Matthew 27:46 “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Observation:  Jesus demonstrated his incredible love for us by experiencing hell in our place.  He was willing to be forsaken by the Heavenly Father so that we wouldn’t have to be.  In a mystery we cannot understand, Jesus, the Son of God, became sin for us, who knew no sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  The “light of the world” was surrounded by the darkness of this fallen world.

Application:  In light of this tremendous sacrifice, how should I respond?  I can live a life of gratitude for what Jesus has done for me.  I can live in freedom because he has set me free from the bondage of sin.  I can be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) for my Savior who sacrificed his life for me.

Prayer:  Dear Jesus thank you for being forsaken by the Heavenly Father for me.  Thank you for enduring the punishment that I deserve.  Help me to live a life that glorifies you and help me to share your love and mercy with those around me.  Help me to be willing to be a living sacrifice for you.  In your precious name, Amen.

Paul Michaletz

Matthew 27:32-34 “As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. ³³And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), ³⁴they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. ³⁵And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. ³⁶Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. ³⁷And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Observation:  Jesus was willing to be humiliated and to suffer an unimaginably painful death on the cross so that we could be forgiven and rescued from the bondage of sin.  He died for all including the soldiers who were crucifying him and dividing his clothing among them.  Even though he truly was King, he became the suffering servant (Isaiah 53).

Application: Am I willing to endure humiliation and suffering for the sake of the Gospel? Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).  To deny oneself, is an every day battle because we are by nature self-centered.  Jesus wants us to be others-centered.

Prayer:  Thank you Jesus for suffering and dying on the cross to save me from my sin.  Lord give me a heart and compassion for others and help me be willing to suffer for your namesake.  In your name, Amen.

Paul Michaletz

Matthew 25:40

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

This Scripture passage is taken from the larger account of the final judgement in Matthew 25. Beginning in verse 31, it says: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” After the Son of Man, Jesus, separates the sheep from the goats, He tells the sheep on the right about the many ways they have served faithfully.  This includes feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting those who are sick or in prison. Then the righteous answer by wondering when they did all these things.  And then Jesus answers in verse 40, that as the righteous did it to the least of these my brothers, they did it to Jesus. 

Notice that Jesus first separates the sheep from the goats.  We know from many places in Scripture that salvation is a gift of grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” This makes it very clear that our salvation does not depend on what we do or don’t do.  So why does Jesus say all these things to the righteous sheep on the right?  If we look at verse 10 of Ephesians 2, it says: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  As people who are saved by grace, we respond by walking in the good works that God created us to do.  And this passage in Matthew 25:40 tells us that as we serve those in need around us, we are actually serving Jesus.  

So how can we apply this to our everyday lives?  First, it is obvious from this passage of Scripture that God knows everything about our lives and we will all give an account to Him.  2 Corinthians 5:10 says.”For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.”  That probably makes all of us feel a little uneasy.  I know I don’t measure up against God’s standards and I have messed up plenty.  That is why I am so grateful for the free gift of salvation I have received because of the death and resurrection of Jesus who paid the penalty for my sin. As a result of that gift of salvation, we are invited to walk in a relationship with our Savior.  Our hearts are renewed, and God puts new desires in our hearts.   Matthew 6:21 says: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”  When Jesus becomes our treasure, the desire of our hearts is to serve him by serving others.  Psalm 37:4 says: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires”.  Also Philippians 2:13 says:“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

These Scripture passages are great reminders that when we are walking in relationship with Jesus and finding our treasure in Him alone, He puts new desires in our hearts.  The cool thing about this whole passage in Matthew 25 is that our service becomes a natural part of who we are.   2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) says: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”  As we live this new life in Jesus, our service goes unnoticed to us and we will be surprised when Jesus tells us on judgement day about all that we have done.  It’s good to remember that as we serve others, Jesus is right there with us.  Afterall, He is Immanuel, God with us. And Jesus tells us at the end of the great commission in Matthew 28: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We might wonder: “What if I don’t feel like serving?”  I have times when I feel that way as I’m sure most of us do. We are all sinners and our sinful flesh is selfish.  When I am feeling unmotivated to serve, I go back to remembering the great price Jesus paid to redeem me.  I ask myself several questions: “What is my response to the Gospel?  How is my relationship with Jesus going?  Have I been neglecting spending time with Him in His Word and in prayer?” Our first response should be to plead guilty to letting our sin get in the way of our relationship with Jesus.  We can go back to the Gospel message of forgiveness and put to death those sins that so easily affect our attitudes. I need this every day!  Then we can say with David in Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  It is great to know that the blood of Jesus washes away my sins and God gives me a “clean heart” and a “right spirit.”  My prayer is that until that day when I will stand before God, I will be his “workmanship” that he created me to be, and that serving him becomes more and more a natural part of who I am in Him.  Let’s pray that prayer together.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your forgiveness of my sin and the free gift of salvation.  Thank you that you have given me a new heart and a new life to serve you.  Give me the power to serve others as a natural part of walking in relationship with you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Paul Hoemann

 Matthew 6:13

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

If you are reading this blog daily, you will see that this verse is an extension of the subject of temptation I wrote about yesterday. Today’s verse is a short one that is a familiar line from “The Lord’s Prayer”.  But what does it mean?  Does God sometimes actually lead us into temptation and therefore we need to ask him not to?  It’s important here to look at this passage in context of the rest of Scripture. James 1:13-14 says:“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.  Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” So, what does this mean?  As I have been reading and researching this, it is important to look at this part of the Lord’s Prayer as one statement, not two. This petition is about battling and defeating the evil one, satan.  In fact, the Greek word used here for “evil” can probably be more accurately translated “evil one”.  If you read yesterday’s blog, you may remember that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  Jesus was victorious, and that victory can be ours, too.  So, I believe what we are asking God is that He helps us to not allow our own desires to lead us into a place of temptation but that we would be delivered from the evil one.  

I found that this verse is actually a Hebrew idiom called a strong “dialectical negation” where a seemingly negative statement is related to an ultimate positive to establish extreme emphasis. It might be helpful to look at another passage that uses the same kind of language.  Psalm 51:1-2 says: “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”  Surely God is not going to cast us away from His presence or take His Holy Spirit from us.  But this passage is written to make us realize the extreme emphasis of the joy of our salvation and having a willing spirit.  So, it could be read like this:  “Rather than experiencing the absence of your presence or your Holy Spirit; instead, help me experience the joy of my salvation and a willing spirit to follow after you.”  So today’s Scripture could be read like this:  Instead of being in a place of temptation, deliver me from the evil one and give me victory like Jesus’. I also like the way the New Living Translation says it: “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

That’s a lot of explanation and observation of a simple verse.  The real issue is: “How do we apply this?”  We all face temptations. The question is….what do we do when we are tempted? In yesterday’s blog, I wrote about different ways we might be tempted as Jesus was with a reminder to do what Jesus did…. Speak God’s Word into the situation.  That necessarily means that we should be familiar with God’s Word so we can turn to it and be victorious. Psalm 119:11 says: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  That is so important!!!!  If we don’t have God’s Word in our heart from reading and meditating on it daily, it will be hard for us to resist temptation and sin.

I also like what it says in 1 Peter 5:8-9: ^“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.”  So, we can ask ourselves each day: “Am I alert to what the devil might tempt me to do?  Do I recognize my enemy’s tactics?”  He will probably be going after areas of weakness in our life.  And when we find ourselves in the middle of a temptation, what do we do?  Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”  I encourage you to read through this entire section of Ephesians 6 and practice putting on the armor of God.  It will make you strong and victorious.  And like it says at the end of this passage, don’t forget to pray!  And be persistent in your prayers!  So, when we face temptation, we can ask God for victory over the temptation through His Word and prayer and by putting on the armor of God.

How can we defeat our enemy? We’ve already looked at the importance of God’s Word. Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us good advice regarding temptation.   I won’t copy the whole section here, but please consider these excerpts: “

Let’s do just that….pray! Heavenly Father, we pray that you will give us the strength to not yield to temptation.  Equip us with your Word and prayer.  Enable us to put on the full armor of God every day to stand firm against the evil one who tempts and attacks us.  Even though we cannot see with our human eyes what is happening in the spiritual world around us, we know that there are battles taking place all the time.  You are the Lord of Hosts or armies.  We pray for you to fight our battles against our enemy and show us victory.  Thank you that you won the ultimate battle against the devil when you died on the on the cross and said, “It is finished.”  And in by resurrection our ultimate victory is secured.  Help me to remember that every day and live in that victory.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Paul Hoemann

Matthew 4: 1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴ But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple ⁶ and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷ Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

As you probably recognized, this is the account of Jesus temptation in the wilderness by the devil. I find it interesting that Jesus “was led by the Spirit” into the wilderness.  As I researched this, I found that the wilderness is also called “the place of demons”.   In Matthew 12:43, Jesus talks about an unclean spirit (demon) going to a waterless place (wilderness) when it is cast out. The Spirit specifically led Jesus to a place of demons to be tempted by the devil.  God also led Israel into the wilderness to be tempted.  Look at what it says in Deuteronomy 8:2: ”And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”  Jesus is victorious in his temptation, whereas Israel failed.  We too have failed God’s tests in our lives, but Jesus is our substitute who defeated satan for us to set us free from satan’s power.  Let’s look a little closer at each of the three temptations.

Satan’s first temptation attacks Jesus’ physical hunger.  The second temptation challenges Jesus identity.  The third temptation challenges Jesus position and authority. Jesus defeats satan’s temptation in every case by correctly using God’s word even when satan misquotes it.

Let’s apply this section of scripture to our everyday lives.  We are all tempted and tested, but what can we learn from Jesus?  First, we can learn how to recognize temptations and tests, and then be prepared to respond in accordance with God’s Word.  It is important for us to be reading God’s Word daily so we are familiar with it and can apply it to every situation. Otherwise, it will be easy to fall into a trap that the devil sets for us. 

Satan’s first temptation of Jesus appealed to his physical hunger, a basic need.  Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3: “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  It makes me realize that God has a purpose in allowing things to happen in our lives, and sometimes those things are not pleasant from our perspective.  We may even think that means that He doesn’t care.  But on the contrary, things we lack are there to keep us humble and dependent on Him just like the test with Israel (that they failed over and over). But I am also reminded by Jesus’ answer that our life depends more on God’s provision through His Word than on “things”.  When I am in God’s Word, he gives me the strength to trust Him more and more and gives me the perspective on what I REALLY need in life…… Jesus.

Satan’s second temptation attacks Jesus identity. He starts out by saying: “If you are the Son of God.”   But Jesus didn’t fall for this trick.  He knows who He is and so should we.  Sometimes I fall into the trap of forgetting that I am a child of the King and try to find my identity in my career or my talents and hobbies.  It reminds me of a scene from a recent movie called “Overcomer”. The main character (John) visits a man in the hospital (Thomas) who asks him this question:

“John, if I ask you who you are, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?”

John answers: “I am a basketball coach.”

Thomas: “If that is stripped away?”

John: “Well, I am also a history teacher.”

Thomas: “OK, if we take that away, who are you?”

John: “Well, I am a husband and father.”

Thomas: “And God forbid, that should ever change, but if it does, who are you?”

John: “I don’t understand this game.”

Thomas: “It is not a game. Who are you?”

John: “I am a white, American male.”

Thomas: “Yeah, that is for sure. Is there anything else?”

John: “Well, I am a Christian.”

Thomas: “What does that mean?”

John: “It means, “follower of Christ.”

Thomas: “And how important is that?”

John: “Very important.”

Thomas: “It’s Interesting how it is so far down your list.”

John: “OK, wait a minute, I could have easily said Christian first.”

Thomas: “But you didn’t.  Look John, your identity will be tied to whatever you give your heart to.  Doesn’t sound like the Lord has first place.”

John: “Are you calling me a bad Christian?”

Thomas: “Let me be a little direct. The last time you were here, you said you would pray for me. Did you?”

John (after a long pause): “No.”

Thomas: “For someone who knows the Lord, you act like somebody who doesn’t, which makes me wonder, what have you allowed to define you?  Something or someone will have first place in your heart.  But when you find your identity in the one who created you, it will change your whole perspective.”

As the movie progresses, John eventually discovers his true identity in Christ and it changes his attitudes, perspectives, and his LIFE.  The world tries to mold us into its identity, and satan wants us to find our identity in a lot of things other than who we are in Christ.  God wants us to find our identity in Him.  We sing a praise and worship song at AIC that includes the chorus: “I am a child of God!”  We need to believe that and live it!

Satan’s third and final temptation is to try to convince Jesus that he will have much more power and authority if He bows down to worship satan.  But once again, Jesus is victorious over that temptation by quoting scripture from Deuteronomy 6:13 which says that God only is to be worshiped and served.  When satan tempts us to give our worship and service to lesser gods, we must remember to worship the only one who truly deserves it, God our Father.  He gave His life for us and for our salvation.  We respond to that truth by giving him our exclusive and undivided worship and service.

In summary, Jesus overcame satan’s temptation and He stands ready to help us.  Satan is clever and will attack us in our areas of weakness. It is a good idea for us to understand the devil’s tactics and stand ready to resist them by remembering the truth of God’s Word and asking Jesus to help us.  Hebrews 2:18 says: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”The concluding verse in this Scripture says: “Then the devil left him.”  That reminds me of James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you for overcoming satan’s temptation for us.  Thank you that you understand satan’s tactics against us because you were tempted, yet without sin.  Please give us the power to stand firm against temptation and live victoriously because our identity is in you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Paul Hoemann

Isaiah 53:10-12

Yet It was the will of the Lord to crush him;

    he has put him to grief;

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,

    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

    make many to be accounted righteous,

    and he shall bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,

    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,

because he poured out his soul to death

    and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

    and makes intercession for the transgressors.

As we continue to look at Isaiah 53, we read more prophesy about Jesus and his suffering and death for our salvation.  This section starts out talking about “the will of the Lord to crush him”.  That is a difficult thing to fathom.  How can it be God’s will to crush Jesus, his only son? When I read this, it reminds me of how great God’s love is for us that his plan of salvation would involve this level of grief and punishment on someone innocent to “make an offering for my guilt".  But we know that Jesus not only died, but he was raised from the dead and he lives!  And because he lives, we, his offspring will prosper spiritually and eternally.  That is part of God’s will, too!  Verse 11 tells us that Jesus shall “see” or know and understand that by his suffering and “anguish of his soul” we are made or accounted to be righteous because he paid the punishment for our sin.  Verse 12 goes on to tell us that not only did Jesus “pour out his soul to death”, but he was crucified with criminals which reminds us that no matter how much we have sinned, he paid the full price for all of it.  And then this section concludes by telling us that Jesus makes “intercession for the transgressors”.  Wow! That is powerful!  Jesus love for us includes praying for us!  If you remember, Jesus prayed for those who were crucifying him when he said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

So how do we apply this? First, it amazes me that this prophesy about Jesus in Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus was born.  God’s love and promises in His Word for us are always true.  That is a good reminder for us of the value to read the truth and promises in the Bible daily. As I recall how Jesus suffered pain, anguish, and grief for me and took my place and my punishment for my sin, I feel a humble gratitude.  As we walk through lent, I always find it helpful to reflect on what Jesus did for me and reflect on my response.   Am I truly thankful for what Jesus did for me?  And is it reflected in how I live?  It is so easy to take our salvation for granted and live as if we deserved it because of how good we are.  We certainly don’t deserve it!  But it is so easy to become complacent about our faith and forget about the grace shown to us by Jesus.  

I recently read a book called “The Gospel for Real Life” by Jerry Bridges. The author made the point that we need to remember and think about the message of the Gospel every day. That means not just through lent, but every day of our lives.  In this book, the author tells a story about two men who happened to be kneeling side by side at the communion rail of an English church.  One was a former convict who had served time and was now out of prison. The other was the judge who had sentenced him to prison years before.  After the service the minister asked the judge, “Did you recognize the mam kneeling beside you?”  “Yes, I did,” replied the judge.  “That was a miracle of grace.”  “You mean that a man you sentenced to prison should be kneeling beside you?”  “No, not at all,” said the judge.  “The miracle is that I should be kneeling beside him.  You see, that man knew clearly he was a sinner in need of a Savior.  But I was brought up in a religious home, have lived a decent, moral life, and have served my community.  It is much more difficult for someone such as I to recognize his need for a Savior.  I am the miracle of grace!”

We know we are saved by grace.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  But it is so easy to forget about the cross and God’s grace, and drift toward a performance-based relationship with God.  I’m reminded of what it says later in Isaiah chapter 55:

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
³ Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;

The last phrase in today’s Scripture is truly amazing.  Jesus intercedes (prays) for us!  When I don’t know how to pray, Jesus is interceding for me before my Father in heaven. I’m sure Jesus is praying for me in some areas of my life that I don’t even realize I need prayer.  It is comforting to know that Jesus knows me even better than I know myself.  Because he redeemed me and has now adopted me into his family and called me his own, I know he cares about my life. Speaking of prayer….. let’s close today with prayer.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross for my sin.  Help me to remember the depth of love you have for me by paying the debt for my sin.  Help me to remember this daily and may my life reflect my gratitude. Thank you for praying for me, too.  Help me to be ready to share your grace and love with others when you give me opportunity. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Paul Hoemann

March 1

Title: “What’s The Difference?” 

Scripture:
Revelation 5:6-10 “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Observation:
What an interesting vision! The Revelation of Jesus is one of the most interesting and difficult and rich and blessed books of the bible! But, here, Jesus is seen as, “the Lamb, as though it had been slain” (v.6). AND, HE has “made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (v.10). So two thoughts! First, is Jesus, through His death on the cross FOR us, has won the victory over our sin, and the fear of death and the evil one! Second, THAT makes a difference! So what’s the difference? Well, words like: “kingdom” and “priests” and “reign” stick out! AND, there’s a LOT we could say about these! There’s a RICH study available in this, if we’ll pursue it! But, the verse that comes to mind for me is from Peter’s first epistle:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” - 1 Peter 2:9
So, BECAUSE the “Lamb was slain”, WE have become “a royal priesthood”! And our life’s purpose is to “proclaim the excellencies of Him (Jesus)”!

Application:
So HOW will you “proclaim the excellencies” of Jesus today? Perhaps start with corporate worship and instead of just standing there during the music, choose to “proclaim the excellencies of Jesus”! Then throughout your day, find ways to speak of how GOOD Jesus has been to you! Tell someone what you’re THANKFUL for because of HIM! Share with someone what you find to be “excellent” about God!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, THANK YOU for your excellencies that You have shown through Your cross! Thank You for saving us! Thank You for calling me INTO Your Kingdom and service! Help me to have a deeper understanding of Your work and Your desires for my life and teach me through Your Word what it means to “proclaim” with ALL of my life how GOOD YOU ARE! Amen!

Pastor Tim