The Everyday Prayer

Re: Verse reading–John 13:1-17 (day one)  “For I have set for you an example”–v 15.

Do you remember your preschool years?  Learning to write?  To handle pencil and paper? Do you remember the teacher putting a translucent piece of paper down on a bolder, darker letter and asking you to TRACE IT?

In John 13, Jesus uses a similar word.  Usually translated “example” the Greek word is a combination of “to show” (deigma) and “under” (hupo).  It literally was to put an image down and ask the student to copy it.

Is this a realistic standard?  Will it work for us in 2017?  Can moderns actually imitate Christ, copy His choices and attitudes?  Jesus is confident that the answer is Yes!   “If you do this, you will be blessed” says v 17.

The secret to life is not to find myself but to mimic Christ.   The secret to being me is becoming like Him.  WWJD?  ITIWTI! (I think I will try it)

Re: Verse reading–Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53 (day seven) “Behold, my servant will prosper”–52:13.  It is a truth that can be misused.  Often is.  Even so, it is hard to deny God’s promise to PROSPER those who serve Him.

“This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way PROSPEROUS, and then you will have SUCCESS.”–Joshua 1:8 “Those who honor Me, I WILL HONOR”–1 Samuel 2:30.

As we resist the attempt to equate prosperity promised with material wealth (and we must), we must also resist the attempt to remove it from our expectations.  “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”  shouts the New Testament (Romans 8:38)

Friend, do you believe that God will PROSPER you ( peace, power,  spiritual progress and eternal reward) as you surrender to Him?

Re: Verse reading–Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53 (day four)

Appearances are not always as they seem.  The Messiah appeared despised and forsaken.  He looked to be stricken and smitten of God.  But He was high and lifted up.  He was greatly exalted.  Jesus was the only substitute for us…the only one acceptable to God to take on the sins of the world and atone for them.

“God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7)  God sees beyond the circumstances and sees His perfect will.  Often we get bogged down in the circumstances of life.  Jesus was able to remain faithful and obedient to God through all of the persecution, torture and death, because He did not lose sight of His call.  Don’t allow the circumstances of your life to distract you from the work that God has called you to do.  Isaiah identified the Messiah as a suffering servant.  To be a servant, keep your eyes and heart on your call.                                                                                      

Re: Verse reading–Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53 (day three)

“He was numbered with the transgressors.”  First, consider humanity’s rogues gallery—those unsavory individuals who represent all that’s wrong with the human race: History’s most notorious megalomaniacs make the list, plus domestic terrorists, plus all murderers, predators, thieves, thugs, and general riff-raff.  But surely the world owes its difficulties to more than state-recognized criminals.  Have you been on the receiving end of a lie?  Have you cheated on your spouse?  Have you used a friendship to further your own social position?  We’re all rogues now.  And if you look closely at that list, you’ll see a shocking face: that of Jesus Christ, counted among the sinners.  Now consider: The King of kings willingly became the rogue of rogues, taking the blame for the sin of mankind.  And now all of us must answer for this innocent man’s execution.  What will you say?

Re: Verse reading–Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (day two) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth…53:7a

He kept quiet. Our first reaction when we see injustice is to shout, rage against the machine, cry out for right. Jesus kept silent. Does this mean that we are to sit idly by and watch people endure cruelty or oppression? Certainly not, but Jesus had the long game in mind as he endured his affliction. If he would have called out or spoken up what would that have meant for me or you? His refusal to defend himself sealed our opportunity for salvation. If, when you witness injustice, you are filled with a righteous indignation stop and think of what Christ endured and how he allowed it to take place. For you.

Re: Verse reading–Nehemiah 6:1-16 (day seven) “They were all trying to frighten us.”–v 9.

It is a familiar strategy.  Our enemy (Satan) uses it against us (Christians) with great regularity.  Step 1–Create fear (cancer, job loss, abandonment, a new pastor. . .you fill in the blank).  Step 2–Seep this fear into the center of the heart (where faith belongs).  Step 3–Allow/encourage decisions to be made, attitudes to be set from this anxious heart.  Step 4–Dismiss all protests against such action as “I am just being realistic”.  Step 5–Rest satisfied (Satan does) that no power or progress will come to this neutralized-by-fear-life. No progress.  Just constant positioning against the thing feared.

Nehemiah knew. “Whatever is not from faith is sin”–Romans 14:23.

Re:Verse reading–Nehemiah 6:1-16 (day four)

It was the social media of the day.  Sanballat and Tobiah were not having any success with deterring Nehemiah from his task.  They sent an open letter to try to get public opinion against him so he would relent in fear.  Nehemiah maintained his focus on God’s directions rather than political correctness.

Have you ever allowed the ‘fear of man’ to keep you from doing what you know God has instructed you to do?  Nehemiah had obviously spent time alone with God.  He recognized His voice and he maintained his obedience.  The world will offer options that appear to be the judicious choice, but fail to be exactly what God has prescribed. Verse 12 says, “Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him…”  The servant leader must allow Scripture to interpret circumstances, not circumstances to determine Scripture! Know the voice of the One who calls you…and follow Him.  After all, whose opinion has eternal significance?

Re:Verse reading–Nehemiah 6:1-16 (day three)

“Each time I gave them the same answer.” Nehemiah kept guarding himself against mission creep.  He understood the alternative.  Pretty soon, you’re building a wall—and crafting diplomacy toward unfriendly nations.  And strengthening alliances with friendly nations to stand with you against unfriendly nations.  And sharing military strategy and resources and personnel with those allies as the initiative to build a front against unfriendly nations progresses.  On it goes.  The Bible reveals that when all things occupy equal importance, your energies become diluted.  Those who need serving don’t get served well.  Those who need leading don’t get led well.  And eventually, you can’t tell a good idea from a bad one because you’ve set them all on equal footing from the start.  Nehemiah said, “Now strengthen my hands.”  That prayer says, “Help me do this task well.  Not that thing.  This thing.”