What's the Difference?
Over the next couple of months we're going to be experimenting with some changes to the prayer guide. For this sermon series "What's the Difference?" we're going to try connecting the prayer guide to the Sunday messages. If you didn't get a chance to participate in the service, you can view all of our messages on our website.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Scripture
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
- John 15:9-17
Devotional Thought on Joy
If you could do what you wanted to do, have what you wanted to have and be who you wanted to be, would you feel genuine joy? How much money would it take? How many difficult people would need to be relocated from your life? How talented/smart/funny, etc do you need to be?
Usually what we think will make us happy is disguised as something that will last, when in reality it is passing, elusive or brief. True joy is the supernatural result of belonging to the one who is pure Joy.*
Paul uses the Greek word for joy 'chara' and it most often has a spiritual source tied to the definition. It is not based on people, circumstances, pressures or luck. It's grounded in the person of Jesus who has invited us into his life with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This abundant way of living multiplies the more you give it away and yet it will never end. That's quite a different offer than merely changing our circumstances.
"Joy is never in our power, but pleasure is. I doubt whether anyone who has tasted joy would ever, if both were in their power, exchange it for all the pleasure in the world."
- C S Lewis
*The Fruit of the Spirit by Thomas E. Trask & Wayde I. Goodall
Reflection Questions
Sit In God's presence and ask Him to help you work through these questions:
- How is Jesus inviting you to experience his love and abundant way of living in your life?
- How is Jesus inviting you to share your joy with others?
- How is Jesus inviting you to share in the joy of others?
Petition
God invites us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us. God is all-together good, already knows what we need, and is eager to give us good things. So we don’t need to pray out of anxiety or fear, but confident trust. Spend a few minutes making your requests known to God.
- For the church
- For others
- For myself
Closing Prayer
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen