Your Prayer is Heard... A One-Minute Christmas Devotional

Your Prayer is Heard…

But they had no child,
Because Elizabeth was barren,
And they were both well advanced in years.
Luke 1:7

 There are circumstances in each of our lives where we have prayed and prayed for a particular outcome, and we have yet to see its fulfillment. Am I correct? Zacharias and Elizabeth knew this firsthand in their probably lifelong prayer for a much-wanted baby. However, make no mistake about it. Our Father always answers our every prayer: Yes, No, or Not Yet.

The yes-answered prayers are easy. It is the no and not yet petitions that require greater faith on our part. In such a season, incomparable comfort comes from knowing three truths: He loves me, He is for me, and He knows best. These are real rubber-meets-the-road times of trust for us.

When His answer to our requests appears to be a no, we find our rest in His omniscience and omnipresence. He has a vantage point to view our lives that we can’t even imagine. In the light of time and eternity, these seemingly unfulfilled requests will often make sense later. Think of the old song lyrics: some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered (no) prayers.[i]

Not-yet prayers tell us that Lord Jesus is keeping a different timetable than ours. Delaying Lazarus’ healing caused a greater story – a greater glory – to be revealed. Sometimes, we are not ready for the thing we want, like a four-year-old wishing to drive the family car on the freeway. One request of ours might involve over a thousand people – a ripple effect. Here, God may be lining the puzzle pieces up that we can’t yet see. Some prayers require us to enter spiritual warfare, or yes, the removal of some unhealthy stuff in our lives. He may be calling us to grow in Him before He answers.

 Let’s follow Zach’s and Beth’s example. Their prayer was delayed, and they maybe thought it was a no. Nonetheless, they loved and waited upon their King for His answer, trusting Him completely. Let’s do that, too.

[i] Garth Brooks, Pat Alger, and Larry Bastian, Unanswered Prayers, 1990

Small Things... A One-Minute Christmas Season Devo

Small. Small things. Small packages...

A little one shall become a thousand,
And a small one a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.
Isaiah 60:22

For years, I despaired that what I had to offer the Lord was too small. For years I despaired that I was too small. Yes, I despaired, compared, and felt defeated. Yet, our Heavenly Father apparently delights in tiny, little, and small things.

So, if this season finds you fretting about the size of your abilities, your home, your income, your ministry, your influence, or yourself, remember…

To God, profoundly significant things come in small packages. We need only look at the baby in the manger to see the size of His heart and what He can do with the small things we surrender to Him.

A Month of Thanksgiving One-Minute Devo...

We can’t ponder thanksgiving and worship without talking about the ten lepers. Only ONE came back to thank Lord Jesus?? Yet how often have I been guilty of the very same thing?

So Jesus answered and said,
“Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
Were there not any found who returned
to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
And He said to him, “Arise, go your way.
Your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:17-19

As we surrender our lives in greater measure to the Lord Jesus, we will find that our gratefulness will become more and more evident. A surrendered life means trusting Him fully with how He will handle the small and large concerns that we face. When we give up control to Him, we begin to recognize that God does know what He is doing. We then get out of the way to let Him reveal His love in ways we didn’t realize before. Gratefulness will become a spontaneous fountain from our hearts and lips. Trust me. I know this from my own life.

Think of gratefulness to Him as the temperature gauge of who is in control: is it me or my Heavenly Father? Ponder that for a bit…

Intentional gratefulness is the greatest cure for discouragement. It beats out the blues. It drowns out the voice of self-pity, and it can be a tool to overcome depression and anxiety. Indeed, there are many factors regarding these instances, but from personal experience and years of offering pastoral counseling, I am hard-pressed to find people who live daily in effervescent gratefulness who are down for the count for very long.

When the thankful, now-healed leper returned to Jesus, he must have immensely blessed the Lord’s heart. Let’s be people who bless our Redeemer’s heart, too.

At the Start of This Week ~ One-Minute Devo...

At the start of this week...

Should your tires be flat, your wallet is even flatter, but your tummy seems to be anything but flat, it is time to take a deep breath of the Holy Spirit, turn off all media, and run to Jesus’ presence. Open His Word and drink in His life.
Psalm 16:11

Should your work seem daunting, your household floundering, and your peace of mind disappearing, it is time to re-surrender your life to the One and Only who can bring hope, joy, strength, and the ever-needed wisdom and calm you are lacking. He is faithful, even when you are not.
Romans 12:1-2

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes to be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus, no matter what you face, because He Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

He Always Answer... One-Minute Devotional

Remember, God always answers our prayers…

So, when He heard that he was sick,
He stayed two more days in the place where He was.
John 11:6

The request was simple. Jesus’ good friends, sisters Mary and Martha, asked that He come quickly because their brother Lazarus was seriously ill. Jesus delayed. Lazarus died. And all hope seemed buried right along with the beloved brother and friend of Christ. Here, we learn a valuable lesson:

Our Father always answers our every prayer: Yes, No, or Not Yet.

Yes-answered prayers are easy. It’s the no and not yet petitions that require faith on our part. Learning yesterday that we are always heard, incredible comfort comes again from knowing: He loves me, His Word is true, and He knows best. These are real rubber-meets-the-road times of trust for us.

When His answer to our requests appears to be a no, we find our rest in His omniscience and omnipresence. He has a vantage point to view our lives that we can’t even imagine. In the light of time and eternity, these seemingly unfulfilled requests will often make sense later. Think of the old song lyrics: Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered (no) prayers.[i]

Not-yet prayers tell us that God is keeping a different timetable than ours. Delaying Lazarus’ healing caused a greater story—a greater glory—to be revealed. Sometimes, we are not ready for the thing we want, like a four-year-old wishing to drive the family car on the freeway. Maybe our request involves over a thousand people—a ripple effect. Here, He may be lining the puzzle pieces up that we can’t yet see. Some prayers might require spiritual warfare, or yes, the removal of some unhealthy stuff in our lives. He may be calling us to grow in Him before He answers.

So, let’s lean into Lazarus’ healing story. Jesus has eternity in mind. His delays or no answer to our prayers can be trusted. Let’s do just that. Trust Him. Because a marvelous miracle might just be waiting around the corner.

[i] Garth Brooks, Pat Alger, and Larry Bastian, Unanswered Prayers, 1990

Yes, Indeed... One-Minute Devotional

When we worship, God is exalted, and heaven comes down. And, when heaven rules – hell flees.

In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9-10

When Lord Jesus gave us a blueprint for praying effectively, He told us to begin by declaring who God is.

Our Father…  

Our Abba-Daddy loves us beyond reason. When this truth becomes rock-solid heart knowledge for us, our faith is pretty much invincible. Yes. OUR Father. Yours and mine. You see, when we fully engage in worship of our King—with all our being—our preoccupation with ourselves diminishes, and we position ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and not our flesh.

Hallowed be Your name…

And His Name—no other name—is HOLY. His name is exalted above all names—over every demonic spirit or anything our enemy would throw at us Philippians 2:9-11. Jesus invites us to begin all spiritual warfare and prayer by worshipping the holiness of His name and all that His name entails, represents, and for its sheer majesty and authority.

Your kingdom come…

Because our praise brings heaven down, asking for His will to be accomplished is not passive acquiescence but spiritual warfare at its most potent and dynamic. We are declaring God’s rule and reign, usurping any and every plan of the enemy or flesh that is waging war against us. Here we receive His invitation to partner with Him in battle prayer for our lives, our homes, our communities, and the nations 1 Corinthians 3:9.

All prayer and spiritual warfare should begin with worship and thanks. When we get that right, our prayer requests often take care of themselves. Should more specific instruction or discernment from the Holy Spirit be needed to smite specific tactics of demonic activity in the authority of Jesus’ name? In that case, the focus of our worship will release the clarity we need to pray more effectively.

His kingdom will come; His will—will be done.

Enthroned... One-Minute Devo

From the heart of this Messianic psalm, we learn one of the most important aspects of worship to defeat our adversary, the devil, in spiritual battle.

But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Psalms 22:3

When we rightfully declare God’s kingdom rule in every area of our lives, His kingdom power and presence are made known, and our enemy runs James 4:7-8. The devil literally cannot remain standing when the Almighty is on the scene!

The Lord Jesus wants to reveal Himself to us through the power of the Holy Spirit within us John 16:14. As we declare His Lordship, we create a place—a throne—for His felt and experienced presence and rule in our lives and over those situations requiring battle-prayer Psalm 22:3. Our worship during spiritual warfare and prayer aligns us with His purposes. We get our eyes off of ourselves and our stuff, allowing the Holy Spirit to help us discern what is actually taking place around us in the spiritual realm.

As our praises enthrone Him—literally make a seat for Him—we experience His felt presence far surpassing mere head knowledge. And wherever King Jesus is, just as we read in the Gospels, there is salvation, healing, and deliverance. In other words, turn on His light and the enemy’s darkness is overcome.

Does your home or workplace need to experience heaven’s rule today? Are you praying for someone oppressed by demonic influence? Could your body use His healing touch? Do you need some divine intervention or direction? Begin to praise. Declare Who He is and what He has done. Speak words of worship from God’s Word. Declare His Lordship through worship over these situations and watch what happens when Lord Jesus takes His rightful throne.

Adapted from the YouVersion Bible Plan - Worship: A Key in Spiritual Warfare

This is one of my most favorite accounts from the Bible:

“You will not need to fight in this battle...
stand still and see the salvation of the LORD,
who is with you”...
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head ...worshiping the LORD.
...he appointed those who should sing to the LORD,
and who should praise the beauty of holiness,
as they went out before the army and were saying:
“Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.”
2 Chronicles 20:17-18, 20-21

Israel is about to be creamed by the onslaught of enemy attack. King Jehoshaphat leads the nation to seek the Lord, and God speaks, giving them out-of-the-box instructions. Nevertheless, He promises complete victory. The nation responds and humbles itself, calls the worship team to the front of the line, and heads out to meet the assaulting army.

Pure and simple, the enemy is absolutely defeated. Better than defeated. The enemy turns inward and annihilates itself.

We discussed worship as warfare on Day 3, but we must remind ourselves of this truth. Worship is our battle cry. Worship is the standard we raise to face our adversaries (Isaiah 59:19). When we worship the Name above all names and genuinely let Holy Spirit adoration arise from our being, hell is stopped in its tracks. Really. Truly.

Do you have a burden, concern, question, or heartache? I encourage you to read the whole of 2 Chronicles 20. Seek the Lord (v. 3). Listen for the Lord’s battle directions for your personal situation (v.15). Position yourself (v.17). Humble yourself (v.18). Choose to believe God (v. 20). Lift up verbal praise (v.21).

Repeat until victory is secured.

From Thirty Days of Thanksgiving- A Month of Interactive Devotions for Gratitude, Praise, & Worship

Need Some Refreshment? One-Minute Devo...

One of my very favorite passages…

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Acts 3:19

Who doesn’t want refreshment in their lives? Who doesn’t long to experience continual joy, hope, healing, strength, and purpose? Isn’t this the heart cry of humanity? 

What would it be like for my whole being–spirit, soul, and body–to rest securely and have a continual sense of God’s refreshing presence amid the hills and valleys of life? 

Peter’s words to the crowd gathered after the lame man’s healing speak to both the person seeking if there is a God and those who have walked at length with Lord Jesus. Wherever you find yourself, let’s explore his words together…

The Greek New Testament word for refreshing found in our study verse encourages our hearts:

Anapsyxis Greek-Meaning: A cooling or refreshing, a recovery of breath, a revival.

Oh. To catch our breath. To be revived in this hot and hectic world where the daily onslaught of news can be daunting, and everyday living can seem beyond challenging. Yet, in God’s refreshing presence is the fullness of joy King David wrote about, regardless of our circumstances Psalm 16:11.

The Biblical definition of refreshing that we find above brings particular strength to the Jesus follower as we know that the Holy Spirit—the third Person of the Trinity, God Himself—is the very breath of God who brings refreshing and revival to us. Indeed, the words translated as Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments mean a breath, to breathe, breeze, or wind.

Yes. A refreshing, deep breath of the Spirit is in order.

We need the Holy Spirit’s daily refreshing instead of our daily grind. We could use His victorious restoration of what the world and the devil have stolen from us. And finally, our souls long to experience His continual renewal into the image of Jesus instead of rehashing our same flaws and failures. Right?

Let’s take a deep breath in Him and experience the cleansing and refreshing breath of Holy Spirit power.

His Masterpiece... One-Minute Devo

The Lord Jesus created each one of us a masterpiece. Yes.

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Masterpiece is the original meaning of the word often translated as workmanship. The Greek word used is poiema, from which comes the English word poem, meaning something created by a master artisan. Poetry is beautiful. As a note from my Bible tells me: 

Before conversion to Jesus, our lives had no rhyme or reason. Conversion brought us balance, symmetry, and order. We are God’s poem, His work of art.*

Where are you in your beliefs about yourself? Do you still get tangled up in thoughts that you are too much or not enough? Do you think you are too young, too old, or your appearance, aptitude, or lack of ability in an area of life disqualifies you? Do you question whether Abba-Daddy made a mistake when it came to creating you? Do insecurity, comparison, and shame still rule your heart to some degree?

Paul writes to put these lies to rest. In Christ, we are qualified (Col. 1:12). As the adage states, He doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. That is you, and that is me. I know from experience that I had to actively speak to these untruths and break my life-long agreement with them in Jesus’ Name (Mark 16:17).

God has a purpose for each of us, and we are the only ones who can fulfill it. He wants us to know the exhilaration of co-laboring with Him. No matter what your current circumstances are or you think life has passed you by, you have a purpose. You are God’s purpose. You have significance and a God-given destiny because you are His masterpiece – His beautiful, powerful poem in the Holy Spirit. Now, ask Him for your unique assignment, get crackin,’ and delight His heart and yours.

* Jack W. Hayford, Litt.D, Executive Editor, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2002) Word Wealth for Ephesians 2:10.

Something New... One-Minute Devotional

Are you looking for something, well, new in your life? Maybe even, a new you?

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.
For the new wine would burst the wineskins,
spilling the wine and ruining the skins.
New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
Luke 5:37-38 NLT

Here, Jesus communicates that we can’t keep doing the same old and familiar things we’ve been doing and expect a different result. Yes, indeed. We need a paradigm shift in how we think—repentance—or a turnover from what we may have inherited generationally, our upbringing, location, perceived abilities or inabilities, and finally—our comfort zones. 

The new wine of the Holy Spirit’s overflow is always looking for willing and available vessels to pour through. That’s all He asks. Yes, we all desire to see His miraculous and divine intervention that precipitates revival, not only in ourselves but in others. Yet a problem arises when we prefer our cozy and secure ways of living that hinder His moving. 

When we prefer the old and comfortable to venturing into a paradigm of something new in Jesus, my friend Wendy Nolasco likes to say, Well, at least the street signs in hell are familiar. How true. How sad.

To live in something new, whether it is a habit or behavior change, a new direction in vocation or location, no matter how big or how small, something will have to give. Literally, it will be us—we will have to take a risk. We must risk the familiar for what Jesus has in store. Risk being stretched so far that the only way we’ll make it is by total dependence upon Him. Let’s consider that maybe our thinking, training, peer group, or you name it, may be an old wineskin that needs the boot!

Let’s surrender to Jesus in a fresh new way. Placing everything on the table to unwrap the new thing He wants to do in and through us. It may not be comfortable at first—but guaranteed—it will be extraordinary and worth it.

From Jesus Makes All Things New: 31 Days of Interactive Devotions for New Beginnings, Fresh Starts, & Open Doors.

Life Begins When... One-Minute Devotional

Life begins at the end of our comfort zone...

But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6

Anna Finfrock, a young American friend whom I met in Taiwan, posted this opening sentence on Instagram today. She and her husband are now serving the Lord in South Africa, and yep, it’s true...

Faith in Jesus is rubber-meets-the-road time when it comes to bringing Him great pleasure. Faith involves trust, and trust is the highest form of adoration. Nevertheless, faith always requires risk.

I am not talking about risk or leaving our comfort zone for the sake of being stupid or trying to prove something. But when the Lord calls my name, and His invitation invites risk, it is not time to shrink back, hold back, or think of my comfort. I have had plenty of comfort in my life—booooring! But His thrill ride these past many years has been amazing, exciting, miraculous, and wonder-filled. Could Jesus do anything less?

Nope. So, I am willing to leave my comfort zone when He calls. Will you join me?

Our Father... One-Minute Devotional

When we worship, heaven comes down...

In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9‭-‬10‬‬

This simple prayer outline that Lord Jesus gives - which we call The Lord’s Prayer - is a doozy. And it starts with our declaring who God is. Our Father. Our Abba-Daddy who loves us beyond reason. When this truth becomes rock-solid heart knowledge for us, our faith is pretty much invincible. Yes. OUR Father. Yours and mine. And His Name – no other name – is HOLY.

All prayer should begin with worship and thanks. When we get that right, our prayer requests pretty much take care of themselves. When our alone times begin with worshiping in spirit and truth, and we have created a place where we sense His felt presence, almost nothing else that concerns us matters. We know He has us and our burdens. When we lean into Daddy's embrace – and stay there – we begin to comprehend that He already understands what we need (Matthew 6:8). Help is on the way.

Because our praise brings heaven down, asking for His will to be accomplished is not passive acquiescence but spiritual warfare at its most potent and dynamic. We are declaring God’s rule and reign usurping any and every plan of the enemy or flesh that is waging war against us. It is here we receive His invitation to partner with Him in battle prayer for our lives, our homes, our communities, and the nations (1 Corinthians 3:9).

And it all begins with our lifting Spirit-filled adoration as we climb into our Father’s arms.

Now, It's Our Turn... One-Minute Devo for the New Year

The Christmas story is not over…

The former account I made, O Theophilus,
of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
Acts 1:1 

Luke continues in his gospel to detail all that Jesus began to do and teach. His miracles, teaching, compassion, wisdom, and authority are displayed in these remaining words.

Yet, there is more. The physician records a second book after the Lord’s death and resurrection. The Book of Acts rehearses how the early church, in the power of the Holy Spirit, carried on all of Jesus’ ministry. Every aspect of it.  Now, the mantle of the first disciples falls upon each of us. 

What?! Me?! Yes, you and me. Above our pay grade? Yes, for certain. For we are broken, misshapen, and ever-so-desperate individuals. Except it is not up to us to get the job done. The Holy Spirit empowerment of the early church is now our inheritance, too (Luke 11:13, Acts 3:6, 1 Corinthians 1:30). All the Lord needs from us is our surrendered yes.

The Christmas story never stops giving. It gives, and gives, and gives, and never relents from its pursuit of the human heart, all because of our God’s inexhaustible love. Nothing is impossible for Him, and in Him, the Holy Spirit desires to work the impossible through us.

Jesus began it all. Now it’s simply our turn. It is our time to live by doing the next right thing like Zach and Elizabeth. It is our time to be willing, though frail vessels, for the life of Jesus to be formed in us like Mary. It is time to look only upward for direction as we learn from the Christmas Star and keep our steadfast focus on the Lord’s call for our journey.

It is time for us to do and teach the whole ministry of the whole gospel of the Lord Jesus to reach a lost, dying, and weary world. A world who needs His touch – through us. Let’s unwrap the gift of Christmas that never stops bringing His life and healing and give it away to everyone we meet.

Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem... One-Minute Christmas Devo

New York. London. Milan. Tokyo. Sydney. And then, little Bethlehem…

Joseph also went up…
to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem..
Luke 2:4

 We could discuss how this small town, found just six miles south from Jerusalem, ties the Old Testament to the New Testament by being King David’s birthplace, a man who would become a part of the Messiah’s lineage. We could ponder its other title, the City of David, and how it segues into the eternal reign of Christ upon King David’s throne.

We could also consider how such a small village speaks to us about how God uses small things, places, and, yes, people like you and me to do great things for Him. Yep, that would be a good thing to discuss. (Micah 5:2)

Yet, what speaks most profoundly is Bethlehem’s meaning in the original Hebrew: House of Bread. Bethlehem, the House of Bread, would be the birthplace of the Bread of Life – King Jesus.

What comes to your mind when you think about a warm loaf of bread from the oven? Could it be comfort, satisfaction, and both filling and sustaining? This describes bread in the physical sense, but what does it say about our soul? Is this what we are experiencing in our lives in Jesus?

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  John 6:35

No, this isn’t just Christian theory. I lived far too long in that. I knew a lot about the Lord, but I didn’t daily know Him as the Bread of Life. I was still hungry. I wasn’t satisfied. Or fulfilled. It wasn’t until I started to experience His presence in my quiet times, and when opening His Word to speak to me, did life change. I didn’t need to do more; I just needed more of Him. Oh, little town of Bethlehem, we hear you speaking to our hearts.

For Real. An Angel... A One-Minute Christmas Devotional

No joke. I am 99.9% sure I encountered a real angel last year at Christmas at my workplace...

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
Hebrews 13:2

A few Christmas Eves ago, I was alone in the office of the medical clinic where I was employed when a scraggly man appeared at my door. Oh my, now what? This older, rag-tag man with the most piercing blue eyes told me how he was caring for his elderly mom and needed my help THAT DAY. The verse above immediately came to my mind. I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking to me to shape up because someone special was in front of me. Yes, really.

I was cranky. I had family waiting at home. Yet, I tried to help him. The situation kept getting worse, with more hoops for me to jump through to get him the aid he was requiring. Then, it became laughable. I just knew this was the real deal. The Lord has a sense of humor—for sure. When everything finally came to a close, the man took my hand, looked me straight in the eye, and said to me—You are a real angel.

So, this Christmas and every other day of the year, slow down and take notice. You never know. You may be entertaining an angel sent from heaven, or you may be their God-sent angel.

Small Packages... A 0ne-Minute Christmas Devotional

Small. Small things. Small packages...

A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.
Isaiah 60:22

For years, I despaired that what I had to offer the Lord was too small. For years I despaired that I was too small. Yes, I despaired, compared, and felt defeated. Yet, our Heavenly Father apparently delights in tiny, little, and small things.

So, if this season finds you fretting about the size of your abilities, your home, your income, your ministry, your influence, or yourself, remember…

What Jesus is whispering to my heart today:

To God, profoundly significant things come in small packages. We need only look at the baby in the manger to see the size of His heart and what He can do with the small things we surrender to Him.

Bringing Heaven Down - One-Minute Thanksgiving Devo

When we worship, heaven comes down…

In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:9-10

 This simple prayer outline that Lord Jesus gives - which we call The Lord’s Prayer - is a doozy. And it starts with our declaring who God is. Our Father. Our Abba-Daddy who loves us beyond reason. When this truth becomes rock solid heart knowledge for us, our faith is pretty much invincible. Yes. OUR Father. Yours and mine. And His Name—no other name—is HOLY.

All prayer should begin with worship and thanks. When we get that right, our prayer requests pretty much take care of themselves. When our alone times begin with worshiping in spirit and truth, and we have created a place where we sense His felt presence, almost nothing else that concerns us matters. We know He has us and our burdens. When we lean into Daddy's embrace—and stay there—we begin to comprehend that He already understands what we need (Matthew 6:8). Help is on the way.

Because our praise brings heaven down, asking for His will to be accomplished is not passive acquiescence but spiritual warfare at its most potent and dynamic. We are declaring God’s rule and reign usurping any and every plan of the enemy or flesh that is waging war against us. It is here we receive His invitation to partner with Him in battle prayer for our lives, our homes, our communities, and the nations (1 Corinthians 3:9).

 And it all begins with our lifting Spirit-filled adoration as we climb into our Father’s arms.

A Winning Recipe... One-Minute Thanksgiving Devo

Okay. Here is the recipe for living positioned in the presence of the Lord all through our day. Every day.

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
Psalm 92:1-2

What would it look like if our very first words to Jesus every morning were filled with thanksgiving, gratefulness, and worship? What if we started our days dancing into His courts with praise instead of lugging a laundry list of requests and needs? Even when life has its darkest tragedies and trials, what might our lives be like if we worshipped at His footstool because His compassion never fails and His mercies are new every morning? Might there be a chance that those verbal declarations to Him align our hearts and minds to expect a miracle for our trying situation? Just sayin’.

What about the end of our day?

Could our sleep possibly be sweeter, longer, and deeper if each evening we declared His greatness over our lives? Thanking Him for His intimate knowledge of every detail that concerns us and speaking words of love to Him for how amazing He is? Often, the adversary of our souls uses the night watch to bring tormenting thoughts to our minds when we are facing health, financial, or relational issues. Nevertheless, might his tormenting voice be silenced if we pressed through to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment as we worship Him before laying our heads on our pillows? I bet we would sleep more untroubled and unconcerned, hearing our own voice declare His greatness.

 Again. We don’t worship to get. However, when we speak praise, heaven touches earth, faith is released, and our Papa positions us for His plans and purposes. Beginning and ending our day and every moment in between, may His praise ever be on our lips. This sounds like a winning recipe indeed.

Only One?? One-Minute Thanksgiving Devo

So Jesus answered and said,
“Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
Were there not any found who returned
to give glory to God except this foreigner?”
And He said to him, “Arise, go your way.
Your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:17-19

 We can’t ponder thanksgiving and worship without talking about the ten lepers. Only ONE came back to thank Lord Jesus?? Yet how often have I been guilty of the very same thing?

As we surrender our lives in greater measure to the Lord Jesus, we will find that our gratefulness will become more and more evident. A surrendered life means trusting Him fully with how He will handle the small and large concerns that we face. When we give up control to Him, we begin to recognize that God does know what He is doing. We then get out of the way to let Him reveal His love in ways we didn’t realize before. Gratefulness will become a spontaneous fountain from our hearts and lips. Trust me. I know this from my own life.

Think of gratefulness to Him as the temperature gauge of who is in control: is it me or my Heavenly Father? Ponder that for a bit…

Intentional gratefulness is the greatest cure for discouragement. It beats out the blues. It drowns out the voice of self-pity, and it can be a tool to overcome depression and anxiety. Indeed, there are many factors regarding these instances, but from personal experience and years of offering pastoral counseling, I am hard-pressed to find people who live daily in effervescent gratefulness who are down for the count for very long.

When the thankful, now-healed leper returned to Jesus, he must have immensely blessed the Lord’s heart. Let’s be people who bless our Redeemer’s heart, too.