Be at Ease

On August 11, 2025   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Philippians 4: 6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Last week we had a look at James 5, as a result you know what a prayer of supplication is. It is earnest, humble prayer. And we know that the earnest, humble prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. Jesus told us in John 16: 23 that whatever we ask the Father in Jesus’ name, the Father will give us. Knowing that, we can now be anxious for nothing and move into thanksgiving knowing that our prayers and petitions will not be ignored by God.

Isn’t it interesting how the Bible works together like that? But it is not a coincidence. The Father had a perfect plan. He put that plan into action and it all works together so that our every need is met. Therefore, we don’t have to worry about anything. We are to enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. We can do that because we have done as the Word has taught us. We have humbled ourselves before the throne of God which Jesus bought us 24 hour access to. We have asked the Lord for his graces and mercies in the name of His precious son. There is, therefore, nothing left but for us to praise Him and worship Him.

Even in the midst of trials and adverse circumstances, you can still praise Him because you know the outcome. The evidence of our eyes is not the final word on the subject. His graciousness and power speak louder and speak last. So be anxious for nothing. Pray, let your petitions be known to God. Humble yourself. Then enter into praise.

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Effectiveness

On August 4, 2025   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

James 5:16b         (NIV)

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

The Amplified version of this scripture reads, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” Or we might say, “The prayer of a righteous person really works.” There is power in prayer.

We don’t always hear a lot about the effectiveness of prayer from the pulpit, especially in faith circles. The reason for this is that there is more than one kind of prayer. This is a supplication prayer. We do not want to undermine the importance of applied faith.  There could be concern that if too much teaching is spent talking about supplication, then people will stop doing their part and leave everything to God. That sounds wonderful and Holy, but it just isn’t Biblical. Psalm 115: 16 tells us that the heavens belong to God but the earth He has given to us. After God created mankind the first thing He did was give us dominion over the earth and tell us to rule it.

You see, we have power and authority in the earth, and we need to exercise it. As a matter of fact, God expects us to exercise our authority. That is where the prayer of faith and the power of our confession come in. That is why we are told in Romans 4: 17 to use our words to call into existence those things that currently do not exist. We are still supposed to rule the earth and exercise our dominion over it.

However, there is a God who stands by to help us. The Greek text of this passage tells us that the prayer of supplication is powerful and effective. The word “supplicate” means to ask humbly or earnestly; to make a humble entreaty; to beseech. There are some things we do not have dominion over. We make supplication in those areas. For example, we do not have authority over God so when we ask Him for something like sending His Spirit among us, we do not command according to our authority but rather ask humbly.

Still, while I wish to convey that there is real humility in this prayer, I would also make a comment here. We still are not worms in the dirt, crawling into the throne room begging God for an answer to prayer. We only have the right to ask Him anything because of the sacrifice of Jesus, but the redemptive work that Jesus did for us has made us children of the Most High. We are afforded the right of every form of prayer because Jesus did a great work and made us worthy in him.

So, my purpose is sending this scripture is to encourage everyone to pray. We literally can move mountains by prayer. We are told our prayers are effective and powerful. Our prayers for revival will be heard. Our prayers for restoration for our nation will have the ear of God.
The caveat to this message, though, is, don’t leave your work to God. Have dominion in your life. Pray the prayer of faith. Use your words in a positive confession of what God’s Word says, but when you have done all, stand. Do all that you are supposed to do and then pray your most humble and earnest prayers to your Father for He is listening and longs to perform in your life. There are two parts to our prayer life; that which we must declare and confess for ourselves and that for which we must entreat the Lord. We are not beggars but pray-ers and it is with confidence in the love of the Father, the work of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that we stand. Work with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to bring about real change in your life, in the country and in the earth.

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The Quiet Life

On April 14, 2025   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

1 Timothy 2: 1 – 2

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

I had a meeting with another pastor at a coffee shop recently. We were discussing prayer when a gentleman at a different table interrupted us to ask why we are to pray for those in authority. The answer is here. It is so that we may live a tranquil, quiet life filled with godliness and dignity.

We are living in a tense time, and I know it is a challenge. The political climate has us divided. In addition, many people on both sides of the aisle are very sensitive. Thus, the third component to this stress is that many people don’t feel like they can say anything for fear of being misunderstood and suffering an acute reaction from a friend, family member or colleague. I understand that people are polarized, but there are places we can meet in agreement and that should be our goal.

One of these places of agreement should be in praying for our leaders and all people in authority. I have always held that to mean our pastors, our bosses as well as our city, state, county and federal office holders. Politics need not enter into this discussion. We are talking about spiritual matters here and attempting to follow our Lord Jesus.

Do you know why you are encouraged to forgive? It is not for that person who did wrong by you. It is for your health and well-being. Jesus taught this principle 2000 years ago but now we also have the science to explain why it is better for us to forgive than to hold onto the hurt.

The same principle holds true for praying for all our leaders and those in authority. Paul couldn’t have been more clear about the reason. It is for our own well-being, so that we may lead a quiet, peaceful life imbued with godliness and dignity. One of the points I wish you to glean from these two verses is that our Father, Yahweh, wants us to experience life as peace, godliness, tranquility and dignity. He doesn’t want you to live stressed out and anxious. Therefore, pray for those in positions of authority.

Finally, as you pray, please be clear to pray for people, not against them or about them. This applies to the people you need to forgive as well. We may have just reasons for telling God all about people’s faults and failures, but that prayer does not lead to peace and tranquility. We are instructed to pray for them. I know this can present a challenge and you have my empathy, but God wants only the very best for each of us so we must pray in the prescribed manner. Whether it is your pastor, the school principal or political leaders, pray they may be led by the Spirit of our Beloved. Pray they follow the light and never darkness. Pray they hold their congregations’, parishioners’, constituents’ needs and wants in the highest regard putting those they serve in higher place than themselves. Pray they make decisions in accord with the Word of God. You get the idea.

When leaders follow Jesus, we all win.

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Encouragement

On September 30, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 46: 10

God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble.

Hurricane Helene blasted through the eastern US this past week leaving devastation in its wake. That is not hyperbole. The pictures of the aftermath reveal only part of the story, but certainly enough that we realize the very real need for a strong refuge.

This storm made victims out of millions of people. Some of those people do not know God, the Father and Jesus, our savior. They don’t know the Lord who is a very real and ready help in the time of trouble. For many people, God is not a present God. He is either a theory or a fiction. We know differently. He is alive and here. He is ready to help us in our time of need. Therefore, today’s Word of the Day has two purposes. First, it is meant as an encouragement for all those who have been adversely affected by the storm and secondly, as a call to prayer to the rest of us, to those who know that God is on hand.

Salvation is a big word. We usually think of it in an end of times or end of life context. Through the eyes of Helene, we see salvation’s meaning in its larger manifestation. People need His saving touch in many ways: in their finances, housing, communications, their towns, streets, etc. The encouraging word is that God has salvation in His hands for all those things and more. His saving grace touches every aspect of life. Moreover, it is available to all. Just ask for it, whether for yourself and your family or for others. He is the help that millions of people need right now.

God is that refuge we can run into. In the shelter of God, there is comfort and peace. I believe there are many people who need peace and comfort now. We should let people know that God can impact more than just emotions though. While I believe comfort is very important right now and should not be minimalized, it is also important to let people know that Yahweh is a practical God. By that I mean that He is able to help with the financial and logistical issues facing the eastern US. I am reminded of the great Exodus in which God secured Israel’s release from slavery in Egypt. Liberation was the driving force, but God did not send them out as destitute vagabonds. They left with gold from the Egyptians. That has always amazed me but that shows how God thinks and how He addresses problems.

A great swath of the country has certainly been impacted by Hurricane Helene, yet in the aftermath, we can find God and help others find Him. Maybe some people just need more of Him or a larger version of Him in their lives. Perhaps others need Him to hover close. Still others may find His strength and encouragement for the first time in their lives. Regardless of what each impacted person and business needs, I pray that everyone embraces God and finds the love, compassion, comfort and simple practicality they need in these trying times. While the flood waters recede, I pray that new found relationships and closeness with God never will.

Please join me in praying for the victims of Hurricane Helene

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Anxiety to Peace

On May 20, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Philippians 4:6 – 7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Today I’m just taking you along on a journey with me. I hope you don’t mind. This verse is where I’m living since my wrist injury. I have needed God’s peace, and this verse teaches us how to have it. Prayer, drawing near to the Lord, is the way to the peace of the Lord.

This verse is set up on two poles; one is in anxiety; the other is peace. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Today’s verse is intended to show us how to move from anxiety to peace. This peace is God’s peace. It is beyond any kind of peace we know in the natural. God’s peace is being calm and assured even in times and situations when it would seem impossible to be so. The situation around you, the circumstances might seem to call for anxiety and fretting, but in God’s peace you can still have confidence even in the worst of circumstances. Most of us would prefer to live in that kind of peace than in anxiety. Now we know how we can avail ourselves of divine peace. It is through prayer.

Prayer has more functions than just begging God to do something for us. In fact, at its base, the most important thing about prayer is simply communion with God. Prayer is spending time with God and time spent with God is good for the soul. It is healing and comfort, and because of that, it leads our hearts away from anxiety into perfect peace. Most of us do not pray enough. I hope today’s Word will be encouragement to spend more time in prayer. As I said, this isn’t just begging God to do something for us, so let us look at the elements of this kind of prayer.

Today’s verse tells us that there are three parts To this prayer. Part one is simple. It is the petition or more importantly the communion and communication with God. However, the peace of God comes with adding the two other components. The first is supplication. Supplication can best be defined as humility. As we lay our hearts and petitions before God, it is important that we humble ourselves. There are times we can make a demand off of a promise God has given us. This prayer, however, is one of humility. We are to humble ourselves before the Lord as we lay our petition at his feet.

Second, this prayer is to be accompanied by thanksgiving. Thanksgiving puts your heart in a state to receive. When you combine thanksgiving with humility, you’re able to receive the peace of God, the peace which surpasses human understanding.

This is not prayer without confidence, however. God does not require that you bow and kowtow. You may still pray, going into his throne room with confidence even as you enter with humility and thanksgiving. It is our knowledge of Him as a great and wonderful father that gives us confidence to enter into His throne room of grace. Humbly enter in. Lay your petitions at his feet. Give him praise and Thanksgiving for all that He is doing for you and will do for you. Believe confidently that you are about to receive the peace which surpasses understanding. Trade in your anxiety for the peace of God.

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St. Patrick

On March 18, 2024   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 23: 1 – 3

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!!  I decided to donate today’s devotional to Saint Patrick. Did you know St. Patrick was a shepherd? His story reminds me  of David who was also a shepherd boy. Patrick was abducted from his home in England and sold into slavery to an Irish land holder. There, much like David, he spent his youth tending sheep.

I wrote to you recently about feeling alone. I said you are never really alone because God is always there with you. There is a big difference between solitude and loneliness. These two lads, David and Patrick, spent much time with only the company of God and sheep. In that solitude with God, their faith was forged. They learned how to be by themselves without ever truly being alone. In their shepherding, they met THE shepherd, the great shepherd. In this famous psalm, David portrays, beautifully, the characteristics and manner of the shepherding God.

Patrick said that in his solitude, he grew closer and closer to God. The time he spent watching sheep was also spent in prayer. The more he prayed, he said, the more the Spirit grew in him. He was not bothered by cold temperatures nor was he plagued by fear.

As I ponder these two shepherd boys who grew to be giants of faith, I realize how little quiet and solitude most of us enjoy. Sometimes I feel we are a lost generation. We are either too busy, filling our days with every kind of distraction, or we are lost in loneliness when we should be reveling in time with our beloved. How is it that neither Patrick nor David fell into despair in the night watches?

Do you long to know Jesus as they did? Do you hunger for the kind of confidence in God they knew? It is for all of us, but there is a price. We must spend time in prayer and in seeking. What did their prayer look like? They were out in the fields for days and weeks. Did they pray like we have been taught, or did it take on the tone of conversation? Did they praise and worship God?

We have an opportunity to never be lonely again and to grow in the strength and confidence of the Lord. It takes humility, which I understand, can be a stumbling block. None the less, we can know what Patrick’s development looked like if we would begin our own journey in prayer. It begins with opening your heart and then your mouth to God. Begin to speak to Him. When we have spoken with Him for hours, then we shall find it possible to pray for days.

Did you ever wonder why the great shepherd leads us beside quiet waters? I think we have found the answer.

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Getting it Right

On April 3, 2023   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Matthew 6: 5

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

2 So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

5 When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

I think this is a fascinating study and I hope you are enjoying it and really thinking through it. Imagine sitting with Jesus when He began to teach on righteousness. Wouldn’t you be curious to discover his ideas on what constitutes righteousness? What would your reaction have been when he began to discuss a relationship between practicing righteousness and being rewarded by God. Would that have made you uncomfortable, as it did me. As you sat there, anticipating what Jesus would say next, what thoughts were racing through your mind?

We think of righteousness as holiness. However they are not the same. In our skewed mindset, the last thing most of us would expect Jesus characterize as a practice of righteousness would be donating money. Money is dirty, right? And we certainly think it is profane for people to suggest we give away our money. It’s not so dirty when it’s in our hands but it certainly takes on a vile stench when someone suggests we give it away. Further, to link righteousness with filthy lucre is insane, right?

Well, we should all feel a bit more comfortable today because Jesus’ second point regarding practicing righteousness was on prayer. He said that some people make pretty, public prayers just so they can be seen as spiritual. He said they lose their reward. Ooops! There goes our holiness meter again. Doesn’t Jesus know that it is sacrilegious for him to suggest that our Father will reward us for praying? I mean, isn’t that kind of repugnant to our way of thinking?

Interestingly, that is Jesus’ whole point in this New Testament teachings. His ways are not our ways. He came painting a different spiritual landscape. Almost everything he said ruffled peoples’ feathers. That much has not changed.

We are going to have one more devotion on this subject before we move on. In that one, we will learn even more about the reality of righteousness. For now, I hope we have been able to loosen some religious strongholds and see truth from Jesus’ perspective. In these few verses he showed us that practicing righteousness is as simple as giving money and praying. Second, he taught that these are to be private practices, just between us and the Father; not secretive, just private practice. There is a difference. Selah! Third, Jesus taught that the Father rewards us for practicing righteousness. Because of Jesus’ teaching, we should expect to be rewarded. Many of us might need to shake the holiness dust from our robes and put on the new garment of Jesus’ teaching. It is befuddling, I agree, but, after all, Jesus is the stumbling block and blessed is the one who does not stumble over him and his teachings.

I hope you have been challenged, but I also pray that you have found liberty so far. Where Jesus is, there is freedom. All his teaching is truth, and his truth sets us free. Let this righteousness teaching revitalize you and lift you higher.

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