Day 115 No really, Occupy Everything!

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness…’” Matthew 22:11-13

So...where else in the Bible do you hear about one who is considered unworthy, and therefore is bound and thrown out among others who are weeping? Where else do you hear of one who stands speechless before his accusers? Where else in the Bible do you hear of one who is judged unworthy to be invited in among the accepted?

Maybe, just maybe, this parable is about the One who shows up and says “no” to power. What if the Kingdom of heaven is like someone who is thrown by imperial power into outer darkness and what if the name of that outer darkness is Calvary?

 Maybe, then, this densely plotted story is about how we ought to resist when power and the world try to bend us into shapes that we do not recognize as followers of Jesus. Jesus told this parable in the week before his crucifixion. He would soon face public humiliation, stigma, and discrimination that would try his soul. He would know that he was abandoned by his community and sense that he had been abandoned by God, and he would present no defense against those who judged him to be unacceptable by the standards of the powerful.

Because...the kingdom of heaven is like: a first century Jewish peasant who laughed at the powerful, embraced the sick, befriended prostitutes, and ate with all the wrong people, and who authorities and the powerful elite had to hog-tie and throw into the outer darkness.

What if the kingdom of heaven is like Jesus?

 

Day 114 One step at a time

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Day 113 Great work!

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness on us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing!

No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
The Message, Ephesians 2:7-10

Day 111 Refreshment

On the road of faith, we need refreshment. When we are distraught, disoriented, and complaining, God shows up--and provides for us physically, spiritually and emotionally--just out of grace.

Jehovah Jirah, provide for Sarah when she can't take another step. Reassure her that you are already providing for her. Refresh her today.

Day 110 Great Gains

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 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 Timothy 6:6-10


When we commit our lives to Christ, we give up our rights to doing our own thing (which usually doesn’t work out so well anyway). Jesus does a total make-over on us over time. It doesn’t mean being a do-gooder or “holier than thou.” Rather, we grow in humility, generosity, patience, wisdom, joy, etc. We become good stewards of the new life we have in Christ. What are you eager for God to develop in you?

God, give Sarah a heart for the things that please you and make her more fully alive!

Day 109 Sew, Sow, So...

"...whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8:

God says He blesses you abundantly so that you will have everything you need at all times and in all circumstances. Wow! God, bless Sarah with a cheerful attitude like yours.

Day 108 Woot!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

Day 107 Training Pants

"Show me your ways, O Lord,
Teach me your paths;
Guide me in your truth
and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long."

Psalm 25:4-5

Day 106 Arrrgh! Aye, there's treasure!

“...where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Your identity is something you gather in a lot of different ways … from your parents :), your friends, your beliefs and values. As you seek to grow in Christ your identity is being formed in Jesus. That means that more and more what you value--your “treasure”--reveals who you really are.

Jesus wants your identity to reflect who He is and who He made you to be. What you treasure helps you know who and what you value--and being aware of that helps you see how you need to grow and move forward to find your true value and identity in Christ.

Today and every day, let knowing you be the most powerful desire of Sarah's heart. Reveal to her more and more where her treasure is and help her to continually realign what she values to the things that are of value to you. May loving you and loving others be her greatest treasure. Amen.

Day 104 Waiting List

Are your praying for someone or something but God has not answered? Are you discouraged and want to stop asking? Jesus taught us to not give up because God is good and He knows how to give good gifts. Remember the verbs "ask, seek, and knock" are present tense verbs in the Greek and this means to do this continually and habitually. Put your faith in God and keep asking for surely He will answer in His time and His answer will be good! He has not left us alone in our waiting, but His Holy Spirit lives within us and He gives us courage, strength, and patience to keep asking in faith.
 
Help Sarah to be persistent in prayer and remind her that you are always good. Give her your presence and comfort as she prays, and help her not to lose hope and to continue to ask for your help when you say wait!

Day 103 Occupy What?

Jesus said that people cannot serve both God and wealth (Mammon), and based on his teachings, I think we must also ask whether we can serve both people and money.

I hope those within OccupyWallStreet stay focused on people and emphasize that money is at most a tool, an object to be used for the good of the many and not a goal in itself because then the quest for wealth subordinates and destroys human lives.

All of us, regardless of our social locations, can try to be more like Zacchaeus and less like the hard king who reaps where he does not sow. And as we’re seeing so clearly, we can organize, re-think the system so that it prioritizes people (especially those most in need), modify our own behavior as needed, and influence policy so that the highest are brought lower a bit and the lowest are brought up a lot.

Hopefully, it can transform from occupations of Wall Street and beyond to elected occupations of executives and legislatures where wiser policies and practices can be implemented.

102 Peace Guard

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

God promises to give you his peace to guard your heart and mind! He also says what he wants you to do so that you don't need to be anxious about anything--pray. And trust--whether your circumstances are good or bad. He wants you to give thanks and stay in touch with him!

Why? Because he is sovereign, loving, powerful, good, and He will never leave or forsake you. He knows and wants what is best for you.  He already knows when you are anxious and troubled. He just wants to hear it from you himself! Let him encourage and comfort you today.

Father God, forgive us for worrying and trying to control things ourselves.  Please help me to turn my worries into prayer.

Day 101 'Nuf Said.....

Help us to see the hungry.

Day 100 - The Roots of Wisdom

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise!

Psalm 111:10

Day 99 Constant Community

I’m not sure if there is anything that creates more intimacy with God than having a consistent, heartfelt prayer life. Although it's impossible to live life with our eyes closed or on our knees, prayer is actually an attitude of the heart that continues to acknowledge our absolute dependence on God. A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer, but an outgrowth of those times. Dependence and trust are countercultural and often difficult to grasp, but prayer is the hallmark of living in constant communion with God.

Day 97 Good Nourishment

How amazing is it that Jesus desires to be our sole source of nourishment? Following Christ and being planted in Him, in the Word of God, allows us to be rooted in a never-ending supply of love, hope, joy, peace and strength for our daily living--nourishment for our souls. When we are looking to Jesus to meet our needs, we are able to rest in Him, not be "withered" by the trials of life, and we can prosper. Most often we associate prospering with success--financial, relational, etc. But another definition, and one that may fit more closely with the intent of Psalm 1, is "to become strong and flourishing." Jesus wants us to grow strong in His word and flourish in producing the fruit of His love and righteousness as we interact with others. We do this as we seek Him as our source of strength.

Help Sarah to seek you as her center, her source of strength and peace. Thank you for watching over her and for growing her in your love, peace, and righteousness!

Day 96 Incremental Change

In “Uncommon Decency,” Richard Mouw says that Christian engagement in public life must be modest rather than an all-or-nothing approach. We should neither expect our efforts to bring God’s peace immediately, nor give up in despair. "Our calling is not to bring the kingdom of God in its fullness,” Mouw writes, “it is to witness to the power and presence of that kingdom in ways that are made available to us.”

This means that we need to continue to work to create systems that help make people better, help encourage more righteous choices, and establish righteousness corporately in addition to doing it individually. The Gospel of Grace compels us to strive toward righteousness and pursue justice for others, and to be witness to the power and presence of the transformation that only Christ can bring.

Day 94 Five Ways

 

Five Ways to Grow Closer to God

1. Know How to Pray. Matthew 6:7 "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." The Lord's Prayer is the way the Master, Jesus, taught us how to pray. By offering our thoughts and concerns to God are we best able to discover and know His will for our lives.

2. Know How to Study God's Word. Just as we seek to learn skills in our lives for educational and job improvement skills, so should we delve into His word. It's at this time that we see the most positive and exponential growth in our lives, as we take full responsibility and accountability for our spiritual life.

3. Know How to Not be Too Busy by Having Margins. Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God." If we are too busy in our lives, we will be too busy to hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit or to do his bidding when He calls.

4. Know How to Seek Your Destiny. Psalm 73:16-17 "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." It is when we begin to see God's hand in the whole of our lives that we are best able to discover our true destiny.

5. Know How to Claim Bible Verses as Your Own. (Psalm 1:1-2) When Life's 9/11s leave you stunned, claiming God's word as your own will remind you of Heaven's power and your ability to both overcome and persevere.

Day 93

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness
shine like the dawn, the justice
of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him.

Psalm 37:5-7

Day 90 The Little Things

 

God isn't just in the big concerns in our life, he also takes care of the little things.

When we assume that we're in control of the everyday details, we miss seeing how God provides and leads in the ordinary.

Use your gifts. Trust God's provision for you. Stay close to him.

Day 89 Who do you Trust?

Is your faith and trust completely in God? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Where do I turn when I experience a crisis?

2. When I am hurting or am afraid to whom do I go?

3. Where do I seek comfort when I am grieved, discouraged, or under stress?

Is it possible that you say you trust God, but your actions indicate otherwise?

Help Sarah's heart, words, and actions to indicate that she trusts you completely!

Day 88 Hero in Hiding?

 

So. So, where do you find a hero? God found Gideon hiding in a winepress where he was threshing wheat on the sly....What does God say to him? "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Ugh....I'm sure the irony wasn't lost on Gideon!

But. But heroes don't have to be fearless to have faith. Following God is a journey that begins with an encounter where God calls the fearful away from their fears. When you face your fears you begin the journey of faith.

And. And you're not alone. "The Lord is with you." God calls us to his extraordinary purposes. He knows your fears...you can trust him with them, and in his forgiveness, presence, and provision through Jesus, Immanuel...God with us.

Day 86 Portion Size

 

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16

Day 85 Blessed!

The name "Jacob" means deceiver. Jacob was crafty, tricky and skilled in the ways of manipulation. He was the kind of person who had big dreams and ambitions and was always looking for an angle. He wanted a blessing.

The Bible's reference to "blessing" describes the transfer of divine favor and authority. To be blessed means that we receive from God something that we have no ability to generate on our own. However, the only way we can get that kind of blessing is through brokenness . . . the realization that our self-sufficiency, our willpower, and our talents are not enough.

Jacob learned this the hard way. He got his blessing, but it was more than he bargained for. God blessed him by wrestling with him, shaping his character and changing his name from deceiver to Israel, which means "wrestles with God."

Jacob realized that the blessing was about more than what he got; it was about passing this blessing on to the next generation. You are ready to receive the blessing of God when you realize it's about what you give to others, not just what God gives to you.