Day 27: Original 50 Days of Pray Revisited

Thoughts on Day 27: A lot can happen in two years. We are seeing today that people in prominent positions find it very hard, to tell the truth. What makes it, even more, eye opening, is when they start to tell “the truth” and the story is more confusing than the lie. How can we trust those who we should be trusting? Jesus never lied to you. He loves you. God loves you, you can take that to the bank.

 

11 March 16

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

“Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming-it has, in fact, come-when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself-Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself-Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” (John 4:23-24 MSG)

Are you engaging your spirit in the pursuit of truth? Discerning the motives being some movements and groups can be daunting. We don’t always know what motivates certain groups or individuals. On the outside, it may seem like a valid Christian organization or a harmless not for profit. But are you taking the time to ask God what He thinks about it first?

Truth is something we as humans crave. It seems that we so easily lie to each other. In the end, all we want is the truth. But once you have been lied to over and over the lies start sounding like truth. That is how people get caught up in cults or get pulled into scams. They just stopped pursuing truth long enough to be caught up in a fairy tale.

Don’t get caught in this trap. Pursuit truth. God wants to engage your spirit in truth through worship. Take some time to just praise God for who He is asking Him to continually reveal truth in the world.

Why then if we as humans crave the truth, desire it, when told about the love of Christ and what Jesus did for them do they get their backs up and put up walls against it? Like I wrote earlier, the world has been living a lie so long that the truth has been manipulated so much that it is now considered a lie. The enemy doesn’t want the world to see the truth so he has corrupted the worlds view of the truth.

Dear Jesus, the truth will set us free, as a believer I know this, but help me to realize that free people can free people. Help me to pursuit truth in my life so I will be able to show the truth in You to others. Please work on those around me who have a corrupted view of You, so when I talk to them about You they will see the truth of Christ though me and in a new light. Amen

Day Seven: Original 50 Days of Pray Revisited

Thoughts of Day Seven: Since I wrote this I have become more aware that God does truly love the world as he stated John 3:16. It is not just a catchy verse we love to quote but the truth behind it is what we need to reinforce in our lives if we want to change the world and the people around us. God Loves the world. He loves the people, he wants to have them realize this and love him back, accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made so there can be the redemption of sin that separates.

19 Feb 15

DAY SEVEN

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:11-12 NIV

I started the 50 Days of prayer two weeks ago with the original purpose of praying longer than 50 Shades of G, was in theaters. I have no doubt that we will reach that, but I am praying that God will reach people with this challenge and change lives.

Today I bring a devotional about love. God’s Love is complete. And as it states in the verse above it reads God Lives in us. His love is made complete in us. So that tells me that if I don’t have God living in my life that his love is still there but is incomplete. That is why so many people in the world are looking for something to complete that love. They fill it with so many corrupt things and avoid the one thing that will give them the wholeness they desire. How do we share this love that we have found to the people who seem so eager to ignore the love of God for things of this world that ultimately don’t satisfy their need of Gods love? Especially when you see every day a new post online arguing against who God is, or claiming the bible isn’t real or that Christians are confused and mixed up.

Jesus taught us to love on another. Love your enemies. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and body. Be the example. Work hard at not being a hypocrite when it comes to your beliefs. What you do on Sundays must carry on to every day of the week. We need to be teaching our Children to do the same. Setting an example for them. People will see who we are by what we teach our children.

So I challenge you to Love one another as God has loved you.

Dear Jesus, help us to be the example of your love. Help us to share your love. I pray that everyone who reads this today will be given a clear opportunity to share the love of Christ to someone today. Help us to see others as you see them and that they matter to you, so they should matter to us. Amen

Day 44: 50 Days of Change

“Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Really when it all boils down the commandments are not something new to us. They are incorporated into our laws and sometimes feel like they are ingrained or programmed into us from childhood. One would assume that all mankind has a inherient view that killing someone is wrong. That being said, sin has become so intrenched in our lives that it stifles out any connection we may have to the Holy Spirit. Like a massive fog we lose touch and the things that are inherient wrong don’t look so bad. 

Why shouldn’t I just take what I want? It won’t hurt anyone, they won’t even notice it is gone. I deserve it. If I manipulate the story with a few choice words, sure they aren’t true but no one will ever know. We love each other, it doesn’t matter that I’m married, that relationship is over, she doesn’t fulfill my needs, I have fallen out of love. Did you see his new sports car, man I really need one of those. Excuse may make you feel like what your doing is justifiable but it isn’t right. 

Striving to follow the commandments by themselves is impossible. If there isn’t a relationship with God though the sacrifice Jesus made, then your obedience tho honorable will not get you anywhere. Without the relationship we are stuck in sin and will continually fall prey to its lure and deception. But if we have accepted Jesus as saviour and given him our lives we then are empowered by the Holy Spirit, and are in a relationship with God himself. In this relationship we can strive effectively to avoid sin, following the commands of Jesus which encases the commandments. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor, by doing these two commands the rest will, come naturally. For one does not steal from one he love, one does not murder one he loves, one does not hate one he love, nor jealous of what they have.

Have you accept Jesus as you lord and savoir? Are you struggling to follow the commandments with out him hoping being good will get you somewhere? I ask today that you seriously look into what Jesus himself said about this. He told us that ‘I am the way, the truth, and the light, no one comes to the Father(God) but through me’. So if you expecting to get to heaven by being ‘good’ don’t be surprise when you finally get there it isn’t what you expected. Look into who Jesus is and what he has done for you.

Father, thank you for sending your son to die and rise again so that we might have an opertunity to have a relationship with you.  I pray father that anyone reading this who doesn’t know you that even right now o stir up their hearts with a desire to know you. Reveal to them the truth in your word, send someone their way to tell them about your love and gift of life. I pray you will use me to reach people around me that need to know you, let me be a light in the darkness. The people in this world who don’t have a relationship matter to you so they matter to me, it is time to get busy sharing our faith. Amen

Day 43: 50 Days of Change

“We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Many people like to use the excuse that they won’t be a part of any church because there are to many rules. What they fail to remember is that we are a rule based society. We have grown up following rules, rules of government which we call laws, rules we followed that our parents placed before us, rules when we go to school and rules at work. There are even unspoken rules of the playground. 

Many of the rules that individual churches and organizations have put in place over the years were made to help separate us from sin. The bible in the Old Testament is full of laws that we can read and wonder how we could ever follow each and every one. I don’t believe it is possible, I think God gave us such a list to show us that we can’t do it alone. That it was a way for us to see that in ourselves we can’t do anything to be redeemed. We require some help from something or someone. Jesus is that help.

When Jesus was asked about the laws or rules and which one was the greatest he gave us two to follow which in essence summed up all the rules. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. If you love your neighbor and you love God, you won’t murder anyone, you won’t lie to them, you won’t steal from them, you won’t sleep with their wives and daughters. If we can work on these two commands then the rest will follow as you won’t want to do them. 

If you are overwhelmed by rules in your faith, either because you are imposing them on yourself or your church has you under their thumb, I pray that you ask God to guide you in his commands. Ask him to guide you in loving your neighbor, ask him to show you how you can be an example of his love to them. Continually love God, don’t give up on him in the good or bad, he hasn’t given up on you. 

Father, I love you so much, thank you for send your son Jesus to die on the cross and redeeming me of my sins. I ask that I can love my neighbor more, give me opertunities to show your love to them. I ask that anyone who may be feeling oppressed by rules that aren’t from you God, that they are shown a way out, a way to freedom in you.  Holy Spirit guide us in our mission of reaching the lost, let our lives be an example of Christ love for us and them. We pray that you will give us a hunger to share you salvation message with them, because they matter to you so they matter to us. Amen

Day 42: 50 Days of Change

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many of us grew up singing ‘Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world’? A cute song with a catchy tune, something we can belt out from memory now that we are older. But is it true? Does God truly love all the children of the world? Jesus himself tells us that ‘for God so loved the world’.  Is not all mankind part of the world? And if so then does God love every man woman and child?

But what if those people are doing things contradictory to what it means to be a Christian? What if they are lock in a lifestyle riddles with sin? Does God love them? What if they are worshiping someone or something else? Does God love them? What if their sexual preference and lifestyle choice goes against what the bible teaches? Does God love them? What if they murder rape and do unspeakable things to children? Does God love them? 

Yes, he loves them all and desires to have a relationship with them. We know this as Jesus himself told us that the father is holding back the end so that others may come to know him. Judgement is coming, have no doubt on that, but God is waiting for more to turn to Jesus and embrace him. He loves them so much that he is patient and desires that those who call themselves children of God, those who have accepted Jesus sacrifice and hope, will go into the world and share his love. 

As children of God we need to love others and see them the way God does. We need to change our minds like it says in Romans 12:1-2, not conforming to the patterns of this world. It is so easy to judge someone on appearances, attitudes, lifestyles and religious choices. But we are called to look past those things and love them as children of God and introduce them to Jesus. Let him do the rest. Let’s change our mindset and start sharing the love of Jesus with the world.

Father, if we have not shared your love because of a judgement we have made in one of your children we ask for forgiveness. You reach many people and we shouldn’t be surprised who you are calling. Let us be prepared to reach out at any moment to anyone you ask us to. Calm our fears and open our hearts, Holy Spirit give us the words to speak and the love to embrace others. We want to see your children how you see them. They matter to you so they matter to us. Amen 

Day 41: 50 Days of Change

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:16-19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You must have have heard the argument before that ” why would a good God let all the bad things happen in the world” they say this as an excuse to why they can’t accept God. This of course is just a generic blanket statement that they use that really if they took the time to think about what they’re saying they may decide to change their question. The bible clearly states that one day God wil, judge the world for the bad things that are happening, it is clear in the Old Testament that he does judge places and people at certain times, look at Noah’s age and Sodom and Gommorah, even his own people Isreal. 

Since Jesus has defeated sin on the cross, God it would appear is holding back until judgement day. He has provide an opportunity for humanity to find peace and his love through Jesus. Many who make the statement above do not realize what they are saying, if they knew that asking God to deal with all the bad things in the world would include them they would have a different outlook. For they don’t see themselves as bad, they are good people who have bad things happening to them. The enemy has blinded their eyes to the truth and they have a false sense of security. They don’t understand that the underling issue with the world is affecting them as well. 

We need to be better at sharing the love of Jesus with them. We need to start changing our attitudes towards reaching the lost. We sometimes discount people based on bias and not see them for who they are, loved by God, who desires that not one be discarded or written off. If it is fear holding us back, then we need to ask ourselves why? Is the love of God flowing through us, if so then there is no need to fear, he has overcome death, he has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us through this uncomfortable and undesirable times. But we must do something, apathy and non action are not what we are called to do. 

We are called to mission of reaching the lost. The question the world should be asking us is not “why would a good God let all the bad things happen in the world” but rather ” when will this good God end all the bad things in the world” we need to be ready to share the love of Jesus with them at any moment.

Father, we need to reach those who are away from you. It is so uncomfortable and strange for us is in our culture to share our beliefs with others. Not because we don’t want to but more because Christians are consider intolerant and not understanding, which of course is further from the truth. Show us ways to reaching those around us, we know they are longing for something more in their lives.  Let us be an example of your love in actions and words. Holy Spirit push us to be sharers and get out of our comfort zones. The people around us are loved by you God, so we need to love them as well, no excuses. Amen

Day 37: 50 Days of Change

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When some of us read this passage we feel like we’ll then, what exactly are we supposed to be doing here, but what we need to slerate is the word world from the word earth. The earth is and was created to sustain us, we were called from the beginning to take care of it, help it to multiply. So for for us to enjoy the physical earth and all that it has to offer is to revel in the glory of Gods creation. 

Now the world that John speaks of her in this text is directed to the life and lifestyle of those outside of the faith. Those who live sinful lives oblivious to the fact that the path they are on leads to everlasting life with out God. Some live in full knowledge that they want nothing to do with God, which should boggle the mind of any believer, how one could once know the love of the Father yet choose a life of sin. This begs the question did they really know God the first time? I can’t judge the sincerity of their faith, but what made them walk away from their first love? Something in this world outside Gods love tempted them. 

The saying goes when you play with fire you are bound to get burned. My daughter has started a passion for reading, she has shown interest in the fantasy genre. I am working hard to guide her from this as I know that many if not all focus on some sort of  magic and if she has not set her feet on a solid foundation of faith that it may effect her. She doesn’t understand my thoughts when I tell her to return a book because it isn’t healthy for her, but I know that we must be wise in what we input into our minds. I gave here the options, read all your bible and if you do then I won’t be the judge of what else you read. I want her to read the truth, I want her to have the love of the Father in her life.

So how are you living your walk with Jesus? The world has nothing beneficial to offer. Sure it may have some seemingly fun things to offer, but almost always there are strings attached. Don’t be fooled you can’t love God and the world. Are you ready to change the way you think about life and walk with God, trusting he will not let you down? He has good things for you, let him in and show you.

Father, thank you for this awesome earth you have created for us. Help us to enjoy the earth and avoid the worldly things that will harm us. Sin has infected a lot of things and what we think may be innocent may very well be deadly. Holy Spirit guide us through life, show us what we need to do to be effective in our daily walk. We want to be seen as a people set apart, not as isolated but with something to offer, something more. We want to reach others with the truth about Jesus salvation and love. They matter to you so they matter to me. Amen

Day 36: 50 Days of Change

“I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The enemy of this world is Satan. His main desire in life is to keep humanity separated from God. Of what we know about satan and really it isn’t much, we believe that he aspired to be equal to God. When this failed he was cast out from Gods prescence to roam until his judgement day. He has one plan and that is to keep humanity from finding out that God wants a relationship with them and that they can have this through Jesus. 

Here in 1 John, we read that those young in faith have won their battle with the evil one. This battle was the battle for their soul, the battle was won the day you accepted Jesus to fight for you instead of doing it on your own. The day we humbled ourselves and said we can’t do it on our own. Anyone who does not submit to Jesus help cannot win the battles against the enemy. They can try but it is hard to win a battle inside the enemies camp. To truly win you must change sides, join the winning army the stronger one. The book of Revelations tells us the end of the battle and who wins and who is the ultimate loser. No sane person picks the losing team.

Are you on the winning team? Have you ask Jesus for help in winning the battles that rage in your life? Accepting Jesus doesn’t mean there won’t be any more problems or issues in your life. There may be more, the enemy won’t accept your leaving and will work hard to bring you back. But if you keep alongside Christ who existed from the beginning you will have the power to overcome these attacks. Will you accept Jesus help today?

Father, so many try to fight the battles against the enemy in their own strength. These futile attempts only dig them further into enemy territory. I pray that today hey will call out to you Jesus for help, if they accept you salvation and sacrifice you promise to walk with them. Holy Spirit I pray that you will speak to them, love them, show them that there is no other way forward, no other way to win this battle against the enemy. Give us as believers opportunites to show them your love and salvation. Let them see Jesus in us. For they matter to you so they matter to me. Amen

Day 32: 50 Days of Change

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For someone to argue against free will and the fact that life is all predetermined doesn’t truly make sense. For if it is all predetermined then why would we look both ways before crossing the road? In reading the bible I see one word that clearly shows me that free will is all around us. IF. If we confess, if we humble, if if if. The word if implies that we have a choice that we have to make.

What is so wonderful about this choice is that there is a promise of what will happen if we choose him. He is, is so powerful. If it was to read ‘he may be’ it wouldn’t  be that exciting. Some groups or religious people live their life under the assumption that ‘he may’ forgive them, ‘he may’ let them into heaven, but only if their good enough or have said all the right things, or done all the right things.

The God of the bible doesn’t ever say ‘he may’ it is always he will or he is, implying that he is faithful in what he tells us. We don’t have to guess if we are saved or spending eternity with him, he gave us the map and told us to come to him.

Today if you are in the group of people who aren’t sure if what you have done is good enough and your not sure where to stand with God, I want you to know that you can know for sure. If you confess your sins, he IS faithful, he will forgive you, you can know for sure that he loves you. Don’t believe me, take some time and read the Gospel of John, see what Jesus said about himself and God. He will reveal himself to you, if you will let him.

Father, some of us have lived our lives trying to be good enough, we even do religious acts I hopes of pleasing you. We now know that these are done in vain if our hearts are not connected with you. I ask you to forgive me of any sin that has penetrated my life and renew my heart. Thank you so much for giving us freewill, I pray that we can show this love you have shared with us to others. We want to be a light to all those around us they matter to you, so they matter to us and it is about time we start doing something about it. Amen

Day 31: 50 Days of Change

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Only one man can ever claim the title of having no sin. We have been infected with this sin since the beginning of humanity in the garden. The moment Adam and Eve made the choice to eat what was forbidden they changed the way we live forever. Adam and Eve were patient zero. We no because of this are born into sin, in which there is no earthly cure. Most sin effects the heart, but we sometimes focus on the sin that affects others as more dangerous.

Some would say that sin is just a buzz word we created somewhere along the way to explain immorality. If we can put a name on it then it can be contained, fixed, studied. Others will ignore it completely say that there is no God, so sin is just some imaginary thing with no value to us. 

But for those who live with the truth that Jesus born sinless, lived a sinless life, then died and took in all past present and future sins this becomes life to us. We trust what Jesus did is enough to free us from the infection and bondage of sin. We are not immune to the effects and allure of sin, it still attracts us, calls to us. To live a life after accepting Jesus without sinning is not impossible but more improbable. We can go days, weeks or months, yet our earthly flesh will fail. It is in those moments where we decide to ignore the sin or deal with it head on and move on. 

For those who don’t know Jesus, and are living in a life of sin, they just don’t understand. Living in the darkness for so long they don’t know any better. They have a skewed interpretation of wrong and right, they could act just like you, they could be a member of your church. Sin envelops them and doesn’t want to let go, it has a home there and doesn’t want to give it up.

So how then can we reach those who don’t know Jesus? How then do we reveal to them that the life they are living is a cheap imitation and that there is light in the darkness? We need to be the light to them. We need to love them, pray for them, be Jesus to them. But how do we do that? Prayer, getting out of the church and being good neighbors, opening your lips and speaking to them. Genuinely love them. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom. You who are free from the grasp of sin need to show others life with out sin.

Got a story about this? Would love to hear how your life was changed, or you were able to show someone else the light of Jesus.

Father, I pray for wisdom and strength to be the light you call me to be. I don’t want to make anymore excuses as to why I am not sharing your love with others. Guide my heart, let me push past all that is holding me back. Let my life be an example. I want to see those around me as you see them, alone and in need of a realtionship with the creator God.  They matter and are loved by you Jesus, so they matter and needed to be loved by me. Amen