That They May See

     I pray for you as we enter a fresh new year. May this be a year of new light, of new beginnings, of astounding hope and possibilities such as you have never seen or experienced. Believe in God. Believe in the way He sees you as His beloved child. And as His child you can shine His love light wherever you go.

     If you haven’t taken down your Christmas cards pray for each family. Reach out to others. If you are going through a time of difficulty turn the focus on to someone else. Bake some cookies. Give a word of encouragement. Pay a compliment. Try to please God rather than yourself. The more you give away the more you will receive in great blessings.

     I pray for you dear ones, as the Son prays for you. Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed He would be glorified. He prayed for His disciples and He prayed for you and for me.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. John 17:20-21

     That the world may believe in Jesus. Let that be your goal for the New Year, that because of us the world may see and believe.

“The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God.” Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

Jesus,

Shine Your divine light on us and through us in the new year. May others ask about You because of us. We can make an eternal difference for You.

Amen

Happy New Year! See you Monday! 

Walk By The Light

     The longer we walk with Jesus, the more we recognize His faithfulness, His love and His grace. He forgives and forgets. He allows us to grow more and more into His image as we follow Him. We no longer belong to the darkness. We walk in the eternal light of life.

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5

     As we continue our journey in Christ, the follies of the night no longer satisfy. The old lusts and passions fall by the wayside and we move into more and more light. What a gift! Removing our hearts from the night brings great freedom and joy. Allow Him to lead you into more and more sunlight.

Your word is a lamp for my feet; a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

Lord,

Show us the way. Light up the path. Lend us Your hand ans lead us out of darkness into a life of light. Your Word will light the path and show us how. You know the way.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Light of Life

     Jesus is the light of the world. Light came to live among us and the darkness has not overcome it. Just as the sun sustains life and without it there is death and darkness, so it is with the Son.  Jesus removes us from darkness and shines on us and through us to give real life.

In Him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5

     Allow Jesus to sustain and nourish you with the light of life. Without Him there is darkness. And with Him you will never walk in darkness. Look up and feel the warmth of His love. Bask in it. Delight in it. It is yours forever.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Jesus,

As we follow You, You remove the darkness from us. Let Your light shine in our hearts as we get ready to welcome in a new year. You promise us the light of life.

Amen

Merry Christmas!!

     Merry Christmas! Sing the hymns. Praise His name. Light the candles. Open the gifts. Remember the precious Son of the living God born in Bethlehem in a manger. God with us, Emmanuel. Listen to the words of Mary as the angel, Gabriel, gives her the news of the birth to come.

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Luke 1:46-47

     Let your soul and spirit magnify and glorify the Lord Jesus this Christmas.

Father God,

We worship and praise You this season. May the miraculous birth of Your Son remain in us every day of our lives. Thank You for the greatest gift ever given.

Amen

See you on Monday!

A New Life

     Jesus came to save us. All He asks of us is to believe. Believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, ask Him to forgive and you will be His forever. Death is vanquished and true life begins. Life in Him. What an exchange; death to life; total forgiveness past, present and future and eternal joy ahead!

     Don;’t miss your chance this season to accept the gift He graciously offered on the cross. His precious sinless blood was shed for you and He offers His complete righteousness and a resurrection like His. Imagine that! Our Father God will immediately write your name in the Book of Life, never to be blotted out.  Signed, sealed and delivered. Don’t miss the choice you have today!

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before My Father and His angels. Revelation 3:5

 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever should believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Dear Lord,

Why do many stray from Your good news and promises? We pray many hearts will be open to You this season and the new life Jesus offers in this life and in the life to come.

In Jesus name,

Amen

A New Thing

     Today is the shortest day of the year; the winter solstice. The sun comes up late and goes down early. We could choose to focus on the darkness, or we could watch for the first rays of the dawn. The shortest and darkest day of the year is the end of one season and the beginning of another. The days will lengthen in their light day by day.

     With God, each ending brings a new beginning. Each omega brings the promise of an alpha. Darkness comes just before the dawn. Satan wants us to focus on the darkness. He confuses darkness with light and many times we are fooled. We talk ourselves into staying in a dark place. It feels comfortable. We make the best of it.

     God offers full light, beacons of hope before the fullness of the sun. His hope is always there. Brightness is ahead. Full summer days to bask in His light. Let the hope of fresh beginnings fill you this morning. Take a deep breath and watch for the dawn. Count your blessings and pray for fresh light.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

Father,

We wait in hope for the new beginnings you have in store for us. Shine your beacon of hope through the darkness of the days. You are making a new path for us. You are the God of new beginnings.

In Jesus name,\

Amen

A Safe Place

     This week we have withdrawn to solitary places to seek God. We have stilled our minds and hearts to know God. We have slept in peace as we trust God. We have found a solemn place to worship God. Silence, stillness, sleepful peace and solemnity bring us to a safe place: it is Jesus.

     His protection is yours for the asking. His promises are for you and He is faithful. His resurrection is sure and so is yours, if you believe. The resurrected Jesus is coming soon. Look up and get ready and rest assured. You will be escorted safely home. Seek Him, find Him and rest in Him today, tomorrow and forever.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2

Do not withhold your mercy from me Lord, may your love and faithfulness always protect me. Psalm 40:11

Father,

Your promises are faithful and true. We rest in them. Protect us. Give us peace. Give us sanity and serenity and safety throughout this season.

In jesus name,

Amen

A Solemn Place

     See the bright and shining star? It hovers over the greatest miracle on earth; the birth of a Savior, the baby Jesus, the One who came to save us. Sit in solemn wonder and fill your heart with the awe of it. It is the greatest story ever told and the greatest gift given to mankind. He came for you.

     This innocent child would grow into the sinless man, fully man and fully God. He took our place. This Christmas be reminded of the miracle that is Jesus at His first coming, His most humble beginnings, born in a manger in the presence of common shepherds.  In His second coming, we will see Him in full majesty as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. At first He came as a Lamb. He will come back as a Lion. Bow in reverence and solemn wonder.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

Jesus,

Don’t let us get comfortable with the Christmas story and take it for granted. Give us the true hope and joy of the miraculous moment when You came into this world. The Son of God, the light of the world, the Messiah, the Lord stepped from eternity into space and time. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill toward men. (luke 2)

Amen

A Sleepy Place

     I don’t know about you, but I could stand a good night’s sleep. Can Scripture help? Tonight give your troubles to the One who never sleeps. He will watch over you.

Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:4

     Let His peace wash over your mind as you drift off to sleep. Trust Him with everything. Shut out the busyness of the season, give Him your burdens and Your worries and rest your mind and your weary soul. Ask Him to protect you and hold you safely for this night.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

When you lie down you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24

Jesus,

Sometimes sleep becomes difficult. We toss and turn. Our mind and our heart keep us awake hour after hour. Let these Words from You filled with promise allow us that deep peace that comes from You alone. Give us sweet rest as we count on Your protection.

Amen

A Still Place

     For some of us complete silence and quiet is nerve wracking and awkward. The TV or the radio blares with background noice. We text. We call. We compute. Even fifteen minutes in complete silence seems impossible. God can speak in those quiet moments. A deep thought may be allowed to escape from within to give you new insight.

He says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

     And in the quiet time, the waiting time, the watching time, God works for us. Let Him be in control. Let Him fight the difficult battles. He will help you overcome them all with peace in your soul. Just listen.

The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still. Exodus 14:14

Father,

Let us be still and behold Your presence. Let us be quiet and watch You work. Take care of our needs today as we witness Your miraculous ways. We will be still and know You.

Amen

A Solitary Place

     My husband and I are both introverts by nature. I love being home alone, studying, reading and preparing to teach. I regain energy when I am alone and so does he. We both love our friends and family, but even at a party we are often the first to leave. When we have a weekend together you will often find us on separate floors. We both appreciate the reality of the man cave.

     Today, even for you extroverts, try to embrace your inner introvert. God wants to spend intimate, alone time with you each day. To become a person of faith and to fulfill the plans God has for you, you need to know Him and His Word and what He says about our short lives on earth.

     Jesus often went away by Himself to pray.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where He prayed. Mark 1:35

At daybreak, Jesus went off to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. Luke 4:42

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5;16

     If the Son of God Himself needed time to withdraw and pray, how much more is it necessary for us?

Lord,

We long to withdraw and spend time with You. We want to make You first and not last in our lives. Help us to prioritize You above all else.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Preparation For Us

     As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, as we prepare our hearts to serve Him throughout our lives as believers, did You know Jesus is busy preparing something special just for us? He anticipates and delights as He prepares a home for each of us in heaven. If we could really and truly understand our eternity, none of us would be able to wait another minute! Listen to what Jesus says to you and me:

“Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many mansions…if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:1-2

     Day by day, hour by hour we are getting closer to our heavenly mansion. There will be great joy and love, no more tears, so much to explore and people to meet. You will still be you and I will still be me. We can sit together hour after hour.  You are welcome at my mansion anytime.

Jesus,

Thank You for reminding us of our glorious future. As You prepare a place for us, we wait patiently for You. We thank You for coming to this earth to save us. We anticipate this season with Your joy and look forward to Your coming again.

Amen

Prepare to Pray

     Prepare yourself for a Christmas season and a new year filled with prayer. As you wrap your gifts pray for each recipient. As you put together the holiday meal, pray for your guests. As you gaze at the Christmas lights pray for your neighbors. As you sit in the pews to worship, pray for those sitting around you.

     Take each opportunity to lift others up in prayer. The bonus and the result will be reaped in benefits for you. Jesus honors our thoughts and prayers. He sees the heart.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

     When no one is looking, the Lord sees your heart. Let it resound and beat for Jesus. Pray, praise and love. He sees your kindness. He sees your service. He hears every word you utter. Let your thoughts and prayers honor Him.

Jesus,

We don’t always feel like praying. Let it become such a habit that no matter where we are or what we are doing, you are a part of it. We pray for our nation. We pray for our communities. We pray for our families. We pray for each other. Change lives. Open hearts. We love You.

Amen 

Prepare for a Miracle

     Be prepared to witness a miracle. They are all around you. Try to view the world with spiritual eyes.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

     The miracle may not be in physical healing. It may be in the perfect timing of the right word at the right time.  The hurt may be lessened when a friend sits and listens and cries along with you. It could be in the laughter of a toddler, in the Christmas lights, in the loving arms of the Savior.

     Focus on the eternal. Focus on the love of the season. Stretch yourself to see beyond the hurt to where healing begins. Let Jesus fill in the emptiness and the loneliness. He can be everything you need in a miraculous way. Look for the wonder and the splendor of the season.

Father,

The earth will one day be redeemed into the creation You intended it to become. In the meantime, we focus our eyes on the things of the Spirit. There are miracles all around us. Point them out to us and guide us to be the miracle for someone else this season.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Be Prepared

      As we anticipate celebrating the birth of Christ, we also wait patiently and expectantly for His second coming. Many signs are converging into what Jesus calls the “birth pains” of the last days. It could be tomorrow. It could be a decade from now or several decades. Just like giving birth we recognize the signs will increase in both frequency and intensity.

“Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:13

     Jesus used parables in his messages to the people of His day and to all of us. Most of them include messages on being ready and prepared, to store up our treasures for heaven rather than with earthly possessions and to use our gifts and talents and money for His kingdom.

     As you prepare for the busyness of this season, take a few minutes to reflect on your life. How can we represent Jesus in the coming year? How can we use our passions and talents to serve Him in the world around us? Is there someone to pray for in your life? Make a prayer list and pray faithfully and watch Jesus work. And be ready! Our heavenly calling is just around the corner.

Father,

We praise You for bringing Your Son to earth. He humbled Himself to be one of us and died for each one of us. You love us so much. May we love You back by serving You with humility and honor.

In Jesus name,

Preparations

     Somehow the things of Christmas have taken over THE one thing of Christmas: Jesus. The preparations for the season can overwhelm our schedules, over-tax our budgets, over-indulge our stomachs which all overtake our focus on Christ.

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. Hebrews 3:1

     Prepare for your celebration by fixing your thoughts on Jesus. Don’t let the less important take you from the celebration of the birth of the Savior. Joy to the world! The Lord has come. Let earth receive her king!

Jesus,

Keep our thoughts on the reason for the season. Forgive our over-emphasis on things that do not honor You. We celebrate Your birth this season. The One who saves. It is all about You.

Amen.

With God We Believe

     Those living a comfortable or even prosperous life may be those living the farthest away from God. Those willingly running from God with anger, with an obstinate heart, those following a path of self-destruction or those protesting loudly, “There is no God!” may be the closest to finding Him.

                                                                                                     

     Let me explain. Think of all of the people sitting in church pews week after week. Many of those same people have not met Jesus. They listen half-heartedly, glance at their watches, waiting somewhat impatiently, for the service to be over. What’s for lunch? What time is the game? Some believe they have fulfilled their obligation to God for the week, giving Him little or no further thought.

     The desperate heart, the angry young man, the addict, the prostitute, the atheist, are often the very ones, when they hear the Word, the true Gospel of salvation, to fall to their knees and ask for help. It takes Godly sorrow, a repentant heart, a humbling of soul, to seek the Savior.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

     God uses the struggle, the pain and the transitions in our lives to reach out and find us. Know someone in great pain? Know someone leading a desperate life? Know someone heading down a path of self-destruction? Wait, pray and watch. You may witness the miracle of a transformed heart.

Jesus,

We don’t understand the sorrow and pain in our lives and in the lives of others. We trust You with the answers and we pray for a miracle for those we love. We pray the test will become a testimony, the mess a message. With You, we believe it can happen.

Amen

With God We Praise

     Are you struggling today? Some days it seems easier to give up, to stay in bed, to embrace defeat in our lives. There is pain, suffering, sickness, worry and stress. Let’s begin this morning by praising our God together. Recognize He is bigger than our defeat, more powerful than our weakness, more loving than any other human being. Soak in His love and praise Him for every little blessing.

For everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 4:4

     This next verse can change your heart and mind. Sometimes our praise is a sacrifice to us. We certainly don’t feel like praising God when everything is falling apart. But God finds great joy in our praise, especially when it is difficult. Praise him for His goodness, for His love and for His light even when He seems far away. It will turn your attention to Him rather than on your troubles.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. Hebrews 13:15

Jesus,

In our darkest hours, we praise You. In our defeat, we praise You. In our despair we praise You. Open our hearts to the sacrifice of praise and we will be lifted up.

Amen

With God We Will

     A fresh start. A new beginning. A transformed heart. A blessed hope.

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

     Born again! All things have now changed. Can we exchange our thoughts to match what God believes about us? We no longer belong to the world. We belong to Christ.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

     It may seem impossible to figure out God’s will. Does it help to know that His will is always best? His will for our lives is not only good. It is pleasing and perfect!  The Words above explain how we get there. We renew our minds with God’s Word. And then we ask the question. Is this in God’s will? Would God be pleased with this direction in my life? Does He want more, expect more, yearn for me to find more in life?

     He can change our direction, re-focus our mind, and start us on a fresh path. He is waiting for you and me to renew our minds and follow His will. And it is good! It is pleasing! It is perfect!

Jesus,

Help us to discover the plans You have for us. We get scared. We lose our way. We fall apart and there You are. Even when others give up, You never do. You are the God of second chances and new beginnings. And here we are again.

Amen

With God We Can!

     The transforming power of the Holy Spirit is not of this earth. We struggle and strain, give up and try again. We want to prove ourselves to others. We are strong. We are invincible. And then life happens. We fall and try to do it on our own again. Beginning again in God’s strength takes a humble heart.

     What would it feel like to give everything to Him? What would change if we took the focus off of ourselves and shifted our gaze to Jesus? With Him, all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God. Mark 10:27

     God can conquer our fear and our hopelessness. With Him we are strong. With Jesus as our guide, the impossible finds hope.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

     Without God we can do nothing. But with the hope and the love of Christ we can do all things. With God, all things are possible. With God we are more than conquerors. With God, we can!

Jesus,

We humble ourselves before You today. We give You our lives. Forgive us for the times we have fallen and not turned to You. You can transform us from the inside out. Begin Your new work today.

Amen