Paul’s Last Words

Posted on October 7, 2013 by themondayprayer

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. –Jesus of Nazareth

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Psalm 66:1-11
2 Timothy 2:8-19
Luke 17:11-19

PRAYER FOCUS: Paul’s Last Words

If you knew you were about to die, what would you say to those you loved?

Certainly you would tell them you loved them. But what else would you say? If you had time to write a letter, what sort of written legacy would you want to leave behind?

The book of 2nd Timothy is such a letter. The Apostle Paul had been arrested for a second time and taken to Rome under the rule of Emperor Nero. Unlike his first arrest, when he was confined to the house of a wealthy friend and kept in relative comfort, this time Paul had been cast into a cold, dark dungeon. He was kept in chains. He was alone. And he knew he was going to die.

Paul’s last known epistle was written to his young protégé in ministry and evangelism. It is packed full of instructions and admonitions that you would expect from a teacher to his student. It is also full of love and encouragement, from a father to his son. He encourages Timothy to be strengthened by grace, and not to be ashamed of him because he is in chains. He encourages Timothy to endure hardship as a good soldier, and not to be afraid of suffering for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But we get to the heart of Paul’s message in Chapter Two. Of all the lessons Paul has taught Timothy, of all the words in all the times in all their travels, Paul settles on five main points. As we walk through these, please remember that Paul knew these were the last words—and perhaps the most important—he would ever write to his beloved student and son.

1. Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead (v.8).

Timothy, never let Jesus Christ be far from your mind. Remember Jesus, the one you serve, and the one for whom you suffer. He is alive and he will reign forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. No matter what they do to you, do not be afraid.

2. Because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained (v.9).

I am suffering. I am in chains. I’m being treated like a criminal—not as one who is honorable or noble. Timothy, this can happen to you. Even if you are bound in chains, remember the Word of God can never be bound. It is only advanced by our suffering.

3. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen (v. 10).

I speak this to you in confidence: God has chosen you to follow Jesus as I have done. Victory is certain. My sufferings have not been in vain, nor will yours be. Endure it and you will be the instrument of their salvation.

4. This is a trustworthy saying: “If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is” (vv. 11-13).

You can trust God’s grace. Build your life and ministry on it. It is sufficient for all your needs. He will always be faithful to you.

5. Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them. Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer. God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil” (vv. 14-17, 19).

Timothy, my son, ministry is messy. Sometimes people will not want to receive the truth, but you give it to them anyway. And don’t let anyone twist the truth! False teachers are like cancer—cut them out without apology. The Lord has set his seal upon his children; see that they turn away from evil.

Paul goes on to prophesy about the Last Days (chap. 3), then charges Timothy “to keep your head in all situations…do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5). He asks Timothy to “come quickly,” and to “bring my cloak,” knowing they will probably not arrive in time. Paul closes with a hopeful farewell, written as much to the church as to Timothy:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return (2 Tim 4:7-8).

In this week’s Lectionary Prayer, we pray that God’s grace will precede us and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works. As Paul taught Timothy, you, too, can expect resistance. As Paul taught Timothy, endure it. Remember Paul’s last words.

It’s Monday Morning. Press on confidently and courageously in your good works, dear Christian, always towards the prize that awaits you at the finish line. And may our gracious, loving Father-God bless you every step of the way.

[TMP Note: the above is partially adapted from a sermon by John Piper, “He Cannot Deny Himself” (www.desiringgod.org)]

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Knowing Who to Believe

Posted on September 30, 2013 by themondayprayer

I believe in my soul that there are more at this day being lost for want of decision than for any other thing. —D.L. Moody (1837-1899), American Evangelist.

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
Psalm 37:1-10
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10

I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day (2 Tim. 1:12).

PRAYER FOCUS: Knowing Who to Believe

Daniel was a military officer, a combat veteran. In the middle of a pitched battle, one of his junior officers was shot and killed. Without hesitation, Daniel sprang forward to assume command. He rallied his men, and then led the assault himself. Enemy fire was immediate and accurate. A rifle bullet shattered Daniel’s right arm. Daniel was taken prisoner. His arm had to be amputated.

All this left Daniel quite depressed. He was being held far away from his home in an unsanitary military prison. His right arm was gone. Life as he knew it was over. At some point while recovering from his injury, Daniel came across a New Testament that his mother had stuffed in one of his uniform pockets. He had never been devout man, but he began to read God’s Word. It would help him pass the time, he reasoned. In the aftermath of unspeakable violence and suffering Daniel quite simply didn’t know what, or who, to believe.

One night a hospital guard woke him with the news that a dying prisoner wanted someone to pray with him. Daniel declined. The guard persisted, “But I thought you were a Christian. I have seen you reading the Bible every day.” Shamed and chastened, he consented and went to the side of his dying comrade. Daniel later wrote:

“I dropped on my knees and held the [soldier’s] hand in mine. In a few broken words I confessed my sins and asked Christ to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me. I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet and pressed my hand as I prayed and pleaded God’s promises. When I arose from my knees, he was dead. A look of peace had come over his troubled face, and I cannot but believe that God who used him to bring me to the Savior, used me to lead him to trust Christ’s precious blood and find pardon. I hope to meet him in heaven.”

Through an act of gentle charity, Daniel took the decisive step of faith. He declared that he believed that Jesus Christ was indeed who the Bible said He was. And in that decision, not one but two souls were saved.

The war was the U.S. Civil War. The year was 1863. Daniel was perhaps better known Major D.W. Whittle of the Illinois Infantry. He was wounded in the Battle of Vicksburg, captured, repatriated, and went on to serve until the war’s end.

After the war, D.W. Whittle returned home to his bride Abbie and they raised a family. He became the Treasurer of the Elgin Watch Company of Chicago, a position of high responsibility and status. He became friends with fellow Chicagoan Dwight L. Moody, and got involved with Moody’s ministry of evangelism. Before long, Whittle left his lucrative position with Elgin to join Moody in full-time ministry.

Major Daniel Webster Whittle is perhaps best remembered for his composition of hymns. In all, he composed over 200, many of them under the pseudonym “El Nathan”. The refrain of his most enduring hymn, “I Know Whom I Have Believed”, echoes this week’s Lectionary Scripture from 2 Timothy:

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
to me he hath made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.

Refrain:

But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I’ve committed
unto him against that day.

The point of all this is quite simple: Salvation is not something you hope for. It is not something you try for. It is not something that you can work for. Salvation is something you ask Jesus Christ for. And then you believe in the One who actually did the awesome work at the Cross.

It’s Monday Morning. Throughout this day, you will have a choice between what you believe and what you don’t. Remember to trust the One you know is Faithful and True.

“My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours” (1 John 5:13-15, The Message).

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Being Rich

Posted on September 23, 2013 by themondayprayer

“Money is like love; it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it, and enlivens the other who turns it on his fellow man.” —Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), Lebanese-American poet and writer.

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“O God, you declare your Almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31

Command them [those who are rich in this world] to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life (1 Tim 6:18-19 NIV).

PRAYER FOCUS: Being Rich

Have you ever heard of a monkey trap? Apparently all you need is a gourd, some seeds and a rope. Cut a hole in the gourd just a little bit bigger than a monkey’s hand, drop some seeds in the gourd, and use the rope to tie it to a tree or stake it to the ground. The monkey discovers the seeds and reaches his hand in to grab some. The hole in the gourd is wide enough to allow a monkey hand to pass in and out, but not a clenched fist. The monkey becomes trapped by its own desire for the bait. As the trapper approaches the monkey is fully aware of the danger but it usually loses its freedom, ultimately its life, due to its refusal to simply let go and run away.

The same principle works with humans. Anything we hold that tightly can trap us—it could be a relationship, a job, or even a machine. But it is oftentimes money we cling to like this. It is a Biblical paradox that money may, or may not, be a blessing.

Three of the four Lectionary Scriptures this week carry the theme of money and wealth. Jeremiah invests in a vineyard and his family’s fields. Paul’s first letter to Timothy instructs about the correct priority we are to give money and wealth. Finally Luke records some of the most sobering words that Jesus ever spoke, concerning the consequences of pride and the selfishness that can proceed from loving wealth in this world.

Throughout the Bible we find ample warnings how the pursuit of money can cause problems in our faith. To be sure—having plenty is a blessing. But unless our blessings are clearly seen as gifts from God, they can become dangerous, even fatal, temptations to lust, to greed, and to forgetfulness of God and the legitimate needs of others. There is nothing wrong with eating good food and wearing nice clothes, as long as these blessings do not become the fuel of pride and selfishness, and so turn us to sin. Indulging in the spoils of wealth while turning a blind eye to the distress of the poor and afflicted is both offensive to God and corrosive to our souls.

Arrogance and pride are warning signs of taking one’s wealth too seriously. With the way the world looks up to the affluent, it is all too easy to believe the illusion and begin to trust in our accomplishments or acquisitions. There is great danger in this. Trusting in wealth undermines our trust in God.

Paul said it well: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Tim. 6:10). It isn’t the money that’s evil—it’s our own evil propensity to love it. We must pray against that.

Nothing reveals the condition of our hearts more clearly than where we spend our money—or where we don’t.

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus talks about the Rich Man (known to the Medieval Church as Dives) and Lazarus. This is not a parable, but rather a rare glimpse of what lies beyond the veil of death. Through the words of our Lord Himself we see both heaven and hell, and why these two men ended up where they did.

In life, Lazarus was a genuine object of charity, and a very moving one. He was presented to the Rich Man at his own gate. Apparently Lazarus, although destitute, was a man of good character and good conduct. He wished for only the crumbs and scraps from the Rich Man’s table. And yet, despite his wealth and excess, The Rich Man didn’t offer Lazarus lodging in the barn or an outbuilding, or even the scraps of food that he gave to his dogs. He let Lazarus lie there, on his steps, degraded and in obvious need, until he died.

It is not enough not to oppress the poor. God expects us to share with those in need—and especially those whom He lays at our very steps.

The other side of money’s paradox is what happens to us when we give it. Jesus challenges us in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” God loves cheerful givers. There is no one-way traffic on the highway of God’s blessings. The more we give, the more we receive. The more we give, the more we will love.

To avoid the love of money, we give enough back to God that we love Him more than the money.

It’s Monday Morning. Are you holding on too tightly to something? Maybe it’s time to let go of it. Instead, be rich in good deeds; be generous and willing to share. And may God bless you this week.

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Doing the Most Good

Posted on September 16, 2013 by themondayprayer

Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. —William Booth (1829-1912), founder of the Salvation Army

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13

PRAYER FOCUS: The Salvation Army

We have always admired the Salvation Army. As survivors of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, we know first-hand what a magnificent, meticulous job this organization does in the way of disaster relief. The Salvation Army is usually one of the first organizations on the scene in the aftermath of tragedy, often in the face of still-existing peril. They have done so for more than a century, and they’re good at it. They do their work quietly, efficiently, reverently, and with great effect.

In addition to disaster relief, the Salvation Army commands an evangelistic outreach of comfort and hope in urban population centers around the globe. Day after day, these quiet, humble laborers work the fields of the Lord, reaching out to the last, the lost, the unloved and the hopeless. And they do so with great effect.

In this week’s Lectionary prayer, we ask our Father-God to help us not to be anxious about earthly things and to love heavenly things. This recalls Jesus’ own encouragement not to worry, to first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and that all the things we need will be given to us as well (Matt 6:25-33).

Sometimes we all need a little encouragement–perhaps the example of someone who faces the daily grind of life with eyes not just on this world, but on the world to come. Or perhaps that encouragement might come through an organization of such people, committed not just to seeking first the Kingdom of God, but to lighting the way for others, as well.

Today the Monday Prayer salutes the men and women of the Salvation Army, and all the good they do. We lift them up to the Lord our God, praying for His blessings and grace upon them. We ask that you do the same.

It’s Monday Morning. Thank God for the Salvation Army.

Doing the Most Good: The Manifesto of the Salvation Army

I am doing the most good.
I am hope.
I am compassion.
I am strength.
I am faith.

I am doing the most good.
I serve a community.
A region.
A nation.
A world.
I serve heroes.
I serve victims.
I serve a sovereign God.
I am doing the most good.

I am an Army.
Drafted by the Creator.
Commissioned by a man who defied death.
My enemies are despair and destruction.
My ammunition is grace and mercy.
My allies are generosity and benevolence.

I am an Army.
Helping others be all they can be.

I am doing the most good.
I feed empty stomachs and hungry souls.
I rebuild ruined homes and shattered lives.
I am a willing listener for a veteran with stories to tell.
I am a bottled water and an encouraging smile for a weary firefighter.
I am an answered prayer.
A silver lining.
A second chance.

I am doing the most good.
I am a humble steward of other people’s generosity.
I am a grateful courier of a stranger’s kindness.
I am the faithful executor of others’ goodwill.
I take responsibility seriously.

I am blessed.
I am a blessing.

I am The Salvation Army.
I am doing the most good.

www.salvationarmy.org.

www.salvationarmyusa.org.

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You’re Not the Worst

Posted on September 9, 2013 by themondayprayer

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ― C.S. Lewis

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life (1 Tim. 1:15-16).

PRAYER FOCUS: Getting Past the Worst Sins

It’s Football season again in the United States, bringing great joy and diversion to millions of Americans. Some prefer the professional excellence of the NFL, while others prefer the collegiate-level games of the NCAA. But the games to remember are often the end-of-season Bowl Games.

The 2009 Sugar Bowl was played on New Years Day 2010 in the New Orleans Superdome. It pitted the University of Florida Gators against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. It was a memorable, if mismatched, game.

It was the final college game for Florida’s all-star and Heisman Trophy-winning senior quarterback Tim Tebow, who had become well-known not only for his stellar football skills but also for his inspiring life story. His parents were Christian missionaries to the Philippines. His mother had refused to abort a high-risk pregnancy that resulted in his birth. He was home schooled. Tebow was noteworthy for the unusual practice of writing a different Bible verse on his eye black for every game.

That night there was considerable buzz among both fans and commentators about what Scripture Tim Tebow would select for his final NCAA game. When the Florida team took the field, it was: John 3:16. Tebow went on to throw passes for not one, but two, NCAA records. Conservative Christians swooned.

Meanwhile, virtually unnoticed by the chattering media, Cincinnati’s starting Tight End, wearing jersey number 19, took the field with “1 Tim. 1:15” written on his arm. His name was Benjamin Guidugli of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. While Tebow was proclaiming “for God so loved the world,” Guidugli was declaring God’s great mercy on “the worst of all sinners” and engaging in a grind for yardage against the stingy and hard-hitting Florida defense.

Now, we aren’t impugning Ben in any way. We have no idea of his life and/or struggles, or why he chose to wear this Scripture that night. From current information, Ben seems an exemplary young man (he’s on Twitter, if you’d like to see for yourself).

But there was a story there that night in New Orleans that the world missed.

There are similarities between Tim Tebow and Ben Guidugli. Both came from Christian homes, whose parents are still married. Both are highly visible in their Christian witness and view their media exposure as a platform for ministry. Both have gone on to play football for the NFL. Both have recently become free agents, as both got cut from their respective teams a couple of weeks ago (Tebow from the Patriots, Guidugli from the Giants).

Both young athletes have stood in desperate need of God’s mercy and saving grace. Just like Paul confessed to Timothy in this week’s Lectionary Scripture. Just like all of us.

In the first letter to his protégé Timothy, Paul makes his trustworthy statement by concluding that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners “of whom I am Chief”. The message to us is that the things which are evil and undesirable in our lives do not make us unacceptable to our Father-God.

Alcoholism can be overcome. Gambling habits can be changed. Drug habits can be beaten. Addiction to pornography can be broken. Infidelity can be forgiven. Christ Jesus came into the world to save us from sin, and from fatalism about sin. He came to stop us from accepting, “That’s just the way I am.” He came to raise us up above the way we were when He found us.

1 Timothy 1:15 is a great summary statement of the whole Gospel. We thank Benjamin Guidugli for so boldly wearing it.

Unless their free agency is abbreviated, neither Tim nor Ben will be on the field next Sunday, but we bet we know where you’ll find them—in the pews, in their homes, pouring their hearts into the endeavor that really matters. Worshipping God Above and praying that God will direct and rule their hearts. And then they might go catch a football game or two. Please join us in praying for them and cheering them onward.

It’s Monday Morning. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

P.S. Please pray for Syria.

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What Does Discipleship Cost?

Posted on September 2, 2013 by themondayprayer

“Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.” —Leo Tolstoy

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17
Philemon 1-21
Luke 14:25-33

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’” (Luke 14:29 NIV)

PRAYER FOCUS: The Cost of Discipleship

“What do you mean, there’s a cost to being a Christian? I thought God’s grace is free.”

Disciple. n. 1a. One who assists in spreading the teachings of another. b. An active adherent, as in a movement. 2. One of the original followers of Jesus. [from Latin, discipulus, pupil, and discere, to know].

Discipline. n. 1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, esp. training that produces moral or mental improvement. 2. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control. v.tr. To train by instruction and practice, esp. to teach self-control. 2. To teach one to accept authority.

Here in Luke Chapter 14, Jesus speaks to the large crowd that has been following him. He is brutally honest about what it means to be his disciple: God’s grace is indeed free, but the path of discipleship is challenging and costly. Jesus uses an extreme figure of speech to illustrate the order of priorities He expects from those who follow him. He challenges them to count the cost. What Jesus asks for is first place in their hearts.

Like them, we cannot follow Jesus without being prepared to walk this path. That preparation, good Christian, requires a process that has been often—and fairly—compared to basic military training. It is not only a process of strengthening and conditioning, but also one of learning to trust in our Captain, and obey him—even when obedience is costly.

Luke records two of Jesus’ illustrations. The first involves building a tower (probably a watchtower for a vineyard). Recalling what must have been sound business sense in their time, as it is in ours, Jesus points out that the project’s costs and benefits must be analyzed carefully beforehand. Because to start the project but not finish it would make the builder a laughingstock in the neighborhood. The implication for discipleship is the same: we should analyze what it will cost us to finish what we have started.

The second picture is one of a king who finds himself confronted by an invading force twice the size of his own. After calculating the cost in terms of destruction, he decides that appealing for peace is a better idea. Unlike the first case of building the tower, where the choices all lay with the builder, in this second case, the situation is forced on the king, who must choose between a war he is likely to lose and terms of surrender that are certain to be both costly and humiliating.

The point of each illustration, and the powerful metaphor that precedes them, is that Jesus must be first, ahead of everything else in our lives.

What does that mean in practical terms?

1. Our priorities must shift. We cannot hold on to the world with one hand and heaven with the other. We need to make a clear, definite decision like Joshua when he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). We need to get past “me first” and learn what it means to pray like our Lord did in Gethsemane, “Thy will, not mine, be done”.

2. We must learn to deny ourselves those things in our lives that oppose the will of God. Holy living means no longer conforming to the “morality” of the world, but rather, following the teachings of Jesus Christ and the eternal rules that God set down in the beginning of time. This may cost us behaviors and activities that we may have formerly engaged in; it may also cost us friendships with the people we did those things with.

3. Taking up our cross. Jesus said “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). The cross was a symbol of suffering and pain. It foreshadowed the price that Jesus would pay on our behalf. Like Him, we must be willing to suffer insult and loss. We spend time learning His Word. We draw near to Him in prayer and in praise. As we do so, we begin to see the cross as a symbol of freedom, love and unbounded joy.

Christian author Richard Foster relates this very well:

Picture a long, narrow ridge with a sheer drop-off on either side. The chasm to the right is the way of moral bankruptcy through human strivings for righteousness. Historically this has been called the heresy of moralism. The chasm to the left is moral bankruptcy through the absence of human strivings. This has been called the heresy of antinomianism. On the ridge there is a path, the Disciplines of the spiritual life. This path leads to the inner transformation and healing which we seek. We must never veer off to the right or to the left, but stay on the path. The path is fraught with severe difficulties, but also with incredible joys. As we travel on this path the blessing of God will come upon us and reconstruct us into the image of Jesus Christ…This is the path of disciplined grace” (Celebration of Discipline, p. 8).

“Follow me” is one of the most-repeated statement of Jesus in the four Gospels. It is both an invitation and a command. A disciple of Jesus Christ is a person who has counted the cost and surrenders it all in order to gain the limitless blessings that God promises in this world and in the world to come.

It’s Monday Morning. How is your Christian disciple training coming along?

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Broken Cisterns or Living Water?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by themondayprayer

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Jeremiah 2:4-13
Psalm 81:1, 10-16
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14

“Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13 NIV).

PRAYER FOCUS: Living Water

We care deeply about the quality of our water.

In the developed world, the purity of drinking water is governed by strict laws and regulations. Contaminants are classified by type (i.e., inorganic, organic, bacteriological, and radiological; classes may be subdivided as necessary). Regulations specify certain maximum contaminant levels and require specific treatments. Commercially, we have flavored waters, electrolyte- and vitamin-enriched waters, carbonated waters, imported waters, even water that soothes our sense of global responsibility by contributing a portion of profits to clean water projects in undeveloped countries.

The World Health Organization estimates that every year more than 3.4 million people die as a result of water related diseases, making dirty water the leading cause of disease and death around the world. The medical journal The Lancet reports that impure water takes a greater human toll than war, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction combined.

We care about our water because we need it to survive. We need it to grow. Our water should be pure.

If only we were as concerned about the purity of our faith.

The prophet Jeremiah lamented the same thing in his day (6th Century B.C.). The Lord spoke to him, saying the people—His people, the ones He loved—had forsaken Him and started believing in false gods and fake religions. He compared their faith to dirty cistern water.

Now this was not an insignificant choice of words. The cisterns of Jeremiah’s day would have been subterranean reservoirs either carved out of the earth, or carved out of rock and clay. The cisterns not only could not give forth an ever-flowing fresh supply as springs and fountains do, they couldn’t even retain the water poured into them. The stonework within was usually piecemeal and easily broken, unable to preserve the collected water, much less keep it clean and pure. Cistern water was muddy and filthy—more like the septic tanks of our day.

The Lord wanted His people to turn back to Him—to drink pure, fresh, true, living water straight from the fountain Himself. Jesus invokes living water in his conversation with the woman at the well in John 4:10-15. It is the same Living Water we need today, daily, in our lives.

Whether or not you are a Christian, our ordinary human experience reveals that we thrive when we are loved, when we are surrounded by beauty, when we live in a society permeated by justice, fairness, kindness and goodness. These things refresh us and lighten our spirits as though we’ve splashed in a cool, clear mountain spring.

But what we may fail to realize is that this inner yearning for clean spiritual water is not merely a hope for a more perfect society or a novel-esque love story. Our hearts crave and yearn for a relationship with the Creator-God who made us, the Eternal and Living God who gives purpose and meaning to life, our Father-God who himself longs to be at the center of our lives—and especially so at those times when human love deserts and human kindness fails.

Much like the bottled beverage aisle in the local market, we are presented with racks and rows full of alternative gods and competing revelations. Each one claims it can satisfy your thirsty spirit in whatever flavor most pleases you. Faith and truth are sold as a personal taste experience. But as our friend Evangelist Ravi Zacharias points out,

Truth by definition is exclusive. Everything cannot be true. If everything is true, then nothing is false. And if nothing is false then it would also be true to say everything is false. We cannot have it both ways.

If we accept that there is only one real iPhone, one genuine Versace, one authentic Rolex, why are we so easily convinced there must be many roads to spiritual truth?

The transcendent truth here, Christian, is that our broken cisterns are no better than theirs were. False at the bottom, they hold no water. When we come to quench our thirst, if we find any water at all, it is nothing but mud and mire with filthy sediments. Why are we so inclined to dig even deeper when all we have to do is drop our digging tools and walk to the Fountain and drink Living Water from the Wellspring of Life?

It’s Monday Morning. You will need water to survive this week. You will have a choice among the sources.

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 (Revelation 7:17, NIV).

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Shaking the Church

Posted on August 19, 2013 by themondayprayer

“Love your enemies” —the Arabic script on the left of the door.

“I will still pray for you” —the Arabic script on the right.

[Photo Taken of a Coptic Christian House in a northern suburb of Cairo]

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; 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)

Jeremiah 4:1-10
Psalm 71:1-6
Hebrews 12:18-29
Luke 13:10-17

This means that in the final “shaking”, all that is impermanent will be removed, that is, everything that is merely “made”, and only the unshakeable things will remain. Since then we have been given a kingdom that is unshakeable, let us serve God with thankfulness in the ways which please him, but always with reverence and holy fear. For it is perfectly true that ‘our God is a consuming fire’ (Hebrews 12:28-29, Phillips Bible).

PRAYER FOCUS: Shaking the Church.

Imagine this: Your phone rings at 2:00 a.m. It’s your pastor, telling you that a mob of political radicals, angry at your church’s stand against abortion, has burned your church to the ground. By the time you drive to the smoldering wreckage that used to be your house of worship, you learn that the mobs have also burned and looted the Christian bookstores in your area, paying extra attention to the Bibles they stacked and burned on the sidewalk. What would you do?

But it can’t happen here, right?

After weeks of ignoring the deadly violence, the world’s various news media—and the political chattering classes in the West—are finally acknowledging the plight of Egypt’s Coptic Christians who have been targeted by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Since the “Arab Spring” in 2012, Copts have come under increasing pressure and persecution from the MB and the now-deposed Morsi government. During this past week, MB-led mobs burned and/or desecrated scores of Coptic churches, murdering dozens of Copts and ransacking their homes and businesses.

The numbers are saddening:

· 38 Churches completely destroyed, burned and looted
· 23 Churches attacked and partially damaged
· 58 houses destroyed
· 100+ Coptic-owned shops and businesses destroyed
· 3 hotels heavily damaged
· 75 cars and buses owned by churches destroyed

Who are Egypt’s Copts? Quite simply, the Copts are the native Christians of Egypt. They are also known as the Egyptian Orthodox Church, similar to the Greek Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. The word Copt derives from both Latin and Greek words for Egypt; it means, literally, Egyptian.

Copts constitute the largest Christian community in the Middle East and the region’s largest religious minority. Out of Egypt’s 83 million people, approximately 9 million are Coptic Christians, accounting for more than 10% of the Egyptian population. The Coptic Church is headed by a Pope, currently Tawadros II, who does not claim papal infallibility. Coptic traditions and practices would be familiar to most Christians, with some exceptions, one being fasting: virtually all Copts fast through Lent, and strict Copts endure some sort of fasting 210 days out of each year.

The Monday Prayer brings this to light, not to make political points, but rather, to make points of faith. Specifically we’d like to make three:

First, the Copts are demonstrating to the world that they hold their church buildings to be far less valuable than human life—even the lives of those who persecute them.

· Emerging photos, like the one that heads todays message, capture messages spray-painted on ruined buildings as well as written notes to their Muslim neighbors declaring, “Our buildings can be rebuilt again, but you are priceless, so stay safe and don’t worry about the churches.”
· Coptic Pope Tawadros issued a statement that read: “this had been expected and, as Egyptians and Christians, we are considering our church buildings as a sacrifice to be made for our beloved Egypt.”
· Other Coptic leaders have made similar statements on local and regional media, stressing that the Church is not buildings, but rather the people who are the Body of Jesus Christ.

Second, this week’s Lectionary is especially well suited to address the events in the Middle East in general, and Egypt in particular. The passages from Jeremiah and Psalms bring words of comfort and prayers for refuge; Luke describes a miracle of healing. But the author of Hebrews prophesies that the Church will be shaken; that everything man-made and shakeable will be shaken out while only the unshakeable things of God will be left. The Coptic Church is being shaken, and the things of God are becoming visible.

Third, and finally, rather than feel helpless in our distance from them, we can draw near to them in prayer. Please pray like this:

· Praise God for the manifest, marvelous faith of our Coptic brothers and sisters.
· Pray that the current violence in Egypt will end soon.
· Pray for the restoration of law and order, for the benefit of all citizens.
· Pray for the protection of the Coptic Church and its properties against attack by extremists.
· Pray that Egypt will be governed for the benefit of all its citizens, with people of different faiths being able to live once as neighbors in peace.
· Pray that Egyptian Christians will be able to serve in prominent roles addressing the needs of all Egyptians and bring healing and reconciliation in their country.
· Pray that people will encounter Jesus Christ, however that happens in this time, whatever the medium, that He will be glorified in all of this, that His kingdom will come and His will be done.

The Nicene Creed forms the primary definition of Christian Theology, beginning with, “We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible…” The First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), which produced the Creed that bears its name and defines our faith, was headed by Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, a Coptic Christian.

You and I, dear Christian, are inseparable, unseverable, from the Body of Christ in Egypt. Their suffering is our suffering. Their persecution is our persecution.

And their love must also be our love.

This week’s Lectionary prayer asks Almighty God to grant that “your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name.” As you pray this, please remember Egypt’s Copts—and their Muslim brothers and sisters.

It’s Monday Morning. What would you do if this was all happening to your church, to your Christian community? Pray.

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Praying Wisely

Posted on August 12, 2013 by themondayprayer

Make me a captive, Lord,
And then I shall be free;
Force me to render up my sword,
And I shall a conqueror be.

—George Matheson, 19th Century Scottish Pastor and Theologian

PRAYER: (from the Lectionary)

“Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, Amen.”

SCRIPTURES:

Luke 9:52-56
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Job 2:10
Jonah 4:3
Daniel 9:1-19
1 John 5:14-15

PRAYER FOCUS: Praying Wisely

“Jesus, shall we call down fire from heaven to destroy those Samaritans who were rude to us?”

Talk about a selfish prayer. And these are the Disciples we’re talking about. Kind of shocking, isn’t it?

Or maybe you’ve been there—someone or something hurt you, or offended you, or frustrated you, and now you want a little bit of heavenly retribution. After all, Elijah called down fire from heaven, two bears ravaged forty-two young men who were tormenting Elisha, and we’re just getting started on biblical examples of smiting.

We must remember, however, that the Word of God, which is alive and active, is also the mighty channel the Spirit of God uses to bring men out of darkness and into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. As we study God’s Word, we are not to search for Harry Potter-like incantations to use against those who offend us. But rather, we are to seek words of life, to be transformed into the likeness of His Son.

Furthermore, how many times have we prayed for something we desperately wanted only to later fall on our knees and thank God for not granting that prayer? If God were to simply sign off on all our petitions without discretion, we would quickly destroy ourselves.

Yes, the Disciples were out of line to ask the Lord to smite the Samaritan village in question. Remember they were all under instruction at that time. Like us, they were spiritually immature, still coming to grips with the awesome power of prayer and the rightful use of God’s Will. Luke doesn’t give us much detail about Jesus’s reply to their vindictive request, other than to note Jesus rebuked His Disciples for making it (Luke 9:52-56).

Jonah, the miserable prophet—and one of our favorites, by the way—begged God to take his life away (Jonah 4:3). What if God had answered this prayer? Such praying was and is contrary to the will of God.

Wise King Solomon cautions, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

Daniel prayed the right way. First, he went to the Scriptures and searched out the mind of God. Then, after receiving clear direction, and sure of God’s will, he knelt before God in prayer and offered up a mighty prayer. “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).

Therefore we pray like Jesus taught us, and like John reminds us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

We must learn to weed out self-centered prayers, while at the same time seeking honest answers in great confidence. Key words here are according to HIS will. Like the Disciples, we often fail because we know too much about what we want and too little about what God wants. And like them, we will learn with practice.

And so we pray, like Daniel, having first sought the Lord God Almighty and His will.

We pray like Jesus, saying, “Thy Will, not mine, be done.” Amen.

It’s Monday Morning. Sometimes it is enough just to be in the Presence of the Living God and love Him. So let your words be few, Christian. Enjoy the love of your Father-God. May your cup overflow.

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Thinking and Doing Right

Posted on August 5, 2013 by themondayprayer

If you believe what you like about the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. —Saint Augustine

PRAYER : (from the Lectionary)

“Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without You, may be enabled to live according to Your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN.”

SCRIPTURES: (from the Lectionary)

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Psalm 50:1-8
Hebrews 11:1-16
Luke 12:32-40

PRAYER FOCUS: Thinking and Doing Right

A few years ago, I was talking to a particular pastor, discussing the youth in his church. I inquired about his message to them regarding sex before marriage. He replied that there wasn’t much use in telling them not to have sex—they get the opposite message everywhere they turn. He expressed his opinion that they were going to do it no matter what he said, and reasoned he might as well save his breath. I challenged him to take a stand, to spend his breath, regardless.

He shrugged and said, “It is what it is.”

Those words should sicken us. As Christians, we aren’t supposed to accept the world as it is. We are never supposed to be satisfied here, or to be on peaceful terms with the fallen world around us. While other worldviews and religions offer an explanation for why and how this world “is what it is,” Christianity offers us something far higher. With the prophets, with Jesus Christ, every story and parable and passage in Scripture declares: “This is not the way it’s supposed to be!”

Why should we shrink from telling our youth that what they see on Reality TV is not only unreal, it is also not right? There is a large body of evidence to highlight the emotional and physical toll early sexual activity can cause. In today’s age of social media, careless encounters are broadcast to the world in an instant, causing very real damage. Fifty percent of teens know someone who has suffered relationship coercion or abuse that began with digital images. Such statistics are astonishing, especially when you consider the links between such activity leading to higher risk behaviors, including pornography, prostitution, and attempted suicide.

How can we take a stand on the great moral issues of our day if we can’t stand before our own teenagers with the biblical truth? If we fail at that, how can we expect to prepare them to stand against and avoid sexual exploitation themselves?

Prayer is our first response. A praying Christian refuses to come to terms with an unjust, evil world. A praying Christian stands in the gap between the minds of youth and the unholy ideas that would corrupt their thinking. We kneel before an Almighty and Sovereign God and surrender to His will, and not to the way of the world. From the suffering and triumph of the Risen Christ we gain the courage to turn and face His enemies with purpose and resolve. We begin to change the world, one act at a time.

But then we must act. Like the prophet Isaiah, we answer the call to “learn to do right, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isa 1:17).

Consider this:
• Approximately one million children will enter into the global sex trade this year, most of them by force. (UNICEF)
• Worldwide, there are nearly two million children in the commercial sex trade. (UNICEF)
• The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion. (U.N. Council on Human Rights)
• After drug dealing, human trafficking (both sex trafficking and trafficking for forced labor) is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
• There are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 children, women and men trafficked across international borders annually. Eighty percent are young women and girls; half of them are minors (U.S. Department of State). That’s not just a number. That’s 800,000 lives torn apart and destroyed in unimaginable ways.

More children, women and men are held in slavery right now, today, than were alive in slavery over the course of the entire 18th and 19th century trans-Atlantic slave trade. As you read this, millions toil in bondage, their work and their bodies the property of an owner.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, one of the fastest-growing sex trade cities in the world is—Houston. Mexican and Guatemalan drug gangs kidnap illegal immigrant women and force them into prostitution for gang members and other illegal immigrants, right under the noses of American authorities. Ironically, pro-immigration rights church leaders often interfere with law enforcement that would otherwise interrupt this criminal activity.

We hear a lot from Christian organizations expressing concerns about “social justice” and women’s rights. But we hear very little about the one of the most glaring evils of our time. There are few issues today that approach the injustice and depravity of slavery in the 21st Century.

What can we do?

We kneel in prayer. When we petition Almighty God to deliver His children in bondage, we do so with the expectation that He will deliver them to real freedom. We ask our Father-God to show us how we can help, and we move obediently in response to Him. We can send money, including direct tithes and offerings, to agencies like the International Justice Mission that fight slavery on a global scale. But if we want to change the world, we must begin on our knees.

We do not shrug our shoulders and whimper, “It is what it is.”

We worship an Almighty and Everlasting God who spoke this world into being. He tells us over and over again in his Word that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. And so we pray for what we see, and also for yet-unseen possibilities. We pray to un-think the deceptions and twisted moral frameworks that would bind us to Creation’s fall and not its redemption. We pray to think and to do what is right. We pray for the grace of God the Father and the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. We join Jesus the Son who crushes fear and injustice.

Your prayers, Christian, unleash the absolute power of the Holy Trinity. This is why the prophet Isaiah declared, and our Lord Jesus repeated, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

It’s Monday Morning. Do you want to change the world this week? Pray to have the courage of your convictions. Walk in grace. Speak with power. Pray constantly. Do what is right.

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