TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. (Psalm 42:1 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• What. A. Week. I can’t believe it’s already Friday. I’ve had a crazy, busy week, but it has flown by. How about yours?
Tonight, some of my Bible study ladies and I are going to tune in to the Tony Evans conference, “Desperate for Jesus.” And I think that name is probably the best conference name ever.
The word “desperate” has six meanings in Merriam-Webster. Let’s review three of them in context of Jesus…
- A: having lost hope
B: giving no ground for hope
True hope is only found in Jesus. When we understand that any other attempt to grasp at hope is futile, we recognize our desperate need for Jesus. Romans 15:13 says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Scripture tells us over and over again that we can have hope in Jesus, but pay attention to the word “abound.” For us who HAD no hope, we can have it in abundance in Jesus! He doesn’t just stop at “here’s some hope.” He gives it abundantly!
- A: moved by despair or utter loss of hope
B: involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration
When we think of a move of desperation, one of the best examples from Scripture is the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ robe. This nameless woman’s story is found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. Three of the Gospel writers included her act of desperation, and I think that’s an important reminder for us… when we are at the point of despair or utter loss, the best thing we can do is reach out to touch Jesus. Hold onto the hem of his robe, and don’t let go! Have the unnamed woman’s desperate faith, willing to take extreme measures to get to Jesus. The good news — we can get to Him through broken and humble hearts because God, in His compassion, promises to be near the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18). And Jesus showed it over and over — the Gospel writers frequently referred to His compassion.
- suffering extreme need or anxiety
You don’t need a psychology degree to recognize the world is hurting. A quick Google search on anxiety stats revealed that “More than 3 million US cases per year” are diagnosed. What’s interesting is that they broke the age brackets down… anxiety is “very common” in teenagers, young adults, and adults. It’s only “common” in children and seniors. So while anxiety is impacting all generations, the ones who are less likely to be caught up in technology and social media seem to be faring a little better.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Anxiety affects us all in one way or another… and if you’re one of those rare people who don’t struggle with it, I’d wager that it still impacts you through someone you know.
For those dealing with anxiety, I know it’s not as easy as flipping a switch, but I promise — it gets so much easier with Jesus. His peace is real and better than any prescription!
So the question today — are you desperate for Jesus? Are you pursuing Him as the Psalmist did, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1)?
It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day and take for granted the hope we have in Jesus… it’s easy to back burner our faith until the point we are desperate for Jesus’ help.
But what if we maintained a daily desperation for Him? What if we prioritized Jesus above everything—even spouses and children. Because the amazing thing is — when we put Jesus first in our lives, recognizing our desperate need for Him, everything else falls into place.
I’m a work in progress, but I truly am desperate for Jesus.
How about you?
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for being Your Savior. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an unquenchable thirst and hunger for the Word. Ask Him to help your soul to always be desperate for Jesus.
If you want to learn more about the Desperate for Jesus Conference, visit https://dfjconference.com.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
