What a whirlwind couple of months for the entire world! The deepest recession America has experienced since the Great Depression has sent the entire world into a tail-spin of fear and financial panic. In the month of December, over 250,000 Americans became unemployed amidst an environment where jobs are fewer and home foreclosures are at an all time high.
Will the downfallen turn away from the Lord feeling forsaken and forgotten? Does the gospel teach that the trials, pains, and hardships we face in life indicate that they have befallen us occur because of our lack of faith?
The "Prosperity" based gospel is one that indicates that both of these are true. This is not what Christ taught, however. If you believe that as a follower of Christ you are entitled to a first class lifestyle, then I encourage you to review this article explaining the fallacy of this view point.
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Let me ask you this. Did Jesus lead a luxurious lifestyle? Which of his disciples spoke of their 401k or worldly investment strategies? None of them would have been welcome into a modern country club. None of them set an example of storing up piles of gold so they could dole it out when they encountered the needy. The examples we've been given to follow teach us to lead a life of service to others, to become detached from worldly possessions. They repeatedly teach us to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth, and that we should not only expect hardships like those that many are facing today, but we should rejoice in them as an opportunity to demonstrate our faith in God.
I'm not saying the thought of losing your house, your job, your car, or putting your family into financial straights isn't a terrifying one. I'm saying that this is a worldly reminder that as humans we do not have the control over our circumstances that we often believe we do. I'm saying that now is the time for those in trouble and those still solvent should be leaning on the Lord more than ever and serving to fulfill his purpose, not our own.
The Prosperity Gospel belief that faith and words oblige God to help you places your self image as equal or greater than the creator of the universe, and that is down right illogical. The gifts you receive from the Lord are exactly that, gifts. They're gifts you don't deserve, but gifts that are given by a loving and patient creator who has plans for your life.
How have you been using those gifts? Are you serving others? Are you seeing the Lord work through you in those endeavors? Take some time this week to think about how God is working in your life, and how you're working for him.
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
We have an opportunity now to really help others! Now is the greatest opportunity in this century to fulfill one of the simplest requests of our savior, Jesus Christ. He doesn't say let your light so shine so that you can earn your first class ticket. He doesn't want you to look good for your friends and neighbors. He wants you to follow the example He set for us, and give glory and thanks to God, and you know what? You can DO IT!!
Today's Prayer:
Lord, thank you so much for the example you gave us. I love you, and I am so thankful to you for all the gifts you have given me yesterday, today, and will provide tomorrow. Father, please be with those who are fearful in these trying times. I ask that you give me the opportunity to see those who need your Word spoken into their lives, those who need the gospel...the good news...that can only be found by placing their lives and wills in your hands. Help me to shine before men, to mirror your glory and to accomplish the tasks you have set before me.
Amen.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Scent of a Woman
Al Pacino played a very memorable character in the movie "Scent of a Woman". Perhaps I am dating myself slightly by mentioning this movie, but in the film a blind ex-military officer finds a reason to keep living in the friendship of a young college student. The college student with a blue collar heritage finds the courage to stand up in the face of adversity, peer pressure, and inequality at an ivy league school. The movie culminates into a courtroom style hearing where the young man is standing trial for not revealing the names of three pranksters who offended one of the schools officials. In the pivotal moment, Al Pacino's character speaks in defense of the young man's honor compared to his own saying, "Now, have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew, but I never took it. You know why? It was too damned hard."
Most of the time we know what the right and wrong thing to do is, but as Pacino points out, taking the wrong path is so much easier. It's more comfortable or convenient at the time. It puts more money in your pocket. It keeps people from being angry at you. Sometimes, it keeps you from being hurt or even killed. I don't think anyone has any confusion as to why temptation is so hard to resist, but it is very important that we do.
Each step that we take away from God by giving into temptation adds a little bit more wickedness to our lives. Sometimes it is such a small amount that we don't even give it a second thought, but it adds up. In Matthew 24, Jesus answers his disciples questions about how they could recognize the end-times nearing, and he gives them a very clear picture of how this culminates into the destruction of the world as we know it.
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. " Matthew 24:12 -13
Stand firm - Sounds a lot like encouraging drug addicts to just quit, like telling the abused wife to just deal with it, like telling the unemployed father to just pull up his boot straps. It's harder than it sounds, but what's key in this passage is two things: First, this is the first speech where Jesus openly admits he is the Christ messiah that was prophesied. This isn't a conservative suburbanite showing up at a halfway house peddling sunshine and telling you to be strong. This is the savior of the world who died for our sins telling you not only will it be hard now, it's going to get worse. It's going to get worse, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The second thing this passage promises is that if you stand firm, you will be saved with an eternal existence in God's holy presence.
You've spent some time thinking about what tempts you and how it makes you feel. Now spend some time thinking about standing firm and what that will look like, what that will feel like, and how it will sound. When boxers have to face a tough opponent, they practice before hand. When a singer must perform in front of a large audience, she rehearses prior to the show. In your quiet time with the Lord, ask him to give you a clear picture of what standing firm will look like, and practice doing so. If you fail, treat it like any sin and confess it, ask forgiveness, and then accept that grace from your Father in heaven. Then, continue to work towards a firm stand against temptation by trusting in God and remembering that having the chance to be with him is why you're resisting temptation in the first place.
Todays Prayer:
Lord, God almighty, thank you for your Word. Let it speak to us, Father, and make our paths straight. Give us a clear map to follow to reach the destinations where You want us and then help us mirror Your glory for those we might help. Lord, help us to stand firm when confronted with temptation and give us the wisdom to recognize when those moments occur. Help us to rehearse these situations in Your presence so that we can make You proud when they happen. We love you, Father, and ask these things in the name of your son Jesus.
Amen.
Most of the time we know what the right and wrong thing to do is, but as Pacino points out, taking the wrong path is so much easier. It's more comfortable or convenient at the time. It puts more money in your pocket. It keeps people from being angry at you. Sometimes, it keeps you from being hurt or even killed. I don't think anyone has any confusion as to why temptation is so hard to resist, but it is very important that we do.
Each step that we take away from God by giving into temptation adds a little bit more wickedness to our lives. Sometimes it is such a small amount that we don't even give it a second thought, but it adds up. In Matthew 24, Jesus answers his disciples questions about how they could recognize the end-times nearing, and he gives them a very clear picture of how this culminates into the destruction of the world as we know it.
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. " Matthew 24:12 -13
Stand firm - Sounds a lot like encouraging drug addicts to just quit, like telling the abused wife to just deal with it, like telling the unemployed father to just pull up his boot straps. It's harder than it sounds, but what's key in this passage is two things: First, this is the first speech where Jesus openly admits he is the Christ messiah that was prophesied. This isn't a conservative suburbanite showing up at a halfway house peddling sunshine and telling you to be strong. This is the savior of the world who died for our sins telling you not only will it be hard now, it's going to get worse. It's going to get worse, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The second thing this passage promises is that if you stand firm, you will be saved with an eternal existence in God's holy presence.
You've spent some time thinking about what tempts you and how it makes you feel. Now spend some time thinking about standing firm and what that will look like, what that will feel like, and how it will sound. When boxers have to face a tough opponent, they practice before hand. When a singer must perform in front of a large audience, she rehearses prior to the show. In your quiet time with the Lord, ask him to give you a clear picture of what standing firm will look like, and practice doing so. If you fail, treat it like any sin and confess it, ask forgiveness, and then accept that grace from your Father in heaven. Then, continue to work towards a firm stand against temptation by trusting in God and remembering that having the chance to be with him is why you're resisting temptation in the first place.
Todays Prayer:
Lord, God almighty, thank you for your Word. Let it speak to us, Father, and make our paths straight. Give us a clear map to follow to reach the destinations where You want us and then help us mirror Your glory for those we might help. Lord, help us to stand firm when confronted with temptation and give us the wisdom to recognize when those moments occur. Help us to rehearse these situations in Your presence so that we can make You proud when they happen. We love you, Father, and ask these things in the name of your son Jesus.
Amen.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tempting Thought!
What are you tempted by? Do you know? You are tempted every single day to do something that isn't in your best interests, doesn't mirror God's glory, and often doesn't make you look like a good person to others and or to yourself. Maybe your temptation is as minor as having something sweet when you're trying to diet or as severe as stopping into the local bar before heading home to drink your problems away, knowing full well that it will result in another night of screaming at and hitting the people you love most.
Temptation has a simple definition, but means something different to each of us. Like the Greek hero Achilles, each of us has a unique set of weakness that Satan uses to drive a wedge between us and salvation. Many of our weaknesses are unique, too. What seems a trivial event for one man can lead another to ruin and debauchery. Things as simple as a cold beer at a backyard cookout or a $20 card game with co-workers on a Friday night can have completely different outcomes for two people based on the weaknesses they face in their personal journey.
At some point, we all give in to the temptation and fail to live up to God's expectations of us, too. Although often we recognize that what we're doing is a sin as we do it, there are times where we're tempted and don't even realize it because of attitudes, preconceptions, and biases that blind us from the danger of our actions. The old saying that the path to hell is paved with good intentions is right on the money, and I think everyone can give at least one example of a time they thought they were doing the right thing, but later found that wasn't the case.
I am going to spend the next few days exploring the topic of temptation, and as we enter into the weekend, I ask that you spend some time thinking about the temptations and weakness you are confronted with most often. You will have a much better chance of resisting temptation if you recognize it, and by searching your personal attitudes, your values, and the motivations behind your actions you will prepare yourself for the next encounter. A good way to start is to think of the things you often want to do, but that make you feel bad about yourself for doing them or have a negative outcome. Smoking is a good example. I don't think there is a smoker alive today that doesn't know the negative effects that nicotine and tar will have on their health. Take a minute to really understand why you are driven to do these things, why doing it makes you feel sadness or pain, and everyone who is impacted when you choose to give in to the temptation.
Even the best spiritual soil has temptation, and as you explore yours, remember what Paul points out in his first letter to the Corinthian church:
"God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. "
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
Whatever it is you're facing, you can beat it. What's more, you don't actually have to face it. You can just get away from it because God has given you a way out. You just have to look for it. Keep Paul's words close to your heart as you explore your personal temptations, and believe in yourself the way the Lord believes in you. You are strong because He is!
Today's Prayer:
Father, we thank you so much for Your faith in us, a faith that none of us deserves because we continually let You down. You are magnificent, Father; creator of the universe and source of all joy. We humbly ask that You forgive us for our failures, Lord, and help us to recognize our weaknesses so that we might better reflect the strength You have placed in us and inspire others to seek Your grace. All things are possible in You, Lord, and it is with You that we place our trust.
In the name of your son, Jesus, we give You praise and humbly ask You to light our way.
Amen.
Temptation has a simple definition, but means something different to each of us. Like the Greek hero Achilles, each of us has a unique set of weakness that Satan uses to drive a wedge between us and salvation. Many of our weaknesses are unique, too. What seems a trivial event for one man can lead another to ruin and debauchery. Things as simple as a cold beer at a backyard cookout or a $20 card game with co-workers on a Friday night can have completely different outcomes for two people based on the weaknesses they face in their personal journey.
At some point, we all give in to the temptation and fail to live up to God's expectations of us, too. Although often we recognize that what we're doing is a sin as we do it, there are times where we're tempted and don't even realize it because of attitudes, preconceptions, and biases that blind us from the danger of our actions. The old saying that the path to hell is paved with good intentions is right on the money, and I think everyone can give at least one example of a time they thought they were doing the right thing, but later found that wasn't the case.
I am going to spend the next few days exploring the topic of temptation, and as we enter into the weekend, I ask that you spend some time thinking about the temptations and weakness you are confronted with most often. You will have a much better chance of resisting temptation if you recognize it, and by searching your personal attitudes, your values, and the motivations behind your actions you will prepare yourself for the next encounter. A good way to start is to think of the things you often want to do, but that make you feel bad about yourself for doing them or have a negative outcome. Smoking is a good example. I don't think there is a smoker alive today that doesn't know the negative effects that nicotine and tar will have on their health. Take a minute to really understand why you are driven to do these things, why doing it makes you feel sadness or pain, and everyone who is impacted when you choose to give in to the temptation.
Even the best spiritual soil has temptation, and as you explore yours, remember what Paul points out in his first letter to the Corinthian church:
"God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. "
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
Whatever it is you're facing, you can beat it. What's more, you don't actually have to face it. You can just get away from it because God has given you a way out. You just have to look for it. Keep Paul's words close to your heart as you explore your personal temptations, and believe in yourself the way the Lord believes in you. You are strong because He is!
Today's Prayer:
Father, we thank you so much for Your faith in us, a faith that none of us deserves because we continually let You down. You are magnificent, Father; creator of the universe and source of all joy. We humbly ask that You forgive us for our failures, Lord, and help us to recognize our weaknesses so that we might better reflect the strength You have placed in us and inspire others to seek Your grace. All things are possible in You, Lord, and it is with You that we place our trust.
In the name of your son, Jesus, we give You praise and humbly ask You to light our way.
Amen.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
It's not fair, is it?
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. " - Matthew 20:1
There are still people in this world making a living performing day labor like the men in this story that Jesus tells his disciples, and just like back then, they were considered poor people. Having worked under salary for so long, it's hard for me to imagine standing on the corner and hoping someone will come by with work, but even some of the best paid salary employees in Corporate America throw out the same complaints as these field workers.
In this story, the ones who are hired to work early in the morning and the ones who are hired towards the end of the day are all paid the same amount; one denarius. Doesn't seem fair does it? It's much like the guy who is the first one into the office, works through lunch, and the last one out the door at 8pm, missing dinner with his spouse and family. He likely makes the same salary as the guy who is fifteen minutes late, takes a 2 hour lunch, and then leave 30 minutes before five so he can pick his son up from school.
This prideful anger can be found anywhere, can't it? When you get right down to it, it's the urge to cry out, "That's not fair!". Maybe you've heard this argument at a birthday party where one kid got a bigger piece of cake than another child. Perhaps you heard something similar when one grad student got a better score on their Comps than another because the questions seemed more difficult. Perhaps if you were chosen for layoff over newer, less experienced, and higher paid employees you would feel the overwhelming urge to scream it from the parking lot.
I'm not going to tell you what your mother would; "Who said life ways always fair?". I'm going to tell you what Jesus said. In the story, the man explained to the workers:
"Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" Matthew 20-13
Jesus points out "That's not fair!" is an expression of envy, a sin. Not only that, he starts this story by saying the kingdom of heaven is like this vineyard, where the last will be first and the first will be last. It's a place where the man who only works one hour is made equal to the man who worked the entire day. This is a good thing, isn't it?
Lets say you die tonight and go to heaven. You're standing before the throne of God, and there isn't this rule of equality that God has graciously put before us. Imagine if he held you to the same standards you hold your friends, family, and coworkers to. Remember, in an eternal heaven, you're competing with the entire span of human history. You would be sized up against King David, Elijah, Mother Theresa, and Billy Graham, just to name a few, not counting any of the pastors that helped spread the church, the missionaries martyred in the name of Christ, the children who praise God around the world while they're starving to death.
What exactly do we do each day that will earn the noble title from our Father in Heaven of his "Good and faithful servant"?
The good news is that God has already worked that out for you by sending his only son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for your sins, failures, and short comings. The good news is that even if today is the first day you start to contribute, if this very moment is the moment where you give your life to Christ unabashedly and completely, you're held equal to all of them.
Being saved is not about the "good works" you do or how many you complete. It's about the reason you want to do good works to begin with and who gets credit for them.
The prayer for today:
Lord Jesus,
We praise You. We love You, Jesus, and we humbly worship You now, asking Your forgiveness for our short comings. When we get scared, or hurt, or angry, we harbor a darkness inside of us that can grow and consume us physically and mentally. Please enter my heart and cleanse me of the prideful sins that confuse me into thinking I deserve any of the gifts you have given me. I ask that you help me to be a beacon that radiates Your glory, a voice that shares Your words and a servant that carries out Your will. Father, let my actions bring your glory because they are of Your doing in me, and You deserve all the glory.
Amen.
There are still people in this world making a living performing day labor like the men in this story that Jesus tells his disciples, and just like back then, they were considered poor people. Having worked under salary for so long, it's hard for me to imagine standing on the corner and hoping someone will come by with work, but even some of the best paid salary employees in Corporate America throw out the same complaints as these field workers.
In this story, the ones who are hired to work early in the morning and the ones who are hired towards the end of the day are all paid the same amount; one denarius. Doesn't seem fair does it? It's much like the guy who is the first one into the office, works through lunch, and the last one out the door at 8pm, missing dinner with his spouse and family. He likely makes the same salary as the guy who is fifteen minutes late, takes a 2 hour lunch, and then leave 30 minutes before five so he can pick his son up from school.
This prideful anger can be found anywhere, can't it? When you get right down to it, it's the urge to cry out, "That's not fair!". Maybe you've heard this argument at a birthday party where one kid got a bigger piece of cake than another child. Perhaps you heard something similar when one grad student got a better score on their Comps than another because the questions seemed more difficult. Perhaps if you were chosen for layoff over newer, less experienced, and higher paid employees you would feel the overwhelming urge to scream it from the parking lot.
I'm not going to tell you what your mother would; "Who said life ways always fair?". I'm going to tell you what Jesus said. In the story, the man explained to the workers:
"Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" Matthew 20-13
Jesus points out "That's not fair!" is an expression of envy, a sin. Not only that, he starts this story by saying the kingdom of heaven is like this vineyard, where the last will be first and the first will be last. It's a place where the man who only works one hour is made equal to the man who worked the entire day. This is a good thing, isn't it?
Lets say you die tonight and go to heaven. You're standing before the throne of God, and there isn't this rule of equality that God has graciously put before us. Imagine if he held you to the same standards you hold your friends, family, and coworkers to. Remember, in an eternal heaven, you're competing with the entire span of human history. You would be sized up against King David, Elijah, Mother Theresa, and Billy Graham, just to name a few, not counting any of the pastors that helped spread the church, the missionaries martyred in the name of Christ, the children who praise God around the world while they're starving to death.
What exactly do we do each day that will earn the noble title from our Father in Heaven of his "Good and faithful servant"?
The good news is that God has already worked that out for you by sending his only son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for your sins, failures, and short comings. The good news is that even if today is the first day you start to contribute, if this very moment is the moment where you give your life to Christ unabashedly and completely, you're held equal to all of them.
Being saved is not about the "good works" you do or how many you complete. It's about the reason you want to do good works to begin with and who gets credit for them.
The prayer for today:
Lord Jesus,
We praise You. We love You, Jesus, and we humbly worship You now, asking Your forgiveness for our short comings. When we get scared, or hurt, or angry, we harbor a darkness inside of us that can grow and consume us physically and mentally. Please enter my heart and cleanse me of the prideful sins that confuse me into thinking I deserve any of the gifts you have given me. I ask that you help me to be a beacon that radiates Your glory, a voice that shares Your words and a servant that carries out Your will. Father, let my actions bring your glory because they are of Your doing in me, and You deserve all the glory.
Amen.
In the beginning...
I think every discussion about Christ begins with an explanation of who you are, how you came to the Lord, and where you are at in your walk with Christ. My name is Bryan Hesters. I am a 31 year old father in Austin, TX. I have been married to my college sweetheart, Valerie, for 8 years. Felicity, my daughter, turned 5 years old last week.
I came to the Lord when I was very young, 11 years old to be exact, at a Salvation Army youth camp. I had read the bible cover to cover for the first time by the age of 13, but I was not walking with the Lord. I labored under the delusion that private acts of worship were enough to atone for consistent and blatant disregard for God's intention in my self centered, pleasure driven life. This lead me to a very dark place which I did not emerge from until I met my wife to be in 1999.
Shortly after graduating from college, the Lord put a real calling into my life to rejoin the church family. I started by volunteering at the local Salvation Army in Denton, TX where I was responsible for organizing the Sunday Worship music, playing guitar, and singing in Sunday service. My wife, a music teacher, soon began playing piano in our little group, but after Felicity was born, we moved to a more local church that had a childcare program to ensure the entire family was being fed by His word.
My walk with Christ has continued to become deeper and deeper over the years. I pray frequently, multiple times per day. I read the bible daily and journal my thoughts during private bible study, and most recently I have begun to experience the hardships that are required to bring us closer to God by testing our faith. I am currently unemployed, having left a very lucrative career with a Fortune 100 company amidst an nationwide economic turmoil that has placed incredible difficulties before anyone seeking employment today.
I began attending "job clubs", which are weekly meetings of job seekers who attempt to partner together to keep up spirits, build social networks, and share job leads in an effort to help penetrate the glass walls of technology and policy that most companies put up to automate the hiring process. I've met well trained, experienced, and college educated men and women ranging from their mid 30-s to their early 60-s who have been desperately seeking gainful employment for over a year to no avail. This opened my eyes to a darker side of my local community, a situation that my safe suburban lifestyle and church had shielded me from. As I began to look around, I saw several other truths that I had been missing, which left me questioning the true commitment I had in my journey with Christ.
This collection of writing had three purposes:
Thank you for reading. It is nice to meet you, and I would love to learn more about you should you care to share it.
Prayer for The Day:
Lord,
Thank you. Thank you for my family and the love we share. Thank you for the joy that continues to radiate around us. Help each one of us to see the beauty you've placed in our lives.
We are a broken people, Father, only made whole by your Son's atoning sacrifice. Help the negativity, the pain, the trouble and fear which fills each day pass by us, and let your perfect peace and love fill us with hope and optimism. In You, all things are possible. In You, who created the universe, who filled the sea and air with all manner of creature, we can find the true purpose for our lives. Forgive us of our doubts, of our weakness, and fill us anew with your Holy Spirit that we might mirror your glory for all to see.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ we ask this of you and give You praise and thanks.
Amen.
I came to the Lord when I was very young, 11 years old to be exact, at a Salvation Army youth camp. I had read the bible cover to cover for the first time by the age of 13, but I was not walking with the Lord. I labored under the delusion that private acts of worship were enough to atone for consistent and blatant disregard for God's intention in my self centered, pleasure driven life. This lead me to a very dark place which I did not emerge from until I met my wife to be in 1999.
Shortly after graduating from college, the Lord put a real calling into my life to rejoin the church family. I started by volunteering at the local Salvation Army in Denton, TX where I was responsible for organizing the Sunday Worship music, playing guitar, and singing in Sunday service. My wife, a music teacher, soon began playing piano in our little group, but after Felicity was born, we moved to a more local church that had a childcare program to ensure the entire family was being fed by His word.
My walk with Christ has continued to become deeper and deeper over the years. I pray frequently, multiple times per day. I read the bible daily and journal my thoughts during private bible study, and most recently I have begun to experience the hardships that are required to bring us closer to God by testing our faith. I am currently unemployed, having left a very lucrative career with a Fortune 100 company amidst an nationwide economic turmoil that has placed incredible difficulties before anyone seeking employment today.
I began attending "job clubs", which are weekly meetings of job seekers who attempt to partner together to keep up spirits, build social networks, and share job leads in an effort to help penetrate the glass walls of technology and policy that most companies put up to automate the hiring process. I've met well trained, experienced, and college educated men and women ranging from their mid 30-s to their early 60-s who have been desperately seeking gainful employment for over a year to no avail. This opened my eyes to a darker side of my local community, a situation that my safe suburban lifestyle and church had shielded me from. As I began to look around, I saw several other truths that I had been missing, which left me questioning the true commitment I had in my journey with Christ.
This collection of writing had three purposes:
- To share the gospel of Jesus Christ and the "Good News" that he instructed us to pass on to all nations and people in hopes of bringing encouragement and hope to those who need it.
- To point out opportunities to help those in your own community and act as God's hands and voice by sharing with you needs and opportunities to serve in His name that you might not be aware of.
- To make a personal commitment to remember these trials, the people in similar circumstances, and the call to serve and help those in need once I have found employment.
Thank you for reading. It is nice to meet you, and I would love to learn more about you should you care to share it.
Prayer for The Day:
Lord,
Thank you. Thank you for my family and the love we share. Thank you for the joy that continues to radiate around us. Help each one of us to see the beauty you've placed in our lives.
We are a broken people, Father, only made whole by your Son's atoning sacrifice. Help the negativity, the pain, the trouble and fear which fills each day pass by us, and let your perfect peace and love fill us with hope and optimism. In You, all things are possible. In You, who created the universe, who filled the sea and air with all manner of creature, we can find the true purpose for our lives. Forgive us of our doubts, of our weakness, and fill us anew with your Holy Spirit that we might mirror your glory for all to see.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ we ask this of you and give You praise and thanks.
Amen.
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