The Daily Grace - He Already Knows

A friend who is a commercial pilot told me about a flight in which he encountered a serious mechanical issue - a problem with dangerous implications. When the situation occurred, the warning lights in the cockpit informed him of the problem and he monitored it all the way to the destination, ultimately landing safely. Once on the ground, the pilot immediately went to the maintenance staff and reported it. To his surprise, the mechanics responded, "We already know about the problem and are ready to fix it. When you got the cockpit warning, we automatically got an electronic warning as well".

As he shared that incident, I couldn't help but compare it to Jesus' words about our heavenly Father: "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him" (Matt. 6:8). He said this in contrast to people who believe that they must "use vain repetitions. . . For they think that they will be heard for their many words" (v. 7). Jesus presupposes God's knowledge of and concern for His children. Even though God knows our needs, He still wants us to share our hearts with Him. He stands ready to hear our prayer and to repair our brokenness by His grace. Prayer is the voice of faith, trusting that God knows and cares.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I bring myself into your presence. My soul longs for your presence. May I always take time to notice and enjoy the beauty You have created for my pleasure.

Thank You Lord for always being there for me. I know with certainty there were times when you carried me, Lord. When it was through, Your strength I got through the dark times in my life.

Let Your forgiveness find me. Hold me in Your strong arms and give me Your new life. Live in me and with me day by day, that my heart may be made anew within me, and that together we may show the world a new and better path.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Matthew 6:3-4

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out. Give in complete secrecy. When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

The Daily Grace - My Lord

On the day of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them His hands and feet. We are told that at first, they could not believe for joy - it appeared too wonderful to be true (Luke 24:40-41), Thomas was not with the disciples, but he also had trouble believing until he saw for himself. When Jesus appeared to Thomas and told him to put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand in His side, Thomas cried, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

Later, as Paul told the Philippians of his own suffering, he also declared Jesus as Lord. He testified that he had come to the place where he considered all his experiences as loss "for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). You and I have never seen Jesus calm a storm or raise someone from the dead. We haven't sat at His feet on a Galilean hillside and heard Him teach. But through eyes of faith, we have been spiritually healed by His death on our behalf. Thus, we can join Thomas and Paul and countless others in acknowledging Jesus as our Lord.

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). When we believe, we too can call Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" Though we cannot see Him with our eyes, we can believe with our heart - He is Lord!

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, as I come to you today, fill my heart and my whole being with the wonder of Your presence. So that, I may gain wisdom of the heart. Help me do today the things that matter, not to waste the time I have.

The moments I have are precious, Lord, see that I count them dear. Teach me to number my days aright. Fill me this day with your kindness, that I may be glad and rejoice all the days of my life.

Teach me to live in the knowledge that You who care for me today. And, will care for me tomorrow and all the days of my life. Through Christ, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 20:29

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing. They will happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God. The people who have faith in God without seeing Him are the ones who are really blessed. That is how faith works, believing in God even if you are not seeing Him.

Do you have faith in God? Practice your faith by putting your full trust in the Lord. Trust Him that He can do it. He got your back.

The Daily Grace - Becoming Inclined to God

I have learned much about the conscious remembrance of God from Brother Lawrence, a cook in a 17th-century monastery. In his book "The Practice of the Presence of God", Brother Lawrence mentioned practical ways to "offer God your heart from time to time in the course of the day", even in the midst of chores such as cooking or repairing shoes. One's depth of spirituality, said Lawrence, does not depend on changing things you do but rather changing your motive - doing for God what you ordinarily do for yourself.

One of his eulogies said, "The good Brother found God everywhere, as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying . . . It was God, not the task, he had in view. He knew that the more the task was against his natural inclinations, the greater was his love in offering it to God". As we tackle some of the least desirable duties, let us be reminded to keep God and His glory in view. With effort, even the most difficult tasks can be performed and presented as an offering to God (Col. 3:17). Duty alone is drudgery; duty with love is delight.

Today We Pray

Dear God, You are ushering in another day, untouched and freshly new, so here I come to ask You God for renewal. Forgive the many errors, that I made yesterday, and let me try again dear God, to walk closer in Thy way. But Father, I am well aware, I can't make it on my own, so take my hand and hold it tight, for I can't walk alone.

I was born a weak, defenseless child, but Your angel spread his wings over my cradle to defend me. From birth until now, Your love has illumined my path and has wondrously guided me towards the light of eternity; from birth until now the generous gifts of Your providence have been marvelously showered upon me. I give You thanks for every step of my life's journey, together with all who have come to know you, who call upon your name.

Support me all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes. And, the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and my work is done. Then of Thy mercy, grant me a safe lodging, and a holy rest and a peace at last through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 John 3:1

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to. So, do not worry about that. We are living for Christ, not for them. Just look to the Lord and His strength. You will be surely rewarded if you live up to His Name.

The Daily Grace - Show Your Colors

I was excited about going to the baseball park to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Chicago White Sox. I proudly put on my Tigers T-shirt that morning before going to the opposing team's stadium. But I had to wear a sweatshirt over my team's shirt because it was cool outside. So I was disappointed that no one at U.S. Cellular Field could see which team I was there to cheer for. No one knew I was a Tiger's fan. After a 3-hour rain delay, the game finally started and I could cheer for my team and get my loyalty out in the open.

The apostle Paul had a loyalty that was most definitely out in the open - a loyalty to Jesus Christ. He wrote to the believers in Rome, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16). He knew that the gospel was "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" because Jesus had dramatically changed his life and its direction. In his preaching and witnessing, he proclaimed Jesus, the One to whom he had given his whole life (Acts 9).

The believers in Rome were also known for their allegiance to Christ. Paul said of them: "Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Rom. 1:8). Is your loyalty to Jesus out in the open? Our loyalty to Jesus should be seen and heard in our lives.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, let my heart rejoice and be glad in this time of prayer. Remind me often of the great blessings You have bestowed on me. Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries.

Grant me this day that You may never be completely out of my thoughts. Let me carry You as a voice to guide my every step as I slip down the path of this precious day, that I might always remember Your will, and lighten the world around me. Help me to make every moment of my day, every word from my mouth, a prayer, that I might live in Your presence.

Oh God who has made me, oh God who keeps me, oh God who will be my Lord through all eternity, shine down Your blessings and wisdom upon me like the sun upon a field. And may I keep You in the forefront of my every thought and deed, throughout this day, and evermore.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Jeremiah 6:16

"Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls."

Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, the tried-and-true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls. Follow the road your ancestors took and you will find peace. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.

The Daily Grace - Expert Repair

If you've ever tried to fix something and failed, you'll appreciate the sign I saw outside an automotive repair shop: "We Will Fix What Your Husband Fixed". Whether the problem is the car, the plumbing, or an appliance, it's usually better off in the hands of someone who is skilled and trustworthy. So it is with the sin and the struggles within us that resist our efforts to mend them.

Jeremiah denounced the greedy prophets and priests of his day who "healed the hurt of [God's] people slightly saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace" (Jer. 6:14). They could neither change themselves nor lead the people to spiritual transformation. So the Lord called the people to follow His way: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls" (v. 16). 

Centuries later, Jesus, the Son of God, said: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). The parts of our lives that we have tried and failed to repair can be restored by the hand of God. Through faith in Christ, we can be made whole. When God forgives, He removes the sin and restores the soul.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, lead, guide, and tend me this day without Your restraining rod I err and stray. Hedge up my path lest I wander into unwholesome pleasure. Direct my feet that I be not entangled in Satan's secret snares, nor fall into his hidden traps.

I pray to be able to read the Bible and learn Your truth. Give me the spirit of understanding and wisdom, for You know how difficult it can be sometimes. Let me understand and absorb the words in Your Bible, dear God, and let me see beyond the words on the page and know Your true and full Word, Jesus Christ.

Oh Heavenly Father, in whom I live and move and have my being, I humbly pray You so to guide and govern me by your Holy Spirit, that in all the joys, occupations, and cares of this day I may never forget you, but remember that I am ever walking in your sight. In Christ's name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Romans 1:16

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes"

Be proud that you are a Christian. It is an opportunity for you to shine the light into this dark world. The gospel is the power of God for salvation, from His wrath and punishment. It is also a responsibility for us Christians to spread the gospel to everyone. Make a stand! Don't be shy to tell the world that you are a Christian. Be proud to proclaim God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him. Be proud of the good news! It is God’s powerful way of saving all people who have faith.

The Daily Grace - Lessons of Obedience

When young Kofi came home after Sunday school, his mother asked him what he had learned that morning. His quickly reply spoke volumes: "Obedience. . . again!" Although I'm many years older than Kofi, I agree that obedience to God is a lesson that we must, sometimes reluctantly, learn over and over again.

Oswald Chambers wrote: "The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says. . . . If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself". When we are obedient, we show God that we love Him and have more faith in Him than we do in ourselves. Arthur W. Pink said that love is "a principle of action, and it expresses itself. . . by deeds which please the object loved". To obey God means to relinquish what we want and to choose to do what He asks.

God requires the obedience of His followers, and Jesus placed great importance on it. He asked, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). And, He issued this challenge: "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Obedience to God is an expression of our love for God.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. You have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. All glory, all thanks be to You, wonderful God, who has by Your Son put away our sin, and cleansed us, that we might dwell with You forever.

Come to me, Holy Spirit, and drive away my apathy. Forgive me for the smallness and selfishness of my mind. Take away this sense of tedium with Your Word, Your love, the wondrous gift of eternal life.

I bind myself to You this day, oh Christ, in Your truth and in Your sacrifice. I give to You my anxiety and my fear, my depression and my doubt, for You have promised to take them if we only ask; and I take upon myself Your burden, for it is light and Your way is gentle. May I keep this in my heart and mind all this day.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 John 5:3

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome."

The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome. We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.

 The true love of God is this: we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And, His commandments and His precepts are not difficult to obey. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. Obey and be blessed!

The Daily Grace - Learning from Erin

Erin's life was so different from that of most 8-year-olds. While other kids were running and playing and eating ice cream, Erin was lying in a bed being fed through a tube - able to see only the brightest lights and hear only the loudest sounds. Her life consisted of needles and nurses and hospital visits as she battled ongoing illnesses and profound disabilities. Surrounded by a remarkable family who cared for her with compassion and filled her life with love, Erin died before reaching her ninth birthday.

What can be learned from a precious child like Erin - one who never spoke a word or colored a picture or sang a song? A friend of Erin's family put it best: "We are all better for having had Erin in our lives. She taught us compassion, unconditional love, and appreciation for the little things". Children such as Erin also remind us that this world is not reserved for the perfect, the wealthy, or the athletic. 

Each person, no matter their physical, mental, or emotional condition, is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27) and is of equal value and significance. Our Lord has compassion for the weak, the broken, and all He has made (Ps. 145:8-9), and we should mirror that concern (Eph. 5:1-2). Is there an "Erin" in your life you can learn from? Never underestimate the value of one soul.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I thank You and love You for seeing who I really am. You know things about me that I don't even know myself, for You see with the clear eye of God. I most especially thank You, I fall upon my knees in gratitude, that You love me despite all of the sin and ugliness You see in me.

I thank You for teaching me how to live in the present moment. In this way I enjoy each simple task as I do it without thinking that I must hurry on to the next thing. I do what I am doing with all my ability and all my concentration.

I pray to be filled with Your Holy Spirit for the rest of this day. Let me go forth, walking with Your Spirit in my heart, that I may be filled with the joy and energy and praise for Your entire creation, thankful in the many gifts You have given me, and showing forth Your light in my every word and deed. This I pray in Christ's name.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 145:8

"The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy."

God is all mercy and grace. He is not quick to anger. He is rich in love. He is merciful. He is kind and patient. He is always loving. He never fails.

The Daily Grace - Fix Your Eyes

Over and over again, my driver's education instructor said these two words: "Drive ahead". This was his way of telling me to focus on the horizon, not just on my immediate surroundings. Drivers who continually look to the right or to the left may well go into the ditch. 

Satan is good at causing "roadside distractions" that tempt us to look at him rather than at Jesus. If he can get our attention, he may be able to get us off track and delay our spiritual progress. He even tried this with Jesus Himself! After Jesus was baptized, Satan tried to deter Him by suggesting "better" ways to accomplish His work. Satan told Jesus that He could prove He was the Son of God by throwing Himself from the temple (Luke 4:9-11). But Jesus knew that proving He was God's Son would come by submitting Himself to the cross, not by flinging Himself from a high building. He responded, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" (v. 12). Jesus had His eyes on our redemption, and He knew He couldn't accomplish it by taking a detour around the cross.

The way to stay out of spiritual ditches is to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2) and refuse to even glance at Satan's distractions. The only way to overcome temptations that we face is to be focused on the Lord, who strengthens by His grace. Satan ought not be in our line of vision, but behind us. Don't let the enemy trick you, fix your eyes on Jesus.

Today We Pray

Dear God, holy You have called me to come to You. I feel unworthy, for I have failed You again and again; I feel like running away, yet you keep calling me. Have mercy on me, and all of us, O God.

Bless and uphold all who are sick and suffering this day. Console them with Your Holy Spirit. And, if it is Your will, bring their suffering to a quick conclusion. 

May the God of hope fill me and all of us with the joy and peace that comes from believing, so that we may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Holy God, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me for the sake of Your Son, who died to free me from our sins. To You be honor and glory!

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Hebrews 12:2

Look away from all that will distract us in serving our Lord and fulfilling His commands. Let us focus our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.

The Daily Grace - He Calls the Stars by Name

On a plateau high above the Atacama Desert in Chile, one of the world's largest radio telescopes is giving astronomers a view of the universe never seen before. In an Associated Press article, Luis Andres Henao spoke of scientists from many countries "looking for clues about the dawn of the cosmos - from the coldest gases and dust where galaxies are formed and stars are born to the energy produced by the Big Bang".

The Bible celebrates the mighty power and infinite understanding of God who "counts the number of the stars" and "calls them all by name" (Ps. 147:4). Yet the Creator of the universe is not a remote, uncaring force, but a loving heavenly Father who "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (v. 3). "The Lord lifts up the humble" (v. 6) and "takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy" (v. 11). He loves us so much that "He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

British author J.B. Phillips called Earth "the visited planet", where the Prince of Glory is still working out His plan. Our hope for today and forever lies in the loving mercy of God who calls each star by name. God, who knows the name of every star, knows all our names as well. The God who made the firmament, who made the deepest sea, the God who put the stars in place is the God who cares for us.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine. Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine. Take all my will, my passion, life, self and pride.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord. Let Your Holy Spirit guide me in my prayer and in thought, and grant me the grace to listen and hear Your Word. Soften my heart, that I may be directed by Your truth, and not the devices of my body and mind.

Let me go forth in thanks for the victory I have been given through our Lord Jesus Christ. May I be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and always remembering that in the Lord our labor is not in vain. In the name of Christ I ask this.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 3:16

This verse is very common nowadays, and probably the most memorized verse of all times. But, we should not miss the real essence of this verse, which is God's love to us. He sent His Son for us to die from our sins. Have faith in God so that we will live an eternal life. What a great love it is!

The Daily Grace - Waving the White Flag

Recently, while watching a video of a church service held in South America, I noticed something I had never seen before in church. As the pastor passionately called his flock to yield their lives to Jesus, one of the parishioners took a white hankie out of his pocket and started waving it in the air. The another, and another. With tears running down their cheeks, they were expressing full surrender to Christ.

But, I wonder if there was more to the moment than the flags of surrender. I think they were waving flags of love to God. When God told His people to "love the Lord your God" (Deut. 6:5), it was in the context of His urging them to surrender their lives to Him. Surrender is God's love language.

From God's point of view, life with Him is far more than just trying to be good. It is always about relationship - relationship in which surrender is the way we express our grateful love to Him. Jesus, in amazing love for us, surrendered Himself on the cross to rescue us from our helpless bondage to sin and set us on a journey to all that is good and glorious. We don't have enough words to tell God how much we love Him! So, let's show Him our love by surrendering our hearts and lives to follow Him. 

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine. Let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty and Thy glory in my valley. Help me to yield my will to You and to follow where You lead.

Thank You, Lord, for Your love and care. Thank You for sending Your Son, our Savior, to fulfill Your promise of forgiveness and restoration. Show me how You want me to use my gifts for Your kingdom.

May I be willing to be hidden and unknown today, yet ready to speak a word to those who are weary. May Your Spirit touch my words and make them Your words that enrich and refresh others. Give me grace today, so to live by obedience that I may increase in faith and in the understanding of your Holy Word.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Deuteronomy 6:5

To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength is the greatest commandment of all. Since God is the author of love, we must also love Him completely. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to save us from our sins. And, that is the greatest gift of love that He did for us, amazing indeed! He sacrificed for us to be forgiven and free from unrighteousness. What an amazing love that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords had shown to us. Invite God into your hearts now and feel His unconditional love for us.

The Daily Grace - Glory and Grace

The Lord's Prayer is a relational prayer. And, though it might surprise you, it reveals a lot about our relationship with God. In these well-known lines, He reveals Himself to us - who is He is and what He has done for us. The prayer also reveals how we should respond to Him. Its initial focus is on God's glory, affirming His paternity and person (Matt. 6:9), and His program and His purpose (v. 10). Then, it shifts from a contemplation of the Holy God to who are - vulnerable children who are totally dependent upon our heavenly Father. The focus turns to God's grace, assuring us of His provision (v. 11). His pardon (v. 12), and His protection (v. 13).

"Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy" (v. 9) affirms the intimacy of the Father-child relationship as we reverently approach our perfect Father. "May Your kingdom come soon (v. 9) speaks of royalty and the loyalty offered to the King by His subjects. "May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (v. 10) is a declaration of surrender as we seek to obey our Master. "Give us today the food we need" (v. 11) reveals our total dependence on God as our provider. With gratitude in our hearts, we receive what He has given. "Forgive our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" (v. 12) - we explicitly ask the Father's forgiveness, even as we implicitly seek a forgiving spirit towards others. "Don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one" (v. 13) warns of the dangers and evil of this world, pointing us to the assurance of safety that comes from our Protector. "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen (v. 13) - a confident declaration that God's sovereignty and power guarantee that this prayer will be answered in our lives.

Today We Pray

Dear God, most mighty and merciful father, I, Your unworthy creation and servant, once more approach Your presence. Though not worthy to appear before You, because of the many sins and transgressions which I have committed against Your divine majesty; yet I pray You, for the sake of him in whom You are well pleased, the Lord Jesus Christ, to let me give You thanks and praise for Your many and varied mercies extended toward me, for the quiet rest and repose of the past night, for food, clothing, health, peace, liberty, and the hopes of a better life through the merits of Your dear son's bitter passion.

Continue Your mercy and favor to me this day. And always, give resolution to all my lawful undertakings. Let me have all my directions from your Holy Spirit, and success from Your bountiful hand. 

Bless the people of this land, be a father to the fatherless, a comforter to the comfortless, a deliverer to the captives, and a physician to the sick. Let your blessings guide me and all of us, this day and forever, through Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Hebrews 4:16

We are indeed privileged to come to God freely. His Throne of Grace is open. He will gladly welcome us there when we approach the throne of God’s gracious favor. Confidently and without fear, just come. Do not hesitate.

Doing this, we may receive mercy for our failures and find His amazing grace to help in time of need. It is an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment. So, let us boldly draw near to the Throne of Grace, the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners. We can find help in good time for every need.

The Daily Grace - Water for the World

Although seventy percent of the world is covered by water, less than one percent of it is drinkable by humans. Water conservation and sanitation are crucial matters in many parts of the world, as all life depends on having sanitary water. 

Jesus went out of His way to introduce a lost woman to another kind of life-giving water. He deliberately chose to go to a town in Samaria, a place where no respectable rabii would set foot. There, He told this woman about "living water". Those who drink of it, He said, "will never thirst". It will "become in Him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

The living water is Jesus Himself. Those who receive Him have eternal life. But the living water He provides also serves another function. Jesus said of those who receive it: "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). The living water that refreshes us is to refresh others also. As fresh-water distribution is uneven in the world, so too is the distribution of living water.  Many people do not know followers of Jesus who really care about them. It is our privilege to share Him. Christ is, after all, the living water for whom people are thirsting.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, thank You for giving me another morning! I am blessed to be alive on Your beautiful planet, so full of marvelous things and the beautiful plants and animals and all the people You have created in Your image. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, now and all day long, until I go to sleep, because I want to live with You every minute of this day. 

I want to live for You. May Your life and love flow through me as I go about my duties today. So that, others may see You through me and be drawn to the living water.

Now to Him who has given me grace in accordance with His gospel, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for many ages past, but now revealed and made known by the command of the eternal God, so that all mankind might find the obedience that comes from faith; to the only God, the God of wisdom and truth, be glory forever through His only son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 7:38

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in the Lord this way, just as the Scripture says. Have faith in God. And, you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you. Anyone who believes in God may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart'.

The Daily Grace - There is Blessing in Every Failure

How do you respond to failures? What do you do after you fail? Sometimes, like an inventor, we followers of Jesus Christ may also find ourselves frozen in fear after a failure in our personal lives. We are unsure on how to pick up the pieces and move on. We might even spend our remaining time, waiting for a big idea or action that can help us recover from a previous failure.

Do not forget that Jesus has already done that on our behalf. He covered our shame. And, He set us free to fellowship with God and serve Him daily. It is because He gave His life, and rose again. When we fall, we can arise with Him, for He delights in mercy.

The moment we find Jesus, our eternity with Him begins. He walks alongside us so He can change us into the people we long to be. We are created to be like Him. Look up from your failure, and you'll find God standing ready to receive you. Remember, there is blessing in every failure you encounter. Trust in Him always.

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, grant me Your grace, that it may be with me and labor with me and dwell within me, this day and all the days of my short life. Give me grace always to desire and seek what is most acceptable to You; whatever is most pleasing in Your sight, let me do that. Let my will always follow Yours; let Your will be mine.

Reform me into a spiritual perfection impossible for the world, which might be gained only by Your grace. And, help me to live in accord with it. Save me, Christ, I pray, out of love; for unworthy I might be, yet I love You dearly.

I am one of Your people, the sheep of Your flock. I pray for You to heal those who are wounded, touch those who are in pain, clean those who are soiled, warm those who are cold. Help me to know the Father's love through Jesus the shepherd, and through the Spirit.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

Whatever your task may be, work from the soul. Put in your very best effort. It is something done for the Lord, not for your earthly masters. God has put you there, so put every effort as if you are working for Him.

Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God. Be confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.

The Daily Grace - Small Ways in Small Places

Often I meet with people who serve in what they think are seemingly small ways in small places. They are frequently discouraged by loneliness, feeling that their acts of service are insignificant. When I hear them speak, I think of one of the angels in C.S. Lewis' book "Out of the Silent Planet". He said: "My people have a law never to speak of sizes or numbers to you. . . It makes you do reverence to nothings and pass by what is really great."

Sometimes, culture says bigger is better - that size is the truest measure of success. It takes a strong person to resist that trend, especially if he or she is laboring in a small place. But we must not "pass by what is really great". It's not that numbers aren't important (after all, the apostles counted their converts; See Acts 2:41). Numbers represent living people with eternal needs. We should all work and pray for large numbers of people to enter the kingdom, but numbers mustn't be the basis for self-esteem.

God doesn't call us to find fulfillment in the amount of work we do for Him, or the number of people who are a part of that work, but in faithfully doing our work for His sake. Serving our great God with His strength in a small way is not a stepping-stone to greatness - it is greatness. Anyone doing God's work in God's way is important in His sight. God appreciates your great work!

Today We Pray

Dear God, the author of all good, I come to You for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without You I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly, unless I am kept by Your power.

I pray to You for all the graces I need to know You, to love You and serve You faithfully unto death, and to save my soul. Give me a tender and fervent devotion to Your sacred passion by which I was redeemed, venerating You each day in prayer. And, teach me how to unite sorrows and sufferings of my life with Your own.

I thank You for salvation, for your mercy, full and free. Take my all in consecration. Glorify Yourself in me.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 John 4:7

Love one another. God commanded us countless times in the Bible that we must never stop loving others. Even if they are unlovable, try your best to love them. Ask God for it to help you.

We are also unlovable, human as we are, we sin countless times too. But God still accepted us, who is the Author of Love. So, it is a challenge to have love to others no matter who are they and what they are. Be filled with His love so that you can love others.

The Daily Grace - Allergic To. . .

One of my friends is allergic to several kinds of foods. Milk, cheese, eggs, and ice cream are among the items she has to avoid. Even a small amount of these things is detrimental to her health. She's not alone in being required to avoid certain things in life. While her allergies are related to her physical well-being, each of us as believers in Jesus has dangers we need to stay away from to maintain spiritual health. Scripture gives us a clear indication of what we are "allergic to" spiritually.

Every kind of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). This should cause us to think about the choices we make, because taking part in what is clearly evil is not good for our spiritual vitality.

Foolish disputes and arguments (2 Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9). This takes discernment, for some arguments have merit in defending the faith. But those for which there is no answer or which have no bearing on truth only cause dissension.

Sexual Immorality (1 Thess. 4:3). The Bible says that any sexual activity outside the boundaries of a marriage between a man and a woman is immoral (Gen. 2:24; Ex. 20:14; 1 Cor. 7:2; Heb. 13:4).

Are we willing to make the effort to steer clear of things we are spiritually "allergic to"? To avoid sin, nip it in the bud of temptation. Today, avoid sin and temptations that will lure you to evil thoughts. Don't let sinful things take control and master you someday.