PMCBC

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Where can we go when it seems as if all our walls have fallen, all the protection we have has vanished, and our hearts feel as if all hope is lost? We can go to the eternal God, who is also our Abba Father (Romans 8:15-17). He preserved ancient Israel miraculously through their most difficult times in their history, protected the Scriptures from hordes of those who tried to eradicate them, and has led his Church victoriously through all her troubles, trials, and triumphs throughout the centuries. He will do the same with us until he brings us home to himself. For “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

My Prayer…

My Rock, My Hope and My Protector, I thank you for preserving my life. I thank you for hearing my cries for help and healing. I thank you for guiding my feet into ways that have been a blessing. Please, O God, stay close by as I face the stresses and challenges in my life. Through your Holy Spirit, enable me to grow and be an example to others as I pass through life’s storms. In the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, I ask for your presence and blessing. Amen.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. — Luke 12:6-7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a universe so vast, what is our little planet? On a planet so diverse and so full of life, what are simple, ordinary, and everyday people? Among all the billions of people alive and all those who have lived before us, what significance do I have among so many others?
Jesus reminds us that our significance is great-not because we are so important, but because we are known personally by God, who created us, has known us, and has had a purpose for us from the time of our conception (Psalm 139:13-16). We don’t have to be afraid; we are known and loved by the One who is and who was and who is to come! As born-of-God believers, we are God’s precious children (John 1:11-13, 3:3-7). He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:38-39).

My Prayer…

Eternal God, Almighty Father, Tender Shepherd, and Abba Father, you already know my heart. You know where I struggle with sin. You know my struggles in life. You know my fears; please encourage and strengthen me. You know my immaturity; please nurture and mature me. You know my weakness and disease, please comfort and heal me. You also know my strengths, gifts, passions, and value. So, dear Father, please empower me, forgive me, and complete your transformation in me through the blessed Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). Holy God, I am both awed and comforted that you know me and love me. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. — Psalm 149:4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Jesus left heaven and made himself a servant. No wonder God could say to him, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). God expressed his delight to his Son as he lived as an example of a servant (Mark 10:45). He did so to enable the last of this world to be counted as first in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 20:16). Jesus declared that the servant of others is greater than those who are served (Luke 22:25-27). Jesus demonstrated that those often considered the least important in our world are the most important to him (Matthew 25:40, 45). The arrogant, the abusive, and the parading powerful have found it easy to reject the call of Christ for centuries – after all, Jesus died for the sinful and the weak. They consider themselves “important” and feel that they do not need a Savior. However, those who are humble find Jesus to be Savior, Conqueror, King, and Deliverer. The Lord delights in such people and is glad to share his salvation with them. “You are my children,” he says to the servants, “you bring me delight!”

My Prayer…

Precious Servant and Almighty King, Jesus, thank you for serving us at great cost and showing us that the humble will one day reign with you. I look forward to the day every other knee will join mine as I bow before you as my Lord because you were first a servant of all (Philippians 2:6-11). Until that day, I pray that you will use me to bless those so often forgotten by our busy and glamour-intoxicated world. In the holy name of Jesus, I offer you my praise and thanks. Amen.

The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. — Isaiah 33:22

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

When we think about God as our Judge, we normally think of falling under judgment and receiving punishment. Isaiah reminds us that God’s being our Judge means he will judge us according to his will, rule, and grace. He is on our side and is looking to save us, not condemn us (John 3:16-17). His commands are rightfully given as our Creator and King, yet given to us to protect us and bless us. Using the New Testament idiom, when we stand before our Judge, we see our loving Father, and at his right hand is our Savior, who gave his life for us (Hebrews 1:3). As Paul so beautifully told us:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back in fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-16).

We don’t obey out of fear, we don’t fear the judge, but we obey because of loving appreciation for all that our Father has done to save us!

My Prayer…

Holy and Righteous Judge, I am glad that my fate, my future, and my life are in your hands. I know about your love for me because of the gift of Jesus. I know about your desire to save me because of your loving grace. I know your demand for holiness in me is met by the sacrifice of your Son. So God, I gladly and willingly trust my life, my soul, and my eternal future to you. I offer you my obedience in humble appreciation for all you have done for me. In Jesus’ name, I thank you. Amen.

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. — Psalm 119:160

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

The requirements of morality and holiness are not temporary or fleeting because they reflect the nature of our Holy God, who is eternal. They don’t shift with the wishes of culture or the trends proposed by the so-called enlightened. God’s truth is true across cultures, times, and wishes. We do not adapt God’s will to our times, but we redeem our times by adapting our wills to his truth.

My Prayer…

Righteous God Almighty, may my life reflect your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful love and justice. You, your nature, and your values are forever, and I want to invest my life in what endures and is eternal. Please give me wisdom to see through the fleeting temptations of today, the fads of culture, and the degradations of morality, as I seek to do what honors you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. — Psalm 119:130

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Years ago, before GPS, driving to a distant place required a map, and sometimes several maps. As you journeyed to that place, the route became increasingly more straightforward as you unfolded the map and found your destination. Sometimes the right path is not so difficult to find; we need to know where to begin our search. We need to unfold our map by reading God’s words. As we unfold them, the way we should travel in life becomes increasingly clearer. The right way is very seldom just the property of the bright, wise, and scholarly; it can be very clear for any of us who choose to look for it in God’s words, and then unfold them so God can get us to his destination for us.

My Prayer…

O holy Father, thank you for making your will known through your words in Scripture. Bless me as I open your Word, as I listen to your words, and as I focus on your will. I ask that the Holy Spirit guide me in understanding those words and that the Spirit lead me as I seek to live your will. May I find not only the answer to my questions, but also find you and your precious will as I unfold your words. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.

This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it — the Lord is his name: Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. — Jeremiah 33:2-3

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a universe of billions of stars, think of the power of God who made them and knows each of their names. Think of all he knows that we don’t. Think of all he has seen that is not in our history books. Think of all he has done and can do and will do. Add to this that he invites us to speak to him about the things of our hearts and understands what is in our hearts. He even allows us to ask him to reveal to us what we don’t know. And he invites each of us to come to know him (John 17:3) – not just know about him, but to know him! He invites us to become his children (John 1:12-13), and he promises to let us share in his glory (Colossians 3:2-4). Ah! This Lord is incredible, so let’s ask him the great and unsearchable things we do not know!

My Prayer…

Almighty God, there are so many things about which I am incredibly ignorant. There are so many things in my world that I can’t comprehend. There are so many things about you that I long to know, but I can’t even begin to imagine. Please, dear Father, give me more of you. Help me get to know you better so that I may know you more completely. Help me know what you would like me to know. I readily confess: you are beyond me, so please be gentle with my limitations as you reveal your majesty and greatness. I look forward with anticipation to knowing you – the Unsearchable and the Almighty God, my Abba Father, whom I will get to know face-to-face in glory. In Jesus’ name, I anticipate this day with great expectation. Amen.

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Have you ever wondered how many potentially good friends you may have lost simply by judging them on your first impression of them? And how many people that you looked at that seemed to be remarkable, ended up turning out to be not very good people? I’m amazed at how the first impression we have of many people very seldom tells us much about their substance. We’re not really going to be able to evaluate people properly until the Lord reveals what is really in their hearts at judgment. But we also know that what comes out of people’s mouths and what we see in their behavior emanate from their hearts (Matthew 15:18-19). Over time, we do get to see what their hearts are about: their hearts reveal the person inside them. So, don’t you think that we should give people time to reveal what is in their hearts before we decide about them? Let’s not judge people prematurely by their outward appearances; let’s give them time to reveal their hearts! And let’s remember that God knows and will judge each of us by our hearts, and not by our appearances (Proverbs 16:2, 17:3).

My Prayer…

Father, you alone know each heart. Please help me be more patient with others before forming an opinion about them. Please give me eyes to see them as Jesus does and treat them as I would love to be treated. Father, I don’t want to make preliminary judgments about people, good or bad. Please help me be patient as I wait to see their hearts come to light in the way they talk to others and in their behaviors. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. — James 1:22

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

What we know and what we believe are not all that significant if they do not show up in the way we live our daily lives. Unfortunately, most of us know more truth than we obey. Pure and simple, faith not lived out in everyday life is not genuine faith; it is a facade (James 2:14-15, 17, 18, 20). Just as Jesus had told us to put into practice what we have learned from him (Matthew 7:23-27), his brother James reminds us of the same thing: when we learn the truth of God’s word, there is only one thing left for us to do: obey it and put it into practice!

My Prayer…

Holy God, please help us put into practice what we know to be your will for us and the truth you have given to us. And please, dear Lord, help us do it with passion today, and to do it day after day, until we come into your presence in glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. — Psalm 119:114

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Where can we go to remain secure from the onslaught of bad ideas, evil influences, and false hopes perpetrated by social media? We can go to God and his Word, the Scriptures, and to Jesus, who is the fulfillment of these Scriptures and is the Living Word (John 1:1-18). While people can be disloyal and misguided, God has proven his faithfulness through his word, in sending Jesus, and by keeping his loving promises. He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:38-39), and his truth and his promises stand forever. God is our refuge, shield, fortress, strong foundation, and rock as we give our hearts to the Word of God.

My Prayer…

Almighty God, you alone are trustworthy. You keep your word and fulfill your promises. Forgive me when I trust my own insight and the wisdom of others rather than seeking your will in your Word. Please give me your wisdom as I seek your will and trust in your promises. In the name of Jesus, your ultimate Word, I pray. Amen.