Saturday, October 14th

“Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.  He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.  At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”  Acts 9:18-20

Lord Jesus, When you called me to the faith everything changed for me.  Holy Spirit, when you entered my heart everything changed for me.  You cast out my sin.  You made my heart a place where you would dwell.  In that instant you changed me completely and 180 degrees.  Come to me today, Holy Spirit, and be my ally in my struggle against sin.  I have all kinds of emotions and thoughts and words and actions welling up in my spirit that war against me.  I have not power of my own, so come to me Holy Spirit and be my closest ally in my struggle and war against sin.  Come to me, today, Holy Spirit, and be my closest friend to encourage, to build me up, and to empower me to go out and live a new life.  Come to my side and encourage me to live for you with all that I am and all that I have.  I am not who I used to be.  I am 180 degrees different.  Help me walk in the footsteps of my Savior Jesus.  Amen.

You are not who you used to be.  You are someone new, brand new, and 180 degrees different.  The Holy Spirit did this without your asking, without your choosing, even without your earning.  But aren’t you glad that he did!?!  Now you have an ally against sin.  Now you have an encourager in your life as you live for him. 

Friday, October 13th

“He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’”  Acts 9:4

Jesus, Sometimes I forget what a big deal sin is to you.  I forget how offensive, how odious, how personal sin is to you.  No matter what the sin is you take it personally.  No matter how I have sinned against other people, you take it as a personal attack against your person when I sin.  Forgive me, Jesus.  Forgive me not just for the sins I have committed, but the way I have personally sinned against you in my sins against others.  Forgive me for the way I have wounded your heart and come after you in my sin.  Forgive me.  And teach me to follow you in fuller, zealous ways.  Teach me to chase your mission and to pursue it with all my might.  Teach me to zealous in keeping your commands.  Teach me to bend over backwards for those around me that they might be saved and that they might know you.  Teach me to follow you to bear the cross wherever you lead.  Amen.

For Jesus this is personal.  He will do what he must to call out of sin and into the new life of a Christ-follower.

Thursday, October 12th

The Jewish leaders insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.’  When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace.  ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.  ‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said.  ‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’  Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.  Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’”  John 19:7-11

Dear Jesus, Oh how precisely you penetrated Pilate’s heart.  In his angst over being manipulated by the Jews to act against his conscience he vented on you that he had power to release or execute you.  He was scrambling to be respected by someone, anyone, even his victim.  But what he needed was to be looking for the power to do the right thing.  But alas, sinner that he was a failure (like me).  You pointed out the lie he believed that he had autonomous authority.  You reminded him that he had a responsibility to God for how he ruled.  Then you helped him see that there was a difference between Caiaphas and him.  Pilate was guilty of sin, but not the sin of hate, envy and murder.  He was guilty of mitigating justice for personal preservation.  Pilate wanted to release you, Jesus, and said he had the authority to do it.  But he didn’t have the selfless guts to do it.  Caiaphas was on a rampage of hate and paranoia.  Pilate was just being a selfish coward.  Both were damming sins but they were not the same.  You wanted Pilate to know that you knew his sin better than he did.  You came to redeem him from his sin but you were not like the devil, pointing it out bring him down.  You were pointing it out to rescue him from it through grace, a grace you were paying for with your willing suffering at Pilate’s own hands, even at this moment the blood was dripping off your brow and back.  Oh, the depths of the riches of your grace.  Pilate didn’t listen to your confrontational invitation to believe in you.  But I am listening.  I know you know my sins better than I do.  I know you don’t blame me for other’s sins.  You confront me about mine so I will turn myself in for grace.  Here I am.  Wash me in your love.  Amen.

All true spirituality revolves around honesty about ourselves and honesty about Jesus. 

Wednesday, October 11th

“’You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.  Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king.  In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’  ‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate.  With this he went out.”  John 18:37-38

Dear Jesus, How faithfully you tried to tug Pilate into the fire of your love and truth.  And how quickly he rebuffed you.  You came to give him the truth that would save him.  He cast your invitation aside with a denial of all truth.  Don’t allow me to be so dismissive with you.  Help me by your Holy Spirit to listen to your word with an interested heart.  Make me a truth seeker today and every day.  And give me the truth of your mercy to cover my life which is in desperate need of grace.  Amen.

The truth about Christ and us is as dependable as gravity. 

Tuesday, October 10th

“When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”   Acts 8:15-17

Lord Jesus, This is a lesson I must continue to learn my whole life long.  I continue to see people as better than I am, that they are more advanced in their Christianity, and that I am separated from them because of how they have grown in their walk of faith.  I also continue to see people as those who have a long way to go and, in pride, I look down on them.  In my heart I do make distinctions between people in the way that I view them and, sometimes, even in the way that I treat them.  Oh, dear Jesus, forgive me.  You have not viewed nor treated me the way that I view or treat others.  You have poured out on me the same mercy, the same forgiveness, the same gifts, and the same citizenship, that you pour out on all your children.  You have given me gifts that make us all the same.  Now, Jesus, I pray.  Give me your Holy Spirit to transform my eyes and my heart so that I see people the way that you see people.  Give me your Spirit to transform me so that I joyfully rejoice in this body that you have gathered together into your body, the church.  Amen.

We are all the same no matter who we are, where we are, when we are.  That’s the beauty of the body of Christ.  There is unity within our diversity.  We are all the same, in need of mercy.  We are all the same, in receipt of mercy.  We are all the same, in our citizenship in God’s kingdom.  We are all the same, in the gifts that we receive from our God.  We are all the same, with one mission to go to all the world.

Monday, October 9th

“One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, ‘Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?’  Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.”  John 18:26-27

Dear Jesus, How patiently and lovingly you gave Peter the rooster as a lifetime reminder that he needed your grace!  You would always forgive him for his sin.  But he needed a tether to bring him back day after day.  So, every evening and morning when he would hear the rooster crow, he would remember his sin and his need for grace.  The rooster also reminded him that your grace was his.  It was the perfect ministry of salvation for his soul too oft to wander.  You have placed some things in my life that I experience through the five senses that remind me of your word and grace every day too.  They create small quiet moments of reflection between you and me that no one else shares.  They remind me of my failures and of your mercy.  They drive me to feed on the table of your grace.  And when the moment of reflection is over, I’m left comforted and content in your arms.  Thank you for the “roosters” in my life.  Amen.

God loves every sinner too much to let them wander without roosters to call them back to his Son. 

Saturday, October 7th

“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’  ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.  ‘I am he,’ Jesus said.  (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)  When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”  John 18:4-6

Dear Jesus, How perfectly you laid out the stage for your persecutors to come to faith later.  They would look back on the day they thought they had control to kill you and feel so guilty for their deliberate sin.  Then Satan would come and whisper, “You could never be forgiven.  Your sin was too deliberate, too treacherous.”  But then they would remember how you threw them to the ground by turning yourself in.  They would know that you had chosen to die for them too.  They would learn to trust your unconditional love.  I see that you laid the stage for my grace and faith too.  I’ve learned by watching you knock them to the ground, that you turned yourself in for my treacherous sins too.  I cannot believe the lie that my sin is too grievous to be forgiven.  Your willing sacrifice for grievous sinners covers all my sins, even the worst, even the latest.  Thank you for your overwhelming love.  Give me the power through faith in you to reflect this same love to those who would betray, ignore and persecute me.  Help me show them who you are by how I still love them even though they hurt me or let me down.  Amen.

Love that sees the sin coming and forgives in advance is the truest kind. 

Friday, October 6th

“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’  While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’  Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’  When he had said this, he fell asleep.’”      Acts 7:55-56, 59-60

Dear Jesus, I see Stephen and his fire for the gospel here and I’m put to shame.  I don’t have this fire in my heart like he does.  I am more of a shrinking violet when danger or threats come.  I do not always or often have the same fire in my soul.  I want that!  Lord Jesus, you have saved me from my fears and forgiven me for my “meh” approach to you and to sharing your Word.  Set my heart on fire today and more and more every day.  Let your gospel overflow from my heart because of how truly good you are to me.  Let your care and compassion be my care and compassion.  Let your zeal for the salvation of sinners be my zeal for sinners.  Set my heart on fire for the gospel and for people that I may use the time that you’ve given me for people!  Amen.

Let’s do all we can with the gospel as long as God gives us time.  Let’s do all we can for people as often as God gives us the opportunity.  Let’s be on fire for the gospel and for people as we live our lives. 

Thursday, October 5th

“You stiff-necked people!  Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.  You are just like your ancestors:  You always resist the Holy Spirit!  Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?  They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One.  And now you have betrayed and murdered him-you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”  Acts 7:51-53

Dear Savior, Use this sermon from Stephen to ground me in my faith and to give me a foundation in your Word.  Help me to listen to this sermon as if I were one of the Jewish accusers.  Help me to hear it and to receive it.  My human heart is no different from theirs and I have the same tendencies in my heart.  I get so caught up in the externals that I don’t hear or listen or obey.  I have a tendency to ignore, to push to the side, or to overlook your clear word.  Forgive me, dear Savior.  Help me to hear your Word and to keep it.  Your Word alone is my salvation.  Your truth alone is my hope.  Ground me in my faith so that I stand on your Word and am clothed in the blood of Jesus.  Amen.

Wednesday, October 4th

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”       John 17:1-5

Dear Jesus, Everyone else thinks of power and control when they speak of authority over the whole earth.  But you speak of blessing and eternal life.  Your authority was earned by your complete and perfect sacrifice.  It is expressed in your complete and perfect rescue of my life.  I am safe forever because you came and took over the world to make it cooperate in your redemptive plan.  I am so thankful to know your Father and you.  You have made me your own and I am yours.  Help me to glorify your authority over all creation today by living a happy and peaceful life no matter what I must face.  Amen.

We all follow something bigger than ourselves.  It’s best to choose Jesus rather than lesser things. 

Tuesday, October 3rd

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.  Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia-who began to argue with Stephen.  But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.”  Acts 6:9-10

Dear Lord, Give me words and a heart like Stephen’s heart.  As I go out to do my vocational business, I find myself putting my Christianity in a box.  I worry about doing my job and leave my Christianity in a box on the shelf.  Keep me from this.  Help me to always remember that I come with your Word and your promises and your Spirit.  Help me to bring my Christianity with me wherever I go and into every vocation that you’ve given me.  Help me to share your message whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself.  Give me grace and power from your Holy Spirit to speak up about the things I have learned from your Word.  And then when I am confronted with those who want to shut me down with fear tactics and bullying (as the Jews did), give me courage that comes from God.  Keep me from making it personal in my response, but rather make me an apologist for you, for your name and with your Word.  Make me a defender of your truth with my life and in my words.  Amen.

Ours is the same work of Stephen.  He had vocational business to do.  He brought the Spirit’s wisdom and the Father’s word to that business.  We have vocational business to do.  With God’s help, we will bring the same wisdom and the same word to our vocational business. 

Monday, October 2nd

“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”  Acts 6:2-4

Lord Jesus, You have grafted me into your body and given me good and important work to do within my callings.  You have done the same for every other member of your holy, Christian church.  It’s a marvelous thing!  It’s a beautiful and a perfect thing!  It’s true that I easily get distracted from my main callings and the work within those callings by a great many things.  I chase the good over the best.  I often even choose the bad over the good.  I am not always busy with the things you have called me to do and get caught up with many other things.  Today, help me to focus on the work you have given me to do and to do it with all the energy that you provide.  Strengthen me for this work.  And help me to support and set others free in their work.  You have done a marvelous thing in your body, dear Jesus.  Put us all to work in your kingdom today for your glory and the salvation of many souls.  Amen.

You are a vital and important member of the body of Christ.  Each one of us has different gifts and different vocations according to the grace that our Savior has given us.  It’s good for us to focus on the work God has given us to do and to set others free to do the work God has given them to do. 

Saturday, September 30th

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last- and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  This is my command: Love each other.”  John 15:16-17

Dear Jesus, Help me to keep in mind today that one of the supreme fruits you seek from my life is that would have demonstrative love for other believers.  Give me the faith in your words that makes me own the believers in my church as my own dear family.  Help me fight the urge to withdraw from them.  While we are sheltered at home, give me creative ways to reach out to them to bless and encourage.  Help me see over the fence of my own problems and pursuits to notice if one of them is struggling or needs my help.  Then, give me the supernatural strength to meet their need or to network with others to fill their lives with good things from our family of faith.  Amen.

Jesus’ people are blood relatives through their connection to Christ.

Friday, September 29th

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, as I also remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”  John 15:1-4

Dear Jesus, You are the vine that feeds me grace, truth, and peace in my life.  When I stay connected to you by reading and meditating on your word, I feel the power to love people around me in unique and powerful ways.  But when I stop feeding on your words, I soon dry up spiritually and am reduced to anxiety, crabbiness and selfish motives.  I’ve also noticed another thing; I get surprised by hardships our heavenly Father sends my way and at first I want to complain and sulk.  But if I am feeding on your word, I can even find joy in loving another person who seemed to be an interruption to my life of tranquility.  I feel the pruning deeply and am coming to appreciate that the divine gardener is always up to something good even if it means my own pain.  I will remain in you through devotion to your word, while the Father decides how much to cut back in order to make me bear the fruit he wants to last.  Teach me, oh Savior, to live in the same fruit-bearing love that you did.  Amen.

The only way to love others like they need it, is to be loved like you need it. 

Thursday, September 28th

“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!  Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”  Acts 5:38-39

Dear Jesus, As I consider your mission I sometimes get too caught up in things that are not that important.  I worry about and think too much about the methods and the means.  I think too much about how we will do our work.  I think too much about the way we will carry out our work.  And while I realize that those things are important, they are not the most important thing.  That’s the gospel!  Your gospel is your divine power that brings salvation to souls.  The gospel is your power that brings people from darkness to light, from blindness to sight, from death to life.  On top of this, there are times when I grow discouraged because it doesn’t seem to be working.  The gospel doesn’t seem to be doing anything.  At moments like these, help me to remember that your mission is unstoppable.  Even when I cannot see the advance of your kingdom, help me to remember that your mission is unstoppable.  Your kingdom will not fail.  Your gospel will not stop.  Help me to remember this.  Amen.

Do all you can with the time you have, with the energy you have, and with the wisdom that the Spirit gives to get the gospel to as many people as you can.  Do it with reckless abandon.  Do it with absolute trust that this mission is unstoppable! 

Wednesday, September 27th

“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”  Acts 5:11

Dear Jesus, I am so foolish sometimes.  I work so hard to protect my image and my reputation.  I work so hard to pad my stats and to make myself look better than I really am.  It’s so hypocritical, I know.  I am so foolish!  I try to justify myself and make myself look on my own.  Help me to learn the lesson that those young men learned as they carried out the dead bodies of Ananias and Sapphira.  Help me to grasp by faith that I am already wholly pure and holy.  I already shine like the sun before you.  You have given me your righteous life as my life.  You have given me a crown of glory and a robe of righteousness.  Help me to rejoice in this robe and this reputation every day and to live my life knowing who I am in you.  Amen.

Nothing shines more brightly than the reputation that is yours in Christ.  You have his righteousness as your robe.  You have his works on your resume.  You have his glory on your head.  You already shine like the sun! 

Tuesday, September 26th

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will treasure my word.  My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not treasure my words.  These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.  ‘All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’”  John 14:23-27

Dear Jesus, I now know just how common and natural it is for me to want to see you in order to believe.  Your disciples asked the same question.  Your answer is so helpful.  You and the Father want to be experienced through the word you share.  You want that word to bring peace that comes from all the promises you make there.  You want that word to bring reconciliation between us.  You want that word to be what I treasure.  Jesus, I do treasure your words; your words about grace, your words about hope, your words about life.  When I think about your words, there is a warm glow in my heart.  It reminds me of when those two disciples had their hearts burning within them when they walked with you while you explained the Scriptures to them.  I see you in your word and like Abraham, I believe your word over my circumstances.  (In regard to the promise of the conception of a child to come.)  I have peace in my heart that everything in my life will ultimately turn out for good.  So, give me the strength today to lead my heart to peace instead of following as it traipses through all its anxieties.  Amen.

If you want to know God personally, learn to treasure his word intimately.

Monday, September 25th

“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.  And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.  For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”  Acts 4:33-35

Dear Jesus, I am so selfish.  I read these sections in Acts about how the church shared everything and how no one claimed that everything belonged to everybody and I struggle to relate.  More and more I realize that I’m all about making sure to protect my interest and what is mine.  Forgive me, dear Jesus.  Forgive me and give me power by your Spirit to think and to live more selflessly.  Father, your grace and your love for me is so selfless.  You held nothing back.  You didn’t even keep your own Son as your own.  You gave him up for  me (for us all) so that together with your Son you might give us all things  Through prayer you have put yourself at our disposal; you open up heaven to hear us and promise to do good things for us.  Make me more and more like you today.  Raise up in me a selfless spirit that shares and gives and loves in the same way that you share and give and love me.  Make me more like you.  Amen.

Saturday, September 23rd

“They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.  Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.  Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  Acts 4:28-30

Sovereign and Mighty Lord, I often forget how mighty, how wise, and how sovereign you are.  I see things spinning in this world and I forget that you are the one who controls the way that this world spins.  I see trouble and hardship and chaos and pain and I become afraid and anxious and worried.  I see all of this happening and I forget that you are sovereign over it all.  Help me remember your sovereignty today.  This day and the moments that will happen in this day are surely under your sovereign might and your gracious care.  You do what you do because you love me.  You send what you send because you care about me and others in this world.  You allow what you allow because you want to refine us and our faith like silver.  You are truly sovereign and mighty over all things.  Give me courage and boldness to step into this day with my head up and my shoulders back because you are my King and you are King over my life.  Open my mouth to speak up courageously and confidently about you to this world.  Enable me to speak your Word with great boldness.  Amen.

It helps to see this world and our lives through the lens of his sovereign might and power.  It gives us courage and boldness to face this day.  It gives us boldness to speak up about our God who has ordered all things that we and all people might be saved. 

Friday, September 22nd

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going.”  John 14:1-4

Dear Jesus, I have always been a homebody and whenever we change homes it’s always a little unsettling.  Likewise, when I had to leave my parents’ home or my children left our home, it was lonely for me.  A painful reality we all live with is that none of us has an enduring home anywhere on earth.  In vain we do our best to make a place our home, but we all know it won’t last forever.  That’s a big reason this passage gives me so much peace and hope.  You made me to want a home and you are making me that permanent home in heaven.  I look forward to that home where I will be together with you and the Father along with my parents, my children and everyone else who clings to you in faith.  Thank you for giving me this beautiful thought to dwell on while I try to live in this temporary life in temporary places.  Amen.

Home is where God’s heart is.  Make it where your heart leans and you will feel its glow.