Marty Pressey

Cry Out to God

How does grief affect you? Have you experienced the deep grief from the loss of a loved one? Have you cried many tears on many different days? Has your soul been shaken by the loss? Have you experienced a loss of energy or physical pains in your grief?

Grief is experienced in many ways be each of us. It affects some of us in one way and others in another. Some of us will weep for days or weeks or months. Others will experience depression, lack of energy, and lack of appetite. Still others will have their faith shaken and their soul rent asunder.

Grief can do strange things to us and cause many different maladies. How do we handle it? Each of us will handle it differently. Some will turn to their jobs as an escape. Others will curl up in the corner and simply want to be alone. Still others will turn to drugs or alcohol as a means to forget…for a little while. What each of us should do in all of these ways of dealing with grief is to pray.

The Psalmist cries out to God. He knows it is only God who can bring solace, peace, comfort, and ultimately joy again. He asks God to shed his grace on him. There is nothing the Psalmist is saying that God does not already know. Yet, God desires us to cry out to him in our grief. He wants us to bare our souls and our grief to him. God wants to help. Yet, he can only help if we are open to him helping. So, we all need to go to God in prayer in the midst of our grief.

I pray we all know we will grieve differently than others. I pray we choose to turn to God in our grief. I pray each one of us trusts that God knows how we feel and will provide the peace, comfort, and joy we seek. Turn to God. Trust God to provide. Trust God understands. He has grieved over us, too.

Psalm 31:9

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;

my eye wastes away from grief,

my soul and body also.

Rejoice and Be Glad

How will your day go today? Will you have a good day? Are you looking forward to today? Are you thankful for the gift of today? What will you do with the gift you have been given? Will you rejoice in your gift? Are you glad you have received this gift?

We all have good days and bad days based on our perception. Whether we want to admit it or not, our perception can be skewed. Deciding whether a day is good or bad is often based on whether we get what we want or not. Honestly, we can be fickle about it.

The Psalmist tells us that God has made each day. In other words, God has put nature in motion. It is God’s will that the sun rises, there is rain, there is sunshine, it is cold, or it is hot. Stating that God has made the day is putting trust in him. Trusting in him allows us to rejoice in the gift of having one more day. Our rejoicing will give us a joyful attitude.

Make no mistake, not every day is filled with rainbows and unicorns. Yet, by trusting in God and rejoicing in his gift, each day can be a joyful day. Even when things go wrong, we can be thankful that God has gotten us through it. Our trust in him includes having confidence that God is with us always with us.

Our outlook on the day is determined by us. If we decide to rejoice and be glad when we wake up, the day will be better than it would be if we decided to be angry and spiteful or depressed and playing the victim. The closer our relationship with God, the more we trust him. The more we trust him, the easier it is for us to rejoice and be glad he has given us one more day.

I pray we all choose to be thankful for the gift of today. I pray we trust God has given us today for a reason. I pray each one of us will rejoice and be glad about the gift we have received from God. Be thankful today. Trust God. Rejoice in your gift. Be glad God has given you today.

Psalm 118:24

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Gate of the Lord

Are you looking for doors to open to you? Have you been pounding on doors that just won’t open? Have you considered you have been knocking on the wrong doors? Are you willing to knock on the right door? Will you walk through the right door when it is open?

Door knocking can be frustrating, tiring, and nerve racking. When those doors don’t open, it can be disappointing. We can become depressed when door after door remains closed. It is especially disheartening when it is a dream of ours that doesn’t come true.

There is one door we all can walk through, if we are willing. It is one we may feel we don’t deserve…, and we would be correct. We can walk through the door of righteousness. Jesus opened the gate for us. He has prepared the way, and He stands on the other side with His arms wide open waiting to welcome us.

When Jesus went to the cross and rose again on the third day, He threw open the gate for each of us to walk through. All we need to do is accept Him as our Lord and Savior. When we do, we walk through the gate of Lord, and we enter righteous. Not because of anything we have done but because of what He has done for us.

Most of us believe we are unworthy. Yet, God has deemed us worthy. We should not doubt our worthiness to God. We are his creation. He loves us more than we can comprehend. Rather than telling ourselves we are unworthy, we need to be thankful that God loves us. We need to trust that God loves us and he knows what he is doing.

I pray we forget the doors that won’t open. I pray we seek the door that God has opened to us. I pray each one of us will trust that God loves us and has deemed us worthy to walk through his gate. Seek God’s open gate. Trust God loves you. Know that you are worthy. Walk through the Lord’s gate righteous.

Psalm 118:19-20

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;

the righteous shall enter through it.

Relying On God

Where do you turn in times of difficulty? Where do you turn in times of stress? How do you handle facing ridicule when standing for what is right? Who do you desire to be by your side? Can you count on them to always be there, no matter what?

We can be sure we all will face difficulty, stress, ridicule, and other hard times during lives, if we stand for what is right. There will be people who want to take short cuts, avoid proper processes, and pressure us to do the same. We will face unrealistic deadlines.

It is challenging to face difficult situations, and more so if we are facing them alone. We are better able to withstand the attacks and stress when there are others standing with us. We may rely on co-workers, friends, or family to partner with us. There may be times when they cannot stand beside us but may be supporting us in the background.

We can always count on God to be with us. For those who have not experienced him, it appears to be foolishness. Yet, when we fully trust God to be with us, we know he is there. We go to him in prayer, asking for guidance, relying on his strength, and trusting he will work it out to our good. By doing this, we are granted a peace and calm that only God can provide.

Though it may feel like the world is against us and things are falling apart, leaning on God will get us through it. We can be confident that even those who oppose us will see our steadfastness and our right standing. By trusting God to be with us, not only will we be able to withstand whatever difficulty we face but we will bring glory to God.

I pray we all know God is always with us. I pray we lean on God to guide us through difficult situations. I pray each one of us experience the peace and calm that can only come from God. Know God is with you. Ask him for guidance. Rely on his strength. Experience his peace. Bring glory to God.

Isaiah 50:7-8a

The Lord God helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

he who vindicates me is near.

Sustain the Weary

How well do you speak? Do you speak foolishness? Do you speak wisdom? Do you speak about things on which you are knowledgeable? Do you speak things you know very little about? Have you tamed your tongue? Have you allowed God to train you in your speech?

We like to speak, at times, about things on which we know very little. Sometimes, we speak in ignorance without knowing it. Other times, we speak about things we know and from personal experience. We can impart wisdom to others when we pair knowledge and experience.

Yet, we speak best when we lean on God to guide our tongue. Without God guiding us, we can speak foolishness, blathering about nothing and saying nothing of value though we may speak many words. To tame our tongue, we need God to help us. It is from him that true wisdom comes, wise words that can save a soul.

Not only can we speak wisdom when relying on God to guide us, but we can lift the heavy hearted, we can comfort the broken hearted, we can encourage the downtrodden. It is with God’s guidance that we will speak to the words that he desires us to speak. It is with God’s guidance that we will restrain ourselves. It is with his guidance that we will gain the wisdom to know when to speak and when to be quiet.

I pray we all seek to tame our tongues. I pray we ask God to grant us wisdom to know when to speak and when to be quiet. I pray each one of us will lean on God to sustain the weary with the words we speak. Tame your tongue. Ask God for wisdom. Lift the heavy hearted. Comfort the broken hearted. Encourage the downtrodden.

Isaiah 50:4a

The Lord God has given me

a trained tongue,

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Jesus As Our Priority

What are your priorities? Is it family? Is it job performance? Is it caring for those in need? Is it being at every worship service, Bible study, or other church function? Are your priorities your own or are they driven by someone else?

We can have several priorities and often they compete to be at the top of our list. It can be challenging at times to discern which one must be put before the other. However, there is someone who can help us set our priorities straight, if we make Him our top priority.

When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, there was at least one voice who complained about the expense. Perhaps others thought what the one said. But Jesus set the record straight. He was to be the priority, especially since He was about to go to the cross and would soon be leaving them.

Don’t misunderstand. Jesus was not saying we should not serve the poor. What He was saying is we should always make Him the priority, serving Him and thereby serving the poor. When we make Jesus our top priority and allow Him to be our guide, we will serve the poor but will also serve Him in other ways.

Service to Jesus is more than just serving the poor, though they are a part of it. It also includes serving our family, telling others about Jesus, trusting in His promises, and loving Him as much as He loves us. By making Jesus our top priority, all other priorities fall into place.

I pray we all seek to serve Jesus. I pray we ask Him to guide us through the long list of priorities. I pray we make Him our top priority, trusting in His promises, trust He will guide us, and love Him as much as He loves us. Seek to serve Jesus. Make Jesus your top priority. Trust Jesus. Love Jesus.

John 12:7-8 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Giving It All To Jesus

Do you give your best? Or do you hold back?

It is easy for us to hold back a portion for ourselves. We have a built-in instinct to take care of ourselves. We also can be selfish, wanting the best for ourselves. The combination of those two can drive us to being reserved and saving for a rainy day.

Mary saved nothing. She gave Jesus everything she had. The fragrant perfume oil she poured on Jesus’ feet was worth a year’s wages. Think about that for one moment. How much money do you make per year? Would you spend it all on Jesus? But it is more than that. That year’s wage was what a day laborer would make. In that time, day laborers were only men. Mary could not be a day laborer.

Mary’s extravagance is even more impressive when we know that the oil she poured on Jesus’ feet was worth more than the average woman would receive as an inheritance. Mary may have been saving her pennies her entire life to buy that bottle of oil. She spent everything she had to anoint Jesus just six days before He would go to the cross.

We do not have to give up every dollar we have. But Jesus does want us to give up everything we have. Contradictory? No. We are to be willing to use everything we have to serve Jesus. We need to understand that it all belongs to God, and we are merely stewards of what he has blessed us with. When we understand that and are willing to give it all back to him, our hearts have become like that of God’s.

I pray we all understand everything belongs to God. I pray we know we are stewards of God’s blessings. I pray each one of us are willing to give everything to God, making our hearts like his. God owns everything. You are a steward of God’s blessings. Give it all to God. Have a heart like God’s.

John 12:3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

Celebrate Like Jesus

Do you like dinner parties? Do you believe the more food there is and the more people there are the better the party is? Do you like to celebrate special occasions? Birthdays? Christmas? Easter? Thanksgiving? Can you think of a better occasion to celebrate?

Dinner parties can be a lot of fun. Celebrations are joyous occasions and can take us to extreme highs. There are milestone birthdays and anniversaries. We all have a very special Christmas or two. We may have a special Thanksgiving or two. And Easter can be a different type of high.

Jesus was in the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary to celebrate. What might have been a funeral dinner was a celebration. Jesus had recently raised Lazarus from the dead. Though Jesus had left briefly after raising Lazarus, He returned to have a celebratory dinner with Lazarus and his sisters.

The timing is key and amazing. Six days before the Passover—THE Passover. This is just six days before Jesus has His last meal with the disciples before going to the cross. The Passover was on Friday. So, this is on the Sabbath, the Saturday before what we now call Palm Sunday. So, Jesus knew His time on earth was coming to a close. Yet, He knew it was important to celebrate Lazarus being alive with Martha and Mary. We, too, can celebrate even when we know something is coming to an end.

I pray we all choose to celebrate special occasions. I pray we understand the significance of celebrating. I pray each one of us will celebrate with special people in our lives, even if we know something is coming to an end. Choose to celebrate. Celebrate with special people. Celebrate like Jesus.

John 12:1-2 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him.

Walk Toward the Future

Do you have goals set for your life? Have you accomplished goals during your life? Do you look back over your life at your accomplishments? Do you relish them? Do they bring back fond memories? Do you live in those memories? Are you looking to the future?

It is easy to live in the past, relishing those good memories and accomplishments. They are familiar. We know the outcome of them. On the other hand, the future is unknown. It can be uncertain. But we know we cannot relive the past and must stride into the future.

Having the mindset of the Apostle Paul would serve us well. He did not live in the past. He eagerly walked toward the future. Paul had been an enemy of God, even as he thought he was doing God’s work. He had persecuted the early church until Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. After than turning point, all Paul could think about was telling others about Jesus.

Many people who had lived hard lives or lived through bad situations become the most passionate evangelists. They know what it is like to live without God in their lives. They know the uncertainty of not having God to lean on. They know what it is like to be reborn into Christ and the stability, peace, joy, comfort, and strength that is drastically different in Christ.

Yet, all of us can also experience this. Far too often we grow comfortable in our Christianity. Attending worship becomes rote behavior. It can become nothing more than a social event. Our relationship with God can become superficial. How do we change that? We can follow Paul’s advice by not living in the past. See each worship service as a new opportunity to grow our relationship in God. We can ask God to rejuvenate us through the worship service before we walk into the sanctuary. We can keep walking toward God each day.

I pray we all eagerly walk toward the future. I pray we stop living in the past. I pray each one of us will ask God to renew us each day and seek to grow a deeper relationship with him. Do not live in the past. Walk toward the future. Ask God to renew you each day. Seek a deeper relationship with God.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Give It All Up

Do you willingly give things up? Are you willing to lose everything you have? Will you give it all away? Will you give up control of it all? Have you considered it is not really yours? Will you give them up to gain something far more valuable? Do you know you have this choice?

In our consumerism culture, we put a high value on possessions. Whether we openly admit it or not, many of us have the attitude that the one who dies with the most toys wins. Unfortunately (or fortunately), this attitude could not be further from the truth.

The Apostle Paul states that he regards everything lost for the sake of knowing Jesus Christ. Before we start selling everything we have, Paul does not say he actually gave them up. No, he considered them lost to him. In other words, he knows they all belong to God. He used possessions and money to spread the gospel of Jesus.

When we come to the realization that we own nothing but are stewards of what God has blessed us with, it frees us from consumerism. We no longer feel the need to compete with others. Our attitude becomes more like Paul’s. We seek opportunities to use what God has blessed us with to spread the gospel.

Why would we do this? To know Christ more. In some respects, it is like the question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. As we grow closer to Christ, we loosen our grip on possessions. As we loosen our grip on possessions, we learn to trust Christ more. When we reach the level of trust Paul had, we experience the freedom Paul spoke of to the church in Galatia in Galatians 5:1.

I pray we all seek to grow closer to Jesus. I pray we seek to be like Paul. I pray each one of us will loosen our grip on our possessions, trust God with all things, and experience true freedom. Grow closer to Jesus. Loosen your grip on possessions. Trust God. Experience true freedom.

Philippians 3:7-8a Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.