In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says to his disciples, “Go and learn what this means; I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Jews of the Old Testament had many rules about what was required in case they sinned. There were specific sacrifices required for different types of sins. The result of this was that people could feel like they were “all right” if they made the required sacrifice, and thereby deserving of God’s favor.

I think what Jesus was trying to convey was that you cannot make yourself “all right.” It is the person who knows that he or she is a sinner, and cannot free him or herself for whom Jesus is looking. When we understand that we are lost without a Savior, we are ready for his mercy, and only by God’s mercy can we be made “all-right,” or “righteous.”

Dear Lord, we are so thankful for the one key difference between Christianity and other religions, which is, You save us; We cannot save ourselves. Help us come to you humbly with this awareness, but also with the confidence of our Salvation by your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

You may have heard the expression, “sleep on it,” used to recommend waiting overnight to make a decision. Often when presented with a dilemma that I cannot seem to solve, I will intentionally wait until the next morning to make the decision. This may be because I have a clearer mind after a night’s sleep.

However, Psalm 16:7 writes, “I will bless the Lord who counsels me; he gives me wisdom in the night and tells me what to do.” TLB

It could be that it is not only a good night’s sleep and a clear mind that help when waiting overnight; It may be that God is helping us with our decisions and dilemmas.

Dear Lord, when we trust you, you are with us in many ways. Help us remember to come to you with our challenges and you will provide us wisdom and guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We should never underestimate the value and power of reading the Bible, God’s word. God speaks to us and works in us when we read it.

God says through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 55:10-11 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmers and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

When you are looking for answers, comfort, direction, or for a way to help others, look in your Bible.

Dear Lord, what an amazing way you created to connect with us, teach us, and keep us on the right path with the Bible. Remind us to use it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Coronavirus, Global Warming, Climate Change, Overpopulation, etc. we hear in the media about all the calamities we should be afraid of. This is not a new phenomenon.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah the prophet was told by God that Assyria was soon going to conquer Israel. He said, however, in Isaiah 8:12-14, “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.  He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He is the one who will keep you safe” NLT

Without a doubt there are risks and dangers in our lives, but we need to remember who controls all. We should put our “fear” in God’s power not the risks and dangers of the day. We need to put our faith and hope in God who has the power to deliver us from our fears here on earth, and any fear of what happens after we leave our earthly life.

Dear Lord, help us remember that you are in control of everything on earth. When we truly put our faith in you we have nothing to fear. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

If we think about it, we have all been part of achieving something that required a team, working together to accomplish something we could not have done on our own. It may have been a sports team, a community or church project, or even a business startup. All significant successes are the result of a team of people’s efforts.

Doing God’s work is the same, but with an important addition. Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 3:6,7, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.”

In doing God’s work, we each have our part to play. When we work together and have faith, God will “make the seed grow.”

Dear Lord, You are the power behind all our success, help us remember to work together to spread your word and love, with faith that you will make the seed grow. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.