with

John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

As a Christian, you may not always have a chance to find out from Jesus what he really has in mind for you at any given moment. His guidance is available some how and some way, just not always how you think it is going to happen. One thing is for sure, though. if you try to live life without Jesus, you know what will happen every time. With him is always better than without him.

Pray for more and more openness to receive from Jesus what he wants to give you.

seniors

Luke 2:27
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. 

This is about Simeon at the time when the newborn Jesus is brought to the Temple for dedication. Simeon is so in tune to God that God sends the Holy Spirit directly to prompt him. Simeon has been waiting for this moment for a long time. He gives his blessing and this is a blessing that comes back to him. He knows this baby is unique.

Pray for senior adults in your life who are faithfully following God’s ways.  

Word

Matthew 23:16
"Woe to you, blind guides!”

A straight careful reading of the Bible informed by good solid scholarship is the source of making decisions about faith and life that are beneficial. When you just take something in the Bible and try to plug it into your life, or when you try to find verses that will back up what you have already decided, there is much room for error. Disciples of Jesus learn the difference.

Pray for God to give you more hunger in reading his Word.

youth

Going to Mexico with 30 high schoolers on a mission trip. Pray. See you Monday.

D

Jeremiah 1:7-8

7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Jeremiah is afraid he is too young to speak God’s truth. God says this is nonsense. If you are a teenager reading this, when you are speaking out of the Word of God, you will be a wise person. Your words will bring blessing. Wisdom has nothing to do with age when it is based on God’s Word. The Word has been around forever.

Pray for a young person in your life to be more open to God’s wisdom.

Obadiah 1

1 This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.

When God gives a vision to his prophet, the prophet is wise to listen. There are times when God is speaking into your life and you may miss it. Does he have something for you to accomplish that will take his power and all your attention? Seek to discover what he is doing in the world and how he is calling you to join him.

Pray for God to show you what he is accomplishing in your midst.

future

Isa 42:16

 16 I will lead blind Israel down a new path,
      guiding them along an unfamiliar way.
   I will brighten the darkness before them
      and smooth out the road ahead of them.
   Yes, I will indeed do these things;
      I will not forsake them.

When we try to do things our own way without God’s guidance, it is like walking into a new situation blind. It isn’t about predicting the future, it is about who is with us as the future meets us. With God, even the darkest places shine and the roughest places are smooth sailing, eventually.

Pray for God to show you any blind spots you may be experiencing. 

covered

Isa 30:20-21

 20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,  “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

This is a fascinating account of the presence of God in our lives. Tough times don’t mean God isn’t there. In fact, tough times are allowed by God. But, rather than keeping our distance from him, when we stick close, connecting through scripture and prayer, it make us so much more receptive to his voice. He has us covered, no matter what.

Pray for someone going through hard times today.

together

how do we live the life we are designed to live?

shine

Ps 73:24
 24 You guide me with your counsel,
       and afterward you will take me into glory.

When God guides us and we follow, good always results. To be in God’s glory is to experience his presence so much that others will be effected by what God is doing in our life. Being faithful and open brings more opportunity to shine.

Who has been shining in your life lately? Pray for them.

justice

Ps 67:4
 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
       for you rule the peoples justly
       and guide the nations of the earth.

God guides all people; those who trust in him and those who don’t. From the laws of physics to the laws of the land, people are being guided by God always. We can reject his guidance and we see this happen in nations, as well as in our own lives. We may not like what God is teaching us but we know it is fair.

Pray for those who govern today that they would see the wisdom of God. 

God prepares

Psalm 31:3
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, 
       for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

God is solidly behind everything we do that comes from him. There is nothing that can stop God if he wants to accomplish something and he has a willing disciple. This is different than deciding what to do from our own desires and then inviting God to bless what we have decide. God wants in from the beginning.

Pray for God to show you what he is already preparing for you to do.

youth

Job 32:8-9
8 But it is the spirit in a man, 
       the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
9 It is not only the old who are wise, 
       not only the aged who understand what is right.

It is not experience alone that is a teacher. In business leadership if you have an ineffective 20 year employee they call this, “having one year’s experience 20 years in a row.” This happens if you are experienced in what doesn’t work or if you aren’t applying what you are learning. Staying open to the Holy Spirit affects every area of our life. We are open to wisdom that comes from the source of all wisdom.

Learn something from someone younger than you today.

somewhere else

1 Chronicles 10:13
13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance

It is never a good idea to go against God, but it is a really bad idea for someone like Saul who should know better. Saul is King of Israel and sees the power of God at work throughout his life. Saul continues to ignore it to the point he goes to a palmreader for guidance.

When we don’t want to hear from God because we don’t like what we are hearing there is always the option of getting guidance somewhere else. Good luck.

Pray for God give you more openness to his word.

John 5:1-15 Bible Study

Whiners can become winners...

next

2 Kings 22:14

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.

At this time in Israel’s journey, they have lost their way because the Bible is missing. Then they discover it hidden in the Temple and they don’t know what to do. Notice these court scholars have to go outside of the court to find out what the Bible means.

Huldah knows.

Who taught you about Jesus growing up? Who are you teaching?

protect

2 Samuel 5:19

19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

When you have to battle evil in your life, it is a good idea to have God in your corner. Without God, it doesn’t matter how strong you are or how tough you are. Satan has a lot more experience.

Pray for courage and protection in challenging situations today.

donkey

Numbers 22:20

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."

If for no other reason, read this story because it includes a talking donkey. I remember seeing Francis the Talking Mule movies as a kid (old age disclaimer alert!). He was kind of funny with his sidekick Donald O’Conner, but this donkey in Exodus is only trying to be helpful!

Sometimes, even a donkey can see what isn’t obvious to a man. Well Balaam listens and learns. Only do what God tells you.

Is there anything God wants from you that you are resisting? Do you own a donkey?

don't miss out

what if you missed the most significant day of your life?-- The walk to Emmaus revisted

guidance

God’s guidance comes from “an interactive friendship that gives direction and purpose to daily life.” So reads the Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible. We will look at some texts concerning guidance from scripture and apply them to actions our lives.

 

God’s “sacred home” is a great metaphor for the reality of the Trinity that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share eternally. We are invited into the Trinity to be blessed, renewed and covered for the Kingdom Work God does through us. You don’t have travel anywhere, though. We are surrounded.

 

Think of how you are immersed in God’s presence as you go through this day.

 

Numbers 12:8

8 With him I speak face to face,

       clearly and not in riddles;

       he sees the form of the LORD.

       Why then were you not afraid

       to speak against my servant Moses?"

 

When we are walking close with God we are connected with our greatest source of wisdom. Well, who walked closer than Jesus? What he teaches and what he models are correct 100% of the time. If you don’t have a clear understanding from scripture of decisions you are making, why not? Is it that the Bible doesn’t have anything to do with what you are considering or is it you know you are gong with what you want, and not necessarily what God wants?

 

For the rest of the week, try thinking of Bible teachings that connect with the things you are doing.

John 4:43-54 Bible Study

the relationship between father and son

some day

Revelation 22:3
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

We will live in the new creation, the city of God, where we will serve God by ruling with him forever. This is our future and we catch glimpses of it right now when God uses us in remarkable ways to bring his reign into the world in ways we are aware, and in ways we are unaware.

Pray for God to keep you especially sensitive to where he is working, and join him.

watching

Revelation 19.10
10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus.

In this passage, John is going to worship an angel sent from God. The angel lets him know that it is only God we worship. Angels work for God just like we do. Instead of little statues of angels around the house, we could have statues of our friends! So, thank God for angels, but don’t make them something they are not.

Thank God for the angel watching over you today.

rule

Revelation 5.10
10 And you have caused them to become
a Kingdom of priests for our God.
And they will reign on the earth.

We will rule with God in the new creation. The new creation has begun with the death and resurrection of Jesus. So, even today, this is happening as we bless those around us and care for our world. We represent God when we serve.

Pray for God to make you more responsible in your service.

the new Peter

the resurrection of Jesus brings the rebirth of many lives...just ask Peter

gifts

1 Peter 4:10
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

When we serve, God is giving us energy and guidance. He also gives us talents and skills. A spiritual gift can be seen as an extra dose of God’s power beyond our human capabilities. You discover this when you serve effectively.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 for examples of these gifts.