PEOPLE IN DISTRESS

The 16th Sunday after Pentecost

PSALM 9:9 (MSG)
God’s a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.

JAMES 1:27 (MSG)
Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

THE ESSENCE
God expects us to follow his lead in actively caring for people in distress. 

DAILY FODDER
Who are the disressed in your realm of influence? Or have you somehow become insulated from people in distress? How can we break free from our insulation?  

PRAYER
Lord, you are the safe shelter for all who suffer unjust treatment. You comfort and protect the orphaned, the widowed, the abused, and the persecuted. I shudder to think how I have oppressed others, knowingly or unknowingly. Grant me a repentant spirit and willing heart to love and care for those who are oppressed and downtrodden. 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.

CONTINUE TO...

DEUTERONOMY 4:9 (NLT)
But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

JOHN 20:18 (CEB)
Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her.

THE ESSENCE
Continue to remember what the Lord has said and done so you can continue to witness.

DAILY FODDER
Why is there such an emphasis on continuing to remember? Is an encounter with the Lord so forgettable? What’s the point of this message?

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for including us in your inner circle. You've revealed so much about yourself. Forgive us for allowing the fears and distractions of life to sidetrack our witnessing. My memory is so short. Bring to mind what needs to be shared in every situation. I'm trusting in the prompting of the Holy Spirit to enable me to continue to complete my 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.

THE SPIRIT OF JOY

1 CHRONICLES 13:8 (TCEB)
David and the people with him danced for joy, and with a lot of energy. Some sang. Some played instruments, such as lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals. It was a joyful noise.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 (TCEB)
Live in a spirit of joy.

THE ESSENCE
The spirit of joy characterizes life with Jesus. 

DAILY FODDER
Living with a "spirit of joy" doesn't mean that every moment is happy. Rather, even though sad times come, the underlying spirit of joy that flows through our lives because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, ultimately transforms those moments into a celebration of what God is doing. 

PRAYER
Lord, you are my delight and joy — even when the moment is sad. Help me to deal with my saddness in such a way that your joy shines through even in the hardest moments. 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.

PASSIONATELY PATIENT

PROVERBS 16:32 (MSG)
Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.

REVELATION 14:12 (MSG)
Meanwhile, the saints stand passionately patient, keeping God’s commands, staying faithful to Jesus.

THE ESSENCE
Jesus' faithful are passionately patient in their obedience, as opposed to pushy and millitant. 

DAILY FODDER
Many Christians believe that if the faith is to survive and thrive in this crazy world, we need to be more aggressive and powerful. This seems totally contrary to Jesus' passionately patient approach. 

PRAYER
God, you hve been patient beyond comprehension. Even when Jesus was suffering on the cross, he refrained from calling down fire from Heaven. Forgive my infatuation with power and quick solutions for every problem. Help me to not only stand faithfully with you, but to do so with confident patience. I want to be faithful to you and your agenda, even in the way that I respond to the evil around me. 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.