Tag Archives: prayer

Learn to let God work (Mark 9:1-29), November 1, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Mark 9:1-29

Set – Psalms 121; Mark 9:1-29

Go! – Psalms 121; Mark 9-10

Mark 9:1-29
Jesus: ¹Truly, some of you who are here now will not experience death before you see the kingdom of God coming in glory and power.
² Six days after saying this, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up onto a high mountaintop by themselves. There He was transformed ³ so that His clothing became intensely white, brighter than any earthly cleaner could bleach them. ⁴ Elijah and Moses appeared to them and talked with Jesus.
Peter (to Jesus): ⁵ Teacher, it’s a great thing that we’re here. We should build three shelters here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
⁶He was babbling and did not know what he was saying because they were terrified by what they were witnessing.
⁷ Then a cloud surrounded them, and they heard a voice within that cloud.
Voice: This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him.
⁸ All of a sudden, they looked about and all they had seen was gone. They stood alone on the mountain with Jesus.
⁹ On their way back down, He urged them not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until the Son of Man had risen from the dead, ¹⁰ so they kept it all to themselves.
Disciples (to one another): What does He mean, “Until the Son of Man is risen”? ¹¹ (to Jesus) Master, why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?
Jesus (thinking of John the Baptist): ¹² Elijah does come first to restore all things. They have it right. But there is something else written in the Scriptures about the Son of Man: He will have to suffer and be rejected. ¹³ Here’s the truth: Elijah has come; his enemies treated him with contempt and did what they wanted to him, just as it was written.
¹⁴ When they reached the rest of the disciples, Jesus saw that a large crowd had gathered and that among them the scribes were asking questions. ¹⁵ Right when the crowd saw Jesus, they were overcome with awe and surged forward immediately, nearly running over the disciples.
Jesus (to the scribes): ¹⁶ What are you debating with My disciples? What would you like to know?
Father (in the crowd): ¹⁷ Teacher, I have brought my son to You. He is filled with an unclean spirit. He cannot speak, ¹⁸ and when the spirit takes control of him, he is thrown to the ground to wail and moan, to foam at the mouth, to grind his teeth, and to stiffen up. I brought him to Your followers, but they could do nothing with him. Can You help us?
Jesus: ¹⁹ O faithless generation, how long must I be among you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.
²⁰ They brought the boy toward Jesus; but as soon as He drew near, the spirit took control of the boy and threw him on the ground, where he rolled, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus (to the father): ²¹ How long has he been like this?
Father: Since he was a baby. ²² This spirit has thrown him often into the fire and sometimes into the water, trying to destroy him. I have run out of options; I have tried everything. But if there’s anything You can do, please, have pity on us and help us.
Jesus: ²³ What do you mean, “If there’s anything?” All things are possible, if you only believe.
Father (crying in desperation): ²⁴ I believe, Lord. Help me to believe!
²⁵ Jesus noticed that a crowd had gathered around them now. He issued a command to the unclean spirit.
Jesus: Listen up, you no-talking, no-hearing demon. I Myself am ordering you to come out of him now. Come out, and don’t ever come back!
²⁶ The spirit shrieked and caused the boy to thrash about; then it came out of the boy and left him lying as still as death. Many of those in the crowd whispered that he was dead. ²⁷ But Jesus took the boy by the hand and lifted him to his feet.
²⁸ Later He and His disciples gathered privately in a house.
Disciples (to Jesus): Why couldn’t we cast out that unclean spirit?
Jesus: ²⁹ That sort of powerful spirit can only be conquered with much prayer and fasting.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Prayer and fasting. The secret to doing miraculous things in My name is to stay connected intimately with Me through prayer and fasting. The disciples who tried to expel the demon from the young man couldn’t do it because of their limited connection with Me. They didn’t have the deep connection that comes from knowing Me intimately.

Does that mean you must memorize every word of every book of the Bible? No, but you should read it. Read it through from cover to cover. It really isn’t that long, you know. In most translations, the Bible is only 1500 pages. That’s less than five average-sized novels. I guarantee you’ll get more out of My 1500 pages than you’ll ever get out of five novels.

Then talk to Me and use the time you would spend doing something else with Me. Fast for Me. In My time on earth, it often meant fasting from food because the time spent preparing meals for a day, eating, and cleaning up meant a great deal of time. Then you killed the animal, slaughtered it, roasted it, baked bread, and the process to eat took six to eight hours from start to finish. Fasting that time for Me meant spending that time with Me instead of spending it on the routine of preparing food and eating it.

What do you routinely that you can give up for Me? Maybe it’s a few hours of television each week. Maybe it’s those extra holes of golf or that Saturday afternoon ball game. Maybe it is a meal or two. The point is, spend time with Me and get to know Me. That’s how you learn to let Me work through you to do My will for others.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Prayer changes things (Job 10), October 22, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Job 10

Set – Job 10; Acts 15-16

Go! – Job 9-10; Acts 15-16

Job 10
Job: ¹I hate my life, so I will unload the full weight of my grievance against God.
Let me speak and reveal the bitterness I am harboring.
² I will say to God: Don’t find me guilty;
just explain the charges You have against me.
³ Does it please You to oppress,
and is this why You spurn me, the work of Your hands,
and yet Your smile shines down upon the plots of the wicked?
⁴ Do You have human eyes so that Your outlook is short?
Do You see as through human frailties?
⁵ Are Your days like mortals’ limited days?
Are Your years like mortals’ limited years?
⁶ Is this why You seek out my faults
or You go in search of all my error?
⁷ You know well that I am not guilty,
yet nothing can free me from Your overwhelming power.
⁸ Your hands formed and made me whole,
yet now You turn to crush.
⁹ Recall how You molded me like clay.
Will You now render me back to dust?
¹⁰ Didn’t You pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?
¹¹ Didn’t You clothe me in skin and flesh, weave my bone and sinew together?
¹² Your care has saved my spirit,
and You have given me life and loyalty;
¹³ Yet I know what is in You,
what Your heart has always hidden.
¹⁴ If I sin, You see it, watching ever so closely,
and You do not acquit me of my guilt.
¹⁵ If I am wicked, woe is me;
even if I am innocent, I cannot take a chance and lift my head
Because I’m gorged with disgrace.
Gaze on my misery!
¹⁶ If I do raise my head,
then like a lion, You hunt me;
Like a night sky turned threatening,
You unfold Your power against me so that others marvel;
¹⁷ Like a prosecutor, You drag in witnesses against me;
You escalate Your fury against me, coming in waves to pound on me.
¹⁸ So then, why did You bother to drag me out of the womb at all?
I should have just died before any eye could see me.
¹⁹ It should have been as though I had never been:
plucked from the womb, carried to the tomb.
²⁰ Aren’t my days almost finished anyway?
Stand back, leave me alone, and let me have a scrap of comfort
²¹ Before I go to the place from which I won’t return,
to the land of utter darkness and still shadows,
²² The land of deep, unending night,
of blackness and shadowy chaos
where the only illumination is more darkness.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

You think Job might have been a little discouraged, disillusioned, and depressed as he talked with Me? Those were dark days for Job. He lost everything except his wife who told him to curse Me and die. His three best friends searched his life for his hidden sins and tried their best to get him to confess to something he didn’t do. He grieved until there were no more tears to shed and then Satan afflicted him with boils so that he could find no comfortable position to even find a moments rest from the agony he endured.

Do you think he had a reason to cry out to Me with the prayer penned here? I do. By all appearances, I had abandoned Job for no reason that he could find. Job made and inventory of his life and could find nothing in our relationship that could cause the tremendous pain he endured at this point. I listened to his prayer, but I didn’t answer this one. I listened to his next one, but I didn’t answer that one either.

It’s good to note, though, that I didn’t add to his pain when he prayed to Me. As you go through Job’s prayers in the next several days, I want you see how his prayers change over time. As you know, I never answer his question as to why he suffers. Only Satan and I and those who read his story knew that answer. But Job’s prayers will change as he prays.

Prayer changes things. Sometimes I allow your prayers to change what I do. Sometimes I let your prayers change the circumstances around you. Sometimes I want your prayers to change you. See how Job changes through his prayers as you read them over the next days.

I changed Job through his trials. I can change you, too.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

God answers prayer on His timetable (Acts 12:6-19), October 20, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 12:6-19

Set – Job 7; Acts 12

Go! – Job 6-7; Acts 12

Acts 12:6-19
⁶ Their prayers were not answered, until the night before Peter’s execution.
Picture this event: Peter is sound asleep between two soldiers, double-chained, with still more guards outside the prison door watching for external intruders. ⁷ Suddenly the cell fills with light: it is a messenger of the Lord manifesting himself. He taps Peter on the side, awakening him.
Messenger of the Lord: Get up, quickly.
The chains fall off Peter’s wrists.
Messenger of the Lord: ⁸ Come on! Put on your belt. Put on your sandals.
Peter puts them on and just stands there.
Messenger of the Lord: Pull your cloak over your shoulders. Come on! Follow me!
⁹ Peter does so, but he is completely dazed. He doesn’t think this is really happening—he assumes he is dreaming or having a vision. ¹⁰ They pass the first guard. They pass the second guard. They come to the iron gate that opens to the city. The gate swings open for them on its own, and they walk into a lane. Suddenly the messenger disappears.
¹¹ Peter finally realized all that had really happened.
Peter: Amazing! The Lord has sent His messenger to rescue me from Herod and the public spectacle of my execution which the Jews fully expected.
¹² Peter immediately rushed over to the home of a woman named Mary. (Mary’s son, John Mark, would eventually become an important associate of the apostles.) A large group had gathered there to pray for Peter and his safety. ¹³ He knocked at the outer gate; and a maid, Rhoda, answered. ¹⁴ She recognized Peter’s voice, but she was so overcome with excitement that she left him standing on the street and ran inside to tell everyone.
Rhoda: Our prayers were answered! Peter is at the front gate!
Praying Believers: ¹⁵ Rhoda, you’re crazy!
Rhoda: No! Peter’s out there! I’m sure of it!
Praying Believers: Well, maybe it’s his guardian angel or something.
¹⁶ All this time, Peter was still out in the street, knocking on the gate. Finally they came and let him in. Of course, the disciples were stunned, and everyone was talking at once. ¹⁷ Peter motioned for them to quiet down and then told them the amazing story of how the Lord engineered his escape.
Peter: Could you please get word to James, our Lord’s brother, and the other believers that I’m all right?
Then he left to find a safer place to stay.
¹⁸ But when morning came and Peter was gone, there was a huge uproar among the soldiers. ¹⁹ Herod sent troops to find Peter, but he was missing. Herod interrogated the guards and ordered their executions. Peter headed down toward the coast to Caesarea, and he remained there.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

One thing you’ll notice about this story is that prayer works. My disciples spent time on their knees asking for Peter’s release and it happened. They pleaded with Me and I heard them. I had more for Peter to do and I sent one of My angels to release Peter’s chains and lead him through the prison and into the streets a free man.

Another thing you’ll notice from this story is that I didn’t answer their prayers until the last minute. Peter stayed in jail until the night before his execution. He was ready to die for Me, but shared his faith to those in the cell with him until it was time. I waited until it seemed too late before I rescued Peter. I waited until it seemed hopeless so that all would know that it was ony by My hand that Peter was rescued.

Third, you’ll notice that sometimes I work in extraordinary ways to accomplish My will in the world. Walking by two guards without notice, opening locked gates and allowing Peter to stand in the middle of the lane outside the prison was rather extraordinary. I work that way sometimes. I do the impossible and work in ways that cannot be explained except by the hand of a living God.

Sometimes, though, I work My will in the course of natural time and events. I’ll ask people to intervene for Me. I’ll put in their mind to assist Me in some way, to use their talents and skills for the benefit of others. I’ll put people in each other’s paths so that you can help each other and find solutions to life’s problems. I made you as interdependent people. I made you to build relationships with each other and to need each other. I didn’t make you to be hermits or to continually take from others, but to be interdependent. To give and take. To help each other throughout your lives.

I will answer your prayers the same way. Sometimes I will answer quickly in the way you want. Sometimes I will answer, but not necessarily in the way you want but in the way that is best for you. Sometimes I will wait until the very last minute to answer your prayers. Sometimes I will work in impossible ways to show My power and majesty and demonstrate to you and those around you that I am God. Sometimes I will bring someone into your path that will give just the right help needed at just the right time.

I will listen to your prayers and I will answer them just as I did for those praying for Peter.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Have an upper room experience (Acts 4:23-37), October 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Acts 4:23-37

Set – Malachi 2; Acts 4

Go! – Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1-2; Acts 4

Acts 4:23-37
²³ Peter and John, upon their release, went right to their friends and told the story—including the warning from the council. ²⁴ The whole community responded with this prayer to God:
Community of Believers: God, our King, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything they contain.²⁵ You are the One who, by the Holy Spirit, spoke through our ancestor David, Your servant, with these words:
Why did the nations rage?
Why did they imagine useless things?
²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand;
their rulers assembled in opposition
against the Eternal One and His Anointed King.
²⁷ This is exactly what has happened among us, here in this city. The foreign ruler Pontius Pilate and the Jewish ruler Herod, along with their respective peoples, have assembled in opposition to Your holy servant Jesus, the One You chose. ²⁸ They have done whatever Your hand and plan predetermined should happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, take note of their intimidations intended to silence us. Grant us, Your servants, the courageous confidence we need to go ahead and proclaim Your message ³⁰ while You reach out Your hand to heal people, enabling us to perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.
³¹ They finished their prayer, and immediately the whole place where they had gathered began to shake. All the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began speaking God’s message with courageous confidence.
³² During those days, the entire community of believers was deeply united in heart and soul to such an extent that they stopped claiming private ownership of their possessions. Instead, they held everything in common. ³³ The apostles with great power gave their eyewitness reports of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Everyone was surrounded by an extraordinary grace. ³⁴ Not a single person in the community was in need because those who had been affluent sold their houses or lands and brought the proceeds ³⁵ to the emissaries of the Lord. They then distributed the funds to individuals according to their needs. ^36-37 One fellow, a Cyprian Levite named Joseph, earned a nickname because of his generosity in selling a field and bringing the money to the apostles in this way. From that time on, they called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.”

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Something special happens when you really connect with Me. I’m not talking about regurgitating a rote prayer at mealtime or a sleepy prayer of “now I lay me down to sleep…”. I’m talking about doing what My disciples did when they spent time with Me in the upper room. A hundred twenty of them gathered together to get everything out in the open. They prayed until they got through to Me.

What does it take to do that? First, you have to get through to your brothers and sisters. Get the garbage out of the way between you. Forgive and offer grace between your fellow man. Make sure you extend grace to those around you to the extent you can and then come to Me with your petitions. It’s called love. Give grace as you’ve been given grace. Then touch heaven with your prayers. Let go of everything that hinders our relationship. Open yourself to Me.

That takes more than those perfunctory prayers you might be used to. It will take more than a few minutes of your time. It will take focused attention on My word and on Me. It will take getting out of the world and getting into My kingdom. Pray earnestly to receive My Spirit and let Me consume you. That’s what those 120 disciples did to receive My Spirit in the upper room.

What happens when you let go of yourself and let Me fill you with My Spirit? The impossible! You extend My grace to those around you. You’ll find that the grace you extend to your brothers and sisters extends beyond those to your enemies, to those that despise and persecute you. You become surrounded by My grace extended to all men and women so that they experience My love and mercy through you. You do the impossible.

You also become the instrument of the impossible by letting My Spirit work through you. See, you cannot do the impossible, but I can. And My hands can use you as the tool to implement My actions and work the impossible in the lives of those around you. I can do the impossible. I spoke and the worlds came into place. I spoke and created light and darkness. I spoke and life began. I molded you from the dust of the earth. Everything that is, came about because of an impossibility supplied by My hand.

Peter and John experience My impossible work through them. Many since them have experience My power at work through them. The impossible happens when you let My Spirit work through you. But it will only happen when you, like those in the upper room, really let Me take hold of your life and let Me work My plans through you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Get rid of the selfish streak (Luke 22:7-46), October 9, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 22:7-46

Set – Nehemiah 1; Psalms 133; Luke 22

Go! – Nehemiah 1-2; Psalms 133; Luke 22

Luke 22:7-46
⁷ They came to the Day of Unleavened Bread, a holy day when a special lamb (called the Passover lamb) had to be sacrificed. ⁸ Jesus chose Peter and John and gave them instructions.
Jesus: Go and make all the necessary preparations for the Passover meal so we can eat together.
Peter and John: ⁹ Where do You want us to make preparations?
Jesus: ¹⁰ When you enter the city, you’ll encounter a man carrying a jar of water. Just follow him wherever he goes, and when he enters a house, ¹¹ tell the homeowner, “The Teacher has this question for you: ‘Where is the guest room where I can share the Passover meal with My disciples?’” ¹² He’ll show you a spacious second-story room that has all the necessary furniture. That’s where you should prepare our meal.
¹³ They did as He said and found everything just as He said it would be, and they prepared the Passover meal. ¹⁴ When the meal was prepared, Jesus sat at the table, joined by His emissaries.
Jesus: ¹⁵ It has been My deep desire to eat this Passover meal with you before My suffering begins. ¹⁶ Know this: I will not eat another Passover meal until its meaning is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
¹⁷ He took a cup of wine and gave thanks for it.
Jesus: Take this; share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ Know this: I will not drink another sip of wine until the kingdom of God has arrived in fullness.
¹⁹ Then He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and shared it with them.
Jesus: This is My body, My body given for you. Do this to remember Me.
²⁰ And similarly, after the meal had been eaten, He took the cup.
Jesus: This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant, made in My blood. ²¹ But even now, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on this table. ²² As it has been determined, the Son of Man, that firstfruit of a new generation of humanity, must be betrayed, but how pitiful it will be for the person who betrays Him.
²³ They immediately began questioning each other.
Disciples: Which one of us could do such a horrible thing?
²⁴ Soon they found themselves arguing about the opposite question.
Disciples: Which one of us is the most faithful, the most important?
Jesus (interrupting): ²⁵The authority figures of the outsiders play this game, flexing their muscles in competition for power over one another, masking their quest for domination behind words like “benefactor” or “public servant.” ²⁶ But you must not indulge in this charade. Instead, among you, the greatest must become like the youngest and the leader must become a true servant. ²⁷ Who is greater right here as we eat this meal—those of us who sit at the table, or those who serve us? Doesn’t everyone normally assume those who are served are greater than those who serve? But consider My role among you. I have been with you as a servant.
²⁸ You have stood beside Me faithfully through My trials. ²⁹ I give you a kingdom, just as the Father has given Me a kingdom. ³⁰ You will eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will have authority over the twelve tribes of Israel.
³¹ Simon, Simon, how Satan has pursued you, that he might make you part of his harvest. ³² But I have prayed for you. I have prayed that your faith will hold firm and that you will recover from your failure and become a source of strength for your brothers here.
Peter: ³³ Lord, what are You talking about? I’m going all the way to the end with You—to prison, to execution—I’m prepared to do anything for You.
Jesus: ³⁴ No, Peter, the truth is that before the rooster crows at dawn, you will have denied that you even know Me, not just once, but three times. ³⁵ Remember when I sent you out with no money, no pack, not even sandals? Did you lack anything?
Disciples: Not a thing.
Jesus: ³⁶ It’s different now. If you have some savings, take them with you. If you have a pack, fill it and bring it. If you don’t have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. ³⁷ Here’s the truth: what the Hebrew Scriptures said, “And He was taken as one of the criminals,” must come to fruition in Me. These words must come true.
Disciples: ³⁸ Look, Lord, we have two swords here.
Jesus: That’s enough.
³⁹ Once again He left the city as He had been doing during recent days, returning to Mount Olivet along with His disciples. ⁴⁰ And He came to a certain place.
Jesus: Pray for yourselves, that you will not sink into temptation.
⁴¹ He distanced Himself from them about a stone’s throw and knelt there, ⁴² praying.
Jesus: Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me. Yet not My will, but Your will, be done.
⁴³ Then a messenger from heaven appeared to strengthen Him. ⁴⁴ And in His anguish, He prayed even more intensely, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. ⁴⁵ When He rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, weighed down with sorrow. ⁴⁶ He roused them.
Jesus: Why are you sleeping? Wake up and pray that you will not sink into temptation.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Can you believe it? I had just explained to My disciples the significance of the meal they were sharing with Me and they start talking about who was most important among them. That selfish streak that seems to pop its head up just couldn’t stay away. It would take another 50 days, until Pentecost, before they would really understand what losing themselves to Me really means. To find out what I wanted them to know, I asked them to pray. So they did. And they prayed some more. And then they prayed some more. Until finally they let go and let My Spirit purge their lives and take control of their whole being.

It can still happen today. I still want My children to experience Pentecost. I want My Spirit to flow through you as it did My disciples in the upper room. But it takes prayer, letting go, letting Me take charge of your life. I’ll do the same for you that I did for them. Be willing to spend time on your knees with Me and you’ll be amazed at what I can do for you.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Keep on…(Luke 11:1-13), September 28, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Luke 11:1-13

Set – Zechariah 2; Luke 11

Go! – Zechariah 1-3; Luke 11

Luke 11:1-13
¹ Another time Jesus was praying, and when He finished, one of His disciples approached Him.
Disciple: Teacher, would You teach us Your way of prayer? John taught his disciples his way of prayer, and we’re hoping You’ll do the same.
Jesus: ² Here’s how to pray:
Father [in heaven], may Your name be revered.
May Your kingdom come.
[May Your will be accomplished on earth
as it is in heaven.]
³ Give us the food we need for tomorrow,
⁴ And forgive us for our wrongs,
for we forgive those who wrong us.
And lead us away from temptation.
[And save us from the evil one.]
Imagine that one of your friends comes over at midnight. He bangs on the door and shouts, “Friend, will you lend me three loaves of bread? ⁶ A friend of mine just showed up unexpectedly from a journey, and I don’t have anything to feed him.” ⁷ Would you shout out from your bed, “I’m already in bed, and so are the kids. I already locked the door. I can’t be bothered”? ⁸ You know this as well as I do: even if you didn’t care that this fellow was your friend, if he keeps knocking long enough, you’ll get up and give him whatever he needs simply because of his brash persistence!
⁹ So listen: Keep on asking, and you will receive. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰ All who keep asking will receive, all who keep seeking will find, and doors will open to those who keep knocking.
¹¹ Some of you are fathers, so ask yourselves this: if your son comes up to you and asks for a fish for dinner, will you give him a snake instead? ¹² If your boy wants an egg to eat, will you give him a scorpion? ¹³ Look, all of you are flawed in so many ways, yet in spite of all your faults, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to all who ask!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Experts in any field recognize that repetition makes you an expert. Whether talking about sports, music, sciences, writing, art, or any other field, doing something many times makes you better and better the more you do it. So it is with seeking Me and My will for your life. The more you read My word, the better you understand Me and what I want for you. The more you listen to My voice, the easier it is to recognize My voice amidst the cacophony of voices around you.

Just coming to Me at an altar one day and asking for forgiveness doesn’t mean I’m through with you. I want you to continue to seek Me day after day, week after week, year after year for the rest of your life. I want you to become an expert at hearing My voice and finding Me in places others might never expect to find Me. But you will because you have become an expert at hearing My voice. I want you to know My voice the way a mother knows the single cry of her baby among the dozens of cries in a nursery.

That’s what I was trying to tell My disciples that day as they asked Me to teach them to pray. Prayer isn’t so much about form and getting the words right as it is about just talking with Me…a lot. Get to know Me. Spend time hanging out with Me. Take a look at My world and see My handiwork. Then talk to Me about what you think about it. Let Me know what you think about the world I made, the place you live, the family you have, the country you live in. Some things you won’t like about it, but that’s okay. Sin has left a lot of ugly scars on My creation, but Ican help you see beyond the scars and see the beauty of the world I created for you.

Tell Me about your problems. Tell Me about your blessings. Tell Me about the needs others have shared with you. Tell Me about your dreams. I want to know all about you and want to share My dreams for you. I have plans for you and when you get to know Me well, you will understand that I have your best in mind…always. So keep on asking, you’ll get better at asking and you’ll receive. Keep on seeking, you’ll get better at seeking and you’ll find. Keep on knocking, you’ll get better at knocking on My door and I’ll answer you. Keep on staying in touch with Me every way you know how. I’ll be here.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Can you relate to Daniel? (Daniel 9:1-19), September 22, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Daniel 9:1-19

Set – Daniel 9; Psalms 123; Luke 5

Go! – Daniel 9-10; Psalms 123; Luke 5

Daniel 9:1-19
Daniel: ^1-2 In the first year that Darius the Mede (Ahasuerus’ son) ruled over the Babylonians, I, Daniel, was studying the word of the Eternal One according to the prophet Jeremiah and discovered in the scrolls the number of years that Jerusalem must lie desolate before it is restored, that is, seventy years.
³ After learning this, I turned to the Lord God, praying diligently, begging for His mercy, grieving and fasting in sackcloth and ashes. ⁴ I prayed to the Eternal One my God, praising His greatness and confessing our sins: Lord God, You are great and awesome! You are always faithful to the covenant You made with us. Your unfailing love extends to all who love You and keep Your commandments. ⁵ But we have sinned and wronged You. We have acted wickedly in our rebellion, going so far as to disregard Your commandments and regulations. ⁶ We have ignored the message given through Your servants, the prophets, who spoke on Your behalf to our kings, princes, ancestors, indeed every last person of the land. ⁷ O Lord, You always do what is right. It is Your due, but we deserve nothing this day but public and open shame. The people of Judah, Jerusalem—indeed of all Israel, those who are in neighboring regions and those who are in the farthest reaches, driven into exile by You for all the treacherous acts they committed against You—we all deserve nothing but shame. ⁸ Eternal One, public and open shame is our due, for we have sinned against You, all of us, our kings, princes, and ancestors. ⁹ But You, O Lord our God, still show us compassion and forgiveness even though we have openly rebelled against You. ¹⁰ We have not obeyed the voice of the Eternal our God, for we have failed to live by the teachings You gave us directly through Your servants, the prophets. ¹¹ All the people of Israel have abandoned Your teachings, deserted Your covenant, and refused to obey Your voice. This is why the curse and the oath inscribed in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us—for we have sinned against You. ¹² By unleashing on us this great calamity, You have carried out Your solemn words warning us and our leaders who led us astray. Under all of heaven, nothing like what happened to Jerusalem has ever happened before. ¹³ All the calamity that has befallen us fulfills the warnings written in Moses’ law; but despite our adversity, we have not sought the favor of the Eternal our God by walking away from our sins and pursuing insight into Your truth. ¹⁴ And now we have earned the misery that the Eternal has stored up for us. Truly, the Eternal our God was right to do all He has done, for we refused to obey His voice.
¹⁵ Now, Lord our God, You have made Your name great among the nations to this day by liberating Your enslaved people from the land of Egypt with powerful deeds; yet we have sinned against You, our Liberator, and we have acted wickedly. ¹⁶ Lord, the reputation of Your city Jerusalem has suffered, and Your people are mocked by those around us because we and our ancestors have done wrong. I beg You to spare Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; turn away Your burning anger and fiery wrath from Your people according to all Your covenant mercies. ¹⁷ Now, God, please hear the prayers and petitions voiced today by your servant. Shine Your face on Your destroyed and desolate sanctuary for the sake of Your name, my Lord. ¹⁸ Lend an ear, my God, and hear this prayer. Open Your eyes and see our deserted streets and witness the devastation across the city that bears Your name. We are crying to You and asking for mercy, not because we are righteous and deserve it. No, we bring these petitions to you because we know of Your great mercy. ¹⁹ Lord, hear our prayer! Lord, forgive our sins! Lord, pay attention to our plight and act without delay, not for our sake, my God, but for Yours because these people and this city bear Your name.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I heard Daniel’s prayer. He was a faithful servant to Me. Daniel recognized he was a part of the nation and the nation abandoned Me. So Daniel pled for forgiveness for himself in his part as well as those of his countrymen.

Have you thought of the role you play in the demise of your country? Have you shared My message with those you influence each day? If you lived as Christ in front of your neighbors and co-workers and friends, would it make a difference in your behavior or theirs each day? If you did everything as if you were doing it for Me, would it make a difference in the quality of your work? Maybe it’s time to join Daniel and make his prayer your own! What would happen if all Christians in your country or state or city or church took his attitude in prayer? I might just hear you!

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Daniel’s habit (Daniel 6), September 20, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Daniel 6

Set – Daniel 6; Psalms 130; Luke 3

Go! – Daniel 5-6; Psalms 130; Luke 3

Daniel 6
¹ Darius decided to rule by stationing 120 officers strategically over the entire empire. ² Over the officers he appointed 3 governors, including Daniel, and required each officer to report directly to them. This way the new king hoped not to lose any territories from his recent conquests or the revenue they provided. ³ Because of Daniel’s exceptional abilities, it wasn’t long before he distinguished himself over the other governors and officers. So the king decided to appoint him as head over the entire realm. ⁴ This appointment did not sit well with the other leaders, so the governors and officers tried to find reasons to level charges against Daniel for the way he supervised the kingdom. Though they tried, they could find no basis for charges or any corruption in his office. Daniel was loyal and attentive in his duties.
Conspirators: ⁵ We will never find any credible basis for charges against Daniel for how he conducts his office. Perhaps we can uncover some suitable charge in regard to the law of his God.
⁶ The governors and officers agreed and went to the king with what they thought would be a way to entrap Daniel.
Conspirators (to the king): May King Darius live forever! ⁷ All the leaders of the empire—the governors, prefects, officers, advisors, and other administrators—have consulted together and are in complete agreement that the king should issue an edict and enforce it strictly to the effect that anyone who prays to another—whether divine or human—except for you, of course, good king, for a period of 30 days, will be thrown into the lions’ den. ⁸ Now, O king, we ask that you establish such an ordinance and sign it into law, so that it cannot be changed. For the laws enacted by the Medes and Persians cannot be rescinded.
⁹ After considering their proposal, King Darius signed the ordinance and made it law. ¹⁰ Even though Daniel was aware the king had signed the ordinance into law, he continued to do what he always did. He would go home, ascend the stairs to the upper room—which had windows facing toward Jerusalem—and get down on his knees three times a day and pray to his God and praise Him. ¹¹ One day the conspirators came to his house and found Daniel on his knees praying and seeking God’s help. ¹² So they went back to the king and asked to speak to him about the edict he had made.
Conspirators: O king! Did you not sign an edict expressly forbidding anyone, regardless of his nationality, to pray to another—whether divine or human—except for you, of course, good king, for a period of 30 days or else he would be thrown into the lion’s den?
Darius: Indeed. I did sign it, and I intend to enforce it according to the laws of the Medes and Persians. It cannot be rescinded. Why do you ask?
Conspirators (to the king): ¹³ Well, recently we found your servant, Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, kneeling and praying at his home three times a day to his God. He is ignoring you, O king, and the edict you signed into law.
¹⁴ When the king heard the charge, he was very upset. He thought a great deal of Daniel, so he tried to figure out a way to help him. All day long until evening he looked for some loophole in the law to keep Daniel from falling victim to his edict. ¹⁵ The conspirators returned to press the matter further.
Conspirators (to the king): We have no need to remind the king that according to the law of the Medes and Persians, no edict established by the king can be revoked, changed, or ignored.
¹⁶ With his honor at stake, the king had no choice. He gave the order for Daniel to be captured. Before Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions, the king spoke to him.
Darius: May your God, the God you have served so faithfully, rescue you!
¹⁷ Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den and a stone was brought in and placed over the opening to shut the mouth of the den. The king himself sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his nobles. That way no one could tamper with the pit and nothing could happen to change Daniel’s fate. ¹⁸ The king retired to his palace and spent the night fasting. That evening he stayed to himself, turning down his regular evening musical entertainment. When he finally went to bed, he could not sleep.
¹⁹ When first light of morning finally arrived, the king got up and didn’t waste any time returning to the lions’ den.
²⁰ As he drew near the den, with anguish in his voice he called out to Daniel, hoping somehow he was still alive.
Darius: Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, the One you have served so faithfully, been able to rescue you from these hungry lions?
Daniel (to the king): ²¹ Long live the king! ²² As soon as you shut the mouth of this den, My God sent His heavenly representative to shut the mouths of these hungry lions so that they could not hurt me. He has rescued me because I am as innocent before Him as I am before you, O king. I have done you no harm.
²³ The king could hardly contain his excitement and joy. He ordered that Daniel be taken up out of the lions’ den. He was removed and examined carefully, but not even a scratch was found on him—all because he put his trust in His God. ²⁴ The king gave yet another order; this time he demanded that those who accused Daniel of wrongdoing be captured and thrown into the lions’ den—but not only them—their wives and children too. As they were being pushed into the den, before they even hit the bottom, the lions jumped on them, overpowered them, and crushed their bones in their powerful jaws.
²⁵ Afterward King Darius sent a message to all the peoples through the world, regardless of their heritage, nationality, or language.
Message: May peace and prosperity be yours! ²⁶ I decree that all people everywhere who live under my sovereign rule ought to tremble before and fear the God of Daniel.
For He is the living God,
and He will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be overthrown;
His reign will know no end.
²⁷ He saves and rescues those who fear Him,
performing signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;
For He has rescued His servant Daniel
from the power of the lions.
²⁸ With his enemies defeated, Daniel continued to thrive during the reign of Darius and into the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

You think your problem is bigger than Daniel’s? You think I can’t handle it? Read his story again. If I can close the mouths of a den of lions kept hungry to devour their intended prey, I can solve your problems, too. What was Daniel’s secret to My protection over him? He trusted Me in the good times and the bad. Remember his habit? He went to his room and faced Jerusalem three times a day and prayed, praising Me for his blessings. You might be surprised what a difference it makes in your life if you picked up Daniel’s habit and prayed, praising Me for your blessings.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Spend time with God (Psalm 145), September 15, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 145

Set – Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Go! – Ezekiel 38-39; Psalms 145; Revelation 20

Psalms 145
¹ I will lift my praise above everything to You, my God and King!
I will continually bless Your name forever and always.
² My praise will never cease—
I will praise You every day;
I will lift up Your name forever.
3 The Eternal is great and deserves endless praise;
His greatness knows no limit, recognizes no boundary.
No one can measure or comprehend His magnificence.
⁴ One generation after another will celebrate Your great works;
they will pass on the story of Your powerful acts to their children.
⁵ Your majesty and glorious splendor have captivated me;
I will meditate on Your wonders, sing songs of Your worth.
⁶We confess—there is nothing greater than You, God, nothing mightier than Your awesome works.
I will tell of Your greatness as long as I have breath.
⁷ The news of Your rich goodness is no secret—
Your people love to recall it
and sing songs of joy to celebrate Your righteousness.
⁸ The Eternal is gracious.
He shows mercy to His people.
For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.
⁹ But the Eternal’s goodness is not exclusive—it is offered freely to all.
His mercy extends to all His creation.
¹⁰ All creation will stand in awe of You, O Eternal One.
Thanks will pour from the mouths of every one of Your creatures;
Your holy people will bless You.
¹¹ They will not be silent; they will talk of the grandeur of Your kingdom
and celebrate the wonder of Your power
¹² Until everyone on earth who has ears to hear knows Your valiant acts
and the splendor of Your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom will never end;
Your rule will endure forever.
You are faithful to Your promise,
and Your acts are marked with grace.
¹⁴ The Eternal sustains all who stumble on their way.
For those who are broken down, God is near. He raises them up in hope.
¹⁵ All eyes have turned toward You, waiting in expectation;
when they are hungry, You feed them right on time.
¹⁶ The desires of every living thing
are met by Your open hand.
¹⁷ The Eternal is right in all His ways,
and He is kind in all His acts.
¹⁸ The Eternal stays close to those who call on Him,
those who pray sincerely.
¹⁹ All of you who revere Him—
God will satisfy your desires.
He hears the cries for help, and He brings salvation.
²⁰ All of you who love God—
He will watch out for you,
but total destruction is around the corner for all the wicked.
²¹ My lips will sing the praise of the Eternal.
Let every creature join me and praise the holy name of God—forever and always!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

David sang of Me and he sang to Me. His songs of praise filled his courts continually and filled My tabernacle day and night. I love to hear the praises of My people. David learned to trust Me in the good and bad seasons of life. He knew I was there for him. He learned I would always be with him and would never fail in My purposes for his life. Sometimes the days might look dark, but I was always in control and nothing ever happens outside of what I allow. I know you and I know what is best for those who follow Me.

Sometimes it was hard for even David to realize the situations he faced were temporary and My will for him would carry him to greater blessings. But David would stop and remember this world is temporary. You are not made for this world alone. When Adam fell to the temptations of Satan, I made a way of salvation for him and those who came behind him. Even though I made death one of the curses he faced, I also created a new home for those who accepted My salvation and turned back to Me.

Heaven is real. I have prepared it for all who believe in Me. I began preparing it at the first sin in the Garden of Eden when I also made a way of repentance and restoration for humankind’s immortal soul. I want you to desire to be with Me as much as I desire to be with you. David learned that lesson as he came to know Me on those wilderness hills tending sheep and never forgot those lessons. He put many of those lessons into verse and sang them to the sheep under his charge as a shepherd and sang them to the flock I gave him as king.

You can sing those same songs from your heart as you learn of Me, not just as God, but as your Savior, as your provider, as your creator, as your friend. David learned much about Me because he spoke with Me consistently and constantly about his life, his joys, his sorrows, his problems, his blessings. David didn’t want to know about Me, he wanted to know Me. So he spent time with Me on those Judean hillsides talking with Me. And I shared much with him that helped him write his songs.

Read David’s words again in Psalm 145 again today. Read them two or three times. Recognize the depths of understanding David had of Me. You can know Me, too. Just spend time with Me. I know you well. I’d like you to get to know Me better.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Learn from David’s prayer (Psalm 144), August 27, 2015

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Psalms 144

Set – Psalms 144; Revelation 1

Go! – Jeremiah 52; Psalms 143-144; Revelation 1

Psalms 144
¹ Blessed be the Eternal, my rock.
He trains my hands for war, gives me the skills I need for battle.
² He is my unfailing love and my citadel.
He is my tower of strength and my deliverer.
He is my shield of protection and my shelter;
He holds my people in check under me.
³ O Eternal One, what is man, that You even care to know him?
or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
⁴ Humans are like a passing breath;
their time on earth is like a shadow that passes over us during the day and soon is gone.
⁵ Eternal One, stretch out an opening in the heavens, and descend.
Touch the mountains, and make them smoke.
⁶ Send forth bolts of lightning, and scatter my enemies.
Shoot Your fiery arrows, and rout the enemy.
⁷ Reach down from Your high place;
save me out of the great waters;
rescue me from the grasp of these foreigners
⁸ Who speak only lies
and don’t have truth in their deeds.
⁹ To You, my God, I will sing a new song;
I will sing Your sweet praises to the sound of a ten-stringed harp,
¹⁰ For You deliver kings from their enemies
and You rescue Your servant, David, from the sword of evil.
¹¹ Rescue me,
and save me from the grasp of these foreigners
Who speak only lies
and don’t have truth in their deeds.
¹² May our sons be like healthy plants
as they grow and mature,
And may our daughters be like the corner pillars
that decorate a palace.
¹³ May our storehouses be full
with abundant supplies of every crop,
And may the flocks of our fields
multiply into thousands and tens of thousands!
¹⁴ May our cattle be strong and productive,
without miscarriage, without loss,
and may there be no riots or protests in our streets!
¹⁵ Happy are the people for whom all this is true;
happy are the people whose God is the Eternal!

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

Did you notice David’s pattern of prayer in his psalm? He recognized who I am. He asked for protection. He praised Me again. He asked for protection. He gives a blessing to My people. That’s not a bad way to think about prayer. Praise and blessings need to outweigh your petitions. But then, when you focus your attention on Me, it will.

As you walk with Me, you’ll find your prayers turning that direction. It’s not that I’m not interested in your petitions. I am. I’m interested in every aspect of your life. But you’ll find that the closer you walk with Me, you’ll become more interested in My plans than yours. You’ll want to know more about what I want from you than what you want from Me. You’ll begin to see the world around you from a whole new perspective. You begin to see with kingdom eyes.

I told you that you would be in the world but not of the world. You’ll see the world with My eyes. You’ll see it’s needs. You’ll see it’s evil. You’ll see it’s false wisdom. You’ll see it’s idolatry. You’ll see it’s selfishness. You’ll see it running toward hell.

You will see My tears as I cry for My creation and long for souls to listen to My followers. You’ll see My tears as those who say they believe in Me sit on the side lines and watch passively as thousands around them race past them oblivious to the fact that they are destined for destruction. You’ll see why I sorrow as you observe the spiritual state of humankind. And you’ll long to do something about it.

Like David and My prophets you will pray. You will ask Me to intervene and praise Me for what I’ve done for you. You will recognize My power to save and sing praises because of it. You will ask Me to help you stop the flood of people rushing toward destruction and praise Me for using you in whatever way I choose to do so. You will ask Me to bless all who are part of My plan to share the message of salvation and pour out your heart to Me in thanksgiving because of who I am and what I do for you each day.

Walk with Me and watch your prayer life change. David’s did. All My followers change because I won’t let you stay the way you are. I want you to become more like Me. Dig in and learn from Me.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.