amazing Grace.”  But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me.

You have been faithful when I have not.  You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone.  I can post them on social media.  I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You.  I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.”  Not in heaven.  Not on earth.  Not under the earth.

No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love.  None.

And I will proclaim it!  Amen

Psalm 89:1-13

Apr 8 No Rock like our God

Lord, do not let ours be a nation without sense, with no discernment, like Israel was.

When You gave them an inheritance and set up boundaries for Your people according to the number of their sons, You shielded and carried them.  You protected them and guarded them as an eagle cares for and trains its young.

You nourished them with the best, and yet, when they became fat and sleek, satisfied, they turned from You.  They abandoned the God who gave them all they had, and sought other “gods.”   They became perverse and unfaithful, not caring that it would call down Your curses and judgment on them and their children.

Father, give me discernment so I can know when I am being tempted away from You with the values and philosophies of this world.  Help me be wise and understand that there are consequences to my decisions and actions.

Give me the ability to be able to think ahead and see where things will lead so I can choose what will lead me to a closer relationship with You.

Father, give the leaders of my country sense to see where they are taking our people with their choices as well.  Give them discernment and wisdom to know that Your judgment is real and You will not be mocked.  Our Constitution was written to govern a moral people, and when morality fails, we have little hope of living in safety or security.

I can already see signs that we have gone too far.   We, as a people – even Believers, have put You to the test and rebelled against You, the Lord Most High.  We have not kept Your statutes.  We have become disloyal and faithless.

Do not reject us O God.  Do not abandon us.  But show us the error of our ways; teach us to walk rightly again and make wise decisions that honor You.

Help me give You the place in my life that You deserve.

Remind me to read Your Word so it can guide and encourage me.  Recall to my mind, Your faithfulness to me in the past: all the ways You have protected and delivered me.

Speak to me when I pray to You, giving me direction.  Let me feel Your presence near me, assuring me of your love, healing my wounds, and giving me Your peace.

Thank You that You are the One True God, the Most High, who will never leave me or forsake me.  Thank You that Your faithfulness endures forever.  I praise You for Your unending love.  You are my God.  Amen

Deuteronomy 32:28-43; Psalm 78:56-64

Apr 7 Your strength, Your courage

Several times today the words “Be strong and courageous” appear.  O Lord, make me strong and courageous!  Lend me Your strength when I am weak.  Let me draw on Your power to accomplish all that You direct me to do.

How do I appropriate Your strength?

Reading Your Word is a good start.  It is encouraging just to read Your words that sit by my computer today – “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

I have made a little flip book of 4×6 cards with encouraging scriptures.  It lightens my load to flip through them occasionally, or just having them sit out, open to a verse.   They are like personal messages from You to me.

It also helps to know I am being obedient to what Your Word says to do.

There is protection in simply being where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing.  Even if You are calling me to a place of danger, if I am there by Your invitation, it is the safest place on earth I can be.

Father, so many times You have protected me and helped me through hardships.  Recalling those times from the past helps me trust You more now, and be strong in the face of trouble.  I only journal sporadically, but once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points.

With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down.  They confirm Your faithfulness to me.

And You have put people in my life who I can observe being courageous with their own challenges.  Some are in the midst of them right now.  Some have already come through a hard time.  I can watch and learn what encourages them.

They are living examples of how to get through difficulties.  Some have even leaned on me.  And when I need to, I can lean on them.

So You give me Your Word.  You protect me wherever You call me to be.  You Help me remember Your faithfulness in the past.  You put helping relationships in my life.

And most importantly, You promise Your presence:  “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Thank You for Your abundant and everlasting provision.  Amen

Deuteronomy 31:1-23

 

 

Mar 24 Tracing God’s Faithfulness

Dear Lord, I don’t often take time to look back over my life to see where I’ve been.  Or evaluate how I got here.  But this is what Moses is doing for these young Israelite people who are about to come into their promised land.

Because their fathers and mothers rebelled against You and died in the desert over those last forty years, it is important that these young people know where they came from and how they got there.

Namely, that it was You who delivered them and their parents from slavery, which they probably don’t remember; and led them through the desert, which has been their only memory; and brought them to this place of promise, which they may or may not have been taught was promised long ago to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is important that they see that You are their Deliverer, and their Promise Keeper.  That is was You who has brought them out of four hundred years of slavery with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  They need to be aware of the miracles You did to free them from the Pharaoh.

One perspective on the relationship is that they need to understand You are a deserving, willing, and capable Bridegroom who has a marriage covenant with them, so they will remain faithful to You.  This is difficult for a generation who mostly missed the amazing, miraculous way You interceded on their behalf.

So it impresses upon me now, that I should take time to see where I have come from, where I am going, and how Your hand has blessed me all along the way.  So many times You have protected me and helped me through hardship.  Recalling those times helps strengthen my faith in You.

Knowing how You came through in the past allows me to trust You more now, and be strong in the face of trouble.  I once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points.  With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down, that confirm Your faithfulness to me.

Life can sometimes seem like a desert, a dry time of focusing more on what I don’t have than what I do have.  While I do not have monetary riches or fame, I have truly been given what I have needed, not lacking anything.  And I can truly say that “You have watched over my journey through this vast desert. You have truly blessed me, and been with me.”

Unlike Moses, it has been over forty years for me.  Time to take a moment and give You thanks.  Amen

Deuteronomy 2:1-29; especially 2:7-8

Mar 14 Love and Faithfulness

 

 

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

 

 

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character.  Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word.  It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection.

It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love.  The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love.  It is only made possible because of Your Divine nature, the One doing the loving.

I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out, but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable.  The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.

Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait.  Husbands and wives partnered for life.  Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships.  These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who You are.  You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion.  You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children.

As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness.  You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High.  Be exalted!  Let Your glory fill the earth!  I will praise You and sing of You!  My faithful and loving God!  Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

Feb 13 I will testify and praise You

So many prophecies fulfilled just in today’s verses from Matthew, Lord.

In so many ways, You made good on Your Word to send a specific deliverer by a specific pre-ordained way: a Savior who would be the Lamb of God and take away the sin of the world, if we would just accept and believe.

These were not easy promises to fulfill.  They were quite costly.  Jesus paid the ultimate price with His very life, in a painful and torturous way.  And even after His death, more prophecies were satisfied.

So many people, so many years, so many ways the plan could miss the mark, be off the prophecy just a bit.  But You brought Your plan down through the ages to fruition.  You accomplished the saving of man’s soul and his reconciliation to Yourself.

For these reasons as well as Your faithfulness, Your trustworthiness to Your promises, Your Sovereignty and power in accomplishing all You set out to do, “I will extol You!”

According to a dictionary, that means I will praise You, exalt You, commend, admire and worship You.  I will tell others of You with highest recommendations.   “Your praise will always be on my lips.  My soul will boast in You!“

I will invite others to glorify You and lift up Your name with me in song, in prayer, to other believers and to anyone who will listen.

I will tell them how You heard my prayers and saved friends and family from illness and injuries, how You protected them from bad decisions and bad people and bad situations.  I will share how friends at death’s door were returned to their loved ones, and how in Your mercy, others were spared from terrible pain.

I will let them know that You are in the business of revealing wisdom when I ask for help making decisions and don’t know the way to go.  When I have felt trapped, You made a way out of the situation I had never thought of or considered.

I will recall times when I was too afraid of what was about to happen, but You gave me peace and the courage to make it through by giving me songs, or visions, or specific scriptures to help.

I will share how there were times when I thought things were going so wrong, but You worked them out and brought blessings out of them I never thought were possible.

These are the things, the testimonies that I have tasted, and have proven over and over again that You are good.

Thank You – for being there for me every time I knew I needed You.  And thank You Lord for being there for me when I didn’t even know I was in need.  Amen

Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm34:1-8

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.   There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

 

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today.  My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on.

When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess.

At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding “freedom” in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups.  But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You.

Even my freedom to express my spiritual viewpoint is being stifled when it is not ”politically correct.”

The list You gave Hosea of  “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of most of what Americans call entertainment.   Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.”  Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You.  Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right.  Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world.  Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.”

Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up.  Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises.  Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-2

 

 

Nov 29 Let me be like Daniel

“You are the Living God and You endure forever; Your kingdom will not be destroyed, Your dominion will never end.  You rescue and You save; You perform signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.  You have rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 

O Father, do for me what You did for Daniel!  When forces come against me with contrived plans for my demise, save me from their evil strategies!  Deliver me from whatever punishment they seek to be my end.  Put people in my life who will come to my defense like King Darius, and will pay back my enemies.

Let me be like Daniel.   Make me steadfast in my faith, recognizing You are worthy to be worshipped no matter the social or political climate.  Help me be faithful to pray, trusting in You no matter what.

An interesting point is that Daniel was in his eighties when he was thrown into the lion’s den.  This means that since he was taken captive as a boy in his teens, he never lost faith in You!

He continued his prayer life and godly lifestyle all throughout his years.  He remained a man of integrity and faith.  Even those jealous of his position found him to be “trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent”.  Let this be true of me also.

A time is coming when lawless, ungodly men will be judged.  As the flood destroyed the earth once, You will destroy it again by fire.  But I will see a new heaven and a new earth created by Your hand.

As I await this day I want to live, like Daniel, a holy and godly life.

In the Words of the Psalmist: “Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me…Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your decrees.” 

Father, this is how I can live the life I desire.  With Your help, I can grow in Your grace and knowledge.  Amen

Daniel 6:1-28; II Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 119:133-135

Oct 30 Great is Your faithfulness

Father, Jeremiah continues here, not only beginning each stanza with successive letters of the Hebrew alephbet, but each verse within the stanza begins with the same letter!

Still, the outpouring of the description of all this suffering continues.  There are vivid word pictures and comparisons that describe personal devastation.

Yet, in the middle of all of this, come the words fashioned into a famous hymn.  “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Even in the midst of this harsh punishment, Jeremiah reflects on Your goodness.  And instructs the people:  “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say; ‘We have sinned and rebelled…’.”   It’s the same today.  Father, You seek the lost and the rebellious.  You still hold out salvation for them.  They need only come to You.

But there will be a time when it is too late.  When You will surely punish.

O Father, turn the hardened hearts back to You before it is too late!

In Jeremiah’s day, You spoke through prophets.  But now You speak through Yourself.  You walked the earth as Jesus Christ.  There are people who are heavy on my heart now, who need You.  Speak to these who need You in their lives.  Show me how to encourage them toward You without being harassing or pushy.

Bring someone into their lives who they will listen to.  Use circumstances in their lives to get their attention directed to You.  Convict their hearts that they need a Savior.  Draw back the veil of lies and deceit they have been believing.  Or they will “walk in darkness rather than the light”…they will be “dragged from the path and mangled and left without help”. 

Your love for them is clear.  Your compassion is renown.  Your faithfulness is great.  I rely on all these Lord, and totally trust in You!  Amen

Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 1:1-4

Oct 20 Example of obedience

Father, let me learn a lesson and be like the Rekabites.

You instructed Jeremiah to go to them and invite them to do something that was contrary to how they had faithfully chosen to live.

Their forefather had told them “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.  Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents…”  And they did it!

You rewarded them for their faithfulness and made them an example to be followed for the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  And for believers today.

It is not that I should never do these specific things, or live in a tent, but that I should be faithful to what You tell me.  Help me “learn this lesson and obey Your words”.

You told Your people to “turn from their wicked ways and reform their actions; do not follow other gods to serve them.”  Father, the world I live in is so very far from Your standards in its values and morality.  Show me if I have any “wicked ways” that need to be changed.

Speak to me of the values You want me to have – in my attitudes, my speech, my thoughts, my relationships, my vote.  Father, I open everything in my life for Your evaluation and Your comment.  I desire to bring it all into alignment with You.

Lord, if there are actions I have taken that need reforming, show me those and how to make them right.  Likewise, if there are actions I have not taken that I need to, move me to be obedient.

I do not want to “follow other gods” or “serve them.”  Show me if there is anything or anyone I have put before You in my life.  Sometimes I may not even realize the significance or influence I am drawn to or led by. So I depend on You to keep me faithful to only You as my God and my Lord.

Thank You for this faithful example, that I don’t remember ever noticing before.  But will remember now.  Amen

Jeremiah 35: 1-19

Aug 13 Plans

Father, You gave Nehemiah the plan to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall. And met his needs as he accomplished it. You brought the people needed to do the work. And You provided abundantly for them all to eat. You brought all the pieces together for Your plan to be accomplished.

Show me where You are working. Let me see how I can be a part of Your plan to accomplish something You bring into my life. Bring all the pieces together so I can be part of Your work.

You also provided for Nehemiah and the Israelite’s safety. Some might guess he was lucky, or say that he had a sixth sense about the plots against him. But he was a praying man who looked to You for guidance and protection. He fasted and prayed to accomplish the work You gave him to do. With five attempts to lure Nehemiah away from his work to harm him, he stood his ground and did not go. When one of his own plotted to discredit him, he refused to be party to the sin.

Father, protect me as well. Direct me away from harm. Stop me from sinning against You, even if it would seem to safeguard me. Sharpen my spiritual discernment so I can see through any plots to harm, or intimidate, or discredit me. Strengthen my faith so I count on You and trust only in You for my deliverance.

You created all the heavens and the earth. By Your very word, Lord, You spoke the world into existence. You planned and created all that is seen, and all that is yet to be discovered in the universe. As far as can be reached with eyes and technology, all this is within Your hand’s grasp.

Your purposes and Your plans Lord, stand firm. And will be carried out throughout eternity, by generation after generation.

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him.” Help me set aside time to praise You. Not just at a formal church service, but often; worshipping from my heart.

I acknowledge and honor Your Lordship. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Your righteousness, Your justice, and Your unfailing love.   Without it, I would not be here. You are my Lord. And my hope is in You! Amen

Nehemiah 5:14-6:19; Psalm 33:6-11

July 20 Direct my path

Father, like Solomon who built a Temple to house Your glorious Name, I long to build something of substance with my life that will bring You recognition and glory. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive edifice sparkling with gold and jewels.   But it is the desire of my heart, that when I leave this earth, others who come behind me will see my faithfulness and be pointed to You.

Paul left a different kind of testament to You with the letters he wrote. His explanations, though sometimes long and arduous, explain the basis of much of my faith. He explains that before You came and died on the cross, I was a slave to sin. But because I put my faith in You, and am united with You, crucified on the cross with You; I died to sin. I am no longer its slave, because death frees one from the bondage they lived in.

So I am raised from the dead with You, a free believer – no longer a slave to sin! You set me free with Your death and resurrection! Since my life is with You, and I live it freely; if I sin, it is because I choose to, since I am no longer a slave to it. Lord, help me choose daily, to walk away from sin.

Show me how to walk with You in righteousness; how to live my life as a testimony to You.  Empower me to face the choices I have to make every day. Don’t let me just pick what is the easiest, or safest, or most popular.   Let me look at my options from Your perspective. Let me make decisions based on the long, eternal view, not just for the immediate benefit.

I trust You. “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.”   Amen

2 Chronicles 3:1-17; Romans 6:1-23; Psalm 16:1-11

June 8 Thank You for the people in my life

Father, help me be more like Solomon. When You told him “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.” He was not quick with a Christmas list of desired material possessions. Even before You granted him wisdom beyond all human possibility, he answered wisely.

He began by acknowledging Your kindness and faithfulness to his father David. He focused on You, and what You had already done in his life. Then he presented himself humbly – as an individual and as a ruler. He recognized the enormity of both the blessing and the responsibility You had given him. And in the face of this, he asked for wisdom.

Let this be a pattern for my prayer life as well. Lord, I truly acknowledge Your faithfulness to me. I can’t begin to understand all the pieces that You brought into place for my being here now, as one of Your children.

How interconnected are the lives of the people You orchestrated to impact my life: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, friends, Sunday school teachers, teachers, coaches, acquaintances, co-workers.

You not only coordinated who they were and how they influenced me, but where they were, as I moved across the country almost every year growing up. That blows my mind!

You have blessed me in the roles I play to others: daughter, granddaughter, sister, cousin, wife, mother, friend, teacher, labor coach, and in the intimate way I have been able to relate to people at significant times in their lives. I feel very inadequate to fill the needs of the people You give me opportunities to minister to. On my own, I cannot do it.

Give me a discerning heart to speak to and relate to those You bring into my life. Help me distinguish between right and wrong and be able to speak the truth in love into their lives as I live my life according to Your guidance.   Show me when to speak and when to keep silent. Show me how to share the understanding You have given me when it comes to teaching and encouraging others.

Father, thank You for the blessing of all those You have brought into my life. Help me care for them in Your love, in Your strength, and in Your name. Amen

I Kings 3:4-9

 

May 28 Your protection

Lord God, thank You for praying for me. Thank You for looking into the future and identifying “those who would believe in You through their [the disciples] message.” 

Thank You for protecting me by the power of Your name because I am Yours.

Thank You for praying for me Yourself, personally; not to take me out of this world, but to protect me from the evil one in this world.   That includes the arrogant who dig pitfalls for me trying to entrap me by their political intrigues, their social agendas, and their false philosophies that are contrary to what You teach in Your Word.

It includes those who would persecute me because they hate You, and those who want to see me wiped from the earth. And the wicked, waiting to destroy me, my health, my finances, my relationships, and defeat my spirit. Thank You that You have the power to preserve my life and all these things according to Your love.

When I do not feel strong help me remember Your Word. Your Word is eternal. Its promises are true forever. Just as the earth You created still stands, Your truth still stands. Your faithfulness and love are steadfast and boundless. Thank You for the encouragement of Your prayer for me. And for the protection I have in You. Amen

John 17:6-26; Psalm 119:81-96

May 20 Wisdom, prophecy, life, death

Wisdom, prophecy, life and death. All are in Your hands.

David showed Your wisdom when he did not kill Saul, the one You anointed as king over Israel. He prophesied when he said “the Lord Himself will strike him”. David recognized that a man’s life and death are for You to determine.

Saul showed wisdom when he acknowledged his sin acting like a fool trying to kill a man who had spared his life twice. He prophesied when he said, to David “you will do great things and surely triumph”. He too, recognized that You had spared his life through David and that David’s life was not his to take.

The woman who acted as a medium recognized her life could have been forfeit for what she did, had You not allowed Saul to hear again from Samuel the prophecy You had already given through him: that Saul would lose the kingdom because of his disobedience and it would be given to David. You also revealed that Saul would die the next day.

In one of Your most dramatic public miracles You demonstrated that You are the resurrection and the life by raising Lazarus to life. It was Your wisdom to wait when the word came He was sick so that this greater miracle could be done. You prophesied to Your disciples that “this sickness will not end in death” so that You would be glorified through the circumstances to follow. And although the disciples didn’t understand at the time, You were given glory as many who saw, believed.

Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year thought he was being wise, but actually prophesied when he said “it is better that one man die for the people than the whole nation perish”.   For You did indeed lay down Your very life so that Your people would have everlasting life.

Thank You that these important issues are in the hands of the One, Almighty God who judges justly and can be trusted because of Your faithfulness and love for Your people. My life and times are in Your hands. I know that my life came from You and nothing can take it out of Your hands.

Give me wisdom to live each day in faith. Show me how to use my gifts, talents, abilities and experiences to the fullest measure to bring You honor and glory every day that I have. And then close my eyes in peace when the final day arrives, to reawaken in Your eternal presence. Amen

I Samuel 26:1-25; 28:3-25; John 11:1-53

 

May 9 How to remember

Lord, thank You for the reminders in scripture today. Reminders of things You’ve already shown me this year, but bear repeating so I can really get it! I need to mark the victories in my life, and trust that You can do much with little.

When You defeated the Philistines with Your thunder, Samuel set up a stone there and named it Ebenezer. From the Hebrew ‘even’ – pronounced eh-ben – meaning stone and ‘ezer’ meaning help: it is a ‘stone of help’.   Stones would last a long time, so for generations, when anyone passed by the ‘Stone of Help’ they would be reminded that God helped and delivered them at this place in the battle against the Philistines.

I too can commemorate significant moments in my life with things that remind me of Your deliverance and impact. It could be a piece of art, or jewelry, a song, poem or picture, something placed on my desk or walls or in my home or yard that has meaning to me, so that when someone comments on it, I can give the reason for its significance. That would be a fitting testimony to Your greatness. More than that, whenever I see it, it would be an encouragement to me of Your faithfulness and power in my life.

When You took the small offering of a young boy, two fish and five barley rolls, and fed five thousand with it, with much left over to spare; it reminds me that whatever gifts I bring to You, You can bless and multiply and use for purposes to glorify Your name. On those days when I feel like I have little to offer, I will remember that when I give it to You, the result is not dependent on the size of the gift. Whatever I bring, You can do and accomplish much more that I can even imagine.

Thank You for these reminders today, Lord. I will think back to remember times and events where You impacted my life in significant ways. And I will make my own ‘Ebenezers’ to be reminders for me and to be markers to others. And I will learn what my gifts are, and give them over to You to multiply and use to bless others. Thank You for knowing I need help remembering. Thank You for telling me over and over again about the things that are important, and of Your love for me. Amen

I Samuel 7:1-17; John 6:1-13

Apr 20 God’s Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever” 

So many songs have been written about Your love: “Jesus Loves Me” comes to mind.Others are “He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…” “Your love never fails”. So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own. My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born. You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.

Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love. You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations” 

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: “Great is Thy Faithfulness” “Amazing Grace”. But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me. You have been faithful when I have not. You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone. I can post them on social media. I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: “There is none like You. I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.” Not in heaven. Not on earth. Not under the earth. No other has Your Sovereignty, Your Power, Your Authority, Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love. None. And I will proclaim it! Amen

Psalm 89:1-13

Apr 16 Your voice, not the world’s

Lord, let me and my sons be like Caleb and Joshua. They spied out the Promised Land and saw all the goodness there.   They also saw the enemy for who they were, but knew that You would give victory and deliver them according to Your Word. They held to their convictions and lived a long life receiving all You had promised. Even in their old age, they were strong and vigorous because they served You wholeheartedly.

I know that both goodness and enemies lie before me. But I know if I serve You wholeheartedly, I will receive all You promise. Your will, Your plan will not be thwarted. Even in my old age, help me be faithful. I will be blessed and receive an inheritance from You.

Father, let me also be like the widow who made her plea to the judge so persistently that she received the justice she wanted. Let my faith be that I will not give up, but always lift my concerns and needs to You in prayer.   When You return, let me be found faithful, continuing in prayer, not being dissuaded by circumstances or the influences of this world.

Also, Lord, keep me mindful that my only righteousness comes from You, so I will not look down on anyone else, but remain humble. I am ever dependent on You, on Your mercy and on Your grace for my life and all that I have. Thank You for Your faithfulness – to warriors, to widows, to me. Amen

Joshua 14:6-15; Luke 18:1-14

Apr 11 Courage for the next step

“Hear me O Shepherd of Israel, You who led Joseph and his people like a flock” to greener pastures in Egypt because there was an extreme famine in the land. “Hear me, You who sit enthroned between the cherubim” on the golden Ark of the Covenant that Moses had made so the High Priest could seek Your face and wisdom in making atonement when Your presence dwelt there in the form of a pillar of cloud. “Awaken Your might! Come and save me!”

As the Israelites went into the Promised Land to take possession of all You had promised them, lead me, Lord, to what You have for me. Let me see and possess all the blessings You have prepared for me. Do not let me miss out on Your blessing because I am too afraid to get my feet wet! The Israelites had to step into the floodwaters of the Jordan River before You stopped the flow of water to let them pass. Sometimes I also must take a step of faith to see Your provision in my life. Show me that step so I can also come into all that You have for me.

What a missed opportunity that would have been, had they not had the courage to do as You said! The same for the people You spoke about who were invited to a great banquet. They made every excuse to stay away. Although they were acceptable excuses for the day and time, they missed out on the bounty, provision, and the very salvation You had prepared for them.

I am sad to say that very often, I delay our time together because there are errands to run, shopping to do, bills to pay, or meals to fix. These are all things that really do need to be done, but it shows that my priorities are not right. How sad that I sometimes choose checking email over hearing from the God and Creator of the Universe who makes time to speak with me!

“Restore me O God. Make Your face to shine upon me that I may be saved.” Restore me to right thinking so I will set my priorities straight, Lord. Make Your face to shine on me so I may walk in the light of Your radiant presence. Show me when I need to take a step of faith and get my feet wet. When I make excuses, remind me of the rich banquet of blessing I am missing by not spending time with You. Thank You for Your unending faithfulness. Amen

Joshua 3:1-4:24; Luke 14:7-24; Psalm 80:1-3

Apr 7 No Rock like our God

Lord, do not let me be a nation without sense, with no discernment, like Israel was. When You gave them an inheritance and set up boundaries for Your people according to the number of their sons, You shielded and carried them. You protected them and guarded them as an eagle cares for and trains its young.

You nourished them with the best, and yet, when they became fat and sleek, satisfied, they turned from You. They abandoned the God who gave them all they had, and sought other ‘gods’.   They became perverse and unfaithful, not caring that it would call down Your curses and judgment on them and their children.

Father, give me discernment so I can know when I am being tempted away from You with the values and philosophies of this world. Help me be wise and understand that there are consequences to my decisions and actions. Give me the ability to be able to think ahead and see where things will lead so I can choose what will lead me to a closer relationship with You.

Father, give the leaders of my country sense to see where they are taking our people with their choices as well. Give them discernment and wisdom to know that Your judgment is real and You will not be mocked. Our Constitution was written to govern a moral people, and when morality fails, we have little hope of living in safety or security.

I can already see signs that we have gone too far.   We, as a people – even Believers, have put You to the test and rebelled against You, the Lord Most High. We have not kept Your statutes. We have become disloyal and faithless.

Do not reject us O God. Do not abandon us. But show us the error of our ways; teach us to walk rightly again and make wise decisions that honor You. Help me give You the place in my life that You deserve.

Remind me to read Your Word so it can guide and encourage me. Recall to my mind, Your faithfulness to me in the past: all the ways You have protected and delivered me. Speak to me when I pray to You, giving me direction. Let me feel Your presence near me, assuring me of your love, healing my wounds, and giving me Your peace.

Thank You that You are the One True God, the Most High, who will never leave me or forsake me. Thank You that Your faithfulness endures forever. I praise You for Your unending love. You are my God. Amen

Deuteronomy 32:28-43; Psalm 78:56-64

Apr 7 Your strength, Your courage

Several times today the words “Be strong and courageous” appear. O Lord, make me strong and courageous! Lend me Your strength when I am weak. Let me draw on Your power to accomplish all that You direct me to do.

How do I appropriate Your strength? Reading Your Word is a good start. It is encouraging just to read Your words that sit by my computer today – “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

I have made a little flip book of 4×6 cards with encouraging scriptures. It lightens my load to flip through them occasionally, or just having them sit out, open to a verse.  They are like personal messages from You to me.

It also helps to know I am being obedient to what Your Word says to do. There is protection in simply being where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. Even if You are calling me to a place of danger, if I am there by Your invitation, it is the safest place on earth I can be.

Father, so many times You have protected me and helped me through hardships. Recalling those times from the past helps me trust You more now, and be strong in the face of trouble. I only journal sporadically, but once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points. With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down. They confirm Your faithfulness to me.

And You have put people in my life who I can observe being courageous with their own challenges. Some are in the midst of them right now. Some have already come through a hard time. I can watch and learn what encourages them. They are living examples of how to get through difficulties. Some have even leaned on me. And when I need to, I can lean on them.

So You give me Your Word. You protect me wherever You call me to be. You Help me remember Your faithfulness in the past. You put helping relationships in my life. And most importantly, You promise Your presence: “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Thank You for Your abundant and everlasting provision. Amen

Deuteronomy 31:1-23

Mar 14 Love and Faithfulness

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character. Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word. It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection. It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love. The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love. It is only made possible because of Your Divine nature, the One doing the loving.   I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out, but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable. The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.

Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait. Husbands and wives partnered for life. Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships. These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who You are. You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion. You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children. As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness. You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High. Be exalted! Let Your glory fill the earth! I will praise You and sing of You! My faithful and loving God! Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

Feb 11 Omnipotent

Lord, I believe that Your Word is right and true; and that You are faithful in all You do. So when the Word tells me You created the heavens and the earth, I believe it and am amazed.

Not only did You have the imagination and endless creativity to think it all up, You had the power and sovereignty over the elements and forces to do the creating!

How? I don’t know. Science is still wrestling with the questions of how our universe works. Theories come and go about physics, matter, gravity wells, space and time; more than I can grasp. Every generation we learn more, sometimes refuting what was previously believed. I don’t know that we will ever reach a level of truly understanding it.

But I know that when I see the diversity and organization, I marvel at it – and see past it to the Creator.  I can look through a microscope or a telescope and see things beyond my imagination that amaze me. I can observe connections and repeated patterns that cannot possibly exist by coincidence.

The recognition and glory are due the Creator. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him” meaning I will acknowledge Your handiwork and have the utmost respect for Your power and authority over all our world.

“The Lord foils the plans of nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” The Israelites were a stiff-necked people and disobeyed You over and over again. Yet still You made them Your chosen people, a people set apart, to this day. The disciples Jesus gathered around Him betrayed and denied Him, then scattered. And yet, they spread the word of salvation through the work of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection.

I have been known to be stiff-necked and disobedient. And there have been times I have not followed through on all You have shown me. Yet I trust that Your plans, through me or in spite of me, will stand. I am not much, but in Your hands, I am a tool wielded by the almighty Creator of the universe. And what You can accomplish by the work of Your hands is limitless.

I praise You that Your plans stand firm. Thank You that the purpose of Your heart was to provide a way to reconcile us, Your creation, to Yourself again. I will sing of the mercy of the Lord! Your faithfulness endures forever! Amen

Exodus 32:1-14; Matthew 26:69-27:5; Psalm 33:1-11

Jan 5 Ordinary People

Lord, thank You for using ordinary people to do extraordinary things through Your power.

You took a regular man like Abram, and chose to use and bless him. Only by Your promise and power was he made into a great nation with a great name, through whom all peoples of the earth have been blessed. You looked far into the future, beyond the limitations of the flesh, and brought a Savior from his line.

Even with the mistakes he made, the bad choices, the lack of faith he showed at times, You kept Your word to him. Your promises are never just empty words. You have the sovereignty and the power to make good on all You say You will do.

Thank You that You still bless people today. Thank You that You still accomplish Your perfect will in the lives of people who, like Abram, make mistakes, and fall short, and choose fear over faith. Please use me Lord. Teach me how to make wise choices. Increase my faith. Help me be obedient. Bless me. And use me to bless others.

Psalm 5:3 says “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.” This has become true as I read Your Word and it becomes the substance of my prayers. Thank You for guiding me with Your Word. Amen

Genesis 12:1-13:4; Psalm 5:3

 

 

Dec 22 Patient endurance

Father, what amazing visions You have given Zechariah and John! Besides the plain meaning of their words, I know there is another level of understanding to be grasped. There is symbolism, and foretelling of what is to come.

Zechariah records You saying “…in that day…many nations will be joined with the Lord and become Your people. You will live among [them]”.   He records that You declare “I myself will be a wall of fire around [Jerusalem] and I will be its glory within.”

John is recording a vision that will ultimately get us there; when You are living in peace with many nations, in Jerusalem.   But before that comes, there will be this time of turmoil and woe and devastation that John refers to with dragons, beasts, blaspheming and idolatry.   Are these real beasts? Are they people? Are they nations or other powers? Even with great study and debate, some of these answers are not yet revealed.

Will I be alive during these times? Again, that is not yet known. But You do say “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.” So Father, give me the patient endurance I need. Teach me to be faithful. Nothing even remotely close to this turmoil has happened to me, yet I find myself often in a state of impatience and doubt.

Lord, I look at my life and am impatient to have my family all living their lives for You. I am anxious to get to a place in life where finances aren’t an issue, and where my children are all successful and happy. I am frustrated when my loved ones don’t do things the way I think they should. I am restless to have a closer, deeper, more meaningful relationship with close family members.

I fear my country is going the wrong direction. I grieve that young people are being deceived away from patriotism and godly values. I see unjust people prospering and wonder if my being faithful to godly values really counts for anything. And I wonder how long my faith can endure all this.

Father, help me to endure, what I need to endure. I trust that You will give me what I need when I need it. Grow my faith big enough that it can shelter others under it, so their faith can be nurtured and grow too. I know You have a plan. I trust in Your plan. For my life. For today. For tomorrow. For the future. For eternity. Amen

Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 13:1-18

Dec 6 Rebellion to Repentance

“Hear the word of the Lord, you [Americans], because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.  There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away;’”

Father, as Israel was in its idolatry and rebellion, so is America today. My heart grieves for the way my country and its people have fallen so far away from the godly, moral values America was founded on. When I was growing up, I heard older people saying that what one generation tolerates, the next takes to excess. At the time I was proud to be in a generation who was finding ‘freedom’ in establishing new social norms that were allowing equality between races and genders and socio-economic groups. But what I have seen is that many of those freedoms were taken advantage of, and prostituted for monetary gain, selfishness, power and corruption.

I see that in my country, there is no faithfulness to You. That even my freedoms to express my spiritual viewpoint are being stifled when they are not ‘politically correct’. The list You gave Hosea of “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery” sounds like the description of most of what Americans call ‘entertainment’.  Forgive our sin Father, turn the hearts of the American people back to You and bring healing to our land.

You tell me “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken and endures forever.” Father, I know I will endure forever as I have eternal life with You. Help me now, in this life, not to be shaken from Your truth and what I know to be right. Give me strength of faith and of character to walk in obedience to You, not in the way of the world. Let me be faithful and acknowledge You in my land.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so You surround Your people both now and forevermore.” Let me feel You surrounding me, encompassing me Lord: shielding and protecting me, lifting me up. Thank You that You are faithful to all Your promises. Amen

Hosea 4:1-3; Psalm 125:1-5

Nov 27 Your gifts

Prayer          Bible          Holy Spirit

Eternal Love          Constant Presence

Faithfulness          Forgiveness

Protection          Provision          Salvation

Direction          Fruit of the Spirit

“Your divine power has given [me] everything [I] need for a godly life…” “You have given [me] Your very great and precious promises…”. Thank You Father, that I have all that I need. I have prayer as a way to hear from and talk to You. I have Your Word as a guidebook. In You I have the Holy Spirit who reveals spiritual truth to me. You have promised me Your eternal love, Your constant presence, and Your faithfulness in my protection and provision.  All this because You are my personal Savior.

Since I belong to You, and You have given me all I need; help me to live in, and treat people with the qualities that will lead me to be effective and productive. Peter tells me these qualities are: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love. Some of these are the Fruit of the Spirit and will grow in me as I am obedient to Your Spirit’s leading. Help me embrace opportunities for each of these qualities to grow in my life.

Recently I found myself walking with a group in the dark. I had a small flashlight which came in handy as the sidewalk was a broken and uneven surface. At first, I thought it would be best to shine the light way ahead of us so we could see where the path curved or stopped at a curb or was cut off by bushes. But it became clear that we could walk with the most certainty and speed when the light shone brightly on the very next step we were to take.

Looking ahead is good to get a sense of direction, but we needed the close, step by step guidance to be sure our ankles did not turn or slip off the narrow path.

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Your Word, the Scriptures, are that light for me. When I am not sure which option is best, Your Word tells me “Trust in the Lord with all Your heart and lean not on Your own understanding.”

When I feel frustrated with some results, You tell me “Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time [you] will reap a harvest…”. Or when I feel discouraged, alone and depressed, You tell me “I have carried you since your birth…I will continue to be with you and sustain you, even when you have gray hairs. I will always carry you; I will always sustain you; I will always rescue you.” [paraphrased to personalize]

Your Word helps me see that next step and take it. Thank You Father, that You care so much for me that even in the darkness of this world and its ‘wisdom’ You have made a way for me to stay on Your path and keep moving ahead safely. Amen

II Peter 1:1-11; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 3:5; Galatians 6:9; Isaiah 46:3-4

Oct 30 Great is Your Faithfulness

Father, Jeremiah continues here, not only beginning each stanza with successive letters of the Hebrew alephbet, but each verse within the stanza begins with the same letter! Still, the outpouring of the description of all this suffering continues. There are vivid word pictures and comparisons that describe personal devastation.

Yet, in the middle of all of this, come the words fashioned into a famous hymn. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Even in the midst of the punishment, Jeremiah reflects on Your goodness. And instructs the people: “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say; ‘We have sinned and rebelled…’.”  It’s the same today. Father, You seek the lost and the rebellious. You still hold out salvation for them. They need only come to You.

But there will be a time when it is too late. When You will surely punish.

O Father, turn the hardened hearts back to You before it is too late! In Jeremiah’s day, You spoke through prophets. But now You speak through Yourself. You walked the earth as Jesus Christ. There are people who are heavy on my heart now, who need You. Speak to these who need You in their lives. Show me how to encourage them toward You without being harassing or pushy. Bring someone into their lives who they will listen to. Use circumstances in their lives to get their attention directed to You. Convict their hearts that they need a Savior. Draw back the veil of lies and deceit they have been believing. Or they will “walk in darkness rather than the light”…they will be “dragged from the path and mangled and left without help”.

Your love for them is clear. Your compassion is renown. Your faithfulness is great. I rely on all these Lord, and totally trust in You! Amen

Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 1:1-4

 

Sept 29 Remember and Praise!

Father, You looked down on the people You created, and what a disappointment! You saw them in their “sinful greed” and “willful ways”. Even when they sought You with fasting, it was not in earnest. And was not acceptable to You. You told them how to behave to be blessed. Yet they still did not respond as You had instructed.

Their sin separated them from You. And so You achieved salvation for them by Yourself.   “As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says The Lord. My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and My Words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips…from this time on and forever, says The Lord.”

Father, I wonder how I disappoint You when You look at me. I so often think of my own needs and wants before others, and I want things my own way. That sounds a lot like ‘sinful greed’ and ‘willful ways’. But because I am Yours, I have Your Spirit in me, and I have Your Word. The Scriptures tell me how to live, and the Spirit prompts me in the right direction, even when I stray. I am thankful that You do not give up on me.

You have been with me since my youth, giving me hope and confidence; helping me when I needed help, rescuing me when I needed saving. Now, “deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.” As I face things that seek to pull me away from the path of righteousness, my emotions are strained, my good intentions eroded, and my character taxed.   But I am “confident of this, that He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

It is You, Father, Your power that will work in me and through me to enable me to achieve all You have purposed for me. So rather than focus on my troubles, I chose to focus on You! I believe Your Word and I trust Your Spirit. Father, even now, help me remember Your faithfulness to me. Help me recall the times when You interceded to protect me, when You made a way of escape for me, when You stayed with me in the hard times and got me through them with a vision or a song or an answer to prayer.

As I remember them one by one, I will sing and give You praise! I will recall and tell others of Your greatness, and Your goodness to me.

Thank You that You are “my rock of refuge, to which I can always go”.   Thank You that “You are my strong refuge”. Thank You for these Words You sent me through David. I can almost use them word for word to praise You. They so elegantly voice the praise and thanks I want to express. Thank You that You are my God. Amen

Isaiah 57:15-59:21; Philippians 1:6; Psalm 71: 1-24

Apr 20 Love and Faithfulness

“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever”

So many songs have been written about Your love: ‘Jesus Loves Me’ comes to mind. Others are ‘He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane…’ ‘Your love never fails’. So many I could sing for a long time about Your love without even repeating or making up my own. My own songs would reflect how You loved me before I was even born. You loved me growing up, before I even knew You.   Your love protected me and brought me to a place where I understood who You are and what You did for me because of Your love. You love me when I am unlovely, when I behave badly, when I am cross, tired, frustrated, selfish, prideful, totally undeserving of anyone’s love.

“with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations”

There are probably just as many songs about Your faithfulness: ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ ‘Amazing Grace’. But beyond singing about Your faithfulness to every promise You’ve made in Your Word, to Your chosen people, to the prophecies in the Bible; I can tell of Your faithfulness to my nation, my family, to me. You have been faithful when I have not. You have carried and protected my family from tragedy and trouble time and again.

Every single day, I can tell one person an example of Your faithfulness in my life.   I can write these things down, so others can read them when I am gone. I can post them on social media. I can be sure younger people are aware that You love them, and that You will keep Your promises to them too.

Another song says: ‘There is none like You. I could search for all eternity long and find there is none like You.‘ Not in heaven. Not on earth. Not under the earth. No one with Your Sovereignty, or Your Power, Your Authority or Your Compassion, Your Creativity, Your Wisdom, Your Faithfulness, Your Love. None. And I will proclaim it! Amen

Psalm 89:1-13

Apr 8 No Rock like our God

Lord, do not let me be a nation without sense, with no discernment, like Israel was. When You gave them an inheritance and set up boundaries for Your people according to the number of their sons, You shielded and carried them. You protected them and guarded them as an eagle cares for and trains its young. You nourished them with the best, and yet, when they became fat and sleek, satisfied, they turned from You. They abandoned the God who gave them all they had, and sought other ‘gods’.   They became perverse and unfaithful, not caring that it would call down Your curses and judgment on them and their children.

Father, give me discernment so I can know when I am being tempted away from You with the values and philosophies of this world. Help me be wise and understand that there are consequences to my decisions and actions. Give me the ability to be able to think ahead and see where things will lead so I can choose what will lead me to a closer relationship with You.

Father, give the leaders of my country sense to see where they are taking our people with their choices as well. Give them discernment and wisdom to know that Your judgment is real and You will not be mocked. Our Constitution was written to govern a moral people, and when morality fails, we have little hope of living in safety or security.

I can already see signs that we have gone too far.   We, as a people – even Believers, have put You to the test and rebelled against You, the Lord Most High. We have not kept Your statutes. We have become disloyal and faithless.

Do not reject us O God. Do not abandon us. But show us the error of our ways; teach us to walk rightly again and make wise decisions that honor You. Help me give You the place in my life that You deserve. Remind me to read Your Word so it can guide and encourage me. Recall to my mind, Your faithfulness to me in the past: all the ways You have protected and delivered me. Speak to me when I pray to You, giving me direction. Let me feel Your presence near me, assuring me of your love, healing my wounds, and giving me Your peace.

Thank You that You are the One True God, the Most High, who will never leave me or forsake me. Thank You that Your faithfulness endures forever. I praise You for Your unending love. You are my God. Amen

Deuteronomy 32:28-43; Psalm 78:56-64

Apr 7 Your Strength Your Courage

Several times today the words “Be strong and courageous” appear. O Lord, make me strong and courageous! Lend me Your strength when I am weak. Let me draw on Your power to accomplish all that You would direct me to do.

How will that happen? How do I appropriate Your strength? Reading Your Word is a good start. It is encouraging just to read Your words that sit by my computer today – “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

I have made a little flip book of 4×6 cards with encouraging scriptures. It lightens my load to flip through them occasionally, or just having them sit out, open to a verse.  They are like personal messages from You to me.

It also helps to know I am being obedient to what Your Word says to do. There is protection in simply being where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. Even if You are calling me to a place of danger, if I am there by Your invitation, it is the safest place on earth I can be.

So many times Lord, You have protected me and helped me through hardships. Recalling those times helps strengthen my faith in You. Knowing how You came through in the past allows me to trust You more now, and be strong in the face of trouble. I journal only sporadically, but once made a time line of how You had impacted my life at crucial points. With my aging memory, it helps to see those times written down, that confirm Your faithfulness to me.

And You have put people in my life who I can observe being courageous with their own challenges. Some are in the midst of them right now. Some have already come through a hard time. I can watch and learn what encourages them. They are an example to me of how to get through difficulties. Some have even leaned on me. And when I need to, I can lean on them.

So You give me Your Word. You protect me wherever You call me to be. You Help me remember Your faithfulness in the past. You put helping relationships in my life. And most importantly, You promise Your presence: “The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Thank You for Your abundant and everlasting provision. Amen

Deuteronomy 31:1-23

Mar 14 Be exalted!

 

“Great is Your love, higher than the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

O Lord, Your love and Your faithfulness are hallmarks of Your character. Your love is not just friendship, or fondness as we use the word. It is even more than tenderness or a fleeting feeling of overwhelming affection. It is a boundless, limitless, overabundant, unconditional choice to create, nurture, protect, cherish, treasure, care for, invest in and sacrifice for Your creations.

It is not due to the object of this love. The object (us) is often actually unlovely, unkind, rebellious, demanding, selfish, and undeserving of this kind of love. It is only made possible because of Your Divine nature, the One doing the loving.   I am loved not because I have earned love or because my personality or appearance draw it out, but only because Your very nature pours forth love and lavishes it on me.

When I say “higher than the heavens” it’s a word picture that compares the quality and quantity of your love to something that for me is immeasurable. The attributes of Your love and the amount You have to give are infinitely higher above the farthest reach I can even imagine.
Faithfulness used to be a highly valued trait. Husbands and wives partnered for life. Companies desired long-term employees and provided benefits to keep employees happy.   People formed lifelong friendships. These days it seems to be a fair-weather and fleeting measure of comparative loyalty until something better comes along.

Your faithfulness is another character quality that depends on who You are. You are unswerving in Your loyalty, unshakable in Your dedication, immovable in Your devotion. You are faithful to Your character – Your attributes are true one hundred percent of the time; faithful to Your promises and covenants; faithful to Your children. As far as I can stretch my arms apart, or see from one horizon to the other, and beyond the heights of the sky, I cannot contain Your faithfulness. You are worthy of every ounce of trust and allegiance I am capable of.

You are God Most High. Be exalted! Let Your glory fill the earth! I will praise You and sing of You! My faithful and loving God! Amen

Psalm 57:9-11

 

Feb 11 Omnipotent

Eye of God Nebula

Lord, I believe that Your Word is right and true; and that You are faithful in all You do. So when the Word tells me You created the heavens and the earth, I believe it and am amazed.

Not only did You have the imagination and endless creativity to think it all up, You had the power and sovereignty over the elements and forces to do the creating! How? I don’t know. Science is still wrestling with the questions of how our universe works. Theories come and go about physics, matter, gravity wells, space and time; more than I can grasp. Every generation we learn more, sometimes refuting what was previously believed. I don’t know that we will ever reach a level of truly understanding it.

But I know that when I see the diversity and organization, I marvel at it – and see past it to the Creator.   I can look through a microscope or a telescope and see things beyond my imagination that amaze me. I can observe connections and repeated patterns that cannot possibly exist by coincidence. The recognition and glory are due the Creator. “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him” meaning I will acknowledge Your handiwork and have the utmost respect for Your power and authority over all our world.

“The Lord foils the plans of nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” The Israelites were a stiff-necked people and disobeyed You over and over again. Yet still You made them Your chosen people, a people set apart, to this day. The disciples Jesus gathered around Him betrayed and denied Him, then scattered. And yet, they spread the word of salvation through the work of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection.

I have been known to be stiff-necked and disobedient. And there have been times I have not followed through on all You have shown me. Yet I trust that Your plans, through me or in spite of me, will stand. I am not much, but in Your hands, I am a tool wielded by the almighty Creator of the universe. And what You can accomplish by the work of Your hands is limitless.

I praise You that Your plans stand firm. Thank You that the purpose of Your heart was to provide a way to reconcile us, Your creation, to Yourself again. I will sing of the mercy of the Lord! Your faithfulness endures forever! Amen

Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:5; Psalm 33:1-11