If there has been one inconsistency in my life, in my spiritual life, it has been prayer. I have jags where it is vital, alive, and pulsates through me. I also have jags where prayer is dead to me. I pray and they are just words. Or I may even just not pray at all. It is more like an appendage which I may or may not need.

Then there are those times when prayer is like a shopping list of wants. “I want this” or “I want that.” Or its a wish list: “God, I wish you would do this” or “God, I wish you would provide that.”

Tripp says, “Prayer is a celebration.” He uses some interesting words to describe what should be my feelings/reactions to what God does when I pray. I find joy. I’m blown away. I celebrate. I find joy. I am amazed. I find peace. I meditate. I rejoice.

They are mine if I can view and “do” prayer as a celebration. But, as he says, it is in the context of surrender and celebration. With those prayer doesn’t become a list of selfish demands or bitter complaints.

“Father, I’ve never been consistent with my prayer life. In fact, I’m hard-pressed to remember the best time it was on fire. Let prayer become vital to me. Let me enjoy it again.”

People are quite comfortable being consumers and quite timid when it comes to bring instruments.

We have been given grace in order to give grace.

Those two tell it all. What I have and have been given was never meant to be kept to myself. That which has been shown to me and given to me has always been meant to be shared. That’s what an ambassador does-represent his/her superiors to others. An ambassador to a foreign nation or to the UN, for example, is to represent our nation and its leaders in matters of life and policy. I am God’s representative here on earth and I am to present His mercy and grace to others. I am His. I am His representative. Let that soak in. I also need to see this as a full-time commitment. I can’t be a halfhearted rep nor a part-timer depending on my feelings. I also need to see the importance of staying at it, of continually putting myself where I can be used so lives can be transformed.

I’ll close with Tripp’s words:

I have been chosen by God to be part of the most important work of the universe. I have been chosen to carry the life-changing message of the grace of the Savior King wherever I go.

“Father, I have been given grace to show grace. Blessed with grace to bless others with it. You have called me to that. Help me to see my responsibility and to represent you well. Given grace to give grace needs to be my motivation. Let it be.”

“But there’s nothing I can do! Translated: “There is something I want to do but can’t.”

“I’m still looking for what God wants me to do, how He wants me to serve.” Translated: God’s not agreeing with me on a way to minister.”

I know those are somewhat cynical and in many ways are just a generalization. But, in all honesty, I do tire of listening to excuse after excuse of people saying, “I don’t have anything to do in the church.” “I don’t know where to serve.” Many will only do something if they can be seen. Many will only “do ministry” if they can get recognition. It would be better if they stayed on the side lines with that attitude.

Tripp makes a great point in the devotion about “my life.” So much of what I/we do is based on “my.” He makes 3 great points (capsulized by me):

1. My life no longer belongs to me.
2. I received grace; I must give grace.
3. My life is ministry. I don’t have this life vs. ministry life.

My whole life is to be ministry because my life is not my own. I am to live for God and for others. “Father, I no longer belong to me. As Paul wrote: ‘I was bought with a price.’ Help me to expend my life, to give it away. When I have breathed my last may it be that I will have given all of me in service to You.  Let me truly live in service to You.”

I turn 66 today and today’s topic was very appropriate. Spiritual warfare. What’s it all about? Tripp alluded to the common misconception: demons dancing on the table. Add to that other misconceptions: demons peeking around the corner. Demons on our shoulders. Demons whispering in our ears. A demon of lust, or discouragement, or jealousy, or depression, or hatred, or (you fill in the blank). Fanciful storybook ideas. (I liked Perreti’s two books).  But not reality.

The reality is sin is a constant battle with an unseen foe. To put it the way Tripp put it elsewhere:

We have shrunk life down to the size of our glory. maybe it really is true that somehow, someway, sin makes us all glory thieves. We steal for ourselves what belongs to God. We put ourselves in God’s place. Perhaps life really is one big unending glory battle. It’s because we would never, ever win this battle on our own that Jesus came.  (O Come Let Us Adore Him- December 9 devotion)

Life is war. It is a war against the sin within me. It is a battle I cannot win on my own. It takes a surrender of my heart, my will, my mind, my kingdom, myself to the One who truly should be the ruler of my heart. I must choose whom I want to rule: the petty, would-be anarchist or the true, rightful and worthy ruler who made me, sustains me, and wants to rule within me.

“Father, I know life is a battle. Even as I get older it doesn’t get any easier. It is a war. I also know the One who should be the ruler of my kingdom. Not the pretender. Not the one who rebelled and still rebels and who wants to be a petty dictator. Help me to give Jesus His rightful throne. Control me; consume me; rule over me, until that day when all is under your feet. Including my enemy!”

“I hope it doesn’t rain today.” “I hope I get to ride my bike this afternoon.” “I hope my meetings go well today.”

So shallow. When hope is seen in a different depth, from a different perspective, some hope seems shallow. The hope which matters is not the hope of weather or activities; it is the hope of eternal things. It is the hope which truly matters.

It is the hope which is only found vertically. The shallow hope is horizontal.  It is the hope found in things, people, or circumstances. It is the hope-which Tripp says embarrasses me-that is temporary. People will fail me. All I pursue is fleeting.

Only one thing stands. Only one thing lasts. Actually, it’s not a thing; it is a Person. He is my only reliable hope and my only reliable Source of hope. He has “earned” that distinction. Just as Christmas is proof-positive of God’s faithfulness, so the cross and resurrection is proof-positive of God’s ability to give lasting hope. I like what Tripp says:

The grace of the cross is not just grace that forgives and accepts, but grace that also supplies me with everything I need until I am needy no more.

“Father, my hope is in You. It is found in You. It finds its base in You. It finds its roots in You. It finds it fulfillment in You. I pray for everlasting and satisfying hope today.”

Is there anything I can live without? What is it that calls into question where my allegiance is? What is it that has captured my heart? The answer to that last question determines who controls my thoughts, words, and behaviors. Bottom line: I am either worshiping and serving the creation or the Creator.

This is a somewhat tough one for me. I want to believe that my sights are set right but at the same time, I must be honest and admit my heart is often divided. It is exactly what Tripp says: “My heart is living under the rule of ‘things that are above’ or ‘things that are on the earth.'”

I’m like every other human being on the planet. I have the “above” and the “earth” struggle. I truly want to be focused on the “above,” the things which go along with “Set your mind on things above.” But I’m honest enough to admit that the latter part of the verse: “Not on things that are on the earth” is more applicable. (Verse is Colossians 3:2)

Tripp says this ongoing battle is proof positive “I need grace-grace that can free me from bondage to things that will never give em what God alone can: life.”

“Father, I fight this constant battle between the ‘above’ and the ‘earth.’ However, it is in this battle I recognize my need for ongoing grace. Not a one-time shot. Help me to align myself with you and find myself in a constant awareness of my need for grace.”

“The future. So I’m in the future.” So Marty McFly says as he steps into the year 2015. The glimpse into his future was not a good one. He saw the consequences of his poor choices-not just from the past (racing Needles, hitting the Rolls Royce and breaking his hand which hindered him playing the guitar); to doing something illegal, getting caught by his boss and losing his job. His glimpse into the future did not go well.

On the other hand, those of us who are Christ-followers have a future to look forward to. It is a promised future that holds unlimited treasures. The greatest treasure is living with the Father forever. Living with eternity in my headlights changes everything-the way I act; the way I think; the way I treat others; the words I say; the worldview I carry; even my attitude on a daily basis. I don’t have a philosophy of “Live and let live” or “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow I may die.” While that could be true (dying) my view of eternity makes that something good. Death is not a monster, something to fear, but a doorway to something better.

“Father, as I’ve been reading the book of Revelation, I see something beautiful and powerful but I sure don’t understand it. I look forward to the end of all things as it will mean glory. But I look forward to my future with you even more. My eternity. I know it is part of the overall picture and grand scheme, but I want my future promise to affect my present reality. Let me live with my eyes set to eternity while my feet are walking here.”

It is sadly a fact of life. It is tragically too common to be ignored. It is unfortunately a reality we see more often than not. I’m referring to the practice of those who follow Jesus (or claim to) and who live a life opposite of what they profess. In other words: what they say does not match how they live.

I’m the #1 example.

Way too often my life does not back my words. I stand in the pulpit and say, “Trust” but then I doubt. I stand in the pulpit and say, “God’s in charge” but then question. You get the point. As Tripp says:

The belief of the heart and mind is an essential ingredient of faith, but it does not summarize all that faith is. True biblical faith is always something I live. If my faith does not reshape my life, it is not true faith.

How does it do that? Tripp says three ways. I like these so I am just going to include them as he gives them.

1. Faith redirects and recaptures the worship of the heart.
2. Faith produces a heart of obedience in me.
3. Faith causes me to submit to the calling of God.

“Father, may my faith produce a heart of worship in me. A heart which longs for you. Produce in me a heart of worship; a heart that longs to be obedient; and a heart that longs to submit to your call on my life. May my faith direct my actions and may my actions back up my faith.”

“Sin doesn’t leave me merely guilty; it renders me unable.” Tripp writes those words in today’s devotion. Let’s think about that further. I’m going to borrow some of his wording:

• It robs me of the ability to live in a way that pleases the Father.
• Sin kidnaps my desires and distorts my thoughts.
• It controls my tongue and rules my behavior.
• It saps my resolve and weakens my knees.
• It leaves me lame, weak, and unable.

This has nothing to do with TULIP as far as I can see. It is the result of the old man in me still wanting to keep his grip on me. But it also shows me how badly I need the control of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am unable to win this battle on my own. I can’t be obedient on my own. I can’t deal with sin on my own.

God desires my life to be His, to be lived for His glory. I can’t do that on my own either. Trust me…I’ve tried. That’s a big, black hole of defeat and wasted effort. Only as I am-and allow-God to radically transform me can I or will I come out victorious in the end.

“Father, as your child, I’ve been given a gift-the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He has been given as my Helper, my Comforter, my power. (John 4:4)  Help me to win this battle-not on or by my own strength-but by the power of Your Spirit in me. Let sin lose its hold on me because your power is greater. Transform my life.”

One of the hardest things to do is to release control, to not know what is going to happen. Truthfully? I don’t need to know. I know there is no way for me to know all that is and will happen-the why-but I have to/need to trust the One who does. I have to take to heart-not just my head but my heart-what Tripp says:

I don’t have to understand everything in my life, because my Lord of wisdom and grace understands it all.

Knowing the Bible doesn’t help me to know any more about my future than not knowing (except for the obvious eternity set for me in heaven). Neither does studying or reading it. Doing those will help me in my perspective about the future but I will have no more idea about what will happen than if I read a novel or a classic. I’m still confused about the future. For example, I read in Revelation 6 today about the 7 seals. While it tells me there were four horses and calamity happens, it doesn’t tell me about my future. I. HAVE. TO. TRUST the One who controls all that; knows all that; and will love me through all that. Some things are meant to remain a mystery. Knowing He loves me is not one of them! Knowing why  might be; knowing He does in not. Knowing He is in control is not a mystery; knowing how He will work all things out is.

“Father, help me to trust you. As David wrote in Psalm 139: ‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I escape your presence?’ Even if I wanted to, there is nowhere. Help me to not try to figure out my life’s future but to rely on the One in charge and One who knows…YOU!”