Day 36: Wednesday. April 5, 2017      John 11:17-37

Prayer: Dear God, Please help me take my eyes off the worldly things and focus them on You, so that I can know Your comfort. Amen.

Contributed by Jana Mayer

Day 35: Tuesday, April 4, 2017           Luke 15

 Lost & Found

The Jackson County fair is still a tradition that my family takes part in every year. October is a cold month when the fair sets up. There is never a day that the fair is not crowded, but this particular year it seemed to be more crowded than usual. My mother told me to stay close and to hold her hand due to the possibility I would get lost in the crowd.

 There is so much to look at while walking; you have food, rides and games for entertainment. We would stop and look and then I would grab my mother’s hand and walk on. I did this for a while; I felt safe because I knew she was right there. But as I looked up, I realized that I was not holding my mother’s hand; it was a stranger who held my hand in his. I totally freaked out, began to cry, and ran off from the stranger.

 After hours of sheer panic and nightfall, something came to my mind. My mother always told my brothers and me, “If you ever get lost, go to the police station. I will meet you there.” I did just that, and after they realized who I was, they said your mother has already filed a missing person report and is waiting for you. 

  As a seven-year old, I was so scared that I can still feel the emotions I felt over 35 years ago. I feel this event, that happened so many years ago, resembles the many times I have distanced myself from God. I place my eyes on many things that entertain me, losing sight of God’s protecting, loving, and guiding presence.

 What I have set my eyes on has taken me from God, and what was best for me was to seek out God, grab hold of His hand, and never let go.

 Much to my surprise, when I was reunited with mother, she was not mad at all; she hugged me, told me that it doesn’t matter how I got lost; she was happy I was found safe. This is how God is; He never turns you away. The prodigal son in the Bible represents many of us. If this is you, don’t be afraid to reach out to God with a humble, childlike heart, and He will welcome you back. There is nothing that you may have done that God’s blood does not cover.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for guiding me safely back home in Your presence.  Help me to follow where You lead and protect me from the many distractions in life. By Your precious blood I am saved. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Contributed by Connie Logan

Day 34: Monday, April 3, 2017            Hebrews 4:21

“The word of God is sharper than any two-edged Sword.”

Lawyer = one who has the discernment or knowledge to assess the law to increase or decrease it.  Minimize, maximize – or forgiveness of an offense.

Life as a Christian is to me to live my life with a Bible on one side, and a sword on the other, for both are necessary for life that the wisdom of God teaches. 

For wisdom of life as a Christian does not mean my life is to be a bed of roses or a yellow brick road; for roses have thorns, and brick roads have faults.  The sword teaches me to have discernment of mind to rightly understand false or true teaching on one side and the strength of might on the other.  For thorns have to be plucked, and faults of the roads fixed to ensure safe travel.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:      

2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,          

3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,         

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,         

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.  Amen.

Contributed by Roosevelt “Pops” Smith

Day 33: Sunday April 2, 2017      Matthew 25:40

 “Something for Jesus”

“The king will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sister of mine, you did for me.”

The ministry of our church called Lunch With Our Neighbors has been an arm of our outreach ministry.  This story comes to mind when I look back years ago when we were feeding our neighbors in the downtown church.

Our group had just finished feeding around forty-five neighbors, and we put away the utensils that we used.  I was then given a brown bag to take home to give to my husband for his lunch: a fruit and a sandwich. As I was walking towards my car, a man came running to me looking desperate.  These were his words: “Someone out there,” pointing to the street beyond the church, “told me about the free meal which the church gives.  I had a phone call from my home in San Antonio that my mother is very ill, and my bus leaves in ten minutes.”

There are times in life when we do not expect to do something for Jesus.  However, at that very moment, there was the hallelujah “moment” to be of service to someone.  That brown bag given to me to take home to feed Andy fulfilled my ministry that day by giving it to this man who needed to be at his mother’s bedside.  Matthew 25:40 spoke to me clearly when I handed the brown bag to this man with a prayer in my heart.

Each day, moments like this do come and we are surprised at what the Lord expects of us.  By having a closer walk with our Lord, we can pray.

Prayer:  “Lord, help me to be a blessing to someone today.” Amen.

Contributed by Nina Fowler

Day 32: Saturday, April 1, 2017

2 Timothy 1:7 & 1 John 5:14

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John)

Fear was an overwhelming force on 1 April as it was the day I landed in Vietnam to begin my yearlong tour. I had only been married a few months, and I was in fear of how I could take care of my new wife. I feared that I would not have the courage to face whatever was in front of me during my tour. I feared that I would not survive or, worse yet, suffer some catastrophic injury. I did survive, and that tour put me on a path for the rest of my life, not knowing then that God had better plans for me, and I should have put my trust in Him more fully. Looking back I now see where He was involved in many aspects of my life and continues to do so.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank You for taking my fears and guiding me through them. I pray that I will always look to You for my path and trust that You will lead me in the right way. Amen.

Contributed by Dean Honchul

Day 31: Friday, March 31, 2017  Romans 8:28-39(NIV)

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

 we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The disciples were fulfilling the great commission, sharing the Great News of our personal salvation, through their testimony and teachings of our Savior, Jesus Christ. They suffered trials, persecution, hostility and physical death to carry out God’s purpose, and yet He carried them through it all.  Have you felt tested in circumstances where you were standing on humility and truth? Possibly, those around you became obstacles to your obedience?  When we choose to call on the Spirit of Christ, His grace and love will guide us to peace no matter what obstacles we encounter.  Christ is the only reflection we see when we call upon His Spirit.

Prayer: Gracious Lord Jesus, Your grace is sufficient and Your love is never ending. You are my only hope in this force against sin and I call on You to intercede in this daily battle. You have called me by name and no one and nothing can separate me from Your love.  All glory and honor in Christ, my Savior.  Amen.

Contributed by Lisa Kure

Day 30: Thursday, March 30, 2017             Numbers 6:24-26 

“May the Lord bless and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.”

Prayer: Thank You Lord, for the peace and protection You provide for us each and   every day.  May we strive to live up to all the blessings You provide for us, all of them.  Amen.

Contributed by Marty Portmann

Day 29: Wednesday, March 29, 2017          Matthew 21:22

“And whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”

It was six months into my husband’s second deployment, and I was 1,700 miles away from family.  I was on my own with two boys, ages four and two.  As both boys are usually awake by 5 a.m., I was always short on sleep.  The stress of being both mother and father was wearing me down.  The past week had been particularly difficult, as I felt all I was doing was yelling at and correcting my oldest son, quickly losing my patience over small infractions.  One night after putting the boys to bed, I prayed for the opportunity to be a loving parent rather than a disciplinarian.  Just a few hours later at 2 a.m., CJ was awake with an impressive stomach bug.  I dutifully got him cleaned up, changed his sheets, and then we snuggled on the couch through the rest of the morning.  Sleep was precious to me, but I was more thankful for the chance to care for my sick boy.  No parent ever thinks he or she will be happy cleaning up vomit at 2 in the morning, but that was the answer to my prayer.  I wouldn’t have traded all the sleep in the world for those few hours on the couch with my precious boy that morning.

Prayer: Lord, grant us faith to trust in Your wisdom.  Help us to recognize when You are present and to be thankful when You hear our prayers.  Amen.

Contributed by Allyson Mather

Day 28: Tuesday, March 28, 2017               John 6:18-21

“A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.”

Have you ever asked for an answer to a problem only to be even more scared of the answer? The disciples may have felt that way when they were caught in a storm on a lake. They were searching for a way to survive the storm when they saw Jesus walking to them on the water. Instead of feeling comfort from His presence, they were frightened. What He was doing seemed impossible. How could they trust in the impossible? Yet Jesus     understood their confusion. Instead of admonishing them for being frightened, He spoke to them. Rather than looking at the impossible action of walking on water, they focused on His voice.

Sometimes Jesus shows us an answer that frightens us more that the difficulty we are facing. However, listening to His voice brings calm  assurance that whatever He is doing in the situation–however impossible it seems—is the only solution.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, too often I look at the circumstances surrounding my situation let myself be frightened by what I don’t understand. Help me to focus instead on Your voice, through prayer and Bible study, so that I feel the comfort of your presence and not see the impossibility of my situation.  Amen.

Contributed by Stacie Carrico

Day 27: Monday, March 27, 2017             Colossians 3:12

 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

During my 31 year military career, I became stagnated at one rank for 10 years, and I often prayed for advancement during this period. While on one of my five combat tours to Iraq, during a morale call to my wife, she explained how an unknown older gentleman approached her with a paper maché of a military rank with the message that I would wear this rank. When she turned to ask the gentleman a question, no one was behind her. Through untraditional methods, within a year I did obtain that rank.

Three years later, while on a combat tour to Iraq, I once again prayed to God that if it be His will, I would advance in rank. I asked God to show me a sign if my prayers was heard, A higher ranking individual approached me and handed me a military rank with the message that I would be wearing this soon. 

Prayer: Praised be to God; he has shown favor to my family. How great are His signs; how mighty His wonders; His kingdom is everlasting; His dominion endures from generation to generation. I seek His counsel. I give thanks to His holy name and glory in His praise. Through my lord and   savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Contributed by Willie Singleton