Day 27 | Success With Advisers
Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” One of the most recent failures that I faced as a pastor was moving into a large facility and having to break our lease because of the lack of finances. Words cannot describe how defeated and discouraged I felt. I have…
Read MoreDay 28 | Life-Giving Rebukes
Proverbs 15:31, “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.” My Mom is Italian and my Dad is Polish. Both of their grandparents came from the mother country. They were the first generation to marry outside of their nationality- up until that time their parents and relatives married within…
Read MoreFamily First
Five Ways I Try to Always Put Family First Do “good morning greetings” and kisses before I start work. Share as many meals together as possible. Consistently do nightly prayers before bed. Have a family fun night once a week and let them pick the food they eat and activity. Share hobbies together like watching…
Read MoreDay 29 | Humility Before Honor
Proverbs 15:33, “The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Solomon gives two important principles in the above proverb with their positive outcomes. First, he mentions that the “fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom.” The fear of the Lord is an honor and respect for God and…
Read MoreDay 30 | Commit to the Lord
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Have you ever seen two children fight over a toy? One yells out, “Its mine!” The other responds, “But I had it first- give it to me!” I feel the same is true many times with God; however, we’re the only…
Read MoreTimes Like These
Today in the US gay marriage rights seem to be winning the socia, media, and political battle while the abortion mills keep slaughtering thousands of unborn children a day. At the same time, here in Chicago there were a dozen people shot last night (on Good Friday) and one was killed in five different incidents…
Read MoreDay 1 | Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” The word “prayer” in the Bible has two different applications. First, it means, “to make a request” or “ask for something.” Second, the…
Read MoreDay 2 | The Lord’s Prayer-1, Hallowed be Your Name
Matthew 6:9, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” As Jesus began to teach His disciples how to pray He gave them a basic outline and routine. Today, his example prayer is known as, “The Lord’s Prayer.” However, many people use this specific prayer to actually violate Jesus’ command in the prior verse. In…
Read MoreDay 3 | The Lord’s Prayer-2, Thy Kingdom Come
Matthew 6:10, “… your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The second “exercise” of the Lord’s Prayer “workout” is to bid God’s kingdom to come on the earth as it is in heaven and for God’s will to be done. God’s Kingdom or the Kingdom of God is…
Read MoreDay 4 | The Lord’s Prayer-3, Give Us Our Daily Bread
Matthew 6:11, “Give us today our daily bread.” The third exercise in the Lord’s Prayer workout is to pray for one’s needs to be met in the context of community. After a believer has started their prayer by praising and “hallowing the name of God” and seeking first “His kingdom to come and His will…
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