Category Archive

Our given days are full of grace and purpose.  Each dawn when we awake, the Lord tells us Yes, there is more.  He grants more hours of meaning, and He wants us to engage in these hours with hope and trust.  Trust in Him.

Dawn comes full of hope even if we do not feel hopeful on a given day.  God understands.  Jesus came into the world to be our hope when we feel depleted for one reason or another.  In the days of weakness, Jesus is our strength.  In all days, Jesus is our hope.

Lord Jesus, we reside in the precious presence of You, the presence that carries us on.  In Thee, Amen.

Suffering can lead to one of two places—a better or a bitter place.  When life’s pains come, and they do indeed come, you can rise to a better place by letting Jesus closer to you and allow challenges to conform you more into Jesus’ character.  A bitter place is reached if you let the venom of adversity flow in your veins so Satan can tempt you with thoughts of hopelessness and despair.  There is a choice.

Jesus came so that we would have life and hope. Yes, life is hard at times.  Life can hurt.  We may even think it will not improve.  These are valid thoughts and feelings.  Jesus understands.  He helps us through these hard times.  How?  One simple way is to say Jesus.  Repeat it, clearly and aloud or as a whisper.  There is power in His Name.  The very utterance of Jesus is a prayer to help, soothe, and guide.  It is always a way to keep Satan and his destructive lives away.  Jesus is the Name of life and hope.  Keeping saying it. Jesus is listening.  Jesus… 

Lord Jesus, we call on You in times of challenge, trusting that speaking Your Name will be an act to encourage hope and stop Enemy plans.  In Thee, Amen. 

Hope shows itself in different ways.  A verse in the Word of God, a smile from a stranger, a note from a friend—these kindle hope.  The Holy Spirit moves in various ways to help hope be realized as an active agent inside of God’s children.

When sad times come, hope seems far away.  The Holy Spirit stays close to keep hope warm in us even if we cannot feel or see anything positive right now.  Grief veils hope.  Jesus knows this.  That is why He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us as Comforter and Counselor. Even if you cannot look at the future with a promising eye, the Holy Spirit does.  Trust by faith that He is alive inside of you.  He will help you to look to a better tomorrow, and walk with you to it. 

Lord Jesus, You know how difficult life is when we suffer a sad season.  When these times come, everything hurts.  Lord, You promised not to leave us comfortless.  Thank You, Jesus, for the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit.  Holy Spirit , touch this dear reader now with Your warm and powerful hope.  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for remaining with us through the night seasons of our lives.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

As I write, the view I see is of a pristine snowfall that rests over the landscape.  It is a blanket of white, unmarred by footprints, and undisturbed by activity of any kind.  Pure.  The clean cloak with the rays of dawn’s light glistening on the land encourages hope.  Fresh beginnings are at hand.

Jesus brings hope.  He is the endless hope always available to you and to me.  Fresh beginnings often look fresh and pure but do not stay that way.  Circumstances change.  We change.  As a result, hope is trampled and it may appear as though another clear and good beginning will not come to be.  It will.  You can start again with Jesus.   Jesus loves you deeply.  Dearly.  He loves you as you are, and as no one else can.  Take His hand.  He is extending it to you.  Walk out into the beauty of a brand new hope.  He will stay with you, and together you can build a today of meaning and a future of purpose.

Lord Jesus, You remain the faithful hope of those who believe in You and call on You.  Lord, be with those who read this message and need to be reminded that Your hope is real and steady.  May each know that in human weakness, You are the strength.  In Thee, Lord Christ, Amen.

Stories.  We like to tell them.  We like to hear them.  Each one of us is living out our personal story—one day at a time.  Certain aspects of our stories are painful; others are joyous.  What is clear is that while everyone creates his or her story as they go along, we see in the lives of each other the sorrows and smiles that are universal.

No one is exempt from sorrow.  It comes.  But the Christ of Heaven came.   Because He did, no sorrow or transition you and I face is faced alone.  Believers in Jesus have His presence to accompany them.  Whether steps are sad or celebratory, Jesus will be in them.  Therefore, keep living the personal story that only you can live, and tell.  God created only one you; the you He loves so deeply.   

Lord, You give us life.  Life in You, and a portion of time in which to live and create our todays and tomorrows.  Sometimes our days bring joy; others times they bring tears.  But we trust Your promise to be with us always.  Thank You for being the hero of our stories, and for creating meaning out of them.  In Thee, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Time.  We get only so much of it.  The Lord God does not inform us as to how much each person shall receive.  Therefore, each day is a surprise; a gift of time.  A portion of grace to spend as we desire.  A segment of grace to invest.

Portions of grace can be filled with joy and fulfillment.  Portions can be sad.  What the days bring are anticipated and unpredictable.  Therefore, when we face the times that are less than we hope, we are wise to remember that we do not face them alone.  We face them with Jesus Christ.

A new measurement of grace is before us as we enter the 2011^th Year of the Lord.  What you will know in it, and what I will know in it, are uncertain.  God, however, knows and sees it all.  It is the better part of human wisdom to keep our gaze focused on Jesus so that we follow His leadership throughout the unfolding of our respective portions of grace.

Lord of Time, Thank You for all the grace that You granted last year.  Thank You for all the grace You shall grant to us in Your next gift of time.   Lord, may You give to us wisdom for the use of all that You give.   In Christ, Amen.

New year.  New hope. As we look to a fresh canvas of days, we are given the opportunity to again—to still—look to the Star, Jesus, for hope.  The new year will be filled with new opportunities and revelations.  They will come.  Be alert.  Even if your life right now is transitional, challenging or uncertain, the Christ of hope and purpose can guide you.  Trust His hand of love to usher you along. 

Whatever this year has been or has not been by your estimation, if Christ is in your heart, He has already redeemed the year for full worth in Himself.  Of all that Jesus is a part, He imbues it with meaning.  All He has ever done points to His love; a love  active and purposeful. 

Go forth, dear one, in the presence of Jesus.  He shall be at your side every step of His coming year.  Keep following the Star.

Lord Jesus, You remain faithful to Your people.  How we praise and adore You for the Saviour You are.  How dear You are to us.  How dear we are to You  as hold us in Your ever present love.  In Thee, Lord Christ, Amen.

Christmas conjures different emotions in people. Because our life stories are unique, emotions show up for each of us in different ways; sometimes in ways we do not expect. If we grieve someone or something, grief is certain to complicate emotions at Christmas.  However, the very hope that Jesus brought so long ago is the same hope He still gives to you and to me today. 

Immanuel means God with us.  Jesus came to the world so that God would be with us.  He knew we would need Him so.  The birth of Jesus we celebrate at Christmas is far more than pageantry.  It is life giving and life-sustaining power.  God sent His Son to the world for assurance, companionship, and to demonstrate how very much He loves you and me.

When life is less than what you want it to be, the Lord Jesus is the more to fills you.  Hold to Him and His love and hope.  He is holding on to you.  He will not let you go.  He promised.  Know that.  Hold to that promise.  Tomorrow belongs to Him and you belong to Him.  Together you and the Lord Jesus will live tomorrow together in His abiding love and His upholding strength.

Loving Jesus, we celebrate Your birth and look to You with love knowing Your eyes of love remain fixed on us.  As we look on You with adoration, You look on us with deep affection.  Because of Your gaze of hope and love on us, we go on in Thee.  Amen.

Anticipation can be good or unwanted.  If we desire to see someone special, look forward to an event or hope for something wonderful to be on the horizon, anticipation is exciting and generates enthusiasm.  Conversely, when life hurts and disappointments come, when loved ones die, and when we experience betrayal, upcoming events and occasions are often met with dread or indifference.  When hopeful expectation is not present in us, the future can seem grim.  However, the arrival of Christ changes that.

This Advent Season is filled with hope—not because of our hope.  Because of His hope—for us.  Jesus, the Baby of Bethlehem, came to a lost and dying world to bring hope and new life.  It is there for the taking although some will pass it by, and even reject the hope Jesus brings because of life’s hurts.  Jesus knows it hurts.  Still, He offers to you and to me Himself so we may draw on His hope to see us through.  As we anticipate His birth, He anticipates our receipt of His hope.  This is why He came. 

Lord Jesus, You came into the world full of promise and an endless well of love and hope for all to draw on.  Thank You, Jesus, for all You have made and still make available to Your believers.  Thank You, Jesus, for Your touch of hope on those too weak to reach out but still needful of all You offer.  In Thee, Lord Christ, Amen.

Do you know that God is with you?  He is.  Immanuel means God with us.  Because Jesus came into the world, God is with you and with me.  When Jesus completed His earthly ministry, Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would be with us to comfort and guide us.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we are never alone.  Never.

Do you believe that?  If you are going through a time of sadness and grief, it may be difficult to believe that.  Emotions may overrule that truth and leave you feeling empty.  That is what grief does.  But each moment that you feel depleted, Immanuel is with you.  He has His hand on your shoulder and His Spirit covers you.  This Advent Season is a time to prepare for the celebration to remember that coming.  For those who grieve, Christ remembers you.  He knows what you are feeling.  He is with you.  Immanuel promised to be.  Trust beyond what you can feel to His living promise. 

Lord of Life, we look this season at the merriment around us and yet for those who are emotionally tried due to a loss of some significance, feeling merry is just not so.  Jesus, You know that.  In Thy grace and steadfast love, please touch those who ache this season with Your comforting and assuring presence.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, Amen.