When I was growing up, a plaque hung on a wall in our house that read, “Don’t worry. It may never happen.” I passed that saying many times each day, and those words became branded on my brain. So, of course, I never worry. (I wish!)
Daily Devotion
Conversations
ENGAGE: Talking to our Father
Some of you are reading this at a difficult economic time. Your business has shrunk. Your sales are down. Your customers are cutting back. Your salary has been reduced. Your job has gone away.
ENGAGE: Talking to God
Prayer is a personal conversation with our Father. It should not be filled with clever Christian clichés or worn-out prayer phrases. It is fresh, real, and raw—like any meaningful conversation in our lives.
ENGAGE: Talking to God
When Jesus taught us how to talk to the Father, he instructed us to pray, “your kingdom come.” Why did Jesus tell us to include this in our prayers? For an explanation, let’s consider 1 Corinthians 15:24-25.
ENGAGE: First Things First
How do you make sure your priorities are straight? How do you put first things first? How do you know for sure that you are not chasing the wrong things? In today’s passage, Jesus answers those questions.
ENGAGE: Humility
Jesus humbled himself in obedience. What will it mean for us to humble ourselves before God?
ENGAGE: Real Talk
Prayer is simply talking with God. A conversation with the Creator. Who better to learn from than Jesus?
ENGAGE: Your Will Not Mine
Some even teach that praying with real faith is telling God what you want, when you want it, and that you will not take no for an answer. So…is praying, “Your will be done,” a cop-out? Let’s learn from Jesus.
ENGAGE: Glory to God
For those who follow hard after Christ, things are (or should be) different. It really is not about us. Really, it’s not. Our lives should be like a mirror—not absorbing but reflecting the glory of God.
ENGAGE: Consuming Fire
The writer of Hebrews describes God as a “consuming fire.” What does he mean by that?
ENGAGE: Filled with Awe
Far too many Christians today are all about wanting the awe. They just don’t have much interest in the Scripture, fellowship, communion, and prayer part. Today’s passage reminds us that God leads us to awe…through the basic disciplines of the faith.
ENGAGE: Praise
No wonder the people were filled with awe and praised God! You’d have praised God right along with them had you been part of the crowd. But wait … you are a part of that crowd today. So don’t get stuck in thinking God’s praiseworthy power and authority is limited to physical healing.