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June 1

Seeking God

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Don’t wonder where God is when adversity strikes, if all along you’ve been pushing Him away. God doesn’t hide from us and He doesn’t make it difficult to be found by us. God is there when we need Him but He does not interject Himself into our affairs if He is uninvited, unwelcome, or unacknowledged. When life has you pushed against the wall, you will find Him but when your heart is open to Him.

If we need God but we feel like He is nowhere to be found, it is likely that we have not been intentionally seeking Him. God is found when we sincerely seek Him with all our heart because He will not intervene where He is not wanted.

Let’s pray today to keep our heart open to our Creator at all times, good and bad.

 

June 2

God’s Love

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

How is the God of the Bible different from the gods of other religions? Our God loves us. His very character is love. His motivation is fueled by His love for mankind, love for you, and for those that you love. We are drawn to Him because of His love. We are moved to worship Him because of His love. We know of His love because of His Son Jesus Christ.

We see the depth of God’s love for us as we study the life of Jesus Christ. God’s love for us is an eternally lasting love and is not limited by time or conditions. God does not force Himself upon us, but rather His love for us draws us to Him.

Let’s pray today that we might be mindful of our God’s everlasting love toward us.

 

June 3

Wayward Children

“So there is hope for your descendants, declares the Lord. Your children will return to their own land.”  Jeremiah 31:17

Moms and Dads who are grieved by their children’s waywardness can find hope in God’s promises. Like the Israelite’s, whose captivity in Babylon brought about God’s promise of return, so can your home and its captivity in today’s spiritual Babylon, find a promise of return. Don’t give up hope on your children, don’t beat yourself up with guilt regarding what you didn’t say or do, just keep praying in the promises of God that they will return.

Most of all, don’t give up on God’s ability to save your children because the truth is, only He can reach them. Pray that God’s Spirit will breakthrough their heart and mind with a conviction toward repentance and a desire to return to their land.

Let’s pray today that our prodigals will be convicted by the Spirit of God to return to Calvary.

 

June 4

Spirit of the Law

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33

Maturity in the Christian life comes by living by the Holy Spirit, because God places His law on our mind and upon our heart. We do not abandon the 10 commandments but as we live by His Spirit the law of God becomes part of our character and behavior choices. We want to obey because it is part of our new creation. We have this example in Jesus, who fulfilled the law and was sinless according to its statutes.

Jesus lived the sinless life by staying obedient to the Holy Spirit’s application of the law. We do not continually reference the commandments like a check-list, but we do aim to stay obedient to the principles of God’s law as written on our heart.

Let’s pray today that we may allow the Spirit of God to lead us throughout our day.

 

June 5

Waiting to Answer

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer should be our first thought in the concerns of life because God is waiting to answer. Too often we exhaust all other options for help before turning to the Lord. Our Lord should be first on our go-to list because He has promised to answer. Whatever is a concern to you is a valid reason to call upon God in prayer. Assurance, comfort, security, safety, wisdom, forgiveness, and peace are all answers from the Lord waiting for your prayer.

It is remarkable to think that God is willing to share with us things only He knows as answers to our prayers. Not only is He willing to share, He is waiting to share, and that should motivate us to turn every free minute of our day into a time of prayer.

Let’s pray today to more readily share our heart’s concerns and needs with our prayer-answering God.

 

June 6

God’s Discipline

“For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.“ Lamentations 3:31-32

There are times when God allows us to be disciplined, even harshly, but He never forsakes His own. We may get out of fellowship with Him, usually because we asked for it, but never without His distant watch, while we have opportunity to get our heart right. Though these circumstances seem painful at the time we must know that God has promised that we will not endure that grief forever. Even in our waywardness God is compassionate toward us.

One day, most likely in eternity, we will get the explanations we have longed for regarding the circumstances and situations that have tried our souls on earth. Thankfully, the grief and sorrow that we may know now will not last beyond the Lord’s return.

Let’s pray today to trust in our God’s wisdom of allowing us to endure His discipline.

 

June 7

Turn Toward Jesus

“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.” Ezekiel 18:21

It is with our hearts, our motives, that we turn from our sins through faith toward Jesus Christ. In our flesh we are doomed to continue our habits of sin, but having been born again by the Holy Spirit we enjoy progress in our faith journey as we are moved to repentance. Regardless of how deep in sin your life is or how frequently you fall, the answer is the same for all – turn toward Jesus Christ.

All people have the same opportunity for receiving eternal life and salvation from sin. Repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior through faith. Turn from the sins that weigh your life down and put trust in the Lord to do what is right.

Let’s pray today that no matter how often we need, we will quickly turn to Christ and live.

 

June 8

A Heart for God

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Don’t be afraid of failure in your new Christian walk because God gives you a heart after Him. Don’t worry about past habits catching up to you and destroying any spiritual progress you are making. Your Lord has promised not only eternal life, but a new life, because the Holy Spirit is transforming your heart of stone with a heart that hears His call and stands resolute in biblical faith.

Jesus called the decision to follow Him, being born again, so don’t give your old man too much credit. The Spirit of God is more powerful than any bad habit or old vice that may have had a hold on you, but as a new creation your strength is in His constant leading.

Let’s pray today that by faith we will accept our new heart for God and His life for us.

 

June 9

King of Kings

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” Daniel 2:44

The time will come when earth’s leaders will cease their rule and yield to the Kingdom of Christ Jesus. The King of Kings will rightly take His eternal throne and He will justly rule with righteousness. His kingdom will come and His reign will stand forever. This ought to give us hope as we observe the blindness of immorality and the rampage of violence that is swiftly controlling our globe.

The Kingdom of our Lord will not be like kingdoms of this world, because no other will come after Him or try to succeed Him. The righteous Lord Jesus will never be replaced and His policies of governance will never be subverted.

Let’s pray today in the assurance that the kingdom’s of this earth will be subject to King Jesus.

 

June 10

Kingdom of Saints

“Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.”  Daniel 7:27

Every knee shall bow and every soul confess that Jesus is Lord and only His saints shall rule then. Acknowledge His Lordship now and reign with Him then or wait until it’s too late. God sent His Son into the world to show you the way to eternal life and to influence you to willfully reserve our place in His Kingdom to come, so have you?

The saints of God will reign with the Lord in the everlasting Kingdom of Christ. No longer will there be those who oppose the followers of the true God, or who oppress them, because in those days all will worship before King Jesus.

Let’s pray today to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ now and in everything we do.

 

June 11

Merciful God

“Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.” Daniel 9:18

We do not pray to God because of our importance to Heaven, but because of God’s mercifulness to us. We are nothing without Him and when we pray it has nothing to do with what we can offer or what we have done in order to be heard. The God of the Bible offers His hearing ear because He is love, He is righteous, and He is merciful toward us.

Our prayer life should be marked with a constant gratefulness to our God for His grace, mercy, and compassion toward us as fallen sinful humanity. We do not pray to God because we are eloquent with our words, but because we are earnest for Him.

Let’s pray today knowing that our God is the God of mercy and that is why we pray to Him.

 

June 12

Not Forgotten

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

A life lived for the glory of God is a memorable one, while a life lived for self is soon forgotten. To live for this world is to erase your memory for eternity, but to live for the Kingdom of God is to shine forever in eternity. Like our Savior, when we invest in others with our energy, time, and talents we are laying up for ourselves treasure in Heaven, and we will not be forgotten.

When we go through life closely with a Christian who is true to a biblical faith, it is like a light in the darkness and an influence for righteousness. The light of Christ leads us in this world and prepares us for our eternal home as it transforms us into a Christlike character.

Let’s pray today that we would seek to reflect all glory, honor, and praise to our God.

 

June 13

Animals in Heaven

“In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.” Hosea 2:18

Animals remind us of God’s characteristics of work, provision, companionship, and faithfulness. They are different from us in that they are instinctive in their behavior and without that identical free-will decision making ability that we possess. Sometimes even our pets can turn aggressive, but in heaven we will enjoy all animals, even tigers, lions, and bears, as companions without risk of harm.

In Heaven, there will be no fear among the animals for their safety from predators and even they will lie down without fear of attack. The mark of sin and its erosion of death upon every living creation will be happily absent in eternity.

Let’s pray today that we may be more receptive to pets and animals as God’s gifts to us.

 

June 14

Dire Circumstances

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.” Hosea 6:1

Bad things do happen to good people, but it does not mean God is against those in dire circumstances. A parent who loves their child will discipline them when it’s necessary, because they want them to learn and grow from it, which usually can only happen by going through it. God may allow hurt or harm to befall you, but not without His intentions to shape your character for your own eternal good.

Our God is our Creator and Sovereign Lord, so when we are broken and in need of healing, why wouldn’t we want to go immediately to Him? Whatever our circumstances, the Lord knows what’s best for us in the outcome that He can arrange.

Let’s pray today that we may look toward the Lord for the eternal lesson in tough times.

 

June 15

Returning to God

“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.” Hosea 14:4

When one rejects and runs from God, our calling is to pray the Spirit of God after them to bring them back. A backslidden soul can find fellowship again with the Lord through the power and working of the Spirit upon their wayward life. We may encourage them, but only the Spirit can bring conviction and break a stubborn heart into returning to the awaiting love of God.

We can return to the Lord and find revival for our faith no matter how stale our spiritual condition has become. God welcomes us back with His love and will freely heal our waywardness and restore our relationship with Him.

Let’s pray today for those we know and love who are far from the God they once followed.

 

June 16

Restoring the Years

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.” Joel 2:25

It is easy to feel like past years have been wasted, but today is the day of salvation and restoration. Your youth may have been wasted, but take heart in your life now as you follow Jesus. The Lord you now serve has given you this promise to claim. It is a promise that offers you a greater quality of life, a more abundant life, a life finally worth living, and it begins today.

The good news about walking with the Lord into our aging years, is that His presence and involvement in our life makes our today’s so much better than we could have ever hoped. Today is the day of fulfillment because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray today that we may look forward in our Christian faith and not back at wasted years.

 

June 17

No Favoritism

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Joel 2:28

God does not show favoritism like a man trying to impress another or bid for something in return. God freely gives His Spirit to those who seek His glory not their own, to those who desire to build His Kingdom not their own, to those who worship Him and not other gods. The Holy Spirit can and will use whoever He wishes and that includes you.

The Holy Spirit does not work by favoritism toward age or gender, but rather He empowers who willingly desires to be used by God for His Kingdom. The outpouring of the Spirit in might and power upon the saints is about to be fully realized.

Let’s pray today that we may be ready for the Spirit of God to gift us however He will for God’s glory.

 

June 18

Call on Christ

“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Joel 2:32

Call on the Lord Jesus, admit your sin, and be saved by grace through faith at Calvary’s cross. Stop complicating peace with God with religious practices of men. Man’s traditions can’t save you, your parent’s religion can’t save you, obedience to spiritual activity can’t save you. Turn toward Jesus Christ and confess your sinfulness by calling upon His saving name.

Do not call upon Christ with a haphazard attitude or a mere intellectual assent. Call upon the Lord Jesus Christ with a faith resting on the prophecies of the Messiah, the record of Jesus’ gospel life, and the promises of redemption.

Let’s pray today and call on Christ in faith for assurance in His gift of eternal life.

 

June 19

God’s Prophecy

“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7

The Bible is God’s sure word of prophecy, telling mankind of His plan to redeem us through His Son. It tells of Christ’s forever Kingdom without sin, sorrow, or suffering. It tells us of ages past and foretells us of history to come. It tells us we are looking over the cliff of the end of all things and the Revelation of Jesus Christ encourages us as we await Heaven.

Bible prophecy is the Lord’s assurance that He has not abandoned us and that He has a plan to bring the rule of sin to a final end. God’s plan of redemption includes us, because prophecy is God’s promise that our eternal home is sure.

Let’s pray today that we would meditate upon and study in the word’s that bring light and life.

 

June 20

The Bible Famine

“The days are coming, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.” Amos 8:11

Many are Christian in name only, because they follow a Jesus of their own depiction and not the One whose life is detailed in the Bible. Some may claim to represent Christ, but unless we test their doctrine with the Word of God we have no reason to accept that. Church pulpits may be void of Bible teaching, but that is no excuse for those who sit in the pews to not search for themselves. There simply is no Christianity without obedience to the written Word of God.

The tragedy of a famine from hearing God’s Word taught in today’s churches is that the people sitting in the pews are not even aware of it missing. It is incumbent upon every follower of God to hunger for His words and esteem them above all else.

Let’s pray today that we would be people who read, know, and believe the Bible.

 

June 21

Our Deeds

“The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.” Obadiah 15

The true unseen intent of our hearts is made clear by the seen actions of our lives. The way we treat people, the kindness we show or don’t show, and the plain way we acknowledge the value of others. On the day the Lord returns, all will be laid bare and no longer will our humanity convince us that we can hide our true selves.

There will be no exemption from accountability of our behaviors because of nationality or earthly factors. The day is near when we will all reap what we have sowed and there will be no denial in the judgment of lives before the Omniscient God.

Let’s pray today that we may always be open to the Holy Spirit upon our hearts and life.

 

June 22

Feeling Insignificant

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2

The Messiah came from an insignificant earthly background so take heart if you’re embarrassed with your heritage. You may feel like your family is unimportant, uninteresting, unattractive, or uncelebrated in the world, but God thinks differently of you because He identifies with you through His Son Jesus Christ. In Christ, you are significant to the Kingdom of God.

We must not forget that our Lord judges our heart, assesses our motives, and discerns our character. The world gives the highest value to a man’s appearance and is incapable of seeing significance in the things that eternally matter.

Let’s pray today that we may remind ourselves that Jesus died on Calvary’s cross for us.

 

June 23

Secure in Christ

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.” Micah 7:8

A committed follower of Jesus Christ is never really down and defeated by an enemy. Evil men may assault you, disease may cripple you, grief may paralyze you, but its effects, as painful as they may be, is not your end because the Lord has not forsaken you. The sorrows inflicted upon you do not define your future, because your eternity is securely defined in Christ.

We are not hopelessly trapped in the circumstances of this temporal world. Our hope is in the Lord Jesus and our life belongs to His eternal home. We have reason to take heart because our security is not of this earth but is of Heaven.

Let’s pray today that our faith may rest in the secure promise of eternity in Christ Jesus.

 

June 24

God’s Compassion

“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

The only God known to man who is compassionate toward sinners is the God of the Bible. The God made known to us through Jesus of Nazareth does not cast us away without any further consideration or inkling of care. We can not cause Him to love us any less by pushing Him away or any more by pulling Him close. Our God has compassion that forgives, restores, and redeems.

We can confidently give Him our mistakes, wrongs, and sins, if we want them gone from our life forever. We must simply put our faith in Him, believe in Him, and humble ourselves before Him, and His grace will create in us a new life.

Let’s pray today that we may not resist God but run to Him for forgiveness and restoration.

 

June 25

End of Sin

“Whatever they plot against the Lord he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time.” Nahum 1:9

There will not be another Lucifer and sin will not arise again, for God’s redeeming work is perfect. God is laboring patiently through human history to assure that every soul is afforded a record of either acceptance or rejection of the Savior. Even the heavenly hosts wait for God’s thorough plan of righteous justice for our eternal security.

We may wonder why the evil of the world is allowed to continue as it has, but as time extends so do the opportunities for others to turn toward the Lord for salvation. Just know that God is working it all out for the ultimate good of our eternal future.

Let’s pray today in praise that our Lord is working His perfect will to bring a final end to sin.

 

June 26

Promised Word

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3

We may wonder why a promise seems slow to be realized, but slow does not mean it isn’t going to happen. The word of the Lord goes forth to His people as a clear vision of the future and God’s Word is sure, certain, and the only trustworthy thing we have to cherish on this earth. His word is our hope, encouragement, and power and is always worth the wait. When we read God’s promised words in the Bible we have no reason to doubt them because they will come to pass.

The promises of God are sure, certain, and unhindered by anyone. They are dependent upon God’s will and their timing is in God’s hands, but we must know that they will come to fruition according to the Lord’s divine timetable for our life.

Let’s pray today that we may not lose faith in the promises of God, but continue to claim them.

 

June 27

Glory to God

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14

In eternity we will not hesitate to speak of God’s glory for we will enjoy true fellowship with all around us. Sometimes in this world we have to contain our biblical enthusiasm and once in awhile we realize our excitement for the Lord has fallen on unappreciative ears like pearls before pigs. In Heaven, we will all freely and continuously praise the Lord.

Our praise for the Lord and His character will be authentic, genuine, and natural to our conversations. No longer will we hesitate to express our appreciation for God’s goodness and glory because in Heaven we will all be in the same page when it comes to our passion for praising the Lord.

Let’s pray today to be intentional about giving glory to God in our conversations.

 

June 28

The Spirit’s Work

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6

The Christian life is not about our works but about His working in our life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can never be good enough for Heaven by our own efforts, we can never be powerful enough to overcome sin, and we certainly have no might to stand against the demons of hell, except as we plant our faith in the blood of Jesus Christ trusting in His Spirit’s work.

It is presumptuous to claim our own authority as a reason for the enemy of souls to cease his efforts against us. We follow the Lord, we obey the Lord, and we trust in the Lord to bring about a change or a circumstance to His glory.

Let’s pray today that we may have faith in the Holy Spirit’s work as we live the Christian life.

 

June 29

The Lord Sees

“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” Zechariah 4:10

The Lord is not ignorant of the affairs of men on earth, nor He is ignoring anyone or anything either. The Lord perfectly sees, knows, and responds according to His will and with regard for the welfare of all. We may wonder when divine intervention will save the day, but with all wisdom and love our Lord will act accordingly, and at the best possible time.

There is no reason, in God’s economy, to be embarrassed or regretful about our beginnings or certain seasons of our life. The Christian life is a forward moving life that challenges us to end well, not to rest on our past, but to look toward our future.

Let’s pray today knowing that our Lord sees all things and will set it right in His time.

 

June 30

Stay Connected

“Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.” Zechariah 6:12

Jesus is the Branch and the source to the roots that bring forth the living water for our soul to flourish. No man can plant himself and grow, because all our righteousness is as filthy rags. Only in Christ can we have sustaining life and that is why we must stay connected with Him through prayer, in worship, by testimony, and as we fellowship with other disciples.

Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ we are without hope. We have nothing to offer to others if we are not connected to the Lord as a vine is to the branch because without Him we cannot flourish and in return we will have nothing we can offer others.

Let’s pray today to give praise and to share our belief in Christ with all who ask.

 


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Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.