25 Apr 2025
The Lord keeps His word, I will therefore try my best to stay in His will. I will try and base my hopes on His plan for me. I will use His word to give me direction because it is probably the most consistent way He speaks to me. Isaiah 46:9-11.
Daily Prayer for April 25
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Revelation 1:17-18, NIV Lord our God, we thank you with all our hearts that Jesus Christ still lives today and that we may believe in him and call upon him as our Savior. We thank you for him who sees to the depths of our human misery and calls right into the midst of it, “Do not be afraid. I am with you. I live. I am your helper. No matter how insignificant you are, fear not, for I, Jesus Christ, shine into all the darkness, even into the darkness of sin and death, into all the judgment that has fallen or is still to come upon everyone on Earth.” Praise to your name, Lord our God! You are great and almighty and beyond our understanding. But you have sent us the Savior whom we can understand, and we rejoice that we may have community with him in your presence. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Not Just Good, but Beautiful: Complementarity as Divine Harmony Pope Francis Over a decade ago, Pope Francis reflected on the beauty of complementarity between man and woman in marriage. Read now The Freedom to Read Charlie Tyson What is driving the decline of reading? It may not be what you think. Read now Baghardj to Die For Narine Abgaryan, Margarit Ordukhanyan and Zara Torlone In a short story set in war-torn Armenia, a father and his wounded son live for their neighbor’s daily gift – golden, flaky, and tasting like sunlight. Read now The Library of Convicts Dan Grote When an inmate finds the prison library inadequate, he takes matters into his own hands. Read now A Delicious History of a Humble Fruit Hadden Turner Sally Coulthard’s new book The Apple: A Delicious History uncovers the intriguing and sometimes absurd history of this alluring fruit. Read now
24 Apr 2025
What should keep us glued to what will happen next? Hope. What can reassure us that we shall go through this day and see tomorrow? Hope and probably confidence based on past experiences. Are we always sure about outcomes? Or does hope help us take a step of faith? Did the disciples have hope, or did they just follow Christ blindly? Did their hope pay off eventually? John 15:18-16:16.
Today’s Verse – Philippians 4:23
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. —Philippians 4:23 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Some prayers are so simple and precious that we need to pray them and not overanalyze them. Praying for grace to be with someone physically is a true blessing that transcends time. So, let’s choose some folks who are precious to us, pray this blessing over them, and let them know what we have prayed! My Prayer… God, please pour out your grace on the following people I deeply love. I want each of them to know your grace, mercy, and power in their life. By the authority of Jesus’ name, I specifically pray for his grace to be real and alive in the following people… Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
23 Apr 2025
David was anointed by Samuel, but it took 20 years for him to be installed as king over Israel. May our hope in God not fade away. He is faithful. 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3.
Cruciformed #8: The Land of In-between
That unsettling We don’t like being in between anything — not big trucks on the highway, not a rock and a hard place, not jobs, not a hammer and nail, and not feuding neighbors. But that’s likely where we’ll spend much of our time in life, in a place I call that “Land of In-between”! That unsettling “Land of In-between” was where the disciples of Jesus were mid-week after his resurrection. They had seen him, experienced him alive after his death, on that incredible Resurrection Sunday. Based on what we see in the gospels, however, Jesus’ disciples didn’t see him again until the following Sunday a week later. What happened? What were they thinking during that time? How did they survive? What were they supposed to do? If we are honest, we don’t know. We can speculate, but that usually gets one in trouble or sidetracked on our own personal agendas. I believe we need to acknowledge that these early disciples were incredibly blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They were then left in that “Land of In-between” to contemplate what had happened and anticipate when they might see the risen Lord again. In many ways, they were caught in a situation much like we are: They were convinced the Lord had risen from the grave but were left to face their own failures, faithlessness, excitement and bewilderment with a bit of uncertainty. Mark emphasizes this uncertainty with the way his good news story of Jesus probably concludes: When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid (Mark 16:1-8). “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb…. because they were afraid.” What? Mark’s shorter ending feels weird, even lacking, to many folks the first time they read it. So much so that after Mark’s gospel was circulated for several decades, faithful Jesus-following people added a longer ending to his gospel, adding material found in Matthew and Luke.[NOTE] If we are honest with our hearts, however, we know a little how they felt — “trembling and bewildered” as we think about proclaiming the resurrected Lord. God had just done something wonderful, something beyond incredible. But, who would have believed it, much less understood it, at their first exposure to this truth? What were the disciples supposed to do in response to such an incredible event like Jesus’ resurrection? They were caught in a strange place between an astounding experience and daily living in the real world. They had experienced the impossible after unbearable grief. Suddenly, they were caught in that “Land of In-between” — and so are we who believe in Jesus’ resurrection so many years later. Matthew, Luke, and John tell us what happened after Jesus’ resurrection in much more detail. They tell us how the women overcame their fear, met Jesus, told the apostles, and were belittled for what they said. They tell us how Peter and John ran to the tomb and discovered Jesus’ body was not there. Luke tells us the beautiful story of how Jesus joined two disciples on the road to Emmaus and opened their eyes as he broke the bread for them. Later, Jesus joined his apostles (except for Thomas) in the upper room where they were hiding in fear. The Lord showed them his scars, comforted them with his peace, and ate fish in front of them to show that he was not a ghost or a vision. Their beloved Jesus had defeated death and risen from the grave. Suddenly, however, Jesus vanished from sight. They believed, but some doubted — especially Thomas who had not experienced Jesus’ appearance to them. What were they supposed to do? Where were they supposed to go? When was he coming back? When were… You get the idea. After that first Sunday night, Jesus’ disciples were all stuck in that “Land of In-between” — a place where many of us have also found ourselves. While life brings us many ups and downs, most of us will spend a lot of our time somewhere in-between. Like being married to someone you love. We enjoy times of absolute and sheer delight. We face times of hurt, sadness, and sorrow. However, most of us spend large chunks of our lives in partnership — not always in a blazing fire of passion but fueled by a constant flame of security, hope, peace, companionship, care, concern, tenderness, anticipation, and love. Those long passages waiting in that “Land of In-between” help us anticipate God’s great moments yet to come for us and prepare ourselves to survive the inevitable lows. In between those first two Sundays after Jesus’ resurrection, the Lord gave his disciples a week to regain their footing, ponder their experiences, re-direct their faith, and think through their future. He gave them time in that “Land of In-between” to prepare for what was yet to come. The Lord didn’t leave them a laundry list of things to do to keep them busy during this time. He provided them
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the LORD is not in vain. —1 Corinthians 15:58 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Stock Market can be fickle. Friends can disappoint us. Nothing is truly sure except one thing, or better yet, our very special ONE person — Jesus! If we build our lives on his work, love, grace, power, and plan, we can hang in, persevere, and even triumph because what we do for the LORD and with the help of the LORD matters eternally. It will not be work done in vain. Why? Because the LORD is raised from the dead and at work in our lives! My Prayer… Please, Father, bless me with courage and strength. Empower me, O God, to not budge from my hope and confidence in your Son to bring me to your glory, make the work I’ve done on earth endure, and bless those who come after me. In Jesus’ name, I pray confidently. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
22 Apr 2025
May our focus be on the Lord and His purpose for us. May we depend on His grace for laser focus that will help us avoid distraction. He has promised to fill us with hope that will not die off. Proverbs 23:17-18.
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. —1 Corinthians 15:57 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Life is ours! Death no longer holds us captive! God has given us victory through Jesus Christ our Savior and LORD. What else needs to be said? “Praise God!” “Hallelujah!” “Thank you, Jesus!” My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus. Thank you, Almighty God, for raising him from the dead. Thank you for the assurance that his life is alive in me as I serve in you. Thank you that my life will not be lived in vain. Thank you for the assurance that I am going home to you in victory, forever! In Jesus’ name, I praise you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Resurrection 2.0: The Empty Tomb
They stood there, stunned and perplexed. Very early that Sunday morning, the women made their way to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. Among them were Mary Magdalene; Joanna; and Mary, Jesus’ mother. Arriving at the tomb they discovered that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside, so they went in to look. But the tomb was empty. The body of Jesus was gone! They stood there, stunned and perplexed. Suddenly two men in dazzling white robes shining like lightning appeared above them. Terrified, the women fell to the ground on their faces. The men in white said to them, “Why would you look for the living One in a tomb? He is not here, for he has risen! Have you forgotten what he said to you while he was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man is destined to be handed over to sinful men to be nailed to a cross, and on the third day he will rise again’?” All at once they remembered his words. Leaving the tomb, they went to break the news to the Eleven and to all the others of what they had seen and heard. When the disciples heard the testimony of the women, it made no sense, and they were unable to believe what they heard. But Peter jumped up and ran the entire distance to the tomb to see for himself. Stooping down, he looked inside and discovered it was empty! There was only the linen sheet lying there. Staggered by this, he walked away, wondering what it meant. (Luke 24:1-12 TPT) No mortal was present when the Spirit of the living God reanimated the lifeless body of Jesus of Nazareth and validated him as Christ, the Son of God, and our Lord (Romans 1:3-4). We sometimes wrongly talk about the early disciples seeing Jesus raised from the dead. The reality of the resurrection leaves us all a bit “stunned and perplexed” because no human personally witnessed how this incredible miracle occurred when GOD was accomplishing it. The exact how of the resurrection remains shrouded in divine mystery. The exact who — Jesus of Nazareth — and the truth that God raised Jesus’ lifeless body from death, however, is not so much a mystery. We can be thankful that the truth of Jesus’ resurrection doesn’t depend upon rumors from self-deluded weirdos. While critics may try to raise questions about the resurrection of Jesus or explain it away, the truth of the early believers’ good news depended upon it being true: And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). If we label the exact moment of Jesus’ resurrection as Resurrection 1.0, then we can rejoice that those who knew Jesus ensure resurrection 2.0 and 2.1, 2.2, 2.3… 2.500+ (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). The changes in those people, the power behind their message and their fearlessness of faith in Jesus when they had first doubted, all testify that GOD made sure Resurrection 1.0 truly happened in our human history. The empty tomb of Resurrection 1.0 didn’t ensure that Jesus was raised from the dead. Only the physical presence of the resurrected Jesus with people who were devastated and terrified at his execution on the cross ensures Resurrection 2.0. For those of us who believe two-thousand-years later, their testimony becomes our hope and our future. Their energized faith, their bold testimony, and their willing sacrifice of their lives to tell others about what they had seen and heard (Acts 4:19) provides the foundation for our faith. Even their most ardent opponents had to acknowledge that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). These witnesses let everyone know that Jesus was not only their message, but he was also the one who had inaugurated their new movement on Pentecost by pouring out the same powerful Spirit that had given him victory over sin, hell, and death in the resurrection (Acts 2:33-36). Over the next several weeks — as the Lord gives us time — we will look at Resurrection 2.0. We will look at what the earliest believers relied on about the resurrection. My prayer is that this short journey will motivate us to expect in our personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus in ways that he has promised to show himself to us in our day. (The Immanuel Project will be a series of thoughts that will follow our series on Resurrection 2.0.) Today, however, let’s be thankful for the mystery that is the bedrock of our faith. Let’s rejoice that sin, hell, and death could not hold the body of the one who walked as God among us. Let’s be joyful! No grave can hold those whom GOD Almighty loves because it could not keep his beloved Son in death. We choose to find our hope in him! Several decades after Jesus’ resurrection, the impetuous Peter and his beloved churches in Asia minor faced persecution. The faithful apostle shared the following words of hope to forge their commitment to faith for the trials ahead: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even