Posts from 2020 (Page 8)

Hebrews 12:2a (NIV)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,  the author and perfecter of our faith…  On vacation,  it takes several days for me to fully escape my hurried disposition.  Out of town,  away from my phone,  hearing the sound of seagulls—my pace slows,  my head clears,  and my heart offloads and re-syncs with the Lord.  But I need a daily connection.  That’s when  “breath prayers”  are helpful.  They are simple phrases that help us gather up our desire…

Mark 1:35 (NIV)  Very early in the morning,  while it was still dark,  Jesus got up,  left the house and went off to a solitary place,  where He prayed.  Have you identified a sacred space and time for prayer?  Maybe you have a favorite chair in the spare bedroom,  or a spot in the sunroom—with Bible and journal nearby.  Have you placed any spiritual symbols or artifacts nearby that help you feel present to God?  Once you have designated a…

Psalm 46:10  (NIV)  Be still,  and know that I am God… When we learn how to be still in God’s presence in unhurried prayer and linger quietly in an attitude of receptivity,  something incredible will happen:  the  “knowing”  will come.  For many of us,  busy agendas distract us,  and prayer becomes another thing on our to-do list,  an activity filled with words and opinions. He wants to teach us how to move at His pace and see through His eyes…

Psalm 32:7  (NIV)  You are my hiding place;  you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.  When life gets tough,  it’s hard to hear the sound of God’s songs of deliverance.  Sorrow plugs our ears.  Discouragement clouds our vision.  But if we will listen carefully we will hear a song rise up from a hidden place in our souls bringing hope and encouragement.  Pause and listen.  Hear what David heard.  Know what he knew—God is…

Genesis 48:11(NIV)  Israel said to Joseph,  “I never expected to see your face again,  and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”  What a joyful climax to a dramatic story filled with unexpected twists and turns!  Aged Israel  (formerly known as Jacob)  never expected that his life would end so well.  God brought resolution to a heart-rending family situation.  Joseph’s godly character had guided him safely through minefields of potential disaster and delivered him and his children…

Genesis 41:51-52 (NIV)  Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said,  “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”  The second son he named Ephraim and said,  “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”  This passage gives us a window into Joseph’s soul.  After years of heartache,  he gave names of hope and reassurance to his newborn sons.  For those of us who live with extremely…

Genesis 32:28a  (NIV)  Your name will no longer be Jacob,  but Israel… All night long Jacob cried out to God,  “Bless me.”  All night long God responded by asking,  “What is your name?”  Why was God so persistent?  Why did the struggle go on for so long?  God already knew Jacob’s name.  But to admit his name was to expose the fact that Jacob was a liar and a deceiver.  When he finally confessed his identity to God,  that confession…

Genesis 26: (NIV)  The Lord appeared to Isaac and said,  “Do not go down to Egypt;  live in the land where I tell you to live.  Stay in this land for a while,  and I will be with you and will bless you.  For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.  God’s promises extended to Isaac when he followed in his father’s footsteps of faith. …

Genesis 25:  (NLT)  “Look,  I’m dying of starvation!”  said Esau.  “What good is my birthright to me now?”   Weakened by an exhausting day of work in the open country,  Esau sat by Jacob’s fire and made a life-changing choice:  he traded his inheritance for a bowl of stew.  Too many people miss God’s remarkable goals and objectives due to self-centeredness.  Our daily choices adjust our trajectories either away from divine potential or toward it.  God has plans for us. …

Genesis 3:8  (NIV)  Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid…  How do we respond when God approaches us? How do we answer His call to relationship? Does guilt cause us to hide?  Where do we hide—in busy schedules, loud distractions, and various diversions? It is best to turn toward the Lord rather than away from Him. Fleeing our…

Luke 2:43 (NIV)  After the Feast was over,  while His parents were returning home,  the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,  but they were unaware of it.  Note the interesting conversation between Mary and Jesus.  She told Jesus,  “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”  Jesus responded by reminding her that He had to be in  “his Father’s house.”  Though He loved and respected Joseph,  Jesus was the Son of God.  The story ends with Jesus obeying…

Luke 2:39-40 (NIV)   When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord,  they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong;  He was filled with wisdom,  and the grace of God was upon Him.  Finally it was time to settle down and enjoy being a family.  With dangers and transitions behind them for now,  Mary and Joseph began a normal family life.  Jesus thrived in His…