Even amidst the uncertainty and fear of the future we are currently experiencing, it is good for us to stop what we are doing once in a while to reflect and remember how great and powerful God is. We can look around at the beauty, magnitude, complexity, and mystery of everything that he created, and see it. Then to think that we are one of his children, he knows us and cares about each of us should make us feel great, joyful, and loved. I’ll call it a “state of joy”

David wrote about this in Psalm 100:1-3 “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Dear Lord, you are more majestic and powerful than we can even understand, and to think that you care enough about us to save us through Jesus Christ, brings us humility and great joy! Praise the Lord. Amen.

Have you ever had someone question whether you “really believe that stuff?,” referring to Christianity, or has someone presented the opportunity for you to share your faith when they were sincerely searching for hope during a difficult time?

Jesus told His disciples in Luke 21:13-15, that there will be times when they would be questioned, challenged, made fun of and even tortured and killed for their faith. He told them however, “but make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” NIV

Hopefully none of us will have to face physical danger for our faith, but most of us, at some point, will be put in a position to affirm our faith to someone. Remember not to worry, God will give us the words and wisdom we need.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the assurance you provide us, knowing we are not on our own, you are there to give us the words and wisdom we need. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There is an account in 2 Kings 5 about the leader of the army of Aram named Naaman who had leprosy. The king of Aram heard there was a prophet, Elijah, in Israel who could heal diseases. The king thought so highly of his commander that he sent 750 lbs of silver and 150 lbs of gold, worth $5+ million in today’s dollars to the king of Israel asking him to heal his commander.

This very important man came to Elijah’s house with his entire entourage, and expected to see Elijah, but Elijah sent a messenger to meet him instead. The messenger relayed Elijah’s simple instructions for Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River to be healed of his leprosy.

This would be like a celebrity entertainer or famous business executive with a incurable disease showing up for an appointment at the Mayo Clinic or John’s Hopkins University and being met by a clerk with message to pick up some over the counter medication at the pharmacy. Obviously Naaman was surprised and offended by the response and was about to leave when one of his men said, in 2 Kings 5:13,14, ” “Sir,if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!”

Just like Naaman, we need to trust God’s power first. Though He may work through means of science and medicine, as Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

Dear Lord it is so often difficult for us to simply trust that you will take care of us. We agonize over exactly what to pray for and how we want you to answer. Help us just give our concerns over to you and trust in your power. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are some people that are so good at writing or delivering a speech that they can change people’s perspectives and behaviors enough to change the course of history; People like Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan.

Isaiah was given this type of capability by God to influence people’s lives as well. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.”

God may not give us visions, and the ability to prophesy, like Isaiah, but he can use any of us to offer encouragement and hope to those that are weary, distraught or discouraged. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Any of us can be the one to provide the needed “gracious words.”

Dear Lord, give us the insight and understand to see those in need of healing words, and provide us the words that can make a difference in people’s lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Throughout generations, there have been thousands of powerful, brilliant, inspiring, and successful people. Many of these people have made incredible contributions to mankind. However their power is limited to the bounds of earth. Their influence may continue through institutions, and information they leave after death, but they have no power after death.

Psalm 146:3-5 says, “Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”

God is the eternal power, when we put our confidence in him, and faith in Jesus Christ, we know we are protected beyond death, and into eternal life.

Dear Lord, What peace and joy it gives us when we truly put our hope in you for our protection and guidance. Help us see this truth and put it in practice in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.