Healing, blessing, or stored up ammunition?

 

Strive for peace

  with everyone....

        Hebrews 12. 14

(The perfect gift

     for the holidays.

And sometimes

            the hardest.

But peace

   doesn't just happen.

In the Greek,

strive means to pursue,

to run swiftly, press on,

whatever it takes,

to run after, to follow after

   --not a passive verb at all.

Everyone means everyone,

    no exclusions

as much as it is up to us.

What does that take

    in this situation,

    in this relationship,

        as a believer?

It doesn't just happen.

What are we bringing

       to the table?

Healing, blessing,

or stored-up ammunition?)

O LORD,

Forgive us for bad attitudes

and hearts that

  are not aligned with Yours.

Saturate us with Your peace

  that we would not just

  have the band-width

         to bring peace here,

but strive with

        love and intention.

Show us Your way

  to change the conversation

with unexpected grace.

The Crowd On The Side Of The Road

 

Therefore,

since we are surrounded

by so great a cloud

               of witnesses,

...let us run with endurance

the race that is set before us,

         looking to Jesus...

           Hebrews 12. 1-2

(No matter what we are doing

      or not doing,

whether we are aware or not,

others are

     constantly watching us,

not to see if we are perfect

   but how we respond

   when life is not.

They desperately want to know

   if this God of ours is real.

And if our eyes are on Jesus,

          that shows.)

O LORD,

Help us to keep our eyes on You

and our hearts aligned

                    with Yours

that we would know and see

   the difference You have made

and that evidence is obvious

   to everyone around us,

believers, seekers,

             and even to us.

May we be faithful

  to what You have set

            before us

and to run it with joy

 and endurance.

The What If And The What Is

 

He considered

that God was able...

      Hebrews 11.19

(Have we considered

not just the what if,

but the what is?

The reality that

      God is able.

That completely changes

how we look at situations,

not that our own ideas

  and wishes take place,

but knowing 

--not just hoping--

   that God is using this.

God is able

and is doing far more

than we can imagine.)

O LORD,

Please help us

to not just be mindful of You,

but have the

    mind of Christ in this day,

in this situation,

  even in this mess.

Stop us in our tracks

that we would first consider

not if we can do this,

but how You are working,

   

On That We Can Stake Our Lives

 

Now faith is the assurance

of things hoped for,

the conviction of things

      not seen.

       Hebrews 11.1

(Faith is not a world view,

nor creed,

nor religion,

but confident trust

     in the Almighty God,

a strong conviction

on which to stake our lives.

There are things in view,

   things that we can know,

but so much more

than we can ever comprehend.

When we trust in God,

we are not dependent

    on wavering circumstances,

but confident that

God is in them with us.

We have just to

           be faithful.

We don't have to know

the meaning, purpose,

      or outcome,

because He does.

God never works

   in singular results.)

O LORD,

Help us to trust You more,

not impervious to

           circumstances,

but responsive to You,

    no matter if we

     understand or not,

because we can never

   capture the eternity

embedded in them.

May we be guided

not by our faith,

but led by You

   into Your designs,

divine appointments,

and sacred encounters.

We may not be able

    to see in the dark,

but are assured that

        You are with us.

On that we can 

    stake our lives.

GOD in Capital Letters

 

Then they will know

that I am the LORD.

      Ezekiel 26.6

(This phrase,

this truth,

this promise

is repeated 68 times

  in the book of Ezekiel.

Whatever in scripture

   that is repeated

is not a typographical

               mistake,

but God's way of

putting it in bold print

   and all capital letters.

GET THIS!

And it is not just aimed

   at another person.

What does it take for

     us to realize that

the LORD is God,

      and we are not?

How are we seeking

  to know Him more?

And what does it take

   for us to respond?)

O LORD,

You are God Almighty.

Help us to not just

  see You in this day,

but to know You more.

You are already here

        with us.

And that changes our day

 and strengthens our hearts

in immeasurable ways.

Help us

      to realize that truth.

Pray All Over Them

 

In return for my love

     they accuse me,

but I give myself

              to prayer.

          Psalm 109.4

(Do the unexpected:

       pray for them instead.

Praying is not just

          how to respond

   in the volatile or hurtful,

but praying protects us

      in the midst of assaults

and shows us

  how to handle adversaries.

Love them to death.

Pray all over them.

May our prayers be triggered

    when we are attacked.

They can't touch us

  when we pray in return.)

O LORD,

I have never thought of

   praying as a shield over us

nor as a strength to

       block what seeks

       to bring us down.

Instead of fighting back,

  rouse up in us

  the power of prayer.

May praying be our first response

   and strongest defense.

Put On Your Thinking Cap

 

And let us consider

how to stir up one another

   to love and good works,

not neglecting

            to meet together,

as is the habit of some,

but encouraging one another,

and all the more as you

  see the Day drawing near.

              Hebrews 10. 24-25

(The word consider comes from

the Old French meaning examine

or in the Greek, 

      to fix one's eyes upon.

As a daily challenge,

put on your thinking cap

for how can we personally

   stir up love in this situation

and bring good works

    into these circumstances.

It doesn't just happen.

Coming together is 

   not an option,

   but a source of strength

and covers all of us with

   a little more courage.)

O LORD,

Please help us to consider,

to think about, pray about,

   and respond to 

how we can approach this day

           differently.

Help us to not just

   think about ourselves,

but what we can intentionally

       bring to the table

for the well-being

       and nurturing of all.

Make us aware of opportunities

to give a little more courage

     to those around us,

simple words that change

the course of a day

    or trajectory of a life.