GOD FREELY SACRIFICES

ISAIAH 53:5 (GNT)
But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did.

ROMANS 8:32 (MSG)
If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? 

THE ESSENCE
God freely sacrifices for us.

DAILY FODDER
If God would sacrifice his own Son for us, what makes you think that he's not on your side? Sometimes things don't work out the way we think they should, but we can relax knowing that God is undoubtedly on our side, working things out to our best benefit in his own way. 

PRAYER
Good and gracious God, you gave up your Son to be wounded and crushed for my iniquities. I regret giving in to my sinful nature. Thank you for providing forgiveness and everything else I need. I invite your Spirit to help me grow in faith and become more Christlike. Use my life to express your goodness and grace.  Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

JESUS SAVES

The 3rd Sunday of Advent 

PSALM 28:1 (CEB)
I cry out to you, Lord.
You are my rock; don’t refuse to hear me.

LUKE 7:7 (CEB)
The Roman centurion, speaking to Jesus: Just say the word and my servant will be healed.

THE ESSENCE
Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, hears and responds to our cries for help. 

DAILY FODDER
It's interesting that while so many of Jesus' own people were rejecting him, a leader of the occupying Roman army figured out that he could turn to Jesus to request healing for his servant. And he was humble enough to tell Jesus that it didn't require a personal visit. Faith pops up in surprising places. 

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, you are the rock we can turn to in our moment of need.  Forgive us for making faith way more complicated than it is. Listen to me as I tell you my greatest need today. I'm going to continue to trust that you're  listening and responding. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

NEW CITY

JEREMIAH 31:38 (CEB)
The time is coming, declares the LORD, when the city will be rebuilt for the Lord...

REVELATION 21:2-3 (GNT)
And I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared and ready, like a bride dressed to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: "Now God's home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God."

THE ESSENCE
God is building a new kind of city, one where he lives among humans. 

DAILY FODDER
What do you think it will be like living with God as your closest neighbor? How will that change the character and vibe of the neighborhood? How does this promise affect the way you do neighboring now?

PRAYER
Holy God, this world is filled with anger, cruelty, and divisiveness. As a result, I get discouraged and start to lose hope. Thank you for the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. In the new Jerusalem you will dwell with your people. There I will experience true fulfillment, love, peace, and joy in your presence forever. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

GOD CAME DOWN

ISAIAH 64:1 (CEB)
If only you would tear open the heavens and come down!

LUKE 1:31-32 (CEB/alt)
"Look!" the angel said to Mary, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High."

THE ESSENCE
God came down.

DAILY FODDER
We use the word "incarnation" to describe God becoming a man. When "the Son of the Most High" became incarnate, what did he have to leave behind, at least temporarily, to participate in our humanity? 

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son from Heaven to become one of us. Forgive us for bumping this truth from the center of our Christmas celebrations. Show me how to use this coming holiday as an occasion to share what you've done on our behalf. You came down to save us and to invite us to participate in the reality of Heaven. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

FOREVER LOVE

JEREMIAH 31:3 (ABP)
I've been loving you with a constant, unending love. And it is with this unfailing love that I've embraced you.

JOHN 3:16 (ABP)
God’s love for the world he created was so great that he offered up his one and only Son. And everyone who looks up to him and believes will escape the grip of death into a whole and lasting life.

THE ESSENCE
God's unique love changes everything.

DAILY FODDER
How is God's love different from the other types of love one might find in the world? How do you feel about being loved in this way?

PRAYER
God, you are great and demanding, and yet at the same time, you are so full of love that it blows our minds. We can't comprehend the depth of your love. How is it, then, that we seek out lesser loves to complete our lives? Redirect our eternal attention to what your Son has done. Refresh our lives with the reality of this love. To the extent that I accept your embrace, my life will be forever safe and complete. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

NO PEERS

2 SAMUEL 7:22 (GNT)
How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God.

REVELATION 22:13 (MSG)
I’m A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion.

THE ESSENCE
God has no peers. 

DAILY FODDER
If God is the ultimate in reality, without peer, what would you say are the top three implications of this, for relating to him?  

PRAYER
Christ Jesus, you are the greatest—sovereign, creator, sustainer, God-in-the-flesh. No one and no thing can compare. Forgive me for valuing lesser voices and interests. Teach me how to honor you in my context. I want my life to be all about recognizing you and living according to your directives. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

CARING

ISAIAH 46:4 (GNT)
I am your God and will take care of you
until you are old and your hair is gray.
I made you and will care for you;
I will give you help and rescue you.

1 TIMOTHY 5:3 (NLT)
Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.

THE ESSENCE
God commissions us to extend his care to those who are vulnerable — even into their old age. 

DAILY FODDER
How many old people do you currently have in your life? What are their unique needs?

PRAYER
Merciful God, I'm grateful for the way you take care of people. I confess that I'm a lot more selective than you. Expand my vision of those who would benefit from my presence in their lives — including the elderly. I know that I'm not getting any younger myself. Teach me to care while I still have breath. I want to participate in your care mission. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

DEPENDABLE

HOSEA 12:6 (NLT)
So now, come back to your God.
Act with love and justice,
and always depend on him.

1 TIMOTHY 1:15-16 (MSG)
Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever.

THE ESSENCE
You can always depend on Christ Jesus.  

DAILY FODDER
Who or what are we depending on when we're not depending on Jesus? How well does that work?

PRAYER
Faithful God, for millennia, people have found you to be a dependable Savior. Forgive us for being so slow to depend on you. Free me from my independently minded stubbornness. I'm going to trust you forever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

JOY COMING

The Second Sunday of Advent

PSALM 146:8 (ABP)
GOD gives a hand to those who are weighed down.

JOHN 16:20 (NLT)
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.

THE ESSENCE
Even when things are depressing, we live with the confidence that God will flip it all around to a point of joy. 

DAILY FODDER
Jesus had the means to escape his moment of ordeal, but he didn't choose that. Why? Or was the resurrection somehow the grand escape—an escape in which we all get to participate, when through faith we stand in solidarity with him? 

PRAYER
Christ Jesus, we're grateful that you didn't run from pain but that you ran into a burning building to rescue us. Forgive us for wimping out anytime we face difficulty. Renew our spirits with the joyous hope of the resurrection.  No matter how depressing things feel, I'm  going to live in the light of what you have coming for us. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

SPREADING SALVATION

PSALM 118:25 (GNT)

Save us, LORD, save us!

Give us success, O LORD!

ACTS 13:2-3 (MSG)
   One day as they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance—the Holy Spirit spoke: “Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do.”

   So they commissioned them. In that circle of intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying, they laid hands on their heads and sent them off.

THE ESSENCE
God commissions people to spread the good news of the salvation which comes to us through Christ Jesus. 

DAILY FODDER
What is your role in spreading the good news of salvation?

PRAYER
What an awesome Savior you are! You save me from striving for wealth, power, status, or popularity. You show me my need to be transformed by your Spirit. Produce the fruit of your Spirit in me. Equip me for the work you have called me to do. Grant me success in loving and serving others in your name, Jesus. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

SALVATION

PSALM 85:7 (MSG)
Show us how much you love us, GOD!
Give us the salvation we need!

JOHN 4:22 (MSG)
God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews.

THE ESSENCE
Through Jesus, the Jew, God gives us the salvation we all need.

DAILY FODDER
How is it that a single Jewish man could be the salvation of the world?

PRAYER
You are righteous and just, Lord God. You have shown your steadfast love through all generations. I am a sinner in need of grace. Thank you for granting salvation through the sacrifice of your Son, the promised Messiah. As your beloved child, give me the words and tools to share the good news of new life.  Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE EMERGING GENERATIONS

DEUTERONOMY 31:13 (MSG)
And do this so that their children, who don’t yet know all this, will also listen and learn to live in holy awe before GOD...

EPHESIANS 6:4 (NLT)
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

THE ESSENCE
Prioritize passing the ways of the Lord on to the emerging generations. 

DAILY FODDER
How do we bring up children "with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord" without provoking them to anger? Can you summarize what that looks like in a sentence or two?

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I'm grateful for my parents and all the adults who gently led me to faith as a child. Forgive us for treating children's ministry as a necessary after-thought. Give us hearts for children and their salvation. I'm looking for ways to pour my life into the kids around me. Amen.  

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE SPIRIT

NUMBERS 11:29 (GNT)
I wish that the Lord would give his spirit to all his people...

ACTS 1:8 (CEB)
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...

THE ESSENCE
The presence of the Holy Spirit is central to powerful ministry.  

DAILY FODDER
How do you know if the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your life?

PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Holy Spirit. I admit that I sometimes run ahead and do things on my own. Please help me to wait and to listen for your clear guidance. Then I can accomplish your plans and purposes for me in the timing and power of your Spirit. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

ENROUTE

JEREMIAH 31:18 (GNT)
Bring us back;
we are ready to return to you,
the LORD our God.

ACTS 14:15 (NLT)
We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.

THE ESSENCE
Steer your life toward the living God because all other destinations are disappointing.  

DAILY FODDER
You can't turn to God and visit all kinds of worthless attractions along the way because there are no worthless attractions on the route to him. 

PRAYER
Merciful God, I'm grateful for the good news—the forgiveness and new life that is ours through Christ Jesus. Forgive us for zig zaging on our way back to you. Keep me on the straight and narrow so that I can experience the new life, even while I'm enroute. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE PROMISED LIGHT

PSALM 43:3 (CEB)
Send your light and truth—those will guide me!
Let them bring me... to your dwelling place.

LUKE 2:29-32 (NLT)
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
as you have promised.
I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared for all people.
He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

THE ESSENCE
Jesus is the light, revealing God to all nations.  

DAILY FODDER
Luke 2:29-31 is a caution to all who would reduce or limit the light of God to a single group, nation, or tribe. Fundamental to our faith is: 1) Jesus is the light and 2) the light can't be contained.

PRAYER
Jesus, you are the promised light, revealing God to all the nations. Forgive me for being content to simply sit in your light here in my place. Share your passion for the world with me. Your light can't be contained. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

ACCESS

The First Sunday of Advent

JEREMIAH 31:34 (MSG)
   They will no longer go around setting up schools to teach each other about God. They’ll know me firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart and the slow.

MATTHEW 21:15-16 (GNT)
   The chief priests and the teachers of the Law became angry when they saw the wonderful things he was doing and the children shouting in the Temple, “Praise to David's Son!” So they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what they are saying?”
   “Indeed I do,” answered Jesus. “Haven't you ever read this scripture? ‘You have trained children and babies to offer perfect praise.’”

THE ESSENCE
As Jesus reveals God's presence, even the simple, uneducated, and childlike have access to him, and insightful relationships with him. 

DAILY FODDER
Today is the first day in the season of Advent, when the focus is on preparation for the coming of Jesus — first as the God-in-the-flesh baby, and soon, his second coming to establish his kingdom as the global regime. In all of this coming he reveals himself as the relational God, who comes into our lives, delivering unprecedented access to the divine. 

PRAYER
God, you know our prayers before we even breathe them. Though you know my words help me to say them anyway, for I need to hear them. Thank you for declaring that infants and babies can know you just as much as scholars and priests. You were there for our first prayer and will be there for our last. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

PRESENCE

PSALM 84:10 (GNT)
One day spent in your Temple
is better than a thousand anywhere else...

LUKE 2:49 (CEB)
Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”

THE ESSENCE
A healthy relationship with God is characterized by time in his presence.  

DAILY FODDER
How do you regularly seek out God's presence? Does it involve a time, place, group of people, solitude, or a devotional practice that raises your ongoing awareness that he is present?  

PRAYER
Gracious God, I'm amazed at the way you are constatly seeking us out. You want to be with us, even though we are at best indifferent to your effort. Teach me to seek out your presence. When I do that, I'm told, I'll recognize that you are already here with me. Jesus, your are the presence of God in the world, and in my life. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

PROMISE

ISAIAH 66:22 (CEV)
I also promise that you will always have descendants and will never be forgotten, just as the new heavens and the new earth that I create will last forever.

JOHN 1:49 (CEB)
Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are God’s Son. You are the king of Israel.”

THE ESSENCE
Jesus' regime lasts forever.

DAILY FODDER
If Jesus is king over a coming forever regime, it behoves us to pledge our allegiance and align ourselves with him starting now. What will characterize this "new heavens and new earth"? Where do you go to find an answer to this question?

PRAYER
King over kings, Lord over lords, thank you for the promise of a forever rooted future. Forgive me for embracing the discouragment and dismay of our age. Show me how to embrace the promised hope and how to allow it to filter into every aspect of my life. I pledge my allegiance to you and your coming kingdom. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I'm striving to align myself with your ways, King Jesus. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

RESCUED

PSALM 81:7 (GNT)
   When you were in trouble, you called to me, and I saved you.

MATTHEW 14:30-31 (GNT)
   But when Peter noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water. “Save me, Lord!” he cried.
   At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him.

THE ESSENCE
God seems to delight in rescuing his people.  

DAILY FODDER
In what ways have you experienced God's rescue in your life? 

PRAYER
God of abundance, thank you for resuing me from distress. Keep my fears from getting the best of me. When I open a new door, remind me that you are on the other side. I am always in good company when you are with me. Help me to bring hope to any hand that reaches out to me. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

RELIABLE ROUTING

ISAIAH 25:1 (CEB)
LORD, have done wonderful things,
planned long ago, faithful and sure.

HEBREWS 10:23 (GNT)
Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise.

THE ESSENCE
We can put our trust in God to do what he has promised because he has proven trustworthy. 

DAILY FODDER
What are you having to trust God to do these days?  

PRAYER
God, thank you for guiding us through this topsy-turvy journey of life. I admit that I have trouble trusting your navigational direction, not because you are unreliable, but because I can be an independent koot. Just as my navigation device in the car constantly reroutes me to compensate for all my wrong turns, please continue to reroute me on my life journey. I'm counting on you to get me home. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.