Blessed Way of Life

Acts 20:13-38, 1 Samuel 26-29

Acts 20:35 – In all things, I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the works of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Lord God, heavenly father, change the whole focus of my life and existence to you and to other people.  It is a much more blessed, contented and joyful way to live.  When I live for me and what pleases me, I find myself always a little empty and unsatisfied.  But when reorient myself and realign myself, when I reorient myself to you and others, I am full and ready to be poured out. I find myself contented with what you have given me because I want to give it away.  I find great joy in being poured out.  Lord, keep me from seeking to satisfy myself and my wants.  Forgive me from doing it.  Help me, O Spirit, to reorient my life toward you and my neighbor.  Grant me what I need so that I may pour myself out especially for those who are weak and ailing.  Make me weak with the weak; make me sad with the mourning.  Make me poor with the poor, and broken with the broken-hearted.  Fill my heart with compassion and my life with what they need so that I may help the weak with it.  Amen.

Justice is His

Acts 20:1-12, 1 Samuel 24-25

1 Samuel 24:12 – May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.

Lord God, when people are against me it is really easy to forget that justice is yours.  David could have very easily forgotten that. Saul was actively pursuing him and trying to kill him as if he were his enemy.  And David had him in his grasp and could have ended it and ended Saul right then and there.  But David refused because Saul was his King and because God was his god.  David knew that justice was in God’s hand even though he had the means of so-called justice in his grasp.  That’s so hard to wrap my head around.  When someone throws a spear at me, it’s really easy for me to pick it up and throw it back.  But David just dodged the spear and kept on playing his spear.  But Lord, David had a bigger picture in mind. He wasn’t so concerned about Saul who was hunting him down. David had his eyes on a bigger king, a king who truly treasured him; David had his eyes on you.  Lord, give me eyes only for you.  Give me a heart only for you.  When people throw spears at me, help me to remember that you treasure me and love me.   Help me to remember that you will get justice in some way.  It is not my place to throw spears and to get justice.  You will handle it.  Give me eyes and heart only for you so that I trust you to bring justice where justice is needed.  Keep my hand from throwing spears and trying to get even.  Give me a forgiving heart to all who would hurt me.  Give me a trusting heart to rest in you even when others are throwing spears.  Turn my mind from the hurt they have caused me to the joy that you have given me through your enduring love.  Give me eyes and heart only for you.  Amen.

God's patience

Proverbs 11:24-31, Psalm 78

Psalm 78:38-39 – Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger after and did not stir up all his wrath.  He remembered that they were but flesh, and a wind that passes and comes not again.

Lord God, there is a terrible cycle in human history, in the church, and even in me.  You do amazing and gracious things.  You do miracles.  You send manna.  You send quail.  You send speedy rescue.  And then… then I turn aside.  I see it nearly every day.  I keep doing the things I shouldn’t.  Will I ever learn?  Oh, but God you are merciful.  You should wipe me out with swift justice.  But you don’t.  You don’t unleash your justice on me. Instead, o God, you are patient with me.  Instead, o Father, you gave your only Son to bear my punishment.  Instead, o Spirit, you keep coming to convict, convince and restore.  You know my weakness and my frailty, o God, and you deal with me accordingly.  How great is your mercy!  Amen.

Mighty Power

Acts 19, 1 Samuel 21-23

Acts 19:20 – So the word of God continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Lord God, I see your Word do some mighty things.  It spread like a wildfire through your church and wherever your church went.  We see people changed.  Magic and sorcery abandoned.  Demons cast out. Gentiles and Jews.  Your Word accomplished all this and grew in force because more and more people were hearing it and were then sharing it.  Your Word, O God, has not changed in its character or its power.  It is the same as it has always been.  It always has the same reaction.  It is either loved or hated, believed or rejected.  People are hardened by it or hardened to it.  Lord, keep from hardening myself to it and resisting the work of your Holy Spirit.  There are times when I don’t really want to receive in repentance and faith what your Word says.  Keep me from hardening myself to it.  Soften me by your Word to your Word that I might grow in your grace and power.  Then, Lord, also keep your Word right on the tip of my tongue.  Make it like a fire in my bones so that I simply do not want to hold it back.  Set me on fire to share your Word.  In this way, Lord, by changing me and by changing others through your mighty word, grow your church.  Send out your Word like a wildfire that more may hear and believe.  Amen.

Reasonable Conversation

Acts 18, 1 Samuel 18-20

Acts 18:4 – And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

Lord God, I want to share your Word in a reasonable and logical way.  I want to be able to converse with whomever I meet and share the Gospel with them in a way that they can understand.  You, Lord Jesus, desire all to be served and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  This includes all people that I meet.  O Holy Spirit, help me to learn more about the people around me so that I understand where they are coming from.  Give me a loving heart so that I get to know them even before I help them get to know you.  Give me wisdom to speak your Word to them in a way that they will understand.  Give me words, illustrations, and Bible passages – all at the right time which you will use to convict, convince and convert their hearts.  Lord Jesus, O God, my Father in heaven, dear Holy Spirit, Comforter and Guide – I am with you on your worldwide mission to save souls.  Equip me with wisdom, love and reasonable conversation so that people might hear the gospel clearly from me and so believe.  Use me to serve people.  I am a clay vessel in your hand. Use me this day.  Amen. 

Hill to Die On.

Acts 17, 1 Samuel 16-17

1 Samuel 17:26 – Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

Lord God, this account of David and Goliath is such a familiar story.  It’s a story of how you gave a little shephard boy victory over a great giant.  What astounds me is the reason that David stepped forward.  He came forward not for fame, not for riches, not because he was personally offended, but because you, God, had been defied.  When I think about the hills on which I am willing to take my stand and the causes for which I am most willing to fight, my heart isn’t like his.  Even worse, my heart isn’t like yours.  I get angry and upset because I have been defied.  I push back because my name is being slandered.  I am bothered because I am not respected or heard.  I find myself fighting for me.  Forgive me, Lord.  A fight for my cause or name is sinful.  There is a name and a cause so much greater and larger for which to fight.  There is a hill so much higher to stand on.  That name and that Kingdom, O Jesus, is yours.  That cause, O God, is yours.  My work and my life – as I seek first your kingdom – is fighting against the gates of hell.  The real enemy isn’t the so-called “Goliath’s” in my life, but the forces of Satan.  The real offense is an offense against your name and your cause.  The real offense is when people are mocking your great name and when they attack your Kingdom, the kingdom of the living God.  Lord God, help me to direct all of my energies for your name, your kingdom, and your glory.  And, if there is a cuase to die for, let it be for your holy and saving name.  Amen.

Sadness. Deep sadness.

Acts 16, 1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel 15:35 – And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul.

Lord God, Father in heaven, this emotion out of Samuel is a little surprising. It’s surprising because Saul had taken his place as leader over the people.  Samuel was pushed to the background.  It’s surprising because Saul had also turned his back on everything that Samuel tried to teach him.  And yet here is Samuel grieving and weeping tears of sorrow over the fall from faith of his king, Saul.  It shouldn’t surprise me though.  Hell is that bad.  A loss of faith is that bad.  There no part of me that should rejoice, even quietly at a fall from grace. Instead, every part of me should weep about the pagan I met today who knew about Jesus, but completely denies him.  Every part of me should weep about the Muslim who acknowledges Jesus as a prophet, but refused to confess him as God. Every part of me should weep with deep, deep sorrow over all who do not believe in Jesus.  Father, forgive my cold heartedness toward them.  I’ve almost become calloused to their eternal destiny. I’ve almost become cold to their unbelief.  Lead me to weep tears of sorrow for them.  Teach me to pray prayers that your kingdom might come to them, that faith might live in them.  And help me to act on it.  Keep me from sitting back while people pass by in front of me uncaring when I know that many of them are lost.  Keep me from sitting silently and uncaringly about their eternity.  I can’t save them, Lord, but I can tell them about you who did save them.  Give me a heart like Samuel’s that grieves for souls lost and then like Paul’s who did whatever it took to save some.  Amen.

Numbers not Needed.

1 Samuel 11-14

1 Samuel 14:6 – It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.

Lord God, this is such a great reminder when I’m afraid because I don’t have numbers on my side.  This is such a confidence that Jonathan has as he steps into a battle in which he is vastly outnumbered.  But here is a great promise and a great trust. O God, you promise that you alone are more than strong enough and more than wise enough for any and every situation no matter how terrible the odds may be.  You don’t need a lot of numbers to get it done.  You just need me to go and do the work you’ve called me to do.  And you use me.  And if you want to use more people than just me, that’s great.  But that doesn’t make the victory more mine or more ours if we have more people.  You teach us that lesson through Gideon and his dwindling troops.  So, Lord, also teach me to trust you fully and to boast in you alone. Victory isn’t found in the wit of my wisdom or the strength of our numbers.  It’s only found in you.  Teach me, Lord, to trust you fully and then to go out with great confidence and boldness because of your great power and love.  Amen. 

Unseen Footprints.

Proverbs 11:10-23, Psalm 74-77

Psalm 77:19-20 – Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters, yet your footprints were unseen.  You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Lord God, there are so many dangers all around me.  There are so many things that cause my heart to tremble and shake, things both great and small.  At times, I feel overwhelmed by the tasks in front of me like Moses was.  At times I feel frustrated in my calling as Moses became with the people of Israel.  At times I feel angry at you and at others because things aren’t going the way I want them too.  At other times I feel absolutely confident.  It’s like a roller coaster!  But God, you are constant in my life even I can’t see you.  You are constantly by my side even I don’t see you walking by me. You are constantly guarding and guiding me even if I don’t sense your presence.  You are the reason I can stand up and live with confidence.  Help me put this verse in my heart and my mind when I grow frustrated, overwhelmed, scared and scared.  Help me to remember it’s truth: You are always on my side even when I can’t see it.  And by this truth, then, set my heart at rest remembering your powerful words: “Be still.  Don’t be afraid.  The LORD will fight for you.”  Amen. 

Encourage the brothers.

Acts 15, 1 Samuel 8-10

Acts 15:32 – And Judas and Silas… encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

Lord God, this was a potentially explosive and divisive issue.  They were discussing what to do about a tradition thata you had commanded and was millennia old.  Yet, we see a church make a decision in love and handed down that decision out of love. They dealt with each other brothers and not as opponents.  When people disagree with me, it’s easy to see them as opponents and enemies rather than as brothers who disagree and who are struggling to keep the unity.  Forgive me, LORD, for seeing people who disagree with me as opponents and for treating them as such.  Forgive me and help me view them as brothers and as fellow disciples of yours.  Help me love them even though our disagreement may be sharp.  Help me look for ways to encourage and strengthen them in their faith.  Lord, as much as it depends on me, help me to live at peace with everyone.  I cannot control how they treat me or what they do, but I can control how I see them, how I treat them, and what I do.  Help me to see them as brothers, help me to bear with them in love, and so preserve the unity of your body, the church.  This is your church, dear Lord, keep it together.  Amen.

Put it away.

Acts 14, 1 Samuel 4-7

1 Samuel 7:3 – And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Lord God, as I read through the history of your people I see a pattern.  For a while your people follow you and then they turn away.  For a while they repent and then they go back to their old gods and old habits.  This was another one of those times when the people were called to give up and put away things that they held near and dear.  Idols don’t go away quietly. Our attention to the false gods that fill our lives don’t go away without a fight.  Idolatry needs to be obliterated and put out of my life.  Lord God, first, I pray help me to identify where the idols and the false gods exist.  It isn’t quite as easy for me as an idol on my mantle.  Help me identify. Then, Lord God, fill my heart so fully that there is no room for it in my life, so that I can’t stand to have that thing in my life.  Instead of giving me pleasure, it becomes so distasteful for me that I don’t want it to be anywhere around me.  Then, Lord, help me to put it away so that my heart is only directed to you.  Keep working in my life in these ways, dear Lord, so that this pattern is repeated daily until I reach my home in heaven.  Amen.

All but Absent.

Acts 13, 1 Samuel 1-3

1 Samuel 3:1 – And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent visions.

Lord God, keep me from this.  Keep this from us.  Keep me from following you by mouth and body, but not with heart, with my hearts far from you while I worship you with my mouth.  Keep me from settling for a form of obedience or a laxity that lets sin run rampant with no rebuke.  Keep us from neglecting your Word and setting it on a shelf while we have no regard for it and pay little attention to it.  Lord, the worst thing that could ever happen to us would be to lose your Word and the faith which finds in your Word our everything.  Do not, I pray, take your Holy Spirit from us, but restore to us the joy of our salvation. Grant us a yearning for the Word which begs to hear it and is glad to meditate on it.  The people in Acts begged for Paul to come back.  The people in Samuel hardly wanted to listen.  Give us such a yearning for your Word which begs for the Word to be spoken and taught.  Amen.

Settle the matter!

Acts 12, Ruth 1-4

Ruth 3:18 – She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”

Lord God, today you will place opportunities right in front of me today so that I can sieze them and so serve you.  I don’t have to look any further than the family who lives right in front me.  I don’t have to look any further than the people who cross my path today whether by coincidence or on purpose.  I don’t have to look any further than the tasks that are on my to-do list.  Some of the opportunities are planned and scripted.  Others of the opportunities are far from planned but just happen.  Lord God, it doesn’t seem as Boaz had Ruth on his marital radar that night, but he wasn’t going to waste any time doing what was right for her and what was right in your sight.  Lord God, give me wisdom today to say “yes” to some things and “no” to other things so that I can make the most of the opportunities you place in front me.  Give me strength to carry it out.  Give me wisdom to make good choices.  And bless the decisions I make and the things that I do.  Yes, Lord, bless the work of my hands.  Amen.

The Hand of the Lord

Acts 11, Judges 20-21

Acts 11:21 – And the hand of the LORD was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the LORD.

Lord God, I have all kinds of hopes and dreams, especially for your church.  And these hopes and dreams really get me excited.  I get excited to see new people visit our church and then come back a second time, just out of the blue.  I get excited to see people grab on to the ministry that we have.  I get excited to dream about what we could do.  Lord God, bless the Word that your people heard yesterday.  Let it sit in their hearts and fill them with joy and confidence.  Help them remember that their confidence and joy is not in what they can accomplish in this life, but in what you have already accomplished for them.  They have a stunning reputation earned and given by you, Lord Jesus.  And I pray, let your hand be upon us and bless the work that we do.  Use us.  Use me today to lead people further up and further into your Gospel promises.  Use me to touch people who don’t know you yet with the saving Gospel.  Keep my motivation for this be all about you and not about how many come or don’t come.  Most of all, dear Lord, bless our work so that more and more people turn to you whether they do it here with us or somewhere eels.   Let your hand rest on all Christians richly that your kingdom may grow and flourish.  Amen.

Lead the Leaders, God.

Proverbs 11:1-9, Psalm 72-73

Psalm 72:1 – Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!

Lord God, bless with wisdom those who govern.  Help them rule and govern and legislate in a way that is good for the people of this country.  Through their actions and decisions let your blessing come down on our nation.  Give them justice in their actions, decisions and judgments.  Protect, through them, especially those who have no voice and cannot defend themselves.  Lead them to give special attention to the defenseless.  Help me, O Lord, to honor them all and to pray for them whether I agree with them or not, whether I voted for them or not.  Through their leadership let peace prevail so that I can continue to worship and share my faith freely and without fear. Lord God, give wisdom and justice to all who lead and govern in our country. Amen. 

Leadership Needed.

Acts 10:23-48, Judges 18-19

Judges 18:1 – In those days there was no king in Israel.

Lord God, Israel was suffering from a lack of leadership.  For years they had served under the leadership of Moses and Joshua.  But now, who was their leader?  It was left to the fathers and husbands.  It was left to the priests and Levites.  It was left to the parents.  And they suffered because there was no spiritual leadership.  Lord God, your people still need leadership so that they remain faithful to you.  Raise up fathers and husbands in Christian families to be spiritual leaders for their wives and children.  Raise up pastors and elders in your church to be leaders for the sheep whom you have gathered there.  Raise up parents who will care first about the souls of their children so that God’s Word is a chief part of every conversation. Raise up Christians who will be leaders and examples in their community.  I cannot and do not expect, O Lord, that our political leaders will add anything to the lives of your people other than peace and freedom to live and practice our faith.  Give me and continue to provide for me spiritual leaders whom I can follow so that I remain faithful and so that I can become more and more of a spiritual leader.  Amen.

Follow.

Acts 10:1-22, Judges 14-17

Judges 17:6 – In those days there was no king in Israel.  Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Lord God, help me to seek your way, your will, and the good of others in all that I do.  It’s easy and pleasing to me to walk down a way that is right in my own eyes.  That’s what was going on in Israel during this time period.  They were doing things that were good for them, but weren’t thinking about what was good for other people.  Help me, Lord, to consider how my decisions and actions affect other people so that all I do is done out of love.  They were doing things that were clearly contrary to the commands that you had laid down for your people to follow.  Help me, Lord, to submit all my desires, decisions, and actions to your clear will.  My decision and my actions cannot be sin; they cannot be selfish.  They must be obedience and love. Help me to follow the clear commands and your good guidance as I do what I do. In this way, I will be doing what is right in your eyes instead of in my own.  Amen.

Blessed Peace.

Acts 9, Judges 12-13

Acts 9:31 – So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up.  And walking in the fear of the LORD and the comfort of the Holy Spirit it multiplied.

How good, O Lord, and how pleasant it is when the church lives together in unity and peace.  It’s a beautiful thing when the church lives together in peace and grows up in faith.  It’s something that people see and notice and think, “That’s a beautiful thing.  Maybe I want to be a part of that!”  When your church lives in unity and peace people see your Light shining and are drawn to it.  How good it is and how pleasant it is!  Lord, I pray you, continue to create, preserve and strengthen the unity of your church on earth – our church, our body, our congregation – yes, even the broader Christian church on earth!  Help us to rejoice in the unity that we do have.  Help us to work on this unity so that we make it stronger and better.  Help us to work toward a greater unity with other Christians too that your body may more and more realize the unity that already exists in the holy Christian church.  We pray, also, dear Lord, draw others toward your church so that it may grow inwardly and also be multiplied with souls.  Amen.

Seed of the Church

Acts 8, Judges 9-11

Acts 8:4 – Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

O God, in wisdom and love you gather your church into a family and a body where one cares for another.  You gather us around word and sacrament to feed our faith. You gather us for fun, fellowship, and time together so that we can be a support to each other in every phase of life.  It’s easy to settle into the blessed gathering of believers and without even thinking about it exclude others from it.  As I go out into the world you are scattering me into different parts of this city and even into other cities, open my eyes and my ears so that I make the most of every opportunity to share the word.  Help me to scattered the seed of your Word where I can, yes, wherever I can, so that by my scattered life and the scattered seed which I cast on souls more may be gathered in. Scatter me to scatter your seed.  Scatter your seed to gather the church.  Use me how, when, and where you will, Lord that your Kingdom may be filled and your people gathered.  Amen.

Special Encouragement.

Acts 7:54-60, Judges 6-8

Judges 7:10-11 – But if you are afraid, go down to the camp with Purah your servant.  And you shall hear what they say, and afterwards your heart will be strengthened to go down against the camp.

Lord God, you give me such encouragemet in ways that sometimes I don’t even recognize.  The pat on the back from someone I don’t know that well.  The encouraging word, text, or email out of the blue from someone in my life.  The surprising information about how things are really going.  The insights gleaned from study and research.  O God, you give me special encouragement in my life in all kinds of ways.  Gideon needed such encouragement from you before he went into battle and you gave it to him.  Lord God, thank you for the special encouragements you give me in so many different ways.  It bolsters my spirit and emboldens me to carry on with the work you’ve given me.  Help me to be such an encourager to others.  Help me to find ways to encourage people with words, with notes, with texts, with prayers, even with out-of-the-blue actions.  Use me to be and to give special encouragement to the people I meet today.  Amen.