pastor jeff's neighborhood

October 13
Beyond Good Intentions

Today’s Scripture Readings Psalm 115:9-13 | Jeremiah 22:1-23:20 | 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 | Proverbs 25:11-14

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Thessalonians 1

“We constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NIV)

Here is another of Paul’s great prayers. Again, I encourage you to make these prayers a regular part of your prayer life.

Note Paul’s consistency: “we constantly pray for you.” Paul understood the need for prayer–persevering prayer. So often we grow tired and give up. Paul kept on praying for them. His prayer life is an example to us–and a challenge to us.

His petition…

October 12
Always

Today’s Scripture Readings Psalms 115:1-8 | Jeremiah 19:1-21:14 | 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28 | Proverbs 25:8-10

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Thessalonians 5

Be joyful always; [17] pray continually; [18] give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

We all have times where we are joyful, times when we pray, and times when we are thankful. But are we always joyful? Do we pray continually (without ceasing)? Are we truly thankful in all circumstances? Words like all and always make these verses difficult. Yet, this is God’s will for you.

God’s intention for you is that you would find joy in all things. Happiness often eludes us in the tough times. But God’s deep down gladness can be found even when times are tough. But it is a choice. “Count it all joy,” James reminds us, “when you…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

October 11
Clay in the Hands of the Potter

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 114:1-8 | Jeremiah 16:16-18:23 | 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3 | Proverbs 25:6-7

Today’s Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 16-18

“So I went down to the potter’s house; and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” (Jeremiah 18:3-5 NIV)

In the hands of the master potter, our heavenly Father, we are shaped and formed. We start out as marred vessels–marred by our own sin, beaten up by the sins of others. Then the potter goes to work.

He begins shaping…

October 10
What a Blessing!

Today’s Scripture Readings Psalms 113:1-9 | Jeremiah 14:11—16:15 | 1 Thessalonians 2:10-3:13 | Proverbs 25:1-5

Today’s Scripture Focus: I Thessalonians 2;10-3:13

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13 NIV)

Paul’s prayers and blessings are always instructive to us as we learn to pray. This prayer is in the form of a blessing. He blesses them by asking God to fill them with love for each other. He has already commended them for their love, but here he prays for even more of it. “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other.” There…

From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

October 9
Real Faith Means Hard Work

Today’s Scripture Readings Psalms 112:1-10 | Jeremiah 12:1-14:10 | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:9 | Proverbs 24:30-34

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Thessalonians 1:1 – 2:9

“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:3 NIV)

Paul thanks God continually for the Thessalonian church. They are a church that is evidencing the supreme Christian virtues of “faith, hope and love.” Interestingly, they evidence those virtues through their work, labor and endurance.

First, their faith is evidenced by their hard work. Paul speaks of his own hard work, “Surely you remember brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preaching the gospel of…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Oct 8
Scarecrows in a Melon Patch

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 111:1-10 | Jeremiah 10:1-11:23 | Colossians 3:18-4:18 | Proverbs 24:28-29

Today’s Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 10:1-11:23

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.” (Jeremiah 10:5 NIV)

Something within each of us cries out for the eternal. As Pascal wrote, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in each of our hearts.” Yet many of us, instead of worshiping and serving the Creator, worship and serve created things. We, then, exchange the glory of the Almighty God for lesser gods.

I’ve been inside temples on numerous occasions and have watched people bow down to idols made by human hands. It always tears me up inside to see…

October 7
A New Wardrobe

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 110: 1-7 | Jeremiah 8:8 – 9:26 | Colossians 3:1-17 | Proverbs 24:27

Today’s Scripture Focus: Colossians 3:1-17

“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself…” (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

Sometimes the old clothes just don’t fit anymore—but I don’t mean that the clothes are too small. Sometimes we need a new wardrobe because we change positions. The young lawyer fresh out of law school usually has a major wardrobe update, for example. He could get by with Jeans and T-shirts in school, but not in the courtroom. The old way of dressing just doesn’t suit him anymore in his new position.

When we become Christians, similarly, we change positions. What may have seemed natural and appropriate before we were Christians is no longer appropriate. Since Christ lives in me, I need to eliminate the clothes that are not…

October 6
Let Them See Your Hand

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 109:16-31 | Jeremiah 6:15- 8:7 | Colossians 2:8-23 | Proverbs 24:26

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalms 109:16-31

But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. [22] For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
(Psalm 109:21-22 NIV)

The psalmist finds himself in a difficult place. He describes his situation: “I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” Beaten up by circumstances and, especially by people—accusers, he calls them— he fasts and prays and desperately seeks the Lord (23-25). But he hasn’t given up hope. He looks to the God of hope.

I was moved by one part of his petition especially. He prays that God will work in such a way that everyone will see that the…

October 5
Fully Mature in Christ

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 109:1-15 | Jeremiah 4:19-6:16 | Colossians 1:21-2:7 | Proverbs 24:23-25

Today’s Scripture Focus: Colossians 1-2

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:27-29 NIV)

Why is Paul struggling and working so hard to teach and preach and plant churches? This passage makes his motivation clear. He wants the believers to grow up in their faith and become fully mature in Christ.

What would that look like? He tells us: “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united…

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

October 4
Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 108:6-13 | Jeremiah 2:31-4:18 | Colossians 1:1-20 | Proverbs 24:21-22

Today’s Scripture Focus: Colossians 1

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. (Colossians 1:9 NIV)

Paul is thankful and encouraged by the progress of the Colossian Christians. Yet he knows that there is much more that God wants to do in their lives. So he continues to pray for them. The prayer he prays is a powerful one; one that could become a regular part of your prayer life.

He prays for God to fill them with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. If we are to please…