Yes, God has chosen you

 Verse for the week: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23.19 

Prayer for the week: O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still. For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people. Speak Lord, that our households may be defended and built up by you, that your enemies may be put to shame; that they may know that you alone are the Most High over all the earth; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen. (from Psalm 83) 

Bible reading for the day: I Peter 2.9-12
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 

Prayer (based on the TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for not leaving it up to me; thank you for choosing me to be a proclaimer, a preacher of Christ. I and your whole church would be nothing if you had not shown us mercy in Christ and called us out of our darkness and into his light. While I sojourn with this fleshy bag of passions around my neck, keep my conduct honorable until Christ’s return. I ask this in his name, amen.  

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp3wXUoJnO8&feature=youtu.be&t=10  

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.  

What does this mean?  I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith. In the same way, he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in unity with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church, he daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers. At the last day, he will raise me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true!  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)  

benediction: The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.  (Philippians 4.7) 

 

*The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:

T: thanksgiving

                                                            R: regret (repentance)

                                                            I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)

                                                            P: plan or purpose

Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.