RSS

John 3:14-21

07 Mar

And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”

John 3:14-21

Dear God, as I read this passage and try to compare it to the story from Numbers 21 I am trying to make the link between the viper-stricken person who had grumbled in the wilderness and me, the guy who needs to look upon Jesus to be healed. What are our similarities?

The first similarity is that I am on a journey. Even last night, I had what I would call stress dreams—being late for a plane, can’t get everything packed, etc. There’s a lot going on in my physical world and I’m obviously trying to sort through it and getting on top of it. But am I looking at Jesus and remembering the peace that comes with your provision? Am I remembering to pray in real time and look for your peace. Am I doing the work I need to do each day with your power, authority, and blessing?

Father, help me to look to you, do what is in front of me to do with your power, and absorb the notion that you are calling me to peace. I fail. I am sinful. I am often afraid my sins will be exposed. But your light brings freedom. Be glorified in me through my weakness.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 7, 2018 in John

 

Numbers 21:4-9

06 Mar

4 Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Seac]”>[c] to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, 5 and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”9 So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!
Numbers 21:4-9

Dear God, 16 year and one week ago I left a stable job for the unknown. It was a scary decision, but one I felt literally called by you to make. It started a long hard process and nearly three years of unstable employment and money flow, fear in how I would earn a living, damage to my self-confidence, and strain on my family and my marriage. My wife and I have often said that if we had known how hard the next three years would be we wouldn’t have done it. I am convinced that’s why you keep us ignorant about the future. I came up with a line at the time, “God keeps me on a need-to-know basis, and I very rarely need to know.” I also came up with the line, “There’s a fine line between living by faith and living in denial.”

I think the same can be said of the Israelites. If they had know what was in front of them they might never have left Egypt. But you used those trials to make them stronger and to build their faith, just like you used those trials in 2003-2005 to make me stronger in you and build my faith.

One of the hard things as a parent is to allow your child to struggle through a trial. I remember talking to my dad after all of the unemployments were over and he told me, “You have no idea how hard it was to not just send you money sometimes.” I got that and I appreciate that he didn’t short circuit the lessons you were trying to teach me. Now, as a father of children who are out of the home, it is my turn to find that line between allowing my children to work out their own challenges so that they can grow as adults and in you, and when they need their dad to step in.

Father, thank you that you very rarely let me in on what the future holds. Thank you that you allow us to struggle. Thank you that you do everything just the way you do it. There are times it frustrates me, I must confess, but I can almost always see, in retrospect, what you were doing, and that what you were doing was good.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 6, 2018 in Numbers, Uncategorized

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

05 Mar

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Dear God, I suppose that if there is one thing I am supposed to know and remember to pass on to my children it is what the Jewish people call the “Shema Yisrael.” You are God, you are one, and I must love you with my whole heart, soul, and strength. Boy, is that harder to pass down than it sounds.

Over 20 years ago, I was at a Promise Keepers conference at Texas Stadium in Irving. One guy was talking to us and he used an illustration of three chairs. Each chair represented a level of love for and commitment to you. Chair #1 was VERY committed. Chair #2 was kind of committed. Chair #3 was not committed at all. He said that it usually goes that of generation #1 starts out in the first chair, it is likely that the next generation will be in the second chair and the third generation will be in the last chair. I think this is probably true which is why you gave Moses this passage to Still into the Israelites. We need to do everything we can to keep our children (and their children) in the first chair.

Father, you know what my wife and I tried to do with our children when they still lived at home. Now, they are both out in the world, and they will take those lessons (some of them anyway) with them. Give them what they need to live in that first chair. Help my wife and me to live in that first chair and stay there. It’s hard to not be distracted or tempted to follow our own way. But you are our God, you are one. I will love you above all others and with everything I have.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 5, 2018 in Deuteronomy

 

Joshua 1:6-11

04 Mar

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel, “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Joshua 1:6-11

Dear God, I e heard the phrase “be strong and courageous” before in relation to you and Joshua, but I don’t think I realized you said it three times. And then, when you said it, for Joshua, it was go time. Within three days, he started their new lives.

I have some friends who are on the precipice of big decisions. In fact, they are the three friends I’ve been praying for a lot lately. Of course, there are more than these three, but these three have been especially on my heart. But I can see this passage being for them as well. Daunting things are in front of them. I think it might be time for you to communicate to them, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Father, first, help me to internalize this passage for myself. I have some things to deal with at work that I don’t like dealing with. It’s going to take some conflict, but not nearly as much conflict was Joshua was facing. But you are with me. I must have faith in that. I must be strong and courageous and not think about the potential downsides or difficulties from the conflict because you are with me wherever I go. And I pray this for my friends too. Help them to be strong and courageous so that they might each live the life you have for them and so that others might be touched by you through their lives and their stories of faith.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 4, 2018 in Joshua

 

“Beautiful Trauma” – Pink

03 Mar

“Beautiful Trauma” by Pink (Alecia Beth Moore)

I have no idea if people read this daily blog of my prayers to God, but if you’re out there then what I’m about to say will probably make you lose a lot of respect for me. I’m a fan of the singer Pink. Since I’m a middle class white guy in his late-40s, I figure she would probably be disappointed to hear that I’m the kind of person who really likes her music. If she saw me sitting out in the audience at one of her concerts, she’d probably curse to herself and walk of the stage thinking her career is over. But on the other hand, she might also be surprised to know that I am a devout Christian who spends time in scripture every day, prays regularly, very happy in my marriage, and works in a Christian faith-based nonprofit. I guess I’m an enigma.

So I woke up this morning with the song “Beautiful Trauma” going in my head. I really like this song although the lyrics make me sad. The song is an interesting combination of happy music with troubling lyrics. The lyrics are about a dysfunctional, unhealthy relationship. I’m not going to post the whole song here because they include profanity, and I don’t want to offend anyone in this environment. I’ll let you Google them for yourself. But here’s a phrase that’s interesting:

You punched a hole in the wall and I framed it, I wish I could feel things like you. Everyone’s chasing that holy feeling, And if we don’t stay lit, we’ll blow out, blow out…

When I think about Pink’s music, a lot of it leaves me with the same impression. Alecia Beth Moore (her real name) is writing and selecting songs that express her internal feelings and Pink gets to perform them. I’m concerned for Alecia and a fan of Pink’s. But even in my concern, she’s someone I like because she’s willing to be honest and open about her struggles. I admire vulnerability.

As a Christian who has tried to discipline himself into discipleship for the last 31 years, I have learned a lot of lessons through my mistakes and God’s redemption. And while I don’t have life or faith figured out by a long shot, I am in a position to be able to tell when someone is grasping for the wrong things that they think will bring happiness. In the case of too many of our marriages, we look to the spouse to bring us that joy we are looking for instead of trying to tap into the overall macro-level life that God has for us.

Have you ever looked at that couple that hardly speaks to each other anymore and wondered when things changed? You know that there was a time when they couldn’t get enough of each other. They kissed uncontrollably. They talked on the phone a lot before they lived in the same home. They held hands. They had room for the other’s faults. But now the initial emotion is gone and they are disillusioned. I’m not going to play marriage counselor here because I have no expertise in this area. And I’m not going to say that if they were Christians then their marriage would be better because that’s not necessarily true either. There are plenty of discipling Christians with marital problems. I’m just saying that there is an empitness in Pink’s music that I can see in a lot of lives around me. From family members, to friends, to coworkers, to our clients at work, there is a lot of pain out there, and I think music like this helps me to tap into it and understand it a little instead of isolating myself in a protected bubble–and did I mention that I think the music itself is great?

Father, help me to be in the world but not of the world. Help me to find the balance between exposing myself to the lives and perspectives that others have and feeding my soul with things that are of you. Help me to carry your salt into a world that is looking for taste.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 3, 2018 in Hymns and Songs, Uncategorized

 

Tags: , , ,

Job 23:1-11

02 Mar

Then Job spoke again: “My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. I would lay out my case and present my arguments. Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me. Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would give me a fair hearing. Honest people can reason with him, so I would be forever acquitted by my judge. I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed. “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.

Job 23:1-11

Dear God, the verses of the day were actually 10 & 11 (“But he knows…”), but I couldn’t look at those without looking at 1-9 as well. Those verses show the frustration in Job’s heart and his commitment to you. He loves you. He believes in you.

Yesterday, I prayed for three friends who are facing difficult situations. I have to say, it looks like two of them had very good days. I was very grateful for them. One of them moved completely through the stage of stress they were in and into a new light. I pray that that one will continue to look to you as Job did here. One seemed to settle into the situation they are facing. I pray that that one will find you in the midst of the struggle. As for the third, I think the struggle continues. Please be with that person and help them move to the next level of development in their lives.

Father, finally, help me. I have some situations in my life that require wisdom, discernment, compassion, and toughness. Please guide me. Help me to be your servant and to represent you well for your glory’s sake.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 2, 2018 in Job

 

Psalm 73:21-24

01 Mar

Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Psalm 73:21-24

Dear God, I have three friends, in particular, who are going through trying times right now. I wonder how much this passage applies to all three of them. Each of them is facing a very different set of circumstances, but I thought of each of them as I read this piece of Psalm 73. How much of their responses to their respective situations are because their hearts are bitter? Do they seem like senseless animals to you?

Of course, now it is time to turn the mirror on myself. Am I seeking your counsel in real time when I face a challenge? Am I asking for your strength? Do my words and actions bring you glory? Are others drawn to you because of my life?

Father, where there is anger and/or bitterness in my heart, let there be love and selflessness instead. Where there is fear, let me instead seek the right balance of your power and your shelter. And for my friends, I pray that each one will hear from YOU today. Even though I know at least one of them isn’t accustomed to calling on you, I pray that all three will and that they will find that, even though they might seem like a senseless animal, they belong to you and you are holding their right hand. Thank you for holding my hand too, Father.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on March 1, 2018 in Psalms

 

2 Timothy 1:6

28 Feb

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.

2 Timothy 1:6

Dear God, what is it that I bring to the table in terms of your Kingdom coming and your will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven? Am I missing opportunities that pass by me each day? Well, of course I am. But still, what is it i should be doing that you have given me to do?

I think one of my problems tends to be that I have some great thoughts (at least I think they are great) about how to address some of the ills of our community (e.g. early childhood development, domestic violence, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, etc.), but I get so overwhelmed by the work I have to do in front of me that I keep allowing days of inaction to go by. I have a hard time discipline myself to really engage in one or two of these problems in a timely way. In the meantime, days of people suffering keep slipping by.

Father, show me what you would have me to do today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today. When something comes up, please whisper in my ear and don’t let me miss an opportunity that is of you because I only have so many days to be contribute to your Kingdom while I’m here on Earth. I don’t want to miss any of them.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 28, 2018 in 1 Timothy

 

John 4:13-14

27 Feb

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

Dear God, I wonder how many Christians truly experience your living water. I wonder if I am experiencing it to the fullest.

I guess the first thing I would want to look at is what do I think someone fully experiencing your living water looks like? I guess the first place to go is the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. The person exhibiting a natural flow of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control is probably getting it from this spring of water “bubbling” within them.

But Galatians 5:22-23 is only part of the equation. Is the person also naturally, through their relationship with you, NOT exhibiting the attributes from Galatians 5:19-21–sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, envy, drunkenness, and wild parties. I can fake a lot of the Fruits of the Spirit, but evidence of your living water flowing from within me is also an absence of the others.

Father, please help me to continually pursue you. Too many times in my life I have had to endure hardship of some sort to go to the next level of working out my faith with you. I hope that always need to be—not because I expect an easy life, but because I would hope that my love for you and my gratitude to you would drive me onward and upward. That I would naturally give “My Utmost for [Your] Highest.”

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 27, 2018 in Galatians, John

 

1 John 4:7-10

26 Feb

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:7-10

Dear God, what is it about having children that brings out a different kind of love in the parent than they’ve ever known before? I mean, it’s completely psychological. There is just something in me that, when my child is on stage or out on the playing field along with several other children, fixes my eyes on them. I watch their every move. My video camera follows them everywhere they go. I’ve even consciously considered it in really time while I’m watching them.

And then there’s the forgiveness angle. They are so easy to forgive. Sometimes too easy, I fear. I say too easy because I had to really fight myself against spoiling them when they were young and I didn’t always find the right line for that. Even now, they are grown and out of the house, living in different cities, and they are still different to me than anyone else in the world.

I remember when they were little, thinking about my love and forgiveness for them and considering that I didn’t begin to understand your grace and love for me until I was a father myself. Your willingness to pursue us through Jesus’ sacrifices started to make sense. I am only one of billions, but it doesn’t matter. I’m still yours.

Father, help me to really accept that love and grace from you and to learn more and more how to return that love to you. Let that love for you be my guide and I make my daily decisions and determine how best to live my life.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 26, 2018 in 1 John

 
← Older posts
Newer posts →