Jesus is our Hope on this US National Day of Prayer (5/1/25)

For those in the United States, what are your plans for participating in the 74th National Day of Prayer today?

This year’s theme: Pour out to the God of HOPE and be filled

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Guess what? The theme artwork for this year’s National Day of Prayer was done by a UK artist, Julie Ann Scott, based on passages from Revelation! Our greatest HOPE is the God of HOPE who reigns forever and will return for us.

One of the passages is Revelation 19:11-14     ¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

My kids’ school is hosting an event tonight at 7pm. Feel free to come and join, if you live in the area.

 

Or, you can find an event near you at the National Day of Prayer website: https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/events/gathering-search

Or, join the live broadcast at 8 pm ET here:

https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/events/2025_broadcast

The specific 7 spheres of influence to be covered in prayer are Family, Church, Education, Media (including Arts/Entertainment), Business (and Workplace), Military and Government. Whether you plan to join an event today or not, will you stop right now and pray over these areas?

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Unleash the 7 Trumpets (4/24/25)

 I was on a short trip part of this week, so sorry this is a day late. Normally I write the devotional Wednesday night and post it Thursday morning, but this week I didn’t get to write it until yesterday.

Remember the complete silence in Heaven when the 7^th Seal was opened by the Lamb a couple weeks ago? Well, that 7^th seal ushered in 7 more judgments via 7 angels with 7 trumpets.

Revelation 8:6-12    ⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

⁷ The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— ¹¹ the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

Jesus unleashes numerous catastrophic judgments on the earth in these first 4 “trumpet judgments.” A third of the ground, water and sky will all be affected. However, intentionally 2/3 will not be affected. Jesus’s judgments aren’t rash or impulsive. They are intentional and gracious. It isn’t random or coincidental. The orderliness in the judgment shows WHO is in charge. Jesus continues to give people a stark warning and additional opportunities to repent and turn to Him before it is too late.

As the Creator of all, His judgments point back to Him as the One in charge of all Creation. He is the One worthy of all worship. I have an easy reminder of that as I look outside. In Michigan this week, the spring colors suddenly popped. The daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, Magnolia trees, and Dogwood trees are all in bloom with yellow, red, purple, pink, and white scattered all over. Let’s praise Jesus as the Creator and sustainer of all! He is worthy of our worship as both Creator and Judge.  

Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Worthy – As the Perfect Holy Week Lamb (4/17/25)

Today (Maundy Thursday) is the day we remember Jesus’s betrayal and arrest, among at least 10 other significant events that happened this last day before Jesus’s crucifixion. He was unjustly sacrificed for you and for me. Yet, that was God’s plan of redemption. Jesus was the only One who could once and for all pay the price for our sin. He was the only completely perfect Lamb. As such, He is worthy to be back at God’s right hand, worthy to open God’s scroll, worthy to reveal God’s plans to us, worthy of our service and worthy of our praise! 

Revelation 5:6-12 ⁶ Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹² In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

Jesus gave up all to give us all! How will you and I worship and serve Him today and this weekend for His worthiness as our Perfect sacrificial Lamb?

Last year, we washed each other’s feet, just as Jesus washed His disciples’ feet the day before His death. I would like to try to do that again tonight and talk about other ways we can serve each other as Jesus served His disciples. Jesus then served us in the ultimate way by laying down His life for us! Praise our worthy Lamb!!!