The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Friday, 16 December 2016 - "Praying for wisdom helps us recognize God-given dreams"

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Friday, 16 December 2016 - "Praying for wisdom helps us recognize God-given dreams"
Daily Scripture: Colossians 1:9 Therefore, from the day we heard of it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all the wisdom and understanding which the Spirit gives; 10 so that you may live lives worthy of the Lord and entirely pleasing to him, being fruitful in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God. 11 We pray that you will be continually strengthened with all the power that comes from his glorious might; so that you will be able to persevere and be patient in any situation, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father for having made you fit to share in the inheritance of his people in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
14 It is through his Son that we have redemption — that is, our sins have been forgiven.
James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
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Reflection Questions:The apostle Paul prayed fervently for believers in Colossae to know God’s will. It never makes sense to rely blindly on dreams, signs or other messages without submitting them to God in prayer. Paul’s prayer pointed to the kinds of results we can expect when we have accurately discerned God’s will: “producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.” James, Jesus' brother, said God will certainly give us wisdom when we ask.

• Paul’s prayer for Christians to know God’s will dealt with the big picture rather than a lot of specific details. “Producing fruit” (verse 10) was a way to describe a new, wholly different lifestyle. In what ways do most of your specific choices grow out of your larger decisions about your lifestyle? In what ways will a lifestyle oriented to God’s will shape your life differently from a lifestyle built solely around pleasing yourself? How did Jesus' earthly father Joseph model that kind of life for us?
• James 1:5 promised, “Anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone without a second thought, without keeping score.” In what ways do you believe God has given you greater wisdom for living a life that steadily follows God’s will? Where are the “raw edges” of your life right now, in which you yearn for a clarifying dose of God’s wisdom?

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Jesus, this day I come to you, “asking that I be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” May my thoughts, my words and my actions all be consistent with your will. Amen.
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Our GPS Insights blog shares reflections each day from our pastors, staff and congregants.
Read today's reflection from Darren Lippe. Darren helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sundayschool class, is a member of a small group & a men’s group, and serves on the Curriculum team.
Insight from Darren Lippe
Being a compulsive list-maker, I was intrigued to read of a recent archeological “find” of reputed “To-Do” lists made in the biblical era.There were lists that had been completed:

• Adam and Eve – Eat Healthier – Add fruit to diet
• Noah – Buy Umbrellas. And ponchos. And galoshes.

And, some that hadn’t been fulfilled:

• Moses – Buy Map of Wilderness
• Joseph – Make reservations at the House of David Hotel in Bethlehem.

In today’s passage, Paul is praying for the congregation in Colossae. His prayer for them is a rather lengthy list (via the Message translation):

• Asking God to give them wise minds
• Asking God to give them wise spirits attuned to His will
• That they would begin to fully understand the ways in which God works
• That they will live well for the Master
• That they will make Him proud of their efforts
• That they will have strength to persevere through life’s challenges
• That they will ultimately thank God for everything He has done for them

Being a Confirmation Mentor this year, we offer similar prayers for our little band of apprenticed believers. We recognize that the boys are all at different stages of their faith journey. Some may be there because their folks are making them attend – so they will do whatever it takes to “check the box.” Others may be intrigued by the discussions, but all of this brand new information is causing data overload. Finally, some may be seriously pondering their faith and are genuinely excited about making their first full-fledged commitment to Christ as a believer in their own name. Regardless of their level of interest, we know that Confirmation is one of the few times they will ever hear a “sales pitch” for Christ – where we logically lay out what we believe and why.
While we realize that many of the boys will drift from God during their formative years, we also know that at some point in their life they will have a spiritual moment; be it a spiritual crisis due to a medical diagnosis or death of a loved one or perhaps a spiritual awakening that comes with the marvel of holding their newborn baby. Our hope and prayer is that they will then recall some snippet of a story or Scripture from Confirmation and perhaps say, “Maybe I should check out church again.”
As we consider our days’ list of things to do, perhaps we could stop and consider someone we could pray for, mimicking Paul’s list to the Colossians. It needn’t be limited to a young person, but could be a colleague at work or a neighbor or a member of our family. (Warning: Something amazing happens as we pray for someone else’s walk with Christ – we find our own faith becomes inspired and encouraged.)
Whew! With this Insight finished, there is only one item left on my list for today:
Procrastinate on my Christmas Shopping.
Check & Done! (Apparently, some To-Do items are easier to complete than others- Editor.)

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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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