Coffee with the King - Akron Church of the Brethren · WEEK ONE – Tuesday “Ascribe to the Lord,...

Coffee with the King Month-long Devotional Series

Thoughts and Meditations by: Nancy Fittery

Edited by: Tom Weber, Chris Reinford, Bonnie Hookey

Akron Church of the Brethren

2017

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Copyright © 2017 by Nancy Fittery

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used

in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2017

This book is to be used as a devotional book for the month of September 2017. It is

to be provided to the members of Akron Church of the Brethren so that they may

find it useful in their everyday devotions with our heavenly Father.

Akron Church of the Brethren

613 Main Street

Akron, PA 17501

www.akronpacob.org

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Contents

Introduction ............................................................................. 1

Week One ................................................................................. 2

Week Two ............................................................................... 11

Week Three ............................................................................ 22

Week Four .............................................................................. 31

1

COFFEE WITH THE KING

“. . . I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the

train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with

six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered

their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one

another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is

full of his glory.’” Isaiah 6: 1b-3

Has our relationship with God become too casual? Have we

lost our sense of awe when we come into His presence to worship?

When we think of God, is He the God that Isaiah saw or a smaller,

less intimidating god of our own making?

In his wonderful little book, The Knowledge of the Holy, A.

W. Tozer says this:

“Left to ourselves, we tend immediately to reduce God to

manageable terms. We want to get Him where we can use Him,

or at least know where He is when we need Him. We want a God

we can in some measure control. We need the feeling of security

that comes from knowing what God is like, and what He is like is,

of course, a composite of all the religious pictures we have seen,

all the best people we have known or heard about, and all the

sublime ideas we have entertained.

“If all this sounds strange to modern ears, it is only because we

have for a full half century taken God for granted.”

This week we are going to look at a few verses from the

Scriptures and consider the wonder of our God and our joy and

reverence for Him.

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Week One

Coffee with the King

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WEEK ONE – Monday

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work

of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night

they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their

voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words

to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19: 1 – 4

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 19

The heavens and the skies may not use human language, but

day and night they speak volumes. We live in an area of serious light

pollution which means we cannot see many stars even on the clearest

of nights. That is why the first time I stood in the New Mexican desert

and looked up at the night sky, I stared until my neck was stiff.

Millions of stars were shining; so brightly that in some areas the sky

was milky white with their light. How great is our God? The scripture

tells us that “He [God] determines the number of the stars and calls

them each by name.” (Psalm 174:4)

The heavens display God’s glory, and, when the sun comes

up, the skies reveal the wonder of His creation. From the great blue

whale to the tiniest hummingbird and everything in between; from

the giant redwoods to tiny bluebells announcing Spring, God’s nature

can be seen in all He has made.

When your faith in God seems small, look up into the night

skies. When your life seems empty or meaningless, go out into nature.

Every star displays His glory and all creation reveals His nature. Then

bow down and worship our Holy and All-powerful God. Worship

Him with your heart, your soul, your mind, and your voice for He is

holy.

PRAYER: Holy Creator God, you are Lord over the heavens and the

earth. You are Lord over all the people on this earth. Bless our desire

to be Your called-out and holy people, cleansed and forgiven by the

death of Your Blessed Son, Jesus Christ. Open our hearts and minds

to the splendor, power and holiness of You, our Savior God, and teach

us how to come to You in reverent fear and humility through Jesus

our Savior. AMEN

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WEEK ONE – Tuesday

“Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord

glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”


I love stormy weather—the wind, the fast-moving clouds,

flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, the pounding rain are so

invigorating. They make me feel alive. I have always responded to

God in His awesome power. It makes me feel so much a part of nature

and so close to its Creator.

We discover our Creator in every season of the year. Spring

brings the beauty and renewal of life; summer yields food for our

tables; fall comes with the harvest, the beauty of autumn and the joy

of cooler days. And winter, even winter brings its own wonder—a

time for rest and renewal for the land and its inhabitants as the

creatures burrow in for hibernation and we stay close to home and

hearth.

God makes everything beautiful in its time. That includes us.

From the beauty and promise of childhood to the aches, pains, and

wrinkles of old age, each season of life offers new wonders for us to

explore and enjoy.

PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus for every moment of my life and for

giving me the chance to walk through it with You. You are Creator

of all that is. You are Savior of all who accept You. You are Lord of

my life here and now. You will reign as King forever and ever.

On one hand, I cannot wait until I arrive in glory to be with

You. On the other hand, I know of so many who haven’t accepted

You and are in danger of losing their souls forever. So, my times are

in Your hands. I will wait, witness, and work patiently until the day

You call me home.

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad

in it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN

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WEEK ONE – Wednesday

“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth,

I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the

towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where

my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary,

safe beneath the shelter of your wings!


This is another psalm of David. It is a prayer of desperation.

It is the cry of believers from his time to ours. For thousands of

Christians trapped on a mountain in Iraq without food or water and

surrounded by the enemies of our God, for hundreds and thousands

more slaughtered; children beheaded, men crucified, this is their cry.

This is their prayer.

We are called to pray for this world and so this is our prayer,

too. When the prophet, Daniel, heard of things such as this, he cried

out to God, “How long, Father?” And, the Lord replied, “It will go

on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy

people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened

(Daniel 12).

The God who named and numbered the stars is still in

control. Nothing that has happened, is happening now, or will happen

in the future is beyond His understanding or control. Our times are

in His hands.

But how are we, who live in relative safety today, to respond to

the cries of our persecuted brothers and sisters? We must bow to our

King; lift up our hands and our voices and cry out on behalf of those

who are in the midst of these great trials. Our prayers and God’s

answer will strengthen their courage and give them peace in the midst

of the storm.

There is a very brief prayer I learned from an ancient

Christian writer. It is a prayer we can pray anytime and anywhere.

“Thee I adore, Lord have mercy, into Thy hands.”

PRAYER: Holy and Omnipotent God, we pray for our spiritual

family across this globe. We ask for them to know Your presence, to

go on with Your courage, and to live their lives in the peace that

passes all understanding. In Jesus’ name, AMEN

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WEEK ONE – Thursday

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the

righteous do?” Psalm 11:3


What a question! I would guess that it is a question you have

asked yourself, at least once and maybe many times. Our nation was

founded on Judeo-Christian principles and values. Today these

principles and values are disappearing from public view.

The culture has turned away and even scoffs at the

foundations we once depended upon to keep America stable. But it

isn’t just America, across the world nations are crumbling beneath

pride, greed, and selfish ambition. So, “When the foundations are

being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The psalmist tells us: “The Lord is in his holy temple; the

Lord is on his heavenly throne.” We can turn our eyes to Jesus, the

author and perfecter or our faith and the One who is always in control.

We are to pray; to worship; and to remain faithful in studying and

sharing His Word. And, most of all, we are always to remember that

“. . . the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his

face.”

Corrie ten Boom once wrote that “when the train is going

through a dark tunnel, you don’t jump out, you sit quietly and trust

the Engineer to get you through.” Our God is faithful and true.

Hallelujah!

PRAYER: Free me from discouragement, Father. As darkness falls,

Lord, take my hand. When evil seems to prevail all around, guide my

feet. And when I can’t see Your hand or the path ahead, I will choose

to trust Your heart. In Jesus’ name. AMEN

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WEEK ONE – Friday

“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God,

till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all

who are to come.” Psalm 71:18


It was an all-day workshop at a local church. As I listened

to the speaker, I found myself gazing out of the full-length window

to a field where the farmer had just finished his spring plowing.

Nothing unusual except in the middle of this field was an ancient

apple tree. Misshapen and gnarled with some of its branches

missing, this tree still displayed its unique beauty in a cloud of white

blossoms covering it like a veil.

What, I wondered, made the farmer keep this tree in the

middle of his field? Surely it wasn’t the amount of fruit it produced.

It seemed hardly worth the time and effort it took for him to work

around it. And yet there it was with a beauty and uniqueness all its

own. I wanted to thank that farmer for allowing it to live out the full

number of its days and giving me a taste of true beauty.

As we age, like that tree, we don’t bear the quantity of fruit

we once did. But what we do have to offer is the quality of that

fruit. Filled with the wisdom and experience of years, the fruit we

bear can be more sweet and desirable than any from our younger

years and even more so.

The psalmist tells us what our fruit-bearing should be as we

age. We are to declare the power of God to the next generation.

How? By remaining faithful; by displaying the grace of God in a

life well-lived and full of joy.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been around older people

who are anything but joyful, and I couldn’t wait to get away. But

I’ve also been with older folks who seem to have aged like fine

wine. Their bodies may be failing, but their spirits are robust and

overflowing with youth. Who wouldn’t want to grow to be like

them?

No matter our age or physical state, we can still declare

God’s power and might to the next generation, to all who are to

come—by our words, actions, and the way we respond to the

advancing of our age.

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PRAYER: Father God, no matter my age, let me always be open to

declaring Your greatness to all who will listen. As years advance,

grant me the grace to yield willingly to all that these years will bring,

confessing boldly that my days are not coming to an end, but

approaching the day of glory. In Jesus’ name, AMEN

WEEK ONE – Saturday

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.”


When I began reading this psalm, I realized that this entire

psalm is a prayer. I hope you noticed the same thing. First, David

turns his heart and soul to the Lord. He prays for safety from his

enemies. I am reminded that although David’s enemies may have

been physical, mine often come from my own internal struggles, but

my prayer must be the same.

Next, he asks God to teach him the right ways and then asks

that the sins of his past would not be remembered. David asks for

forgiveness and humbly seeks guidance from God.

Are there times when we pray for forgiveness, but then go

right back to making our own decisions with no thought of God’s

ways? I know I have.

The more I study the Scriptures, the more I see that humility

is at the core of a relationship with God. Humility is not something

we feel, nor is it something we work to obtain. Humility is something

we do. When we yield to God even though we want our own way or

when we yield to another even when they are being difficult or

obnoxious, that is humility. We first yield to God. When we do that

we learn how much we are loved and so we can be humble in other

situations. David reminds us “Who, then is the man that fears the

Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him”

Have you been praying to find God’s will for your life? Try

humility.

PRAYER: O, Lord, teach me the way of humility. Let me become

clay in Your hands. Mold me and make me into all You created me

to be. In Jesus’ name, AMEN

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WEEK ONE – Sunday


Today you are invited to take part in an ancient way of

meditating on Scripture. It is called Lectio Divina, which means

“Divine Reading”. It is a Benedictine practice of Scriptural reading,

meditation, and prayer. It does not treat Scripture as a text to be

studied, but as the Living Word of God. This practice is the slow,

meditative reading of a brief portion of Scripture, while listening for

the whisper of the Holy Spirit to point you to a word, a phrase, or a

verse that seems to speak especially to you. I have given you Psalm

1, but this practice can be done with any brief portion of Scripture.

So, let’s begin:

1) Find a comfortable space where you can quiet your mind.

2) Pray, asking the Lord to speak to you through His word and

show you what it is you need on this day and in these

moments.

3) Read the Scripture slowly, savoring each portion, then wait

in silence. Read the Scripture through two or three times.

4) In the silence, allow your mind to go to the word or phrase

that calls you most deeply and take that word or phrase to

yourself.

5) Wait quietly, asking God to show you what He has given to

you alone. Then return to prayer and offer back to God

whatever you see as necessary—confession, thanksgiving,

or praise.

Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

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Week Two

In Times of Trouble

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WEEK TWO – Monday

“When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and

when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you. When

you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not

set you ablaze.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah: 43: 1 – 3a

Even though the prophet was referring to the crossing of the

Red Sea and the experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

these words of Scripture are meant for us as well, and they have

brought comfort and encouragement to millions of Christ’s followers

throughout the ages.

If you have ever been up to your neck in difficulty and felt as

though you were going to be swept away and drowned, you

understand what Isaiah was saying. And if you’ve ever been in the

middle of a painful, heart-wrenching situation, you understand what

it means to feel as though your life is going up in flames. So, what a

promise we have and what a relief it is to know that our God is

holding us up in the flood and protecting us in the flames.

But notice this, the Word does not say we will never be

caught in the river or surrounded by fire. Nowhere in the Bible do

we read that when we accept Christ as our Savior we will be instantly

free from the troubles of this life. And yet, that is an idea we often

hear expressed in phrases like “Why is God doing this to me?” Or,

“Why does God allow this to go on?”

The truth we must remember is this. We live in a fallen, sinful

world that is in rebellion to its Creator. And, our Creator has chosen

for us to stay here after we are reconciled to Him through His Son as

our Savior. He does this to prepare us for eternity and so we can

spread the Good News of salvation to all who will listen.

If our lives were perfect, we would be in heaven. We are not.

The struggles we have in our lives are tools God can use to shape us

for eternity if only we will let Him have control.

At times, life can be hard, but we are given the promise of

God that no matter how overwhelmed we are; no matter how

frightening the flames, we are not alone. We walk with a Savior who

has suffered the floods and flames of this world before us. He has

made a path for us. So, in times of trouble, put your hand into the

hand of the Savior and forge ahead, for you are never alone.

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PRAYER: Father, sometimes it’s hard to remember that You know

my pain and struggle. There are days when I feel so alone. Grant

me the blessing of experiencing Your presence in the middle of the

raging flood or when I’m surrounded by the searing flames. Give

me courage to follow You, knowing that even when I can’t see Your

face, I can trust Your heart. Through Jesus, my Lord,

AMEN

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WEEK TWO – Tuesday

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will

give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am

gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For

my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 11: 25 – 30

These words of Jesus are loved by Christians all over the

world. We all feel the need for relief and rest. But, as I pondered

over these verses, I began to ask to what burdens Jesus was referring

and what is it that makes us so weary? It’s tempting to think of these

words as referring to our difficulties and troubles in this life, but I

believe Jesus had specific burdens in mind. The ones we put on

ourselves.

When oxen are yoked together, a young ox is yoked with an

older, more experienced one to learn from him. When he accepts the

yoke, the young ox is no longer in control.

Many a burden and much weariness comes from our effort to

remain in control. (Who does that driver think he is? I have the right-

of-way!) or (Why is that clerk so slow? I have things to do. I can’t

stand around here all day!) Many of our irritations and stresses are of

our own making.

But, wasn’t Jesus in control? No, his Father was in control.

When Jesus stepped down from His throne and came to earth, He

came to do his Father’s will. When we accept His yoke, we lay aside

our own self-importance and yield to Jesus’ way and Jesus’ will. To

accept His yoke is to be willing to grow more like Him—to become

gentle and humble of heart.

To be humble doesn’t mean to be weak. Jesus wasn’t. To be

gentle doesn’t mean we allow people to walk all over us. Jesus didn’t.

As we walk side by side with Him, we accept a calling beyond

ourselves. We choose to live for Jesus. That’s humility. When we

hold fast to all we believe but respond to others with love and

kindness, that’s gentleness. When we allow Jesus to be in control, we

find rest for our souls because His yoke is easy and His burden is

light.

PRAYER: Jesus, Lord and Savior, the hardest yet most important

thing You require of me is to give You control. Grant me the

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courage to let go, slip into Your yoke, and learn what deep peace is

all about. AMEN

WEEK TWO – Wednesday

“Who is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him?”

SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 4: 35 – 41

The summer I was finishing my training for ministry, the

Holy Spirit was especially close; a gentle breeze that cooled my

anxiety and brought a sense of peace and wellbeing. But then summer

was over. I was finishing up a weekend at a retreat center. A weekend

of winds so strong they knocked out all the power and ripped and

rattled the windows in the old building until it seemed they would

surely break.

I was standing outside, on top of a hill, struggling with the

days that had just passed. Days that had challenged my beliefs and,

yes, made me question my faith. It was then that I realized that the

Holy Spirit was still with me. But now, instead of a cooling breeze,

He was in the relentless winds that ripped and tore at everything in

their path. He was blowing away anything in my heart and faith that

did not belong while at the same time strengthening what remained.

The words of a worship song came to mind, “Here I stand with my

face to the wind and the rain pouring down on this sacred ground.

But if I stand for what I have known and all I believe then I won’t

stand alone, no I won’t stand alone.”

The disciples had crossed the Sea of Galilee many times.

Some were fishermen who made their living on that lake. But now

they were caught in a gale in the middle of the night and they were in

trouble. No matter how hard they bailed, the waves kept pouring in,

and no matter how hard they rowed, they remained stationary in the

middle of that lake.

What did they do? They bailed faster and rowed harder.

What they didn’t do was cry out to Jesus. But, in His love, He came

to them anyway and seemed to be passing by until they came to their

senses and cried out to Him for help.

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When he got into the boat with them, the storm stopped. They

were stunned at His power over nature itself, and I wonder if at least

a few didn’t ask themselves why they didn’t ask for His help in the

beginning.

That’s like us, isn’t it. When we come to the end of our rope,

we may be heard to say, “Well, there’s nothing left to do but pray.”

Why isn’t that our first thought? Why don’t we recognize that our

Savior is there to help us? Maybe, like the disciples, we don’t

understand the power of the Christ and His amazing love for each one

of us.

PRAYER: Gracious God, blow from our lives all that is

unnecessary; all that is holding us back. Take from us dependence

on our traditions and habits, and teach us to rely solely on You, for

You are surely the Rock that conquers every storm. In Jesus’ name,

AMEN

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WEEK TWO – Thursday

“Then the master called the servant in, ‘You wicked servant,’ he said,

‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t

you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In

anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until

he should pay back all he owed.”


“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” We pray

those words every time we recite The Lord’s Prayer. We use either

“debts” or “trespasses.” Both are valid though they have slightly

different meanings. In the past, I favored “trespasses” since it’s what

I learned as a child. That is until the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to

this parable.

The master forgave his servant an enormous debt. One that

he could never repay even if he worked for the rest of his life. In

contrast, the debt owed to the servant was quite small by comparison.

Do you ever think about just how much debt Christ Jesus paid

for you on the cross? It can be tempting to compare ourselves to

others and think that we aren’t too bad. But God doesn’t compare us

to others, He compares us to His perfect and holy Son. Looking at it

that way, we may begin to get a sense of the enormity of the debt

that’s been paid for us.

With this point of view, any debt, any sin against us, no

matter how cruel, pales in comparison to the debt we owed our

Creator—a debt that could only be paid by the bloody death of God’s

only Son.

PRAYER: Gracious Father, open our eyes and help us see

ourselves as we really are so that we may see others through eyes of

grace and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, AMEN

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WEEK TWO – Friday

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one

who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too

will love him and show myself to him.”

SCRIPTURE READING: John 14: 15 – 24

“Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus

but to trust and obey.” When I was a little girl, I would hear my

mother singing this as she worked. She sang it so often I think it

become part of my DNA. It has been my heart’s desire to live out

these words—trust AND obey.

In some ways, sinners who have totally rejected God have

fewer inner struggles than do believers. They have no desire to obey.

They think of nothing but their own desires. On the other hand, those

who sit in church every week but have never surrendered their lives

to Christ, hear the message and then go out and do as they please.

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples the night He was to

die. When death is near, no one wastes their time on small talk. Every

word is precious because time is short. These words are important

because how else can we show our love for Jesus other than by our

obedience. What we say is worth very little unless it is backed up by

a surrendered heart and a life that is lived by His commands. So, “trust

and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust

and obey.”

PRAYER: Precious Lord, I want to show my love for You in every

thought and every action. Bless my efforts and forgive me when I

fail. May this day be one in which my life shows forth Your praise.

In Jesus’ name, AMEN

WEEK TWO – Saturday

“If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. . . Whoever

watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not

reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is

formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of

God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at

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evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will

succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Ecclesiastes 11: 1 – 8

Do you ever think about how much faith it takes to be a

farmer? If they plant just before a heavy rain, the seed may get

washed away, but if they wait for a perfect day, they may never plant

at all. And in the fall, they must harvest when the crop is at its best,

but before the wind, rain, or frost. Even with our more accurate

weather forecasting, farming is still an act of faith.

Today, the storm clouds gather across our world, the winds

howl, and the thunder roars. From the evil and turmoil in the Middle

East to the rumblings of unrest and violence in our own nation, the

problems of this world can seem insurmountable. As disciples of

Jesus Christ, it is easy to become discouraged. What good can our

local ministry do against such an onslaught of evil? We don’t know.

We can’t know. Just like the farmer, we are to plant the seed and

prepare for the harvest in spite of the clouds and darkness. I’ve seen

farmers out in the fields late at night working hard because they knew

a storm was coming. We are called to do the same.

Jesus reminds us to be aware of the signs of the times, but we

are also to “Work for the night is coming.” Every kind word, every

thoughtful deed, every message of hope in Jesus Christ that we share

with another is a pinprick of light in the spiritual darkness that

threatens to overcome us. So “Sow your seed in the morning, and at

evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will

succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”

PRAYER: Father God, keep me faithful. You have said in Your

Word we are to work while it is still day because the time is coming

when no one can work. So, guide my feet, use my hands, and give

me a voice to tell the world about You, and I will plant the seed and

wait. I will cast my bread upon the waters, for You have promised it

will not return empty. Praise You, blessed Father. In Jesus’ name,

AMEN

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WEEK TWO – Sunday

TODAY’S READING: Matthew 5: 1 - 12

Once again, you are invited to take part in an ancient way of

meditating on Scripture called Lectio Divina, which means “Divine

Reading”. It is a Benedictine practice of Scriptural reading,





verse that speaks to you.

So, let’s begin:




moments.

3) Read the Scripture slowly, savoring each portion then wait

in silence. Read the Scripture two or three times.



yourself.




or praise.


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Week Three

In Times of Weakness & Doubt

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WEEK THREE – Monday

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and

broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through

it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and

only a few find it.”


One of the many teachings coming from false prophets today

is that there are many ways to God. Their argument is that a loving

God wouldn’t limit His access to one way only but would open many

paths. My answer is simple. Look at how much it cost Him to give us

that one way. God’s love is equally balanced with His justice and

holiness. That we were given a way at all is more than enough to see

the unfathomable love of God.

These two verses tell us that God has done His part and now

it is up to us to do ours. He has opened the way and it is up to us to

make our choice. Going with the crowd is easy, it requires very little

from us—just go with the flow. Taking the narrow road requires

sacrifice, commitment, and humility.

At the miniature golf course in Mt. Gretna, there is a hole that

goes over a stream. An upward sloping bridge ends at the top with

many chutes, any one of which will take your ball across the stream.

However, all the chutes but one send your ball far away from the hole

which is your goal. Since you can’t see where they lead from the

bottom, the challenge is to find that one hole that will lead to success.

There are many ways to religion, but only one way to God

and that is through the narrow gate. You can’t miss it. Its shaped like

a cross. Jesus’ own words make it unmistakably plain: “I am the way

and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through

me.”

PRAYER: Lord God, keep my feet on the narrow way and my eyes

on the One who is The Way. It is in His name we pray, AMEN

22

WEEK THREE – Tuesday

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who

are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18


Have you ever been crushed in spirit? Have you ever felt too

empty to pray? Too distracted to read God’s Word, and too tired to

actively seek His face? It isn’t a pleasant place to be. But life has a

way of bringing us to that place, not just once but many times. I have

been in such a place recently and I am still finding my way out. Some

things I am learning may help you as well.

First, it isn’t a sin. When life knocks the wind out of us, there

is a period of time when we simply try to regain our breath. We are

in an empty place, trying to figure out what just happened. The sin

comes when we choose to remain there. This time of emptiness will

be different for each one of us and depend on the circumstances that

led us there.

Eventually, life begins to return. Often it is time spent in

nature that brings us out. The beauty of God’s creation can lift our

spirit and soothe our pain. As we watch the birds, we remember

God’s care for all of His creation and realize that includes us.

It reminds us of the fruit of the vine. Grapes grow sweet and

tender as the sun and rain bless them. There is no effort, just a waiting

in His presence. Each grape is sweet in its own self, but for it to be a

blessing to others, in order to become the sweet wine of summer, it

must first be crushed.

The same is true for us. Our time of brokenness and crushing

can lead us to a place where we grow sweet and tender under the

Lord’s care. Then He can use us to bless others who find themselves

in the place we once inhabited

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

(Psalm 121:1). Nothing is wasted in God’s economy if we are willing

to submit it to Him for His help and healing.

PRAYER: Father, there is nothing we experience that has not passed

through Your hands. Your Son suffered and died to become a blessing

to us all. Grant me the strength and courage to walk with You through

the trials of this life, always knowing that, although the trials are

23

painful, You have been there, too, and You will turn the crushing into

blessing if we simply wait, yielded, in Your hands. In Jesus’ name,

AMEN

24

WEEK THREE – Wednesday

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does

the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk

humbly with your God.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Micah 6: 6 – 8

If the Ten Commandments are the bones of a faithful life and

The Sermon on the Mount is the flesh, then Micah 8 is the brains, the

summary of all the Scriptures teach us of how we are to live in

faithfulness and relationship with our Creator God. It is so brief and

concise and yet it encompasses all the Scripture teaches—love

justice, be merciful, walk in humility.

In this brief passage, we see the life of Jesus Christ and are

called to follow in His steps.

Jesus hated the injustices He saw all around Him. He spoke harshly

to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who demanded heavy,

unreasonable obedience from the common people. He exposed

injustice wherever He found it. We are called to do the same. Edmund

Burke is to have said, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph

is for good men to do nothing.”

Next, we are to show mercy. While Jesus exposed injustice,

He welcomed those who were overwhelmed by the world and had

fallen into sin. He was quick to receive, quick to embrace, and quick

to heal who ever came to Him and asked. We are called to do the

same.

Finally, we are to walk humbly with our God, always

remembering that He is in charge and that we are His, not the other

way around. Jesus didn’t come with an entourage or expect people to

serve Him. He came as a servant. He reached out to others. He washed

their feet. We are called to do the same.

“. . . act justly. . . love mercy. . . walk humbly.” It sounds

simple, but it requires all of us to be all in for all our days here on

earth.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, grant us the desire to follow and the strength

to do so every day of our lives. In Your name we pray. AMEN

25

WEEK THREE – Thursday

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among

the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10


How often are you truly still? How often am I truly still? I’m

not talking now about simple physical stillness. I’m talking about

stillness of body, mind, and heart—still body, quieted thoughts, peace

from worry and anxiety. If you’re anything like me, that’s a real

challenge.

Americans are doers. Even when we aren’t actively engaged

in some type of work or activity, we’re thinking about the next thing

on the list. We make lists—on paper, on our computer, and on our

phones. After all, how are we to get everything done? How are we to

produce the result we want without all this activity? How are we to

remain in charge of our life without “doing”?

Then we read the words “Be still and know that I am God”

and we remember who is really in charge. I wonder if we’ve lost the

capacity to be still, to “let go and let God.” I hope not, because it is

in stillness that peace is found. It is in stillness that Christ draws near.

Stillness and submission; stillness and humility go hand in hand. I am

not in charge of this world, and, in many areas, I am not in charge of

my life. That job belongs to God, and so He reminds us to rest quietly

in His presence and honor His exalted place in this world and in our

life.

PRAYER: Almighty God, keep me ever mindful of Your rule and

Your holiness, and grant Your presence with me whenever I take time

to “Be still and know. . . .” AMEN

26

WEEK THREE – Friday

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the

armies of the living God?” (vs. 26).

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with

sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of

the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have

defied.’” (vs 45).

SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Samuel 17

It’s all in our perspective, isn’t it? If you read the entire

passage you know that Saul and the army saw themselves as Saul’s

army or the army of the Israelites. David understood that, as God’s

chosen people, they were His army and served His purposes. He knew

that the weakness of every evil person and every evil scheme is that

they are in defiance of God. That is their Achilles’ heel.

I hope I will remember that when I’m in a confrontation with

evil. I heard a story years ago about three missionaries who had gone

to the jungles of South America where witchcraft was the main

religion. As they began making inroads with the Gospel of Jesus

Christ, opposition to them began to grow. One night they found

themselves surrounded by witch doctors and spear carriers. As they

stood face to face with these purveyors of evil, the group suddenly

looked behind them and fled. What did they see behind the

missionaries? No one knows, but they never threatened them again.

Even when greatly outnumbered and completely alone, we

have a Warrior who will fight for us if we will choose to acknowledge

His authority and His power.

“Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King? Who

will be His helpers, other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s

side, who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him

will go?” (Celebration Hymnal, pg. 674)

PRAYER: Heavenly King, grant us the grace and mercy to stand

against even the fiercest foe in Your name and for Your name’s sake

through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

27

WEEK THREE – Saturday

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And

there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” Genesis

1: 31

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis, chapter 1

After a hot, busy day working in the yard, we headed off for

a burger and some ice cream. Later, as the sun began to set and the

air cooled, we drove to a nearby waterfowl refuge and parked the car,

looking out toward the lake. My internal engine was still running at

full speed, but, as we shut off the car, peace flowed through the

windows and we were wrapped in stillness. The song of the birds, the

soft humming of summer insects, and the distant call of a Canada

goose calmed the heat and activity of the day.

As we watched a distant family of whitetail deer grazing near

the forest’s edge, my body and soul relaxed into the rhythm of

creation—God’s rhythm for God’s world.

When you lose this rhythm, and we all do at times, go to

nature. When you begin to think about all the problems of the world,

and they are countless, or depend on human intellect alone, go to

nature. Watch the clouds, listen to the rhythm of creation, look up

into the vastness of the heavens, and know that He is God.

PRAYER: Father God, fallen humanity has lost the rhythm of life.

As your child, I humbly ask that You restore to me the peaceful ebb

and flow of Your creation even as You surround me with Your love.

Through Jesus my Lord, AMEN

28

WEEK THREE – Sunday

TODAY’S READING: Psalm 100

Once again you are invited to take part in an ancient way of








So, let’s begin:




moments.


in silence. Read the Scripture two or three times.



yourself.




or praise.


29

Week Four

Let us pray . . .

30

WEEK FOUR – Monday

“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 11: 1 – 4

I’ve often wanted to say, “Lord, teach me to pray.” But, when

Jesus’ disciples made this request, it wasn’t because they didn’t know

how to pray. Jesus wasn’t the only traveling rabbi or teacher in those

days; there were others including John. Each rabbi had a certain

message for their ministry and each taught their followers a specific

prayer about that message. Jesus’ disciples wanted Him to teach them

their own special prayer.

Because we are His disciples, we pray The Lord’s Prayer too.

But it isn’t just a prayer to be memorized and said word for word; it

is also an outline for all our prayers. First, we honor God and

acknowledge His Kingship over us. Then we ask that the Kingdom

He rules would come to earth and to us. Next comes a request for our

needs for that day; not simply for food but for everything that will

keep us faithful to God and His Kingdom. Then, we confess our sins

and failings, with the understanding that we have forgiven anyone

who has sinned against us. Finally, we talk to Him about the

temptations we are facing and ask for His protection.

We don’t necessarily need to keep our prayer in that order,

except for first exalting and praising God as Ruler over our life.

When we struggle to find the words or to pray at all, Jesus

has given us the words that can be our guide into deep personal

prayer. He has provided all we need.

PRAYER: Our Father, thank you for not allowing us to struggle on

our own but instead giving us a means of reaching out to You even

when we can’t seem to find our own words. Praise to You in the name

of Jesus our Lord. AMEN

31

WEEK FOUR – Tuesday

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got

up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 1: 29 – 39

He must have been tired. He taught in the synagogue that

Sabbath, and then when the Sabbath ended, people flocked to Him

from everywhere to receive His healing touch. I can imagine that it

was very late until everyone had gone home. And yet, very early in

the morning Jesus got up and went out alone to pray. It must have

been very important to Him.

How important is prayer to me? Am I willing to get up early?

Am I willing to turn off the TV? Where is my “solitary place”? If the

Son of God saw prayer as so important, shouldn’t I see it the same

way? These are the questions with which I wrestle; what about you?

I believe we find it so difficult to pray because it is the one

thing Satan doesn’t want us doing. Prayer is our power connection

with our Almighty Heavenly Father. Prayer is where we lay down our

burdens and receive supernatural guidance and strength. Prayer isn’t

simply giving a list of our wants to God, prayer is building a

relationship with the Holy.

So, if you struggle as I do, then here’s a plan. Let’s set a

definite time every day and enter it into our calendar. Let’s set a

specific place and let others know that when we go to that place we

are not to be disturbed. Then let’s begin to put prayer first, be

consistent, and be determined to spend time every day with our

wonderful Savior and Lord.

PRAYER: Father, increase my desire to meet with You. Place in

my heart a hunger to spend time in Your presence. Guide my

prayers—both in words and in silence so that I may find new life

and purpose in You and You alone. In Jesus’ name I pray,

AMEN

32

WEEK FOUR – Wednesday

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away

unless I drink it, may your will be done.”


Jesus grew up in first-century Palestine. He had observed

crucifixions. He had seen the humiliation, pain, suffering, and utter

agony of death on a cross and now it was right in front of Him. And

while He was wholly God, He was also wholly human, and, so He

prayed with His whole heart for there to be some other way. But His

Father was silent, and so He yielded to His Father’s will.

I have a friend who is waiting for the results of a biopsy. She

is praying for a negative report. When word came of my husband’s

cancer, I prayed for his healing. While my friend still doesn’t know

the outcome, God’s answer to my prayer was “no”, just as it was to

Jesus.

What do we do when our prayer is answered with “no”? Do

we blame God for the trial we’re facing? Or do we say with Jesus,

“May Your will be done”? Our journey of life goes through many

different landscapes—warm and sunny, cold and lonely, rocky, steep,

and difficult. God doesn’t promise a bypass around life’s troubles; He

gives us something better, His only Son to lead the way and the

strengthening and presence of His Holy Spirit through it all.

It is all right to ask God for healing and for escape from

difficulty. But, when His answer is “no”, may we be ready and

willing to say with Jesus, “May Your will be done.”

PRAYER: Teach me, Lord, that I am not my own but was bought at

a great price. And, wherever my path may lead, keep me ever willing

to say, “Thy will be done.”

Through Jesus, my Lord, AMEN

33

WEEK FOUR – Thursday

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in

knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern

what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus

Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Philippians 1: 3 – 11

When someone asks me to pray for them, it is very often for

some health problem; an illness or injury. When we list prayer

requests, most of them are for physical problems. This isn’t wrong,

of course, but, when I look at Scripture, I don’t find prayers for the

physical, I find prayers for spiritual things. That is why praying with

Scripture can be so helpful in our prayer life. I can think of many

people who need the prayer Paul prayed for the Philippians. And, this

is by no means the only prayer in the epistles.

Praying the Scriptures can open up our prayer life and teach

us what is most important for the future of those we love and care

about. As I was reading Paul’s prayer, I couldn’t help but think how

much I would appreciate someone sincerely praying this for me. To

have more love, to increase in knowledge, and to have a deep insight

so I could know what is right when I face a decision, and to be pure

and blameless in the sight of my Lord, how wonderful. What believer

wouldn’t want those things?

So, when you are wondering what to pray, open your Bible

and use this and the many other beautiful prayers you will find there.

They will be a blessing to those for whom you pray, and they will

teach you much about deep, abiding prayer.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, when I pray for others, show me clearly

what it is they really need. Guide my thoughts and my words so that

You can use my prayer to truly bless them.

In Jesus’ name, AMEN

34

WEEK FOUR – Friday

“My prayer is not for them alone [the disciples]. I pray also

for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of

them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

SCRIPTURE READING: John 17: 20 – 26

It’s almost too wonderful for me to grasp. On His last night

of earth, facing death on the cross only hours ahead of Him, Jesus

prayed for me. He prayed for you. He prayed for us! Take a moment

and just think about that. As He was about to die, Jesus prayed for

you. If you’ve ever thought you weren’t important or that you don’t

matter, think again! Jesus prayed for you!

And what did He pray? He asked His Father that we would

all be one just as They are one. He says that, through the oneness of

our faith, the world will know the message of life, love, and salvation.

Was His prayer answered? Yes, and no. All who are born again by

the Spirit are one in the Spirit. We may not speak the same language,

live on the same continent, or have the same social status, but, when

we meet, we sense a spiritual connection that cannot be denied. So,

yes, we are one.

On the other hand, our stubbornness and pride have thwarted

Jesus’ prayer. When the world looks at Christians, they see Catholics

and Protestants, Anabaptists and evangelicals, Apostolics and

progressives. They see disagreements about where to worship, what

to sing, what day to worship, what the Bible really says, and who is

and who is not accepted by God. How sad.

Jesus’ prayer was that we would be one and that we would

love one another as He has loved us. In our prayer time, let’s offer up

to Him our willingness to participate in the oneness and love for

which He prayed.

PRAYER: Father God, forgive our stubbornness and pride in seeing

our particular way of doing things as the only way. Help us to be free

of any traditions that bind us and keep us apart. Keep us ever faithful

to doing things your way, which is to say, through Jesus who is The

Way, AMEN

35

WEEK FOUR – Saturday

“The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the

saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.”

SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation 8: 3 – 5

Does God hear our prayers? O, yes! They are the sweet

fragrance of incense to Him. Does God answer our prayers? O, yes!

His answers are hurled to earth along with peals of thunder and

flashes of lightning, which everywhere in the Bible represent the

presence and action of God in the world.

In light of this, how seriously should I take prayer? God

understands when I send up a quick word in the midst of my busy

life, but doesn’t He deserve a time each day where I give Him my

utmost and undivided attention? O, yes!

Take some time today and just meditate on the fact that the

Creator of the Universe, the Holy of Holies, the Ancient of Days, the

great I AM, hears, attends to, and answers your prayers. I don’t know

about you, but I need to be far more attentive to Him when I pray. I

want to keep the image of Almighty God in mind when I bow my

head to pray.

Whether we pray alone or together as a congregation, let’s

acknowledge the seriousness of what we do and the wonder that we

can come before Him at all. Then let’s give our praise to Him who

made it possible when He prayed in the garden, “Thy will be done”

and went to the cross for each one of us.

PRAYER: O, Lord Jesus, we praise and honor You with all our heart,

soul and mind. Keep us ever mindful of the precious gift You bought

for us with Your very life. We pray in Your name,

AMEN

36

WEEK FOUR – Sunday

TODAY’S READING: Psalm 150

Once again, you are invited to take part in an ancient way of








So, let’s begin:




moments.


in silence. Read the Scripture through two or three times.



yourself.




or praise.


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