Promise for Today - Direct and Protect

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

John 10:10-11 (NLT)

Sheep are essentially defenseless animals, so a shepherd carries a few tools to care for and protect his sheep. He has a rod for guarding and protecting, and he uses a staff with a little crook in it to rescue the sheep.

We are like lost sheep in need of protection and direction, so Jesus came to earth to be our Good Shepherd. He said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 NLT).

Just as a shepherd uses the physical tools of the rod and the staff for direction and protection, God wants to direct and protect you. Here are two ways he does that:

If you follow him, Jesus leads you in the right direction.
You need a guide—a shepherd—to go before you in life. You need Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who leads from the front and calls you forward. This is different from a cowboy, who drives cattle from the back. Jesus is not going to push you through life. He gets in front of you and essentially says, “Watch how I do it. Look where I go.”

John 10:4 says, “When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice” (CEV).

If you bring your hurts to him, Jesus is compassionate.
Jesus has compassion on us because he knows that we are helpless without him. Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (NIV). The sense in the original Greek text is that Jesus hurt deeply for the people in the crowd and wanted to help them.

In the same way, when you bring your pain to Jesus, he doesn’t put you down; he lifts you up. He doesn’t hassle you; he heals you. Because of God’s goodness, Jesus directs and protects you. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

Talk It Over

When have you sensed God going in front of you to lead you? In what ways did that experience grow your faith?

How have you seen Jesus’ compassion bring healing in your own life or someone else’s?

In what direction is Jesus leading you right now? In your work? Your family? Your community? Your church? Your relationships?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father,

          We come before You with open hearts. Guide our steps so they align with Your will, and light the path when the way ahead feels uncertain. Grant us wisdom to make choices that honor You, and courage to walk in faith even when we cannot see the whole road. Cover us with Your protection - shield us from harm, guard our minds from fear, and keep our spirits anchored in Your peace.
          Surround our loved ones with Your care, and let Your presence be the constant compass that leads us safely through each day. We trust that You go before us, and walk beside us. Watch over us always. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Every Good Thing

Protect me, God, because I trust in you. I said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord. Every good thing I have comes from you.’ 

Psalm 16:1-2 (NCV)

Not everything that happens in your life is good. But God is good—and he is pouring his goodness into your life.

Circumstances may be very difficult in your life right now, but God can take the bad and bring good out of it. Even in the worst times, you can trust this: God has a good purpose, a good plan, and a good reason. No matter where you are in life right now, you could use a reminder of God’s goodness. And sometimes the best way to remember something is to talk with God about it through prayer.

Would you stop now to pray and talk to God about his goodness? Say something like this:

“God, you are so good. I could never deserve your goodness. I’m sorry that I have often forgotten or doubted your goodness. Forgive me for my ungratefulness and prideful self-centeredness. I am nothing without you. Like King David in the Bible, I would despair if I didn’t know your goodness. Open my eyes to see how good you really are and let your goodness transform my life.

“God, my soul needs restoring. I don’t always think right. I don’t always choose right. I don’t always feel right. I need you to restore my damaged soul, my mind, my will, and my emotions. As I continue learning about your goodness, I trust that my sins have been forgiven because I’ve come to you and admitted I need a Savior. I’m going to release the people who have hurt me and pray a prayer of blessing over them. I’m going to team up with you and ask you to help me with the load I’m carrying. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Talk It Over

Why is it prideful not to acknowledge God’s goodness?

How have you seen God turn the bad things that have happened to you into something good?

When you look back and recognize God’s goodness in your life, how does it affect your perspective on your current circumstances?

- by Pastor Rick

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The greatest example of God’s goodness is Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. You won’t fully experience His goodness until you experience His salvation. If you don’t know Jesus as Savior, you can pray this right now:

“Jesus Christ, I want to get to know You. I want to learn to love You and trust You. Please forgive me for my sin. I ask You to accept me into Your family, not because I deserve it but because on the cross, You paid for all of my sins. Thank You for Your gift of salvation. I receive it and ask for Your help to follow You faithfully as my Lord. I pray this in Your Name. Amen.”

Promise for Today - Value - Part 2 (Pastor Rick)

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.” 

Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

God sees everyone as valuable and worth seeking, finding, and saving. The Bible says, “[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV).

But many people are spiritually lost. This means they’re following their own plan for their lives rather than God’s plan. But what do spiritually lost people actually lose? 

They lose several things, but today we’ll look at just two: their direction and their protection.

You can see this in the story of the lost sheep in Luke 15:3-6. It’s about a shepherd who leaves 99 saved sheep to go and search for his one lost sheep. He doesn’t say, “I’ve got 99 saved sheep, so forget the lost one!” No, they all matter to him. And when he finds the lost sheep, “he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5 NIV) to celebrate.

Like sheep, people who are spiritually lost lose their direction. In fact, all humans are this way. You don’t intend to get lost. You just think, “That grass over there looks greener.” And soon you follow your own way and lose your direction.

The Bible says, “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own” (Isaiah 53:6 NLT).

Another thing spiritually lost people lose is God’s protection. Like sheep who wander away from their shepherd, you too are vulnerable when you don’t have a shepherd to protect you from the wolves of life. That’s why you need to follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Otherwise, you are alone and defenseless—and you lose God’s protection.

The Bible also says, “My people are wandering like lost sheep; they are attacked because they have no shepherd” (Zechariah 10:2 NLT).

But when you place yourself under the Good Shepherd’s care, you get direction and protection. This doesn’t mean you will be free from trouble. But it does mean that God will work “all things together for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28 BSB).

Maybe you or someone you know is lacking God’s direction and protection today. Remember: Jesus is the Good Shepherd who sees everyone as extremely valuable and “desires all people to be saved.”

Talk It Over

When did you first realize you mattered to God? What circumstance or person helped you realize this?

What daily habits keep you close to Jesus, the Good Shepherd? What habits make you more likely to wander from him?

Who in your life doesn’t appear to have God’s direction and protection? Make plans to tell them how valuable they are to him.

Have you opened your life to Jesus Christ? You don't need to know what's going to happen tomorrow. You don't need to know what the future holds; you just need to know who holds the future! When you have a relationship with your Creator, you'll have the security of his unwavering love and unbreakable promises.

Prayer:

Dear God, 

               I want my security to be in something that cannot be taken from me. I want my security to be in my relationship with you, as I trust in your promise to never leave me. I want to claim that promise today. As much as I know how, I open my life to you, Jesus Christ. I confess that I have lived life my own way and sinned against you. Please forgive me. Come into my life and change my priorities, my values, my purpose, and my direction. Transform me into the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Lent - Day Fourteen - I Am; do not be afraid

 Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024 

19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 

John 6:19-20

While the previous section might serve as a reminder of God’s provision, here we are reminded of his protection. In biblical times, darkness, seas, and storms were viewed with fear for they presented real difficulties. People thought they represented evil, danger, or chaos. Here, all three are combined.

Earlier, Jesus perceived that the crowds wanted to make him king. Here, by walking on the water, in the midst of the storm and darkness, Jesus shows the disciples that he is the heavenly king over all of creation. As our Lord approaches the frightened disciples, He invokes the personal name of God (a detail lost in our English translations). “I Am; do not be afraid.”

When we face hardships, when life’s difficulties pile on, or when problems overwhelm, we often jump to questioning God’s presence. At times, our trust can be so fragile that our fears and worries cause us to lose faith in his protection and to doubt his care. Jesus speaks the same words to us as he did to those disciples, “I Am; do not be afraid.” He walked on water to reach the disciples. He hung on the cross to accomplish our salvation. He is with us with the same mercy and power that defeated sin and death. His invitation to us, in the midst of our fear, is to turn to him for protection against danger and deliverance from evil.

Prayer: 

Lord, 

         There are many evils in this world. Shine Your light in the midst of darkness. When I am fearful or overwhelmed, lead me by Your Word, which is a lamp to my feet, that I may always rest in the shelter of Your protection. Amen.

Reading Further: John 6:16-27

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Psalm 91 God's Faithfulness

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

Family Heritage

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Psalm 127:3 NLT

They tried for several years and couldn't conceive. Finally, they went to the doctor. The doctor's report was devastating. We stood as a family, praying at the altar. My daughter-in-love in tears, unable to speak, like Hannah in 1st Samuel. As we prayed, I felt compelled to ask my son, "What do you say? I know what the doctor said, but what do YOU say?" He replied with conviction, "I've seen our child. I know God is going to give us one." And that day, standing at the altar in the front of the church, we came into agreement with the Father and the Spirit of Truth. 

It was several more years and two job relocations later, when they finally conceived. So there she was in a brand new town. No connections. And she was actually refused by two doctors because she was considered too high-risk. However, as it turned out, the location they were in had a doctor that specialized in my daughter-in-love's condition. God's hand of provision and protection... literally.  On the first sonogram, I could see the outline of an adult hand on the baby. I knew it was God's hand. 

Today, we celebrated her 5th birthday. She is truly a gift and a great reward.

Prayer:

Father,
          It is good to remember the landmarks of our lives and the blessings of provision and protection You have given us. Thank You so much for everything! Please continue to keep Your hand upon this precious child. Teach us, Father, so that we are able to teach and prepare her for all You have planned for her life. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen