Brenda Reid 1/11/23 Brenda Reid 1/11/23

How Do You Measure the Love of God?

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all of the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19

Remember when our kids were little and we’d tuck them into bed at night? The routine usually included a story and maybe a song, and prayers. Then, before we left them to fall asleep, we’d tuck them in and give them a good night kiss and remind them of how much we love them. Little sayings like “I love you to the moon and back!” or “I love you to the end of counting” would be the affirmations we would give. As our children grew, they would add their own affirmations back again. We just wanted them to know how much we loved them…and still do. What a sweet time of encouraging the hearts of our little ones.! It set the foundation for our relationship with them and gave them a small glimpse of how our Heavenly Father loves us.

When God tells us He loves us, He gives us affirmations, too. But in our limited human capacity, it can be hard to grasp and understand, mostly because we base our understanding of love on our own experience and the love we’ve received ourselves. So, our concept of love can be skewed, limited, and broken. God knew we would struggle with this, so He provided some strong word pictures to help our limited minds understand His limitless love.

First, God’s love flows from His glorious riches. His treasury of love is abundant- there is enough for every person from the dawn of time through eternity. That’s a lot of love!! It won’t ever run out- it’s abundant and free-flowing from the Father.

Next, to understand and fully enjoy the love of God, we have to be in a relationship with Him. God loves everyone, it’s true. But not everyone loves God. Unless you have a relationship with Him, you cannot begin to grasp the magnitude of His love for us and what it accomplishes on our behalf. When we enter into a relationship with God, we gain a foundation on which God builds us up in Him. We are ‘rooted’ and ‘established’. We become fixed, firm and founded in God. We have a ‘place’ and a ‘purpose’ and God’s love dwells in us.

Romans 5:5 “…God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

But here’s the best part…the dimensions of God’s love. When we try to figure out if something will fit into a space, we ask for the dimensions. How wide? How high? How deep? When we understand the dimensions of the item, we can gain an understanding of the ‘fit’. Friends, God’s love exceeds every dimension!! We can’t make it fit, we can’t limit it, yet it can fill us, follow us and consume us all the days of our earthly lives and follow us into eternity. The Psalmist tried to put it into words we can understand:

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. … But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children–with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.” Psalm 103:11-12, 17-18

“As high as the heavens are above the earth” Have you ever seen pictures of the expanses of space? Telescopes give us a glimpse of the vastness of the heavens…they go on and on… and galaxies beyond our own are so expansive, we just cannot comprehend how far they stretch. And the love of God stretches even farther.

“As far as the east is from the west” East and west will never meet- they expand away from one another. These cardinal directions will never meet, but will continually stretch endlessly. It’s another mind-blowing example of God’s love and His abundant forgiveness of our sin.

“From everlasting to everlasting” Forever. Always. Without beginning or end. God’s love has no origin and no finality. It always was, is and will be. It is an attribute of His character and nature and cannot fail. Read that again, friends…. God’s love can and will never fail!

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;” Lamentations 3:22

”Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

As we begin this new year, let’s pray that our sons and daughters spiritual eyes are opened to see the magnitude of God’s love around, in and through them. Pray that they have confidence in the perfect love of God and that they don’t judge His love based on the flawed human examples or their own less-than-perfect experiences. God’s love toward us doesn’t cool, it doesn’t grow weary, it doesn’t dry up. It is steadfast and enduring, plentiful and perfect.

We need this next generation to know, firmly and without question, that God’s love is sufficient and abundant and it is readily available to them, designed for them, and freely given. We need them to be compelled to share His love, with conviction, to others who need to know the Lord. Time is short. Jesus’ return is near. This world needs to know there is a God who loves them desperately and dearly and who gave His Son for them so they could live rooted firmly in the love of God. Let’s pray with and for one another today and for our sons and daughters.

Why not share with someone today how they can experience God’s love too!

Pray without ceasing!

Brenda Reid 2/28/22 Brenda Reid 2/28/22

Leaky Buckets

Jeremiah 2:13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Imagine standing at the window for a moment watching the kids playing outside, busy with ‘kid things’ and having fun. One of them has a bucket and is determined to bring water from the spigot to the ‘fish pond’ they’re constructing on the other side of the yard. But the bucket they found is one with a hole in the bottom. They fill it until they’re barely able to carry it, and then drag it, sloshing, across the yard. But the whole time they’re working hard to get to their ‘work site’, the water is draining out of the hole. They arrive only to realize they lost most of the water and they have to go back to refill, hoping that this time they’ll be able to return with more water. But each time, it yields the same result. Yet, they continue this fruitless effort. Trip after trip yields little compared to their effort.

We look at this and know exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. Yet, when something like this happens in our own lives, we’re oblivious to the spiritual significance. Far too often we work hard to fill ourselves with things that we think will satisfy, but we haven’t allowed Jesus to repair the ‘hole in our bucket’ and all the things we fill ourselves with simply drain out and leave us empty and unfulfilled. We become exactly those of whom Jeremiah 2:13 speaks- forsakers of Christ, digging our own cisterns that are broken and cannot hold water, working so hard to be filled yet not recognizing we will never be able to satisfy that thirst ourselves.

We are confronted daily with our own desires and the lies that tell us we’ll find our satisfaction in other things- whether they be relationships, careers, finances or experiences. And there isn’t anything wrong with those things, but when we set them on a pedestal as the answer to and fulfillment of our dissatisfaction and they become the things by which we determine our value, we set ourselves up for disillusionment. We create idols and false gods that we exhaust ourselves serving. It’s fruitless and empty. We are trying to fill a bucket that has a hole.

Colossians 3:1-2 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” If we belong to the Lord, our hearts and minds need to be focused on him.

Where is our focus? To Whom do we look for fulfillment and satisfaction? As our world grows darker and more tumultuous, our ‘buckets’ are sure to become battered and worn. Yet Christ is able to heal and fill us in extraordinary ways. He is the only One who can sustain us. Are we looking to Him?

And what about our sons and daughters? Are they digging their own cisterns, cracked and unable to hold the Living Water? Are they falling for the lies or are they protecting their hearts and minds in Christ?

Today, let’s take time to pray that our sons and daughters would not forsake the Lord. Pray that they would not try to satisfy their spiritual thirst with temporal things but that they would let Jesus fill them. Pray their hearts and minds would be set on Christ and they would be satisfied with His living water filling them afresh each day.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 12/10/21 Brenda Reid 12/10/21

You Guide Me with Your Counsel

Psalm 73:23-26 “Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.”

Healthy people typically don’t feel the need for a counselor. It’s those who are feeling like they’re falling apart, that something isn’t right and they can’t fix it on their own. When things are going badly and life seems to be spiraling out of control, we long for someone who will listen to us and tell us it will get better. Yet, it’s then, too, that we most often feel quite alone.

We all have times when we struggle with our emotions and need someone to help us find our footing and ensure that we remain grounded. When we are faced with a dilemma we want objective guidance that is wise. And if we’re suffering loss or trauma, we need someone to come alongside us, hold us up, tell us the pain won’t always be this intense. We want someone to give us glimmers of hope in our shattered world . It is in those times we desperately want someone to hear us, affirm us and give solid, comforting advice. We long for a counselor who will fulfill all those things.

Jesus is that Wonderful Counselor who is always with us. Always. He is that strong Presence we can cling to when we’re struggling. Psalm 73 says “you hold me by my right hand”… In ancient times, the right hand was the symbol of power, control and authority. So, think about it… if God holds us by our right hand, who is in control? What is God saying by coming alongside us like that? He’s saying, “trust me, hold onto me, I’ve got this and I’ve got you- you don’t need to do this alone and you don’t need to figure it out.”

Then, Psalm 73 says “you guide me with your counsel and afterward you take me into glory.” Oh, friends, when we’re at the end of ourselves, we desperately want someone to guide us, don’t we? Our wonderful counselor does that- consistently and endlessly. He doesn’t just stand by us until we’re ‘good’, He stands by us each and every moment of every day until we are in His presence, eternally. What a wonderful counselor!

Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters would take Jesus’ hand and let Him guide them each and every day. Pray they would look for and listen to His counsel. Pray that God would be the strength of their heart and their portion forever. Pray, because this world is fighting to pull them in the other direction.

Christmas Season Challenge:

Pray for those who are grieving this Christmas season, that God would indeed hold them by the hand and guide them with His counsel. Pray that they would know His comfort, peace and joy despite the heart-shattering grief they also know too well. Pray that God would be the strength of their heart and their portion forever. Pray they would come to embrace and follow the Wonderful Counselor.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 12/9/21 Brenda Reid 12/9/21

24/7 Counselor

Psalm 16:7 “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”

Have you ever gone to bed with a dilemma or problem that needed solving, only to wake in the morning with a solution to what you were pondering the night before? Maybe you woke up with a song in your heart or a verse on your tongue that fills you with hope and you wonder how it got there. Our brains are quite fascinating, so much so that we spend a lifetime trying to figure them out! God designed them to do wonderful things that even science and doctors can’t fully explain. When you weave in the beauty and mystery of the Holy Spirit working in us, it’s amazing!

While we sleep our conscious self is, well, unconscious, but our brain and body are still very much at work. We can still hear things and our brains work to give meaning and make sense of it. And, oh how we dream!! Those thoughts and memories stored in our brains turn into stories and dramas and we wake up only to realize that while we slept and rested, we were actually quite busy. So, if that’s the case, how much more our spiritual awareness continues to be active and alive. When Psalm 16:7 tells us the Lord counsels us- even at night! It’s true!

Here is the wonderful thing about sleep. Not only does it restore and refresh our physical selves, but it works in our brains to cement the learning that took place during the day. “Your brain is making a map of the information,” — “making new connections and breaking other ones.” (1) Sleep enables our brains to lock in the information we learn and makes meaningful connections so we can recall and use that information in new and meaningful ways. Without sleep, our learning suffers and our memory falters.

Just as a scary movie stays with us long after we fall asleep and can cause bad dreams, God’s word in our hearts and minds, it is the ‘material’ He uses to encourage, chastise, and instruct us. Even at night, our heart can instruct us, as long as the ‘textbook’ is God-approved. So, what are we putting into our hearts and minds during the day that can then be confirmed and used by the Lord at night while we sleep? Friends, this is why it’s so important that we spend time in the Word. We want our minds to be consumed with what is true, honest, just, pure and lovely (Phil 4:8) so that when we sleep, our minds and hearts are moved and reinforced by the truth of God. If we are going to be receptive to God’s counsel, we need to know His word. If we want to say, like David in Psalm 16 “I praise the Lord who counsels me” we have to be a willing participant.

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

Psalm 119:55 “In the night, Lord, I remember your name, that I may keep your law.”

Psalm 119:105 “ Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Let’s turn the ‘night light’ on, let’s allow the Lord to move and work in our hearts and minds, even while we sleep. Our Wonderful Counselor is working 24/7 to speak truth into our lives. Can we do our part to ensure the knowledge we consume is worthy of His name?

Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are drenching themselves in the truth of God’s word, day and night. Let’s pray that there is much in their hearts and minds that God can use to counsel and instruct them.

Christmas Season Prayer Challenge: When you see a sign that says ‘open 24 hours’ pray for the people who walk into that business. Pray that they would come to know the Wonderful Counselor who is always ready to move and work, redeem and restore.

Pray without ceasing.

NBCUniversal News Group. (2017, October 23). What happens in Your body and brain while you sleep. NBCNews.com. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-happens-your-body-brain-while-you-sleep-ncna805276.

Brenda Reid 12/8/21 Brenda Reid 12/8/21

Who is Your Counselor?

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Today’s prayer point is simple. Pray that our sons and daughters would lean on Jesus for wise instruction and direction. He watches over them so lovingly. He WILL counsel them, but they need to be listening. Let’s be mindful to point them in the direction of looking for answers from the Lord and listening to His voice as they wait.

Christmas Season challenge: As you listen to Christmas carols today, pray for those people on the other side of the radio, listening along. Pray that their eyes are opened to the truth and light of Jesus. Pray that when they sing these words ….

God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Traditional English Carol

Or these…..

O Holy Night!

The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Song by Adolphe Adam

….that these lost ones would hear and finally realize the truth of the words they sing. Pray their hearts would be transformed and they would fall on their knees to follow after the Wonderful Counselor, Jesus.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 12/6/21 Brenda Reid 12/6/21

Wonderful Counselor

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

What is a counselor? We often think of those who offer wise advice or guidance. Perhaps we opt to see a counselor when we’re facing a life crisis or struggling with difficult emotions. That individual serves as a sounding board and source of direction and boundary for us in those times when we can’t seem to find our way.

Schools have Guidance Counselors who are trained and equipped to provide direction on next steps in education. But they also serve to provide resources and support for students in crisis or comfort when there is a tragedy.

In the legal system, attorneys are often called counselors because they guide their clients through the legal process and help them navigate the intricacies of the law that otherwise they might not understand or possess the expertise to manage successfully. They offer advice, protection and defense.

Look at the many uses and examples of ‘counselor’ in scripture:

Moses’ father in law counseled him to be the representative to God for the people of Israel, to stand before God on their behalf and be an example to them of how they should live, according to God’s commands (Exodus 18:19). Jesus shows us how to live.
Counselors help establish purpose and wise counsel helps plans succeed. Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” God is the ultimate wise counselor and His plans will always succeed.
- Proverbs 19:21 ”Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
- Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
Wise counsel brings Joy. Proverbs 12:20 “Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.” Friends, Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, brings joy, light and life.

There are so many examples in scripture, we could go on for days! When scripture calls Jesus a “Wonderful Counselor” God is showing us that Jesus, the promised Messiah, is all of these things, and more!! His birth brought spiritual wisdom and the light of the knowledge of God to a darkened, dying world.

Do you need someone to listen to your heavy heart? Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor who will listen and encourage with words of life.
Are you searching for direction in life? Jesus can point the way and His navigation is always perfect.
Are you in trouble and need someone to come to your defense? Jesus is the best Counselor you can have who will wield wisdom and powerful truth to defend you.
Are you accused or held captive? Jesus is the counselor who can loose the chains of deception and lies and bring freedom with God’s truth.

Friends, there are so many voices out there competing for the attention and alliance of our sons and daughters, promising life, joy, health, wealth and the like. But those voices only lead to bondage, emptiness, disappointment, and disillusion. We need to pray that our sons and daughters look to Jesus and only Jesus to be their Wonderful Counselor. He alone is wise, trustworthy and powerful enough to bring resolution, redemption and righteous freedom. He is the Wonderful Counselor.

Christmas Season Challenge: pray for those who are incarcerated over the holidays, yes, pray for those in prison, that they would come to know Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor and would find true freedom in their hearts and minds.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 12/4/21 Brenda Reid 12/4/21

Saturday Review

It’s Saturday - a great day to spend a little time going back through our prayer points for the week. As we ponder Jesus, the Light of the world, let’s pray that we love Him well and reflect Him effectively to others.

As time grows short, we must be diligent to pray that our sons and daughters know and pursue the truth of Christ. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters have this precious relationship and an eager desire to learn and grow in their faith. Let’s pray they have a living hope that compels them to share Jesus with others gently and respectfully. Pray they are salt and light.

Pray that our sons and daughters would have a true, godly sorrow that would bring repentance in earnest. Pray that they would be eager to live in such a way as to strongly defend their beliefs. Pray that they would be indignant, alarmed at what they see this world doing and would have a longing and concern to see God’s justice done. Pray that they stand strong in their faith and would defend the gospel effectively.

Pray that our sons and daughters realize, without a doubt, that Jesus is the Light of the World and in Him they will find life, redemption, forgiveness and purpose. Pray that they will gain an eternal perspective because Jesus’ light dawns in their hearts and minds.

Pray that we, our sons and daughters and our brothers and sisters in Christ choose to shine God’s light with boldness and we take hold of every opportunity to share His light and life with others.

Pray that our sons and daughters would let God shine His light in their hearts, enabling them to see and understand the Truth of scripture, know the transforming power of the gospel and embrace the power to reflect Jesus to the darkened world around them.

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 12/2/21 Brenda Reid 12/2/21

The Light: Darkness Has Not Overcome It

John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Darkness has no power over light. Think about that. If both are present, the light always wins. If the light recedes and disappears, the darkness will dominate. But as soon as the light arrives, the darkness is powerless. It cannot overcome the light. Light casts no shadow. Think about that.

When Jesus was born, the presence of God was manifest in the darkness of this sin-filled Earth. His light was evident and began to transform the lives of those around Him. Once they were impacted by His light, His life, His Presence, they were never the same. Though darkness was present, it could not overcome the Presence and light of Jesus. Though Satan tried, he could not defeat Jesus. The light was, and is, more powerful than the darkness.

We don’t often give thought to prepositions, but in John 1:4, that first word is significant. It represents Jesus. IN Him was life. Strong’s defines “in” as “a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively)”(1) Jesus was the origin of and the intermediary and the instrument through which men could have life and be reconciled with God. Isn’t that profound and beautiful?

The life that Jesus brought was the light of all mankind- the truth of God and the power to, understand it. When someone shows understanding, we use the idiom that a lightbulb came on for them, or the lights went on. That idiom is a way to describe that moment when someone shows a cognitive connection with the information or knowledge being shared. Jesus was the light of all mankind, bringing the ability to understand God’s plan of salvation to their darkened minds and spirits. Some embraced the light while others mocked it. Yet, it was there for everyone. Light=life, knowledge, understanding, wisdom. Darkness=death, darkened minds, foolishness.

The light of Jesus shines in the darkness and the darkness has not, and will not, overcome it. Despite the fact that this world continues to grow darker, God’s light remains and will continue to shine. His presence in our lives means we are representatives of His light for as long as He allows us to be here. At some point, Jesus will call us home, whether by reaching the end of our life or by rapture, when He catches us away to be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Time is short, friends. Will we choose to live with conviction and be intentional in how we represent the Lord? Today, let’s pray that we, our sons and daughters and our brothers and sisters in Christ choose to shine God’s light with boldness and that we take hold of every opportunity to share His light and life with others while we have the time to do so.

“Jesus, when you came as a baby, this world had no idea how Your presence would shake the darkness and transform the relationship between God and man. You became Immanuel- God with us. Jesus, thank You for loving us so much that You chose to become one of us and so bring You light and life into this dark world. Thank you, not only for living, but for dying on our behalf. Your sacrifice made a way for us to be reconciled with You. Lord, I pray that you would help us to live with conviction and clarity, so that Your light in us is visible to those around us. Help us to live out Matthew 5:16 “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” I pray for (name) today that You would work in their heart and mind. Lord, bring them back to the very foundation of their relationship with You. Strip away anything that would distract them or keep them from following faithfully. Surround them with relationships that encourage them to walk in the light of Your life and truth. Lord, keep the darkness at bay. In Jesus name, amen.”

Today’s Christmas Season challenge: tonight, when you pass by a home with Christmas lights shining in the darkness, pray for that family to come to know the Light of the world, Jesus.

Pray without ceasing.

G1722 - en - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1722/kjv/tr/0-1/

Brenda Reid 11/24/21 Brenda Reid 11/24/21

Down the Garden Path

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

What was the original sin, committed by Adam and Eve? It was these, the lust of the flesh, the cravings of the body and senses, “Oh, that fruit looks sweet- I bet it tastes good, if I could just try it...take a bite, satisfy my craving….” It was the lust of the eyes and mind- the knowing better than, “And, really, I’m sure God didn’t mean what He said, right? Think about it… why would He deny us something that He placed right here in the garden for us to enjoy?! It only makes sense that we should be totally fine. And, really, we’re smart, right?” And the pride of life, not needing God because we know better… “We would be just like God, knowing good and evil, why, we would be even more compatible with Him- we deserve to be like Him!” Interestingly, Strong’s Concordance defines the pride of life as “an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights, and an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthly things” (1) Ah, knowing better than God…a surefire attitude that ruins any life.

It boils down to these: what we crave and desire, what we see with our eyes and think we know and understand in our minds and the prideful arrogance that tells us we are able to control our own destiny, we know better than God. It’s a full and total rebellion against God and His rightful Lordship in our lives. It’s the very trap with which Satan delights to ensnare us….since the beginning of time.

John is warning us of the lures and traps because not much has changed. Sin is sin. Yet, people still resist the warning, why? (go back are re-read the previous two paragraphs). We have a sinful heart that rebels against God. The desires and cravings that lead us down that garden path are the very same that lured Adam and Eve, the first man and woman living in the perfect garden in the Presence of God, into abandoning their perfect relationship with God.

Oh that we could protect our sons and daughters from these traps!! They lead to death. They ensnare us in darkness. They rob us of joy and purpose. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters would cling to life in Christ and would avoid those sins that would damage their relationship with God. Pray protection over and around them. Pray for discernment and a submissive spirit.

“Father, I pray that you would control the cravings of life. Do not allow (name) to long for thing that are ungodly or sinful. The lust of the flesh needs to die and the longing for the Spirit needs to be strong. I pray that you would help (name) to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not for things that would satisfy their sensual desires. Put a guard on (name)’s eyes. Keep them from craving things that would not support their relationship with You. Don’t let them see things that would distract them from You or that would put thoughts and desires in their mind that would war against Your will for them. I pray that they would guard their eyes and thoughts so that what they fill them with are good and Godly, not dark and sinful. Lord, I pray that (name) would be fully submitted to You, recognizing their deep need for Your lordship in their life. Let them daily surrender to You so that You are Who they trust in, and not themselves. Let them lay their will aside to follow after You with their whole heart, their whole mind and with all their being. I pray that they would seek to do Your will and bring You glory in everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

G212 - alazoneia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g212/kjv/tr/0-1/d

Brenda Reid 11/22/21 Brenda Reid 11/22/21

Darkness or Light?

1 John 1:5-10 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

Friends, read those first words from John 1:5-6 again. “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” Think about the significance of that statement. If we claim to have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

Recently, a friend attended a football game. He had connections to both teams. So, although he wore the jersey for the home team, he also cheered for the visiting team. Others around him were confused as to which side he was taking...whose side was he on?. Are we clear as to whose side we’re on...or do our choices, words and actions leave others wondering? Do our words, actions and alliances show, without a doubt, that we stand with Jesus? Or do we live with a foot in both streams, causing others to question our loyalties?

If we live in the light, we are fully committed to Jesus and our lives will reflect that. But, if we dabble in darkness, there is an absence of light. That’s not Jesus, friends. Jesus reveals what is hidden in the darkness. He is the light of the world and that light has the power and capability to reveal and disarm the darkness. Darkness, on the other hand, is unable to reveal anything. It has no power over light. But if we choose to play in the dark, it will have power over us. If we dwell with darkness, there will not be fellowship with God, nor with other believers. Darkness does not embrace the Truth, nor does it offer forgiveness or eternal security.

Light vs. Darkness

God Satan

Truth Lies

Forgiveness Condemnation

Abundance Desolation

Fellowship Estrangement

Psalm 88 describes the situation of someone who is struggling, oppressed, near death and experiencing God’s wrath. It ends with verse 18 “You have taken from me friend and neighbor— darkness is my closest friend.” Strong’s Concordance defines the word for darkness, “mahsak”, as being representative of the grave, of hell, of the dark place of God’s wrath(1). Why, then, would anyone willingly choose to fellowship with darkness??

This might give us a clue.... Satan masquerades as an angel of light. The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians of this very thing. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 14-15 “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough…And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

Friends, there is no ‘in between’ option here. We cannot be both in the light and have dalliances with darkness. We cannot cheer for both teams. We can’t wear the colors of one team and cheer for the other. We can’t align ourselves with Jesus on Sunday and party with the world the remainder of the week. We’re either fully in the light, or we’re consumed by the darkness. And if we think we’re successfully juggling both, well, we’re deceived.

What choices are our sons and daughters making? Are they playing in the darkness while claiming to walk in the light? One cannot embrace both and come out unscathed. Either you’re for Jesus or against Him. Many think the darkness will hide their sin, but Jesus sees. He knows. His light will reveal it all. Darkness will never win.

Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters choose to embrace Jesus and live in His light. Pray they would not be deceived by the Enemy who masquerades as light but leads people to a life of darkness, separated from God. Pray that they live out the truth in authentic, visible ways that would clearly show Whose side they are on and they would do it without compromise.

Pray without ceasing.

H4285 - maḥšāḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4285/niv/wlc/0-1/

Brenda Reid 11/21/21 Brenda Reid 11/21/21

My Jesus I Love Thee-Sunday Worship

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;

for thee all the follies of sin I resign;

my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;

if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me

and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;

if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,

and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,

and say when the deathdew lies cold on my brow:

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,

I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;

I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

William R. Featherston (1862)

public domain

Brenda Reid 11/17/21 Brenda Reid 11/17/21

Accurate Reflection

2 Peter 1:5-8 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“For this very reason….” What is the reason? Well, we have to look back at verses 1-4 (this is why context is important) “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” So when Peter says, for this reason, he’s speaking about God’s divine power providing all we need for a godly life, through our knowledge of God. We have to KNOW Him in order to connect to the divine power that will keep us and protect us. We have to know Him in order to know and understand those great and precious promises. And when we know Him? Well, it’s not just a casual acquaintance. It becomes a deep love, an intimate understanding, a dependence upon and longing for a deeper relationship that grows richer and more beautiful as our faith and knowledge grow. It becomes a communion with God in His divine nature. What a reason to grow!!

So, Peter tells us, for this very reason, add to our faith… the King James version says “giving all diligence” meaning, we need to interest ourselves earnestly, eagerly...we should want this more than anything else (1). Our attitude matters in these matters! God does the work, but we have to be willing, eager participants.

So, what do we add?

Goodness- aretē: moral excellence, virtue (2).
Knowledge-gnōsis: of God, His Word and the gospel, the “deeper, more perfect and enlarged knowledge” of Christ and His word; not simply ‘intelligence’ (3).
Self-control- egkrateia: the virtue of mastering desires and appetites and bringing them into submission so as not to not fall into temptation; temperance (4).
Perseverance- hypomonē: “patient, steadfast endurance; a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings” (5).
Godliness- eusebeia: “reverence, respect, piety towards God” (6)
Mutual Affection-philadelphia: “brotherly love”, love of believers toward one another as the family of God (7)
Love-agapē: “affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love” (8)

And when we add these virtues, what is the result? Peter tells us, if we possess these in increasing measure, “they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We need more than just faith, friends. Our sons and daughters don’t just need the ‘fire insurance’ of belief in Jesus Christ, they need to be ever-growing, allowing God, through their knowledge of His Word, to change them and make them more like Christ. Those character qualities above are reflective of the divine nature we participate in when we become believers. They are evidence of a changed life. They are marks of growth and the refining that purifies our faith.

“For this reason”, friends, we need to remind ourselves of what God is calling us into and why. As believers, we are a reflection of Jesus to others, so it’s vital that we grow in the character qualities that are His, so we are an accurate reflection, not a lame imitation.

Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters add to their faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and love so they will be effective and productive in their knowledge of Jesus. Pray 2 Peter 1:5-8 out loud, putting in your son or daughter’s name and claiming these promises on their behalf. Pray that they will be an accurate and God-honoring reflection of Jesus to others.

Pray without ceasing.

G4710 - spoudē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4710/kjv/tr/0-1/
G703 - aretē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g703/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1108 - gnōsis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1108/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1466 - egkrateia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1466/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G5281 - hypomonē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5281/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G2150 - eusebeia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2150/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G5360 - philadelphia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5360/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G26 - agapē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g26/niv/mgnt/0-1/

Brenda Reid 11/16/21 Brenda Reid 11/16/21

When We “Can’t Even”

2 Peter 1:3-4 “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

“But, it’s too hard for me!” That’s a classic phrase that children use, especially when they do not want to do a task they are given. It may indicate they do not have the strength, or perhaps lack the skill. It may be that they just do not have the will or desire to do what was asked. But the cry “It’s too hard for me!” often brings help - the parent comes to support, assist and ‘rescue’ the struggler.

Sometimes God calls us to hard things. Here’s the thing, He WILL give us more than we can handle (whoever said He would not was not reading their BIble) He will call us to things that overwhelm us. He will let us face things that, humanly, cannot be done. Does He do that to defeat us? No!! He allows us to face these things because it reminds us that we are not our own savior. We NEED God to intervene. And it allows Him to show His mighty power, His DIVINE power!. If we could handle everything we face, would we need God? Would we call on Him in desperation? Or would we say, “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”? No, we face hard things so that our full need of and dependence upon God is evident.

And in those hard things when we cry out “But, it’s too hard for me!” God is present and active. He is there to support, assist and rescue us in our struggle.. He sees our needs and He orchestrates our situation. He has given us EVERYTHING we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him and He’s welcomed us, through His promises, to participate in the divine nature. We’ve escaped the corruption of this world!! But, we have to endure, faithfully obeying and following Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

He WILL do it. HE will do it. Not us. We can’t. It’s too hard for us. But God is able to protect us, sanctify us and keep us blameless until the coming of Jesus. And one day we will see Him face to face and realize the reward of our redemption and our faithful following. Oh, friends, can we just pray right now that our sons and daughters wouldn’t ‘give up’ because it’s too hard for them, but they would call on Jesus to sustain them through whatever He calls them to and trust that He will do it, and believe that they will be presented blameless before Him?

“Oh, God our Father, You are so good to give us encouragement through Your word. Thank you for the words in 2 Peter. Your divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. That is almost more than we can comprehend. As believers in Jesus and children of God, we participate in the divine nature of God. It is humbling to realize that You welcomed us into your family and include us in Your divine nature. You moved us from the corrupt to the divine. Lord, I know we will face things that are too hard for us. Help us not to lose heart. I pray for (name) today that You would show them evidence of Your mighty power, working on their behalf even today. Don’t ever allow them to become self-dependent, but remind them always of their great need of You in their life. I pray that (name) would fully trust You and in those times and situations when it is too hard for them, they would cry out to you rather than give up, grow bitter, or fall into despair. Lord, show them how, as a believer in Jesus, they are participating in Your divine nature. They are guaranteed an escape from the corruption of this world. Lord, work visibly and mightily today in (name)’s life. Show them some affirmation today that You hear their cry, You are working to form them into the likeness of Jesus, and You are faithful to keep them until they see Jesus face to face. It’s in our Savior’s name I pray, amen.”

Pray without ceasing.

Brenda Reid 11/14/21 Brenda Reid 11/14/21

Sunday Worship-Nothing But the Blood of Jesus