“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” ­  Matthew 7:24

"The strongest people aren't always the people who win, but the people who don't give up when they lose."  Ashley Hodgeson and/or Liam Payne

Lord, help my house to be built on You so that when I may lose, I will be strong enough to be a winner.

“Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly-not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.” 1 Peter 5:2 NLT

Whatever group we find ourselves, it is crucial to focus on the others in the group more than we focus on ourselves.  If everyone in the group puts the self-interests and needs of the others before their own, then math proves that no one is left out of being supported and loved.  However, when all we do is look out for ourselves, no one in the group receives any support, including us.

Lord, life is a TEAM sport and I need to quit playing "1 - on - everyone else" and then expect everyone else to pass me the ball or block for me. 

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.”  Acts 16:25-26

​It is understandable to read the account in Acts and to surmise that that point of the story is that praying and singing to God would elicit an earthquake and open up the prison cells.  A miracle by most accounts.  To me, I see it as more miraculous that two guys stuck in jail for no good reason can muster up enough faith to sing and pray instead of complain and curse at the guards.

Lord, help me to have a fraction of the attitude that Paul and Silas had because my trials are only a fraction of being imprisoned unjustly.

"And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
'God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.'” -- James 4:6

Newton's third law, also known as the law of action and reaction, is what most people refer to as cause and effect.  Basically, when we do stuff, other stuff happens.  We don't live in a vacuum.  Our actions don't simply impact ourselves and only apply to a singular moment in space and time.  We screw up and it has consequences.  However, one of those consequences is admitting that we screwed up and then the unintended benefit/blessing is God's grace.

Lord, grace is a gift given but it does require my repentance and humble acceptance.

"But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord
or speak in his name,
his word burns in my heart like a fire.
It’s like a fire in my bones!
I am worn out trying to hold it in!
I can’t do it!"  Jeremiah 20:9

Why is it that we can't stop gossiping or talking about other people's business that has nothing to do with us but when it comes to things we should talk about, we can't find words?

Lord, please help me be more concerned about others and their relationship with You and less concerned about their daily choices or opinions that I may disagree with.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, ”  Romans 8:28-29

Everything isn't good.  The expectation that everything is or should be good is why there is a lot of pain, hurt, anxiety, depression, separation, and frustration in society.  Life is messy and difficult and frankly it sucks sometimes.  Hoping that things will always be good is, what one of my mentors would say is "a hopeless hope".  The HOPE is that "God causes things to work together for the good".  So even when things are messy and difficult and ... we have the hope that God will take it all and make it purposeful and meaningful and complete.

​"​God isn't trying to make our lives easier; He wants to make them more meaningful."  Bob Goff

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation."  1 Peter 5:10

"That vacation went by so quickly".  "Time flies when we are having fun".  "Before you know it, your kids will be all grown up and leaving the house".  "Why is this app on my phone taking 2 seconds to load when it should be immediately?"  Time is relative.  For a four year old, a month feels like an eternity because a month is 1/48 of their life.  For a 20 year old, a month is 1/240.  In perspective, 1/240 is equal to 6min in one day.  So one month, or about 30 days, to a 20 year old is 6 min of a day which isn't much time at all.  

Lord, help me to realize that most things I go through may seem like a long time but in relation to eternity, it is only a little while.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud…” 1 Corinthians 13:4

​Love requires us to fight every urge in our body to do what we WANT to do.  Love requires us to be self-less and not selfish.  Love requires trust in Jesus because love requires us to trust that our natural instincts are wrong and His teachings are right.

Lord, help me to realize that my natural tendency is to do what I want and that typically isn't very loving.

"Therefore since we also have such a large crowd of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus."  Hebrews 12:1–2

​Try sprinting all out, as fast as you can, and you will discover two distinct truths.  One, you can't do it for very long (maybe 10 seconds and then you start slowing down).  Two, you need to stop because you are out of breath and require oxygen.  Life is longer than 10 second and we can't survive without breathing.  therefore, life is an endurance race and not a sprint and it is essential that we understand that fact.  If we continue to sprint through our life, we will not make it very far without needing to stop and fight for our next breath.  If we understand that life is long and difficult and requires determination and motivation and patience and getting uncomfortable and overcoming "pain" over a long period of time, we will be less discouraged and more likely to finish the race ... and we will actually enjoy the run.

Lord, help me to realize that my attempts to sprint through life do nothing but leave me breathless and tired and much further from my destination than I desire.

“They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, 'All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!'”  John 8:7

Before complaining or criticizing or judging or "ripping on" or making fun of someone, a good first step is to walk into a bathroom and find a mirror and say to yourself what you want to say to that person or about that person.  The next step is to go on with the rest of your day.

Lord, help me to realize that grace and forgiveness are always better than jealousy and judgment.