Author: Aaron Hufty

Re:Verse passage – 1 John 5:14-15 (day two) 

This is the confidence which we have before Him vs. 14a

To be confident in something means there is a sense of expected outcome. To whatever degree you know how things will turn out will strengthen your resolve when facing a challenge or task. We are reminded in this passage that to be in the will of God is to have a surety that can come from nowhere else. It is this reason that when Jesus was praying for his disciples and for all believers that we be one with the Father. John 17

Jesus did not want us to be uncertain of our future or to fret over how to manage life. His desire was for us to rest in the unity we have through the Holy Spirit with the father and the son. Through this we will gain the confidence to face and overcome whatever lies before us. If you find yourself lacking the confidence you think you should have, step back, seek God’s perfect will and lean into that above everything else.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 9:1-23 (day two) Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets vs. 6a

How often have you found yourself when disciplining a child uttering the words ‘you didn’t listen’? Maybe you have heard those words ring your own ears from time to time. There are so many times that the jam we finds ourselves in could have been avoided had we simply listened to the instructions. Perhaps it was driving directions that we disregarded because ‘we know where it is,’ or simple tasks that you were asked to complete, but you got distracted when they were assigned. Whatever it is, giving our focus to the tasks when they are given can make the difference between success and failure, or obedience and sin.

Daniel references both the prophet Jeremiah and Moses in his prayer. He recognizes that, as a people, they have not listened to the call to obedience. There is, however, a path forward. It begins with confession and repentance. Daniel takes this responsibility seriously, and speaks on behalf of the entire nation. Perhaps we can start with ourselves. The goal should be to listen before we have to confess.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 11:1-4 (day two)  Give us each day our daily bread. Vs. 3

Just enough; sufficient. That is how Jesus teaches us to pray. Before we read a list of must-haves, we simply need to take stock of what is necessary. We talk a lot about gratitude in our house. It has become a recurring joke when my children ask me what I want for a birthday they know my response will be, ‘grateful children.’ When we are so cared for, and we truly are, things like breath, health, shelter are expectations rather than blessings. How quickly any of those can change is evident all around us, and yet our tendency is to forget to acknowledge how much of a blessing they are. Jesus prays specifically for what is required for that day. He isn’t saying don’t make plans for the future, but he is clearly saying don’t make them at the expense of this day and all that God has provided for it.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 1:1-11 (day two)

‘but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ Vs. 9

Isn’t this a powerful text? I love Nehemiah’s boldness as he prays. Often as we come before the Lord, the Spirit will remind us of his promises. The Prophet Nehemiah is using the promises of deliverance given by the Lord as a catalyst for repentance. The Lord surely did not need reminding, but as we pray it is always good to cleave to scripture as a signpost for where we need to be. The picture of corporate repentance is also one that we can learn from. We must daily pray for our individual walk, but we should also be a people who acknowledge sin on a larger scale. The call to turn back should indicate that we have moved away from the purposed path as a people. This picture of a repentant people is a great model for the contemporary church.

Re:Verse passage – Mark 11:22-25 (day two) And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.

Take an opportunity to set your focus before you make your request. The first answer Jesus gives isn’t ask for the moon. It is have faith in God. Set your priorities with where the Lord is leading. Trust his plan before your own. Understand that he has designed you for a purpose, and then make your requests in line with that purpose. The Lord wants to bless you, there is no doubt, but he wants you to be rooted, grounded, unshaken in your faith in the Lord.

Re:Verse passage – John 17:20-26 (day two)

That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. Vs. 21

Jesus’ words in this prayer are not a condition for salvation, but a desire for a blessing beyond imagining. His call for unity is not a call for conformity. We don’t see him saying he wants everyone to look alike, talk alike, and be the same. Paul would later remind us that we are all made uniquely, and that each has a part to play in the symphony of the Lord. Jesus wants us to experience the beauty of unity that can only come from union with the Lord.  Then, all those differences that we see in each other fade in comparison to the light that shines from our being in step with Jesus. He speaks so beautifully about wanting this for all of us. If he had such a desire for this unity, shouldn’t we?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 3:14-21 (day two)

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, Vs. 14

Bow (14) – repent, submit                                                                                                   He would grant (16)…to be strengthened                                                                 That Christ may dwell (17)                                                                                                   So, you may comprehend (18)                                                                                         And know the Love of Christ (19)…and be filled

Where does it all begin? It begins with a submitted and repentant heart. The wonder and majesty that follow vs. 14 are predicated on a heart that cannot receive blessings if filled with confusion, distraction, and sin. Paul is demonstrating this process on behalf of the people of Ephesus, but the script is the same for an individual believer. Want to be filled with the goodness of God? Want to enter into a relationship that exceeds anything that you have ever imagined? Begin with an attitude of repentance.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 18:1-8 (day two)

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, vs. 1

Our re:verse passages these last two weeks have included some interesting parables from Jesus. A casual reading may lead one to believe that we can pester God to granting our requests. Jesus uses characters that are not beacons of virtue to illustrate his point about boldness and persistence. I also think there is another lesson to be gleaned from these passages. It is found in verse one of this week’s reading. Not only are we to be bold and persistent, but in so doing we create a discipline of prayer. Jesus is reminding of us of our absolute need to stay tethered to the father. We must have a pattern and routine of dialogue. We must speak, and we must listen. This regularity will change our hearts as we constantly seek audience with the divine.

As you celebrate Independence Day today, take time to thank God, in prayer, for the freedom to worship and share your faith.

Re:Verse passage – Luke 11:5-13 (day two) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” vs. 13

Do you ever reach a point with your friends or family where you stop asking for help? You don’t want to be ‘that guy’ where everyone runs for cover when they see you coming. Maybe you have things going on in your life that are just not quite right, but you you think you have gone to the well one too many times. When we think this way about the Lord we have sorely misjudged his capacity to listen. This kind of thinking leads to a skewed relationship with the Lord. If this passage says anything, it speaks to the demand that we be persistent. God understands our situation, but he also requires us to be honest and completely trusting in his ability to hear and act according to his great will.

As an aside, let me add my request before my church family. Today, the Youth Worship team begins day three of ministry in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We will be serving all week long in missions, food banks, and other ministries that serve the underprivileged. Yesterday, they led worship for a church in Calgary and sang for a retirement community. We will sing in several other places along the way. I am asking you to pray for their strength, rest, endurance, and boldness.