THANKFUL

 Chatting with Jesus

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Lord, Scripture is silent regarding your activities on Tuesday of Holy Week. Were you perhaps taking a day of rest in preparation for the tense days ahead that would lead to the cross?  Just two days into the week, your week had been filled with memorable events. Perhaps you and your disciples slipped away to the Mount of Olives for some needed relaxation.

On Sunday, to the cheers and accolades of the crowd, you rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolizing that you came in peace to a troubled and lost people. You went directly to the Temple to pray. What you observed displeased you. Not much had changed since your last visit. Since daylight was fading, you left without taking any action. Monday’s visit to the Temple would be much different.

On Monday, everything at the Temple changed. You got the attention of the religious leaders when you drove out the merchants and traders from the Temple court. Apparently, the leaders forgot how you rid the Temple of these same corrupt merchants two years earlier.  

Lord, the contempt that the religious leaders had for you was vividly displayed when you quoted Scripture that they chose to ignore: “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves” (Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). Even though you were aware that the leaders were plotting to arrest you and put you to death, you courageously continued to preach your message: that whoever believes in you as the Son of God and repents of their sins will not perish but will have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Lord, these events of Holy Week would change the destiny of the world forever. Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Monday, April 14, 2025

Lord, the story of your “triumphant entry” into Jerusalem riding a donkey holds great significance.

You chose a humble beginning when you left the splendors of Heaven and came to Earth. No birthing room in a luxurious palace, with attentive midwives standing by to assist Mary, awaited your arrival. The Christmas story suggests that livestock watched as the baby Prince of Heaven’s entrance began in a smelly stable in Bethlehem, ironically, a town known for raising sheep for Temple sacrifices. Shepherds came to worship, confirming that the Prince of Peace, the long-awaited Messiah, had come to dwell among us. Two years later, kings from the Orient arrived to worship you.

Now, thirty-three years later, you came to your people again in a humble manner, riding on a donkey. Middle Eastern culture held that if a king came riding a donkey, he came in peace. However, if the king came riding a horse, he came to declare judgment on the guilty.

When you entered the city riding a donkey, people welcomed you, placing their cloaks and palm branches on the road, praising you with “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Five days later, these same people shouted, “Crucify him!” and demanded your blood. Little did these folks know that all this was your plan from the beginning. Your blood, the perfect sacrifice, would cover the sins of all who believe and secure their salvation and eternal life with you in Heaven.

Thank you for coming to us, Jesus. Each day, may we welcome you and humbly acknowledge our need for your help to get through the day. May our actions and motives demonstrate to a skeptical world that you are the true Prince of Peace.

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Monday, March 7, 2025

Lord, on a warm spring day, weary crowds gathered to hear your good news of the Kingdom of God. Scripture tells us that you saw them as “sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). The people clung to every word during your lengthy sermon because your message was what they needed to hear. As the sun began to set, the people would soon need food for the evening.

Mark’s Gospel states that the disciples suggested, “Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat” (Mark 6:36). This seemed like a logical idea, one I probably would have agreed with. I can only imagine the astonished looks on their faces when you told them they would feed the crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children. While the disciples looked at the same crowd, they saw them as hungry individuals with needs they felt unable to meet. The meager offering of five loaves of bread and two small fish would barely feed them, let alone the entire crowd.

Did the disciples forget who they were with? You took what the disciples provided, blessed the food, and miraculously multiplied it to feed twenty thousand hungry people. They even had leftovers.

Lord, this story stirred my spirit and prompted me to look inwardly. “How do I see people?” Do I recognize their needs for what only you can provide? Am I encouraging others to look to you for the solutions, or sadly, do I tend to “send them away?”

Give me your heart of compassion, your spirit of mercy, and your kindness toward all. Use me to show everyone in my world that you are a welcoming Savior who will never push anyone away (John 6:37). Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Friday, April 4, 2025

Lord, Scripture suggests that the psalmist, in his time, would be seen as a “mover and shaker” today. His “get ‘er done” approach to life’s challenges certainly made things happen. While human nature might view the psalmist’s attitude as commendable, his impatience often led him to act before your timing. Since the psalmist wrote extensively about the significance of patience, you must have tested his patience time and again. Perhaps this testing inspired him to write:

“Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act” (Psalm 37:7 NLT).

The psalmist understood how we can become restless while waiting for you to move. When you don’t respond as we expect, we might ask, “Lord, what are you waiting for? Why haven’t you acted by now?” To our natural selves, these questions seem reasonable and legitimate.

The second part of that statement offers the answer: By waiting—patiently waiting—you are testing our faith. For many believers, being still and leaving the outcome in your hands is a challenging command to follow. This is especially true for those we refer to as “wheeler-dealers” or “movers and shakers.” When control is taken out of their hands, this command tests their inclination to take charge. Will they release control, or will they not? Is this why Paul wrote to his friends in Galatia:

“Those who live only to satisfy their sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit” (Galatians 6:8).

Jesus, help us to release control of our lives to you, so we may live in a way that pleases and honors you. Amen

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Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Lord, Scripture states nothing is impossible for you. As Creator of the Universe, you merely speak, and things happen. You are all-powerful and all-knowing. No weakness exists within you. But just as Adam and Eve tried to hide from your presence after their sin, mankind’s attempts to hide are destined to fail. The world foolishly believes that sins are not really sins. You must roll your eyes every time we try that tactic.

Your all-seeing nature reveals another attribute: You remember everything we do. Moving in your unconditional love, you choose to grant grace, especially when it is undeserved. The writer of Hebrews tells us that you, God, “will be merciful toward our iniquities, and [God] will remember [our] sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Lord, did we understand that correctly? You will not remember the sins of a repentant sinner? Like me? Even the worst among us? Truly amazing grace.

The ancient psalmist exemplified the poster-child for a flawed believer, yet based his life on these truths of your character.

“He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:10-13 NLT).

Lord, my soul’s enemy, persistently brings up past sins and failures. Help me say with confidence, “What are you talking about? Jesus has no recollection of that.”

Thank you, Lord, for your memory lapse. Otherwise, I’d be in trouble.

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Friday, March 28, 2025

Lord, you are in the business of putting broken people back together. That’s your specialty. Your Word states that all who come to you in repentance will become a new creation. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, your grace gives believers a new lease on life. I certainly can vouch that it is true.

Even after nearly eight decades on this earth, as my wife regularly states, I can be a stubborn ole boy. I don’t know why, but I cling to hurts, disappointments, and embarrassing failures. You encourage me to give them to you. The apostle Paul reminded his flawed Philippian believers not to give up. Hold fast— “let go and let God.” I take his message to believers personally:

“He [Jesus] who began a good work in you [me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

Jesus, I love walking with you. You’re my number one bestie. I might succeed in hiding my flaws from those around me, but trying to conceal them proves futile since you know everything about me. You walked this earth and were tempted in every way, just as I am.
Only you, Lord, erase our sins from our record. Nonetheless, after all you have done for me, why can’t I defeat my desire to make myself the center of everything I do? Being “me-centered” is so anti “Christ-centered.”

As a work in progress, until I’m with you forever in Heaven, help me surrender every area of my life to your Holy Spirit so that I might live as you intended and encourage other broken people to seek You.

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus

Wednesday, March 16, 2025

Lord, I’m amazed at your patience with me, especially when I get “too big for my britches.” As a “Super Christian,” I can quote Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” — automatically, without thinking. However, I remain flawed. I’m still working on a spiritual response should I hit my thumb with a hammer.

Jesus, having you by my side gives me confidence. My faith feels unstoppable. Nothing can stop “Super Christian” from accomplishing what you called me to do. Despite my zeal to serve you, my human nature tends to interfere with your plans. How easily I fall into the carnal mindset of “It’s up to me! I must take charge, or the world as we know it will end.” Over time, I should have learned that this thought process creates more problems than favorable outcomes. This spiritual truth is why you are God, and I am not.

I embarrass myself when I attempt to take on tasks you didn’t assign to me. When I ignore your Spirit speaking to my inner self, warning me to stand down, yet I jump in anyway, I take spiritual face-planting to new heights.

When I feel you are neglecting my efforts, I question why. You listen to me grumble, “But I repeatedly quoted Philippians 4:13. It didn’t work. Where were you?” I’m grateful you never scold me. Instead, you calmly remind me, “Hey, ‘Super,’ stay in your lane. That wasn’t your assignment.”

Lord, help me live out Psalm 19:13— “Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work” (The Message Translation).

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Monday, March 24, 2025

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4 NLT).

Lord, many sincere believers misinterpret this verse. The “prosperity gospel” teaches that you grant your followers whatever their hearts desire if they strongly believe in your promises of blessing. Unfortunately, many who promote this message manipulate this Scripture to support their “name-it-and-claim-it” gospel, suggesting that you want your followers to enjoy material wealth. They claim that Christ-followers should be entitled to whatever material goods, houses, cars, and luxuries we desire—prospering in every aspect of life. Yet, believers who follow this doctrine have built their houses on shifting sand (Matthew 7:26).

Such ideas promote carnal attitudes and misguided perspectives toward faith. The Apostle John corrected the false notion that everyone’s desires will be fulfilled simply because we are Christ-followers. Lord, we must keep our souls aligned with your agenda to maintain our spiritual health.

“Beloved, I wish above all that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (3 John 1:2 NLT).

Matthew understood your true teaching on prosperity. He recorded your timeless truth:

“So don’t worry … ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31-32 NLT).

Lord, may our hearts always desire a close, personal relationship with you above whatever this fallen world offers. Everything else seems pale in comparison.

Amen, Jesus.

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