MingDynasty Clairvoyant

You Read It Here... Word for Today

A Story for the Crowd


Many people came together. People came to Jesus from every
town. Jesus told the people this story:

-- Luke 8:4 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus used stories to help drive home his message, to plant a seed to
help people remember a biblical truth, or to help give his hearers
insight. Stories are a powerful part of the Master's ministry. Stories
are powerful and stick in our heart. Much of the Bible is written in
the language of story. A huge portion of the New Testament is written
in the language of story with the four gospels telling the story of
Jesus' earthly ministry and with the book of Acts telling the story of
Jesus' ministry through the early church. One of the great ways for you
to gain a firm grasp of the New Testament, or even the whole Bible, is
to keep you a notebook with a list of the Bible's stories in it, the
references where it can be found, and a one sentence summary of the
lesson it teaches. If Jesus used stories to communicate God's truth,
then let's learn those stories and let them come to life in us!


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, thank you for the story of your love and grace found in the
Bible. Thank you that Jesus used stories to communicate many of your
truths. Please help me to learn these stories and have the Holy Spirit
open my mind and heart to understand and apply them to my life. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

You Read It Here... Word for Today

David's Town


    So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee. He went to the
    town of Bethlehem in Judea. This town was known as the town
    of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of
    David. Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to
    marry him. (Mary was now pregnant.)

                            -- Luke 2:4-5 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Bethlehem may not have been much of a town in Jesus' day, but it was
King David's town. More importantly, Luke helps us establish a link in
Jesus' heritage to King David. Jesus, however, is not just any
descendant of David; he is THE successor; Jesus is the one who will
reign on David's throne forever! Before Jesus arrives on the scene, we
know a little something of his identity and his role: he will be King!
The issue for you and me is whether we allow him to be King of our
lives.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Almighty God and loving Father, I want Jesus to rule over my heart. I
want him to be Lord of my passions. I want him to redeem the weak,
broken, and unholy parts of my character. I want him to be Master of my
future. Father, I don't want this because I am worthless and have no
value, but because I know that my true value as a person will never be
unlocked until I truly let Jesus rule my life. Please shape me and mold
me, Lord Jesus, so that just as you obeyed your Father's will, I can
learn to do the same. Amen.

You Read It Here... Word for Today

Rejoice!


    When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a boy.
    Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord (God) was
    very good to her. They were happy for her.

                            -- Luke 1:57-58 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
So often today, it seems that those who are not blessed with

unexpected joys are jealous, even critical, of those who do receive them.

Isn't it wonderful that Elizabeth's neighbors weren't that way? We

can follow their lead and rejoice with those who rejoice! Find things in

your friends' lives for which you can honestly rejoice. That makes

their blessings a source of blessing for you, too!


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Seems like, dear God and Almighty LORD, that there is so

much bad news these days. I don't seem to find the good in the things around

me. Give me a heart that rejoices with the blessings of others. Make

that joy contagious. I ask for this grace in Jesus' name. Amen

Many Blessings Be Unto You! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Let Us Remember...

Saturday, December 25, 2010 The Gift at Dawn Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore. But the followers did not know it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to the followers, "Friends, have you caught any fish?" The followers answered, "No." Jesus said, "Throw your net into the water on the right side of your boat. You will find some fish there." So the followers did this. They caught so many fish that they could not pull the net back into the boat. The follower that Jesus loved said to Peter, "That man is the Lord (Jesus)!" Peter heard him say, "That man is the Lord." Peter put his coat around himself. (Peter had taken his clothes off {to work}.) Then he jumped into the water. -- John 21:4-7 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: When we were kids, Christmas morning meant that getting up early was fun! For the disciples, dawn was the end of a hard and discouraging night. A night of work and no fish! Dawn breaks and they know the night has been a waste and they will go to shore empty handed, tired, and hungry. Then Jesus gave them the gift of surprise: an enormous catch of fish and a breakfast on the beach with their risen Lord. Peter was a fisherman. Jesus had called Peter with a large catch of fish. Jesus will call Peter to ministry again with a large catch of fish. But most significant at this point in the story, a fisherman gets his biggest catch of fish ever, but leaves it behind as nothing for the sheer joy of being in the presence of his risen Lord. Peter left it all behind to be with Jesus! What about us? TODAY'S PRAYER: Father, I know that you want to be God of all of my life. You want me to recognize that all I have is from you and given to me by you to do your work in the world. I confess to you, dear Father, that there are some things that I hold on to too tightly and don't offer to you for your work as freely as I should. Help me to surrender all that I have and all that I am to you, so that you can more fully use me to do your work in the world through me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Word For Today... Merry Christmas!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!!!!
 
                Friday, December 24, 2010

What to Do?

Some of the followers were together. They were Simon Peter,
 Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the
  two sons of Zebedee, and two other followers. Simon Peter
  said, "I am going out to fish." The other followers said, "We
  will go with you." So all the followers went out and got into
  the boat. They fished that night but caught nothing.

                            -- John 21:2-3 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
What do you do when you don't know what to do? The

disciples weren't really sure what they were supposed to do with the

resurrected Jesus. This response was to be expected; after all, none of them had

ever had a friend rise from the dead and Jesus hadn't yet told them of

their mission. Two things, however, are crucial in their response.

First, they hung together. They knew they were bound together by

something, and Someone, very significant. So they didn't let go of each

other. Second, they stayed in Galilee near the Sea -- a familiar

place and also the place Jesus told them to go after his resurrection. In

other words, when all else fails, and you're not sure what to do,

stick with other believers and obey the Lord's clear instructions. Doesn't

sound very fancy, but it was the key for the disciples meeting Jesus

and being called to the next level of mission with him.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, I confess that I often want things to be spectacular or
exciting or inspiring. Yet I know that so often my sense of
your presence and my most effective ministry occurs when I go
do the next right thing that I know Jesus wants me to do and I do that with
other believers. Give me a heart of obedience and a passion to be
with your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Words To Live By

Water and Blood So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man on the cross beside Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the other man on the cross beside Jesus. But when the soldiers came close to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead. So they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side. Blood and water came out. -- John 19:32-34 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: John was a witness to this death of sacrifice and love that bought our redemption. He also wants us to realize that we are witnesses, too. When we share in baptism and in the Lord's Supper, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit helps the Savior's loving death come alive in us. Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins so that we can live with him. Blood and water is that ultimate sign of death and sacrifice. Through grace, we are invited to share in them and to be saved by him! We then become witnesses to their power in our lives. TODAY'S PRAYER: Almighty God, how could you do this for me? How could you hold back your power and let your Son die for my sins, and the sins of all of my fellow sinners? As the old hymn says, dear Father, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all." Thank you, in Jesus name and because of his sacrifice. Amen

Words for today

Sunday, November 28, 2010 We Have No King!? Pilate heard what these Jews said. So he brought Jesus out to the place called "The Stone Pavement." (In the Jewish language the name is "Gabbatha.") Pilate sat down on the judge's seat there. It was now almost noon on Preparation day of Passover week. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king!" They yelled, "Take him away! Take him away! Kill him on a cross!" Pilate asked them, "Do you want me to kill your king on a cross?" The leading priests answered, "The only king we have is Caesar !" -- John 19:13-15 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: God was Israel's true King while the human king that sat on Israel's throne was considered God's son, or prince. So often, Israel chose to go with their human king and abandon their heavenly King. Once again, the leaders of God's people pull them away from their heavenly King and pledge their loyalty to a secular king. Their actions are a warning of how easily we can be dissuaded from giving our complete loyalty to the only true Lord and King, Jesus. TODAY'S PRAYER: Almighty God, my precious and righteous Father, please keep my heart pure in its allegiance to you. I don't want to ever let anything or anyone lead me away from my loyalty to you. Forgive me for the past times when I've let other things distract my attention and distort my loyalty. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen

Let us Pray...

In Control


    Jesus knew everything that would happen to him. Jesus went
    out and asked, "Who are you looking for?" The men answered,
    "Jesus from Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am Jesus." (Judas, the
    one that turned against Jesus, was standing there with them.)
    When Jesus said, "I am Jesus," the men moved back and fell to
    the ground.

                            -- John 18:4-6 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
John helps us see that Jesus' rejection and crucifixion was not some
horrible accident that occurred because he couldn't prevent it. Jesus
is in control. He will protect his disciples. He will make others fall
back in fear. He will die on the Cross only because he allows it to
happen in order to follow his Father's will and to bring salvation to
us. The Cross, along with its agony and ridicule, is made all the more
precious for us because Jesus had the ability to stop it from
happening, but instead, submitted his will to the will of God and the
needs of sinners, like you and me.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
How can I thank you, dear God, for loving me so much? How can I ever
show my appreciation, Lord Jesus, for the price you willingly paid for
my sin? Thank you for knowing the cruelty that lay ahead of you and yet
bearing it for me. To you, Lord Jesus, belong all glory, honor, and
majesty. Amen

Words To Live By

Scattered and Alone Jesus said, "So now you believe? Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered. Each of you will be scattered to his own home. That time is now here. You will leave me. I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me." -- John 16:31-32 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: The disciples think they believe. They think they are courageous and loyal. Yet they will all scatter and leave Jesus alone. He will face the horrors of the Cross by himself. Yes, God will go with him. But on the Cross, Jesus will even feel abandoned by God as he bears the weight of the world's sin alone, forsaken, mocked, ridiculed and tortured. And why did he do it? He did it to save you. He did it to save me. He did it to save the lost world. So how can we keep from sharing such costly grace with those who do not know it? TODAY'S PRAYER: Give us, your people, your Church, courage to proclaim your grace in ways that communicate it clearly. The unspeakable horrors of Jesus' betrayal night and crucifixion day humble us, dear Father, that you would love us so. Lead us to redemptively love others who do not know this grace as their own. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Let us Pray...

See Me as God Up Close


Jesus said, "Don't be troubled. Trust in God. And trust in
me."

-- John 14:1 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
All their lives, Jesus' disciples were taught to trust God. Their
childhoods had been filled with great stories of faithfulness. Jesus'
words (which follow in John 14) will stretch their understandings past
the breaking point. He will equate himself with God. They will struggle
to understand. Much of what happens will remain an impenetrable mystery
to them until Jesus' resurrection and the coming of his Spirit. For
them, and for us, these words take on great meaning. "You trust in
Almighty God, so trust in me, too!" His point? It's like he's saying,
"Trust me! I'm God up close for you!" Jesus is the great reminder of
God's concern and understanding of our dilemmas. He is God up close.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Righteous and holy God, my Abba Father, I praise you for your love and
grace. Thank you for entering our world and drawing close to us in
Jesus. Thank you for giving us Jesus so we can know your love and
compassion more clearly. I put my trust in him as I pray in his mighty
name. Amen

Let Us Pray Today

Overstated Commitment


    Simon Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?"

Jesus
    answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow now. But

you
    will follow later." Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow
    you now? I am ready to die for you!" Jesus answered, "Will
    you really give your life for me? I tell you the truth.
    Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you
    don't know me."

 -- John 13:36-38 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Most of us have done it. We've overstated (or at least, over-

estimated)
our commitment, abilities, or strength. Our intentions, at the

time,
were probably good. We just didn't realize Satan's power to

combine
circumstance, fear, doubt, disillusionment ... in a concoction

brewed
just right to bring us to our knees. Peter had a tendency to

overstate
everything in his early years as a disciple. However, once

Peter
suffered through his personal embarrassments and failures,

Jesus had a
leader fully prepared to lead powerfully while also walking

humbly.
Let's not let our failures keep us from following Christ and

being used
for his glory. In addition, let's not overstate our ability to

handle
temptations, trials, difficulties, challenges, or problems. God's
strength is made perfect when we realize our weakness and
vulnerability; then rely on his strength to sustain us!


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, please forgive for the times I've failed after I

overestimated
my ability to handle a problem. I know that I cannot face the
challenges of life and faith without your power and presence.
Strengthen me for the days ahead so that I can be a blessing

to others
and honor you with faithfulness in my life. In Jesus' name.

Amen

Let Us Pray Today

[Jesus said,] "I am not talking about all of you. I know the people I have chosen. But what the Scripture said must happen: 'The man that shared my food has turned against me.' I am telling you this now before it happens. Then when it happens you will believe that I AM." -- John 13:18-19 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: Nothing hurts quite like someone you love betraying you. Jesus knows what is going on with Judas. He also knows that the rest of the twelve will turn away from him for at least a little while. He knows he is going to die a horrible and humiliating death. Yet in the middle of all of this betrayal, Jesus works to prepare his disciples and give them seeds of faith that will germinate after the horrors of the next few days are past. This is indeed a powerful example for us as we face our ending days. How can we prepare those we love for our absence? How can we soften their blow? How can we help them have faith after we are gone? These shouldn't just be our thoughts before our impending death; however, they should be the questions which guide our daily lives before those we love! TODAY'S PRAYER: God of grace and mercy, give me the courage to live my life in ways that inspire those I love to believe now as well as after I am gone from them. Use my life to sow the seeds of lasting faith in the hearts of those I love. Especially, dear Father, please help me reach ... with your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen

Words to Live By

Getting Real Then Jesus poured water into a pitcher. He began to wash the followers' feet. He dried their feet with the towel that was wrapped around his waist. -- John 13:5 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: "Get real, man!" It's a slang expression intended to force someone into reality -- no exaggeration, no pretending, no imaginary tale. This is where God's becoming human flesh gets real. Jesus, God come in human flesh, takes water and washes the dirt and grime off his disciples' feet. God becomes soiled with the dirt and stench of the world to show his love to the ignorant and ungrateful. The same dirt from which he made humanity is now the dirt he must wash away to recreate humanity. Jesus gets real! This, my friend, is the crux of the Jesus story -- that God would come to our world to bring us to his home at such great cost. Will you believe that this incredible story is true? If you do, everything is different! TODAY'S PRAYER: Almighty and loving Father, I praise you for your work in creating me in your image. I thrill at the thought that you fashioned me in my mother's womb. I am overjoyed that you have re-created me new in Jesus. I thank you for being willing to get your hands dirty with the dirt of my world and my life to bring me home to you. In Jesus' name I praise you. Amen

Words To Live By

Escape from Darkness [Jesus said,] "I am light, and I came into this world. I came so that every person that believes in me would not stay in darkness." -- John 12:46 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: At one time or another, most of us have been trapped in a darkened room and could not see anything until our eyes adjusted. Then, no matter how faint or far away, we began to move toward the light. Light casts out darkness. Light leads us away from darkness. Light triumphs over darkness. Jesus is our light! Let's move toward him and leave the darkness behind us

Words To Live By

If You Trust Me, You're Trusting God Then Jesus said loudly, "The person that believes in me is really believing in the One (God) who sent me. The person that sees me is really seeing the One who sent me." -- John 12:44-45 (ERV) KEY THOUGHT: Want to know what God says? Listen to Jesus! Want to know how God treats people? Watch what Jesus does! Want to know what God looks like? Look at Jesus! Jesus claims to speak, act, and reveal God throughout the Gospel of John. So the real choice for us is whether or not we are going to trust him with our lives? TODAY'S PRAYER: Holy and almighty God, please forgive my little faith. Please bless me as I continue to seek to know you better by reading and meeting your Son Jesus in the Gospel of John. I ask that you make yourself known to me as I seek to live for you each day. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen