COME TOGETHER

ISAIAH 49:3 (MSG)
GOD said to me, “You’re my dear servant,
Israel, through whom I’ll shine.”

ACTS 10:36 (MSG)
The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. 

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God wants to shine through us all — whether we're old–schoolers or up and coming zoomers.

DAILY FODDER
If Christ is putting everything together again it follows that his people will be about coming together from all their different places. 

PRAYER
Thank you, Christ Jesus, for coming into the world to initiate radical reconciliation. You mended the connection between God and people so that we can be on talking terms again. And you've called us to step out of the established patterns and to be reconciled to each other. I admit that I'm prone to take the pathes of least resistance and to limit my relationships to the people most like me. Expand my vision until it is your vision of bringing everyone together under your banner. I'm going to initiate relationships with people who are unlike me so that what you've done will shine. 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 would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

TASTE!

ISAIAH 63:7 (MSG)
I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
   all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
   his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
   love extravagant.

1 PETER 2:3 (ABP)
You've had a taste of the Lord's goodness.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Ours is to experience the outrageous goodness of God. Bon appetite!

DAILY FODDER
What are the first five items on the list of all the great things God has done for you today? 

PRAYER
Generous God, your gifts exceed any list I could make. But I know that I've got to stop using that overwhelming reality as an excuse for not trying. Show me how to regularly pause and savor your goodness. Let it shape who I am and the world I'm creating around me. I'm going to spend the rest of my eternal life celebrating all of what you've done that needs praising. 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 would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

TRIALS AND TESTS

DEUTERONOMY 13:3 (ABP)
Your GOD is giving you a test so that you can demonstrate your complete and deep love for him.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 (MSG)
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God regulates the trials and temptations that come our way so that with his assistance we have the opportunity to shine.

DAILY FODDER
Some of us are anxious about whether we can handle the trials which might be coming our way. Why is such anxiety unhelpful? 

PRAYER
All-understaning God, I am grateful that you faithfully stand with your people through whatever comes our way. I admit that my mind drifts into the worse case scenario and that I worry about my ability to endure. Remind me of your active involvement in my situation and defuse whatever anxieties I'm harboring. I'm confident that whatever is headed my way won't break me because you are standing with 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 would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

ALL-CONSUMING

JEREMIAH 24:7 (ABP)
I will plant deep within them a desire to acknowledge me as GOD through every decision and action in their lives.

COLOSSIANS 4:3 (NLT)
Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Might the mystery of Christ become our all-consuming passion.

DAILY FODDER
What is the difference between an all-consuming passion for the mystery of Christ and a half-hearted effort to know him? How do each look? Where on the continum do you think you are?

PRAYER
God, through the mysterious-to-us actvity of Christ you've establised a new covenant with us. It's a promise that rests in our hearts and minds. We don't always pay attention to what you have planted within us. Help us to tune out the distractions so that we can display and explain what Christ has done and is doing. I want to be a living invitaion passionately drawing people to him and his ways. 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 would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen!