And Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the people of Joseph is right.”

Numbers 36

And Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, “The tribe of the people of Joseph is right.” Numbers 36:5

I return to my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 36 - based on a petition from the tribe of Joseph, we see the Lord modify commands about how the daughters of Zelophehad are to receive a land inheritance in the Promised Land.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?:  Numbers 27:1-11 established a statute for Israel to accommodate how female heirs were to participate in their inheritance if the father dies and he has no sons.  Here, in the text today, the tribe of Joseph petitions Moses (and the Lord) with the claim that female heirs that marry into another tribe essentially have a double portion of an inheritance because they participate in both the inheritance from their father as well as from their husband (a son from another tribe) - with the claim that this is not just.  In vv5-9 God hears the cries and petitions of Joseph's tribe, responds, and He is a just God and He modifies his guidance to share that female heirs can only marry within their tribe.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Such circumstances require prayer and wisdom from God and Moses sought such wisdom per v5 where the text shares that "Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the LORD."  We also see obedience on the part of the daughters of Zelophehad in v10.  Compromise is often the right thing to do - particularly when God commands it.  The daughters of Zelophehad lost the privilege to marry outside their tribe but the people of Israel (including the daughters of Zelophehad) gained a sense of unity through shared fairness and provision.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid leaning on your own understanding but on that of God (see also Proverbs 3:5-6).  Claim the promise that God hears our cries/prayers/petitions, responds, and is always at work for good. Follow the example of Moses who did as God commands.  Trust and abide in Him and He will guide and direct your steps.  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Your Word is perfect and blesses in all ways!  Thank You Jesus for giving us Your Word and for saving.  I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”

 Numbers 26-27

Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” Numbers 27:15-17

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 26-27 - God prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land as He instructs Moses to take a census, and He commissions Joshua to be the new leader of the people. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God is faithful - back in Numbers 14:28-35, God promised to punish the entire first generation of Israel who did not trust God or rebelled against Him - the punishment will be that they not enter the Promised Land.  Here in the text today, this promise is kept - see Numbers 26:63-65.  This may not be the faithfulness one seeks - a promise to condemn of punish - but it is a promise nonetheless and we should be mindful that if God shares that man will be punished or condemned, this is not an idle threat - it is a promise.  God responds to   the pleas (prayers) of His people.  In Numbers 27:1-11, we see the plight of the daughters of Zelophehad, who are not going to get an inheritance of land in the Promised Land, yet the daughters took their plea to Moses who interceded on their behalf.  God answers their prayer and He seeks for all believers to bring their cares and concerns to Him - see also 1 Peter 5:7.  God hears our cries and responds to us - the response may not be what we seek, but He does respond and He does provide, comfort, encourage, etc. God's promise (Numbers 20:12) that Moses will not enter the Promised Land is also fulfilled here - Numbers 27:13-14.  God chooses and prepares Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land.         
• What do we learn from the text about people?:  Moses does not quarrel with God about his punishment - that he will not enter the promised land.  His concern once again is for the people - what an incredible response of humility.  Moses surrenders his life to God's will.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Claim the promise that God is faithful in all things - 2 Corinthians 1:20.  Follow the example of Moses, who in humility and obedience, surrender to the will of God and trusted Him.     

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love and save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

John 2:1-12

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:3-4

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 2:1-12 using the Sword Bible Study Method, and tomorrow I will take another pass at the text and summarize my thoughts from both today and tomorrow by providing an outline/divisions and main point for the text.  

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Once again, as I posted yesterday, Jesus acts with intent and purpose - He has a plan; see v4 where He rebukes His mother for asking Him to make more wine by sharing "My hour has not yet come"; yet while Jesus does act with intent and He does have a plan, He responds to the cares and concerns of His people and in this case His own mother;  clearly this was not a need that reached the same level as other requests for healing, etc. but Jesus will respond to the cares and concerns of His people and STILL make His plan work; here Jesus produces wine from water - the first of His miracles that "manifested His glory" - v10.  
• What do we learn from the passage about people?: Jesus' mother's request can be seen as a petty use of Jesus' power as the King of Kings; people often make petty requests of God - He is not a vending machine - vv3-4. Upon Jesus' turning of the water into wine, Jesus' disciples believed 
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid,Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should bring our cares and concerns to Jesus (1 Peter 5:7) and He wants to hear them - however, we should be mindful that Jesus is not a vending machine and we should seek His will not our own with our requests (see also Luke 22:42).    

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and who is full of compassion and grace - You want to hear our cares and concerns and You respond.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love, grace and mercy - my salvation - the greatest gift of all time.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

Mark 10:46-52

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” Mark 10:49-51

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 10:46-52.  Excerpts from the commentary's second (of three) division (vv49-51):

• The title of the first division per the commentary is "We Should Never Be So Busy We Cannot Stop and Help."
• "Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem—on the way to die. He is determined to fulfill His destiny. His mind must be racing; His heart is filled to overflowing with sorrow for what awaits Him. We could certainly understand if He just moved on this one time without stopping to help a poor blind man."  
• Regardless of all that was likely to be on Jesus' mind, He stopped and helped Bartimaeus. 
• "Jesus has heard his cry, and He will stop and meet this man at his point of need, his greatest need!"  
• "It is one thing to hear. It is another thing to listen. Some of us are good at neither! Some of us are good at hearing but not listening. Our Lord Jesus is great at both! Jesus then asked Bartimaeus a straightforward question, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' (10:51). This is the same question He has just asked James and John in verse 36. They asked for the best seats in the kingdom. Bartimaeus, in radical and stark contrast, has a much more humble request: 'I want to see!'"  
• The commentary refers to another scholar on Mark (James Edwards), who shares that "[t]he Sons of Thunder asked for extraordinary glory, Bartimaeus asked only for ordinary health.”  
• We are referred to additional text where the Word shares how Jesus hears and responds to our cries and prayers: Psalm 17:6, 54:2, 71:2, James 5:16.

Life feels crazy and hectic but we must rest from the daily hustle and bustle of life to most importantly make time for God but also to make time for the needs we see - they are everywhere!  Also, God seeks from us the same humble and desperate faith as Bartimaeus.  We all sin and need a savior.  We all have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs - as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus meets them all and He saves!  We must go to Jesus daily and cry out have mercy on me and help my unbelief!  

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that holds the entire universe in Your Hands and despite Your lofty position sitting at the right hand of God, You reached down to the pit while I was still sinning, hostile and an enemy to You, You saved me and made me part of Your family and kingdom.  Thank You Jesus for having mercy on me and for pouring out these mercies daily in an inexhaustible supply!  I am not deserving...my sin continues and it is great.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” And he went with him.

Mark 5:21-43

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” And he went with him. Mark  5:22-24

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 5:21-43, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers three divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's introduction for this chapter and for the first (of three) division (vv21-24): 

• The main idea for the text vv21-43 is "[w]e can come to Jesus with our requests, and He will honor even imperfect faith when the object of that faith is Him"
• The commentary's title for the first division is "Jesus Hears the Cries of the Distressed."
• "This text has what we call a “sandwich structure,” beginning with the story of Jairus (5:21-24), interrupted by the story of a suffering woman (5:24-34), and ending with Jairus again (5:35-43). The purpose is to make comparisons." 
• We are urged to see how "Jesus cares for those in trouble," and how Mark 4 and 5 present text for how Jesus has providence over creation, demons, disease, and even death. He has performed signs and wonders and is now drawing great crowds at this point in His ministry.  
• Jairus is presented as a ruler of the synagogue (v22) and the commentary emphasizes how this is a man of distinction and respect but he comes to Jesus with great humility as v22 continues describes him falling at Jesus's feet "implor[ing] him earnestly."  This is "in spite of [Jesus's] growing opposition of the religious establishment, he bucks the trend and comes to Jesus."    
• This humility is what Jesus seeks for us and the commentary reminds us that must not only have humility but also utter dependency and faith that we should come to Jesus with urgency that He is the one who holds our lives in His hands and we must rest on Him for all of our needs.  

While prayer is not explicit in the text today, I am drawn to how we must cast our cares and concerns on Him (1 Peter 5:7), and acknowledge how "apart from [Jesus], [we] can do nothing" (John 15:5).  Just as Jairus did, we must fall on our feet and go to God and for believers this is prayer. God hears and responds to our prayers!

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My Prayer:  Father God You are an awesome God that is able to do it all - all knowing, all seeing, and all powerful.  I can do nothing without You.  In spite of my sin, You saved me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

Mark 2:1-12

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. Mark 2:3-4

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 2:1-5, which is the text for the first (of three) division of vv1-12 per the commentary.  Excerpts from the introduction to this chapter of the commentary as well as for the first division vv1-5:

• "All of us at some point in our lives will be forced to consider two critical questions: Can I be forgiven of my sins? Who can forgive me of my sins? That we must face such questions should not surprise us. Sin is our greatest problem. It is our greatest enemy and separates us from God. It renders us spiritually dead, and if left unforgiven, results in eternal death in a place called hell."
• "Who can forgive me? God can—the God who is revealed in the person of Jesus. This Jesus is the Son of God (1:1), the Son of Man (2:10), and the Holy One of God (1:24) who has come to take away the sins of the world. He is the only One who can deliver me from the penalty of sin, providing for my justification. He is the only One who can deliver me from the power of sin, ensuring my sanctification. And He is the only One who can deliver me from the presence of sin, promising my future glorification."
• Although those interested in Jesus sought more miracles, Jesus came back to Capernaum to preach. 
• "Jesus saw [the] faith [of the paralytic and his friends], probably referring to all five men, but at the very least encompassing the four friends. In either case our Lord clearly was impressed, and He honored their faith by pouring out mercy on the paralyzed man."
• Jesus forgave the man even though this is not what he sought. "Seeing the man’s whole situation, Jesus lovingly looked past his surface need and met his deeper need; He looked past the man’s immediate need and met his real need! Based on who He is and what He would accomplish on the cross, Jesus extended to a paralyzed sinner God’s full and complete pardon of sin. He may have needed healing, but even more he—like all of us—needed to experience the forgiveness of sins made possible by Jesus."  

We pray for much in our faith journey.  For many of our prayers, we assume they are unanswered.  However, God hears all of our prayers. We must also understand that God has a plan and this plan is perfect - we cannot fathom the depth and breadth of God's thoughts and ways (Isaiah 55:8).  While we pray for many things and don't understand the depth and breadth of God's plan - we do know that salvation is core to His plan as Jesus came to seek and save the lost - Luke 19:10. We are all lost without Jesus -  eternally damned.  Yet Jesus saves and He met not only the greatest need of the paralytic but the greatest need for all of humanity across all of redemptive history. Come to Jesus and be saved!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that saves - meeting my greatest need.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

James 5:12-20

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16b

This morning, I move on to prepare for teaching this upcoming Sunday 25AUG on James 5:12-20.  As part of my preparation, my focus today is an unassisted review (no commentary) of the text. V12 immediately shares an important warning, sharing "but above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation."  My mind goes to those (myself included at one point my life) who say they are going to do something then add a qualifier where they say "I swear to God."  Only God is faithful whose promises all come to pass - because humans are fallen and imperfect we are not faithful as God is so any oath we make carries with it the possibility that we do not honor it.  A quick text search in scripture of "oath" brings up Leviticus 5:4 - a similar text to James 5:12. Moving to vv13-20 the text describes appropriate responses to suffering (prayer), cheerfulness (praise), sickness (engage church elders) - vv13-14.  Prayers of faith for those who are sick - v15 are answered as God will save those who confess their sin and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior (see also Romans 10:9-10).  Sins will be forgiven so we are encouraged to confess our sins to one another - v16a.  Vv16b-18 discuss the power of prayer and how Elijah demonstrated the power of prayer.  Vv19-20 shares how we are called to help those wandering from the truth to return to the Lord. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me.  Thank You Jesus for my salvation, and for Your Word, the Holy Spirit the church, my brothers and sisters in Christ and so much more.  My cup overflows.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly spouses and friends to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

1 Samuel 1

Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 1 Samuel 1:18b

As a follow up to a presentation I prepared for teaching and discussion in Sunday school tomorrow, I sought further study on the topic of waiting for the Lord.  I found this awesome short podcast episode - entitled The Miracle of Waiting Faithfully - from DesiringGod.com's Ask Pastor John podcast series. This short podcast highlighted the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1 where the Bible chronicled her struggle with infertility.  In 1 Samuel 1:10, scripture shares that Hannah "was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly." In v11, Hannah makes a vow to the Lord that if He gives her a son, then she will give him back to the Lord.  This is amazing on many levels - because first Hannah recognizes that it is God alone that provides all things, including life.  Next, while Hannah desperately wants a son, she knows that all life is created to bring glory to the Lord - that human life exists to glorify God.  Of course, since the Fall we know that sin and evil exists also, but we also know that God has providence over Satan and sin and God uses Satan to serve Himself (see John Piper post here) - there is mystery over how God does this but we can take comfort that as John Piper says, Satan's will is not decisive, God's is.  Hannah's prayer and petition to the Lord is pleasing to Him and one of the priests at the temple - Eli - tells Hannah to no longer be anxious but instead to go in peace (v17).  It's not entirely clear but it seems implied that Eli conveys a message from God that Hannah should go in peace because God both heard her prayer and told Eli that it would be answered. In v18b, Hannah "went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad."  This is the definition of supernatural peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7)! The podcast guest shares that "I think a lot of times we are praying for things that we have no intention of giving back to God in the first place.  I wonder if Hannah’s heart had changed in such a way where everything that she was going to get from God, and everything that she wanted to get from God, she only wanted it for his glory. I think that part is what changed her heart so that she was able to walk away and no longer be sad by what seemed to be an unanswered prayer — before the prayer was even answered.... I think God is always doing a variety of things in secret that we don’t realize or don’t see. I think the miraculous thing is that faith is not natural to me; sin is, rebellion is, unbelief is. The miraculous thing is that God will somehow use my waiting as a means to grow my faith so that I could see Jesus and want Jesus and crave Jesus."  Crave Jesus indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of incredible grace, compassion, and mercies...and these blessings are daily!  Thank You Jesus for making me one of Your elect.  I am NOT deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

1 John 5

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 1 John 5:14

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 5:13-21, focusing specifically on a review of the main idea for the entirety of the text, the commentary's introduction/overview for this text, and the second division - which is "We Can Know That God Answers Prayer (5:14-17)". John also addressed in 1 John 3:22 where he shared that "God answers our prayers when we are (1) keeping His commands and (2) doing those things that please Him. John now adds a third requirement: (3) we must ask “according to his will” (v14)." Of course, the commentary shares how a believer's will may often not align that of God.  However, the commentary also shares that God's will is always better than our own. We are referred to Romans 12:2 where God's will is described as "good, pleasing and perfect." In v16-17, John moves to prayer of intercession, for someone who is in sin.  V16 is described by the commentary as one of the most difficult verses to interpret in all of Scripture." The subject of the verse is "sin that leads to death."  The commentary puts forward three options to explain this type of sin as: (1) "A specific, deadly sin. This is high-handed sin. It is sin that is willful and deliberate; sin that is of a serious nature; (2) Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  This is a deliberate, knowledgeable, willful, verbal, and continual rejection of the truth to which the Spirit bears witness. It is a hardening of the heart to a degree that prayer will not help; or (3) Total rejection of the gospel and Christ. This is the sin of the false teachers who willfully and habitually oppose the witness of God concerning the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ. This one is not called a brother. He is an apostate."  The commentary lands on option (3) as the preferred option. The text therefore shares how we can intercede in prayer for someone who is in sin that leads to death but this prayer will be futile.  V17 then describes sin that "does not lead to death," and we are called per the text to pray for those who are in sin that "does not lead to death."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good Father, righteous, Holy and Your will is good, pleasing and perfect.  You hear all of my prayers and respond to all of them. I am not deserving of how You respond to my prayers - my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[W]e know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5

[W]e know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:11

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a "mostly" unassisted review of 1 John 5:13-21.  A core theme of John in the text today is how must protect ourselves from the world and the influences of the evil one Satan. John starts the text by sharing that he wants believers to know and have assurance that they have eternal life and this assurance should give us confidence to approach God in pray as He intercedes on our behalf. He hears our prayers.  John then focuses on one specific prayer - for another believer that sins who is able to truly repent from and receive forgiveness.  John does share that there is sin that leads to death and John Piper describes this as sin where a believer is unable to truly repent and receive forgiveness because God has given up on them or turned them over to his or her sin (see discussion here on this question). John then shares how God protects those born of Him where they abide in Him and He in them. V20 appears to be key in our power as Jesus has come and "given us understanding" and this leads us to Jesus, pushes us into Him vs falling prey to the world.  John ends with a blunt warning to keep ourselves from idols. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One True God and You are life - now to the full and forever in Heaven.  You protect me from sin and give me power over both sin and death - You also hear all of my prayers and respond - thank You Jesus for all of these blessings and of course for my salvation.  What a great God You are.  I am not deserving of such rich blessings nor my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

1 John 3

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 1 John 3:24

I resume my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of 1 John 3:18-24.  

Per the commentary for this text: 

Main idea: "God uses biblical truths and the gift of His Spirit to provide assurance and comfort to His beloved children."

Excerpts from the introduction:

• "The human heart is a tender, vulnerable, and complex component of every single person."
• "Our inclination is to embrace platitudes like “trust your heart” and “let your conscience be your guide,” but God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” Interestingly, the answer to this often quoted verse is found in the very next verse in Jeremiah: “I, Yahweh, examine the mind, I test the heart to give each according to his way.”
• "The apostle John recognized that those who have believed in Jesus (3:23) could still suffer from a hurting heart, a condemning conscience. He also knew there were some basic truths, all grounded in the good news of the gospel, that could provide healing, the exact cure that is needed. Some basic knowledge of what God has done and is doing in the lives of those who have trusted in Jesus provides the precise remedy for this all-too-common heart condition."  
  

Divisions:

1. Love for Others Reassures Our Hearts That We Belong to God (3:18-19): Love for others that is not motivated out of pride or selfishness, etc. demonstrates to God that "we are of the truth" as children of God. However, it is often difficult to love others in various circumstances.  We must love as a an act of service and "[s]ometimes this service is public, noble, and newsworthy. Sometimes it is private, humiliating, and unnoticed. It can be a challenge....love requires service. Service involves humility. And loving others in humble service gives us assurance that we belong to Jesus."
   
2. God Is the Perfect Judge Who Sees Everything (3:20): In those circumstances when we may feel condemned, we can rest in how God truly knows us and offers freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1). See also 1 Corinthians 4:3-5.
   
3. Be Confident That God Answers Our Prayers (3:21-22): Not being condemned by God gives us confidence that we can approach God and be heard and given what we ask - if we are truly in God (and He in us) than our asks are in alignment with God's will. "Believers with clear consciences, confident access, and obedient lives that please Christ can be assured that God will hear and answer their prayers for their good and for His glory." 
   
4. Believe That Jesus Christ Is the Son of God, and Love One Another (3:23).
   
5. Abide in God and Know that God Abides in Us by the Gift of His Spirit (3:24): "John clearly wants us to understand that the Spirit—the true Spirit who stands in radical contrast to the false spirits of antichrist (cf. 4:1-6)—comes as a gift, not as something God was obliged to give us. He is given to us as a grace gift; He is not something we can earn or merit. In saying the Spirit has already been given to us, John looks to the past, to our conversion, the moment in time when we first believed the gospel. That is when we received the Spirit....if we would set our hearts at rest, when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit’s working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God’s commands and to love our brothers; for the condition of Christ dwelling in us and of our dwelling in him is this comprehensive obedience (24a), and the evidence of the indwelling is the gift of the Spirit (24b)."
   

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who is full of grace and compassion for us - giving me Your Word, and the Holy Spirit to help me in my journey with You - towards greater maturity in Christ, obedience, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the compassion and grace You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

Daniel 9

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. Daniel 10:12

I continue my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 10 as I lean on my commentary for this text, which outlines the following divisions:

I. Spiritual Warfare Involves Divine Action (10:1).

II. Spiritual Warfare Requires Reinforcements Given through Prayer and Fasting (10:2-3,12).

III. Spiritual Warfare Can Be Overwhelming in Its Realities (10:4-17).

IV. Spiritual Warfare Should Result in Spiritual Refreshment (10:18-21).

From the reading of the text and the commentary, two broad themes emerge: (1) spiritual warfare, (2) prayer.

On spiritual warfare the commentary shares how we, in our human comprehension, cannot see the fullness of the spiritual battles occurring as we go about our daily lives.  Yet it is real and is a powerful force that can be overwhelming....with Daniel feeling overwhelmed and weak on several occasions here in Daniel 10, including v8,10, and 16. 

On prayer, the commentary shares that "[o]ur prayers provide spiritual reinforcement for the battles that take place “against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens” (Ephesians 6:12). Our prayers are weapons of warfare that provide ammunition for angels as they engage the demonic forces of evil in spiritual combat. Our prayers matter. They make a difference in this unseen but certain world of the spiritual."

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who reveals Himself to me through Your Word which I can read and study and find You.  Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You reveal Yourself to me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.

Daniel 9

 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. Daniel 9:18

I resume my study of Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 9 and my unaided observations of this text.  Here, Daniel seeks to intercede on behalf of Israel that is in exile - he goes to God in prayer and in v3-19 prays and incredible prayer that all believers can make in light of sin that we all commit. We also see the angel Gabriel, on behalf of God, responding to Daniel, reassuring Daniel that his prayer has been heard and Gabriel also shares prophecies of what is to come, including how Jerusalem will be destroyed and rebuilt, and how Jesus is coming, and we also see a glimpse of end times (v27).  Once again we can take comfort that God hears and responds to our prayers and cries and how God has already won the victory we seek over sin and death - He has risen!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are good!  Thank You for how You hear and respond to prayer and how You save!  I am not deserving of my salvation - my sin is great and it continues. Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20

As I focus on my church's men's disciple/small group study of Daniel - which lays out a plan to study Daniel five days a week, I maintain a pause of my study of Hebrews, filling in this two-day a week gap by using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which this morning looks at prayer and how our closing of prayers with Amen as an acknowledgement of our confidence that God hears our prayers, He responds, and He is able to do anything. God makes many promises through scripture, and as today's text proclaims, He is faithful and fulfills all of them.  We can be confident in going to God in prayer.  I am reminded of additional scripture in James on prayer: 

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

I am also reminded of the following verses about how we should approach God with confidence:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

...and how He seeks to carry our burdens:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Praise God for allowing us to go to Him directly in prayer!

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are the Great High Priest - and I know I am able to go to You directly and confidently in prayer!  Thank You Jesus for interceding on my behalf.  I also know I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Isaiah 54-57

Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 2 Chronicles 6:19-21

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 4 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 3 once again focuses on Isaiah 55-56. One of the questions from the study this morning urges us to look at how God refers to His "house of prayer" in Isaiah 56 (see v7) and believers are to see how God wants us to pray - the study refers us to 2 Chronicles 6:19-21, 32-33, 36-40 and 7:12-16. I am encouraged to pray - this is certainly a spiritual discipline where I need to grow.  Please help me Lord develop this spiritual discipline.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who hears all my cries and responds - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are full of compassion and help me carry my burden.  Thank You.  Yet my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs 16

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:33

As I continue my vacation in Maine, I maintain a pause on my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs, and tonight and throughout my vacation I will use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotionals - today's focuses on how God is in control of all details of the natural world, including my life. I should gain peace and security knowing that God is in control and this should in turn eliminate my need to worry as I know God loves me and He does respond to prayer. Of course my immediate thought is to worry but the more I read today's devotion and reflect on it, I DO gain peace and security and I know I can pray to God and He will hear my cries and respond - I don't know what His response will be but I do know He will respond and it will be perfect and good. 

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My Prayer: God You are good and I KNOW You love me - You provide for all of my needs, You hear all of my cries and You do respond to all of my prayers - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it is daily - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.”

 Isaiah 36-39

And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” Isaiah 37:15-20

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 14, looking at Day 3, which looks specifically at Isaiah 37. Here, we see Hezekiah - faced with destruction at the hands of Assyria - with nowhere to go but to God as attempts to rely on both Egypt and Assyria itself have failed.  Hezekiah goes to Isaiah and to God and Hezekiah offers a humble and earnest prayer to God to be rescued.  My commentary notes a number of takeaways from Isaiah 37, including:

• God's glory is uppermost in his own affections
• Therefore, God's actions are first for his name, and second for human salvation
• God's power and knowledge are awesome
• God is sovereign over the nations
• God rules over the heart of kings
• The human heart is arrogant
• God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble
• God answers humble prayer
• God's wrath is terrifying
• God's mercy to sinners is amazing

Today, it is Hezekiah's humble prayer to God that convicts me as I seek for God to make me a prayer warrior and of course humility in prayer is key!

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My Prayer: What an awesome God You are - You are always working, You hear our prayers, and You respond - You are faithful!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You work in my life and how You hear and respond to my prayers.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30-32

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. Isaiah 30:18

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I started Lesson 12, moving to Day 2, which again focuses on Isaiah 30. As I posted yesterday, Israel fails to seek protection and refuge from God in the face of a pending Assyrian invasion, but instead seeks an alliance with Egypt.  Despite this, and how Israel heaps sin upon sin by seeking advice from false prophets who only offer only smooth words and positive messages (instead of truth that holds them accountable for their sin - see v30:10), God hears the cry of His people and responds with help. See v30:19-26 for God's response. God does hear our cries and He DOES offer comfort in our pain.

Among the many passages in scripture where God hears our cries, I recall how God heard Israel's cries in Egypt in the book of Exodus.

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. Exodus 2:23-25

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God - despite our rebelliousness, You hear our cries and You respond - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and love.  My sin continues and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

2 Corinthians 1

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Tonight, I continue a pause on both of my studies in Isaiah and Revelation to listen to John Piper's daily devotion for today - Solid Joys.  Here Piper emphasizes how the word "amen" serves to confirm God's faithfulness when we end our prayers with this word. We pray confidently, knowing that God is faithful as we know He is as all of God's promises come to pass.  Piper writes: "[w]hen we pray, we say Amen to God through Christ, because God has said a decisive Amen to all his promises in Christ. Prayer is the confident plea for God to make good on his promises of future grace — for Christ’s sake. Prayer links our faith in future grace with the foundation of it all, Jesus Christ....Amen means, 'Yes, Lord, you can do it.” It means, “Yes, Lord, you are powerful. Yes, Lord, you are wise. Yes, Lord, you are merciful. Yes, Lord, all future grace comes from you and has been confirmed in Christ.'"

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are faithful indeed and I have seen Your faithfulness every day in my life - thank You Jesus!  Your mercies ARE new every morning and I am grateful not just for Your mercies but also for Your faithfulness.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin of anger, worry, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 12

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Acts 12:5

I continue with my study of - Ten Men of the Bible: How God Used Imperfect People to Change the World - eBook by Max Lucado (for purchase). This morning, I finish the story of "Peter: Gospel of the Second Chance*".

*Title of lesson nine from the Max Lucado study.

Max Lucado's commentary* for day five of my study describes how King Herod imprisoned Peter in Acts 12 - he emphasizes how the church responded in prayer (Acts 12:5) and how Peter, once freed by an angel of the Lord, goes to Mary's house where she is holding a prayer vigil for Peter (Acts 12:12). Lucado gives us other verses that encourage prayer:

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17: "pray continually"
• Mark 11:17: Jesus refers to the temple as a "house of prayer"
• Matthew 18:19 (MSG): "When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action."

We are encouraged to pray first when we encounter difficult circumstances, and to listen for how God IS working as He is always at work. Lucado writes:"[n]o other spiritual activity is guaranteed...results".

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is always at work, hearing all of my prayers and moving in my life and in the life of others...thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are at work in my life...my sin of worry, and others sins continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.