November 28, 2022

Psalm 124:2-3

2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

Every time I go into the canyons, I hope I get to see one of those massive boulders come rolling down. Along the trails they sit where they landed, some as big as RVs, weighing thousands and thousands of pounds. I try to imagine the power, the noise, the sheer magnitude of that event. I would love to see it… from about 300 yards away. Any closer would be too terrifying. Anything under that stone is toast.

It is sobering to realize that a force sits above your head which will end you with as much force as that boulder. It will defeat you with as terrible a crash and as inevitable a result. There is only One who can save us from death. Only One can lead us through it. Have you put all your trust in God to bring you through those waters to Himself?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I trust in You alone to save me from my sin.

November 25, 2022

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

I used to hear these verses in the voice of the Pharisee. Pharisees were confident of their righteousness before God. They were the kids who looked forward to exam day because of their confidence in an A++. “See if, because I’m sure there isn’t, if there be any grievous way in me.” But the whole of Psalm 139 shows it wasn’t that way for the Psalmist, and it’s not that way for the Christian.

The Christian knows sin because we have seen the cross. At the cross, God showed what we deserve for our sin and put the nail, or literally the nails and spear, into our self-righteousness. Knowing our own guilt, we must confess. Confessing, and being forgiven, we come back to God again and again asking to be made clean. He can show us where things in our lives need to change. Go to Him ready to ruthlessly root out any grievous ways.

Prayer prompt: Lord, show me what must change and lead me as I walk in that new way.

November 24, 2022

Psalm 50:1-2

1 The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

Lord Byron, a British poet, said the world has two types of people: the boring and the bored. The bored would be the worldly-wise who, having experienced much, are now never surprised or delighted by anything. The boring are the simple folks who see a miracle in even the mundane like the sun rising or a child laughing. I know which I’d rather be, and which the Psalmist is. Which are you?

Are you able to look up at something as common as the sky and worship? There is a lie that being regularly near something makes it less valuable, or at least less exciting. Feel the sun on your face, spilling it’s rays from millions of miles away, and pray again to your God. Commit today to thanking God for each of the miracles you get to see and experience. Be Thankful!

Prayer prompt: Lord, wake me up to the wonder of the ordinary.

November 23, 2022

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

In Christ, we praise God that we are Fully Known and Fully Loved. We are known by God even in all our sin, but He still loves us and loves us fully. We can add another phrase after reading Ephesians 2:10, we are Fully Engaged. Now that God has saved us and called us, He invites us to ride with Him. In many ways, the adventure can now begin.

There are uncountable examples from stories of the hero beginning the adventure. We all get goosebumps when a new name, a new identity, and a new view of the problems of the world coalesce into a grand beginning to the adventure. God’s horse snorts and paws the ground as He waits for you to mount up with Him and ride! What good work has He prepared for you today?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I am ready! Help me to see the tasks You have for me today.

November 22, 2022

Psalm 139:14

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

Crowds line up to see the latest Apple or Tesla product. Those wizards make cool things, and the little logo is enough to excite potential buyers. If they make it, I’m interested. Think for a moment about taking that principle all the way to the extreme. If God made a smart phone or a car, how amazing would that be? With no constraint in materials, wisdom, skill, or capital God would make something beyond imagining. 

Now, what has God actually made? He hasn’t invented a Tesla like Elon Musk, He invented Elon Musk. God didn’t start Apple, but He did invent Steve Jobs and actual apples. God did condescend to create something we can see and enjoy and the crown of that creation is humanity, even you. You aren’t something worthless to be thrown away in rebellion, but something that can be redeemed and sanctified to a high shine. Praise God for the impeccable craftsmanship evident even in you.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

November 21, 2022

Psalm 139:7-8

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If you read the verses we talked about yesterday, you feel the joy of the Psalmist in God’s presence. He is with us and loves us and such knowledge is too wonderful for us. Then these verses come and make our reaction more authentic. After the initial rush of amazement, God’s presence continues to be with us. He’s with us even when we might wish His Holy gaze to look somewhere else for a moment or two.

The blessing of God’s presence can also spark a resentment. If He’s with me, I can’t pretend to be in charge. I can’t live however I choose. I can’t entertain pride or walk with a strut. It makes me want to hide away and create a smaller pond in which I can be the big fish. Yet, where can I hide from His presence? He won’t allow me to keep living in rebellion. That is even greater love.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I confess that I try to hide sometimes, but I can’t. Thank you for coming after me.

November 18, 2022

Micah 6:8

8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

We recognize when a situation is over our pay grade in our professional lives, so why can’t we do that in our walks with Jesus? As a teacher, I know that there’s only so much I can control inside or outside of my classroom. I know clearly what I am expected to do based upon the contract that I signed. So what expectations does Jesus have of us?

God reminded me of this lesson when my husband was recently injured during his work with the National Guard. Maybe those of us who are control freaks should re-read the “contract” we signed when we chose to follow Jesus. It’s time that we “delegate” those worries to the One who is fully equipped to handle them.”

Written by Hope Church member and local teacher Jessica Edwards.

Prayer prompt: Lord, please teach me to come to you with the burdens that only you can bear.

November 17, 2022

Psalm 139:5-6

5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

In the early days of a relationship, before your gaze loses the rose-tinting and warts emerge, it is just amazing to think this person would be with you. It feels like you’re walking on clouds; how could they like me? The first time you hold hands or kiss there is a rush of affirmation like a drug. Can you feel the Psalmist’s wonder that God lays His hand upon us?

In this case, you haven’t wooed God by showing your best side. Out of the overflow of a love we can’t understand, He chooses to love you. He has chosen to place His hand upon you and hem you in before and behind. Let that mystifying love change every thought and action you take today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, Your love is too wonderful for me. I turn it back to you in praise.

November 16, 2022

Psalm 18:6

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

When I was a child, we would have career missionaries speak at some of our church services. They would present pictures of far away places where they spoke to people about Jesus. It was such a special moment because their passion would soon whisk them away, and we would hear nothing until they reemerged years later. Now I can message our missionary partners and get replies in seconds even if it would take me weeks to physically visit. We take for granted how easy it is to communicate.

Do you take for granted how easy it is to communicate with God? You have always, at any time and in any state of holiness or sin, been able to speak to the God of the Universe. The distance that separates us isn’t physical, He’s everywhere, but it is great. How could dust like us dare to speak to the Holy One? Yet, in our distress we can call and He will hear. Mercy like that should not be forgotten, but valued as precious. Pray to your God today.

Prayer prompt: Lord, thank You for hearing me, even me, when I call.

November 15, 2022

Psalm 20:9

9 O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

It would be a lot easier to trust God to help us if we knew how He was going to do it. I can trust you to fill my belly more easily when I see a full pot or a loaded grill. My wife can trust our bills will be paid on time when she sees the budget we’ve laid out. It’s always easier to trust a process when you can see the means.

So much of my anxiety comes from my lack of trust in God. I can fight that fear by looking at how He is going to help me. He has put a King in this world. Our King will protect and provide for His people. He has a throne that will never be shaken and a rod that can dash apart our enemies. He also has the scars of the price He paid to make His enemies His friends. Look to Jesus and Trust. 

Prayer prompt: Lord, lift my eyes to my King so my heart will trust in You.

November 14, 2022

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

Most of us don’t see it, but there’s a direct connection between our pride and our anxiety. If you are experiencing anxiety in this current cultural moment (and who isn’t?) take a minute to see how quickly that anxiety subsides when you cast your cares on God. The Holy Spirit, through Peter, tells us we can give God our anxieties. But let me ask, when you do, does your anxiety go down?

I think for most people, most of the time, it doesn’t. These verses help us see why. If I’m proud, my problems are big and my God is small. If I’m humble, my problems are small and my God gets bigger and bigger. In truth, God is bigger than any problem, bigger than we could ever imagine. Why let pride get in the way? Humble yourself and get happy again.

Prayer prompt: Lord, humble me so I can be happy.

November 11, 2022

Psalm 63:1

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

What creates desire? There is a natural set of desires at birth like desires for food, drink, air, and affection. Those desires increase as we age. We have preferences in our foods, have felt thirst on hot day, and develop love relationships that deepen and expand. But how do we account for a desire for God like the verse above? Not only does he have a desire for God, but his desire is like the man dying in the desert crying out for water. 

I don’t feel that way toward God, but I want to. He is more satisfying than food, more sustaining than water, and shows me a love much richer than even the love of my spouse. The answer is to drink deeply of that love. Tasting ice cream made me want ice cream so much more. We need to feast on His love and feel our desires wake up. 

Prayer prompt: Lord, teach me to feast on Your goodness as I think of Your salvation and Your love.

November 10, 2022

Psalm 43:3

3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!

From the beginning of the beginning, we had an assault on truth. When the serpent came to tempt the woman, he began with “Did God actually say…”. Even so many generations later, we still live in a world where truth is not merely contested but twisted, hidden, and bewilderingly difficult to find. Can you blame Satan? Why move onto another strategy when it worked so well the first time?

Pray for God to dispel the darkness by sending out His light and truth. As oppressive as darkness can be, a little light will send it reeling. In fact, the darker the night, the further a little light will go. God’s light will drive away dark and lead you to His house. In Jesus, that house will not only be bright, but open and ready for you to enter in.

Prayer prompt: Lord, send Your light and Your truth to bring me to Your Holy Hill!

November 9, 2022

1 Timothy 1:1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 

All the protection and the provision offered by Christ the King is freely given. He desires that all men come to a knowledge of the truth and if we confess and believe, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We don’t live in that victory, fearless and joyful, because of our small faith. We don’t believe Him, and since we don’t trust Him, we don’t bask in the security and satisfaction of His Reign. How do we fix this?

Obedience doesn’t earn His protection, He gives protection freely. But obedience does reinforce our belief that all this is true. If He really is a King He can command us like He commanded Paul. If He really is the King of  Kings, you’d be a fool to disobey Him. Every time you choose His way and submit to His will, you underline again that Jesus sits on His throne. How can you take a new step of obedience today?

Prayer prompt: Lord, convict me of my casual and sometimes flagrant disobedience so that I can obey and believe.

November 8, 2022

Psalm 51:12

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Do you feel frustrated with how much you fail God? One hymn says, “Prone to wonder, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” We are prone to leave God, we can feel that urge to desert Him creeping in all the time. We need to have something to hold us close. What can pull us to Him even when a big part of us wants to slink away?

In this verse we have two incredible restraints: Joy and God Himself. Salvation dumps Joy on your head. His presence dunks you in Joy. Doing things His way is slathered in Joy. Come to Him for the Joy set before you! You can also ask Him to uphold you with a willing spirit. God give me a spirit that wants to cling to You all my days! What Father wouldn’t want to answer that prayer?

Prayer prompt: Lord, uphold me with a willing spirit. Please, give me joy to continue to motivate my obedience.

November 7, 2022

Psalm 51:7

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Some people need to have their sin against God shown to them. There are some modern day Pharisees who look at their life and feel pretty proud. But some people have some stuff in their past that haunt every other thought. Many people in our world fall into drug use to simply numb the conscience that won’t stop remembering. Like Lady Macbeth, they just can’t get the spots out.

God can make you whiter than snow. The washing, the cleansing, and the penance hasn’t worked for you because you can’t get it out. There is one who can. It will take the blood of Jesus to do it, but He loves you so much, He has given exactly that. If He washes you, you will be whiter than snow. Won’t you come to Him today?

Prayer prompt: Lord, I need You to make me clean. Heal me and I will rejoice in You!

November 4, 2022

Psalm 86:11

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Who is in charge of you? Who gets to decide what you do with your life? If the answer is you, take a minute to ask how that’s working out. Most people make their own life decisions, and as a result are drowning in anxiety and pride. If you think that’s an overstatement, take a break for a week or two from all the things that distract you from anxiety and fear. Eat only your caloric need, turn off the tv, and unplug from social media. See what rises to the surface. 

When you’re done with that experiment, plead with God to lead your life. The Psalmist did. He asked that God would teach him the path. Then, very perceptively, he asked for God to bring his whole heart together around that one desire, for God to be in charge. Let’s pray the same way.

Prayer prompt: Lord, I want to live Your way, not mine. Please, unite my heart behind that one desire.

November 3, 2022

Psalm 65:3

3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

The Psalms teach us to look up to the throne room of God and shout praise to the Lord. There are two big reasons praising God may be hard for you. One is ignorance. It is impossible to praise a God you don’t know. Praise really has to come from the heart. I can’t call a song beautiful if I’ve never heard it, or call a burger juicy if I haven’t had a bite. 

Ignorance keeps millions around the globe from their praises, but it is the second reason that keeps a Christian silent. Sin keeps your tongue tied and your heart cold. How can you stand before that God knowing your own rebellion stinks so badly? Iniquities prevail against our praises. Or they would, but God is so great, He has turned even our sin into reason for praise. He has atoned for your sins. 

Prayer prompt: Lord, forgive me for my sins and fill me up with the praises due to a God who forgives.

November 2, 2022

Revelation 5:13

13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

There is such a thing as a perfect swing. I’ve never had it, but I’ve gotten close. When every joint, muscle, angle, and piece of equipment align and the ball just sings. It’s a transcendent moment. You spend the rest of the round or game just wishing they could all be like that.

There will be a time when everything that has breath will line up in one perfect motion of praise. Right now, everything is working against each other and against the Father. When redemption happens, you begin to work for the Kingdom, well … sometimes. But there will be a day when every leader, beggar, whale, hummingbird, tree, mountain, guppie, and angel will line up in a perfect gong strike of praise that will never end. Look forward to that moment and let its perfect satisfaction shine on your face even now.

Prayer prompt: Lord, let me glory in the future moment of all things put right, trusting that You’ve got this.

November 1, 2022

Psalm 150:1

1 Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 

Look up. See the expanse of sky with the breathtaking clouds or terrifying storm fronts. Look beyond the sky to space with incomprehensible distances and stars that can bake us with their rays even from millions of miles away. God isn’t in either of these vast landscapes, and it’s because neither are big enough for Him.

The Psalmist is praising God and calling for everyone else to too. He sees something of God’s magnitude, not because He understands how big God is, but because He sees how big God must be to sit above the mighty heavens. To have such a sanctuary He must be truly awesome. He must be worthy of praise from everything that has breath on this tiny marble of a world. Praise the Lord!

Prayer prompt: Lord, help me to think of You every time I look up and have those thoughts explode with praise!