Praying for the world is good for us, too!

It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.   

                                                            - The Apostle Paul in Romans 15:20  NIV

    

   Our church is part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and that gives us the opportunity to partner with over 2000 other churches in the United States and over 600 international workers around the globe in bringing the good news of Christ to people who would never hear it if it were not for our passion for praying, giving and going.  The legacy of Alliance missions is to plant the gospel in unreached places, establish a national church that can grow on its own and then reach out to new unreached people.  It is a tremendous privilege for us to give to and pray for God's work through the Alliance around the world.

  What we often forget is that praying for missions benefits us, too.  When we pray for God's work around the world, we  are reminded that the world is bigger than us and this, in turn, reminds us that our problems are smaller than they sometimes feel.  It's also encouraging to remember that God is sovereignly working in other places around the world even when it is hard to see him working in our own little spot of the world.

  Let a passion for God's Kingdom work throughout the world bloom in your heart by watering and feeding it with prayer.  This week, pray for missionaries you know and the work they are currently seeking to accomplish.  If you do not personally know any missionaries, visit  www.cmalliance.org and click on the word “Pray” in the middle of the page for more information on how you can pray for the work of the Christian and Missionary Alliance around the world.

Facing the Fear of Not Having Enough

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.    

8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.        
                                                           2 Corinthians 9:6,8  NIV

    

   One of the biggest obstacles we have to overcome on the path to a more generous life is the fear of not having enough.  It is etched into our subconscious that if we become generous, we will not have enough for ourselves.  We are just like the disciples. Jesus had to correct them because of their anxiety and he warned them that the worries of this world would get in the way of a fruitful life.

   The best way to overcome this fear is to face it head on.  This week, ask God to prompt you with an opportunity to be generous.  It might be a gift to someone in financial need or a gift to a missionary or a sacrificial gift to God’s ministry through your church.   Remember God’s grace to you and his ability to meet all your needs abundantly and let these lead you to discover the joy of the generous life.  We can trust our generous God!

The Joy of Giving with No Strings Attached

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full.                                            

                                                                                                  Luke 6:32-34  NIV

    

    We live in world of traders.  Everyone is trying get more than what they have.  They trade time, money and other resources in an effort to secure what they think will make their lives better.  It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of trading and miss out on the joy of giving.  We give when we seek the benefit of someone else and leave whatever personal gain may come our way in the hands of our Heavenly Father.

   This week, ask God to lead you to an opportunity to give with no expectation of a return gift.  You might give time to help someone accomplish a project.  You might give a gift to someone who can’t afford to give a gift back to you or to someone whom you ask not to give a gift in return.  

Reflect on how much you have been given by God and then discover the joy of sharing it with someone else.

Celebrate a Little!

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.    Romans 14:17 NIV

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.   Revelation 19:7  NIV

    

When is the last time you celebrated the good news of Christ and that you are part of the Kingdom of God?  We celebrate birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and accomplishments, but we rarely celebrate the Kingdom of God outside of a worship service.

How do you celebrate in your life?  Do you make a cake or special dessert?  Do you go out to eat?  

This week, plan a small celebration just to celebrate your inclusion in God’s family and Kingdom.  Make a cake or have an ice cream party with all the toppings or even go out to eat in honor of Christ.  As you celebrate, offer the celebration to God in gratitude for his gift of salvation and look forward to the day when we, the bride of Christ, will finally be united to celebrate and feast with Christ, our bridegroom.  

Bragging on God

My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.    Psalm 34:2 NIV

    

    It’s been said  that when our problems seem too big, it’s because our  view of God is too small.  That’s the nugget of truth behind this verse from Psalms.  David was familiar with the weight of affliction and the despair that it can bring.  David was fully aware of the potential that affliction has to steal our hope so that we find it hard to even dream about something good happening.

   What was his solution?  Boast in the Lord!  He would recount the greatness of God .  When we follow his example of magnifying the greatness of God, our confidence in God will grow and our problems will seem to shrink before our very eyes.

   This week, use the truths listed below to proclaim God’s greatness.  Get on your knees and humble yourself before God.  Declare confidently that He is God and you are not.  Surrender to his amazing greatness.  Pray through these truths, applying each one to your personal situation with full confidence in God's greatness.  Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in prayer and to strengthen your confidence in God.

1. His mercy is magnificent.  Micah 7:18

2. His forgiveness is complete. 1 John 1:9

3. His faithful love is the greatest love. Psalm 89:2; John 15:13

4. His knowledge and wisdom have no limits.  Romans 11:33-34

5. His ways are just and perfect. Deuteronomy 32:4

6. His grace is sufficient. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

7. His peace passes all understanding. Philippians 4:6-7

8. He is always with us. Hebrews 13:5

9. His victory is certain.  1 Corinthians 15:22-26; 2 Peter 3:13

Seeking God's Face

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.                 Psalm 27:8 NIV

    We are all born with a hunger  to seek God’s face.  It’s what the early church father, St. Augustine was describing when he said, “Oh God, you have made our hearts and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

    Everyone feels this hunger, but not everyone understands that only God can satisfy it.  Many try to satisfy this hunger by seeking the approval of others, some form of comfort or any of a multitude of other things.  Time spent seeking satisfaction from other sources only builds up our resistance to seeking God.

   It’s important to note that God calls us to seek his FACE.  Why his face?  It’s because knowing the face of someone is a description of a personal relationship.  We often spend time seeking God’s hand, which indicates we are more interested in what God can give us more than we are interested in having a relationship with him.

   How do we seek God’s face?  God gives us instructions for this, too, and it starts with praising him.  When we praise God, and do this not just as a means to butter him up so we can get what we really want, we are focusing on his goodness, greatness and love.  This week, set aside some time to praise God without asking for anything from him.  Don’t even expect a certain feeling or experience.  Simply praise him with a sincere heart.  As you pray, contemplate the meaning of what you are praying.  What does it mean that God is faithful, patient, good or kind?  Think as you pray.  As you do, you will be satisfying your deep hunger to know God.

Increasing Your Awareness for Sharing the Good News

I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.          John 4:35  NIV

   

    Jesus spoke these words to his disciples so they would open their eyes to see the people all around them who are ready to respond to God.  It’s very easy to think that people are not open to the message of God’s grace, that they won’t want us to share God’s kindness with them.  The truth is that there are many people who are open to God and would love to talk with us about trusting him.  It doesn’t mean they will trust God immediately, but we may help them move closer to trusting him.

    Sometimes a short, often-prayed prayer can change the way we look at the people around us.  This week, pray this one sentence prayer for the people around you.

      “Father, please help this person discover your goodness and trust your

       wisdom.”  [Use their name if you know it.]

You can pray it for your coworker or for the person in the car next to you at a traffic light.  You can pray this prayer for a believer or a nonbeliever.  No matter where we are on our journey, we all need to discover more of God’s goodness and trust more of his wisdom.  Pray it as often as you can.  You can pray it many times for the same person.  Simply pray it for anyone and everyone that crosses your path this week.