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Increase Our Faith!

When we’re facing a difficult task or situation, someone often compares it to eating an elephant–that it can be done one bite at a time!  Jesus uses the tiny mustard seed to describe the smallest amount of faith needed to face the challenges in your life (Luke 17:6) and then reassures us that that tiny seed can grow into an enormous tree (Luke 13:19).

I.  Luke 17:1-6.  We must have faith to walk in forgiveness.  Usually when speaking about temptation and sin, the Bible speaks about what we must do to avoid it or persevere against it, but Jesus speaks here about how we must tempt others and always forgive others who have sinned against us.

II.  Luke 17:7-19.  We must have faith to walk in obedience.  We picture ourselves as super-Christians, and beg for the participation trophy for whatever we do for God, but Jesus points out that we owe 100% of all we have and do to Him–without praise or accolades.  Our walk is about God, not us.

III.  Luke 17:20-37.  We must have faith to walk in sanctification.  Jesus tells us here that the Kingdom of God is within us, so that is what we must get cleaned up.  While the world around us engages in evil, we must walk blamelessly before God like Noah.  And, like Lot’s wife, we mustn’t turn back to what we may be missing.  We must lose our lives to preserve them.

Upon hearing the standard to which we are called to live our lives in Christ, our cry is the same as the apostles’, “Increase our faith!”  So, our reassurance is the same.  God demands perfection, but He also gives grace.  Plant your mustard seed faith and watch what grows!

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Not only generalities

Colossians 4.2

Father, as we devote ourselves to prayer, let us not say only generalities, but share the specific needs of our heart and detailed requests for others.

Keep our faith from vagueness. Nail our love firmly to the ground of reality.

Just as the Lord Jesus came from heaven to live and move among us, plant us in the soil of human suffering and struggle to deal with the effects of sin.

As your agents of reconciliation, make our offer of salvation to be compelling and urgent.

May your redemption fill us and turn our mourning into joy.

We praise you for the blood of the cross and thank you for reaching us with the gospel.

Because of Immanuel, Amen.

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With Fear and Trembling

With the invention of the printing press in 1455 a.d. there must have been a bunch of unemployed monks who no longer needed to painstakingly copy every jot and tittle of Scripture by candlelight in a dark monastery.  Suddenly, the common man had access to God’s Word.  Okay, it took a while for copies to no longer be smuggled into England in barrels of flour, but there was no quenching the thirst to know God’s will for mankind after fifteen centuries of spiritual starvation.

I.  Once Erasmus translated the Latin Vulgate that had reigned supreme for 1100 years in 1516 back into Greek, Martin Luther the very next year read God’s Word and nailed his 95 challenges to the establishment to a church door in Germany.  The Reformation had begun, and Tyndale published his English translation eight years later in 1525.  This and Erasmus’ work became the backbone of the King James Version in 1611 that reigned supreme for 300 years.

II.  John 4:24.  With greater access to God’s Word came a way to satisfy the spiritual hunger to know and live by the truth.  Contrast that to today with so much availability of God’s Word in stores, our homes, even our phones, and our excused for spiritual laziness fall so short.  Instead of squandering the leisure time that western culture has given us, we must once again recapture a hunger and thirst for God’s Word.

III.  Philippians 2:12-16.  Before this time when only some of the clergy had access to God’s Word, the people had no choice but to accept fallible human mediators for their salvation.  Greater availability to God’s Word meant that people could work out their own eternity with Jesus alone as their go-between.  Spiritual laziness again makes people today desire a return to such a system as they think the preacher is in charge of their salvation.

What a gift to have access to the Creator’s Word to us that tells us what we must do to find salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus!  How we squander that gift by not studying His Word to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

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Blessing and to bless

Father, give us focus today and help us devote attention and energies to what is important and to the opportunities at hand.

In our time with the saints today, may it be a blessing to us and to all who are present in our assemblies.

Thank you for the greatest blessing of all, eternal salvation in Christ. May that be the blessing we seek most to share with others.

Make love our deepest and truest motivation. Keep us solidly within the truth. Give us words that are true, clear, plain, and compelling.

We want to please you. Show us how. Help us hear the Word. Provide for our needs, and may we rejoice in your glorious presence and inherent goodness.

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To Christ we go for forgiveness

Heavenly Father above, who is in all, and through all, and for all —

In Christ’s name we pray with thanks and praise. Keep us awake, to win over the weakness of the flesh.

To Christ we go for forgiveness. His blood cleanses us from the guilt of sin. Let us stay near his cross at every hour.

In Christ are all spiritual blessings. Bless us that we might be a blessing to others.

With Christ we walk. Give us your strength and wisdom to follow him faithfully and reach the goal of faith, the salvation of our souls.

For Christ we speak. Make all other topics pale, and may all subjects be made to lead to him.

For Christ we wait. We pray “Maranatha, Come, Lord Jesus.” Send our Master to receive us in the heavens.

Amen.

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Trees without wind

As trees are still without wind, we, O Father, cannot move without your Spirit. Enliven us today to live and move and speak because you are present in us, around us, and through us.

We seek you and desire you. We know that you are the reason for our existence. Live among us and within us, in truth and love. Forgive us, O Lord, that we might be your holy people.

Many distant sounds, such as the hum of an airplane high above us, barely register in our hearing. But your Word is near to us. We want to hear it clearly. We worship you and your revelation of yourself and of your plan for us. Praise for your Son in whom is seen your glory and grace!

Amen.

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Worthy, Worthy!

God of rock and water and tree,
Lord of heaven and earth and me,
Praise is yours, and all acclaim,
Worthy, worthy is your Name!

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No matter my condition

Eternal heavenly Father,
When energized or tired,
In good health or sickness,
With abundance or lack,
Alone or surrounded by love,
Regardless of the weather,
Feeling high or low,
Accepted or rejected,
No matter my condition,
I will follow Jesus —
Help me never falter!

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We ask and know

Blessed Father,

When we ask of you in prayer, we know that you hear us and answer. We believe, O Lord, that we have received it.

Your promise is sure. You never fail. You are faithful in all you say. Your word is certain.

Thus, we believe you will give us what we ask, or better. We know the power is not in us. Not our righteousness, but your mercy leads you to answer us.

We submit ourselves to your will, as did the Lord Jesus. Your goodness causes us joy. Thank you, God of all mercies, for your presence and the demonstration of you glory.

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You are

Our Father in Heaven —

You are only God and Shepherd, ruling with your rod, guiding with your staff;

You are Source of love and life, shining forth and speaking words of power;

You are Savior, reaching down, absorbing our guilt, welcoming back, restoring souls;

Praise and glory and honor and power belong to You!