Tuesday, July 24, 2007

#61 The Jealous Love of God – Exodus 34:14

Exodus 34:14 NLT“You must worship on other gods, for the Lord, Whose very name is jealous, is a God Who is passionate about His relationship with you.”

Journal Entry # 61

We tend to think of jealousy as a bad thing, but there is one instance where jealousy is right and even expected. When a couple marries, they promise all of a certain kind of affection exclusively to each other. If one partner gives any of that of affection to another, the faithful spouse is rightfully jealous of that affection. If the faithful spouse did not react with jealousy, then we would question that person’s love for the wayward spouse. It should not surprise us then that God is jealous over us – unwilling to share our hearts with anything else. This does not mean that we have no affection for anything else, however, it does mean that certain kinds of affections (ex. worship, adoration, and the deepest love in our hearts) must be for Him alone. There are many reasons why it is right and good for God to be jealous for us like this. First, God is the one who created us and we are all created through Him and to Him (Romans 11:36) and for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, as His special creations, God has the right to be jealous of our worship, for it is rightfully His as our creator God.

Secondly, as Christians, we are now doubly His – not only as His creations but now also as those who have been ransomed by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:20) and we are no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:19). In becoming His in this way, we see that God is not only worthy of our worship, but also our praise, adoration, love, trust, and obedience. He deserves to have first place in all these things and He passionately desires to be first – not simply because He deserves it, but also because He loves us so very much. His love is limitless and it demands to be returned as well as we are able. Which one of us has not experienced the pain of love given and not returned – whether that person was a friend, a parent, a relative – whether platonic or romantic in nature – we’ve all been hurt by someone we loved who never really loved us back or even turned on us. Yet how often do we do this to God? Too often we take His grace and profess our love, but our actions say otherwise (Isaiah 29:13, Ezekiel 14:2-3). We spend more time doing other things than being with and getting to know the One who loves us and longs jealously for us more than we can imagine. Anything we might say like, “I just have too much to do.” we know is only an excuse. It shows where our priorities really lie, and whatever we have placed at the top of our list is clearly what we love and worship over God. Don’t you know how jealous you have made Him?

All you who claim to love and worship the Lord – the only true God – come now and pray, “Our merciful God, we come before You in repentance. We see that we have not loved You as we should and not near what You deserve. Help us now to truly love You with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength (Mark 12:30). May we requite Your love with all that is in us. We desire right now to make You the center of our lives – to desire You over everything. Lord, may You be our one great love and the passion of our souls. Be first in our lives, having the first of everything – our love, our time, our resources. Lord, You are worthy of all our love, praise, adoration, worship, affection, trust, and obedience – may we give to You everything that You deserve. Oh God, we are so amazed at the depth of Your love for us – it is far greater than we can imagine for You pursued us when we were worse than strangers to You (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21). You breathed life into us when we were dead in our sin (Ephesians 2:1&5, Colossians 2:13). Lord, help us every day to surrender our selves completely to You. May we desire to be Your just as You desire for us to be Yours. Lord, may all Your desires become our desires. Unite our hearts to Yours. We pray these things in the name of Jesus – He who displayed Your love for all the world to see – and for the sake of Your name and the precious blood of the Lamb which purchased us as Your own forever. Set our hearts on fire for You. Amen."

See the songs Unrequited, Your Alone/Entirely to You, Every Day of Forever, and Forever Isn’t Long Enough.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

#60 Come, Lord Jesus! - Revelation 22:3-4&20

Revelation 22:3-4&20 NIV - 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!!

Journal Entry # 60

We cannot imagine what it will be like to live and enjoy God’s creation without the curse of the fall. No longer must we work hard for food, no longer will we labor in vain. We will never again return to dust, we will no longer suffer in pain (Genesis 3:14-19). The reversal of the curse has already been stated in Revelation 21:4 with the list, “there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain for the old order of things is gone.” Not only will there be no more curse, but God Himself will be with us in a way that He might not have been even when God first made Adam and Eve. We are now “engaged” – unbreakably pledged – to Him, and one day we will be “married” to Him. In the same way that married is far more intimate and constant than even being engaged, so one day He will be with us in a way that is far more intimate and constant than ever before. We will see His face, which will be more than simply the physical face of Jesus, but we will also behold all the glory of God. We will clearly be His, with His “mark” upon us. For His name “written” on us – on our hearts, souls, and lives – is His seal of ownership. He has claimed us as His. And all this will happen soon for, “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here.” (Romans 13:11-12). The Lord says to us, “I am coming soon.” And though these words were written long ago, we must not lose heart for our salvation draws near. Do not doubt His promise for our God is the faithful God keeping His covenant of love to thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9). So as we wait with expectant hearts, let us be about doing the work of the Lord. This does not just mean the obvious “spiritual” activities available but we must learn to “do everything to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)and to do all our work “as for the Lord, if it is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24) When you spend time in prayer and Bible study and worship seeking the presence of God – do not let it end there. The Lord desires to go with you and be involved in everything you do – your job, your school, your friends and family, in work and play. Let Him rule in every area of your life. Be a light for Him everywhere you go. This is what He asks of all of us. This is how you can serve Him right where you are, no matter where you are or who you are.

All you who are His, let us together pray, “Our Lord, our God – our risen, reigning and returning King – may Your name be exalted in all the earth, for You have made all things. You have made us and saved us for Your glory. Our Father, we long for the new creation free from the taint of sin. We long for our perfection into the image of Christ and the glorification of our bodies. Lord, may Your name be written across our lives and on our hearts. Work in our hearts that we would desire to live our lives for You alone, to serve You with all we are. May every day of our lives bring glory to You and draw us closer to You. Lord, meet with us as wee seek Your presence and go with us out into the world as we go about our work and daily lives. Help us to always remember that You are ever with us, for You live in us by Your Holy Spirit. May we be a light for You in this dark world, Lord, shine through us. Set the captives free, let the blind see. May You find us ready and busy on the day of Your return. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.”*

See the song Amen. Lord Jesus, Come , For You, Starting Right Now, What I’m here for, and Salt and Light on Faithwriters.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

#59 God with Us and in Us – Revelation 21:1&3-5

Revelation 21:1&3-5 NIV - 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" …

Journal Entry # 59

How amazing it will be when God will not only live in us as He does now by His Holy Spirit, but He will also live with us. In the old testament, the Israelites carried with them the tent – and later built the temple – in which the immediate presence of God dwelled (Exodus 29:44-45). In this way, He lived with His people as He desired (Exodus 25:8 & 29:46), but He was still inaccessible to them in any intimate sense. They could not enter the holy of holies with very few exceptions (Leviticus 16:2-6). Even when the temple was built, a curtain separated the most holy place from the rest of the temple (Exodus 26:33). There was a barrier that kept God from truly living among His people. And this was for their own protection for the mortal flesh of sinful man cannot endure the full presence of the holy and living God unless God took great care to protect them (Exodus 19:21). But then God became a man and full of grace and truth, He lived among us (John 1:14) in the person of Jesus Christ. Now all who cared to could touch Him, speak to Him face to face. When Christ died, the curtain of the holy of holies tore in two from top to bottom (Mark 15:37-38) as a symbol that God was now immediately and intimately accessible to all who would come through faith in Christ. Now the Spirit of Christ lives in us, but even better things are coming. We cannot really know what it will be like then, for “no eye has seen, no ear has heard what God has prepared for those who love Him.(1 Corinthians 2:9)” but we know that it will be “more than we could ask or imagine”(Ephesians 3:20). In the fullest sense possible, God will be with us. The Lord says of His church, “this is my resting place forever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. (Psalm 132:13-14)” We can be sure that this will be more immediate and intimate than we could ever comprehend. For God is a personally relational being who passionately desires a loving and intimate relationship with each of His children. Scripture says, “You must worship nothing else, for the Lord – whose very name is jealous* – is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you. (Exodus 34:14)” He loves us like a husband loves his bride (Ephesians 5:25-27) for the church is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). When God makes all things new (v5), we will never again have a reason to cry, for all these things – death, mourning, crying, or pain – result from sin and all sin will be gone forever. As scripture says, “we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13)”, and “nothing impure will ever enter it. (Revelation 21:27)” we need not fear the possibility of another fall for everyone who lives in God’s new creation will have seen the destructiveness of sin for what it is and will have no inclination toward it, being perfect in holiness and righteousness like Christ.

Come, let us pray, “Our great and amazing God, You made heaven and earth and will remake them to be prefect forever, we thank You for the promise that for all eternity You will be with us and in us. Your passionate love for us is so vast and eternal and amazing. We worship You for who You are*. Who is like You, God alone worthy, there is no one like You with justice and mercy.* Lord, simply catching a glimpse of how great is Your love for us that reaches beyond the heavens and faithfulness beyond the clouds (Psalm 36:5), we see how much You are worthy that we should love You with all our heart, soul, mind, strength (Mark 12:30). Lord, help us to love You even half as much as You love us, may we be even half as passionate about You as You are about us. May we desire to give You everything – all we are, all our love, all our lives. Lord, we groan to be fully redeemed in our bodies (Romans 8:23) and for the restoration of all things. May we watch and wait with expectant and joyful hearts for the day when You will take us home to be with You (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and then we will be like Christ, for we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). We long for the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father! (Philippians 2:10-11) Lord, may You be glorified in Your saints now and forever! (2 Thessalonians 1:10) Amen.”

*See the songs Like No One Else, Who You Are, and Who is Like Thee.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

#58 All Glory to Him Who Keeps You - Jude 1:24-25

Jude 1:24-25 (KJV) - 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Journal Entry # 58

As Christians, we need never fear because our God is all powerful and is more than able to keep us from falling away. As Jesus said about us, “no one is able to snatch them away from the Father’s care.” (John 10:27-30) For what He has begun, He will complete (Philippians 1:6) because He is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:24, Deuteronomy 7:9) and nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:39). One of the many ways He pours out His grace on us is to always draw us closer to Him, to strengthen our hearts to faithfulness by His Holy Spirit living in us. And when this life here is done, He will present us to Himself (Jude verse 24) – having absolutely perfected us into the likeness of Christ and washed us clean in His blood. He does this with fullness of joy over us (v24) – as it is written, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10). He takes joy in us whom He created for His glory (Isaiah 43:6-7) and He takes great pleasure in displaying His grace and love through us (2 Timothy 1:9) because He has saved us, cleansed us, and perfected us. Through the enemy tried to mar God’s wonderful creation of man by deceiving man into sin, yet God will save a people for Himself, and restore His perfect image in us.

Therefore shall we pray, “Our all mighty, all knowing, ever present God – You who makes us, saves us, keeps us, perfects us – we thank You, our Father, for keeping us in Your hands and assuring us with Your promise that You will never forsake us or abandon us (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5). May we always bring joy and pleasure to Your heart as You look upon us and watch over us. You alone are God, the saving and faithful God (Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 86:15, Psalm 136:2). All glory and majesty come from Your radiance. All dominion and power are Yours forever, for from You and through You and to You were all things made (Romans 11:34-36). And now, may You be Lord of all our lives, may we follow Your will, may we bring You glory, and may we fall in love with You - overflowing in worship and praise to You. For You alone deserve all we have to give. Be magnified through those You have made Yours. Bless us and keep us for we are sealed with Your Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30), who is Your guarantee to us (NIV 2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:14). We praise You for we have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). You set the number of our days before one came to be (Psalm 139:16), and if we will follow You, You will guide our way (Proverbs 3:5-6). Keep our hearts pure (Psalm 51:10, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, Titus 2:13-14), our minds transformed (Romans 12:1-2), our hands clean (James 4:7-8), our lives surrendered. Make us worthy of the life to which You have called us (2 Thessalonians 1:11). By Your power, Lord, fulfill all our good intentions and faithful deeds that all will give honor to Your name, Lord Jesus, because of our lives and that we too may be honored. We know this is only possible because of Your underserved favor (grace), our God and Lord, Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:12). To You be all glory in all the nations throughout all generations (Romans 11:36, Ephesians 3:21, 1 Peter 4:11)! Amen.

*See the songs Every Day of Forever, Make Me.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

#57 Ask in Line With His Will – 1st John 5:14-15

1 John 5:14-15 NLT - 14 And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will. 15 And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for.

Journal Entry #57

In order for us to ask in line with God’s will, we must first tune ourselves to His will by submitting our lives and our very selves to the authority of His divine will. This will mean foremost that we draw near to God. To do this we must throw off everything that hinders us and we must set aside all our sin for it will entangle us (Hebrews 12:1) so that we cannot run. We have been set free from sin, how can we live in it any longer (Romans 6:1-3)? As we surrender ourselves to Him, God will set us free from sin and place His desires in our hearts (Psalm 37:4-5). Then when we ask Him for anything, we will be asking according to His will and desire for His desires will be ours and our will shall be to follow His will. Then we can be sure that not only will God listen, for His ear is turned toward the righteous (Psalm 34:15, 1 Peter 3:12), but He will answer us according to His sovereign plan and purpose. Therefore, let us desire to follow God’s will that we may pray according to His will, then we will be a part of the great works of the Lord as He answers the prayers that He has placed in our hearts that we should pray.

And so let us now pray, “Our Father, just and true, loving and kind, caring and giving – You who works out all things for the good of those who love You (Romans 8:28)- help us to submit ourselves to Your will. For we know that Your will is good as You have said, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).” And as we submit ourselves to You and follow You, help us to throw off the sins that would stop us. Help us to live holy and blameless lives. Lord God, help us to give ourselves completely over to You to find all our delight and joy in You alone. Place Your desires in our hearts that our hearts will be in tune with Yours. Then may we come confidently before Your throne to place our requests at Your feet knowing that You hear us and will answer us. Lord, fulfill Your desire – Your will – in us, producing fruit in our lives to Your glory (John 15:8) and enabling us to live lives pleasing to You. Our Father, we thank You for the privilege we have as Your children to be able to step into the very holy of holies in heaven through prayer. We stand amazed that You so include us in the unfolding of Your plan for all of human history by moving us to pray according to Your will. Lord God almighty, You lead us in the paths of righteousness for the sake of Your great name (Psalm 23:3). You do more than we could ever ask for (Ephesians 3:20). Who can compare to You - infinite and wise, You are worthy of worship and glory!* Your name be praised forever! Amen.”

*See the song Who You Are.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

#56 Continue with Him in Love - 1st John 2:28&3:2-3

1st John 2:28&3:2-3 NLT - 28 And now, dear children, continue to live in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
2 Yes, dear friends, we are already God's children, and we can't even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.

Journal Entry #56

As we wait for our Lord’s return, we must keep in fellowship with Him through prayer and study of His word to us and by living our life with Him living and working in and through us. As we continue doing life with Him with us and in us, we will be certain of the welcome we will receive from Him and have no reason to fear finally meeting Him face to face. But if we keep Him out of most of our lives, we will know Him little and do little for Him and when we meet Him face to face we will see our error and be ashamed at how we have lived our life. For this is truly how we are meant to live, “not I but Christ living in me.”(Galatians 2:20) To live this way means absolute surrender to God of every part of who we are and all we do, to invite Him to take control of everything. Then let us long for the day that we shall see Him face to face as He really is. Let us long for the day when our conformity to Christ likeness will be complete and we will stand in the fullness of His presence holy and blameless, without a single fault (Colossians 1:22)– even as we stand now in His eyes if we have accepted His gift of righteousness.

May all of those who belong to God pray, “Lord Jesus, help us to live in constant fellowship with You. Lord, teach us how to, “pray without ceasing.”(1 Thessalonians 5:17), to every moment be aware that You are with us and in us – as we go to work, or run errands, or anything else we do in our daily lives. Lord, right now, may we invite You to take full possession of our live and help us to surrender all we are to You that You would fill all our lives with Your presence*. Work in and through us so that all we do is You living in us. As we draw close to You and submit all our selves to Your lordship, God, fill our hearts and souls with courage and certainty in the face of life and death. Fill us with assurance that we belong to You and that You take joy in us. May Your Spirit testify with out spirit that we are Your children (Romans 8:16). Father, we long for the fulfillment of Your promise of a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13) and the day when You come back to take us to be with You (John 14:2-3) forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and there will be no more pain (Revelation 21:3-5). Purify our hearts, Lord, and make us holy. We thank You for the gift of forgiveness and righteousness You have given us and achieved for us through Your life, death, and resurrection. Stir our hearts with love, praise, thankfulness, worship, and adoration for all that You have done, are doing, and will do for us who love You and have been called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28). You alone are worthy of all we can give and so we give it all to You for through You and to You are all things. To You be the glory forever! Amen (Romans 11:36).

*See the song Be Near to Me Always.

#55 The Home of Righteousness – 2nd Peter 3:13-14

2 Peter 3:13-14 NIV - 13 But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.

Journal Entry # 55

Every child of God should look forward to this promise – a new universe. Not one unrecognizably different from this one, but so much better in every way. There will be no more sin – this means that not only will no one and nothing tempt us, but also that there will be nothing in us that will incline us toward sin. Then there shall also no longer be a curse on anything (Revelation 22:3-4) – no more useless toil, no more pain or death, no more sadness or loneliness. If we really do look forward to this promise of perfection and perfect fellowship with God, then we will desire to move toward it now as well as we can. This means simply that we will do what we know to do to grow in Christ likeness and in our relationship with Him. This necessitates that we spend time in genuine / heartfelt prayer, in earnest and hungry study of His Word, and intentionally bringing the Lordship and conscious presence of God into every aspect of our lives. To live as though Jesus were every moment standing beside us, for there He truly is, if only we could see it. No matter the circumstances or our feelings, He is always with us (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5-6).

Therefore, let us pray, “Our great God, Lord of heaven and earth, maker and sustainer of all things, help us to remember that You are present in all places at all times – that You not only watch over us, but You stand beside us, You live inside us, and You hold us in Your hands. Remembering this, then, help us to live within this reality – desiring to please and serve You with our lives and being free from all fear and worry, trusting in You. Place before our eyes and make real to our hearts Your promise of the complete restoration of all things where we will live in Your full presence in absolute perfection and in the joy of unbroken fellowship with You. Help us to do everything all to the glory of Your name.* Amen.”

*See the song What I’m Here For.

#54 Patience for Repentance - 2nd Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 NIV - 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Journal Entry # 54

God is neither early nor late, but He does everything at just the right time. And so His second coming and judgment of the world waits until all who will believe in Him have come to repentance so that they will not perish in judgment. In the meantime, He patiently endures those who rebel against Him, waiting till the day they repent or stand before Him in judgment. We must not give up our hope in His return, but watch, wait, and pray. For when the end comes, it will catch everyone by surprise “like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2, Matthew 24:42-44)” but we ought to expect it not only any day, but every day. So then, keeping in mind that the days are short, we should live in hope and expectancy, doing the things He has called us to do. Let us not be caught sleeping or sitting idle.

May all God’s children pray, “Father, help us to be patient as we wait on You, may we keep in mind that in Your time, You will move* – whether we are waiting for a need to be met, a request answered, deliverance, or Christ’s return. Help us to trust You and to cling to Your promises. Among them is this promise that You are not being slow, but You wait for the moment You have chosen in the fullness of time by Your infinite wisdom to act in response to our prayers. As we wait on You, strengthen us by Your Spirit that we would be persistent in our prayers, firm in our faith, and not grow weary (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, Hebrews 12:3). May we continue in the work that we know You have given us to do through all the waiting we will do in this life. For if we are waiting and looking for nothing else, we are looking toward Your return and the restoration of all things. Reach the world through us bringing all who will come to repentance and even so we pray – “Come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)” Let it be! Amen.”

*See the song I'm Waiting on You.

#53 Christ Died Once for Our Sins – 1st Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 NIV - 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

Journal Entry # 53

The fact that Christ died only once is very important. In the old testament, sin offerings were offered with astounding frequency. Not only were sacrifices offered every year by the priests (Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 4:21) for the sins of the people as a whole, but every time one sinned a sin offering was to be given to remove the offence (Leviticus 4:14). But Christ’s death as the sinless lamb and the Son of God is so powerful and transcendent that it needed only to be offered once and then Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:11-13). And this sacrifice is on behalf of everyone who believes that they may have eternal life (John 3:14-16, John 6:40). Christ died not only for those living at that time, but also those who died before Him who trusted God and looked for the Messiah, and also for those of us who die after Him who trust God and believe in the One He sent. He did this to bring us into a right relationship with God. While we were still enemies, Christ died for us. We are now clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9, 2 Peter 1:1) and have become children of God (John 1:12). Not only did He die for us, but He was raised to life – literal, physical life (Luke 24:39). This is important in two ways: first, His physical resurrection is proof of all He claimed to be or He would have remained dead just like everyone else who ever lived. Second, it proves that we can have confidence in God’s power and in His promise that though we die we will be raised to new life (John 11:25-26, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)*, an eternal life with God.

So let us pray, “Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your death on the cross which paid for our sins that You might bring us to You and through You to the Father. Thank You for Your promise of eternal life – to know You (John 17:3). You have done everything for us that we may know You.* your love, oh God, is far greater than we could ever imagine – it knows no bounds and has no end, for Your love is the forever kind. As we live our lives, help us to always remember what You have done for us, and in light of all You do for us, help us to live only for You – to Your glory. Help us to know You, make us desperate for You*, draw us close to You. May You be glorified in us and through us forever. For You alone are worthy. Your name be praised in all the earth! Amen.”

*
See the songs I Died – I am Alive, Just to Know You, and Desperate for You.

#52 Be a Living Testimony – 1st Peter 2:12

1 Peter 2:12 NLT - 12 Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when He comes to judge the world.

Journal Entry # 52

As Christians, we are to be able to witness to the world through our lives, that they might see Christ through our actions. “If the only witness they ever see is my life and You living in me…I want to live it out…”* For our lives ought to be “Christ living in me (Galatians 2:20).” But if we live no differently than them – that is, caught up in the same sins and addiction as they are – then they will only see us to be hypocrites and would be right to say so. We are to live holy lives then, not merely before God who we say, “Sees my heart and knows that I am weak and forgives me.” Though this is certainly true, too often we use this as an excuse to not live a holy life, forgetting what Peter has said here and what Jesus has also said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).” Let us pray, “Father, help us to live lives pleasing to You. May our lives be a testimony to the world, that through us and our lives, You might draw all peoples to You. Call Your children into a life of holiness, lived for You and seeking after You. Amen.”

*See the song Megaphone for Your Grace.

#51 Submit Yourself to God - James 4:7-8 & 10

James 4:7-8&10 NIV - 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Journal Entry #51

There is a certain progression to this verse that if we will first submit ourselves – that is our will and every part of our lives – to God, we will then we able to resist the devil and stop our constant sinning that keeps us from drawing close to a holy God. This then, among other things, is a call to repentance. To wash your hands means to turn away from your sins. To purify your heart is to set it on God alone – do not be divided between your sins and your God. Acknowledge your place before God as needing His grace, depending on His strength, and being under His authority – and He will pour out His grace and fill you with the courage and strength you need to stand up against the devil and to keep yourself from sin. Remember, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13).” He will lift you up to walk blamelessly before Him*.

May we pray, “Our Father, help us to fully submit ourselves to You for You alone are God and we are Your children (John 1:12, Romans 8:15-17, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Galatians 3:26). Help us to wash ourselves in the blood of Christ and to turn from sin, to set aside those things that so easily entangle us (Hebrews 12:1-2). Give us the strength by Your Spirit to stand against the devil, remembering that He has already been defeated by You (John 16:33, Colossians 2:15, 2 Timothy 1:10). You are victorious over him and will give to us the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 John 5:4). In the midst of all the hurrying in this life, Lord, place in us a desire to draw near to You, the giver of every good thing* (James 1:17). For in You we find all we could ever need. May we long to know You, God, and to be close to You. May our hearts be pure and our passion single – for an intimate relationship with You, for the spreading of Your gospel, and for Your eternal glory. May we always remember that our place is on our knees at Your feet where You will pour Your grace out on us and lift us up to Your glory. May Your name be exalted in all the world! Amen.”

*See the song Every Day of Forever, Who You Are.

#50 Show Your Faith by Your Deeds - James 2:18-20

James 2:18-20 NLT - 18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." I say, "I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds." 19 Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! 20 Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?

Journal Entry #50

A true faith will always show itself through good deeds. This is so because true saving faith desires to display the glory of God, and it is to God’s glory that we bear much fruit (John 15:8). A true faith in God leads to love for God and a desire to obey Him (Philippians 2:13 NLT). Good deeds are commanded all over both the old and new testaments. Jesus Himself gave many commands to do good to each other and to love one another. The epistles say things like, “Live such good lives among the pagans that they see your good deeds and glorify God.” (1 Peter 2:12) This must mean that we show ourselves to be different from them not simply by refraining from the evils that they engage in, but by doing as much good for others as we can. Our faith must be not only in our minds but in our hearts, souls, and lives, or we are no different from the demons who know of the truth of God as well or better than we do yet work in rebellion against God and His truth. Oh, let us pray, “Father, may our faith in Jesus Christ be manifested in our lives through the good deeds we do in Your name. help us to obey You and live lives consistent with Your word that in everything we do, we would be a witness to the world. By Your Spirit and strength, may we bear much fruit to Your glory (John 15:8). Unite us in You, Lord, and help us to love one another, then everyone will know we are Your disciples (John 13:35). Make us one in You so that the world will believe (John 17:20-23). Amen.”

Monday, March 26, 2007

#49 Be Doers of the Word – James 1:22-25

James 1:22-25 NLT - 22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

02/16/07-02/18/07
Those who take the Word of God into their minds, either by reading or by listening, but never obey its commands, never put it to work in their lives or in their hearts – such people only fool themselves if they think that they get any benefit from this. God will not reward us for superficially receiving His Word by hearing and not obeying – rather, we are accountable to Him for knowing His Word and yet not obeying what we know. But if we will take in God’s Word and let it work in our hearts and be worked out in our lives, we will have the benefit of pure hearts, godly character, and transformed, righteous lives – this is what pleases God. He will bless our efforts, conforming us to the likeness of Christ, and He will pour many other blessings out on us. Oh, Let us all pray, “Lord God, may we be doers of Your Word and not hearers only. May we truly receive Your Word and hide it in our hearts that we would not sin against You (Psalm 119:11). Oh, Father, give us the desire to obey You and the power to do what pleases You (Philippians 2:13). God, move in our hearts and help us to follow You*. Let us not be conformed to this world but may we be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2) by Your Spirit and through Your Word. Lord, You have set us apart as Yours, help us to surrender all our selves to You that we would live completely for You. May we seek to know You and to see Your will at work in our lives. Amen.”

*See the song Every Day of Forever

Thursday, March 08, 2007

#48 Never Abandoned - Hebrews 13:5-6

Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV - 5 God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

02/13/07-02/15/07

Let us never forget that God is always with us no matter how we feel or if the circumstance try to tell us otherwise. For Jesus has promised us “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”(Mat. 28:20). There are times when we feel abandoned by God and we try to pray but it feels like He doesn’t hear and doesn’t answer*. It’s in these times that we must learn to trust Him and His promises. Let us trust in God for everything we need for scripture says, “Depend on the Lord; trust Him and He will take care of you.”(Psalm 37:4-5). The Lord is our help in times of need and if God is for us who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) Therefore, let us not be afraid when trouble comes, for God is working everything to the good of those who love Him and are called by Him (Romans 8:28). If we will seek our refuge in God, we will not be shaken. Let us pray, “Lord, help us to remember that You are always with us – every moment of every day and that if we will ask anything in line with Your will, You will hear and You will answer us (1 John 5:14). May we learn to trust You, depend on You (Psalm 37:3-5), and wait on You no matter the circumstances. You alone, Sovereign God, are worthy of all our love and trust. You have declared the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) and numbered our days before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). You put the stars in the sky and You know them all by name (PSALM 147:4) - even the very hairs on our heads are numbered (Luke 12:7). May we find our delight, our joy, and our life in You alone. For Your love will never fail and if You are for us, oh God, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) who in all creation has the strength to take us from Your hand*? Nothing can separate us from Your love (Romans 8:39). Amen.”

*See the songs Never Needed You so Much, I’m Waiting on You, and Help Me Trust in You.

#47 Pursuing God - Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on Whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. 3 Think about all He endured when sinful people did such terrible things to Him, so that you don't become weary and give up.

02/10/07-02/12/07

If we are going to pursue our relationship with God, He must be first priority. We may have to stop doing even “innocent” things that take time which could be spent with Him. We fill our lives with so many useless activities and valueless distractions. How much time do we spend being simply entertained? – TV, movies, video games – and very few of these are as innocent as we would like to think. The world’s values creep into all these things and as you allow them into your mind, these values creep into you too. Be careful of what you allow into your mind! I challenge everyone who reads this to fast for a month from all entertainment that is not completely God centered, and when you find yourself wondering what to do – talk to God, study His word, build your relationship with Him. Let us pray, “God, may You be so first in our lives that anything else is a far distant second. Help us to set aside time every day to spend time with You – to get to know You better. Show each of us what we should cut out of our schedules that we may spend more time with You. Lord Jesus, with our eyes fixed on You, as Your Spirit works in us, help us throw off everything that ever draws us away* that we may not stumble or stray but by Your strength, may we live completely for You. Amen.”

*See the song All Forsaken – Not Forsaken.

Monday, February 12, 2007

#46 The Power of the Word of God - Hebrews 4:12-13

Heb 4:12-13 NLT - 12 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. 13 Nothing in all creation can hide from Him. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. This is the God to Whom we must explain all that we have done.

02/07/07-02/09/07

The Word of God is more than words on a page, it is the very heartbeat of God. It is the power of God to transform the reader or hearer if we will only open ourselves to it. It will reveal to us – by the power and work of the Holy Spirit in us – our motivations, our true desires, of what sort it is. For the word of God is truth (John 17:17) and anyone who is willing to be open to it will know the truth and be set free (John 8:32) from deception and error. Therefore, we should fill our minds and hearts with the word of God for thusly will God keep us in the light of truth. We cannot hide from God nor the truth, for God sees and knows all and we shall all one day stand before Him. Come before Him now while things might yet be changed. May we pray, “Lord, let us never try to hide anything from You, as though we ever could. But in trust and humility let us say, “Search me and know me, trace out all my ways*. Lead me in Your way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).” Lord, teach us the importance of filling our minds with You and Your Word that we would not sin against You (Psalm 119:11) and that we might not be led astray from Your truth. Amen.”

*See the song To the Praise of Your Glory.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

#45 By the Grace of God Alone for His Glory - 2 Timothy 1:9

2nd Timothy 1:9 NLT – It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan long before the world began—to show His love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus.

02/04/07-02/06/07

It is God alone who has saved us by His grace and mercy, it has nothing to do with who we were or what we have done. It is the gift of God, not by works so no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). He has chosen us to live a life holy and dedicated to Him. Oh, live for God alone you who claim to be His! He has shown this great love and kindness to us: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He did this not because we deserved it (for all have deserved is death, as scripture says, “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23) but by God’s grace and according to His own sovereign plan and purpose (for scripture also says, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23).
May we pray, “Lord, help us to remember that all creation is about You. For through You and to You were all things made (Romans 11:36). Even our salvation was to put the glory of Your love, grace, mercy, and kindness on display in and through us*. Your work on the cross shows that You have power to triumph over sin and death by claiming for Yourself a people to be cleansed from sin, made holy and blameless forever. Oh, Lord, may we lay everything – all our selves – at Your feet, for You alone are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. You do all for us, may we give all that we are to You alone. Draw us closer to You that we may indeed live a holy life to which You have called us (2 Thess. 1:11-12) and for which You have chosen and saved us. You chose to die for us, You do more than we deserve. Lord, may we follow You forever and serve You alone*. To You, the only God, who sits enthroned over all creation forever, be all glory through all that You have made and done. Amen.”

*See the song It’s About You and All for Your Glory.

Monday, February 05, 2007

#44 The Life to Which He has Called Us - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

2nd Thessalonians 1:11-12 NLT – 11 And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which He called you. And we pray that God, by His power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds. 12 Then everyone will give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus because of you, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of the undeserved favor of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

02/01/07-02/03/07

God will make us worthy of our life in Him by transforming us with the power of His Holy Spirit in us. He will, by His power, fill us with the desire to do good and will produce the fruit of the Spirit and good deeds in our lives so that the world may see our good deeds and transformed lives and glorify and honor God (1 Peter 2:12). So let us pray, “Lord God, we continually ask that You will make all of us, Your children, worthy of the life to which You have called us in Christ. May we see You at work in us*. Lord, by Your unlimited and almighty power at work in us, fulfill all the good intentions and faithful deeds that You have given to us. Then may all the world give honor to Your name, Lord Jesus, because of us and Your work in and through us, and may we be honored in and with You. For we are Your workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus to do the good works You prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Thank You for Your undeserved favor – our God, Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

*See the song Make Me.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

#43 Be Set Apart to God Alone - 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

1st Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLV - May the God of peace set you apart for Himself. May every part of you be set apart for God. May your spirit and your soul and your body be kept complete. May you be without blame when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. The One Who called you is faithful and will do what He promised.

1/29/07-1/31/07

It is God Himself who has set us apart for Him, and He desires to have all of us completely surrendered over to Him alone. We have been justified and made blameless by the blood of Christ. God is the One who has called us and what He began He will complete for He is the faithful and true (Revelation 19:11)* who does what He promises. God has said, “Be holy for I am holy.”(1 Peter 1:15-16) This is the essence of what it means to be set apart. It also means that we offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). However, even though God commands it of us, this is not something that we can do by ourselves or in our own strength. Like everything that God commands of us, He must also work it in us by His Holy Spirit and we must ask that He do so. For we must realize that such work is impossible for us, but that all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). Therefore, we pray, “Our Father, You have called us to be Yours, set aside for You that we might be conformed to the likeness of Christ and live our lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). For the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ who purchased us for this very reason, set us apart for Yourself that our whole selves would belong to You, dedicated to You, and used by You. Lord, call Your people out from the world to be separate (2nd Corinthians 6:16-18) and unite us to Yourself that all may see that we have been made holy by You. May we become a light in this darkness, a city on a hill (Matthew 5:13-15). May we so shine for You that the world may believe. Father, call Your children into a life of holiness – lived for You and seeking after You to the praise of Your glory and grace. Be glorified in us*, oh, our God, every day of our lives and from now through forever. Hear us now and for the sake of Your great name, answer us, oh, Lord. Amen.”

*See the song Take All of Me on the Faithwriters link.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

#42 The Lord Comes! Amen. - 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17

1st Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV - For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1/26/07-1/28/07

It is the Lord Himself who will once again come down from heaven for us. By His authority as God, He will raise from the dead those who are His and will also transform the bodies of the rest of us who still live, so that all those who are His will have glorious bodies like His resurrection body – immortal, imperishable, incorruptible (1st Cor.15:53-54). For He is the resurrection and the life, those who believe in Him will live even though they die (for they will be raised to life) and those who live and believe in Him will never die (John 11:25-26) (for they shall put on immortality). In this moment we will be fully like Him when we see Him as He is (1st John 3:2). And when He has called us home, then we will be with Him forever. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39)? No one! We pray, “Lord Jesus, may all Your people look and long for Your return with expectant hearts. Till then, may we live lives holy and blameless – set apart for You. Then we will be confident and unashamed before You when You come (1st John 2:28). Lord, teach us to store up treasure in heaven that our heart may be there (Matthew 6:19-21) with You. So that when the call comes, there will be no hesitation in us, nothing to make us cling to this world. But Lord, may we truly cling to You alone. You are all we need, may You be our hearts true desire. We pray Thy kingdom come, and we pray Thy will be done, in our lives and hearts and every place You are*. May we so long for You that Your promises of our future with You stir our souls to cry out – Amen! Come Lord Jesus!(Revelation 22:20) For the sake of Your name, let it be even so.”

*See the song Coming Back on the Faithwriters link.

#41 Colossians 3:23-24 NLV

Colossians 3:23-24 NLV

Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart. Do it for the Lord and not for men. Remember that you will get your reward from the Lord. He will give you what you should receive. You are working for the Lord Christ.

1/23/07-1/25/07

To do everything for the Lord implies doing your best at any job whether or not there is someone there to see and reward us for it – God sees and He will reward us. This is similar to the call to in everything, whether eating or drinking, do all to the glory of God. (1st Cor. 10:31) For if we will work hard and honestly in our jobs as for the Lord, then we will bring glory to God by living such good lives among the unbelievers that they see our good deeds and glorify God. (1st Peter 2:12) The way we do ours works is a testimony and a witness to the world of the truth of God in our lives. We pray, “Father, help us to remember that we do everything for You and that You see and You reward us. Lord, may we live all our lives for Your glory – every day that we stand, every breath that we breathe* by Your power and Your grace. Amen.”

*See the song All For Your Glory on the Faithwriters link.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

# 40 Colossians 1:22 NLT

Colossians 1:22 NLT

Yet now He has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in His own, physical body. As a result, He has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.

1/20/07-1/2207

When we were enemies of God, He took the burden upon Himself to make a way for us to come back to Him through the life and death of Christ – God made flesh, human. As scripture says, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Since we are now made right with God if we trust Christ for salvation, we can come freely into His presence. Indeed, Christ calls us and draws us into the very presence of God. We no longer need to fear His holy presence because the blood of Christ has washed us clean so that we stand before God pure and blameless* with the righteousness of Christ covering us. For this reason we can be confident and not shrink back from Him in shame. (1st John 2:28) We can be confident in Him, trusting in the atoning work of Christ to have cleansed us from all unrighteousness. (1st John 1:9) May we pray, “Thank You, God, for making a way to bring us to Yourself, into Your holy presence washed clean and made pure*. May we come to You boldly confident in Your work in us and for us, drawing us to You. Lord, fill our hearts with the desire to come and draw near to You, to long to come and stand before You that we may fall at Your feet – not in fear or shame, but in love, thanksgiving, and worship. Help us to live every moment of every day in Your wondrous presence, remembering that it is Your love and sacrifice that has brought us near to You. All glory and praise be to You – God of saving grace and boundless love! Keep us by the power of Your name. Amen.”

*See the song Every Day of Forever on the Faithwriters link.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

# 39 Colossians 1:18-20 NLV/NLT

Colossians 1:18-20 NLV/NLT

Christ is the head of the church which is His body. He is the beginning of all things. He is the first to be raised from the dead. He is to have first place in everything. For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to Himself. Everything in heaven and on earth can come to God because of Christ's death on the cross. Christ's blood has made peace.

1/17/07-1/19/07

As the Church, we are all a part of Christ, united to Him and each other as His body. He is the head which controls and directs each member. Christ was and is fully God and fully human and because of this, He was able to bring us to God and make us right with God through His death on the cross. Therefore, let us give Him His rightful place – first in everything, in every area of our lives, and over us. Let us remember that we are united to every believer as the body of Christ. So we should treat each other as members of our family and parts of our body – with love, gentleness, respect, and concerned interest. If we will view ourselves as a part of a whole and allow Jesus to control us, then Christ as the head of the Church will direct us in harmony and unity and will lead us into true fellowship with Him and each other. Let us pray, “Christ Jesus, may You have first place in our lives and hearts. Help us to understand what it means to be united to You and united to each other through You. Lord, even on Your way to the cross You spoke of our unity with You and prayed that we would be united with each other so that the world would see the truth about who You are*. As it was so important to You, may it be as important to us. Lord Jesus, may we pray the prayer You prayed and in Your name: Make us one, God, united in You and to You*. Amen.”

*See the song The Unity of the Redeemed on the Faithwriters link.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

#38 Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

Colossians 1:15-17 NLT

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.

1/14/07-1/16/07

Through the life of Christ and the things He did while on this earth, we can see what God is like since Jesus was “God with us”. If we will study the things that Jesus did and said while here, we come to know His heart - the heart of God. Jesus healed those He chose to and taught those who would listen and wept over the fate of the unbelieving. He was also angry over the hypocritical religious life of the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, and the priests. We can see then how God will heal according to His will and our faith, how He will teach and bring light to those who desire to hear the truth and grow in the light, how even though God punishes the wicked and unbelieving He does not want any to perish but everyone to come to repentance, and how He is still angry with those who twist His words and the way of salvation and keep people from being saved by living inconsistently with their religious beliefs, thus maligning the true way. Jesus, since He is God, is creator of all and is therefore supreme master and unquestioned Lord. All things were made by His power and all things were made for His glory and will be seen to bring Him glory in the end. We pray, “Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to earth and allowing us to see what God is really like, for displaying the heart of God for all those who want to know who You are. As we read or listen to the account of You life here, help us to keep our hearts open to understanding who You are. May we listen to Your words and desire to grow in Your light, and help us to be true followers of You not hypocrites or “religious people” but keep us in close relationship with You as true believers that we would not break Your heart or provoke Your anger. Christ, may You be undisputed Lord of us who call upon Your name. May You be master of all of our lives. Lord, we desire to bring glory to Your name for we were made by You and we were made for this very reason: to bring glory to You by embracing Your gift of grace and by proclaiming Your worth through our desire to know and draw near to You. You are worthy of all praise, glory, honor, and power. Thank You for being who You are and for choosing to reveal Your self to us that we might know You. May You be all our heart’s desire. Amen.”

Sunday, January 14, 2007

# 37 Philippians 3:7-9 NLV

Philippians 3:7-9 NLV

But I gave up those things that were so important to me for Christ. Even more than that, I think of everything as worth nothing. It is so much better to know Christ Jesus my Lord. I have lost everything for Him. And I think of these things as worth nothing so that I can have Christ. I want to be as one with Him. I could not be right with God by what the Law said I must do. I was made right with God by faith in Christ.

1/11/07-1/13/07

Knowing Christ is more important than anything else we could ever have or do. Nothing else could ever compare and anything else, if it is apart from Him, is worthless. Therefore, let us give up everything that is not for Him. Let us examine all the books we read, the movies we watch, the games we play, the music we listen to, and the motive behind all that we do. If it is not for Him and all about Him then what good is it? If only we would do everything with this motive: to please Him, to draw closer to Him, to bring glory to His name. He is worthy of the focus of all our life for when we were still enemies, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8) and we are now made right with God by faith in Christ. Therefore, let us offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), let us offer the parts of our bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:11-13). Let us separate ourselves from the standards of this world and cling to God’s standards. Let us pray, “Lord Jesus, help us to see that anything in our lives that is not for You, about You, is worthless. Help us to cast all aside that we might focus on You and fill our lives with You. May we see that this abandonment of the “innocent” things of this world in order to draw closer to You, is the only proper response to all You’ve done for us and all You are to us. Oh, Lord, may we now surrender all to You whether sin, or “innocent” distractions, or deep rooted fears. For You are worthy of all obedience, all love and attention and devotion, and all trust. God, set us apart as Yours for the glory of Your name and for Your joy and our joy. May we find our all in You, may we be so lost in You that we find ourselves to be complete* in You. That we may say without hesitation or reservation, “more than all the world, oh God, I want You!*” Amen.”

*See the song God, I Want You on the Faithwriters link.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

#36 Philippians 2:10-13 NLT

Philippians 2:10-13 NLT

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey and the power to do what pleases him.

1/8/07-1/10/07

At the end of this world, all who have ever lived will stand before Christ and all will acknowledge that He truly is Lord and will bow before Him. This we will all do willingly or not, but we may freely do it now. However, do not merely confess Him as Lord with your tongue but “bow” to Him in your heart. Let your soul lay prostrate at His feet – nothing less will do. If you have truly embraced Him as Lord, you will discover the Spirit of God at work in you so that you want to obey Him and in obeying are able to please Him. And in doing all this, you will bring glory to God – through your confession, through your obedience, through your life – nothing is as important as this. May we pray, “Father, we want to confess Your Son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord – not just with our lips but with our lives and with our very selves. Help us surrender all our selves to You and submit to Your authority over our lives. Lord, work in us by Your Holy Spirit giving us a strong desire to obey You and help us to live lives pleasing to You. Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and King, we will look forward with great joy and anticipation to the day when all will see and acknowledge You for who You are and Your justice will finally be done upon all sin (which is rebellion against You) that is not covered by Your blood. Lord, we lay all that we are at Your feet* right now. Use us as You please, move us as You will and may we eagerly bring glory to Your name – to Your name which is above all names – and for the sake of Your name we pray. Let it be so according to Your will (Amen).

Check out the song No Less (Not Enough) on the faithwriters link.

#35 Philippians 1:21-24 New Life Version (NLV)

Philippians 1:21-24 New Life Version (NLV)

To me, living means having Christ. To die means that I would have more of Him. If I keep on living here in this body, it means that I can lead more people to Christ. I do not know which is better. There is a strong pull from both sides. I have a desire to leave this world to be with Christ, which is much better. But it is more important for you that I stay.

1/5/07-1/7/07

Once we become His, we should live for God every moment of every day in every circumstance. If only every Christian would aim to please Him always (2 Cor. 5:8-9) – to bring glory and praise to God – what a difference we would make. One reason this desire to live for God’s glory is so lacking is that most of us lack a strong desire to depart right now for heaven. When we are healthy and secure in family, friends, and finances, then we are content to remain here in our comfort. If we truly desired – with a desperate, heart breaking longing – the joy of going to be with the Lord forever, then our motive for all of life would be to please Him out of our love for Him. If we would only prefer to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord! (2 Cor. 5:8-9) we would better live in the light of eternity. Pray, “Lord, stir in our hearts a deeper longing to draw closer to You and to soon come home to be with You forever, no matter who comfortable our life here is right now. May we so long for You and the restoration of all things that our hearts ever cry out, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20) And so longing for You, God, may we then truly live for You that we may be confident and unashamed when we stand before You. (1 John 2:28) May we know that this is what we’re here for – to do everything all for the glory of Your name… to point to the cross where the lost might be saved… every day, may we live in such a way that Your truth and Your love shine through us.* Amen.”

*See the song What I’m Here For on the faithwriters link.

#34 Philippians 1:6&11 NLT

Philippians 1:6&11 NLT

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

1/2/07-1/4/07

We can be fully certain that the almighty God who began His work, at the moment we became His, to conform us to the likeness of Christ, will continue working until the work is complete. He is not like we are, having limitations on our ability and a tendency to lose interest. The work He does in us is His firm will for us and when God acts, who can hinder? (Job 42:2 ?) His work in our hearts will be complete when we see Him face to face, for in that moment we will become like Him for we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). His final work will be when He raises our mortal body, immortal, imperishable, incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). Then we will truly be all that He intended us to be. Let us pray, “Father, thank You that You continue to work in us even though we would give up. Thank You for the certainty that one day Your work will be complete and we will stand before You without a single fault (Col. 1:22). Work in us to produce the fruit of our salvation; a holy life, a righteous character, and good deeds – that we may bring praise and glory to You. Keep the promise of Christ likeness and perfection in You ever before us – that not looking back to what we have been and left behind, we would press toward the prize. Amen.”

Friday, January 05, 2007

#33 Ephesians 3:16-21 NLT

A Prayer for All Believers - Ephesians 3:16-21 NLT

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

12/27/06-12/29/06

This is a wonderful and amazing prayer that we should pray for ourselves, our loved ones, and all the children of God scattered across the world. Let us pray with sincere and fervent hearts, “Father, by Your vast glory of unlimited resources, empower us with inner strength and courage for this life through Your Spirit in us. May Christ be truly at home in our hearts, settled in and in control as we put all our trust in Him. Lord, help us to grow deep in Your love, keeping us strong in You. Grant to us the ability to grasp hold (as we should since we are Yours) of the infinite greatness of Your love. May we ever more fully experience Your love for us in Christ, though we will never be able to fully understand it. God, make us complete in You, filled with Your power and presence till we are overflowing with You. To You almighty, wonderful God, who is able to do so much more and greater things than we can even begin to imagine – to You be all praise and glory in and through us, Your children throughout all generations to the very end of time! Amen.”