Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
Psalm 61:1
When I was little I remember that when something went wrong with the television signal a message would come on that said “We are experiencing technical difficulties, please stand by.” That meant you could get a snack, do something else or whine while you waited for the signal to be restored.
I was having one of those days. Trying to do too many things all at once, including trying to pray for a number of people and situations. Everything seemed to be getting in the way of every other thing. That’s when it happened. My internet connection started acting up.
Now, I have been around the divine block enough times to know that I was getting a message similar to the old message that used to turn up on the television, the message was “technical difficulties… please pray.” So every time I lost my connection I would pray for the next person or situation on my list. Pretty soon I had peace.
It would seem that the church is entering a season of remembering how important prayer is. I know of at least three churches that are focusing on that very topic as I write this. What have I learned about prayer as I journey with Jesus? First every season should be a season of prayer. Then, prayer is the fuel for revival - both personal and corporate. Finally, only the God of the universe can give us peace while we wait for Him to work.
I know some who are reading this are facing health issues, financial issues or spiritual issues. Some of you may be facing all of these and more. Whatever you are facing, when you are just having one of those days - watch for the message “Technical difficulties…please pray.
The Master Technician is standing by. He’ll answer your call and give you peace while the signal is restored.
A Prayer
Father, thank you for sending signals that interrupt our world and remind us to pray. In our multi-tasking, information overloaded lives we need that. Thank you for the peace You give us if you ask us to be patient as You work. In the name of Jesus, who restores our signal we pray - Amen.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Remember and Act
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
As I was thinking about the events that rocked the United States twelve years ago, I thought about what effects the survivors might still be feeling. Survivor’s guilt is a real response to very extreme traumatic events. It leaves people asking why or more likely why not me? There is a similar kind of response only it results from extremely positive events. I don’t know maybe we can call it “overcomer’s guilt” or “I am so blessed guilt”.
This kind of guilt comes, I believe from a humble heart, a heart that clearly recognizes that it has been given more than it is worthy to have. A heart that sees that there a plenty of others who are more in need or more worthy of the abundant blessing it has received. It causes the same why questions that survivor’s guilt does.
Today’s passage tells us what we need to do with the comfort and blessings we have received. We need to remember, the time when we didn’t feel so blessed and yet received everything we needed to overcome. As we remember, we need to share what we have received, so that others can overcome as well.
If you have been the recipient of God’s comfort and provision and are asking why you have been deemed worthy of so many blessings, it is so that you can comfort others. So remember and act.
If you find yourself in need of God’s comfort, even to the point of dealing with survivor’s guilt, it is my prayer that someone will come into your life who has been where you are to offer you the comfort they have received.
You have been comforted so you can comfort - remember and act.
A Prayer
Father, you are the God of all comfort. Today, the wounds of twelve years ago are still felt and no doubt there are still some asking why not me. Send someone into their life to comfort them in a new way. Lord for those who feel too blessed, give them eyes to see and hearts to hear the cries they can help comfort by your grace, mercy and love. In the name of Jesus who is the answer to all of why questions we pray - Amen.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
As I was thinking about the events that rocked the United States twelve years ago, I thought about what effects the survivors might still be feeling. Survivor’s guilt is a real response to very extreme traumatic events. It leaves people asking why or more likely why not me? There is a similar kind of response only it results from extremely positive events. I don’t know maybe we can call it “overcomer’s guilt” or “I am so blessed guilt”.
This kind of guilt comes, I believe from a humble heart, a heart that clearly recognizes that it has been given more than it is worthy to have. A heart that sees that there a plenty of others who are more in need or more worthy of the abundant blessing it has received. It causes the same why questions that survivor’s guilt does.
Today’s passage tells us what we need to do with the comfort and blessings we have received. We need to remember, the time when we didn’t feel so blessed and yet received everything we needed to overcome. As we remember, we need to share what we have received, so that others can overcome as well.
If you have been the recipient of God’s comfort and provision and are asking why you have been deemed worthy of so many blessings, it is so that you can comfort others. So remember and act.
If you find yourself in need of God’s comfort, even to the point of dealing with survivor’s guilt, it is my prayer that someone will come into your life who has been where you are to offer you the comfort they have received.
You have been comforted so you can comfort - remember and act.
A Prayer
Father, you are the God of all comfort. Today, the wounds of twelve years ago are still felt and no doubt there are still some asking why not me. Send someone into their life to comfort them in a new way. Lord for those who feel too blessed, give them eyes to see and hearts to hear the cries they can help comfort by your grace, mercy and love. In the name of Jesus who is the answer to all of why questions we pray - Amen.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Look in the Mirror
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
Every human being on this planet has been made in the image of God. But how many of us actually look like Him?
Look in the mirror, who do you see looking back? Do you see Jesus? There is something very important about this week’s passage. If we could turn this list into a picture it would not be a picture of nine separate things, it would be a picture of one thing, actually it would be a picture of one person - Jesus.
Look in the mirror again, who is looking back? Does your life reflect Jesus because it holds some measure of the character of Him? Each of these things: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are connected. You can’t have one without the others. Pastor Billy Rieder preaching from this passage provided a telling example of what happens when we try to make these characteristics separate. Perhaps you consider yourself to be faithful, but not so kind - you somehow missed the kindness line. Pastor Billy says that eventually leads us to being “faithfully unkind.”
We will not look fully like Jesus until that day when we see Him face to face, but until then we should be growing to look more and more like the One who willingly gave Himself for us. How do we do this? How do we start to look like the fruit of the Spirit? We need to allow the Spirit to walk with us every day; we need to surrender our heart and minds completely to His ways. That will allow us to learn to love others the way Jesus loves us. That kind of love will allow the other characteristics of the fruit to develop.
Look in the mirror again? Who do you see?
A Prayer
Father, you made all of mankind in your image. Mankind messed up that image in ourselves. Help us to allow You to produce in us the fruit that will once again allow us to see Your image not just in ourselves but in everyone around us. If the fruit where a portrait it would be a portrait of Jesus and it is in His name that we pray - Amen.
Galatians 5:22-23
Every human being on this planet has been made in the image of God. But how many of us actually look like Him?
Look in the mirror, who do you see looking back? Do you see Jesus? There is something very important about this week’s passage. If we could turn this list into a picture it would not be a picture of nine separate things, it would be a picture of one thing, actually it would be a picture of one person - Jesus.
Look in the mirror again, who is looking back? Does your life reflect Jesus because it holds some measure of the character of Him? Each of these things: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are connected. You can’t have one without the others. Pastor Billy Rieder preaching from this passage provided a telling example of what happens when we try to make these characteristics separate. Perhaps you consider yourself to be faithful, but not so kind - you somehow missed the kindness line. Pastor Billy says that eventually leads us to being “faithfully unkind.”
We will not look fully like Jesus until that day when we see Him face to face, but until then we should be growing to look more and more like the One who willingly gave Himself for us. How do we do this? How do we start to look like the fruit of the Spirit? We need to allow the Spirit to walk with us every day; we need to surrender our heart and minds completely to His ways. That will allow us to learn to love others the way Jesus loves us. That kind of love will allow the other characteristics of the fruit to develop.
Look in the mirror again? Who do you see?
A Prayer
Father, you made all of mankind in your image. Mankind messed up that image in ourselves. Help us to allow You to produce in us the fruit that will once again allow us to see Your image not just in ourselves but in everyone around us. If the fruit where a portrait it would be a portrait of Jesus and it is in His name that we pray - Amen.
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