Are you a Religious Person?

“And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 Are you a religious person? I don’t know about you, but I hear that question fairly often and I cringe just about every time I do. I know what most people are really asking: “Is faith important to you?” But the word religion is such a loaded word because every person has a different experience. For some, religion is mindless obedience. For others, it’s sleeping through Sunday morning service. And yet for others, it’s a different expression of worship altogether, whether it be in a Hindu temple, a mosque, or a synagogue. But the real difference between Christianity and religion is clear. Religion is spelled with two letters: d-o. Do this, and you’ll be a better person, receive blessings, or earn heaven. It’s focused on human achievement. Christianity, however, is spelled with four letters: d-o-n-e. It’s centered around the finished work of Christ on the cross. It’s not about what we can do, but what Christ has already done for us. Praise God today that you’re not enslaved to mindless religious obedience, but are free to pursue a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ! THANK GOD THAT YOUR FAITH ISN'T BASED ON RELIGION, BUT A LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.

 

 

 

 

 

Toughening Up for the Elders

Today's Bible Verse...

Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

—Philippians 3:20

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

No matter what your passport says, if you are a Christian, there is no earthly country that can hold you, no borders that can claim, you and no flag that flies above you but Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. You have more in common with the believing aboriginal tribesman of Indonesia, the Christian refugee in Africa, the Bedouin brother in Egypt, the Spirit-filled Brazilian housewife, the high rise business person in Hong Kong who bows to pray in Jesus name, than you do your next door neighbors if they don't know Christ as Lord and Savior.

My Prayer...

Glorious God and Almighty Father, I look forward to the day when people from every language, tribe, nation, and language join the angels and elders around your throne and worship you in joy forever. Make us one, if not here, then soon. We ask you Lord Jesus, please come. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated

GOT JOY?

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”   Nehemiah 8:10

One of the great fringe benefits of being a Christian is joy.  Joy is much better than happiness.  Happiness is dependent on circumstances – good circumstances make you happy... and bad circumstances make you unhappy.  Joy is not based on circumstances; it is based on a personal relationship with Jesus.  It comes when you are right with God.   

JOY GIVERS AND JOY STEALERS
Joyful people are so fun to be around.  They energize everyone they come in contact with.  Their attitude is always CAN DO!  They are always rejoicing because God is their King, Jesus is their Savior, their names are in the Lamb’s book of life, and “nothing is impossible to him who believes.” 

Joyless, sour people are no fun to be around.  They deflate everyone they come in contact with.  Nothing is ever right for a joyless, sour person.  They find difficulty in every opportunity.  They may be saved... but it is hard to tell by the way they act... and talk... and complain.  They only time they ever brighten a room is when they leave it.  How sad that God’s children would live like this. 

HOW TO LIVE IN JOY

Joy is in the Lord Jesus Christ.  To live a life of joy is to live a life surrendered to Him.  If you are sour and joyless, it is because you are focusing on the wrong things, and you are not letting Jesus fill and control your heart and life.  

Someone has well said, “Joy is the flag that is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence.” 

Is the King residing over you today?  Is He really sitting in the driver’s seat of your life?  It is easy to tell... just check for joy. 

My friend, joy is your birthright as a child of God.  Joy is a key component of a powerful witness for Christ.  If you look like you just sucked on a lemon, you are a poor advertisement for Jesus and the Christian life.  We represent the King of Joy to a lost and dying world... so let Him shine through you.  You will be amazed at the difference!    

PRAYER

Lord, I want my life to be filled with You and the joy You bring.  I choose today to take my eyes off my problems and lift them up to you.  Regardless of what may be going on, this is the day that you have made... and You want me to rejoice and be glad in it.  You still love me and have a wonderful plan for my life.  You can do anything and desire to show Yourself mighty and strong in me.  I look to You, surrender anew and afresh to You, and make the choice, this day, to rejoice in You!  AMEN!

Love, 
Pastor Jeff Schreve

Sermon Title: Tithe or Perish

Today's Bible Verse...

 

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him.  —Luke 11:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Think of all the great gifts you've been given. Next to Jesus, God's gracious sacrifice for our salvation, the greatest gift we can receive is God's abiding presence in the Holy Spirit! He is ours if we ask. In fact, when we ask God for anything, the Spirit is already in God's presence interceding for us!

My Prayer...

Abba Father, through the precious Holy Spirit I come before you asking you to empower me, my loved ones, and our church through the power of your Holy Spirit. I pray for renewal to sweep over our country and our world led by your Spirit of grace, power, and love. In the name of Jesus, the giver of this great gift I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated

. . . later . . .

  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

How happy are tested Christians, later. There is no deeper calm than that which follows the storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain?

Victorious banquets are for well-accomplished soldiers. After killing the lion we eat the honey; after climbing the Hill Difficulty,1we sit down in the arbor to rest; after traversing the Valley of Humiliation, after fighting with Apollyon, the shining one appears, with the healing branch from the tree of life. Our sorrows, like the passing hulls of the ships upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them "later." It is peace, sweet, deep peace, that follows the horrible turmoil that once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls.

Consider, then, the happy condition of a Christian! He has his best things last, and therefore in this world he receives his worst things first. But even his worst things are "later" good things, hard plowings yielding joyful harvests. Even now he grows rich by his losses, he rises by his falls, he lives by dying, and he becomes full by being emptied; if, then, his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life, what will be the full vintage of joy "later" in heaven? If his dark nights are as bright as the world's days, what shall his days be? If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun, what must his sunlight be? If he can sing in a dungeon, how sweetly will he sing in heaven! If he can praise the Lord in the fires, how will he extol Him before the eternal throne! If evil be good to him now, what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then?

Oh, blessed "later"! Who would not be a Christian? Who would not bear the present cross for the crown that comes afterwards? But here is work for patience, for the rest is not for today, nor the triumph for the present, but "later." Wait, my soul, and let patience have her perfect work.

She Who Is Without Sin

Today's Bible Verse...
 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.     —Psalm 19:1-2

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God's voice is always speaking. His witnesses give testimony to his glory, majesty, and creative grace. The universe shouts with joy that behind its intricate beauty and paralyzing powers is the One who gave it life, purpose, and intention.

My Prayer...

O Great God, Creator of the countless heavens and our own small blue planet, thank you for noticing the heart cries of one so small in a universe so large. I love you, admire you, trust you, and worship you with wonder. Be exalted in my life, my words, and my deeds this day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated

Spirit Gusher

by Pastor Mark Jeske

It’s not as though the Son of God made his first appearance on earth when he was born in Bethlehem. The Old Testament tells us of various appearances of the “angel of the Lord” who spoke and acted like the second person of the Trinity. And it’s not as though the Holy Spirit had to wait until Pentecost to make his grand entrance. The Old Testament is full of references to the “Spirit of the Lord.”

But here’s what changed 50 days (in Greek pentekostos means “50^th”) after Easter: Jesus more than compensated his apostles for his absence by not only sending but outpouring a gusher of the Spirit upon the believers. Jesus told his nervous disciples a few hours before his arrest: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16,17).

You may think that on Sundays you go to church. What a concept that in fact you are the church! Yes! Seriously! The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, actually lives within you, creating and nourishing the faith you need through the Word, changing your life to be more Christ-like, maturing your understanding, and tuning you up to be all that he has created you to be. 

Loosening Up to Preach

Today's Bible Verse...

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

—Psalm 46:10 

 

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

 

History tells me it has been true! Faith trusts it will be true eternally! Reverent silences, a pause in the hectic rush of our lives, reminds us that it is true today.

My Prayer...

O Father in heaven, may your name be revered and held holy in my life and my world today. Your will be done, your reign on earth come with power and might and finality, just as it has already come in heaven. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated

When Life is Blurry

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth
I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. (Isaiah 49:15-16, NASB)

Friend to Friend
Have you ever felt alone, scared, angry, confused, and hurt all at the same time? Ever felt like running away from a difficult situation? I have. There was a time when I wanted to run--hard and fast--from life as I knew it.
I was a young mom with three babies that had been born within three and a half years. (A maternal trifecta!) Then, to everybody’s surprise, my husband got a promotion that moved our seedling family across the country to a place where we didn’t know anybody.

I jokingly refer to that time as the “blurry era.” I had two babies in diapers that carried around their blankies, and one “big boy” who was potty training and struggling to say goodbye to his binky. There was always a diaper to change, a mouth to feed, or a mess to clean up.

My days were a blur and my emotions were overloaded.

I was tired 24/7.

Each day, my husband Brad wore a suit, smelled of cologne, and drove to a sleek metropolitan high rise. I wore sweats, smelled of either throw up, baby food, or formula, and stayed home with three little humans who constantly cried, ate, played, made a mess, or slept (but never at the same time).

Brad earned his company’s President’s Club Award that year.

I earned our family’s Pouter Club Award.

I had left the work force and surrendered my weekly paycheck to wipe little bottoms and snotty noses. While I love my children dearly and did enjoy many sweet mommy moments, life didn’t seem fair at the time.

As a young mom, I regularly wrestled with my role in our family. My identity felt muted. Chained down. I felt that to embrace my position as a stay-at-home mom was the equivalent of hugging a porcupine. I didn’t want to do it! I associated my worth with my work...and wrongly so.

I allowed my self-worth to be determined by variable factors.

I felt less valuable as a woman, and I felt alone.

Post partum depression was my reality. In darker moments, I felt invisible and insignificant. As if the world might be better without me.

So many women struggle with these same feelings. Perhaps you are wrestling with feelings of insignificance right now. Allow these words of Jesus to turn your heart to the truth of your value:

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

I struggled to view myself as God did.

During that season Scripture was essential to teach my heart truth. (It still is!) God also used a friend to remind me of my value. He answered prayers that never even made it past my lips when he sent me a priceless girlfriend named Peg. She was a young mom who had also just left the workforce. We laughed together, cried together, prayed together, watched each other’s children, and encouraged one another. She was a true blessing in that desperate season of life.

Do you have friends like Peg? Are you that friend to anyone else?

Christian community makes such a difference. It’s important that we don’t push people away and isolate. It’s important that we don’t push God away. When we open our hearts and homes to others, and embrace the truth of who God says we are, we become vessels of encouragement.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, Thanks for the beauty of friendship and for reminding me that I am never beyond Your sight or Your reach. Help me to face blurry and emotionally charged days with a courage that is firmly routed in your strength.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Everyday? Sermon Illustrations

 

Today's Bible Verse...

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.    —Colossians 3:13

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

How can I not forgive a brother or sister for whom Christ died, when I know what God paid to forgive me?

My Prayer...

Holy Father, I commit today to release any grudge or bitterness that I have against one of your children. I am sorry for not reflecting your grace and mercy which you lavished on me. Abba Father, I need the help of your Holy Spirit to relinquish my claim on the wrongs committed against me and to treat those who have hurt me as full siblings in your family. Please empower me as I commit to follow your example in forgiving, even when it is hard. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

Today's Verse Illustrated

 

Nature’s Witness

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. Genesis 8:21-22, niv

In spite of the sin and rebellion that God knew lurked in the very next generation of Noah’s sons and would increase with every subsequent generation, God committed Himself to spare the earth His previous judgments. While He did not remove the curse He had placed on Planet Earth following Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden, He vowed He would not increase the curse. And He promised that never again would He destroy all life on the planet as He had done during the Flood.

As evidence that He was good and would keep His promise, God pointed to the very cycles in nature. As you and I see the winter snows give way to spring flowers and the summer’s heat give way to autumn’s briskness, we are reminded that in back of the changes is the God Who never changes. The sun that rises every morning and sets every evening, the stars that come out in the night sky, and the moon that goes through its monthly phases--all reveal the glory of God, Who is good! How do your daily habits and lifestyle bear witness to the glory of God?

God’s Story, (Nashville: W Publishing, 1997). 

Putting Others' Problems First

 

 

Today's Bible Verse...

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Confessing our sins means that we view our sin the same way that God does — the same revulsion and disdain for them. This kind of confession opens our hearts to the flood of heaven's grace (see Psalm 51). God shares with us the sweet liberation from sin that Jesus purchased at Calvary; our sins are not only forgiven, but we are purified. We are no longer sinners and the stain of that sin is removed as well. We are clean, perfect, and without spot because of God's purifying grace (Col. 1:21-22). Now let's live in a way that is reflective of this incredible gift!

My Prayer...

Father, I do confess to you my sins! Please forgive me for... (please verbalize to God specifically your sins) Thank you for letting me be honest with you and share with you my frustration and my sorrow for them. Please liberate me from their power in my life and give me the confidence that you have not only forgiven them, but that you have made me pure and holy. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

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God Said So

Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: Matthew 4:1-11

“The tempter came and said to [Jesus], ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” ’ ’’(Matthew 4:3-4).

What should we do when we face Satan’s lies, especially the lie that God’s Word cannot be true? Jesus was faced with a legitimate need--the need to eat to sustain Himself. His need wasn’t wrong. Jesus had the power to do what was suggested, but to do it at the demand of Satan would have been satisfying Himself apart from God.

What proceeds out of God’s mouth must be our foundation for everything. It must be the foundation for counseling, for work, for our families, and for our finances. God has given us His definitive Word, and His Word addresses everything that is relevant to us today. Christians who do not believe His Word and obey it do not see His power demonstrated today. God does not want us to pay homage to Him; He wants us to believe Him and act on faith. Faith believes God in the absence of empirical evidence.

In the Garden of Eden, Eve stumbled over this type of faith. She failed the test because she did not believe something she had never seen--death. When it’s difficult to believe God but we place our faith in Him anyway, that’s faith.

One Minute Please

Faith is believing something is so, even when it is not visibly so, that it might be so simply because God said so.

Counseling Blunder 

 

Today's Bible Verse...

He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.—Micah 6:8

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Sometimes what we need to do is very simple and plain, isn't it? I need to handle those around me justly — practicing patience and dealing with others in fairness, without partiality. I need to practice mercy — blessing others in need with what they don't deserve but so greatly need. I need to walk humbly with my Abba Father — knowing that without his grace and help I will fail.

My Prayer...

Father, please make of me what you will. As you fashion me, please bless me as I seek to be a person of justice, mercy, and humility. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

 

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God Sees You

by shani4jc

“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain…” Acts 2:23

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that God was very aware of what Jesus was going to endure through the time of His crucifixion and death on the cross.  It’s easy to think that God only focused on the end result, our salvation, but we cannot dismiss the fact that it was His Son who we are talking about. Don’t for a second think God didn’t know every single ounce of struggling Jesus was going through as He prayed in the garden asking Him to remove the cup from Him if possible. Don’t think God didn’t watch every time the whip sliced into His Son’s back. Don’t think He didn’t see every drop of blood pour forth from His beloved  child as He was best beyond recognition. Don’t think He didn’t know the exact weight of the cross Jesus had to carry. Don’t think He didn’t know the precise depth each and every thorn pierced into Jesus’ head. Never doubt that He watched as His child was mocked, spit upon, and found guilty even though He had done nothing wrong. Never doubt that God knows the exact weight upon Jesus as the sins of the world were poured upon Him. Don’t think that God didn’t hear when Jesus asked why He had forsaken Him. Don’t think He wasn’t affected when His Son breathed His last breath. God knew every detail of the plan from start to finish. Nothing escaped Him! And never forget that God sees you, too! He knows your every struggle. He knows where every piece of your shattered heart is. He has counted every single tear you have cried. He sees you when the Hutu is so deep you cannot even cry out to Him. He sees you when you are doing everything in your power to have faith in Him even though every cell in your being tells you not to. He sees your hurts, your heartaches, and your despair. And He will stay with you through it all. He will not let you go. You, like Jesus, are His beloved and He sees you!

Is the Coast Clear? 

 

 

Today's Bible Verse...

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  —Matthew 7:7

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God wants us to seek his blessings. This is not because he wants to manipulate our lives, but because he longs to bless us and have us know the gifts in our lives come from him. So let's seek his presence, his grace, and his blessing.

My Prayer...

Dear Father, I do need your blessing and guidance. Please bless me in several areas that weigh heavily on my heart... (share with God some things that are on your heart). In addition, dear Father, I need your wisdom in the following matters... Finally, dear God, please make your presence in my life very clear to me this week. I don't doubt your love for me, but I really do need to be reassured of your nearness as I face the challenges that lie before me at this time. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

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Come and See!

Verse: Psalms 66

In Psalms 65 and 66, the psalmist recounts all that God has done and all that he has created. In jubilant psalms of praise, the psalmist describes God’s “awesome and righteous deeds” (Ps 65:5), God’s power displayed in his creation, God’s abundance in caring for the land and watering it, God’s bounty in providing for humankind and animals alike. “Come and see what God has done,” he says in Psalm 66. “his awesome deeds for mankind” (Ps 66:5). Physician and author J. Matthew Sleeth invites us to share the healing that comes from bearing witness to the miracle of God’s creation:

When the psalmists advise us how to heal spiritually, they do not tell us to purchase a television, car, house, self-help book, or exercise equipment. God, they say, is to be found in the natural world that he created, a world filled with the grandeur, beauty, and peace that are so often lacking in our material world.

What remedy does God prescribe for our souls? [Quiet] waters and green pastures (see Ps 23:2). Find a place where there is nothing man-made in sight. Sit or lie down. Be still, and know who God is (see Ps 46:10). Do not pray. Do not worry. Do not think. Your house, your cell phone, and your new kitchen do not give glory to God. The Bible states that if it is God-made (streams, mountains, birds, trees), it praises God ... When only God-made things surround you, you are in a fellowship of praise.

If you live in a city, try to find one small area that consists of only God-made things. If you must, lie on your stomach and stare at a one-square-foot area. If there is noise or highway sound, put your hands over your ears. You will hear the sound of your own pulse and breath. That’s okay. And that’s the point. You are God-made. We have forgotten that we have far more in common with a honeybee than we do with our SUV or DVD ...

Perhaps many of our problems, including those of depression and anxiety, are warning signals that we are living a lifestyle that God does not sanction or want us to lead. The response to mental pain and discomfort should be to seek restoring connection with God. In seeking quiet moments, green pastures, and still waters, we may find just what our souls need.

Do you know in which direction the Milky Way traverses the sky? As the phases of the moon progress, does the light go from right to left, or left to right? Can you identify a greater number of trees or cars? If the Bible says God knows every flower and bird, why do we spend so much effort knowing the names of man-made items? Maybe we’re paying attention to the wrong things. Maybe this is why life seems so hard. If this is our Father’s world, maybe we should pay more attention to it.

Think About It

*   In what ways does your culture and lifestyle distract you from God’s created world?

*  In what ways does God’s creation reflect his glory?

*   What within you needs healing?

Act on It

Follow Sleeth’s advice. Get outside this week and surround yourself with only God-made things. Worship God in the company of his creation.

Ignoring the Gossip 

 

Today's Bible Verse...

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

—Proverbs 3:5-6

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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Trust. It can't be half-hearted. Either it is full trust or it is clouded with suspicion. So as we face the everyday challenges of life, or as we look for answers in deep and difficult problems, let's put our full trust in the LORD. Let's ask for his wisdom and guidance as we make our choices. Let's give him praise for the good in our life and seek his blessing for the days ahead. Why? Because he longs to bless us with life, both now, and forevermore.

My Prayer...

O LORD, my Lord, I place my trust in you. Please guide my steps as I seek to bring you glory. Help me in the decisions I face. Give me discernment as I seek to influence others and to share your grace with them. Give me the right words to say so that I can have a redemptive influence on my family, with my friends, and among my co-workers. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

 

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Remarkable

by Max Lucado

Every day I have the honor of sitting down with a book that contains the words of the One who created me. Every day I have the opportunity to let him give me a thought or two on how to live.

If I don’t do what he says, he doesn’t burn the book or cancel my subscription. If I disagree with what he says, lightning doesn’t split my swivel chair or an angel doesn’t mark my name off the holy list. If I don’t understand what he says, he doesn’t call me a dummy.

In fact, he calls me “Son,” and on a different page explains what I don’t understand.

Remarkable.

At the end of the day when I walk through the house, I step into the bedrooms of three little girls. And one by one, I bend over and kiss the foreheads of the angels God has loaned me. Then I stand in the doorway and wonder why in the world he would entrust a stumbling, fumbling fellow like me with the task of loving and leading such treasures.

Remarkable.

Then I go and crawl into bed with a woman far wiser than I ... a woman who deserves a man much better looking than I ... but a woman who would argue that fact and tell me from the bottom of her heart that I’m the best thing to come down her pike.

After I think about the wife I have, and when I think that I get to be with her for a lifetime, I shake my head and thank the God of grace for grace and think, Remarkable.

I’m learning not to take these everyday miracles for granted.

I’m discovering many things: traffic jams eventually clear up, sunsets are for free, Little League is a work of art, and most planes take off and arrive on time. I’m learning that most folks are good folks who are just as timid as I am about starting a conversation.

I’m meeting people who love their country and their God and their church and would die for any of the three.

I’m learning that if I look ... if I open my eyes and observe ... there are many reasons to take off my hat, look at the Source of it all, and just say thanks.

From In the Eye of the Storm Copyright 1991, Max Lucado

Selfishly Using the Pastor 

 

Today's Bible Verse...

[Bless the LORD] who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

—Psalm 103:5

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

God is a God of renewal and blessing. His desire to renew and bless us is not just a desire to bless us once with our salvation. God desires to bless us daily. His steadfast love is new every morning as he faithfully pours out his blessings (cf. Lam. 3:23). But more than just giving us what we want, he satisfies us with good things. He brings us what we need and what truly fills our emptiness.

My Prayer...

Abba Father, Almighty God, I praise you for your power, majesty, glory, faithfulness, mercy, wisdom, and grace. Thank you for blessing me with your salvation, the gift of your Holy Spirit, the blessings of your church family, the promise of a home with you, and for the daily assurance of your renewing presence. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

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