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RUNNING ON EMPTY - It’s 3:00 a.m., and I’m staring at the blank screen on my computer with tears running down my face, wondering what’s wrong with me. I keep thinking, “I don’t know what to write this morning. I don’t have anything to offer. I’m running on fumes. I’ve got nothing left. What could I possibly say or do for a hurting world?”It feels like the devil is using that blank screen to taunt me, shame me, and try to take me out of the game — to push me to the sidelines of ministry with the lie, “Who are you kidding? You’re a nobody with nothing to offer.”But in that quiet, broken moment, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart: “In the Kingdom of God, empty is not the same as useless.” In fact, God often empties us on purpose — not to shame us, but to prepare us.Sometimes God empties us of: • pride — so we stop trying to impress Him • plans — so He can lead instead of follow • formulas — so we seek Him, not methods • spiritual performance — so we stop auditioning for love • the need to feel in control — so He becomes our confidence…because He longs to fill us with: • His wisdom — not just our best ideas • His presence — not just religious activity • His purpose — not self-selected missions • His timing — not rushed agendas • His peace — not anxiety disguised as planningSo while my mind may wrestle to understand it, I’m learning this truth: there is no shame in feeling empty.Emptiness doesn’t mean failure — it means capacity. Because God cannot fill what is already full.The world says, “If you have nothing left, you’re done.” Heaven says, “If you have nothing left, I can begin.”So Lord, if emptiness is where You work best — then here I am.Walk in faith, rest in grace, and trust the One who walks beside you.In His love and grace,ray mileur"Helping believers walk closer to Jesus, one day at a time." <a href="http://www.raymileurministries.com">www.raymileurministries.com</a>P.S. — The devil lost another round this morning.

Running on Empty

Christian Religion concept background. card design template.

Daily R.E.A.P. Report for Matthew 19:19 (ESV) Honor and Love: The Way of the KingdomRead “Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:19 (ESV)Matthew writes primarily to a Jewish audience to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law and the Prophets. In chapter 19, Jesus teaches about God’s heart for covenant faithfulness (marriage), welcomes children, and then speaks with the rich young ruler about eternal life. Jesus lists commandments that reflect love for others, revealing that true righteousness is relational and heart-deep, not merely rule-keeping. This verse matters because it shows how God’s wisdom transforms everyday living: honor at home and love toward others is the lifestyle of God’s kingdom.Examine This verse summarizes the “second table” of the Ten Commandments—how we treat people. Honoring parents and loving neighbors are not optional extras; they’re central to life with God. Honor means valuing the people God has placed in our lives; love means actively seeking their good, as we would our own. This reveals God’s character: He is a Father who builds families, heals communities, and calls us to reflect His faithful, other-centered love.Connection to Jesus: Jesus taught that the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37–39), and He fulfilled them perfectly. He honored His earthly mother even from the cross (John 19:26–27) and loved His “neighbors” by healing, feeding, teaching, and ultimately laying down His life (John 15:13). Following Jesus means embodying His honoring, sacrificial love in our daily interactions.Main Themes: - Honor: Recognizing God-given worth in parents and authority figures, reflecting gratitude and respect. - Neighborly Love: Proactive, practical care for those near us—family, coworkers, classmates, literal neighbors. - Wholehearted Obedience: God wants righteousness that flows from a transformed heart, not mere compliance.Key Word Study: - Honor (Greek: timaō): To value, prize, or regard as weighty. Not mere politeness, but a commitment to treat someone as significant. - Neighbor (Greek: plēsion) and Love (agapaō): Plēsion means “the one near you,” anyone within your sphere. Agapaō is willful, sacrificial love seeking another’s highest good—not dependent on feelings, but on choice and action.ApplyReflective Questions: - Where am I being nudged to show greater honor to my parents or parental figures (even if imperfect)—in words, time, or practical help? - Who is my “neighbor” today—at home, on my street, or at work—and what would loving them “as myself” look like in one concrete action? - If there is pain or distance with a parent or neighbor, what step of forgiveness, boundary-setting, or prayerful outreach is God inviting me to take?Real-Life Application: - Practice Honor: &nbsp; - Send a sincere note/text to a parent or mentor: “Thank you for what you’ve poured into me. I appreciate you for ____.” &nbsp; - Offer practical help: pay a bill online with them, schedule a medical appointment, fix something around the house, or plan a weekly check-in. &nbsp; - If there’s brokenness, honor can mean honest boundaries and prayerful respect—speaking truth without hostility and refusing to repay hurt with hurt.- Love Your Neighbor: &nbsp; - At work: Cover a shift, share credit, or check on the colleague who seems overwhelmed. &nbsp; - In your community: Introduce yourself to a neighbor, take out their trash, or bring a meal to someone recovering or grieving. &nbsp; - As yourself: Ask, “If I were in their shoes today, what would I hope someone would do for me?” Then do that.PrayDear Heavenly Father, I praise You as the God of faithful love who builds families and heals communities. I confess where I’ve withheld honor, spoken harshly, or chosen convenience over love. Forgive me and cleanse my heart. By Your Spirit, teach me to value my parents and elders with respect and practical care, and to love my neighbors with wisdom, courage, and compassion. Empower me to set healthy boundaries when needed, to forgive quickly, and to serve generously—just as Jesus loved me first. Shape my words and actions today to reflect Your heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.Closing Reflection: Imagine your home and neighborhood as lamps lining a dark street. Every act of honor and every gesture of neighborly love turns another light on—warmth spreading, fear receding, hope rising. As you walk today, let your steps be small switches of light: a call, a kind word, a helping hand.Call to Action: Before the day ends, do one specific act in each direction: - Honor: Reach out to a parent or parental figure with gratitude or practical help. - Love: Do one neighborly act for the person nearest you who needs it. God goes with you, delighting to shine His love through your life.

Honor and Love: The Way of the Kingdom

"How to Walk in Your Calling in Your Hometown" - There’s a verse that’s been sitting heavy on my heart lately: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown…” (Mark 6:4)Speaking from experience — sometimes the hardest place to walk in your calling is around people who already know your name, your past, your mistakes, and yes… your awkward middle-school phase. Even Jesus was doubted by the very people who watched Him grow up — so don’t be surprised if it happens to you too.So if you’ve ever felt overlooked, doubted, or dismissed by familiar faces, take heart… you’re in good company.God often starts His greatest stories in small hometowns with humble beginnings — just ask David, Joseph, Esther, Jeremiah, and a certain Carpenter from Nazareth.God doesn’t need a crowd to validate what He has already spoken, your calling is still real.So keep walking like Jesus, keep serving like Jesus, keep loving like Jesus, because the world doesn’t need more celebrities, it needs more servants who look like Jesus.Let your life be your testimony, and your walk be your witness.And let God write the story — even your hometown, a place where we all started.In His love,Walk in faith, rest in grace, and trust the One who walks beside you.In His love and grace, ray mileur"Helping believers walk closer to Jesus, one day at a time." www.raymileurministries.com

"How to Walk in Your Calling in Your Hometown"

CHRISTIAN REFLECTION: "The Cocoon Generation: When Screens Become Our Refuge and Our Ruin"Somewhere between COVID lockdowns and our current digital obsession, something quiet — and honestly heartbreaking — happened to us. People didn’t just retreat into their homes… they retreated into themselves. And now we’re living in a world where isolation feels normal, and authentic connection feels almost inconvenient.And here’s the part that ought to make us pause: - People are now saying online what they’d never say face-to-face. - - They will expose the darkest corners of their soul on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or wherever the algorithm will listen — but won’t whisper those same struggles to a friend, a pastor, or someone sitting beside them at church.Screens have become the new “safe space,” where folks feel: invisible yet expressive, bold but not accountable. connected but still painfully alone.We’re witnessing a generation that is overexposed and under-known. AI “relationships,” parasocial connections, late-night confessionals to strangers online… it all looks like community, but it’s hollow at the center. It offers comfort without commitment, companionship without covenant, and conversation without consequence.And social media?Well, it’s given us a stage with no pastor, no elder, no friend to say, “Hey now… that’s not who you are.”People blast anger in comment sections, bare their souls to total strangers, and perform their pain for an audience that scrolls past ten seconds later. Meanwhile the same people struggle to make eye contact at the grocery store.We’re oversharing online and under-living in real life.But God didn’t design us for digital echoes. - He designed us for community — messy, inconvenient, face-to-face, heart-to-heart community. - He designed us for people who know our names, not just our usernames. - For conversations that involve eyes, not emojis. - For relationships that cost something, not algorithms that simulate affection.The danger of the cocoon is this: You can get so comfortable inside it, you forget how to be human outside it.And maybe it’s time — lovingly, honestly — to remind folks that screens can assist your life, but they can’t live it for you. AI can imitate a voice, but it can’t love you. Social media can broadcast your thoughts, but it can’t heal your heart. The comments section can listen, but it can’t walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death.Only God can do that.And only real people — His people — can walk beside you as He does. Genesis 2:18 — “It is not good that the man should be alone.”Walk in faith, rest in grace, and trust the One who walks beside you.In His love and grace, ray mileur"Helping believers walk closer to Jesus, one day at a time." www.raymileurministries.com &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

"When Screens Become Our Refuge and Our Ruin"

Daily R.E.A.P. Report for Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)Well done for opening God’s Word today! By leaning into Jeremiah 31:3, you’re stepping into a tender promise of God’s unchanging love. Be encouraged—this moment of study is a powerful way to anchor your heart in His faithfulness and to let His truth shape your day.READ “The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)Jeremiah prophesied during a dark time for Judah, leading up to and into the Babylonian exile (late 7th–early 6th century BC). While much of Jeremiah warns of judgment, chapters 30–33 are often called the “Book of Consolation” because they overflow with hope, restoration, and promises of a new covenant. Chapter 31 foretells the return of God’s people from exile and the renewing of their relationship with Him. Jeremiah 31:3 lands like a sunrise after a long night—God assures a weary, scattered people that His love has no expiration date and His commitment doesn’t waver. This matters for you today because it tells you who God is when you feel far away, guilty, exhausted, or uncertain: He is faithful, loving, and drawing you home.EXAMINE This verse proclaims that God’s love is eternal and His loyalty unfailing. Even when His people are distant—geographically, spiritually, or emotionally—God moves toward them. His love is not reactionary; it originates in His character. He doesn’t just feel love; He acts in faithful commitment to restore and renew.Connection to Jesus: Jeremiah 31 culminates in the promise of a “new covenant” (31:31–34), fulfilled in Jesus, who sealed it with His blood (Luke 22:20). Jesus embodies God’s everlasting love—He sought the lost, welcomed the weary, and loved “to the end” (John 13:1). He also echoes this verse’s drawing love: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). In Christ, the God who loved from afar has come near to bring you home.Main Themes: - Covenant Love: God’s love isn’t fragile; it’s a steady, loyal commitment that endures our failures and seasons of wandering. - Restoration: God pursues to heal and restore, not to condemn. Exile isn’t the end—homecoming is. - Faithfulness in Distance: Even when you feel far away, God’s love reaches you and initiates the return.Key Word Study: - “Everlasting” (Hebrew: ‘olam) — points to perpetuity, something without end. God’s love isn’t seasonal; it’s eternal. - “Faithfulness” / “lovingkindness” (Hebrew: hesed) — God’s covenant loyalty, steadfast love in action. The underlying Hebrew can also be read “I have drawn you with lovingkindness,” where “drawn” (mashakh) means to pull or attract gently. Together, the nuance is beautiful: God faithfully draws you with loyal love.APPLYReflective Questions: - Where do I feel “far away” from God right now—emotionally, morally, or circumstantially—and how does His everlasting love speak into that place? - What voice have I been listening to more than God’s—shame, fear, busyness—and how can I let His faithful love become the loudest voice today? - What is one relationship or situation where I can mirror God’s loyal love through a practical act of faithfulness?Real-Life Application: - Begin with Identity: Each morning this week, quietly pray, “Father, You have loved me with an everlasting love.” Sit for one minute, breathing slowly, letting that truth settle your heart before emails, chores, or headlines. - Return and Repair: If you’ve drifted—maybe neglecting prayer, avoiding church, or feeling guilt—take one small step back today: read this verse aloud at lunch, send a message to a spiritual friend, or plan to attend worship this weekend. - Mirror His Faithfulness: Choose one person to serve with steady kindness. Send a thoughtful note, follow through on a promise, or extend grace in a conflict. Consistent love over time reveals God’s heart.PRAYFather, I praise You for Your everlasting love and unfailing faithfulness. You loved me before I ever looked for You, and You keep drawing me closer. I confess the ways I’ve wandered in worry, distraction, or sin. Forgive me for believing that distance defines our relationship. Please renew my heart with Your loyal love. Draw me by Your Spirit—teach me to rest in Your nearness, return to Your ways, and reflect Your steadfast love to others. Empower me today to take one clear step of faith and to persevere in it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.CLOSING REFLECTION: Picture yourself on a long road, tired and unsure, when a warm light appears in the distance—a home where the door is open and the Father stands waiting. His voice carries on the wind: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Feel the gentle pull of His kindness drawing you closer with every step.Call to Action: Today, speak Jeremiah 31:3 over yourself at least twice—morning and evening—and take one small step “homeward” (a prayer, a text to a mentor, a returned commitment). Walk forward knowing you are held by a love that will not let you go. Walk in faith, rest in grace, and trust the One who walks beside you.In His love and grace,ray mileur"Helping believers walk closer to Jesus, one day at a time." www.raymileurministries.com

Drawn by Everlasting Love

&nbsp; Shepherds with No Time for the Sheep?“If you spend more time marketing yourself than ministering to people, it might be a sign you’ve drifted from the heart of the Gospel.” ~ ray mileur“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” — John 10:11 (ESV)There’s a quiet shift happening in the church today—so quiet you almost miss it at first. Pastors and ministry leaders are spending more time polishing their platforms than tending their people. And somewhere along the way, what began as ministry slowly turns into marketing and self-promotion.Don’t be blinded by the spotlight. It can dazzle you, distract you, and make you feel ten feet tall — but it isn’t the Light of the World. Only Jesus is. And the brighter His light shines in us, the less we need any spotlight at all.The early church didn’t explode across continents because Peter had a catchy brand or Paul knew how to build a following. The Gospel spread because those men weren’t pointing people to themselves — they were pointing to Christ. The message was alive. The Spirit was moving. And the servants were humble enough to stay out of the way and let Jesus be the headline.There’s nothing wrong with sharing testimony. But when the spotlight feels warmer than the altar, something inside us should pause and ask: “Who am I really lifting up here?”And maybe that’s the saddest part of all — in a world obsessed with platforms, today’s shepherds often have so little time left for the sheep. The very people we’re called to guide, comfort, and love can get lost in the shuffle while the shepherd is polishing what was never meant to shine.But the Gospel hasn’t changed. Sheep still need shepherds, not celebrities. They need presence more than polish. Compassion more than content. A pastor who smells like the field, not the stage.So perhaps the Spirit is whispering a gentle invitation today:Slow down, step off the stage and get back among the flock. Trade the spotlight for the pasture and trade the applause for the quiet, faithful work of tending souls.Because when the Jesus, the great shepherd appears, He won’t ask about our reach, our brand, or our following. He will ask about our faithfulness.Our ministry will be measured not by who noticed us, but by the sheep who knew their shepherd’s voice — and by the Shepherd who knows ours.