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.”