Hopefully you have experienced those moments occasionally in your life where you can really feel God’s presence and his peace, whether that was resolution of a difficult situation in your life, or seeing the amazing beauty of a sunset, or a prayer after communion.

In he Living Bible version of 2 Peter 1:2 Peter writes “Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better.”

Learning to know him better comes from studying, and meditating on his word, doing what it tells us, and talking with God through prayer.

James says in James 4:8 “And when you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.”

Dear Lord, help us to learn to know you better each day, take steps toward you, and give you the opportunity to draw closer to us and give us your peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Sometimes we see an amazing scientific discovery, like mapping the human genome, or an amazing invention like the microprocessor, or people living in the space station, and we think man has pretty much figured things out.

Then we think about all the things we haven’t figured out, curing the common cold, cancer, what causes gravity, how do animals migrate, why do we sleep, why do we age, why are there earthquakes, or hurricanes, why are we here? and we realize how limited our knowledge really is. We have barely scratched the surface in understanding what God has created.

Romans 11:33-36 says, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.”

Dear Lord, we cannot even begin to understand the vastness of your knowledge and power. You created everything, not just what we can sense, but the properties, powers, and interactions between it all. What a joy to know that we can come to you directly in prayer and praise, and that you care about each one of us individually. Why would we not live in awe and praise of you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Many of us know the deteriorating effect of “cheating” when we are trying to give up a vice, or maintain a new positive habit. Whether it be sticking to a diet, or exercise routine, or quiting smoking, or foul language, “cheating” a little bit starts the process of breaking down our resolve, and it doesn’t take too long for us to be back at square one.

Peter writes about this in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”

He is telling us to avoid those things that we know in our hearts, are not God’s will, because giving in will open up the opportunity for sin to begin breaking down our faith.

Dear Lord, as your children, we are foreigners in this world. There are many things in this world that are acceptable to others, but are not right for us, your children. Help us avoid these things, so that we may maintain our faith and hope for your salvation. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Have you ever been driving in heavy traffic, and realized, too late, that your exit was coming up. Traffic was too heavy for you to make it across the lanes and you miss your exit? Or have you been in a sports stadium or concert venue walking in a large crowd, and realize that you walked right past your section because you were moving along with the crowd.

In some ways life can be like this. We get so wrapped up in things of this world, chasing earthly things we think will make us satisfied, money, power, experiences, that we neglect our relationship with God and fall away. When we neglect our faith, we become more vulnerable to temptation and can be easier led astray. In Matthew 7:13,14 Jesus says, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

It is essential that we keep our eye on that “small gate and narrow road” Jesus describes by maintaining our faithful relationship with God.

John writes in 1 John 5:21, “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”

Dear Lord help us keep our focus on you and put the energy into maintaining our faith so that we don’t end up blindly following the easy path to destruction. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Defining love is difficult. It is emotion, action, thought, feeling all rolled together and prioritized above everything. True love like that of a parent for a child will stop at nothing to protect and care for the other.

This is what is so powerful about the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 8:38-39. he says, ” for I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So with these words from Paul inspired by God, we can know without doubt that God will stop at nothing to protect and care for us.

Dear Lord, help us truly believe and trust in Your love for us so that we may do your will with faith and not fear. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen