Category Archives: deliberately

Monday, December 25, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in grateful faith:

“…show mercy…”
(Jude 1:23)

That’s what You did when You came to earth, Jesus.

In stunning mercy,

You deliberately chose
to experience what it means to be human..

Because You’re God, You already knew.

But when You entered this world as a baby

for the first time ever
You felt what we feel.

Now, when we come to You with our hurts and sorrows

You’re not limited to intellectual understanding.

You feel it
You get us

You share our emotions
in a way You never did before.

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

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Deuteronomy 4:31; Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20; Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 5:7-9

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in deep, wholehearted repentance:

“Look, Lord, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?…You have slain them in the day of your anger; you have slaughtered them without pity.”
(Lamentations 2:20-21)

There’s a price for rejecting You, Jesus

severe penalties await those
who knowingly, deliberately, callously
flaunt their disobedience.

These serve as my examples.

I want no part of it!

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

Play

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Exodus 21:14; Deuteronomy 11:28; Psalm 51:1-12; Romans 1:28-32; Hebrews 10:26; 1 Peter 2:8; 2 Peter 3:5

Tuesday, Aug 1, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo with bottomless trust:

“Every high priest…is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God…”
(Hebrews 5:1-4)

You are amazing, Jesus!

You deliberately choose flawed people to honor
by calling them to do Your perfect work –

which means You can also work through me!

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

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Genesis 32:10; Job 40:4; Psalm 6:9; Matthew 20:31; Luke 17:10; Romans 9:15; 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Friday, May 19, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo in humble surrender:

“Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”
(1 Timothy 3:1,6)

This is good advice for overseers, Jesus.

It’s also an eye-opening insight into what happened with Satan.

You entrusted him with amazing gifts
but he deliberately ignored the fact

that You were the one
who gave them to him.

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

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Isaiah 14:12-15; Romans 11:25; Romans 12:16; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:1-3; Revelation 12:10-12

Sunday, February 12, 2023

 

Pray this Lazaroo with sold-out surrender:

“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’…”
(Malachi 3:17)

That’s like saying You don’t care, Jesus!

…that Your Word doesn’t matter
that we can live any old way we like

while You shrug with a half-smile on Your face
and say, “Oh, well, that’s cool.”

But it isn’t.

For those who deliberately flaunt Your loving laws

one day they will discover to their horror:

it’s very, very hot.

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

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Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 23:33; Mark 9:47-49; Luke 12:5; 2 Peter 2:4-9

Sunday, October 9, 2022

 

Pray this Lazaroo with sold-out surrender:

“…the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.”
(Luke 1:80)

Just like John the Baptist, Jesus

I want to grow in You!
I want to become strong in spirit!

In short, I want to become everything You’ve created me to be!

But that means I have to deliberately carve out time to do what he did

and get away for Deep, Daily, Moment-by-Moment
1on1 relationship with You.

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

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Psalm 27:14; Psalm 31:24; Psalm 61:3; Luke 2:40; Romans 1:11; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Corinthians 12:10

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

 

Pray this Lazaroo in total amazement:

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”
(Genesis 3:21)

Humanly speaking, this is incomprehensible, Jesus.

Adam and Eve knowingly, deliberately, blatantly disobey You.
As a result, they discover they’re naked.

Of course, there are consequences:

They have to leave the Garden of Eden.
Work and childbirth become harder, more painful.

But instead of abandoning them

You clothe them!

O God! Your loving mercy is unfathomable!

…which is why I’m still drawing a breath on this earth.

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

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Exodus 33:19; Deuteronomy 13:17; Psalm 4:1; Psalm 6:2; Psalm 25:6; Matthew 5:7; 1 Timothy 1:16

Friday, September 16, 2022

 

Pray this Lazaroo in solemn introspection:

“…keep yourselves in God’s love…”
(Jude 1:21)

Your love is legendary, Jesus.

No matter how many times I mess up

You forgive me.

HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!

But this command from You through your half-brother Jude

reminds me that I bear a clear and definite responsibility.

If I deliberately and repeatedly sin against You
thinking to take advantage of your love

I might want to think again.

Would anyone who truly belongs to You

callously, premeditatively
do such a thing?

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

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Hosea 9:15; Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 15:5-14; Romans 9:13; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Jude 1:1; Revelation 3:15-16

Thursday, December 23, 2021

 

Sell out totally to God as you pray this Lazaroo:

“The Lord has rejected his altar and abandoned his sanctuary. He has given the walls of her palaces into the hands of the enemy; they have raised a shout in the house of the Lord as on the day of an appointed festival. The Lord determined to tear down the wall around Daughter Zion.”
(Lamentations 2:7-8)

You discipline Your own, Jesus!

If we deliberately defy You
we can expect You to destroy
the blessings You’ve bestowed on us.

May I never do such an ugly, foolish thing, LORD!

Never. Never. Never.

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

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1 Samuel 17:10; 1 Samuel 17:25-26; 1 Samuel 17:36; 1 Samuel 17:45-50; 1 Kings 13:21; Jeremiah 48:42; Hebrews 12:6-10; Hebrews 12:25

Monday, January 4, 2021

 

Pray this Lazaroo with every fiber of your being:

“The wrath of God has come upon them at last.”
(1 Thessalonians 2:16)

I’m not asking You to punish anyone, Jesus!

Not even those who’ve hurt me the most.

The reason is simple:

I’ve sinned against You so many times.
You’ve forgiven and blessed me times beyond counting.

How dare I ask You to treat them worse
than in Your mercy You’ve treated me?

But for those who deliberately flaunt You without sorrow or regret?

Their day is coming.

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

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Exodus 21:14; Proverbs 11:31; Romans 4:5; Romans 5:6; Hebrews 10:26; 1 Peter 4:18; 2 Peter 3:7