the monday prayer

Fire from Heaven

Posted on May 27, 2013 by themondayprayer

“I would not attack the faith of a heathen without being sure I had a better one to put in its place.” —Harriet Beecher Stowe, 19th Century American writer and the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

1 Kings 18:20-40 <– Read This
Psalm 96
Galatians 1:1-12
Luke 7:1-10

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21).

“Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39).

PRAYER FOCUS: The Fire from Heaven

To wayward Israelites under the rule of evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Baal was the storm god, the god of fertility, the god of the fields and the harvest. That Baal was false mattered little. Baal-worship was inclusive and open-minded—progressive, ahead of its time. It was an easy theology to grasp: if the followers of Baal made certain sacrifices, he would guarantee a good harvest.

Better yet, Baal-worship demanded sexual rituals that appealed to people’s lower instincts. It was natural, they argued. After all, God made them that way. The “old” morality imposed rules that they considered restrictive and exclusive, while their new religion offered an “alternative” that was far more easily attained. The children of Israel were finding it easier to shape an idol to fit their base behaviors than to raise themselves up to meet God’s standard.

Unfortunately, as the Israelites were about to learn—and not for the first time—idols can only make promises. They cannot keep them. Furthermore, Israel would have to re-learn that God takes it personally when his children put their trust in something other than Him.

God’s response to Israel’s idolatry was to send a drought. It was harsh, but very much on point, because in the theology of Baal the “storm god” and “god of the harvest”, he was supposed to guarantee them the rain they needed. When God took away the very thing that they relied on Baal for, it negated any logical reason to believe in him. Baal-worship thus became unprofitable. But the people dithered.

The prophet Elijah asks them, “How long will you waver between two opinions?” He challenges their priests and prophets to prove that Baal is real. “The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

So the priests of Baal went first, praying for the better part of a day that their idol would send fire upon the altar they had made for him. They danced and cut themselves. They sang and shouted themselves hoarse, all without result. Elijah taunted them, “Shout louder! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

Or perhaps Baal never existed in the first place.

Then Elijah had water dumped on his altar not once, not twice, but three times—to the point where everything was completely soaked and the trench around the altar was brimming. In short, he made the altar impossible to ignite. Impossible for anyone who wasn’t God.

Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (vv. 36-39).

Elijah did NOT:

• Argue with the people about whose god is bigger.
• Ask God to smite the people for their blasphemy.
• Ask for God to take him out of this situation.

Note the pivotal element of choice:

• Elijah chose to prepare an altar. Elijah chose to pray.
• God chose to send fire.
• Then the people chose God.

And that’s the whole point right there.

In our modern times we have heard people pray for God to send fire upon this or that evil spiritual force, or even against a physical, personal enemy. We hear people who would harness God’s power against a secular world that laughs at Him—well, at us, really.

And we would challenge any errant theology that invokes God to smite the challengers we ourselves won’t stand up to.

At Pentecost, God the Father sent His Holy Spirit into the world. The Spirit’s initial manifestation was in tongues of fire. That Spirit, that fire, was given to us so that we could pray for the power to do mighty works, and go to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel. We suspect that the main reason why we see so few Elijah-like demonstrations of power is that so few Christians are willing to put in the hard work that made Elijah effective, i.e., prayer, fasting, obedience, listening and study.

When we are opposed by other faiths, or even compromised Christians, we cannot allow their theology to define ours. Simply stated, we can’t defend what we don’t know. To pray like Elijah involves more than saying the words. We must know God better.

We serve and love a supernatural God who commands all power in the universe and yet speaks in whispers. Father God doesn’t need to send fire from heaven upon the altar of Baal.

Why?

Because, dear Christian, He has already sent you. What if you’re the fire you’ve been praying for?

What if you’re the fire they’ve been praying for?

A disciple once came to Abba Joseph, saying, “Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, my little fast, and my little prayer. And according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my mind of all evil thoughts and my heart of all evil intents. Now, what more should I do?” Abba Joseph rose up and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of flame. He answered, “Why not be totally changed into fire?” (from the book Prayer by Richard Foster)

It’s Monday Morning. How long will you waver? This week, why not be transformed into fire?

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged Baal, Elijah, Fire from Heaven, Mount Carmel, prayer, the monday prayer | Leave a comment

Finishing the Race

Posted on May 19, 2013 by themondayprayer

“Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” —the fictional “Mrs. Fletcher” in a 1990s advertisement for a remote home medical alarm system.

“In the dust of defeat, as well as the laurels of victory, there is glory to be found if one has done his best.” —Eric Liddell, British Runner and 440-yd Gold Medalist in the 1924 Olympics, and later a missionary in Manchuria, where he died of malnourishment in a Japanese concentration camp, in 1945.

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Psalm 8
Romans 5:1-5
John 16:12-15

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Rom 5:3-5 NLT).

PRAYER FOCUS: Building Endurance, Character and Hope

When Mrs. Fletcher fell in that famous (and unintentionally humorous) TV commercial, she had a button to push that she hoped would bring the help she needed to get up again. Christians have a similar device, only with far more power and much greater signal strength. It’s called PRAYER.

Our human nature shrinks from pain and suffering. We are programmed to avoid these things. In fact, we may fear them. That fear alone has diverted many Christians off of the path God has called them to.

• “Never mind when I fall, what about when it’s my whole life that’s falling apart?”

Good question.

We don’t know why cancer strikes one person and not another.

We don’t know why one child struggles while another excels.

We don’t know why the tornado struck here but not there.

We don’t know why your brother was walking past the bomb when it detonated and not seconds before or after.

We do know that the Bible offers us comfort in the hope that somehow our pain will purchase something good. We know that “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Sometimes we may fall. Sometimes it all falls down around us. But we don’t quit.

In this week’s Lectionary Scripture from Paul’s letter to the Romans we bring our Prayer Focus to one of the most perplexing passages in all of Scripture. In Romans 5:3 Paul tells us to “glory in our trials” (NIV), “glory in tribulations” (NKJV), “boast in our sufferings” (NRSV), “rejoice in our afflictions” (HCSB). In other words, Paul is asking us to brag about and party on our pain.

• Are you kidding? Next thing you know, this guy will have us praying for more human misery, not less…

If you’ve recoiled in surprise, you’re in good company.

But after the comma, the Apostle reveals the reason why: “because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (NIV). We see that God can and will use hard times to build in us good things. The most important words in the passage are “we know.”

We don’t learn these truths in Sunday School; we learn them along the Path of Suffering. The Apostle Paul point to four signposts along the way:

1. Suffering. The Latin root of this word (sub- + ferre) means “to carry under” or to “press down”. Many times we find ourselves in trials, tribulation and suffering because of the unfortunate consequences of our own sin and rebellion. Other times they come to us through the sins of others. And sometimes they just come. No one is exempt. No one gets a free pass. But Paul’s message is simple and clear: Suffering is the believer’s servant, and not his master.

2. Perseverance. The original Greek word in Paul’s text is “upomone,” meaning to bear up under something heavy. It is characteristic of a person who is not swerved from his or her deliberate purpose even in the greatest of trials and sufferings. It’s the quality that keeps a marathon runner going after “hitting the wall.”

3. Character. The Greek word here is “dokime.” It means “a tested and proven character.” A proven character is one that has passed the test, and can be relied upon thereafter to perform under similar pressure.

4. Hope. This is the desired end state for Christian faith. It is not a hope for what we may wish for, but simply a hope for God. What starts with suffering ends with hope. We discover that our sufferings have an eternal reward, because nothing is wasted in a believer’s life. “Hope does not disappoint.” Not in this life or in the life to come. Even our worst trials are down payments on something wonderful to come.

Why pray? Because sometimes God’s greatest blessings are poured out in bitter cups:

• Ask Abraham and he will point to Mount Moriah.
• Ask Joseph and he will point to a prison in Egypt.
• Ask Moses and he will point to forty years in the desert.
• Ask Daniel and he will point to a lion’s den.
• Ask Jesus and He will point to the Cross.

The pathway to hope is an uphill climb. And it’s a race every Christian must run. It isn’t about self-improvement, or some divine version of From Couch Potato to Marathon Running in Four Easy Steps. It’s about traveling the way of faith, hope and love. It’s about getting up when we fall, no matter if we were careless or if we were tripped. It’s about persevering when the path gets hard and steep. It’s about keeping our eyes on the finish line where our rest and reward await.

It’s about knowing that our hope will never disappoint us, in this world or the next.

It’s Monday Morning. Are you facing a difficult path this week? Pray not that God will take the steep parts away, but that He will give you the strength you need to overcome them. And may He bless you every step of the way.

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged Building Character, Chariots of Fire, Endurance, Eric Liddell, hope, prayer, Running, the monday prayer, Trials, Tribulation | Leave a comment

The Ultimate Power: Pride or Love?

Posted on May 12, 2013 by themondayprayer

For pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense. ― C.S. Lewis

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. —St. Augustine

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Genesis 11:1-9

The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”(Gen 11:6-7, NIV)

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4, NIV)

PRAYER FOCUS: The Power of Pride or the Power of Love?

SCIENCE!!! “She blinded me with science, and hit me with technology…” (with apologies to 1980s recording star, Thomas Dolby)

The Babylonians were stoked. They had achieved a major breakthrough in science and technology. They had just discovered…the brick. They quickly learned that they could make bricks faster than they could cut rocks. Then they learned that by using bricks instead of rocks they could build a much larger structure, much faster, and with less investment. They were amazed. And they were very proud of themselves. In that day, they all spoke the same language, so they could congratulate themselves and everyone understood it.

They set about building a tower “to the heavens” to show God how smart and powerful they had become. The leaders of Babylon called for a national effort to support the Great Tower project. The people would be unified, they said.

It is no small irony that Genesis records that “the Lord came down to see the city and the tower…” (Gen 11:5, our emphasis) Turns out their fancy tower didn’t go all the way to heaven after all. But the Babylonians imagined it that way. They were using science and technology to build an earthly kingdom of crafty, evil, pride-filled men.

And that should give pause to men (and women) in any age, no matter how advanced their learning seems to be.

Had the Babylonians continued, they would never have been a threat to Almighty God, but like kids playing with matches, they were already becoming a threat to themselves. When God confused their language, it was an act of judgment, to be sure. But it was also an act of mercy.

In contrast, Pentecost is Babel reversed and undone. Babel was God’s judgment on the people who tried to unite against Him. Pentecost was God’s blessing in bringing people together for a purpose— people from every race, nation and language. Pentecost is God reversing the chaos and undoing the confusion of Babel. The message of people of Babel was: “We are gods!” The message of the people of Pentecost was: “We are God’s.”

1. At Babel, men displayed their faith in technology and learning. At Pentecost, mankind displayed their faith in God and in the promise of the Holy Spirit.
2. At Babel, men who were united in language became divided by it. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit reconnects human languages to His purpose.
3. At Babel we see mankind full of himself. At Pentecost we see mankind full of the Holy Spirit.
4. Babel brought destruction. Pentecost brought foundation. And every brick needs a solid foundation to rest on.

Is God against human knowledge and technology? Absolutely not. After all, we are created in His image, as creative, intelligent beings. The problem is not science, it is pride. God opposes any thing that leads us away from Him.

Pentecost marked the end of vain strivings, and the beginning of our joint efforts, not with each other, but with our Father-God. His Pentecost promise is to use us, not merely to build towers, but to build His Kingdom! He sends us as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. It works that way even now. God is willing. The Holy Spirit is willing. Are you? The ends of the earth are waiting.

It’s Monday Morning. This week, when you use the tools and products that challenge our imaginations, take a moment to remember the Tower of Babel and the consequences of pride. Don’t be blinded by science!

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged Babel, Babylon, Holy Spirit, language, love, Pentecost, prayer, the monday prayer, Tower of Babel | Leave a comment

Unlimited Once More

Posted on May 5, 2013 by themondayprayer

See, the Conqueror mounts in triumph,
See the King in royal state,
Riding on the clouds His chariot
To His heavenly palace-gate;
Hark, the choirs of angel voices
Joyful halleluiahs sing,
And the portals high are lifted,
To receive their heavenly King.
—William Wordsworth

PRAYER: (from the United Methodist Hymnal)

“Everliving God, Your eternal Christ once dwelt on earth, confined by time and space. Give us faith to discern in every time and place the presence of Him who is head over all things and who fills all. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, our ascended Lord, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Psalm 47

Jesus said to them, “…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:8-11, NIV).

PRAYER FOCUS: What the Ascension Means to Us

This Thursday is known Ascension Day, marking our observance of our Lord’s ascension from earth into heaven. It is, perhaps, one of the more overlooked celebrations in the Christian calendar. But in terms of theological impact, the Ascension ranks with Good Friday and Easter—and ahead of Pentecost and Christmas.

Where the Resurrection of Jesus opened the grave, his Ascension formed our bridge to heaven and eternal life. The Ascension completes His participation in the prophetic sequence of events that began in Bethlehem.

• First there is Christ’s descent to earth—God becoming man by means of the immaculate conception and virgin birth of the baby Jesus.
• Thirty-three years later the Lamb of God receives and carries away the sins of the world for all time by his sacrificial and substitutionary death on the Cross.
• Three days after being crucified to death, in the presence of literally hundreds of witnesses, Jesus is resurrected from the dead. Over the next forty days he is repeatedly seen by people throughout Jerusalem and Judea. Both Roman and Jewish officials would record this for history.
• Then, in an event that demonstrates the unbound power of the Son of God, once again in the presence of witnesses, Jesus is swept up in a cloud and carried directly from earth into heaven.

Without resurrection, Christ’s death on the cross would have been meaningless—crucifixion was a calling card of the Romans, and they crucified thousands in Palestine alone. Without the ascension of Jesus, his resurrection would have been incomplete at best—the world might have a resurrected person, but not one who is now seated at Father-God’s right hand in the place of authority. The way was now clear for God to send the Holy Spirit upon the followers of Jesus, and into the world through the Church.

The event itself demonstrates the unbound power of Jesus the Son of God. Jesus had completed his thirty-three year mission of being confined in time and space to a human body, dwelling among us, sharing both our limitations and infirmities, suffering the pain of death and the humiliation of betrayal and injustice. On this day, as He had promised, he had the unmitigated, incomparable joy of returning, in obedience and in victory, to His Heavenly Father.

On Ascension Day we do not celebrate our Lord’s physical departure from us. Rather, we celebrate the certain knowledge that Jesus was once again unlimited, that he was unbound by any force other than His amazing Love. We celebrate that Jesus the Christ departed the earth in a most spectacular and jaw-dropping manner and was welcomed back into His eternal home, where at the mention of His name, all creatures in the heavens and on the earth and under the earth will forever kneel before Him and praise Him. We celebrate because our Savior and Friend is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, interceding for us even now in this moment.

So let us mark this day and celebrate indeed. Let us join in song with the heavenly host of angels and archangels, with all the generations of faithful saints, with the resounding of heavenly harps and the mighty peals of trumpets proclaiming in unison the ancient hymn,

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

It’s Monday morning. Are you standing there looking at the sky? We are witnesses to the most amazing supernatural event in all of history. Tell someone. We pray you will have a week full of God’s blessings and rich with the joy of Christ’s victorious ascent to Heaven.

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged ascend into heaven, Ascension Day, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, the monday prayer | 3 Comments

When We Stumble, When We Fall

Posted on April 29, 2013 by themondayprayer

We stumble and fall constantly, even when we are most enlightened. But when we are in true spiritual darkness, we do not even know that we have fallen. —Thomas Merton

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5
John 14:23-29

PRAYER FOCUS: Getting Back Up

“There’s no way God will ever forgive me for THAT…”

Maybe you’ve felt this way before. You’ve sinned and you know it. You can almost hear the Serpent hiss, “Do you really think God will forgive you? Isn’t that sin…unforgivable?”

In our Lectionary Prayer for today we pray to 1) know Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and 2) follow in His footsteps in the way that leads to eternal life.

Listen up. There are two, and only two, kinds of people in this world: Those who are forgiven and those who are not. Everyone makes mistakes. Every Christian makes mistakes. It’s not a question of whether we will stumble and fall, but when—and how we respond to it.

Consider the differing responses of Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot:

Simon Peter

According to the four gospels, as a Disciple, Peter needed a lot of what the military calls “on the spot corrections.” The Gospel of Matthew records Jesus issuing one such stern rebuke to Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me…” (Matt 16:23). After the Last Supper, when Jesus declared that all the Disciples would turn away from Him, Peter brashly insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you!” But later that same night Peter denied three times that he had ever known Jesus—and spoke the third denial with a curse (Matt. 26:74).

As soon as Peter uttered those words, Jesus turned and looked across the courtyard straight at him. Eye to eye with Jesus, Peter faced the inescapable reality of his own cowardice, and he went outside “and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61-62). All of the remaining Disciples fled, leaving their beloved teacher and friend in the hands of men they all knew wanted to kill him. Every one of them failed. That’s why Jesus had earlier told Peter, “I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32).

Judas

The gospels are not kind to Judas. Luke tells us that Satan himself entered into him, inducing him to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:3). John records that on the night of the Last Supper, Judas departed the meal early to report that Jesus would soon be in the Garden of Gethsemane, along with His disciples (John 18:2). There, Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss (Matt 26:47-50).

The gospels do not reveal what Judas expected to come of his actions that night. They do record that he did NOT expect Jesus to be condemned. At some point Judas realized what he had done and he tried to undo it.

“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood!”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That is your responsibility” (Matt 27:3-4).

No doubt the same Evil One who deceived Judas then turned on him and hissed, like the serpent he has ever been, “Do you really think God will forgive you? Isn’t your sin…unforgivable?”

So, what do you do once you realize that you’re responsible for a great sin? How do you feel when the terrible consequences stare you in the face and there’s just no escaping them? Does it make you feel any less horrible to know you were duped, or does that just make it worse?

You see, the grief of Judas Iscariot was not the kind of godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Despite the fact that he had been taught at the feet of the Master these very same lessons of repentance, forgiveness and grace, once Judas stumbled and fell he became stuck in hopelessness and despair. His faith failed. Instead of believing the truth that the Son of God had taught him, Judas believed the lies that Satan was whispering. Instead of getting up, turning back to the Lord in repentance, and seeking the forgiveness that was always his for the asking, Judas took his own life.

Peter and the other disciples also felt remorse. But in their remorse, they came to repentance. In faith and in hope, each turned back to the Lord they had run away from. They asked for and received forgiveness. And they were restored to love and serve their Lord once again.

The Bible assures us and reassures us that nothing in our past, no sin, no consequence of any sin, is so great that the magnificent work of Jesus Christ on the Cross hasn’t already overcome it.

When we stumble, when we fall, there is a dividing line between remorse and repentance that we must cross. If, as we have prayed today, we know Jesus to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we will also know there is no limit to the size and scope of God’s grace towards us. But just feeling bad about our sin isn’t enough.

It’s Monday Morning. Get back up. Be forgiven. Be restored. And once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers and your sisters.

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me” (Micah 7:8).

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged faith, fall, forgiveness, Jesus, Judas Iscariot, prayer, restoration, Simon Peter, sin, stumble, the monday prayer | Leave a comment

From Boston to Baghdad

Posted on April 22, 2013 by themondayprayer

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

PRAYER: (by Rev. Frederick William Schmidt, Professor of Theology, Perkins Seminary at Southern Methodist University)

“Gracious Lord, you are the lover of our souls. In times of crisis, like these horrible bombings, we are often overwhelmed by fear. Help us, Lord, to overcome that fear. Embrace those who have died. Heal those who have been injured. Comfort those who grieve. Sustain us and protect us. Keep us from the blind vengeance that deepens the spiral of violence. Give us the courage to search for justice tempered by truth. Father, teach us to live in light, walk in freedom, and stand firm in our resolve. In all things, Lord, teach us to live as yours, both in life and in death. We pray in the name of Jesus, the One who lived as yours in the shadow of the Cross, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:4-5)

PRAYER FOCUS: Praying for the Wounded, From Boston to Baghdad

As Christians we know that our journey of faith will end well. Jesus Himself will make everything new.

This week our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who died in the Boston bombings. We lift up in prayer those who have suffered great loss, and those who have been injured and maimed. Let us also pray for those who have planned and carried out this heinous and hateful attack, that they may repent and seek God’s forgiveness.

Although The Monday Prayer originated in the United States, it is now read by a diverse, international audience numbering in the thousands. Accordingly, we are compelled to bring prayerful attention to other bombings—equally horrific, if not equally broadcast:

• The day before the Boston bombing, on 15 April 2013, a series of bombs went off across Iraq, including the cities of Kirkuk, Nasiriyah, and Baghdad, killing 32 and injuring over 200.
• Five days later, on 20 April 2013, a car bomb killed nine and injured more than 20 in Fallujah.
• On 17 April 2013, a bomb went off in Bangalore, India, leaving 16 injured.
• On 21 February 2013, two blasts tore through a crowded shopping area in the city of Hyderabad, India, killing 17 people and injuring at least 119.

That’s just some of the bombings so far this year. Terror attacks (including many bombings) have, sadly, become common in:

• Libya and Egypt
• Syria and Lebanon
• Israel
• Nepal
• Russia and Chechnya

Perhaps the Boston bombings are more shocking to us in the West because they represent an attack on an otherwise peaceful area as opposed to an act of violence in an unstable area. We don’t perceive the same level of threat in Boston that we might in, say, Baghdad.

But perceptions of public safety are driven in large part by news coverage. And that coverage has been disproportionate at best, especially in places like Iraq and India. Indeed, it seems to us that such unceasing, over-dramatized 24-hour news coverage is an insult to the dead, the injured, and the grieving. Furthermore, it raises uncomfortable questions over editorial integrity, whether news media communicate or omit certain facts in order to promote a hidden political agenda.

For example, much of the violence in the Middle East and Africa is targeted against our fellow Christians. That is rarely, if ever, reported as such. And yet it happens almost daily:

• Muslim Brotherhood militants attacked Coptic Christians in their church on 10 April 2013, killing five and wounding dozens of others.
• Christians from northern Nigeria, under near-constant attack by the Boko Haram terrorists who want to cleanse Nigeria of all Christians.
• Syrian Christians who were formerly protected under the Assad regime, are now being singled out as a threat to a “pristine and pure Islamic state” by the increasingly victorious Islamic rebels.

For example, much of the violence in Iraq is targeted against our fellow Christians. That is rarely, if ever, reported as such. Canon Andrew White, the “Vicar of Baghdad,” reports in his 2011 book, Faith Under Fire:

The threat to Christians in Iraq has been very severe. Last year (2010) alone, ninety-three members of my congregation were killed. The threat is particularly great for those who are new to Christianity. I baptized thirteen adults secretly last year. Eleven of them were dead within a week.

Yes, the bombings in Boston are an important news story. The deaths of innocent people at something as benign as a sporting event are tragic and senseless criminal acts. And yet, around the world there are other such acts no less tragic, no less senseless that repeatedly fail to rise to our attention. As brother and sister Christians, don’t we have a duty to respond to their tragedy, too?

In our Lectionary Gospel reading from John, our Lord Jesus issues one final command to his beloved followers: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” (John 13:34-35).

How do we do that? Like all such endeavors, we begin in prayer. We may never see the blessing, and they may never know the blessing’s source, but the Bible assures us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16).

It’s Monday Morning. Where in the world is there someone you could pray for today?

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

[TMP NOTE: Canon Andrew White’s new book, Father, Forgive: Reflections on Peacemaking, has just been released. For more information on St. George’s Church in Baghdad, or Canon Andrew’s efforts towards reconciliation and peace in the Middle East, please click on FRRME, or FRRME America.]

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged Andrew White, Baghdad, Boston bombings, Christians targeted, Faith Under Fire, Fallujah bombings, Father Forgive, Iraq, Persecuted Christians, prayer, St. George's Church, the monday prayer | Leave a comment

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Posted on April 15, 2013 by themondayprayer

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (Ps. 23:4-5 KJV)

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev. 7:14-17 NIV)

PRAYER FOCUS: Christian Missionaries in Dangerous Places (The Valley of the Shadow of Death)

In 1998, the North Koreans tortured Dr. James Kim for forty days straight.

Arrested for giving food to starving peasants during a famine that would kill thousands, Dr. Kim stood further accused of being a spy for the United States. A Communist People’s Tribunal condemned him to death. On orders from North Korean “Dear Leader” Kim Jong Il, James Kim’s tormentors directed him to write out a last will and testament, which, in the true Communist tradition, they intended to use solely for propaganda.

You see, Dr. Kim was an American citizen, an immigrant from South Korea, and a graduate of a British evangelical seminary in Bristol, England. Moreover, Kim (whose Korean name is Chin-Kyung) had fought for the United Nations side during the Korean War (1950-53), despite the fact that his family origins were located near Pyongyang, the North Korean captial.

As an evangelical Christian walking out his faith, Dr. Kim had been in North Korea working to establish the first private University in that country, as he had in Yanbian, China, six years before. But to the North Korean Communists, James Kim, aka Chin-Kyung, had become a propaganda opportunity of the first order.

Three years later, the men who had abused him now bowed low before him and begged his forgiveness.

What happened?

In his “will” James Kim had declared not his innocence, nor his anger, but his immense love for Jesus Christ and the North Korean people, “I love the North Korean people—I always have.” Dr. Kim had willed his useful organs to the Communist regime and written that they could harvest his body for research. Kim Jong Il, an avowed atheist and committed Communist, took notice. The specious charges were dropped and Dr. Kim was allowed to leave the country.

In 2001, the Dear Leader personally invited James Kim back to North Korea to continue development of his university, now known as the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).

When Dr. Kim arrived in Pyongyang, he found his former tormentors lined up before him. One by one they bowed low before him and confessed their crimes. And one by one, James Kim forgave them—in the name of Jesus Christ.

Today, despite a severe shortfall in donations that comprised the majority of operating funds, Dr. Kim’s dream is nevertheless a reality. PUST sits on a 248-acre campus and trains approximately 600 students. How he and his faculty square the rigid political theories of Karl Marx and North Koreans’ unquestioning servitude to the Communist regime with the principles of Adam Smith and John Locke is not entirely clear. But the fact that such a conversation has even the possibility of existing in North Korea is a testimony of one man’s successful walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

“Everything has a price—peace may have the highest price of all,” said Dr. Kim at the Annual Partnership Banquet of the C.S. Lewis Institute, last week in Washington, D.C. “Christ-like patience and love are the only things that can touch North Korea.”

It’s Monday morning. Today is the birthday of Kim Il Sung, the founder of the North Korean Communist regime. Today is a good day for us to lift up, in prayer and in praise, those who have labored to bring the love of Jesus Christ to the people of that country. And let us also lift up the millions of lower-profile Christian missionaries who are right now saving souls and making disciples in the world’s most dangerous places, walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

[NOTE 1: for more on Dr. Kim’s story, as reported by CNN and Fortune magazine, please click here.]

[NOTE 2: for more information about the C.S. Lewis Institute and its amazing outreach, please refer to our home page under “Missions and Ministries”]

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged Acton Institute, C.S. Lewis Institute, CSLI, Dr. James Kim, evangelism, missionaries, North Korea, prayer | Leave a comment

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Posted on April 15, 2013 by themondayprayer

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

PRAYER FOCUS: Christian Missionaries in Dangerous Places (The Valley of the Shadow of Death)

In 1998, the North Koreans tortured Dr. James Kim for forty days straight.

Three years later, the men who had abused him now bowed low before him and begged his forgiveness.

What happened?

In 2001, the Dear Leader personally invited James Kim back to North Korea to continue development of his university, now known as the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).

[NOTE 1: for more on Dr. Kim’s story, as reported by CNN and Fortune magazine, please click here.]

[NOTE 2: for more information about the C.S. Lewis Institute and its amazing outreach, please refer to our home page under “Missions and Ministries”]

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Maxie Dunnam on Adam Hamilton’s “Seeing Gray”

Posted on April 10, 2013 by themondayprayer

Rev. Maxie Dunnam’s thoughtful reply to Adam Hamilton’s “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”.

Juicy Ecumenism - The Institute on Religion & Democracy's Blog

Former Asbury Seminary President Maxie Dunnam is one of the great elder statesmen of United Methodism, widely respected even by many who don’t share his evangelical beliefs. In a recent Facebook post, he offered this commentary on renowned Kansas mega church pastor Adam Hamilton.

SEEING GRAY IN A WORLD OF BLACK AND WHITE

Adam Hamilton is all over the news. His recent participation in the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral introduced him to many outside the United Methodist world, which has expanded his audience. That public exposure inspired reporters and others to read and comment on his book, SEEING GREY IN A WORLD OF BLACK AND WHITE.

Almost at every turn, people are asking me about Adam and particularly about his book. I want to respond to what I believe inspires these questions, so this is not a book report. You can read the book.

First, a personal…

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When It Gets Crazy

Posted on April 8, 2013 by themondayprayer

“Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream” —Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990), English Journalist, Author, Satirist, Christian and WWII spy.

PRAYER:

“O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray and gather my thoughts to you, I cannot do it alone.
In me it is dark, but with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not desert me;
My courage fails me, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace;
in me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways, but you know the way for me.
Amen.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Morning Prayer

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

And Ananias went… (Acts 9:10-17a, NKJV)

PRAYER FOCUS: (Having Faith) When It Gets Crazy

Ananias had guts. Upon hearing his name spoken by the Lord God Almighty—El Elyon, the Adonai—he faithfully replies “Here I am.” Then upon understanding that the Lord is sending him out on what seems to be a suicide mission, he turns and questions the Almighty, essentially asking, “Are You sure…?”

Our Father-God is patient (and, perhaps, lovingly amused). He repeats Himself (“Go…”). He shares details with Ananias, reassures him.

This leaves Ananias in a quandary. You might even call it a crisis of faith: God has sent him to Saul of Tarsus, a dangerous, Jesus-hating, Christian-killer who is actively hunting for people like, say, Ananias.

It must have seemed crazy.

[Note that the Lord never tells Ananias whether he will survive this rendezvous with Saul. He just says it’s important, and to go.]

So Ananias went. In a large demonstration of faith he stepped out of his safety zone (never mind his comfort zone) and into a situation that appeared to have no other ending than his own imprisonment and death. But things are not always as they appear. And because of Ananias’ faith and obedience, Saul of Tarsus became Paul the Evangelist.

Let us ask you a question: Do biblical accounts like this make you want to step up or step back from serving the Lord?

We wonder how many would-be Christians read this passage and walk away from the Lord—not because they don’t believe—but because they fear if they truly surrender their lives to Jesus Christ they might actually be sent to the heart of Africa (or something crazy like that in the worst place they can imagine) and live in a hut in less time than it takes to say, “Save me, Jesus.” How many actual Christians fail to step into the fullness of their faith for the same reason? For them, the account of Ananias and Saul/Paul serves as both an inspiration and a warning. It seems crazy…

Unless you believe in a God who is both Supernatural AND Superloving.

If you stand back from the Lord your God because you fear that the first thing He will do is send you out to do something you’re sure you’ll hate, perhaps you hold a twisted concept of who and what He is. Please note that Saul doesn’t just jump up and dash off to the Deep Amazon Rain Forest in search of unsaved cannibals to evangelize. He doesn’t rush out and careen headlong into the Roman legions.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t set out on his missions for quite some time yet. That’s because God always trains and equips those he calls before He sends them. In most cases, the call to service involves something you’re already good at and enjoy, using talents you know or suspect you have, in a place you are, or would like to be. As we mature in our Christian faith we learn to lean away less, and lean forward more.

We begin to pray, “Put me in, Coach…send me.”

And when He calls our name, we reply, like Ananias, “Here I am.”

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? (Try not to be disappointed if it isn’t Africa.)

We’d like to add that we personally know and pray for Christian missionaries in Africa (Ghana and Uganda), the Philippines, Indonesia, Guatemala, Honduras, China, Iraq, Iran, and the main campus of Louisiana State University. None of them live in huts. All of them are living extraordinary lives doing extraordinary work. You can read about some of them on our Home Page under “Missions and Ministries”.

It’s Monday morning. Please take a moment and join us in praying for the missionaries in the field who have heard the call and answered, “Here I am!” And pray for God’s blessings on the missionaries who are home on furlough, resting and recovering as they wait for their next assignments.

,,Gott, zu Dir rufe ich in der Frühe des Tages.
Hilf mir beten und meine Gedanken sammeln zu Dir;
Ich kann es nicht allein.
In mir ist es finster, aber bei Dir ist das Licht;
Ich bin einsam, aber Du verlässt mich nicht;
Ich bin kleinmütig, aber bei Dir ist die Hilfe;
Ich bin unruhig, aber bei Dir ist der Friede;
In mir ist Bitterkeit, aber bei Dir ist Geduld;
Ich verstehe Deine Wege nicht, aber Du weißt den Weg für mich.
Amen.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Morgengebet

Posted in Monday Prayer | Tagged ananias, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, faith, malcolm muggeridge, missionaries, missionary, Monday Prayer, Paul, prayer, Saul | Leave a comment

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Fire from Heaven

Finishing the Race

The Ultimate Power: Pride or Love?

Unlimited Once More

When We Stumble, When We Fall

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The Valley of the Shadow of Death

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Maxie Dunnam on Adam Hamilton’s “Seeing Gray”

When It Gets Crazy

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