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Teach Me To Pray

5/5/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.”
Luke 11:1-2 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is much to learn about praying. It seems so easy, “we just talk to God.” But if it was that simple, then why don’t we do it? Instead, we act as if we are calling in a restaurant’s take-out order. Nothing personal, just putting in our request. Or we leave messages on the heavenly answering machine because we don’t expect God to “pick up.” Where is the relationship? Can you imagine what that was like for the disciples to watch Jesus interact with His Heavenly Father? It was enough that one of His disciples asked Jesus to show him how to pray and interact with God. And what was the first thing Jesus said? It was “Our Father.” Prayer for Jesus was about His relationship with His loving Father. God wants the same relationship with you! He created you for fellowship. Prayer is more than just a shopping list, more than a simple confession, more than a one-way conversation. It is a dialog, a relationship. It is you getting to know God and fellowshipping “with” Him, not talking “at” Him. So today, coverse with God, share your thoughts with Him, and ask Him to share His thoughts with you. Ask God to make you conscious of His presence. Then He will do with you what He did with the disciples. He will teach you to pray!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You now and ask You to teach me to pray. I want a real relationship with You. I want to know Your thoughts, desires, and direction for my life. Help me relate to You throughout the day so prayer becomes second nature. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

The Father Loves You!!!

4/1/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!
I John 3:1

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I don’t know how John could have contained himself when he wrote this verse. It has to be one of the most celebratory verses in the entire Bible. John understood the significance of being a child of God and implored us to understand it, too. With the excitement of a child on Christmas morning, John exclaims, “See how very much our father loves us!” Can you see it? There are four points to notice. First, “how very much.” God’s love for us is unfathomable. John wants us to see and examine the concept that God loves us very much and to believe it. Second is the phrase “our.” John is getting personal. He isn’t talking about a God beyond our grasp, an impersonal Deity. Instead, John says this is “our” Father, leading to the third point. God is our “Father.” Not a dysfunctional or absentee parent. He is our loving, faithful, and trustworthy Father. Finally, John shares that this Father, who calls us His children, also “loves us” very much. Knowing this should change everything. When you know someone loves you, you trust them. You want to be with them. You want to share in their life. Today, I pray that you will grasp with the Apostle John how wonderful it is to know that the Father loves you. Rest assured, you have been called “Child of God,” and this is what you are!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, thank You for loving me and making me Your child. What a privilege to know You! What a joy to be Yours! May Your love fill my heart and guide my thoughts today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

A Full Understanding of His Love

3/10/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
II Thessalonians 3:5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It will take a lifetime to mature fully in Christ. Although our salvation is immediate, maturing in Christ is a process. But we don’t see it that way. We want instant spirituality, and here is the real twist, we want it without the spiritual discipline of prayer, meditation, and scripture reading. Nor do we want to be busy with ministry. Instead, we have our lives to lead, with all their essential tasks and duties. Is it a wonder that we don’t know what Jesus is talking about when He says that He has come to give us abundant life? This is why Paul prays that the Lord would lead our hearts into a full understanding and experience of love. A love that will change everything! It is personal and real. When He leads our hearts into fully understanding His love, we have no choice but to mature! And this kind of maturity results in a life of patient endurance. Today ask God to lead your heart into a deep understanding of His love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, please lead my heart into fully understanding Your love. Help me today to be purposeful in knowing and living for You in all I do. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Grace, Mercy, & Peace!!!

2/2/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
II Timothy 1:2 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Could Paul possibly fit any more into one sentence? I don’t think there is a time I read this salutation that I don’t sense a deep stirring in my soul. It stops me dead in my tracks. I don’t need to go any further. It is all here. What else could we possibly need in life? Grace. God’s love, attention, and salvation is given to you freely, just because He wants to. Mercy. God’s forgiveness of your sins and provision for your life when there is no way in this world you deserve it. Peace. Deep in your heart, peace with God and from God, passing all your understanding. What a privilege, what a blessing, what an incredible gift from God. Will you receive it today? Will you agree with Paul? Will you request what God is freely giving, what Christ has graciously provided? May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come now to receive what You so freely offer. I ask to be filled with Your grace, mercy, and peace. Make me so conscious of these gifts that my heart overflows with praise and thanksgiving, and my life reflects the joy of this reality. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

Godly Wisdom

1/3/2023

TODAY’S VERSE
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
James 3:13-14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
How often do we pray to God for wisdom? James tells us if we lack wisdom that we are to ask God for it. But what is wisdom? When we think of wisdom, it is natural to think of discernment or the ability to solve difficult dilemmas. Wisdom is the ability to make good judgment calls and predictions. But in today’s passage, James puts another spin on the meaning of Godly wisdom. He says that the proof of Godly wisdom is being honorable and humbly doing good works. He mentions this early in his letter, writing, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” God has another kind of wisdom. It is to love others the way He does. It is to be wise in making a difference, in doing good works. Today let’s be wise in the way we do good works.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me have true spiritual wisdom that lives out truth by doing good to others. Help me be a living witness of Your loving wisdom.
AMEN

Sustain Me

12/1/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you.
Psalms 55:22 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We all have cares. We have burdens in our life that hinder and discourage us. There are circumstances that try to invalidate us. We end up feeling weak and rejected. When that happens, what do you do? Where do you go? David invites you to go to the Lord. He says to cast your cares on God, and He will sustain you. He will hold you up. He will bear your burdens. Today, cry out to God for His comfort. He will love and nurture you. God cares for you.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for Your love for me. Today, I bring all my cares to You and thank You for Your promise that You will sustain me.
AMEN

A Way Out

11/7/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
I Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible can be stern in its warning about misbehavior that offends God. Rightfully so, God is Holy, and we should honor Him with our life. In this passage, Paul warns us not to be idolaters, behave drunkenly, indulge in sexual immorality, put Christ to the test, or grumble. He concludes that “anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” But God, in His Grace, does not leave us in our sinful state of mind. He has an answer for our spiritual wandering. He says that we will have temptations just like everyone else. The difference is that God is faithful in His love for us and will not allow us to be tempted in a way that we cannot overcome it. Paul promises that when we are tempted, God will show us a way out. Today take heart. God loves you and will help you with the temptations that you have. Give your life to Him and let Him help you live in a way that honors Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank You for Your help with my temptations. Thank You for providing a way of escape time and time again. Great is Your faithfulness.
AMEN

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

9/30/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. – Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:12, 14 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What are you wearing? I like Paul’s analogy that our Christian lifestyle is like the clothes we wear. Clothes are what people see, and so are our actions. Paul is saying that because God dearly loves us and chooses us to be His holy people, we should behave in certain ways. Not out of necessity but out of gratitude. Not phony like a mask or pretentious like a Tuxedo, but our actions should reflect our everyday attire. It should be natural for us to wear tenderhearted mercy and kindness. People should see humility, gentleness, and patience when they see us. Most of all, love should be evident to everyone that meets us. The good news is that Paul included all but mercy in his list of the fruit of the spirit. The Holy Spirit, Himself, helps us live this way. So today, make sure when you pick out your outfit to wear, you include tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me to make mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love a priority in my life. Help me wear them like I do my clothing. For Your glory and in Your power, I pray.
AMEN

You Were Chosen

9/8/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes you just have to read it for yourself. This is not something your Pastor made up. It is not some “nice” idea. God inspired Paul to include today’s verse in Holy Scriptures. Paul wrote that before God created the world, He loved you and chose you to be in Christ, holy and without fault. Paul elaborated on this theme by writing, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Let the thought that creating you brought God great pleasure sink deep into your heart. Today, rejoice at this incredible fact, if you know Christ as your Savior, you are His adopted child.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I am humbled that creating and adopting me into your family brought you great pleasure. I am full of thanksgiving for You loving me and choosing me to be holy and without fault in Your eyes. Thank You, in Jesus’ name.

Patient Endurance

8/1/2022

TODAY’S VERSE
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.
Hebrews 10:36 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We love the victories. It is exciting when things that we planned on work out. But so often, we forget what got us there. It was patient endurance. Behind every great success is the process of getting us to that place. Trial and error, falling and getting back up again, stop and start, two steps forward and one backward. This is the way of life. It is the growth process. It is maturation. If we are going to live the life God has called us to and complete all He has ordained us to do, then we will need to practice patient endurance. Today, ask God for the courage, strength, and power you need to continue your journey. Hear His words again, “Patient endurance is what you need now so that you will continue to do God’s will.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, help me today to live with patient endurance so I can continue to do Your will.
AMEN