HOPE

JEREMIAH 31:17 (CEB)
There’s hope for your future,
declares the LORD. 

Your children will return home!

EPHESIANS 2:7 (CEB)
God did this to show future generations the greatness of his grace by the goodness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus.

THE ESSENCE
There is hope for the future, evident in what Christ has done for us.  

DAILY FODDER
The current moment is so intense that it is hard to adequately remeber the past or project realistic hopeful outcomes for the future. But when we are in the presence of Christ Jesus, the angst of the current moment is disarmed. By grace we catch a glimpse of what he has done for us in the past and the future he has planned. All that changes our outlook on the current moment.

PRAYER
Loving God, thank you for breaking into our world to disrupt the system, projecting us onto a new future. I confess that I let the troubles of today swallow the hope that you've given to us. Restore the hope. I want to challege the news of each day with the hopeful outlook that comes through our solidarity with Christ 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.

GOD'S LOVE

ISAIAH 49:15 (NLT)
Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!

1 JOHN 4:8
God is love.

THE ESSENCE
God's love can't be disrupted because he IS love!

DAILY FODDER
How do you respond to people who don't believe that God is love because there is so much active hate in the world? 

PRAYER
Amazing God, your love is so great that I can't wrap my head around it. Forgive me for loosing sight of this bottom line fact when I experience hate and rejection in the world. Help me to look at all the problems through the lenses of your love. I'm going to emphasize the basics because I know that you love the world so much that you sent your one and only Son. And I believe in him. 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.

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH

JEREMIAH 32:42 (MSG)
Yes, this is God’s Message: "I will certainly bring this huge catastrophe on this people, but I will also usher in a wonderful life of prosperity. I promise."

2 CORINTHIANS 1:7 (CEB)
Our hope for you is certain, because we know that as you are partners in suffering, so also you are partners in comfort.

THE ESSENCE
God has a hand in both the challenging times and the prosperous times. So, we can thrive through either when we partner with him.

DAILY FODDER
Why might God bring catastrophe before prosperity? Does he want us to suffer?

PRAYER
Merciful God, thank you for including me as a very junior partner in your group. Forgive me for doubting your love and commiment when I face challenging times. During those challenging moments reassure me of your active presence. I'm going to plow forward with the living hope that is ours through our partnership with Christ 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.

RECRUITED

GENESIS 12:4 (ABP)
So Abram did what GOD told him to do and left Haran.

ROMANS 9:24 (ABP)
We are those people whom God called—not just from the Jews but also from those who are not Jewish.

THE ESSENCE
God calls people from many backgrounds to join his company. 

DAILY FODDER
When did you first realize that God was recruiting you to join his company? What did you have to leave behind to follow his call? 

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for recruiting me. I confess that your call is sometimes a struggle as there are many other voices trying to lure me their direction. Give me the confidence needed to turn away the head hunters. By your grace I'm going work in your company 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.