Daily Devotion 1 2 2015

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer of Love
God, my Father, may I love you in all things and above all things. May I reach the joy which you have prepared for me in Heaven. Nothing is good that is against your will, and all that is good comes from your hand.
Place in my heart a desire to please you and fill my mind with thoughts of your Love, so that I may grow in your wisdom and enjoy your peace.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Ancient Prayer - For Support of the Holy Spirit
O Educator, be gracious to thy children, O Educator, Father, Guide of Israel, Son and Father, both one, Lord. Give to us, who follow thy command, to fulfill the likeness of thy image, and to see, according to our strength, the God who is both a good God and a Judge who is not harsh.
Do thou thyself bestow all things on us who dwell in thy peace, who have been placed in thy city, who sail the sea of sin unruffled, that we may be made tranquil and supported by the Holy Spirit, the unutterable Wisdom, by night and day, unto the perfect day, to sing eternal thanksgiving to the one only Father and Son, Son and Father, Educator and Teacher with the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
Dear Lord, please give me the patience to make it through this busy day with all the hustle, demands and distractions of modern life. Let me find the quiet time to hear your voice and feel your calming presence. I ask this in your son's name.
Amen.
A Prayer by Anne Bronte
My God (oh, let me call Thee mine,
Weak, wretched sinner though I be),
My trembling soul would fain be Thine;
My feeble faith still clings to Thee.
Not only for the Past I grieve,
The Future fills me with dismay;
Unless Thou hasten to relieve,
Thy suppliant is a castaway.
I cannot say my faith is strong,
I dare not hope my love is great;
But strength and love to Thee belong;
Oh, do not leave me desolate!
I know I owe my all to Thee;
Oh, TAKE the heart I cannot give!
Do Thou my strength — my Saviour be,
And MAKE me to Thy glory live.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
O God, the author of all good, I come to You for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without You I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly, unless I am kept by Your power.
Hold me up O God and I shall be safe. Preserve my understanding from subtlety of error, my affections from love of idols, my character from stain of vice, my profession from every form of evil.
May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore Your blessing, and in which I cannot invite Your inspection. Prosper me in all lawful undertakings, or prepare me for disappointments. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food suitable for me, lest I be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or be poor, and steal, and take Your name in vain.
May every creature be made good to me by prayer and Your will. Teach me how to use the world and not abuse it, to improve my talents, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within, to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians. And to You, O God, be the glory.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Thanks for God’s Word
I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that the things which were hidden from the wise and prudent, and which many prophets and kings desired to see and could not, are revealed unto us babes in your written Word. I thank you that I have the Scriptures to search, and that they testify of Christ, for in them I can find eternal life.
I thank you, Father, for the preservation of your teachings through time, and despite the constant efforts of men to destroy it or change it, that through them I might find patience, and hope, and truth, and life. And having learned so much, I thank you that I can hear with my ears your wonderful works, the testimony of the earth and the spirit, like a light shining in darkness. In Christ’s name, I pray and render you thanks,
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Day
Holy God, who taught the hearts of all faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit; Grant me by the same Spirit to be guided in my work today, and in my every thought and deed and in everything I say. Let my decisions be wise and holy, and my ears open to your wisdom. And let me always be open to change; unstop my ears and soften my heart, so that I can learn your way better and better every hour of this day. I pray in the name of my beloved Lord, Jesus Christ,
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Do you know what it means to “tartle”? It’s a Scottish word used when, after being introduced to someone, you promptly forget that person’s name. In embarrassment, Scottish people say, “Pardon my tartle!”

Some words are hard to translate from one language to another. We have a case of this with Jesus’ title “pioneer and perfecter of faith.” The author uses the Greek word archegos to describe Jesus’s relation to our faith. The word originally meant “hero or founder of a city.” Since the Greek word doesn’t neatly translate into English, it is translated variously as “pioneer,” “author,” “originator,” “guide,” “initiator,” or “source.”

The same difficulty in translation is found with the Greek teleiotes, the second title for Jesus in relation to our faith. This word originally meant “to carry through or complete,” and it is translated as “perfecter,” “completer,” or “finisher.”

Despite the complexity of translating this title of Jesus, the truth is simple and profound: Jesus, who initiated our faith through the power of the Holy Spirit, will remain with us until we see him face to face. He is the founder and finisher of our faith. So let’s take comfort in this truth and run the good race of faith by following Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we take great comfort and confidence in you as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Help us to follow you courageously today in obedience and loving service. Amen.

Kurt Selles

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Day Ahead
Almighty God, my heavenly Father, who declares your glory and shows forth your creation in the heavens and in the earth; Deliver me, I pray, in whatever work my hand may find today, from the service of mammon; and assist me, that I may do the work which you have given me to do, in truth, in beauty, and in righteousness, with singleness of heart as your servant, and to the benefit of my fellow men; for the sake of him who came among us, humbling himself to serve all who came to him and received him, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Strength of my Heart
Strength of my heart, I need not fail,
Not mine to fear but to obey,
With such a Leader, who could quail?
Thou art as Thou were yesterday.
Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
Fulfill Thy purposes through me.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Day
Lord, may I always remember that no matter the day and whatever hardship I face, you are with me, extending your hand in love. Help me to be open to your guidance, knowing that you want what is best for me, only asking in return sorrow for my sins and my willingness to do good. In Christ's name I pray,
Amen.
Confession and Repentance
Almighty and most merciful Father, I have erred and strayed from Your ways like a lost sheep. I have followed too much the devices and desires of my own heart. I have offended against Your holy laws. I have left undone those things which I ought to have done; and I have done those things which I ought not to have done; and there is nothing good in me. O Lord, have mercy upon me, miserable offender. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to Your promises declared unto men in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant that I may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; to the glory of His name.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

“A Little Prayer”
Let us be thankful, Lord, for little things
The song of birds, the rapture of the rose;
Cloud-dappled skies, the laugh of limpid springs,
Drowned sunbeams and the perfume April blows;
Bronze wheat a-shimmer, purple shade of trees -
Let us be thankful, Lord of Life, for these!
Let us be grateful, God, for health serene,
The hope to do a kindly deed each day;
The faith of fellowship, a conscience clean,
The will to worship and the gift to pray;
For all of worth in us, of You a part,
Let us be grateful, God, with humble heart.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

In today’s reading we find Cleopas and his companion, perhaps his wife, trudging home from Jerusalem to Emmaus on Easter Sunday. Crucified on Friday, Jesus’ body turned up missing from his tomb on Sunday morning. Our friends on the Emmaus road are two dejected disciples with nothing left to do but head home.

As they discuss these strange events, a stranger joins them. We know he is Jesus resurrected, but they don’t. Jesus asks what they’re talking about, and they tell him what little they know. Even before the whole drama unfolds, we learn an important lesson: when we least expect it, Jesus can show up, uninvited, unrecognized, and perhaps even unwelcomed—at least at first.

Our friends have been talking about Jesus, and now they are walking with him. One danger of discipleship is talking the talk without walking the walk. Even the most serious saint can at times be overwrought and unaware of Christ’s presence.

Here’s the good news for Lent: no matter how discouraged or distracted we may get, Jesus walks with us. Maybe he shows himself in the moment, but I find that he’s more often “seen” or “heard” in hindsight. As the Emmaus travelers are about to learn, we can improve our faith journey by looking for him in the past as well as the present.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to burn with faith and joy today as we walk and talk with Jesus. In his name, Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer to the Holy Spirit to be with Me This Day
In utter humility, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I come before you this morning, Eternal Spirit of God, to offer myself, my soul and body to you. I live in awe of your purity, your justice, and the power of your love. You are the strength and light of my soul, for without you I have neither life nor goodness. I desire never to grieve you by unfaithfulness, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against you.
Mercifully guard my every thought; and grant that I may always watch for your light, and listen to your voice, and follow your gracious inspirations. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to listen first for your voice in everything I may say or do, this day and always,
Amen.
Prayer for the Deceased
Heavenly Father, blessed my loved ones who have passed from this life. Grant them mercy and peace; lead them to your loving embrace. And bring comfort and the consolation of hope to me, and to all who grieve for the dead.
I thank you, Lord, for the grace to move me through the challenges of this life and, especially, to look beyond death with faith and hope, to the new life you have promised.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
Oh God, who has created all things, seen and unseen, this day is your creation and I give thanks to live in it. I pray that I will not shut you out of the day you have made, blinded by the petty concerns of life, but that I may be always open to your presence.
I open my body to you, for it is your breath that fills and warms the lifeless clay.
I open my eyes and ears to you, thankful for the light of your Word, which has brought me out of the shadow of ignorance.
I open my heart to you, aglow with thanks for your love, filling me with compassion, understanding, and peace.
I open my soul to you, grateful for your Spirit, who fills me with wisdom when I take a moment to listen.
All that I am, I open to you and I return to you, giving thanks every moment of my life for the blessings that fill this day. Through Christ I pray.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Jesus demands a lot from us to be his disciples: bearing our own crosses. In other words, being a Christian doesn’t just mean we believe the right things about Jesus, or even claim to love him. He demands a life of sacrificial service—not to gain his favor, of course, but out of gratitude for what he has gained for us—forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

My naval service taught me the necessity of discipline: from staying physically fit to learning the skills and knowledge to do my best every day. It took dedication. These lessons apply as well to following Christ Jesus. Discipleship takes discipline, spiritual discipline.


Prayer:

Lord Jesus, you gave your life on the cross to pay for our sins and to give us new life. Teach us how to take up our crosses as we journey through Lent this year. In your name we pray. Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

Come to Our Aid
In the morning Abraham called upon you on the mountain top and you answered him, O lover of men; and in the morning I call upon you, come to my aid and the aid of all your servants, O God, full of mercy, have mercy upon us.
Amen.
For Past Mistakes
Holy Jesus, help me to surrender past mistakes; not to dwell on them, but to accept your forgiveness in the certainty of hope. The past is over and gone forever. Having made such restitution as is your will, there is nothing more I can do about them. Lift the burden of my past failures from my spirit. Let me go forward in faith. Clear the clouds from my path and lighten my step. If you do not reproach me, let me hear no reproach from myself or any other person, but only your promise of new life. And bring your Word and your light and your forgiveness to all who have wrecked their lives, I pray; for your power is greater than sin, and there no human being you cannot heal, no matter how wretched and vile, if they only surrender their lives to you.
Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

I once went on a private retreat with a spiritual director. My prayer was that he’d help me get back on track with Jesus. The schedule was simple: we would meet each morning for an hour. Then I’d spend the day contemplating the Scripture he’d assigned and keep a journal of my reflections.

At our first meeting he assigned a psalm. The day was beautiful, and I wandered the grounds, peacefully contemplating. The next day I expected to share my thoughts from the day before, but he just asked how my aloneness was going and assigned a new text. Every day was the same. I grew impatient, wanting to discuss my reflections. On the last morning he asked, “What is Jesus inviting you to?” I replied, “To do or to be?” He just smiled.

I’ve spent the past 20 years wrestling with God over this question (see Genesis 32:22-32). But the answer came from Jesus’ calling his apostles “that they might be with him.”

Jesus calls us to be with him and work with him in his mission. Just as he eventually sent out his apostles, he also sends us. But he promises, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). He is with us, and he wants us to be with him (see John 17:22-24). Discipleship is more than obedience to Jesus. It means walking with him, being with him, living with him every day.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, give us the desire to be with you every day. Make us conscious that we’re always in your presence, and help us to live accordingly. In your name, Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

In high school my favorite subject was geometry. I just “got it” because it made sense. The logic was based on sound premises.

In college I came to believe in Christ because the gospel was explained to me logically. I was shown how the gospel fulfilled the history of God’s people; all God’s promises and prophecies in the Old Testament pointed to the coming Messiah (Christ), the great deliverer of God’s people. Everything anticipated the birth and life of Jesus and the purpose of his death to save us from sin. I finally “got it.”

Today many folks value emotional experience over reasonable faith in Christ. “God is love” is all they want or think they need. But God’s righteous love and care for us go far beyond emotional highs.

Our friends on the Emmaus road were looking for more than solace for their grief. They needed a sure hope. Jesus could have walked up and given them hearty hugs and reassuring words. But that wouldn’t have been enough. Instead he reminded them of all the Old Testament promises about the Messiah. They needed a foundation for their faith and a rekindling of hope in God’s ancient promises. They needed Jesus to explain himself clearly. And as he did, their hearts burned within (Luke 24:32). Is your faith well-grounded and your heart burning for Christ?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, explain your Word to us and guide us to study it, that we may be faithful, impassioned disciples. Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

Discipleship is more than knowing who Jesus is and obeying his commands. It involves our emotions too. Take our two friends traveling on the road with Jesus. When they arrive at their home, they ask him to come in and have dinner with them. Still, they have not recognized him. Then a strange thing happens. Did you notice?

A dinner guest doesn’t usually act as the host. But that’s what Jesus does. He serves the bread and gives thanks. As a minister, I’m often asked to give thanks at dinners with friends and family, which I gladly do. But it would be presumptuous to take over as host. Jesus, however, is unique. He’s our provider.

After Jesus serves the bread and offers thanks, the others finally recognize him. All the joy, enthusiasm, and excitement they have experienced with Jesus in the past come flooding back. Then suddenly Jesus disappears. So immediately they return to Jerusalem to share their news. They realize their hearts have been burning again, and the others have to know!

That fire in their hearts has never gone out. It has spread from believer to unbeliever as more and more have heard the good news that Jesus died to pay for our sins and rose from the dead to give us new life.

During this Lenten season let’s learn how spiritual disciplines can fan the flames in our burning hearts too.

Prayer:

Spirit of the living God, set our hearts on fire today. Renew our faith and feed our souls as we practice the life of discipleship. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

The Sons of Korah were a school of psalm writers in Israel. One wrote, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Believers have cried these words with hearts burning and souls more desperate for God than a desert-parched tongue is for water. And Jesus has revealed that he is the only one who can quench our soul-thirst.

It was high noon when a travel-weary Jesus came to a community well in Samaria. A local woman who needed to fill her water jars came there too. She was naturally wary. Religious and racial differences with the Jews had led to prejudice. And she was a woman. No Jewish man, especially a teacher, would converse with a Samaritan woman.

But Jesus did: “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” She soon realized she was speaking with the Messiah. He knew everything about her and was full of grace, truth, and love. She was thirsty when she came to the well, but now she was parched for living water.

We all thirst for God. The water Jesus offers is the only thing that will satisfy. We need to acknowledge our thirst and accept his offer—regularly. Like our Samaritan friend who drew buckets of water daily, we need to drink daily from the Lord’s well, his Word. That takes daily spiritual discipline.

Prayer:

We are parched, Lord, desperately thirsty for the living water found only in you. By your Word and the well of the Holy Spirit, satisfy our thirsty souls today, we pray. In your name, Amen.

Norman F. Brown

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer of St. Edmund
O Lord, into your hands and into the hands of your holy angels, this day I entrust my soul, my relatives, my benefactors, my friends and enemies, and all who confess your holy name.
O Lord, by the merits and prayers of your son, Jesus Christ, keep me today from all evil and unruly desires, from all sins and temptations of the devil, from a sudden and unprovided death, and from the pains of hell. Enlighten my heart with the grace of your Holy Spirit. Grant that I may ever be obedient to your commandments. Let me never be separated from you, O God, who lives and reigns forever, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
To Live in Sympathy with Others
Blessed Lord Jesus, who wept with Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus had died, may I ever take your love and sympathy for humanity into my heart. As Paul prayed in Romans, “May I rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” Soften my heart towards all, heavenly Lord, my enemies and my friends, my family and those who offend me. May I see the humanity of all my fellow men, rather than their sinfulness, and replace the fist of criticism with the open arms of Christian love. By your grace, Lord Christ, I dare to ask your help in overcoming my hard heart,
Amen.