Thought for Tuesday May 1

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Acts 14: 19 – 28  They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.  But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. 

Do I ever fight back through illness, injury, exhaustion to do things that are important?   Who do I know that seems to be able to survive through everything that is thrown at him/her?

Action:  Gather around and support the people you know who are battling through hard times.

Thought for Monday April 30

Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Heaven is the heaven of the LORD,
but the earth he has given to the children of men.
Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory.

John 14: 21 – 26  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit  whom the Father will send in my name  he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.

Have I ever felt the Holy Spirit remind me of something Jesus said?  What do I do when I am reminded of Jesus while doing something I realize isn’t quite consistent with his message?

Action:  Set up reminders so you don’t forget about Jesus’ message during your day; e.g. every time you pull out your credit card, whenever you get in your car, when your phone rings…

Thought for Friday April 27

You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

John 14: 1 – 6  In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

What do I think Jesus is preparing for me?  How am I working to prepare my own place?

Action:  Prepare your home or office so other people feel welcome there.

Thought for Thursday April 26

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
 Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

John 13: 16 – 20  Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Do I see myself as a messenger of Jesus’ words?  If Jesus had had Twitter, would he have needed messengers?

Action:   Share Jesus message (in deeds or words) as only you can.

Thought for Wednesday April 25

Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

1 Peter 5: 5 – 14  Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.

What stupid  things am I prone to fall into if I do not remain sober and vigilant?   Does it help me to know that others are undergoing the same struggles?  

Action:   Be sober and vigilant.

Thought for Tuesday April 24

All you nations, praise the Lord.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
All you nations, praise the Lord.

John 10: 22 – 30  But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  Do I accept to be a sheep?  Do I often resist being shepherded? Action:  Work on being a good sheep.

Thought for Monday April 23

Athirst is my soul for the living God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
Athirst is my soul for the living God.

John 10: 11 – 18  A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.  This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.

Do I approach my work as hired help or as a shepherd who cares?  Do I look to Jesus as my personal shepherd or as someone God assigned to do a job?

Action:   Invest your time working for things you care about.

Thought for Friday April 20

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

John 6: 52 – 59  Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.  Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.

How much sense would this make if I didn’t know the whole story, i.e. incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection?   Am I appreciative of the generations of believers before me who helped me understand?

Action:  Eat, drink and enjoy the weekend.

Thought for Thursday April 19

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Bless our God, you peoples,
loudly sound his praise;
He has given life to our souls,
and has not let our feet slip.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

John 6: 44 – 51  Jesus said to the crowds: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him”

How has God drawn me?  What have I done in response to God’s call to me?

Action:  Do something to thank God for drawing you to him.

Thought for Wednesday April 18

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Acts 8: 1 – 8  Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.  With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city.

What is the greatest source of joy in my City?  Who do I pay attention to?

Action:  Celebrate the good things going on around you.

Thought for Tuesday April 17

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Acts 7: 51 – 8: 1  Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes: "You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it."  When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him.

What comes to mind when I think of the “law”?   Would I get mad if someone told me I wasn’t really observing God’s law even though I talk about it a lot?

Action:  Follow the law.

Thought for Monday April 16

Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I declared my ways, and you answered me;
teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

John 6: 22 – 29  Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

What am I working for? Do I expect to see the final results of all of my work in my lifetime?

Action:  Make a change in your life that you know bears witness to Christ even though you know you won’t actually be able to see the results.

Thought for Friday April 13

One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
One thing I ask of the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

John 6: 1 – 15  “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?”

What did the boy think would happen when he gave away his food?  Would I have been as generous as this boy?

Action:  Be generous.

Thought for Thursday April 12

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

 

 

John 3: 31 – 36  The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.

 

How often do I rise above being “earthly”?  What do I do that makes no sense if I am not united with the one who is from above?

 

Action:  Rise above.  Pray for knowledge, wisdom, understanding, honesty, charity, and love for all of the elected officials and civil servants who are charged with making good use of your tax dollars.

Thought for Wednesday April 11

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

 

John 3: 16 – 21  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

 

How often do I hear condemnations “in the name of God”?   Am I working to save the world from things others will only condemn it for?

 

Action: Absolve and liberate are both antonyms of condemn. Start working on ways to absolve or liberate our society from the sins other Christians condemn it for.

Thought for Tuesday April 10

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

John 3: 7 – 13  Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.

When I make choices that bear witness to Jesus, but are contrary to the prevailing culture, do people sometimes treat me like I am an outcast?  Do I ever get frustrated when people don’t accept my testimony?

Action:  Keep bearing witness even though people may treat you like a nut.

Thought for Monday April 9

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;
your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;
I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth
in the vast assembly.
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

  

Luke 1: 26 – 38  The angel Gabriel said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

 

Can I imagine Mary sitting with a cup of coffee (or tea or glass of wine) smiling as she reminisced about this a week after the resurrection?   Would I have been a good friend to Mary – listening to her very unique worries, joys and experiences raising the Son of God?

 

Action:  Be a good friend.

Thought for Friday April 6

The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

 

John 21: 1 – 14  Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also will come with you."

 

Was Peter just planning to go back to his regular job after the resurrection?   Do I sometimes do tasks to avoid doing real work?

 

Action:  Go fishing.

Thought for Thursday April 5

O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

Acts 3: 11 – 26  When Peter saw this, he addressed the people,  "… The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate's presence, when he had decided to release him.  You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses….”

Has Peter forgotten that he denied Jesus?    Does he have any right to chastise others for their role without acknowledging his?

Action:  Own up to your failings.

Thought for Wednesday April 4

Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord.

 

Acts 3: 1 – 10  When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us." He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.  Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you:  in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk." Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.

 

How did Peter go from failing to walk on water, to denying Jesus three times, to having the confidence in his own faith to heal someone?  Can I relate to Peter’s struggles with his faith?

 

Action:  Be confident in your faith.

Thought for Tuesday April 3

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

John 20: 11 – 18  Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.  And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been.  And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"  She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him."

Have I ever experienced a time when I couldn’t find Jesus?   What must it have been like for Mary Magdalene to go from the depths of this despair to the knowledge that Jesus had risen from the dead?

Action:  Look for Jesus and be overjoyed when you find him.

Thought for Monday April 2

Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

 

Matthew 28: 8 – 15  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples.

Am I overjoyed more often than I am fearful? 

Action:  It’s Easter, remember to be overjoyed.