As believers, we are called to submit to God’s comprehensive rule in every area of our lives. This includes submitting to His will over our own. But like navigating traffic on the highway, this is not always easy to do as there can be roadblocks, detours, distractions, and unexpected turns. Just as in driving, we can easily change lanes and go the opposite way than God has directed for us.   So how do we make sure we stay in alignment with His will when we are praying? Jesus provides us with amazing insight on prayer pertaining to the will of God. It is all about His will being done and not ours. In order for us to understand what His will is, we must first spend time in His word. In God’s word, He reveals to us four critical aspects as it relates to His divine prerogative: First, His will is comprehensive. Second, His will is compassionate. Third, His will is commanded primarily for us as believers. Fourth, His will is absolute and does not change. Understanding these four aspects helps us to better live out our God-given purpose.   Let us not be like Jonah who was swallowed by a great fish because of his prideful disobedience in prioritizing his will over God’s. Let us not be like Satan who became self-centered and caused a third of the angels in Heaven to rebel with him. Not only did Satan influence the angels to sin, but all of humanity as well.   We must die to our will much like Jesus died to His will to accomplish the Father’s will. God’s will, while not always pleasant, brings us our greatest pleasure and joy! Jesus submitted to the will of the Father unto death, providing eternal life to those who believe, and ultimately resulting in His name being exalted above all. Not only does our obedience to God the Father benefit us, but our submission also impacts others for His Glory. The ultimate purpose of prayer is pleading for the Father’s will on earth, so that He may be glorified in Heaven. Is prayer a priority in your life? If no, what has prevented you from making it a priority? If we were to view your prayer life, how much of it would be about God and His will being done compared to your personal issues and own will being done? When you look at your prayer life, what needs to change regarding what you pray about? Why is it so easy for us to focus on our desires versus the Father’s desires when we pray? What can you do this week to focus on more of the Father’s will in your prayer life? Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages:  Deuteronomy 29:29 ;  Psalm 37:4 ;  Proverbs 3:5-6 ;  Ephesians 5:15-20 ;  Philippians 2:1-8 ;  John 3:30 ;  Colossians 1:9-10 ;  Romans 12:1-2 ;  1 John 5:14-15 . “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

Praying  Matthew 6:11  “Give us this day our daily bread” is probably the part of the Lord’s Prayer we like the most. When we pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” we must first look at the source of our daily bread. Who are we actually saying “give us” to? We are submitting this request directly to our Father, because our daily bread is sourced in God. God’s provision for our daily bread goes back to the beginning of creation when He made all manner of vegetation and animals. In the garden, Adam was able to receive sustenance for his physical well-being because it had been provided by God. If there was no creation, there would be no food. If there was no food, there would be no daily bread. The Father is not only the sole source of our provision, but He provides for the entire universe as well. The provision God provides is called bread and is symbolic for any need we may have. In  Matthew 6:33 , we are told, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Our first priority must be seeking God’s kingdom in order to ensure that His kingdom is being taken care of. When we take care of God’s kingdom, then the King will provide the daily bread we need. Focusing on the kingdom of God will also shift our perspective from the physical (man-centered) to the spiritual (God-centered).   In  Matthew 4:3-4 , Jesus provided a great example of how to prioritize the spiritual over a physical need. After Jesus fasted in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights, Satan appeared to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” Jesus was demonstrating that spiritual food would sustain us not only in this life but for all eternity, while physical food would only sustain us until our next meal.   “Give us this day our daily bread” also expresses selflessness when we include others and their needs in our prayers. Therefore when God does provide sustenance for us, we should respond by expressing love, concern, and compassion through sharing with those in need. Ultimately, it reminds us to remember that when we pray, God is the daily source for all our spiritual and physical provisions. LET’S GET PERSONAL When a need for provision arises in your life, either who or what do you go to first? Please explain your response to the circle or group members. What provision do you find yourself asking God for frequently? Why do you think that provision comes up repeatedly when you pray? Have you experienced discontentment or ungratefulness regarding the daily bread God has provided? If yes, share the reason you feel discontentment. If no, explain how you remain grateful and content. Do you share your provision of daily bread given to you with others? If yes, in what ways do you share? If not, what prevents you from sharing with others? What does  Luke 11:5-13 tell us about God’s desire to meet our needs? What steps will you take to change worry into confident prayer when it comes to trusting God’s provision for your life? Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages,  Matthew 6:25-33 ;  Psalm 37:25 ;  104:10-21 ;  Deuteronomy 8:18 ;  John 6:32-35 ;  Philippians 4:19 ;  James 4:3 . “Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him and He will do it.” Psalm 37:4-5

In the Lord’s Prayer, we learn that God is our Father and His kingdom is our priority. He alone is the source of our provision, and as we forgive others, His grace provides for our forgiveness. We also learn that God is our protector. Through the trials and temptations of life He will direct and guide our path. But in the concluding words of this prayer Jesus teaches us one final truth, God is glorious and worthy of our praise!   In  Matthew 6:13 , the Lord’s Prayer concludes with a doxology or declaration of great praise to God with the words “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” The last words of our prayer are sometimes the most important and Jesus last words reminds us that we serve a God who is on the throne! No matter what situation we face, our prayers should always lead us to lift up our voice to God with incomparable gratitude and great praise.   Throughout scripture we see the people of God offering doxologies or great praise to God. In  1 Chronicles 29:11 , David blessed God acknowledging His greatness, power and glory. After discussing God’s glorious plan of redemption, Paul finished with this doxology in  Romans 11:36 , “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Jude expressed his praise to God, as he concluded with a powerful doxology in verses 24-25, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” With each of these passages we see the same truth, when you are overwhelmed by the glory and greatness of God, you become too excited to keep it to yourself and are moved to praise Him with your whole being!   Every doxology glorifies God. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus is acknowledging four important truths about God’s kingdom, power, glory and eternality.   First, the kingdom of God refers to His authority and sovereignty. God’s kingdom rules over all on the earth and in the heavens ( Romans 13:1 ). Everything that happens is because God either directly causes it or allows it to take place. Second, the power of God is unlimited, self-generating and potent ( Psalm 147:5 ). Sometimes we experience a power outage because of some disruption in the energy flow from the source. But there are never any power outages with God! He is self-sufficient and always operates at maximum strength to accomplish whatever is needed for His kingdom. He is such a powerful king that God can take the resistance of those against Him and transform it for the good of His kingdom ( Exodus 11:1 ). Third, the glory of God is the sum of His being or attributes. God’s glory is displayed through His brilliance, splendor and significance. When the invisible God makes Himself visible in your situation this is a manifestation of His glory. Fourth, God is eternal ( Isaiah 57:15 ). There has never been a time without God, as He has always existed. God has no past and no future. For us there is yesterday, today and tomorrow, but for God there is only right now, the present. This means you can place your trust in Him, because He has seen and knows all things ( Psalm 139:1-10 ).     Our purpose in life is to bring glory and honor to God in all that we do. But we have to choose to walk in that purpose. So what will you do? Will you focus on your own glory, or will you follow the example of Jesus and offer up a doxology of glorious praise to God, our Father? How do you think the sovereignty of God should affect the way you respond to the various situations you encounter each day? Share a time when you experienced God’s power in your life. Did it change the way you trust Him? Read  Psalm 19:1-6 . What do you learn about God’s glory from creation? How does this affect the awe and reverence you have for Him? Describe your understanding of God’s eternality. How do you think this truth helps us have confidence in God? What can you do this week to glorify God with great praise? Using the Lord’s Prayer as the model, write your own prayer to God. Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages:  Psalm 19:1 ;  24:1 ;  62:11 ;  90:1-2 ;  135:6 ;  Job 36:26 ;  Isaiah 40:28 ;  John 15:8 ;  17:4 ;  Romans 4:17 ;  Ephesians 1: 11 ;  3:20-21 ;  Revelation 1:8 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

#1 Next time your day goes south, here is what you do: Steep yourself in the grace of God. Saturate your day in His love. Marinate your mind in His mercy. He has settled your accounts, paid your debt. “Christ carried our sins in His body on the cross.” 1 Peter 2:24 NCV #2 Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed? You have a choice, you know. “We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 God’s Word #3 Major in the grace of God. Focus on the cross of Christ. Grow fluent in the language of redemption. Linger long at the foot of the cross. Immerse yourself in the curriculum of grace. #4 You can endure change by pondering His permanence. Survive rejection by meditating on His acceptance. “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground…Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ – that’s where the action is.” Colossians 3:2 #5 God is able to accomplish, provide, help, save, keep, subdue…He is able to do what you can’t. He already has a plan. God’s not bewildered. Go to Him. #6 The next time life’s problems seem about to overwhelm you, remember this advice from Peter: “Throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon Him, for you are His personal concern.” 1 Peter 5:7 Phillips God’s solution is a prayer away! #7 Mark it down. You will never go where God is not. You may be transferred, enlisted, commissioned, reassigned, or hospitalized – but brand this on your heart – you can never go where God is not. “I am with you always,” Jesus promised. (Matthew 28:20 NKJV) #8 The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident. Hasn’t fear taken enough? Enough smiles? Chuckles? Restful nights, exuberant days? Meet your fears with faith. #9 Want to snatch a day from the manacles of boredom? Do overgenerous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Do a deed for which you cannot be repaid. #10 We’re important, but not essential; valuable, but not indispensable. We have a part in the play, but we are not the main act. A song to sing, but we are not the featured voice. God is. #11 He did well before our birth; He’ll do fine after our deaths. He started it all, sustains it all, and will bring it all to a glorious climax. In the meantime, we have this high privilege: to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Christ. #12 If today were your last, would you do what you’re doing? Or would you love more, give more, forgive more? Then do so! Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.   From  Every Day Deserves A Chance,  Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007. Reprinted from Maxlucado.com. Used by permission.

God is sovereign, wise, just, and merciful. He governs all things, making no mistakes, doing no one wrong, and making all things serve the everlasting joy of undeserving persons who trust him. These are some of the texts that have brought me a settled conviction that for God to be God is to be sovereign — governing all things, perfectly wise, just in all his ways, and merciful to all who trust him. SOVEREIGN I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” ( Isaiah 46:9–10 ) Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ( Matthew 10:29 ) Even winds and sea obey him. ( Matthew 8:27 ) Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? ( Amos 3:6 ) I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. ( Isaiah 45:7 ) Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? ( Lamentations 3:38 ) "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. ( Job 1:21–22 ) But [Job] said to [his wife] . . . “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. ( Job 2:10 ) GOD WISELY KNOWS HOW HE WILL SHAPE YOUR LIFE THROUGH CHALLENGES AND SUFFERINGS. PRAY THROUGH THESE SCRIPTURES TODAY! Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ( Romans 11:33 ) O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. ( Psalm 104:24 ) Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. ( Revelation 7:12 ) Through the church the manifold wisdom of God [will] be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ( Ephesians 3:10 )

We need to live lives that demand an explanation. Paul lived this life that didn’t make any sense. In Philippians 4, he is talking about joy and contentment while chained to a prison guard in jail. If you could write a letter to your loved ones in prison, would you write about happiness or complain? In Philippians 4:13 we have the most misquoted verse in the Bible. Evander Holyfield had it on his robe “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." and I am going to pulverize my opponent. He wore the same robe to fight another rival, and he bit the dust. Maybe you use this verse as a promise to ace a test in class when you didn’t study. “I can do all things through Christ.” We need to look at the context of the verse. This is what Philippians 4:10-12 says: “ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Have you learned Paul’s secret? “No matter what the economy does, I don’t care.” How many people have you met that have that attitude? They are suffering and others say to them, “You should be stressed out, you should panic.” In contrast, Paul says “be content.” Christ is enough. You can have nothing and can be content. You can be rich and be content. I really encourage you to read the Bible with an open mind. Voltaire once said, “God created man in his own image and now man is returning the favor.” We want to recreate God in the way we want to be. I want a God okay with me sleeping with my girlfriend, I want a God who says, “my body, my choice.” One author wrote, “The American church has created a middle-class Jesus.” For example, they say that it’s okay to make your nuclear family an idol. When it comes to you and your kids, take care of them first even before your relationship with Jesus. You never find that in the Bible. Christ taught us to be willing to hate father, mother, wife, kids. He said my true brothers, sisters and mother obey my words. I’m not saying we shouldn’t love our family. It’s just that following Jesus comes first. We need a radical Jesus, the Christ of the Bible. We must not settle for a middle-class Jesus. Sometimes the words of Christ seem crazy. Like, “Quit storing things up on earth. See the birds of the air. God provides for them, He will provide for you.” If you want to find a radical Jesus, read through one of the Gospels. Life is a lot shorter than you realize. I don’t believe I’m crazy . All of Jesus is enough. Anything we give to the Lord is totally worth it. Don’t let your desires color your perspective. There are things about Jesus I don’t like. I prefer He didn’t say those things. When I read what Jesus says, I’m going to try to tweak , to conform to Jesus, even when it’s hard to do. As I’ve followed, I have found I understand why He said it. When He said it, I know He’s right. Even things on which you disagree, I would encourage you to ask the question, "What have you made Jesus to be?" You will find that a middle-class Jesus never existed. Jesus said, don’t worry about the future, God will provide.” You can know contentment today by surrendering to Jesus and His Word. What do you need to surrender to Him today? Keep an open heart as God speaks to you.

Has there been a person in your life you thought you knew, but you really didn’t? Could that person be Jesus? Stay with me as we explore this pivotal question! The anchor that keeps us grounded throughout our journey of faith is a revelation of Jesus. Because of this anchor, Paul could not be shaken, confessing, “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until the day of His return” (2 Timothy 1:12 NLT). Notice Paul does not say, “I know what I believe” but rather, “I know the One in whom I believe.” The Amplified Bible records, “I know Him whom I have believed .” Simply stated: Paul possessed a personal revelation of Jesus. He knew Jesus intimately. Many can recite facts about Jesus—much like many can recite facts about their favorite celebrities. However, knowing about someone does not equate to knowing them personally. Can you too say with conviction, “I know the One in whom I believe” Lovely one, Jesus is not a philosophy; He is a person. Therefore, believing in Jesus is more than adhering to a creed; it’s an awakening of the heart. We see Him for Who He really is—the Son of God. In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus entered the region of Caesarea Philippi and asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” (Verse 13 NKJV). Several disciples answered promptly. The common response was, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Verse 14). Once the opinions of the crowd were shared, Jesus looked at them and asked them directly, “But who do you say that I am?” (Verse 15). There was a moment of silence as they were confronted by a moment of truth. The men who were so eager to air the opinions of others were now lost for words. With this confrontation came the realization that they had no answer—except for the fact that they were living off the speculations of others, rather than establishing in their own hearts who Jesus really was. Simon, whom Jesus renamed Peter, was the only one of the disciples who could answer. With boldness, he confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Verse 16). With a smile and a sparkle in His eyes, Jesus responded, “Blessed are you . . . for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Verse 17). One translation says, “My Father has supernaturally revealed this to you” (TPT). The source of Peter’s revelation was God Himself, not the opinion of man. It came through direct revelation. This is what Jesus meant when He shared, “The only way people come to Me is by the Father who sent Me—He pulls on their hearts to embrace Me . . . It has been written by the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God Himself.’ If you are really listening to the Father and learning directly from Him, you will come to Me’” (John 6:44–45 TPT). So we see clearly that the illuminated truth of Jesus must be solidified in our heart. Jesus firmly stated, “And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation of which I will build my church—My legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!” (Matthew 16:18 TPT). The revelation of Jesus is the foundation the church will be grounded on. Without this truth firmly planted within us, we’ll easily be swayed by the shifting current of public opinion. Beloved, there is a stability that results from revelation knowledge. Are you living off secondhand information about Jesus? Who do you say that He is? Are you convinced that Jesus is the Son of God?

Galatians 5:22-23 lists the qualities of  “faithfulness” and “meekness” next to each other. Faithfulness has to do with the keeping of promises, and the courageous declaration of truth. The Greek word prautas , which is translated “meekness” or “gentleness” in Galatians 5:23 means mildness and gentleness in dealing with people. It can mean to be teachable (James 1:21) or just modest, generous, humble, and considerate toward others (1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; James 3:13; 1 Peter 3:15.) Many Christians today point to Jesus’ thunderous denunciations of the Pharisees (e.g. Matthew 23) as the paradigm of what it means to be faithful to the truth. There Jesus bluntly denounces the sins of the religious leaders. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence of meekness there. Yet at the end of the famous parable of the prodigal son we see the father lovingly imploring the elder brother to come in to the feast. British expositor Dick Lucas once preached a sermon on that text entitled “Jesus Pleads with his Critics.” The point of his sermon was striking. Since the elder brother represented the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking (Luke 15:1-3,) the appeal of the father to the elder brother is really Jesus pleading with the religious leaders who were going to kill him. He was speaking strongly but tenderly to them, urging them to repent. Here are both faithfulness and graciousness combined. The most remarkable example of faithful-meekness, however, is Jesus’ words from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Here is Jesus saying that what his executioners were doing was sin, because it needed forgiveness and atonement. Yet he added, “They don’t fully know what they are doing in their blindness.” This is amazing. We don’t see Jesus saying, “Father, smite them for what they have done!” nor “Father, forgive those murderous, foul, despicable fools.” Instead he speaks with generosity of spirit toward the people who are wrongly killing him. The rest of the New Testament leads us by example and direct exhortation to follow Jesus in this. In Galatians 6:1 we are told to not allow people who are “caught in a trespass” to simply go on sinning, but we are only to correct erring people with ‘gentleness.’ 2 Timothy 2 is another case in point. Paul tells Timothy to “keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God,” (v.14) yet in the same chapter says, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone…those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance…” (v.24-25.) What does this mean? It means that while there are certainly seasons and situations in which faithfulness means strong speech it also means that an attitude and tone devoid of evident graciousness cannot be the default mode of the Christian. If you are always denouncing and declaring, and never speaking tenderly and generously to those who are in error, you aren’t combining faithfulness and meekness. There are plenty of Christians today who interpret any effort to speak the truth with meekness to be—by definition—a lack of faithfulness. But Paul says that the two must be combined, and when they are combined it is a sign of supernatural grace in your life. There are many people today (of a more conservative temperament) who believe that the main problem in the church is a lack of faithfulness—a lack of forthright speaking of the truth. There are also plenty of people (of a more liberal temperament) that think the main problem is bigotry and prejudice and they believe that Christians should not “condemn” anybody. But the fruit of the Spirit—the Spirit of Jesus himself—always combines faithfulness and gentleness. No one has a temper or personality that safely balances these traits, however. Those of us of a more meek temper should be careful not to overly disdain the “faithfulness” crowd, since it is always possible that we are slipping into cowardice and compromise. But those of us of a more confrontational temper should also be careful not to overly disdain the “gentleness” crowd, since it is possible that we are slipping into pride and self-importance. Let us examine ourselves. www.timothykeller.com.  Used by permission.

Psalm 139 fascinates me when I read "you knit me together in my mother’s womb." I can’t help but picture in my mind that double helix design of DNA.  God is knitting together and when you think about the complexity and the uniqueness within which each one of us is created, is it not an unbelievably remarkable thing? We ought to look at each other and go, “Wow! You are amazing!” I like the way C.S. Lewis said it. He said, “The dullest and most uninteresting person you may talk to may one day be a creature which if you saw it now you would be strongly tempted to worship. It is in light of these overwhelming possibilities that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all love, and plays, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere mortal.” See, Psalm 139 begins to frame us in a way that we begin to appreciate the fact that you are invaluable and irreplaceable.  There never has been and never will be anyone like you. But that is not a testament to you, it is a testament to the God who created you. Uniqueness is  God’s gift to you  but uniqueness is  your gift back to God.  Why?  Because no one else can worship God like you. We may all sing the same song, but God doesn’t hear one song. He hears hundreds of individual songs because we sing out of the uniqueness of our minds, hearts, experiences and our DNA. We sing a song that has never been sung before and will never be repeated again. It is a unique expression of worship to our Creator. That’s why He wants a relationship with every single one of us  because from the very beginning, He has seen us this way. He is One who conceived us in his heart and in his mind and He has plans and purposes when we were conceived in our mother’s womb. He is the One who knit us together. I think what He did during those days when we were formed in our mother’s womb is a picture of what He wants to do, not just through our life span but through eternity. Psalm 139 says that God created our inmost being, which probably would be our personal genome sequence.  I think that would be the inmost part, the building blocks of who we are. It says He "knit us together" and that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made and that our frame was not hidden when we were in the secret place; that we were woven together in the depths of the earth." When a baby is conceived, on day 22 the heart begins to beat.  Week three, the child’s backbone and spinal column and nervous system is forming; the liver and kidneys and intestines begin to take shape. By the end of week four, that baby is 10,000 times larger than that original fertilized egg. Week five, eyes, legs and hands begin to develop. Week six, brain waves are detectable and mouth and lips are present and fingernails are forming. Week seven, eyelids and toes form and facial features including a distinct nose are observable, and the eyes have a retina and lens and the major muscle system is developed and the baby is able to move. Week eight, every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage and fingerprints begin to form. By the end of the eighth week, the baby can begin to hear. Weeks nine and ten the baby can frown and make facial expressions and hiccup.  Week eleven, all organ systems are functioning, the baby has a skeletal structure and nerves and circulation. Week twelve, baby has all the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord and thalamus; vocal cords are complete and the baby can suck its thumb. Week fourteen, the heart begins to pump several quarts of blood throughout the body every day. Week fifteen, the baby has an adult’s taste buds. It’s incredible. Month four, bone marrow is now beginning to form and the heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood a day and by the end of month four, the baby will be 8-10 inches in length and weigh up to half a pound. Week 17, the baby will begin to have REM dream sleep. Week 20, the baby recognizes its mother’s voice.  Months five and six, oil and sweat glands are now functioning. It’s all of these different things, amazing. Months seven through nine, baby opens and closes his or her eyes and the baby is using four of the five senses, knows the difference between waking and sleeping and can relate to the moods of the mother; antibodies are beginning to build up and the baby’s heart begins to pump 300 gallons of blood per day. Nine months, miracle, and almost the only time we appreciate it is when you are in the delivery room and it is your kid. What a miracle! How is this even possible? I’m staggered by it! By God’s ability to knit us together.  Then of course when we are born, unique eye print, finger print, voice print, even Siamese twins will have unique fingerprints. It is absolutely remarkable! Are you beginning to get the picture that this frame gives us? It better not lead to self-worship because you didn’t do it! It is our Creator who made us unique. Thank God today for His unique love for you.

Love needs to rest so it can awaken again later, not in the form of lust, but in a truer and more beautiful state. This additional rest allows it to awaken at the appropriate hour, renewed and more powerful in pleasure and passion. Then we will not be disappointed, abandoned, or under torment. We want to put lust to death, and in its place resurrect love without a trace of guilt or shame to rob from her beauty. How can this all be accomplished? The process is not unlike how a restless or frightened child is lulled back to sleep. When my boys were little and were frightened, injured, ill, or overly excited, I drew them close to quiet them. To do this, I rocked them, or laid down next to them in their beds, or if the hour was late, I brought them into my own bed. Regardless of the method, I wanted them to know I was near. Once they were comfortable and in my arms, I listened to their fears. The story of an injury or the terror of a nightmare was shared while I stroked their hair or traced their features. When they were spent of their burdens or I could sense the further telling of them would no longer help, I began speaking back to them in a whisper of a voice to quiet their excited tones. In these whispers I reaffirmed God’s love and mine and reminded them of His faithful protection. Then I spoke truths of greater power and painted images of greater beauty than the frightening shadows of lies and fear. I sang lullabies until I could tell by their breathing they were in a deep sleep. These aspects of a mother’s tender response to her frightened children are drawn from the heart of God. They are but a small reflection of His desire to comfort our storms and chase away our fears. When we hurt, when we fail, when we are frightened, God wants us to draw near, never away. As His children, we are invited to draw near into His arms of safety and love. There He will give us visions of beauty capable of putting us again at ease and rest. I love the safety of this image of a Father tenderly rocking His daughter back to sleep so she can rest and heal. I know you may be frightened that if you allow desire to return to sleep it may never be awakened or fulfilled again. These are haunting questions: If I let this area of my life go, will I ever see it again? Will God really meet these needs in my life? If I yield to God now, will He be faithful to fulfill me by His promise of a future hope? I believe with all my heart that your Father God wants to do the following for you by His Spirit: draw you near wash every trace of guilt and shame from you lay aside your fears by addressing them in the light of truth give you a hope and a future rock you until your storm is calmed return you to rest restore the dream in your heart Once after I spoke on some of these issues, a beautiful young girl came up to me for prayer. She confessed that she had compromised areas of purity to gain the affection and attention of boys, and she didn’t know how to recover herself and return to her dream. I held her in my arms and prayed with her, and while I was praying, I heard God whisper a promise for her. He promised that as she pressed into Him, with songs of worship and praise, He would in turn sing over her a lullaby to put to rest what had been awakened deep within her. I was overwhelmed by the love in His tone. There was no shame or condemnation in His words, only a promise to sing away her fears, guilt, and shame. As she drew near, He promised to draw her to Himself and hide her safely in the shadow of His wing. This Scripture gives us a beautiful image of His tenderness: “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” —Zephaniah 3:17 This image speaks multitudes. He isn’t aloof and unapproachable, but quickly comes to our aid and with His great might saves us. He doesn’t reject or condemn us when we cry out in fear of helplessness. He delights in quieting His children just as any mother considers it a joy to comfort her own. But there are limits to a mother’s comfort . . .  my might only goes so far, but His is limitless, like His love. The depth of it quiets us, and then He sings to us. It is such a compelling image that it invites each of us to draw near and let Him quiet the storms we cannot. In this place we are allowed to rest, and soon we find ourselves joining Him in song. This is an excerpt from my book  Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry . If you resonated with this blog

“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2).   Sometimes, when people read the Mosaic Law they want to ascribe the passages therein to their own lives. That’s noble. But sometimes we take a passage like this one and say that if we are faithful in keeping this commandment that God will give us things. But, that’s not what this passage is saying. Remember what the apostle Paul said, “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). This being the case, what does Moses refer to when he writes that we will “Take possession?”   I want to suggest that he is writing about our salvation. in fact, in the next two verses, Moses gives an example of how God once saved Israel. But how does this apply today?   I think the promised land is akin to our salvation, even heaven. And following the commands has to do with the commands of salvation, that Jesus lived, died, and live again, for us. We cannot earn it, but we must trust him for it. It is important that we not add to Jesus work, such as happened to some who wanted to add obedience to the law to help earn salvation. All salvation is a work of God, not a work of man.   It’s tempting to add to God’s word. We negotiate with God all the time, don't we? “God, if you do this, then I’ll do that.” But God does not negotiate. He grants. Then he expects loving obedience.   Memory Verse   “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).   Application   Do you try to negotiate with God. Instead, go to him in prayer and simply declare your love for him without seeking for anything else other than the salvation he’s already granted.

I see the face of a man who failed. . . who failed his Maker. Again. I promised I wouldn’t, but I did. I was quiet when I should have been bold. I took a seat when I should have taken a stand. If this were the first time, it would be different. But it isn’t. How many times can one fall and expect to be caught?  Trust. Why is it easy to tell others and so hard to remind self? Can God deal with death? Can God deal with debt? ICan God hear yet one more confession from these lips?  The face in the mirror asks. I sit a few feet from a man on death row. Jewish by birth. Tentmaker by trade. Apostle by calling. His days are marked. I’m curious about what bolsters this man as he nears his execution. So I ask some questions. Do you have family, Paul? I have none. What about your health? My body is beaten and tired. What do you own? I have my parchments. My pen. A cloak. And your reputation? Well, it’s not much. I’m a heretic to some, a maverick to others. Do you have friends? I do, but even some of them have turned back. Any awards? Not on earth. Then what do you have, Paul? No belongings. No family. Criticized by some. Mocked by others. What do you have, Paul? What do you have that matters? I sit back quietly and watch. Paul rolls his hand into a fist. He looks at it. I look at it. What is he holding? What does he have?  He extends his hand so I can see. As I lean forward, he opens his fingers. I peer at his palm. It’s empty. I have my faith. It’s all I have. But it’s all I need. I have kept the faith. Paul leans back against the wall of his cell and smiles. And I lean back against another and stare into the face of a man who has learned that there is more to life than meets the eye.  For that’s what faith is. Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see. Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel. Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow. Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan. Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior. Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees His blood. Your eyes see your grave. Your faith sees a city whose Builder and Maker is God. Your eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker. But by faith you look in the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face. But wait a minute, someone asks. How do I know this is true? Nice prose, but give me the facts. How do I know these aren’t just fanciful hopes? If we think the arms are weak, we won’t jump. For that reason, the Father flexed His muscles. “God’s power is very great for those who believe,” Paul taught. “That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead” (Eph. 1:19—20). Next time you wonder if God can catch you, read that verse. The very arms that defeated death are the arms awaiting you. Next time you wonder if God can forgive you, read that verse. The very hands that were nailed to the cross are open for you. What is the burden you are carrying today. He has strength when you have none. Spend time meditating on a God who is powerful enough to raise the dead. www.maxlucado.com.