Prayer

Here's a prayer opportunity I heard about recently.  Even if you aren't a pastor or lay leader in your church, consider praying through your church's directory every week (or two weeks, etc. depending on the size of your church).  I think the time and commitment it takes to pray for the people in your church will draw you closer to God, as you ask him to work in their lives.  Moreover, I think this prayer 'task' will also bring you into further fellowship and communion with your church family.  Praying for people has a miraculous way of getting you to take a deeper interest in them!

A Good Measure

Key verses
Philippians 4:4-7 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Luke
Luke 6:38 is another clear example of generosity.  "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  Jesus said that.  Doesn't it sound great?  And the idea of giving abundantly sounds wonderful.  God just needs to help loosen the grip we have on our time and money, doesn't he?

Just a side note on Luke 6:39, where Jesus talks about how a blind man can't lead another blind man.  Every time I hear that phrase, I think of John Kenneth Galbraith's line in his book The Affluent Society: "The bland leading the bland" (p. 4).  I'm not too certain if we should be drawing links between the two meanings, but it is an interesting use of the phrase.

Praying in lonely places

Key verse
Philippians 1:21 -  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Luke
One verse that struck me in today's reading was Luke 5:16 - "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."  I thought of that story in another gospel where the disciples were trying to heal a boy who was demon-possessed, but they couldn't.  Then Jesus came and healed the boy, and told his disciples "This kind can only come out by prayer."  Jesus had simply rebuked the evil spirit, and it came out.  But I believe the reason he was successful whereas his disciples weren't was because he spent a lot of time in prayer, as we can see in Luke 5:16.  Jesus was always on the 'same page' as his Father.  He knew what was going on in the spiritual world.  The disciples weren't at the same level of communion with God at that point, and so could not rebuke demons as easily as Jesus could.
I think we should follow in Jesus's example here.  How often do you pray, and how often do you do it in quiet places where you can focus?  I know I should be praying more.  Let's work on that!

Pray it like you mean it

Ephesians
What a powerful prayer!  Paul prayed for the Ephesians (in Eph. 1:15-19): "For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

When I read this, I thought, wow, this prayer actually has some power behind it!  So, consider for yourself, as I also plan to do, who can you pray this prayer for?

Clearing out the temple

Mark
Jesus wasn't just concerned about clearing out the moneychangers and livestock market from the temple.  The temple area where these people were conducting business was meant to be the court of the Gentiles, the place where Gentiles could come and worship God.  They couldn't move any farther into the temple, but they could come to this outer court to worship and pray.  When the place was full of animals and people trying to do business, the hubbub was so loud that others could hardly think, let alone try and pray to God.  When Jesus cleared out the temple (Mark 11), he said "My house is a house of prayer for all nations."  He wanted all people to be able to come and worship God, not just the Jews.  God is available for all of us!

A solitary place

Mark 1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Finding time to pray and rest, and just reflect is so important.  Even though it may seem like we don't have the time to spend to do this, if you do it, you'll end up maximizing your time because you'll be able to think through what's important in your life.  Instead of reacting to various situations or feelings, you'll be able to plan what you want to accomplish, put it in God's hands, and then actually be able to accomplish it.  Try taking five minutes a day (or more if you can) and spend it in quietness and prayer, seeking God's will and planning for your week.  It may make a big difference in your life!

Faithful in Prayer

If there's one thing I feel I could do better in, it's prayer.  Romans 12:12 says "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer."  As I just typed that out, I realized being patient in affliction could use some work in my life as well.  In making friends out of enemies, you'll need both of these things in good measure.  Today, practice patience, and while you're being patient (or trying to be), pray!

The silver cup and prayer

Genesis
In reading chapter 44, we see that Joseph had his steward put his special silver cup in Benjamin's bag of grain.  It would be interesting to know what the steward was thinking at this point.  The previous trip that Joseph's brothers had made was already out of the norm, since their money had been returned to them.  This time, would the steward recall that incident and simply take this new action in stride, chalking it up to some strange eccentricity of Joseph?  Perhaps he wouldn't give it a second thought anyway, since it wasn't his place to question his master.  Still, he knew where the silver cup was, and yet he made a show of searching through all the bags, from oldest to youngest, before finally pulling it out.  The steward doesn't really play an important role in this story of God's will coming to fruition, but it would have been neat to be there to see this play out.

Acts
As I was reading Acts 12, the story of Peter's miraculous escape from prison, I was reminded of that lesson about the power of prayer.  Acts 12:5 says that the church was praying for Peter's release from prison.  Lo and behold, he does get released one night during an angelic visit.  He goes to the house of Mary, where a number of Christians were gathered and praying, and when Rhoda answered the door, saw Peter, and exclaimed over who it was, no one believed her.  They didn't realize that their prayers were going to make a difference.
A similar story on prayer recounts a tale of a country church who decided to hold a prayer meeting to ask God for rain to end the drought, as they relied on farming for their livelihood.  Well, all of them show up to the prayer meeting, but only one little old lady brings an umbrella.  All the rest of the people are surprised and ask why she had bothered bringing it, since it wasn't raining.  Well, she actually believed it was going to rain!
Why bother praying if you don't even believe that God might make your prayer happen?  Further still, you should believe that God will answer your prayers, because he does listen to the cries of his children.  There is a lot more that could be said on prayer, but I'll leave it at that.

Prayer

Matthew
Prayer.  I think prayer is often misunderstood; I myself am still learning all that prayer can be and do.  The term 'prayer' seems so formal, but the action should be more conversational.  How else can we get to know God as friend, father, and helper, if we're too formal to get past the "Oh gracious heavenly father from the utmost realms above."?  I never talk to my friends like that, unless I were joking around.  We've got to bare our hearts to God, no matter what shape we're in or emotion we're feeling, not babbling like the pagans trying to fill up space, but knowing that whatever we say, whether short or long, God hears it and listens.   That kind of prayer can be unceasing, as we share our thoughts and feelings with God throughout the day, whatever we're doing.

The Lord speaks

I don't have much to say on today's readings.  However, it was interesting to read today's chapter of Job (ch. 38).  This is the chapter where God speaks to Job. "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?"  Those are hefty words.  Thankfully, we can come before God and make known our requests and complaints through Jesus, and we can have the confidence that God hears us and will respond, provided we come in a humble and contrite spirit.
In this chapter, since Job so proudly argued that he had done no wrong, God had to come and set the record straight.  It's really impressive to read God's account of creation.  Here is a short selection from Job 38:

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!  Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set,

or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?"

*I must also admit that I have found an error in my reading plan.  Apparently, December 15-20 and the 24th do not exist, as they were not in the plan.  So, the numbering of the plan will be off by a few days as of tomorrow because I am still going to do the readings listed, they will just be off by a few days.  At some point, I will get around to fixing the electronic copy.

Faithful in prayer

Daniel is a great example in persevering in the truth and holding fast to what you know to be the right thing to do.  Today, and this week, recall his faithfulness of prayer to God and, even with the threat of painful death.  I, for one, can be more active in conversing with God.  He clearly understood the importance of such an action, as he prayed even when the king made it against the law.  His example brings to life what Paul wrote in Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Prayer

Key verses
Ecclesiastes 5:2 - God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

John 2:19 - Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

Ecclesiastes
Solomon's statement in 5:2 remind me of Jesus' own words when he was teaching others how to pray.  We should not babble on 'like the pagans', taking pride in our eloquence, but rather come humbly before God, knowing that he already knows and understands what you haven't completely thought out for yourself yet.  Yet another likeness to the New Testament are the phrases on vows, which are like oaths.  If we vow by God that we will do something, and then don't do it, we don't give God the honour he deserves.

Jeremiah
Jeremiah sure was a persevering individual!  He even prayed for the people of Judah even though God told him not to bother, because destruction was going to come (see 14:11).

Prayer works

Key verses

Hebrews 4:7 (b) - Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Proverbs 21:16 - "A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead." (A call to keep reading and thinking!)

Isaiah

Isaiah 14:27 says "For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?"  To that, I say, the prayers of his people can turn it back.  For example, see Abraham's conversation with God concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot, Abraham's nephew, lived.  Abraham managed to get God to agree to not destroy the cities if there were 10 righteous people present, and he whittled that down from 50.  So our persistent cries to God can change his mind.  Prayer is powerful!

Hebrews

If life seems to be too much for you, take heart.  Jesus will provide us with a rest greater than Sunday (or the weekend), or even of entering into a paradise here on earth as the Israelites did under Joshua.  Is this truly what this passage is talking about, or is it just talking about how, even though Christ has come, we still have the observance of the "Sabbath"?  I think it does seem to speak to more than just the one day a week, but the language structure to me is a little convoluted.

Luke

Isnt' it amazing?  Jesus knows exactly what you need!  Don't be afraid to ask for it.