Saturday, May 20th

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”               2 Corinthians 5:17

Dear Lord Jesus, You have come to make me new.  I am not who I used to be though I certainly see dramatic glimpses of the old me.  It’s like an old habit that I can’t quite quit.  I just can’t seem to beat him.  My mind races and thinks thoughts that I know are false and untrue; I think thoughts about people and events that I should never be thinking.  Things come out of my mind that I am not only ashamed of, but I don’t know where they came from.  As much as I work on it I just can’t seem to control my tongue.  As much as I know what the wrong thing is and what the right thing is, Lord, I can’t.  And it’s so frustrating to me.  I want to follow you fully and completely.  I want my whole being to be used in service to you.  But it isn’t!  I’m sorry.  Make me new from the inside out.  Renew my mind by the teaching before my Father in heaven.  He receives me as his child because of you.  Keep making me new day by day so that I may live and walk as your child today and every day.  Amen.

The new life of a Christian is first a status before God, then it is a life lived by the constant renewing, resurrecting, and transforming power of the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus on the inside. 

Friday, May 19th

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Matthew 11:15

Lord Jesus, As I begin this year help me to hear your voice as you speak to me in your Word.  You come to me through inspired words of the Scriptures to teach me, to correct and rebuke me, to encourage me and build me.  You want to show me the length and width and depth and breadth of your love for me, of your power at work in me, and of your rule over all things.  Help me to hear Paul as if you were speaking.  Help me to listen as if you were the One who sits with me today and speaks.  If you were with me across the table, I would sit with rapt and careful attention.  I would take to heart the things that you say; I would take careful note, maybe even writing down the important things that you say to me.  I would take those things with me.  Through Paul and through your called servants you do speak to me like this.  Help me to hear you through your Word and through your called servants and take to heart the things that you say.  Your words are full of the Spirit and they are my life.  Amen.

Thursday, May 18th

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?”  Matthew 6:25-26

Dear Jesus, You had very little in this life and no savings to speak of, yet you didn’t worry about anything, not even when you could not see where your next meal came from.  I have so much more than you allowed yourself and yet worry nips at my heels often.  I find great strength in your words here.  You point me to the birds and remind me that I’m more valuable to you than they.  When worry comes calling to meet with me today I will tell him that I’m too busy chatting with faith.  Thanks for giving me something to do about my worry.  Amen.

Worry fills the vacuum when we shove God out of our hearts. 

Wednesday, May 17th

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  Colossians 2:6-7

Dear Jesus, I praise you for all that you are and all that you have done for me.  You have come from heaven.  While you were here you emptied yourself so that you might fill me with your fullness.  Though you are truly and fully God, you became man.  Now, you fill me with your fullness.  You have taken my sins away and were condemned for them so that I would not be condemned.  You erased the debt of sin that was against me.  You have raised me to life by your Spirit just as you came up from the grave on the third day.  You have made me dead to the world so that the things of this world mean less and less to me because you, dear Jesus, mean more and more to me.  I pray, by your Holy Spirit, keep planting me more and more firmly into your Word that I may truly understand and experience the fullness of you living in me.  Remind me again and again how fully my debt has been forgiven by you, how it is erased and that I have no more debt against you.  Give me roots of faith that grow deeper and deeper into you and into your Word.  That is the one thing I ask of you, dear Jesus.  Give me roots that run deep into you.  Amen.

The more we sink our roots into Jesus-who he is and what he has done-the less we are moved by the things of this world.  He is our everything; next to him this world has nothing to offer us. 

Tuesday, May 16th

“He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”  Psalm 91:15

Dear God, There is trouble all around me.  There are challenges and obstacles around every corner.  The devil wants to destroy me.  He is always working in me, on me, and around me to destroy my faith, to destroy my ministry, to destroy my family, to destroy me.  He hates me and wants me dead to you.  Protect me from his evil darts.  Shield me with your angels, with your power, with your Word, so that his darts do not pierce me.  Send your angels to watch over my every footstep so that I do not fall into danger.  Yes, dear Lord, be my refuge, my strength, and my shelter from life’s storms.  I heart you here promising that my hope is not misplaced.  You promise that you will hear me and not just hear me but be with me and not just be with me in trouble but also deliver me.  You will not let me down today, tomorrow, or any day.  Stay close, dear Lord.   Guard me.  Guide me.  Protect me.  Amen.

Our trust in God is not misplaced.  He has done, is doing, and will do what he has promised that he would do. 

Monday, May 15th

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  Psalms 90:12

Lord God, These days go so fast.  The fun days seems to pass the most quickly.  The difficult days seem to drag on, but they too move from day to day as fast as the sun rises and then sets again.  Decisions must happen in a split second.  Our attention and our time is divided up among many different things.  These days go so fast.  I look back at my life and wonder where it all went.  I look at my calendar and wonder how I could do it all differently.  I pray, Lord God, give me a heart of wisdom.  Give me a heart of wisdom so that I may make choices that honor and set you as the highest and only priority in my life.  Give me a heart of wisdom so that I cut the clutter from my life and live a life that shows that you are my number one.  Protect me from danger.  Shield me from harm.  And help me to live my life and make choices for my life (and for my family) that recognize life’s shortness and eternity’s closeness.  Each day is a gift from you.  Give me a heart of wisdom to honor you in it.  Amen.

Time is short.  Eternity is close.  Live a life that always keeps in mind life’s shortness and eternity’s closeness.  The Lord is near. 

Saturday, May 13th

“Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”  Revelation 21:3

O Immanuel, “God-with-us” is a name that takes on so many meanings to me.  It means that you have taken on human flesh and have joined the human race in an unimaginable way.  You took on our flesh, except for sin, and walked with us.  And that wasn’t all.  You took on our sin and made it your own and even died for it.  O Immanuel, you took up our cause and took away our death!  And that’s not all.  Here you give me a vision of day, a time, and a place where you will be with me and I will be with you.  We will talk together just like Adam and Eve walked with you in the garden.  At your ascension you went to prepare a place for me.  But never again!  You will be with me.  I, along with all who believe in you, will be with you and you will be with us.  O Immanuel!  I can’t wait for this day.  And that’s not all.  Until I reach my home with you and until you usher in your eternal and heavenly kingdom you will stay with me.  You promise to never leave nor forsake me.  You promise to give me help at the perfectly right time.  And because you took on my flesh you know what I’m facing and feeling; you can understand me and so help me in just the right way.  You aren’t a Savior who can’t relate to me.  You can fully relate to me, except for sin, and provide me the help that I need.  Stay with me today, dear Immanuel, and never leave my side.  Amen.

Immanuel is a name for Jesus that means God-with-us.  It means that he has taken on our human nature except for sin.  It means that God has come to dwell among his people.  It means that God will walk with his people.  It means that we are his people and that he is our God. 

Friday, May 12th

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18-19

Dear Jesus, Your coming in the flesh has ushered in a whole new freedom, a whole new joy, a whole new seeing for me.  In you is life and light for all people.  I didn’t know how blind and dim my mind was to the ways of God until your Spirit came on me and gave me understanding.  I didn’t know how oppressed and imprisoned by sin and guilt I was until you came and washed my guilt away by your blood.  Now, dear Jesus, I long for the full, the free, and the true life that you came to bring.  Your Word helps me imagine this life of you where young men run without getting tired and where old men walk without growing weary.  Your Word helps me imagine this full and free life where there is perfect understanding and acceptance of everything that you have said.  I long for this, dear Jesus, because I know that I’m not living that life yet.  I am still carrying the baggage of my past, of sin, and of guilt on my shoulders even though I know and believe it has been forgiven.  It still weighs me down.  I am still carrying a pressure to perform and measure up even though I know and believe that in you I am completely pleasing in your sight.  Continue to come to me, dear Jesus, and send your Holy Spirit too!  Send him and open the eyes of my heart so that I may know the riches of my inheritance among the saints.  Open the eyes of my heart so that I may know the hope to which you have called me.  Open the eyes of my heart so that I may know and experience the power of your resurrection in my life.  Come, dear Jesus, and set me free so that I might live to the full for you now and for all eternity.  Amen.

We can imagine the full and free life now.  Jesus truly sets us free for it.  Later, we will fully experience and live the full and free life.  Jesus came to bring us to it. 

Thursday, May 11th

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”  Colossians 1:16

Lord Jesus, You are Lord of all.  You created all things and you put them all under your feet.  It is all created through you and for you.  I forget that part sometimes.  I think that it’s for me.  I think that it’s about me.  I think that everything revolves around me.  When in fact, the world, along with both everything and everyone in it, revolves around you.  You created this world and even me to magnify your glory and to be a reflection of who you are.  O dear Jesus, forgive me for this self-centered thinking.  Forgive me.  I do praise you that even in my self-centeredness you never stop ruling over all things.  I can’t screw it up (and I shouldn’t try!)  But I praise you that I don’t and I can’t.  You will always be over all and through all and in all.  In all things you remain Lord of all.  Amen.

On the one hand I shouldn’t sin, on the other hand I can’t screw it up.  Even in my sin, Jesus remains Lord of all. 

Wednesday, May 10th

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”  Romans 12:3

Dear Jesus, Few burdens are as heavy to carry as self-awareness.  It’s painful to be honest about strengths, weaknesses, quirks, and idiosyncrasies.  So, most of us walk around with an unrealistic inflated view of ourselves.  But you see me as I really am and you want me to be real with myself.  Then I’ll be the best person for others.  Keep me honest and humble, Lord Jesus.  Don’t let me minimize or maximize my opinion, talents, strengths and weaknesses so that I make mistakes with people.  Just help me be a hardworking, loving me. 

Self-awareness begins with honest openness towards God’s word and will for our lives. 

Tuesday, May 9th

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”  Hebrews 1:3

Dear Jesus, I forget how powerful you are.  I forget how much you truly rule all things.  I often live my life as if you were not in charge, as if it were up to me to protect, provide, and get things done.  I often think and live as if you were not in charge.  I fight for things as if they were mine to protect and keep and hold.  Dear Jesus, I often think and feel and live as if you were not in charge, as if you were not holding all things up with your mighty word.  Forgive me for this.  You are truly greater than all things.  You are truly holding all things by your mighty word.  You are truly sitting at God’s right-hand ruling over all things; all things are yours, not mine.  Forgive me for my sinful way of thinking and living.  Forgive me and keep on doing what only you can do.  Only you can hold this world up and hold this world together.  Only you can keep this world and my life from blowing up into disorder and chaos.  Only you can rule over all the events of this world and of my life.  And that’s the way it should be, dear Jesus.  You are wise.  You are good. You are gracious to me.  Even when I rebel against your rule, you do not turn from me but continue to rule by your might and mercy.  Forgive me.  And keep on ruling for my good today.  Take all the events of this day and order them by your might.  Redirect my thinking and my acting according to your will and your word.  Make this day yours because that is truly what it is.  This is your day and I get to live in it.  Establish your will and work in my life today, dear Jesus.  Amen.

We often live and act as if the world were ours to rule over and to own.  But it is not, It is His!  Jesus holds this world together with his word.  It is all his and he rules over it all from God’s right hand. 

Monday, May 8th

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  Isaiah 53:1

Lord Jesus, It almost seems to outlandish, too crazy.  It’s too hard to believe and too hard to grasp for many.  Your appearance as a human being on this earth is hardly what was expected or even dreamed of.  You came as a mere human being and abuse after abuse was heaped upon you.  You took on the weaknesses and infirmities of the human body.  You carried our sorrow and our pain.  You looked so weak!  Especially when you were crushed for our sins.  Especially when the punishment for our sins was laid on your shoulders.  And then you were given a grave with the wicked in your death, but were buried in a rich man’s tomb.  The story of your coming into this world and your exodus from it is outlandish.  But it is the way by which you saved the whole world.  It is the way by which you took my punishment on yourself and rescued me from that punishment.  And by your Spirit I believe it.  And so do many others.  I believe what you have done for me is my salvation.  I have seen your mighty, saving arm, Lord, and it gives me joy.  Give me courage and strength to take this message to more and more people so that they may see and know what you have done.  Amen.

The message of the cross is unbelievable, but it is the only thing to believe.  Life comes only by faith in the life and death of the Son of God.

Saturday, May 6th

“You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.”  Isaiah 9:3

Lord God, Such joy is ours!  Such confidence is ours!  Such brightness comes to our hearts!  Such hope fills our hearts!    It’s like we get to stand at the edge of the harvest field and see the harvest ready to be gathered in.  It’s like the festival meal that we enjoy when the harvest has been gathered in.  It’s like when warriors gaze at the plunder and enjoy splitting it up.  Lord Jesus, you have come.  You have won the victory.  You have given me your Word.  You have given me your Spirit.  You have given me grace in place of grace already given.  When I was born into this world, you brought me into your family through baptism.  You clothed me with righteousness and gave me your name.  Still to this day you feed my soul through your word and enlighten my hope with the promises of your word.  And I know that into this day, in this week, into this month, and throughout the rest of my life you will do more than I can even begin to imagine.  I can’t wait to see what you will do.  Amen.

Our Savior Jesus will fill us with joy that we can barely begin to imagine.  We can compare it to the joy we experience at earthly things, but it doesn’t even come close to the full joy we’ll experience at his final coming. 

Friday, May 5th

“I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be broken.  He will proclaim peace to the nations.  His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”  Zechariah 9:10

Dear Jesus, This verse brings to my mind such images of you.  I picture you in the temple turning tables and casting out the money changers.  I can imagine your zeal.  I can imagine the flurry of your movements as you carried out your work.  Except, here I don’t see you in the temple.  I see you in a battle camp.  I see you overturning chariots and casting them easily to the side.  I see you setting warhorses free so that even if the chariots remained there would be nothing to pull them.  I imagine you grabbing spears and bows and arrows and breaking them over your knee.  I see you coming mightily and with great zeal.  And then, I see you standing up on top of the pile of rubble proclaiming peace over all the warriors.  I see you telling them that the war is over, that the battle is already done.  I can even hear the shouts and jubilation of the warriors as they listen to you.  They can’t contain their joy!  Lord Jesus, grant me the same joy as a warrior who has just heard that the war is over, that the battle has been won.  You have come and have completely destroyed all of my enemies.  You have broken their weapons over your knee.  You have made them completely impotent against me.  Grant me the joy of a soldier who knows that the war is over and he’s going home.  That is true for me.  Fill my heart with this joy.  And then, fill my mouth with that message.  There are so many people who yet need to know of your grace and mercy to them, to the whole world.  Help me to spread it loud so that my joy may grow as we share this joy of peace together.  Amen.

Jesus is a warrior king.  He has come and has won peace for all people.  The war is over.  Set down your weapons and enjoy the peace with God that Jesus brings. 

Thursday, May 4th

“I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.  I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.  I will shepherd the flock with justice.”  Ezekiel 34:16

Lord God, Guard and care for your sheep.  There are so many poor shepherds, so many poor pastors, who cannot and do not care for their sheep as they ought.  False teaching.  A heavy hand.  Neglect.  A lack of tender care.  A poor handling of your word.  Even the best of your shepherds are frail and sinful.  The best of them harm your sheep even without intending to.  Lord Jesus, you must shepherd your sheep as only you can.  Guard and care for them.  When they are chased from the flock, run after them and bring them back.  When they are wounded by poor shepherds or other angry sheep, bind them up and strengthen them.  Rise up, O Shepherd, guard and keep your sheep.  Protect them from all who would harm their body and this soul.  Amen.

Sin ensures that people think only about themselves and you are pushed to the side.  The Shepherd ensures that there is always One whose only concern is you. 

Wednesday, May 3rd

“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.  Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.”  Psalm 103:1-5

Dear Heavenly Father, When I take time to count all the blessings you have granted me in physical and spiritual life, I get more and more content and less agitated about minor problems each day.  You have taken care of my needs, forgiven my sins and healed my diseases.  You have given good friends, good family, a good job and a great church.  I feel younger and more at peace the more I think about the blessings.  Help me live in this life-giving attitude of gratitude about your goodness, so I learn to make others happy from my cheerfulness.  Amen.

Joy is the one infectious disease that heals rather than hurts. 

Tuesday, May 2nd

“I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 23:4

Lord God, This is such a comforting promise from you.  I am concerned for my brothers and sisters.  I do not want anything to happen in their walk of faith so that they turn from you.  I am concerned for my children and my spouse.  I do not want them to leave you.  My heart breaks for people who do not yet know you.  I do not want them to suffer hell forever.  I am worried about my friends and the people who go to my church.  I want them to believe in you and be found in the home you have prepared for all your people.  I pray, dear Jesus, do what you promise.  Gather them and make sure that none of them go missing.  Keep them safe so that they are not afraid or terrified.  Send them shepherds who will watch over them and care for their souls.  I love them, but you love them more.  I care for them, but you have power and compassion to actually do what you promise.  Save them, dear Jesus.  Do what you must as their Good Shepherd to keep them in your grasp until they reach eternity.  Amen.

As parents, as friends, as spouses, as siblings, we care deeply about the eternal destiny of those we love.  Jesus cares more.  He gave his life for them and will do what he must to save them. 

Monday, May 1st

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.  You must listen to him.”  Deuteronomy 18:15

Dear Heavenly Father, You had Moses tell your people that your Son was coming.  You wanted them to listen to Jesus when he came.  At Jesus baptism you said the same thing, “Listen to him.”  Help me to look for his words in the New Testament and to listen with my heart to exactly what he meant by what he said.  Help me to see his love, his truth, his power to change my life and his friendship through every circumstance.  Help me to want to be like him and to follow his way of life in serving others in bigger than life ways.  And most all, help me to listen to him when he says, “I forgive you.”  Amen.

The one thing needed more than any other:  Listen to Jesus!

Saturday, April 29th

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31

Father, You are truly a Father to me and to all of your people.  A father disciplines his child to train him, to teach him, to raise him up as his child, to teach him how to live in this world and with other people, and to help him to know who you are.  In the same way, Father, you discipline us so that we might know you, believe in you, and walk in your ways.  There are moments when you send us away to teach us.  That’s what you did for your people.  There were times when you sent them away.  There were times when you sent trouble on them to train them and help them to know who you are.  But here you powerfully promise to turn back the trouble and the misfortune.  Here you promise to be their God forever.  You promise to restore them and bring them back.  Father, you are truly a Father to me.  Discipline me, Father, but not in anger.  Train me to know you and to follow you.  Keep me from sin and unbelief so that it does not destroy me.  Restore me and, in my heart, give me the full joy of my salvation.  Father, you are truly a Father to me and to all of your people.  Do what you have promised and keep me as your child.  Do what you have promised and keep your covenant with me for all eternity.  Amen.

God promises to be our God for all eternity.  Nothing can undo what God has promised for when he has spoken a promise he cannot and will not change his mind. 

Friday, April 28th

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  John 15:5

Dear Jesus, You were about to die the next day.  But you had us in mind the entire time.  You saw how we overestimate our ability to handle life and put everything on our own shoulders.  You knew we don’t normally see you for who you are.  So, you reminded us that you are the vine.  You are our source of life, of spiritual strength, of spiritual truth, of insight and love and the power to bear good thoughts, deeds and words, even in a tough situation.  You are our vine.  I want to stay connected to you today so you can bear fruit through me.  I have some tough situations and challenges facing me.  But you are my source of strength.  I feed off of you.  So, use your word and your Holy Spirit and anyone else you wish to pour through me the blessings you want me to be to others.  Amen.

We are never the source, only the conduit.