Tag Archives: MercyMe

Peace With God

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Romans 5:1, NLT*

No wonder one of Jesus’ names is Prince of Peace. What a gift!

Peace with God means:

  • We don’t have to be afraid of God seeing us or discovering what we’ve done wrong. We’ve been forgiven and can be forgiven again when we mess up.
  • We can come to Him confidently with our needs and concerns… and mostly just come to be with Him.
  • We can thrive and grow because we’re no longer cut off from God.
  • Now we know that God loves us.
  • Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, and will “fill our hearts with His love.” (Romans 5:5, NLT)
  • We have a better perspective on the present: our circumstances are opportunities for growth. (Romans 5:2)
  • We have confident hope of eternal life.

It means even more than that… feel free to add your observations in the comments below.

Holy and righteous God, we could never make peace with You ourselves. We could never make ourselves right in Your eyes. We thank and praise You for giving us faith to believe in You and to receive the gift of salvation that Jesus bought for us. Help us to mature in our faith and to live for Your glory.

Let MercyMe‘s song, “God With Us,” be our prayer today.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Long View

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
Philippians 1:9, NLT*

This prayer is Paul’s deepest longing for these people he loves. They’re enduring hard times, but he asks for this—not for relief from suffering, for health, protection or happiness. In verse 6, he expresses confidence that God will use even these hard times to complete what He has started in them.

He’s praying they’ll hold firm for their lifetimes, or until Christ’s return. Whichever comes first. (Phil.1:10) Either way, Paul is taking the long view. And the highest thing he can ask for these believers whom he loves is that they’ll bring much glory and praise to God. (Phil.1:11)

For ourselves, and for our loved ones, it’s so easy to be distracted by the circumstances. To beg for relief. Rescue.

I’m not suggesting those desires are wrong, but I’m challenged to look at both the immediate need and the bigger picture. To pour out my heart while remembering Jesus’ prayer, “Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done.” To pray, “Use this.” And in praying for help, to include the emotional and spiritual with the physical. To pray for love, encouragement. Hope. Endurance. Remembering that the ultimate goal is growth for us and glory for Him.

Mighty and loving God, we know that when Your glory is revealed it means people will see Your character and will be drawn to You. Help us be willing to endure hard times if that’s what’s needed for others to see Your goodness in how You sustain us. Help us not to be too quick to rescue others, if You might have a lesson for them in their struggles. Show us how to be Your hands and feet, Your voice of encouragement. Grow us in faith and trust, for the long view.

MercyMe‘s song, “Bring the Rain,” sounds like something Paul would have sung. May the Lord grow this surrendered attitude in our spirits. For His glory, and for our peace.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Trouble or Opportunity?

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:2-3, NLT*

If we were to read this aloud, most of us would probably emphasize the word “troubles” as the strong word. I think James begins his letter this way to restore perspective:

Away from troubles and onto opportunity, joy, faith, chance, grow.

He’s not telling his readers anything new. He says they already know it. We do too. But we get focussing on our troubles and we forget.

We want to solve our problems, avoid the pain, steer out of the storm into safe harbour. James reminds us that the trouble, whatever its source, can be an opportunity for God to grow us.

Trouble as a test of faith isn’t about do we pass or fail, do we have faith or not. James is writing to people who believe in Jesus. The test is to determine and reveal the quality and strength of our faith, not to disqualify us but to grow us.

I think of it in terms of spiritual exercise. The more we use our “faith muscles” the stronger they become, and the more coordination and balance we develop.

Father God, here is where we find the joy James talks about: growth and maturity in our faith. When we rely on You more than on ourselves, it draws us nearer to You and lets us experience more of Your strength in our lives. Thank You for Your grace and mercy to us and for Your loving presence that never leaves us.

Our song this week is MercyMe‘s “Bring the Rain“.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Committed to God

I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord,
who serve him and love his name,
who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest,
and who hold fast to my covenant.
Isaiah 56:6, NLT*

Have we committed ourselves to God—bound ourselves to Him, in some translations?

We did at the moment of our salvation, but do we remember it and live it as strongly as we’d intended?

Committed to God: to belong to Him and to rely on His protection and grace.

Serving God: not to please ourselves, not to please others.

Loving His name: loving who He is, loving and proclaiming His character and reputation.

Worshipping Him: honouring, praising, obeying Him as God alone; keeping our minds and hearts fixed on Him.

Not desecrating the Sabbath: embracing and receiving the rest He gives. (For those who see the New Testament Sabbath rest as more than observing one day as holy, as a daily and ongoing rest, this is even more profound.)

Holding fast to His covenant (His new covenant, as established by the shed blood of Jesus): clinging to our salvation and walking in His light.

God who is worthy of worship and praise, God who saves us and changes us from foreigners to adopted daughters and sons, help us to fully commit ourselves to You. Help us serve and love You, worship You and live to Your glory. Help us live like the people You’ve called us to be, and keep our hearts fixed on You.

Let MercyMe’s song, “In You,” be our prayer today.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Listen to Jesus

While [Peter] was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
Luke 9:34-36*

“Listen to Him.”

I’ve always heard this in my mind with the emphasis on listen, because Peter had been babbling. In a recent sermon on these verses, I heard the emphasis on “Him,” spoken in an encouraging tone.

To me, it meant “Listen to Jesus. You can trust Him,” and “Out of all the competing voices, focus on His and He will lead you safely through.”

Yes, we need to be quiet so we don’t miss what He says, but isn’t it wonderful to be assured that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows the way and is fully trustworthy? That quiets a lot of the tension inside.

Father, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for saving us and for not leaving us helpless and alone. Help us to trust in You with all our hearts and not to rely on our own perspective. Teach us how to acknowledge You in everything and to trust You with our paths.

Let this week’s song be our prayer: “Word of God, Speak,” from MercyMe.

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Approaching God

In him [Christ Jesus our Lord] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Ephesians 3:12, NIV*

I can’t wrap my mind around how God can dwell in each of His followers, while sustaining the universe, while seated on the Throne in heaven. It’s all part of His infinitude, and I suppose if we could reduce Him to what we could fully describe and figure out, He wouldn’t be much of a God. He’d be on our level.

Somehow, He’s one God but three Persons, and He’s everywhere. And I worship Him because of who He is and how He loves us.

God on His Throne is a frequent image in the Bible, and that’s what I think of in this passage from Ephesians. It reminds me of the story of Esther and King Xerxes, where to approach the king in his throne room was to risk death – if your uninvited presence didn’t please him, if he didn’t hold out his sceptre in welcome, that was your fate by law. (Esther 4:11)

I picture myself – any of us – without Jesus, standing in the doorway to the Father’s throne room: filthy and matted with sin and failure, broken and bruised by self and by others… not an attractive sight for a God who is perfectly holy and is offended by the mess that clings to me. Would He hold out a welcoming sceptre? Because of His holy and just nature, He couldn’t.

But I come to Him in faith, because Jesus made a way. Jesus washed and healed me, and put clean clothes on me. When I stand in the throne room doorway, God the Father sees me in His Son, and He welcomes me with delight.

Holy, majestic and righteous God, there aren’t words to thank You for Your grace and mercy given through Your Son Jesus Christ. Please fill our spirits with awe and wonder, and help us to love and worship You. Help us to radiate the joy of Your presence.

Let the words of “God With Us” from MercyMe be our prayer:

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Esther%204:11&version=NIV

Included in Christ

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14, NIV*

Too many times we live life on edge, with a low-level anxiety that we’ll be disqualified or rejected. We’re trying so hard, but what if something we say or do – or don’t do – puts up a barrier with our loved ones or with those we respect?

Sometimes we don’t even know this theme is playing in our mental soundtracks until we wonder why we’re tense. It’s something I’m working to recognize and to let God change in my own life, and this is the sort of Scripture passage that can help.

Look at what the Apostle Paul says in these verses: we are included in Christ – we belong – it’s guaranteed by God’s own Holy Spirit. Jesus knew both our best and our worst when He rescued us, and His promise is forever. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Father, forgive us when we get hung up on pleasing people and we give their opinions too much power over our lives. Thank You for saving us… for choosing us and loving us. Thank You for including us in Christ. Please help us remember this truth, to the praise of Your glory.

One of my favourite songs by the group MercyMe is “Spoken For.” Let these words minister to you today.

*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.