dwell

Ezekiel 37:27
27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Have you invited God to live with you? If not, why not? Do you feel unworthy? You are not. Jesus makes you worthy as you connect with him. It’s really not about you.
Do you think you don’t need him? Are you fine on your own? Really?

Have you had bad personal experience with people who identify as Christians? Perhaps you need to get out more. There are probably a few people you could hang out with. Seems others have been able to do that in spite of Christians who disappoint. Even people who hang out with me!

Pray for faith.

far

Isaiah 63:11
Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock?

When it seems God is far off even though he has been so powerful in our lives in the past, we have good company. God’s people in the Bible bring this up again and again.

So, when you are experiencing challenging times, do you figure God really doesn’t exist and try to find another one? Think about what that means in every other area of your life. If I am being challenged, I just give up. If I don’t understand something, it must not be right. You get the picture.

Pray for understanding.

thinking about faith

faith is about more than just a gut instinct...it's actually about evidence

radical faith

some people in the world today die to go to church
some people say I don't go to church, but I am spiritual...
why the difference?

one thing

what can Christians do that no one else can?

how

Isaiah 45:15
Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel.

God chooses Cyrus the Persian, king and enemy of Israel, to do his bidding, defeating another enemy, the Babylonians, and bringing the Israelites back to their homeland. We don’t know when God is at work in human history but we know he is at work. How can so many good things happen in spite of human sin? Only God knows.

Pray for God to open eyes to his work.

everywhere

Isaiah 43:1-5
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. 6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

Christianity is the fastest growing faith in the world. Especially in the South and East. North Americans and Europeans have a hard time understanding this because they seem to be missing out on all the fun! Unlike any other faith or worldview (except, perhaps rock music) Christianity brings people from every culture together, with at least one thing in common. Trust in Jesus. This appears to be enough.

Pray for Christians in North America and Europe to share the love of Jesus.

pick

Isaiah 41:10
9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

If you played games or sports at recess, you got picked to play. It could be a brutal experience to be picked last. I guess we all just have had to learn to get over it.

There is one team where we are always picked first. The team is followers of Jesus and the game is service. Game on!

Pray for youth sports leagues.

christcast 25- video

Dana and Kristina return and talk about getting ready for college and High School Musical!!

eternal

Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

If God exists the way Christians claim, he has to be able to operate outside of our space and time dimensions. This explains his eternal existence. Outside of our time, God doesn’t need to be created because “beginning” co notates our time dimension. It is scientifically logical as well as spiritually that God can be eternal without a creation.

Now, for Christians that have a hard time with thinking there was a Virgin Birth, carefully read the above paragraph again. Can God move outside our dimensions and within them? Do you get it? Ponder.

Pray for expectant mothers.

live

Psalm 91:16
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.

People worry so much about aging and spend billions trying to slow it down. Good health is a good idea; so don’t knock it. But, the obsession of staying young is a bit different. It can take on a quality of living as if this life is all there is. I realize some people think this, so do I have a solution for you!

When our lives are fully lived in God’s kingdom, there will be the fulfillment of the new creation, where Jesus rescues us for good. So, the time period of our human life now is nothing compared to our eternal life as part of the new creation. Long life is what every lover of Jesus has to look forward to. Forget cryogenics. Try the new genesis!

Pray for those with arthritis today.

normal faith/extraordinary results

the story of Ruth shows us how God works in powerful ways behind the scene

care

Psalm 33:15
…he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

How does God care so much for us that he considers everything we do? No parent with a video camera stuck in front of his/her face for the whole childhood of their special child competes with God who follows all his creation every second of every day. God is way more proud papa than angry judge when it comes to watching over us.

Pray for God to see you doing right today.

healing

Psalm 23:3
…he restores my soul.

The most popular psalm certainly, if not the most beloved words of the Bible. This is a quiet peaceful song/poem until you realize every verse is about God in action. He is doing everything necessary to bring life to us as fallen human beings.

Nothing is more important than to heal our “sin-sick” soul; that which is so beautiful about us as his image bearers that we stain chasing after our own desires, not his. We aren’t a lost cause. Restoration is one of his specialties.

Pray for God to work hard on your soul.

ahead

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

Where is God in your life? If he is front and center then the confidence available in his name is amazing. Nothing can get in the way of God accomplishing what he wants through you if you remain focused on him always ahead of you preparing what you will discover.

Pray for more attention to God’s signs before you.

small things

Nehemiah 2:8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

It is not improbable that God works in our lives. Chances are you have seen this happen. What is fascinating to me is considering God working through mundane matters like lumber for your house. Here is the situation. Either God is big enough to actually be interested in our everyday life or he is not. If God is big enough, then we don’t get to tell him what should interest him.

Pray to God about some little thing today.

waiting

2 Chronicles 32:7 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.”

God’s power does not come from brut force. God is always in charge even if it seems that he is far away. It isn’t military power, financial power, diplomatic solutions, nothing that comes out of humanity that will bring ultimate goodness to the world. We work for justice in all those arenas but that is all. Only by turning to Jesus and putting our lives in his hands will the world be changed for good. And this is exactly what will happen. In the meantime we wait and we serve.

Pray for those who wait.

gracious

2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem.

When we are standing up for God’s ways, we are many times going to go against our culture. Christian disciples are actually called to be radically counter cultural. This means that if someone is against you for following God, you do not attack or withdraw. You stick with God, and graciously treat the one who opposes you with respect. God will figure it out. He always does.

Pray for those who think they are doing the right thing opposing God and his ways.

source

2 Chronicles 17:9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.

King Jehoshaphat is a remarkable ruler. He is a wise king of Judah, and not only does he follow God’s ways, he sends his government officials to teach the people, as well! O, that the Christian community would have such passion to seek God’s guidance.

Read a chapter of the Bible today and pray concerning what you read.

wanted

2 Chronicles 1:22 He went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

This passage is about King Asa, who gets rid of all the idols in the land, and then even other tribes come and live with him as his kingdom is right with God. There is no compromise or nuances when it comes to being a follower of Jesus. You are either with him or seeking him. If you are forsaking him because you think you have something better in mind, he won't stick around. Doesn't really like to spend much time where he is not wanted.

Pray for those who are seeking to learn more about Jesus.

the meal

1 Chronicles 29:14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

This is from King David's prayer in thanksgiving for the offering that has come in to build the Temple. What we give God is from God. He enjoys our giving generously though he certainly doesn't need it.
It reminds me of the process of shopping for groceries and the cook who prepares a luscious meal. The gift of the meal is the love that
goes into preparing the offering, not the ingredients themselves.

Pray for all those involved in food services.

protect

vacation- pre-dated to follow

2 Kings 6:16-17 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

I have this passage in mind whenever I am in situations that there is need of protection. It could be driving a windy road or protecting against my own sharp tongue. I also pray this covering over our children. They haven't returned singed by the fire but I know they are being watched over.

Pray for the protection of your loved ones today.

God-filled

1 Kings 8:10-11 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

In worship, we are not the participants, we are the witnesses. We mainly see God’s Spirit at work or we mainly see people at work. You can tell the difference and it doesn’t have a lot to do with enthusiasm, entertainment, awe or reverence.

O, all those can be expected when God is at work. Yet, you can tell the difference. It is about being authentically open and expectant that the Spirit is there. Already waiting for you. Just don’t do too much to get in the Spirit’s way.

Pray for those who lead worship.

sinners are the hope of the world

we are sinful but Jesus still uses us to bless the world
can we actually change enough to be an influence for good in others?
Colossians 3:1-11

rescue

2 Sam 22:20 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

“Rescue” is the key to the story of God’s people, not escape. We don’t get out of having to live in the reality of life. There is no way to try to convince ourselves otherwise. There is no secret wisdom that makes us immune to pain, suffering, or disappointment.

Yet, in the middle of it all, someone is absolutely thrilled we are here. The one who gives us our existence in the first place. There is nothing that gets in the way of his love, and this includes many rescues along the way. Even the greatest rescue of all. From ourselves.

Pray for firefighters today.

marching on

2 Sam 5:24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

Have you ever suffered because you did the right thing? Have you ever been unfairly treated and yet didn’t strike back in revenge? Have you been misunderstood because you follow Christ rather than your own desires?

God is marching ahead of you. Can you hear him?

Pray for patience and strength for those suffering persecution today.

follow

1 Sam 18:12 Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.

Saul has known God’s hand all his life. Now God is gone. Do you think he realizes what has happened? The evidence of life without the Lord is all around him. He begins comparing himself to David and blames him for his situation. Fear and anger become his new companions. Despair has arrived.

It’s tough to follow the Lord, but it’s a lot tougher not to.

Pray for those who are resisting the love and influence of Jesus.