June 19, 2026 – Lifeboat
Prevail #200 – Joel 3:14 – Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of Lord will soon arrive. Larson offers this sobering, and hopefully motivating, truth, “Every single day, people die without knowing Jesus. They face a Christ-less eternity; once they’ve taken their last breath, there’s no altering their eternal destiny…. The ship is sinking. Lives will be lost. It’s time to save them, time to tell them about the lifeboat God has provided. It’s up to them to decide if they’ll trust Jesus for themselves or not. But right now, thousands privately wonder if there’s a God in heaven who loves them. Be His ambassador today.”
Max tells about a time when he felt prompted to be an ambassador of sorts. Despite feeling a little uncomfortable, he acted upon an opportunity to sit down next to “a haggard-looking man sitting on the concrete steps of a building…. I had taken him for a homeless, unemployed drifter. I was wrong. Turns out he had just gotten off work from an all-night shift as a stagehand. We talked for a few moments about his career…. He also told me how God had blessed his life and that he felt the favor of the Lord. I’d misjudged him. I walked away a bit embarrassed. Learn from my experience. Let every person you meet be a new person in your mind. None of this labeling or these preconceived notions.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” If Max hadn’t put aside his discomfort, I wonder how long that man would have stayed on his mind leaving him wondering about missing an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. By being obedient to the calling, Max was blessed by the man.
JC – “Bring Me all your feelings, even the ones you wish you didn’t have…. Feelings per se are not sinful, but they can be temptations to sin…. Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. If you persist, your feelings will eventually fall in line with your faith….” See Ephesians 6:16, 1 John 1:5-7, and Isaiah 12:2.
Power – Romans 8:1 NIV – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Joyce points out that, “We cannot fulfill our God-ordained purpose in life while we’re trapped in guilt and condemned by our feelings. God doesn’t want us to beat ourselves up for every mistake we make. We need to learn how to apply the work of the cross in our lives, accepting by faith that Jesus shed His blood to forgive our sins, receiving His forgiveness, and going on to do the things God has called us to do without a trace of guilt.”
Streams – John 18:11 – Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me? This is quite an awakening statement from Cowman, “To ‘drink the cup’ was a greater thing than calming the seas or raising the dead. [Really?] The prophets and apostles could do amazing miracles, but they did not always do the will of God and thereby suffered as a result. Doing God’s will and thus experiencing suffering is still the highest form of faith, and the most glorious Christian achievement.”
JA – “I AM YOUR HELP AND YOUR SHIELD.… Because I am your Help, you don’t need to fear inadequacy. When the task ahead of you looks daunting, rejoice that I stand ready to assist you. Openly acknowledge your insufficiency, and trust in My infinite sufficiency. You and I together can accomplish anything, as long as it is My will…. Sometimes you’re aware of My protective work on your behalf, but I also shield you from perils you never even suspect…. Fear no evil, My cherished one, for I am with you.” See Psalm 33:20, Deuteronomy 31:8, Philippians 4:13, and Psalm 23:4.
JL – “Ever-present God, This is a time in my life when I must learn to let go – of loved ones, of possessions, of control. To let go of things that are precious to me, I need to rest in Your Presence, where I am complete…. You have been teaching me that it’s possible to feel secure even in the midst of the most difficult, painful circumstances – through staying aware of Your continual Presence with me. Thank You for being my firm, secure foundation that no one and no circumstance can take away from me. In Your steadfast, loving Name, Jesus, Amen.”
