“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
“Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth.” (Elisabeth Elliot)
“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” (Corrie Ten Boom)
“God warms His hands at man’s heart when he prays.” (John Masefield)
“God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil....” (E.M. Bounds)
“There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” (D.A.T. Pierson)
“To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.” (Billy Graham)
“Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God.” (Oswald Chambers)
Every day is a great day to pray, but the first Thursday in May has been designated by Congress and the President as the “National Day of Prayer.” A number of prayer-focused events are planned throughout the land, including here in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Wherever you are on Thursday, I hope you’ll take time out to join with others and celebrate our freedom to seek God’s face on this special day of prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you that as those who seek you will cry out in prayer, you are faithful to hear us, and to meet our needs in accordance with your good, pleasing and perfect will. Receive the honor and glory due your name, not only on May 1, but every day, we pray. Amen.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
'I Want To Run For Papa'
A 1st-grader’s love for his grandfather shines through in the kids’ marathon
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:1-2a)
“Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ ” (Luke 18:16)
Nathan Jacobs, who will turn 7 on April 23, is excited about his birthday. But he’s also stoked about what will happen two days later, when he runs the last of his 26.2 miles in the YMCA Country Music Kids Marathon as a dedication to his grandfather, “Papa,” who was seriously injured last year and lost the use of his legs.
Nathan, a 1st grader, leads the eight-member “Papa’s Team” that will join 3,100 other boys and girls to complete their final mile on the evening of Friday, April 25.
Papa’s Team is running for Nathan’s grandfather, Jim Childs. On April 4, 2007, Jim fell about 250 feet over a sheer embankment. Before the accident, he was a successful pathologist, director of a lab for 30 years, extremely active in his community and his church. He had biked more than 1,000 miles a year. Now, Jim is a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, still receiving extensive therapy.
When the gym teacher at Nathan’s school sent out an announcement about the kids’ marathon, Nathan’s mom, Lynn, explained to Nathan what a marathon was. “He was very excited about the idea as he loves to be physically active,” she says. Later, Nathan surprised his mom with these words: “Mom, I want to run for Papa, because he can’t run anymore.” Papa’s Team was born.
Although Jim and his wife of 30+ years, Rose Anne, live near Pittsburgh, Nathan and his Papa “have always had a very special bond,” Lynn says. “We moved to Nashville when my son was two, and up until that point he saw my dad on a daily basis, even accompanying him to work. The accident has been very hard for him; it is extremely hard for him to see Papa in chair. He desperately wants Papa to be able to play with him again. It is very touching to see him and his Papa together now.
“Nathan prays for him every night, ‘Please God, help Papa to walk again.’ ”
Father in Heaven, we join Nathan in praying for his Papa, for your healing, comfort and strength. And we thank you for the inspiring example of this 1st grader who reminds us what it means to love, to hope, to approach You in childlike faith, and to run the race set before us with passion and dedication. Amen.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:1-2a)
“Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ ” (Luke 18:16)
Nathan Jacobs, who will turn 7 on April 23, is excited about his birthday. But he’s also stoked about what will happen two days later, when he runs the last of his 26.2 miles in the YMCA Country Music Kids Marathon as a dedication to his grandfather, “Papa,” who was seriously injured last year and lost the use of his legs.
Nathan, a 1st grader, leads the eight-member “Papa’s Team” that will join 3,100 other boys and girls to complete their final mile on the evening of Friday, April 25.
Papa’s Team is running for Nathan’s grandfather, Jim Childs. On April 4, 2007, Jim fell about 250 feet over a sheer embankment. Before the accident, he was a successful pathologist, director of a lab for 30 years, extremely active in his community and his church. He had biked more than 1,000 miles a year. Now, Jim is a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, still receiving extensive therapy.
When the gym teacher at Nathan’s school sent out an announcement about the kids’ marathon, Nathan’s mom, Lynn, explained to Nathan what a marathon was. “He was very excited about the idea as he loves to be physically active,” she says. Later, Nathan surprised his mom with these words: “Mom, I want to run for Papa, because he can’t run anymore.” Papa’s Team was born.
Although Jim and his wife of 30+ years, Rose Anne, live near Pittsburgh, Nathan and his Papa “have always had a very special bond,” Lynn says. “We moved to Nashville when my son was two, and up until that point he saw my dad on a daily basis, even accompanying him to work. The accident has been very hard for him; it is extremely hard for him to see Papa in chair. He desperately wants Papa to be able to play with him again. It is very touching to see him and his Papa together now.
“Nathan prays for him every night, ‘Please God, help Papa to walk again.’ ”
Father in Heaven, we join Nathan in praying for his Papa, for your healing, comfort and strength. And we thank you for the inspiring example of this 1st grader who reminds us what it means to love, to hope, to approach You in childlike faith, and to run the race set before us with passion and dedication. Amen.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Always In Season
“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2, emphasis added)
“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9, emphasis added)
It’s warm, then it cools off, then it’s hot, then the wind howls, then it sleets, then it nearly frosts, but the heat is coming back any day now. The weather in Middle Tennessee has been slightly unpredictable lately. Signs of a beautiful spring are bursting out all around us, but we seem to be lurching toward it. In our daily discernment about what to wear and carry (sweater? shorts? slicker? sunscreen?) we find a reminder of a timeless spiritual truth: No matter what season we find ourselves in, there is One who is faithful to meet us and sustain us within it. In the seeming unpredictability of day-to-day circumstances, the Lord we encounter in the Scriptures remains constant, abiding, loving, just, merciful and forgiving. He is our “hiding place,” our “very present help,” our “rock and refuge.” Whether it rains, snows, thunders or gusts tomorrow, He will be with us, ever faithful.
Our Father in heaven, you are faithful in every season. Thank you for calling and equipping us to bear good fruit “in season and out of season” as we stay close to you, and as we open our eyes, ears and hearts to receive your timeless wisdom. Amen.
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2, emphasis added)
“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9, emphasis added)
It’s warm, then it cools off, then it’s hot, then the wind howls, then it sleets, then it nearly frosts, but the heat is coming back any day now. The weather in Middle Tennessee has been slightly unpredictable lately. Signs of a beautiful spring are bursting out all around us, but we seem to be lurching toward it. In our daily discernment about what to wear and carry (sweater? shorts? slicker? sunscreen?) we find a reminder of a timeless spiritual truth: No matter what season we find ourselves in, there is One who is faithful to meet us and sustain us within it. In the seeming unpredictability of day-to-day circumstances, the Lord we encounter in the Scriptures remains constant, abiding, loving, just, merciful and forgiving. He is our “hiding place,” our “very present help,” our “rock and refuge.” Whether it rains, snows, thunders or gusts tomorrow, He will be with us, ever faithful.
Our Father in heaven, you are faithful in every season. Thank you for calling and equipping us to bear good fruit “in season and out of season” as we stay close to you, and as we open our eyes, ears and hearts to receive your timeless wisdom. Amen.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Three Inspiring Ladies
“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16:31)
Today’s message is dedicated to my grandmother, Lexsy Sowell Jones, who turned 90 yesterday; to Ethel Hodge, Middle Tennessee’s oldest YMCA member, who turned 99 on March 14; and to the memory of Margaret Geraleen Read, who stepped from time into eternity last week at the age of 82.
An article in today’s Tennessean spotlights Ms. Hodge, who exercises weekly at the Brentwood Y. (Her granddaughter, Cathy Smith, is associate executive at the Bellevue Y.) Ethel credits good genes and faith in the Lord with sustaining her. My Granny Jones also stays active and faith-filled. She lives alone, works in her garden and cuts the grass in her large yard (although she cheats by using a riding mower). I had the joy of visiting her this weekend in rural South Carolina and joining our extended family to pray birthday blessings over her. Ms. Read, the grandmother of Y colleague David Read, lived a life abounding with faith in Christ, love and friendship. She went forth in the peace of knowing that the glorious embrace of her Savior awaited, and she leaves a profound legacy to her family and to all who would follow her example.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’ ” (Psalm 92:12-15)
“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Heavenly Father and Caring Lord, we thank you that in your great love and wisdom, “all the days ordained for us were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). We bless you, praise you, and offer gratitude to you for the gift of each moment of life, and for the loved ones, young and “old,” who make them so meaningful. And we pray your tender comfort to the Read family. Amen.
Today’s message is dedicated to my grandmother, Lexsy Sowell Jones, who turned 90 yesterday; to Ethel Hodge, Middle Tennessee’s oldest YMCA member, who turned 99 on March 14; and to the memory of Margaret Geraleen Read, who stepped from time into eternity last week at the age of 82.
An article in today’s Tennessean spotlights Ms. Hodge, who exercises weekly at the Brentwood Y. (Her granddaughter, Cathy Smith, is associate executive at the Bellevue Y.) Ethel credits good genes and faith in the Lord with sustaining her. My Granny Jones also stays active and faith-filled. She lives alone, works in her garden and cuts the grass in her large yard (although she cheats by using a riding mower). I had the joy of visiting her this weekend in rural South Carolina and joining our extended family to pray birthday blessings over her. Ms. Read, the grandmother of Y colleague David Read, lived a life abounding with faith in Christ, love and friendship. She went forth in the peace of knowing that the glorious embrace of her Savior awaited, and she leaves a profound legacy to her family and to all who would follow her example.
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’ ” (Psalm 92:12-15)
“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Heavenly Father and Caring Lord, we thank you that in your great love and wisdom, “all the days ordained for us were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). We bless you, praise you, and offer gratitude to you for the gift of each moment of life, and for the loved ones, young and “old,” who make them so meaningful. And we pray your tender comfort to the Read family. Amen.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Spring Rains
"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone." (Zechariah 10:1)
"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us...like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:2)
"He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Acts 17:14)
"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)
The rain that fell most of the weekend dampened some of our outdoor plans, and yet we know that we desperately needed it. Today's verses remind us of the great gift and blessing of these spring showers. They are part of the Lord's goodness and provision to us. They also serve as a metaphor for the process of spiritual growth. James urged his readers to "establish your hearts," and we do that by preparing our "soil" with good seed and rich nutrients-the seed of Scripture, the nutrients of prayer and study and praise and thanksgiving. As we make these preparations, we also wait patiently, like the farmer, for the rains that God is faithful to provide in His perfect timing, leading to an abundant harvest of growth and fruitfulness in our lives.
Thank you, O God, for spring rains, and for how they remind us of your truth, goodness and faithfulness. Amen.
"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us...like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:2)
"He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Acts 17:14)
"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)
The rain that fell most of the weekend dampened some of our outdoor plans, and yet we know that we desperately needed it. Today's verses remind us of the great gift and blessing of these spring showers. They are part of the Lord's goodness and provision to us. They also serve as a metaphor for the process of spiritual growth. James urged his readers to "establish your hearts," and we do that by preparing our "soil" with good seed and rich nutrients-the seed of Scripture, the nutrients of prayer and study and praise and thanksgiving. As we make these preparations, we also wait patiently, like the farmer, for the rains that God is faithful to provide in His perfect timing, leading to an abundant harvest of growth and fruitfulness in our lives.
Thank you, O God, for spring rains, and for how they remind us of your truth, goodness and faithfulness. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)