Feb 23 Time for God?

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done…Jesus said

‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

Father, what a wonderful thing for all of us to do.

How long has it been since I came and reported, told You about all I have been doing?  And when was the last time I came away by myself with just You to a quiet place and got some rest?

I so greatly benefit from spending time with just You – in a place where the world doesn’t burst in interrupting with urgent texts, emails, phone calls.  Where everywhere I look I don’t see something to clean or organize or jump up and take care of.

I believe this is important: spending quiet, focused time with You.  In a time when multi-tasking has been raised to an art form, and busy-ness is worshipped, You have a message here that stops me in my tracks.  Help me make uninterrupted, intentional time with You a priority.

I have been on silent retreats before, just alone with You in a place that values exactly that.  It is so important to get away from the routine and distractions that eat away at my time and sap my energy.

It was wonderful to give You the first time in my day, and the last, and every minute in between.  On some occasions You have shown me a new direction or a specific answer to prayer, or a revelation of Your hand in my life.  Sometimes You have given me a fresh perspective or encouragement for the path I’m on.

Other times, I simply get to spend quality and quantity time with You, the Almighty Creator of the Universe.   Time well spent!

Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to come away with You to a quiet place and get some rest.  It’s been too long.  Amen

Mark 6:30

Feb 12 Proof of Your Presence

Dear Father, how awesome would it be if every time I came away from reading or studying Your Word, or spending time in prayer, there was a visible glow on my face!

Some outward evidence, physically apparent, to anyone who saw me that I had spent time with the Author and Creator of the universe! 

When Moses spent time with You on Mount Sinai his face was so radiant that the people were afraid of him.  He began wearing a veil over his face unless he was speaking to You, Lord, or telling the Israelites what You had said.

I don’t mean that I want to wear a veil, Lord, but give me a radiance of spirit that can be a witness to others, a testimony that You have left an impact on Me from my spending time with You.  Something that will let people know that I know the Savior, and can help them if they need directions to get to You also.

There is a danger inherent in that of course:  if people know when I have been in Your presence, then they would also know when I have not.  And there have been stretches Lord, when I have not spent much time in Your presence.

Keep me drawn to You.  Help me have the mindset I need, to go to You, with joy, with sorrow, with excitement, with concerns.

It’s so easy to find someone else to commiserate with, to approve of my own plans, to join in my pity party.  But I desire to please You; to walk in the way You have planned out for me.

I trust in Your plan; and believe it is the best possible for me.

“Your eyes are on me Lord, because I fear You, revere You, and because my hope is in Your unfailing love.  Deliver me.  You are my help and my shield.  In You my heart rejoices, for I trust Your holy name.  Let Your unfailing love rest on me O Lord.”

Let others see it too.  Amen

Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 33:18-22

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak. 

Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am. 

And that there is nowhere I can go away from You. 

And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more. 

Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

Feb 23 Time for God?

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done…Jesus said  ‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

Father, what a wonderful thing for all of us to do.

How long has it been since I came and reported, told You about all I have been doing?  And when was the last time I came away by myself with just You to a quiet place and got some rest?

I so greatly benefit from spending time with just You – in a place where the world doesn’t burst in interrupting with urgent texts, emails, phone calls.  Where everywhere I look I don’t see something to clean or organize or jump up and take care of.

I believe this is important: spending quiet, focused time with You.  In a time when multi-tasking has been raised to an art form, and busy-ness is worshipped, You have a message here that stops me in my tracks.  Help me make uninterrupted, intentional time with You a priority.

I have been on silent retreats before, just alone with You in a place that values exactly that.  It is so important to get away from the routine and distractions that eat away at my time and sap my energy.

It was wonderful to give You the first time in my day, and the last, and every minute in between.  On some occasions You have shown me a new direction or a specific answer to prayer, or a revelation of Your hand in my life.  Sometimes You have given me a fresh perspective or encouragement for the path I’m on.

Other times, I simply get to spend quality and quantity time with You, the Almighty Creator of the Universe.   Time well spent!

Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to come away with You to a quiet place and get some rest.  It’s been too long.  Amen

Mark 6:30

Feb 12 Proof of Your presence

Dear Father, how awesome would it be if every time I came away from reading or studying Your Word, or spending time in prayer, there was a visible glow on my face!

Some outward evidence, physically apparent, to anyone who saw me that I had spent time with the Author and Creator of the universe! 

When Moses spent time with You on Mount Sinai his face was so radiant that the people were afraid of him.  He began wearing a veil over his face unless he was speaking to You, Lord, or telling the Israelites what You had said.

I don’t mean that I want to wear a veil, Lord, but give me a radiance of spirit that can be a witness to others, a testimony that You have left an impact on Me from my spending time with You.  Something that will let people know that I know the Savior, and can help them if they need directions to get to You also.

There is a danger inherent in that of course:  if people know when I have been in Your presence, then they would also know when I have not.  And there have been stretches Lord, when I have not spent much time in Your presence.

Keep me drawn to You.  Help me have the mindset I need, to go to You, with joy, with sorrow, with excitement, with concerns.

It’s so easy to find someone else to commiserate with, to approve of my own plans, to join in my pity party.  But I desire to please You; to walk in the way You have planned out for me.

I trust in Your plan; and believe it is the best possible for me.

“Your eyes are on me Lord, because I fear You, revere You, and because my hope is in Your unfailing love.  Deliver me.  You are my help and my shield.  In You my heart rejoices, for I trust Your holy name.  Let Your unfailing love rest on me O Lord.”

Let others see it too.  Amen

Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 33:18-22

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak. 

Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You. 

And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more. 

Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

Apr 22 One True God

When I say, “I will serve the Lord,” these are words of intention and obligation.  I do not just sit back and allow whatever comes to come, saying “It must be the will of the Lord.”

Saying “I will serve the Lord”, carries the responsibility to recognize and reject all other powers and gods that have somehow gotten into my life, and to act intentionally to perform service affirming that You, the Lord, are my God.

What does serving and worshipping You look like? 

I can certainly avoid setting up a statue of wood or stone and laying offerings in front of it as acts of worship.  But in my world today, besides countless religions, there are many forms of “worshipping other gods.”   They are often looked upon as entertainment or common sense.

For the sake of “entertainment” many people are enticed by the idea they can learn the future, or “dabble in the occult.” They may read horoscopes, go to fortune tellers, read Tarot cards, play with ouija boards, channel or séance to speak to the dead, even summon satan.

The “fun” they participate in opens their hearts and spirits to unseen powers of influence they may not realize.

The truth is, there is power there that scripture tells us to have nothing to do with! Participating in those practices is a form of worship.  Believing as truth what is revealed there is attributing a godlike power to the activity or persons involved.

It is common sense to take care of our environment, reduce our carbon footprint, not waste resources.  But there are those who do this because they believe in and worship the earth as a power itself.  Environmentalism has become a religion, worshiping “Mother Earth.”

And then, there are some who elevate the desire for money, or success, or looking youthful to a level of worship, as it guides and motivates everything they do; how they make decisions, where they spend their money.

It’s so easy to allow things I enjoy or love to become an unhealthy form of worship; whether it’s my children, my job, sports, movies, food, self.

Lord, help me be vigilant to worship only the One True God.  And turn from any form of idolatry so that I only serve You.  Amen

Joshua 24:14-24 

Feb 26 My Anchor, my “Tiqvah”

“Put your HOPE in God”

O Lord, the vain philosophies of man are overwhelming and dividing our country. People are blindly following the traditions of men rather than seeking spiritual values and answers.  Young people are being deceived as the evil one’s influence seeps into our values and behavior standards.

It’s as if a dark veil has been pulled over their senses and spirits.  This is why my spirit is so downcast.

But Your solution in this Psalm is to put my hope in You.

The Hebrew word for hope is “tiqvah”, defined as a cord that attaches one thing to another.  It’s from the root word “qavah” which means to bind together, twisted for increased strength.  It is the word used for the cord that binds a ship to its anchor.

A ship will drop its anchor in times of troubled seas, when it can no longer steer itself against the strong waves.  It is the anchor that keeps it from drifting too far and being completely lost.

You are my anchor, Lord.
You keep me from drifting too far and being completely lost.

My hope is what keeps me tightly and securely bound to You, keeping me safe in the storms of life.  And it is what gives me hope for my family and our nation.  There is life after storms.  And “I will yet praise You!” Amen

Psalm 42:1,2,5

Feb 23 Time for God?

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done…Jesus said ‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

 Father, what a wonderful thing for all of us to do.

How long has it been since I came and reported, told You about all I have been doing?  And when was the last time I came away by myself with just You to a quiet place and got some rest?

I so greatly benefit from spending time with just You – in a place where the world doesn’t burst in interrupting with urgent texts, emails, phone calls.  Where everywhere I look I don’t see something to clean or organize or jump up and take care of.

I believe this is important: spending quiet, focused time with You.  In a time when multi-tasking has been raised to an art form, and busy-ness is worshipped, You have a message here that stops me in my tracks.  Help me make uninterrupted, intentional time with You a priority.

I have been on silent retreats before, just alone with You in a place that values exactly that.  It is so important to get away from the routine and distractions that eat away at my time and sap my energy.

It was wonderful to give You the first time in my day, and the last, and every minute in between.  On some occasions You have shown me a new direction or a specific answer to prayer, or a revelation of Your hand in my life.  Sometimes You have given me a fresh perspective or encouragement for the path I’m on.

Other times, I simply get to spend quality and quantity time with You, the Almighty Creator of the Universe.   Time well spent!

Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to come away with You to a quiet place and get some rest.  It’s been too long.  Amen

Mark 6:30

Feb 12 Proof of Your presence

Dear Father, how awesome would it be if every time I came away from reading or studying Your Word, or spending time in prayer, there was a visible glow on my face!

Some outward evidence, physically apparent, to anyone who saw me that I had spent time with the Author and Creator of the universe! 

When Moses spent time with You on Mount Sinai his face was so radiant that the people were afraid of him.  He began wearing a veil over his face unless he was speaking to You, Lord, or telling the Israelites what You had said.

I don’t mean that I want to wear a veil, Lord, but give me a radiance of spirit that can be a witness to others, a testimony that You have left an impact on Me from my spending time with You.  Something that will let people know that I know the Savior, and can help them if they need directions to get to You also.

There is a danger inherent in that of course:  if people know when I have been in Your presence, then they would also know when I have not.  And there have been stretches Lord, when I have not spent much time in Your presence.

Keep me drawn to You.  Help me have the mindset I need, to go to You, with joy, with sorrow, with excitement, with concerns.

It’s so easy to find someone else to commiserate with, to approve of my own plans, to join in my pity party.  But I desire to please You; to walk in the way You have planned out for me.

I trust in Your plan; and believe it is the best possible for me.

“Your eyes are on me Lord, because I fear You, revere You, and because my hope is in Your unfailing love.  Deliver me.  You are my help and my shield.  In You my heart rejoices, for I trust Your holy name.  Let Your unfailing love rest on me O Lord.”

Let others see it too.  Amen

Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 33:18-22

Jan 3 Make me like Noah

Lord God Almighty, help me be more like Noah. Let me hear Your voice like Noah did: in a way that I understand who You are and what You are telling me to do. And help me respond as Noah did, in complete obedience, doing all that You command.

Father, I know it is only by Your great mercy, and Your steadfastness, and holding to Your promise to Noah and the animals, that You do not destroy the earth again by flood.

Surely there is as just much, if not more evil and corruption now in my time, as there was then.

When You see the earth once again full of violence, are You saddened and grieved to see how people treat You, Your earth and each other? You have the power to wipe man and beast from the face of the earth again. I am in awe of Your restraint, and grateful You do not.

Show us all Lord, how to draw away from the violent, corrupt, evil influences of the earth and our flesh. Let us see where in our circumstances we are not listening to Your voice or receiving Your instruction. There will be temptations. Even You, when You walked the earth, were tempted. You went into the wilderness where needs became great, yet were not overcome by the devil’s tempting.

We also are tempted: by our own appetites, our desire for fame and for power. Yet You have promised that You will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear – because of Your faithfulness. You will show us a way of escape.

Give us the strength to overcome temptation and take the way of escape. Help us make righteous choices when tempted. Help us remember that when we submit to You, and resist the devil, then he will flee. Let us remember that we are Your children, Your sons, Your daughters; and find strength in that relationship.

Father, I desire to worship and serve only You. Strengthen me to withstand temptation. And send Your angels to come and attend when I am weak and in need. Thank You. Amen

Genesis 6:5-7:24; Matthew 4:1-11

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak.  Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You.  And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more.  Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

Feb 23 Time for God?

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done…Jesus said ‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

 Father, what a wonderful thing for all of us to do.

How long has it been since I came and reported, told You about all I have been doing?  And when was the last time I came away by myself with just You to a quiet place and got some rest?

I so greatly benefit from spending time with just You – in a place where the world doesn’t burst in interrupting with urgent texts, emails, phone calls.  Where everywhere I look I don’t see something to clean or organize or jump up and take care of.

I believe this is important: spending quiet, focused time with You.  In a time when multi-tasking has been raised to an art form, and busy-ness is worshipped, You have a message here that stops me in my tracks.  Help me make uninterrupted, intentional time with You a priority.

I have been on silent retreats before, just alone with You in a place that values exactly that.  It is so important to get away from the routine and distractions that eat away at my time and sap my energy.

It was wonderful to give You the first time in my day, and the last, and every minute in between.  On some occasions You have shown me a new direction or a specific answer to prayer, or a revelation of Your hand in my life.  Sometimes You have given me a fresh perspective or encouragement for the path I’m on.

Other times, I simply get to spend quality and quantity time with You, the Almighty Creator of the Universe.   Time well spent.

Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to come away with You to a quiet place and get some rest.  It’s been too long.  Amen

Mark 6:30

Dec 14 I am so Jonah!

Father, what wonderful lessons I’ve learned from Jonah!  And about Jonah and about You.  He is so human…  And You are so God…

You spoke to Jonah, giving him a view of Your plan for him and specific directions using the gifts and talents You placed in him.   And You speak to Your people today.  You have given each of us gifts and talents to use in accordance with Your plan.

Help me hear Your voice clearly when You speak.  Give me direction and a view of Your purpose for my gifts.

Jonah thought he could get away with being disobedient.  He thought he could hide from You.  Silly man.  And silly me!  There have been times when I did not follow Your direction.  I never ended up in the belly of a great fish, but I did miss out on some wonderful opportunities.

Remind me of that when I consider disobedience in the future.

You have everything under Your control!  Not only did You see where Jonah went, meaning there in no place to hide from You; but You were in control of everything around him.  The weather?  You brought the storm!  And calmed it.  A large fish?  You brought it to swallow Jonah, and it obeyed Your command to vomit him onto dry land.  The same thing is true of the events and circumstances, relationships and opportunities in my life.

Remind me that You see me wherever I am.  And that there is nowhere I can go away from You.  And nothing beyond Your power.

Jonah called out to You, “In [his] distress…”  Even when he thought his life was over, and knowing he had been disobedient, he prayed to You.  There is no circumstance where I cannot call on You.

It is never too late, I can never be too bad, I am never too far-gone.

You answered!  Even in the bowels of death and disobedience, You heard and answered Jonah’s prayer and rescued him.

You are a God of second chances!  And third and fourth…  You want Your people to be obedient.  You coach them to win, giving them every opportunity to do so.  And I am one of Your people.

Thank You for giving me second chances and more.  Thank You for always hearing my prayer and answering me.

Jonah obeyed eventually.  What I take from this is:  obey the first time – it will save me a lot of grief!

Thank You for this view into Jonah’s life.  It is a view into my own.  And into Your greatness.  Because You are so God…  And I am so human…  Amen

Jonah 1:1-3:3

Apr 19 Only God can make a tree

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”

Oh Father, I am sick of waiting for some people to make good on their promises.

The delays that come are hard to take.  Even when I can understand there may be a good and logical reason behind postponements, it doesn’t make the waiting any easier.  And when no reason is apparent, the frustration builds up and I literally feel ill.

This happens time and time again when I put my hope in people.  The wondering if they will come through, the anxiousness of not knowing when things can be planned due to the uncertainty, the anticipation of desiring something but having it drag on indefinitely – all these things bring mental exhaustion and emotional collapse!

“but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

When I think of all a tree provides, it is comforting.

A tree is beautiful to look at.  It is sturdy and provides shelter to sit or stand under or hide behind.  It’s boughs and leaves give shade from the heat.  I can lean up against it, climb it, sit in it, hide in it.

Depending on the type, it’s leaves may be a balm of healing, or its fruit may be nourishment.   A tree is life giving and life sustaining.

This verse paints a beautiful picture of Your provision in a world where there can be so much disappointment.

Thank You Father, that all Your promises are true.

You promise salvation and You deliver.  Your mercy and grace are renewed every day.  You always forgive and never leave me.  All this is according to Your Word, Your promise.

Father, I place my trust, my hope in You.  If I have hopes or longings that are not honoring to You, please remove them.  Do not let me become sick waiting or hoping for something that is not right for me.  Show me if I need to move my focus or change my perspective.

When I need to wait on Your plan or purpose, help me wait patiently, purposefully and prayerfully.  And when my longings are fulfilled, remind me to thank You and give You the credit.

For all You have already done, and for all You will do, thank You Father.  Amen

Proverbs 13:12

Feb 23 Time with God

 

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done…Jesus said ‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”

Father, what a wonderful thing for all of us to do.

 

How long has it been since I came and reported, told You about all I have been doing?  And when was the last time I came away by myself with just You to a quiet place and got some rest?

I so greatly benefit from spending time with just You – in a place where the world doesn’t burst in interrupting with urgent texts, emails, phone calls.  Where everywhere I look I don’t see something to clean or organize or jump up and take care of.

I believe this is important: spending quiet, focused time with You.  In a time when multi-tasking has been raised to an art form, and busy-ness is worshipped, You have a message here that stops me in my tracks.  Help me make uninterrupted, intentional time with You a priority.

I have been on silent retreats before, just alone with You in a place that values exactly that.  It is so important to get away from the routine and distractions that eat away at my time and sap my energy.

It was wonderful to give You the first time in my day, and the last, and every minute in between.  On some occasions You have shown me a new direction or a specific answer to prayer, or a revelation of Your hand in my life.  Sometimes You have given me a fresh perspective or encouragement for the path I’m on.

Other times, I simply get to spend quality and quantity time with You, the Almighty Creator of the Universe.   Time well spent.

Thank You for the reminder of how important it is to come away with You to a quiet place and get some rest.  It’s been too long.  Amen

Mark 6:30

Sept 9 Recognize Truth

O Father. I pray that I will not be “deceived by the serpent’s cunning as Eve was”, and that my “mind would not be led astray from a pure and sincere devotion to Christ.”

The serpent used deception to lure Eve into sin. He approached her boldly; the better to distract her. He called into question what You had really said; the better to confuse her. He cunningly suggested that what You wanted for her was not enough, was even bad for her; the better to entrap her.

Father, help me avoid falling into whatever traps the evil one sets for me. Let me see through them; beyond the lure of the sound of his words, to the hook buried beneath. The answer to this “serpent speak” is “God speak.”

I need to be listening, really paying attention to all that You are saying to me. In Hebrew, the word is sh’ma. It means to listen so closely, so deeply, so diligently, that the words change the listener from the inside out.

The meaning also incorporates a response to those words as being similar to that of a mother who recognizes her baby’s cry and drops everything to respond immediately. Father, let me sh’ma You, listen deeply and respond to You.

For my mind to be guarded enough so that I am “not led away”, I need to take some action myself. You give me and every believer armor: protection against the enemy.

One item is the Helmet of Salvation. I believe that this helmet bears Your insignia so that all who see it will know I fight on Your side. And it protects not only my head, but my mind inside: my thoughts. In doing so, many lies the evil one would have me believe simply bounce off and never even enter my mind.

However, some lies are disguised, or they have a little bit of truth in them, and I listen to them.   But it is a twisted bit of truth, or a half truth. So before I accept it, I need to “take every thought captive to God”.

This means I need to examine it and hold it up to Your truth. When I don’t, problems begin. Even the little things I accept that are not true can pull me away from a “pure and sincere devotion to Christ”. And I may not even realize it until I have strayed significantly off course.

So Father, help me remember to examine any thoughts and compare them to what You have told me. I will use Your Word as a plumb line.   That string with a metal weight at the end is pulled by gravity so that the resulting line is absolutely straight. Anything can be measured against this line to determine if it is “true”, or not.

Your Word is truth. Thank You for Your Word.   Thank You for the Helmet of Salvation. Thank You that when I sh’ma You, I will not be deceived by the serpent or led astray, away from You. Amen

II Corinthians 11:1-4

Sept 7 Recognition -> Repentance

Father, just as in many prayers, a sense of needing to repent of personal sin follows a recognition of Your amazing presence; today’s Psalm of asking for forgiveness follows yesterday’s Psalm of Your glorious appearance.   It’s no wonder that when I focus on You and Your righteous character, I feel completely inadequate and unworthy.

But praise be to the Lord of Hosts that I have forgiveness in Your unfailing love! “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Father, I turn from my sin and confess to You, agreeing with You that it is sin. Cleanse me from it Father, blot it out according to Your mercy. And show me Lord, when I start to go my own way instead of doing what You have shown me is right. Even now, bring to mind anything I must confess and turn away from in any area of my life.

Father, I bring my thoughts before You: angry, selfish, envious, lustful, greedy, prideful, and any others that would lead me away from You.

I offer You my attitudes: critical, judgmental, argumentative, materialistic, lukewarm towards You.

I desire to align my speech with what will honor You, and ask forgiveness for words spoken that are crude, hurtful, hateful, grumbling, complaining, divisive, misleading, or lies.

Lord, in my relationships, forgive when I have been disrespectful, manipulative, unforgiving, dishonest, improper physically or emotionally. I give You my relationships and ask that You would remove any that are ungodly. Close the door on those that do not encourage godliness in me.

Father, forgive me for setting other things in priority over spending time with You, for not following through on all You have shown me to do, for continuing to do anything You have told me not to do.

Forgive me for allowing ungodly influences into my life by the things I watch or read or eat or drink or do that are not healthy for me, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Lord God, “cleanse me… and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”   On behalf of Your unending love and Your great compassion. Amen

Psalm 51:1-10

Sept 6 A Day of rejoicing

O Father, Your Word paints a glorious picture of You returning to judge Your people!

I can see it in my mind’s eye as a massive, wall-sized painting with rays of light gleaming from Your figure, and shadows playing in the storm clouds around You with strikes of lightening flashing out. Just like one of the old masters’ paintings – like Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Or maybe as a majestic motion picture, with powerful, turbulent action between the fire and the storm like Cecil B. DeMille’s Ten Commandments.

When I speak Your Words, the action begins in my mind’s eye as You appear in slow motion: “The Mighty One… God… The Lord… You speak and summon the earth…You are perfect in beauty, You shine forth…A fire devours before You and around You a tempest rages…the heavens proclaim Your Righteousness.” The most beautiful, powerful being imaginable appears in the sky, advancing slowly.

Flames precede You, lashing out with almost blinding light and incredible heat. And around You, clouds, dark and terrible, build; billowing and blowing, roiling up and out, far and wide, with flashes of lightening streaking across the sky.

From the darkness of the storm, rays of light shine forth out of Your very being. Your voice thunders through the heavens and rumbles down to the earth causing the rocks and ground to tremble.   And in the background, the booming voices of ten thousand angels singing out, glorifying You!

“The heavens proclaim His righteousness” and I fall on my knees in reverence to join in the praise to honor You. What a day of rejoicing that will be! To be in Your presence. To see You in Your glory. What a powerful vision! To You, I offer all my praise. Amen

Psalm 50:1-7

Sept 2 Frustration to Faith

 

“Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

 

But: “God is [my] refuge and [my] strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

In one day’s scripture reading Father, I can begin with the thoughts and emotions of Solomon here, that everything is meaningless. And yet, finish with the power of the truth of the Psalmist: that I need not fear no matter what because You are my refuge.

Many days I feel the frustration of wondering whether I have an impact on my world, or the people in it. Have I shared my knowledge in a way that has benefited anyone? Have I improved anyone’s life? Blessed them? Inspired them? Encouraged them?

Solomon acknowledges “there is nothing new under the sun.” The earth turns, winds blow, water runs its course and “All things are wearisome, more than one can say.” There are certainly days Lord, when I feel all I do, or have done has had no impact and left me weary.

Clothes are cleaned and put away, then need to be washed again. The kitchen is cleaned, dishes done, but only until the next meal is prepared. Books are read and then forgotten. Classes taught to rooms of students, then they move on to other classes, piling on knowledge without the opportunity to put it into use till much of it is forgotten.

Children grow and what was taught in the home is often overpowered by the forces and influences of the world. World powers come and go but mistakes, oppressions, injustices remain regardless of our attempts to finance or vote ourselves to a better life.

It can lead me to discouragement. Solomon says “There is no remembrance of men of old…” Sobering.

But “everything that God does will endure forever.”

And God, You made me. I am an eternal being. And when I choose to work with You, and make Your desires mine, I know those things will last. You are my refuge, my strength. So when I am feeling overwhelmed by the world I can call on, rely on Your strength in my weakness.

When I feel I have no place to turn, I can turn to You as my refuge, my place of gaining courage and being re-energized. In temptation, You will make a way of escape. In trouble, You will provide an answer. “The Lord Almighty is with [me]”. And with You are all power and all authority. “Therefore [I] will not fear.”  Amen

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; Psalm 46:1-2, 7

 

Sept 1 Unworthy but loved and blessed

Finally Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him. And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…”

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence. But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations.

I am unworthy. Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love. And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You. I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are. Your love transcends my unworthiness. Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state.

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things. I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities. You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again. You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring. You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.   You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.   You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans. I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future. I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us. Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back.

You know best how to reach each of us. Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.  Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.”

Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You.

I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord”. Amen

Job 40:1-42:17

Aug 24 Raised Indestructible

“Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow he does not endure.”

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of years is as nothing before You. Each man’s life is but a breath.”

Lord, today is the anniversary of my grandmother’s death. Family funerals seem to abound, with my own father’s passing still fresh in my memory. A dear friend and mentor who battled cancer three times is now with You as well. And today I received my own personal “wake up call” diagnosis.

All around me is the evidence of how fragile life is. How fleeting it seems. How quickly it passes. I say all the time that the days sometimes drag on, but the years fly by.   Father, You know I thought the days of changing diapers and wiping faces would never end. Now in their thirties, I wonder how my children got to be so grown; how I got to be so old.

“But now Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You.”  

I have confidence You are in control. And because of Your power and authority and sovereignty, no one, not any power or circumstance, can take away even a single minute of life that has been ordained by You. “Man’s days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set the limits he cannot exceed.”

Father, I know there are many things I cannot grasp while here on earth. But I love the picture You give of how I will be raised.

When I plant a seed in the ground, it does not look like what will come up. A tomato seed does not look like a tomato or the plant it grows on. Neither does a pumpkin seed, or a carrot seed, or an apple seed, or a peach pit. So my earthly body is like the seed. And my heavenly body is like the plant that springs from it.

My earthly body is fragile, but I will be raised with You indestructible!   I live in weakness and with embarrassment, but I will return with You in power and with glory!

Because I look to You for my eternal future, there is no fear, because Yours is the victory! “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?”   Thanks be to You! You have given me victory through my Lord Jesus Christ!” Amen

Job 14:1-5; I Corinthians 15:29-58; Psalm 39:1-7

July 8 You are our Hope

“Be merciful to me, Lord…O Lord, heal me.” Father, there have been times when not only my body, but my soul have been sick with grief, with fear, with frustration. There are times when I do not understand why such bad things happen to good, seemingly innocent people and children.

Or why tragedies come: floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires. Such devastation is hard to watch as the suffering and loss is personalized by the news reporting teams. And that doesn’t even include man’s inhumanity to man as I hear about shootings and bombings and the violent plans of bloodthirsty men.

As hard as all this is to take in, there are the invisible tragedies as well. These are the spiritual disasters that occur when people are deceived and led away from You into lives of confusion and sin. As I see hate and mistrust grow in my family, community and nation I wonder where it will end. How bad can it get O Lord, before You come and deliver?

I see children rebelling, pulling away from the godly way their parents have raised them. When will they come to their senses Lord?

I see young people swayed into immoral lifestyles by the social tolerances of the day. What one generation has allowed in moderation, the next has taken to excess.

Greed runs rampant. Self is exalted. Consequences are non-existent. But the spiritual cost is beyond measure. While it all looks fun on the outside, many of these people are tortured in their personal life. They are trapped in a web of self-doubt and pain, discontented with life. The more they seek to satisfy ‘self’ the more dissatisfied and confused they are. The further away they get from Your truth, the more lost they are, and unable to even recognize truth.

“How long, O Lord, how long? Turn and deliver; save because of Your unfailing love.”

Your love and deliverance are the only hope.   For my family, my community, my nation. Father, turn the hearts of sons back to fathers. “Open the eyes “ of those who have been drawn away from You, “and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to You, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in You.”

“Father, hear my cry for mercy. Accept my prayer.” I long for and wait for the time when all Your enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; and will turn back in sudden disgrace.” And You will be remembered and worshipped as the One True God. In my family. In my nation. In the world. I need, we need Your mercy Father. And Your healing. Thank You that You hear my cry, and answer. Amen

Acts 26:18; Psalm 6:1-10

June 16 God is my King

Oh Father, Israel suffered through king after king who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”   I marvel at how patient You were in not wiping them all from the face of the earth – the kings and all the people who followed them into idolatry.

But You were teaching them that earthly kings can never be what You would had been for them. The people asked for an earthly king to be like the other nations around them, when You had been their Protector, their Guide, their Deliverer.

Father, in the world today, and in my country, people “do evil in the eyes of the Lord.” And Your patience continues. Individuals in my country know the truth. You have given us Your Word: the Bible. You have raised up people like Billy Graham who speak Your truth. And You have sent the Holy Spirit to Your believers.

We cannot blame it on our leaders. We are each accountable for what we do with Your Truth.

I choose You as my King. Everything I have comes from You. I trust in Your guidance and protection. I seek Your enlightenment in solutions to difficulties. I want Your will and Your plan for my future, my family, and my country.

Father, would You raise up godly men and women to be leaders of our communities and our countries. Give them strength of character to continue in their godly faith as they govern and rule in Your name. Let it be said of this generation, that they returned to the Lord, and were blessed. Amen

I Kings 15:25–16:34

June 3 Jehovah-Jireh = My Provider

Lord, thank You for this reminder to commemorate Your works in my life by writing about it.

Whether in a song like David, or poem, or letter form in a journal, it is important that I not only give You recognition, credit, and thanks, but that I leave a record for others to see and know of Your involvement in my life. So that others know how You love, rescue and deliver those who belong to You.

I may not fight battles with six-fingered giants, but there are forces acting against me today. In this fight, You are also my rock which I can rely on as immovable to stand on or hide behind. You are my fortress where I can find protection within.

You are the One by whose power I am delivered from the enemy. You are my shield that deflects the arrows and blows aimed at me. You are the source of my strength, and the place I can pull back to, to find rest and refuge. Your power and strength save me.

Thank You that I can call on You when I need help and have become exhausted. Thank You that You are faithful and trustworthy and come to my aid. As the Psalmist says, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.” I can look to the beautiful, often snow capped mountains where I live. Their beauty and stability speak to me of Your strength and faithfulness.

But the Psalmist wrote this to be a song all the Israelites would sing either as they made their way up to Jerusalem from their hometowns, lower in elevation; or as they ascended the steps on the south wall of the Temple mount. This was Mount Moriah, where You blessed Abraham and provided the ram to sacrifice in place of his son.

As the Israelites looked up to the hills of Jerusalem, towards the Temple, they would be thinking of You, the offerings they brought, and the forgiveness, celebration and protection they would experience there.

Thank You that I am also reminded You watch over me, that You are my shade and my protector. Thank You that You keep me from harm and watch over my life. I am so grateful. Amen

2 Samuel 21:15-22:20; Psalm 121:1-8

 

May 27 Your Peace

Father, thank You that in these verses You are speaking to me plainly.   Thank You that You stand outside of time. You can see the end even before the beginning has happened.

Before You laid the foundation of the earth, You knew the people You would create would turn away from You, and would require the sacrifice only You could make. Thank You for the plan You put in place for my salvation and reconciliation with You.

The events You prepared Your disciples for were not the end. You told them what would happen so they would have peace. Not peace in their circumstances, but peace knowing who You were, and in the Holy Spirit You would send to comfort and teach them.

Even now is not the end! In these verses, You looked even farther forward to see when You overcome the world! So I, too, can take these words to heart. I have the whole of Your Word so I can know who You are, and in my relationship with You, I can have peace whatever my circumstances. In this world, I will have trouble. But I also know that You have overcome this world! And in the end, You triumph! And because I am with You, it is my triumph too!

While I am still here though, I join with the requests of the psalmist. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, Lord. I want to make wise decisions that support Biblical values. Teach me what You desire of me. Even if the arrogant disagree and slander me, keep me true to Your teachings. Give me the understanding I need to be able to apply what Your Word says to my life and circumstances. You made me and placed me in these times, in this family, in this culture. So help me discern across time and culture, how to walk in Your truth and live righteously.

Father, comfort me with Your unfailing love. Teach me and treat me with compassion. When I am attacked or maligned, defend me.   Help me live according to all You show me in Your power and Your faithfulness. Encourage me. And give me Your peace. Amen

John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80

May 26 Help me stay connected

Father, thank You for making it so easy to understand:

“You are the vine, I am a branch.”

Even I can see how that example plays out. I have seen branches broken off of trees and bushes after a storm, or ones I have cut off to prune or shape a plant. When they have been severed from the plant, they die. They are no longer attached to the system that delivers nutrients from the ground and water, or sunlight that cause growth and sustains life.

So it is with me in my relationship with You. I am a part of You, connected to You. From You, I receive what I need to grow and sustain life.   In You, I can lead a Christian life and bear fruit.   Apart from You, I no longer bear fruit, and will wither.

Impress on me how to stay connected, Lord. Your Word remaining in me is one way. That means I need to be reading it, studying it, even memorizing it to keep it ‘in’ me. Obeying what You tell me, is another way I remain in You. And loving others is another.

Father give me a hunger and thirst for Your Word. Help me set aside time each day, and be excited to spend time hearing from You. Let Your Words rattle around in my mind so that I think about them even after I read them. Increase my understanding when they direct me to do something, or stop doing something. Do not let me be distracted or dissuaded from obeying what You say. And let me show Your love to others in my actions, my words and my attitudes.

Thank You for teaching me how much I need You and depend on You for my very life. Thank You for using examples I can understand and put into practice. Amen

John 15:1-17

May 25 Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Lord, thank You for letting me live in a time when You have sent Your presence to be with believers continuously. In the Old Testament scriptures, You visited people in physical form, or You were ‘with’ them for a time, but not like You are now. I remember Gideon saw You, and after speaking face to face, made an offering You accepted and consumed with fire.

You were ‘with’ Saul, but then You left him. When You were with David, You promised to never take Your love away from him or his descendants, and to be their Father. This was something new.

When You walked on the earth, You were with Your disciples day to day in the flesh.   You taught and guided them in truth. But that was short-lived.  What You promised them, and what they received, had never been heard of before.

People made their own gods. They imagined what powers the god had, then they fashioned a wood or stone or a ceramic figure to worship. This god could only be at one place and only at one time, and could not hear or speak, move or act.

What You did was truly revolutionary!

You have sent a part of Yourself to every believer! Your presence can be felt and experienced by every single person who has accepted You as Lord. We call this presence the Holy Spirit, or the Counselor, or the Holy Ghost: the third part of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is given to every person who believes that You are the One True God. It is invisible but present as a Spirit of Truth who teaches, reminds, comforts, convicts, and guides.

Thank You for this marvelous presence that acts as a helper, teacher, revealer, comforter, strengthener, renewer, and so much more.

Thank You that You are real and true and not crafted by man. Help me hear what the Spirit says, and understand what the Spirit teaches. Do not let me do anything that would hinder or impede the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. Thank You for this tremendous, invaluable gift. Amen

2 Samuel 7:1-29; John 14:15-31

May 10 The best Father

O Father, how many times have I behaved like the Israelites here, and asked for something so I could be like everyone else? Instead of trusting Your will and the plan You had for me, I settled for what You allowed because I asked for it.

So many times the wisdom of the world seems right. It makes sense to the mind. It pleases the eye. It pacifies the emotions. But one can follow logic and still be dead wrong.   A person can feel like things are going well, when they are not. Things can look good, but be rotten to the core. This is proven each time someone is tricked or duped; because we trust our eyes and our logic.

But You, Father, can see the end from the beginning. You have a perspective that I do not.

I protect my child when I prevent them from a danger I can see that they cannot. To them, it may feel like I am restricting them, not protecting them.   Hopefully as they grow, they trust my judgment until they can see the dangers for themselves.

And sometimes, I need to let them make their own choices, even if they are unwise, in order to learn for themselves. For instance, when you eat a tube of raw cookie dough, there are unpleasant consequences, even though it tastes really good during the eating part.

Though I like to think of myself as independent and smart enough to make wise decisions, I have learned that simply lining up pros and cons and judging by worldly standards is not the only or the best method. I have access to the God who created the universe! You have wisdom I could never in a million years attain.   And praises to You, You are willing to share it with me!

Father, when I want something, let me examine my motive. Help me discern what is best from Your perspective. Give me godly understanding that surpasses the world’s view. And help me accept that wisdom if it turns out that what I think I want is not the right thing. Help me wait for the best thing. Teach me to be wise. Amen

I Samuel 8:1-22