Trust: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

                Trust 

                To act polite

                is not always to agree.

                To keep true

                is to follow the Lord's words.

                To stand firm

                is to trust His answer.

                To be listening

                is to discern His truth.

Psalm 89:10: "Thou Thyself didst crush Rahab like one who is slain; Thou didst scatter Thine enemies with Thy mighty arm."

Reflection: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions: 

        1. The Lord has requested us to show respect to human institutions and to defer to authority. How do we obey Him when the leaders are evil?

        2. How can we glorify Him without becoming connected or entangled in fraudulent sins?

        3. How can we act with respect and not create arguments?

Share: What is one way to obey the Lord without acting in deceit?

Guidance: 1 Peter: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: 1 Peter 2:11-13: "My divinely loved friends, since you are resident aliens and foreigners in this world, I appeal to you to divorce yourselves from the evil desires that wage war within you. Live honorable lives as you mix with unbelievers, even though they accuse you of being evildoers. For they will see your beautiful works and have a reason to glorify God in the day He visits us. In order to honor the Lord, you must respect and defer to the authority of every human institution, whether it be the highest ruler...".

Guidance

He will show us the way through the lies when we hold onto His words.

When we commit to listening and acting from His truth.

When we hold onto faith.

When we respond with politeness and obedience into jurisdictions as the Lord guides and we honor Him. To recognize that whether their control is honest or not we will be able to make right choices through His authority only.

Thank you Lord for Your ongoing guidance through the power of Your Holy Spirit in all circumstances.

Your thoughts,

End: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

            End

           

            At the end

            will our thoughts, hearts

            linger at regret,

            unfinished commitments,

            hesitant to leave or

            accept full

            responsibility for both

            done and undone,

            knowing we sought

            only Spirit’s guidance

            keeping our hearts steady

            even in failure.

Reflection Run: Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     What dreams are you continuing to pursue despite hardship? What dreams did you set aside? What made the difference?

2.     Do you seek the Lord’s guidance every day or only when major changes arise?

3.     What do you think your first reaction would be if God asked you to completely give up the life you are living now and follow a different route?

4.     What would be your final answer?

Share: How do you reassess a commitment that doesn’t seem to make any progress? What question do you ask in prayer?

Faith Seeds: Prayers and Poetry

Guidance

Following a new hiking

trail encourages adventure

the surprise of a curved

path opening to glorious

vista, or a concealed hideaway.

Our eyes eagerly seek

for signs whether overlarge

billboards, tiny arrows at

foot level, or worn beaten trails

of previous travelers.  Fresh steps

on proven ground.  Yet then I

hesitate when  guidance

is spoken behind  us,

words giving step by step

directions offering

a different scenic walk.

New fresh ground. Unmarked.

Keep seeing my safe route before me

wonder where the change will go.

Suddenly the path becomes a

challenge to walk holy ground.

Leaving Egypt Behind

Scripture: Exodus 18:20, then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk, and the work they are to do.

One of the true joys of a toddler is the ability to dress themselves. They don’t see the emptied drawers, the backwards shirt, the mis-matched socks. They see success.

One of the true grief’s of the ill and elderly is the diminished capacity for self-care. They see collapse.

Physically we all desire autonomy.

Moses met with the people from morning till evening. Throughout the long day they came asking him to inquire of God on their behalf. Jethro observed in silence. He saw an unendurable burden for Moses. “You will surely wear out, both yourself and the people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.”

Spiritually Israel sought welfare.

Am I copying Israel? Waiting upon my congregation and friends to solace me spiritually. Waiting for someone else to feed me Your word, direct my prayers, counsel my decisions.

Am I burdening others with infant care when I am fully capable of responsible behavior? How am I ever to grow to maturity if I don’t look for Your plans, Your purposes, Your will personally? How then will I discover the work You have intended me to do?

Teach me, Lord, Your laws and Your statutes. Write them on my heart. May I become a burden-bearer instead of a heavy weight.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 119:24

Thy testimonies also are my delight;

They are my counselors.

Leaving Egypt Behind

Scripture: Exodus 13:22, He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Israel walked through the wilderness in sight of God. Day and night His Presence led them. They had no recourse to doubt or to discern. They followed a living signal.

Before them, behind them, above them, over them, God led Israel into situations and circumstances always providing His Presence, His protection, His provision.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

We cannot see Him as Israel did. We are called to walk by steps of faith and inner vision. Often our vision becomes blurred and we are confused. We lack confidence. We lack direction.

I need to focus my vision on Jesus. Not to run ahead of Him or lag behind Him. He will lead me in the right direction at the right time.

Forgive me, Lord, for fearful paralysis. Forgive me for refusing to walk by faith. Open my eyes to see You. Open my mind to follow only Your path.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 44:18

Our heart has not turned back,

And our steps have not deviated from Thy way,