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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.

1 Kings 19:18

15 Jun

“…18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

1 Kings 19:18

Dear God, I was reading one of my favorite Old Testament stories this morning about Elijah running, being in the cave and you asking him, “What are you doing here?” I love it. But then as I read on, I saw this one passage in verse 18 that caught my eye. You preserved those in Israel who had never bowed down to Baal or kissed him. Their fealty to you was seemingly credited to them as righteousness. These were not perfect people. They also weren’t necessarily brave people. They were just lovers of you and it counted for something in your eyes.

I wish I could somehow convey to people, whether they be my family, coworkers, or anyone else in my sphere of influence, how amazing it is to get to know you, worship you, and be transformed by you. I wish others could see that the sacrifice of self and the time taken to get to know you and commune with your Holy Spirit is worth it. I wish I was more effective in that.

Father, I’m not a righteous man. I’m not a brave man. I do think, however, I’m earnest. I earnestly love you. I earnestly love my wife, children, and family. I earnestly care about those around me. Please help that count for something and use me how you will in this world so that your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in the heavens.

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

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 15, 2024 in 1 Kings

 

“Alive & Breathing” Matt Maher (ft. Elle Limebear)

14 Jun

“Alive & Breathing” Matt Maher (ft. Elle Limebear)

What holds your heart
What stirs your soul
What matters come to mind
The cares you keep
The thoughts you think
It’s not all wasted time
Seek and you will find

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Years roll by
We wonder why
We lost our way from home
Our Father finds
The child inside
We had left for growing old
Awake, awake, awake my soul

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Let everything, let everything
Let everything praise the Lord
In the working, in the waiting
Praise the Lord
In the blessing, in the breaking
Come on, praise the Lord
In the dying, the rising
Let it praise the Lord
Let it praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Elle Limebear / Matt Maher

Dear God, I’m about to have breakfast with a friend. I’m not sure what his emotional state is, but I know he’s facing a challenge in life. I’m not sure why, but I woke up with this song in my head, and it encouraged me. I hope you can use me as an encouragement to him as well.

The first verse of this song reminds me of the prayer I learned to pray several years ago: “Father, make it count.” If there’s going to be pain, make it count. If I’m going to struggle, make it count. If I’m going to sin and repent, at least make the sin count.

Father, right now, as I go to meet with this friend and prepare to talk on the phone with another friend, I ask that you take all of this and make it count. Awake my soul. Worship the Lord. He is God. You are my God, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. I am yours today.

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

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 14, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Luke 11:11-13

13 Jun

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Luke 11:11-13

Dear God, I assume this verse of the day from Bible Gateway is given today as a preparation for Father’s Day. Is it for those who maybe have father issues and a reminder for them that you are a better father than their earthly fathers? Is that why the person at Bible Gateway chose it?

I was speaking with someone yesterday about how difficult Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be for some people. Some don’t celebrate it at all because of the pain they feel. Maybe they have an estranged relationship with a parent or child. Maybe they had the loss of a parent or child. Whatever the case may be, as I’ve gotten older I’ve started to realize that the number of people who struggle on some of these holidays might be as great or greater than those who sink into the joy of them. For myself, I certainly used to sink into the joy of it, but the last few years only really bring pain. So how do I deal with that pain? It’s a question I’ve asked myself before. The best answer I’ve come up with is to take my eyes off of myself on those days, pray for others who might also be experiencing pain, and worship you.

Father, that’s probably the answer every day. 1.) Take my eyes off of myself. 2.) Pray for others experiencing pain. 3.) Worship you. Not necessarily in that order. So I will start with that this morning. I have some family and friends who are going through different trials this very morning. Please be with them and help them. Heal where healing needs to happen. Comfort where comfort needs to happen. Help them all to draw close to yourself. Love them completely and well. Help everyone who comes into contact with their situations, from family, to friends, to doctors, be touched by you and drawn into closer fellowship and communion with you. I pray for the family of a woman I know who died on Sunday. Such a sweet woman of 92. Help her children to heal. Help her friends to heal. Her loss will be felt by a lot of people. And help me to be exactly who you need me to be today for others. Be glorified, oh Lord. You are amazing, God. You are amazing.

I offer all of this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 13, 2024 in Luke

 

Psalm 19

12 Jun

Psalm 19

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
    It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens
    and follows its course to the other end.
    Nothing can hide from its heat.

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

14 May the words of my mouth
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Dear God, thinking back to the discussion I heard on the Voxology Podcast several months ago about the Psalms and categorizing them as psalms of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation; this one is my favorite kind of psalm because it’s the easiest for me to deal with theologically: orientation. This is just straight up speaking truth. You are awesome. The world proclaims your glory. I am sinful. Search my heart and cleanse me.

So, here I am to worship. To proclaim your glory! Here’s an interesting phrase in verse 7:

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.

It’s amazing how much there is out there in the world that is just waiting to poison my soul. It wants to bring me down to its level. It wants me to sink into the bitterness it experiences. What is “it?” “It” is Satan, but it uses others it has corrupted to bring down. Oh, Father, help me keep from being something it uses to bring others down. No, please lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.

Father, I’ve been using the close of my prayer journals lately to pray for others. Today, I want to focus on three people I know with some stage of cancer or complications from cancer. I won’t name them specifically for their privacy, but you know who they are. Oh, please, be with each one. Love them. Encourage them. Heal them. Give their caregivers strength. Give their doctors wisdom and insight. Use this pain to do something none of us can see. To draw anyone who touches the situation to you. To heal relationships. To inspire. Make their paths very straight. As I said when I mentioned giving the doctors insight and wisdom, give them a very clear path forward. And send your angels to comfort. Send your angels to be with them on their behalf. To protect them. Their caregivers and loved ones too. Be very present with them, Holy Spirit. Be very present with all of us.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 12, 2024 in Psalms

 

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Acts 11:21-26, 13:1-3

11 Jun

21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

Acts 11:21-26

13 Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

Acts 13:1-3

Dear God, I had a couple of thoughts as I read the New Testament reading for the Catholic church this morning. 1.) As Paul and Barnabas taught that first year in Antioch, what was the focus of their messages? What was their priority to teach them first and make sure they understood? 2.) I never noticed that one of these men, Manaen, was a childhood friend of King Herod Antipas. It reminds me of a woman I knew whose brother was friends with Fidel Castro in Cuba growing up, but he later fell out with him as friends after the Cuban Revolution and Castro took over as dictator. I wonder what it was like for Manaen to know Herod so well and yet not know him now.

But going back to the first part of my musings, what would Paul’s and Barnabas’s priorities have been to get across to the people in Antioch that first year? What would be my priorities if it were me outlining a first year plan?

  • How to nurture a relationship with God.
  • How to pray.
  • How Jesus taught us a whole new way of seeing life.
    • Love your enemies.
    • Love your neighbor as yourself.
    • Forgive all.
    • Love the poor and help them.
  • Avoid sexual immorality (in every list of sins Paul gives in his epistles, it always seems like sexual immorality is the lead-off hitter).
  • Avoid all of the other sinful behaviors that most already knew they should avoid but didn’t.

I’m probably missing a ton of things, but I think that is a pretty good list. It seems like when he gets frustrated with the different churches in his epistles these are usually the areas he focuses on.

Father, let me start by saying I am sorry for my sin. I want to be wholly and “holy” yours. I am sorry for the times when I take over, indulge my insecurities and selfishness and hurt you and others (not to mention myself). I am sorry for the things I do to come between you and me and me and others. I don’t want anything to get in the way of me living out the two great commandments. And I worship you, God of the universe. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are unbelievable. You are amazing. You are beyond words. You are my only hope. I pray that you will do your will on earth through me and through your church. But I know you are not limited to that. I pray that the ungodly will find themselves doing your will as well. I pray that you will hear my prayers for both the needs I have, but also the wants I have for friends who are sick or facing other challenges. Please have mercy and let it be in your will to heal the people who are on my heart right now. Strengthen their caregivers. Guide all of us closer to knowing you and your heart. Forgive me of my sin. I am sorry. Help me to forgive others. Reveal my unforgiveness to me and show me how to address it and let it go. Show me the paths around temptation and give me the courage to take them. This is everything from hate, to lust, to gossip. Make me a source of light in this world.

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

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 11, 2024 in Acts

 

Colossians 3:12-17

10 Jun

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in , harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Colossians 3:12-17

Dear God, I like the idea of clothing myself in “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” I don’t always do it, but I like the idea of it. I like the idea of allowing for the faults of others, forgiving anyone who offends me, clothing myself in love, and allowing myself to be bout to others in harmony. I don’t always do it, but I like the idea of it. I like the idea of letting Jesus’s peace rule in my heart, living in peace with others, and always being thankful. I don’t always do it, but I like the idea of it.

So what keeps me from doing these things? Simply put, I think it almost always comes back to the soil of my heart and what I give the Holy Spirit to work with. Do I allow thorns to grow? Do I allow the cares of this world to distract me? What does it take to get me on my knees in front of you? Do I do it on my own, or does it take some sort of stress or tragedy to do it?

Forgiveness seems to be a theme of the last week for me. I’ve come across it in a few different places. A big one was the Bible Project podcast about it from the Lord’s Prayer, and specifically the part about forgiving others as you forgive me. Now, here it is again. It’s important to Paul as well. He knows I need forgiveness to be a part of my nature. The interesting thing to consider is that you need it to be part of your nature as well. It’s not only healthy for me to forgive, but it’s healthy for you to forgive me. Such a weird thing to consider!

Father, help me to love with your love, forgive with your forgiveness, serve others with your strength, and teach others as you teach me. Teach me through the people around me. Show me where I am wrong and doing harm. Show me what I’m doing well and need to lean into. Use my little life for your glory so that others might glorify you through the life I live. And help me to just know you better.

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

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 10, 2024 in Colossians

 

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Matthew 7:15-20

09 Jun

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Matthew 7:15-20

Dear God, my temptation is to start by labeling people I know, either through mass media (politicians, celebrity pastors, movie stars, etc.) or in person who are the wolves disguised as sheep, and I do think that’s important. We do need to decide to whom we should listen by looking at the fruit of their lives. It’s definitely something to keep in mind as I allow others to influence me.

However, I think one big lesson from this is that I need to be very attentive to what I am doing in my own life to develop fruit that makes me a useful person to you. Am I producing good fruit or bad fruit? Am I a source of love, encouragement, and guiding people to be reconciled to you through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Am I spouting bad theology? Do my words or actions lead others astray? Am I loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and in control of myself? Do I weed the soil of my heart to get rid of the thorns that are the pursuit of selfishness/wealth and the cares of this world? Do I listen to good teaching? Can I discern good teaching from bad? Can I hear your Holy Spirit–your still small voice?

Father, help me to cultivate my heart to be a good representative of you. Help me to know and speak your truth to others. Help me to discern when others are producing bad fruit and heresy. Help me to know your voice and reject anything that is not your voice. Forgive me for my sin. Forgive me for not forgiving others. Help me to forgive others. I do not want anything to take away from my worship of you, including whatever rights I might feel like I have to my pain.

I offer this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 9, 2024 in Matthew

 

Habakkuk

08 Jun

Dear God, I just read all three chapters of Habakkuk. I’m not sure I’ve ever done that before. Habakkuk complains, and you respond. Habakkuk complains again, and you respond. then Habakkuk accepts your answers, appreciates you, and worships you. His final prayer starts like this:

3 This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:

2 I have heard all about you, Lord.
    I am filled with awe by your amazing works.
In this time of our deep need,
    help us again as you did in years gone by.
And in your anger,
    remember your mercy.

Habakkuk 3:1-2

Father, this is my prayer today. I have my complaints about the world. I have my requests for healing for my friends and family. I have my own anguish from broken relationships. But when I bring these to you I am reminded that you are sovereign. Nothing goes without your notice. “I am filled with awe by your amazing works.” Thank you for being you, Father. In this time of our deep need, help [your church to know how to be part of your work on this earth as in years gone by. Help us to know what that means and what that doesn’t mean. And I ask that not only you remember your mercy in the midst of your anger and frustration, but that we would remember your mercy too in our anger and frustration and exhibit your mercy to a world that needs you. Help us–help me–to take you to the people around us. Help us to offer the freedom of reconciliation with you. Help us to offer your love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control to the world by plugging into your Holy Spirit and exhibiting those fruits ourselves.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 8, 2024 in Habakkuk

 

Psalm 90:1-4

07 Jun

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.

You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!”

For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,as brief as a few night hours.
Psalm 90:1-4

Dear God, I love just verse 1 of this psalm by Moses: “Lord, through all the generations you have been [my] home.” What a lovely thought.

For the last couple of nights I have spent the night in my parents’ home. They have only lived here seven years so it is not the home of my childhood or anything. In fact, there is really not much even in their furniture or decorations that is familiar to me. The homes of my childhood are long gone. But I don’t miss them. Right now, it’s been a couple of nights, so I miss my wife and even our dog, but I don’t even miss my actual house. My “things.” They are not my home. You are my home. The life you have given to me is my home. I don’t know. When I saw that line this morning it just struck me. You have always been and always will be my home. If home is where my heart is, then you will always be my home, and my wife will be my home as long as either of us are alive this side of death. Oh, thank you. And I mean that. Thank you.

Father, I want to close by praying for a friend and his wife. Yesterday, I prayed for a relative with a health situation. That was pretty minor to what I heard about last night, and it broke my heart. My friend’s wife is potentially dangerously ill. It’s one of those illnesses that it’s hard to see how my faith and prayers can match up. Yesterday’s situation was, while significant, small enough for my prayers. Today, I feel like the dad who wants Jesus to heal his son, and he tells Jesus, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” Right now, for this friend and his wife, I believe, but please help my unbelief. I know in addition to the physical struggle that lies ahead, they are also scared and sad. I would be too. Oh, Holy Spirit, join with us in prayer. Moan for us. Moan for her. Moan for him. Speak to the Father through your moaning. Be the God who heals and bring glory to your name through the healing. Be the God who comforts and bring glory to your name through the comfort. Be the God who counsels and bring glory to your name through the counsel. Be the God who sees (see Hagar) and help them to feel seen by you. Be the God who affirms (see Mary with the shepherds’ visit) and encourages, and help them to feel your affirmation, love, and encouragement. Be the God who teaches, and help them to learn just how big you really are and how much you really love them and how much you are calling them to know how to sink into your being. Do not waste any of this experience. She is too precious to have this not count for all of your glory and their growth. Oh, Father, raise up people around them who will love them with your love.

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

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 7, 2024 in Psalms

 

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Ephesians 3:16-21

06 Jun

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:16-21

Dear God, the metaphor that seems to work over and over again to describe our discipleship is agricultural. There is Jesus’s parable of the different soils. There is the Fruit of the Spirit. In this case, Paul talks about our roots growing down into your love to keep us strong.

The trick with all of these agricultural analogies is that we have to do the work. We have to tend our soil. We have to fertilize the seeds planted in us. We have to get rid of the thorns and stickers.

To some extent I do that, but not enough. Although I’ve come to a good place of not making the outcome of the November elections an idol (either by who will win or who will not win), I still allow some of the venom of even those with whom I agree seep into me by giving them an audience. I don’t do it much, but sometimes I listen. Sometimes I watch. Sometimes I read.

I was talking with someone last night about a rumor they heard about the Pope cursing. They had just heard the rumor and used it as something with which they could accuse the Pope. First, I was able to find the story and the explanation of what happened. Then I asked the person, why would the Pope have dropped an Italian f-bomb during a blessing? Then I asked, what do you think the motivation is for the person who is pushing that narrative?

I could go on and on about misinformation on one side of things that I disagree with, but there is misinformation on the side of things that confirm my biases as well. Oh, how I need to guard my heart. Oh, how I need to weed my soil. Oh, how I need to ensure my tree is planted by streams of living water. Oh, how I need to do what I can to allow my roots to grow deep into you and your love!

Father, as I sit here this morning, I have a family member going through a common but still risky medical procedure today. Love him today. Love him through the doctors. Love him through the nurses and even those who check him in at the hospital. Love him through his wife. Love him through me and his family. Hold him close. Heal him. Give him strength. Help him to use his life for you and whatever you’re calling him to do and be.

I offer this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 6, 2024 in Ephesians

 

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