Wednesday, March 21 – Day 36

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…for enemies to be blessed

“As enemies nailed you to a cross, You cried out for God to forgive them.” (See Luke 23:34)

This is the first line of today’s NT prayer; it merits a more in-depth look:

Here’s the setting.

The Jews…

…had arrested Him illegally, mocked Him, spit on him, beat on Him with their fists, slapped Him and certainly did other things that are not recorded.

The Romans…

…spit on Him, scourged Him (used a whip to pull pieces of flesh from His back, mocked Him in as a “king”, push a crown of thorns on His head, force Him to carry His cross until He physically can’t, and nail His hands and feet to the cross.

Everyone…

…including the two thieves on His left and right continue to mock, taunt, and insult Him.

He remains…..silent.

Finally He speaks: “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

We see in Hebrews this statement: “Jesus for the joy set before Him, endured the cross…”

In this passage endured is understood as “staying in the place of a servant” “remaining under to support.” The One who came to serve and not to be served, stayed in the place of a servant to the very end.

The results…

One thief repents and is guaranteed to be with Jesus that very day in Paradise, the Centurion believes, the sky was dark from noon to 3 p.m., the rocks split open, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom…plus more…wow!

Years ago, I dismissed this act ‘as only something God in man could do…nice part of the story, no application to me. THEN, I read how Stephen (Acts 7:59) said the same forgiveness when he was being stoned to death…..Stephen, a man just like me. I was without excuse.

Conclusion? We can do this through Christ who to gives us the strength to do so!

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Wednesday, March 10 – Day 22

Seeking His Glory in Evangelizing All Peoples
Seek God….to be recognized and honored by leaders.

As we pray for our leaders, our president, our representatives, our judges and mayors and governor, we can easily reduce them to their office, and forget about them as people, persons like us. They carry the same fears and doubts, the same weakness, the same tendency to sin. They need Jesus as much, but not more, than we do.

So our prayers for our leaders begin with our prayers for their hearts and souls. Our prayers begin with the most important request, that Jesus Christ will be their Savior, that He will be Lord of their lives, that they will experience the freedom of forgiveness, the hope of heaven, and the strength of a life lived under the care of our Shepherd. We understand that we can’t expect Christian behavior from people who aren’t Christians. We can’t expect them to follow Jesus if they don’t acknowledge Jesus as their Lord. So, we pray for Jesus to become their Lord and Savior.

And our prayers are lifted for those who have been saved, our brothers and sisters who try so hard to serve our Master, while surrounded by temptations of power and pride. Recognizing how hard it is for us to be faithful, we empathize with our Christian leaders who fail like we fail, but who are forgiven like we are forgiven. We pray that our leaders will have the courage, regardless of the consequences, to clearly communicate that Jesus is their king, that while we live in a democracy, this democracy is part of a monarchy, ruled by the King of senators and representatives and judges and presidents.

And we pray for “we the people”, who find it quite easy to blame the leaders of our country when we ourselves are the government of the people, by the people and for the people. We pray that our King will rule us as we vote and participate in this democracy.

And we pray our gratitude, that regardless of the actions of our leaders, that Jesus reigns, that Jesus must reign until all of His enemies are placed under His feet. We pray in the assurance that our King reigns very well. We pray, knowing that we are citizens of another country, a country that faces no real threat, a holy nation that is strong and stable, and we’re going there soon. Thank You, King Jesus, for being the leader of our leaders, for continuing to reign as Your kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven.

Gary Brouwers

Peace Church

Sunday, March 7 – Day 19

Seeking His Glory in Evangelizing All Peoples
Seek God…for His renown among all the peoples

“…Make known His deeds…” We each have a story to tell. Our lives have been changed by the power of His love. I’m grateful for the people who loved “hell” out of me, who continued to pray and believe for me and speak the truth in love to me when I was stubborn, foolish, selfish and hurting so desperately. Their stories of a real God loving real people and the way they loved me, spoke volumes. They didn’t preach doctrine. They loved me, encouraged me and prayed for me.

Now, I have the privilege of doing the same. What an honor to be a part of what God is doing in other’s lives. That includes the life of Antonio Wheat, one of the men who killed my brother in 1965 during an armed robbery. (They were both 19.) “Tony” loves others well from behind bars, mentoring young men, encouraging them, praying for them. My brother did not die in vain. A seed planted is producing much fruit.

From the place of forgiveness, the Lord prompted me to send Tony a Guidepost subscription this year. I’ve never sent him a gift before. He wrote me a beautiful thank you of how much it means for him to read those encouraging true stories and share them with others. God is good.

Yes, Lord, “stir your people to tell the story of Your glory in their lives.”

Marilyn Schneiderman
New Life Community – Anamosa
Aid To Women – Cedar Rapids

Wednesday, February 24 – Day 8

Seeking His Life to Revive the Church
Seek God....to purify His people

When George Washington was about 20 years old, he filled a little book he titled Daily Sacrifice with prayers written in his own hand. An entry for Sunday Evening reads like this:

“O most glorious God… I acknowledge and confess my faults; in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin and stand in need of pardon. I have heard thy holy word, but with such deadness of spirit that I have been an unprofitable and forgetful hearer… But, O God, who art rich in mercy and plenteous in redemption, mark not, I beseech Thee, what I have done amiss; remember that I am but dust, and remit my transgressions, negligences and ignorances, and cover them all with the absolute obedience of Thy dear Son, that those sacrifices (of sin, praise and thanksgiving) which I have offered may be accepted by Thee, in and for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered upon the Cross for me.” *

When we, like this great President, are honest enough to tell ourselves and God that our “prayers have become our sin”, we will know that the Spirit of Truth has been doing some real “surgery” in our lives. May we live in such sensitivity to the Spirit that we can experience His refining and purifying power at all times.

*Excerpted from the Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel

Bernie Hayes
Noelridge Park Church

Friday, February 19 – Day 3

In Exodus 33 and 34, Moses asks God to show him His name and God responds that He will show His glory. God then revealed seven characteristics of His glory: compassion, grace, patience, abundant lovingkindness, truth, forgiveness, and justice. Some argue that God's purpose in creation was to display His glory, these seven characteristics, to the universe.

Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

The very first two requests in the Lord's Prayer are that God's name, his glory, be hallowed and that God's kingdom come. Today's prayer asks God to keep on changing us so that we will reflect His love and His glory, so that many will behold glory in our land. There can be no higher prayer.

As Christians, our every action will be measured against this standard: Does it demonstrate the glory of God? Does it advance God's kingdom or does it advance mine? Will the world see God or will it see me?

Jesus told us in Matthew 5, “You are the light of the world.” and "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Lord, give me your Holy Spirit so that that I may be a light to the world, showing your glory to a lost generation.

Mike Pearson, New Covenant Bible – also serving His Hands Free Medical Clinic and Serve The City