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Author Archives: John D. Willome

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About John D. Willome

I post a blog of daily devotions that are my prayer journals based on scripture.

“Two Sets of Joneses” by Big Tent Revival

25 Apr

“Two Sets of Joneses” by Big Tent Revival

Well, this here’s a song about two sets of Jones’
Rothchild, Evelyn, Reuben and Sue
Just for discussion, through random selection
We’ve chosen two couples who haven’t a clue
Rothchild was lucky to marry so wealthy
Evelyn bought him a house on the beach
Reuben and Sue, they had nothing but Jesus
And at night they would pray that He’d care for them each

And the rain came down
And it blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
And one set of Jones’ was standing that day

Evelyn’s daddy was proud of young Rothchild
He worked the late hours to be number one
Just newlyweds and their marriage got rocky
He’s flying to Dallas, she’s having a son
Reuben was holding a Gideon’s Bible
And he screamed, “It’s a boy!” so that everyone heard
And the guys at the factory took a collection
Again, God provided for bills he’d incurred

And the rain came down
And it blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
And one set of Jones’ was standing that day

So, what is the point of this story?
What am I trying to say?
Well, is your life built on the rock of Christ Jesus?
Or a sandy foundation you’ve managed to lay?
Well, needless to say, Evelyn left her husband
And sued him for every penny he had
And I truly wish those two would find Jesus
Before things get worse than they already have

And the rain came down
And it blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
And one set of Jones’ was standing that day
And the rain came down
And it blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
There’s two sets of Jones’
Which ones will you be?

Dear God, I was listening to a playlist yesterday of 90s Christian music and this song came up. It brought back memories of 1995 (the year the song came out). My wife and I were living for a year in Dallas, and I worked for a Christian music publisher. I actually helped sell this album through a technologically-obsolete marketing stream called the “record club.” On Saturday mornings, a TV station on cable would play Christian music videos, and I remember seeing this video and liking it. I also remember feelings of arrogance, now that I think back on it. Kind of a, “Yeah, my wife and I are doing this right so we will have the good marriage. We love Jesus.”

Thirty-four years of marriage, 30 years of parenting, and decades of watching others succeed and struggle (sometimes both) changed my view of this song and the arrogance I had. As I sat down this morning and started praying about this, it made me wonder how the members of Big Tent Revival have done over the years and how they would reflect on this song now. Over the last 30 years, I’ve come to see messages like this song as a type of “prosperity gospel.” Someone is offering me checkboxes to get what I want. If I will be humble, worship you, and foresake earthly pursuits then I’ll have that marriage and family that I want. But I’ve come to learn through experience that that’s not how life works. Yes, you provide a bedrock of love and guidance for me, but a marriage can still fall apart even when both people are following you. I know a couple who lost a son to suicide three years ago. The husband is a pastor. She filed for divorce recently.

With the struggles I’ve been through, I used to complain that I was disappointed with you. How could you let these things happen? I knew life would still throw me curveballs, but you were supposed to be teaching me how to hit them, right? But that’s not how it works. Life happens. You just say, “Come to me. I will give you rest.”

Father, don’t get me wrong. I think the life spent worshipping you, repenting before you, and loving others will exhibit fruit that I want, but it will be fruit that grows out of me, not fruit that I consume from others. Life is going to do what life is going to do. There are good people dying in Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, etc. They don’t have much control over it. Life is happening to them. I thank you for the patience you’ve had with me over the last 30 years. I’m not the man I was in 1995. Honestly, I don’t know how much I like that version of me. I mean, I was alright for a 25-year-old, but I was so much more dogmatic than I am now. Some people would call that “woke.” I call it humble. So I sit here this morning and humbly ask that you be my God and help me to move through this day, offering you to everyone I see.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 25, 2026 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Troubled Times

24 Apr

“These are troubled times. The world is full of strife and heartache. Men and women everywhere seek peace of mind and heart, and wish desperately that they as individuals could do something toward lifting the heavy blanket of gloom and fear that opposes mankind.”

David Dunn in the introduction of Try Giving Yourself Away. Published in 1947

Dear God, there’s a little backstory as to how I started reading this book, but I’m on vacation, and I opened this book last night. It was gifted to my father in 1964, and he recently re-gifted it to me for my birthday with a lovely note telling me the story about how he came to get it and what it meant to him.

I was amused by the second paragraph of the introduction I quoted above. I thought, “Hold it! Wait! I thought 1947 was a time we were all trying to get back to. Wasn’t America great then? If we could get back there, isn’t that where my “happy heart” will be (I’m looking at you Madame Blueberry!)? I was so amused I sent it to 11 friends and family. My dad replied, “The way we won WWII with Hiroshima was a schizophrenic ‘Joy! We won!’ and ‘Doomsday!'” Hmm. Maybe 1947 wasn’t the peaceful nirvana I’ve been told it was. Maybe people in the moment weren’t looking around and saying, “This is the best!” Maybe they looked back at the 1920s, pre-Great Depression, and thought, “That’s when we were great!” And then the people in the 1920s looked back at 1900 and thought, “Things are so crazy and gluttonous now. Drinking is out of control. We need prohibition. If only we could get back to a time before the Great War. Times were simpler then.”

Of course, I’m saying all of this from the perspective of a white man in America. If I had been a person of color in any of those past times…well, let’s just say things weren’t that great back then.

So where does that leave me this morning? Still amused. Amused at our own foolishness. I referenced Madame Blueberry earlier. It’s a great little cartoon by VeggieTales that my wife and I still joke about nearly 30 years after its release. It has a character who is constantly looking for a “happy heart.” At one point, she goes to “Stuff-Mart” to see if she can buy a happy heart there. Where is a happy heart that will bring her the peace she’s looking for? Eventually, she learns from Junior Asparagus that “a thankful heart is a happy heart.” That’s largely true.

I think about Jesus’s parable of the sower often. The four different types of soil: the path, rocks, thorny, and good soil. The thorns are what I battle. Jesus describes the thorns as pursuit of wealth and the cares of this world. I don’t so much pursue wealth, but I don’t ignore it either. But I do allow the cares of this world–these troubled times–to affect me and bring me down. And they choke out your Holy Spirit in my life. In my heart. They choke out the fruit that the Spirit grows in me.

Father, Dunn says that the secret to happiness is giving yourself away. And I think he’s on the right track, to a certain extent. But from what I can tell three chapters in, he is thinking of giving myself away as a cause and not an effect. He thinks that I can just choose to give myself away. I would counter that the peace of giving myself away starts with the cause of worshipping you, putting my faith in you, and laying down my idols. What are some of my idols? A stable U.S. economy. A powerful U.S. military that will keep me “safe.” A corruption-free government. A government that is compassionate and kind–not cruel and mean. Children who live up to all my expectations. A wife who lives up to all my expectations. Enough money in my bank account. The ability to buy what I want whenever I want. You know, the stuff Jesus said was the thorns: the pursuit of wealth and the cares of this world. So help me to lay down all of those idols today. You are my one and only God. I will do my best to have no other gods before you. And I will try to love everyone around me as myself.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 24, 2026 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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Romans 14:1-13

23 Apr

14 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
    and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”

12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

Romans 14:1-13

Dear God, sometimes it seems like Paul is all over the map. I like this passage, but how does it square with 1 Corinthians 5:12?

12 It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 

It’s a lot of fun to judge other people. I was talking with a friend about another person I know recently about gossiping, and I told her that if you want to get in good with this person all you have to do is sit and “dish” with them about other people. Then they will be your fast friend. But that friendship will be thin because that person will be “dishing” about you sometime soon.

What I like about Romans here is that it reminds me that all sin is equal and capable of separating me from you without Jesus’s mercy, so when I get wrapped around the axle about someone else’s sin I’ve probably forgotten just how much I’ve been forgiven for. How much you still forgive me for each day. I add to my sin list every day, but the good news for me is that you cannot see it through Jesus’s blood.

Father, I want to look at verse 13 here and ask that you please help me to live in a way that builds others up and does not cause them to fall. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be for your kingdom and your glory. I’m about to start a couple of days of vacation. I need this break. Please restore me. Lead me beside still waters. Help me to lie down in green pastures. Prepare me to return to the world on Monday in a way that will bring you glory, honor, and help your kingdom and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be with my wife and me over the next four days. Help us to be completely united and bless each of us through the other.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 23, 2026 in Romans

 

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Romans 1:13-20

22 Apr

13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Romans 1:13-20

Dear God, I heard someone say this morning that when you take a piece of scripture out of context then you are likely using it as a pretext to justify whatever you believe. I would say, at a minimum, there’s a danger of doing that, although sometimes, with the way our Bibles are organized, it can be easy to make that mistake. For example, the verse of the day today on Bible Gateway was Romans 1:20. But Romans 1:20 starts with the world “For.” So it is expounding on smoething else. Then you back up and see verse 18 starts with “But.” Go back, and verse 16 starts with “For.” You have to go all the way back to verse 13 until you get to a point where Paul is starting his thought. He wants to go to the Romans to tell them about the Good News. He is not ashamed of the Good news about Christ. The Good News tells us how to be right in your sight. God [you] show your anger against sinful, wicked people. We have not excuse for not knowing you because we can clearly see your invisible qualities, eternal power, and divine nature through your creation. If I’d just have done verse 20 then I’d have missed all of that context.

So here I am to walk a life that is right in your sight through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus. That means I get to sit here and worship you this morning with a repentant and humble heart, understanding just how much you’ve forgive me for and be grateful for your forgiveness. Then I get to think about and care about my family and friends. Pray for them that their lives will be ordered by you and that they will be healed from their pain. That my friends struggling with their adult children will be comforted and their children will be healed from addictions or other wounds they carry. That they will be safe from domestic violence. That they will feel your face shine upon them. That if they are mourning they will be comforted. If they are poor in spirit, they will be lifted up by you. If they are merciful then they will feel and receive your mercy. If they are humble they will see you. I pray that for all of my friends and family.

Father, as for me on this day, I am speaking to a group of graduating seniors tonight who are in the National Honor Society. Their parents will be there as well. I think you’ve given me a word for them. I pray that you will be in that word, bless that word, and plant seeds tonight, even though the wisdom in the words I share will be limited. But let the words find good soil. Let them grow. Prepare their hearts to hear you today. To hear you through me. Give them something to hold onto. Give them you to hold onto.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 22, 2026 in Romans

 

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John 10:22-33

21 Apr

22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

31 Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32 Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

33 They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:22-33

Dear God, I had a couple of thoughts when I read this passage this morning.

First, if I don’t buy into John’s thesis in John 1–In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” then the rest of the book makes Jesus sound like a lunatic with a God-complex. But if I believe those words, then I’m in on every outlandish thing he says and does like here.

Second, verse 24 makes it sound like they are eagerly hoping he will say yes so they can follow him, but it turns out that at least some of them are actually trying to trap him so they can stone him for blasphemy. They were more interested in confirming their bias and responding out of their hate than they were seeking your insight into who Jesus was and what that meant for them. But some were open to who he was.

 41 And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42 And many who were there believed in Jesus.

Nicodemus comes to mind as a Pharisee who approached Jesus with an open, inquisitive mind in chapter 3, meekly tries to defend Jesus in chapter 7, and then cares for his dead body after the crucifixion in chapter 19. He was more interested in your truth that confirming his own biases.

Father, I don’t even know where to start when it comes to recognizing my own biases and rejecting the bad ones. I am a fool who has trouble telling the difference between wisdom and idiocy in my own thoughts much less the thoughts of others. Holy Spirit, I ask that you whisper to me in your still, soft voice. Give me eyes to see what you want me to see. Give me ears to hear. Help me to be your blessing in this world. And help me to worship you well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 21, 2026 in John

 

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1 Corinthians 15:51-53

20 Apr

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

Dear God, this happens to be the passage of the day from Bible Gateway, and it is appropriate because it is the anniversary of the death of a young man I never knew, but whose life and his family overlaps with ours in a weird tangential way. I’m not going to get into that right now. You know the story. I just want to take this time to pray for this family who lost their son 13 years ago. The horror. The anguish. The pain of the loss. Yesterday was the anniversary of a day in our family’s history that, in the words of my wife, ripped the fabric of our family. Today is the anniversary of another tragedy that ripped the fabric of another family. And then there is another friend whose son died three years ago this last Saturday. I thought it was a few days from now, but I just looked up his obituary and I had missed it. For his parents, its been incredibly painful, and I know there marriage struggles. I’m impressed the first couple has remained married. Honestly, I’m impressed by wife and I have remained married through our tragedy. There is always so much blame to go around in times like this, including blaming ourselves. And all three of the situations I’m talking about were preventable. The outcomes could have changed had better decisions been made–maybe by everyone. The tragedy is felt and internalized. The despair is palpable.

But then verse like this remind me how small this life is. Paul lets us in on “a wonderful secret.” There is hope in a life that is redeemed after this earth passes away. The new earth is waiting, and it has work for us to do. There’s no room for selfishness or foolishness there. I cannot bring those things with me. And I’ll gladly leave them behind for the opportunity to be made whole and exist in your presence forever. Loving my family. Loving my friends. Loving my enemies. Loving well.

Father, I pray that the two couples I’m thinking of who lost their sons too young will feel your healing and comfort today. I’m reminded of the couple whose adult son was healed from his blindness by Jesus. Everyone, including the disciples, wanted to blame them. But they were not to blame. Jesus said so. I pray that you would break down the acts of us blaming others or ourselves. Comfort them today. Raise up people in their lives who will love on them and give them your sense of caring and compassion. Help them to turn loose of the “what might’ve beens” and embrace the years they had with them. When we have sons and daughters we can’t help but have dreams for them. Each of them. I pray that you will somehow today, impart dreams for their sons that they cannot even fathom on this side of death. Unite them togethe as couples comfort them through each other. Save this one marriage that is on the brink.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2026 in 1 Corinthians

 

Luke 24:13-34

19 Apr

13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

19 “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

22 “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29 but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34 who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

Luke 24:13-34

Dear God, this was the gospel reading this morning in church. It’s my wife’s favorite Bible story. I really like it as a good one, but my favorite remains Joseph and Nicodemus caring for Jesus’s body after the crucifixion. That would be an interesting conversation starter with someone I know is a Christian: “What’s your favorite Bible story?” Or, “Who is your favorite Bible character?” I guess it makes sense that my favorite Bible stories are aligned with my favorite characters. My top three are Joseph, Jesus’s earthly father, Nicodemus, and Jonathan. The story for Joseph is the opening of Matthew before he gets his angel visit. He was the kind of man who would cover and care for Mary before the angel told him it was okay and she was telling the truth. For Nicodemus, he cared for Jesus and jeopardized his career and standing in the communit before the resurrection. And for Jonathan, I love the last meeting in the woods between him and David where he pledges to David that he will abdicate his throne and serve him one day. All three men were willing to cost themselves everything for what they believed in. For Joseph, it was his compassion and integrity. For Nicodemus, his love for Jesus and his anger towards Caiaphas and crew. And for Jonathan, his humility in accepting that David would be your king over himself.

But I digress. Today, we are looking at these two disciples (man and wife?) who are going home to their hometown and trying to make sense of the world around them. They are confused. Disappointed. Sad. Maybe even disillusioned.

I think about the Christian podcasts I listen to. Slow Theology says something like, “Simple faith for chaotic times.” The Russell Moore Podcast says, “We look for sign posts in a strange time.” He used to say “confusing times.” I always roll my eyes at the idea that we think these are the strangest, most chaotic, or the most confusing times because I think everyone feels that way about whatever moment they are in. We look back on the 80s and 90s and simpler times, but we felt like they were crazy. In the 80s, we looked back on the 50s and felt like those were the simpler times, but the people living through them didn’t feel that way. No, we almost never know what is happening around us. What is going on, even right in front of our faces.

So now, as I sit here typing out this prayer, how confused do I feel? I would anser that by saying that I feel about the average amount of confused. I mean, as I write this, things are a mess in the Middle East, they are a mess in Ukraine. They are weird in Asia and South America. Africa is a constant mess. Closer to home, there are problems in my community that I don’t know how to fix. And even closer to home, there are parts of my personal life that break my heart. And I don’t necessarily feel like I have you to “open the scriptures” to me, but I find in all of these stories the idea that you are here to comfort and guide me throuhg this minfield of disappointment and sorrow.

Father, your name is great. You are the greatest. You are above all of your creation. I am here to worship youI pray that, in the midst of the curent chaos and confusion, you would use the pain of this time for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give all we need to survive the day. I pray the same for the Iranians and Ukrainians. Give me what I need today, and help me to lean into my dependence upon you. Forgive me for the sefishness in my heart that I pursue and consider pursuing. Help those parts of me to die. And lead me away from the things that tempt me. Deliver me, from evil.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 19, 2026 in Luke

 

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Romans 13:6-7

18 Apr

6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Romans 13:6-7

Dear God, it feels like this is the verse of the day Bible Gateway intended to run on the 15th and not today. My first thought was that it’s just not that hard to pay taxes and I don’t understand why so many people cheat on their taxes, but the truth is that it can be hard to spend that money and watch it just go away. Harder still to see what the government does with it sometimes. My wife came up with a thing years ago that she just thinks of our federal taxes being used to pay for national parks. I liked that and I’ve been thinking of it that way ever since.

Tax week is a special annual marker for me every year. Years ago, I had the worst week of my life during tax week, and it was totally unrelated to taxes. I just remember that April 15 was a critical day in my history. That weeks ended up being tragic for a lot of people. The vibrations of it are still felt more than 10 years later.

I was watching a video recently where three guys were talking about the TV show Ted Lasso, which you know I love. They talked about a character named Zava who had a four-episode arc. They were talking about how Zava seemed like a wasted character, but I pointed out in a comment that Zava’s presence moved another character, Jamie, to the next level in his development. He was the catalyst for movement.

I think of that because it seems like that week all those years ago was certainly a pivotal moment in a lot of lives. I haven’t yet found the redemption in it. I still see nother but bad things that came from it. Well, I can’t say that. What happened on the 15th spurred me into an action that might have saved someone’s life four days later. What did saving that life do? Well, it saved someone precious to me. There’s still a lot of pain there. There’s still broken relationship there. On paper, the fallout from it still looks terrible for a lot of people. How will it be redeemed? Will it be redeemed?

Father, here’s the thing. I don’t have to know that it will be redeemed. It is what it is. Life happened. Maybe I made mistakes. Maybe others made mistakes. But you know how much I still hurt and how much others hurt. I will bring that hurt to you and ask that you comfort me. I ask that you will raise up voices in the lives of the others impacted by the events of that week that I’m referencing and comfort and guide them. Make this pain count, please. At some point, please make this pain count. Oh, and help the government have the wisdom and discernment to use our taxes well.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2026 in Romans

 

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1 Corinthians 1:18-23

17 Apr

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
    and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”

20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

1 Corinthians 1:18-23

Dear God, I really like verses 22 and 23 where Paul talks about your “foolishness” from the perspective of the Jewish people of the day and the Greeks. The idea that Jewish worshippers of you would see it as offensive that you/Jesus were crucified makes sense. How could you possibly be killed? Humiliated? Suffer such a defeat? Then, for the Greeks, it would just make no philosophical sense.

I remember a young Christian woman I knew was dating a devout Muslim. Remarkably, the longer they dated the closer they got to the religions of their childhood. She was ulitmately baptized in a Baptist church while they were dating. She remarked that Christianity was the only religion that leaned on your mercy. For her boyfriend, that was nonsense. Just accepting your mercy through Jesus was too easy.

As for me, I wantt o sit here and judge others for being so foolish, but I know I can be such a fool too. I get ideas in my head about you or what you think of things that are totally wrong. I think of verse 20 above that talks about the philosophers, scholars, and brilliant debaters. Yes, I like to think of myself as thoughtful and intelligent. As having great insights. But the truth is that I am a fool. Any insights or wisdom I get comes from you. It comes from times like this, reading what you recorded for us through scripture and then asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me through it. And to give me ears to hear.

Father, let that be my prayer today. Let me be about being humble in the face of the people I talk with. Help me to listen and learn from others. My inclindation is to try to be impressive. Now that’s foolishness! Help me to be intentionally humble because the truth is that I am a fool and nothing without you. Help me to grow a little more of your fruit today so others might be drawn to you. I have three specific appoitnments today and a lot of letters to write. Help me to be a blessing to all.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 17, 2026 in 1 Corinthians

 

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Romans 13:8-10

16 Apr

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Romans 13:8-10

Dear God, our small group last night was talking about the idols we can make out of our devoutness. It is easy to make piety my idol. It’s easy to even make doing these prayer journals my idol. But if we focus on these things–going to church every time the door is open, spending our daily time in prayer or praying so many minutes a day, listening to only Christian music, etc., but have not love for our neighbors in need then we are a loud, clanging gong (1 Corinthians 13).

But it does start with legitimate worship of you because if I’m not submitting myself to you, worshipping you, asking for forgiveness for the things I do that grieve you, and then accepting that forgiveness in a loving relationship with you, then I will not be able to extend forgiveness to others, and I won’t know how to love them because I won’t really understand how much you love me.

Father, I know you are love because the closer I get to you and the more I turn loose of my worldly idols the more I feel love. The less selfish I become. Speaking of love for others, I have a friend who has to be nervous about a doctor appointment they have today. Help them through this process. Guide them. Guide the doctor. Father, have mercy. Jesus, have mercy. Holy spirit, have mercy.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 16, 2026 in Romans

 

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