THE PRAYER THAT IS ALWAYS ANSWERED

 

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

 

THE PRAYER THAT IS ALWAYS ANSWERED

 

Acts 21:11-14

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.

 

          Jan Karon is the best-selling author of the Mitford novels, also called the Father Tim novels. There are about 23 of them and I have read most, if not all of them.

 

          Father Tim is an Anglican [Episcopal] priest. Fortunately for him, Anglicans are permitted to marry beauties like Cynthia, his next-door neighbor. Throughout all of Tim’s adventures he invokes what he calls “the prayer that is always answered.” This, of course, is “Lord, let your will be done.”

 

          Last night I stayed up watching election results until the news anchors’ makeup melted. Finally, somewhere near two o’clock in the morning, we had a winner. This morning, we are praying Father Tim’s sure-fire prayer. The will of the Lord be done.

 

Eph 5:15-17

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

 

Lord, because our ability to discern what is right is broken, please let your will be done. It is both a sane and safe prayer. AMEN

 

TRUTH HAS NO DENOMINATION!

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

 

TRUTH HAS NO DENOMINATION!

 

Matt 22:15-17

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

 

John 9:24-27

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear:  wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

 

          The word “truth” can be found in the King James translation 235 times! In the verses selected this morning we see the Pharisees, self-proclaimed guardians of their definition of the truth, confronting Jesus so that they might entangle Him in his talk. Their pursuit was not for the truth but for a remedy. Jesus was most certainly a Jew but not a Pharisee.

 

          In John 9, we see just how inconvenient truth can be when Jesus heals a blind man. The religious leaders considered Jesus a sinner and now he is reported to have restored sight to the blind! Facts had gotten in the way of belief and so facts had to be discredited. Question upon question is hurled at the formerly blind man and his new sight is now accompanied by insight. He boldly asks “will ye also be his disciples?” Aldus Huxley (1894 – 1963) once said: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

 

          Today’s devotional is being read by friends who are Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, a Methodist and a Missouri Synod Lutheran. These live in a world that is crumbling all around them. Global politics driven by pride and greed give birth to violence and confusion. Truth is precious because it is rare. Malcolm Muggeridge once said: “A collapsing world is more conducive to understanding the nature of truth than a triumphant world.” So, we now live in a world that is ready for truth.

 

“Plato, three hundred years before Christ, predicted that if ever the truly good man were to appear, the man who would tell the truth, he would have his eyes gouged out and in the end be crucified. That risk was once taken, in its fullest measure. The Man appeared. He told the world the truth-about itself-and even made the preposterous claim: "I am the Truth." As Plato foresaw, the Man was crucified.”  Elizabeth Elliot

 

Dear Lord, let truth prevail today. Give us both sight and insight. AMEN

 

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!

 

Monday, November 4, 2024

 

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!

 

Est 4:13-14

13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

 

          Esther was a Jewess who won a beauty contest and became queen. As strange as that sounds it was all part of God’s plan to rescue the Jews from a plot to wipe them out! Thrust unwillingly into an arena that would determine life or death for her and her people, she had a decision to make.

 

          Do you have any idea how important your simple act of voting might be? Perhaps with the touch of an electronic screen you could change the course of a region, or a state, or a nation. I’m not just trying to be dramatic. I’m trying to show you that God can use the seemingly insignificant to produce great change.

 

          Mordecai assured Esther that God would send relief to her people even if she refused her responsibility – but she would be the loser. What an opportunity to be part of God’s plan! What a risk!

 

          VOTE! It is your right and your responsibility! Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

 

Dear Lord, let your will be done in this election and let us not shun our duty. AMEN