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A Reason for Hope 6 Weeks of Daily Devotions from the Lifestyles of Reconciliation Series 42 Daily Devotions 10 Prayers for Hope Produced by P O Box 81662 Billings MT 59108 1662 USA 406 698 6107 844 447 2671 www AoRHope org

Ambassadors of Reconciliation is a non profit international ministry founded in 2004 We equip Christians and their churches for living proclaiming and cultivating lifestyles of reconciliation Learn more about us at www AoRHope org Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible English Standard Version ESV copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers Used by permission All rights reserved This publication is designed to provide general information on biblical conflict resolution It is not intended to provide legal or other professional advice If legal counsel or other expert assistance is required the services of a competent professional should be sought 2019 by Ambassadors of Reconciliation All rights reserved Version 09 2019 ISBN 978 1 7331501 1 8

Contributing Authors Tara Barthel has served as a Christian attorney mediator and homemaker for over twenty years Her books and video series Peacemaking Women Redeeming Church Conflicts and Living the Gospel in Relationships have opened doors for her to serve and encourage Christians around the world She also enjoys teaching Philosophy of Theology Rhetoric in her community and she cherishes each day she has the honor of being a wife and mother Devotions for Days 8 19 28 and 34 Annette Friesen serves as Administrative Assistant and Case Administrator for Ambassadors of Reconciliation A Christian Reconciler 1 and a Certified Christian Conciliator2 with her Foundations of Biblical Counseling Certificate she is an experienced conflict coach and mediator Annette has presented on many reconciliation topics internationally including to women s groups and homeschooling associations She also serves on teams working with conflicted churches Annette and her husband Rick have four children and thirteen grandchildren Devotions for Days 10 14 22 and 35 Rev Phil Heiser serves as Associate for Ministry Support in the Office of the President for The Church of the Lutheran Brethren CLB After a career in business and Christian lay ministry Phil has been a Lutheran pastor since 2006 serving four years as a CLB Regional Pastor He is a Christian Reconciler 1 teaching and providing coaching and mediation services Phil and his wife Wendy have two children Devotions for Days 7 17 24 and 41 Rev Ed Keinath serves as Director of CrossLife Ministries the counseling ministry of Ambassadors of Reconciliation He has been a Lutheran pastor since 1977 and has extensive experience in marriage and family counseling and reconciliation services He is a licensed counselor Christian Reconciler1 church consultant and teacher having presented reconciliation across North America Ed and his wife Janeen have five children and nine grandchildren Devotions for Days 9 11 30 and 38 Ted Kober serves as Senior Ambassador for Ambassadors of Reconciliation and is a Christian Reconciler 1 A Certified Christian Conciliator2 since 1992 Ted is experienced in conflict coaching mediation adjudication consultation and group reconciliation assistance He speaks internationally and has published articles devotions Bible studies training courses and seven books including Built on the Rock The Healthy Congregation Concordia Publishing House 2017 Ted and his wife Sonja have one son and two grandchildren Devotions for Days 1 20 25 31 and 39 1 2 Designation through Ambassadors of Reconciliation Certification through the Institute of Christian Conciliation

Rev Dr Dennis Reiter has served in four ministries since 1973 pastoral 19 years solo and 21 years part time associate in Connecticut seminary taught pastoral theology at Bethel Seminary of the East prayer leading solemn assemblies and peacemaking Certified Christian Conciliator2 instructor in America and overseas and mentor He has MDiv MA and DMin degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School IL Married since 1971 to Judy they have three children and eight grandchildren Devotions for Days 6 13 32 and 40 Dwight Schettler serves as President of Ambassadors of Reconciliation As a Christian Reconciler 1 and a Certified Christian Conciliator2 he is experienced in coaching mediation and consultation He speaks internationally and leads group reconciliation assistance teams in serving conflicted churches and other organizations While working as Director of Training and Certification for Peacemaker Ministries Dwight developed Peacemaker University offering online training Dwight and his wife Ruth have two children and two grandchildren Devotions for Days 2 12 23 and 37 Rev Dr Richard L Thompson serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Ambassadors of Reconciliation He has served as pastor of three congregations and on various boards and committees at the district and national levels of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod He and his wife Dianne have three children and six grandchildren Richard is an accomplished speaker and author and has served on several group reconciliation assistance teams Devotions for Days 4 18 26 and 33 Julie Wehrkamp serves as Administrative Assistant for CrossLife Ministries the counseling ministry of Ambassadors of Reconciliation Julie s background includes sales management and healthcare administration As a Christian Reconciler 1 she assists families and church leaders in reconciliation through conflict coaching and mediation She also serves on reconciliation teams for conflicted churches She and her husband Roger have two daughters and five grandchildren Devotions for Days 3 15 27 and 36 Rev Bruce Zagel serves on the Board of Directors for Ambassadors of Reconciliation AoR Prior to retirement he served as AoR s Director of Reconciliation Services and Director of Reconciliation Ministry for the Lutheran Church of Australia A Lutheran pastor and Christian Reconciler 1 he is an internationally experienced speaker and reconciler in coaching consultation mediation adjudication and group reconciliation assistance He has also served as a reconciliation pastor Bruce and his wife Kathy have two sons and two grandchildren Devotions for Days 5 16 21 29 and 42

A Reason for Hope 1 Peter 3 8 22 Day 1 In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is within you yet do it with gentleness and respect 1 Peter 3 15 A couple had given up hope of having their own child But finally after years of praying their daughter was born However their baby was sick The parents reluctantly left their newborn to the care of the hospital where she was to receive medicine that promised to cure her The assigned nurse accidentally gave the infant the wrong medicine and the baby died The nurse was horrified when she realized what she had done Fearing a lawsuit the hospital forbade her to talk with the parents Nevertheless the parents learned where the nurse lived and knocked on her door With tears the nurse explained she could not talk to them The parents pleaded We know but won t you let us talk to you How could she refuse She paused waiting for condemnation Instead they forgave her How can you forgive me the nurse cried We forgive you because Jesus forgives us The nurse could never earn their gift No legal settlement would bring back their baby For the nurse her forgiveness was free But for the parents the gift was costly We deserve God s wrath and punishment We can do nothing to earn God s forgiveness Forgiveness through Christ is a free gift to those who believe But for our heavenly Father the gift is costly the blood of Jesus His Son Because this couple gave the nurse a reason for hope she became a believer in Christ She now has hope in Jesus undeserved gift of forgiveness Lord Jesus prepare me and strengthen my faith so that in the most difficult trials I can give to others the hope of forgiveness You have given me Then provide Your words that I may give reason for the hope I have in You In Your name I pray Amen Reflection Questions 1 How would you answer someone who asks what Jesus has done for you 2 What hope does the free gift of God s forgiveness give you in a current or recent conflict 3 How can you share that same hope with the person with whom you are in conflict

Living Hope and Inexpressible Joy 1 Peter 1 3 9 Day 2 Though you have not seen him you love him Though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory 1 Peter 1 8 B obby McFerrin s song Don t Worry Be Happy suggests you can be continually happy as long as you don t worry It gives a false hope You can t always be happy Even without worry life s troubles can choke the happiness out of you You can seek happiness strive for it or even fight for it but it may still elude you Happiness or the lack of it often depends on our circumstances Hope in Christ by contrast results in an inexpressible joy This joy does not depend on life s circumstances You can be unhappy about your predicament but still rejoice The inexpressible joy that flows from hope in Christ remains true regardless of your emotions Hope in Christ is certain because of God s promises This hope is always there for you no matter what miseries you endure Peter declares we are born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus With this assurance of hope why do we sometimes feel sad even depressed Living in a world corrupted by sin results in disappointments frustrations sorrows and suffering On our own we are unable of rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God The Holy Spirit creates and sustains our faith in the midst of life s hardships We may be sad yet confident in His love and forgiveness for us In spite of tribulations we possess an imperishable inheritance in heaven And while we live in this sinfilled world the Holy Spirit guards our faith and gives us hope for today Loving Father sometimes I struggle with sadness or depression Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to increase my hope in Jesus love sacrifice and forgiveness for me Renew in me the inexpressible joy that only hope in Christ can bring I pray in Your Son s name Amen Reflection Questions 1 Fill in this blank If only ________ then I would be happy fulfilled and secure What does this suggest to you about your trust in God to provide for your every need 2 Read Psalm 37 4 In what or whom do you delight yourself 3 According to Romans 15 13 what is the source of our hope and joy 4 Read Romans 5 1 11 In what can you rejoice regardless of your circumstances today

The Hope of Things to Come Romans 5 6 11 Day 3 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more now that we are reconciled shall we be saved by his life Romans 5 10 H ow are you This simple question can prompt a multitude of responses I m fine How are you I m ok I could be better Sometimes we get more than we bargained for such as a litany of every physical ailment and discomfort imaginable Or we may hear about troubles at work frustrations with a spouse or problems involving an unruly child Other times we receive uplifting responses I couldn t be better Better than I deserve We might hear pleasant stories of a new job going well the birth of a grandchild or the athletic or academic accomplishments of children Occasionally we are surprised by a response and uncertain of how to react During a recent visit with family my greeting of How are you this morning was replied to by my beloved uncle saying If I was any better I d be in heaven His response left me speechless At first I was puzzled Does he really want to be dead I don t want that How should I respond But this was my short sighted earthly thinking Hebrews 11 1 states Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen While we were still sinners God sent His one and only Son to die for our sins so that we might have the assurance of eternal life I soon realized that by faith my uncle holds a glorious vision of heaven and lives each day knowing that his Savior awaits him the hope of things to come Gracious Heavenly Father thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ who died for the forgiveness of our sins so that we are reconciled to You Give me strength to live each day faithfully awaiting my eternal home in heaven Amen Reflection Questions 1 Review Romans 5 8 When did Jesus die for you 2 What does this communicate to you about God s love for you 3 Consider someone with whom you are in conflict How has God shown His love to your opponent 4 Jesus teaches Just as I have loved you you also are to love one another John 13 34 How can you show love to your opponent

When Life Gets Stormy Luke 8 22 25 S Day 4 Jesus said to them Where is your faith And they were afraid and they marveled saying to one another Who then is this that he commands even winds and water and they obey him Luke 8 25 torms are not fun at sea or on the land or in one s daily life Yet we learn lessons through storms that we would never learn if life was always calm We learn how to live in the here and now especially when life gets stormy Luke 8 22 25 relates the miracle of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee This miracle teaches us that we can trust that the Lord is with us during our trials even though we may at times think that we are on our own or that He is unaware of our concern It seemed to the disciples that when they needed Him most He was not there Can you relate to such a feeling In reality the Lord was with them in the same boat in the midst of the storm just as He is always with us He has promised never to desert us or forsake us Hebrews 13 5 The apostle Paul reminds us that no trial storm can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8 38 39 Whenever life is stormy the Lord is right there with you Such times are opportunities for you to hear His question Where is your faith and to recognize when you are trusting more in your own efforts than resting in His mercy and strength He who calmed the sea with a word is ready willing and able to calm the storms in your life Lord Jesus thank You for Your presence during the stormy times in my life Forgive my lack of trust and increase my faith that I may rest in You and Your promise to always be with me Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider a current or recent stormy trial in your life What are were your greatest fears 2 Sometimes we feel alone and afraid in the midst of trials How do you know that Jesus is aware of the storms in your life 3 Jesus doesn t promise that you will be free from difficult challenges of this life But what does He promise you in His Word Remember Hebrews 13 5 and Romans 8 38 39 4 What comfort do His promises give you in these current or recent storms of your life

Bloody Hope Hebrews 9 11 22 F Day 5 Indeed under the law almost everything is purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins Hebrews 9 22 rom the very beginning blood had to be shed to cover over the sins of humankind Immediately following Adam and Eve s sin in the garden of Eden recorded in Genesis 3 God used the skins of animals that had to be killed to cover the shame brought about by sin From then on blood needed to be shed as a reminder that sin cannot be forgiven without the shedding of blood and the death of the sacrifice In Hebrews the author provides an excellent explanation of how Jesus is not only our great High Priest offering sacrifice for sin but that the sacrifice is His own body His own blood The sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadowed Jesus complete and perfect sacrifice When Jesus shed His blood on the cross all sins were forgiven Through faith we hold on to the promise that His blood was enough His bloody sacrifice gives us hope that no matter the sin it is washed away in the flood of Jesus blood The sacrifices of the Old Testament required the deaths of many animals The sacrifice to wash away your sin required the death of but one man Jesus Christ That simple profound truth allows believers to sing My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus blood and righteousness On Christ the solid Rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand 3 Heavenly Father from the beginning You provided covering and protection for sinful humankind You provided the ultimate covering and protection through the blood of Jesus Strengthen in us the hope we need to thank You each day for the forgiveness You provide through Your Son s precious blood Amen Reflection Questions 1 Describe a difficult emotional conflict in your life What expectations or hopes about the conflict did you have that went unfulfilled 2 When your expectations were not met identify your responses to the conflict Include personal thoughts words to the person involved and to others not involved and actions 3 Reviewing your responses above identify those that were godly and those that were sinful What hope do Jesus blood and righteousness give you in light of your sinful responses What difference can hope in Christ make for you in the midst of the fiery trials of life 3 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less 1st Stanza Edward Mote 1797 1874 alt Public domain

The Kind of God We Need Exodus 33 18 34 8 Day 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed The Lord the Lord a God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness Exodus 34 6 M oses boldly prayed Please show me your glory Exodus 33 18 God graciously protected Moses from the full impact of His overwhelming splendor but He did reveal profound truths about His moral excellence Reflecting on the glory of the Lord s character we realize He is just the kind of God we sinners need The Lord the Lord Yahweh is the covenant name of God who redeems His people from bondage I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery Exodus 20 2 Merciful God has a tender concern for people who are miserable and hurting especially when the misery comes because of the wrong we have done Gracious God generously pours out His favor on us that is not only undeserved but is favor shown to people deserving just judgment Slow to anger God s patience involves restraint in exercising His justice Abounding in steadfast love God loves His people with a deep loyalty so they can be assured that He will continue to love them at all times Abounding in faithfulness God is thoroughly dependable and trustworthy He follows through on His promises as we trust in Him Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin God has the heart to pardon the sin of guilty people who have offended His character and disobeyed His commands This great revelation of God s glory is most fully realized in the Lord Jesus who came that we may have life and have it abundantly John 10 10 Lord let my faith in You be founded not on my fluctuating feelings but on the truth of who You really are according to Your revelation in Scripture When I confess my sin to You may I live with the assurance of forgiveness and hope of an abundant life Amen Reflection Questions 1 Of the many realities revealed about God in Exodus 34 6 7 which two are most encouraging and life giving for you in your present situation 2 How do these characteristics of God give you hope in the midst of your current struggles

Our Prince of Peace Day Psalm 146 7 Put not your trust in princes in a son of man in whom there is no salvation Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob whose hope is in the Lord his God Psalm 146 3 5 A prince isn t a title that many Westerners use today other than referring to British royalty Today we could liken a prince to anyone in a position of earthly power such as a rising politician a young tech CEO or even a highlytalented professional athlete A prince can be anyone who captures our loves fears or trusts Regardless of how good or evil these princes are two facts remain 1 All earthly princes and their influence pass quickly 2 The extent to which I hope in any prince of this world is a reflection of my faith relationship with the Lord Almighty Princes offer at best a fleeting momentary hope Yet all these earthly princes will eventually disappoint us When we recognize that a prince has captivated our heart we are called to repent and receive God s forgiveness by faith The psalmist calls us to daily put our hope in the eternal all powerful alljust all knowing Creator Savior and Sustainer In our Heavenly Father we are reminded that He was before all creation and in Him are all things made In Jesus Christ we can know how much God loves us for we are forgiven and have eternal life in Him With the Holy Spirit we have One who comforts sustains and guides us by His Holy Word Thanks be to Christ who is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13 8 May our hope be in the Prince of Peace Thank You Heavenly Father for the gift of Jesus our Prince of Peace who conquered sin and death so we can live today by faith with enduring hope Amen Reflection Questions 1 Who are the princes of this world that tempt you to fear trust or love them above the Lord 2 How can you show proper respect to earthly princes while not allowing them to become false gods 3 How has God revealed to you His provision and peace that has given you a reason for hope

When Anger Reflects Our Fears 1 John 4 16 21 T Day 8 There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear 1 John 4 18 om is the only Christian in his family He wants to have good relationships with them but every holiday gathering is peppered with criticisms judgments and teeming frustrations that often escalate into angry yelling Tom regrets how quickly he can behave in immature and impatient ways in his childhood home with his family of origin He wonders how he can move from a hostile verbal exchange to a sweet conversation about Christ with family whom deep down he loves Like Tom we can curb our anger and strengthen our witness to family by recognizing that anger often stems from fear If we live in fear of being rejected and ostracized by others we will have a difficult time loving them Most of all we need to remember God s love for us even when we are fearful or lose our temper We have hope because of the forgiveness we have in Jesus With you there is forgiveness that you may be feared Psalm 130 4 God s perfect love casts out fear In all of life but especially in our relationships with unbelievers our time in this world is brief Our time to share God s hope with others is limited As we fear God not human beings and keep our hearts fixed on eternity not on earthly pleasures we will find through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God all we need to live patiently and mercifully even with the most difficult people in our lives Thank You Lord Jesus for dying the death that I deserve so that I can live forever with You Thank You for strengthening me and giving me a spirit not of fear but of love and self control Please help me to honor You especially in my most difficult relationships Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider a circumstance or relationship in which you find yourself feeling angry To what extent could your anger help you to understand what you fear 2 Read Proverbs 29 25 and then re read 1 John 4 16 18 What is the godly fear that we are called to live in What is the fruit of godly fear 3 Read Proverbs 8 13 and Psalm 56 3 4 As we fear God rightly how will that impact our speaking with others How will our fear of God affect how we speak about others

New Creation 2 Corinthians 5 16 21 Day 9 Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation The old has passed away behold the new has come 2 Corinthians 5 17 O ne day the students from my wife s kindergarten class found a caterpillar Recognizing what was happening my wife brought it inside The children observed the change from a lowly caterpillar to a chrysalis Then a transformation took place The caterpillar became a beautiful butterfly My wife released it from the jar so it could fly around the room much to the glee and excitement of the kindergarteners The butterfly was now able to fly over almost everything that it could not crawl over before It became a different creature and yet it was still the same creature Our Lord Jesus Christ is no longer bound by the time or space that He willingly took on for our sakes His bruised and bleeding body once buried is now glorified and He comes to His frightened disciples through locked doors The resurrected Christ appears and vanishes He is the same Lord whom the Apostles knew before but He is different Through our adoption as God s children we have been washed cleansed of our sin We have received the gift of everlasting life Each time we partake in Holy Communion we remember our Lord s body and blood given for us We taste forgiveness and are strengthened in faith to change and amend our sinful lives We are the New Creation because of the grace poured out upon us by Jesus Christ All this is true because Christ rose from the dead and defeated death for us In our resurrection we will be the same but different like the butterfly a New Creation O Resurrected Lord Your victory over death and the grave is my victory Feed my faith with Your Word and Sacraments that even though I look the same on the outside inwardly I m transformed as Your New Creation Amen Reflection Questions 1 When God calls you a New Creation what keeps you from believing that you are 2 Read 2 Peter 1 5 9 How does Peter s encouragement help you experience that you are living out your New Creation See verse 9 3 In what ways can you be more intentional in your daily living as a reflection of being a New Creation in Christ

Pursuing Peace Psalm 34 L Day 10 Turn away from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it Psalm 34 14 ife is unpredictable One day things seem to be going fine and the next Disaster strikes It could be circumstances relationships or finances But no matter the cause the situation incites our souls to panic and fear We scramble around trying to figure things out and instead it feels like our troubles are circling Our afflictions have us surrounded It is so easy in those moments to react in anger self pity sullenness or despair We unintentionally and sometimes intentionally take out our frustrations on those around us But the psalmist reminds us about our Protector God is the One who delivers us from our fears Psalm 34 4 22 He saves us from trouble vv 6 17 19 He is our refuge vv 8 22 The Lord provides for us vv 9 10 And He does all these things because He promises to be near and hear us vv 6 17 18 In the middle of the praises of God s gifts to us we see some interesting counsel to turn from evil do good and seek peace In fact don t just seek peace go after it Why Maybe because when afflictions troubles and conflict abound we fall prey to our own bad responses We don t always pursue peace Sometimes we seek revenge for anything or against anyone who is bringing us trouble And yet amidst our struggle we hear Him promise The Lord redeems the life of his servants none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned v 22 Our peace with God is through His forgiveness so that we can pursue peace with others Yes taste and see that the Lord is good Dear Jesus how I hate experiencing problems Help me when I face the multitude of troubles to seek refuge in You Keep my fears from driving me to respond in sinful ways Instead direct me to turn from evil and do good to seek peace and pursue it Amen Reflection Questions 1 What troubles are surrounding you today 2 What do you find most encouraging in the reminders of God s care in this psalm 3 What steps can you take today to turn from evil and do good to seek peace and pursue it in the middle of today s struggles

The End to Hostilities Ephesians 2 11 18 Day 11 For he himself is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two so making peace Ephesians 2 14 15 H ostility We see it everywhere in our nation in our communities and even in our own families It is as simple as two toddlers fighting over one toy The hostility is more graphic when race issues within a community explode in shootings looting and burning of property The apostle Paul was caught up in that kind of situation His letter to the Ephesians was written to a mix of Jews and Gentiles who were miles apart in terms of history religion and values The pagan and the puritan covenant descendant were hostile to each other Hostility is in the flesh and it is only in the flesh that hostility can come to an end But it is not our flesh and blood that will accomplish it This is why our Lord Jesus came in the flesh so that when He suffered and died He might bring hostility to an end It was on His cross that He suffered the killing end of sin to end hostility What has been put to an end is the hostility God had toward us who were apart from Him and the hostility we have toward one another In the forgiveness of sins which we receive in the healing offered through our Lord s broken body and shed blood we are able to die to our hostility toward God and one another and rise in peace and reconciliation And for those who are in Jesus Christ there is no more hostility Peace be with you Lord Jesus I have sinned in my arrogance and feeling at times that I m better than someone else I praise You for taking my hostility to the cross and forgiving my sin Strengthen me in my resolve to change and do better Amen Reflection Questions 1 What do other people say or do that tempts you to think you are better than them 2 How did Jesus respond when others came towards Him thinking and acting as if they were better than Him See John 8 31 41 You may also reference Matthew 12 1 8 and Mark 11 27 33 3 When you consider the hostility that was projected onto Christ as He was crucified how might that help you respond to hostile comments made towards you

From Suffering to Hope Romans 5 1 5 Day 12 Not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope Romans 5 3 4 W e were invited to teach reconciliation in Rwanda Pastors there sought trauma counseling training because the pain of the 1994 genocide was still raw with many We were horrified as we prepared for this teaching studying the events of the genocide People endured brutal beatings rape and murder often at the hands of fellow Christians 1 000 000 people were murdered in 100 days The memories are still fresh 25 years later Their experience was simply unimaginable Our time among God s people in Rwanda was life changing We witnessed a people living these very words from Romans 5 Everyone old enough to remember the genocide had been personally impacted as a victim wondering why God could allow such atrocity or as a perpetrator racked with guilt or as people feeling guilty for surviving while loved ones were slaughtered They suffered in ways beyond our comprehension yet they responded to the gospel more sweetly than most Why Because they have hope Hope born out of their suffering Hope in a Savior who died and rose again for them Through their suffering God taught our Rwandan brothers and sisters endurance building their character Ultimately God gave them hope just as He promises to do for you Your Jesus knows the suffering you endure God has given you the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with His love Rejoice in our sufferings verse 3 is not a command for you to follow but a promise given to you because of Jesus suffering in your place Holy Spirit grant me strength to endure suffering Help me recall the suffering of my Savior Jesus who suffered in my place and won for me the forgiveness of all my sins Let my hope be built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness In Jesus name Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider a specific conflict that resulted in your suffering In what ways have you struggled to rejoice in your suffering 2 Fill in the blank If I just had ___________ then I would feel safe and secure How has this desire become an idol replacing God in your heart 3 Review Romans 5 1 5 Identify the promises for you There are at least 11 How do these promises apply to your situation

Grieving with Hope John 11 17 27 I Day 13 Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life Whoever believes in me though he die yet shall he live John 11 25 s there a deeper loss and more intense experience of grief than the death of a loved one Those enduring such emotional and relational pain need to talk with someone who cares and who shares comforting words But what is the best way to give them hope Listen to a conversation between the Lord Jesus and a woman who had just lost her brother Mary Martha and Lazarus were a family loved by Jesus Knowing Lazarus would die Jesus waited until four days after his death to visit the sisters Martha s initial hope was dashed Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died John 11 21 But she still had a distant hope I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day v 24 You can almost hear her say I m hurting now and will be grieving many days I want a nearer and better consolation to help me now Jesus empathized with her loss and later we read Jesus wept v 35 But He ministered to her immediate need and her long term need Here is the greatest declaration of hope that was ever spoken I am the resurrection and the life Whoever believes in me though he die yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die vv 25 26 Hope does not focus on an event but on the Person of Jesus Christ Our hearts can have the deepest comfort and hope by His Presence Do you believe this v 26 Lord when we are grieving the loss of loved ones comfort us with hope because You are the Resurrection and the Life And as I face my own mortality continue to deepen my hope as I daily draw resurrection life from You Amen Reflection Questions 1 Grieving people often raise the kind of timing issue that Martha had Why did they have to die now They could have lived 20 30 40 years longer Which of God s promises might you cling to or share that still give hope when we don t have all the answers 2 If you have lost a loved one describe how you experienced both grief at your loss and hope from the Lord in the present and for the future

The Comfort of God 2 Corinthians 1 3 11 Day 14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God 2 Corinthians 1 3 4 W hen we encounter problems we attract advice givers Many immediately assume what went wrong and prescribe how to fix it They come alongside but when we don t see things their way they are gone treating us as hopeless Conflict brings with it a multitude of problems When listening to the details of others dilemmas we can sometimes recognize causes and offer our own wisdom But we must caution ourselves against offering our own advice too quickly Instead we can begin by sharing the best the comfort of God that we ourselves have received In verse 9 Paul describes a time when his suffering was so severe he believed death was imminent But he notes this was to teach them to rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead We live in a pull yourself up by your bootstraps culture Do what you can to prevent and fix what you can t There may be a time and place for such guidance But our hope is found not in relying on ourselves or human advice Our hope lies in trusting our Heavenly Father and His comfort So when we encounter conflicts just another name for afflictions or when others describe their problems to us remember you have a Savior from your sins You are forgiven by the One who died and rose again First seek your Father for comfort and then you can comfort others with this good news too Dear Jesus life s troubles can be overwhelming Help me first to run to You my Savior the One who forgives my sins and comforts me When others share their problems with me help me be a burden bearer by sharing the comfort I have found in You before offering my advice Amen Reflection Questions 1 When have you received instant advice while sharing your troubles Did this advice help you to run to God for your comfort 2 What are the ways in which you have experienced the comfort of God 3 Pray for an opportunity to share this comfort with others in the week ahead

Worried about Tomorrow Matthew 6 25 34 I Day 15 Therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your life what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body what you will put on Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing Matthew 6 25 s it supposed to rain tomorrow What are you doing this weekend What shall we have for dinner Where do you want to go for vacation What will I wear to the party I have uttered all these questions at one time or another Our lives are filled with busyness arriving at work on time getting the kids up and ready for school sports practices meetings the list is endless It seems that I am always looking ahead and thinking about the next thing on my to do list I become overwhelmed and often frustrated just trying to figure it all out Witnessing the aging of family members can also increase anxiety for the future It is difficult for me not to be anxious about tomorrow as I watch my father s body become weaker each day and try to prepare myself for what the next months will look like I am brought to tears when I see the confusion in my mother s eyes as she looks down at her feet and emphatically exclaims the shoes she is wearing are not hers Facing the reality that their lives on this earth are growing closer to an end is gut wrenching Our Heavenly Father knows all our worries and burdens We do not know what the future holds but we do know who holds the future Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13 8 Our God of past present and future has a miraculous plan for each and every one of us Dear Heavenly Father You know my every need Lead me not to be anxious and worry about tomorrow but to seek Your kingdom and trust that all I need will be provided In Jesus name I pray Amen Reflection Questions 1 What worries you the most when you awake in the morning and before you go to sleep at night 2 How well has your worrying solved problems in your life 3 Which of tomorrow s worries is God too small to take care of for you 4 What comforts you most from Matthew 6 25 34

Waiting in Hope Psalm 130 1 8 Day 16 I wait for the Lord my soul waits and in his word I hope Psalm 130 5 W aiting is not easy Sometimes we wait for news of medical tests Or we wait for a change in employment circumstances At times we wait for a relationship to be healed In the midst of the seemingly endless waiting we can become frustrated angry despondent confused and even tempted to lose hope In Psalm 130 the writer pleads to the Lord for mercy because he suffers from guilt over his sin He knows God is loving and gracious but he needs assurance and hope When the writer offers this thought But with you there is forgiveness he acknowledges that the source of the forgiveness and hope he needs is God alone Because of the mercy of God that withdraws His wrath and replaces wrath with grace and forgiveness the psalmist transitions from sorrow to hope The writer confesses In his word I hope In His Word God promises the forgiveness so desperately needed forgiveness He gives to all whose faith is in the cleansing power of Jesus blood for their sins 1 John 1 7 When waiting for God to act it can be tempting to ignore God s promises of forgiveness and peace Instead we place trust in our own capabilities or wisdom But because of the promises of God s word we can follow the trustworthy guidance of the psalmist Plead for God s mercy Trust in His forgiveness for the sake of His Son And live day by day in hope and confidence God of mercy and grace hear our plea not to hold our sins against us but to amply shower upon us Your forgiveness that was purchased for us through the shedding of Jesus blood on the cross of Calvary Through that forgiveness help us to live day by day in hope Amen Reflection Questions 1 List situations when waiting in hope is most difficult for you 2 Read Matthew 6 31 33 When waiting if you become frustrated angry despondent confused or even tempted to lose hope in whom are you trusting to get what you want 3 When waiting in the midst of the situations you listed above describe how putting your hope in God s word would make a difference for you

Whom Do You Fear Luke 12 4 7 Day 17 But I will warn you whom to fear fear him who after he has killed has authority to cast into hell Yes I tell you fear him Luke 12 5 H e s such a worrywart Don t worry be happy I m really worried about You had me worried there Have you ever uttered similar expressions Today s world offers so many comforts that it s tempting to worry over losing even one blessing from the Lord Worry was also common in Jesus day Jesus warns His disciples to consider whom to fear meaning the fear of someone with power and authority over them The Pharisees most likely heard Jesus say Do not fear those who kill the body and after that having nothing more that they can do Luke 12 4 These words were prophetic At the Pharisees urging not only was Jesus killed but so were most of the disciples We are to fear the Lord alone because He has authority to cast into hell Through Christ s conquering of sin and death our fears are surpassed by faith with a living hope that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 8 39 Take comfort knowing that Jesus has conquered sin death and the devil By faith we need not fear death or any earthly authority We confidently sing Fear not I am with you O be not dismayed For I am your God and will still give you aid I ll strengthen you help you and cause you to stand Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand 4 Omnipotent and Righteous Father You hold the power of life and death in Your hands May I fear You above all things knowing through Your Word how much You know me love me and provide for my every need May my life today reflect Your mercy and grace Amen Reflection Questions 1 What causes you the most worry 2 What does this suggest about what or whom you fear most of all 3 Read Psalm 130 4 For the things that worry you most why can you put your trust in Jesus 4 How Firm a Foundation 2nd Stanza A Selection of Hymns London 1787 alt public domain

Help in Our Weakness Romans 8 18 32 Day 18 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness For we do not know what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words Romans 8 26 M ost of us have experienced a time when we are at our wits end and are not exactly sure what to pray for What comfort these words recorded in Romans 8 give us at such times It is true that our weakness is spoken of in other places of Scripture where we are reminded that we do not live by our own power or resources but by the power and resources of God This is especially true in our prayer life Romans 8 26 27 recognizes that when God says through the apostle Paul that the Spirit helps us in our weakness interceding for us according to the will of God He is talking about helping us with our prayers The promise here is that the Spirit always intercedes on our behalf according to the perfect will of God Still more encouragement is found in Romans 8 34 where it is written Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at the right hand of God who indeed is interceding for us What a blessing What a hope What a help When we do not know what to do or what to pray we are assured that the Holy Spirit is interceding for us And Jesus our risen Lord is interceding for us before the throne of God s grace Thanks be to God for His presence with us in our weakness Lord Jesus my weakness threatens to immobilize me at times but I find strength in knowing that Your intercession on my behalf according to God s perfect will is an ongoing promise Thy will be done Amen Reflection Questions 1 What are your greatest weaknesses when dealing with stress 2 What role does prayer play in your stressful moments 3 What hope does Romans 8 26 27 give you as you consider your prayers in the midst of stressful times

Day Be Peacemakers with Unbelievers 19 Romans 12 14 21 L If possible so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good Romans 12 18 21 arry s dad had been married four times In between he lived with many girlfriends As a Christian Larry found this aspect of his father s life crass and sinful So when Larry first met his future stepmother who had been another live in girlfriend Larry was rude to her He honestly didn t think he d ever see her again But he did Five years later Larry s brother pulled him aside and said You know Larry the first time you met dad s wife you were awful to her I know she behaved badly But so have you This confrontation stopped Larry in his tracks Until that moment he had no recollection of his rudeness How could he live peaceably with all Larry knew he had to get the log out of his own eye Matthew 7 5 And so he did In front of the entire family he humbly confessed his sin to her and asked for forgiveness She responded with a string of profane vulgarities It was incredibly unpleasant but Larry was grateful for God s grace at work in his heart leading him to repentance In faith Larry trusted that God forgave him in Christ even if his stepmother did not Moreover Larry s confession opened a sweet opportunity to give reason for his hope when his sister in law asked him Why in the world did you ever do that There was only one reason Jesus And Larry was thrilled he got to share with her the forgiveness that is found only in Christ Jesus Dear Jesus in view of Your grace and mercy I offer my life as a living sacrifice to You Help me be a living witness to You in every area of my life especially in conflict Amen Reflection Questions 1 Does Jesus command to get the log out of your eye apply to believers non believers or to all people Why is it important to confess your sins to non believers 2 How does 1 Corinthians 10 31 apply to the last difficult conversation or encounter you had with an unbeliever 3 When confessing to someone who doesn t respond with forgiveness what hope does God s promise in 1 John 1 9 give you How can your trust in that promise serve as a witness to others

An Invitation to the Throne Hebrews 4 14 16 I Day 20 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4 16 n conflict our spiritual weaknesses are revealed For some it is anger For others it is denial and escape Bitterness grows in many hearts Our disputes may lead to discouragement despair or doubt in faith Sadly I have experienced all those and more In spite of knowing how much my God does for me I fall prey to these temptations Anger lurks under my pride If the way I am treated falls short of my expectations look out I ll let you know it Oh maybe not with shouting But perhaps with my eyes Or how I snap back Or even by my walking away and refusing to talk When I realize how easily I sin I get frustrated I feel guilt and shame I avoid the person I have sinned against Sometimes I just want to curl up and hide But Jesus invites us even when our sins are awful Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matthew 11 28 He sympathizes with us because He gave up His heavenly place to become flesh and live among us He endured temptations like us yet He is without sin While we were still sinners Christ died for us He died that we might live in His forgiveness He rose again defeating sin death and the devil He promises to stay with us in good days and bad At His invitation we can approach Him with confidence because He offers mercy and grace Dear Jesus I am so sorry that I continue to give in to temptation especially in conflict Forgive my sins and renew my faith and hope in You that I might seek reconciliation with those whom my sins have hurt Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider a current or recent conflict How have your expectations of the other person magnified your demands on him her and your disappointment in his her failure to meet your desires 2 How are you getting even with the other person when your desires are not met 3 How are you talking about this person to others 4 Review Hebrews 4 14 16 What hope do you find for personal healing and growth in your faith especially in your relationship with the other person

God s Steadfast Love Really Lamentations 3 21 33 Day 21 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases his mercies never come to an end Lamentations 3 22 A member of a church that had two pastors resign over a three year period and has personally felt the consequences of the conflict within her family reads Lamentations 3 22 and wonders How is God s steadfast love present in our church A pastor in Cambodia who had family members murdered by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s asks How is God showing steadfast love to me and my family Christians in Rwanda question how God s steadfast love was present in their country in 1994 when 1 000 000 people were murdered in 100 days When Jeremiah wrote Lamentations the nation of Judah was being besieged and starved by the Babylonians In the end Jerusalem was destroyed stone by stone and the nation was carried off into captivity But in the midst of this great tragedy Jeremiah could rely on God s promise through Moses that He will not leave you or forsake you Deuteronomy 31 6 8 Whether you experience great tragedy and despair along with many others like what happened in Rwanda or Cambodia or whether you experience great tragedy and despair alone the words of Jeremiah point us to hope peace and comfort When Jesus was raised from the tomb on Easter morning God demonstrated that no matter what happens even death the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases Jesus resurrection provides that hope His resurrection and His victory over sin and death prove God s mercies never come to an end Gracious Lord in the great challenges of life even during great tragedy as happened in Jeremiah s day You promise that Your love never ceases Help us to cling to that promise in faith that we might not lose hope but always be confident in Your love and mercy Amen Reflection Questions 1 Identify at least five specific ways in which you have experienced the steadfast love of the Lord and His mercies for you Of course you can list more 2 As you consider current adversities in your life how does God s promise to never leave you nor forsake you give you comfort today 3 How can you reflect God s promises to you as you respond to the current adversities in your life

Hope in Suffering Unjustly 1 Peter 2 18 25 S Day 22 When he was reviled he did not revile in return when he suffered he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly 1 Peter 2 23 uffering unjustly Every conflict involves people who feel misunderstood and unjustly maligned and vilified Efforts to clear things up morph into defenses that look like retaliation A desire for honesty and truth to prevail becomes a battle in earnest Have you been there Feelings of betrayal fear and shame overwhelm We withdraw licking our wounds and giving bitterness an opportunity to take root and grow Peter offers help by first acknowledging our reality For this is a gracious thing when mindful of God one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly 1 Peter 2 19 Peter doesn t deny the difficulty He admits we will suffer sorrows He goes on to say that by doing good and suffering for it it is a gracious thing in the sight of God v 20 Yes God sees our suffering But this is more than just a reality it s our calling For to this unjust suffering you have been called so that you might follow in his steps v 21 How is this possible Only through Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross empowering us to die to sin and live to righteousness He went to the cross being reviled suffering lies insults abuses attacks but didn t return fire He did something far more powerful He left it all in the hands of His Father him who judges justly v 23 And who better to handle our hurts and pains The One who bore our sins gives us true heart healing by his wounds v 24 Hope is never found in seeking justice our way but in the healing that comes from a just God Dear Jesus You see all that has been done and how hard it is Help me entrust to You the situations that I cannot fix knowing that You are the true righteous judge Enable me to follow Your example Increase my trust in You and heal my heart Amen Reflection Questions 1 In what ways are you suffering unjustly 2 What attempts have you made to seek justice in your own way What does this suggest to you about trusting God for His justice 3 How did Jesus arrange justice for your sins Review 1 Peter 2 24 What hope does this give you 4 How can you die to sin and live for righteousness in this situation

Wise as a Child Matthew 11 25 30 I Day 23 At that time Jesus declared I thank you Father Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children Matthew 11 25 was at a McDonald s drive through window My family and I ordered lunch on the way home from church The kid at the window got our order wrong again My frustration was on full display as I dutifully checked each bag s contents only to shove one bag back through the window with a sharp This is wrong I followed with another bag And this one only to follow with another bag Then I heard a child s voice from the back seat My daughter a toddler in a car seat said in her tiny voice Daddy it s a good thing you taught about forgiveness in Sunday school today Sinful responses based on my own wisdom of lofty expectations were evident to everyone even my children I was not responding with grace and forgiveness as Sarah reminded me Matthew 11 25 highlights this contradiction While I was comfortable transgressing in my own wisdom my daughter revealed my sin to me in her simple childlike way I was convicted on the spot Conviction of sin creates a heavy burden When we yoke or tie ourselves to God s law we feel burdened because as sinners we are unable to keep God s commands Not only did Jesus keep the law perfectly for us but He also bore sin s punishment in our place Jesus invites us to lay all our burdens upon Him and to yoke ourselves to Him who can carry us His gospel invitation is where we find rest the very Peace that transcends all understanding Dear Jesus You know more about me than I know myself Thank You for taking all of my sins and burdens to the cross even those I don t know to be sins Please grant to me sweet rest in Your invitation and promise of forgiveness Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider when your expectations have not been met How have you been responding to others in your own wisdom 2 What burdens are you still carrying that you could leave at the cross 3 What promise does Jesus give to you in Matthew 11 28

A Tale of Two Workers 2 Corinthians 12 7 10 I Day 24 But he said to me My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness 2 Corinthians 12 9 f you were looking to hire someone consider the following two workers Hard worker visionary natural leader teacher willing to travel extensively also conceited Past struggles with violence and outrage a known murderer currently lacks eloquence and prone to occasional conflict with coworkers also filled with the grace and strength of God Which applicant would you hire What if I told you they both describe the apostle Paul By God s revelation Paul knew there were two natures at work inside of himself He exhibited a sin nature that made him an unclean worthless beggar not to mention his history of murder false accusations and violence Yet because of Christ s shed blood death and resurrection God gave Paul a new nature as one who had been cleansed ransomed from death and no longer separated from God but made an adopted heir of God Those of us in Christ can also be tempted to embrace false gods such as pride the fear of man pleasures earthly wealth or possessions We can even desire good things so much that we place more trust in them than in God such as successful careers and ministries Paul recognized that his thorn in the flesh whatever it was was actually a gift from the Lord that grounded him in the everyday reality that all good gifts and abilities flow from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ In the midst of our struggles what an enduring hope for all of us in Christ Heavenly Father You know my afflictions and struggles Like Your servant Paul may my life today testify in word and deed to the eternal hope that lives in me because Jesus conquered sin and death for all who would place their faith in Him Amen Reflection Questions 1 What words would those who know you use to describe you 2 How could these words both good and bad become a testimony to your hope in the grace of Jesus Christ 3 Describe evidence of God s grace being sufficient for you in your struggles

I Can t Forgive Myself Psalm 103 1 5 Day 25 Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all your iniquity who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from the pit who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy Psalm 103 2 4 W hen Bob and his best friend Al went off to war Bob promised Al s wife that he would look after Al and bring him home safe But Al died in Bob s arms after being wounded in battle Bob could not forgive himself and sank into depression Upon returning home Bob couldn t keep a job and turned to a life of crime In and out of jail for decades he considered himself a failure He lost hope for anything good Through prison ministry Lee visited Bob to share God s forgiveness Bob exclaimed I can t forgive myself I don t deserve to be forgiven I m a loser Who would want me as a friend Lee agreed Bob didn t deserve forgiveness Forgiveness is a free gift which no one can earn He assured Bob that this was precisely why God sent His Holy Son to take our place Lee read Romans 8 1 inserting Bob s name in the verse There is therefore now no condemnation for Bob who is in Christ Jesus Bob wept as he received God s gift His depression left him as he realized that God s forgiveness trumped any desire to forgive himself With renewed spirit Bob started a Bible study with other inmates Like Bob we too may struggle to forgive ourselves or doubt that we deserve anything good But we have hope not because of what we do or do not do but because of God s love for us Heavenly Father thank You for sending Jesus to take my place on the cross and to give me His righteousness In His forgiveness I have hope and healing In Jesus name I pray Amen Reflection Questions 1 In Psalm 103 3 what is the first benefit for which we praise God 2 Read this verse out loud inserting your name into the verse There is therefore now no condemnation for name who is in Christ Jesus Romans 8 1 How does God s forgiveness for you lead to healing 3 How does this healing give you hope in the midst of your most difficult struggles

Our Refuge Psalm 46 Day 26 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore we will not fear Psalm 46 1 2a W e are living in tumultuous times Nuclear weapons are in the control of small countries struggling for power Fires floods and violent winds destroy property and injure people on a regular basis Terrorist attacks and driveby shootings rip apart families communities and countries Pick up a newspaper or turn on the news and you are quickly reminded that we live in a sin filled fallen world No matter what threatening circumstances surround us personal national or international people find courage hope and strength in Psalm 46 The very first words of this psalm announce its theme God is our Refuge The psalmist also reminds us that God is our Fortress our Shelter our Strength and our Help He is the One who deals with the perils that are all around us We have a certain and trustworthy basis for our faith The God who created everything by His word Genesis 1 the God who even now sustains everything by His word Hebrews 1 3 and the God who speaks a word and hostile armies are struck blind 2 Kings 6 18 is certainly a God who is sufficient for whatever our need or trouble might be He is our Refuge our Resource and our Ruler While our faith is regularly subjected to various challenges in life where can we find safety and security By resting in the words The Lord is my Refuge a very present Help in trouble Therefore I will not fear Lord Jesus You are our Refuge and our Strength Help us to remember this when our world shakes and our hearts tremble in fear Shelter us in Your mercy and grace and give us Your peace Amen Reflection Questions 1 In Psalm 46 10 God assures us Be still and know that I am God Identify those situations that trouble you where you need to apply these words today 2 How do these words give you hope in the uncertainties of life 3 Just imagine the Creator of the universe invites YOU to pray directly to Him Pray the Lord s Prayer pausing after each phrase to reflect on the comfort you receive knowing that God is your Refuge and Strength

It s Not Just about You Philippians 2 1 11 I Day 27 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves Philippians 2 3 n our society we are encouraged to prove we are better than the next person Better at sports Better at our jobs Owning a bigger house Driving an ostentatious car The news is overrun with one politician after another touting their own abilities and decisions over their opponents Self absorbed pride leads us to assert I m number one In today s Scripture we are challenged to do something that does not come naturally for us count others more significant than ourselves This is especially true in conflict We focus on our own point of view and position We become angered by how we have been hurt In righteous indignation we justify our actions We consider only our own feelings and fail to consider how our actions have affected others In sharp contrast Jesus the very Son of God humbled Himself to be born in the likeness of man to suffer and die on the cross for the sins of the whole world In humility He considered others more significant than Himself He suffered the punishment we deserved In return we receive His righteousness and God declares us forgiven The next time tempers flare over a disagreement and you are standing firm in your position remember what Jesus did for you Take the first step Consider how the other person might be feeling Consider how your words hurt In humility confess your sins and speak forgiveness to your brother or sister in Christ Heavenly Father You sent Your one and only Son to die on the cross for my sins Forgive me when I quarrel with others Open my eyes to see their interests and in humility confess my sin to them Let me never forget Your grace and mercy for me In Jesus name Amen Reflection Questions 1 What keeps you from considering the interests of others 2 Reflect on a current or recent dispute Identify your own interests and then make a list of the other person s God pleasing interests How might you serve his her interests 3 How might that person respond when you confess your sin to him her Regardless of whether he or she forgives you who does forgive you according to God s Word 4 How might you respond if he she confesses his her sin to you

Who Leads Them to Truth 2 Timothy 2 24 26 Day 28 The Lord s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil that God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth 2 Timothy 2 24 25 B efore Kara started law school she took a hard look at the bumper stickers on her car Originally she just thought they were a fun way to give witness to her faith But now she wondered if she would lose opportunities to have careful discussions with classmates if she blared a four word summary of her convictions on the back of her old Honda Kara removed the bumper stickers and sought to develop friendships with classmates even those who held very different positions from her She didn t compromise her convictions but she tried to remember her calling not to be quarrelsome but kind to everyone Her job was to teach others with gentleness it was God s job to grant them repentance God s love in Christ and His forgiveness lead us to repentance Can we not trust He will do the same for others When Kara graduated three years later she was recognized with an award for outstanding service to student life Although she was president of the Christian Law Students group she was close friends with the presidents of the groups for Jewish Law Students and the GLBTQ Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender and Queer Law Students both of whom would say Kara and I disagree strongly about many important issues but I know that she loves me and she is always there for me as a real friend Ultimately Kara s friendship with these law students led them to invite her to explain why she believed Jesus was the Savior Dear God I thank You that You alone can soften hard hearts and open blind eyes to bring people to a knowledge of the truth Help me be faithful to You and Your Word but always with humility and kindness In Jesus name Amen Reflection Questions 1 Have you ever effectively shut down a conversation with a t shirt tweet poster or meme What fruit have such communications bore 2 Read Colossians 4 6 and Ephesians 4 29 Consider recent conversations you ve had with unbelievers How has your speech reflected or failed to reflect the characteristics described in these verses 3 The apostle Paul described his own struggles to do what was right Romans 7 19 24 But in what did he find hope that also comforts us See Romans 7 25 8 1

Hope in the Midst of Suffering 1 Peter 4 12 19 I Day 29 Therefore let those who suffer according to God s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good 1 Peter 4 19 don t know anyone who enjoys suffering But I am aware of many who have endured suffering Suffering takes on many forms Physical emotional and spiritual suffering abound We may suffer for what we do wrong But we may also suffer in this life for doing right And as Peter points out God may permit His children to suffer for the sake of Christ Suffering is bearing physical pain and or mental distress It has been a part of this sin filled world since the fall of humankind in the garden But for those whose trust is in God s grace and mercy in Christ suffering can be borne with hope rather than despair Simon Peter and other disciples of Jesus came to know what it means to suffer for the name of Jesus Many other Christians have come to know the same over the centuries Today Christians continue to suffer for the name of Christ Ridicule loss of opportunities lost jobs broken relationships and even physical punishment and death are types of suffering that Christians experience today Suffering is not a sign of a callous and uncaring God but a consequence of sin in the world And although suffering appears to bring defeat and even death the believer in Christ clings in confident hope to God s promise of forgiveness in Christ and eternal freedom from sin and death Do not be surprised at having to suffer Rather in the midst of suffering seek to praise God for what He accomplishes through the suffering Almighty God who orders the universe at Your command strengthen me and all Your children who suffer for doing good Give us peace and hope that the suffering we experience will give way to glory and eternal joy when we see You face to face at the Last Day Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider times when you or a loved one suffered for doing right What were your most immediate and natural reactions towards those injustices 2 Read 1 Peter 2 21 24 How did the sinless Lamb of God respond when He was unjustly accused emotionally and physically punished and even crucified to death Why did Jesus endure such unjust suffering verse 24 3 What difference does Jesus suffering make for you when you suffer for doing right What hope is there for you even when you suffer for doing wrong verse 24

Abundant Life John 10 7 18 Day 30 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy I came that they may have life and have it abundantly John 10 10 R ev Ken Klaus former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour radio program related this story A Sunday school class was preparing a play to present the resurrection event One boy was chosen to be Jesus He had one line to announce I am He I m alive The little boy practiced diligently When the time came for the boy to come on stage to deliver his line he saw the crowd Everyone was looking at him and he got nervous Then in fear he declared I am He and I m afraid Perhaps our own experiences can relate to this little boy s anxiety We may experience stress in our personal relationships with children spouse or a neighbor and nothing improves Health concerns may weigh heavy on our mind because the recent ultrasound revealed a shadow that requires further testing Technology at work keeps changing so fast we barely can keep up The joy of the resurrection victory is easily robbed by the thieves of everyday circumstances Jesus our Good Shepherd is the gate keeper who has delivered us from our fears pressures and doubts to give us a life full of His grace and forgiveness Eventually the little Sunday school boy recovered from his fear More boldly than he ever practiced them he shouted the words I am He I m alive We too can confidently live because our Good Shepherd is alive My dear Good Shepherd thank You for protecting me from thieves and robbers who seek to steal and kill my resurrection joy I confess to You my fears and doubts and ask that You fill me again with the fullness of life You won for me Amen Reflection Questions 1 Which life moments or pressures cause you to become afraid or doubt the abundant life you have in Christ 2 List some of the specific blessings you experience because Christ has filled your life abundantly 3 Which blessing can you help someone else realize they possess while they too struggle with living life abundantly

Farther than One Can Imagine Psalm 103 6 13 Day 31 He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities Psalm 103 10 W hen I traveled to Nagercoil India from Billings Montana it was a 42 hour journey by plane Of course that included five different flights one two hour drive and several long layovers Needless to say it s a long way across the globe Through the words of David God uses a global picture to describe how far away He has removed our sins from us As far as the east is from the west so far does he remove our transgressions from us Psalm 103 12 Notice that the Bible does not say as far as the north is from the south If you travel north and cross the north pole you will be headed south Likewise traveling across the south pole you once again head north But if you keep going east when will you start heading west Never That s how far God has removed your sins from you On Jesus cross all your sins were taken far far away God does not deal with us according to our sins Instead He treats us as His precious children heirs of His heavenly promises That doesn t mean that we won t suffer painful trials in this life Yet because His love is as high as the heavens are above the earth He promises to be with you always even to the end of the ages Matthew 28 20 We have hope in Christ not just for eternity but also for His presence with us in this life Heavenly Father You are merciful and gracious to me slow to anger abounding in steadfast love As I encounter the troubles of this life let me always fix my eyes on Jesus and find my hope in You In Jesus name Amen Reflection Questions 1 2 3 4 How has God shown fatherly compassion to you What comfort does Psalm 103 give you in the midst of painful struggles How has God shown mercy to others who frustrate you How can you reflect God s love for you in the way you respond to others who have sinned against you

The Fear of the Lord Proverbs 14 26 27 Day 32 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life Proverbs 14 27 W hen we seek reconciliation we need God to work in our heart But how do we prepare our heart Consider how the fear of the Lord can be a fountain of life to us The fear of the Lord is the most unusual and most beneficial kind of fear Looking at various Scriptures we learn it involves two emphases complementing each other This fear is a double response of our heart to God Fear as reverential awe has us moving away from the Lord as we respond to those attributes revealing the distance between us His greatness and His holiness For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods Psalm 96 4 Who will not fear O Lord and glorify your name For you alone are holy Revelation 15 4 We experience afresh our smallness and our sinfulness Fear as amazement also has us moving toward the Lord as we respond to those attributes creating the closeness between us His love and His grace With you there is forgiveness that you may be feared Psalm 130 4 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4 16 We experience afresh forgiving love and amazing grace We fear God who is both far from us and near to us Out of this fear comes the humility of heart that prepares us for repentance receiving and giving forgiveness and experiencing reconciliation Lord how I need to grow in the fear of God May I be in awe because of how far above and beyond me You are and at the same time experience the wonder of how You have drawn near to me through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen Reflection Questions 1 Which hymns and praise songs have helped you grow in the fear of the Lord because of their emphasis on the greatness of God and the holiness of God 2 Which hymns and praise songs have helped you grow in the fear of the Lord because of their emphasis on the love of God and the grace of God 3 Identify a few of the phrases of these hymns and praise songs that provide consolation for you in your current struggles

Troubled Hearts John 14 1 6 J Day 33 Let not your hearts be troubled Believe in God believe also in me John 14 1 esus had spoken to His disciples about His betrayal by one of them and to Peter about denying Him three times before the rooster crowed He then told them that He would only be with them a little longer and that where He was going they could not come Such words caused anxious concerns among them When times of sorrow or uncertainty or anxiousness come even believers can forget what they have learned and experienced And their hearts become troubled As our Lord looked at these men He knew what was in their minds and on their hearts He knew the cause of their anxiety They were afraid or uncertain of what was coming It s to this concern that Jesus said Let not your hearts be troubled I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also John 14 1a 3b We sometimes feel confused lost uncertain afraid or sorrowful Remember that the Lord knows what s in our minds and on our hearts More than simply knowing the cause of our concern He holds the remedy before us Believe in God believe also in me In spite of how things may seem the Lord is in control He is the Way the Truth and the Life He alone brings peace to our troubled hearts Lord Jesus thank You for the reassurance of Your return and the promise of my eternal rest in You Help me not to focus on my uncertainties but rather on Your presence in all that I face from day to day Amen Reflection Questions 1 As you consider challenges before you what causes you the most worry 2 Read again John 14 6 How do these words of Jesus comfort you in your anxieties 3 Write a prayer commending your anxieties to the care of Your Savior thanking Him for His promises to you

Conflicts a Mission Field John 4 4 30 39 42 I Day 34 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman s testimony John 4 39 t s hard to imagine a deeper more complex relational conflict than the Samaritan woman at the well had with a Jewish rabbi Jesus Gender Race Standing There existed between them a huge gap even before her personal areas of shame were considered But Jesus treated her as He treats every human being as one for whom He came to die Jesus cared about her eternity and ours Consider your conflicts a mission field Perhaps it is your family of origin are you the only Christian at family gatherings What about your workplace school neighborhood Have you considered how these relationships especially when conflicts arise provide witness opportunities Think about how many people are watching when a Christian is treated poorly and unfairly by a boss A coworker Gossiped about on social media Mocked by a family member What would motivate and empower you to respond in a way that is different from the world Why would you love your enemy Do good to those who hate you Luke 6 27 God s Word tells us that He loved me while I was still His enemy Romans 5 8 10 God had mercy on me when I justly deserved His wrath Romans 6 23 As He forgives me He calls me to be lavish in my mercy toward others Ephesians 4 32 Of course this doesn t mean that we never stand up for what is just But like Jesus we should keep eternity in mind in all we do Dear Jesus thank You for living the holy life I cannot live Thank you for Your kindness which leads me to repentance Enable me to live according to Your Word so that those around me will see a reflection of You Amen Reflection Questions 1 What would observers conclude when you are in conflict with unbelievers What would lead them to see a peacemaker Matthew 5 9 and give glory to God Matthew 5 16 2 Read John 17 20 23 How will the world see that the Father sent the Son Why did Jesus give you His glory 3 Read 1 Peter 2 18 24 1 Peter 3 8 9 and 1 Peter 4 19 To what extent do your conflicts with unbelievers cause you to suffer unjustly

A Foremost Sinner 1 Timothy 1 12 17 I Day 35 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost 1 Timothy 1 15 n conflict it seems all I can see is another person s wrongs I focus on how she makes my life hard how she makes me feel and how her words and actions have been unjust I judge her motives adding them to my litany of her wrongs It s so easy to think if she would just admit her sin things would get better But the reality is that I am a sinner too Romans 3 23 I need grace and mercy as much as she does Maybe more Just like Paul who made a career of persecuting Christians I make it my job to ensure everyone knows the wrongs of the other person I testify my case in the court of public opinion including social media In failing to seek others good Matthew 5 43 45 Romans 12 14 or in attempting to secure my own justice Romans 12 17 19 I forget how much I have been forgiven 2 Peter 1 9 Taking my eyes off her sins I can acknowledge I am a foremost sinner I need a Savior s love and forgiveness Great news for foremost sinners While I was yet a sinner Christ died for me Romans 5 8 I am forgiven Psalm 103 10 12 By grace His love and mercy overflow I have been shown mercy and given strength to serve as His ambassador 2 Corinthians 5 20 My goal is no longer exposing another s sin or proving her guilt Now my focus is on Christ Together we can rejoice in our reconciliation Romans 5 11 Dearest Lord Jesus You came to save me while I was still a sinner Instead of focusing on others and their wrongs keep me mindful of Your love for me that I may serve You as Your ambassador of reconciliation In Your name I pray Amen Reflection Questions 1 Considering a current conflict identify your primary focus 2 How well are you actively acknowledging your sin and seeking God s forgiveness in this dispute How are you living out your role as Christ s ambassador in this conflict 3 Write a prayer thanking God for forgiving you while you were still a sinner Ask for His strength to serve Him as an ambassador of reconciliation to those around you especially in your current conflicts

I Can Do It Myself Proverbs 3 1 12 I Day 36 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding Proverbs 3 5 can do it Leave me alone I can do it myself How often we hear these words coming from a toddler attempting to button a shirt tie a shoe or just brush her teeth Her strong confidence can quickly turn to frustration when the task becomes too difficult for her to complete on her own Adults also fall into the trap of confidently desiring to do it ourselves We have a task to perform that would clearly be much easier with assistance but we refrain from asking for help We have an important decision to make but we feel the need to make up our own mind before discussing with anyone Perhaps we see it as a sign of weakness to ask for help So we struggle on our own until frustration gets the best of us And only then do we ask for help This is especially true when turning to God for help We fret and struggle on our own until we exclaim Lord help me I don t know what to do Proverbs 3 6 7 specifically guide us In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths Be not wise in your own eyes fear the Lord and turn away from evil Although we fail to trust Him with all our heart God still loves and forgives us We experience hope in His forgiveness for He promises It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones verse 8 Heavenly Father forgive me when I try to do it all myself Guide me to turn away from evil and to trust in Your loving mercy In Jesus name I pray Amen Reflection Questions 1 Think of a time when you struggled making a difficult decision but you were determined to do it without anyone else s help How might your struggle have gone differently if you had asked for God s help first 2 In what areas of life are you most tempted to do it on your own 3 Write a prayer asking God to help you the next time you are faced with a difficult decision

What s in a Name Psalm 32 1 7 Day 37 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit Psalm 32 1 2 S ticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you This common clich is often heard on a playground as children respond to taunts from others Names or labels can be used to bless or to curse Children of all ages rely on name calling to tear down to denigrate or to deride But this is seen well beyond the playground Political leaders also resort to such tactics on the public political stage Sadly we often do the same in the midst of our conflicts including through social media It is so easy to fall into this trap making us feel superior as if we ve won Yet in reality we ve been defeated Corrupted by the old Adam inside us we succumb to name calling We dismiss and belittle our adversaries as though they are insignificant even evil Through His servant David our Lord calls us a very different name Blessed We are blessed because our sins are forgiven through Christ Jesus completely paid the full price for our sinful name calling In the midst of your conflict when tempted to speak poorly of someone remember God has given you a special name Blessed He has also given this same name to your opponent Who are we to run down someone to whom God has given the name Blessed Heavenly Father thank You for Your Son Jesus through whom You ve forgiven my sins and given me a new name Blessed Guide me to confess my sins and remind me daily of my forgiveness through Christ In Jesus name Amen Reflection Questions 1 Consider a current or recent conflict In what ways have you been dismissive belittling or arrogant in reference to your opponent 2 According to 1 John 3 1 how does God view you How does He view the person with whom you are in conflict 3 What comfort do you find in Psalm 32 5

Finally Friday John 19 23 30 Day 38 When Jesus had received the sour wine he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit John 19 30 C ountry music artist and song writer George Jones recorded his hit song Finally Friday In the refrain he celebrates because it s finally Friday and he is free again He declares he s got his motor running for a wild weekend and he s out of control He can forget the workin blues and he s going to let the good times roll Time and again we hear the comments I can t wait for Friday to get here Friday can t come soon enough When I get to Friday I ll be free It s quite amazing how much we look forward to Friday It was also Friday that our Lord Jesus Christ chose to do His greatest work of salvation It was on Friday that Jesus was sentenced to death It was on Friday that Jesus carried His cross It was Friday when Jesus was nailed to the cross It was Friday that Jesus hung on the cross suffering praying dying and paying for the sins of the whole world It was on Friday that Jesus declared It is finished The sins of the entire world were paid for in full Ever since that event on Calvary that Friday has been called Good Friday Good Friday the sign and symbol of reconciliation for all Christians between themselves and their God Good Friday our reason for hope for joy and for peace with God and one another When you so look forward to your next Friday because your work was so hard remember Christ used Friday to open paradise Lord Jesus when I so look forward to Friday impress upon my heart and mind how Friday was Your day of grief pain suffering and death so that I may be free of my sins Amen Reflection Questions 1 Which day of the week do you look forward to What makes this day so special 2 Is there a particular day of the week that you dread What contributes to this day becoming dreadful 3 What comfort do you receive that Christ willingly took the last day of the week to do His greatest work

Abounding in Hope Romans 15 1 7 13 I Day 39 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope Romans 15 13 n 1994 one million people in Rwanda were brutally murdered in 100 days Hundreds of thousands were tortured or raped orphaned or widowed Most of the violence was carried out not by soldiers but by neighbors friends and even relatives Every Rwandan who survived 1994 was affected as a victim a perpetrator or both Retribution killing followed for a few years Many perpetrators were imprisoned or fled in exile Today released prisoners and returning exiles have moved back into the villages living next door to survivors of their crimes Victims and perpetrators have no other place to go Incredibly many have reconciled through confession and forgiveness But even with reconciliation some remain traumatized from their hellish experiences As American reconcilers who have never experienced such horrors we could offer no personal advice when asked to teach reconciliation in Rwanda But we could assure them that there is One who loves all who were affected by the genocide Jesus the Christ Through Him our Father lavished such love on them as to call them His children Jesus offers a peace that transcends all understanding even in the worst of this world s terrors Many in Africa experienced healing as we reminded them of the hope they have in Christ No matter how painful our trials we can also find healing and peace in the forgiveness of Jesus By the power of the Holy Spirit working faith in our lives we abound in hope O Jesus who suffered the painful death I deserved thank You for Your love and forgiveness Give me hope in the midst of my suffering that I may find healing peace and joy in You Amen Reflection Questions 1 In your current struggles what is keeping you from putting your hope and trust in Christ for peace and joy 2 Write a prayer confessing your sinful weaknesses to God Read your prayer followed by this verse out loud inserting your name in the verse He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness By his wounds name you have been healed 1 Peter 2 24

Dealing with Shame Isaiah 53 1 6 I Day 40 He was despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not Isaiah 53 3 n this prophecy of Jesus as God s suffering servant the primary reason why people did not esteem Him was their judgment that He was a moral failure in God s eyes They concluded He was a man of sorrows as evidence of God s displeasure We esteemed him stricken smitten by God and afflicted Isaiah 53 4 Shame is a very painful experience It can be defined as failure in the eyes of God in the eyes of others in the eyes of our heart There are two kinds of shame and different reasons for shame The more severe form of shame arises from our sinfulness what is called achieved shame To us O Lord belongs open shame because we have sinned against you Daniel 9 8 Yet Christ did not suffer for His own sin but for the sin of others But he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities Isaiah 53 5 Jesus endured ascribed shame which comes when others devalue us as failures In this Jesus was one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin Hebrews 4 15 He endured the cross despising the ascribed shame Hebrews 12 2 God gives us twofold hope when it comes to dealing with shame If we have achieved shame due to our sin repentance and confession bring the forgiveness of God If we face ascribed shame by others we trust that just as God honored Jesus in due time He will honor us as we walk in holiness Lord Jesus I praise You that You endured God s righteous anger against my sin and took on shame that I may be forgiven and cleansed Affirm and uphold me when others look down on me Amen Reflection Questions 1 What areas of achieved shame do you want to confess before God As you confess what is His promise to you in 1 John 1 9 2 Describe areas where you experienced ascribed shame by others by what they see as failure on your part In Romans 8 1 what promise does God give to free you from their destructive judgement 3 If you have been shamed by others because of your godly life or Christian witness what comfort do you find in 1 Peter 4 12 16

Victory in Christ Hebrews 12 1 3 Day 41 Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith Hebrews 12 1 2 D isqualified The shocking headline announced just minutes after the horse Maximum Security was declared the apparent winner of the 145th Kentucky Derby Video evidence revealed the horse had run out of his designated lane impeding another horse s running Country Horse was named the new winner changing the fleeting fortunes of over 150 million in betting wages In today s Scripture the author applies an athletic metaphor for the Christian life He incorporates the elements of a good race the Christian as the runner the cloud of witnesses past runners who serve as faithful role models and Jesus the race judge who demonstrated running the race with perfect endurance joy and hope Good News Although our sin had initially disqualified us Jesus Christ perfectly and joyfully won the final race for you and me He secured for us victory over death and eternal life with God We have reason for hope as we look to Jesus for strength and purpose in running the race of life today Since Christ already won the final race for us why then run the race at all We run for the same joy and purpose as 1924 Scottish Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Liddell ran Liddell a Christian declared I believe God made me for a purpose but He also made me fast And when I run I feel His pleasure As we joyfully run with endurance the race that is set before us we pray our witness serves to encourage others to know the living hope we have in Christ Heavenly Father thank You for Your only Son winning the race of eternal life that we could never win by ourselves Though our sins could have disqualified us Jesus victory means we are forgiven Focus our eyes on Him as we run our race with joy and eternal hope today and everyday Amen Reflection Questions 1 What is weighing you down today that you could confess to the Lord 2 Read Romans 8 31 32 How has God shown His faithfulness to you to give you endurance today 3 How can the way in which you run your race today create opportunities for you to share the hope that is yours in Jesus Christ

No Condemnation How Can that Be Romans 7 15 8 1 I Day 42 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Romans 8 1 can identify with Saint Paul In Romans 7 the apostle laments his inability to do what he is supposed to do and that he so easily does what he is not supposed to do He expresses his frustration with this self evaluation and plea Wretched man that I am Who will rescue me from this body of death Romans 7 24 Fortunately Paul clearly proclaims the answer to his own question Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 7 25 The clear message of the gospel is that Jesus is the One who took all our sin upon Himself and was condemned in our place Yet our adversary the devil continues to tempt us to doubt our forgiveness by asking us the same question he asked Eve in the garden Did God really say In our case Satan says Look at all the bad things you do and all the good you are supposed to do that you don t do Did God really say YOU are forgiven Paul gives us God s emphatic answer upon which our hope is built Because of Christ there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ When doubts arise about our forgiveness we have hope because of the reality of Christ s death and resurrection When we struggle with guilt over what we do or don t do we have hope because Jesus took all our condemnation upon Himself on the cross Our hope is confident Our hope is certain Our hope is Christ God of mercy and grace You condemned Your Son to suffer for me and gave me the forgiveness He earned for me through His death and resurrection Help me to live in hope and confidence when I see my sin and rejoice that I am not condemned for Jesus sake Amen Reflection Questions 1 Even the apostle Paul struggled with his sinful nature What thoughts words or actions have you recently done or not done that violate God s commands If you have trouble thinking of some look at Matthew 5 43 48 2 Read Ephesians 2 8 9 Does God s love for you depend on what you do or what you do not do How do you know for sure 3 Read Romans 8 1 out loud inserting your name into the verse There is therefore now no condemnation for name who is in Christ Jesus

Prayers for Hope For sharing the reason for my hope Lord You call me to share the reason for the hope I have in the Lord Jesus Christ May my message focus on the gospel the good news that the Son of God came into our world as truly human living a perfect life dying in our place on the cross and rising again in power May I present Your promise that all who trust in Him experience forgiveness of sins right standing before God the indwelling of the Spirit and the hope of eternal life While You give me full assurance of the truth of Your message guide me that my motive be one of love my attitude one of respect and my manner one of gentleness May You open others hearts to the Savior In Jesus name Amen For hope in light of despair Father in heaven while I know Your word is true and You promise to be my Good Shepherd throughout this life that promise seems distant and empty right now All I am able to see is despair emptiness and sorrow I need relief from this sorrow to help me see Your light I need to be filled with Your peace to relieve this emptiness I need hope to soothe my despair I know Jesus suffered on the cross in my place I know He rose from the grave in victory over death Help me to keep my eyes on Him for He is my hope I pray in Jesus name Amen For hope in my being able to confess and forgive Dear Heavenly Father thank You for reconciling me to You while I was still a sinner You sent Your Son to pay the price for all of my sins In light of Your mercy help me examine my own heart before I reach out to help others see their sins Strengthen my faith that I may confess my sins to You and those I have sinned against As I confess to others keep me from demanding their forgiveness as forgiveness is an undeserved gift Instead increase my trust in You and the hope I have in Your forgiveness Remembering Your mercy toward me move me to forgive those who have sinned against me In Jesus name I pray Amen For hope of reconciliation to someone Gracious Heavenly Father hurtful words from others cause me to hold anger and bitterness in my heart At times I hold so tightly to my own convictions that I fail to remember You sent Your one and only Son to die on the cross for all sins not just mine Please forgive me for Jesus sake Guide me to forgive others as You have forgiven me Lead me to confess my sin to those I have hurt Renew my heart that I may live as an example of Your love In Jesus name Amen

For hope in the midst of conflict Heavenly Father You know the depth of my conflict with name In the conflict between You and me You reconciled me to You through Your own Son s suffering and death Because of the glorified risen Christ I know by faith that I may have hope that You can be glorified in the midst of my conflict Grant me the grace to forgive and the humility to recognize my own sin and the false gods in which I have placed my hope Like the apostle Paul I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Thank You for Jesus whose death reconciled me to You May the power of the cross be my living hope today and bring reconciliation to this conflict In Jesus name Amen For hope in Christ no matter what happens Gracious and merciful Lord You have called me out of the darkness of my sin into the light of Your forgiveness and peace During this earthly life that is filled with uncertainty You continue to provide me with all that I need to support this body and life Help me I pray to live each day in hope and confidence looking forward to that day when I will see You face to face in my heavenly home I do not know what will happen in the days weeks and months to come But I know that for the sake of Your Son Jesus You forgive me and will never leave me nor forsake me My times are in Your hands Give me peace Give me strength Give me hope In Jesus name Amen For hope to serve well as a reconciler based on Psalms 27 and 28 You Lord are my Light and Salvation the Stronghold of my life Whom shall I fear Hear me when I call to You O Lord Be gracious to me and answer me Though friends family or others forsake me do not hide Your face from me Teach me Your way O Lord Lead me on a level path Help me show Your love and mercy to those around me as I serve You and them in these days Grant me patience strength and courage as I wait for You You are my Strength and Shield Bless me with Your wisdom and peace as I seek to be used by You in restoring the oneness You have established for us in Christ our Lord In His precious name I pray Amen

For hope in our broken relationships with unbelievers especially family O Lord Jesus our Savior we cry out to You on behalf of our unsaved loved ones We pray for their eternal salvation May we be bold and clear in presenting Your gospel We also pray for their broken relationships especially ones that to them seem hopeless We know that You are the God who raises dead people to life And You raise dead relationships to life too Please God pierce stony hearts and lead each person to humble repentance Remove blinders and make them to see clearly Christ who is the Light And if we have sinned in this situation Let us model confessing our sin receiving rebuke and lavishly forgiving just as in Christ we have been forgiven For the reconciliation of Your people and Your glory Amen For hope of reconciliation between others I care about Heavenly Father when Your Son prayed for His disciples He asked You that they may be one as we are one Now two of Your children are at odds with each other Remove the dividing wall that is between insert their names May the power of Your Holy Spirit convict their hearts of sin lead them to confess and forgive and move them to be reconciled to each other Let them see Your face filled with grace and hope because of Your Son who died for their sins If it is Your will use me as an instrument of Your peace For the sake of Christ I pray Amen For hope of healing Dear Jesus Healer of body and soul have compassion on me or mention others by name You are the Resurrection and the Life the source of all healing Because You walked this earth as a man personally enduring the trials of human suffering You know the depths of my person s pain physical emotional and spiritual Have mercy on me name According to Your will bring relief to the suffering Heal the hurts and heaviness of heart Assure me name of Your love and Your promise to always be with me name But if the suffering should continue for a while give me name courage strength and perseverance Increase my person s faith and trust in You that I name may never lose hope For You are the same yesterday today and forever Amen

Commit to going through these devotions one day at a time Or choose your devotion for one or more topics listed below Topical Index of Devotions Listed by Day Anger and Bitterness Days 8 10 16 19 20 22 23 27 Joy Days 2 12 13 21 25 30 38 39 41 Justice Days 1 22 29 34 35 38 40 Looking to Others Interests Days 27 28 35 Anxiety See Worry Loving Others Days 1 3 8 28 34 35 Confronting Others see Restoring Others My Worth and Others Worth Days 9 11 25 37 42 Confession Days 5 6 7 8 11 19 20 27 35 40 41 Encouragement Days 2 3 4 6 9 10 13 14 18 21 22 23 24 26 30 31 32 33 41 42 Eternal Perspective Days 1 2 3 7 8 9 13 15 17 29 33 34 38 41 Depression Days 2 10 14 16 20 25 33 39 My Responsibilities for Reconciliation Days 1 10 11 19 27 34 35 Opportunities in Conflict Days 1 14 19 28 34 41 Peace Days 6 7 10 11 13 15 21 23 25 26 29 31 33 38 39 42 Prayer Days 18 20 23 26 Pride see Humility and Pride Family Conflict Days 8 19 20 27 34 35 Restoring Others Days 1 19 28 Forgiveness Days 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 19 23 25 27 31 32 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Serving Others Days 1 9 14 19 20 28 Fear Days 4 7 8 10 15 17 26 30 32 33 Grief Days 1 12 13 15 21 25 33 Guilt Days 1 5 8 12 16 20 23 25 35 40 42 Self Examination of Sin Days 5 7 8 16 19 20 23 35 36 37 42 Shame Days 5 20 22 23 25 40 Suffering Days 11 12 14 21 22 29 34 39 40 Hope All days written to instill hope Trust Days 2 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 24 26 29 32 36 39 40 42 Identity Days 9 24 35 37 42 Worry or Anxiety Days 2 4 15 16 17 18 26 30 32 33 Humility and Pride Days 11 19 20 24 27 28 32 35 36 37 Witness Days 1 14 19 23 24 28 31 34 35 41