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Reality far from promises

Read Psalm 89

Reality seems far from your promises, Lord.
The Kingdom’s glory seems trampled in the dust.
How long can your people bear up under suffering?

What happy subjects who have learned to worship you!
They joyfully walk in the light of your presence.
They delight in your righteousness.

The heavens praise all your wonders, O Lord.
Who in the heavens can be compared to you?
Among us you are powerful and fearful.

Do not forget us, O God of all eternity.
Enemies overrun your Kingdom.
Where, O Lord, is your former love?

You act with reason and move with purpose.
We trust in you, consoled by your faithfulness.
May you be praised forever. Amen!

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Kingdoms cause turmoil

My Lord and my God,

The kingdoms of this world cause turmoil.
Man destroys everything he touches.
Corruption produces more corruption.
The poor suffer, the commoners die.

Our hope wavers not.
Our faith still shines brightly.
The power of Christ works mightily.
Save us, Lord, we plead.

We thank you for our peace of heart.
We praise you, Lord Almighty.
Your love is undiminished.
Come for your people, Lord Jesus!

We pray in the Lord. Amen!

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A new and wonderful work

Our holy Father in Heaven
who gave us the new birth:

Praise to your name
for giving us your Spirit!

We thank you for eternal life
and for every blessing now.

In us is no good thing,
for sin destroyed our souls.

Create in us today, O God,
a new and wonderful work.

Bring many into your Kingdom;
make your glory known afar.

Draw us near, keep us strong
in Jesus Christ, our Lord
and only Savior. Amen.

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Sacrifices to assemble

Heavenly Father, you seek those who seek you. You reward those who pursue your peace. You bless those who open their lives to your hand. I want to be one of those.

Yesterday, in the meetings of the congregations, people were present who had made sacrifices to assemble. Bless them for their efforts. Continue reading “Sacrifices to assemble”

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I shall look upon this day

Holy Father, another day is here. I shall look upon it as a gift of life, as a door of opportunity, as the expression of love.

Oppression, hatred, falsehood, and dishonesty rule the world. We are still surprised by it, although we shouldn’t be. Let your Kingdom, seen now in the people of Christ, be my refuge and safe space.

Carry me beyond the façades of the lost, to enter their emptiness and fear, and deliver to them the peace of eternal hope.

Let me see Jesus who forgot himself in order to save others.

I shall look upon this day, whatever its limitations, as a mission to fulfill.

Jesus is my Lord, the Spirit my helper, your Word my guide and power. Amen.

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He Presented Himself Alive

In the 50 days from Passover to Pentecost, Jesus was busy!  The first 40 was spent the work of the gospel (Titus 3:5) and in convincing proofs that He indeed had overcome death (Acts 1:3).  In the last 10, He came into His Kingdom while His followers waited for His promise of power and mission to be given (Acts 1:4-8), a promise and mission that would include all those whom He would call to Himself (Acts 36-39).

I.  Acts 1:3.  After His suffering, which would include the events of Passover, Jesus “presented himself alive … by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”  His purpose was two-fold and can be seen in these two examples: Luke 24:13-27 and John 20:19-28.  Jesus’ work during this period is included in the 1 Corinthians 15:1-7 description of the gospel.

II.  Acts 1:9-11.  Jesus ascending alive into heaven (Luke 24:50-51) answers two questions: where did He go and why did He go?  The first is important for believers to know and explain to others where the One who has conquered death is today and to know that He will return (Hebrews 9:28).  The second shows His work as Priest, Savior, and Intercessor (Hebrews 7:23-25) and His role as He comes into His Kingdom with authority over all, even the church (Ephesians 1:19-23).

III.  Acts 1:4-8.  While Jesus came into His Kingdom, His followers waited in Jerusalem for the fulfillment of His promise to them of power and mission (Luke 24:52-53).  It was fulfilled by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon them (Acts 2:1-4) and the first gospel message that instructed so many from all over the known world that Jesus was indeed alive and had conquered death for all those who obey the gospel (Acts 2:36-41), which includes us if we indeed die with Christ to live with Him (Romans 6:8-11).

Given the gift of the Holy Spirit when we believe, confess ‘Jesus as Lord’ (cut to the heart), repent, and are baptized into Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we too accept the mission to spread the message that Jesus is alive to the ends of the earth.  How are you doing with it?

 

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Beyond My Ken

O God who gives beyond our needs:

What time and cost we spend on non-essentials!
With bread and drink let us be content,
With simple clothes to cover us.
Keep us from worry over the vanities of life,
Over things beyond our control.

I strive, O Lord, not to occupy myself
With things that are beyond my ken,
Nor do I have great aspirations.
Keep me from pride and arrogance,
O God who is exalted above all.

I humble myself before your throne;
The Kingdom and the power and the glory
Belong to you, and in your hand
Are the fortunes and destinies of all man.
In your care I am content.

To attain the marvelous goal of faith —
Salvation for my soul — and to help
Another reach it as well, by example
And teaching, is the greatest work of all.
Protect me, O Father, to reach your glory.

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Open to Me, Father

Open to me, Father, the pages of Scripture,
Show me your Self, your works of wonders,
What you hate, what you practice,
What you love, all your commandments,
Purpose of heart, and ways of wisdom.

Open, Lord, your mind of reason,
Show me the sense of this world’s workings,
How you bless, all things providing
To your holy and chosen people,
Born from above, obedient children.

Open, O God, the doors of service,
Bringing the lost into the Kingdom,
Saving souls for heaven forever,
Joy among the ministering angels,
Basking in your eternal glory.

Prayer is a choice. Make other good choices. Read Choose! 13 Choices to Transform Your Heart and Soul.

Please share this prayer with others, if it encouraged you.

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Turn over complete control

Heavenly Father, give me power today to do something that will promote the Kingdom of Christ and insert into someone’s heart the desire for you.

In order to do that, may I turn over complete control of my life to the Lord.

I reject the world and desire the Kingdom.

Bless me now that the Kingdom might prevail in every decision and action.

Be glorified in me as you were in your Son and my Savior. Make me in his image.

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Act for the kingdom’s cause

Dear God, help me to accept the present and not pine for the past, nor worry about the future. Make me content in this moment. Help me to see how you are fulfilling each need of mine. I trust in you. I will call upon you, confident of answer. I will set my watch for your movement in my direction. You are God who feels compassion for his people. You care for your own. You are the fountain that slakes our thirst.

Build me up in faith, so that I, like those of old, might patiently wait upon the arrival of what I seek. Make me worthy to be included in their midst. Move your Spirit among us. Pursue your plan with us as your instrument of peace. Let the devil not frustrate your will for us. Keep us from temptation and from evil. Let us not return evil for evil, but rather good. Make us light in this world of darkness.

Be present, O Lord, in the small things today, and make them grow by your immense power. Act in this day to bring forward the kingdom’s cause. Let each brother and sister be sensitive to your will, desiring your glory, working for the gospel, rejoicing in the Spirit. So we pray in Christ, Amen.