All posts by Stephen Schwambach

Sunday, July 28, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo in humbled gratitude:

“God chose you to be saved…”
(2 Thessalonians 2:13)

It wasn’t up to me, was it, Jesus?

Before I could choose You
You had to choose me.

If You hadn’t chosen me
I wouldn’t have wanted to choose You.

That’s unthinkable, now.

I’m so thankful I’ve chosen You!
It seems like such a no-brainer!

But that absolutely explains why it’s not a no-brainer for the majority of people on earth.

Wow.
I’m one of the few.
I’m chosen!

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

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Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 10:15; John 15:16; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:9

Saturday, July 27, 2019

 

Hold nothing back, as you pray this Lazaroo:

“…the gold he used was gold of Parvaim.”
(2 Chronicles 3:6)

No one today knows the location of Parvaim, Jesus.

But it’s telling that when it came time to decorate Your temple
Solomon refused to use whatever gold was easily available.

Instead, he sought out the finest, purest gold
and paid whatever price necessary
to give You the best.

That’s the desire of my heart, Father!

You deserve the very best
because You give Your very best to me.

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

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Exodus 23:19; Numbers 18:29-32; Deuteronomy 6:6; Ezekiel 44:30; Ezekiel 48:14; Malachi 1:6-9; Mark 12:30

Friday, July 26, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo in staunch confidence:

“…the same things those churches suffered…”
(1 Thessalonians 2:14)

Same old devil, Jesus

same beautiful Church.

Of course, when churches leave the foundation of Your Word

Satan is happy, leaves them alone –
except when he attends

…’cause he’s quite comfortable there.

But the more a church obeys You

the more the enemy of our souls attacks
because he’s scared to death.

He’s fully aware of Your promise –

that the gates of hell will not prevail against such a church.

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

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Matthew 16:18; Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:31; Acts 11:26; Acts 12:1; Acts 20:28-31; 1 Thessalonians 3:5

Thursday, July 25, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo in soul-deep gratitude:

“…the descendants of Aaron were given…their pasturelands.”
(1 Chronicles 6:57)

It’s great to have houses in cities, Jesus

…but oh, those pasturelands!

wide-open expanses of grass and wildflowers

where a breath of sweet fresh air can be deeply inhaled
where livestock can graze on Your bounty.

I don’t have to own pasturelands to thoroughly enjoy them.

Their beauty is available to all who pass by
reminding us that whether we worked to acquire them or not

they’re still a gift.

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

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Genesis 47:4; Leviticus 25:34; Numbers 35:2-7; Joshua 14:4; Psalms 23:2; Psalms 37:3; John 10:9

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo with explosive feeling:

“…the gospel…of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”
(Colossians 1:23)

I’m a servant to that same precious gospel, Jesus!

It’s as true today as it was endless eons before creation
as it was 4,000 years ago when You called Abram
as it was 2,000 years ago when You rose from the dead
as it will be 2,000 years from now
as it will be 2,000 millennia from now
as it will be throughout endless ages

beyond time.

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

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Genesis 1:1; Genesis 12:1-3; Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 8:35; John 1:1-4; Romans 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

 

Be amazed, as you pray this Lazaroo:

“…the army had no more water…”
(2 Kings 3:9)

They were Your people, Jesus

but they failed to plan ahead.

They rushed off on their mission

but failed to think the whole thing through.

Sadly, I can identify.

How many times, LORD? How many times?

Still, You didn’t leave them hanging!

You came through for them – miraculously.

I deserve it less than they did, LORD…

but again and again and again
You still keep coming through for me.

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

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2 Kings 18:7; 2 Chronicles 31:21; 2 Chronicles 32:30; Psalms 91:1-2; Isaiah 41:10; Acts 12:11; 2 Timothy 3:10-11; 2 Peter 2:9

Monday, July 22, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo with locked-in faith:

“If you have any encouragement…”
(Philippians 2:1)

I do have encouragement, Jesus!

And I know where it comes from:

You.

Satan is the discourager.

You’re the Encourager.

Every day – in countless ways –

You show Yourself strong for me.

Of course, I have to have eyes to see it.

Some days I don’t.

I’m so focused on the one or two things I don’t like

that I fail to see the innumerable evidences
of Your love, mercy and grace.

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

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Job 1:9-12; Job 4:5; Psalms 10:17; Acts 9:31; Romans 15:4-5; Philippians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Hebrews 12:5

Sunday, July 21, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo in gratitude-filled confidence:

“…he who has established me securely…”
(1 Kings 2:24)

And that You have, Jesus.

You’ve established me securely.

You’ve done it through that very promise You made to King David.

You told him he would always have a descendant to sit on the throne.

When You, descended from the line of David

paid for my sins on the cross
rose from the dead

then ascended back to Your throne in heaven

You established me through faith in You

Eternally.

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

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Genesis 9:9; Deuteronomy 28:9; 1 Samuel 2:35; 2 Samuel 5:12; 1 Kings 11:36; 1 Chronicles 17:7-14; Matthew 1:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Saturday, July 20, 2019

 

Pray this Lazaroo in complete trust:

“…called, ‘uncircumcised’…”
(Ephesians 2:11)

This may be the worst insult of all, Jesus!

It’s another way of saying I don’t belong to You.

If I don’t belong to You
I don’t get to go to heaven.

But circumcision in the flesh never saved anyone.

It was what You commanded Your people to do
to set them apart from the false gods of every other nation.

By faith in You
that’s exactly what You’ve done for me

through the cross.

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

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Genesis 17:11; Acts 7:8; Romans 2:25-29; Romans 3:1-4; Romans 4:11; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; Colossians 2:9-15

Friday, July 19, 2019

 

Follow the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit as you pray this Lazaroo:

“Turn aside to the right or to the left…”
(2 Samuel 2:21)

You’ve clearly commanded me Jesus:

Don’t turn aside to the right or the left
when it comes to obeying Your Word.

But Abner was warning Asahel.

When Asahel refused to turn aside
it cost him his life.

So sometimes I should refuse to change course

and at other times I’d better!

How can I recognize the difference?

Only as I follow You
every step of the way.

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

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Genesis 13:9; Numbers 20:17; Numbers 22:26; Deuteronomy 5:32; Deuteronomy 17:11; Isaiah 30:21; Hebrews 12:25