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.*

September 5, 2026

Acts 12: 1-16 (NIV)

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death . . . he proceeded to seize Peter also. . . Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying . . . for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers . . . Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared . . . “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. . . He went to the house of Mary . . . where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked . . . and a servant girl . . . came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice . . . she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. . . But Peter kept knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

God doesn’t promise good outcomes – he wants us to rejoice in him no matter the circumstances.*

In this passage, we have two contrasting perspectives on prayer: Surprise when prayers are answered; disappointment when they aren’t. We might be amused at Peter’s friends’ astonishment. He appeared at the door at the exact time that they were huddled together in Mary’s house praying for his safety and release. Where was their faith? we wonder.  Perhaps their faith had just taken a hit when they got word of James’ execution. Surely they had been praying for him, too.

When prayers yield immediate and positive results, your expectations are high for the next time. When it seems God is ignoring your prayers, you lose heart and faith, and your expectations weaken. Perhaps it will encourage us to be reminded of some things we know about prayer.

Our responsibilities:	What prayers God has promised to answer:
1. We should do it. (No question about it; many scripture passages confirm it.)	1. Persistent prayer (Luke 18: 7)
2. We should do it continually (I Thessalonians 5: 17).	2. Prayer in Jesus’ name (John 14: 14)
3. We should pray believing (Matthew 21: 22).	3. Prayers of faith (Mark 11: 24)
4. We should pray for others (I Timothy 2: 1).	4. Prayers of two or more who are in agreement (Matthew 18: 19)

In an effort to manage our expectations, let’s examine more facts about prayer and God’s purposes.

• He is not slow in keeping his promises – he just has a different perspective on time. (II Peter 3: 8, 9) 
• He works for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8: 28) 
• When we don’t know what to pray for, his Spirit speaks for us. (Romans 8: 26) 
• Our prayers can change God’s mind but not always – just ask Jesus. (Luke 22: 42) 
• The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5: 17)

Jesus models the life of prayer that we should seek to establish for ourselves. He stayed in constant contact with his Father. He prayed in private and in public. It was a priority in his hectic schedule. He shows us that prayer is more than asking God to give us stuff and heal our loved ones. Prayer was his access to the source of power and the path to the relationship that God longs to have with each of us. When we walk that closely with him, we know that he is hearing us and that his answers are for our good. Those are the realistic expectations of the faithful.

Our responsibilities:

What prayers God has promised to answer:

1. We should do it. (No question about it; many scripture passages confirm it.)

1. Persistent prayer (Luke 18: 7)

2. We should do it continually (I Thessalonians 5: 17).

2. Prayer in Jesus’ name (John 14: 14)

3. We should pray believing (Matthew 21: 22).

3. Prayers of faith (Mark 11: 24)

4. We should pray for others (I Timothy 2: 1).

4. Prayers of two or more who are in agreement (Matthew 18: 19)

He sought the presence of God in order to fulfill the purpose of God.*

September 4, 2026

Philemon 6 (NIV)

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

We must put into practice what we have come to know.*

I’m a little surprised that Paul would expect Philemon to be active in sharing his faith before he has a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Shouldn’t he pray that his friend would be actively seeking understanding before he starts to share his faith? Apparently, Paul’s expectations differ from mine. Instead of encouraging Philemon (and us) to study and prepare until we feel ready to share our faith, he seems to think we should just Do It!

Maybe he’s right. Well, he’s Paul – of course he’s right. No matter how much we know, knowledge is not faith. Academic knowledge is not personal experience. Sharing what we know from reading about living a life of faith will never be as effective as our testimony about actually living it.

That makes sense. I can’t introduce you to someone I’ve only read about, but I can present you to a friend with whom I have a history. But how does this testimony-sharing translate to a full understanding? Putting what we know into practice solidifies our knowledge. In one writer’s words: “The practice of convictions deepens convictions; not that the exercise of Christian graces will make theologians, but it will give larger possession of the knowledge which is life.”* Reading the procedure manual is important; being thoroughly familiar with the material is critical; but when you start applying what you know, it becomes a part of you and your story. That’s when you start to have that full understanding Paul wanted for Philemon.

Telling the old, old story comes easiest to those of us who live it.*