17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"
Matthew 20:17-19
As I sit here gazing at the skyline of the city of Charlotte in the early hours of the morning, I wonder what the day has in store and as I read of what my Savior had to look forward to more than 2,000 years ago, I sit in reverent awe and worship the one who willingly suffered a horrible death for my sin in order that we could be together in a sweet communion. I sit in awe this morning of the incredible love of Jesus as I spend just a few minutes with Him to prepare my heart in order that together we could make the most of this beautiful gift of yet another day to hopefully reflect His love in a beautiful way through our words and actions as we live our lives for Him. I pray that you too would remember Jesus this morning and that you would remember all that He has done for you as you learn and grow in His amazing love and Grace. Make the most of what He has given you today because tomorrow today will be gone, forever.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Blessed Beyond Belief
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 "About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7 " 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Matthew 20:1-16
I love this parable by Jesus as it is much too easy in this selfish, competitive world to get into the habit of being envious of the blessings of others instead of just being grateful for all that God has given you and me as His beloved children. Don’t get caught in the trap of comparing yourself to others – be grateful for all the God has done for you and be grateful for how He is faithfully satisfying all of your needs. Keep your eyes on Him today and reflect His image as you have been blessed beyond belief with His love!
3 "About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went.
"He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7 " 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9 "The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Matthew 20:1-16
I love this parable by Jesus as it is much too easy in this selfish, competitive world to get into the habit of being envious of the blessings of others instead of just being grateful for all that God has given you and me as His beloved children. Don’t get caught in the trap of comparing yourself to others – be grateful for all the God has done for you and be grateful for how He is faithfully satisfying all of your needs. Keep your eyes on Him today and reflect His image as you have been blessed beyond belief with His love!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Life of a Servant
27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28 Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
Matthew 19:27-30
This life that we live is just the beginning of a much grander time when all things will be made new and your work here on earth that you do in the name of Jesus will be rewarded in full, beyond your wildest dreams. Today, Jesus wants your everything; your time and talents; your energy and focus; your heart and mind; your best of the best. Today, Jesus is looking for servants that would lay down their lives in such a way that His love could be reflected and His amazing work and glory could be seen by others who do not yet know Him as their Savior. Surrender your all today, even if that means being last in the world’s eyes as one day very soon you will be rewarded a hundred times over by the loving touch of the One who set you free!
28 Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
Matthew 19:27-30
This life that we live is just the beginning of a much grander time when all things will be made new and your work here on earth that you do in the name of Jesus will be rewarded in full, beyond your wildest dreams. Today, Jesus wants your everything; your time and talents; your energy and focus; your heart and mind; your best of the best. Today, Jesus is looking for servants that would lay down their lives in such a way that His love could be reflected and His amazing work and glory could be seen by others who do not yet know Him as their Savior. Surrender your all today, even if that means being last in the world’s eyes as one day very soon you will be rewarded a hundred times over by the loving touch of the One who set you free!
Monday, August 17, 2009
God Saves
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:23-26
I love this! The reality of who you are in Christ has nothing to do with you and everything to do with God. You see, all you did when you became a Christian was choose to accept what God had already enabled you to receive. It is God who orchestrates the drama of your life in such a way that prepares you to make the incredible choice to live your life not for yourself anymore but for the One who loves you and made you and has the best plan for how you will live on this earth as well as in the life to come. This idea really takes the pressure off since we live in a world that seems very far from God at times and it is Jesus who redeems and heals and restores the brokenhearted so your only job is to daily choose to let His power and love flow through your life in such a way that others will see and believe. Live your life for Him today.
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With human beings this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:23-26
I love this! The reality of who you are in Christ has nothing to do with you and everything to do with God. You see, all you did when you became a Christian was choose to accept what God had already enabled you to receive. It is God who orchestrates the drama of your life in such a way that prepares you to make the incredible choice to live your life not for yourself anymore but for the One who loves you and made you and has the best plan for how you will live on this earth as well as in the life to come. This idea really takes the pressure off since we live in a world that seems very far from God at times and it is Jesus who redeems and heals and restores the brokenhearted so your only job is to daily choose to let His power and love flow through your life in such a way that others will see and believe. Live your life for Him today.
Friday, August 14, 2009
God before Money
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" he inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew 19:16-22
Who do you worship this morning? Do you worship the almighty dollar or do you worship Almighty God? Have a look in your checkbook and you will get a clear view of where your priorities are. How much of the resources that God has given you to manage do you use to help the poor, to feed the homeless, to support the ministry? How much of your time and attention is spent loving others and how often do you think about your God given purpose on this earth and why you are even here? Are your days so full of living the “American Dream” that you have little time and money left for the only One who can give you an authentic abundant life full of peace and contentment? Calibrate your priorities today as it is much too easy to let the wrong things take priority in your life and if this happens you will miss the most awesome gift imaginable that only comes from the One who loves you.
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" he inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matthew 19:16-22
Who do you worship this morning? Do you worship the almighty dollar or do you worship Almighty God? Have a look in your checkbook and you will get a clear view of where your priorities are. How much of the resources that God has given you to manage do you use to help the poor, to feed the homeless, to support the ministry? How much of your time and attention is spent loving others and how often do you think about your God given purpose on this earth and why you are even here? Are your days so full of living the “American Dream” that you have little time and money left for the only One who can give you an authentic abundant life full of peace and contentment? Calibrate your priorities today as it is much too easy to let the wrong things take priority in your life and if this happens you will miss the most awesome gift imaginable that only comes from the One who loves you.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Child like Faith
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Matthew 19:13-15
Yesterday morning as I drove into the office I had two business issues on my mind that had been eating away at my insides; you know the kind, the issues that keep you up at night and steal away your joy and peace. As I sat in my office chair contemplating on whether or not I had enough time to write a Journey Bread devotion that morning, I noticed a little devotional book that Aunt Nancy had given me a year or so ago. As I read the next devotion the Holy Spirit convicted me to give these two issues over to my Heavenly Father, just as a child places complete trust in his parents. The coolest thing happened yesterday as I prayed about these two issues; it was as if the importance of them had dissolved and in reality, later in the day it was clear that they were not as big a deal as I had originally thought. I am learning, ever so slowly, how God wants us to trust Him with every area of our lives; every problem no matter how insignificant or small; every situation and relationship and stressor; absolutely everything, just as a child, in order that we can attend to the work that He is doing at the moment and not be so concerned about the future that we miss opportunities in the present. Today, give that one thing that has been keeping you up at night over to the Lord in prayer and just enjoy His presence in your life as you look for ways to reflect His love onto others. Live your life today in the present and let your Heavenly Father worry about tomorrow because God has something very special for you today that you will not want to miss!
14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Matthew 19:13-15
Yesterday morning as I drove into the office I had two business issues on my mind that had been eating away at my insides; you know the kind, the issues that keep you up at night and steal away your joy and peace. As I sat in my office chair contemplating on whether or not I had enough time to write a Journey Bread devotion that morning, I noticed a little devotional book that Aunt Nancy had given me a year or so ago. As I read the next devotion the Holy Spirit convicted me to give these two issues over to my Heavenly Father, just as a child places complete trust in his parents. The coolest thing happened yesterday as I prayed about these two issues; it was as if the importance of them had dissolved and in reality, later in the day it was clear that they were not as big a deal as I had originally thought. I am learning, ever so slowly, how God wants us to trust Him with every area of our lives; every problem no matter how insignificant or small; every situation and relationship and stressor; absolutely everything, just as a child, in order that we can attend to the work that He is doing at the moment and not be so concerned about the future that we miss opportunities in the present. Today, give that one thing that has been keeping you up at night over to the Lord in prayer and just enjoy His presence in your life as you look for ways to reflect His love onto others. Live your life today in the present and let your Heavenly Father worry about tomorrow because God has something very special for you today that you will not want to miss!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Eunuchs
10 The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others have been made eunuchs; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Matthew 19:10-12
I never knew until this morning as I researched the word eunuchs that a eunuch is : “A castrated man employed as a harem attendant or as a functionary in certain Asian courts.” (Dictionary.com) I can’t imagine renouncing marriage and not having the beautiful gift of love that God has so graciously given me in my wife Paula. However, it is clear here that for some people the gift of being single in order that he or she could focus even more on God’s purpose for his or her life has been given. I for one am glad that I have not been given that gift! The bigger point here that Jesus is trying to make is that your relationship with Him should be the number one priority in your life, even above your family relationships. Certain things and certain people in this world will try to distract you from the love of God being carried out in and through your life so whatever you do, please guard against this happening by staying ever so close in prayer and thoughts to Jesus Christ who lives inside of your heart of hearts as a result of your belief in Him. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit today as you reflect the love of our Savior to a world of people who are in desperate need of Him.
11 Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others have been made eunuchs; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Matthew 19:10-12
I never knew until this morning as I researched the word eunuchs that a eunuch is : “A castrated man employed as a harem attendant or as a functionary in certain Asian courts.” (Dictionary.com) I can’t imagine renouncing marriage and not having the beautiful gift of love that God has so graciously given me in my wife Paula. However, it is clear here that for some people the gift of being single in order that he or she could focus even more on God’s purpose for his or her life has been given. I for one am glad that I have not been given that gift! The bigger point here that Jesus is trying to make is that your relationship with Him should be the number one priority in your life, even above your family relationships. Certain things and certain people in this world will try to distract you from the love of God being carried out in and through your life so whatever you do, please guard against this happening by staying ever so close in prayer and thoughts to Jesus Christ who lives inside of your heart of hearts as a result of your belief in Him. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit today as you reflect the love of our Savior to a world of people who are in desperate need of Him.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
One Flesh
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' [a] 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' [b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Matthew 19:1-9
Jesus touches on one of my favorite topics since it is applicable to so many people today. I pulled the following information this morning from divorce rate.org: “50% of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.” Staying married to your spouse is a commitment, it is a matter of the heart and it is no wonder that the percentages increase after the 1st and 2nd divorce as there is one commonality in every consecutive divorce and that is the divorced person who thought that the problem with their marriage couldn’t possibly have anything to do with them. Please listen, God loves you just as much if you have been married for 50 years or if you are on your 6th spouse in 10 years. However, he designed the covenant of marriage to be an incredible gift of love and a union that is representative of the union that you have with Christ both today and in the age to come when it will be even better as Christ returns and the brokenness of this world is destroyed once and for all. Prior to considering a decision that will add to the percentages above, please heed Jesus’ advice and have a look on the inside at your own heart and let the healing and restoration of Jesus Christ living in you soften your heart and give you the power to love your spouse unconditionally as Jesus loves you. You will be surprised how your perspective on marriage will change as you rely on His power and rest in His amazing love.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' [a] 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' [b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
7 "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
Matthew 19:1-9
Jesus touches on one of my favorite topics since it is applicable to so many people today. I pulled the following information this morning from divorce rate.org: “50% of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.” Staying married to your spouse is a commitment, it is a matter of the heart and it is no wonder that the percentages increase after the 1st and 2nd divorce as there is one commonality in every consecutive divorce and that is the divorced person who thought that the problem with their marriage couldn’t possibly have anything to do with them. Please listen, God loves you just as much if you have been married for 50 years or if you are on your 6th spouse in 10 years. However, he designed the covenant of marriage to be an incredible gift of love and a union that is representative of the union that you have with Christ both today and in the age to come when it will be even better as Christ returns and the brokenness of this world is destroyed once and for all. Prior to considering a decision that will add to the percentages above, please heed Jesus’ advice and have a look on the inside at your own heart and let the healing and restoration of Jesus Christ living in you soften your heart and give you the power to love your spouse unconditionally as Jesus loves you. You will be surprised how your perspective on marriage will change as you rely on His power and rest in His amazing love.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Forgiveness from the Heart
23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold [f] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. [g] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart."
Matthew 18:23-35
Have you ever heard somebody say, “I forgive that person; I just don’t ever want to have anything to do with them again”? Is that how your Father has forgiven you? The forgiveness that God expects of you today as a son or daughter of the King who has been forgiven, redeemed and loved forever is really “forgiveness from your heart”, the real kind – not the facade of just words but the kind of forgiveness that brings healing and reflects the love of Christ who lives inside. Have you forgiven from your heart that person who has hurt you so badly? Ask your Father for strength today and forgive as He has forgiven you.
26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. [g] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart."
Matthew 18:23-35
Have you ever heard somebody say, “I forgive that person; I just don’t ever want to have anything to do with them again”? Is that how your Father has forgiven you? The forgiveness that God expects of you today as a son or daughter of the King who has been forgiven, redeemed and loved forever is really “forgiveness from your heart”, the real kind – not the facade of just words but the kind of forgiveness that brings healing and reflects the love of Christ who lives inside. Have you forgiven from your heart that person who has hurt you so badly? Ask your Father for strength today and forgive as He has forgiven you.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Grace Extended
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22
How many times has our Father in heaven forgiven you? How often have you failed Him and others? How often have you asked for God’s forgiveness, just one more time, possibly even making a deal that you promise not to ever sin in the same way again if He would just forgive you this one last time and how often have you kept your side of the commitment? God is so good to us, His Grace encompasses absolutely anything that we could ever do and His forgiveness is permanent and real and ever so sweet to the soul. How could we not extend this same grace that has been so undeservedly handed down to us to others that have sinned against us? How could we not love others unconditionally just as Christ loves us, regardless of our actions? “How many times”, the apostle Peter asked Jesus should he forgive this same person who has committed the same sin against him over and over and over again, and I love Jesus’ response, it is as if He had said, Peter, how many times have I forgiven you? Extend the grace of Jesus to others today as you live out your faith and reflect the love of our Savior!
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22
How many times has our Father in heaven forgiven you? How often have you failed Him and others? How often have you asked for God’s forgiveness, just one more time, possibly even making a deal that you promise not to ever sin in the same way again if He would just forgive you this one last time and how often have you kept your side of the commitment? God is so good to us, His Grace encompasses absolutely anything that we could ever do and His forgiveness is permanent and real and ever so sweet to the soul. How could we not extend this same grace that has been so undeservedly handed down to us to others that have sinned against us? How could we not love others unconditionally just as Christ loves us, regardless of our actions? “How many times”, the apostle Peter asked Jesus should he forgive this same person who has committed the same sin against him over and over and over again, and I love Jesus’ response, it is as if He had said, Peter, how many times have I forgiven you? Extend the grace of Jesus to others today as you live out your faith and reflect the love of our Savior!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Band of Believers
19 "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:12-14
In my opinion, there is nothing more powerful than a band of believers agreeing and seeking the Lord together in person and openly. To be honest, it has been about 21 years or so since I have been a part of a consistent weekly prayer group that met weekly and prayed from our hearts for whatever the Lord laid on our hearts at the time. We prayed for each other and for struggles and challenges and opportunities. We prayed for friends and family and colleagues who were broken or struggling or just plain lost without a relationship with Jesus Christ. We prayed for opportunities to serve in the coming week, we prayed for our church leadership and for the perseverance of our leaders in the faith. We worshiped our Father together; at times we would break out in song and adoration for the King of Kings who brought us together and made all things possible for us through His death on the cross. I miss those Sunday evenings and I miss that group of friends from Ohio. Find a few other believers this week to band together with and pray to your Father in Heaven and you will see and experience what Jesus is describing here about being there with two or three who come together in His name. I praise you this morning Father for other believers and for your incredible love and Spirit of peace that comes when we come together and seek your face – we love you!
Matthew 18:12-14
In my opinion, there is nothing more powerful than a band of believers agreeing and seeking the Lord together in person and openly. To be honest, it has been about 21 years or so since I have been a part of a consistent weekly prayer group that met weekly and prayed from our hearts for whatever the Lord laid on our hearts at the time. We prayed for each other and for struggles and challenges and opportunities. We prayed for friends and family and colleagues who were broken or struggling or just plain lost without a relationship with Jesus Christ. We prayed for opportunities to serve in the coming week, we prayed for our church leadership and for the perseverance of our leaders in the faith. We worshiped our Father together; at times we would break out in song and adoration for the King of Kings who brought us together and made all things possible for us through His death on the cross. I miss those Sunday evenings and I miss that group of friends from Ohio. Find a few other believers this week to band together with and pray to your Father in Heaven and you will see and experience what Jesus is describing here about being there with two or three who come together in His name. I praise you this morning Father for other believers and for your incredible love and Spirit of peace that comes when we come together and seek your face – we love you!
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