GOD IS RIGHT

DANIEL 9:14 (CEV)

...the LORD our God has been right in every move he’s made...

ROMANS 3:25-26 (CEV)
And God did this to show that in the past he was right to be patient and forgive sinners. This also shows that God is right when he accepts people who have faith in Jesus.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
By nature God is always right; so trust him.

DAILY FODDER
At least someone has a 100% righteous track record which means our only chance of being on the right side is to hook our train car to his engine.

PRAYER
Righteous God, you don't make mistakes. My greatest mistake is in thinking I can get through life on my own without your assistance. I do say that my faith is in Christ but then when I encounter challenges I get sucked into thinking I've got more pull than I do. Show me how to live into my professed faith. I want to experience the righteousness of Christ in my daily life. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

UNCONENTIONAL

MICAH 5:2 (MSG)
But you, Bethlehem, David’s country,
the runt of the litter—
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule Israel.
He’ll be no upstart, no pretender.
His family tree is ancient and distinguished.

1 TIMOTHY 3:16 (CEV)
Here is the great mystery of our religion:
   Christ came as a human.
   The Spirit proved
   that he pleased God,
   and he was seen by angels.

   Christ was preached
   to the nations.
   People in this world
   put their faith in him,
   and he was taken up to glory.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
The coming of Christ the Savior, as unconventional as it was from a human perspective, set us on a fresh trajectory.

DAILY FODDER
In your mind does the mystery surrounding Christ add credibility to his message or detract from it?

PRAYER
Almighty God, it is beyond comprehension that you would become one of us. I'm sorry that I still struggle to wrap my mind around how this could be. Help me to embrace the mystery of who you are and how you do things. I know that through the coming of Jesus the Christ into the world you've set things on a new trajectory and I'm trusting him so I can go with your flow. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

TURN TO JESUS WHEN...

PSALM 142:3 (NLT)
When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.

MATTHEW 11:28 (NLT)
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
When it's all more than you can handle turn to Jesus for relief. 

DAILY FODDER
What kinds of burdens do you carry? How heavy do they feel today? Why do you think Jesus wants you to let him deal with it all?

PRAYER
Gentle Savior, thank you for watching over me and caring for me. Forgive me for trying to do things with my own strength. When my faith wavers and my spirit is faint, you hear my prayers and carry my burdens. True rest comes from you alone. Teach me to cease striving and let you do your work in me. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

LOVE — IT'S THE COMMANDMENT

DEUTERONOMY 5:32 (CEB)
So you must carefully do exactly what the Lord your God commands you. Don’t deviate even a bit!

MATTHEW 5:37-39 (CEV)
Jesus answered:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Loving God and others isn't just a romantic ideal or an aspiration for some day in the future.

DAILY FODDER
Which is more of a challenge for you — loving God with everything you are or loving others with the same energy you put into looking out for yourself?  Should you prioritize one over the other?

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for caring enough to give us instructions for living in harmony with you. I admit that I tend to speed read and gloss over a lot of the detail — especially when the details in the Bible stretch me. Keep encouraging me to grow in my love for you and my neighbors. My aim is to become an obedient and loving follower of Christ Jesus — through whom this is all possible. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.