Category: Prodigal Blog

Verse of the Day – Romans 15:4

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope."

Romans 15:4 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: Do you ever feel like you should have read the instruction manual? I wish kids came with one, especially right now as I have one teenager and within the next 2-4 years I will have FOUR teenagers under the same roof. WHEW!!! Parenting little children is SO much easier. That being said, they are still a blessing. If we think about it, we do have an instruction manual. The whole of the bible has been laid out for our instruction, from the Old Testament all the way through Revelation. While there aren’t any specific verses on how much screen time we should allow our kids to have, there are certainly verses about what our priorities should be. God didn’t take the time to create us and then say, "Okay! Now, go figure it out on your own!" He has given us instructions through His word, so we can stand tall and be encouraged to be filled with hope for the next generations. Isaiah 55:11 says that "The word of God does not return void." It also has some amazing stories in there. Stories of redemption, faithfulness, love, and hope that will last forever. All we have to do is spend time reading His word and praying that He would work through the Holy Spirit to grow us in character and in spirit as He desires.

Prayer for today: I pray that we would see God’s word as something that needs to be a priority in life as it speaks life to all aspects of our lives. That we would be avid learners of our Creator and Sustainer. I pray that God would continue to grow us toward His heart so we may not only experience the love, peace, and hope that He offers us, but to be able to share that precious gift with all we meet.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Romans 12:12

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer."

Romans 12:12 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: Leave it to the apostle Paul to put things in perspective for us. He doesn’t try to cover up the fact that the Christian life is not without difficult times. When I read this verse, I think of the words of Isaiah 40:31 that says, "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." I get a word picture of our posture. Rejoicing in hope, to me, is standing, hands raised much like the wings of an eagle. Being patient in suffering would be like running and not growing weary. Persevering in prayer would like walking and not growing faint. There are perfect times for each of these postures. Each can remind us of our relationship with God and how we should come to Him in worship. Whether it is hands raised and celebrating, worshipping in stillness due to our suffering, or on our knees as we ask for His presence and strength as we are pressing on toward Christlikeness. Emmanuel – God is with us. Our hope is always with us and we are never alone.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray a special blessing on all who are following Him. May He give us the grace we need to extend the grace needed for others who are not seeking Him. May we never give up hope on those whom He desires to save. I pray that He will impart all that we need to devote our lives to His work on this earth.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Matthew 6:21

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:21 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: What are we adamantly stockpiling? What is filling our store houses? My grandfather had a woodshop/barn that he worked in after he retired. He would make amazing wood crafts from rocking horses to toy boxes to front porch swings. I don’t think there was anything that he couldn’t make. But in order to make wood crafts, you have to have a lot of wood. He had a HUGE stockpile of wood so he could have access to whatever he might need for any given project. Now, God owns everything, so he doesn’t need our stuff, but what He may not have access to is our hearts, not fully. It is so easy to become distracted by the daily grind and give our hearts to other things. God only desires one thing from us. Our everything. We are of the greatest value to Him. Why? Well, He created us in His image and He gave us free will. All other created things live for Him, but we have a choice. His most valued creation, He gave a choice.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we would take a look at where our devotion lies. That we would sincerely ask God to show us what we treasure most. If it is not Him, I pray that we would invite God into those areas of our lives that need His almighty presence and that during this season, we would remember the love that was sent to us through the birth of our Savior.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Colossians 1:13

"He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,"

Colossians 1:13 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: I have two nieces who were adopted from China. They are beautiful and I love them dearly. I can remember when my brother and sister-in-law were overseas to bring the oldest of the girls home. I saw pictures and video of "Z" and I fell in love. She felt like family even though she had not learned any English. She was singing songs in Mandarin Chinese. Those moments truly reached my soul and I couldn’t help but think of how much God loves us. He has rescued us from ourselves and our situations. He changed our lineage and our bloodline just by our willingness to choose Him back. When we first come to Christ, we may not know exactly how to communicate and might still feel a bit distanced, but love can reach beyond ALL boundaries. His love us pure and justice. God’s love NEVER fails.

Prayer for today: If we have lost connection or hope in God, I pray that we would reach out to Him. He is ALWAYS with us, no matter how we might feel. I pray that we would be reminded, especially through this Advent season that God’s love for us is just as fervent as it has ever been. That we would open our hearts and minds and let His love conquer all doubt in our hearts.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Numbers 6:24-26

"May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: I hear this verse fairly often during the benediction at my church. I never get tired of hearing it though. This verse reminds me of when I was younger and my dad would sit on the floor, legs crossed and ask if I wanted to "sit in Big Bird’s nest." I loved these times. You see, my dad has been in construction since before I was born and always had a faint essence of freshly cut lumber. He would wrap his arms around me and just rock me back and forth. My dad is a strong fella and is a good bit taller than me. I was always in awe that my dad wanted to just sit on the floor and spend time with me. This is the same picture I get when I hear the verse from today. God is loving, hopeful for you, sees the best in you; is gracious and kind and just wants to help bring you peace. Yes, God is strong and mighty. He can breathe out stars and create mankind from dust and bone. But praise to the God above, He loves us more than we will EVER understand.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we would begin to more fully understand the breadth of God’s love for us. That we could just be at peace and just sit in His presence so we can learn from Him and just be held. I pray that we would share that love with others who might have lost their way or need the hope and peace that God has given to us so they may know the goodness of His love.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Galatians 6:10

"So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith."

Galatians 6:10 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: Let us work for the good of all? Well, what about the people that treat me horribly or berate me? Certainly, I don’t have to help those people, right? According to the example of Christ, yes, all means all. Sure, we might get strange looks or snide remarks from some, but we need to remember that the good we do for others is up to us. How the good work is received is up to them. Our obedience in making the most of every opportunity will be rewarded with spiritual growth and gain a little more insight into God’s heart for His people. So, when you see the opportunity, go for it.

Prayer for today: I pray that we would ask God to give us a heart like His so we can interact with His people how He would want. That we would have a spiritual boldness to step out in faith to help or serve someone else, even a total stranger. Lastly, I pray that as a result of our obedience, God would use those moments to increase His kingdom.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Romans 3:24-25

"they are now justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;"

Romans 3:24-25 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: The apostle Paul is addressing the Jewish Christians of the day to remind them that just because their ancestors were religious doesn’t give them a free ride toward being God’s people. Yes, Jesus died for all of mankind, but we still have to choose to live out a Christlike life. God is quite the gentleman as He has given us free will to either choose Him or choose our own way of life apart from Him. Notice the phrase "effective though faith." Ah! That’s the catalyst. Our heavenly Father made a way for us by sacrificing His son so our sin-debt could be paid. What, then, should our response be? Firstly, we have the choice to choose to live for God rather than for ourselves. Secondly, we live a life of Christlikeness out of a response from the freedom we have received from our sin. The only catch is that we cannot live a Christlike life without God’s work through the Holy Spirit. The more we surrender to God, the more He can do in and through you.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we all will take time out of our daily lives to give thanks and praise to our grace-filled, loving God, who has shown us such love even though we did not know Him. That we would recognize the sacrifice that was paid for our freedom and be humbled by this act of selflessness. Lastly, I pray that we would come to know that "our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness".

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – John 15:4

"Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me."

John 15:4 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of abide is "to remain stable or fixed in a state." So, the verse could mean "Remain stable/fixed in me as I remain stable/fixed in you." Whether for good or bad, whatever we root ourselves in is how we grow. If we root our lives (read: identity, worth, attitude, etc.) in our job, we will only be as life-giving as that environment. If we root ourselves in God, we are bound to be better fit for all situations. You see, He is the giver of life. I’ve tried to do life apart from God and let me tell you, IT DOESN’T WORK!!! Sure, you still live and breathe, but sooner or later, living and breathing won’t mean much. It is God alone that loves us unconditionally. Just as Jesus was embedded in God, we should strive to do the same. We have to strive to just let go of what we think God wants for us and to invite Him to show us.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we would allow God to uproot us from whatever is holding us back from more of Him. That He would show us those things that keep us from remaining stable and fixed in His presence. I pray that we would lay down our lives so that He can direct us as He sees fit.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Psalms 9:1-2

"I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and [rejoice] in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High."

Psalms 9:1-2 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. This year was bound to be a bit different due to the pandemic, but I hope you all had a restful time with family either way. There is a church sign that I pass on my commute to and from work. The sign last week read, "Thanksgiving is not a day, it is a lifestyle." You know, I had to agree with that. It is so easy to fall into the habit of not being thankful. That habit can start as easily as not being able to see family for Thanksgiving. From what I have studied on, being thankful and being content go hand-in-hand. I would love to see my parents as I have not seen them since last Christmas, but I remain thankful that they are a phone call or text away and that they are well and God is continuing to move in their lives. During this past week, many families did their best to celebrate the holiday, but there were empty chairs due to people passing this year. I know that several people in my life are now worshiping at the feet of Jesus. I remain thankful for their lives that glorified God and the mark they left on my life. Let us be thankful with a spirit of contentedness.

Prayer for today: Today, I pray that we give thanks with all that we are and all He has made us to be. That we would learn to be content in all things and give thanks in all situations. Lastly, I pray that we would ask God for His wisdom and a bigger perspective when situations aren’t the best. That He would show us what we can learn from those trying times.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…

Verse of the Day – Proverbs 12:25

"Anxiety weighs down the human heart but a good word cheers it up."

Proverbs 12:25 (NRSV)

Prodigal Thoughts: Have you ever been anxious to the point where you felt weighed down? Like an elephant was sitting on your chest and you could barely move? I sincerely hope you don’t have to deal with that level of anxiety. I face this quite often, but this verse is so true though. Anxiety can be completely overwhelming, but an encouraging word can help to break up the anxious thoughts and feelings. One interesting thing about this verse is that there is no distinction on if the "good words" are being spoken TO the person or being spoken BY the person dealing with anxiety. The thing that helps me most when I am feeling overwhelmed is to encourage others. It helps to take my mind off of what I’m dealing with and I’m able to witness the effect of encouraging words on others. This almost immediately begins to put me at ease. Next time you are faced with anxious feelings, give it a try and see what happens. I’m no doctor, but it has helped me through tough times.

Prayer for today: I pray that when we feel overwhelmed, we would ask our heavenly Father to bring us peace. That He would direct us to an encouraging verse or moment when He has come to our rescue in the past. I pray that we would seek peace for ourselves and be the catalyst for that peace for others.

If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.

God’s grace on you…