A taker or a contributor; which is it?

Father, Your word says, “bear fruit” or perish. That sounds harsh but it is only harsh to those who do not seek to bear fruit. We know that You give us different gifts by which to serve You but none of is without a gift. Help us seek to serve You this day, knowing that the tests and challenges of life serve to bring understanding and growth. You “prune” us, as painful as it may be at times, that we might bear more fruit.

Do doubts about God imperil or disable you?

You offer us a stern warning that we “must believe and not doubt”. Father, please help us with the doubts that sometimes come upon us. We feel so imperfect and at times very uninformed. Help us today to realize that is not our perfection that encompasses us when we approach You. We come to You in the righteousness of Jesus, cleansed by Him, led by Him.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are yours…accept them!

Father in the midst of the turmoil of this world, Paul reminds us of what we can experience right now. We look forward to no more pain and disabilities for eternity. Here and now You grant us the fruits of the Spirit, freely given to all who seek them; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. No matter how difficult life can be, these promises are to us all, right now.

Trouble surrounds me. Where can I find refuge?

Father, these brief words remind us that most of us have a multitude of anxieties which distract us from the comfort of Your presence. When, in the midst of anxiety, we are able to step back and remember the transitional nature of most circumstances, we can find comfort in our eternal relationship with You.

What is it that will make heaven perfect for you?

Father God, You have chosen to make us in Your image. We know, for those that love and obey You, that we are not yet what we will become. Life can seem so long when we are hurting yet You have prepared an eternal place of perfection for us all where we will be neither young nor old and certainly not ill. We look forward to something so perfect that it escapes our ability to fully describe it.