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John 17:6-19

11 May

“I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

John 17:6-19

Dear God, I love how specific this prayer is. Jesus has zeroed in on his close followers and talked about his desires for them. He will move on to future believers in a bit, but for now, in this moment, he was focusing on the needs of the people to whom he is the closest. What did Jesus request for them?

  1. That their unity would be protected
  2. To not take them out of the world, but to protect them from Satan
  3. Make them Holy
  4. Teach them with your word

Father, I would like to embrace this prayer and ask it for myself and for those I know and live. Make me one with your community and my fellow believers. I don’t want to be removed from the world, but I want to be your presence in the world. I need your protection. Please forgive me of my sins and wash me in Jesus’ blood. And please continue to teach me so that I will be as close to knowing you as possible by the time my life on earth is done.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 11, 2018 in John

 

Psalm 1

10 May

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 1

Dear God, as I was reading this psalm this morning I remembered that there is a son by Kim Hill from close to 30 years ago called “Psalm 1.” I had forgotten she did that. I looked it up and it was a nice refresher for that being a nice song. I think it might have been the first track on her first album.

As I thought about this psalm’s message this morning the other thing that occurred to me is that this is the psalm that the ancient organizers thousands of years ago chose to be first. A lot like “Holy, Holy, Holy” is almost always the first song in the Baptist Hymnal, this is the first psalm in the Jewish Book of Psalms. The organizers wanted to emphasize being righteous and pursuing righteousness. They wanted to condemn those who judge, mock, and do evil things. This was the first message they wanted to emphasize.

Father, help me to remember this lesson. Help me to plant myself by your living water so that my life might grow to be of most service to you. Be glorified in me so that others will be drawn to you and experience your living water for themselves.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2018 in Hymns and Songs, Psalms

 

Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

09 May

No verse.

Dear God, thank you for last night. We had a fundraising dinner for the nonprofit where I work and you showed up. I prayed that you would show up. I prayed that the night would not be as much about money as it would be about you speaking to people’s hearts, and you really did that.

It’s an amazing thing when people get up and share the challenges from their lives. Their mistakes. Their hard times. Even their sins. When done in a spirit of giving you glory it always touches others. The keynote speaker last night told me afterward that she really struggled as to whether not not to share some of the more vulnerable parts of her life, but afterward she was glad she did. Yes! Those were the parts of her story that spoke to the crowd the most.

Father, help me to keep that focus today. Help me to decrease as you increase. Let your Holy Spirit flow through our building and our work. Help me to lead and help all of us to let go of our pain, fear, bitterness and even our rights and embrace the opportunity to love others in an unreasonable way. And do it all for your glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 9, 2018 in Miscellaneous

 

Acts 1:15-26

08 May

During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.” (Judas had bought a field with the money he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open, spilling out all his intestines. The news of his death spread to all the people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”) Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

Acts 1:15-26

Dear God, were you in Peter’s decision that they needed to replace Judas in that moment? Were you in the casting of lots? Was Matthias the answer, or did you intend for Paul to replace Judas all along? Did Peter in his impatience get out ahead of you, or did this happen just the way you thought it should?

I am preaching again on Sunday for the Presbyterian church and this is one of the scripture readings. This is where my lack of Christian education comes in because I’ve always thought that Peter did the wrong thing here for the right reasons, but the scripture never says he was wrong so my Baptist heritage tells me that the Bible is inerrant so Peter was right to do what he did. But the fact remains that you had another man lined up to be an apostle, and that man would write much of what would become the New Testament that we use to know you today.

Father, I need your help in figuring out what I should preach about this week. Since it’s Mother’s Day, I’m thinking about doing something that is totally unrelated to the week’s scripture readings. But then I read something like this and I wonder if there isn’t a sermon in the idea of getting out ahead of you and not waiting on your timing. I don’t know. So be with me today. Help me to do the right thing for this church on Sunday, but let that start with letting you change me today.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 8, 2018 in Acts

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

07 May

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear God, I feel like I’m better about praying more often and be thankful in all circumstances, but I’m not foolish enough to think I’ve arrived. I know I have a long way to go. But what would a life look like that had arrived (or be really close to arriving) in this area?

I think one of the problems we face as a modern church is that we don’t pray enough. So many people go through the Christian motions of doing the Sunday thing. And they might offer up the occasional mealtime prayer. But how many actually follow through when they say, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you,” or, “I’ll be praying for you.” We just don’t pray to you enough. We don’t get enough scripture. And I’m in that group too. But at least I can see my life on a continuum and feel that I’m better than I used to be.

Father, there’s been a rash of deaths lately. And I’ve also got some friends with relatives in perilous situations. I pray for each of them individually in my heart right now. I pray that the pain of the loss will yield your fruit in their lives. Don’t let it be wasted. Heal relationships. Glorify yourself. In their lives. In the case of the woman who is in critical condition, be with her body. If she is suffering at all, please relieve it. Help her family to feel your presence. And if my prayers can make a difference in her healing then I offer up to you that I would like to see you glorified through her complete healing and the restoration of her mind and body.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2018 in 1 Thessalonians

 

James 5:16

06 May

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16

Dear God, community is so important. I confess that going to church is not one of my favorite things. In fact, I don’t enjoy it much at all. But I need it. I need it for the teaching. I need it for the worship. I need it for the scripture. I need it for the service opportunities. And I need it for the community. I need to be sitting with others, develop relationships, and allow you to use some of those relationships to sharpen me. I also need to be there and intentionally available to that person who walks in and needs you.

Too many of us (including me) miss some of these aspects. We might show up, but we don’t allow the teaching or worship to penetrate our hearts. We don’t contemplate the scripture. We don’t look for ways to love others. We don’t seek out legitimate community. In essence, we don’t use church as a way to love you with all we have and live our neighbor as ourself. And we don’t let down our own walls enough to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other.

Father, as this is. Sunday morning, help me to use church for the community that it is meant to be. Give me the teaching I need. Help me to take a worshipful heart in and make it willing to be vulnerable and to reach out to others. Ultimately, be glorified through me so that I might grow closer to you and being the man you want me to be, and so that others might be drawn closer to you too.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 6, 2018 in James

 

Philippians 4:6-7

05 May

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Dear God, there have been times during difficult trials that I’ve had to lean on passages like this and I had varying degrees of success. Sometime I have done it right, come to you, laid it at your feet, experienced peace, and things even worked out in a good way. Then there were times when I went through trials and I was so distraught I didn’t know how to pray. And then there are the trials I just tried to fix on my own. And sometimes my solution works, but I miss you, your power and glory, and your peace in the process.

When I was unemployed in 2003 & 2005, I came up with a line that there’s a fine line between living by faith and living in denial. I can say I’m praying about something, and I can say that I have faith that God (you) will provide, but the truth is I’m just ignoring it and hoping it all works out. That is dangerous on a lot of levels, but again it misses out on an opportunity to grow closer to you. It is good to pray and have faith that you will provide, but it is not good to abdicate response and wait for you to fix my situation without knocking on different doors to see if you will open them as a way out.

Father, help me to always bring my little problems and my big problems to you. Help me to experience your peace and joy in a complete and unreasonable way. Give me that peace that passes all understanding and then help me to share that peace and the pathway that leads to it with others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 5, 2018 in Philippians

 

2 Chronicles 7:10-14

04 May

10 Then at the end of the celebration, Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the Lord had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.

11 So Solomon finished the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12 Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said,

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.  

2 Chronicles 7:10-14

 

Dear God, I spent some time on my weekly phone call with a friend today, and I told him this passage would be the topic of my prayer journal today. I mentioned that what struck me about it is that, in the midst of the celebration you assured Solomon that you had built the unfaithfulness of your people into your plans. You knew that they would stop calling on your name, humbling themselves, praying to you and seeking your face. You knew that they would develop wicked ways. And you had a plan for that.

 

I really wish that I was more faithful than the Israelites. I really wish that I had a better handle on always calling on your name, humbling myself, seeking your face and praying to you. I wish that I did not develop wicked ways. I used to really judge the Israelites when I was a boy and in Sunday school classes. How could they do that? How could they be so unfaithful? Now, I know that I am just as unfaithful as they are.

 

Father, I am here this morning. I know I’m not worshipping you perfectly. I know that, on a scale of 1-10, I am probably in about the middle of the scale when it comes to my focus on you and how awesome you are. If it counts that I at least can sit here and acknowledge my shortcomings and humble myself, then I hope it’s enough for your favor. Help me to be better. I would love to develop into the person who doesn’t need the hard times to drive me to you, but instead finds that I miss you when we are not together and worships you out of pure desire.

 

In Jesus’ name I pray,

 

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 4, 2018 in 2 Chronicles

 

Romans 12:9-16

03 May

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Romans 12:9-16

Dear God, Romans 12 is one of those passages that you hear referenced a lot in Christian circles. Why? Because it’s good stuff. But as I think about each thing that Paul mentions here, I can’t help but think it all goes back to Jesus’ two great commandments: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39). It’s that simple.

The problem with evaluating myself on how I am doing in these areas is that I have no perspective on myself. It takes outside people to look at me and ask how I’m doing. I need their perspective and their critical eye because it always takes someone else to push you harder than you can push yourself. That’s why even athletes who participate in solo sports like tennis or golf still need coaches. So how am I doing there? Frankly, I probably need a coach.

Father, I’d like to think I live a life that lives up to Romans 12, but I know I’m falling short. Of course I am. Help me to do better. Use my wife to sharpen me. Use our church to sharpen me. Use my friends and family too. Help me to not be too proud to completely submit to you and those whom you put in my life to help me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2018 in Romans

 

1 John 5:14-15

02 May

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

1 John 5:14-15

Dear God, this verse 14 kind of goes with the verse that says if we ask anything in your name it will be given to us (John 14:13). Years ago, I remember praying through that verse and deciding that praying in your name was equal to praying in agreement with your will over mine. So if I am asking for something then praying in your name does NOT mean tagging on the word “in Jesus’ name I pray” to the end of my prayer (although that is a good reminder that I am under the grace and power of Jesus resurrection every time I pray to you). It means that I am praying in alignment with Jesus’ identity and my desires are purely for your will.

I’m in a situation right now that feels like your providence. It feels like you have answered a big, miraculous “YES” to what my wife and I have prayed about for nearly a year. The problem was that the timing of my request was bad. You have worked out so many good things by giving us the timing you gave us, and while I was frustrated with this process went along slowly, I was able to just submit to your answer of either “no” or “not yet” (I couldn’t tell which you were answering at the time) and press on with what you gave me to respond to in the moment.

Father, for every good example of me doing it the right way, I can give 10 examples (at least) of me getting it wrong. So help me to remember these lessons and to seek out your heart and what pleases you as I decide what petitions to bring to you and how to bring them. I want to do all of this for your glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 2, 2018 in 1 John

 
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