Tag: sanctification

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Hear and Do

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. My prayer today for worship is that I do not merely hear your Word, but that I also consider how to put it into practice. You provide so much guidance and direction for my life, as well as countless powerful promises. Yet, as powerful as your Word is, when I allow it to merely go in one ear and out the other, without applying it in my life, I am testing more than I am trusting. Build up my trust by spurring me on toward action with your gracious promises this week. Let your Word flourish in and through me as I strive not just to hear, but also to do. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Live a Holy Life in Step With the Spirit

Holy Father,
When my life doesn’t reflect the holy life you have set me apart to live, it isn’t because I am unaware of what that should look like. And, it isn’t because you have failed to keep your promises to fill me with your overflowing grace that enables me to walk in step with the Spirit. Rather, my own lack of discipline and spiritual apathy work like quicksand to suck me into worldly living. And while it is often easier to walk in step with the world, the outcome is disappointing at best, and destructive at worst. Have mercy on me! Spur on the new man in me to consider each day what living righteously in my life looks like. Give me the determination to make the choices, speak the words, and take the actions that are in keeping with holiness. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

You’re Nothing, Special

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(1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

If you’ve never seen The Lego Movie, or it’s been a while since you have, it’s time to do yourself a favor and watch it. The main character, Emmet, lives a very basic life, until he discovers the “Piece of Resistance.” Unbeknownst to him, a prophecy declared the finder of this item to be “the Special. Over the course of the movie, Emmet is joined by Master Builders (those with the ability to build without needing any instructions), who help him face the villain, Lord Business, whose goal is to eventually control everything by freezing it into place with his ultimate weapon, the “Kragle.”

What is noticeable about Emmet is this: that there’s nothing noticeable about Emmet. He’s as plain as can be. There’s nothing special about him. By society’s standards, he doesn’t stand out. He’s just average – the type of guy others would easily walk all over on their way to achieving the world’s version of success. He’s naive about how ordinary he is until he sees video of others describing him, each of whom concludes that there’s nothing special about him. That realization presents the ongoing conflict throughout the movie, which seeks to reconcile how a nobody can be “the Special.”

What’s humorous in an animated movie is actually the reality for every believer. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul emphasizes two truths that seem to be at odds with each other, but which can actually stand side by side in Christ. We are nothing. We are special.

It is the first of those paradoxical statements that has prompted many to lobby against Christianity. They view it as a source of child abuse or trauma, and argue that Christians shouldn’t be able to “brainwash” children, because it causes them emotional harm and diminishes their self-worth and self-confidence. 

Perhaps that’s how they would interpret these words from Paul: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth” (v.26). While it may sound as if Paul is talking down to his readers, he is simply reminding them of all of the merit, achievements, accomplishments, value, importance, etc. that every person naturally brings before God on their own, which is… none. Nothing. God didn’t come for those who think they’re something apart from him, but for those who know the truth: our sinful self fails to bring anything of value before God, and instead brings only that which is detestable. That may be a hard word.

But is the world’s alternative more effective? When children are raised with an inflated sense of self, when they can do no wrong, when parents convince them that they are the top award getter in every category, do those children turn out better? 

What happens when they aren’t selected as the class valedictorian? What happens when someone else is awarded the scholarship? What happens when they don’t get hired or get passed over for the promotion by someone more qualified? What happens when their perfect marriage ends in divorce? If raised with an inflated sense of self, if quarantined from failure, if shielded from any adversity, they end up with not just a jaded view of the world, but with question marks about themselves. 

But Paul’s words provide the proper framework where such disillusionment doesn’t exist. He makes a point of being brutally honest with us from the start, so that we don’t in any way misunderstand why God would choose us. He explains it in more detail. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (v.27-29). 

Aha! If God wanted to make it clear to man that man could never do right by God on his own, here’s how you do it! Choose the nothings and the nobodies over the somethings and the somebodies! In other words, God passes over those the world might consider to be ideal candidates when picking his team, and chooses the least qualified, so that there’s no question about who’s most deserving – no one! Everyone equally has this in common: nothing to brag about. 

How much does this go against the way we naturally operate in our world? We are preoccupied with demonstrating to others that we’re something. We need others to know that we’re not just average. We’re not nobodies. We’re not like everyone else. We’re special. And we are determined to let others know.

We post filtered and AI-filtered photos because the real us is too… average. The new car isn’t just a matter of a midlife crisis, but a reminder to others that we’re doing fine financially. The trip is less about where I am traveling and more about others knowing that I’m traveling. I share the amazing stuff my company does, not because I’m talking them up so much as I am letting everyone know that I have an amazing job. My kids are in this, that, and the other thing, while yours are glued to screens. Whatever it takes – just so long as you remember that I’m somebody.

But what do such efforts really demonstrate? Don’t they reveal an inner disbelief in God’s own words? Don’t they express a denial of what God has clearly stated about us – that we were “foolish,” “weak,” “lowly,” “despised,” “things that are not?” God says we were all of those things (in addition to calling us dead, blind, enemies elsewhere in Scripture!), yet our lives are a constant hamster wheel of “I’ll show you how wrong you are, God.” 

You may think it’s harmless or inconsequential that we operate this way, with this attitude, but it’s much more serious than that. It is potentially damning. Why? Because what is the root cause of such thinking? “There’s not really that much wrong with me. I’m really not so bad. I don’t really need help or saving from anyone else – not even you, God. So, you can keep your Jesus, and I’ll just keep on showing in one way or another that I’m not really the type of loser he came for.” Is there any more dangerous place we could ever be than there???

Then stop pushing back against Paul’s words and repent! Acknowledge what he says about you and about me is true. Even on our best day, we don’t come close to attaining the perfection necessary to categorize ourselves as special.

Instead, in faith, we can step off the hamster wheel and stop trying to counter our insecurities by proving we’re something to others. God doesn’t need you to be something before he can work in you. God is the one who makes us something in the first place.

Take that reality one more step and realize what it means if we can’t ever achieve God’s impossible standards. If we could, then he would be obligated to pick us for his team. He would have to, because we would have met the expected requirements.

But, since no one (aside from our Substitute, Jesus!) can ever meet those impossible standards, then it can only mean one thing that I was brought into his family of believers: he chose me! God has chosen me because, well… he wanted to. He loves me! He wasn’t forced or obligated to write my name in his Book of Life; rather, he chose me.

I am not a believer because he saw potential in me. I am not a believer because God knew I’d make a difference in his kingdom. I’m not a believer because I’m an all-around good guy.

I’m a believer, and you are a believer, because God chose you. And in doing so, he displays to the rest of the unbelieving world that God brings us into his family of faith, not because of our own effort or merit, but because of his grace. And here is what that grace means for us: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (v.30).

Is there any achievement you can unlock that could ever confer on you any title greater than those three – righteous, holy, and redeemed? Never. But that is exactly what you are “in Christ Jesus.” Outside of Christ Jesus? Still “foolish, weak, lowly, despised, things that are not.” But in Christ Jesus? Righteous. Holy. Redeemed. 

Think about those three. Can they be improved upon? If you are already counted righteous, can you become more righteous? More holy? More redeemed? No! You already are those things in Christ. There is no need to level up, no more need to impress, no more need to prove. You are those things right now “in Christ Jesus.” You know what that makes you? Special! 

Look at the title of this post. Consider the phrase without the comma. “You’re nothing special.” You’re an Emmet. You don’t bring anything to the table. You don’t stand out. You’re average at best. You’re just… existing. 

But insert the comma, and now you have a God-given title and designation. Yes, it still reminds you of who you were on your own (nothing!), but now it also reveals how God views you, how he sees you, who you are to him: you are special.

Never forget what accounts for the difference: the comma. The comma makes all the difference, doesn’t it? Well, the comma is Christ. And that means we have something to brag about. “Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord’” (v.31). Not you, not me, but the Lord, who chose those who were nothing and calls us special. 

Do you know what Emmet ends up doing in The Lego Movie? I won’t spoil the ending, but you can probably imagine. While the movie is imaginary, your life isn’t. You are not. You are very much righteous, holy, and redeemed. That qualifies you to do very special things in Christ’s kingdom. If we think otherwise, it’s only because we’re stuck thinking of who we were on our own and not who we are in Christ Jesus. 

But when we remember who we are in Christ Jesus, the sky’s the limit. We can do amazing things for his kingdom. Rather, he can do amazing things through us. Emmet is a made-up Lego character in a fictional movie.

You are not. You are real. You are special. What special things will God do through you? 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Accountability and Encouragement

Lord God,
Your Spirit works in me the desire to do your will. My inability to follow through or carry out your will is my fault alone. Give me the humility to seek out a friend and brother in the faith to aid me in my walk, and to provide me with accountability and correction. Where my desire falls short or my discipline is lacking, use this individual to speak the truth in love to me. Establish a trust between us that allows him to tell me what I need to hear, no matter how difficult it may be, and give me the spiritual maturity to receive and accept his admonishment as it is intended: for my good. For such a relationship to bear fruit, I need to be honest and transparent with him. Give me the courage to consider and seek out someone who could serve in this way and bless each of us through this bond.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Anointed to Be Our Righteousness

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(Matthew 3:13-17)

Jesus’ Resurrection would have been a significant enough event to have heard it. But there were plenty of even lesser miracles that would have been fitting. When Jesus changed water into wine at Cana, for example. When he raised Lazarus or Jairus’s daughter from the dead. Feeding the Five Thousand. Each of those miraculous events would have served as ideal occasions on which the Father’s booming voice of approval could have echoed from the heavens. 

Imagine the guests at Cana, gushing over the best wine ever, now realizing that the special occasion just got a lot more special because God’s voice confirmed they were in the presence of God’s Son! God’s approval would serve as the perfect exclamation point after a dead person just came back to life. The leftover loads of fish and bread that surpassed what they had even started with would have made perfect sense to the disciples if God’s voice had immediately emphasized that it was his Son who was responsible.

But it wasn’t any of those occasions on which the “voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (v.17). No, those words were spoken at Jesus’ baptism. An event which, by the way, seemed entirely unnecessary to some, including the one performing the baptism, John the Baptist himself. If anyone should be an expert in who should or shouldn’t need baptism, it would surely be the one whose very title denotes his experience and expertise in the area of baptism. Yet he was the one who was puzzled enough to second-guess Jesus’ request: “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (v.14). All of this makes us wonder why this event was the one chosen by God to voice his approval. 

If we eavesdrop in on Peter’s sermon from Acts 10, he explained the significance of Jesus’ baptism and the events surrounding it: “You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:37-38). The Father’s affirming voice was the stamp of approval acknowledging Jesus’ baptism as his anointing into ministry. 

Still today, we have a special service when a pastor is ordained or installed. Other pastors join in laying on hands. But at Jesus’ baptism, instead of hands, the Father laid the Holy Spirit on his Son in the likeness of a dove. His baptism was his anointing, his ordination into ministry. 

Jesus also provides us with additional insight as to the significance of his baptism. It wasn’t just his anointing. “Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented” (v.15). Jesus had to “fulfill all righteousness.”

Righteousness. It’s a big word. It’s an important word. In fact, we’d literally be lost without it. 

While it’s a little early in the church year for the festival of the Reformation, whenever the word “righteousness” is discussed, it can be helpful to recall the struggle that Martin Luther had with the term righteous in the earlier stages of his life. He knew that only righteous people could enter heaven, since the Bible teaches that only those who are perfect will enter heaven. But, he also knew that all efforts at achieving righteousness on his own were in vain.

This understanding that holiness is required for whatever is in the afterlife is still pretty commonly held to today in a very general sense: good people go to heaven; bad people don’t. But it’s that general understanding that will leave so many in trouble, because “good” is entirely subjective. When our natural inclination is to compare ourselves to the worst in society, people can feel pretty good about themselves. They hold on to a false confidence that they’re good enough to get into heaven. But there are no good people in heaven; just perfect people.

So, we had better make absolutely certain we know how that perfection, that righteousness, is acquired! That’s where Luther struggled. He took desperate measures to do everything he possibly could to achieve righteousness on his own. Do you know where those desperate measures left him? Desperate. In despair. Because by his own experience, he was absolutely convinced that he could never attain righteousness on his own. Indeed, he was experiencing exactly what the Bible teaches about righteousness: “the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal” (Romans 9:31). 

It seems logical to conclude that, if God gave the law, then abiding by it – doing what it says to do and avoiding what it says not to do – should be the path to righteousness. But, just like the Israelites, and everyone before or after them, the only realization one can arrive at is this: if the law is the means by which righteousness is attained, then no one will ever attain righteousness, for no one has ever come close to keeping the law!

So if righteousness can’t be achieved by keeping the law, but is still a requirement for us to gain access to heaven, then how do we come by it? “What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith” (Romans 9:30). It is not the law, then, but faith by which a person obtains righteousness. Paul repeats this truth extensively throughout his letter to the Romans. “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known…This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:21-22). “To the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5).

But, for righteousness to be credited to us by faith, it first had to be attained so that it could be granted to us. That brings us back to the Jordan River. There, Jesus was not only anointed as the One chosen to secure our righteousness, but also took a major step in carrying that righteousness through his baptism. Had the Savior slipped up and sinned or failed to follow through with even the slightest requirement of the law, then he would not have achieved righteousness. And had he not achieved righteousness, then there would be no righteousness to credit to all who believe. 

But he did, and so he can – and does. By faith, the righteousness of Jesus is the righteousness of Abraham, Martin Luther, you and me, and all who believe.

So then, where does your baptism come in? What role does it play? Is it an outward act of obedience that shows God our righteousness? That would only make sense if righteousness could be obtained by the law or by any act of obedience. But since we just established that isn’t the case, then our baptism cannot be merely a display of our obedience or dedication, for that wouldn’t carry any weight before a God who only accepts perfection.

No, our baptism is so much more significant than that. Our baptism is like the floodgate that opens up all of the blessings that flow from the righteousness that Jesus already earned for us.

Buried and raised with him? Check.

Washed and renewed? Check.

Forgiven and saved? Check.

A loving Father who is pleased with us? Check.

Jesus’ righteousness had to come by the law so that our righteousness could come by faith. His baptism had to fulfill all righteousness so that our baptism could make us right with God. His baptism was to keep the law so that your baptism washes you from the curse of the law.

Now, wrapped in the double blessing of a baptism that is backed by the Savior’s baptism, we pursue living in the righteousness that reflects the gift of righteousness we’ve been given. Remember what Peter said in his sermon about Jesus’ baptism – that he was “anointed… with the Holy Spirit and power.” Too easily we forget or simply aren’t aware that the same Holy Spirit and power have been placed on us and are in us through our baptismal faith. We are so comfortable defaulting to Jesus’ perfection and righteousness that we fail to allow those blessings to spur us on to continue to pursue righteous living. 

We aren’t desperate. We don’t live fraught with despair that we’re not good enough, but are confident that in Christ’s baptismal righteousness, we are perfect! Our lives reflect that appreciation and confidence by looking the part. We don’t settle for walking and talking like the rest of the world, but are eager to pursue righteous living – because that is genuinely what we are in Christ: righteous.

Grace and forgiveness don’t prompt us to lower the bar in our living, but to raise it, to honor Jesus in every possible way by following in his footsteps. Jesus’ baptism – and by extension yours – doesn’t just change our status before God; it empowers our sanctification before him. When we take the time to remember and appreciate the significance of Jesus’ baptism, we more deeply treasure our own. So we raise the bar of righteous living to thank him who is our righteousness.

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Your Righteousness to Produce Righteousness in Me

King of Righteousness,
You came to be my sin and credit to me your righteousness. I now stand before you cleansed of all sin – because of you. I now stand before you in perfect righteousness – because of you. How can this be, but by faith! 

But my faith is not finished. Secure in your righteousness, my faith is driven to continue its pursuit of living in righteousness. Keep me in step with your Spirit, so that I do not wander from your paths. Strengthen my heart with the readiness and resolve to do the right thing, in everything, for you, my King. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Prioritize My Belief Over My Behavior

Loving Lord,
While discipleship certainly includes the desire to follow you and walk in your footsteps, keep me from ever prioritizing my behavior before my belief. Where my own righteous living could never save me, yours did. Where my own sacrifices could never please God the Father on their own merit, your sacrifice did. Help me first and foremost to trust these truths, as you reassure me of these realities through your Word. Press these promises firmly into my heart so that as you build up my belief, then allow it to flow into godly behavior in my daily living. Help me overcome any unbelief or any struggles I have with your Word, then through that same Word, equip me with everything necessary to honor you and love and serve my neighbor with my whole life. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Put on My New Self

Loving Lord,
Only in and through you can I expect success in the war between my old and new self. I prayerfully and consciously strive to put down the old self and keep him in check. But just as important in winning that battle is my need to rely on your righteousness and the armor of God with which I am equipped for battle. In baptism, you covered me with your very righteousness, preparing me for a lifetime of conflict with the evil one. Grant me the daily confidence of the victory you already won against him, so that I can also stand against him and face him fearlessly. When my old self betrays me, let my new self courageously respond. Remind me that I never go into battle alone, but that you are always right there beside me, ultimately ensuring my eternal victory.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Put Off My Old Self

Gracious Spirit,
You have made me to be a new creation, holy in your sight and set apart for your purposes. Nevertheless, until you call me home to heaven or you return – whichever happens first – I still battle with my old self. This is a daily battle that can only be won with your strength. Clothe me, therefore, with added layers of your power so that I can daily put off the old self with its desires and inclinations.

The more you fill me, the less room there is for my old self to dwell in me. Grant me also the ability to see with physical eyes and to practically understand what this spiritual battle looks like in my day-to-day living. Make me aware when my old self takes over my thinking and my desires, so that I can call him out and silence him. Lead me away from anything that might attract the attention of my old self in order to deter his influence in my life. Give to me the necessary resilience, determination, and perseverance to never tire of putting off my old self.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Live Godly and Holy Lives

Holy Spirit,
Thank you for interceding on our behalf when we offer up our prayers. And thank you for equipping us as we grow in faith to carry out that for which we pray. With that in mind, guide me as I seek to live in godliness and holiness. Begin by increasing in me the desire to strive for your high standards of Christian living. While protecting me from a self-righteous spirit, instill in me a genuine desire to stand out from the rest of the world by my living. Not only does that honor you, but it also serves to reflect you to others. Keep me from succumbing to any shame or ridicule from others as I look to live for you more and more. Instead, let my example of godly and holy living lead others to aspire to live more honorably as well.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.