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Beginning with Thursday May 8th, 2014
1
Corinthians 15:45-58
45Thus
it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam
became a life-giving spirit. 46But it is not the spiritual that is
first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was
from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48As
was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of
heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49Just as we have borne the
image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50What
I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51Listen,
I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For
this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put
on immortality. 54When this perishable body puts on imperishability,
and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will
be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55“Where, O
death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56The sting
of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to
God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore,
my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord,
because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Today’s Verses Scripture: 45Thus
it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam
became a life-giving spirit.
Observation: Christ Jesus, the New Adam became both the propitiation for
our sin and spiritually freed us to New Life.
Application: We are both children of Adam and Children of God as known
as both saint and sinner. This is two
realities of life, of living and it is realizing and living into what the
resurrection means for us sinners that frees us to New Life potentiality.
Prayer: Gracious & Loving God,
Help us to daily reflect on the
perfect example Jesus gave to us
Both in his three year ministry here
on earth
And through the power His death and
resurrection eternally has given us
Freedom from the bondage of sin,
death and the devil
Freedom to battle between the Old
Nature (the worldly Adam) and living obediently and intentionally
Into the New Nature (the New Adam
exampled by Christ)
May we spiritually transform to
realize that being fully alive is being and becoming
Children of Grace living into the
lifestyle of Grace
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Sunday May 11th, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture: 46But
it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.
47The
first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
Observation: We are truly physical beings here on earth but we DO have a
spiritual side. Our reality in the flesh
is temporal but what we have exampled through Jesus in developing ourselves
spiritually is profound—a heavenly goal.
Application: We are limited creatures of this world but our attitude
need not be. Our attitude can be
transformed through spiritual formation, intentional discipline to the will and
example of Our Lord; thus striving for holiness through our faith lived in the
light of GRACE.
Prayer: Gracious & Loving God,
We are to return to dust in the
physical understanding of this world
Our spirit, however, can strive for
a more heaven-ward goal
We can grow by being obedient to
your love and Grace shaping our hearts
Our Hearts are the seat of the soul,
our unique place of identity and of vulnerability
We are both saint and sinner, this
is true
But you can guide and guard us to
live into the lifestyle of Grace
As we commit our lives to as
Gracious and grateful children
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For
Tuesday May 13th, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture: 48As
was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of
heaven, so are those who are of heaven.
Observation: “Was and is,” are two distinctions in discerning our
formational path in following Christ.
Application: Living into the New Nature is a journey of discernment
between willfulness and willingness, between “have to” and “want to.” Growing in our faith intentionally to choose
to be/ become fully developed children of Grace is a lifetime’s journey.
Prayer: Gracious & Loving God,
We are a people who need to
intentionally move on from the past
And move into the present to be/
become who you need us to be: children of Grace
When we operate with Grace building
into our hearts
We truly, truthfully live into the
New Nature you have given us
We truly, truthfully listen and obey
the Holy Spirit’s guidance
To not be worldly but other-worldly
in our love, compassion, kindness, generosity and all that we do
In all that we say for your sake and
for our neighbor
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Tuesday May 20th, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
49Just
as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of
the man of heaven. 50What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is
this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the
perishable inherit the imperishable.
Observation: We are human but bear the image and expectation of God. Our
humanity alone cannot transcend our earthly condition.
Application: We must strive to live towards God’s expectations of us
since we are His children. We must
realize our limitations but operate, be empowered completely from faith.
Prayer: Gracious & Loving God,
May we humbly realize our humanity
With its limitations and its
potential
May our humanity strive to be/
become children of Grace
In formation towards your will and
precepts for our lives
May our hearts grow over and above
our worldliness and its temptations
To have you central in our lives
To know your Grace as fuel for all
that we do, say and become
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Thursday May 22nd, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
51Listen,
I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Observation: At the end of days, the mystery of transformation will be
revealed that we are indeed spiritual beings soon to be truly united with God
the Father.
Application: The life we are to seek as children of Grace is the reality
of our spiritual nature. We are of flesh
and bone as well as our identity moniker is the soul (heart)—the seat of the
Holy Spirit where the Lord has planted our New Nature. We need to stop either being afraid of this
reality or stop avoiding it with false idolatry to the intellect and earthly self-absorbed,
indifferent “dead” things. We need to
realize that not only the end of days will reveal this ultimate mystery and
truth to us; but the fruit of our lives lived in union with Christ will realize
our spiritual nature.
Prayer: Gracious & Loving God,
Help us Lord to not be afraid of
what you have planted in our hearts to realize
May we remember that we are children
of Grace
Blessed with the Holy Spirit to
nurture our potential to transform
A regenerative life-time process of
living into the lifestyle of Grace
Help us to realize the truth of our
formation in, with and through you
May we truly die to the Old and Rise
with you—completely, fully New
Joining you in your Kingdom
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Tuesday May 27th, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
53For
this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put
on immortality. 54When this perishable body puts on imperishability,
and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will
be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
Observation: The New Life we put on or better said—take on; IS Christ
Jesus victory through the cross and resurrection realized in, with and through
our lives lived IN Grace.
Application: We must look beyond metaphor here and think purposely about
our spiritual identity. Are we ready,
willing and able to LIVE into the lifestyle of Grace? It literally means a spiritual death of the
Old Nature and a Resurrection into the New Creature planted within each and
every one of us to BE reaped! How can
Christ Jesus BE victorious is he is not realized within us?!
Prayer: Heavenly Father,
Help us to trample Satan underfoot
and realize the Victory of GRACE truthfully in our Hearts
Help to shape us to be ready,
willing and able to reap what you have sewn into our souls—the New identity
One built upon your most precious
and powerful cornerstone—Jesus, Your Son
May we live fruitfully as children
of Grace—fully emerged from the Crysalis into New Life
One realized through the Cross
May death never have its victory
upon our lives LIVED truly for You!
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Wednesday May 28th, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
55“Where,
O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56The
sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Observation: If we have put on Christ—taken on New Life; the Old
Nature’s ways are put to death. The mirror of sin reminds us of our saint/
sinner potential and what we must strive to continue in formation for Christ’s
sake and our neighbors.
Application: We need that conditional “if” in our lives. We need that uncomfortable mirror of the Law
to help shape our hearts to the beauty and purpose of the Gospel. Growing
into—being/ becoming children of Grace has its birth pangs. These birth pangs are from the Law which
forces us to reflect, confess, repent and renew daily—this is our daily path of
remembering our Baptism, sanctification & justification. Justification by faith through Grace.
Prayer: Heavenly Father,
Help us to comfort the afflicted as
well as afflict the comfortable
With that tension our hearts need to
grow-and-go with the Gospel
May we hear that conditional “If” as
our challenge to be transformed to conscientiously
Choose GRACE as the spiritual fruit
we need to live by
May we never become comfortable to
the empty promises of the evil one
Or afflict our will upon others in
false righteousness
Help our hearts to realize the
magnificent victory the cross and resurrection of Your Son
Has had in our lives—We ARE free to
be/ become children of Grace, living Grace
In Your Most Precious Name We Pray—
AMEN
For Saturday May 31st, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
57But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Observation: The Totality of Christ is victory for us—our saving GRACE,
Praise God.
Application: The song of Praise upon every disciple’s lips and truly in
their hearts IS that Christ Jesus defeated Sin, Death and the Devil upon the
Cross. We are children of GRACE to be/
become bearers of Grace to the world through Loving God and Neighbor.
Prayer: Most Gracious and Merciful God,
May the voice of our hearts grounded
by Your Grace
Be and become truly and truthfully
bearers of GRACE as acts of love to You and for our neighbor
Help our lives to shine with the
victory your cross impacted upon us
Help us to continue to fight evil in
all we say and do through Your Holy Spirit’s guidance
May we live cross-shaped lives
disciplined by Your Word and obedient to Your Son
May our lives never not be grateful
for your victory of GRACE
In Your Most Holy And Blessed Name
We Pray—
AMEN
For Saturday May 31st, 2014
Today’s Verses Scripture:
58Therefore,
my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord,
because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Observation: Stay the course, intentionally and obediently persevere and
continue to be optimistic in all that you do for the Lord; for nothing you do
in His name through your faith is ever futile!
Application: When the world makes our efforts as the church seem futile
or of secondary importance is when you need to be stronger than ever not to be
discouraged by Satan’s stumbling blocks.
Nihilism is the fruit of a graceless wilderness. Remember always that you are a child of Grace,
beloved by God whose will and precepts never offer a “dull” journey to those
who stay the course!
Prayer: Dear Jesus,
May our hearts always persevere in
the midst of challenges
Always knowing how your Love and
Grace strengthens and fuels us to always be assured
Assured in the face of Satan’s
efforts to create a graceless wilderness
May we live into that great
foundation—immovable, unshaken by evil & purposelessness
May we know through You, living for
you and for neighbor that nothing we do has no purpose
Your Grace guides and shapes us for
each and every turn in our discipleship journey
May we always know and grow in our
faith to realize how you are at the very center of our lives
You are our purpose!
In Your Most Precious Name, We lift
our prayers and praise to.
AMEN
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