Be fueled by hope, as you pray this Lazaroo: 

“…a covenant of life and peace.”
(Malachi 2:5)

O LORD.

Does that ever sound good, Jesus!

“…life and peace.”

I’m willing to go to war for You.

Been there.
Done that.

I’ll do it again – as often as necessary.

But instead of death and turmoil
I’d rather have life and peace.

I know – in this world, peace is an oasis in the desert
a brief pause between battles –

except for the peace that only You can give
in the midst of all storms.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Proverbs 3:13-17; Proverbs 14:30; John 12:25; John 16:33; John 20:21; 1 Timothy 6:19; 1 John 4:17

 Be filled with hope as you pray this Lazaroo: 

“Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it.”
(Zechariah 2:4)

What a picture, Jesus!

Back in the day, city walls protected the people inside.

But what happens when You bless a city so greatly that it outgrows its walls?

The walls come down.

Walls are good…

to a point.

But they’re a testament to fear –

which is why we build them as high and as thick as we can
until the day comes when You show us:

Thanks to You
there’s no longer any need.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Joshua 6:5; 2 Chronicles 36:19; Ezra 9:9; Nehemiah 2:17; Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 17:9; Zechariah 2:5; Ephesians 2:14; Revelation 21:14

 Pray this Lazaroo in sobered awarness: 

“Haggai said, ‘If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?’”
(Haggai 2:13)

Jewish rules, Jesus…

intended to teach me larger issues.
Please help me understand!

What are the things that defile me?
What are the thoughts, words, actions that pollute my life?

I’m not the only one they affect, am I?
I become a disease- carrier

infecting everyone and everything I touch.

Bleak picture.
Excellent warning.

Thank You.
I needed that.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Romans 8:13; Romans 15:4; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Galatians 3:24; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:5

 Pray the words of this Lazaroo with every fiber of your being: 

“…a day of clouds and blackness…”
(Zephaniah 1:15)

I’ve had my share of days like that, Jesus –

clouds and blackness.

Sometimes it feels like in Your generosity

You’ve added in someone else’s share.

The question is:

What do I do with them?

I’m tempted to hunker down, curl up in the fetal position

pray for them to go away.

But is that why You’ve given them to me?

Or is it to stand tall
look them straight in the eye
grab them by the scruff of their scrawny necks

and overcome by faith.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Deuteronomy 34:7; 2 Kings 23:25; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 105:4; Jeremiah 1:19; Jeremiah 15:20; Matthew 16:18

 Pray the words of this Lazaroo with total abandon: 

“…the righteous will live by his faith…”
(Habakkuk 2:4)

That’s how You want me to live, isn’t it, Jesus?

By faith.

Nothing else is living.

All the rest is stasis.

Sight is limiting.

To be held back by what I see?
To have my world defined by the horizon?

Huh-uh.

Give me the wild, woolly, terrifying

absolutely certain

life that is truly life.

Beyond the stars
Beyond my wildest expectations
Beyond my highest

prayers
desires
thoughts
hopes

Your Word on it.

That’s all I need.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Acts 3:16; Acts 15:9; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:17; Romans 3:28; Romans 4:13; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 2:20

 Hold nothing back as you passionately pray this Lazaroo: 

“Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one…who proclaims peace!”
(Nahum 1:15)

That’s who I want to be, Jesus –

a proclaimer of peace.

There are a lot of people who want to pick a fight.

May I never be among their number.

I know – sometimes I have to fight to win the peace.

On such days, may I fight with all Your strength that so powerfully works within me!

But after I’ve won the battle
show me how to win the peace.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Psalms 29:11; Psalms 34:14; Psalms 37:37; Psalms 119:165; Proverbs 12:20; John 16:33; John 20:21

 Pray this Lazaroo with renewed awareness: 

“Therefore, the LORD says: ‘I am planning disaster against this people from which you cannot save yourselves.’”
(Micah 2:3)

That’s true of every disaster, isn’t it, Jesus?

Unless You intervene
I can’t save myself from any of them.

The problem is, You step in for me so often

that I sometimes take Your help for granted.

It’s one thing for me to believe You will always be there for me

quite another to forget You’re involved.

O God!

May I be as faithful to You
as You are to me.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Numbers 12:6-8; Deuteronomy 7:9; Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:26; Psalms 25:10; 2 Timothy 2:13; Revelation 2:10

 Pray this Lazaroo from the depths of your soul: 

“The engulfing waters threatened me…”
(Jonah 2:5)

There aren’t many pleasant ways to die, Jesus.

Drowning isn’t one of them.

When the sailors threw Jonah into the sea during that raging storm

everybody thought he was going to drown
including Jonah.

There are times when I feel like I’m drowning, too

not in water
in problems.

But You keep rescuing me!

No, all my problems haven’t disappeared
and they won’t – not on this earth.

But last time I checked – by Your love, mercy and grace –

I’m still here.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Psalms 17:13; Psalms 22:21; Psalms 25:20; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 43:1; Psalms 69:14; Psalms 71:2; Romans 7:24; 2 Timothy 4:18

 Pray the words of this Lazaroo with renewed determination: 

“…your deeds will return upon your own head.”
(Obadiah 1:15)

You’ve just given me powerful incentive, Jesus.

When I do good to others
good will be done to me.

Of course, what messes me up is when I do good to others

and they do bad to me.

I keep forgetting that they’re not the ones who repay me for the good I do.

You Are.

When the good I do is unto You
the good You do is unto me.

Sweet.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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1 Kings 8:32; Psalms 7:16; Psalms 37:27; Psalms 125:4; Ecclesiastes 11:1-2; Galatians 6:7-10; Hebrews 13:16

 Take in the words of this Lazaroo and pray it like you mean it:: 

“…the strong will not muster their strength…”
(Amos 2:14)

What an eye-opening reminder, Jesus!

It’s not enough to be strong.
My strength has to be mustered.

Until I rise up in faith and do something with it
my strength is useless.

Unless You provide me with a huge battle to win
my strength has no point.

You’ve given me the strength to do everything I need to do

so I’m puzzled on those days when I feel weak
until I remember:

Your miraculous strength doesn’t kick in
till I act.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning 212-LAZAROO…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Numbers 23:22; Deuteronomy 11:8; Judges 6:14; Psalms 28:8; Mark 12:30; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13