More Than a Church Kid

  "We must hear the Gospel every day because we forget it every day." - Martin Luther   "Jesus became a man, lived a perfectly righteous life, took our punishment on the cross, & then came alive again to secure for us a place with God" - this is the gospel we tell to unbelievers. But do we tell it to ourselves?   The gospel is for us as believers, too. There are many reasons for this, but the one I want to focus on today is that remembering what God has done fuels our love & worship. When we find ourselves bored or confused in worship (I've been there, and still often am), it might be because it's been a while since we've been reminded of the gospel story.    We can go to church every week and read the Bible every day, and still rarely hear about the gospel. Not every sermon or passage directly talks about what God has done for us in Jesus' death & resurrection; instead, the majority of the sermons & passages we consume could si

In a world where nearly anything can change or be destroyed, we each need to ask ourselves every day,  What or who will my anchor be? Many of us have sometimes chosen to dig our stakes into the grounds of our current good circumstances. But circumstances are temporary and can change. Therefore, our circumstances are not a trustworthy anchor for all times. If our jobs/financial securities, our physical health, our current good mood, or the people around us become the ground we stand on, then the rug can easily be pulled out from beneath us, as the saying goes. We can lose our jobs, get sick, feel negative emotions, or lose friends despite their promises otherwise.  These flimsy anchors that seem secure can't keep us steady for long.  This leaves us with a dilemma. We want something unchanging. We want something in our life that will never end or change. But here's the dilemma: everything in this physical world is temporary. Some people may believe that there is noth

Day 3: Those who may be carrying the virus (maybe without knowing) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Dear Lord, Thank you for the victory we have in You. Thank you for overcoming sin, death, & the world on our behalf. Thank you for all the health You’ve given us so far & we confess that we often take this blessing for granted. Forgive us for the entitlement we may feel toward gifts (such as health) that You don’t owe us but give out of your grace. For anyone carrying the virus (or who may potentially carry the virus) that may not know it yet, please strengthen their bodies to fight off the virus before it causes symptoms. Please grant them peace, good sleep, & all the necessary components of a healthy immune system. Please give them the wisdom to physically distance themselves. Protect those around them who may beco

Day 2: Those who have lost loved ones Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3) Dear Lord, t hank you for giving us comfort over and over again, countless times. We live each day protected “under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps. 91:1). Thank you. Hard times will still come, but they have a purpose. We serve a God who “has overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33) and we have a peace & hope that transcends what we see around us on this temporary earth. While we’re still here, may we live every day you’ve given us to the fullest, as good stewards of our time, spreading the comfort, joy, love, and welcoming presence that You’ve extended to us through Jesus Christ. We humbly ask you to heal every broken heart, including [name anyone you know who may be goin

Notes: 1) Although the official "Day One" was yesterday, feel free to do both Days One & Two or jump straight into Day Two. Day 1 - The sick & their loved ones “…if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 Heavenly Father, Thank you for the confidence we have in approaching You (1 Jn. 5:14). Help us to love others in the same way that you love us. Forgive us for all apathy & lack of compassion that we may have had toward the sick. You are a compassionate God, and we confess any time that we haven’t represented Your Heart well. If it’s Your will, heal every person who is sick around the world, including [name any specific people you know], that all glory may go to You. Please ease any discomfort, physical or emotional, that he/she may be going through. Show Your power, love & glory through this situation.

Note: I've posted this announcement on MTCK's Facebook page and on my personal page. During this time,  I am making a day-by-day prayer guide concerning COVID-19, with each day corresponding to a specific topic (e.g., the sick & their loved ones, people facing financial struggles, etc.) I've committed to praying for each of these specific populations of people each day. I would love if others would participate in one (or both) of the following ways: 1) simply pray on your own for each of these topics, or 2) follow along with the corresponding written prayers that I plan to write & post daily. Another possibility is to do a FaceTime, Facebook live, Skype, Zoom session, or phone call to pray for each of these topics weekly or daily. Here are the topics for days 1-3: Technically, Day One "officially" started yesterday, but feel free to either do both Day One & Two today or to just start at Day Two.  Thank you for joining