ZOOM OUT

PSALM 143:5 (GNT)
I remember the days gone by;
I think about all that you have done,
I bring to mind all your deeds.

LUKE 1:50 (GNT)
Mary said, "...from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him."

THE ESSENCE
When considering God's merciful activity, it makes sense to sometimes zoom out and look at the bigger, multi-generational picture.  

DAILY FODDER
How are you benefiting from the mercy that God has shown to a previous generation?  

PRAYER
Merciful God, you have been faithful to us for generations. Forgive my short-sightedness, as though the only thing that matters is what you've done for me here and now. Help me to appreciate the grander picture of generational mercy. I'm going to work on connecting the dots. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

GOD REIGNS

The 20th Sunday after Pentecost

JUDGES 8:23 (MSG)
Gideon said, “I most certainly will not rule over you, nor will my son. God will reign over you.”

JOHN 20:28 (CEB)
Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

THE ESSENCE
Despite our propensity to look for manageable leadership, God remains on the throne. Adjust accordingly.

DAILY FODDER
What is the primary way that you acknowledge God's sovereignty in the world and your life? 

PRAYER
Dearest Lord, I am grateful that you have given me the desire to choose life under your rule. Forgive me for compromising your standards and replacing them with precepts fashioned by humanity. Open the eyes of my heart to see your power and majesty. Choose me and I will run passionately after you and share your goodness with others! Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

ALL-POWERFUL

NUMBERS 11:23 (ABP)
GOD answered Moses, "So, do you think I'm powerless?"

MARK 4:41 (CEB)
Overcome with awe, they said to each other, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"

THE ESSENCE
Our problems are not beyond God's power. 

DAILY FODDER
What is an overwhelming problem you're currently face? Let God intervene.  

PRAYER
Awesome all-powerful God, you are worthy of our faith. I regret, though, that when the storms hit, I still panic. Intervene into my situation and calm my heart. I want to grow in faith now so that when I'm facing squals I can relax and trust you without hesitation. I pray in the name of Jesus, who calms the wind and the sea. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

CHRIST FOR THE DEFENSE

ISAIAH 50:9 (GNB)
The Sovereign LORD himself defends me—
   who, then, can prove me guilty?
All my accusers will disappear;
   they will vanish like moth-eaten cloth.

ROMANS 8:34 (MSG)
Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.

THE ESSENCE
With Christ defending us, no one will dare accuse us before God.

DAILY FODDER
In the hands of Christ, all of our guilt, real and imagined, vaporizes. We're freed to live new lives unencumbered by the weight of our brokenness.

PRAYER
Thank you, Jesus, for your costly advocacy. Forgive me for digging up the old guilt and the old patterns that no longer matter to God. Bury what I'm unable to let go of so that I can live in freedom now and forever. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.