Larger than me

18 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , ,

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium.  And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. ~Acts 13:48-42 (CEB)

“Prayer is larger than any of us. It is less a question of bringing prayer into our hearts than of bring our hearts into prayer; not drawing water from the sea to fill a bath, but being immersed in an immense ocean and becoming one with it.” ~From Toward God by Micheal Casey

Almighty God, this day may I feel that my heart is connected to Yours. Fill me with Your presence. Empower me this day and guide me along the path I am to go. Amen.

To be daring

16 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , , , ,

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. ~2 Thes 3:1-5 (CEB)

“What the world longs for from the Christian religion is the witness of men and women daring enough to be different, humble enough to make mistakes, wild enough to be burned in the fire of love, real enough to make others see how unreal they are. Jesus, son of the living God, anoint us with fire this day. Let your Word not shine in our hearts, but let it burn. Let there be no division, compromise, or holding back. Separate the mystics from the romantics, and goad us to that daredevil leap into the abyss of your love.” ~ From Reflections for Ragamuffins by Brennan Manning

Almighty God, help me to daring enough to take chances for You. Help me to be more real in all I do and say this day. May my heart reflect Your love through my actions this day. Amen.

Power of Prayer

15 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , , ,

So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. Now when

Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ~Acts 12:5-7 (CEB)

“It is an answered prayer which brings praying out of the realm of dry, dead things, and makes praying a thing of life and power. It is the answer to prayer which brings things to pass, changes the natural trend which brings things to pass, changes the natural trend of things, and orders all things according to the will of God. It is the answer to prayer which takes praying out of the regions of fanaticism, and saves it from being Utopian, or from being merely fanciful. It is the answer to prayer which makes praying real and divine.” ~From The possibilities of Prayer by Edward M. Bounds

Almighty God, I thank You for the power of prayer. I thank You for this sacred moment where I find myself in Your presence. May I take this moment with me and cherish throughout this day. May it help equip me to do Your work. May it help me to see with Your eyes and to love with Your heart. Amen.

The church

14 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , ,

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles ‘feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ~Acts 4:32-37 (CEB)

“Remarkable things happened when the early church prayed. The fourth chapter of the book of Acts records just one of those audacious prayers and the nearly unbelievable events that followed a time of very bold prayer. The threat of opposition was real; the disciples knew they faced the same dangers that had taken the life of Jesus. So they prayed for boldness to speak the gospel truth and for the active healing presence of God to be evident in their midst and in their ministry.

The scripture says that signs and wonders gave evidence of God’s activity in the midst of this new community of followers of Jesus Christ. One of those dramatic signs was the incredible community that forms around Jesus Christ. ‘Not a needy person among them’ (Acts 4:34) is a sign and wonder that we long for in every community. Many sold land and goods then brought the proceeds and laid it at the disciples’ feet. The disciples ‘distributed to each as any had need’ (Acts 4:35). Such love and generosity were certainly additional remarkable signs of God’s activity in the midst of the early church.

The miraculous healings brought about as the apostles declared the gospel also revealed God’s presence and action in the church community. The willingness to relinquish property and wealth for the good of all was even more compelling than the healing received by the sick who were brought to the apostles. The results of the apostles’ prayer was evident to those within the church and astounded observers from afar, who were then drawn to this contagious and joyful community. May our prayers to be as audacious and God’s response in our midst as dramatic and transforming.” ~From A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God, Rueben P. Job

Lord Jesus Christ, pour out Your spirit upon your church so that she may faithfully and constantly serve you and your children. In the name of Christ. Amen.

Confidence

13 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , , , ,

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. ~1 John 5:14-15 (CEB)

“God is active in the world and in our lives in many ways. We may feel the mystery of God as we view storm clouds brewing over a blue ocean. We may experience the love of God when we are comforted by a friend. We may be filled with the compassion of God as we attend a conference on the plight of the homeless. We may be blessed by the peace of God as we study the Bible. God comes to us in both our conscious and our unconscious experiences for God is in all of life.” ~From Journaling by Anne Broyles

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give me that peace which the world cannot give; that my heart may be set to obey all Your commandments, and also by Your power, I am defended from the fear of my struggles, able to rest in quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.

Courage

12 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , , , ,

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ~Luke 9:51 (CEB)

“Biblical spirituality inspires acts of courage born of commitment to God. Such courage does not call persons to do the impossible but faithfully and selflessly to do what they can when they could have chosen otherwise. Lent recalls the courage of Jesus who ‘set his face to go to Jerusalem’ (Luke 9:51), in of understanding what awaited him there. Jesus’ example invokes courage today as you and I translate words of commitment to God into freely chosen actions that place others above self- and God above all, for trust of God opens the door to courage.” ~From Neglected Voices by John Indermark

Almighty God, through the power of your Holy Spirit you enable me to do and be more than I can think or imagine. Come now, dwell within me and give me strength to do your work and will. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Life together

11 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , ,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ~Matt 7:7-11 (CEB)

“How beautiful it is to see relationships in which asking and receiving are a joyful and loving way of life. Often we see those who cherish one another each seriously or playfully trying to out give the other. That is how relationships should be. Of course we must never eliminate the asking side of the relationship. Balance must be kept, for giving is not the same as imposition. That is why God does not just five us what we need without being asked. Prayer is nothing but a proper way for persons to interact. Thus Jesus very naturally moves in Matt. 7:7-11 from asking for what you want of others to asking for what you want from your Father, the one in the heavens. /these two relationships, he clearly taught, are on a continuous line.” ~From The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

Almighty God, you have called the church into being and have gathered us into one family. By the power of your Holy Spirit help us to live in unity and peace with all of you children. May our actions this day be fruit of our faith in your kingdom. In the name of Christ. Amen.

The power of prayer

10 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , , , ,

LORD, you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, planned long ago, faithful and sure. ~Isaiah 25:1 (CEB)

“There can be no substitute, no rival for prayer; it stands alone as the great spiritual force, and this force must be imminent and acting. It cannot be dispensed with during one generation, nor held in abeyance for the advance of any great movement- it must be continuous and particular, always, everywhere, and in everything. We cannot run our spiritual operations on the prayers of the past generation. Many persons believe in the efficacy of prayer, but not many pray. Prayer is the easiest and hardest of all things; the simplest and the sublimest; the weakest and the most powerful; its results lie outside the range of human possibilities- they are limited only by the omnipotence of God.

Few Christians have anything but a vague idea of the power of prayer; fewer still have any experience of that power. The Church seems almost wholly unaware of the power God puts into her hand; this spiritual carte blanche on the infinite resources of God’s wisdom and power is rarely, if ever, used- never used to the full measure of honoring God. It is astounding how poor the use, how little the benefits. Prayer is our most formidable weapon, but the one in which we are the least skilled, the most averse to its use. We do everything else for the heathen save the thing God wants us to do; the only thing which does any good- makes all else we do efficient.” ~From Purpose in Prayers by Edward M. Bounds

Heavenly Father, Forgive me when I brush off prayer time with You. Forgive me when prayer is the last resort for a problem. Nudge me start all things with prayer. Help to remember that the best thing I can do for someone in need is to pray. Lord, I step forth this determined to utilize this power You allow us. All things I now turn over to you in prayer. Amen.

Hidden in God

09 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , ,

Yes, you will go out with celebration, and you will be brought back in peace. Even the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you; all the trees of the field will clap their hands. ~Isaiah 55:12 (CEB)

“Life is full of perils and of hidden reefs, on which we shall make shipwreck, without the continual succor of the grace of God. Yet how can we ask for it, unless we are with [God]? How can we be with [God], unless our thoughts are ever of [God]? How can [God] be in our thoughts, unless we form a holy habit of abiding in [God’s] Presence, there asking for the grace we need each moment of our life?

If you would go forward in the spiritual life, you must avoid relying on the subtle conclusions and fine reasonings of the unaided intellect. Unhappy they who seek to satisfy their desire therein! The Creator is the great teacher of Truth. We can reason laboriously for many years, but fuller far and deeper is the knowledge of the hidden things of Faith and of [God], which [God] flashes as light into the heart of the humble.

Nothing can give us so great relief in the trials and sorrows of life, as loving intercourse with God; when such is faithfully practiced, the evils that assail the body will prove light to us. God often ordains that we should suffer in the body to purify the soul, and to constrain us to abide with [God]. How can anyone whose life is hid with God, and whose only desire is God, be capable of feeling pain?” ~From The Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence

Hide me in the shadow of Your love O Lord. Teach me Your ways so that I may know of Your Truths. My eyes search for You, my heart longs for You. Only Your Holy presence can satisfy this desire. Help me to turn away from those things that cannot placate my spirit, may they not distract me this day. Amen.

A need for saints

08 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by jennifermcintyreblog in Devotions Tags: , , , ,

Teach me your way, LORD, so that I can walk in your truth. Make my heart focused only on honoring your name. I give thanks to you, my Lord, my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name forever, because your faithful love toward me is awesome and because you’ve rescued my life from the lowest part of hell. ~Psalm 86:11-13 (CEB)

“The church and the world need saints. They need saints more than they need more canny politicians, more brilliant scientists, more grossly overpaid executives and entrepreneurs, more clever entertainers and talk-show hosts. Are there any on the horizon now that Mother Teresa is no longer with us, either of the extraordinary or of the ordinary kind? I think there are. Maybe I should say that there are saints ‘aborning’ by God’s grace. There are those whose lives have been irradiated by God’s grace, who seek not to be sage but to be faithful, who have learned how to get along in adversity, who are joyful, who are dream filled, and above all, who are prayerful. That is what the church and the world need most. It begins with you.” ~From Spiritual Preparations for Christian Leadership by E. Glenn Hinson

Almighty God, by the power of Your Holy Spirit open our eyes, ears, hearts, and very lives to Your presence so that today we may worship and serve You in faithfulness, be blessing and healing reminders of Your love to all whose lives we touch. We offer our prayers in the name of Christ. Amen.

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