March 31...Peter: part 6

Matthew 14:31 “How little faith you have! Why did you falter?” (NAB)

“Faintheart…what got into you?” (MSG)

“You little faith! What made you lose your nerve like that?” (Phillips)

“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,
This verse on its own seems like a real put-down for Peter. To call him “little-faith” or “faintheart” sounds cruel. After all, he just got out of the boat in the middle of a storm and walked on water! We become a bit protective and indignant on his behalf. We wonder why you don’t reward his leap of faith, but instead gently rebuke his lack of it. 

Peter was destined to become the leader here on earth in your absence. When Jesus went back to heaven, a strong leader was going to be needed to keep the rest of the disciples together and faithful to Jesus and what they had learned. If you were going to use Peter for this great work, you had to “build” his character first. You had to make Peter face all of his fears, all of his doubts, all of his weaknesses. You needed to bring him to a place of complete trust in you…..even when winds of tribulation swirl around him. If you seem to be hard on him, it is because you know his potential and what he needed to develop into the bold leader whose faith in you never faltered once he began to lead the Church. 

Peter faced his fear here and cried out for your help. Later he will face knowing he denied you during your trial. Each failure makes Peter examine his faith in you and examine his vision of who you are. Until that faith was perfected and each question answered and every fear put aside he could not become the rock that you built the church on. Most of us fear “failure” and doubt and rebukes, but this “tough love” is what forces us to grow. Thank you, O LORD, for shaping Peter into the leader he became, through your love and your ability to make Peter come face to face with the Truth of who he is, and who you are. Help me face my fears and grow in my faith, also. Amen.

March 30...Peter: part 5

Matthew 14:31 “Jesus at once stretched out his hand and caught him.” (NAB)

“Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand.” (MSG)

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” (NIV)

“Right away Jesus reached out his hand. He helped Peter up…” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,

The minute we respond to Jesus and cry, “Save me!”, he reaches out for us. Jesus is always there waiting. He sees us struggle and is ready to save us…but we must cry out for him. He won’t force himself on us. Peter stepped out in faith to walk on the water toward Jesus. He allowed his circumstances to panic him, the winds to frighten him. But Peter had enough sense and enough faith to cry out. Even as he began to doubt, his faith told him where to seek help. 

Jesus doesn’t hold grudges. Jesus doesn’t pout. Jesus doesn’t act in a human way when we turn to him for help……no, “I told you so” or “shame on you”. He will help us question our own fear and doubts and hesitations, just as he did Peter. He will help us grow from our trials if we allow him to save us. He will “catch us”…”help us up”….”grab our hand”! And he will do it “immediately”…”without hesitation”…”right away”. Jesus doesn’t move from our sight at any time, but we can stop focusing our faith on him. We can allow ourselves to be distracted by the wind and waves. We can start to see our problems as bigger than Jesus. But if a grain of faith the size of a mustard seed remains within us and we cry out…”Save me!”….the mountain will move out of the way, the winds will calm down, and the hand of Jesus will reach out and catch us and help us up. Jesus will speak to us and challenge us to look at what happened and we will grow stronger with our hand still in his. 

Thank you, O LORD, for your Son, Jesus Christ! Thank you for always hearing our cries for help. Thank you that your response is always immediate and that there is always a hand reaching out to save us! Amen.

March 29....Peter: part 4

Matthew 14:30 “Lord save me!” (NAB)

“When he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, “Lord, save me!” (Phillips)

“When he saw the wind he was afraid and began to sink, cried out, “Lord save me!” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Peter’s cry for help. He stepped out boldly when Jesus said, “Come”, but now fear is setting in. We always seem to say that he looked down at the water, taking his eyes off Jesus and that is why he sank, but here it says clearly that it was the “fury of the wind” raging around him that caused his fear. It reminds me of his later denial of Christ. There too, he had boldly followed Jesus after this arrest to see what was happening. But again, “the fury of the wind”, in the form of other people swirling around him asking questions, threatening his own safety, made Peter panic and look for help. Only in that instance he can’t cry out to Jesus to “save him” because Jesus appears to be in worse trouble than Peter is! So, he panics and denies the Lord that he loves. His faith in Jesus failed because suddenly his Lord didn’t appear to be in control. 

Another time when Peter affirmed his faith in Jesus he said “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Peter had put his total faith and trust in Jesus. He was convinced that there was nowhere else to turn. Jesus’ arrest shook the foundation of his faith. But right now….back on the water….he’s still looking at Jesus. The wind scares him. Circumstances scare him and suddenly Jesus seems “too small” for his problem….but he cries out to the One who has been faithful in the past to help him anyway. He knew nowhere else to turn. “Lord, save me!” 

Jesus didn’t laugh, didn’t refuse, but reached out and pulled him up. He challenges Peter to figure out why his faith failed, why he didn’t trust enough. This is a learning time for Peter. I’m sure he thought about it many times later. Each time we cry out anew to Christ to save us, our faith grows. Each time he helps us get past a new crises we grow in his power and strength. He prepares us for the moments when we no longer feel he is in control and doubts slip in. He prepares us to stand on our faith in him, rather than our sight of him. To be ready to believe just as strongly when the trial is greatest. Thank you, Lord for pulling us out of the water when we cry out to you. Amen.

March 28...Peter: part 3

Matthew 14:29 “Come…”

(this devotion was written while I was on a short-term mission trip to nursing homes in Illinois several years ago.)

Heavenly Father,
I see your guiding hand here! Today’s verse is just one word….”Come”. This is the focus of our entire week here in Illinois. You issue this invitation to each and every one of us. It doesn’t take a lot of fancy words or explanations. When Jesus says: “Come..” he is inviting us to put our faith and trust in him completely. This story shows that clearly because his invitation to Peter includes walking on water! 

Jesus wants me to know that no obstacle is too great, no trial too difficult, no circumstance too intimidating. When we hear Jesus say, “Come”, it is the time to step out in faith. His presence is all the reassurance we need. The author of my devotional says to “walk in his footsteps”…which again ties in closely to what we are doing today at the nursing homes here. We are giving each person a necklace with the salvation colors and a stamped imprint of some footprints! We want them to know that if they choose to “come”, to follow Jesus, it means walking in his footprints. We don’t have to forge the trail…Jesus has gone before us. We only need to follow so closely we become a part of him, and he a part of us. This is abiding. When we obey the command to come, we then form a permanent relationship with Jesus. 

Peter’s life didn’t become perfect at this point. He didn’t even manage to stay on top of the water for very long. But his reaction to Jesus’ invitation was a step forward into Jesus’ footprints. Each future step became easier and more sure. Jesus knows we will falter and he’ll catch us and keep us afloat when we began to sink. He is walking with us as we “come” to him. Thank you, O LORD, for your Son, Jesus Christ and for giving us the faith to walk in his footsteps. Lead us on in faith and hope to abide always in your presence. Amen.

March 27...Peter: part 2

Matthew 14:28 “Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you across the water.” (NAB)
“Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you, on the water.” (Phillips, CEV, NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Peter takes a giant leap of faith here. Once he gets over his initial fear that he has seen a ghost, he responds to Jesus’ words to not be afraid. He decides if Jesus can do this, so can he! So he “challenges” Jesus…”If it’s really you, tell me to come to you on the water”. What a strange reaction, if you think about it! Why would Peter assume that if Jesus could do it, so could he? This has to be faith in action. He knew Jesus. He trusted Jesus. He was willing to stake his life in a raging storm on Jesus’ presence and power. No wonder Jesus saw such great potential in Peter and knew he would one day lead the other disciples and become the “rock” that the Church is founded on. 

Moments like this shaped Peter’s faith. Things that seem a bit fool-hearty to us, were bold leaps of faith. Peter grew with each one of them. Maybe he wasn’t always totally right in things he did and said, but he always had a response of some sort to Jesus’ presence. He didn’t just sit in the boat with his mouth hanging open. If Jesus was going to walk on water, Peter was going to follow him! If Jesus was in trouble, Peter was ready to draw his sword to defend him. If Jesus was going to talk to Moses and Elijah, Peter was ready to build tents for them. Peter was ready and willing to leap in faith for the Jesus he knows. Peter wasn’t perfect and his faith wasn’t perfect, but he kept trying, he stayed in Jesus’ presence, he reacted to the things Jesus said and did. Peter was enthusiastic and excited about Jesus! If every Christian had his enthusiastic reactions, the Church would move forward in leaps and bounds! Peter had the “child-like” faith that leaped up and followed its leader wherever he was going….even on the water! Thank you, LORD, for Peter and all that he teaches us and all that he did in the name of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen.

March 26...Peter: part 1

“It’s all right! It is I myself. Don’t be afraid.” (Phillips)

“Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” (MSG)

“Don’t worry! I am Jesus. Don’t be afraid.” (CEV)

“Take Courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

I think every Christian is fascinated by the story of Jesus walking on the water and Peter’s attempt to do likewise. In the midst of the strong winds and waves, Jesus chooses to walk out to the boat…at 3 AM! No wonder the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared out of their wits! A crowd reaction….fear. They all saw him, they all were startled and frightened. This was different than anything Jesus had done in their presence up until now. They had seen him heal and cast out demons. They had seen him feed 5000 people with 2 fish and 5 loaves. They had heard him preach powerful words…the sermon on the mount…and challenge them spiritually in ways they couldn’t understand. They had seen him stand up to the Pharisees and argue with them. Why was this different? I think they could probably find arguments or explanations for much of what they had seen so far. But walking across the water in a heavy gale that they could barely row a boat in, was somehow more startling and harder to explain. 

Then brave fool-hearty Peter volunteers to try it! He actually succeeds at first, which added to the amazement of the whole lot of them! Then Peter panics in the face of the wind and calls for Jesus to save him. Jesus reached out and caught him and they both climb into the boat. Wow! What an intense drama unfolding before their eyes against the backdrop of a raging storm! As soon as they are safe in the boat….the winds calm. All of the disciples bow down and worship Jesus at this point and acknowledge the “truth” they see….”You are the Son of God!” This miracle has a profound effect on all of them. Another crowd reaction. From total fear to total awe in a matter of moments. With this acted parable/miracle Jesus convinces them of his identity as God’s Son. Fear becomes recognition and faith. Hope is born in all of them. Thank you! Amen.

March 25...asleep in Christ

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “We would have you be clear about those who sleep in death, Brothers; otherwise you might yield to grief like those who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with him from the dead those who have fallen asleep believing in him. “ (NAB)

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

“We believe”…….unlike those who have “no hope”. Here two statements are made that are part of every Christian’s core beliefs. “We believe that Jesus died and rose again!” This is the basis of all our beliefs…Jesus died, but Jesus arose. He is alive….resurrected! Death could not hold him. Death is defeated! Death is tied to sin. We sin, so we die. Jesus removed the sins of the world. He became a sacrifice that wiped out our punishment for sin….death. His blood washes all mankind clean and gives them new life. Our death is replaced with life, just as his was. 

“We believe that God will bring with Jesus, those who have fallen asleep in him!"  Fallen asleep…we see this as a euphemism for death…a “nice” way to say something unpleasant. But here it rings with more truth than the word “death”. We will not really die…because of Christ! Yes, our body here on earth will cease to function, but we will instantly have new life. We can fall asleep in Jesus and know we will awaken. Death sounds final…all gone, done, no more. Fallen asleep is more accurate to what we believe. You, O LORD, will “bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” If we are in him, we arise with him. Our belief in Jesus becomes our hope for eternal life! Because he lives…we live. A few days ago I quoted the words of the song, “Because He Lives” on these pages. That song says it all. That song is a testimony to what we believe. That song reflects our hope! Easter is just around the corner and we celebrate it each year as a reminder of the whole cycle of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. We don’t want to forget, we want to celebrate his victory because it is our victory, also! “Victory in Jesus!”….another great song! He is our Life, our Hope, our Victory, our reason to believe! Thank you! Amen.

March 24...save all

John 6:39 “It is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of what he has given me; rather that I should raise it up on the last day.” (NAB)

“This in a nutshell, is that will: That everything handed over to me by the Father be completed….not a single detail missed…and at the wrap up of time I have everything and everyone put together upright and whole”. (MSG)

“He wants to make certain that none of the ones he has given me will be lost. Instead he wants me to raise them to life on the last day.” (CEV)

“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Christ did his part. He completed what you sent him to do. He came to earth to die for all mankind. This gift ….grace…is now sitting in front of each of us and it is our choice to unwrap the gift or ignore it. Everything Jesus did was “the will of him-who-sent-me”. You, Father God, are “Him-who-sent-me”. It is your will to save us through Jesus Christ. We don’t always understand it, but once we accept it, we know it is true. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” We understand this through faith. It becomes impossible for us to believe anything else. We recognize the Truth found in Jesus Christ and we know that makes him the only Way to Life. 

The verse for today is part of a different “I am” passage. This passage is, “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Our life depends on our ability to eat and drink to sustain the body’s life. Without food or water we die. Jesus came to be all that we need in order to live eternally. By taking him in, we have eternal life, and he will raise us up on the last day. For us death becomes only an instant of transformation from life on this world to life in your presence. 

Jesus insists here that it is your will that none be lost that you have given to him. You gave him the world….he died for all of us. We all have the potential to be raised up with Jesus Christ on the last day. You gave us all we need to know to receive this gift and believe. But many still have closed ears and eyes and hearts. Open the eyes of the blind that they might see you! Open the ears of the deaf that they might hear you! Open the hearts of all who have yet to accept your gift! Please, O Lord, save the lost ones and bring them to awareness of their unopened gift of salvation in Jesus Christ! Jesus died to save all….don’t let them be lost! Amen.

March 23....a door of hope, a way out

Romans 15:24-25 “I couldn’t understand my own actions. I do not do what I want to do, but what I hate…what a wretched man I am! Who can free me from the body under the power of death? All praise to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NAB)

“….I thank God there is a way out through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Phillips)

Heavenly Father,

We have all struggled and identified with Paul’s statements in this passage. Why do I do what I hate and fail to do what I want to do? Why does my body do the opposite of my will? If I know what is right and in my heart really want to do it, why do I end up doing wrong anyway? Man will always struggle with his sinful nature…”I confess unto Thee, that I am by nature sinful and unclean, and I have sinned against Thee in thought, word and deed.” Generations of sinners have spoken that prayer in one form or another. The Message says: “I am at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me?” You gave us an answer to that question…Jesus Christ. What we can’t do, He can. 

One sentence in the Phillips translation stands out to me: “I thank God there is a way out through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus told us in John 10:9, “I am the Door, whoever enters through me will be saved.” I always think of a door as allowing me to come in. But a door also lets us out. When Paul says, “I thank God there is a way out” he is speaking of Jesus, the Door. Jesus is our way out of sin, darkness, despair, and our way in to your holy presence and eternal life. We can write the word “HOPE” in large letters on this door! Our hope of a way out, and our hope of a way in! Jesus is the Way out and in. Jesus is the Door of hope we pass through. Our sinful actions won’t change, but our hope is always solid and sure. As we pass through the Door, we hand over the burden of our sins. He takes our sin and gives us the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit lives within us, he will guide us, change us, rule us. He will make sinful actions undesirable and help us to change….IF we allow him the freedom of our will. He is there. We have to trust and obey him. Thank you, O LORD, for “the way out” through Jesus Christ and the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

March 22.....hope builds character

Romans 5:3-5 “We know that affliction makes for endurance, and endurance for tested virtue, and tested virtue for hope, and this hope will not leave us disappointed.” (NAB)

“Troubles….passionate patience…tempered steel of virtue…alert expectancy…we’re never left feeling shortchanged.” (MSG)

“Trials and troubles….patient endurance…mature character….steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us.” (Phillips)

“Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope, and hope does not disappoint us.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

How do we build strong hope? This verse says it increases during trials and suffering. I’ll use the NIV translation: suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope. No one wants to suffer, but when it happens our dependence on God to see us through it will help us endure or persevere until the trial is ended. Each time we persevere to the end of a trial or time of suffering, we improve our character. Character is our true inner being, what we are really like. God knows our true character and wants to develop it with the fruit of the Spirit. If our character reflects these things….love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control….then we have mature Christian character. The more mature our character is the more hope we will have. 

The Message refers to our hope as “alert expectancy”. We are wide awake and aware of what God is doing and expect his presence at all times. We don’t give up. We don’t quit. We don’t get depressed and pessimistic. All of this is hope based on our faith in the Father who created us, the Son Jesus Christ who died for us, and the Holy Spirit who sustains us. All of the translations agree that the result from this persevering character-built hope is that it won’t ever disappoint us. This hope is built on the person of Jesus Christ. This hope is built on our faith in the Father who provides for us at all times. This hope is built on the Holy Spirit who continues to abide within us and guide us. The abiding presence of our triune God is the essence of our hope. How can that sort of hope ever fail or disappoint us? It is built on the character of our God, Himself! Thank you, O LORD, God Almighty, Jehovah, Yahwah, I AM! My hope is in You! Amen

March 21....hope is an anchor

Hebrews 6:19 “Like a sure and firm anchor, that hope extends beyond the veil through which Jesus, our forerunner, has entered on our behalf, being made high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (NAB)

“This hope we hold as an utterly reliable answer for our souls, fixed in the innermost shrine of heaven, where Jesus has already entered on our behalf.” (Phillips)

“Its an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances to the very presence of God, where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post….” (MSG)

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure, it enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,
Here our hope is described as an “anchor”…sure and firm. An anchor keeps us in the right place, where we have stopped to stay. This goes well with the idea of “abiding”. When we take up residence, make our hope, lodge, come to rest in your presence, we need an anchor to keep us there. The place we want to abide forever is with our Father in heaven. Before Jesus came we felt little hope of that happening. Our sin made the gulf between us too wide and deep. How can sin dwell with the Holy God? A veil, or curtain separated the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary of the temple to signify the separation of God and man. Only one high priest could enter “beyond the veil”, and only once a year into your presence. When Jesus died, the curtain was torn and the separation no longer existed. Jesus died to remove our sin, to redeem us, to bring us into Your presence where he already abides as our high priest. 

Our hope, based on these facts about Jesus, our Savior, is the anchor that reaches “beyond the veil” and establishes our right to abide with you. Jesus did this for us. Jesus did this on our behalf. Jesus did this to provide an anchor of hope for all mankind. The veil is no more. The veil is torn. The veil has fallen and we come into your holy presence anchored to Jesus Christ.

(quoting again from my favorite hymn) 

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
Another line of this song says: “In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil”. And the final verse: “Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”This songwriter knew this verse of scripture and made it his own. Countless people (including me) have sung and loved this song of hope. Thank you, Jesus for being my hope and leading me “beyond the veil” and into the Father’s presence. May I abide there always! Amen.

March 20....Don't quit!

Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient under trial, persevere in prayer.” (NAB)

“Base your happiness on your hope in Christ, when trials come endure them patiently, steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer.” (Phillips)

“Be cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times, pray all the harder.” (MSG)

“Let your hope make you glad, be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,
Three things to concentrate on, three instructions for kingdom living.
1. “Rejoice in hope”…base your happiness on your hope in Christ…”be cheerfully expectant”…”be joyful in hope”…”let your hope make you glad.” Hope should be the basis for our happiness and as the Phillips translation tells us, this hope is “in Christ”. 

The songwriter puts it very well: 

“Because he lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because he lives all fear is gone,
Because I know he holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because he lives!”

2. This hope should allow us to be “patient under trial”…”when trials come endure them patiently”…”don’t quit in hard times”…”patient in affliction”…”patient in times of trouble”. Hope is something to cling to in hard times. Hope gives us confident expectation of positive results for our future based on the past faithfulness of God. We can endure the present because reflecting on the past gives us a hopeful future.

3. “Persevere in prayer”…”steadfastly maintain the habit of prayer”…”pray all the harder”….”faithful in prayer”…”never stop praying”. Prayer is our lifeline. We pray to the One who is the basis of our hope. We pray to the One who helps us endure trials. We pray as a way of maintaining that hope and having a relationship with the One who is its source. Prayer is God moving back and forth between heaven and earth. I like the stress in the Phillips translation on a “habit” of prayer. Prayer has to become something that is part of our daily life, as important as eating and breathing. Prayer brings us to You and brings You to us! We all have experienced a break in communication…cell phone won’t work, computer down, power failure, disconnected. That is life without prayer! The difference is that we are the ones that choose to “break the connection”, to “hang up the phone”, to “turn off the computer.” Prayer is a choice. Prayer is a necessity. Prayer is our direct line to hope! Thank you for always answering, always being there, always having power that won’t fail. Amen.

March 19....spiritual nightlight

Ephesians 1:18 “May he enlighten your innermost vision that you may know the great hope to which he has called you, the wealth of his glorious heritage to be distributed among the members of the church.” (NAB)

“…that you may receive that inner illumination of the spirit which will make you realize how great is the hope to which he is calling you….The magnificence and splendor of the inheritance promised to Christians.” (Phillips)

“…That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you might know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” (NIV)

“…your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is that he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of the glorious way of life he has for Christians.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,
Another prayer by Paul for the believers. He is praying that they will have a spiritual awakening within them that will make them realize just how great the hope You have given us is. That we will realize that this wonderful heritage, given through our Savior, Jesus Christ, is there for all who believe, all who are Christians, the whole Church. 

Hope builds up the Body of Christ and is shared by all its members. How deeply we are to believe this, is stressed in some wonderful word pictures: “innermost vision”….”Inner illumination”….”the eyes of your heart”….”light will flood your hearts”. We aren’t just to say we hope, Paul wants us to internalize this hope…let it flood our hearts with light. Hope should be a lamp burning brightly within us. Our own personal spiritual nightlight that dispels the darkness of sin and despair! When we trust fully in Jesus Christ as our Savior, the light comes on and never again goes out. 

Our “great hope”, our glorious inheritance”, our “glorious way of life” is shared throughout the Body of Christ. Each member of Christ’s body has this inner light. Each member of Christ’s body reflects the same Savior. We are told not to hide our light….that is because the light we have is not truly our own but a reflection of Christ’s light. He is the Light of the World! You can’t hide something that big, that bright. We must translate that inner light into outer illumination. We have to let it “flood our hearts” and to spill over. Hope founded on Jesus Christ must shine throughout the world. This is our calling. All of the Body of Christ must work together to spread this hope. I’ve heard people say, “hope is all I had left”….but when our hope is in Christ, it is all we need. Hope brings confidence, assurance, expectation. Hope blesses us. Hope always looks forward and never backwards. Thank you, O, LORD, for the blessed hope found in Jesus Christ our Savior, for all those who believe. Let his Light flood our hearts and all the world! Amen.

March 18.....a fresh heart

2 Thes. 2:16-17 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, may God our Father who loved us and in his mercy gave us eternal consolation and hope, console our hearts and strengthen them for every good work and word.” (NAB)

“…who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word”. (NIV)

“…who has loved us and given us unending encouragement and unfailing hope by his grace, inspire you with courage and confidence in every good thing you say and do.” (Phillips)

“Who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,
Lots of ways to say, that you “grace” us with everlasting encouragement and hope, to help us in our daily work for you. I can’t pin down any one translation that says it best. These gifts of your grace are described as consolation, encouragement, help, confidence, hope. More importantly they are “unending” and “unfailing”. What you give through your love and mercy and grace will go on forever and never cease to uphold us. The purpose of all this is to “console, strengthen, encourage, inspire with courage and confidence, invigorate, enliven”…..the good works and good words that come from us. 

I think the Message gives the best word picture….”put a fresh heart in you”! Just what we all need. Take out the old worn out heart and implant a fresh one that is invigorated and enlivened. Heart transplant recipients can tell you that a new heart makes all the difference. Life exists in our heart and its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. The Church, the Body of Christ, gets its life from the blood of our Savior, Jesus, and its life giving property of grace and rebirth. The purpose of the Body of Christ is to continue his work through us. With a new fresh heart through the grace of the Father and Son, we will have the “unending encouragement and unfailing hope” that we need to do this work. These 2 verses are a prayer by Paul for the Thessalonian church. He prays that Jesus and the Father who already in love graced us with this encouragement and hope, will continue to build up and support the work of the Body of Christ. We can have confidence that Paul’s prayer is for us too. As you have given already, You will continue to give. Your faithfulness is unending. Our hope is in You. Our life comes from You. Invigorate and enliven us to do your work! Thank you. amen.

March 17....the hope we profess

Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to our profession which gives us hope, for he who made the promise deserves our trust.” (NAB)

“In this confidence let us hold onto the hope that we profess without the slightest hesitation. For he is utterly dependable.” (Phillips)

“Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.” (MSG)

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. “ (NIV)

Heavenly Father,
Yesterday we were told to “hold fast to faith”. Today we are again told to hold something….”hold unswervingly”….”in confidence hold to”…”keep a firm grip.” These are very strong statements of how important this is….we should not swerve or waver, we should have confidence, we should grip firmly. To what? To “our profession which gives us hope”…”the hope that we profess”….”the promises that keep us going”. Once we are holding fast to our faith and establish who we believe in and why we believe, than hope appears. Hope looks to the future. Hope has an element of expectation. That expectation is founded on our faith in the person of Jesus Christ. We “profess” this hope. We make it part of our life statement. We connect it to our faith and use it to look forward with confidence. Hope inspires confidence as well as expectation. Hope has an ending in sight somewhere in the future. It will happen. Hanging on to this hope as well as our faith moves us toward our end reward….heaven. Jesus leads us home. 

“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.” (Ps 43:3) My faith and my hope keep me seeking the holy mountain and your presence that awaits me there. Light and truth…Jesus, Holy Spirit…are my guides. If I have faith in them and hope in them, they will bring me to You. Three of the translations tell me why I can hope….”He is utterly dependable”….”He always keeps his word”….”He who promised is faithful”. If I know “He-who-promised” than my hope and faith are based on someone utterly dependable, who keeps his word, and is faithful!” He-who-promised is the source of faith and hope. Give me unswerving faith and hope that I might hold on in confidence, with a firm grip to all you faithfully give me in promise. I trust in You! Thank you, amen.

March 16...hold fast to faith!

Colossians 1:23 “You must hold fast to faith, be firmly grounded and steadfast in it, unshaken in the hope promised you by the gospel you have heard.” (NAB)

“You must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the Good News.” (CEV)

Heavenly Father,
The important fact here is: “You must hold fast to faith.” We hold fast for two reasons:

1. Faith can slip away if we don’t hold fast to it. Faith isn’t something that is part of us naturally, we have to come to it and once we find it, we have to develop it. Every tiny bit of faith that we find and hold fast to becomes stronger and more secure. Just as we nourish our bodies we must nourish our spirits by faith. Faith is trusting and believing in what we can’t see or prove by our physical senses. We are exercising and developing our spiritual sense instead. Each “leap of faith” produces more trust, more believing as its reward. We learn that You, O God, are faithful and love us.

2. The second reason we must hold fast to faith is because it supports us. We won’t fall, if we have faith to hold us up. When we base our whole life on that trust and belief in You, we find that we are always supported and held firmly away from true harm. You are the Rock that we stand firmly on, the Shield that protects us, the Defender who fights for us, the Good Shepherd who leads us. I could go on, for every name tells me why I trust and believe and affirms my faith. 

We are to be “firmly grounded and steadfast”….we have to read scripture and know why we believe and what we believe and we have to remain firm and unwavering on those scriptural facts. If we don’t know them, we can’t believe in them or fight for them or explain them to others. We are to be “unshaken in the hope promised by the gospel”. Our hope is the promise of the Good News of Jesus Christ. He is your Son, he came and died for us, he took our sins and redeemed us, he sits in heaven as our risen Savior and King, he will come again to take us with him! Hallelujah! Jesus is the Good News for all! Jesus is the Blessed Hope we cling to in faith. The CEV version makes this clear with 2 words…”you must”….do these things. No questions! Do it! Hold fast to faith! Thank you, O LORD, for the Hope we have in Jesus Christ! Amen.

March 15...I have come to call

Matthew 9:13 “I have come to call, not the self-righteous but sinners” (NAB)

“I did not come to invite the “righteous” but the “sinners”. (Phillips)

“I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (MSG)

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,
I was immediately drawn to the first 5 words of this verse: “I have come to call”. The word “call” can have 2 meanings here. Jesus “calls” us to give up our sins and follow Him. He is looking for sinners to change their lives, to save them. This verse is in the passage about the “calling” of Matthew, the tax collector. Jesus turns him into Matthew, the disciple. It all begins when Jesus goes to his house to eat and talk with him. Jesus “came to call”. We don’t do a lot of “calling” on people in this day and age, but it used to be a common occurrence in society. Dropping in, leaving your “calling card”, and visiting and sharing fellowship. This is what Jesus does. 

As written in Revelations, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Jesus is there for each of us saying, “I have come to call”….we have to open the door. The Pharisees, who personify “the self-righteous” become upset because Jesus is “calling” on sinners. The meaning of the word self-righteous is very clear…those who have made themselves righteous, rather than depending on God to give them true righteousness. Jesus is looking for people who admit they can’t make themselves righteous and need Him to do it for them. We all are sinners….some admit it, some don’t. When the doctor comes calling, only those who recognize their illness will bother to open the door. I like the added meaning in the Message translation also: “I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders”. The Church often spends too much time coddling its “saved” members, and too little time inviting outsiders to come in. Forgive us our self-righteous focus! Let me always be ready to open the door, when Jesus comes to call! I am a sinner….I need the Great Physician to heal me! Thank you! amen.

I HAVE COME TO CALL….
I have come to call….
I’m standing right outside.
I’ll knock until you answer me
That I might here abide.

I’ve come to call all sinners
To make salvation known
I want to come into your heart
And there, to make my home!

I have come to call…
Will you let me in?
Only you can make the choice
To let me take your sin.

(3-15-2007)

March 14...."the Grace of God has appeared!

Titus 2:11-13 “The grace of God has appeared, offering salvation to all men. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age as we await our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Christ Jesus.” (NAB)

Heavenly Father,

Grace…such a beautiful word that holds so much meaning. In the early part of my Christian life I don’t even remember hearing the word much, let alone having any idea of its meaning. Now I equate the word grace with Jesus Christ. “The grace of God has appeared!” God came down. God took on flesh. God lived among us. God willingly died on the cross. God took my sin and disposed of it. God redeemed me! God saved me! God showed me grace! God brought me home! 

Jesus Christ is “the grace of God”. As the verse says, he “appeared”….came into our presence. Jesus Christ incarnate became the visible sign of God’s love. There is no more waiting, no more time to pass….”the grace of God has appeared!” It is finished! Grace is complete. Salvation has been offered to all men. The gift of grace sits on the table in front of us. We must choose to pick it up and receive it. It is ours for the asking. Once we take the gift of grace it will change us. It will “train us to reject godless ways and worldly desires.” We will live “temperately, justly and devoutly in this age.” Grace has an effect on all who truly receive it. We won’t continue to live as if we never heard of grace. Grace brings with it hope….”we await our blessed hope”. Just as grace personifies Jesus Christ, so does the term “blessed hope.” He is our Blessed Hope! He will appear again bringing the glory of the great God, our Father. We await your coming! We look toward to our Blessed Hope. We live in a graced state of being. Thank you, Father God for the Blessed Hope, your grace in Jesus Christ, and come soon bringing your glory for all to see! Amen.

THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED

The grace of God has appeared!
His heavenly love came down,
In Jesus Christ, the Blessed Hope
Our soul’s salvation is found.

He came for all mankind
That all might be set free
The heavenly grace, the blessed hope
Came down for you and for me!

(3-14-2007)

March 13....The Lord saves

Matthew 1:21 “She is to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” (NAB)    ( Jesus means “The LORD saves”)

Heavenly Father,

Every mother and father proudly chooses a name for their child. We choose for many reasons….sometimes we pass on a family name, sometimes we just choose a name we just like the sound of or have a sentimental attachment to. But You chose your Son’s name to reflect to all who heard his name, the truth of who he is and why he came. Jesus means “the LORD saves”. His name reflects where He came from…the LORD…and his mission…to save his people from their sins. Joseph is told here all of this in detail. I don’t know how Joseph felt about not choosing this child’s name, but since he knew this child was not his but sent from heaven, it made sense that his real Father would choose his name. 

You, Lord, often chose special names for special people and this was the most important choosing of all! The Jews were expecting a Messiah who would come and save them from the Romans, but it is very clear here that before Jesus was even born that his mission, as announced by You to Joseph, was “to save his people from their sins”. Salvation is to free us from sin and death. Salvation is to remove the stain of human sin that we have been marked with since Adam’s fall. We fell from grace through Adam, we receive grace through Jesus Christ. The source of our salvation from sin is explicit in Jesus’ name….”the LORD”…..Only the Father can produce the Son who bears his nature and purity to be a sacrifice for the rest of us. Jesus is “the LORD”, working salvation in human form as our sacrifice. The LORD saves…Jesus saves. His name is the key to salvation from sin. His name was chosen to tell us plainly where our salvation lies. No other name saves. No other son was sent by You. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!….and he saves us from our sin! Thank you! Name above all names, Lord and Savior....amen.

March 12....My Lord and my God!

John 20:28 “My Lord and my God!” (NAB)

“My Master, my God!” (MSG)

Heavenly Father,

Just 5 words…”My Lord and my God!” Thomas says this after Jesus confronts his unbelief and doubt. Jesus wanted Thomas to believe. He came into Thomas’ presence to take away his doubt and help him believe. Thomas was chosen as one of the 12 disciples for a reason. Jesus had a plan for him. It was important to get Thomas past this roadblock of doubt that he was facing. Thomas expressed his doubt to the other disciples and Jesus dealt with it. Hiding our doubt won’t make it go away. Pretending we believe when we are unsure will weaken us. Thomas needed to experience Jesus’ living presence. Just hearing about it from the other disciples wasn’t enough. I imagine he felt a bit cheated and jealous…why had they seen Jesus and he hadn’t? His stubbornness was standing in the way of his belief….he wanted to see the miracle for himself. 

We call him “doubting Thomas” and focus on his lack of faith at this moment. But today’s verse shows that when Thomas confessed his doubt and waited for the presence of Jesus to be made known to him, that he then lost all doubt and “confessed with his mouth and believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead”! When doubt changes to faith, it will be a stronger faith. Thomas had seen and touched, and now he knows in his heart the Truth! “My Lord and my God!” Thomas no longer has any doubt and his witness will be based on his own testimony of his encounter with the risen Savior. I’m sure he didn’t mind telling his story at all. He could say proudly and with great power….”I doubted, but then I saw! I believe and I know he is alive and he is my Lord and my God!” Seeing and knowing make a powerful witness. A personal face-to-face encounter with Christ will end all doubts! End all my doubts that I might witness to others and say always, “My Lord, and my God!” that others may believe. Amen

March 11....no miracles?

Mark 6:5-6 “He could work no miracle there apart from curing a few who were sick by laying hands on them, so much did their lack of faith distress him.” (NAB)

“Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there…he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness.” (MSG)

“He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.” (NIV)


Heavenly Father,
This story seems like a contradiction of terms. It states that, “He could work no miracles there” and immediately clarifies that statement saying “He laid hands on a few sick people and healed them.” We put so much stock in the healing of sick people and consider it a major miracle and a most sought out miracle to the point of begging daily for this miracle of healing for everyone we know who is ill. We are so busy seeking healing for our physical illnesses that we don’t even bother seeking something deeper, something more profound. We don’t worry about our spiritual health and what sort of miracles Jesus might be willing to do beyond the physical. 

If Jesus considered this “laying on of hands and healing” as “no miracles” or “not much of anything”….than what miracles does he really desire to do for us? He wants to change our lives from within. He wants to heal us spiritually. He wants us to recognize who he is and why he came to earth. He wants us to want Him. If every physical body on this earth were healed, nothing of importance will have been gained. The only real healing of importance is the healing of our souls, our spirits. We have to give up the sin that owns us and accept God’s love through Jesus Christ to change us and make us holy and new and reborn. Rebirth is better than healing. 

We are told here that Jesus couldn’t do anything for them because of “their lack of faith” or “their stubbornness”. They were seeking the “signs and wonders”, but not the One who could do them. They were seeking worldly improvements from the One who holds the keys to our home in heaven . They want human desires met rather than heavenly ones. Our “lack of faith” holds back Jesus’ power to do true miracles in our lives. Open my eyes! Free me from my prison of sin! Work the miracle of your choosing in me this day and always. I do believe…help my unbelief. Thank you! amen.

March 10....signs and wonders

John 4:48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you do not believe.” (NAB)

“Will you never believe unless you see signs and wonders?” (Phillips)
“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe.” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

I hear a hint of exasperation in Jesus’ voice. He must have gotten tired of always being the “miracle man” and having people beg for his healing powers, but little else. We treat You the same way today. Our prayers are full of our wants and needs…what we want You to do for us. We seldom seek You out without a request on our lips. Signs and wonders…heal my friends, take away my pain, give me a better home/job/money/marriage, send rain, stop the rain, fix our church, save my children, and on and on and on. We never stop asking! We come because we know You are the “Miracle Man” and can do it all. We believe because we have read of your miracles and want to see the signs and wonders. 

This man believed Jesus could help his son and wanted it badly enough to come many miles and beg from someone who belonged to a people he was in charge of controling. Jesus dismisses him and tells him his son will live. The next verse is the best…”the man took Jesus at his word and departed.” He didn’t keep insisting that Jesus come with him. He didn’t keep begging. He didn’t ask for proof. He just believed and went home. When he received the message that his son was well, he knew Jesus was the cause. He and “all his household” believed. Simple faith…taking Jesus at his word….was all that was needed. 

The signs and wonders happen around us when we take Jesus at his word and go our way believing. Our prayers must be coupled with expectation. Faith trusts that Jesus will grant our request. I know that I will continue to exasperate you with my stubborn begging! I know I expect too little from the One who can do anything. I know I look for signs and wonders….but only because You are the only One who has the power and the answers to do the miraculous things I think I need in my life or the lives of others. Thank you for your infinite patience with my small faith. Help me to believe more! Amen.

March 9....thick-headed and slow-hearted

Luke 24:25 “What little sense you have! How slow you are to believe!” (NAB)

“Oh, how foolish you are, how slow to believe….” (Phillips)
“So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe…?” (MSG)
“How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe….” (NIV)

Heavenly Father,

Jesus is talking to the 2 men from Emmaus who are leaving Jerusalem after the crucifixion. These men are full of the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, their disappointment that Jesus wasn’t the leader they had hoped he was, and their disbelief in the story the women told of an empty tomb and angels saying he was risen. They discount the story of the empty tomb because neither the women nor the disciples who saw it, had seen Jesus himself. They weren’t ready to believe a miracle without the proof they thought necessary. Jesus is standing right before them, walking with them, as they give this “lack of proof”! No wonder he calls them foolish, slow to believe ...or my favorite terms from the Message translation….”thick-headed and slow-hearted”! 

The Message sums it up…”Why can’t you just believe!?” We all tell ourselves that it was easier for the disciples to believe because they actually lived with Jesus and spoke with him and hear him. But over and over in scriptures we are shown that even those who walked with him, talked with him, ate with him, still struggled with belief! Mostly because he wasn’t what they wanted or expected. Thick-headed…stubborn, unperceptive, tunnel vision, only able to see one thing one way. Slow-hearted…shallow, untrusting, literal, incapable of leaps of faith, wary, demanding proof. We don’t want to take Jesus as he is, but to remake him as we feel he ought to be. He brought us a free gift…grace, forgiveness….we want to “earn” it. He brought us a kingdom of love….we want to fill it with rules and regulations. He completed his purpose….dying, redeeming, rising, reigning…we want solid proof and complicated explanations. Christ made it simple…all we must do is believe and to follow him by loving others. Why do we make it so hard and fill our time with questions, when we are standing in the presence of our risen Lord and Savior? I believe! Help my unbelief! Thank you, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior! Amen

March 8....Who do you say that I am?

Matthew 16:15 “And you , “He said to them, “Who do you say that I am?” (NAB)

“But what about you?” He said to them. “Who do you say that I am “ (Phillips and NIV)

Heavenly Father,

This is the question we all must answer at some time in our lives. Who do we say Jesus Christ is? This isn’t a question to be answered by reciting our creed or what our church denomination has in their faith statement. This is a personal question for each of us….”What about you?” Who do you say that I am?” After reading the gospels and studying the scriptures, do I believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son? Do I believe he came to die for my sin? Do I believe that he is the only Way to the Father in heaven? Is he my Lord? Is he my Savior? Is he my Master? Is he my Coming King? Have I entered a personal relationship with him based on his sacrifice to redeem me? Am I a sheep in the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd? Am I a branch connected to the Vine and drawing my life from him? Am I standing in the Light of the World and reflecting it back to others? Am I reborn and changed by his presence? Have I confessed with my mouth and believe in my heart that God sent Jesus Christ to die and raised him from the dead? Do I believe that Jesus Christ is the Resurrection who pulls me from the grave, and the Life that sustains me eternally in the presence of God? 

Can I, with Peter and all the saints say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” If you are my Lord, you must have every part of me! If you are my Savior, you must have every sin! If you are my king of kings, I must bow down and worship! If you are my Rock, I must stand on You! If you are my Friend I must love you! If you are my God, I must follow you and obey you! You are my All in All, my source of Life, my Lord, my Savior, giver of grace, perfect Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lamb of God! The whole world is full of his glory! Thank you forever more! Amen

March 7.....confessing and believing

Romans 10:9 “For if you confess with your lips that Jesus is the Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (NAB)

“If you openly admit by your own lips….”if you believe in your own heart…..” (Phillips)

“If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (NIV)


Heavenly Father,
“You will be saved”…..a promise we all seek! The “if” for this promise involves two things: 1. “confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord” and 2. “Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead”. It is interesting that Paul lists confessing out loud that “Jesus is Lord” first, and then lists “believing in our hearts” that God resurrected him second. Shouldn’t we believe before we speak up? Jesus tells us elsewhere that many who call him “Lord” won’t be saved. Lip service is not enough. It can be a starting point, and for many it does come first. They are taught to believe at an early age and they go through the motions of faith…confessing a belief that hasn’t yet really penetrated their hearts. The heart is where Paul says this belief must come from. We have to internalize our faith in the source of our life….our heart. Every beat of our heart should resonate “Jesus is Lord!” Jesus has to become our Lord, our Master, our Savior. We can’t just be caught up in the praise music or the excitement of the revival, or the rush of emotion like the crowds spreading palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” 

Yes, we do need to confess him out loud. But like Peter, we will find that sometimes it is easy to deny him when the road gets hard. But when we believe that you sent Jesus to die for our sins and allow you to restore us and raise us from the dead along with Jesus, we will then began to hold that belief in our heart. Heart faith is the best basis for true “mouth faith” or confession. What is in our heart will flow forth as a stream of “living water”. What is in our heart will shine like a beacon reflecting Jesus, the Light of the World. What is in our heart will have a ring of Truth and will be our salvation. May my heart fully believe and my tongue confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord….my Lord....my risen Lord, who you have raised from the dead!” Thank you! Amen

March 6....earthly and heavenly things

John 3:12 “If you do not believe when I tell you about earthly things, how are you to believe when I tell you about those of heaven?” (NAB)

“If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don’t believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can’t see, the things of God?” (MSG)

“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not relieve, how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (NIV)


Heavenly Father,
Help me understand this passage. Before this meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus has cleared the temple of moneychangers, restoring honor to his Father’s house. He states his authority to do so, but the people don’t understand. He isn’t yet recognized as God’s Son. Nicodemus comes seeking answers….to understand….just as I seek. He sees part of what Jesus is, but hasn’t yet taken the step to believe in him fully. Jesus tells him he must be "born again…born of the Spirit". Nicodemus doesn’t understand. Jesus basically tells him to “open his eyes!”…if he can’t see Jesus who is standing before him, and see the things he does and hear the things he says, and remember the prophesies about the Messiah, and through all of these things “believe”….than how can Jesus possibly help him understand and believe anything about the kingdom of heaven and salvation? We have to recognize Jesus first and believe he is who he says he is. Then we can put our full faith and trust in Him and follow him. We will confess our sin, accept his grace through his blood on the cross, and step forward in our belief. 

When we take Jesus fully and completely we are reborn spiritually and made new. Our existence now depends on Jesus Christ….reborn through our faith. The “earthly things” Jesus spoke of were himself and his earthly mission to die on the cross for our sins. When we “see” this and believe it, we are reborn. The “heavenly things” of God come to us as we right our relationship with him through Christ. Once we have Jesus, we can understand the rest of it. Accept the “earthly” Jesus…the Son come down to die for us….and then all “heavenly” things are ours to know and understand, also. Help me to understand fully all you wish to teach me, O LORD, and stretch my faith so that it will grow complete in all things, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.