Thursday, April 20, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in happy anticipation:

“So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
(Genesis 3:23-24)

What a heartbreak, Jesus!

We’ve been mourning that loss ever since.

But in heaven –

for those of us who’ve placed our trust in You –

that longing will be fulfilled!

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Psalm 23:6; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:14; Philippians 3:14; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:14; Revelation 21:4

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in holy fear:

“You have wearied the Lord with your words. ‘How have we wearied him?’ you ask. By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them…’”
(Malachi 2:17)

To forgive me, Jesus

is a totally different thing
than being pleased with me.

The first happens after I’ve sinned and confessed it.

The second happens when I’ve refused to sin
and remain faithful.

I’m grateful beyond words for Your forgiveness!

But I’d rather You be pleased.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Exodus 33:13-17; Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 33:11; 2 Samuel 15:26; 1 Chronicles 29:17; 1 Corinthians 10:5; Hebrews 10:8

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo with undisguised yearning:

“I asked the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ He answered, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ ‘No, my lord,’ I replied.”
(Zechariah 4:4-5)

There are a lot of things I don’t understand, Jesus!

That doesn’t mean I don’t trust You.

I do.

I also acknowledge there are some things

I won’t have the capacity to grasp
until I get to heaven.

Even so…

if You could help me understand a little better

I sure would appreciate it.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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1 Kings 18:37; Job 23:1-17; Psalm 4:1; Psalm 27:7; Psalm 139:6; Daniel 12:8-10; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12; Ephesians 4:12-14

Monday, April 17, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo with growing understanding:

“In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel…”
(Haggai 1:1)

I would love to experience that kind of specificity, Jesus

when You give a message to me.

Not that I deserve it.
I don’t.

But oh, would it be nice!

I spend a lot of time trying to figure out
exactly how to apply Your Word

which…come to think of it…
is exactly what You intend.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Joshua 5:14; Judges 3:19-21; Matthew 8:8; Mark 1:7; Romans 10:8-10; 1 John 3:11

Sunday, April 16, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in grateful anticipation:

“The Lord their God…will restore their fortunes.”
(Zephaniah 2:7)

When things were going well for me, Jesus, I loved it.

I thought it was always going to be that way.

Then I discovered:

It wasn’t.

My sins caused some of it – maybe all of it.

But it might have simply been
that You needed me to fight some of Your battles.

If my suffering is caused by sin, I’ve got to repent!

Either way, I long to live once more

under the spout
where Your glory comes out!

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Genesis 40:13; Deuteronomy 30:3; 2 Samuel 9:7; Matthew 9:30; Matthew 12:13; Acts 3:21; Galatians 6:1

Saturday, April 15, 2023

 

Better think twice, as you pray this Lazaroo:

“…your destruction of animals will terrify you.”
(Habakkuk 2:17)

Seriously, Jesus?

Who cares that much about animals?

You do.

That means I’d be wise to care about them, too.

But a whole lot of people don’t.

They forget:

You’re their Creator!

which makes it a dangerous thing to ignore.

When You create

You’re invested.
You intend to fulfill Your purpose.

It would be a very good idea for me

to discover Your purpose for Your creation
and do my best to honor it.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Proverbs 12:10; Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 46:10-11; Jonah 4:11; Luke 7:30; Acts 13:36; Romans 9:11; Romans 12:2

Friday, April 14, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo from the depths of your being:

“The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
(Nahum 2:13)

You sent Jonah to warn Ninevah of their impending doom, Jesus.

But when they repented
You relented!

Not this time.

Not long after You granted them a stay of execution
they went right back to their detestable sins.

They stopped sinning to avoid punishment
not because they hated and rejected what they had done.

Nahum was the last prophet You sent to them.

O God!
May I never cross that line!

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Psalm 7:12; Jeremiah 4:28; Amos 1:3; Amos 1:6; Amos 1:9; Amos 1:11; Hebrews 10:26-27

Thursday, April 13, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo with mounting excitement:

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.”
(Micah 4:1)

Are these the last days, Jesus?

Because what You predicted
what many once thought to be unthinkable

is happening.

People are indeed streaming to the mountain of Your temple!

By the millions they’re coming from the four corners of the earth
to walk that sacred ground in full awareness

that You have exalted it above the hills.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Hosea 3:5; Micah 4:1; Zechariah 1:16; Acts 2:17; 2 Timothy 3:1; James 5:3; 2 Peter 3:3

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in fervency of spirit:

“Who knows? God may yet relent…”
(Jonah 3:9)

Even after the prophet Jonah delivered Your declaration of doom, Jesus

Ninevah’s king rallied his people with the hope of Your mercy.

For good reason:
Your mercy is legendary!

Yes, You punish willful, stubbornly repetitive sin.

But it breaks Your heart when You have to do it.
You give us chance after chance after chance to repent.

Even after You pronounce judgment

there’s always hope that You will relent
if we change our wicked ways.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Genesis 32:20; Deuteronomy 32:36; 1 Samuel 6:5; 2 Samuel 14:15; 1 Kings 20:31; Psalm 90:31; James 2:13

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

 

Take warning, as you pray this Lazaroo:

“…you will be utterly despised.”
(Obadiah 1:2)

Whew! That’s a tough one, Jesus!

But that was the punishment You meted out against Edom
the people descended from Jacob’s older brother.

Why?

Because of the calloused cruelty they exhibited
toward Your hurting, chosen people.

No matter how low one of Your flawed believers sinks

may I never pile on while You’re disciplining them

and risk becoming one of the “utterly despised.”

It’s not my place to add to their misery

lest some of their misery becomes mine.

[LISTEN to today’s Lazaroo by phoning (812) 473-7729…or by clicking the PLAY button below:]

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Exodus 3:7; Deuteronomy 32:35; Obadiah 1:10-12; Matthew 7:1; Romans 2:4; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30