Live with Passion

Our nation and the world are going through what some would call a physically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually difficult time.  What should we do in times like this? Shed God’s light, whom James 1:17 describes as the FATHER OF LIGHTS. The prince of darkness, Satan, would love nothing more than for us to stumble in darkness. But James points to our hope.  “Every good thing is given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the FATHER OF LIGHTS, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Charles Ryrie comments on this verse, saying, “God is the source of all light – physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual – and He does not change.”* Rather than stumble physically, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, we can pray with all our hearts, minds, souls, and spirits and walk day by day shedding the illumination of the FATHER OF LIGHTS.

Father of Lights, illumine our hearts, minds, souls, and spirit with Your Light so we walk as children of Light and spread Your Light to others. 

One blanket. Two blankets. Three blankets. Four. Keith and I sat in front of the fire trying to get warm. The winter storm had brought a temperature of 3 degrees that the weatherman said, “feels like minus 11.” If only we had power and water. We had neither. The winter storm continued and we couldn’t get down our icy driveway to get to our adult children’s homes.  If you’ve lived in an area affected by a winter storm you know how devastating the cold can be. Especially if you run out of wood, which happened to us. We couldn’t complain, though. We had a comforter. A comforter that we may have taken for granted becomes deeply appreciated in a winter storm. So, too, is a spiritual Comforter when we’re experiencing life’s storms. Second Corinthians 1:3 describes the as Lord as the God of All Comfort. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, or we are experiencing a literal storm, the God of all Comfort comforts us like none other. Why?  The Greek word for comfort means “to call to one’s side, speak to, in the way of exhortation, console, teach.” How incredible that God gives every believer the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. Our Comforter is an abiding presence who will never wear out, never become threadbare, and never leave us. The more we blanket our lives with His teachings, the more we’ll know the warmth of His abiding presence.

 Adapted from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67.

Sweet friends, you are in my prayers as you suffer through life’s storms.

Heavenly Father, You are the God of all COMFORT! Please comfort all who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Bring resources to help them. Strengthen them as only You can. In Jesus’s name, amen.

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I’ve had the blessing of holding our newborn children and grandchildren. Holding them was no problem. They weren’t heavy. As a matter of fact, it was a delight to hold them. I could intently gaze on their faces. I could pray for them. The more I held them, the deeper my love grew. Wouldn’t it have been silly if our little ones had argued, “Don’t hold me. I’m too heavy.” Or, what if they had said, “I don’t want to bother you. You don’t need to hold me.” In light of that, consider our Heavenly Father’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will UPHOLD you with My righteous right hand.” In the Bible, God’s right hand symbolizes His strength. His right hand is a strong hand of righteousness. We can relax in His hands. As He upholds us, we become increasingly aware of His deep love for us. In case you feel like you are faltering, be assured – your UPHOLDER has you.

LORD, Thank You for UPHOLDING us with Your righteous right hand. Thank You for the depth of Your love for us. Thank You that we don’t have to be afraid.  

“For I am the Lord your God, who UPHOLDS your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’”  Isaiah 41:13

*Copyright Debbie Taylor Williams, Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion. This is the book that began my collection of God’s 365 names, titles, and attributes. It features chapters that give an in-depth description of 26 of God’s A-Z names, and includes lined space for you to record your prayers, repentance, and praise. Also included are discussion questions for group or personal study. I pray it blesses and deepens your prayer life.  It also makes a great Christmas gift for friends and family as they begin 2022. BUY NOW.

Lord Jesus, You are the TRUE LIGHT who enlightens every man. May we be lighthouses through whom You shine.

“There was the TRUE LIGHT which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” John 1:9

Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion: How Praising God Can Transform Your Life – on Amazon

Have you ever thought, really thought, about Jesus washing His disciples’ stinky feet? Have you seriously applied His words in John 13:14 to yourself?

If I then, the LORD and the TEACHER, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 

LORD and TEACHER – meditate on Jesus putting those two titles for Himself in one command. The Lord is on His knees washing dirty feet. Messy. Time-consuming. Dirty. Unpleasant. Didn’t He have better things to do?  Yet, His act demonstrated more than the simple act of washing feet. Jesus was teaching us the importance of humility toward one another. He was teaching us about servanthood and yes, even forgiveness. Our Lord and TEACHER physically illustrated what He would do spiritually through His substitutionary death on the cross. It would be messy (a bloody mess).  He would wash our filth and sins from our inner man.  As His disciples, He instructs us to go and do as He did. Take the time to humbly forgive, to humbly serve one person at a time. And hopefully, prayerfully, it will gain us an opportunity to share with the person why we are doing it, in whose name we are serving.

Jesus, Lord, and Teacher, thank You for washing us and cleansing us of our sins. Make us increasingly mindful of following Your example. 

Do you ever want to run away from your circumstances, the evil in our world, or perhaps your own wayward thoughts?  If so, go to God, who David likens to a STRONGHOLD. In Biblical times a stronghold was a high place, a place of retreat, and for many years it was David’s safe house. In 2 Samuel 22:3, after the Lord saved him from Saul, David wrote these words of praise,

My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my STRONGHOLD and my refuge.

Is God your stronghold? If so, you are well aware that He wants you to come to Him. You are well aware that you can leave your fears, Satan’s lies, and your wayward and go to the Lord, your stronghold. Do you have a story of a time that you sought God as your stronghold? You retreated in prayer or to your Bible and by doing so, He kept you mentally, emotionally safe? I’d love to hear your story. Comment below.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our STRONGHOLD. Thank You that we can scale the heights of heaven and Your Word and find renewed strength in Your presence.

Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion: How Praising God Can Transform Your Life – on Amazon

LISTEN

Do you feel under fire by a barrage of personal, financial, physical, spiritual, or other attacks? If so, call out to your Heavenly Father, who David describes in Psalm 3:3 as a SHIELD about him.  Put on the spiritual armor He’s given you.  (Ephesians 6:13) Take His Word and soak your heart and mind in it. (Psalm 119:97-98, 110-111, 114)  Jesus hasn’t left us alone to suffer through life’s trials by ourselves. Cover yourself with His love and truth. (from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion)

Lord, thank You for being a SHIELD about us. Help us stay under the protection of Your divine armor and Word.