ONGOING PRAISE FROM THE HEART

PSALM 44:8 (NLT)
O God, we give glory to you all day long
and constantly praise your name.

EPHESIANS 5:19 (NLT/1996)
Then you'll sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.

THE ESSENCE
When the Lord resides in us, we're constantly generating praise in our hearts.

DAILY FODDER
"Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs..." It looks like there is room for many different styles of music when we're in a genuine praise mode.

PRAYER
O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name. Forgive me for limiting my praise to Sunday mornings with the band. Expand my repertoire so that I have something to offer you all day, every day. Let it flow from the heart! 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.

THE RIGHTEOUS

PSALM 34:15 (ABP)
GOD keeps an eye out for those who are righteous. His ears are tuned into their cries.

MATTHEW 27:19 (CEB)
While he was serving as judge, Pilate's wife sent this message to him, “Leave that righteous man alone. I’ve suffered much today in a dream because of him.”

THE ESSENCE
Under God's watchful eye, Jesus the only completely righteous person, was unjustly executed, ultimately resulting in our ability to share in his righteousness.

DAILY FODDER
2 Corinthians 5:21 (GNT) puts the dynamic behind our two passages today in perspective. "Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God." When we’re talking about the righteous (the category of people who are in right standing with God because of right living) Jesus is the key player. It's his perfectly righteous life that is shared with those who could never attain righteousness on their own.

PRAYER
Glorious Savior, thank you for sharing your righteousness with us. We confess that we've attempted (and occasionally still try) to attain righteousness on our own. Keep me mindful of the source of my right standing with you and help me lean into that alone, as I move out and allow your righteousness to flow through me. I know that you’re keeping watch over us. 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.

COOPERATION

The 9th Sunday after Pentecost

GENESIS 45:24 (TCEB)
So Joseph sent his brothers off. As they headed out, he yelled over to them, “Hey, don’t be arguing with each other on your way home!”

MATTHEW 5:9 (MSG)
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

THE ESSENCE
In God's economy, we're rewarded for fostering cooperation rather than competition.

DAILY FODDER
How do we make the transition from being a competition-based society to being a cooperative society? I suggest that it begins with a few counter-cultural individuals committed to Jesus and living out his peacemaking ideals. Since such people will be going against the social stream, they'll need a great deal of wisdom and patience. Fortunately, when we invite Jesus into our lives, he brings his Holy Spirit to empower us for this seemingly impossible assignment.

PRAYER
Jesus, you truly are the Prince of Peace. And while I think that prioritizing peaceful cooperation is ideal, I worry that it can't always be realistic. Help me to set aside such worries and to focus on the mission, regardless of how impossible it seems. Empower me with your Spirit so I can gently respond with supernatural wisdom to the forces that feed on unhealthy competition. I am committed to being a part of your peacemaking mission. 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.

MERCY

PSALM 68:5-6 (MSG)
Father of orphans,
   champion of widows,
   is God in his holy house.
God makes homes for the homeless,
   leads prisoners to freedom,
   but leaves rebels to rot in hell.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:3 (NLT/1996)
All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.

THE ESSENCE
God is the source of mercy for all who will accept it.

DAILY FODDER
How has God been merciful to you today?

PRAYER
Merciful God, you are worthy of all recognition and honor. You extend your helping hand to even the most desperate person. Forgive me for smugly assuming that all I have is the fruit of my own efforts. Help me to be so accepting of your mercy and forgiveness that it becomes a part of my own nature to extend it to others. This whole mercy movement that Jesus started is life-changing. 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.