Psalms 116:1-2 | I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense.— Oswald Chambers

If you grew up praying, you might not think twice about it. But for those who were introduced to prayer later in life, well . . . it can feel a little weird. How can whispering your thoughts out into the air—or just thinking thoughts in your head—allow you to communicate with God? How does this practice lead to any meaningful change?

No doubt, from the outside, prayer seems a little complicated. But in reality, it’s a simple way of communicating with our heavenly Father. Just like any other conversation with someone you love, prayer is an intimate time of communication when we truly get to learn about one another. (That’s right. Prayer isn’t just about you talking to God. It’s also about listening to what God has to say to you.) Although God already knows everything there is to know about us, prayer is given to us as a gift to learn about Him.

Prayer is the life source between us and God. And although today’s culture has turned prayer into nothing more than a nighttime ritual, I believe God is looking for a lot more than that. Paul even went so far as to write in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Never stop praying.” Other translations say, “Pray without ceasing.”

To understand the basics of prayer, we must first unveil the reality of what prayer actually is: a conversation between you and God.

Simple, right? Yet so many of us ignore the opportunity to communicate with God because we feel like we have everything under control, or maybe because we feel like our issues are too small to be bugging the Creator of the universe with. That’s actually the beauty of God. He is big enough to handle the big problems, and He is loving enough to handle the small. Nothing is insignificant in God’s eyes. He comes with open arms and an open heart, yearning for our affection and love.

It is natural for God to want to help us. Why? Because any loving father would want to help his children, no matter the situation.

Don’t get me wrong, prayer is not synonymous with wishes spoken to a magic genie. God is definitely not a bald guy in a magic box. Prayer is your opportunity to wholeheartedly release your life into the hands of the one who created it. It’s a time to open your soul to someone who knows it better than you ever could. And it’s a gateway to gaining a deeper relationship with the one who knows your worth.

Challenge:

Take some extra minutes today to spend time in prayer with God.  If necessary, go to a quieter place—a chair by a window or outside in nature—to get away from distractions that might prevent you from hearing his voice.

Devotional from YouVersion Bible App. Contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com on how to use the Bible App for additional readings and topics. We would like to thank the author(s) for providing this plan and they retain all rights.

Romans 12:1-2 | Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

There is need of a great revival of spiritual life, of truly fervent devotion to our Lord Jesus, of entire consecration to His service. It is only in a church in which this spirit of revival has at least begun, that there is any hope of radical change in the relation of the majority of our Christian people to mission work. — Andrew Murray

When Jesus was born into the world, everything changed. Life came to conquer death. And of course, even Jesus Himself experienced some dramatic changes. The son of God took on the weak body of a newborn baby, the awkwardness of puberty, and the aches and pains of adulthood. He allowed His circumstances and His very being to be changed from one of heavenly perfection to one of earthly imperfection. That’s a huge change—bigger than any physical change you or I will ever know. We can’t even fully comprehend what that change must have been like.

The change of the world started with Jesus, and it will also end with Jesus when He comes back to establish a new heaven and a new earth. But our question today is: What will we do in the time between those two mileposts of change?

All throughout Scripture we see that we are called to be like Jesus. We are called to be the difference. And until Jesus returns in glorious fashion, we are called to be the change.

What does that mean?

“Being the change” can be as simple as letting your voice be heard or even being a little louder than you were the day before. We are all at different places in our spiritual journey, but we are all called to be the change—and that’s one thing that won’t ever change. Change, whether your cause is a major social issue or just a desire to see someone in your school or workplace treated better, is something most of us are looking for. But we often hope that someone else will make it happen. Guess what? You are that someone else.

Our culture revolves around maintaining a baseline of comfort. That means change is usually the last thing we want to think about; change is uncomfortable. Although change and newness often results in growth, psychologists know firsthand that millions of people fear change. This fear is known as “neophobia”—yes, it’s a real phobia, and yes, it shows how faithless we really are.

My point: We’re so comfortable with where we are that we ignore openings that might help us get where we’re heading. We all want change, but we’re scared to be the ones to step out and be the change. We can’t expect to look any different than the world while we continue to immerse ourselves in its garbage.

We’ve created an agenda of comfort that keeps us from breaking into the world of “changedom” (yes, I invented that word). If we want change, we need to be the ones to act, to build, to speak up, to start. God hasn’t called us to conform to the patterns of this world but to be transformed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Challenge:

What are some concrete things in your community that you hope will improve this year? What steps can you take to make that change a reality?

Devotional from YouVersion Bible App. Contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com on how to use the Bible App for additional readings and topics. We would like to thank the author(s) for providing this plan and they retain all rights.

Hebrews 11:1-6 | Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God’s fidelity to his promises. — Francis Chan

The idea of “having faith” is something we often throw around. Our culture has deemed “just have faith” the answer to just about every problem that doesn’t have a clear solution.

And although I do believe our faith lays the foundation for our walk with Jesus, faith without internal and external action is profitless. We can say, “I have faith,” but if our hearts and souls aren’t ready to back up that statement, then what good is it? Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace—so certain of God’s existence that it would risk death a million times.

Looking to Scripture, a man named Peter gives us a wonderful example of faith initiation. Although Peter was mocked on various occasions for his childlike actions, he was a faithful servant who loved Jesus with all of his heart. Matthew 14:25–29 paints a beautiful picture of Peter’s faith and trust in Jesus. Here, Peter is given the opportunity to internally and externally initiate his faith by stepping off the safety and comfort of his boat. Amid the crashing of waves and rolling of thunder, Peter takes a step of faith toward the ultimate goal: Jesus.

We can make fun of Peter all we want, but if we’re really honest with ourselves, I don’t see anyone else faithful enough to step off that boat. Sometimes having faith means engaging in something so bold that you will end up looking stupid if Jesus doesn’t come through.

The reality is, we all want to walk on water, but none of us wants to step off the boat. It’s time to initiate our faith. It’s time to step off the boat. Faith is the vision of the heart; it sees God in the darkest of times as well as in the brightest of days.

Of course, Peter’s not perfect. Far from it. One of the other stories that Peter’s so well-known for is his denial of Jesus. Three times Peter denied Jesus. “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?” he was asked. “No, I am not,” Peter replied. After everything Peter had been through with Jesus—after walking on water with Him!—his faith wavered, and he still couldn’t go all in. But his story doesn’t end there. It’s believed that Peter later died a martyr’s death for Jesus.

Faith isn’t a fire hose that you turn on once and keep going full blast forever and ever. I wish I could claim a faith like that, but it just doesn’t happen. Faith changes. It wavers. Some experiences in life will shake your faith; others will strengthen it. The same Peter that steps out into the storm later denies Jesus and even later is killed for his relentless faith. The important thing is to hold on to the faith God has given you and to act on it!

Ultimately, hearing the word initiates faith; speaking the word activates faith; doing the word demonstrates faith.

Challenge:

How should your faith in God impact your behavior? What needs to change in your life to better demonstrate your faith?

Devotional from YouVersion Bible App. Contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com on how to use the Bible App for additional readings and topics. We would like to thank the author(s) for providing this plan and they retain all rights.

Daniel 3:8-30 | At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.” Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

If I’m hiking and camping out for several days, campfires are vital. And the most important thing I carry with me as I begin each day is a handful of charred sticks from the previous night’s fire. They’re the very best fire starters—no need to find tinder or other sticks. I just spark the charred ends, blow on them, and pile on a few fresh logs.

The charred sticks are dirty, smelly, and appear to be worthless. The reason they’re so useful, however, is that they’ve already been through a fire and the flames prepared them for future use.

Speaking of fire and smoke, why did God allow Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to face what appeared to be death in an inferno? (Daniel 3:19-21). Why weren’t they afraid of the flames? How could they stand in the fire without being seared as the guards near them died from the intense heat? (vv.22-24). God was glorified in this amazing story, but perhaps He also used the experience to grow and deepen the trio’s faith. It would be hard to go through an experience like that without being refined and tempered!

There’s no shortcut to being prepared to serve God, and it almost invariably means going through a fire (though thankfully it’s not usually a literal one). Look at how “fire” produces endurance and maturity in James 1:3: “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

Just as only a hiker sees the true value in his charred sticks of the night before, the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 had all been through trials that God used to perfect their faith. He sees the fires of life for what they are: active agents that cause our faith to be burnished, tempered, and fortified for Him. —Russell Fralick

MORE: Read Hebrews 11:32-40 and note the challenges many heroes of the faith endured, but also how they were considered “too good for this world” (v.38).

NEXT: What “fires” of life have you faced? How has God continued to prepare and perfect your character through them?

Devotional from YouVersion Bible App. Contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com on how to use the Bible App for additional readings and topics. We would like to thank the author(s) for providing this plan and they retain all rights.

Jeremiah 24:1-10 | After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD. One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten. Then the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.” Then the word of the LORD came to me: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. “ ‘But like the bad figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them. I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.’ ”

I know a couple who share freely about a devastating time in their marriage. But the focus of their story isn’t the hurt or the wounds they inflicted. Instead, they talk about how God used that experience to reveal deep-seated issues that needed to be addressed and dealt with. As a result, they emerged from the painful pruning closer to each other and to Him. Amazingly, they’re grateful for it and the good that has come from it.

Speaking of good and bad things, God once asked, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” The prophet replied, “Figs, some very good and some very bad, too rotten to eat” (Jeremiah 24:3). The people of Judah who remained after Babylon’s first Judean raid were the bad figs. Rather than choosing to heed God’s warnings, they turned to Egypt for help. But all of pharaoh’s horses and all of his men couldn’t save Judah from utter destruction. Instead, Egypt too was judged. By the time Babylon was through, Egypt would never again be a major world power.

What about the exiles? At first, they “sat and wept” by the rivers of Babylon (Psalm 137:1). But then a new perspective emerged. Jeremiah proclaimed that they were the good figs, who God “sent out of [Judah] for their own good” (Jeremiah 24:5 NKJV). God promised them a future and hope—including the restoration of their homeland.

Sometimes life’s challenges and difficult days are actually blessings in disguise. As we go through hard seasons, God can use them to mold and grow us. He told the exiles that He would “build them up and not tear them down” (v.6). It wasn’t a time to weep, but one to rejoice. God took something meant for evil and turned it around for good. He does the same for you and me today! —Remi Oyedele

MORE: Read Genesis 50:19-20 to see Joseph’s perspective on his brothers’ brutal betrayal.

NEXT: Are you currently in a situation you desperately want to escape? How might it be used to glorify God and eventually bring about joy?

Devotional from YouVersion Bible App. Contact Pastor Rod Lindemann at RodL@TimothyLutheran.com on how to use the Bible App for additional readings and topics. We would like to thank the author(s) for providing this plan and they retain all rights.