12/27/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 16

CONFLICT, DISAGREEMENT, RESOLVE… Bill Henard, in his book Can These Bones Live?, says that “One of the primary reasons that a church turns inward comes from present or past conflicts within the congregation,” and that “problems and conflicts occur in all churches of all sizes,” and that “unforgiveness represents the foremost internal conflict most often ignored in the church” (Chapter 8). Unforgiving hearts are usually one of the primary causes of spiritual decline both personally and within the church. That’s why there are so many exhortations in the Bible like these:

•   Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

•   “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you” (Colossians 3:12-13).

PRAY… Father God, I thank you that in Christ You have forgiven me all my sins and reckoned me as righteous through the atonement of Christ. I have gladly received Your forgiveness; make me equally glad to extend the same forgiveness to those who offend, disappoint, or hurt me. Transform my tendency to hold grudges into Christlike mercy toward others. Dissolve all my inner bitterness and unforgiveness in the shed blood of Jesus, and restore to me a clean heart out of which I gladly forgive others. I ask this in Your Son’s Name, Amen.

12/13/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 14

Mark 1:21-28 (ESV)
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus declared His authority over everything! Matthew 28:18-20 records His words to this effect. What is the extent of His authority to which He refers in Matthew 28:18? “_______ authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

ALL AUTHORITY… Throughout His life, and particularly during His ministry, Jesus demonstrated His authority, until, through His death, burial, and resurrection, He unquestionably held ALL authority: Authority over creation (John 1:3; Col. 1:17); Authority over all tangible and intangible resources (Phil 4:19) ; Authority over disease and physical handicap (Mark 6:53-56; 7:31-37; 8:22-25; 10:46-52) ; Authority over the spirits (Mark 5:1-13) ; Authority over religion (Mark 11:15-18) ; Authority over man’s plans (Matthew 16:21-23) ; and Authority over sin, the grave, and death (1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Revelation 1:17-18).

PRAY… Jesus, You have demonstrated that You stand alone in creation and human history as the One with ALL authority. I bow in total submission to Your authority. You are our Sovereign God, Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, and victorious Savior vanquishing sin, the grave, and death! I praise You and worship You above all other things, for You alone are worthy to receive glory, honor and praise. Please exercise Your great, majestic authority over our church and bring REVITALIZATION to our fellowship, our effectiveness, our missional life, and our ministries, all for the glory of Your Name! Amen!!

12/06/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 13

Luke 6:1-11 contains two specific instances wherein Jesus did something which did not fit the traditional understanding or interpretation of one of the Ten Commandments

TRADITIONS THAT GO BEYOND SCRIPTURE… If Jesus were to visit your church this week, what are some of the things your church “traditionally” does that are not mandated by Scripture, but might be currently “treasured” as unchangeable as though they were mandated by Scripture? (In other words, some people might be upset if you don’t do these things anymore; or some people might be tenaciously insistent that these things never change.)

Can you recognize that things we often cling to, that do not come directly from Scripture are often some of the things that need to change in your church if you are going to experience REVITALIZATION? If not, ask Jesus to open your eyes to this reality, and then pray this prayer…

PRAY… Heavenly Father, I believe the testimony of Your Word – that indeed You created the heavens and the earth and that Your creative work was performed through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. I believe and affirm that through Christ all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, both visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; that all things have been created through Jesus and for Jesus. He knows best about all the rules that should be associated with His creation and His church, which He bought with His own shed blood. Therefore, Father, today I surrender all the preconceived ideas which me and my church have added to Your design or to Your specifications in Scripture by way of our “sacred traditions.” I submit myself once again to the full authority of Christ and His Word. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

 

11/29/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 12

John 9:35-41 (ESV)
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”
38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

In today’s passage Jesus is having a conversation with some religious leaders about the blind man and his healing, not willing themselves to believe that Jesus had sufficient power to do such a miracle. Because of their stubborn hearts and unwillingness to believe, Jesus referred to the religious leaders as “blind” themselves.

What are the two greatest barriers you can identify that will need to be overcome in order for your church to be REVITALIZED? ____________________; ____________________

BELIEVE… The Pharisees in John 9 were insistent that Jesus could not have the power to heal blind eyes. Only God could do such a miracle. So, they questioned the formerly blind man twice; they questioned his parents. Yet they could not disprove that Jesus had done something unexplainable to them. Don’t you want Jesus to do something unexplainable in your church? Don’t you long to see Him restore Gospel fervency and evangelistic effectiveness in your church family? Jesus is the One who can do it! Not a committee; not the remaining members of your congregation. Only Jesus. Do you believe? Do you think He can solve, demolish, and overwhelm the barriers you listed above? Do you believe?

PRAY… Lord Jesus, we have evaluated our situation many times, even prayed over it; honestly our prayers have often been without true faith that You could actually do anything about our plight. But today, I renounce my own “blindness;” I turn away from my “blindness;” I embrace Your mighty power. You can do anything! I believe! You can walk on water; bring water from a rock; part a river and even a sea! You can raise the dead, and You can breathe life into dry bones! Jesus, I cry out to You, with the rest of my church family, pleading for Your miraculous intervention in our church. You are able! I believe You can overcome every barrier that stands against us, and I surrender my own defeatist perspective to your conquering grace! Jesus, come and do what only You can do in our church. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

11/22/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 11

“Every church needing REVITALIZATION can assume at some point in the ups and downs of their existence that they lost sight of the Biblical model and structure of authority and must begin to recover it if any other patters of dysfunction can be addressed to ensure a healthy direction for the future. Authority matters. Who is in charge in your church? Jesus is the bridegroom of His bride. He is in charge. He is the one to whom the church must submit if it is to have life and experience the unity that only He can bring, for it came at the cost of His own life (Eph. 2:11-15).” —Brian Croft, “Biblical Church Revitalization”

Matthew 16:15-19 (ESV)
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

WHO’S IN CHARGE? When Peter correctly answered Jesus’ probing question about His identity, Jesus not only affirmed Peter’s answer, but went further to explain what it meant for Him to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus went on to say that “…I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18) As Brian Croft wrote in his book quoted above, Jesus is in charge. “He is the one to whom the church must submit if it is to have life and experience the unity that only He can bring…”

As a friend of mine often says when pressing someone for an honest answer, “If someone held a gun to your head demanding to know who was in charge of your church, what would you answer?” If it is anyone other Jesus Christ then some serious repentance, prayer, and reorientation needs to happen.

PRAY: Jesus, I acknowledge and submit to Your authority, and Your authority alone, over Your church. I am not the authority in our church, nor is any other person the authority. Please forgive me for any time that I have attempted to exercise my own authority in Your church, as though it belonged to me and not to You. Please restore a deep sense of humility among all the leaders in our church, and a glad desire to submit to Your authority alone. I agree with Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” and thereby You have full authority to reign in Your church. I surrender and submit myself to You, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords! Amen!

Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 10

11/15/21 Luke 6:46-49 (ESV)
46“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Which person in Luke 6:46-49 are you most like right now, today?

__ The person building a house on a rock-solid foundation—you do whatever Jesus says; OR

__ The person building a house with no foundation—you are ignoring Jesus’ instructions

RETURNING TO THE WORD… REVITALIZATION is about a group of Christ-followers surrendering all their own pre-conceived ideas about what their church should look like and how it should behave, and returning to the Author of their faith, upon whom the church is founded.

We started this section of prayers by renewing our confidence in God’s Word. Not just for the sake of our church’s REVITALIZATION, but ultimately for God’s own glory and for our personal and corporate good. Let’s close out this section by asking God to transform our minds according to His Word so that we might prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God concerning our church.

PRAY… Lord, I love Your Word; I praise You for providing such a wonderful road map for life and living. You are my hiding place and my shield; from now on I wait for Your Word. I place my own thoughts and ideas in submission to Your Word. Sustain me according to Your Word, that I may live the life You designed for me, and in so doing be a part of a renewed church family set upon the very same purpose. Uphold me by Your Word; strengthen my resolve to seek Your Word before the counsel of others, and then compel all of us together to obey whatever You say. We love you and Your Word. In your Son’s Name, Amen.

 11/08/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 09

John 1:1-4 (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

“THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY; I CAME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.” (JOHN 10:10) This life that Jesus gives is not just fire insurance against an eternity in hell, but it is the very substance of life in the present. He knows better than anyone else exactly what your church needs in order to be a life-giving force in your community.

John 5:24 (ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

FROM WORD TO LIFE… Fill in the blanks below:

 “…he who hears My word, and ________________ Him who sent Me, has _______________ life...” “…[he] does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into ______________ .”

When we believe God’s Word we avoid judgment, pass out of death’s claws, and receive LIFE!! This is true for eternity and for today! You and your church, as you believe God’s Word, His promises and assurances, will begin to experience NEW LIFE in Christ!

PRAY… Lord Jesus, help me to cling to Your Word as the very substance of life for me today and throughout eternity. Thank you for giving us Your Word; I want to thirst for it like the Psalmist, as the deer pants for the water brook, so let me soul thirst for You and Your Word. Use Your Word in me to build my faith and to help re-shape our church into an effective instrument for the Gospel in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 11/01/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 08

John 17:13-21 (ESV)
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Use whatever resources you have at your disposal (commentaries, Bible software, Bible dictionaries, etc.) to examine John 17:17, and particularly the word “sanctify” as it appears in that verse. Write what you discover here:

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SANCTIFY… In you research on the word “sanctify” you should have come across information that says “sanctify” means to “set apart for special use.” The word comes from the Greek word from which we get the word for “holy” or “holiness.” It is an action initiated and carried out by God Himself in the lives of His people. And in the case of Jesus’ prayer request in John 17:17, it is a work God performs through His Word in the hearts and minds of His people. We are set apart unto God, out of this world, and beyond the reason and logic that drives humanity, through the work God does in us as we give ourselves to His Word. He “sanctifies” us in the truth, which is His Word. No tool in your REVITALIZATION process will be more valuable than God’s Word. Keep it close. Read, study, meditate on, and memorize it daily.

PRAY… Father, in keeping with Jesus’ own prayer on behalf of His disciples present with Him, as well as for all those who would believe in Jesus because of the testimony of those first disciples, I plead with You for Your sanctifying work in my own heart and life as I give myself daily to Your Word. Let Your Word dwell richly within me, and within our church family, that we will be sanctified in Your truth, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in our hearts for all that You are doing among us. I ask this in Jesus Name. Amen.

10/25/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 07

There were plenty of accusations. “They want our property so they can sell it to fund their own ministries,” suggested one opponent to the REVITALIZATION partnership being offered by a sister church. Another used scare tactics among the few remaining homebound members by overstating the value of the church’s property and how a partnering church would use this value to their own advantage. Still another accusation came from the chairman of the few remaining deacons, “Those offering us assistance only want to make a name for themselves and they care nothing about us.” These, and many other misguided, yet painful, accusations may very well be a part of your church’s efforts toward REVITALIZATION. Despite their opposition, stay the course because part of the process of REVITALIZATION is the cleansing of hearts and motives among those who resist the process.

INSIDE OUT… Jesus challenged the Pharisees on more than one occasion to be careful about putting on a religious front when, in fact, their hearts were yet unclean in motive or attitude. “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). Not only must we make sure our attitudes and actions are pure before the Lord in this REVITALIZATION effort, but we must also pray for our brothers and sisters who are demonstrating something less than pure motives and attitudes in their reaction to God’s work of REVITALIZATION.

PRAY… Jesus, thank you for giving our church the opportunity for restoration and REVITALIZATION. I know the process will not be easy, but with You all things are possible, and we are trusting in Your ever-present help throughout the process. Please cleanse my heart, and the hearts of all our church members of any evil, conspiring, or uncooperative spirit in the REVITALIZATION process so that You alone can gain glory and Your church be reclaimed for Your great purpose. I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

10/18/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 06

John 8:31-32 (ESV)
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

CONTINUE IN MY WORD… Perhaps the most important dimension of REVITALIZATION is the restoration of God’s people to a profound confidence in God’s Word. Jesus’ promises surrounding His Word are numerous. In John 8:31-32 He promises that faithfully giving heed to His Word on a continuing basis proves we are His followers. In John 15:7 He promises that abiding in His Word and allowing that Word to transformatively abide in us opens the doorway of prayer and allows us to bear much fruit for His glory. In John 14:23 He promises that those who keep His Word will be loved by His Heavenly Father and will eventually make their home with God. In John 8:51 He promises those who keep His word will never see death!

The beginning of a new week is an ideal time to recognize and confess any lack of confidence we have been demonstrating, real or otherwise, in God’s Word. His Word is timeless and unfailing; it is fully dependable and trustworthy. Throughout the REVITALIZATION process you will need to daily profess your confidence in, and dependence upon, His Word. “Do not lean on your own understanding, [but] in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5b-6). “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

PRAY… Father, I confess that I have not always delighted in, nor trusted in Your Word. I turn from my faltering faith and ask Your forgiveness for my lack of confidence in Your Word; forgive my failure to believe that Your Word is settled in heaven forever. Today I am asking You to restore my full confidence in Your Word and that You will use Your Word to guide me, and our church family, through every phase of the restoration and REVITALIZATION process for Your eternal glory and praise. I ask this in the Name that is above every other name, Amen.

 10/11/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 05

Psalm 111:1-10 (ESV)
1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

A PRAYER OF PRAISE… Now, join the Psalmist in praising and thanking God for His goodness, His works, His righteousness, His gifts, His power, His redemption, and His covenant. Write words of praise below: Lord, I praise You for Your...

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A PLACE FOR PRAISE… You can probably remember when, in an earlier day, there was a general sense of excitement among your fellow church members; a time when the place of worship was filled with the praises of God’s people. That is God’s intent for the gathering place of His people. That is what Jesus expected to find when He entered the Temple in the First Century. “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’… have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself?’” (Matthew 21:13, 16). Prayer. Praise. In His house. Among His people. Can it begin again with you?

PRAY… Father, I can remember when we gathered with people on our church campus with excitement about You, Your goodness, grace, mercy and love. I remember when we filled our gathering place with praise to Your Holy Name. O God, restore those days among us through Your miraculous REVITALIZING work in our church. I believe it is urgent that You act now to restore us to Your purpose. We are desperate for You; change us for the sake of Your eternal and glorious PRAISE! Let Your praise fill our hearts and our gathering place once again.

10/04/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 04

Of course, Mark’s gospel account is not the only place in the New Testament wherein a sense of urgency is portrayed. John’s gospel records words of urgency directly from Jesus’ mouth.

John 1:1-13 (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus healed the man who had been born blind in order to display the works of God through the man’s life. List three things here that would display the works of God in your community if your church pursues, and experiences, REVITALIZATION:

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THE UNKNOWNS… Did you notice the things that were unknown by the participants in John’s account of the blind man’s healing? His disciples didn’t know why the man had been born blind. No one knew how clay could bring sight to blind eyes. The blind man’s neighbors did not know how the blind man came to have sight. The blind man did not know where Jesus had gone after Jesus had healed him.

Every situation has unknown factors. Generally, we don’t like having unknown factors because we like to have everything under our control. But in the work of REVITALIZATION you will encounter unexpected unknowns for which you could not plan. What will you do with them? Will you be willing, just like the participants in the blind man’s healing, to trust every detail to Jesus? Are you ready to entrust all the unknown factors in the REVITALIZATION of your church to His sovereign rule?

PRAY… Lord Jesus, I must admit that the whole business of REVITALIZING our church is somewhat frightening. There are many unknowns. Yet, it is also exciting to think about the lives that will be changed and the influence we can have once again in our community for the sake of the Gospel! Still, Lord, I am sure there will be things about this REVITALIZATION that will be uncomfortable for me personally; things that will be out of my control. I want to say with all my heart today that -- I trust You! You spoke everything into existence! You are the substance by which all things are held together! I believe You will gloriously handle all the unknowns that come into play in the complete REVITALIZATION of our church. I trust You to do it! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

09/20/21 Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 02

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

PRECONCEIVED IDEAS

HOW ABOUT YOU? It seems each generation has their own ideas about what the church should do, how it should behave, what songs to sing, and what church buildings should look like, to name just a few areas of strong opinion. Are you willing to surrender your own ideas in order to see your church flourish once again in gospel growth, community impact, and Kingdom advance? Or are you worried and bothered about the potential that things as you have always known them might change if you embrace REVITALIZATION?

Martha loved Jesus and eagerly welcomed Him into their home, but she wasn’t too happy with her sister Mary. Mary was sitting at the Lord’s feet while Martha was distracted with all the household responsibilities. She demanded that Jesus do something about it, but Jesus’ response tells us a lot about the things that cause us to be worried and bothered. Unfortunately, those things are usually the wrong priority. JESUS IS THE PRIORITY; MAKING MUCH OF HIM IS THE OBJECTIVE OF VIBRANT CHURCHES.

PRAY… Lord Jesus, I confess that I am often worried and bothered about nonessential things instead of keeping my attention fixed on You. Build a new perspective in my heart and mind that longs for spiritual life in our church regardless of what songs we sing, the type of chairs we sit in, or the kind of building we have. Please do whatever it takes to breathe life into us again for the glory of Your Name alone. I ask it in Your strong Name, Amen.

 September 11, 2021

Praying With JESUS: 40 Days Toward Church Revitalization — Day 11

“Every church needing revitalization can assume at some point in the ups and downs of their existence that they lost sight of the Biblical model and structure of authority and must begin to recover it if any other patters of dysfunction can be addressed to ensure a healthy direction for the future. Authority matters. Who is in charge in your church? Jesus is the bridegroom of His bride. He is in charge. He is the one to whom the church must submit if it is to have life and experience the unity that only He can bring, for it came at the cost of His own life (Eph. 2:11-15).” —Brian Croft, “Biblical Church Revitalization”

WHO’S IN CHARGE? When Peter correctly answered Jesus’ probing question about His identity, Jesus not only affirmed Peter’s answer, but went further to explain what it meant for Him to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus went on to say that “…I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18) As Brian Croft wrote in his book quoted above, Jesus is in charge. “He is the one to whom the church must submit if it is to have life and experience the unity that only He can bring…” As a friend of mine often says when pressing someone for an honest answer, “If someone held a gun to your head demanding to know who was in charge of your church, what would you answer?” If it is anyone other Jesus Christ then some serious repentance, prayer, and reorientation needs to happen.

Matthew 16:15-19 (ESV)
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

PRAY: Jesus, I acknowledge and submit to Your authority, and Your authority alone, over Your church. I am not the authority in our church, nor is any other person the authority. Please forgive me for any time that I have attempted to exercise my own authority in Your church, as though it belonged to me and not to You. Please restore a deep sense of humility among all the leaders in our church, and a glad desire to submit to Your authority alone. I agree with Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” and thereby You have full authority to reign in Your church. I surrender and submit myself to You, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords! Amen!

08/23/21 Parables of Jesus #11 — The Lost Sheep (Mat.18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7)

Matthew 18:12-14 (ESV) 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

v.14 perish. The word here can (and does in this context) refer to spiritual devastation rather than utter eternal destruction. This does not suggest that God's children ever could perish in the ultimate sense (cf. Jn 10:28). [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Far too many believers and churches seem to content to relax and enjoy each other. We MUST stay BUSY looking for “lost sheep”! God expects that believers will spread the Good News constantly, by walk and talk—by our lifestyles and our words.

 08/19/21 Parables of Jesus #10 — The Dragnet (Mat.13:47-50)

Matthew 13:47-50 (ESV) 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

v.47 net. Some fishing was done with a large weighted net dragged along the bottom of the lake. When pulled in, it contained an assortment that had to be separated. In a similar way the visible kingdom, the sphere of those who claim to be believers, is full of both good and bad and will be sorted in the judgment.

v.49 angels. They serve God in judgment (cf. v. 41; 2Th 1:7-10). [The MacArthur Study Bible]

         From my limited viewport it seems that there are basically two strategies for amateur American fishermen to use today: 1) Drag-and-Bag: using a net, as in this parable; and 2) Bait-and-Wait: Using a lure or live bait on the end of a line. In either case, unless one is very well-informed, you have little control over what you catch.

         Matthew 4:19-20 (ESV) 19  And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

            Our job is to “fish”—throw out the lifeline (as the old hymn puts it). We must be exposing the “bait” of the gospel to our lost friends and acquaintances. Jesus and His angels will sort out the truly good from the bad someday!

08/09/21 Parables of Jesus #9 — The Pearl of Great Value (Mat.13:45-46)

Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV) 45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46  who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

While some people sort of stumble onto Jesus, many others actually are seeking some relief, some solution to the apparent meaninglessness and frustration of their lives. When they learn about the Savior—the abundant life He gives and the fantastic benefits He offers, which are literally “out of this world”—they’re more than willing to give or give up anything to take advantage of His gracious offer. I remember when that happened to me; I hope something like happened to you, too!

08/06/21 Parables of Jesus #8 — The Hidden Treasure (Mat.13:44)

Matthew 13:43 (ESV) The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

13:44-46 These two parables (v.43-44) have identical meanings. Both picture salvation as something hidden from most people (see v.11), but so valuable that people who have it revealed to them are willing to give up all they have to possess it. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Some people seem to discover the Gospel entirely unintentionally. In a crisis they “just happen” to hear a Christian friend talk about the compassion and power of Jesus. Or, while surfing the TV channels or the Web, they come across a Christian broadcast which speaks to their hearts. Whatever! One way or another they embrace the Savior. They are suddenly aware that He is more precious, more valuable than anything else in their lives.

Have YOU understood that the most urgent, most important, most precious decision you need to make is to SURRENDER control of your life to Jesus? I pray that you have.

08/02/21 Parables of Jesus #7 — The Leaven (Mat.13:33; Luke 13:20-21)

Matthew 13:33 (ESV) He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Here the kingdom is pictured as yeast, multiplying quietly and permeating all that it contacts. The lesson is the same as the parable of the mustard seed… Jesus is repeatedly describing that kingdom itself as the pervading influence. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Same song, second verse. As faithful, busy disciples of Christ, we believers must be spreading the gospel across the room, across the yard, across the street, across town, across our state and nation and around the world.

07/30/21 Parables of Jesus #6 — The Mustard Seed (Mat.13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19)

Matthew 13:31-32 (ESV) 31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

13:32 “a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches”: Palestinian mustard plants are large shrubs, sometimes up to 15 ft. high—certainly large enough for birds to lodge in. This is undoubtedly a reference to several OT passages, including Eze 17:23; 31:6; Da 4:21—passages which prophesied the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom… The tree represents the sphere of salvation, which would grow so large that it would provide shelter, protection, and benefit to people. Even unbelievers have been blessed by association with the gospel and the power of God in salvation. Christians have been a benediction to the world. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

God has always intended that His kingdom, His influence would expand as believers model godly living and tell their acquaintances the Good News of Jesus. Let’s make sure we believers are doing our part!

07/26/21 Parables of Jesus #5 — New Wine in Old Wineskins (Mat.9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38)

Luke 5:37-39 (ESV) 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”

Mat.9:17 “new wine into old wineskins”: Animal skins were used for fermentation of wine because of their elasticity. As the wine fermented, pressure built up, stretching the wineskin. A previously stretched skin lacked elasticity and would rupture, ruining both wine and wineskin. Jesus used this as an illustration to teach that THE FORMS OF OLD RITUALS, SUCH AS THE CEREMONIAL FASTINGS PRACTICED BY THE PHARISEES AND JOHN'S DISCIPLES, WERE NOT FIT FOR THE NEW WINE OF THE NEW COVENANT ERA (cf. Col 2:17). In both analogies, the Lord was saying that what the Pharisees did in fasting or any other ritual had no part with the gospel.

Luk.5:39 “The old is good”: Those who had acquired a taste for Old Covenant ceremonies and Pharisaic traditions were loath to give them up for the new wine of Jesus' teaching. Luke alone adds this saying. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

It IS true that old wine is better than new wine, I’m told. BUT this is NOT true of old, stale, sterile religious rituals compared to the Abundant Life that Jesus offers!

07/23/21 Parables of Jesus #4 — New Patch on Old Garment (Mat:9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)

Luke 5:36 (ESV) He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old…”

Mat.9:16 “new garment… on an old garment”: That NEW CLOTH DOES NOT WORK ON OLD MATERIAL is ANALOGOUS to trying to PATCH NEW COVENANT TRUTH ONTO OLD MOSAIC CEREMONIAL FORMS. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Growing up, my two brothers and I went through jeans “like they were going out of style.” By the time our brand-new jeans were a day or two old, they already had holes in one or both knees. And we learned the hard way that if Mom tried to put a brand-new stick-on patch over one of the holes, it wouldn’t be long before the hole was much larger and we had to throw those jeans away.

When God saves a person, He performs a divine miraculous Extreme Makeover. There is NO patching up or cleaning up that person. The hell-bound sinner is replaced with a brand-new creature (2Co.5:17)—a heaven-bound saint, a faithful believer and diligent, committed disciple of Jesus Christ. Is that what has happened to YOU? I pray it is!

07/16/21 Parables of Jesus #2 — Lamp Under a Basket (Mat.5:14-16; Mark 4:21-22; Luke 8:16-17; 11:33-36)

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

A godly life gives convincing testimony of the saving power of God. That brings Him glory [The MacArthur Study Bible]. And 1 Peter 2:12 says “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

As the children’s song says, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!” What about YOU?!

07/12/21 Parables of Jesus #1 — Salt of the Earth (Mat.5:13)

Matthew 5:13 (ESV) “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

Salt is both a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Pure salt cannot lose its flavor or effectiveness, but the salt that is common in the Dead Sea area is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals and may have a flat taste or be ineffective as a preservative. Such mineral salts were useful for little more than keeping footpaths free of vegetation. [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Like salt, Jesus expects us, His disciples to be pure, both in our beliefs and our behavior. When we are faithful, our words and our actions are more effective in demonstrating the power of the Gospel to a lost and dying world… not to mention our crumbling culture.

07/09/21 MY TESTIMONY #4: FRIDAY MORNING! — Almost immediately after breakfast I got into a tussle with one of my younger brothers. Mom sent me to my room. About 50 minutes later I glanced at the clock. I prayed, “Hey, God! I haven’t sinned in almost 1 whole hour!”

Then it occurred to me that if either of my little brothers dared to enter my room I would attack them again. I asked God to remind me of all the Bible verses I had memorized over the years. All of a sudden, they began to make sense to me—they actually applied to ME!

I realized that I was a hopeless sinner. There was NO WAY FOR ME TO BE GOOD ENOUGH to satisfy God’s high standards. I cried out to Him, “I know I’m a hell-bound sinner and there’s nothing I can do about it. But, God, somehow You allowed the death of Your Son Jesus to pay for my sins if I would just surrender my life to Him. He’s my Only Hope! Please take away my guilt and make me a brand-new person; save me right now!”

Instantly it felt as if there had been a dump-truck load of guilt on my chest, but Someone had removed it. I shouted, “Thank You, Lord!” and ran to tell my Mom. She seemed to believe me and cried tears of joy.

That very next Sunday, at the end of his sermon, my pastor challenged us. He said he was certain there were folks there who needed to do business with God. He urged us not to wait even for the first chorus of the invitation hymn, but to RUN down to the front on the very first note and grab his hand. So I took him at his word and nearly knocked him down! As I blabbered away trying to explain what had happened to me, he told the rest of the people that he was pretty sure I had been saved! And he was right! Praise the Lord!

07/05/21 MY TESTIMONY #3: Trying Hard to Eliminate Sin — After a fitful Sunday night of almost no sleep, I asked my mom for one of her little “Blue Horse” spiral-bound notebooks. I told her my plan was to write down the day, time an a description of every sin I committed. I figured that by later on that week, the entries would be fewer and fewer and less and less serious until Thursday or Friday, when I would have successfully eliminated sin from my life entirely.

Fast forward…  By Wednesday afternoon I was thoroughly defeated—the notebook was FULL! And I still had more sins to write down, but there was no more room in it. STAY TUNED…

07/02/21 MY TESTIMONY #2: “Amazing Grace” Verse 6 (I think) — “When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we first began.”

That week, on Sunday through Thursday nights, as I lay awake, trying desperately NOT to fall asleep, the words of that verse haunted me. I was precocious in math at an early age. Back then our average lifetime was said to be 70-72 years. I figured that 10,000 divided by 70 was about 140. So 10,000 years is about 140 lifetimes, an unimaginably long time to me! The lyrics said to me that after I died I would be spending an EXTREMELY LONG time SOMEWHERE. Plus, even if I didn’t like it, I was NOT done—I could NOT leave; I had NOT used up ANY of the days of my “sentence.” And I knew the Bible said there were only two possibilities: I would either be in HEAVEN, an indescribably wonderful place, or HELL, an indescribably awful place.

I was frantic to find out if there was some way I could be sure I would spend those years in HEAVEN. I figured that my many SINS were what would be keeping me out of heaven and imprisoned in hell. In my youthful immaturity I determined to eliminate ALL sins from my life! STAY TUNED…

06/28/21 MY TESTIMONY #1: The CHILDREN’S BEDTIME PRAYER — “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.”

Years ago in a seminary theology class I was required to come up with a few of my own “catechisms.” The prayer above came to mind. Every time I think of it I’m reminded of a special fall week way back when I was eight and a half years old.

My parents were charter members of a church mission plant; my mother was the church secretary. I guess I had literally been at church “every time the doors were open” (and often when they were not) since nine months before I was born. I had won nearly every prize in sight for perfect Sunday School attendance, Bible verse memorization and so on. But one Sunday, after an otherwise perfectly normal Sunday morning worship service, I felt absolutely terrified. Suddenly it occurred to me that all those memory verses applied to me. And all those “impressive” achievements would not deliver me one inch or one second out of hell.

For the next four nights I tried my very best not to go to sleep. As the little prayer said, I knew exactly where the Lord would take my soul if I died before I awakened. STAY TUNED…

06/25/21 CHILDREN’S BLESSING — “God is great; God is good. And we thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.”

Years ago our pastor came to dinner at our home. One of our elementary-aged sons had just been baptized. I asked him to say the blessing before we ate. I was surprised when he prayed the familiar children’s blessing above. At the time I was even a little embarrassed—I had thought he was a little more mature than that.

Fast forward a few years. In a seminary theology class I was required to come up with a few of my own “catechisms.” I immediately thought of that blessing. Each of its segments has abundant support in God’s Word:

Psalm 70:4 (ESV) May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”

Psalm 119:68 (ESV) You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

Psalm 81:10 (ESV) I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Luke 11:3 (ESV) Give us each day our daily bread… (also Matthew 6:11)

PRAISE THE LORD for this familiar blessing, so simple young children can recite and understand it!

06/21/21 FAMINE OF HEARING GOD’S WORD — In Amos 8:11-12 (CSB) the prophet says “Look, the days are coming— this is the declaration of the Lord God— when I will send a famine through the land: not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. 12 People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east seeking the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.”

Tune in to the daily news on your favorite TV channel, Facebook account, or whatever. OR randomly choose a religious broadcast on a religious network. Odds are you will hear a bunch of nonsense that absolutely contradicts everything the Bible says about that subject. There is definitely a “famine… of hearing the words of the Lord” in our culture right now. But are people still desperately “seeking the word of the Lord” I WISH they were, but I’m NOT so sure! 

06/18/21 SIGNS OF THE TIMES #1: NO OUTLET — OK, I admit it. Years ago when I saw that sign I thought, “How’s that different from ‘DEAD END’?” Maybe it means something like this: No matter how far you follow this road, the ONLY HOPE you have to get off it is to TURN AROUND and choose a different path! Luke 13:3 (ESV) No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (same as v.5). And Acts 3:19 (ESV) Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out

If you’re living WITHOUT Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please note the “NO OUTLET” sign. Your ONLY HOPE is to REPENT—TURN AROUND… REPENT!

06/14/21 SEVEN ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER #7 — Essential #7—GIVE GOD THE PRAISE

Matthew 6:13b (NASB) For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” [NOT in ALL early manuscripts]

PRIVATE PRAISE will prepare you for PUBLIC LIVING. ALWAYS end your prayer with praise (Psa.28:6-7; 52:9; 103:1-2)!

06/11/21 SEVEN ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER #6 — Essential #6—DELIVERANCE FROM SATAN’S INFLUENCE

Matthew 6:13a (ESV) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

1. “lead us not into temptation” — We should be praying that we can escape situations and circumstances that would tempt us to sin.

“deliver us from evil” (or the Evil One) — We need to pray for VICTORY over the Devil (Mat.13:19; 1Jo.2:13-14; Luk.22:31-32). 

06/07/21 SEVEN ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER #5 — Essential #5 — CONFESSION OF OUR SIN

Matthew 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Our offense against God no doubt is to considered a debt that is owed, but we have no way to pay. We are totally dependent on the forgiveness of God.

1. There must be daily confession of our sin to God—NAME THEM. Agree with God about your sin (1Jo.1:8).

2. There must be faith to believe that the Lord is willing to instantly forgive our sin when we are READY to confess and forsake our offenses.

3. Our own forgiveness is dependent on our willingness to forgive others who offend us (Mat.6:14-15).