Friday, February 26 - Day 10

Day 10: Seek God … for God to unite His people.
[Psalm 133:1,3; John 17:22-23]

The “unity” or “being one” of these verses does not mean “let’s be one big happy denomination”! These statements point out a “relationship” desired by God of His followers. This is not just a relationship with God, but it is a relationship with fellow believers that glorifies God!

Think of it like this: The Body of Christ is a Family. The various Church congregations are like brothers and sisters in this Family. Each “child” has his or her own unique qualities and character. That does not make one “child” better than the other. Each is loved by the Father; each will accomplish its purpose. But the Family is still one!

Now, consider these verses from this perspective: “How good and pleasant it is when the various Church congregations get along together! … For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forever more.” (Psa. 133:1,3). And think of the prayer of Jesus in John 17 when He prays (vv. 22-23), “The glory which You have given Me I have given to those who are true followers but belong to different church congregations, that they may be of one purpose in bringing glory to My Name, so that the world may know that You have sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

It’s like what I’ve told my church family, “We don’t have a corner on truth, but we do have the Truth on the corner of 29^th and D Avenue NE. Know it; believe it; live it; and share it!”

Lord: Renew our appreciation of Your desire for all of Your followers to be united in purpose; forgive us where we have wandered away for our own selfish preferences; give us a new heart of love for each other, even as You have for us, and let it be all for Your glory! Thank you! Amen.

[Pastor Gary Austin, Cedar Rapids Grace Church, Cedar Rapids, IA]

Wednesday, February 24 - Day 8

Wow! What else could I say to express how powerful the words are that the Psalmist uses in Psalm 51:7, 10? Powerful words like “purify me”, “wash me”, “create in me”, and “renew… within me” in order that I “shall be clean”, “whiter than snow”, possessing a “clean heart” and a “steadfast spirit”. These are words that require transparency and expect transformation. Maybe the honest question for us is whether we’re ready for either.

We’re in the eighth day of our 40 days of prayer and the call to pure hearts has to be embraced or ignored. Ignoring the call is like saying, “Jesus, I know this is what you want but there is only so far I’ll go in following you.” Embracing the call requires of us a bold action like I find with David in the 139^th Psalm. In this Psalm it is as though we get to step into David’s personal chambers and listen to him think out loud about God.

In all the insight we are privileged to gleam from David nothing may be as important to us during these 40 days of prayer as verses 23 and 24 of Psalm 139. It is in these verses that David, as it were, gives God permission to, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When I use the word “permission” some of us cringed because we know that God can do whatever he chooses. But we also know that God is a gentleman and he doesn’t force himself on us. So, after David revels in the wonders of God’s consuming presence, and gets excited about the potential he has with God he gives God permission to examine his life and if necessary realign it with His.

I wonder if in these 40 days of prayer if what we may need to do is give God permission to search us and know our hearts; to test us and know our anxious thoughts. To see if there is any offensive way in us so that He can purify our hearts and lead us in the way everlasting? So, does God really have permission to do that in your life?

Pastor Tim Carter, First Church Of The Nazarene

Sunday, February 21 – Day 5

Lord, Your Word says: “Give us life, and we will call on Your name”.  Breathe a new blast of life into the church of Eastern Iowa that together we will call on Your name in unprecedented ways that an unprecedented, city-wide move of God would come to fruition.

Lord, Your Word says: “He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit”.

Renew the church of Eastern Iowa by stretching the members of Your body in spiritual disciplines, that we may truly abide in Christ, and thereby increase in the character of Christ and the life-giving nature of Christ.  In accordance with Your Word, may the fruit from this be so huge that it has to be “carried on a pole between two people”!

Lord, Your Word calls for shepherds to care for Your flock.  Bring a caring community, camaraderie, and unity among the pastors of Eastern Iowa that allows for burdens to be shared and loads to be lifted so our shepherds can maintain strength to continue to fully care for Your flock.

Amen and amen and amen!!!

Dan Koskamp, New Covenant Bible Church