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Matt. 5:44
44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

This is one of those misunderstood passages of the Bible. It is generally not effective to simply begin “loving your enemies.” Taking a direct approach. This is the climax of the “Sermon on the Mount,” and is preceded by other spiritual disciplines that prepare one to be able to love enemies and pray for them. In other words, we become the kind of people who can do these things. If you actually read all of Matthew 5, it all starts by working on anger issues.

Read Matthew 5:21- 48 and highlight the progression of issues we address on our way to love of enemy.

complaining

Jonah 4:1-2
1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it…

I am glad Jesus told me I could communicate with God like I do my dad.

“Abba, who art in heaven.”
“Daddy, who art heaven.”

If I pray like I have talked with my dad, I guess it’s OK to complain to him, once in a while. At least that’s what our own kids think.

Tell God about something that ticks you off today.

school prayer

Jonah 2:1
1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.

School prayer has been used as a fundraising tool for organizations that oppose it and those who favor it. In either case, this is a non-issue. Logically, prayer is available any time any place. Jonah didn’t have a problem praying in the belly of a fish. Come to think of it, if a giant fish swallowed me, I wouldn’t have a hard time praying, either!

Pray for children in your local schools today.

repentance

Daniel 9:3
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.

In the Old Testament, prayer, fasting, sackcloth and ashes often go together when repentance is the order for the day. God certainly knows if we are open to new life through his forgiveness. Why all the extra emphasis. Think of it this way. In prayer we give attention. In fasting our physical desire. In sackcloth and ashes our desire for recognition. All of this together seems to be saying, “OK God, I understand. I am taking this seriously.”

Think about your humility before the Lord throughout the day.

in God we trust

where do you put your ultimate trust?
welcome to your god
is there anything to trust in better than Jesus?

prayer in the air

Daniel 6:10
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Christians had a structured prayer life much earlier than Muslims. For centuries, the day was divided into prayer times. Bell towers of churches striking on the hour are part of that heritage. Even at universities who don’t realize it.

For example, I wonder how many students at UC Riverside know that their bell tower is tolling “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” every hour on the hour? Just heard it last weekend.

Set up five prayer times during the day for the next few days.

let my people go!

when you follow God, you can't sell yourself short
you don't know what God has in mind
Moses continued...

keep praying

Lamentations 3:44
44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud
so our prayers cannot reach you.

When God seems absent this doesn't mean stop praying. It simply means be prepared to be disappointed. It's not as if not praying is going to be helpful. When God seems remote, it is rather time to pray extra hard.

"Hey God…Are you there?!!"

Pray for those who are having a hard time praying.

don't miss out

addressing the latest "Jesus Family Tomb" spectacle, what do those who are trying to discredit the physical resurrection of Jesus have in common?

keep looking

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

Here God is speaking specifically for his people after 70 years of exile in Babylon. This is a very popular scripture to generalize. It is much quoted concerning our own lives. Verse 13 is one of my favorites to consider when I think of people who don’t know Jesus. Keep looking. If you are honestly seeking, God always shows up.

How are you looking for God this week?

the city

Jeremiah 29:7
7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.

God sent his people to exile in Babylon. As God’s people, everywhere we live is, at times, like Babylon. As Hebrews 13:14 says, 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

We work with God concerning the new creation right now. The city we live in is important and we pray for it’s blessing. As such, we don’t pray against cities either. It’s easy to pick on places like Las Vegas or New Orleans for their “sensual” excesses. What about cities where greed, gossip, personal revenge and such are rampant? Like everywhere-

Pray for your city today.

??

Jeremiah 12:1
1 Lord, you always give me justice
when I bring a case before you.
So let me bring you this complaint:
Why are the wicked so prosperous?
Why are evil people so happy?

If you believe in God, then your God is not going to be much of a God if he isn’t beyond your understanding. If you can fully figure God out, whatever he/she/it is…he/she/it is certainly not God.

What are some of your toughest questions you have for God?

temptation of Jesus

the uncanny similarity between the temptations Jesus faced and our own offers great insight into spiritual health

pray all

Isaiah 56:7
7 I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem
and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer.
I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,
because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

Making one language as better than others when it comes to faith can bring challenges. For over a thousand years in Christianity, it was thought that Latin was really the language to know God through. Latin sounds pretty cool, but the only language God is interested in is the truth. This can be spoken in any language and God loves when the blending of sound from the world over comes to his ears.

Learn to pray, “I love you, Jesus,” in a different language.

Moses the prince of Egypt

the story of Moses and his call from God

mind and heart

Isaiah 38:3
3 “Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.

Emotions play a key part in our relationships. Yet, as Dallas Willard has said, ‘Emotions make good servants, but terrible masters.’

We don’t consider God and his ways with us using an emotional barometer. I don’t have to feel good all the time to know God is with me. In fact, my relationship with God is way more about thinking. Loving the Lord God with my mind first and foremost.

Consider giving your emotions over to God for the day and pray for his guidance.

prayer for leaders

Isaiah 37:21-22
21 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you prayed about King Sennacherib of Assyria, 22 the Lord has spoken this word against him...”

Our prayers for world leaders are not just symbolic. We can impact their work. We pray for justice and mercy for leaders, and God listens. I think that when God reveals his ways to us someday, we will see where the prayers we offered had an effect. In the meantime keep praying for all world leaders, especially those who consider you an enemy.

Pray for two world leaders by name during this day.

our own relationship

Isaiah 36:15
15 Don’t let him fool you into trusting in the LORD by saying, ‘The LORD will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!’

An Assyrian general is trying to goad the Israelites into surrender. He mocks King Hezekiah. We don't need someone else to tell us how to live out our faith life. We pray directly to Jesus without any “middle man.” It is interesting what can happen when we do not know the scripture ourselves, and don’t come to the Lord in prayer regularly. We can end up following false teachings called, “truth,” by those leaders who “know better” than we do. At least that is what they tell us.

As one leader, I say, “Test everything.” Including what I am saying.

Pray for the integrity of church leaders you know today.

prayers during struggle

Isaiah 26:16
16 LORD, they came to you in their distress;
when you disciplined them,
they could barely whisper a prayer.

When situations get you so down that you can hardly eek out a prayer, it is a good indication how important prayer can be. I think of not trusting in God and coming under crisis. Then crisis. Then crisis, again. How awful to be met with silence repeatedly.

This can happen to disciples of Jesus, as well. Especially in those cases where God is building us up by tearing away hope in anything but him. Yet, eventually, God always answers, somehow.

Throughout the day, pray for one person you know who is really struggling.

open

Proverbs 28:9
9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.

This is a similar theme as yesterday. I think of this verse when I think of people who are active in churches but purposely ignore their unrepentant sin, or try to convince themselves their sin is not sin. I’ve done that. How about you?

Only God can judge our hearts as such, but we can pray for honesty and openness before the Lord for ourselves, and mercy for us all.

Is there still sin in your life that you are trying to hold on to? Reflect on this.