Up From the Grave

John 11:38-44

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

God Over the Graveyard,
I’m overwhelmed by the length You go to show Your children how much You love them! You couldn’t stand to see me decaying in a cold, dark cave so You come to me, at just the right time, when the world was watching.

Compassionately, You ordered the tomb stone taken away. Unconcerned with the putrid smell of death, You cared only about me. It bothered You deeply that I was lay in a heap of ruins because of my sin sick soul. Stepping into the stinking shadow of our tomb, You loudly called me to come out. Hearing Your thunderous voice, I arose and came to You, tightly bound by bandages.

Risen from the dead by One voice, I trusted You to graciously breathe new life into me, revive my depraved spirit, and make me right in Your sight. Those watching witnessed a miracle as the ripped rags around me immediately unwrapped. Free from the bondage of my past, I’m compelled to go rescue the wrecked remains of others who are slowly decomposing in the same grim grave that once contained my own stiff corpse.

Please give me faith to believe that I will see Your glory when I hang out around the cemetery. Show me someone crying for release today. No matter who they are, or what they’ve done, I’ll eagerly walk in and set them free with the power of Your glorious redeeming name. Amen.

Realizing the sacrifice Christ made to step into the grave and redeem you, are you willing to hang out at the cemetery looking and listening for someone crying from the depth of their grave for release? The cemetery containing spiritually dead people is all around you. When you see and hear the cry, will you argue with Jesus like Mary about the stench, or will you compassionately go in despite the strong smell of sin and save souls for Him?

Blessed Be The Name of the Lord

1 Chronicles 29:35
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.

O Lord, It is a joy to give thanks and bless Your glorious name!

Truthful Teacher, I’m overwhelmed by the truths You teach with me when I open my Bible and my heart. Thank You for correcting my wayward thinking.

Healer of Hearts, there is no Doctor like You in heaven or on earth! Thank You for transplanting Your heart into mine, healing me and giving me a vivacious new life full of love and strength.

Almighty Attorney, You defend me from the allegations brought against me by proud people with personal agendas. Thank You for standing up for me.

Narrator of Life Changing Love Stories, You have written the brilliant biography of my life - a fantastic novel of drama, power, romance, and intrigue. Thank You for my life story.

King of Compassion, approaching Your divine throne, I’m overwhelmed by Your kindness. Your mercy and justice take my breath away. Thank You for your compassion.

Sufficient Supplier, You show me the secret to a satisfying life: Relying on your promises, looking for Your provision, and depending on Your power. Thank You for satisfying the desires of my heart.

Great God who governs from beyond the galaxies, You are the Mighty Magistrate righteously ruling and reigning over all the earth. Patiently, You pardon people who plea with You. Thank You for Your righteousness.

Irresistible Lover of My Soul, You light up my life, making my heart happy. You are absolutely precious to me! Thank You for loving me intimately.

Victorious Lord, You’re the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Blessed Angels. I celebrate the sweet victory You’ve given me through Jesus Christ. Thank you for the glorious conquest!

Indescribable Light, because You made Your home in my heart the Light is always on. Darkness has disappeared and I never have to stumble again. Thank You for releasing me from darkness.

Negotiator of Great Deals, the bargain You made for me is unbelievable! You’d serve my death sentence so that I could be free. Thank You for defending, saving, and freeing me.

Good and Gentle Shepherd, You are my powerful Protector and one and only Owner. O how Your sweet voice resonates deep within the inner ear of my soul. Thank You for taking care of me.

Prepare your heart for worship this weekend, by perusing your Bible and thinking about Who God is to you. Thank Him for Who He is.

Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Psalm 107:22
Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

Father in Heaven,
As a gesture of appreciation for Your miraculous mercy toward me, I’ll joyfully show the world the wonder of Your amazing love by:

Self-expenditure – I’ll gladly abandon my own dreams for absolute loyalty to You, determinedly following You wherever You lead.

Attitude of gratitude – I’ll quickly and gratefully stamp out my personal agenda in order to enliven a broken heart.

Crucifixion of self – Deliberately, I’ll kill my spirit of intolerance and indifference in order to allow You to freely work through me to do anything You choose.

Radical love – Because of the extravagant love You’ve shown me, I’ll readily demonstrate extreme compassion to those outcast by society.

Immediate obedience – Out of fear and respect of Your almighty authority, I’ll willingly do any assignment You give me without hesitating or complaining.

Full devotion – Attached to no one but You, I’ll notice the people and situations that burden You.

Individuality broken – In order to effectively aid and assist You, I’ll allow You to crush me and shape me into Your perfect image.

Challenge – I’ll intentionally accept assignments that may be beyond my mental and physical abilities, fully trusting You to energize and equip me.

Endurance – The power of Your Word, coupled with praise and prayer will strengthen me.

Thank You, Lord for filling me with the sweet aroma of Your love. Let my life pleasantly emulate Your essence this holiday season, attracting others to Your fine fragrance because of Jesus. Amen.

God gave up His Son for Your benefit, ask Him what He wants You to give up for His benefit this holiday season. Then, obey immediately, without hesitating or complaining, cheerfully offering Him your sacrifice with a thankful heart.

O. Chambers writes in My Utmost For His Highest: We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later – it must be done now … Always guard against self-chosen service for God … God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed.

Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Almighty, All-bountiful, All-gracious God,
It’s sheer pleasure to worship You with heartfelt adoration and undivided attention. Your unfailing love has put a song in my heart, a spring in my step and a smile on my face. I believe that You are Lord, my God, Creator of everything. Thank You for making me intricately and uniquely with Your strong hands. I’m Your most valuable possession. O, how I praise You!

My Good and Gentle Shepherd, knowing You intimately is the greatest joy and blessing. Your voice is music to my ears. Willingly, I follow You. With steadfast devotion, You lead me to the lush, rolling meadows in my Bible where I can devour the rich delicacy of Your Word. Faithfully, You guide me through barren deserts to refreshing streams of Living Water that quench my thirsty soul. Along the way, You staunchly defend me from the wolves of sin and temptation that hound me. Thank You for protecting and providing for me.

With unbridled excitement, I enter the heavenly gate and come into the safety of Your beautiful sanctuary. My thankful heart, tells of Your tender kindness and continuous mercy. I sing of Your infinite goodness and everlasting compassion. Your enduring love has set my feet a dancing. O how I love and worship You for all You’ve done for me, Jesus, my Wonderful Savior, Redeemer and Friend. Amen

Prepare your heart for Thanksgiving, by pondering God’s goodness. Make a list of all the gifts He’s given you. Thank Him for each one, offering Him a sacrifice praise!

Keys to the Kingdom

Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Holy and Awesome God-
Your splendor and majesty are breathtaking! My imagination’s running wild! I picture You seated on a glowing, golden throne high above the earth. I’m spellbound by the brilliant train of glory surrounding You.

It’s a treat for my mind's eye to visualize Your majestic kingdom as my heavenly home. I eagerly anticipate the jubilant celebration as thousands and thousands of adoring angels encircle You in beautiful worship. My heart is flooded with overwhelming joy as my name is read from the Lamb’s Book of Life. With all due respect, I confidently rise and approach the throne of grace hand-in-hand with my Best Friend, Jesus, Your Son. He presents me to You as pious, perfect and pure. Lovingly, You open Your arms wide, welcoming me to stay in the most elegant, enormous mansion my eyes have ever seen because of my relationship with Him. The keys to heaven are handed to me! It’s a gift too wonderful for words, too great to grasp!

Knowing You deeply, intimately, and personally is a joy and an honor. Because Your unshakable kingdom is in me, I’m stuck on You. When the fragile world around me is shaken and shattered, I won’t fall apart. Instead, with reverent awe, I’ll cling to You, praising You as the King who reigns with triumphant power in my heart. Your kingdom is mine forever and ever because of Jesus. Hallelujah! Amen.

The unshakable kingdom of God is in you too. Worship His Majesty with thanksgiving, in honor of all that He’s given you – a promised home in His heavenly kingdom where you’ll live happily ever after! Imagine it!

Single-Minded Devotion

2 Corinthians 11: 3, 4
I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.


Truthful Father-
You are teaching me how important it is to carefully listen to Your instruction and know Your Voice. How can I detect false teachers if I don’t know the Truth myself? Because ignorance makes me vulnerable to deception, I need to urgently grow in the knowledge of Your Word so that I won’t make foolish mistakes and be misled.

From this day forward, I will be an honest seeker and biblical scholar by diligently studying the Holy Scriptures. As I do, fill me with divine knowledge and wisdom so that my devotion will remain pure, sincere and simple. Protect me from smooth-talkers who have a message that sounds good and makes sense. Hearts are full of deceit. I need to be on guard, always verifying the Truth by searching my Bible. Your Word alone will be my authoritative guide.

There are so many confusing distractions around me, threatening to side track my faith. Just as Eve lost her focus in the Garden of Eden by the sly and slippery serpent who twisted the truth, things cleverly disguised as good and moral can fool me too. Satan and his servants are the master’s of disguise. Give me eyes to see through their charades in the Church, as they masquerade as godly ministers. Hide the Truth in my heart so that I will not fall for their schemes.

Lord, with all my heart I want to be single-mindedly devoted to You, believing the One and Only Truth, Jesus Christ through whom I pray. Amen.


What are you doing to ensure you know the Truth and are not led astray by false teachers? They really are quite clever and cunning, and they are everywhere. John the Beloved warns us, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Don’t listen to any “authoritative preacher” who contradicts the Word of God.

Jesus’ warning is loud and clear, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:4, 11)

God Is Near

Deuteronomy 4:7-8
What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

Governing God!
Thank You for this great nation, the United States of America. Who are we that You should choose to shed Your grace on us? What other nation is so great to have their gods near to them the way You are near to us when we seek Your face and pray? We are fortunate that our founding fathers built this nation on Your sacred laws. Forgive us for taking the freedom to fellowship with You for granted.

While You have blessed us with an amazing heritage unlike any other nation in the world, we are a nation in captivity to our own prosperity. In our liberty, we’ve made light of Your greatness and become greedy. Forgetting the enormous price You paid for us, we’ve left Your commands subtly slip from our hearts. Contemptuously, we’ve added to them and taken away from them to satisfy our lustful desires. We’ve become arrogant, defiant, and down right disobedient! Have mercy on us, O God!

Many courageous men and women have fought to keep America free so that we can worship You. For their sake and Yours may we turn around, look back, and remember ancient history. You bless those who are obedient and punish those who are blatantly defiant. Today, I ask that as a nation we would be still and remember that You are God – exalted above the nations! You’re still in control, Your sacred laws still apply, and You’re still near to those who call on You because of Jesus. Alleluia. Amen.


As a nation we’ve been absolutely blessed because our founding fathers had faith, wisdom and understanding to build on God’s laws. There is no other nation in entire the world like ours. Yet, bit by bit, the foundation is disintegrating because we fail to seek God’s face and take advantage of the amazing freedom we have to fellowship with Him.

Today, take time to be still before God. Pray that our leaders would respect the sacred ancient laws on which this great nation was built. Seek Him for our land.

A Hypocrite Like Me

Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus said, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”


Holy Instructor and Informer,
Sometimes Your teaching really hurts and today is one of those times. I’m reminded just how much I’m like the Pharisees. I have a lot of head knowledge that hasn’t been transferred to my heart because there’s a stiff neck in between. I’m often so busy trying to do the right thing that I’m ignorant of the most important thing - my relationship with You. Forgive me for trying to look good outwardly, when inwardly my heart is a wrecked and rotting tomb.

Because I love and adore You, I want a humble heart like Yours. With an impartial heart, I’ll drop all pretenses in order to treat others with dignity and respect. Gently shaped by Your hands of compassion, my double-standards will vanish beneath a generous flow of forgiveness. Twisted and turned toward You, the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith--will matter more to me than redundant religious activity.

My callused heart has long been contaminated by criticism and condemnation. Disinfect it with a strong solution of kindness and compassion. My corrupt mind has been polluted by the mega media’s negative worldview. Sanitize it with a potent potion of prayer and praise. With a pure heart and clean mind my neck won’t be so stiff and sore. Instead, I’ll be supple, sincere and sensitive, satisfying You the Teacher and Transformer of my soul. Amen.


We’re all hypocrites capable of putting on a brilliant display of many seemingly harmless evils. Noticing the shortcomings of others, we skillfully twist our views, turning them into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of prayer and praise.

God’s Word says, “If you think you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors.” Romans 2:1,2 MSG

Turn toward Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to replace your hypocrisy with Christlike humility and honesty. With a radically changed heart, the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith--will matter more than religious activity.

Stiff-necked People

Deuteronomy 9: 13-14, 17
And the LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven.”

So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.


O Sovereign Lord,
There’s a striking similarity between ancient Israel and the corrupt, rebellious and unruly world today. Our nation is in terrible shape! The Sacred Laws that You inscribed with Your fingers have been deliberately broken. Your Holy Name has been desecrated. With You out of sight and out of mind, we’ve become a country full of senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless fools who expect blessing despite our defiant disobedience.

O Lord, stir up in me a heart like Moses. He knew You intimately; therefore, he knew what was on Your heart and mind. He knew how angry You were over the blatant misconduct of his nation. Twice, he spent 40 days and 40 nights alone in Your holy presence, passionately interceding, fasting, and crying out for You to spare his people from annihilation. He believed with all his heart that You would answer him, and didn’t leave Your presence for any reason until You responded to his urgent appeal.

Lord, I can’t spend 40 minutes fasting and praying, let alone 40 days and 40 nights! Have mercy on me! Radically change my heart, O God. Draw me into the same kind of deep love relationship that Moses had with You. I want to be so enamored with You, that I’ll desire to spend endless hours in Your presence without thinking for one minute about food or drink. Fully possessed by You, I’ll fervently plea to You to spare this nation from complete obliteration. With One heart and One mind, I won’t give up until You answer me. Lord, teach me to diligently pray with enthusiasm and expectation so that Your name will be blessed in my homeland. Amen.

Dr. Henry Blackaby asks, “What kind of praying have we been doing to lead our nation to the mess we’re in?” What changes need to be made in Your life so that God can work through you?

Worship Before Work

Revelation 2:2-5
Jesus said:
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don’t, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.” NLT

O Precious Lord, Who knows all and sees all,
Thank You for speaking directly to my humble heart. Nothing goes unnoticed by Your holy eyes. You see my labor of love and enduring perseverance. You know how hard I try to avoid impropriety. With all my heart, I seek the truth, steering clear of liars. Without complaining, I put up with the harassment of belligerent people. You’re aware that it’s exceedingly difficult to live morally in this corrupt culture where personal choices and alternative lifestyles are not only acceptable, but also tolerated. Graciously, You praise me for doing what’s right in Your eyes.

On the other hand, You also notice that my worship has been deluded by works. My love for You and others has grown cold. In the struggle to maintain sound teaching and moral and doctrinal purity, I’ve taken for granted Who You are. I’ve placed the significance of service above my affection and adoration for You. More concerned with what I do for You than who I am to You, I’ve fallen away from You. My usefulness is diverted and my testimony is tarnished.

Thank You for shining the light of Your Word on my heart. Broken and ashamed, I come back to the Cross. Falling on my knees, I admit how far I’ve backslid in my love relationship with You. Forgive me for spending endless energy on activities while neglecting passionate, prolonged time in prayer and studying Your Word. Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength I want to make You my priority again. Consumed with You my joy and zeal will return, allowing me to effectively shine Your light of love on others.

O Lord, that I may love You more today than yesterday and that my light would burn brightly before man for the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

O. Chambers writes in My Utmost for His Highest, October 19: The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. The work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing … In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like his Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

Have you put work ahead of worship? I challenge you to stop and evaluate what you’re doing. Is your relationship with the Living Lord right? If not, the command is clear, “Turn back to Him again and work as you did at first.” If you choose to disobey, the consequence is clear, “I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”

What did you do when Jesus first found you?

Turn Around

Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

2 Timothy 4:3-4
The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth.

God of Wonders,
I marvel at the power of Your Voice. Thank You for opening my spiritual ears to hear the very first word out of Your mouth to believers, “Repent!” I hear You commanding the Church and me to turn around. We’re going in the wrong direction! We don’t listen or pay attention to You, but follow the stubborn inclination of our misguided hearts.

We don’t want to admit the depth from which we’ve fallen. We no longer love You, or our brothers and sisters. We bicker, squabble and argue over insignificant matters when we should be falling on our knees in unity of mind and soul praying for radical change. We use not only our hearts, but our sanctuaries as a front to worship our manmade gods.

Our leaders are feeding us a pack of sugar-coated lies and we swallow them because we don’t open our Bibles and seek the Truth. Afraid we won’t come back if we know the reality of our depravity, we’re not taught to obey Your rules. We’d rather praise and dance than fall on our face in reverent fear of You. The Church You set apart for holy worship has become a place to carry out our outrageous sacrilege. Have mercy on us for desecrating Your Holy House!

Living Lord, I want to experience the fullness of Your presence and power. I admit that I was heading in the wrong direction. Frustrated by lack of results, I gave up praying for change in the Church, but because of the power of Your Word, I just made a U-turn to follow You. Fuel my heart, O Lord, with renewed passion to radically pray for change that will bring You the honor and glory You’re worthy of. Amen.

Whew! God has just stirred up my heart! Do you hear the first words from our Lord’s mouth when He began preaching to His followers? “Repent!” This word is for you and me, friends - not for the unbelievers. We’re going in the wrong direction and need to do an immediate U-turn. I urge you, turn around and follow Jesus before it’s too late – the kingdom of heaven is near.

For additional reading, I recommend Jeremiah 7. It’s a very clear illustration of the condition of the Church today and the results of disobedience.

Listen Carefully

Psalm 85:8-9
I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying,
for he speaks peace to his faithful people.
But let them not return to their foolish ways.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
so our land will be filled with his glory. NLT

Amazing, Loving, Wonderful Lord,
You are beautiful beyond description! You display Your brilliance and glory radiantly in the rich colors of creation. Even though we ignore You, You faithfully bless us with Your prosperous presence each day. You’re right where You’ve always been, doing what You’ve always done, creating spectacular miracle moments from heaven on high.

If we would just look up to You, acknowledge Your greatness, and admit our stupidity, You’d forgive the awful things we’ve done. Lovingly, You’d rescue us from death and destruction. You’d revive our stone-cold hearts with Your precious blood, giving us a fresh new start. Gladly, You’d restore our laughter.

God of Help, I’m concerned for the impotent church that desires to reach lost people with pleasant programs and plans that exclude the Truth. If we want to live in the prosperity of Your presence, we must diligently study Your Holy Word, paying careful attention to what You say when we open our Bibles each day. Listening to You, we’ll know right from wrong, never having to live foolishly again. Accepting and respecting Your authority, love and loyalty will miraculously come together. Goodness will bond with peace and our great land will be inexplicably blessed with everlasting happiness. Our vividly changed lives will spectacularly display Your brilliance and glory because of Jesus. Amen.

Pray for revival in the church, and let it begin with you. Study God’s Word daily so that you will know the Truth and obey it. Choose to live differently, wisely, brilliantly, according to God’s Word so the His glory will shine through you, drawing others to Him like a colorful neon light.

Rejected Law

Romans 1: 32
They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

Holy God~
Creator of everything~
Your invisible qualities have been clearly seen since the beginning of time. The earth and sky proclaim Your almighty power and divine character. There’s no excuse for not knowing You! You, O God, deserve our praise forever and ever!

Even though we know You perfectly well, we fail to accept and worship You as the One and Only True God. We pretend to know it all, but are really quite ignorant. Foolishly, we’ve traded Your prosperous, pristine beauty for worthless, tarnished trash. We’ve shrouded the Truth with wicked lies.

Pornography, homosexuality, and adultery have become acceptable standards. We tolerate the killing of unborn babies, while viciously fighting to save wild animals. We cry out, "God bless America", but we’ve removed You from the classroom, the courtroom and the currency. We deny Your intelligent design, deliberately, spitting in Your face, as we invent new ways to ruin the rich life You intended for us. We’re a nation full of senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless fools who expect blessing despite our defiant disobedience.

Something has gone terribly wrong! This isn’t the way You created it to be! Have mercy on us for disrespecting and desecrating your Holy Name, O God. There’s no fear of Your sacred laws or holy judgment. It’s a free for all world. Though Your Word is freely and readily available, it also freely and readily rejected. We’ve rebelled against You, our Creator, and we don’t deserve to live.

I’m thankful that Your Word convicts me of my wrong beliefs and behaviors. I want to relinquish my tarnished treasures in order to live happily in your beautiful, prosperous presence. By Your strength that’s within me, change the desires of my heart and mind. With all due respect, I'll love and obey You, bringing honor to Your almighty power and divine character, Jesus, Creator of everything. Amen.

Acknowledge and cry out to God for the sin of our nation today. Pray for changed hearts and transformed minds. Admit and turn from your own wicked ways.

Overflowing Love

I Thessalonians 3:12-13, 4:7
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Holy Lord,
I must constantly remind myself that You’re the perfect Model of holiness. You’re more loving and powerful than I can possibly imagine. I marvel at the beautiful new life You’ve given me. It’s Your plan to make me exactly like Your own dear Son. Please enlarge my heart with more of Your love. Strengthen me with Your almighty power so that I’ll be scrupulous and blessed in Your pristine presence.

Full of Your amazing love and great power, my lips that once spewed angry, hateful, filthy language will now sing lovely songs of praise and thanksgiving. My mouth that once deceived will now declare the truth. My tongue that ceaselessly complained, will gratefully compliment. My lustful eyes that used to notice attractive people will now compassionately see the problems and potential of others. My ears that listened to the pressure of people will tremble at the sound of Your voice. My hands that were once busy building wealth, will instead build rich relationships. Please continuously replace my greedy desires with generosity and contentment.

O Lord, let the sweetness of Your excessive love flow out of me onto a hemorrhaging world. Even when my own pain is excruciating, with my eyes focused on Your holiness, I’ll emanate joy. In times of crisis and conflict peace will exude me. Let my words and actions be an angelic love song that draws others to Your healing and holy presence. In my life Lord be glorified for Your namesake. Amen.

Pay attention to your words and actions today. Do they epitomize holiness? Look for an opportunity to express God’s holy love to someone.

God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Called to Be Holy

1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.”

Blessed King,
Approaching Your divine throne, with overwhelming gratitude I’m captivated by Your holiness! Your presence is pristine and Your power is terrifying. Though You are preeminent and transcendent beyond my understanding, I marvel that You come close to me. Shrouded in Your beautiful love, I’m unable to speak. Your mercy and justice take my breath away.

The moment I heard Your voice and responded, I was given access into Your courts. From the billions of people in the world You chose me to be a holy, pure and blameless messenger to proclaim the Good News of Your kingdom to a dark and desperate world. Out of deep love and gratitude, I’ll respectfully submit to Your authority by obeying Your commands.

Please help me to take time to be holy each day. The more time I spend silently in Your company and actively in Your classroom, the more I’ll become like You. As I peruse my Bible and pray, look deep into my heart. Teach me and test me. Scrutinize the words that flow from my mouth. Examine every one of my thoughts and motives. Show me anything that’s unpleasant to You. Make my heart sweet and mind pure so that others will see You gloriously exhibited in me. In my life Lord be magnified for the praise and honor of Your high and holy name. Amen.

God is the Model of all holiness. He is holy in all His ways. If we are to be like Him, we must be holy in all that we do and say. In this life we will never be as holy as He is, but we should strive to be holy because He is holy.

Isn’t it true that we tend to behave like those we associate with? Who are you hanging out with? Who does your behavior and attitude reflect? People will mimic the God whom they worship.

1 Corinthians 15:33 warns: Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Useful Vessel

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me; melt me; mold me; fill me; use me.

Isaiah 6:8
I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?"

And I said, "Lord, I'll go! Send me." NLT

Living God,
You are holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
You are King of my heart and Lord of my life,
I have mysteriously seen Your divine glory in the temple of my heart when Jesus came in and freed me from the dark dungeon of my past. In the light of Your amazing love, I ashamedly admit that I’ve made many terrible choices and done a lot of awful things. I’m tarnished, broken and unfit to be in Your holy presence; yet, I have seen and felt Your greatness. With a single merciful touch You blotted out my mistakes, forgot my failures, and removed my shame. Graciously, You asked me to clean up my act and represent Your heavenly kingdom on earth.

Seated on the throne of my soul, the flame of Your Holy Spirit continuously burns away all the impurities within me. Because I’m easily contaminated and corrupted by the current world culture, You’re continuously crushing me and reshaping my heart into a perfect pot to continuously pour out compassion. Cleansed with the precious blood of Jesus, I’m filled to overflowing with extravagant peace, exuberant joy, and exceptional hope. Over time, the painful purification process sets me apart and makes me a useful messenger for Your glorious kingdom. Purified others can see the face of my King exalted in me. Lord, I am polished and ready for Your exquisite service. Please use me! Willingly, I’ll go in the power of Your name declaring that You are my Holy God and King. All glory to You for the changes in me! Amen.

Are you willing to allow God to completely destroy you and reshape you into His image to use as He sees fit? Transformation is an on-going process. It is painful, but the end result is an elegant and exquisite display of God’s glorious grace. Recreated, He may ask you to go to places that you’d never dreamed of going; places that you said you’d never go. He may send you on exhilarating adventures. Are you willing to experience the wild side of our Holy God? He’s not concerned about your safety. He’s concerned about rescuing lost souls hiding in dark and perilous places.

Before we can be of any use to Him, we must fully yield to the Potter’s hand, the Refiner’s fire, and the entire purification process. Cry out to our Holy God. Admit your mistakes and weaknesses. Allow Him to fully redeem and use you as a representative of His kingdom here on earth. There is no greater thing!

Full of Joy and Peace

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me; melt me; mold me; fill me.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Living Water

Pure
Clear
Refreshing …
Fall on me! Wash me! Fill me!

I am dirty cup, O God. Wash me with sparkling Living Water, the priceless blood of Jesus, so that I shine radiantly. Wipe away the bitter brew of criticism and condemnation, replacing it the pleasant taste of peace. Remove the pungent solution of pride and prejudice, and fill me with the delightful taste of joy.Everything I do and say is an everlasting testimony for or against You. People everywhere are watching me, waiting to see my response to difficult people and tricky situations. As I walk and talk with You today, reading my Bible and obeying Your commands, please let Your extraordinary peace rule my heart. Fill me to overflowing with more of Your exuberant joy so that in the face of trouble or tragedy the hope of heaven will supernaturally splash out of me onto others for the honor of Your glorious name.

Glistening with Jesus joy, in the midst of difficulties, others will come and drink from my cup full of luscious Living Water. When they taste the sweetness of Your love in me, and realize that my hope is in You, they too will long to be filled. Please dear Lord, crush me, shape me and fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. Amen.

What is contaminating your cup? Will you hand it over to the Maker and allow Him to wash it, and fill it with joy and peace so that you can pour out hope on others? Surrender the cup of your life today so that you can be a sparkling witness naturally drawing others to the Hope of Heaven – Jesus Christ.

Perfect Pots

Spirit of the Living God Fall Fresh on Me. Melt me. Mold me.

Isaiah 64:8

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

O Perfect Potter,

You are the most famous artist of all time. I could search the whole wide world and find no one as creative or talented as You.

You have a distinctive technique for sculpting original works of art that are eternally beautiful, valuable and useful. All we have to do is stay soft and pliable in Your skillful hands every day. As we wait quietly throughout the lifelong process, our eyes will turn toward You, our Designer, when we open our Bibles. Meditating on Your sacred Scriptures will form our true character. They’ll expose the rough spots of rebellion that need to be scraped away. They’ll correct our cracks, flaws, and blemishes. They’ll squeeze us and change us into Your perfect image. Through the heat of life we’ll come out of the fiery furnace strengthened with Your power and glazed with Your glory.

With Your Holy Word permanently etched on my heart, it will be radically changed to look like Your heart. Knowing Your heart and mind, I’ll be concerned for the things that burden You. Lord, I want to be yielded and still in Your dexterous hand where I can be shaped into a pleasantly perfect pot to pour out Your extraordinary love. Please transform my heart and mind today, making me an eternally beautiful, valuable vessel for the praise of Your most creative name. Amen.

Oswald Chambers writes, "Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing: ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2) God is at work bending, breaking, molding and doing exactly as He chooses. We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ. Let Him have His way." –My Utmost For His Highest, October 25.

Do you know what’s on the heart and mind of God? Are you burdened for the things that burden Him? Ask God to lay His heart over yours.

Refiner's Fire

Spirit of the Living God Fall Fresh on Me … Melt me

Malachi 3: 2, 3

He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal. He will sit and judge like a refiner of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold or silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. NLT

Living God, Holy Fire, You are the greatest Refiner in the world. Let Your Spirit fall on me. Melt me. Although the process is excruciatingly painful, the result is gloriously beautiful. As I melt under the intense flame of the Holy Spirit, You skim off my impurities that rise to the surface. Only purity and holiness remain. Cleanse me with the blaze of my afflictions. Separate me from the corruption that renders me worthless and useless. With the dross removed, Your reflection appears in the smooth, pure surface of my soul. Others see it shining through and desire a piece of it.

Thank You Lord for the perfection process. Because of Your unfailing love and compassion, the melting procedure will not consume me. With Your help I will have patient endurance to bear up under the pain and pressure, knowing that You are making me into a glimmering jewel that reflects Your image. With hope, I look forward to my fabulous future when I am made perfect. I yearn for holiness.

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me. Melt me for the glory of Your name. Amen.

What refining process are you going through at the moment? Refining is tedious and time consuming. It is painful, but when the process is over, the result is a glimmering jewel that reflects the face of the Refiner. Know that through the fiery trials in life, you will appear more like Jesus.

Set on Fire

Acts 2:3-4

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, Light the match and breathe on me! Set me on fire! Brand me with Your signature so that I’m Yours alone! I want to be a Christian in my heart, blazing with the zeal of Your love. With intense heat, burn away anything that isn’t of You. Turn my stubborn will to soot. Melt my cold, hard heart until it glistens with righteousness. Then, teach me with tongues of living flames what You would have me do.

Ignite me with divine power. Make me spiritually combustible today! Exploding with love, I’ll be tenderhearted and merciful. Bursting with joy because you saved me from the depths of hell, I’ll glow brilliantly for You. Blast away my sin, so that I crackle with kindness. Fully ablaze, I will not live for myself. Consumed by Your love, I’ll live to please only You. May people recognize me on the outside by Your flickering flame that’s burning in my heart. Lord, let Your righteousness shine through and be glorified in me today for Your name sake. Amen.

If you are a believer God has branded His seal on your heart (Eph 2:9). What do people see when they look at you? What do they see in your actions? Do they match the seal of God’s love burned on your heart? If not, I encourage you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to ignite a fire in your heart so that others will see Jesus when they encounter you.

Reflect on the words to this little chorus:

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me

Melt me, Mold me, Fill me, Use me

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me

Distinguishing God's People

Matthew 25:31-40
Jesus told this story about the kingdom of heaven:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.''I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Jesus, Ruler of All Nations,
I eagerly anticipate the day when You come in splendor and majesty. Seated on the magnificent heavenly throne glowing with glory, people from every nation, tribe and tongue will gather in awe of You. The rich will stand with the poor, the strong with the weak, and the godly with the ungodly. Quickly, You’ll distinguish those who belong to Your royal family from those who don’t. At that moment, all other distinctions will disintegrate and we’ll be eternally divided.

I excitedly look forward to the great blessing that awaits me when You call me to come forward. Happily, I’ll receive my long awaited rich inheritance, the Kingdom of Heaven, provided by You, my loving Father. Purchased with Your priceless blood, this precious place has been prepared for me years ago by Your Spirit. It’s an incredible gift, You’ll present to those You recognize as Your children.

Please dear Lord, show me someone who is famished today, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. In Your name, I’ll feed their body, mind and soul. Lead me to someone wandering in the desert, withered, weary, and weak. I’ll lead them to Your fresh spring of Living Water where they can wash and drink until they’re satisfied. Open my eyes to see a stranger and I’ll reach out in friendship inviting them into the center of my activities. If I see someone in my circle of influence who needs clothed today, physically or spiritually, mercifully, I’ll give them the shirt off my back, and offer them Your rich robe of righteousness.

All around me people are sick and suffering. Lovingly, I’ll stop to soothe their sore souls. Many are imprisoned to their addictions and transgressions, forgotten and failed by a society who finds them demented, destructive and deceitful.Admittedly, I find these people unattractive, unappealing, and unapproachable. Please dear Lord, fill me with more of Your amazing love.

Humbly, I’ll lay aside my intolerance, indifference and insecurities to fulfill Your mission of mercy. Willingly, I’ll comfort the faint, raise the fallen, and point the forgotten to You, the One and Only Way to eternal life and everlasting happiness. I hope and pray that You’ll recognize me on judgment day by the way I treat the least, the last and the lost in Your name. Amen.

Are your eyes open to faint, fallen, and forgotten people? They are everywhere. Jesus clearly calls us to be missionaries of mercy. Who will you serve today in His name?

Today I am going into a maximum security prison to wash the feet of a fallen brother. Pray that I will be a blessing to him, and that everyone in that meeting room will see Jesus, our King.

Life With the King

Leviticus 26:11-13
I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt so you would no longer be slaves. I have lifted the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk free with your heads held high. NLT

O Holy One,
I’m still mesmerized by Your greatness! Your power has left me speechless. Your love has taken my breath away. I’m awestruck by Your mercy and justice. Though You are preeminent and transcendent beyond my comprehension, I marvel at Your immanency. I’m flabbergasted that someone with Your prominence and power would leave the Celestial City to live with me.

Did I hear You correctly, Holy God who rules the universe? You will not despise me? You will walk with me? You will be my God? I will belong to You? It’s unfathomable that someone in Your eminent position would accept and adopt a beat up, burned out, unkempt ragamuffin like me. Yet, by Your grace, You invited me to live with You. Bringing me in from the dirty, noisy, sinful streets, You placed me right in the middle of Your royal family with everyone else who doesn’t deserve to be there. That’s amazing!

I cherish the distinguished position You’ve given me. Knowing that I’m loved by the greatest King of all time, I no longer have to hang my head in shame. Walking with poise and dignity, I’m free to follow You all of my days because I believe Your precious promises. Jesus, You are my King. Amen.

Do you believe the promises from the mouth of God? They’re His gift to you. Write them on the tablet of your heart and remember them! It is imperative to believe the words of the King more than you believe anything else.

Married Without Shame

Isaiah 54:4-5
“Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, for your Creator will be your husband. The Lord Almighty is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth. NLT

Holy One of Israel,
My Creator and Redeemer,
Lord Almighty,
God of all the earth,
In reverent awe of who You are, I quietly come to You, just as I am – blind, naked, and poor; dirty, unattractive and lame; exhausted, anxious and embarrassed. I’m unfit to appear before the King of kings and Lord of lords. I come by faith, expecting to receive a miracle makeover.

Graciously, You extend Your compassion and mighty hand to touch me and take away my shame. With a stroke of Your greatness You forgive and forget all that I’ve ever done. My grief is gone because my mistakes no longer define me.

Not only do You take away my indignity, You do the utterly inconceivable – You choose to love and marry me despite my past. United with You in holy Oneness, nothing can separate us. I belong to You. As Your cherished friend, You create an atmosphere of security where I can dwell and flourish. Meditating on the loving promises from Your mouth, my Bible, You change my mundane existence into glorious living color. The sweetness of Your transforming love makes my heart flutter.

I’m delighted that I no longer have to be afraid or ashamed. I’ll never again be disappointed or discouraged as long as I trust You, my Bridegroom, more than anyone else. O Holy One, please give me more faith to believe You because You are the only true Lover of My Soul. Amen.

Does shame define you? Do you live in fear of your reputation? If so I encourage you to meditate on the loving promises from the mouth of God. Do you hear what He’s saying to you in these Scriptures?

From the above Scripture, write down His amazing promises; ponder them until they penetrate your heart. They are His precious gift to you.

Learning to Fear the Lord

Psalm 34: 9, 11
Let the LORD's people show him reverence,for those who honor him will have all they need.
Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD. NLT

Holy One of Israel,
With all due respect I come to You, bowing down before Your majesty. Silently, I gaze upon Your mysterious, glorious presence. Approaching Your throne, with overwhelming gratitude I‘m certain that You’ll teach me to love and respect You. It is an incredible privilege to sit under Your divine instruction. Please give me a tender heart, a teachable spirit, and a yielded will to learn to properly honor and revere You above every other person or thing that exists.

Admittedly, I’d prefer to learn in a comfortable, pleasant setting, but because of Who You are, I’m willing to attend the classroom of Your choice even if the conditions are rough and harsh. You know the best place to impart wisdom on me. Using the Holy Bible as my textbook, I’ll learn of Your inconceivable love and Your holy anger. I’ll understand that while You’re compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love, You also punish the guilty. Love and justice are both expressions of Your holiness that I need to be familiar with.

O wise and wonderful Teacher, tune my ears to listen amidst all the commotion and confusion going on around me. Help me to remain poised and focused on the importance of each perfectly planned lesson. Empower me to tirelessly study Your Words every day of my life. Write them as notes on my heart so that I’ll remember them through life’s challenging tests. Above all, may I always keep in mind, that You are and have the Only right answer, JESUS. As I grow by grace, in the knowledge of Your holiness, I’ll be eager to do Your will, Your way because I am respectfully Yours. Amen.

Consistent Bible reading is a tough assignment! You may need help with it. Ask someone to pray for you. Get a “study buddy” – a brother or sister you can meet with regularly to share the lessons you’re learning in the classroom of your heart. In doing so, you’ll be praising and honoring your holy God, blessing one another, and inspiring each other to persevere through the difficult tests.

Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church, it includes doing God’s will His way.

Pleasing People

John 12:42-43
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. NIV

Eternal and Righteous God,
Thank You for opening the eyes of my heart to see my faults and shortcomings. Have mercy on me! I’m as guilty as the legalist Jewish leaders of the early church. I call myself a Christian in my heart, but am afraid to admit it in front of people. I too, love the praise of man more than praise from You. The truth is, I rarely think of pleasing You.

Frightened of losing my prestigious place in the community, I temporarily hide my faith in the closet where I can conveniently access it when I need it during a crisis. People might think I’m a fool, ignoring and criticizing me, if I admit I’m Your follower, so I conceal it. I want to be liked and respected by everyone. A people pleaser, I’m too scared of ridicule to stand out and publicly acknowledge the great distance You went and the exorbitant price You paid to save me. Forgive me, O God for I have sinned against You.

I refuse to speak up, terrorized by the thought that I won’t communicate clearly and will look stupid before my family and friends. I fear being rejected by them more than I fear eternal separation from You. I admit that I’m a coward and plead with You to pardon me for being more concerned with what others will think of me than about disobeying, dishonoring, and disrespecting You.

O Lord, will you kindly change my timid heart? Fill me with fresh power to boldly proclaim the Way, the Truth and the Life right where You’ve placed me even if it means I’ll offend someone. You’re not interested in my popularity; You’re concerned about rescuing dead and decomposing lives buried beneath the rubble of sin and shame. Whenever I open my mouth to speak, please give me the right words to confidently communicate the message of Your amazing love. O Lord, help me to get my eyes off myself and love others enough to risk my life and reputation to save them for the glory of Your name. Amen.

Are you like me, afraid to share your faith for fear of rejection and ridicule from family and friends? If so, Jesus has some strong words for us: "If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 NLT

Jesus stood in stark contrast to this Pharisaic concern. He did not show favoritism; instead he reached out to male and female, rich and poor, and all races and ages. His teaching was not done by first taking a poll of what was popular; instead, he spoke truth that was often unpopular but could penetrate the heart. – Ed Welch, When People Are Big and God Is Small

God's Handiwork

Psalm 8:3-6
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beingsand crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands

O Lord my God, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! The poet who wrote these verses years ago was properly dazzled by the night sky; however, if he could have looked through the Hubble Telescope for a scant ten minutes he would have undoubtedly fainted in wonderment. Even with our biggest and best telescopes directed at the stars that are billions upon trillions of miles away, we still can’t see the outermost edge of the universe. It’s mind-boggling to consider the cosmos as Your handiwork! I stand in reverent awe of Your enormous creativity.

What is man that You care so much for him? Compared to the cosmic galaxies, man is minuscule. Compared to You, we are nothing. If there is anything more stunning than the sheer scale and splendor of the universe, it’s the revelation that in all of Your greatness, we really do matter. It’s bewildering that You made us in Your image, crowning us with glory and honor. Though we’re nothing in contrast to the magnificent magnitude of creation, we’re extraordinarily valuable because we carry the signature of our Heavenly Designer. Because of our great worth in Your sight, You’ve assigned us the awesome responsibility of taking care of Your wonderful works.

Please dear Lord, give me a deeper understanding of who You are as the Divine Artist of the universe. Balance it with a healthy, humble view of myself as Your valued curator. With an accurate perception, I’ll worship You rather than the works of Your hands. Appropriate insight, will make me more cognizant and appreciative of Your gloriously brilliant works of art. Mindful of Your priceless creation, I’ll protect it, display it, and love it in honor of Your holy and majestic name, O Lord. Amen.

To respect God’s majesty we must compare ourselves to His greatness. When we look at creation: the cosmic galaxy, mighty mountains, or titanic ocean we feel small. To feel small is a healthy way to get back to the reality that God is big and people are little. Humility, however, means proper respect for God, not self-worthlessness and self-depreciation.

God considers us highly valuable. He has chosen us to be the crown of His creation. He has entrusted us with His fine art. How do you treat God’s creation? Use your resources wisely because He holds you accountable for your stewardship.

The Gaze of God

Proverbs 29:25
Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but to trust the LORD means safety.

Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.

Great God Almighty,
You are bigger than my feeble mind can imagine. From Your majestic throne in the lofty skies, You look around at all the people You’ve made, watching over everything we do. You know us personally, deeply and intimately because You shaped each one of us with Your hands. As Your treasured possessions, You’ve promised us a prominent place in Your kingdom where we’ll live safely and happily ever after.

With this heavenly hope, why, O God, am I so consumed with fear of what people will think of or do to me? Forgive me for seeing people as “bigger” than You. Have mercy on me for allowing people to rule over me, giving them the right to tell me what to think, feel and do. Afraid of their thoughts and opinions, fearful that they will see my flaws and failures; I hide behind thick walls built with money, accomplishments, and busyness. Deep within my heart, I want to be perceived as great at something!

I’m sorry Lord for fearing the eyes of other people when the gaze I ought to fear is Your holy gaze. O Lord, You know everything about me. You have searched my heart. There’s no hiding anything from You. You know when I stand up or sit, when I come in or go out. I’m never, ever out of the sight of Your penetrating holy gaze. Therefore, I should tremble in fear of You, and Your holy judgment. When Your Word convicts me of wrongdoing and I confess my mistakes, You’ll pardon me generously. Entering the safety of Your presence, You promise to make me holy and unashamed by covering me with the blood of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ.

Please help me stay away from the dangerous trap set by man. O Lord, will You kindly give me a fresh perspective of who You are and who I am in You so that I can confidently live my life authentically before You and others? Please let my heart brim over with contagious joy as I step out from behind the wall of shame to claim the beauty of Your own holy name. Amen.

How is your private life different from your public life? Are you hiding behind a wall of shame; afraid of what other people will see in you? I encourage you to come out in the open, talk to God in the light of His Word, and admit your weaknesses. Entering into the safety of His presence, He will cover all your past, present, and future flaws and failures with blood of His own dear Son.

The Battle's Won

1 Corinthians 15:57
Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Triumphant Lord,
You’re the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Blessed Angels. I celebrate the sweet victory You’ve given me through Jesus Christ. As a result of the glorious conquest, I can stand firm on Your powerful promises expecting You to defeat the enemy again and again.

My mind is the battlefield where speculation, knowledge, and thoughts take place. It’s constantly clashing with the opposition of a corrupt culture. A ferocious, frightening, and confusing hailstorm of suffering, shame and sorrow bombard me. Condemnation ruthlessly assaults me. Guilt viciously attacks me. Dying to my past is agonizing. The enemy is rapidly advancing and I need to take hold of the indispensable weapons You’ve given me to wage war with this world. Igniting the dynamite of Your Word with the matchsticks of prayer and praise, I’ll successfully demolish the adversary.

You’re my Commanding Officer. Respecting Your authority is a matter of life or death. It’s imperative that I obey Your orders, submitting my thoughts completely to Your control. With You in charge, I don’t have be fainthearted or afraid. Terror and panic won’t besiege me. I just need to comply with Your commands and rely on Your almighty armament.

Thank You for Your faithful promise to go with me, fight for me and give me the exultant victory through Jesus, Your Son. Hallelujah! The battle’s won! Amen.

Thank God for the spiritual victory! It’s a command. You no longer have to live in fear of condemnation, guilt or death. Ignite His Word with prayer and praise, and the battle’s already won.


Deuteronomy 20:4
For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.

I John 5:3-5
3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Conquer Your Fears

Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Lord of Love,
I come to You seeking mercy and grace. Forgive me for fearing man. Please drive out my fears in the name of Jesus, Your Son. Every day I worry about what others will think of me, say about me, and do to me. I’m concerned that they will kill my ambitions, hopes, and dreams. Frightened of man’s condemnation, I live in constant apprehension. Paralyzed by fear, I’m tentative to open my mouth and speak for You. I’m sorry, Jesus.

Today, I’m claiming the truth! Your love drives out fear. You didn’t give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of love, power and sound mind. With Your Spirit living in me, I have no reason to worry. You and You alone are the Ultimate Judge. In Your Supreme Court, I’m already declared innocent and spared eternal punishment. Thank You, Jesus.

Nothing anyone thinks, says or does can separate me from You. From this day forward, I’m choosing to focus on Your perfect love living in me. Relying on it, I will conquer my fears. Please dear Lord, quiet my heart and give me confidence to trust in Your perfect love for the glory of Your name. Amen.

Do you worry about what others will think of you, say about you, or do to you? Do you live apprehensively as a people-pleaser? Resolve your fears by focusing on God’s endless love. Then, allow Him to love others through you.

Pluged Into Power

Romans 7:4, 6
So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Jesus, Lover of my soul, it’s an honor to be united and living with You, the most powerful King of heaven and earth. Connected to You, I’m filled with love, strength and a clear mind. I’m coupled with the same power source that raised You from the dead. Wow!

Joined with You, I can selflessly serve others sweet fruit …
I can love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, and approach the unapproachable, only by Your power
I can smile when I feel like frowning, only by Your power
I can lay down my harmful weapons and be a peacemaker, only by Your power
I can endure difficulties without condemnation, only by Your power
I can show kindness to the least, the lost and the last, only by Your power
I can do good deeds, only by Your power
I can trust You, believing You’re sufficient to meet all my needs, only by Your power
I can put on a gentle, quiet, humble heart only by Your power
I can exercise self-control, self-discipline, and a sound mind, only by Your power

Please dear Lord, attach me securely to You today so that I can serve You with all my heart at any time, in any place, and any situation in the power of Jesus, Risen Lord, for Your pleasure and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Are you plugged into the power that will enable you to bear sweet fruit and serve others selflessly? Find someone – the least, the last or the lost – to serve in the power of the Holy Spirit today.

Autumn's Reflection

Psalm 104:1
O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.


O Lord, You are incredibly awesome! Wrapped in an elegant garment of brilliant light, You are dressed in golden splendor and sparkling majesty. You stretch out the skies like an unending tent over the entire universe. You send glimmering rays from heaven to glisten on the water. A blazing Holy Spirit Wildfire ignites hearts and souls with Your glory.

As the brisk breeze blows puffy white clouds, You ride them like Your chariots. The winds are Your messenger. Sometimes they quietly whisper, rustling the colorful autumn leaves. Other times they’re a thunderous roar rebuking raging rivers into the ravines.

You are an amazingly sophisticated artist. You’ve wisely designed day and night, land and sea, plants and animals, man and woman, each with a unique purpose for Your pleasure. The earth is full of Your glorious goodness.

How many are Your works O Lord! Your glory endures forever! When I look on the magnificent high, jagged peaks rising abruptly from the flat valley, I am captivated by Your wonderful creativity. Gazing upon spectacular splashing waves suddenly lifting from the deep sea, I am spellbound by Your splendid beauty. Seeing You as You truly are, my only response is to exalt You in the beauty of Your holiness and sing praises to my Creator King. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, all thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea! Amen.

Take a walk through nature and worship the ground you walk on. It’s God’s private property.

Autumn's Glory

Hebrews 1:3
Christ is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. (ESV)

O Glorious Lord,Thank You for autumn, the wondrous time of year when You naturally display Your radiant glory. The joyous explosion of color that bursts over the landscape breathes life into my soul. Blazing, multi-colored palettes of fall foliage are a spectacular backdrop for Your jaw-dropping beauty. You are the exact imprint of the stunning vistas that mesmerize me.

As I spend time in Your nature, open the eyes of my heart and enlighten my mind to see the glory of Jesus. Forgive me for the excessive attention I pay to insignificant people and things. Have mercy on me for Christ’s sake. Complete the fascinating design You began in me. Make me a showcase to display the magnificent, splendid, wonderful glory of Your grace.

Shine the light of the Gospel into my heart. Set me ablaze like the fall foliage as I focus clearly on Your glorious face. Transform me into Your brilliant, majestic, beautiful image. My blessed hope is in the day when I'll perfectly radiate Your glory because of Jesus. Amen.

When I ponder autumn’s beauty, I’m acutely aware that it is exceedingly more beautiful than me. I’m deeply moved and humbled. By nature, I do not live beautifully. My heart is too often consumed with concern about my glory rather than God’s. This revelation through God’s gloriously beautiful creation helps me keep things in perspective: God is BIG and beautiful. People are significantly smaller and less attractive.

Shriveled Leaves

Isaiah 64:6-7
We all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.


O Divine Artist,
The vivid illustrations You paint in Your Word delight my imagination. Over the past several weeks, the dazzling autumn leaves dancing in the brisk fall air have mesmerized me. Their elegant display of rich, stunning colors that seemed so full of life tricked me. Kissed by the warm sun, they quickly withered, weakened and were swept away by a gust of wind. The once stately trees are suddenly lifeless. Dormant, there’s nothing pretty about them.

So it is with my life. I try to elegantly display my wonderful works for a watching world. I’ve wasted endless time and energy trying to impress people. In pursuit of the dreams and desires of my heart, I’ve neglected to seek the plans and purposes of Your heart for me. Like the shriveled autumn leaves that once thrived with abundant life, I’ve fallen from the Tree of Life. Blown away by the compulsion to prove my value, my works have become worthless. Fruitless, there’s nothing striking about me.

If I want to remain vibrant and productive I need to take time be with You daily. Diligently studying Your Word and communicating with You in passionate, persistent, heartfelt prayer You’ll show me what’s on Your heart and mind. When I turn around, face You, and accept the blazing Truth, my soul will dance like the autumn leaves. Devoted to You, my life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that will naturally attract others to Your inexplicable beauty. In my life Lord be glorified because of Jesus. Amen.


Our works will shrivel up like the autumn leaves and be blown away; but our worship will last forever. I urge you to get connected to the Tree of Life by spending time in God’s Word and passionate, persistent, heartfelt prayer. Ask Him to show you the desires of His heart and watch as He reveals His glory. Then, you will be impressed with Him and His work.

Eternal Word

1 Peter 1: 24-25

"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."

Glorious One,Thank You for the beautiful lessons of autumn. With a gentle breath from heaven the dry, yellowed grasses wave impassively in the chilly fall air. The leaves, while glistening with dazzling colors, begin to crackle and drop from their branches, blowing here and there. The pretty pallet of posies that peeked in my window all summer has long since faded. As I reflect on the sights of the season, I’m reminded that life is short. Like the flowers, fame and fortune will fade. Good health will eventually wilt and wither. Beauty will flee like the falling leaves.

Only Your Word lasts forever. Your perfect promises are the same today as they were yesterday, and will be tomorrow. I’ve got to stop looking to people and possessions for pleasure. They could perish in a heartbeat leaving me disappointed and disillusioned. Instead, I need to focus on the power of Your everlasting promises. They are altogether trustworthy and all that I need to live happily ever after in the beautiful kingdom of heaven. Eternal glory is Yours because of Jesus. Amen.

Take a fresh look at the sights of autumn. Life too is fleeting. How will you spend it?

Photo copyright of Freefoto.com

Disturbing the Peace

Romans 16:17-20
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

O Wise and Knowledgeable God,
You are exalted in power and perfect in knowledge. There is no teacher like You. At the Living Word Academy held in the classroom of my heart, I begin to understand the mysteries of Your Will. I learn to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, fact and fiction. With the Holy Spirit as my teacher, and the Holy Bible as my textbook, I learn that You are altogether authentic, totally truthful, and really reliable.

Lord, I just need more knowledge of Your Holy Bible so that I can apply the Truth to all situations and circumstances in the laboratory of life. Proud people will try to disturb my peace by planting poisonous seeds in the soil of my soul. Subtly, they’ll distort the facts by telling cleverly invented stories. Cunningly, they’ll deflate one point while inflating another. Devious professionals will convincingly entrance me with demonic illusions. They’ll deceptively water down Your Word with smooth talk and flattery. If I feed the seeds they plant, division and dissension will sprout.

Your Word clearly and concisely counsels me to avoid them! By Your grace I will joyfully obey. If I pay attention in class and diligently study Your Word, it will leap to life preventing the seeds of deceit from sprouting in my soul. Please dear Lord, be gracious to me. Teach me good judgment to distinguish between truth and lies. With my heart set on You, the problems and pressures that are pounding me will soon be replaced with perfect peace. God of grace be with me today, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Do you know God’s Word well enough to separate fact from fiction? I encourage you to spend time in the classroom of your heart, learning all you can about the Truth, so that no one will disturb your peace of heart and mind.

Worship the King

Psalm 95:1-7
Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come before him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing him psalms of praise.
For the LORD is a great God,
the great King above all gods.
He owns the depths of the earth,
and even the mightiest mountains are his.
The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too.
Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
for he is our God. NLT


Lord, You are a great and awesome God! You are King of kings! Maker of mighty mountains and surging seas! Owner of the depths of the earth and lofty skies! You rule and reign from heaven on high!

In reverent awe, I come just as I am, humble, meek, and poor, to worship You in the splendor of Your sovereignty. I’m not worthy to climb the mighty majestic mountain into Your presence. I can’t stand on this holy ground without purifying my heart. With a clear conscience, I’ll enter the beauty of Your holiness to adore You with deep devotion.

Because Your precious Son bought me with His priceless blood, I’ll come before You with thanksgiving exalting You above the heavens. Seeing Your radiant face, I’ll kneel before Your throne and anoint Your feet with the sweet aroma of joyful praise.

With my hands, I’ll extol You. With my lips, I’ll lift You up. With my feet, I’ll serve You. With my tongue, I’ll sing of Your unfailing love and faithfulness. Gladly, I’ll give my life to You in worship. Please receive my humble sacrifice of praise because I love and adore You above all, my great God and King. Alleluia. Amen.


Prepare your heart for corporate worship by focusing on God’s reverence. Then, go in awe of Him and be blessed!

Expanded View

Romans 11: 33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Wise and Knowledgeable King,
Please expand my view of You. From afar, You are an intriguing blip on the horizon. Reduced by distance, You are too manageable to be marvelous and too small to be significant. However, as I come closer, I am absolutely astonished by the vast view of who You are and what You have done for me.

I marvel at Your extravagance and generosity
I’m awestruck by Your wisdom and knowledge
I’m mesmerized by the hidden treasures in Your Word
I wonder at Your pathways that are too complex to chart
I’m amazed at Your never-ending brilliant mind
I’m captivated with Your constant rightness
I’m stunned at Your unlimited resources

Up close I can see and experience You as the Creator of everything. I can touch the power that makes all things exist. I can be certain that You intend all things for Your glory. Please dear Lord, draw me closer and keep expanding my view of You. I want to be obviously caught-up in knowing You deeply. As my view of You becomes greater, my view of my man will become smaller. Rather than living to please people, in view of Your grace and mercy I will passionately pursue a purposeful life pleasing to You. I will praise and adore You now and forever more. Amen.

What is your view of God? Do you see Him from a distance and unapproachable, or up close and touchable? Walk nearer to Him and He will expand Your view. One thing I see when I come nearer to God is ________________________________.

Depth of Love

Ephesians 3:14-19
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I kneel before You Father astonished by the rich gifts You’ve lavished on me: the family name, the family image and the family fortune. Being chosen and adopted into Your family is the highest honor and greatest privilege I’ll ever receive. Nothing else will ever come close.

Today I’m claiming the priceless family promise of power to change the way I think and perceive myself. You don’t see me the way I see myself: unattractive, unworthy, and unlovable. You see me as Your beloved child. Please give me faith to believe and power to grasp:

The width of Your love: wide enough to reach the whole wide world, while also touching the homosexual, the prostitute, the adulterer, the murderer, the addict, the abuser, the abused, the obsessed, the rich, the poor and much wider than I can imagine.

The length of Your love: long enough to cover my entire life, longer than my rebellion, hatefulness, apathy, arrogance, ignorance, and much longer than I can visualize.

The depth of Your love: deep enough to feel my severely broken heart that no one else understands, deeper than my insecurities and fears, and still deeper than I could ever dream.

The height of Your love: high enough to stretch from heaven to earth to show me the way to all Your hidden treasures and higher than my simple mind can possibly understand.

Father, if I could comprehend and claim Your limitless love, then I’d look to You and You alone for love. I’d stop seeking approval from my parents, spouse, children, and friends. I wouldn’t fill my life with trinkets and treasures. I’d no longer crave the desires and lifestyle that once held me captive. I’d long for You and You alone.

Dear Lord, please fill me to overflowing with the inexhaustible love of Jesus today. With all my heart, I want to receive and accept the infinite love You bestow on Your children for the glory of Your name forever and ever. Amen.

Have you received and accepted God’s lavish gift of love, promised to His children? He’s not waiting for you to be perfect. It’s yours to claim today, just as you are. If you don’t feel worthy of accepting it, please pray and ask Him to give you the power to accept it. It’s a life changing gift.

Believing God

Hebrews 11: 1, 6
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Great God in Heaven~
You are the One and Only True and Living God~
You are King of kings, Lord of lords, God of gods~
There is none like You. Ruler of heaven and earth, all authority submits to You. You’re the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Just as You empowered, prospered, and protected Noah, Abraham, and Moses, You will empower, prosper, and protect me. Just as You directed and led Joshua, Gideon and David, You will direct and lead me. By studying Your Ancient Words, and paying attention in the classroom of my heart, I’ve learned that You’re always trustworthy and faithful. Though I haven’t seen You with my physical eyes, I’ve seen You with the eyes of my heart. I’m absolutely sure You are who You say You are, and will do what You say You will do. I’m certain You have a special plan for my life that involves something bigger than I can imagine; something only You can do.

Please dear Lord, give me faith to trust You to lead and guide me through tough times and rough terrain to the promised land of prosperity. Based on history, I’ll confidently expect a breathtaking surprise around frightening bends and unfamiliar borders. Earnestly, I’ll follow You up the steep peaks of pressure and down the slippery slopes of uncertainty. Please take away my anxiety and fear so that I can enjoy the exhilarating, exciting escapade that leads to rich rewards. With all my heart I want to please You by passionately pursuing You wherever You go. Please bless me today because I believe in the power of Your name. Amen.

How do you know that God exists? What one adjustment will you make in your life to pursue Him today? He promises to reward those who earnestly seek Him.

Stumbling Blocks

Luke 17:1-3
Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.”

O Lord My God,
Have mercy on me! Increase my faith and change me from the inside out! Search my heart and reveal my weaknesses so that I can be on guard against sin. Because we live in a fallen world surrounded by all sorts of evil and temptation we’re bound to stumble and fall. Sometimes I’ll set-up the obstacle, other times I’ll trip over it.

O righteous God who searches hearts and minds, search me and point out any offensive way in me. Shine Your light on my heart and reveal my weaknesses and vulnerabilities so that I’ll notice the obstructions in front of me. With eyes wide open I’ll avoid the dangerous pitfalls that I’m most likely to plunge into.

Where I’m strong give me grace to be sensitive to my surroundings so that I won’t hinder others. Show me the weaknesses and susceptibility of my family and friends. Aware of the difficulties that cause them problems, I’ll practice love, patience and self-restraint. Woe to me if I cause someone to fall! I’d be better off dead!

Please cover me with humility, kindness and love to stand firm in all situations. I long to please You and glorify our family name. Amen.

Your faith is strong in an area if you can survive contact with sinners without being shaped into their image. It is weak in an area if you must avoid an activity in order to protect yourself from falling. Whenever in doubt, ask yourself: “Can I do it without sinning? Will my attitudes and actions influence others for the good?”

Identify your strengths and weaknesses. One thing I will do today is ____________________ (action) in order to prevent ______________________ (name of a person) from stumbling.

One thing I will do today is stop nagging in order to prevent my child from stumbling. (My constant badgering annoys him and causes dissension in our family.)