Thursday, October 11th

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” – Psalm 91:1

Dear heavenly Father, sometimes I feel so vulnerable to the whims of disease or threats of bad weather or the undiscerned thoughts of crazy people.  It seems I must always be alert or I will not survive.  Then I read that I can find shelter in you.  Hide me in the shadow of your wings.  Be my protector from everything that can harm me or those I love.  Free me from worry so that I can spend my energy and strength building others up in the faith rather than trying to circle the wagons to protect myself. AMEN

“Worry is taking responsibility for things that God takes care of.”

Wednesday, October 10th

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:6-7

Dear Jesus, I now know that you are not working to deliver to me my own personal definition of happiness.  You are working to change me into the image of your perfect son, who loved you and all people perfectly, who trusted you without flaw and could be trusted by every person.  Your agenda is to make me into a new person.  My agenda has been for you to make me a new life on earth that has no suffering.  I know heaven is that place where no one suffers.  I don't belong there yet.  I belong here in my present suffering in order to learn, grow and bless others who are on the same journey.  Make me a wise pilgrim who travels and learns how to follow you.  And thank you for redeeming me through the journey of suffering that your own Son took. AMEN

"God does not intend for our lives to be easy.  He intends for them to be challenging training grounds where he changes us from what we are to what he always intended us to be."

Tuesday, October 9th

“Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies," - Ephesians 5:28

Dear heavenly Father, you gave my spouse to me in order to complete me. Help me not to forget that she is as much a part of me as my right hand. When she is hurt give me the concern for her that I have for an injured limb.  Help me to cherish her and take care of her and to give her the best opportunity to shine. And thank you for giving her to me as a best friend.  Help me to remember that she is my friend when she gently reproves me for my mistakes that anyone close to me is bound to see. Help both of us to live in grace for one another and not in a plethora of little rules.  For all those who do not have spouses, give them one or two very close friends with whom they can share their deeper thoughts and emotions, dreams and challenges, fears and triumphs.  AMEN

"A spouse is not a family car that you replace when you get tired of it.  He/she is a integral part of your own body and soul the second you say 'I do.'"

Monday, October 8th

"Do not merely look out for your own interests but also for the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4

Dear Lord, I too easily filter everything I hear through my own perspective.  I want to put others first and their interests in front of mine.  Help me to see every choice that I make with family or friends as an opportunity to serve them and help them find happiness during their short journey on earth.  Make me give in where I can without compromising truth. Keep me from mistaking my own opinion for your unchangeable truth.  Get rid of stubbornness that makes me insist I have my schedule my own way.  Help me find joy in giving and in giving in.  All of this will take miraculous power on your part.  But I believe you can do it in me. If you did not spare your Son to save me, you can easily change my obdurate heart.   AMEN

 "There is nothing so sweet as being released from slavery to self."

Sunday, October 7th

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. - James 3:17

Dear Jesus, I know that I must have serious communication and even conflict with people on some occasions.  It seems inevitable that in order to uphold the truth I will collide with people.  But I want to reflect the gentleness and respect that come from love when I must stand up for the truth or stand down someone who is wrong.  I want to disagree with dignity and speak with a merciful tone.  Please give me your supernatural ability to build bridges when I must enter conflict instead of burning them down.  AMEN

"The Christ within us wins people not arguments." 

Saturday, October 6th

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men." - Colossians 3:23

Dear Lord Jesus, this verse gives me a much better reason to do my best and with a good heart than I can usually think of myself.  I tend to need the affirmation of people in order to get excited about doing something.  Or I need to believe there is some hope for success by my standards.  And if someone gives me the least criticism I tend to get a flat tire in my heart. But when I do what I do for you, ah, then there is a resilient reason to do it.  You are always seeking my good.  You promise to bring good out of my "bad".  I can have hope of true success and will always know that your correction comes from a good heart.  Today (and as much as I can remember in the future) I will live my life enthusiastically for you.  After all, you lived yours enthusiastically for me and you still enthusiastically pursue me every day.  AMEN

 "When we live for the Lord we will live boldly in calm and in strife."

Friday, October 5th

Jesus wept." - John 11:35

Dear Jesus, you wept deeply at the grave of your friend, Lazarus.  You feel all of our pain from every experience. You know what it feels like to be trapped in this world where loss is the order of things.  Thank you for not only winning for us a way out but for doing it by entering our entire grieving experience.  You are the God who knows and cares.  It makes me feel not so alone as I struggle to hang onto the gospel knot in my rope.  AMEN

"God knows.  God cares. God rescues."



Thursday, October 4th

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. - Galatians 3:26-29

Dear Jesus, I love how you have released me from looking at myself as a winner or loser at anything.  I am your child, chosen to play on your team and all my other Christian friends are the same.  No one wins or loses without the other.  I look at myself and them totally different when they are wearing your jersey.  When they fall, they take me with them.  When they succeed, they lift me up to the platform to share in their glory.  We are all one in you.  And truth is, because you are our best teammate as the player/coach, we all cash in on your victory.  Thank you for putting me on your team.   Help me to accept and love my teammates and help me play my position well.  AMEN

"God drafts us to his team along with many other players.  Wisdom is learning to accept and play along with those he has chosen to be with us."

Wednesday, October 3rd

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." - 3 John 2.

Dear Jesus, I love this verse because it teaches me to pray for my friends and family more than engage them.  Please help me not to make every flaw I see in one of them as a challenge for me to "fix" them.  I will give my observations and concerns to you and trust how you will work your miracles in their hearts and lives.  And when you want me to say a timely word to them, please make it obvious to me and give me the courage and love to say it well.  Now, having prayed this; I will relax and serve you with a cheerful heart today. AMEN

"Letting God lead your loved ones while you support them is the right way to play the game."

Tuesday, October 2nd

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you." - Colossians 3:13

 Dear Lord Jesus, It is perhaps the greatest example of how far humanity fell in the beginning, that we struggle to forgive. And you talk about it all over your book and it was the only part of the Lord's Prayer about which you expanded afterward. With forgiveness you challenged your disciples and with forgiveness you test us to see whether we are in the faith. I know that forgiveness is ...the hardest virtue for me to practice and I sense that others have a hard time forgiving me too. Oh, Jesus, fill us with your redeeming grace and help us forgive each other from the heart. AMEN

 "Life is too short to be squandered in un-forgiveness."

Monday, October 1st

"We boast in the hope of the glory of God." - Romans 5:2

 Dear Lord, most of the time we look back and find things to boast about.  I like how you make us look forward to heaven in this verse.  We haven't seen anything yet!  What we will be and what we will get in heaven will be amazing.  We will talk about it for centuries.  Since we know that heaven is real, help us to live in hope.  When I am tempted to look back at glory days, help me to be thankful but to remember that the best is yet to come. And Jesus, I glory in heaven for just one reason: you paid my ticket to fly there when all my earthly glory fades.  Thanks for giving me a hope I cannot lose.  AMEN

"Jesus has given us a hope that cannot be outshined by earthly glories or overwhelmed by earthly darkness."

Sunday, September 30th

"I will marry you in faithfulness.  Then you will know the Lord." - Hosea 2:20

 Dear Lord Jesus, in divine love you married yourself to me knowing full well my wayward trends.  You knew exactly what you were getting yourself into and you married me anyway.  I am too often surprised by the weakness of those I chose to love.  I struggle with a conditional heart.  Oh, take away the taker in me.  Make me a giver like you and I will help you change the world by your gospel love.  In your name, I forgive everyone who has ever let me down and I chose to love them again with a heart charged with your unconditional grace and mercy.  Amen

 "We cannot receive love from God without being led to give love like God.  His love never lies dormant in the soul."

Saturday, September 29th

“Love always protects." - 1 Corinthians 13:7

Dear Lord, I remember my father and mother protecting me against troubling influences that they saw creeping up around me when I was in my teens.  They intervened and challenged me to walk with you and them in the right way.  I understand more clearly today how much energy and effort it cost them.  It is not easy to protect other people.  It is hard and sometimes thankless work.  But it is the true way to live.  You say it simply, "Love protects."  You perfectly protected your disciples and you have perfectly protected me.  I take responsibility for venturing outside of that protection too often.  Give me the desire and the ability to effectively protect those whom you have given to me to love.  AMEN

 "God chose whom we would love by planting them in the garden next to us.  He will give us the strength to be their shade."

Friday, September 28th

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  According to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." - 1 Peter 1:3

Dear heavenly Father, having spent many hours, days and weeks, trying to secure a future for myself and others only to be surprised by sickness, troubles and the tentacles of death stealing away my loved ones, I find great peace and joy in your promise of a real future beyond this temporary "Olympic" struggle.  You raised Christ from the dead to give me the same hope, my own resurrection to life.  I accept your gift and I will let it give me hope today no matter what earthly disappointments and challenges I face.  My hope is in you and my future is secure.  Therefore, today is going to be a good day.  AMEN

"God has already written the last chapter of our lives.  It is a better end than we could ever imagine.  So, smile through the large middle earth where you tread."

Thursday, September 27th

"If you oh Lord kept a record of sins, who could stand."- Psalm 130:3

Dear Lord, I catch myself thinking that I can stand in front of you because I do this or that kind of well.  Whenever I feel this way, I invariably catch myself thinking I am ahead of some other sinner in the "be good" game.  And in my heart I look down on them.  But when I am alone with you, I cannot escape the painful truth that I often do not even want to do good.  If you kept a record of my sins, I could not stand in front of you.  That's why I love you so much.  You have forgiven all of my sins.  There is no record of them to be found.  I see only you and your accepting smile.  Because you have forgotten my sins, I can forget them too.  AMEN

"Forgiveness is God's supernatural power to make everything right in a wrong world."

Wednesday, September 26th

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem." - Psalm 122

 Dear Lord, I have been pondering why corporate worship is so important when each of us has an intense personal relationship with you.  Then a brother wrote, "We need to gather with the church because we forget how desperate we are for redeeming grace, how complete are our resources in Christ, how God wants our spiritual life to be a group project, how life can never be found in the physical creation."  In corporate worship, I am reminded that life is in you and not the passing world outside of the sanctuary.  Help me to get myself to the gathering of believers so I may reap the benefits of the reorientation and restoration of my soul and may give others the same.  AMEN

 "Aloneness is good if we are alone with God and only for a time.  Otherwise we need to be interlocking with the other pieces in God's jigsaw puzzle so everyone can marvel at its collective beauty."

Tuesday, September 25th

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else,...For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” - Luke 18:9,14

Dear Lord, so often I see my salvation as something that happened to me in the distant past.  It's like I live as though I used to need grace, but now, well, I have grown so much and learned so much that I just need a little help with this or that problem, especially the problem of getting everyone else to be as good as me.  Ha Ha.  What a foolish thought! I need your redeeming, saving grace today just as much as the day I first received it.  Oh, Jesus, save me today and every day from the silly selfish way I struggle with pet sins, especially the sin of self-righteousness.

 "Perhaps before you start confessing your sins you should start by confessing your self-righteousness." - Paul David Tripp

Monday, September 24th

"Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7

 Dear Lord, sometimes I think I am all alone carrying the many concerns I have.  I forget that you are near me and want me to give them to you.  I see in Scripture how you often put people in impossible situations so they would have to look for you to get your help.  I think of the parting of the Red sea or the disciples in the boat during a squall on the Sea of Galilee.  They had no choice but to let go of fear and beg you to be God for them.  Well, I am begging you to be God for me.  Fix those relationships.  Take care of that legal entanglement.  Protect my kids from the lost world that attracts their hearts from you.  Help our church come together in grace and joy and to stay on mission for your name's sake and for the sake of the lost.  Here, take all my concerns and be my God and Savior.  And make me gentle since I don't have the stress of carrying everything alone anymore.  AMEN

 "We carry no needs by ourselves. So, don't act like you are all alone."

Sunday, September 23rd

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” - John 6:27-29

Dear Lord Jesus, when I read any of the words you spoke, they arrest my mind and make me think hard on revealing grace. There is nothing more antithetical to work than believing in someone else's work.  So to say that the work that God the Father requires is to believe in you and your work, blows my mind.  I was born believing in myself and really no one else.  But you have taught me how wonderful it is to trade that self faith in for faith in you and your wonderful forgiveness and acceptance.  I do believe in you and the peace you have made for me on earth and in heaven.  I work hard to live in that peace but help me when I struggle with my unbelief.  When I am living immersed in your grace I feel confident, free to be myself and free to love others.  Oh, Jesus do me and the others around me the favor of fastening me firmly in your grace again today. AMEN

"A leopard cannot change his spots but nothing is impossible for God."

Saturday, September 22nd

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. - Luke 5:4-6

Dear Jesus, I sometimes wonder why you keep my nets empty and watch me toil "all night" without any success.  At those times I wonder if you are careless or cruel.  But then you step in and orchestrate a windfall for me in the same area I was trying to work out my own solution and just like Peter I am overwhelmed with the thought that you are God and I am not. That's when the net in my heart is filled with faith and understanding. I look forward to empty nets if it means that I will ultimately get a full soul.   Thank you for empty nets, because they set me up to learn anew that everything in my life really does depend totally on your blessing. AMEN

"Two foundational facts for human enlightenment: 1) There is a God!  2) You are not him."