I heard someone pose this question once, and it really made me think.

What are you asking for that is impossible without God’s supernatural input?

In John’s familiar account of the feeding of the 5,000, John starts with, “Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Phillip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” John 6:6-7

In this case, Jesus was questioning whether Philip had put the pieces together yet. Did he realize Jesus’ power? How about us? Do we realize and really believe Jesus’ power to do miracles, cure diseases, solve financial problems, resolve conflicts, comfort those with tragedies?

Dear Lord, like Philip, we often have no idea the miracles you can and will do in our lives, families, churches, communities and country. Help us use the Bible’s accounts to strengthen our belief in you power, so that we will ask with confidence for your supernatural input in our lives and our world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I think most people have used a microscope at one point in life or another, high school science class, or maybe a birthday present as a child. One thing I remember about using a microscope was how important it was to have light on the specimen; a bright light pointing right on it. Without the light, you could not see any of the detail through the microscope.

In a similar way, Jesus says in John 3:19-21, “God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

Jesus came into the world as the light of the world. Like the microscope, Jesus’ light exposes our sins, and shows us our need for forgiveness. The beautiful part is Jesus also forgives us of our sins when we repent, so that we can live our lives with the peace of knowing we will not face punishment for our sins. Jesus paid that price.

Dear Lord Jesus, expose our sins to us so that we might recognize and repent of them and become right with you. In your name we pray. Amen.

There is a personal development expression I heard that goes, “There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone.”

In a way, this is what Paul meant in Hebrews 12:10-11 where he wrote, “but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

My definition of discipline is, “knowing the right thing to do, and doing it.” God’s discipline may be helping us see the right thing so we will do it, or it may be giving us discomfort doing the wrong things until we do the right thing. Either way, the right thing is often the more difficult and uncomfortable thing to do.

When we are experiencing difficulty and challenges, we should try to think, “Is God disciplining me for some reason?” “What am I supposed to be learning from this negative experience?”

We know, however, as Paul says in Hebrews 12:6, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, He disciplines each one he accepts as his child.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for caring about us enough to discipline us. Help us see our challenges and discomforts in the right context so that we may grow and become better servants for you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”

The direction in this verse is pretty clear, that if we give, we will receive. However, I think the second sentence has a deeper message. “For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” The message is not how much we give, but the attitude we have in giving. If we give reluctantly, worried about what is being done with “our” gifts, God may treat us the same way.

But if we give generously, with the confidence that God always provides, we will receive with the same “measure” or generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Dear Lord, you provide all we have, and can give us much more, or much less, at your will. Help us remember then to give with a generous measure and you will allways give us everything we need and plenty left over. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

In order to purify gold; to take it from ore found in the ground to high enough quality for use for jewelry, electronics, and other things, it is heated to melting. When this is done, the impurities and other metals separate and the pure gold can be removed.

Peter uses this illustration in 1 Peter 1:6-7, he says “although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold – gold tested by fire. ”

God lets us experience trials, setbacks, disappointments, to develop us and make us better. Our job is to stay in faith and use these trials to refine our faith and character, so we come out of it stronger and more capable.

Dear Lord help us remember that you are there to help us through our trials, and You are refining us so we can be a better Christian person. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.