Invite God

. . . prayer invites God into my world and ushers me into God's.
Jesus himself, who spent many hours in solitary prayer, invariably
returned to a busy world of weddings, dinners, and crowds of sick and
needy people. He rejected Peter's suggestion to build a tent on a
mountaintop and returned instead to the masses below. Following that
pattern, I look for ways to bring the two worlds together, God's and
mine, to let them become one.



-Philip Yancey in PRAYER Does It Make Any Difference?, p.167.

Never Stop Praying

Never Give Up


Then Jesus taught the followers that they should always pray
and never lose hope. Jesus used this story to teach them:

-- Luke 18:1 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus had two points he wanted to impress into the hearts of his
disciples. First, he wanted them to be dedicated to prayer and have it
as a constant part of their lives. Second, he wanted them to know that
they must never give up, no matter what the circumstances might be.
While Jesus makes his points clear, why did he feel the need to tell a
story? The answer is pretty straightforward. Stories help us remember.
They connect to a different place in our hearts and in our heads rather
than just saying the main point. Finally, Jesus used stories from
everyday experience so that the sight or experience of something
similar would bring his teaching back into the forefront of their
thoughts. So the next time you hear about a Bible teacher or preacher
who tells too many stories, remind the folks of the Master Storyteller
-- Jesus!


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, thank you for Jesus' ability to put your truth into everyday
stories. Thank you for the truth that they carry and the power they
have in our memories. Thank you for giving so much of your truth in
Scripture in the form of stories. Most of all, dear Father, help me to
never give up as I seek your will, your presence, and your help through
prayer. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

www.heartlight.org

VERSE:
I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my
name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his
reward. Mark 9:41


THOUGHT:
This simple and clear passage cuts two ways: First, we are
blessed when we bless God's children, even if the blessing is
simple. Second, we can rejoice when others do the simplest things
to bless us in Jesus' name, because we receive the kindness and
grace of others and because God blesses that kindness with his
overwhelming grace. Bottom line -- let's live to be a blessing!
When we do, God is blessed. We are blessed. We bless others. In
addition, when others are gracious to us, God has also promised to
bless them. God pours his blessings out on all of us. In God's
miraculous economy, the more we bless each other, the more
blessings there are for everyone!

PRAYER:
Gracious and loving Father, please use me this week to be a
blessing to everyone around me. But this week, dear Father, please
lead me into the life of someone who desperately needs your grace.
Please give me discernment to see them when you bring them across
my path. Give me courage to reach out and bless them. Keep them on
my heart and help me as I seek to be a long-term blessing to them.
In Jesus' name I ask for your help and grace to use this
opportunity for your glory. Amen.

Only God Could Love Like That

WHAT God did makes sense.

It makes sense that Jesus would be
our sacrifice because a sacrifice was needed to justify man's
presence before God. ... However, WHY God did it is absolutely
absurd. When one leaves the method and examines the motive, the
carefully stacked blocks of logic begin to tumble. That type of
love isn't logical; it can't be neatly outlined in a sermon or
explained in a term paper. It is inexplicable. It doesn't
have a drop of logic nor a thread of rationality. And yet, it is
that very irrationality that gives the gospel its greatest
defense. For only God could love like that.

-- Max Lucado