Today We Pray

Dear God, thank You for the love and the grace that You showered on me. Thank You for creating me in Your image and likeness. Thank You for making me Your temple.

Help me to choose to follow You, to live in a Christian way by caring for others. Remind me to consider always those less fortunate than myself, the oppressed, the prisoner, those who are not free to worship in public. Guide me always to seek Your holy will in all the events of my life.

Let me not forget my prayers as I go out into the world. Holy Spirit, be with me and let me praise You and remember You in my every action and thought, for the entire day long. In Christ's name, I ask this.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Matthew 6:34

Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. It will take care of itself. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. You have enough to worry about today. Tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. Don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.

The Daily Grace - Rescued

A South African man surprised nine men robbing his home. Seven of the robbers ran away, but the homeowner managed to shove two into his backyard pool. After realizing that one of the robbers couldn't swim, the homeowner jumped in to save him. The Cape Times reports that once out of the pool, the wet thief called to his friends to come back. Then he pulled a knife and threatened the man who had just rescued him. The homeowner said, "We were still standing near the pool, and when I saw the knife, I just threw him back in. But he was gasping for air and was drowning. So I rescued him again".

In his letter to the Colossians, the apostle Paul wrote of another rescue: God the Father had saved them from the domain of darkness. This rescue occurred at the death of Christ, but also at the Colossians' conversion. The imagery Paul used (1:12-13) suggests that believers have been rescued from the dark reign of Satan by being transferred as free people into the peaceable rule of Christ. By Jesus' death, believers become free citizens in the kingdom of light.

The appropriate response to such amazing grace is to show joyous gratitude by offering God acceptable service with reverence and awe (Heb. 12:28). Through the cross, Jesus rescued and redeemed the rebellious. His love would spare no pain to conquer death and win. God sent His only Son to die and to rescue us from sin.

Today We Pray

Dear God, today is a blessed beautiful day and I praise You for allowing me another day to be on this earth. I ask that You touch those whose hearts have turned cold and no longer care. I pray that they see Your way is the greater way. 

I thank You that I have the Scriptures to search and that they testify of Christ, for in them I can find eternal life. I thank You, Father, for the preservation of Your teachings through time, and despite the constant efforts of men to destroy it or change it, that through them I might find patience, and hope, and truth, and life. And having learned so much, I thank You that I can hear with my ears Your wonderful works, the testimony of the earth and the spirit, like a light shining in the darkness.

Now, to God the Father, who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved; to God the Son, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Ghost, who sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts, be all love and all glory in time and to all eternity.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 1:13

The Father has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness. And, has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. He has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control. He rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

Let us thank Him because He has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom. He doesn't want us to be consumed by the kingdom of the enemy, but by His kingdom and His dear Son's. Let us not dwell on the dark power of the enemy. But, be overwhelmed by His glorious kingdom.

The Daily Grace - Focus on the Process

In William Zinsser's book On Writing Well, he says that many writers suffer from "the tyranny of the final product". They are so concerned with selling their article or book, they neglect to learn the process of how to think, plan and organize. A jumbled manuscript, Zinsser believes, is produced when "the writer, his eye on the finish line, never gave enough thought to how to run the race". Author and minister A.W. Tozer applies that principle to our spiritual lives. In his book The Root of the Righteous, Tozer describes our tendency to be "concerned only with the fruit. . . [and] ignore the root out of which the fruit sprang". 

The apostle Peter reminded first-century believers that Christlike living and effective service result from a process. He urged them to grow in eight areas of spiritual development: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-7). If you possess these qualities in increasing measure, Peter said, "you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8). God calls us to a wonderful process of learning to know Him, with the assurance that it will lead to productive service in His name and for His honor. The Christian life is a process in which we learn complete dependence on God.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, so often we want complete and perfect solutions here and now. But You work graciously in Your good time. Let Your goodness and patience and virtue shine through us so that we may bless others. 

You are always there waiting for me. Grant that I may be still more often. May I always desire to spend time in your presence, to know Your peace, Your love each and every day.

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep me from falling away and will bring me with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Peter 1:12

Even though this verse was said by Apostle Peter, this is still a great reminder for us that God will continually correct us. It is His way of disciplining us when we go astray. It may be harsh to you or hurting, but this is for our own good. He is showing His love when He disciplines us.

God will always be ready to remind you of His commands. Even though you already know them and are established in the truth, which is held firmly in your grasp. Because the stakes are so high, even though you’re up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out. God is not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it.

The Daily Grace - Toxic Living

Picher, Oklahoma, is no more. In mid-2009, this once-bustling town of 20,000 went out of business. In the first quarter of the 1900s, Picher was a boomtown because of its abundant lead and zinc. Workers extracted the ore, which was used to help arm the US during both World Wars. The town faded as the ore began to run out - but the biggest problem was that while the lead and zinc brought wealth, they also brought pollution. Because nothing was done to deal with the pollution, Pitcher became a toxic wasteland, and the government condemned the land.

What happened to Picher can happen to people. Prosperity can look so good that it's hard to think about possible downsides. Actions that are detrimental to long-term spiritual health are accepted, and unless the problem is corrected, destruction follows. It happened to King Saul. He began as a good king, but in seeking success he failed to see the damage he was doing. Turning his back on God's commands, he acted "foolishly" (1 Sam. 13:13) and lost his kingdom (v. 14).

In our attempts to find success, we need to watch out for spiritual pollution that comes when we fail to follow God's clear scriptural guidelines. Godly living always beats toxic living. No one can be a real success without God. The Lord has given us commands and told us to obey. Our own designs are sure to fail if we neglect His way.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I bless You who forever works great and mysterious deeds for me, glorious, wonderful, and numberless; who provides me with sleep as a rest from my infirmities and as a repose for my body tired by labor. I thank You that You have not destroyed me in my transgressions, but in Your love toward mankind You have raised me up, as I lay in despair, that I may glorify your majesty. Open my mouth and fill it with Your praise, that I may unceasingly sing and confess to You, who is God glorified in all and by all.

Thank You, oh source of all abundance, for surrounding me with good things. But help me to remember that nothing of earthly value owns the timeless truth. Let Your immeasurable blessings transform how I perceive material benefits. 

In utter humility, I thank You and glorify You, that You might hear the prayer of one so small as myself, amidst the billions of souls among billions of stars in one of the billions of galaxies in Your universe. Let me go forth in Your peace, keeping Your Spirit always in my mind. And bless me, I pray, that I might always follow Your will and live in the radiance of Your blessing.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Galatians 5:1

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

It was for this freedom that Christ set us free that will completely liberate us. Therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery which you once removed. Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.

Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don’t ever become slaves of the Law again. We are free in the Name of Jesus!

The Daily Grace - Really Thirsty

Have you ever been really thirsty? Years ago, I visited my sister Kathy in Mali, West Africa. During an afternoon of seeing the sights, the temperature had risen far above 100°F. Parched, I told her, "Hey, I need something to drink". When Kathy told me she had forgotten to bring along a supply of filtered water, I began to get a bit desperate. The longer we drove, the more I wondered what it was like to truly die of thirst.

Finally, Kathy said, "I know where we can go", as she drove up to the gate of an embassy. Inside I beheld the most beautiful sight - a water cooler! I grabbed one of the tiny paper cups and filled it again and again. My body had been deprived too long and now required lots of liquid to reverse the effects of dehydration. 

The psalmist compared physical thirst with spiritual thirst: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God" (Ps. 42:1). His thirst was that of a desperate longing for God - the one and only living God (Ps. 42:2). Do you long for something this world can't provide? This dissatisfaction is a thirst of the soul for God. Run to the One who alone can quench that thirst. "He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness" (Ps. 107:9). Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, thank You for loving us unconditionally. Thank You for Your presence each time I call Your Name. You are around me, in my sensations, in my thoughts and deep within me.

Grant that I may live as You intended, with complete confidence in Your loving care. Teach me, good Lord, to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that I do Your will. Help me to fulfill my duties for You.

Let me not forget my prayers as I go out into the world. Holy Spirit, be with me and let me praise You and remember You in my every action and thought, for the entire day long. In Christ’s name, I ask this.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 42:1

This verse talks about longing for God. It is compared to a dear who's thirsty that drinks from the creek. As the deer pants for water, so we long for Him. It is like we wanted to drink in deep draughts of God. And, we thirst for Him.

Like a deer that gets thirsty for streams of water, let us thirst for His presence each and every day. Be totally dependent on God. Like a water, we can't live without Him. Let us long for His presence in our walk with Him.

The Daily Grace - Just the Right Time

The conductor stood on the podium, his eyes scanning the choir and orchestra. The singers arranged the music in their folders, found a comfortable position for standing, and held the folder where they could see the conductor just over the top. Orchestra members positioned their music on the stand, found a comfortable position in their seats, and then sat still. The conductor waited and watched until everyone was ready.Then, with a downbeat of his baton, the sounds of Handel's "Overture to Messiah" filled the cathedral.

With the sound swirling around me, I felt I was immersed in Christmas - when God, at just the right moment, signaled the downbeat and set in motion an overture that started with the birth of the Messiah, the "High Priest of the good things to come" (Heb. 9:11). Every Christmas, as we celebrate Christ's first coming with glorious music, I'm reminded that God's people, like choir and orchestra members, are getting ready for the next downbeat of the conductor when Christ will come again. On that day, we will participate with Him in the final movement of God's symphony of redemption - making all things new (Rev. 21:5). In anticipation, we need to keep our eyes on the Conductor and make sure we are ready. The advent of Christ celebrates His birth and anticipates His return.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, thank You for the work my hand may find this day. May I find gladness in all its toil and difficulty, its pleasure and success, and even in its failure and sorrow. I would look always away from myself, and behold the glory and the need of the world, that I may have the will and the strength to bring the gift of gladness to others; that with them I stand to bear the burden and heat of the day and offer You my work, as well as I, may accomplish it, in Your praise.

I'm thankful that when I experience trouble, You are waiting and wanting to help. Teach me to look to You and to rest in Your kind and loving care until You deliver me safely home. Pour Your love into my heart, that I may love you above all things, and my neighbors as myself.

Inspire me to respect and value each person who comes into my life this day. Let me recognize the duties and responsibilities that come with the gifts You have given me so freely, and inspire me to live in such a way that I always give of my best and be welcoming and generous towards others. In Christ’s name I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 46:1

God is a safe place to hide. He is always ready to help when we need Him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in seastorm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, and the tremors that shift mountains. He is our mighty fortress, always ready to help in times of trouble.

When in distress, call on Him. Through every storm of life, He will be always by our side. Hold on to His promises. He will never let go of us.

The Daily Grace - The Right People

The film Miracle tells the true story of the 1980 US Olympic ice hockey team as it marches to an improbable gold medal. At the outset of the story, coach Herb Brooks is shown selecting the players for his team. When he gives assistant coach Craig Patrick a list of names he has chosen, Craig says in surprise, "You're missing some of the best players". Brooks responds, "I'm not looking for the best players, Craig - just the right ones". Brooks knew that individual talent would take the team only so far. A willingness to fit into his style of selfless play would be far more important than talent. Clearly, team success, not individual glory, was the priority. 

The biblical call to service has a similar emphasis. For God's purposes, each believer does his or her part, but the results are team-oriented. After explaining the wide differences in the spiritual gifts of believers, Paul says, "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Cor. 12:7). When we use the skills God gives us, His purposes are accomplished, and He gets the glory. In God's service, it's not about being the best, the most talented, or the most gifted. It's about being the right people - the ones God "set. . . in the body" (v. 18) - joining together to serve the same team. There are no unimportant people in the body of Christ.

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, I am coming and coming to You, because You are my only refuge, my only certainty, my only hope. You are the remedy for all my ills, the comfort for all my miseries, the reparation for all my faults, the supplement for all that is wanting in me, the certainty of all my questions, the infallible and unfailing, inexhaustible source for me of light, of strength, of constancy, of peace and of blessing. I am sure that You will never leave me and You will not stop loving me, You will never tire of helping me and of protecting me because You love me with an infinite love.

Have pity on me according to Your great mercy. And make of me, in me, and for me, all that You wish. Because I abandon myself to You with full and entire confidence that You will never abandon me.

Be merciful to those who have entrusted me, an unworthy sinner, to pray for them and to all who ask Thy help. Make this day a day of Thy mercy; give to each according to their petition. Be the Shepherd of the lost, the Guide of Light of unbelievers, the Teacher of the unwise, the Father of orphans, the Helper of the oppressed, the Healer of the sick, the Comforter of the dying, and lead us all to the desired end -- to Thee, our refuge and blessed repose.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Corinthians 12:18

 He has made many parts for our bodies and has put each part just where he wants it. We see that He carefully placed each part of it rightly. He has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best. Although it has many parts, He examined it carefully so that it will be perfectly fit for each other.

Just like our limbs and organs, God has placed and arranged the parts in the body of Christ, each one of them. Just as He willed and saw fit with the best balance of function. It's not an accident where are we placed right now. It is His will. Do your best because He has put you there. All for His glory and honor.

The Daily Grace - Winners All

When the Los Angeles Times covered a 2008 conference championship soccer match between two Christian schools, Azusa Pacific University and Westmont College, it was about far more than winning the game. Three days earlier, a wildfire had swept through the Westmont campus, destroying several academic buildings, faculty homes, and student rooms. Unable to host the game, the rules required Westmont to forfeit. Instead, Azusa invited their opponents to play at their campus where they welcomed Westmont fans with free admission and lunch.

On the field, Westmont won an emotional 2-0 victory, while Azusa Pacific won admiration for their goodwill. LA Times reporter Bill Plaschke wrote: "Rarely in Southern California sports has there been a better show of sportsmanship than this, Azusa Pacific sacrificing its chance at a title defense to give Westmont a fair shot at taking it. As impressive as the resilience of the conquerors was the kindness of the conquered".

So often we think only of money when the Bible calls us to give willingly and bountifully, "for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). Giving others a chance and offering hospitality to those who hurt is generosity that makes winners of everyone involved. The manager of giving shows the character of the giver more than the gift itself. The gifts that we may give, the deeds that we may do, mostly truly honor Christ when self is given too.

Today We Pray

Dear God, as You gave us the sun to lighten our days, so You have given us Your Word to lighten our minds and our souls. I pray that You will pour out on me Your Spirit as I pray today. Let my heart and mind may be opened to Your Word, and that I may learn and accept Your will for my life.

Have mercy upon me, a miserable sinner. Spare all those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to Your promises declared to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Shine within my heart, loving God, the pure light of Your divine knowledge. Open the eyes of my mind and the ears of my heart to receive Your Word, this day and always. This I pray, in Christ's name.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Corinthians 9:7

 Let each one give thoughtfully and with purpose, just as he has decided in his heart. Not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God, loves a cheerful giver. And, delights in the one whose heart is in his gift. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes. 

The Daily Grace - The Shooting Panda

In her amusing book Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss bemoans the problem of poor punctuation in today's world. To illustrate, she tells the funny story of a panda who enters a cafe, orders a sandwhich, eats it, and then pulls out a gun and starts shooting. When a waiter asks him to explain his behavior, the panda hands him a poorly punctuated wildlife guide and asks him to look up the description of a panda. It reads: "Panda, Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves". Having a comma after the word eats is an error that changes the whole meaning of the last sentence. The words shoots and leaves become actions, instead of plants to eat.

This idea of being careful with language is important in Bible study as well. Paul described this process as "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). The phrase translated "rightly dividing" was used of a skilled craftsman cutting something straight. In the context of Bible study, it means taking the time for diligent and careful study, while prayerfully asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance. It means teaching the truth directly and correctly.

Accurately discerning and passing on God's truth must be the priority of every conscientious believer. Apply yourself to the study of the Bible and apply the Bible to yourself. Correctly handling the Word of truth takes diligence and care. So, make the time to study it and then that truth declare.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, fill us with Your holy love, and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom. All our desire is known unto thee, therefore perfect what thou hast begun, and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory, then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect.

Keep us mindful that Your presence with us in times of temptation means that we need not fall. Give us the desire to seek Your way out so we can know the joy of living a life that is pleasing to You. Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of thy brightness.

And finally, may the grace of Christ our Savior, and the Father's boundless love, with the Holy Spirit's favor, rest upon me, and all of us, from above. Thus may we abide in union, with each other and the Lord, and possess, in sweet communion, joys which earth cannot afford. This is all we ask, In Christ Name, we pray.

Amen

Todays Godly Reminder - John 1 4:11

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

God loves us so much in this incredible way. His love is vast and deep. He loves us unconditionally. And, this is called agape love.

Since He loved us so much, we must also love one another just like Christ loved us. If we love one another, God dwells deeply within us. And, His love becomes complete in us—perfect love!

The Daily Grace - No One Remembered!

In a commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:15, Martin Luther cites the story of Themistocles, the soldier, and statesman who commanded the Athenian squadron. Through his strategy, he won the Battle of Salamis, drove the Persian army from Greek soil, and saved his city. A few years later, he fell out of favor, was ostracized by his countrymen, and was banished from Athens. Thus, Luther concludes, "Themistocles did much good for his city, but received much ingratitude".

The crowd, for some reason, seems to ignore or quickly forget the good that the poor and humble man accomplishes through his wisdom. No matter. "Wisdom is [still] better than strength" even if "the poor man's wisdom is despised" (v. 16). It's better to be a quiet, honest sage who, though forgotten, leaves much good behind, than a swaggering, strident fool who, though many applaud him, "destroys much good" (v. 18).

Accordingly, what matters, in the end, is not the recognition and gratitude we receive for the work we've done, but the souls of those gentle folk in whom we've sown the seeds of righteousness. Put another way: "Wisdom is justified by all her children" (Luke 7:35). Whom have you influenced by your wise and godly wisdom? A wise person sets his earthly goals on heavenly gains.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You this morning for all that I have. Even if I have problems with my health, I am alive today. Thank You for Your grace and mercy unto us.

Let me never take for granted these gifts of life, oh Lord, but always remember that they come from You. Without You, no man could make the sun shine or the tree bear its fruit. I pray to live this day in joy and thankfulness for what I have, remembering always who made me and who keeps me. 

Now all glory to You, mighty God, who is able to keep me from falling away and will bring me with great joy into Your glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to You who alone are God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are yours before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - James 1:5

If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. 

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him. He will not resent it. Just come and ask, don't hesitate to come boldly into His presence.

The Daily Grace - Learning to Love

Love does more than make "the world go round", as an old song says. It also makes us immensely vulnerable. From time to time, we may say to ourselves: "Why love when others do not show appreciation?" or "Why love and open myself up to hurt?" But the apostle Paul gives a clear and simple reason to pursue love: "These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Follow the way of love" (1 Cor. 13:13 - 14:1). "Love is an activity, the essential activity of God himself", writes Bible commentator C.K. Barrett, "and when men love either Him or their fellow-men, they are doing (however imperfectly) what God does". And God is pleased when we act like Him. 

To begin following the way of love, think about how you might live out the characteristics listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. For example, how can I show my child the same patience God shows me? How can I show kindness and respect for my parents? What does it mean to look out for the interests of others when I am at work? When something good happens to my friend, do I rejoice with her or am I envious? As we "follow the way of love", we'll find ourselves often turning to God, the source of love, and to Jesus, the greatest example of love. Only then will we gain a deeper knowledge of what true love is and find the strength to love others like God loves us.

Today We Pray

Dear God, I will take refuge in Your loving heart. You are my strength in times of weakness. You are my comforter in times of sorrow.

Thank You that You are love and that You love me so much. Help me to love others the way Jesus showed us so that the whole world will know I am Your child. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner.

Into Your hands, I commend my spirit. Bless me and all those who pray in faith of You this day. Save us and grant unto us everlasting life. 

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 - Hoo-ah!

The US Army's expression "hoo-ah" is a guttural response barked when troops voice approval. Its original meaning is lost to history, but some say it is derived from an old acronym HUA - Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged. I first heard the word in basic training. Many years later it found its way into my vocabulary again when I began to meet on Wednesday mornings with a group of men to study the Scriptures. One morning one of the men - a former member of the 82nd Airborne Division - was reading one of the psalms and came to the notation selah that occurs throughout the psalms. Instead of reading "selah", however, he growled hoo-ah, and that became our word for selah ever after.

No one knows for certain what selah actually means. Some say it is only a musical notation. It often appears after a truth that calls for a deep-seated, emotional response. In that sense, hoo-ah works for me.

This morning I read Psalm 68:19: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily [day to day] loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah" (NKJV). Imagine that! Every single morning God loads us upon His shoulders and carries us through the day. He is our salvation. Thus safe and secure in Him, we've no cause for worry or for fear. "Hoo-ah!" I say. As Oswald Chambers said, "Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I give You thanks for Your holy name which You have caused to dwell in my heart. And, for the knowledge and faith and immortality which You have made known to me through Jesus Your servant. Above all I give thanks because You are mighty; to You be the glory forever.

Cleanse my humble soul of all corporal and spiritual stain. Grant that I may during this day walk in thy Word, and this night have a peaceful sleep, so that on rising from my humble bed, I should continue to praise Thy holy Name throughout all the days of my life, and that I be victorious over all the physical and spiritual enemies battling against me. Deliver me, O Lord, from all vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil desires. 

God of mercy, swift to help: as my lips pour forth Your praise, fill my heart with the peace You give to those who wait for Your salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. In Your Name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 68:19

Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden day by day. Day after day He carries us along. He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes! He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.

What a glorious Lord! He who daily bears our burdens also gives us our salvation. Let us praise Him today! It is because He treats us with kindness day after day, and He rescues us. He carries us in His arms each day.

The Daily Grace - Smile!

A recent study I read concluded that smiling can be good for your health. Research shows that smiling slows down the heart and reduces stress. But smiling isn't just good for you; a genuine smile blesses those on the receiving end as well. Without saying a word, it can tell others that you like them and that you are pleased with them. A smile can hug someone with love without giving them even the slightest touch.

Life does not always give us a reason to smile. But when we see a heartfelt smile on a child's face or through aged wrinkles, our hearts are encouraged. Smiles are also a hint of the image of God in us. In the ancient blessing recorded in the book of Numbers we get an indication that God "smiles": The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Num. 6:25-26). Those words are a Hebrew idiom for the favor of God on a person's life, asking God to smile on His children. 

So today, remember that you are loved by God. And that, He is pleased to be gracious to you and to shine His face upon you. Your smile could be a message of cheer from God to a needy soul. Paint a smile on your face today!

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, open my eyes as I turn to Your word. I long to know You, to understand life, and to be changed. Examine me, Lord, by the floodlight of Your truth.

Our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in Your likeness and image.

I pray that I and Your whole church, the body of all faithful people, will know Your peace, and live in harmony and unity, one with another, in accordance with your wishes. This I pray to You, who lives and reigns forever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Philippians 3:8

Our highest ambition is the excellence of the knowledge of Christ. It is growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled. The word “excellence” is a verb which means to be held over or beyond. It means to be superior, to excel. The Greek indicates that his superiority is the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. This knowledge is constantly superior. Nothing else is worth living for in the light of his superiority.

The Daily Grace - Teaching by Example

While waiting for an eye examination, I was struck by a statement I saw in the optometrist's office: "Eighty percent of everything children learn in their first 12 years is through their eyes". I began thinking of all that children visually process through reading, television, film, events, surroundings, and observing the behavior of others, especially their families.

Fathers can have an especially powerful influence on their children. Paul urged fathers not to frustrate them to the point of anger, but to "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). Think of the powerful example of a dad whose behavior and consistency inspire admiration from his children. He's not perfect, but he's moving in the right direction. A great power for good is at work when our actions reflect the character of God, rather than distort it.

That's challenging for any parent, so it's no coincidence that Paul urges us to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10). Only through His strength can we reflect the love and patience of our Heavenly Father. We teach our children far more from how we live than by what we say. We honor fathers who not only gave us life but who also show us how to live.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, may my life be so pleasing to You that You are pleased to have Your face shine on me. And as You graciously smile on my life, may I find someone today with whom I can share Your love through a smile. Thank You for the promises in Your Word that assure us You’ve planned our path and remain with us and for us, no matter what comes.

Work another miracle, a prodigy of grace. Make my soul a beautiful, living Tabernacle where You will ever dwell. Let me never leave You alone, but remind me to return hundreds of times in the day and have a word with You.

All through this day, O Lord, by the power of Your quickening Spirit, let me touch the lives of others for good, whether through the word I speak, the prayer I speak, or the life I live. Let me be a channel of blessing to everyone today. This I pray, in Christ's Name.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Numbers 6:25

The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious. He will be kind, merciful, and giving favor to you. He will be surrounding you with loving-kindness by His grace. God smile on you and gift you with a lot of blessings because of your love to Him.

May the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you. May He be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace. He will show you mercy and kindness. Receive those favors today!

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I need to know Your love in order to love others. I want to experience and share Your patience and kindness with those I care about. Fill me and use me.

Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love You and worthily praise Your holy name. I lift up my soul and heart; do not allow Thy creation to perish, but free me from the single and greatest enemy — sin. Grant, O Lord, that I may endure anxiety and sorrows of the soul with the same patience as the joy with which I receive the satisfaction of heart. 

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. Here I commit myself to Thy mercy, begging Thee to destroy within me all that is offensive to Thee and to unite me to the assembly of Thy chosen. This I pray, in Christ's Name.

Amen