Live Bravely!

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" - Psalm 31:24

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Romans 8:15-17

"To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - I Timothy 1:17

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. - Hebrews 3:5-6

Dear God,

Your Spirit lives in me. I have everything I need to be strong and brave if I only just put my hope in You. Living bravely means doing the right thing even if no one else is. Living bravely is sticking up for those who cannot stick up for themselves. Living bravely is helping and serving others. Living bravely is telling the world about You even if I get made fun of. When I live bravely, you make me even stronger and even more courageous. God, in this politically charged environment in America where the republicans are constantly attacking the least of these on matters of safety nets and healthcare, help to unabashedly stand up for the least of these! 

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen

The Great Mystery

"In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." - John 14:20

"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." - Colossians 1:27

Other translation: God decided to let his people know this rich and glorious truth which he has for all people. This truth is Christ himself, who is in you. He is our only hope for glory. - Colossians 1:27

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Ephesians 3:14-19

Focal verses other version: I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love....Christ's love is greater than any person can ever know. But I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fullness of God. - Ephesians 3:17, 19

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'" - Acts 17:26-28

Focal verse other translation: "By his power we live and move and exist." Some of your own poets have said: "For we are his children." - Acts 17:28

Dear God,

I am in You and You are in me. You are Lord of all for all time. Your power allows me to live and move and exist. I am a human and I am also Your precious child. We live life with each other. But You also live in me. Your presence fills me. You know everything about me. Everything I do is in Your presence. Help me to become even more aware of You. God, today I want to ask You to help the refugees and those who have been hurt by Trump again. He has become an out of control dictator and lies constantly. And his ban that he wrote doesn't even do anything to protect America from terrorism when you consider most of the acts of terrorism on our soil have been domestic and white men. I pray for the families who have been impacted and I pray that if we really want to put a stop to potential incoming terrorists that Trump put Afghanistan on the ban list because they were behind the attacks on 9/11. God, we truly never know if we may be entertaining angels. And some of those refugees might be angels. Jesus was a refugee Himself. I feel very broken.

Thank You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen