Saturday, March 12, 2011

Seeking God for power to forsake falsehood.

Today’s post is going up on Sunday….and is an unplanned example to you, the reader, that we are under grace and not law as we pursue prayer using this book as a resource.

Disguise: To modify the manner or appearance of ___ in order to prevent recognition…to conceal or obscure, a false show, misrepresent.

Dalliance:  Another word for “flirtation” or frivolous spending of time.

As I read/prayed the Old Testament prayer for today, I was both sad and joyful at the same time. 

Sad? I was remembering the times before I had surrendered to Christ. The times that I sinned – made a mistake – fell short – slipped up – let people down and I tried to disguise the situation (worthless attempt to ‘hide’ my sin) to look good.  Oh the stress, worry and anxiety of someone finding out and condemning me…walking away from me…never talking to me…making fun of me.

Joy? Oh the knowledge of turning my life over to Jesus and knowing He would NEVER leave me nor forsake me…that nothing could separate me from His love.  I meet so many people that are walking around Linn County with disguises.  I have no condemnation for them for I was once one of them and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit did not condemn me!

We all come by it honestly.  “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the cool of the day and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8

I can remember attempting to partition off my life and justify living one way on Sunday/Wednesday and another way the rest of the week!   It never worked before and it will not work today…for anyone.  There was/is something in me just as there is in every single person on the planet that desires an open/transparent relationship with the God! We were made by the Father in our mother’s womb.  We were fashioned for a purpose by the God whose very being defines the word purpose.  He is the designer and each one of us is a design masterpiece.

May I encourage each one of you to return to the New Testament prayer for today and pray the two bullet points with passion for specific people!  Name them in your prayer.  When you pray for them in this manner you are fulfilling your mandate in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21…for them to be reconciled to God, He and us not counting their trespasses against them, but entreating them in prayer while loving them in humility.

Integrity:

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.

2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.

3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

Pray with me:

Father God, we do pray for each person that is called by Your name, that they may be steadfast and immoveable in their love for You.  May Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven into, all around, in front and behind each one of them.  Your Word tells us that we have been given a sound mind. You have made us whole beings.  You have taken our divided minds and given us a sound mind.  You have made us complete human beings that are seated with You in heavenly places right now.  Such is the mystery of the Kingdom.  It is beyond our own reason.  Thank you Father God for loving us.  We accept that You are sending us into this world to pray for, care for and share with them who You are and the indescribable freedom that can be found in You.  Amen.

Charles Daugherty

Serve The City

Sunday, March 23 – Day 33

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…..for Christ to bless the nations with peace.

In the New Testament prayer today, one of the suggested prayers is “For trust to be restored between the diverse peoples that may dwell in your neighborhood.”

I was recently part of a funeral where those coming to support the grieving Haitian family were from 13 different nations. That was a very special day that I will never forget. As I moved from table to table in order to meet as many fellow Believes as I could; there was the common bond of Jesus The Christ at each table. We shared stories and grieved and laughed together. I could not help but be filled with great joy.

Families from three different nations had lived in the same neighborhood in Cedar Rapids and remained friends after moving in different directions. Others had met in support groups while others had met in different activities.

The Lord has brought “the nations” to Eastern Iowa for those of us that cannot travel abroad. As we pray the prayers today, may we purpose in our heart to seize the moment and see with our spiritual eyes the opportunities we have to be a house of prayer for all the nations - - as well as in practical….caring….actions.

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Tuesday, March 9 – Day 21

Seeking His Glory in Evangelizing All Peoples
Seek God….to display His love and power by answered prayer.

When God answers our prayers, we feel loved and we glorify Him! That we are encouraged to boldly ask Him to hear us in heaven on behalf of the foreigner shows us a way to align our will to His will. 1 Kings 8:43 reminds us that He cares about the foreigners/sojourners in our midst and He wants us to care, too. That we would ask Him to answer our prayers is the small picture. That we would ask Him to answer the prayers of the foreigner so that all on earth would know His name is the BIG PICTURE. We need to be reminded to see the BIG PICTURE. The result is a promise. And when it happens, we will ALL be "struck with astonishment, glorify God" and in the fear of the Lord, say, "We have seen remarkable things today." Luke 5:26.

May God work this good work in our hearts and include us in the joy and astonishment!

Jeude Landhauser
Bethany Lutheran

Thursday, March 4 – Day 16

Seeking His Light to Awaken the Lost
Seek God....to rescue people from spiritual darkness

It occurred to me that those in greatest need of release from their bondage are those who are blinded to that bondage. They think they are okay and that others are trapped in barren life styles. The Word clearly shows that unless we are slaves to righteousness we are slaves, prisoners, to sin. My prayer is that those in darkness would have the light of truth penetrate their lives through us. I pray that our lives would mirror the freedom of Christ, freedom from guilt, bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, jealousy, covetousness, and unbelief. I pray that our lives would visibly show kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, peace, patience, joy and love – independent of the environment we find ourselves in so that they may see hope and lives changed to the glory of God. I pray that the hardness of their hearts might be broken and made ready for the seed of the Word of God to penetrate deep and bring forth life.

J. O.
Valley View

Thursday, February 18 - Day 2

I think the word ‘love’ is overused and has been watered down in today’s culture.  With Valentine’s Day just past, we see how ‘love’ is marketed and commercialized.  The tagline for a truck commercial several years ago stated America ‘loves’ baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolets.  So, to find the true meaning of love, we have to turn to the source: God.  God is love.  Love in the Bible has a much richer meaning, particularly when applied to God's feeling toward His people.  The Bible describes a kind of love that goes far beyond what we can even grasp as humans.  It is abundant, faithful, steadfast, patient and unfailing.  Read these passages out loud and listen to God’s heart.

The LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. We depend on the LORD alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield.  Psalm 33:18, 20

"I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself."  Jeremiah 31:1

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD . So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!  Psalm 32:10-11

The Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.  John 1:14

God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's judgment.  For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of His Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by His life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God -- all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.

Today, I hope you seek the love that only God can provide.  May you be revived, restored and refreshed by His Spirit.

God bless,

Brent Schulte, Antioch Christian Church

Wednesday, February 17 - Day 1

Let’s get the party started!  Day 1 of 40 days of prayer.  The story of the prodigal son is really about a radically generous Father of prodigious love and two wayward sons.  One son runs away living a self-centered life and wastes his Father’s gifts and the other son stays home living a self-centered life taking his Father’s presence for granted.  Yet the Father remains constant, vigilant, with open arms of love to both.  What a Father!  What a love!  The Lord is never pointing his finger at you, He is always opening His arms.  He is not the accuser of the brethren, but the first born of many brethren.  You have a merciful, faithful Father God, a savior and brother in Jesus, a powerful guide in the Holy Spirit all living in you and for you!  The Lord is not worried about your worries.  You are more loved than you know.  You are more secure in that love than you feel.  Come away from ‘’far country” of a self-centered life and surrender afresh to His Christ-centered life of joy!  Come to Jesus in these 40 days, take only His yoke upon you, and learn from Him.  Come receiving His expanding heart of love for the whole world, one person at a time, including you.  What vigilant love!!  Let’s get the party started!


Richard Speight, Come Rest Ministries

Wednesday, February 17 - Day 1

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 85: 2, 4, 6; Luke 15: 20-24; Psalm 144:12, 15

In the first passage we hear the Psalmist plea for God to forgive the sins of His people as He has done in the past, to no longer be angry with us, to give us one more fresh start.  In the second passage Jesus tells us of a father whose son had sinned against him.  As the son approached, ready to confess his sins, his father gathered up the finest of things for him.  Even as the son spoke the father was giving directions to his servants for a celebration.  One could even wonder if the father heard the son, for he had long ago forgiven him and patiently waited for him to come home.  In the final passage the Psalmist, David, prays for the youth to grow up strong in the Lord.

Shortly after my oldest daughter graduated high school she moved away.  We would, on a rare occasion, get a phone call, but for the most part, we were cut off with no way to contact her.  I vividly remember the Thanksgiving that she called and asked if she could stop by on her way home from a trip.  I told her that would be great and that I would see her in a couple hours.  Four hours later I knew that she was not stopping.  Not a day would go by that I did not think about and pray for her.  My prayer was not that she return to me, but that she would come into a relationship with her heavenly father.  I knew if that relationship was restored it would only be a matter of time before our relationship would be too.  About a year and a half ago I got a friend request on facebook.  I clicked to see who it was.  It was my daughter.  I immediately accepted.  When we finally got together in person I was filled with joy and gave a big hug welcoming her home.  Fast forward a year.  On November 7, 2009 I had the honor of walking her down the isle at her wedding.

Father, You have forgiven us all our sins.  You wait patiently for each of Your children to return to You.  I know the pain and worry I felt for my daughter.  I cannot begin to imagine how You feel.  The joy I experienced when my daughter finally came home wiped it all away.  I know why You wait for Your children always seeking them out.  Thank you Lord for Your forgiveness.  Thank you that even as we confess our sins You have already moved past them.  May the love and joy that we experience through Your forgiveness overflow to our families, our city, our nation and our world.  Amen

Living Outrageously for Christ ~ Terry
180° Youth Ministries - Hus Presbyterian Church