From the Word:  Bring all five (from Matthew 14:1-21)
“They said to Him, ‘We have here only five loaves and two fish.’  And He said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’” (Matthew 14:17-18 NASB)

Lord, thanks again for the reminder that I don’t have to have everything necessary to meet needs; I barely have enough to meet my own needs and that of my family!  But if I bring them to You, You are the One who can multiply what I do have and use them to accomplish significant things.  I simply need to be faithful and obedient.  But what I do need to do, what I must do, is bring all five.  I must not hold back!  Just because I know that what I have and who I am  is inadequate for the need, I must not use that as rationale for holding back, for irresponsibility.  The example of holding back that comes to mind is Annanias and Sapphira.  Save me from their mindset, Lord!  What are other examples in Scripture, or in my own life?  Hand to the plow - don’t look back - no second thoughts - those bridges are burned.  Too late to go back - must press forward in faith.

May You be honored by my unreserved commitment to You; may I display strength and take action, in faith and wisdom, trusting that You will use what meager efforts and talents I have to accomplish Your purposes.  Keep me from losing heart and drive, and protect me from resigning myself to the mediocrity of life, a half committed life where I hold back just a little, just in case things don’t work out.  I want to be completely sold out for You, Lord!  What does that look like in my relationships?  Give me wisdom to see and understand what’s going on in that arena for me.  Amen.

Please pray with us:

Students involved in Navigator ministries on college campuses in a five state region (of which we are a part) are gathering next weekend for our annual conference.  I am planning to attend to represent the Navigator Metro ministries here in the Philadelphia area.  Please pray
1) - that God would use the conference to encourage and equip the students for a life of godliness and fruitfulness, and
2) - that for any graduating students who may move to Philly, I could provide answers and information that will help them maintain their walk with Jesus and their focus as they adjust to life after college.  Thanks.
[NOTE:  The conference was originally scheduled for the first weekend this month but was postponed due to the snow.  Our main speaker from Colorado was able to change his schedule as well and is still coming).

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From the Word:  Seeking the Kingdom (from Matthew 13:44-58)
”The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  (Matthew 13:44-46 NASB)

Hmmm… what price am I willing to pay to possess Your Kingdom?  To be a part of Your Kindgom?  To what lengths am I willing to go to value the Kingdom above everything else?  Do I value Your Kingdom above all else?  I tend to think more in terms of my personal realationship with You as my most highly valued “possession”.  But what of this?  You compare the value of Your Kingdom with things of great value in earthly terms - pearls, treasure.  How can I grow in my understanding of Your Kingdom by thinking in these terms?  What do I value most in my life, as far as “treasures” go?  I really can’t think of anything tangible that I truly “treasure”.  But what I do desire is self-determination: I want to be able to decide what I do and where I invest my time and energy.  Actually, I do want my life to make a difference, so in one sense I need to let go of my desire to be important and to be valued and appreciated by others.

But what of Your opinion of me, Lord?  And what is Your Kingdom?  like a mustard seed? (v31)  like leaven? (v33)  I definitely need a better understanding of Your Kingdom!  If I understood better what Your Kingdom is, then I would certainly value it more highly, like these guys.  Actually, these guys are valuing earthly things, but this is an object lesson, and I want to learn the lesson in order to value the things that are important to You.  May I keep seeking a better understanding of Your kingdom, and meanwhile do my best to keep my eyes fixed on You.  Amen.

Please pray with us:
For the past few days the directors of The Navigators Metro areas across the country have been together in Kansas City.  Please pray with us for the rest of their time as they compare notes on what God is doing in the cities across the country, that it would be a time of learning, of being stretched, and of trusting God for His plans and purposes for The Navigators in each of the metro areas.  Thanks.

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From the Word:  Strength and action (a cross reference from reading Matthew 13:24-43)
”By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”  (Daniel 11:32 NASB)

[ In Matthew 13:43, "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father...",  Jesus quoted from the book of Daniel, which took me to the passage above. ]

Daniel 11 does not paint a rosy picture of what is happening: men of power and self-interest will clash with and seek to dominate others - others like the righteous.  In fact, the righteous will be persecuted.  Only after suffering and purging will they shine.  And for “Those who have insight…”  this phrase is used in Daniel 11:33,35, and 12:3, when You quote it, You use the term “righteous” (Mt 13:43).

I need to grow in my grasp of what You are saying here, Lord.  Am I to know more, to do more, to understand better?  I prayed for wisdom this morning.  Is this Your answer, or part of Your answer for me?  My desire and pursuit is to be righteous, to be a man of insight, and to be a man who displays strength and takes action.  My righteousness is in You.  My strength comes from You, Your Holy Spirit.  And any action I take for You - not for the sake of action itself (that accomplishes nothing but dust in the air), may it be for the glory of Your name and the advancement of Your Kingdom!  May I be obedient tool in Your hand, Lord.  Show me what this looks like for me today.  Amen.

Please pray with us:
From some study and devotional meditation back in September,  I determined that one element needed in my life to finish well was a network of accountable relationships.  Since then I have asked three men (one local and two several hours away) to serve in that capacity for me.  In the next few weeks I will be meeting with each of them individually. (My plan is to meet with each of them several times a year, and the local guy more frequently - once a month or so.) Please pray for my time with each of them, that God will give them insight into any issues in my life that may need to be addressed, and also for them to be able to see opportunities and possibilities in front of me that either I don’t see or haven’t yet figured out how to take advantage of.  Thanks.

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The scope of the tragedy in Haiti touches our hearts and we want to do something right now. The needs are immense and immediate. What can I do? For most of us, the first obvious thing is to pray, the next is to give money.

I encourage you to join us in prayer for the overwhelming needs there. For ideas as to how you can pray, read or listen to a news article and pray specifically over the details presented there.

Regarding giving, I want to give from my heart, and I want to give wisely. With that in mind there are two things to consider:

– The heart connection: after I have given, do I feel as if I have done my part, and is my heart right with God?  Doesn’t Matt 6:21 say, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”?  I want to make sure I am giving out of genuine heart’s concern, and not just to assuage my conscience. There were major human tragedies in years past, and there will also be in years to come.  There are ongoing needs around us all the time.  But I must not see that as a rationale to ignore the immediate suffering and need.   I want my heart (and my wallet) to be engaged where God has called me to give. Not everyone can give to everything, but I must make sure I am totally committed to what/where/who God has called me to. I want to give according to my heart that is seeking God’s direction.

– The usefulness of my gift: how can I know that my money will help right away when the need is greatest, and that it is going to the right place? There are huge problems right now in Haiti getting the resources to the right places. One problem is infrastructure. The delivery of needed supplies was not good even before the earthquake, and now the situation is even worse. I don’t know how long this will be the case, but as of Thursday, private flights were restricted from landing at the Port Au Prince airport due to inadequate airport facilities.  Samaritans Purse had three charter flights turned back on Thursday (read the article ).  Another problem is the gangs that have taken over sections of the city and are controlling what goes in and out.  The Red Cross and other aid organizations have had their existing stockpiles of supplies looted ( read about it here ).  The third problem, a long term one, is the embedded corruption that prevents the country from pulling out of its poverty (see the news article ). Haiti’s condition is a long term one, and that is something to keep in mind.

Praying with you for each of us to respond according to God’s leading.

To go to my website, click here or on the title.

If you want some information on where you can give, I have compiled a list of organizations that I trust.  I have been to Port Au Prince.  I had the privilege of visiting a mission in Haiti when I was in the Navy.

From the Word:  Protect my heart! (from Matthew 13:10 - 17)
”In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of  this people has become dull …’” (Matthew 13:14-15a NASB)

Lord, why did their hearts become dull?  What caused them to lose their alertness and their ability to see and hear (v13 - “while seeing they do not see; and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”)?  What is the problem here?  I think the main problem is that they think they are seeing and hearing and understanding, but they are not.

How can I be protected from self-delusion? In v15 You pinpoint the heart as the problem.  So how can I protect my heart from becoming dull?  There is so much in life to be excited about, yet the pressures and demands of (usually minor) issues in my life beat me down and try to keep me from the right focus on You and can dull my heart.

Lord, I trust You with my heart.  You say in v11 - “to you it has been granted …”  How can I be numbered among those whom You choose to grant the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven?  If there is any part of this that is up to me, I want to know clearly what it is and devote myself to it!  It is my hope that You will grant to me what I need, and that my choices and priorities will result in the understanding that is so crucial for knowing You, walking with You, and being useful in Your service.  I commit myself to that, Lord.  Amen.

Please pray with us:
We are resuming our get togethers with our young professionals group this weekend.  Please pray with us for this year that the times we spend together will be motivational and focused to address the pertinent issues that those in this group are facing in this season of life, and the things that we do this year will result in a deeper walk with Jesus for each of us and a growing commitment to the advancement of the gospel here in southeast PA.   Thanks.

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From the Word:  A hundredfold yield (from Matthew 13:1- 23)
”And others [seed] fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” (Matthew 13:8 NASB)

Lord, the word ‘yield’ has interesting implications.  The meaning explicitly stated here refers to the productivity of the seed, some having great potential, and all with some potential for fruitfulness.   For me to be as fruitful as I can be, it may be that the max for me is not 100, or even 60.  And how do we know for sure how You measure fruitfulness?  Am I able to accept my own weaknesses and limitations, and realize that I need to trust You with my fruitfulness, and not fall into the trap of comparing my ‘effectiveness’ with that of others?

Another meaning of the word yield is the idea of ‘giving way’  to the course of events.  Whatever You have designed me for, may I be fully yielded to You, turned over to the course of events that You have laid out for me, to Your plans and purposes, and may I trust You with the results.  That’s all I can do.  But I must make sure that I do all that I can do!  If I am totally yielded, then anything of eternal value that results from what I do will be totally up to You.

Lord, may I be fruitful for Your glory!  Is there anything holding me back - fears, distractions, pressures, worries?  I commit them all to You, Lord.  May You be honored by my life, how I live it with my hand to the plow, not looking back, totally yielded to You, and trusting You for what You choose to do to make things happen through me.  Amen.

Please pray with us:
Urbana 2009 is happening right now (in St. Louis this year rather than Urbana, Illinois).  This is a triennial conference for college students that is focused on the needs and opportunities for missions around the world.  Check it out here.  Please pray with us that God will use this conference to send forth laborers into the harvest fields of the world (Matthew 9:37-38), that He would work in the hearts of those attending to commit themselves to be part of the solution for the need for the gospel of Christ around the world.   Thanks.

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O come Immanuel
”O come, Immanuel, and rescue us captives.” (from Matthew 1:23 NASB)

Jesus - Immanuel, “God with us”.

Festive greetings to you this season - may the reality of Jesus in your life refresh your soul!

Rejoicing with you in His goodness to all of us -

John

From the Word:  Doing Father’s will (from Matthew 12:38 - 50)
”And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, ‘Behold My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:49-50 NASB)

What a privilege it would be to be numbered among Your brothers!  To be identified as a member - a close member - of Your family, that is my heart’s desire.  That is my incentive to do Your will, Father.  What motivates me here?  Is it being identified and labeled as family, or is it wanting to be obedient to You simply because You deserve it?  I love You, Lord, and want to be obedient You because You are worthy, and the label of brother is really a special extra benefit.  But to be part of Your family, the family of God, that family of the Kingdom, that is pretty special!

Lord, save me from the mundane existence of just slogging through life with no expectations above mediocrity - I am very willing to live a life of insignificance in man’s eyes as long  as I am doing Your will.  Here You address not the desire, but the doing of Your will.  There is the desire or will to do it.  There is the knowledge or understanding of what to do.  And then there is the doing of it.  Lord, may I be a doer when it comes to living in Your will (Psalm 119:59-60 - “I considered my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies; I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”)  May this be my prayer, my commitment, Lord: to aggressively pursue obedience to keep Your commandments, and to do with energy and determination  all that You have for me to do.  May Your name be lifted up because I do Your will.  Amen.

Please pray with us:
With less than two weeks before Christmas (and I enjoy the festivities of the season as much as anyone!) it is easy to get caught up in the activities and lose focus on the daily below the radar essentials - time with Jesus daily, prayer for big things that only God can do.  Join me in praying that I will maintain my focus on my relationship with Jesus during this time without the distractions of the holidays.  Thanks.

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From the Word:  Doing good daily (from Matthew 12:9 - 37)
”How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep!  So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:12 NASB)

Here again is an interesting thought, Lord.  It is lawful to do good even on the Sabbath.  It is lawful to do good daily, whatever day it is, whether it is the Sabbath or not!  When somebody has a need, it only makes sense to meet that need as soon as possible.  No need to wait for the right day, especially if the need involves pain or hunger.  Meet the need now.

Lord, thank You that You are never late for meeting our needs!  Protect me from the plague of procrastination in my own life, especially as it impacts others.  If there is something I need to do, I pray that You would show me what it is so that I would do it now, today.  Some things I may not be able to do now… ha, there are many things that I could do today that eventually need to be done, but I pray that by Your Spirit You would show me what would be the best things, the most important things to do today, and that by Your power You would help me do those things and not put them off.  I am not bound by law as they thought they were, I am bound by my own self interest and my own set of sometimes misplaced priorities.  I only have so much time (so little time), I must not squander my time and energy on temporal pursuits.   What I need, Lord, is a change of heart to embrace Your priorities and the wisdom to know what that means for me today.  Amen.

Please pray with us:

A major thrust of our ministry here in southeastern Pennsylvania is with young men and women in their twenties and thirties.  We have a bi-weekly meeting at a coffee shop in north Philly that enables us to keep up with some of them and encourage them to keep focused on Jesus while they sort out their priorities during these transition years.  Please pray for creativity and wisdom for us as we come alongside them in their decision making and in building habits of godliness and service.   Thanks.

To go to my website, click here or on the title.