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Monday
2 Corinthians 4:3-5

Tuesday
2 Peter 1:5-9

Wednesday
Luke 6:41-42

Thursday
Colossians 2:16-18 We seem to be assaulted from both sides. We are judged by our spiritual kin and by those outside the church. We are either being told how to worship better or not at all. Paul warns us against such people who are trying to use their experience for the sake of power and manipulation. What they may do and say may have the appearance of wisdom, but is it rooted in Christ?

Friday
1 Corinthians 13:11-12 How do we determine when we have passed from adolesence to spiritual adulthood? Is it by the number of verses we have picked up, or by the number of sins we have laid down? Scripture tells us that if we are to boast in anything, it's in our knowledge and understanding of God. Paul knows that his knowledge is limited, it is partial, but he is not partially known. He is fully known. Give thanks for being fully known and fully loved.

Saturday and Sunday
Hebrews 12:1-3

We are in constant pursuit of better image quality. We now have the ability to produce images clearer than what our eye can receive and our brain is able to comprehend. Yet, we still feel in the dark most of the time. In my own life I can easily get obsessed about knowing how everything is going to play out. I like to be able to see all the possibilities. I like to be in control. God reminds me that I am not, try though as I may.

The passages assigned address your ability to see spiritually; what helps, what hinders, and how to gain better perspective.

This Week.
Read the passages for each day in addition to the passages assigned previously. For example, on Tuesday you will read the passages for both Monday and Tuesday, and by Sunday you will be reading all the passages.

Note how the passages improve your vision or understanding of yourself and of God.

Prayer

Lord, I give thanks for this day. Forgive me for my lack of sight. Forgive my lack of faith. Reveal to me my sin, and your grace. Reveal to me the dept of your grace. Help me to live by your Spirit and in your truth. Amen

Special Report - Haiti Prayer

Dear Partners in the Good News,

While many of us experience suffering, either physically or mentally, not many of us have experienced the kind of unbridled suffering experienced by the Haitians. While the recent earthquakes (another one happened today)have brought untold suffering to this small country, it has also brought to our attention just how poor and unstable a country so close to our own can be.

What Can you do?

Pray. Prayer is always a powerful step to take. Pray that aid is increased and sustained for as long as needed. Pray for sound leadership to arise. Haiti is notorious for having poor leadership. Pray for the church to serve and demonstrate the love of Christ. Pray that a long term solution is developed for this struggling country. Pray that a spiritual revival would be brought about,and that voodoo would come to an end.

Give Give according to your means and pray for God's leading in your giving.

Don't Forget. Don't let this be the end of your actions. Keep Haitian in your prayers and in your life. Haiti is much like the early nation of Israel. God did not love them for being big and powerful. He simply loved them. Haiti is the same. God loves Haiti. Its not glamorous. Actually, most people would like to forget Haiti exists, and most of us did until now. Don't forget them again.

Holy Confusion!

1 Peter 1:13-21

We often see the word holy and have ideas of perfection, and with that perception we read passages like our portion today and feel overwhelmed with the idea of mustering up intestinal fortitude that we seem to be lacking. Be holy? Isn't that for someone else? No. It's a call on anyone who claims Christ because our holiness doesn't come from us, it comes from God, and apart from Jesus there can be no holiness in our lives. The call to be holy is simply a call to set yourself apart, apart from the world and its values, to live in the world but not be of the world.

You think that silver and gold are precious? In the eyes of the world they are set apart, made holy, because of their perceived value, but when have they ever been able to save one's soul.

For This Week

Read this text one a day this week.

How does this text help you to love Godand others more?

What step is this text calling you to take next?

What word, phrase, or portion is standing out to you? (Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this to you.)

For Consideration

Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.

Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book


Prayer

Lord God, give me eyes to see your truth, ears to hear your truth, strength to live your truth, courage to speak your truth, humility to accept your truth, love to be truth.

The reason reading scripture is hard.

I was having coffee with a member yesterday, and we began to discuss why we find it so hard to read scripture, but find it easy to read other things that have little or no value. The reason is because everytime you take time to sit down and read scripture you're sitting down to read the most important books and letters ever collected,and you are entering a battle field. The last thing the evil one wants you to do is to know and live truth.

When you read scripture, you are placing yourself in the presence of truth, and the Holy Spirit is drawn to the truth and makes it known to us. If we know truth, then the evil one has little influence over us. Reading scripture is hard because there is literally a battle being fought to keep us in darkness and to keep us blind so that we might be rendered ineffective. If we become weary and begin to fall away from the word then other things that have the appearance of God, but lack the power, begin to creep in and occupy the space designated for God.

You may want to pray " Lord, give me the desire to read your word,and when I do, teach me what you would have me learn. I bind the evil one from this time and space that I might know the truth so that I can live truth. Amen"

Inconvenient Accomodations

Hebrews 2:9-18

My son just celebrated his 5th birthday. He had been anticipating this day for six months; nearly obsessive about it. While at the table eating his cake he asked "So, when do I turn 6?" We told him he has to wait another year. His response was
"Ahhhhhhhh, that's going to take forever." Waiting is just too inconvenient.

There is not much about following Jesus that is convenient, yet somehow we have this notion that following Jesus is suppose to make life easier. Yes, following Jesus does have it's "perks" and "membership does have it's privilage", but they are not to make life more convenient. What Jesus offers is peace, presence, power, and love, or what we call salvation. Salvation in the larger sense of living an abundant life with God; not limited to but also involving heaven.

The portion for this week is about God making an inconvenient accomodation for love.
Not inconvenient in that it bothered Him to do so, but inconvenient in the sense that it had a cost.

For This Week
Read this portion once a day this week.

Watch the video at the bottome of the page.

Read the Biography of Sadu Sundar Sing

How did this disciple model incarnation in his ministry?

Prayer - Pray this right after you wake up, and as you enter into any communal sitation this week.

Lord, may Christ be in the eye of everyone who sees me.
May Christ be in the ear of everyone who hears me.
May Christ be in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me.
May Christ be in the touch of everyone who feels me.
May Christ be in the mind of those who think of me.
May Christ be in me,and I in Christ Jesus.

Amen

When Love Comes to Town

Luke 2:21-40 ( Click On Passage)

Are you expecting the Lord to arrive? Do you look for his arrival? Or do you approach the day with a sense of spiritual ambiguity, wondering if God will show up.

In this week's text we meet two incredible people, Simeon and Anna. Two people who waited on the Lord.

Jesus arrives in the temple as an infant; not preaching a sermon, healing the sick, or walking on water. He is brought to the temple by his parents and his simple presence changes the lives and complexions of two people who knew what it meant to wait on love.

For Meditation

Read this passage once a day this week.

Before reading the passage, ask the Lord to open your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit's leading.

After reading the passage ask the Lord what character trait He wishes to grow in you (for example: patience), what sin needs to be revealed, and who is He calling you to bless.

You are welcome to leave comments about what you are learning. Your comments may encourage others in thier journey.

Welcome

It's great to have you join us. I pray you find this site helpful to building your endurance for following Christ.
Blessings,
George