Paul Miller - A Praying Life - The 1st Idea

Praying in Jesus' Name...

     Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king.

You have become your prayer.

As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: "I want to see the king."

Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word: "Jesus. I come in the name of Jesus."

At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on and the door flies open.

You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.

The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through.

Jesus isn't just the Savior of my soul. Jesus is the Savior of my prayers.

               - Paul Miller, A Praying Life


The palace guards bow to me...

          The Father runs toward me and wraps me
              in His arms....

It's truly Amazing Grace.

                                                       ~~~~

     Let us then approach with confidence the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

- Hebrews 4:16

How Do We Build Unity?

 

Ephesians 4:3 tells us, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace."

Jesus prayed, on His last night on earth, "My prayer is not for them [His apostles] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message [that's us], that all of them may be one...that they may be brought into complete unity." (John 17)

Nowhere in Scripture are we told to "build unity." We are told to keep unity, guard it, preserve it.

We don't create unity - we are to protect it!

God, through His Son, has already done all the work to establish unity. We are to maintain it!

We are to "Make every effort to keep the unity".

How do we do that?

In our love for each other. 

When we disagree....we do it in love!

According to 1 Corinthians 13 --  "Love suffers long and is kind, does not envy, does not parade itself [parades others], is not rude, endures all things...never fails.

Jesus told us, "All men will know you are My disciples if you love one another."

That's how we keep our unity!

Where Did the Scientist Find the Theologian?

 

                  Where Did the Scientist Find the Theologian?

Robert Jastrow was a well-known and influential astronomer and physicist. He was the founder and director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and a self-described agnostic. He died in 2008. Before he died he wrote this:

     "For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason,

     the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountain of

     ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls

     himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who

     have been sitting there for centuries."

 

How amazing is that?

What Do You Think About Heaven?

 

Most of our images of heaven, like most of our songs about heaven, are influenced by popular Victorian and Platonic descriptions, rather than by thoughtful, scriptural, consideration of what God is planning to do.

  Romans 8 tell us, "For the whole creation groans in travail, waiting for the redemption of the sons of God."

   Why? Because He is going to make a new creation! The ultimate purpose of God was not Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden; it was Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and all His people in a new heaven and a new earth.

   For the cross of Christ was not something that was bought into the picture to fix a problem with God's original plan. The cross was not Plan B - far from it! It was part of the original eternal plan -- that in view of man's inevitable rebellion, God prepared the solution in advance. The crucifixion of Christ and our salvation because of it, was foreordained by God from the very beginning!

Revelation 21 tells us about the coming of the new heaven and new earth. "I am making everything new...God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them...He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain...I will be their God and they will be my children..."

   And we say, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

Victory is Certain and Secure - Max Lucado

 From Max Lucado  --

"Some years ago I attended a San Antonio basketball game. It was the final game of the regular season, and it was unique because it did not matter. The Spurs had already won their division. This game had no bearing on their standing.

The game intrigued this preacher. I saw a sermon illustration waiting to happen. Christians occupy the same spot that the Spurs did.

According to the Bible, we've already won. According to prophecy, victory is secure. According to the message of grace and the death of Christ on the cross, no one can snatch us from our Father's hand.

So how do we behave in the meantime? Well, the Spurs were a good example. They were relaxed, confident, and happy. And they won the game. 

In these last days we need to show up, play hard, and be happy. After all, the victory is secure!"