Dear God
Teach me how to deal with her nicely.
Teach me how to deal with her in Your way.
Teach me how to love in Your love.
Teach me Your ways.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Stand firm under fire

Standing Firm Under Fire
Daniel 1:8.
“ Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.”

How God blesses pure hearts

Imagine yourself in Daniel's position. As a member of the ruling class of Israel, he had been among the first Israelites taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar's conquering forces. Now he found himself under the control of a high official in the Babylonian government who ordered him to train for three years for a position in service to the king. The menu at the "royal training center" included rich meats, deserts and wine. Some items on the menu were not only unhealthy, but also taboo according to Jewish law.

Because of their Jewish training and strong convictions, Daniel and three of his friends took the risk of requesting a different diet. Four teenaged slaves of the most powerful ruler on earth approached the head guy in order to strike a deal. They proposed that they become vegetarians inso they could avoid offending God's dietary laws. Surprisingly, the commander agreed to let them have their way for ten days--undoubtedly believing that they wouldn't deteriorate too badly in such a short time.

Imagine the guard’s amazement when the four young men turned out to be significantly healthier than the rest of the trainees at the end of the test period. Having passed with flying colors, Daniel and his friends were allowed to continue their special diet.

However, the real test came at the end of the three year training course. Would they make it? Would they barely squeak by? Would they fail miserably? None of the above. When the tests were finally scored, the four Jewish vegetarians got the highest scores in the class. And not just a little higher. They scored ten times better than even the most experienced magicians and enchanters in the kingdom. God chose to bless Daniel and the others who maintained their values and obeyed his laws.

Every day we face decisions similar to Daniel's. Our friends, classmates and teachers place temptations before us that provide opportunities to either compromise or obey God. Will we participate in conversations or actions that smudge God’s reputation? Will we write an essay that reflects the world's ideas about an issue instead of God's? Will we chicken out when God gives us a perfect opportunity to identify ourselves as Christians? Or, will we choose to stand firm and become lights shining in the darkness?

God frequently places us in situations that demand taking a risk in order to do what we know will please him. The Lord blessed Daniel and his friends because he stood up for what he knew would please him. He will do the same for us. So, what will you do the next time such a situation arises in your life? Will you cave in and follow the crowd? Or, will you stand your ground in order to please God?

Today’s Prayer:

Holy Father, make me strong like Daniel. Help me every temptation to compromise as an opportunity to please you and receive your blessings. Give me the inner strength I need to dare to be different as I obey you. Amen.

Written by Martha E. Menne, Flagstaff Arizona



Wait ’till You See Me When I’m Done

Philippians 1:6
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God Finishes the Job

God chose you, called you, declared you not guilty, and is now glorifying you. Sometimes we think that God can’t possibly make us to be like Jesus. But, He can because he is God. He can and he will—It’s a promise.

It’s very interesting to watch a master potter work, especially if you can track the whole process of making a single bowl. First, he prepares the clay, which involves wetting it, beating it, cutting it, and kneading it over and over again. It often takes a total of several hours over two or three days to make the clay just right.

When the clay is ready the potter places it on a wheel that spins it while he presses on it to make the shape emerge. He pushes and pulls and cuts and carves until the shape he has in mind emerges. Then, he sets it on a shelf for a few days to dry before firing it.

The firing process is usually done in two stages. The first stage hardens the clay so it isn’t so fragile while the artist applies the glaze. After the first firing, the potter applies glaze to the bowl. The glaze is very thin clay with chemicals that will change into beautiful colors as they melt. At this point, the piece still looks like some carefully shaped and hardened dirt. The final firing heats the bowl to over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the bowl very hard and durable. It also reveals the colors and designs the potter applied to the surface. Only after the clay has been beaten, shaped, stretched, and fired can we see the beauty that was in the mind of the potter from the very beginning.

Remember that God is the master potter of your life. He planned, prepared, and organized every part of who you are and what you will experience so that he can reveal the beauty he has in mind. He will keep on working, forgiving, and training you throughout your whole life. He will keep the heat on when it’s needed. But, he’ll also give you times of rest and peace.

The most important facts in all of life are these: God loves you and there is nothing that can keep him from making you perfect and complete. When you stand before him in heaven one day, all the beauty he built into your character will be clearly seen. Don’t be surprised when you realize that you look very much like Jesus, the glorious Son of God.

Today’s Prayer:

Lord God, I praise you that you do have a plan to make me perfect and complete, just like Jesus. I also praise you for being so loving and powerful because that makes me confident that you will complete the job you’re doing on me. Please help me.



Fogging up the Windshield

Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Finding Joy in Today

When I envision what a joy-filled day looks like I think of my daughter Stephanie's 12th birthday. Her smile was permanent from the time she bounced out of bed in the morning until she dropped back into it again that night.

On our after school trip to town to spend her birthday money, she could hardly sit still in the front seat of our van. "Today has been the best day of my entire life," she bubbled. "I got an A- on my math test (a rare treat in her least-favorite class), a home run in kick ball (a goal for her 6th grade year and it was only October 9), and a CD player from you and Dad (a gift she had been longing for since the previous Christmas)."

Her chatter continued for the next 15 miles. Suddenly she stopped, looked at me, and asked, "Mom, do you think I talk too much?"

"Well, let's look at the windshield, Steph." I said. "Your side of the van is completely fogged up and my side is crystal clear. What do you think?"

She obviously didn’t think too much about it because she bounded into her next batch of blessings without missing a beat.

For Christians, each day should be as joy-filled as Steph's birthday. Too often that's not how we live, though. We tend to forget that joy is not an option - it's a command!

Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It doesn't say you can rejoice AFTER your face clears up. Or you'll experience joy WHEN you’re a star soccer player. Or joy WILL COME when you get your driver’s license. No! This is the day - today is God's day - to rejoice and be glad!

Joy is not about our circumstances in life, it's about our connection to Christ. When we are connected to the Vine, joy naturally grows as a fruit of the Spirit. We can't produce it on our own. It's the miraculous product of being connected to the One who is pure joy.

Rejoice in your salvation through Jesus Christ! Smile because He knows you by name! Celebrate as you claim His promises! Sing His praises! Shout for joy!

Better yet, go fog up a windshield.

Today’s Prayer:

Father God, thank you that the joy of the Lord is my strength! Please help me to embrace your command to rejoice in each day that you have made. May my joy not be based on the circumstances of my life, but on my connection to Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.



Lord, we wanna pray for strength in evangelism. Give us the wisdom and courage to reach out. Give us the words to say. Give us the opportunites. Lord, guide us, and teach us, and use us for Your glory. Amen.

Morning by morning,

Dear God.
We pray for her, that though we may not fully understand what she is going through, You will allow her to feel Your presence in her life tangibly and surely. Give her a personal encounter, peace and calm that could only come from You.
Even though she faces trials, give her a gift of faith, a gift which can only come from You alone. Open her heart and let her allow You to lead. We pray that she will listen to Your gentle whisper. Show her Your power through this difficult time in her life.
Father, give her patience to wait out the storm, the knowledge that You will always ve there, willingness to let You into her life. Let her live a life completely surrendered to You. May Your light shine through everyone around her, and the comfort that she has waited so long for come.
Lord, teach her, lead her, guide her & let her encounter You. Lord, use us both as Your tools to reach out to her. Lord, give her faith and trust in You. Lord, give her the Holy Spirit. Let all else go away & let only the Holy Spirit fill her, to be uninhibited by anything else. Hold her through the storm!
Help her to understand that You have a specific plan in her life. Even during difficult times, when she feels like she has hit rock bottom, lift her up into the sunlight. Show her Your incomprehensible, immeasurable love and mercy, peace that transcends all understanding. Only You and You alone can pull her through this time. Let her know that she can't do this on her own.
Lord, work a miracle in her life. We know these trials are to strengthen and not to bring down.
Until it is time, let Your glory be our goal.
Lord, thank You and we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.