The Daily Grace - Correct Gently

At the end of a conference in Nairobi, Kenya, our group traveled from the conference center to a guesthouse to prepare to fly back home the next morning. When we arrived, one person in our group reported that she had forgotten her luggage back at the conference center. After she left to retrieve it, our group leader (always meticulous on detail) criticized her sharply to us in her absence.

The next morning when we arrived at the airport, the leader discovered to his dismay that he too had left his luggage behind. It and his passport were back at the guesthouse. It was now going to cost us, even more, to go for his baggage. Later, he apologized and said to all of us, "I'll never criticize so harshly again!"

Because we all have faults and weaknesses, we should bear with one another and forgive each other when things go wrong (Col. 3:13). We need to be constructive in our criticism and "clothe [our]selves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (v. 12). When a correction is necessary, it should be done with kindness and love. In that way, we become imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ. The keys to effective relationships are gentleness and humility.

Today We Pray

Dear God, who has created all things, seen and unseen, this day is Your creation. I give thanks to live in it. I pray that I will not shut You out of the day You have made, blinded by the petty concerns of life, but that I may be always open to Your presence.

You know that there are times when I just don't feel patient and humble and gentle. Those days in my life, the fruit of Your Spirit seems in short supply. Please enable me to love others today.

Let me rest the ladder of gratitude against Your cross and, mounting up, kiss Your feet. All that I am, I open to You and I return to You, giving thanks every moment of my life for the blessings that fill this day. Through Christ, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 3:12

As God’s own chosen people, who are holy, set apart, sanctified for His purpose and well-beloved by God Himself, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. In which, has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper. It is because we are chosen by God for this new life of love. So, we must put this kind of character.

Dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Always remember to be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Be holy because He is holy. Be like Christ by putting on these things.

The Daily Grace - Image Consultants

In our media-saturated age, image consultants have become indispensable. Entertainers, athletes, politicians, and business leaders seem desperate to manage the way they are perceived in the eyes of the world. These high-priced consultants work to shape how their clients are viewed - even if sometimes there is a stark contrast between the public image and the real person inside.

In reality, what people need - what all of us need - is not an external makeover but an inner transformation. Our deepest flaws cannot be corrected cosmetically. They are directly related to who we are in heart and mind, and they reveal how far we have fallen from the image of God in which we were created. But such transformation is beyond any human ability to accomplish.

Only Christ offers us true transformation - not just a facelift or an outward adjustment. Paul said that those who have been raised to eternal life in Christ "have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Col. 3:10). New! What a tremendous word full of hope! Christ transforms us into new people in Him - people with a new heart, not just fixed up to look good on the outside. The Spirit develops in us the clear image of Christ.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, help me to be good and happy all this day. Make me faithful in my work and fair in my play. Show me how to do some kind act today.

When I return to my everyday tasks, remind me, Lord, that You are always there beside me.

I need never despair. I know You will stay and watch over me all the days of my life.

Bless my relatives, friends, and ministers. Help me to show my love for them, and for all I encounter, and especially for You, this and every day of my life. This I pray, in Christ's name.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 3:10

 Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator. And, you will understand him better. It is because He is in you. He is in your heart, soul and mind.

You are a brand new you! Put on your new self. You have been clothed new by God spiritually. You are continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self.

The Daily Grace - Access to God

Technology is a blessing in so many ways. Need a bit of information about a health problem? All you have to do is access the Internet where you instantaneously get a list of options to guide your search. Need to contact a friend? Just send a text, email, or Facebook post. 

But technology can also be frustrating at times. The other day I needed to access some information in my bank account and was asked a list of security questions. Unable to recall the exact answers, I was blocked from my own account. Or think of the times when an important conversation is cut off because of a dead cellphone battery, with no way to reconnect until you find a plug to recharge it. 

All of this makes me delighted with the reality that when I needed to access God in prayer, there are no security questions and no batteries required. I love the assurance that John gives when he says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1 John 5:14). God is always accessible, for He never slumbers nor sleeps! (Ps. 121:4). And thanks to His love for us, He is waiting and ready to listen. God is always accessible in our time of need.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, how glorious You are in the nature of Your world. Each day, Your creatures awake to new life and joyfully sing Your praises with a thousand tongues. You are the source of life, the destroyer of death.

Thank You for desiring communication with me and for the reassurance that You are indeed listening and ready to help in time of need. Teach us to come to You with confidence in Your attentive love for us. And grant that what we believe we may also speak.

Bestow upon me, and upon all of us who pray together, the meaning of words, the light of understanding, the nobility of diction and the faith of the true nature. I will be glad and rejoice in You this day. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Colossians 3:23

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

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

The Daily Grace - In the Same Boat

When the cruise ship pulled into port, the passengers got off as quickly as possible. They had spent the last few days enduring an outbreak of a virus, and hundreds of people had been sickened. One passenger, interviewed as he disembarked, said: "Well, I don't mean to complain so much. I mean I know everybody was in the same boat". His seemingly unintentional pun made the reporter smile.

In Matthew 8, we can read about another trip on the water (vv. 23-27). Jesus got into the boat and the disciples followed Him (v. 23). Then a terrible storm arose, and Jesus' disciples feared for their lives. They awakened a sleeping Jesus, who they assumed was unaware of the crisis. While Jesus was literally in the same boat as His followers, He was unconcerned about the weather. As the all-powerful Creator, He had no fear of a storm. "He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm" (v. 26). 

But we are not all-powerful, and we are oh-so-prone to fear. So what are we to do when the storms of life rage around us? Whether they quickly blow over or last for a long time, we can be confident in this: We are in the same boat with the One whom even the winds and the sea obey. No danger can come so near the Christian that God is not nearer.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, You make me glad about the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of Your Son my Lord. Give me the peace to worship You with my whole heart and mind, forgetting the cares of the world, and dwelling with You for a short moment with my entire being. And give me this day such blessing through my worship of You, that the week to come may be spent in living knowledge of Your peace.

This life is full of uncertainty. But You have promised us Your unfailing presence. May we see You today - especially when we are tempted to panic or to do things in our own strength.

May I love You in all things and above all things. May I reach the joy which You have prepared for me in Heaven. Nothing is good that is against Your will, and all that is good comes from Your hand.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 57:1

 Run to Him for dear life. He is always a good God when storms come into our lives. We can hide out under His wings until the hurricane blows over. He has always been gracious and merciful when trials are there.

Come to Him, especially when you are troubled. We can take refuge and be confidently secure in Him until destruction passes by. And, can find shelter and safety in His presence. Be protected by His presence.

The Daily Grace - The Book Behind the Story

Millions of people around the world have seen Gone with the Wind, which premiered in the United States on December 15, 1939. It won 10 Academy Awards and remains one of Hollywood's most commercially successful films. It was based on Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel, which sold one million copies within 6 months, received a Pulitzer Prize, and has been translated into more than 40 languages. An epic movie often has its source in a powerful and timeless book.

The book that's the basis for the Christian faith is the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, it is infused with God's plan for His creation, including us. Psalm 119 celebrates the power and necessity of God's Word in our lives. It lights our path (v. 105), revives our souls (v. 107), and guards our steps (v. 110). Through the Scriptures, we find wisdom, guidance, life, and joy. "Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart" (v. 111).

Jesus our Lord calls us to base our lives on His Word and share the joy of knowing Him with people who are longing to find life. "My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end" (v. 112). What a book! What a Savior! The Bible, God's eternal truth, can be trusted today.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart's delight. I am determined to keep Your decrees to the very end.

The darkness that covered the earth has given way to the bright dawn of Your Word made flesh. Make me and all who confess Your holy name people of this light. Make me faithful to Your Word that I may bring Your life to the waiting world.

Make my mind turn from worldly preoccupations to the contemplation of heaven, to despise everything transitory and to yearn only for celestial things, and to burn with the glowing fire of Your love. And you, who deemed Yourself worthy to wash the feet of Your holy apostles with Your sacred hands, cleanse also my heart by pouring in the radiance of the Holy Spirit, so that I may be able to love You, our Lord Jesus Christ, in all things and above all else. Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Psalm 119:111

This is a psalm of David about the Bible. He said these words because it is his source of joy. The Bible is his most prized possession. His laws are His joyous treasure forever.

May we be like David who treasures His words. May the Bible bring joy in our hearts as we read it. It is the love letter of God for us. Let it be our source of joy when we are down and when we are rejoicing.

The Daily Grace - Greater than the Mess

A major theme of the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel could easily be "Life is a mess!" It has all the elements of a blockbuster TV miniseries. As David sought to establish his rule as king of Israel, he faced military challenges, political intrigue, and betrayal by friends and family members. And David himself was certainly not without guilt as his relationship with Bathsheba clearly showed (Chs. 11-12).

Yet near the end of 2 Samuel we find David's song of praise to God for His mercy, love, and deliverance. "You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light" (22:29). In many of his difficulties, David turned to the Lord. "With your help, I can advance against a troop [run through a barricade]; with my God, I can scale a wall" (v. 30).

Perhaps we identify with David's struggles because he, like us, was far from perfect. Yet he knew that God was greater than the most chaotic parts of his life. With David, we can say, "As for God, his way is perfect: the Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him" (v. 31). And that includes us! Life is messy, but God is greater than the mess. It's not too late to make a fresh start with God.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, Your knowledge is utterly beyond my comprehension. And yet, despite all of this, You have promised to know me, to be with me, to listen to me and help me and, if I only ask for it in the name of Your Son, to forgive me when I offend you. I praise You above all else, Mighty God; for the wonderment of Your existence and the unfathomable size and complexity of Your creation.

Your love and mercy know no bounds. Give me strength when I am weak, hope when I am discouraged, peace when I am troubled, consolation when I am sad, comfort when I suffer, and understanding when I am perplexed. Above all, guide me and forgive me when I err. 

Direct me in Your way. Make me an instrument of Your love and peace to those who are troubled and without hope. And above all, my love and obedience are Yours; I give them to You now and forever, in gratitude for Your greatest gift, the sacrifice of Your blessed Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 John 5:20

We have seen and know from personal experience that the Son of God has actually come to this world. He has given us understanding and insight so that we may progressively and personally know Him who is true. We know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. And because of Jesus, we now belong to the true God who gives eternal life. Now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. This is the true God and eternal life.

The Daily Grace - A Universe of Humanity

During the 1920s and 30s, photographer August Sander set out to portray a cross-section of German society. Through his lens, he saw factory workers and financiers, actresses and housewives, Nazis and Jews. Even though his published collection contains only people in and around his hometown of Cologne, he captured what David Propson, writing in The Wall Street Journal, called "a universe of humanity in his restricted sphere".

That phrase strikes me as an apt description of our lives and the people we meet day by day. Wherever we live, we cross paths with people from many backgrounds and beliefs. For years, the apostle Paul traveled and preached before being imprisoned in Rome. There he continued to touch people with the gospel because he cared about them and wanted them to know Jesus Christ. The book of Acts concludes with Paul confined in Rome, living under guard in a rented house, where he "received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 28:30-31).

Instead of focusing on his restrictions, Paul saw opportunities. That's the key for us as well. There is a universe of humanity within our reach today. The gospel is a priceless gift that's offered free to everyone.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I come before You today in need of Your healing hand. In You, all things are possible. Hold my heart within Yours, and renew my mind, body, and soul.

We cannot read about the failures and difficulties of others without being reminded of our own. We bring them all to You, seeking forgiveness and Your power for a fresh start. Give me the strength to move forward on the path You’ve laid out for me. 

As I travel through the rest of my day, may the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit I may abound in hope. Guide me towards better health, and give me the wisdom to identify those You’ve placed around me to help me get better. In your name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Samuel 22:29

The Lord is our lamp. He shines always in our lives. He is the light in our lives. He always shines wherever we will go.

He illumines and dispels our darkness. He turns darkness into light. In our darkest hour, always remember that He is there. Remember, God is like a lamp that will turn our darkest moments into light.

The Daily Grace - Hope Lives

When unspeakable tragedy shatters people's lives, they search for answers. Recently, a mother who had lost a teenager said to me, "I can't figure it out. I don't know if I can believe anymore. I try, but God doesn't make sense to me. What does it all mean?" There are no easy answers to such big concerns. But for those who have trusted Christ, there is hope - whether we are basking in blessings or grinding through grief.

Peter spells this out in his first letter. In glowing terms, he praises God for our "new birth into a living hope" (1 Peter 1:3) through our salvation. That hope can bring joy even in the middle of tragedy. He also assures us of the permanence of this hope (v. 4). He then tells us of the heart-breaking reality that we may "suffer grief in all kinds of trials" (v. 6). Those who have suffered loss turn hopeful hearts toward Peter's next words: These come so that your faith "may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (v. 7).

Trials - seemingly random and inexplicable - can be seen differently in the light of these words. In the midst of tragedy, the power and beauty of our salvation can shine through because of our great Savior. And that may be just enough light to get a troubled person through another day. The light of salvation shines clearly even in the darkest night.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I come before You today in reverence and awe. I am filled with humility in the face of Your greatness, Your Majesty, Your holiness, and Your power. And to acknowledge my sinfulness in the face of Your pure and holy presence fills me with fear.

You assure us that the grand salvation You provided is proved genuine in our pain and that it leads to glory for You. Help us to begin each new day with renewed hope in You. Let me not hesitate to call upon You, for Your power and love will see me through anything this world can bring against me. 

And I promise, with Your help and grace, to be fearless in the world; for if You are with me, who can be against me? All thanks and praise be to You, almighty God. In the name of Christ, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Peter 1:7

 Your trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it. And, your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So, if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.

 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

The Daily Grace - Now Go!

More than 10,000 evangelists and Christian leaders sat in a giant auditorium in 1986 listening to world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham. I sat among them, listening as he narrated some of his experiences. Then, to my surprise, he said, "Let me tell you: every time I stand before the congregation of God's people to preach, I tremble and my knees wobble!" What! I wondered. How can such a great preacher who has enthralled millions with his powerful sermons exhibit trembling and wobbling knees? Then he went on to describe not fear and stage fright, but intense humility and meekness as he felt inadequate for the daunting task to which God had called him. He relied on God for strength, not on his own eloquence.

Moses felt inadequate when God sent him to deliver the enslaved Israelites from their 400-year captivity in Egypt. Moses pleaded with the Lord to send someone else, with the excuse that he had never been a good speaker (See Ex. 4:10, 13). We may have similar fears when God calls us to do something for Him. But His encouragement to Moses can also spur us on: "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" (v. 12). 

As Billy Graham said that day, "When God calls you, do not be afraid of trembling and wobbling knees, for He will be with you!" Wherever God sends us, He comes alongside us. What task does God have for you to do today? Depend on Him by asking for His help.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, this day, give me not the spirit of laziness, despair, the lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of sobriety, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord, and King grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages.

In the daily round from sunrise to sunset and to sunrise again, remind me again and again of Your holy presence hovering near me and in me. Free me from shame and self-doubt in expressing my faith. Help me to see You in the fleeting moments of possibility and be filled with Your courage and Your word.

Oh God Almighty, 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. In Christ’s name, I pray.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Exodus 4:12

Get going. God will be right there with you—with your mouth! He will be right there to teach you what to say. Now go ahead and do as He tells you, for He will help you to speak well, and He will tell you what to say.

When you speak, He will be with you and give you the words to say. He will be always your guide wherever you will go and you will be a blessing to the people around you. In every word you will say, it will be a blessing if you will allow God to control it. Let Him have His way in your life.

The Daily Grace - The Spirit Delivers

Until recently, many towns in rural Ireland didn't use house numbers or postal codes. So if there were three Patrick Murphys in town, the newest resident with that name would not get his email until it was first delivered to the other two Patrick Murphys who had lived there longer. "My neighbors would get it first", said Patrick Murphy (the newest resident). "They'd have a good read, and they'd go, 'No, it's not probably us'." To end all this mail-delivery confusion, the Irish government recently instituted its first postal-code system which will ensure the proper delivery of the mail.

Sometimes when we pray we feel like we need help delivering to God what is on our heart. We may not know the right words to say or how to express our deep longings. The apostle Paul says in Romans 8 that the Holy Spirit helps us and intercedes for us by taking our unspeakable "groanings" and presenting them to the Father. "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans" (v. 26). 

The Spirit always prays according to God's will, and the Father knows the mind of the Spirit. Be encouraged that God hears us when we pray and He knows our deepest needs. When you can't put your prayers into words, God hears your heart.

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving me Your Spirit to help me when I pray. Thank You for hearing my prayers and for loving me. Reach out your mighty hand to me, and to all who seek you in the name of your Son.

I believe that You will change people and many things, if asked and if it is Your will. Change me if it is Your will, for I would lead a better life. Touch me, I pray, great God whose touch transforms. 

Heal us, transform us, and make us whole. Reach out Your mighty hand to lift us up to serve You. Touch me and all of us this very day, O Lord, that our own hands may bring Your hope and healing to this broken world.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Romans 8:26

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.

In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words. The Holy Spirit is always there to guide us and dictates us what to do when we don't know what to do. Let the Holy Spirit reside in your hearts.

The Daily Grace - Come to Me

Charlotte Elliott wrote the hymn "Just As I Am" in 1834. She had been an invalid for many years, and though she wanted to help with a fund-raiser for a girl's school, she was too ill. She felt useless, and this inner distress caused her to begin doubting her faith in Christ. She wrote "Just As I Am" as a response to her doubt. The crux of her distress is perhaps best expressed in these words: "Just as I am, though tossed about with a many conflict, a many doubt, fightings, and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come!"

Three days later after His death and burial, Jesus rose from the grave and invited the disciple whom history has nicknamed "Doubting Thomas" to examine the marks of His crucifixion (John 20:27). When Thomas touched Jesus' wounds, he finally believed in the resurrection. Christ responded, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (v. 29). As Christians today, we are the ones who have not seen but still believe. Yet at times our earthly circumstances create serious questions in our souls. Even then, we cry out: "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). Jesus welcomes us to come to Him just as we are. The risen Christ opens the door of you to have the fullness of life.

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.

Let me be always aware of the important things in life. Let me care for those around me. Let me seek Your presence in all I meet.

Help me to love with both words and deeds. Help me to reach out to others and meet their needs. Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin, with mercy and love that flows from within.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - John 20:29

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

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

The Daily Grace - The Tree of Love

The corkscrew willow tree stood vigil over our backyard for more than 20 years. It shaded all four of our children as they played in the yard, and it provided shelter for the neighborhood squirrels. But when springtime came and the tree didn't awaken from its winter slumber, it was time to bring it down. Every day for a week I worked on that tree - first to fell it and then to chop two decades of growth into manageable pieces. It gave me a lot of time to think about trees.

I thought about the first tree - the one on which hung the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve just couldn't resist (Gen. 3:6). God used that tree to test their loyalty and trust. Then there's the tree in Psalm 1 that reminds us of the faithfulness of godly living. And in Proverbs 3:18, wisdom is personified as a tree of life. But it is a transplanted tree that is most important - the crude cross of Calvary that was hewn from a sturdy tree. There our Savior hung between heaven and earth to bear every sin of every generation on His shoulders. It stands above all trees as a symbol of love, sacrifice, and salvation.

At Calvary, God's only Son suffered a horrible death on a cross. That's the tree of life for us. The cross of Christ reveals man's sin at its worst and God's love at its best. This Holy Saturday, let us still remember His love for us thru Jesus' death on the cross. Salvation is here because of it. Receive that gift of salvation today!

Today We Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, on this day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we're grateful for the cross and for Your Son who gave His life so that we might have life. Thank You for Your amazing love through this! Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us.

Like the seed buried in the ground, You have produced the harvest of eternal life for me; make me always dead to sin and alive in You. Shepherd of all, in death You remained hidden from the world; teach us to love our hidden spiritual life with You. You have allowed me through baptism to be buried with You; grant that I may also rise with You and walk in newness of life.

O Lord, by the merits and prayers of Your son, Jesus Christ, keep me today from all evil and unruly desires, from all sins and temptations of the devil, from sudden and unprovided death, and from the pains of hell. Enlighten my heart with the grace of Your Holy Spirit. Let me never be separated from You, O God, who lives and reigns forever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 1 Peter 2:24

He personally carried a load of our sins in his own body when He died on the cross so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. His wounds have healed ours! His wounds became your healing! He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. 

Christ carried the burden of our sins. He personally carried it in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. He was nailed to the cross so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By his cuts and bruises, you are healed! You are healed in the name of Jesus!

The Daily Grace - And Then You Laugh

Noise. Vibration. Pressure. Fireball. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield used these words to describe being launched into space. As the rocket raced toward the International Space Station, the weight of gravity increased and breathing became difficult. Just when he thought he would pass out, the rocket made a fiery breakthrough into weightlessness. Instead of lapsing into unconsciousness, he broke into laughter.

His description made me think of the days leading to my grandfather's death. The heaviness of life kept increasing until he no longer had the strength to breathe. He was then released from his pain and broke free into the "weightlessness" of heaven. I like to think of him laughing when he took his first breath in Jesus' presence.

On a Friday we call "good", something similar happened to Jesus. God placed on Him the weight of the entire world's sin - past, present, and future - until He could no longer breathe. Then He said, "Father, into Your hands, I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46). After being suffocated by our sin, Jesus received back from God the life entrusted to Him and now lives where sin and death have no power. All who trust Christ will one day join Him, and I wonder if we'll look back at this life and laugh. The sacrifice of Jesus points us to the joy of heaven.

Today We Pray

Dear Jesus, I thank You for this new day and pray that You will watch over me. May my thoughts, my words and actions reflect the Spirit that dwells within me. And may every minute of my life celebrate the gift of grace, earned by Your blood.

You hung upon a cross and died for me so that I might live for You; Your body was broken and Your bloodshed so that I might be healed and made whole. You were faithful unto death so that I might be faithful unto life. Your last command was that we might love one another, one family together from every tribe and nation; a new creation united through Your sacrifice, redeemed by Your blood, healed by Your love, united by Your covenant of peace. 

Words cannot describe our gratitude for You, who bore the weight of our sins. Thank You that to be absent from this body with its heavy burdens is to be present with You forever. Grant that, in Your death, I may find life, and in Your suffering, I may find peace, today and forever.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - 2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake, He virtually made Christ be sin Who knew no sin. So that, in and through Him we might become endued with and examples of the righteousness of God. This is what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness. We would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness. For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong so we could be put right with God. For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner so that Christ could make us acceptable to God.

The Daily Grace - Enjoying His Meal

It's not about the table, whether it's square or round. It's not about the chairs - plastic of wooden. It's not about the food, although it helps if it has been cooked with love. A good meal is enjoyed when we turn off the TV and our cell phones and concentrate on those we're with.

I love gathering around the table, enjoying a good chat with friends and family and talking about a multitude of topics. However, instant technology has made it difficult. Sometimes we are more concerned about what others - sometimes miles away - have to say than what the person just across the table is saying. We have been invited to another meal at the table when we come together in one place to celebrate the Lord's Supper. It's not about the church if it's big or small. It's not about the type of bread. It's about turning off our thoughts from our worries and concerns and focusing on Jesus.

When was the last time we enjoyed being at the Lord's Table? Do we enjoy His presence, or are we more concerned with what's going on somewhere else? This is important, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor. 11:26). Remembering Christ's death this Holy Thursday gives us courage for today and hope for tomorrow.

Today We Pray

Dear Lord, I want to learn when I sit at Your Table, to concentrate only on Your great love and sacrifices for us. Help me to enjoy the fellowship of others as we remember together what Jesus did for us at Calvary. Grant me the vision to see the world as You see it, with love and compassion for each creature and all of Your creation.

I strive to follow Jesus in my living and to trust Your power in my dying; I bow my head today to reflect upon the life that ended on a cross. I recognize in myself the strengths and weaknesses of Jesus’ disciples: although they loved Him, they disappointed and failed Him. And yet, gathering with these imperfect friends at this last meal, Jesus washed their feet in service, and then extended the bread and cup to each.

I am humbled, honored and inspired by the deep love Christ extended to the world, and I hear with open ears the calling to be a member of the body of Christ. Forgive me when I disappoint and fail You, and guide me back to a place of trust and faithful living. I ask this in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray to You for all things.

Amen

Today's Godly Reminder - Titus 3:2

These are the words for the Cretian Christians by Paul. It encourages them not to slander or abuse no one. Instead, they should be kind and conciliatory and gentle, showing unqualified consideration and courtesy toward everyone. They should be gentle and kind.

This message is not just for them, but for us. We should practice kindness and gentleness wherever we will go.  Do not say cruel things or argue. We should be gentle and kind to our fellowmen.

The Daily Grace - Who's at the Center?

Recently, I had what for me was a "Copernican moment": I am not at the center of the universe. The world doesn't revolve around me. It doesn't move at my pace, in my terms, nor in accord with my preferences. Though we might wish it to be otherwise, life is not all about us. Everything revolves around the Lord.

In Psalm 33, it is stated that all nature revolves around Him and His control (vv. 6-9). He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the ocean in vast reservoirs. Everything in nature operates in accordance with the laws He has set. The nations also revolve around the Lord (vv. 10-12). No plan or scheme can stand up against God's. Ultimately, it is the Lord's plan that will stand forever. His intentions can never be shaken.

Finally, the lives of all humanity revolve around the Lord (vv. 13-19). God sees the whole human race. He made our hearts, and He understands everything we do. And He has the power to intervene in our lives and deliver us from situations spinning out of control. Our life is created to be centered on God, not self. How thankful we can be to serve such a powerful God, who has every aspect of our lives under His control. When we die to all about us, we live to God above us.