Category: purpose in life

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  – Romans 5:5

The source of our hope is not just in Jesus’ prior work on the Cross and in the empty tomb. It isn’t dependent just on our own will-power and commitment to hang on to hope. No, God made sure the fire of hope could never run out of fuel in our hearts. He did this by filling us with his Holy Spirit and pouring his love into our hearts. That same Spirit will help raise us up and give us life when Jesus returns (Romans 8:11).

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the gift of your Holy Spirit who keeps my hope alive and fills me with a sense of your loving presence. May my life today, and everyday, display my confidence in your love by sharing your kindness with others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. — Micah 5:4

The great hope that we have is that our Good Shepherd will return for us, call us each by name, and bring us securely into his fold. There we will share in his protective care and eternal peace.

Lord God, thank you for sending Jesus to not only be the sacrificial lamb for my sins, but also the Good Shepherd. Thank you for the promise of rest, protection, and peace that are part of both my present and my future life with you in your Son. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

We have an advocate who pleads
our case before the Father.
He is Jesus Christ,
the one who is truly righteous.
He himself is the sacrifice
that atones for our sins—
and not only our sins
but the sins of all the world.
1 John 2:1-2 NLT

The world is indeed a mess right now! People everywhere are searching for solutions to our woes. Crisis after crisis, laws and regulations are created and enforced in an attempt to make us change our behaviors. The solution to all of our problems is so simple and yet so overlooked. The message of the church today must resound: Jesus died to set you free from the guilt and punishment of your own sins. He didn’t do it just for you; he did it for everyone else, too! Spread the word!

I am humbled to the point of silence, Almighty God and Heavenly Father, that you would take your most precious gift and offer it for something as ugly and horrid as my sins. I can think of no way to repay you, but I want to thank you by sharing this good news with everyone else for whom you’ve made this sacrifice. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. – Ephesians 4:30-31

Don’t make God’s Spirit grieve! But how do we do we cause the Spirit of God to grieve? By harboring bitterness, unleashing anger-driven rage, fighting with others and slandering their name while plotting to harm them. Not only are these behaviors in direct opposition to the will and character of God, they are are also the exact opposite of the qualities the Spirit is seeking to produce in our lives — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control faithfulness (Galatians 5:22-23). No wonder such evil behaviors grieve the Holy Spirit.

Almighty Father, please conform me to be more like Jesus by the power of your Holy Spirit as I commit to display Jesus’ character and compassion in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
Luke 3:8 NLT

Grace is given to us as a free gift. It cannot be earned or merited. But salvation that does not move us out of our self-destructive and rebellious ways is counterfeit. Repentance is a life change. It is a realization that we have been going the wrong way on a one-way street. It is an acknowledgement that trying to guide our own lives is always going to end in disappointment, disaster, and death without Jesus being Lord of both our lips and our lives. We know that God’s grace is marvelous, but let’s also learn that his will is gracious. As we do, we will change our behavior to reflect the character of the Father who sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins!

Loving and merciful God, I realize that you saved me from my past sins and also want to save me from the consequences of future sins by calling me to obedience. Please help me as I turn my life over to your will. Please strengthen me with your Spirit so that I may resist temptation and reflect your holiness. Bring to life in me the fruit that reflects your salvation and your character in me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

Religion that God
our Father accepts
as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans
and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from
being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 NIV

Martin Luther’s words of wisdom, “The authority of Scripture is greater than the comprehension of the whole of man’s reason” have a rightness often ignored in our present time. True religion is not all talk. We must live and love as Christ did. Caring for widows, orphans, and others that are forgotten and overlooked while we are keeping ourselves holy to God is what “Christ living” is all about. This is not just a concept or an ideal… it is the WORD.

Loving God,
give me eyes to see the
people that need your blessing.
Please lead me to the folks
in our church, our neighborhood,
and our work or school
that feel forgotten and overlooked.
Help me to not only see them,
but to include them so they can
know the love that you have for them!
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

Why do the wicked get away
with despising God?
They think,
“God will never
call us to account.”
But you see the trouble
and grief they cause.
You take note of it
and punish them.
The helpless put
their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
Psalm 10:13-14 NLT

Just as God saw the plight of the Israelites in Egypt and heard their cries for help, he still sees and hears today. But now, he not only hears because he is omnipotent; he hears because of the intercession of his Son and our Savior, Jesus. Jesus has been here. Jesus has faced the specter of death and the pain of torture and ridicule. Jesus means God not only hears our cries for help; he also feels the agony with us. That is why he came. He is our assurance that God feels, cares, acts, and ultimately saves.

God, Father and Savior,
please be with those who
are bearing the incredible
weight of agony and pain.
Some of these I know
and pray for personally.
Others I do not know,
but they still need your
comfort, strength, and grace
to sustain them in their
days of agony and grief.
Please bless them with
clear evidence of your care.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)

 

What determines our financial worth? Do we compute it in terms of dollars, or possessions, or investments? Paul reminded Timothy that ultimate gain, the gain of inestimable value, is really determined by a very simple formula: net worth = (godly character) X (contentment). What would happen if we recognized the truly wealthy as those who were godly in their character and contented with their blessings in life?

 

O LORD God,
the one from whom every blessing flows,
readjust my values from the greed
of this world to a holy set
of financial convictions.
Conform my character to the godliness
that Jesus demonstrated in his daily life.
Teach me the contentment that
can only be found in you.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.

 

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth give way
and the mountains fall
into the heart of the sea.
Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV)

God is not only our protector; he is also our helper. Even when our world seems to be crashing around us, he is there. He will deliver us from death or deliver us through death. He will deliver us from evil or he will deliver us to overcome evil. Our task is to trust that in the midst of our earthquakes and tidal waves we are not alone or abandoned.

Holy God,
I pray for those today
who are in the middle
of life’s earthquakes.
You know those for
whom I am concerned.
You know I care about
their struggles which are
too big for me to mitigate
and too painful for me
to truly bring comfort.
I ask you now,
to bless them,
be with them,
and please
deliver them quickly.
You are our only true hope
and Jesus is our
only sure redeemer.
In the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ I pray.
Amen.

Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong
to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10 NIV

We are to be a people who do good deeds! When God gives us the opportunity, let’s take it! Unlike those in the world looking to get ahead, to get even with someone, or to get out of difficult situations, let’s look for opportunities to do good!

Only you are truly good, Father,
but I pray that some of that
goodness may be seen in me
and in your Church
as we serve you today,
this week, and until the time
the Savior returns for us in glory.
Help us to be aware of
and to look for
the opportunities that you
give us to do good
to and for others.
In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.
Amen.