The Act of Love by Katie Kilgore

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. I Corinthians 13:1-3

  

I had the chance to sit down with a seasoned Minister of Music, Rev. Mark Barnes, this week and “interview” him on his ministry, etc.  It was a joyful time of encouragement, excitement, and enthusiasm as he gave me practical suggestions for ministry as well as sharing some of his vision with me.  One interesting point he made was a nugget of information that he received from a previous Pastor / Mentor with whom he had the chance to serve with several years ago.  He asked the Pastor for one piece of advice for ministry as the Pastor was entering his retirement years.  The Pastor responded with, “I would have loved people more.”  Wow!  This sounds so simple and a direct commandment for each of us a believer’s, so why would a Pastor feel the need to make such a statement?  As Rev. Barnes and I continued our conversation regarding life and ministry, it became clear to me the reason for such a statement.  The Pastor was so focused on “doing” ministry, preparing for next week’s sermon, and administration of the church, that he neglected what the scripture in I Corinthians 13 tells us…”but do not have love, I gain nothing.”  What did this Pastor gain by spending so much of his time in preparation rather than spending his time loving the people of his church and loving his neighbors? 

As I think about my ministry as a worship leader, I must honestly evaluate my actions.  I wonder if sometimes I focus so much on the choir hitting the correct note, or pausing for the rest, that I neglect to simply love the folks in the choir.  Am I so concerned with the necessary administrative tasks at hand that I forget to give someone in our congregation a much needed hug?  Am I acting as a “resounding gong or clanging cymbal?”  Love is imperative to each of our ministry efforts, for without it, what have we truly gained?

Lord,

I pray for YOUR love to resonate through me as I plan, lead, and serve in your church.  I pray that others will see and know that You guide my every step in ministry and, above all, they will know Your love and I love them.

Amen

Love is Obedience/Obedience is Love by Patrick Fuller

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:6  

I once was asked to preach a sermon at a wedding in the remote mountains of Peru.  It was a great honor to be asked to do that for the 3 couples who had been married earlier that evening.  It was also a great challenge since I was asked to preach in my second language of Spanish.  I preached on love because the topic of love seemed fitting for the ministry that needed to be done in the area.  As the church listened on I explained that love can be shown through obedience to Christ's commands.  These two things go together so well if you follow Christ's teachings.  Love and obedience are intertwined.  This is not out of obligation but rather out of a passionate desire to respond to and follow Christ.  I encouraged the young couples to love each other, to love their neighbors, and to love God by following his teachings.  Although the message was for them specifically, it is also for you today.  Listen to what Jesus has to say, and follow it out of love instead of cold-hearted obligation.

Lord Jesus, allow us to follow you and in thus show our love for you.  Help us to love others and in that show our love for you as well.  Amen.

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43 by Seth Dunn

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷ The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."" 

Matthew 13:24-30

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.⁴⁰ So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.⁴³ Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 

Matthew 13:36-43

Wrigley's Skittles are one of my favorite confections, for the most part. There are five flavors of Skittles that come together in a bag, but I only like four of them. I do not like lemon-flavored yellow Skittles. I do not like lime-flavored green Skittles either, but in 2013 the Wrigley's changed the flavor of green Skittle's from lime to green apple (which I like). Wrigley's experimented with this flavor change in 2001, but much to my chagrin it didn't stick. I have to say that I'm happy that they are trying this experiment again...but I really have no control of what kind of Skittles Wrigley's puts in the bag. I have to take what I get whenever I get a bag of Skittles and what I get is all five flavors.

The first thing I do when I get a bag of Skittles is pick out all the yellows and throw them in the garbage. After that, I enjoy what candy is left in the bag. I don't throw away an entire bag of Skittles just because the lemon-flavored Skittles are mixed in with the flavors I want.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus teaches that God is very selective. There are both wheat and tares in the field. When harvest time comes, he will separate the good from the bad. At harvest time, don't be the yellow Skittles in God's bag of candy.

Lord make us ripe for the Harvest and give us a home in your barn.

Psalm 46:1 by Brandi Peters

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

There are many world views of God that either discount His existence or at the very least His level of involvement in the earth He created. He is painted as a distant observer, a non-caring deity. This is a far cry from the God of the Psalms, the personal God who King David cries out to in times of prosperity and trouble.

This is my God. My God is present. He is here, near at all times. That doesn’t mean that He is an all-powerful genie sent to fulfill our every desire. On the contrary, He is Lord of all, ready to meet the deepest needs of His children as He uses us for His glory.

Lord, thank you for being near in times of growth as well as despair. You are the only true refuge. Trouble threatens to overtake us in this world, but we have strength in You. Help us rest in this truth. Amen

Fear The One Who Cares by Patrick Fuller

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Fear is a raw emotion and something that all humans experience from their very first breath on into old age.  The existence of fear is not something we take into question often, but what to do with fear is a more common question that the Christian should be prepared to answer rightly.  In the letter of 1st Peter we find the early Christians facing severe persecution and even death for their faithful allegiance to Christ.  These serious situations and fearful events still carry on to this day in other countries around the world to Christians just like you and me.  In America we do not usually face death or physical pain for our faith, but we do face hard times or trials in our daily lives.  Whatever the case may be we know that Scripture can apply to many situations and guide how we respond to life’s circumstances in troubled or anxious times.  In the Bible we can see that God wants you to cast your fears, your anxieties, your troubles and worries on Him through a trusting relationship in Jesus Christ instead of dwelling on them forever.  God is a fortress for those who believe in Him; a safe place to turn when life gets tough.

May we stay close to Him and pray openly to Him in those most important times of need.

Matthew 6:7-8 by Jessie Holmes

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7-8

As Jesus continues to teach about the Kingdom of God, He now addresses prayer. For those of us who live in the Kingdom of God, we don’t pray for the attention of others or using empty phrases trying to be heard. Jesus shares why with one statement: “YOUR Father KNOWS what you need before you ask Him.” In this statement, Jesus proclaims two truths.

First, the God that we are praying to is also OUR Father.  The focus of our prayers isn’t someone far off and unknown to us. We pray to our Father.  This understanding of our relationship with God implies that we aren’t just talking to some mystical being. When we pray, we communicate and commune with the creator of the universe who has an intimate relationship with us. He loves and cares about us, because we are His children and He is our Father.

Second, God already knows what is going on. When we pray, we are not informing our Father of anything He is not already aware of. This means that God, our Father, knows each of us intimately. He sees our pains, our needs, our brokenness, and makes Himself available for us to talk to. What an awesome Father!  

He knows us personally, loves us immensely, and has made Himself available to talk.

Have you talked to our Father today?Father, thank you for hearing and knowing the concerns of our hearts.

Humility through His Voice by Katie Kilgore

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians

2:3-4 (NIV)

I am currently reading a text for one of my worship classes called “The Voice of Our Congregation.”  The author speaks of how each of our congregations has an collective voice in which they worship, speak, learn, and generally function.  As a choir director, I have often struggled with pushing the choir beyond their “comfort zone” and allowing them to remain in the mundane of what I consider to be the “same ol, same ol.”  There is such a fine line of leadership to this dilemma.  However, I have learned through this text that hearing the voice of the congregation and specifically the choir is vital to my leadership.  As a leader, I must first learn to hear from the One True Voice, the Holy Spirit. Without His divine leading in me, I am worthless.  So, here’s where humility is key.  Rather than choosing anthems and special music that I like, I must submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading while also remembering the voice with which our choir sings.  This is really difficult for me.  However, just last week as I was reading through this text, I had the opportunity to listen to some possible new music for the choir.  Honestly, had I not been in the midst of reading I would have shunned the opportunity for the sake of “that’s not MY choice of music.”  Instead, I popped the CD into my car and began listening.  I was pleasantly surprised in what I heard and even more aware of how the Lord is using this text to mold me as a worship and choir leader, bringing me back to humility once again.

Lord,

I pray for humility as I lead.  Help me to be confident, but only in your leading and your Voice.  Help me to be sensitive to the voice that has led our congregation for years before my arrival and will continue to lead for years after my departure.  I submit to your leadership Holy Spirit.

Amen

The Best Man is a Man at Best by Patrick Fuller

“But He gives a greater grace.  Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but give grace to the humble.’” James 4:6

The perspective of a groomsman gives him a front row seat to the promises that a married couple makes on their wedding day.  I have seen people in the closest of relationships falter and divorce tragically after many years.  I have also seen people live long, fruitful, committed, and loving lives together.  So what makes all the difference in those two types of marriages?  Foundations.  The marriages that truly hold together and bear the most benefit to others around them are those that operate together based on a foundation of humility.  The truth is that only in Jesus Christ can real and viable humility be found.  Remember that Christ set the example of humility by considering himself the same as a regular man even though he was still fully the Almighty God.  If a husband can consider his wife to be of greater importance than his own self how much more will she love him in return for his servanthood?  And vice-versa?  How much more grace will God give us in our relationships if we are humbled enough to follow His example in serving our loved ones or even our own enemies daily out of love and not obligation?

Lord Jesus, please allow us to be obedient disciples to your standards for marriage and humble people in our relationships of all types every day.  Amen.

Matthew 6:34 by Brandi Peters

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

I appreciate that Jesus addressed anxiety because it assures me that I am neither the first nor only to encounter it. It may seem such an ordinary thing, but Jesus thought it worth mentioning.

I struggle with being anxious. Why? Honestly, I like the idea of being in control. I want to take charge of any circumstance. I like to have a schedule and I want to keep it. Surprises of any kind are often a nuisance to me. I perceive myself as having a goal and continuously heading toward it. Perhaps you can relate.

Perhaps you can also relate to my honest admission that the way I’ve just presented myself is inaccurate. I do set schedules and wish to keep them. I am not a fan of surprises. I do have goals and am working toward them. However, my lofty intentions and reality are rarely aligned. I probably waste more time worrying about what I need to do than actually doing it. I tend to get way ahead of myself. I worry about a paper due in 6 weeks or needing to pack to move in 3 months rather than doing what today requires.

The key here is the idea of what is needed today. Every minute I spend worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future, I am squandering the present. This is by no means advocating for the disregard of preparation. I am sure God did not intend for us to be flippant about our responsibilities. Rather, it is about prioritization. I can’t pack my clothes today for my move in 3 months but I can read my weekly assignments and prepare for tomorrow’s classes. Worrying about either of these is not a valid alternative.

Seems simple enough, right? In fact, it must be too simple for me to take at face value. It just won’t sink in. I find that the older I get the more I realize I am in control of so few things. This “loss” creates more anxiety in me. If I cannot influence the outcome of situations or the choices of others, I cannot be sure of the things that will happen to me.

Where does this leave me? In reality, it leaves me right where I started. The only thing that’s changed is my awareness. I was never in control. Not knowing it made it no less true. What then can I do about this?

In my stubbornness I usually try several things that leave me more exhausted and frustrated, knowing all the while I should be turning to Christ. He is the only answer and the core of my heart knows it. Yet, I persist in my striving. I struggle with anxiety over control most often because I am attempting to take responsibility for things that are not my concern. I am attempting to work outside the scope of my position and influence. Inevitably I fail, which leads me back each time to the truth of the matter. I am not in control.

That’s right. I am not in control, but I know the One who is. I belong to Him and trust Him for my future, not only in heaven but in this life. This trust ranges from the biggest issues to the smallest.

Sometimes the best way I can demonstrate this is by simply giving all these racing thoughts to Him, asking that He only bring to mind those concerns He would have me focus on at the time He would have me focus on them. The principle is simple, but the practice is difficult for me. I need reminding. I need a lot of reminding. It is during these times of inner turmoil, when I cannot find calm within myself and am ready to give up that He nudges ever so slightly, prompting me to do as He commanded. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Lord, help us. As your people we desire to follow You, but we are flawed. We put our own shortsighted understanding before Your unfathomable knowledge. In practice, we often want to be like You more than we want to have a relationship with You. Break our hearts over this and bring us back to Your saving grace on a daily basis. Show us how to be still so you can be God in our hearts and lives. Amen.

Discipline Equals True Discipleship by Katie Kilgore

For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but in the end it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Discipline…not really a fun word or topic for discussion.  However, the significance of discipline in our faith journey is vital to the understanding of where we are going, or need to be headed…towards discipleship.  In Hebrews, we are told that discipline is painful.

I began my journey towards running a 5K race about a year ago now.  I knew as the date for the race neared that I must have a plan, a training plan, if I would somehow run the entire 3-mile race.  So, for 12 weeks leading up to the race, I trained.  The run times started off slow…as was my breathing.  Each week the run times would increase by only a small margin, however, I could feel it…the painful part of the training.  As the day of the race quickly neared, I still had not completed a full 5K run during my training.  However, I was assured by several “real runners” around me that it would happen the day of the race, as long as I was disciplined.  I held on to that hope and on that day, May 31, 2012, I did it, I ran a 5K race without stopping!  The right-ness with the Lord never felt so near as it did that night.  He did it!  He used my weak and tired body to cross the finish line.

As I think about my faith journey in comparison to that race, I ask myself where is the discipline?  I want so desperately to hear from the Lord.  To KNOW His plans for me, even if just for this day.  But, rather than blaming Him for not speaking, how about my part in this?  Do I seek Him through His word?  Most definitely not.  So now, the discipline of studying His scriptures must ensue, it will be painful for the moment, but in the end, He promises to bring His peaceful fruit of righteousness…so what am I waiting for…maybe the sound of the gun-start, I think I just heard it!

Lord, I hunger for your righteousness in my life.  I want to be trained by your written word of truth.  Please give me the discipline to choose daily to study Your word and You have promised to be faithful and speak through it.

Amen

The Dark Night by Patrick Fuller

For those whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives. (NASB) Hebrews 12:6 

For those who have a relationship with Christ there are various stages of growth and experiences to have with Him throughout our journey here on earth.  We often like to speak of the joyous times, the devoted times, and the blessed times. On the other hand though it is necessary to remember that in any relationship there are ups and downs because we are human. We have a sinful nature that prevents us from keeping that stage of perfection indefinitely here on earth.  We go through trials, we go through seasons of doubting, we go through what most would call spiritual valleys in our faith walk, and most of all we go through tests amongst these things.  Discipline from the Lord is advanced through testing, is advanced through growth in our knowledge of who God is.  Sometimes you may find yourself in what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul” which is when the Lord removes your spiritual pleasures and devotional rewards in order to test your endurance, your perseverance and your commitment to Him.  I would encourage you to embrace these times of emptiness, weakness and discipline for they are from the merciful Lord who loves you and will not let you suffer for long. 

Merciful God, please let us stay joyful even in the darkest nights of our spiritual life, Amen.

John 21:22 by Brandi Peters

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”  John 21:22

Jesus’ response to Peter’s inquiry about what should happen to John is a reminder I need often. In my tendency to make Christianity all about me and the blessings I receive from God, rather than what He has already given, I have no way of gaging my life’s progress without comparing it to that of another.

It is true that Christ indwells each believer, but not in order to live out the same life in each of us. Even before we came to accept Him as Lord, He created us with different backgrounds, personalities, drives, and desires.  Each believer’s role in God’s ultimate plan is different, as are the blessings we receive and the burdens we bear.

This is not to sound isolating or alienating. Certainly, there are commonalities, but I cannot compare my life to another in order to objectively identify my standing. Christ is the standard. He is who and what I am to strive after.

As for the person (believer or not) who seems to be more blessed than I? If Christ wills that person to remain until His return, what is that to me? I should follow Him!  

Revelation 3:19 by Seth Dunn

¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Revelation 3:19

It is ultimately man’s sinful nature that separates him from Holy God.  The final punishment for the unrepentant sinner is an eternity in Hell away from God.  While Christians generally agree upon this, often people ask, “Does God judge some sins more harshly than others while we are here on Earth?”

We find the answer to this question from general revelation as well as from Scripture:Some sins are so detrimental to the self that God’s world seems to be a miserable place for those who partake in them.  For example, Ernest Hemingway wrote, “Of all men the drunkard is the foulest. The thief when he is not stealing is like another. The extortioner does not practice in the home. The murderer when he is at home can wash his hands. But the drunkard stinks and vomits in this own bed and dissolves his organs in alcohol.”
  

Scripture shows that God’s punishment is not always specifically prescriptive, however. The Bible gives numerous examples of harsh punishment from God for a certain sinful act.  God removed Saul from the throne of Israel for his disobedience.  (1 Samuel 15:28) David and Bathsheba lost a child as a result of the commission of murder and adultery.  (2 Samuel 12:14) Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives as a result of lying to the Holy Spirit.  (Acts 5:1-11)

We often don’t understand God’s motives and reasons for what he does (Isaiah 55:8-9).  It is best to remember that all sin is an affront to God and repent where we err.

Lord, discipline us when we trespass, forgive us of our sins, and keep us in your care.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 by Micah Kilgore

[4] Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; [5] and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; [6] and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. [7] To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. [8] For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Reflection

As I was preparing to preach this text (actually 12:1-11) my mind was captivated by the idea of speaking in tongues.  Is it still a gift available to us today?  Is it a “gift” that some people abuse for their fame?  Naturally I decided to start a Facebook thread for opinions.  I expected that I would get an argument, although I asked for the comments to be nice and discussion based.  However, across the board the responses were either to the point (still a gift, etc.) or reminded me that we should not attempt to decide for God what gifts He provides, and pointed me to v. 7.  Instead of “arguing” or debating our opinions on what gifts God wants His people to have, shouldn’t we focus instead on what we understand from the text?  He gave us ALL gifts as He saw fit, to be used for His glory and His honor, and the common good of His church.  Before you decide to ignore this question and get ready to argue your position, ask yourself these questions.  Do I use the gifts that God so graciously gave to me for His glory?  If you can answer yes, ask Him how you can continue to do so.  If you answered no, will you start using your gifts to God?

Prayer

Lord help me today to use the gifts you provided me with for the common good of your church locally or across the world.

Frightened and Fragile leads to Forgiveness By Katie Kilgore

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love…He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. Psalm 103:8, 10-13

I have been a parent now for over seven years.  In that time, my husband and I have chosen to discipline our child with different forms of such depending on the offense.  A week or so ago we were faced with a new challenge in discipline that was not a fun episode.  Our seven year old told a lie.  It was blatantly obvious to us, but to him not so much.  It so happened that my husband has the not-so-good pleasure of being the disciplinarian on this particular evening.  As I sat in our kitchen, this is what I heard. “Son, you have lied to me and your Mother.  We don’t lie to you, so we expect that you don’t lie to us either.  I don’t believe that you have ever lied to us before, so I am going to give you a pass this time, but next time you will get a spanking.  Do you understand?”  Our son was sobbing like I had never heard him do before.   As I listened to the event unfold, the Holy Spirit gave me a clear picture of His mercy and grace that He freely gives us, His children.  If only we were as frightened and fragile from our behavior as our son was that night.  After all, forgiveness was all he needed…and it’s all we need from our heavenly Father.

Lord, help me to weep over my sins as my son did, and to weep often.  I am so thankful for the mercy and compassion that you show to me without end.  I am thankful that you allowed me the opportunity to witness an example of Your forgiveness through my husband and my son.

Amen  

Acts 4:5-13 by Jessie Holmes

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.  And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:5-13

Acts chapter 4 tells the story of Peter and John as they are standing before a council of rulers, elders, scribes, and the high priest. They found themselves here because they were causing a commotion in the temple by healing and teaching in the name of Jesus. As the council begins to get to the bottom of the situation they ask a profound question, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”  At that moment Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and began proclaiming Jesus Christ as the one through whom salvation has come for all people. How does the council respond to this short and powerful testimony? “They recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

What a powerful statement! The question now is, what do people recognize in us? If we are truly Christ led disciples, then those around us should recognize that. Not because of our great biblical knowledge or the vast number of church events we go to, but simply because of how we serve, love, and obey Jesus’ commands.  

You may be thinking, “I am only human, I can’t be like Jesus!” Well you’re right. YOU can’t serve, love, and obey Jesus even on your best day! But, we aren’t in this alone. Did you notice where the boldness of Peter came from? The Holy Spirit! We have what we need dwelling on the inside. All we have to do is Abide in Christ Jesus and trust His Spirit and He will empower us to do the rest.  

Father, help us to look more like your Son every day so that your name is made known among the nations.