Tag: Worship

A Greeting

Happy Sunday! A morning prayer as we welcome this new day. ~OC

Dear God, we greet this morning with a sense of awe and gratitude. Whether we woke up refreshed or with a little extra sleep in our eyes, we give You thanks for this new day. Dear Lord, we know you can refresh every part of our lives. You can revive us. You can give us new hope and sense of purpose. So on this new day, we give you thanks for new breath. We breathe in the fresh moments of this day. Dear God, we thank you for new opportunities. For new beginnings. Use us today to bring peace and love to our small part of the world. Dear God, thanks again for this new day. ~Amen

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A Friday Prayer

A Morning Prayer. ~OC

Dear God, I pray that you would give us the boldness to speak out against hate, especially when we see it in our churches, communities and homes.

Dear God, I pray that you would give us the humility to admit where we have chosen the way of the world over the path of Christ.

Dear God, I pray that you would encourage us to step away from behind the glowing shield of our screens to have real conversations in which we look into the eyes of another, witnessing the image of God that dwells within them.

Dear God, I pray that you would remind us that time is a precious gift that should not be wasted on things that divide us, but instead we would use the gift of time to encourage and build people up. To be our neighbors biggest cheerleader instead of their judge and jury.

Dear God, I pray you would teach us to live with a heart of service. Teach us to live with less so that everyone has enough.

Dear God, I pray you will move in your Church. I want her to thrive. I pray 2025 will be a year of repentance and revival for the American church.

Today, I pray you will join me in lifting up these prayers? Amen

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Facing Challenges

Good Morning! I do not have a date for when I wrote the following. But as I looked it over, I thought it was relevant to what so many of us are facing today. ~OC

Today’s a new day! There will be times in our lives that we will face challenges in life.

There will be times when we see blatant disregard for God’s Word even within the Christian community.

There will be a time when some Christians will choose political power over the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There will be a time when Christians will be put in a position to stand for what’s right or choose to be guided by the allure of power.

There will be a time when Christians will need to step up for what’s right. Even if that means standing alone.

Sometimes, we will find ourselves in situations where we will need to decide if we will obey God or “follow the crowd”. Our decision will either glorify God or give the enemies of God an opportunity to scorn Him. It is very important to stand for what you believe in (especially if your conviction is coming from what God has clearly said); even when others have a different opinion or thought.

It Takes Courage

The truth is, standing alone requires courage.

It is important to know that courage is not the absence of fear; it is confidence in something or someone greater than the emotions of fear.

To stand alone, one must have confidence that obedience to God and His word will ultimately result in a superior outcome. We can always stand alone for truth, if we have this confidence in God and His Word.

Standing alone can definitely be hard, but certainly not impossible.

There are several examples of people in the Bible who towed this path.

In Hebrews 11:7, we see where Noah chose to believe God. God told Noah about bad things that would happen. Nobody could see what would happen, but Noah believed God’s message. He was careful to do exactly what God told him. He built a large ship to save his family. As a result of his faith, Noah showed that everyone else in the world was wrong. Noah himself became one of those people that God accepted as right with him.

Just imagine. It was only Noah and his family on God’s side against all of the naysayers on the other side.

But Noah did it. And if he did it, then we can too.

God’s Word Is Our Fortress:

When it comes to standing for what one believes in, it all starts and ends with what the Lord is saying – either through His revealed word or His spoken word directly to us.

God’s Word is the believer’s most powerful weapon against evil and it is his most potent fortress when it comes to standing alone.

Scripture is no doubt a deep source of strength. It has been my anchor in overwhelming situations that have required me to stand alone. I am a living, breathing testimony that standing alone with God is the best because you will always win.

Remember that when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He defeated Satan by quoting the Scriptures. In His response to the enemy’s first temptation, Jesus emphasized the necessity of knowing God’s Word, pointing out that our need for God’s Word is even more critical than our need for physical sustenance.

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ~Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬

We must know the Word of God in order to stand alone for truth.

You Are Not Alone

When you are standing for what God says – which you have come to believe in, it may seem like you are all alone. But the truth is, you are never truly alone because God is standing with you. He promised to never leave us (Isaiah 43:1-5; Matthew 28:20)

Knowing this, we need to always turn to God for the grace and strength to face whatever may come.

Stand Strong! God is with us. I pray the following scriptures will give you hope:

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. ~1 Corinthians 16:13

Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. ~Deuteronomy 31:6

Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have placed my trust and found refuge. ~Psalms 16:1

This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” ~ Jeremiah 7:23

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10

Dear God, we have chosen to obey you by standing alone for the truth, please help us to be courageous. Grant us grace and strength to face whatever may come and at the end Lord, please give us victory to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

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Today’s Prayer

Good Morning! ~OC

Dear God, help us to love as you love, by loving those with different opinions than us and defending their right to those beliefs. Allow us to see past political, religious and cultural differences. Dear God, open our hearts to see the beauty in our differences. We pray all this in gracious name. Amen

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Hope Over Division

Good Morning! The following is something I have been working on the last few days. Yes, it’s long, but I hope you will take the time to read it.

Today’s a new day! The last few days, I have had some friends decide their political beliefs were more important than the Gospel and our friendship. But sadly, this is nothing new.

Over the last few years, I have found it sad that some Christians just do not understand how someone who disagrees with their political beliefs could possibly be a Christian. So much division over something so trivial as politics.

But division among Christians is not new, and is not a surprise to God.

Conflict among God’s people is not isolated to one culture or even one generation. Conflict is inevitable. Opinions will differ. But if we are rooted in the gospel, we should be united in purpose.

As I have surveyed the landscape of America, I have found people from different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, political persuasions, and church denominations pursuing Christ with passion and commitment. I have found people finding unity in Christ, not political parties or politicians.

I have also been blessed to see Christians discover the gift of unity, even in disagreements. Sadly, I have also experienced some Christians allowing differences to end friendships. It is a choice we have to make daily.

I believe when Christians are truly united in the Gospel, we will be united in purpose.

In my journey, I have found that people do not always realize that we can have the same faith and have very different life experiences. In today’s heated culture, we may wonder if Christians can disagree and still remain united. For generations, across all nations and cultures, Christians have asked the same question. Is it truly possible to approach complex issues without losing our love for one another? I believes the answer is yes. It might not be easy, but if we truly put God’s love first I believe we can experience God’s unifying power to overcome our differences.

I also believe these three lessons can help.

Do not confuse differences with division:

In Revelation 7:9, we read inspiring verses about a great multitude gathered in worship before Jesus: 

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” 

In John’s vision, “every nation, tribe, people and language” praised the living God together. 

This beautiful picture gives us hope for eternity, but Christ-centered unity can feel distant today. When we struggle, I encourages everyone to not let our God-given differences evolve into manmade division. 

When we seek after God to help us guard against division, we can trust that He will work through our differences in His timing and in His way.

I do not look at nations, tribes, and tongues as something to divide us. Those are just characteristics, like someone being tall or short. We have made them into divisions, but God is the one who created those distinctions. It may be visible that people are different, but Revelation tells us we are not divided in the eyes of Christ. I truly believe God works uniquely within the Church through every time and culture. When division threatens God’s people today and leads to disagreement, we can pray for one another. Through individual prayer for others, even those we disagree with, God can soften our hearts and give us renewed patience.

Focus on what draws us together:

Through Revelation 7:10, we are challenged to focus on the One who draws us together:  

“And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

It is no surprise that the Bible talks about the diversity of the people while they stand before Jesus claiming Him as the one true God. There is a unity in what they are claiming. They are in agreement that all blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, and honor belong to Him. They are 100 percent focused on Jesus.

I believe this picture is a reminder that the One who unites His people is stronger than anything that drives us apart. When we seek God through His Word, He gives us a complete picture of His character. Through His Word we find wisdom, courage, and hope.

This picture of God’s people worshipping in unison should be a reminder to all of us to stay in a posture of humility. In today’s society, we are often encouraged to assume the worst about those who disagree with us. But there is room at the table for differences of opinion when Christ is our focus. We do not have to carry the burden of argument or debate. Instead, when we keep our eyes on Him and not others, we can pray, discuss, and enjoy being together.

When we look to Christ, we discover that Jesus gives us the wisdom and strength to navigate our differences without division.  

Put our faith in God’s promises, not people:

In Revelation 7:9-10, God reveals that He is worthy of our worship. The chapter closes with a beautiful picture of what we will experience in eternity under Christ’s authority: 

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water,’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:17). 

In today’s culture, we are tempted to place our faith in people, denominations, political parties or human solutions. But leaders come and go, and even Christians can disappoint us. Revelation 7:17 reminds us that the Lamb who chose to die for His people is the same Lamb who rules for eternity. Jesus, who stands worthy of our worship, bends low to wipe away our tears.  

That is a promise. Even though we do not know what’s going to happen, we can trust that God is enough. We are reminded in Revelation that when we struggle through disappointment on earth, we can trust God’s promises for the future. With that in mind, we can meet our brothers and sisters in Christ with grace as we trust the Lord to reveal truth in His time.

What God has revealed for the future is enough to give us hope for today.

I pray you will spend some time reflecting on these words today. Walk and live in peace and harmony with everyone. Even those you disagree with. ~OC

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Hope

Here is a morning prayer for Monday 2/10/25. Have a beautiful day! ~OC

Dear God, you are the hope for this world. Today, I pray you meet us in the darkness of our despair and speak a word of hope over our anxious hearts. Give us the strength to faithfully wait for your promises for our lives and to find hope in our hour of need. We pray all of this in the name of the One who is the true hope and love of this world. Amen!

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Let It Start With Me

Dear God, As we wake up this morning we pray for the end of violence and hatred and discord. Steady the tongue that rushes to spread painful words and the fingers poised to pull the trigger of disunity. Bring justice to the downtrodden, restoration to the marginalized and abused, hope to the hopeless. Guide all those in positions of power—whether that power is political or physical or social—and give them wisdom to use their power wisely. Give them, and all of us, the grace to admit when we are wrong and to seek forgiveness. We pray You would give us the grace to forgive.

Dear God, help us see your face in the faces of everyone around us. Give us courage to love one another even when love seems like a risk. Give us compassion for those who are unlike us. Teach us to listen to those we disagree with, to hear stories that make us uncomfortable. Heal the hatred around the world and let it start in our own hearts first. Amem. ~OC

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Morning Prayer

A Morning Prayer. ~OC

Dear God, we lift before you the needs of our hurting world, knowing full well that your heart is already grieving for all the loss, the destruction and death in Washington D.C., Philadelphia and the needs around the world.

We pray for those who are hungry with no hope of being filled,
for those who are sick with no hope of medical attention,
for those who are fearful with no hope of rescue.


We come to you on their behalf asking for provision, for you are the Hope that does not disappoint.

God, raise up leaders in our nation and world who are courageous to stand against the evils of the world.

We wonder, Lord, sitting in our privilege and comfort, arguing about first world problems, if it’s even possible to serve you faithfully without running water or basic freedoms, so we pray that you would protect our brothers and sisters in Christ whose lives may be threatened because they have chosen to set their hope in your unseen Kingdom.

Enlarge our compassion, Dear God, for we are a distracted people who scroll past misery and then complain about our slow internet speed. Thank you that you are a God who can hold and respond to the pain of every nation, every man, woman, and child as if they were the only voice in your ear. Hold us in faithful prayer for our hurting world, for we dare not look away from the suffering of others lest we become callous, deaf and blind to your calling upon our lives. In Jesus’s precious name, AMEN

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Welcome to February 2025

Welcome to February 2025! Several people have inquired about my health the past few days, so here is a quick update.

My body continues to slow down. I am sleeping the majority of the day the last few months. The doctors believe based on some recent infections, my neurological issues have gotten much worse. Harder for me to get around these days. This past Monday, doctors believe I had a small TIA (mini stroke). Thankfully I was not hospitalized. Sadly, my dementia is further along than first thought. Of course that could have been caused by the multiple infections and procedures I had towards the end of last year. The doctors have decided with the complex headaches and further risk for a stroke, that it’s not a good idea for me to be driving. I must agree. So this past Monday, we sold one of our cars and are happy with the one car we have.

I do not look at this as a sad time in my journey. I choose to look at all the amazing opportunities that are still in front of me. So I will continue to wake up every morning with gratitude in my heart and give God thanks for another day of life. Physically and Mentally, life is much harder these days, but honestly I would not trade my life and all of the beautiful moments I have experienced and will continue to experience. Laura and I are at peace.

My prayer for each of you, is that you will embrace every moment of everyday and find some sunshine among the clouds. ~OC

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Beware

I wrote the following several years ago, but I believe it’s just as important today as it was when I first wrote it.

Today’s a new day! Dear Christian Community, the wolf is in our midst today and is barely disguised and yet many well-intentioned, faithful followers of Jesus continue to be deceived. Even to this day, after a mountain of evidence and even as the wolfish features glare beyond transparency, too many Christian leaders continue to do the unthinkable: to cover their eyes. They deny the presence of the wolf before them, some even doubling down on the impossible and imagined sheep-like credentials of this false idol. Enough. The shepherds of God’s flock must speak out, or they will continue to lead themselves, their flock, and perhaps even the country itself, straight into the wolf’s mouth. ~OC

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