Breaking the Fast: While I'm Waiting

Our walk through Chapter 3 of Philippians, yesterday, left me wondering a bit. Verse 1 started off with joy ("rejoice in the Lord"), but then Paul became defensive in the next several verses. The rest of the chapter seemed a little void of "warm fuzzies," but did include encouragement to press on, and eventually, hope of Christ's return.

Some may question why Paul was not more tolerant of those with different views, even calling them dogs. If it is political correctness you are looking for in the Bible, you are reading the wrong book.

"Avoid a sugared gospel as you would shun sugar of lead. Seek the gospel which rips up and tears and cuts and wounds and hacks and even kills, for that is the gospel that makes alive again. And when you have found it, give good heed to it. Let it enter into your inmost being. As the rain soaks into the ground, so pray the Lord to let his gospel soak into your soul."

~Charles H. Spurgeon

As for me, I am attempting to focus on my citizenship in heaven. As Paul instructed, I want to eagerly await our Savior, who will transform us to be like Him. But, it is difficult, maybe even painful.

  I'm waiting on you, Lord

  Though it is painful

  But patiently I will wait

  While I'm waiting...

  ...I will serve You

  While I'm waiting

  I will worship

  ~While I'm Waiting,

  John Waller

I am waiting on the Lord, but He is also waiting on me. Waiting for me to serve. Waiting for me to worship.

Waiting — it is not something I do well. Amy, Mackenzie, Jack, Cookie, Ben, Brad, Tristan, and many others are waiting for Adam's healing. I am certain that is very painful for them. Yet, in this song, we receive instructions as to what to do while we wait — serve and worship.

James 3:13

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.

Exodus 23:25

Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you,

My instructions are clear. Now, if I can just follow them!

Next week, we will take a look at Chapter 4. Until then, look for opportunities to "wait well."

Evening: I Will Be Still

by Hillary Mortensen

Even as I attempt to write my blog entry for this week, I was up past midnight and fighting just to stay awake.

My work schedule has me going and going, to the point that I am having a hard time keeping my personal life together, like cleaning my room, preparing food, or getting gas for my car. I don’t know what it’s like to feel rested, and I haven’t seen one of my roommates in days. Most significantly, I have not remained diligent in cultivating my relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and worship…and it shows.

I can sense that peace and joy have been replaced by anxiety and dissatisfaction. I haven’t had the strength to fend off the arrows of the enemy that lead me to envy, covet, and worry. Confidence in Christ has been replaced by self-consciousness. Discouragement has smothered hope. I wake up and think of my to-do list before thinking on all Christ has done for me.

Today, perhaps even on a day set aside for prayer, you (like me) haven’t taken the time to be still before God. Maybe prayer has been another item to cross off the to-do list. Take at least a few minute to stop and worship. Listen to God; wait on Him.

Romans 12:12 instructs us: “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”

So, friends, in spite of the situation we find ourselves in that brings us together today…Rejoice. Be patient. And keep on praying.

"Someone has said that when we work, we work; but when we pray, God works. His supernatural strength is available to praying people who are convinced to the core of their beings that he can make a difference."
~Bill Hybels

Good night.

Dinner: Only Visiting this Planet

Prayer Request for Adam

Adam is still suffering from Meningitis. Let's all pray that God would rid Adam's body of this serious inflamation.

Philippians 3:17-21

17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Back in 1972, Larry Norman released an album entitled Only Visiting this Planet. All these years later, I cannot name, nor think of a song on it. It is the album's title that stuck with me. Who knows for sure, but Norman's inspiration may have been Verse 20. As a citizen of heaven, I should be eagerly awaiting to go there. Some days this is true, others not so much.

Since I thought of Norman's album when I read these verses from Phillipians, I went and found the lyrics to one of the songs on it.

some say He was an outlaw that He roamed across the land
with a band of unschooled ruffians and a few old fishermen
no one knew just where He came from or exactly what He'd done
but they said it must be something bad that kept Him on the run

some day He was a poet that He'd stand upon the hill
and His voice could calm an angry crowd or make the waves stand still
that He spoke in many parables that few could understand
but the people sat for hours just to listen to that man

some say He was a sorceror a man of mystery
He could walk upon the water He could make a blind man see
that He conjured wine at weddings and did tricks with fish and bread
that He talked of being born again and raised people from the dead

some say a politician who spoke of being free
He was followed by the masses on the shores of galilee
He spoke out against corruption and He bowed to no decree
and they feared His strength and power so they nailed Him to a tree

some say He was the Son of God a man above all men
but He came to be a servant and to set us free from sin
and that's who i believe He was 'cause that's who i believe
and i think we should get ready 'cause it's time for us to leave

Are you ready to leave?

Lunch: Pressing Onward

Philippians 3:12-16

  12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

  15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Living up to what we have already obtained. That is another tall order! I can spend the rest of my life attempting it, but I will fall (very) short.

I watched the first episode of the new season's Biggest Loser on Monday evening. In one scene, a very overweight person is recounting his past weight battles to Bob Harper. It was interesting that Bob told him to forget about the past, and to move forward. The words he used sounded like they could have been Paul's, talking to me about my past sins. Wether it's our weight, or our sins, we need to forget about the past, and move forward. We need to press onward toward the goal.

"I am reaching for the highest goal

That I might receive the prize

Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside

Out of my way

Cause I want to know you more"

~I Want To Know You (More)

Hillsong

If we are moving forward, striving to live up to what we have already obtained, we should be better equipped to deal with the challenges that life throws at us. Even so, it is difficult for me to imagine myself in the same situation that Adam's loved ones have been facing every day since May 15th. Please pray for them during your lunch break. Pray that God will provide each of them with His peace and comfort.

Breakfast:: Knowing Christ

Praise

Let's start our morning with a prayer of praise. Adam's insurance company has approved his treatment at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston!

Philippians 3:2-11

   2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

  If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

  7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Rather harsh words from Paul! It appears that Paul uses "dogs" to describe false teachers — those legalists who rejected the grace of God in favor of rituals and properly following Jewish laws and customs. Paul points out his own résumé qualifies him as a "righteous legalist" — a faultless one at that! Having become a follower of Jesus, Paul counted all of his past as loss compared to knowing Christ.

I read two books during the past year that led me to examine my own Pharisaical tendencies, and helped nurture my appreciation for grace. I highly recommend both — 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (like me) and What's So Amazing About Grace?. Be prepared to be challenged!

Some of you question why I write this blog. If I had an easy answer, I could quit asking the same question, myself! I felt called by God to start it, but I had no idea back in May that I would still be writing in September. Verse 10 reminds me that "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings."

I am not theologian, nor a pastor, nor an elder. Shoot, I am not even a Sunday School teacher — a role filled quite well by my teenage daughter! So, I might say some things that would not be approved by the religious establishment. Having said that, I do believe that Christ is still suffering. I believe that He suffers when His followers suffer. So, if Christ is suffering over Adam's condition, and He is suffering over the hurt of his family, this blog is one way that I share in His sufferings.

Yes, I know that Paul was referring specifically to Jesus' crucifixion. Like I said, my beliefs and yours may differ on this one. It is simply my opinion that Christ still suffers when bad things happen in this world. Sharing in it is why I write. It is why I pray. It is why I fast.

My hope and prayer, this morning, whether you agree or disagree with my belief, is that you would count all things as loss compared to knowing Christ. And, if you have not already, read the two books I mentioned above.

Today is our day to spend extra time with God. Set aside time to meet with Him.



Yes, we want to lift up Adam and his family in our prayers, but we can also pray for others in need of healing. We can also spend some meditating on God's grace, and pray that we can extend grace to others.

Eve of Fasting: Rejoice!

For those that have not been with us the past two weeks, we are on a four-week study of the apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians. Although various human emotions/experiences are mentioned, we are focussing on joy. As I mentioned two weeks ago, joy (or forms of) is mentioned 16 times in these four chapters. In Chapter Three, it shows up in the first verse:

Philippians 3:1

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

As we prepare for our unified day of prayer and fasting, tomorrow, let's do all we can to rejoice in the Lord. Adam's accident occured in May. The resulting coma has left him "asleep" for over four months. Obviously, a long, grueling, heartbreaking journey for Adam's family and close friends. Yet, Paul exhorts us to rejoice, despite life's troubles (compared to Adam and his family, what troubles do I have?).

Paul's words seem to highlight the importance that we develop a "joy mentality" in our lives.

"The prevailing philosophy among Christians is "If I am healthy, I’m happy," "When everything is going right and coming up roses, I’m happy." However, when reverses prevail, that happiness evaporates. When we are misunderstood and not appreciated, can we rejoice then? If we rest our orientation toward life on perpetual positive circumstances, we put ourselves in a desperate situation. We cannot rejoice in our circumstances all the time but we can rejoice in our Lord ceaselessly (4:4). If we displace joy in the Lord for the hope of ongoing stable circumstance, vulnerability to changing conditions no longer disrupt our balance."

~Dr. Grant C. Richison

I look forward to praying and fasting with rejoicing believers, tomorrow!!

Another Week of Sorrow and Joy

Good morning! We conclude Chapter 2 with these verses:

Philippians 2:25-29

"But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me."

Hillary wrote, last night, about Being a Timothy. One might guess that this final passage from Chapter 2 might be about "being an Epaphroditus." Yet, these few sentences spoke to me more about human emotions.

True, Epaphroditus did care for Paul, and we should model his behaviour. But, these verses remind me of the universal nature of sorrow. In this case, Paul wrote about being spared "sorrow upon sorrow," as the result of Epaphroditus recovering from his illness. Many are experiencing sorrow over Adam's condition. That's natural. It's to be expected. If the apostle Paul could be saddened about the (potential) loss of his friend, it stands to reason that Adam's family and close friends would be experiencing the same. And, note that Paul also is seeking "less anxiety."

Ater avoiding sorrow, and attempting to rid himself of anxiety, Paul instructs the readers of his letter to welcome Epaphroditus with great joy. There it is, again — joy. From sorrow to joy, with some anxiety thrown in between. The life of a believer can be a bit rocky at times. Following Christ does not mean we will never experience sorrow. We do, and we will. As humans, we will be anxious, at times. Yet, we can be joyful in Christ.

As Christians, we may think we should always be joyful. As we see in these few verses, that simply is not (humanly) possible. If Paul cannot pull it off, I am confident that I won't be able to. If Adam's prolonged coma leaves you feeling sorrow upon sorrow, that is natural. If you are anxious, get in line behind Paul.

As we disperse, I pray that we can all experience the joy of salvation, even as we experience sorrow and anxiety.

I don't know if it will be possible for some of us to trade our sorrows for the joy of the Lord. It is my prayer, however, that we can all become increasingly able to experience and embrace the heavenly joy of the Lord, even while experiencing earthly sorrow.

Jude 1:24-25

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Evening: Being a Timothy

Philippians 2:19-24

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. ²¹For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

In this passage, Paul publicly praises Timothy for being a kindred spirit, someone who is concerned for the welfare of others, seeks after the interests of Jesus Christ, and serves in the furtherance of the gospel.

If you are reading this blog, then I trust that you are seeking after the welfare of Adam and his family. For that I am grateful.

But what exactly does it mean to seek after the interests of Jesus Christ and serve in the furtherance of the gospel?

Here is where we need to turn to 1 & 2 Timothy, letters Paul wrote to Timothy to instruct him and share his concerns. Through these instructions, warnings, and concerns, we can learn some of what it takes to live a Timothy-type of life. Here are just a few highlights:

1 Timothy 1:18-19a

18Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience.

1 Timothy 2:1-2,8

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness…. 8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

1 Timothy 4:11-13

11Command and teach these things. 12Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

1 Timothy 6:6-8, 17

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that…. 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 6:11

11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2 Timothy 1:7

6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 2:22

22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2 Timothy 4:2

2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

As we pray for Adam, let us also pray that we would be people who strive to follow these instructions, with the help of our Lord, that we would be to Amy and the rest of Adam’s family what Timothy was to Paul—concerned for the welfare of others, seeking after Christ, and furthering the Good News that Jesus died and was raised so that we might have a relationship with God.

We will finish Chapter 2 in the morning.

Good night.

Dinner: Shining Like Stars

Philippians 2:12-18

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."

I was beginning to wonder what happened to joy! It shows up again in the form of rejoicing, which, according to Merriam-Webster, means "to feel joy or great delight." But, first, Paul encourages us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Of course, we cannot work our way into heaven, but as it says in verse 13, we must allow God to work in us so that we act according to His good purpose.

I struggle with this. I find it difficult to let God work in me according to His purpose. I keep wanting to work things according to my purpose. Yet, I know that I should surrender to God's will. I should do His will without complaining; without arguing. We all have roles to play in God's kingdom. If we perform them well, we can all shine like stars — holding out the word of life. Then, we can be glad and rejoice together.

Rejoicing together.....it is something we can do, regardless of life's circumstances. Whether healthy or ill; rich or poor; surrounded by loved ones or separated from them. No matter what the world throws at us, we still get to rejoice. Even with Adam at a "2" on the Rancho scale, we can rejoice, because better things are yet to come.

I believe that better things are yet to come. In the meantime, I will keep praying for Adam's healing.

Lunch: to the Glory of God the Father

Philippians 2:5-11

We are going to read this passage a little differently, using the video, below:



 ...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
  to the glory of God the Father.

Great instruction for how we should fix our attitude, and a great revelation of Jesus' position of authority — the highest place.

If possible, find a quiet place for  your lunchtime prayer, and bow down to Jesus out of respect, humility, and obedience; confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord.



Every tongue will confess...including Adam's! I thank God that regardless of how much suffering Adam, or anybody else endures, we'll all eventually find ourselves in the same place, bowing before Jesus.

As you pray, consider the specific requests from the post ("Quick Update") on Amy's blog, last night.

Breakfast: Humility

Philippians 2:1-4

Imitating Christ's Humility

  "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Does this mean that we never disagree? Are we unable to think for ourselves? Are we discouraged from formulating our own thoughts and approaching faith differently than our neighbor? I don't think so. If this were true, there wouldn't be Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Friends, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Foursquare, or many other demoninations. There would only be one.

Despite the different ways we worship and practice our faith, we are called to be like Christ. We are to consider others better than ourselves, and do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. We are to be humble in our faith. I believe that, regarless of the denomination of our church, or our personal views on Christiananity, that we should be able to agree on this — we are to look out for the interests of others and practice humility.

As a Christian, I have much to be humble about. I would have to search long and hard for anything to boast about. It should be easy to follow Paul's advice, right? Then, why is it so difficult? I keep wanting to put my own interests ahead of others. I keep making my personal concerns more important than those around me. God, please forgive me for my self centeredness and lack of humility.

I thank God for each of you that are praying for Adam. You are looking out for the interests of others when you take time to pray for Adam's healing, and for the comfort of his family. You are following Paul's instructions. Bless you!

A Prayer

Lord, thank you for hearing my prayers.

Forgive me of my sins.

Forgive me for being selfish.

Forgive me for putting my own interests ahead of others.

Father, thank you for the comfort you have provided me.

Thank you for the encouragement you provide me by uniting me with your Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you for the fellowship I have with the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for bring like-minded people together to pray for Adam's healing.

Lord, In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask that you would heal your servant, Adam Root.

I ask that you would comfort Adam's family.

I ask that you would provide each person who loves Adam with the peace that passes all human understanding.

Jesus, just as you honored the faith of the centurion by healing his servant, I ask that you would honor the requests of all those praying for Adam Root's healing.

Lord, I pray that you would improve Adam's health dramatically over the next three weeks.

God, I pray that Adam would rapidly move up the Rancho scale ove the next three weeks.

God, I pray that all those who care for Adam would remain united in faith, and that we would all remain humble.

I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Amen.

Step one, if we are going to be united in spirit and purpose, is that each of us needs to get ourselves in alignment with God's will for our lives. As Jars of Clay sings, we need to get our two hands doing the same thing. After praying for Adam, meditate on the words of this song.

Eve of Fasting: Focus on Praise

Philippians 2

Please join us for our united day of prayer and fasting, tomorrow. We get together (online) each Wednesday to lift up prayers for the healing of Adam Root. Although it is not required, we encourage you to fast during our day of prayer (see Hours of Fast for fasting options).

Last week, we began using the book of Philippians as the basis for our devotionals. Tomorrow,we will read through Chapter 2 during our devotions at each meal time, and in the late evening.

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Phillipians to thank them for their support, and to warn them against false teaching. During our reading of Chapter 2, we'll also discover a great psalm of praise to Jesus.

Lift up praise to Jesus before retiring for the evening. Praise Him for briinging us together. Praise Him for His grace and mercy. Let's not focus on asking for anything. Let's simply focus on praise.

I pray that we'll all have a restful night, and that we'll spend some quality time with God, tomorrow. See you in the morning.

Good night.

Broken Hearts Become Brand New

Good morning!

Yesterday, we made it through Philippians 1. As I stated on Tuesday evening, we are focusing on the message of joy in Paul's letter to the believers in Philippi. Here is another observation of part of the first chapter:

“Paul begins the description of his prayers of thanksgiving in verses 3-4 with the comment that he prays for the Philippians ‘with joy.’ His primary intention for this description is simply to affirm his affection for the Philippians, but it also announces a theme that runs throughout the letter: The believer should be joyful. For Paul, joy is not the result of finding himself in comfortable circumstances, but of seeing the gospel make progress through his circumstances and through the circumstances of the Philippians, whatever they might be (1:18, 2:17)."

~Gracepoint Devotions

There is no question that Adam, and those close to him, are facing difficult circumstances. That is why they need us to keep praying for them — joyfully!

I've seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do

~What Faith Can Do, Kutless

Have a great week. Let's reconvene next Tuesday evening. In the meantime...

...May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

~Romans 15:13

Good Night: Worthy of the Gospel of Christ

Philippians 1:27-30

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

As we conclude our day of prayer and fasting, and chapter one of Philippians, I would like to focus on verse 27. It is a tall order — conducting myself in a manner worthy of the gospel ("good news") of Christ! However, it is a great goal to keep pursuing. Last year, I joined with a group of friends to study the Pursuit of Holiness, by Jerry Bridges. I believe that pursuing holiness is conducting ourselves in the manner Paul refers to. This is text from the back cover of Bridges' book:

"What does holiness look like? For starters, it doesn't look anything like perfection. And it doesn't necessarily look like victory. Mostly, it consists of effort, prayer, grace, and obedience. "Scripture speaks of both a holiness we have in Christ before God, and a holiness we are to strive after," writes the author. We can ignore neither Christ's role nor our own if we are to successfully pursue holiness. It is as simple as refusing to smudge the truth on a tax return or as complicated as forgiving the person who has most viciously hurt us. Jerry takes holiness out of the realm of the impossible and brings it into the real world of our daily lives and decisions."

If you have not read it, I highly recommend Jerry Bridge's book

Of course, verse 29 reminds us that we must also suffer for Christ. It is part of the deal. Those close to Adam are suffering. None are closer than Amy. In an interesting bit of timing, her Tuesday night blog post focused on none other than joy! She is suffering, but full of joy in the Lord. She is living Christ!



Let's work at being joyful. It will enhance the time we spend in prayer. If we pray for Adam with joy in our hearts, we will look forward to our prayer time.

Are you hungry? I am. Use your hunger to turn to God. Pray, again, before going to bed. Pray for joy, first, then pray for Adam and his family.

I will post, again, in the morning. Good night. 

Dinner: Living & Dying

By Hillary Mortensen

Philippians 1:21-26

21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Many people believe that the theme of the entire book of Philippians can be summed up in this one line: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Paul’s purpose was very clear: For him, to live is Christ.

What about you? What is your purpose in life? How would you finish this sentence?:

“For to me, to live is ________.”

For me, I often feel like living is just working on dwindling down the to-do list. Recently, it has also felt like getting a friend elected to office on this campaign I’m currently managing. For you, is it winning the big case? Closing the deal? Children? Sports? Finishing school?

Truly, however, we should share Paul’s outlook, which F. B. Meyer interprets as Christ being “the essence of our life … the model of our life … the aim of our life … the solace of our life … the reward of our life.” We become utterly consumed by Him. Paul, having experienced this type of presence of Christ in his life, realized, “Life here is good…but it’s only going to get better.” This is why dying a physical death is gain. Paul knew well that he would move from living to serve Christ to enjoying being with Him.

Let’s press on with this in mind: If we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have much to look forward to here on Earth---we get to experience Him in our lives, we have fruitful labor to perform, and we can help others grow spiritually---yet we also have uninterrupted, undivided communion with God in heaven to look forward to when we die. It’s a win-win situation!

I will finish with more thoughts from the Joyful Living sermon series at Keep Believing Ministries. We have a simple application:

1. Do what God gives you to do today.

2. Trust God with tomorrow.

3. Death when it comes will be a great gain for you.

When all is said and done, there are only two philosophies of life. You can say with the Apostle Paul “To me to live is Christ and to die is gain” or you can say with the world “To me to live is self and to die is loss.”

Which will it be for you?

Praise be to God that Adam has been living for Christ and, even now, is helping us progress and find joy in our faith!

Lunch: Rejoice, Despite the Chains!

Philippians 1:12-20

   Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. 

   It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

   Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Paul was literally in chains, and he still rejoiced!

We may not be in prison. We may not be in chains. Yet, many of us are prisoners to the cares of this world. We are prisoners to our possessions, careers, debts, worries, depression, or illness. Some may be prisoners to others' circumstances, such as Adam's.

The important thing, Paul states, is that Christ is preached. Isn't it amazing, that Adam, although in a coma, is ministering to us? Christ is being preached through Adam.

Although there is debate about the source, many attribute this quote to St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words." Some like to debate the source. Others like to question biblical accuracy. Regardless, I feel that Adam is preaching the Gospel to us, without words.

We do not know, with certainty, God's will and timing for Adam's healing. While we wait, let's not allow ourselves to be held captive. Like Paul, let's be joyful, despite these trying circumstances.

Thank you, God, that Christ is being exalted in Adam's body. Because of this, we can all be joyful!

Breakfast: That Our Love May Abound

by Hillary Mortensen

Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Wow. This is a simple yet profound prayer that Paul prayed for the church in Philippi. If we break it down, we see how much depth and meaning it has.


Love abounding more and more.

How can we get this abounding love?

In John 13:34, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” First of all, we are able to love because of God’s love for us. Second, Christ would not command us to do something He will not enable us to do. Paul affirms this by writing to the Thessalonians, “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

The Lord causes our love to abound.

Knowledge and depth of insight.

This, too, comes from God Himself. As Paul mentions in his prayer for the believers in Ephesus, it is “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory [who gives to us] a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (See Ephesians 1:17.)

James instructs his readers to do what Paul did: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

Let us ask God for knowledge and depth of insight.

To discern what is best.

Other translations call this “approving that which is excellent” or “seeing the difference between good and bad and choosing the good.” If we do this, we will be pure and blameless until the day of Christ and filled with the fruit of righteousness.

As the passage points out, discerning what is best is something we will do better as our love grows in knowledge and understanding.

Let us ask for forgiveness for the times when we choose what is not best (sin) and ask for the knowledge and insight to discern what is best, as well as the strength to choose it.

Fruit of righteousness.

In order to produce a fruit, first a seed must be sown.

James 3:18 says that the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. There are numerous other Biblical references to sowing righteousness, as well. It is something to be sown and cultivated.

Commentator Adam Clarke describes righteousness as being “the whole work of the Spirit of God in the soul of a believer” and the fruit of righteousness as “all holy tempers, holy words and right actions. And with these they are to be filled, filled up, filled full; the whole soul and life occupied with them, ever doing something by which glory is brought to God or good done to man.”

We must be intentional about living upright lives.

To the glory and praise of God.

And let us not forget that this is all for the glory of God. “All blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.” (Revelation 7:12)

A prayer.

In light of all this, let’s make Paul’s prayer our own.

Pray it for yourself:
Lord, I pray that my love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that I may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of You, God.

Pray it for Adam & Amy:
Lord, I pray that Adam and Amy’s love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of You, God.

Pray it for others.

Click the link, below, for this morning's song:
The Benediction by Timothy James Meaney

Eve of Fasting: Joy

As I stated last Thursday, this week we will be posting devotionals based on the New Testament book of Philippians. According to my Quest Study Bible, this book is appropriate "If you've ever had trouble seeing how faith can be dressed in everyday clothes...And, along the way you'll run a gamut of human experience: joy, bitterness, unity, bickering, arrogance, humiliation."

We are going to focus on joy. The word joy appears 16 times in the book of Philippians. Paul, the author of this letter to the people of Philippi, mentions joy quite often, despite his imprisonment.

Philippians 1:1-8

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
  To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers[a] and deacons:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

I think we can learn a lot from Amy about how to remain joyful despite very challenging circumstances. And now, something a bit different, some joy with a country twist.

As we pray for Adam, let's remain joyful.

Another Week...

...Another surgery.

Fasting has been a bit more difficult for me the past month. I have increased the number of miles covered on my bicycle, which has greatly increased my appetite. The result is a greater hunger on Wednesdays. More discomfort. More desire for food. Yikes, I can be self centered. So I was in a bit of discomfort, yesterday. It was nothing compared to what Adam had to endure, this week.

Adam underwent another surgery on Tuesday. It lasted nearly five hours. It was the 12th surgery that he has had to suffer through. (Let's pray for a quick recovery, and that he can avoid another surgery — at least anytime soon). I am not keeping track, but Adam has had almost as many surgeries as we have had days of fasting. I do pray that we can pull well ahead and leave him in the dust!

Next Week

At Hillary's suggestion, we will try something a bit different as we transition into autumn. Beginning on next week's united day of prayer and fasting, we will post devotionals based on a study of the book of Philippians.

We will still be fasting, we'll still be praying, and we'll still be posting to this blog throughout the day as we always have. We'll just be basing them on a sequential journey through Paul's letter of encouragement.

I look forward to joining you, next week. Until then, let's keep reading the Bible, and devote time each day to prayer (Amy's prayer requests). With that in mind, here is a sample of what Paul wrote to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Good Night: Voice of Truth

Hebrews 13: 5-6

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you."So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?"

It is easy to be afraid of life's problems. But, the Voice of Truth tells us a different story.

Acts 18:9

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.

Say one more prayer for Adam's healing before going to bed. And, don't be afraid of what God's answer will be.

Let's meet in the morning as we break our fast.

Evening: Thankful

by Hillary Mortensen

1 Timothy 2:1
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

As I reflect, as I pray, as I hear the stories of all the ways friends and family have stepped up in prayer and service during this season of the Root family’s life, I cannot help but overflow with gratitude. Even now as I write this, I am saying a prayer of thanks for everyone, both those I know well and for those who none of us know at all but are praying with and for the family regardless.

It’s so easy, in this life, to get caught up in what we don’t have, what we cannot do, where we have not been, etc. Instead, God calls us to a life of thankfulness. I’ve started my own list of things I’m thankful for, and I encourage you to make your own list, as well, even if it’s just in your head. Use mine (they’re for sharing) and/or come up with your own. Give thanks to God, and wait expectantly for your heart to begin to overflow with gratitude.

• For you, readers of this blog
• For advanced medical care for Adam
• For Amy, whose hope is in the Lord and whose unwavering faith is a testimony to the power of Jesus Christ at work within her
• For an extended family that has surrounded and supported Adam's family with prayers, notes, websites, finances, meals, housecleaning, social networking, phone calls, and more
• For technology that allows us to keep in touch and "come together" even though we're very far apart
• For hope
• For scriptures that documented many "healing moments"

Dinner: More than Enough

by Hillary Mortensen

The concept of "not enough" permeates my thoughts: I don't have enough faith. My bank account balance is just not high enough. I am not working enough hours. I haven't gotten enough sleep or exercise. Even too much ice cream just doesn't seem like enough. I never seem to have enough time. I'm not thin enough. All my best efforts just aren't enough.

When I concentrate on these not enoughs, I am left with a discontented, unsatisfied soul. Well, enough with these not enoughs! Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin remind us in the song More Than Enough that God is more than enough for us. He is everything. He is our reward, our supply, our King...and is still more awesome than we know!

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know
All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You’re my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You’re the coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know
More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me

When we think that surely Adam has not had enough relaxation due to the surgeries and neurological storms or when we question whether we've prayed enough. When we think that Adam hasn't had enough of the best care or when we acknowledge that we have not had enough quality time with Adam recently, may it be our prayer for ourselves, for each other, and for Adam that in God, we will find and know that He is more than enough to satisfy our hungry, weary, broken souls.

Praise God for being more than enough:

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips, my mouth will praise You.
Psalm 63:5

[The Lord] satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psalm 103:5

Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love
and His wonderful deeds for men,
for He satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 107:9

The sluggard craves and gets nothing,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
Proverbs 13:4

Why spend money on what is not bread,
and labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Isaiah 55:2

He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1:53

Lunch: Look Up!!!

by Adrienne Terada

Has life got you down? Are you experiencing troubles? Does your life feel desperate? Are you in pain physically or emotionally? Do you feel like you have hit rock bottom, or are you even just feeling a little discouraged? LOOK UP!!

Troubles will come in this life, we can be sure of that, but how we handle them has a huge impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. Even when we don't understand God's will or process, we must continue to trust Him. When we panic, we fail to trust God, and life will grow desperate. We often rely on spouses, friends, careers, parents, mentors, doctors, education, bank accounts, etc, but we need to lean on God first. LOOK UP!!

Psalm 143:8
Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Last week, I mentioned that I had a couple of days where I was very downcast because I had not spent enough time in fellowship with God, and my sister (Hillary) was with me. She simply said, "Look up, A, look up." These simple words were so powerful because it really is all about our choice to either focus on all the attacks on our happiness or focus on our Savior. When life has you down, look up to our God and Savior. Worship Him, praise Him, open dialogue with Him, and TRUST HIM!!



Pray...

• That Adam would be completely restored.
• That Adam's family would be able to LOOK UP during this time.
• That all of us would be able to LOOK UP all the days of our lives.
• That we would be able to encourage each other during storms with the words LOOK UP.

Mid Morning: Confession

Nehemiah 1:4-7

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
       "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

Like Nehemiah, let's acknowledge and confess our sins prior to prayers for Adam's healing.

Breakfast: Surrender All

By Adrienne Terada

So my sister and I were discussing last night, that with this fast today, we will have gone without food 5 out of 8 days. In fact, yesterday as we were preparing meals I kept finding myself not taking a bite of something that I wanted to because I have grown so accustomed to the discipline of not putting food in my mouth. This is crazy to me, because until Adam's accident, I had never completed even one day of a spiritual fast. Wow, so much has changed!

Like my Dad, I too have been thinking about how much has happened through this journey of prayer and fasting over the last month. I have spent more time in worship and prayer each day than I ever have in my life. I have taken time out of my busy day to stop and truly meet and worship our Savior. I have watched my children come to understand what fasting is, and even got to stand beside them as they are doing their first fasts. I completed my first fasts. On Monday, Hillary and I got to sit with Isaac and Annabelle for over an hour in a worship and prayer session as we were battling for Adam, and begging and pleading for His healing. (I have never shared this experience with my kids. It is something that I truly want to continue long after Adam is healed). I got to receive a powerful vision from the Lord. I have wept, I have praised, I have prayed!

During all this time with the Lord, I am really coming to a much greater understanding of Him. He is the Almighty, and He is teaching me about surrendering to Him. Of course, the obvious in all of this is that we have to surrender Adam's life to God. We have to surrender Adam's healing, the timing of Adam's healing, and the path his healing takes. It is all in God's hands.

The other thing that God has shown me during this time, is the importance of surrendering my life to Him, which was not so obvious to me as this journey began. I thought this was going to be all about Adam. God wants each of us to surrender all to Him. I have been striving hard this last year to surrender everything to God, but God has revealed that there is more to be done. Last week, after I received my very powerful vision from the Lord, He is also revealed that there was one very specific area of my life that I hadn't surrendered because I was afraid of what trials, pain, or sacrifice might come if I did. It was a freeing feeling to finally let go of this and give it to God.

Our society operates on the opposite of surrender. It is attain as much as you can as fast as you can with your power. strength, and might, and once you have it do everything you can to not let go of it. We get the 'you are in control' message pounded on us all the time!!! This simply isn't true. This is not what the Bible tells us.

Luke 9:24
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.


God wants us to surrender to Him...

• our very life
• our hearts
• our spouses
• our children
• our health
• our businesses
• our jobs
• our finances
• our savings accounts
• our homes
• our time, etc.,...

Sing along with this song and ask God to help you surrender all.




To Pray For:

• That Adam's family and each of us can surrender Adam and his healing to you
• That God would reveal to you anything in your life that you need to surrender
• For forgiveness for not surrendering all to God

Eve of Fasting: The Honest Cries of Breaking Hearts...

...Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

On the eve of yet another united day of prayer and fasting, I continue to sense that God is using Adam's accident as a way to draw us closer to Him. I wonder if too many of us have become too self-reliant. We want to control our destinies, fix our own problems, and work hard to avoid dependence on others.

As we all know, especially those closest to Adam, one moment in time changes everything. Before, we did not take so much time for prayer and meditation. Now, we do. Is this the change that God is seeking in us? Is God nudging us to give up our self-reliance to become more dependent on Him? It's just my opinion, but I believe that He is.

As we fast and pray together, I hope that we don't hold back. I hope that we pour our hearts out to God. As Amy Grant says in her song,

"We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah"

Over the next 24-36 hours, I hope that God hears many melodies from family and friends of Adam. In fact, it is more than a hope. This evening, it is my prayer. Make it yours, too.

Psalms 4:1; 17:6

1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

This Week's Day of Fasting and Prayer

We will be using some "encore posts" this week.

With the holiday on Monday, and busy schedules, we will re-publish some posts from the past. Rest assured, I will be fasting and praying in "real time," even if we post a rerun.

Doug