The Power of Prayer

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Don Merritt

Ephesians 3:14-21

This text is a prayer that Paul gave for the Ephesians, a prayer of power and of selfless love for the saints, a prayer that deserves our review and emulation.

Notice that as he begins this prayer, Paul points out that it is through God that every family derives its name. This is a curious statement, and we might be quick to slip right past it, seeing it as a sort of introduction and missing its amazing impact altogether; let’s not make that mistake today. The sense in which every family derives its name from the Father is not a literal sense, for every family derives its name from God in the sense that it is a relational unit that is bound together by love… and genetics. Think of how God intended for us to live, go all the way back to Genesis, to the garden: We were created to live in harmony and fellowship together with God the Father. In a sense, we were to be bound with Him through genetics, for did He not breathe of Himself, His life, into the man when the man was first created, and then from the man, God created the woman? This illustration of familial unity is continued as couples produce offspring and build family units to this day, units bound up in love, and in the nature of their very beings.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19

Looking at these three verses, we can clearly see this picture of “family” being carried forward in the church, for not only is it rooted in love, but it is bound together by the very life force of God Himself; genetics of a sort. We see this when Paul refers to our being strengthened “with power through his Spirit in your inner being” this Spirit being the ingredient that binds His church into a family unit. This life force, His Spirit who dwells within us, enables us to experience His great love within and between each other, this great love that surpasses human comprehension and binds us together in oneness, this is the power of Christ in us.

Paul concludes his prayer by showing us that this power within us will continue to work to give Him glory through us in all succeeding generations; magnificent!

Oh, if only we would learn to pray like this! Yet it might just be that we seldom pray like this, because few of us have learned to think like this, to see the greater picture, to recognize the real significance of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

May His Spirit within us reveal to us the truth of Paul’s words, that each of us might better discern the family of God.

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TLP Inspiration: 11/20/18

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Don Merritt

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God Has a Plan

Posted on November 20, 2018 by Don Merritt

Ephesians 3:1-13

Isn’t this an interesting little chunk? Paul mentions “mysteries” several times here, and likens these “mysteries” to the “administration of God’s grace”; what could he be referring to?

He mentions a mystery that was made known to him by revelation, and calls it the mystery of Christ. He ends the first paragraph telling us that this mystery has been made known, that through the gospel, the Gentiles are being made into one holy nation with Israel− the administration of God’s grace! Consider this for a second; we usually think of the gospel as being all about salvation, our salvation. The gospel is the good news about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ which made it possible for MY sins to be forgiven, so I can have eternal life… oh and by the way, you can have it too.

Yet Paul is telling us a much bigger story than MY story! He is telling us that God’s plan was to unite all of us into one Body, the church… for a purpose, and that purpose was not merely how God would save ME.

 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:10-12

The gospel is not just MY good news, nor is it just YOUR good news, it is God’s eternal purpose to bring us into unity, through faith in Jesus Christ, to crush the accuser of all of us, the Devil, and this is no small thing. Did you notice the role of the church? No, it wasn’t just to go through the motions on Sunday, it was to play a central role in this victory and be the means by which God’s message was brought to the world to accomplish God’s purpose.

Well dear reader, it seems like we are in the middle of something that is very big.

Why did Paul refer to this as a mystery? Simple, because God had not revealed it to anyone before it happened. There were prophecies for sure, but it is really only in hindsight that they become clear. In the gospel accounts, who was it that by all rights should have known right off who Jesus was when He first appeared on the scene? Well of course, it was the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, for they knew the prophets, and they were very intelligent and well-educated in these matters. OK, one more question: Who had Him killed?

Yep, you’ve got it, the very ones who should have welcomed Him.

Yes, it was quite a mystery!

But it is a mystery no more, and you and I are right in the middle of it, on the front lines you might say. Each of us has received gifts, as Paul received gifts from the Holy Spirit of God, and also just like Paul, we have His power and authority behind us. So troops, what shall we do next?

Here’s a hint: Did you notice Paul’s reference to his circumstances in verses 1 and 13?

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TLP Living: 11/19/18

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Don Merritt

Thanksgiving TReflections

Thanksgiving has been a central idea in American history and culture, even before there was an America.  Of course, all Americans have learned about the first Thanksgiving back in 1621 with the Pilgrims and the Indians, but there’s much more in our heritage that relates.  From the time of our first President, George Washington, we have had proclamations of Thanksgiving.  Abraham Lincoln had one that was quite famous in 1863, and Thanksgiving became a national holiday in the years that followed.

I know that many today might want to argue this, but I think that this notion of Thanksgiving has had a profound effect on our Nation.  Here’s why:  Giving thanks both as an individual and as a Nation requires humility and a recognition that there is an Authority greater than any human authority.  For the leader of a Nation to ask the people to pause to thank God means that they recognize that their own government is not the source of all good things.

An individual must come to the same conclusion. He or she is not the great source of all goodness or all success; there is One who is greater, and as we pause to thank Him, we acknowledge that He is greater than we.  It is clear that our early leaders believed in this way, and it is equally clear that our people in general did as well.  This is why many people throughout the years have suspected that God blessed the USA more than He blessed many other Nations of the world.  Now I’m not so quick to jump in with a big “Amen” to that, but I cannot deny that He has blessed us greatly.

Sadly, however, I’m not convinced that our leaders and our people in general still hold to these beliefs as they once did. Some people I know speak of their plans for great festivities and talk about their family time on Thanksgiving, and look surprised when I mention giving thanks… in media, it’s just the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Maybe it’s always been this way and I’m just looking at our past with rose-colored glasses; I know this happens when people think of the “good old days.”  I wonder, have we lost our focus, or did we never have it at all?

Who can really say?

I know this for sure, however.  If we decide to have a day set aside for giving thanks and we take it seriously, this observance will be preserved for future generations.  If we do this and speak openly of thankfulness to God with our neighbors and friends, they might get the idea, and what once was just might, by God’s grace, be rekindled in our country.

Yes, you’re right, it probably is a long shot, but isn’t it a shot worth taking?

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TLP Inspiration: 11/19/18

Posted on November 19, 2018 by Don Merritt

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What can I share today?

Good Monday from the Heartland.

Here we are, Monday already, how the times flies by!

As we begin a new week, opportunities lie before us, opportunities to make money, to get things done and to cross off everything on our “to do” lists.  But there is another opportunity we might consider: We also have the opportunity to make this a great day that we never forget.  I doubt that making this such a memorable day will have all that much to do with our “to do’s” to be honest.

We also have the opportunity to share with someone; to share in a way that they will not soon forget.  We can share the love of Jesus Christ today!

In all likelihood this will not involve any preaching, however.  More likely this opportunity involves an act of kindness or empathy.  It might involve sharing with someone who has less than we, or it might involve listening and showing compassion.  It could even be as simple as a smile at just the right moment, or an “atta boy.”

Making a difference isn’t really all that hard, it simply requires that we pay attention and then respond in a way that gladdens the heart of another.  Who knows?  If this becomes a habit, that other person might just ask what it is that you have and that they don’t and then you can tell them about your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Oh yes, that would be a memorable day indeed!

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Sunday Sermon Notes: November 18, 2018

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Don Merritt

Title: Thanksgiving 2018

Text: 1 Corinthians 10:16

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Once upon a time, I heard a story about a couple who wanted to sell their house. It seems that they had raised three children in that house, all of whom now had their own families and households, and the couple felt that it was about time to downsize. They were meeting with a real estate agent one night discussing putting their house on the market and after showing the agent around, she asked them to tell her some more about their property and its features to help her write up an advertisement for it. Jack began his verbal tour:

“Well, we have a wonderful patio out back where we used to BBQ every Sunday with kids. Their swing set was out there too, right next to those three big trees that I planted the day each one was born. The basement is great, I really did a pretty good job putting in that workshop down there.”

Then Mary chimed in: “Of course we have completely redone the kitchen; it’s so convenient now, and the new master bath is wonderful. We’ve also replaced all of the flooring and window treatments… there are so many wonderful memories though”

Jack and Mary looked at each other and Jack said almost inaudibly to himself, “Yeah, it’s the home we’ve always wanted.”

Jack and Mary decided they should appreciate what they have and needless to say the real estate agent was disappointed she didn’t get the listing after all.

It sure is easy to forget how fortunate we are in this life!

Thanksgiving is kind of like Jack and Mary’s experience with their home, for the time rolls around each year and we often find it easy to forget the whole point of the exercise: being thankful. Thanksgiving is hard-wired into the American psyche, it goes all the way back to 1621. Of course, setting aside a day to give thanks to God for all of His many blessings to a People goes all the way back to the Old Testament, for there are many references in Scripture about such celebrations.

So, what are you thankful for this year?

Family? Material blessings? World peace? Friends and neighbors? A good job? Maybe some might even say they are thankful for their Salvation.

Well, we still have a few days to think about it, don’t we?

So this Thursday, will we actually have the time to give it a thought? Ah yes, that’s the real question, Thanksgiving can be a hectic and busy day. For most of us, we’ll be concerned about whether or not our dinner is a success, or whether or not our favorite football team wins… of if Uncle Oscar shows up with a snoot-full. Even scarier these days, we might be afraid that Aunt Tilly might say something nice about Trump and start a knock down drag out war in our living room…

Sadly, being thankful and giving thanks to God doesn’t really come up in many dinners. If you think about it, being thankful and giving thanks aren’t really much in vogue these days; they seem to require a level of humility that is hard to find in contemporary culture, and an admission that we should give God credit for the good things in our lives simply isn’t politically correct.

Yet consider our text; it takes us back to the very center of our Christian lives. It makes a focus on the material seem almost ridiculous. If the Communion cup is a participation in Christ’s sacrifice and a declaration of His death until He returns, then an honest appraisal of Thanksgiving goes so much deeper than being seen as “cool” in the eyes of others for it goes to the very center of our identities in Christ.

Maybe we should be thinking about that.

Thanksgiving is a type of prayer, one of the four kinds of prayer contained in Scripture, which are prayers of thanksgiving, praise, intercession or supplication. (A prayer of supplication is a prayer for yourself.)

Thanksgiving is something that we should be engaged in 365 days per year, and when the big day comes around each year, giving thanks should be just as normal and natural as any other daily routine so, what are we thankful for?

Oh right, I forgot, we still have a few days to think about that one…

May our Thanksgiving celebrations be truly blessed occasions, may they be filled with the love of family and friends, with the love of Jesus Christ, and with a genuine giving of thanks for all of those things in this life that are truly important.

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TLP Inspiration: 11/17/18

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Don Merritt

Bowing Down Before Him

Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice

Psalm 95:6-7

Abraham Lincoln once remarked that there were days when he found himself on his knees before God, for there was no other place for him to go during the dark days of Civil War; I think there are times like that for all of us.

We don’t need to be enduring hard times to fall on our knees before Him, for there are times for us to jump for joy in His presence, and times to fall on our knees in thanksgiving before Him as well. Let’s face it, there are also times when we come before Him in reverent prayer just to keep our priorities straight and to acknowledge His great love for us; the most important thing, whether we are living in good times or bad, is for us to remember that we need to be near to God.

God is my joy and my sustenance; my happiness and my comfort.

God is my life and my strength; my creator and my redeemer.

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TLP Inspiration: 11/16/18

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Don Merritt

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Reconciliation in Christ

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Don Merritt

Ephesians 2:11-22

Paul, in these verses, completes the picture he began in the first 10 verses of this chapter by tying together the picture of God’s redemption and reconciliation of all people.

It is important to bear in mind that he is addressing Gentiles here, those who were not included in God’s covenants in the past. They were excluded from relationship with God and to a great extent even from social relationships with the people of God. In fact, the people of God, the Jews, looked down upon the Gentiles, calling them dogs and treating them as second-class people. The Jews bore a sign of their covenant relationship with God that the Gentiles did not, a sign that would forever keep them separate; the sign of circumcision that denoted the offspring of Father Abraham. No, a Gentile man couldn’t “fake it.”

Then came Jesus Christ.

Jesus brought the two groups together through His death on the cross in which He bore the sins of all in His own body, putting their sins, along with the very Law itself to death. After that, there is no more hostility between Jew and Gentile, for all who follow Christ are members of one Body; this is the theological truth. It was not, however, the practical truth. Paul knew only too well of the hostility that so many Jews still had for Gentile Christians… even within the church, and I have little doubt that there were some hard feelings among the Gentile believers as well. In the centuries that have followed, this has, sadly, remained the case in many places, not only between Jew and Gentile, but between rich and poor, black and white, aristocrat and common, social divisions that carry into the Body of Christ. Yet we must be reminded that secular cultural social divisions have no place whatsoever within the Body of Christ, for there is no Jew and no Gentile, there is no rich or poor, aristocrat or common, black or white… or any other social distinction in the Body of Christ, for in Him we are one people, bound together by the bonds of His love.

Of course, all too often, sin remains in our midst, as we are dwelling in a fallen world.

 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Thus, Paul states the eternal reality that is the church, the reality as God Himself sees reality. Now, with that eternal reality set before us, let’s consider whether or not we might carry forward our own earthly notions of “proper” social distinctions, and ask ourselves if this is pleasing in God’s sight. Take your time, consider carefully…

As you consider, consider an example from history. After the Civil War in the U. S., slaves in the American South were emancipated. Slave owners, by and large, had encouraged their slaves to be Christians, and now those slaves were free, churches were established outside of the plantations with both black and white congregations, but of course they were normally segregated, as were most other things in that society. The writings from that and succeeding generations left behind have some very creative justifications for this, and for a hundred years it continued, and even today the trend remains in many places. So that begs another question, don’t you think?

What sort of testimony for the Gospel would we create (or have created) if we would live the gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than just talk about it, and actually, really and truthfully treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, even if it means incurring the wrath of the rest of the community?

Yes, it is surely something to think about… and possibly something to act upon.

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TLP Inspiration: 11/15/18

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Don Merritt

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