Daily Prayer - Lifting the veil

Good Monday morning, my friends.

My journey to faith came by research and study.  I thought at the time I was just being thorough, examining all the evidence.  What I discovered after the fact, however, was that it was more spiritual warfare than diligence.  Satan continually whispered in my ear that it could not possibly be true, that I should continue to search.

Augustine of Hippo's penned "Therefore do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe that thou mayest understand." Once I came to believe, things made so much more sense.  Faith precedes reason, but reason can expand upon faith.

Those among us who are unbelievers - family, friends, colleagues - have been blinded by the lies of the enemy.  Pray that the blindness will be healed, the veil lifted, as it was for me.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Father, though You do not walk visibly among us You do reveal Yourself through the minds, the hearts, and the actions of Your followers. 

May the light of Jesus shine forth from us so that the unbeliever can sift through the confusing ungodly messages of this world and the counterfeits of this age. 

May they see through our words and actions "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 

We especially lift up to You our friends and loved ones who have been blinded by the god of this age. 

We pray that You would dispel their doubts, fears, and unbelief, replacing these faith destroyers with confidence, courage and peace that comes through believing in and knowing You. 

In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/a-prayer-for-belief-among-those-blinded-by-satan/)

Daily Prayer - Perspective through adversity

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

Adversity usually comes without warning.  You may not be experiencing it right now, but you have.  You could be by the end of the day.  It is how we choose to deal with this adversity that reveals our character.  And god will use the adversity to shape our character.  When we are not in control of our own circumstances (and realize that we never truly are), then we tend to look for God's plan in our lives and trust in Him more.

If you are in the midst of adversity today, call out with this prayer.  If not, prepare your heart with it.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Father, You grow and stretch our maturity through circumstances that often are not of our own choosing. 

It helps us to gain needed perspective and experience in situations that overall benefit us, perhaps in areas we otherwise neglect. 

Help us to be patient as we search Your Scriptures and prayerfully seek to understand Your plan as it unfolds in our lives. 

Align our desires with Your own as we submit our will to Yours. 

May we not be overcome by adversity but we ask You, Father, to use adversity as a tool by which You carve Your image deep into our hearts. 

We may make our plans but we realize that, as Your child, You will have the final say. 

Amen.

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/a-prayer-for-overcoming-disappointments/)

Daily Prayer - The Greatness of Our God

Good Monday morning, my friends.

It isn't every Sunday that the worship songs we sing bring me to tears.  In fact, I am usually a little impatient for the singing to be over so that I can sit down and listen to the sermon.  But this Sunday, a couple of the songs really struck me.  One was "How Deep The Father's Love For Us":

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One,

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

I could pick almost any part of this song and say it affected me, but the verse "Behold the Man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, call out among the scoffers" went straight through my heart.  I know that before I became one of His followers I was one of those taunting Him.  And truth be told, there are still times when I do.  There are still times when I call out "if you really are God, why don't you do more to help me?" or something similar.  

How deep the Father's love for us.  Indeed.

The other song that brought me again to tears was "The Greatness of Our God".  The chorus is:

No sky contains, no doubt restrains

All You are, the greatness of our God

I spend my life to know and I'm far from close

To all You are, the greatness of our God

Every time I think I have gotten to know God a little better, he opens me up to a whole new level of His greatness.  This seems to happen about every three weeks!  And every time I am struck by how little I understand Him, but my love grows.

I will use the rest of this wonderful song as our prayer for the day.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Give me eyes to see more of who You are

May what I behold still my anxious heart

Take what I have known and break it all apart

For You my God are greater still

No sky contains, no doubt restrains

All You are, the greatness of our God

I spend my life to know and I'm far from close

To all You are, the greatness of our God

Give me grace to see beyond this moment here

To believe that there is nothing left to fear

And that You alone are high above it all

For You my God are greater still

There is nothing that can ever separate us

There is nothing that can ever separate

If from Your love, no life, no death of this I am convinced

For You my God are greater still

And no words could say or song convey

All You are, the greatest of our God

I spend my life to know and I'm far from close

To all You are, the greatness of our God

And no sky contains, no doubt restrains

All You are, the greatness of our God

I spend my life to know and I'm far from close

To all You are, the greatness of our God

All You are, the greatness of our God

Hillsong LIVE

Daily Prayer - Let no words pass my lips ...

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

 

My son, Elijah, was in youth group at our church last evening.  On the way home we asked him what the theme of the evening had been.  He said "Word with Friends".  However, it was not about the online Scrabble-like game that is very popular on smart phones but rather about how words can wound or heal.  This morning I (re-)discovered a document on my USB drive entitled "Let no words pass my lips that I would not speak in the presence of the Lord".  I put this together few years ago, and may have even sent it out, but I thought it was worth repeating. 

 

Let no words pass my lips that I would not speak in the presence of the Lord

Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Job 15:4-6

 

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue Psalm 12:2-4

 

keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Psalm 34:12-14

 

They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows. Psalm 64:2-4

 

keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife. Proverbs 6:23-25

 

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Proverbs 12:18-20

 

A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin. Proverbs 26:27-28

 

"They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:2-4

 

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. Jeremiah 9:7-9

 

"Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips." Romans 3:12-14

 

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. James 1:25-27

 

Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 3:4-6

 

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:5-7

 

but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:7-9

 

For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3:9-11

 

 

 

 

 

My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. Psalm 35:27-28

 

The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. Psalm 37:29-31

 

 

Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Psalm 51:13-15

 

 

I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. Psalm 66:16-18

 

May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. Psalm 119:171-173

 

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. Proverbs 17:27-28

 

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-12

 

 

May our tongues be tools of righteousness today, and not weapons of destruction.

 

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

 

 

God I yield my lips over to serve you.

Help me to do no harm, encourage others and spread goodness.

 

(http://thepracticaldisciple.com/lent/tame_the_tongue.pdf)

 

 

Lord Christ, my tongue can be a problem.

In modern parlance, it's a lack of discretion, sensitivity or decorum; sometimes sarcasm; sometimes gossip.

 

Holy Spirit, I need an assist...to be mindful of my speech; to be more thoughtful about my audience; to engage my brain before opening my mouth; and to internalize this Proverb: Watch your words and hold your tongue; you'll save yourself a lot of grief. (Proverbs 21:23, The Message)

 

(adapted from http://www.prayerwerks.com/2010/08/taming-tongue.html)

Daily Prayer - What would you trade for your soul?

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

 

In Mark 8:37 Jesus asks this very challenging question: "For what can a man give in return for his soul?"

 

How many people at the end of their life, on death's doorstep, look back with huge regrets?  They have worked so hard to achieve "success" in this life.  They have gained the whole world but now are about to forfeit their soul.  At that point what do you think you would trade to get it back?  How about: everything. 

 

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35).  We are going to lose it all in the end anyway. 

 

What is it that you feel God is telling you that you need to lose?  Is it a job that is causing you to make ethically questionable decisions?  Is it a relationship that is bordering on inappropriate?  Is it a hobby that is stealing time and resources from your family?  The cost is high, but the rewards are greater.

 

While you ponder that heavy question, I thought I would leave you with something light.  I read this in a comment on a CBC story this morning and it made me smile.

 

Top 10 signs you might be an "evangelical"....

10. You've never gone skiing without rededicating your life to Christ at a bonfire after.

 

9. You never watched "Highway to Heaven" because it aired on Wednesday nights. (Wednesday nights are prayer meeting nights)

 

8. Your answer to the question "What Would Jesus Do?" is "He would wear a T-shirt that says, 'WWJD?'"

 

7. You've ever played the tambourine while wearing a suit and tie.

 

6. You own any clothing or accessories that you regard as "a witnessing tool".

 

5. You've ever been to a pot-luck dinner featuring more than three varieties of Jell-o salad with shaved carrots and mini-marshmallows.

 

4. Your idea of communion wine is made by Welch's.

 

3. You've told someone they deserve to suffer in Hell for eternity and said it without a trace of anger in your voice.

 

2. You chose your NHL fantasy team based on the personal testimony of the players.

 

and the #1 sign....
1. You think saying grace in a loud voice at Tim Horton's is a good way to witness.

 

Grace and peace and Timmy's coffee be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Lord, please show me Your will for my life.

 

And give me the wisdom and courage to follow it.

Daily Prayer - Truth and Grace

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

 

If we are to be followers of Jesus, we must be like Him: full of truth and grace.  We must have the courage to speak the truth in love, and to offer it with grace to all around us.  That is how Jesus treated the Samaritan woman at the well and Peter after Peter denied Him.

 

Let us treat others likewise.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

May God in His Infinite mercy
give us the strength and courage to be an example to others,
loving and forgiving,
conscious of the fragility of the human spirit,
straight forward with each person crossing our path,
reaching for perfection even as we know no one can be perfect in this life,
being cognizant and tolerant of the weakness of others,
to imitate as best we can Our Lord in all things,
and to do His Will.

 

Amen!

 

(http://catholicvu.com/prayers.htm)

Daily Prayer - Time for laser eye surgery?

Good Friday morning, my friends.

...having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
(2 Peter 1:4b-9)

Do you feel ineffective or unproductive in your faith sometimes?  Do you feel overwhelmed by your past (or present) sins? 

 

Part of this passage is quite familiar to many of us: "add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love".  But it was the last part that stuck out for me when I read it - have I forgotten that I have been cleansed?  Is that why I become, at times, "ineffective and unproductive"?

 

We have "escaped the corruption in the world".  Let's not forget it.  Jesus died so that His righteousness might be passed on to us.  We have been cleansed.  Sin is no longer our master (Romans 6:14).  To forget this is to be "nearsighted and blind".  Its time for some laser eye surgery, or at least a better pair of glasses - looking at life through the lens of the Bible.

 

Grace and peace and good eyesight be yours,
Bruce

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Grant us clear sight to see the amazing work you have done for us.
Help us to remember the cleansing we have received as a result of the work Your Son did on the cross.
With clear sight, help us to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance , godliness, mutual affection, and love.

 

In Jesus holy name we pray. Amen.

Daily Prayer - Day and night

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

 

There is probably nothing more important or helpful in our walk of faith than time reading the Word of God. As the psalmist says:

Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

Meditate on it day and night.  Prayer is the partner of Bible reading - pray that God will help you to understand what you read, remember what you read, and put into practice what you read.  Pray that your appetite for God's Word grows.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Father, I ask for discernment that I may understand Your statutes.

 

I pray for understanding that I might know how to implement these truths into my life.

 

I also pray that I will grow to love and embrace Your laws so that it becomes a natural outflow of my commitment in following You.

 

Amen.

 

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/a-prayer-for-discernment-in-understanding-gods-word/)

Daily Prayer - Proclaim!

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

 

As I read this prayer it occurred to me that we need to make this proclamation on a regular basis.  In the tradition I grew up in, we recited the creed (usually the Apostles Creed seen here, sometimes the Nicene Creed) in every Sunday service:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, 
creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, 
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, 
born of the Virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, died, and was buried; 
he descended to the dead. 
On the third day he rose again; 
he ascended into heaven, 
he is seated at the right hand of the Father, 
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
the holy catholic church, 
the communion of saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, 
the resurrection of the body, 
and the life everlasting.
AMEN.

 

Stating what we believe gives us a grounding, a perspective that the hear-and-now isn't the be-and-all.  That there is more to life than what we see; God has a plan of redemption for His creation.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Jesus, Name above all names, I confess with my lips and believe in my heart that You are the Lord and Savior of my life.

 

You died for my sins and rose to life making it possible for me to die to sin and rise to new life in You.

 

I thank You for the victory that is mine as I, in my heart, set Christ apart as Lord, not only in this world but in the world to come.

 

Amen.

 

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/a-prayer-to-jesus-the-lord/)

Daily Prayer - Shine!

Good Friday morning, my friends.

 

Jesus says to us (you and me, not just those who were standing before Him that day):

 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

God "set" you on a hill - set you and I in our current locations to be a light to the world around us.  First we have to choose to let our light shine in our location.  Then, and here is the hard part for me, we have to do it so that others will give glory to my Father in heaven, rather than to us.

 

Here is what I have in mind for today.  In every conversation I have I want to remember that God is also a participant.  I want to listen to what He has to say, and allow Him to guide the conversation.  More specifically, there are two people I work with whom I want to invite to church this Sunday - I am going to watch for the opening God gives me.

 

I will let you know on Monday how it goes! (I would LOVE it if you joined me in this today.  Please let me know what you have planned how it turns out.)

 

Grace and peace be yours (and mine) in abundance,
Bruce

 

Lord Jesus let Your light shine through us to drive back the darkness in the world around us.

 

(http://loveandlead.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/his-vision-our-prayer-light-of-the-world/)

Daily Prayer - Jesus loved Barabbas

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

 

There were several criminals intertwined in the story of the crucifiction of Jesus.  The obvious examples are the two that were crucified with Him - one on either side of Him.  One of these is the poster child for salvation by faith and faith alone - he recognized who Jesus was, recognized his own sin, and asked for forgiveness.  And he received it (Luke 23:42-43).  This man had no opportunity at this point in his life to perform good deeds and earn his way into heaven - he was accepted on faith alone.

 

Now there was another criminal that perhaps we do not give much thought to - Barabbas.  Barabbas was the man Pilot freed as per the Jewish custom of releasing a prisoner at the Passover (Matthew 27:15-22).  Barabbas is another example of the Gospel at work.  Jesus loved Barabbas.  Jesus died in his place.  The criminal was allowed to walk away scott free, with no punishment for his crimes.  We have no indication that he ever repented of his ways, and became a follower of Jesus.  And yet Jesus died for Barabbas anyway.  My friends, I am Barabbas.  You are Barabbas.  "...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).  Jesus loved us enough to die for us when we were thieves, adulterers (lust) and murderers (anger).

 

Perhaps this video  (about 8 minutes long) explains it better.

 

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

 

 

Father, we thank You for sending Jesus to live among us over 2000 years ago.

 

We thank You for His teachings, His sinless life, and for His death on the cross that provides for our salvation. 

 

Each of us has sinned and we know through Scripture that the penalty for our sin is death.

 

So we thank You for Jesus who died instead for our sin.

 

We ask for Your forgiveness as we believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, because salvation comes to us through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Thank You for Your gift of salvation.

 

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/a-prayer-accepting-salvation/)

Daily Prayer - Taken for granted

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

 

It is so easy to take our salvation for granted.  How often does it occur to us that the torture, the pain, the suffering that Jesus endured is what we deserve?  How often do we consider that because of His sacrifice, we won't be punished?  For me, this is always a humbling thought.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

 

 

Father, I thank You for the spotless Lamb of God who is without blemish or defect.

 

It is I who deserved to die for my sins were many, but Jesus, Your Son, died in my place.

 

You have washed me with Your sinless blood and now I am whiter than snow, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

Keep us faithful and ever grateful for the blessing of having our sins forgiven.

 

In Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/a-prayer-of-thanks-for-the-blood-of-christ/)

Daily Prayer - Thorny issues

Good Friday morning, my friends.

 

Do you have a thorn in your flesh?  Do you have that "thing": that habit, that relationship, that health issue, something, that you have repeatedly asked God to remove or heal?  And all you hear back is crickets chirping?  When we experience this, and we all do, it is easy to start to believe that God doesn't love us, or even that He doesn't exist at all.

 

We all know someone who seems extraordinarily blessed by God.  They have good health, a wonderful marriage, great kids, love God and love to share about it.  God seems to answer all of their prayers.  And if we are honest, we resent them for it.  At least a little.  Because we can't seem to get God's attention at all.  At the same time, however, there are people we know who have been through, or are going through, hell.  Their own or a loved one's health issues, struggles in marriage, broken relationships with children, addictions, you name it.  You see their life is a constant struggle, and yet through that you see an incredible faith, trusting in God, an attitude of gratitude in the midst of their trials.  Now tell me - which of the two people above do you want to be?  Right.  But which of the two inspires your faith more?

 

Paul was a man who certainly knew and loved God, and definitely had God's attention.  God used Paul in powerful ways.  And yet, Paul was afflicted and when he prayed to be healed God said "No".

a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10)

And not despite his affliction, but because of it, God was able to do even greater things through Paul.

 

God can show His power through our weakness.  If we let Him.  We have every permission to ask Him to remove our thorn(s), and he may.  But we have to give Him permission to say "No".  We have to give Him permission to use our weakness as a stage to show His power.

 

I have been told "No" in the past.  I did not accept it for a long time.  But when I did, God started to use me in ways I never would have expected.  His Grace was sufficient for me, and it is for you.

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey...

 

I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things...

 

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...

 

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God...

 

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things...

 

I got nothing I asked for - but everything I had hoped for;
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

 

I am, among men, most richly blessed!

 

Attributed to an unknown Confederate soldier
(http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/strength.htm)

 

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace be yours,
Bruce

 

 

Lord, I feel very weak right now. 

 

I feel very inadequate and very vulnerable to sin and temptation. 

 

Jesus, at this moment I invite You right inside of my heart where this weakness dwells. 

 

I invite You INTO my weakness. 

 

You have allowed this weakness so that I can experience Your strength and power. 

 

This weakness is the very space where You desire to come to dwell in me with Your power. 

 

This weakness is a tremendous gift because it invites me to reach out to You. 

 

This weakness is a grace because instead of feeding it by embracing sin, I now see it as Your desire to embrace me. 

 

This weakness is the cry of my heart to be in Your embrace. 

 

This weakness is Your way of inviting me to draw very close to You. 

 

Thank you for this weakness and for your power in me.

 

(http://liveholiness.com/2009/10/love-your-weakness/)

Daily Prayer - What about the rest?

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

 

Well I was feeling pretty good about myself after sending yesterday's message.  I love making those transfers to our "God's Money" account.  Honouring God with the "first fruits" of my labour twice a month (on payday) for the past few years is resulting in a change of attitude about "my money".  Some of you know exactly what I mean from practicing your own pre-planned giving.

 

But this morning on the way to work, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and asked "What about the rest?  How are you honouring God with the rest of your money?".  That really got me thinking.  God is certainly on my mind when I make those transfers to "His" account, but what about every other financial transaction I make during the month?  Every time I reach for my wallet, pull out a credit card or debit card, every time I pay a bill, every time I purchase something on-line, I need to be asking myself "is this honouring God with my money"?  Clothing, feeding and housing my family certainly honour God (so long as we purchase what is necessary and not what simply for fashion or pretension).  Transportation, communications, even entertainment purchases can all honour God.  Or not.  We need to examine each purchase to determine its intention.  (There are even tougher questions we should be asking, such as:  Where is the money is going?  Are we investing in companies that exploit workers and/or the environment?)

 

Consider this: nowhere in the New Testament are we commanded to give.  But we are invited to.  "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7).  And lest you think this might contradict the Old Testament, try these on:

Exodus 25:2 Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.

 

Deuteronomy 15:10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

 

1 Chronicles 29:9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

 

1 Chronicles 29:17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.

 

Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Strangely, perhaps, this revelation does not take away my peace but adds to it.  I know that if I think of God more (than twice a month!) in my financial dealings then there will be more for "God's Money" account.  And I really like that.  Everything is God's.  Everything is distributed by God as He determines.  We will be held accountable for what has been distributed to us.  What does your account sheet look like?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Daily Prayer - I dare you

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

 

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)

 

What is one of the most effective ways to be "sent" to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the sick and imprisoned? How about through the resources God has given us?  Why do you suppose He gave us those resources in the first place?

 

A number of years ago, my wife called me to tell me about a woman she had become aware of who lived in our area.  This woman was in need and Rosemary felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to help out.  And it wasn't just a general "give something to this woman" it was "give X amount of money to this woman" - a very specific amount.  It was more than we were used to giving at the time and was a stretch for us.  We agreed to trust God on this and Rosemary went to a bank machine (still arguing/negotiating with God all the way according to her), withdrew the money, found the woman and gave her the cash.  That was an emotional scene as you can imagine.  And that was the end of the story. Or so we thought.  The following Sunday in church a friend of mine came up and gave me an envelope that contained, as I discovered later when I opened it, a Thank You card.  His car had been out of commission for a few weeks and I had been taking him to/from work most days.  (Honestly, it was a blessing to me to have him with me as we discussed faith, life, family, etc.).  And in that card was some money.  well, not just some money, rather the EXACT amount of money that we had, kicking and screaming, given to the woman in need.

 

We both felt God was saying to us "Go ahead - try to out give me!".  Or as the prophet put it:

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  (Malachi 3:10)

I have a Lenten challenge for you. Decide that from now until Easter you will give a certain percentage of your income, more than you are currently giving, and see what happens.  See if you can out give God.  I promise you won't regret it.

 

God opened our eyes that day.  We are now determined to give of our "first fruits" to His kingdom.  We set aside a percentage of our income and actually put it into a separate bank account whenever we get paid.  We call it "God's money".  With it we support our church, give to various ministries, support missionaries, and even a widow in need.  What a blessing it is to us!  That model may not work for you, but come up with your own.  (By the way, the blessing for us is not that He has given us more money. Rather has shown us ways to reduce our expenses - to examine where we have been spending our money and look more at His priorities than ours - and in doing so gradually increase the amount we can give.)

 

Allow God to send you, to send your resources, to where they are needed.  Store up treasures in heaven.

 

Grace and Peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Lord Jesus, you are my everlasting life. May the light of your word and truth free me from the sin and lure of this earth. I freely give you my heart so that you may fill it with your love and from this day forth, I may desire you as my Treasure and my All.

 

(http://www.hopeloveandprayer.com/inspirations/27-treasures-in-heaven.html)

 

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we beseech thee, faithful stewards of thy great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

O merciful Creator, whose hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us, we beseech thee, ever thankful for thy loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

(http://library.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=90&page=240)

Daily Prayer - Don't be a goat!

Good Monday morning, my friends.

 

Going to church is to life as a huddle is to a game of football. (Thanks, Pastor Jeff!)

 

Here is what I learned in our huddle yesterday, and need to put into practice today.

 

Yesterday we were treated to a great sermon on Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

 

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

 

(Matthew 25:31-46)

On the surface, this parable says "if you do good deeds you go to heaven, if you don't you go to hell."  But is that what Jesus is really saying?

 

Remember that Jesus was speaking to a group of Jews, including religious leaders.  These are people who believed in God, in Yahweh. Jesus is telling them that belief is not enough.  He is saying that if you truly love God with all of your heart, mind and strength, then your heart will break for the same things that break God's heart.  You will say, as Isaiah did "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8).  Send me to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and in prison. 

 

James reinforces this when he says "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17). "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27)

 

The tough question: "Are we simply hearers of the word or are we doers?"  The sermon ended with this powerful video.

 

End of huddle.  Ready ... Break!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

With their inner spiritual vision as a guide, many can now see that they are ever moving closer to the return of Christ as He promised to do when He departed for heaven. Help us to be doers of Your Word in these last days.

 

Let us who strive to be His faithful servants, therefore, in these remaining days, and be motivated through our witness and testimony to do the works we are directed to do by the Holy Spirit, praying that God will use us more than ever before to help those who are outside the family of believers, facing eternal damnation without the salvation promised by Jesus.

 

(http://raptureintheairnow.com/daily-devotions/a-prayer-for-doers-of-the-word)

Daily Prayer - Help us to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

Like Paul, I want us to desire the best gifts.  And the best gift of all is love.  Happy Valentine's Day!

I want you to desire the best gifts. So I will show you a much better way.

 

Love

 

What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or  rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.

 

Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear.

 

When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.

 

(1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13)

 

This is a beautiful morning prayer.  One I will be printing to pray each morning for us all.  I hope some of you will do the same.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce
 
 
God, we are grateful for life today. 

We seek your direction as we assume our tasks. 
May we lift the lives of others we meet today.  Amen.

 

God, in our world filled with stress, we thank you for your promise to provide peace. 
We invite you to direct our lives today and pray that we might contribute to peace and healing in the lives we touch this day.  Amen.

 

God, we pause at the beginning of this day, to thank you for the beauty of nature, the rich colors of the sunrise, the sweet aroma of roses. 
We pray that our lives will reflect your beauty as we interact with others today.  Amen.

 

God, in a world filled with turmoil, we would seek peace. 
In a world filled with hatred, we would practice kindness. 
In a world where there is hurt, we would provide healing and wholeness through your grace.  Amen.

 

God, with the regular rising of the morning sun we are reminded of your consistent love for us. 
Our prayer is that we might reflect that love to those with whom we meet today.  Amen.

 

God, when life brings us questions, we look to you for answers. 
When life brings us stress, we look to you for peace. 
When life brings us problems, we look to you for solutions. 
Help us to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks, to those we meet today.  Amen.

 

God, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.  (Ps. 19:14) Amen.

 

God, it is so easy for our minds to rehearse all the negative things that exist in our life. 
This morning turn our thoughts toward those things which are good. 
Help us to find ways to promote goodness for others today.  Amen.

 

God, we acknowledge you as the creator of all life and all that is good. 
Thank you for your interest in us personally. 
We seek to reflect your love both to you and to those we meet as we go about our activities this day.  Amen.

 

(http://www.explorewholeness.com/spiritual-discipline-prayer.html)

Daily Prayer - Training

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

 

Do you think you could run a marathon with no training and without a proper diet? I can almost guarantee that you (or I) couldn't.

 

In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth he writes "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

 

The writer of Hebrews tells us "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1).

 

Life as a disciple of Christ is a marathon, my friends. Training is essential. Not with weights and protein shakes, but with prayer and Bible reading. If we want to build your "faith muscles" we need to be engaged in these activities on a regular, preferably daily basis. Otherwise we are liable to be tripped up, stumble, or simply run out of energy before we get to the finish line. And that would be tragic.

 

How is your training going?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

Father God,
Guide me daily and give me the discipline to study your word.
Help me to make time for relationship with you.
I strive to receive the prize you hold for me, Lord.

Daily Prayer - "Slavery" issue of our time

Good Thursday morning, my friends.

 

If you have never seen the movie "Amazing Grace", I highly recommend it. If you have seen it, you should watch it again.  This movie is about the campaign against slave trade in the British Empire, led by William Wilberforce, who was responsible for steering anti-slave trade legislation through the British parliament. The title is a reference to the hymn "Amazing Grace". The film also recounts the experiences of John Newton as a crewman on a slave ship and subsequent religious conversion, which inspired his writing of the poem later used in the hymn. (You can see a trailer here.  I have actually watched the whole movie on YouTube.)

 

After watching this movie I wondered what is the "slavery" issue of our day - the issue that many (even most) people see as perfectly acceptable, yet is contemptible in the eyes of God.  One thing came immediately to mind: Abortion.  Hopefully, prayerfully, our society will look back in the not to distant future and think "how could anyone have possibly thought that it was OK to kill a child in the womb?", just as we look in horror at our history of slavery.

 

Lift this prayer today, and be brave enough to ask God if there is more you need to be doing about this scourge.

 

(One fantastic organization in the Ottawa area that does much to help women with unexpected pregnancies is First Place Options.  They have a Ladies Chocolate Extravaganza event coming up on Thursday, March 7 at The Metropolitan Bible Church.  My lovely wife, Rosemary, and a number of other ladies on this mailing list are already registered to attend.  If you would like to join them, please click here for more information and registration or contact me and I will connect you with Rosemary.  The event is free and is a great opportunity to invite your "non-church" friends to join you for a night out.)

 

Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace be yours,
Bruce

 

Father, when You took the dust of the ground to form man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life You had a purpose for his existence on earth.
And You have a purpose for all human life.
Forgive us for assuming that we know more than You, the Creator of life, in willfully choosing whether one is allowed to live and another is destined to die before one breathes his or her first independent breath.
We thank You for the millions who take a visible stand for life, based not on a popular theme but on truths established in Your Holy Word.
Help us to be vigilant in doing what is right and good in Your sight, even when it is inconvenient and costly to our personal lives.
In our disposable society help us never to dispose of human life that You created or to dispose of truths that You intended for us to live by in favor of a political, intellectual, or financial agenda.

 

We pray for those in the abortion industry who are motivated by financial gain by the taking of innocent life much like Judas who took the 30 pieces of silver as He handed Jesus over to those who would crucify Him.
Like Joseph's brothers who took the 20 pieces of silver in exchange for selling their innocent brother.
Father, we look to You in faith asking that You speak to the indifferent and bigoted hearts that cause innocent lives to be slaughtered every minute of every day. 
We pray this impassioned prayer in the name of Jesus who said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

 

Amen.

 

(http://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/a-prayer-for-those-who-value-life/)

Daily Prayer - Life is hard

Good Tuesday morning, my friends.

 

Life is hard. I know that comes as a shock to you.  OK, so it isn't a shock, it's reality.  But we all wonder why it has to be that way, why God lets it be that way.  The answer (or answers) to the "why" question are murky at best, but it is true that adversity builds our character.  And our character is the only thing we take with us when we leave this world.  Rather than asking you to take my word on this, I thought I would let scripture speak for itself.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

 

But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. (2 Chronicles 15:7)

 

Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:4)

 

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)

 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

The crown of life is waiting for you.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
Bruce

 

 

Lord, sometimes it is so hard to carry the heavy burdens life gives to us. 

 

My footsteps falter and I stumble along the way. 

 

It is hard to see clearly and many times I just want to give up and follow my own path. 

 

Send Your Spirit of strength to me Lord, so that I can remember with clarity my faith in You.  

 

Let me be victorious over temptations, and see only my vision of Your love and truth. 

 

Help me not to give up, help me to remember that You are there  always, my constant Companion and Friend. 

 

You wipe away my tears of grief and sorrow, my discouragement, and all the sufferings of this life. 

 

Thank you Lord for the salvation you have given to me but most of all Your promise of eternal life without end. 

 

Amen!

 

(http://catholicvu.com/prayers.htm)