All posts by Stephen Schwambach

Thursday, April 28, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with excuseless humility:

“She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month…”
(Esther 2:16)

How demeaning, Jesus –

to be plucked from her home
deprived of her rights

trained for months in the King’s harem
delivered to the king for acceptance or rejection.

And You were working through all of it!

positioning her to become queen to save the lives of Your people

just as You are working through my hardships and humiliations

to accomplish Your eternal good.

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

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Genesis 50:20; Numbers 12:3; Proverbs 11:2; Proverbs 16:4; Proverbs 21:30; Zephaniah 2:3; Romans 8:28-30

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with an open heart:

“…he wants to please his commanding officer.”
(2 Timothy 2:4)

Most people do, Jesus…

some because they like their commanding officer
some because they fear their CO

some kiss up because they want a promotion.

But not everyone wants to please their commanding officer.

Some want to undermine them, discredit them
get them replaced.

Through all the layers of authority, You’re my ultimate CO, Father.

I answer to You.

One thing’s for sure:

I definitely want to please You.

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

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Ecclesiastes 2:26; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Romans 8:8; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 1 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 11:6

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with self awareness:

“…their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.”
(Nehemiah 3:5)

That’s a pretty stubborn case of laziness, Jesus.

Most people work when their supervisors are standing over them.
It’s when their supervisors leave that lazy people stop work.

“People don’t do what you expect…they do what you inspect.”

But these people refused to work in full view of their bosses!

Shameful.
Inexcusable.

Like the times I sin
even though I know You’re watching.

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

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Job 28:24; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 26:15; Zechariah 4:10; Matthew 25:26; Romans 1:20; Titus 1:12; Hebrews 6:12

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with self awareness:

“…their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.”
(Nehemiah 3:5)

That’s a pretty stubborn case of laziness, Jesus.

Most people work when their supervisors are standing over them.
It’s when their supervisors leave that lazy people stop work.

“People don’t do what you expect…they do what you inspect.”

But these people refused to work in full view of their bosses!

Shameful.
Inexcusable.

Like the times I sin
even though I know You’re watching.

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

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Job 28:24; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 26:15; Zechariah 4:10; Matthew 25:26; Romans 1:20; Titus 1:12; Hebrews 6:12

Monday, April 25, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with every fiber of your being:

“I urge…that…prayers…be made for…all those in authority…”
(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Okay, Father…

I’ll do it.
Because You asked.

I pray for everyone in authority over me –

long-term and short term
those in the present, those in my past:

parents, babysitters, teachers, coaches
trainers, mentors, landlords, bankers
mayors, policemen and women, judges
congressmen and women, presidents
pastors, elders, group leaders, point people

Give them wisdom, favor, blessing, understanding, compassion, courage, empathy, Biblical standards, consciences, humility.

In Jesus’ Name!

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

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Numbers 27:20: Deuteronomy 1:15; Jeremiah 5:31; Daniel 4:31; Matthew 7:29; Romans 13:1-7; Hebrews 13:17

Sunday, April 24, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with utter abandon:

“Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa…”
(Ezra 3:7)

That’s the way the world works, Jesus:

Everything anyone does for anyone
has strings attached.

Of course, You taught something so different, so radical, so contrary to this barter on the open market

that it turned the world upside-down…

or right-side up.

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

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1 Kings 8:53; 2 Kings 21:13; Matthew 5:14; Matthew 21:12; Luke 6:35; Luke 17:28; Acts 8:20

Saturday, April 23, 2016

 

Hold nothing back, as you pray this Lazaroo:

“And then the lawless one will be revealed…”
(2 Thessalonians 2:8)

This is not a day to look forward to, Jesus.

The revelation of the antichrist.
The beginning of the worst period of time in earth’s history.

Things have to get a whole lot worse
before they stay better.

So why am I not terrified?

Because You’ve told me about it in advance.
Because You’ve promised never to leave me nor forsake me.

Because in the end
I win.

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

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Deuteronomy 31:6; Job 19:25; Hebrews 13:5; 1 John 2:18; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7

Friday, April 22, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo with Godly understanding:

“Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were in Israel, after the census his father David had taken…”
(2 Chronicles 2:17)

What are the things I’m doing that my dad did, Jesus?

Are they all good?
Are some of them bad?

Were some of them good for him
but not for me?

Please grant me the wisdom to discern which I need to stay with

and which I need to drop

along with the courage to act.

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

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1 Kings 15:11; 1 Kings 22:53; 2 Kings 3:2; 2 Kings 14:3; 2 Kings 15:3; 2 Kings 15:34; John 5:19

Thursday, April 21, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo in deepest wonder and appreciation:

“…among you who believed.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:10)

There’s nothing like it, Jesus –

to be among those who have put their faith in You!

They’re not perfect.

Neither am I.

But they’re unlike anyone else in the world

each of us different, one-of-a-kind
but all with one, overriding reality in common:

You.

We see life, experience life, do life in an unending multiplicity of ways

while being joined together in miraculous unity
by the One who lives in us
forever.

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

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2 Chronicles 30:12; Psalms 133:1; John 17:23; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 4:3; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:27

Thursday, April 21, 2016

 

Pray this Lazaroo in deepest wonder and appreciation:

“…among you who believed.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:10)

There’s nothing like it, Jesus –

to be among those who have put their faith in You!

They’re not perfect.

Neither am I.

But they’re unlike anyone else in the world

each of us different, one-of-a-kind
but all with one, overriding reality in common:

You.

We see life, experience life, do life in an unending multiplicity of ways

while being joined together in miraculous unity
by the One who lives in us
forever.

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

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2 Chronicles 30:12; Psalms 133:1; John 17:23; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 4:3; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:27