ARE YOU READY TO PLAY?

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

I Peter 1:13

I marvel at professional athletes who, after a bad performance, say, "We didn't come ready to play and we need to come ready to play every night." I don't really get the being a professional, paid ridiculous amounts of money, but not ready to play concept. But, to be honest, I consider myself a professional at my job, and some days I'm just not sure I ready.  

As Christians, we should try our best to prepare ourselves for the day. That, of course, is why so many people have daily devotions in the morning. Reading the Bible on a daily basis keeps watering our minds and spirits with the truth. 

Notice that Peter says to be self-controlled. I think it is interesting that he doesn't say controlled by the Spirit. Maybe he is trying to emphasize that part of being a Christian where we choose to follow Christ, to act in obedience, no matter how we feel or what the circumstances are around us. 

Finally, we must set our hope on the end of our journey, the grace given us when Jesus Christ is revealed. When we die or Christ comes again (whichever comes first) we will be given grace...We will know him even as we are known. Every tear will be wiped away. We will go home.

That is why we need to be ready to play everyday. 

Father, help us to prepare our minds, be self-controlled, and set our hope fully on the grace we will be given when Jesus Christ is revealed. Praise be to you in us today!

DO YOU KNOW A WANDERER?

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20 (NIV)

Are you a little lost? 

Are you a bit off track? 

Have the cares of life kind of buffeted you out of your comfort zone? 

Do you just sense that something between you and God is not quite right?

Stop. Remember God's love for you in Christ Jesus. God is full of compassion and mercy. Despite what you are going though remember..."Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him." (Isaiah 30:18) 

Father, thank you for your grace and compassion. Turn me back to you. Praise be to you in us today!

POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE PRAYER

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:15-16

I kind of assume that you, like me, want to be that righteous man or woman whose prayer is powerful and effective. That said I am reminded of a few verses. 

I Corinthians 1:30 tells us that we are in Christ and he is our righteousness.  

Ephesians 31:12 encourages us that, "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." 

Hebrews 10:10 bluntly says, "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of body of Jesus Christ once for all." 

Do you get my point? God makes us righteous. If we are righteous in God's eyes, because he paid the price to redeem us, we are righteous. 

The enemy wants to condemn us. God has redeemed us and made us righteous in Christ and from that position we need to pray! From that position we can pray. We pray knowing that God hears our prayers because Jesus made a way for us, he is our Way.

Just pray. Because in Christ God makes it powerful and effective. 

Father, help us to pray knowing we are righteous in Christ and therefore you hear our prayers. Praise be to you in us today!

BRACE YOURSELF FOR GOD

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
 "Who is this that darkens my counsel
     with words without knowledge?
 Brace yourself like a man;
     I will question you,
     and you shall answer me.""
 Job 38:1-3

After everybody speaks, Job, the friends and the young know-it-all, God answers... I wonder if Elihu was taking a breath, getting ready to share a little more of his wisdom and God cut him off? 

What would I do if God just kind of popped in on a discussion about God I was engaged in? I think that is a healthy way to approach some of our conversations about God and his ways. We do have the Bible that speaks to us in truth about God. Even there I worry. 

I don't worry about the Bible being true, I worry about the way we sometimes approach the Word of God. I think the problem with some theologians is they believe they have the wisdom within themselves to judge the validity of the Scriptures. They don't approach the scriptures in humility. It's not just professional theologians who act as if they can, by their own wisdom, canonize Scripture. Sometimes we do. 

The point I am trying to make here is that God, does want us to brace ourselves in Christ, because one day, we will answer him. As you walk with God this week, remember that God has spoken to you through his word, the Bible. His word is true and relevant for you. You may not understand the end from the beginning or why your life is going the way it is, but, you can know God is still God and he reigns whether we discern it or not.

Father, open our eyes to see you in our lives. Thank you that you reign over all, you reign in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

GOD'S ANSWERS ARE AWESOME AND RIGHTEOUS

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

Psalms 65:5-8 (NIV)

Two things this Psalm makes me think. One, how do I look for God to answer my prayers and two, do I sing songs of joy?

I don't believe I can coerce God into answering my prayers let alone answering them a specific way. But, I maybe I don't see what God is doing sometimes because I am not looking. For example, I always pray that God will bless my family and I often miss that we have never gone a day hungry without a place to live, and we are fairly healthy despite the fact we aren't heath nuts. God is good but I don't always "see" it. 

Sometimes being thankful for the "little" things helps me see the "big" things God is doing or wants to do. Or, it a least allows me to have the faith to wait on him. 

May you be thankful for all God does do and your eyes be opened to what he is doing.

Father, thank you for all you are doing in my life whether I see it or not. Praise be to you in us today! 

DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:13-14

James is nothing if not to the point. Pray, praise and seek prayer. If things aren't going well seek God in prayer. If things are going well praise God in song. If you are ill ask the leaders to pray for you. 

What do you have to do? If you are like me, a husband and father of four, you may have a bit of everything going on in your life. James' message is in a way to encourage us not to overthink things too much.

If it's time to pray, pray. 

If it's time to praise, praise God.

If it's time to seek prayer, go ask for it.

Father, help us to do what we need to do. Thank you that you will hear our prayers. Thank your for all your grace and mercy to us. Thank you for providing our daily bread. Praise be to you in us today!

AM I PATIENT YET?

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

James 5:10-11 (NIV)

I don't know about you, but for me, patience in any situation is hard, let alone in the face of suffering. I think it's hard because we can't see the end. All we can see is the here and now. God works from eternity. 

In the book of Job we start out with a view from eternity seeing behind the scenes that Jobs sufferings were not because he was sinful but because he was  a righteous man and the devil was trying to prove that he could make him turn from God if the right amount of suffering was applied. After it all God blessed Job more than before. 

The bottom line is that no matter what we are feeling or experiencing, God is full of compassion and mercy. God longs to be gracious to us and will rise up to show us compassion (see Isaiah 30:18). 

We can't see the end from the beginning, but we know that God does and he is working all things out for the good for those who love him. You are loved by him.

Father, thank you for your love for us. Open our eyes to see you in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

WAIT FOR IT...

"Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near." James 5:7-8

The farmer has to be patient because he can't make it rain. He can't make a seed grow faster. All he can do is plant and wait. In the same way we need to stand firm in our faith and wait upon the Lord to work his will in our lives. 

James tells us to be patient for the Lord's coming. And then he says it is near. How much nearer is it now? We can plant the seeds of the gospel and wait for the harvest like a farmer waiting for the autumn and spring rains. That is all we are supposed to do. 

Right now, we are to be patient and stand firm. Patience is knowing God is Sovereign and in control, working all things for the good. Standing firm is doing what is right, acting in love by faith, no matter what. The world around us is flat out against us. Still we follow Christ. Stand firm. 

Father, help us patiently stand firm and do what is right. Praise be to you in us today!

THE LORD WILL FULFILL

"Though the LORD is on high, 
     he looks upon the lowly,
     but the proud he knows from afar.
 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
     you preserve my life;
 you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes,

     with your right hand you save me.
 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
     your love, O LORD, endures forever - 
     do not abandon the work of your hands."
 Psalm 138: 6-8

It truly is amazing that God, the Lord of heaven and earth, though he is on high, looks upon the lowly. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3) The deal is that if you are full of yourself you can't see God. Sometimes we don't seek God until we feel we need him. What is good is when you are in place that you always know you need him. 

Because of God's enduring love for us we can rest in the knowledge that he will fulfill his purposes for our lives. I know this is not always easy to apply, but, the truth, what the Lord tells us through the Bible, is that he will fulfill his purposes for our lives.

Thank you, Father, for your love for me. Open my eyes to see you in my life. Fulfill your purpose for me. Praise be to you in us today!

OK GOD, IT'S UP TO YOU...

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10

The world says to fight for everything you get, to look out for number one, just do it.  Or, in this age of entitlement, sometimes people just feel they are owed things. 

To humble ourselves before God is to see things as they really are. God is Sovereign. I am finite. God is righteous. I am not. God is whole and complete. I am fractured by sin, incomplete without Christ. 

To humble ourselves before God is to trust him with our needs and desires. It is more than being able to say, "Your will be done". It is knowing that God will work our all things for our good. That means that God has me where he wants me and if I am not where he wants me, he can move me, or move what needs to be in my life. He can move me to the mountain, or move the mountain to me. 

Father, we look to you to use us where we are at and to move us to where you want to use us. Praise be to you in us today!

DON'T GO, COME

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:7-8 (NIV)

If you're looking for a warm fuzzy, the book of James may not be the place for you. If you want to really get down to what you need to deal with in order for your relationship with Jesus to be real, it's a definite must read. 

In these verses he reminds us to submit to God rather than trying to wrestle everything we want from the universe. Striving verses submitting. Striving is not God's way, it is the devil's way of obtaining not just things but satisfaction and fulfillment. 

In contrast to striving is seeking God. James says to come near to God and he will come near to you. Do you notice that he doesn't say go, he says come? It is more of an invitation than a command. For all his harshness James is pointing out that God is calling us. Remember the parable of the lost son (or the prodigal son)? The younger son went back to the father and the father ran to him (this was totally against the culture of the day, men don't run). The father also went out to the older son. This is God. He calls us. He seeks us. 

Come to God. Come near to God. Hear his call to you...

Father, thank you for calling me to you. Praise be to you in us today!

Motives and Answered Prayer

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because  you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on what you want." James 4:1-3 

It's too bad James doesn't just tell you what he's really thinking! Again, James doesn't mess around, he just gets right to it. Have you ever prayed and didn't get an answer, or at least not the answer you wanted? Here is another self-check from James. 

Are you in strife? Striving is different than trying really hard to do the right thing. Striving in the flesh is not the same as seeking to do God's will with all you heart, soul, and mind. What is being described is someone who is having issues, quarreling, with everyone around them. For some people, everything turns out to be an argument. James uses the words "kill and covet". Those are pretty strong descriptors of someones actions and motives. You see, there is a difference between telling someone you know you like their car and you'd like to have one yourself and coveting it. Think about that...

I sometimes struggle with the idea of having pure motives. I am not sure I can ever have entirely pure motives. But, God knows that I am by dust. He knows I am human. He knows I have a sinful nature. The issue is if I am seeking God about what I am asking for and trying to put others needs before my own. 

Self-check question of the day: Am I coveting or caring (for others needs above mine)? 

Father, help us to seek you and seek to serve others. Build your kingdom through and in us! Praise be to you in us today!

STRAIGHT A's vs THE ROCK

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:17-18 (NIV)

Many moons ago when I was in middle school, we called in Jr. High School, there was a boy a year ahead of me. He was a straight A student. Somehow a football got caught up in a tree. The straight A student took a football sized rock, stood directly below the ball in the tree, with two hands threw the rock at the ball, hit the tree and the ball, the ball flew out, the rock came back down and hit the straight A student in the forehead and almost knocked him out. Of course everyone wanted to know first, why, if he was so smart didn't he move? Then they asked if he was OK. 

The point, some wisdom is not all that wise. Dictionary.com says that wisdom is "the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight". 

James reminds us that wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. If you don't know what is true or what is right, your wisdom will be corrupted or at best misled. The world is all about self-fulfillment. Godly wisdom is honoring to God. When I make choices and decisions I ask if the results will bring peace (say to my marriage)? Is it considerate of others? Is it submissive as in being inline with the Scriptures? Will I be acting with mercy, being impartial and sincere? What is the fruit of my actions? 

Here is the bottom line: being wise sows peace and results in righteousness. Acting in wisdom, godly wisdom results in a doing the right things, righteousness. When I know I did the right thing, I am at peace. 

Father, help us to seek your wisdom and act accordingly. Praise be to you in us today!

A Little Big Message About God

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18c (NIV)

A FEW GOOD THINGS

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; 
     to you our vows will be fulfilled. 
You who answer prayer,
     to you all people will come. 
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
     you forgave our transgressions. 
Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
     of your holy temple.
Psalms 65:1-4 (NIV) 

God is good. He hears our prayers, forgives our transgressions, brings us near to live in his courts, and fills us with the good things of his house. 

So, if you have a need, pray because he hears.

If you have sinned, confess your sins because he forgives your sins in Christ.

If you feel distant from God, draw near to him because he draw us near to him.

Father, thank you for these good things you give us. Praise be to you in us today!

WELL SPOKEN BUT DEAD WRONG

"Yet if you devote your heart to him
     and stretch out your hands to him,
 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
     and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
 then you will lift up your face without shame;
     you will stand firm and without fear." 
 Job 11:13-15 

Since I have read the book of Job before I know that God allowed Satan to inflict great loss and pain on Job from reading the first two chapters. I also know from reading the last five chapters that Job's friends got it wrong and that God did use Job's awful losses to reveal himself to Job, and his friends. 

In chapter 11 Zophar approached the situation from his finite and limited perspective. He drew upon the prevailing belief that misfortune was a result of sin. Because of his finite understanding of spiritual warfare as seen from God's perspective, Zophar could only see Job's sin as the cause of his misfortunes. Because of this his advice, or counsel, was that Job needed to repent. He was wrong. Wrong enough to make God angry (Job 42:7).

I think this is a sober reminder that I only see what I can see. My perspective is finite and limited. I need to humbly seek God for his understanding and wisdom. How many beliefs do we have that are based upon our limited and finite understanding of God. We have the Bible that teaches us the truth about God. It also teaches us to humbly approach things. Job and his friends learned that God is Sovereign, absolutely. 

Father, help us to humbly wait upon you and seek your counsel, especially your word, as we seek the truth. Thank you, Lord Jesus, because you are the Truth. Praise be to you in us today!

ARE YOU A WISE GUY?

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." James 3:13

James moves right from taming the tongue to showing how wise and understanding you are. Kind of like saying, "OK, you talk a good game, let's see you do it." 

At one school I worked at as a categorical program advisor (that means I did go-for work for the principal) there was one teacher that when I first listened to him sounded like a very polished educator. I thought that when I walked into his room I would find a finely tuned learning environment. When I did enter his class it was chaos. He talked a good game, but, his actual classroom management skills left a lot to be desired. 

We all should desire to be holy and to know Christ intimately. James refers to "deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom". Humility is knowing who you are in Christ and living accordingly. We love because he first loved us (I John 4:19). Remember that when Christ taught the disciples how to pray he made forgiveness mandatory (Matthew 6:14-15). When we understand forgiveness we must be humble because we realize our own sinfulness. If it wasn't for God's grace in Christ's death on the cross we would still be dead in our sins! None of us is such a good person that God had to save us. Wisdom is knowing this truth and living, as in treating others with the same grace and mercy God has shown you, accordingly. 

My hope today is not to "knock you down a notch" but to encourage you to remember the grace and mercy God has shown you in Christ. He died for you. Before the creation of the universe he chose to die for you, knowing all the sins you would commit (those before and after you would accept Christ). God is graciously Sovereign. 

Father, thank you for your grace and mercy to us. Open our eyes to see your grace and mercy in our lives. Help us to live in humility. Praise be to you in us today!

EPIDEMIC: FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

James 3:2 (NIV)

Unfortunately the bad taste in my mouth is often because I put my foot there and the aftertaste of where they have been is not to pleasant. Not to attempt to diminish the legendary status of my foot in mouth disease, but, I notice that I am not the only one. 

James says we all stumble in many ways.  Nobody is perfect. That is not an excuse or deflection, it is just the truth. What James seems to be getting at is that if we can control our mouths we can control our lives. If we can, by faith, be controlled by the Holy Spirit, we can be mature. 

Check yourself. Who or what is controlling you? Jesus said, "The good man brings out good things stored up in him, and the evil man brings out of the evil stored up in him" (Matthew 12:35). I read my Bible daily. I pray. I try to seek God. I don't do these things because I am spiritual. I do them because I know that in me lives no good thing. I need to store up good things within myself. I need to align myself in Christ. He will fill me with good things of the Spirit. 

How do you check yourself?

Father, help us to keep ourselves in check with you. Praise be to you in us today? 

IS IT OK TO ASK GOD WHY?

"If I have sinned, what have I done to you,
     O watcher of men?
 Why have you made me your target?
     Have I become a burden to you?
 Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?
 For I will soon lie down in the dust;
     you will search for me, but I will be no more."
 Job 7:20-21

Job loses his entire fortune and his family, except his wife, whose advice was to curse God and die (Job 2:9). His best friends come and sit with him for seven days and wait for him to speak. Then Eliphaze basically says you get what you deserve (3:7-8) and you reap what you sow. Pretty much saying, "You had to do something to deserve this, so, check yourself." 

In chapter 1:5 we are told that Job offered sacrifices for his children. I think we can safely assume he offered them for himself because in 7:21 he asks God, "Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?" Job did not think he was sinless, that is why he looked to God to pardon and forgive him. 

The lesson is that it is OK to ask God why? Asking God why is different than demanding, "How dare you?" Job knew God to be just and forgiving, Sovereign and compassionate. The prevailing theology of the day, that if you suffered you suffered because you sinned, did not make sense to Job because he knew his relationship with God was good. We can see from the context of the book that he was suffering because Satan just hates people who love God and his desire is to ruin their faith (read our faith if you will).

If you are suffering it is OK to ask God why. Maybe you do need to check yourself (I often suffer self-inflicted wounds), maybe not. Whatever the reason, God reigns and God loves you. 

Father, thank you that we can seek you in our suffering. Comfort us and reveal yourself to us as we wait on you. Praise be to you in us today!  

PROVE YOU BELIEVE

How would you answer the question, "You're a Christian, prove it?"  

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that  a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 2:18-26 (NIV) 

Now add to the mix the works verses faith debate.  For a sincere Christian this can be a bit of a conundrum. I think it is hard to divide the inward and outward aspects of faith and this is one reason why many people struggle with the assurance of their faith.

Inwardly I know that God is in my life because the Bible says that no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:3). Any recognition of God within myself is actually proof of the Holy Spirit in my life, because in my dwells no good thing. 

Outwardly is where I often struggle because "what do I do because I am a Christian"? I think if I look at these verses I see two valuable examples of faith. One in Abraham and one in Rahab. Abraham knew God and his obedience was the mark of his faith. Rahab did not know God but her actions, hiding the spies was considered an action of faith.

Abraham trusted God with his son. Rahab trusted God with her future. There are many lessons to be learned from these two hall of faith members. Abraham was asked to sacrifice and Rahab was willing to leave her culture and trust in the God of the Jews. 

Sometimes our faith calls us to sacrifice and sometimes we are called to leave some things behind. We act not to earn salvation but because of our salvation. At some point we should be able to point to things we have done, not as actions that merit our faith, but, actions that demonstrate or "prove" out faith. 

Father, thank you that you have prepared good work for us to do. Praise be to you in us today!

JUST KEEPING IT REAL

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

As far as our real daily life as a Christian is concerned, this is either a very thin line or where the rubber meets the road. It is a thin line if you want to argue that faith is highly personal and you can't judge someone else because you don't know what is in their hearts. It is where the rubber meets the road if you want to seriously check your faith. I am sure there are other ways to consider this but, for me today, this is how I am approaching the text. 

Francis Schaeffer (a favorite and influential author of mine) wrote a book entitled True Spirituality. He wrote it after struggling with the reality of his faith. I think we all go through times where we struggle with the reality of our faith. That is not a bad thing. If being a Christian doesn't make some sort of difference in your life, what good is it being a Christian? By difference I don't mean just having warm fuzzy's all day long. I mean that if being a Christian isn't different in how I approach the good and the bad, the joyous and the mournful, circumstances in my life, then what so what? 

The telling aspect of these verses, for me, is that they are focused on others, not ourselves. Do you get that? Our world is an incredibly self-centered black hole of self-consciousness. Everything is about how it makes "me" feel. I once had a pastor friend of mine ask me what I thought of his teaching. I told him it was a bit hard to follow because he didn't follow an outline and his introductions were often longer than the actual "teaching". His response was, "Wow, that really hurts my feelings! Especially coming from you." Thanks, pastor, so it's not about how you feed me, one of the sheep, it's about how I make you feel?" 

James, rather bluntly describes a situation where someone is in need. If you do nothing more than basically give a little "spiritual" verbal response, so what? "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." 

The good news is that God has prepared good works for us (Ephesians 2:10) and he makes us alive and new in Christ! It is not  necessarily about big things, it's about daily interactions, daily opportunities to act in love by faith. 

What will be your faith moments today? 

Father, help us to act in love by faith today. Praise be to you in us today!