To Love the Lord

 "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God...This is the first and greatest commandment."  Matthew 22:37-38 NIV

The greatest commandment is to love God.  We are called to love other people but the first commandment is to love God. That is because we can only truly love other people once we have allowed God to transform our hearts.  We show our love to God by accepting his authority and teachings in the Bible.  We love God when we stand in awe of his creation.  We love God when we meditate on his character and rejoice in the beauty of it. We love God when we search for his knowledge and understanding, and we love God when we thank him for all the goodness he has given us. Loving God isn't doing good works. It is being like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus and adored him. 

Dear Father, you want to be in a loving relationship with us. Remind me that, although you have given us good works to do, that you want us primarily to be worshiping you as our loving, heavenly Father. Open my eyes to your infinite love and help me to love you in return.

In the Midst of Evil

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."        John 17:15 NIV 

One of the differences between Christianity and some other religions is that we are not called out of the world.  We are called to be light in the world. Some philosophies teach their adherents to block out the evil in the world by emptying the mind or being mindful in nature. That is fine for short term relief from the stresses of the modern world but it does not address the fundamental issue of how we face evil.  The Bible tells us to resist the devil, to stand against sin, and to not fear. We are not avoiding the tragic realities of sin. We are facing them head on and affirming that our God is victorious over the works of Satan. We are courageous and hopeful, knowing that our Saviour is King. Our minds are not blank; they are filled with the knowledge of God's love.

Dear Father, I thank you that you give us strength and power over the works of the devil.  I pray that I will meditate on your word in the Bible and know that you are always in control.  I thank you that I can rest in the assurance of your salvation and love.

The Law of the Lord

 "The Law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul." Psalm 19:7 NIV

How often in today's society do we view laws as constricting and limiting.  We chaff against the rules of government even if we follow them. Some laws we agree with if they increase our personal safety or wealth.  But the Law of the Lord is totally different from secular laws.  It is perfect which means it is totally just, totally complete, totally good.  The purpose of the Law is to bring us into relationship with God.  It refreshes the soul.  Only God and his wisdom can truly refresh our souls. Worldly pursuits can give us a quick flash of happiness or excitement but only God gives us lasting water for our thirsty souls. His Law is not oppressive.  It is liberating and life-giving.

Dear Father, thank you for your perfect Law. I pray that I will keep your laws firmly in my heart at all times.  The only way I can be a blessing to others is if I have obeyed your laws and refreshed my soul.  I pray that the church will always keep your Law front and foremost.

Heavenly Fear

 "...the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."  Exodus 20:20 NIV

The fear of God is sometimes viewed as a negative thing. Many people try to dilute it and call it reverence or respect.  But the Bible says "fear" and for a good reason.  We are by nature stubborn and self-centered and it is the fear of God that motivates us to turn away from our sins.  The threat of God's discipline helps us to focus our hearts on doing the right thing because otherwise we make any number of excuses for our bad behaviour. The Bible has many verses that talk about the fear of God.  They remind us that following God and obeying him brings great rewards, not least of which is a true relationship with God.  We can be thankful that God uses our strong emotion of fear to get our attention and guide us into real life.

Dear God, thank you for telling us to fear you.  We fear so many things that should not be feared: death, illness, others' opinions of us, poverty. These unrighteous fears destroy our lives. You promise us that if we fear you instead that you will save us, forgive us and give us everlasting life with you.  Thank you for giving us hope and many blessings in this life as well as helping us to be a blessing to others. Until we truly love you, we need to fear you.

The Kingdom of God

 "Jesus travelled about...proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God." Luke 8:1 NIV

The Kingdom of God is referenced many times in the New Testament. It encompasses many aspects of God's sovereignty. Jesus fulfilling his purpose as Messiah by dying on the cross for our salvation demonstrates the king-ship or king-liness of God as He not only demonstrates his power over death but also his protection and provision for his people. The good news of the Kingdom of God is that God saves us from our sins and that He changes us so that we can become people that glorify God and that bless the world. Being under the loving Lordship and authority of God, we receive life and freedom from the destructive chains of sin. We are so blessed to have a King, the King of the universe.

Father, we thank you for bringing us into your Kingdom. Guide us, shape us, change us so that we are righteous subjects of your Kingdom. We pray that we will bring glory and honour to you, the King who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

God's Grace, not Worldly Wisdom

 "Relying not on worldly wisdom, but on God's grace."  2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV

One of the big struggles today in our churches is to discern the difference between our societal values and the values of God.  Many issues arise in our congregations because people want to be more in line with our current culture.  However, the Bible teaches us that, while we are in the world, we are not to be conformed to the world. The church is to be an example and a blessing to the world, but it is to take its direction from God who has provided us with explicit instructions for life through the Bible. Whenever a church goes running after popular culture, it weakens and eventually dies. If the number of people attending a church is declining in spite of the Gospel being preached, there is nothing to worry about.  God will not allow his Word to return empty. Our job is not to fill churches, our job is to preach the Gospel.  God's Holy Spirit will convict and give grace to further his kingdom in his perfect plan.

Lord, thank you for the Bible that clearly tells us how to live. Keep my mind focused on your words of wisdom and love. Protect me from the insidious tendrils of our secular society. You are the Way, the only Way.

The Promise of Trouble

"In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world."  John 16:33 NIV

We like to study the promises of God and read about all the blessings he sends our way.  We try to pretend that trouble and difficulties are an "if" but Jesus clearly says that they are a "when". A Christian life in no way protects us from problems, suffering, and grief. The difference for the Christian is that Christ gives us his spirit so that we can weather these storms and encourage other people who are similarly afflicted.  "Take heart", "I have overcome" are incredible words of hope.  They are the light in the darkness. Ultimately, we can focus our eyes on our eternal life with God in this life and in the life to come, and then the current trouble will come into proper perspective. 

Lord, we never like to have trouble. Our human weakness is to want a pain-free life. Thank you for reminding us that we will have trouble and to not be surprised by it.  Thank you for sending us the Holy Spirit who keeps testifying to your love and gives us hope for tomorrow.