THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, March 17, 2025

Lord, I remember my helpless condition. Stricken by the COVID-19 virus, I lay in the hospital bed, unaware of what day it was, or whether it was night or day. I remained there, just you and me, Jesus. I loved our conversations. Although my condition appeared bleak, our time together was sweet. This relentless virus attacked me in January, and aside from doctor visits and a quick run into Walmart, I remained isolated from the public until July.

Faithful family and friends offered prayers on my behalf. Lord, you answered our prayers, and although my lungs were weak, I recovered from COVID-19.

You had a heavenly surprise when I returned to in-person church services. For me, the songs we sang that morning held personal meaning. We worshipped you, Lord, singing “Great Are You Lord,” praising you for giving us your breath in our lungs, so we will exalt your greatness and mercy.

I heard your Spirit whispering to my inner man, “My child, the breath in your lungs is on loan from me. Because your breath belongs to Me, and I spared your life to fulfill my plan, you should never have cause for complaint or grumbling.”

Lord, may I honor you always with your breath inside me. Help me bless others, speak encouragement, and exhort Christ followers to never give up, but keep pressing in until they reach their God-given goal. Do not let my near-fatal bout with COVID-19 be in vain, but may my story show others your goodness. Use my story to point people to you, increase your kingdom here, and spread your love.

We are confident of your faithfulness. Your mercies begin anew every morning. Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Lord, like the psalmist, we too are awestruck by how you saw our complete life, from beginning to end, before we were born. Only by your Holy Spirit opening our understanding can we mortals comprehend this attribute of your sovereignty. Yet, Lord, you allow us to choose: will I order my life according to your principles or will I choose a path of my own making? Whatever I choose, I own it.

Perhaps the psalmist was meditating on your sovereignty when he recorded these thoughts.

“You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands” (Psalm 119:73 NLT).

Because he acknowledged you as his Creator, he knew you had a purpose for his life. To put the psalmist’s thoughts another way, he might have asked, “Why am I here?” “What is my purpose?”

Lord, I’ve asked those same questions. Because these are spiritual questions, your answers come when your Spirit speaks to my inner being.

Mistakenly, I used to think your “commands,” were a list of “do’s and don’ts”. Jesus, you revealed your “commands,” or “principles for living” in Matthew 5 through 7. Your teaching in your Sermon on the Mount showed how your “new commands” superseded the old laws and were far better. They outlined how we can have the best life here. The freedoms found in your commands give us our most meaningful life while we are trapped in this fallen world.

Lord, don’t let us miss out on all you have for us. Show us how it only makes sense to follow your precepts leads to a meaningful life. For believers, there’s no better way to live.

Lord, I’m all in. Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Monday, March 10, 2025

Lord, why do people think they can hide from you? Do people think they can get away attempting to deceive you without consequences? We’re like Adam and Eve. Human nature wants to hide when we’ve done something wrong. Gotta cover-up our mistakes. If anyone found out about our secret blunders, I’d just ….

The psalmist knew this well when he wrote if he went to the furthest part of the world, your Spirit would be there. If he climbed the highest mountain, your Spirit would be there. Even if he tunneled to the lowest point on Earth, guess what? You are there too (Psalm 139:8). He described your all-seeing eye.

“You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do” (Psalm 139:2-3).

This next verse about your sovereignty just blows me away.

“You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord” (Psalm 139:4).

So, Lord, again I ask, why do people think they can pull one over on you? Who can hide from your presence? Excuses? When confronted about our rebellion, you already know we will try to gaslight you. Our lame excuses must make your eyes roll and shake your head.

No more deception. We must be honest. Because of your amazing grace, you know our hearts, that we will repent and ask your forgiveness. We call upon your mercy as you pick us up, dust us off and straighten our cap, and say, “C’mon, take my hand. Let’s keep walking together to your heavenly home.”

Only you, Jesus. Amen.

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Chatting with Jesus

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Lord, how sad that many Christ followers will, at some point, wander from your path and isolate themselves from other believers. Most will stray only for a short time and then realize their foolish actions and come to their senses. Regrettably, some will abandon the faith altogether.

What causes someone to walk away from you? You are our fountain of life. You are our shelter when the storms of life assail. You are our purpose for living. Even so, our humanity must have a little wandering prodigal son or daughter programmed into us (Luke 15).

Lord God, you are a good Father. You understand we are human, frail and subjected to temptations, which we sometimes yield to. But when we stray, you seek us out. With open arms, you’re ready to welcome us back home. You freely forgive our contrite hearts and restore our relationship.

When people depend on their performance doing certain religious tasks demanded by their religious leaders to find favor with you, they are missing the point you made in John 3:16. “God so loved the world [that’s you and me] that he gave his only Son [Jesus, to be the sacrifice for sins] that whosoever [again, you and me] believes in him should not perish [miss out on Heaven] but have eternal life.”  

Like bread and butter, good works and virtuous deeds go hand-in-hand with a person who turns their heart toward you. As our loving heavenly Father, you wrap your arms around your prodigal children. No scolding. No shaming. You simply meet us where we are and welcome us home.

So thankful to be home, Jesus. Amen.

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Chatting with Jesus
Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Lord, searching for “self-help” books on Amazon, people need a self-help book to help them choose a self-help book that will help them navigate through life. From Dr. Phil to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to Dr. “Feel Good,” all have self-help suggestions to improve our life.

Inspirational authors imply the secrets of a happy, fulfilled life are found within their book. Just read these pages of “wisdom,” and within hours, you’ll be a new person, living life at its fullest. There’s no getting around it on our own—our human nature craves earthly pleasures. Unfortunately, these pleasures seldom satisfy and leave disappointed people wondering what else is missing. Sadly, a spirit of despair targets broken people.

Lord, I’ve found you are trustworthy. Even though people might have good intentions, we are still flawed humanity. As celebrity status, wealth, and the pleasures in this life tempt our human nature, these are fleeting. These cannot mend the souls of broken people. Only a relationship with you can.

Lord, you specialize in redeeming broken people and giving them a new life. Isaiah the prophet wrote what only you can do.

“To all who mourn … he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory” (Isaiah 61:3 NLT).

Over millennia, for those without hope, your redemptive plan has proven true after they placed their faith in your promises. You have proven you are who you say you are and will do what you promised. It’s true for me and will be true for all the broken who trust in you, Jesus. Amen.

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 Chatting with Jesus

Monday, February 24, 2025

Lord, from Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures detail your love relationship with mankind. We learn early in Genesis chapter three how after the fall of man into sin you described your promise to send us a Savior to redeem humanity back into relationship with you. Your redemptive plan is humanity’s only hope, as there is no way we can atone for our fallen state ourselves.

Our lives are much like the psalmist. Scripture suggests his relationship with you was up one day, down the next. Consistency to walk fully with you presented a challenge. Lord, was the psalmist frustrated with his inconsistent walk of faith? Maybe he feared you would withdraw your promise of blessings and redemption? Your Spirit must have comforted his inner man when he wrote these passages:

“Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. Your promise revives me. (Psalm 119:49, 50).

We’re grateful the psalmist recorded his anxious statements when he found himself in a quandary. Over the centuries, the story of his faith has encouraged humankind. This plight amid troubles proves humanity’s problems are nothing new. These problems have been around long before the psalmist recorded his feelings. But the psalmist put his hope in you, Lord. He firmly believed you would deliver on your promise: If the psalmist placed his trust in you, then you would sustain and empower him in all circumstances. During good times or times of lack, the psalmist placed his faith in what you promised his inner man.

Lord, thank you for your complete Word that we can read and put into use in our lives. May we be sensitive to your voice when you speak to our inner man through your Word.

Amen, Jesus.

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Chatting with Jesus
Friday, February 14, 2025

Lord, we can only speculate what went wrong. Scripture suggests the psalmist faced defeat, his spirit crushed with disappointments. Did his dream of big-time accomplishments, which were sure to bring accolades from an adoring public, turn out to be folly? Publicly humiliated, he must have asked why you did not bless his plans? Had his faith evolved into presumption, that you would bless his efforts regardless of what he attempted? How did he miss the mark? He was a believer after all. Now, he lay broken in spirit, describing his contrite condition:

“I lie in the dust; revive me by your word. I told you my plans, and you answered” (Psalm 119:25, 26 NLT).

Lord, the psalmist was up front with you about his plans. Surely, you saw how noble his plans were. Why didn’t you get on board? Your silence must have answered the psalmist’s question.
Scripture suggests the psalmist’s plans were of his own making. He didn’t consult you first. Because he had been a believer for decades, did his ego suggest he need not bother you, that he could pull this off on his own? Possibly.

Lord, although I’ve been a believer for decades, my imperfections are, at times, glaring. You know my excessive flaws. Alarmingly, I see myself mimicking the psalmist’s careless practices. So, Lord, might my request mirror the psalmist plea: help me understand your decrees, and teach me how to live a life that honors you.

“Now teach me your decrees. Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 119:26, 27 NLT).

That’s all I’m asking of you today, Jesus. Help me cooperate. Amen

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Chatting with Jesus
Monday, February 10, 2025

Lord, you created us to be romantic. Most guys consider Valentine’s week as an opportunity to make significant brownie points with their heartthrob. Wannabe Romeos might finally make an impression on that special Juliet who secretly captured their heart. Although he’s not counted as one of your angels, Cupid, the “angel of love,” flies around with his quiver full of love arrows, targeting lonely souls to take another chance on love. Sometimes he hits the heart, and love blossoms. Other times he misses the mark and ugly, non-love blossoms. Blessed with true love, puppy love, or counterfeit love, at some point, Cupid hits us with an arrow.

Looking at love through the eyes of those who live only for themselves, we see how these misguided folks fall for counterfeit varieties of love. Tabloids detail celebrity couples falling in and out of love, always looking for their one true love. Sadly, these love failures also infect the average Joe and Jane. Valentine’s Day joys are fleeting. But a day or two afterward, Joe and Jane are back to the same old same old.

Lord, you are the author of love. Scripture clearly defines you: “God is Love” (1 John 4:16). Your unconditional love is what the world is looking for. No one can earn your love. No one can buy your love. In truth, certainly no one deserves your love, but because you are Love, you meet us where we are, with the brokenness we have, and lovingly carry us into your heart.

Show us how to love one another as you have freely loved us, Jesus. Open our eyes to the opportunities you present to love and bless others.

Amen, Jesus.

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