Pray For Those Who Grieve And Do Something

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Matthew 5:4

This time of year is filled with merriment and Jolly Old Saint Nick but not everyone shares the sentiment of Christmas when their heart aches from deep grief. It is difficult to heal from grief and move on and it is a day by day process for those enduring this.

You may say “chin up friend things will be better” and that is never a good answer. It is best to just sit and listen. Most people I know like to know others have not forgotten their loved one but some are sensitive to this and don’t want to remember as it hurts too bad. Keeping track of the date of a friend’s loss on your calendar can prompt you to send something to them on the anniversary of the death.

No one understands why babies die, young husbands die when they were not even sick, some are healed of cancer and others not, a young person gives their life for their country, and so many more scenarios. My point is don’t blow it off and it takes time to heal a wounded grief filled heart. Be sensitive. Today don’t think it is someone else’s job to be a comforter. How about it friend?

PRAYER: Lord I know many people who have fresh wounds from the unexpected tragic losses in their life. Comfort them as only you can Lord and use me to bring hope to another who is aching at this time of year. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

All Is Well

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:5

Is it well with your soul or do you feel frazzled and torn in many directions? You can be able to say ‘all is well’ and mean it if you live victoriously and know God is in charge regardless of stuff swirling around you.

Make your speech positive. Don’t entertain negative thinking. Stay cool. 

Remember in the book of Job 13:15where Job says “Though he slay me yet I will trust him”? His was the ultimate account of bad stuff happening. Read it again and read to the end where the happy ending occurs. 

God knows the outcome. He’s got this. Don’t be moved by circumstances. Sometimes you have to step out on faith and just trust God.

PRAYER: I have had times where I wondered where the Lord was and why things were not progressing faster or maybe the current world situation makes one fret. I know God indeed has a wonderful plan and help me sit still and be calm in the meantime. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are You Too Proud?

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

If you reach a point in life where things seem to be going pretty good don’t get all puffed up. Many verses in the Bible speak of pride and it is sure to be your downfall if you think you are almost more knowing than God. 

Numerous  accounts  in the Bible attest to those persons who got too big for their proverbial britches. When you accomplish something know that is it God working in you not you doing things all by yourself. Do you give God the praise and glory? 

Is there something you are too prideful about? The definition of pride comes in as both a noun and a verb and the noun is “a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.” Beware my friend of becoming too puffed up. Ask God to keep you grounded, pliable, and humble so he can work through you. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus sometimes if I do something good help me realize it is not me but you working through me to work for the kingdom. Help me to stay grounded and never get too puffed up about anything. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Let Us Adore Him!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:11

It is finally here. The non stop commercialization of Christmas can finally stop and now we can brace ourselves for horrendous political attack ads for several months but today savor this day. This is the day we celebrate the Christ child being born in a feeding trough in a barn in Bethlehem.

God sent His son then later His son died on the cross and was resurrected three days later. The story of a savior who is often rejected by humanity. This day is the one day it seems many seem a little ‘religious’ in that they know deep down inside there is some reason to be in church as churches often overflow this time of year.

What you need to do is pray for those people who reject Jesus to come to know Him as their personal savior. Also for the Christmas story to go on in our hearts and for the love shown at this time of year to continue for the other 364 days. For men and women to know that Jesus is indeed Lord and He alone saves them from their sins.

PRAYER: Father God I pray today in the midst of the merriment and partying that the real meaning of the season is not brushed under the rug with the Christmas tree pine needles but men, women, and children who have never known you can be saved and live for the kingdom every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The World

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25

I love flying and when you are gaining altitude gazing down on the earth below I am amazed at God’s creation to include mankind who he created to tend to the earth with the many skills and talents it takes. God indeed is good! 

Just sit and look up in the sky on a starry night. Watch geese flying in formation. The beautiful miracle of a new born baby. The four seasons and the different terrain all over the world. It is utterly amazing and it is all because of God speaking it into existence. 

This Christmas season stop and really think about the birth of the Christ child and how God is ruling over this whole Earth. Satan has tried to steer men and women astray and some have taken the bait but ultimately mere men and women are just that and have no power over God Almighty. Make every day Christmas and Thanksgiving where you stand in awe of his power and majesty and give him all the glory. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Heavenly Father almighty God, I love you and thank you for making such a beautiful earth and I am thankful I was born and get to enjoy life even with all its’ ups and downs. Help me show kindness and love to hurting people not just now but throughout the year. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Recover, Reconstruct, Restore

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:12

Do you ever feel you need a permanent retreat of sorts to just get back on track and get your life and thoughts straightened out? Life today with the status symbol of ‘busy’ being ‘cool’ can send even the most sane stable person into a tizzy. 

Perhaps it is time even in the midst of the craziness of ‘supposedly’ celebrating Jesus birth to take stock of where you are at and what you need to do to get on a different path and change a few things. ‘Be yourself everyone else is taken’ is a sign I have hanging in my kitchen. I challenge you to be yourself, listen to God, and above all make time for him. Be still, turn off the noise in your life. Put your phone away and better yet turn it off. “But I might miss a call”, so what if you do? The earth will keep spinning. 

Remember this is the season of peace on Earth good will to men, not seeing how many social engagements you can attend or how many cookies you are going to bake. Last time I checked those were not required to celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Be still and have a blessed day. 

PRAYER: I love you Lord and I confess I am guilty of occasionally stepping onto the treadmill of life knowing I don’t really need to be doing half the stuff I am. I pray for those who may need help recognizing they need to chill and be still and enjoy the real meaning of this season. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Who Is Resting...This Is Heaven!

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

The typical thing you hear at funerals is that the deceased is being laid to rest. First that is the lifeless shell of the person being laid to rest in a box in the ground because I doubt there are bunches of people in Heaven just resting. I bet they are so involved and joyous and that there is plenty of activity.

I mean no disrespect to any, and that would be all of us, who have lost friends or family members but our finite minds really can’t comprehend what the Heavenly kingdom is like. Things are said like they turn into angels by ‘getting their wings’ and much of what is said is the humans idea of what is next after this life. For the believer it is ushered in a twinkling of an eye into Heaven. Are there pearly gates, I really don’t know. Some picture heaven being boring. My friend Jesus is anything but boring. 

Do you beyond a shadow of a doubt know if you breathed your last breath today you would be with the Lord? Being a church member, being religious, baptism at birth or baptism later, a member of ‘the only’ true denomination are not entrance tickets to Heaven. Asking Jesus simply to come into your heart and change you, that’s it. Pretty simple. Are you ready? 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I pray for those who think their way is the way and scoff at others. I pray for those I know whose spiritual candle is not burning like it used to. I pray you will use me Lord to help others come to know you and have assurance of Heaven some day. The alternative is not at all nice. Help me show love and realize all have sinned at one time or another and have fallen short of God’s glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.