February 19th-February 25th: Hope
When faced with the symbols — a cross, an anchor, and a heart — we think faith, hope, and charity (love). We can usually define our faith and our capacity to love.
But what about hope? It is not wishful thinking; it is not escapism. The dictionary defines hope as “an assured expectation.” To me that is a bit “loosey-goosey.” The Christian definition of hope is “the confident expectation that God is with us to guide, protect, and provide lovingly for us.” That has a bit more meat to it.
The Bible — both old and new testaments — is filled with hope. Here are four of my favorites, each of which has helped me plod on with a confident heart. I hope they will give you strength and confidence, too:
- We are wanderers — Isaiah 42:16
- “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them … and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
- We are seekers — Proverbs 23:18
- Hope is the fundamental component in the life of one who seeks righteousness.
- We are tense — Romans 8:24-25
- Hope is a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear and unknown.
- We are timid — Psalm 25:4-5
- “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”
With mind and heart and soul full to the brim with faith, charity, love, and hope, pray confidently — without ceasing. He is always listening! That is not a hope. It is confident reality!
February 5th-February 11th: Sacrifice
Does God still require us to offer sacrifices?
Psalm 40:6 tells us he did not require burnt offerings of David.
1 Samuel 15:22 says it is better to obey than to sacrifice.
Ephesians 5:2 tells us “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Peter mentions offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Mark 12:33 gives a good definition of what is expected of us. “And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is much more than all whole burnt offering and sacrifices.”
To summarize, we are expected to obey God and to love not only Him with all our being, but our neighbor as ourselves. We are to commit our whole selves to Him.
God loved us so much he gave his only son as a sacrifice for us to allow us to be his adopted sons and daughters.
We know His capacity for love is much greater than ours, but He does have the expectancy of love and obedience from us – He expects it even when we feel we have to sacrifice to give it.
January 15th-January 21st: Yesterday I attended Sylvia Moore’s mother’s Memorial Service. It was a celebration of her mother’s life-long walk with Jesus Christ. It was a gathering of Christian people to celebrate the sainthood of a departed sister. It was a beautiful, a peaceful and, most of all, a hopeful and encouraging service of prayer for those of us who are still traveling our walk with Jesus.
Get out your old Book of Common Prayer and pray the glorious anthems of memorial service that set the tone of tribute to a life well-lived. I hope that, when they are for each of us, they will herald our own eternity of salvation. I will read one of them for you:
The service continues with the hopeful words of the Lord, from Lamentations 3:22-26:
Pray hopefully, without ceasing.
2011
December 18th-December 24th: Nehemiah told his people in chapter 8 verse 10 do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Habakkuk says in 3:18 – I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing …”
Do we have joy in our belief in the God of our salvation? Do we have the joy that comes with faith of our salvation?
How do we find this joy? We have to pray, believing God will always answer our prayers. We have to pray and pray until we feel the peace only God can give. This peace will allow us to let go of our problems and know that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
I challenge you to pray without ceasing over your problems until you know without doubt, that the problem is with God and no longer belongs to you.
You will then experience great joy in God’s strength.
December 11th-December 17th:As I have listened each week as we are encouraged to pray without ceasing, I have thought to myself that this sounds good in therory — but how on earth does one put this admonition into practice? Here are two possible, yet simple ways:
- The Trappist monks do this by embracing their motto “laborare est orare” — “to work is to pray.” My personal professional career spanned over 40 years,years I could have given daily to God as a dedicated prayer — but I didn’t and you can’t imagine how much I regret those wasted years. But many of you can offer your work as a daily gift of prayer. Monday as you cross the threshhold of a factory, office, school, court, hospital, or grocery store try praying: God I give you my work today as a prayer — please heal my friend, please feed the hungy, please help me to be more aware of You my Lord and Savior. You might be amazed at the serenity such a day of prayerful labor can produce.
- Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Psalm 66:1-2: “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” I can sing with much greater enthusiasm and abandon than I can speak. At times even stuffy me has been seen to raised her arms and clap in joy. I am one of the weak sisters in the choir. I’m loud, but not always on key. Todd graciously tolerates me and God hears my attempts at joyful noise. In this the season of carols the next time you are moved to sing or hum or whistle — give the sounds to God as prayer.
Work, sing. You can pray without ceasing!
November 6th-November 12th: Matthew 9:36:
This week pray for ways to have and show compassion for anyone, whether or not you know them.
Pray without ceasing!
October 23rd-October 29th: Psalm 31:7:
The past 2 to 3 months have been a very distressing time for Carolyn and I [Howard Nies], but God knows our distress and has maintained us in his steadfast love and given us His peace.
Pray without ceasing this week. Rejoice and thank God for his steadfast love.
October 16th-October 22nd: After our morning service we will gather to sow the seeds for the pastoral future of our church. It is a blessing and an opportunity to take a stand for orthodox clergymen who will teach us more about that in which we believe — the Trinity, the Bible, salvation through grace alone, forgiveness for the repentant sinner, the doctrines of the creeds, and the 39 Articles. With them, we seek to follow Jesus Christ.
We know our priests and ministers are not perfect — their feet, like ours, get very wet when attempting to walk on water. They fight the same battles against temptations that we fight. But, we also know they have each answered God’s call to become servants to us, who are the least of the servants of God. We know that the Holy Spirit watches over them, protects them, and guides them. We, like Isaiah, pray for them with confidence in God’s compassionate mercy. We join with the prophet when he addressed the priests of old:
Pray for Paul and Ben with minds seeking wisdom and hearts blessed with faith, hope, and love today in the Parish meeting and throughout the week.
Pray unceasingly!
October 9th-October 15th: Matthew 5:16
This week pray without ceasing that God will provide the opportunity for you to shine your light on someone who is in darkness and that your light will leave a lasting impression.
October 2nd-October 8th: James 1:13-14:
So then, why does the prayer our Lord taught us say “Lead us not into temptation?”
The Greek word “peirasmos” means to test or to tempt. It can be used positively or negatively. It can mean seduction to evil, or a revealing of ones moral character. It can imply corruption, or the bringing of good out of bad.
So when we pray “lead us not into temptation,” we are saying to God: “Please don’t put me in a situation where I might fail you.”
This week — pray to God not to put you in a situation where you might fail Him.
Pray without ceasing!
September 25th-October 1st: Psalm 105:1-2:
“Sing to him, sign praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!”
These verses not only tell us to give thanks to the Lord and sing his praises to him; they tell us we should share his deeds among the people. We should tell those around us what he has done for us, his deeds and his wondrous works and call out to him or pray to him.
This week pray without ceasing to God for the opportunity to share what He has done for you with someone who needs to hear about it.
September 18th-September 24th: Yesterday some of us were at the rectory and the chalet working in the garden. This made me think of friendship gardens. A gifting of a plant from one garden to another. So, this was a time of fellowship as we came together to work in God’s creation.
Paul said in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
The garden is God’s creation and one of those “lovely” things to think upon. The time in the garden was a time of fellowship that brought us closer together. As you pray this week thank God for the various actions that strengthen us in our fellowship and pray for ways we might take this out to share with others and then to invite them in to share our fellowship.
Pray without ceasing!
September 11th-September 17th: Ten years ago today (September 11th) America was attacked by fanatical Muslim terrorists in the name of their God, Allah. How did the world react — fear, hate, prejudice, vengeance? How should we as Christians react?
In what is one of the most tragic, yet hopeful, chapters in the Bible, Luke 23, we receive the clear answer. We are to react with compassion, hope, and prayer — as Christ our exemplar did.
Jesus, in the agony of the crucifixion said in verse 34, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” These terrorists did not have a God of love and forgiveness — but we do! We, like the crucified thief, St Dismas, can pray as in verse 42, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” We who are redeemed in faith can be sure of Christ’s answer, as in verse 43, “Truly, I say unto you, today you will join me in paradise.”
The answer to 9/11 is not politics, war, and Guantanamo. It is much harder that that for us, for it tests our faith and obedience. The answer to 9/11 is to pray for the souls of our Muslim brothers and sisters, that they like us might know Jesus and salvation. Our sign is not the crescent and the bloody scimitar. It is the cross of Christ. We are the “Christian Soldiers” who can vanquish terror and win the victory of peace through faith in prayer answered by a merciful Lord.
Pray without ceasing!
September 4th-September 10th: We are the salt and the light.
This week’s prayer comes from a book by Billy Graham: The Holy Spirit: Activating God’s Power in Your Life.
Matthew 5:13-14
13 Ye are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 Ye are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Salt and light both operate quietly and unnoticed, but with great effort.
They represent the influence we, as Christians, can have on others in our everyday life. Even though we are in the minority, so often disobedient, so frequently disagree with each other, the power of the Holy Spirit can still restrain evil and do good through us.
Salt and light are both essential in our homes. Light dissipates darkness and salt is used to prevent decay.
The world has no light of its own and is in a state of accelerating decay. But, Jesus says we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world; if we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can slow or even halt the decay of the world and shine the light of Jesus on our world.
Pray this week that you will live up to Jesus’ expectation of us, that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit the world can see the light of Jesus through us.
Pray without ceasing!
August 28th-September 3rd: On the 24th of August, last Wednesday, Fr Paul celebrated 20 years of serving God with strength and conviction to advance His Kingdom. What a teacher! What a leader! There have been times after one of his Wednesday night teachings where I have gone up to him, thanked him, and asked: “Do you ever get a headache from all of that knowledge you have?” Paul, we love you and we thank you for being our good shepherd. I think we all will agree when I say: “Well done good and faithful servant!”
On the 24th of August, last Wednesday, Ben became Fr Ben — exactly 20 years after Paul had been ordained in 1991. A coincidence? Now that he has been promoted, his children will have to call him Fr Father. And with the birth of a new baby drawing near, I think we should consider call Josie “holy mother.” Ben, your wisdom exceeds your years. You will be great at serving God no matter where you are. As we said to Fr Paul, we say to you: We love you, Fr Ben.
Give thanks to God this week for Fr Paul, the elder, and Fr Ben, the younger.
Pray without ceasing!
August 21st-August 27th: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” (Hebews 11:6). Faith is believing in God’s promises, but how can we believe His promises without knowing His promises and understanding His character? How can we understand His promises and character without reading His word? How can we understand His word without reading it for ourselves and praying for Him to reveal the meaning and understanding He wants us to know? This week, read and study your Bible more. Pray for guidance as you read. Allow enough time for God to reveal His meaning to you. Listen to Him and pray without ceasing.
August 14th-August 21st: Every week as Fr. Paul reviews the Ten Commandments we respond with “incline our hearts to keep this law”, and so with God’s help we apply this to the command to honor our parents. Many of us are at a stage in our lives where our parents are aging and we need to intervene or manage in ways not previously needed. God tells us to honor our parents. This is repeated in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. To honor is to value and to respect. This week pray for ways you may honor your parents and pray for others in our congregational family that they might find joy in honoring their parents, remembering to pray without ceasing.
August 7th-August 13th: Matthew 18:20 tells us that where two or three are gathered in His name, God is among them. This is not exclusionary — if only one or a multitude call His name in prayer, God is present and listening. Prayers, like pray-ers, come in all sizes and forms.
I am not blessed with the gift of beautiful creative words in prayer, so I rely on those who are. We who are limited in this gift are not alone — Mother Theresa, when addressing the United Nations, and Bishop Desmond Tutu, when accepting the Nobel Prize, used the inspiring words of a thirteenth century monk, St Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Lord,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console,
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying in Your grace and faith,
that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
What would our world be like if we as a congregation, we as a nation, prayed this prayer unceasingly?
July 31st-August 6th: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38)
This week pray that you will judge less, condemn less, forgive more, and give more so that you are eligible to partake of God’s promise of good measure.
July 24th-July 30th: Paul begins his letter to the church of Rome with a long greeting. In Romans 1:8 he says “I thank God through Jesus Christ for all of you.”
This week get out your church directory and pray for each of your fellow church members. If you don’t have a directory, look around for several persons you know and pray for them. If you haven’t been here long enough to know many people, ask several for their first name and pray for those persons; God will know their last names.
Follow Paul’s example and thank God for all of them.
Pray without ceasing!
July 17th-July 23rd: In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus told a parable about a widow who continually approached a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. Again and again she requested justice against her adversary. After refusing her many times, the judge finally decided that, because she kept bothering him, he would give her justice to simply keep her from wearing him down by continuing to come to pester him.
Jesus went on to say to the peolple: If justice can be obtained from an unrighteous judge, will not our loving God give justice to us — His people — who cry to Him day and night? Jesus further let them know that God would not delay, but give justice speedily. We, God’s children, believe Jesus is telling us to not give up on prayer — because He hears us and will answer as His wisdom directs.
This week thank God for reminding us that He will always be there for us and always hear our prayers and always answer them. Each day thank Him for a different answered prayer. Remember God is our loving Parent.
Pray without ceasing!
July 10th-July 16th: In Mark 2:15 Jesus was beside the sea when he saw Levi, a tax collector and said “follow me”. Later when Levi and Jesus disciples were eating together, the scribes and Pharisees saw that they were eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners. They then asked why Jesus was eating with such people. His reply in verse 17 was “those who are have no need of a physician, but those. Who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”.
Praise God every day this week that He sent Jesus, the great physician and after Him, the Holy Spirit to heal you of your sin. Pray without ceasing!
June 27th-July 3rd: In Mathew 4:18 Jesus saw two brother, Simon, now called Peter, and Andrew as they were fishing. In the next verse, Mt. 4:19, He said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” If today we truly believe that by following Jesus, He will make us fishers of men-then we must also believe that He has a plan for this church, in its entirety, to become fishers of men. He will give us all we need to make that happen. It may be the chalet made beautiful, or a nice extension on the back of the chalet, or a great cathedral. But first we must commit to follow Him, and to trust Him to discern His will. Please pray without ceasing that we as the Church of the Resurrection as a unit will be used as fishers of men for Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!
June 19-June 26th: Psalm 145:3, “Great is the lord and greatly to be praised. Psalm 100:4: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” The book of Psalms has many, many verses reminding us of God’s goodness and mercy and our responsibility to praise Him. Try something different this week – start a list of items you are thankful for. Add to it every day it every single day and each day as you add to your list, praise God and thank Him, not for just what you added that day, but for the entire list each day. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!
Prayer for 6/6-6/12: 1 Peter 4:7-9, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded & self controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” PRAYER: HOW WOULD YOU LIVE DIFFERENTLY THIS NEXT WEEK IF YOU KNEW JESUS WAS COMING BACK NEXT WEEK? PRAY FOR YOURSELF AS IF HE WAS COMING BACK NEXT WEEK.
Prayer for 5/29-6/5: Matthew 5:44: Have you ever crossed paths with someone who was unpleasant, or downright nasty – to be around, or work for, or work with? Jesus says in Mt. 5:44: “But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” Why? It may not change the other person, but it will defintely change you and your attitude! This week pray without ceasing for someone you find it difficult to want to pray for.
Prayer for 5/22-5/28: Colossians 3:23-24: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receieve the inheritance as your reward.” Pray that we may work heartily in all that we do this week-as if we are working for the Lord (which we are) rather than men. And as Colossias 4:2 tells us, continue steadfastly in prayer, or as we keep saying, “Pray Without Ceasing.”
Prayer for 5/15-5/21: All gifts are from God, so we have chosen verses 6-8 of Romans 12 for our prayer this week: 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,1 with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Prayer: Pray without ceasing to become more aware of your gift(s) and to use them to further God’s kingdom.
Prayer for 5/8-5/14: The Bible does not say that money is evil. It says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Everyone needs money to sustain their lives with everything from paying their mortgages to utility bills. Prayer: As we plan to occupy our chalet location this year, pray that God will send the finances for us to make the necessary updates along with adding a new church building onto our chalet.
