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.