The Dangerous Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,

Teach us to pray like You prayed.  Teach us to humble ourselves before our maker and submit to His good and perfect will.  Teach us to say “You first, and me second.”  Teach us to say “Your will be done Lord not mine.”  Jesus You gave us an example to follow, help each of us to pick up our cross and follow You.

Amen

Warning!

1 Corinthians 4:9-14:

“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.  We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.  We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.”

 

“We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong!  You are honored, we are dishonored! ... We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world… I am not writing this to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.”  What harsh and costly words.  They could have a real impact if you let them. 

Rich Soil, Strong Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:9 states “for we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Martin Luther King Jr. once said “human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of people willing to be co-workers with God.”  We are “God’s fellow workers,” we are “God’s field,” we are “God’s building.”  It is up to us to do His work.  Human progress WILL NOT roll in on “wheels of inevitability,” it must be worked for.

WOW!

“These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.  The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”  -1 Corinthians 2:10-16

I find it incredibly overwhelming to know that I serve the God of the entire universe, who is all powerful and all knowing and that He is willing to share His deepest thoughts with me, and anyone else who asks.  What an awesome gift!  How empowering is it to know that “what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God” that “we have the mind of Christ!”

He Is Able, He Is Willing

 “The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”  - Romans 14:3-4

This reminds me of Matthew 8:1-4:

“When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed Him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’”

The “Lord is able” and the Lord is “willing!” Thank You Jesus!

Lord, Thank You for Your willingness to forgive and use me.  You are a great and powerful God, able and willing.  Thank You.

Amen

Wake Up!

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”  - Romans 13:11

Asleep In the Light, by Keith Green

Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,

Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown,
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.

What a Promise, What a Savior!

 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”  - Romans 8:31-32

What an amazing truth to take to heart.  What an undeserving promise from our creator. 

Thank You Lord for all You have given me, help me to use it for You.

Amen

No Matter the Cost, I Am Yours

 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”  -Romans 8:17

There is a cost to being a disciple of Christ, but it is worth it.

Dear Lord,
You have my life, take it and use it as You wish.  I surrender to Your will, I am totally and completely Yours.  Use me to increase Your glory on this earth!

Amen

God’s Wrath

“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.”  - Romans 1:28

The fallen state of our world is the direct result of our sin.  When we choose to go our own way and to consider Gods word as not “worthwhile,” we become depraved in our thoughts and actions.  Sin has direct results NOW.  If we want a better world, we must begin with the knowledge of God.  This goes right along with the concept of blessing.  God wants to bless us both physically and spiritually.  When we make our selves overflow with the knowledge of Him our lives are filled with blessings instead of depravity.  Likewise, when we go our own way and seek our own gain, our lives are filled with depravity instead of blessings.  It is a conscience choice we make.

God is Faithful!

“So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.”  - Acts 27:25

Lord,

Give us this kind of faith.  For You are a faithful God.  You have always kept Your promises and always will.  There is no room for doubt with You.

Amen

Our God is Near to Us

“The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’”  -Acts 23:11

 “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me”  -Acts 27:13

Lord,

Thank You that You are a God that is near to us.  Thank You for Your constant presence in our lives and for Your strength when we are weak.  Thank You that at all times, we can be strong in You because You are always with us. 

Amen

Witness’ of God

Acts 22:14-15:

“Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth.  You will be His witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.’”

“The Lord has chosen you,” “you will be His witness to all people.”  This seems to fit well with my last post.  If anyone wasn’t convinced of our call, here you go!  It is every Christ follower’s responsibility to spread the gospel.  God has chosen to reveal His thoughts to us, He has given us His very words, and He has called us to share what we have seen and heard with others.  For some of us that will take place in our homes and for others it will take place around the world, but everyone is called to share their story of how God has revealed Himself to them.

Lord,

Thank You for trusting us with Your thoughts.  Thank You for allowing us to know You personally.  Lord, give us boldness to go out into the world and serve You by being a witness to the world of what You have done in our lives.  Lord make us aware of what You are doing in the world so that we can take Your word to the streets.

Amen

Go and Make Disciples of All Nations...

Acts 17:26-27:

“From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.  God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.” 

What an amazing truth this is.  I think that these verses clearly express God’s heart for His creation and His love for all nations and peoples of the world.  As verse 27 says He is “not far away", and all one must do to find Him is “seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him.”  What an encouragement this is for missions.  All that the people of the earth need to find God, is to know that He exists.  How can we expect those who have never heard of Him to find Him when no one has brought them the gospel?  Romans 10:12-15 puts it this way:

Jesus, Thank You

“Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.”    Acts 13:39

Lord Jesus Christ,

Thank You for Your sacrifice and for setting us free from the power of sin and death.  You certainly are a good God.

Simple Faith

Acts 5:14-15:

“Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.   As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”

It’s a bit overwhelming to think that we have a God who is able to heal a sick man using only the shadow of one of His followers and a bit of faith by the one being healed.   I wonder what would happen if we allowed God to use more than just our shadows for His purposes?

Lord,

You are truly a God of might and power.  Your mysteries no one can fathom.  We stand in awe of who You are and what You can do.  Use us to bring Your healing to earth.  Use us to accomplish miracles today.

Amen

He Is!

“’Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’”  John 8:58

Lord thank You for being the I Am!  I am in awe of who You are.

Amen

“ I do only what I see my Father doing” –Jesus

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?’ Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.’  ‘Abraham is our father,’ they answered. ‘If you were Abraham’s children,’ said Jesus, ‘then you would do what Abraham did.  As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.’ ‘We are not illegitimate children,’ they protested. ‘The only Father we have is God himself.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’”    John 8:31-47

I don’t have much to say about this, I just find it a bit ironic.  The devil lies to us and we believe him; and God tells us the truth, yet we struggle to believe.  According to these verses our actions reflect who we serve.  If God is my father, I do as God does; if Satan is my father, I do as he does.  According to my actions who am I reflecting?

Dear Lord,

Help me reflect Your image in all that I do!  I want to model You.

 Amen