God of the impossible

Mary and Elizabeth
by Harold Copping - 1927

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 1:39-56


TO CHEW ON: "He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent empty away." Luke 1:51-53 ESV

Wow - could Bible women pray! The prayer of Hanna, another young mother (1 Samuel 2:1-10), and Mary's prayer in our reading today show that these godly women had keen insights about God and His ways.

A thought that occurs in both of these prayers is that the unlikely person will triumph because God comes to his or her aid.

Hannah prays that God will weigh and evaluate the unworthy actions that are masked by proud and arrogant speech. She boasts about Him giving strength to the feeble as He breaks the weaponry of the mighty. He feeds the hungry while those who were always full before end up hiring themselves out for bread. He gives he barren woman a complete family (seven children!) even as the mother of many is forlorn. She speaks of Him making the poor rich, exalting the lowly, raising the poor and needy to sit with princes - 1 Samuel 2:3-8.

Mary thanks God for raising her, a humble woman, to a position where all people will call her blessed. She boasts about God frustrating those with proud thoughts, bringing down the mighty from their thrones, sending the rich away empty while filling the hungry with good things - Luke 1:51-53.

These aren't selfish, vindictive prayers of needy women who want the tables turned for self-serving reasons. Rather, they are prayers of women for whom God has shown Himself strong in amazing ways (Hannah has borne a son after years of barrenness, Mary has recently become pregnant with Jesus—God in the flesh).

They are also pronouncements of faith saying, in effect, if God has done this for me, He can do this in any and every situation.

They are above all, prayers that proclaim trust in God over riches, position, power or natural ability, to change impossible situations.

What is my impossible situation today? What is yours? From personal needs involving ourselves, our families and friends, to big requests for our nation and the world, let's let the faith of Hannah and Mary inspire us to bring our impossible circumstances to God, who has the power and resources to turn them on their heads.

PRAYER: Dear God, than You for the faith and inspiration of Hannah and Mary, simple women who trusted You to do the impossible. Help me to trust You for my impossible thing (___) today. Amen

MORE: Feast of Visitation

Today the church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin.

The liturgy for this day begins with this collect:

"Father in heaven, by your grace the virgin mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All Authority

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 28:16-20

TO CHEW ON: "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...'" Matthew 28:18-19a


When Jesus declared "'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth'" He was tapping into and adding onto a rich vein of truth that runs through the Bible.

• Daniel had had a vision of this authority years earlier - Daniel 7:13-14.

• Mary, Jesus' mother, heard about it from the angel - Luke 1:32.

• Jesus talked about it here and in other places - Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 3:35.

• The Apostle Peter preached it - Acts 2:36.

• Paul wrote about it - Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:10,21.

• Peter did too - 1 Peter 3:22.

It is an authority given to Jesus by God the Father. It is called a "Kingdom" that is described as eternal and indestructible. It is made up of all sorts of people, nations and languages, from those alive now and those already dead. Jesus, the King of it, administers it from heaven. And since this authority is an eternal fact, if we follow the logic of this passage ("Go therefore and make disciples...") we have the privilege of enlarging and affirming it in our time and space—of being part of the gathering in of the people in our generation whom Jesus has already bought and paid for with His blood and so are rightfully His.

Here are the stirring words of my Bible's commentary notes on verses 19 and 20:

"While Jesus' ministry had been to Israel (Matthew 10:5-6), proclamation of and adherence to His lordship is extended to all the nations through the Spirit-empowered ministry of His church. Disciples are to acknowledge openly their allegiance to Christ by the seal of water baptism, which is ministered under the authority of the entire Godhead" - J. Lyle Story - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1345.

What an honor - to be tapped on the shoulder to serve the King of Kings. Let's not lose sight of the eternal significance of our lives and how God can and wants to use us to further His glorious plan.

PRAYER: Great God in heaven, it is so good for me to be reminded of the majesty, eternity and indestructibility of Your Kingdom. Help me to be a worthy and useful foot soldier in it. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

No cares

TODAY’S SPECIAL: I Peter 4:12-5:11

TO CHEW ON: “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

It’s Wednesday. We're right in the middle of the cares of life – that sticky situation at work, that issue with our child’s teacher, looming commitments, deadlines, and due dates.

[care: merimna (mer-im-nah) – from meiro: “to divide,” and noos: “the mind.” It denotes distractions, anxieties, burdens and worries. Merimna means to be anxious beforehand about daily life. (“Word Wealth” The Spirit-Filled Life Bible – p. 1769)]

In today’s verse we’re told to cast those things on Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 puts it another way. I love it in the Amplified:

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

So, what to do if your mind is buzzing with anxieties and cares?

• “Cast” those concerns on God. Imagine you are carrying them in a backpack. Take off that backpack and give it to Jesus in prayer, thanking Him for the answer/solution He will send.
• Now let peace flood your whole being as you grasp tightly onto His promise: “He cares for you.”

PRAYER: Dear God, I give You my cares of ____ (name them) today. I choose to leave them with you in exchange for the peace of living in Your care. Thank You for your second-by-second care for me. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Prepare for Sunday worship

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 66:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows. … Oh bless our God you peoples! And make the voice of His praise be heard." Psalm 66:13,8

Today is Sunday. Are you ready for church? Are you looking forward to meeting with fellow believers? Or is Sunday morning at your house typically a hassle—a blur of leaping out of bed too late, a quick shower, scramble for breakfast, what to wear?? get in the car, coffee in hand, to make the hurried drive? If you have young children, it's probably even more complicated!

I know the details of your Sunday morning are none of my business. But if you feel yours could use some help—like I do mine— this psalm has embedded in it some things we can all do to get ourselves ready (Psalm 66:13-20) for a rich and satisfying time of corporate worship (Psalm 66:1-12).

To get ready for "church" the psalmist:

1. Prepares his offering and makes sure he's keeping his promises to God (Psalm 66:13,14). We don't come with animal sacrifices and having made vows we must keep, but we do usually put something in the offering plate. We could, say, write our tithe check Saturday night.

2. Cultivates thoughts of gratitude (Psalm 66:16,17). The psalmist is so full of what God has done for him, he can't wait to tell others. We could spend some time Saturday, or earlier in the week, reviewing God's goodnesses to us. We could even keep a running list of things for which we give thanks.

3. Examines his heart and confesses known sin (Psalm 66:18). This verse: "If I regard iniquity in my heart / The Lord will not hear" reminds us of Jesus' advice to make things right with our brother before we come to God's house with our offering (Matthew 5:23,24) and Paul's warning about preparing ourselves before we take communion (1 Corinthians 11:27-34).  How wonderful to deal with these sinful impediments before we come to God's house so our worship can be unhindered by guilt and regret.

4. Prays (Psalm 66:19). Perhaps the psalmist unloads all his worries and concerns on God. Perhaps he asks God to reveal Himself during the time of worship. We too can unload before we go to church, bringing our worries to God in spoken prayer. And we can ask Him to meet us in deep meaningful ways as we assemble with others.

The early verses of this psalm show how enthusiastic, joyful, and energetic corporate worship can be: "Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honour of His name; make His praise glorious. … Come and see the works of God . … O bless our God you peoples! And make the voice of His praise be heard…" - Psalm 66:1,2,5, 8.

Perhaps a little ground work before we drive ourselves to church on Sunday morning (or Saturday night, or whenever we meet with others)  could ready us to worship with the same joyful abandon.

PRAYER: Dear God, I confess I often come to church on Sunday unprepared. Please help me to make a habit of readying my heart and life for corporate worship. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our Helper

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 15:18-16:4

TO CHEW ON: "'But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.'" John 15:26.


Here Jesus predicts that practically everyone will hate His followers. The world will hate them just as it hated Him (John 15:18-25). Fellow Hebrews will hate them, throwing them out of the synagogue and killing them, believing that by doing this they are serving God (John 16:2-4).

Sandwiched between these grim predictions is a comforting one: "'But the Helper comes whom I will send to you…'"

Helper - parakletos comes from para - beside and kaleo - to call—meaning called to one's side. "The word signifies an intercessor, comforter, helper, advocate, counselor. In non-biblical literature parakletos had the technical meaning of an attorney who appears in court in another's behalf" - Dick Mills, Word Wealth article - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1472.

Bible writers mention the Holy Spirit's help in many places. Below are several. In each one the Spirit's way of helping is a little different:

• In John 14:16 we have the Helper that abides (lives) with us forever.

• In John 14:26 the Helper is a teacher and the One who helps us recall what we have learned.

• In John 15:26—our focus verse—the Helper testifies of Jesus. In this promise, placed between two predictions of persecution, is also the implication that the Holy Spirit will help Jesus' followers with strength to endure the world's hostilities.

• In John 16:7,8 the Helper convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.

• In John 16:13 He is called the Spirit of truth who guides us into truth and a knowledge of the future as He speaks what He hears from the Ones who know—the Son and the Father (John 16:15,15).

• Finally, in Acts 9:31, author Luke connects the early Christians' Spirit-comforted lifestyle with church growth.

What a comfort for us to know that this Comforter/Helper is still available to us. Let's step out in faith as Jesus' modern disciples, knowing that He is beside us and in us, like a wise, knowledgeable lawyer, ready to help when we need Him.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for sending Comforter, Helper Holy Spirit. Help me to know His presence in a practical way through the different situations of my life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What is spiritual fruit?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 15:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "'By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.'" John 15:8

In today's reading Jesus, using the metaphor of vine and branches, teaches the importance of His followers bearing fruit. What fruit is He talking about? The many people one has won to Christ? Good works one has done, as in the number of people fed, poor helped, orphans parented, prisoners visited?

I believe it could include these things. But a brief Bible overview of spiritual fruit and fruitfulness shows that its presence in one's life encompasses more than that,

Spiritual fruit:

• Needs good receptive soil - Matthew 13:8. We could say that the person who wants to be spiritually fruitful must be spiritually receptive.

• Is the product of heavenly wisdom. James describes it as "… pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" - James 3:17.

• Comes in many varieties. The "fruit of the Spirit" is listed in Galatians 5:22-23: "… love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control…" Paul calls them the "fruits of righteousness" - Ephesians 5:9.

• Is meant to glorify God - Philippians 1:11 and our focus verse (John 15:8) explicitly state that. 

• Is perennial (Ezekiel 47:12) and those who bear it have no age limit: "…They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing" - Psalm 92;13,14.

Our John 15 reading shows four more things about spiritual fruitfulness:

• When we are "in" Jesus the vine, we're expected to bear fruit. If we don't we'll be removed  - John 15:2,6.

• We may experience pruning (ouch!) but that is so we will bear more fruit - John 15:2.

• We don't produce this fruit on our own initiative or through our own resources. In fact we can't. It develops in us as Jesus lives His life and and through us - John 15:4,5.

• This abiding-in-Jesus-the-vine life guarantees us answered prayers. Jesus says: "'… ask what you desire and it shall be done for you'" - John 15:7. Of course under such intimate conditions we'll be asking for things that are in line with His will.

I ask myself, what sort of branch am I? Does my life fall in line with the conditions of fruitfulness? Am I attached to the Vine?  Have I recognized God's pruning in the difficulties and setbacks of life? Do I welcome it for what it is?  Am I producing fruit? What about you?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please teach me more of what it means to abide n You and allow You to bear fruit through me. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Powerful weapon of forgiveness

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Peter 3:8-22

TO CHEW ON: "Finally, all of you be of one mind having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8,9


Peter's idealistic instructions (especially "… not returning evil for evil, or reviling for reviling…") become all the more weighty as we recall that he wrote them to people who were suffering. And their suffering was because of their faith in Christ.

Do we even consider following his advice (that was also Jesus's) when we are wronged, stolen from, slandered, taken advantage of? What if someone took a dearest possession—say a child?

That's what happened to Cliff and Wilma Derksen in 1984. On November 30th of that year their 13-year-old daughter Candace didn't come home. About six weeks later police found her frozen body in a shed near their Winnipeg home, bound hand and feet. At the news conference following the discovery of Candace's body, when asked how they felt about the killer, Cliff said: "We would like to know who the person or persons are so we could show, hopefully, a love that seems to be missing in these peoples lives."

Wilma said, "I can't say at this point I forgive this person. But we have all done something dreadful in our lives or felt the urge to."

Writer and speaker Malcolm Gladwell contacted the Derksens while writing his book David and Goliath. He describes his visit with Wilma in an article in Relevant Magazine. She had, in the intervening years, not only forgiven the perpetrator, but also dealt with her feelings of wanting retribution over the police's suspicions that Cliff was suspect. She explained how she and Cliff got the courage from their Mennonite tradition, refined by years of persecution in Russia,  to forgive and move on.

Gladwell attributes people like the Derksens with his return to faith: "…something happened to me when I sat in Wilma Derksen's garden. It is one thing to read in a history book about people empowered by their faith. But it is quite another to meet an otherwise very ordinary person in the back yard of a very ordinary house who has managed to do something utterly extraordinary" - Malcolm Gladwell, "How I Re-discovered Faith" - Relevant Magazine, January/February 2014.

I ask myself, have I taken up weapon of forgiveness against the (by contrast, small) evils and revilings that come against me? Have you? It is another powerful weapon of the Spirit that God uses to accomplish His purposes on earth through us.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You who know the cost of forgiveness, please help me to forgive people who have wronged me in both small and big ways. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Is Jesus the only way to God?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: John 14:1-14

TO CHEW ON: "And Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" John 14:6


I am glad that Thomas was as honest as he was in this vignette of Jesus interacting with His disciples. Jesus had just given them a glimpse of the afterlife: the Father's house, mansions (or rooms), "'I go to prepare a place for you...where I go you know and the way you know.'"

But we don't know where you're going, Thomas objected, so how can we know the way?

Jesus replied with one of the most pivotal statements in the Bible. What He said that day is more controversial now than it ever was.

He answered the HOW part of Thomas's question first: "I am the way, the truth and the life" and then the WHERE: "No one comes to the Father except through Me."

He was saying, your destination is God and the place He lives, and you'll only get there through Me.

He had said something similar before when He talked picturesquely of being the door and the only way into the sheepfold (John 10:1-10).

His disciples and the early church leaders understood Jesus' claims of being the only way to God. The writer of Hebrews interpreted Jesus' death in terms of how it satisfied God's sacrifice law requirement. In the temple a curtain or veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holiest room. Only a designated priest was allowed behind that curtain to make a yearly sacrifice for the people. Remember how that curtain ripped at the moment of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:50-51)?

 In Hebrews 10:19-20 the writer says the "new and living way" into the Holiest of Holies comes by the blood of Jesus "through the veil that is His flesh." His body was torn so we can each go directly to God with, as it were, Jesus' blood in a bowl proving to God that the penalty for our sin has been paid.

In Ephesians Paul told the Ephesus Christians then (and us today) that Jesus' death wasn't only for people living at the time, but also for the ones far off, i.e. those living before and after Christ ("for through Him we both [those who were afar off and those who were near - vs. 17] have access by one Spirit to the Father" - Ephesians 2:17-18).

In our culture it's much more comfortable to believe, with the masses, that there are as many ways to God as there are sincere seekers (religious pluralism). But that's not what Jesus said. Let's not compromise on His clear and beautiful message: "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." Its urgency is underlined as we keep in mind the destination of those other ways: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" - Matthew 7:13.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for being clear about You being the only way to God. Help me to be just as uncompromising as I face the religious pluralism in my culture. Amen.

MORE: More about the challenge of pluralism

"... for those willing to receive it, our current context can be a fruitful gift. Like Paul, we will no doubt discover that the obstacles often stand taller than we realized and the words we have to offer fall short. Our pluralistic world wants very little to do with a great many of the things we profess. It is therefore all the more vital that we live the apologetic we attempt to preach among the barrage of choices before our neighbors. While we cannot profess that following Christ will bring fortune or erase hardship, or that discipleship will come easily or without cost, we can portray the coherence of the Christian worldview, the primacy of Christ beside life's inescapable questions, and the hopeful reality of forgiveness, justification, sanctification, and new life." - Jill Carattini (excerpt from the article"Pluralism as privilege") - emphasis added.

Fearless times

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 31:14-24

TO CHEW ON: "But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God! My times are in Your hand.'" Psalm 31:14,15a

On one day about a month ago I witnessed two funerals. One was the state funeral of the former Canadian Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty. He died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack less than a month after resigning from his finance minister duties. He was 64.

The evening of that same day I and my husband attended the funeral of a friend from church, a loving family man, enthusiastic and energetic gardener, gregarious, joy-filled child of God. Lack of appetite and weight loss had sent him to his doctor in January. By early April an aggressive cancer had taken his life. He was 64.

At such times our conversations are often full of expressions like, "His life was cut short," "He went before his time," "He had so much more life to live." Sentiments like this are even more common when the one who dies is a youth or child. The world treats these no-sense deaths like a cosmic "Oops." The way Christians talk could lead the listener to suspect we too believe such deaths are circumstances that have slipped out of God's control for a minute.

Here David in one breath tells God he trusts Him and in the next voices the certainty his times are in God's hands.

[Times - eth means time of an event; usual time; experiences and fortunes; occurrence, occasion.]

As I see it, saying that one's times are in God's hands pretty much includes everything: the things that happen and their timing; the time—in years, days, hours, minutes, seconds—that one has left on earth; one's experiences and fortunes; and what happens on any given occasion.

I ask myself, can I say with David that I trust God and believe my times and the times of my loved ones are in His hands? Do I believe that, even when events are painful and seem random and meaningless?

When we include the fact of God's love in this thought, it becomes more palatable. For not only is God sovereign—in charge of our times—but He is also love:

"And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in Him. … There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" - 1 John 4:16,18.

It's as we trust God's love for us in the midst of our times (held safe in His hand)  that we can live without fear of what will happen next to us and those we love.


PRAYER: Dear God, help me to live without fear as I entrust my times into Your loving hands. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Shades of trust

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 31:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "In You O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed … " Psalm 31:1

I don't know what situation David was in when he wrote this psalm, but it was obviously not a good one. In it he expresses his determination to trust God through whatever. I see in it many shades of trust:

• "In You O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed" is his flag plant. He has made up his mind he'll trust in God—not anyone or anything else (and please, God, don't let me be wrong: "Let me never be ashamed").

• He trusts God to hear his prayers for defense and protection - Psalm 31:2.

• He trusts God to guide him - Psalm 31:3.

• He trusts God to outwit his enemies - Psalm 31:4.

• He trusts God instead of other things that would compete for his trust—"idols" - Psalm 31:6.

• He will trust God with his very self, even in death. Who of us doesn't hear David's words here echo from the cross as Jesus' last human cry: "Into Your hand I commit My spirit" - Psalm 31:5 compare Luke 23:46.

What aspects of trust are we needing to exercise today? Whether we're at the beginning of our faith journey deciding if we'll trust God at all, at the end and about to abandon our spirit to Him in death, or anywhere between, needing help, protection, guidance, smarts, or courage to trust Him above money, human wisdom, power, influence or any other 'idol,' let's make David's words of resolve to trust God our own.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to prove Your trustworthiness in the crucible of life, as I lean on You in day to day situations. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Choosing a leader

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 1:12-26

TO CHEW ON: "'Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.'" Acts 1:21-22

Appointing leaders is a weighty and important task. It's interesting to note all the steps these early Apostles went through to replace Judas Iscariot.

• Their idea to do this came from Scripture. They quote words from Psalm 69:25 and 109:8 as grounds for replacing Judas.

• They chose two from a group of Jesus' followers who had been with Him from baptism to ascension.

• They prayed that God's will would be accomplished.

• They cast lots between the two. A note in my Bible explains what we might think of as resorting to chance or gambling:

"Casting lots was a provision of the law (Leviticus 16:8). It may be significant that following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost there is no more mention of the practice. Notice also that on this occasion the disciples first selected the two men they judged most worthy to fill the vacancy. The final decision was left to the Lord as they prayed" Gary Kinnaman, notes on Acts in the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1490.

Casting lots is rarely done to make decisions about leadership in our day. But the other three: looking for scriptural direction, employing good judgment, and prayer are all things we can do as we seek to fill ministry and leadership vacancies.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the principles of selecting leaders demonstrated in this story. I pray for the leadership team in my church who are currently grappling with just this. Please equip them in every department to make wise decisions. Amen.

MORE: Feast of St. Matthias

Today is the Feast of St. Matthias, the Apostle chosen in our reading.


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Patience to wait for God's time

Moses and the burning bush - Artist unknown

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 7:17-38

TO CHEW ON: "'For he (Moses) supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. …"And now come, I will send you to Egypt."'" Acts 7:25, 34

 It's fascinating to get a glimpse into how Bible characters interpret Bible events. Here we see Stephen's version of the story of Moses.

He delves into Moses' mind a bit, adding a layer to the Exodus account of the same events (Exodus 2:11-15): "For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand…"

We can imagine young Moses, a Hebrew, raised by Pharaoh's daughter, mulling over why his life took the direction it did. There must be a reason. It must be to save his people. And so he decided to act on that conviction and the result was a murder committed and a 40-year detour herding sheep in the land of Midian.

But he was right in one thing. It was his destiny to free his countrymen. Only it would happen in God's time when, after forty years, God came to him with "'And now come, I will send you to Egypt.'"

In the first instance he sent himself and it was a disaster. But when God sent him, it was a success.

Do you you have a sense of mission or task that your life is to fulfill, but up till now nothing has fallen into place to bring it about? Let Moses' story be a caution sign to you and me not to force the issue by taking matters into our own hands. Rather, let's wait for God's "And now come, I will send you…"

PRAYER: Dear God I am often impatient wanting my life to fall into place in my own timing. Please help me to wait for Your initiative. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cultivate a faith memory

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 7:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him." Acts 7:9


Here Stephen is before the Jewish council. His "… faith and power… great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 7:8) have caught the attention of the religious rulers. They are jealous (not unlike those "patriarchs"—Joseph's brothers). Trying to discredit him, they find people willing to lie and accuse him of blasphemy. So Stephen is defending himself against false accusations.

In his eloquent speech he traces how God has worked in their nation from Abraham on. No doubt he gets special comfort from remembering Joseph who was also falsely accused. "But God was with him" he reminds them—and himself.

When we're in trouble, forced to defend what we believe, or on the hot seat for something we haven't done, or even in a personal crisis of faith, Stephen's example of recalling God at work is a good one for us to follow too.

• We can read the Old Testament stories (of Joseph, David, Daniel, Esther) and remember how He worked in Bible times.

• We can recall how God has helped us in the past.

• We can review faith-building verses like: "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations…" and "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 90:1; 91:1).

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for how You have worked throughout history. Help me to recognize Your actions in my life. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Benefits of being part of the flock

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 34:17-31

TO CHEW ON: "I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their Shepherd." Ezekiel 34:23

Who is this David-shepherd? By the time Ezekiel lived and wrote, David was long dead so Ezekiel was surely not speaking of literal King David. A Bible footnote explains:

"My servant David is a messianic ruler from the line of David who will truly be a man after God's own heart. This is clearly fulfilled in Jesus Christ" - Howard M. Ervin, notes on Ezekiel, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1095.

(Doesn't this bring to mind the words of Jesus: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" - John 10:11?)

Our Ezekiel reading goes on to list many benefits of being a sheep under this Messianic shepherd. Though these are commonly viewed as prophetic and incompletely fulfilled in our time, I think they are for us too—to pray for, claim, and identify—as we examine our lives for evidences of how God has and is working.

What are some of the benefits of being part of Jesus' flock?

• We have a shepherd—someone who cares for us and looks after us (Ezekiel 34:23,24).

• We are promised safety (Ezekiel 34:25).

• We will experience blessing (Ezekiel 34:26).

• Our efforts will be productive (Ezekiel 34:27a, 29).

• We are slaves no more (Ezekiel 34:27b,28).

Are we praying for and claiming the benefits of membership in Jesus' flock now? And are we looking to the future with hope and expectation, knowing that our shepherd will one day return the earth and all its creatures to rightness?


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for being my shepherd. When I can't understand what's happening in my life, help me to trust Your shepherding wisdom and ability. Amen.

MORE: Good Shepherd wisdom

All quotes are taken from Journey on the Hard Side of Miracles by Steven Stiles, Kindle edition.

"It can be difficult to follow the Shepherd, but it is dangerous to follow any other" p. 57.

"It is not our place to understand everything the Shepherd does. It is our place to follow" p. 86.

"No matter what our circumstances, God's help is closer than we think" p. 114

"Our spiritual growth never reaches the point where we can survive a moment without the care of the Shepherd" p. 256.

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 Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

A lost sheep story

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Ezekiel 34:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "For thus says the Lord God: 'Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.'" Ezekiel 34:11-12


Trish told her story from the baptismal tank. After getting involved in drugs, she and her husband had accepted Jesus. They got clean and began attending a church, grew a family, had a house and a business. Then one day they started using again. Soon they were separated, the kids in the care of Social Services, the house gone, business gone. That's the state Trish found herself in one evening in August 2009 when she was wandering the streets of Abbotsford. She had even lost her shoes.

Through a video, James told his part of the story. He had just finished drumming a music set as part of a Christian band and stepped outside for a few minutes before going back into the service. On a short walk he met Trish. He talked to her and, noticing she had no shoes, gave her the extra pair he carried in the trunk of his car. "I prayed for her, wished her well and thought I'd never see her again," he said.

Trish's life continued to go downhill. She got into detox but lasted only a few days. Finally, later in fall, she decided to try detox again. After phoning fifty places, she found two with openings. One was in Surrey. Hope House was in Langley. She opted for the Surrey one, but when the friend who drove her there saw people shooting up right outside but premises, she said, "I'm not leaving you here," and drove her to Hope House.

The first few days were the hardest Trish had ever gone through. She battled constant feelings of wanting to give up and leave. How could she ever tough this out for the time it would take? "Give me a sign," she prayed.

Hope House takes a busload of people to our church for Sunday night Recovery  Church. When she got there she couldn't believe her eyes because there on stage, drumming for the worship band, was James, the guy who had given her his shoes and prayed for her a few months earlier.

That was sign enough for her. She stuck with the program and got baptized in May 2010.

I love stories like this, that remind us of God's creativity in seeking out scattered sheep. Do you have such in your family or among your acquaintances -- prodigals, backsliders, those who have till now resisted His call altogether? Claim his promise for them today: "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick." Ezekiel 34:16a

PRAYER: Dear God, I pray for the scattered sheep in my life (by name______). Please seek them out and deliver them from all the places they are scattered. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Online integrity

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Peter 2:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby." 2 Peter 2:1-2


I love the guileless, transparent picture of the ideal Christian Peter paints for us here. It sounds so simple to live that way and probably would be if our lives weren't full of other people — people we don't like or we wish liked us; people we are trying to impress or are trying to impress us; people who bug us or bore us, intimidate us or are mean to us; people who talk too much or too little; people we think are wrong and people with whom we agree; people to whom we impute ulterior motives or whom we admire immensely. We meet up with these and how quickly the game-playing begins!

A new challenge to the integrity of our relationships is interacting with people through technology. The non face-to-face aspect of these interactions (through e-mail, cell phones, text messages, Facebook, blogs, comments, forums, etc.) makes us more vulnerable than ever to manipulate who we are and to be someone we're not to serve our own ends.

Tim Challies in his book The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion says:

"In all the ways we communicate today, we may use our technologies to destroy relationship instead of foster it, to tear down instead of build up....Through the Bible God calls us to speak truth in love. Truth and love are the twin pillars that should uphold all our communication" p. 85.

Then he goes on to give four measures to implement in our online life which will help us foster truth and love:

" Be visible. If anonymity can be an enemy and a refuge, then visibility can work to keep us from slipping into sinful patterns of living and communicating...


Be accountable....Let friends or family know what you are doing online; invite them into your digital world ....


Be real. Don't fabricate for yourself an identity online that is vastly different from your real-world identity....


Be mature. To sum it up, you will need to act like a mature Christian. Paul draws a clear connection between maturity and the ability to speak truth in love....


And always distrust yourself. It may sound harsh, but be willing to doubt your motives, your heart. Take a moment to pray before answering an antagonistic e-mail; bounce your ideas and articles off trusted friends before posting them; be slow to speak (or type) and quick to listen" - p. 86.

What great advice to us in what has become a technology-medicated generation.

Of course on top of this, we would do well to be closer followers of Peter's second bit of advice, to "desire the pure milk of the word" above all the trillions of online words.

PRAYER: Dear God, please change me at a heart level so all my relationships and communications, no matter how they are conducted, are free from malice, deceit, envy and evil speaking. Help me to feed on Your words more than the multitudes of others' words available to me. Amen.

MORE: Challies.com

Tim Challies, the author of The Next Story is an Ontario resident who blogs at http://challies.com. For insightful book reviews, commentary on the Christian faith, and observations about life from a Reformed perspective, his blog is a great resource.

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 Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The gospel in words

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 3:11-26


TO CHEW ON: "'Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.'" Acts 3:19

"Preach the gospel always, and if necessary use words"* is a saying sometimes used to defend living by gospel principles without explaining the who, what and why of the good news. Though our lives should be consistent with the gospel for sure, just living a certain way isn't enough to fulfill Jesus' final assignment to us (Acts 1:8) (and one senses that the above little saying may sometimes be an excuse for silence out of timidity or fear that one's words will offend).

A wordless gospel was certainly not Peter's philosophy. He grabbed the opportunity here, with the eyes of the whole crowd on him after healing the lame man, to not only explain the gospel but to challenge his hearers to close the deal: "Repent, therefore, and be converted."

It is interesting to notice how Peter, Paul, and other apostles frequently turned miracles and other life happenings into mini-pulpits:

• After a night in custody, Peter and John were hauled in front of the high priest and his family where they again challenged their hearers with the gospel (Acts 4:5-12).

• Stephen preached the gospel when he was brought before the Jewish counsel to defend against false accusations (Acts 7).

• Philip explained the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading Isaiah (Acts 8:30-35).

• After healing a man, Paul and Barnabas restrained a pagan crowd from worshiping them as Hermes and Zeus, instead explaining the gospel (and getting into a lot of trouble for it ) (Acts 14).

• Paul and Silas explained the gospel to their jailer after an earthquake sprung them from a Philippian prison (Acts 16:30-34).

• Paul used the words of an inscription on a city monument as an opening for the gospel in Athens (Acts 17:22-32).

• Paul turned an appearance before Roman rulers Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice into an opportunity to present the gospel (Acts 26).

I ask myself, am I as quick as these early Christians to recognize and take openings to explain the gospel in words? Peter's advice in this regard is more appropriate than ever:

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone tho asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." - 1 Peter 3:15

PRAYER: Dear God, what an example of ready speakers were these early Christians. Help me to recognize openings for the gospel and to have Holy Spirit boldness to take them. Amen.


*This saying is often attributed to St. Francis of Assissi.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Who gets the praise?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 2:43- 3:10

TO CHEW ON: "So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God." Acts 3:8


Notice that this man, lame-no-more, doesn't praise Peter for his healing, but God. Of course Peter focuses attention away from himself when he first pronounces the man healed ("In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" Acts 3:6).

When we look beyond our reading, we see the crowd's reaction. They are amazed at this man, who has never walked before, now walking and leaping about, and they gawk at Peter and John. But Peter is quick to turn the crowd's attention back to God: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?" (Acts 3:12). And he goes on to give all the credit to Jesus (Acts 3:16).

Are we as quick to give credit where it is due? To acknowledge that it is the power of God that performs miracles of healing, financial sufficiency, and protection? That it is God the Spirit who makes Bible words live through our halting explanations and stories of personal experience?

PRAYER: Dear God, I confess I often accept praise that is rightfully Yours. Help me to have the attitude that deflects glory / compliments / praise back on You, not in a sanctimonious way, but in realistic humility. Amen.

MORE: Some verses to think about / memorize:

"Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
    I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing." - John 15:4-5 (Amplified)

"We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." 2 Corinthians 4:7 (New Living Translation)

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked Amplified are taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Restrained eyes

Disciples at Emmaus - Alexandre Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 24:13-35

TO CHEW ON: "But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him." - Luke 24:16

Has this happened to you? There is something you must remember. You remind yourself over and over about the thing. Yet when the time comes to take action, that thing completely slips your mind. When the opportunity for action has passed, you remember it again and mentally (maybe out loud too) beat yourself up for being so forgetful.

Or you lose something. You look high and low for it but it's nowhere to be found. Later you find it in some obvious place.

I think of the two Emmaus disciples when things like the above happen to me. Like them, I have begun to suspect that sometimes my eyes are supernaturally "restrained."

We're often hard on these disciples, saying if they would have listened to Jesus more closely during His ministry and really heard His teaching, then His crucifixion and resurrection would  have been no surprise to them. (Of course that doesn't take into account how the post-resurrection physical appearance of Jesus may have changed.)

But I think God blinded their eyes to Jesus' identity intentionally.

Think of the teaching they would have missed if they had recognized Him right away and returned excitedly to Jerusalem at the beginning of their journey.

"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself" - Luke 24:27.

Think of the companionship and sweet fellowship experience of that afternoon walk with their risen Saviour and how this personal interaction with Jesus will give heart and warmth to their testimony.

Think of the last sight they have of Him: "Now it came to pass as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to them"  (Luke 24:30).  Think how that sight brings back memories, solidifies their connection with Him, and gives them hints about their mission:

"He took the five loves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude" (of 5,000) - Luke 9:16.

"And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks and broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave it to the multitude (of 4,000) - Matthew 15:36.

"And He took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them saying, 'This is My body, given for you, do this in remembrance of Me'" - Luke 22:19 (emphasis added)

I try now, when I sense my eyes have been restrained, to ask for insight into what I am to learn. For I believe God is in our times of restrained sight as much as in our times of illumination.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus thank You for this tender story that I can relate to so well. Help me to understand that even my apparent mess-ups—forgetting things, losing things—can turn out to be blessings from You. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cup

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 116:1-19

TO CHEW ON: "I will take up the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the Lord." Psalm 116:13


I love how the Bible calls back and forth to itself with word pictures and metaphors that keep reappearing. The "cup" is one such. If we trace the use of this picture, we see various things are implied by it.

• In some psalms the writer refers to a cup as one's lot in life (Psalm 16:5). David, in Psalm 23, after listing ways God has blessed him says, "My cup runs over," (Psalm 23:4) telling us God's generosity in blessing him is way more than he expected.

• The prophets use the cup image to talk of God's wrath and judgment: "… a cup of fury and a cup of trembling …the drugs of My fury" (Isaiah 51:17, 22 and Jeremiah 25:15,17,28). Babylon is called a "golden cup" in the Lord's hands, that surrounding nations drink from and become "deranged" - Jeremiah 51:7.

• Jesus uses cup imagery several times.

- He asks the disciples, "'Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink?'" - Matthew 20:22,23, telling us that His disciples should expect a similar lot in life to His.

- Celebrating what we call the Last Supper with His disciples, he "…took the cup and gave it to them saying, 'Drink from it all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'" - Matthew 26:27.

- Who can miss the agony in  is Gethsemane prayer when He prays, "'Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from me; Nevertheless not My will but Yours be done'" Matthew 26:39. What is that cup he's referring to in Gethsemane? It's the cup of spilled blood He has just spoken of to His disciples. It is the cup of His destiny, His lot in life, the reason He came (John 12:27)—to shed His blood for our sins.

- He makes peace with accepting this cup, for when the soldiers come to arrest Him and Peter defends Him, He says: "'Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?'" (John 18:11).

- So we remember His blood shed in this cup of the new covenant every time we take up the communion cup (1 Corinthians 11:25-27).

• And because Jesus drank His cup, we can join the writer of Psalm 116 who, centuries before Christ came in faith, took up the cup of salvation and called upon the name of the Lord.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for these beautiful and weighty cup images that runs through the Bible. Thank You for drinking the cup of death for me so I can drink from the cup of salvation. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The long view

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

TO CHEW ON: Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." 2 Corinthians 5:9


Sometimes it's a good idea to pull back and look at life's big picture. That's what Paul appears to be doing here.

Something seems to have made him super aware of the fragility of his mortal life. It could have been pain, sickness, aging, or simply weariness that sparked statements like: "… we have this treasure in earthen vessels. … We are hard-pressed on every side … we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing. … For we who are in this tent groan…" (2 Corinthians 4:7,8,16; 5:4).

And so he reasons with himself and his readers about why it is important to not lose heart but keep going.

Because this life we live, encased in its frail body, is not all there is.

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" - 2 Corinthians 5:1.

Because inevitable death is not something to be feared. Rather it is the means of realizing the hope that energizes us.

"We are confident, yes well pleased rather to be absent form the body and to be present with the Lord" - 2 Corinthians 5:8.

Because we will be held accountable for how we have lived our lives.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" - 2 Corinthians 5:10.

I keep getting reminders of life's frailty and brevity. A recent hip fracture has showed me how little it takes to slow me down and put a crimp in my independence. More and more now I hear of people my age and younger dying. Their last days often appear to be the test of a lifetime as they soldier through illness and pain. And so Paul's encouragement here to keep going in view of what's ahead past all this mortal life stuff is a good reminder for me. You too?

PRAYER: Dear God, it's easy for me to get fixated on this life. Please help me to raise my sights to what's beyond and live  focused on eternal values. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Die to live

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Corinthians 4:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Life out of death is one of the Bible's recurring themes. We ask, how can it be? Yet at some deep level we grasp its truth.

The principle of life out of death:

• Is seen in nature: "'… unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much grain'" - John 12:22 (also 1 Corinthians 15:36).

• Is demonstrated in believer's baptism - Romans 6:4.

• Jesus described it as a condition for following Him - Luke 9:24.

• Becomes personal as we apply verses like Galatians 2:20 ("I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me…")  and Colossians 3:3 ("For you died and your life is hidden in Christ with God").

I suppose this crucifixion or death will mean something slightly different to each one of us. But overall it implies that we give up our rights to ourselves, our agendas, possessions, families, vacations, how we spend our time, always ready to come or go at His beck and call.

Radical? Yes.

Nonsensical? No.

The result is worth if, for if we have "died"  the "… life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:11); "…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20); "… your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3); " … you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:4).  (Emphasis added.)

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to know the practical outworking of what it means to lose myself for Your sake, to be crucified and die to myself on this day, not as theory but in actual living. Amen.

MORE: Feast of St. Philip and St. James

Today the church celebrates two of the apostles who followed Jesus in this way: Philip and James. The day's liturgy begins with this collect:

Almighty God, who gave to your apostles Philip and James grace and strength to bear witness to the truth: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.