powerlessness

Opening Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that when we were utterly powerless in our sin and struggle, you died for the ungodly.  Help us to live in that power today, and not in our own.

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8

Journal: What does God want to say to you through his word today?  How are you experiencing powerlessness and helplessness in your struggle against sin?  What does it look like to surrender and submit to Jesus?

Reflection: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

When will we ever get it through our heads that apart from Jesus we are utterly powerless?  We keep trying to do it on our own, but we just keep “missing the mark” (the definition of the Greek word for sin).  And we will continue to miss the mark until we surrender our attempts to do it ourselves and submit to the power of Jesus to claim the victory for us that we can never achieve for ourselves.  We can’t, but he can.  Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!

Pray

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, maybe I keep failing because I keep trying to do it on my own.  I am powerless to do anything but miss the mark apart from you.  Lord Jesus, have mercy on me!

stop

Opening Prayer: O Lord, help us to realize that stopping is not just a suggestion, it is a command.  It is woven into the very fabric of our DNA.  Thus, when we refuse to stop, we are tearing away at the very image of God inside of us. 

Scripture: Exodus 20:8-11

Journal: What does stopping look like for you?  Do you do it?  Why or why not?  How might you take God up on his invitation/command to stop and rest?

Reflection: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11, ESV)

“Stop means stop.  Stop worrying, stop spinning, stop striving, stop being anxious. Stop your mind from constantly working.  Stop planning, stop strategizing, stop scheming, stop jockeying.  Stop and find your rest in Me.  Be still and know that I am God.”  

Pray

Closing Prayer: O Lord, help me to never think so highly of myself—my own gifts, efforts, and impact—that I somehow convince myself that I am indispensable and unable to stop.  You stopped and rested, so if I want to be like you, I should too. 

the peace of Christ

Opening Prayer: O peace of Christ, rule in my heart today.  Drive out all fear and doubt, all anxiety and insecurity, and make my heart your home.

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

Journal: What is ruling in your heart right now?  What would it look like to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart

Reflection: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.” (Col. 3:15)

Something is going to rule in your heart today.  Why not let it be the peace of Christ?  Isn’t love a better motivation for living a life that is whole and abundant and free than fear is?  Choosing to believe that you are, indeed, chosen, holy, and dearly loved is the way to making the peace of Christ a reality in your heart.  It’s really just a choice, but one that you must make every minute of every day.

Why let fear and anxiety have free reign in you?  What kind of life is that to live?  Make a choice. Choose to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.  It is much more of a choice than you think it is.  Choose his peace.  Choose his life.  Choose freedom.

Pray

Closing Prayer: “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19) Hear the voice of Jesus today in prayer, offering you his peace.

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resurrection life

Opening Prayer: Risen Jesus, come into our lives today and tell us about the lives you long for us to live.

Scripture: Acts 9:1-9

Journal: What is the risen Jesus saying to you today?

Reflection:

resurrection life

when we encounter

the risen Jesus

lives are halted

agendas are dropped

plans are abandoned

missions are received

and lives are changed

starting with our own

Pray

Closing Prayer: “Who are you, Lord?  And what do you want?”

wait to soar

Opening Prayer: But those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Scripture: Isaiah 40:27-31

Journal: How is God asking you to wait for him?  How is that waiting an invitation to renewal?  How is he inviting your to soar?

Reflection: It is only by waiting for the Lord that we learn to soar.  For on our own, all we can do is toil and labor and grow weary.  Soaring requires his breath and his strength, not our own.  For our strength will eventually give out, but not his.  He never gets tired or weary and his strength never fails.  So wait for the Lord and let him empower you to heights and depths you never imagined.  That is his invitation to you today.

Pray

Closing Prayer: But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.  They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. (Isaiah 40:31, MSG)

scars

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you are alive!  But even alive, you still bear your risen wounds.  Why is that?  What do you want me to do with that?  How does that offer me life and hope and healing?  How is it meant to offer life and hope and healing to others?  Speak to me this morning about your risen wounds, as well as my own.

Scripture: John 20:20

Journal: How did the wounds of Jesus offer life and healing and hope to the disciples that day?  Has do they offer the same to us?  What are your deepest wounds?  What is the story behind them.  How has the healing and wholeness God has offered you something he wants you to pass on the others?

Reflection: Every scar has a story.  So it’s not the scar itself that holds the healing power, but the story behind it.  The problem is that for many of us we carry the scar but have not completed the story.  We’re just stuck in the pain.  We haven’t been good stewards of our wounds.  For until there is healing, there is no real value in the scar.  It has no healing quality to it.  So we must be good stewards of our pain.  We must let God do his work in us through it.  We must begin to understand the story behind our wounds and our scars, or they will never be of value to anyone, including ourselves.

Pray

Closing Prayer: Touch me and heal me, Lord Jesus.  Bring me to life and raise me from the dead.  Help me show others how you have raised me, healed me, and made me whole.  Make my risen wounds a source of life and hope and healing to others.