THINK BIGGER

ISAIAH 12:4 (MSG)
Give thanks to God.
Call out his name.
Ask him anything!
Shout to the nations, tell them what he’s done,
spread the news of his great reputation!

MATTHEW 28:19-20 (NLT)
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

THE ESSENCE
God wants to change the whole world. Think bigger. 

DAILY FODDER
Why is your vision so limited? What is God doing to broaden it?  

PRAYER 
Creator God, I’m grateful that you love the whole world. Forgive me for entering into the tribalism, where everything is about the advancement of my people. Help me to see the world as you see it. I want to have open arms embracing even the people who are distant and unlike me. What a vision! 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.

ALL THE WAY TO DEATH WITH CHRIST

The 10th Sunday after Pentecost

PSALM 90:10 (NLT)
Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.

PHILIPPIANS 3:10 (MSG)
I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.

THE ESSENCE
We purpose to go all the way with Christ, even to death. 

DAILY FODDER
Do you ever think of what the end of your life might look like? Perhaps you are saving money during your working years so you'll have enough to live on when you can no longer work. What does it look like to be old, past your prime health, and living for Christ? 

PRAYER 
God of the ages, the beginning and the end, even in my old age I praise you. In some ways this is uncharted territory for me, but I realize that it's all going according to your plan. Forgive me for allowing the issues that come with age to discourage me. Keep me focused on serving Christ today, whatever that looks like. I'm traveling with you to the end. That’s all that matters. 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.

DOING RIGHT

GENESIS 4:7 (NLT)
You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.

MATTHEW 27:3-4 (CEB)
When Judas, who betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus was condemned to die, he felt deep regret. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, and said, “I did wrong because I betrayed an innocent man.”

THE ESSENCE
Following Jesus involves doing the right thing. 

DAILY FODDER
Life is complicated. How can we know what the right thing is? 

PRAYER 
God, you always do the right thing. Thank you for sending Jesus into the world to embody rightness. My intentions are to follow him but I get distracted and by the time I realize the extent of my waywardness the damage is done. Forgive me and transform my heart so that I am fully tuned in to the righteousness of Christ Jesus. 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.

BLESSING GOD

PSALM 63:4 (ABP)
Every breath I take, until there are no more, will be a blessing directed to you. And when I lift my hands to pray, it will be about honoring you.

ACTS 3:9 (ABP)
Everyone saw the healed beggar walking around and praising God.

THE ESSENCE
Everything we do is about responding to God with blessing.

DAILY FODDER
When we're dealing with God, we don't compartmentalize things. Every interaction in life, every breath we take, every thing we experience, is a channel for honoring him. It's all sacred. 

PRAYER 
Gracious God, I'm grateful to be included in your mission to renew the world. Even though I fumble about, I want to keep the focus on you. Turn everything I've got in life into a way to bless you. I want to move around as freely as the healed beggar, praising you with each step and word. 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.