Christian Reflection and Prayer

From Crosswalk.com

Scripture:

Revelation 1:17-18:

He placed his right hand on me and said:
"Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold
I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys
of death and Hades."

Reflection:

Based on these two verses he writes:

Lord Jesus, how timely, stunning and
encouraging to know that the most
repeated command throughout the whole
Bible is "Do not be afraid". The angels
spoke these words to startled shepherds
at your birth, and you repeated the
command to a devastated Mary on the
morning of your resurrection, and now
you speak these liberating words to my
heart and conscience, "Do not be afraid!"

Because you are the First and the Last,
Jesus, I don't have to be afraid of anything in
between. You are God, and I am not. You will
never say "Oops" about anything in world history
or in my own life. You never "try" to do anything.
You never have to scratch your head in confusion.
You never have to resort to plan B. You are
perfectly executing your sovereign will, from
naming the stars to numbering my hairs. Glory!

Because you are the Living One, who was
dead and who is now alive forever, I don't have
to be afraid of judgment Day or this day. For
your death on the cross is my judgment Day
and your resurrection from the dead is my
assurance of being eternally and fully accepted
by God. Constantly sung over me by my Father,
and all my brothers and sisters in you, is the most
liberating of all lyrics, "There is now and forevermore
NO condemnation for those who are in Christ!" Not
only is there no condemnation, there is only full
delight! Oh my goodness!

Because you hold the keys of death and Hades,
Jesus, and to everything else, I don't have to be
afraid to die, or to live. You have robbed the grave
of its victory, you have removed the sting of death,
and you have defeated the devil and all the powers
of darkness! I don't have to be afraid of people. I
don't have to be afraid of failing. I don't have to be
afraid of getting old. Yes, yes, yes!

Place your right hand on me today in the
gospel, that I might be freed more fully from my
fears and live more fully to the praise of your glorious
Name. Amen and Amen forever!

To live is Christ, to die is gain!

Scripture:

"God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through
him. The Word gave life to everything
that was created, and his life brought
light to everyone. The light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness can
never extinguish it."  (John 1:3-5, NLT)

Reflection:

You know I have a fairly simple life.
But sometimes it gets kind of complex.
Things seem to happen all at once.
And I often get overwhelmed.  I sometimes
find my life too complex and I actually
wonder if God understands. 
Then I remember something very
important:  God created the entire
universe, that's right the whole universe,
and nothing, absolutely nothing, is too
difficult to Him.  God created you and
me, He is alive today, and His love is
bigger than any problem you and
I may face. God brings His light into
my darkness, into my complex problems,
and my darkness and my problems can
never extinguish HIS LIGHT.

Prayer:

Oh Lord thank You for Your Light.
Thank You for Your creation, thank
You that nothing is too difficult for
You.  Thank You that You are
alive today and that You have been
here for me.  Thank you that Your
love is bigger that any problem I may
face.

Scripture:

One day Jesus told his disciples a
story to show that they should always
pray and never give up.
Luke 18:1, NLT    

Reflection:

I grew up under my father's one basic philosophy,
"you never give up".  That was my father's basic
philosophy of life, no matter how many times you
try and fail, "you never give up". 
This is what Jesus Christ is telling us here. You
should always pray and never give up.  Now this
doesn't me that in your prayer life you need
endless repetition or painfully long prayer
sessions.  Always praying means keeping your
request constantly before God as we live for Him
day by day, faithfully believing that He will
answer.  WHEN WE LIVE BY FAITH, WE ARE
NOT TO GIVE UP.

Prayer:

Oh mighty God as I bring my request before You, I
am ever mindful that I live for you day by day, knowing
that You will answer in Your time not mine.
In Jesus Name Amen.