THANKFUL

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Lord, how do I cope when life is happening fast and relentlessly? This culture pulls at me from every direction. Do this. Gotta do that. The deadline is fast approaching and I’m behind. Hurried daily activities push me from spending time in Your Word, which I need to strengthen my spirit for whatever lies ahead today. How did I allow those sharp words with my spouse before I left the house irritated my spirit?  After waiting in line to drop the kids at school, I’m dumbfounded how they forgot their lunches again. My plan to spend time with You on my commute is shattered by the traffic congestion that looks more like a NASCAR race, adding to my frustration. I’m pulling what little hair I have out because things I cannot control are controlling me. Help, Lord! How do I restore peace amid the stress? Once my mind is still, Your voice whispers, “Worship Me. Praise Me for your blessings. Let your mind dwell on My goodness, things that are right, pure, lovely, excellent, noteworthy . . . And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8,9).

Lord, in my imperfection, may Your peace guard my heart and soul, as I dwell on Your goodness to me and my family. Amen.

Monday, November 15, 2021

Lord, did You hide a great emancipating truth in the little book of Philemon on purpose? Most people if they blink twice will miss this treatise nestled between Titus and Hebrews, toward the end of the New Testament. Seems like brother Philemon, a kind and loving believer, had a rebellious “slave,” i.e., indentured servant. Onesimus ran away before paying his debts and fled to Rome to find the Apostle Paul. Paul, who was in prison, was the good friend of Philemon, and maybe Onesimus could have Paul champion his rebellion. Instead, Paul led Onesimus to faith in Christ and sent him back to Philemon with the instructions that “If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me” (Philemon 1:18). Onesimus was no longer a slave to Philemon, but now a dear brother in Christ, partnering with his former “master,” actively doing his part to expand the Kingdom of God.

Aren’t we like Onesimus? I certainly was. In our carnal nature, we are rebellious against God and His righteousness. Hanging over our head is a sin debt that must be paid. But on the cross, You said “whatever sin debt (insert your name here) had, charge it to me!” Thank You, Lord, that once we put our faith in You and the work of Your cross, our sin debts are paid in full and we have a new life with You.

Because of Your mercy and grace, Jesus, I now live “debt-free.” Amen

Friday, November 12, 2021

Lord, Your comfort and assurance found in Psalm 34:17-19 tells me You hear my prayers. Regardless how I feel, whether my spirit is soaring or mired in depression, Your hear my prayers. You see my tears falling like rain. You understand my brokenness, trapped living in this fallen world. You hear my prayers, spoken from a broken heart, You understand my brokenness, trapped living in this broken world. Oh, Lord, may I keep my heart pure before You and keep me from letting any unresolved or unrepentant sins hinder my prayers. Show me how to pray faithfully for my family, especially for my prodigal children. Give me wisdom to follow Your Holy Spirit to draw closer to You, so You will equip me to influence others to seek You. And may my faith not waver, knowing You hear my prayers, and by Your grace, I will accept Your answer according to Your will.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for caring for me and hearing my prayers. Amen.

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Lord, today we honor the men and women who put their lives on hold to serve our country and defend our freedoms. Some joined our armed forces voluntarily. Others were called up in the draft. Many never saw hostile action, while others discovered a divine courage to face the intense fear of combat. These bravehearts must hold a special place in Your heart. With our grateful heart, may we honor their sacrifice and selflessness. We pray all veterans feel our love and respect and may we never fail to show them our appreciation. May Your incredible love and grace bless those who have served or currently serving. And be especially gracious to bring healing to those who carry scars from horrors no one should have to witness. Give them the peace they seek, the peace they need, Lord Jesus. When You hung on the cross, You saw their pain and took their pain as Your own.  You never saw a warrior who fell that didn’t touch Your heart. We will never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice and now rest in Your eternal arms. May our people never let a veteran be homeless or go without medical and medical care they have earned. And never may our government turn its back on a veteran.

God bless all veterans. Amen.

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Lord, when people repent and choose to follow You—like I did—do they also have doubts, maybe fears, that somehow, they will botch this life-changing issue as well? Does the devil not waste any time lying, telling them how they always ruined every good thing in their life and having a fulfilling and meaningful relationship with You would be no different? And like me, after You assure them that although they are humanly imperfect, our heavenly Father sees us as righteous? And like me, as a Christ-follower, when they finally realize who You really are Jesus, and Your mountain-moving power, and how You defeated the devil and his kingdom of darkness on the cross, we can tell the devil he is just full of it.  And like me, are they joyful that the issue of our right standing with You, Lord God, is settled once and for all? “Come now, this matter is settled,” says the Lord. “Though your sins were like scarlet, your soul is now white as snow; though your sins were red as crimson, you are now like wool!” Isaiah 1:18.

Thank You, Jesus, for removing the doubts about settling the matter of our sin issues. You are Lord and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that You, Jesus, are the Lord of all. Amen.

Monday, November 8, 2021

Lord Jesus, Your greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul and all your mind . . . and the second commandment is love your neighbor [others] as yourself” (Matthew 22:38-39). Your love is unconditional. Of course, our sins broke Your heart, so You sent us Jesus who loved us enough to pay for our sin penalty. Lord God, You don’t just love—You are love, pure and undefiled.

These truths make loving You so easy. It’s the second commandment I grapple with. You tell me to “Love my neighbor?” Okay, I get that, but the “as I love myself?” part forces me to confront what lies within myself. Lord, why did you put conditions on how I am to love? When the enemy of my soul prompts me to do a self-examination, he reminds me of unwise decisions and bone-headed choices I’ve made. And these are repeated behaviors, so I struggle to love myself, to forgive myself. You see how forgiving myself presents a challenge.

“Pay no attention to that lying devil,” You command. “He’s a loser but you aren’t. I know all about your mistakes and your monumental blunders,” Your Spirit whispers. “Yet my grace covers them all. I want you to love what I love—I love you!”

That’s humbling. But that’s comforting too.

“Give yourself some grace. You’ll see it is much easier to love your neighbor.”   Loving myself and my neighbor as never before. Amen.

Friday, November 5, 2021

Lord, I love when You reveal new revelations of Your character to me. Digging into Your Word, Your Spirit shows me truths I’ve overlooked for years. These truths seem to jump off the page as You speak to my spirit. I’m drawn closer to You with confident faith.  However, there are periods where You seem to be far away. Where are You, Lord?  Even though I study Your Word, and search for answers during problems or trials, all I hear are crickets. Why are You silent, Lord? What’s goin’ on? Exactly what am I facing? Are You still my faithful God? Absolutely! Will You ultimately come through for me? Without a doubt . . . I hope! Then why do I get antsy, sweating and wringing my hands when I don’t hear from You? Breaking through the barrier of my nervousness, I hear Your Spirit’s still, soft voice asking, “Will you trust Me even when I’m silent? Stay true, my child. Trust Me. I’m for you and I would never leave you on your own. Remember, I work in the unseen.” Yes, Lord, I’ll ignore the crickets and trust You.

By the power of Your Spirit, crickets will no longer worry me, Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, November 4, 2021,

Lord, how comforting. How peaceful to know my sins are fully forgiven. Your cross eliminated the sins that stained my soul and has made me righteous in Your sight. As a result, my past no longer exists and with You, Jesus, I only have a future. You guaranteed it! (2 Corinthians 5:5). Here on Earth, You protect my faith (1 John 4:4) and establish peace between us (Romans 5:1). And when I leave this broken world, You are waiting to take me home to be with You (1 Peter 1:4). Having these assurances as a believer, I would think the devil, the enemy of my soul, would have backed off by now, but the devil repeatedly lies, bringing up my past, claiming I’m still accountable for these sins. He’s so annoying, worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. He wants nothing more than to disrupt the peace I have and create doubts about Your grace. But I enjoy this part! Whenever the devil tries to remind me of my past, I tell him to go pound sand. Using the authority You gave me as a Christ-follower, I point to the cross and tell the devil to take up the matter with You, Jesus. That shuts the Evil one up.  

Living in peace with no doubts about Your forgiveness, love and grace, Jesus. Amen!

 Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Lord, how sad so many today are fearful and insecure, feeling they have no relevance. This godless society offers little, if any,  hope, fighting to steer man toward anything but You, Lord Jesus. Why is relevance so important to the human race? Why would some people just as soon be dead than to be irrelevant? What is that X-factor in man’s psyche that makes him want to stand out and feel important?  Are we just random collection of matter and energy, the results of a big bang in the cosmos?  Or are we miraculously created by a kind and loving Creator God? I’m going with the Creator.  God, “You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works . . .” (Psalm 139:13–14). What about that X-factor psyche thing? The character trait of You that lost man doesn’t realize is how You created us with a desire to know You. That is what mankind has been searching for after sin entered the world. Only You can satisfy that need. As Your Holy Spirit draws us to You, creation takes on a new meaning. Genesis 1:26 describes how You used Yourself as the template to create us. How awesome! How awakening is that, knowing I’m created to be like You in every way. That’s relevance.

Grateful how I find relevance in You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Monday, November 1, 2021

Lord, when problems pile one on top of another, my carnal self wants me to sit in a corner, moaning, “Woe is me! What am I gonna do!” But Your Holy Spirit taps me on my shoulder and reminds me of Your wisdom in 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet these [problems and trials] produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.” But Lord, there is emotional and sometimes physical suffering involved. That hurts and I don’t like that!

The Apostle Paul said in Romans five to rejoice when You allow problems bigger than we are to come along.  These are allowed so You can develop more godly character in us, resulting in a greater confidence in Your power. Your Word says suffering produces perseverance, which develops our godly character. After being tested by these trials, as the goldsmith refines the gold by fire, You refine our character with eternal hope. And by Your grace sustaining our faith during these trials, we fulfill Second Corinthian 4:18 — “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

By Your grace, Lord, I will rejoice in my problems and trials, being assured You are working on my behalf. Amen.