3 of 7 Prayers for My Wife's Upcoming Year

Day 3 Gift: Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

How often do we neglect the powerful keys on our spiritual key ring? If you have the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, what doors could possible be closed to you? And on the flip-side, how often are you neglecting your duty as the spiritual custodian of your sphere of influence? You don't carry the biggest, noisiest set of keys for no reason!

Today's Verse:‭‭ 1 Corinthians‬ ‭16:21-24
“The greeting is in my own hand-Paul. If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”


From the YouVersion Reading Plan: We Are The City Harmonic,

Day 1

Hamilton, Ontario Canada--our hometown--used to make steel. Once upon a time it was an industrial giant employing tens of thousands. Not anymore. The steel mills employ a meager five percent of what they once did. In our lifetime, our city has boasted little more than some of the poorest neighborhoods in the country and abandoned storefronts left to remind us of a bygone age. “Nothing good comes from Hamilton”--that was the attitude. We had come to be known as the armpit of Canada. 

Until, in these same struggling neighborhoods, something incredible happened.

Fifteen years ago, churches of different Christian denominations began to work together to bless our city. These churches gathered to listen to each other, imagine a different future for our city, and do something about it. In nearly abandoned neighborhoods that struggled to see hope, Churches led the way in collaboration. Today, Hamilton has changed for good. A once decayed downtown is booming amidst a cultural revival. Churches are growing, in many cases doubling in size. In many ways, because Churches stood in unity to bless the city and make a difference. This gathering of churches didn’t wait to agree on everything before acting in unity. Why? Because, in the eyes of Jesus, it was already true.

“We Are One” is a declaration of our unity found not only in ideas or beliefs, but also in Jesus Christ. Our salvation comes not just from a good idea, but also from a flesh-and-blood man from a “nothing good ever comes from” town. He lived a real and incredible life. He was crucified and died only to return and ascend to rule as the Lord of all He has made, promising future hope and the eventual redemption of all things. 

Different Churches. Different traditions. 
One Jesus. 
In Him, we are One.

-Elias Dummer, The City Harmonic

Day 2
Like many, I watched in sorrow as the chaotic situation in Ferguson and other areas of the country revealed anew our brokenness. I grieved as city streets became trenches across the country and bitterness and injustice fueled the fires of racial tension. Our society cannot heal itself, I thought, and I couldn’t help but personalize Jesus’ prayer on the cross: ”forgive us, for we know not what we are doing”. The truth is, without a change of heart and a changed life--a change born of devotion to Jesus and the work of the Spirit, we are truly doomed. Helpless. Destined to repeat our failures.

There is a phrase in 1 Corinthians 16:22 that appears only once in the entire Bible, but we know that it became a slogan for early Church.  As Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church about living faithfully and standing together as One Body, he reminded them of our hopelessness--our curse--without devotion and love to Christ. And as the Church would later find itself facing severe persecution across the known world, this phrase became a greeting--a recognition that Christ, not Caesar, was Lord.

“Maranatha”, they said. 

Interestingly, translators have long debated what to do with it.  It seems as though, because of the way the it was written, it could mean either “Our Lord has come” or “Come, Lord Jesus.”  It dawned on me that perhaps we live in between both.  Perhaps both are right.  And as we speak the phrase today, we speak of both realities.  Christ has come - He is Lord - and we are to live in light of that in this present reality.  And yet, Christ is coming, and we should eagerly anticipate His return.  In this now-but-not-yet reality, “Maranatha” might mean Justice for the hurting because Christ has come. It may also mean recognizing that we haven’t got it figured out, and that we need Jesus’ help. 

“Maranatha” is a call-to-worship in a broken world.  It is a call to recognize that Christ can bring hope and wholeness to our selves and our societies today, but also that ultimately He will return and make everything right again.

-Elias Dummer, The City Harmonic

Today's Prayer: These thoughts have been blowing my mind recently. God, help us not to think of the Body of Christ as our Church but as all Churches everywhere. Help us to look beyond our little group of like-minded believers and see that Your plan requires all believers. God, change my thoughts and remind me that all people are God's creation. They might not all be Children of God yet, but for the ones that are, give me the heart of brotherly/sisterly love that we many encourage and empower one another to spread Your love to every corner of the earth.

Today's Worship Song: Maranatha, The City Harmonic

And here's their documentary on the power of the Church in Hamilton, Canada:

2 of 7 Prayers for My Wife's Upcoming Year

Day 2 Gift: Cleansing coal

Again, this seems like a gift only for bad kids at Christmas, but when you're standing before the ultimate judge of the universe there isn't anything else you would want to have than the cleansing power of Christ. It's better to take your medicine now than let the sickness get worse.

Today's Verse: Isaiah 6:5-7
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”


Today's Prayer: God, forgive us of our unclean lips. Forgive us for every I'll spoken word about You, ourselves, and any of your children. Forgive us specifically for any negative talk we've spread about your bride, the Church. Help us to speak life into your Church. Forgive us for harnessing and taming this holy communion instead of just holding on to the uncontrollable rush of the Holy Spirit filling up your temple. Show us your vision for the Church and the things we need to let go of. Let this gathering be fully focused on You. Show us where we've missed the boat, or perhaps gotten out of the boat only to fear the wind and waves instead of the almighty power of Jesus Christ. Give us awareness to see what needs to be removed, replaced, or refocused to serve You instead of me.

Today's Worship Song: Clear the Stage, Jimmy Needham

You don't boo the bride (Ephesians 5:25 - 27)

"I believe in God, but I don't like the church."

Have you ever heard someone say that before?

Have you ever said something like that before?

At my home church, Pastor Jack recent preached the sermon series I <3 My Church. In it he expressed that one of the reasons he believes the church has been on the decline in America is that there is a misunderstanding about the church. People don't like church because it is full of a bunch of hypocrites. The truth is that they are right. Even the most virtuous of Christians has told people to follow the Bible and in some way or another every Christian has failed to practice what they preach. The church is messed up because the people in it are messed up.

Now picture this: You are sitting in a wedding ceremony. The entire bridal party is standing at the front of the church except for the most important member  The processional music has just stopped abruptly and the wedding march begins to plan. Everyone stands up. Out walks a beautiful woman all dressed in white. At that moment the person sitting next to you begins to boo at the bride. What do you do?

The Bible says that the church is the bride of Jesus. And as Pastor Jack puts it, "you don't boo a man's bride." The church isn't perfect, but God has place a high value in it.

I must confess that I've screwed this one up just this past week. I was talking with some guys from work when they said "I believe in God, but I don't like the church." Without thinking much about it I said, "Well that church is horrible, but that would never happen at my church." It is tempting to go with the flow when people begin criticizing the church, but we need to stand up for what God values. God values the church. And not just yours. All of His churches worldwide.


If you knock out a bride-heckler in one punch: