The Daily Grace - Always Pray and Don't Give Up

Are you going through one of those times when it seems every attempt to resolve a problem is met with a new difficulty? You thank the Lord at night that it's taken care of but awake to find that something else has gone wrong and the problem remains. During an experience like that, I was reading the gospel of Luke and was astounded by the opening words of chapter 18: "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" (v. 1). I had read the story of the persistent widow many times but never grasped why Jesus told it (vv. 2-8). Now I connected those opening words with the story. The lesson to His followers was very clear: "Always pray and never give up".

Prayer is not a means of coercing God to do what we want. It is a process of recognizing His power and plan for our lives. In prayer, we yield our lives and circumstances to the Lord and trust Him to act in His time and in His way. As we rely on God's grace not only for the outcome of our requests but for the process as well, we can keep coming to the Lord in prayer, trusting His wisdom and care for us. Our Lord's encouragement to us is clear: Always pray and don't give up! Prayer changes everything.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, in the difficulty I face today, guard my heart, guide my words, and show Your grace. May I always turn to You in prayer. Descend plentifully into my heart. 

Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams. Grant, O Lord, that I may be conscious and grateful for all the good things You have given to me. May I share my blessings with others always.

And finally, grant me O Lord, I pray, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it may burn in me and shed its light on those around me. And that by its brightness, I may share a vision of that holy City, where dwells the true and never-failing Light. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Galatians 6:9

Do not be discouraged from doing good. Never get tired of doing great things. So, let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time, we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.

Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right if you don’t give up. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

The Daily Grace - A Closing Door

Beep, beep, beep, beep. The warning sound and flashing lights alerted commuters that the train door was about to close. Yet a few tardy individuals still made a frenzied scramble across the platform and onto the train. The door closed on one of them. Thankfully, it rebounded and the passenger boarded the train safely. I wondered why people took such risks when the next train would arrive in a mere 4 minutes.

There is a far more important door that we must enter before it closes. It is the door of God's mercy. The apostle Paul tells us, "Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). Christ has come, died for our sins, and has risen from the grave. He has opened the way for us to be reconciled to God and has proclaimed for us the day of salvation. 

Today is that day. But one day the door of mercy will close. To those who received and served Christ, He will say, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you" (Matt. 25:34). But those who don't know Him will be turned away (v. 46). Our response to Jesus Christ determines our destiny. Today Jesus invites, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved" (John 10:9). There's no better day than today to enter into God's family.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, the newness of this day calls me to an untried way. Let me gladly take the road. Give me the strength to bear my load.

You are my guide and helper. I will travel through with Thee.  I long for Your companionship.

Send me Your light and truth, to keep this day and all the days of my life. And may Your mighty hand protect me, and all my brothers and sisters who have joined me in prayer this day, blessing our homes and our lives. Through Christ's name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 14:6

God is the only way to Heaven. No person can substitute Him, but only Him alone. We can only come to Him to receive eternal life. Through Him alone, not the others.

This is the real truth. And, this is real life. Accept Him in your life. Believe and put your full faith in Him only.

The Daily Grace - Sledding and Praying

When the snow flies in Michigan, I like to get my grandkids, grab our plastic sleds, and go slipping and sliding down our backyard. We zoom down the hill for about 10 seconds and then climb back up for more. When I travel to Alaska with a bunch of teenagers, we also go sledding. We are hauled by bus nearly to the top of a mountain. We jump on our sleds and, for the next 10-20 minutes (depending on levels of bravery), we slide at breakneck speeds down the mountain, holding on for dear life. Ten seconds in my backyard or 10 minutes down an Alaskan mountain. They're both called sledding, but there is clearly a difference.

I've been thinking about this in regard to prayer. Sometimes we do the "10 seconds in the backyard" kind of praying - a quick, spur-of-the-moment prayer or a short thanks before eating. At other times, we're dawn to "down the mountain" praying - extended, intense times that require concentration and passion in our relationship with Him. Both have their place and are vital to our lives. Jesus prayed often, and sometimes for a long time (Luke 6:12; Mark 14:32-42). Either way, let us bring the desires of our heart to the God of the backyards and the mountains of our lives. The heart of prayer is a prayer from the heart.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, please challenge us to pray constantly - both in short sessions and long. As we face the valleys, hills, and mountains of our lives, may we lift our hearts and minds to You in constant communication. And, I pray for wisdom in these times of uncertainty. 

I look deep into my heart and soul to find Your truth. I pray for comfort in times of spiritual restlessness — as I journey through the murky waters of sin and self-doubt. I pray for Your word to enrich my life and bring me to a closer relationship and understanding with You.

Help me to go about the tasks and duties of this day with the remembrance that I am Your servant therein. Make me honest, painstaking, and cheerful. And, grant that all I do and say may bring good to others and glory to Your Holy Name; through Jesus Christ I ask this.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Mark 11:24

I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it; it’s yours!

Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours if you only have faith. In accordance with His will, your prayers will be answered. God answers prayers. Just trust Him.

The Daily Grace - Our Source of Help

Twenty-year-old Lygon Stevens, an experienced mountaineer, had reached the summits of Mt. McKinley, Mt. Rainier, four Andean peaks in Ecuador, and 39 of Colorado's highest mountains. "I climb because I love the mountains", she said, "and I meet God there". In January 2008, Lygon died in an avalanche while climbing Little Bear Peak in Southern Colorado with her brother Nicklis, who survived.

When her parents discovered her journals, they were deeply moved by the intimacy of her walk with Christ. "Always a shining light for Him", her mother said, "Lygon experienced depth and honesty in her relationship with the Lord, which even seasoned veterans of faith long to have". In Lygon's final journal entry, written from her tent 3 days before the avalanche, she said: "God is good, and He has a plan for our lives that is greater and more blessed than the lives we pick out for ourselves, and I am so thankful about that. Thank You, Lord, for bringing me this far and to this place. I leave the rest - my future - in those same hands and say Thank You". Lygon echoed these words from the psalmist: "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:2). We can trust our all-knowing God for the unknown future.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, let all who take refuge in You rejoice. Let us ever sing for joy. Let those who confess Your name raise up their voice, filling the air with glorious noise.

Spread Your protection over us, mighty God, that we who love your name may exalt you before all the people of the earth. Let the quiet and the shy find their courage so that they may sing and shout to the sky, “There is one great God who rules over us all, and Jesus Christ of Nazareth is His only Son”. May I be blessed to help the blind see Your glory and the deaf hear Your praise, lest they surely die.

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant; Make me perfect in every good work to do Your will, working in me that which is well pleasing in your sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 121:1-2

Do you need strength from your everyday activities? Ask strength from the Lord. Our strength only comes from Him, alone. He is the source of our strength and hope.

If you are tired, just boldly come into His throne. He is the maker of Heaven and Earth. These are mighty creations and look how vast His strength is. God is indeed an all-powerful One, His strength is perfect and unlimited.

The Daily Grace - Before the Phone

As a mom of young children, I'm sometimes susceptible to panic. My first reaction is to call my mom on the phone and ask her what to do with my son's allergy or my daughter's sudden cough. Mom is a great resource, but when I read the Psalms, I'm reminded of how often we need the kind of help that no mortal can give. In Psalm 18, David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord.

David could say, "I love you, Lord" because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a deliverer (vv. 1-2). God was his shield, his salvation, and his stronghold. Maybe we cannot understand David's praise because we have not experienced God's help. It may be that we reach for the phone before going to God for advice and help.

Surely God puts people in our lives to give us help and comfort. But let's also remember to pray. God will hear us. As David sang, "From his temple, he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears (v. 6). When we go to God, we join David's song and enjoy Him as our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. Next time you reach for the phone, remember also to pray. Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, all praise and glory to You, mighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Make Your home with me today and every day of my life. Be with me in all I do.

Help me to remember You are my deliverer, and You always hear my cry. Give me confidence and strength in my faith, for the reward You give to Your faithful is true joy and will never fade, but will remain when all flesh has been corrupted and all the things of earth have faded. Let me hold strong and steadfast through every trial and every temptation.

The blessing of the Lord rest and remain upon all His people, in every land, of every tongue. The Lord meets in mercy all that seek Him; the Lord comfort all who suffer and mourn. And, the Lord hasten His coming and give us, His people, the blessing of peace.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 18:6

When we seemed surrounded by any distress, we can call upon the Lord. This is a hostile world! Call to God when you need help. We can cry out to Him if we need help.

From His palace, He hears our call. Our cries bring us right into his presence—a private audience! When we are in terrible trouble, run to God. He answers our prayers.

The Daily Grace - Great Expectations

I once asked a counselor what the major issues were that brought people to him. Without hesitation, he said, "The root of many problems is broken expectations; if not dealt with, they mature into anger and bitterness". In our best moments, it's easy to expect that we will find ourselves in a good place surrounded by good people who like and affirm us. But life has a way of break those expectations. What then?

Stuck in jail and beset by fellow believers in Rome who didn't like him (Phil. 1:15-16), Paul remained surprisingly upbeat. As he saw it, God had given him a new mission field. While under house arrest, he witnessed to the guards about Christ, which sent the gospel into Caesar's house. And even though those opposing him were preaching the gospel from wrong motives Christ was being preached, so Paul rejoiced (v. 18).

Paul never expected to be in a great place or to be well-liked. His only expectation was that "Christ will be magnified" through him (v. 20). He wasn't disappointed. If our expectation is to make Christ visible to those around us regardless of where we are or who we are with, we will find those expectations met and even exceeded. Christ will be magnified. Make it your only expectation to magnify Christ wherever you are and whoever you are with. 

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, help me to be open to You for this time as I put aside the cares of this world. Fill my thoughts with Your peace and Your love. Create and make me a new and contrite heart, that I may begin this season of fasting and remembrance of Your suffering, by truly lamenting my sins and acknowledging my wretchedness. 

There is a time and place for everything, as the saying goes. Grant that I may always desire to spend time in Your presence. Help me to hear Your call always.

May it please You, my good Lord, that there may come a day when I can repay a little of my great debt to you. O Jesus, strengthen my soul, You who are good above all good; and since You have inclined my soul in this way, show me how I may act for You, whatever it may cost, O Lord. Here is my life, my honor, and my will; I have given them all to You and they are Yours: use me to do whatever You want.

Amen

Todays Godly Reminder - Psalm 121:5

The Lord will always keep you. He is your shade. He is always there at your side. He will never leave you.

Wherever you will go, He is always there. He is your Guardian. He will be right at your side to protect you. Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. Do not be afraid.

The Daily Grace - When Questions Remain

On October 31, 2014, an experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight and crashed into the Mojave Desert. The co-pilot died while the pilot miraculously survived. Investigators soon determined what had happened, but not why. The title of a newspaper article about the crash began with the words "Questions remain".

Throughout life, we may experience sorrows for which there is no adequate explanation. Some are catastrophic events with far-reaching effects while others are personal, private tragedies that alter our individual lives and families. We want to know why, but we seem to find more questions than answers. Yet even as we struggle with "Why?", God extends His unfailing love to us.

When Job lost his children and his wealth in a single day (Job 1:13-19), he sank into an angry depression and resisted any attempted explanations by his friends. Yet he held out hope that someday there would be an answer from God. Even in the darkness Job could say, "[God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:10). Oswald Chambers said, "There will come one day a personal and direct touch from God when every tear and perplexity, every oppression and distress, every suffering and pain, and wrong and injustice will have a complete and ample and overwhelming explanation". Today, as we face life's unanswered questions, we can find help and hope in God's love and promises.

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in my life the work of Your grace and love, and that I may bear my cross with You, and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with my salvation. Teach me to be Your faithful disciple and animate me in every way with Your Spirit.

Take away from me the spirit of laziness, cowardliness, lust for power, and malicious and idle speech. But rather give me, throughout the day to come, an ample spirit of vitality and force in Your service, to the benefit of Your glory and the good of my fellow man. Let me act in humility, patience, and decency at all times, seeing my own error and overlooking the faults of others; and let me always know the presence of Your Holy Spirit, to remind me of what I have asked.

If You are with me, O God, who can be against me? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord. You are worthy to be praised and to be adored!

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Job 23:10

He pays attention to the way that we take. He has concern for it and appreciates it. He knows where we are and what we’ve done. He can cross-examine us all He wants. And, we’ll pass the test

        with honors.

He knows every detail of what is happening to us. And when He has examined us, He will pronounce us completely innocent—as pure as solid gold! Gold that is pure, refined, and luminous. This is how God works. In order to mold His children, He sometimes needs us to be melted down. And, will come out like a precious jewel.

The Daily Grace - Careless Words

My daughter has had a lot of ill health recently, and her husband has been wonderfully caring and supportive. "You have a real treasure there!", I said. "You didn't think that when I first knew him", she said with a grin. She was quite right. When Icilda and Philip got engaged, I was concerned. They were such different personalities. We have a large and noisy family, and Philip is more reserved. And I had shared my misgivings with my daughter quite bluntly.

I was horrified to realize that the critical things I said so casually 15 years ago had stayed in her memory and could possibly have destroyed a relationship that has proved to be so right and happy. It reminded me how much we need to guard what we say to others. So many of us are quick to point out what we consider to be a weakness in family, friends, or work colleagues, or to focus on their mistakes rather than their successes. "The tongue is a small part of the body", says James (3:5), yet the words it shapes can either destroy relationships or bring peace and harmony to a situation in the workplace, the church, or the family. Perhaps we should make David's prayer our own as we start each day: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Ps. 141:3).

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that this day my conduct will be like that You have set for Your clergy: Above reproach. May I be this day temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, and not violent, but gentle. May I never be quarrelsome, always seeking peace even in disagreement, and may my love be for You and my fellow man, not for money.

Help me to overcome the pride which creeps in around the corners of my mind like rain hammering on broken shingles and cracked walls, persistent and sly, wearing away defenses, flooding the basement, trying to destroy my love for others and my humility by rotting it away. Especially help me when someone corrects me, Lord, and I am wrong, in part or whole; for I am apt to take offense and shame, where humility would have neither; and my mind tries to justify my words or deeds, no matter how much I am in error. Fill me with desire for truth and love, dear God, so that I can accept correction, both from You and from other people, seeking only truth and love.

Please curb my careless speech and put a guard on my tongue today and every day. Grant me a good reputation with outsiders, so that I will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. This I pray through my Lord Christ, whose love and attention ever gave us an example of conduct.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Proverbs 25:11

Sometimes we know exactly what needs to be said -- we have the facts down -- but we do not give enough thought to how these things are said. In regard to some issue or controversy, or when it is necessary to speak out against some sin or error, we know exactly what should be said, but we fail in HOW we say it. We preach the truth, but without love. We say what needs to be said, but with such an overbearing arrogance or anger, our listeners cannot hear the message; it is covered up by all the "attitude." 

But the Bible tells us that "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." This is a beautiful image or picture -- apples of gold, surrounded by or set in silver. A word spoken at the right time is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. It means that the right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry. It is precious and appealing. It is pleasing to our ears like a jewelry that is pleasing to our eyes.

The Daily Grace - An Ordinary Day

While exploring a museum exhibit titled "A Day in Pompeii", I was struck by the repeated theme that August 24, AD 79 began as an ordinary day. People were going about their daily business in homes, in markets, and at the port of this prosperous Roman town of 20,000 people. At 8 a.m., a series of small emissions were seen coming from nearby Mount Vesuvius, followed by a violent eruption in the afternoon. In less than 24 hours, Pompeii and many of its people lay buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash. Unexpected.

Jesus told His followers that He would return on a day when people were going about their business, sharing meals, and having weddings, with no idea of what was about to happen. "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:37). The Lord's purpose was to urge the disciples to be watchful and prepared: "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (v. 44). What surprising joy it would be to welcome our Savior on this ordinary day! Perhaps today!

Today We Pray

Dear God, who orders all things in heaven and earth: help me to go about the tasks and duties of this day with the remembrance that I am Your servant therein. Make me honest, painstaking, and cheerful, and grant that all I do and say may bring good to others and glory to Your Holy Name. Let me not forget to acknowledge You for all that You do for me and enable me to do. 

Draw me to Yourself. Do with me what You will. Transform me into Yourself, so that I may no longer know myself, nor find myself, except in You.

O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, bless all Your people, and all Your flock. Give Your peace, Your help, and Your love unto us Your servants, the sheep of Your fold, that we may be united in the bond of peace and love, one body and one spirit, in one hope of our calling, in Your divine and boundless love.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 15:5

God is the Vine, we are the branches. When we’re joined with Him and Him with us, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, we can’t produce a thing. Whoever lives in Him and we in Him shall produce a large crop of fruit.

We cannot do anything without Him. So, let us remain in His presence. Let us stay joined to Him. Let Him be a part of our lives.

The Daily Grace - When Others Won't Forgive

I was having lunch with two men who had opened their lives to Christ while they were in prison. The younger man had been discouraged by the fact that the family from whom he had stolen would not forgive him. "My crime was violent", the older man said. "It continues to haunt and affect the family to this day. They have not forgiven me, . . . the pain is just too great. At first, I found myself paralyzed by this longing for their forgiveness". 

He continued his story: "Then one day I realized I was adding selfishness to my brokenness. It's a lot to expect that the family forgives me. I was focused on what I felt I needed to heal from my past. It took some time to realize that their forgiveness of me was a matter between them and God". "How can you stand it?" the younger man asked. The older man explained that God did for him what he didn't deserve and what others simply can't do: He died for our sins, and He keeps His promise to move our sins "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps. 103:12) and "remembers [our] sins no more" (Isa. 43:25).

In the face of such great love, we honor Him by accepting His forgiveness as sufficient. We must forget what lies behind and keep pressing forward (Phil. 3:13-14). The work of Christ is sufficient for every sin. So, learn to forgive.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the work of Christ on the cross. Help me to understand and accept what it means for me, and to be a messenger of that forgiveness to those I meet along the way. Grant that I may always desire to spend time in Your presence and to hear Your call.

Stay by my side always. Gain for me a trusting heart. Thank You for loving me. 

Now all glory to You, great God, who is able to keep us from falling away and will bring us 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 - Philippians 3:13-14

Like a physical race, we should also win our spiritual race. How to win it? It is by forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Reach forward for the future, especially your goals.

When you press on toward that goal, you will win the Heavenly Price. It is the price being called to Heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. Press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

The Daily Grace - A Wonderful Explosion

In the book Kisses from Katie, Katie Davis recounts the joy of moving to Uganda and adopting several Ugandan girls. One day, one of her daughters asked, "Mommy, if I let Jesus come into my heart, will I explode?" Af first, Katie said no. When Jesus enters our heart, it is a spiritual event.

However, after she thought more about the question, Katie explained that when we decide to give our lives and hearts to Jesus "we will explode with love, with compassion, with hurt for those who are hurting, and with joy for those who rejoice". In essence, knowing Christ results in deep care for the people in our world. The Bible challenges us to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Rom. 12:15). We can consistently display this loving response because of the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us. The apostle Paul described it this way, "When you believed [in Christ], you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" (Eph. 1:13).

Caring for others - with God's supernatural assistance - shows the world that we are His followers (John 13:35). It also reminds us of His love for us. Jesus said, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (v. 34). Love given reflects love received.

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, I pray that the fire of Your Spirit may renew the energies of all Your saints. Enable us to welcome those who do not know You. May Your Church be constantly renewed, in prayer, in Your Wor, and in Your worship

Help me to experience Your love more deeply so that I can share it with others. Empower me through Your Holy Spirit so that I can glorify You. Give me each day the wisdom to see which things are important, and which things are not.

Show me how best to use the time and talents You have given me. Help me to use all my opportunities wisely, that I may share, through service to others, the good gifts I have received from you. In Christ’s name, this I ask.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 13:34

 Love one another. In the same way that God loved you, you love one another. This is the new commandment that God gave to us. This commandment is how everyone will recognize that you are His disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.

Stop the hate. Show love to everyone. By showing love, you are showing that you are a follower of our Lord. Share His love with everyone today!

The Daily Grace - Bricks Without Straw

Many of us face the challenge of working with limited resources. Equipped with less money, less time, dwindling energy, and fewer helpers, our workload may remain the same. Sometimes, it even increases. There's a saying that sums up this predicament: "More bricks, less straw".

This phrase refers to the Israelites' hardship as slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh decided to stop supplying them with straw, yet he required them to make the same number of bricks each day. They scoured the land to find supplies, while Pharaoh's overseers bet them and pressured them to work harder (Ex. 5:13). The Israelites became so discouraged that they didn't listen when God said through Moses, "I will rescue you. . ., and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm" (Ex. 6:6).

Although the Israelites refused to hear God's message, God was still guiding and directing Moses, preparing him to speak to Pharaoh. God remained firmly on Israel's side - at work behind the scenes. Like the Israelites, we can become so downhearted that we ignore encouragement. In dark times, it's comforting to remember that God is our deliverer (Ps. 40:17). He is always at work on our behalf, even if we can't see what He is doing. Times of trouble are times for trust.

Today We Pray

Are you tired, feeling burdened and loaded with things? Ask the Lord for some rest and talk to Him with this prayer.

Dear Lord, I am tired. I am carrying a lot of burdens in my heart. But I still praise You because I have something to do and I am not in an idle mode.

Still, I thank You that You are providing me opportunities in order for me to learn and grow to be a better child of Yours. I ask for forgiveness in all of my sins, especially if I forget that You are just there for me whatever happens.

I am tired Lord, please give me rest. I cling to Your promise in the Bible that I will just come to you if I am tired, weary and heavy-burdened and You will give me rest. Give me peace of mind and a calm heart and help me to focus on You in these quiet time. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.

Amen.

Today's Godly Reminder - Ecclesiastes 12:1

Remember thoughtfully Your Creator in the days of your youth. For you are not your own, but His. Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes. Don’t let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your Creator. Honor him in your youth before the evil years come—when you’ll no longer enjoy living.

Keep your Creator in mind while you are young! In years to come, you will be burdened down with troubles and say, “I don’t enjoy life anymore.” It feels good that from the start, you acknowledge Him and have a successful life because you collaborate with Him your plans and desires. God is a great best friend!

The Daily Grace - When God is Quiet

I love to take pictures of sunsets at Lake Michigan. Some are subtle shades of pastel. Others are bold strokes of bright color. Sometimes the sun sinks quietly behind the lake. Other times it goes down in what looks like a fiery explosion.

In pictures and in person, I prefer the latter. But both show the handiwork of God. When it comes to God's work in the world, my preferences are the same. I would rather see dramatic answers to prayer than ordinary provisions of daily bread. But both are the work of God.

Elijah may have had similar preferences. He had grown accustomed to being the center of God's grand displays of power. When he prayed, God showed up in dramatic ways - first in a miraculous defeat against the prophets of Baal and then in the end to a long and devastating drought (1 Kings 18). But then Elijah felt afraid and started to run. God sent an angel to feed him to strengthen him for his journey. After 40 days he arrived in Horeb. God showed him that He was now communicating in a still small voice, not in flashy miracles (1 Kings 19:11-12). If you're discouraged because God hasn't shown up in a blaze of glory, perhaps He's revealing Himself with His quiet presence. God is in the small things as well as the great.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, may we see You today in the small details of life in ways that we hadn't notice before. Thank You for the gift of Your quiet presence, wherever we may find it today. O Lord, take from me: idleness of spirit, which destroys time; vanity of thoughts, which hinders Your presence and distracts my attention to prayer.

I entrust myself to Your mercy. I submit to Your will. Do with me according to Your mercy and not according to my evil and wickedness. 

May God the Father bless us. May Christ take care of us; the Holy Ghost enlighten us all the days of our life. The Lord be our defender and keeper of body and soul, both now and forever, to the ages of ages.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 103:2

Bless the Lord at all times. Affectionately, praise His Name. Let us not forget the good things that He has done in our lives. Our God is a sovereign God. He is always gracious to extend to us the blessings that comes from His hands. Receive that blessing always. It's not just one or two, but you will be blessed a thousand folds. Acknowledge the Lord always. Let His Name be known to the nations. Let the people know the good things that He has done so that many people will come to Him and inherit His Kingdom.

The Daily Grace - You First!

Tibetan-born Sherpa Nawang Gombu and American Jim Whittaker reached the top of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. As they approached the peak, each considered the honor of being the first of the two to step to the summit. Whittaker motioned for Gombu to move ahead, but Gombu declined with a smile, saying, "You first, Big Jim!" Finally, they decided to step to the summit at the same time.

Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to demonstrate this kind of humility. He said, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others" (Phil. 2:4). Selfishness and superiority can divide people, but humility unites us since it is the quality of "being one in spirit and of one mind" (v. 2). When quarrels and disagreements occur, we can often diffuse them by giving up our right to be right. Humility calls us to show grace and gentleness when we would rather insist on our own way. "In humility value others above yourselves" (v. 3).

Practicing humility helps us to become more like Jesus who, for our sake, "humbled himself by becoming obedient to death" (vv. 7-8). Following in Jesus' footsteps means backing away from what is best for us and doing what is best for others. Humility promotes unity. So, be humble!

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, You gave up Your life for me. Help me to see each sacrifice I make as a reflection of Your humility. In putting others first, let me honor You.

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, with all who have come to know You, who call upon Your name. 

We give thee humble thanks for opening heathen lands to the light of thy truth; for making paths in the deep waters and highways in the desert; and for planting thy Church in all the earth. Grant, we beseech thee, unto us thy servants, that with lively faith we may labour abundantly to make known to all men thy blessed gift of eternal life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Philippians 2:3

Do nothing from factional motives or strife. But with an attitude of humility, regard others as more important than yourselves. Do not be arrogant or self-righteous. Don't do anything out of selfishness or empty conceit.

Don’t push your way to the front. Don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

The Daily Grace - What's in the Bank?

In the winter of 2009, a large passenger plane made an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River. The pilot, Captain Chelsey Sullenberger, who landed the plane safely with no casualties, was later asked about those moments in the air when he was faced with a life-or-death decision. "One way of looking at this", he said, "might be that for 42 years I've been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education, and training. And on [that day] the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal". 

Most of us will at some time face a crisis. Perhaps it will be a job termination or the results of a medical test, or the loss of a precious family member or friend. It is in those times that we must dig down deep into the reserves of our spiritual bank account. And what might we find there? If we have enjoyed a deepening relationship with God, we've been making regular "deposits" of faith. We have experienced His grace (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:4-7). We trust the promise of Scripture that God is just and faithful (Deut. 32:4; 2 Thess. 3:3).

God's love and grace are available when His children need to make a "withdrawal" (Ps. 9:10; Heb. 4:16). Remembering God's faithfulness in the past strengthens us for the future. Come to His throne of grace. He is always available.