May Peace and Mercy Outweigh Evil

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

By now we have all seen the heartbreaking news of the horrible attack yesterday in Las Vegas. As I watched the news I couldn't stop the tears. My own kids have gone to many outdoor events, and the thought that a crazy evil person could do this to them. Well, let's just say that sometimes my faith falters...

At one point I asked myself if praying at a moment like this even makes a difference.  Would it do any good to ask God to comfort those who have lost a loved one? Why so much evil? Does the Lord even care?

Faltering faith is not the same as having no faith.  It just means that sometimes we are shaken, but then we press on, connect with God, cast our anxiety on Him, give Him all our worries, and throw the whole weight of our concerns upon Him.

When we do that our load lightens. 

The truth is that my faith is always strengthened after I pray.  I may have to connect with the Lord several times in a day to keep the faith, but that's okay: He puts no limits on me or you.

As we pray today let us believe we are making a difference.  Let us accept as fact that God hears and responds.  Let us push past the fear and doubt and trust that God cares for us and answers our calls for help and protection.  Let us invite the Lord to pour out His peace on our weary nation. Yesterday our President invoked this Bible verse: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalms 147:3).  Let us accept this as the gospel truth!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for Your unconditional love for us.  We are heartbroken for yesterday's victims.  So much destruction and heartache - but we believe that You have the power to help and to heal. Pour out Your goodness into Las Vegas and into the United States of America.  We ask for Your divine protection from all the dangers in this world. May Your peace and mercy outweigh the evil in this country. Cover the wounded and hurting in Your love.  Cover us in Your love too. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Keep Us From Harm~

Monday greetings:)


One of my favorite quotes goes like this: "Seven days without prayer makes one weak." But I know it does not apply to any of us; feel free to share it with the heathens in your life!


At this point we are all so familiar with Jabez and his awesome prayer that we should all be eager and ready to approach God wiht the same requests. Jabez did not hold back and we shouldn't either.

1 Chronicles 4:10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.


Last week we ended with a closer look at what it means to have God's hand with us. Today we look at Jabez's request to keep him from harm.


H-A-R-M--the possibilities are endless. Other versions of the Bible say "evil," or "trouble."


Frankly, I try not to watch the news too much because there's so much in it about harm, evil, and trouble; it's easy to lose our focus on Whose child we are. We can become downright paranoid, which would be a direct defiance of one of God's most beautiful encouragements. Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."


God encourages us to fix our thoughts on the good stuff because dwelling too much on the bad stuff will drive us nuts. But what are we to do with the fact that harm actually does exist and in abundance? How can we think on the lovely and pure and right when so many things are unlovely and dirty and wrong wrong wrong?


The first step is to take a queue from Jabez and do what he did. Cry out to God to keep you and the ones you love from harm.


I just served six days on a jury for the trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting three different women during a massage. The details were graphic and troubling. I had difficulty sleeping just thinking about the allegations and my responsibility to do justice. All kinds of thoughts kept popping into my head about my daughters, sisters, friends, children I know, and just how vulnerable we can all be.


On the third night of tossing and turning, I had enough. I whispered to God Jabez's prayer word for word. I found great comfort in knowing that God understands there is evil in this world, that we humans are susceptible to all kinds of fears, and that He provides protection in response to our pleas.


PRAYER: Dear Lord, Keep us and our families from all harm. Thank You that Your hand is with us, and we are covered, protected, and shielded all the days of our lives. In Jesus' name, AMEN~