So prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you. Now that you are obedient children of God do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted. But be holy in all you do, just as God the One who called you, is holy. It is written in the Scriptures: “You must be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NCV)
Questions: Are there things in my life that are “permissible” but not beneficial or constructive to my life?
Are there parts of my life that I do not allow Jesus to have total access?
Week 4
2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.
4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:2-5
Verse 2 of this Psalm is such a statement of fact: “I called and you answered.” Period. God did respond. He met my expectation that He would answer.
Verse 3 seems to say that God did even more than I expected. That His grace and mercy kept me from death (physical, emotional, spiritual) and from the “pit” that I was walking toward. I have been in situations that I KNEW was bad news and I seemed to spin in a circle or wander around and not be able to find my footing. The worse case scenario was rushing toward me and I couldn’t seem to change course. God saved me.
Verse 4 is a moment of relief and praise. HALLELUJAH!!! God is WORTHY of my praise!
Verse 5 is like a “philosophical review” of the event. I am a sinner. I chose an un-Godly path but I KNOW I am a Child of God, saved by grace. I know that He is a righteous parent – angry when I am disobedient but continues to show me love – may I always know that I am loved. I cry during the discipline. It isn’t fun. It isn’t fun when I have to go through the consequences of an “unwise” (I’m being kind to myself!) decision. And so I weep.
Joy DOES come. It may not be literally “in the morning” – like 8 or 12 hours from now. When I turn control over to God, joy does come. The “weeping” may last for a ‘season’ – and that ‘season’ may be hours, days, weeks, and yes, even years, but JOY, real JOY that has NOTHING to do with my circumstances WILL come. Yes, I argue with God’s timing when I am going through the un-joyful time. But I stand and testify today that God’s timing IS perfect and the joy, the relief, the “aahhh” of the cool water after being on God’s anvil, does come!
Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing it everywhere around the world! Sing out his praises! Bless his name. Each day tell someone that he saves.
Publish his glorious acts throughout the earth. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. For the Lord is great beyond description, and greatly to be praised. Worship only him among the gods! For the gods of other nations are merely idols, but our God made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty are in his Temple. Psalm 96:1-6 (TLB)
I will praise You today, Lord, for:
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Week 5
When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. Psalm 11:3-4
What is there to say in the midst of war? What do I say to my friends who have been notified that their son or daughter has been killed in combat? Where will my eyes be when the next terrorist attack comes? Glued to the television or focused on the One who has the power to do something about EVERY situation?
We have seen pictures and reel after reel of what war looks like. We have to hunt for the pictures of soldiers praying, soldiers being baptized in the desert and reporting miraculous events of protection and care. God isn’t sleeping through this war. He isn’t distracted by some other single incident and missing our concerns.
During the days, months, and years ahead, we as Christians have an opportunity to hold up God’s banners of truth, hope, compassion, power, and unconditional love. Whether it is family, friends, fellow members of our local church, co-workers, or even unknown people on the street, we are Christ’s ambassadors with opportunities to share God’s peace that DOES pass understanding through prayer, fellowship, and witnessing to the character of God.
God’s temple, His dwelling on earth is ME. It’s YOU. We are His temple. We carry His light into the WHOLE world. Jesus said to “GO into ALL the world”. Do I think that Jesus spoke carelessly and didn’t really mean “ALL”? I must lift my head out of my own little universe and see the opportunities that the Lord has placed in my path. I can do NOTHING without Him. Sharing that testimony in these uncertain days is being a conduit of God’s light – His lighthouse – in a world that would want me to believe that all is lost! Just before He died, Jesus said to His disciples and to me,
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you… “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:12-15, 32
As we pray each day, let us remember to always pray through to the victory that has already been won!
Questions: What prayer concerns can we lift up before God about our nation?
Who do we know ‘in harm’s way’?
Week 6
In case someone out there has forgotten, Valentine’s Day is just two short days away. Sometimes I think that there is more media pressure to get a gift for this occasion ‘RIGHT’ than there is at Christmas! Whether you are a guy or a girl, God has a suggestion for the PERFECT GIFT! It is not a dozen roses. It is not a diamond ring, necklace, or bracelet. It is more precious than that. It is FIVE MINUTES of your time in prayer EVERY DAY for your wife or husband or friend. Let’s see what Jesus says:
“Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and don’t doubt, you can tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it will. Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith. Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father I heaven will forgive your sins.” Mark 11:22-25 (CEV)
Jesus tells us clearly about the power of prayer AND He tells us that the prayer must be coupled with forgiveness. Whether you are married or seeking God’s will in a relationship, it is hard work. It requires GOD’S grace and mercy and LOVE each and every day. Prayer is the secret ingredient.
A wonderful Christian author, Stormie Omartian, has written a series of books “The Power of