THANKFUL

Monday, April 06, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, the people excitedly heralded you as King as you rode triumphantly into the Holy City. They laid palm branches and their cloaks on your pathway. You had finally arrived, their long awaited hope. As the people identified with you on that first Palm Sunday, so we identify with you today as our only hope. However, we must remember that before you ministered to the people’s needs, you first cleansed your Temple (Matthew 21:12). You drove out the corruption that stained the holy place where your Spirit dwelt.

Likewise, as your follower, my heart is the Temple of your Holy Spirit. May I humbly not resist your cleansing of the corrupt areas from my heart. Lord, I’m so much of a work in progress I wonder if you will ever cleanse all the corruption and carnal areas from my heart. My heart’s desire is to be used by you, but I pray I don’t send mixed signals to those who are seeking a new life with you.

We pray for an end to this coronavirus. Reveal the cure to the doctors, researchers and scientists who are working tirelessly. Give them revelation and reveal that which is hidden. We pray for your provision for those unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. Show your supernatural power to sustain and provide during times of crisis. Use this time to draw all men to you, Lord, and set us as a nation and people on a return path to living and governing by your principles and values. Forgive our sins, change our hearts so you can heal our nation.

Cleanse our hearts, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Friday, April 03, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, you have heard us whine that we’d do so much if only we had the time. “I’d do such-and-such, or do this-and-that, oh, if only I had more time!” You probably mused over our complaining about lack of time, and said, “Okay, I’ll take you up on that!”

Now that we have this forced free-time what are most folks saying? You guessed it.

Lord, forgive our griping about being quarantined when you have given us this gift of time to reconnect with our family and with you. Before the coronavirus, there were not enough hours in the day. We were driven—run here, do that, accomplish this—and our most important relationships suffered. As we reconnect with our spouse and children, we realize how much of life we’ve missed by not being around these delightful people. As we spend this time with you, Jesus, we’ll understand clearer the boundlessness of your amazing grace. Another eye-opener. The less we complain, the more we’ll see your unseen blessings amid the crisis.

Protect and provide for those unemployed during the disease outbreak. Calm their fears and ease their anxieties as you draw them to you to demonstrate your grace.

Seeing your goodness despite the crisis, Lord Jesus. Amen

Thursday 04/02/2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, your greatest creation—man—can be an arrogant snot at times. We don’t possess nearly the power and control we believe we have. Not only do we think we can control the climate, but can you believe this Lord, we believe we can remove you completely from our society and live happily ever after. Really? Putting our hope in man? Oh, yeah, that works every time. You have bound us by forces greater than our own. Use this quarantined-by-virus time to cause us to regroup with our family and loved ones and reprioritize our commitment to you. No matter what man may think, you’re still in control, Lord God.

Reveal your cure for this COVID19 to the doctors, scientists and researchers who are working tirelessly to find the cure. Please honor their selflessness as they put their health in jeopardy to serve and save others. Use this health crisis to bring folks who have never given you a second thought to reconsider their ways and seek you. Help us, your followers, to spread your message of hope, grace, and a new lease on life during this time of uncertainty for many people.

Trusting in you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday April 1, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, I don’t know about others, but this virus caught me off guard. I didn’t expect the sudden detour off Easy Street on to Wake-up Highway. Slowly, I forgot the truth that fleshly things change over time. I grew lazy in keeping my relationship with you vibrant. My spiritual complacency made me blind to the changes your Spirit wanted to make in me. The easy times caused my faith to become stagnant. Use these hardships, Lord, to strengthen my faith to put down my earthly desires and live more by your Spirit. Remind me constantly of the importance of my role as I partner with you to further your kingdom here.

We pray this coronavirus is eradicated from the earth and will never return. May all those infected make a complete recovery. Comfort and strengthen the families and friends of those loss to the virus. Give wisdom and revelations to the doctors, scientists, and researchers as they look for the cure to eradicate this disease.

Forgive our sins. Heal our nation. Lord, we urgently need to return to living by your standards and values.

Keeping our relationship with you alive, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday March 31, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Jesus, you asked people, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29) Maybe I should ask the same question: “Who do you say that I am?” Is my membership in a denomination what I’m known for? Will I be labeled only for faithfully following the traditions and rituals of my religion, instead of making a difference in my world? Is my attitude toward others, “Break the rules and you’re toast!” instead of “God’s grace is yours for the asking.” Let me be known as your follower by extending the grace and love to others that you’ve given me. May I be so devoted to you, Jesus, that when people see me, they see you.

We pray again for you to reveal the cure for this coronavirus. Bring an end to this disease. We ask in faith that this virus will be eradicated from the earth and will never return. Restore to health and wellbeing all who have contacted this disease. May they all make a full recovery. We pray people will not fear but will grow in new levels of faith and trust in you. May we as a nation humble ourselves, ask forgiveness and turn from our ungodly ways so you can heal our land, and heal our souls (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Praying our identity is found only in you, Jesus. Amen!

Monday 03/30/20

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, you’re the God of compassion. Your heart is touched by the things we suffer, the problems that seem to overwhelm us, especially when we’ve done something foolish and brought these problems on ourselves. A physical healing or rescue from a crisis is wonderful. Your mercy is everlasting (Psalm 136). We cannot survive without it. But in these problems and suffering, more importantly, you want to change our hearts. Jesus, my goodness, compared to your character, doesn’t even register on the “Oh, Look How Holy I Am” chart. Waaaaaayyyyyy short. I’m helpless without you, Jesus. May I turn my focus from my problems and needs and focus on your grace and sufficiency.

We pray you give our doctors and scientists a cure for this coronavirus. May this curse be eradicated from the earth and never return. In this crisis, may people call out to you in prayer, that people who have never given you a second thought reach out to you, Lord God. Let this crisis stir a spiritual renewal for our nation, that your church will repent of its ungodly ways, that your followers will exhibit your love and mercy, extend grace to others, as you have shown us (2 Chronicles 7:14). We admit our need to return to our biblical roots and honor you, Lord God.

Looking to you, Jesus, in times of crisis, Amen.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, we ask for your mercy to end the coronavirus pandemic. We pray no more lives are lost to this disease and that all infected will make a full recovery. If anything, this virus reveals how quickly a society falls apart when we’ve neglected your precepts. Forgive our wandering hearts and draw us to you. No doubt we don’t just need a cure for the coronavirus, but more importantly, we need to return to you for a divine change of heart and a lifestyle that honors you. May our changed lives and renewed Christlike love show the world that you are a merciful and kind God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6).

Living with a renewed heart, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, we’re beginning to realize you’re using this coronavirus to draw people to you. Our trust in man-made institutions continually fail us. We trusted the stock market only to see our wealth washed away seemingly overnight. Trust the government? Are you kidding? Power-hungry bureaucrats only divided us even further when they boast “I’m-from-the-government-and-I’m-here-to-help-you,” promising free money and a roll of toilet paper in every stall. But you, Lord God, are our only stability in times of crisis. We pray you spark a spiritual renewal in each of us to restore our nation back to Bible principles and moral values.

Bless and protect the all emergency workers, police, firefighters, and trauma center workers, all who deal with exposure to the coronavirus. Keep them safe physically, emotionally and spiritually. Keep their families safe. Provide for all who are unable to work at this time, and may your church do its part to serve and minister to all who are affected by this crisis. May all who call you Lord be messengers of hope and overcoming faith, since negativity and words of gloom, despair and destruction does not represent you.

Forgive our sins, and as painful as it may be, use this crisis to build more of your character within us.

Excited to be a part of our nation’s spiritual renewal, Jesus. Amen.

Monday, March 23, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, people are fearful. Am I infected with the coronavirus? Will I carry this virus to others? But many are unknown carriers of a worse virus—fear, which they spread everywhere they go, with everything they say. Will this virus kill me or my loved ones? Will I lose my life’s savings, my retirement as the stock market continues to fall? These are not bad folks. They just live with little to no hope. May we, your followers, instead be carriers of a different kind, carriers of hope and faith, the very thing we want others to catch and be infected with. May the Holy Spirit use us to share your message of love and comfort with the fearful, so they too will experience the true God of peace.

We pray your protection from the coronavirus and other diseases for the emergency workers, hospital staff, nurses, doctors, police, firefighters who are working stressful hours during this coronavirus outbreak. Build a hedge of protection around them and their families. Use this virus to help us to cast aside our differences and come together in a common cause to fight this outbreak. Instead, may there be an outbreak of respect for one another, to see one another’s humanity, and see we have more in common than we have differences.

Forgive our sins. Let us, your people, live 2 Chronicles 7:14,  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Praying to spread your faith, hope and love, Jesus, Amen.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, you work in unusual ways. We’re confident you will use this COVID-19 catastrophe to cause people to set aside differences and rally together in purpose, to improve as a people and to see others with new eyes. Forgive us for being so distracted with bickering that we have overlooked your sovereign hand in all this. For your followers, let this crisis drive us to our knees to renew our prayer life. Energize our faith to higher levels. For those anxious souls who are seeking you, reveal your grace and open their understanding to see you are who you claim to be. Replace fear with faith, anxiousness with your peace. We praise you, Lord God, that you do not let a crisis go to waste. You have given us a better understanding of your promise of 2 Corinthians 4:17: “For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison.”

Protect all our medical workers, police, firefighters, first responders and emergency personnel. Bring quick recoveries for those infected with this virus. Comfort the families and friends of those afflicted. We will order our thinking to souls to grasp the truths of your promise of Psalm 30:5—”weeping [troubles, afflictions, etc.] may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Seeking the good in this crisis, Jesus. Amen.