Hesitation

"The angel came to her and said, 'Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.' Mary was troubled at these words." - Luke 1:28-29

Let's be honest - whenever someone invites us to pray, go to a prayer group, or go to church, our first reaction is to think/say "mmm, thanks, but no thanks." Something about getting closer to God makes us put up a wall automatically. That may be because we know that a call from God means change. There is work to be done and we don't like that. We don't want to give anything up and we don't want to change the comfort of our current lives. God has called many of you and that call, like the angel appearing to Mary, was sweet; it brought good news. But quickly we start to think "oh no, I don't want to have to change anything" and the good God intends for us we turn into a problem.

Mary's concern for her own life was no different than ours. Imagine being young and single and then ending up pregnant with no partner. A lot of times the call of God will put us in a very uncomfortable situation which will make us prefer to stay the way we are. However, part of you knows you can't really do that… inside you *know* what the right move should be on your part. Although Mary was troubled, she knew she had to accept the call of God and do His will. Even though she was going to face a lot of hardships and go from a comfortable life to a very hard one, she said yes and we all know what came out of that acceptance. How about you, though? Are you hearing a call from God to open up a little more to Him? Are you feeling troubled and battling with stepping forward and really giving God the chance to tell you what He wants to do next? Let go of what's holding you back and say yes. We all get scared but what God has on the other side of your doubts and hesitations is great blessings for you like you've never even imagined!

Today's Prayer:
Lord, I have this battle that goes on within me between wanting to serve You more and wanting to stay comfortable the way that I am. I know in my heart I need to give more of myself to You but I don't want to give up so many things in my life. Be with me as I live each day so that You can keep reminding me of Your love and Your call. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Treat Others With Humility

"For everyone who makes much of himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be esteemed." - Luke 14:11

My old boss was the president of a big record label until he got bought out by Sony. After that, he went on to form the small company where I worked out of college. Whenever I would go to a meeting with him to pitch business he would tell me that the most humiliating thing was to have to beg his past interns and employees for business now that he was starting over. Luckily for him, he was always a fair man, but imagine if he had treated everyone badly and exploited his position as president? He would have had his fair share of enemies and bad business. The lesson here is to treat everyone with respect because they were also created with love by God. Despite race, age, gender, education, culture, or socio-economic status, God does look at each and every one of us as equals. As a matter of fact, the person that I disregard on the street probably has a much better heart than me and is therefore a much richer person than I am. At the end of the day, who we are and what we think we have is really nothing. We have no substance unless we learn to value those around us… big and small. Rich or poor.

And this lesson that Jesus gives us here doesn't only apply for the well-being of our souls, but also to help us out in life. My old boss was able to build new relationships because of his old ones. He wouldn't have been able to do this if it had burned bridges with those at the bottom of the totem pole. We always have to be humble and respectful of all others, no matter how high up we *think* we are.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the lessons You teach us through Your Word. Humble me, Lord, and help me treat others with the respect that is owed to them as Your sheep. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Prodigal Son

"He was still a long way off when his father caught sight of him. His father was so deeply moved with compassion that he ran out to meet him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him." - Luke 15:20

This is a story we all know really well, the story of the prodigal son. I wanted to focus on this verse in the story because it's what stands out the most to me. After squandering all of his money on filth, the son recognized that his father always treated his servants well, and if he was going to be a servant, he should go back and work for his father. I love how this verse describes the reaction of the father upon seeing his son return. The father didn't need an apology, he didn't have the need to lecture the son and say 'I told you so,' or hold any grudge against him. From the moment he saw his boy from afar, he was prepared to give him the best he had to welcome him, no matter how selfish the son was in the past. This is the love of our Father in Heaven.

During the season of Lent, we focus a lot on sacrifices and repentance, but God is so good that after a few weeks, the teachings in the daily readings start reflecting the goodness, forgiveness, and mercy of God! God wants to forgive us. He doesn't even need to hear the apology to welcome us back to Him with open arms! Like the son in the story, you could have wasted all of your life with horrible sins but the moment you turn your eyes to Heaven, God wants to be there for you! Seek His forgiveness today! Let yourself be welcomed into His loving arms.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank You for Your love and mercy. Thank You for being better than my evil. Please cleanse me of all my sins so that I can be worthy of You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Blocking The Lord

"Upon seeing this, Simon Peter fell at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!'" - Luke 5:8

There are times when people get into situations in which they don't want or see a need for God's love and forgiveness. People become so wrapped up in a sin that they block anything coming from God. Part of it comes from not being prepared to give up the sin that is keeping us from God and another part of it is not feeling worthy of having God even pay attention to us.

In Luke chapter 5, Jesus was preaching by the water when he sees a few boats far out. The boats come back empty, no fish, no food to feed their families. Upon seeing this, Jesus tells the fishermen, led by Peter, to go out again. Peter listens and comes back with so many fish that his nets were about to break and his boat was about to sink. Upon seeing this miracle, this gesture of love Jesus showed him, Peter fell on his knees and basically told Jesus he was too sinful. He wasn't worthy and that maybe Jesus had the wrong person. Does this sound familiar? Do you ever hear the call of Jesus and maybe feel like it just isn't your time and that you've made too many mistakes to respond to that call? Jesus makes no mistakes and when you hear His voice or feel His presence in your heart, it is for you, no matter the sins you carry on your hands. Yes, you are sinful, just like Peter was when he was called… but do not block the Lord's help when it arrives at your door. Listen to the voice and allow good to enter your life… don't deny that for yourself.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, help me to forgive myself of my own sins so that I don't block You from entering my life. If You forgive and are my Lord, then help me to feel worthy of Your love and Your call. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Show Off

"For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it. What does it profit you to gain the whole world while you destroy and lose yourself? If someone feels ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory." - Luke 9:24-26

In 1928, a fourteen year old boy named Jose Sanchez del Rio was persecuted for his faith. The boy lived in Mexico during a time when the government was very anti-Catholic. Jose wanted to practice his faith and encouraged others to pray openly. One day, government officials arrested him and shaved off the bottoms of his feet. They put him out on the street and made him walk across town towards a cementary on his bare feet. Once at the cementary, the officials told him that if he would just renounce his faith in Jesus Christ, they would let him return home to his family and not bother him anymore. The fourteen year old then imitated the form of a cross and shouted out, "Long live Christ the King!" and was shot in the head. Jose Sanchez del Rio died for the freedom to show off his faith.

Now, let's fast forward to just 80 years later to today, a time when we're lucky to have the privelege to practice our faith openly without fear or pressure. We have the honor, an honor Jose and many others suffered for, to show the world what we believe…to show people what our souls consist of; the richness of our values and beliefs, the stuff that makes us good people. So how do we express this? What do we choose to show the world about ourselves? A good way to examine this is something as simple as our MySpace page or Facebook profile. What do people take away from that? Maybe they can see you're a football fan and are a Pisces, what school you go to and who your friends are, especially what your favorite drink is because you're showing it off in your main pic. But do you show off your faith? Do you show the world that you believe in Christ Jesus and try to live a life of integrity? Or will they see things that maybe compromise that faith? Can you honestly say that you represent a faith in Christ and if you do, does He fit with everything else you're trying to show off about yourself? Many people have suffered and died to have the freedom we have today, to stand up for the things that are truly important. What are you standing up for? What sets you apart from people with no values, no morals, no beliefs…no faith? And if you say that a lot sets you apart, then show it! Let it be known to everyone that who you are first, before anything else, is a child of the Most High God, not just another empty, shallow person lost in this world.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You came so that we may have life in abundance. Your desire is to give us a whole and complete life that we can share with others. Help us see what is really important. Help us follow and stand for what really matters instead of losing our beliefs for meaningless things. In Your Name we pray, amen.

You Gotta Have Faith!

"But Jesus again spoke to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.'" - Luke 7:50

There are four gospels covering the life of Jesus and in each of them, He heals numerous people. He also walked on water and multiplied food for people. Sometimes we see these miracles as a one-sided street - God does all the work - when in reality, we do about 50% of it. Read this verse above, whose faith saved the woman? Her own! She had to believe it for it to happen. Read Jesus' miracles in the gospels. To almost every blind, dumb, mute, paralytic sick person, Jesus said "as you have believed" before healing them. If you believe a little, then you are setting yourself up for a little. Jesus told Peter to walk out to Him in the water and when his faith started to fade, Peter began to sink. Jesus knew why it happened and asked Peter why he doubted. All you want out of life, out of your God is already in your hands. Jesus has given it all to you and it is truthfully up to you to ask and expect it. Many of you doubt when you ask for things and what you're really doing is giving God so little room for Him to do anything. You have to give God room to do His thing! Give Him something to work with! From now on, ask God in true faith for something and expect it. Give thanks for it because if you believe, it will come. If it delays, keep expecting because it will come! And if it doesn't come, then evaluate your own faith - when Jesus says to you "your faith has saved you" how much do you think your faith will do?

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help my weak faith. All that we could ask, You lovingly provide as long as we ask You in faith. Help us let go of our doubts and open our hearts to You. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Forgiveness Through Love

"This is why, I tell you, her sins, her many sins, are forgiven, because of her great love." - Luke 7:47

One of the best feelings in the world is to be guilty of something and have the person you offended forgive you. I can think of so many times when my father forgave me for things after I have apologized. In recognizing my faults and asking for forgiveness, he saw I was repented and removed the burden from my shoulders. This made me appreciate him so much more. So it is with God; those that have had big sins forgiven, have more love because they are well aware of the sins they have been purified from. They show their appreciation for the Lord through their love for Him and for others. This love alone is worthy of forgiveness of many sins as in the case of the women in this bible passage. On the contrary, there are many that don't show love to anyone, only caring about themselves because they feel themselves lacking from sin and therefore not needing forgiveness. The sins of these people who believe themselves to be above forgiveness are often times much more offensive to God than the sins of murderers and prostitutes that have decided to lead their lives in love and compassion.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, show us how to love perfectly. Love for You and for others forgives a multitude of sins, of which You know I have many. Be with me as I choose to show that love in this world. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Humility

"And listen: He who is found to be the least among you all, he is great indeed." - Luke 9:48

This weekend in church was the celebration of Christ the King. The reading they used to describe it was of Jesus dying on the cross and getting jeered at by the Romans and the rest of the crowd. In the world's eyes, Jesus wasn't a king. A king is rich, powerful and sits upon a throne being waited on. But in reality, a king is made leader because he is supposed to serve his people. Jesus, dying on that cross was serving all of humanity, washing away the evil inside of us. By doing this for us, He was setting an example of how we need to serve one another. Many times we think we deserve so many things and wait for others to do something for us first before we do anything for them. I'm guilty of this. I forget that to God, the humblest person is really the greatest, even if he is poor. The rich mean nothing to God if they are not rich of heart and compassionate to others. This is why if we really want to be admired by people and gain respect, we need to humble ourselves and serve others, as Jesus did. My boyfriend doesn't need to tell me he loves me because he goes over and beyond anything I ask for. And I know so many people like him in my life and this is making me want to serve them better. But it's not just them because they were nice to me first, Jesus calls us to extend ourselves and perform random acts of kindness everyday, whenever we see an opportunity. This is the true indicator of the goodness and heart of a person, if we have the humility to serve others and put strangers, and the poor before ourselves.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, help break me out of my selfishness so that I could mold my life to help others. I want to do good before Your eyes Lord, and do what is pleasing to You. Help me to help the least in Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Weep For Yourselves

"A large crowd of people followed Him; among them were women beating their breast and wailing for Him, but Jesus turned to them and said, 'Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep rather for yourselves and for your children.'" - Luke 23:27-28

As I was kneeling in mass today for All Saint's Day, I thought about how bad I felt for Jesus. He's the last person people think about in their lives some times and gets pushed aside for other things. But as I thought about this, all of a sudden I felt a pain in my chest and my eyes welled up with tears. These words came to me: "women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep rather for yourselves and for your children."

And then the reality of all we suffer and all the sin around us hit me so hard. At a moment when Jesus was being beaten, spat at, whipped and ordered to march to be crucified, He is warning us of our own sorrows. I see so much sadness in the world, so much pain. I see kids without parents, hate, anger, pain of abandonment, marriages that are failing, infidelities, families torn apart by betrayal, and so many young kids/ adults that make mistakes because they didn't think things out properly, because they didn't know God is real and can guide them. So we end up living in a world in which despite being brutally treated, Jesus actually felt sorrow for us. And then, no matter how much hurt exists in us and how empty we could feel, we actually think to ourselves that we're doing God the favor by praying or by going to church. "I don't feel like it today," you say, or, "I just don't have time, I have so much to do." None of us does God the favor by this, we're the ones that need the prayer and are in desperate need of His help, even in the smallest things.

I hope you reflect about your lives today. Think about the pain you feel or have felt growing up. The relationships you're in that are broken and the difficult decisions you need to make. Or about those bills that keep adding up and don't let you sleep at night. Before you doubt bowing down before the power of God to lift you up, remember Jesus' words, "do not weep for me, weep rather for yourselves."

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, again You strike me down and humble me into seeing the truth. I need so much of You because all that I am is broken and only Your hands can heal and renew life. Lord, help me to open my eyes, both physical and spiritual, so that I can truly live my life as Your follower. In Your Name we pray, amen.

The Humanity of Jesus

"When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength." - Luke 2:39-40

When I think of Jesus, I think of this powerful savior who was strong and confident. He boldly opposed sin, walked on water, went around performing miracles, and even resurrected from the dead. How can any of us ever match the Son of God? But we forget that Jesus Christ was also fully human. We tend to cast this aside because we want our Savior to be strong and holy and we consider regular human emotions as weak.

If you really read the bible and look past the miracles, you will find a regular human being just like you and I. The gospels write of a Jesus that cried with His friends. He felt anger. He would get impatient, sad, happy. He even felt fear, embarrassment. And just because He was the son of God doesn't mean He never doubted. The devil also tempted Jesus with pleasure of the flesh, pride, power, and the testing of God. These are the normal feelings that we all grow up with. Some are seen as good and others are seen as bad. Jesus experienced them all and that's why Luke says that the child Jesus grew in strength and stature because each of us grows in a physical and emotion form.

Therefore, don't ever feel like you have to give up and the world is too hard on you. God has not given us a burden we cannot carry. On the contrary, He sent His only son to live as we live, feel what we feel, experiencing pain and joy in the same way we do. Jesus Christ understands what you go through. His life is real and attainable.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for being an example to us through Your life and especially Your weaknesses. Help me to learn from You so that I may imitate You in all things. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Who You Know Isn't Always Everything

"As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, 'Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!' Jesus replied, 'Surely blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it as well.'" - Luke 11:27-28

Whether it's the hottest club in LA or NYC, or the most competitive job in a Fortune 500 company, who you know can be everything. Who you know can get you through the door. But when it comes to God, this won't get you very far. The woman in the crowd who saw Jesus said that blessed is His mother for having bore Him and nursed Him, but Jesus wouldn't have corrected her without reason. A lot of people can look at me, and know that I'm the daughter of a deacon and automatically think I'm in with God, but that's not the case. A lot of people also think that they can get by with God by having their family pray for them. Yes, intercession does work, but that doesn't guarantee you anything. You have to know the big guy at the door directly or you're not getting in. With God, you need to know Him and speak to Him directly, and live your life according to what those conversations tell you. Jesus said to the woman that blessed are those who hear the Word of God AND keep it. Through my dad, I hear the Word of God and through your family and friends who pray for you, you hear the Word of God, but are you putting it into practice? It's not just hearing it or thinking that you're good to go by association. Jesus said hearing AND keeping. You need to do both. No one else is going to save you on your behalf. Your relationship with God is personal and only between the two you, so it is your responsibility to not only hear the Word if you want peace and salvation, but to keep it as well.

Today's Prayer:
Lord God, forgive me for the times I've told others to pray for me, wrongly believing it was enough, instead of going to you directly. Help me to always hear and practice Your Word. In Your Name we pray, amen.

Sometimes You Have To Be A Child

"Jesus said to them, 'Supposed one of you has a friend and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says: Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived and I have nothing to offer him. Maybe your friend will answer from inside: Don't bother me now; the door is locked and my children and I are in bed, so I can't get up and give you anything. But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to him because he is a friend, yet he will get up because the other is a bother to him, and he will give him all he needs.'" - Luke 11:5-8

God is funny. In this parable He is basically comparing us to an annoying friend who comes to bother us and ask us for stuff when we don't want to be bothered! But God is also loving because while our reaction would be to tell our friend to leave us alone, He tells us this story so that we do annoy Him with what we want and need. The point of this parable is very easy - when we don't get what we want, keep asking until God finally gives in and answers us. Sometimes we're not ready to receive what we ask for and sometimes what we ask for isn't good for us, but we need to relentlessly ask Him like an annoying little kid begging for ice cream.

There was something I really wanted the other day so I would visit the church by my job twice a day. As soon as I walked in I'd giggle, laughing with Jesus and I'd say, "It's me, I came to see You again and You know I'm going to keep bugging You!" This is exactly what the Lord wants because through our constant petitions, we do grow closer to Him without even realizing it! Day, afternoon, and night, as we continue to nag and nag and nag, He quietly goes strengthening us and preparing us for when He does give us what we need! So don't be afraid to be a pain! Think back to when you were a kid and wanted that new doll or new toy truck and would bother the hell out of your parents! God has so many things to give us and we need to let that inner child out and just keep on bugging our Father in Heaven!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the simple things in life and how in You, we can ask for things with the simplicity of a child. Don't ever let me give up if I see You stall but inspire me to keep on seeking You. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

The Difference Between Jay-Z and Jesus Christ

"Then Jesus gave a loud cry, 'Father, into Your hands, I commend my spirit.' And saying that, He gave up His spirit." - Luke 23:46

Weird title, but here's what went through my mind - I was listening to Kanye West's tribute to Jay-Z, Big Brother, and I thought to myself, "wow, Jay's really accomplished a lot in his career." I thought of his line about selling out the garden in a day and imagined how proud and accomplished he must have felt standing at the front of the stage, spotlight on him, and multitudes of adoring fans calling out his name. And then my mind turned to Jesus, and how His most crowning achievement was death upon a cross, dubbed a king by a mocking crowd and a crown of thorns placed on His head. When I thought of Jay, I pictured what it would be like to be him and look out at the crowd, but to imagine what Jesus must have felt looking out is a harsh reality check stressing our own sinfulness.

Be Jesus for a moment, and picture yourself looking down from the height of the cross, hanging there as a spectacle for all to see. Before you are people laughing at you, making fun of you, some feel quite proud of themselves to see you dying, while others, like your own mother, are at the foot of your cross in tears…your best friends aren't there - they've left ashamed of you, denying they even know you. All this you're looking down at while you slowly die. They're all before you but the excrutiating pain running through your body can't let you think straight. Your body shakes, absolutely trembling after the fever that's kicked in from the whipping. Flesh, muscle, and bone ripped off in shreds. Now you hang crucified with large, rusty nails hammered into your hands and feet. The position your body's in doesn't let you draw in air, and you want to push yourself up to let the air come in, but the weight of your body on your wounded feet is too much to bear so you have to endure the struggle for air. The wind is strong and stings against your bleeding flesh and your head hurts from the thorns sticking into the side of your head; the blood coming from those puncture wounds pool up around your eyes, mixing with your own tears, and you can hardly see a thing. Regardless, you know they're all down there - the sinners, the hypocrites, the poor, the rich, those who love you and those that hate you, all those you are literally dying to save, those you love so much, all of them. Yet, as weak as you are, as much as you have been beaten, mocked, hated on, spit at, hurt, embarrassed, laughed at, made to cry, this is your biggest achievement, your triumph over sin and over death.

It's awesome to be praised and rooted for when you're on top of the world, but only our Lord Jesus Christ is strongest at His weakest and dying on a cross.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for conquering death so that I may have eternal life in You. I never want to forget what You went through for me and I am honored You went to the cross for me. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Ever Feel Ashamed of Admitting You Pray and Follow Jesus?

"If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you. This would not be so if you belonged to the world, because the world loves its own. But you are not of the world since I have chosen you from the world; because of this the world hates you." - John 16:18-19

I find it really interesting how I can tell someone that this weekend I got really wasted and hooked up with some random person at a club and then didn't even remember any of it. They would probably be like, "haha, awesome!" But if instead I said, "I spent the weekend praying. I went to church, prayed the rosary and spent time with Jesus who loves me and also loves you," that person will most likely make a face and give me a dry "oh…cool," and then think I'm out of my mind.

This is what Jesus meant when He said that the world hates us. By the world He meant those that don't believe in Him or those that refuse to believe and live according to their own desires. But we are of God. We were chosen and have chosen to live according to His will, therefore our actions must be different and for that we will be made fun of and mocked. Whether you see it or not, Satan will incite those in the world to hate us, to try to bring us down and make us believe that we're losing out by following God. There are more people that will knock us down because we don't want to follow the pleasures of the flesh (drugs, sex, alcohol) instead of encouraging us to follow the faith. It's part of our nature to want to be cool, to want to be liked, and our hope in God can die so easily by having others make fun of us for admitting we want to pray and go to church and follow the commandments. So many of us feel ashamed to even admit we really love Jesus. Sometimes, even I'm embarrassed on the train to pray and make the sign of the cross in front of others, but in Luke 9:26, Jesus says, "If someone feels ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in His glory and in the glory of His Father with His holy angels."

So, you know what? I don't care what people think about me, even if they want to think I'm crazy or a hypocrite. I don't care if anyone thinks I'm boring because I'd rather spend a Saturday night at home praying to my Lord instead of being out in a club. I love the Lord, my God, no matter who tries to put me down, and I will not be embarrassed or ashamed of the fact that I know He has called me and I pray that you act each and every day with the same conviction to proclaim that the Lord, our God, is your savior!

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I have ignored You out of embarrassment. I choose today to let others know of my love for You no matter if they mock me or put me down. You have given me more joy than anything else. Help me to stay firm day after day. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Sins You're Not Sorry For...yet

"Jesus also said to all the people, 'If you wish be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it.'" - Luke 9:23-24

I think it's obvious that I wish to follow Christ and if you're reading this, you do as well. There really are so many things we need to work on in order to imitate Him and so many things we need to repent of, but how about those things we know are wrong, things we know God doesn't like, but we're not ready to let go of? I know God loves a repented heart and as long as I'm sorry for what I've done, He forgives me and makes me pure. There are things, though, that I know He doesn't like, but I'm not sure I feel sorry for them. It's one thing to sin without realizing it and another to know something is wrong and still do it. I think this is one of the hardest things for me and a big obstacle on my road to Him. If I'm not sorry for these things, then I'm choosing to save my mortal life and I lose my eternal life, which is my true life. There are just so many things and so many circumstances that arise that make it so hard to be a Christian. Things of this world really do get in the way, but as I pray and think about it, I'm putting myself first and not God - and this is how I know I'm really wrong. If I don't put Him first, then I'm just not worthy of Him. There's just no compromising here; if I want to follow Him, I need to stick to my guns and walk on the right path. The answer should then be to keep on praying and trying to do what's right, although the repented heart isn't there yet, and God will do His part to help me get there.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, Your commandments are written on my heart but You know that there are things I struggle to give up. I want to make You first but there are things that I've put in the way of You. Please help me get to a point where Your will is my will and I feel the sorrow of sin as much as You do. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Stealing Heaven

"Turning to Jesus, he said, 'Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus replied, 'Truly, you will be with me today in paradise.'" - Luke 23:42-43

At the time of His crucifixion, Jesus was put between two criminals. One mocked Jesus telling Him to bring Himself down if He was really a prophet, while the other asked Jesus to remember him. I love this verse because it shows how loving and merciful God is. This criminal had to have done something really bad to deserve a death on the cross and he even told the other thief to leave Jesus alone because they did deserve their punishments, unlike Jesus. But this just goes to show that to God, it doesn't matter what you've done. You could be the worst person ever, but the second you repent from the heart, you become pure and win God's complete forgiveness. This thief was just about to die and if he hadn't repented, he would have gone to hell, but instead he recognized his own faults before Jesus and asked Him for help. Not only did he receive forgiveness because of this, but he also won an immediate entry into Heaven

In our lives we definitely do feel that our sins are without forgiveness at times. We think that we've done something so bad that we don't deserve to seek God or go to church, but the example of the thief proves us wrong. It does not matter what you've done. If you are truly sorry and repented from the heart, you win God's forgiveness and acceptance. Be thankful that the only One who can truly judge us is a much fairer judge than we are.

Today's Prayer:
Thank You Lord for being so loving and forgiving. Help me to see how easy it is to be Your friend and help me to never forget Your kindness. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Is He Your Lord?

"Why do you call me: 'Lord! Lord!" and not do what I say?" - Luke 6:46

Jesus asked this strong question of the pharisees who went to go see Him preach. If you call someone your Lord, then you fully acknowledge that you are inferior to them and accept to do their will. Jesus addressed a crowd of people that professed with their mouths that He was their Lord but their actions were the complete opposite. Are we guilty of this? I think we can all say that we believe in Jesus Christ - but is He really our Lord? Servants know the will of their master, so we do know what His commandments are, but do we follow them? Examine yourselves, are you striving to love others? Or do you living according to "an eye for an eye?" Have you done your best to help someone today? Or have you brushed someone aside because you were too busy? Have you tried to have patience today? Or have you instead lost your temper and offended someone? Most importantly, have you even spent time talking to your Lord today? Or have you not found time because of all the other things you decide to fill your life with? Everything you do is a decision between what's right and what's wrong. The difference between the two you do know very clearly, especially if you profess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord. And if you say that Jesus is your Lord, and do not do what you know is right, then you are a hypocrite. When you lie, cheat, steal, and offend (in any degree), conscious of what you are doing, Jesus Christ is NOT your Lord. He IS your Lord if you try your best to follow His path, even if at times you do fail. This is why Jesus also says that not everyone who calls Him Lord, as those who consider themselves to be righteous do, will see the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, show me the areas in my life where I am being a hypocrite and help me to do Your will. Where I lack in love, please allow it to grow so that I can be Your true and faithful servant. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Forgive Us Our Debts

"Don't be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven." - Luke 6:37

I was watching one of the Harry Potter movies a little while ago and someone says to Harry that we have two paths in front of us - the right path and the easy one. Judging others and not forgiving others falls into the easy path, but it's not right. And it's not that you're supposed to justify someone else's wrong actions, it's that how many sins has God forgiven you? So who are you to hold a grudge against somebody else if God doesn't hold one against you? Jesus says that in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, so think carefully about the many sins you need forgiven and what you hold against others. You know that before we are to be in perfect union with God, we need to be cleansed of our sins or else His blessings can't enter our lives, so if you knowingly have not forgiven someone, do not expect to find favor in God's eyes. He will not have mercy on you if you do not have it with others. Jesus calls sins and offenses "debts," so if you want to clear your debts with God, make sure you clear your debts with your neighbors. Clearing our debts is all part of the abundant life and freedom Christ died to give us; take advantage of this gift.

Today's Prayer:
God, thank You for the gift of forgiveness and the blessings You give freely through it. I know it's not easy to forgive those that have hurt and wronged me, but I know it's what You want of me and it's the example You have set with Your death on the cross. Help me to forgive others from the bottom of my heart as You have forgiven me for my many sins. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

Only The Dead Give Excuses

"To another Jesus said, 'Follow me.' But he answered, 'Let me go back now, for first I want to bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them and proclaim the kingdom of God.'" - Luke 9: 59-60

All of us, at one point or another, have felt the call of God, even in something as simple as someone telling us to go to church, because through faith, we know God inspired it. Now, the question isn't were you called, it is what do you do once you are called? In this verse, Jesus called someone to follow Him and he gave an excuse. This person's father wasn't actually dead - what it means is that this person didn't want to leave their father to follow Jesus, instead when his father dies he would leave everything. How many times do we give Jesus an excuse? When you fail to go to church on a Sunday, it's an excuse. When you decide to put off praying, it's an excuse. When you put off a gesture of kindness you could do for someone, it's an excuse. Jesus' answer to that person was to let the dead bury the dead, meaning that if you don't follow Jesus, you are spiritually dead, so while you are called by Jesus to have life in Him, those that give excuses are dead.

Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your call and for the life You want to give me. Help me to respond to Your love and to Your call so that Your will be done through me. In Your Name we pray, Amen.

He Was Born To You

"There were shepards camping in the country side, taking turns to watch over their flocks by night. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, with the Glory of the Lord shining around them. As they were terrified, the angel said to them, 'Don't be afraid; I am here to give you good news, great joy for all the people. Today a Savior has been born to you in David's town; He is the Messiah and the Lord. Let this be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.'" - Luke 2: 8-12

Upon reading this verse, the perfection of the wording struck me - "Today a Savior has been born to you." This Savior wasn't born for His parents but the angel told the shepards that He was born to them. Bethlehem was a small town and these were very poor shepards who worked on the outskirts of the city. What king would ever remember them? What king would ever chose to be born in a manger so that these poor, forgotten shepards would be the first to visit Him?

That's the beauty of God! He knows you suffer. He has seen the loneliness in your heart and how you feel cast aside at times. God knows your struggle and how you can't make ends meet. You work so hard and you try your best but it just never works out for you. You care so much and aren't appreciated. You're alone and if only God would do something to help you. How did you ever get to where you are now? That's how those shepards felt - alone, poor and abandoned, who would ever stop to care for them? What joy do they have in life? But God heard their cries and in His greatest moment of glory chose to be born to them, to show them that He is not the God of the rich, of the mighty, but He is the God of the humbled, the poor, and of the afflicted. Being God Himself, Jesus Christ lowered Himself out of His love for you and I and became a human being. This king chose to be born in a manger because not all who need Him can enter the palace of royalty, but He chose to come down to where we are. Tired, alone, empty - Jesus chose to be born where we are. So, as the angel said to them on that dark, lonely night, "don't be afraid," and get up to go see your Lord who was born to you in your affliction.

Today's Prayer:
Jesus, You say in Your Word that You hide Your blessings from the wise, but make Yourself known to the humble and those that truly seek Your Way. Thank You Lord for being born to me and coming to be my heart's consolation. In Your Name we pray, Amen.