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Genesis 35:7 (NIV) – Jacob built an altar there and named the place El-bethel  (which means  “God of Bethel”),  because God had appeared to him there….  EL BETHEL – The God of the House of God TODAY’S PRAYER:  El Bethel,  set up your home within me.  Live in the depths of my soul.  Make me a clean house,  a pure and blameless place in which you can live.  Show me how to honor you through everything I do—from the entertainment…

Deuteronomy 3:24 (NIV) – O Lord  (Adonai)  God,  You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand;  for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?  ADONAI – Master Over All TODAY’S PRAYER:  Who can calm a storm with one word?  Who can create a mountain?  You are Adonai,  Master over all and deserving of my highest praise.  I confess that there is nothing above…

Genesis 2:4 (NIV) – This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.  When the Lord  (Jehovah)  God made the earth and the heavens…  JEHOVAH – The Relational God TODAY’S PRAYER:  Jehovah,  you rule over all the earth;  yet you seek a relationship with me.  Just like you walked with Adam and Eve in the garden,  you want to walk with me each day.  Forgive me when I have been too busy to open my…

Genesis 1:1 (NIV) – In the beginning God  (Elohim)  created the heavens and the earth. ELOHIM – The Strong Creator God TODAY’S PRAYER:  Elohim,  forgive me when I forget your creative power,  evidenced in this big,  beautiful world and everything in it.  I want to pause and be awed by your masterpiece.  Help me not to miss it.  Help me to luxuriate in it every day.  I am wonderfully made—my life and health.  You are my strong creator God,  and…

Psalm 18:10 (NIV) – The name of the Lord is a strong tower;  the righteous run to it and are safe.  God reveals himself by various names that relate to His ability to meet the needs of His people.  This week we will pray,  using the various names of God.  Each name reveals an aspect of His character that relates to a need—back then in Bible days,  but also today,  because He is the same yesterday,  today,  and forever (Hebrews…

II Peter 1:4 (NIV) – Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises,  so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  Resurrection power is not a one-time deal that happened those many years ago.  It reaches 2000 years down through history to you and me to offer us a connection to God that not only brings us personal spiritual transformation but also…

Ephesians 2:6 (NIV) – And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms in Christ Jesus… Our salvation story is just the beginning.  Resurrection power enables us to overcome our personal limitations and go on to do amazing things with God.  We can experience spiritual growth,  connect to a divine calling,  and become a change agent in this world.  We get to reflect the vision of the final Kingdom that the Old Testament…

Romans 8:11 (NIV) – And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you,  He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit,  who lives in you…  We live in a world filled with death and disease.  In spite of having the best medical knowledge in the history of mankind,  only Jesus has power over death.  One day,  Christ will return and reset the world…

Hebrews 9:27 (MSG) – Everyone has to die once,  then face the consequences  (after that comes judgment – NLT).  The Resurrection validates Christ’s Message.  It means that all of Jesus’  “You-have-heard-but-I-tell you”  sermons were,  indeed,  true  (Matt. 5).  Without it,  we have no redeemer,  just another prophet.  Without it we have no definitive truth,  just another philosophy,  just another point of view.  The Resurrection unmasks false beliefs.  It warns you NOT to risk your eternity on them.  It proves that…

I Corinthians 15:13-22, focus verse 20 (NIV) – But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead…  The Resurrection validates Christ’s identity.  It was God’s giant exclamation point to the whole world that Jesus was,  indeed,  the Son of God.  Jesus does have power to take away sins.  Every aspect of our faith in Jesus is rooted,  connected,  catalyzed,  and proved through the events we remember during Easter.  The Resurrection proves that there is life after death and that Jesus…

Acts 3:15 (NLT) – You killed the author of life,  but God raised Him from the dead.  And we are witnesses of this fact! The Resurrection was the game-changer.  It was not a tag-on.  No,  it gave meaning to the crucifixion.  It brought resolution to it.  It turned grief into celebration.  It was the  “rest of the story.”  Without the resurrection,  the story of Jesus ends in tragic death;  but salvation does not end at the cross,  the place of…

Isaiah 40:27-31 (NLT) How can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?  How can you say God ignores your rights?  Have you never heard?  Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God,  the Creator of all the earth.  He never grows weak or weary.  No one can measure the depths of His understanding.  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  Even youths will become weak and tired.  But those who trust in…

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)  Search me,  O God,  and know my heart;  test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me,  and lead me in the way everlasting.  How easily do you take offense?  “The offended ones feel the need to offend back those who they think have offended them,  creating defensiveness on the part of the presumed offenders,  which often becomes a new offense—ad infinitum.  There seems to be no way out of…

Psalm 9:9-10 (NLT)   The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,  a refuge in times of trouble.  Those who know your name trust in you,  for you,  O Lord,  do not abandon those who search for you.  The Lord never forsakes us.  He will  “not ignore the cry of the afflicted”  (vs. 12).  This truth can be a stepping stone out of our pit of despair.  When life morphs,  when familiar and comfortable routines change and leave us anxious…

Psalm 16:1 (NLT)   Keep me safe,  O God for I have come to you for refuge.  This psalm is often referred to as  “A Prayer of Messiah.”  As you read through it,  you will gain insight into the kinds of things Christ may have prayed as He walked the Via Delarosa—I will not be shaken;  You will not abandon me;  You are at my right hand (vs. 8).  As Christ hung on the cross,  He found strength by focusing…

John 19:38 (NLT) Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. We call it Silent Saturday,  when we sit and wait and hope.  Of course,  we know Sunday is coming;  but the disciples knew only that Jesus was dead,  and so were their hopes and dreams.  Remember:  faith is something…

Mark 15:34 (The Message) At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o’clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Have you ever felt abandoned?  Sometimes when God doesn’t seem to be showing up,  we hear only silence.  Yet,  God’s goodness is most manifest–but we are blind to it.  Hold onto your faith,  because God will reveal Himself…

Mark 14:61-62 (The Message) In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, “What do you have to say to the accusation?” Jesus was silent. He said nothing. The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “Yes, I am, and you’ll see it yourself:The Son of Man seatedAt the right hand of the Mighty One,Arriving on the clouds of heaven.” Earlier,  Jesus had taught the…

John 12:1-9 (NLT) Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. 4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would…

John 11:45-53 (NLT) 45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48 If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both…

Exodus 34: 29 (NLT)  When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord.  “Spending time in the presence of God imparts the glory of God which is reflected to others.” Draw near to God and you will experience transformation. People will notice something different about you. Wisdom and discernment, compassion and understanding, so many of…

Exodus 33:14 (MSG)  God said (to Moses), “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.”  Moses unburdened his heart to the Lord. Leading so many people into the Promised Land was a God-sized task that needed more than good ideas and efficient leadership skills. This was God’s work and Moses needed God’s Presence to go before Him every step of the journey. God has a task for each one of us. Our spiritual gifts will…

Exodus 20:21 (MSG)  The people kept their distance while Moses approached the think cloud where God was.  The people stood far away from the “thick darkness” (KJV) where God was because of their guilt but Moses drew near because of his confidence. Some people are so afraid of God because they have not met Jesus, “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15) who loved us so much that He died on the cross to purchase our freedom from sin.…

Exodus 19:8 (NIV)  And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”  The Children of Israel did not know the true state of their hearts. Though they declared their consecration, their actions throughout their wilderness journey revealed a never-ending tendency to disobey the Lord and complain about everything. Nevertheless, the Lord led them and kept them and protected them like a father for his children listening for faith to take root and transform them into…

Exodus 17:6b (NIV)  So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders look on.  Moses called that place Massah (which means “test”) because the people tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” (vs 17:7). What comes out of your mouth in tough times? Do you question whether God is with you or not? When our emotions are devoid of feeling and our heads cannot find solutions, remember…

Exodus 16:4a (NIV)  “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you.”  Only one month into their desert journey to the Promised Land and “the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron” (vs 2). How quickly we move from celebration and praise to murmuring and complaining! But God did not retaliate against their discontent. Instead He promised an adequate supply for all: meat in the evening and bread (manna) in the morning. God did His part…

Proverbs 17:22 (MSG)  A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.  Researchers affirm this scriptural admonition and tell us that 20 seconds of a good, hardy belly laugh is worth three minutes on the rowing machine! Kids laugh an average of 400 times a day, while adults laugh about 15 times a day. The physical body experiences a “natural recuperation” when we laugh—it is able to heal itself and return to a state of…

Psalm 127:1  (NLT)  Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.   What foundation do you rest your life upon? Is Jesus the center of it all? Or do you depend primarily on your own resources and abilities in the various areas of your life? If God is your source for wisdom and understanding, then you can rest in knowing that your life is…

Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)  He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Who are your life-long traveling companions? These should be the people who encourage you, speak the truth, and impart wisdom and build your faith. But unsafe people (i.e. “fools”) drain us, are needy and dependent and unstable. The person who does life with fools is a person who will eventually be impacted by the behavior of the fool. The fool is the…

Mark 3:14a (NIV)  (Jesus) appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with Him….  In God’s Kingdom, our personal relationship with Christ (i.e. being “with Him”) takes precedence over our service to Him. “If we want to keep going in effectiveness, we must keep coming in devotedness.”  That means learning to be alone and stand still (I Sam. 9:27). In addition, God’s people must understand the need for their spiritual leaders to spend time alone with God (Ex. 32:1; Ex. 24:12-16)…

Matthew 11:30 (NIV)  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  What are the signs that we might have a burnout problem? Here are some indicators: anger, impatience, lack of compassion, and insomnia. There are more, of course. The core issue is that we must tend to our souls. Jesus clearly delineated between His type of burden and all others. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly (The Message). We must receive life…

Exodus 17:8, 11-12 (NIV)  While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding…

Exodus 17:1-4 (NIV)  …They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink…Then Moses cried out to the Lord “What should I do with these people?”  The perpetual conflict between the will of man and the will of God makes the “School of Submission” one of the most difficult and necessary schools of Divine Providence. Persistent refusal to submit to the sovereignty of God involves the risk of eventual open rebellion against God. Such submission may…

Exodus 16:23-36  (NLT)  He told them, “This is what the Lord commanded: tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord…”  Obedience to God is not only expressed by consecrated activity, but also by ceasing from the efforts of self; and devotion is not only expressed by serving, but also by sitting in active contemplation and quiet worship. God gives us rest from works (Heb. 3:7-4:11), and rest in devotion (Luke 10:38-42;…

Exodus 18:3 (NLT)  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you.”  Nobody wants to go through the “School of Need,” but God leads us into places of need so we will learn how to suffer want for the glory of God (Phil. 4:12). It can take place in the realm of the material (Matt. 6:25-34; I Kings 17:2-15), or the realm of the spiritual (Psa. 42:1-2; Isa. 44:3), or the occupational…

Exodus 15:27 (NLT)  Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.  The same God who matures us through times of disappointment and tests the reality of our profession of faith also leads us into the “School of Prosperity” where we experience the Lord’s abundance. There He teaches us humility and gratitude in regard to material things (Deut. 8:6-14; II Chron . 32:22-31), spiritual things (II Cor. 12:1-10;…

Ephesians 6:13-14 (NIV)  Therefore,  put on the full armor of God,  so that when the day of evil comes,  you may be able to stand your ground,  and after you have done everything,  to stand.  The  “stand”  in one verse refers to the end of the conflict, whereas in the other verse it refers to the beginning.  “There must be a firm stand in the beginning if there is to be one at the end.  The necessary posture toward the…

Luke 22:31 (NIV)  “Simon,  Simon,  Satan has asked to sift you as wheat…”   Satan  “sifts”—i.e.  “he seeks to put a believer through the sieve of the pressure of circumstances and  temptation and thus bring to light any inherent propensities to failure.”  Our problem is that we usually don’t recognize that some pressures are clearly subversive attempts to lead us to abandon our faith,  our calling,  our God-given mission.  “This warfare cannot be fought in the weakness of the flesh…

Daniel 7:25  (NLT)  (Satan) will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people…”  Spiritual warfare is real.  It was real in Daniel’s day,  and it is real today.  And as we move into an increasingly  “post-Christian”  culture,  we must be aware  (and prepared)  because evil will  “by means of many instrumentalities and circumstances,  endeavor to wear out the saints.  The heart of the Christian warrior tends to faint and,  craving for peace and rest,  is tempted to a cessation…