Tag: Light

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Violating Comfort Zones

JUNE 24

MATTHEW 6:14_For if ye forgive men their trespasses…

When you see a No Trespassing sign what does it tell you? Don’t go there! Don’t cross this line! This is not free range! Turn around! Go another way! If you continue in this path you are violating the law! Stay away!

Use your key to gain some wisdom, understanding, and knowledge about trespassing. You will find a lot. Proverbs 4:27 (KJV), “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”

Sometimes you stray from the path. Just a small step right or left, may require a very large step to get back on track. For the salty-lit-up disciple, that should bring conviction. You are unsteady. You can’t make yourself do right. The Holy Spirit pulls in the direction to follow. Ask forgiveness for trespassing down the wrong road.

The Lord places people around you. The Bible calls them your neighbor, but that does not mean they necessarily live next door.

Sometimes people stray and trespass into your life – violating comfort zones and causing pain.

No salty-lit-up disciple would deny forgiveness to a trespasser. Disciples know they have received forgiveness from God for their trespasses.      

PRAYER

Guiding Father, Please guide my feet in Your path. Please block me so I do not turn in another direction. If I do, set me back on Your road. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is the Path—I want to stay with Him!

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That Blows Me Away!

JUNE 22

MATTHEW 6:13_and the glory…

What is glory anyway? Merriam Webster defines it as worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving; resplendence and magnificence. That’s the Lord God! 

God uses His authority and control for good – to give love and mercy to creation. We’ve already read I John 4:17 (KJV). It needs to be repeated along with verse 16. “16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”

God’s love can dwell in me! I can stand bold on Judgment Day. I stand bold because the power of God’s love worked within me in this life. I don’t have to wait for eternity to love like God – I can do it now! God gives me the ability to share in His glory.

God’s love shining through me gives light to my surroundings. Because it is God’s love, it shines from me with resplendence and magnificence! That blows me away!

The kingdom, and the power, and the glory belong to the Holy God of Heaven. He wants to place it inside my heart. How can I turn that down?!          

PRAYER

Resplendent God, I praise Your glory! I worship You and all Your glory. I truly stand amazed in Your presence! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is Glory—I want His glory in my life!

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Lots of Hallelujah Shouting!

JUNE 8

MATTHEW 6:10_in earth, as it is in heaven.

If you think it is easy to pray, “not my will but Thine be done” – you’ve never really prayed it. In this same account of Gethsemane, we find in Luke 22:44 (KJV),“And being in an agony he [Jesus] prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Praying for God’s will to be done caused the Holy Son of God to sweat blood! 

During my time on earth I want the strength and faith to seek God’s will above my own. God’s will is always greater, and it is always full of love and mercy – although I may not see that until His will has been done.  God’s will is always goodness and kindness toward people, and is founded on love.

In heaven, God’s will shall be done. I won’t have to be anxious about caving in to my own will. No wonder there will be lots of praising in heaven! Lots of hallelujah shouting! Lots of adoration worship! God’s will is done daily, hourly, and moment by moment. That gives reason to rejoice!

I couldn’t make it in this life without prayer. I need to talk with the Father. I need to pour out my heart before Him. I need to feel His comfort and reassurance in my uncertainty.

It is God’s will that causes my light to shine.         

 PRAYER

Omnipotent God, Praise You that Your will is always better than mine. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Christ knows God’s will—His will make me shine!

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A Form of Worship

JUNE 1

MATTHEW 6:8_for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of…

God knows our needs. That is not a reason to bail out on prayer. We decided prayer was primarily about building relationships. Getting to know each other.

If we’ve learned anything the past 150 plus days it’s that Jesus’ teachings are right, holy, and true. Jesus’ teachings lead us to be salt and light.

We can learn a lot about prayer from the prophet Nehemiah. He prayed well and often. Nehemiah 1:11 (KJV), “O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him [Nehemiah] mercy in the sight of this man [King Artaxerxes].”

Nehemiah had a large request to ask King Artaxerxes. He wanted some time off. Not just a few days – years! Nehemiah wanted to leave Persia, return to his home town, Jerusalem, build a wall, and renew Israel’s faith in the LORD. He prayed before he asked the king. Nehemiah just prayed a lot. Notice he asked God to be attentive to the prayer of His servant. I learned that from him. I ask God to let His ears be attentive to the prayers of His servant (me).

Prayer is not about coming to God because you feel obligated. Neither is it only about asking God to do something for you, or give something to you.

Prayer is a form of worship.

PRAYER

Jesus Friend, Thank You that I am Your friend. I want to be a loving friend who enjoys communicating with You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is my friend—I am His friend!

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A Specific Commission

MAY 29

MATTHEW 6:7_as the heathen do…

Jesus goes from reproaching hypocrites to reproaching heathens. The word heathen in this verse can be translated as Gentile. Remember, Gentiles are not Jews. They were not under the covenant God made with Abraham. Nor were they under the laws God gave to Moses.

The Jews considered the prayers of Gentiles to be great babblings. Since Gentiles did not serve or have a relationship with the One True God, their prayers were not directed to Him. Therefore, to whatever god or idol they prayed, all they could offer was empty babbles.

After Jesus conquered death and was about to ascend back into heaven, He gave His disciples a commission. Mark 16:15 (KJV), “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Jesus gave Peter and Paul a specific commission – to share the gospel of the resurrected Jesus with the Gentiles. Praise God Peter and Paul obeyed the call!

We are no longer heathen just because we are Gentiles. Those of us who answer the call to become salty-lit-up disciples can enter our closet, shut the door, and commune with the Holy God of Heaven! Hallelujah!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Praise You for being the God of all mankind. Praise You for making a way for Gentiles to enter Your presence . In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ loves Gentiles—He made a way for me!