DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Read the scripture and
meditate on the verse using these questions:
T - (Thanks) What in these
verses makes me thankful?
R - (Regret) What do these
verses reveal that show my need to confess my sin?
I - (Intercession) What do I
need to ask God for in prayer for others and myself?
P - (Purpose/Plan) What
action or purpose do these verses encourage me to take?
(Note: The meditation
outline will not appear each day. If you
like to use it, save it.)
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah11:4
— With righteousness, he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the
meek of the earth.
Matthew
5:6 — Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.”
THOUGHTS
TO PONDER
“What
is your passion in life?” When I was five, I heard a story about a fireman. I
wanted to be a fireman so bad that when we went to buy new shoes, I wanted the
ones with the fireman’s hat on the tongue, even though they didn’t fit! A few
years later, I was into Roy Rogers - big time - and decided to be a cowboy.
Some time later, my Dad’s cousin, a doctor, came to visit, and my passion
became medicine. I collected Look magazine articles and pictures about
surgery and medicine and decided to become a surgeon. Looking back over my
growing-up years, my passion changed almost as quickly as the wind. My passion
at the time became the driving force in my life. It still does. I appreciated The
Purpose Driven Life, but I may write a book called The Passion Driven
Life. There is a danger that the title might be taken the wrong way! When I
read the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes, I hear Jesus saying, “Blessed are
those who are passionate for righteousness (rightness - with right
thinking and right living) for and with God! How passionate are you
for loving God more than anything or anyone else? How passionate are you
for loving your neighbor - even people experiencing poverty and less fortunate
- as much as you love yourself? So, what is your real passion in
life?
PRAYER
Make
me passionate with my love for you, O Lord. When my spirit wanes, restore it.
Guide my passion so that with all my being, I will work toward loving you and
my neighbors. Thank you for being so passionate for me. In the name of Jesus.
Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, June 2, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 8:19 — When they
say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spirits,” should not a people consult
their God?
1 Corinthians 15:1 — I
remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you,
which you in turn received, in which also you stand.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I went to town to the
implement dealer with Dad when I was about six. We looked at a shiny new piece
of equipment, but I didn’t know what it did. We went around it and around it
with the dealer, and Dad asked so many questions that I found myself a small
tractor to pretend to drive while I waited. I often thought my Dad (and Mom,
too, for that matter) spent way too much time talking to people. It never
dawned on me that they were gathering information. From the information he
gained at the implement dealer, Dad built a wind-rower out of scrap material he
had on hand - and it worked! From information he gathered from an uncle, he
found us a fishing place where we actually caught fish. From each person he
“consulted,” Dad gathered information for being a better farmer. When it came
to the important things in life, Dad and Mom spent time praying. Many of their significant
decisions came in response to prayer. The “dead spirits” were a curiosity but
nothing to be messed with. “What do they know that God doesn’t,” my Mom
said, “and if God wants us to know it, He’ll tell us.” The Good News
from the writers of scripture is not “hear-say.” It is “first-hand” wisdom and
knowledge - the Word of the Lord. Who would you rather consult about your
eternal life?
PRAYER
O Omnipotent One, you know
all that there is to know. Help me to be patient when you do not reveal those
things I do not need to know myself. I pray that I might always come to you for
answers in all the decisions of my life. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, June 3, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 127:1 — Unless the
Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Acts 20:32 — I commend you
to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up
and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
We worked near the Nile
River, pulling up mud to make bricks for our fort. The headhunters were
restless. (Didn’t know there were headhunters in Egypt, did you? There aren’t,
but we didn’t know that.) We had to work fast. A surprise mid-summer storm was
on the way. We just about had it all built when the rain started, and we raced
for the “castle,” arriving drenched to the bone. After the rain, we returned to
find that our “mighty fortress” had become a mud puddle! A lot of man-made
projects are like that. We slave away furiously, trying to accomplish our own
plans and projects without considering that the Lord may have a better idea. It
happens in love and marriage. It occurs in career choices. It happens in our
spiritual lives. We learn so slowly what God told Isaiah: “My plans are not
your plans, and your ways are not my plans....” When our plans and
projects fall apart and turn into “mush and mud,” it is time to back up and
have a little chat with the Master Builder and Creator of all Plans. Perhaps
God has ideas we have avoided or thoughts we never thought possible! After all,
God does have an inheritance waiting, which is way beyond our imaginations. Who
do you want to build your “house”?
PRAYER
I pray, O Creator, that I
might build my life on you and your plans for me. Show me the way that you have
me go. Forgive me for the many times I tried to do things my way and failed.
Thank you for the inheritance that awaits me. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 55:10-11 — For as
the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they
have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the
sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth.
Mark 4:20 — Jesus said,
“And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it
and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
The cows came into the barn
to be milked twice a day. Some of the younger ones took a little coaxing, but
the older veterans often stood in line at the barn door anticipating the relief
milking would give to their utters. The scoop of molasses-flavored grain may
have been on their minds too, but they came to produce - some more than others.
The hens were a lot the same but were limited to an egg a day. Some produced an
egg every day. Some either hid their eggs or sat around pondering the second
coming of Christ and, like some Christians, weren’t of much earthly good -
except for the stew pot. God created each of us to produce something, too. God
didn’t create us to produce ham steaks, hamburgers, or chicken strips - unless
you’re into farming or cooking. The “produce” God created us to “produce” is
souls, brought to God’s love, bathed in God’s grace, nurtured in God’s word,
and committed to God’s plan of saving all in creation who will allow themselves
to be saved. Like the seeds of the sower, we can’t make things happen. God will
take care of that. Our task is to sow the seeds as best as we can with the
tools God has given us. What kind of “producer” will you be?
PRAYER
Dear God, let me not be a
“stew-pot” Christian, but help me to produce as you have intended. Use me today
to spread your Good News. Help me not be afraid to produce but to look forward
with anticipation of your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 50:2-3 — Out of
Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and does not
keep silence.
John 1:15 — John testified
to the light and cried out, “From his fullness we have all received, grace upon
grace.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
By age thirteen, I had
witnessed many magnificent sunrises and sunsets. I had seen the incredible
beauty of our rolling Nebraska hills. I had even experienced the
stomach-flipping sensation of riding the “jet-propelled” elevator at the Omaha
stockyards. I had read about Disneyland and seen pictures of its many delights,
but I was not prepared for the awe-inspiring experience of the real thing. Our
family took our one and only vacation trip together to visit relatives in
California over Christmas that year. There were many great things to see and do
on that trip, but if Frank Sinatra left his heart in San Francisco, mine got
hooked on Disney Land. Sadly, it’s only a phony facade of fantasy. But, it does
give me the tiniest hint of the REAL beauty of being in the presence of God,
where the price of admission, the cost of all meals and all “rides” has already
been paid in full on the Cross of Christ, even though the wages of our sin is
death and we don’t deserve it. That is genuinely grace (an undeserved gift) upon
grace, upon grace, upon grace....... What do you say? What do you do in
response to such a lavish and extravagant gift?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, my heart
leaps for joy knowing that your Son has paid my full admission into your
presence. I can’t even imagine the true beauty and incredible sensation that
will surround me. I pray that I might not take this wonderful grace-filled gift
for granted but live out my life in grateful response to it. In the name of my
Savior. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, June 6, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 42:1 — Here is my
servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.
Mark 9:7 — From the cloud,
there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
We went to our youngest son’s
graduation when he received his Master’s degree. The gymnasium where the
ceremony took place was packed with several thousand friends, parents, and
relatives of the graduates. It was evident that every spectator was watching to
see their special person somewhere in that sea of bodies. “There! I see her!”
someone shouted. Then, fingers pointed and hands waved. The lady beside us
beamed, “That’s my son!” as she pointed with pride.” Not to be outdone, we did
the same. Less than a year later, he joined the army, and we attended his
graduation from basic training with the same responses and exclamations of
great pride! “Doesn’t he look handsome!” one of the parents declared. (In
truth, they all wore the same uniform and uniformly looked sharp and clean-cut
from the bleachers. We couldn’t even pick our son out of all the “handsome”
faces we saw until the ceremony was almost over.) God expressed that parental
pride with Jesus - and with good reason! Jesus was indeed “a chip off the old block.”
We adopted our son as an infant. And God adopted him - as God adopted you - at
baptism. When we love God and others with the love of God, God looks at us and
beams with pride: “That’s my kid! I am so proud! That is truly my
beloved!” How will you live up to that amazing grace?
PRAYER
It is with pride and joy
that I call you my Father. Thank you for making me yours in my baptism. I pray
that my life today will make you proud to call me your’s. Use me to bring
someone else into the family. In the name of your Son, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, June 7, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 33:17-18 — The war
horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save. Truly,
the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his
steadfast love.
Ephesians 6:16-17 — With
all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench
all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
The Holstein bull that chased
Mom into a quicksand patch had a mean streak that wouldn’t end. Except for Dad,
he would charge anyone who came into “his” territory. He tried early in his
career one day, but Dad happened to have a pitchfork in one hand and a 2X4 in
the other. He whopped him across the snout and gave him a taste of the sharp
tines. From that day on, all he had to see was Dad, and he would back off. Mom
and everyone else kept their distance with a fence between them or walked with
Dad to bring in the cows. The people of God have an enemy who attacks like that
bull. The Bible says he is like a “prowling lion.” He attacked Jesus numerous
times but felt the sting of defeat. His most significant defeat came when Jesus
refused to save Himself on the cross, dying instead to give us the weapons -
“the pitchforks” - that can defeat all enemies. How sad it is when we forget
the weapons of faith in favor of human power, human armies, and human weapons.
They are like a willow branch to a charging bull. But the weapons of faith can
defeat the mightiest enemy of all - death itself - with one Word! How are you
armed for your daily struggle with evil? May you discover the “shield of
faith,” the helmet of salvation,” and “the sword of the Spirit!”
PRAYER
Protect me, O Mighty One,
from the enemy who charges at me, seemingly from every direction. Strengthen my
shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit by
guiding me with your Word. In this, I pray, in the name of my Protector, Jesus,
the Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, June 8, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 26:13 — O Lord our
God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but we acknowledge your name
alone.
Mark 10:42-43 — So Jesus
said, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their
rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is
not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your
servant.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I grew up in a “house
divided” - politically. Mom was a Republican. Dad was a Democrat. So, I heard
both sides of the argument, no matter which party was in power. I get upset by
mudslinging and political jockeying because I’ve seen them as ways to waste
money to avoid “speaking the truth in love.” No matter who is in power, only
one POWER matters, and God plays by a different set of rules. Just saying
“Lord, Lord!” isn’t enough. Token name-dropping isn’t enough. What counts is a
willingness to serve - not just our own agendas, our own plans and goals, but
God’s. Many “lords” are trying to get our vote, but only one Lord truly walked
the walk of the Suffering Servant. He reminds us to keep our eyes on His agenda
and plan - regardless of what political party expects us to vote for them. It
is often hard to figure out who is lying or stretching the truth - more, so it
is doubly important that we be well grounded in The TRUTH! Some may quote
scripture in or out of context, so it is also essential that we learn to
distinguish between the two. Servanthood is not always popular. However, in the
end, that is what our Lord and Savior came for and what He calls us to do. Will
you vote for Him?
PRAYER
O Lord, Creator and master
of the universe, I choose to follow you this day and every day. Thank you for
choosing me to be in your party. Help me to discern who is speaking your truth
and who is not. Let me vote for you by my actions and by doing those things
that are pleasing to you. In your Son’s name. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, June 9, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 119:41 — Let your
steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise.
Mark 9:22-23 — The father
asked Jesus, “But if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him, “If you are able? All things can be done for the one who
believes.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I am not a mathematics
genius. I got decent grades in algebra and geometry only by working twice as
hard on homework in those subjects as I worked on anything else. Don, on the
other hand, seemed to be able to take one look at the problems and have the
answers without struggle. I worked all weekend trying to solve one problem. On
Monday morning, we compared notes, and sure enough, he spent half an hour
solving all the problems. When I asked him how he did it, he said, “Easy!” and walked
me through it step by step. He was right. Once he explained it, it was simple.
I had left one simple step out of my equation. I wondered why I hadn’t figured
it out. Obviously, my gift was/is not mathematics. We often leave one simple
step out of the equation in our spiritual lives. We usually don’t have too much
trouble asking, begging, pleading, or even bargaining with Jesus to come into
our lives to bring healing or wholeness to a situation. The part we leave out
is stepping aside so He can do what we ask. It is not just admitting that we
can’t solve it ourselves. It also accepts a solution that may not be how “we’ve
always done it before.” It may also be a willingness to accept help, counsel,
wisdom, and guidance from someone we would rather not associate with - even a
rival or someone who irritates us. Jesus makes it clear: “All things can be
done for the one who believes.” Are you willing to step aside - to put aside
your pride, prejudice, and preconceived ideas to let Jesus do what only Jesus
can do?
PRAYER
O Gracious Lord, you know
how hard it is for me to step aside and be willing to let your answers be the
correct ones for my life. Please forgive me and enable me to open my heart to
your solutions. Guide me this day to do your will. In the name of Jesus, I
pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, June 10, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Genesis 15:6 — Abram
believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Galatians 3:9 — For this
reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham, who believed.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Dad was particular about how
some of the fieldwork was to be done. He always took me with him to explain how
he wanted me to do it. At age thirteen, I was in that phase in life when my parents
seemed to get dumber every day, and I believed I was so much brighter. After
one lesson in how he wanted a field disked, I explained to him how it would go
a lot faster if we did it my way. Dad thought about it and said, “It might be
faster, but it will leave ridges I don’t want to bounce over.” I thought it was
stupid, but I did it his way. Later in the season, he took me over a small
field disked the way I wanted to do it. “I’m glad we don’t have to bounce over
fields like that,” he commented, and then we rode through a field disked his
way. He was right! God thought of Abraham in that way. Abraham had many ideas
about how to solve the problem of childlessness and a few other issues, but God
continued to say, “Let’s do it my way.” Faith is trusting that God knows the
better way. It believes that, despite what looks pleasing to our human eyes, God’s
plan will turn out better for us if we do it God’s way. The devil tried to
tempt Jesus to take a “better, more exciting, more profitable” path. Jesus
chose to take God’s way, even if it meant the cross. What is your faith leading
you to? How much do you trust the Creator, Savior, and Redeemer?
PRAYER
I believe that you know a
better way, O God, but I still think my way is even better. Forgive me for my
lack of faith. Strengthen my trust in you and that you genuinely know what is
best for me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 32:5 — I said, “I
will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my
sin.
1 Timothy 1:15 — The
saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners - of whom I am the foremost.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
As a victim of physical and
verbal abuse, he was acquainted with the words of confession. He had them
memorized and believed them to the extreme. He believed the lie that he was so
worthless that he was suicidal. No amount of counseling could convince him
otherwise. The idea that God could love him was as difficult as believing cows
could sprout wings and fly over the moon. That he was guilty of being the scum
of the earth and, like Paul, the “foremost of sinners,” was easy be accept. But
believing that anyone, especially God, could love and forgive him took a
miracle. That miracle was the birth and baptism of a grandchild - pure,
innocent, and beautiful, but born with original sin and subject to its wages -
death. In the washing of water, he remembered his own baptism, and in some
mysterious and wonderful way, God’s Spirit reached past his painful memories of
the lies he had believed about himself. As his granddaughter joined the family
of a loving God, he was healed! Long held back, tears burst their dam to mingle
with the baptismal flood. He was healed! He was a new man in Christ. Are you
willing to let Jesus enter your pain to love, forgive, and heal you? He awaits
your invitation.
PRAYER
O Father in heaven, reach
into my past to be reminded of the beautiful gift you gave me at my baptism.
The sweet words of grace can move me to tears, knowing how much you love me.
You love me! What wonderful words! Thank you! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 10:12 — So
now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the
Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul.
John 15:9 — As the Father
has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Years ago, at church camp, we
sang “Pass My Love Around.” The melody still goes through my mind, bringing
memories of campfires and crafts. We “passed Christ’s love around” by making
small gifts for one another. At the time, I didn’t think about the ways my
parents and Sunday School teachers had passed that love on to me or even that
Jesus had started the ball rolling by loving us enough to live and die so that
we might have the forgiveness of sins and the eternal life He came to pass on
to us. There are physical and mental attributes that my parents passed on to
me. We also received spiritual gifts from those who passed them on to us so
that we could pass them on to others. God’s love was experienced from
generation to generation. All God asks is that we return that love and pass it
on to others. As a people of God and as children of God, we have the tremendous
responsibility and the privilege of being “conduits” for passing on what we
have first received. Our spiritual lives can stagnate when we keep it to ourselves,
like an undrained swamp when water does not flow in and out. Have you blocked
the flow of God’s love, or have you been passing it on?
PRAYER
Let your love flow through
me this day, O Lord so that I might be a conduit of that love to others. I ask that I might be a blessing to others as I
have been blessed through my parents and others. Thank you for the gift of your
Son, in whose name I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, June 13, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 31:1 — Alas for
those who rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many but do
not consult the Lord!
2 Corinthians 5:18 — God
reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
My grandfather relied on
horses to do his fieldwork. He was the first farmer in Stanton County to have a
tractor but never used it. I never saw him on it. He left the “new-fangled
contraption” for my Dad to operate. The fact that it kicked when Dad tried to
crank it one day and broke Dad’s arm probably confirmed Grandpa’s conviction
that horses were just fine. He did drive a modern 1951 Ford “chariot” with
“horses under the hood,” but that was different. God created a “new-fangled”
way of working with His people, which beat the human and animal sacrifices of
the past. It did not take horses and chariots. It did not even rely on armies.
It was so simple that many people rejected the thought. God entered the battle
for His people’s bodies, minds, and souls in the Person of Jesus. In Jesus, God
made all things new, removing the rust and corrosion of sin and the damage it
causes. In Christ, God bridged the gap between us and even renewed our
relationship with His “new-fangled” agape (other-centered) love. Are you ready
for something new and refreshing?
PRAYER
O Giver of Life, thank you
for making me anew and giving me a new spirit. I pray that I do not try to make
the simplicity of your love so complex that I cannot understand or accept it.
Instead, I surrender my entire life to you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, June 14, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Proverbs 29:7 — The
righteous know the rights of the poor.
2 Corinthians 8:13 — I do
not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is
a question of a fair balance.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
When I was in country school
and old enough to notice, it seemed like there was always an “underdog” -
someone everyone picked on. In the small school and community we lived in, it
was not always the same person. It became even more pronounced when I went to
town as a freshman in high school. Some students were looked down on by
reputation or how they dressed and often tormented by those who thought of
themselves as “better.” Interestingly, it was not always those we thought of as
financially poor who were among the “poor.” Some of our “poor” and
“downtrodden” seemed to put themselves in that position by their actions and
reactions. A lot of attention has been focused on such students, some of whom
have struck back violently. While the problem seems to peak in public schools,
it is no less a problem in the workplace and in public. As members of the body
of Christ who have been made righteous - right with God - by what Jesus did for
us, we are responsible for reaching out to those who have not had that grace-filled
experience. Whenever possible, we need to ask ourselves how we can best reflect
Jesus’ concern, His “compassion” for them, in every part of our lives. Have you
become a part of His solution to the problem, or have you been guilty of being
part of the problem? How well-balanced are you?
PRAYER
Please forgive me, dear
Lord, when I have been less than compassionate to others or looked down upon
them. Change me and use me so that I might be concerned about the welfare and
the rights of others. In the name of the righteous One, Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, June 15, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Ezekiel 18:4 — Know that
all lives are mine.
Galatians 2:20 — Paul
writes: It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
What an advantage it is to
grow up knowing you are part of a loving family! There may be times when they
bugged the heck out of me. My sisters and brothers certainly did - hiding my
favorite toy or being a tattle-tail. Sometimes, my parents upset me, too. If I
were to be honest, I’d have to admit I did the same to them. Classmates could
also embarrass or irritate us. Marlin’s jab in the ribs when the teacher wasn’t
looking and the “accidental” locking of the outhouse door from the outside
by...? sometimes sent some less-than-Christian thoughts of revenge passing
through my mind. But a great deal of pride and strength was still gathered from
knowing I was a family member and a student at District #35. I belonged! In an
even more intense way, I appreciate being a member of the family of God and a
member of the body of Christ. I belong to God! I am somebody related to Christ.
No matter where I go or how far away I stray, I have a “Home” to return to and
One who calls me Brother. No matter where I am and no matter what I become, “it
is Christ who lives in me.” I belong! Have you considered how meaningful your
relationship with your Lord is and what it means to belong to Him?
PRAYER
Thank you, Heavenly Father,
for placing me in a family and your family the church. Forgive us when we do
not always get along. Use me to bring about reconciliation and love in my family.
Thank you that I belong. In the name of Jesus, my Brother, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, June 16, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 28:12 — The
Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of
your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings.
1 Corinthians 3:7 — So
neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who
gives the growth.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
When the long, hot summer
days set in on the farm, our prayers for rain became a daily plea. In the clay
hills of our part of Stanton County, cracks deep enough to drive a tractor or
truck into (toy tractors and trucks) appeared in many places. The hard clay
would turn to powdery dust that was fun to play in and could become a
tremendous muddy landscape with a little water from the house. As we played in
the shade of the mulberry grove, we would often watch the clouds pass by to the
north or the south. We always hoped the wind would change to bring us the much-needed
rains, only to be disappointed. It was pretty evident that we had no control
over the weather. In those days before irrigation was possible on such hills,
we depended on a Power greater than ourselves. We discovered again and again
that God did know what He was doing. Life in the “real” world can be like a
discouraging “dry spell” when it seems that nothing is going the way we planned
or the way we wanted it to go. At those times, we are driven to our knees and admit
we may not know all there is to know. We may have to acknowledge the One who
does and has the Power to make things happen in His time and in His way. Who
are you relying on in your life?
PRAYER
O Sustainer of Life, I
pray that you will water the crops and the land with just the right amount and
at the right time for a bountiful harvest. I also pray that you water my soul
when it thirsts so I might grow in my faith and love for you. Send me out into
your world, watering others with your love so there might be a bountiful
harvest of new believers. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, June 17, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Numbers 23:12 — Must I not
take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?
1 Corinthians 9:16 — If I
proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is
laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I have trouble taking a
vacation from preaching. Ask my dear wife. I’m on vacation this week, and I’m
not sure where we will be for worship on Sunday, but I know myself well enough
to know that I will miss being in the pulpit. I’m unsure if I can explain it,
except to say I understand what the prophet Jeremiah said when he claimed he
tried to avoid preaching, but it built up in him like a fire, burning until he
spoke. I don’t get that bad, but God’s word is like good news waiting to tumble
out of a child’s mouth after an exciting adventure. God’s word is alive! It
wants to be proclaimed. I thank the Lord for every opportunity to proclaim it,
even when I’m tired, worn, or pulled in many directions. I am happy for a break
from sermon preparation, but I am always so glad to return to preaching again.
My great joy when I don’t preach is that I can listen and be filled myself.
That takes another kind of discipline and brings another type of blessing. (It
will be an ongoing struggle since I am retiring {again}.) How are you about
passing on (preaching) God’s good news? It doesn’t have to be a sermon. It
doesn’t have to be in front of a crowd. It could be to a single person who
needs God’s love demonstrated with a single word or a smile. Anyone can do that
and even use words when necessary. How about you?
PRAYER
Give me the words, O Lord,
to proclaim your love to those I meet today and throughout my life. Fill me
with your Spirit through the words of others until I can no longer keep your
words to myself. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 6:11-12 — When
you have eaten your fill, take care that you do not forget the Lord.
Matthew 6:11 — Give us
this day our daily bread.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
When I was five or six, I
asked my father about the table prayers he learned as a kid. He rattled off one
of the prayers in German and then said, “But that was the one we prayed after
we ate.” He translated it for us and then prayed the “before meal” prayer in
German, translating it for us. (Dad gave up speaking German; these two prayers,
plus a bedtime prayer he taught me, were the only German I ever heard him
speak.) The “before meal” prayer was very much like our own, and I have learned
since then that the “after meal” prayer was like one Luther taught and may have
been one Dad learned in confirmation. I’ve heard jokes about kids wanting to
wait to thank God for food until they could taste it and see if they liked it.
I wonder why we’ve stopped praying before and after eating. Maybe we should
start something new: Ask God to bless the food we have to eat, the farmers who
raised it, the people who processed it, and the hands that prepared it - before
eating; and thank God for what we have received - after eating! It only makes
sense. Are you willing to give it a try?
PRAYER
Thank you, O Father, for
the food that will nourish me this day. Bless the hands who have grown,
processed, and prepared it. Use me to help feed a hungry world through my gifts
of food, money, and those things you have blessed me with. In the name of Jesus,
I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Ezekiel 36:29 — I will save you from all your uncleannesses.
Matthew 15:18 — What comes
out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
My wife found a tremendously
funny greeting card for one of our relatives. On the outside was a stern-looking
Moses with the Ten Commandments in one hand and his finger pointing out to the
reader in his other hand. Inside, it simply said, “You gotta clean up your
act!” It seemed perfect because she tended to use pretty spicy language and would
be working in a church. Of course, the card might have fit many people, not
just those planning to work in church. Foul language, like bad grammar, is a
bad habit that “defiles” a person. Under stress or at times of conflict, what
is inside spews out and contaminates everyone within hearing distance. God
promises He will help us “clean up our act” if we ask. How is your language? Do
you need to review the commandments again and review what it means to “take the
Lord’s name in vain” or “bear false witness”? How well do you honor your
Creator by the things that come from your mouth?
PRAYER
I am sorry for my thoughts
and language when things go wrong or I am stressed, dear Lord. I pray that I
might be as concerned as much about the things that come out of my mouth as
those things that go in. Let my words be sweet to the ears of all those whom I
meet today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, June 20, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 37:4 — Take delight
in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Mark 11:24 — Whatever you
ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
We had neighbors who lived
two or three miles from our farm who, to my knowledge, didn’t associate with
others very much. They were quiet and “minded their own business.” As often
happens, neighbor kids let it be known that it was no place they’d be caught
dead in at night. “She might be a witch!” Rumors and gossip were vague, but they
were good enough to keep us away. In high school, one of the groups I belonged
to had a fund-raiser that involved selling small fire extinguishers. The top
prize was a new jacket, and I wanted it. I covered the town and neighborhood
well, and I knew I was close to the top sales. The only farm I hadn’t been to
was “that” farm. So, gathering my courage, I knocked on the rickety screen door
and waited. My fears were turned to joy as I came away without being turned
into a frog and with not one but two sales! (There’s lots more to the story,
but I’ll save it for another time. Ask me sometime.) When asked by one of my
classmates how I could get “them” to buy, I said, “I just became their friend.”
In truth, that’s what did it. Nobody else had shown any interest in them at
all. I don’t recommend becoming friends with God so you can manipulate Him into
“buying” what you want, but friends will help one another and do for one
another what they may never do for strangers. What kind of friend are you with
the Lord?
PRAYER
Oh, what a friend I have
in you, Lord Jesus. You have promised to be with me this day, and I pray that I
might be aware of your nearness. I desire that I both talk to you and listen to
you. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, June 21, 2024
SCRIPTURE
1 Kings 8:66 — They went
to their tents, joyful and in good spirits because of all the goodness that the
Lord had shown to his servant David and to his people Israel.
Luke 1:69 — He has raised
up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Assumptions are dangerous,
but I assume everyone reading this went to worship last Sunday. If you didn’t,
guess what you missed!!! The King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who
died for your sins, was there - where two or more were gathered in His name!!!
If you confessed your sins - You heard His words of forgiveness! If you listened
to His Word - You heard Him! If you received communion - You received Him! If
you offered prayers - You were heard by Him! If you greeted someone in His name
(even the least among you) - You greeted Him! If you were paying attention to
what was happening in worship - no matter how many mistakes the organist made,
no matter how bad some hymns were, no matter how dull or boring the preacher
was, no matter how screechy some singer was - you met Christ, the risen
Lord! By the grace of God, you were healed by His touch in ways you have
yet to discover! From the time you left worship and throughout this entire week,
you may be glowing like Moses after meeting the Lord on Mt. Sinai! Today is
your opportunity to tell the whole world “How good it is to be loved by
God!” (If you missed last Sunday, don’t despair. He’ll also be there
this Sunday. Why not take some friends with you?!)
PRAYER
I thank you, dear Lord,
for the opportunity to worship you each week and that you come to me in so many
different ways within the service. Give me the words to say so I might invite
others to join me in meeting you this next weekend. In the name of the risen
Christ, I pray. Amen
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, June 22, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 63:3 — Your
steadfast love is better than life.
1 Corinthians 15:43 — It
is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is
raised in power.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
In the spring of the year, we
had to do spring cleaning in every building on the farm. That’s an excellent
way of saying we had to haul manure. It was a dirty, smelly, disgusting, and
difficult duty! The only positive part of the job was taking the manure
spreader out to the field where we could get a breath of fresh air (unless the
wind was in the wrong direction) as we spread the natural fertilizer over the
barren fields. It was not unusual to find a dead chicken buried in the layers
of filth that we deposited on the soil to be tilled in for plant food. Later in
the season, we could always tell which fields we had spread manure on by the
lush green crops that were nurtured by our labors. We saw first-hand what was
“sown in dishonor and raised in glory” and what was “sown in weakness and
raised in power.” These plants produced far more than those whose soil was not
so blessed. That principle holds true for our human life, too. We die and are
buried as weak, powerless, rotting corpses but are raised by God with new,
glorified, and powerful bodies like the Savior who went before us through the
cross and the grave to the presence of the steadfast love of the Father. We may
cling to life in this world, but it is just so much fertilizer compared to the
glory that will be revealed! Which would you rather have?
PRAYER
I hate to say it, dear
Lord, but thank you for the manure of the world that has been spread upon me at
times. As unpleasant as the process is, I know you have grown and nourished me.
Make me the person you would have me be so I will bear much fruit. In the name
of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, June 23, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 76:7 — May God
continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
1 Peter 5:5 — And all of
you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Farmers, like many others,
are brought to their knees often enough to know “Who butters
their bread!” I grew up on a “poor farm,” which didn’t always pay the bills.
But every year, Dad planted the seeds and asked God to continue to bless us. We
never had a lot, but we never starved either, and compared with many people
around the world, we were blessed with a wealth of love, more valuable than
anything a credit card could buy. We could not boast of the best soil. Without
rain, it often became solid-as-rock clay. We could not boast of having the best
and most luxurious house in the county, but it kept us warm in winter and sheltered
us from the summer sun, even though it needed a lot of work. Our water smelled
like rotten eggs if we let it sit out. We could not boast of the best cars or
equipment either. Dad kept some of them running and working with baling wire
“and a prayer.” But we were so richly blessed I can hardly describe the grace
upon grace we experienced. The peace, patience, love, trust, honor, faith, and
self-respect were beyond price. I admit I didn’t always appreciate those
blessings at the time, but I wouldn’t trade them now for all the gold in Fort
Knox. Have you spent time counting your blessings lately?
PRAYER
I am sorry, Heavenly
Father, that I often spend more time counting those things that are wrong in my
life than rejoicing in the grace upon grace that you have blessed me with. I
especially thank you for being a loving God and for having forgiven me all of
my sins. I thank you in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Monday, June 24, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 116:12 — What shall
I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
Mark 5:20 — And he went
away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
She doesn’t enjoy cooking,
but my wife does an excellent job feeding me, especially when I’m tired and
worn. She does the shopping, the cleaning, the washing, and ironing, and takes
time to listen to me, encourage me, and lift my spirits. What my beloved
help-mate would like to do is quilt, sew, and read. But she often sacrifices
what she would rather do for what she does out of love for me. In so doing, she
has reflected God’s love for me for more than 56 years. I am sometimes
overwhelmed with appreciation and wonder how I can ever return such love to
her. “That’s how it is with God’s love,” one of the camp songs declares. When I
count my blessings from God, Sue is at the top of my list, and I ask the
question the Psalmist asked: What shall I return to the Lord for all his
bounty to me? And like the man freed from a legion of demons, I can hardly
contain myself! I look forward to every opportunity to share God’s love with
others. Have you taken an inventory of what others have done for you? Have you
expressed your appreciation to them? How about all the “bounty” with which God
has blessed you? How will you show your thanks and praise to God?
PRAYER
Sometimes, I take your
great love for me for granted, dear Lord, and all you have done in my life.
Thank you for all of the many things and blessings that you have given me. Most
importantly, thank you for your great sacrifice so I might have a new life in
you. In the name of my Savior. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Daniel 4:35 — He does what
he wills with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no
one who can stay his hand or say to him, “What are you doing?”
Mark 4:41 — The disciples
were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that
even the wind and the sea obey him?”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I laid on top of the sheets
one hot summer night, looking out my window at the stars, thinking about the
vastness of space and wondering if we could see the edge of it and if the edge
of space was like a curtain separating heaven from earth. I imagined a
six-year-old angel lying on his bed on the other side of the curtain, wondering
what marvelous worlds God had created over here. A few years later, when I
heard the story of the crucifixion and how the curtain in the temple was ripped
apart when Jesus died, I wondered if it was like that curtain of stars. Could
that angel see me now? Could I see him? Many years later, I miss those hot,
steamy nights when open windows were our only air conditioning. I know more
about the infinity of space. I know more about theology. But (I must admit), I
lay in cool comfort, looking up at the dark ceiling, imagining that curtain of
stars. I am still awed, maybe even more so, because I know how enormous God’s
creation is and how vast space is. I still wonder at the wonder of it all and
think about that angel who might still be trying to catch a glimpse of me as I
am of him. Out of all the infinite number of planets, God sent His Son to my
planet to die for me so that I might join Him on the other side. Maybe God will
send an angel.... Have you glimpsed the night sky lately?
PRAYER
As I gaze into the night
sky today, Heavenly Father, I stand with awe at your greatness and the vastness
of your love for your creation. Let your holy angel be with me so that the evil
one may have no power over me. I pray this in the name of the Holy One, Jesus
Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Zechariah 12:10 — They
will look on me, the one they have pierced.
John 19:5 — Jesus came
out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them,
“Behold, the Man!”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I have been disappointed in
most of our American presidents. Like the politicians that they are, they all
make lots of promises. I genuinely think they intend to keep them, but the
reality of the office, the nature of politics, and the full impact of facts
they did not have before taking office prevented them from fulfilling all they
hoped. Even knowing they are human doesn’t soften my disappointment in them.
Jesus, on the other hand, came to His messianic office with all of the promises
of heaven. He didn’t ask for anyone’s vote based on promises of political and
military conquest, even though that’s what everyone in leadership wanted. He
had no huge political party with enormous financial backing. He came
proclaiming the simple message of God’s love for all, healing and wholeness for
those who came to Him, a simplified Law Code: “Love God. Love your
neighbor,” along with forgiveness, life, and salvation. Such “politics”
eliminated the profits, neutralized the human power, and lifted “those of low
degree.” Looking at what He offered, it was decided that this “Man” should die.
So, the powers that were sentenced Him to death so they could wait for a
politician and Messiah more to their liking. If you had been voting back then,
how would you have voted?
PRAYER
I thank you, dear Lord,
for sending men and women willing to run for office. Help them to be your
servants and do your will. I thank you even more for being my true king and
lord over my life. I pray that my allegiance will always be to you. I pray this
in the name of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Thursday, June 27, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 16:2 — You are my
Lord; I have no good apart from you.
Mark 8:29 — Peter answered Jesus, “You are the Messiah.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Nothing could be accomplished
on the playground at school until we found out what team we were on. Numerous
methods were used to make those choices, but it boiled down to trying to even
out the teams. It was fun to think of having all the outstanding players on one
team, but when it happened, it wasn’t as much fun as we thought. When I was in
eighth grade, Mom took me into town three days a week to play in the band. One
day, I returned in the middle of a softball game, and one of the younger kids
asked, “Whose team are you on?” It was a moment of decision. I had to decide. I
could have joined the winning team (they were ahead by ten runs) or the losers,
who had only brought in one runner. I chose the losing team, and we turned the
game around. The bell rang before we could bring the score to a tie, but we all
felt like winners anyway. God has chosen you for His team, but as Jesus did
with Peter, God still lets you decide which team you want to be on. God’s team
doesn’t always look like winners. After all, our Captain got arrested, badly
beaten, and nailed to a cross. But He won anyway, defeating sin, death, and the
devil. So, which team do you want to be on?
PRAYER
Thank you for choosing me
through my baptism to be on your winning team, dear Lord. When things look
hopeless, remind me of your great victory over death. Use me this day to bring
others onto your team. In the name of my Captain, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Friday, June 28, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 46:4-5 — There is a
river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most
High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved.
John 14:2 — Christ says,
“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would
I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Growing up in a family with
two sisters and three brothers, shared rooms and shared beds were standard
procedure. I can’t imagine where my grandparents tucked thirteen kids in this
same house! On the other hand, my two city cousins had a brother or a sister
each and had rooms all to themselves. That seemed like an unbelievable luxury
to me. I attended a leadership conference in Philadelphia several years ago and
stayed in an old mansion with so many rooms it was easy to get turned around.
In Germany, we stayed in the last castle built there and discovered room after
room, which are now used as guest rooms. Jesus offers His friends a special
room prepared just for us - each of us. Like the unique name He has set aside
just for each of us, Jesus has a place for each of us that is not crowded. It
is a place close to the heart of the Father whose light provides all the light
we will ever need and which never fails. In the Father’s house, Jesus offers us
a Home for eternity. The rent has already been paid in full by His blood. The
food and drink from His endless stream of blessings is always available. Who
would want to spend eternity anywhere else?
PRAYER
I can’t even imagine the fabulous
mansion you have prepared for me, heavenly Father! Most importantly, thank you for
the eternity I will live with you. Prepare me each day for living in your
house. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Saturday, June 29, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 117:1 — Praise the
Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
Matthew 24:14 — And this
good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a
testimony to the nations; and then the end will come.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
I always loved the last day
of school each year. In grade school, we had taken all of our tests, and all we
had to do was finish up projects aimed at the county fair, turn in our old
books, and clean out our desks. It was much the same in high school except for
the fair projects. There was always such a relief in college and seminary as we
cleaned out files, stored or sold the old books, and made plans for the future.
All the hard work of writing papers was over. The tension of preparing for
tests was gone. A sense of relief, verging on giddiness, flowed through the
halls. Like people set free from bondage in Egypt, we were ready to begin a new
thing! I look forward to the Day of the Lord in that way, too. With a joy that
reaches down to my soul, I praise the Lord. With wild glee, I throw my minor
crowns and victories into the air, like cadets and graduates throwing their
caps. I rejoice that all the tests were passed by Christ, my Savior. All the
tensions of the struggle are in the past. I look forward with joy to what lies
ahead. What are you looking forward to?
PRAYER
I shout with joy at the
mere thought of the victory that has been won through you, O Lord! All the
thoughts of all the tests and struggles grow dim when I think of what lies
ahead of me. Thank you for passing the ultimate test for me, and I will have
eternal life with you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Sunday, June 30, 2024
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 118:15-16 — There
are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the
Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 —
Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and
through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
“Where have you been?” Mom
asked. She took one sniff, and she knew without our having to answer. Different
barns had different smells. Occasionally, my wife will do that too. “You’ve
been to see so and so!” She knew, usually because of a strong smoke odor or the
aroma of freshly baked rolls. Different homes have different aromas. We also
give off different odors depending on the kind of work we are doing and where
we are doing it. Working in the garden, cleaning garbage cans or the garage, or
digging through a musty basement all leave their peculiar “incense” on our
clothes. Perfume manufacturers pay good money to professional “sniffers” who
can distinguish hundreds of different scents. God’s sense of smell is even more
acute. When the Psalmist praises God, he does so with great joy and exaltation.
He also declares, “Let my prayers rise before You as incense....” For
God’s people, our prayers, praise, and thanksgivings rise before God as a
pleasing incense, a pleasing aroma. But St. Paul reminds us that the
“fragrance,” the “odor,” of our worship should cling to us so that everyone everywhere
will be drawn to Christ and want to know Christ. What is the “fragrance of your
life?
PRAYER
Let this prayer and all my
prayers rise up as a pleasant aroma to you, O God. I pray that this day might
be fragrant to you because I have lived it for your purpose. May others smell
your presence when I am with them by what I do and say so that they will
glorify your name. In Christ’s name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment