When Jesus loves, he works up a sweat; he rolls up his sleeves, gets on his knees, and washes our feet with his blood, sweat, and tears.

He labors at love, though his love is never like labor. He’s a giver, not a taker, loving us into being with a gifted carpenter’s hands. And he’s no slacker, loving us until we can take no more; no more because we’re filled to overflowing, his love spilling and splashing through our pores into the cores of those we love with his love, a love’s labor not lost on a world that needs to be found.

He wrestles our fears and wrangles our doubts and labors at love until he’s exhausted, lying prone in a garden, drinking from God’s cup the nourishment necessary for one last heroic sweaty, bloody, tearful lift of the Father’s infinite love; ready to die for God’s undying love.

A Jesus-love sticks to it, even when the it seems like an unstickable fury that’s no longer fun or convenient or even something you want to do. Jesus keeps on laboring in you and through you, finishing what he started, loving until the last with a love that lasts forever (John 13:1).

Question: What example of Jesus’ labor in love is most striking to you, and why?

May we pray for you today?

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

Although, I graduated from Dallas Seminary, there is one thing that I do not like to do—pray in front of others. One would think that after several years of study in the Bible, I would jump at the opportunity to pray before a crowd–not so. Why? My words are often feeble and honest–not eloquent or theologically impressive. They are not like prayers that I heard prayed at DTS Chapel every Tuesday and Thursday when I was a student there.

Today, I had the blessed opportunity to kneel by my Dad’s bed and pray over him before surgery. Stammering for words to be spoken, I began with “Dear Jesus” nothing more–nothing less. I could not muster any other words as I glanced at my Dad who was weeping. “Dear Jesus”…you would think that I would be able to come up with something more grand, but not today.

In this moment all I could think to do was mention the name above all names that could if He chose to—heal my Dad’s cancer. Our tears spoke for themselves—spoke of our hope, dependency and fears all intermingled in each droplet that fell against our faces. Gazing at Dad and wiping his tear from his cheek, I knew that words would almost rob us of the opportunity to allow God to listen to our hearts.

The wondrous gift that God has given each of us as Christians is a great High Priest, Jesus, that listens to our hearts. He does not require a Greek or Hebrew translation of words spoken, but rather a heart submitted to His sovereign will. As we read in Hebrews,

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

A sincere heart may appear different for each of us. One thing for certain is that God listens. He knows our hearts and weighs our motives. I am thankful more than ever for a God who does not need me. He does not need my grandiose words or petitions before His throne of grace. He wants my heart. He wants our hearts. And once He has our hearts He begins to intersect our lives with the supernatural allowing answered prayer to take place.

As I have learned thus far on my Dad’s journey to healing–there will be many more “Dear Jesus” moments. Cancer ebbs and flows, but the name that I will mention every time (even if that is all that is said) remains constant. So here is to a triumphant Savior who takes our utterances as if they were letters and makes them into words—creating a tangible answer to prayer in our lives.

Questions: What is prayer to you? Why do you pray? What is God’s part when we pray?

Need someone to pray for you?

“Four things on earth are small, but they are exceeding wise” (Proverbs 30:24).

One of these four things mentioned are the conies: “Conies are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags” (Proverbs 30:26). The conies are soft-furred, hare-like animals. They are timid and cautious, for they realize how defenseless they are. When an enemy comes, they scoot quickly to a rock covert, for they stay near their refuge. That’s how they stay alive, happy, and out of trouble.

In many respects we human beings are weak, too. In speaking to His disciples, the Lord Jesus Christ recognized the inherent weakness in even those who seek to follow Him. He said, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Even they who love the Lord are subject to doubts, fears, temptations and troubles. But they have a rock covert, too, where they can flee when arise these threats to their testimonies, faith, peace and joy. The Bible says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).

Run to the rock

When doubts and fears assail us, the Lord wants to be our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer. As we look to Him, He strengthens us. Every doubt or fear that man is prone to may be completely forgotten as we rest safely in Him.

No matter what the doubt concerns, the answer is the same. We may throw ourselves completely within the hiding place. Isaiah 32:2 says, “And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest” (KJV). The Lord Jesus Christ is that Man; and if we trust completely in Him as our Savior, He is our Rock.

Sometimes storms of temptation assail us. Psalm 71:3 says, “Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go.” The Lord is our Refuge from temptation, too. Christians are under constant assault from the enemy Satan and his demonic legions. But we can be wise like the conies and stay near our Refuge at all times, under all circumstances.

Foolish cony, foolish people

A cony that didn’t stay near its refuge would be pounced on by the enemy and devoured. Satan, like a roaring lion, is seeking whom he may devour. And Christians who get too far from their Refuge may get waylaid!

The Prophet Isaiah warned some foolish people who didn’t stay near their Refuge. He said to the Children of Israel of his day: “All will be desolation. You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress” (Isaiah 17:9-10).

When trouble comes, our Rock is a wonderful hiding place. “My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:7-8) He soothes the troubled heart and gives the weary soul the rest and peace it needs.

How wonderful it must be for the cony as he peers out from under his rock covert at his enemy to know that nothing can touch him under that rock. He is safe and secure. He need not fear, for he is wise. How much more wonderful it is to know the Lord as our Rock!

Questions: When troubles come, where do you go?

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Find your safe place

About the Author Muriel Larson

What do you fear, and why?

Watch “What Do You Fear?”

We want to hear from you! Talk with us by completing our discussion questions about fear and anxiety. We want your take on Levi & Trick’s situation. One of our study coaches will give you feedback. You can complete these discussion questions here.

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Explore what this video means to you through the “What Do You Fear?” interactive online study
Finding Peace in Troubled Times
Anxious for Nothing

Do you struggle with the deep darkness of depression? We want to talk about that with you.

I awoke at two in the morning and was instantly aware that a strange feeling of anxiety gripped me. I couldn’t understand it.  I had never felt this way before without knowing why I was anxious.

“Lord, what is the matter?” I asked.  “Why am I anxious?”

I thought about things that had happened or thoughts I had had during the past week.  “Is it because I celebrated another birthday and I’m getting older?” I wondered.  I thought about that, and then discarded the thought.  I had lived a good and full life.  I knew that when I died I would go to be with the Lord.

What then?  Was I fearful for my elderly mother, or my two daughters?  Well, I had put all three into the Lord’s hands.  My mother trusted the Lord and I knew He would take good care of her.  My daughters had some problems, and I taken them to the Lord. But still the feeling of dread persisted.

This feeling lay on me like a heavy weight. “Lord, help me!” I cried silently.

Just then a Bible verse I had memorized flashed through my mind; and I said it aloud:  “I sought the Lord and he heard me, and he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4, KJV).  As soon as I said that, I felt God’s sweet peace come over me.  The anxiety was gone.

I have had that experience happen several times since then, but as soon as I reminded myself of that verse, I was delivered from anxiety.  Using that verse is just one of the many ways in which I have learned the power of the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17)

The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive part of the armor of God listed in Ephesians 6.  If I had not memorized Psalm 34:4, I’m not sure I would have been equipped to banish that heavy burden of anxiety.  Perhaps I would have laid there for hours with that burden.  But I had memorized God’s Word for all kinds of occasions, and in this instance that verse had paid off.

The Bible has many scriptures that can fortify or help us or others. Here are some particular ones: Guilt: 1 John 1:9; Temptation: 1 Corinthians 10:13; Worry, Fear, Anxiety: Philippians 4:4-8; Need: Philippians 4:19; Depression: Matthew 11:28-29; Suffering: Romans 8:18; Calamity, Confusion, or Disappointment: 3:5-6; Sorrow: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Loss of Faith: Hebrews 11:6; Witnessing for Christ: John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, 13; Ephesians 2:8-9.

Fortification verses can be memorized when we walk or drive to work, when we are waiting in line or a dentist’s office, whenever a particular scripture helps or impresses us.  Memorizing scriptures has not only helped me, but enabled me to help other people, too.

The psalmist said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (119:9, NIV).

Questions: Do you struggles with depression? http://lessons.powertochange.com/study/suicide.html?section=suicide

About the Author Muriel Larson

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we’” (Numbers 13:30-31, NKJV).

Each of us is represented in one of these two camps.  We are either fully convinced of our status as co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) who is to inherit all nations (Psalm 2:8) complete with the authority to take the land, or we are those who are all too aware of the giants.  We may doubt the call on our lives and our ability to take possession. God’s covenant promise is that when we obey His voice, we will be above and not beneath, the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13).

We need to see ourselves as those who can change our communities.   We must understand that it is our purpose and call to do so and that we have the power and authority to accomplish it because of Christ in us.  When we push back the darkness through faith-filled prayer and righteous living, we will impact, overtake, and change our nation.

We are called to be a people of faith.  The first step to taking our country for Jesus is believing it is possible. We need to take our eyes off the giants, the doubts and the fears and declare as Caleb did, “We are well able to overcome it!

“If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:8-9, NKJV).

Questions: How do we take our eyes off the giants in our life? What is your giant right now?

About the Author Emmie Stanley

Who does God say He is? Do you believe that?  Here is an online Bible study.

Today, we are living in challenging times. We live in the midst of a cultural war in a troubled world. God is being pushed to the perimeter of our culture at a time when we really need Him. When we look at the things that are happening in our country, it’s hard not to get discouraged. We fear for our future and the future of our families, living in these crucial unstable times.

In Nehemiah 4:14, when Nehemiah faced opposition rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem he told the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, sons, and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Just as Nehemiah asked the people to fight for their families, we need to fight with prayer for our families and friends.

We have the opportunity to partner with a great and awesome God to fight the opposition of the enemy with prayer. To pray effectively we need to know the frustrations, fears, concerns, dreams, and expectations for our loved ones. Now and then, we will need to ask them, “How would you like for me to pray for you?”

A family’s faith can be lost in one generation; however, we can be defenders of our faith in this spiritually deprived culture we live in. Our daily discipline of intentionally praying for our loved ones threatens the enemy. Life is full of disappointments and crises, if our loved ones turn their backs on their heritage of faith, they will have to face their challenges and trials without God.

Not all prayers may be answered immediately or even in our lifetime. However, God will acknowledge our intercessory prayers and answer at just the right time, in His timing.

Recently I was challenged during a recent Beth Moore “Believing God” Bible study to ask myself do I really believe that:

1.    God is who He says He is.
2.    God can do what He says He can do.
3.    I am who God says I am.
4.    I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
5.    God’s Word is alive and active in me.

If I really believe God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do, I will bring my petitions to Him with boldness and confidence.  According to His Word, I am His beloved daughter and He delights in me. If I develop an intimate relationship by believing His Word, then His desires will be my desires therefore; He will give me the desires of my heart.

When we pray, we need to ask God to fill our minds with His desires. We can do that by being in His Word. Then we not only find ourselves in intimate communication with God, but our minds will be renewed to think His thoughts, about the requests we’re praying for, instead of our own. Ultimately, it seems like God shrinks what we thought as impossible to a possibility and gives us confidence as we wait for His answer.

Questions to ask ourselves:
Do I really believe God is who He says He is?
Do I really believe God can do what He says He can do?
Do I really believe I am who God says I am?
Do I believe I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?
Do I believe God’s Word is alive and active today?

Dear Lord, forgive me for my unbelief. I yearn to believe that you are who you say you are and you can do what you say you can do. I want to believe with all my heart that I am you beloved chosen daughter. I desire to be the woman of God, defender for the faith of my family.

Questions: Do you really believe that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you? Give us an illustration of how you have acted upon that belief.

About the Author Lillian Penner

When your child is fussy, what do you do? You take him or her onto your lap and talk soothingly. Maybe you sit in a rocking chair and sing until he or she falls asleep. Or, like me, you might hold the baby in your arms and do a little dance and make up silly, little songs.  When I do that with my grandson he quickly relaxes and his eyes, resting on my face, seem to say, “I like that, Oma! Sing some more.” It always amuses me that I have at least one fan who likes my singing!

Sometimes we adults have fussy spirits. Things are not going as planned. Disappointments, pressures and delays disturb our peace. Fretting happens when we take things into our own hands. It leads to the evil of being self-centered.

Jesus never worried and He was never anxious because He was not out to realize His own ideas; He was out to realize God’s ideas.  Do you have an anxious spirit this morning? Let me suggest the following:

Sit quietly for a few moments and slowly repeat the following words of Scripture:

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:1&5, NIV).

–Visualize yourself sitting on God’s lap. Or, if you like, being held in His arms with your head resting on His shoulder. Hear him saying, “I am with you. I am mighty to save. I take great delight in you” (Zephaniah 3:17).

As you let Him love you, He will calm your fears.

Father, thank you that you are with me now and I have nothing to worry about, for my salvation and my hope come from you.  Amen.

Questions: What is the result of worrying and fretting? What do you do when you become anxious?

About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, The Resurrection, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog

A busy life can hinder us from reacquainting ourselves with who we really are. We live in an ever changing world. New technologies and inventions constantly assault our senses and challenge the very notion of who we are.

Transition and self-worth

Transitions in life often force us to slow down and take a step back to reassess our lives. Entering another phase of life can be rather unsettling and stressful whether you are clocking 30 years of age or 50 and beyond. Because of our society’s obsession with youth and beauty, growing old is not usually welcome. There is no escape. As long as we live, we will eventually age.

For a woman with many family responsibilities and a demanding job outside the home, it can be rather tough. When the children grow up and start school or leave home, parents, especially mothers, can find themselves thrown into a crisis simply because they built their sense of self-worth on the wrong foundation.

Take stock

After years of ignoring who you really are, it is important to give yourself time to take stock. Is your life uneventful and dull? It needn’t be. Discovering your feelings, what you want and the possibilities that lie ahead of you will rejuvenate you.

Set goals

Self-depreciating thoughts do us no good. Build a sense of self-worth by setting out goals for yourself. As you move forward to greater things, allow yourself to enjoy the sophistication and confidence that maturity brings.

Inject excitement into your life

Create opportunities for social interaction and learn something new. As you expand your social circle, you’ll find that you inject excitement into your life which can be carried on to those around you.

Working within your circumstances will give you a jump-start and a sense of direction for the next phase in your life. You can then be thankful for your experiences because it is our experiences that mold us. Years later, you can look back on your transition in life and know that you have passed through another of life’s tests.

Are you searching for joy in your life? Read about How to Begin to Experience and Discover Joy in your own life.