THANKFUL

Friday, July 31, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, as Your followers, we trust You allow negative situations in our lives for a higher purpose: to develop more of Your character in us (Romans 5:2–5). Sudden, unexpected choices thrust upon us reveal our spiritual condition. How do I measure up? Though I may not understand, will I trust You’re working for my good? Will I heed the Holy Spirit’s guidance or throw a tantrum like I used to if I get a little uncomfortable? May my desire be “to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Lord, even though it may get painful, help me submit to Your working to make me more like You.

May it be that people will see You, Jesus, shining through in me before they “see me.”

In Your image, amen.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, I love thinking about Your promises. Your Word strengthens my resolve to live for You. However, in this broken world, life can throw us a curve unexpectedly. The “father of lies,” Satan, shouts doubts about Your grace, claiming God’s not interested in my problems and You’ve left me on my own to figure it out. Amid the noise, Your Spirit gently reminds me not to fear. You promised, “great peace have those who love Your law [read: promises], and nothing can make them [read: me] stumble” (Psalm 119:165). The peace of Your presence and the truths of Your unchanging promises assure me You will keep me from stumbling. Despite the storm, I can enter into Your ‘rest’ as described in Hebrews 4:10. As faith rises, fear flees.

Resting in Your peace, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, after I identified with You, the devil regularly hauls my trainload of past sins up for review, lying that if I just work harder at keeping the religious rules, do more good works, maybe virtue-signal how I’m not involved in ‘worldly’ activities, then maybe God won’t hold my past against me. However, Your Holy Spirit is with me and reinforces the assurance that Your grace is all sufficient. Your Word could not be clearer. “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who revere Him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us” (Psalm 103:10–12). If You don’t remember my past, Lord, then I am not under any condemnation (Romans 8:1). So . . . when Satan brings up my past, he can shove it!

Thank You, Lord, that all who have trusted Your work on the cross are free from condemnation. What a joy to live in this freedom.

In Jesus freedom, amen.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, You are quick to give second chances. You are ever ready to uplift and renew those with contrite hearts. Everyone has made choices they later regretted. I certainly have. The consequences of these foolish choices can leave us in shambles. Hope seems like a dream denied. Our critics smirk, giddy to point fingers, happy to see us down. They refute Your grace can change lives. They view calling on You as a sign of weakness. Prove them wrong, Lord. Show them how Your grace and forgiveness resurrect a broken life from devastation to new life. The skeptics need to hear how You took our hand and raised us from ashes to find joy and purpose again. Your grace is real, Jesus. Your life-changing power is not diminished. You make us new people (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You change hearts, Lord. Man’s laws may force us to change some behaviors, but only You can truly change a person’s heart. Only You can regenerate a heart of stone into a heart of compassion and caring. May we never resist Your Spirit’s drawing us into a closer relationship with You Jesus. Change our lives so the world will see You are real.

Loving new life in You, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, when I hear the “enlightened” crowd’s endless babble how good is evil and evil is good (Isaiah 5:20), I want holy vengeance. Their mockery of You and Your principles reveals the depth of their devil-driven delusion. What are You waiting for, Lord? Why You haven’t stomped these wretched souls into oblivion before now baffles me. But . . . forgive me, Lord. How quickly I forget I can’t point fingers. Whether society considered me a good person, or viewed me as a reprobate beyond help, without You in my life, I was the same. In Your mercy, You didn’t stomp me into oblivion (whew!) but patiently waited as You called to me to come out of darkness. Your love shattered my delusion and led me to place my trust and faith in Jesus Christ, Your Son. I pray those still deluded will find Your grace and forgiveness as I did.

Thankful to be un-stomped, Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, this prayer is dangerous for me, but here goes — help me become the person You created me to be. For too long, I’ve made efforts to hide my vulnerabilities, yet You tell me to drop all facades and follow You in faith. Admittedly, I get scared and weak-kneed when You lead me into uncomfortable settings. What will people think if my actions do not blindly follow the crowd? What will they label me? Maybe a bigot? Possibly a Xenophobe, whatever that is? Or, Lord forbid, a racist? Will I respond as You would, Lord? Will I take a stand in faith, or will I turn and run? Calm my fears of the unknown. If I’m never uncomfortable where You lead, how can Your character be developed in me? Help me realize my comfort is not Your biggest concern. Developing Your character in me is.

May I be fully committed to You today, Jesus. Amen

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, governments make feel-good laws to create “peace and harmony” among our myriad identity groups. These laws, not based on biblical principles, are futile. Laws have never changed a person’s heart, so how can reconciliation exist when “grace and forgiveness” are missing? Whatever human efforts we made to harmonize us to one another carried conditions or the reconciliation was null and void. That is so opposite of God’s grace and forgiveness. Whether we knew it or not, living only for our desires and pleasures made us hostile to You. Nonetheless, Lord, You offered grace and forgiveness to reconcile us to You (Romans 5:10). From my grateful heart, help me love as You do and extend that same grace and forgiveness to all.

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14).

Only in You, Lord Jesus, can we live in peace and harmony. Amen

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, despite the world’s turmoil, Your followers feel You are on the verge of doing something momentous. You see how the ungodly mock and ridicule You and flaunt their wickedness in Your face. Why You don’t smack them into eternity shows Your great patience, giving them time to come to You in repentance. All the same, we believe You are preparing to pour out Your Spirit in a spiritual awakening the world has never seen before. Through the centuries, You’ve always had Your faithful who loved and served You regardless of the worse circumstances (Romans 11:5). They refused to bow to the unrighteous culture.  It’s no different today. Prepare my heart. Above all, I do not want to miss out on what You are doing.

Empower our prayer lives to draw us deeper into Your heart, Lord God. The more we know Your heart, the greater the awakening will likewise influence those in our world to draw closer to you. May we be Your light that causes the darkness of the world around us to flee.

Let the awakening begin in me, Jesus. Amen.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, what great joy and peace we have knowing our eternity is secure in You. Those sweet times with You in prayer and meditation in Your Word assure us we don’t have to jump through hoops to keep our salvation safe.  You remind Your followers that You are able to save forever those who come to God the Father through You, because He [Jesus] lives to intercede for them [us] (Hebrews 7:25). You “maintain” our salvation. Jude 1:24 tells us “Jesus is able to keep us [you] from stumbling and present us [you] without fault or guilt before His glorious Father God.  Jesus keeps us firmly in His grasp (John 10:28–29). The apostle Paul wrote in Romans eight that nothing can separate us from Your love—nothing! Let’s rest in Christ’s love today

Lord, Your love sustains us during these trying times. Your peace has been tangible when we needed it most. Only You can change the most hardened heart into a heart that loves others different than us. We pray for a spiritual renewal in our country and let it begin with those who follow You. Forgive our sins, heal our land. Help us love one another as You love.

R I P John Lewis

Resting in You today, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, July 17, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, You say Your ways are better than man’s ways and serve a higher purpose beyond our understanding. When life’s trials are our lot, we tend to choose our humanity’s default ‘hands-on-control’ syndrome, which is contrary to Your ways. Our natural mind sees our game plan as reasonable, but man’s reasoning leaves little or no room for You to work. Increase my faith. I want to follow Your precepts and remove any obstacles that hinder You from supernaturally intervening in my circumstances. More than anything, I need You as my anchor in these troubled times. I desire You to work in my life, Lord.

Forgive our sins, heal our people, and although we are all different, make us truly one with You, Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:4,5).

Following Your ways, Jesus. Amen.