PEACE MAKING

NAHUM 1:15 (MSG)
Look! Striding across the mountains—
a messenger bringing the latest good news: peace!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:18 (CEV)
God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Our mission is to support the peace that Christ has extended.

PRAYER
You are truly a God of good news! While we mess things up on a pretty regular basis, you're busy turning our turmoil into peace. That's what you do! Please continue to refine my life so that I'm all about the kind of peace that you are developing. I want to become a messenger of the peace of Christ. Amen.

SELF-AWARENESS

Christ the King Sunday

PROVERBS 21:2 (CEV)
We may think we are doing
     the right thing,
but the LORD always knows
     what is in our hearts.

ROMANS 16:19 (MSG)
And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in these matters—I couldn’t be more proud of you!—I want you also to be smart, making sure every “good” thing is the real thing.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Stay alert to the condition of your heart.

PRAYER
Great God, you are 100% genuine. You have no hidden agenda and your intentions are always consistent with your actions. We, on the other hand, are less than fully self-aware. We think we're doing good only to discover upon reflection that our motives have been tainted. It's so hard to be genuine. Please continue to develop my self-awareness so that I can be open to your heart-changing actions. I want to become the real thing. Amen.

DO GOOD

PROVERBS 3:27 (NLT)
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:13 (NLT)
Never get tired of doing good.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
When it comes to seeking justice for the oppressed and good for those in need, stay on task.

PRAYER
Good God, thank you for the way that you look out for us and call us to participate with you in extending your goodness. I confess that I'm sometimes stingy. It's not that I don't want to help others, it's just that I get so caught up in my own stuff that I don't really feel compelled to extend myself for others. Free me from being consumed with the world of my own making. Give me a heart for the needy that transcends circumstances -- and energy from your Spirit to serve. By your grace, I'm going to stay on task. amen.

SAVIOR

PSALM 68:20 (MSG)
He’s our Savior, our God, oh yes!
He’s God-for-us, he’s God-who-saves-us.
Lord GOD knows all
death’s ins and outs.

1 THESALLONIANS 4:14 (CEV)
We believe that Jesus died and was raised to life. We also believe that when God brings Jesus back again, he will bring with him all who had faith in Jesus before they died.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Our Savior rescues us from death.

PRAYER
You are the God-who-saves, and that's good news. We've been dealing with a lot of death recently and I confess that I allow it to drag me down. I get discouraged and I need a lift from you. Remind me of the hope that is ours through Jesus. I'm going to trust him for the now and the future. Amen.