July 24, 2016

1 Peter 3: 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Peter is offering advice to the Christians. They should return good for evil, because suffering for good will lead to blessings. This part, about witnessing, concludes with the thought that your good behavior will make those who speak against you ashamed of themselves. Our suffering reflects that of our Saviour. 

It's not easy to welcome suffering, and it's not easy to be a witness to Christ in much of the modern world. You are met with skepticism and ridiculed for your quaint superstitions at best. But I agree that I must always be ready to witness. And I agree that any witness that is not done gently and with respect for the listener will be ignored, or even worse, turn people against the Lord. 

Prayer:  I am ready, Lord. I will be Your gentle, respectful witness in a world gone mad with greed and selfishness. I promise to stop everything to be where you need me to be. I will try to love all Your people as You do. I would like for the effects of faith in my life to become apparent to all who come into contact with me. 
Amen

July 23, 2016

1 Peter 2:  21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Peter talks about injustice. If we are always treated justly, we would not fully understand all that Christ went through. We can relate to his example better, because we know how he must have felt. Yet he clung to God's will and gave his life for us. 

No one wants to suffer. I watched my Billy struggle for breath all morning. All I wanted was an end to his struggle. This afternoon he is resting.  I am relieved, but I still fear what will happen when he wakes. I will try to make Billy's example a positive legacy. I am so unhappy, though, that he has to go through this. 

Prayer:  I pray for those who suffer. I pray for those who suffer physically and mentally. I pray for those who mourn. I pray for those who are uncertain about their futures. I pray for all Your people. 
Amen

July 22, 2016

1 Peter 1: 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Peter begins his letter by explaining how the prophets looked for the signs of the coming Messiah, his suffering, and the glory which would follow. They found out that it wouldn't happen for them. 

It happened for us though. We live in a post-Messianic time, when the glory of God has been revealed through the sacrifice of His son. We have access to glory through the Holy Spirit, which the people in OT times didn't. It's a great thing, but it's become something we take for granted. We have so much more than we realize on a daily basis. 

Prayer:  I confess my indifference to the greatness available to me through the Holy Spirit. I commit to reinvigorate my spiritual life through study and prayers. I have not been utilizing a great gift You have given me, O Lord. Forgive me, for I have sinned. 
Amen

July 21, 2016

James 5:  16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James is full of of condemnation for the rich, who have ignored the suffering of their fellow man as they fatten their coffers. He is certain that God will prevail. He encourages the followers to persevere. He is confident that the actions of the faithful will be important. 

We need this reassurance in our own troubled times. The police in Florida have shot a black man who was doing his job, trying to restrain an autistic man who had escaped from a group home. The man tried to explain what he was doing, but the policeman overreacted. There's no justice in this. I pray that Christian perseverance will prevail. 

Prayer:  We live in troubled times. Please stand beside Your people as we seek justice for all of us. Help us to remain calm and to listen for Your voice. Guide our leaders to make fair judgments. 
Amen

July 19. 2016

James 3:  17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 

James starts with the statement that not many people should be teachers. He follows by saying that teachers are scrutinized more strictly. He talks about how hard it is to tame the tongue. He concludes with a description of what a teacher's (and all Christians')words should be like. 

That's an impressive list. Pure and sincere, so none of the fakey friendliness Christians are accused of displaying. Peace-loving and submissive, so not seeking confrontation, another complaint against born-again Christians. Considerate and full of mercy and good fruit, always a good stance. I'm working towards measuring up. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be the kind of Christian You need to represent Your son. Help me to be kind, considerate, and merciful. Let my sincerity be clear, and keep my thoughts and words pure. Guide my actions towards the promotion of peace in these troubled times. 
Amen

July 18, 2016

Isaiah 29: 13 The Lord says:

“These people come near to me with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
    is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

Isaiah is full of prophecy for the people of Israel, and, by extension, us. He tells of destruction of those who haven't kept the faith. He ends the chapter telling about a great redemption to come. In the middle, I found this verse describing what is wrong with those whom the Lord will destroy. 

I detest that kind of religion. It excludes, it is full of pride. We must find others who are worse rule breakers than us in order to find ourselves worthy. It totally ignores the mercy of our loving God. We don't follow His lead, forgiving those around us. 

Prayer:  I approach You, my God, with the sure knowledge that I am not worthy of Your attention. I fall so far short of all You know that I can be. I forget to spend time with You when I most need to do that. I beg for Your forgiveness and guidance. 

Amen

July 8, 2016

Hoses 13:  24 I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
    I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?

The people haven't been faithful. God promises them destruction. He spells out the ways that they will suffer for their sins. But in the middle come these words of hope. 

Paul quotes these words when speaking about Christ. Some commentators say these OT words come from Jesus, rather than God himself. They refer to a people, not to the individuals God addresses when He talks of destruction. The weather here in Wales has changed from overcast to beautiful blue skies while I work on this post. It is a sort of mirror to the voices of destruction and redemption. 

Prayer:  I pray for our world, for the people who live in it today. We aren't faithful, and we deserve punishment. Thanks, Lord, for sending Your son to redeem us. We don't stand a chance aside from You.

Amen

July 7, 2016

Hebrews 3: 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

Paul is talking about the rebellion during the exodus which led to 40 years of God's anger. Moses alone maintained his relationship with God. Jesus is even greater than Moses, just a builder of houses is greater than the houses he makes. Jesus was with God as He created everything. 


We are the house God and Jesus created. We only need to cling to our faith to receive their blessings. We need to stay confident that Christianity is the way. And we need to always be ready for Jesus to come again, so that we can enter his kingdom forever. 

Prayer:  I pray today for those who don't have the confidence and faith in You which would lead to the hope Your people have. Open the eyes of the nonbelievers to all You can offer them. I pray specifically for those who I care about and for the masses of humanity who don't know You. I am blessed by Your gift of faith, and I want others to feel it too. 
Amen

July 2, 2016

Psalm 116: 7

Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.

The Psalmist has seen real trouble, but God has been good to him. He was sad and near death, but now he wonders how he can repay God. He will do that with his witness. 

It was a short night with a long day ahead. Rest sounds like a great option. We are staying in a hotel with a club downstairs. When we got here, late at night, the party was in full bloom. The smokers were just below our room, in an open courtyard. So sleep came late, and I woke early, with a stomach ache and worries about the packing and travel to Wales later. I wish I could rest, but I know that I can rely on God to get me through. 

Prayer:  Lord, I need Your help. It's going to be a long and stressful day after a night of little rest. Guide and protect us. Help us to be kind to each other. 

Amen

July 1, 2016

Isaiah 2:  4

He will judge between the nations
    and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war anymore.

Isaiah is there to warn the people about their sins. They have moved far away from God. In the last days, this will not be true. God will make everything right. 

We're still waiting. People don't follow the faith or even common human decency. They are greedy, and they worship all that they have acquired. The wars and attacks on perceived enemies continue worldwide. We need God, but so many don't accept that.  In London following Brexit, we are more aware than usual of the conflict in our world. 

Prayer:  Your people are hurting, Lord. So many suffer due to the sins of their fellow man. I ask for guidance for the leaders of our country and for those in other places as well. Be with us, and show us how to find peace. 

Amen.