Every Day Faith - July 2019
A Note from the Pray Canada Campaign 2019, which begins on September 8. Will you consider this invitation for your congregation’s participation?
“We believe God has a purpose and plan for Canada that is much greater than anything we could imagine for ourselves. And when we seek God’s heart and will through prayer, we’re aligning ourselves to be an active part of that plan. Join us as we embrace this opportunity to pray for the future of Canada like never before and believe that through us God will do great things. Our goal is to have all of Canada’s 338 ridings covered in prayer leading up to the federal election in October! Congregations across the country can adopt their riding in prayer to bless their federal leaders and all who are involved in the electoral process.
To learn more, visit www.leadinginfluence.com/praycanada.
JULY 2019
I will reflect Christ everywhere I go.
It’s not hard to encounter pleasant people as we go about our day-to-day activities. It’s good for us to be agreeable, approachable, and even kind to people we meet as we work, study, run errands, or take care of our day-to-day responsibilities. But for Christ-followers, what God desires goes much further. His desire is that the fruit of the Holy Spirit be at work and evident in our lives at moments and in places where others might least expect it. He wants to transform us so that love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control are demonstrated in extraordinary measure, in a way that makes others curious about our background or our motivation. Either of these, when explained, should point to Christ.
Our ability to reflect Christ consistently is directly related to our time investment in our relationship with Him. As we spend time praying, reading the Bible, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking and behaviour through honest confession of sin, and through accountable relationships with other Christ-followers, we are changed in a way that impacts those we have relationship with. As believers, our presence brings the light of Christ to the world, chasing darkness just as He promised it would (Matthew 5:14). We can speak the words of truth, wisdom and encouragement that those still in darkness need to hear. As we’re led, we can come alongside people who need a sacrificial investment of our time and understanding, so they can experience Christ as their Saviour and friend, too. Our relationship with Christ is meant to be so vibrant that it spills outward and changes our world.
Ask and it will be granted…
- That our desire to be closer to Christ would increase, and we would spend more time in His presence through interactive prayer and Bible study.
- That the fruit of the Holy Spirit will continue to grow in our lives—love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.
- That we would depend on the Holy Spirit and not on ourselves to reflect Christ wherever we go.
- That we would be sensitive to opportunities to demonstrate His character and kindness when it is needed.
For reflection:
- Are you satisfied that your relationship with Christ is as close as it could be? Why or why not?
- How do you feel that your level of intimacy with Him affects the way you reflect Him wherever you go?
- What steps can you take to go deeper in your relationship with Christ?
Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
John 15:5 (NLT)
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Romans 8:29 (NLT)
“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
International Justice Mission (IJM)’s Freedom Sunday 2019 – September 22
IJM is facilitating a global event as a means of inviting churches to pray and work towards seeing slavery end in a generation. The focus for the Canadian church this year and in 2020 is combatting the online sexual exploitation of children. Western countries like Canada are a chief source of demand. Consider partnering with IJM Canada to give the issue of cybersex trafficking the visibility it needs. Visit https://www.ijm.ca/get-involved/churches/freedomsunday to learn more.
Building Strong Families
Every day we hear more stories of families under attack and young people struggling with their identity and purpose in life. Neil and Annette Campbell have prepared a new teaching on “Building Strong Families, designed to help you disciple families in your church or Christian context. It includes topics such as “The Power of a Father’s Blessing,” “The Power of a Parent’s Blessing,” “How to Write a Blessing,” and “Leaving a Lasting Legacy.” Visit www.FamilyDreamInstitute.com to order your copy.
Next month’s “I Will” statement: “I will share Christ’s power with others.”
Recent articles:
Keeping Hope Alive
Taking Off the Masks
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