Promise for Today - Front and Back

The Lord watches over all who love him.” Psalm 145:20 (NIV)

When you put your trust in Jesus, you never need to fear the future. His goodness and mercy are with you every day.

In fact, the Bible says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” 

(Psalm 23:6 ESV).

You have a Good Shepherd, and he is out in front of you with his rod and staff. Behind you are a couple of sheepdogs. In your life, those sheepdogs are goodness and mercy, guarding the flock and nipping at your heels to keep you from wandering off into a ravine. Those two sheepdogs help keep you on track as you follow the Good Shepherd.

God’s goodness is watching over you. Did you know that not one second has ever passed in your life when God was not watching you? God is always paying attention to you, because he created you to love you. He knows every detail of your life.

Not only does he watch over you, but he also protects you. The Bible says, “God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go” (Psalm 91:11 CEV).

God’s protection does not mean that only good things will happen to you. Suffering and disappointment will still come your way. But God will ensure that good will come out of everything that happens to you—whether or not you’re able to see in this lifetime how he has been working.

God’s mercy and grace are working in you. The Living Bible paraphrase says, “I will have mercy on you through my grace” (Isaiah 60:10).

Grace is when God gives you what you don’t deserve. Mercy is when God doesn’t give you what you do deserve. For all the ways you’ve sinned, failed, and made mistakes, you deserve punishment, yet God pardons and forgives you through Christ. That’s mercy. It is God’s nature to be merciful. He loves to show his mercy! He doesn’t get bored with it. He doesn’t get tired of it. He doesn’t get frustrated that you keep coming back for more. God doesn’t say, “Okay, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I’ll give goodness, and on Tuesday and Thursday, I’ll give mercy, and on Saturday and Sunday, you’re on your own.” That’s simply not true!

The truth is, God is with you every moment of every day, always offering his goodness and mercy.

Nobody knows what’s going to happen next week, much less next year or in the next 10 years. But when you face the future, you can know this: God will fill your life to overflowing, and his goodness and mercy will be with you. There is no need to fear.

Talk It Over

Read Psalm 103:2-13. Think about all the ways God shows his mercy.

How does a right view of God’s mercy affect how content you are in life?

If you truly believed God was always working for your good, what would you have the courage to do for him?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

         In our times of trial and tribulation, we come before You, seeking Your divine grace and boundless mercy. Lord, grant us Your strength to endure life’s challenges, for we know that Your love and guidance are unending. Help us find and LEARN the lessons from our struggles, and give us the courage to face them with unwavering faith. In Your grace and mercy, we find comfort for our souls, knowing that You are by our side, leading us toward whatever lies ahead, and knowing it is Your plan for the best of our lives. We want to be as faithful to You as You are to us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Such a Pain

Guest Author: Christopher Glotzbach

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And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 NLT

What’s the deal with pain? I read once that pain is an incredible gift. But if we’re being honest… nobody wants to hear that.

Yet if we really stop and think about it, a life without pain could actually be dangerous.

Pain reveals.
Pain tells us when to stop.
Pain tells us when something is wrong.
Pain tells us when we’ve gone too far.

But sometimes, I think we misappropriate our pain. Often, we blame the wrong person. Sometimes I blame God for the pain in my life. Sometimes I blame other people. And if I’m really honest and willing to examine the situation, sometimes the pain is simply the result of my own choices, my own mistakes, or my own limitations.

For example:

A few months ago, I was at the gym attempting to do pull-ups. And because I’m not strong enough to do more than one pull-up, I have to use those elastic resistance bands.  And because I’m also apparently the least flexible person on the planet, I have a hard time getting out of those bands when I’m finished.

So picture this:
The band is fully stretched out, wrapped around my foot, and sitting at the bottom of my shoe. I finish my set, and I’m trying to get out of it. The band slips out from underneath my foot… …and SMACKS ME RIGHT IN THE FACE.

I was mad.  But more than anything, I was mad at the band. And then the Lord reminded me:
“The band is a tool. It didn’t hurt you.” And that got me thinking.

How often do I misappropriate pain onto God or onto other people when, in reality, the pain came from my own mistake? 

Now, I’m not saying all pain is like this. Some pain is completely outside of our control. Some pain comes from the brokenness of this world. Some pain is caused by the choices of other people. 

But sometimes… the thing I’m blaming for my pain is actually just the tool God is using to make me stronger. And maybe that’s why Scripture tells us to “consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). Not because pain feels good. But because God can use even our pain to form us. 

So today, my prayer is:

God, 

       Help me not to blame the tool or the vehicle You are using in my sanctification. Help me see my circumstances accurately. Give me the humility to recognize when I’ve contributed to my own pain. Forgive me when I wrongly accuse You—or others—for pain that I have caused myself. And regardless of where my pain comes from, help me trust You. Help me hold on to You. Help me walk with You. And help me allow You to use even the painful things in my life to make me more like Jesus.
Amen.

Promise for Today - You Be You

It's healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up.

Proverbs 14:30 (CEV)

To live an abundant life that overflows with God’s goodness, the first thing you need to do is start being grateful and stop complaining. The second thing you need to do is start being content and stop comparing.

God made you to be you. He doesn't want you to be anybody else! When you compare yourself to other people, you get envious and resentful, and you might even start to copy them.

But God has never made a clone. God only makes originals. Even identical twins are different in thousands of ways. If you won’t be you, then who will be?

The truth is that comparing only gets you into trouble. When you compare your looks, your grades, your spouse, your career, or your kids, it causes two problems.

One, you get full of discouragement, because you can always find someone who's doing a better job than you—someone who is better looking, makes more money, or has more talent. And two, you get full of pride. Why? Because you can always find someone who’s not doing as good a job as you.

The Bible says, “It is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 NCV).

Because of social media, it's easier than ever to compare yourself to others. When you see posts every day that shout, “Look at me! Look what I can do! Look what I’ve got!” it can draw you into a state of envy and discontentment. It can even cause you to try to impress others with your own posts. But the thing is, you don’t have to impress anyone. A key to living a life overflowing with joy is to just be yourself, content with who God made you to be.

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed? Do you want to be spiritually and emotionally healthy?  Contentment comes when you enjoy what you have rather than waiting for something else to make you happy. Stop comparing yourself to other people, and start being content with what God has given you—and then watch your joy overflow!

Talk It Over

What do you enjoy about your life right now?

When it looks like God is blessing others in a way he’s not blessing you, how does it make you feel? In those moments, what can you remind yourself about God’s goodness?

If you know something like social media is going to cause you to be discontented, what will you do to lessen its effect on you?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          It is written in Psalms that You make known to us the path of life; You will fill us with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Help us to find true satisfaction in Your presence. Let our joy not be tied to possessions, achievements, or people, but to You alone. Fill the empty places in our hearts with Your love and peace. Let Your presence be enough for us, in Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Stewing without Doing - (Doing the Two-Step)

In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing.

Philippians 2:14 (TLB)

If you want to move from an overwhelmed life to an overflowing life, there are two things you need to start doing, and three things you need to stop doing.

Today we’ll look at the first pair: Start being grateful and stop complaining.

Studies have shown that gratitude produces chemicals in your brain—dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—that make you feel peaceful and happy.

An attitude of gratitude is something you can start the moment you wake up. Before you get out of bed, make a list of things you're grateful for. For example, your list might say, “God, I'm grateful for air; I'm grateful for this bed; I'm grateful I’m not in danger.” Even if you can't think of anything to be grateful for, the simple act of trying to be grateful will change your brain chemistry.

The Living Bible paraphrase says, “In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14).

When you complain about something, how does that help you? If you complain about the weather, does it change the weather? If you complain about the way you look, does it change the way you look? If you complain about your spouse, your children, or your job, does it change any of those things?

Complaining is a total waste of time. It's stewing without doing. It's worthless. Complaining will never make you feel better. Instead, God wants your life to “overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done” (Colossians 2:7 TLB).

Sometimes people will say to me, “You know, I just want to know God's will. What does God want me to do in my relationship? What does he want me to do in my career? What does he want me to do in school?”

“Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God's will in Christ Jesus that you do this” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 GW). Why would God teach you step two when you haven't done step one? If you want to know God's will on who to marry, God wants you to do step one—always be thankful—and then you can move on to step two, then step three, and so on.

If you want to live an overflowing life rather than an overwhelmed life, stop complaining, and start being grateful.

 
Talk It Over

What is one thing you wouldn’t change about today? Add it to your gratitude list.

When you are tempted to complain this week, think about a specific way God has been good to you. What difference do you think it will make?

Who in your life are you grateful for? What is one way you can show them how you feel?

Want the security of God’s unbreakable promises?

Just pray this simple prayer: 

Father,

           I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord. Jesus, please come into my life and change my priorities, my values, my purpose, and my direction. Thank You for the promise of heaven when I put my faith in You. Please transform me into the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

-all by Pastor Rick

Promise for Today - No Grapes

Guest Author - Christopher Glotzbach

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Thank God He doesn’t always say “Yes.”

This morning when I opened the refrigerator, the dogs came running and sat really nicely — they were expecting a treat.

We call this the cheese tax.

Every once in a while I’ll give them some cheese, and each time the door opens it’s like Pavlov's dogs.

This morning it got me thinking, though, about the biggest mistake I ever made with our pups.

One evening before dinner, I was washing grapes and Munsee, our Blue Merle, was sitting at my feet.

This is his way of asking for something.

"Look — I’m good — now give me a reward."

And being honest, it’s sometimes how we treat the Lord, right?

“God, look at me!”

“Look at how well I’m behaving” — “How well I am doing.”

“Where’s my reward!?”

And I’m so thankful God doesn’t work this way.

Because in my foolishness, because I love my dog and because he was behaving well — I tossed Munsee a grape.

I know (Well, I didn’t know then), but Brittany did.

Panic set in — we were convinced in the moment I had killed our dog.

Thankfully — He was okay.

But, as I’ve reflected on the moment, no matter how well Munsee behaves while I’m washing grapes — no matter how badly he wants it. The answer will always be, “No”

Because I love him.

And I’m so thankful that the Lord loves me infinitely more than I could ever love anyone or anything. And even though I’m begging the Lord for the thing I think will be best for me in the moment. The answer will always be, “No,” because God loves me. And God loves you.

It’s changed a lot for me.

That I’m so thankful looking back on all the things I so desperately wanted and asked the Lord for that he said “No.” Because he knew what I didn’t— that it wouldn’t be good for me.

How many grapes do we ask for? — when God has something so much better for us.

Here’s my prayer today:

God, help me trust this section of Scripture. Help me rest in this, knowing You are a Good Father who knows what I need better than I ever could.

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬-‭34‬

Your will be done in my life just as it is in Heaven. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Promise for Today - Getting Over

My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. 

Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)

Is your life overflowing? If you’re like most people, it may be overflowing—but not with goodness. So many people have overbooked their calendars, overspent their money, overdrawn their credit, overloaded their emotions, overworked their bodies, overcrowded their days, and overvalued the approval of others. As a result, they wind up overstressed, overanxious, and overwhelmed—and they’re over it! They are far from experiencing the goodness of God.

Why do we do let ourselves get overextended? Often the fear of missing out motivates us to do more. But the truth is you’re not missing out on anything when you rest in the goodness and provision of God.

God wants to move you from being overwhelmed to overflowing. He wants to meet all your needs—and he can! First, you need to recognize two fundamentally different approaches to life that either keep you from God’s abundance or bring you into God’s abundance: a shortage mindset and a surplus mindset.

With a shortage mindset, you constantly think, “I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. I don’t have enough energy or contacts or opportunities or knowledge or education.” It’s the sense that you’re always a day late and a dollar short. A shortage mindset focuses on your limited resources, and the result is an overwhelmed life.

A surplus mindset focuses on God’s limitless resources, and the result is an overflowing life.

Have you ever worried that the person breathing next to you is stealing your air? Of course not. You know that God created more than enough air for everybody to have all they need.

The Bible includes words like abundance, plentiful, abounding, and bountiful to describe what God has to offer you. God has more than enough to meet all your needs and everybody else’s needs at the same time.

The Message paraphrase tells us what Jesus said: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10).

You don’t have to worry about running short of anything, because God is the source of your life. He wants to fill you with an endless supply of his goodness, joy, blessing, hope, and peace, so you’re able to say, “My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:5-6 NIV).

Talk It Over

What perspectives or emotions reflect a shortage mindset?

How does a surplus mindset produce peace in your life?

Why do we so often worry about how much others have instead of focusing on God’s abundant provision in our own lives?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          In the middle of all the noise, pressure, and concerns around us, we need Your peace. Our hearts long for calm and our minds long for quiet. Please fill our thoughts with Your presence. Replace stress with stillness and worry with trust. Help us remember that You are near in every moment. When we start to feel overwhelmed again, remind us to return to You in prayer. Help us release our burdens instead of trying to carry them alone. Your peace is greater than every problem we face. Let that peace guard our hearts and guide our decisions today. No matter what challenges appear, help us walk forward with confidence that You are beside us. Thank You for being our Refuge and our Strength. In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen.

Promise for Today - Wanna Wrestle?

I will not let you go unless you bless me.

Genesis 32:26 (NIV)

When God blessed Jacob, he promised to give him land, multiply his family, make him a mighty nation, and use him to bless the world. He made Jacob and his family God’s chosen people.

But just like he does with you today, God gave Jacob a promise and then tested his faith in that promise.

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with God all night long in a struggle that tested his patience, faith, and trust. Then God touched Jacob’s hip and injured it, putting him at a serious disadvantage. Jacob was hurt and exhausted, and yet at dawn he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”.

Isn't that an interesting thing to say to somebody you're wrestling with? At some point during that all-night struggle, Jacob became aware that this was no ordinary opponent. He was wrestling with God. And so, Jacob refused to let go, knowing that God could bless him.

Maybe you feel like you’re wrestling with God right now, and the struggle is lasting way too long. Maybe you don’t want to do the things God has told you to do, like be generous or obey his rules for sex or be kind to your enemies.

The very God you’re wrestling with is the one who gives you your dream for your life. He's the one who will make it happen! God’s not trying to thwart your dream—he’s getting you ready for it. Your struggle will build your stamina, deepen your patience, and increase your resilience.

Your wrestling match will also bring you to the point of commitment. At the very moment when you think it’s time to give up, you need to turn to God and say, “I’m in this struggle as long as it takes for you to do your good work in me and bless me.”

That kind of response to God’s test shows you’re ready for his anointing on your life.

Talk It Over

What things in your life do you think God wants to bless? What things are keeping you from his blessing?

How does God help you when you commit to his work in your life, even when it is painful?

Do you want God’s anointing on your life? Why or why not?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

         We confess to You that sometimes our worries seem too big. We don’t see an end to our current situation, and Your timing seems different than what we would have chosen. But we know and believe that no matter how much we’ve struggled, You alone can see the big picture. And we praise You, that You are with us in it all. Help us to hear Your voice through the difficult days. Help us to set our eyes on You alone. Help us to keep moving in the direction You are leading us. Thank You for Your reminders that through every weakness and hard place, Your strength is displayed in beautiful ways through our lives. We can’t do it on our own, Lord. We’re so freshly aware of that. But You can work Your great miracles in us, and through us.
         Thank You that this battle will never have the final say over our lives. And that because of Your power and compassion, we will come through to the other side, with greater perseverance, stronger faith, and deeper awareness of Your presence with us. Thank You that You are fighting for us, and will bring us out as gold. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.