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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Teach Me To Pray

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

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

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

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Love God

TODAY’S VERSE
When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”
Luke 15:17-19 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is so easy to “love” what we can get from God more than God. It is easier to “love” God when things go according to our preconceived idea of a “happy life” than when things go crazy. In his book The Papa Prayer, Larry Crabb points out that in the story of the Prodigal Son, the son decides to return home, not because of his love for his father but because he wants what his father could provide. The son knew that the hired servants lived better than he was living at the time, so he went home to be provided for. It is interesting to note that in the speech the Prodigal Son gave to his father, he never once told his father that he loved him. What about us? Do we love God, or do we love what He provides? As long as things are great or at least status quo, God deserves our love. But what happens when things turn sour or there is conflict? Today, love God. Just love Him. Tell Him so. Love Him because He is! Love Him not to get but just because you want to.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, today, I want to love You. I want to love You for who You are. Help me to examine my heart and repent of a consumer mentality that comes to You for what I can get. Forgive me for attaching strings to my love. Holy Spirit, guide me into a more profound love today. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Don’t Lose Your First Love

TODAY’S VERSE
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. – Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Revelation 2:2, 4-5

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Remember when you first came to Christ? You were aware of your need. You were humbled by His love, appreciative of His sacrifice for you. You wanted to help everyone else know Him. What happened? How did we allow our intimate relationship with Christ to become a ritual? When did we trade our freedom? When did we forsake our joy? Have we traded our relationship with Christ for a religion? Have we given up grace for rules and regulations? Have we exchanged the church’s mission for membership in a country club? Paul wrote the church in Colossians, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” He asked them to continue living in Christ just like they did the first day they tasted salvation. The first day the Spirit of God was born in their heart, the first time the tears from God’s forgiveness stained their cheeks. John warned the church in Ephesus that they had lost their first love even though they worked hard and persevered. He admonished them to repent and return to doing what they did at first. Oh, that we will never forget the wonder that God loves us. Today, examine your heart. Do you feel far from God? Who moved? Go back to the place you met Christ. Rededicate your heart to Him. Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, take me back to the time I first knew You. Renew the joy in my soul. Reignite the fire that burned in my heart. Help me remember and live this day with fresh awareness of Your love and forgiveness.
In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Amazing Grace

TODAY’S VERSE
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
II Corinthians 12:9

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Troubles happen. There are so many variables in life. It is good to have dreams, make plans and choose paths; however, you and I know that things don’t always go the way we plan. What do we do when things seem to get all messed up? We’ve asked for wisdom, for guidance, but now it calls for something more. Something extraordinary. It calls for grace. Grace is that unmerited divine favor from God. This love and blessing from God is not based on our merit but because of what Christ has done for us. Grace is given to us out of the kindness and love of God. In today’s verse, this grace is available for our daily living. Paul kept asking God to move in specific directions; however, nothing was going right. God had to say, “No!” It was not the direction He had for Paul. Instead, God was saying, “Paul, you are going to have to trust me; but don’t worry, my grace, my intervention in your life is going to get you through.” This is what hope is about. This is what faith is based on. This is the reality of our walk with Christ. No matter what we go through, God promises His grace is all we need!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for lavishly pouring Your grace into my life. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for all my needs. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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How Deep Is God’s Love?

TODAY’S VERSE
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
Ephesians 3:18-19

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Unconditional love. What a thought; better yet, when we realize it, what a reality! God loves us with no strings attached. But do we believe that? In his book Abba’s Child, Brennan Manning challenges whether we do or not. He writes, “It is one thing to feel loved by God when our life is together and all our support systems are in place. But what happens when life falls through the cracks? What happens when we sin and fail, when our dreams shatter, when our investments crash, when we are regarded with suspicion? What happens when we come face-to-face with the human condition?” If we were honest with ourselves, we would probably begin to doubt whether God could love us. Why is that? Could it be that we want something to do with our own salvation? Is it the cross plus our worthiness? Is it His death plus all the good things we have done? We need to pray what Paul prayed so that we would have the power to understand how much God loves us. Manning wrote it this way, “Whether you understand it or not, God loves you, is present in you, lives in you, dwells in you, calls you, saves you and offers you an understanding and compassion which are like nothing you have ever found in a book or heard in a sermon.” May you begin to believe and experience this reality.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for the fact that You love me unconditionally. Please give me the power to fully understand how deep Your love really is and that it is a gift, not something I have to earn. Thank You for such an amazing truth. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Pray Like David

TODAY’S VERSE
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”
I Chronicles 17:16

TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is more to prayer than simply asking God for something. It is not wrong to ask, but there is more to prayer than making requests. God desires a relationship with us. It is said of David that he was a man “after God’s own heart.” He had a relationship with God unlike any other. Today’s verse says that David went in and sat before the Lord.” It is easy to miss how amazing this is. Think about it. This was almighty Jehovah! Only the priests were allowed into the Holy Place before the Lord, and they had to purify themselves, make a sacrifice, and go in and stand in reverence before the Lord of Hosts. Here is David. Does he purify himself? No, he had pure motives. Did he bring a sacrifice? No, he had a humble and contrite heart. Did he stand before the Lord? No, notice he “went in and sat before the Lord!” How great is that? This is what Christ came for. His death was the payment for our sins so we could come before God and pray. But notice how David prayed. Did he ask for something? No, he started to relate to God. David shared his heart. He asked God a question. What a model for us to follow. You can come to God and sit before Him. Tell Him what is on your heart. Tell Him how you feel. Ask Him questions. Praise Him for His goodness in your life. Picture Him there with you, and let Him penetrate your heart with His love. Then love Him back. Today start a relationship with God. When you do, praying will take on a whole new meaning.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I don’t want to simply pray. Lead me in a conversation with You. Please help me be honest and share how I am feeling. Help me to sense Your presence. More than anything else in the world, I want a relationship with You that is real and vibrant. Lord, let it start right now. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Faith, Love, and Hope

TODAY’S VERSE
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
I Thessalonians 1:2-3

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Christianity is more than a belief system; it is a way of life, a tour of duty. When we became Christian, we enlisted in the service of Jesus Christ. There is a spiritual battle in the world. Poverty, injustice, abuse, and hatred are all part of the human suffering around us. Depression, divorce, drug abuse, and psychosomatic disease are epidemics. In this world, God has created us to be His ambassadors of love, like the church in Thessalonica. Their seriousness and dedication blew Paul away. He thanked God for their faith, love, and hope and prayed for them. But it wasn’t what we would consider “faith, love, and hope.” Listen to what Paul wrote. He said, “your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope.” When was the last time we did something worthy of faith in a mighty working God? When did we labor in love? When have we had to endure hanging on to nothing else but hope? That is what it is to serve Jesus. You take responsibility seriously. You involve yourself in the life of others. You step out, way over your head, and know that only faith in God can get results. You take on situations that try your love beyond reason. It is hard, hard work. And when nothing else seems to be working, God comes through, and you are inspired to get up and do it all again because there is hope. We live in a hurting world. We have the answer. May we follow the example of the Thessalonians.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, give me faith to live for You today. Help me love today the way You want me to. Fill my heart with hope so it spills over onto everyone I encounter. Lead me on, dear Jesus.
AMEN

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Cry Out To God

TODAY’S VERSE
Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. – Praise the LORD! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
Psalms 28:2, 7-8

TODAY’S THOUGHT
David knew what it was like to be tormented. He knew the pain that comes with great need. He experienced difficulties that had no escape except by the mercy of an Almighty God. So David cried out to God for help. As David cried out to God, the Lord strengthened and protected him. David trusted God with all his heart, resulting in deep spiritual joy. You see, God did not take David out of his situation. David still faced his problems, but instead of facing his situation alone, he turned to God for strength. God protected David like a shield. Do you have a story similar to David’s? Are there times you need to cry out to God for His mercy? Rest assured, He hears you. You, too, can end up praising God, for He promises He will be your strength. He will be your shield. You can trust Him with your situation. When you do, you will experience the profound joy that can only come from God.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You today asking for Your mercy in my life. Thank You for hearing my cry and offering to be my strength and shield. I accept this promise and put all my trust in You. Thank You that I will not be disappointed. Fill my heart with a deep joy today so I, too will burst out with thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Fulfill Your Purpose

TODAY’S VERSE
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 1:11-12

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Did anyone ever ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Or have you ever taken a test to help you determine your passions and purpose in life? You could spend your whole life trying to find your purpose, that perfect job, or the fulfillment of your childhood dream and never come close to what Paul was praying for the Christians in Thessalonica. What a magnificent prayer. The good news is that you can pray the same thing for yourself. God has called you to serve Him, and you can pray with Paul “that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” Can you imagine that? You see, this is God’s genuine desire for you to use His power to help you fulfill every good purpose of yours. The result is that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in your life! So, what good purpose do you have today? What act prompted by your faith will you engage in today? Might God empower you by His grace to do all He has called you to this day so that He will be glorified.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You that You can fulfill every good purpose of mine and every act prompted by my faith! What an exciting thought. Please help me understand what this really means in my life. Help me not to waste this precious life You have given me. Might I live it today for Your glory. In Jesus’name.
AMEN

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