THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Thursday, June 12, 2025

Lord, after my 78th trip around the sun, I’m confident you have been with me every step of the way. When I didn’t take our relationship seriously, you were faithful when I wasn’t. Your mercy kept my foolish actions that could have brought serious consequences.

You have always been with me. At times, you had to yell, “What are you doing?” Like a dummy, I ignored your warnings. You “honored” my stubborn will and allowed me to fall on my face in front of the whole world. Eventually, I learned the importance of submitting to your will. Scripture details how the psalmist’s attempts to run from your presence proved futile. Your relentless pursuit brought him back to you. Likewise, I can’t imagine living outside of what you want for me.

I’m living proof of the faithfulness of your promises.

Old Testament: “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT)

New Testament: “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).

Lord, because you will never abandon me, might we always represent you well to those around us. People might have countless friends, be consumed by family and coworkers, and perhaps live in a metropolis’ inner city, and yet, despite all these folks, their soul cries out in loneliness for companionship. Here is where you enter their lives, just as you entered mine.

Lord, you promised that all who seek you will find you. Be our faithful Lord, Savior, and friend. You will never leave us out to dry, but live within our soul, never to leave.
Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus
Thursday, May 22, 2025

Lord, as Christ-followers, we must ask ourselves, where do our priorities lie? Are they aligned with your will? Do our activities satisfy our desires, or do our wants leave us dry and wanting more? Perhaps the psalmist faced similar situations when he wrote, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:2).

Lord, it seems our humanity’s default is to look everywhere, except to you, for things that will satisfy our soul. At the snap of his fingers, the psalmist had every pleasure and luxury his heart desired. Money—meh! No problem. He enjoyed the finest of everything life offered. For a while, he relentlessly pursued the pleasures of life, but those moments vanished like a mist. What was missing? Although he knew you, his soul aimlessly drifted in a spiritual desert.

Lord, why were you silent to his prayers? Why are you silent to my prayers? At times, we feel our prayers rise no higher than the ceiling.

We unconsciously make our own “idols” from things that, in and of themselves, might not be wrong. Like the psalmist, our failure is when we prioritize our desires [idols] over your desires. Our idols relegate you to second place. Your sovereign holiness demands first place and nothing less.

Lord, nothing will satisfy our soul except having your Spirit alive within us. Like the psalmist, I tried living only for myself, but that lifestyle left me dry. Help us discard our idols and surrender to your calling. Only then will we experience the fullness of your promise:

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:38).

Flow through me, Jesus. Amen.

Chatting with Jesus

Monday, May 5, 2025

Lord, I know you have been asked this question countless times, but I’m going to ask it too: “What do you want me to do?”

As a follower of Christ, I want to please you. I desire to honor you in everything I do. We pray to be good representatives of your love wherever we go, to present your message in ways that inspire others to seek a relationship with you. My humanity sometimes tries to hold me back from sharing your love and grace with fellow sinners, as I know my sins are many.

Lord, help me remember that I am not sharing your message of love and forgiveness through my strength. If I rely on myself, I will surely fail and embarrass your kingdom. May I never do that. Help me internalize what your earthly brother, James, wrote in his practical epistle:

 “But the wisdom [invitation to salvation] from above is, first, pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere” (James 3:17 NLT).

Your message of redemption from sin is full of mercy and goodness, liberating our spirits. You do not care what we have done; you invite us to come and experience the freedom of your salvation.

Once again, I ask, Lord, what do you want me to do? You want me to share your love with the people in our world. The wisdom of the Gospel message is undeniable. Your salvation message does not condemn. We already know when we are not right with you.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31; Joel 2:32)

We can do that, Jesus. Amen.

Chatting with Jesus
Thursday, April 24, 2025

Lord, the levels of corruption in all areas of society tend to leave believers frustrated, seeing no accountability for wrongdoing. Corrupt officials ignore the immoral crimes by colleagues whose duty is to uphold fairness. Compromised people praise one another for their corruption as if it were good deeds (Romans 1:32). For those who live according to your righteous precepts, such as the Ten Commandments and the common sense of the golden rule, our righteous anger rises when the wicked see no justice for their wrongdoings. We question why you allow them to figuratively “get away with murder.” When will your justice fall on these wicked people who flaunt your precepts?

Lord, every generation since the beginning of time has asked this question: When will you avenge the righteous for the wicked deeds of the unrighteous? Their disregard for the law is astonishing, confident that their privilege will protect them from facing consequences for their misdeeds.

The psalmist assured believers that the wicked would receive their just punishment and that you, Lord, would reward the righteous for their faithfulness. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 37 that “The wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land” (Psalm 37:9).

What the psalmist meant by “possess the land” could be interpreted today as “those who trust in the Lord will inherit the promises of God.” Your Word teaches that your promises are true, and that only you can transform a person’s life by changing their heart (Psalm 71:22; 1 Corinthians 1:9). We know this is true since you have changed billions of people and given them a new hope in life.

You did it for me. And Jesus, you will do the same for anyone who asks you. Amen.

Chatting with Jesus

Good Friday, April 18, 2025

Lord, today we celebrate the day when the history of the world changed forever. We call this day of Holy Week Good Friday. For Christ-followers, however, the Scriptures imply this Friday wasn’t good for you. You led a perfect life, completely obeying the Father’s will, even though his will included unimaginable suffering.

For the first time throughout eternity past, eternity present, and eternity future, you were separated from your Father. When the Father had to turn his back on you because you became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), is it any wonder your cry, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”  echoed throughout the universe?

With humility and a grateful heart, may we remember your suffering. Although you are King of Heaven and Earth, we savagely beat a crown of thorns into your head. Ignorant people spit in your face. Evil Roman soldiers gave you a 39-lash scourging, which left your back looking like hamburger.  Just carrying your heavy cross up the hill to Calvary must have left you at death’s door. You didn’t deserve any of this punishment. You suffered a ghastly death, giving your life to redeem us from our sins, even those who were/are hostile toward you and cared nothing about who you are or what you did for us. Seven hundred years prior, Isaiah prophesied the details of your suffering (Isaiah 53). That’s amazing. Again, why is this day called “Good Friday?”

Lord, not only this Good Friday, but every day, as we carry our cross, show us how to point others to you and the power of your cross that redeems us from sin.

Heavenly Father, we can’t thank you enough for sending Jesus to save us from sin.

Amen, Jesus.

Chatting with Jesus

Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025

Lord, what did the disciples think when you diverged from the traditional message of Passover to establish a new form of worship? The bread and wine in the traditional Passover meal represented the broken body and the innocent blood of the sacrificial lamb, which was offered for the forgiveness of sins. Your next act changed the disciples’ understanding of the true meaning of Passover.

A significant moment occurred during this “Last Supper.” You removed your outer garment, took a basin of water, and washed your disciples’ dirty, smelly feet. Perhaps your disciples thought washing someone’s feet was beneath them, but your act demonstrated true humility, love, and service. As the disciples sat in silence, you commanded them to follow your example and serve others in the same way. You were not finished. You had other revelations to share.

“As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body’” (Matthew 26:26 NLT).

Did they look at one another, questioning what you meant by, “for this is my body.”

“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27–29 NLT).

His blood of the covenant? For the forgiveness of sins? Later, they understood.

Lord, you became the sacrificial lamb and shed your blood on the cross so that all who trust your sacrifice will not perish in our sin but have everlasting life in Heaven with you. Amen, Jesus.