21 Days of Prayer
Join us beginning Monday, January 27! It's a daily written devotional guiding you through 3 weeks of inspiring prayer.
Day 21: A Prayer for Loving Others
February 16, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: Loving others sounds excellent in principle, but when the rubber meets the road, it gets a little bit trickier. In reality, it can be a real challenge. While there are moments when loving others is instinctual, it can be inconvenient, messy, and trying. But God does not ask us to love others because it is effortless. He asks us to love others simply because He loved us first. He loves us without conditions or qualifiers. We don’t have to perform or impress, achieve, or excel to earn the love of God. We are simply loved, as we are — unconditionally. God’s love for us is his presence with us, even when we want to run to His embrace. That kind of love is radical. It has the power to change the world because it is different than the love the world knows. That is why Jesus left his disciples with one commandment: “Love each other just as I have loved you.” And he goes on to say that the world will know they follow Him because of the way they love each other. Because we are loved unconditionally by the God of the universe, we are commanded to love others without placing qualifiers on that love. It’s through that kind of love that the glory of the Lord will be seen. Love others — It isn’t easy, but it sure is simple. SCRIPTURE: John 13:33-35 PRAYER: God, thank you for loving me without conditions. I confess it is hard for me to love others in that same way. Please teach me how to love others by being present with them and caring for them even when it gets hard. Shape me to look more like you in the way I love those around me. Amen.
Day 20: A Prayer for Boundaries
February 15, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: When our daughter was little, she wanted to sleep with us every night. She would tiptoe into our room and whisper, “Um, I just need to cuddle with someone.” Honestly, I understood that. Still, eventually, we had to draw a boundary line and teach her to sleep by herself because that was healthier for her in the long run. We all spend our time differently, and it might not be on bad things per se. But when we ask ourselves, “Does this help my relationship with God?” we might decide we need to drop some stuff we’re doing (put off the old self). Sometimes we need to draw boundary lines for ourselves. One of the best ways to do that is to drop old habits and start new ones. Some essential questions to ask ourselves are: How much time am I spending on ________? Does it draw me closer to God? Which of my habits take up most of my time? What are some habits I could stop doing, and what could I fill that time with instead? Recently, I realized I needed to replace some of my daily habits with healthier things (kind of like switching out potato chips with celery). I had to change my perspective (to be made new in the attitude of my mind) and realize that my pure comfort and joy come from God. So, I drew a boundary line to spend less time on social media and cut out secular music. Then I committed to filling that time reading the Bible and listening to worship music. That might look different for each of us, but setting boundaries with ourselves will help us to develop better habits and experience more contentment in life and grow closer to God. SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:22-24 PRAYER: Father, please help me to put off my old self that is being corrupted by my deceitful desires and put on the new self by being made new in the attitude of my mind so I can be more like you in true righteousness and holiness. Please show me what to stop doing and what to start doing instead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 19: Loving Your Enemies
February 14, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: We don’t live in a superhero world where each of us is assigned a villain to consider our mortal enemy. Instead, our “enemies” are usually people who have hurt us, betrayed us, or otherwise wounded us. The people listening to Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount are much like us, and they couldn’t fathom the reality of his words “love your enemies, bless them that curse you.” Because in their minds, and ours, those who have hurt us deserve justice. And in our justice system, that would mean our enemies would be hurt the same way we’ve been hurt - an eye for an eye, one might say. Surprisingly, if justice worked that way, we would be out of luck. If we’re honest, we have the capacity to hurt others too — we damage creation and the people God made and loved dearly. Sometimes unintentionally, but we do it nonetheless. We are sometimes the enemy. Thankfully, Jesus’s love for us is not “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” It is “love your enemies, bless them that curse you.” It is unconditional. It is full of grace. It is pure. And it is because of this kind of love that we are called to love our enemies. To bless those that curse us. In other words, - love others as Jesus loves you. SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:44-48 PRAYER: God, your love for me is unfathomable. It persists even when I run away, betray you, or hurt those you love. Help me to adopt your sense of justice and love those who hurt me. Teach me your way of loving others unconditionally. Amen.
Day 18: A Prayer for Generosity
February 13, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: Growing up as a small-town preacherʼs kid, I never experienced the joys of an unlimited family pocketbook. We werenʼt starving, but money was tight enough that we rarely ate in a restaurant, never ordered a drink with a meal, and definitely no dessert. But let me tell you, I learned about generosity! An older lady in my church would give my mom $100 every August for school supplies. Another family friend would show up once a year with bags full of new clothes she purchased for my siblings and me. A mentor would always pay half of my way to summer camp partly so we could spend the week together. Povertyʼs best lesson for me was generosity. If we read Paul’s writing to his friend Timothy, we recognize that while generosity is associated often with money, it isnʼt confined to it. Trusting God is generous. Doing good work is generous. Sharing with others is generous. Consider this quote by Mother Teresa, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Write the name of the one you may help – whether in your words or a kind deed. Beware, you will find much joy in what they gift back to you! SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy 6:17-19 PRAYER: To our Father, the giver of our daily bread, we ask for you to show us ways to be generous to others we encounter. Give us words, actions or resources to share. Then, in turn, let us eagerly receive what they will gift to us. Amen.
Day 17: A Prayer for Your Work
February 12, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: Let’s be honest, work is hard. Whether we work inside or outside of the home, we often feel frustrated, like we aren’t making a difference. Maybe you were overlooked for a potential promotion or didn’t receive a pay raise. Maybe you are a stay at home parent and your kids don’t seem to appreciate all you do for them. Maybe when you read that verse, you feel like there is so much more you could be doing for the Lord. Maybe this day is already not going as planned. Just remember, you are a treasured child of the most-high God. And the good news from Colossians is that the reward given to you is not a pay raise or a promotion. It is so much better and so much more! We, as followers of Jesus, receive our inheritance in Heaven! This reward can never be taken away and is worth more than any earthly blessing! It’s a game-changer! So when you just want to quit, remember these verses. Stop and say a prayer and thank Jesus for providing the ultimate reward and an inheritance that cannot be taken away. SCRIPTURE: Colossians 3:23-24 PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you so much for being our provider of all good things. Thank you that you have promised us an inheritance in Heaven. Help us to remember that no matter what, You have given us just what we need. Help us to realize that YOUR gift is the most important. In Your Name, Amen.
Day 16: A Prayer for Rest
February 11, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: If you simply google “how to add more hours to my day” you will find 5.9 billion results in less than 1 second of time. This is astounding in and of itself, but what is more astounding is that we are all searching for an answer to the question. We say things like: “there isn’t enough time in the http://day...it’s five o clock already…” As we say this we simultaneously find ourselves checking our email one more time, scrolling Instagram or Facebook one more time, speeding in traffic, or rushing to the shortest check outline. We’ve believed the lie that more hours in the day would help us slow down. Or, maybe more accurately, we’ve believed the lie that fulfillments come from accomplishments. If we can be completely honest, most of us are exhausted. We don’t need another hour in the day. In the words of Dallas Willard, we need to ruthlessly eliminate hurry. Jesus once said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from http://me...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” A yoke is what cattle would wear when they would pull heavy loads. Jesus is aware of your burdens; He is aware of your exhaustion. Following in Jesus’ footsteps will give you the rest you are looking for. SCRIPTURE: Matthew 11:25-30 PRAYER: Father, help me to slow down. Allow me to hear your voice, and remind me that hurry is not your way of life; peace, patience, and kindness are. Show me the way to a life rooted in your peace.
Day 15: A Prayer of Humility
February 10, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: One of the many traps in my life is selfishness. It’s a battle I’ve fought all my life. Honesty, I think I will always struggle in this area. It’s my sinful nature to think about myself, about my wants, my needs, having things my way. I hate that about myself. But you know what? There’s a good chance you fall into the same trap. In fact, if you are breathing right now, I’m 100% certain you struggle with selfishness too. In fact, It’s merely human nature to think of ourselves before others. What’s frustrating about selfishness is that it pops up in every aspect of our lives: relationships, marriage, work environment, friendships, you name it. However, it wasn’t too long ago I realized my prayer life to God was selfish also. I found myself often praying to God about those things I needed from Him, or what I wanted Him to do. Now, before you bail on me here, let me say there is nothing wrong with taking our requests to God. In fact, He welcomes them. In my prayers to God, I made a small but impactful shift, an adjustment. I now begin my prayers, reminding God of who He is. What I am really doing is reminding myself of who He is, but it allows me to put the focus on God first, and not myself. Sure, I ask him for things: health, safety for my family, blessing, and provision over situations and needs, but my prayers begin with reminding God of who He is. This helps me put first things first in my day. SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:25-34 PRAYER: “Father God, I know you are good. I know you are faithful. I know you are true. God I’m reminded of your goodness to me by what you’ve done in my past, and I know you will do it again in my future. Thank you for knowing me inside and out. God, you are my redeemer, protector and friend. You are for me and have great plans for me. Thank you for being my Heavenly Father and thank you for saving me from my sin through your Son Jesus Christ. God, today, I want you to know I will worship you no matter what. Thank you for being who you are.
Day 14: A Prayer for the Next Generation
February 9, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: As I continue working with high school students, I often come across people who tell me, “Oh, I could never do what you do!” This is quite understandable given the fact that teenagers are some of the most complex beings in the world. Their brains are still developing, zits are showing up left and right, one day they’re elated that you noticed their new shoes, and the next day they want nothing to do with you. These are some of the simpler complexities of the next generation. I’m not telling you anything new when I say that there are some more serious issues with Generation Z (today’s teenagers). Anxiety and depression are at an all-time high, loneliness is rampant, suicide rates have spiked, and sexual confusion has never been more prevalent. For us, being the ones on the outside looking in, it’s easy to get one look at their issues, and to run as fast as we can in the other direction. We oftentimes see them as problems to be avoided. In one of the most exhausting seasons of Jesus’ life, we find that he and his disciples face a similar problem. “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34 NIV) The New Testament, being written in Greek, has an interesting meaning for the word, compassion (splanchnizomai). It refers to his insides being twisted and turned upside-down, and the gut feeling we get when our hearts are broken. Jesus could have very easily gone in the other direction, knowing their needs, sickness, and problems. Instead, he feels for these people because they are wandering, lost, hurting, and broken. He chooses to see them as people to be loved. When we think about how we speak and interact with the next generation, it all starts with our mindset towards them. We have two options… Will we see them as problems to be avoided? Or Will we see them as people to be loved? SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:30-34 PRAYER: Father, Thank you so much for the way Jesus sees me as someone to be loved, and that his desire is for me to know him. Would you help me to speak life-giving words to the next generation, especially knowing how they live in a very different world than the one I might know? Help me to encourage one student through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Day 13: A Prayer for Your Family
February 8, 2020
DEVOTIONAL I love the State Farm car insurance commercial that came out a few years ago. In it, there is a teenage girl and a middle-aged man who are saying the exact same words, but the context is entirely different. The teenage girl is receiving a new car as a gift, while the middle-aged man finds his car on blocks in the parking lot ransacked. They both are using the same language but with a different tone, meaning, and emotion. Think about this in the context of our families. It's not just what we say but how we say it. As a dad, I have blown it plenty of times in not only what I say but how I say it. I believe I have spoken some significant things in their lives. But sometimes I look back at those things and realize they were said in the wrong tone, meaning, and emotion. What we say is increasingly important, but I believe how we say it is even more critical. As followers of Jesus, these things make sense, but sometimes they are very hard in light of how we grew up, the hardships we face, and even our own personalities. But thank God that we don’t have to do it alone. Eugene Peterson writes in his translation of Paul’s writing in Colossians, “So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.” Imagine a family conversation where you “dress” yourself in kindness and quiet strength and then you speak?! Wow! Read through this SCRIPTURE a few more times and really let it sink in. SCRIPTURE: Colossians 3:12-15 PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you give us the tools and the ability to walk in this life differently. I can speak words of life and love for my family only because You are life and love. Holy Spirit, teach me how to better walk in compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, and discipline. Show me how to be even-tempered, content with second place, and quick to forgive an offense. May I learn to rely on you in all things. In the power of Jesus, I pray, amen.
Day 12: A Prayer for Your Significant Other
February 7, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: Last month my husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage. Twenty years - so many sweet memories…but there are also moments of sadness, and loss, and regret. When it comes to the memories we regret, most of those have to do with words that were said - out of anger, frustration, lack of sleep, or not being willing to understand. Our words are so powerful! My husband can have 20 people give him their opinion on something he did, but at the end of the day, he wants to hear from me what I think. Do I like it? Am I proud? My voice is the one he cares the most about. It’s in those moments that I’m reminded that I get the extraordinary privilege of speaking life and love into him. When I’m looking for the words to encourage him, I have found that the best thing to do is to simply remember. Remember God’s goodness to us and how far He has brought us. Remember my husband is truly a gift to me. Remember all the things that made me fall in love with him all those years ago. Let’s be real - some seasons are challenging, and remembering the good doesn’t come as quickly because life can be hard and ugly. But that’s the beautiful things about God - He is near and here – He helps us remember. So use the gift of today to speak life and love into your spouse. Remind them of what you see God doing in their lives. Tell them how thankful you are to be on this life journey with them. Use your powerful words to remind them that you are with them and for them. SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Psalm 141:3 PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, help me to use my words to encourage my spouse today. I am sorry for the times I’ve used my words to hurt or belittle him. Help me to love him the way you love me. Remind me that he is a gift from you to me.
Day 11: Share Your Story
February 6, 2020
DEVOTIONAL One of the oldest forms of creativity is the art of storytelling. Humans have been telling stories from the beginning of time: Storytelling transcends age, gender, culture. We all tell stories and we all love to hear them. In the church, we often use the word "testimony" to describe the sharing of our story through Christ. We hear impactful, sometimes unbelievable stories of transformation through Christ and think, "well, that's great for them, but my story isn't as interesting or impactful." These are lies of Satan. God has sculpted each of our lives uniquely; no two people are identical. You have a story that needs to be told. God commands us to go and share our stories with the world; to leverage our stories as examples of his goodness and power. Here are some steps to help write your story: 1. Think about your life before Christ, think about the moments that led you to Christ, and think about the life you've lived since. 2. Be honest about your story. You are uniquely qualified to tell your story. 3. Tell the part of your story you don't want to tell. Transparency allows others to find themselves in your story. Don't let fear or shame keep you from sharing God's works in your life, no matter how big or small. Find one person this week to share your story with. If this is your first time sharing, tell a close friend or relative. If you have experience sharing your story, go tell a new friend, a coworker, or acquaintance. SCRIPTURE: Luke 8:38-39 PRAYER: God, thank you for the story I’ve walked through in life. Thank you for a story that is woven so beautifully, through the highs and lows, the heartache and the joy. I pray I will tell my story boldly, with confidence that you can use my story and my life exactly as it is to impact the people around me.
Day 10: A Prayer of Submission
February 5, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: “Jesus is Lord” Jesus is Lord, is one of the most offensive things you could say. That and Whataburger is not as good as In N Out… but we won’t go there. In Romans chapter 10, the writer, Apostle Paul, does not seem to care if he offends anyone with this statement, as he calls Jesus “Lord” 5 times! (Rom 10 vs 9, 12, 13, 16) What does this word mean and why is it important to us today? The word Lord being used here means one with dominion, an owner, a guardian, head of family, or master. Why is it so offensive to say, “Jesus is Lord”? Because nobody wants to be told that they aren’t the masters of their own lives. We all want to be lords of our own lives. Master of my ship. King of my Castle. Jesus can be my savior, but I will be the lord of my life. We say, “Jesus you can have what happens to me when I die, but I want what’s here and now.” And oftentimes we live our lives this way and then blame God when our lives don’t go the way we planned, probably because we were never meant to be the lords of our own lives. We were meant to submit our lives, our plans, our bodies to the one and only Lord of all, Jesus. The God who doesn’t let power go to his head, the God who isn’t late but is always on time, the God who doesn’t play favorites, the God whose plans never fail, the God who never runs out, the God of abundance, the God of righteousness, sovereignty, and grace. The God who is Lord of all. And if we allow him Lordship in our lives HE WILL NEVER FAIL. SCRIPTURE: Romans 10:9-16 PRAYER: God, you are my savior, but you are also my Lord. I submit my will to you, my life to you, my all to you. Thank you that you are a good master. I thank you for your lordship in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Day 9: A Prayer of Forgiveness
February 4, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: Forgiveness is hard. Understatement of the year, right? But why does Jesus, in Luke 17, seem to make it so easy to forgive, as if forgiving the person who has sinned against you deserves forgiveness? I think Jesus is not making a statement about the importance of forgiving the person who has wronged you as much as He is making a statement on the importance of us believers not carrying the weight of unforgiveness. Forgiveness seems to have less to do with the act done against us or the person we are forgiving, and it has everything to do with us. It is interesting that in Luke 17:2 Jesus talks about a millstone being carried on your neck... Hmmm, maybe Jesus has that on his mind while he transitions into verses 3 and 4. It’s like carrying the weight of unforgiveness as a literal weight on us. And most of us can attest to that weight. You and I were never meant to bear the weight of unforgiveness. Giving forgiveness doesn’t make what that person did to you right, it just means you won’t be paying the price for someone else’s decision. It means you won’t let the pain of the past affect your future. Forgiving the people who hurt you frees you from the grip they have on your life. We were never meant to be slaves to anyone or anything. But we are meant to be servants of a most high, Holy God, who has forgiven us unconditionally. Three ways to practice forgiveness - Forgive yourself. If God has forgiven you, who are you to not forgive yourself. - Pray for the people who hurt you… It will not be fun, but it will help you forgive. - Meditate on the amazing grace God has given us as followers of Him. SCRIPTURE: Luke 17:3-4 PRAYER: God, help me to forgive those people who have hurt me. Help me be a person of forgiveness, a person who lives and forgives like Jesus. God, I release it into your sovereign hands. As you forgave me, I will forgive others. In Jesus name, Amen.
Day 8: A Prayer of Confession
February 3, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: “She never gets old!” These are the words spoken by Russel Crow in the 2001 movie “A Beautiful Mind” in which, the character of John Nash realizes he really does suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. This confession of him acknowledging his reality happened when it came to his attention that the imaginative little girl he thought was real, remained the same age throughout his entire life. His climactic confession paved the way to his eventual restoration. Confessing our secret sins to one another is our way of accepting the reality of our lives and is the first step to restoring what sin so desperately desires to steal: our joy. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge; nor can we receive help if we refuse to recognize a problem. Secrecy is the fuel for sin, but confession is the light that exposes the sinful termites of our soul. However, confession is not the same as authenticity. Many who authentically tell others their sins or destructive habits do so with a perceived arrogance to somehow flaunt their self-acceptance. No pride should ever be taken by a Christ-follower in the misuse of their personal freedom; nor should others tolerate listening to someone joke about what Christ came to abolish. Confession is the obedience driven, guilt inducing, freedom inspiring, joy rendering act that releases the Christ-follower from the control of sin and begins their journey back to experiencing the fullness of life Christ came to give. Find a trusted friend, mentor, or pastor and schedule a time to meet. Sit down and confess out loud your sin. You will feel incredibly awkward at first, but push through, because as you do, you will be taking your first steps towards restoring a life lived in freedom and joy. SCRIPTURE: James 5:16; John 10:10 PRAYER: Lord Jesus, give me the courage to acknowledge the sin in my life that does not belong. Help me to experience healing by confessing what has been controlling my mind and actions. And as I do please allow me to feel the overwhelming love you have for me.
Day 7: A Prayer of Trust
February 2, 2020
DEVOTIONAL: In this life we live there are many roadblocks that keep us from Joy. Fear of the future might be the biggest obstacle in any person's path. Perhaps the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in my five-plus decades of living is this - worry is not your friend. It is not a good companion. It zaps your energy today and steals your joy for tomorrow. Worry is the thing keeping you up at night and the one emotion keeping you from realizing God’s great dream for your life. Worry has never been my friend. It’s more like a daily enemy. Proverbs 12:25a says (NLT) “Worry weighs a person down.” That tells the story. Someone once told me “Worry is when we carry a burden God never intended for us to carry.” It’s not healthy. Not good for body, mind or soul. So much so that Solomon would write this in Ecclesiastes 11:10a (NLT) “Refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy.” This implies we’re going to have a reason or opportunity to worry about the future, but we can’t let it overwhelm us. For those of you who worry, do you find that 90% of the stuff you worry about never comes to fruition? I don’t know the percentage, but it’s high. Worry can evolve into sin if we’re not careful. I would submit to you that worry turns into sin when we take Jesus out of the picture. So let’s put Jesus back into the picture. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 that we should never worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will bring its own worries. Don’t borrow trouble for tomorrow. Will you rest in that? Will you lean on Jesus today and trust him for tomorrow? Will you believe He works all things for the good of those who love Him? Because believe me, worry is not your friend. SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:25-34 PRAYER: Jesus, help me to live for you today and to trust you with all of tomorrow’s potential troubles. Help me to remember that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.