Open Hearts

How do you show God your appreciation for his blessings? How do you praise his wonderful creation? How do you thank God for him working in your life? Do you lift up your heart and your hands? Do you stand before God amazed and thankful?

Many of us give thanks to God with our heads bowed in prayer. We have been taught to bow before God. There is nothing wrong with that. Our hearts should be humbled before our mighty God. But that is not the only way to come before God in prayer and thanksgiving.

As we see in today’s passage, the Israelites would come before God in prayer standing with their hands lifted toward the heavens, their head thrown back, and praising God for his wonderful blessings. It was a vulnerable posture. The heart was open, unprotected, and susceptible to piercing. In other words, the physical positioning of their body was saying, “God, come pierce my heart and use me for your purpose.”

Solomon stood in this posture as he gave thanks and praised God as the ark of the covenant was put in the temple and as Solomon was asking God to bless the newly finished temple. Though he did request God to forgive the people when they sinned, it was not a time of repentance for personal sin. It was not a time of broken heartedness before God, which would have seen Solomon prostrate on the ground with his face in the dirt. It was a time of praise, thanksgiving, and dedication to God.

In those times when our hearts are especially thankful, positioning ourselves in this vulnerable stance is appropriate. It is also appropriate when we are dedicating ourselves to God’s work and asking him to work through us. Revealing our unprotected heart to God is a sign of trust in him. We might reconsider how we pray and use different physical positions, depending on the type of prayer we are lifting to God.

I pray we all consider how we pray to God. I pray we open our hearts to him. I pray each one of us will raise our hands in praise, giving thanks to God and asking him to use us for his purpose. Give thanks to God. Praise God. Raise your hands to God. Open your heart to God.

1 Kings 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven.

Struggling Against Evil

How many battles have you fought? Does it feel as though you are fighting a different battle every single day? Who are you fighting? What are you fighting? Do you know? Is it a constant battle against “them”? What if you could know who “them” is?

Life can be a series of battles. We may sometimes call them uphill battles. It may seem as though just when you think things are heading in the right direction another roadblock or speedbump is put in your way. You may think that they are put there on purpose. They are.

You may be saying, “Wait a minute! Really? How do you know that?” There is evil all around us doing everything it can do to trip us up and set us up for failure. Don’t believe that? Take a look at today’s passage. The Apostle Paul certainly believed it. It is the evil in this world that seeks to be our downfall.

We are not fighting against other people. We are fighting against evil. It is the evil that has taken over the person we are fighting. When someone is selfish, chalk it up to evil. When someone is quibbling over not getting their way, chalk it up to evil. When someone is harsh, angry, and fuming, chalk it up to evil. When someone hurts, maims, injures, or kills someone, chalk it up to evil.

It is the evil that works in the shadows of people’s hearts that causes the person to be that way. Rather than returning anger for anger, we should pray that God remove the evil from their heart. That battle is being fought in the spiritual realm. True, we are on the front lines and may be injured from the fallout. But we are not fighting against another person. We are fighting against evil, and we need God to intervene for we are not strong enough to combat evil on our own. Prayer is the only way we overcome evil.

I pray we all understand we are fighting against evil. I pray we do not retaliate in like fashion. I pray each one of us will go to God in prayer, asking him to intervene on our behalf. Fight on your knees. Ask God to intervene. Overcome evil through God.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Withstand Attacks

Have you ever been in a physical fight? Have you had to defend yourself against an attacker? Did you wish you had something to protect you from the blows? Do you know you are still under attack? Are you using protective gear to ward off the punches?

Most of us have likely been in a fight at some point in our lives. It may have been when we were children. It may have lasted less than thirty seconds. But we know that it hurts when someone punches us. We also know getting punched in the nose is worse than the arm.

As we grow from being a child into an adult, the fights become more dangerous. Adults are much stronger. Sometimes weapons are brought into the mix. Sometimes they not just individual fights but become national battles that include large military units. The larger they become the more dangerous they are.

Whether we realize it or not, all of us are under attack every day. Satan tempts us with all kinds of things. He tempts us to be unkind because the other person is. He tempts us to bow to peer pressure. He tempts us to lash out in anger. He tempts us to shun the unattractive. He tempts us to walk away from God.

How can we combat someone so much more powerful that we are, someone with more experience, someone who is pure evil? We must put on the full armor of God as the Apostle Paul tells us in today’s passage. He goes on to list all the elements of the armor in versus 14-17. We need to wear God’s armor every single day for Satan and his demons are prowling around looking for a weakness to exploit. We cannot avoid the fight, but we can be prepared for it.

I pray we all put on the full armor of God. I pray we prepare ourselves for the temptations Satan tempts us with. I pray each one of us realize we are under attack every day. Be prepared. Know Satan is attacking you. Put on the full armor of God. Wear it every day.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Stand in God’s Power

Where do you find your strength? Do you attribute it to an inner strength? Do you attribute it to previous trials and your ability to weather them? Is it due to your upbringing? Is it your genetics? Or does your strength come from a far more powerful source?

There are at least two types of strength we think of. There is the physical strength. Strength to lift, push, or pull objects. Then there is mental strength. It is a strength to overcome. It is a strength to withstand. It often drives us beyond what we believe our limits are.

Both of those strengths can be attributed to God. After all, he is the giver of all gifts. God gives our bodies and a brain to think. He provides our DNA, the genetic code that determines who we are to a large degree. We are also molded by our experiences, which are also within God’s control, whether we always believe that or not.

But what strength is the Apostle Paul speaking of in today’s passage. I suggest he is speaking of spiritual strength. This is a strength that looks to God to supply. We may think it is a weakness. Yet, it is a strength to know that God supplies our strength. As Paul states, we are to be strong in him and in his power. It is by being strong in his strength that we can stand against temptation.

God’s power is greater than anything we can imagine. We can access his power. We often forget that important fact. We attempt to stand in our own strength when there is a mightier power available to us. When we stand in his power, we overcome the obstacles before us. When we realize we need God’s power to stand, we then begin to stand firm.

I pray we all understand we need to stand in God’s strength. I pray we know we have access to God’s strength. I pray each one of us will stand against temptation with God’s strength. Stand in God’s strength. Access God’s power. Stand against temptation with God’s help.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

Be Convinced

How easily are you convinced of something new? Are you easily convinced? Or does it take overwhelming evidence to convince you? Do you go along with the crowd? Or are you willing to stand alone for what is right? Do you dig to discover the truth?

We all fall for something that isn’t true at some point in our lives. It may be that someone we trust is playing a trick on us. However, if we regularly fall for it, we are not learning the lesson we need to learn. On the other hand, being convinced of truth should not require overwhelming evidence.

Simon Peter was a fisherman. He was someone who was both reactionary and yet skeptical. He needed to have hard evidence to be convinced. Yet, he often reacted immediately to defend what he believed to be right. He was convinced, based on what he had seen with his own eyes, that Jesus was the Messiah. So, when Jesus asked if the disciples wanted to leave Him, Peter immediately and emphatically responded.

Are we convinced Jesus is the Messiah? Are we easily led astray? We may give Peter a hard time for being reactionary, but Peter stood for what he knew to be true. We should, too. When other try to lead astray, we should stand our ground, speak up, and continue to obey Jesus. If we know without a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God, that He has given Himself for our forgiveness, and given us eternal life, we should honor Him in all we do.

I wonder if we have lost the concept of God being holy and Jesus being his perfect and holy Son sent to save us. Jesus tells us to be perfect as the Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). To pursue that perfection, we must first be convinced that Jesus is who He says he is, and God is who he says he is. Are we convinced?

I pray we all seek to know the truth. I pray we are convinced that Jesus is the Son of God. I pray each one of us will stand for Jesus, as Peter did, and follow His words of eternal life. Seek the truth. Be convinced of Jesus. Stand for Jesus. Follow His commands. Follow His guidance.

John 6:67-69 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

The Gift of Life

What is life to you? How do you define life? Is life defined by the breath you breathe, the work you do, the things you buy, and the family you have around you? Have you thought that life may be more than all those things? Have you thought how more it could be?

Life requires us to breathe. We must work to earn a living and provide for our families. We need to provide basic necessities such as a place to live, clothing, food, and transportation. We love our families, as we should, and live our lives for them.

But Jesus tells us that life is more than that. Actually, He tells us that life comes from the Holy Spirit. In other words, without the Holy Spirit, we would have no breath in our lungs. He goes a step further by saying without the life the Spirit gives us our mortal bodies are useless. Isn’t that so very true?!

A lifeless human body is of no use. The gift of life we all have is given to us by God through the Holy Spirit. Yet, the Spirit is given us by God because Jesus asked the Father to give him to us. The very words that Jesus speaks are the Word of God. He speaks the Spirit and life into us.

As we live our lives, worrying about a dozen things at once, we can take comfort in knowing the Spirit is always with us, which means Jesus is always with us. His words speak to our spirit through His Spirit. Through His words we live. Our life is so much more than the breath we breathe, the work we do, the things we buy, and our families. Our life includes God.

I pray we all know our life is bigger than we think. I pray we know it is the Holy Spirit that gives us life. I pray each one of us know that Jesus speaks life into us through His Spirit. Know that life is more. Know your life is a gift from the Spirit. Know Jesus’ words are life.

John 6:63 “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

Longer Life

Do you seek a longer life? Have you hoped that you live a long and prosperous life? Do you aspire to live well into your nineties or perhaps one-hundred or more? What are you doing to help you live that long?

We often honor those who live long lives. People in the nineties or more than one-hundred years old become objects of respect. We even ask how they were able to live so long. The answers vary person-to-person.

Just as God promised Solomon that he would extend his lifetime, God will extend ours. The caveat was that Solomon was to keep God’s commandments and follow his guidance. The same is true for us today. How can I promise you this?

Let’s think about God’s conditional promise for a minute. When we follow God’s commands and his guidance, we are living a life that is pleasing to him. Not only that, but God’s commands and guidance are for our own good. By following them, we do not tear down our bodies by doing bad things to them. Following God’s commands and guidance nourishes our bodies with good things.

Therefore, if we follow God’s commands and guidance, we are working along with God to extend our lives. Notice, God does not promise how long our life will be. He simply says it will be longer than if we do not follow his commands and guidance.

I pray we all seek to work with God. I pray we follow his commands and guidance. I pray we trust that our lives will be extended by following God’s commands and guidance. Remember God’s promises. Follow God’s commands. Follow God’s guidance. Live a longer life by obeying God.

1 Kings 3:14 “If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

Bread of Heaven

How hungry are you? Do you sometimes get so hungry you are hangry? Do you sometimes think you can eat an entire pizza all by yourself? Are you a bread lover? Do you like it toasted, buttered, with jelly or apple butter? What about bread from heaven?

Eating may be our favorite pastime. Even if we are not especially fond of eating, we know we need to eat. We may like to eat junk food, especially when we go to a fair. We have the funnel cakes, popcorn, corn dog, and ice cream. Yes, eating can be quite enjoyable.

But we also know there are healthy foods such as vegetables, lean meats, fish, chicken, whole grains, and fruits. We know we need a balanced diet, one that includes proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and a small amount of carbohydrates. Eating healthy can be challenging when there are so many foods that taste much better but are not good for us.

Jesus says He is the bread that came down from heaven. He says He is not like the manna the Israelites were given by God when they were wandering through the desert. Those who ate that manna lived and died. The manna could not give them eternal life. When Jesus says those that eat His bread will live forever, He is saying they will have eternal life.

The early Christians were sometimes called cannibals because they ate “the body of Christ” and drank “the blood of Christ.” We all know it was not His real body nor His real blood. Yet, His promise is true. As we eat the bread and drink the wine or juice, we are participating in the meal He instituted during the Last Supper. It is a meal to remind us who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He continues to do for us.

I pray we all participate in the meal with Jesus. I pray we partake of the bread and the wine. I pray each one of us know that by partaking in it we are accepting the gift of eternal life Jesus is giving us. Participate in a meal with Jesus. Partake of the bread. Partake of the wine. Accept eternal life. Jesus is freely giving it to you.

John 6:58 “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Why Holy Communion?

Why is Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist so important? Why should we regularly partake of it? Is it all for show? Is there real meaning in it? Are we just going through the motions? Do we understand why we are to partake of it?

Unfortunately, some Christians are not really sure why they partake of communion. They know they should because they have been told they should. They may know that it was implemented by Jesus at what we call the Last Supper, but not much more.

Jesus, Himself, gives us the answer to the question. We are to partake of it so that we may have life. There is mystery wrapped up in partaking it that we do not fully understand. Yet, we know that Jesus tells us to partake it, just like He tells us to believe in Him. In the partaking of communion, we are granted life. Not just any life, but eternal life.

Not only are we receiving eternal life, but we are being renewed in Him. As we focus our hearts and minds on Him, our mind is being renewed through the remembrance of what He has done for us. Our minds are also renewed as we ponder His teachings. Perhaps the pastor who leads at the table provides something specific to remember about Jesus. That helps renew our minds.

Holy Communion is a sacred rite. It is a time of reflection on ourselves, a remembrance of Jesus, and a time to be thankful. Being in the right state of mind, meaning open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we experience Holy Communion differently each time we partake. Something different is brought to mind. The Holy Spirit moves differently within us. Each time is unique and each time we are renewed with life.

I pray we all know we are to partake of Holy Communion. I pray we open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit. I pray each one of us experience Holy Communion each time we partake of it. Partake of Holy Communion. Open your heart. Open your mind. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. Be renewed. Receive eternal life.

John 6:53 So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”

Be Filled with the Spirit

What does being filled with the Spirit mean to you? Do you think of it as having the Spirit in you, accessible like a genie when you need him? Do you consciously think to ask God to guide you and listen for the Spirit? Or do you forget you have been given the Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is often ignored, not talked about much. We do not conduct many classes in our churches about the Holy Spirit. He is often viewed as this mystical person we know little about. People often have confusing and conflicting views of who he is.

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to be filled with the Spirit. He juxtaposes being filled with the Spirit with being drunk. How does that help us understand the Spirit? When we think of someone drinking until they are drunk, we know that it takes a little time for that to happen. We can interpret that to mean that we need to continually ask God to fill us with his Spirit.

In addition to asking God to fill us with his Spirit, we should ask God to help us hear his Spirit. The Spirit speaks to us in various forms. He may speak as a voice in our head, though that is not often. More often, he speaks through nudging’s or gut feelings, letting us know the right thing to do. He grants us peace with decisions as opposed to continued worry.

Not only are we to be filled with the Spirit but we are to sing with gladness in our heart to God. We are to give thanks to God the Father for the blessing of his Spirit. That thanks should be given through the name of Jesus. The more we ask, sing, and give thanks, the more we please God.

I pray we all ask God to fill us with his Spirit. I pray we sing praises to God. I pray each of us will listen to the Holy Spirit and give thank through Jesus for God’s gift of his Spirit. Ask God to fill you with his Spirit. Listen for the Spirit. Sing praises to God. Give thanks to God. Do everything in the name of Jesus.

Ephesians 5:18-20 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.