THANKFUL

Thursday, May 06, 2021

Lord, With my many years of serving You, I’ve become “Super Christian!” I’ve got this Christ-follower thing down pat. I know You will agree with me on every issue. However, while I’m smiling and entertaining this attitude, I detect that long, awkward pause as the Holy Spirit rolls His eyes. “Hey, ‘Super,’” He says. “Don’t you remember My warning about this nonsense. ‘I oppose the proud but give grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). How foolish of me to put my views above Yours, thinking You see things as I do. Lord, I repent. I’m throwing my cape away In humility, I accept Your viewpoint as the last word in all matters, Your will as absolute sovereignty.

You reign above all, Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, May 05, 2021

Lord, give me the desire to grow in the knowledge of You. I want to know Your heart. I need Your help for me to develop a teachable spirit so I can live what Romans 12:2 teaches. This fallen world works overtime trying to conform me into its image, but Your Spirit exposes the world’s lies. Give me a passion to learn from Your Word every day. The more I learn of You, the less the luster of this world appeals to me. Open my eyes to the spiritual lessons found in every event and interaction with others, Show me how these incidents lead me to knowing more of Your character. Teach me new truths, and help me unlearn that which is false, so I can fully embrace the beauty of knowing Your heart.

Wanting to know more of You, Lord God. Amen.

Tuesday, May 04, 2021

Lord, in our Bible Study Fellowship study of the Old Testament patriarch Jacob, we saw how “You relentlessly pursued Jacob and challenged his faith” (BSF Lesson 28). Then, I became fearful. I heard You loud and clear when You asked me to pray this dangerous prayer: “Lord, pursue me and challenge my faith.” Am I sure I want to pray this prayer? Lord, I’m an old guy and enjoy a comfortable life now. Challenging my faith means You will put me in uncomfortable situations where every avenue of deliverance looks like a dead end. But these will stretch my faith to trust You since these are circumstances only You can handle by Your sovereign power. An easy life without spiritual mountains to climb or giants to face results in weak or no faith. Without problems, how would I know Your delivering power that we read about in Jacob’s story. So, Lord, I’ll prepare my life to reflect Romans 8:28, that every obstacle You allow will work for my good and bring You honor.

Thankful You stretch my faith in all circumstances, Lord. Amen.

Monday, May 03, 2021

Lord, we’re grateful You hear our prayers. Not only do You listen but You pray to the Father on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25). It doesn’t matter how simple and childlike we may pray, or how spiritually correct our words may be, or like most prayers—the “house-on-fire, I’m-in-big-trouble!” desperation prayer. Lord, not one prayer, even those spoken with little faith with trembling lips, slips by You unheeded or unanswered. You’re faithful to pray on our behalf to the Father since You and the Father are One (John 10:30). We humbly ask You, Jesus, to speak peace to our storm, supply provision for our lack, bring healing for our sickness, calm our fears, aim our stones to slay our giants, set us free if we’re captive in the bondages of destructive additions. Only You can replace doubt with faith. How thankful we are You always hear and answer this one prayer: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!” (Romans 10:13). As the psalmist so wisely observed three millennia ago, “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13).

Thank You for listening, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, April 30, 2021

Lord, my faith constantly battles my humanity, or as the Bible calls it, my ‘flesh.’ At times, my sinful flesh is unstable, jumping up and down, wanting so badly to complain when things don’t go as I wish. You didn’t call Your followers to gripe about inconveniences, but you called us to pray and be thankful [in] all things, for this is God’s will for me in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). Of course, my flesh is powerless to follow this command, therefore, Your Holy Spirit living within me must empower me to obey. So, whenever my circumstances are not all ‘wine and roses,’ the obvious questions are twofold. “Lord, what is my part in all this? And what is Your higher purpose in allowing these circumstances?”

Learning obedience when I pray and give thanks in all circumstances, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Lord, my life revolves around busyness. With job, family, kids and their activities, church obligations, etc., I sometimes meet myself going in as I’m going out! All this leave me often in a weakened spiritual condition. My taxed soul needs refreshing. My weary spirit needs renewing. You alone, Lord God, can give me what I need, and I find it only by being in Your presence. Forgive me, Lord, for running around so much doing life that I have unconsciously run from Your presence. Show me how to slow down to make time to be in Your presence. I know if I make the effort, You will orchestrate the events to make time for You possible. When I’m with You, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever” (Psalm 16:11).

Living for the times spent in Your presence, Lord. Amen.

Wednesday April 28, 2021

Lord Jesus, Your disciples were anxious. The troubling times made their future uncertain. However, the impact of Your words spoken to them 2000 years ago hold the same impact today. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). From the beginning of history, there has never been a time when troubles did not exist. Cultures come and go, societies rise and fall, but today’s uncertainties are no different from others in history. For those who depend on their own efforts, good luck. They are left to fend for themselves. As for Your followers, the psalmist words have the same impact today. “You are my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield . . . my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2) Trusting You in troubled times is the safest thing we can do. We can’t see past our present situation, but we can trust You since You know how our story ends for our good (Romans 8:28).

Trusting You as I rest in You, Lord Jesus, my stronghold. Amen.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Lord, Your Word instructs us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of You Lord Jesus” (2 Peter 3:18). Knowing Your heart empowers Your follower’s influence on those in their world. The mark of spiritual maturity isn’t how much Scripture one can quote at the drop of a hat, although knowing Scripture is vital to keeping us on-track, knowing truth from error (Ephesians 1:17). Regardless how noble, neither is our mark of spiritual maturity based on serving on committees, or teaching Sunday school classes, or feeding the homeless, or being on the church board. We pray the Lord can use these activities to draw us closer to Him and not let this busyness distract us. Our “perfecting” comes from spending time in Your presence (Matthew 5:48). Sitting with You in worship opens our hearts and minds to hear from You.

It’s in worshiping You in “spirit and in truth” that we find Your heart, Lord God (John 4:24) Amen.

Monday, April 26, 2021

Lord, You call Your followers to live like no others. You didn’t exempt Yourself from troubles and problems when You were here in this fallen world. Neither are we Your followers exempt either, yet our reactions to these afflictions are not like the world’s. To the astonishment of those who don’t know You, we can “glory [rejoice] in our sufferings” (Romans 5:3). This goes against our humanity since we’re programmed to avoid suffering. The Apostle Paul explained in his letter to the Romans how You use these sufferings to develop perseverance in us. In turn, perseverance develops godly character, which always leads to hope—the assurance in Your eternal promises, Lord God. These temporary afflictions are “here today, gone tomorrow” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Here’s the glory: the Christlike spiritual growth being developed in us not only strengthens and sustains us in the here and now but reveals Your goodness amid our suffering.

Rejoicing in the glory of these temporary afflictions, Lord, Amen.

Friday, April 23, 2021

Lord, You knows how weak we are; You remember we are only dust (Psalm 103:14). I know at times I will fail You in my walk of faith. The enemy of my soul taunts me, lying how my failures makes me unworthy to be Your child. Your Spirit senses my weakness and comes roaring to assure me that even when I stumble, no power exists that can separate me from Your love. “Neither angelic beings nor demonic spirits can stop Your love. Whatever happens today or what transpired yesterday is powerless against Your love. If I’m acting holy or behaving un-Christlike, Your love for me never changes. If I’m blessed and living on top of the world, feeling invincible or I’m lingering in deep depression and cannot see a way out, Your love and grace is more sufficient. If I live with divine health or a deadly disease attacks my body—absolutely nothing can come between me and Your love, because of what You’ve done for us, Lord Jesus” (Romans 8:35-39).

We’re grateful for the guarantees of our salvation, Lord. Living securely in Your love, Jesus, Amen.