Today I was encouraged by a note I saw posted on Instagram – a literal note posted by a coffee shop at their counter. It refers to the two voices you might be listening to…
Today Josiah shared this devotional from Our Daily Bread, If you would like to read more please click here
Have you ever done something in anger you later regretted? When my son was wrestling with drug addiction, I said some harsh things in reaction to his choices. My anger only discouraged him more. But eventually he encountered believers who spoke life and hope to him, and in time he was set free.
Even someone as exemplary in faith as Moses did something he later regretted. When the people of Israel were in the desert and water was scarce, they complained bitterly. So God gave Moses and Aaron specific instructions: “Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water” (Numbers 20:8). But Moses reacted in anger, giving himself and Aaron credit for the miracle instead of God: “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” (v. 10). Then he disobeyed God directly and “raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff” (v. 11).
Even though water flowed, there were tragic consequences. Neither Moses nor Aaron was allowed to enter the land God promised His people. But He was still merciful, allowing Moses to see it from afar (27:12–13).
As with Moses, God still mercifully meets us in the desert of our disobedience to Him. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He kindly offers us forgiveness and hope. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, if we turn to Him, He’ll lead us into life.
Zoe shared a devotional from Our Daily Bread as well called Purple Shawl, if you would like to read more you can read it here
While serving as my mom’s live-in caregiver at a cancer center hundreds of miles away from my home, I asked people to pray for us. As the months passed, isolation and loneliness sapped my strength. How could I care for my mom if I gave in to my physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion?
One day, a friend sent me an unexpected care package. Jodi had crocheted a purple prayer shawl, a warm reminder that we had people praying for us daily. Whenever I wrapped the soft yarn around my shoulders, I felt God hugging me with the prayers of His people. Years later, He still uses that purple shawl to comfort me and strengthen my resolve.
The apostle Paul affirmed the importance and spirit-refreshing power of praying for others. Through his passionate request for prayerful support and encouragement during his travels, Paul demonstrated how those who pray for others become partners in ministry (Romans 15:30). Offering specific requests, the apostle not only showed his dependence on the support of fellow believers but his trust that God powerfully answers prayer (vv. 31–33).
We’ll all experience days when we feel alone. But Paul shows us how to ask for prayer as we pray for others. When we’re wrapped in the intercessory prayers of God’s people, we can experience God’s strength and comfort no matter where life takes us.
Who has God used to encourage you through intercessory prayer? Who can you pray for today?
Congrats to our winner of Name That Tune, Joanna of Pickerington!
Today I shared one of my favorite devotionals from Mart Dehaan. It speaks to Heroes, Tyrants and Jesus:
Beethoven was angry. He’d intended to name his Third Symphony “The Bonaparte.” In an age of religious and political tyranny, he saw Napoleon as a hero of the people and champion of freedom. But when the French general declared himself emperor, the celebrated composer changed his mind. Denouncing his former hero as a rascal and tyrant, he rubbed so hard to erase Bonaparte’s name that he left a hole in the original score.
Early believers in Jesus must have been disappointed when their hopes of political reform were dashed. He’d stirred hopes of life without the tyranny of Caesar’s heavy-handed taxes and military presence. Yet, decades later, Rome still ruled the world. Jesus’ messengers were left with fears and weakness. His disciples were marked by immaturity and infighting (1 Corinthians 1:11–12; 3:1–3).
But there was a difference. Paul saw beyond what remained unchanged. His letters began, ended, and overflowed with the name of Christ. Christ resurrected. Christ with a promise to return in power. Christ in judgment of everything and everyone. First and foremost, however, Paul wanted believers in Jesus to be grounded in the meaning and implications of Him crucified (2:2; 13:1–13).
The love expressed in Jesus’ sacrifice made Him a different kind of leader. As Lord and Savior of the world, His cross changes everything. The name of Jesus will forever be known and praised above every name.
Derwin also played five years in the National Football League for the Colts and the Panthers. Some call him the ‘Evangelism Linebacker.’
Derwin challenged us to think about our greatest passions in life…and to consider…is knowing God and making Him known at the top of that list? Are we a source of encouragement rooted in Christ?
He challenged us to lives of self-giving humility.
He reminded us that the God we serve never runs out of mercy, so are we running to mercy? Ephesians 2: 1-4 is one example in scripture where we know our God is rich in mercy. Giving compassion or forgiveness when it is within our power to punish or harm.
Derwin challenged us that the only time we should look down on somebody is when we are extending a hand down to LIFT THEM UP!
And what about grace? The free and unmerited favor of God. Derwin asked a direct question: are we more amazed by the grace of Jesus? Or more amazed by us? Wow. Sometimes we can get stuck in what WE’VE done and what WE’VE achieved. Derwin said something that has been stuck in my mind: we have nothing to boast about. It’s ALL HIS, we just said yes!
So think about this today…is your fragrance grace, mercy and kindness? Or something else? Do you see what God sees?
God saw a broken and bloodied world, stepped in as Jesus, and took the breaking and the blood! Praise God for people like Derwin challenging us to a better way.
—
Remember your deadline for getting your dad registered for ‘Take Dad to Dinner’ is tonight at 11:59pm 🙂
Today on the Afternoon Drive, Zoe read a devotional from Our Daily Bread.
In Martin Handford’s Where’s Waldo? books, a series of children’s puzzle books first created in 1987, the elusive character wears a red and white striped shirt and socks with a matching hat, blue jeans, brown boots, and glasses. Handford has cleverly hidden Waldo in plain sight within the busy illustrations filled with crowds of characters at various locations around the world. Waldo isn’t always easy to see, but the creator promises readers will always be able to find him. Though looking for God isn’t really like looking for Waldo in a puzzle book, our Creator promises we can find Him, too.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God instructed His people on how to live as foreigners in exile (Jeremiah 29:4–9). He promised to protect them until He restored them according to His perfect plan (vv. 10–11). God assured the Israelites that the fulfillment of His promise would deepen their commitment to call on Him in prayer (v. 12).
Today, even though God has revealed Himself in the story and Spirit of Jesus, it can be easy to get distracted by the busyness of this world. We may even be tempted to ask, “Where’s God?” However, the Creator and Sustainer of all things declares that those who belong to Him will always find Him if they seek Him with all their hearts (vv. 13–14).
Today is Praise Thursday! Here is the Devotional Zoe shared from Our Daily Bread
In my daughter’s earliest days, I often named for her the things she encountered. I’d identify objects or allow her to touch something unfamiliar and say the word for her, bringing understanding—and vocabulary—to the vast world she was exploring. Though my husband and I might naturally have expected (or hoped) her first word would be Mama or Daddy, she surprised us with an entirely different first word: her small mouth murmured dight one day—a sweet, mispronounced echo of the word light I’d just shared with her.
Light is one of God’s first words recorded for us in the Bible. As the Spirit of God hovered over a dark, formless, and empty Earth, God introduced light into His creation, saying, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). He said the light was good, which the rest of Scripture bears out: the psalmist explains that God’s words illuminate our understanding (Psalm 119:130), and Jesus refers to Himself as “the light of the world,” the giver of the light of life (John 8:12).
God’s first utterance in the work of creation was to give light. That wasn’t because He needed light to do His work; no, the light was for us. Light enables us to see Him and to identify His fingerprints on the creation around us, to discern what is good from what is not, and to follow Jesus one step at a time in this vast world.
This week I was reading an email newsletter I get twice a week…in this particular post, the author was sharing a story of the intersection of our faith with current world events. He shared that the headlines coming out of the Russian war against Ukraine have led him to think about Romans 12:12.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be persistent in prayer.”
Recently, the Ukrainian leader, President Zelenskyy has been visiting allies in Europe, trying to gain support for an assumed counter-offensive against the Russian invaders. The concern is that if those attacks go into Russian territories, the war will spread. Pope Francis has offered to be an intermediary in peace negotiations. This is clearly a pivotal moment of decision-making for the Ukranian leader. So what can we do? I resolved almost 15 months ago, when this war started, to pray specifically for disruption of Russia’s (specifcally Putin’s) plan. I believe that prayer has been answered…but…now, I’m turning my prayers to another specific request – peace. The end of the war. That Russia ends hostilities. That the world steps in and helps Ukraine rebuild.
Author Jeff Poor asks us to pay attention to the progression in this verse, from hope to patience, to persistence to prayer. Prayer is our great resource whenever we are facing the trials of this life.
Poor writes, “Prayer should be of the highest priority for each follower of Jesus. This is what Jesus modeled for us; he frequently withdrew from the crowds to pray. And we would be better off if we simply persevered in prayer.”
Through devoted and yes, persistent prayer, we connect with Jesus and find hope and joy. Even in the shadow of what may seem to be unsurmountable odds.
Danny Gokey – The Comeback
Congratulations to Bonnie from Mount Vernon, who guessed correctly and wins the TobyMac CD. ‘Life After Death.’
Today I shared Mike Wittmer’s devotional ‘Little Foxes,’ based in Song of Solomon 2. It reminds us to be wary of the small comments here and there that can weaken strong relationships.
Driving Notes 