Monday, December 17, 2007

Quiet Confidence

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 1: 18-25

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.


PRAYER

Lord, Joseph heard you, believed you, and followed you regardless of the whispers of well-meaning people in the shadows. I pray that you would give ______ the same ear to hear your direction, the same faith to walk your path, and the same quiet confidence to disarm the impact of other’s opinions. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Don’t live your life based on the popular opinion of others. Is your heart right before God, and your conscience clear? Then walk the path he has put before you. It does not matter how right they think they are. It only matters what God tells your heart.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Compassion

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 40:11,17
11 You, O LORD, will not withhold your compassion from me; your lovingkindness and your truth will continually preserve me.

17 Since I am afflicted and needy, let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.
(NASB)


PRAYER

Lord, ______ is afflicted and needy. I ask that you would help him to know that’s ok. Some of his pain is due to things beyond his control, and some is because of his own sin. But regardless Lord, he needs compassion, both from your people and you. I ask that you would move in the hearts of those around him to show compassion. I pray that you would give them a deep awareness and understanding of his pain. Help them to look beyond the veneer of “togetherness” and see the true hurt. Help them to crawl out of their own world long enough to see the reality of his world, Lord. Bring them alongside ______ so that they feel the depth of his pain with him. Move them to show compassion for him, actively, purposefully, and often. And Lord, even in those seasons when your people fail him, hold him close to yourself, and make him know that you truly do understand everything, and that you feel his pain with him. May he know the sweetness of your compassion. Amen.


ENCOURAGEMENT

His compassion is real, powerful, and sweet. Own it. And remember, you are worthy of the compassion of his people. Their abandonment speaks more of their character than your worthiness. Forgive them, and lean on our Lord.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Weeping... then Joy

SCRIPTURE
 
Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
 
 
PRAYER
 
Lord, there are days when I weep, if not with outward tears, then with inward sorrow of soul. I feel the heaviness of heart that comes from my mistakes, from the pain I have caused, or from the effect of other’s sin. There is no escape from this pain. There is no road around it, only a hard path through it. The dark clouds of painful emotions hover above, and the pelting rain of circumstance is relentless. The stinging winds of consequence buffet me about without mercy, and for a moment I know your anger Lord, but only for a moment. For though the darkening storm lasts through what seems to be a long night, yet the sunshine of joy is on the horizon. Pain is but for a season, and then you bring joy. And the sunshine of joy is sweeter for having endured the storm of pain. The flower of your favor is more beautiful because of the rain you allow. So Lord, please take me through this night as weeping overwhelms me. Hold me. Help me. Comfort me. And in faith, I long for the morning you will wipe my tears away, and give me joy. Amen.
 
 
ENCOURAGEMENT
 
Hold on through the night. The morning will be better. Trust him for that.