I love my church and my church family. Every week I look forward to being there and when I travel, I miss the gathering, the place and the people. I probably should find a church in whatever city I’m in, and sometimes that happens, but usually not at my initiative. Sigh.

And it was not always so that I felt this way about going to church on Sunday. It was easy to find an excuse to miss and I took that path sometimes. And churches are all so different — some just don’t suit me. Well, let’s think about that. It’s not the point whether I’m suited or not.

If I am to be faithful to Jesus, regular services, gatherings and anniversary celebrations are important. It’s where we remind ourselves and each other of all that God has done for us, saving and providing for us and to thank Him for it. I need to hear His Word, experience more of the work of His Spirit and pray as part of a gathered people. This life on earth is hard. I need His inflow every day for love and wisdom for each day and every week.

Why go to church? — Ps. 81:10 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I long for a purified and undivided heart but don’t think it’s really possible. I generally think, wisely, that my heart is full of sin. It is! I’m always angling for my way, looking for opportunities to make me look or sound ‘good.’ But this purification idea: truly, we contribute to that, too. I had no idea! I thought it was just something that God could do.

But James 4:8 says, Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

I’m definitely the double-minded person: longing for God and longing for my own way. But according to this, when I move towards the Lord and turn to Him and desire what He desires, I’m inching my way towards a purified heart.

And that’s all He’s asking of me today.

from — Anne Cregger

Purify my heart — James 4:8 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

One of the hardest things about following Jesus is discipline of giving up control. It is one of the most unnatural aspects of our lives. But though it may be unnatural, it is the only thing that reflects the truest sense of reality.

When Paul writes that everything is in subjection to God, and that He left nothing outside his control, He included you and me. That should be something we can understand. If we are honest when we look at our experiences or surroundings, we can see that we do not have everything under control.

But what makes it hard is, if we aren’t in control, it isn’t entirely clear who should be instead. If God has everything under control as Paul writes. It seems he is being more honest when he writes ‘we do not see everything in subjection to him.’ Bad stuff still happens. Things don’t go the way we want them to go, much less the way we would imagine God would want them to go.

Paul doesn’t deny it. It’s true. We don’t see this reality yet. But God in His mercy, let’s us see Him. We can see Jesus, and that changes our vision. It offers hope. We don’t know how it will work out entirely, but we know we won’t be alone. And if we see Him, we also see that He conquered death so that we might have life.

Look at Jesus. It’s a better way to view the world because He is the One who is making all things new, including you and me. — — From Scott Buckhout

Whose in control of your life? — Hebrews 2:8–9 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tim Keller said it best —

Why should we be concerned about the vulnerable ones? It is because God is concerned about them. It is striking to see how often God is introduced as the defender of these vulnerable groups.

Don’t miss the significance of this. When people ask me, ‘How do you want to be introduced?’ I usually propose they say, ‘This is Tim Keller, minister at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.’ Of course, I am many other things, but that is the main thing I spend my time doing in public life.

Realize, then, how significant it is that the biblical writers introduce God as ‘a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows’ (Psalm 68:4–5). This is one of the main things He does in the world. He identifies with the powerless. He takes up their cause.

As you pray today…consider God’s love for us….and His calling for us to love others.

How would you describe yourself? — Ps. 68:5,19 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Sometimes we can read over verses quickly and lose the impact of the words. I don’t know of many people who boast about their wisdom or might.

I do know people, myself included sometimes, who can become puffed up because of how much they (think) they know.

There’s a lot out there now talking about how you can achieve what you want. You can become and do whatever you want as long as you set your mind to it.

Part of that is good…don’t get me wrong. God does want us to work to the best of our abilities and push for goals in life.

Flip your values

At the same time…the “if you believe you can achieve” mindset can slowly shift our values over time. Our lives can become about us, and us alone.

I love verses like these because they help me to take stock of what I’m really aiming for in life. Achievement, wisdom, influence — or justice, love, and righteousness?

How about you?

Shift your values — Jer. 9:23–24 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As Christians we have real hope. Real hope doesn’t shy away from reality. Real hope doesn’t try to fill the empty void of suffering with nice euphemisms.

Real hope comes from a source outside of our selves. We trust in a God who one day will bring justice for all things — all crimes, all injustice, all sin….everything.

If you’ve experienced His forgiveness and indwelling presence….you have had a taste of that hope.

An encouragement for today

As a believer…cling to that hope that God has promised us. He’s given us the Holy Spirit as away to bring that hope and allow it to grow in our hearts.

As you pray today….ask God to make these verses true in your life.

Real hope in time of crisis— Rom. 5:3–5 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

You don’t often read many headlines about “slow growth.” There’s a lot out there on how to have explosive growth, or viral growth….but slow growth isn’t that exciting.

The verses in this Psalm give us a different vision — being so well established that we bear good fruit our entire lives. The words and images that come to mind here are of quality and depth and maturity.

Our Spiritual Growth

We find the deepest growth when we commit to a long obedience in the same direction. God often moves in our hearts and around us in ways we can never see or know. It can be hard for us to stay motivated. But don’t give up!

God is producing something precious in us and through us. Aim for slow growth!

🌴Aim for Slow Growth 🌴— Ps. 92:12–15 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. — 1 Kings 8: 29–30

I’ve been thinking lately about temples.

The temple that Solomon built in Old Testament times was to give God a location, a grand place in which to “live” or be fully focused upon.

People were to come and gather there, worship him, be heard by Him, seek forgiveness for their wrongs, etc.

Was it to be evangelical in nature? No, either you were a Jew or you were not. Did it represent God on earth? Maybe.

Our Role

But what about now, since Jesus came? Now WE are the temple.

We ARE to shine forth with God’s light and life to draw others to Him. It all changed with the coming to earth of Jesus, God’s son, and the Holy Spirit left behind to help us. Aren’t we grateful!

from Anne Cregger

🏰 Temples old and new — 1 Kings 8:29–30 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We can always learn a lot about prayer by looking at how Paul prayed.

In this prayer, we see Paul praying that Christians would know God in a deep and compelling way. If you re-read the verses above, you’ll see Paul’s not just praying for more head knowledge.

He’s praying that people would come to know God in such a deep way that it would become the defining vision for their lives.

Take some time to re-read the verses above and ask yourself what three or four things in Paul praying for here.

How can you make this a part of your prayer life?

🙏How to pray like Paul🙏 — Eph. 1:16–19 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Effect of Sin

Ever carried around sin for a long time? It’s heavy!

I love how the verses here describe the effect of unconfessed sin… “my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

The gift of confession

One of the wonderful gifts that God gives us is a promise of forgiveness to anyone who would come to Him and honestly confess their sins.

The thing is, this isn’t just a mental knowledge of a sin being cancelled out on some spiritual ledger somewhere. When we come to God with a broken spirit and truly confess our sins to Him it can have a powerful affect on our lives.

It allows us to be glad in the Lord.

What are you carrying around? Confess it to the Lord! Feel the weight lift as He receives it onto the cross.

🙇The power of confession🙇 — Ps. 32:1–3 was originally published in Eucharisto on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.