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DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Control My Responses

Sanctifying Spirit,
While I cannot control the circumstance around me or what happens to me, I am responsible for how I respond and react. Give me the spiritual and mental composure to remain in control, even when unpleasant and undesirable things happen to me. Keep me from allowing disappointment to sow seeds of bitterness or resentment that can take root in my heart if unchecked. In every situation, direct me to align my thoughts, words, and actions with your Word and will. Remove any blindspots that would keep me from picking up on my own negative or destructive thought patterns. Guide me along your paths of righteousness and allow only what is pure and noble to reside in my heart and mind.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Remember Your Baptism

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(Titus 3:4-7)

I was recently reminded of what I don’t particularly care for this time of year: the pronounced darkness. Not so much the darkness outside – that I’m used to. The darkness is the most striking inside immediately after all of the Christmas decorations have come down. In our home those include the warm glow of Christmas nightlights accenting the outlets, subtle string lights woven through the greenery on the fireplace mantle, and various other Christmas pieces throughout the house that have regularly cast their subtle flicker or glimmer every evening. I’ve gotten accustomed to their cozy welcome at night since the beginning of December until Epiphany, and now the darkness is so much more pronounced.

That’s also illustrative of how many people feel this time of year. While it’s said to have started as a marketing ploy, what’s been dubbed “Blue Monday” usually takes place the third Monday in January. There are a number of reasons why many might struggle that time of year: for some it may literally be the darker days, as less daylight can contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Bills that come due from the December spending and already-broken resolutions are some other contributing factors. Really, whether it’s this time of year or any other, when we struggle with being down, as helpful as it is to identify the cause, what’s more helpful is finding the solution. And that solution may be much easier – and far more helpful than you’ve ever realized: remember your baptism.

You’ve heard the words before. They’ve been offered as encouragement. They sound like something a pastor or Christian might say to another Christian. But what do they actually mean? How do we actually remember our baptism? Why should something so plain and ordinary on the surface be able to actually do anything meaningful for me in my daily life?

If you look at the font in the front of my church, you’ll see how plain it is. It’s not ornate. There’s not a single design or engraving on it. There are no colors or special attention-grabbing features except the cross protruding from its top. It has just four legs supporting a plain base that holds a plain and simple stainless steel bowl. Into that bowl goes plain water right from the tap. There may not be many fonts out there that are more plain than this ours. 

But what happens there is anything but plain. It is profound. It is powerful. It is also pictured in Paul’s letter to Pastor Titus. “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (v.4-7). When you hear the words “remember your baptism,” remember these words. 

A business may determine it’s time to reinvent itself. Maybe it’s a result of some bad publicity. Maybe it’s because profits have been sliding. Maybe it’s some other reason. But whatever the reason, it decides to inject a new look or a new approach. The desired outcome of course is that reinventing itself will get the business back on a healthy track.

Individuals sometimes take the same approach. It’s more than just getting a makeover, although that may be a part of it. It’s a whole new you, different from what people have become accustomed to.

But as believers, we don’t need to reinvent; we just need to remember. We need to remember who we are because of whose we are, and whose we are was established at our baptism. There you were marked and sealed as belonging to God. In your baptism, God set you apart and gave you an identity that serves and secures you not just for your time here on earth, but for eternity.

If you aren’t sure who you are or who you want to be, it’s less about looking ahead and contemplating all the changes you need to make, and more about looking back and remembering all the changes God already made for you that he poured on you at your baptism. Remember these words: “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (v.4-7).

But there’s a difference between being told all of this spiritual talk in church (or reading about it in a devotion or on a blog during the week) and living in the joy of that identity. We agree that the verses from Titus 3 are nice-sounding, and they certainly line up with everything the Bible teaches, and we even believe them to be true.

So why do so many walk out the door on a Sunday morning and immediately slip right back into trying to reinvent themselves or pursue some other identity? Why do we say to ourselves, “Oh, that was a nice little spiritual pep-talk this morning,” but nothing real happens in our lives, no real changes? 

I am convinced it has a lot to do with not reflecting on and thinking about so many of the words and promises of God, like the ones we have before us here from Titus. So which words shall we focus on? Which ones do you have to start believing to see yourself differently? Which ones do you have to believe to grasp how radically changed you are in Christ?

Let’s start with the phrase that is repeated twice: “he saved us” (v.5). How often do you stop to soak up what that means? Apart from “the kindness and love of God our Savior” (v.4), we know where we would be headed, right? Making it sting even more, we’re not just talking about some younger version of ourselves that didn’t know better and needed saving; we’re talking about the you today and the you tomorrow that will again and again demonstrate why you need saving. You can’t stop sinning. You can’t give it up. You keep on doing it, whether it’s calculated, consciously, or carelessly. Every single day you demonstrate why you need saving. 

And so every single day, these words ought to be life for you and me: “he saved us.” While you keep daily demonstrating why you need saving, his one-time sacrifice in the past already rescued you. That is your status: saved. No Seasonal Affective Disorder, no December bills, and no already-broken resolutions can ever change that identity. You are saved. Remember these words!

And let there be no doubt about how: “through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (v.5). Who needs reinventing when we remember that through baptism we’ve already been reborn and renewed? See how Paul gushes about baptism, echoing the words of Jesus to Nicodemus to be born again of water and the Spirit (cf. John 3)! 

The new year is always swarmed with publicity and promotions selling a “new you.” And everything from skin creams to day spas promise to rejuvenate and renew you.

But they promise what you already have in your baptism. The new you reborn at your baptism doesn’t age or deteriorate, but only grows in sanctified living and loving Jesus. Your renewal is daily, as you remember the sins that Jesus washed away and drowned along with your old self. Whenever you cast those sins away through confession, you are renewed again and again, without limit. Remember these words!

And be sure these words are reliable because “through Jesus Christ our Savior, [you have] been justified by his grace” (v.6-7). Let it be this simple: God says you are not guilty because of Jesus.

Read it again: God says you are not guilty because of Jesus.

That is what grace declares you to be: not guilty. Remember these words!

But wait, there’s more! If, as God declares, you are not guilty, and there is nothing to deny or disqualify you from heaven, then that makes you “heirs having the hope of eternal life” (v.7).

How much would your life change, not just decades down the road, but today, if today you found out you were an heir to an estate valued at hundreds of millions of dollars? Even though it may be years until that fortune is yours to manage, you would start living like it today. You would make all kinds of plans. You’d envision paying off all debt. You’d imagine splurging on a wild spending spree. You’d think about how it will change your family tree. You’d start discussing causes to support and generous gifts to give. You’d plan out a legendary legacy. You would do so much right now even though as an heir you won’t inherit anything until the future. 

Can it be any different as an heir who has the hope of eternal life? This is not church talk or religious speak here – that inheritance is worth ridiculously more than some multimillion or even billion dollar estate. Is there any reason you can’t live like that right now? Absolutely not!

Your debt has already been paid. You can splurge spiritually and feed your soul like never before. You can change your family tree by putting Jesus first and helping your loved ones do the same. You can discuss causes to support and generous gifts to give that build up Christ’s kingdom. You can plan a legendary legacy that will see that your kingdom impact will continue long after you’ve gone home and received your inheritance in heaven. You can do so much right now as “heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Remember these words!

Does it make sense yet? Do you get it? Can you articulate what it means to remember your baptism? It means to remember all that you are and have through Jesus because all that he did for you is yours in baptism. 

Your identity is secure. Live with confidence. Live over fear. Live out your faith. Live in the light.

Live in your baptism. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Bless My Plans and Follow Through

Heavenly Father,
Two weeks into the new year is about the time many new year resolutions have already failed or begin heading in that direction. While there is nothing special about a resolution being set and kept at the beginning of the year, your Word does encourage us both to make plans and to follow through with our commitments. So today I ask your blessing in both of those areas.

Help me to see the value of planning in my life and in the work of your church. When we don’t make plans, we easily remain stagnant and stuck. We don’t move forward or grow. Uncover any growth opportunities in my life that may not be clear to me and provide me with your direction in establishing goals and plans to achieve them. Do the same as I observe the ministry of my local congregation and my role in it. 

Then, Lord, grant me the drive and discipline to follow through with those plans. Help me avoid the pitfalls of procrastination and establish traction and built the necessary momentum to keep after my goals. When distractions or unforeseen challenges arise, give me focus and flexibility to adapt as needed and stay on track. Give me the encouragement of noticeable progress and provide whatever push I may need along the way until I finish what I started and achieve my goals. Finally, I submit all that I am asking to your will and blessing.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Prudence in Managing My Finances

Dear God,
Any good gift I have comes from your loving hand. All that I have from you is a trust to be managed. Help me to be prudent in my handling of it. 

I especially seek your guidance in managing my finances. Others may welcome debt as a normal part of life, but I want to avoid it as much as possible and live within my means. While it is a simple recipe to avoid spending more than I make, it is also simple to thoughtlessly and effortlessly purchase unnecessary items and services with the click of a button from my phone or laptop. Keep me free from slavery to stuff while also avoiding the reputation of being a stingy miser. Let me be known for a generosity that willingly meets the needs of others and eagerly supports gospel ministry. Richly bless my faithful efforts at managing what you entrust to me, so that I may continue to honor you by richly blessing others with it.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Live in My Baptismal Grace

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. On this Sunday, many services and sermons will be focused on Jesus’ baptism. It was there that you both anointed and affirmed him, setting him apart as our Substitute and your Son, who was perfectly qualified to secure our salvation. 

Just as you revealed his identity at his baptism, so also did you reveal my identity at my baptism: by faith you call me your son. As your son, I am also heir to your kingdom. Surely the inheritance awaiting me in heaven far surpasses anything I could ever inherit on earth! Therefore, let me embrace the treasure that is my baptism, by which you clothed me in Christ adopted me into your family. Let my baptism be for me all that I need to live securely every day in my identity and status before you.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Bring Good Even Out of Disaster

God of All Goodness,
Even though natural disasters are able to bring about devastation and destruction, they also provide a setting for you to demonstrate how you keep your promise to work good in all situations. When people are threatened or in danger, we see the best in mankind as others are willing to sacrifice and put their own lives at risk to rescue or help them. Prayers are multiplied in the midst of tragedy and turmoil, which is not only a blessing for those in harm’s way, but also for those directing their focus and attention to you.

When we learn from mistakes in how certain things were handled, we are better-equipped the next time disaster strikes. Catastrophes also provide channels for charity to be exercised to meet the needs of those experiencing loss. And of course, those unaffected or untouched by the disaster are more appreciative, grateful that they were spared. Continue to bring good from all situations, and grant many the gift of faith to see it and to be edified by it – even when disaster strikes.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Those Experiencing Devastating Loss

Providential Lord,
Recent and ongoing wildfires have taken so much from so many. The homes and possessions lost are so much more than just their appraised value; they are ties to family histories and portals to precious memories. Our belongings don’t just belong to us, but in some ways are extensions of us. And as men, for better or worse, our successes and achievements are often connected to our possessions. 

We feel for those who have experienced devastating loss. While it is difficult for us to imagine the magnitude of their situation, give us empathetic hearts and genuine concern for their welfare. Whether a person had much or had little, when it is suddenly all stripped away, they are on equal footing. 

Provide for their needs. Cause avenues of generosity to pour out on their behalf. Guard them from being taken advantage of as they seek to put their lives back together. Band together communities of care and concern to take up their cause and be their advocates. Replace what can be replaced, while also letting faded or forgotten memories ease the sense of loss. 

Through all of this, open many eyes to the realization that Job had: you give and you take away; blessed is your name. May what has so suddenly been lost also serve as a reminder of how richly and generously you provided in the first place. Above all else, I pray that the loss of worldly belongings heightens appreciation for heavenly blessings and the spiritual riches that flow from them, which cannot perish, spoil, or fade away. Truly, those who have you have everything they need. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Extinguish the Wildfires

Almighty God,
Wildfires continue to burn around Southern California, leaving little more than embers and ash where homes and buildings used to stand. As the Lord who brought all of creation into existence with your mighty word, you also govern and direct all of nature. I boldly pray that you use whatever means necessary to bring the burning under control and extinguish the fires as swiftly as possible. Allow all who are still in the wildfires’ paths to safely evacuate and spare the loss of any more lives. 

Guard and protect all who are battling the flames, and provide them with access to every resource needed to carry out their work effectively. Still the winds and grant firefighters favorable conditions as they put their lives on the line. Give wisdom, discernment, and clear communication skills to those overseeing all firefighting and rescue efforts. 

While it appears to many that devastation and chaos are in control, through your clear intervention in this disaster, make it known that you are and always will be the one with all power and authority, reigning over all things and directing them for both your temporal and eternal purposes. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

A Gift for Everyone

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(1 Kings 10:1-9)

With Christmas now behind us, it’s probably time to start thinking about next year’s gifts. Wouldn’t Christmas shopping be so much easier if you could just get the same gift for everyone? Some are disgusted by such a thought, as they love the experience and challenge of finding the perfect gift for each person on their list. Others, though, would love the idea of a one-gift-fits-all solution. 

Of course it wouldn’t realistically work. Children don’t want the same types of gifts that adults would appreciate receiving. People have different likes and interests. And inevitably, there’s always one or two who already have the gift you got them. It’s a nice thought, but wishful thinking to imagine the same gift would work for everyone.

There is an exception, though: Epiphany. When we celebrate Epiphany, what we’re really celebrating is A Gift for Everyone. The Savior is for everyone, and the whole season of the church year known as the season of Epiphany (which means “revelation”), draws our attention to this truth and our role in making it known. 

When someone explains that they’ve had an epiphany regarding something, they aren’t saying anything about that thing or that experience itself changed, but rather that their perception or understanding of it is what has changed. Some revelation or unknown detail becomes known to them and now they look at it differently. 

So it is with Jesus. You already know who Jesus is. You already know what the Bible says about him. He hasn’t changed and won’t change. But what can change is our perception or understanding of him, so that we look at him differently. 

We notice this even within Christianity. One Christian is passionately engaged in church life or vocal and active in some ministry, while another is rather ho-hum about his faith in general, really kind of indifferent – could take it or leave it. What accounts for the difference? Has Jesus changed? Is he one type of Jesus for the one Christian but another type of Jesus for the other? 

No. Same Jesus. Just a different perception or understanding of him. Which description do you think God desires to apply to believers – the first or second type of Christian? Then let’s pray that, as we need it, the Spirit provides an epiphany and adjusts our perception of Jesus so that we embrace what it means that he is truly A Gift for Everyone.

The queen of Sheba had a certain perception of the Lord, which at least in part prompted her visit to Solomon. She wasn’t just star- struck by his fame; “his relationship to the Lord” also played a role in her curiosity. Was she, like the wise men who traveled to worship Jesus, interested in seeking out the true God, that she might worship him, too? It’s possible. However, as a powerful leader herself, she may also have been interested in the religious element from the standpoint of pursuing anything that might possibly work to her own benefit and advantage. If Solomon was truly as successful as the news about him indicated, then surely it wouldn’t hurt to look into the matter some more and see if there were some additional religious bases she could cover in hopes of replicating his success for herself. Wanting to do some investigating, she journeyed to Jerusalem with gifts in hand, preparing to “test Solomon with hard questions” (v.1) and “talk[ed] with him about all that she had on her mind” (v.2). 

Even the brightest among us today is light years apart from matching the wisdom or wealth of Solomon. We ought not hold our breath waiting for international visitors to pay us a visit and pepper us with penetrating questions to put our wisdom to the test. 

But you do have something in common with Solomon that will lead to questions from others: your “relationship to the Lord” (That assumes, of course, that others know about your relationship to the Lord because you don’t seek to keep it a secret. Or live a double-life that looks the part on Sundays while walking in-step with the world Monday-Saturday. Or avoid discussing it because you don’t wish to offend, turn off, or make others uncomfortable). 

But if you simply live out your calling as a Christian in an increasingly Christ-less society, you will stand out – and in a good way. And people will notice. And when people notice that something is different in a good way, they want to know why. So they ask questions. They will ask you questions.

How would Solomon respond to the Queen’s questions? Would he rise to the challenge? “Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her” (v.3). Solomon didn’t disappoint. The magnitude and magnificence of his kingdom left her “overwhelmed” (v.5) (the original literally means it took her breath away). In her own words, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard” (v.6-7). 

But as impressed as she was by Solomon and his kingdom, it was the conclusion she drew about it all that is noteworthy. She didn’t just fawn over him with flattery, like some love-struck or gold-digging pursuer might. Instead, she genuinely expressed what a blessing Solomon must have been to the people he ruled. And, even more shocking from a Gentile ruler, she lavished praise on the Lord! “How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness” (v.8-9). 

It would not be a stretch to conclude that when the queen departed after her visit with Solomon, she did so as a believer. Her own words certainly imply as much. Additionally, Jesus’ own words in the Gospel of Matthew could also be understood to support this. In chastising the Pharisees for asking him for a sign to back up who he was, Jesus said, “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here” (Mt. 12:42). Whether or not she ended up a believer, what is obvious about her time with Solomon is that God was glorified. So it may have been Solomon’s wisdom and wealth that initially captured her attention, it all worked out so that God ended up being the hero of Solomon’s story.

And that’s the goal when others come to us with their questions: we want to make God the hero of our story. Because he is. 

Stick with me on this thought for a moment, because working through it may be what provides a bit of an epiphany for some of you regarding your relationship to God. When others come to us with their questions, do you see that as an opportunity to make God the hero of our story? If it’s not, then let’s ask why. 

Could it be because you want people to know you for you and your accomplishments or reputation, and not to label or identify you by your faith or religious affiliation? Essentially then, you want to be the hero of your story, not God. If that is the case, your own pride will remain a wedge between where you are now and the epiphany that needs to take place for you to see who Jesus really is for you. 

Or, if making God the hero of your story isn’t your goal, is it because you’re ashamed of being associated with him by others? Do you feel it necessary to keep your belief in him on the down low because of the flack you’ll take for it? The Bible does have a warning or two for those who profess to be believers, but are ashamed of God or being associated with him. Is this the epiphany that needs to take place for you to see who Jesus really is for you?

Here’s the real kicker: if for either of those reasons or any other, we refuse to let God be the hero of our story, we are blatantly displaying this ugly reality: we don’t deserve him. We don’t. If God is an after thought in your life, if he’s way down on the totem pole, if he’s conveniently tucked away in your back pocket and hidden from others, you don’t deserve him. 

Honestly, what is your faith made of if you treat God like your dirty little secret that you don’t want anyone else to find out about? Is it really faith? Why bother hanging on to him by a thread any longer if that’s all he is to you? Just let him go and relieve yourself of the constant burden of having to keep him hidden from others. Some need to have an epiphany and see that this really is an alarming description of their current relationship with Jesus.

Solomon didn’t try to keep God hidden from the queen. In fact, he did quite the opposite. He made it known that the Lord was responsible for all of his blessings of wealth & wisdom. What conclusion do you suppose Sheba drew about how highly Solomon thought of the Lord based on what she witnessed of his worship? Remember that list that impressed her so much? Included in it was “the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord” (v.5). While the original there could also be taken as a reference to the impressive appearance of Solomon’s Temple, either way we interpret it, his worship of the Lord was evidently a priority. So during her visit, two things were obvious to Sheba: 1) how much the Lord meant to Solomon, and 2) how much Solomon meant to the Lord.

When others come to you with their questions, are those two things obvious? Can they tell how much the Lord means to you, and can they tell how much you mean to the Lord? When God is the hero of your story, they will.

And how can he be anything but the hero of our story? What do we have and what can we claim that isn’t from God? Physical blessings abound, but those are much further down the list than the spiritual blessings. My baptism serves as the adoption papers that I belong to God’s family – how much must I mean to the Lord?!? He regularly gives himself to me in Communion to ease my guilty conscience and refresh my worn out soul – how much must I mean to the Lord?!? Jesus’ birth took place so that he could be my Savior – how much must I mean to the Lord? He endure the shock and shame and beatings and the brutality of the cross for me – how much must I mean to the Lord? He defeated the one enemy who was literally capable of making my life an eternal hell – how much must I mean to the Lord? 

When all of this work of Jesus on my behalf plays over and over again in my heart and mind, my life will also clearly reflect how much the Lord means to me. I will jump at the opportunity to talk him up and brag about him. I will eagerly acknowledge to others that every good thing in my life – including the good he brings out of the bad – is from his loving hand. I will welcome the questions others have as a chance to bring my Savior into the conversation and make sure he is the hero of my story. Because he is. And when others come to see how much I treasure this gift of Jesus for everyone, they might come to treasure him as their gift, too.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Keep My Evangelism Efforts Simple

Lord God,
When I am stuck or don’t know where to start in my witnessing efforts, keep me from overthinking it. Help me to keep it simple by always being curious. Every conversation is an open door to ask questions. Give me a genuine desire to be more interested in others than being interesting to others. Open my ears to listen for openings to ask thoughtful questions, then keep my ears open to stay focused on listening to the answers. In doing so, lay out clear paths to bring you into the conversation in ways that speak to the hearts of others. May these approaches lead to ongoing conversations in the future, providing your Spirit with as much time as necessary for my words and your Word to accomplish their saving purposes. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.