For

"Whoever is not against us is for us," Mark 9:40.

Hmm. But Jesus also says: Whoever isn't with me is against me. Which is it? Both. Different contexts. When people with incomplete knowledge of Jesus still do good work in Jesus' name, obviously, they're for him, not against him. Jesus says: Don't stop them. Kind of like Apollos who preached Jesus powerfully but didn't understand baptism into Christ. Priscilla and Aquila nurture him more fully in the Lord's way, and Apollos preaches on. Like, Moses' instruction to Joshua, God's Spirit empowers whom He may, don't shush them. In clear distinction to that, when people claim Jesus' power comes from demons, they're against him. Of these who so blaspheme the Holy Spirit, Jesus says: Guilty of eternal sin, they never have forgiveness. So. God works in unimagined ways pre-preparing and re-repairing hearts, readying men and women to hear the saving Word.

With a brother or sister today, as we open the Word of the cross to despairing hearts, we merge into God's relentless endeavor. And, together, we praise God who counts our imperfect field work as being for him.

Unarticulated

"The Lord will raise him up," James 5:15.

Folks rightly speak of the efficacy of prayer. For example, we quote the Word: Prayer has great power. Over and again, the good book fills with examples of people at prayer. Jesus prayed many times. Sometimes folks mistakenly think that particular words spoken in a certain way or with such frequency then have some powerful magic associated with them. As though God can only hear properly sounded-out words. Sometimes folks so convinced seek to make the right sounds, perhaps in an uncommon or even unknown tongue, in hope that the utterances will exercise powerful effect. Perhaps, if we say the exact right phrase, then what we want will happen. First, God, not confused, hears every language spoken in earth or sky (they're his invention!). Second, God's Spirit guarantees God's clear understanding of every heart's intent, even unarticulated sighs. Third, God (not man) heals, God (not man) saves, God (not man) rules sovereign: Not our will, but Yours be done. God at work: his good, at his good pleasure.

As we pray with a brother or sister today, we find mutual calm that God hears us clearly whatever our poor dialect. And, together, we give heartfelt thanks to our God for raising us up in Christ.

Gratifies

"When you breathe on them they are created," Psalm 104:30.

God's work clothes: light and glory. God stretches out the skies, lays the foundations of his palaces above the skies, establishes solid land, raises mountains out of the deep. God gushes drinking water through the valleys. God's work satisfies the earth: its plants responding to human effort grow food - oil, wine, bread. God provides the right biome for everything, domesticated or wild: birds and trees, mountains and goats, boulders and badgers. God marks the seasons with celestial phenomena: moon phases, sunrises and sunsets, darkness and light. God gratifies his creation: the wild donkey, the young lion, the monstrous sea creature. God opens his hand and they have good things. God takes away breath and they die. God breathes on them and they live. The earth is new again. And again.

When we meet with a brother or sister today, we remember the goodness of this God, creator and sustainer of all that is. And, together, we sing the everlasting glory of the Lord. May our God enjoy his creation!

Rest

"Would that all the Lord's people were prophets," Numbers 11:29.

In the vast panorama of the Bible two fellows take center stage, just for a second in biblical time. Israel complained bitterly about the bleak food of their wilderness wandering. Overwhelmed by the thankless, impossible task God had given, Moses pleaded with God to just kill him if he had any mercy at all. God answered Moses by gathering a number of men at the meeting tent. (And he answered Israel with quail that wouldn't quit.) God portioned out his Spirit so that these men prophesied in deep support for Moses. But Eldad and Medad, though called to the gathering, stayed in the camp. God's Spirit found them anyway and they prophesied too. When Moses' closest assistant, Joshua, heard about it, he sought to squelch all rivalry to Moses. But pointing Joshua away from himself, Moses opened to Joshua's eyes the work of Jehovah God: Would that God's Spirit rest on all.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we see God's good works in any quarter. And, together, we give thanks wherever on earth God's Spirit moves in the hearts of men and women.

Atoned

"Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions," Psalm 25:7.

Or the sins of my middle age. Or the transgressions of my old age. Rather, remember me in keeping with your steadfast love. O Jehovah God, remember me by virtue of your own goodness. You are good. You are upright. So instruct us, sinners, in the Way of life. Lead us, as we humble ourselves before you, in the right Way. Teach us, O God, as we bow before you. Your paths alone show steadfast love. They show faithfulness to those keeping your covenant and trusting your testimony. Forgive. Please pardon our great guilt, for no other reason than the sake of your Name. Thank you for instructing any who worship you. Thank you for lifting our souls into well-being. Thank you for giving us secure future hope. Thank you for befriending any who respect you. Thank you for guarding our souls. And for delivering them. We await you.

When we meet today with a brother or sister, we share mutually in God's forgiveness arising from His very person. And, together, we thank him for the pardon of all our transgressions atoned by Jesus at God's mercy seat.

Outcome

"Who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?" Daniel 3:15.

This remains ever the question, doesn't it? What god? What god can save us from others? Or even from ourselves? Evil power overwhelms. The mess is too big. Now, everybody likes the story of David and Goliath, the scrappy little guy who undoes the big bad guy. But what about when there's just no win here? When shock and awe and fire are the only outcome? Faith in God arises from the heart of a human being who decided to obey. No matter the outcome. Even if God will not deliver victory. That human being will still do the right. That human being will yet hold in highest honor God, creator of the cosmos, who has not saved against a fiery furnace. The only God worthy of that trust is true God, able to deliver into eternity. That's who this God is.

Today, with a brother or sister, we reaffirm mutual faith in the only true God of all, who is through all, over all, and in all. And, together, we give thanks for what only faithful eyes see, Christ, the hope of Israel, whom this God resurrected from the dead.

Bicker

"He placed a little kid in their midst and then nestled the child in his arms," Mark 9:36.

So when you're on the way to have your hands and feet nailed to a cross for the sins of the whole world, what do you do when your closest friends bicker stupidly among themselves about their own self-importance? Well, here's what Jesus did: He sat down in the house. He called his twelve guys into the room. He told them if they wanted to be first in line, they had to let everybody else cut in front of them. He stood a child right in the middle of them all. He lifted the kid into his arms. He said, You hug this child, you hug me. You hug me, you hug the One Who sent me. So. While we wait in this broken, uncertain world for the Risen Christ to appear in the sky, that's what we do. We receive all others, quietly. Sky kingdom.

When we receive a brother or sister today, we humbly recognize in them Jesus whom we serve. And, together, we offer thanks for the one who, incredibly, took us in his arms on the way to the cross.

Disturbed

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you," James 4:8.

As the old hymn reviews it: My foes are ever near me, around me, and within. Indeed, troubles arise in this worn-out world from every quarter. Seeking to accommodate for the world's deceitful benefits only brings more strife. Seeking to satisfy one's passions only increases quarrels. Trouble is, the battle begins within one's own arrogant soul and spills out into fights with other people - who seek the same unfulfilling pride. These friendships with the world find frustration and despair. It's the devil's work. And it's enmity with God. So. Rather than to accommodate and to satisfy and to arrogate, we resist the devil, who then flees from us. And humbly we draw near to God who lifts us up into the peace of his closeness.

We speak with a brother or sister, today, of God's love, of God's call on our hearts. We are kindled to draw near to him. And, together, we give thanks for the serenity he brings through Jesus into this disturbed world.

Desperate

"He has delivered me from every trouble," Psalm 54:7.

Need to be clear: Who talks about rescue here? David. And who did the rescuing? Jehovah God. So what troubled David? Certain people betrayed to King Saul the region where David and his men hid from Saul. While Saul hunted David down, in despair David pleaded with God for rescue. So when did God rescue David? Well, this is the interesting part. When David first sang of God's rescue, it had not yet actually happened. The psalm starts as the cry of a desperate man to his only hope for survival, God. And in seven verses, it ends with such assurance in God that David, while running, speaks of God's future rescue as already made real. By faith, not by sight. Sky kingdom.

Today, touching base with a brother or sister, we encourage one another to plan for God's sure rescue tomorrow. And, together, we sing the songs of God's deliverance in thankful assurance.

Tomorrow

"For to you, O Jehovah of armies, have I committed my cause," Jeremiah 11:20.

The problem with committing our cause to God rests in the fact that God doesn't always save us the way we had anticipated. To be sure, sometimes he does. But in many moments, his salvation doesn't look all that great. Two verses before the line above we read that the prophet spoke of himself like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. Further on, we read of Jesus who trusted himself to God who judges justly, all the while he was crucified. So what does it mean to commit our cause to the Lord? To trust ourselves to God? It means to believe God stands faithful to his word even as we die. To live faithful to death. It means to live by the conviction of things hoped for - but not yet seen. To live by faith in him and not by what we experience. It means to live by faith and not by sight. 

Today, when we extend mutual hope with a brother or sister, we remember what we see isn't it. We seek a city not made by human hand. And, together, we give thanks to our God who will justify our faith tomorrow.

Clean

"Forgive me for my secret sins. Keep me from the sins I want to do." Psalm 19:12-13.

Your law, your testimony, your commandment, even the fear of you, and your rules, O Jehovah, are perfect. They revive the soul. They're sure. They make wise. They're right. They make hearts happy. They're pure. They enlighten eyes. They're clean. They endure forever. They're true. They're righteous. They're more desired than gold. They're sweeter than honey. They warn. Their keeping yields great reward. Dear God, don't let our sins rule us. In this way make us blameless, make us innocent of great lawbreaking. Forgive us, O Rock and Redeemer. And, Lord, may the things we say, and the things we think about, receive your rock-solid approval.

When we share with a brother or sister today, we encourage each other to seek God's strength against sin. And, together, we give thanks to our God for his complete forgiveness in Jesus' redemption.

Mix

"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed," Matthew 13:24.

Nobody understood Jesus' parable about the sky kingdom. So, privately, Jesus explained. The farmer was Jesus himself. The farm was the whole world. The good seed was people belonging to the sky kingdom. The weeds were people belonging to the enemy, the Evil One. So the sky kingdom consisted of Jesus sending out his own kingdom people into the world. But the Evil One also sent his own people into the world. (So this is where it gets weird.) Both the sky kingdom people and the Evil One people mix in the world. Now it stays like this until the harvest, the end of the age, of earth as we know it. Then, not a moment earlier, Jesus will send his mighty angels to collect out of the sky kingdom all obstacles and lawbreakers, and throw them into a fiery furnace to burn up. Finally, then, the righteous sky kingdom people will shine like the sun in God's kingdom.

Reminding a brother or sister today, we remember our Lord sent us out into the world to shine God's kingdom into the present darkness. We do not despair of evil, no, not at all! And we give thanks that the Lord controls time and its events. To him glory now and forevermore!

Successfully

"This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer," Mark 9:29.

That's Jesus' answer to the big question. To what question? The question his hand-picked and personally empowered missionaries asked: Why couldn't we cast it out? So what were they trying, unsuccessfully, to cast out? A demon from a tormented boy. So, again, what did Jesus say? Clearly: somebody had not been in prayer. Somebody thought of Jesus' empowerment as their own personal skill and intellect. Somebody thought God's mighty power to create worlds and control climate and restore health and order demons was their own. They did not come as children before a loving father for their daily sustenance. Indeed: Jesus stood, surrounded by a faithless, lost generation. And his own men didn't get it.

As we join with a brother or sister today, we confess our God's goodness and sovereignty. And, together, we give thanks to our God for his faithful provision. For Christ, our brother who prayed to the Father for us all. Successfully.

Rudder

"Here: a mature man able to bridle his whole body," James 3:2.

Who is such a man? Whose character has matured to such an extent? It's the one who speaks without stumbling. The one who teaches without fault. He's bridled his whole self, he's piloting his very self steadily. He controls his tongue like that. Like a small rudder guides a big boat through stormy seas. Like a small bridle controls a mighty horse in its direction. Unbridled talking sets forests on fire. Restless tongues sit as polluted worlds burning through cycles of generations. Tongues that praise God and then curse people show their evil source. Instead, the perfected person demonstrates wisdom from above: pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, genuine. Sky kingdom.

As we talk with a brother or sister today, we speak from our new source, the Spirit of God. We speak the Word from above. And, together, we give thanks to God who trains his perfect peace into our hearts.

Return

"Return to your rest, O my soul," Psalm 116:7.

And where does this resting place reside? How should a person know when they've gotten back to that rest? Well, it's the place they had left from, way back when the anchorless driftings started, lostness began, fears arose, death surrounded, and despair settled in. The place to which they turned instinctively for mercy, for help: O God! The place where they found God listening, extending mercy, giving grace, showing righteousness, safe-guarding children. Yes. The place to which we turned for help and found bountiful deliverance: to God, creator of skies and earth. Oh, Yes, my soul! Return to your Refreshment! to your Respite! to your Rest!

As we turn with a brother or sister today, we find our rest from the day's vagaries in the comfort of our God's word. And, together, we thank God for his abiding faithfulness.

Rebels

"Let him who walks in darkness trust in the name of Jehovah," Isaiah 50:10.

Why not make your own torch and move on? Helpful question. Here's the main reason: because God awakens each morning. (No, he himself doesn't awaken - he doesn't sleep, remember?) Because God awakens the ears of sleepers. God prepares their ears to hear like eager students are ready to learn. To receive a message that sustains weary people. God opens ears of those willing to learn from him and to move forward only with him. God helps these people no matter the adversarial accusations. Whoever stubbornly relies on God will be vindicated by God against bully rivals. God justifies. God justifies. Rebels wear out like old rags. Their self-made torches will only bed them in grief. And so: if you have no light, rely on your faithful God.

We turn to a brother or sister today and remind each other to hear God's word clearly able to sustain weary travelers. And, together, even from this present darkness, we give thanks to our just, and justifying, God.

Restores

"Jehovah God is my chosen portion and my cup," Psalm 16:5.

God restores our share. We have a beautiful inheritance. God guides us, even at night. We always keep the Lord before us - whom else would we follow? God's right beside us. Nothing can destroy. Joy fills our hearts. We have security. You, O God, will not leave us in the grave. You will not let us rot forever. Your word teaches us the path of life, the way to live into Your holiness. Being with You will bring overwhelming joy. Living beside You. Living beside You will bring unending pleasure.

We remind each other, brother or sister, of the only living, eternal God whom we chose in Christ. And, together, we give thanks to God who secured our inheritance for forever.

Ransom

"He seeth His face with joy, and He restoreth unto man his righteousness," Job 33:26.

OK. Who's seeing whose face? a suffering guy sees God's face. Who's restoring righteousness to whom? God's restoring righteousness to that guy. And why was the guy suffering? because God was giving answer to his questions, but the guy didn't listen. And the guy was near death in his sickness. What sickness was it? Arrogance. Arrogance about what? About his own goodness and God's unjustified troubles against the guy. Wow! So how does the guy end up seeing God's face? Well, a certain mediator vouched for the guy and God spoke about a ransom paid for the guy. So when the guy prayed to God, God restored his youthful vigor and right life. And the guy sang joyfully to people about God's gracious deliverance.

Visiting with a brother or sister today we repent from our arrogance but we also recognize God's goodness. And, together, we give thanks for God's restorative grace, and for our Mediator, Jesus, our fully paid Ransom!

Ephphatha

"After looking up into the sky he groaned and said to him, Ephphatha, which means, Open up," Mark 7:34.

Just before that, Jesus had touched the guy's tongue, and just before that, Jesus had spit, and just before that, Jesus had put his fingers into the guy's ears. Before that, a bunch of people had brought him the deaf and mute guy. Before that, Jesus had called out to religious authorities worried about cleanliness of foods to listen and learn: You don't get defiled by what you eat and put into your gut. You get defiled by what comes out of it. More to the point, you get defiled by what comes out of the heart: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. So when Jesus healed the deaf and mute guy, Jesus said, Open your ears, listen, and learn! That guy did, and spread the word clearly about it. But Jesus' real audience didn't hear.

With a brother or sister today we listen to our Lord's words that speak healing and life to our broken, defiled hearts. And, together, in thanksgiving, we open our hearts to God's cleansing Word.

Richly

"God chose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, didn't he?" James 2:5.

And so he promised the kingdom to those who love him, didn't he? And so when his children become partial against one another they no longer hold the faith of the Lord Jesus, don't they? So, isn't it true that when they behave partial for or against one another due to ornaments or regalia (or the lack of these) in their gatherings, they commit sin? When God's children make distinctions among themselves, they become judges with evil thoughts, don't they? Isn't it right that when God's children elevate whom they perceive as powerful over the powerless, they honor those who insult the honorable name of the Lord? When God's children do this, they become transgressors of freedom's law, don't they? Rather: We will hold richly to the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus, we will love our neighbor as ourselves.

Visiting with a brother or sister today, we encourage one another in God's mercy to us all, whatever our worldly status. And, together, we give thanks to the Lord Jesus who became poor in order to make us rich.

Dust

"I will sing praises to my God while I have my being," Psalm 146:2.

And we will not trust that this man or that man will save the nation. Because when the breath of this man or that man leaves him, he turns to dust. His plans dust away with him. But our help arises in the God of Jacob. Our hope is Jehovah God. God, maker of skies and seas and of all in them. God, who keeps faith forever. God, who executes justice for the oppressed. God, who gives food for hungry people. God, who sets free prisoners. God, who opens blind eyes. God, who lifts up the overburdened. God, who loves right-doing people. God, who watches over wanderers. God, who upholds widows and orphans. God, who thwarts the wicked. God, who reigns forever.

Joining with a brother or sister today, we speak praises to our God. We eschew trust in this man or that man. And, together in joy, we give thanks to God and to his Christ, the Lord, Jesus.

Firm

"The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water," Isaiah 35:7.

And when will this happen? When will parched, waterless deserts turn into marshes? When will desertification back up into lush grasslands? Oh, yes! When will the eyes of the blind open? When will ears be unstopped? When will halt legs leap like deer? When will mute tongues sing in joy? Here's when: When the glory of Jehovah God shines. When the majesty of God triumphs. When God comes. Fear not, your God comes. Indeed. God comes to avenge, to repay the wrongdoer. So, be strong. Your God comes. And God will save you. The withered land will blossom. The baked earth will sing in its joy. So. Strengthen weak hands, firm up feeble knees. Your God comes!

We contact a brother or sister today and remind each other that our God comes to heal heaven and earth, to heal his broken people. And, heartened together, we give thanks for the coming glory of our God.

Blackness

"I look at the skies which you made with your own hands," Psalm 8:3.

On dark, clear nights we look into the vastness of space to see countless stars, planets, galaxies that go on into the limitless darkness between. On those cold, limpid nights we see dancing light curtains, now billowing, now exploding across the infinite cosmic backdrop of blackness. Hearts fill with wonder, awed at the grandness of it all, just like when we were little kids. A deep sense of humility slips in and takes over consciousness. And we wonder. We wonder. We wonder: What is man? What is this little human looking up into eternity from the bottom of the universe? What is humanity that God is so mindful for such insignificant detail of his creation? And then we wonder: Who is this God, unique creator of all, above all creation, who minds so deeply?

With a brother or sister today, we give thanks, together, for this God who shows us who we are - and who he is - when we see Jesus, his son.

Knit

"I commit my spirit into your hands," Luke 23:46.

Jesus' last, dying breath rises to the One who had knit his body in his mother's womb. To the One whom vast angel armies praised at his birth. To the One who had prepared a body through which he should live out his manliness, his humanity. To the One whose business it was that he, a twelve year-old, was to be about. To the One who had avowed love, pride, and sonship at Jesus' baptism. To the One on whose word he had relied for insight and strength in his life-long struggle for holiness against the Tempter. To the One he had inexorably turned people's hearts to for their salvation, healing, hope. To the One who had led him, step by careful step, to the place of the Skull. To the One who planted him between two convicts. To the One whom he trusted to judge justly. To his Father. His Abba.

With a brother or sister, despite injustices and evil in this world, we commit our spirits to God. And, together, we choose trust in Him and, in faith, we give premature thanksgiving that He will make all things right. Maranatha.

Safe

"Knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, he kept him safe," Mark 6:20.

He, who? Who, him? Who, knowing? Herod, King Herod, is the knower who kept the other one safe. And John, Baptizing John, is the one kept safe. So how did this manly king keep that godly prophet safe? The king dispatched for John, seized him, bound him. He held him in prison. And, then, to make sure no harm befell him, chopped his head off. That is, to make sure no harm befell the king's reputation (!), the king had the prophet dispatched. So Jesus observed heaven's kingdom is violated by violent men. Indeed. Can man's violent safety, if such it be called, end except in death? Graveyards fill with protected people. But God's safety begins with death. Sinking into Christ's death. And ends in rising into Christ's life. Resurrection forever. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today, we remember the persecuted righteous, faithful to the end. And, together from the depths, we give thanks for God's safety, despite death, enduring into eternity.

Crosses

"We were buried with him by baptism into death," Romans 6:4.

To say it another way: Whoever is baptized into Christ is baptized into his death. To say it another way: We are united with him in a death like his. To say it another way: Our old self is crucified with him. To say it another way: We do away with the body of sin. To say it another way: We die and are set free from sin. So. Here's the point: When the bad guys persecute Jesus-followers (and they do), Jesus' followers know this: they have already died. So. What can man do to them? In their suffering they bear witness to God's power. Out of this death God raises them to new life. God unites them to Jesus' resurrection life. God releases them from sin's slavery. God brings life with Christ. Our new life to God in Christ crosses seamlessly from this world into the next.

We assert with each other, brother or sister, that naught separates us any longer from life's fountain. And, together, from immersion into Jesus' death, our gratitude arises to God for his flood spilling over us into eternal life.