All the Christian virtues are locked up in the word “prayer.” (Charles Spurgeon)
This Week’s Scripture
Adoration Psalm 17:6-7 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. 7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Amazing Grace (verse 1) Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see. (John Newton) Take time now to offer God your praise and worship. Confession You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. (Psalm 17:3) Heavenly Father, for unguarded moments and sins of impulse; for anger and uncharitableness; for impatience and thoughtlessness which have wounded others; Lord have mercy upon me. For resentment under rebuke and the pride which hardens me against the truth; for slackness in self-discipline and complacency in unworthy habits; Lord have mercy upon me. In my waywardness and self –sufficiency; and in my utter need and helplessness; Lord have mercy upon me. Amen. (The Book of Worship for Church and Home) As David did in Psalm 139, ask the Lord to search you and know you through and through. Confess the sins God brings to mind, knowing you are forgiven and that He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Thanksgiving Gracious God, Sovereign Provider of all our needs, I give you thanks for being mindful of even me. You are the God of great compassion. You see our illnesses, suffering, and pain and you heal us. You see our problems and struggles and you lead us. You see how we hunger and thirst and you meet our every need, both physically and spiritually. More than that, O Lord, you teach us to have the same compassion as you. You call us to trust you as we seek to meet the needs of others. I confess that all too often Father, I am a person of little faith. Fill me with your Spirit that I may have eyes to see those you love and have compassion for. And give me that same love and compassion, that upon seeing those in need, I may trust you, even as I seek to heal, lead, and minister to others as you have done. Please let me do this for your glory and the blessing of others. Thank you Lord, for the privilege of serving you. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen. (based on Matthew 14:13-21) Spend some time reflecting on the prayer of thanksgiving above and then thank God for who he is and the many ways he has poured out his goodness and grace in your life. Supplication (Petitions – prayers for yourself)
Supplication (Intercession – prayers for others)
Christianity demands a level of caring that transcends human inclinations. (Erwin Lutzer)
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CLICK HERE to listen to this week's devotional on the Walking Points Podcast, or listen to it on your favorite podcast platform. There's always extra content on the audio version that I pray will bless you. Or, watch our conversation on YouTube by CLICKING HERE. Global Methodist Church Catechism
Questions and Answers
Yes. I believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. (Gen. 1:1-31; 17:1; Josh. 2:11; Ps. 8:3-8; Isa. 42:5; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; Heb. 1:5; Rev 4:11; CoF I.)
God is the one true, holy and living God, the Eternal Spirit, the Holy Trinity. (Deut. 6:4; Lev. 19:2; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 28:19; John 17:3; Heb. 9:14.) Articles of Religion: Article 1 There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and good; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Confession of Faith: Article 1 We believe in the one true, holy and living God, Eternal Spirit, who is Creator, Sovereign and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. He is infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love, and rules with gracious regard for the well-being and salvation of men, to the glory of his name. We believe the one God reveals himself as the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power. Knowing the One True God This week we embark on a new journey to explore the fundamental teachings of our faith as they’re communicated in the catechism of the Global Methodist Church. This study focuses on Questions 1 and 2. These questions touch the core of our beliefs, leading us to contemplate the nature of our God, the one true, holy, and living God, who reveals Himself as the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this devotional, we’ll introduce the importance of knowing God and his character and how that knowledge impacts our lives as Christians. Key Principles As we delve into these first two questions, let us look at two key principles that can guide us in thinking about the God we worship.
Life Lessons Wesleyan Christians often emphasize that God’s character is holiness and love, not one or the other. God's holiness is inseparable from his love. His holiness means he is morally pure, separate from sin, and his love is demonstrated through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus on the cross. As Christians, we should recognize that our sin separates us from God, but through his love and grace expressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can be reconciled to God. God’s Character is Moral Perfection: As alluded to above, in all of God’s dealings with his creation and his people, God displays his moral perfection. He is undiluted goodness and light, the God of grace, truth, patience, and righteousness. As we grow in our faith, we should strive to reflect his character in our own lives, seeking to be good and holy as he is good and holy and living out his grace, love, and truth to others. Questions for Reflection
Walking Points
As we grow in our understanding of God and his character, may we continually seek to know him more deeply and reflect his holiness, love, and moral perfection in our lives. Let’s remember that our belief in the one true God is the cornerstone of our faith and the purpose for which we live. Let’s seek to glorify and please him as we walk with him each day. In this lesson we look at Acts 6:8 - 7:60. Here Stephen gives a beautiful exposition of Old Testament history and God's redemptive and providential purposes that run throughout it. CLICK HERE to listen to this week's devotional on the Walking Points Podcast, or listen to it on your favorite podcast platform. There's always extra content on the audio version that I pray will bless you. Matthew 28:18 – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Compartmentalized Living Won’t Do I remember when I first started using the phrase, “faith for every sphere of life.” It began as I started studying the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It just made sense that if Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, then he is Lord of everything. And if he is the Lord of all there is, then I must submit to him in every sphere of my life, or else I should stop calling him Lord. Jesus said as much in Luke 6:46, Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you? (NRSV) This notion is in marked contrast to the way many people think and live, including myself in the early days of my faith. I, like plenty of others, had long been an adherent of a compartmentalized faith. Men, you especially know the drill: the Christian faith is fine for Sunday mornings, but it has nothing to do with the rest of your life. It’s shameful to admit, but that’s where I was. Personal, Not Private Instead, the Christian faith should be understood as a comprehensive view of life. The secular world around us, however, still prefers the church to remain silent about anything not having to do with personal prayers and worship on Sunday mornings. Faith, they say, is private. Sure, you can practice it at home, or even with other Christians on Sunday mornings, but don’t dare bring it into the public square. Jesus, however, doesn’t give us that option. The Christian faith certainly ought to be personal, but it should never be private. To paraphrase the Dutch theologian and statesman, Abraham Kuyper, “there is not a square inch in all the universe about which the Lord Jesus Christ does not declare his own.” As a Methodist, I have rejoiced that John Wesley took just such a view of the Christian faith. He called it Scriptural Holiness and said it was his purpose in life to spread such Scriptural Holiness over the land. For Wesley, holiness was inward but also outward. It was personal and it was social. There was no picking and choosing. Faith must permeate every aspect of a Christian’s life – prayer, personal devotions, worship, marriage, parenting, work, economics, politics, education, the arts, personal morality, relationships, civic duty, and serving the community, just to name a few spheres of life. This Includes Your Life I encourage you to prayerfully ask yourself what it would mean for you to understand there is not even the smallest corner of your life about which Jesus Christ, as Lord, is unconcerned. How would acknowledging and submitting to that truth change your life? How would it bless your relationship with your family and friends? What consequences would it have for you in your workplace? Can you imagine the possibilities? Christ is calling you to follow him in every sphere of your lives. Do you hear his voice? Will you follow him? Walking Points
Prayer The Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 46
120. Question: Why has Christ commanded us to address God as Our Father? Answer: To awaken in us at the very beginning of our prayer that childlike reverence and trust toward God which should be basic to our prayer: God has become our Father through Christ and will much less deny us what we ask of Him in faith than our fathers would refuse us earthly things.[1] [1] Matt. 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13. 121. Question: Why the words "in heaven"? Answer: These words teach us not to think of God's heavenly majesty as something earthly, [1] and to expect everything for body and soul from his almighty power.[2] [1] Jer. 23:23-24; Acts 17:24-25 [2] Matt. 6:25-34; Rom. 8:31-32 CLICK HERE to listen to this week's "weekly reset" on the Walking Points Podcast, or listen to it on your favorite podcast platform. There's always extra content on the audio version that I pray will bless you. As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to their classical pursuits, so must we addict ourselves to prayer. (C.H. Spurgeon)
This Week’s Scripture · Genesis 29:15-28 · Psalm 105:1-11 · Romans 8:26-39 · Matthew 13:31-52 Adoration Psalm 105:1-2 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! It Is Well with My Soul (verse 1) When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. (Horatio Spafford) Take time now to offer God your praise and worship. Confession 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32) O Lord God of the salvation of thy servants, merciful, gracious, and long-suffering, who… willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live: Forgive now, O Lord, this thy servant; grant him the assurance of repentance, pardon and remission of his sins, and absolve him from all his offences, voluntary and involuntary; reconcile him and unite him to thy holy church through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom be power and glory ascribed unto thee, now and for ever, even unto ages of ages. Amen. (Traditional, Eastern Orthodox) As David did in Psalm 139, ask the Lord to search you and know you through and through. Confess the sins God brings to mind, knowing you are forgiven and that He will cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Thanksgiving Loving Spirit of God, I thank you that you help me in my weakness. I don’t always know how to pray as I ought. And so, in your overflowing graciousness, you intercede for me with groanings too deep for words. Merciful Father, I praise you for taking the worst about me and the worst things that happen to me and redeeming them for your purposes. You don’t call all things good, but are able to take all things and work them together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for dying for me, being raised from the dead for me, and even now, interceding for me. Truly, there is nothing in all creation that can separate me from your love. In your name I humbly thank you and pray. Amen. (based on Romans 8:26-35) Spend some time reflecting on the prayer of thanksgiving above and then thank God for who he is and the many ways he has poured out his goodness and grace in your life. Supplication (Petitions – prayers for yourself) · Give me greater love for those who are hard to love. · Help me to be compassionate and kind to those in need, even when it’s inconvenient. · Pour out upon me your courage and boldness to love those who do not know you and to share with them your Gospel, in word and deed. · Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Supplication (Intercession – prayers for others) · My family · My family and friends who do not have a saving relationship with Christ · For those in my other spheres of influence who do not know Christ · For evangelists around our city, country, and world who risk much in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who are lost · Other needs There are two things to do about the gospel – believe it and behave it. (Susanna Wesley) Today we tackle the first two questions of the Global Methodist Church catechism, which focus on the God who has revealed himself to us... the God who wants us to know, love, worship, and follow him. Thanks for stopping by and checking out this week's episode. |
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Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path: (Proverbs 23:19)
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
(Matthew 7:13-14) |