May 9 – Psalm 27

Psalm 27:14

14Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord.

Have you allowed yourself to process?

Oh, how excited I was to finally get the smartphone I’d wanted for so long! I quickly prepared everything to transfer the data from my old phone to the new one, but then when the process started, it didn’t go nearly as fast as I’d expected. For what felt like an eternity, all I saw on my screen was “transfer in progress.” I asked myself, “Is this right? Isn’t something else supposed to be happening here?” I also briefly considered whether or not I should abort the process. When I asked a friend, he said, “That’s absolutely normal. There’s a lot happening in the background, and it takes time.”

Then it clicked for me. How often does a significant event happen in our lives—a wonderful evening, a tragic incident, or a nostalgic reunion—and we just move on without fully processing it? Without taking the time to properly “transfer” it into our hearts? In Judaism, for example, after someone passes away, the bereaved sits on the floor or a low chair for the first seven days. Seven days! Time is set aside to process what has happened.

If you take time like this when it’s needed, you will ultimately gain time.

I encourage you to consider when you last took the time to process something significant that happened in your life. Only you can set this kind of boundary, and it’s very important! In moments like these, please don’t cancel the transfer process, even if you feel like nothing is happening. Allow yourself to stay in God’s presence while the process is underway:

“Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart…” (Psalm 27:14,)

Meanwhile, as you trust Him, God will help you fully process what you’ve experienced and rightly settle it in your heart. You’ll then be able to go on with strength and courage!

The miracle often happens in the background, as you wait on the Lord! 🙂

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 8 – Psalm 34; Matthew 6

Psalm 34:10

10The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Matthew 6:33

33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I “should” be…

“I should be going over the flow of my evening performance right now. A few people are urgently waiting for me to respond to their emails, so I should respond. I should also make that quick call to my insurance company…” Should, should, should…

But instead, I was sitting backstage and had opened the Bible to be with the Lord and ask Him what He was up to. At that moment, my eyes fell upon the following verse:

“…those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:10, NIV)

Reading this verse touched me very much because honestly, there was so much to do! In particular, I wanted to plan more details for my upcoming performance. But I also knew that the evening could only be a blessing if I didn’t overlook what was most important: seeking the Lord.

Take a moment to allow this verse to really sink in: “…those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” What “good” might you be missing right now?

That afternoon, I personally was missing a full night’s sleep; good ideas for the evening’s performance; and helpful feedback for solving the problems waiting for me at home.

But what does this verse say again? What are we to do so that we lack no good thing? Yes, “seek the Lord.” It almost sounds too simple to be true! Yet it is true. Have you already planned time in your daily life to seek the Lord, or are you still caught in neverending “should”s?

Today, before tackling all your other responsibilities, I encourage you to say “I choose to seek You, Lord, first!” Set a boundary so your “should”s don’t crowd out your time with the Lord. When you do, you will see your everyday life in a totally different light!

I can reassure you of this: it is absolutely worth it. That evening of my concert, I didn’t go on stage with a perfectly thought-out plan, but I did go on stage with my mind and heart close to Him. I was then able to love and minister to others much more effectively! 🙂

I pray this promise resonates in your heart today: as you seek first His Kingdom, all the rest will be added unto you as well! (see Matthew 6:33)

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 7 – Mark 6

Mark 6

32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late.

36Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?”he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

42They all ate and were satisfied,

43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

44The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,

49but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out,

50because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,

52for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

How is your work-life balance?

When you lie in bed at night, where does your mind go? Do the thoughts that have been subconsciously stressing you out all day start to emerge? I know this feeling all too well, so I’d like to share a Bible story with you today that has really helped me.

Yesterday, we talked about Jesus telling His disciples to take a break in the midst of their busyness: “So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:32, NIV)

Shortly afterwards, Jesus fed 5,000 men plus many women and children that were with them (see Mark 6:34-44), and His disciples helped distribute and clean up. After this “job,” Jesus again instructed His disciples to take a break: He sent them ahead by boat so they could rest while He dismissed the crowds. (see Mark 6:45)

If anyone taught proper work-life balance, it was Jesus!

Jesus then saw His disciples struggling on the stormy sea, fighting the headwind, and could’ve thought to Himself, “I wanted them to do nothing for once. Why are they fighting My battles?” But in His love, He chose to walk to them—on the water—and climbed into their boat. The storm immediately subsided. (see Mark 6:48-51)

Jesus knew a storm was coming. He had also told them He would follow! Near the end of this chapter, His Word tells us that “Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.” (Mark 6:52, CEV)

God tells us to rest so that we can be refreshed. So when you lie in bed at night, you don’t have to worry about tomorrow…He already knows about your storms.

Remember, God can arrange everything without you worrying about anything.

Trust Him. 🙂 Let’s pray together…“I let go, Jesus. I choose to rest and let You fight this battle for me. Thank You for Your help. In Your powerful name, amen.”

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 6 – Mark 6; Psalm 46

Mark 6:7

7Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

Mark 6:31

31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Psalm 46:10

10He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

The power of rest

What is your mission in life? Many people get scared when asked that question, unsure what their mission is or even if they need one.

Don’t worry…even Jesus’ disciples had thoughts like that! But they had the advantage of Jesus clearly telling them what to do: “Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.” (Mark 6:7, NIV)

When the disciples came back a little later, excited about all they had experienced, the first thing Jesus said was “…’Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'” (Mark 6:31, NIV)

Couldn’t Jesus have just prayed, “Father in heaven, we still have so much to do—there are so many people who need our help. Please give us an extra dose of strength and take away our need to sleep…”? Yes, He absolutely could’ve prayed that! It would’ve been one way. But He chose a different way…

Maybe right now you’re in school, or perhaps you have a high-stress position that demands a lot of you. Maybe you’re taking care of small children at home who need you all the time, or perhaps you’re currently unemployed. I’m not sure what your job situation looks like right now, but whatever it may be, you need breaks!

As you rest, your all-powerful God can give you what others are striving hard to take by force and through their own strength.

Just as Jesus gave His disciples rest, He wants to give you rest, too. And in this quiet place, you may recognize His mission for your life.

“…’Be still and know that I am God…'” (Psalm 46:10, NIV). Take time to reflect on the fact that you are simply allowed to be.

You are a miracle!

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 5 – Matthew 22

Matthew 22:39

39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Do you take time for yourself?

It was a typical morning, and to be honest, I had a thousand new ideas for you on my heart and mind. I wanted to write new texts for A Miracle Every Day, but all my “to-dos” and the expectations of others weighing on me just wouldn’t let me rest.

I get constant requests to post something about a new book, song, or project or to quickly answer that urgent email. I understand…I’m also happy when others post about my new work or quickly respond to my emails!

BUT, everything we do for others shouldn’t mean we don’t pay attention to ourselves.

I can already hear the questions you may be having: “What does she mean? Surely I’m supposed to be selfless and love my neighbor, right?” (see Matthew 22:39) Yes, absolutely! But how much are you trying to do for others right now? Perhaps what you desperately need is some time doing some of those things for yourself.

Sometimes I may decide to quickly post something, even though I have a thousand other things to do. Or I may answer an email, even though it’s already 11 p.m. and I’m urgently needing sleep. We often do things like this so we won’t disappoint others. Can you relate?

Interestingly enough, sometimes we give our “neighbors” exactly what we won’t give ourselves: time, rest, and refreshment. Jesus’ commandment is to “…’Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:39, NIV, bold added) But are we reversing the order to say, “Love yourself as your neighbor“?

God doesn’t make mistakes! I believe this verse appears in the Bible exactly as it is for a reason. God knows how quickly we can burn out, and that’s why He wants us to take self-love (self agape love) seriously.

Do you love yourself so that you can thenlove your neighbor? Maybe you need to say “no” to some commitments and “yes” to you today.

You are a miracle!

Déborah

We would like to thank Jesus.net for providing this plan.

May 4 – Romans 5

Romans 5:3-5

3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

4perseverance, character; and character, hope.

5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Thoughts

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings…”  What? First let’s go back one verse, where Paul says, “Through [Jesus] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2, ESV). We have obtained access to the Heavenly Father by faith into his grace. Now think about the words, by faith into grace. Faith in Jesus leads us into the grace of God. That is amazing. In my home, the front door leads into the entryway. Our spiritual door is faith in Jesus. Faith is how we step through the door and stand in the place that is grace. So rejoice! You are standing in God’s grace. 

Then after verse 2, Paul says, “Not only that….” and then says, “but [a contrasting term] we rejoice in our sufferings.” Stop the music! Hold the bus! Slow down, pilgrim, you say. You understand that we can rejoice as we stand in God’s grace. You see that we can rejoice in the hope of God’s glory, but rejoicing in suffering? You’re not so sure. What kind of suffering? Paul isn’t talking about suffering, is he?

The Greek word for “suffering” here is thlipesos:  to crush, press, compress, squeeze. So this verse literally says that we rejoice in being crushed, pressed, compressed, and squeezed. Do we really? Why? I’m glad you asked.

Paul says that “suffering produces endurance.” Is that supposed to be good? Suffering doesn’t produce deliverance, but endurance. So I am going to go through this stuff for a while. And “endurance produces character.” Okay, I see what he is saying now. And “char­acter produces hope.” So what you’re telling me is that my suffering eventually produces hope. Hope of what? Suffering produces the hope that we will get to stand in the glory of God.

We will never be ashamed if we hope, because God has poured his love into us through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. 

Application

Think about the suffering you are experiencing. Is it the result of a choice you made? Is it from a relationship? Is it from the fallenness of this world? Whatever its source, how can you allow it to work in you to produce character and hope? Today’s suffering can produce an eagerness to experience God’s glory. 

Prayer

Lord, help me to look at my current sufferings with joy. Not because suffering is joyful, but because I know you have poured your love into my heart and I know that one-day I will be in your presence… (Continue praying)

We would like to thank Peacemaker Ministries for providing this plan.

May 3 – Nehemiah 9; Ephesians 5

Nehemiah 9:32-33

32“Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.

Ephesians 5:1

1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

Thoughts

In Nehemiah’s prayer he refers to God as gracious, merciful, mighty, awesome, righteous, and faithful. Think about each of these characteristics of God. He is gracious (compassionate). Merciful (forgiving). He is mighty (strong). Awesome (to be revered). He is righteous (just). Ethical (moral). He is faithful and peaceful, a God of lovingkind­ness and steadfast love. Even though we act wickedly, he deals with us faithfully. 

Paul says, ”Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV). Think about all the words we just used to describe God. Think about how children imitate their loving parents. We are to imitate God in all of his attributes. We are to imitate his grace, compassion, mercy, and faithfulness. He is to be revered and we are to revere him like children do who have loving parents. 

Application

This topic is one of the most challenging aspects of our walk with God. We are to imitate his grace to others. We are to imitate his compassion and faithfulness. Whether our relationships are healthy or not, we still need to imitate God. Your marriage may be crumbling, but you need to show compassion and mercy to your spouse. You may have experienced the wickedness of this world, but you need to remain faithful and strong. Don’t lose heart. It is not by your grit or might; in the face of another’s wickedness, you are only able to imitate God because of his work through Jesus Christ on the Cross, as you are empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

Prayer

Lord, help me to imitate you. I am experiencing brokenness in some relationships right now. I need your compassion to transform my anger. I need your mercy to transform my judgment. (Continue praying.) 

We would like to thank Peacemaker Ministries for providing this plan.

May 2 – John 14

John 14:30-31

30I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,

31but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now; let us leave.

Thoughts

Jesus is speaking of his death. He understood that he would be betrayed by Judas. He knew that the religious leaders of his day would have Him crucified. He then makes a bold statement about his enemy: “… he has no claim on me.” In other words, the enemy cannot have victory over Jesus. Then why did Jesus die on the cross? Because he was being obedient to his Father. This is hard for us to grasp as humans. We would do anything we could to avoid the beating and death that Jesus experienced. We also know that in Jesus’ humanity, in his physical being, he did not want to die in the manner he did. And he dreaded being separated from his father. But ultimately, Jesus wanted the world to know that he loved the Father. This is so amazing – the devil didn’t make Jesus die. He wanted to die for us. Why? Because he loved the Father.

Jesus’ death was painful; it was brutal; it was horrific. His death, the sum of all painful sums, made his resurrection the glory of all glories. What if Jesus had gotten a paper cut for our sin? Then His resurrection wouldn’t be a big deal. But his death was a big deal – it was all of sinful humanity and demonic forces coming against the sinless Jesus to rob the world’s only hope of salvation. Jesus’ life was not taken from him; he obeyed his father, and that is why the resurrection is glorious. What was Jesus’ motive? His love for the Father. 

Application

If Jesus loved the Father so much that he laid down his life for all people, shouldn’t we also lay down our lives for our friends and even for our enemies? Not as a means of salvation (Jesus did that), but we lay our lives down out of love for the Heavenly Father. John wrote, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16, ESV). In your relationships today, how can you lay down your life for your friend, or even for your enemy, out of love for your Father? 

Prayer

Lord, help me not to allow the enemy of my soul to lay any claim to me. Let me freely lay down my life because I love the Father, for the other person’s sake – for the purpose of living out the Gospel to them…. (Continue praying.)

We would like to thank Peacemaker Ministries for providing this plan.

May 1 – Hebrews 13; Matthew 23

Hebrews 13:8

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Matthew 23:25

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Thoughts

Jesus Christ is the same. He has always been the same. He will forever be the same. Jesus is the same today, and yesterday, and forever. This is so reassuring. Think about the eternalness of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t say to the adulteress woman, “I had compassion in the past, but for you now I am not sure.” He didn’t only say to the Pharisees long ago, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25, ESV). Jesus says the same to us when we worry about cleaning our outsides and not changing our insides. Jesus, who calmed the storms in his disciples’ lives, will calm the storms in your life. 

Application

How does Jesus’ unchangeableness apply to our relationships? Think about this: Jesus proclaims, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10. ESV). The thief – the devil – wants to steal, kill and destroy relationships, but Jesus desires you to have abundant life, both personally and in all your interactions with others and with God. I know you don’t think that Jesus came so that your relationship with others would stink. So here it is: Jesus is the same every day, always has been and always will be, and He wants you to experience abundant life in every aspect of your life, including your relationships. 

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for always being the same. I live in a world that seems to change constantly, but I can rely on you never changing. I ask that you bring your abundant life into my relationships. I really need your help to show your life to others.… (Continue praying.)

We would like to thank Peacemaker Ministries for providing this plan.

April 30 – Psalm 102

Psalm 102:12

12But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;

your renown endures through all generations.

Thoughts

God is forever enthroned. He is forever remembered. Sometimes our days may feel long. It may feel like the worries of life have overshadowed us. Our joy may be withering like grass, but God is still forever enthroned and forever remembered. 

Although we live in a fallen world, God still sits on his throne. Although our enemies seem to prevail, God is still on his throne. Although sickness may have attacked our bodies, God is still enthroned. Although you may be afflicted, God still sits on his throne. Tears may flow and depression may linger, but God is still enthroned. 

How will you remember Him today? Will you remember what He seemingly isn’t doing? Or will you remember him for what He has done? Generation after generation, will you remember His goodness? Will you remember His works? His deliverance? His comfort? Today in the midst of your trial remember and proclaim God’s goodness. Your circum­stances may not be good, but God is good. 

Application

We all need absolutes about God in our life. These absolutes will help you get through your circumstances, If you believe that God is good – I mean, truly believe God is good. Then when your circumstances say that life is bad and your thoughts wander to, “Maybe that means God is bad,” you will take a stand and clearly state, “My circumstances may be bad, but God is good.” Think about your closest human relationship. Have you ever had a struggle in that relationship? In the midst of that struggle, you can proclaim, “God, I remember you and I believe you are enthroned.” In other words, “God, I submit to you as the Lord of this relationship. God direct me. Teach me. Search me.”  Don’t be afraid to talk to him. He is amazingly good.

Prayer

God, today in my relationships, I proclaim that you are enthroned and I will remember your works in me. Lord, please teach me, search me, guide me, and direct me. You created me and you created the other person. Be our Lord. Help me to honor you. (Continue praying.)

We would like to thank Peacemaker Ministries for providing this plan.