It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light to the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. —Isaiah 49:6
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 31
God’s grace transforms our hearts as it flows to us through the means of grace. In the past two days of blog posts we have seen how prayer and the Word of God are channels of God’s grace and power. Now we see from 1 Peter 4:10 that grace flows to us in community. What do we learn from this passage about the community of grace?
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 30
In Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesian church in Acts 20, he knew of the demands that would surely press in upon them, to wear down their faith and steal their joy. So he commended them to God, and to the “word of his grace,” which would be able to build them up and strengthen them. The word of grace is one of the means by which God floods our hearts with his favor.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 29
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 28
When Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “Behold I am making all things new,” He’s not talking about the kind of "new" that replaces the old. Bible scholars have pointed out that every time the writer of Revelation, John, uses that word "new", he’s not referring to something fundamentally different, but to the restoration of something that has fallen apart.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 27
So our belief in God’s sovereignty actually invigorates our evangelism as we cling to God’s promises: He has sheep from other pastures and his sheep will know his voice and will follow Him (John 10). God is the giver of Life! He has promised that there will be a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 7). Trusting in these promises, we, his disciples, can step into seemingly hopeless lands with bold hope and with confidence that our labor is not in vain.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 26
I think Jesus is talking about more than geography in this final charge to his disciples. In the book of Acts we read about Jesus’ followers living as witnesses—not only across geographic boundaries, but across social and cultural boundaries. When you read this verse in that light, it becomes incredibly relevant.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 25
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 24
God’s blessing was never meant to be only for a few. In His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, God said, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God did not intend his message of salvation to be only for Israel or Judea. He intended His salvation to reach the ends of the earth: to Spain, to England, even to the “New World.”
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 23
So what will make the nations glad? The scriptures are clear that the nations (all people) will be joyful and fulfilled when we worship the creator. It is for our good that God wants us to delight in the One who can bring us true joy. We were created for his glory, and when we reject the idols around us and embrace him, we will be glad.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 22
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 21
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 20
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 19
When we look at the world around us, imagine the difference a generation of Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, and gospel-driven young people could make in our city, nation, and world. God is at work among these future leaders and we have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives through our prayers.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 18
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 17
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 16
May we be reminded today of His enormous generosity in Christ Jesus. Every way that He has made us rich—community, love, time, resources, finances, giftedness, job, family, ministry—we in turn may be rich in our generosity on every occasion to the glory and thanksgiving of God. May we at LBC be a generous people who have hands opened wide with His good gifts.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 15
We each have the opportunity to serve others in our community. Whether it’s picking up trash in our neighborhood, volunteering at a local school, serving with a local ministry that cares for the under resourced or joining a once/month team at LBC, we can model God’s love for others through the way we serve them. It might cost us a little time and possibly a little sweat, but the eternal difference our service can make is worth it.
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 14
2016 August Prayer Initiative - Day 13
The Kingdom is not just for grown-ups, for those who have their lives and acts together. Christianity is the most inclusive movement the world has ever seen. CEOs and custodians, lawmakers and criminals, doctors and invalids, PhD’s and people with special needs, singles and married couples, locals and internationals… and yes, little children.