Posts with the category “weekly-collect-devotionals”

The reason I have chosen this way of following Jesus, this choice to sacrifice, fight, and bear my cross, is not for prosperity or a life of ease, but for peace and eternal life with our heavenly Father.  Read More

I find myself weeping at the picture of a holy God “prospering” as a servant, despised and rejected by the creation he made and then led to the slaughter like a little, helpless lamb. And I realize, every year in a new way, that God’s strength and defense against our enemies is in the picture of a lamb led to the slaughter. The most likely Christian celebrity– Jesus himself– became a servant unto death, even death on a cross.  Read More

The grace of God– the grace that hems me in on all sides– this very gift of grace is initiated and accomplished by the Maker Himself. And we pray we would align with the reality of that truth that we may be given to good works. Because, as we well know, grace without works is dead (James 2:14). And works without grace is a life of striving. The only way to do any good thing is to notice that it is grace that both paves the way and pulls you along the road.  Read More

And of course, more often than not, I can easily think the wrong things and do the wrong things. It's why I'm grateful today for a prompted prayer that has me asking the Spirit to do this work in me. I can not do it on my own is a lesson I continually learn and just as continually forget.  Read More

Good as an adjective is defined as “to be desired or approved of.” But, good as a noun is defined as “that which is morally right; righteousness” and a “benefit or advantage to someone or something.” I tend to view things as being good only if I desire or approve of them. With this viewpoint, I center myself as having the final say in what is good for me. But, good as a noun asks me to look outside of myself, to consider what is beneficial and morally right.  Read More

God’s good isn’t always top of mind for me. When I’m distracted by my own desires, perceived needs, priorities or preferences, I tend to bypass those I see around me who could use a little bit of God’s good things. Too often I neglect to work, labor, and endure; this neglect is probably due to my lack of focus on faith, hope and love.  Read More

May we be a church filled to the brim with the quiet confidence and godly peace to serve God out of the abundance of order He has bestowed on us! Not looking back like Lot's wife out of fear, but looking forward like Mary to the order of the coming kingdom!   Read More

We are wholly dependent on Him for strength each day and to be set apart for Him as holy. But the good news is: it’s not a BAD kind of dependent. It’s the only dependent relationship in this life where the one side is fully able and fully meant to hold the other side up. Praise be!  Read More

if you are facing adversity, I pray you know that you are not alone. I pray our community would be one where we are more about the we than the me. May the Lord give us all the desire to intercede through deed and truth to each other and may the body collectivity be comforted through one another by His mighty aid.   Read More

Since Christ has already died for my repeated sins, I'm guaranteed not to fail. I'm not left to wonder if I'll ever learn to ride the bike. Which means that I can in absolute certainty declare " O Lord, you NEVER FAIL to support and govern those whom you bring up in your steadfast love and fear".  Read More

This little nugget of a prayer reminds us that the God who made us knows when we need comfort. Just like the disciples, we are often left gaping mouthed at circumstances, “How can this possibly work out, Lord? How can this be good or end well or bring you glory?” In God’s kindness, he assured the disciples that they wouldn’t be without a Helper. They would “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8) and be witnesses to neighbors close by and far off.   Read More

May that relational love that God first loved you with (ref. 1 John 4:19) enable you to live with your end in mind so you can do what you cannot do on your own - become a person of agape. And as the collect prayer says, may you “exceed all that we can desire” by abiding in His love.   Read More

This week we are praying for God to grant us the knowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We worship and fellowship together so that we may believe and know together.  Read More

Jesus is not a deity who makes impossible demands of his people from on high, distant and removed from the realities of worry and hardship. He is the Good Shepherd. I don’t know a ton about shepherds, but I do know that their job requires them to be with their sheep—walking the same terrain, battling the same elements, fending off the same enemies. The day-to-day life of the shepherd is intimately tied to that of the sheep. Indeed, the sheep cannot follow the shepherd if the shepherd doesn’t go there first! To me, that is a beautiful image of guidance and leadership that we get from Jesus’s role as our Good Shepherd.   Read More

As I read the Collect this week, I noticed our petition, “give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits” and realized that in the Easter season we enjoy that His celebrating heart and enduring joy do not run out like mine. His benefits cannot be contained even inside the biggest party– even if the whole world was one resounding ALLELUIA, His benefits would surpass it! So, we ask for grace to receive the benefits– to be filled up by His glory and beauty and steadfastness and grace and joy! And for what? We are filled up with His benefits so that we can “daily follow His footsteps.”  Read More

When Jesus speaks of Himself as the bread of life, He means that He is offering to sustain us, fill us up, support and nourish who we are and who God has made us to be.   Read More

If things around me are disordered, I am unable to rest. Something I've never considered prior to reading the collect for this week, is that the same is true of my heart. The request that our Heavenly Father will purify our disordered affections comes on the heels of acknowledging that our hearts are restless.  Read More

Christian living is a collaborative effort between God and His redeemed people. This isn’t a secret since every Christian experiences this daily. This isn’t a secret since every Christian experiences this daily.  Read More

When Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness by Satan, his temptations were universal: to give in to his appetites, to take unnecessary chances, and to shortcut God’s plan for immediate satisfaction. These temptations assault each of us, but they show up in different ways according to each of our weaknesses. My appetites may be different from yours, but we’re each tempted to satisfy them in ways that are sinful.  Read More