July 31....hear my voice

Psalm 27:7-8 “Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

John 10:3 “The sheep hear his voice as he calls his own by name and leads them out.”

Heavenly Father,

Everyone is an individual, everyone is different. A different voice, a different face, a different personality, a different purpose. Yet the Good Shepherd calls each sheep by name and knows them. The sheep know the shepherd, too and listens for his voice. This problem of individuality and recognition goes both ways. We want you to hear and recognize our voice when we call….to know us and see us as someone different and set apart from every other voice that calls out to you. You want the same thing in reverse…you want us to recognize your voice and face and see them as set apart form any other god. You are the One True Living God! The one who hears, who listens, and who answers us. We are to have no graven images, so we aren’t speaking to a rock, or statue or picture or “thing”….but instead speak to the Holy Spirit of the Living God, who can’t be contained in any object. We don’t worship a “thing” that is cold and dead and empty. We worship a Being, who is alive and eternal and who proves it by answering. Dead gods don’t respond. Only the Living God, the Creator, the I AM, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Almighty God, Lord of Lords, King of Kings! We seek the presence, the face of the Living God. You helped us by becoming incarnate and showing us your presence encased in human flesh so we could see and hear and understand. We are to learn from the God who visited us and became our Savior. Jesus is our chance to “see” and “hear” your voice as one we can understand. Not thundering from heaven, but whispering in our hearts words of love. Hear my voce, LORD, that I might hear yours. Amen.

July 30....how long?

Psalm 13:1-2 “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord does not delay in keeping his promise…though some consider it ‘delay’. Rather, he shows you generous patience, since he wants none to perish but all to come to repentance.”

Heavenly Father,

I don’t imagine there is anyone in the world that hasn’t wondered “how long?” How long will I be in pain? How long will my heart be broken? How long must I endure this trial? How long must I wait? How long will I only hear silence? How long until I get there? How long before I get what I want? Time is a major factor in our lives. We measure every day of our life in the time we are familiar with. We count the minutes until some moment arrives. We count the hours between important events. We count the seconds when we are in danger. We count the days and weeks and months when we are in pain. Every woman who has a child, knows how many hours the birth of her child took….counted in contractions and pain. How long? This is the question during the “dark time of the soul” when we feel separated from you and hear only silence when we want to hear the “troops riding to the rescue”. We don’t like to “wrestle with our thoughts” or feel “sorrow in our soul” and “grief in our heart”. We are a people who want instant answers and solutions. The more knowledgeable our nations become, the faster the pace of the world becomes. We are running constantly and can’t find enough “time”. For anything! No time for friendship. No time to rest. No time to have fun. No time to worship you. No time for a relationship. No time to pray. Jesus fixed our major problem…sin and death….now we want nothing but peace, joy, and happiness…now! Your time is different than ours and sometimes you have to drag us kicking and screaming into your time to slow us down…to listen, to think to form a relationship, to feel grief, to grow, to understand. How long? As long as it takes in your time. But we know if we slow down and wait, that you will hear, you will answer, and we will change and grow. Thank you for your patience with us and that your time is real time…eternity. amen.

July 29.....you will answer me

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.”

Matthew 7:11 “If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him!”

Heavenly Father,

I long to know how to pray with more expectation, more faith! I call to you because I know you are the font of all wisdom, all power, all purpose. I call because I know you have saved me in the past, in every need and every situation. I call because there is no other hope, no other answer, no other place to turn, no one else who hears me. I call because I know your answers, your will, your purpose are the best choices. But when I call I ask for so much! You are able to give even more than I ask, but a Father knows when to say “no” as well as “yes”. Because my mind can’t grasp what your purpose or your will is in each situation, I ask for my will, my purpose, my desires, my wants and needs, my hopes and dreams. I ask for all I want not knowing what all the consequences might be. I have to trust your wisdom to sort out what should be “yes” and what should be “no”. I have to trust, but keep asking for it all in expectation that you will give me what is best. Expectation that your answers will more than fulfill my needs. Expectation that your answer will reflect your wisdom and love for me and others. “How much more” will you, the Father give then I ask for….good gifts for your children. I call and you answer. With expectation that your answer will have perfect love, perfect wisdom, perfect timing and be the best answer for my requests. I ask and expect you to love me! I ask and expect you to show mercy. I ask….you answer. Thank you! In Jesus’ name hear my petitions and give me your perfect answers. Amen.

July 28.....hear, listen

Psalm 86:6 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for mercy.”

Heavenly Father,

“Hear…listen.” I certainly understand those 2 words. Being hard of hearing shows me daily how important it is to hear and to listen. I see a subtle difference….hearing is picking up sound or noise, while listening takes the time to make sense of it. I often hear, but don’t really listen. That is nothing to do with my deafness….it has to do with my attitude while I listen. When I really want to hear something, I cock my best ear forward, lean in and really concentrate. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t, but I try really hard to catch what is said. Forgive me, Lord, that I don’t always make that same effort with you. I assume that I won’t hear you, so I don’t strain to listen. I do a lot of talking….I pray, and cry to you, and write these prayers, and sing, but I don’t always have the attitude of expectation that it takes to listen for your answer. I want you to attend to my every word, but I don’t take time to listen, to strain to hear your voice in response. I tend to manufacture my own replies and responses with my usual excuse….”I’m hard of hearing”. Do you tire of me, Lord? Do you wonder when I’ll live up to my name, Mary, and choose to sit at your feet and listen…really listen? Thank you that you are a patient God, as well as a loving and merciful one! Teach me to slow down, to take time to listen. I hope you see my tendency to “throw” prayers at you in a hurry as a type of trust. I know where to go with my requests and problems. I know that you are a much better listener than I am! You truly both hear and listen, and I can learn from that! Open my ears! Help me listen! amen.

July 27.....abounding in love

Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.” Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive the faults of others, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours.” Heavenly Father, You have chosen to forgive us even though we don’t deserve it. We tend to think of your forgiveness as a one-time thing….Christ died so we’re forgiven. It is one-time in a sense….grace covers all of mankind’s sins forever and Jesus only died once to bring this gift to us. However, we have an obligation to bring our sin to you daily and confess it and to accept this forgiveness. We also have an obligation to give forgiveness to others when they do wrong. What you have forgiven others, we have no right to refuse to forgive. Our love must be as big as your love. Where your love “abounds”, we must also show love. There is no day that goes by that we, ourselves are not sinful. We try to be good, to change, but we still sin in thought, word and deed. If we are not free of sin, how can we expect others to be? Most of us live “good” lives and our sins are subtle to our own eye….we haven’t killed anyone or committed adultery, or stolen anything, etc. What we really mean is that we haven’t broken any of man’s laws that would get us put in jail. That isn’t the same as “not sinning”. Sinning is an act of the heart and an attitude that puts us in wrong relationship with You, our Father. We also fail to do good, which is also a sin. We have no right to look for the “mote” in someone else’s eye, when we have a “log” in our own. We must daily search our hearts and souls and ask for your forgiveness and grace. Lord, forgive me this day my sinful heart and show me where I must forgive others. You, O LORD, abound with love! Grace is the sweetest word I know. Thank you in the name of Jesus Christ who died for my sin that I might live and forgive others. Amen.

July 26....I lift up my soul

Psalm 86:4 “Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”

Heavenly Father,

Our soul is our inner spiritual being. It is what makes humans different from other life forms. It is the “Spirit breathed” part of us, that part that seeks its maker. “I lift up my soul”…to you. I open and hold out my innermost self and ask to be filled. Like Oliver in Charles Dicken’s book, I’m holding my soul in my hands and saying “more, please” with every expectation of receiving something. I know I don’t have it all, haven’t found all the pieces I need, haven’t been filled to the brim with all of the Spirit I can hold. It’s my own fault. I tend to hold back at times and keep one hand over my soul shielding parts of it from your bounty. I’m afraid that if I let you give me more, you will expect more of me. I’m always crying, “wait…not yet!” I’m not ready. I’m timid where I should be bold. I’m occupied with other things. True joy will come when I learn to open wide and let you fill me up. It may hurt. It may surprise me. It may change me. It may shift my priorities and change my focus. But every day that I truly “lift up my soul” to you and ask for the joy you have to give me, will be the best days of my life! I want the joy! I want more Spirit! I want to be filled! Take away my fears. Give me courage and conviction! Strengthen my faith when it is weak and give me more faith. You tell us that you won’t refuse our request for your Holy Spirit and want to give us more. Today I try once again to hold up my soul and say, “Fill me!” Thank you! amen.

July 25....mercy

Psalm 86:3 “You are my God; have mercy on me, O LORD, for to you I call all the day.” James 1:17 “Every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit comes from above, descending from the Father….” Heavenly Father,Mercy is a word we have little understanding of. Here is a good definition: “kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness, forbearance, compassion.” Mercy is a blessing where none is expected or merited. Grace and mercy go hand in hand. Grace….shown through Jesus’ act of forgiveness on the cross for us…is our greatest mercy. When we call on you for mercy, we call on you for forgiveness and continual blessing. This is abiding in your presence. Climbing into the lap and loving arms of our Father and choosing to remain there. Recognizing that our mercy is found in your presence and our need for mercy is continual. So, like the psalmist, “I call to you all day long”. We get too busy with our human lives to literally call on you all day. But it is an attitude of heart and spirit that we must strive for. In everything we do, we need to include you. In all that we say, we need to be speaking words of grace and mercy just as you have graced us and shown continual mercy on us. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.” You sent us the perfect gift, grace, and now we are to live lives of mercy toward others. Just as Jesus brought us light we must take light to others. I like the phrase, “mercies new every morning”. What a wonderful thought! To awake every morning knowing that our loving God and Father has new kindness for us, new forgiveness to meet our sins, new blessings to help us through each day, new evidence of your abiding love, new grace, new love, new peace, new joy! All unmerited but welcomed! “I call to you all day long!”….for I need your mercies at all times and in all things. Amen.

July 24.....keep my life

Psalm 86:2 “Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save our servant who trusts in you.” Mark 9:23 “Everything is possible to a man who trusts.”

Heavenly Father,

“Keep my life”….when we give something to someone to keep we show great trust. We have complete faith in the person we give it to. We give up our own right to it and instead place it in the hands of some who will hold it carefully and faithfully. By giving you my life, I dedicate it to you and put you in charge of it. I know I have put it in a safe, secure place away from all danger. There is an old hymn that says, “Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord to thee.” This is what we strive for and desire. We know that we have life because Jesus bought it for us with his blood. That makes it very precious! Now our life is in his hands and we trust him to mold us and change us and make us more Christ-like. We don’t want our old life back. We want our new and improved life. “Keep my life”! Not only hold on to it securely, but keep it in the sense of guiding it, molding it, preserving it. Stand guard over my soul and keep the evil one from trying to harm me! I trust you, O LORD, with my life! You have given me every reason to trust you. You have been faithful always. The verse from Mark reminds me that “everything” is possible when we trust you. I tend to put limits on that word “everything” and not begin to dream as big as you are or trust as much as you are able to do. My mind can’t fathom “everything” and my human heart doesn’t truly trust as I want it to. All I can do is ask you every day to show me how to love and trust you more. I can ask you to keep my life in every sense of the word. I give it to Christ and trust he who saves me. Amen.

July 23.....poor and needy

Psalm 86:1 “Hear, O LORD, and answer me! I am poor and needy.” Luke 5:12 “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Heavenly Father,

Even the poorest person in America has more options than much of the world. We don’t think of ourselves as “poor and needy”, although we also don’t think of ourselves as “rich”. The psalmist is echoing Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes….”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We have to turn to you and realize that we are poor and needy where it most counts…our spirit. “I am by nature sinful and unclean, and have sinned against you in thought, word and deed.” I always remember those words from the public prayer of confession used before communion in the Lutheran church where I grew up. They are words we all need to say and recognize. I may be a “nice person” in general but underneath I think too many unkind thoughts, say too many thoughtless things, and neglect to do too many good deeds while doing many selfish acts. It is my nature. It is why I need Jesus Christ to save me. It is why I turn each day and cry with the psalmist, “Hear, O LORD, and answer me…I am poor and needy!” I come for a new spirit. I come for forgiveness. I come for rebirth. I come for a relationship and to change. I come in shame. I come in desperation. I come in confusion. I come in need and desire. I come to find something I don’t have and need. I come because you have what I need and readily give it to me….grace! Freedom! Peace! Love! Acceptance! A new beginning! “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!”….your Holy Spirit! Come, Holy Spirit, come and lead me to the kingdom of heaven! In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

July 22....confidence before God

Psalm 124:8 “Our help is in the name of the LORD who made heaven and earth.” 1 John 3:21 “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask because we obey his commands.” Heavenly Father, One little word in the John passage set off a whole flock of memories for me and almost distracted me from doing this at all…..confidence. I can’t believe that even today, I still struggle over memories of my lack of confidence in my school years. A lot of bad memories about teachers came flooding back to me. I guess I’ve never had confidence before anyone, least of all you, O LORD! My heart has always “condemned me” over something…things I’ve done, things I didn’t do, things I should have done. It has always been easy for me to see myself as a failure in a lot of ways. My confidence just doesn’t exist most of the time. I’ve learned to cope and to find confidence on some levels of life but it is always a struggle. Why do I care that much about what the world thinks about me? You have always been an “escape” for me…a place where I was loved and accepted for exactly who I am no matter what. I’m not sure that is the best basis for faith and I hope my faith is deeper than mere escapism. You are the Father who loves me. You are the Father who holds me when I’m hurt. Jesus made it so plain that he loved everyone, that I know in my heart that if he stood before me he would smile gently and hold out his hand and speak to me and I wouldn’t be afraid to respond. He would understand my fear and my silences. He would know the right things to say to me. I would follow and listen and he would teach me and I would understand. He would “call me” and send me out when I was ready. I would trust him. My help is in the name of the LORD! Jesus Christ is my confidence when I have no other. Jesus is my Savior in every situation. I love the name of the LORD, my Savior, my Friend. Amen

July 21....the Lord...set me free

Psalm 118:5-6 “In my straits I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is with me; I fear not; what can man do against me?”

Heavenly Father,

Sometimes there are too many thoughts in these verses to absorb! You “answered me”….”and set me free!” That in a nutshell is the “Good News”. We cried out for help in our sinfulness, and you sent us a Savior, Jesus Christ. We are free! I don’t think we appreciate what that freedom means most of the time. We bear our daily burdens and don’t recognize the absence of our greatest burden…sin and death. We don’t see that the reason we can bear our daily burdens and trials is because our greater burden is lifted and Jesus is helping bear our burdens. I think the autobiography, “the Heavenly Man” helped me see this. Daily, Brother Yun and others bear horrible burdens and persecutions, but because his spirit is free in Christ, he is free and bears the burdens gladly for you. He truly knows the meaning of being “free” even when in chains just as Paul did. They say and mean, “what can man do against me?” They have reached a point of knowing that suffering of the body is nothing if God holds you in his hands and has forgiven you and given you salvation. I may never really understand this as well as these men…he who is forgiven little, understand little. No one wants to suffer, but those who do and know your presence are blessed. I sing praises and write poetry and write these prayers and think that I come to know you…but I’m still that “rich young ruler” who can’t give it all us because I’m too selfish and too comfortable and too afraid. I cling to the people and things I love for fear that they will go away. Giving up sin isn’t anywhere near as hard as giving up what you love in this world. Those are the anchors that hold me and keep me from being completely free. Help me to understand. Help me to trust you, and your love for me, that I might be truly free. Amen.

July 20.....light and truth

Psalm 43:3 “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain to the place where you dwell.”

Heavenly Father,

This is one of my favorite verses of scripture. I try to focus on this prayer and the image it gives me. Your Light (Jesus Christ) and your Truth (Holy Spirit) are my guides. They are the ones who can bring me to “your holy mountain, the place where you dwell.” Where you dwell is our home, also. Our hearts and spirits are designed to seek you and long for you. Jesus and the Holy Spirit help us find this wonderful safe secure “home” that we desire. It may be a “mansion of many rooms” but the “gate is narrow” to get there. Jesus told us, “I am the Door.” Jesus made it easy for us to enter and gave us a pathway to follow. The Holy Spirit will guide us along that path until we reach “the holy mountain”. There is excitement for me and anticipation in finding this final resting place, this home, this heaven. To be at last in your presence forever and set loose from the anchors of this world that seem so hard to escape. We have moments along the way in which we feel the “abiding” presence and a sense of what the holy mountain must be like. The more we can follow our guides…Jesus and the Holy Spirit…the closer we come to finding your kingdom here and now. Jesus wanted us to experience kingdom life now, but we find it hard to do in this world. Guide me, O LORD, lead me home, O Heavenly Father! Make my way smooth and straight. Keep my feet on the straight and narrow path! “Bring me to your Holy Mountain, to the place where you dwell! Amen.

July 19.....you are my stronghold

Psalm 43:1-2a “Do me justice, O God, and fight my fight against a faithless people; from the deceitful and impious man rescue me. For you, O God, are my stronghold.”

Heavenly Father,

“You, O God, are my stronghold.” This is where we need to start each day. I like the term “stronghold”. It is a word picture…a strong hand holding mine that never lets go or loses its strength. We live in a fallen world and often struggle with how to do that. How much do we safely adapt and absorb? What is the line between living “in the world” and not being “of the world”? We are surrounded by bad influences, most of them subtle and easy to overlook. The longer we live in this world and the closer we get to other people, the easier it becomes to accept them and not judge their varied life styles. You tell us what is sin and what isn’t and expect us to draw the line between right and wrong in our own lives. Sometimes it’s a wobbly line and hard to distinguish. When you love others you accept them…is that the same as accepting their sins? When am I too concerned with “the mote” in their eye and not concerned enough about “the log” in my own? How do we remain spiritually pure and not let the world rub off on us? How do we discern your will amid conflicting messages and influences? “Fight my fight” Lord, “against a faithless people”. Show me right from wrong. Show me discernment from judgment. Show me how to love people even when their actions offend me. Show me how to influence others with your words and your will. “You are my stronghold!” Hold me tightly from the evil one’s influence. Keep my mind and heart and soul and spirit and strength focused on you and you alone! Jesus prayed that you would guard us in this world where we don’t belong. I ask that you honor his prayer and protect me and my family. In his name, may your truth be known by all. Amen.

July 18....incline your ear to me

Psalm 17:6 “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word.” Heavenly Father, “Incline your ear to me”…this is a very familiar image for me. Being hard-of-hearing I often incline my ear toward someone who is speaking softly in an effort to pick up their words. I do this because I want to hear them. It is comforting to think of a God who wants to hear us. Someone who listens and strains to hear even our whispers. Most of us “tune out” a lot of the talking around us. We are so self-absorbed that we don’t really listen to others, we just act like we do while our mind is engaged elsewhere in thought. I never have that feeling about You, O LORD. I feel that even though you are bombarded by millions of prayers at any given moment that you still hear me out of all that noise. At those times you “incline your ear” in my direction and listen, as a Father listens to his children’s problems. Sometimes when I think of your greatness, your Almighty Supremeness, I feel very small and my problems seem very unimportant, and I wonder why you incline your ear and listen to me. But then I remember Jesus…who took time for the children, called down the “little man” from the tree, spoke with the sinful woman at the well, healed everyone in need, spoke to a woman who barely touched him, patiently taught his disciples, wore himself out to accommodate the needs of others. You came in human form to try to show us in a way we could understand, that you do care, you do love us, you do listen. That is why we can say in confidence “I call…for you will answer”. We wait in expectation and continue to stammer out our requests, and relate our problems, and beg forgiveness, and whisper our hurts and fears. Thank you for listening and answering and showing us your love. Amen.

July 17....Listen to me!

Psalm 5:1-2 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God. John 15:16 “The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”

Heavenly Father,

These are part of 2 of my favorite scripture passages…..words I’ve learned through songs. It is easy for me to just think of the songs and not what they really say. Many words are used in different translations of this psalm…hearken, attend, heed, give ear, consider, listen….but they all ask one thing….be there for me, listen to me, pay attention to my need. In some ways this seems selfish. The psalmist says 3 times….listen! But he also says, “my King, my God!” He acknowledges the one he calls on as his LORD and Master, his God, his ruler, his seat of authority. “The top of the line”….”Head man”…God. No use asking anyone else. Only God…my God …will do. Only God will have the answers and the power to do something. This is a prayer of anguish to the one in charge. These verses are interrupted at this point and don’t have my favorite part….”…and wait in expectation”. We wait because we know there will be an answer. We wait expecting you to deliver. This is trust. This is recognizing your authority and your past faithfulness. This is prayer. We pray, you answer. The second scripture is another favorite…again interrupted. It begins by saying that you chose and appointed us to go out and to bear fruit…THEN the Father will give us whatever we ask in Jesus’ name. We have to be about your work and following your will and then you will give us what we need, what we ask for. You listen to your children. You listen to those who follow you and who pray to you. We don’t always ask the right things, but if we allow you to “choose us”, we will learn to ask rightly. If we are crying out for you to hear us “in expectation”, we recognize that you are our King and our God. In Jesus’ name I ask for you to answer my prayers of expectation. Amen.

July 16.....Hear me!.....we pray

Psalm 4:1 When I call, answer me, O my just God, you who relieve me when I am in distress; have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

Heavenly Father, Every Christian struggles at some time with the question of answered prayer and wonder if you have heard their cries. We are ashamed when we doubt and we don’t like to admit our weakness. We know in our heart that you do listen, but we struggle with what we don’t perceive as the answer for what we seek. In our darkest hour we shout ”Answer me when I call to you!” just as the psalmist did on many occasions. When we turn to you in prayer, despite feeling unheard at the moment, we show a determination and commitment to our faith. We show that we trust you even in the silence. We show that we echo Peter who said, “Where else would we go?”…that we know you hold all the answers and are our only hope. We pray because we recognize your supremacy and authority. We pray because we know you have been faithful to your promises. We pray because our hearts are drawn to you and to our real home. We pray because we are helpless and you are strong. We pray because we have questions and you hold the answers. We pray just to be with you, as Father and child. We pray because faith needs a voice to express it. We pray to relinquish our hold on our self-reliance and find trust. We pray in desperation and need. We pray for comfort and peace.We pray because we want to know you and be in your presence and feel love and security, and find hope. Every human being wants their voice to be heard, and their life to be affirmed and their feelings to be relieved and their burdens to be lifted. You are our Rock, our Good Shepherd, our Father, our Shield and Defender. You are the ears and heart that hear us and the voice that responds in love and action. Answer me when I call! Never leave me alone! In Jesus’ name, who saves me. Amen.

July 15.....the aroma of Christ

Psalm 117:1-2 “Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.” 2 Cor. 2:14-15 “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. We are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing”

Heavenly Father,

The verse from 2 Corinthians 2:14-15….”and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” Smells are on my mind this morning because of my son’s cologne. It is so overpowering that I’m immediately aware of it when he has just put it on and I know he is in the vicinity by the odor. This verse says we are the “aroma of Christ” for 2 groups of people…those being saved and those who are perishing. To those who are being saved we should be a sweet aroma that calls them and attracts them….like a sweet flower or the smell of rich spices or something we like such as hot chocolate. To those who are perishing their reaction might be more like my reaction to my son’s cologne….I want to get as far away as possible! How do we become a sweet smelling “aroma of Christ”? The verse refers also to “the fragrance of the knowledge of him” spreading everywhere. We have to know Jesus ourselves before any of his aroma will cling to us and spread to others. If we have made Christ our “all in all”, and begun to adopt his life as our own, this will be evident and others will “smell” it on us and find it welcoming and comforting. Aromas spread their presence swiftly because they are airborne. The “aroma of Christ” is Spirit-borne. We must allow the Holy Spirit to fill the air with the knowledge of Christ through us. However like my son’s cologne, we can overpower people with something that isn’t the true “aroma of Christ” when we don’t follow the Spirit’s leading and instead add to God’s word. And to those who aren’t ready to hear, we will smell deadly. Make me a pure sweet aroma of Christ that entices rather than repels those who need to find You! In the name of Christ, amen.

July 14.....continual praise

Psalm 113:3 “From the rising to the setting sun is the name of the Lord to be praised.”

Heavenly Father, “From the rising to the setting sun” is a phrase that gives a clear picture of your authority and greatness and our duty to praise you. If I praise from rising to setting sun, I praise all day long. That is fitting. Your provision lasts all day long, so the need for praise is the same. As we know, the sun doesn’t actually rise or set…it is always there. As the sun sets for me, it rises for someone else. So when my praise is done and I sleep, someone else takes over the praise. It is like the way we cover a Tres Dias weekend in prayer. When one person stops, another starts for continuous coverage all weekend. In order for praise to follow the path of the sun, there must be those who believe in all nations of the earth. The name of the LORD will be praise everywhere by all nations at all times. It is a wonderful picture! Are there still places of darkness where no praise is heard? It would be interesting to see an “overhead” view of little prayer and praise lights going on and off as people all over the world prayed to you! I’m afraid there would be much to shame us as we saw places of darkness where the lights didn’t come on. We might be very surprised where the places were…they might be much closer to home than we imagine and not somewhere in foreign lands. They might even be in our own home. Forgive us LORD, when our light of prayer and praise doesn’t shine, when we leave it turned off for much of the day. Our heart should be in a continual cycle of prayer and praise no matter what we are doing. “Worthy is the Lamb! Praise to God the Father! Thank you, Holy Spirit! Blessed be the name! Amen.

July 13....praise

Psalm 113:1-2 “Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.” 2 Thes. 1:11-12 “We pray for you always that our God may make you worthy of his call…in this way the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, in accord with the gracious gift of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Heavenly Father,

“Blessed be the name of the LORD!” This is our praise, glorifying your name forever. When we fulfill your purpose in our life, it says that “Jesus’ name will be glorified in us and us in him, according to grace….”. When we follow Jesus and live like him, we glorify him. When we allow you to change us and work your purpose through us in your power, we glorify Jesus’ name. Some people think if they constantly shout out Jesus’ name, or throw it in people’s faces with no context or meaning that they glorify Jesus. In some ways I feel instead that they take Jesus’ name in vain….they curse him. The crowds of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday proved that just shouting his name isn’t enough. If we don’t follow through and follow him, we shout his name in vain. Praising his name, glorifying his name, recognizing the blessedness of his name, means more than that. It involves honoring him with our whole heart, our words, and our actions. It is an important progression. If Jesus is in an honored place in our hearts, our words will reflect his love and forgiveness and gentleness and faith and joy and patience and much more. From those words will come actions….we will show his love, his kindness, his forgiveness, his servant heart, his spirit to others and live as he lived. The name of the Lord is praised through changed lives, dedicated lives, faithfulness to serving God. Give me the heart of Jesus that I might praise him! Glorify his name through me. Love others through me. Honor his name through me. “Blessed is the name of the LORD!” amen.

July 12....grace

Psalm 63:5 “As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied, and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.” Rev. 3:20 “Here I stand knocking at the door. If anyone hears me calling and opens the door, I will enter his house and have supper with him, and he with me.”

Heavenly Father,

These 2 passages are filled with images: a banquet of rich food, Jesus at the door knocking, singing lips. It’s all there….grace, Jesus arisen from the dead, celebration and praise. This is the aftermath of Easter…..the party has begun and all are invited. The table is laid with all the riches of heaven and eternal life. The guest of honor is back from the grave and is knocking at the door to be welcomed in. Lips are singing, praises ring out loud and clear….”Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” We honor the Lamb and rejoice! But the banquet is not just to honor Jesus Christ. He provided the banquet by shedding his blood for us. We feast because he died and once more lives. Our riches, our food and drink come through him. GRACE….God’s riches at Christ’s expense. He paid our price, so now we dine in heaven on his expense account. He paid for us all! Love and generosity unlimited, undeserved, unmerited, unending. “My soul will be satisfied”. Oh, yes! What else could we want or need? Jesus is our all in all. “With singing lips my mouth will praise him!” What an inadequate reaction to such love, but it is all we know how to give. We give our love in response to your love. We give our hearts in response to your heart. We give our lives in response to your sacrifice. Enter my heart LORD, and make it yours, totally yours. Amen. Worthy is the Lamb!

July 11.....make your name memorable

Psalm 45:18 “I will make your name memorable through all generations; therefore shall nations praise you forever and ever.” Heavenly Father,

We are charged with spreading the Good News to all generations. Most of us feel like complete failures at this task. I know I often wonder if I’ve ever influenced anyone to believe the Good News of Jesus Christ. I want to, but don’t know how. This verse today makes me think about who has “made your name memorable” for me? I know for me, song writers have done much to “make your name memorable.” Those who have the gift of putting your words of scripture to beautiful music, so that it rings forever in our minds, do much to spread the joy of the Good News and makes the name of Jesus reign wherever people hear it. Writers, poets, preachers, teachers, all spread your name. Today your name and message are also spread through email writers sending messages of inspiration to their friends. Some of these things seem trivial and some fall on hard ground, but we never know what might reach someone, so we continue to try. Some of us feel more comfortable spreading impersonal messages then to speak out on our own. We need to allow the joy we feel in Jesus to fill us to a point of bursting forth from us. The first disciples were so full of your love and so amazed at your resurrection that they couldn’t keep quiet. They told everyone they knew and truly thought of it as Good News! Because they felt the joy of this Good News, they were able to tell the story with power and conviction. It had become a personal message in their lives. I need more of your Holy Spirit’s power to help me tell your story with joy and authority, also. It is “Good News” and I need to help tell the nations and every new generation. Teach me how to help make your name memorable to all generations. Amen.

July 10....my tongue will speak of your righteousness

Psalm 35:28 “My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.” Heavenly Father,

(written on Easter 2006) This is a day of mixed feelings and thoughts. It is Easter….our greatest celebration of the joy of the risen Savior, our knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, once more alive and our sins forgiven. Our church celebration was good with friends and fellow believers. After church I was very uplifted by seeing the kids who have been missing from church and hoping that they will be back next Sunday. It seemed a morning of miracles….stones that were rolled away, healing that was taking place. But I learned later in the evening that while my morning was filled with joy and hope and celebration and miracles, that someone else’s life wasn’t. The wife of a young minister at another church was in a terrible car accident and was seriously hurt and her baby killed in the crash. From joy I crashed to confusion and sorrow and pain in my heart. It doesn’t seem like Easter now. Easter is suppose to be a time to shout “Hallelujah” and to have hearts full of joy. But life goes on even on Easter. For everyone who is celebrating, someone else in the world is in pain. My tongue that sang praises in the morning now gives voice to prayer for this young family. I still seek the risen Savior because I need him even more when things aren’t right than when things are happy and perfect. My Savior arose to be there for me in all things and to help us bear our burdens. The baby is with You, now LORD and I know you will be with the mother also with your healing touch. Giving strength when we have none, is how you show your love for us. Be with all those who are broken this day and always. We praise you always and seek your blessings and your will. Hold our hearts right now and bring healing. Amen.

July 9.....lifted out of the depths

Psalm 30:1-2 “I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.” Heavenly Father, (written on the Saturday before Easter) Today is the day in holy week that we don’t know a lot about. Jesus is in the grave. Jesus is separated from you by our sins and our death. He is in the depths, just as sin and death hold us in the depths of despair. We can’t imagine this for Jesus. We are an Easter people and see everything from this side of Easter. We know that Jesus won the victory that we can’t win. We know that he arose from the grave victorious and whole! Because of his resurrection we know that we also will rise and the grave will not hold us either! Hallelujah! I can’t help but start celebrating already. I know that Jesus isn’t in the grave but in heaven with you. And best of all I know that “you lifted me out of the depths”. Just as Jesus arose, he plucked me out of the mire also and pulled me to safety. He gave me hope! He gave me forgiveness! He gave me love and peace and a new beginning! “I called on you for help, and you healed me.” That’s all it takes. Calling on him and believing that he has the power and authority to save me…..heal me. Giving him my sins and taking new life. ”I exalt thee! I exalt thee! I exalt thee…..O LORD!”All the hymns of Easter and songs of praise fill my heart and I sing your victory song and praise the one who saved me! Hallelujah to the King! Hallelujah to the Savior! Father, Son and Holy Spirit reign forever! Amen.

July 8....I will praise you

Psalm 52: “I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints (proclaim the goodness of your name).”

Heavenly Father,

(written on Good Friday) Today we celebrate the blackest day of history that, ironically, we call Good Friday. When we think about Christ’s suffering and reflect on the cross, we are sad, we are horrified, and we are ashamed. We see our part of the whole thing. We feel the weight of our sins laid on his aching shoulders as he struggles with the cross. We feel the great pain and suffering and hear his distress as he prays to you. Mel Gibson made us look at that pain and blood and suffering with his film, “the Passion”, and some of us….like me…didn’t like it. But at least once a year I need to think about the physical things Christ endured for me. Worse yet were the spiritual things he endured. We can’t even fully understand them. How he was separated from you. Even through he was God, as well as man…...our sin took him away from you. Not his sin, but ours. The cross should have been ours…but he took it for all mankind. That is a lot of sin to carry onto the cross! That is the weight of the entire world pulling against the nails. Those horrible nails that we all imagine as the worst pain of all. The nails were probably nothing compared to the sins that were keeping him there and keeping him from you! Today’s psalm reminds me, and I cry with the psalmist, “I will thank you always for what you have done!” Always! I will remember! I will “proclaim the goodness of your name.” Thank you for removing my sin and carrying it to the grave with you. I’m ashamed, but oh so relieved! So thankful I’m saved and reunited with my Father through Christ’s great sacrifice! Thank you! amen.

July 7....Judas

Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” Heavenly Father,

Over the years I’ve wondered a lot about Judas. Why was he necessary to the story? Jusas was chosen by Jesus as a disciple just like the other 11. Did he repent in the end? Was he forgiven? Where is he now? Was he a “pawn” or did he choose? We like to skip past Judas quickly because we are afraid we will see ourselves. We don’t want to be the ones that betray you. The mere name…Judas…has come to mean betrayer. No one who is Christian would want the name Judas. I doubt that anyone names their child Judas any more. But getting rid of a name and avoiding it doesn’t make it go away. Judas did betray Jesus, for whatever reason. How could someone who spent so much time in the presence of Jesus and heard his teachings every day, and saw his miracles and felt his power be so unaffected by him that he actually betrayed him to his death? What did Judas fail to see or hear that turned him against Jesus? What hardened his heart? I guess that is what scares us most….if we don’t know why he did it, how can we avoid doing the same thing? We understand Peter and his denial…he was afraid and we’ve all been afraid. But we also know Jesus forgave him and restored him. But not Judas. Judas died in despair and separated from Jesus. We don’t want that! Judas allowed Satan to enter his heart and harden it. We need to be constantly vigilant that our hearts are safe from Satan. If they are filled with your Holy Spirit, Satan will have no room. Judas is our reminder to always be on guard, always keep watch for the enemy within. Jesus is our only hope and our salvation. Jesus is our protection. Jesus is the Bread and wine we share. We must absorb him daily. We must abide in his presence. We must keep watch and be alert to the evil around us. Lord protect me from Satan’s ploys and keep Judas before me as a witness to my sinfulness. Amen.

July 6....lift of the cup of salvation

Psalm 116:12-13 “How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.” Luke 22:20 “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Heavenly Father,

The psalmist asks a question that we all ask ourselves: “How can I repay the LORD?” We are taught to never expect something for nothing, to pay our own way. This is why grace is hard to understand and accept. You offer us forgiveness and the riches of heaven through Jesus Christ, and we still ask :but what can I do? Or what can I pay to earn it?” We want to feel that we got it somehow through our own merit, our own work, our own payment. To just accept it would mean recognizing that Jesus did it all…he suffered and died willingly in a sacrifice that wasn’t for himself, but for us. That puts his blood and suffering squarely on our shoulders and we hate facing that. We don’t want to be at fault or to blame. If we can somehow repay you, than we don’t have to accept any of the responsibility for his death and suffering. In truth we can’t repay you in the sense of earning our salvation for ourselves. It is a gift and we must willingly take it and say “thank you” and rejoice in the fact that you are in control, and not us. But the psalmist says “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD!” This is not repayment, but it is a fitting response. Each time we “lift the cup of salvation” we affirm that we need Jesus above all else. We affirm that our salvation comes through him alone. We affirm that we give our will to you and choose to follow and obey you. You gave us a “new covenant” through Jesus’ blood. A new agreement that “You are our God, and we are your people” and that you freely forgive us and give us eternal life in your Son. We “call on the name of the LORD” and drink his cup of salvation. Thank you! amen.

I WILL LIFT UP THE CUP OF SALVATION "I will lift up the cup of salvation And call on the name of the LORD." I will choose to obey and honor Him I will choose to rely on the Word. The cup of salvation is heavy It bears the blood of the Lamb. My hands may shake as I drink it When I face what a sinner I am. "How can I repay the LORD, For all of his goodness to me?" In truth, I can never repay Him.... From my debt I could never be free. But God didn't ask for our payment He asked one pure Lamb, no more And Christ paid the debt for all of us And grace opened wide the door. So I lift up the cup of salvation! I give praise to His holy name! I call on the One who forgives me The One who removed all my shame. I lift up the Cup of Salvation! And I drink the Blood of the Lamb I know that through grace I'm forgiven

I praise Him with all that I am.

(4-12-2006)

July 5.....bread of angels

Psalm 78:25 “Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Heavenly Father,

“The bread of angels”….a new image to think about. Angels are always with you doing your bidding. The food they eat is heavenly food. Once more the heavenly bread…the bread of your provision…the daily portion…all that is needed to satisfy….”all the food they could eat”. This is what you send us. The same food the angels eat. The same nourishment that exists in heaven has been sent down to earth. Not our yeasty homemade earth-grown grain and bread, but the light airy manna of heaven. The bread that doesn’t originate in our soil, but only comes from you. Jesus describes himself as “the Bread of Life” or “living bread”. How does bread live? We put live growing cultures of yeast into our earthly bread that produce airiness and increases the size of the bread. Jesus is the living culture we need in our daily lives to make us grow. He warned against the “yeast of the Pharisees”. Our growth must come from him. He is the “living bread”…the active culture…that we must use in preparing our lives. He “came down from heaven”…he brings the kingdom of heaven to earth and in his human form becomes the Bread of Life that we need. His death, his sacrifice takes our sins and our death away. Death is no more for us! Life is all we now know in him. If we eat the bread…take Jesus into our hearts, our minds, our souls and let him abide there we become one with him. If we accept his sacrifice for our sins, we receive “all the food we can eat” and eternal life with You, O LORD, in heaven. Give me this day my daily Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, that I might live forever with you! amen.

July 4....wine to gladden men's hearts

Psalm 104:14b-15 “..Producing bread from the earth and wine to gladden men’s hearts.” John 6:35 “No one who comes to me shall ever be hungry, no one who believes in me shall ever thirst.” Heavenly Father,

Even with the manna and quail the people didn’t always remember or understand or give thanks. If measured in your time, man’s memory is very short. We forget where all of our provision originates. We forget who provides for us daily. We forget that none of it is our own doing. The psalmists had times of remembering and sang you songs of praise and thanksgiving, just as we do. They praised you for “the bread from the earth, the wine to gladden men’s hearts.” They thanked you and gave offerings of their first fruits in remembrance. As NT people we should read your words and see so much more. We should think of Jesus….the Bread of heaven come down. “Bread from the earth.” Jesus took on earthly form. Jesus became one of us that he might remove our sin. That he might become the “first fruits” that was offered in thanks and given to you, our Father. He lived like us and died for us. “Wine to gladden men’s hearts.” Jesus compared his blood to wine. Blood that he shed for us becomes the wine that we drink in celebration. He truly “gladdens men’s hearts” when we recognize that his body and his blood are the Bread of Life and the blood shed for our sins giving eternal life. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again! No one who believes in me shall ever thirst!" All we ever need for life is in Jesus Christ. Thank you, LORD, for the bread and wine that give life! I praise and glorify your name forever more! Amen.

July 3....bread from heaven

Psalm 105:40 “They asked, and he brought them quail, and with bread from heaven he satisfied them.”

Heavenly Father,

Often we miss your preparation in the OT for the things of today. We are blessed with hindsight to be able to look back and see what was much harder for the OT people to recognize. When you sent the manna and quail they saw an answer to their prayers for mercy and provision for that day….just as we pray “give us this day our daily bread.” They wanted to be satisfied physically. They were hungry. We all understand hunger! They called on you, LORD, to feed them. You gave them quail and manna…heavenly bread. This is all they knew or understood, but it was enough for them. They learned to trust you and to rely on you for their daily provision. Sometimes I forget that lesson. I am used to having all I need physically and seldom even remember to thank you for it! I seldom pray “give us this day our daily bread.” I feel it in my heart and I do recognize that all our provision comes from you…but that doesn’t excuse failing to voice my thanks. But with hindsight I know more than the OT people. I have the knowledge that the true “Bread of Heaven” is Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. He completes your provision for us. I need Jesus, as my daily bread more than anything else. You satisfy us with Jesus. Jesus gives us all we will ever need…forgiveness, mercy, love, peace, hope, eternal life! Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Bread of heaven, the source of our life, the sustenance that gives us life. I ask this day and every day to share in Him, as my daily bread. Feed me with the bread of heaven. Amen.

July 2.....the doors of heaven opened

Psalm 78:23b-24 “The doors of heaven he opened; He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.” John 6:58 “This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and died nonetheless, the man who feeds on this bread shall live forever.” Heavenly Father,

“The doors of heaven opened”…this the story of your love! You poured out a feast of manna for the people of the OT and you pour out your heavenly bread….the Bread of Life….Jesus Christ for all who choose to “take and eat”. By sending Jesus, you truly opened the doors of heaven and invited us in. No more separation! No more sin and death! No more hungering and thirsting without fulfillment! Just as the Israelites needed to obey your command and eat the manna daily as it was provided, so we need to daily choose to “take and eat”….”take and drink”….and fill ourselves with the love of Jesus Christ. You opened the doors of heaven to allow us into your holy presence. You have made us family and given us a home. We eat and drink every day in your presence and feast on heavenly food! Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. Jesus Christ is all I need to live and grow and flourish. May I eat the heavenly food and share the feast of grace. May I live forever with my Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, for opening the doors of heaven that I might enter in. Amen.

“The doors of heaven he opened; He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.” Psalm 78:23b-24 The Doors of Heaven Opened The doors of heaven opened and heavenly bread rained down “What is it?” cried the people while looking all around. The manna God provided, the grain of heaven to eat To give them life and sustenance….it lay there at their feet. The doors of heaven opened and the Bread of Life came down “Who is He?” cried the people who were milling all around. The heavenly food provided to give eternal life We only need accept Him to enter into light. Once more the doors of heaven poured out the Father’s love But this time the Bread, is Jesus descended from above. Many still don’t understand and puzzled look around, But those who choose to eat the Bread Find love and grace abound. We eat the Bread, we drink the Blood and in God’s love we share We “do this in remembrance”…..our feast a holy prayer. The Doors of heaven are open still for all to enter in,

For Jesus came to be the feast, that takes away our sin.

(April 8, 2006)

July 1....your temple

Psalm 138:2 “I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name, because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise (word). “ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “You must know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within…the Spirit you have received from God. You are not your own. You have been purchased and at a price! So glorify God in your body.”

Heavenly Father,

Just as you resided in the Holy of Holies of the temple of Jerusalem, we are now the temple for the Holy Spirit. Wow…what an awesome responsibility! My body is not my own. I’m ashamed that I treat my body so indifferently and don’t care for it as I should. I provide sub-standard housing for your Holy Spirit rather than a temple. I wish that reading these verses would make me treat my body better, but I know that I am weak and undisciplined. Forgive me. May your Holy Spirit remind me to take better care of his temple and to keep it more fit and use it better to further your kingdom. You didn’t give ma a healthy body to squander in easy, self-indulgent living. I know that I wil need much help from you, to change my ways. I’m asking for that help. But these verses are not just about my desire to have a healthy body. The psalm says that “I will worship at your Holy Temple”. I don’t think that means I’m to worship my own body or any other body or place you inhabit. But it does mean I should recognize your presence in all humans, all churches, all “temples” where “your name and your word” are housed. You have made the Word, the name Jesus Christ “great above all things”, and I am to worship him. Just as my body is not my own, Jesus showed us that his body was not his, but yours. He worshiped you in complete obedience to your word. He allowed his body to be used for your plan in accordance to your will. I must learn to dedicate my body to obedience, also. I must follow Jesus, always to your Holy Temple to worship. Praise God Almighty, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit. Amen.