Spheres
Thank You, Father, for the many blessings in my life. Thank You for Your mercy and the forgiveness of my sin. I come before You today only because of Your abundant provision and love. All praise to You alone.
James 1:9-11 (<<click here)
Rich or poor we stand on equal ground before You, Lord. There is not one of us that stands higher – wealth, power, strength, wisdom mean nothing. None of us fall lower – race, gender, mental faculties mean nothing. We are judged by what we do with what we have been given in regards to our relationship with You. “Things” are only tools in Your kingdom; they do not define who we are.
That, Lord, is reality. As followers of You, many of us understand that. In our relationship with You, we generally acknowledge that mentality. So why is it so difficult for us to live in that mentality in the world?
A big factor is that many of us live in two separate spheres – the sphere of the world with its rules and mindsets and the sphere of Your kingdom in the aforementioned reality. For many of us, these spheres overlap very little. For many, time spent in the sphere of the kingdom is limited. It is regulated to an hour or so each week. Whereas time spent in the world’s sphere is all encompassing – it’s rules and mindsets becoming the controlling factor of our lives. Living this way defeats us. We make no progress; we make little or no impact for the kingdom.
As lovers of You, the kingdom sphere must encompass the world sphere in our lives and how we live them. We pray “thy kingdom come, thou will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-13) But do we believe it, much less live it?
Lord, help me to abide in the sphere of Your kingdom every moment of every day. May its reality guide my decisions. May it impact everything I say and do. Enable me to use the “things” You have so graciously given me to share the reality of You with the world.
Aug 7th, Sun, 6:36 am
Hot and Cold
Oh my goodness, Father, this is a rough morning! I just can’t seem to get going. Enable me to listen to what I need to hear today. I am worn and weary but Your word is alive and vibrant. Stir my heart!
James 1:5-8 (<<click here)
Lord, as I read through this passage I truly believe that faith is not so much the issue for me as are the distractions around me. My faith does not waver but my mind seems to. My heart tells me and I am a firm believer in the absolute fact that You can do absolutely anything – “…nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
Sin is anything that keeps me from You. When I am trying to interact with You and everything else pops in my brain and keeps me from listening and focusing… I’m not sure that’s sin – unless it becomes a habit and I start avoiding time with You.
Today’s Puritan prayer is mine as well, “Show me what sins hide thee from me and eclipse that love…” I know our relationship has a variable that is up and down, hot and cold, alert and half awake… and it’s definitely not You. It’s me! Many times I am in sync but often, I am out of step. I am determined to not give up! Our relationship is of the utmost importance to me! Help me, Lord, through rough patches. Help me to forge my way through…even when I am the problem.
August 4th, Thurs, 7:44 am
Jump In!
Father, I feel the need to write this morning but I also feel like I need to experience stillness in Your presence. Stillness can be a challenge, especially at this home. We’ve so enjoyed having family in but it is wearying – on the go constantly! It makes it easy to doze off. But, Father, You are with me. It is quiet, it is good.
The Valley of Vision quote of the day:
“Thou dost not move men like stones,
But dost endue them with life,
Not to enable them to move without thee,
But in submission to thee, the first mover. “
James 1:6 (<<click here)
Lord, a note in my study Bible* has got me thinking, It says “We must believe not only in the existence of God but also in his loving care.” There are some who refuse to believe that You are there. Many more don’t deny Your existence but that’s as far as they go.
You have gone to incredible lengths to enable us to have a relationship with You. That is why we were created. All of humanity has a deep desire for completion. We seek meaning. But in so many instances we look everywhere but to You. The devil surely has a hand in it but we ultimately have the final say.
It’s not enough to believe You exist. If we can just realize that you love us and truly experience that love – it changes everything! We are completed! All of the holes in our lives are filled in! We have a purpose!
Lord, I receive Your love every day! Help me to savor it. Help me to jump into it with both feet and arms wide open. Exuberant to throw myself into the pristine, vast ocean depths of Your love!
I would ask, too, Lord, that I would not be content to come alone. May I eagerly bring others to You, so that they too may experience the greatness of Your love and who You truly are! AMEN!
Aug 3rd, Wed, 5:44 am
*New Living Translation Life Application Study Bible
My Widow’s Mite
Sometimes…many times, Father, the struggle, even at the beginning of the day when little has happened, the struggle is to be still and to listen…to You and not myself. The prayer I read in The Valley of Vision included these lines today,
“Thou bottomless fountain of all good,
I give myself to thee out of love,
for all I have or own is thine,
my goods, family, church, self,
To do with as thou wilt,
to honor thyself by me, and by all mine.”
In the totality of all the world – all that is Yours, all that is given You – in many ways my gifts are small and they are relatively insignificant. But only a God like You can cherish and appreciate the importance of my simple offerings amongst the vast multitude of offerings. To You I am important. To You I am significant. The widow’s mite I bring (Mark 12:41-44) is my all. It is not lost amongst all the many gifts, it is noticed, it is appreciated.
Lord, this week is full of too many things – my beloved family, preparation for worship Sunday and church reports in preparations for pending meetings. Help me to balance them all as You would have me do. Work through me, guide my actions, help me to use my time wisely. May I invest wisely in what is important and accomplish what needs to be done in a timely manner. And most importantly, may I keep You at the absolute center of it all. Amen.
August 2nd, Tues, 6:10 am
Speck of Almost Nothingness
Father, You are mighty in power and deed and I am only me with a lower case “m”. Compared to the immensity of Your being and work I am but a speck of almost nothingness… That may be the way it is but in Your reality – which is the only reality that matters – I am of infinite worth. You deliberately gave Your Son so that I might no longer be lost. At great cost have I been saved. I am cherished – I am loved… May I live my life in gratitude for the sacrifice made for me. May I hold nothing back I can do nothing less.
July 30th, Sat, 6:20 am