Dear Beloved

A Heart That Follows God

When we plant apple seeds, we expect an apple tree to grow. It’s the seed and the roots that decide what kind of tree grows in the soil.

Similarly, when we belong to God we expect goodness and righteousness to grow in our lives. It is the fruit of our actions that tells us what kind of seeds we’ve planted.

One of the ways we can identify the work of God in our life is by watching what type of fruit we produce. A sign of a growing and godly life is a heart that desires to live and act in accordance with God’s Word. Only someone who has spent time with God will produce that type of action in their life.

John cautions us to be mindful of what type of fruit our lives produce. When we truly belong to God, and we spend time with Him, our lives will naturally produce goodness and right living.

The goal is not to be prideful about how many good deeds we do, but instead, to cultivate a heart that wants to selflessly do good to others in the name of Jesus. We may not be perfect, but our hearts should desire to follow God.

Take a moment to think about your thoughts and actions over the past week. Do they reflect a heart that has been in a close relationship with God? Think of some steps you can take to create regular rhythms of spending time with God.

A Prayer for Imitating God

God, I truly desire to imitate and know You! When people see me, I also want them to see You. Guide me as I seek to follow You with my whole heart. Bring godly people into my life. Surround me with positive relationships, so I can better imitate You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Called to Contentment

Observing Sabbath-rest allows us to step into the same rhythm God established in creating the world. Scripture tells us when God rested from His work, it was because His work was complete (Genesis 2:1). God took joy in His accomplishment.

In Hebrews 4:10, the writer draws a parallel between God's rest and ours: "for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." We're invited to delight in His presence and share in God’s divine contentment.

This rest isn't about taking a break from good works. It’s about surrendering the need to control by trusting in the completeness of God’s work. Our "rest" releases us from the burden of proving ourselves good enough to earn His love and approval. These things have been secured through Jesus’ finished work on the cross. When we step into this rhythm of rest we can find contentment that spills over into every part of our lives.

Is God calling you to stop trying to do everything on your own and instead find peace in Jesus’ finished work on the cross?

Lay down your burdens, not out of laziness, but surrender. Believe that the One who made the world also takes care of you.

A Prayer for Release

God, my heart is heavy. I release my burdens to You. I lay them down and surrender them to You. Thank You for holding me in my weakness and weariness. Show me how to rest and refuel in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pray for Who?

All throughout Jesus’ ministry, He constantly turned things upside down for those listening. The religious leaders at the time had grown distant from following the laws of God. Jesus’ teaching helped bring them back to the heart of the law, but He often did so through surprising ways.

Most of us probably think we do a great job at loving other people. But if we’re being honest, most of us probably spend our time loving those who also love us back. It’s a lot easier to love the people who we’re friends with. When there’s trust built over time and common ground, it’s easy to love.

Jesus says that loving those who love you is not enough. In Luke 6:28, He challenges us even further. He says we’re to bless those who speak negatively about us, and we are to pray for those who mistreat us.

If you’ve ever been mistreated by someone, or had someone speak negatively about you, then you know how hard it can be to love that person. It is hard to love unloving people. And yet, Jesus did exactly that. When we were at our worst, He still loved us.

If you find it hard to bless those who mistreat you, begin with prayer. Between you and God in prayer, ask Him to help soften your heart. Ask Him for justice in a specific situation, but also for there to be restoration.

Every person who exists is a person Jesus wants to love. And when we make steps to love those who are unloving, we’re showing the love of Jesus to someone who needs it. As we take steps to pray for those who mistreat us, we become more like Jesus.

Take a few minutes right now to pray. Ask God to help you grow in love towards those around you. If there is someone who has hurt you, ask God to begin healing your heart. Say a prayer for that person as well. Ask God to be with them, to help them, and to make a way for their heart to be softened as well. Thank Jesus that He loved us even when we were unloving.

A Prayer for Those Who Mistreat You

God, it can be difficult to love those who have mistreated me, but I know You love them—so I want to love them too. Encourage me to pray for those I am too hurt to be around. Give me the courage to go out of my way and to be kind to those who are unkind. And provide me with the strength I need to forgive them. You are the Judge—not me—and I am just as unworthy of Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our Daily Bread

In Matthew 6, Jesus’ disciples ask Him how they should pray. So Jesus teaches them a very simple prayer that covers the basic areas of life. Jesus’ model for prayer orients our hearts toward God and His kingdom work on earth. And in the middle of that prayer, Jesus prays, “Give us today our daily bread.”

What Jesus is showing us is this: God wants us to bring everything to Him in prayer—even the small things. God cares about us and our needs.

This prayer also points out that it is God who gives us good things and provides for us. While it may seem like we earn our own basic necessities, it is actually God who gives us our breath and our ability to work and earn a wage. God even created the very food that we eat.

Everything we have comes from God. That means we can spend time in prayer thanking Him for what He has given us, and talking to Him about our needs.

What’s significant is that Jesus doesn’t ask for God to provide His needs for tomorrow or next week —He only asks for His needs today. Our whole life can change in an instant, and things we’ve stored up for years can be taken away. But Jesus teaches us to depend on God to meet our needs day by day. Dependence on God takes trust—but when we trust in Him, we end up living by God’s power and provision rather than our own.

Take some time today and thank God for what He has given you. Thank Him for taking care of your basic needs each and every day, and ask God to continue to meet your needs each and every day. Consider how you can live with an increasing awareness of God as your provider. He loves you and cares for you

A Prayer to Trust God

God, when I am overwhelmed, Your Word reminds me of Your goodness. Thank You for Your provision and faithfulness even when I fall short. Help me to seek You first every day through Your Word—for You alone will sustain me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Loving God’s Word

When we want to learn a new skill, we take care to learn everything we can about that subject.

Artists try different supplies and techniques to enhance their art. Musicians practice their music measure by measure, note by note, in order to memorize and perfect the song they are learning. Architects and engineers memorize and practice advanced math in order to design and build safe structures.

We give our time and minds to things so that we can use them well.

King David wanted to know God. He knew in order to know God, he would need to know God’s Word, because he knew that Scripture would keep him from sinning against God. He even wrote:

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”
Psalm 119:15 ESV

This is a valuable lesson for us to learn as well: if we want to know God, to know Jesus, then we need to know God’s Word.

Just as we give our minds to the study of history or math, or we practice an instrument in order to play it well, we must also give our minds and time to knowing God’s Word. We should meditate on Scripture and fix our eyes on what Jesus has taught us. When we do this, we store up His wonderful Word in our hearts and it keeps us from sinning against Him.

We can know exactly what God wants and desires for us by reading Scripture.

His Word gives us boundaries, guidance, and direction. His Word shows His purposes and character. His Word reveals to us who He is, and we get to respond with joy and obedience. So today, what will you give your time to? In what ways will you store up God’s Word in your heart?

A Prayer to Meditate on God’s Word

Father God, thank You for giving me Your Word. Scripture is brimming with truth and life, and I never want to take that for granted. I know that I am easily distracted, but I also know that You give me the strength to persevere. Show me how to meditate on Your Word so that I don’t disobey You. Teach me to prioritize my relationship with You above everything else. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Devotion and Honor

You were created for community. When God designed humans, He made us with the intention of placing us within a loving family. Today, we call that family the Church.

God’s original intention was that we would exist within a family of other believers. He didn’t intend for us to exist in isolation or separated from other people. Life was not meant to be lived alone.

Regardless of what your family experience was like, God intended for His family to be loving and caring. And it’s the qualities of God’s family that Paul is writing about in Romans 12.

Paul says to be devoted to one another in love. That means that we are to walk alongside other people through the various seasons of life. We should never abandon people when life gets hard.

Paul also encourages us to honor others. Instead of seeking self-recognition, we should honor and encourage each other. Instead of pursuing what seems best for us, we should seek the good of other people first.

Devotion and honor are just two aspects of loving people well, but Jesus said that the world will recognize us as His disciples by the way that we love. This means that we have to genuinely love others—not just pretend to love them. And the place we need to start showing genuine honor is within our spiritual family. Rather than letting self-promotion divide the family of God, our goal should be to honor those around us.

If we won’t learn how to love people who follow Jesus, then we won’t know how to love people who don’t.

A Prayer to Honor Others

Jesus, thank You for showing me what unconditional love looks like. It’s because You love me deeply that You ask me to love others deeply. Please help me with this. Show me how to love others like You have loved me. Bring to my mind ways that I can honor others, and then help me to do so with gladness and joy. Amen.

Prioritize Prayer

It is helpful to remind ourselves that Jesus prayed! Right at the beginning of His ministry here on earth, we see our Lord experiencing breakthrough. He heals Peter’s mother-in-law and then we see that “The whole town gathered at the door.” This is our dream - that the whole town would gather at the doors of our communities and encounter Jesus, but even in the middle of this success and breakthrough we see that Jesus took time to pray.

As we seek breakthrough we must take the time to pray.

Jesus comes back from his time of prayer and says, Mark 1:38 “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Fresh vision and new direction come as He prays.

Prayer

Lord forgive me for those times when I have been so caught up in all that is good and in the breakthrough of the moment, that I forgot to pray. Lord may I never forget to spend time with you.

A Prayer for Declaring God’s Glory

God, You are the King of Glory. The whole earth was created to declare Your name. Help my life to reflect Your glory. I want others to see You shining through me. Fill me with Your love and light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Even There

David, who was Israel’s king around 1000 BC, is the contemplative soul who wrote our verse for the day:

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Note: Any time a verse seems to start mid-sentence, it’s wise to investigate the broader context of the story. In this case, David is exploring the mind-blowing fact that he can never escape God’s presence.

David realizes that it doesn’t matter if he’s sitting down or standing up, traveling abroad or resting at home, up in heaven or down in the grave, speaking his mind or keeping his thoughts to himself, or even if he somehow ends up next to the most remote ocean on earth.

It’s then that David continues:

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

Even there, even here, even everywhere—God is always present to lead and guide, to strengthen and support.

Even if we try to avoid God, or run from His calling on our life, He’s patient to pursue us, to correct us, to direct us.

One thing is certain: He will never leave us.

So, when you’re scrubbing dishes, scrolling on your phone, or sorting through a difficult decision; when you’re hard at work, lazy at home, or soaking up time with the people you love; when you’re heartbroken, when you’re joyful, when you’re doubtful, when you’re hopeful, and even when you’ve made a horrible decision …

“… even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

Wherever you find yourself today, know that you’re not alone. You’re not stuck. You’re not without someone who cares, and who’s able to save. Thank God, there’s no escaping His presence.

A Prayer of Comfort

God, thank You for always being there! I can’t run away or do anything to escape Your presence. Your love is light, Your strength is supportive, and Your guidance is good. Even when I mess up time and again, You remain the same. Thank You Jesus, Amen.

Learn From the Wise

Wisdom is gained when knowledge meets experience. That is why those who are older tend to also be wiser—they have more life experience to learn from.

It is necessary in life to learn from those who have more wisdom and experience, because they can help us see things that we don’t notice. Even though culture tells us that we should live our own truth and do whatever we think is best, it is this type of thinking that leads us into trouble.

Our capacity for wisdom is limited to our experiences. This is why Scripture tells us not to be wise in our own eyes.

True wisdom comes from fearing God. This means we should have a high regard for God’s Word and His instructions to us. He knows all things, including what is best for us.

We can also gain wisdom from other people. When we can learn from the mistakes and experiences of others, we’re better equipped to not make the same mistakes. However, if you think you’re the only one who knows best, you are bound to repeat the same errors.

Make a commitment today to listen to the wisdom and guidance of God in His Word each and every day before you listen to anything else. Then, commit to listening to the wisdom of trusted Christians in your life. Resolve not to go through life alone, but rather in community with others.

A Prayer for Wisdom

God, thank You for Your Word which provides truth and wisdom. Remind me to seek it first, because You know all things and what's best for me. Place wise people in my life and open my mind to learn from them. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Breaking Hard Ground

Imagine yourself as a farmer, and your life is a vast field. You sow seeds on soil sparingly, and these seeds represent your intentions, choices, and actions.
Hosea uses a similar analogy in Hosea 10:12 to describe God’s people. Israel had sown seeds of sin and unrighteousness, causing the soil of their hearts to become unreceptive to God's commands. And right as God's people were about to reap a harvest of God’s judgment, the prophet Hosea spoke with urgency:

"Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."
Hosea 10:12

Just as a farmer reaps far more than they sow, our God promises that we, too, will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9). But, this verse also shows us it’s not enough to sow righteousness. We must also break up the uncultivated ground (Hosea 10:12).

Our hearts become like idle ground when we allow it to grow hard and stubborn—resisting God's Word and work in our lives. But God wants His people to prepare the soil of their hearts to receive the seed of His Word by seeking Him. Seeking the Lord is like the early rain in farming season; it’s that essential ingredient that softens the soil and readies it for growth.

Don't wait. Seek Him eagerly and expectantly today. Meditate on Hosea 10:12; let it move you to examine your own life: Are you sowing seeds of righteousness and reaping the fruit of unfailing love?

It is never too late to seek the Lord—turn your heart to the One who promises to shower His abundant mercy and grace upon you.

Prayer

God, sometimes my heart can be hardened to hearing Your Word. Forgive me! Break apart any stubborn sin in my life. Show me how to seek You first and shower me with Your blessings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Loving Difficult People

Matthew 5-7 is often referred to as The Sermon on the Mount, which is a series of teachings that Jesus gives near the beginning of His ministry. Most of what Jesus talks about is not necessarily new teaching, but rather a reorientation of how the Jewish people understood the Old Testament laws.

It's easy to love people who are close to us. It’s also easy to love those who are similar to us, and even those who love us as well. But Jesus’ command isn’t just to love those who are easy to love. Jesus says we should also love our enemies.

He also says to pray for those who persecute us. This isn’t a prayer for them to stay away, but rather a prayer for their good. We should be praying for the salvation of those who intend us harm, asking that they would recognize their actions and turn to God.

This is how God treated us. When we were enemies of God, He still showed love to us. He gave us breath and life, and also sent Jesus to restore our relationship with Him.

Take a moment to consider some people in your life who are difficult to love. Begin by praying for them. Pray for their salvation if they’re not Christians, and pray for their wellbeing. Think of one or two ways you can show love to your enemies and share the hope of Jesus.

A Prayer for People Who’ve Hurt Me

God, I forgive them: the people who’ve caused me pain, the people who’ve wronged and betrayed me. I forgive them, because You forgave me. Please bless those people, Lord. Transform their lives and bless them like You have blessed me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Calm in the Storm

One of the most well-known stories in Jesus' life is the calming of the storm (Matthew 8:23–27, Mark 4:35–41, and Luke 8:22–25).

Think about the disciples hanging out on a boat with Jesus when a life-threatening storm erupts on the water. They’re unprepared to face it. Panicking, they realize they might die. The entire time this is happening, Jesus is sleeping peacefully.

Instead of looking at Jesus’ reaction to their situation, the disciples allowed their situation to dictate their reactions.

After begging Jesus to do something, He calms the storm … but not before asking them, “Why are you afraid?”

His gentle rebuke wasn’t because they didn’t believe Jesus could save them from the storm, but because they struggled to believe He would see them through it.

They knew Jesus was in their boat, they just didn’t understand what He was fully capable of doing.

Jesus was their strength through the storm and over the storm.
Jesus was their provider, protector, healer, and leader.
Jesus was their source of peace and power.

And the same God who was with the disciples in the boat is with us. No matter what your current storm looks like—Jesus is near. There is not a situation you have gone through that Jesus hasn’t endured beside you.

Jesus was, and is, and is to come. He was there at the beginning of time, and He will be there at the end of it. He has seen every event in human history, and He has not forsaken anyone who cries out for Him and trusts in Him.

Nothing is impossible for God, and His character never changes. He is for you, and not against you—that’s why you have nothing to fear. And that is why today, you can make Isaiah 41:13 your own personal promise:

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

A Prayer for Rescue

Good Father, I stretch out my hand to You now. I need Your help in so many ways, Father. Help me be more aware of Your loving presence as we walk together through this day. In Jesus' name, Amen.