Heavenly Father, we praise you. Thank you for not only providing Ruth with a redeemer, but for giving us a Redeemer in your Son through her. We pray you will give us boldness to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ and that He would become known in more and more hearts in our families, in our neighborhoods, at our places of business, throughout our country, and into the world. Lord Jesus, help us to continually seek you, to trust you, and hear from you so that our steps our led by you with wisdom and grace. When we face difficulties, help us proclaim your name. When we are blessed with success, help us proclaim your name. When we don’t understand, help us proclaim your name. In life and in death, help us to continually, boldly, faithfully proclaim the Name that is above all names, – Yeshua Hamashiach – Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, our Savior and Redeemer. In His glorious name we pray, amen.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.”
Psalm 146
Heavenly Father, we praise you today, from the depths of our souls we praise you. We praise you for all you’ve done, all you are doing, and all you will do. We put all our trust, hope, and confidence in you and in no one else. Help us to see where we have put our dependence in someone over you and may we re-place it where it belongs – in you, in your perfect will, in your plans, in your love for us as our good, good Father. If you choose to use someone to do good in our lives, we praise you knowing it was by your will and prompting. Thank you for providing for every need we have, especially our spiritual freedom, and with it, your peace, both now and forever. Help us be a light pointing those you put in our path to you, so they, through your Son, can also have an intimate relationship with you and along with it the confident assurance of your grace and mercy to be their provision, their portion, their all. You are our hope, and we will put no other in your place. We pray in the name of our El Shaddai – the All-Sufficient God, our El Roi – the God Who Sees Me, our Jehovah-Rapha – the God Who Heals, and our El Sali – the God of my Strength, through your Son Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Oh Heavenly Father, we praise you today for your great love, that you have drawn us, adopted us, and made us co-heirs with your beloved Son. What an amazing gift! Thank you for showing us more and more the height and depth and breadth of what that means not just for eternity, but for here, right now, in our joys, in our pains, in our weaknesses. Thank you for your faithfulness to bring us through every trial, and to discipline us when we need to grow more. Help us trust you as our dear and precious Father as you grow our faith to maturity, and often use ways we don’t understand. We praise you for your goodness and that your way is perfect. That you are always with us, no matter what, and that your love never runs out. Thank you, Father, for your grace and kindness toward us, for your gentleness and your constant provision. Thank you for sending your Son, for providing a way to forgiveness and life, both now and eternal. Help us take ahold of your hand and never let go. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:1-20
Maybe you’ve somehow stumbled onto this page, and you’re lost. You’re searching. You know you need God but you’re afraid. Afraid He won’t take you. Afraid of what you’ve done. Afraid you’re too far gone.
My friend, I promise you, God promises you, you are not too far gone.
Maybe you knew Christ at one point a long time ago. Maybe it was just last week. But you’ve done something, and you can’t face Him. You’re afraid, too. Surely He’ll punish you, you think. Surely He’s ashamed of you, disappointed in you. You can’t go back.
My friend, you can.
Whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, get this –
God loves you.
And He is willing at this very moment to forgive you and receive you.
Come to Him, no matter what you’ve done. Come to Him with your sin; come to Him with your wretchedness, your weakness, your guilt. Come to Him, like the prodigal child.
He is there, waiting with His arms open wide to receive you right here, right now, to forgive you, to love you, to welcome you back with no reservation. With no condemnation.
That is how great He is, how great His love and mercy and forgiveness. Whatever it is, it’s all been paid for on the cross.
Just come. And let the chains fall.
If you need prayer, I would be honored to pray for you. Simply email me by clicking on the envelope to the far right of the Facebook icon to the right.
May you bask in the glory of the Risen One, the One Who paid it all.
