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 Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:20 am
Tuesday October 9th
Living in His Kingdom
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
The very mention of kings and kingdoms brings to mind scenes of medieval monarchs with absolute power. How different is King Jesus and the kingdom He brings! Luther called Him a beggar king, for He came in utter meekness and lowliness unknown to the world’s royalty. He came to give Himself for His subjects, not to crush them with His demands.
By the Passion of our King, we are restored to His kingdom, that, through faith alone, we might live in Him even as He lives in us. To live in His kingdom is to die to sin through daily repentance and to rise to life again through daily forgiveness. This is to return to your Baptism, for you have been crucified and raised with Christ. He died for your sin and rose to give you life. You live that new life in Christ’s kingdom not by your pious works, but by trusting the verdict of the King: “Your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:20). Where His absolution is preached, God is establishing His kingdom. It is the only safe place for sinners.
Blessed Jesus, King of grace, guard and protect me that nothing may lure me away from Your kingdom. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:52 pm
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part I
Don't even think about reading the next three devotions unless you're willing to stretch your mind, use your imagination and enter into a world from which you may never want to leave.
Yeah, it's bizarre, but you were warned. Ready to travel? Okay. Close your eyes. Go ahead. As in now. (Hey! Your eyes can't be shut if you're still reading!).
Okay. With your eyes closed . . . pretend you're a cow. A beautiful golden-brown cow with just the right amount of white sprinkled throughout your hide to make you attractive to all the other cows.
Are you hungry? Okay, let's mosey out to greener pastures. As we stroll through the thick, tall green you stop to swish your tail and show the flies who's boss. Ummm. The warmth of the yellow sun on a clear day feels incredible. You lift your nose to the sky, taking in the glistening glow of warmth about to become heat. Ahhh. How could life be any better?
Your four hooves leisurely lead you through the bright green pasture, rich in a grassy buffet of your favorite vegetation. Yep. This is the life, you think as you chew on your favorite meal.
You lovingly gaze at your friends next to you enjoying the same wonderful life. Suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted by the sound of horse hooves parading upon your territory. You turn your head to see the owner of the ranch dismounting his horse with a long, iron rod. Almost immediately, several ranch hands have joined him. They start a fire, and you turn back to your lunch.
Within no time, the fire has become steady, strong flames of heat. You hear one of the ranch hands say, “It's hot enough now. Grab the iron.”
You turn around just in time to see the owner of the ranch dip the iron rod in the blazing fire. What happens next is a blur.
The owner pulls the rod out of the fire, and you notice that what was once black iron is now a brightly glowing red. You've never seen anything become so hot that it changes colors. But in just seconds, you not only see it, you experience it.
The owner raises the glowing-red rod to you! You're too stunned to move. And in the millimeter of a second, he's pressing the iron to your back. What? Hey! You don't even have time to think. Or to process. All you can concentrate on is the sound of your own flesh being seared with the owner's rod.
You've been branded.
Everywhere you graze, anywhere you wander, everyone will see your owner's mark on your skin. From this point on, there will be no doubt as to whom you belong.
Know It!
Yes, it's a bizarre illustration, and you won't realize its full impact until you've finished reading the following pages. But get this: God wants there to be no doubt that you belong to Him.
Read It!
John 15:19; Romans 1:6; Romans 14:8; 1 John 3:9.
Pray It!
Ask God if you're allowing His reflection to shine clearly through your life. Are there any blockages that are standing in the way?
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:21 am
Wednesday October 10th
Confessing Jesus Is My Lord
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3
A theologian once described the Holy Spirit as “the shy member of the Trinity.” That is an apt way of speaking about the Spirit, for He does not call attention to Himself but to the Lord Jesus. The Spirit was sent by the Father to bear witness to His Son. He is sent not to bring us new revelations but to declare to us Jesus’ words, so that we trust in all that our Savior has done for us in His living, dying, and rising from the dead.
The Spirit delivers Jesus. That is, the Spirit takes all the treasures that our Lord has won for us on the cross and He delivers these gifts to us in His Word and Baptism so that we believe the Gospel. That is why, in the Nicene Creed, we confess the Holy Spirit as “the Lord and giver of life.” He breathes life, Jesus’ life, into your ears and hearts, bringing you out of death and into the kingdom of the risen Christ.
Come, Holy Spirit, and daily plant Your Word into my heart, that my lips may always confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. Amen.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:46 pm
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part II
The time is the early 1800s. And the unthinkable has happened. You're a slave. You still remember the day . . . years ago . . . when you stood half-naked on the auction block. Think back. You were humiliated. Men watching your every move. Eyeing you closely.
“Is she strong enough?” one asks.
“We could fatten her up a bit,” another answers.
“In less than a year, I'd have her plowing,” the first one says. “Yep. Tie her up to my yoke, attach a harness and plow to her, and I'd have 40 more acres of corn.”
A human plow? You can't believe these heathens don't see your humanity. The same guy lets out an eerie sneer. “That's not all I'd use her for.” The others laugh in a half-drunken stupor.
Then, from the crowd of sweaty, cursing men, pushes a man who's smiling. It's not the greasy, chipped-tooth smile the others sport. There's something different about him. You catch his gaze. He never looks at your beaten body; he simply looks into your eyes . . . and he smiles.
Someone starts the bidding at $5. You can't bear to look. You're too humiliated. If only I could escape, you think. Oh, for a warm bath and clothes to cover my nakedness. Another ups the price. You're worth $7.50 now. Then $10. Your head is still hung in shame. The bidding has come down between two voices. You recognize the one belonging to the man who will turn you into a human plow. The other voice? You can't place it, but you don't dare raise your head.
The human plow guy is nervous. You can tell by the sound of his voice. Is he afraid he's going to lose? you wonder. “I'll give $52,” he screams. The other voice counters the offer. Plow Man is angry. He's not used to being outbid. The numbers continue to increase. “I'll pay $71,” he screams in desperation. The other voice, calmly increases his counteroffer.
Plow Man just might lose, you think. And you find yourself desperately hoping you won't have to make your home in his barn. You know if the plow guy gets you, you'll also be having his children. You'll carry the scars of his whip. You'll never feel hope again.
“I don't know who you are, Mister,” Plow Man snarls. “But if you know what's good for you, you'll leave now!”
The other voice-ready to end the battle-matter-of-factly states, “I will never leave. I'm here to see this thing through. I'll pay any price. She's mine. I have chosen her.”
Know It!
God sent His only Son to purchase you while you were a sinner-standing naked on the auction block. Are living out your gratitude for Him through your actions?
Read It!
1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 15:23; Galatians 3:29; Galatians 5:24.
Pray It!
Express your thankfulness to God for sending His only Son to pay the price for you
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:36 am
Thursday October 11th
Called by the Gospel
To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:14
When God speaks, things happen. In the beginning, God spoke creation into existence. When God said “Let there be light,” no one had to look for the light switch! There was light. Through the preaching of the Gospel, the Lord creates faith. No wonder that Luther once remarked that whenever God brings a person to faith in Christ, there you have a miracle on par with creation itself. Just as the word of Jesus brought dead Lazarus to life, so His words bring us to new life.
The Lord Jesus says, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). If God’s Word can call into existence things that are not, if His words can open graves and make dead men walk, cannot His Word also perform the miracle of conversion? By our own reason or strength, we cannot give ourselves the gift of faith. Faith remains a gift given by the Spirit through the Gospel. Faith is not our commitment or emotional experience. It is the trust in Jesus that the Spirit works in the heart as God’s promises are heard.
Father, by Your Word and Spirit, enlighten my mind with Your promises, and enliven me to live by faith in Your Son, who has called me to be Your child. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 3:01 pm
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part III
You timidly glance up to see Plow Man rushing the other bidder. He violently throws him in the dust and raises a knife to the stranger's throat.
Plow Man's a maniac! Oh, God, protect me! you desperately pray. The stranger-you can't figure it out, because you never saw him move-is suddenly on top of Plow Man holding the knife to his throat. You can't see the stranger's face, but the plow guy is sweating so much on the dusty road, the dirt is turning to mud on his face. The stranger stabs the ground. Then he stands and says, “Get this through your head. She's mine. There is no price too high for me to pay.”
Plow Man raises himself to his feet and pulls his knife from the ground. “You can have her,” he hisses, “but this isn't over. When you least expect it, I'll take her from you!” He spits at the stranger's feet and leaves.
The stranger turns around. You gasp. It's the guy with the gentle eyes and the warm smile. He pulls out a wad of bills-empties his wallet-and unchains your feet and hands. “Here,” he says, “wrap yourself in this.”
Flannel. Your favorite. Ahhh, it feels so soft against my filthy body.
He doesn't put you in the back of his wagon. He has a place ready for you up front-with him. On your way out of town, he stops at a tailor's. “Only the best,” he says. “Make her fine clothing out of your best material. Spare no expense.”
Days turn into weeks. And you can't believe your good fortune. You're a slave, but you're being treated like a queen. Your master has given you a king-sized bed in your own big room. He cares and provides for you more than you imagined. You're so grateful, you find yourself wanting to serve him. “What can I do for you, Master?” you ask. “Can I clean the barn? Can I plant seed?”
He smiles and takes you by the hand. “I'll show you how,” he says. While you're working alongside your master, you try to concentrate on your good fortune of meeting such a wonderful friend, but you're haunted by the words of Plow Man: “This isn't over! When you least expect it, I'll take her from you!”
A month later, your master calls you into his office. “You've done a fine job here,” he says-and his eyes glisten with pride for you. “But I bought you. You had no choice in the matter. I paid for you, and I brought you here as my own. I love you so much that I will not keep you against your will. You're free to go.”
Know It!
How would it feel to be saved from an evil person such as the Plow Man and then to be granted your freedom? Would you choose to go? Or would you choose to remain with the master who more than adequately provides for you?
Read It!
John 8:47; Romans 6:18; Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:9.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you truly understand what it means to be “bought” and “set free.”
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 4:25 am
Friday October 12th
Forgiveness and Resurrection
My son, your sins are forgiven. Mark 2:5
Embedded within the forgiveness of sins there is the promise of the resurrection. Where sin’s grip is broken by the forgiving words of Jesus, there death loses its hold. The wages of sin is death, but when God removes sin, then there is life.
We see the power of absolution as Jesus heals the paralytic by forgiving him his sins. In this miracle, the Son of Man demonstrates the authority over sin that has been given Him, for He is the one who has carried our sin to the cross. By His rising from the grave, He has declared His victory over sin.
When you hear the words of absolution, you are listening to the verdict of the Last Day announced ahead of time, as one theologian put it. Think of that this coming Sunday as you hear your pastor declare to you the same thing that Jesus said to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.”
Gustaf Wingren observed that there are actually two miracles in this text. The first is the divine healing. The other is that the man did not go on the road with the story of his healing, but instead he went home to attend to daily life. Forgiveness sets us free to do just that, even as we live in the promise of the resurrection.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the freeing gift of forgiveness. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:21 am
Saturday October 13th
Calling God “Father” with Delight
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15
The Son of God teaches us whom to talk to in prayer. He says that we are to call His Father our Father. Adopted as children of the Father through our Baptism into Christ, we are given the privilege of praying with boldness and confidence, for this is the way faith talks.
We do not pray to an unknown deity whose will toward us is uncertain, but to the God who has made His tenderness known to us in Jesus. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once commented that prayer does not begin with the poverty of our own hearts, but with the richness of God’s Word. Prayer does not start with our speaking, but with the word of promise from our Father’s mouth. Our heavenly Father invites us to call upon Him as dear children address their dear father.
We can utter such prayers because when we are in Christ Jesus, God is our true Father and we are His true children. We do not cower before Him like slaves but jump into His lap as beloved children. We are at home there because His Son is our Brother. Christ’s death takes away our sins. Joined to His death and resurrection in Baptism, we have access to His Father.
Lord, teach me to pray with boldness and confidence. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:40 am
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part IV
“But . . . I . . . ” You're in shock. “I don't want to go, Master. I love you. I want to serve you.”
“You're choosing to remain even though I've granted your freedom?”
“Yes, Master. I love you so much, I choose to be your slave forever.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. There's only one thing that frightens me.”
“What's that?” he asks.
“Plow Man's threat to take me from you. If he kidnaps me, he'll attach his plow to my body. And no one will believe I really belong to you.”
“Hmmm.” The master was deep in thought. Then his eyes fasten onto yours, announcing a solution. “I will give you my mark,” he declares, “so everyone will know you belong to me.”
* * *
(I have to interrupt the story here. If I don't, you're gonna think, Yikes! What's he gonna do? Brand her like a cow? Sear her flesh with a branding iron? Relax. That's not gonna happen. As author, I'm in control of how the story continues, and I promise there's a really cool ending. But guess what-I'm not going to end the story. You are. That's right. YOU are in control of how this story ends. Let's get back to the present so you'll know what I'm talking about.)
Remember the Apostle Paul? When he wrote a letter to the folks in Rome, he began it by identifying himself as not only the author of the letter but also as someone who had chosen to be a slave of Jesus Christ.
Paul willingly devoted himself to being Jesus Christ's slave. He knew what Jesus had saved him from, and he was so in love with Christ, he voluntarily chose to remain bonded to Him.
Back in the days of slavery, every now and then a master would grant a slave his freedom. And, though it was rare, sometimes a slave loved his master so much, he would decide to remain-bonded to him forever.
Okay, you've never had to stand on an auction block. But Jesus Christ has paid a great price for you! He wants to snatch you away from Plow Man! (By the way, Plow Man is Satan.) God desires to save you from cutting yourself, wasting your body away through an eating disorder, false acceptance through sexual relationships-and all the other traps Plow Man tosses your way.
Know It!
Have you taken time recently to revel in the glorious realization of what Christ has actually saved you from?
Read It!
Romans 1:1; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
Pray It!
Pray that God will help you never ever ever take your salvation for granted.
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:41 am
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part V
It's as if Jesus opens wide the windows of heaven, parts the clouds, splits the sky right in half and announces to all creation, “I CHOOSE HER!” (Insert your own name here for greater effect.)
“I want YOU on My team.”
Whew! No more standing by the fence hoping you'll be selected. No more wishing that someone would want you. He chooses you! In fact, He selected you years ago. He knew Plow Man would engage in a bitter bid of wills offering all kinds of things for you-sex, attention, popularity. So He said, “I'll just go ahead and pay the highest price anyone could ever pay. I'll give My life.” And He did. He paid for you with His blood.
(If this is sounding too good to be true, you can find the proof in Romans 5:8 about how God selected you when you were still a sinner!) Isn't it exciting that He didn't wait for you to get your act together before choosing you? He could have said, “Whoa! Once you get off that filthy auction block and clean yourself up . . . once you've become involved in a youth group and have become a respectable person . . .” He saw you at your point of greatest need and said right then, “I want you! And I want you right now-just as you are!”
Wow! That's grace!
I like being chosen, you may be thinking. It feels great to be selected-to realize that God loves me so much, He looked inside my mom's womb even before I was formed and said, “I want her!” Wow. But really . . . what are we talking about here?
We're talking about you being so in love with Jesus Christ that you become enslaved to Him. In other words, as a slave would belong to his owner for a lifetime, you want to belong to Jesus for a lifetime and an eternity.
Yeah, I DO love Jesus, you're thinking. And I DO want to serve Him forever. But how do I become His bond slave?
1. Realize you've been bought. Remember, He paid for you with His life. You are incredibly valuable to Him. Don't ever take His death for granted. (If you start to think His death was no big deal, flip back to the devotions found on March 21-25 for a recap of what Jesus actually went through for you!)
Know It!
God is crazy about you! He loves you more than you can imagine. What are doing with His love? How are you responding? Are you sharing it with others?
Read It!
Romans 5:6-8; Romans 6:2-10; Romans 14:9-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3.
Pray It!
As you pray, ask God to show you specific ways you can share His love with those around you today.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 9:22 am
Sunday October 14th
Praying against Yourself
The tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” Luke 18:13
The Lord’s Prayer sets the agenda for our prayer. It puts first things first. The Father’s name, kingdom, and will take priority. God’s name is hallowed when His Word is taught in truth without distortion and His children lead holy lives in conformity to that truth. His kingdom comes without our effort and aid as He gives us His Spirit, so that we trust His promises in this life and inherit the life to come. His will is done when He breaks the grip of the devil, the world, and our flesh, which prevent the hallowing of His name and the coming of His kingdom.
When we pray these first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, we pray dangerously. We pray against the old Adam in each of us, who puts himself in the position of the Pharisee, who prays not to God but to himself. In contrast, the tax collector prays these petitions rightly, as he recognizes himself as a sinner and cries out to God for only one thing—mercy. When sinners pray like that, God’s name is hallowed, His kingdom comes, and His will is done.
Father, teach me to pray with the tax collector the prayer that hallows Your name, welcomes Your kingdom, and trusts Your good and gracious will. Amen.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 12:08 pm
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part VI
Okay, this is starting to make sense now, you may be thinking, and I really want to be so in love with Jesus that I become His bond slave forever. But how does that work?
1. Realize you've been bought. Remember, He paid for you with His life. You are incredibly valuable to Him.
2. Realize you've been branded. Ranchers brand their cattle. Loggers carve a symbol on their trees. Dignitaries seal important papers with their insignia on melted wax. All these are marks of ownership.
Jesus Christ also has a mark of ownership. It's His Holy Spirit. We're told in Ephesians that we were marked with the Holy Spirit. Having God's brand-the Holy Spirit ruling your life, energizing you, saturating you, filling you-should be as evident as a brand is on a cow. The Holy Spirit wants to make such a difference in your life that people around you know you're owned and energized by a supernatural power!
Imagine . . . you walk into a room and people immediately think, Whoa! She's not her own. She's plugged into something way more powerful than I've ever been connected with!
In other words, shouldn't your lifestyle and the reflection of the Holy Spirit within you shine brighter and shout louder than a branded scar that's been seared into your skin?
Yeah! you may be thinking. How can the Holy Spirit make that kind of difference in my life? Total surrender. But we'll chat more about that in a minute.
Having His brand means we take on His name. We become like Him. For proof you can check out Ephesians 5:1 where we're told to be copycats of God. What's that mean? It means you begin to act like Jesus! You try to please Him in all you do. You take on His resemblance.
You may have heard your folks say, “Don't embarrass the family! You're wearing our name.” People may have told you, “You look like your mom.” Guess what-as a Christian, you should be looking more and more like your heavenly Father, and as a Christian you're bearing His name.
Know It!
It's obvious you're not going to wear a burned-into-your- flesh brand, but is the Holy Spirit that obvious in your life? Just as people would no doubt notice a burned mark on your flesh, do they see God's Spirit shining clearly through your actions?
Read It!
Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 5:1; Psalm 139:23-24; 2 Peter 3:11.
Pray It!
Ask God to show you anything in your life that's keeping His Spirit from shining clearly through you.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:40 pm
Bought, Branded, Bonded Part VII
Quick recap: Are you so in love with your Master, Jesus Christ, that you're willing to become His bond slave forever? If so, here's the process for becoming enslaved to Him.
1. Realize you've been bought.
2. Realize you've been branded.
3. Realize you're bonded to Christ forever. In other words, don't simply fly through these devotional pages thinking this is just one more fad. Another creative commitment. Choose, instead to be chained to Him. Not simply attached to, but a part of! Make your prayer: “I willingly take on His name and His lifestyle.” There's a difference in being attached and being a part of! Being bonded to Christ forever is saying, “I'll put everything I have into bonding ever closer to Him.”
This is an ongoing process. And to become a bond slave of Jesus Christ, this needs to be your highest priority. This is your job right now: To become as close to Jesus Christ as you can. To become so tightly bonded to Him that the world just can't comprehend it.
Your job really isn't to worry about how much money you can earn or how you can push your way into the most popular clique or look better than anyone else at your school. Repeat: Your job right now is to become as close to Jesus Christ as you can. To become so tightly bonded to Him that the world just can't comprehend it!
If you truly want to become all God calls you to be, then this commitment to become His bond slave will affect everything in your life. From this point on, you'll have a new standard. You'll use a brand-new measuring stick for everything in your life.
From now on, you'll measure all you do according to the seal, the brand, the mark of Jesus Christ-His Holy Spirit.
For example, imagine I actually jumped through the pages of this book and burned the name of Jesus Christ and all He stands for (His character, His will, His plan for your life) on your forehead. That would become the measuring stick for your life.
“Will you go to this R-rated movie with me?”
Hmmm. Does it match the brand on my forehead?
“Will you go to this party?”
Does it reflect His brand?
“Come on! Show me how much you love me. We won't go all the way; let's just mess around. Everyone else is.”
Will my behavior echo the brand I'm wearing on my forehead?
Okay. You don't really have a scar on your forehead. That's not where the brand, the mark, the seal of Jesus Christ is anyway. That was only an example. His seal, His mark, His Holy Spirit is branded on your heart. And inside your mind. It becomes your lifestyle.
My language. The magazines I read. What I do on the Internet. Does it reflect the Holy Spirit in my life? No? Then, sorry. It's not for me. See, I have a new standard now for which I'm measuring my life!
Know It!
When you become Christ's bond slave, you're actually living out your love for Him.
Read It!
1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 7:14; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22.
Pray It!
Tell God your desire to become His bond slave forever. Ask Him to take complete control of your life.
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:01 pm
Monday October 15th
Daily Bread and More
Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3
Our Father cares for us in body and soul, so Jesus teaches us to pray for daily bread. Daily bread is just that—the ordinary things that our bodies need if we are to survive in this world. It is food for our stomachs and clothing for our bodies. It includes family, friends, and community as well as a means to a livelihood. When we petition God to give us daily bread, we are also asking for good health and seasonable weather.
God does not despise the physical and earthly necessities of life. He gives them to us out of His pure and paternal goodness. There is no need to try to spiritualize this petition, as though God would have us only pray for Jesus, the Bread of Life. He delights in giving all good gifts to His children, including each of our daily necessities.
There is only one way to receive these gifts for what they truly are: by faith. Such faith is possible only where there is forgiveness of sins. So Jesus attaches to this a prayer for forgiveness. Satan despises those who look to God for all good, so Jesus teaches us to pray for protection from temptation and deliverance from evil. When we pray for daily bread, we have prayed a mouthful.
Holy Father, give me all that I need to support this body and life, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:31 am
Tuesday October 16th
Amen Is the Hardest Part
For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20
To say amen is to say “truth” to all that has been prayed. With a heart that is deceptive and deceiving, how can a sinner say “truth” concerning his prayers? There is only one way, and that is through Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the truth about God. In Him we have God’s fatherly heart laid open, and from His heart pumps mercy for sinners.
We can only pray the amen when our prayers are founded on God’s command and promise. We pray in the confidence that God has commanded us to pray and that He has promised to hear us. He has given us the command and promise in the Lord’s Prayer itself. This prayer, taught us by Christ Jesus, is the source and measuring rod for all prayers. When we pray Jesus’ words, we can be sure that our Father in heaven hears us and will answer our supplications according to His good and gracious will. Just as Jesus Himself uttered His amen, “truth,” to the request of the dying thief who prayed “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), so He gives truth and certainty to our prayers.
Lord Christ, establish my prayers in the truth of Your Word. Amen.
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