From God's Word Archive
November 12 - 18 1 Timothy 2:1-2
1 Timothy 2:1-2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- (2) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Praying continually for all leaders and building new leaders should be a key focus to all Christians and church families. If new leaders are not being brought up and current leaders are not being covered in prayer for guidance, there will eventually be a point at which churches fade away. If the wise and the young come together, there will be no end to the blessings that God will be able to pour out.
Lord, bless our leaders, both within in the church and elsewhere. Open their eyes to Your way. Show them Your Truth. Guide them by Your Light. Raise up new leaders deeply devoted to Your Will and the Call You have placed within them. Pour Your Holy Spirit out upon the nations and spark the fire of renewal and revival within each heart. Make us a strong force against the darkness and hardships that are so widespread in this world. Make us the bright light of Your Perfect Hope among the people pointing them to You. In Your Precious Powerful Name. Amen.
October 22 - November 11 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, (2) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours: (3) Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (4) I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. (5) For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge-- (6) because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. (7) Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. (8) He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
The verses above describe the call of Christians. We must realize that devotion to Christ and fellowship with Him and all Christians is central to the faith and the call of God to all Christians. Unity is also a great need because of this truth. We must learn to rise above the temptations to do those things that would harm those relationships with God and others. Gossip, lies, angry words, and other harmful actions. These things become time bombs within the church that eventually explode with devastating consequences both to the those involved and the work of the church as a whole..
Lord, forgive us our short falls, and teach us to surrender our hearts completely to You. Teach us build each other up and strengthen the church rather than tear others down. God be with us each and every day. Guide us through the hardships and temptations that can pull us away from You. Keep lies and harsh words from our lips and teach us patience and joy with those around us. In Your Precious Name. Amen.
October 15 - October 21 Acts 14:8-23
Acts 14:8-23 In Lystra there sat a
man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth
and had never walked. (9) He listened to Paul as he
was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that
he had faith to be healed (10) and called out,
"Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up
and began to walk. (11) When the crowd saw what Paul
had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language,
"The gods have come down to us in human form!" (12)
Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called
Hermes because he was the chief speaker. (13) The
priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the
city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates
because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices
to them. (14) But when the apostles Barnabas and
Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and
rushed out into the crowd, shouting: (15) "Men, why
are you doing this? We too are only men, human like
you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to
turn from these worthless things to the living God,
who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in
them. (16) In the past, he let all nations go their
own way. (17) Yet he has not left himself without
testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain
from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides
you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with
joy." (18) Even with these words, they had
difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to
them. (19) Then some Jews came from Antioch and
Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and
dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.
(20) But after the disciples had gathered around
him, he got up and went back into the city. The next
day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. (21) They
preached the good news in that city and won a large
number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra,
Iconium and Antioch, (22) strengthening the
disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the
faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter
the kingdom of God," they said. (23) Paul and
Barnabas appointed elders[1] for them in each church
and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the
Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
The highs and lows of full devotion to God were everyday experiences for Paul. The great power to heal a crippled man in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Following such a great miracle, Paul and Barnabas are stoned for their faith, but even through this they trust in God and resume spreading the news about Christ and the great work God is doing in and through them. The same power is available today, but all too often we are afraid to surrender our lives completely to Christ. Great and wondrous things could be done if we only gave our whole selves
Lord, forgive us our short falls, and teach us to surrender our hearts completely to You. Teach us have a strong unwavering faith like that of Paul and Barnabas so that when faced with our own set of challenges, we can respond with trust in You and proclaim Your name in the face of those who stand against us. Fill and strengthen our hearts, so that we might do all we can to never fail You and if we do, may we quickly confess our faults and return to You. May we give You all the praise and glory. Amen.
October 1- October 14 2 Peter 3:13-18
2 Peter 3:13-18 But in keeping
with his promise we are looking forward to a new
heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
(14) So then, dear friends, since you are looking
forward to this, make every effort to be found
spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (15) Bear
in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation,
just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with
the wisdom that God gave him. (16) He writes the
same way in all his letters, speaking in them of
these matters. His letters contain some things that
are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable
people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to
their own destruction. (17) Therefore, dear friends,
since you already know this, be on your guard so
that you may not be carried away by the error of
lawless men and fall from your secure position. (18)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and
forever! Amen.
The strength and well - being of a Christian depend on what his soul feeds on, as the health of the body depends on whatever we make our daily food. If we feed on what is according to our nature, we grow; if not, we pine away and die. The soul is of the nature of God, and nothing but what is according to his holiness can agree with it. Sin, of every kind, starves the soul, and makes it consume away. - From the notes of John Wesley Growing in our faith is a necessary daily process to maintain our faith. This means we must surrender our entire lives to God and allow Him to work within us and fill us with the Holy Spirit so we can stand against whatever comes against us.
Almighty Father, strengthen us in the Holy Spirit so that we might be able resist sin, both the big mistakes that others see and the small private wrongs that we often excuse or do not admit. Let us us fully rely on You so we are guarded from comprimise and slowly see our Christianity fade away. Guide us throughout our lives, and teach us to search our hearts for the hidden sins and barriers that keep us separated from a full and complete life in You. Let us live lives that reflect You in all we do, and give us hearts to help each other draw closer and closer to You. Amen.
September 21 - September 30 2 Timothy 3:14-17
2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you,
continue in what you have learned and have become
convinced of, because you know those from whom you
learned it, (15) and how from infancy you have known
the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (16)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Bible is meant for us to read and study. The words written in scripture are vital for us to live our faith and draw closer to Christ. With each day, we should grow in our faith and relationship with God. As the verses above direct us, learning and applying the lessons the Bible has for us is necessary to walk the path of righteousness that God has called each Christian to take.
Lord, carry us through each day. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we might grow in our faith and have greater understanding of the lessons You have for us in the Bible. Help us surrender our lives to You and devote ourselves to Your Holy Word. Teach us to study thoroughly and be able to apply the lessons we learn. Amen.
September 10 - September 20 Titus 3:1-9
Titus 3:1-9 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, (2) to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. (3) At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (4) But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, (5) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (6) whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, (7) so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (8) This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (9) But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
In simple words, the verses above are saying to remember what we were like before Christ and strive with all that is in us through the Holy Spirit to live a life doing good so that God is seen in the change we have made. When we do this, God can use us to reach others and bring them into the Kingdom of God. We slowly fade away into our old life and eventually condemn ourselves when we fall into pointless things like in verse nine. In the end, we need grow through a Christ-centered Faith. We must Like it, Love it, and Live It. Like it enough to move past the beach, or first steps of the Christian Life. Love it enough to pursue God with our all craving the knowledge of the Bible and the fullness of Christ. Then we must Live it so that we will not stray from the faith and so others will see God through His Spirit at work within us.
Lord, fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. Place in us an unquenchable thirst for You. Let us surrender ourselves complete to You so that You can use us to touch the lives of those around us, both Christian and non-Christians. Let us lift You up so that others might come to know the great joy and love we have found. May we carry Your Love and Hope with us through our Faith in Your promises. Amen.
August 26 - September 9 Psalms 119:9-16
Psalms 119:9-16 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. (13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Are you reading the Bible? Are you chasing after God with your all? The Old Testament verses like these above say what the New Testament reinforces strongly. In order for us to stay strong and pure of heart, we must follow the words of these verses. God's Word must be stored up within us and easily spoken from our lips. We should take great joy in seeking the Lord, reading the Bible, and growing in faith. This makes us ready and able to stand firm when trials and temptations come against us. The Holy Spirit gives all we need when we rely on God.
Lord, we look to You for our strength and comfort. May we honor You in all we do, and may we seek You through reading Your Word and spending time with You. Let us take strength through the power of Your Holy Spirit working within us and others in order to guide us on the path You have chosen for us. Let all praise and glory be given to You for the many blessings You pour out upon us and for the gifts You still have for us as we stay on the path that leads to You. May we look to You for all we ever need. Amen.
August 13 - August 25 Psalms 123
Psa 123:1
I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. 2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy. 3 Have mercy on us, O LORD , have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. 4 We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.Hard times and persecution are a guarantee to all Christians. Christ says many times in the Gospels that we will suffer for our faith. With this, the question becomes Where will we place our trust? and Who will we seek? If we try to stand on our own, we will surely fall. We need to turn to God to give us strength to stand in the face of trials. We need to trust that God will bring us through any hard times. We must be confident in God's Mercy and Justice that those who persecute us will be held accountable for their actions. God is the only way to rise above the battles that lay before us each day.
Heavenly Father, we know that the trials of life will come and there are those that will try to bring us down. We know that persecution and temptation will come, but if we trust in You, we can rise above it all. May we look to You for the strength to stand before each of these hardships. At all times, may we learn to love and trust in You, especially when others rise up against us. In all things, may we learn to give You the glory. Amen.
July 30 - August 12 Psalms 133
Psa 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
The power of a family is best when living in unity with each other. Today, in many homes, only glimpses can be seen and many times those are merely shows not the real family at home. Many times that unity is lost completely. Sadly, this lack of unity happens in churches as well. We need to make a choice in our lives to bring unity to our homes and churches. The verses above are beautiful illustrations of how a family unified and under God can be a powerful blessing. A blessing to be shared with everyone we meet.
Heavenly Father, work within us to unify our hearts together with You and in You. Make us shine out to those around us the glorious blessing of being in the Family of God. Let Your Love brings us through our disagreements and dissention so that we might maintain the unity that You call us to as the Family of God. May our unity be the spark to a raging fire that spreads across the world bringing peace and hope to broken homes and families. Let us surrender our pride to You and Your Plan for our lives and the life of the church. To You be all Glory, Honor and Praise. Amen.
July 21-29 Psalms 55:10-12
Psa 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
July 2 - July 20 John 8:31-36
John 8:31-36 To the Jews
who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples. (32) Then you will
know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (33) They
answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants[2] and have
never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall
be set free?" (34) Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth,
everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (35) Now a slave has no
permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it
forever. (36) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free
indeed.
Independence Day holds a strong connection to Christianity and salvation. The comparison is not just in freedom from sin, but in other areas as well. The Fourth of July is greatly linked to many things; most common being Fireworks and Family joining together. The later, a true family, compares to Christianity in a sense of community, support, and love. As Christians, we should have a group around us that comfort us in hard times as well as convict us when we make mistakes. The Fireworks hold multiple meanings in relation to Christianity. One connection is in the power of the fireworks compared to the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's power source place within us to strengthen us and defeat the devil and his many schemes. Another likeness is in the way the Fireworks light up the sky. Christians must, in the same way, light up the world and display God's Glory, Mercy, and Love.
Lord, Thank You for the gifts of freedom from sin and the power of the Holy Spirit. May we dedicate ourselves to following the call that You have placed on each of our lives. May we learn to support those around us in the hard times. Let us follow Your Word in the giving and accepting of conviction for wrongs. Let us grow in faith and knowledge of You. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we will be fully equipped to face the trials and everyday tests of our devotion to You. Keep Us Strong and Faithful. In Your Holy Name. Amen.
June 7 - June 24 Acts 2: 1-4
Matthew 6:24-34
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
(25) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you
will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? (26) Look at the birds of
the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? (27) Who of you by worrying can add a
single hour to his life[2] ? (28) "And why do you worry
about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do
not labor or spin. (29) Yet I tell you that not even Solomon
in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (30) If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is
here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not
much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (31) So do not
worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32) For the pagans run
after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. (33) But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.
There are so many things that we worry about in life. We think that we will not be able to make it through the hardships we are facing, but God sees that we have what we need. Our worries and stresses in life tend to become our master, but we often do not realize how much. We need to keep in mind how much God has seen us and those we know through the trials and tribulations in the past. The more we remember these times and press forward in life no matter the hardships, the stronger our faith will be and the better we will be able to face even greater trials.
Lord, help us to focus on serving You with our who lives. Let us be able to surrender our worries and stresses to You so we will be able to serve You completely. Thank You for Your many blessings that have seen us through life so far. We also thank You for Your continued presence with us now and the many ways You will always be with us. May we learn to trust in You and grow in our faith as we continue to walk forward in the path to which You have called us. In Your Glorious and Powerful Name. Amen.
May 10 - May 24 Acts 2: 1-4
Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.(2) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (4) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.These verses mark the birthday of the church. The Holy Spirit came down and settled in the hearts the people that day. The filling of the Holy Spirit made the final connection between us and God. Christians had for the first time the indwelling of the Holy Spirit enabling them to speak in tongues and posses many other spiritual gifts that we have access to today. All this happened so that we might be able to stand strong in our faith and also spreading the message to those around us. If we take the full grasp of the Spirit, we will see, like they did that day, many accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
Lord, Thank You for the blessing us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. We pray that You continually fill us to overflowing. May we always strengthen and grow in our faith so that we can face whatever trials are before us. Teach us through Your Word and the witness of past Saints and the fellow Christians in our lives today. As we pray these things and pursue them with our whole lives, may we see the great numbers added to the church as the early church did. Amen.
April 28 - May 10 Hebrews 4:12-16
Heb 4:12-16
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (13) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (14) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. (15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. (16) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.God is always with us. He carries us when we are unable to stand, and He speaks to our hearts when we need corrected from mistakes and failure to move forward in our calling. With this knowledge, we should be able to approach God with the highest confidence that He welcome, guide, and build us up when we need His Spirit and Love.
Lord, we are grateful that You chose us, and You made the ultimate sacrifice for those You created and love. Greatest thanks to You for being our example in living because You walked this earth just as we must, but You remained perfect. May we always stay focused on You and the call You have placed on our lives. To You be all Glory, Honor and Praise for all You do for us. Amen.
April 15-28 Acts 10:9-16
Acts 10:9
About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. (10) He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. (11) He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. (12) It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. (13) Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." (14) "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." (15) The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." (16) This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
Peter's vision is the opening of the nets of
Christianity to all the world. The message had been spread
among the Jews mostly to this point. God was revealing this to
Peter through this vision as well as the messengers from
Cornelius that came right after the vision. Let us take
hold of the message and make sure that it gets to all the world.
Lord, thank You for making the way for us to be a part of the promise to Abraham. May we surrender completely to You and the call You have placed on our lives. May we be strong in Your Holy Spirit so we might face whatever trials and hardships are before us. Let us look to You for all we need. Help us see those around us that need Your special touch. Make us bold and give a desire to help those that need to see You through us. We owe everything to You, and we place everything at Your feet. In Your Precious Name. Amen.
April 9-15 Hebrews 10:36-11:2
Heb 10:36-39 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (37) For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. (38) But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." (39) But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. (11:1)Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (2) This is what the ancients were commended for.
Faith and perseverance are key powerful virtues of the
Christian and the walk through this life. This is seen in what
follows the above verses. God wants us to put ourselves out in
the middle of the everyday life of this world. We need to
reach out and build up others by sharing our faith and showing
that faith through facing all trials that come our way. In this,
everyone will see the great hope that comes from God because of
our perseverance with God's help in the hard times of this life.
We need to look at life as the great adventure. A quest to
seek and to save all those that we can, as well as to grow in
the knowledge and truth of God. As the song on the
Young Adults page says, "Saddle
up your horses. Come on, let's get ready to ride."
Lord, grant us the faith we need to face this life. May we learn to live the adventure You have called us to live. May we learn all that we can and draw closer to You on this lifelong quest that is our Christian Walk. May we, as Paul, delight in and see the benefit of the trials we face in this life. Let Your Glory shine out from us as we endure hard times with a firm grasp on the Great Hope we have in You. By this, may we pass on Your Hope to others. Let us be adventurers and seed planters and cultivators in our pursuit to of You and our eternal reward. To You Be the Glory. Amen.
March 23-April 8 Hebrews 2:1-4
Heb 2:1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (2) For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, (3) how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. (4) God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
This time of year brings something special in our minds concerning our "great salvation" . There is a stronger focus on the Cross and Resurrection now than we place on it many times throughout the year. We have a tendency to be either content and complacent or "leaky buckets" when it comes to our faith and salvation. When content and complacent as Christians, we simply feel like we are as far as we can go and/or are unwilling to go further because of the stretch we would have to make. We simply do not deepen in our understanding of the faith and get blown away by the winds of the world. As "leaky buckets" we simply grow careless and let our faith slowly become corrupted by traditions and other things that we do not check with the Bible. We must take the message out to the world as well as deepening it within ourselves.
Lord, let us hold firm to our salvation and always seek to deepen our faith and knowledge of You. Do not let us become content with were we are, but instead, let us boldly step forward with the power of the Holy Spirit. Set Your fire ablaze within us and refine us. May we surrender our whole lives to Your call us and drawing closer to holiness in You through Your Holy Spirit. God be with us always; continue to guide and direct us. May we always reflect Your Love and Hope. All the glory belongs to You alone. Amen.
March 12 -18 Ephesians 2:22-24
Eph 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (24) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
These scriptures should hold special meaning to Christians especially with the start of Holy Week Sunday with Palm Sunday and remembering all that followed including Christ's death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. What was made possible by Christ in that one week is stated strongly in these verses. We must not only hold firmly to doing this within ourselves, but we must carry this out to the world.
Lord, keep us ever focused on holiness. May we shed off our old selves. Let our lives and hearts be open to the filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. May we be purified by the Holy Spirit so that we may be the worthy messengers of the Good News. Let us follow Your call on our lives so that we might continue to grow closer to You and our becoming perfect in righteousness and holiness. Amen.
March 4 -12 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
1Co 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (26) Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. (27) No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Paul describes here the path of discipleship, or growing in the Faith. The finish line for the race is our becoming like Christ, and the prize is entering into eternal life with Christ. Paul makes four points about running the race for the prize. First, you must run the race by becoming a Christian to receive the prize. Second, you must train through prayer, study and worship to receive the prize. Third, you must stay focused, running with purpose and make sure to finish the race. Finally, guard yourself so that what you say and do will not disqualify and keep you from the prize of eternity in heaven.
Lord, keep us ever focused on the race and the finish line of that race. May we accept Your guidance and correction as we train for the race. Let our lives and hearts be open to the filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. May we run with purpose in the example of You, Jesus, so we will become a Christ-like example to those around us. Let us also remain on the path and always moving forward so that we will not be disqualified from race you called us to run. Amen.
February 26 - March 4
Matthew 3:11Mat 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Baptism is composed of three parts of meaning. One part is a physical act that is a public profession of the covenant that has been made with God. As the Bible says, "If you confess me before men, I will confess you before My Father." The second part is a spiritual work which represents dying in the flesh and being raised in life with Christ. This is becoming reborn in the Spirit. Three, baptism is becoming included into the Body of Christ. With this comes a continuous calling to maintain a function or functions that maintain a healthy Body. This also comes with a warning. If we cease to do those functions and become unhealthy to the body, we must either be healed by Christ, or we will be cast out from the Body by God. As Revelations states, "Because you are neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My Mouth."
Lord, May we always stay true to the calling You have
placed on our lives, and we excepted when we became Christians.
May we always be productive parts of Your body and follow the
example You gave us when You came to Earth and walked among us.
Let our lives reflect the change You made in our lives, so all
those around us will see You alive in us. We ask You to grant us
the strength we need each day to stand firm. May we grow in
faith and knowledge always. In Your Precious Name Amen.
February 12-19, 2008 Revelations 3:20
Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
A Christian Disciple begins the journey by answering God's knock at the door.
God will not stand at the door and continually be turned away. Remember the
words later in Matthew 25: 42-43, "I was hungry... I was thirsty...." . These impact the Christian
Disciple in many ways. One points to accepting God and letting Him in when He is
knocking which is step one. Another points to the need to continue to grow and
bear fruit. Discipleship is central to the Christian walk and makes the
difference in Christians and non-Christian around us.
Lord, Let us learn to first accept You when You are knocking at the door.
May we learn also to grow in You and strengthen us in the power of Your Holy
Spirit. May we commit to using the gifts with which You have blessed us. Let us
bless those around and bear much fruit through Your working within us. Amen.
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