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Focus my energies

Lord God and Father of my soul,

  • Save me from the wiles of the evil one, especially when mind and body are sluggish.
  • Open my eyes to opportunity, my heart to love, my mind to understanding of your will.
  • Help my tongue to speak words of grace, patiently, lovingly, seasoned with salt.
  • Focus my energies on positive, redeeming activities that promote your kingdom.
  • Raise up new evangelists and teachers who will help others understand your will and motivate them to holiness and whole-hearted devotion.

Be glorified in me, O God.

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More Will Be Given

Most only know that Zacchaeus was a “wee little man” who climbed a tree to see Jesus as He passed by, but this account is about great grace given because of this chief tax collector’s realization of his great wickedness and his reaction of great repentance.

I. Luke 19:1-10.  Though short in height, Zacchaeus had risen in earthly stature through ill-gotten gain.  So, he naturally believed the way to see this great teacher that some perhaps were secretly murmuring was the Messiah was to climb a tree.  When he saw the true riches that Jesus offered, he realized that the way up with God was to fall to His knees and he repented (Ezekiel 18:21-24).

II. Luke 19:11-26.  The parable that Jesus tells next challenges us to examine our relationship with Him.  How we act with God’s blessings and gifts He’s entrusted to us reveals our true motivation.  We don’t want to be found as the wicked servant who hid what he was given lest it be taken away and given to those who are using their talents for God and His Kingdom.

III.  Matthew 6:19-21.  Where we store our treasure reveals where our heart truly is–whether in heaven or on earth.  Storing treasure in heaven is hard work and requires spiritual training (Hebrews 12:7-11).  It means giving to others how we want to receive from God (Luke 6:37-38) and a conscious understanding of what we are sowing to know what we will reap (Galatians 6:7-10).

Squirrels are often busy, well … squirreling away their treasure of acorns for the winter, but this is a selfish model of what we shouldn’t do.  They won’t share what they’ve been given with other squirrels in other trees.  This is how Zacchaeus was before he climbed down from the tree and hosted Jesus in his home.  What great grace could be yours with your great repentance?

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Thanks and praise

Father in heaven, thank you for grace that grows in me.

Praise to you for the family of faith.

Humble me that I might be like Jesus.

Let the Lord be our focus and organizing center.

Make my works serve your eternal purpose.

You are above all creation and deserve our worship.

God of all, we are grateful for peace and hope.

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Bible.09: Carefully Investigated Everything

When I had to do research as a kid, I just hoped that the school library had something on my topic or could get it for me on loan in several weeks.  Today with the internet, the problem is access to too much information … yet we tend to be lazy and take the top three searches on Google!  A person may be confused today by all the Bible translations out there, but we have greater access to better research than ever before in history!

I.  Luke 1:1-4.  Starting with Luke, we can see that careful investigation has always been a part of good Bible study.  Before the printing press in 1455 a.d., the problem was not enough access to God’s Word.  But, once Erasmus translated the Latin Vulgate that had reigned supreme for over ten centuries into Greek in 1516 that was mass produced and read by the common man, the Reformation was sparked, and a host of early English translations came about leading to the King James Version (KJV).

II.  1 John 5:6-8 and notes.  Contrary to popular belief, the KJV did not “fall from heaven in 1611.”  It’s called the Authorized Version because King James, not God, commissioned its translation.  Borrowing its phrases and words heavily from Tyndale’s earlier work, the language of the KJV was updated in 1769 to how we know it today.  The KJV does have the distinction of reigning supreme for over 300 years and settled the New World and fueled the Restoration, but there are struggles with it as with any translation (see “Easter” for pascha in Acts 12:4).  With access to thousands of ancient manuscripts, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the rise of research in the 1900s and now the advent of the internet, many translations and study tools are available that are often based on better study.

III.  Acts 17:11.  So, are you noble-minded like the Bereans who examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was preaching was true?  Do you, like Luke, carefully investigate everything to have an accurate account of what is truth for eternity?

Or, is your salvation based on your top three Google searches?

 

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Train Yourself to be Godly

As Christians in the 21st Century, we have more leisure time than any other people living in any other time period in history.  Technology and inventions have drastically cut down what we need to do just to survive.  But, greater time doesn’t equal better choices.  If we’re honest, we’ve become spiritual couch potatoes–especially if we compare ourselves to the pioneers who worked fifteen hours a day cutting trees and pulling stumps just to plow the ground to grow food to eat.  It was only then by oil lamp that they would study God’s Word to know His will.

I. 1 Timothy 4:6-8.  The process to get into spiritual shape is much like getting into physical shape.  Just as we must choose to deny ourselves unhealthy foods and exercise regularly, so we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus (Mark 8:31-35).  Neither happens from the couch!

II.  1 Peter 1:13-16.  To get spiritually in shape we must be holy as God is holy–and this too is part of God’s spiritual training program.  Even though it’s hard, we must choose to be trained by it (Hebrews 12:7-13).  Sexual holiness is a big struggle for us today in this sin-soaked culture (1 Corinthians 6:12-20).

III.  Romans 12:9-13.  Someone who only works out at the gym serves only himself if he doesn’t use those muscles to help a friend move or carry in the groceries … so do those who only have a vertical relationship with God through prayer and study of His Word.  God wants us to serve others (Galatians 5:13).  What personal ministry does your spiritual training propel you to do?

We can either watch the spiritual Olympics from our spiritual couches with the spiritual remotes in our hands or we could participate in them.  Are you in training?

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Save many from destruction

Heavenly Father, Lord over all —

Save many from Hurricane Florence’s destruction and from risk of life and limb.

Grant that congregations will have a strong vision for your gospel and an unwavering commitment to save many for eternal life.

May every word be seasoned with salt, laced with love, and girded by truth.

Strengthen the church, to be all you desire.

Open opportunities here and now for evangelism.

Keep your people focused upon your goodness, your power, and your one hope of heaven.

Uphold those men and women who promote peace and unity through the truth of the gospel; defeat those who cause dissension and division.

Because Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, Amen.

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Let All Be Silent

Sovereign God who rules —

Let all be silent before your glory,
In light and thunder, cloud and fire,
The mountain trembles, heavens quake,
Contrary forces feel your ire.

The evil of man against his neighbor
Knows no bounds, rejects your will;
He acts by feeling, spurns the Savior,
Lives for immediate, earthly thrill.

Look upon us, Lord Almighty,
Humbled here before your throne;
Forgive our sin, and show us wisely
We cannot survive alone.

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Will He Find Faith on the Earth?

Perhaps you’ve scratched your head when your friend sees a monster truck and has said, “Wow!  That’s just like my VW Beetle.”  We’re conditioned to see similarities rather than differences, used to comparing rather than contrasting.  That’s why we have trouble with some of Jesus’ parables.  No, Jesus is not encouraging us to be dishonest like the manager who cut his boss’ client’s bills just before he was fired.  And in the parable that begins Luke 18, Jesus is not telling us that God is an unjust judge or that we are to be a pesky mosquito that buzzes continually in God’s ear for Him to even consider listening to our prayers.

I. Luke 18:1-8.  If we start by seeking for the differences between the judge and God in this parable, then it makes more sense.  Both are positions of authority, but the judge is clearly seeking his own interests while God loves us unconditionally–even sending His Son to die on the cross for us.  The point of the parable is that even if this unjust judge will give in to a widow with such persistence, then how much more will a good and caring God give to His children whom He loves?

II. John 17:1-23.  While understanding God’s character so much better in this parable, don’t lose sight of the responsibility Jesus says we have to be persistent, purposeful, and precise in prayer.  So often our prayers are haphazard and vague.  Though names and situations are mentioned before our worship services begin, we pray in general often for the sick and struggling … and then they are forgotten until next Sunday.  Modeling how we in the flesh should pray, Jesus prayed in these ways.

III. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Jesus contrasts the judge with God, but He also contrasts the widow with us.  The last line of the parable in Luke 18:8 asks if the Son of Man will find faith on the earth when He returns.  It took faith for the widow to be so persistent in her supplication.  So, a lack of persistence in prayer would indicate a lack of faith on our part.  We gain a better prayer life by having greater faith, and we gain greater faith by praying about it.

The more we trust the good and loving Judge, the more we will want to speak with Him.  Try it.  He already knows what you need before you ask Him, and He has invited you to His throne to ask Him.  Do you have enough faith to be persistent in prayer?

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Show me your glory

Father, thank you for the pleasant and edifying time with the saints. It is a joy to be with your family of faith. You are to be praised for your wisdom in making us your people with one mind and heart.

  • Give us a harmonious spirit, help us to be sympathetic to one another, to show affection and compassion to each other, and to be humble in every way.
  • Let the evil of others keep us from responding in kind. Help us to bless others, regardless of their actions toward us.
  • Help us to do right and to see our blessing of doing so even under duress and suffering.
  • Prepare us to answer those who ask about the hope we possess.
  • Keep us from having any reason for shame.
  • Thank you that Christ suffered to bring us to you and that we were given the grace of baptism for our salvation.
  • Thank you for his resurrection which is our guarantee of being raised to heaven.

Show me your glory, O God, that I might never lose sight of my goal.

Based on 1 Peter 3. If this prayer blessed you, please share it with someone else.

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The gospel in my country

God over all nations —

Make the gospel spread in my country. Send workers into the vineyard here. And from here may many go out to other places and reach other peoples.

Increase our sense of urgency. Help us see the wide chasm between salvation and perdition. Remind us of the final destiny of the faithful and the disobedient.

Give us courage to speak and teach the word of Christ. Open our mouths so that not an opportunity is missed. Endow us with your wisdom so that we can know how to reach others.

We trust in you, O Lord, for the harvest.

Amen.