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Psalm 103

27 Dec

Psalm 103

A psalm of David.

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

6 The Lord gives righteousness
    and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

7 He revealed his character to Moses
    and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
    nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
    he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
    like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
    as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
    with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18     of those who are faithful to his covenant,
    of those who obey his commandments!

19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
    from there he rules over everything.

20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
    you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
    listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
    who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
    everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Dear God, sometimes it’s nice to just stop and worship. I feel like for the last five weeks I’ve been trying to think deep Advent thoughts as I moved through the season and tried to uncover you. But in a moment like this, it’s kind of nice to read a “psalm of orientation” out loud and just worship you. To be reminded how good you are by David from thousands of years ago. You are the same God to me that you were to him. The only difference is that I now have Jesus. Oh, how David would love to have known Jesus. To learn from Jesus. To repent to Jesus. To worship Jesus. He would have found that you are even better than he knew when he wrote this psalm.

So, here I am to worship you this morning and remember all of the good things about you. You are gracious. You are slow to anger. You are good to all who love you and call on you. You are better to me than I deserve. You are love. You are amazing, God.

Father, help me to turn loose of all of my idols today. All of the little things I hold on to that I think will bring me security and certainty. Help me to go to work this morning and work as unto you. Help me to love my wife well. Help me to love my friends well. Lord, I give you my heart. I offer it to you. Take it and use it and my life however you will for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 27, 2024 in Psalms

 

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Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-60

26 Dec

8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

Acts 6:8-10

54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Acts 7:54-60

Dear God, I want to look at the men from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia this morning. They are basically the ones who started this event. I wonder what was in their hearts while they challenged Stephen. Were they proud? Were they angry? Were they afraid they were wrong and overcompensating? And how much am I like these men? My temptation is to put myself in the Stephen role and people with whom I disagree in the role of these men, but something tells me that if I do that then I am being even more like these men than I already am.

I was telling some family last night that my need to be “right” decreases every year. I have friends who don’t believe. I have family who are hostile towards you. I used to see it as my job to be the one smart enough to convince them. Now, as I go through life, I find that what you really need me to do is love them and then be available to speak truth to them in the opportune moments. But I don’t have to be right. They don’t have to be wrong. And if I am wrong about something…”If.” As if I’m not already wrong about a lot of things. When I am wrong about something, give me ears to hear and eyes to see.

Father, as I go out into the world today, let me be a vessel that carries you with me. As a pastor friend of mine would put it, spill out of my bucket and over into the lives of those I touch. Bring your kingdom and your will being done into this world through me and anyone else you choose. And I pray for friends and family a lot, but I seem to forget the angel component, and I believe the angels are here. I don’t know their roles. I don’t know how much my prayers impact their activities or the power they have, but I pray for the angels that touch my life and the lives of those I love. And I pray that my own heart will not be hardened but open to the truth you have for me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 26, 2024 in Acts

 

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Merry Christmas, Eve

25 Dec
“Mary Consoles Eve” by Sister Grace Remington.

Dear God, on this Christmas morning, I want to spend some time with Eve and Mary. With this image. I want to see myself in Eve. I want to embody the shame on her face. The clutching of the apple. The serpent wrapped around her legs, ready to trip her. She is us. She is all of us. She is Adam. She is Abraham. She is David and Solomon. She is Peter. She is Paul. Frankly, she is even Mary and Joseph.

I think I mentioned this a couple of days ago, but I heard an Orthodox priest say last week that the Incarnation actually happened with Mary’s visit from Gabriel. The birth was the forthcoming of the incarnation, but the plan was officially in motion at that point. At least the part of the plan we can see.

But how am I like Eve, as depicted here by Sister Grace Remington? I come to you with a mixture of shame and wonder. She knows what she did. I know what I’ve done–mostly. Some things I’ve done wrong that I don’t even know, but I know I’ve failed you, myself, and others around me. And then to reach out at marvel at what is inside of Mary. To wonder what exactly it means. Not even Mary and Joseph knew exactly what the unborn Jesus would mean to them and to the world.

I see Satan trying to wrap himself around me. To hold me back. To trip me. To strike at my heel. To keep me from you. That is, after all his ultimate goal: to keep me from you.

Mary is holding Eve’s hand and her shoulder. Fellow sojourners. Fellow mothers. One with an awesome responsibility and yet in as much need as Eve. Mary is linked to Eve and Adam as much as I am. They are part of me. Their legacy lives on in me and the rest of us. And I don’t judge them. I love them. I appreciate them. I appreciate their strengths and their weaknesses. Their vulnerabilities.

Of course, Mary is crushing the serpent’s head with her foot. Some non-Catholics might take exception to this, but I don’t see this as Mary doing this, but the act of her obedience to play a role in the Incarnation as doing it. That’s what this process is about. That thing that is wrapped around me legs, that tries to keep me from you, is destroyed. Killed. If only I will ask the child Mary once carried inside of her to do it for me.

Eve doesn’t want to let go of the apple just yet. Yes, I have sins that I hold onto. I’m better. I think I’m better. I think I’ve let go of a lot of it. Help me, Father, to let go of all of it.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, as I sit here on this Christmas morning, I find myself really being grateful. First, you did something very kind for my wife and me last night. Thank you. We really needed it. Take this little life of mine and use it to love others today, tomorrow, and for as long as it draws breath–and even beyond.

I pray to the Father in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2024 in Advent 2024, Miscellaneous, Mothers of the Bible, Musings and Stories

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 24

24 Dec

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 

1 John 3:7-8

Dear God, first, when I just sat down and saw the words “Joy to the World” for the title of this collection of daily readings, it made me think of the Keith Green song “Easter Song.” The chorus: “Joy to the world! He is risen. Halleluiah!” This is just the beginning of the bigger story. The plan is in motion. It had always been in motion, but now human eyes are starting to see it take shape. You are coming forth from Mary. The incarnation! And you will die. And you will rise again. And Satan will be destroyed along with his works.

I have to say, it doesn’t feel like he’s been destroyed yet. My wife and I cried together this morning over a sorrow in our lives. No, his works are not destroyed. They are still causing all kinds of problems. And we seem to hold onto them.

Our small town weekly paper does a page this time of year for local pastors to write something for the community. I think there were six pastor messages this year. I read them all. The one I am holding onto today is the last one. He encouraged us to have the faith of Mary. Mary accepted Gabriel’s charge. And yes, she might have had some buyer’s remorse and fear after the angel left, but she still had faith. She still pressed on. And she lived a hard life. And she suffered. She had sorrow. She had pain. A sword pierced her very soul, as Simeon predicted in Luke 2:35.

Father, I don’t understand how you defeated Satan’s plans or what that looks like from your perspective, but I do not have to understand. As I prayed with my wife this morning: I believe. Help my unbelief. I have faith. Help my lack of faith. I worship you. Help me me to worship you well and sin no more. And may it all be for the sake of your name being made hallowed, your kingdom coming to earth, and your will being done on earth as it is in heaven. You have given me more than my daily bread in terms of material needs, but give me my daily bread of emotional needs and healing. Comfort. Keep me from temptation and deliver me and those I love from Satan’s plans. Deliver us all from Satan’s plans. All glory and honor are yours, now and forever, Father.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 24, 2024 in 1 John, Advent 2024

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 23

23 Dec

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans 5:6-11

Dear God, friends with you? Really? I remember a friend of my dad’s who is gone now, but he used to establish mentoring relationships with young men, usually college-aged or older. He would say he wanted to be their friend. Frankly, we tried, but I didn’t care for him that much. I never felt like the friendship was equal or two-way. It didn’t fit my definition of friend.

So when I read Paul saying that we are friends of yours, I wonder how that can be. Is it this kind of friendship this man wanted? A friendship where one person has all of the power and the other is just lucky to be in their orbit? I mean, I’m good with an image of you as God and worshipping you. I’m good with an image of you as omnipotent and omnipresent. I’m good with an image of you as infallible. But it’s hard to think you could be my friend.

But then I think about the evidence you’ve shown me and the world that you want to be our friend. First, you reach out to us at all. That’s amazing in and of itself. Second, you literally sacrificed a part of yourself for us. Third, you took the time to be with us in the flesh to relate to us and teach us. You cared for us. You wept over us. You love us. Fourth, you are here with me now to just love me where I am. No conditions of where I will be in the future. Just love me where I am. Your influence will mold me as we go along, to be sure. If I am the average of the five “people” or I guess entities I spend the most time with, and I am spending time like this with you then I suppose the more I spend time with you the more I will be like you. But you are taking me where I am. It’s remarkable.

Father, it is amazing that I am a friend to God. I am a friend to you. Holy Spirit, you are sitting with me now as I type this. That’s amazing. You are comforting me. Teaching me. Inspiring me. Interested in me. I hope my love in return is enough. Sometimes, I feel like that is all I have to offer. But I offer it freely, willingly, and joyfully. Thank you, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit–my Triune God.

I pray to the Father in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 23, 2024 in Advent 2024, Romans

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 22

22 Dec

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

John 20:30-31

Dear God, as John sat and dictated this book, I wonder how hard it was to sort things out. “Oh, and then there was the time…” “Oh, and I remember when Jesus…” It must have been a wonder to think back on all that Jesus was and had done and then try to make sense of what was happening in his world at the time. His friends were dead. He was in exile. You hadn’t come back. I don’t know if he wrote this before or after his Revelation, but it almost feels like some of these guys sat down and wrote these books so much longer after Jesus was gone because they didn’t really think they would be around that long after the ascension. I think they still thought you were about to come back any time. I’m sure they would be shocked to know that we are still waiting 2,000 years later.

I know there are people who are living today who are shocked you haven’t come back in our time. The goings on now seem unique. But I think the truth is we all live in a time of confusion for ourselves. None of us really has any more idea of what is going on that our pets do. We have a sweet dog who just lives day to day. She looks to us to provide her meals, her walks–even her opportunities to go to the bathroom. She doesn’t know if it is winter or summer except to wonder why she is cold today. Yes, on a scale of “domesticated dog” to “God,” I am not a zero, but I’m a lot closer to 1 than I am even a 3.

The same was also true for everyone represented in the Bible. Mary didn’t understand what was going on during the pregnancy and birth. She might have learned a little more over the next 30 years and Jesus grew, but then those three years of active ministry must have been very confusing. Then the crucifixion. Then the resurrection. Then the ascension. If you’d have told pregnant Mary, post-Angel visit, that this is how it would all turn out she would have been shocked. Joseph too. “He’s going to what?!? Die?!? Resurrect?!? Ascend?!?…Why?!?” Well, the answer was so much bigger than they could have known–and I’m foolish if I think any of us, even 2,000 years later, really understand the “Why?”

Father, I want to quote Piper’s prayer for us in today’s reading as I close this prayer: “O, how I pray for a breaking forth of the Spirit of God upon me and upon [others}. I pray for the Holy Spirit to break into my experience in a frightening way, to wake me up to the unimaginable reality of [You].”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2024 in Advent 2024, John

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 21

21 Dec

28 Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29 So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

30 “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.

31 “Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them.

“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32 (This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.)

33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.

34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?”

Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. 

John 18:28-38a

Dear God, an entire book could probably written about these 11 verses. This whole exchange is amazing, but I can’t let go of one thing first. The accusers would not go into Pilate’s place because it would make them unclean for Passover. Isn’t that a little ironic given the fact that they were actually in the process of killing your Passover Lamb? They were so locked into their own deception they couldn’t see they were actually killing you! Somehow, they thought they were pleasing you. Somehow, they thought this was an act of worshipping you. It’s unbelievable to think about in that way. Again, I could probably write thousands of words on how I and others today do the same thing–make tremendous mistakes in your name that grieve you. Let me just say that I am sorry for my ignorance. Sometimes it’s bad teaching. Sometimes it’s bad influence. And sometimes it’s just my sin driving me into errant thoughts and actions. I am so sorry.

But back to Jesus’s conversation with Pilate. By all historical accounts, at least as I understand them, Pilate was a terrible person who was awful to the Jews in Israel at the time. He is not a sympathetic figure. But this account recorded by John almost makes me think that John had compassion for him. He seems confused and helpless. He seems overwhelmed and like he wants to do the right thing by this man in front of him. Even later, the way John records Pilate putting “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” over Jesus on the cross and telling the accusers, “What I have written, I have written,” (John 19:19-22) communicates an exasperation on Pilate’s part. It’s hard to get tone of voice through writing, but I feel like John captures it here.

For Piper’s daily reading today, he focused on verse 37. Jesus said he came to testify to the truth. What truth? Well, I think it was the truth about you and who you are. It makes me think of Job’s response to you in Job 42:5: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.” People throughout history had heard of you through the prophets and the writings, but now they had seen you. I have seen you through these stories of who you were as you lived a human life. Jesus showed us the truth about who you are. He also told us the truth about how you think. We know what your opinions are on any number of things. You preached to us. You taught us. You corrected us through Peter and the other people you corrected while here on earth. You taught us about our need to be reconciled to you. You taught us that Gentiles are as precious to you as anyone. You gave us eyes to see beyond what our eyes can physically see. You truly represented “truth” in a whole new way. A complete truth that is really remarkable when we think about it. In fact, Pilate shows the confusion of the world when he simply follows up verse 37 with a simple but profound question for the lost: “What is truth?”

Father, I feel like I am one small, tiny step closer to understanding your truth today than I was yesterday. And, with your grace, I will be one tiny step closer to understanding you tomorrow and the next day after that as well. Oh, how I love you. Oh, how I need you. Oh, how I thank you.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 21, 2024 in Advent 2024, John

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 20

20 Dec

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 

1 John 3:7-8

Dear God, Piper focused on the second part of verse 8 for today’s reading. I have to say, when I first looked at the passage as a whole, I was thinking it was an interesting one to choose for Advent, but then I got to this part and I thought I could see what he was doing. It kind of goes back to what he said the other day about Satan being the one who did not want Jesus to go to the cross because that was when his power was truly broken. It makes me look at the last three years of Jesus’s earthly life as a time of Satan trying desperately to win a game at the last minute. The temptations in the wilderness. The temptation from Peter to not follow through and die. Even the temptation in the Garden to not go through with it. Why? Because that death of a part of you would bring resurrection and then untold power to our ability to be your children.

So here I am, sitting at my desk on a Friday morning. I have things in my life that ae a delight and things that are sorrowful. Then I have other things that are in between. Just responsibilities and opportunities to serve. Thinking about last night and the words I shared. I pray that they were your words. I pray that they found at least one set of ears who needed to hear them. I pray that you might give me ears to hear them as well. What is it I long for? Am I longing for the right thing?

Father, I offer you my worship and my work today. I offer you my love and my service. Give me eyes to see what you need me to see. Give me ears to hear what you need me to hear. I love you, Lord. I lift my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul! Rejoice! Take joy, my King in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ears.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2024 in 1 John, Advent 2024

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 19

19 Dec

14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Dear God, when I first read this passage this morning, it made me think of a sermon illustration I heard a year ago that talked about how you became incarnate on a planet of dogs in order to teach them and save them. I did a prayer journal on it at the time. Here is the illustration as I recorded it at the time:

A man had a dream one night, and he met God in his dream. He had been wondering about the incarnation and how it worked. “Why, God, did you have to come to earth as a man?”

God didn’t explain, but decided to show him why instead. He took the and they started traveling through space. Faster and faster until they started to approach a planet. When they arrived at the planet, still outside of its atmosphere, God stopped to tell the man about the planet. “This planet is controlled by dogs,” God said. “They are the highest life form here. The problem is, they are vicious dogs. They are cruel and mean. They destroy each other. They are filled with anger. But somehow, I want to help them. I want to teach them to love. I want them to know I exist and be in relationship with me. I want to show them how I love them. I want to help them take that love and give it to each other.”

The man replied, “That’s wonderful, Father. How will you do that?” 

“That’s where you come in,” God said. “I need you to do something for me. The only way to communicate with them is to become one of them. So I need you to go down there as a dog, tell them about me, and teach them through your example.” 

The man readily agreed. “Of course, I will do that for you and for them,” he said.

“There is a catch,” God added. “You won’t be able to teach them through coercion. That never works. You will need to come from a position of physical weakness to teach them what I need them to understand. They won’t learn if they are physically intimidated by you. So I am sending you as a chihuahua..” 

This caught the man off guard, but he saw the wisdom in it.

“There is another catch,” God continued. “In order to show them my power, you will have to die and let them kill you. Then, I will bring you back to life. This will show that you are truly my messenger and they should listen to you. It will be painful, but it is the only way. I cannot stand their viciousness with each other. I cannot be around it. So I need your perfect life to be a sacrifice for their sins, so that I will have a way to interact with them.”

Now the man was dreading this assignment for the first time, but he was willing to do anything God asked of him. He agreed to God’s terms.

But God wasn’t finished. “There is one more thing. When you are resurrected, you will remain a chihuahua for eternity. You will come to me and be with me, but you will be the chihuahua at my side. I am not a dog. I cannot relate to being a dog. But after you are a dog, I will need you to remain a dog so that you can continue to be my intermediary with them.”

It was then that the man fully understood what the incarnation of Jesus was all about, but instead of sending another sinful creature to be that intermediary, God was forced to send part of himself to earth. He was the only one capable of fulfilling this mission. This reconciliation with humans on earth. They are vicious, selfish, and cruel. But God loves us and wants to know him and live the lives of love and joy he has for us. So he sent a part of himself to teach us and sacrifice for us. To love us. To teach us about himself and what his love looks like. And to establish a way of being in relationship with us.

So here I am. Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to learn about your son and what you taught me through him–through yourself and your own examples. Here I am to repent. Here I am to love you. Here I am to love others.

I reading Piper’s commentary on these verses, I liked what he said here: “Christ did not risk death, he embraced it. That is precisely why he came: not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). No wonder Satan tried to turn Jesus from the Cross! The Cross was Satan’s destruction.”

I really like that. Satan didn’t want it to happen because the Cross wasn’t Jesus’s destruction but Satan’s. The Cross was my pathway to life. The Cross was everything Satan did NOT want for me and the rest of the world.

Father, thank you for all of this. As I sit here this morning and pray through what you will have for me to share tonight at the special community Christmas service, let it be purely from you, about you, and for you and your purposes in our community and the world through the lives in that room and beyond. Let your Holy Spirit move mightily tonight.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2024 in Advent 2024, Hebrews

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 18

18 Dec

13 “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. 14 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. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

John 17:13-19

Dear God, yesterday was supposed to be a simple day, but several things got very complicated on a lot of different fronts, and now I am sitting here with a bit of a heavy heart. There are some problems to solve today, and I do not know how to solve them. There are relationships to navigate, and I don’t know how to navigate them. There are people to love, and I don’t know how to love them. So as I sit here, a week from Christmas Day, I wonder where my heavy heart should be. How should I be responding to these things?

Piper’s reading today focused on verse 18 and the “sending” of the disciples and all of us into the world. And that is true. You are sending me into the world today. And my job is to be your ambassador. To help people 1.) see the difference worshipping you and serving you makes in my life, and 2.) inviting them into worshipping you and serving you. I am also to help others. When I see need, I need to prayerfully consider how to respond to it.

Piper’s commentary today addresses the persecution that can come with missions and representing you in the world: “The greatest danger a missionary faces is to distrust the mercy of God. If that danger is avoided, then all other dangers lose their sting. God makes ever dagger a scepter in our hand. As J.W. Alexander says, ‘Each instant of present labor is to be graciously repaid with a million ages of glory.'”

Father, it’s funny how I recoil at the part about any sacrifice I make being “repaid with a million ages of glory.” Frankly, that’s not why I do any of this. I do what I do because I love you. Because I get joy from loving and helping others. So do with my life what you will today. Bring your kingdom and your will into this world today. Give me what you need me to have. Forgive me for failing you and others. Help me to forgive others. And keep me from the temptations of my corrupt heart. And to you and you alone be all glory and honor, now and forever.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2024 in Advent 2024, John

 

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