Category: finding peace

Unrelenting Mission – God’s Angel

“Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved.”
— Henri Nouwen

Read About It

[Peter recounted what Cornelius said when he arrived at Cornelius’ house:] “He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 
He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!'” 
Acts 11:13-14 NLT

Look It Up

1 Peter 3:15 and Matthew 5:14-16

Think About It

When Peter met with Cornelius, Peter was a considerable distance from Jerusalem and away from the normal places we saw him during Jesus’ ministry. However, God used his traveling – his “going” – to great advantage. Because of Peter’s obedience to Jesus’ final words (Matthew 28:18-20), God moved him into a position where he could work for the inclusion of Gentiles in the family of God. This initial case designed by God to include Gentiles in his family of faith began with Peter being willing to go on mission for Jesus to places outside his normal range of familiarity and his normal places. Let’s follow his example and do the same: Let’s intentionally step out of our usual range of familiarity and our usual places so we can reach others with the Good News of Jesus.

Pray About It

Open my heart, dear Father, to the opportunities I have each day – and especially today – to move outside my comfort zone so that I intentionally journey into areas that are new to me and spend time among people who are unfamiliar to me.
Use me to reach others with your grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Unrelenting Mission – God’s Spirit

“The reason that most major goals are not achieved i
s that we spend our time doing second things first.”
— Robert J. McKain

Read About It

[Peter continued telling the story of Cornelius’ conversion:] “The Holy Spirit told me to go with [the messengers Cornelius had sent] and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us.”
Acts 11:12 NLT

Look It Up

Matthew 28:19-20 and Proverbs 11:30

Think About It

God had used all sorts of ways to reveal his desire for Peter to go and speak the Good News of Jesus to Cornelius and his relatives and friends. With the arrival of Cornelius’ three messengers (Acts 11:11), the Holy Spirit made sure the message was clear. The Spirit said, “Go! Don’t worry that they are Gentiles!” Heaven expended great effort to awaken Peter and the early church to Jesus’ last words: “Go!” Following Christ is not primarily about just trying to attract people to a church building but about our going to them with the message and love of Jesus. And for Jesus, our “going” is not limited to nearby; it involves going “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
We are to go as witnesses with the message of Jesus. Going is a vital part of our DNA as disciples of the Son of God who came to us, for us!

Pray About It

Dear Father in heaven, may your Kingdom come on earth. May the world see your will being done through our actions here on earth. Inspire us and empower us to go and take the message of Jesus into all the world. Use us to bring your grace to those who have not heard and your love to those who
are trapped without hope. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Unrelenting Mission – God’s Timing and Guidance

“I don’t see the big picture. I don’t have a clue. But I know God does.
I’m going to declare that, even if I don’t feel it right now.”
— Steven Curtis Chapman

Read About It

[Peter continued explaining what happened with Cornelius, saying:]
“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived
at the house where we were staying.”
Acts 11:11 NLT

Look It Up

Joel 2:28-22 and 2 Corinthians 5:20

Think About It

God used three messengers, visions, and messages in his plan of leading Cornelius to conversion. In addition to sending Peter the same vision three times (Acts 10:9-16), God also directed Cornelius to send messengers to convey his desire to learn God’s truth, and Cornelius sent three men
(Acts 10:7-8). This combination of visions, human messengers, angelic messengers, and the leading of the Holy Spirit made clear to Peter that God was at work in what was happening with Cornelius. The sequencing and timing of these events showed the Lord’s hand in orchestrating them.
God’s guidance and timing convinced Peter. The combination of all the factors also proved to be essential in overcoming the skepticism of critics and questioners in Jerusalem. Jesus had promised his message would be unstoppable because the Holy Spirit would empower his disciples to be his witnesses. Peter stepped into the center of the Spirit’s fulfillment
of Jesus’ promise in the life of Cornelius.

Pray About It

Almighty God, my loving Father, thank you for Luke’s story of the early church in Acts. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for opening the way for Gentiles to come into God’s family and for God to graft them into his chosen people. Please use whatever means are necessary to awaken us from our lack of vision, passion, and commitment to reach the lost world with the message of Jesus.
We invite you to work through us to bring your promises to fulfillment in our day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

All of your heart…

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Psalm 105:4 (NIV)

Most people would admit that life is full of stress and that there is never enough time for the things we enjoy. Our vocations, families and hobbies consume so much of our daily schedule. We must prioritize and actively think about the most important tasks at hand. A form of triage becomes so necessary so we may faithfully follow a routine of activities in order to get through each day in an organized and productive manner. When we honestly evaluate where we use our time, how we spend our money, what we think about most often, and where we put forth our best efforts, what do we find? Is God our consuming passion? Is he our first love?

O mighty Lord, it is hard not to be able to see your face, yet I know my imperfection makes that impossible in light of your awesome holiness. Until that Day I see you face to face in heaven, please make your presence known in my life as I seek you with all of my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

What do you love most?

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Psalm 105:4 NIV

Most people would admit that life is full of stress and that there is never enough time for the things we enjoy. Our vocations, families and hobbies consume so much of our daily schedule. We must prioritize and actively think about the most important tasks at hand. A form of triage becomes so necessary so we may faithfully follow a routine of activities in order to get through each day in an organized and productive manner. When we honestly evaluate where we use our time, how we spend our money, what we think about most often, and where we put forth our best efforts, what do we find? Is God our consuming passion? Is he our first love?

Mighty Lord, it is hard not to be able to see your face, yet I know my imperfection makes that impossible in light of your awesome holiness. Until that Day I see you face to face in heaven, please make your presence known in my life as I seek you with all of my heart. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

More than this is needed…

But Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”
Luke 4:43 NIV

The need for the gospel is greater than ever in our broken world. When you think about the large cities of our modern world, what do you think about? Jesus sees them, and passionately yearns for the lost people in those great cities to be saved!

Most holy and loving God, revive in us, your Church, a passion to reach the lost people of the world’s great cities with the gospel and grace of your Son. In the name of the world’s only true Lord and Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Start Today With Prayer

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
— 2 Thessalonians 1:12

I can’t think of a more lofty goal for today than that the name of Jesus be glorified in what we do and say. But then Paul takes it a step further — that we find our glory by being identified with him! As the famed old hymn “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” says it, “my glory all the cross.”

Father of majesty and might, please help me as I strive to plan what my daily activities will be and then prioritize those activities so that my focus and passion are on bringing you glory in all that I do, think, and say. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Made New Again

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
— John 3:5

Water and Spirit — they track together as key components in conversion and the new birth throughout the New Testament. One is an act of submission and surrender. The other a gift and reminder that only God can make us new by his power. No wonder Jesus made them so important to being a part of his Kingdom.

Holy and righteous Father. I acknowledge that my best efforts often fail and my consistency isn’t always consistent. That’s why I’m so thankful you have given me your grace in Jesus and made me new by my spiritual birth into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Always Relevant…

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
— Proverbs 9:10

We look for wisdom in so many worthless and futile places. But ultimate wisdom is found only when we intentionally humble ourselves before our incredible God, giving him the reverence and worship he deserves. Seek the answers to your life in the Word of God.

Magnificent and awesome God, the great expanse of space and the incredible intricacies of the things in your creation that are so small humble me to silence. Please forgive my lapses into ignorant arrogance and lead me in the way of your wisdom. In Jesus name. Amen.

Are you headed in the right direction?

I know, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
— Jeremiah 10:23

Are you headed in the right direction? While we may have goals and a sense of mission about our lives, our lives are not really ours to plan. Every day must be greeted as a gift from God. Every goal must ultimately be pursued to his glory. Every true sense of direction is a gift to us from our Father’s Word or his Spirit.

Wise and loving Father, lead me by your Holy Spirit. Fill me with your holy wisdom. Guide me into a more complete understanding of your will for my life. Please give me the wisdom to live each day with character and holy grace. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.