A mighty Fortress is our God, A Bulwark never failing; Our Helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing Martin Luther When I have taken walks upon the north shore of Lake Superior, I have always been amazed by the basalt and the rock formations that stand so solidly against the beating of the waves on the lake. I have stood high upon the rock and looked down at the water and understood what it means to find safety and security from the wind and waves which tumultuously pound upon the rocks. The imagery of feeling swept away by the current of fears and worries or drowning in troubles and sorrows leads us to the Rock that is high above the fray, solid and secure. God is our Rock when we are facing uncertainty, anxiety, grief, difficult circumstances, and more. He is a strong foundation for us to build upon and He will not move or change despite the always changing tides of culture. W orship God , Our Rock Lord, when I am faced with fears and overwhelmed by life, how comfor...

  Wonderful, merciful Savior Precious Redeemer and Friend Who would have thought that a Lamb Could rescue the souls of men — Dawn Rodgers, Eric Wyse Mercy is God's kindness to relent from giving us exactly what we deserve as sinners who have ignored His commands, stepped outside of His boundaries, and dismissed His authority over us. We deserve punishment, even death, for our actions, but God is a merciful God, providing a better way to satisfy the requirements of the law. Today as we pray, may we remember that God poured out His mercy upon us, although we were not deserving, and in the same way, He asks us to grant mercy to others. W orship the God of Mercy Lord, You showed us what You desire to see in us by living it out in the life of Jesus. You are humble and gentle, You experienced grief, loss, pain, and hunger, and You showed mercy and kindness even when You were persecuted. I desire to live in Your blessing, to know that following You means having the same humble heart, ...

  He is alive! In the three years of Jesus's ministry before He made His final journey to the cross, to fulfill His eternal purpose, He foretold what would happen in His last days. His miracles and teaching illuminated His deity and progressed from healing and the hope of a messiah to the ultimate miracle of raising lives from the dead. The most notable miracle took place just prior to Jesus' last trip into Jerusalem, when He was called to visit Mary and Martha after their brother Lazarus' sickness lead to his death. Jesus dramatically proclaimed His divine power over death by opening up the grave and rising Lazarus back to life. But even before this amazing miracle, Jesus was telling his disciples that He was the author of life - that true life could only come through Him. In John 3, Jesus explained to Nicodemus that it is only by being born again, (born spiritually) that eternal life can be found. And yet, somehow, in the midst of Jesus' trial and shocking death...

   “Gratitude produces deep, abiding joy because we know that God is working in us, even through difficulties.” ~Charles Stanley I recently attended a concert where I sang at high volume and clapped my hands for a full two hours straight, accompanied by drums, guitars, vocals and a fiddle along with confetti and bright flashing lights - now that's a great description of JOY!  We might not imagine the face of Jesus when we think of joy, but He is the creator of joy.  He wants us to experience His joy in this life and He wants us to know that joy comes from Him.   W orship the Lord of Joy Lord, this world shouts at us about all the ways we can find joy, when really we must come to You as the source of the purest and highest sense of true joy. Fill me with Your joy today! John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.   If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's ...