Sunday, June 15

The Adulterous Woman

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” John 8: 3-5

Such a scene! The Jewish religious leaders had dragged this woman out of bed. But, where is her partner? Since Jewish law required both parties involved in this sin be stoned, it’s a mockery from the beginning. It was set up by the Pharisees to trap Jesus and to attempt to destroy his ministry.

The Pharisees meant to put Christ’s ruling against what Moses had commanded. However, their plot backfired. “But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.” (John 8: 6) When they kept on questioning him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Had he written out their sins for all to read? We don’t know what he wrote, but when He bent down to continue writing, they began to go out one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left with the woman still standing there.” (John 8:7-9)

“Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No, one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8: 10-11)

That which our Lord has forgiven, so shall we, also. Let us look to this as the ultimate in forgiveness.

Prayer – Lord, forgive us our sins, no matter what they may be. Keep us faithful to our love for You and make us forgiving to others in our lives. Amen.

Monday, June 16

The Power of a Mother’s Love

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people ant to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3: 7-9

Shortly after King Solomon had asked the Lord for wisdom, two prostitutes brought their case before him. Each woman was claiming ownership of an infant. Obviously, one of the two was lying. One woman’s child had died shortly after birth and she had taken the other woman’s child and laid her dead child in it’s place.

As the two women were arguing and shouting, Solomon ordered a sword. He ordered the living child be divided in two and give each woman a half. Solomon knew the true mother would stop the killing of the child in order to save it. Within minutes issue was settled and the true mother had her child back again. The people of the kingdom grew fearful of the king when they saw his wisdom which was granted through God.

Wisdom of this magnitude is difficult to imagine. Being fair in all things is impossible to most of us. We need the blessing of the Lord each day and help in even our most diligent efforts to practice wisdom.

Prayer – Lord, oh that we could all be blessed with a small portion of such wisdom. Bless our lawmakers and people in powerful places with a portion of that kind of wisdom in the decisions that they make for us. Amen.

Tuesday, June 17

Peace Be With You

Therefore, since we have been justified though faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God...You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:1-2, 6

People have searched every crevice of the globe looking for peace. From yoga and transcendental meditation to new age tranquility materials and self-empowerment classes, people have been searching everything. But how often do these searches and studies work? Obviously, not very well considering the mess we are in today.

More often than not, these produce little if any impact. Instead, people find that each new encounter eventually leads to dead ends and emptiness. The offers of peace and tranquility are short lived at best. They are like a short breath of fleeting air.

A sustained tranquility and peace cannot be realized outside of a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It seems so simple but yet so difficult for many to understand and believe. If only the peace of the Lord could be passed on to everyone in turmoil and conflict.

Simply, accepting the friendship and reality that our Lord cares and is with us each step of the way can make this life’s journey much more simple. Talk to Him each day and discover a daily friendship with Him.

Prayer – Father, help us to accept the comfort of knowing your presence each day. Help us to accept your love and care with no qualifying factors. Amen.

Wednesday, June 18

Our Bodies, God’s Temple

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Throughout the Old Testament times, God dwelt in His tabernacle. In those times it was a traveling altar, which was called the ark of the covenant. The people moved it from place to place as they moved and relocated, from the time of Moses. When Jesus Christ came to earth He fulfilled God’s requirements for sinful man with His death on the cross. God could, now, cleanse man so that He could dwell in Him, making His dwelling place a holy temple.

We travel daily about our business of life and it is often hard to remember God dwells in us. The apostle Paul always struggled with wanting to do the right thing but he always had his being in conflict with his spirit. “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Romans 7:18-19)

Many of us feel as Paul did, but through the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we are blessed with the living spirit, if we but ask. Daily conversation with Him is a must to help maintain this temple.

Prayer - Lord, teach us to ask for your spirit and blessing each day. Assure us of your love and blessings as we falter and doubt. Amen.

Thursday, June 19

Verbalize Your Prayers

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for you Father knows what you need before you ask him. Mathew 6: 7-8

Do you recall your childhood prayers? Kneeling beside your bed, laying face down on your bed, or looking up and asking for that blessing with your eyes tightly closed. It all seemed so easy and so simple. Just chatting with God.

As we increased in age, those simple prayers became longer petitions and more formal in their form. Many of those conversations with God became so intimidating. How can we make this act of communication with our Father more in balance? In verse 9 of Mathew Jesus gives the familiar format, the Lord’s Prayer. It presents for us the format of an excellent formula for prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, the acrostic ACTS. This is a formula to remember and remind us.

As we come to the Lord we need to honor Him. He is our Creator, Master, Savior, and Lord of all things. Contemplate and reflect on who He is. Praise Him for what He has provided for you. Confess your sins and short comings daily. Thankfulness for all that He has done for us and provided for us. Uphold your prayers and wait in humbleness for His blessing in His time.

Prayers do not have to have ‘gloss and polish’ to be acceptable. God knows you better than you know yourself. Be humble in the sight of the Lord and He will bless you.

Prayer – Lord bless us with a humble heart and soul. Let us raise our prayers in simplicity and sincerity. Amen.

Friday, June 20

True Love Requires Ultimate Sacrifice

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

A few years ago a popular movie coined the phrase, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” How selfish and unreal is that? What a sadness to think many have bought into this concept of love.

Love requires that we have the humbleness to apologize. Love requires that we ask for forgiveness to help restore our relationships, not just to keep stumbling along with arrogance and pride.

The practice and expression of the ultimate in love was give us in the love our Lord and Savoir offers us in His ultimate death on the cross. Can you lay your life on the line for those you love and not worry about yourself? Can you humble yourself in total humility and give everything you have to those you love and to your Lord?

To admit you are fallible and make mistakes is to make a sacrifice. To have done nothing wrong and to offer the ultimate is an act of love. Our Lord provided us with this ultimate example. Let us prayerfully work to use this model in our lives. Let us work to use this tool of peace in all things surrounding our lives.

Prayer – Lord, help us move toward your ultimate example. Help us to say the words that will repair relationships in our lives and in our world. Amen.

Saturday, June 21

Fear of the Lord as Blessing

The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil. The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land. Proverbs 10: 27-30

The phrase “fear of the Lord” should not elicit terror or trepidation in our hearts. It is in reference to our awe and respect for God and loving care and understanding of us as His children. He is the one who can create change in us if we but accept His will for our lives. It is like our love and caring for our own children and blessing our children with the same respect and fear as we have for our Lord.

Knowing that everything in God’s plan is meant to be for our wellbeing, we must respect and fear Him for guidance in our lives. We have choices in this matter. We can rebel and fall into sin, or we can humble ourselves to receive the blessing that will rain down for our respect and honor. The ultimate choice is ours.

God does not perpetrate sadness and suffering on us. His love for us is the ultimate example of the loving parent who is revered and trusted by children in every circumstance. We need but to listen and ask for His blessings. The greatest blessing provided for us was the gift of His son, Jesus Christ. What love and caring!!!

Prayer – Lord, teach us to accept the blessings of obedience and caring for each other. Make us ever mindful of the needs of others. Bless us with your love. Amen