Morning prayer

Lord, thank you for this day. I offer it to you. Make me the person you want me to be. Help me walk with you and honor you today. Use me today to accomplish your purposes, and help me reflect your love to all that I meet, in Jesus’ name amen.

Invitation prayer

Jesus Christ, I wish to be one of your followers. I offer my life to you. Help me to trust you, to love you, and to relieve the suffering of others. Forgive my sins. Fill me with your spirit. Make me the person you want me to be.

Evening prayer

Gracious God, thank you for today. I am grateful for your blessings in my life. Please forgive me for those moments when I failed to live as your child today. As I sleep tonight may your Holy Spirit shape me as a potter shapes the clay. Once more I offer my life to you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

New Testament, common English Bible.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Volume 28, Issue 3

Intimidated into Silence

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man bringeth a snare: but who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

God’s grace is always always sufficient, so let’s strive together to overcome our fears and courageously share God’s love with the people we meet. Pete Lewis, Haley, OR

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God into salvation to everyone that believeth.

Love bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
endures all things.

When we struggle to see purpose in our lives and cannot see how things will ever work together, let us remember that even when we cannot see, God knows the bigger picture and he is not done with us yet.

Hope for Today, Sara Perry, 2020

For the revelation of the true gospel is as real today as the day you first heard of the glorious hope, now that you have believed in the truth of the gospel.

No wonder Jesus needed that time of preparation in the wilderness. He needed to get his mission clear in his own heart so that he wouldn’t be captivated by the expectations of adoring fans or intimidated by the threats of furious critics. If we dare to follow Jesus and proclaim the radical dimensions of god’s good news as he did, we will face the same twin dangers of domestication and intimidation.

p. 94, chapter 20, we make the road by walking, Brian D.!McLaren.

Jesus coming of age (with John)

One word summarized john’s message: repent, which meant rethink everything, or question your assumptions, or have a deep turnaround in your thinking and values.
His baptism of repentance symbolized being immersed in a flowing river of love, in solidarity not just with the clean, privileged, superior us – but with everyone, everywhere.

p. 88, chapter 19, we make the road by walking, Brian D. McLaren

The kingdom or commonwealth of god that Jesus constantly proclaimed was characterized by an abundant, gracious, extravagant economy of grace, of generosity, of gift-giving. “It is better to give than to receive.” Jesus taught, and his followers came to understand Jesus himself as a gift expressing god’s love to the whole world.

p. 82, chapter 18, we make the road by walking, Brian d. McLaren