6.7.2011
Ephesians 3:12 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. NIV
The Ephesians were (apparently) confused by Paul’s imprisonment and difficulties. They (apparently) reasoned that it was either, his faulty faith, or theirs, that was causing the problem. What Paul did for them was to encourage them to remember that by God, for God, and through God are all things; and that in Him and though Him we have the freedom and confidence to go to God and deal with them.
It is often confusing to people that they go through such difficulties or trials or circumstances wondering what (and why whatever) is happening to them. Such is the case of anyone who misunderstands what God is asking of them, and what God is attempting to accomplish in them. We would truly marvel if we could see what God sees. But until we do we need to accept by faith, and continue to live by faith, that it’s true.
Stuff happens; it happens to believers and unbelievers alike. But the one thing the believer is assured of: freedom and confidence to go to God with such things and to freely find comfort and peace with Him.
That is why Paul said this in Ephesians 3.14 and following: “For this reason… I pray…” What reason? The reason we have, in Christ and through faith in Him, freedom and confidence to approach God with all of our issues. Paul’s prayer was that they would get the meaning of how important freedom and confidence are to the human heart. Paul prayed that they would receive true spiritual resources to enable them to encompass in their hearts, “…how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” In light of all that what else matters?
Father God,
May I know it; and may I receive all I need from You to know it and know it good… through Jesus – amen.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Eph 3:18-19). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
The Meaning of Life
6.6.2011
Ecclesiastes 3:22 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
When I read Ecclesiastes I get a sense of one who craves more but is frustrated at times that there appears to be nothing more. For Solomon to make the assumption that there is nothing better to do except enjoy our lot in life is to my thinking, leaving out a lot. Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.” (1 Corintians 7:17 NIV) So from this, I learn that I’m to bloom where I’m planted.
Solomon’s implication is that this is all there is… and Paul says, seek the Lord, learn from the Lord, and serve the Lord wherever you find yourself – in whatever condition you find yourself. He does say, (if you are enslaved but can gain your freedom, try to do so (1 Corinthians 17.21)). But the bottom line for Paul is for us to be with the Lord and allow Him to be with us in all we do. And there we find satisfaction in life.
Solomon found emptiness in having all his heart desired. Paul found satisfaction in gaining Christ Who gave him the purpose and meaning in life that Solomon, for whatever reason, could not attain.
So where does this leave me – how am I to approach the meaning of life? Well, I think I’m left with one option: follow Christ and find my meaning and purpose in life by telling others about Him. Jesus summed up the meaning in life well when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:18-20) That’s worth living for!
Father in Heaven,
May I go and make disciples, and be about making disciples this day – in Your Name, amen.
Ecclesiastes 3:22 22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
When I read Ecclesiastes I get a sense of one who craves more but is frustrated at times that there appears to be nothing more. For Solomon to make the assumption that there is nothing better to do except enjoy our lot in life is to my thinking, leaving out a lot. Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.” (1 Corintians 7:17 NIV) So from this, I learn that I’m to bloom where I’m planted.
Solomon’s implication is that this is all there is… and Paul says, seek the Lord, learn from the Lord, and serve the Lord wherever you find yourself – in whatever condition you find yourself. He does say, (if you are enslaved but can gain your freedom, try to do so (1 Corinthians 17.21)). But the bottom line for Paul is for us to be with the Lord and allow Him to be with us in all we do. And there we find satisfaction in life.
Solomon found emptiness in having all his heart desired. Paul found satisfaction in gaining Christ Who gave him the purpose and meaning in life that Solomon, for whatever reason, could not attain.
So where does this leave me – how am I to approach the meaning of life? Well, I think I’m left with one option: follow Christ and find my meaning and purpose in life by telling others about Him. Jesus summed up the meaning in life well when He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:18-20) That’s worth living for!
Father in Heaven,
May I go and make disciples, and be about making disciples this day – in Your Name, amen.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
True Strength
6.5.2011
Ephesians 1:19b b That power is like the working of his mighty strength... NIV
Unfortunately for many today, Hollyweird has robbed them of the meaning of true strength. The phrase above in its context is this: "...and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." (Eph 1:19-20 NIV) God’s strength is different than man’s strength. God can become a man; God can raise the dead; God can speak and it comes to be (Cf. Psalm 33.9).
I used to think that this verse (or fragment of a sentence) was saying God exerted mighty strength in the way a strong man would lift weights or the front end of a small car – muscles bulging and veins popping – sweat shooting from His pores. God’s strength is not man’s strength and God can never bust a sweat because though His strength is routinely manifest in the physical, it isn’t physical. God’s power is of the magnitude of helping a sinner find grace and repentance and follow after Him in belief. If that ain’t power, I don’t know what is… God’s strength causes a man to praise and glorify Him as his lowly body is being ripped apart by wild beasts or man’s bullets.
When God called Jesus back from the dead, He exerted His power in one simple command, “Come! My Son, Your work is done!” It was that simple. When God exerts, He simply wills it to be and it is… no more argument, no more resistance.
God’s mighty strength is at work in us who believe. His power to overcome our wills is at work in us at this very moment. Many are the thoughts of men but God overcomes them all. Strong indeed is the freewill of man but God’s love is more powerful even though He Himself respects freewill. God is at work in us despite whatever our freewill does or doesn’t do. That’s power!
The most amazing thing to me, a piece of a fleck of dust, is that God’s power is humble. That is so unnatural to us men. In humility God exerts His power and influence over us as not to violate His respect for the human heart and the freewill of man. Somehow that power accomplishes His will and leaves ours intact – wow!
Father in Heaven,
Your power causes me to cry out, Have Your own way God – do what You will with me and within me! May that same resurrection power that causes the dead to live, swell within my heart, and cause me to seek You alone with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength – through Jesus, amen!
Ephesians 1:19b b That power is like the working of his mighty strength... NIV
Unfortunately for many today, Hollyweird has robbed them of the meaning of true strength. The phrase above in its context is this: "...and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms..." (Eph 1:19-20 NIV) God’s strength is different than man’s strength. God can become a man; God can raise the dead; God can speak and it comes to be (Cf. Psalm 33.9).
I used to think that this verse (or fragment of a sentence) was saying God exerted mighty strength in the way a strong man would lift weights or the front end of a small car – muscles bulging and veins popping – sweat shooting from His pores. God’s strength is not man’s strength and God can never bust a sweat because though His strength is routinely manifest in the physical, it isn’t physical. God’s power is of the magnitude of helping a sinner find grace and repentance and follow after Him in belief. If that ain’t power, I don’t know what is… God’s strength causes a man to praise and glorify Him as his lowly body is being ripped apart by wild beasts or man’s bullets.
When God called Jesus back from the dead, He exerted His power in one simple command, “Come! My Son, Your work is done!” It was that simple. When God exerts, He simply wills it to be and it is… no more argument, no more resistance.
God’s mighty strength is at work in us who believe. His power to overcome our wills is at work in us at this very moment. Many are the thoughts of men but God overcomes them all. Strong indeed is the freewill of man but God’s love is more powerful even though He Himself respects freewill. God is at work in us despite whatever our freewill does or doesn’t do. That’s power!
The most amazing thing to me, a piece of a fleck of dust, is that God’s power is humble. That is so unnatural to us men. In humility God exerts His power and influence over us as not to violate His respect for the human heart and the freewill of man. Somehow that power accomplishes His will and leaves ours intact – wow!
Father in Heaven,
Your power causes me to cry out, Have Your own way God – do what You will with me and within me! May that same resurrection power that causes the dead to live, swell within my heart, and cause me to seek You alone with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength – through Jesus, amen!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
With Whom I Converse
6.4.2011
Proverbs 29:26 26 Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice. NIV
Oh, if only I could go and address a joint session of congress and the president – boy, I’d give them a piece of my mind! How many of us have longed to do such a thing. These days I think there are many more who’d like a shot at correcting this band of politicians who seem hell-bent on totally ruling our every move and thought. I’d like to address the situation – fool that I am to think those who have utterly no respect for me would stop long enough to listen to what a little peep like me would have to say.
So as I read this, I thought, hmmm, God almighty listens to my prayers; and through His apostle Paul He said, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior...” (1 Ti 2:1-3 NIV) Prayer pleases God and prayer offered in faith is something that God loves.
Do we think for a minute that any of that bunch of weenies in Washington really cares anything about any of us? Do we think God does? Our problem is, as Americans, we think our troubles are solved politically. David said, in Psalm 60, “…for the help of man is worthless…” not just unreliable, totally worthless. And yet we seem to pay more attention to our voting rights than to the words of David. There is more spiritual power in one present-day praying church than all of the Federal Government combined since its inception. Do we believe that? And are we going to try to use our spiritual power to accomplish affluence and apathy? The population in hell grows every moment of every day…
Friends, I repent of thinking I can make a difference in Washington by joining that crowd of losers who think all of our problems are to be corrected politically. Many seek an audience with the boss neglecting to realize that God is the Only One who cares and can do anything at all about all of our problems. My response is to pray! I get to choose where and when and with Who I have my conversations.
Father in Heaven,
You know every political thought I’ve ever had. I’m sorry I’ve had them. Voting is a right that I am blessed with but prayer and prayer for my leaders and my country is what pleases You. May I please You with my thoughts and may they be godly and un-political – God I trust in You! Amen.
Proverbs 29:26 26 Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice. NIV
Oh, if only I could go and address a joint session of congress and the president – boy, I’d give them a piece of my mind! How many of us have longed to do such a thing. These days I think there are many more who’d like a shot at correcting this band of politicians who seem hell-bent on totally ruling our every move and thought. I’d like to address the situation – fool that I am to think those who have utterly no respect for me would stop long enough to listen to what a little peep like me would have to say.
So as I read this, I thought, hmmm, God almighty listens to my prayers; and through His apostle Paul He said, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior...” (1 Ti 2:1-3 NIV) Prayer pleases God and prayer offered in faith is something that God loves.
Do we think for a minute that any of that bunch of weenies in Washington really cares anything about any of us? Do we think God does? Our problem is, as Americans, we think our troubles are solved politically. David said, in Psalm 60, “…for the help of man is worthless…” not just unreliable, totally worthless. And yet we seem to pay more attention to our voting rights than to the words of David. There is more spiritual power in one present-day praying church than all of the Federal Government combined since its inception. Do we believe that? And are we going to try to use our spiritual power to accomplish affluence and apathy? The population in hell grows every moment of every day…
Friends, I repent of thinking I can make a difference in Washington by joining that crowd of losers who think all of our problems are to be corrected politically. Many seek an audience with the boss neglecting to realize that God is the Only One who cares and can do anything at all about all of our problems. My response is to pray! I get to choose where and when and with Who I have my conversations.
Father in Heaven,
You know every political thought I’ve ever had. I’m sorry I’ve had them. Voting is a right that I am blessed with but prayer and prayer for my leaders and my country is what pleases You. May I please You with my thoughts and may they be godly and un-political – God I trust in You! Amen.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Urged
6.3.2011
Romans 15:30-33 30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Twice in Romans, Paul urged them – Romans 12.1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. And now at the close of his letter (see above), he urges them again, to pray.
Paul was on his way to Jerusalem to offer relief to the impoverished saints and would subsequently find himself embroiled in a death-match with the Jews who so vehemently opposed his preaching of the Gospel. In the passage above he expressed a great desire to be with the Roman believers but I don’t think he thought it would be the way it happened (Cf, Acts 21ff.)
For many, we need to be urged pray because we just don’t have the urge to pray. We kinda think that stuff will just happen and everything will be okay if God does what He does and we don’t mess up too badly. Specifically Paul’s request was for protection from the unbelievers in Judea and although he nearly lost his life in the process, he didn’t and he was, in fact, rescued. He also prayed that God’s will be accomplished in his coming to be with them and after several years of imprisonment – and a subsequent shipwreck – he made it. But he also had a visit with the Emperor of Rome to share the Gospel with him! Hmmm, go figure!
What happens when we pray? What happens when we don’t? Both are huge questions with dramatically different answers. Often when we pray all hell breaks loose; usually when we don’t things just drift along quietly and people go to hell. These days, we need hell to break loose of its grip on people, circumstances, and its incessant opposition to the truth. We are a moral mess as a nation and our kids, friends, and family members are casualties in the chaos – we need to pray. And we need to urge one another to pray.
Father in Heaven,
Lord, find a praying heart within me. May I pray for others who are so oppressed by such devilish activity in their lives; and may I pray for Your truth to prevail. Paul’s prayers were answered – just not in the way he expected so may I pray with anticipation of Your answers regardless of how they come – amen.
Romans 15:30-33 30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Twice in Romans, Paul urged them – Romans 12.1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. And now at the close of his letter (see above), he urges them again, to pray.
Paul was on his way to Jerusalem to offer relief to the impoverished saints and would subsequently find himself embroiled in a death-match with the Jews who so vehemently opposed his preaching of the Gospel. In the passage above he expressed a great desire to be with the Roman believers but I don’t think he thought it would be the way it happened (Cf, Acts 21ff.)
For many, we need to be urged pray because we just don’t have the urge to pray. We kinda think that stuff will just happen and everything will be okay if God does what He does and we don’t mess up too badly. Specifically Paul’s request was for protection from the unbelievers in Judea and although he nearly lost his life in the process, he didn’t and he was, in fact, rescued. He also prayed that God’s will be accomplished in his coming to be with them and after several years of imprisonment – and a subsequent shipwreck – he made it. But he also had a visit with the Emperor of Rome to share the Gospel with him! Hmmm, go figure!
What happens when we pray? What happens when we don’t? Both are huge questions with dramatically different answers. Often when we pray all hell breaks loose; usually when we don’t things just drift along quietly and people go to hell. These days, we need hell to break loose of its grip on people, circumstances, and its incessant opposition to the truth. We are a moral mess as a nation and our kids, friends, and family members are casualties in the chaos – we need to pray. And we need to urge one another to pray.
Father in Heaven,
Lord, find a praying heart within me. May I pray for others who are so oppressed by such devilish activity in their lives; and may I pray for Your truth to prevail. Paul’s prayers were answered – just not in the way he expected so may I pray with anticipation of Your answers regardless of how they come – amen.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Where is the Heart
6.2.2011
6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies; 7 for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. NIV
What kind of people are we? I don’t mean are we white or black, red or yellow; I mean, what do we value? In this proverb Solomon taught that a stingy man is so because that’s all he can think about – it’s the sum total of his worldview. The King James renders this: Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (Pr 23:6-7) As he thinketh in his heart – he ain’t thinking about his guest – he’s thinking about his money. So I ask again, what kind of people are we?
The last three days seem to have been a discussion about the heart – what it produces, what kind of heart it is, and again today, where it is. And all of these combined pretty much spell out who we are; they’re the sum on the balance sheet of who we really are…
What causes stinginess? I could be wrong but it might spring from fear – a person might be deeply afraid of not having enough (whatever that is) and clinging to every little bit they have. It could be they don’t trust people and are afraid someone’s going to rip them off. It could be that they love what money does for them and they don’t like giving it away. Who knows? I think fear is a part of it.
The thing that causes me to wonder is the part of the verse that says, but his heart is not with [you]. To which I ask, “Well if it ain’t with me, then where it!?” If someone is always only thinking about the cost (to him, NIV) then he isn’t thinking about whoever the guest is except that the guest, in his heart, is nothing more than a rodent eating away at his substance… profits… retirement… 401K… What kind of a heart is that; and who wants his food anyway if that’s how he really thinks?
As a man thinks in his heart – so is he – he is what he thinks; and he is what his thinking makes him do. Jesus said this: For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts... (Mk 7:21 NIV) I think Jesus was telling us that what we think about, and how we think, is how we direct our actions.
Jesus,
Take control Lord! Without You, I’m sunk! May I, in You, think rightly and deal generously – help me God!
6 Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies; 7 for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. NIV
What kind of people are we? I don’t mean are we white or black, red or yellow; I mean, what do we value? In this proverb Solomon taught that a stingy man is so because that’s all he can think about – it’s the sum total of his worldview. The King James renders this: Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (Pr 23:6-7) As he thinketh in his heart – he ain’t thinking about his guest – he’s thinking about his money. So I ask again, what kind of people are we?
The last three days seem to have been a discussion about the heart – what it produces, what kind of heart it is, and again today, where it is. And all of these combined pretty much spell out who we are; they’re the sum on the balance sheet of who we really are…
What causes stinginess? I could be wrong but it might spring from fear – a person might be deeply afraid of not having enough (whatever that is) and clinging to every little bit they have. It could be they don’t trust people and are afraid someone’s going to rip them off. It could be that they love what money does for them and they don’t like giving it away. Who knows? I think fear is a part of it.
The thing that causes me to wonder is the part of the verse that says, but his heart is not with [you]. To which I ask, “Well if it ain’t with me, then where it!?” If someone is always only thinking about the cost (to him, NIV) then he isn’t thinking about whoever the guest is except that the guest, in his heart, is nothing more than a rodent eating away at his substance… profits… retirement… 401K… What kind of a heart is that; and who wants his food anyway if that’s how he really thinks?
As a man thinks in his heart – so is he – he is what he thinks; and he is what his thinking makes him do. Jesus said this: For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts... (Mk 7:21 NIV) I think Jesus was telling us that what we think about, and how we think, is how we direct our actions.
Jesus,
Take control Lord! Without You, I’m sunk! May I, in You, think rightly and deal generously – help me God!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A Different Heart
6.1.2011
Proverbs 21:2 2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. NIV
Yesterday we looked at motives – the produce of the heart: All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. (Proverbs 16:2 NIV) God sees what is generated from within our hearts and weighs it to see if there is any measure of good; or to see what the outcome of our present and future living may be. Motives are what move us to do what we do; be it a larger slice of the pie, or what have you.
Today, we see a slightly different point of view: God weighs the heart. I used to think poorly of the Proverbs. I used to think they were just a profound grasp of the obvious. I used to think they were just repetitions of the same thing (case in point above). I used to just breeze through them with the attitude of “Yeah, yeah, yeah… But these days I appreciate them for what they are: truth.
The heart generates motives. Whatever and wherever the “heart” is, it makes things. It makes us see things in a particular manner; it makes us respond in a particular way. The heart can be fooled up until the point we become unguarded, then watch out – whatever’s in there will come out. And so Proverbs 16.2 looks at the produce of the heart, and Proverbs 21.2 looks at the heart itself: its capacity for good or evil.
A faulty piece of equipment is always going to produce a faulty product; the heart is no different. God said, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,”… “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31.33 NIV) The heart, the seat of our being, is where God chooses to make us different and wherever God sees a faulty heart He sees potential for everlasting change.
In Romans 13 Paul said this: The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Verse 9 NIV) If God expects that, then we have to have the capacity to do it; and the only way we can is with a different heart…
Father in Heaven,
You are in charge of production and process; You are in charge of my heart. I pray for Your touch upon the seat of my being that I may reflect Your presence and thereby ‘produce’ in Your power; all in the name of Love – Amen.
Proverbs 21:2 2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. NIV
Yesterday we looked at motives – the produce of the heart: All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. (Proverbs 16:2 NIV) God sees what is generated from within our hearts and weighs it to see if there is any measure of good; or to see what the outcome of our present and future living may be. Motives are what move us to do what we do; be it a larger slice of the pie, or what have you.
Today, we see a slightly different point of view: God weighs the heart. I used to think poorly of the Proverbs. I used to think they were just a profound grasp of the obvious. I used to think they were just repetitions of the same thing (case in point above). I used to just breeze through them with the attitude of “Yeah, yeah, yeah… But these days I appreciate them for what they are: truth.
The heart generates motives. Whatever and wherever the “heart” is, it makes things. It makes us see things in a particular manner; it makes us respond in a particular way. The heart can be fooled up until the point we become unguarded, then watch out – whatever’s in there will come out. And so Proverbs 16.2 looks at the produce of the heart, and Proverbs 21.2 looks at the heart itself: its capacity for good or evil.
A faulty piece of equipment is always going to produce a faulty product; the heart is no different. God said, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,”… “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31.33 NIV) The heart, the seat of our being, is where God chooses to make us different and wherever God sees a faulty heart He sees potential for everlasting change.
In Romans 13 Paul said this: The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Verse 9 NIV) If God expects that, then we have to have the capacity to do it; and the only way we can is with a different heart…
Father in Heaven,
You are in charge of production and process; You are in charge of my heart. I pray for Your touch upon the seat of my being that I may reflect Your presence and thereby ‘produce’ in Your power; all in the name of Love – Amen.
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