The Unseen Real

TODAY’S VERSE
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
II Corinthians 4:16,18

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The presence of God is a reality that we can experience. He is the God who is there. Unfortunately, we can go day after day and never be conscious of His reality. Leanne Payne, in her book “Listening Prayer” writes, “It is especially easy for modern people to regard the supernatural world and activities as somehow less real than the world we behold with our senses. As twentieth-century Christians, we live in a materialistic age in which our systems of learning have long based their conclusions on scientific truth alone. The presuppositions of such systems have misled many generations of students, blinding them to the truths of God and the Unseen Real.” Paul says that he did not lose heart because of the reality of fixing his eyes on what is unseen. The unseen existence of God renewed his heart day by day. David said life’s experiences did not shake him because he experienced God at his side. How about you? Is God’s presence a reality in your life? Do you renew your heart daily because of the truth of His presence in your life? It’s not too late. Start today to experience His existence. Spend time with God, talk to Him, and ask Him to reveal Himself. When you do, you will discover that He is the “Unseen Real.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, my life is so full of everything else but You. I spend so much of my time without any awareness of Your presence. I confess, I have kept You at a safe distance, turned You into a religious relic. Forgive me. Today, reveal Yourself to me, Lord renew my heart by Your unseen reality. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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My Heart, Christ’s Home

TODAY’S VERSE
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
John 14:23

TODAY’S THOUGHT
A famous booklet called “My Heart, Christ’s Home” was written by Robert Munger. The author used a house as a metaphor for our hearts. He shares how excited we are first to let Christ in. Like a home, we visit Him in the living room, treating Him as our guest. We even offer Him a bedroom. However, most of us stop there and never take Him to our more hidden, personal rooms. Jesus never goes to the attic or searches our closets. After a while, we get busy with life and quit spending time with Him. Soon we ignore Christ, running out of the house in the morning, never even talking to Him.
The purpose of the book was to show us that knowing Christ is more than an occasional encounter. It is more than simply inviting Him into our hearts. Knowing Christ is having intimate fellowship with Him. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would allow Christ to dwell in their hearts. This is where the strength of our inner being comes from. John tells us that Christ is knocking on the door of our hearts and wants to fellowship with us. Jesus said that if we love Him, He and His Father would come and make their home with us. Who lives in your heart today? Why not let Jesus in? Why not let Jesus visit every room? Give Him complete control of your life and access to all parts of your being. You can trust Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, I want my heart to be Your home. Lord, go ahead and check out every room, every closet, and basement. Be in complete charge of all I have and all I do. Be the ruler of my heart and make it Your home. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Search My Heart

TODAY’S VERSE
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalms 139:23-24 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The Bible says David “was a man after God’s heart.” What a tribute. Contrary to what we might think, this was not because David was perfect. He knew how easily he could fall into sin. He remembered how God had to wake him up from an immoral stupor through the rebuke of Nathan, the Prophet. If anyone could have created the slogan “No perfect people allowed,” it was David. David had to give up the “perception of perfection” in order to renew a close relationship with God. When God convicted David of wrongdoing, David repented, asking God to be merciful. To stay in a close relationship with God, David decided to allow God to speak to him about his behavior. He prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” How about you? Do you feel far from God? Who moved? What is stopping you from coming back? Is it pride? Is it anger? Is it the false notion that you don’t need to? Let us join David in becoming a person after God’s heart, not through the mistaken ambition of perfection, but through the daily, honest, and open relationship with God that allows Him to search us, point out what we are doing wrong, and then lead us along the path of following Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to you today and pray what David prayed so long ago, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
AMEN

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Inner Strength

TODAY’S VERSE
I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Ephesians 3:14-16 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love the prayers that Paul prayed. His prayers give great insight into the will of God for His children. I believe that Paul models what we can pray for ourselves in his prayers. So, what is Paul saying we can ask God for in this prayer? According to Paul, we can ask God to empower us with inner strength from His unlimited resources! Inner strength. What would it feel like to be empowered with inner strength? How would that change your day today? If you had inner strength, what would you do differently? I believe God wants to give you strength, and He certainly has the resources to do it. Do you have the faith to ask? Why not join Paul and ask God to use His glorious, unlimited resources to empower you with inner strength today.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, Creator of everything in heaven and on earth, I pray today that from your glorious, unlimited resources, You would empower me with inner strength through Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Does It Get Any Better Than This?

TODAY’S VERSE

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
Psalms 143:8,10

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is something about an isolated sandy beach along the ocean. Sitting on the sand, listening to the ocean waves hit the shore. Sun is caressing your face. A gentle breeze is awakening your skin. Birds chirping in the background. Does it get any better than this? Well, yes! David talks about a place that is much more satisfying. A place where the warmth of the sun pales in comparison. It is where the sound of the ocean is replaced with the whisper of God. Where the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit overshadows the gentle breeze. This place David is talking about is the very presence of God. He is sharing about his time with God in the morning. “Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning” he writes. He shares about hearing God’s voice, sensing His love, learning His will, trusting His word, and being led in which way to go. It doesn’t get any better than this! This can be your experience today. You don’t need to drive anywhere, apply sunscreen, or walk barefoot on a hot sandy beach. You just need to be available. Call on God even now. Pray David’s prayer, and might you return to this peaceful place again and again.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I trust you. Please show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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God Is My Friend

TODAY’S VERSE
Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:13-15

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is an incredible concept that a God who created all the expanse of space; designed the most complicated systems; is beyond time and space; would create us, not as some impersonal piece of matter, but as a friend. A friend! We are fortunate if we go through life with four or five good friends. Jesus called His disciples friends. Why? Because He spent time with them. He knew them. He wants to do the same with us. If we are going to be a friend of God, then we must build a relationship. That doesn’t happen by just going to church. It doesn’t come by reciting creeds, as good as they are. It doesn’t come from reading about God, although this certainly gives us context. It doesn’t come by only reading the Bible, although this is an indispensable part of relating to God. Friendship with God comes from spending time with Him. It comes through conversation with Him. It comes through an exchange of feelings, thoughts, concerns, and aspirations. Try today to carve out some time to be alone with God. Share with Him; tell Him you want His friendship. Listen to Him, wait for Him, and enjoy His presence.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I know about You. I pray to you, but I must admit, I don’t know You well. I know in my head that You love me, but I haven’t sensed a friendship with You in my heart. I want to be Your friend. I want to know You in a much deeper and more personal way. Guide me into a friendship with You, I pray. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Be Strong In The Lord

TODAY’S VERSE
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Ephesians 6:10

TODAY’S THOUGHT
We need strength. So many circumstances in life bring us to our knees – suffering with chronic pain, struggling to pay the bills, arguing with teenage children, feeling discouraged about our job, or rocking from a ruined relationship. All of us have a story. None of us goes unscathed. But we do not have to bear our sorrows all alone and afraid. We don’t have to be helpless victims. Instead, Paul ends Ephesians with this word, “Finally, be strong.” Being strong is having a resilient attitude, a hopeful spirit, and a resolve never to give up, to fight and to hang on. But how do we do this? How can we get the strength we need? Listen to how Paul finishes his verse. “Be strong in the LORD and in His mighty strength.” What a difference a few words can make. We can be strong in His strength. His strength is mighty. And today, His strength is your strength. God will carry you Like a child in the strength of his father’s arms. Today, be strong, but not in yourself. Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, You told me to be strong, however, I have tried to be strong in my power, not Yours. I confess that I need Your power. I cannot live the life You want me to by myself. Please forgive me and help me be strong in You. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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No Perfect People Allowed

TODAY’S VERSE
I have not achieved it (perfection), but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Paul started the whole “No perfect people allowed” movement! He knew the pressure that Christians were getting from the religious people. Get circumcised, follow the commandments, and obey the law. Paul knew that this was a trap. He knew that two kinds of people miss God’s standard of perfection. Those that say they do and those that pretend they don’t. Paul did not have to pretend to be perfect; he had a better way! He tried being the ideal Jew, following the law, and being a zealot. But Paul put that all behind him. He stopped trying to earn God’s love and feeling guilty over his sin. Instead, he wrote, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.” How about you? There comes a time when you have to make a choice. Will you live by the law, beat yourself up over your sin, and try to earn God’s love? Or will you live by God’s grace and accept His unconditional love for you? Follow Paul’s example, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, you know my past. You know I cannot earn my way into your graces. Please help me to know that too. Help me accept your grace and unconditional love, forget the past, and move into your glorious future for me.
AMEN

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The Real Deal

TODAY’S VERSE
My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.
Job 42:5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is so easy to walk in our Christian experience and believe that we know God. We are like a baseball fanatic. You know, the kind. He can tell you everything about a particular player. He can quote their batting average, number of homers, and lifetime RBI’s. He knows where they played college ball, and the names of his wife and children. He even has an autographed baseball. Yet, he has never met the player. Never went to his house, never sat with him at dinner, or even had a discussion. Everything he knows is from reading or listening to commentators. Now don’t get me wrong, there is passion! Chances are he will fight you if you say something derogatory about the player. There is a passion, but it is based on admiration, not friendship. Job came to a place where everything he thought he knew about God seemed empty and vain. And then He met God. Job knew all about God, He “worshipped” God, and He even lived the way he thought God wanted him to, but when he saw God, it all changed. Knowing God in a personal and intimate way changes everything. And the beauty is that God created each of us with the ability to know Him. He has equipped us with the Holy Spirit, who is to teach us all things and bring us into intimate fellowship with God. But the choice is yours. You can choose to spend time with God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you, or you can continue to “know” about Him. Cry out to God today and ask Him to open your eyes like He did Job’s, and you can say, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, sometimes I feel so phony inside. I talk about You, read about You, and pray to You, but I don’t seem to really know You. Today, Lord, help me be conscious of Your presence. Father, speak to me. Help the eyes of my heart to see You. I want to know You in a deep and personal way. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Be Still

TODAY’S VERSE
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:39-41

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I have never been on a stormy sea. I can only imagine how fierce the storm must have been. Here are seasoned fishermen and they were exceedingly afraid. Now it did not help that they were going across the lake. The deep part of the lake in the center regions was referred to as the “abyss.” Many frightening fishermen stories were based on journeying into the abyss. Add to that the fact that they left in the evening. It was dark! Finally, they were going to the “other side”. Everyone knew what the “other side” was. It was where that horrific demon processed person lived in the caves. Jesus knew where they were going and fell asleep on the back of the boat. The storm was fast, furious and fierce and they cried out to Jesus. What they saw happen next was shocking to them, and they had seen healing miracles! Jesus stood and commanded the sea to be still! And it did. Now I don’t know about storms on the sea, but I know about storms inside the “sea” of my mind. There is an abyss, there is an “other side” that frightens all of us. Dread, fear, worry, remorse, addictions, obsessive thinking; it seems that our ship is going to sink. When you feel all is lost, do what the disciples did — cry out to Jesus. Name your fear, tell Him exactly what it is that you dread; be specific with your doubts. This same Jesus that said to the sea “Be still” says to you, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, You calmed the sea; please calm my troubled heart with the peace only You can give. I take the horrific storms of my life and submit them to Your command. You say “peace be still” so I choose not to be troubled or afraid. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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