Promise for Today - Moving Against Your Fear

Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

Matthew 25:28-29 (NLT)

What keeps you from investing your life? What keeps you from moving toward financial freedom? I’ll tell you what it is: fear.

Many kinds of fear can hold you back. One type of fear is self-doubt, which says: “You’ve failed in the past, so you’re never going to try again.” But just because you fail doesn’t mean you should give up. Everybody fails; it’s the only way you learn what works! God uses ordinary people who choose to keep on going after failure instead of giving up.

Two disciples, Judas and Peter, denied Jesus before his crucifixion. They committed the same sin, but they reacted differently to their failure. Judas focused on his sin and not the forgiveness of God. His remorse overwhelmed him, and he ultimately took his own life. When Peter realized his sin, he repented and asked God for forgiveness. Not long after, Peter preached on Pentecost, and 3,000 people were saved the first day. 

Jesus chose to build the church on the biggest failure in the bunch. What a God! He didn’t choose the superstar. He chose the guy who had blown it the worst.

You may have really messed up financially or in other ways. But it doesn’t matter where you’ve been. What matters is the direction you are going right now.

In the parable of the talents we looked at yesterday in Matthew 25, a rich man entrusted his money to three servants before leaving on a long trip. When he returned, he asked for an account from the servants. Two of them had doubled the master’s money, but the third had been afraid and had hidden his portion instead of working and investing it. His fear disappointed and angered his master, who said, “Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver” (Matthew 25:28 NLT). The master took away everything the servant had been given.

When you try to do things God’s way, you may feel afraid. In fact, Satan will try to get you to ignore God’s principles for money management by making you afraid of failure or making you doubt your ability to be a good steward of God’s money. But if you’re going to be successful in life, you have to move against your fears. You have to do the very thing that you fear the most!

As Matthew 25:29 says, “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away”. When you move forward in faith and follow God’s guidelines for financial peace, you will experience his blessing; like the servant, God may give you even more...

Talk It Over

What financial failure has kept you from moving forward with God’s financial principles for your life?

Do you pray for God to give you more financial responsibility as a steward of his money? Why or why not?

What is it about God’s way of handling money that makes you afraid to be obedient? Talk to God about those fears today.

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for the many blessings You have poured into our lives. Help us to cultivate a heart of contentment and gratitude, even when facing financial challenges or uncertainties. Guard our hearts from feelings of envy or dissatisfaction, and remind us daily of the abundance we have in You. 

        Give us wisdom to manage our finances responsibly and in ways that honor You. Teach us to resist impulsive spending and to embrace discipline in creating and following a budget. Help us prioritize You over material desires and to steward our resources for Your glory. May we be generous with what we have, sharing with others in need and trusting Your provision for our own needs. Inspire us to use our finances as a tool for good and to reflect Your love in all that we do. Thank You for Your unwavering guidance. Strengthen our faith as we trust in Your timing and direction. Help us to remain faithful, patient, and trusting in Your perfect timing. Remind us that Your plans are greater than our own, and that You are always working for our good. Help us remember that all we have and all we are comes from You and is meant to be used for Your glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - The Law of Possession

Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property. He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.

Matthew 25:14-15 (GNT)

Jesus told a story about a rich man who entrusted his property to his servants while he was away on a long trip. When he returned, he asked each one for an account of how they’d handled his money.

The rich man was looking for good stewardship. The word stewardship is related to the Old English word for “manager.” Your stewardship, your management, is key to your financial freedom. The first law of financial freedom is the law of possession: Everything you have belongs to God; you are only a manager!

You are called to be a steward of your time. You are called to be a steward of your influence. You are called to be a steward of your health, your relationships, and your opportunities. God calls you to be a steward or manager of everything you have.

You may say, “But wait a minute! I worked for my money, and now you want to tell me it isn’t mine?” Where do you think you got your body to work for your money? Where do you think you got your mind to work for it? Where do you think you got the energy to work for it? Where do you think you got the intelligence to work for it? Everything you have comes from God.

You don’t really own anything in life; it’s all on loan. You only get to use God’s money while you’re here on earth. He’s loaned it to you for a few decades. He loaned it to somebody before you, and he’s going to loan it to somebody else after you die. You don’t own it; the Master owns it all. You just get to manage it.

Do you know what the sign is that you’ve forgotten the law of possession? When you think your money is yours, you worry about it. You feel pressure and stress that you weren’t meant to.

Money management is a spiritual discipline. God is watching how you handle his money to see what spiritual riches he can trust you with in heaven. This might make you feel pressure, but there is actually freedom in the law of possession.

When you remember that God is the owner and you are the manager, you’ll worry a whole lot less and focus more on managing God’s money well.

Talk It Over

If you were the manager of a business, would you have as much pressure to succeed as the owner? Would you still want the business to succeed as much as the owner did? Why or why not?

How do you learn a spiritual discipline like money management?

What role does prayer play in your financial decisions? Why is prayer important in money management?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We come before You with a humble heart, recognizing that everything we are and everything we have belongs to You. You are the Creator of all, the Giver of life, and the Sustainer of every breath. Our time, our talents, our resources, and our very souls are Yours, entrusted to us for Your glory.
      Teach us to steward well what You have placed in our hands, never clinging to what is not ours, but joyfully offering it back to You. Help us to live with open hands and a willing spirit, knowing that Your plans are perfect and Your ownership is absolute. May our lives be a reflection of Your love, our actions testimonies of Your grace, and our hearts a place where You reign without rival. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Promise for Today - Terrific Servant or Terrible Master

[The] master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

Money is the acid test of your faithfulness. God uses it more than any other thing in your life to test your faith. Why? Because it’s the thing people have the hardest time with.

Look at the rewards God gives for wise money management: “[The] master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21 NIV).

The law of compensation is this: God will reward you for good money management. Matthew 25 suggests three steps of this reward: affirmation, promotion, and celebration.

It’s as if God affirms you by saying, “Good job! I was testing you to see if you could be trusted with what I gave you, and you passed the test. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

The second step is promotion. As you show faithfulness with a few things, God will give you greater responsibility. Then, as you show your responsibility, God will celebrate with you. You will share in God’s happiness!

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24 NIV).

Notice he doesn’t say you shouldn’t serve God and money. He says you can’t. It’s impossible. Nobody can serve two masters. So you’re going to have to decide what will be number one in your life: God or money.

Money is a terrific servant but a terrible master. When it masters you, you’re always under stress. You’re always worried. You’re always uptight about it. But when you master your money, when you make it your servant, it serves you. When money works for you, instead of you working for your money, you will have peace.

Talk It Over

If God audited your finances, what grade would he give you, and why?

When has your money mastered you? When have you mastered your money? What were the differences in your relationship with God during those times?

How can you manage your money more wisely so that it works for you instead of controlling you?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

           Thank You for every resource You’ve placed in our hands. We acknowledge that all we have comes from You, and we desire to honor You with it. Grant us wisdom to make decisions that reflect integrity and foresight. Teach us to live within our means, to save diligently, and to give generously. 
Guard our hearts from greed, fear, and comparison, and help us see money not as our security, but as a tool to serve others and fulfill Your purposes. May our stewardship bring peace to our home, blessing to those in need, and glory to Your name. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Because Mercy

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

Have you ever noticed that if you’re critical of others, they’re critical of you? If you’re kind to others, they’re kind to you? Or if you’re generous to others, they’re generous to you? Whatever you give in life, you’re going to get in return.

The same is true of God’s mercy. [Our verse for today -] Jesus says in Matthew 5:7, “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (NLT)

But why does God want you to show mercy to others? Why is being merciful so important?

Because God has shown you mercy.

Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “God’s mercy is so abundant, and his love for us is so great, that while we were spiritually dead in our disobedience he brought us to life with Christ. It is by God’s grace that you have been saved” (GNT). God wants you to pass on (share) the mercy you’ve received from him.

Because God commands you to be merciful.
Do you want a summary of what life’s all about? Here it is: “The Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 GW).

Because you’re going to need more mercy in the future.
You’re going to make a lot of mistakes between now and when you get to heaven, and you’re going to need God’s mercy. But you cannot receive what you are unwilling to give. James 2:13 says, “You must show mercy to others, or God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the person who shows mercy can stand without fear at the judgment” (NCV).

Because showing mercy brings happiness.
Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful” (NIV). The word “blessed” also means “happy,” so the more you learn and demonstrate mercy, the happier and more blessed you’re going to be.

Because so many people in the world are living for themselves, showing mercy and grace to others will always stand out. Be known for your mercy as you model for others how good God has been to you, and you will make an eternal difference!

Talk It Over

What do you think it means to “love mercy”? (Micah 6:8)

How have you seen God bless you when you’ve shown mercy to someone—even when it was difficult to do?

Think of a way you could have shown mercy to someone in the last week but didn’t. How do you think it might have changed the outcome of that situation?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          You have shown us grace when we least deserved it, and kindness when we could offer nothing in return. Soften our hearts toward those who stumble, and open our eyes to see them as You see them— 
precious, loved, and worthy of compassion. When we are tempted to judge, remind us of the mercy You have poured over our lives. When we are hurt, teach us to respond with patience instead of anger. Let our words bring healing, and my actions reflect Your gentleness. Fill us with a love that forgives quickly, serves humbly, and seeks peace over pride. May our lives be a living testimony of the mercy we have received from You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - So Loved

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:9-10 (NLT)

Everything in life changes—relationships, jobs, health, finances. But there’s one thing in the universe that will never change: God’s love. God loves you, no matter what. Your failures, your brokenness, and your sin can never diminish his love. Knowing you can count on God's love provides a rock-solid foundation for your life.

The Bible’s most famous verse, John 3:16, says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (NIV).

Consider the small word “so” that goes before “loved” in that verse. “So” suggests the extravagance of God’s love. God loves you with a generous, extravagant love that can never be taken away. It’s beyond comprehension. He loves you on your good days and your bad days. He loves you when you sin and when you are faithful to him.

It's important that you don't just recognize this lavish love intellectually. You need to experience it emotionally, to really understand it deep down in your spirit. Love is God’s nature. God created the universe and everything in it just so that he could love it. And God created you so he could love you.

In fact, in Jesus, God shows what real love, his love, looks like. The Bible says, “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:9-10 NLT).

Many people say they love you. But God showed you he loves you. He loves you so much that it hurt. He sacrificed his Son. When Jesus died for you, he was saying he loved you so much he’d rather die than live without you.

The Bible says that’s what real love—the kind of love you can build your life on—looks like. Real love makes sacrifices. Real love gives all. Real love endures for all eternity.

That’s the kind of love only God has for you. He’s waiting with open arms to show you his goodness, mercy, and love.

Talk It Over

Why do you need to build your life on something that cannot be lost or taken away?

When do you most often doubt God’s love?

What does God’s love, demonstrated in Jesus, tell you about how you should love others?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Thank You for the gift of Your Word, which reveals the magnitude of Your love. Help us to open our hearts and minds so we may truly understand the breadth of Your love — how it stretches across nations, generations, embracing every believer and reaching the most forgotten in our world. May we also comprehend the length of Your love — its eternal nature, stretching from the beginning of creation to the end of time. Teach us to trust in Your everlasting presence, knowing that Your love will never falter, no matter the trials we face. 

       Immerse us in the depth of Your love — the part that goes beyond surface understanding, that sees and heals our brokenness, and brings restoration to our souls. Help us to walk alongside others in their pain, reflecting Your compassion to them. And may we be lifted by the height of Your love — the glorious hope it brings, elevating us from despair to joy, from darkness to light. Call us to rise above the mundane to live a life that reflects Your holiness and majesty.

      Father, we surrender ourselves to Your love — unconditional, perfect, and complete. Let it fill every thought, word, and action, transforming us from within. Help us to share this love with others, so that they too may know the fullness of Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Promise for Today - Heaven's Reunion

There will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words. 

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (MSG)

When I was young, I didn't really think about heaven that much. First, it seemed so boring—at least the way the world describes it. Second, it seemed like a long way off. And third, no one I knew was there yet. But I know a lot of people who are in heaven now, and I can't wait to get there and be with them.

In heaven, we're going to be reunited with our loved ones who love the Lord. Those who are in the family of God are all going to be there.

Who would you like to talk to first in heaven? Of course, you’re going to meet and worship the Lord first. But who are you excited to see next? Every believer throughout history will be there. Would you like to talk to Moses? You can! How about Abraham or Mary or Paul? I don’t know about you, but I definitely have some questions for Jonah. You’ll see famous people from throughout Christian history and scientists and world leaders and people from every tribe and nation. You're going to have all of eternity to talk with them!

The Message paraphrase says, "There will be one huge family reunion with the Master" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Can you imagine how emotional, how joyful that's going to be? Then verse 18 says, “So reassure one another with these words.”

My mother is in heaven, my father is in heaven, my older brother, Jim, is in heaven, and my youngest child, Matthew, is in heaven. I have many dear people who served with me in ministry in heaven. The more of my family and friends who are on that side of death, the dearer heaven becomes to me.

Are you encouraged by the thought of being in the presence of Jesus and reunited with your friends and family? When we are grieving with someone, we should share that encouragement with them. If they and their loved one know Jesus as their Savior, then death is not the end. They will see them again!

This is God’s goodness to us: there is no greater hope in life than a big family reunion for eternity!

Talk It Over

How does knowing you will see fellow members of God’s family in heaven motivate you to share the gospel?

Who in your life needs to hear about God’s offer of an eternal home in heaven? What will you do about it?

What kinds of things do you think you will want to talk about in heaven, once you’ve left the world behind?

-by Pastor Rick

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Prayer (prayer for salvation, following the 'Reunion' prayer)

Father,

         Hold close the ones we love who have gone before us. Let their laughter bloom again in the gardens of Your kingdom, where no shadow falls, and no tear is shed. Keep them in the warmth of Your presence until the day our own steps take us through the gate of pearl. Grant us patience in the waiting, faith in the unseen, and hope that does not fade with the years.
      When the trumpet of Your promise sounds, may we meet again in the embrace of forever - no more parting, no more night - only the joy of reunion in Your everlasting peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

****************Prayer for Salvation

Will you be part of the heavenly family reunion?

The Bible says you can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. You cannot earn your way into heaven: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, pray this prayer:

“Dear God, you have promised that if I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Promise for Today - Ambassadors of Truth

God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 

1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV)

God has called you to represent him everywhere you go. Just as countries send ambassadors, God is sending you out to tell others about his love and forgiveness.

But maybe you lack the confidence needed to share your faith. Maybe you think it requires having a salesperson mentality. But that simply isn’t true! You don’t have to be good at “closing the deal” to invite people into God’s family. You see, all humans have the same inner longings. So, when you tell others about Jesus, you’re offering them something they’re already looking for. What a confidence booster!

Another confidence booster in sharing your faith is this: Most people don’t really know what they believe. They may label themselves a certain way, but when you scratch beneath the surface, they sometimes don’t even know what that system believes.

Some people claim to think a certain way but end up contradicting themselves. For example, they’ll say, "There are no absolutes in life." But that’s nonsense because that statement contradicts itself. They may as well say, “There are absolutely no absolutes in life.” In fact, people who make that claim live by rules and beliefs based on absolutes all the time.

Sharing your hope in Christ can help bring clarity to people’s lives. It gives them the understanding they need. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:33, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (ESV). The truth of God’s Word sets people free from contradiction, confusion, and everything else that binds up their lives.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV).

Next time you lack the confidence to share your faith, you can relax, knowing that the message of Jesus will bring much-needed clarity to people’s lives.

Talk It Over

Do you live life consciously that you are an ambassador for Christ everywhere you go? If not, how might that practice change your life and the lives of those around you?

What confusing or conflicting beliefs did you once have? How has God’s Word brought clarity to those beliefs?

Who do you have who can hold you accountable to share your faith while you do the same for them?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

           Make us faithful ambassadors of Your truth. Let our words be seasoned with grace, our actions reflect Your love, and our lives bear witness to the transforming power of the Gospel. Give us the courage to speak boldly when the world is silent, and the wisdom to listen deeply when hearts are hurting.
      Clothe us with the armor of righteousness, so that we may stand firm against deception and fear. Fill us with compassion for the lost, patience for the searching, and steadfastness in the face of opposition. May we never distort or dilute Your Word, but proclaim it with clarity, humility, and love.
      Holy Spirit, guide our steps so that every conversation, every decision, and every moment becomes an opportunity to point others toward Christ. Let Your presence in our lives bring light into darkness, hope into despair, and peace into chaos.
      Father, we surrender our will to Yours. Use us as Your vessel - whether in quiet acts of kindness or in bold declarations of faith—to draw others closer to You. May our lives be living testimonies that Jesus is Lord, and may all glory be Yours forever. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen