THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Friday, June 7, 2024

Lord, your Word commands us to do the impossible. One such example is 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the mandate to “pray without ceasing.” How do we obey this command? We cannot unless we stay close to you, Jesus. Without you and your grace, it’s impossible to obey these commands. Show us how to fulfill these scriptures.

Lord, by trusting your faithfulness, we exercise our faith and stand firm on your promises concerning how to pray without ceasing. We must have a holy confidence that the prayers we have been pleading—some for what seems like an eternity—we will see the breakthrough we’ve been anticipating.

Your grace cradles us when our spirit is broken. Your grace sustains us while we labor in prayer, crying for mercy for our loved one heading down the road of destruction. Or the rebellious child who has broken our hearts time and again. Your grace strengthens us during periods of spiritual fatigue. You understand when our heavy souls cry out, “Lord! Are these prayers in vain. You see my tears. I can’t take much more of this.”

Give us your grace, Lord. As a Christ follower, we cannot live without it. Your grace helps us pray for that friend who hurt our heart so deeply we swore never again to allow anyone to get that close again. Lord, only you can orchestrate miracles to rejuvenate marriages that have grown cold. And Lord, please give us your grace to continually pray for those who are obstinant toward us because we belong to you. Even if we cannot understand at the moment, give us grace to believe you are working all things for our good because we belong to you.

Lord, help us remain faithful in purposeful prayer. Your grace and promises are still valid today. Your Word never fails and remains the same.

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Lord, people fear losing this. No one wants to lose it or they’d become insignificant. Someone said humans are the only animals that would rather die than be insignificant. As the psalmist aged, his writing appears that he feared losing his relevance. We hear him pleading his case with you.

“O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. (Psalm 71:17 NLT).

From the psalmist’s earliest memories, people taught him to revere and trust the Lord. Not a day of his childhood go by without him hearing of your goodness. He dedicated his life to serving you and enthusiastically shared the good news of your grace and redemption. As he aged, he gained power and influence, becoming the “big man on campus.” People consulted the wisdom of the wise wheeler-dealer.  Public recognition had its prestige.

Then Father Time caught up with him, and the fear closed in.

“Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God” (vs 18a).

As in years past, the psalmist rose in power and replaced his predecessor. Now, another one of influence moved into power to replace the psalmist. I can hear his plea. “Lord, please don’t let me become irrelevant. I may be old, but I still have a lot to give. I’ve got a lifetime of experience in serving you to teach this new generation. Please don’t let me become insignificant.”

Lord, you granted his request and gave him a new relevant job. As the previous generation taught the psalmist about you, now this joyful task fell to the psalmist.

“Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me” (vs 18b).

Lord, as long as we have breath, may all who belong to you remain relevant to furthering “your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus

Monday, June 3, 2024

Lord, since the psalmist wrote with eloquence and used flowery phrases, was he merely trying to appear humble?  Did the shepherd boy turned warrior turned King of Israel have an editor who jazzed up his psalms, or did he write from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? I think we know the answer.

Life’s ups and downs molded the psalmist’s wisdom. He admitted his lack of creative writing skills, but always acknowledged the source of his inspiration. He knew the gift he possessed didn’t come from his vast knowledge of the language or properly following grammatical rules. Like we do, he certainly must have used double negatives. And like us, his dangling participles probably left people confused. But whether his communication skills were superb, or he left people thinking him as still an uneducated shepherd boy, he couldn’t stop talking about you. He wrote:

“I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words” (Psalm 71:15 NLT).

What? “Not skilled with words?” Who is the psalmist trying to kid? The psalmist wrote the book on wordsmithing.

Lord, today, as we read the Psalms, we find inspiration, courage, and comfort that is found nowhere else. Since our enemy knows our track record, he claims we are unworthy of your grace and forgiveness. Such nonsense. The psalms verify we who have put our trust in you will never be disappointed. The cross covers it all. We belong to you forever.

The psalmist isn’t shy, warning us not to make his mistakes. His “covered up and nobody will know” sins were broadcast from the rooftops. Sin brings humiliation and embarrassment, but also brings God’s grace and forgiveness to the repentant.   

Lord, we’re grateful for the psalmist’s honesty. If we’re honest, we are so much like him. Help us live by your outline for righteously ordering our lives. Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Friday, May 31, 2024

Lord, following you goes so against our human nature. Perhaps your greatest requirement of your followers is to deny ourselves, our desires, and shelve what we want. Instead, you ask your followers to put the needs of others above ours.

How our human nature drives us to self-promote our accomplishments, what we have done. Lord, I’ve gotta laugh how “self-promote” is the “woke” way of saying “boasting.” Our unchecked humanity demands greatness. “Look at me. See all I’ve done. Recognize me—I’m above the herd.” We love how the applause, the accolades, the “atta boy/girl” give us goosebumps. We have made making a name for ourselves a priority.

If we claim to be Christ followers, then shouldn’t we follow your example? As you demonstrated, true greatness consists of putting the needs of others ahead of ours. In Scripture, Philippians 2:5–8 details how you set aside his deity and became a “servant.”

You didn’t come to be waited on hand and foot as pompous royalty demands to be served. Far from that. You washed dusty, dirty feet. You took up the cause of the little man, the downtrodden, the rejected. You, Lord Jesus, the God who left the glories of Heaven came here to serve the outcasts of society. Your humility and servant’s attitude was unheard of at the time. Luke’s Gospel recorded your words: “for he who is least among you is the greatest” Luke 9:48.

May all who follow you become servants who please you, Jesus. Amen.

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Chatting with Jesus

Friday, May 24, 2024

Lord, can you believe these guys? Listen to them boast, “Look at us.” They make sure everyone knows of their accomplishments. With their polished credentials, these elites consider themselves better than others. They label the average “Joe and Janes” as a basket of deplorables. In Psalm 2, these superior-than-thou folks mock you, claiming you are irrelevant in their circles. Also in Psalm 2, you describe the basket you have reserved for these elites.

 I’m reminded of the story about delusional elites. By man’s standards, a group of ultra-brilliant scientists defied you. They stated anyone could create life. Create a man? No big deal.  

You just sat back on your throne and smiled, “Okay, guys. Show me what you got.”

“Sure,” they said, full of themselves. “First, we’ll get a bucket of dirt and then .…”

“Hold on, fellas.” You interrupted.  “It doesn’t work that way. First, make your own dirt.”

That’s been the attitude of man since the beginning of time. After the flood, the ground was barely dry before the people started building the Tower of Babel. Their stated goal was to make themselves as you, Lord God. (Genesis 11:1–9).

Although your glory is evident throughout the Earth and the heavens, rebellious man creates idols and worships animals, stars, and nature. Any innate object or ideology man will bow down before them instead of worshipping you, the one true God.

Lord, may we always remember your goodness. We are not self-made people. You orchestrate our lives that we would seek you, and perhaps reach out for you and find you, even though you have never been far from us. May our attitude be that of the early believers: “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:27, 28).

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus

Monday, May 20, 2024

 Lord, since that forbidden-fruit debacle in the Garden, every person has lived in spiritual darkness. This darkness of soul and spirit has tried to block the Light. But your Light revealed the hidden truths of your goodness and mercy. You never left us on our own. For all who placed their trust in you, Lord God, you made a way to guide us through this life and into our eternal home.

 According to John 1:1–9, you sent your Light, Jesus, into the world to redeem us from spiritual darkness. All humans live in darkness. But for the believer, Light shines in the darkness to guide our way. That Light is the knowledge of God, the fulfillment of his grace to all who believe. The psalmist wrote of this life centuries before Jesus came to us.

 “Light shines in the darkness for the godly” (Psalm 112:4 NLT).

 Although every human walks in darkness, the believer has the Light that illuminates our path. God’s grace, the knowledge of God, the leading of the Holy Spirit, lights the way.

The psalmist used an analogy to describe this knowledge of God.

 “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my pathway” (Psalm119:105).

 Not so for the nonbeliever. The nonbeliever wanders in the darkness, not knowing what or why makes them stumble. They may scratch their head, wondering why don’t things work out for me? Like the Rolling Stones—can’t find satisfaction. Why are those kooky, delusional Christ followers so content, imagining a non-existent genie in the sky?  

 “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what they stumble over” (Proverbs 4:19).

 Lord, may I always live in your Light.  Amen, Jesus.

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