September 12, 2026

John 11: 48 (NIV)

“If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

What is so important to us in living in this world is often of little or no importance to God.*

The chief priests and the Pharisees used bizarre logic when they met to discuss the problems Jesus was causing them. They didn’t deny that he was performing miraculous signs, they just didn’t want everyone to believe in him. Their privileges and prestige were at risk if the Romans decided to step in. They were so concerned about their place in society that they were blinded to the significance of Jesus’ miracles. They only knew that he had to be stopped before their way of life was ruined.

Accepting Jesus as Lord can upset your status quo, too. If you have a job that requires you to be unethical in order to get ahead; if you have friends whose lifestyles aren’t compatible with a Christian’s walk; or if your family can’t believe you are serious about this religious stuff – your life is going to change. Jesus didn’t promise that the life of a Christian would be easy but he made lots of other promises (see 200+ Promises That Jesus Made for This Life and for the Life to Come, compiled by Galen Currah, from The Greatest Life Ever Lived, by Cheny and Ellisen, 1999, edited by Meltebeke and Meltebeke). In John 16: 33, Jesus offers us a good news/bad news promise: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” It will be worth it all to be a part of that revolution! Don’t be like the Pharisees and hold on to an old life of temporary fame and fortune and miss out on eternal fulfillment.

He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life change.*

September 11, 2026

Romans 15: 30 (NIV)

I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Go where your best prayers take you.*

Paul’s readers were probably relieved that he didn’t ask them to physically join him in his struggles. There probably weren’t many in the church at Rome who would sign up to take part in Paul’s adventures: beatings, shipwrecks, bandits, hunger and thirst, constantly on the move (II Corinthians 11: 23-27). All he asked was that they pray for him.

Do you know some intrepid missionaries who covet your prayers? Do you feel a bit cowardly because that’s all you are doing for them? Perhaps your conscience is eased somewhat by your financial support. I say it’s time that prayer got the credit it’s due. Prayer is the most we can do, not the least.

I dare you to join in someone’s struggles by praying for them. You might find your cowardice replaced by a call to join that missionary in the field. When your prayers accompany your money, miraculous things happen to it. When you let a person know you are praying for him, he is encouraged to know that he is not alone in his struggle.

Pray, and unleash the Holy Spirit’s power in the life of a brave servant who has gone where you wouldn’t dare . . . yet. Who knows what can happen when you start praying?

God has invested something of great significance in prayer. It is his way of bringing about change on earth, and at the same time, bringing his children to maturity.*

September 10, 2026

Acts 26: 8 (NIV)

“Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

If Christ did not raise from the dead a lie has done more to civilize our world than all the truth of history.*

Paul probably meant this as a rhetorical question when he addressed it to King Agrippa at his own defense. He didn’t pause for an answer; instead, he kept talking. But we can stop right now and ask it ourselves: Why should anyone consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

The first step in believing that God can raise the dead is to believe in God. Until that foundation has been laid, the discussion can go no further. Next step: believe in the God of the Bible. Many people claim to believe in God – or in a “higher power” – but to add to or take away from his attributes is to create a false god. When we design our own god, we can believe anything we want to about him but we can’t make him act on our behalf.

A god who is not God cannot generate life nor regenerate it. If someone considers it incredible – as in, unbelievable – that God raises the dead – he needs to meet God. Not “the man upstairs” who watches us benevolently while not really involving himself in our lives. He is God the creator, sustainer, and reanimator of life. Why should anyone find that hard to believe?

No other . . . creation of God rejects him . . . and denies his  . . . existence. . . . Yet God continues to love us passionately and to remain deeply involved in our lives.*

September 9, 2026

Proverbs 19: 11 (NIV)

A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

How can such miserable sinners as we are entertain so much pride as the conceit that every offense against our imagined honor merits death?*

Raising children taught me an important lesson: Pick your battles. Some issues are worth fighting for; others, not so much. When it comes to the offensive behavior of our fellow humans, overlooking is often the best course of action (or should I say, inaction?). Giving someone a piece of your mind every time you feel like it doesn’t result in improvement on the other person’s part – it only leaves you with a little less mind to work with!

Does that mean we should never speak up? Should we ignore all bad behavior? Of course not. Then how are we to determine when to address the offense and when to let it go? Solomon says that a man’s wisdom gives him patience. Solomon also said, “For the Lord gives wisdom.” (Proverbs 2: 6) And James wrote that if anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God (1: 5). So, we have a battle plan: Ask God for wisdom. He will grant you the wisdom – the discernment – you need to be patient with the offensive person in your life. Now, with the combined forces of patience and wisdom, you know which battles to engage in and which ones to walk away from.

Solomon adds that it is a man’s glory to overlook an offense. As good as you think it might feel to put someone in his place, there is no satisfaction like overcoming your own pettiness. Let wisdom and patience prevail. 

It is better to mind my speak than to speak my mind.*

September 8, 2026

I Thessalonians 5: 16-18  (NIV)

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Blessed are those who are totally dependent on Jesus for their joy.*

Many people lead sad, dismal lives. A portion of those sad souls just choose to look at life through the lens of hopelessness while the rest actually have something to cry about. At the other end of the spectrum are the two kinds of joyful people: those who have positive, happy lives, and those who choose joy in spite of their circumstances.

Paul gives us a formula for how to be a joy-chooser. First he says to be joyful always. As if we have a choice. So, obviously, we do. Having trouble accomplishing this new goal? Well, pray continually. Pray about your lack of joy – but while you’re at it, give thanks in all circumstances. This may not sound so easy – and it isn’t – but this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. If it is God’s will, he will make it happen – but you have to cooperate.

I said this was a formula for choosing joy – I didn’t claim that it was a magic potion for making all your problems go away. Joy is an attitude that is not connected to external circumstances. Joy is powered internally by the Spirit of God. Stay plugged into the power – pray continually.

It’s infinitely more important to pray than to know what to pray for because God responds to prayer, not prayer formulas.*

September 7, 2026

Colossians 4: 2 (NIV)

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.*

What would happen if a person devoted himself to prayer? Would he get nothing else accomplished or would he change the world? Should we be like the missionary I read about who said he had to spend the first two hours of each day in prayer before he could begin his work?

There is no commandment or precedent for the optimum amount of time to spend in prayer. Jesus went aside to pray on many occasions but we can be sure those weren’t the only moments he spent in prayer. He modeled a life devoted to prayer – not by spending the day on his knees but by being tuned in to his Father at all times. It’s as if he dialed God’s number once and kept the line open from that point on. They were in constant communication with each other.

A life devoted to prayer is not an actionless life. Pray is a verb. Praying is something that you do. Watchfulness and thankfulness may be accompanying attitudes but they require that you watch and thank – actions. Watch for answers and opportunities. Be alert and vigilant against temptation. Thank God for answers, opportunities, and deliverance from temptation.

I challenge you to devote yourself to prayer. Determine to dedicate more time for prayer. Be intentional in your awareness of God’s presence throughout the day. Being conscious of his readiness to listen will spur you to give him something to listen to. Use prayer to get to know God rather than as a way to get God to give you stuff. Your life, devoted to prayer, may not change the world but it will change you.

Praying just in times of emergencies or special crises works about as well as trying to breathe only when sick!*

September 6, 2026

Matthew 11: 25, 26 (NIV)

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”

God has never been governed by what is common.*

Praise and thanksgiving are similar concepts. We might consider that we thank God for what he does while we praise him for who he is. In these verses, Jesus sort of invalidates that theory by praising God for something that he has done. God does not conform to our attempts to understand him on our terms.

Jesus may have been praising his Father for what he had done but what the Father did was typical of who he is. He is the Master of the Unexpected. God hid his revelation from those we think most likely to comprehend, choosing instead to reveal himself to those who don’t trust in their own wisdom and education. He wants us wiped clean of preconceptions, pride, and self so that he can imprint us with himself.

God has chosen to save the world through an action that no one could have expected – even though it was predicted. As the song says, this is such a strange way to save the world,* but God’s unlikely choices and unexpected actions serve his purpose. This is the way God operates. What he does for his good pleasure always works for our good as well. That’s just who he is. Praise the Lord!

God is never restricted to our expectations and understandings. His grace is frequently upsetting and surprising.*