parched

PRAY

Lord we thank you that you have created us to be in relationship with you. We praise you because you love us so much that you have called us to yourself through your son Jesus Christ. Lord may we always look to your steadfast love and put our hope in you.

WRITE

READ PSALM 42

“By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
    and at night his song is with me,
    a prayer to the God of my life."
PSALM 42:8
  • Do you ever feel spiritually thirsty? Do you ever desire more of God? Do you ever ask God where He is?
  • That is exactly what we see in Psalm 42. How does the psalmist phrase it in verse 1?
  • How is our need for God highlighted by likening it to our hunger and thirst?
  • In verse 5 The psalmist asks themselves a question – write it down?
  • What is the immediate response?
  • No matter what, our hope is in God alone! In verse 8 we see a reminder of who we are putting our hope in. Write down the way God is described.
  • El Hayyay is the “God of my life”. What does it mean to you to make the Almighty Father the God of my life?
  • Is there something that you are hungering or thirsting for more than God. Pray about it and ask God to help you make Him your satisfaction!

GROW

Tory Kelly – Psalm 42
I had never heard this song before today – but tears flowed as I listened. We need you Lord…

Lord may look to you alone to satisfy our hunger. May you fill our thirsty souls with more of you! May you be always El Hayyay – the God of our life. We are kingdom citizens – help us to remember this as you pour yourself into us through your Spirit. We need you Lord – “Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” (Psalm 33:22) Amen….

King

PRAY

Take time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read God’s word today.

Psalm 47

For the Lord Most High is awesome.
    He is the great King of all the earth.”

Psalm 47:2 NLT

WRITE

We get so caught up in the politics of the day. We focus on who is in charge. We look at the countries that are threats to our own. We think of the people who desire power. We wonder about the endless struggle over laws and rules. But Psalm 47 gives us a perfect picture  of who is really in control… and it’s not us! I love this Psalm because it is both a reminder of God’s rightful place and a call to worship Him.

  • What is the description of God we are given in verse 2?
  • No matter the turmoil swirling in the world, verse 3 points to God’s control…. write down what He is capable of.
  • As the the Psalmist continually reminds us in this beautiful hymn of praise, of both God’s position and our need to worship. Write down some of His praise and worship.
  • This world has an ever changing political landscape. But we can be certain that, “he changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” Daniel 2:21. Does the idea of God as “King of all the earth” change your perspective on our present day situation?

GROW

God is King of the World! He sits on His holy throne above all. We can be certain that He is in control & His plans continue each day as we draw ever closer to the return of our Savior!  Praying for you!

investment strategy

PRAY

Take time to pray and ask the Spirit to guide you today
as you read through the entire passage!

READ

“You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:3

“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’  And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.’
Matthew 22:36-38

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33

WRITE

Recently I have been reading through the book of Ezekiel.  I have been thinking about the fickle hearts of the Israelites of long ago and about the people of God today.  We are no different than they were! We set our hearts on things other than God, we work for comfort, money and success. We desire the pleasures that this world has to offer seeking after happiness, and fulfillment and satisfaction in places other than our relationship with God through Christ. As Ezekiel prophesies about the fall of Jerusalem God instructs him to tell His people,  Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins.  They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.” Ezekiel 6:9NLT. All over the Old Testament God calls the act of unfaithfulness by His people “whoring.” It is a vivid picture of how God views us when we choose “things” before Him. And, though God has made a way to Him through our Savior Jesus Christ and He has given us grace upon grace – and abounding steadfast love.  Though, as Christians, He will judge us as redeemed citizen cleansed in the blood of Christ. I do not believe He views the act of unfaithfulness to Him any differently. He wants our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole mind. Does He have yours?

  • Where is your treasure?
  • Where is your heart?
  • Where is your mind?
  • Where are you investing your time, talents and money?
  • Write down some of the idols that you have set in your life. Destroy them!
  • Pray and ask the Lord to  change you so that you love Him with all your heart and soul and mind!

GROW

Praying that the Lord change you to seek Him first. May we all dedicate our lives and hearts to Him. Praying for you!

Just Pray About It

PRAY

Remember to pray & read the entire passage before beginning.
1 Timothy 2:1-6

 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.
1 Timothy 2:1

WRITE

  • According to verse 1, who does Paul implore us to pray for?
  • What are the three things he specifically asks us to pray for them?
  • Why does God want us to pray for all people (v. 3 & v.4)
  • Find a headline from today & write a prayer lifting it up to our mighty God!

Keep Praying…. Christ Tomlin reminds us in his beautiful song “God of  This City” that God has a beautiful plan…

GROW

Thanking God that He is love! Thanking God that He has a desire that all will be saved. Praying for you that you feel His love and direction today as you pray for this lost and lonely world. May all come to know our amazing Savior! Praying for you!

Woven

PRAY

Remember to take time to pray & read the entire passage before you begin.

I praise you,
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14

WRITE

The whole of Psalm 139 is beautiful and thought provoking. It reminds us how intimately God knows us, our thoughts, our path, our words, our heart, and the intricate workings of our body. “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17. We can not even begin to comprehend the mind of God. But we can see a glimpse in His word and trust the truth about who we are in Him.

  • Who created you?
  • Write down all the words used to describe this process?
  • Formed, Knit together, intricately woven. I just love these words because they help me to visualize God’s artistic work in each one of us. Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”  What does it mean to you to be crafted by the divine Potter?
  • If all of God’s works are wonderful (v. 14) what does that say about you?
  • Read Psalm 139:16 and write down two fact about yourself you gain from this verse.
  • Your identity and God’s plan for you existed before He even created your body what does this say about His plan and purpose for you?

You are a creation of God! You are intricately woven together by Him. His masterpiece with a plan and a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11).Alleluia.

GROW

Praying that today you would know the  truth of God’s word – you are a creation of God! May you trust Him with each day because He has written each one in His book.

 

KNOW

PRAY

Make sure you take time to read the passage and pray about it before you begin.
Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1

I’ve been thinking a lot about feeling vs. thinking lately. How can we avoid being ruled by our emotions when we look to what we know and not just what we feel. So often our lives are ruled by our emotions, our circumstances or the actions of another. But, here in Psalm 46 God reminds us of who He is! He reminds us of what we really need to know.

  • Why does God tell us not to fear?
  • What comfort do verses 6 & 7 bring you despite the instability around the world?
  • Why do you think it is important to “be still”?
  • Take time now to Be Still. Take a deep breath. And… Know! HE IS GOD! HE IS GOD! Alleluia! Now take time to exalt Him – write a praise.
  • What difference does it make when we live life based on the God we know (Father -Son – Holy Spirit?

GROW

Love the song by Laura Story – Till I Met You

 

Praying that we would all begin to live by the truth that we know! KNOW – HE IS GOD!

Never Changing

PRAY

Make sure you take time to read the passage and pray about it before you begin.

“God is not man, that he should lie,
    or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
    Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
Numbers 23:19 ESV

WRITE

Trust! Trust God! He is faithful! He is sovereign! He is eternal! His love is enduring! Do not doubt that He is in control. Do not doubt His promises.

  • Find a Bible verse about God’s faithfulness (some options: Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Timothy 2:13)
  • Find a Bible verse about God’s steadfast love (some options: Lamentations 3:22-23, 1John 4:10, Romans 8:38-39)
  • Find a Bible verse about God’s sovereignty (some options: Matthew 19:26, 1Corinthians 1:25, Revelation 12:10-11)
  • Are you doubting God today? Are you overwhelmed by your circumstances? Do the headlines make you uneasy? Write it down. He is Bigger! Apply God’s word to your concerns and trust God that He is in control.

GROW

Love this song By Aaron Shust – “Ever Be”

 

Praying that you would experience the loving, steadfast, sovereign love of our Amazing God! And may His praise ever be on your lips…

 

 

He Is

PRAY

 Read Colossians 1:15-19

 “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”
Colossians 1:16

WRITE

Sometimes I forget my place. Jesus is so big…infinite…eternal…holy! I am none of those things. Do you ever try to make Jesus fit into your own image of who He is? Reading through this Colossians passage is a reminder that no human created image can contain our Mighty God!

  • Using Colossians 1:15-18 make a list of the attributes that Jesus “is”.
  • Considering that “All things have been created through him and for him” does that change the way that you think of yourself or your purpose?
  • What does this passage say pleased God?
  • How did Jesus make peace for us (see also Hebrews 9:22)?
  • Look over the list that you made. Jesus – the image of the invisible God –  died for you! He died to make peace with God – for you! Give thanks now for His mighty sacrifice.
  • Ask God to help you grow to know Jesus more each day.

I love this beautiful song by Natalie Grant! May we all grow to truly know the King of the World…

GROW

Praying that you will take time today to truly seek Jesus.

Spirit Power

2-2 Timothy 1.jpg

Read 2 Timothy 1:7

TAKE TIME TO PRAY  BEFORE YOU BEGIN…

God did not leave us here on earth alone to fend for ourselves. No! If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, the  Spirit of the Living God lives in you! It is not a Spirit of fear – no, it is a Spirit of Power & Love & Self Control. In a time where much uncertainty waits around every corner. We can be certain that we have been given the ability to overcome our fears by His power is in us!

WRITE

  • In light of the events of the past few weeks, what comfort does this verse bring you?
  • God’s power   God’s Love   God’s Self Control    are all available to you through His Spirit that dwells within you. How can it be… and yet it is! Pray now and ask the Spirit to guide you through your day, to increase each of these attributes in you.
  • How does this change the way you think about your daily tasks or callings in your life?

GROW

As Christians, we have to live as the Spirit-filled, Spirit-powered, Spirit-guided, Spirit-controlled, Spirit-loving people that we are. Take time to prayerfully live out this Spirit power in your life today. Praying for you.

 

Power-Full

 

Psalm 63-35

 

TAKE TIME TO PRAY BEFORE YOU BEGIN…

It is really impossible to comprehend God’s power! But we are told that we can see it simply by looking at His creation (Romans 1:20). He maintains all power – as He is sovereign over every grain of sand, every drop of rain, every hair on your head and every event in your life. Power is both a thing and an action. We can can have power or power can propel us forward. After looking up the word in the dictionary power reveals itself in three different forms – Control   Strength   Energy. Isn’t that at little glimpse of God – Control…Strength…Energy?

WRITE

Here are just a few verses that speak of God’s power.
Really I think I could  suggest to see God’s power read Genesis 1 – Revelation 22.

Genesis 1   Romans 1:20   1 Corinthians 2:4-5
2 Corinthians 4:7   Colossians 2:12   Micah 3:8 Hebrews 1:1-3   Luke 9:37-42

  • His power is all encompassing. Pick a favorite verse about God’s power and write about how and why it impacted you.
  • Take comfort in knowing that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Where in your life do you need to claim His power.
  • When you come to know Jesus the Spirit of the living God dwells in you. It is this power that equips and enables us to overcome (Colossians 2:12). Write down – the Power of God dwells in me and I claim His power over______.

GROW

We are merely human – imperfect and powerless. Yet… His Spirit in us – now that it power. This is a beautiful song about exactly that. Jeremy Camp – Same Power.

My His power enable, equip and guide you as you trust in Him!  Praying for you…