Happy Friday

I forgot to warn the pastor how I pray for pastors.  I suppose I have forgotten to warn any pastor other than my Dad how I pray for pastors.  So if you are a pastor, this is your warning.  Among other things, one thing I ask for my pastors is that they would allow God to speak through them.  Even if this means that the sermon is changed at the last minute.  I am rather specific in asking God to give these men the wisdom and discernment to know if He wants them to preach on something other than what they have prepared....even if it is the last minute.  I ask Him to give them the courage and boldness and humility to ditch their notes and allow God to speak through them. 

I have not seen this answered in a last minute fashion very often, but on Sunday night our pastor said that he believed that God wanted him to preach on something other than what he had planned.  At the last minute, he ditched his notes and prepared a sermon from a completely different part of Scripture.  He did it with courage and boldness and humility as an act of obedience to God's call.  He told us that he had no idea why God wanted him to do that, but that he had to obey.

John preached a terrific sermon on Jude 24-25.  He gave some background and talked about God's glory.  He reminded us that the response to God's glory is worship and living a life that is directed toward that glory.

I love these verses.  They are stitched on a baby blanket as a gift from my middle brother to our precious Judah.  They are one of the benedictions that my Dad frequently uses.  They are a prayer.

And I think I know one reason why God asked John to preach on these verses on Sunday.

This is the prayer that I am praying over my dear cousin Danny and his wife Jody.  I share this with you for two reasons.  First, I would ask you right now to pray this with me for Danny and Jody.  Secondly, I am praying this over you.

Take a moment.  Quiet your mind.  Still your heart.  Hear these words and receive them as a gift directly to you from God.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Happy Friday!