Lieu de Joie

Free Radicals

2012-02-19T18:54:00.000-06:00

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

Jesus came to earth preaching a radical new doctrine. That doctrine was to "love one another" really love them. There is a freedom in this gospel, this good news of God's love. It breaks down barriers and redefines the letter of the law. It puts God and others before anything we desire, any personal agenda, any selfish pursuit.

Are you a free radical? If not, I pray you will discover what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today.

It's Not About You

2012-02-09T22:09:00.004-06:00

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26

What Jesus tells us to do here isn’t popular. It isn’t always easy.

In fact, our feel good, have-it-all-now society constantly screams just the opposite. It says, “Why deny yourself anything?” “Look out for number 1!” Use, abuse, stomp-on . . . just as long as you get what YOU want. It says, “I shouldn’t have to put up with . . .”

What society fails to mention is that the death and destruction of your soul is the grand prize at the end.

But, if we desire to follow Christ, we must deny ourselves, seek Him, His kingdom, His will, His plan, His purpose, and there is eternal life with Him.

It’s not about you.

It’s all about Him.

May you find life in losing yours for Him today.

A Prayer for Reconciliation

2012-01-30T22:34:00.001-06:00

The task of reconciliation is often difficult—for everyone involved. The world tells us that there are many legitimate reasons to remain forever separated from each other—violations that are unforgivable. But, God’s Word says something different.

God wants us to follow His example, not the world’s. He is an advocate of reconciliation, as in Hosea 3:1 when Hosea was reconciled to his wife, who had been unfaithful to him, “The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.’”

The Bible tells us that if we belong to Christ, we have become His ambassadors of reconciliation—reconciling all people to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Reconciliation is not an easy task. It requires us to be forgiving, loving, gentle, kind, patient, peace-loving, joyful, and self-controlled—the fruits of the Spirit. We must be indwelled by Christ.

Christ has reconciled us to Himself, and we must be reconciled to others (Romans 5:11). Once we have been reconciled to Christ, then we are in a position to be reconciled to others.

When we are struggling in our efforts toward reconciliation, we can pray and ask God to help us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You and praise You for reconciling us to You through Your son, Jesus Christ. We humbly ask You to forgive us for our sin, and help us to forgive others who have wronged us.

Dear Lord, our heart is breaking for the separation we have with ___________ _________________. Show us how to be reconciled to him/her/them.

Father, if there is anything separating us from You—any unconfessed sin—we ask that You would reveal it to us that we may be reconciled to You.

Thank You for Your infinite love for us. Fill us with Your love for others. Erase the pain, Father. The hurt runs so very deep. It is so often overwhelming.

Help us to know when to speak and when to keep silent. Put words of peace and harmony in our hearts.

Give us victory in this situation, for we are so very weak in our own strength. We commit our every action, as well as the outcome, to You.

We ask all these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Defense

2012-01-22T13:47:00.001-06:00

Many frightening battles that we face require a defense—an advocate for our cause. What better defense could you possibly have than the Creator of the Universe? There is none.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 34:7, “For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.”

In the story of David and Goliath, we find one of the most dramatic pictures of God’s defense at work in the lives of His faithful. 1 Samuel 17 tells the story.

The Philistine army was camped across from the Israelites. Goliath was a Philistine giant, standing over nine feet tall. Day after day, Goliath taunted the Israelites, asking for one man to fight. If the man defeated Goliath, the Philistines would become the slaves of the Israelites; but, if Goliath defeated the man, the Israelites would become Philistine slaves.

Jesse, David’s father, had been helping to tend sheep and run errands while his three oldest brothers were fighting against the Philistines. One day, Jesse sent David with some food for his brothers, and asked him to report back as to how they were doing. When David learned about Goliath, he told King Saul that he wanted to fight Goliath. David’s brothers and the King scoffed at David, but he was undeterred. David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” (I Samuel 17:37)

David gathered five smooth stones, placed them in his sling, and the God of the Universe enabled him to defeat Goliath, without spear or sword.

Do you have faith in God? If so, you have the greatest defender in the Universe on your side in defense of you today.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We need You as an advocate today, Father. We need You to come to our defense with regard to ____________________________________.

We thank You and praise You, Father, that Your Word tells us that wisdom is a defense, as money is a defense (Ecclesiastes 7:12). We thank You that these defenses come from You and You alone.

Father, we praise You for being the defender of the defenseless, orphans, widows, and all the things that the world views as “lost causes”.

Lord, we thank You that we have victory in and through You alone. Help us to defend those in need of our help—in need of an advocate. May we always follow Your example in being a defender of what is true and right.

Forgive us for the many ways in which we have failed You. Draw us close to You so that we may be obedient to Your plan and purpose for our lives here on earth.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Hope

2012-01-06T22:34:00.002-06:00

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” Psalm 62:5

Horatio Gates Spafford was a wealthy lawyer and businessman who invested much of his money in Chicago real estate in the late 1800s. In 1871, when the great Chicago fire occurred, Horatio and his family lost almost everything. About that same time, Horatio and his wife, Anna, lost their one and only son. They had four daughters. Yet, in spite of his own tragedy, Spafford and his wife spent many hours assisting the other victims of the Chicago fire.

Not long after that, Horatio Spafford and his family were traveling to Europe for an evangelistic crusade and vacation. Horatio was detained by business, but sent his family ahead by ship. The ship collided with another, and sank within twenty minutes, taking Horatio Spafford’s four daughters to their death. Only his wife, Anna, one of 47 survivors, remained.

Soon after this tragedy, Horatio Gates Spafford penned the famous hymn, It Is Well With My Soul. The hymn epitomizes our hope in Jesus Christ—no matter what manner of despair we face in this life. We have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ.

Horatio Spafford and his wife moved to Jerusalem, Israel ten years after the great Chicago fire, with two daughters God saw fit to bless them with. They helped to found a group called the American Colony, whose mission was to help the poor.[1]

Is your life going a bit like Horatio Spafford’s? Are you feeling desperate? Are you feeling despair? Remember that God’s Word offers hope for times of despair.

Romans 5:5 reminds us of that with these words, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

We bow before You with thanksgiving and pray as the Psalmist prayed, “You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.” (Psalm 65:5)

Father, our circumstances have brought us to the pit of darkest despair. Please reach down and pick us up from this lowly state, and renew our hope in You alone.
We trust in Your Word, Father, and we ask that You would remind us of Your glorious plan. We thank You and praise You that we are a part of this glorious plan You have.

Dear Lord, we commit afresh and anew to placing 100% of our hope and trust in You. We thank You that the hopes of the godly result in happiness (Proverbs 10:28). We praise You for blessing those whose hope and confidence lie in You (Jeremiah 17:7).

We thank You and praise You, Heavenly Father, that Your hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls that leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary (Hebrews 6:19).

May we dwell secure in this hope forever, for it is in Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

[1] See Nobel prize winning Jerusalem by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf.

A Clean Slate

2011-12-28T17:55:00.002-06:00

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

As a child in school, I loved to clean the chalkboard at the end of the school day. My fifth grade teacher would choose 2 students each day to erase the blackboards and then dust the erasers outside. We took great pleasure in rubbing off every speck from the boards, and then banging the erasers together outside with all of our might, until there wasn't an ounce of chalk dust remaining.

There was something about a clean slate, ready for a new day, starting over.

There is something about a clean slate in life, too.

As 2012 approaches, I reflect on 2011. There are things I'd like to do differently, mistakes made, opportunities missed, a heart that needs cleaning out.

This year, instead of all the New Year's Resolutions, I will pray as David did. I will ask God to create a clean heart in me, and to renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do you need a clean slate? Pray with me, as David did.

I know that God will answer.

May 2012 be the best year you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Strength

2011-12-20T09:23:00.002-06:00

‘And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I don’t know what crisis, what weakness has brought you to this page. But, I do know that the Holy Spirit helps us in time of weakness. In fact, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit helps us in knowing how to pray in our times of weakness.

Romans 8:26 tells us, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

What God desires from us is total and complete dependence upon Him in faith. Then, we are useful to Him, and then we are in a place to receive His strength and blessing in our lives.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

We need Your strength. We know that Your power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Helps us to depend upon You, Father, and teach us how we should pray at this time.

Father, we our nothing without You. Restore our strength as we wait and depend upon You. We thank You that Your weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25). Make us like You, Lord.

Forgive us for trying to do things in our own strength. Give us utterance in the things we should ask of You, Father.

We thank You and praise You for being our strength and our song, and for giving us victory through Your Holy Spirit.

We pray all these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer of Repentance

2011-12-16T13:51:00.002-06:00

“If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.” (Psalm 7:12)

Repentance of sin is at the very foundation of our relationship with Christ. Without repentance, we are separated from God. Repentance is an acknowledgement of sin and a choice to turn away from sin—to choose, with God’s strength, not to practice sin any longer. Repentance does not mean that we will be perfect, but rather that we are not accepting of our own sinful behavior. We are acknowledging that our sin is wrong.

When the people of Nineveh repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah, God restored them to a position of favor and healed their land. He will heal and restore you, too.

The Bible tells us that once we have repented of our sin, we must prove our repentance through our actions. Matthew 3:8 says, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”
When we have genuinely repented, it is evident to all. There is a change in us. There is a change in our want to. We no longer want to sin.

In Luke 5:32, Jesus says, “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am a sinner. I repent of my sin. Forgive me and change me, Father. I don’t want to sin anymore. Help me to be like You.

Thank You for loving me. I praise You for working in my life and helping me to change.

I thank You for wiping my sins away. Thank You for the promise of not rejecting a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 51:17).

May Your kingdom come and Your will be done in the sight of many witnesses.

In Your precious, holy name I pray.

AMEN.

Practice Makes Perfect

2011-12-06T22:07:00.000-06:00

"Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9

"Mom, do we have to practice the piano today?" That is a question I hear almost daily from my two children, to which I usually respond, "How do you expect to get any better if you don't practice?"

Anything we want to improve in, we practice, don't we? If you want to be a faster runner, you practice. If you want to be a better musician, you practice. A better swimmer, practice.

Our walk with Christ is no different. If we want our faith to be strengthened, we must practice using it! If we want to be obedient to Christ, we must practice saying, "no" to sin. Want to be holy? Practice holiness. As each area grows and becomes stronger, the practice will become more challenging--just like anything else in life.

But, don't give up, and don't quit, for in due season we will reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9)

May you practice doing good today, and may it be the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Continuance

2011-11-28T21:51:00.001-06:00

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by the loss of someone close to you that you’ve thought, “I just don’t know how I can continue?” Many people in the Bible felt that way, too. Job is the one that quickly comes to my mind.

Job’s entire family was killed suddenly. Everything he owned was taken away. He was disfigured. His wife told him to curse God and die! Imagine it. Perhaps you are facing that right now. You don’t have to imagine it.

Listen to just the beginning of Job’s prayer in Job 7:6-7, “My days fly faster than a weaver’s shuttle. They end without hope. O God, remember that my life is but a breath, and I will never again feel happiness.” That is how Job felt. Yet, God had a plan to bless Job.

Job was more blessed in the second half of his life than in the beginning! He had 7 more sons and 3 more daughters. The Bible goes on to tell us that there were no more beautiful daughters in all the land. Job lived to see four generations of his children and his grandchildren.

God heard Job’s prayer and his deep sense of anguish and loss. God gave him continuance in accordance with His divine plan and purpose.

God will give you continuance, too! He has a plan for you, too wonderful to be imagined.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Dear Heavenly Father,

I sometimes wonder how I can continue! I don’t know how to go on!

Thank You, Father, that Your plans for me are good. Thank You for giving me hope. Thank You for giving me a future.

You are my source of continuance, Lord.

Help me to go on in faith that You are my hope and strength at all times.

Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23)! I thank You and praise You that Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds (Psalm 36:5)!

I claim Your promise in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, which says, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from [You] God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by [You] God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”

I thank You and praise You for the strength to continue within Your divine purpose.

In Your precious, holy name I pray.

AMEN.

A Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-23T20:42:00.003-06:00

"Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted." John 6:11

At Thanksgiving time, many people remember America's first Thanksgiving between the pilgrims and the indians. A wonderful time in the history of our country. There was so much to be thankful for, and there still is so much for which we should thank God.

I think of a different Thanksgiving feast. The Thanksgiving meal that comes to my mind is found in John 6:1-12. Verse 2 says, "And a huge crowd, many of them pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration, were following him wherever he went, to watch him heal the sick."

These pilgrims were seeking a new life, too. And, although they feasted on five loaves of bread and two small fish, rather than turkey and dressing, they were every bit as thankful. By the time the meal was over, these pilgrims realized they had found the Savior--Jesus.

Have you found the Savior? If so, you have so very much to be thankful for! Life with Christ is a continual feast!

"For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast." Proverbs 15:15

If you haven't found Christ, I pray that you will find Him today. And, if you have found Christ, I pray that you will share your feast with someone else this Thanksgiving.

May you have the best Thanksgiving you've ever had in your life.

Ceramic Cows

2011-11-16T21:50:00.001-06:00

"You get what is coming to you when you sin. It is death! But God's free gift is life that lasts forever. It is given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 6:23 NLV

Do you remember the ceramic cow craze? Don't tell me you missed it! It was in the mid to late nineties, and ceramic cows of every size and design were everywhere.

One particular Christmas when I didn't have any idea what gift to purchase for the ladies in the family, I bought them all ceramic cows. It probably wasn't the best gift, and certainly the ceramic cow craze didn't last. It was replaced by a dozen new gift crazes the next year.

Unlike ceramic cows, eternal life with Christ isn't a craze. It is God's free gift that lasts forever. It can never be replaced by anything better. There is none greater in all the world. Jesus Christ is the very best gift there is.

If you haven't invited Him in to take complete control of your life, I pray that you will do that today.

Father,

I thank You for Your free gift of eternal life. I thank You for sending Your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.

Forgive me for my sins. Come into my life, and take complete control.

In Your precious name I pray,

AMEN.

A Prayer for Courage

2011-11-13T19:04:00.000-06:00

Are you embroiled in conflict and in need of courage today? The Bible depicts courage brilliantly through the story of Ezra, the scribe, in the Old Testament book of Ezra.

After the Temple of the Lord had been rebuilt in Jerusalem, King Artaxerxes of Persia commissioned Ezra to conduct an inquiry into the current conditions in Judah and Jerusalem. The King decreed that anyone in the province may voluntarily return with Ezra to Jerusalem, and he was equipped with all manner of goods, including massive amounts of gold, silver, and bronze for the beautification of the Temple. Ezra praised God for His hand of favor and the goodness with which he had been treated by the king and all the nobles of the land.

However, the enemies of Judah and Jerusalem were many. Traveling with such great treasure could certainly have made Ezra and the other volunteers on the journey easy prey for enemies and bandits.

But, the Bible tells us in Ezra 8:21-23 what Ezra did before they continued on their journey,

“And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, ‘Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.’ So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.”

God also heard the prayers of Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, and many others in the Bible. If you will humble yourself and have faith in Christ, He will hear you, too.

Dear Father in Heaven,

Help me to be strong and courageous! Lord, in the face of conflict and battle, help me to trust and hope in You, my deliverer. You are the source of all strength and courage, and I know You will never fail me.

Father, I thank You for overcoming fear and discouragement in my life. I praise You that Your Word reminds us to be strong and courageous because You will never leave us! How great You are, Father.

Give us Your strength, Lord, when we grow weary. Keep us from discouragement and fear, and strengthen our faith in Your wondrous power.
Forgive us for falling short of Your best, Father, and may You be glorified in every area of our lives.

We ask all these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Deliverance

2011-11-06T18:42:00.002-06:00

“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.” Philippians 1:19

There are many accounts in the Bible of despair and deliverance. The key to unlocking the door of deliverance is faith. We must believe that God stands ready, willing and able to deliver us and meet us at our point of need. And, we must believe that He will deliver.

In my life, I can attest that God has always met me at my point of need. He has always delivered me—in every possible way imaginable. And, in each instance, God has used whatever trouble I have encountered to draw me ever closer to Him.

The Bible says in Psalm 40:2, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”

God is ready to deliver you from the pit of despair. He is ready to set your feet on solid ground—to steady you as you walk.

No matter how big the mountain, God can help you climb it. As God delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt, He stands ready to deliver you today.

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 tells us, “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

O, how we need Your deliverance! Help us, Father, to depend completely and totally upon You as the source of our strength. We thank You for Your ability to deliver us. We ask that You strengthen our faith, Father, and help us in our weakness.

Lord, we believe that You will deliver ____________________________ from _____________________________________. We know that it is Your desire to set the captives free (Isaiah 61:1).

We thank You for delivering us out of the pit of despair in times past. We do not want to be enslaved by sin. We praise You for the freedom that comes from knowing and trusting in You (Romans 6:14).

We delight in Your Word and hunger for more of it constantly. We thank You for Your law of love.

Help us, O Lord, to find Your deliverance in all things.

In Jesus precious name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer When Tempted by Suicide

2011-11-03T18:32:00.001-05:00

If you are reading this now and contemplating suicide, you have reached the pinnacle of despair. I don’t know what has brought you to this place, but God does. And, believe it or not, He still has a plan for your life—in the midst of your desperation, pain, hurt, and desire to end the beautiful life He has given to you. He will never stop loving you.

He is the way to life. In your temptation to commit such a final act, remember that countless people have felt the desperation you feel right now. Countless people are feeling desperate along with you right now.

David was one man in the Bible who felt this same desperation. He had many troubles—some he had brought upon himself, some he had not. Here is what David said in Psalm 34:6, “In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.”

The Lord can do the same for you. Would you please pray with me?

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am feeling such a deep since of pain and despair that I cannot bear it any longer. I give my feelings of pain, despair, and suicide to You. I lay them at Your feet.

Father, I give you all of my burdens and cares because I know that You care for me (I Peter 5:7).

I thank You that You have a plan for my life here on earth that is a plan to prosper me and not to bring disaster. It is a plan to give hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Father, help me to have the faith to believe that—and to act upon it—one hour at a time, one day at a time.

Forgive me, Father, for doubting Your love for me. Draw me close to You, and remove the evil one far from my mind, body, spirit and emotions. Help me to forgive others who continue to hurt me.

I praise You for Your infinite love for me, and ask all these things in Your holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Kindness

2011-10-28T22:14:00.003-05:00

The world can be a cold, cruel and lonely place. For many reasons, kindness can often be very hard to find. Proverbs 19:22 says, “What is desired in a man is kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar.”

Ruth knew all too well that the world could be a very cruel and lonely place. Her husband died, and she moved to another land with her mother-in-law, Naomi, where she knew no one. Naomi was also a widow, and the two women were alone as they traveled back to Naomi’s homeland.

Yet, it wasn’t long before the two women were overwhelmed with kindness. A man named Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s, had allowed Ruth to glean grain in his fields along with his workers. Boaz also protected Ruth and provided food and water to her while she worked in his field. Ruth and Naomi were both very grateful for his kindness.

In Ruth 2:10-11 we read, “Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”

“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.”

Ruth was reaping the kindness she had sown in the life of her mother-in-law, Naomi. The Bible reminds us in Galatians 6:7, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”
Are you, like Ruth, planting a crop of kindness in the lives of others? If so, you will surely reap what you have planted.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your infinite loving kindness for us. Help us to plant a crop of kindness in the lives of everyone we meet and everyone we know.
Father, we are in need of kindness. Please help us to find kindness in this world. We know and believe that kindness exists. And, when we find it, help us to give back sevenfold for the kindness we have received.

Remind us always of Your kindness, Lord.

May we never let loyalty and kindness leave us (Proverbs 3:3). We thank You that Your Word promises that our kindness will reward us (Proverbs 11:17).

Forgive us for any cruelty we have exhibited, Father, and help us to be kind to others always.

We praise You and thank You for showing us Your ways.

In Your perfect, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

Sweet Harvest for Christ

2011-10-20T19:20:00.004-05:00

“Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” Psalm 128:1-2

When I was a little girl, we often visited my great-grandparents on their farm in Singleton, Texas. The farm’s fence was covered with blackberries, and each summer we were recruited to pick until our pricked and bleeding hands could pick no more.

I never much enjoyed the picking. It was hot, sweaty, painful, tiring work. Not to mention the fact that I wasn’t even sure I liked blackberries when we started. There were so many bug bites, prickles, chiggers, and hurts that I often wondered why we were bothering to do it at all. But, out of a healthy fear of my elders, I didn’t grumble.

At the end of the day, as the sun was starting to descend on the horizon, Great-grandma, “Bees”, as we called her, would smile so big every wrinkle in her lovely 80-year-old face would disappear. After hauling in and washing all of the blackberries, Bees would let us pick out the biggest, juiciest blackberries in the bunch, place them in a bucket of ice water, and then eat them. At that moment, there was nothing better in all the world.

The rewards of laboring for Christ are just like picking those blackberries—the work may be hard, but with regard to the harvest—there is nothing better in all the world.

May you walk in the fear of the Lord, may you eat the labor of your hands, and may you have the best day you’ve ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Removal of Jealousy

2011-10-15T15:41:00.001-05:00

"Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous." Proverbs 27:4

The Bible speaks a great deal about the dangers of jealousy. It is a destructive force in our lives that often gives way to unrealistic anger and sin. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones."

Jealousy caused Joseph's brothers to throw him into a pit and sell him into slavery (Genesis 37). Jealousy caused Sarai to send Hagar packing (Genesis 16). Jealousy also caused King Saul to attempt to murder David again and again and again (I Samuel 18)!

Job 5:2 tells us that, "Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple."

James 3:15-16 tells us, "For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind."

But God can purge this sin from our lives if we will acknowledge it before Him and ask for his divine strength. We cannot cover it up or hide it, as James 3:14 tells us, "But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying." When we confess our sin, Christ is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

Our God requires a total commitment from us. When we are totally committed to Him, it shows. Our lives bear much good fruit! We don't have to be jealous, nor must we be jealousy's object. Proverbs 12:12 says, "Thieves are jealous of each other's loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit."

Dear Heavenly Father,

Guard our lives from jealousy. Please purge this sin and keep it from affecting our lives in any way. Help us to commit totally and completely in obedience to You, Lord. Keep us in the center of Your will where there is no need and no lack of any good thing.

We thank You and praise You for Your love. We thank You that love is patient and kind, not jealous or boastful or proud (I Corinthians 13:4).

Fill us with You, Father, and remove all unrealistic fear, causing jealousy in our lives. Remind us of our dependence on You as our source for all things.

Keep selfish ambition far from us, Father. In humility, we bring our weak and wounded lives before You in complete service and devotion. Pour us out and fill us totally and completely with You so that there is no room for jealousy or any evil thing, Father.

May we cease to be the object of jealousy, and may we never be the perpetrator of a jealous heart.

It is in Your most precious name we pray.

AMEN.

Out of Balance

2011-10-06T21:29:00.003-05:00

"A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight." Proverbs 11:1

Have you ever driven a car with one low tire?

This week as I was driving the kids to school, I noticed the "your tires are in trouble" light on my dashboard. As usual, I was in a hurry with no spare time for tire checking, so I kept going. I couldn't tell a difference in the ride as I drove.

But, the warning light was there.

A day later, and the out-of-balance light was still on, and I had done nothing about it. I looked at the tires, and couldn't see a difference in them. Still in a hurry, I decided to wait until I had more time on the weekend. I continued on to work.

Leaving work the next day, I came out to find one nearly flat tire on my car. Why was I surprised?

The warning light had been on, yet I chose to ignore it.

Often when our lives become unbalanced we choose to ignore the blaring warning light flashing in front of us, saying, "Fix this now! Before it's too late!"

Yet, all too often we continue on, full speed ahead . . . into disaster.

And, then . . . we wonder why.

It happens because our hearts are hard, we're out of fellowship with Christ, our God-given consciences have been ignored so long that they're of no use to us anymore . . .

But God can make all things new . . . even cold, hardened hearts and seared consciences.

Won't you ask Him to do that for you today?

Dear Heavenly Father,

My life is so far out of balance. I have ignored You and every warning sign you've sent my way. Please soften my heart, Father. Make it warm and new.

I want to be pleasing to You. Forgive me, Lord.

In Jesus name, I pray.

AMEN.

May you have the best, balanced day you've ever had in your life.

Asleep in the Light

2011-10-01T20:04:00.004-05:00

There is an old Keith Green song entitled, Asleep in the Light, that epitomizes how I felt recently on a business trip to Paris, France. I was blown away by the need the people had for Christ, yet I did nothing for them while there. The faces of some lying in the street still haunt me. But, again, I did nothing to help them. And, I must wake up and do something to change that. The lyrics to the Keith Green song are as follows:

Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,
Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown?
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.

Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know it's all I ever hear.
No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear.
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs,
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in, oh, can't you see it's such sin?

'Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away, as you smile and say,
God bless you, be at peace, and all Heaven just weeps,
Cause Jesus came to your door, you've left Him out on the streets.

Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You've seen the need, you hear the cry, so how can you delay,
God's calling and you're the one, but like Jonah you run,
He's told you to speak, but you keep holding it in.
Oh, can't you see it's such sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark,
And the church just can't fight, cause it's asleep in the light.
How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed?
Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can't even get out of bed.
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on, get out of your bed.

How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done,
Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done.
Come away, come away, come away with Me, My love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, My love.

May we wake up, open up, and do what God has called us all to do for Him right now, today.

Choosing the Best

2011-09-24T08:52:00.001-05:00

"This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go." Isaiah 48:17

Do you ever have trouble making choices? Sometimes I don't see the longterm results of choices I make. Or, do you ever have difficulty choosing what is best?

This verse promises us that we have a God who teaches us what is best for us, and directs us in the way we should go. If we're having difficulty making good choices it is because we are out of fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father.

Psalm 32:8 tells us, "The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."

God wants us to make the best choices, and He will show us exactly what those are, if we will only spend time with Him through Bible study and prayer.

May you grow in fellowship with your Heavenly Father today, and may He guide you along the best pathway for your life--now and forever.

A Prayer for Divine Revelation

2011-09-21T12:53:00.007-05:00

Many times in my life I have wondered why certain things were happening and just how they fit into God’s plan for me and those around me. I was looking for divine revelation—an answer from above—telling me that what my mind thought God was telling me was, in fact, God speaking to me.

Gideon, in the 6th Chapter of Judges, was looking for the same thing. The Israelites had been disobedient and rebellious toward God for the umpteenth time. Because of this disobedience, God had delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. When they cried out to God for help, He reminded them through a prophet of all the times He had delivered them in the past—even after their rebellion. Then, God sent an angel to tell Gideon that he was going to deliver the Israelites from Midian.

Much like Moses, Gideon wondered if he had heard things right. After all, he was the runt of the litter as far as his family was concerned. So, Gideon asked for a sign to prove to him that God was going to help him deliver the people. When Gideon brought his offering, the angel of God burned up the entire thing. Gideon knew he had heard from God’s angel. Gideon began to do the work God had asked him to do. He tore down the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole.

Yet, before Gideon went into battle against the armies of Midian and Amalek, he needed some additional reassurance. Judges 6:36-40 gives the account of what happened next, “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.’ And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, ‘Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.’ So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.”

God loves you every bit as much as He loved Gideon. We can humbly approach the throne of God’s grace and ask for His divine revelation and guidance in our lives when we experience doubt or confusion.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We humbly bow before You and come to You with thanksgiving, asking for Your divine revelation in our lives.

We confess our lack of faith, Father, and ask that You confirm, unmistakably, Your will for us in this situation. We commit our whole heart and life to pleasing and serving You, Father. Do not be angry with us, Lord, but hear our petition and grant our plea in order that we may serve You more and know Your will. Father, may our actions be in accordance with Your plan.

Reveal Your perfect purpose in this situation, Father, for You know and understand our weakness. Help us to mobilize in Your strength, for apart from You we can do nothing (John 15:5).

As Gideon, we lay our fleece before You with regard to __________________ . Thank You, Father, for your infinite unfailing love for us.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

The Hate Tree

2011-09-18T14:16:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time there was a beautiful tree planted in an orchard. Each day the caretaker came and watered all the trees in the orchard. The trees drank up the precious water, but the beautiful tree complained that the water was too cold, and decided to wait until lukewarm water came along for its tender roots.

Some time passed, and the trees in the orchard were beginning to grow very tall--except for the beautiful tree. That tree was still waiting for lukewarm water, and the tree resented the caretaker for not providing it.

Just before Spring, the caretaker came to the orchard to prune the trees so that they would grow straight and strong into old age. When he came to the beautiful tree, he noticed it needed more pruning because a bitter root had invaded its tender root system. This bitter root began to invade the root system of other trees, as well. Although painful for the tree, the caretaker knew the intense pruning would be necessary. Without such pruning, the tree's fruit would be bitter rather than sweet.

But, the beautiful tree resisted the pruning, choosing to bear no fruit at all for the caretaker or his master. The caretaker spent extra time caring for the beautiful tree, even applying special fertilizers in an effort to help it grow. Even still, the beautiful tree resisted, becoming angry and resentful about the pruning, cold water, and special fertilizers.

Sadly, the tree became so full of hate toward the caretaker that it finally withered and died, having produced only bitter fruit.

Do you have a Hate Tree in your orchard?

The Bible tell us, "Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many." Hebrews 12:15

For those who follow God and receive His loving correction, the Bible says, "They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalm 1:3

May we all accept the loving hand of God our Father as the caretaker of our lives.

May you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Humility

2011-09-11T20:11:00.001-05:00

“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

Moses was a very humble man. The Bible tells us in Numbers 12:3 that he was “more humble than any other person on earth.” But, Moses’ brother and sister became proud and began to complain about Moses. Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. They referred to themselves as God’s messengers, too, along with Moses. But, God heard them and punished them for their pride. Miriam was struck white with leprosy. Upon seeing her, Aaron begged for forgiveness.

Moses offered a prayer asking God to heal Miriam. Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days and was then accepted back. Something tells me that during those seven days, Miriam was cleansed from much more than just her leprosy.

2 Samuel 22:28 says, “You rescue the humble, but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.”

My mother has said, “We should all enjoy a healthy slice of humble pie on occasion.” To which my father responds, “Yes, humility tastes much better than humiliation.” Unfortunately, I can attest to the truth of both.

Are you facing a crisis of humiliation? 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:5, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” And, Matthew 18:4 says, “So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please forgive me for having a haughty heart. Cleanse me of all pride, Lord. I know that I am nothing apart from You. I thank You and praise You for being my source for all things, Father.

Forgive me for relying on worldly wisdom that is only foolishness to You (1 Corinthians 3:19).

Give me the heart of a child, Father, that I may be pleasing to You. Make me humble, that I may grow in Your wisdom (Proverbs 11:2). Lead me in doing what is right, Lord. Teach me Your ways.

I praise You for Your love, Your power, and Your gentle goodness at work in my life, Lord. May I be content to dwell with You forever.

In Your precious, holy name I pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Salvation

2011-09-06T19:00:00.002-05:00

There is no greater prayer in all the earth than the prayer of a repentant heart asking for the salvation that only God can give.

John 3:16 says, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

God makes it that simple. Repent, believe, receive.

And, if we truly grasp just a tiny bit of the love God has for us, we will want to spend the rest of our days in honor and service to Him.

Dear Father in Heaven,

I confess to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins. I ask that You would please forgive me of my sins. I know that You alone can save me.

I believe that You sent Your one and only son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.

Please come into my heart, Lord, and change me. I want to be new. Make me new, Heavenly Father.

I commit my heart and life to You. Teach me Your ways, and help me to follow You all the days of my life. I make my heart Your dwelling place. Live in me and through me always.

Thank You for saving my soul to be in Heaven with You.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Stability

2011-08-31T22:16:00.002-05:00

In times of emotional distress, stability is in high demand and short supply. We are often unable to see things clearly—as God sees them. James 1:8 says, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

God doesn’t want us to be unstable. He doesn’t want us to be double-minded in our thinking. He wants us to simply and completely trust Him. He wants us to get to the point in our relationship with Him that even though the entire world seems to crumble around our feet, we can rest in complete peace, knowing that He is in control of the instability around us.

We can’t possibly know or understand all that God is doing for good in and through our circumstances. It all just seems so imperfect and crazy to us sometimes.

I Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

God is the all-powerful stabilizer throughout lives circumstances and every crisis we face. We can pray and ask Him to grant us the ability to completely trust in Him as the stability in our lives. James 1:17 tells us, “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

He never changes.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for not changing. We thank You for giving us the stability of being able to know You and rest in You as our source of strength, peace, and stability.

We ask, Father, that You would grant us the ability to trust completely in who You are. Regardless of the cost, fill us completely and totally with You. May we hold nothing in reserve.

Help us to find peace and serenity in the chaos, change and turmoil around us. Lord, if we have contributed to or caused this turmoil in any way, we ask You to forgive us. Help us to make it right.

We forgive those who have hurt us, and ask that they be able to forgive us for any and all perceived wrongs.

Dear Father, we thank You and praise You for loving us more than we can comprehend.

We pray all these things in Your precious holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Little Bo Peep's Sheep

2011-08-24T22:11:00.003-05:00

Do you remember this nursery rhyme?

LITTLE BO PEEP

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, And they'll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them.

Little Bo Peep may not know where to find her sheep, but no matter where you are, God knows exactly where to find you. Ezekiel 34:11 says, “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep."

John 10:11 goes on to say, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep."

I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have Jesus Christ as my shepherd.

If you've been lost in Little Bo Peep's pasture, won't you answer the call of the Good Shepherd today?

Dear Heavenly Father,

I've been so lost, wandering away from You. I thank you for sending your son to give His life for my sin. I need You. I give my life to You.

Please be the Shepherd of my life.

In Jesus name I pray,

AMEN

The Partner

2011-08-17T20:12:00.001-05:00

“I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” I Corinthians 1:4-9

Imagine an invitation.

The invitation is to join a partnership.

The partner has unlimited resources.

He will provide everything you need.

The partner promises never to leave you or forsake you.

He promises to give you enough strength to get the job done.

The partner promises not to overwork you, and to give you the rest you need.

He has a proven track record, too. He never lies.

This partner will even lay down His life for you.

And, He has.

Will you accept the invitation? If so, will you do the job half-heartedly, or completely?

I pray that you will not hold anything back from Him, but will choose to commit everything to Him today.

Bye-Bye Bottle

2011-08-10T06:18:00.001-05:00

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? I Corinthians 3:1-4

Have you ever noticed that babies don’t give up their bottles without a fight?

The bottle is so familiar to the baby. The baby often associates the bottle with security. They don’t want to lose that feeling of security. Change is hard for them. They cry, scream, wail, carry on, and will even try to sneak the bottle back if they can find a way.

But, staying on the bottle is not in the baby’s best interest. It will rob the baby of precious nutrients necessary for growth and development. That’s why parents must go through the painful task of transitioning their precious children from milk to solid food.

Christians are often the same way. We don’t like change, either. When God calls us off the bottle and into something new for our spiritual growth and development, we cry, scream, wail, and carry on, too! We like the familiar. It’s comfortable for us.

The change . . . the growth . . . can be scary . . . if we’re not trusting and depending on God.

God, out of love for us, must go through the painful task of transitioning us, too. As Christians, we are to put our faith and trust in God, knowing that whatever He puts us through is in our best interest, and it will bring glory and honor to Him.

But, God carries the scaries for us.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I am sometimes scared by the new things You bring that are good for me. Help me to get my mind around how much you truly love me so that my faith and dependence upon You will grow.
In Jesus precious name,
AMEN.

A Good Reputation

2011-07-24T20:27:00.001-05:00

“So Hilkiah and the other men went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.” 2 Chronicles 34:22

Have you ever given any thought to your reputation? To how others view you? Your life?

Huldah was a prophetess who lived in the New Quarter of Jerusalem. She had a great reputation. She was known as someone who had a close personal relationship with God. Her reputation was so good that Hilkiah and the other men sent by the king knew they could count on her. They knew the king could count on her, too.

What about you?

How do others view you? Do you have a good reputation? Are you known as someone who has a close personal relationship with God? Can others count on you to deliver? What’s more, can the King of Kings count on you?

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

May you examine your heart and life before Christ, and make the necessary adjustments to improve your reputation today, and may this be the best day you’ve ever had in your life.

No Excuses

2011-07-16T19:37:00.001-05:00

“When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for all the remnant of Israel and Judah. Inquire about the words written in the scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger has been poured out on us because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord. We have not been doing everything this scroll says we must do.” 2 Chronicles 34:19-21

I still remember my father’s words.

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse,” he said. I was learning to drive at the age of 15 and rolled through a right-turn-on-red without coming to a complete stop.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” I said. His words echoed back again to remind me, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, wanting desperately to please. But wanting to please wasn’t enough.

The king in our passage of Scripture wanted desperately to please, too. He had just found out what was written in God’s law, and discovered that the people had not been obedient to all of God’s commands. His ignorance of the law was no excuse, and he tore his clothes in despair. He had a heart that longed to be obedient to God.

What about you? Do you have a heart that longs to please God? Have you read His Word to discover what He requires of you?

May you learn what is pleasing to Him, may you do what He requires, and may this be the best day you’ve ever had in your life.

Perfect Justice

2011-07-06T06:12:00.001-05:00

“So Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord replied to Moses, “The claim of the daughters of Zelophehad is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.” Numbers 27:5-7

The pounding gavel echoed through the courtroom as the judge took his seat.

“This court is now in session. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?”

“We have, Your Honor. We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.”

A gasp lingers throughout the courtroom. “How can this be?” one person whispers. “What?” another says in a low voice. A family sobs on one side of the courtroom, quietly clinging to each other, dismayed by the miscarriage of justice.

Sadly, it has become an all-too-familiar scene.

But, with God, things are different. His justice is perfect. In the passage of Scripture today, Moses brings the request of Zelophehad’s daughters before the Lord. The Lord declares the claim legitimate, and issues His pronouncement of justice. Victory for the daughters of Zelophehad!

How wonderful to know that one day there will be no more miscarriages of justice—God’s perfect justice will reign supreme!

May you rest in the hope and the promise of God’s perfect justice in your life today.

Hold the Sugar

2011-06-27T06:19:00.003-05:00

“Our father died in the wilderness,” they said. “He was not among Korah’s followers, who rebelled against the Lord; he died because of his own sin. But he had no sons. Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.” Numbers 27:3-4

Are you a sugarcoater?

You know the type. We southern women are famous for it. We can sugarcoat anything. It’s considered a special gift sometimes—being able to take the most awful of circumstances or sins, and smother them with sugar until they’re sweet, lovely, even heart-warming. As a child, my momma could sugarcoat Thursday night meatloaf to the point that it sounded like filet mignon. But, it still tasted like Thursday night meatloaf.

I have to tell you—I don’t have the gift at all. Sugarcoating is not my specialty. I believe in calling a spade a spade. I like the direct approach . . . telling it like it is . . . brutal honesty.

That’s what I love about this passage of Scripture. Zelophehad’s daughters don’t sugarcoat a thing. They acknowledge who their father was, and that he died because of his own sin. Then, they plainly, openly, and honestly lay out their request before Moses and the other leaders.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 51:6, “But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.”

God wants us to hold the sugar.

Like Zelophehad’s daughters, He wants us to communicate honestly and directly with Him. After all, He knows when it’s Thursday night meatloaf, and not filet mignon.

May God hear and answer your requests, as you communicate openly and honestly with Him today.

A Prayer for Families Struggling with Addiction

2011-06-18T16:37:00.000-05:00

Addiction is selfishness wrapped in self-destruction. It is the picture of a person who has become so self-absorbed in their pet sins that they no longer think of anything or anyone except themselves, and satisfying their own selfish desires. It is narcissism at its peak. It is the absence of reality. It is the absence of God. It is a sickness. It is sin. And, much like Satan, it wears many different masks.

We give it pretty medical titles and clinical terms to sugar-coat it, but it is simply sin. This type of Godlessness is devastating to families. Families struggle to understand and to cope with how their loved ones can be so deeply lost in darkness.

John 3:19 in The Message puts it like this, “This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."

We cannot change the sinner. But, we can show the sinner God’s light at work in our life. We cannot be tolerant of the sin. But, we can love the sinner as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.

And, we can pray.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16)

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive me of my many sins. You know them all. Cleanse me from my unrighteousness.

Lord, I come before You now with a concern for __________________________ who is struggling with _____________________________________________________. I pray that he/she would step out of the darkness of this sin and into Your holy, loving light of truth, Father.

Help him/her to see this addiction as sin, Father, and to begin to step into reality—able to see Your truth.

Father, help us to be an example of all that is true, right and good. Give us the words to say, and help us to know what actions to take and when to take them. Grant us Your strength, Lord, because we are struggling.

May we all grow deeper in our relationship with You as a result of this struggle, Father.

We commit the outcome to You, for it is in Your most holy and precious name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Acceptance of God's Sovereignty

2011-06-16T06:07:00.000-05:00

Sovereignty, by definition, is supreme authority. God has supreme authority over every area of your life. He has the power to act in accordance with His divine plan, regardless of our will.

Moses experienced this more than almost any other character in the Bible. In the Book of Deuteronomy, the Third Chapter, Moses is experiencing the blessing of God’s sovereignty as he completely defeats and destroys King Og of Bashan and King Sihon of Heshbon. The land Moses has taken in plunder from these two kings is divided among the Israelites who are to live on the East side of the Jordan River. God has now given His command for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land.

Moses pleads with God to allow him entrance to the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 3:24-25, “O Sovereign LORD, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do? Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.”

Yet, God, in His sovereignty, denies this request from Moses. God allows Moses to go and look at all the land He is giving to the Israelites, but Moses is not allowed to enter. We may never truly understand all the reasons why God denies this request until we make Heaven our home, but we can know with certainty that God always has our best interest at the center of His plan and purpose.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise you for your loving kindness, and we know You are sovereign in all things. Help us to understand and accept your divine plan and will for our lives and how this difficult time fits into Your perfect plan.

We thank you for the promise You give in Jeremiah 29:11, that You know the plans You have for us, that they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope.

Lord, enable us to become who You want us to be, no matter what the cost. May we be willing to be poured out in order that You may fill us with more of You.

Help us to graciously receive your sovereign plan and will for our lives, Lord, and show us how we may act in accordance with that plan.

Forgive us where we have failed You, and keep us close, always abiding in Your favor.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name,

AMEN.

Recipe for Lemonade

2011-06-02T21:21:00.003-05:00

"How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey." Psalm 119:103

In the summer of 1976, our family spent two weeks at Grandma Tis' house in Van Nuys, California. It was a special trip, since we only visited my mother's family every other year.

The house was old and weathered, and the back yard was full of every kind of fruit tree imaginable. On the day before my 10th birthday, Grandma Tis determined that the lemons were ready to be picked, and that it was time to learn how to make lemonade! My sister and I were so excited. We squeezed lemons until our hands were pruny--loving every minute of it!!

The recipe we used: 1 tablespoon of sugar to every half lemon to 1/4 c. water (taste and adjust as necessary)

Grandma Tis may have taught me how to make lemonade from lemons, but it was my mother who taught me how to make lemonade from life's lemons. No matter what life has thrown her, she has always carried a sunny disposition.

Recently, after being handed what I felt was more than my fair share of lemons, I called my mother and asked her about her recipe for lemonade.

"I just don't think I can keep making lemonade," I said. "I've run out of sugar. All I have is sour lemons, and the recipe calls for sugar, too! What if you run out of sugar?"

My mother just giggled and said, "God's Word is sweeter than honey, and He is all you'll ever need to keep making lemonade for the rest of your life. When you're down and out, just pick up your Bible, and you'll see."

Momma was right.

May you find the sweetness of God's Word powerful enough to transform the sourest lemons in your life into lemonade. God bless you, Momma.

Thank You

2011-05-31T20:49:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say a very big "thank you" to those of you who prayed for me the last three days while I was in the hospital battling a C Difficile bacteria infection. I took a lickin' and praise God, I'm still tickin' today.

May God bless your day.

True Blue Blood

2011-05-25T21:37:00.004-05:00

“One day a petition was presented by the daughters of Zelophehad—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their father, Zelophehad, was a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph. These women stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the tribal leaders, and the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle.” Numbers 27:1-2

Do you have a sense of confidence about your heritage?

Growing up, I heard often about my Great, Great Uncle, George W. Truett, on my father’s side of the family. We listened to taped sermons and looked at old family photos. We also heard stories about my second cousin (once removed), Van Cliburn, on my mother’s side. We watched video of his piano concerts, and heard endless stories. My parents shared this rich heritage with us early and often to drive home their expectation that we would grow up to do great things for God—it was in our blood.

The daughters in this passage of Scripture had a rich heritage, too. Their Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather (once removed, perhaps) was Joseph. They were confident in their heritage, and sure that their blue blood status was bound to continue great things for God. They had so much faith in their heritage that they took their special request before Moses and all of the leaders in the entire community at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

If God is your Father, then you have the bluest blood there is. You are the truest of all blue bloods. You have a direct family relationship with Him. No one stands between the two of you. And, you can take your requests straight to the throne of God, with the faith that He will hear you.

May you realize the power of your heritage in Him today, and accomplish great things. It's in your blood.

A Prayer Regarding Finances

2011-05-11T18:56:00.000-05:00

The Bible teaches us a great deal about money. Our handling of and dealing with money is a direct indication of our overall spiritual well-being—a barometer for the condition of our soul.

Hebrews 13:5 says, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

Many of us improperly manage our finances, and due to our sin or the sin of a family member, we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. However, God loves us so much that He meets us at our point of need, and He commands us to do the same for others. 1 John 3:17 says, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?"

God has a desire for us to be obedient to Him, and in that obedience is the richness and blessing of all that He has made. Tithing is an important part of our obedience to Him. A tithe is one-tenth of everything we receive.

God loves us so much more than our minds can comprehend, and He even tells us to test Him when it comes to our finances! Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”

Are you struggling in your finances today? Have faith in God. Allow Him to prove his faithfulness to you, and put His Word to the test.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We are struggling with our finances. Specifically, we need ___________________________________.

We thank You, Father, and praise You for meeting our needs. Lord, Your blessings are too many to count. We humbly ask that You would teach us to be faithful to You in our giving. May we always be cheerful and generous givers, reflecting the manner in which we receive from You (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Father, help us to live out Your Word, as it is written in Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

We thank You and praise You for being more than able to meet our need. Thank You for bending down and hearing our prayer and meeting our need.

May we be always faithful and ever-mindful of Your love and grace toward us.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

The Power of Compassion

2011-04-30T19:25:00.002-05:00

"When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said." Luke 7:13

Compassion is a very powerful force. Have you ever experienced it? Perhaps you were in need of a job and someone gave you a chance when you weren't qualified for the position. Or, maybe someone gave you a strong hug at a time when you felt all hope was gone. Whatever the circumstance, to be on the receiving end of compassion is a pretty amazing thing.

The story of Jesus showing compassion to a woman who lost her only son in Luke 7:11-15 is pretty amazing, too. In this passage of Scripture, we find Jesus watching the funeral procession for this young man. When He saw the mother, Jesus was so moved with compassion for her that the Scripture tells us, "Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. 'Young man,' he said, 'I tell you, get up.' ¹⁵ Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother."

You may not bring someone back from the grave, but the compassion you share through a hug, a kind word, or some other compassionate act may very well save someone's life--and you may never even realize it.

My prayer for you today is that you would look past your own circumstance to show compassion to someone in need today.

"You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." Luke 6:36

May showing compassion make this the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Wisdom in Treatment

2011-04-26T19:18:00.000-05:00

Many times when we are physically ill, uncertainty exists as to the best course of action. Often, doctors are unsure of just how to help us. In these times, we can find direction, hope and answers when we go to God in prayer.

Consider the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Naaman was the victorious commander of the Aramean army. Naaman also suffered from leprosy.

No one in the land knew just how to treat or cure leprosy, yet a young servant girl knew a man of God, the prophet Elisha, who could help. Elisha instructed Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Elisha told Naaman that his skin would be restored and that he would be healed of his leprosy.

The plan of treatment from Elisha was not at all what Naaman expected. It was so far off base in Naaman’s mind that he became enraged. Yet, when he finally yielded to the instruction from God, given through Elisha, the Bible tells us, “And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!”

God can provide answers when we have none. James 5:14-15 says this, “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”

Like Naaman, we may not understand God’s plan for our medical treatment, but we can pray and ask God to give us wisdom and understanding with regard to this treatment. James 1:5 tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”

Dear Father in Heaven,

We ask that You would grant us wisdom with regard to the treatment of this illness. May Your hand guide the mind, heart, and physical movements of any and all people who would impact the outcome of _______________________.

May we be open, O Lord, to a new and different direction with regard to this treatment, if it is Your will.

Lord, we ask you to give us a clear sense of purpose and direction in this situation. We pray, as Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:18, that our hearts would be flooded with light so that we can understand the confident hope He has given to those He has called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious heritage.

We thank You and praise You for Your infinite love, mercy, grace, power and might.

We ask these things in Jesus name.

AMEN.

HE IS RISEN!

2011-04-24T18:58:00.002-05:00

My uncle, Alan Cliburn, is one of my favorite authors. He has inspired me to write (although I've only published one story at age 10--with his help). He has also inspired me in his love for Christ and his unshakable devotion to walking with Him. Following is his poem entitled, Jesus is Risen:

I don’t need a calendar
To tell me when it’s spring
All I do is look around
Or see a bird on wing.

And with all the flowers blooming,
Somehow my nose knows
Winter’s gone, spring is here,
Time to pick a rose!

But when it comes to springtime,
Easter’s the best part.
I don’t need a calendar
The risen Jesus lives in my heart!

May you have the best Easter you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for God's Vision

2011-04-20T17:14:00.001-05:00

Many times in our lives we can experience a crisis of confusion due to a lack of God’s vision in our lives, or a lack of understanding regarding that vision. Daniel was a man in the Bible whom God had given the ability to see and interpret visions.

In the Second Chapter of Daniel, the Bible tells us about King Nebuchadnezzar who had dreams that troubled him, causing him not to sleep. The king sought the counsel of his magicians, counselors, sorcerers and astrologers, asking them to tell him what he dreamed, and then to tell him what the dream meant.

The magicians, counselors, sorcerers and astrologers responded by telling the king that no one on earth could do what the king asked. This angered King Nebuchadnezzar, and he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel and his friends happened to fall into that category.

When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard came to Daniel, the Bible says that Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact, saying, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” (Daniel 2:15) Arioch explained the matter to Daniel, and Daniel went directly to the king, asking for more time.

Daniel and his friends pleaded with God for mercy that they might be spared from the king’s wrath. That night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Daniel praised God for the vision, and the light that His wisdom brings!

God’s vision is divine. It brings light into the darkness and casts out all confusion. We can pray, as Daniel did, for God’s divine presence to bring His vision into our lives.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We thank You and praise You for teaching us in and through the mysteries of life.

We ask that You would bestow Your mercy on us, Lord, and reveal Your will in this period of crisis and confusion.

Come swiftly, Everlasting Father, and grant us Your vision to eliminate any and all confusion from our lives. Give us Your eyes to see. Give us Your vision, Heavenly Father.

Father, in Your mercy, may You also provide us the interpretation of Your most holy vision. Paint a picture in our mind’s eye of Your plan and purpose for this situation, and for our lives, Father.

In all these requests, we ask humbly for Your mercy and grace, Father, that Your will may be accomplished.

For Yours is the kingdom and the glory forever, and it is in Your most holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A "Jack Be Nimble" Prayer

2011-04-16T19:50:00.002-05:00

Do you remember this nursery rhyme?

JACK BE NIMBLE

Jack, be nimble,
Jack, be quick,
Jack, jump over
The candlestick.

Jack jumped high
Jack jumped low
Jack jumped over
and burned his toe.

Jack tried everything to avoid being burned in this nursery rhyme, yet he still ended up burning his toe. That's the problem with fire. If we play with it, we're going to end up getting burned.

In our lives, sin is like fire. If we play with it, we're going to get burned--no matter how nimble or quick we think we are.

If I were re-writing Jack Be Nimble to show what God can do for Jack, it would go something like this:

Jack be faithful,
Cut the wick.
Jack, stay away
From the candlestick.

Jack kept praying
Jack said "no"
Jack was unscathed
From his head to his toe.

God can protect you from the fire of sin, too. All you have to do is trust Him and obey His Word.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Guard us from the fire of sin. Help us to trust and obey You, Lord. We long to be pleasing to You. Forgive us for the many times and ways we have failed You before.

May we walk in the light of Your blessing today and every day as we learn Your truth.

In Jesus name we pray,

AMEN.

Won't Anybody Stand Up for What's Right Anymore?

2011-04-14T20:20:00.003-05:00

"The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers. Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil! Officials and judges alike demand bribes. The people with influence get what they want, and together they scheme to twist justice. Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.

But your judgment day is coming swiftly now. Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion. Don’t trust anyone—not your best friend or even your wife! For the son despises his father. The daughter defies her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies are right in your own household!

As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. I will be patient as the Lord punishes me, for I have sinned against him. But after that, he will take up my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The Lord will bring me into the light, and I will see his righteousness." Micah 7:2-9

Have you ever felt like this? I have. As a matter of fact, it was just today. I was in a disagreement with the Principal at the Christian elementary school our son attends. Seems they are planning a school play using the song Thriller by Michael Jackson. No matter how you slice it, spin it, twist it, or try to rationalize it, it is just plain wrong. Sadly, they didn't agree to remove the song--just the lyrics. I'll take it as a small victory for today and keep praying.

But, I must confess, I felt so all alone in this struggle--that is, until I prayed. During my prayer, God brought to mind so many powerful promises, "if God is for me, who can be against me" and so many others!! I realized then that the strength of God's mighty army is on my side--it is the side of righteousness.

Dear Friend, take a stand for what is right today! You have God's mighty army fighting with you, and it will be the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer to Cast Out Satan and Demons

2011-04-10T19:14:00.000-05:00

Satan and his power are real. I can tell you that from personal experience. I have seen him at work in the lives of people very close to me, attempting to thwart our efforts in obedience to Christ. I have seen him at work in my own life—tempting me away from the things I know are right, the things I know are pleasing to God.

Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

We must always be on guard against the attacks of the evil one. The best way to do this is through daily prayer, Bible reading, and fellowship with other believers. Often people are drawn away from fellowship with other believers because of perceived hypocrisy. In such cases, because of sin, their consciences have been seared as with a hot iron (I Timothy 4:2). Their consciences are no good to them anymore. Their consciences tell them that evil is good and good is evil! We must, therefore, restore and admonish one another in love, strengthening our unity in Christian brotherhood—our unity against the dark forces of this world. I Peter 5:8 tells us, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Jesus cast out devils and demons on a regular basis during his ministry on Earth. He enabled his disciples to do the same. But, there was an instance recorded in the New Testament in which a distraught father brought his son to the disciples for healing.

The father explained that his son had been possessed by a demon that caused him to have violent convulsions, grinding his teeth and foaming at the mouth. The disciples had been unable to cast out the demon. The father came and brought the boy to Jesus, who cast out the demon. Later, the disciples asked Jesus privately why they had been unable to cast out the demon. Mark 9:28-29 gives Jesus’ response, “Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, ‘Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?’ Jesus replied, ‘This kind can be cast out only by prayer.’”

We can follow Jesus’ example and pray for devils, demons and all manner of Satan’s evil influences to be cast out and removed from among or around us, and we should pray in this way as often as it is needed.

Dear Father,

Please cast the devil out of ___________________, we beg of You. We thank You and praise Your holy name for You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). We know that You are not the author of confusion, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

We claim Your promise, Father, that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7). We thank You for giving us the power to cast out demons in Your name. Father, we rebuke Satan’s power; and, we rebuke the power of any and all evil influences over this household, this people, and this situation. Evil is not welcome here. It must be cast out into the pit of hell.

Guard our bodies, minds, hearts, souls, spirits and emotions from any and all evil influence and temptation. We thank You for making a way of escape for us in every temptation in order that we may stand firm in the way of right (1 Corinthians 10:13).

We bind Satan’s power against us. We bind his power against this household in the name of Jesus.

We thank You for allowing this situation to strengthen our faith and our trust in You and Your divine power. Help us to be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).

We thank You and praise You for hearing and answering our prayer.

In Jesus precious name we pray.

AMEN.

Yours for the Asking

2011-04-03T18:40:00.000-05:00

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” John 14:12-14

What does it mean to ask for something in Jesus name? Does it mean that if I pray and ask God for a new car, that a Maserati will appear in my driveway, neatly wrapped with a bow? Probably not. Does it mean that if I end my prayer with, “In Jesus name” that it will seal my request, and then I’ll get what I ask for? No.

Then, what does it mean?

If we examine this passage of Scripture more closely, we see in the second half of verse 13 that our requests will be granted “so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” We also see in verse 12 that we must believe. In addition, I John 5:14 tells us Christ’s qualifications for our requests, “And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him.”

If we know Him . . . if we are His children, then we know what pleases Him. And, we can ask confidently for anything in His name, and He will do it. Now, that’s powerful!

May the power of knowing Christ—REALLY knowing Him—be evident in your life today. And, may it be the best day you’ve ever had in your life.

Home Again

2011-03-25T19:18:00.000-05:00

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” John 14:1-7

When I was a little girl, I became homesick very easily. I couldn’t stand to be away from my home and family for very long. Even when we were together on vacations, it was music to my ears to hear my mother say, “Home again, home again, jiggity-jig,” as we pulled into the driveway after a long trip.

At the age of seven, my mother became ill and had to be hospitalized for almost a year. Before she left, Mother came to me and said, “Tomorrow I have to go away, and I will be gone for a long time. But, don’t worry. I’ll be back.” As a seven-year-old, I didn’t understand, and my heart was deeply troubled. “Where are you going?” I asked. “Why can’t I go, too? When will you be back?” There were so many questions, and I knew I would be terribly homesick for my mother.

The disciples were deeply troubled that Jesus was telling them He would be going away, too. They didn’t understand where He was going, or why they couldn’t go. They didn’t understand that His entire plan revolved around His love for them. They didn’t understand that one day they would be home again—with Him.

One day, if Christ is our Savior, He will come to take us home again, too. One day we will no longer be homesick—we will be home again, home again (jiggity-jig).

A Prayer Requesting Joy

2011-03-19T17:28:00.000-05:00

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

This verse doesn’t say, “Be full of joy when you feel like it.” It doesn’t say, “Be full of joy when things are going your way.” Being joyful is the fruit of one who is obedient to God—no matter what difficulties may come.

Listen to the heart of Job in Job 5:17, “But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.”

Let those words soak in for a while. Read the Book of Job. Job certainly knew an abundance of emotional distress. Yet, he also knew the character of his loving, Heavenly Father. Job had a deep, personal relationship with Him.

You may well be able to relate to Job. Think about the words in that verse again. God, as any good father, loves us so much that he corrects us. He lovingly guides us in the way that we should go.

David prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” David understood what real joy was all about. He was a man after God’s own heart. You can experience real joy, too.

Our Father in Heaven,

We take joy in You. We take joy in Your correction! (Job 5:17)

We thank You for loving us enough to turn us toward You. When we ponder our many blessings, we are overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, Father.

We shout joyfully to You, the rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1)!

May we come with joy and drink deeply from your fountain of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)!

Lord, we thank You that Your Word promises that if we search for You we will be filled with joy and gladness. Hallelujah, Father, we praise You!

For we know, Father, that this light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

We ask that You would restore to us the joy of Your salvation (Psalm 51:12).

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Pure Heart

2011-03-06T15:36:00.002-06:00

"To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted." Titus 1:15

I love this verse. It reminds me of children . . . of the beautiful innocence in their eyes, the way that they trust without questioning. They believe. They haven't been hurt, calloused, and corrupted by the cold, cruel, sinful world.

This verse also reminds me of the change that happens when Christ comes and lives inside us. It really is as though we were born again. We become like that fresh, pure, innocent child--uncorrupted by the world and believing!!

If you haven't asked God to come and live inside your heart and life, pray and ask Him to come in today. He will purify your heart and make you brand new.

This is my prayer for you, and that you would have the best March you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Understanding

2011-02-27T15:05:00.000-06:00

There are many times in our lives when we experience a deep longing for someone to understand us. In I Kings 3:9 Solomon prayed, “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.” And, the Scripture tells us that God granted Solomon’s request.

In Psalm 119:104, David, Solomon’s father, prayed, “Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.” David’s understanding came from God’s commandments.

We can ask for God’s understanding in times of anxiety, fear, emotional distress, and physical illness, as well. Proverbs 2:3-4 says, “Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.” If we lack understanding, the Bible tells us that we can and should ask God for it, and trust that He will grant our request.

God wants us to have an understanding heart and to trust His divine plan. That doesn’t mean that we will always know or be able to figure out why things are happening as they are, or how they will work out. Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” God’s ways are not our ways.

But, an understanding heart will give us joy about the outcome of the situation we are dealing with (Proverbs 3:13).

Dear Heavenly Father,

We cry out for understanding and insight this day. We trust Your commandments to be pure, holy and true. Father, please grant our request in order that we may have a clear picture of what You are doing in this situation.

We know that counsel and understanding are Yours (Job 12:13). We claim Your promise in Job 36:5, that You are mighty and do not despise anyone! You are mighty in both power and understanding!

We thank You that You expand our understanding (Psalm 119:32).

Father, we long for Your correction because by it we grow in understanding (Proverbs 15:32).

May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our heart be acceptable unto You, Father.

Thank You for the blessing of Your answer to our prayer.

In Your perfect, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

The Laundry Room of Life

2011-02-19T17:26:00.000-06:00

There is an old southern saying that one shouldn’t air their dirty laundry in public. Yet, some of the most important lessons I’ve learned in life have come from the airing of dirty laundry—mine and others. It is with this premise in mind that we air our dirty laundry—holes, stains, and all—and practically apply God’s Biblical principles to our lives.

Each week we will apply God’s Word to cleanse our lives of sin and show us how to remove stubborn stains. We will rinse our lives through prayer. We will allow God to soften the fabric of our hearts through repentance and praise. We will tumble dry through the challenging real experiences we face every day. And, God will iron out the rough spots through His Word and the trials we face, making the fabric of our lives an authentic, sparkling, clean and presentable garment before Him.

My prayer is for you to become honest and real before God, allowing Him to create an unshakable, mountain-moving faith within you.

Join me in The Laundry Room of God’s Word. May you find it to be a lieu de joie (place of joy) for your soul. And, may you have the best Bible Study you’ve ever had in your life.

“Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

A Cry for Help in Times of Emotional Distress

2011-02-05T20:28:00.001-06:00

Emotional distress comes in many shapes and forms. Yet, regardless the form, it is painful and difficult to bear when we are in its midst.

In the Old Testament, David was no stranger to emotional distress, and cried unto the Lord for help repeatedly. Each time David cried unto the Lord, he was met by God’s warm, loving embrace.

Listen to David’s heart as recorded in Psalm 18:6, “But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.”

In Psalm 31:22, David says, “In panic I cried out, ‘I am cut off from the Lord!’ But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.”

In Esther 4:1, after Mordecai learned about the decree which Haman deceitfully dictated to have the Jews killed, the Bible says, “When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.”

Do you feel panicked today? Have your tears been your food day and night as they were David’s (Psalm 42:3)? God answered David and Mordecai in their emotional distress. God stands ready to answer your cry for help, too.

Father in Heaven,

Hear my cry and help me today, right now, Lord. My emotions overwhelm and consume me like a flood. Yet, I trust in You. I trust in Your strength, Your power, Your purpose and Your love for me.

I wait expectantly for You, Father.

Teach me Your good and perfect ways as a result of this distress, and draw me close to You, O Lord.

I thank You and praise You, Father, “For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory” (Psalm 32:7).

Answer me in my distress, dear Father, as You promise in Your Word.

Forgive me for failing You, Lord, and restore to me the joy of my salvation.

In Your perfect, holy name I pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Healing

2011-01-28T11:59:00.000-06:00

In 2 Kings 20:1-7, the Bible tells us the story of King Hezekiah.

King Hezekiah had become deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah came to visit him. Isaiah had received a message from the Lord, and was the bearer of bad news. The news was that King Hezekiah needed to put his affairs in order because he was not going to recover from his illness. He was going to die.

The Bible says in 2 Kings 20:2-3, “When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ‘Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.’ Then he broke down and wept bitterly.”

The story goes on to say that before the prophet Isaiah left the courtyard, the Lord spoke to him again. The Lord told Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that He had heard his prayer and that He saw Hezekiah’s tears. God told Isaiah to let King Hezekiah know that in three days he would be healed and would get out of bed.

On top of that, God promised to add fifteen years to King Hezekiah’s life AND rescue him from the Assyrians!

That’s a pretty powerful demonstration of God’s love. God has that love for you, too.

In the New Testament, everyone—every single person—who asked and believed for Jesus’ healing power received it. Jesus healed them all. We may not always understand what true healing means for our particular circumstance, but we can know that God has our best interest in His divine plan.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

Dear Father in Heaven,

We praise your most holy name. You know the depth of the affliction we bring before you. We thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to heal all who asked and believed in the New Testament. Our prayer today is a request for healing, Father. We ask for your healing today for __________________________. We know that it is your will to heal __________________________. Release ____________________ from the grip of this illness and restore health to his/her body.

We ask that you help us, Dear Father, to understand the type and extent of the healing you desire to provide for _________________________. If you desire to provide ultimate healing, Lord, help us to be accepting of Your will. If it be Your will, give us a miraculous sign to reveal to us your plan and purpose in this situation.

Help us to depend upon You in times when we doubt, for you are the author and finisher of our faith. We thank you and praise you for the good you are bringing and will produce out of this difficult time.

In Jesus’ name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer When Overwhelmed by Anger

2011-01-23T14:29:00.001-06:00

Have you ever been so angry and enraged that you felt you would explode if you didn’t act on your emotions? Many people in the Bible did, too. In fact, the Bible talks a great deal about anger. The words “anger” or “angry” are found 453 times in the New Living Translation of the Bible.

Many times there are very valid reasons for becoming angry. Jesus felt anger when he chased the moneychangers out of the Temple. There is nothing wrong with the emotion of anger, but we must control our actions as a result of the emotion. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”

Cain had a problem with anger. He allowed it to control him. The Bible tells us that one day Cain brought some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. His younger brother, Abel, also brought a present, but it was the best of his firstborn lambs. Genesis 4:5 tells us that God did not accept Cain or his gift. Cain became very angry and gave in to the temptation to sin. He murdered his brother.

Perhaps you have already committed a sin with great consequences just like Cain did. The good news is that God forgives. He sent His son, Jesus, to die for you and pay the eternal penalty for your sin. The bad news is that we must still face the earthly consequences for our actions.

If you are overwhelmed by anger now, but have not yet sinned, remember that, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Dear Father in Heaven,

I am overwhelmed with anger. Please show me the way out. I do not want to sin. Help me to have self-control in this situation. Vindicate me, and show me the path I should take in this situation.

Father, protect me from evil desires. Forgive me for the desire to do wrong. Keep me on Your path of life.

Comfort my heart with the knowledge that You are in complete control of this situation, and that You can and do work all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28). Thank You, Father, that I am called according to Your purpose. Thank You that You have a plan and a purpose for my life, and that You can bring good out of this situation.

You are awesome and all-powerful, Father, and I praise You for delivering me from the temptation to sin again as a result of my anger.

I give You control over my mind, body, will and emotions, Father. Fill me with the fruit of Your Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Solace

2011-01-16T21:23:00.000-06:00

Webster’s Dictionary defines solace as “comfort in disappointment or misery.” From birth, our spirits long for comfort. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3, “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.” The next verse goes on to tell us, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

We have all experienced or will experience a need for solace, for comfort in our lives. In God’s divine providence, He has provided a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will never leave us or forsake us as long as we belong to Him.

The Bible confirms this in John 14:16, which says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

What a wonderful demonstration of the Savior’s love and care for us at all times and in all circumstances.“

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).”

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You this day for Your promise of perpetual comfort. You are the source of all solace in our lives. We ask that You comfort us in our distress. We thank You that You will never leave us or forsake us, Father. How wonderful You are! We praise You for Your goodness.

Lord, may we climb into Your heavenly embrace and feel Your loving comfort surround us at this time and always.

Thank You for drawing us ever near to You. You are our hiding place, Father.

Forgive us for failing You, and help us to remember that Your Word is a continual feast of solace for our souls.

Grant us solace, we pray.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Simple Prayer

2011-01-07T20:57:00.009-06:00

"Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.” Proverbs 9:6

Do you remember this nursery rhyme?

SIMPLE SIMON

Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair;
Said Simple Simon to the pieman "Let me taste your ware."
Said the pieman to Simple Simon "Show me first your penny."
Said Simple Simon to the pieman "Sir, I have not any!"

Simple Simon went a-fishing for to catch a whale;
All the water he had got was in his mother's pail.
Simple Simon went to look if plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much which made poor Simon whistle.
He went for water in a sieve but soon it all fell through;
And now poor Simple Simon bids you all "adieu."

From the likes of this story, our Simple Simon wasn't the brightest bulb in the box. Unfortunately, when I examine my own life as compared to Simple Simon, I find that I've had my share of foolish decisions. I've often been a fan of the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple, Silly.).

But, the Bible tells us to leave our simple ways. It tells us in Proverbs 14:18, "Simpletons are clothed with foolishness, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge."

Proverbs 22:3 says, "A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

The good news is that wisdom is just a prayer away. "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." (James 1:5)

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for being the keeper of all wisdom and understanding. We thank You that, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

Keep us from the foolish ways of the simpleton, Father, and lead us in Your ways of wisdom and understanding. Purify our hearts, minds, bodies, wills, and emotions, Lord. And, guard us from the evil in this world.

May we follow after You all the days of our lives, for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

AMEN.

The Secret to a Joyful 2011

2011-01-02T19:01:00.001-06:00

"When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you." John 15:10-12

I pray that as you grow closer to God by reading His Word each day this year, that your joy will overflow, and that 2011 will be the best year you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Companionship

2010-12-11T18:06:00.000-06:00

When God made Adam, He recognized that it was not good for Adam to be alone. That is why God made Eve—to be a companion. God does not want us to live our lives in isolation. He wants us to enjoy companionship.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 talks about some other reasons why companionship is important, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Maybe you understand that all too well, and you long desperately to have that companion these verses are talking about. In your desire and haste for companionship, you must be careful to heed the Bible’s warning regarding the character and type of companion we should seek, lest we end up with grief and pain as our companion.

2 Timothy 2:22 tells us, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”

If this is the type of companion you seek, take it to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to guide you in revealing the true character of each person you meet.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We long for companionship that is pure and true, with a heart longing after You.

Test our hearts and prove that our motivation is right, Father. We thank You for serving as the perfect example of companionship through the person of Your son, Jesus Christ.

Help us to be a pure and true companion to others. Keep our hearts honest and right before You, Father. Give us wisdom, understanding and discernment always in choosing companionship.

Lead us in Your pathway of truth, and protect us from any and all evil influences, Father.

Father, protect us, and may no evil thing be allowed to enter our heart, body, mind, spirit, or emotions. Bring into our lives the companion or companions of Your choosing.

We ask these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

Looking for Your Soulmate?

2010-12-09T22:22:00.002-06:00

Recently, I was talking with a friend about her marriage difficulties. I had a great deal of empathy for what she was going through. She asked what I would do in her situation. I paused and said, "Well, I have someone else in my life. When I'm having difficulties in my marriage, I talk to Him."

Her jaw dropped a bit and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "It's true," I confessed. "He's perfect for me. He listens intently, helps even before I ask, and He even rejoices over me with singing. He's my one and only soulmate."

She said, "Wow! I wish I could find someone like that!"

"You can," I said. That someone is God. What better relationship could you have than with the lover of your soul, your very creator? He is your true soulmate.

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 54:5, "For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth."

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being my soulmate. I praise You for being everything that my heart and soul desire and more, Lord.

Thank You that I am dearly loved by You (John 16:27). Help me to learn to depend upon You to meet all of my needs--mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Forgive me for my selfish heart, and replace it with Your generous spirit.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Peace

2010-12-05T14:06:00.001-06:00

When we are in the midst of conflict—especially long-standing conflict—peace almost seems unattainable. Yet, the Bible speaks of a peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace can exist in the midst of conflict. This peace can live even when the entire world is crumbling around you, and you have nothing and no one to hold on to. This peace can be there when that knot at the end of your rope has somehow come undone. You can find God’s strength, comfort and peace—even there.

Philippians 4:6-7 says this, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Peace is not something that is effortless. It requires work on your part. Sometimes that work can be significant. In the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the 5th Chapter of Matthew, Jesus says, “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9).”

Some people make peace seem completely out of reach, but we must humbly make every effort to be at peace with even the most difficult person in the world—the one that is 20 grit sandpaper on our skin, for the Bible tells us, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18).”

If we will keep our hearts and minds focused on trusting Christ, instead of ourselves, He will keep us in perfect peace, regardless of our circumstance.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3)

Dear Father in Heaven,

You are the Prince of Peace. We thank You and praise You for Your awesome power and blessing in our life. We thank You for being mindful of us and for placing Your gentle hand of loving correction upon our lives in order to make us all that You would have us to be.

We come to You now with a request for peace. We are weary and exhausted with the conflict. We long for Your perfect peace—the peace that passes understanding, Father.

Help us to live peaceably with all men, Father. Show us just exactly what that means in this particular situation and in every situation to come. May we find strength in quietness and confidence, and resting in You (Isaiah 30:15).

Lord, help us to be known as a peace-loving people. May we not be divisive, but may we remain true to You, allowing Your Word to penetrate our heart and spirit with wisdom.

We ask all these things in Your name.

AMEN.

A Wonderoo Christmas

2010-12-02T20:07:00.003-06:00

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

‘Twas the night before Christmas, back when Jordache was “in”. I was sixteen years old, and still very thin. Mother was baking our favorite desserts, strawberries with chocolate and tuxedo shirts.

The house smelled of peppermint, cookies, and pine, and I’d counted the presents—15 were mine. I stacked all the presents in neat little rows, while shaking and feeling through ribbons and bows.

Then, Mother announced in a sweet, Christmas voice, “Remember tradition. You each get one choice. We’ll open one present this Christmas Eve night, and read Luke Chapter 2 by the candle’s soft light. Your father will be here at thirty past eight, so finish your choosing—don’t make us all wait.”

Nancy and Jimmy chose quick as a wink, but me . . . well, I needed some more time to think. I squeezed and I squinted my best x-ray eyes, determined to unwrap the best new surprise.

And, then I beheld it. I knew what it was—a new pair of Jordache! I knew it because . . . Well, because of its shape, how it teased me and taunted. And, because Mother knew what her favorite one wanted!

I tore back the wrapping without any care—no need to—the Favorite One knew what was there. But, my confident gleam turned to crimson red hues, for the package contained: Wonder Woman Underoos!

“How could you?” I sassed. “I’m sixteen! I’m not three! I’m not that small child you once bounced on your knee!” My mother sat still—warm and soft in her place. Midst my rant, I’d not noticed the tears on her face.

“Dear Mother, forgive me for what I have done. I’m the worst of the litter!” How, I wanted to run. But, she just embraced me, and gave me a kiss—reflecting the Father. His love is like this.

He is Wonderful, Counselor, mighty to save! He showed us His love in the Son that He gave. This Christmas I smile at 1982, reminded that Christ came for me and for you.

May you have the best Christmas you’ve ever had in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:18:00.000-06:00

"Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done."

May you have the best Thanksgiving you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Development of a Cure

2010-11-21T17:33:00.000-06:00

Throughout history, God has given people the power and authority to cure illness and disease. In the Old Testament, this power was often given through prophets and priests. In the New Testament, this power was seen often through Jesus and his twelve followers. Since Bible times, God has given this authority and power to many whom some may consider unlikely.

God used Canadian surgeon, Frederick Banting, to pioneer the use of insulin for the treatment of diabetes. Frederick Banting had originally planned on going into the ministry, but God had a ministry of different sorts for Banting—medicine.

In the early 1920s, Frederick Banting had a new idea for finding both the cause and the treatment for what was then called “sugar disease.” Through experimenting with dogs, Banting and his assistant, Charles Best, and others at the University of Toronto, were able to isolate insulin as both the cure and cause for the deadly effects of diabetes.

Although Frederick Banting and Charles Best did not eradicate diabetes, the diagnosis was no longer the death sentence it had once been.

We read about similar discoveries in the realm of medicine every single day. How merciful, loving, powerful and gracious is our God!

In Psalm 17:6 David said, “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.”

What an inspiring picture of the relationship David had with Our Heavenly Father.

Our Father in Heaven,

We come before you this day asking that you forgive us for our sins and reveal any unconfessed sins we may have in our lives. May we have a clear conscience before You today.

We thank You, Father, for bending down to hear us when we pray. Help us to listen to You.

Father, we ask today for a cure for _________________________. We know that you do not ignore the cries of those who suffer, as Your Word says in Psalm 9:12.

We thank You, O Lord, for empowering the men and women who have gone before us in developing cures. May you pour out Your power, authority and wisdom today on whom You please in developing a cure for ________________________.

Let Your grace, mercy, love and power be evident to all.

In Your perfect, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Effective Use of Time

2010-11-16T21:09:00.000-06:00

Something that is equal to all of us is the amount of time available for us each day we live. How we choose to use the time we are given is what makes the difference in each of our lives. Often we would like time to stand still in our lives, while at other times we wish to fast forward. In either case, how is it that we can most effectively use the time God has given to each of us?

Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. We know that we were created for God’s purposes. Knowing this, we must be careful to make the most of the limited time God has given to us. Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

Effective use of time means that we act in such a way as to make the most of our Master’s assets—the talents He has given to us—as illustrated in the Parable of the Three Servants, recorded in Matthew 25:14-30.

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We all want to hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” But, in order to hear that, we must be doers of His word and not hearers only (James 1:22).

Dear Heavenly Father,

Remind me of how brief my life on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered and how fleeting my life is (Psalm 39:4).

Grant us effective use of every moment we breathe. We thank You, Father, for the many gifts and talents You have given to us. May we use them always for Your glory—not our own.

We praise You for the opportunity to be a blessing to others. Help us to be mindful of the needs of others. May we follow Your example of humility and service in all our hands find to do.

Guide us in making the most of all times, including times of adversity. May we learn and grow in wisdom and understanding Father— deliberate and careful about every choice we make.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

Heaven-Minded

2010-11-10T22:11:00.002-06:00

"“So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other." Deuteronomy 4:39

Have you ever heard the saying, "Don't be so heaven-minded that you're no earthly good"? I've heard it many times over the years, but if we examine God's Word, we find there is no truth to this saying.

In truth, the only way to be any good on this earth at all, is to be heaven-minded.

2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us, "So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."

It is only by fixing our eyes and thoughts on Heaven that we can be of any earthly good at all. Heaven-thinking causes us to shift our focus past our temporary, earthly struggles. These things no longer consume us. We consider the needs of others more, and we find it easier to trust and obey Christ.

May you fix your eyes on Heaven today, and may this be the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer in Time of War

2010-11-07T16:18:00.001-06:00

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 tells us that there is a season for everything, a time for every activity given under heaven. There is “a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8).

War is not something enjoyable, but because of the fall of man and our sinful nature, it is sometimes necessary in bringing about a desired outcome—a change. War is also not something to be entered into lightly, either. The Bible says we are to prepare and to seek wise counsel before going to war. Proverbs 24:6 says, “So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.”

There are many instances in the Bible in which God specifically used people who were not well-equipped, strong, or mighty in number, to win a war. This was done to show the mighty power and sovereignty of God. We must always remember that no matter how much we prepare for battle, the victory rests with God alone. He is our strength.

Perhaps you are a soldier at war right now, or you have a loved one at war. Maybe it is a spiritual war you are fighting at work or at home. If you are overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty about the circumstance you are facing this very minute, God can help you.

2 Timothy 2:3 reminds us to “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Things will not always be easy; however, we can find comfort knowing that the victory is ALWAYS the Lord’s.

“My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.” (Psalm 62:7)

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for giving us victory through Your son, Jesus Christ. We praise You for overcoming the world (John 16:33).

We ask, Father, that You would provide us with wise counsel. Speak to our hearts, lead us, guide us, and direct us in accordance with Your perfect will. You know our fears, Father, and we ask that Your perfect love would cast out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Lord, we ask that this time of war would bring about a change for good that would accomplish Your purposes.

Keep us safe, Father, and keep us always close to You.

Grant us Your strength and endurance for the battle—both physically and spiritually. May we abide in You for the duration of this wartime. Help us to stay the course, for we know that in due season we will reap a reward, if we do not lose heart (Galatians 6:9).

Forgive us for our many sins, Father, and help us to forgive the sins of others.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Unity

2010-10-26T21:55:00.001-05:00

When we are united in Christ, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. The Bible says, in Matthew 18:19-20, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

That is a powerful passage of scripture. Read it again, and allow every word to soak into your soul. The importance of unity cannot be minimized. For a nation, an army, a church, a school, a family or an individual to be effective, they must be united in their vision, their focus, and their purpose in Christ.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

After Jesus ascended into heaven, there is a beautiful picture of unity among the early believers pictured in Acts 1:14, “They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.”

I love that verse. It is because of this unity in constant prayer that the body of believers grew from 120 to over 3,000 in one day at Pentecost! That is power. That is the power of prayer when we are united in Christ.

When we are in the thick of conflict and experiencing division, we can and should ask God to guide us to a place of unity in and through Him.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Search me, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23). Show me any area of my life that is not totally devoted to You. May I be united in mind, body, and soul with Your purpose and Your will for every area of my life.

Pumice my heart and make it pliable. May I be united to this, Your body of believers.

Father, draw this entire body of believers together in unity to accomplish Your mission. Purge us of sin and selfishness. Grant us Your vision and Your focus, Father.

Lead us in Your ways.

Father, we commit ourselves to You afresh and anew. Fill us with Your love for others. May we always show Your love to each other.

Remove all conflict far from us, Heavenly Father.

We ask these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Illumination of Our Path

2010-10-23T15:49:00.001-05:00

The Bible says in Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Recently, our family went on a camping trip in a beautiful, heavily-wooded state park. During the night, my son woke me, as he was in need of a bathroom break. I felt around the bottom of the tent for the flashlight and pushed the button. Nothing happened. I was sure I checked to make sure it was working before we left. I tried again. Still, nothing happened.

“Come on, Sweet Pea,” I said. “We’re going to have to feel our way to the bathroom.” As we started along the dark path, we tripped over rocks and bumped into trees. How I kicked myself for not bringing an extra set of batteries!

In the distance, we could see a faint light that we hoped was the bathroom, but we could see nothing along our pathway. Even the light of the moon and stars was obscured by the massive pine trees and thick underbrush.

By the time we finally made it to the bathroom in the forest, we were scraped, scratched, stressed and thankful. If only I had been wise and prepared properly . . .

It is a simple example, but like the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25, it illustrates our foolishness at not keeping Christ as the constant illuminating source for our lives.

When the Israelites built the Tabernacle, they were commanded to bring pure oil of pressed olives to keep the lamps burning continually (Exodus 27:20). That lamp was both symbolic and practical.

If we spend time developing a personal relationship with God, He illuminates our path. Psalm 18:28 says, “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.”

Since Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12), He can illuminate your path, too.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We thank You for being the light of world. We thank You and praise You for illuminating our path as You did that of Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

We ask that You would make our hearts soft and pliable as we read Your word in order that it may be a light to our path. Help us to be obedient to the things that we read in Your word, too, Father.

Thank You for showing us the great error of our ways and turning us from our sin through the power of Your holy word, Lord.

Father, we ask that You would keep us firmly rooted and grounded in Your word daily that You may be able to illuminate our path daily.

We thank You and praise You for breaking the power of death and illuminating the way of life and immortality through Your Good News (2 Timothy 1:10).

May we forever walk in the light as You are in the light, that we may have fellowship with each other and be cleansed from sin (1 John 1:7).

We ask all these things in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

AMEN.

A Prayer of Repentance

2010-10-17T21:48:00.001-05:00

“If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.” (Psalm 7:12)

Repentance of sin is at the very foundation of our relationship with Christ. Without repentance, we are separated from God. Repentance is an acknowledgement of sin and a choice to turn away from sin—to choose, with God’s strength, not to practice sin any longer. Repentance does not mean that we will be perfect, but rather that we are not accepting of our own sinful behavior. We are acknowledging that our sin is wrong.

When the people of Nineveh repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah, God restored them to a position of favor and healed their land. He will heal and restore you, too.

The Bible tells us that once we have repented of our sin, we must prove our repentance through our actions. Matthew 3:8 says, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”

When we have genuinely repented, it is evident to all. There is a change in us. There is a change in our want to. We no longer want to sin.

In Luke 5:32, Jesus says, “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am a sinner. I repent of my sin. Forgive me and change me, Father. I don’t want to sin anymore. Help me to be like You.

Thank You for loving me. I praise You for working in my life and helping me to change.

I thank You for wiping my sins away. Thank You for the promise of not rejecting a broken and repentant heart (Psalm 51:17).

May Your kingdom come and Your will be done in the sight of many witnesses.

In Your precious, holy name I pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Time of Unexpected Death

2010-10-14T19:04:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, I had a friend named Renee. Renee had a beautiful singing voice, even though she was very young. She proudly and confidently sang her praises to God before the church congregation nearly every Sunday morning.

Suddenly, and without warning, Renee developed leukemia and died. She was only eight years old. Hers was a life so full of love, zeal, and promise. It was hard for anyone to understand why she was taken from us.

Yet, in all our misunderstanding and grief, God understands. He has a plan that has at its center our ultimate good—an ultimate blessing. We can be sure of that.

I don’t have Renee with me here on earth, but she is still accomplishing God’s purpose—long after her death. She still inspires me. She still motivates me. God is still using the life she lived.

Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

Your name is most holy. We come before You asking for comfort, peace, and understanding in this time of unexpected death.

Father, we do not understand why ____________________________ was taken from us. Yet, we do know that You are working in and through our loss to bring about Your divine plan and purpose.

Comfort us in our grief and loss.

Grant us wisdom and understanding.

Grant us peace.

Help us to lean completely and totally upon You during this time and always, Father. Forgive us for our failures, Lord, and teach us Your ways.

We thank You and praise You for protecting us and providing for us in ways we do not understand during this crisis.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

Joyful Stability

2010-10-10T13:58:00.002-05:00

In times of emotional distress, stability is in high demand and short supply. We are often unable to see things clearly—as God sees them. James 1:8 says, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

God doesn’t want us to be unstable. He doesn’t want us to be double-minded in our thinking. He wants us to simply and completely trust Him. He wants us to get to the point in our relationship with Him that even though the entire world seems to crumble around our feet, we can rest in complete peace, knowing that He is in control of the instability around us.

We can’t possibly know or understand all that God is doing for good in and through our circumstances. It all just seems so imperfect and crazy to us sometimes.

I Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

God is the all-powerful stabilizer throughout life's circumstances and every crisis we face. We can pray and ask Him to grant us the ability to completely trust in Him as the stability in our lives. James 1:17 tells us, “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

How joyful to know the Great Stabilizer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You for not changing. We thank You for giving us the stability of being able to know You and rest in You as our source of strength, peace, and stability.

We ask, Father, that You would grant us the ability to trust completely in who You are. Regardless of the cost, fill us completely and totally with You. May we hold nothing in reserve.

Help us to find peace and serenity in the chaos, change, and turmoil around us. Lord, if we have contributed to or caused this turmoil in any way, we ask You to forgive us. Help us to make it right.

We forgive those who have hurt us, and ask that they be able to forgive us for any and all perceived wrongs.

Dear Father, we thank You and praise You for loving us more than we can comprehend.

We pray all these things in Your precious holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Love

2010-09-30T21:23:00.001-05:00

Are you feeling unloved? Or, perhaps you are being treated as though you are unlovable. Maybe you just feel unloved or unlovable. May I say to you that there is someone who loves you right now, and that His love is so far-reaching you cannot escape it. In fact, His love is so strong that there is nothing we can do or say that will make Him stop loving us. He is the definition of love itself. Without Him, all other love is incomplete. There is nowhere we can go where His love cannot reach down and carry us, hold us, wrap around us.

The Bible says in Romans 8:38-39, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Human love fails. We are weak and we all sin. But, God has a love that endures forever. Are you in need of this kind of love today?

You can pray and ask God to help you to receive His love.

O, Father in Heaven,

Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You (Psalm 63:3)! How we need Your love! We thank You, O God, that Your love is always and forever surrounding and abounding toward us.

Help us to receive that love and to give it back to everyone we meet, unconditionally. Help us to love the unlovable—including ourselves, Father. We thank You that You ARE love personified! We praise You for allowing us to commune with You—to have a personal relationship with You, Father.

Work Your perfect will in our lives, Lord, and bring other people into our lives who are in need of Your love. Give us the ability to show Your love to them, Father. May we love our neighbors as ourselves, Father. Help us to act in a manner that would point all mankind to You.

Forgive us when we fail in this attempt, Lord, and grant us endurance for this lifelong journey. Help me to be a committed rather than a casual Christian.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

Fine China

2010-09-23T21:20:00.003-05:00

"But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" Romans 9:20-21

While taking a piece of fine china from my kitchen cabinet recently, I was struck by the beauty of the plate. It was a special occasion, and the dish was just exactly what I needed, although I hadn't used it in quite a long time.

As the plate lingered in my hands, I was reminded of how God often waits for just the right occasion to use us, too. He doesn't leave us on the shelf forever.

Do you ever feel as though you have gifts that no one ever sees? Gifts that may never be used by God?

Take heart, friend. God sees your beauty. He sees each gift He has bestowed upon you. And, He will use your life--for just the right purpose.

May you have the best week you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Good Care

2010-09-19T18:09:00.002-05:00

The story of Hannah in the Bible epitomizes God’s good, loving and faithful care of His people. In I Samuel, the story unfolds and we are introduced to Hannah, one of Elkanah’s two wives. The Bible tells us in the story that Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, had children, but Hannah had none. Although her husband loved her dearly, Hannah longed to have children. To make matters worse, Peninnah would taunt her for not being able to bear children.

One day in the tabernacle she was crying and praying in deep anguish, to the point that Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk. Hannah vowed that if God would grant her request for a son, she would return him to the Lord’s service for his entire lifetime. Once Hannah explained that she was not drunk, but in deep distress, Eli said, “Go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” And, God did grant her request.

Shortly thereafter, Hannah gave birth to her first son, Samuel. How overjoyed she must have been! Then, remembering her vow, I often wonder how difficult it must have been for Hannah to let go of her beautiful new baby boy.

God provided good care for Samuel in the Tabernacle. Eli, the priest, had two sons whom the Bible calls “scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests.” How unsettling the situation could have been for Hannah, knowing that she had given her firstborn son over to such an environment. Yet, as a result of Hannah’s prayers, the Bible tells us, “Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.”

How awesome is that?! God can provide good care for us, too, wherever we are.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We ask today for good care with regard to _____________________________.

We thank You that Your Word tells us in I Peter 5:7 that we can give all of our worries and cares to You, for you care about us. We believe Your Word is true, and ask You to provide good care for _____________________________.

May you provide for every aspect of good care in this situation, just as You care for us and for Your church.

Lord, help us not to doubt, but to always act in accordance with Your will in all things. We thank You that Your Word tells us in I Corinthians 6:13 that You care for our bodies.

Where we are able to be Your hands and feet in providing good care for others, help us to be diligent in doing so.

We ask all these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

Prayer for a Hiding Place

2010-09-14T19:20:00.003-05:00

“For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” Psalm 32:7

David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). David was not a perfect man, but he followed obediently after God for most of his life. In spite of his obedience to God and desire to please Him, David encountered trials, temptations and difficulties. He was attacked by King Saul, his best friend’s father, who tried numerous times to kill him. Yet, in each attempt on David’s life, God provided a hiding place.

In Joshua 2, we learn how God provided a hiding place for two spies Joshua sent to Jericho as the Israelites were planning to take possession of the land God had promised them. Rahab, a woman who had previously made her living through prostitution, was used by God to provide a hiding place for the two men.

Are you in need of a hiding place today?

There is no trouble so great that God cannot provide a hiding place for you. Psalm 27:5 says, “For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being my hiding place. I come to You when I am afraid, and You surround me with Your tender mercies so I may live (Psalm 119:77).

I praise You, Father, that You are my sanctuary—a safe place I can run to and find a place to hide. You calm my fears.

Keep my heart focused and obedient to Your Word. Guard me safely in Your embrace.

Lord, when I am afraid, I will trust in You (Psalm 56:3). Help my times of doubt and unbelief.

And, Father, when it is within my ability to do so, help me to be a hiding place for others who are in need of shelter.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

Are You Ready?

2010-09-12T14:25:00.006-05:00

"Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it." I Peter 3:15

We've seen a great deal in the media lately about a Pastor in Florida who planned to burn the Quran in opposition to its beliefs--which are in stark contrast to the Christian faith. I doubt this Pastor ever thought his decision would receive the type of international publicity it has garnered, and I cast no stones at him.

But, what about you? And, what about me? Are we ready to stand and face a jeering, fault-finding world for our faith? Or, are we content to sit back on the sofa and mock with the rest of the world?

In I Kings 19, Elijah had torn down the Asherah poles and killed all of the prophets of Baal. Jezebel, the evil Queen, was after him! He was scared and ran into the wilderness asking God to take his life. He ended up traveling 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Sinai where he hid in a cave. There was a cost involved in Elijah's obedience. There is a cost associated with our obedience, too.

This brings us back to the original question: Will you be standing in the crowd yelling "crucify Him" with the rest of the world? Or, will you be willing to face rejection and hatred, even death to be the only one in the crowd following Christ?

In Luke 14:28, Jesus says of the Christian walk, “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?"

Have you counted the cost of a life committed to following Christ? The cost may be high, but the investment has eternal rewards, with interest rates no bank could ever match.

My prayer for you is that you will be committed to Christ, that you will always be ready to explain your Christian hope to others, and that you will be the one to do what is right when no one else will.

May you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Freedom from Oppression

2010-09-12T13:52:00.000-05:00

It is so awesome and amazing to know that God sees everything. I was often told as a child, and tell my own children, that even when no one else is watching—God sees. He sees everything we do. He sees everything that is done to us. He knows everything that was ever done to us in the past. And, He loves us more than anyone ever has or ever will. Amazing.

When Moses was tending his father-in-law, Jethro’s herd one day, he led the flock deep into the wilderness to the Mountain of God, Sinai. There, the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in the form of a blaze from the midst of the bush.

Exodus 3:7-10 says this, “Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

Are you oppressed? God sees. Are you being treated harshly? God knows. We can cry out to our God and Father, Yahweh, who longs to deliver us into our own Promised Land. He hears.

The Bible says in multiple passages that God is slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I have always found these words to be true.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We thank and praise You for your unfailing love and faithfulness. We thank you that You see and know everything that is going on in our lives.

We ask, Father, that by Your mighty hand, You would reach down and rescue us, freeing us from this oppression.

We thank You, Father, that Your hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor Your ear heavy that it cannot hear (Isaiah 59:1). Rescue us! Free us, Father! We are overwhelmed by oppression and harsh treatment.

You, and only You, can save us!

Forgive us for our sins, Lord, and help us to forgive others. Help us to forgive our oppressor(s). By Your grace, may we never be guilty of inflicting oppression on others.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer to Overcome Bitterness

2010-09-07T21:37:00.000-05:00

Bitterness is a poison. When we allow it to take root in our lives, it is a destructive force that rips and tears at the very foundation of our soul. If we find bitterness developing in those around us, the Bible tells us that we are to lovingly encourage them and draw them back into the fullness of God’s grace.

Hebrews 12:15 tells us, “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

Ephesians 4:31 says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”

As I was growing up, my father always had a great cure for bitterness—both in himself and in others. It was called service. Whenever he felt a root of bitterness sneaking into his life due to the devastating pressures and circumstances of life, he would find someone who needed his help, and he would give what he had to help them.

The gift of his service didn’t change his circumstances, but it did change the attitude with which he experienced those circumstances. Suddenly and miraculously, the bitterness was gone.

Is bitterness threatening you? Have you allowed bitterness to take root in your life and grow into a destructive force? Prayer can help you to overcome the devastating effects of bitterness in your life, your heart, your soul.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You know our hearts. You know all things. Please remove bitterness that has taken root in my life and has begun to destroy me. Father, You know the actions and attitudes in my heart that have caused this. Change me, Father. Restore me unto You, and create in me a clean heart (Psalm 51:10).

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your grace. Help me to receive it. Help me to turn away from the tendency to dwell on negative thoughts. May I find Your goodness, grace and love in serving others.

We thank You and praise You for Your many blessings. We commit today to changing our way of thinking, Father. We commit to dwelling on all things true, right, lovely, pure, admirable, and heavenly (Romans 8:5, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:2) in order to be pleasing to Your Holy Spirit.

We ask that You help us, Father. We thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit as a comforter to help us in our time of need. Forgive us for our many failures.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Kindness

2010-09-03T20:49:00.000-05:00

The world can be a cold, cruel and lonely place. For many reasons, kindness can often be very hard to find. Proverbs 19:22 says, “What is desired in a man is kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar.”

Ruth knew all too well that the world could be a very cruel and lonely place. Her husband died, and she moved to another land with her mother-in-law, Naomi, where she knew no one. Naomi was also a widow, and the two women were alone as they traveled back to Naomi’s homeland.

Yet, it wasn’t long before the two women were overwhelmed with kindness. A man named Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s, had allowed Ruth to glean grain in his fields along with his workers. Boaz also protected Ruth and provided food and water to her while she worked in his field. Ruth and Naomi were both very grateful for his kindness.

In Ruth 2:10-11 we read, “Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”

“Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers."

Ruth was reaping the kindness she had sown in the life of her mother-in-law, Naomi. The Bible reminds us in Galatians 6:7, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”

Are you, like Ruth, planting a crop of kindness in the lives of others? If so, you will surely reap what you have planted.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your infinite loving kindness for us. Help us to plant a crop of kindness in the lives of everyone we meet and everyone we know.

Father, we are in need of kindness. Please help us to find kindness in this world. We know and believe that kindness exists. And, when we find it, help us to give back sevenfold for the kindness we have received.

Remind us always of Your kindness, Lord.

May we never let loyalty and kindness leave us (Proverbs 3:3). We thank You that Your Word promises that our kindness will reward us (Proverbs 11:17).

Forgive us for any cruelty we have exhibited, Father, and help us to be kind to others always.

We praise You and thank You for showing us Your ways.

In Your perfect, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

Flawed

2010-08-31T20:54:00.001-05:00

Are you flawed? Me, too.

My Flaws
1. I talk too much.
2. I've been known to drink straight from the milk carton on occasion.
3. I believe God invented chocolate just for me. If you have some,
     He meant for you to give it to me.
4. I'm not a healthy eater (refer to number 3).
5. I sing random "shoo-bee-doo-bee" songs around the house.
6. I can't keep a secret.
7. I cry easily and often.

I'll just stop there for now, but you get the picture.  Those who know me well could add many more to the list.

We often laugh and make light of our flaws and short-comings. But, God doesn't. He takes them very seriously.

Consider the words in Hebrews 10:26-27, "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."

Consider further the words in Romans 6:1-2, "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?"

I John 3:9 tells us, "Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God." If we are children of God, He convicts us of our sin, so they we don't keep committing the same sins over and over again.

My prayer for you (and myself) is that we would take our "pet" sins seriously--as God does, that He would convict us of all our sins, and that we would have a heart of obedience to change.

May you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer Requesting Joy

2010-08-31T18:46:00.001-05:00

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) This verse doesn’t say, “Be full of joy when you feel like it.” It doesn’t say, “Be full of joy when things are going your way.” Being joyful is the fruit of one who is obedient to God—no matter what difficulties may come.

Listen to the heart of Job in Job 5:17, “But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin.”

Let those words soak in for a while. Read the Book of Job. Job certainly knew an abundance of emotional distress. Yet, he also knew the character of his loving, Heavenly Father. Job had a deep, personal relationship with Him.

You may well be able to relate to Job. Think about the words in that verse again. God, as any good father, loves us so much that he corrects us. He lovingly guides us in the way that we should go.

David prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” David understood what real joy was all about. He was a man after God’s own heart. You can experience real joy, too.

Our Father in Heaven,

We take joy in You. We take joy in Your correction! (Job 5:17)

We thank You for loving us enough to turn us toward You. When we ponder our many blessings, we are overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, Father.

We shout joyfully to You, the rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1)!

May we come with joy and drink deeply from your fountain of salvation (Isaiah 12:3)!

Lord, we thank You that Your Word promises that if we search for You we will be filled with joy and gladness. Hallelujah, Father, we praise You!

For we know, Father, that this light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17).

We ask that You would restore to us the joy of Your salvation (Psalm 51:12).

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer When Severely Depressed

2010-08-28T16:35:00.002-05:00

Difficult circumstances can lead any of us to the point of depression. Consider the depression experienced by Jesus prior to His crucifixion in Matthew 26:36-38, “Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’ He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’”

King David prayed in Psalm 143:7, “Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.”

Job cries out to God in Job 7:16, "I hate my life and don’t want to go on living. Oh, leave me alone for my few remaining days."

Is that the kind of depression you are facing today? Do you feel as though you could die? If so, prayer to the one true and living God can help you. Through prayer and faith in Christ, you can be brought back from severe depression and despair, experiencing the comfort that the Holy Spirit provides.

Job, David and Jesus experienced depression and despair, but each of their stories went far beyond depression and despair to victory. You can experience that same victory.

I John 5:4 reminds us, “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.”

Dear Heavenly Father,

We draw near to You and ask for relief from this overwhelming depression we face. Come quickly to rescue us, Lord! We long for Your mercy, grace, love, and favor in our lives!

We thank You and praise You, Father, for You rescue us (Psalm 13:5)!

Remind us of Your many miracles that we may rejoice in the faith that You will again bring about miraculous works in and through our own lives.

We humbly submit to Your loving discipline in our lives, Lord.

Strengthen our faith and anticipation of the good works that are consistent with Your character.

Keep us always from the pit of despair, and guard us from depression. And, Father, may this experience bring honor and glory to Your name always.

In Your precious name, we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Godly Mentoring

2010-08-25T21:01:00.001-05:00

We all need the loving, Christian guidance of other people in our lives, regardless of where we find ourselves in the journey of life. I have been blessed and changed immeasurably through godly people who have been placed throughout the path of my life.

The Bible provides us with a beautiful picture of godly mentoring through the relationship between Paul and Timothy in the New Testament. Timothy was a young believer, well thought of by the believers in neighboring towns. He had been taught the faith of God by his mother and his grandmother. Paul, seeing the strong faith of the young man, saw his potential in serving God. Paul took Timothy under his wing as mentor, teacher, and father in the gospel.

Paul taught Timothy how to share his faith with all different types of people. Timothy learned what true service is all about, and he learned the deep joy that comes as a result of suffering for the faith. The two shared times of victory and blessing, as well as prison together, for the sake of preaching the good news.

Throughout their relationship, Paul encouraged, admonished, instructed, warned, listened, and guided Timothy along the journey that would enable each to fulfill his life’s purpose.

When there is no one around, and we find ourselves in a period of isolation, we can look to the Books of the Prophets in the Old Testament to mentor us along the path of life. And, we can look to God to provide us with a mentor, as He is the author and finisher of our faith.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You and praise You for being our mentor and instructor. We thank You that Your Word says, “even at night my heart instructs me.” (Psalm 16:7) We know that instruction comes from You, Father.

Lord, we ask that You bring godly people into our path to help instruct us, guide us, and train us in accordance with Your Word. Bring a strong fellowship of believers to mentor us along our life’s journey in order that we may fulfill Your purpose and plan for this life You have given.

Strengthen us, Father, for every good deed that You have planned. Prepare us, and help us to prepare others for Your service.

Give us a true servant’s attitude, Father, as You provided the example. May You pour out all selfishness in our lives, and fill us to overflowing with You.

Show us who we should follow, Father, and teach us to make right judgments (Jeremiah 11:20). Remind us to test all things that are said to prove whether they are in accordance with Your Word (I Thessalonians 5:21).

We ask these things in Jesus precious name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Someone to Listen

2010-08-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

In Job 31:35, Job cries out, “If only someone would listen to me!” Do you share Job’s sentiment? Do you feel alone, and though no one will listen to you?

In Job’s story, there were three close friends of his whom, upon hearing of his tragedy, came to comfort and console him. They sat with him for seven days and nights without saying a word since they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

Yet, when Job finally spoke after the seven days, his friends did not listen. Each one, in turn, had Job’s plight entirely figured out. They continued to speak, rambling on and on, pouring salt in each and every one of Job’s many wounds.

Not only did Job’s friends not listen to what he had to say, they accused him of being arrogant, faithless, disobedient, and guilty of all manner of hidden sins! Certainly, with friends like Job had, he didn’t need enemies.

In desperation for someone to listen, Job cried out to God, criticizing Him and assuming He would not listen, either. But, God did listen. God did respond. He lovingly and firmly reminded Job of his place in the world.

Then, God blessed Job beyond anything he could ever hope or imagine.

God can and will listen to you, too, and He has the ability to bless you beyond anything you could ever hope or imagine.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You that Your Word reminds us that You bend down and listen to us. Because You listen, we will pray as long as we have breath, Father (Psalm 116:2).

Thank You, Lord, for being always with us to comfort us in our loneliness and to listen to each and every thought that enters our mind. You are so great, Father. We are totally and completely amazed that You are even mindful of us at all, for we are but a vapor.

Father, help us to listen to others. Help us to hear them when they truly need to be heard. Help us to take up the cause of the weak and wounded, Father, as You take up our every concern and cause.

Please forgive us for our arrogance in days past. We come humbly to You, Father, thanking You for the gift of life. May we use each and every breath that You give us for Your glory and Your honor, Father.

Lord, You know we groan within our solitude. Please grant relief, and through our groaning, may we learn what You desire for us to learn.

For it is in Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Little Miss Muffet Prayer

2010-08-19T20:02:00.002-05:00

Do you remember this one?

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on her tuffet

Eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider

It sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Can you relate to Miss Muffet? Have you ever been just minding your own business when something or someone scared you off?

In my own life, the spider has come in many forms. In one case, the spider came in the form of a man who sat beside me in Sunday School one Sunday morning. He continued to follow me around the church week after week, and then began leaving typewritten cards on my door, telling me of dreams involving my death, and other terrifying things. It turned out this man was a convicted murderer! There was even a book written about the murders he committed. This man was "nothing but a scurvy spider" as George Bailey would say.

But, God's Word gave me comfort when nothing and no one else could. Psalm 32:7 says, "For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory."

Are you facing a spider in your life today? Has something or someone come along to frighten you away? You can take it to the Lord in prayer. He can be your hiding place from trouble no matter what form it takes.

May you find protection in Christ from everything scaring you today, and may you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

Joyfully Content

2010-08-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

Many times a lack of contentment can lead us into activities and pursuits which cause emotional distress in our lives. There is a story in 2 Kings 14 about a king with just such a problem.

King Amaziah of Judah suffered from a lack of contentment. He was a young man who had been successful in battle, having proudly conquered and defeated two neighboring kingdoms. He was on a roll.

Armed and freshly victorious, King Amaziah sent a message challenging his much larger neighbor, King Jehoash of Israel. Listen to King Jehoash reply to King Amaziah of Judah in 2 Kings 14:10, “You have indeed defeated Edom, and you are very proud of it. But be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble that will only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?”

Much like you and I, King Amaziah refused to listen to the warning of his wise neighbor, King Jehoash, bringing great destruction on Judah and the capture of King Amaziah.

King Amaziah forgot who gave him the victory. He didn’t listen when God sent a messenger to warn him of impending disaster if he continued in his own strength. King Amaziah suffered from a lack of contentment.

Do you suffer from a lack of contentment? Sometimes God calls us to rest, trust and become content that God is working everything to bring about good in our lives—some way, somehow.

I Timothy 6:6 tells us, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

When we find ourselves in need of contentment, we can take it to the Lord in prayer. May you find contentment in depending upon Christ today and everyday, and may this be the best day you've ever had in your life.

Joyful Purpose

2010-08-06T06:27:00.001-05:00

God created each and every one of us for a very special purpose. Proverbs 16:4 tells us, “The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.” He has a plan for your life.

But, that doesn’t mean that we can or should go about living our lives without any thought because God is our great puppet master in the heavens. No, the Bible clearly tells us in John 10:10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

We are in the midst of a spiritual battle. God longs to give us victory over sin and death, but there is a thief among us—a wolf. Many times he dresses in sheep’s clothing—the better to see, hear and taste us.

God’s purpose is that none of us should perish, but that all should come to know Him. We are all a part of this divine plan, and God longs for us to be unified in this purpose for His glory. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

If we are unified in our purpose of bringing glory and honor to God, then we must set about using the abilities and talents He has given us for His glory—not our own.

I Corinthians 9:26 says, “So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.”

C. S. Lewis once said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

Ask God to fulfill His purpose in your life today.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We cry out to You, asking and believing that You will fulfill Your purpose in and for our lives (Psalm 57:2). Thank You for Your awesome power at work in our lives. We praise You for all of creation, and that not even the smallest detail of Your creation will disappear until its purpose is achieved (Matthew 5:18).

Father, we ask that You would lead us and guide us as we read Your Word, showing us the unique talents and abilities You are calling us to use for the glory and honor of Your purpose.

Protect us from temptation, Father. Guard our bodies, hearts, minds, spirits, and emotions from any and all evil.

May we run with endurance the race You have set before us (Hebrews 12:1). And, may we run in such a way as to win the prize (I Corinthians 9:24), that You may say to us, “Well done, my good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21).”

Forgive us for selfish ambitions, and following after worldly lusts that don’t satisfy us.

We thank You, Father, that one day we will celebrate the accomplishment of Your purpose together in Heaven.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Little Bo Peep's Sheep

2010-07-31T19:38:00.005-05:00

As a youngster, I always enjoyed nursery rhymes and fairy tales. One of my favorites was Little Bo Peep. In case you don't remember the words, the first verse goes like this:

Little Bo Peep

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep,

And, can't tell where to find them;

Leave them alone, and they'll come home,

Wagging their tails behind them.

Have you ever been lost? I can remember to this day getting lost from my mother at the age of two years. It was terrifying! I didn't know how to make it back to my mother! I'm so glad she searched frantically for me, rather than leaving me alone.

The Bible says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

We were all lost in sin until Jesus, the Good Shepherd, found us. Jesus didn't leave us alone. He left the ninety-nine sheep in His fold to search for us and bring us home! Luke 15:4 tells us, "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?"

As I've grown older, I realize life with Christ is better than any nursery rhyme or fairy tale could ever be.

Have you allowed Jesus Christ to be the Shepherd of your life? Or, are you still running things your own way? Bo Peep's way doesn't hold a candle to life with Christ.

If I were re-writing Little Bo Peep to show things God's way, it would go something like this:

Little Bo Peep

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep,

And, can't tell where to find them;

She calls each by name, bearing their shame,

Rejoicing that she has found them.

Dear Father in Heaven,

Thank you for leaving the ninety-nine sheep who were safe just to find me. I praise You for being my Good Shepherd.

Help me to point others to You. May they experience the unfathomable love that only You can give.

Forgive us for our many sins, and thank you for providing abundantly more than we could ever ask or think.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Wisdom

2010-07-21T06:23:00.001-05:00

Solomon is well-known as one of the wisest men to have ever lived. People from all nations came to hear the Wisdom of Solomon. But, why did Solomon receive this great wisdom?

In 2 Chronicles 1:10, Solomon prayed, “Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?”

God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

Solomon had a heart that longed to please God. God knows our hearts. He knows whether or not we desire to please Him. He longs to have a close, personal relationship with us.

In the midst of confusion, there is nothing we need more than wisdom and no one we need more than God. Take the time to draw close to Him. Take the time to stay close to Him.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

If we need and want wisdom, all we have to do is ask. James 1:5 says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”

Dear Father in Heaven,

I need your wisdom, desperately. I have lived without it far too long. Fill me with Your truths, Father, in order that I may know and understand You more.

Fill me with a reverence and fear of You and Your power that I may obtain a heart of wisdom that is pleasing to You.

Teach me Your ways, Father. Remove any and all confusion from my life. Make me like You—no matter what the cost.

Help me to keep my mind and heart set on eternal things. Pour out Your wisdom that I may know how to act in this time of crisis. Work out Your purposes in my life in accordance with Your wisdom and Your divine plan.

I ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for God's Direction and Guidance

2010-07-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

Yogi Berra is well known for saying, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” We laugh, but often when we face that proverbial fork in the road, we are unsure of just which path we should take.

Psalm 32:8 tells us, “The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'” Psalm 73:24 says, “You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.” And, Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Clearly in these passages and many others, God tells us that He is our guide, our map, our source for the right directions when we have lost our way or have questions.

When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, they were often confused and in need of direction, too, due to their lack of faith. But, in God’s infinite love for them, the Bible tells us, “The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.”(Exodus 13:21)

If we take the time to read our Bible and spend time with God in prayer on a regular basis, we will find that God makes His direction clear to us, revealing it day by day. I love what the Bible says in Psalm 16:7, “I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.”

Many prophets, kings, and ordinary people both inside and outside of Scripture have sought God’s guidance and direction for their lives and have found it. Listen to what Azariah said to King Asa and the people of Judah regarding the Israelites in 2 Chronicles 15:4, “But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him.” God will do that for you, too.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We need your guidance and direction in our lives. We are confused, and we know that confusion is not of You.

Show us the path for our lives, Lord.

Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me (Psalm 27:11).

Make plain to us the path of life both in this situation, and all others to come. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing (Psalm 143:10).

We ask that You would open the doors You desire us to pass through, and close the doors that do not lead to Your perfect will in our lives. May we be accepting of Your will, Father, and help us to trust You with our lives at all times.

Strengthen our faith, and help our unbelief. Guard us from the lies of the Evil One.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Laughter

2010-07-07T19:47:00.001-05:00

The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for every purpose under Heaven. There is “a time to cry and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

When we feel in the depths of despair, it is often hard to remember what laughter felt like. As Proverbs 14:13 says, “Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.”

Have you experienced that verse? Do you long for the despair and heaviness of your heart to dissipate? Job did, too. He was a man of integrity. He feared and loved God, yet he was suffering in the worst way.

In the midst of Job’s pain and despair, he was able to remind us of God’s infinite mercy and goodness toward us.

Job 8:21 says, “He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”

If you long for laughter to return to your life, you can ask God for it.

Luke 6:21 tells us, “God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.”

In God’s perfect timing, you will laugh again.

Dear Heavenly Father,

How we long for sweet laughter to return to our lips and to our heart. We praise You that we have known laughter in days past. We thank You for the sorrow and despair we experience, for we know that through it all You are working about Your perfect, precious, and merciful will in our lives.

Help us to return from the pit of despair and know the true joy, happiness, peace, and, yes, laughter that can only come by knowing and serving You completely.

Forgive us for dwelling on our own circumstance and not looking to the needs of others. May we truly be Your servants in everything we say and do, Father.

We ask all these things in Your precious, holy name.

AMEN.

One Guarantee

2010-07-02T20:03:00.000-05:00

"He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!" Psalm 111:9

There is one guarantee in life: Jesus Christ will never let you down.

May you have the best 4th of July you've ever had in your life.

A Cinderella Prayer

2010-06-27T17:14:00.001-05:00

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Once upon a time . . . is the familiar beginning to my favorite fairy tale, Cinderella. I love the story. You have all of the elements life hands us: virtue, truth, evil, injustice, and good wins out in the end. Cinderella finds her Prince Charming and they live happily ever after. It's great!

As a little girl, I never tired of the Cinderella story. In fact, I often twirled around the house singing, "Someday my Prince Will Come," just like Cinderella. And, I would often imagine my perfect Prince Charming. Then, others would remind me that Prince Charming doesn't exist in real life--only in fairy tales. Still, I held to the Cinderella story, and continued to hum my song.

But, in reading my Bible I realized that I no longer needed to sing, "Someday my Prince Will Come." He was right there beside me all along. He is the Prince of Peace. Jesus is His name.

Are you still looking for Prince Charming? He's already come for you, and the glass slipper He's holding is just your size.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being more than my Prince Charming, for You are my Prince of Peace. Help me to always rest content in Your love for me.

We thank you that Your Word tells us You are our husband and Redeemer (Isaiah 54:5). May we serve You with every ounce of our being.

In Your perfect name we pray, AMEN.

May you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Escape from Evil

2010-06-23T21:19:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 15:3 says, “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” Thank God, for He sees all things.

It can be extremely nerve-racking when we are pursued by evil, even though we are innocent and desire to be obedient to God. David felt this combination of fear, anger, injustice and frustration as he was hotly pursued by Saul, the father of his best friend, Jonathan.

When we are obedient to God, He honors that obedience. The Bible says in Psalm 27:2, “When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. And, that is exactly what happened to Saul as he was overcome with evil in his attempt to destroy David. God made a way of escape from evil for David because of his obedience—because he longed to please God.

God provided David with Jonathan’s friendship, and together they worked out a plan for David’s protection (I Samuel 20). David hid in a cave awaiting Jonathan’s signal as to whether or not Saul intended to kill David. When Jonathan learned that his father’s heart was evil and intended only to kill David, he warned David by shooting arrows beyond a young boy’s reach and calling out for him to “go farther”. This told David that all was not well. So, David remained in hiding, and God made a way of escape for him.

God’s protection and goodness towards those who are obedient to Him is boundless—especially in the face of evil. Psalm 91:7 says, “Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.”

When you are surrounded by evil and feel as though there is no way of escape, God can make a way out for you, when no way out exists (I Corinthians 10:13). All we have to do is ask.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You that You make a way of escape in the face of evil. Please draw me close to You, and through Your divine power, enable me to escape this evil I am facing.

I praise You for what You are teaching me through this period of crisis. I thank You for lovingly providing protection for me.

Father, I can see Your hand of protection for me, and I claim Your promise in I Corinthians 10:13 that You will make a way of escape for me in the face of evil.

Lord, help me to see the beauty of Your justice, light, and power to overcome any and all obstacles in my life—obstacles that would otherwise hinder me from accomplishing Your purposes.

Continue to keep me firmly rooted and grounded in You, in Your Word, and in fellowship with other believers.

I ask all these things in Your most holy name.

AMEN.

The Foolish and the Wise

2010-06-16T21:54:00.001-05:00

Have you ever experienced conflict with a foolish person? Chances are great that if you have lived for any length of time, you have. It is one of the most exasperating and unproductive of experiences to have any involvement with a foolish person.

Foolishness is the opposite of wisdom. The Bible says a great deal about both wisdom and foolishness.

My favorite story on the subject is that of Nabal, Abigail, and David as recorded in I Samuel 25. Nabal was a very foolish man. In fact, the name Nabal means fool. Nabal was married to Abigail. The Bible tells us that Abigail was a sensible and beautiful woman.

In the story, David and his men have moved to the wilderness of Maon near Carmel and encamped near the wealthy Nabal at the time of sheep-shearing. When David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep, he sent some of his men to speak kindly to Nabal and ask for food in exchange for the kindness he had shown to Nabal’s shepherds. David’s men had acted as a shield for Nabal’s shepherds—protecting them from harm and theft. Nabal responded in his typical, foolish fashion, refusing David’s request and spouting off in anger. When David heard Nabal’s response, he told his men to get their swords.

But, Abigail was a wise woman. When she heard what her husband had done, she set to work immediately, sending a great deal of food to David and his men. When she encountered David, she bowed before him and acknowledged the foolishness of her husband and entreated David for forgiveness and mercy toward her household. David blessed Abigail and spared Nabal’s household.

Upon learning what happened, Nabal had a stroke and was struck dead ten days later. When the news of Nabal’s death reached David, he remembered Abigail and made her his wife.

Matthew 7:24-27 says, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

You may have sung a song about this passage as a child in Sunday School. As an adult, it has even more meaning.

If you are struggling with conflict due to the behavior of one or more foolish people, prayer can help you. You can ask God to give you strength and guidance. He will not allow his righteous to be moved.

May you ask for and receive wisdom today, may foolish people be far from you, and may you have the best day you've ever had in your life.

My Deliverer

2010-06-12T07:54:00.002-05:00

“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.” Philippians 1:19

There are many accounts in the Bible of despair and deliverance. The key to unlocking the door of deliverance is faith. We must believe that God stands ready, willing and able to deliver us and meet us at our point of need. And, we must believe that He will deliver.

In my life, I can attest that God has always met me at my point of need. He has always delivered me—in every possible way imaginable. And, in each instance, God has used whatever trouble I have encountered to draw me ever closer to Him.

The Bible says in Psalm 40:2, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”

God is ready to deliver you from the pit of despair. He is ready to set your feet on solid ground—to steady you as you walk.

No matter how big the mountain, God can help you climb it. As God delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt, He stands ready to deliver you today.

2 Corinthians 1:9-11 tells us, “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”

Are you facing a mountain today? Are you in need of someone to deliver you? May you pray and ask God to deliver you today, and may it be the best day you've ever had in your life.

A Prayer for Helping Hands

2010-06-10T16:25:00.001-05:00

“Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.” Psalm 119:173

Each of us is in need of helping hands at some point and time in our lives. That is the way that God created us. He wants us to fellowship with one another and to bear each other’s burdens.

My father has always been an excellent example to me of someone who offers his hands to help others in need. As a young girl, I remember many times when my father was not home because someone needed a helping hand in painting their house, or mending a broken porch step. He always felt an urgency to help those in need of assistance when it was within his power to do so.

But, what if you are that person in need of assistance? How do you gain access to those helping hands—the helping hands of God in your life?

The Bible tells us that when our walk is blameless and our hearts are seeking after God in all things, we can pray to God and ask Him to save those who are in trouble, and He will help them (Job 22:29).

Ezra 8:23 says, “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.”

God can and will do the same for you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We humbly bow before You, thanking You for Your unfailing grace, mercy and love for us. We ask that You forgive us for our many failures.

Lord, we need Your hands to help us today. We ask specifically, for Your help in ___________________. We thank You for hearing our prayer, Father, and for answering in accordance with Your mighty power.

We praise You for constantly caring for us and for our every need.

Strengthen us in our weakness, Father, and guide us in Your path of light. Give us opportunity to be Your helping hands and feet to others who are in need. May we always show Your abundant love to everyone we meet.

Thank You, Father, for helping hands that have rescued me in days past.

It is in Your precious name we pray.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Reconciliation

2010-06-06T16:48:00.001-05:00

The task of reconciliation is often difficult—for everyone involved. The world tells us that there are many legitimate reasons to remain forever separated from each other—violations that are unforgivable. But, God’s Word says something different.

God wants us to follow His example, not the world’s. He is an advocate of reconciliation, as in Hosea 3:1 when Hosea was reconciled to his wife, who had been unfaithful to him, “The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.’”

The Bible tells us that if we belong to Christ, we have become His ambassadors of reconciliation—reconciling all people to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Reconciliation is not an easy task. It requires us to be forgiving, loving, gentle, kind, patient, peace-loving, joyful, and self-controlled—the fruits of the Spirit. We must be indwelled by Christ.

Christ has reconciled us to Himself, and we must be reconciled to others (Romans 5:11). Once we have been reconciled to Christ, then we are in a position to be reconciled to others.

When we are struggling in our efforts toward reconciliation, we can pray and ask God to help us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You and praise You for reconciling us to You through Your son, Jesus Christ. We humbly ask You to forgive us for our sin, and help us to forgive others who have wronged us.

Dear Lord, our heart is breaking for the separation we have with ___________ _________________. Show us how to be reconciled to him/her/them.

Father, if there is anything separating us from You—any unconfessed sin—we ask that You would reveal it to us that we may be reconciled to You.

Thank You for Your infinite love for us. Fill us with Your love for others. Erase the pain, Father. The hurt runs so very deep. It is so often overwhelming.

Help us to know when to speak and when to keep silent. Put words of peace and harmony in our hearts.

Give us victory in this situation, for we are so very weak in our own strength. We commit our every action, as well as the outcome, to You.

We ask all these things in Your perfect, holy name.

AMEN.

A Prayer for Self-Control

2010-06-05T12:50:00.002-05:00

The Bible says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a) Having self-control is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is something other people can readily see in our lives, indicating we have the Spirit of God living and breathing inside of us.

None of us are perfect when it comes to the area of self-control—especially in times of emotional distress. These are the times in which self-control is most needed; yet, often self-control is most lacking during these times. The God-given ability to maintain self-control is critical in times of crisis. The Holy Spirit can continue to refine us into the person He wants us to become if we will allow Him to control our behavior during these times.

Recently, I experienced a time of emotional crisis and felt compelled to vent my hostility to a family member. The outcome was quite negative, and not at all what I expected. I realized later that my venting of the matter in this particular situation was sinful because of the intent of my heart. My intent was to expose the flaws of someone else, and this family member could do nothing to help fix my problem. What I should have done instead was pray. I was greatly convicted about my own lack of self-control.

Proverbs 16:32 tells us, “Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.” Proverbs 5:22-23 says, “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.”

Ouch!

Dear Father in Heaven,

Forgive us for our lack of self-control. Help us to be held captive by Your great promises and truths rather than our own sins.

Grant us the ability to accept Your ways, and transform our behavior radically into behavior that is pleasing to You and You alone. Fill us with the precepts and principles from Your Word, Father.

Lord, we are distressed and feel as though we are in a pressure cooker. Please give us an extra measure of understanding and control throughout this turmoil.

May You fill our lives until they are overflowing with You, so that we may exhibit and bear the fruit of self-control in our lives at all times.

In Your precious, holy name we pray.

AMEN.