February
The Pharisees were scandalized by whom Jesus ate with. "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" they demanded (Matthew 9:11). In their worldview, holiness meant separation from sin and sinners. Righteous people didn't contaminate themselves by associating with the moral
February
You can approach My throne of grace with confidence - not cowering in fear, not groveling in shame, but bold and assured. You have access through Jesus. Come freely to receive mercy and find grace exactly when you need it. The throne room is always open to you.
February
Father, Lent begins in a few days, and I want it to be more than ritual, more than just giving up chocolate or scrolling. I want genuine transformation, honest repentance, real return to you with my whole heart. But I also know I'm prone to performance, to external actions that don't touch
February
In four days, Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season - forty days (excluding Sundays) of preparation leading to Easter. The practice dates to the early church, when new converts would spend forty days in intensive preparation for baptism at Easter. Eventually, the whole church joined them
February
Return to Me with all your heart - not just outward actions but genuine turning. I'm not impressed by fasting and rituals if your heart isn't in it. Tear your heart, not just your garments. Come back to Me, because I'm gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. I'm re
February
Father, I'm scared you'll leave me like everyone else has. I know you promise to never forsake me, but I struggle to believe it because everyone eventually leaves. People have disappointed me, abandoned me, walked away when I needed them most. I keep expecting you to do the same - to final
February
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). Jesus quoted Psalm 22 from the cross, crying out in the moment he experienced what we fear most - abandonment by God. For the first and only time in eternity, the Father turned away from the Son. Jesus experienced the full weight
February
Be strong and courageous - not because you're naturally brave, but because I am with you. I will never leave you, never forsake you, never abandon you to face anything alone. When you're scared, remember who's with you. When you're weak, remember whose strength you carry. You are never alo
February
Lord, I've been avoiding mourning, scared that if I start feeling the pain I'll be overwhelmed by it. I've kept myself too busy to grieve, too distracted to feel, too numb to acknowledge how much it hurts. But you say mourners are blessed - not because grief is good but because honest mour
February
Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes - a list of blessings that sound more like curses. "Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are those who mourn... Blessed are the meek" (Matthew 5:3-5). These aren't the people culture considers blessed. We bless the confident, the
February
When your heart breaks, I move closer - not farther away. I'm not distant from your pain or disappointed by your brokenness. I'm near to the brokenhearted, saving those who are crushed in spirit. Your brokenness doesn't drive Me away; it draws Me closer. I'm here, right in the middle of yo
February
Jesus, I confess I've been trying to become what I already am, to achieve what you already accomplished, to earn what you already gave. I've been exhausting myself trying to transform when you already transformed me at conversion. My old self was crucified with you - I need to stop resurre