THANKFUL

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Lord, people ask what we need to do to become a Christ-follower. Before You came, for the religious, the original Ten Commandments weren’t enough. By the time You came to us from Heaven, the religious leaders had added 613 additional “commandments” to Your original Ten. They hoped keeping these extra commandments would make them more pious, and therefore, God the Father would be so proud of them. Your coming changed that nonsense. One the religious teachers tried to bait You with a trick question. “Which is the most important commandment?” You jumped all over that. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” But You weren’t finished with them yet.  “A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you obey these two commands, you are fulfilling everything God requires of you” (Matthew 22:35-37).

Lord, You have made being a Christ-follower so easy. Humbly, how can we not love You after everything You’ve done for us? Grace given when we deserved none. Sins forgiven. Peace. Joy. Contentment. Eternal life with You in Heaven. Loving You keeps our priorities in order, since the enemy does everything he can to draw our affections away from You. However, You knew loving You so fervently would spill over to loving our neighbor as well.

That has always been Your plan. And it has worked every time. Amen

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Lord, I encounter people everywhere stressed, concerned about events at home and throughout the world. For over two years, the pandemic consumed our every moment, leaving people on edge, and sadly, covid-19 claimed many loved ones. With the coronavirus waning, world war now threatens to annihilate us. In our humanity, is it any wonder why anxiety has gripped so many as uncertainty looms around every corner? For believers, events out of our control stretches our faith to near the breaking point. Today, I echo the cry of one of Your early believers, “Lord, I believe but help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Unfortunately, many of Your followers, for various reasons, are ready to throw up their hands and walk away from You. Am I alone or have all who follow You at some point felt the same?  

Lord, equip me today to encourage someone who is despondent and on the verge of walking away from faith. Give me words directly from You, with the right tone mixed with Your compassion and love.  Let me be open to Your love flowing through me to those whose faith needs strengthening. And thank You if I’m on the receiving end of this blessing.   Your faithfulness is like none other, Lord Jesus. Amen

Monday, March 7, 2022

Lord, because we’re created in Your image, You wired our humanity to seek community with like-minded folks. Simply stated, we want to belong. Who we hang out with seems to define who we are. Christ-followers tend to spend most of their time with those of similar convictions. Those whose lives revolve around politics find no problems in fitting in with people of like-minded political leanings. Athletically proned people find satisfaction being “one of the boys” or “one of the gals” on the team. And Lord, I’m thankful You reserved abundant grace for the golfing community. School alumni societies, library gatherings, animal lovers, writers groups—there are endless communities people identify with. In and of themselves, these desires to fit in are not bad as long as we remember our priorities.

Whatever community I belong to, it’s my responsibility to direct my actions, my words, my attitudes based on Your principles, since I represent You, Lord Jesus to the world. Many people have falsely labeled Your followers as intolerant and out of touch with life today. I pray my lifestyle may show people who have a misconception about You reveal who You really are. Those who have never picked up a Bible may see Your gracious love for the first time and want to know more. Let Your compassion shine through me, Lord, as I interact with those around me. As the psalmist wrote, “As I learn Your righteous regulations, I will thank You by living as I should” (Psalm 119:7).

Use me, Lord, to bring others into Your community, the Kingdom of God. Amen.

 Pray for our friends in Ukraine and for peace to prevail.

Friday, March 4, 2022

Lord, we pray “I wanna be like You, Jesus. Make me more into Your image.”  The wealthiest oligarch cannot purchase the benefits of following You—peace the world cannot explain, joy amid sorrow, perseverance in a hostile world. You promised these blessings to those who know You, but they do have a price. Many folks today are like those described in John 6 who wanted to follow You for all the good stuff but without any personal sacrifice. Christ-followers know the cost. Your message then is the same today. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must deny yourself, give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me,” (Mark 8:34).

Is this what I signed up for?  Deny myself? Abandon my desires? It’s my life! Take up my cross, the symbol of dying? Dying to what?  Maybe dying to the selfishness of myself, the “me first” attitude? Dying to the drive “to be number one in the pecking order”? Perhaps dying to life’s challenges that I was never meant to handle in my own strength? How about dying to disappointments, seeking fulfillment in relationships where godly values are ignored? Maybe my most decisive death: dying to the emptiness of soul, knowing there must be more to life than this?

Christ-followers know our true fulfillment is in You, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Lord, You’re not surprised how this world is going crazier by the minute. People are anxious. Inflation has a chokehold on our pocketbook, high gas prices strangle our budgets, corruptions at top levels of government. The Russia —Ukraine war has created worldwide tension. People ask what’s going on? For Christ-followers, we see all this turmoil as Your Word unfolding. The devil is just doing what he does best. John 10:10 states the devil, “comes only to kill, steal, and destroy.” Destruction is his trademark. But the devil’s shenanigans will eventually backfire since Your best curtails his efforts. We were not caught unaware. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me,” You tell us in John 16:33. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” But let’s not forget the second part of John 10:10. “But I have come to give life, and life to its fullest.” For Christ-followers, that’s not to say we do not suffer. We all do, but the peace we have, the hope we cling to today amid all this unrest cannot be humanly explained. It’s what You do best, Lord. You always give us hope for the future. “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Here’s another promise. “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” (Psalm 30:11,12).

Jesus, I’m putting on my dancing shoes. Amen.

Wednesday, March 2, 2022 Lord, you asked the blind beggar Bartimaeus a pointed question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Why would You ask such a question, Lord? Wasn’t his need obvious? He wanted to be free from his world of darkness. Bartimaeus didn’t hesitate to answer. “I want to see.” You responded, “Your faith has healed you,” and instantly he could see. Your Spirit knows the spiritual condition of every person’s heart, and You ask everyone the same question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” For those with physical issues, our request is a no-brainer. We want to be well. However, our most important request should be, “Lord, open my spiritual eyes to see my spiritual blindness.”

Heal my heart of the diseases of spiritual impurity. Any pride, bitterness, anger, unresolved forgiveness, soul wounds festering, unrepentance of known sins—anything in my heart that causes a barrier You Lord and me, open my spiritual eyes to see so I can turn these issues over to You. How tragic I become like the rich young ruler mentioned in Mark 10:20-21. No one rivaled his religiosity, but his love for the temporal things of this fallen world, which are here today and gone tomorrow, blinded him of his real need—forgiveness of sins and a relationship with You, Jesus. He loved the world more than he loved You, Lord.

My request? May I have a pure heart, so I will see You in all things (Matthew 5:8).

Pray for miracles in Ukraine.

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Lord, for us in the western world, far removed from this bloody Ukrainian conflict, the reports of brutalities leave most people sickened, if not horrified. TV and social media images reveal the depravity of man’s inhumanity to man, the release of evil upon a peaceful people. In our isolation from the conflict and living our busy lives here, may we not cease praying for Your divine intervention. We pray for Your protection and mercy for the innocent people on both sides, our brothers and sisters in Christ that their faith remains firm. Grant godly wisdom and godly courage to the Ukrainian leaders and fighters as they call upon You amid this war. Until that time arrives where mankind beats his “swords into plow shares,” we pray You will do what You promised in Joel 3:10, “You will make the weak strong!” We pray our leaders will step up and do the right things that honors You and blesses the people of Ukraine. Lord Jesus, You’ve gone through everything they are enduring (Hebrews 4:14–16). In Your humanity, You never opted out of suffering. Because You chose to be just like us, like our dear Ukrainian friends, You know exactly their fears, anxieties, every emotion they are experiencing today. Verse 16 sums up their hope and our hope: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Lord, we pray You swiftly depose this tyrant whichever way You may choose, so peace and reconciliation may begin.

In Jesus’ authority, amen.

Friday, February 25, 2022

Lord, we continue to pray for the people of Ukraine. You love the dear people of Ukraine as much as You love the people in America, or Africa, or China. And, yes, You love the people of Russia equally as well. Jesus, Your shed blood gives all people spiritual freedom from the bondages of sin, and as much as Your love and mercy is extended to all mankind, people still choose evil over grace. And because people choose evil, the powers of darkness are behind their aggression. “Our battle is not against flesh-and-blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against the mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). We pray Your divine intervention to stop these invaders and cause them to retreat in defeat. Cause good people everywhere to not lose faith, but to call upon Your Might to thwart the enemy’s plan. And like You destroyed the Egyptian army by driving them into the sea when they pursued Your people, drive these evil forces back from whence they came in utter defeat and humiliation, where they cannot rise again. Lord, You can turn what the devil meant for worldwide destruction and turn this mess into a worldwide revival of repentance. Bring people—friend and foe alike— to Your salvation, Jesus, that they choose Your grace. Let the world see and acknowledge there is a God in Heaven.

In Jesus’ authority, Amen

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Lord, the world is mired deeper in turmoil today because of evil, godless men’s unquenchable desire to control not only their own life but the lives of all who desire to live in freedom. We pray Your protection for the people in Ukraine. We pray Your covering for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. Raise a holy courage within them to share Your rock-solid hope to a people whose hope rests on sandy soil. May this be a righteous war to destroy tyranny and free people from oppression.  Equip the Ukrainians with divine courage to stand up for righteousness, to fight the evil trying to rob them of their freedom, even if it cost them their lives. You must laugh at these politicians and rulers who, in their futile wisdom, huff and puff, and pontificate, blaming the crisis on others while claiming to have the answers that will solve the world’s problems.  Warriors may boast of their power, but as Christ-followers know, You, Lord God, have all power, You have all wisdom and will intervene in the affairs of men. We pray this crisis leads to a time of reflection, spiritual renewal, and national and personal repentance everywhere.

We pray for peace, since You, Jesus, are the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Lord, why do I continually beat myself up for failing to keep Your commands, when I know fully well it’s impossible for me to do? Shortly after opening my eyes every morning, I’ve already violated at least one of Your commands, usually the one about honoring You by putting You first in all things. “I’ll spend some time with You, Lord, but first I gotta check my messages.” “Where did the time go? Kids, are you ready?” “Gotta leave early and drop my laundry off at the cleaners.” And on it goes.  But, it gets worse. Inconsiderate drivers make me wanna break that “thou shall not murder” thing. Why do I think a little white lie won’t matter? Advertisements stir up my lust for worldly pleasures. One broken commandment after another. We’re not evil, bad people, just busy and pressured. Was the psalmist frustrated, like me? Was he ready to throw his hands up and quit when he wrote “You have charged us to keep Your commands carefully. Oh, that my actions would reflect Your decrees” (Psalm 119:4-5). Even 2500 plus years ago when life was slower and more simple, no one could keep Your commandments. We’re thankful You are the God of grace and mercy, slow to anger, quick to forgive. You’re holy. We’re not. We’re flawed humans, incapable of the perfection You demand. I echo the psalmist prayer: Lord, help me order my actions to be consistent with Your decrees. But when I fail, I’m thankful Your mercy and grace are greater than my shortcomings.

Striving to live consistently by Your commands by Your grace, Lord, in an imperfect world. Amen.