I like the expression, “Life happens for us, not to us.” This is a mindset that helps us see the positive in life’s events.

Some people have an easier time believing this idea than others, but it is consistent with the well known Bible passage Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

And Romans 5:3-5 tells us that even our difficulties are for our good, saying, “we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us”

So life does happen for us. In all life’s events, we should look for what God is doing for us, to make us better.

Dear Lord, you are always working on us if we let you. Help us find the lesson you have for us in all of our circumstances. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Many of us have read Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Does that mean that if I really want a Ferrari, if I delight in the Lord, I will get one? I think Paul gives us some insight into that question in Philippians 2:12-13 where he writes, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

I think that when we “delight in the Lord,” or Paul’s words, “obey God with deep reverence and fear,” God makes us want the things that please him. Only you can know what these things may be, for you. They could be seeing the world, meeting someone in particular, starting a business, writing a book, or being a missionary, or volunteering at the soup kitchen. God has a plan for each of us.

When we remember to, as Jesus said, “seek first the kingdom of God,” and keep his will as our primary objective, what we want and what he wants tend to come together.

Dear Lord, many things about our lives are mysterious and unknown, you made it that way for your reasons. Help us remember that we don’t need to figure it all out, we just need to focus on you and surrender to your will, then move forward with our lives. You will give us the desire and power to do what pleases you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Jesus teaches his disciples to pray what we call the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11. In verse 2 Jesus says, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name…” Jesus teaches them to start their prayer with praise and acknowledgment of the power and awe of God. In a similar way, David prays in 2 Samuel 7, going on in many verses about how great and amazing God is.

There is a point to beginning our prayers this way, acknowledging the power, glory and amazement of God. It puts God in the proper place above us in our minds, so that we bring our requests and concerns to God, humbly recognizing that he knows better than we do, and we submit our desires to his will. As Jesus’ tells us in Matthew 6:8, God knows what we want before we ask.

Dear Lord, How amazing and almighty you are thank you for hearing our prayers, and giving us what we need. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Have you had the conversation with someone discussing and wondering if you would have accepted and followed Jesus if you had lived during Jesus’ time?

I kind of wondered what I would think or do, but looking at the following verses, I have more confidence that it would have been very difficult to ignore, write off, or rationalize what Jesus was doing at the time.

In Matthew 12:15, Matthew writes, “…with many following him. He healed all the sick among them.”

And in Matthew 14 after the story of the miracle of feeding the 5000, in verses 35 and 36, Matthew writes, “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.”

The key word in both of these descriptions is “all.” Jesus didn’t heal some of those that were sick, he healed “all”, and it wasn’t just some of those that touched his cloak that were healed, in was “all.”

Finally John writes in John 21:25, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

We can only imagine what the media frenzy would be like today if someone was able to heal every illness of everyone he encountered, and do the many other miracles Jesus did. We would all have been amazed at the significance and magnitude of what Jesus was doing at the time. It was incredible.

Dear Lord, we thank you that you have sent your Holy Spirit into the world, so that we don’t have to figure out and prove you are the Messiah. We only need to drop our resistance and accept the free gift of your salvation. Help us share the opportunity for this gift with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Many of us have experienced the situation where we expressed our opinion rather strongly in a discussion or debate with someone, then realized we were wrong, but are reluctant to admit we are in error. Our reluctance is usually due to our ego, we don’t want to admit we are wrong, and will come up with all kinds of twisted logic to avoid admitting we are wrong. When we do finally concede our mistake, it actually is a relief knowing we don’t have to defend an untruth any longer.

In a similar but more important way, 1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Holding on to a belief that we are “good” is a delusion. Peace comes from confessing our failure to God, and accepting his forgiveness.

Dear Lord, what peace it provides knowing that when we confess our sins, you forgive them. We do not need to rationalize or debate, just repent and accept your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.