PrayerLife

Based on all that God has accomplished on our behalf (Risen Life Realities) we are called to walk in obedience to Him, walking in a Christlike way (Risen Life Responsibilities). All the exhortations and commands in the New Testament depend upon us having been spiritually raised from the dead with Christ. We are empowered to fulfill Risen Life Responsibilities by relying upon and walking in Risen L...

Paul identifies a number of spiritual realities that are true of every believer in Jesus Christ because we have been raised with Him. We are resurrection men and women who have been given the righteousness of God; we have been set free from the domination of sin and the condemnation of the law; we have been filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to contribute to the vitality of the Body of Chri...

Every believer in Jesus Christ has been spiritually raised from the dead. We are to walk in obedience to God relying on the resurrection power that He has exercised toward us. The Apostle Paul calls Christians to Christlike living based on the reality of having been raised with Christ (Colossians 3). That's risen obedience.

The Apostle Paul fervently prayed that the believers in Ephesus would grasp what God had done on their behalf. He wanted them to understand that God had exercised the same resurrection power on them, at their salvation, as he had exercised on Jesus when he raised him from the dead! Every believer in Jesus has been raised with Christ (Eph. 2:4-6).

How has God uniquely gifted you to build into the health of your church family? God wants to express himself through you in a way that brings you joy and enhances the vitality of the Body. Join me as we pray for your role in your church.

"To the church of God that is in Corinth" (1 Cor. 1:2). "To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Romans 1:7). "To the saints who are in Ephesus" (Ephesians 1:1). To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae" (Colossians 1:2). When Paul wrote many of his letters he was addressing the Church of the city. All the exhortations and commands to love one another,...

Your Church can impact your community in two strategic ways. First, you can model a Christlike lifestyle, allowing the light of Jesus to shine. Second, you can display genuine love toward one another. Jesus identified love as the key characteristic that would set apart His followers to a watching world.

God has entrusted His people, the Church, with the honor of being active participants in His Mission of Redemption. We have the privilege of sharing Christ's message of eternal life and being used as instruments of transformation and blessing. The last thing that Satan wants is for God's people to be motivated by love and mobilized to boldly share the Gospel and make disciples. Let's ask God to un...

The Church, as the Body of Christ, is to be a unified manifestation of Jesus to the world. The Apostle Paul asks the question, "Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor. 1:13). Since Christ cannot be divided and the Church is Christ's Body - the unity of the Church is to be a powerful witness to the truth of the gospel. "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and...

Many groups, denominations, and faith organizations are compromising fundamental biblical truth. Erosion doesn't happen all at once ... but rather a little at a time. Today we want to pray that our churches remain a bold and gracious witness to the sound doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The health and vitality of our local churches greatly depends on the the dear men and women who provide servant leadership to our church family. Because of the importance of their role they are frequently the targets of spiritual opposition. We can have a crucial role of supporting and encouraging our church leaders by praying for them and their families. Let's take a moment and do that right now!

Because of what Jesus has done on our behalf, we can approach the throne of God with boldness. "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then...

Nearly one thousand years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem the prophet Isaiah wrote, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have go...

The Bible doesn't pull any punches. In Romans 7, the Apostle Paul writes openly and honestly regarding the human struggle (and yes, the Christian struggle) to do what is right, yet consistently doing the very thing we know is wrong. "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15). We've all been there ... are there! Paul answers this...

The Apostle John assures us that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). God the Father is acting justly and righteously when He forgives us all our sin because someone else has suffered the penalty and paid the price for our transgressions ... Jesus.

If you are like me, you are grateful for the gracious forgiveness of God. One of my favorite verses in all the Bible is Psalm 51:7, "... wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Having lived for 16 years in Minnesota, I have vivid pictures in my mind of crisp winter mornings with a fresh blanket of sparkling snow covering everything. God uses that image to communicate to us how complete our forgi...

It is easy to project our human emotions and characteristics back onto God. We view Him as angry with us, like we are angry. Holding a grudge, like we tend to - keeping a list of all our sins. But the bible reveals that God is graciously and wonderfully different.

How do you think God views you? After engaging in debauchery and squandering his inheritance the prodigal son returned home to plead for mercy from his father. In Luke 15 we read, "while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy...

Jesus wants to have a relationship with you. He isn't simply waiting for you to make the first move. He initiates relationship. He is knocking at your door and inviting you to open up your heart to him. Will you answer him?

Do you ever feel like you have strayed so far from God that you can never return? Jesus knew that Peter was going to betray Him but He prayerfully envisioned a future when Peter would once again serve Him. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, streng...

There is something about the openness and freedom of a child's heart that profoundly illustrates the way we are to abandon ourselves to our heavenly Father.

In John 8 we find a woman, caught in the act of adultery, and pulled out into the street to be accused and condemned. Every day the Living God catches us "in the act." His response to us is the same as Jesus' was to the adulterous woman. (Read John 8:1-11)

Jesus extends a gracious invitation for us to come to him, regardless of our struggles, challenges, and heartaches, and He promises to give us His rest. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:18). Let's accept His invitation today.

Nicodemus was curious about Jesus. He sought our Jesus in order to clarify who He was and what His message meant. Jesus shared Nicodemus' need to be born again through faith in Him. Nicodemus' need 2000 years ago remains the need of mankind today - Knowing Christ in a personal way.

The Church, God's people, are the light of the world. It is God's design that the Body of Christ serve as a primary influence in society for His glory. Pray that believers in Jesus Christ would live out their faith in a bold and vibrant way.