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Written by Kyle Norman, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his work “In Seeking Jesus, We See God.”

We all need comfort and encouragement. We all need to be reminded Jesus is not just a character in a story or a teacher of long ago; He is the Lord of life and salvation. He is the way to God, the truth of God, and the life of God. For anyone who asks questions like, “How do I know God? How do I get close to God? How do I get to heaven?” Jesus points to himself as the answer. To anyone longing for an experience of God, the answer is fully revealed: get close to Jesus. He is the way all our deep spiritual longings are fully and finally fulfilled. 

Prayer:

Written by Origen (c184-253), an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian.

May the Lord Jesus place his hands on our eyes that we may begin to catch sight of the things that are not seen more than the things that are seen. May he open our eyes that they will alight on the things to come more than on the things of this age. May he unveil the vision of our heart that it may contemplate God in spirit. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom belong glory and power forever. Amen.

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Written by Louie Giglio, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.  This is an excerpt from his book “Seeing God as a Perfect Father.”

It’s one thing to believe in Jesus, to acknowledge that God is our perfect heavenly Father and that we’re beloved children of God, and it’s another thing to truly live out those realities. If we’re truly living in light of our new identity, then our lives will change, and we will lean toward that change in conjunction with the power of the Holy Spirit working inside of us. By grace, we will deliberately walk that new direction with our minds and hearts and wills and whole beings. We put off the old man and put on the new man, and we won’t tolerate the stink of sin in our lives anymore. Far too often, even though we’re believers, we develop a comfortable tolerance of our old ways. But as dearly loved children of God, it’s up to us to shout, Enough! to the old ways of living. By faith, we can claim the light of Christ to guide our pathways. We must not settle for second-rate living anymore. We want to truly live, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer:

Written by Moya Hanlen, a contemporary English nun, educator, and canonical consultant.

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us. Amen.

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Written by the Lead Like Jesus team, an organization founded by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges that promotes a transformational leadership model based on following Jesus.

How do you know what your values are? It is easy to speak eloquently about values, and those who follow Jesus would say that we value what He values (or at least, that we want to value what He values). To be honest, we have to admit that our present behavior reveals the things that we value most. Jesus was able to point to His life and behavior as evidence of His connection with the Father. What in your life reveals that you know Jesus and the Father, and share their values?

Prayer:

Written by Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), a French Carmelite nun,known as “the Little Flower of Jesus.

Eternal Father, since you have given me for my inheritance the adorable face of your divine son, I offer that face to you and I beg you, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to you and to pardon all poor sinners. Amen.

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Written by C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), a British writer and lay theologian. This is an excerpt from his book “The Four Loves.”

Our reliance, our respect, and our admiration blossom into an appreciative love of a singularly robust and well-informed kind… In a perfect friendship this appreciative love is, I think, often so great and so firmly based that each member of the circle feels, in his secret heart, humbled before all the rest. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be in such company. Especially when the whole group is together, each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in all the others. Those are the golden sessions; when four or five of us after a hard day’s walking have come to our inn; when our slippers are on, our feet spread out towards the blaze and our drinks at our elbows; when the whole world, and something beyond the world, opens itself to our minds as we talk; and no one has any claim on or any responsibility for another, but all are freemen and equals as if we had first met an hour ago, while at the same time an Affection mellowed by the years enfolds us. Life—natural life—has no better gift to give. Who could have deserved it?

Prayer:

Written by John Cameron King, a contemporary author.

Father, in an age of distraction, social media and communication technology, nothing replaces face to face interaction with our brothers and sisters in Christ. You’ve called us to intimate, friendly and bold relationships with one another. Keep us from isolating ourselves and may we pursue those that seek to isolate themselves.  Manifest the love You’ve called us to walk in within our relationships in the name of Jesus, a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Amen.

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Written by Justine Froelker, a contemporary writer and professional counselor. Today’s meditation is an excerpt from “100 Devotions for Kids Dealing With Anxiety.”

So much of life, especially when you struggle with anxiety, is about figuring it out. Getting control of something. Fixing it. Making it better. Anxiety says if you can’t fix it or fully understand it, then you just have to try harder. Faith says that your understanding will never provide the full understanding because it only comes from trusting God. This doesn’t mean a passive faith, where you throw your hands up and stop trying to help yourself or ask for help. It means being confident in God, seeking the support in His Word, His people, and the gifts He put inside of you because there will always be things in your life that are far above and beyond your understanding. Your brain, which is wired to keep you safe and comfortable, does not like not knowing, or the need for surrender, and anxiety definitely hates the lack of control. In many ways, this trust is the tool to help you move through the uncertainty of it all. When it feels uncertain, you can be secure, with everything you are, in who God says He is and who He says you are. Lean on Him. Make a list of who God is to you and who God says you are. Even when your anxiety tells you not to believe, this is what you can trust.

Prayer:

Written by Janet Thompson, a contemporary speaker and author.

Father, you are holy and trustworthy yet often I put my trust in people and circumstances instead of your abundant sovereignty and love for me. Awaken my heart, mind, and spirit to be in tune with the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Amen.

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Written by Asheritah Ciuciu, a contemporary author.

Maybe God loves us simply because it’s His good pleasure, because He delights to lavish His love on us. Maybe the point isn’t to decipher an intellectual enigma. Maybe the point is to respond with an open heart that receives and echoes back love.

Prayer:

Written by Asheritah Ciuciu, the author of today’s meditation.

Heavenly Father, how great is Your love for us! I can’t comprehend it, and I confess that I often take Your love for granted. Would You grow in me the capacity to grasp more of Your love for us in Christ Jesus? I trust You to continue Your good work in me. And God — I love You, too! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Written by Catherine Marshall (1914-1983), an American author. This is an excerpt from her book “The Helper.”

Why, we wonder, since Jesus was sending the Spirit to help us and to be our Comforter, would the Spirit’s first priority be to convict us of sin? And what sin did He mean? When we speak of sin, we think of lying, cheating, greed, slander, a vicious tongue, temper, cruelty, sexual promiscuity, adultery, murder and the like, whereas, when Jesus spoke of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, He did not mention those sins. In fact, He used the singular ‘sin’, then went on to define sin is this: unbelief. He said, “because they do not believe in Me.

Prayer:

Written by Willliam Laud (1573-1645), Bishop of Canterbury.

Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, that we may live in your fear, die in your favor, and rest in your peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Written by Miles Stanford (1914-1999), a Christian author.

It seems that most believers have difficulty in realizing and facing up to the inexorable fact that God does not hurry in his development of our Christian life. He is working from and for eternity! So many feel they are not making progress unless they are swiftly and constantly forging ahead. Now it is true that the new convert often begins and continues for some time at a fast rate. But this will not continue if there is to be healthy growth and ultimate maturity. God himself will modify the pace. This is important to see, since in most instances when seeming declension begins to set in, it is not, as so many things, a matter of backsliding. John Darby makes it plain that “it is God’s way to set people aside after their first start, that self-confidence may die down. Thus, Moses was forty years. On his first start he had to run away. Paul was three years also, after his first testimony. Not that God did not approve the first earnest testimony. We must get to know ourselves and that we have no strength. Thus, we must learn, and then leaning on the Lord we can with more maturity, and more experientially, deal with souls.

Prayer:

Written by Winfield Bevins, a contemporary seminary professor.

Dear Lord, You are the Risen Christ, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, and the Everlasting Counselor. Grant us peace of mind and help our hearts to not be troubled during these difficult and uncertain times. Give us the strength and grace to trust you even when we cannot see the way. Remind us that you will never let us go and that you will always hold us in your everlasting arms of love. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Written by Andrew Murray (1828-1917), a South African writer, teacher, and pastor.

There is often a question about the life of holiness. Do you grow into it? Or do you come into it by a crisis suddenly? Peter had been growing for three years under the training of Christ, but he had grown terribly downward, for the end of his growing was, he denied Jesus. And then there came a crisis. After the crisis he was a changed man and then he began to grow aright. We must indeed grow in grace, but before we can grow in grace we must be put right…Just as the Lord Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to Peter, He is willing to give the Holly Spirit to you. Are you willing to receive Him? Are you willing to give up yhourself entirely as an empty, helpless vessel, to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to live, to dwell, and to work in you every day? Dear believer, God has prepared such a beautiful and such a blessed life for every one of us, and God as a Father is waiting to see why you will not come to Him and let Him fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:

Written by Ray Simpson, a contemporary author.

Circle me, Lord,

Keep protection near

and danger afar.

Circle me, Lord,

Keep light near

and darkness afar.

Circle me, Lord,

Keep peace within;

Keep evil out.

In the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Written by Laurie Beth Jones, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “Jesus, Entrepreneur.”

I suspect that each of us has a bull in our closet…the bull that we melt all our energies into and then worship and serve. We are a society of bull worshippers—the headlines shout it out every day. For some of us the bull is power, for some of us it is fame—fortune—financial success—beauty—sex—acceptance—“being liked.” Our bull not only sleep in our closets, they snort and stomp in our calendars, demanding to be put at the top of our priority lists. No matter how much we feed them, they always want more…We must learn to recognize—and control—our own “bull.” Are we, through daily activities, honoring God or just feeding the beast?

Prayer:

Written by Scotty Smith, a contemporary pastor and author.

Have mercy on me, Father, and free my foolish heart from giving anything or anyonethe attention, allegiance, affection, and adoration you alone deserve. The fact that I’m “beloved, one of your “dear children”—forgiven, secure, righteous, and beloved in Christ—should be all the motivation I need to keep myself from any form of idolatry. May the gospel of your grace relentlessly expose and dethrone all “empty nothings” from my heart. May the beauty and bounty of Jesus so fill my heart there’s little room leftover for anything else. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ most worthy and loving name. Amen.

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