Not Just A Habit

 

When Daniel knew

   the document had been signed,

he went to his house

where he had windows

       in his upper chamber

       open to Jerusalem.

He got down on his knees

              three times a day

        and prayed

and gave thanks before his God,

   as he had done previously.

                  Daniel 6. 10

(Prayer was not just a ritual

            nor a habit for Daniel,

but a lifeline of survival,

    every day,

    three times a day,

            not just in crisis.

Daniel knew how to respond

           to circumstances,

because he trusted God,

   over and over again.)

O LORD,

You do not promise us

   that life will be easy,

but to not fear

       because You are with us.

Please help us to

         hold onto You

         with both hands.

Guide us in our thoughts

         and actions

as we stake our lives on You.

You are near, Almighty One.

May we never forget that.

God's Strategic Positioning System

 

You are that Daniel,

one of the exiles of Judah,

who the king my father

        brought from Judah.

I have heard of you

  that the Spirit of the holy God

                   is in you,

and that light and understanding

     and excellent wisdom

                    are found in you.

                Daniel 5. 13-14

(Far more than a one's habits

                  or daily practices,

          or reputation,

     what is visible is

           God's dwelling in us.

We cannot help

            but live differently.

We are each called by God

                    by name

to be a strong witness for Him

   wherever we are or go today,

strategically positioned

          for His divine appointments

                  and sacred encounters,

          His holy purposes,

          and for His glory.)

O LORD,

Does anyone see anything different

                   in us

by how we respond

         in volatile situations,

         with impossible people.

   simply because we love You?

Thank You for where

          You place us today.

Grant to us a place of strengthening

       and Your courage to go forth,

to bring light to the darkness

              and healing to the broken.

Casting Out of Reach

 

... casting all your anxieties

                     on Him

because He cares for you.

                 1 Peter 5. 7

(In Greek, all means

          exactly that:  all.

What favorite anxieties

       are we holding onto?

They do nothing

        but clog up our thoughts

        and trip us up.

God never intended for fear and worry

       to distract us

       or for us to carry.

God has much bigger things

                    for us to do

    than to drag anxiety along.

God gives us His strength,

       and wisdom in exchange.)

O LORD,

May we acknowledge Your love for us

    by being mindful of You in all things.

When we dwell on You,

   You change what we think about,

what we do,

          how we do it,

    and how we respond.

Show us how to live differently today.

May our lives be marked

   by Your strength in us

   and Your Presence with us

      which cannot be explained away..

We are eyewitnesses of Your majesty.

No Exclusions

 

...in order that in everything

    God may be glorified

    through Jesus Christ.

 

              1 Peter 4. 11

(In everything,

    individually,

    collectively,

         any and all,

in what seems obvious,

even in the unexpected

    and in strange situations,

may God be glorified

          in all that we do.

The big picture is made up

    of even the tiniest details,

    which are never insignificant.

What is our aim in this?

    Our own glory or His?)

O LORD,

We ask that Your glory

        cover, influence,

   and infiltrate all that we do.

May You not just appear important,

          nor prominent in our choices

       but preeminent in our lives,

by what we love

      and how we serve You

   in responding to others

              and loving them.

What We Don't Even Know To Ask

 

He reveals deep and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

       and the light dwells with Him.

                     Daniel 2. 22

(The unknown is

        not unknown to God.

When we seek Him

         and not just an answer,

   God helps us see in the dark.

He does not give us

            the entire picture,

   but the light we need

      for our next step.

When we walk with Him

            and toward Him,

He reveals what we

    don't even know to ask.)

O LORD,

It is so reassuring to

       not just know You

   but to trust You,

even in the shadowlands,

even in what we cannot understand,

even in what is

        way too deep for us.

Embrace us by Your Presence.

Grant to us Your light.

   Help us to seek You

         in the darkness,

knowing You are with us

                        still.

Fruit of the Month Club

 

Their leaves will not wither,

nor their fruit fail,

but they will

   bear fresh fruit every month,

because the water for them

   flows from the sanctuary.

                   Ezekiel 47. 12

(The source of our sustenance

                and strength

       is from the LORD.

Wherever we are,

   take root downward,

                 bear fruit upward.

God changes the landscape

          through us

and provides for the welfare

                 of many people.

Worship changes us

     in multiple dimensions.)

O LORD,

May we bear witness to the gospel

    by bringing fresh fruit

             with overflowing bushels

    to hard situations.

Please help us to respond unexpectedly

             even in drought

with goodness, grace,

                  love and mercy.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Step by Step by Step

 

...and I shall walk in a wide place,

for I have sought Your precepts.

                  Psalm 119. 45

(Even in impossible

     and improbable places,

God guides us step by step.

We can trust Him even more.

Not that the trail will be easy,

   but He walks with us.

And that makes all the difference.)

O LORD,

Even in the high and scary places,

even where we can't

         touch the bottom of the pool,

even in what we cannot understand,

    You are with us.

We can trust You in this step

    and then the next.

Fear just blocks out the light,

    and worry trips us up.

But You, O LORD,

     guide us in Your ways.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Do The Math

 

May grace and peace

   be multiplied to you.

              1 Peter 1.2

(God always works

    in higher math.

God does not just add,

   but multiplies

   far beyond our understanding.

We cannot even

          count that high.

And God uses us

   to bring grace and peace

   to the most unlikely places

and among impossible people.)

O LORD,

How differently we would approach

    the situation before us,

if we walked with You through it.

Please bring Your grace and peace

  and multiply Your glory.

Even in this.

Even now.

Help us to realize that there are

     a lot more moving parts

     and variables

and dimensions only You can see.

Help us to be bearers of grace

    and watch You multiply.

A Lot More Going On Than We Can See

 

The prayer of the righteous person

has great power

               as it is working.

               James 5. 16

(The key words here are

          as it is working.

Prayer is a matter of 

           trusting God in this,

   trusting God that He is working,

   and trusting Him with

      His timing, His ways,

         and His millions of outcomes,

   most of which exceed 

         our myopic vision.

It is not just

      what we pray,

but how praying about it,

      changes us too.

We have no idea how powerful

     prayer impacts us

     and everyone around us

                     for generations.

If we did, we would never

        be reluctant to pray.

Have I even considered

   praying about this situation?)

O LORD,

Please remind us

   that You are with us,

working in us and through us.

Help us not just

         remember to pray,

but to know that

         You are powerfully working.

We can trust You,

    even when we cannot

             see in the dark.

But we can pray.

   And know You more.

Your Presence changes

                everything.

Approaching the Day

Humble yourselves

         before the Lord,

and He will exalt you.

             James 4. 10

(Are we willing to follow God

   into this impossible situation,

   this difficulty,

     this day that He has made?

To seek Him

   and not a particular answer?

Perhaps "an answer"

   is not the point at all

   in what is before us,

but just walking with God

   through this,

   with Him,

         and on His path

  for His glory.)

O LORD,

We come before You

    with open hands

   and a humble heart.

Please help us to see

    our day differently,

    those around us

            with a new heart

    and a new attitude,

and to see You

       differently,

even in the unexpected,

even in difficulty,

even in what we cannot comprehend,

       You are here with us.

Be exalted, O God.

  

 

His Glory in Impossible Places

 

...look with your eyes,

and hear with your ears,

and set your heart upon all

   that I shall show you,

for you were brought here

   in order that I may

   show it to you.

             Ezekiel 40. 4

(There is nothing random

in God's timing

          or strategic positioning

   for His divine purposes,

   sacred encounters,

        and His glory.

May we not just be aware

            or observant,

   but responsive to Him.)

O LORD,

How much we miss out

     on Your magnificence

  because we are distracted,

             or not even looking.

Please help us to realize

   that You have placed

   each one of us

                 right here,

                 at this very moment,

                 and in this space

not just for a reason

       but Your eternal designs.

Give us the courage

    to follow You 

    and walk with You into it.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

What am I bringing to the table

 

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

                 James 2. 13

(No matter the situation

    or complicated relationship,

when tempted to criticize,

    judge someone,

           or tear them down,

be prepared and intentional

  to show love, mercy and

                   forgiveness.

And let God change us.

Not proving "I am right,"

     or "I am better than that,"

but "I am forgiven,

   and I need to live that way

              and love that way."

Not looking down on others

    but lifting them up instead.

What are we

      bringing to the table?)

O LORD,

Please fill our hearts

       with Your love

that we may live differently

    in this broken world

and bring You glory

          even in this.

Help us to see others

        with a new heart.

Please empower

      and equip us

   to respond with grace

in the familiar

       and the unexpected,

family, friends,

    and even strangers.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Same Situation. Different Journey.

 

And I will give you a new heart,

and a new spirit

    I will put within you.

               Ezekiel 36. 26

(What if we went into this day,

     this difficult experience,

     this impossible task,

     with a new heart and His Spirit?

God is not just doing

   something new around us,

                         but within us.

Same situation,

maybe even the same visible outcome,

   but a new way of responding,

and a new strength

      by walking with Him through it.)

O LORD,

Thank You not just for

    bringing us through the tough stuff,  

    but for how You are

    drawing us closer to You.

Abide in us, O LORD,

not just altering our attitudes

                 and actions,

but granting to us 

              the gift of a new heart

              and Your Holy Spirit.

Walk with us through difficulty,

    helping us to not just see the other side,

but to realize Your Presence

                       right here,

                       right now.

You make all things new.

       Even our hearts.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

How To Entertain Unexpected Guests

 

Do not neglect

to show hospitality to strangers,

for thereby

some have entertained angels

                  unawares.

                    Hebrews 13. 2

(In the Greek, the word hospitality

      means to show love

     to those we don't even know

And entertaining means

  to receive and welcome a guest.

We invite others

           to the Father

    by how we love them.

It goes beyond being nice,

not even being mindful of others,

      but having the mind of Christ

in words, response, actions,

       and even in our attitudes.

Do we seek God's blessing,

     or how to bless Him today

     by blessing others?)

O LORD,

You have strategically placed us

     on this familiar path

     or undefined strange trail

to bring Your holy name,

      Your grace and love

to whomever we encounter today.

Help us to live differently

         and love differently

  in unlikely places

and among impossible people.

As we go into this day,

please help us to be watchful,

aware

        and responsive

to the visible and invisible needs

        all around us

   and how to love others to You.

Who is That in the Mirror?

 

As in water

      face reflects face,

so the heart of man

      reflects the man.

              Proverbs 27. 19

(I can always tell when

the grandchildren have been here,

little evidences revealed all over,

   books, toys 

         and laughter in the halls.

So can others see

        when Jesus is here.

What is showing,

  and what is revealed

        by how we live?

What are the evidences

   that Jesus abides in my heart?

Jesus gets all over.

Others can see

   not just that He has been here,

but that He lives here

    by the reflections He brings.)

O LORD,

May we reflect You, dear Jesus,

in all that we do and say,

how we respond to others,

    and how we respond to You.

No matter what

           impossible situation

           You have placed us today,

                please reveal Yourself,

not just that we would know

     and trust You more,

but You would reflect

      Your light and grace

      to those all around us.

Long Distance Running

 

Therefore since we are surrounded

by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us also lay aside

    every weight and sin

    which clings so closely,

and let us run with endurance

    the race that is set before us,

                  looking to Jesus....

                Hebrews 12. 1-2

(We are each surrounded by others,

   both believers and those not yet,

who are desperately watching us

   to see if this God of ours is real

   and how we live is transformed by Him.

Run with endurance

       on His strength,

knowing that He has unfolded

  this course before us

       for His deeper purposes

       and for His glory.

Are we looking for outcomes

             or to Jesus?)

He is running with us

             all the way,

             every step,

      every bend in the road.)

O LORD,

Please help us to realize

that this difficulty

    is not some random exercise,

    but strength training.

In You, with You, through You,

   there is always something deeper

   going on here.

As we run with You,

     please empower us

     by trusting You all the more,

not for the accolades of performance,

not for others to see us

           but to see You,

   as we live impossible lives

strengthened by Your strength in us.

Dry Feet in Swampy Places

 

By faith

the people crossed the Red Sea

    as on dry land...

             Hebrews 11. 29

(We all struggle with something.

We all face the insurmountable

         in some form or another.

But faith is trusting God,

   no matter the circumstances

   and choosing to live differently

                   as a result.

Same situation,

same experience,

same people,

but a way different outcome

   by walking with God through it

   and trusting Him.)

O LORD,

No matter what is on our agenda

       --or on Yours -

please help us to trust You

   in what we see

   and even in what we don't yet.

You are with us.

Empower us by Your Presence.

Please help us not just to survive

   but to thrive in impossible places

by being faithful to You

and to walk with You

      even through this Red Sea.

Grant to us Your courage

   to do what is good and right,

   loving and gracious.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Strategically Appointed

 

So you will be

    a sign to them,

and they will know

    that I am the LORD.

           Ezekiel 24. 27

(Even when we are not looking,

           they are.

Others watch us carefully,

    maybe even desperately,

to know not that we are perfect

           or will mess up royally,

     but to know that God is real.

No matter where we are,

   God has strategically placed

              each one of us

   to be a witness for Him,

to be a light in the darkness,

to bring the name of Jesus there

   in word, deed, and attitude,

that others may know

    life can be very different.

And to comprehend 

             not just that God exists,

   but He loves us,

   and we can know Him.)

O LORD,

Please help us to be

    aware of our surroundings,

sensitive to the people

           all around us,

   and responsive to Your nudges.

May we realize that

   You have appointed us

   to point others to You,

even in the most unanticipated ways.

Align our hearts with Yours.

Order our affections.

Anoint this day with Your glory,

  even in ways we may not see.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

When You See Something, Say Something

 

With my mouth, I will give

    great thanks to the LORD;

I will praise Him

   in the midst of the throng.

              Psalm 109.30

(What stories has God given us,

not to be cherished alone

          or hidden in a drawer,

but to share

    for the upbuilding of others?

Not speaking in high-falutin

    theological abstract terms,

but in the concrete experience

   of our relationship with Him.

In a court of law,

   our testimony is based on

   what we see and what we know.

For His glory,

      our testimony is the same.)

O LORD,

And how will others know

    of Your steadfast love and grace

    unless we point to You

        in what we have experienced?

Help us to speak up, Almighty One,

    face to face,

     in the midst of church family,

or even among those

  who don't yet know You.

Please help us to

     recognize and 

        acknowledge Your hand

that others may know

   that You, O LORD, care about

   the very details of their lives too.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

Key Words in Any Translation

 

With God,

    we shall do valiantly.

It is He who will

    tread down our foes.

             Psalm 108. 13

(The key words here are

         with God.

Not "you've got this,"

     not "believe in yourself."

But with God,

    nothing remains the same.

God stomps down

               whatever we fear,

   both real and imagined.

God gives us the strength

      to run with Him.)

O LORD,

Please help us to set our eyes

              on You

   and stake our lives

         on Your steadfast love.

Change our eyesight to Yours

  that we would see circumstances

  with a deeper vision.

Please translate our troubles

          into Your triumph,

cover us by Your mercy,

and help us through this situation

    to trust You even more.

A Way Through the Impossible

 

Then they cried to the LORD

         in their trouble,

and He delivered them

         from their distress.

                  Psalm 107. 6

(This phrase appears

    three more times in this psalm.

Everyone struggles with something.

Do we even consider

    bringing these things before Him?

There are no little prayers.

Are we seeking Him in this?

God provides more than relief,

    but promises,

    Do not fear.  I am with you.

Often the fear, worry and anxiety

  are even harder to face

      than the actual circumstances.

And we need not go it alone.)

O LORD,

We come to You.

We seek You,

   not just for a solution or relief,

              but You.

Please help us to walk with You

         in this and through this.

It will not remain the same

       when we follow You.

We are not stuck.

We are not alone.

Lead us through, Almighty One,

and provide the strength for us

        to be faithful to You.

Tripping Over Our Own Feet

 

They served their idols,

which became a snare to them.

                 Psalm 106. 36

(Every day we make choices

    for who or what we

           will serve today.

We all worship.

We were wired to worship,

   because we know deeply

   that there is something more.

If we do not worship God,

a lesser god takes

           His rightful place.

And the journey nor the outcome

         is never the same.

An idol

         of any shape, size,

         or disguise

    always ensnares,

promises the world,

    and then trips us up.)

O LORD,

We seek You this day.

Guide us not just

      on our paths today,

   but to run straight to You.

Align our hearts with Yours,

   that we may be filled

          with Your grace and love,

   equipped to serve You

   and love others.

And that we would fulfill

    Your purposes in this situation

    for Your ultimate glory.

Please help us to not be distracted

    by glittery promises

    of the adversary,

but to be faithful to You

   in all we do today.

Being Green

 

And all the trees of the field

  shall know that

            I am the LORD.

I bring low the high tree,

and make high the low tree,

dry up the green tree,

   and make the dry tree

                      flourish.

              Ezekiel 17. 24

(We may feel like what we do

           does not matter,

but every tree is precious

                 and so are we.

God gives the growth.

God bears the fruit.

We have only to be faithful,

    following Him,

    serving Him,

    sowing His Word,

    spreading His grace,

    and loving others

                    right to Him.

God makes us flourish

   in unexpected ways,

  even in drought conditions.

What appears invisible

            and so little in our sight

    emerges strong and visible

    in His Kingdom.

Take root downward,

             bear fruit upward.)

O LORD,

Please help us to be faithful and green

   wherever You have placed us today.

May we respond to Your voice

         for the welfare of those

                all around us

     and for Your glory,

even when we don't understand.

Grant to us the awareness

         of Your mission and vision

                        in this situation,

and the courage how to approach,

           navigate, respond,

     and run with You through it.

May all the trees of the forest

   visibly remind us

   of what faithfulness does

   and Your fruitfulness in it.

For beauty, for physical needs,

         and for Your glory,

season after season.

Dry Feet

 

He rebuked the Red Sea,

and it became dry,

and He led them through the deep

    as though a desert.

So He saved them

    from the power of the enemy.

                       Psalm 106. 9-10

(When we follow Him

     into what is before us,

God leads us in unlikely ways,

   even in the midst,

   even right through what we fear,

           both real and imagined,

   right past the watchful dragons,

        on unexpected dry ground.

When we trust Him,

we approach, navigate

       and walk differently,

                because we can.

We all have Red Seas.

But we can choose

              to walk with Him.

How does that look

         differently today?)

O LORD,

Whatever our overwhelming

           difficulties, situations,

           and fears,

You are with us.

You walk with us

    with Your Presence

    and Your purposes.

Help us to seek You

             in this very day

and choose to follow You

   with Your strength and wisdom

   and grace at every turn.

Help us to walk differently

    even in the familiar depths,

    even in unfamiliar steps,

and bring Your name

      to impossible situations

for Your glory today.

 

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

What Are You Doing?

 

Son of man,

has not the house of Israel,

    the rebellious house,

said to you,

   "What are you doing?"

           Ezekiel 12. 9

(As believers, we approach,

     navigate and respond

                    differently,

   because we follow Christ.

Does anyone see

   any difference in

            how we live,

what choices we make,

        how we love others?

We are not perfect,

     nor just "nice" people,

                   but forgiven.

We worship God

           in everything we do,

    actions, words,

                even attitudes.)

O LORD,

May others see in us

  the difference,

  and the transformation

    that You make in our hearts,

by following You in Your ways,

through radical and unexpected ways

        of loving other people,

and by being faithful and selfless.

Please grant to us the courage

   and strength and grace

            to be known as Yours.

And live that way.

www.nightlytea.blogspot.com

What We Can Know

 

Do not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know

what a day may bring.

               Proverbs 27. 1

(But we can pray,

we can seek God,

we can place all things

             in His hands,

    and we can trust Him in it.

God does not want us

    to control circumstances

    and surmount them

                   on our own,

    but to abide in Him.

He will provide His strength.

And so, in His hands,

    tomorrow is not a scary thing,

             but full of His glory.

We need not walk

           this path alone.)

O LORD,

You go before us,

You have our backs,

You walk with us.

Please keep fear from

    blocking out the light.

Help us to keep our eyes

                  on You.

You order our days.

You guide our thoughts

   in what to do

   and what to pursue.

Anoint this day

   and appoint our steps.

Redeem even the hard stuff

          for Your glory.

Even the unknown

     is not unknown to You.

Prepare our way,

      equip our hearts,

and help us to not

              run ahead of You.

When You See Something, Say Something

 

O give thanks to the LORD,

call upon His name,

make known His deeds

        among the peoples!

Sing to Him,

sing praises to Him,

tell of all His wondrous works!

                   Psalm 105. 1-2

(Constantly on the lookout

    for God's hand,

    sacred encounters,

    divine appointments,

    the wonders of His creation,

    and the amazing ways

          He guides and strengthens.

It is not just about recognizing

     God's Presence with us,

but acknowledging in words

          before others

     what God has done.

Things do not just happen.

Our words point others to Him

   and remind us continually

          of His steadfast love.

At some point every day,

     make Him known.

How differently those words

     will even change us.)

O LORD,

Thank You that we do not

    have to walk this road alone.

You are with us.

Please help us to acknowledge You

             before others verbally.

Open our eyes to opportunities

     to speak of You,

even in unexpected places

   and among unlikely people.

Bring Your glory here.

   

What We Don't See From Where We Stand

 

...and You renew

      the face of the ground.

             Psalm 104. 30

(No matter how barren it looks,

God is cultivating

       incredible fruit in our lives.

We have seasons of rest,

seasons of visible fruit

      of His Spirit

      and of our labors,

and seasons where

    we take root downward

    and bear fruit upward.

In the pale days of winter

       without signs of life,

the trees are busiest,

             growing their most,

gaining strength

    for the spectacle of spring.)

O LORD,

You bring the growth

    to the landscapes of our lives

that appear on the surface

                  as abandoned.

But You are doing a great

      and mighty work in us

      and through us.

Help us to be patient

          with this season,

eyes open wide

         to sow Your grace

      and cultivate hearts all around us.

Please help us to be faithful

         to Your glory

and generous with Your grace,

knowing You have planted

    something eternal in us.

Renew, O LORD,

    the face of this ground

    in Your timing

    and for Your glory.

Strategically Positioned

 

...and the hand of the LORD

     was upon him there.

                Ezekiel 1. 3

(Wherever we are,

in whatever we are doing,

among whom we move,

God has strategically

         placed us here

   for His divine purposes

   and for His incredible glory.

We can trust Him

   in these circumstances,

perhaps unlikely and unexpected,

       but never random.

Be faithful anyway.

And sense His Presence here.

Be not afraid. I am with you.)

O LORD,

In this day,

in this place,

even in the awkward and difficult,

please help us to be a witness

         to others

                     of who You are.

Fill our pockets overflowing with grace.

Order our days,

     establish Your appointed steps in it.

Anoint this day with Your Word.

Redeem for Your glory,

    even what we don't understand.

Full Benefits Package

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits,

Who forgives all your iniquity,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems

    your life from the pit,

Who crowns you

   with steadfast love and mercy,

Who satisfies you with good

   so that your youth is renewed

                    like the eagles.

                   Psalm 103. 2-5

(Do we recognize and acknowledge

     the blessings of God in our lives?

The LORD has us covered

   in more ways than we can imagine.

       Even in the really difficult places,

                 we can trust Him.

We seek God's blessings,

   but do we seek to bless Him?

 Do we point others to His love

             in all we do and speak?)

O LORD,

May we bless You today

   wherever You strategically place us,

   even in unlikely situations

       or among impossible people.

May we bless Your holy name,

   aware of Your goodness to us,

responsive to the needs around us,

to be faithful to You,

and to be a strong witness

           of Your love and grace.

We are called by Your name.

May we honor You.