Let’s take a moment this morning and ask ourselves "When was the last time I prayed for my pastor?" We often get wrapped up in praying for those in need around us in our daily lives and forget the importance of praying for our pastors, priests, and reverends... but as Paul taught... Praying for our pastor brings them strength, and us joy.
This morning we will revisit the story of the neighbor who would not get immediately out of bed when asked for three loaves. Jesus uses this story of persistent knocking to instruct his apostles on waiting for the Holy Spirit, but it is true also of all our prayers... we are to have perseverance, faith, and humility. Let’s look also at the death and resurrection of Lazarus, and what Mary and Martha expected when they asked Jesus to come, and later when He told them that He would raise him from the dead.
Goodness is our topic for consideration this morning. Let’s explore goodness and see how it relates to our faith and holiness. There are people who do good things and are considered good people, but have no, or very little, faith. There are people who have faith, but don't do good in their lives, and finally, there are those of faith who in their holiness do good many things. Which of these do we envision ourselves to be?
This morning while reading my daily devotional message written by Pastor E.M. Bounds I encountered a phrase I had heard several times before, but one that never ceases to cause me to pause and reflect on my Christian walk. We read the Bible online, and in paper or hardback form, but the very first Bible any unbeliever reads is covered in flesh… our flesh. We are the first introduction that sinners have to God’s Word.
This morning let’s concentrate on the subject of doing the work of God. As we do so we find that no matter what form His work takes, it should always be founded in the giving and receiving of grace. The tap root of Godly work is grace, but often we confuse this with gifts. If we focus on grace... the gifts will come.
This morning as I read my morning devotional it posed a thoughtful question regarding the Holy Spirit. This is a question that those who diligently seek God and holiness undoubtedly ask themselves as their journey matures. It asked: "If the church is making advances on the lines of deep spirituality - if we are praying people, and if our people are hungering after holiness, why do we have so few mighty outpourings of the Holy Spirit?"
This morning we will contemplate the effect that material prosperity and good health have on our spiritual growth and wellbeing. E. M. Bounds, the author of my morning devotional reading, was so concerned about the negative effects of financial success and other worldly possessions on us as Christians, and the church as a whole, that he wrote these words:
In reading Pastor E.M. Bounds this morning I had to think to myself that the two questions he asked of the church and its congregants were of great importance today... "Are our leading laymen examples of holiness? Does business integrity and honesty run parallel with religious activity and Christian observance?"
This morning let's reflect on whether we are either leading or growing into a holy life that is full and rich. Let's ask ourselves the hard questions such as... "Am I seeking out holiness and the presence of God in all I do?" In our quest for a more enduring faith we should long to be holy, and long to be like Jesus in everything we do. Our lives should be dominated by a constant motivation, provided by prayer, to obtain holiness, and through that effort; salvation.
Have you ever been shopping or at a restaurant and seen an older couple walking together that have the same stride, have the same mannerisms, the same inflections in their speech, and in some strange way even resemble each other? It would be easy to mistake them as brother and sister, but they are in fact husband and wife. This is what years of love and living together does... it joins us in ways that we often can't explain and that are so subtle we barely realize it’s happening. Our faith and holiness should unite us with Christ in much the same way.
What is God's work in the world? Different people have quite different answers to this question, but today let’s focus on removing the negative impacts of the devil on God’s creation. To do so, let’s use the words of the Apostle John helps us in this regard…
07/09/2024
This morning we are contemplating the delays and denials we experience in prayer, but even more, we will visit the courage and persistence needed in such times. My morning devotional reading described these occurrences in prayer using these words:
This morning we will begin by studying one of the most incredible examples of intercessory prayer. Moses goes to the mountain to receive the first set of tablets but while he is gone the Israelites ask Aaron to build them a golden calf to worship... which he does. Moses isn't aware of this when God tells him He will destroy the Israelites and build a nation from his offspring (much like the promise to Abraham). But, Moses prays that God will spare them.
This morning we contemplate the symbiotic relationship between faith and prayer, and the fact that one cannot exist without the other. They are so tightly bound together that continuous prayer and never failing faith become as one. The persistence of prayer is the result of a strength of faith and vice-versa. Pastor E.M. Bounds states it in this way: "Faith functions in connection with prayer and persistence. Persistence cultivates the belief that prayer will be answered. A person with a persistent spirit will be blessed.” And, scripture leads us to understand the connection between prayer and faith in words such as these…
This morning we will concentrate on a miracle that occurred on the outskirts of Jericho. It is the story of Bartimaeus, another blind man that was healed after calling out to Jesus, and there is a lesson in it for both believers and unbelievers alike. . Here is the account of what happened that day: