Apr 23 Time Management

  O Father, You have always been my God.  Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation.  You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them.  Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there.

You are “from everlasting to everlasting.”   You are Timeless.

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight.” Your sense of time is far different from mine.  I cannot even imagine it.

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest.  Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.”  Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy.

Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant.  If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.

But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass without my considering what You want me to accomplish.  And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life.  Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see.  Help me know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord.  Guide me.  Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived.  And let me live each new one for You.  Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

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 and all I’ve come through.  I forget that remembering Your faithfulness to me in the past, builds my faith in the present, and for the future.

But this is what Moses is doing for these young Israelites who are about to come into their Promised Land.

It was Your miracle that delivered them and their parents from slavery in Egypt.  You who kept them alive through the desert and brought them to this place of promise.  And You who kept Your promise to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

So this scripture 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 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.  I’ve truly been given what I’ve needed, not lacking anything.  And I can say that “You have watched over my journey through this vast desert. You have truly blessed me, and been with me.”

Father be with me now, in this time of crisis.  Be with the people who are afraid.  Be with those who have suffered tragic loss.  Speak to our country’s leaders.  Guide us and guard us.  Deliver us out of danger and into Your promised land safely and quickly.  And we will give You praise.  Amen

Deuteronomy 2:1-29; especially 2:7

Mar 5 All I am, All the time

Your greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  That is a mouthful!

The Greek words from this scripture quoting the Hebrew words don’t have the exact meanings of the English translated words that are used today.  But the idea is that I need to use all that I have to adore, worship, spend time with and follow You, my Lord.  There is no element of my life that is to be without Your influence.

For my heart, I think my emotions need to be measured by You, so I don’t get overly carried away or swept up into something without thinking.  I need to be aware of where my passions are leading me and find a place of balance.

When discouraged or depressed, I need to fight back against that inner voice berating me with negativity, by speaking Your truth in scriptures about my identity in You:

“I am a child of God” John 1:12
“I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.” Colossians 3:12
“I am forever free from condemnation” Romans 8:1

I heard once that people spend the first half of their lives trying to satisfy body and mind and the second half trying to satisfy their soul.  That inner part of me that seeks peace and wholeness gains it by recognizing the truth of Your Word.  So I will learn the real peace and wholeness that comes from You, not the world’s counterfeit found in popular philosophies.

My mind needs to seek “godly wisdom, which is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The wisdom of the world is based on the logic of the mind, and the weight of pros and cons are only understood by a limited human viewpoint.

Godly wisdom is what must guide my choices and decisions.  As I seek this wisdom, protect my mind from thoughts that do not come from You.

I dedicate my strength to Your purposes: the strength of my body, of my will, my self-determination.  Help me realize when my strength isn’t enough, and rely on Your strength to work through my weakness.

And I need to do this all the time?!  It is obvious that I can never achieve this on my own.  I will never be able to love You this perfectly.

Fortunately, “with God, all things are possible!”  So I rely on You, Lord, to guard and guide my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength; and to use them for Your glory.  This is how I desire to be obedient.  Amen

Mark 12:29-30; James 3:17; Mark 10:27

Feb 24 Danger Zone

Lord, for many chapters in Leviticus now You have shown me what is “unclean” – the Hebrew word tamei (taw-may).  It means more than what I think of as dirty or not clean.  Its definition also carries personal, psychological and spiritual elements.

Tamei is a state of fragmentation, of being incomplete, defiled, not whole, or unable to reach full potential.

Contact with certain physical things can make me tamei; but so can negative emotions and desires that arise from within me.

Under these circumstances, I am put into a state of heightened spiritual alertness for a time; like a danger zone of vulnerability where I need to be vigilant over my thoughts and words and actions.

It’s a time or portal of potential risk of drifting away from holiness.  Holiness is wholeness, unity, integration, represented by the Hebrew word t’hor (tu-hoar) and is the opposite of unclean.

Jesus recognized the Pharisees had become overzealous when it came to being “clean” only on the outside of their bodies, neglecting the spiritual aspects of tamei.

They missed the point that what makes man fragmented or shattered, is what comes from the heart – jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, lustfulness and evil thoughts.  These are what put man into a state of danger where they can fall into sin.

Father, raise my awareness of these times when I need to be on high alert.  Keep me vigilant over my thoughts and actions so I don’t drift away from You.

I desire to honor You with my lips and my heart.  Teach me to let go of legalism that has become the tradition of man; so that I can be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life.  Amen

Leviticus Chapters 12-16; Mark 7:1-23

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

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

Lord, Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.”

We often consider “honoring You with our wealth” to mean tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our “wealth” it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes.

So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You.

Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered.

Earthly wisdom would be to “get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can.” It would be to bank a “‘sure thing” and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But to honor You with the firstfruits is an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a “sure thing” because I trust the One who is in control of it all!

Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ”tipping” You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You.  You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things.

You remind me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10; James 1:17

Sept 2 Be still…

“Be still and know I am God.”   What a great reminder!

When I come to You, Father, I know that sometimes it’s on the run, and I just quickly dash off a prayer of need, or thanks, or praise to You.

But it’s in those times when I really prioritize spending time with You that I can calm myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – and truly sink into Your presence, that I am rewarded with a fresh realization and a deeper understanding of who You really are.

Lord, right now, I still my physical body, and ask You to quiet my mind, calm my emotions, open my spirit to hear only Your voice; and be sensitive to only Your presence.

It takes a moment or two, and some deep breaths and reciting this verse to myself.  “Be still and know I am God.”   Father, Creator, Counselor, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Teacher, Savior, Comforter, Friend.  All these names, these ways You have revealed Yourself to me personally, and more come into my mind as I begin to focus on You, rather than on myself.

As worrisome thoughts enter my head, I give them to You.  One at a time.  You take them and ease them away from me.  You can handle whatever it is, because You are God.  I know this.  Not just “I-read-it-in-a-book” know it.  But “I-fully-understand-and-completely-trust” know it.

You are God and there is no other.  You are God and there is no other.  If I have trusted in any other gods, Lord, I renounce them.  My youth.  My appearance.  My energy and vitality.  My children.  Financial security.  My sense of what I can do for others.  I can’t believe how long the list is of things that I get my sense of identity from.  But I lay each of them down.  Who I am, my identity, comes only from You.  Forgive me for trusting in anything else.

I seek Your direction Lord, for the rhythm and timing of my life.  Solomon wrote it all out Lord.  You have created “a time for everything under heaven.”  “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…”  It goes on.  And I realize Father, that I need to seek Your will for the rhythm and timing of my life.

Father, help me know when to “keep” and when to “throw away.”  I am already sensing I am moving into a time of not keeping so many things.  Help me also know when to “speak” and when to “be silent.”  When to “search” and when to “give up.” When to “embrace and when to refrain from embracing.”

As I read each pairing in these Ecclesiastes verses, I can feel You speaking to me.  You lead me to a place in my spirit where the one or the other makes sense in different areas of my life.  Thank You Lord, for showing me the way.

Thank You Father, for always being there when I show up to just “be still, and know that You are God.”  Amen

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 46:10

Aug 31 Fix my eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

Aug 10 Reconciliation

Father, thank You that You are a God of second chances.  And third and fourth and even more.

When the Israelite men had sinned and taken foreign, pagan wives, there was an acceptable resolution.  There were consequences yes, but they were able to take an oath to renew their covenant with You.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he lists many types of wickedness, then says “And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 

In both of these cases, reconciliation was made possible because You chose to accept repentance.  You cleansed them, You set them apart.  You returned them to right standing with You.

And the same is true for me.  When I have sinned, and I come to You in the realization of what I have done, agree with You that it is sin, and am remorseful, repentant; You forgive that sin.  You wash me and set me apart, and again I am in right standing with You.

But, as with the Israelites, there are consequences.   Sometimes the consequences are life changing, and can cause ongoing problems.  They had to put aside their foreign wives.  Sometimes I have to put aside a relationship or something I think I really want that is not good for me.

Paul says, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.”   Lord, there is such freedom in You.  Help me be wise in that freedom.  Produce in me the Fruit of the Spirit so I can be good and kind, patient and faithful, gentle and self-controlled.  Show me when I am being selfish or unwise.  Remind me to think and pray before I act.

Father, I offer You the relationships in my life.  Please deepen the ones that are godly, and distance me from any that are not.

I give You my time and ask that You show me where I waste it.  Give me the strength to cut out activities that eat away time I could spend better.

I give You my priorities and ask You to help me reorder them where they are not in line with Your purposes.

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” 

Father, help me recognize what is right and just, and help me do it.   When what is right and just is at odds with my selfish or prideful or greedy nature, help me overcome that nature and be led by You.

Thank You for Your help in all this, and for the hope You give me.  Amen

Ezra 10:1-17; I Corinthians 6:10-12; Proverbs 21:3

July 19 Walking Your path of Righteousness

Father, David proclaimed “Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things.”  He was amazed and pleased at the abundance of gifts the people poured out for the building of Your Temple.  And he acknowledged “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.” I completely agree.

Like the Israelites, teach me to be generous with all You have given me:

money, energy, time, words, music, talents, spiritual gifts.

Help me spend myself on You and Your purposes and Your people.  David prayed for the people, and I echo “keep this desire in my heart forever, and keep my heart loyal to You…give me wholehearted devotion to keep Your commands.”

Since I have Your righteousness, Lord, help me behave that way.  Remind me to speak the truth from my heart.  If I open my mouth to speak a lie or to deceive, shut it.  Show me how to speak the truth in love, and not be hurtful to people in the name of “honesty.”

Help me treat my neighbor with decency and fairness, not cheating or taking advantage.

Keep me away from malicious gossip.

Give me the fortitude to turn away from those who are evil and untrustworthy, even if society embraces them or it seems it would benefit me.

Let me truly love and support those who honor and respect You and Your values.

Help me be true to my word, even when it costs me.

Teach me to be smart with my finances, to be generous, and not extort interest from the needy.  Strengthen me so I am not tempted by bribes.

Psalm 15 promises that those “who do these things will never be shaken.”  Father, You give me solid ground to stand on.  Help me be unwavering and not overwhelmed by forces that seek to undo me.   With Your help I can stand strong, and not be moved.  Thank You.  Amen

I Chronicles 29:1-19; Psalm 15:1-5

Apr 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God.  Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation.  You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them.  Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there.

You are “from everlasting to everlasting.”   You are Timeless.

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight.” Your sense of time is far different from mine.  I cannot even imagine it.

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest.  Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.”  Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy.

Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant.  If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.

But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass without my considering what You want me to accomplish.  And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life.  Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see.  Help me know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord.  Guide me.  Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived.  And let me live each new one for You.  Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

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 and all I’ve come through.  I forget that remembering Your faithfulness to me in the past, builds my faith in the present, and for the future.

But this is what Moses is doing for these young Israelites who are about to come into their Promised Land.

It was Your miracle that delivered them and their parents from slavery in Egypt.  You who kept them alive through the desert and brought them to this place of promise.  And You who kept Your promise to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

So this scripture 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 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.  I’ve truly been given what I’ve needed, not lacking anything.  And I can say that “You have watched over my journey through this vast desert. You have truly blessed me, and been with me.”

Father be with me now, in this time of crisis.  Be with the people who are afraid.  Be with those who have suffered tragic loss.  Speak to our country’s leaders.  Guide us and guard us.  Deliver us out of danger and into Your promised land safely and quickly.  And we will give You praise.  Amen

Deuteronomy 2:1-29; especially 2:7

Mar 5 All I am, all the time

Your greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  That is a mouthful!

The Greek words from this scripture quoting the Hebrew words don’t have the exact meanings of the English translated words that are used today.  But the idea is that I need to use all that I have to adore, worship, spend time with and follow You, my Lord.  There is no element of my life that is to be without Your influence.

For my heart, I think my emotions need to be measured by You, so I don’t get overly carried away or swept up into something without thinking.  I need to be aware of where my passions are leading me and find a place of balance.

When discouraged or depressed, I need to fight back against that inner voice berating me with negativity, by speaking Your truth in scriptures about my identity in You:

“I am a child of God” John 1:12

“I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.”  Colossians 3:12

“I am forever free from condemnation” Romans 8:1

I heard once that people spend the first half of their lives trying to satisfy body and mind and the second half trying to satisfy their soul.  That inner part of me that seeks peace and wholeness gains it by recognizing the truth of Your Word.  So I will learn the real peace and wholeness that comes from You, not the world’s counterfeit found in popular philosophies.

My mind needs to seek “godly wisdom, which is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The wisdom of the world is based on the logic of the mind, and the weight of pros and cons are only understood by a limited human viewpoint.

Godly wisdom is what must guide my choices and decisions.  As I seek this wisdom, protect my mind from thoughts that do not come from You.

I dedicate my strength to Your purposes: the strength of my body, of my will, my self-determination.  Help me realize when my strength isn’t enough, and rely on Your strength to work through my weakness.

And I need to do this all the time?!  It is obvious that I can never achieve this on my own.  I will never be able to love You this perfectly.

Fortunately, “with God, all things are possible!”  So I rely on You, Lord, to guard and guide my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength; and to use them for Your glory.  This is how I desire to be obedient.  Amen

Mark 12:29-30; James 3:17; Mark 10:27

Feb 24 Danger Zone

Lord, for many chapters in Leviticus now You have shown me what is “unclean” – the Hebrew word tamei (taw-may).  It means more than what I think of as dirty or not clean.  Its definition also carries personal, psychological and spiritual elements.

Tamei is a state of fragmentation, of being incomplete, defiled, not whole, or unable to reach full potential.

Contact with certain physical things can make me tamei; but so can negative emotions and desires that arise from within me.

Under these circumstances, I am put into a state of heightened spiritual alertness for a time; like a danger zone of vulnerability where I need to be vigilant over my thoughts and words and actions.

It’s a time or portal of potential risk of drifting away from holiness.  Holiness is wholeness, unity, integration, represented by the Hebrew word t’hor (tu-hoar) and is the opposite of unclean.

Jesus recognized the Pharisees had become overzealous when it came to being “clean” only on the outside of their bodies, neglecting the spiritual aspects of tamei.

They missed the point that what makes man fragmented or shattered, is what comes from the heart – jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, lustfulness and evil thoughts.  These are what put man into a state of danger where they can fall into sin.

Father, raise my awareness of these times when I need to be on high alert.  Keep me vigilant over my thoughts and actions so I don’t drift away from You.

I desire to honor You with my lips and my heart.  Teach me to let go of legalism that has become the tradition of man; so that I can be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life.  Amen

Leviticus Chapters 12-16; Mark 7:1-23

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

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

Lord, Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.”

We often consider “honoring You with our wealth” to mean tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our “wealth” it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes.

So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You.

Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered.

Earthly wisdom would be to “get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can.” It would be to bank a “‘sure thing” and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But to honor You with the firstfruits is an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a “sure thing” because I trust the One who is in control of it all!

Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ”tipping” You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You.  You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things.

You remind me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10; James 1:17

Dec 15 When?

Father, I wonder what the people thought when they heard this prophecy from Micah?  Were some moved to change their ways?  Did some campaign for a national awakening and shift in policy?

Did they just think it was for another generation?  Or that it would never happen? 

Did they believe it at first, and then as time passed and destruction did not come, think they were safe in their sin, and settle back into complacency?

How was it in Noah’s time?  Did they all scoff at the ship builder’s efforts?

Micah at least gave hope, that after the calamity there would be a time of peace again.  Even though the Israelites were delivered from Babylon, was Micah looking even further into the future?

Moving from Micah’s prophecy to John’s Revelation puts the prophecy squarely into my time for consideration.  I have heard of “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” since I was very young.  And as I grew to understand that they were a part of a bigger picture of the Revelation given in the Bible about end times, I began to wonder if these things would come in my lifetime. 

Almost 50 years ago, as a young woman in college, I heard some sermons and read some pamphlets and believed the end times were upon us.  When I told my parents of my discovery they said that they too, when they had been in college 25 years earlier, had also made connections from prophecy to current events.  They had thought the same thing in their time.

It has been 75 my father has waited, and now he is old.  He recently passed away without seeing Your return.  It has been 50 years for me, and now I am old.   Will John’s Revelation come to pass in my lifetime?  I do not know.  Your time, Father, is not the same as my time.  Psalm 90:4 says  “A thousand years in Your sight is like a day…” 

I have studied Revelation enough to know that man will not know the day and time, but can certainly recognize the signs of its coming which You have revealed.  For me and my life, I can do no more than praise You as Your servant, minister in Your Name, and tell others of Your wonderful greatness.

Father, I praise You that my times are in Your hands.  I put my trust in You.   Amen

Micah 4:1-10; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 90:4

Sept 2 Be still…

“Be still and know I am God.”   What a great reminder!

When I come to You, Father, I know that sometimes it’s on the run, and I just quickly dash off a prayer of need, or thanks, or praise to You.

But it’s in those times when I really prioritize spending time with You that I can calm myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – and truly sink into Your presence, that I am rewarded with a fresh realization and a deeper understanding of who You really are.

Lord, right now, I still my physical body, and ask You to quiet my mind, calm my emotions, open my spirit to hear only Your voice; and be sensitive to only Your presence.

It takes a moment or two, and some deep breaths and reciting this verse to myself.  “Be still and know I am God.”   Father, Creator, Counselor, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Teacher, Savior, Comforter, Friend.  All these names, these ways You have revealed Yourself to me personally, and more come into my mind as I begin to focus on You, rather than on myself.

As worrisome thoughts enter my head, I give them to You.  One at a time.  You take them and ease them away from me.  You can handle whatever it is, because You are God.  I know this.  Not just “I-read-it-in-a-book” know it.  But “I-fully-understand-and-completely-trust” know it.

You are God and there is no other.  You are God and there is no other.  If I have trusted in any other gods, Lord, I renounce them.  My youth.  My appearance.  My energy and vitality.  My children.  Financial security.  My sense of what I can do for others.  I can’t believe how long the list is of things that I get my sense of identity from.  But I lay each of them down.  Who I am, my identity, comes only from You.  Forgive me for trusting in anything else.

I seek Your direction Lord, for the rhythm and timing of my life.  Solomon wrote it all out Lord.  You have created “a time for everything under heaven.”  “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…”  It goes on.  And I realize Father, that I need to seek Your will for the rhythm and timing of my life.

Father, help me know when to “keep” and when to “throw away.”  I am already sensing I am moving into a time of not keeping so many things.  Help me know when to “speak” and when to “be silent.”  When to “search” and when to “give up.” When to “embrace and when to refrain from embracing.”

As I read each pairing in these Ecclesiastes verses, I can feel You speaking to me.  You lead me to a place in my spirit where the one or the other makes sense in different areas of my life.  Thank You Lord, for showing me the way.

Thank You Father, for always being there when I show up to just “be still, and know that You are God.”  Amen

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 46:10

Aug 31 Fix me eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

Aug 10 Reconciliation

Father, thank You that You are a God of second chances.  And third and fourth and even more.

When the Israelite men had sinned and taken foreign, pagan wives, there was an acceptable resolution.  There were consequences yes, but they were able to take an oath to renew their covenant with You.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he lists many types of wickedness, then says “And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 

In both of these cases, reconciliation was made possible because You chose to accept repentance.  You cleansed them, You set them apart.  You returned them to right standing with You.

And the same is true for me.  When I have sinned, and I come to You in the realization of what I have done, agree with You that it is sin, and am remorseful, repentant; You forgive that sin.  You wash me and set me apart, and again I am in right standing with You.

But, as with the Israelites, there are consequences.   Sometimes the consequences are life changing, and can cause ongoing problems.  They had to put aside their foreign wives.  Sometimes I have to put aside a relationship or something I think I really want that is not good for me.

Paul says, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.”   Lord, there is such freedom in You.  Help me be wise in that freedom.  Produce in me the Fruit of the Spirit so I can be good and kind, patient and faithful, gentle and self-controlled.  Show me when I am being selfish or unwise.  Remind me to think and pray before I act.

Father, I offer You the relationships in my life.  Please deepen the ones that are godly, and distance me from any that are not.

I give You my time and ask that You show me where I waste it.  Give me the strength to cut out activities that eat away time I could spend better.

I give You my priorities and ask You to help me reorder them where they are not in line with Your purposes.

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

Father, help me recognize what is right and just, and help me do it.   When what is right and just is at odds with my selfish or prideful or greedy nature, help me overcome that nature and be led by You.

Thank You for Your help in all this, and for the hope You give me.  Amen

Ezra 10:1-17; I Corinthians 6:10-12; Proverbs 21:3

Apr 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God.  Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation.  You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them.  Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there.

You are “from everlasting to everlasting.”   You are Timeless.

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight.” Your sense of time is far different from mine.  I cannot even imagine it.

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest.  Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.”  Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy.

Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant.  If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.

But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass without my considering what You want me to accomplish.  And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life.  Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see.  Help me know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord.  Guide me.  Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived.  And let me live each new one for You.  Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

Mar 5 All I am, All the time

Your greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  That is a mouthful!

The Greek words from this scripture quoting the Hebrew words don’t have the exact meanings of the English translated words that are used today.  But the idea is that I need to use all that I have to adore, worship, spend time with and follow You, my Lord.  There is no element of my life that is to be without Your influence.

For my heart, I think my emotions need to be measured by You, so I don’t get overly carried away or swept up into something without thinking.  I need to be aware of where my passions are leading me and find a place of balance.

When discouraged or depressed, I need to fight back against that inner voice berating me with negativity, by speaking Your truth in scriptures about my identity in You:

“I am a child of God” John 1:12
“I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.” Colossians 3:12
“I am forever free from condemnation” Romans 8:1

I heard once that people spend the first half of their lives trying to satisfy body and mind and the second half trying to satisfy their soul.  That inner part of me that seeks peace and wholeness gains it by recognizing the truth of Your Word.  So I will learn the real peace and wholeness that comes from You, not the world’s counterfeit found in popular philosophies.

My mind needs to seek “godly wisdom, which is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The wisdom of the world is based on the logic of the mind, and the weight of pros and cons are only understood by a limited human viewpoint.

Godly wisdom is what must guide my choices and decisions.  As I seek this wisdom, protect my mind from thoughts that do not come from You.

I dedicate my strength to Your purposes: the strength of my body, of my will, my self-determination.  Help me realize when my strength isn’t enough, and rely on Your strength to work through my weakness.

And I need to do this all the time?!  It is obvious that I can never achieve this on my own.  I will never be able to love You this perfectly.

Fortunately, “with God, all things are possible!”  So I rely on You, Lord, to guard and guide my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength; and to use them for Your glory.  This is how I desire to be obedient.  Amen

Mark 12:29-30; James 3:17; Mark 10:27

Feb 24 Danger Zone

Lord, for many chapters in Leviticus now You have shown me what is “unclean” – the Hebrew word tamei (taw-may).  It means more than what I think of as dirty or not clean.  Its definition also carries personal, psychological and spiritual elements.

Tamei is a state of fragmentation, of being incomplete, defiled, not whole, or unable to reach full potential.

Contact with certain physical things can make me tamei; but so can negative emotions and desires that arise from within me.

Under these circumstances, I am put into a state of heightened spiritual alertness for a time; like a danger zone of vulnerability where I need to be vigilant over my thoughts and words and actions.

It’s a time or portal of potential risk of drifting away from holiness.  Holiness is wholeness, unity, integration, represented by the Hebrew word t’hor (tu-hoar) and is the opposite of unclean.

Jesus recognized the Pharisees had become overzealous when it came to being “clean” only on the outside of their bodies, neglecting the spiritual aspects of tamei.

They missed the point that what makes man fragmented or shattered, is what comes from the heart – jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, lustfulness and evil thoughts.  These are what put man into a state of danger where they can fall into sin.

Father, raise my awareness of these times when I need to be on high alert.  Keep me vigilant over my thoughts and actions so I don’t drift away from You.

I desire to honor You with my lips and my heart.  Teach me to let go of legalism that has become the tradition of man; so that I can be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life.  Amen

Leviticus chapters 12-16; Mark 7:1-23

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 12 Trust God with it all

Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.”

We often consider “honoring You with our wealth” to mean tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our “wealth” it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes.

So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You.

Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered.

Earthly wisdom would be to “get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can.” It would be to bank a “‘sure thing” and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But to honor You with the firstfruits is an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a “sure thing” because I trust the One who is in control of it all!

Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ”tipping” You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You.  You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things.

You remind me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10

Dec 15 When?

Father, I wonder what the people thought when they heard this prophecy from Micah?  Were some moved to change their ways?  Did some campaign for a national awakening and shift in policy?

Did they just think it was for another generation?  Or that it would never happen? 

Did they believe it at first, and then as time passed and destruction did not come, think they were safe in their sin, and settle back into complacency?

How was it in Noah’s time?  Did they all scoff at the ship builder’s efforts?

Micah at least gave hope, that after the calamity there would be a time of peace again.  Even though the Israelites were delivered from Babylon, was Micah looking even further into the future?

Moving from Micah’s prophecy to John’s Revelation puts the prophecy squarely into my time for consideration.  I have heard of “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” since I was very young.  And as I grew to understand that they were a part of a bigger picture of the Revelation given in the Bible about end times, I began to wonder if these things would come in my lifetime.

Almost 50 years ago, as a young woman in college, I heard some sermons and read some pamphlets and believed the end times were upon us.  When I told my parents of my discovery they said that they too, when they had been in college 25 years earlier, had also made connections from prophecy to current events.  They had thought the same thing in their time.

It has been 75 my father has waited, and now he is old.  He recently passed away without seeing Your return.  It has been 50 years for me, and now I am old.   Will John’s Revelation come to pass in my lifetime?  I do not know.  Your time, Father, is not the same as my time.  Psalm 90:4 says  “A thousand years in Your sight is like a day…” 

I have studied Revelation enough to know that man will not know the day and time, but can certainly recognize the signs of its coming which You have revealed.  For me and my life, I can do no more than praise You as Your servant, minister in Your Name, and tell others of Your wonderful greatness.

Father, I praise You that my times are in Your hands.  I put my trust in You.   Amen

Micah 4:1-10; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 90:4

Sept 2 Be still…

What a great reminder!

When I come to You, Father, I know that sometimes it’s on the run, and I just quickly dash off a prayer of need, or thanks, or praise to You.

But it’s in those times when I really prioritize spending time with You that I can calm myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – and truly sink into Your presence, that I am rewarded with a fresh realization and a deeper understanding of who You really are.

Lord, right now, I still my physical body, and ask You to quiet my mind, calm my emotions, open my spirit to hear only Your voice; and be sensitive to only Your presence.

It takes a moment or two, and some deep breaths and reciting this verse to myself.  “Be still and know I am God.”   Father, Creator, Counselor, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Teacher, Savior, Comforter, Friend.  All these names, these ways You have revealed Yourself to me personally, and more come into my mind as I begin to focus on You, rather than on myself.

As worrisome thoughts enter my head, I give them to You.  One at a time.  You take them and ease them away from me.  You can handle whatever it is, because You are God.  I know this.  Not just “I-read-it-in-a-book” know it.  But “I-fully-understand-and-completely-trust” know it.

You are God and there is no other.  You are God and there is no other.  If I have trusted in any other gods, Lord, I renounce them.  My youth.  My appearance.  My energy and vitality.  My children.  Financial security.  My sense of what I can do for others.  I can’t believe how long the list is of things that I get my sense of identity from.  But I lay each of them down.  Who I am, my identity, comes only from You.  Forgive me for trusting in anything else.

As I read each pairing in these Ecclesiastes verses, I can feel You speaking to me.  You lead me to a place in my spirit where the one or the other makes sense in different areas of my life.  Thank You Lord, for showing me the way.

Thank You Father, for always being there when I show up to just “be still, and know that You are God.”  Amen

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 46:10

Aug 31 Fix my eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

 

Aug 5 Prophecies and Promises

Lord God, from today’s scriptures it’s clear that you have moved armies, governments, civilizations to accomplish Your will.  You told Your prophets, who told the people, exactly what would happen if they did not keep their covenant with You.

Their choices were to obey and receive Your blessings, or disobey and receive Your curses.  The curse would remove them from the land You gave them as an inheritance and take them far away.  Even knowing this, and being reminded by the prophets, their hearts were hard and they chose curses by their behavior.

You even told Your prophet Jeremiah that their captivity would last seventy years.  And Isaiah gave the name of the king who would return them to their land one hundred and fifty years before it happened!

Sure enough, because of their continued disobedience, they were captured and taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.  And during that time, another civilization came to power – the Persians.  The Persians overtook Babylon, and King Cyrus announced he would build a temple in Jerusalem for the Lord, the God of heaven.  Any of Your people in captivity would be free to go.

This happened seventy years after captivity began as predicted.  And the man who released them as promised by prophecy was not even born when he was named by the prophet!

So I can believe with assurance in the prophecies You have given about the coming days.   All You revealed to John on the island of Patmos, and more about the end times.  Of course, I do not pretend to know Your exact time table, but I know I need to be ready.

I need to be living like You have shown me, and being obedient to receive Your blessings.  I need to be watching so I am not misled.   My faith must not rest on man’s wisdom, but on Your power.

I believe that I must “wait for You”  – for Your wisdom, perspective, for Your perfect timing in my life.  Help me be patient while I am waiting.  Help me “be strong and take heart.”

You will move things in Your timing: armies, governments, civilizations.  You hold the hearts of men and kings in Your hand.  And I believe I will see Your goodness, in my life, while I live.

Thank You for Your blessings.  For Your promises.  For Your prophecies.  And for answering me when I seek Your face.  Amen

Ezra 1:1-11; Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Psalm 27:13-14

 

April 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God.  Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation.  You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them.  Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there.

You are “from everlasting to everlasting.”  Timeless

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest.  Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.”  Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy.

Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant.  If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.

But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass that I do not consider what You want me to accomplish.  And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life.  Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see.  Help me to know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord.  Guide me.  Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived.  And let me live each new one for You.  Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

Mar 5 All I am All the time

Your greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  That is a mouthful!

The Greek words from this scripture quoting the Hebrew words don’t have the exact meanings of the English translated words that are used today.  But the idea is that I need to use all that I have to adore, worship, spend time with and follow You, my Lord.  There is no element of my life that is to be without Your influence.

For my heart, I think my emotions need to be measured by You, so I don’t get overly carried away or swept up into something without thinking.  I need to be aware of where my passions are leading me and find a place of balance.

When discouraged or depressed, I need to fight back against that inner voice berating me with negativity, by speaking Your truth in scriptures about my identity in You:

  “I am a child of God” John 1:12

“I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved.”  Colossians 3:12

“I am forever free from condemnation” Romans 8:1

I heard once that people spend the first half of their lives trying to satisfy body and mind and the second half trying to satisfy their soul.  That inner part of me that seeks peace and wholeness gains it by recognizing the truth of Your Word.  So I will learn the real peace and wholeness that comes from You, not the world’s counterfeit found in popular philosophies.

My mind needs to seek “godly wisdom, which is pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”  The wisdom of the world is based on the logic of the mind, and the weight of pros and cons are only understood by a limited human viewpoint.

Godly wisdom is what must guide my choices and decisions.  As I seek this wisdom, protect my mind from thoughts that do not come from You.

I dedicate my strength to Your purposes: the strength of my body, of my will, my self-determination.  Help me realize when my strength isn’t enough, and rely on Your strength to work through my weakness.

And I need to do this all the time?!  It is obvious that I can never achieve this on my own.  I will never be able to love You this perfectly.

Fortunately, “with God, all things are possible!”  So I rely on You, Lord, to guard and guide my heart, my soul, my mind and my strength; and to use them for Your glory.  This is how I desire to be obedient.  Amen

Mark 12:29-30; James 3:17; Mark 10:27

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

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.”

We often consider “honoring You with our wealth” to mean tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our “wealth” it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes.

So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You.

Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered.

Earthly wisdom would be to “get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can.” It would be to bank a “‘sure thing” and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But to honor You with the firstfruits is an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a “sure thing” because I trust the One who is in control of it all!

Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ”tipping” You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You.  You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things.

You remind me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10

Dec 15 When?

Father, I wonder what the people thought when they heard this prophecy from Micah?  Were some moved to change their ways?  Did some campaign for a national awakening and shift in policy?

Did they just think it was for another generation?  Or that it would never happen?

Did they believe it at first, and then as time passed and destruction did not come, think they were safe in their sin, and settle back into complacency?

How was it in Noah’s time?  Did they all scoff at the ship builder’s efforts?

Micah at least gave hope, that after the calamity there would be a time of peace again.  Even though the Israelites were delivered from Babylon, was Micah looking even further into the future?

Moving from Micah’s prophecy to John’s Revelation puts the prophecy squarely into my time for consideration.  I have heard of “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” since I was very young.  And as I grew to understand that they were a part of a bigger picture of the Revelation given in the Bible about end times, I began to wonder if these things would come in my lifetime.

Forty-five years ago, as a young woman in college, I heard some sermons and read some pamphlets and believed the end times were upon us.  When I told my parents of my discovery they said that they too, when they had been in college twenty-five years earlier, had also made connections from prophecy to current events.  They had thought the same thing in their time.

It has been seventy years my father has waited, and now he is old and gone.  It has been fifty years for me, and I am old.   Will John’s Revelation come to pass in my lifetime?  I do not know.  Your time, Father, is not the same as my time.  Psalm 90:4 says  “A thousand years in Your sight is like a day…” 

I have studied Revelation enough to know that man will not know the day and time, but can certainly recognize the signs of its coming which You have revealed.  For me and my life, I can do no more than praise You as Your servant, minister in Your Name, and tell others of Your wonderful greatness.

Father, I praise You that my times are in Your hands.  I put my trust in You.   Amen

Micah 4:1-10; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 90:4

Sept 12 A tool for God’s purpose

Father, when You sent Your judgment against Israel, You used the political and military and powers of the day.  Not knowing You, they believed it was by their own strength and power that they conquered.  But it is clear that they were merely a tool in Your hand.  The power is not in the tool, but in the one who wields it.

Father, I pray that I would be a tool in Your hand for godly purposes.  Use me to accomplish Your will.  You are truly the potter and I am the clay.  Send me where Your would, as Your handiwork, to achieve Your plan.  And never let me forget that Yours is the strength and the wisdom by which anything is accomplished.

Father, some are called to far away places to be tools for You in spreading Your Word and Your love.  And surely there are obstacles for them to overcome and challenges to conquer.  But sometimes I feel the hardest place to be Your representative is here at home, with the people I love.

I know You have a wonderful plan and purpose for their lives too.  So until you call me away to somewhere else, help me realize the potential here, and be willing to be a tool in Your hands in the lives of those people You have brought closest to me.   Help me live every day showing Your grace and mercy and compassion to them.  When asked, help me give wise and godly advice, not just my own preferences.  Let my words be instructive and gentle, and line up with Your truth, spoken in love for the benefit of the hearer.

Help me hold my tongue when I need to, when the words would not be godly wisdom, but come from some other motivation.  Help me spread peace in their lives when it would be so much easier to spread my own brand of how things should be.  Help me let go of my own expectations of them, freeing them up to know the fulfillment of Your plans and purposes.

Help me be patient with Your timeline for their development and maturity.  And help me be consistent to pray for them to be empowered and guided by the influence of Your Word in their lives, and what You speak to them and through the godly mentors and circumstances You allow into their lives.

Let me draw strength from You.  Let me be guided by You.  And let me rest in Your strong and skillful hands.  Amen

Isaiah 10:1-19

Sept 2 Be still…

“Be still and know I am God.”   What a great reminder!

When I come to You, Father, I know that sometimes it’s on the run, and I just quickly dash off a prayer of need, or thanks, or praise to You.

But it’s in those times when I really prioritize spending time with You that I can calm myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – and truly sink into Your presence, that I am rewarded with a fresh realization and a deeper understanding of who You really are.

Lord, right now, I still my physical body, and ask You to quiet my mind, calm my emotions, open my spirit to hear only Your voice; and be sensitive to only Your presence.

It takes a moment or two, and some deep breaths and reciting this verse to myself.  “Be still and know I am God.”   Father, Creator, Counselor, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, Teacher, Savior, Comforter, Friend.  All these names, these ways You have revealed Yourself to me personally, and more come into my mind as I begin to focus on You, rather than on myself.

As worrisome thoughts enter my head, I give them to You.  One at a time.  You take them and ease them away from me.  You can handle whatever it is, because You are God.  I know this.  Not just “I-read-it-in-a-book” know it.  But “I-fully-understand-and-completely-trust” know it.

You are God and there is no other.  You are God and there is no other.  If I have trusted in any other gods, Lord, I renounce them.  My youth.  My appearance.  My energy and vitality.  My children.  Financial security.  My sense of what I can do for others.  I can’t believe how long the list is of things that I get my sense of identity from.  But I lay each of them down.  Who I am, my identity, comes only from You.  Forgive me for trusting in anything else.

I seek Your direction Lord, for the rhythm and timing of my life.  Solomon wrote it all out Lord.  You have created “a time for everything under heaven.”  “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…”  It goes on.  And I realize Father, that I need to seek Your will for the rhythm and timing of my life.

Father, help me know when to “keep” and when to “throw away.”  I am already sensing I am moving into a time of not keeping so many things.  Help me know when to “speak” and when to “be silent.”  When to “search” and when to “give up.” When to “embrace and when to refrain from embracing.”

As I read each pairing in these Ecclesiastes verses, I can feel You speaking to me.  You lead me to a place in my spirit where the one or the other makes sense in different areas of my life.  Thank You Lord, for showing me the way.

Thank You Father, for always being there when I show up to just “be still, and know that You are God.”  Amen

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 46:10

Aug 31 Fix my eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

 

May 6 Faith = things hoped for but not yet seen

Lord, may my faith be like that of the royal official.  He asked for You to come and heal his child who was close to death.  You simply told him “Go, your son will live.”  And he took You at Your word and left.

Even before he saw it with his own eyes, the circumstances proved that You did what You said You would do.  They even revealed that it happened exactly when You spoke!

Father, help me trust in You and what You tell me, even when I can’t see the results immediately.   When it is not in front of my eyes and the doubt of the world pushes in, don’t let my faith waver.  When it doesn’t seem to be happening quick enough let me be patient and trust that Your timing is perfect.

Reminds me of an old country hymn.  Part of the lyrics say:  “Take Him at His word when it’s not lookin’ good, believe that He’ll do what He said that He would…’”

I believe.  Amen

John 4:43-54

Apr 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God.  Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation.  You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them.  Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there.

You are “from everlasting to everlasting.”

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight.” Your sense of time is far different from mine.  I cannot even imagine it.

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest.  Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.”  Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy.  Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant.  If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.

But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass that I do not consider what You want me to accomplish.  And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life.  Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see.  Help me to know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord.  Guide me.  Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived.  And let me live each new one for You.  Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

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 is true 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 14:16-24; Psalm 80:1-3

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

Feb 24 Danger Zone

Lord, for many chapters in Leviticus now You have shown me what is “unclean” – the Hebrew word tamei (taw-may).  It means more than what I think of as dirty or not clean.  Its definition also carries personal, psychological and spiritual elements.

Tamei is a state of fragmentation, of being incomplete, defiled, not whole, or unable to reach full potential.

Contact with certain things can make me tamei; but so can negative emotions and desires that arise from within me.

Under these circumstances, I am put into a state of heightened spiritual alertness for a time; like a danger zone of vulnerability where I need to be vigilant over my thoughts and words and actions.

It’s a time or portal of potential risk of drifting away from holiness.  Holiness is wholeness, unity, integration, represented by the Hebrew word t’hor (tu-hoar) and is the opposite of unclean.

Jesus recognized the Pharisees had become overzealous when it came to being “clean” only on the outside of their bodies, neglecting the spiritual aspects of tamei.

They missed the point that what makes man fragmented or shattered, is what comes from the heart  – jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, lustfulness and evil thoughts.  These are what put man into a state of danger where they can fall into sin.

Father, raise my awareness of these times when I need to be on high alert.  Keep me vigilant over my thoughts and actions so I don’t drift away from You.

I desire to honor You with my lips and my heart.  Teach me to let go of legalism that has become the tradition of man; so that I can be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life.  Amen

Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23

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

Feb 4 Eternal Priorities

 

Three words I never want to hear: “Woe to you.”

With these words You gave warning to the Pharisees and called them into account for their actions and deeds.  Even now, it’s so easy to say “I would never be like them!”  I do not want to follow in their footsteps, like judging others while projecting seeming innocence.  So correct me if You see in me what You saw in them.

They had their priorities backwards, saying the gold was more valuable than the temple it was in, and the sacrifice more valuable than the altar it was offered on.

Help me make and keep my priorities straight.  Help me understand the true value of things as they are in Your economy so I do not elevate the profane and dishonor the holy.

Many of the things the world places value on are not truly valuable.  The world sees from a limited, short-term perspective and often places more significance on the created thing, than the Creator Himself.

Help me see things for their eternal value.

I love Your humor when You say they “strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!”  Teach me to see the bigger picture and focus on the important things and not be legalistic over the smaller insignificant ones.

I can get so carried away with the urgent that sometimes I don’t make time for the important things.   Show me how to spend my energy and time on what is significant.

You paint a striking picture when You describe a cup: clean on the outside but dirty on the inside; or a whitewashed tomb, clean on the outside but full of death on the inside.  You see not only the outward appearance, but see into man’s heart to know him.

Let me be as concerned with being pure and clean on the inside as I am with being presentable on the outside.   Help me be authentic and transparent; so my walk agrees with my talk.  Let me put as much time into developing my character as my wardrobe.

I desire to be all You have created me to be.  But it is so easy to follow the way of the world and look for the easy way – to make a big deal over what the world says is a big deal.  I know that most of the world does not seek You to worship You or follow You.

Broad is the path that leads to destruction.  Help me find that narrow way, and stay on that path: the one that brings joy and not woe.  Amen

Matthew 23:13-39; Matthew 7:13

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops.”

We often consider “honoring You with our wealth” to mean tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our “wealth” it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes.

So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You.

Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered.

Earthly wisdom would be to “get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can.” It would be to bank a “‘sure thing” and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But You tell me to honor You with the firstfruits. It’s an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a “sure thing” because I trust the One who is in control of it all!

Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ”tipping” You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You.  You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things.

You remind me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10

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

Father, what an amazing plan You had for 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 10 Reconcilliation

Father, thank You that You are a God of second chances. And third and fourth and even more. When the Israelite men had sinned and taken foreign, pagan wives, there was an acceptable resolution. There were consequences yes, but they were able to take an oath to renew their covenant with You.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he lists many types of wickedness, then says “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

In both of these cases, reconciliation was made possible because You chose to accept repentance. You cleansed them, You set them apart. You returned them to right standing with You.

And the same is true for me. When I have sinned, and I come to You in the realization of what I have done, agree with You that it is sin, and am remorseful, repentant, You forgive that sin. You wash me and set me apart, and again I am in right standing with You.

But, as with the Israelites, there are consequences.   Sometimes the consequences are life changing, and can cause ongoing problems. They had to put aside their foreign wives. Sometimes I have to put aside a relationship or something I think I really want that is not good for me.

Paul says, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial”. Lord, there is such freedom in You. Help me be wise in that freedom. Produce in me the Fruit of the Spirit so I can be good and kind, patient and faithful, gentle and self-controlled. Show me when I am being selfish or unwise. Remind me to think and pray before I act.

Father, I offer You the relationships in my life. Please deepen the ones that are godly, and to distance me from any that are not.

I give my time to You and ask that You show me where I waste it. Give me the strength to cut out activities that eat away time I could spend better.

I give You my priorities and ask You to help me reorder them where they are not in line with Your purposes.

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Father, help me recognize what is right and just, and help me do it.   When what is right and just is at odds with my selfish or prideful or greedy nature, help me overcome that nature and be led by You. Thank You for Your help in all this, and for the hope You give me. Amen

Ezra 10:1-17; I Corinthians 6:12; Proverbs 21:3

July 2 Teach me to number my days aright

Father, You sent word through Isaiah that Hezekiah would die.

I have often wondered: if I could know when I will die, would I want to? It’s an interesting question.

This kind of curiosity started in the Garden of Eden. When the serpent held out the possibility of being ‘like God’, having Your knowledge and wisdom, Eve bit!  But beyond the simple curiosity factor, how would I react if I knew when the end would come?

Even though I know intellectually, that everyone dies, including me, it’s not something I think about from day to day.   I tend to put it out of my mind and live as if I have years or even decades ahead of me. But, if, for instance, I received information that I have a medical condition that comes with an expiration date, it would be a sobering realization.

If I were given such information, would I set about reworking my priorities?   Would I ‘put my house in order’ as Hezekiah was told to do? Would I cry out to You for more time? It would definitely disrupt my thinking, my activities, my attitudes, and the way I relate to people. I would be more motivated to orchestrate my remaining days…

Father, help me live my life now, as if every day were a precious gift from You, not to be wasted or squandered. Show me how to arrange my priorities, recognizing what is really important. Do not let me waste time in foolish pursuits or on meaningless tasks. Show me the godly relationships You want me to cultivate, and how to let go of and separate myself from the ungodly ones.

I want to be thankful for every single day You give me. So I will praise You every day, Father. I worship You for who You are, for Your character that never changes: Your faithfulness, Your gentleness, Your love towards me, Your righteousness and Your omnipotence.

I thank You for all You have done: created this amazing universe, established a way of salvation, given me Your Word for instruction and encouragement.   I appreciate Your hand of protection and provision in my life, as I have food, shelter, clothing, family, friends, and freedom.

And when I think about the end of my time here on earth, I have no fear of what comes after. Because I know You, I am not anxious about my future. I know I will spend eternity with You, and I can’t wait! Amen

2 Kings 20:1; Psalm 150:1-6; Psalm 90:12

 

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

Apr 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God. Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation. You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them. Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there. You are “from everlasting to everlasting”.

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight”. Your sense of time is far different from mine. I cannot even imagine it.

So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest. Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important.

Do not let me fall victim to the “tyranny of the urgent.” Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy. Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant. If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally; not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.   But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass that I do not consider what You want me to accomplish. And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life. Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see. Help me to know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord. Guide me. Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived. And let me live each new one for You. Amen

 

Psalm 90:1-12

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

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops”. We so often consider “honoring You with our wealth’ to be tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our ‘wealth’ it is not the only thing.

Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes. So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me.

Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You. Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered. Earthly wisdom would be to ‘get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can’. It would be to bank a ‘sure thing’; and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But You tell me to honor You with the firstfruits. It’s an exercise in trust.

It means I am willing to sacrifice a ‘sure thing’ because I trust the One who is in control of it all. Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life, by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ‘tipping’ You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this reminder that speaks again to the reassurance I have in You. You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things. It reminds me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10

Nov 20 while here on earth…

Father, how I long for the day when I will be in Your presence for all eternity. My real home is with You. I long to sit at Your feet, to see You face to face, to wrap my arms around You and rest in Yours.

But for now, I must be here. And not just with You, but with billions of other imperfect people like myself, who I need to learn to get along with. Father, James tells me I need to live in this world, but not be friends with it. I need to relate to people, but without speaking badly of them or judging them. I need to suppress the desires within me that might cause me to selfishly fight and quarrel with others when I don’t get my way. And I need to recognize the devil and resist him.

Thank You for placing Your Holy Spirit in me to help me with all these things. Thank You for the grace You extend to me. James tells me the key is to submit to You and humble myself. So Father, I submit myself to You. When I am obedient to You, I will not obey the devil. I will not be selfish. I will not mistreat others.

Father, I give You my plans. Take the days of my life that You have already numbered, and show me how to live each one. Do not let me get ahead of You. And do not let me lag behind. I trust Your timing for all of it. Father, I draw near to You and ask You to search me and remove any desires that are not godly. If I ask for the wrong thing, or ask with a wrong motive, show me where I have messed up. If I become too attached to the things of the world, wean me from that dependence. For with You, I have all I need.

Father, examine my relationships. If there are any that do not serve Your purposes, then help me let them go. If I am quarreling with anyone, or am out of fellowship with them, show me what caused it, Your plan for the relationship, and how to make it right again. And when I am tempted by the devil, let me clearly see the ‘hook’ beneath the lure he is dangling before me. Strengthen me to resist, and turn away from that trap.

Father, as long as You have me living here on the earth, guide and strengthen me. Help me overcome my flesh and the evil one and the pull of the world. I choose to hold my possessions, my relationships, my plans loosely so I can follow Your will. Grant me success. Amen

James 4:1-12

Apr 23 Time Management

O Father, You have always been my God. Even before I knew who You were, I saw the beauty of Your creation. You put the mountains in place, You created the seas and all that is in them. Yet even before there was earth and sky, You were there. You are “from everlasting to everlasting”.

 

You tell me “a thousand years is like a day in Your sight”. Your sense of time is far different from mine. I cannot even imagine it. So I ask You, who knows time and all things, to teach me to live each day to the fullest. Teach me how to measure out my energy for what is important. Do not let me fall victim to the ‘tyranny of the urgent’. Help me put thought into setting my priorities for spending my time and my energy. Many things of value are not urgent, but are significant. If I only deal with the urgent, the important things slip by.

I desire to live intentionally, not let my life pass by without doing all I can to honor and glorify You.   But already, days slip by, weeks, seasons and even years; and I wonder where the time went.   Father, do not let one more day pass that I do not consider what You want me to accomplish. And show me how to make time for it.

Give me a revelation, a vision for the next part of my life. Show me how to get from here to there in steps I can see. Help me to know when something interrupts, whether it is a distraction or a divine opportunity.

I lay my life before You Lord. Guide me. Show me.   Thank You for the years I’ve already lived. And let me live each new one for You. Amen

Psalm 90:1-12

Jan 12 Trust God with it all

 

Thank You for sharing the secret to prosperity with us in today’s Proverb. It is a simple statement, but holds the key.

You instruct us to “honor You with our wealth, with the firstfruits of our crops”. We so often consider “honoring You with our wealth’ to be tithing money to an affiliated church. Period. And while money is certainly a part of our ‘wealth’ it is not the only thing. Some of us have a wealth of talent, some a wealth of personality, some a wealth of time, or of good health and energy. All these things are gifts from the Father of Lights from whom every good and perfect gift comes. So we need to consider giving of our talents, our time, our energy, our relationships, all in a way that brings honor to You.

Lord, help me think beyond the change in my pocket. Let me glorify You in how I treat other people, how I speak to them, how I look on them in my heart attitude. Let the bounty of Your provision to me in time and talent overflow onto those around me. Help me spend the minutes in my day as carefully as the dollars in my purse, in a way that points to You, and brings acknowledgement and praise to You. Help me turn away from greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance; and reflect the righteous qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, patience, peace, love, joy, and self-control.

The second part of the key is timing. The firstfruits of a crop are what is harvested before the rest of the crop is mature and ready to be gathered. Earthly wisdom would be to ‘get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the can’. It would be to bank a ‘sure thing’; and then wait to see if the rest of the crop comes in. After all, there could be floods, winds, freezes, insects or disease that could overtake a ripening crop and destroy it completely. Then nothing would be left to sustain the grower and give profit.

But You tell me to honor You with the firstfruits. It’s an exercise in trust. It means I am willing to sacrifice a ‘sure thing’ because I trust the One who is in control of it all. Help me act in faith, being willing to show I trust in You and in Your will for my life, by giving You what is given to me first. Don’t let me be fearful of the future and stockpile the firstfruits for myself, then be satisfied with ‘tipping’ You if any is left over.

Father, thank You for this lesson, this reminder. It speaks again to the reassurance I have in You that You are the One with the power and the might and the authority and the sovereignty over all things. And reminds me that I can trust You with all things in the present and the future. I choose to trust You with my words, my actions and my prayers. Amen

Proverbs 3:9-10