Monday, July 29th

“My soul, praise the LORD!  Lord, my God, you are very great; you are clothed with majesty and splendor.”  Psalm 104:1

Lord God, When I think about who you are I often think about how that relates to me.  I ask myself the question:  “How does his glory affect me?”  I ask, “How does his wisdom impact me?”  But it is a wholly other thing for me to walk into your presence and ponder your majesty as a thing unto itself as if I were walking into a massive cathedral and enjoying all the sights, all the sounds, all the majesty of that place.  Lord God, you are very great.  You wrap the clouds around yourself as a cloak.  The sun runs through the heavens like a runner running its race, declaring your greatness from sunup to sundown.  O God, your power and majesty truly is great.  Lead me to take it all in with awe and wonder that I might be amazed and in awe of who you are.  Amen.

Saturday, July 27th

“When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.  Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed.  ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked.  ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?  Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?  Aren’t all his sisters with us?  Where then did this man get all these things?’  And they took offense at him.  But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.’  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” Matthew 13:53-58

Dear Jesus, I have been that prophet who was not accepted in his hometown.  It’s no fun.  How it must have hurt your heart to be the Savior of all of your dearest loved ones and yet they found conventional ways to reject you.  I’m moved by your patience with them.  You knew that you’d send others that some of them would listen to.  You humbled yourself to wait on the Father’s plan to play out.  I’m learning from you to pray and trust that you will send others to reach the ones I love with your word if they do not listen to me because I’m their hometown boy.  Give me the grace to rejoice when they tell me what someone told them that helped them, even though I had told them the very same things for years.  I want to be humble enough to see your hand and not my own.  In the same way, crush my foolish pride that doesn’t want to receive the word from my family just because I know them well.  Make my heart an open book ready to receive your words.  Give me the ability to listen with my heart and not just my head.  Whenever you have made me pliable, I have experienced great insights that I needed for my life.  I look forward to more, even from my closest relatives.  Amen.

Truth is truth whether it comes from an ass or an angel.

Friday, July 26th

“My soul, praise the LORD, and all that is in me, praise his holy name.  My soul, praise the LORD and do not forget all his benefits.”  Psalm 103:1-2

Lord God, As a Christian, you’ve given me the task of leading other people to praise you.  You teach me to encourage others when they are down and discouraged.  You tell me to proclaim the good news to those who are hopeless and downcast.  But I fail to preach it to myself.  Physician, heal yourself-you say to me.  Mechanic, fix your own car, you want me to think.  The hope that you want me to give to others is first and foremost for me.  The encouragement that you want me to pass on to hold others up you give to me first to hold me up.  O God, you are so good.  Your benefits for me are far beyond what I can begin to imagine.  You forgive all my sins-all of them.  There is not one spot of sin left on my garments of righteousness.  And these garments are also a gift from you.  You heal my soul with this forgiveness.  You have an eternity of joys waiting for me at your right hand.  And beyond the eternal and spiritual gifts you give, you are also at work in my life in some amazing ways.  The way you care for my family.  The way you are at work among the people of our church.  The way you are using me to serve other people.  This is nothing but your hand at work.  Yes, it is good for me to praise you.  There are so many ways.  Help me to find my joy I you even while I share it with others.  Amen.

Thursday, July 25th

“He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’”  Matthew 13:52

Dear Jesus, With your Old and New Testaments, we all have “something old and something new” of which you speak.  Both are necessary and both lead to our salvation.  I have come to love them both with the same level of affection.  I see myself in the people featured there.  I hear your voice in the words in red.  I find friends in the prophets and apostles.  They all speak your word into my heart.  I’m saved and I’m not alone.  I have your over 50 writers to share life with me.  Help me live in your word with them and to never lose my way as I take your book as my guide before leaving earth.  Amen.

The word of Moses to John and everything in between make great friends on our pilgrim journey. 

Wednesday July 24th

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.  When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore.  Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.  This is how it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Matthew 13:47-50

Dear Jesus, Your parable about how the church gathers people from the world but that your angels will gather true Christians out of the church in the end, strikes fear in my inner being.  What if I am only a sham?  What if I say I believe but I really don’t?  What if they throw me away in the end and I miss out on eternal life?  Your words drive me to examine my own heart and life.  Is there anything of which I need to repent?  Do I really believe in you, your grace and your call to follow you in life?  I feel like the man in Mark 9.  “Lord, I do believe!  Help me with my unbelief!”  I am totally dependent on your mercy and grace.  I trust that your life was perfect enough to cover mine.  Your parable has cleansed me but your words of grace defend me.  I am yours and you are mine.  I look forward to being gathered to heaven and not cast away in the end.  In that peace I will swim the waters you have appointed for me.  Amen.

God sees the secret places of your heart.  When you see Jesus as he really is, you are seeing the secret places of God’s heart. 

Tuesday, July 23rd

“He made us, and we are his-his people, the sheep of his pasture.”  Psalm 100:3

Lord God, You made me and all that exists.  You gave me my body and souls, my eyes and ears and all my members, my mind, and all my abilities.  You gave me my wife and children and put all kinds of people in my life as gifts to me.  You gave me all that I own.  And not just that.  You redeemed me too, a lost and condemned creature.  You purchased and won me from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil.  You did this, Lord Jesus, with your holy and precious blood, with your innocent suffering and death.  You did this so that I would be your own and live under you in your kingdom and serve you now and for all eternity.  Oh God, how gracious you are!  Help me to live freely under you in your kingdom today.  Amen.

Monday, July 22nd

“The mighty King loves justice.  You have established fairness; you have administered justice and righteousness in Jacob.”  Psalm 99:4

Lord God, You are mighty and you are just.  You rule the nations with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  You watch over all things and all people; you never slumber or sleep.  Why is it, then, that there seems to be so much injustice?  Why do you seem to hide yourself at some of the most unjust times?  Why do you even seem to be an enemy?  Sometimes, O God, I want to shake my fist at you because I don’t get how you can be silent at such a time as this.  Forgive me for thinking such things about you.  You love justice.  Whether you get it now or you get it later, justice will happen.  You rule all things fairly and without favoritism.  Keep on ruling the way you always have.  I may not always understand why you do what you do.  Sometimes I may not like it.  But God, your ways are always good and justice.  Teach me to trust you especially when I don’t understand.  Amen.

Saturday, July 20th

“He is coming to judge the earth.  He will judge the world righteously and the peoples fairly.”  Psalm 98:9

Lord God, I’ve only been to court a few times and only for some minor things.  But even so that was a nerve-wracking day.  I had done something wrong and there was going to be punishment.  There was no escaping it.  Your courtroom holds even greater fear.  There, in your presence everything will be laid bare because nothing is hidden from you.  To consider standing in front of you, sinner that I am, is terrifying to consider.  But I’m not afraid, Lord God.  Your Son has paid the debt I owed and for my sin was destroyed.  Within the Book of Life, I know that my name has now been written.  I will not doubt for I am free; Satan cannot threaten me.  There is no condemnation.  When the books are opened and all things are laid bare, there will be no sin written behind my name.  Your Son has claimed my sin as his own.  There are no sins on my record anymore.  And greater than that-behind my name all his works will be written.  I get credit for the perfect way that your Son, Jesus, lived his life.  Oh God, I am not afraid of that day when I will stand before you.  I will stand before you as a bride, holy and dressed in the righteousness.  I will stand in joy.  I will stand in confidence.  Help me to always look forward to that day in faith and not in fear.  Amen.

Friday, July 19th

“Declare his glory among the nations, his wonderful works among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3

Lord God, You are a great God, supreme among any power and authority both on this earth and in the spiritual arena.  There is none like you.  There is none who works like you.  And yet, as I listen to things that come out of my mouth and reflect on what I declare, it often isn’t about your greatness.  I say what I see as I look at the ruin we wreaked on creation.  I say what I see as I look at the sinful divisions among culture groups, and even in my own family.  I say what I see even as I look at myself.  I very clearly see all that is wrong with me, with others, and with the world.  And those are the things I declare.  But Lord God, you are a great God.  You are doing far more in this world than I give you credit for.  You are doing far more in this world that I can even begin to imagine.  Your glory is everywhere to see, hidden in plain sight if only I will meditate on your works.  Today, help me to ponder your goodness, your greatness and your glory.  Then, let the meditation of my heart flow out of my mouth so that I truly declare your glory wherever I go.  Amen.

Thursday, July 18th

“He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.  Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”  Matthew 13:31-32

Dear Jesus, Your kingdom started so small and now for 2000 years it has circled the globe many times over!  It’s amazing that your church is built on a message about your solitary life, death, and resurrection that happened so long ago.  It always starts small in one heart at a time but it grows into groups and clans of people.  I have watched your church grow all around me and throughout my region.  I’m amazed at how many people your church has blessed too.  You nailed it for us when you used this parable.  It encourages me when I think that the church is so small.  I’m encouraged to trust that you will make small things grow large as your word spreads.  I will optimistically do my part to plan your word as seeds in the hearts of people too.  Amen.

The word grows people like seeds grow plants.  Don’t hide its power under your doubts about whether it works or not. 

Wednesday, July 17th

“All who served carved images, those who boast in idols, will be put to shame.  All the gods must worship him.”  Psalm 97:7

O God in Heaven, You are the King above all kings and the only true God, above all gods.  You are the God of glory, might, power and dominion.  All things in heaven and on earth bow before your throne.  At least we should; yes, Lord God, this includes me.  I find myself trusting in other people and other things to protect and provide for me.  I find myself looking to other people and other things to give me meaning and purposes in life.  I find myself seeking joy and happiness in other places besides you.  But these people and these things will only let me down.  These people and things are nothing but idols and they can’t help but let me down because they aren’t you!  Forgive me, Father!  Forgive me for seeking good elsewhere.  Forgive me for finding joy in other people.  Forgive me for seeking safety in the arms of another.  Forgive me and help me to make you my one and only.  Teach me to fear, to love and trust you above all things.  There is none like you.  All other gods will disappoint me, but you never will.  Amen.

Tuesday, July 16th

“The depths of the earth are in his hand, and the mountain peaks are his.  The sea is his; he made it.  His hand formed the dry land.”  Psalm 95:4-5

O God, You alone are God and all that exists in this world is yours.  The depths of the earth, the mountain heights, the seas and oceans, along with all the land.  It’s easy for me to believe and rejoice in your created works and be glad that it is yours.  But I often forget that the little stuff is yours too.  That every penny in my bank account and every cent that is included in my paycheck is yours too.  That every item in my closet and every tool in my garage is yours.  Every moment of each day is yours.  All that I call “mine” is really yours.  It is your time, a gift that you give me to serve you and others.  It is all your money and your budget, a gift that you give me to serve you and others.  It is all your money and your budget, a gift that you give me to manage to seek first your kingdom.  They are your possessions, a gift to me to be used to serve the world.  All that I am and all that I have is yours.  Help to me worship and honor you with all that I am and all that I have today.  Amen.

Monday, July 15th

“The LORD will not forsake his people or abandon his heritage.”  Psalm 94:14

LORD, I look into the world and I see injustice in it.  I even see injustice in my own life.  But God, you promise never to leave me or forsake me.  Work out justice for me and for all people in this world.  Reign with your mighty power.  I find Evil and sin standing in the way of the mission you have given me.  Deliver us from Evil and get rid of all obstacles to your Word.  Sometimes I feel like I’m losing hold and losing ground, always falling further behind and never getting ahead.  Come Lord and help me.  I am overwhelmed by the duties and responsibilities laid upon me.  The cross is heavy Lord.  Come and bring me your word of comfort that I might be strengthened and sustained.  Help me Lord.  I’m not letting go until you bless me.  Amen.

Saturday, July 13th

“The LORD reigns!  He is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed, enveloped in strength.  The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.”  Psalm 93:1

Lord God, I am often troubled by the future.  I imagine all kinds of “what ifs” and other possibilities.  Some of those possibilities excite me to imagine that they may come true.  But much of what I imagine frightens me, because it might come to pass.  I’m worried.  I’m afraid.  I’m consumed by thoughts about what might be.  Lord God, you reign.  This is all I need to remember.  You sit on your throne in majesty, robed in might and strength.  You truly hold all things in your hands and control all things with your powerful Word.  You truly govern the nations so I don’t fear the election.  You truly rule over all the events in my life so I don’t fear that may or may not come to pass.  Help me to hear your voice: “Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God and trust in me.”  You Lord, are trustworthy.  Teach me to trust you.  Amen.

Friday, July 12th

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  Then he told them many things in parables,” Matthew 12:1-3

Dear Jesus, You have such a passion that every single person has an opportunity to hear your word that you made adjustments to get the word to the crowd.  I have recreated your moment by pushing out into a boat at a campground to teach 150 youth on shore.  I see how it worked for you.  It only makes me admire you more.  Help me to make the same effort with your word for people around me.  I want them to hear the word and understand it for their spiritual well-being.  Give your churches men and women who will help their pastors use technology to advance the ministry of the word in ways that all people can receive it.  Give all of us Christians a passion for sharing the good news in relevant and meaningful ways too.  Help your people help the world to find you!  Amen.

The word of God is too valuable to waste on shoddy presentations and static laden airwaves. 

Thursday, July 11th

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”  Psalm 91:11-12

O Father, It is simply stounding the way you take care of me.  You don’t just watch from a distance, you protect me with your own mighty arm.  You don’t just sit on a park bench and watch me while you read the newspaper, you send angels for me, just for me.  You give them orders and directions about me.  Angels are not just your servants, but you also give them as mighty servants for me.  They are given for me, to serve me as I wait for my eternal salvation.  God, dear Father in heaven, your care for me is beyond comprehension.  Amen.

Wednesday, July 10th

“Better a day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to live in the tents of the wicked.”  Psalm 84:10

O God, There is no place I would rather be.  The way of the wicked may seem good in the moment, but that’s all the longer that the pleasure lasts.  The way of the wicked may seem good during this life, but that’s all the longer that their path might flourish.  It won’t last.  In fact, you make it clear that the wicked and unbelieving will perish forever.  But with you-that’s where I want to be.  You shield me with your power and protection, shielding me from the fiery darts of the Evil One and even directing all the evil intents of other people for my good and the good of your church.  You daily pour out your blessings on me giving me all that I need, even giving me Jesus and the full forgiveness of all my sin.  You give me the victory over all things through baptism, through faith in the resurrection of your Son.  I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me that much.  O God, it is so good to be with you.  I’ll open the door to your house any day.  Just let me be near you.  Amen.

Tuesday, July 9th

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.  Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’  When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.  Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there.  And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.  That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”  Matthew 12:43-45

Dear Jesus, You love to live in our hearts through your word.  You know that we cannot survive spiritually against the band of demons roaming the earth if we are depend on our moral strength to keep our hearts clean.  We need you there with your purging grace and restoring truth.  Stay in my heart through your Holy Spirit and give me your power to keep our hearts clean.  We need you there with your purging grace and restoring truth.  Stay in my heart through your Holy Spirit and give me your power to keep my life safe from all the destructive influence of the devils’ lies.  Give me your keen spiritual discernment to tell the difference between good and evil.  Make your love the driving force for all my thoughts.  Amen.

Let Jesus answer the door when the devil comes knocking on your heart. 

Monday, July 8th

“While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.  Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’  He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’  Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”  Matthew 12:46-50

Dear Jesus, They thought you were crazy.  That’s why they came to get you.  My family has thought I was crazy too at times, although, it was probably for different reasons.  Your answer makes me realize that faith is thicker than blood.  I feel closer to people who believe in you and want to follow your word than I do to my own kinfolks who live reckless lives.  I feel closer to people who love you and aren’t afraid to say it than I do to people and friends who love money more than anything else.  It’s no wonder, because not everyone has been born again by your Holy Spirit.  Help me to find comfort in the believers with whom I share life, especially when I feel far from relatives.  Also, help me to unconditionally love those I don’t feel close to.  They need to see you work through me and for them, even though we are different.  Amen.

When God adopts you into his family he gives you lots of siblings. 

Saturday, July 6th

“Lord, you have been our refuge in every generation.  Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”  Psalm 90:1-2

Lord God, The most permanent things here only prove to be temporary.  Permanent markers wash away after a week.  Tattoos fade over time.  Even the most stable governments crumble over time.  Nothing lasts.  No one is truly permanent.  Except you.  Before everything was, you were.  After this world ends, you will still be.  You are the one lasting, permanent and eternal constant.  Teach me-though I am but dust and a mist that is here then vanishes-to hide myself in you and find my security in you.  You are my lasting, eternal and permanent refuge for all my days and beyond.  Amen.