Manifesto!

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

The words below are a manifesto.  A declaration.  As you read them, take a stand for God.  You will find (as I did) that some of the words stick in your throat.  You will be afraid to pray them, fearing you will not be able to live up to them.  Just remember, these words reflect our desire to be perfected, as Jesus is perfect.  These words are a declaration of our goal, our intention.  Tell God this is who you want to be, and ask Him to help you be that person.  

Amazing Grace and Eternal peace to you today,

Bruce

Dear God,

Lord, You know my hurts.

You know who I really am.

You know the best and the worst of me.

And You know I am sick of talk.

I demand, instead, a revelation.

Fill me with your energy; help me decree I am transformed.

Help me keep my thoughts aligned with Your Immense Joy.

Reach into my heart and awaken me to the truth of You.

For You know everything there is to know about me.

Still you love me still, and never will You stop loving me.

You will remain with me throughout eternity, for you delight in me.

You are my closest friend—

—my steady companion throughout life and after death.

So from this day forward,

I shut my mouth before condemning others using Your name,

For your name is a blessing.

From this day I cease believing those

Who would use Your scripture 

To justify bigotry, violence or selfishness.

From this day, only good issues from me, for I am born of You.

Gently, You teach me to choose love over fear

And forgiveness over condemnation.

I see how everything is a call for love, a call for compassion,

And a call for giving.

I choose to be a clear channel for Your good.

I choose to vibrate with Your Truth.

I choose to open myself to love.

And You are so proud of me.

Your faith in me is absolute as You teach me faith in myself.

You sent Your Son believing that I can learn

And I vow to fulfill this destiny.

I use Your power as Jesus taught—

—to raise the world out of want and into joy.

O, Lord, I always love You even when I feel anger or hurt.

I thank You - humbly - for always, always loving me.

I feel You close to me, closer than my own breath.

I know You are ready to intervene on my behalf

In love and goodness.

I know You are ready to create a new world for my delight.

Your patience and love fills me.

Your glory and magnificence thrills me.

You created me, You know me, You believe in me. And You love me.

Words are inadequate to tell You of my love for You.

Listen, instead, to the beating of my heart.

Thank You, God.

Amen.

(Adapted from http://www.prayerforce.org/god-prayer.htm)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Lord, teach us to pray

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

This is a beautiful morning prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  So often I do not pray because I feel I do not know what or how to pray.  But, like the apostles, we should say: "Lord, teach us to pray!"  I have found that when I sincerely ask for this, that He aligns my heart with His, and my prayer becomes the most amazing time in His presence.

Ask and you shall receive.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you today,

Bruce

O God, early in the morning I cry to you. 

Help me to pray 

And to concentrate my thoughts on you: 

I cannot do this alone. 

In me there is darkness, 

But with you there is light; 

I am lonely, but you do not leave me; 

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; 

I am restless, but with you there is peace. 

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; 

I do not understand your ways, 

But you know the way for me…

Restore me to liberty,

And enable me to live now

That I may answer before you and before me.

Lord, whatever this day may bring,

Your name be praised.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

(http://bobhostetler.blogspot.com/2010/04/early-morning-prayer-by-dietrich.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Make them rethink what a Christian is

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

What sets you and me apart as "Christians"?  Do the 10 or 20 people who know us best know we are a Christians?  How do they know?  How about people we interact with only occasionally - do we salt our conversation with peace and grace?  Do we lead with love?  This morning, I was reading an article by John Fischer and this is part of what he wrote:

Get to know people first as human beings. Don't lead with your Christianity; lead with your love, care and friendliness. Find common ground with people and show an interest in what interests them. (A good reason, by the way, for having lots of varied interests and concerns. The more interests you have, the more people you can connect to.) 

Listen. Learn. Develop meaningful relationships based on shared concerns and then when someone finds out you are "one of those Christians," they will have to rethink their idea of what a Christian is, or make an exception for you. Either way, you've broken through their resistance, and who knows what might happen after that? 

 You can read the entire article here.

I like the idea of people having to "rethink their idea of what a Christian is".  And what do (some) people think that a Christians is?  Judgmental.  Narrow-minded.  Critical. Self-righteous.  OUCH!  

Try to think of your unsaved friends and acquaintances as "pre-Christian" rather than "non-Christian".  That little change in perspective makes all the difference.

Amazing Grace and Peace that surpasses all understanding be yours today,

Bruce

Lord, give us a heart that cries out to all of your peoples.

Give us eyes to see them as your lost sheep, needing to be found, looking for guidance.

Give us ears to hear their silent cries.

Give us hands to reach out and lift them out of a life of not so quiet desperation.

Lord, most of all give us humility and love, that we may serve your people as your Son did.

Amen.

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Forgiveness

Good Monday morning, my friends.

Psalm 51:10-12 say:

 Create in me a pure heart, O God, 

       and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 Do not cast me from your presence 

       or take your Holy Spirit from me.

 Restore to me the joy of your salvation 

       and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

If we are honest, even though we have been saved and forgiven, we still sin on a regular basis.  For me, one of the most amazing things about the cross of Jesus is not that all of my past sins are forgiven, it's that all of my current and future sins a wiped out as well.  God knows that I am not perfect, and will not even be close to that until I am in His presence.  That's why he said "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect, and not enjoying the freedom of salvation?  Please remember that when you fail (and you will) come back to Him, ask for forgiveness, repent (turn away from your sin), and accept His mercy.  Let him hug you and tell you all over again how much He loves you.  Nothing you EVER do will make him love you any less.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you,

Bruce

Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, you have power over life and death. 

You know even things that are uncertain and obscure, and our very thoughts and feelings are not hidden from you. 

Cleanse me from my secret faults, and I have done wrong and you saw it. 

You know how weak I am, both in soul and in body. Give me strength, O Lord, in my frailty and sustain me in my sufferings. 

Grant me a prudent judgement, dear Lord, and let me always be mindful of your blessings. 

Let me retain until the end your grace that has protected me till now. 

St Ephrem of Syria, Deacon, Poet and Doctor

(http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pray0258.htm)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

A Love Letter From Jesus

Good Friday morning, my friends.

I have heard it said that one of the greatest sins of the modern church is a lack of joy.  I can certainly relate.  My first decade as a Christian was fraught with worry, guilt, shame, and, to a certain degree, depression.  I often wondered - where is the joy and fulfillment?  Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10) but I wasn't seeing that.

So what changed?  Well, mostly my focus.  Instead of focusing on me and who I was - on my struggles, on my failures, on what I was doing wrong, on working to please Him -  I started focusing on Jesus and what He had done for me.  I accepted His forgiveness.  I accepted that when I fail (and I do - often) that His grace is sufficient.  But mostly I prayed for a relationship with Him and peace in my heart.  And slowly that is taking place.  I have a long ways to go, but I have come a long distance.  And it doesn't really matter to Him how far we have come on this journey; the only thing that matters is which direction we are facing.

Below is a "Love Letter from Jesus" that I came across this morning.  Read it as a prayer this morning, and accept the joy and fulfillment that He is offering you.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace be yours - TODAY!

Bruce

A LOVE LETTER FROM JESUS

My Beloved, do not be fooled by the evil one. He will try to convince you that you have wandered too far from Me and that you cannot come back. That is never true. I am compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love. If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness.

Have you ever wondered how high the heavens reach? My love for you is higher than that. And how far do you think the east is from the west? That is how far I have removed your sins from you. They are gone. So do not go looking for them; do not even try to remember them, because I do not.

Be glad when you come before Me. I love to hear you sing joyful songs of praise. Just think of all the benefits you enjoy as My child. And as you rejoice and give thanks to Me even in difficult times, I will fill you with a peace that you cannot explain.

So do not listen any more to the evil one. He only wants to rob you of your joy ~~~joy you will find in My presence. Come into My presence. Approach My throne of grace with confidence, and you will receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need. Come even now ~~~I am waiting for you.

(http://praying.kansasbob.com/2010/06/love-letter-from-jesus.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

The Fear of God

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

What does it mean to "fear God"?  Does it mean we should live our lives walking on egg shells, afraid that at any time He might "smite" us?  No, that's not what it means.  Fear in this case is more like respectful awe.  We should be afraid to offend Him, because He is so holy.  We should live our lives to please Him because He has done so much for us.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 1:7)

Live in "fear", and love, today.

Amazing Grace and Peace that surpasses all understanding be yours,

Bruce

Cause me to fear you in a healthy way. 

I love calling you my father, my dad, my papa, but at the same time, I need to realize that your personal love for me needs to be mixed with a healthy fear that you are the Almighty God who created all things and holds all things together and that you demand holiness, righteousness and justice in everything I do and in all that I am. 

Cause me to fear you in a healthy way.

(http://www.prayertogo.com/index.php?option=com_bookmarks&Itemid=88888893&mode=0&catid=1&navstart=0&search=*)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Let the Holy Spirit pour into your heart

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

Here is a quiet, contemplative prayer that should bring us peace as we reflect on who God is, and who we are.  It's all about perspective - when we trust in our own abilities, believe we are in control, and do not rely on Him then our stress levels go up and our relationships go down.

Let this refresh you today as you allow the Holy Spirit to pour into your heart.

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you,

Bruce

Grant to us, O Lord, this day

to walk with you as Father,

to trust in you as Savior,

to be enlightened by you as Spirit,

to worship you as Lord;

that all our works may praise you

and our lives may give you glory. 

Amen

(http://praying.kansasbob.com/2010/06/sometimes-simplest-prayers-are-best.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Three Cups of Tea

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

I have just finished reading the most incredible book - Three Cups of Tea - about a man named Greg Mortenson.  I am sure many of you have read this, but if you have not I highly recommend it.

In 1993, after a failed attempt to climb K2 in Northern Pakistan, Mortenson became lost and disoriented and ended up in a small, remote, primitive village.  They nursed him back to health, and in response he promised to build them a school for their children.  He made good on his promise, and since then has established 78 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan which have educated well over 20,000 children

This weekend I heard the story of a woman in the Niagara region who put up a Jamaican flag beside a sign that said "Thank You" to indicate her support for the many hundreds of migrant workers from Jamaica who spend anywhere from 6-8 months away from their families each year to help with the fruit crops.  A Jamaican man told her he had been coming there for 18 years and no one had ever said "Thanks" to him before.  He was overwhelmed.  Together they have organized community events that have brought the two cultures together in ways that were never done before in that area.  It started with a church service.  She has since been to Jamaica 5 times, visiting the villages these workers come from.  And the man who commented on her sign has been her driver for every one of those visits.

We do not have to travel to Central Asia or to Jamaica to find someone who could use our help.  But we never know where offering that help may lead.  God has amazing plans for each and every one of us - we just have to open our eyes to the opportunities He presents to us.  And if we miss one, He just gives us another.  (The idea that "opportunity only knocks once" is ridiculous to God!)

Open your eyes today - be able to say, as the man whom Jesus healed in John 9: 1-38:  "I was blind but now I see!"

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you today,

Bruce

LORD, we look forward to being your hands and feet in this world.

There is so much poverty, despair and suffering in far flung regions and close to home.

Please, Father, through your Holy Spirit, remove the veil from our eyes and allow us to see others as you see them.

And please, bless us in our efforts as we step outside our comfort zone to be a blessing to others.

We pray this in your Son's holy name.  Amen.

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Happy Anniversary!

Good Monday morning, my friends.

Well, yesterday marked a milestone of sorts - it has been one year since I sent out the first "Daily Prayer" email.  It went to a grand total of 6 people!  (There are now 60 on the list.)  I am grateful to each and every one of you for how you have helped me to grow in my faith over the past year.  Thank you for following my chaotic journey, for your comments and prayers.  I look forward to seeing where God takes us over the next year and beyond.

Below is that first email - I thought it would be worth re-sending (considering that 54 of you never received it!).

By the way, if you didn't receive my message on Friday, it is because I did not send one - I was experiencing email problems all day.

Amazing grace and eternal peace to you today,

Bruce

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bruce MacPherson <macpherson@celtic.ca>
Date: 6 June 2009 08:57
Subject: Daily Prayer

Isn't it interesting how God works?  All week He has reminded me of my pride, and my need to humble myself.  And then today, on the first day I send out this Daily Prayer to this group, he asks me to confess it to all of you...

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.

Bruce

Jesus, we know that none of us are 100% humble, for we are clothed in these mortal, fallible bodies. But we do know that You are completely humble and we look to You as our example. As we clothe ourselves in Your righteousness we can overcome the pride that is ever before us. We recognize that no good thing can come from us, but all that is good comes from You. Remind us daily that gratitude is the antidote for feelings of pride. When we acknowledge that everything we have and all that we are is due to Your merciful blessings we are humbled and grateful to You, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Thank you, Amen.

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

How have I become more Christ-like today?

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

I was half listening to a Focus on the Family broadcast on our local Christian station this morning, when I heard a question that made me stop in my tracks.  It went something like "How have I become more Christ-like today?".  Some days (or weeks) I get so caught up in "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in" (Mark 4:19) that I only pay lip-service (or blog-service?) to God.  How have I become more Christ-like today?  Perhaps the answer to that is another question:  How have I helped my spouse / child / parent / friend / co-worker to become more Christ-like today?  What have I poured into their lives? How have I served them in a Christ-like way?

I know I have been distracted by other things this week, and need to turn my attention back to "Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Where is your focus right now?  What is the centre of your world today, the thing that is pushing all else aside, including your relationship with God?  Shift your attention, and I promise that "thing" will shrink significantly.  How big is your God?

Amazing grace and eternal peace to you,

Bruce

Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go. 

Flood my soul with your spirit and life: penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that all my life may be only a radiance of yours. 

Shine through me and be so in me that everyone with whom I come into contact may feel your presence within me. 

Let them look up and see no longer me – but only Jesus. 

Amen. 

John Henry Cardinal Newman

(http://www.godsporch.net/article/30/prayer-for-christlikeness)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

Church should be a little like heaven.

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

What does the church look like to you?  In an article I read this morning, John Fishcer wrote 

Church should be a little like heaven—full of a whole bunch of people who can't believe they got there, know they don't deserve to be there, and can't wait to find out what happens next. (Read the full article here.)

I don't know about you, but that is not a very accurate description some of the churches I have been to, although I see some glimmers of that now and again - particularly when I hear testimonies of what Christ has done for people.  

So what should the church look like?  Well as I was looking for a prayer this morning I came across something very unusual.  In a blog called "Experimental Theology" I found an entry titled "AN ATHEIST'S PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH".  It describes a book by Philip Pullman called "The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ."  Quoted in the blog entry is a prayer, presented as being prayed by Jesus in Gethsemane.  Below is that prayer.  (When reading the opening line, remember the author is an atheist - it's the rest of the prayer that I want you to concentrate on.)  Folks, we are the church.  On Sunday mornings and on Wednesday afternoons.  It's up to us to give people a glimpse of heaven.

Amazing grace and eternal peace to you,

Bruce

"Lord, if I thought you were listening, I'd pray for this above all: that my church set up in your name should remain poor, and powerless, and modest. 

That it should wield no authority except that of love. 

That it should never cast anyone out. 

That it should own no property and make no laws. 

That is should not condemn, but only forgive. 

That it should be not like a palace with marble walls and polished floors, and guards standing at the door, but like a tree with its roots deep in the soil, that shelters every kind of bird and beast and gives blossom in the spring and shade in hot sun and fruit in the season, and in time gives up its good sound wood for the carpenter; but that sheds many thousands of seeds so that new trees can grow in its place. 

Does the tree say to the sparrow 'Get out, you don't belong here?' 

Does the tree say to the hungry man 'This fruit is not for you?' 

Does the tree test the loyalty of the beasts before it allows them into the shade?"

(http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2010/05/atheists-prayer-for-church.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca

You smooth my wrinkled brow.

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

Do you have an anxious heart?  Are you worried about the future? Or worse, the present?  I have certainly had phases in my life where anxiety had a death grip on me.  God has gently pried this away from me, but there are still days ...

Where are you on the anxiety scale today?  If your heart is heavy, lift this beautiful version of Psalm 23 to God and allow Him to release you.  Let Him smooth your wrinkled brow.

Amazing grace and peace that surpasses all understanding be yours TODAY!

Bruce

"The Lord is my peace. I shall not live in anxiety. 

He puts me under his wing of comfort and calms my spirit within me. 

He takes all my anxieties on Himself and helps me to focus on Him. 

Yes, though I walk through a time of grave uncertainties and fierce anxieties, I will not fret ~~for You are my peace. 

Your Word and your presence calm my now. 

You hold my uncertainties in the palm of your hand. 

You soothe my anxious mind ~~You smooth my wrinkled brow. 

Surely serenity and trust in You shall fill me all the days of my life. 

And I shall keep my mind stayed on You forever."

Taken from Calm My Anxious Heart - Linda Dillow

(http://praying.kansasbob.com/2010/05/do-you-have-anxious-heart-this-prayer.html)

Bruce MacPherson macpherson@celtic.ca