Our battle is not against flesh and blood

With the terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut, it may seem like a particular terrorist group is the enemy.  But Paul reminds us that:

... our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 6:12 NIV)

Furthermore, Jesus teaches us to treat haters with love:

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28)

 

Heavenly Father, please help us respond with love.  Holy Spirit, please comfort the loved ones of those killed in the attacks.  Lord Jesus, please reveal yourself to those involved in planning and executing these attacks, and bring them to salvation in your grace.  Teach them to love you and love people.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Last days

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 NIV

Read the news headlines.  Ask yourself, "Are we in the last days?"  I believe the answer should always be, "Yes."  We should live with the expectation that Christ might return at any moment.

I feel like the world progressively grows more audaciously apostate, but perhaps it is an artifact of me continuing to grow closer to the Lord.  I think I need to intentionally and explicitly prepare my children to navigate such a world - to be prepared for fierce conflict with the enemy.

Heavenly Father, please help me be wise and discerning in these days.  Help me see the signs of the times.  Don't let me be ignorant and naive.  Help me prepare my children to live as faithful disciples in this world, despite what fierce opposition may come.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Answered prayers

In the past several of weeks, the Lord had answered two huge prayer requests for a couple in our home group.  I am so encouraged by His kindness and faithfulness.  Though He did make us wait, He is faithful.  He had given me so much joy through seeking these answered prayers.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness and faithfulness.  Thank you for hearing us, sustaining us, and answering us.  Lord Jesus, may your fame spread across the world.  Holy Spirit, give us boldness to proclaim His love for us and our love for Him.  We love you, and we pray in the name of Jesus.

build up yourself and others

Jude 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

It is both internal and external: internal maturity and external ministry.  

Keep yourselves in God's love.  That is an interesting way to put it.  Almost like we have some freewill contribution to the relationship.

I want to learn to pray in the Holy Spirit.

Be merciful, save them from the fire, show mercy.  Kindness, compassion.

Heavenly Father, please help me consistently build myself up in holy faith, help me pray in the Holy Spirit.  Help me be a merciful rescuer.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

acting like my Father

On Sunday, Joe spoke in our morning gathering, and his dad and brother came to support.  Joe spoke about how sometimes we wish we had a second chance at a first impression; Jesus was God incarnate, reintroducing Himself to us.  In the next seven weeks, we will be studying Jesus's seven "I AM" metaphors, and Joe invited us to consider how we could allow ourselves to give Jesus another chance at an introduction.  

During communion, I noticed how Joe's brother had very similar mannerisms as their dad.  The thought occurred to me, I want people to recognize that I look like my Father.  I want to move and talk like Jesus so that people will recognize that I AM is in me.

Heavenly Father, I want to act like you.  Help me see you and learn to live like you.  Help me see you through Jesus.  Holy Spirit, help me.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

holiness

1 Pet 1:13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

For a long time, I thought "holiness" simply meant "morally perfect", but that is not actually what the word means.  I was reminded, recently, that the Greek word ἅγιος (hagios) means "different" or "set apart".  God commands us to join Him in His apartness.  God is the Creator, and we are the creation, but He wants us to be with Him.  I think it is as much relational as it is behavioral.

Practically, how do I join Him in His apartness?  I'm not sure if it starts with the heart or the mind, maybe both.  I think I need to want to be with Him, and I think I need to intentionally and consciously think about the reality that my spirit is with Christ in the heavenly realm.  How do I bring my soul and body into God's apartness with my spirit?  How do I grow my desire to be more fully present with God?

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your holiness.  You are holy, and I want to join you in your holiness.  Thank you for the privilege of being with you through Christ.  Holy Spirit, please grow my desire, and prompt me to think about being with you all the time.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

What do I really want most?

In our home group discussion this evening, Tamara told us about Randy Clark's autobiography and how he really wanted more of God.  It made me consider, what do I really want most?  To be honest, I think most of what I think about is career advancement.  This makes me sad.  I want to want God the most.  I need my heart calibrated.

Heavenly Father, I am sorry that I have allowed myself to focus the attention of my heart on my career instead of you.  I love you, and I want to want you most.  Please forgive me, and calibrate my heart to focus on you and seek you first.  Holy Spirit, I want to experience your presence and power.  I pray in the name of Jesus.