THANKFUL

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, on this Thankful Thursday, we’re thankful all You want is a humble and contrite heart. Those religions that demand change of behaviors to be accepted or adherence to strict rules to go to heaven, do not understand Your grace. In Your love, You call all people to come to you as we are. Your followers find Your words faithful and true. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden [frustrated trying to keep man’s religious rules] and I will give your rest” [peace with God and eternal life] (Matthew 11:28). Thank You that when we were unable to change, for divinely changed our heart.

We pray You send Your Holy Spirit to draw all people to You, and that those who respond will find You to be what they have been missing all their life. Forgive our sins. Heal our nation as we return to following Your principles and obey Your precepts. Teach us how to truly love one another as You love.

Thank You for changing what I never could, Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, when You ask me to do something, why is my first reaction resistance? “You sure about this, Lord?” I argue. “I’m not a spiritual giant like Moses, or Elijah, Peter, or Paul. How can You use me?” My insecure humanity tends to make me compare myself to others. That is not from You, Lord. But when I trust You and step out in faith, the Holy Spirit shows me how these saints were no different than me. They faced the same fears, doubts, and experienced falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) like I do, but the same faithful God who helped them will also work through me to accomplish His will (Philippians 2:13).

We intercede again for the eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bring healing and complete recovery to all who are infected. We pray for wisdom that people will not make decisions based on fear, but on sound judgment and realities. Let Your church rise to minister with compassion and Christlike love to all people, and thus fulfill Your will.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation, unite our people, and show us how to love one another.

Willing to be used by You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Lord, Your limitless grace for Your followers is breathtaking. Temptations, harmful habits, and addictions don’t magically disappear once we surrender our lives to Your Lordship, yet You are concerned about everything we wrestle with daily. How thankful we are that Your Holy Spirit leads us in Your plan for our lives. Like he tempted You relentlessly, Jesus, the devil never stops throwing our failures up in our face. The more we dwell on our flaws, the harsher we judge ourselves as unworthy as a Christ-follower. Then our skeptical humanity convinces us Your grace is too good to be true. Help us truly realize Your limitless love and grace today. Burn in our spirits how nothing can ever separate us from Your love and grace (Romans 8:38,39).

Bless and protect the frontline workers ministering to the victims of COVID-19. Give them divine endurance and perseverance and let them see success in their efforts. We pray all the infected will make a complete recovery and return to health. Give us wisdom to do what we need to do to protect ourselves, our family, and others. And we pray this pandemic will bring people to You, Lord Jesus.

Forgive our sins, heal our hearts so our nation can be healed. Help us see Your grace is sufficient for all we need, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, help me not to panic when the devil throws his life’s stuff at me and my situation appears impossible to overcome. Holy Spirit, cement this endless truth in my spirit: With God, nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). Facing these seemingly insurmountable problems reveals my limitations to handle them on my own. May I not complain but let these bad situations that try my faith backfire on the devil, since anything that drives me to seek You works for my good (Romans 8:28).

No complaining here, Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, July 09, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, on this thankful Thursday, I gotta admit I’d be a lousy god. Peeking over a cloud to check on fallen man, from what I observed, I’d probably say, “Well, that didn’t work, did it?” and then write off these sinners as a lost cause. However, because of Your grace, I’m thankful You are God and I’m not. I could never match Your love, let alone grace. You don’t just redeem and love unconditionally, Lord, You ARE redemption and love. You restore that which our enemy, the devil, destroyed. You take our ashes and make us beautiful. You take our broken dreams and turn them into stories of Your glory. But most of all, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to take away our sin and give us eternal life. We humbly bow before You, thankful Your grace refuses to give up on us.

May Your Spirit move upon the hearts of men to cause them to put away their prejudices, biases, and discord, and reconcile with one another. Man may change his outward behavior, but in his heart, he can still harbor hatreds toward others. Only You can change hearts. Forgive our sins, Lord. May we turn from our ungodly ways and order our lives according to Your precepts and values.

Thankful You are our sovereign God, Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, as my mind dwells on Your goodness, Your peace gives my soul stability amid these anxious times. Your promises of comfort and protection when danger lurks all around gives me hope that we will come through these turbulent times as more faithful Christ-followers. Unfortunately, this climate of unrest leaves many frightened of the future. Would You show me who to encourage today? Open my spiritual eyes to those struggling to find hope in all this madness. Give me a holy boldness to act on the leading of Your Spirit. Knowing You are my courage, use me to encourage those fearful souls with the assurance that Your grace produces peace, reveals purpose, and even gives joy despite the craziness. May we all feel Your love in a tangible way.

We still believe You will soon bring an end to this COVID-19 pandemic. Use this pandemic to strengthen Your people to live more openly for You, so all will see the hope and peace You give. May we never be ashamed to state that we belong to You, that You are our God and Jesus is our Savior and Lord.

Thankful Your promises give hope, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, July 07, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, when we came to You, we were broken. The realization of our offense against You left us helpless to save ourselves. Regardless if we considered our sin insignificant or an insurmountable mountain of shame buried us, our sin debt sung the funeral drige of spiritual death (Romans 6:23). We had nothing to offer except our sin and contrite condition. But when You intervened, Your grace replaced the funeral drige with a new song—the song of the redeemed that only You can place within us. Our sin debt was erased and replaced with a new debt—a debt of gratitude. May our transformed lives display Your grace that birthed in us a new, regenerated spiritual life (Revelation 5:9). For all You have done for us, Jesus, how can we remain silent?

Lord, again we ask You to bring an end to this COVID-19 pandemic. We are not asking for anything You are not capable of doing but pleading for Your mercy. May the death count fall to zero. Give complete recovery and restoration to those infected with the virus. Bless and protect our front-line workers exposed daily to this virus. Give us wisdom to stay safe and not do anything we will regret later.

With a grateful heart, we honor You Lord Jesus. Amen.

Monday, July 06, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord God, You are our loving heavenly Father. You have given us eternal life through Jesus with your marvelous grace. Since You are the foundation of our trust, we have no reason to fear, yet, in our humanity, we do. Why do we resist the Holy Spirit’s leading, who prompts us to walk and live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). How it must grieve Your heart when Your children do not trust You to keep Your promises. I would be crushed if my kids didn’t trust me to do what I said I would. Forgive our unbelief, our lack of confidence in Your Word. You have never failed us before Increase our faith where we never doubt You to be our strength, our rock of salvation, since You promised to deliver us in turbulent times (Psalm 32:7).

We pray You bring an end to this COVID-19 pandemic. Protect the weak, the elderly, and vulnerable. We pray those infected will make a complete recovery. Be merciful to them in their suffering. Give wisdom to the doctors, researchers and scientists as they look for a vaccine. All healing comes from you, Lord God.

Increasing our trust in Your goodness, Lord. Amen.

Friends, on the eve of Independence Day, we should remember the wisdom of our founding fathers. Enclosed is the speech by Benjamin Franklin to the Constitutional Convention. The founding fathers knew the importance of the Divine in their decision. God Bless the USA.

“In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel. We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a by-word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

“I therefore beg leave to move—that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.”

Benjamin Franklin

Thursday, July 02, 2020

Good afternoon, Jesus

Lord, despite the chaos, hatred and division prevalent among us, I declare today as Thankful Thursday. I will praise You and thank You for Your indescribable gifts of grace, forgiveness, and eternal life to all who call upon You. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to live within our spirits to enable us to live for you. Your Spirit guarantees that our place at Your table will never be taken away. Even amid life’s storms in this fallen world, Your peace sustains us. Your presence dispels our anxiousness. Fears of the unknown have vanished since we are no longer Your enemy, Lord God, but we are at peace with You (Romans 5). No matter our circumstances, You are a good God, who is worthy of all praise.

We pray Your Spirit moves upon the hearts of people to draw them to You. Only You can change their hearts and bring peace and reconciliation among us. May hatred be replaced with Your love. Help us listen to one another and see others as persons You gave Your life for their redemption, just as You did for me.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation, start a spiritual renewal is each of us.

Thankful to belong to You, Jesus. Amen.