Wednesday Devotion and Prayer. May 31, 2023
                                           “ Be Bold for the Gospel”

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Philippians 1:20

Every morning I say the same prayer, “Lord, open my eyes and heart to see people who need to hear the Gospel today. Give me the courage to proclaim the Good News boldly.”The words roll effortlessly off my tongue; my heart beats quickly as I think about the potential opportunities to share Jesus with someone. My blood pumps as I imagine the ripple effects of someone giving their life to Christ–changing someone’s life, not just for the day but for eternity. Yet, as I set foot in the world, confronted with opposition, criticism, and self-doubt, my confidence wanes.

Have you ever felt that way? You feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to invite a co-worker to church, but you convince yourself that your words will be offensive. You learn that a family member has recently turned away from their faith, and you feel a strong desire to reach out but fear it might be a complicated conversation. A sister in Christ shares a viewpoint that contradicts the Bible; you know you should gently correct her incorrect thinking but don’t want to deal with the confrontation.

There have been many “missed- opportunities” to share the Gospel, lovingly point someone back to Christ, or advocate for the infallibility of the Bible. But here’s the good news about the Good News: you can’t thwart God’s plan. Every day is an opportunity for God to use you to bring people to Him! Paul wrote these words to the early church from a prison cell: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Philippians 1:20).

Paul was unsure about his release from prison and future trials, but he clung to the power of the Gospel. He knew he wouldn’t be able to live a perfect life, but his deepest desire was to, in every circumstance, bring glory and honor to the Lord–even if that meant death. He leaned on the power of the Holy Spirit, praying to ask God to help him be unashamed and boldly share Jesus. It is normal to feel nervous about sharing our faith. Still, when we begin to fear God over the fear of man (Hebrews 13:6), we can boldly, confidently, and without hesitation proclaim the message of salvation the world desperately needs to hear.

Heavenly Father, we humbly come before you and ask for forgiveness for the many times we have failed to proclaim the Gospel. Help us as we navigate our days to share the message of salvation. We know that you are long-suffering with your people and that your love, mercy, and grace are abundant. Thank you.

May we be bold, leaning into the power of the Holy Spirit, who guides and directs our words and actions. We pray for those who don’t know You as Lord and Savior; please open their eyes and hearts to receiving You. Please help us to make the most of every opportunity, for the days are short. Let us live each day as if it were our last and give us a sense of urgency and conviction. We love you, Lord, and are so grateful for the gift of your Son. We are so undeserving, yet you died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). May we be vessels, the blessed feet which carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In Your son Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.

                                 Sunday Devotion and Prayer. May 28, 2023
                                             “For Highly Emotional Days”

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” -Psalms 30:5

Never make big decisions on the hard days. This advice was given to me when I was in the early stages of motherhood. My hormones and emotions were all over the place. I was prone to making rash, knee-jerk decisions until a wise friend shared the words I’ll never forget.

Have you ever been there? Are you dealing with grief because a relationship ended abruptly? Perhaps the seasons are shifting with your kids, and you are teetering between waves of elation and deep sadness. Or maybe you struggle to get out of bed because your days are an unending cycle of unfavorable outcomes. Whatever have you feeling all the feels, can I encourage you with something that God has been teaching me?

At the moment, those big emotions can consume you–especially in seasons of longsuffering when the hard moments’ string into days, weeks, months, or even years. Painful emotions can cloud our ability to see and recognize the opportunity for joy. We tend to lose sight of God’s Truth when walking through highly emotional moments. Instead of level-headed, thought-out decision-making, we opt for irrational and reactive. However, we can find relief from this reminder in scripture: emotions come and go.

The seasons of anger, weeping, and a host of other negative emotions can linger, but hold on to this truth: Joy comes in the morning! Whether you are an exhausted parent, a grieving friend, or are disenchanted with your season of life, the hard days will come, and the emotions soar high. But, as you wade through the depths and heights of each intense wave of feelings, may you remember that joy will be waiting for you when these hard feelings subside.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for sending us a Helper and a Comforter after you ascended to Heaven. You knew these hard moments would come. Scripture illuminates that you are familiar with our intense emotions like anger and sadness. But Lord, you also gave us the gift of joy. In Your presence, we find the fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Joy is always there, beckoning to us because You are there waiting for us to notice and experience Your presence, despite our pain. You say even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You are there with us. You protect and comfort us (Psalm 23)

Lord, will You forgive us for our sinful decisions on those highly emotional days? Will You give us the strength to endure when the emotions last longer than we want? Would you protect us from lies when we are feeling so vulnerable? And would Your Spirit bring the truth about who You are to our minds? Lord, would You bring us to the minds of our brothers and sisters and prompt them to pray for us when we are too exhausted or ashamed to reach out and ask? Lord, I thank You that these difficult days don’t last forever and seasons change. You provide relief to endure a little longer in this very broken world. And we can joyfully endure. God, thank You that we can put our hope in eternity where there will be no more sadness or tears. Lord, we look forward to forever with You and unending joy in Your presence forevermore! In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

                               Thursday Devotion and Prayer. May 25, 2023
                                                   “National Unrest”

“That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:20-21

Politics seems to rock any nation. They are very important. We in America have the right to vote, have opinions, and the freedom to speak and live. However, it appears the enemy can wreak havoc easily through political parties and cause us to miss the main leader we follow as Christians. I am not saying we should be passive about political issues. However, with the climate of such strong division and hate, we, as Christ’s followers, are called to represent Jesus in all things and to love and lead in ways that honor Him.

We need to ask, “Do I care if that person on that side of the voting line goes to heaven?” Do we hate other people? Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for them. If you or I consider someone in the opposing political party an enemy, then we are commanded by God to love them and pray for them. Matthew 5:44 says, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” We are not called to agree with them but to love them like Jesus.

Heavenly Father,
Please help us. You tell us in Mark 12:17 to give the government what is theirs and what is Yours to You. We pray for the Spirit’s strength to honor You and be respectful. Please provide us with discernment. Help us to be aware of how the devil is working. Where there is genuine concern for our nation, open doors to voice opinions and solutions in a Christ-honoring way. Where there is division and uncertainty, give us Your peace and awareness. We know ultimately that You are on the throne, and we can trust in You. Help us to honor You above all else. Psalm 29:2 says to give You the glory due to Your name and to worship You in the beauty of your holiness.” You are above all. We trust in You.

Father, we pray against deceit, fraud, abuse, and greed. We pray for honest leaders, people of integrity, and those who value You to be strong. We ask for the believers in offices to represent You well. Help them to stand firm and be a light in this dark place. Keep them pure from the saturation of evil. Give them the boldness to speak the truth in love.

We pray against the unrest and the evil our nation is constantly facing. We ask for help navigating these things. Father, bless us with physical safety and guard our hearts and minds. We pray for any radicals to be stopped ahead of time before doing anything dangerous or harmful to others. Send your angels to block their attacks. We pray for justice and equality across the board, for accountability for illegal and sinful actions on all sides. God, we pray for better morals. May this lack of respect and kindness reveal the evil human heart and our sin-filled world, pointing to the need for You, Jesus, our Savior.

We pray for leaders who do not know You to accept You as Savior and Lord. Please send the gospel message to them and open the eyes of those who do not have you. You say in Romans 5:8, “There is no sin that is too much for him to forgive. His grace runs deeper than your sin.” We know that no one here on this earth who is ever too far gone from Your forgiveness and grace. Thank you for not giving up on us. Help us not to give up on others. Move the hearts in our nation back to You, Jesus. Reveal where we have turned away. Show us how we can live for You and love well. In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.