Fellowship With Jesus

TODAY’S VERSE
“To you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus. – God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I Corinthians 1:2(NLT), 9 (ESV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
When you wake up in the morning, who do you think you are? What purpose do you have? You could say, “I’m a mother and need to get my children taken care of.” “An employee and need to get ready to work.” “A broker and need to make money in the market today.” “A retiree and I need to volunteer at the hospital.” A larger purpose may be a certain occupation like, “A police officer and I need to save lives.” While all of these are noble and certainly are worthy of expression, what I don’t find most of us doing is getting up in the morning with the realization that Paul was trying to make. In reality, you and I have every right to get up and say, “By God’s grace I am one of God’s holy people and I have been asked to fellowship with Christ today.” How would that affect the way we plan? What attitude would that give us? What joy would there be in our heart? We are a chosen people, chosen by God to live for Him. Jesus desires that we become consciously aware of His presence, actively involved in a dialog with Him. He wants to share in our joys and our sorrows, our victories and our defeats, our greatest pleasures and our most mundane tasks. Today, might we choose to fellowship with Him. Choose to include Him in your day. Share, pray, meditate, talk to Him. Today, might we really know what it means to be called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord.  

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your invitation to fellowship with You. Help me to appreciate and fully understand what that means. Help me today to begin to fellowship with You in more deep and meaningful ways. I pray in Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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In His Presence

TODAY’S VERSE
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Because of the death and resurrection of Christ, we can come into the very presence of God and listen to Him. When we do, we receive all the mercy, grace and help we need, just when we need it most. What a significant truth this is! How amazing that God Almighty would let us spend time in His presence and yet how many of us take Him up on this offer? Out of a day, how much time do we deliberately spend quietly before Him. How much in a week? A month? In our lifetime? Yet, we say it is a priority? In his book “Experiencing Healing Prayer” the author, Rick Richardson writes, “My heart was receptive – As we walk the healing journey, no other single thing we can do, may have greater impact that learning to listen to God. God’s voice is the healing voice, just as God’s presence is the healing presence. We must hear the voice of God reverberate in our soul, exposing the lies about our unlovability, worthlessness or despair and speaking the truth. We must.” Christ has done everything needed so when we put our faith in Him we can come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. Today, let us come into His presence and listen to Him. Let us be confident that He desires to speak truth to us and make us whole. Let us find the mercy, grace and help we need.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, dear Lord, for providing a way that I can come into Your presence. Thank You that Christ is my High Priest and I can come boldy into Your presence and be confident that You will give me all the mercy, grace and help I need to make it through this day. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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A Simple Thing

TODAY’S VERSE
“This is what the LORD says: This dry valley will be filled with pools of water! You will see neither wind nor rain, says the LORD, but this valley will be filled with water. You will have plenty for yourselves and your cattle and other animals. But this is only a simple thing for the LORD.”
2 Kings 3:16-18 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I love the faith of Elisha. He is telling everyone that God is going to do this mighty miracle. God was going to fill a desert with water without rain! And yet Elisha glibly adds, “But this is only a simple thing for the Lord.” Why is this so hard for us to believe? Why do we so often vacillate between faith and unbelief? Most of the time when I have doubt, it is because I do not know what the will of God will be in a given situation. I seem to lack confidence in how to pray. Other times it is simply a lack of faith. I need to be reminded what Elisha was trying to say; miracles are not too hard for God. So how should I pray? I think I need to pray as God leads me. Elisha was close to God and it was God’s Spirit that came upon him and led him to believe. Deep communion with God will do the same for me. I should be able to ask Him for mighty things and have the assurance that nothing is too hard for God. So if a miracle does not happen, let it be due to the sovereignty of God, not in fact that I did not believe or never asked. Today let us seek God’s face in all matters and pray in faith believing. Answering prayer is a simple thing for the Lord.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your mighty miracles. Help me to trust in You. Give me see with Your eyes. Help me to commune with You and really know Your heart so I can pray in faith believing.
AMEN

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Wisdom and Understanding

TODAY’S VERSE
“Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. –  For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:2-3, 6 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
What a difference wisdom and understanding can make. How many times have we forged on ahead into disaster because we did not seek God for the insight that only He can give. Solomon knew about this more than any man that ever lived. He was asked specifically by God to request anything that he wanted and he asked for wisdom. He knew that with wisdom everything, else in life would come. In today’s passage Solomon shares his secret to life. He writes, “Seek wisdom and understanding”. Specifically, he encourages us to seek God because. “The Lord grants wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And yet it is in our human nature to think that we have all the answers. Why would we ever need to seek God? How foolish. Today, let us be wise, by seeking Him in everything we do. Let’s ask God to grant us wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I pray that You would lead me today. I cannot make it without Your guidance. Give me the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that I so desperately need.
AMEN

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God’s Love

TODAY’S VERSE
“But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Psalms 86:15 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
God’s grace is amazing. His love toward us is unfailing. Here David is worshiping God and thanking Him for His compassion and mercy. He praises God for being filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. David knew this, he believed it, he felt it deep in his heart. And yet, how many of us never quite get it? Yes, the God we believe in is the same God that David is referring to, but our heart cannot seem to grasp that He really loves us. What about you? Is something inside of you broken? Perhaps your receiver doesn’t get the love signal. Instead, you feel you have to please God. Deep inside you fear that if God really knew you, He would never love you. But here is the truth. God does know you and fully loves you. He knows the truth about you. He doesn’t see you as an abandoning father does. He doesn’t put demands on you like an evil stepmother. From the time you were thought of by God, He has loved you. You don’t have to earn it, you can’t lose it. Today, you can say deep in your heart the same prayer that David prayed, “God is full of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, help me really understand the depths of your love for me. Help me grasp your compassion, embrace your mercy and really begin to see that your love and faithfulness is unfailing. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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Hypocrite

TODAY’S VERSE

‘“Jesus replied, ‘You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce.’”
Mark 7:6-7 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
According to Webster, a hypocrite is “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings, puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion.” None of us start out trying to be a hypocrite but so often it end up happening. What starts as a wonderful relationship with Christ somewhere along the way becomes a religion, a system of do’s and don’t. Whereas we found salvation as a free gift from Christ, we start to believe that God would love us more if we behaved certain ways. We slowly go from a relationship of grace to a system of works. We start spending more time knowing about God and less time knowing Him. And then it begins to happen. Our Christianity becomes more about church and less about our life. We know how to “talk” about Jesus but know nothing about “walking” with Him. Jesus said it this way, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” True worship is from the heart and Jesus says that ours has become a farce. It doesn’t have to be this way. Today, be real with God. Come to Him seeking to really know Him. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in new and refreshing ways. Accept His love and forgiveness. Accept His grace and fellowship. Today, start afresh and begin to love Him again with all your heart, soul and mind.  

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, help me search my heart. Help me to know where I have wandered from You. Forgive me for any hypocrisy and help me to embrace Your love simply living for You in return.
AMEN

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Trust, Delight and Commit

TODAY’S VERSE
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
Psalms 37:3-5
TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a Spiritual rhythm in these three verses. It really speaks to the soul. It is like drinking a tall cool glass of water after coming in from a steamy hot day. Somehow trust, delight and commit seem to go together. Today start with trusting God. Give everything over to Him. Let go, trust Him. Then stop and delight in Him. Feel His love. Let Him give you deep joy. Delight in His presence. 
Finally bow before Him and commit everything to Him. Put your life in His hands. And you know what? He says He will give us the desires of our heart. It doesn’t get better than this!

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Father, I come to you now and trust you with all my concerns, and worries. You are God and I give myself to you. I choose to delight in you. I ask you to fill me with a deep joy today. I want to love you with all my heart. I commit this day to you and all that will transpire. I commit myself joyfully into your hands. Thank you that you have promised that if I trust, delight and commit, you will give me the desires of my heart.
AMEN

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A Confident Heart

TODAY’S VERSE
“My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.”
Psalms 57:7-10 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
The scriptures say that David was a man after God’s own heart. And how true we see this in today’s passage. David had a confidence in God. When I read, “My heart is confident in you, O God.” I knew immediately that this was something I wanted. But what is a confidence in God? What exactly does that mean? What does it feel like? What can I imagine doing if my heart felt that way? Is this something I can experience? I must conclude, “Why not?” Why can’t my heart be confident in God? Surely He is the same God. Surely He loves me and is my Savior. As I read the passage again, I began to know what David felt like. I wanted to sing. I wanted to say with David, “Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” What about you? Where is your confidence? Where is your hope? Where is your joy? Stop today and meditate on His love for you. Stop and consider that the Almighty God cares for you! He loves you! He created you for a purpose. Right now, stop and wake up your heart. Breathe in a deep breath. Breathe in all the love God has for you, all the care, all His focus on you, all the confidence that comes from the reality of His presence. Today, be confident of God’s love and presence in your life and then rejoice with David in saying, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident.”
  
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I thank You that my heart can be confident in You. I can be confident in Your love for me, in Your power to protect me, in Your wisdom to guide me. Thank You Lord for all You do and all You are. I praise you today from a confident heart.
AMEN

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Your Cross

TODAY’S VERSE
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
II Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”’
Matthew 16:24 (NIV)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
I don’t understand suffering. Pain, heartache, sadness seem so antithetical to the love, joy and peace that we claim is the Christian experience. I don’t understand why our first and only stop isn’t Heaven instead of earth. But here we are and in this world we do have tribulation. All of us have crosses to bear. In his book, “Desiring God’s Will”, Dr. Benner writes, “We experience good and bad in our childhood. But Jesus’ invitation is to accept the givens of our life and follow Him. We experience love and betrayal in our marriages and friendships. But Jesus’ invitation remains the same, to accept the givens and follow Him. – We want to either fight against the suffering or ignore it. What Jesus asks is something quite different. – We can choose to acknowledge the suffering rather than ignore it. And while holding it, we can choose to look toward God. If we do, we discover God looking toward us.” The mystery in all of this is God’s grace. Grace stands between us and our pain. It is the salve for our breaking heart. It is the presence of God in the midst of our darkness. It is the strength in our weakness. God promises it will be sufficient. He promises. Today, don’t turn away. Quit running. Lay down your burden and follow Christ. He is sufficient.
   
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, I come to You. Only You can be my strength. Only You can give me the grace I need. I look to You dear God for You promised Your grace will be sufficient.
AMEN

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Harmony

TODAY’S VERSE
“So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:19 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
You would think that the church would be the first place we would look for a group that is building each other up, but it’s not always the case. We can hurt each other just like any other group. It takes hard work to live in harmony. We come from so many diverse backgrounds with so many different temperaments, beliefs, emotions, assumptions, experiences and wounds that without concerted effort, it is impossible not to hurt each other. That is why Paul said to “aim” for harmony and to “try” to build each other up. It is not easy, but this wasn’t just some light hearted request. We must try. We must do all that we can to love each other as Christ would love us. As we submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will produce in us the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Then we will begin to build each other up in ways that will result in harmony. So today ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, mold you and use you and let us aim for harmony and begin to build each other up.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Holy Spirit, I invite You to produce Your fruit in my life. I want to live in harmony with others and help build them up. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

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