Promise for Today - A Soul Restored

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV)

Why does your soul need to be restored—and how can God restore it?

There are all kinds of ways that souls are damaged, but they most often are damaged when we try to deal with our grudges, our guilt, and our grief on our own. The truth is, God never intended for you to carry those burdens alone. So how does Jesus bring you rest and restore your soul?

Jesus turns your hurts into holiness.
Sometimes we hold onto our hurt; in other words, we hold grudges. And when you start thinking about retaliation or getting revenge against someone who has hurt you, you become bitter. But you can trust God with your hurt. He has a way of bringing good even out of evil. Romans 8:28 promises, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (NIV).

Jesus takes your sins on himself.
You should only hold on to guilt for about five seconds—long enough to realize you were wrong, confess it to God, and let it go. But instead, many people carry around the burden of unconfessed guilt. The Bible teaches, “[Jesus] was willing to give his life as a sacrifice. He was counted among those who had committed crimes. He took the sins of many people on himself. And he gave his life for those who had done what is wrong” (Isaiah 53:12 NIRV). There’s no need for you to keep living with guilt for something that God has already forgiven and forgotten.

Jesus feels your grief and heals your heart.
Grief [can be] good; it’s how we get through life transitions. But sometimes we get stuck in our grief. And unprocessed grief will hurt you. But there’s good news: Jesus understands your grief because he’s experienced it, too. Isaiah 53:3-4 says, “He was hated and rejected by people. He had much pain and suffering... But he took our suffering on him and felt our pain for us” (NCV). However, he doesn’t just feel your grief; he heals it: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3 NIV).

God never intended for you to go through life carrying all your grudges, guilt, and grief alone. Jesus wants you to come to him for restoration. He promises, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT).

Talk It Over

What hurts have you held onto and allowed to become grudges? Ask God to take those hurts and work them for good in your life.

What old sin do you still feel guilty for? Take a few minutes to confess it, to accept God’s forgiveness, and to ask God to help you live in the freedom of being forgiven.

What grief have you never processed? Ask God to help you work through it and bring you healing.

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer: (make it personal)

Father,

        My heart is heavy with the weight of grudges, the sting of guilt, and the ache of grief. I lay these burdens before You, trusting in Your mercy and grace. Help me to forgive where I have been hurt, and to seek forgiveness where I have caused pain. Wash away the shadows of regret, and fill the empty spaces with compassion and light. Teach me to let go of what I cannot change, to honor what I have lost, and to walk forward with courage and hope. May Your peace settle deep within me, healing what is broken, and guiding me toward a life rooted deeply in love. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Building Bridges or Walls

The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy. 

James 3:17 (NLT)

Mercy is like a diamond; it is multifaceted. The Bible reveals seven facets of mercy, and if you will learn how to be an agent of mercy, it will transform your relationships.

1. Mercy means being patient with people’s quirks.
The Bible says in James 3:17, “The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy” (NLT). The wiser you become, the more patient and merciful you become.

2. Mercy means helping anyone around you who is hurting.
You cannot love your neighbor as yourself without being merciful. Proverbs 3:27 says, “Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it” (GNT).

3. Mercy means giving people a second chance.
When somebody hurts you, it’s natural to want to get even or write that person off. But the Bible says, “Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others . . . Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ” (Ephesians 4:31-32 CEV).

4. Mercy means doing good to those who hurt you.
Mercy is giving people what they need, not what they deserve. Why should you do that? Because that’s what God does with you: “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36 NIV).

5. Mercy means being kind to those who offend you.
You need to be more interested in winning people to Christ than in winning an argument. The Living Bible paraphrase says it like this: “As for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them. . . . Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners” (Jude 1:23).

6. Mercy means building bridges of love to the unpopular.
This is what I call premeditated mercy, because you intentionally build friendships with people who don’t have friends or aren’t accepted at work or in society. When the Pharisees questioned why Jesus ate with tax collectors and other unpopular people, Jesus said, “‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Matthew 9:13 NLT).

Talk It Over

Where in society do you see people more interested in winning arguments than in winning people to Christ? Is there a time in your own life when you have done that?

If mercy means valuing relationships over rules, what do you need to change about the way you interact with your coworkers or neighbors? What about with your family members?

This week, how can you intentionally show mercy to people around you who are hurting?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for the mercy You have so freely given us - mercy we could never earn. Soften our hearts to see others through Your eyes, not through our judgments or frustrations. When we are tempted to withhold kindness, remind us of the countless times You have forgiven us.
Help us to listen with patience, speak with gentleness, and act with compassion. Teach us to forgive quickly, to love deeply, and to extend grace even when it feels undeserved. Let our lives be a reflection of Your mercy, so that others may feel Your love through our words and actions. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

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.