The Daily Grace - Creation: NT Style

When we think about the marvel of creation - how God spoke the universe into existence and formed the earth and everything in it - we think most often of Old Testament accounts. But it is encouraging to examine the New Testament to see how that part of the Bible refers to creation. Here is a look at some key passages: 

• "I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 13:35). God reveals things to us that He had kept secret since before creation. 
• "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). Before the earth was created, God knew each of us - and He knew our future.
• "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). Before the work of creation even began, God was aware of each of His eventual children.

These New Testament verses comfort us with the truth that God's knowledge of us and His eternal mysteries about us point toward His special creation of mankind as described in Genesis. We can do nothing but bow in awe before One whose knowledge and creative ability are eternal in nature and boundless in power. Creation: New Testament style - still another reason to give God praise! Each person is a unique expression of God's loving design.

The Daily Grace - A Matter of Trust

A news item from Australia told the story of Pascale Honore, a paraplegic woman who, after 18 years of being confined to a wheelchair, has taken up surfing. How? Ty Swan, a young surfer, straps her to his back with duct tape. After getting the balance perfect, Ty paddles out into the ocean so they can catch a wave and Pascale can experience the exhilaration of surfing. This requires a tremendous amount of trust; so many things could go wrong. Yet her confidence in Ty is enough to enable her to enjoy a dream come true, in spite of the danger.

Life is like that for the follower of Christ. We live in a dangerous world, filled with unpredictable challenges and unseen perils. Yet, we have joy because we know Someone who is strong enough to carry us through the churning waves of life that threaten to overwhelm us. The psalmist wrote, "Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You" (Ps. 5:11).

In the face of life's great dangers and challenges, we can know a joy bourne out of our trust in God. His strength is more than enough! Our faith is stretched by exchanging our weakness for God's strength. As one hymn quoted, "I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And I know that Thou art with me, wilt be with me to the end". Trust Him always.

Today We Pray

Dear God, lover of Your people, help me this day to live entirely to Your glory. Let me be deaf to unmerited criticism and the praise of men. Nothing can hurt my new-born inner self, it cannot be smitten or die; nothing can mar the dominion of Your Spirit within me; it is enough to have Your approval and that of my conscience.

Keep me humble, dependent, supremely joyful, as calm and quiet as a dependent child, yet earnest and active. I wish not so much to do as to be, and I long to be like Jesus. If You make me right, I shall be right.

Lord, I belong to You, make me worthy of Yourself. May the God of peace, who declared victory over death by the resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ, make me perfect in every thought and action through His grace. Let my life might be pleasing in His sight and that I might share the perfect peace that is only possible through Him, to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Ephesians 1:4

Just as in His love, He chose us in Christ. He actually selected us for Himself as His own before the foundation of the world. So that we would be consecrated, set apart for Him and purpose-driven. And consecrated, blameless in His sight. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.

Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us. He decided then to make us holy in his eyes. Without a single fault—we who stand before him are covered with his love. 

Today We Pray

Dear God, we praise Your name! The sun has risen again and it is morning! And I have awoken into it, alive, breathing, thinking, knowing that the Son will rise again and I will be saved.

For we are bought with a price: therefore let me glorify God in my body, and in my spirit, which are God’s. O cleanse me from my secret fault, and keep Your servant from presumptuous sins. Your joy is a lighthouse in a world often dark with sin, and I pray that I may reflect the light of Your truth, to inspire others as I have been inspired. 

I resolve to spend this day in the presence of the Holy Spirit, filled with his joy and energy, that I might accomplish Your will, my God, and do what I can to deserve the joys of the day, for I know my time here is short. Be with me, oh Holy Spirit, to fill me with the energy and positivity and comfort that only you can bring. In Christ’s name, I pray that thy will be done.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Hebrews 11:6

Faith is not like a magic formula. It does not work like that. Putting your faith means completely trusting and putting your whole confidence in something without doubt. It is a strong belief. When you put your faith in the Lord, it pleases Him. Do the things that is pleasing in God's eyes, and one of this is having faith in Him.

The Daily Grace - Obey the Call

I read about Captain Ray Baker who flew for the Strategic Air Command during the Vietnam War. The Air Force trained him, along with the other pilots, to run out of their barracks to their planes at the sound of a buzzer. Many times during dinner he had to drop his utensils and bolt to his bomber. He had been trained to respond to the call with immediate obedience. He was so well-trained that one day while on furlough, he ran out of a restaurant when he heard a buzzer.

When Jesus called His first followers, they had an immediacy in their response to His call. The call of these fishermen was abrupt. Yet "they immediately left their nets and followed Him" (Mark 1:18). The author of this account, Mark, may have wanted to impress upon his readers the authority of Jesus. When He extended the call, these men jumped to obey because helping people enter the kingdom of God was a more compelling adventure and a grander vision than catching fish.

When Jesus issues a call to follow Him, He doesn't want us to delay. He expects immediate obedience when it comes to telling others the good news. Bring someone the story of salvation today! He wants messengers to deliver the good news. Be one today!

Today We Pray

Dear God, I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of Christ Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His infinite merits. And, I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love.

I pray that You will lead me to listen to the Holy Spirit, and not to my own urgings or those of the world, in matters of physical and mental health. Direct my eye, my ear, and my activities to holiness, that I might honor You the best I can, in my body and my mind. I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within me all this day. And whatever I do in word or deed, may I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. This I pray, in Christ's name.

Amen.

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is He who is calling you to Himself for your salvation. And, He will do it. He will fulfill His call by making you holy, guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as His own. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!

God, who called you to become his child, will do all this for you, just as he promised. The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. He will make it happen.

The Daily Grace - Cutting Remarks

The writer of Proverbs describes an unwise person as "one who speaks like the piercings of a sword" (12:18). Our tongues can be like a multibladed Swiss Army knife when it comes to the variety of ways that we cut and destroy each other. Unhealthy attitudes of anger, irritation, frustration, and impatience - even disappointment, stress, guilt, and insecurity - all contribute to our damaging speech. And as we cut with our words, we wound and divide friendship and relationships. It's no wonder that the infamous list of seven things that are an abomination to the Lord includes anyone who "sows discord among brethren" (Prov. 6:16-19).

How do we stay off that list? For starters, we need to watch what we say. Gossip and slander are out, and words that hurt instead of heal are not welcome. Boasting, lying, and all the rest of the ways we use words to hurt and divide need to be gone as well. In their place, words that extend love and the healing power of forgiveness, mercy, and truth should rule our words and relationships. After all, where would we be if Jesus hadn't spoken words of forgiving love and grace to us?

So, put the "knife" away and use your words to help and heal. Our words have the power to build up or tear down. Speak life. Be a blessing!

Today We Pray

Dear God, today I celebrate the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the supreme victory over death that belongs to you alone. I pray that I may, today and in the coming week, act in appreciation of the ultimate gift You have given to me and to all who confess the name of Christ. Fill me with love and humility.

Put a seal upon my lips. Help me to guard with care the things I say and swift repeat. O tongue of mine, beware! 

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, let me think about these things. What I have learned and received, let me do. And, the God of peace will be with us all.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Proverbs 12:18

 There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword. Some people like to make cutting remarks. Rash language cuts and maims. But the tongue of the wise brings healing. The words of the wise soothe and heal. There is healing in the words of the wise. Sharp words cut like a sword. But, words of wisdom heal. 

Speak with love. Guard your words. Let it be a blessing, not a stumbling block. But, always speak truth with care.

The Daily Grace - The Gates of Worship

When you enter some of the greatest cities in the world, you can encounter famous gates such as the Brandenburg Gate (Berlin), the Jaffa Gate (Jerusalem), and the gates of Downing Street (London). Whether the gates were built for defensive or ceremonial purposes, they all represent the difference between being outside or inside certain areas of the city. Some are open; some are closed to all but a few.

The gates into the presence of God are always open. The familiar song of Psalm 100 is an invitation for the Israelites to enter into the presence of God through the temple gates. They were told to "shout for joy" and "come before him with joyful songs" (vv. 1-2). Shouting for joy was an appropriate expression when greeting a monarch in the ancient world. All the earth was to sing joyfully about God! The reason for this joyful noise was that God had given them their identity (v. 3). They entered the gates with praise and thanksgiving because of God's goodness and His steadfast and enduring love which continues through all generations (vv. 4-5).

Even when they forgot their identity and wandered away from Him, God remained faithful and still invited them to enter His presence. The gates into God's presence are still open, inviting us to come and worship. The gates into the presence of God are always open. Praise Him today!

Today We Pray

Dear God, I have tasted Your goodness and it has satisfied me, yet it has made me thirst for even more. I am so painfully aware of my need for even more grace than I now enjoy; and even when I do not want more, I am ashamed of my lack of desire. I want You completely, mighty God, and I want to want You even more than I do.

Fill me with longing for You. Make me even thirstier. Show me Your glory, I pray, so that I may know You always better and better, growing in my faith and love.

From Your infinite mercy, begin a new work of love within me this moment. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ And give me the grace to rise up and follow You, from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! Be thankful and praise the Lord as you enter his temple. Have a heart of worship.

Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.

The Daily Grace - Medieval Meal

A while ago, I attended a conference on the Middle Ages. In one seminar, we actually prepared several foods that would have been common in medieval times. We used to pestle and mortar to grind cinnamon and fruit to make jam. We cut orange rinds and broiled them with honey and ginger to produce a sweet snack. We crushed almonds with water and other ingredients to create almond milk. And finally, we prepared a whole chicken to serve as a main dish with rice. As we sampled these dishes, we enjoyed a tasty culinary experience.

When it comes to spiritual food for our souls, God has given us a varied menu that we can chew on and savor. In doing so, we can be filled and satisfied. The historic books, poetry, wisdom literature, prophecy, and other parts of the Bible strengthen us when we are weak, give us wisdom and encouragement, and nourish us for the day's journey (Ps. 19:7-14; 119:97-104; Heb. 5:12). As the psalmist tells us: "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Ps. 119:103).

So what are we waiting for? God has set before us a banquet of delectable spiritual food and calls us to come and dine. We are all invited! The Bible is the bread of life, and it never gets stale.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, we break the silence of the peaceful night; cast thine eyes upon us! Let me live each day anew. May my heart rejoice in your love. 

Thank You that You call me to Your table to feast on Your Word. I know that I need it for my spiritual nourishment and to grow closer to You. I open my heart to You now.

O Christ, look with favor upon thy faithful people now gathered here to praise Thee. Receive their hymns offered to thy endless glory. May they go forth filled with thy gifts.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 119:103

Is your soul hungry for something good to eat? Do you feel you're not getting what you what when you come to the table of God? Do you leave your studies and prayer time still feeling hungry and unsatisfied? Have you asked Jesus to give you a spiritual hunger for the things of God and then satisfy you with His Holy Spirit teaching?  

As we read the Word and study and pray, He infuses our spirits with knowledge and wisdom and understanding and we begin to know the sweetness of God's Word. It becomes part of us, we feed on it. God is good. Start taking bigger bites and chewing more slowly. Savor the taste of the Lord and enjoy His sweetness.  

The Daily Grace - Giving It to God

A hero to a generation of people who grew up after World War II, Corrie ten Boom left a legacy of godliness and wisdom. A victim of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, she survived to tell her story of faith and dependence on God during horrendous suffering. "I have held many things in my hands", Corrie once said, "and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that, I still possess". Corrie was well acquainted with loss. She lost family, possessions, and years of her life to hateful people. Yet she learned to concentrate on what could be gained spiritually and emotionally by putting everything in the hands of her Heavenly Father.

What does that mean to us? What should we place in God's hands for safekeeping? According to the story of the rich young man in Mark 10, everything. He held abundance in his hands, but when Jesus asked him to give it up, he refused. He kept his possessions and he failed to follow Jesus - and as a result, he "went away sorrowful" (v. 22). Like Corrie ten Boom, we can find hope by putting everything in God's hands and then trusting Him for the outcome. No life is more secure than a life surrendered to God.

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Chronicles 16:8

Let His Name be famous to the world. God is great and good, so let it be known among the nations. Thank God for everything. Call out his Name. Tell the whole world who He is and what He’s done.

Broadcast all His wonders. Revel His Holy Name. Seek His presence day and night. Remember all the wonders He performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.

The Daily Grace - The Wonder of Nature

Growing up around the woods and waters of Midwest America, I've been fascinated with natural wildlife native to our region. But on a recent trip to the California coast, I found myself staring in breathtaking wonder at snorting elephant seals, barking sea lions, and a forest of silent redwoods. I watched pelicans soar in formation, and I saw migrating whales spouting in the distance. Together they are just a sampling of the millions of species that make up the intricate and delicate balance of nature.

According to the Bible, the variety of the natural world is designed to do far more than inspire childlike wonder. The mysteries of nature can help us come to terms with a God who allows inexpressible, unexplainable pain and suffering. We see this in the epic story of Job. While he was suffering, Job didn't know that God had such a high regard for him that he allowed Satan to test his faith with a series of losses. What emerges is this eventual, unavoidable conclusion: A Creator who has the wisdom and power to design the wonders of nature is great enough to be trusted with pain and suffering that is beyond our ability to understand. In awe, Job proclaimed, "I know that You can do everything" (42:2). We can trust that kind of God - no matter what. It's good to worship God in nature if it leads us to worship the God of nature.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I come before You today and I thank You for all the blessings that You have given me. Many times my life is so full of busy work that I neglect my relationship with You: for that, I am truly sorry. I know that You never neglect me, for if You did my very life would cease to be. 

Continue to pull me to Yourself, guide me in my journey, and hold me close in Your bosom until the day I come home to be with You forever. Be with me, and with those who pray with me, for although we are in different places around the world, we gather spiritually in Your name. May we feel your presence among us.

You have graciously accepted me as a living member of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and You have blessed me with the grace of forgiveness through the sacrifice He made for me and for all people. Send me now into the world in peace, and grant me strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Proverbs 3:5

Rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart. Do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Trust God from the bottom of your heart. With all your heart, you must trust Him and not your own judgment. Don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Do not depend on your own understanding.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, at any time of the day or night we can call on You. Thank You because You are always waiting, listening for our call. What a wonderful blessing indeed!

Thank You, Lord, that though our situations may not change, Your grace is strong enough to change us in our situations. Help us as we struggle sometimes to live in this sinful world. I try to let go of concerns and worries that may be dragging me down at this present moment, but I place any concerns I have in Your hands Lord, 'coz I know You will help me.

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I return. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Ephesians 2:10

We are God's own masterwork. We are His work of art. We are reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed and ready to be used for good works. He did this so that we will live the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. That’s why he sent Christ to make us what we are.

The Daily Grace - Ready for a Change?

Self-control is probably one of the hardest things to master. How often have we been defeated by a bad habit, a lousy attitude, or a wrong mindset? We make promises to improve. We ask someone to hold us accountable. But deep inside, we know that we don't have the will or the ability to change.

We can talk, we can plan, we can read self-help books, but we still find it difficult to overcome and control many of the things that are inside us! Thankfully, God knows our weakness, and He also knows the remedy! The Bible says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). The only way to gain self-control is by allowing the Holy Spirit to control us.

In other words, our key focus is not effort but surrender - to live moment by moment submissively trusting in the Lord rather than in self. Paul says this is what it means to "walk by the Spirit" (v. 16). Are you ready for a change? You can change, for God is in you. As you surrender control to Him, He will help you bear the fruit of His likeness. God is not nearly as concerned with our ability as He is with our surrender.

Today We Pray

Dear God, You are what thought cannot better; You are who thought cannot reach; You are who no thinking can even conceive. Without You, man can have no being, no reason, no knowledge, no good desire, nothing. You, oh Lord, are what you are, transcending all.

I am in need, Lord, of Your power so that I might change and grow. I surrender myself to You. Please help me to understand how to be submissive to You that I might be filled with Your Spirit.

Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my mind. Give me a right faith, a firm hope, and a perfect charity, so that I may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. In Christ's name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Galatians 5:22-23

This is what will happen if we live in God's way. He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Let us practice these fruits of the spirit. These are the nine Christian virtues in our life, too. Having these characteristics, we are also portraying His character to the world. This is the result of His presence within us.

The Daily Grace - Think of Them No More

My early years as a believer in Christ were laden with foreboding. I had the impression that when Jesus comes back, all my sins will be portrayed on a giant screen for everyone to see. I know that God chooses not to remember against me a single one of my transgressions. Every sin has been buried in the deepest sea, never to be exhumed and examined again.

Amy Carmichael wrote, "A day or two ago I was thinking rather sadly of the past - so many sins and failures and lapses of every kind. I was reading Isaiah 43, and in verse 24 I saw myself: 'You have wearied me with your iniquities'. And then for the first time, I noticed that there is no space between verse 24 and verse 25: 'I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins'."

Indeed, when our Lord comes back He will "bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God" (1 Cor. 4:5). On that day our works will be tried and we may suffer loss, but we will not be judged for sin (3:11-15). God will see what Christ has done for us. He "will not remember [our] sins". When God saves us, our sins are forgiven forever.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, we come to this morning knee-bowed and body-bent before Thy throne of grace. O Lord, this morning, bow our hearts beneath our knees, and our knees in some lonesome valley. We come this morning like empty pitchers to a full fountain, with no merits of our own.

Wash me with hyssop inside and out. Hang me up and drain me dry of sin. Pin my ear to the wisdom-post, and make my words sledgehammers of truth, beating on the iron heart of sin.

Put my eye to the telescope of eternity, and let me look upon the paper walls of time. Put a perpetual motion in my arms and fill me full of the dynamite of Thy power. Anoint me all over with the oil of Thy salvation, and set my tongue on fire.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Corinthians 4:5

Do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes again. He will both bring to light the secret things that are now hidden in darkness and disclose and expose the secret motives and purposes of hearts. Then every man will receive his due commendation from God. So don’t get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the “Well done!” of God.

The Daily Grace - A Work of Peace

The small church in Umbarger, Texas, was an unlikely place for an international work of art. But toward the end of World War II, seven Italian prisoners of war, who were being held at a large camp nearby, were chosen to help decorate the church's plain brick walls. The prisoners were reluctant to aid their captors, but they agreed on the condition that their efforts be considered a contribution toward Christian brotherhood and understanding. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POWs later recalled, "A spontaneous steam of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us". No one spoke of the war or the past because "we were here for a work of peace and love".

Our lives are filled with unlikely settings for introducing God's peace. We can feel imprisoned by hard feelings, strained relationships, and confining circumstances. But peace has the power to break out anywhere. James reminded us that "the wisdom that is from above is. . . peaceable, gentle, willing to yield. . . The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18). Wherever we are today, let's ask the Lord to use us as His peacemakers. The best peacemakers are those who know the peace of God.

Today We Pray

Dear God, You are continually worshiped in heaven and on earth, in all times and at all hours. You are patience, compassion, and mercy. You love the righteous, You have mercy on sinners, and You call all men to salvation, promising them all things to come

O Prince of Peace, keep us, we pray, from strife and enmity. Help us to speak with loving words that calm hostility. Sanctify my soul and body, order my thoughts and give me victory in all trials and sadness, both today and in the week to come.

Receive my prayers, this Sunday, as I celebrate Your resurrection. Make my life conform to Your will. I beseech You mercifully to hear my prayer and the prayers of all Your people who call upon You; and grant that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill them; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - James 3:18

The seed whose fruit is righteousness or spiritual maturity is sown in peace by those who make peace by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals. The harvest of the righteousness of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed is the fruit of the seed sown in peace by those who work for and make peace in themselves and in others. That peace means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Be a peacemaker today!

The Daily Grace - Sow What?

On the clock tower of my alma mater is an Art Deco bas-relief sculpture titled The Sower. The inscription beneath it is from Galatians 6:7, "Whatsoever a man soweth". Michigan State University remains a leader in agricultural research but despite many improvements in farming techniques and crop production, this fact remains: Seeds of corn will not produce a crop of beans.

Jesus used many farming metaphors to explain the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower (Mark 4), He compared the Word of God to seeds sown in different types of soil. As the parable indicates, the sower sows indiscriminately, knowing that some seed will fall in places where it will not grow. Like Jesus, we are to sow good seed in all places at all times. God is responsible for where it lands and how it grows. The important thing is that we sow.

God does not want us to reap destruction, so He wants us to sow what is good and right (Prov. 11:18). The apostle Paul elaborated on the metaphor when he warned believers not to sow seeds of corruption. Instead, we are to sow seeds that will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:8). The answer to the question, "Sow what?" is "Sow what you want to reap". To reap a good harvest in your life, start sowing seeds of goodness. A buried seed brings fruit; a selfless life reaps an eternal harvest.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I give You my love without reservation. Your words are sacred and I aspire to live by them, this day and always. And, I glorify You for Your sacrifice of pain and death, made out of Your love for us, that all who follow You might find salvation and eternal life.

Teach me, O Lord, to act so that all my deeds will glorify Your holy name and Your wonderful creation. Hear the desires of all who cry out to You, and deliver them from evil. Send them comfort in distress, consolation in sorrows, and Your holy mercy to forgive their misdeeds.

Bless me this day to live with Your Spirit, to resist the temptation to evil, and to show Your joy and love to all. Make Your home with me, that I might be truly blessed. Replace resentment with forgiveness, I pray, in the name of Christ.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Proverbs 11:18

 The wicked man earns deceitful wages. But, he who sows righteousness, which is moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation, shall have a sure reward that is permanent and satisfying. For short, bad work gets paid with a bad check. While good work gets solid pay.

Remember, the evil man gets rich for the moment. But, the good man’s reward lasts forever. Meanness gets you nowhere. But, goodness is rewarded.

The Daily Grace - Let Me Be Singing

When I asked a friend how his mother was getting along, he told me that dementia had robbed her of the ability to remember a great many names and events from the past. "Even so", he added, "she can still sit down at the piano and, without sheet music, beautifully play hymns by memory". Plato and Aristotle wrote about the helping, healing power of music 2,500 years ago. But centuries before that, the biblical record was saturated with song.

From the first mention of Jubal, "the father of all those who play the harp and flute" (Gen. 4:21), to those who "sing the song of Moses, the servant of God and the song of the Lamb" (Rev. 15:3), the pages of the Bible resonate with music. The Psalms often called "the Bible's songbook", point us to the love and faithfulness of God. They conclude with an unending call to worship, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!" (Ps. 150:6).

Today we need God's ministry of music in our hearts as much as any time in history. Whatever each day brings, may the evening find us singing, "To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my defense, my God of mercy" (Ps. 59:17). Praise to God comes naturally when you count your blessings.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord God, who made me, open my eyes that I may see Your hand in all of Your works this day and most especially in those You have made in Your image. Oh Lord Christ, open my heart that I may see Your holy presence surrounding me; blanket me in an impenetrable luminous cloud of godly love. Oh Holy Spirit, let me hear Your voice like the uninterrupted roar of a great waterfall that cannot be silenced and cannot be stopped and cannot be overcome by any temptation of the flesh.

I don't know what will come this day or farther into the future, but I'm grateful that You're by my side. Grant me a spirit of praise and thanksgiving in whatever lies ahead. Teach me to be careful in nothing when it comes to You, Holy God, and let me know and shine forth the truth: that all things are possible in Your Son, Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

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 - Psalms 150:6

Let every breathe of life will praise His Name. Every living creature will shout praises to the Lord. Everything that breathes will give glory to His Name. And, that includes us, His people.

Praise His mighty Name, today. Let His Name be known. Let His Name be glorified among the earth. Give glory to His Name, forevermore.

The Daily Grace - With Him Forever!

In 1859, during the turbulent years prior to America's Civil War, Abraham Lincoln had the opportunity to speak to the Agricultural Society in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As he spoke, he shared with them the story of an ancient monarch's search for a sentence that was "true and appropriate in all times and situations". His wise men, faced with this heady challenge, gave him the sentence, "And this, too, shall pass away". This is certainly true of our present world - it is constantly in the process of deterioration. And it's not happening just to the world; we also face the reality in our own lives that our days are numbered. James wrote, "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

Although our current life is temporary and will pass away, the God we worship and serve is eternal. He has shared that eternity with us through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. He promises us a life that will never pass away: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). When Christ returns, He will take us home to be with Him forever! For hope today, remember the end of the story - eternity with God.

Today We Pray

Dear God, You are my God, I seek You, my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips praise You.

Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me, and if there be any, return me to Your path, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Pour Your love into my heart, that I may love You above all things, and my neighbors as myself. All glory and praise be Yours now, and forever. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - James 4:14

We can't predict or control the future. We truly have no idea what will happen tomorrow. In addition to that, our lives are temporary and fragile. We are a mist that is here for a moment and then gone. 

It is foolish to ignore the fact that we can't see the future. Our lives are short and fragile. This doesn't mean never making plans. Rather, we should always make plans with the awareness that they can only succeed if God allows them to. 

The Daily Grace - The Barking Lion

Visitors to a zoo were outraged when the "African lion" started barking instead of roaring. Zoo staff said they had disguised a Tibetan mastiff - a very large dog - as a lion because they could not afford the real thing. Needless to say, the zoo's reputation was sullied and people will think twice before visiting it.

Reputation is fragile; once it's damaged, it's hard to restore. It is not uncommon to sacrifice a good reputation on the altar of power, prestige, or profit. This too could be our story. Scripture encourages us: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches" (Prov. 22:1). God is telling us that true value must be placed not in what we have but in who we are.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said, "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear". As followers of Jesus, we bear His name. Because of His love for us, we strive to walk worthy of Him, reflecting His likeness in our words and deeds. When we fail, He picks us up again by His love. By our example, others around us will be led to praise the God who has redeemed and transformed us (Matt. 5:16) - for the name of the Lord is worthy of glory, honor, and all praise. As Shakespear said, "The purest treasure mortal times afford is a spotless reputation".

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, the night has passed, the sun shines its light upon us, and the day lies open before me. As I rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of Your presence fill me with love for You and my fellow man, holy God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Abide with me, I pray, now and forever.

I do want to walk worthy of Your name because You have made me Your own. I know I can't live life perfectly, but I want to reflect to others a little of who You are. Please show Yourself through me.

Give me a clear mind and an open heart so I may witness to You in my world. Remind me to be who You would have me to be regardless of what I am doing or who I am with. Hold me to You and build my relationship with You and with those, You have brought into my life on earth.

Amen