SAVIOR

DEUTERONOMY 30:9 (GW)
The LORD will again delight in making you as prosperous as he made your ancestors.

LUKE 2:68-69 (NLT)
Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
     because he has visited and redeemed his people.
He has sent us a mighty Savior
     from the royal line of his servant David...

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus is the promised Savior from God, sent to free people.

DAILY FODDER
Other than fulfilling prophecies, why is it significant that Jesus came from the royal line of David?

PRAYER
Faithful God, thank you for sending Jesus to free us from that which naturally chains us. I am grateful for how this freedom is working out in my life. Continue to save me from the enemy who is trying to rechain me.  Forgive me for allowing his antics to discourage me and remind me daily of our Savior. I look to him to prosper my life in accordance with his agenda. 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.

VULNERABLE?

JONAH 2:8 (CEB)
Those deceived by worthless things lose their chance for mercy.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3 (CEB)
Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Arrogant and self-serving people are easily drawn away from God's mercy.  

DAILY FODDER
Why do you think the arrogant and self-serving are more vulnerable?

PRAYER
Gracious God, you pour out your mercy to all who realize and acknowledge they need it. Forgive us for our over-confident and outrageously ambitious approach to life. Hook us up with Jesus and his ways. Flood my life with your humble mercy so that your love becomes my primary language. I realize that this is the only safe way to move forward. 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.

GOD SEES REALITY

JOB 13:9 (MSG)
How would you fare if you were in the witness stand?
Your lies might convince a jury—but would they convince God?

LUKE 16:15 (MSG)
So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance.
     What society sees and calls monumental,
     God sees through and calls monstrous."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God sees the reality behind the reality; so align yourself with him.

DAILY FODDER
If someone could see the real you, what would they see?

PRAYER
Holy One, you alone are pure of heart. I am grateful that you see into the motives of my heart and still love me. I am often motivated to seek justification by pleasing others. It's exhausting. Help me straighten out my priorities and live to please only you. Thank you for loving me and guiding me to walk in your ways. 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.

MERCY FOR THE ROTTEN

ISAIAH 6:5 (MSG)
Doom! It’s Doomsday!
I’m as good as dead!
Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted—
   blasphemous even!
And the people I live with talk the same way,
   using words that corrupt and desecrate.
And here I’ve looked God in the face!
The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!

1 TIMOTHY 1:12-13 (CEV)
I thank Messiah Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength. He regarded me as trustworthy by appointing me to his service—even though I used to say blasphemous things against him, and persecuted his people violently! But I received mercy, because in my unbelief I didn’t know what I was doing.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Through Jesus there is hope for even the most obnoxious sinner.

DAILY FODDER
Why is mercy such a radical action and idea? 

PRAYER
God-over-the-angel-armies, I'm grateful for your powerful presence. I admit, though, that it is an uncomfortable presence. I'm a rotten person who thinks and does rotten things. In your vast mercy forgive me and empower me to extend your mercy through my words and deeds. I'm not going to worry about judgment because I know that Christ has taken care of that. So there is real hope for 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.