Day 40: Easter Sunday April 17, 2022
What else needs to be said? HE IS RISEN! The greatest comeback in history! This is “THE HOPE OF THE WORLD!” He defeated sin and death and offers forgiveness and life to everyone who will receive Him!
Father, thank you for this glorious day where we remember the historical reality that Jesus overcame the grave - proving that eternal life is our new reality in Him, through Him, and for Him! Through Jesus, the Resurrected One, we pray. Amen!
Day 39: Saturday April 16, 2022
What’s so incredible is that Isaiah wrote this over 500 years before Jesus was born - prophesying about a coming “King” who would be beaten brutally to the point where he would be unrecognizable. In the same passage, he also prophesied about him being raised, lifted up, and exalted! What are the chances? The beauty of the Word of God is that it doesn’t ask us to trust God blindly. As a matter of fact, God loves giving us undeniable evidence of His existence, His love, and His plan to bring salvation to the ends of the earth! God asks you to love Him with all of your heart, mind, and strength. Loving Him with all of our minds means that He wants us to use our intellect to think - and test things to see if God is in them. The eye witnesses to the life, death, burial, and resurrection are undeniably honest and compelling. God has left us with accurate historical accounts to analyze and investigate with all our minds!
Day 38: Friday April 15, 2022
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
Why do we call this Friday Good? This is a curious question to those who don’t believe. It seems very strange, even morbid, that we would commemorate a day as “good” in which the hero of our faith was brutally beaten and died a tortured death by being hung by large nails on a cross. How can that be good?
The prophet Isaiah who lived about 750 years before Jesus’ birth penned the words above about the coming Messiah of Israel. He foretells of a Messiah who was completely “good.” I think sometimes this word gets lost on us. In our language, we use the word good to describe something that would be like a “B” grade on an assignment. Good is a word that we use juxtaposed to words like “great” or “amazing”, so “good” isn’t as good as it could be. So even “Good Friday” can lose a little bit of its power because of how we misuse this word.
Jesus explains how the word “good” ought to be understood. Mark 10:17-18 says, “As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up and knelt before Him. ‘Good Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call Me good?’Jesus replied. ‘No one is good except God alone.’”
So goodness, according to Jesus, is only something God possesses. “Good” refers to God’s character and his moral perfection. In other words, Jesus is saying that God is perfect and sinless.
The point of Isaiah’s prophecy is exactly this: The Messiah will be perfect and sinless, but he will willingly die for the sinners, for those who are rebellious and wicked. He’s going to take the shame and guilt of the world upon himself even though he himself will be innocent.
There will never ever be another human so GOOD who will ever do anything more GOOD than Jesus did on the cross for us! Jesus was GOOD because he is the only human in history who was also simultaneously GOD!
His goodness took on the sins of every human and traded them for his perfection. Without the cross, this isn’t possible. Without the cross the resurrection doesn’t give us eternal life. The cross is good and perfect! This is why the apostle Paul so eloquently writes in Galatians 6:14, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
God our Father, thank you for your goodness. Thank you for Jesus being willing to take our place, our sin, and our shame. You are so good to us who have done nothing to deserve such amazing grace. May we remember this with full hearts today, on this Good Friday! Amen.
Day 37: Thursday April 14, 2022
“MY SOUL IS OVERWHELMED!” This is Jesus plea to his disciples as he contemplates the brutality and gravity of the cross. He knew what was coming in the next several hours and in a moment of perfect humanity he tells his followers that it’s beyond what I can bare, I l’d like you to stay with me and help me get through this. Hebrews tells us the Jesus is a High Priest who knows all our human suffering. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed you can know that Jesus knows exactly what you’re going through. Jesus isn’t just close to the broken-hearted, he not only saved the crushed in spirit, but he’s a servant-king who gets down on our level and walks through the pain with us. We’ve never gone to prayer and spoken with a God who is distant or cold. When we pray we have a Lord who has suffered and has empathy for us as we suffer in a world broken by sin. Jesus is also showing us that in the midst of emotion suffering how much friendship and community matters. We were made for community. We were made to care for each other through life’s most horrible trials.
God we are thankful for a savior who can relate to our trials and suffering. We find strength in your love and in the love you provide through community! Thank you for Lifestone Church and the gift it is to all of us. Amen!
Day 36: Wednesday April 13, 2022
The iconic hymn of faith “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” was inspired from these verses. Knowing that God’s love and compassion never dries up is incredibly comforting to us! None of us are fully faithful in anything, so God’s love and mercy never stop is something we often question. Does God really love me? Will God keep providing for me? Will there be some point when He’ll just stop showing up? These are the doubts and lies that can get the best of any of us. I believe this is why there are so many places throughout the Word of God that remind us that God’s love never ever stops. God wants us to trust Him one day at a time. We overcome trials, doubts, and temptations one day at a time. When God led the Hebrew people through the wilderness, He supplied them with food one day at a time. He proved His faithfulness over and over again one day at a time. Today, you have the choice to allow your thoughts spiral into doubt and despair OR you can choose to remember the countless times God has proven his faithfulness before!
God, you have been so good to us in so many ways. Your love and grace have been faithfully displayed through my entire story. I don’t pretend that I can do life well without You. So today I want You to transform me. Fill me with faith to trust my future into your care. Today, I thank you that your love never ends and that Your compassions never fails. Amen!
Day 35: Tuesday April 12, 2022
There were amazing promises that God made to his followers throughout the Old Testament! God is the ultimate promise keeper. But what we see in the full narrative of the Bible is that all of God’s promises and blessings are culminated in the coming of Jesus! He is God’s biggest and best promise ever! Jesus is God’s promise to the entire world. Jesus is God saying “Yes!” to everyone everywhere who would call on the name of Lord and be saved! Furthermore anyone who says “Yes!” to Jesus receives all of his abundance and fullness. We can’t even begin to imagine what this means for us in eternity the life to come where there is no sickness, no dissatisfaction, no disappointment, no sin, and no death! Today we get remember all the fullness that we have been given as a free gift through Jesus alone. We get to walk in this treasure of grace and righteousness and we get to live and love from all that he has declared to be true! We are new and holy and we are sons and daughters of the King of the Universe!
Father thank you for showing us through your word, through prayer, and through our interactions with others how incredible you promises are and how every one of them is fulfilled in JESUS! It’s in Him alone that we have received fullness and freedom! We want to walk in this today, guide us and lead us!
In Jesus name, Amen! (Yes!)
Day 34: Monday April 11, 2022
When we open ourselves up to God’s presence (which is always with us and for us) we experience his comfort in trials and tough circumstances. When you experience this comfort from God, remember that it’s not just for you, but it’s for others too. Trials have a way of building our faith in ways that good times just won’t. God doesn’t take pleasure in our suffering, however he knows that suffering can be a place where we grow and he has promised to grow our faith. The big 50 cent word for this in the Bible is called sanctification, which means that God is committed to our growth in knowledge, faith, grace, and holiness. He wants the change inside of us - that has been done through the indwelling work of his Spirit and the righteousness credited to us from Christ - to form our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
So all in all, God comforts us and is tender with us so that we will do the same thing as we love others who are going through tough circumstances. We know through the sanctifying work of God that all things are happening for our good, and we can tell others in tangible ways how God has used our trials and suffering for good in our lives.
Father, we know that life is hard. Jesus you told us that in this world we would experience trouble, but to be encouraged because you have overcome the world! Show us how to trust you! Comfort us with your loving presence and show us who else we can comfort with the tenderness you’ve shown to us! In Jesus name, Amen!
Day 33: Sunday April 10, 2022
Jesus says he’s giving his followers a new command right before he goes to the cross, to love one another just as he has loved them. What makes this new? God had been clear in the Old Testament that people were to to live him with all their heart, mind, and strength and to love their neighbors as themselves. Jesus tells them now that loving is a new command, why? I believe he’s giving them a new way of fulfilling something God had always wanted from humanity. Jesus is foreshadowing that they are going to have a new ability, a new power in living this command out. The truth is the Spirit of Christ which would be given to them after his death, resurrection, and ascension was going to change everything. The Spirit of Christ within them and within us is the power to love others with Christ’s love rather than trying to manufacture this in our own strength! So how do we do this? We can only love others when we are in relationship and in community. One practical way we love others with the love of Christ starts by showing up and looking to the needs and interests of others. When we come to church, to serve, to life group with an attitude of humility and how we can minister to others we are living as a “there you are” person. We approach life in our church, our job, our family, our neighborhood with thoughts of how we can be a blessing to those we come in contact with. We are willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. We know what true love is because Jesus laid down his life as an atoning sacrifice. We have the love of Jesus is us, all we have to do is live from that love today!
Day 32: Saturday April 9, 2022
God loves it when we enjoy being generous with others the way He does. Generosity is truly a pathway to joy. We enjoy life more when we give more than we get. Let’s face it we all like getting things… it’s no wonder that Birthdays and Christmas tend to be most people’s favorites. We get stuff and it’s fun. But giving away things especially to the work of God or to those in need has a way of caring up our hearts like nothing else. When we talk about giving to Lifestone or to a ministry where God is at work we often will say, “You don’t need to give, but you get to give!” One of the most freeing things I experience in my relationship with God is faith giving. Faith giving means I’m going to give even if it seems like I can’t afford to do it. For me it’s typically 10% of what we earn. Some months when a car repair hits or a medical bill comes up it challenges my faith. Do I believe God really is my provider? Do I really believe that everything belongs to Him? Do I understand that my role in everything including my finances is to steward them for His glory? When I say yes and give, it’s a tangible way of saying, “God I trust you again! I know you are always here providing for our family’s needs and wants!” Our walk is by faith because of God’s Grace and being a risk taker by faith by becoming a regular monthly giver is one of the most cheerful and challenging acts of worship we can engage in! If you’ve never done it, try it! I’m quite sure you’ll experience the joy I have.
Day 31: Friday April 8, 2022
Day 30: Thursday April 7, 2022
The fruit of the Spirit is a product of Jesus the vine living in us and through us. Prayer is one of the main ways we allow Christ to produce this fruit through us. Prayer yields, submits, and surrenders. We need this because Galatians 5 is clear that there is an ungodly force that is diametrically opposed to the work of the Spirit of Christ in us. This force is the flesh and it is the source of all kinds of lust and desire which seeks to impact our behavior. There’s something about prayer and time with God in His Word that tempers the flesh and ignites the work of Spirit. These are the moments and days where we walk freely in the unforced rhythms of grace instead of walking back into the chains of slavery to sin and our selfish inclinations.
Day 29: Wednesday April 6, 2022
The only pride that’s worth having is pride in the cross of Jesus! The cross is central to our death to sin and the world and it prepares the way for resurrection life that flows out of the power of God in Jesus overcoming death. This means that the life we live is now focused on eternal things not focused on the earthly things that will eventually all burn up and pass away. The cross means we have died to fleeting dreams and desires and that we are now alive to God’s will to guide our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You know that this work of the cross is alive and well in your soul when your life aligns more and more with God’s mission and you begin to see resources and possessions as tools that are best used to help others find Jesus and believe in His amazing grace!
Day 28: Tuesday April 5, 2022
Freedom is the birth rite of anyone who is born again! This is the new way we are meant to walk with God. We were set free from sin, from death, and from obligation to the law. The new way is far better and far more relational. God’s intention is for us to experience freedom as we walk in step with the Spirit of Christ who is with us and inside of us. Often we mistake freedom for anarchy and chaos. People believe they are free when they can do whatever pleases them, but this idea of freedom is actually a deceptive type of bondage. Freedom is actually found when we are in something that gives us life. For example, a fish is not free out of water. That kind of freedom leads to death. A fish is most free in the water which gives it life. In a similar way we are completely free in Christ’s righteousness which gives us life. His way is always the best and the most right. We experience this as we walk in step with His Spirit one day, one prayer, one right decision at a time!
Day 27: Monday April 4, 2022
It’s amazing to think that our Christian life isn’t something that we are meant to do on our own. In fact our hearts have been unified with Christ’s and we are no longer steering the ship! Who knew that Carrie Underwood had it right all along, “Jesus take the wheel!”HaHa! In all seriousness Jesus wants us to die to that old self that keeps popping up and acting like it’s in charge and to keep walking in the new reality and identity that we get from Jesus when we are crucified with Him and subsequently raised with Him! Jesus is for us because Jesus has chosen to live in us and through us to do what he has for us in this world. The greatest purpose you’ll ever find in this life is by surrendering to this truth.
Lord Jesus, help us to realize that you are everything to us and for us today. Show us how to walk in you and express the love of the Father through us! In Jesus name, amen.
Day 26: Saturday April 2, 2022
This is how the apostle Paul prayed for others who were growing in their faith in churches that he started. He prayed primarily for them to how in their understanding and their experience with God. It’s one thing to understand something but it’s something to experience it! Both are important in their own ways. Our understanding frames our experience. For example, I understand that diving in a shark cage and touching a great white shark is something incredible, but to actually do it would be something I likely wouldn’t stop talking about the rest of my life! The love, power, and fullness God wants to produce in our lives is no different. We are meant to grow in our understanding and experience of these things. Who are some people you’re thinking of right now who you can pray for… and not just go to God on their behalf regarding circumstances that might need to change, instead what if you prayed for them the Paul prays for the Ephesians today?
Day 25: Friday, April 1, 2022
It’s April fools day and it’s so much fun to joke and prank and laugh! But something that’s no laughing matter is falling prey to the enemies tirade of lies that stand against the TRUTH! I love this phrase “all truth is God’s truth”, if something is true it belongs to God. All truth finds its origin in the one true God of the universe. God asks us to realize that their is a battle raging and to understand that we are in the midst of it whether we are aware of it or not. The battle is for our minds and our hearts. What we think and feel will lead us to act a particular way. Lies have a way of distracting us from our identity in Christ and the love of God. Lies have a way of influencing us to at poorly and often times even worse not acting at all. We have an enemy who’s central attack seeks to make us passive and subdued. When we people of faith sit back and do nothing in the face of deceit and evil, the enemy wins over and over again. God says put on the armor I’ve given you and fight the darkness headed on as a warrior of truth, light, and love. This all begins and is sustained by time in prayer. When we pray God floods our hearts with truth through the work of the Holy Spirit!
God give us the courage to fight on our knees knowing full well that the battle belongs to you! We exalt you, God of angel armies! We know you are always with us and leading us in truth and love!
Day 24: Thursday, March 31, 2022
God’s name is majestic! The Bible is clear that names were never meant to be something trivial. This is because a name connotes the identity of that person. We’ve met people in our lives who made such an incredible impression upon us that when ever we hear that name we remember them with joy. The opposite is also true! Sometimes a person’s terrible personality ruins a name for us. God has many names throughout the Bible that are descriptions of his character. God is called Jehovah Jireh which means the Lord is our provider. God reveals his name to Moses in the burning bush as YHWH… which means “I AM THAT I AM” and this is the name that fills the earth with majesty because God’s name is his identity! This name means that God has no beginning and no end. God is not created or made. God is the creator and maker. He is not dependent upon anything or anyone. God IS and always has been and forever will be. The only self-sustaining being… who made the universe by the power of his word!
O LORD, OUR LORD! How majestic is you name in all the Earth. It’s big enough to blow the minds of the greatest intellectuals and tender enough to be whispered by babies! You are far more incredible then words can express! We honor you our God and our King! Amen!
Day 23: Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Life is lived in seasons and they tend to come and go without our ability to control them. This is certainly true of the literal for season Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. However, this also true of the seasons of circumstances we find ourselves in. Perhaps today you are experiencing a season that is difficult? Seasons of trial are opportunities to draw near to Jesus and find our strength and peace in Him and from Him. Maybe your walking through a great season? Seasons of provisions are times to give thanks and rejoice and be careful not to forget that every gift, every provision, every joy comes from the Father who loves us.
God lead us to your presence in every season with the understanding that you are the source of everything we need in every season we walk through. We know for certain that you are walking with us no matter which season we find ourselves in today! In Jesus name, amen!
Day 22: Tuesday, March 29, 2022
This verse is probably the most taken out of context verse ever used from the Bible. But what it really means is so beautiful and powerful! The apostle Paul says this after he says that he has experienced highs and lows in his life, but through everything he’s learned that the secret is to be content. No matter the circumstances whether awesome or terrible Paul suggests that the power of Christ in us gives the ability to be content. Contentment is the secret to lasting joy because our joy is no longer tied to things that come and go or fade away.
Father, show us how to be content with what we have and to remember that you are the provider of everything we need!
Day 21: Monday, March 28, 2022
Grace through faith alone is how we all come to receive Jesus! God’s grace is his unearned favor and forgiveness. Faith is the confidence that Jesus is who He says He is and He has accomplished everything for us and nothing else is needed. Knowing these things are true is how we come to salvation but now Colossians 2 is telling us that walking with Jesus is the same recipe… Grace through faith alone! We live our Christian lives in Him in the same way we received His salvation from the very beginning! This is refreshingly simple and the way experience the unforced rhythms of grace as we live day by day!
Father please lead us to simply trust you day in and day out in the same way we trusted you when we first understood who Jesus was! Your Grace guides me every day and I put my confidence in you to strengthen and equip my for the things you want me to do! In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 20: Saturday, March 26, 2022
It’s easy to be afraid. As a kid living in Africa I encountered my fair share of deadly snakes. In fact, at the age of 8 I killed a viper with a machete. I wasn’t too afraid of them until night time. I used to go to bed and tuck my arms into my covers and have my covers tucked into the mattress. In my mind, the snakes could only bite me in the arm if I left them dangling off the side of the bed at night. So I did my best to stay snuggled up.
The truth is, there are a lot of people who are afraid right now in the middle of all that’s going on in the world. I want to encourage you today with this truth: If you know Jesus and have received the gift of His Spirit, then you are a new creation! Your new wiring comes with power and mind that chooses to believe that God’s got things under control! I know this can be challenging to do, but when our hearts are troubled, we need to really lean into the Truth. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth and his desire is to lead us into truth. We live in a world with a lot of messages coming at us. We live in a world with a lot of deception around us, and we need wisdom to discern how we should think, live, and act. That’s never been more true than right now! What’s amazing though, is that we have a Spirit inside of us who has given us everything we need to live fearlessly, for such a time as this.
Lord Jesus, in John 14 you said that you have given us, your followers, peace that we should not let our hearts be troubled but to walk in faith, trusting you! God we need your wisdom today in a world that feels chaotic! We lean into your discernment and strength. We know that in the storms of life you are the only one who can speak to the wind and the waves. You are Lord over everyone and everything and it’s in your mighty name we pray! Amen!
Day 19: Friday, March 25, 2022
Day 18: Thursday, March 24, 2022
Life has away of getting the best of us and even the best of us can feel crushed under the weight of unfavorable circumstances. Worst of all we often contribute to our demise through our struggle with sin. Suffering from the human struggle of a broken-heart and being crushed by the realities we face is unfortunately something we all face during certain seasons. But God speaks into our seasons of suffering with a heart that cares about every nuance. In fact, God’s desire for us is to call out to Him and turn to Him as our source of refuge, comfort, and life. Today perhaps you need to lean into to His comforting call for rest and fully believe that not only does God not despise you but instead welcomes you with open arms to come to Him and receive the healing in your soul that He alone can give. Jesus name means savior! He stands ready to save and deliver you today from whatever is crushing you under its weight.
Day 17: Wednesday, March 23, 2022
The prophet Elijah meets with God on top of a mountain during a tumultuous season in his life. Elijah had just seen God send down fire from heaven and consume the altar in front of all the people of Israel. God proved himself over the false worship of Baal during a supernatural display of power on Mountain Carmel! But God takes Elijah to this other mountain to be alone. He wants him to understand that he is not only the God of tremendous power and glory.... He’s also the God who comes in a gentle whisper to comfort those he loves! Maybe today you are longing for God to do something big and powerful in your life. It’s great to have big dreams and pray big audacious prayers, but perhaps today God wants to speak to in the gentle whisper of a counselor. He is near and promises to never leave. Lean in to the God who loves you and knows you better than anyone else!
Day 16: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
As a church we make it a huge priority to focus on “the one” who doesn’t know Jesus yet. Jesus had a passion for people who didn’t know Him yet that was insatiable. In John 4, Jesus explains to his disciples that God’s will is to see lost people be found. To be a part of God’s plan to reach people is nourishment for the soul. If you have ever had a great spiritual conversation with a friend or family member you know what Jesus is talking about. It’s one of those conversations where you know that the Spirit is present and God is at work in ways that can’t be seen but are no less real. You see the spark of faith begin to glow in that person’s eyes and there is a real hunger and desire for truth - wow! When those interactions happen, it fills our souls like nothing else. When we join God in this, we become participants in the Great Commission. The Great Commission is God’s plan to let the world know that Jesus saves! It’s a co-mission, “co” means with or together. GOD COULD DO IT ALONE, BUT HE CHOOSES NOT TO. HE WANTS TO DO WITH US!
Father in Heaven, the one who sees the hearts of all people, will you awaken our hearts to the harvest field, and open our eyes to the many opportunities you have prepared in advance for us? God, we want to join you! What could be more satisfying than being on mission with you, Jesus? Help us become ambassadors of reconciliation, telling our world that you have come to reconcile, forgive, heal, and restore! We pray this in Jesus’ blessed name! Amen.
Day 15: Monday, March 21, 2022
The beginning of Jesus’ famous prayer has incredible implications regarding how we think about and perceive the world we live in. So much of spiritual growth pertains to God reorienting our perspective to His reality! What if we live today with the clarity that we belong to a kingdom that is invisible. A kingdom that’s completely opposite of the kingdom’s of this world. The world is all about money, power, control, military might, but God’s kingdom is the kind of kingdom that belongs to children. Humility, love, meekness, and gentleness are the greatest assets. It’s a place where God is honored and worshiped because of is incredible perfection and worth. What if today we spent time contemplating this kingdom which will be our eternal reality!
Day 14: Sunday, March 20, 2022
One of the most majestic things in God’s creation is the eagle. There’s a bald eagle that sits in a tree by our house which overlooks Utah Lake. It typically shows up for a few weeks in February and March. When I see it I usually grab my kids and we go down by the tree and see how close we can get to it. Of course, it’s perception of danger is extremely high and so if we get within 200 yards it takes off and flies away along the edge of the lake in all of its glory. It’s an incredible picture of how God intends to renew our strength. Life’s hard, and sometimes we become weak and depleted. It’s in these times that God asks us to wait for him. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is patience, but that word is better translated as long-suffering. How is God asking you to wait on him right now? In a real sense we are all waiting right now. God uses these times to draw people back to himself. All reports I have seen lately suggest that Bibles are being sold right now like never before. In the midst of life’s trials, God is working behind the scenes. My prayer is that in the midst of this season of waiting that you will find hope in the truth that God will renew your strength. You are going to walk again, you’re going to run again, and God will even allow you to soar again!
Almighty God, There is no greater source of strength in the universe than you! Give me the strength to wait on you in the midst of the storm. Fill me with hope of your promise to renew my life. I trust in you alone! In Jesus Name, amen!
Day 13: Saturday, March 19, 2022
Saying, “ I love you!” and meaning it is one of the most profound things we can express! If we are authentic and genuine people that phrase is hard to utter unless we truly mean it. When we mean it, it comes the depth of our soul. As hard as it is to say to another human it’s easily as difficult to say this to God. But when we express this to him and mean it, it changes us! “I love you, Lord” might be the 4 greatest words of worship we could ever express! We were made new in Christ Jesus to be worshipers of the “ONE TRUE GOD.” God wants this and loves this. Loving Him and loving others fulfills what He has always wanted for us and from us, since the beginning.
May this song be the prayer of our heart: I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship you O my soul rejoice. Take joy my king in what you hear. May it be a sweet sound to your ear.
Day 12: Friday, March 18, 2022
Day 11: Thursday, March 17, 2022
The people of God in the Old Testament cycled through seasons of faithfulness - sin - judgement - repentance - back to faithfulness. God allowed trials and suffering in their story because of his love for them. God’s great desire is to bring the wayward ones home. It’s the same in the New Testament! The prodigal son reaps the consequences of his foolish living and after he’s had a taste of life eating the pods that pigs eat, he wakes up to the reality that life with the Father is infinitely better. The story of God is clear that God blesses and judges the nations of the world. God is good and everyone everywhere, whether they are righteous or not, gets to partake of God’s good gifts. But there are times in the story when God allows trial and suffering. God’s great desire is to see people turn to him as their Maker and God. He wants the nations to turn from wickedness and pursue justice and mercy. Whenever people collectively turn back to God and seek his face and with authentic humility in their hearts… God forgives, restores, and heals! God’s purpose is for everyone to know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. For those of us who know Jesus, this is a time of remembering all that Jesus has done for us, but it’s also a time to pray for the doors of the gospel to be opened up in ways we’ve never seen before. We also get the chance to point others to Jesus by being an example of humbling ourselves before our God. Perhaps we have been living life for our own interests? Maybe we have found ourselves more aligned with the world than with our Lord Jesus Christ? Humbly seeking the face of Jesus begins with us.
Dear God, Creator of the universe, we come to you knowing that you are Lord over everything. We know that the world we live in is in upheaval right now. So we want to follow the leading of your Holy Spirit and humble ourselves before you. We cannot deny the wickedness and sin in our land. We know that you want all people to repent and come to know Jesus as Lord. God, you want the nations of the world to turn and worship you. So we ask you to show us how to be humble, show us how to follow you as we seek your face, God! And we ask you to bring healing to our land and around the world! Please show us where you are at work in our homes and neighborhoods. Lead us to those who are being drawn by your Spirit and help us share the good news of your grace and love to them as you lead them in turning to you for salvation! In Jesus Name, Amen!
Day 10: Wednesday, March 16, 2022
In times of uncertainty we look for things that ground us and give us hope. We want the world to stop spinning around us, so we look for something that can hold us firm and steadfast. This passage tells us that the secret hope that anchors our soul is that God himself has made a promise to give us salvation and forgiveness in Jesus. In other words, God didn’t make the promise with us because we aren’t dependable. In fear we waver and lose our bearings. The circumstances of life challenge us and test us, and in those times it’s easy for us to drift around like a boat on the ocean. God knows this about us. He knows we cannot depend on ourselves, our works, or our best intentions because on our worst days… well, we’re the worst! But that doesn’t matter because God has anchored our souls in the unshifting, unshakeable, unwavering faithfulness of Jesus! So even on our worst days, our souls can rest in Him. In the words of the great hymn, we can “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and “look full in his wonderful face - and the things of earth (the cares, worries, and doubts) will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace!”
God, I come to you and place my soul in the bedrock of your faithfulness. Thank you that my identity and my place in your presence isn’t dependent upon my strength because I am weak. My hope is in you and in your salvation, Lord Jesus. You’re the one I can trust because you are unwavering in your love for me. You are my peace and my comfort and it’s in your name I pray. Amen!
Day 9: Tuesday, March 15, 2022
The great commodity we all have right now is time. When life is normal we typically crave down time and rest, and right now we have a lot of that. So maybe we can give Jesus the time to show us how to really rest. The temptation we often face is to run away from our problems, worries, and trials to escape. We find ourselves more prone to binge watching our favorite show for hours on end, but this never leaves us feeling whole or relaxed. The only time we experience true rest is when we give Jesus the time and space to bring wholeness to our souls. Jesus is always inviting us into this. He wants this for us more than we want it for ourselves. He wants us to learn to experience life in Him which teaches us how to live freely and lightly.
God, in the midst of the storm I run to you as the only one who can give me true rest. It’s so easy for me to try to find rest in things that never satisfy me. I realize that I need to give you time and space so that you can show me how to live light and free. I am so thankful that you never stop extending the invitation and that you promise to always lead me into rest.
Day 8: Monday, March 14, 2022
Day 7: Sunday, March, 13, 2022
Do you ever ask God to show you how He sees the world? Jesus quotes the above verses in a conversation with a religious leader named Nicodemus in an effort to open his eyes to the reality that God loves the world. God loves Jews, Gentiles, everyone. There are no limits to how much God loves and no lengths He won’t go to give everyone the opportunity to put their faith in Him! His love is so big that He’s willing to trade places with us. This is the Good News that God wants everyone to know: Jesus came to earth so that He could live a perfect life making Him the one and only worthy to die on a cross to take away the sins of the entire world. He wants everyone to know it, and He wants everyone to believe it. He came to bring salvation to all! When our hearts are gripped by this amazing grace, we can’t help but want the world to know!
Lord Jesus, I am so thankful for your truth that you trade my sin for your perfection. I thank you that the only thing that’s required for salvation is believing in you! God, would you show me who in my life needs to hear this good news. Help me see the ways you are at work in the lives of people around me just like you were at work in the heart of Nicodemus. I want to see people the way you see them. I want to have a heart full of love for others the way you do!
Day 6: Saturday, March 12, 2022
Praying seems so simple, so why is it so hard to do? Do you ever get the sense that you don’t know what to say or how to say it? Many people are intimidated by prayer, especially having to pray out loud with a group of people. If you’ve ever felt this way, I assure you: you’re not alone. Romans 8 tells us that we don’t have to be awesome at praying. What a relief! There are no awards handed out for people who are eloquent and say all the right things. The truth is Jesus told us that the people who thought they were awesome at prayer, like the religious leaders, were actually full of themselves. God is not a fan of that!! The best prayers come from a place of humility and weakness. The prayers that God loves to hear are the ones that are authentic and even gritty. We can rest in the truth that God's Spirit knows us better than we know ourselves, and He’s there helping us pray even if all that comes out is an unintelligible groan. How comforting is that?! This means we can just be ourselves, and this is what God loves!
Maybe your prayer today could look like something as simple and real as this:
Hey God, It’s me! I don’t always feel confident talking to you, but I believe you are here and I believe your Spirit is here to help me in this. I just really want to start my time with you by saying, thanks for being so loving and accepting! I’m so glad I don’t have to fake things with you! You already know what’s going on in my life. It’s just so great to be able to talk to someone who cares so much about me and is willing to listen!
Day 5: Friday, March 11, 2022
The word “happy” comes from the word “happenings”. So, essentially, being happy can only happen when our circumstances make us happy. The problem with this is that we can’t control what happens to us. Sometimes life is smooth and going well, but many times life is difficult and even painful, which makes being happy impossible. But God has something greater in store for us. God wants us to rejoice! This means to choose joy regardless of our circumstances. This passage even says that this is God’s will for our lives in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul, who penned this verse, gives us 3 instructions here. 1. Choose to express joy. 2. Keep an ongoing conversation with God. 3. Find ways to thank Him all the time no matter what’s happening. Today let’s spend time authentically thanking God for everything we can think of and notice how he is faithful to fill our hearts with joy! As Psalm 16: 11 says, “...in your presence there is fullness of joy!”
My Father in Heaven, King of the Universe, I thank you for the countless things in our lives that are good gifts from you. Even in the midst of the storm, I rejoice that you are my Father and that you are in control! My desire, God, is to stay open to you as I walk through this day. In Jesus name, Amen!
Day 4: Thursday, March 10, 2022
There is no greater comfort than knowing we have a place to belong. Deep in our core we want to be fully known. The heartbeat of this passage is that God wants us to understand that we belong to Him! We were created by Him and for Him! He is the ONE who has gone to the great lengths of dying to redeem us, the ones He loves. We have been redeemed by a God who is personal - He knows us and calls us by name. With this in mind, we can pray believing that God knows everything and cares about what is going on in our lives. We can pray with the assurance that we are completely known and totally loved!
Day 3: Wednesday, March 9, 2022
When you have walked through life’s trials with God, you know that He is your shield, your protector, your refuge. God doesn’t save us from every circumstance, but He is our strength and hope in the midst of them. He is a friend and a deliverer. When we call out to Him, He’s quick to listen and ready to respond to us - if we will give Him time. God loves it when we make time for Him. He loves it when we respond to His goodness and grace by running to Him. He knows our weakness and struggles; He encourages our hearts and calms our minds. He lifts our head up so we can look at Him and remember that all of our life is found in Him - both in this life and the next.
Day 2: Tuesday, March 8, 2022
God loves it when we trust him. We are so tempted to try and control things in our life, but the truth is, we aren’t in control of very much. One thing we can control is who we put our faith in! In times of uncertainty we have an opportunity to run to the God who created everything and sustains it by the word of His power. We can trust Him because He is faithful and He loves us. Today let’s spend time talking with God, leaning into our relationship with Jesus and not leaning on our own understanding. Let’s pray with a heart full of trust! If you haven’t already set up your walks, follow the link below.
Day 1: Monday, March 7, 2022