The Greatest Blessing - October 31st, 2011

¹ Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit. 
(...)

¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.
¹¹ Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Psalm 32:1-2, 10-11

History and Context:

This is another of the psalms written by King David. David was a shepherd boy who became the best king in the history of Israel. He was the youngest in his family and when the prophet came to anoint one of the sons of Jesse, David's father didn't even invite him in from tending the sheep. But even though on the outside he seemed young and was just a boy, God saw his heart and said that he was a man after God's own heart. His psalms are filled with emotions from love for God to anguish from sin to anger towards his enemies.

The Text:

This passage is the first two and last two verses of the 32nd psalm. David starts out by declaring the man whose sin is forgiven as blessed. At the time there was a lot to be done in order to earn forgiveness of sin. One had to follow all the rituals and laws, and when one law was broken, had to bring a sacrifice to the temple. Now, as we know, we have been forgiven through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Still when looking at the rest of Psalm 32 we can see a certain attitude that is important for us to have in order to show our repentance. David talks about acknowledging his sin before God. He says that when he tried to keep it in his 'bones grew old'. He also talks about trusting in the Lord and rejoicing in Him. These are all attitudes that are important to us and our walk with God.

The Challenge:

Today I just want to encourage you. Know that your sins are forgiven and know that because of that you are blessed. Often we talk about blessings in the sense of material things, money, house, car, etc. But don't forget that the greatest blessing is that your sins are forgiven and that God loves you despite all that you have done against Him. There is no greater thing and in this alone we should find reason to rejoice!

The Prayer:

Lord, I do rejoice in you! Thank you for your mercy, thank you for forgiving my sin. I will be glad in you today and I will shout for joy! I love you Lord because you first loved me. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Let's build laborers! - October 29th, 2011

³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. ³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Matthew 9:35-38

History and Context:

The book of Matthew does not actually name an author, but Christian tradition from as far back as we have has claimed Matthew's authorship. The author was clearly a Jewish Christian writing to a main audience of Jewish Christians. For this reason Matthew is careful to clearly lay out how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures. He quotes the Scriptures much more than any of the other Gospel writers. Much of Matthew is very similar to Mark and therefore scholars believe that Matthew drew on the book of Mark for material. The believed date of writing was somewhere around 80 AD but it could be anywhere from 50 to 100 AD.

The Text:

Matthew chapter 8 and 9 list numerous miracles that Jesus does as He travels. In these chapters He casts out devils, heals sick people, gives sight to the blind, raises the dead, and calms the storm. Even here is verse 35 it says that Jesus went to all the cities and villages teaching, preaching, and healing, but He still was moved with compassion when He saw the multitude. He saw that no matter how much one man did, that one man couldn't do it alone. He knew that one man's ministry to the multitude wasn't enough. this is why Jesus chose to invest most of His time into twelve. When He said to pray for laborers, He also implied that our work should be focused on building laborers.

The Challenge:

The Great Commission isn't about simply making converts. Jesus told us to go out and make disciples, in other words build laborers. It's not enough if you are the only one going out and preching the Gospel, you should be training the people who God gives you to also go out and preach the Gospel. This is the only way to truly affect the world for God. Jesus took seventy, focused on twelve, and gave extra focus to three. If God has given you a group of people to minister to, don't focus on growing your numbers as much as growing your individuals. Eventually they will be trained and confident to go out and bring new people in. Then your numbers will begin to grow.

The Prayer:

Lord, help me to pray for and to build laborers for this harvest. Help me to do my part in discipleship, as well as be discipled myself. Help me to do my part in growing your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Have you finished building God's house? - October 28th, 2011

² “Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.’”
³ Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴ “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” ⁵ Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
⁶“ You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”  Haggai 1:2-6

History and Context:

Haggai ministered in the same time period as Zechariah and Ezra. The three of them worked together to motivate and lead the people in the rebuilding of the temple. At the time that Haggai comes on the scene, around 520 BC, the temple had been partially finished but the people had forgotten it. The first group of exiles who had returned to their homeland in 538 BC had immediately begun work on the temple but there was a lot of opposition from surrounding countries and they soon halted their work (Ezra 4:4-5). God used Haggai and Zechariah to bring new motivation to the people to continue the work.

The Text:

The initial word of the Lord, through Haggai, to the people of Israel, jumps right to the point. The people of Israel had already finished their own houses and so they had the comfort of shelter, but they had not finished God's house. The Lord immediately confronts them with this fact. Shouldn't God's house take at least as much priority as their own? He then reveals to them their own struggles and connects it to this fact. Although they put in a lot of work their harvest had been very low, they hadn't recieved much in return, they seemed to be losing their money out of holes in their pocket, their clothes weren't seeming to be enough. The Lord says that they need to put Him first in order to solve these issues.

The Challenge:

Under the new covenant we no longer have temples for God to live in. We do have churches, but according to the New Testament God doesn't consider the church buildings to be His house. Paul said that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives in our spirit. Many Christians spend a lot of time building their physical lives while their spiritual lives 'lie in ruins'. I believe this is the equivalent of what Haggai was telling the Israelites of his time. We live in our fancy houses but have let the house of God lie in ruins. We should be focusing on building our Spirit man so that we can be sure that the Holy Spirit has a comfortable, finished home to stay in.

The Prayer:

Lord, live in me, dwell in me, help me to be sure to continue to keep your house, my spirit in good shape. I want to give you a beautiful house to stay in. In Jesus' name, Amen!

You have faith? Show me! - October 27th, 2011

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:14-26

History and Context:

The epistle of James over history, has been one of the most controversial books in the Bible. Martin Luther, who led the reformation against the Catholic church, wanted to throw the book out. He had a strong revelation of salvation "by grace trhough faith and not by works", and he felt that James taught salvation by works. But to understand why James is not contradicting, but supporting Paul, one must understand the audience to which they wrote. When reading James you can understand that James wrote to a group of people who felt they could do anything they wanted because of grace. They said that because they had faith they didn't need works. James response was that the true faith will affect the works. This is why he writes, "show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18

The Text:

As mentioned above, James was clearly writing to people who felt they could do anything because of grace. The devil always tries to get us into one extreme. Paul continually addressed the extreme religous; the one who felt that you had to follow a bunch of rituals and regulations in order to be saved. For this reason, his letters are filled with the message of 'grace through faith'. James is addressing the opposite extreme; people who think that because of grace they can do whatever they want. This does not mean that Paul and James are contradicting each other. It simply means they are teaching opposite extremes and attempting to bring them into the correct path. This correct path is when we realize that we can never earn our salvation and God accepts us just as we are and gives us grace. But that grace also gives us the power to change the way we act and live. Jesus gave strict guidelines of what it means to follow Him, it is only through the grace of God that we have any chance of following them. Thankfully, we also have, through the grace of God, the ability to get back up whenever we make mistakes. But as Paul makes clear in Romans, this grace does not mean we should simply keep sinning.

The Challenge:

Since Martin Luther had the revelation of "saved by grace, through faith" this passage has been one of the most controversial passages in the Bible among Christians. I even heard that recently a prominent preacher in today's society said that James is not relevant to today because of this passage. So what is our challenge? Understand the balance, protect the whole Word of God, and live by the grace and the faith that has been given you. Make it a point to show the world your faith through your actions. Don't just tell them that you believe in God, show them that you believe in God!

The Prayer:

Lord, help me to let my actions match up with my faith. Help me to show the world that I truly am your follower simply through my actions. In Jesus' name, Amen!

All will suffer... - October 26th, 2011

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

History and Context:

2 Timothy is the last letter Paul wrote before he died in approximately 67 AD. In the letter he seems to know that he is about to die and wants to make sure that he leaves Timothy prepared to continue his ministry. Throughout the letter Paul admonishes Timothy to "not be ashamed", to stick to the truth no matter what. Timothy was Paul's disciple and now Paul is passing on the mantle. He gives him specific instructions as to how he should run his church and also what to watch out for.

The Text:

Paul is writing his last words to one of his most trusted disciples. He commends Timothy for doing well in following after him and through his description we see a very clear picture of what it means to be a disciple. Timothy followed Paul in everything, all the way up to Paul's persecution and affliction. Paul then makes a statement that for us western Christians may seem a bit puzzling; Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. For us western Christians this may seem a bit puzzling because we claim that we try to live Godly, yet many of us have never truly faced persecution. Paul is making it clear here that if you live the life that Jesus called you to people will come against you. It will cost you something.

He then goes on to explain how we are to persevere through these times of persecution and affliction. We are to continue in and cling to that which we have learned, specifically the Word of God. When Paul is talking about Scripture he is referring to the Hebrew Scriptures, but of course we as Christians believe that God has added the new testament to the scriptures. It is the Word of God that we are to cling to in the times of difficulty.

The Challenge:

First question, has following God cost you anything? Has your desire to live Godly caused persecution or affliction in your life? Or have you simply lived a comfortable Christian life? The Bible makes it clear that a truly committed life will cost you something.

Secondly, when you find yourself in the place of persecution or affliction, know the Word of God. It is the Word of God that will be there to give you comfort and strength no matter what happens.

The Prayer:

Lord, I want to follow you no matter what it takes. Help me to stand on your Word and be strengthened and encouraged by it. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Do you desire to be in bondage? - October 25th, 2011

⁸ But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

Galatians 4:8-9

History and Context:

Galatia was a very large province covering the majority of modern day Turkey. Paul is recorded as having founded churches in the Galtian cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe on his first missionary journey in Acts 13 and 14. Lystra is also the hometown of Timothy one of Paul's disciples. The letter to the Galatians was probably written around AD 49, the same year in which the committee met in Jerusalem to resolve the issue of whether Gentiles had to obey the Jewish law to be saved. This is the topic of the letter. Paul had taught strongly that salvation is only through grace by faith, but other Jewish leaders had come in and begun teaching that the Gentiles had to be circumcised and begin following the Jewish customs and rituals in order to be saved. Galatians teaches strongly the freedom of believers and the free gift of salvation to all who believe.

The Text:

In this passage Paul refers to the reader's life before knowing God, he says that at that time they served false gods and were in bondage to them. But now that they have known God, now that they have become Christians, now that they have recieved the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ and the freedom that comes with it, they want to turn back to what they did before. Paul is amazed at this response because he can not understand how someone who has known the power and freedom that comes with knowing the one, true God, could ever want to turn back to the bondage which they were once in and had been freed from.

The Challenge:

So many of us find ourselves in the same place as the Galatians. We have been freed and "it was for freedom that Christ set us free"! But we have chosen to go back to that very lifestyle which we were freed from. It's time for us to embrace the freedom that God has given us. It's time for us to let go of those things which are trying to bind us and step into the life of freedom with Christ. For you it might be a sin, or it might be a form of religous rules and rituals. Either way it is something that the blood of Christ has set you free from and you do not have to be bound by it anymore!

The Prayer:

Lord, I love you and I want to walk in the freedom that you have provided for me. Help me to let go of these weak things that I have held onto for so long. Help me to step out of this bondage and into freedom. I choose life and freedom with you! In Jesus' name, Amen!

His thoughts? Or yours? - October 21st, 2011

  ⁸“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
⁹“ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

History and Context:

Isaiah is the prophet most quoted by Jesus and by the New Testament authors. There are many Messianic prophecies throughout Isaiah, but the real purpose of the book was to admonish the kings of Judah to rely on the potection of God. Isaiah's ministry focused on the reign of two different kings, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Ahaz did not listen to Isaiah and relied on the protection of Assyria rather than God's protection. Hezekiah also didn't listen at first but as things went bad he turned to God for protection and God rescued the kingdom of Judah. Isaiah continually refers to God as "The Holy One of Israel". This phrase is repeated 26 times in the book of Isaiah and only 6 times in the rest of the Old Testament. Isaiah is also known for having the most messianic prophecies ot of any of the prophets.

The Text:

In chapter 54 Isaiah describes the call that God has given to His people; "'For the LORD has called you, like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,' Says your God." In that chapter God calls His people, Israel, to return to Him. They had sinned and God had left them to the consequence of their sin, but now God was calling them back. Then in 55 the people begin calling the surrounding nations; “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." This call then leads into this passage where God declares why we should follow Him, why we should listen to Him. It should be obvious that God's thoughts and ways are higher than our own, but we don't always act like it. God is saying that He knows better than we do. He is the one who created earth and everything, and everyone, in it.

 

The Challenge:

Remember that God knows better than you do. Again this is something that should be obvious to us but it often isn't. We often act and make decisions as if we know better than God. But He is the creator of the universe, He is the one who created knowledge and wisdom, therefore we should continually be looking to Him for our own knowledge and wisdom. We should be trusting Him to direct our lives. We should understand that He has the best in mind for us and that He knows what that is.

 

The Prayer:

Lord, I trust you! Please direct my paths and lead me in my decision making. Let me always look to you first. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Finding your calling! - October 20th, 2011

⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

Psalm 37:4

History and Context:

Psalm 37, like many of the psalms, was written by David, Israel's greatest king and the Bible proclaimed, man after God's own heart. David was a man of war and knew how to fight, but even more he knew how to rely on God. He constantly found himself in hopeless situations in which he cried out to God and God came through and saved him. He started out as a shepherd, became the king's musician, and in the end was the King of Israel. His psalms are honest and speak whatever is on his heart in that particular situation.

The Text:
To truly understand what David is saying here we have to look to the original Hebrew. The way it was translated causes us to think that He is saying ' if we rejoice in the Lord, the Lord will give us what we desire', but that is not what is actually being said. The word 'delight' comes from the Hebrew word anog which means 'to make yourself soft and pliable' and the word 'give' is from the Hebrew word nathan which literally means 'to place, set, or add'. In other words, this verse is actually saying 'Make yourself soft and pliable in the Lord and He will place in you the desires of your heart.'

The Challenge:
Looking into, and applying, the Hebrew meanings behind this verse can make a huge impact in our life. First it gives us the challenge of making ourselves pliable in the hands of the Lord and allowing Him to mold us and form us. Secondly, it helps us to realize that if we have done that, all we have to do is look into our own desires in order to find the will of God for our life. In other words, the challenge is two fold:

1) Make yourself pliable in God's hands and

2) Search your heart's desire and figure out how to apply that to your life and ministry.

The Prayer:
Lord, mold me and make me into the person that you want to be. Place your desires in my heart and direct me in how you want me to use them for your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen!

So that you may not sin... - October 19th, 2011

 ¹ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1 John 2:1-2

History and Context:

1 John does not name an author, but it has been labeled as John's. This is because the style is extremely similar to the unique style of the Gospel written by the Apostle John. The date of this letter is probably at the close of the first century when the Christian faith was around 50 to 60 years old. At this time John was probably the last of the original apostles and the church was struggling to not be influenced by surrounding ideas and philosophies. Most notable was gnosticism: the belief that the physical and spiritual were completely separate, and that all things physical were evil and all things spiritual were good. This belief led to much immorality as they believed that what was done in the physical didn't matter and could not effect the spiritual, but it also ultimately led to the denial that Jesus came in human flesh and therefore the denial of Jesus' death as a spirit cannot die. These uprooted the very core of the Christian faith and John ultimately wrote this letter to counter that philosophy.

The Text:
Chapter one of 1 John ends with a couple statements about sin. First of all, he says that if we claim hat we have not sinned, we are liars. Secondly, he says that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. these are both statements which people, with wrong motives, have used to justify their sin. First thing is that everyone has sinned. Sometimes we try to use that to justify our sin by saying, "everyone sins, so my sin isn't that bad." The other way we try to justify our sin is by saying, "God will forgive me anyway so I might as well go ahead and do it." John, realizing the potential for both of these responses, makes it clear right away that the point is not to give ourselves excuses, but to empower ourselves not to sin. The reason that it is important to know that we all have sinned is because it shows us our need for a savior and puts us in a position in which we can invite Him into our lives to free us from sin. The reason it is important to know that God will forgive us is so that we know that when we do sin we can go to Him and get cleansed of it and freed from the bondage it brings. Either way, the point is to be freed from sin, not to continue in it. John then goes on to describe Jesus as our advocate. This means that despite our sin Jesus is fighting for us. In legal terms an advocate is like the defense attorney. Jesus is coming to our defense before the judge and saying, "look, my blood has made them clean. Because of my blood they are righteous and deserving of eternal life."

The Challenge:
Today's challenge is simple, don't sin. Jesus Christ is fighting for you before the judge, before the Father. God the Father has promised to forgive you and already has forgiven you, but use that as motivation not to sin. You have been freed from it so walk in that freedom. But if you slip, simply go straight to the Father and repent.

The Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for all the wrong things that I have done. Bring me into your presence and empower me to walk in freedom. In Jesus' name, Amen!

"Teacher, say it." - October 17th, 2011

⁴⁰ And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

Luke 7:40

History and Context:

Of the four Gospels, Luke gives us the most thorough accoutn of the life of Jesus. Luke was a doctor, an educated man, who was careful to study out all writings and testimonies (most likely using Mark as a main source) and compiled an accurate account of the life of Jesus. He addressed his letter to Theophilus, a roman, although it is still debated whether this was a real name or simply a representative of the church as a whole. Theophilus simply means "friend of God" so many historians believe that Luke was using the name to address all of "God's friends". As Matthew seemed to emphasize the royalty of Christ and Mark seemed to emphasize His power, Luke seems to emphasize the love and compassion of Christ. Although there are some historical points of Luke's Gospel which are still debated, archaeology has generally proved him to be an accurate historian.

The Text:

This is the passage in which Jesus goes into the Pharisee's (Simon's) house to eat and drink with him. As he is in this man's house a 'woman of ill repute' comes and begins washing Jesus' feet with her tears and her hair. Simon, like most the religous people of the day, was appalled that Jesus would let this woman touch him, but he didn't say anything out loud, he just kept it to himself. Jesus then calls him by his name and says, "I have something to say to you." If you continue to read the chapter Jesus ends up rebuking this man because he had not even shown common courtesy of washing Jesus' feet when He came into Simon's house. Through a parable he shows how the actions of this woman and Simon's own actions show that Simon does not love Jesus as much as the woman. He calls him out in front of everyone present. This is the result of Simon telling Jesus to, "...say it."

 

The Challenge:

One of the greatest hindrances to a true relationship with God is the inability or unwillingness to listen to Him. Without listening to Him we, at best, have a one sided relationship in which we talk all the time but we never allow interaction from God's side. There are many reasons why we have a difficulty hearing, but I think one of them is that we know Jesus will do exactly what He did to Simon. We know that the first thing Jesus will do is call us out exactly where we are at. He won't ignore anything, no matter how good we are at ignoring it ourselves. He won't make anything 'sugar coated', He will call it like it is and not hold back. As humans we don't like that. We like to stay in our comfortable shell of ignorance and bliss thinking that we are 'okay'. For that reason Christians love to have one-sided conversations with God. they can feel good about the fact that they did their praying for the day, but it never really cost them anything. If we ever want to go anywhere in our relationship with God, we have to let Him speak. We have to respond like Simon and say, "Teacher, say it."

 

The Prayer:

Lord, I'm ready. Speak to me, show me exactly where I am at. Help me to hear you and to respond. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Absolute Truth - October 14th, 2011

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:12-13

History and Context:

The book of John is the fourth Gospel and it is believed to be the last written. John was one of the inner three of Jesus' disciples and referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John seemed to have written his Gospel for those who had already known the story of Jesus. He focuses on the meaning of the events rather than the events themselves. There is also a strong focus on the words and teachings of Jesus, specifically on Jesus' claims about Himself. These claims are best known as the seven "I am" statements. John probably wrote this Gospel in Ephesus somewhere around 70 AD.

The Text:

In this passage Jesus knows that His time has about come. It is about time for Him to go to the cross and to die, then not long after ascend to the Father. So Jesus is trying to prepare His disciples for what is about to happen. He tells them that He is going to leave but that another will come, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has many different names but in this passage He is called the 'Spirit of truth'. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will come in order to lead us into all truth.

The Challenge:

Truth is relative... That's what the world is trying to tell us today. They try to tell us that there is not absolute truth, that everything is simply how we see it as individuals. I believe what I need to believe for me and that is fine as long as I don't try to convince you of what I believe. This thought is attempting to take away one of the most important characteristics and tasks of the Holy Spirit. If there is not truth than the Holy Spirit can not lead us into truth. But there is truth. There is absolute truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and without Him no one can find truth. As much as people are trying to deny the existence of truth there is still a part of them that wants to find truth. They want to find the Holy Spirit. It is a yearning in them that has been there since birth. That is why they attempt to create their own absolute truth that there is no absolute truth. But what they are truly waiting for is someone like you or me, who believes strongly enough in the truth that it affects their actions and words. Someone who believes strongly enough in Truth that it permeates their entire life. Be that person!

The Prayer:

Lord, thank you for sending us the Spirit of Truth. Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding us into all truth. Help me to live as I believe it. Help me to let the truth permeate my entire life. Help me to show those around me what absolute truth is. In Jesus' name, Amen!

It's all about Jesus! - October 13th, 2011

³⁷ And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. ³⁸ But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. ³⁹ You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

John 5:37-40

History and Context:

The book of John is the fourth Gospel and it is believed to be the last written. John was one of the inner three of Jesus' disciples and referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John seemed to have written his Gospel for those who had already known the story of Jesus. He focuses on the meaning of the events rather than the events themselves. There is also a strong focus on the words and teachings of Jesus, specifically on Jesus' claims about Himself. These claims are best known as the seven "I am" statements. John probably wrote this Gospel in Ephesus somewhere around 70 AD.

The Text:

John chapter five is another instance in which Jesus heals a man (v. 8) and another instance in which the Jews take Jesus' good work as an opportunity to persecute Jesus (v. 16). Many Jews (specifically the Pharisees) were upset at Jesus because of who He claimed to be. He claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God, even God Himself and many of the Jews didn't like these claims. The pharisees prided themselves in their knowledge of the Scriptures. They had studied the scriptures their entire lives and believed that it was their knowledge of the Scriptures that gave them eternal life and brought them closer to the Father. Jesus is telling them that in all their studying of the Scriptures they missed the point. The whole point of the Scriptures is that they testify of Jesus, they testify of who He is. In rejecting Jesus they were rejecting the very thing in which they had placed their lives and their trust in, the Scriptures. They had studied the Scriptures, memorized them, and knew everything about them, but had never allowed the Word of the Father to live in their hearts. There was a lot of knowledge but no relationship. There was a lot of religion but no life.

The Challenge:
Remember it is all about Jesus! Without Him there is no life and no love. Without a relationship with Jesus there is no point to life, no purpose. There is no point to studying the Scriptures unless it is bringing you into a stronger relationship with Jesus. There is no point in praying unless it is pulling you closer to Him. It is all about Him! Which in turn means it is not about me.

The Prayer:
Lord, I do want to come into a closer relationship with you. Help me to focus my prayers and my time in the Word so that I can truly be brought closer to you. Help me to seek you with all my heart. I love you. In Jesus' name, Amen!
 

Recieve Your Crown! - October 12th, 2011

⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹ “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
¹¹ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

Revelation 2:8-11

History and Context:

Revelation is the only apocalyptic book in the New Testament. An apocalyptic book was written in times of crisis and had the purpose of encouraging the believers by reminding them of the coming voctory in Christ. Apocalyptic writings always included visions, symbols, and numbers containing special meanings. This often makes it harder for us to understand as we are in a different time and culture. The book is authored by John from the island of Patmos. There is disagreement among scholars whether this is the John the Apostle or a different John. Tradition supports the idea that it is John the Apostle but the style is very different from the Gospel of John and the letters of John. In the first three chapters of revelation Jesus has John write seven letters to seven specific churches.

The Text:

The church in Smyrna is another one of the seven churches to which Jesus has messages at the beginning of the book of Revelation. Back on September 4th we discussed what Paul said to the church in Ephesus. The general format of each of these letters was the same. Jesus would address the church and say what they have done right, then He would correct them for what they did wrong. There are two exceptions to this pattern, in chapter three there is the church of Laodicea (the famous 'lukewarm' church) which Jesus has nothing good to say about them, and the church of Smyrna, which Jesus has nothing bad to say about. For the church of Smyrna, Jesus only has encouragement. They are going through terrible tribulation and trials but have stayed completely faithful to Him through it all. It seems interesting to me that the one church to which Jesus has nothing to correct is the church that is in the most difficult circumstances.

The Challenge:
The church in Smyrna shows us that just because we are walkly closely to Jesus, doesn't mean everything around us will be great. When we live a completely committed lifestyle to Jesus Christ there is always tribulation and tests that come, but pay attention to the encouragement that Jesus gives the church in Smyrna. He says, "Be faithful to me until death, and I will give you a crown of life." Being completely committed to Jesus is not easy, but it is worth it. It is only through that commitment that we can grow closer to Christ and in the end receive true life from Him. It is only through that commitment that we can overcome. Make that commitment and brace yourself for the response. But know that Jesus is going through everything with you.

The Prayer:
Lord, thank you for going through these tests and trials with me. Thank you that you have promised true life to your followers. I want to follow you no matter what the cost may be. In Jesus' name, Amen!



Declare His power to the next generation! - October 11th, 2011

¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Psalm 71:17-18

History and Context:

The Psalms are a collection of old hymns which the Jews used to bring praise and worship to Yahweh. Most of them were written by King David, but there were also other contributors and a few, like this one, have unknown authors. This psalmist has written a psalm to testify about God's faithfulness and how He has stayed with the psalmist all of his life. He also asks God to stay with him through his old age in the same way He stayed with him through his youth.

The Text:

Yesterday we discussed the responsibility young men and women have to draw counsel out of the older and wiser. As mentioned in that post, I believe we as younger men and women often forget our responsibility and wait for someone to come around to mentor us. That being said, we can see through this passage, as well as many others in the Bible, that there is a responsibility on the part of the older as well. The psalmist pleads to God to not forsake him even when he is "old and gray" because he wants to declare God's power to the next generation. No matter how old we are, we have a responsibility to declare God's power and greatness to the generation after us. The Bible shows a communal aspect in bringing up youth and children. As the Body of Christ it is everyone's job to work together to raise the youth and children in Christ. Often this is done through mentorship.

The Challenge:

I believe strongly that everyone trying to follow Christ should have someone over them, training them and discipling them, as we talked about yesterday, and someone under them that they are growing and discipling. If you are doing nothing to grow and disciple the generation after you it is time for you to find someone to mentor. Pray and ask God who it should be. Then seek God for a plan in how it should happen. We must declare the power of God to the next generation!

The Prayer:

Lord, send me the person or people that you want me to mentor. Give me opportunities to share what you have shared with me. Thank you Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Draw out the wisdom! - October 10th, 2011

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out. 

Proverbs 20:5

History and Context:
King Solomon, son of King David, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote the majority of the proverbs in order to share his wisdom. Many of his proverbs have become common sayings in today's society and people don't even realize that they are from the Bible. Proverbs are one line nuggets of wisdom, therefore there is not really any context to consider as this line stands by itself. At the beginning of the book of Proverbs Solomon addresses his 'son' which have led many to believe that he wrote this book for his biological son, but it could also simply be a term for any younger man that happens to read the sayings.

The Text:

There has always been a need for mentors. There is something about an older man or woman taking a younger man or woman under their 'wing' and training them in a one-on-one setting. Often we talk about how important it is for the older men of our society to take the initiative to take someone younger and begin mentoring them. We put all the responsibility on the elders. Sometimes as younger men and women we will even complain about the fact that there is no one who is willing to mentor us, but it seems that Solomon, in this proverb, is switching the responsibility. He says that the counsel must be drawn out of the heart of a man like deep water. In other words when I find someone that has more wisdom and knowledge than I do, it is my responsibility to draw that out of the man. Maybe it is my responsibility, as the younger man, to initiate the mentor relationship. Also in a more formal setting, when someone is teaching, we will often complain that the teacher wasn't good and therefore we didn't recieve anything. But again it is often our responsibility to draw that counsel out of the teacher with our expectation and hunger.

The Challenge:

If you are waiting for someone to come and mentor you, stop waiting and start looking. Find a person that you respect and trust and ask God how you can take the initiative to draw the counsel out of them. Next time you are sitting under someone who is teaching or preaching, don't wait for them to say something that catches your ear just right, sit with expectation. Listen with hunger and draw out of them what you need to hear in that time. Take responsibility for your own growth in this way.

The Prayer:

Lord, help me to draw the counsel and wisdom out of those wise men and women who you have surrounded me with. Make me a man of understanding that I can take responsibility for my own growth in you. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Ask in Confidence! - October 9th, 2011

¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15

History and Context:

1 John does not name an author, but it has been labeled as John's. This is because the style is extremely similar to the unique style of the Gospel written by the Apostle John. The date of this letter is probably at the close of the first century when the Christian faith was around 50 to 60 years old. At this time John was probably the last of the original apostles and the church was struggling to not be influenced by surrounding ideas and philosophies. Most notable was gnosticism: the belief that the physical and spiritual were completely separate, and that all things physical were evil and all things spiritual were good. This belief led to much immorality as they believed that what was done in the physical didn't matter and could not effect the spiritual, but it also ultimately led to the denial that Jesus came in human flesh and therefore the denial of Jesus' death as a spirit cannot die. These uprooted the very core of the Christian faith and John ultimately wrote this letter to counter that philosophy.

The Text:

Here John is talking about prayer. He is talking about a confidence that we can have in prayer. He says that we can have anything that we ask of God under two conditions. First we must have confidence in Him. In other words, we must have faith in Him and trust Him. Secondly we must know His will and ask accordingly. As long as we can pray in confidence, according to His will, He will hear us and we will have what we prayed. So the question is how can we know His will? We can know His will through His Word and through close fellowship with Him.

The Challenge:

Get to know His will! Then pray accordingly. We miss out on so much because we do not pray. The Bible even tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. We need to get to know God's will so that we can pray in confidence and then we can know that we will recieve what we are praying for. Start praying! Pray for your friends and family, pray for your city, pray for your coworkers or fellow students, and pray for yourself.

The Prayer:

Lord, help me to get to know your will so that I can pray in confidence. I want to pray according to your will and help bring your kingdom on this earth through my prayers. Thank you Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen!
 

Let your heart be torn! - October 6th, 2011

¹²“ Now, therefore,” says the LORD,   
“ Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.

Joel 2:12-13

History and Context:

We know very little about the prophet Joel and his book. The little that we do know has to be gleaned from the text as he is not mentioned elsewhere. We know that his father's name was Pethuel (1:1), we also know that he is writing in response to a great tragedy of a plague of locusts. He sees the people of Judah in darkness and suffering and calls them to repent because God still loves them and longs to rescue them. Joel mentions very similar themes as Isaiah, Amos, and Ezekiel and he talks a lot about the 'Day of the Lord'. The best guess as to the date of the book is between the 8th and 4th century BC.

The Text:

This is the Lord's continous cry to His people throughout the Bible. "Turn to me with all your heart"! He cries out for His people to return to Him, to repent. He reminds them of His love and mercy and that He will forgive them and make it well for them if they would simply turn back to Him. There is one part of this particular passage that I want to bring out though:

So rend your heart, and not your garments

In the times of the old testament it was common to tear your clothes as a sign of repentance. Often that is seen throughout the Bible as men and women of God would realize that they had done wrong and they would tear their clothes as they fall to their knees and cry out to God for forgiveness. this was a powerful outward sign, but God makes it clear here that the outward sign is meaningless without inward repentance. It doesn't matter if you tear your clothes if your heart is not also torn.

The Challenge:

Turn to God with all your heart today! If you have been turned away from Him, if you have sinned against Him, then let your heart be torn in repentance and return to Him. He will accept you! He has already been pleading for you to return, you just haven't been listening. Turn to Him with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Turn to Him in repentance!

The Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for anything that I have done against you! I turn to you with my whole heart. I choose to let my heart be torn. Bring me back intoyour presence Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Where is your treasure? - October 5th, 2011

¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:18-21

History and Context:

The book of Matthew does not actually name an author, but Christian tradition from as far back as we have has claimed Matthew's authorship. The author was clearly a Jewish Christian writing to a main audience of Jewish Christians. For this reason Matthew is careful to clearly lay out how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures. He quotes the Scriptures much more than any of the other Gospel writers. Much of Matthew is very similar to Mark and therefore scholars believe that Matthew drew on the book of Mark for material. The believed date of writing was somewhere around 80 AD but it could be anywhere from 50 to 100 AD.

The Text:

This is another part of the famous Sermon on the Mount. As mentioned before, this sermon covers a wide variety of topics and was probably actually multiple sermons put into one section of the book. This particular passage comes right after Jesus's instructions on prayer, including the famous 'Lord's Prayer'. Jesus is talking about two different realms and two different types of treasure. The world will tell you to build up your financial assets, to increase your net worth. But Jesus points out the very true fact that there is no guarantee on any treasure that is built up here on earth. Eventually all earthly treasure will pass away or be gone, but heavenly treasure is eternal. He then goes on to tell us that our heart follows our treasure. If we treasure earthly things than our heart will be here on earth, but if we treasure heavenly things our heart will be in heaven.

The Challenge:

The first challenge is to find out what kind of things are included in heavenly treasure. What is it that will never be destroyed or stolen? Of course the biggest treasure is our relationship with Jesus. The God of the universe has decided to have a relationship with me! This is the greatest treasure of all and it is what I should invest my time in. But Jesus wants the relationship on His terms; all or nothing. When we follow Him wholeheartedly we build eternal treasure in heaven. When our heart is completely after Jesus, that means our treasure is in Him, and that is a treasure we can never lose!

The Prayer:

Lord, you are my treasure! I place my heart after you and desire to follow you wholeheartedly! I love you! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Watch your mouth! - October 4th, 2011

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”^[e] for we are members of one another. ²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”:^[f] do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:25-32

History and Context:

The book of Ephesians is quite different than the other letters written by Paul. Due to it's lack of personal greetings, many scholars see it more as a written sermon than an actual letter. In fact, it is likely that it was actually written to multiple churches in the area of Ephesus and was meant to be passed around from church to church. Paul wrote this letter from jail, as he did with Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. One of his largest messages in the book of Ephesians is the plan of God to bring every nation and background together in Christ. As in many other places there was probably great conflict between the Gentiles and the Jewish Christians, so Paul stressed that for God there is no nationality. He wants to bring all to Him.

The Text:
There is a lot of instruction in this passage. Paul is sharing with the Ephesians some basic guidelines for a Christian's actions. These are the morals that one, who is following Christ, should follow. Just before this passage Paul talks about the process of putting off the old man and putting on the new. In other words, this is a continuation of a discussion about the transformation that should happen when we become Christians. We were one person and have now transformed into a new person, a better person, through the blood of Christ. The part that I want to focus on is how often Paul refers to our words. We would think that in a description of what the new man looks like there would be a focus on actions, but Paul seems to focus on what we speak out. What words come out of our mouth; put away lying and speak the truth, let no corrupt word come out but instead speak words of edification, let all evil speaking be put away from you. Paul does also refer to actions but most of what he refers to in this passage is words and attitudes.

The Challenge:
Watch your mouth! Paul's focus on words in this passage shows us the importance our speaking has on completing the transformation that we embarked on with our decision to follow Christ. Words have the power of convincing us to believe something, when we truly believe that thing our actions then follow. Therefore if we can simply change our words, we can change our beliefs, which will then change our actions. Watch what you say today, both to yourself and to those around you.

The Prayer:
Lord, help me to watch my words today. Help me to control my tongue. Help me to speak out truth in your Word. Thank you Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Do you want to see the glory of God? - October 3rd, 2011

³⁸ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” ⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” ⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

John 11:38-44

History and Context:

The book of John is the fourth Gospel and it is believed to be the last written. John was one of the inner three of Jesus' disciples and referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John seemed to have written his Gospel for those who had already known the story of Jesus. He focuses on the meaning of the events rather than the events themselves. There is also a strong focus on the words and teachings of Jesus, specifically on Jesus' claims about Himself. These claims are best known as the seven "I am" statements. John probably wrote this Gospel in Ephesus somewhere around 70 AD.

The Text:

John chapter 11 tells us the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. Jesus is told that his friend Lazarus is very sick so He begins travelling to meet him. By the time He gets here though Lazarus had died and had been dead for four days. The general consensus among the people who knew Jesus was that He could have healed Lazarus if He had gotten there earlier but now it was too late. Even in this passage as Jesus calls for the tombstone to be removed Martha, Lazarus' sister, simply reminds Jesus of the stench because of how long Lazarus had been dead. But Jesus' response was: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

The Challenge:

When you read further back in the story it seems almost as if Jesus delayed in coming to Lazarus. He purposely allowed Lazarus to die in order to prove a point: that nothing is impossible for Him. So this is the thought I give to you as you begin your day. Remember that nothing is impossible for Him! The challenge is the same challenge that Jesus gave Martha: If you will believe, you will see the glory of God! Simply believe in Him, have faith in Him, no matter how hopeless your situation may seem, no matter how irreversible it may seem, believe in HIm and you will see the glory of God!

The Prayer:

Lord, let me see your glory!

Sin no longer has dominion! - October 2nd, 2011

¹⁰ For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 6:10-14

History and Context:

As noted before the book of Romans was written by Paul to the church in Rome, probably around 55 - 57 AD. The history and beginnings of the church in Rome is not fully known. Most scholars believe that they established themselves without the help of any Apostle and without seeing any signs or miracles. There was a strong mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome at this time and they seem to have gotten in many arguments. The Jewish Christians wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and to follow the law to the letter, whereas the Gentile Christians attempted to say that they were better and that the Jews were rejected as God's people. The Gentiles also believed that the law was abolished. Paul addresses both of these issues in his letter.

The Text:

This passage out simply is Paul showing us the example of Christ and telling us to live accordingly. Jesus Christ came down and He died as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. A lot of times we focus on the forgiveness that comes from that. We talk about how His blood washes us clean so that we appear righteous towards God. This is true and important but it is not where the results of His sacrifice end. Paul is sharing with us hear that we, in our decision to follow Christ, have also become dead to sin. We also died to sin and found true life in God. This means that not only did Christ's death wash us from our sin but He also gave us the power to overcome sin. Sin no longer has dominion. I am not a sinner saved by grace, because of grace I am a saint adopted by God!

 

The Challenge:

We have been freed from the bondage of sin and sooner or later we should start acting like it. If we are no longer slaves to sin why would we keep sinning? It's time to evaluate our actions and throw out any that are not holy. Let's not take the sacrifice that Jesus made for granted! Let's start living in the freedom that He has given us.

 

The Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the sacrifice that you made for me on the cross. I am sorry if there was any time that I simply took that sacrifice for granted, help me to never do that again. I thank you that you already gave me that power. Thank you Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Light and Salt! - October 1st, 2011

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

History and Context:

Today we are continuing in the Gospel of Matthew, for History and Context refer back to September 27th.

The Text:

This is Jesus talking at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. He starts with what is known as the Beatitudes and leads directly into this; that we are the light and salt of the world. In the Beatitudes Jesus gives us a number of attitudes that we have to have in order to truly fulfill our calling as salt and light. Before we can be true lights in this wordl we have to be poor in spirit, meek, hungry fro righteousness, etc. These things lead up to our light shining before all men. That is because these attitudes get us out of the way and allow the light of Christ, who is in us, to shine through.

The Challenge:

Don't hide your light! Don't hide what you have to give! When you hide then you take away the opportunity for the Father to be glorified in you. Glorify Him! Shine the light of Christ to those around you today.

The Prayer:

Lord, shine through me! Shine your light through me to those around me. Let them see you when they look at me. In Jesus' name, Amen!