But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

After his resurrection, Jesus entrusted his mission to the disciples. He promised them the power of the Holy Spirit. He also gave them a geographic mandate. The result was the planting of vital churches throughout the Roman world.

We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure. (Hebrews 6:19a)

On storm-tossed seas, a ship needs a strong anchor to keep the ship from drifting off-course. We learn from this passage that our hope, our anchor, "enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf." (Hebrews 6:19b-20). Christian hope is not a "hope so" hope--it's a "know so" hope. It is firm and secure.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

When the apostle Paul wanted to affirm the health of a church in the New Testament, he noted three things: faith, hope, and love. Today, we pray simply for the nurturing and strengthening of faith in the hearts of the people of Lake Baldwin Church.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

It's Monday morning, and it's back to another week of prayer. These verses remind us of the high view of Christ in the book of Colossians. He is not only the head of the church, his body, but he is also Lord of all creation. As Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name. (Psalm 100:4)

It's the Lord's Day! So we rest and worship today. We rest from our daily labors in prayer, knowing that the Lord builds the house. We worship because the Lord is good, and his steadfast love endures forever.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)

Ezra's approach to the Word of God is an example to every follower of Christ. He sought to learn the Scriptures, to obey the will of God, and to teach others. Jesus himself placed a high value on the Word of God, using it frequently and quoting it three times in the temptation story of Matthew 4:1-11.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

The Lord Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd, and he has called the elders of the church to be his under-shepherds. In God's wisdom, there is a plurality of leadership. And, there are words for the heart of the elder: to be willing and eager; to be an example; and to look to Christ for the reward.

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:17-18)

Faith is often formed in our younger years, while children, or as youth. The Psalmist looks back on his youth, and how he learned about God. The long-term view is that those who learn about God in their youth will follow him even to old age, proclaiming the deeds of the Lord to another generation.

For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do. (Hebrews 6:10)

The heart to serve is a well-established part of Christianity, patterned after Jesus Christ himself, who took the servant's towel and washed the feet of his disciples. Serving does involve a kind of sacrifice, and we can be grateful for the love that inspires service. And God knows that our deeds of service, though not always noticed, are never forgotten by him.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.  (1 Timothy 2:1-7)

What a glimpse into the heart of God! He desires people to be saved, and he provided one mediator, Christ Jesus, to be our ransom. In light of this, we are called to make prayer a first priority. This also affected Paul's participation in the mission. The church carries on that work today of preaching and teaching.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant those who mourn in Zion--to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. (Jesus, in Luke 4:21)

The words of the prophet paint a beautiful picture of gospel renewal. This renewal would be "good news" and would proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and grace. Those who mourn would be comforted, the captives would be set free, and those changed by this gospel would become "oaks of righteousness." In Luke, Jesus announces that he is the fulfillment of Isaiah's vision of gospel renewal!

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:3)

One thing I have asked of the Lord that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

We are 1/3 of the way through a month of daily prayer for the work of the church. If you have tried to spend good time in prayer each day, you know that sometimes prayer is work. In our culture, it's quite an effort to be still, to be silent, to be expectant. And then, actually spending time in prevailing prayer, for the in-breaking of the kingdom, is diligent work. It's easier to do activity than to stop to pray.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:1-2)

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:14)

There is such a wide-eyed wonder that children have toward God. Perhaps that is why the kingdom of heaven belongs "to such" as these. Children have a place in the heart of God, and they had an open-armed welcome from Jesus. The disciples blundered in the Matthew story. They rebuked the people who were bringing the children to Jesus. Perhaps they wanted to keep things orderly. But Jesus welcomed the delightful disruption that comes with children.

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. (Psalm 145:4)

The Bible has a beautiful balance. The older generation is valued for its wisdom and life experience. The younger generation is valued as those to whom the torch will be passed. Think of Proverbs, the words of a father to a son. Think of our current study of 2 Timothy, the words of Paul to young Timothy. The common theme is a majestic, covenant-keeping God, who loves his people and acts on their behalf.

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14)

The call to love one another seems to permeate the letters of the New Testament, and this call reminds us of the words of Jesus: "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) The beauty of the church is that it gathers so many different types of people. In Colossians, people came from all kinds of religious and socio-economic backgrounds. The cross levels all that, and offers the chance to start afresh, in gospel community. The more we see ourselves as beloved by God in Christ, and forgiven, the more we have the incentive and power to offer that love to others in the new community.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)

Someone once said that in the Old Testament, God had a temple for his people. In the New Testament God has a people for his temple. In Ephesians 2:21 we learn that we are growing into a holy temple in the Lord. As we gather for worship, even in a school auditorium, we are a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). And there is gospel in the 1 Peter passage above! Our worship is "acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." God is holy and majestic, and yet, with all our flaws and humanness, we are beloved of God as we offer our worship.

Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:5-7)

This passage is part of a letter written by Jeremiah to God's people who were in exile in Babylon. The people were hearing many voices about how to handle their exile. Some said the exile would end soon, in two years. There was the temptation to be isolated from the city. And there was the temptation to compromise and to become like the city. But Jeremiah urged a better way. Establish a presence in the city, building houses and raising families. Pray for the peace of the city, and seek its welfare.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

It's Monday, and we begin a fresh week in our prayer journey! One of the benefits of extended
time in prayer is that we get to focus our minds and affections on Christ. But there are many distractions! Christians can be accused of being "too heavenly minded and no earthly good." This passage tells us something better. We must be heavenly minded before we can be any earthly good! So press on, even if distracted. Even if the richness of our life with Christ seems hidden for now. We walk and pray by faith now, with the hope that one day he will appear, and we will appear with him. For these moments, let's ask God to renew our hearts for the days of prayer ahead.

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:13)

Jesus Christ himself set the pattern for serving when he said in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Though all of us are called to serve one another, our deacons hold a serving office, mobilizing the congregation for deeds of mercy and service. In writing to Timothy, the Apostle Paul must have been mindful of the rigors of serving, over time. One deacon recently told me of a recent time of going through some difficult challenges. Yet he sensed the Lord's call this summer to offer help and ministry on behalf of others. Such a deacon gains "good standing" and "confidence in the faith."

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, the ends of the earth your possession. (Psalm 2:8)

This verse is a promise that God the Father is making to God the Son. The reign of Christ will extend to the nations. After his resurrection, Jesus said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18).