Crucified: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

                        Crucified

                        The one you pray to

                        give lip service to

live your life around

is the same one

you have crucified!

And still continue

as we ignore, pretend

evade the sins that

mar our thoughts

actions, days.

Unless we too believe

accept daily grace

walk in true fellowship

Astonishing!

            

Reflection: Messiah: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     Why do you think we continue to ignore or hide our sins from ourselves despite the evidence of Jesus’ grace and forgiveness?

2.     What are some of your personal reasons not to acknowledge your sins to Him?

3.     What harm does hiding our sins do to our hearts? Our thoughts? Our souls?

4.     In what ways does our choice of ignorance affect those around us?

Share: How do you accept His daily grace?

Messiah: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Acts 2:34-36

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,  ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

“Whom you crucified.” It helps to put the burden on the people back then.

Until we remember that our Messiah died to remove all sin for all time and that includes us.

My personal sins contributed to His crucifixion.

I don’t want to think about that aspect or accept that responsibility. I want to concentrate only on His redeeming grace and my gratitude.

It’s so much easier to focus on our own successes and rest a little on His grace before admitting there is a whole lot more excavation to do inside our hearts than we would like to admit. Yet the hidden stuff can become like toxic black mold that insidiously corrupts. And keeps our relationship with the Lord at arms’ length.

Sometimes we’re just too busy to take time to notice, or don’t think of it as a sin, or think we are in control, or it’s so minor an attitude it can’t be all that bad. Or we’re not doing anything different from lots of others. Our excuses and denials can build into picture perfect reasoning. Or into a Pharisee.

Denying the reason Messiah came. To restore—to redeem. To rebuild the broken relationship with Him. To bring His light into the world’s darkness—into our darkness. But first we need to acknowledge our denials.

Lord, please help us to keep our hearts and minds and souls open before You.

Psalm of Worship: Genesis 1:29

“God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.’”

Kingdom Manna

Grace

Romans 14:7, “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

For many centuries, in many nations, the code of rule included liege lords or stewards of monarchy or sultans. To these leaders the people under them brought tribute. Yearly supplies of food. Animals. Men when necessary to build or to fight. In return they received protection, justice, a measure of peace. A fair trade under honest leaders. A harsh existence under cruelty.

Supply and demand.

“For all the people to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” His kingdom over stretches all the earth over all the centuries over all that exists. He comes deserving everything we can garner. He comes with outstretched hands. But not to take—rather to give. Not a meager existence measured by whims of men and nature, but a richness of life immeasurable in content.

Supplication and deliverance.

For the asking. For a turning from the world’s methods to God’s. For simple words. Spoken in faith and trust and hope.

Psalm of Worship: Psalm 116:18

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,