“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” —Nehemiah 1:11

There is a dangerous prayer that will make you a threat to Satan’s dark schemes in the world today. It’s a prayer that will position you like an arrow in the hand of God, the perfect Archer, flexed with a readiness to make a mark in these times rather than missing your opportunity to make a difference. And it goes something like this:

God, break my heart for the things that break yours.

That is the number one qualification for the person God uses in unimaginable ways. Major spiritual breakthroughs always begin with one broken heart. There may be others who are more trained or more gifted, but kingdom advances that happen “on earth as it is in heaven” come to the heart broken for the things that break God’s heart. This has always been the catalyst for history-changing movements.

We see this in the life of Nehemiah, who had no idea how he was going to end up leading a missional movement to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and revive hope for a people whose heritage had been reduced to a pile of rubble. Nehemiah knew the bloodstained history of Jerusalem—the Babylonian invasion, the death of innocent children slain in the streets, the effacement of her moral and spiritual values, the killing of the prophets who tried to turn the people back to God. When Nehemiah gets the news that remnants of exiles are “in great trouble and shame,” he is a thousand miles away, nestled in the safest place in the world at that time—serving in the secure palace of the most powerful empire of that era. 

Nehemiah could’ve “safely” offered a short prayer for the hurting souls and changed the channel. After all, Monday Night Football was about to start… or something like that. He sleeps in a five-star penthouse in the most secure quarters of the Persian Empire.  As servant in the king’s palace, he daily feasts on the most delectable entrées and is the first to sample the finest wines each evening. He’s got a great job! Yet amid all this comfort, luxury, and security, Nehemiah’s spirit is crushed, and his heart is broken for what has broken God’s heart.

Henri Nouwen said, “Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate.  Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to a place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.”

In my book Shapers: Leadership That Restores Hope, Rebuilds Lives, I sum up the word “compassion” this way: compassion is letting God break your heart for what breaks His, and demonstrating a readiness to do something about it. We see this virtue woven in the threads of Nehemiah’s consistent prayer life and deliberate actions.

Little time in the prayer closet leads to small compassion. If you really want to be used by God, it all begins with the efficacy of your prayer life. The first thing Nehemiah did after his heart was broken wasn’t to call a committee meeting or plan a program. He says, “As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah prays to “the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.” He goes on to confess the sins of his people, pleads for the outcasts of Jerusalem, and leans into God’s promise to bring them home from the uttermost parts of the earth. But the last piece of his prayer speaks volumes about Nehemiah’s real heart posture. He says, “give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight” of the king. He is praying for favor because he expects to get up off his couch and do something about it. His heart has been broken, and now he is about to act upon it.

If you know the rest of the story, God uses Nehemiah in a miraculous way to lead a mission movement that rebuilds the city walls in fifty-two days, restoring dignity to a disgraced people, reviving hope, rebuilding faith, resurrecting dreams, and rewriting futures —all while facing hostile opponents who even plotted an assassination attempt on Nehemiah.

If you want to leave a mark on the world today for the glory of God, you will also have a mark on you. That’s what makes this prayer so dangerous. Yet God’s promise is greater: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, break my heart for the things that break yours. Give me real compassion for the brokenness, and the courage needed to act deliberately enough to make a difference. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. When has your heart been broken for someone else’s pain?
2. How would you define compassion?
3. What are some of your takeaways from Nehemiah’s prayer?
4. What “sins of your people” can you confess to God?
5. In what way do you sense God breaking your heart for what breaks His?

The post A Dangerous Prayer: Nehemiah appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

There is a compelling scene in the film when “Joy” penetrates the command center in Riley’s head, seizes the control panel, looks Anxiety in the face and declares, “Let her go.” It’s a game-changing moment for the teenager.

In Matthew 8:23-27, we see a similar anxiety-led hijack attempt on the disciples as they navigate a great storm on the Sea of Galilee. Their boat was being swamped by the waves and the disciples were in legit panic mode, but Jesus is soundly asleep in some remote part of the boat. The Sea of Galilee is well known for its sudden, violent storms, and the severity of this storm was evident in the fact that the disciples (many of whom were experienced fishermen on this lake) were terrified. What a dramatic contrast—the disciples are freaking out while Jesus seems to be auditioning for a “but-I-did-stay-at-a-Holiday-Inn-Express-last-night” commercial.

Have you ever felt like Jesus was sleeping through your storm?

The disciples sure did in that moment. We can sense the distress in their cry as they shake Jesus awake, pleading, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” No time for empty phrases heaped up in some long-winded, protracted prayer. No margin for quoting extended scriptural references or laying out a lengthy foundational case for why it is “worthy” for Jesus to intervene, or how God’s reputation is on the line if He doesn’t. When the boat is sinking and the clock is running out, there’s no room for any kind of manipulation tactics in prayer—just a pure SOS distress call.

I love the prayerful simplicity of these six words: “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”

Those words moved the power of God in the storm, but not without a little rebuke first. Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” The Greek word here is not “no faith,” but “ineffective,” “defective,” or “deficient” faith. Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Here we can appreciate Spurgeon’s observation: “He spoke to the men first, for they were the most difficult to deal with: wind and sea could be rebuked afterwards.”

The disciples marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” In the span of a few moments, the disciples witnessed both the complete humanity of Jesus (in His tired sleep) and the fullness of His deity. They saw Jesus for who He is: truly man and truly God. They knew that He personified Psalm 89:8-9…

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.

Sometimes God isn’t interested in the multitude of our words. He simply wants us to “be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). Sometimes He just wants us to marvel, knowing that He’s got this whole world in His grip, and every little trivial detail of our lives as well. Sometimes the best prayers are short and simple: Lord, save me from my anxiety today! 

What kind of storm are you facing today that needs to be met with the kind of marvel and faith that recaptures the control panel, and declares: Let him or her go, in Jesus’ name. God’s got this!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we understand that worry is just misplaced worship, making much of the wrong thing. It’s focusing on the storm rather than focusing on WHO has authority over that storm. Help us to have an effective faith, one that marvels with a kind of worship that trusts Your character over our circumstances. This kind of worship will at times leave us speechless and still, with a calm that knows You got this. Lord, conquer our anxiety. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What does your “Inside Out” experience look like? What emotions tend to be at the control panel of YOU?
2. When have you felt that Jesus was sleeping in your storm?
3. What can we learn about Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples and the storm?
4. Where has worry been a form of misplaced worship in your life?
5. What needs to happen this week for your worry to be overtaken with proper worship?

The post Inside Out: Putting Anxiety in its Place appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” —Matthew 20:26

We live in a world that pushes us to make a great name for ourselves. Whether it’s going viral as an influencer on social media, being famous as an artist, outperforming the business competitors, having kids that stand out among their peers, or even having our church become bigger and “better” than others, the temptation to be “great” can be deceptively alluring. It can also be pride-filled and destructive.

In Genesis 11, a multitude of people gathered and said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Their tower was a symbol of human autonomy, in which the city builders saw themselves determining and establishing their own destiny without any reference to the Lord.

What did the Lord think of these lofty ambitions?

And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:5-9)

As a city, Babylon symbolized humanity’s ambition to dethrone God and make the earth its own (see Revelation 17–18). The Babel enterprise, still very much alive today, is all about human independence and self-sufficiency apart from God. The builders believe that they have no need of God. They are after their own glory. Their technology and social unity give them confidence in their own ability, and they have high aspirations of constructing a tower so great that its top reaches the heavens (11:4). God destroyed their work!

It’s important to note that God isn’t opposed to greatness, but He is against the fleshly drive that motivates us. Contrast chapter 11 with what happens next in chapter 12 of Genesis. The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” What a difference a chapter makes!

Abraham truly became great—the father of many nations! God blessed him accordingly. We see that it is God’s business to bestow upon His own the measure of greatness He desires. When we try to seize greatness for ourselves instead of striving to be a blessing to others like Abram did, we dangerously miss the mark.

God’s word warns us that there is a downfall for those who live only to make a name for themselves. On the contrary, Jesus taught his disciples that even though the rulers of the Gentiles strive for greatness of power over others, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” What if that was our aim this new year, to be a blessing-servant to others instead of chasing after worldly ambitions to make a great name for ourselves?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and choosing me to bear the name of Jesus in this world. Help me to be a blessing to those around me, seeking to bestow great love, great kindness, and great mercy to the glory of Christ. For in doing so to others, I will understand the true meaning of greatness. Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What is one language you would love to be able to supernaturally speak without ever having to learn it?
2. What is it about greatness that has such a strong appeal to us as humans?
3. God gave Abram a command to “go” and then He would make his name great, and that he would be a blessing. What is God telling you to “go” and do in 2024?
4. What does Jesus-like servanthood look like in your life right now?
5. Do you need to repent of any selfish pursuits of greatness in your life?

The post The Making of a Great Name appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” —Colossians 3:12

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. It’s easy to recognize the profession of a person in uniform. It’s easy to detect the favorite team of a fan garbed in his team’s branding from head to toe. When I was in high school, I donned spandex pants and a lot of “metalhead” t-shirts while accessorizing with headbands and bandanas. My usual attire affirmed that I was a drummer in a rock band!

For Christians, our spiritual clothing speaks about who we are, and whose we are.

Last week we looked at how Paul told his readers to “put on,” or “clothe yourselves” in humility. In addition to compassion, kindness, and humility, Christ-followers are also instructed to be clothed in “meekness” (Colossians 3:12). The Greek word used here and in Galatians 5:23 is one of the hardest New Testament words to translate. It can also be rendered “gentleness.”

When this word praotēs is translated as “meekness,” it speaks to our inward state—how we are submitted to the Holy Spirit’s rule and reign in our hearts. When translated as “gentleness,” it can refer to the outward state—how we interact with and treat others. We are meek when we are humbled by the revelation that Christ has demonstrated mercy toward us undeservingly. We are gentle when we take that mercy we have been given and offer it to others respectfully—even if they are undeserving.

Titus was taught to be “gentle toward everyone” (Titus 3:2, NIV). Timothy was taught that “a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind [also translated ‘gentle’] to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people” (2 Timothy 2:24, NLT). Meekness has been described as power under control. The greatest and most powerful Person who ever lived was also a meek and humble man—“learn from Me, for I am gentle [meek] and humble in heart,” said Jesus (Matthew 11:29). Christ was omnipotent—so His meekness definitely wasn’t weakness.

To follow Jesus, is to learn from Jesus. We can see that Jesus never ran from a testy exchange with the Pharisees, and he even turned over some temple tables along the way. Surely Jesus didn’t lose his meekness in the heat of the moment, or temporarily suffer a lapse in gentleness. Maybe it’s just that we’ve mistaken meekness and gentleness with being nice. But I’ve never read where the Pharisees called Jesus a “really nice” guy. Jesus wasn’t soft, passive, or evasive of conflict in his ministry. He didn’t quarrel over trivial matters, but He also didn’t shy away from truth or rebuke when it needed to be spoken. So, what do we make of that? I don’t believe that Christians are to be spineless sooks. What if being clothed in meekness looks more like a strength than softness?

Greek war horses were “meeked” in the sense that they were trained to stay in the battle rather than flee at the sound of loud canons. As meek Christians, we are to stay in the battle and not retreat. We take a firm stand when it is necessary but should always aim to do it the way Jesus did. We should handle conflict with temperance, rather than run from it in fear. At Antioch, Paul opposed Peter [a believer] “to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.” I hope this was done in meekness. Peter told Christians to share their faith with unbelievers in “gentleness and respect.”

Meekness [gentleness] is a fruit of the Spirit. It’s a “strength” God gives to us in exchange for our “weakness,” as we surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It doesn’t come from willpower, but God’s power. Meekness keeps us in the battle, emboldens us to speak truth, enables us to face conflict rightly, and clothes us to share our faith with others without backing down. Meekness is God’s strength in us, and that is powerful. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, help me to surrender my weakness in exchange for the strength of Christ’s meekness. Holy Spirit, empower me to stay in the battle and never retreat from demonstrating the Gospel boldly. For you have not given me a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. Do you tend to avoid conflict, or embrace it?
2. When Jesus confronted the Pharisees or turned over the money tables in the temple, do you think he lacked meekness, or was it being manifested in a different way?
3. Why do you think it is important for us to not mistake passiveness, softness, or weakness as meekness?
4. What do you think meekness looks like in a person fully controlled by the Holy Spirit?
5. How will you lean into God’s power this week to allow the Holy Spirit to produce in you a meekness that is humble, firm, strong, powerful, respectful, temperate, gentle, truth-speaking, sin-confronting, and life-giving?

The post Meekness Isn’t Weakness appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf…” —2 Chronicles 20:17

A man was bragging that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion with his pocketknife. A friend asked him why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head. The man replied: “Someone had already done that.”

What made the man so courageous to cut off the tail? It was the fact that someone more heroic had already come along and killed the lion, wasn’t it?! It’s a lot easier to act boldly when a bigger hero has already done the job of defeating our enemy. That’s a picture of what happened with God’s people in 2 Chronicles 20.

When a coalition of enemies came out to pick a fight with outnumbered Judah, King Jehoshaphat “was afraid and set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.” With their little ones, their wives, and their children, Judah stood vulnerably before the Lord. The king prayed a courageous prayer declaring the power and faithfulness of God over the situation:

“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

Have you ever prayed that kind of prayer? “God, I am powerless against this great ___________ that is coming against me. I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on you.” God’s answer to Jehoshaphat in that moment wasn’t a full battle plan with strategic instructions or a 7-step booklet on outwitting your opponent, it was quite minimalistic. Some might even call it uninspiring, because it didn’t require the kind of grit we would expect from a Hollywood scripted battle. Judah’s road map to victory was simply this:

“Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s… You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf… Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed.”

After ending the night with a worship set (vv. 18-19), the people rose early in the morning and Jehoshaphat proclaimed, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.” Then after another round of praise and worship, it says “the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.” After that, the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

This is a powerful picture of what God does when his people pray and worship from a heart that believes and trusts Him. God doesn’t need us to attack the head of the lion. That would only rob Him of His glory and give us reason to boast in ourselves about how we defeated the enemy. God is looking for hearts that will BELIEVE Him, TRUST Him, and WORSHIP Him in the moment of crisis. Are you willing to do that with the battle you are facing right now? Think about it as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, You always have a plan to confound your enemies and to overcome what is hostile toward our faith. You look for simple belief, trust, and worship in your people. May you find that in our hearts this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. When have you felt surrounded by the enemy?
2. In this passage, all of Judah assembled to “seek” the LORD. In your own words, what does it mean to “seek the LORD”? What actual steps are taken?
3. Why do you think praise and worship are such vital exercises of our faith?
4. Believe and trust are very important to God. Why do you think this is seen throughout the scriptures?
5. How will this story in 2 Chronicles 20 impact the way you walk out your faith this week?

The post Courage to Cut Off the Tail of the Lion appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: 1 Corinthians 9:12-23

“To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” —1 Corinthians 9:22

In this moment I am drinking a cup of coffee with olive oil and cream. I just wanted to taste it for myself after reading that the world’s largest coffee chain is launching a line of olive oil-infused drinks in Italy. Starbucks is among the major U.S. businesses that have faced obstacles as they’ve tried to expand into the Italian food and drinks market. Italy’s coffee scene is famous for its independent and often family-run cafes, so the brand is not easily accepted.

It’s a bold move to reach the coffee market in Italy. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz seems determined to make it a success. I can appreciate his approach in saying, “We are not coming to teach Italians how to make coffee. We’re coming here with humility and respect, to show what we’ve learned.”

Imagine what kind of influence followers of Jesus could have in their everyday mission field if they were as motivated to reach people with the Gospel as Schultz is to reach every tribe of people with coffee. Schultz seems to have that Apostle Paul-like “whatever it takes” determination and the humble approach that doesn’t come across as condescending to the people he longs to reach.

Consider Paul’s missional zeal in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23…

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

Paul sought to win people to Jesus Christ by being sensitive to them culturally and identifying with them in his Gospel appeal. Paul was willing to do whatever it takes to reach people with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. He also understood that our methodology is equally as important as the message itself. By accepting the fact that Paul appealed to different groups depending on the context doesn’t mean that we should assume he changed his doctrine. We know from his complete collection of writings that he was willing to offend people over the gospel, but only over the gospel, and not his approach or methodology.

Paul was free to do what he wanted (v. 19), but winning people to Jesus was far more important to him than using his freedom selfishly (v. 22). A condescending Christian isn’t going to have much influence in the world. Perhaps Paul would tip his hat to Mr. Schultz for his “all things to all people” approach. If he were going on a mission trip to Italy, he might even drink a cup of olive oil-infused coffee. Perhaps.

What might it look like in your life this week to be “all things to all people, that by all means” the people around you could have a viable opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Forget about all the cultural wars on social media, especially those sub-culture wars between Christians themselves arguing over which celebrity Christians are kosher and which ones need to be canceled, and just zero in on JESUS and the Good News He wants to emanate from your life. How is that to be fleshed out this week in you personally? In your day-to-day context? Think about it as you seek to abide in Him.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, everywhere I set foot is a mission field in which I need to be mindful about my approach in reaching others with the Gospel and appealing to them with the unadulterated Good News of Who Jesus is. Give me a passion for evangelism that is greater than Schultz’s passion to propagate coffee. Holy Spirit, empower me with boldness in my witness and guide me with wisdom in my approach, I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Application or Group Discussion:

1. Have you ever tried olive oil in your coffee? If so, what do you think about it?
2. What similarities do you see with Schultz’s mission and Paul’s mission?
3. How would you describe the passion of Paul, and why is it relevant to the church today?
4. Why is it important to share the Gospel with humility, “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15)?
5. Have you lost your passion for the lost? Has “bad” evangelism diminished your enthusiasm for “pure” and biblical evangelism? How can you reclaim that missional passion for reaching the gospel-destitute around you with the Good News of Jesus?

The post Olive Oil Coffee and The Gospel appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” —Mark 11:24

During the great Welsh revival at the turn of the 19^th century, some newspapermen went down from London to report firsthand the marvelous happenings in Wales. On their arrival, one of them asked a local policeman where the Welsh revival was. Drawing himself to his full height he laid his hand over his heart and passionately proclaimed: “Gentlemen, the Welsh revival is inside this uniform!”

That policeman had caught the holy fire. He understood that revival wasn’t about a geographical location, but a heart condition.

The word “revival” means “live again.” It can also be defined as an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. For the Christian, it’s about a renewed sense of dependency and life that comes from repentance and surrender, which is ultimately a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. Charles Finney, who was known to be a part of a great revival, simply surmised, “The experience of revival is nothing more than a new beginning of obedience to God.”

When revival comes, things that have been dead come back to life again. For Ezekiel, this meant a vision of an entire valley of dry bones being resurrected. The prophet had been staring at a situation that seemed impossible. His people had been taken into captivity. Israel was “dead” as a nation, deprived of her land, her king, and her temple. Her present and future had “lost” all “hope” (v. 11). The symbolic meaning of the resurrected dry bones pointed to the unimaginable restoration of the nation of Israel as well as the resurrection of the dead that would be brought about by the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.

God directed Ezekiel to speak to the bones: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live.” As Ezekiel did what had been commanded, behold, there was a “rattling” as bones came together. Flesh came upon them. Skin covered them. Breath came into them and they “lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army,” marching to the beat of the ever-living Way Maker.

Like Ezekiel, we’ve all stared at situations that seem impossible—the addiction, the betrayal, that broken relationship, a barren womb, a debilitating health condition, or a wayward child. Yet Ezekiel put all doubts aside and spoke the word God commanded him to speak over the dry bones. The Miracle-worker brought dry, brittle bones to life, so “you shall know that I am the Lord” (v. 13).

What if we approached this week believing that what God did then, He can do again? What if we caught that holy fire inside our uniforms at this hour?

Begin to hear the “rattling” of those bones coming back together in your life. See the healing of “flesh” being restored in your body, your mental health, and your family dysfunction. Embrace the repairing “skin” God is attaching to those broken relationships, those abandoned hopes, and those God-given dreams that dried up in the valley of mediocrity. Envision that “exceedingly great army” of people and resources God is aligning in your life for the glory and fame of Jesus. Imagine your heart fully alive in Christ. Yes, revival is here. It is for you. The God of yesterday is the God of today, and you can experience REAL revival as you seek to abide in His “live again” promises this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, forgive us for our unbelief. Forgive us for failing to uphold your image of faithfulness in our lives. Forgive us for drifting into mediocrity. Forgive us for wandering from our first love. Forgive us for our blatant disobedience, our arrogance, and our idolatry. Some of us have been crippled in a valley where all hope has dried up. Yet, this is NOT the end of our story. You are writing a BETTER story—one that declares the praises of your resurrection power in and through us. We turn our hearts in repentance. We look to the body of Jesus Christ, which bore our sins on the cross, and seek your forgiveness and restoration. Renew us to live again. Holy Spirit, we depend on your power to revive our hearts, renew them with holy desires, and rekindle them to love others in pure Christlikeness. We pray for revival fire to burn within us and spread across our region, our nation, and the world. In Jesus’ names, Amen.

Questions for Personal Application or Group Discussion:

1. Where have you seen God bring something dead to life? Maybe it was a relationship, a career, or a dream.
2. What did you learn about God’s faithfulness and unfailing love from that experience?
3. Is there any situation where you’ve given up because things feel too far gone or too impossible to change? Where have you lost faith?
4. How is your heart toward God? How do you deal with disappointments or despair? What do you want to see God revive in you?
5. Where do you want to see a revival around you? Ask God to show how you can help bring revival to your home, work, church or community.

The post Revival Inside This Uniform appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: Ephesians 3:14-21

“…and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” —Ephesians 3:19

This week I have been teaching English and coaching American sports during winter camp in Korea. The book of Ephesians has been our curriculum for English studies. There is no better way to learn a second language than using the expression and articulation of the Word of God. It is a love letter demonstrating God’s heart for every nation, tribe, and people.

In Ephesians 3, Paul bowed his knees “before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,” and prayed that followers of Jesus would be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

“Comprehending” the dimensions of God’s love “with all the saints” (in community with others) is the pathway to truly “knowing” that which “surpasses knowledge.” Experiencing the “fullness of God” in community with others stretches us to grow our faith and to learn a dimension of grace that cannot be known through individual spiritualism. It also gives credence to others that God’s Word is legit in our lives (or evidence that the Gospel is REAL in our hearts). Paul envisioned God’s glory revealed through the church (v. 21)—as a unified whole, not as isolated entities, which is precisely what Jesus prayed for in John 17 for us to be “one” as he and the Father are one.

The “breadth” of God’s love is wide enough to include every person on earth. The “length” of His love is long enough to transcend all of eternity. The “height” of His love is high enough to intercede for us even in heavenly places. The “depth” of His love is deep enough to reach down into the mire and save the worst of sinners. To know this love that surpasses knowledge is the sublime privilege of the Christian. It is not only attainable, but mandated as part of our commissioning to reveal the Gospel to the whole world.

The preferred outcome in the apostle’s prayer was God’s glory being revealed through the image of His body, the church. We can foster that glory, or rob God of His glory, in the way we choose or refuse to flesh out the Gospel in community with others. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you that we can truly know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, and thank you for making it possible for us to be filled with all the fullness of God. This was Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3, but it was an extension of Christ’s passion. Holy Spirit, teach us what it looks like for us to be intentional about comprehending this love in community with others.

Questions for Personal Application or Group Discussion:

1. What makes it hard for some people to accept that God loves all people?
2. In what ways have you limited God’s love from reaching others through your life?
3. As you read Ephesians 3:14-21, what is revealed about the heart of God? What is revealed about Jesus, the Gospel, and the church?
4. What are those prevailing idols/attitudes/fears/patterns/sins that are resistant to you being filled with “all the fullness of God” in this stage of your life?
5. How can you be intentional this week about becoming more “rooted and grounded” in love?

The post Knowing the Fullness of God appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: Genesis 40:14-23

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

NFL quarterback Brock Purdy doesn’t shy away from sharing how his Christian faith keeps him grounded. Nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant” due to being the last pick of the 2002 NFL Draft (262^nd overall), Purdy knows what it’s like to be overlooked. After his senior year of high school, Alabama coach Nick Saban told Purdy, a recruit at the time, what he was lacking as a quarterback. “You’re below average in height. Your arm strength is whatever. Your accuracy is average,” was Saban’s critique.

Yet the rookie is a perfect 8-0 since taking over as the 49ers QB, and he even leads the NFL in touchdown passes, yards per pass attempt, and passer rating in that span. Now, Mr. Irrelevant is only one win away from reaching heights no other rookie QB has ever reached. He’d be the lowest-drafted QB to ever start a Super Bowl. It was an improbable road to even get to this point after starting the season as the 3^rd string QB. But Purdy has made good on his opportunity to shine and has surely proven many doubters wrong along the way.

I imagine it would’ve been easy for Joseph to feel like Mr. Irrelevant sitting in an Egyptian prison cell. He had been unjustly jailed to begin with, and just when it looked like he would catch a break by interpreting the dream of one of Pharaoh’s servants, he was left on read. The last thing Joseph told the cupbearer was: “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.” But the cupbearer “ghosted” Joseph.

Sounds simple, right? Just remember me and make mention of me when it all goes well with you. That doesn’t sound like much to ask of someone you just helped. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him—not just for a little while, but for two whole years! Joseph had gifts and talents to bring to the table but was… forgotten. He had leadership value that was overlooked. He had skills that were not being recognized.

Nevertheless, God has a way of making a way for us when it seems our path is irrelevant, and what that looked like for Joseph was a huge promotion. He would eventually be lifted from the prison cell to become second in command over all of Egypt and serve as a life-saving administrator for multitudes during years of famine.

You might feel undervalued and underappreciated right now. Perhaps you’re caught up in a season or place that looks irrelevant. Maybe you’re putting so much into a relationship, and it doesn’t get reciprocated. Maybe your hard work is being overlooked or you feel forgotten. Similar to that of Joseph’s story, you might even find yourself in circumstances where it appears God isn’t rewarding your integrity and you’re tempted to compromise because, what difference does it make anyway?

We can learn from Joseph’s story that everything is relevant in our lives. The betrayal, the dark pits, the personal attacks, the lonely seasons, and yes, even those dark prison cells—they matter. There are no irrelevant parts of our lives with God at the center. We are never truly forgotten, we are never truly abandoned, and we are never truly overlooked. God is always using the stuff we go through to prepare us for a very purposeful outcome. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving everything in my life meaning, value, and purpose, even when others don’t see it. I trust the story you are writing through the redemptive work of Christ, even in those difficult places of feeling forgotten and overlooked. In His name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What have been the moments or experiences in your life that seem irrelevant?
2. When have you felt overlooked, underappreciated, or forgotten?
3. What does Joseph’s story teach us about God, ourselves, and the Gospel?
4. Is there something you need to do this week to refocus your faith on the goodness of God?

The post Mr. Irrelevant and Being Overlooked appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

Text: Matthew 11: 1-6

“And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” —Matthew 11:6

When Cindy and I first began dating back in January of 1996, I asked the Lord, “Is this the one I am going to marry?” It didn’t take long to figure that out. Less than a year later, we were on our honeymoon together in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She was truly “the one.”

In Matthew 11, John the baptizer sent his disciples to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” From passages like John 1:29-36, we see that John had already clearly identified Jesus as the Messiah, yet he struggles to reconcile his present circumstances of being imprisoned to his Messiah-like expectations for deliverance. If Jesus is truly the one, why am I suffering here in a prison cell? Why isn’t Israel being delivered from political tyranny? Why isn’t Jesus doing more?

Like many others in John’s day, the understanding of the Coming One’s arrival was that the Messiah would bring blessing on those who repented and judgment on those who rejected him. John is not seeing this from his shadowed perspective. Unfavorable circumstances may tempt us to doubt that God is for us, but that doesn’t change his promises. Worldly cultures may push for us to deconstruct our faith, but that pushback never for one millisecond reduces the truth of Who Jeus is. Jesus has withstood such hostilities from anti-Christian societies for more than two millennia now—and the Gospel is still going strong in the face of such opposition.

Jesus’ response to John’s tension was a beatitude of mild rebuke. After giving John’s people a snapshot of how the kingdom of God was indeed advancing through displays of mostly humble acts of service rather than spectacular political revolutions, Jesus tells them: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” John and his disciples must be open to God’s unfolding plan, that even though things don’t seem to be going their way, things are certainly going God’s way.

Blessed is the one who doesn’t fall backwards in the trials of life, but falls forward leaning into grace through every doubt, frustration, disappointment, and setback. Or as Charles Spurgeon said, “Blessed is he who can be left in prison, can be silenced in his testimony, can seem to be deserted of his Lord, and yet can shut out every doubt. John speedily regained this blessedness, and fully recovered his serenity.”

It’s okay John, Jesus is still the one and you are indeed going to experience resurrection life. Though your prison cell screams of abandonment, your chains’ scream of heartbreak, and your future calls you to drink a cup of suffering through martyrdom, God’s redemptive plan is still unfolding and nothing can snatch you from the palm of God’s hand. Your eternity is secure. You don’t need to go looking for another.

Beloved, let John’s good news be your good news no matter what struggles and challenges tempt you to deconstruct your faith. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for the good news we have in Jesus. All things will be made new and glorious in your perfect timing. Until that perfect reconciliation of everything in our lives, we trust you over our present circumstances and continue to rejoice in your unfolding plan of redemption. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What do you suppose John might’ve been feeling while in prison?
2. What are some major causes of doubt and the deconstruction of faith in our times?
3. What does this passage reveal about the finite perspective of our human understanding?
4. What does this passage reveal about the character of Jesus? What does it reveal about the good news of the Gospel?
5. What might perseverance in your faith look like this week?

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