God Provides The Sacrifice

PRAYER PRACTICE

CUP PRAYER: This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin, and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety, or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.

DAILY READING

Genesis 22:1-14

DEVOTION / REFLECTION 

Trusting God Above All Else
by Pastor Jeff Morlock

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven", we pray. Do you trust the Lord and his promises more than the gifts he gives, which can easily become idols? This is what is being tested in today’s reading. God has finally granted Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age, promising that though Isaac, all people would be blessed. But is Abraham’s faith in the gift or in the Giver? Several hints about God’s faithfulness here may help us answer that question for ourselves.

Hint #1: it is after a three-day journey that the Lord brings Abraham and Isaac to Mt Moriah. The "third day" reminds us that can and does raise the dead. And Moriah mean’s “to see”. Throughout the generations - through Abraham, David, Solomon, and others, an altar remained on Mt. Moriah, where sacrifices were provided for the sins of the people. Later this mountain would be known as The Temple Mount of Zion, in Jerusalem.

Hint #2: While later Levitical law condemned human sacrifice, Isaac would be the ONLY living sacrifice of any kind in the Old Testament. According to God’s command, sacrifices were first killed and drained of blood, then placed on the altar and offered up to the Lord. Isaac was bound, alive, to the wood.

Hint #3: Instead of placing the wood on the donkey, Abraham places it on Isaac, who carries the wood for his own sacrifice. The messianic parallels here are stunning. “Take your son, your only son... ” (used three times) while Abraham has another son named Ishmael. And “On this mountain the LORD will provide...”. There is ONLY ONE other living, bound sacrifice as recorded in the New Testament – Jesus!

Hint #4: Because Abraham trusted God and did not withhold his only son from the Lord, neither would the Lord withhold his only Son from Abraham, Abraham's descendants, and all nations. On that same mountain, Jesus became the perfect once-and-for-all sacrifice, through whom sins are forgiven and the kingdom comes to each of us.

Is there anything that you are holding back from the Lord? Is there anything you’re looking to or counting on more than him and his promises? Confess this in prayer, thanking him for his provision. Ask the Lord to establish his kingdom in the world and in you. Ask God to grow the fruit of faith in your life as you yield your will your will to his.

The Power of the Normal Life

By Thomas Denegre

Matthew 6:9-14

I was talking to a Latino gang leader named Carlos during a Kairos Prison Ministry weekend event at a State of Ohio Correctional Facility. By looking at his face I can tell he was in a state of wonder and puzzlement.  God will do that to a sinner who is searching for the truth.

He explained to me how he spent most of his young life in a variety of prisons. Not long-ago Carlos was released from prison and paid a visit to his girlfriend.  They got into an argument and she called the police.  When they arrived, they found a concealed gun on him.  Back to prison he went.    Now he was spending a long Kairos weekend tasting God with the most powerful men in the prison; the Kairos team. So we had this conversation

“What is going on?” Carlos asked. “I’ve never been treated like this in my life. I’m being treated so well.  What’s the deal?”

“This is called normal,” I explained.  “All your life you lived in fear and violence thinking it was normal.  Yet this is the normal life and it’s called the Kingdom of God.  It’s why we do it.  It’s why we’re here. Do you want know more about normal Carlos?”

“Yes, I do,” exclaimed Carlos.

“Do you know the Our Father’s prayer?”

“Vaguely,  I remember my mother use to pray it over me when I was little.”

“Mind, if I give you the expanded version,” I asked. He nodded his head and I proceeded with the expanded version.

As you know it starts with “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” We have a magnificent and awesome Dad.  Everything seen and unseen has been made by Him. Before you were born every day of your life was ordained in his book as written in Psalm 139:16. Like the father of the prodigal son, our Dad has been watching you with a keen eye. He dreamed of you before you were born.   He’s less concerned about your sin than about you.  He’s waiting for you to cross the line into his kingdom.  Because when you do, he’s going to smother you with hugs and kisses. Instead of life filled with death and destruction, he’s waiting to give you an abundant life. (John 10:10)  You’re his dearest child and he created the universe so we can have a home to live in.  His greatness and love deserve our awe, respect, and love in return.

The next part says, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  So, what is the kingdom?  It’s his spiritual Kingdom coming into our lives on earth.  Just as water permeates a sponge, so does God’s spirit permeate our spirit. We are one in his glory. (John 17:22) The normal comes alive.  By living in life union with Jesus and having his words living powerfully within you (John 15:7) then his streams of love, joy, mercy, kindness, friendship, and long-suffering enter into your life.  No longer will you be imposing your will on others which results in fights and divisions, but like gravity, you’ll enter a mass of power called God’s love that will heal all your heart wounds and put you into a peace the world will never understand. This is the kingdom of God we bring to this world.

The prayer goes on to say, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Let me tell you about the bread.  Jesus is called the bread of life for he’s is the great I am. (John 6:33) When I receive the consecrated bread, I know Jesus is feeding me with his spirit.  As you know, living in the world can drain the life out of you.  But Jesus has a plan. His daily bread refreshes us.  Jesus will say to you, “If you are in despair, I’m your encourager. If you are hungry for truth, I am your food. If you are weak, I am your strength. I am the way, the truth, and the life.  I am your life.  I am your love. I am your joy and peace.  I am your patience and long suffering in all things.  I am your battery charger of life.  I am your streams of love, tenderness, kindness, and mercy.  I am the great I am.  I am your source of life and let me charge you up.  Taste and eat me for I will refresh you!” Indeed, he does!

The next line in the prayer says, “And forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Or, in other words, Jesus is saying, “I care more about you than what you have done.”  Do not let the poison of retaliation, hatred, and unforgiveness produce bitterness and self-destruction. Through experience I know that by living in life union with Jesus I can see you as Jesus does.  I can see the goodness and gold in you. Through repentance of your sins, and belief in Jesus as your savior, Jesus is ready to make you perfect and complete.  Through your humility and open heart, Jesus will craft you into your original design as mentioned in Psalm 139:16 and be made into His image.  Forgiveness is everything because it stops all the violence and destruction.  It allows a person to draw in the peace that heals the heart. Don’t we all want mercy? God will not give you what you deserve, but what you need. That’s why he’s such a great dad. He’s waiting for you to cross the border into his kingdom so he can bless you.

Lastly, the prayer says, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus knew that in this fallen world we will still face temptations and tribulations.  We are still flesh, and sometimes the old desires coming creeping up to tempt us.  But mark my words.  And it’s all about words.  Let God’s word always be in your mind and heart, because when events come your way, so will his word come to save you. 

“So, this is the normal life Carlos. It’s called the Kingdom of God.   Do you want it?” I asked Carlos.  He took it and became a new saint.

Like the father of the prodigal son, Jesus is always scanning the border to spot his child who wants to return home, waiting to make a mad dash to his child so he can smother him with kisses and to welcome him home. Jesus is always more concerned about the person than the sin.  Shouldn’t we?

The Power of THE Unbalanced Force

Matthew 6:13

Matthew 6

 Newton's first Law of Motion reads like this:

 “An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”

 According to teachertech.rice.edu, “This means that there is a natural tendency of objects to keep on doing what they're doing. All objects resist changes in their state of motion. In the absence of an unbalanced force, an object in motion will maintain this state of motion.”         

 Newton’s three Laws of Motion are the foundation of classical physics. I hated physics! It just didn’t make any sense to me. Apparently though, the main goal of physics is to understand how the universe behaves. Now that interests me, because we as humans are a part of the universe.

If you apply Newton’s first Law of Motion to people it might read like this:

Every person has their own beliefs, attitudes and habits which will remain the

same unless acted on by an unbalanced force. The result is that our human nature resists change.

Like Newton’s physical laws, there are spiritual laws at work in our world, and in our hearts.

 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:21-25 NIV

Because of this battle with us, it is critical for us to pray in the way that Jesus taught his followers including, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Or from the Good News Translation: “Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.”

In other words, “Lord, please be that unbalanced force that redirects my life; that engages me where I am at; that leads me through trials and temptations; that delivers me from evil; that protects me from myself and from the evil of the world; that changes me into the person you created me to be.”

 But, if you pray this prayer, be ready for THE unbalanced force.

Matthew 6:7-15

Have you ever been asked, "How's your prayer life?"  What would your answer be?  What is an answer to a question like that?  Well, that's a pretty personal question don't you think?  Oh, yes, it is, very personal, and important.

If I had a friend who cared enough about me to ask me this questions I would take is as a compliment and feel as though I truly had a friend. Prayer is one of the best things we can do, for ourselves and for others. So, if I may be so bold as to ask, "How is your prayer life?" Jesus thought prayer so important that He prayed continually to His Father.  If Jesus needed to pray, well then we certainly have something to gain from it as well.

I love to read these verses from our Scripture for today. "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:7-8)

Isn't it good to know that God knows what we need before we even ask.  We are told too that we don't need many or big words to pray.  God would understand and enjoy hearing from us no matter how eloquent or simple our vocabulary is.  God hears our heart when we pray, not our words.

Read the Matthew 6:7-15 text here.  Listen to Matthew 6:7-15 here.