But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God

Hebrews 12

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; ¹⁹ to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, ²⁰ because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[c] 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

  

²² But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 

What a sweet way of describing our Lord Jesus Christ as someone who is always available and always approachable.  Unlike the old covenant, Jesus Christ desires a personal relationship with each one of us and desires us to be in daily conversation with him through worship, repentance, thanks and supplication.

These verses also humble me as a father who has too often reigned over my children through fear and in the same way that Christ reigns through love, I should reign over my children through love as well.

My Prayer: Lord, You are not only a God of love, You ARE love as You define it and there is no better way to describe who You are and what You desire than love.  And Your love for us knows no boundaries and how awesome is this!  Yet I continue to sin through anger, pride, selfishness, and other ways.  Lord, I desperately need You and I need You to forgive me so please forgive me.  Help me be the child and man You desire me to  be.

Make Every Effort to Live In Peace With Everyone

Hebrews 12

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

What a damning verse this is for me for I daily am either verbally assaulting someone or thinking about it thereby sinning in my heart.

²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  (Proverbs 4:23)

My Prayer: Lord, You are so pure and holy and You wash away all sin.  Forgive me please for my sin of anger and verbal assault.  Purify me of my anger - transform both my heart and my life so that I can live in peace with everyone.

Endure hardship as discipline

Hebrews 12

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 

 

 ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Again my focus of reflection is a new job and whether it is God's plan for me to have a new job for a new company at this time - a significant life change.  Much scripture has spoken to me on this topic:

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18) 

> I should not put any contentment in any earthly circumstances but to gain contentment in all earthly circumstances.  In this regard, while I may view my current company in an unfavorable light, I should not expect that any new company will fill a hole that only God can fill.  I need to be aware of how I work for Jesus and not any company in particular.

¹² For the word of God is alive 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. (Hebrews 4:12)

> Two key points.  Scripture should be the reference point for our entire life and all decisions to be made as it will reveal our heart vs the Will of God.  Secondly, God is actively working in our life and always up to something new.  This is consistent with the message yesterday (18-DEC) from Pastor Scott where Scott asks us to seek God's will for a new beginning as God creates a new beginning (or new normal) for Mary in Luke 1:26-38). 

Today the question is about hardship and whether the hardships I have endured at my current company should be viewed as "over" and has God prepared this new opportunity at the new company as my new beginning?

My Prayer: As always God, You are the beginning and the end, You are everything - without You there would be nothing.  Your creation is great and of course Your love and grace is great, particularly Your love and grace for me.  I am not worthy yet You shower me with love and grace anyway.  How incredible is that...I fall to my knees ready to serve you Lord.  Forgive me of my anger and sin and help me shed this sin so that I can fully love and serve You.  Reveal to me Your plan for me in a new job and help me submit to You fully.

A Finish Line Like No Other Requires Two Visions, Unified By God

Hebrews 12

¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here I see a finish line like no other - one that leads to heaven.  Even more striking in this passage are the messages that teach us HOW to run the race:

- "run with perseverence"
- "fix[ing] our eyes on Jesus"
- "for the joy set before him"

The underlying message is that we are to run on earth with a vision of the finish line - of heaven.  This requires us to fix our eyes on Jesus DURING the race, and we are to run with perseverance DURING the race.  What is not said here but is said elsewhere in scripture is that:

- we are to be good stewards of our time, treasures, talents (Luke 12:48)
- we are to gain strength and speed in our running ability over time (Hebrews 5:12-14)

These messages require that we have a vision of BOTH our time on earth (so that we can properly run the race) and of heaven (the ultimate finish line).  The former is something I have been thinking quite a bit about - a spiritual scorecard.

My Prayer: Lord, You ran the race here on earth like no other and the finish line that You set before us is unlike any other finish line.  To be in Your kingdom, to have You as our God as the ultimate coach, mentor, father, etc. is awesome!  Yet I don't train and run as You desire me too - Lord please forgive me for this.  Help me build up my strength and endurance and help me fix my eyes on You and focus on the ultimate finish line.

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see

Hebrews 11

Am I living by true faith in the same way that the biblical heroes as described by the author of Hebrews?

I would say not because I have not truly given my life away as these great men have.

They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

  

³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, ⁴⁰ since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

By many measures it would difficult for anyone to describe me in the same way as these great men.  Lord help me!

My Prayer: Lord, Your power is unmatched as you have taken ordinary men throughout all human history and You have used them as instruments for Your glory.  It is only through Your hands that this is possible!  I feel so unworthy to be used in this way as I sin greatly and feel so weak.  Forgive me for my lack of faith in You and my weakness.  Help me gain strength and confidence to do Your will.

Yet Again...We Are Called to Walk Alongside Each Other

Hebrews 10

Here we find yet again words that implore us as Christian brothers and sisters to walk along side each other - good times and bad:

4 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

....

And again in this chapter:

³³ Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 

I know I need my Christian brothers and sisters.  Yet the question remains whether I am adequately a brother to others?


My Prayer: Lord, You are more than a brother to me.  You are my Father, my heavenly Father - my Lord and my God and there is no equal.  No one or no thing even comes close.  Yet from time to time, more often than I would like, I find myself distracted or placing faith in something else or someone else other than You.  Please forgive me Lord Jesus.  Thank you for how you have already forgiven me and blessed me beyond my imagination.  Help me draw even closer to You and help me love You and follow You with all of my heart Lord Jesus.  Help me be the brother and son you intend me to be.

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more

Hebrews 10

I think it is safe to say that every day I sin multiple times.   First and foremost is the command to love.  I don't do this.  I don't love as God commands me to love.  This manifests itself in a crummy attitude at work.  If I loved as God commands me to love, I would not be disgruntled every time someone asked me to do something - I would not think to myself "I don't want to do that".  If I loved as God commands me to love then I would not be saying these things to myself let alone to others with whom I work would I? 

And this example is just the beginning.  I badly need Jesus as he is discussed in Hebrews.  Because I sin as often as I do, I need His forgiveness to move forward without being enslaved by sin and regret.  I also need His forgiveness as a way to invite Him even more so into my heart so that I can experience the true heart and transformation that comes with a life dedicated to loving and following Him.

9 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

My Prayer: Lord, Your sacrifice means more than anything else I can ever desire in my life.  There is nothing that compares - no person, earthly thing or earthly circumstance in which I may find myself can ever compare to the richness and the blessing of Your sacrifice for me.  Yet I often take this for granted and I don't draw close to you and I don't trust you or follow you.  Jesus please please forgive me.  Help me fix my eyes on You and help me be a true servant of God.

but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 9

Am I living life with the "end in mind"?  I am going to see Christ either when He returns via the rapture or when I otherwise die.  In both senses, I don't know when I am going to die so the question becomes whether I am living life "with the end in mind".

In Hebrews this question arises here:

²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. 

The "waiting for Him" does not imply inaction.  On the contrary, in Hebrews we are implored to not only believe but to grow in Christ (to move on to solid food Hebrews 5:13-14).  We need to move the needle.

My Prayer: Lord, You words are a lamp unto my feet and they are Truth.  Without Your words I am lost.  I desperately need you Lord.  I am not only lost without You but I am broken and useless.  Yet You are able to use my brokenness - how great You are and how great You are to me.  Lord, I continue to have anger problems, pride problems, greed problems, and on and on.  Please forgive me for all of this and please purify me of all of this - invade my heart, take it and  transform my heart and my mind Lord.  Help me give my life totally away to you.  This is my desire.

...So that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 9

I am often explaining away why I don't serve God in this way or that way.  Yet today I feel "called to the mat" for these excuses:

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (verse 14)

God's piercing (as they often are) words remind me that He has cleansed my conscience from sin and through this process He has provided only the rest that He can provide (Hebrews 4).  It is through this rest that I am to serve Him.  Yet here I am lollygagging away my days.  Lord help me!

My Prayer: Lord, You not only died for me but You rose again to conquer both sin and death, allowing me to have eternal rest both here on earth and in Heaven.  What an awesome gift.  Yet sometimes I don't feel worthy of this gift.  I am broken - please forgive me for my ongoing problem with anger and patience.  Forgive me as well for my lack of Christ like attitude at work.  Help me with these things as I seek for You to transform both my heart and my life.  Help me freely give my life away to You.

1 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me,

Hebrews 8

The below verse hits me right in the gut

No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, (verse 11)

For me this verse begs the question: when people deal with me is it apparent that I am so unique and so special that they want to learn about what specifically makes me so special?

The answer for me is clearly no and this is a disappointment to me.

I truly desire for people to deal with me and to know that I am a light in the world and I would like to draw others to me and to Jesus.

¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Similarly, I DO want to explicitly spread the gospel so I desire gifting from God - as only God can do - to be obedient as an evangelist.

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE light, truth, and The Way, The ONLY Way.  I KNOW you are all I need yet from time to time I seek other Gods so please forgive me and purify me of this awful habit!  Transform my heart, my life and help me be more like You.  Help me be a light to others and spread the good news You bring the world. 

I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.

Hebrews 8

I wish to have God's Word on my mind and in my heart - ALWAYS.

I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. (verse 10)

My Prayer: Lord, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet as it says in the Psalms; it comforts me in the darkness and it lights my way when I feel trapped with no direction to go.  Yet I often neglect going to Your Word and I seek Your forgiveness for this.  Help me seek You out more often and with all of my heart.  Help me so I can truly have You in my mind and in my heart.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Hebrews 7

Oh how I find myself stressed out about work - how weak am I and how unfaithful am I to misplace my hope and rest in earthly matters.  Lord forgive me!

I read here how You truly meet our needs and how right this is:

²⁶ Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Without you we are both slaves to sin and slaves to the fear of death; with you we have the eternal hope of our sins getting washed away and eternal life in Heaven with You.  And as part of this great package we ALSO get God's rest, the rest one can find by "fixing" our eyes on Jesus.  THIS  does truly meet MY needs that's for sure.

This then becomes a matter whereby we must have patience, fix our eyes on Jesus, and to grow in Christ.

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE perfect, and You DO truly meet ALL our needs.  Yet  I place hope in jobs, and in earthly matters.  Please forgive me Lord and help me place all of my hope in You.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19)

Hebrews 6

Keeping mind my previous post, the questions today are include whether I am growing in God,  and am I being patient waiting for God to both bless me and to provide "rest" as he has guaranteed all of this in the same way he has to Abraham:

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”¹⁵ And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.   

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatlyencouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Being patient, growing in God, and experiencing God's rest are all very interdependent and each reinforce each other.  However, I would say being patient is primary because this allows you to focus on growth because you see the end and you are not distracted by near term concerns - in other words you can more truly "fix your eyes" on Jesus.  In the same way, being patient - in how it allows you to focus on growth - allows you to experience God's rest because you are gaining a deeper understanding of Jesus and because the indwelling Spirit of Jesus is growing in you.


My Prayer: Lord, Your works are amazing as I have experienced with my own eyes significant life change and also I have seen Your glory in beautiful places you have created here on earth.  How awesome You are!  And You have created me for Your glory as well yet I disappoint.  I am lazy and I sin in many ways.  Lord I desperately need you and desperately seek Your forgiveness.  Please purify me and transform my heart and my life.  Help me have patience.  Help me fix my eyes on You.  Help me grow and not be lazy.  Help me glorify You.  I love you Lord Jesus.

We do not want you to become lazy

Hebrews 6

⁹ Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. ¹⁰ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. ¹¹ We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. 

 Wow...isn't it amazing how God talks directly to you, knowing exactly what is in your heart.  I often feel as if I am lazy about God, in many ways.  I read yesterday about how I am not supposed to become stagnant in my growth and today I read about how I am not supposed to get lazy....yet I often find myself  guilty on BOTH counts.  Holy cow...Lord help me!

My Prayer:  For as it says in Hebrews 4:12 and reinforced by Reggie McNeal today at church, God is new, alive and active.  Amen.  I have personally seen how God reveals himself in new and exciting ways in my own life and look forward to even more and exciting ways that He will reveal Himself to me in the future.  I KNOW that God is up to something and I thank Him for His great love, mercy and guidance.  Yet I am lazy so I pray desperately for energy to be the man God desires me to be.

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity

Hebrews 6

The author of Hebrews provides many warnings or stern admonishments, one of which that sticks in my mind is Hebrews 2:1

¹ We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

For me the message is clear that we are to walk daily with God - it is a matter of persistence; just keep going (walking with God). 

In Hebrews 6, the message is somewhat repeated but what is also present is a message for us to keep going in our growth.  Our walk with God is not flat - it must have a trajectory upwards:

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity - verse 1

This calls to mind another verse which for me serves as an encouragement - particularly as I strive to grow in my own faith:

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

My Prayer: Lord, Your promise for us is great and it is unchangeable and true.  The more I reflect on Your promise to me, I am in awe of Your greatness and I desire to follow You with even greater fervor than I can muster - it is however with pain that I lament at how weak I am and how disobedient I am and how lazy I am.  Lord, please forgive me for all of this and help me truly fix my eyes on You.

For the word of God is alive and active.

Hebrews 4

As I continue to study the subject of God's rest and how I enter his rest through faith and obedience, I pause to reflect on the nature of God's word and how it plays a role in my life:

For the word of God is alive 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. (verses 12-13)

In hindsight I can see how my study of His word has been a two-way dialogue. 

1. I read God's word and hear God's voice 
2. I reflect on God message for me and I come to Him to "true up" my faith relative to the passage which I have read.

This I believe is what is meant by the judging of the thoughts and attitudes of the heart and the uncovering that must take place.  We come to Him and we find Truth - it is only through Truth that we reveal in ourselves how we fall short.  We must step up - I must step up.

My Prayer: Lord, Your grace is both wide and deep for me - that You love me as You do is amazing given how broken and sinful I am.  I come to You broken and in need of Your love and power.  I ask that you forgive me for my weakness in my faith and for my laziness.  Purify me of thoughts that separate me from You and I ask that You transform my heart and my life.  Help me stay near to You and Your word.  Help me trust and obey.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3:12-15

To avoid drifting (Hebrews 2:1) and the subsequent unbelief that may follow a sustained period of drifting, the author of Hebrews implores us to focus on our unity as a church body:

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Key to me in these verses is verse 13:

¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 

I see two key messages from this particular verse:
1.  That we should walk along side our brothers and sisters in Christ and to encourage one another - this is something about which I already feel strongly about and this is also supported throughout scripture.
2. That we should encourage everyday - encouraged is defined as "to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope" - this is done either by our action or by our words.  We can encourage both believers and non believers and most importantly we are to glorify God by demonstrating the hope that only Jesus Christ can provide.

My Prayer: Lord, I love You deeply because You have saved me from slavery to sin and slavery to death.  You provide hope everlasting.  Yet there are times when I am not hopeful and I am also deeply sorry that my faith is weak in these times and seek Your forgiveness.  Help me grow in my faith and my trust in You and help me daily demonstrate the hope everlasting that can only come through the good news of Jesus Christ

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 3:7-11

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, 

Yet even with this warning, I DO harden my heart because I look at how I view my current job circumstances and even though I may feel peace from time to time, I many times feel stress and unease.  I hear His voice and see Him working in my life one day but with a change in direction and intensity of the wind aka another day, I forget that I have heard His voice and I don't heed the warning of unbelief. 

I have often thought about how I am so unlike the Israelites who lost their faith during times of great trial as they wandered in the wilderness after being freed by God from Egypt.  Yet here I am often swaying in the wind like the house built on sand. 

I desperately need you God.  I need what Paul writes about in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

My Prayer: Lord, Your voice is Truth and Your Love is Enough.  You have blessed me beyond what I can even write, think or even talk about - oh where can I even begin to talk about how you have blessed me!  Yet with all of this I have blessed by, my faith is weak - I do pray that You will forgive me Lord and that You will grow  inside my heart to purify me and to transform both my heart and my life.  I need You desperately God...badly and desperately.

Fix your thoughts on Jesus

Hebrews 3:1-6

¹ Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

I desire to fix my thoughts on Jesus but I often struggle to do anything but fix my thoughts on my own selfish desires or on earthly matters.  I do wish to be rid of these desires so that I can truly focus on thoughts on Jesus Christ Our Lord - I need to place my hope in Him.


My Prayer: Lord, You are Holy and I am not.  Please forgive me and my selfish desires and inability to focus on You.  Purify me Lord and help me get my strength from You.

Do I exhibit the greatness of salvation available through Christ Our Lord?

Hebrews 2:4

In my previous post, I wrote about my desire not to "drift away" as warned about in Hebrews 2:1. For many reasons I don't want to drift away because I want to be fully used for His glory, and I also want to avoid most certain punishment as indicated in verse 2-3:

 ² For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? 

Part of being fully used for His glory includes bringing others into His kingdom by living a life of obedience and service to others.   Bottom line, we must allow Jesus to work through us as we (and by extension the gifts given to us) become an instrument of God's glory - following the lead of Christ himself:
 

⁴ God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. 

My Prayer: Lord, Your blessings have my cup runneth over as I am blessed in ways too many to mention - how gracious and loving You are to care for me as You do.  You are great and Your love is great.  Yet I fall short in many areas of my life, including laziness.  Please forgive me and help purify me of my laziness - help me gain energy from You Lord.  Help me by fully used by You as an instrument of Your glory.

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away

Hebrews 2:1

Yesterday evening our BSF class dove into Hebrews and this particular verse struck me both like a whack on the head (warning) and as a tug on my heart strings (encouragement).

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

I certainly don't want to drift away from Christ but too often I feel "anchored" to other Gods, whether it be my work, tennis, sexual urges, or even my own leisure (because I deserve rest and relaxation!).  On this latter point, I need to recognize that I worship my leisure time.

For all of this, I am deeply sorry and I desire to run back into the welcoming arms of my Lord Jesus Christ, just as the prodigal son was welcomed back by his father.

At the same time, I seek to repent from my sins, just as Peter so confidently admonished the Israelites to do on the day of Pentecost:

 ³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 

 ³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

 ⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (Acts 2:37-40)

My Prayer: Lord, I know Your love for me is both deep and wide.  That You love me both inspires and encourages me, yet at the same time, I feel Satan's attacks daily in many forms.  And I fall prey to his attacks.  Lord please forgive me for drifting away, even for a moment or a day.  I never want to leave you.  Please help me stay near to you.

...Sustaining All Things By His Powerful Word.

Hebrews 1

While the author of Hebrews is not known, it is clear to me that one of the primary purposes of the book is to encourage believers.

One of the most encouraging lines is early on:

³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. 

Over the past year or so, my desire for God's word has grown and it has fed and even greater desire for His word.  As well, God's word has not only sustained me, but it is transformed both my heart and my life!

My Prayer: Lord, You are radiant beyond the brightest sun.  Yet I do things in my life to block Your light - please forgive me Lord for not allowing Your light to shine throughout all areas of my life.  Thank you for your grace and the blessings in my life and help me love you with all of my heart.

Do We Respond With Certainty and With Confidence Only the Holy Spirit Can Provide?

Acts 28

As Paul makes his way to Rome to meet with Caeser, he and his companions are shipwrecked but find safety in Malta.  While on shore, he is bitten by a viper but his response is nonchalant:

⁴When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ⁶ The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 

While there is no mention of a more dramatic response from Paul to this snake attack, one is left to assume that he did not scream or agonize - almost as if the attack was expected and the outcome expected as well.  When we are attacked, by Satan, or other threats - do we respond with such certainty that God is in charge and God will protect, heal, etc.

My Prayer: Lord, You DO protect, heal, provide and SO MUCH MORE!  How awesome You are and how desperately I need You because of my brokenness.  Help me grow in my faith, trust and devotion in service to You Lord.

The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Acts 26

As Paul is in prison in Caesarea, he makes his defense in front of Felix, Festus, then Agrippa.  One thing that stands out is out Paul's boldness and clarify in his own defense of his faith.  Take for example a number of his statements:

In verses 4-5 Paul proclaims how he was just as Jewish as those who rise up against him.

 ⁴ “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ⁵ They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 

Then Paul states how his hope in Jesus is the same hope that the Jews have for the messiah:

⁶ And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. ⁷ This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 

Then Paul asks the question that should be on everyone's minds which is, why is he on trial for proclaiming something that we know God is capable of doing?

Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 

Paul of course attributes his own story to Jesus:

²² But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike.

Paul's own defense comes to a close with a bold answer to Agrippa's question whether Paul can convince Agrippa to be a Christian:

 ²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” 

Besides the boldness of Paul's defense, several questions for me come to mind:

• Am I so clear in my own mind about the power of Jesus in my life that I can articulate my faith and live my faith as boldly as Paul?
•  Can I defend my faith to attacks as Paul does ?
• Would I be willing to pray for my enemies as Paul does?

Ultimately, can I use any situation, as Paul does here, as an opportunity to glorify God?

My Prayer: Lord, You use all people and all things for Your glory for You are almighty and Your will is both perfect and great.  That You love me and You use me for Your glory is amazing and humbling all at the same time.  I say humbling because I am broken in so many ways - in Paul's words in ways "small and great alike".   I pray that You will forgive me for being small - despite Your call for me to be bold.  Help me overcome my own lack of confidence and instead place my confidence in You that I can be the bold person you desire me to be.  

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

Galatians 2

As I am presented with new job opportunities, the looming question of course is whether I can understand God's will for my life.

As I have read recently and journaled in this blog, I believe God desires me to focus on Him and through this focus on Him I can allow Him to deliver to me the outcome He desires (vs a desire I have for myself).

Recent posts are consistent with what I have read tonight.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The focus, once again must be removed from myself and on my Lord Jesus Christ.  Glory God and He will provide - He will provide the job He wants me to have and He will provide the wisdom to chose this job.

My Prayer: Lord, You provide all and give me no reason to worry.  Yet I worry sometimes and I know this is not Your desire for me so please forgive me.  Thank You for hope regarding my work situation and help me focus on You.

If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1

I too often try and please people or to seek their approval or acceptance - either via prideful boasting, by not ruffling feathers in times of disagreement or conflict, or via sins of commission or omission that serve to further an effort conform to an accepted behavior or way of life.    This is really present in my life the more I think about it.

One top of mind example is my lack of confidence sometimes to pray a prayer to bless food when I have a meal with non believers, say people at work.  This is just one example and of course there are more.

This is why Paul's statement is so penetrating for me.

If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

My Prayer: Lord, Your work and plans are perfect as I have seen You work in my own life and the transformation You have set in motion in my life is nothing short of miraculous.  It is ONLY through You that such work is done.  Yet I don't thank You enough and I still don't love You enough and I still let You down - please please forgive me and I DO seek to be Your servant and I DO seek to love You with all of my heart.  Please continue to transform my heart and my life.

Focus On Glorifying God Not On Any Specific Other Results or Outcomes

Acts 23

Paul is simply following the Lord's will.  Paul's actions are confirmed and encouraged by the direct words of the Lord himself:

 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”"Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome".

I have often heard other believers say about certain things like evangelism that we should focus on the message and not worry about the outcome as God will take care of the outcome.  For me the broader message is not lost.  God does not say to Paul here (and a summary review reveals few occasions where an outcome is the focus - Matthew 28:19) I have not seen it that often to my knowledge) to focus on bringing X number of believers to Him.  Instead, He simply says to "testify about me [Jesus]".  In the same way, I should not focus too much energy on any specific outcome but instead on glorifying God.  If I focus on glorifying God then pray, be in the Word, seek wise counsel, seek confirming circumstances, and find peace, then I will continue to be led by the Spirit as "Your word [will be] a lamp onto my feet."

My Prayer: Lord, Your ways and Your will are perfect.  That you would use me - someone who is clearly broken in so many ways - is incredible.  How You do it is amazing and I AM truly amazed by Your greatness.  And I desperately need You because of my brokenness.  I think of my anger and how I am often in "fits of rage" - something that clearly disappoints You and something that is not indicative of being led by Spirit but instead by Satan.  Forgive me Lord - PLEASE!   Thank You that I have You because I need You to protect me Lord!  I need you to purify me Lord.  Help me focus solely on You and on glorifying You.  Give me wisdom to glorify You Lord.

Am I Willing to Consider My "Own" Life Worth Nothing?

Acts 20

Here Paul is moving about on his journeys from place to place and he is led by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, despite warnings also from the Spirit that " [he] only know[s] that in every city the Holy Spirit warns [him] that prison and hardships are facing [him]."

Paul's next statement below strikes me as being deeply challenging:
²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.  

I know that scriptures are clear through many verses that we are to "die to self" or "shed old skin", etc.   Yet most of us will rarely if ever be in a position to be physically harmed or in threat of death for any stand we take for God.  Nonetheless, Paul makes a valid statement that should challenge us all: "are we as followers of Christ willing to completely give up our existing way of life" to follow God...in other words, are there any aspects of our life that we would NOT be willing to give up to follow God?  I need to ponder this question some more but I do hope that I can say yes to God if He asked me to give something up for His glory.

My Prayer: Lord, Your ways, will and plans are great and perfect as I have seen the results of Your hands - blessings that stretch across the universe that are of course too numerous to list or even capture in a human mind.  How awesome are You!  In contrast Lord, I AM a mess with SO many imperfections here that a list could fill the rest of this page.  Yet You LOVE ME and DIED for me!  How awesome is that!!  Forgive me for my anger daily that continues to ruin lives.  Help me Lord with my anger and purify me of this sin.  Help me draw nearer to You so that I can be more like You.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world

Acts 19

As I continue to follow Paul in his journeys I am beginning to understand more deeply God's direction for us on earth.  Here in Acts Paul and the other believers are clearly living in a way that is not "in or of this world".  In fact, Jesus threatens many who cling to earthly matters as a God.

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. ²⁴ A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. ²⁶ And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” 

In Romans 12:2, Paul makes this point clear:

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

My Prayer: Lord, Your love, grace, ways, and will are not only great but as Paul says, perfect.  I am not perfect - far from it - I desperately need You in my life to transform my heart, my mind, and my life.  Forgive me for my flaws and imperfection and thank you for your grace as I don't deserve it. Thank you for Your Word - Truth.  I have been blessed by Your Word in ways that are too many to mention.  Help me seek you with all of heart.

Sin Has Consequences...All for God's Glory

Acts 19

While sin is forgiven through Jesus' death on the cross, this does not mean that sin has consequences.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 

While it may be true that no matter what sin we commit, God will forgive us, it does NOT mean that sin does not have consequences.  So we should live in fear of God proactively and follow God - hence the reaction followed in Ephesus: 

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.²⁰ In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 

You can say in one sense that  the Jews in verse 13 paid a physical price for their sin via a beating.  Another consequence is that "the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. "

Another key point is that God used all of this for His Glory.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your will and Your ways are great.  You are able to use everything about us - good and bad - for glory.  I am amazed at how you can use broken human beings for Your glory - truly awesome.  I know I am broken and I know I have anger issues - please forgive me for my anger and I pray that you will purify me of this anger.  Help me stay close to You and rely on You.

More Evidence That We Are To Walk With Each Other

Acts 18

For me the most striking verses in this chapter have to do with with what Paul, Aquilla, and Priscilla (and others) were doing to strengthen existing believers:

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.  

...

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

  

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. 

I know that we are to walk together as Christian brothers and sisters.  And I know that we are to encourage, build up, and strengthen each other.  And these verses serve to reinforce this for me as I understand how this became foundational for the early church.

My Prayer: Lord, You have blessed me with great brothers and sisters that have that have significantly grown my faith and for this and I so thankful!  You are an awesome God and Your ways are great - oh how Your divine appointments are miracles in my eyes.  Help me stay as pure as possible.  Help me stay close to You.  Help me serve and love You.  Help me trust you Lord.  Help me follow You. 

...though he is not far from any one of us.

Acts 17

It's hard for many people to truly comprehend that Jesus is a personal God that if You truly seek Him with all of your heart you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).  Of course, the primary means for seeking Him is the bible - the word of God.  Speaking for myself, I can truly say that at the very least I have found glimpses of Him and that I truly desire to seek MORE of Him.

For Paul in this chapter of Acts (in Athens), he can certainly speak with confidence that:

4 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷ God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

I can certainly agree and I DO see God as someone close and accessible.

My Prayer: Lord, You are a God that has done SO MUCH, for all of the universe is from Your hands.  Yet at the same time You have don SO MUCH for me and continue to do so.  I DO seek You and I DO desire you.  I DO thank you for your provision and hand in my life and the resulting blessings.  Forgive me for being distracted from You through a focus on earthly matters and distractions.  Help me focus on You and Your will.

God's Plan Is Not Known, But It Is Great and There is No Way to Stop His Plan

Acts 16

Through BSF study and the discussion we have had on the topic, I have come to appreciate the role of divine appointments.   Here in Acts 16, we see a woman named Lydia with whom Paul and his followers meet and she is baptized and she becomes a believer.   Then Lydia invites Paul and his companions to her house and Paul heals a woman by freeing demons from her.  He and Silas are immediately arrested, beaten and thrown in jail.

They then prayed and sang hymns to God and God creates and earthquake that creates fear in the jailers and officers and Paul and Silas are released.  Of course the jailer and his entire household come to the Lord and then proceed to Lydia's house.

There is no stopping God's great and glorious plan - God's plan here of course is to spread the news of Jesus and to grow his kingdom of believers.  All we can do, as Paul and Silas did,  is pray to God for wisdom to act and make wise choices to follow and submit to Him.  We must also ask how our current circumstances are to be used by God because He creates and uses all of these circumstances (good and bad) for His glory. 

My Prayer: Lord, Your Plan Is Great and Your Will Is Perfect.  Thank you for how you have provided me with a job.  Give me wisdom about the actions to take to follow your will about where you want my job to be.  Help me understand both the power and the wisdom of my circumstances in terms of how you want me to take my next step.  Help me endure hardship and persevere either in my job search or in my current job if that is your will and help me make decisions that are wise and to act boldly on these decisions.

We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,

Acts 14

After reading 2 Corinthians about Paul's hardships and again in Acts 14 the hardships he shared with Barnabas, I believe I am beginning to see the role of hardships in our lives. I am working through a spiritual formation workbook and the key tenet of the workbook is that there are several "traditions" of our faith that form our spiritual foundation and God desires us to be balanced among them.  For example, one of the traditions we should aspire to be adept at is the "holiness tradition" which of course is for us to be more pure of heart, mind, body and spirit - to be more like Christ.  For me this implies a sense of hardship in that we are to deny ourselves perhaps earthly desires in a quest to build a stronger desire for heavenly desires and a desire for Him.  So I see truth in Paul's statement:

"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God..."

My Prayer: Lord, YOU are the most holy of holy and that You could be both human and God is amazing.  That You died for me personally is amazing and I am in awe of how great and gracious you are.  I throw myself at Your feet as I don't feel worthy for your love but I know I have it.  Forgive me for my ongoing anger at work and help me focus on you, your love for me and help me be more like you.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12

As Paul boasts about his weaknesses in this chapter, I gain key insights about Christ's power which are desperately needed by me at this time.  In response to Paul's desire to have God remove the thorn from his side, The Lord replies:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

As I struggle with work stress, I turn to anger and anger is not desired by God so I plead with God that He forgive me for my anger.  At the same time, I plead for God to take away my anger, yet perhaps he won't.  Maybe I need to continue to have anger issues as my thorn in my side so that I can continue to lean on God and seek peace in His power.

My Prayer: Lord, please give me insight into your desire for my anger - is this my thorn in my side or will you remove this thorn in my side.  Please either way help me with my anger issues - at least help me understand how You will use all of this for your glory.

So they shook the dust off their feet...

Acts 13

For those following my posts, you may find it odd that I have jumped from Psalms to Acts.  I do so because I have now started attending BSF here in Raleigh and find it a blessing for myself and a blessing for Zach with whom I go.  I am encouraged that through a shared experience of the bible that Zach's interest in reading and knowing God's word has grown.  We study together father and son.

BSF this year is studying Acts and this week the start of the study is from Acts 13.  This chapter is of course filled with many words that speak to me but probably the words the speak to me most prominently are:

So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 

I see encouragement here - encouragement in the sense that while Saul (Paul) and Barnabas are expelled from Antioch in Pisidia,  "they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium".  This language struck me as odd and I found the following.  While the reference I found talks about this as an act of separation from the Jews who rejected the good news, I see this as a sign of encouragement because Saul and Barnabas, despite the fact that the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia rejected the good news, Saul and Barnabas were strong enough in their faith to move on...and even more so it said the "disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit"!  They moved on flourished!


The question and challenge is clear: is my faith strong enough to be challenged (not just in my faith but in all areas of life)  to the point where Saul and Barnabas were challenged and can I go on and flourish as they did?

This is certainly my prayer.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God and the good news about You - the gospel of Christ and all that it offers - is so powerful that it cannot be contained nor cannot be stopped.  For You I am thankful.  I am also thankful for how Your power has transformed my life in ways too many to mention.  Yet at the same time, I am weak...I am weak in many areas of my walk, including prayer, evangelism and other ways.  Lord, please forgive me for my weakness and imbalance in these areas.  Help me submit to You to be developed in these areas and help me truly develop to be the disciple You desire me to be - despite whatever earthly discouragement I might encounter.

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.

Psalm 41

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
   the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.  (verse 1)

A dictionary review of "regard" indicates: "thoughtful and sympathetic regard".  This causes me to expand my view of weak to include anyone worthy of sympathy.  Isn't everyone worthy of sympathy?

My Prayer: Indeed as I read yesterday I continue to marvel in the wonders You have done for me Lord - how great You are!  I am blessed beyond what I deserve and then some.  Forgive me for the hardness of my heart towards others, in particular at work.  Please help me see everyone as You do - that everyone is worthy of not only sympathy but of course love.  Help me Love everyone as You intend.  Please transform my heart and my life in this area.

Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us.

Psalm 40

As David praises God here I become present to many thoughts:
(1) I have recently experienced a stressful period from which God has pulled me out

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire; 

Although it is questionable whether I was patient, God DID lift me out of the slimy pit.

(2) I am clear how God blesses me and it IS too numerous to count

Many, LORD my God,
   are the wonders you have done,
   the things you planned for us. 

The question of course in my mind is to whom David is referring to when he references"us" and "the wonders you have done".   Perhaps David is speaking as King of Israel and for his kingdom and for sure there was much God did for Israel.

For me, I KNOW for sure the wonders God has done for me ARE MANY and I have also witnessed the greatness and wisdom of God's perfect plan as He has used all things in my life for good.

My Prayer: Lord, Your wonders in my life are many and truly amazing - I stand in awe of You as the song goes.  Yet I know I have miles to go to draw closer to You in my desire to be more like You.  Forgive me Lord for my weakness and my sin and help me stay present to the many blessings You have provided in my life and how real You are in my life.  Help me focus on Your love for me, for me to love You, and for me to love others, and for me to be man you intend me to be.

“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Psalm 39

I was struck this week by an article about Steve Jobs that indicated in the final weeks prior to his death, he expressed regret that he had not spent more time with his children.  Similarly, I have been thinking over the past several months, that I must be living my life with a certain amount of urgency to live the life God intends for me.  And on a related note, I must with urgency be the head of my household - as a dad and a husband - that God intends for me.  My family's lives are at a stake - there is literally a war for their souls and I must fight for their faith.

So today's reading in Psalm39 strikes a chord - verse 4 as David expresses:

“Show me, LORD, my life’s end
   and the number of my days;
   let me know how fleeting my life is. 

I need to be continuously reminded of how fleeting my days are so I can live life with the end in mind, and to be the man God intends me to be.

My Prayer: Lord, you have SAVED me.  Oh how awesome a God You are!  My heart and life have been transformed and this is ONLY through You Lord Jesus!  I am not who want you to be or who you intend me to be as I am weak - and I pray for your protection from Satan, and for strength that only You can provide.  Bring me strength Lord and help me be the man you intend me to be.

Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.

Psalm 38

I often think that I don't need protection. I don't face physical harm...and I don't feel as if I have any enemies.  So when I read this Psalm from David (and many others like this), I don't feel like God is talking to me and I move on.  Yet today, as I begin to emerge from the shadows of a dark valley where I have been for the past several weeks, I am clear that I DO need protection.

I need protection from my own thoughts that form as a result of Satan's attacks and Satan's desire to separate me from God.

It is true from pastor Scott's sermon that true rest can only be found in Him.

I found solace in the closing verses of this Psalm:

²¹ LORD, do not forsake me;
   do not be far from me, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
   my Lord and my Savior.  

My Prayer: Lord, I know You are everywhere all the time and present in my life anytime I seek You.  What an incredible God You are that You are not only this to me but to ANYONE who seeks you!  Forgive me please Lord for my neglect of You and for my sin of lust.  Please please forgive me.  Forgive me for my neglect of my family.  Thank you for how you bless me despite my failures - for you bless me even though I don't deserve it.  Please help me Lord continue to seek You out - daily.  Protect me from Satan - all the time.  Help me be the man You desire me to be.

Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him

Psalm 37

As I continue with my study regarding small groups, I am reading up on prayer and this is an area of "unbalance" for me as it is framed in the workbook.  I need to grow in the area of prayer, particularly in the discipline of being silent and in the exercise of repeating certain prayers over and over again to allow them truly reach my heart.

I feel like I lead a hectic life and whether I do not does not mean I can pause to be with God because for goodness sake, He IS God and He wants to be with me and who would NOT want to be with Him?

My Prayer: Lord, You ARE all things and You are truth, the ONLY truth.  Forgive me when I make truth out of other people or other earthly things as you command us NOT to do!  Thank you for how you protect me and how you forgive me Lord.  Purify me if my idols and my sin and help me pause in life to be with you so I can grow to be more like you.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not cover up my iniquity...And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 32

³ When I kept silent,
   my bones wasted away
   through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night
   your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
   as in the heat of summer.

...

Then I acknowledged my sin to you
   and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
   my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
   the guilt of my sin. 

 Last sermon at church, Pastor Scott spoke about how we often think about our sin as private and personal, but it is neither.  It is not personal in the respect that sin has ripple effects in our own lives and in the lives of others (i.e. family).   It is not private in that God knows.  And as David reminds us here there is emotional pain in thinking we can keep it private.  God may be disappointed that we sin but He is MORE disappointed with us when we think we can hide by not acknowledging our sin and by not seeking forgiveness.

My Prayer: Lord, that You forgive me for all of my sin is amazing.  I am indeed a sinful person.  My righteousness with others is something where I need your forgiveness and your help Lord.  Please help me.  Please help me always seek You out.  Help me seek You out daily and never hold anything back.

19 How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you,

Psalm 31

 19 How abundant are the good things  that you have stored up for those who fear you...

The questions I ask myself today in light of this Psalm include:

• do I feel like I am living the good life (according to this Psalm)
• do I act outwardly like I am living the good life?
• if yes to the previous two questions, am I drawing others to the Lord because of my actions and do I have greater opportunities to spread the word?

I definitely feel like I am living the good life - with my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ I definitely feel blessed.  Recently I have also felt a much softer heart to those things that would otherwise have me act NOT as if living the good life...for this I see heart and life transformation at work - thank you God!  Yet on the final questions, I am not so sure - although I DO feel something stirring...

My Prayer: Lord, I continue to see heart and life transformation in my life through You and for this I amazed at how You work and how You answer prayer - You are awesome!  This is no other truth except You Lord Jesus!  Yet in the same breath I can see my own shortcomings - whether they be anger or criticism towards others, or other sin.  For this of course Lord I ask your forgiveness, and I ask that purify, refine, and transform me.  Please help me draw others to you and help me be bold in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Ps 30:5 - For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;

Psalm 30

I have often ready scripture and found how God blesses us.  Yet I rarely come across the word "favor":

For his anger lasts only a moment,
   but his favor lasts a lifetime;

The dictionary defines favor  as something you don't ordinarily get...one definition defines favor as " a special privilege or right granted or conceded".  I then ask myself, do I actually ACT in my daily life like I have something that others might want?

Most of the time my answer is NO...and for me that it is disappointing.

My Prayer: Lord, Your favor is clear in my life and I am so thankful for the blessings you provide as I am undeserving.  Please forgive me for not acting in my daily life as if you have bestowed favor on me.  Please purify me of my sin and transform my heart and my life Lord.  Help me life my life so others know I have favor from You and that others should want what I have which of course is YOU Jesus!

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Psalm 27

Many of the psalms speak of protection from evil and how David takes refuge through his faith in God.  I do believe that God can, does, and will protect us from evil yet the one verse that strikes me tonight is verse 10:

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. 

For me the use of father and mother by David in this verse exemplify how the "earthly" realm is no place for anyone to seek any god of any kind.  Lots of things we know cannot be gods but our earthly mother and father shouldn't forsake us as other people do....yet they do relative to God as human beings cannot be perfect.  If the most important primary relationships in our lives are not worthy of idol worship, then nothing or anyone else in the earthly realm can match Yahweh or God as the one true God who can, does and will receive us.

I know God has already received me, and he will continue to receive me both here on earth and when I die.

My Prayer: Lord, like nothing else and like no one else, YOU are the one and only true God and I am in awe that You love me and You want me to be in your kingdom.  Awesome!  Yet for all of this I feel unworthy and desperately need you to forgive me for my anger and bad behavior.  You see it all.  Please forgive me.  Rid me of my anger and purify me.  Transform my heart and my life and help me receive You so that I can more and more like You.

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.

Psalm 25

This is a great psalm because for me it goes to the core of what I am currently doing - I am reading God's word out of a hunger to know Him, to follow Him, and for Him to show me His ways and and His path for me!

Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths (verse 4)

...

[The Lord] guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way (verse 9)

Right now I feel a greater sense of urgency in my life more so than I have ever felt as a believer  (since 1997).  I DO want God to show me His ways and His path for me.  I want to remain humble and I am ready to be humbled if I am not.

My Prayer: Lord, I KNOW I sin, yet you love me anyway and you are ready at any point to teach me everything and to spend time with me to coach me ANYTIME I want!  How awesome is that!  Forgive me Lord when you coach me and I don't do what you say.  Help me implement your teachings in my life and help me live a life that glorifies you Lord.

The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing

Psalm 23

I am thankful for the spacious place where the Lord has led me.  Work has been difficult recently, yet here I am in a place of peace and free of stress.  My reading tonight strikes a chord because I really believe it is true:

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 

Indeed.  In the words of Ned McGreevey...nuf ced!

My Prayer: Lord, You HAVE led me to spacious place and I am in awe of how You protect me and care for me.  Forgive me for my sin Lord and purify my heart and transform my life Lord. Take me and use me Lord!

Sins of Omission, Commission, and Hidden Sin

Psalm 19

I have often heard sin described as being of omission (by NOT doing something I should do such as loving the Lord my God with all of my heart), or of commission (by doing something I should NOT be doing such as lying).  Here David describes another sin where we need protection.

The decrees of the LORD are firm,
   and all of them are righteous.

...

But who can discern their own errors?
   Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
   may they not rule over me.

The only way we can be "free" of sin in terms of it being a chronic issue for us is to seek oneness and forgiveness with Christ and to seek purification and both life and heart transformation as only Christ can provide.  Christ can not only purify us of our sin that we can see but also the sin we can't see or our blind spots.

My Prayer: Lord, You are great as David proclaims here in this Psalm and You know everything about me and use all that I am good and bad - I marvel at how great You are and perfect Your will is.  Forgive me for my abrupt nature and how this impacts people as I know it is not your desire as you desire me to love all as you love me.  Purify me and transform my heart and my life.

God Rescues Us and Puts Us In The Zone

Psalm 18

David is full of superlatives here as he praises God for his protection and for the power God provides David (and all of us!).  One passage in particular strikes a nerve:

He brought me out into a spacious place;
   he rescued me because he delighted in me

This spacious place is a place I liken to "The Zone" which in sports psychology, is the place you want to be for maximum performance.

I'd like to be in "The Zone" with Christ of course and I know it is possible.  It's of course not the same kind of "performance" as I would seek in sports.  It's certainly not defined in that way.  It is a measure of my heart condition and the degree to which I am experiencing life change or life transformation through my heart condition.

As I go to God in prayer and with my reading, I often pray that God will purify me of my sin and transform my heart and my life.  This is indeed my desire.

My Prayer: You are my rock and my refuge.  I am surrounded on all sides by worldly temptations and by a world that seeks to tear me down.  Even with my own thoughts I face evil.  But You alone protect me and for that I am grateful.  Thank you Lord!  Please DO transform my heart and my life Lord.  Guide me and use me for I seek to love, serve and glorify You Lord Christ!

I Need Protection From Evil Every Day

Psalm 17

I don't often reflect on how evil exists during my daily life.  Yet, for starters I need to remind myself that my own nature is sinful - if one could only understand my thoughts.  We are fallen - all of us human.  On top of that, I am surrounded by those every day that either have not accepted Jesus as their savior or they don't live as if they do (sometimes I have to counted as part of this sample).

Therefore I need protection more often than not.

⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
   hide me in the shadow of your wings
⁹ from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
   from my mortal enemies who surround me. 

Just as David writes above, I seek refuge from God.

My Prayer: Lord, You are all powerful and You love me.  How great is that!  Forgive me for my sin, whether it is sinful thought or sinful acts. Protect me from my sinful nature and purify me of your sin. 

I Must Remember That Joy Rests Solely In Love of Lord

Psalm 16

I am constantly either genuinely struggling with some aspect of my life or "saying that I am struggling.  However, my struggles pale in comparison with those who are truly struggling.   God reveals this to me through this Psalm.

⁵ LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
   you make my lot secure.
⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   surely I have a delightful inheritance.
⁷ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
   even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
   With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
   my body also will rest secure, ¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
   nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
   you will fill me with joy in your presence,
   with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

The key for me is how I need to more frequently - day by day and moment by moment - be reminded of these words from God to me.  My "struggles" will wither away if I can be present to these words and these truths.

My Prayer: Lord, you alone truly are my portion and my cup.  In this moment my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.  You do make known to me the path of life and you do fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Forgive me for my harshness towards others, particularly in my own family.  Lord please help me be mindful daily and moment by moment of how my heart is glad.  Purify me of my harshness and help me bless others as you bless me.

I Want To See His Face

Psalm11

David indicates here that the righteous will see the Lord's face:

For the LORD is righteous,
   he loves justice;
   the upright will see his face.

Indeed, I DO want to see His face.  I also want to hear His voice.  For this of course to happen, I must be righteous.  Righteousness, as defined in the dictionary, is "to act in accord, with the law" of course as defined by the Lord.  To this end, I seek to repent from my sin and I seek to be purified by my sin - this is first and foremost.  I must also seek Him - to delight in His word and His ways.  All of this is tied together.


My Prayer: Lord, Your blessings in my life are unmistakable.  Yet I am broken and I don't deserve such blessings.  Forgive me for my critical nature of others and purify me of this sin.  Help me also have wisdom for new career opportunities and help me glorify you with you I go about this process.  Help me seek you out and to delight in Your word and Your ways.  Help me love and serve You with all of my heart.

Respect and Emulate the Lord

Psalm 2

In Psalm 1 it is  written to "delight in the law of the LORD and to meditate on the law day and night."  Here in Psalm 2 it is written to "respect" the Lord.   We are to live in fear of the Lord because His might and wrath is great for those who rise up against Him.  As we are all sinners we are all guilty of rising up against God.  Perhaps we can rationalize that our sin is not as great as those who more prominently seek to rise up against God but that is not our judgement to make. 

While it is written hear to be fearful -

Serve the LORD with fear
   and celebrate his rule with trembling.

- my view is that we are not so much to live in fear of a God that angry, but instead to live with a healthy fear of God.  The healthy fear starts with a recognition that He is God of all and capable of all.  We then appreciate how He created all of us and loves each us as His children.  And He died for us to give us a new life - one that is hopeful and eternal.  We take in all of this and can only be left with respect and admiration to the extent that we must try and emulate in our own life the ways of Christ; with a goal to glorify Him.  While I can appreciate that God can strike me down at any moment, I am not driven in my daily life by this fear.  Instead I am driven to know and love a great God that cares for me and wants to bless me (as He has already and will continue to).  This is the balance I see between Psalm 1 and 2.  Delight and fear.

My Prayer: Lord, you ARE creator and ruler of all.  Forgive me as I "rise up" against you daily by seeking other Gods, whether that is through my own reason and powers, or other Gods that I employ as masters in my life.  Please forgive me Lord.  Help me focus on You as creator and ruler of all - a God that has created me and loves me beyond words.  Help me emulate you and serve you.

You Must In Your Heart of Hearts Acknowledge and Accept God's Greatness and Sovereignty

Job Chp 42

Through his trials, you can see questioning of Job's faith.   After surrounding himself with the words of his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, Elihu - a much younger man and one who is not expected to have the wisdom of the three friends, speaks truth to Job and lays the groundwork for a softening of Job's heart.

“I am young in years,
   and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
   not daring to tell you what I know.
⁷ I thought, ‘Age should speak;
   advanced years should teach wisdom.’
⁸ But it is the spirit in a person,
   the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
⁹ It is not only the old who are wise,
   not only the aged who understand what is right. (Job Chp 32)

Elihu reinforces that we should be prepared to allow anyone t o speak truth to us as truth can come from any source.

Once Elihu is done speaking, the Lord speaks directly to Job and confronts Job for his righteousness.

“Who is this that obscures my plans
   with words without knowledge? 

Once the Lord confronts him, Job acknowledges that his faith weakened and he repents.  He also acknowledges how faith is a matter of in your "heart of hearts" you must truly acknowledge and accept God's greatness and sovereignty.

My Prayer: Lord, I acknowledge both Your greatness and your sovereignty.  Forgive me for my questioning of this and for my weakness.  Please help me strengthen my faith and purify me of earthly distractions and also of my own righteousness.  Help me in my "heart of hearts" truly acknowledge and accept your greatness and sovereignty and love and serve you with all of my heart.