Devotionals

One of the names of God is Jehovah-Ra’ah, which is Hebrew for “The Lord is my Shepherd.”  If there is one thing that God knows how to do is to lead His people through difficult seasons of life.  One thing that a shepherd does is look after his sheep.  When one sheep goes off the property, they do everything that they can to bring them back.  In the gospel writing of John, He speaks about how He is the Good Shepherd.  In other words, He looks after His flock with the best intentions.  It is because of Jesus that we have freedom.  

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia saying that we are called to live in freedom.  We have freedom because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.  If it wasn’t for Jesus, we would become slaves to sin.  He did not call us to be slaves to sin, but rather children of heaven.  Like how Paul says that we are citizens of heaven in Philippians 3:20, He has called us to live a life to serve others.  At the end of the verse, he tells us to use our freedom for service in love.  When it comes to the word “joy,” it is an acronym, which stands for “Jesus, Others, Yourself.”  

Galatians 5:13 NLT- “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters.  But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature.  Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”  

Prayer 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for setting us free from sin.  It is because of Your sacrifice that we are free from sin.  Help us when we fall away.  We know that we are human and we are prone to make mistakes, but help us to get back towards You.  Forgive us when we stumble and fall.  Help us to learn from our mistakes. In Jesus name, amen.  

If there is one thing that we are lacking in terms of having a better relationship with God, it is the act of worship.  One thing that we know for certain is that God can see everything.  There are times where we think that God cannot see what we are doing, but the reality is that God can see all things.  It is like when we enter into a public place like a mall or a stadium.  When we do, we see that there are security personnel to make sure that there is no shady or suspicious activity or behavior.  If someone does something that falls into the realm, then they are taken to an office or a station of some kind and play back the security camera footage from the incident in question.  God watches us to make sure we do not make mistakes.  All of us are going to appear before the judgment seat of God.  When we get there, He is going to replay the footage from our lives.  I say this not to intimidate or frighten anyone.  I say this because this is how He corrects us when we make a mistake.  

In today’s passage, we see the apostle Paul addressing the people of Rome saying that God is the God who sees.  He also says that we need to wake up.  This is absolutely necessary for all of us today.  We have to wake up.  We need to wake up and start being proactive for the Kingdom of God.  If we don’t, then we will be the cheerleaders.  I want the church to be actively engaged, involved, and participating in Kingdom work.  There is a difference between getting exposure and getting involved.  Exposure is like you stepping your feet in the shallow end of the swimming pool.  Involvement is you going deeper into the pool.  If the church is active and involved, then we will see the Holy Spirit move not only within us but within the church and beyond.  

Romans 13:11-12 “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out.  Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.  So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.” 

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to wake up.  Help us to wake up and see the direction You want us to go and the instructions You want us to obey.  Without Your direction, we would be lost and be pulled in different directions.  Help us to be in tuned with You.  Let our actions ad our words be an image to what others are going to see.  Help us to show You to them.  In Jesus name, amen.  

As we continue to strive through our 10 days of prayer, we will look at the different locations around the world that is need of prayer.  Today’s location is Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.  In regards to this specific location, there are 110 cities regions throughout the South Pacific and Southeast Asia.  We need to be praying for the leaders who are overseeing their respected communities and their people.  Not just the political leaders, but also the spiritual leaders as well.  Let the people of God rise up and bring the people back to God.  What is unfortunate is that people are worshipping the creation instead of the creator.  One preacher says that people get wrapped up in the blessing instead of thanking the blesser.  How many times have we been in that position?  How many times have we been wrapped up in the blessing instead of thanking the creator?  This has to change.  

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul addresses the church in Colossae by saying God is supreme.  In verse 16, it says that everything that was created is through God and for God.  In verse 17, it says that He holds all of creation together.  Much like how glue and tape hold different items together, God is greater than those things.  It is because of God that we have creation being held together.  While man is trying to destroy creation, God is still working to make sure that His creation is perfect.  What we need to do is to keep His creation alive as much as possible.  

Colossians 1:16-17 NLT Translation “For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.  He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see-such as thrones, kingdoms, and authorities in the unseen world.  Everything was created through him and for him.  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”  

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that we do not destroy Your beautiful creation.  Help us to acknowledge Your creation wherever we go.  We know that there are people and different natural causes that are destroying the earth, but we ask for You to give us a wake up and a reality check.  In Jesus name, amen.   

For the next ten days, we are going to go on a prayer journey.  As we embark on this journey together, we need to keep God at the center of it all.  In life, there are going to be times where we are called by the Holy Spirit to rise up and obey the call that He has for us.  Sometimes, we make decisions where we do not obey.  This can hurt our testimony down the road when we do not obey His call.  The one person that most people think about when it comes to not obeying God is Jonah.  Jonah was called by God to preach the truth of God but decided not to obey because he was filled with fear.  One other person that comes to mind is Esther.  She became the queen of Persia and was called to save her people from death in the hands of Haman.  While there was no doubt she was fearful, she obeyed the call to rise up and save her people.  

In today’s passage, we see where Esther’s cousin Mordecai is trying to encourage her to not give up despite the circumstances surrounding her.  In Esther 4:14, Mordecai was doing his best to encourage her to keep going.  Basically, he was telling her that if she keeps quiet, then the deliverance of their people will occur at another time.  He was telling her that God has placed her in a time such as this.  We, as God’s children, need to understand that we are in that place of such a time for a reason.  We cannot question the why behind what He does.  What we can do is trust and obey Him for there is no other way.  

Scripture 

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.  And who know but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”  

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to be receptive to Your calls to us.  Help us to rise up and obey.  Father, we know that this world is a dark place, and we ask for You to help us grow and to help us shine Your light.  Let Your children rise up and call to You for deliverance and forgiveness.  Help our neighbors, our communities, our state, and our nation to turn to You.  Help all of us draw closer to You each and every day.  Let Your word resonate within us so that we can take it, receive it, and learn it.  

In Jesus name, amen.  

One thing that is happening in this world today is evil.  Satan is stirring the pot of evil and causing all these tensions and turmoils among the people.  In other words, spiritual warfare is among us.  It is real and it is causing more violence than physical warfare.  While both kinds of warfare are incomprehensible, we need to understand that we can be physically alive but be spiritually dead.  We cannot live a life where we are surrounded by all this evil and mayhem.  In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes to Timothy explaining that there are people who are going to be boastful and arrogant and selfish.  At the conclusion of verse 5, he tells Timothy to “stay away from people like that.”  Much like how we need to stay away from boastful and puffed up people, we also need to stay away from people who bring about evil.  

In today’s passage, David writes this prayer of deliverance.  In Psalm 140, David starts off by asking and praying for a rescue.  Rescue from what?  Rescue from those who are pouring out and displaying evil and violence.  David is praying from deliverance from these kinds of people.  Not only is he praying for deliverance, but he is also praying for protection.  In verse 4, it says “O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.  Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.”  David goes on to. Say that God is the only One who listens to me when I cry out.  He is the strong One.  He is the God of deliverance.  In verses 9 following, he prays for his enemies to be defeated by whatever they have planned.  He concludes this psalm by saying that the righteous people are praising His name.  That is what we need to do.  We need to praise Him at all times, no matter what season we are in.  I realize that it is easier said than done, however, God is the only One who will give insight into our situations and how we can move forward instead of dwelling on the things that have occurred.  

I want to challenge you by saying to praise God through all seasons of life.  From the good times, to the bad times, and everything in between, continue to praise God.  He’s got you and He loves you.  He knows what is best for us and what is necessary for us.  When we go through different seasons, it is easy for us to take control of the situation ourselves.  The truth of the matter is that God is always in control.  Do not take away His authority.  To put this in tennis shoes, never kick God out of the driver’s seat.  It never goes well.  He knows the plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  Because He has the plans for us, we need to have faith in Him knowing that He is always going to be with us no matter what.  

Psalm 140 (NLT Translation)

1.  O Lord, rescue me from evil people.  Protect me from those who are violent, 2. those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.  3. Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips.  4. O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.  Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.  5. The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way.  6. I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”  Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!  7. O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.  8. Lord, do not let evil people have their way.  Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud.  9. Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.  10. Let burning coals fall down on their heads.  Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.  11. Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.  Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.  12. But I know the Lord will help those they prosecute; he will give justice to the poor.  13.  Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for Your will to be done and not my own.  I know that this world is messy and confusing and pulling us in many different directions, but help us to be rooted in Your word and in Your truth.   Only You know what is to come and You know all things.  Help us to have a solid foundation in You.  Without Your firm foundation, we will crumble like sinking sand.  Help us to not let the evil people come near us nor let the evil spirit known as Satan’s demons have access to our hearts, minds, and souls.  They have no place among us so help us to not give them the access nor the authorization to come into our lives.  You are strong and You will deliver us from evil.  Help us to be prepared and be aware of the enemy’s attacks.  Lord, give us the strength and wisdom to turn away from him and turn towards You without any fear or timidity.  

In Jesus name I pray, amen

In today’s passage, Peter begins by giving praise to God for the gift of being born again. This new inherited life is our faith that is only found through our salvation in Christ Jesus, and it should be something that each one of us not only treasures but wants to share with everyone we meet.

Our faith is what brings us true joy, the joy of the Lord; but our faith is also what moves us through this world’s trials. Pastor Mary taught about this during yesterday’s heartfelt sermon. She mentioned that Jesus did not die to take away our trials, rather He died to take away our sins, and He wants to use our trials and times of suffering to help others experience His eternal love. She also mentioned that the trials we face are designed to get us ready, ready to help others, and ready for when Jesus returns. Peter reminds us that through our faith, God is protecting us up to when He reveals Himself in the last days for all to see.

Friends, we cannot find ourselves, as believers, in despair, we must find ourselves living by faith and sharing the joy of our salvation and Jesus’s eternal love with EVERYONE!

1 Peter 1:3-9 NLT
The Hope of Eternal Life

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the resurrection in Christ that holds Your promise of the gift of eternal life with You. May our faith and hope in You grow as each one of us faces trials. Please continue to be with everyone who was impacted by Hurricane Helene. Help hearts to see the work of Your Family in the midst of such destruction, and to be drawn to You and to the priceless inheritance of spending eternity with You in heaven. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Although some people may think God’s love means no boundaries, in Scripture there are times our sovereign God communicates to a sin-living people and says, “Enough!” Obviously, that reveals a divine boundary has been set by God’s Word. God does not share space with sin; there is no sin within him (1 John 3:5). Therefore, if we really want a relationship with God, we must allow righteousness to be our Master (Mat 6:24). Grace has been given to the humble for this purpose; God opposes the proud (James 4:6). To think there will never be consequences for our sin is the epitome of the spiritual arrogance that leads to death. God IS LOVE, so rejecting him is sin (1 John 4:8).

In Acts 12, Herod Agrippa has successfully killed James [John’s brother] and plans to do the same to Peter until God miraculously helps him escape from prison. Not only does Herod persecute the early church of believers, by his attitudes and actions, he allows the people in his charge to see him as a god with authority and great power for their good.

Think about the statement Peter made in our passage yesterday, ““Do you think God wants us to obey you [human authority] rather than him?” (Acts 4:19). We note a distinct difference in how Peter and Herod Agrippa viewed divine authority—Peter is humble. Certainly, there are consequences to sinful and prideful leadership and we see it in Herod Agrippa’s fate.

Satan always uses people-pleasing leaders to pander to human flesh. Even though leaders may prove untrustworthy, people listen for what they want to hear in order to meet their desires. Such is the case with Herod Agrippa and the people of Jerusalem. The sin against God’s righteous glory always leads to horrendous consequences.

The Truth must be within us; otherwise, we are vulnerable to deception. These days are challenging, but we will only know how to navigate this fallen world when Truth—Jesus—is our Master. By the help of the Spirit, we must tenaciously live in the integrity of Christ who has been made Wisdom for us (1 Cor 1:30). “The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence” (Pro 14:16).

Acts 12:20-25 NLT The Death of Herod Agrippa
20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant, 21 and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. 22 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”

23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

24 Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.

Prayer: Lord, today, we humble ourselves before your throne of grace. We pray for mercy and protection each day. Holy Spirit, keep us focused on Jesus the Author of our faith and help us to remain within the divine care of your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spirit-filled and courageous leaders always capture my attention. The boldness and confidence of these leaders to effectively and faithfully witness for the cause of Christ is absolutely inspiring to me. No matter what comes against them, these men and women of faith stay focused on the Truth and never waiver.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus promised to develop this kind of leader—ones who rested in the power of the Holy Spirit—to keep them focused despite their personal weaknesses. Peter and John demonstrated this type of Spirit-led leadership which should not surprised us, because Jesus promised to send the Helper (Acts 1:5).

Peter and John started out their faith journey with Jesus by actually having a default state of fear. They struggled to remain faithful to Jesus; the disciples abandoned him at the cross and hid after his death. This fear continued until the Spirit of God rested like tongues of fire upon them. Pentecost was a day of change. Courage took down fear!

In our passage today, Peter and John are being questioned by the Sanhedrin council, because a lame man—sitting outside the Temple begging for money—experienced healing; he began leaping and praising God (Acts 3:7-8). Peter and John were asked by the Sanhedrin to be silent; no more conversation about the saving grace of Jesus. However, Peter’s response is, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?”

Everyday in this fallen world we have a similar decision to make; who will have the highest authority over our lives. God, the fallen world, or our flesh? Will we ask God for more courage and continue to be a mouthpiece of Truth for the Lord? Or, will we cower in fear, step back, and allow evil to be the loudest voice to the nation? The battle with evil is real! Evil is anything that diminishes life with the Lord by rejecting the Truth of God’s Word. Make sure you listen to the Voice of Truth, because some leaders lie to promote their power.

Peter, John, and the rest of the disciples chose to pray and ask God to increase their courage. Please note they did not ask God to remove the challenges or to stop the political pressure from the Romans or the religious leaders. Instead, they wanted God to change and equip them to champion the challenges. Inspiring leadership! Amen?

Acts 4:13-31 NLT
13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say. 15 So they ordered Peter and John out of the council chamber [Sanhedrin] and conferred among themselves.

16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God 22 for this miraculous sign—the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.

The Believers Pray for Courage
23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
    Why did they waste their time with futile plans?

26 
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
    the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
    and against his Messiah.’[Anointed One—the Christ]

27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Prayer: Lord, there is so much going on in our world right now; things that seek to rob us of the peace you died to provide. Your peace is not of this world; it’s supernatural to calm the heart. Thank you for the peace you give—a peace the world cannot taste or understand. Believers can have your peace right now as we face a tropical storm, because you have promised to be with us and protect us. We can have your peace right now in the face of political rhetoric, because we know your Voice and we refuse to follow evil. Help us to take a deep breath and reach for you, Lord! And, while we reach for you, we pray for unbelievers to want you, be willing to turn from sin, and enjoy your peace, as well. In Jesus’ name.

Sometimes it is a wise thing to hesitate in doing or saying something and sometimes it is not. For example, it is wise to pause or hesitate in responding to a feeling of anger; most of the time we will settle down if we simply breathe and refuse to immediately react. In contrast, it is always unwise to hesitate in doing something we know God is calling us to do. We still need prayer, the guidance of the Spirit, and the counsel of mature believers, but we must do what God places before us. God created us and knows what he designed us to be, do, and say to multiply his Kingdom on earth.

In our passage today, the Lord selects Jeremiah to be a prophet for him—a mouthpiece to speak Truth to the nations. God communicates to Jeremiah through a vision. The Lord tells Jeremiah he knew him from the beginning—formed him in his mother’s womb—and his plan was to send Jeremiah with a message no one wanted to hear. Jeremiah heard the Lord’s message, he hesitated to receive God’s call, and responded, “I can’t speak for you!”

Just like Moses and others, Jeremiah found excuses why he could not serve according to God’s will. Jeremiah felt he was too young to speak to the elders and face them with hard truths. While all of this was probably true, this call was not about Jeremiah’s capabilities, it was about God’s plan and desire to save people from brokenness and bondage to sin.

God was going to judge Judah for her idolatry, corrupt leadership, and moral compromise. He was giving them a chance to turn things around. This meant the people needed to know about their sin against God and repent. The Lord promised to be with Jeremiah to accomplish what he could not do in his own strength. Jeremiah was to take a stand, uproot, tear down, and destroy before rebuilding for the honor of Almighty God. The Lord has promised to do the same for believers, today.

When human beings stand against the flow of evil in the world and speak the uncompromising truth of God’s Word, we also serve the Lord in a prophetic capacity. God does not use us because we are perfect or eloquent; however, if we serve as a prophet, everything we share must be judged by comparison with the written Word of God. God simply chooses to use whomever will receive his call to get his message out.

God wants to use us every single day to get his love and Word to people, because his judgment upon the earth is coming. We must be open to God’s will and employ the attitude of Christ the Lord because all things are possible in him (Mat 19:26). Don’t fall into the excuse pit by comparing yourself to others; we are all instruments of God from the womb to the grave in some miraculous way.

So, stay in the Word of God, because God will never send us to do something contrary to the Spirit of Truth who bears witness to our spirits. And share life with other believers, because you will find God’s grace continues to flow for each of us as we place ourselves in his righteous Hands. God will affirm our call through other believers, so we can be positioned for his glory.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 NLT Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
4 The Lord gave me this message:
5
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10
Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending us, protecting us, and putting your words in our mouths. We remain open to your daily call, because we desire to be a blessing to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God is never far away; by his design, we are connected to him. Sometimes it is easier to sense God’s Presence more than others, but that is not God being distant. Rather, it is when human beings become too focused on the things of the world to enjoy his supernatural Presence in the present.

This moment, God is with you. However, we can become so distracted by the good, as well as the challenging things in this earthly life, we exchange an awareness of the Eternal for the temporal. Remember, the Kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36).

In Psalm 139, David knows he is connected to an all-powerful God; a Shepherd who is present to provide and guide his life into the good and righteous things God has prepared for those who love him (Ps 23; Ro 8:28). Now, that knowledge and assurance does not stop David from occasionally feeling alone. During times of loneliness, David chooses to remain in faith and “know” that God is present with him…maybe just silent for a reason. Perhaps God wants to gain a greater measure of David’s attention. I have wondered if God spiritually sits shiva [seven days/mourning] with his children as he heals the brokenness and loss that tests our faith!

In our passage today, David reflects over the entire span of life in connection to God in order to help us understand the divine Presence. Before you and I were born, God was designing you in your mother’s womb. Sometimes people want to think they are just some blob of random cells, tissue, and we become human when we breathe air at birth. But, friends, we have a heartbeat at 5-6 weeks of gestation and, although a gender is determined at the moment of fertilization, the visible evidence of that human gender starts between 7-12 weeks. An unborn baby is a human being!

David reminds us before birth, we began as God’s design and for his glory. When we are born, our lives have been uniquely laid out in the plan of God. From birth to death, God continues to reveal himself to us as we live out good, as well as challenging days. Finally, at death, we are still in the loving care of God. God’s fingerprints cover the creation and development of every human being, from the womb to the grave, and we must live to bring glory to his name!

Psalm 139:1-18 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 
O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
2 
You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 
You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
4 
You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
5 
You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!
7 
I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave,[Shoel—house of the dead] you are there.
9 
If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 
even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 
I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12 
    but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
17 
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 
I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

Prayer: Lord, please open our spiritual eyes and give us a deep conviction for the Truth, today. The Word reveals that your miraculous hand forms and develops human beings in the womb, and guides human life from the womb to the grave and beyond. Our lives are designed and directed by you as we listen and obey. Thank you for making us all so wonderfully complex. In Jesus’ name. Amen.