12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”[b] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. Revelation 1: 12-13
Dear Jesus,
As I contemplate the full meaning of being clothed in you, I think about how this means that I am draped with your qualities. I pray that these children will come to understand that being clothed in you means that they have the attributes of royalty. They are sons and daughters of the Living God and are priests, princes and princesses in your court. They are dressed in royal garb and have position and authority as members of the royal family. They will not always feel this way as the world mistreats them (as the also mistreated you). As their high priest, remind them often of their true position in the universe, higher than any earthly king. Higher than any earthly president. And help them to remember that this puts a heavy responsibility on them to represent the Kingdom of God as its ambassadors in the world.
Strengthen them and remind them often,
Amen
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Clothed in Christ- Galatians 3:26-27
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27).
Father,
It is an amazing thought that when we are baptized into your Son, that we become clothed in Him. That means that when you look at our imperfection, you instead you see Him and his perfection. So, I stand before you and am perfect in your eyes. I pray that these children will choose that path, that they become your children of promise through faith in Him as your Son and that they choose to be baptized into your Son and thereby to be clothed in Him. I pray that they will fully comprehend the significance of being clothed in Him.
Jesus, thank you for surrounding us with your person, for being our shield and our protector, for giving us the right to approach the Throne of Heaven by the perfection and righteousness that you cover over us. Help us and help these children to understand what you are doing for us and the price you paid to do that.
Amen
Father,
It is an amazing thought that when we are baptized into your Son, that we become clothed in Him. That means that when you look at our imperfection, you instead you see Him and his perfection. So, I stand before you and am perfect in your eyes. I pray that these children will choose that path, that they become your children of promise through faith in Him as your Son and that they choose to be baptized into your Son and thereby to be clothed in Him. I pray that they will fully comprehend the significance of being clothed in Him.
Jesus, thank you for surrounding us with your person, for being our shield and our protector, for giving us the right to approach the Throne of Heaven by the perfection and righteousness that you cover over us. Help us and help these children to understand what you are doing for us and the price you paid to do that.
Amen
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
God's Fasting. Isaiah 58(6)
"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:10, 11)
Faithful Father,
This world is a dark place. Since the fall of man, we continue to live in sin and the sin of mankind becomes worse, not better. These children will grow up in a world that is ever darkening until the day you redeem your creation. Amidst that truth, the greatest hope I have for these children is that they be lights shining in the darkness. By the promise of Isaiah, if they devote themselves to serving the physically and spiritually oppressed and poor, you will cause their lights to shine brightly, spreading the light of hope to all around them and brightening their own path with light.
But that path can be wearisome. Sometimes we just grow tired tending to the wounded in this world. Sometimes it becomes discouraging when those we are trying to help sabotage their own recovery from the pit. But your promise through Isaiah is that if these children will devote themselves to this kind of ministry, you will supply there needs, even when they feel like they are in the desert. That you will actually give them greater strength and endurance to go on and that you will refresh their souls with soothing and nurturing spiritual streams. I pray and ask that you fulfill these promises in them. And that you do so with each step they take so that you train them up in a pattern of behavior, a pattern and habit of compassion in their approach to the world around them.
Amen
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:10, 11)
Faithful Father,
This world is a dark place. Since the fall of man, we continue to live in sin and the sin of mankind becomes worse, not better. These children will grow up in a world that is ever darkening until the day you redeem your creation. Amidst that truth, the greatest hope I have for these children is that they be lights shining in the darkness. By the promise of Isaiah, if they devote themselves to serving the physically and spiritually oppressed and poor, you will cause their lights to shine brightly, spreading the light of hope to all around them and brightening their own path with light.
But that path can be wearisome. Sometimes we just grow tired tending to the wounded in this world. Sometimes it becomes discouraging when those we are trying to help sabotage their own recovery from the pit. But your promise through Isaiah is that if these children will devote themselves to this kind of ministry, you will supply there needs, even when they feel like they are in the desert. That you will actually give them greater strength and endurance to go on and that you will refresh their souls with soothing and nurturing spiritual streams. I pray and ask that you fulfill these promises in them. And that you do so with each step they take so that you train them up in a pattern of behavior, a pattern and habit of compassion in their approach to the world around them.
Amen
Monday, March 5, 2012
God's Fasting. Isaiah 58 (5)
"Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."(Isaiah 58:8, 9)
Powerful Father,
In these verses there is a promise. If these children will follow after your heart for the oppressed, for those in bondage, for the poor, the hungry, the naked and the alien, you promise that their light, their influence, the impact of their lives will break forth like the dawn. You will also give healing to their spirit when they are discouraged and wounded. That their righteous reputation will go before them as they become known for their good works of kindness and deliverance. And as they will inevitably be attacked and criticized for their efforts, you yourself will "have their backs". And when they call you, you will answer.
Lord, I pray that you fulfill these promises to these children in very tangible and obvious ways so that they know you are well pleased with what they are doing. Strengthen their spirits with your power and with your mighty angels, protect them from the evil one's attack. Lift their heads when they are discouraged and hear their cries as they wade in to minister to the spiritually wounded.
Amen
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I."(Isaiah 58:8, 9)
Powerful Father,
In these verses there is a promise. If these children will follow after your heart for the oppressed, for those in bondage, for the poor, the hungry, the naked and the alien, you promise that their light, their influence, the impact of their lives will break forth like the dawn. You will also give healing to their spirit when they are discouraged and wounded. That their righteous reputation will go before them as they become known for their good works of kindness and deliverance. And as they will inevitably be attacked and criticized for their efforts, you yourself will "have their backs". And when they call you, you will answer.
Lord, I pray that you fulfill these promises to these children in very tangible and obvious ways so that they know you are well pleased with what they are doing. Strengthen their spirits with your power and with your mighty angels, protect them from the evil one's attack. Lift their heads when they are discouraged and hear their cries as they wade in to minister to the spiritually wounded.
Amen
Sunday, March 4, 2012
God's Fasting. Isaiah 58 (4)
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (Isaiah 58:6, 7)
Father,
I strongly believe that in Christ, all the great teachings of your word have both a physical and a spiritual application. No doubt there are many in this world who are in bondage, who are oppressed, who are hungry and in need of clothing, and many who are oppressed as aliens in the land. But ultimately of even more significance is that the world is in spiritual bondage, in slavery to sin and its consequences and to the oppressing power of the evil one. Millions have spiritual hunger to fill deep emptiness within them. Millions wander trough the wilderness of life as aliens without spiritual home. Many are naked before you without being clothed in the grace of your Son.
I pray that these children have an insatiable ache in their heart for those who are captive to the prince of this world, those who are without hope and without a relationship with you. Give them boldness to speak about you, compassion for those who are "harassed, like sheep without a shepherd". May they always be willing to reach out in grace and humility, sharing the mercy and compassion that you intend for all who turn their face to you.
Amen
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (Isaiah 58:6, 7)
Father,
I strongly believe that in Christ, all the great teachings of your word have both a physical and a spiritual application. No doubt there are many in this world who are in bondage, who are oppressed, who are hungry and in need of clothing, and many who are oppressed as aliens in the land. But ultimately of even more significance is that the world is in spiritual bondage, in slavery to sin and its consequences and to the oppressing power of the evil one. Millions have spiritual hunger to fill deep emptiness within them. Millions wander trough the wilderness of life as aliens without spiritual home. Many are naked before you without being clothed in the grace of your Son.
I pray that these children have an insatiable ache in their heart for those who are captive to the prince of this world, those who are without hope and without a relationship with you. Give them boldness to speak about you, compassion for those who are "harassed, like sheep without a shepherd". May they always be willing to reach out in grace and humility, sharing the mercy and compassion that you intend for all who turn their face to you.
Amen
God's Fasting Isaiah 58 (3)
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
Is it not to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—"
(Isaiah 58:6, 7 NIV84)
Dear Father, Father of all compassion,
You have always had a place in your heart for the wanderer, for the alien. Your chosen one, Abraham, wandered in a strange land that was not his own as did his descendants until you gave them the land you promised to him. Your people, Israel, wandered through the desert, and even though their wandering was because of their own failing, you did not abandon them. Your Son had no home of his own as he wandered during his ministry.
Your instruction to Israel through Isaiah was to remind them to treat the alien and wanderer well, because they were once so. We too, in this country, were all once wanderers and aliens. I pray that these children remember that. That they do not fall captive to rhetoric that mistreats and abuses the alien in our land. Rather, may they defend their cause.
May they be the kind of people who welcome strangers and care for the lonely who are displaced from their family and friends. Give them your heart when it comes to those without the comforts relationships that they experience.
Amen
Is it not to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—"
(Isaiah 58:6, 7 NIV84)
Dear Father, Father of all compassion,
You have always had a place in your heart for the wanderer, for the alien. Your chosen one, Abraham, wandered in a strange land that was not his own as did his descendants until you gave them the land you promised to him. Your people, Israel, wandered through the desert, and even though their wandering was because of their own failing, you did not abandon them. Your Son had no home of his own as he wandered during his ministry.
Your instruction to Israel through Isaiah was to remind them to treat the alien and wanderer well, because they were once so. We too, in this country, were all once wanderers and aliens. I pray that these children remember that. That they do not fall captive to rhetoric that mistreats and abuses the alien in our land. Rather, may they defend their cause.
May they be the kind of people who welcome strangers and care for the lonely who are displaced from their family and friends. Give them your heart when it comes to those without the comforts relationships that they experience.
Amen
Friday, March 2, 2012
God's Fasting Isaiah 58 (2)
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry —
Father,
I pray that you help these children to see the world through your eyes and not to turn their faces from human suffering. The issue of hunger in the world seems an insurmountable problem and we are tempted to just give up and ignore it. But I pray that you save these children from becoming calloused. Let them see what is there - the faces of human suffering and let their hearts be continually broken by the reality of how most of the world lives. At the same time, give them clarity of what they may be able to realistically contribute to the solution - determining with wisdom what is "their part" to do, considering their responsibilities to their own families. But in that wisdom, in that realism, do not allow the flame of idealism to die. May they continue to believe that one person can indeed make a difference that is larger than themselves, when they look to you for strength. And do not let them become captive to heartless political rhetoric that disdains helping those in need.
Amen
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry —
Father,
I pray that you help these children to see the world through your eyes and not to turn their faces from human suffering. The issue of hunger in the world seems an insurmountable problem and we are tempted to just give up and ignore it. But I pray that you save these children from becoming calloused. Let them see what is there - the faces of human suffering and let their hearts be continually broken by the reality of how most of the world lives. At the same time, give them clarity of what they may be able to realistically contribute to the solution - determining with wisdom what is "their part" to do, considering their responsibilities to their own families. But in that wisdom, in that realism, do not allow the flame of idealism to die. May they continue to believe that one person can indeed make a difference that is larger than themselves, when they look to you for strength. And do not let them become captive to heartless political rhetoric that disdains helping those in need.
Amen
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