1 Timothy 2: Pray for the Leaders

Pray for the Leaders

Based on my Facebook feed, I find that in the year of an election (America is 7 months away from a new president) many people are focused what a good and bad leader. They know what the current President has done wrong and predict what the next President will do right. I wonder how many of us who are upset with the current leadership and are hopeful for the next one or love the current leadership and love or are fearful of the next leader, do you pray for any of them? It is one thing to "pray" someone isn't an idiot, but that is not prayer. Submit and humble yourself to God and unite with other Christ followers and lift up our leaders to the will of God. Sure we cannot make people make certain decisions, but if you have faith in God then you know that prayer can change things. Paul tells us 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that we are to pray for our leaders. So, before you complain about the current or possible future leadership of America or where ever you dwell, did you pray for them?

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1 Thessalonians 5: Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks

We need reminders sometimes to do things that seem so simple when read, but hard to remember when tested. As Paul closes out the first letter to the Thessalonian church, he gives the charge in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to "REJOICE always, PRAY without ceasing, GIVE THANKS in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." We need to remember that when things get tough it is not doing us any good to wallow in our pity. It is one thing to grieve and deal with pain and loss, but there is a point when you need to not look at the circumstance anymore. Dave Guzik writes "The Christian can rejoice always because their joy isn't based in circumstances, but in God. Circumstances change, but God doesn't." Praying without ceasing connects us to the Holy Spirit and puts the focus on our faith in God. Giving thanks in all (not some, most or many) circumstances shows us that while things are not where and how we want them, we still love the good that God has done. Trust me, I know it is tough, but we need to remember to keep God at the center of our lives.

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Friday Focus #23

Being Loving Like Jesus

For those of you who know me, then you know (other than football and pro wrestling) one of my favorite topics to discuss is relationships. They are vital and date back to the beginning of man- see Genesis 2:4-25 and Adam and Eve. We were designed to be among other people. We were designed to live life with other people and have friends and date and marry and have children. It is great to do these things, but there is a point where those people that we have been living life with do things or say things that we get upset about. It is up to us on what we do with that emotion. Do we submit to the emotion and ignore people that we have known for a long time (or even a short while)? Or do we focus on being loving like Jesus? Hard to do, but here are some reminders.

In Matthew 5 we read through the sermon on Mount. In verse 44 Jesus speaks on what people have been taught and teaches them a new way. He says to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This can also be applied to a person you are having a relational issue with. If you and your friend/family member are having an issue and you saw them on the side of the road with their car broken down in the pouring rain or snow, do you just drive on by them and just hope they get help? That is not very loving. Even if they are an enemy for the time being, be loving. If you know of someone or a group of people who is persecuting you, pray for them. Pray that they will let God come into their life and take over their heart. We as Christ followers have to set the standard on being loving, just as Christ loved us by dying for us on the cross.

In Romans 12:1 we read that we are to be living sacrifices to God. We sacrifice those things that please us in moments in order to please God. We worship Him by doing what is right in his eyes with His will. Jesus, while man and God at the same time, showed us what it is like to submit to God's will even when it is truly painful. Yes, what someone said or did was painful, but that does not mean that you have to wish them hell or throw away the relationship forever due to an offense or disagreement. I love to make jokes and while I have brought smiles to many, there are some that I have offended. Their choice was to tell me about the offense and forgive me even if I defended my joke and attacked their sensitivity.  There are numerous times where I had to go back and apologize because in the moment I was not walking with the Holy Spirit and needed to seek forgiveness in order to restore the relationship.

I challenge you today to seek forgiveness from someone that you have offended. I also challenge you to forgive someone who did or said something to you that has hurt you. Then I challenge you to make a phone call or see someone to reconnect. This gives them the chance to also apologize for what they may have said. But overall, it allows us to shed what was holding us back relationally and put on a robe of righteousness  in moving forward to honor God.

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Wednesday Wake Up #23

When the Going Gets Tough

I once read a quote from Winston Churchill who said "If you're going through hell, keep going." Now, that does not mean keep everything the same and just sit there like a dead duck; it means don't give up. But, how can that be applied to our walk with the Christ? Would God ever want us to give up? What does God want from us anyway?

When times get tough God wants us to be patient. The problems do not always just go away over night. During these times we can stay prayerful in our personal time with God. We can pray for wisdom and the strength to endure (Romans 12:12). Know that God will hear you if you are righteous (Psalm 34:17). Maybe that is why things are tough for you. Have you been living a way that God does not want you to live? Have you been treating your body well? Are you surrounding yourself with Christ followers encouraging you to do what is right in the Lord? Have you submitted your will to Christ and accepted God's grace?

Let us also not grow weary (tired) in doing good. It may be easy to try to get revenge on someone who is doing you wrong, but that is not our responsibility. It is easy to be full of wrath when we go through these trials and tribulations, but that leads us away from doing what God wants us to do (Psalm 37:7-9). In our patience and perseverance we will reap if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). Every week via text or phone conversation, my accountability partner and I remind one another to stay strong in the Lord. That means don't give up when things get difficult and keep pressing on to do what is right in God's eyes. I encourage you to do the same (Hebrews 3:13).

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Wednesday Wake Up #19

'Tis the Season

'Tis the season to be jolly. It's a nice lyric. I don't know anyone who wants to be around a Scrooge type of person during what many call the "most wonderful time of the year" where we are "walkin' in a winter wonderland." But there has to be more about this season than just being jolly. This is the season (in conjunction with Thanksgiving) where many people want to donate their time to the homeless and the less fortunate. Now is a great time to start. I am 100% in favor of that. My hope and aim is that we can do more than just be jolly and joyful and loving during this season. I mean think about it, what if God only answered our prayers during holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas? He loves us all the time (1 John 4:19). We need to be loving all the time to Him and then to others as well because that is how people know we are disciples (followers) of Christ (John 13:34-35).

Psalm 41:1 teaches us that we are blessed for being considerate to the poor. This does not just mean the poor in finances. But, it can also mean the poor in spirit, the poor in health, in relationships. Another word used to replace poor was weak. That does not only cover finances. It covers those who need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear and a loving heart. It covers those who are sick in hospitals. It covers those going through a rough relationship time as well. It covers the emotionally and spiritually weak. The following verses tell us that there are promises of being sustained by the Lord in our sickbed (we get weak too). The Lord keeps us alive and restores us to full health. We don't do these loving acts because of what we get out of it from God, but we do loving things because we love.

And we can't forget about being joyous during these times. But what are we joyful about? Is it because we love the season and the cold and the fireplace being lit with hot cocoa in our hands? Those are nice things and are very comforting, but are we forgetting to give thanks to God for those nice times that we can have that are very relaxing? We can take for granted the lifestyles we have grown accustomed to, while completely overlooking the provider for us. It's like we only want to thank God when things are going well, but we are to thank God in all circumstances and always be joyous and pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We can't focus on the season without looking at the creator of the season. Can we?

Overall, God wants us to do these wonderful things at all times not just during certain days or months or holidays. He wants us to see Him first (Matthew 6:33). Let us remember to give to others and love others as God loved us first.

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Act 10: Cornelius, Peter and Partiality

Cornelius, Peter and Partiality

In Acts 10:1-8 we meet Cornelius who was a devout man who was a soldier in the Italian Army who gave alms to the poor, prayed to God continually and had a God fearing household. An angel of God appeared in a vision and told him that his prayers and alms have ascended and were seen as a memorial before God. The angel then instructed Cornelius to send men to Joppa and bring Simon Peter. After the angel departed, Cornelius followed through and sent three men to Joppa and even told them all what he had just encountered.

Cornelius was finally able to meet Peter,  who had a vision as well, but his vision was related to snakes, birds and reptiles and God saying "What God has made clean, do not call common" which was in relation to how Peter (a Jew) was interacting with Cornelius (a man from another nation) which was unlawful at the time. Cornelius knelt to worship Peter when he met him but Peter's humility reminded Cornelius that he too was a human and not God. Peter and
Cornelius being together was a part of God's plan and it tore down a human law that was not in God's will. It did not matter what their nationality was, it was only about God's will (Acts 10:34-35).

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Acts 6- Obedience and Changing Customs

Obedience and Changing Customs

As the church was growing and the disciples were growing in number and the priests were growing, they were not just becoming members and being stagnant in their faith. They did not just claim to have a faith, but there is a key word that describes their commitment to the faith. The word is obedient. We see this in Acts 6:7 that the priests became obedient to the faith. That means not succumbing to culture and the ways of tradition, unless they were done in accordance with God's will. 

In Acts 6:1-6, being obedient also meant praying for one another. There were 7 chosen men who had good reputations, and were full of the Spirit and wisdom. These men's roles were to help the disciples (the 12) and help spread the gospel of Christ. It wasn't just anyone, there were specifications needed for new men to be selected to assist the 12. These men were selected and prayed for. It really looks like a team working together in unity for a common goal.

One of the seven chosen (Stephen) served as a martyr for the gospel of Christ. He was arrested. False witnesses were brought against Stephen in order to stop him and God's work. His charges were stirring up the people (just like Jesus in Luke 23:1-5). They were afraid to change customs (Acts 6:14) and so they tried to stop someone seeking to do God's will. It takes a strong person to do God's will in the face of adversity. Would you be able to do what Stephen did?

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Friday Focus #1

Pray for Who?

On Wednesday, we dove into understanding we need to have capital F type of faith in our capital G God in regards to our prayer life. We can pray for nice clothes and a bigger house and better job, which all are focused on us. But what about the prayers for others? Not just our friends and our family members and loved ones. Anyone can pray for that. I'm pretty sure everyone who prays for people includes praying for people that they car for. Now, let's take it a step further. Loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. What would would we do that? Because Jesus said so.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus covered a lot of topics from the Beatitudes, being salt and light of the earth, Christ fulfilling the law, anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation....and loving our enemies.

I don't know with whom you have anger towards. Is it an ex-girlfriend/boyfriend. What about a parent? Maybe it is a sibling?? Are there any co-workers or employers or supervisor that you are mad at and get angry with every time you think about them or see them? It doesn't matter who it is, you can pray for them. No one says you have to be best friend with everyone, but we can pray for those that we have problems with. Pray for them to be healed from whatever the issue is. Pray for yourself to be healed from the relational strain. A lot of times we don't want to admit that we ever did anything wrong.

We can also pray for those who persecute us. They attack us because of our race, religion or political beliefs. Pray for them to see you for who you are and not just under an affiliation. One of the most loving things you can do is get to know someone for who they are see past any prejudicial barriers.

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Wednesday Wake Up #1

What's the Point?

How soon we forget how BIG God is. I mean this is God, with a capital G. Faith in capital G and all of His power has to be prominent in our prayer life. If you don't have capital F type of Faith in our capital G God, then why even pray? What's the point?


Matthew 21:22 reminds us that when we have faith in what we are praying for, it will happen. This does not mean, pray for what you want, but what God wants from you. It is the selfless prayer and thinking that can separate answered prayers from unanswered prayers. God could give you that job and all that money, but you don't save or tithe, so how does that benefit His will? God could give you that beautiful spouse, but you lie and are unfaithful. Why would He bless you if you are being disobedient?

We can talk about all of our problems to our friends and complain about life, but we often overlook our decisions that led to the spot in our life that we are complaining about. Is it the lack of money? That is a big one in America, but people don't save and they over spend. They go into debt for wants, not needs. Instead of complaining to your friends all the time, why not just take it to God? Why is that a forgotten method?

And in 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul is talking to the church and directing their steps (as any good church leader would do). He reminds them in verse 17 to never stop praying. It isn't specific on what, but can't we apply that to our pains and hurts and what we need to be emotionally and spiritually healed from? Why wouldn't you pray for healing? Why wouldn't you pray for restored relationships? Or the power to forgive? Never stop praying

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