I’m going to step a bit out of my comfort zone this morning. I’m going to suggest you join me in a month long search. Normally I post Living in the Shadow on LinkedIn as a daily devotion. But I’m even going to forego that today. Why? Because this is one of those ideas that only a seeking and searching Christ-follower can sense its importance or relevance. I have been preaching through the Bible in 2025 using the Everyday Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp as a reliable guide. Each Sunday’s sermon has been centered around the previous week’s daily devotional reading which, as you can imagine, requires that I read ahead. It also requires that I work ahead since I am not now, nor have ever been, a pastor who waits until that week to work the upcoming Sunday’s sermon. That gives me the shivers even as I write that. 🙂 So…on June 22nd my sermon is entitled What to Pray For. Not a real imaginative title, I know, but I’m at a loss to catch better clickbait. 🙂 Here are the three points (I normally do two) of the sermon:
A HEART THAT LONGS FOR GOD (42, 66-69)
A HEART THAT SEEKS PURITY (51)
A HEART THAT TRUSTSÂ (62, 73)
The Scripture reading for that week (and for that Sunday) has been Psalm 40-77. Obviously I can’t preach on that whole passage, so I did what I have done all year: highlight and pick and choose. As I read those chapters and as I read the devotions I found the thread I wanted to focus on. The numbers in the parentheses above are the chapters I’m going to glean the sermon from. Psalm 40-77 focuses on the simple things- things we pray for and God is more than willing to answer.
So, here is my challenge: I’d like to ask you to join me in a month long adventure of praying these three yearnings each day. I have already begun doing so this week. I finished writing the sermon yesterday and my plan is to share on June 22nd how God answered my prayer. Will you join me by praying these three things each day for the next month? Whenever you have your daily Quiet Time (or Encounter Time as I call mine), ask God to grant you these three requests. Read the chapters and see if they convict you to start and continue this quest. I, obviously, have no idea how God will answer my prayer, but I am excited to see! Maybe keep a journal to record your thoughts and God’s work in your life.
Will you join me?
Good Morning, Bill. I will do this with you. I’m excited to see what God will do in all of us.
Good morning Diane! It is good to hear from you and to hear you take the challenge.
This is such a great challenge, Bill. I’ll be praying for the same. Blessings always!
Glad to have you join me Martha.
Count me in. A Heart that Longs for God, seeks purity, and that trusts in God.
Always my friend. Welcome aboard!
Count me in Bill, I love the idea, and anytime we can go to God and ask for three things that are in His will, it will be exciting to see where God takes us.
I welcome you Gail as does the Father who will change us all. Excited to hear what He does in your life.
Praying with you! And praying these same requests for my loved ones! Thanks for sharing this challenge!
Thank you Pam. I sure could use the prayers. 🙂 And I pray your loved ones will “get it.”