Friday, July 30, 2010

A Castle And A Garden




Teresa of Avila was a woman who possessed plenty of what we would today call “grit”. She and others like her needed a lot of grit to navigate their way spiritually though the tumultuous years of the 16th century Europe. The Protestant Reformation had ushered in a new age of religious freedom with an emphasis on Biblical, personal faith – an idea embraced by many. People like Teresa agreed with some of the Reformers’ critique of the Roman Catholic Church. But, she remained within the church as a Carmelite nun to work for internal renewal.

Teresa’s major work began when she was over 40 years old. One day while deep in prayer, she had the first of many heavenly visions, in which an angel pierced her heart with a flame-tipped spear, leaving her pierced with great love for God and a renewed passion to serve Christ. She wrote this prayer:

“Thine am I. I was born for Thee.
What wouldst Thou, Master, make of me?
Tis Thou alone dost live in me.
What wilt Thou I should do for Thee?”

Teresa’s best known work is “The Interior Castle”, and allegory in which the soul moves from the outer courtyard to the innermost sanctuary of the castle’s seven mansions. Along the way, prowling beasts, symbolizing the hindrances to prayer, seek to waylay the pilgrim. Each mansion is a stage along the way to union with Christ, which is beautifully pictured as the emergence of a silkworm from a cocoon to the life of a white butterfly. Beyond the mansion of union with Christ is the dark night of the soul, and finally that of spiritual marriage to Christ.

Through the mystic, Teresa was very practical and uncomplicated in her advice about prayer. She compared the cultivation of prayer to the cultivation of a garden in which Christ himself pulls the weeds and we with his help water the flowers so they will delight our Lord with their fragrance. “Pray as you can”, she advised “for prayer doesn’t consist in thinking a great deal, but loving a great deal.” She believed God could lead the simplest Christian using only the words of the Lord’s Prayer into the heights of contemplation. For her, the bottom line was that we must “never, for any reason whatever, neglect to pray.”

By the time of her death, Teresa had founded 20 new Carmelite convents and had spread mysticism as a practical method of reform throughout Spain. She and her friend St. John were criticized and even imprisoned by the church they loved for their reform efforts. Today they are considered by many Christians of diverse traditions to be the preeminent authorities of the theology of spiritual life.

Teresa’s Prayer:
“Govern by all your wisdom, O Lord, so that my soul may always be serving you according to your will and now as I desire. Do not punish me, I pray by granting what I want and ask, if it offends your love, which would always live in me. Let me die to myself that I may serve you, let me live to you, who in yourself are the true life.”

Psalm 84:1-2
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty? My soul yearns, even faints; for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry for the living God.”

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Forgive as You Have Been Forgiven



This picture is of my little kitten Pellinore praying with me for those who read this blog.

It is possible to pray and still be far from God. When Cain brought his offering to God, he was full of anger and hate. His heart was revealed by his actions toward his brother Abel when Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s was refused. (Gen 4:1-8)

The Pharisee praying along side the tax collector was also far from God, though he imagined himself to be standing in God’s presence. (Luke 18:9-14) These two examples from Scripture indicate that there’s a direct connection between our relationship to others and our relationship to God. If things aren’t right between us and others, we can be sure they aren’t right between us and God.

This powerful principle is especially true in the area of forgiveness. Jesus is alarmingly blunt. If you forgive others, God will forgive you. If you refuse others forgiveness, God will refuse you forgiveness. There is a profound logic here. It goes like this: Question: What do we most need from God? Answer: His mercy. Question: How can we expect to receive what we most need from God if we refuse others the thing they most need from us?

What are we saying to God when we refuse to forgive others? Do we think their sin against us is so bad that it is beyond mercy? Or worse, do we think the sin God forgave us wasn’t really so bad after all or that we in some way deserved his forgiveness? Either way, the cross is emptied of its power, God’s mercy is trivialized and we make ourselves little gods.

To forgive requires humility and to be forgiven is very humiliating. Jon Newton the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace” was a slave trader and libertine before his conversion. He never forgot what is meant to God to forgive him, and what that forgiveness meant in his attitude toward others. He wrote, “A man, truly illuminated, will no more despise others, than Bartimaeus, after his own eyes were opened, would take a stick and beat every blind man he met.”

My Prayer: As we pray, may we remember to forgive those who have sinned against us if need be, and ask God to forgive our lack of forgiveness. In Jesus name I pray this day, Amen.

Song Lyrics – Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

God Always Responds To Our Prayers

God always responds to our prayers. He never ignores us. He is the perfect parent. 1 John 3:1 says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” Because of your faith and salvation in Jesus, you are a child of God.

The Lord is delighted with you as any loving parent is with his or her child. He longs to give you good things. Matthew 7:11 says that earthly fathers love to give good things to their children; think how much more your perfect, Heavenly Father longs to give good things to His children when they ask.

Sometimes God cannot answer our prayers and give us everything we ask for; because it is not always best for us. Sometimes we have to wait longer than we would like for the answer to come. God is so much wiser and knows things we do not. We may not understand why we can’t have something that seems so good and right. We must trust God is in control of our lives and is working according to His perfect plan.

There should be no doubt that when we pray, God hears us. The question is, do we hear God when we pray? Do we stop and listen for Him to answer? What would happen if we gave God a chance to talk back? What might happen if, at the end of our prayer, we waited to hear what He had to say in response? After all, don’t we pray so that God will respond with an answer or word of encouragement?

Isaiah 55:8-11 “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth, and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

God can be very creative when He answers our prayers. Imagine what King Hezekiah must have thought when God answered his prayer by sending the angel of the Lord into his enemy’s camp, slaying thousands! We must be totally surrendered to God, allowing Him to answer our prayers however He wishes. When we lay down our requests before God, we must also lay down our own expectations of how God should answer them.

God love us and wants the very best for us. He promised to hear us when we pray. No request is too small or personal. God even pays attention to requests made by small children for what we would consider insignificant things.

True Store:
“Four year old Katherine begged her mother for her favorite boxed macaroni and cheese dinner. Katherine’s mom told her they didn’t have any in the cupboard. “Can’t we go to the store and get some?” Katherine asked her mother. Katherine’s family was very poor at the time, so her mom told her they couldn’t by that particular brand until it was on sale.

Even at four years old, Katherine know her family always prayed about everything. “Why don’t we pray for a sale?” Katherine asked.

The next day, Katherine’s mom opened the paper looking for the food ads. On the front page of the circulars was a sale on Katherine’s favorite brand of macaroni and cheese, one of the cheapest prices the family had ever seen.”

Encouraging People Through Prayer




Words and prayers of encouragement are so vital for our life of faith. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” When we speak words of encouragement to one another, we speak words that bring life; words that nourish and strengthen our spirits, enable us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Heb 12:1

When we encourage others with our words and prayers, we hearten them – inspire, cheer, reassure, comfort, fortify, and embolden them.

Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

You know you have given me great joy and encouragement, because you brother; have refreshed the hearts of saints. Philemon 7

It is important to pray for others. It is also important to let other know you are praying for them and how you have specifically prayed for them. When you pray for people, you bring their needs before God. You show God that you care about other people as much, if not more, than you care about yourself and your own needs.

A true story: When a three week old baby needed eye surgery, people from churches in six different states prayed for that baby and her family. The dad was out of work, the family had no insurance and the medical bills amounted to ten thousand dollars. The baby came through the surgeries fine, and God helped the family pay the medical bills in a marvelous way.

The prayers of so many people were so encouraging to this family.

“Let not your heart become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”. Galations 6:9-10

My Prayer: Dearest Father God, I just wanted others to know that I am praying for them today. I thank God for the people that He has made them to be. I love them dear Lord and I pray that they all know that you love them too. In Jesus’ name I pray this day, Amen.

James Taylor: Song Lyrics - You've Got a Friend


When your down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name,
And you know whereever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring , summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a freind.
If the sky above you
Should turn dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
And soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, Spring, summer or fall
All you got to do is call
And I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.
You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter Spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.

Monday, July 26, 2010

John 1, 2, & 3



The two most difficult things to get straight in life are love and God. More often than not, the mess people make of their lives can be traced to failure or stupidity or meanness in one or both of these areas.

The basic and biblical Christian conviction is that the two subjects are intricately related. If we want to deal with God the right way, we have to learn to love the right way. If we want to love right way, we have to deal with God the right way. God and love can not be separated.

John’s three letters provide wonderfully explicit direction in how this works. Jesus, the Messiah, is the focus: Jesus provides the full and true understanding of God; Jesus shows us the mature working-out of love. In Jesus, God and love are linked accurately, intricately and indissolubly.

But there are always people around who don’t want to be pinned down to the God Jesus reveals, to love Jesus reveals. They want to make up their own idea of God, and make up their own style of love. John was pastor to a church or churches disrupted by some of these people. In his letters we see him reestablishing the original and organic unity of God and love that comes to focus and becomes available to us in Jesus Christ.


My Prayer: Heavenly Father, God Almighty help us as your children to know You from a personal experience. May your word reach our minds and hearts so that we will be revitalized and strengthened to gain vistory over the evil one. Teach us dear Father not to love the worlds ways and that doing so squeezes out your love dear Lord. In Jesus' name I pray today, Amen.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The Stone

1 Peter 2 (Message Translation)

The Stone

“Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourself as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priest offering Christ approved lives up to God. The Scriptures provide precedent:

“Look! I’m setting a stone in Zion, a cornerstone in the place of honor. Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation will never have cause to regret it.”

To you who trust him, he’s a Stone to be proud of, but to those who refuse to trust him,

“The stone the workmen threw out is now the chief foundation stone. For the untrusting it’s “a stone to trip over, a boulder blocking the way.”

They trip and fail because they refuse to obey, just as predicted. But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you – from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

My Prayer: Dearest Father, God Almighty, we put our trust in you. You have planted our feet on a strong foundation. In you we will belive and not man. We will honor, trust and believe in you this day, Amen.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

God is the Bread of Life

My Prayer:

My blessed Savior and Lord, I praise you for freely giving me the Bread of Life even though I deserved the dust of death. In your love you replaced my darkness with your light, my fear with your security, and my despair with your hope. Remind me every day, Father, that the Bread of Life I have in Jesus comes to me by your grace and through your love - and that it delights your generous heart when I tell others where they can find and partake of that same wonderful Bread. Make me, I pray, into an eager ambassador of Jesus Christ. Turn my fear into boldness so that heaven's streets may be filled with men and women who love the Savior, in part because they first heard of the grace and mercy from my lips. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

2 Cor 5:19-21 NLT

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.


Song Lyrics to "Lord I Believe In You"
By: Crystal Lewis

Though I can't see Your holy face
And Your throne in heaven above
It seems so far away
Though I cant touch your nail scarred hands
I have a deep and unspeakable joy
That makes my faith to stand

Lord, I believe in You
I'll always believe in You
Though I cant see you with my eyes
Deep in my heart
Your presence I find
Lord, I believe in You
And I'll keep my trust in You
Let the whole world say what they may
No one can take this joy away
Lord, I believe

Born from above
You are Gods only chosen one
Youre the one and only true way
To the Fathers heart
You died for all sin
Then you rose and now live again
Conquering death and the grave
So that I might live

Lord, I believe in You
I'll always believe in You
Though I cant see you with my eyes
Deep in my heart
Your presence I find
Lord, I believe in You
And I'll keep my trust in You
Let the whole world say what they may
No one can take this joy away
Lord, I believe

Friday, July 23, 2010

Pure Motives, Loving Community and Prayer




James 4:1-3

As it stands, taken by itself the line “you do not have, because you do not ask God” is one of the most encouraging thoughts for prayer in all of Scripture. The only thing standing between us and receiving what we need is our failure to ask. It’s taken right out of the Sermon on the Mount. Matt 7:7-8. And as far as it goes, it’s good advice; so ask that you may receive.

There’s more to it than just asking in prayer. Our motives in asking are important. “When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3. The first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer – “hollowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done” – are to bathe our requests in the holy water of God’s kingdom and will. Without them, our desires can easily be the kind of desires condemned by James; hedonistic and self-centered. In fact, the Greek word for “desires” in verse 1 (as well as for “pleasures” in verse 3) is the very word behind our English word hedonism. (What we usually pray to the Father is not that His will be done, but that He approves our will).

There is something else we must not miss about proper asking. We must pray in a loving community. A church of individuals driven by selfish desires will be a church whose members are at war with each other (verse 1-2). Right relationships in the church are one of the fundamentals of answered prayer. Jesus prayed that we would be one as he and his Father are one. John 17:20-23. How can we expect our prayers to be heard by the Father if we are, in our relationships with one another, working against the prayer his Son prayed for us? There is a one-to-one relationship between our motives in prayer and answered prayer, and between our relationships with one another and answered prayer.

My Prayer: “Thee will I love with all my power in all my works and thee alone, thee will I love still sacred fire fills my whole soul with pure desire”

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Redemption of Work



There is nothing more terrible than activity without insight. “For many people, these words of Thomas Carlyle describe the miserable state of their daily work. For those of us who resonate with Carlyle’s words, a 17th century monk known as Brother Lawrence has much to teach us.

Nicholas Herman was born in 1611 in Lorraine, France. He described himself as a “great awkward fellow who broke everything.” After an unsuccessful career as a foot soldier and a brief stint as a hermit, Herman joined the Carmelite monastery as a lay member. He was given the name Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection and became a full member of the order in 1642.

From the beginning Brother Lawrence was assigned kitchen duty, a job that no one wanted. For 40 years his daily routine remained the same: rising early to slice vegetables; cooking soup and pouring wine; scrubbing pots and pans after each meal. For the first 10 years of his work Brother Lawrence struggled. Then one day, quite unexpectedly he experienced a change. “I suddenly found myself changed,” he wrote, “and my soul, which up till then was always disturbed, experienced a profound interior peace.”

What changed was that Brother Lawrence had begun to do his work, “as working for the Lord” Colossians 3:23, or as he put it famously, to “practice the presence of God.” The dishes were still dirty the kitchen still loud and frantic, yet he maintained an inner communication with God that made his work bearable, even joyful. “The time of business does not with me differ from the time or prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen while several persons are at the same time calling me for different things, I possess God in a great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament.” Lawrence enjoyed the practice of God’s presence so much that at times he had to keep himself from laughing out loud in front of others.

Brother Lawrence’s simple message of bringing insight to activity through continuous prayer – practicing the presence of God – has helped to redeem the daily work of many who feel they labor at thankless tasks. “So think of God all the time – during the day, at night, in your daily work, even in your leisure time activities. He is always nearby. Don’t ignore him. If you had a friend nearby, you would not ignore him when he came to visit. Why then would you neglect God? In short, don’t forget him. Think of him often. Adore him continually. Live and die with him. As a Christian this is our job and our calling. This is what we are here for. It is glorious!

My prayer: Father, forgive me for complaining. The lowliest work done in your name is more than I deserve. Give me a renewed spirit of gratitude and a sense of your presence to sustain me in my duties.

Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you

Hosanna – Song Lyrics

I see the King of Glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes (2x)
I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sins
The people sing (2x)
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the Highest (x2)
I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees (2x)
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the Highest (x2)
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes
To the things unseen
Show me how to love
Like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am
For your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the Highest

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

At Ease with God



“Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue,” wrote LA Rochefoucauld. With some cynicism he added, “Our virtues are frequently but vices disguised.” This point, it seems is that good is enormously attractive, even to those who are bad. If they won’t be good, they at lease try to look good.

The problem with praying as a hypocrite is that God can’t be fooled. In God’s eyes there is no exterior and interior person, no “public me’ and “private me.” There is only me. If I pray to look good to others and pull it off, Jesus said I will be rewarded all right; I will be well thought of by others. But that will be my only reward; I pray a spiritually impoverished prayer because I prayed without God.

Pagans aren’t like hypocrites. Their repetitive babblings to a long list of gods may be sincere, but they are sincerely wrong in the same way hypocrites are insincerely “right”: Both pray to false gods. The hypocrite thinks God doesn’t see; the pagan doesn’t know the true God. Jesus assures us that God both sees who we are on the inside, and knows what we need before we ask.

The good news is that we can be completely at ease with a God like this. There is no way we can surprise or shock him. He loves us as much before we confess our sins as he does after we confess them. He knows what we need before we do. We don’t need to impress him with eloquence or theological depth in our prayers. Frankly we can’t anyway. The sincere lisp of a child’s prayer means as much to him as a poet’s greatest effort!

Prayer: Father, you know me inside and out. May that knowledge encourage me to a greater intimacy with you. In Jesus’ name I pray this day, Amen.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Vickie's Prayer




Dear Lord, I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart.Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those that don't believe. But I thank You that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes; that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it in Jesus' name. Amen!
God Bless ! ! ! ! !

Different Styles of Prayer



There is no set style of prayer. People pray in different ways for different reasons. Some people fold their hands, but many others don’t. Some people bow their heads, but others look up. Some people close their eyes; others keep them open. Some people pray silently, but others pray out loud. Some people kneel on the floor, but others prefer to sit or stand when they pray. These things don’t make our prayers more effective or more likely to answered, although they might help us to center our attention on God.

God is less interested in our physical posture. He accepts, enjoys and appreciates the prayers that come from our heart, regardless of the style that is offered. Samuel 16:7 says, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Some people think that since they are talking to Almighty God their prayers should contain fancy praises or biblical-sounding words such as thee and thou. They think that if they don’t pray in just the right way, God might not hear them. This isn’t true. God wants to hear our prayers in our own words, and from our heart. He cares most that we are sincere and honest. He wants us to feel free to tell Him anything, in whatever way is comfortable to us. He wants us to share our concerns with Him because He cares deeply about us. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” God wants to hear from us!

God wants to hear from us whether it is a silent prayer or spoken prayer from our mouth. Either are equally effective ways in which to pray to Him.

Some different styles of prayer mentioned in the Bible are: Psalms 2:2; 1 Timothy 2:8 lifting up hands in prayer, Numbers 16:22; 1 Chronicles 21:16-17 falling facedown on the ground, 2 Chronicles 6:12-14 standing then kneeling, Ezra 9:5; Acts 20:36 kneeling, Isaiah 38:1-3 lying down, Jonah 2;1 scrunched inside the belly of a big fish.

The position we pray in or the type of words we use are only important if they help us better focus on God.

Ephesians 5:19-20 Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Vickie’s Prayer:

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed becausemYou are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those that don't believe. But I thank You that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes; that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it in Jesus' name.
Amen! God Bless ! ! ! ! !

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Fight to the Finish


Eph 6:5-24 - Message Bible

"God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is not a afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared, you are up against more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the samy way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirit's up so that no one falls behind or drops out."

Saturday, July 17, 2010

The Loyal Minority

The Lord impressed for me to write this message during my meditation with Him this morning, as it might serve a purpose for someone reading it.

"Behing and underneath all this there is a holy, God-plantted, God-intended root. If the primary root of the tree is holy, there's bound to be some holy fruit. Some of the treee's branches were prunded and you wild olive shoots were grafted in. Yet the fact that you are now fed by the rich and holy root gives you no cause to crow over the pruned branches. Remember, you aren't feed the root, the root is feeding you.

It's certainly possible to say, "Other branches were pruned so that I could be grafted in1". Well and good. But they were pruned because they were deadwood, no longer connected by belief and commitment to the root. The only reason you're on the tree is because your graft "took" when you believed, and because you're connected to that belief-nurturing root. So don't get cocky and stunt your branches. Be humbly mindful of the root that keeps you lithe and green.

If God didn't think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn't give a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God-ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don't presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, you're out of there.

And don't get to feeling superior to those pruned branches down on the ground. If they don't persist in remaining deadwood, they could very well get grafted back in. God can do that. He can perform miracle grafts. Why, if He could graft you-branches cut from a tree out in the wild-into an orchard tree, He certainly isn't going to have any trouble grafting branches back into the tree they grew from in the first place. Just be glad you're in the tree, and hope for the best for the others."


Wow! What a word!

This word was taken from the book of Romans in the Message Bible.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Miking Time to Pray



Since God though the Holy Spirit lives inside of us and is with us constantly we can talk to Him any time and any place. Isn’t it wonderful that we don’t have to make an appointment with Him? We don’t have to wait in line until others are finished talking to Him. We don’t have to wait until He is finished solving a larger problem than ours. He is always available any time and any day to us. We don’t have to wait until our regularly scheduled devotion time or come back tomorrow.

Throughout our busy lives we have scheduled time, flexible time and free time. However we as Christians must know how to manage the limited time we have so that we will always have time to spend with the Lord.

The Bible says clearly that God is always with us.

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.

Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”.

Matthew 28:20 – Jesus said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”.

Since God is always with us, He is always able to hear us when we talk to Him. He is always listening. God never tires of helping us and hearing us out. Eph 6:18 says to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions”. So A.S.A.P. Always say a prayer when you are in doubt.

It doesn’t matter what time of the day we pray. The important thing is that we do pray. But, you have to make time to do so.

Psalm 5:3 – “In the morning, O Lord you hear my voice, in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (King David)

Daniel 6:10 – “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, jus as he had done before.” (Daniel)

1 Thessalonians 3:10 – “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.” (The Apostle Paul)

Mark 1:35 – “Very early in the morning, while it was till dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” (Jesus)

Luke 6:12 – “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Jesus)

Learning to pray regularly is like starting any good habit. Soon it will be a part of your life that you will miss it if you have to skip it. To be able to spend time with God you need to be able to carve out time just for Him – no matter how busy or exhausted you are.

Pray while you are in the shower. Pray while you are walking the dog. Pray during computer down time. Pray while you are doing house chores.

Prayer times does not have to be long. Small, “bite sized” prayers can be as valuable as scheduled prayers.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to pray continually. Always keep in mind that you have God’s Spirit living in you. We can have constant and interrupted communication at all times. We should be ready to pray at anytime. If a problem arises, if you are suddenly joyful about something, or if a friend asks you to pray for them, you can stop what you are doing and pray for them. I call these “popcorn prayers”. This is when I “pop” a prayer to the Lord at any time and He listens. This is one of the greatest joys about walking in the spirit.

Can you think of things to be grateful for?

Prayer

P – Pray everyday
R – Retreat to a quiet place
A – Ask God everything
Y – You’re His child, so He’ll listen to everything you say
E – Erase all unholy thoughts
R – Remember He cares about you

A penny

Some say a penny isn’t worth anything anymore. Well the next time you see a penny on the ground, pick it up and say a prayer to the Lord. He thinks that it worth picking up.

Calling God by Name




What is prayer? Why should we pray? How and when do we pray? What things should we pray about? Does a prayer have different parts? Why do people fold their hands and close their eyes when they pray? Is a silent prayer as effective as a spoken one? Does God really care about our prayers? Does God answer every prayer?

God’s Occupations

In order to enjoy praying to God we need to get to know Him on a more intimate basis. We all are aware that God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, darkness and light, silence and sound, the plants, the animals, the sky, the land, the sea, and all of mankind, designed all of their characteristics to the smallest detail. That makes God a designer, an artist, a sculptor, a painter, a decorator, a gardener, a landscaper, an architect, a builder, a manufacturer, a composer, a hairdresser, a biologist, a zoologist along with so many other titles. On top of that God made the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the galaxies, etc. He assigned each of them their own positions and made them all exist together in perfect harmony – which was no small feat! He created time, established day and night, developed seasons, and made them work together like clockwork. Even the seasons know when they are supposed to change. God did the same thing for mankind. He created each and every part of us – including our organs, cells, and ligaments. He made them all work together in unity and in constant communication with one another. God’s a programmer, a systems analyst, an astronomer, a scientist, a mathematician, a physicist, an engineer, a dentist, and an inventor.

As the source of all wisdom God is a teacher, a tutor, a trainer, and a counselor. As the One who oversees all of human history, God is also a producer and a director, a coach and a conductor. The Bible says that He is also a judge and a legislator, but since Jesus is our advocate He is also a lawyer. He is our priest, our pastor, and our commander-in-chief. He is our Heavenly Father which makes Him our parent. Since all sixty-six books of the Bible were inspired by God, that means that God is also an author and a writer.

These are just a few of God’s occupations. There are so many, many more that can describe Him. The next time you don’t know what to say when you talk to God think about His professions and I’m sure He will give you some insight that you don’t already know.

Calling God by Name

What is a name? Everyone has a name. What is the purpose of a name? Usually it is to help us identify ourselves or someone else. What happens when two people have the same name? Some people name their daughters Mary and give them a middle name like Mary Margaret or Mary Catherine. The purpose of this middle name is also to identify each person as clearly as possible. In the old days, people were given nick-names based on their occupation (John Baker), interesting abilities they had (Tom Wiggle-Ears), or where they live (Mary Woods).

What about God? Does God have other names? Yes, He does! Even though we usually hear names like God, Jesus, and Lord more often than anything else, God has some specific names for special purposes. Just as a mother might call her child by a nickname to express affection, Jesus called His Father, “Abba Father.” This is an endearing term from a child to a father and shows how close Jesus felt to His Heavenly Parent.

Jesus has a name not quite as well known but still often heard. Emmanuel. Emmanuel means “God with us.” Whenever people called Jesus by this name they were to remember that God cared about them enough to send His Son to earth to be with them.

What is the first name ever used in the Bible? Nope…it’s not God. Have you ever heard the name Elohim? It means “God as a Creator”. The first verse of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible say this; “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.” The word El means “mighty” and is used in reference to gods, especially our Almighty God. The ending of Elohim has a significant plural ending that means “there is more than one.” But it does not mean that the gods created the heavens and the earth. No! It means that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit worked together as the Trinity (three in one) to create this universe. Not only did Elohim create all of those different galaxies and planets, He also created the people on the earth. In Psalm 139:14 David king of Israel wrote, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.”

El-Roi. What does this mean? This name means “the God who sees..” What does He see? He saw Hager when she ran away from her mistress. Sarai. (Gen 16:6-8) He sees us when we are hurting. Perhaps you feel that nobody understands you – or no one cares. You can run to El Roni and pray for help. He will help you.

Adonai means “Lord, Master; and Owner.” But, Adonai is a loving Master; one who will watch over us as we obey His commandments.

Jehovah means, “the self-existent One, the I AM.” It is used more than 6,800 times in the Bible! Moses learned this name while flat on His face before God. The Jews considered it the most sacred of all of God’s names – so sacred, in fact, that they wouldn’t even say it. Some went so far as to take a complete ritual bath before writing the name Jehovah (if they ever had to) and they would write the name using a brand new pen. Aren’t you glad that we as Christians don’t have to do all that? We can say this name out loud whenever we need help. God is so good! This name is so important that the names below are built upon this one.

Jehovah-Jireh means “the Lord will provide”. Jehovah-Jireh prevented Isaac from being sacrificed on Mount Mariah and provided a ram to be sacrificed in his place. Jehovah-Jirah also sent His Son into the world to be our sacrifice. God had provided a substitute for us, so we will not need to die for our sins. But we need to reach out and accept His provision.

Jehovah-Rapha means “the Lord who heals.” God heals all of us – our bodies, or emotions, and our souls. He brings healing when we are sick, salvation to our sin-ravaged souls, and soothing when we bring our hurts to Him. Jeremiah 17:14 says, “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed, save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

Jehovah-Nissi means “Lord my banner.” You may wonder, why in the world do I need a banner? In the ancient times, warring armies brought a banner or pennant into battle. During the battle, they would look up to the flag, and if it was still held high, they would continue to fight with courage and confidence. The Lord will be our confidence when we encounter “battles” in our life as well! Jehovah-Nissi is our banner who will always be held high for us.

Jehovah-Shalom means “the Lord of peace.” The name does not mean, “the Lord was peace.” It means “the Lord is peace”! He will bring us peace as we trust Him.

Jehovah-Raah means “the Lord is my Shepherd.” Most of us are very familiar with Psalm 23. But do you know what a shepherd does? Sheep are not known for their brains – as a matter of fact, sheep are pretty dumb. A flock of sheep without a shepherd would be completely helpless. But with Jehovah-Raah as our Shepherd, there is truly nothing we shall want.

May God bless you as you continue to trust Him!

Jehovah - Raah

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Every Good And Perfect Gift Comes From God Our Father




God is Almighty and powerful. Heaven is filled with worship and adoration to Him because of His greatness and complete holiness. God is a person with an incredible personality.

The most tender impression of all is of God as our Father. God wants us to know Him as a Father – our Heavenly Father.

Romans 8:15 Says we are a child of God and can address Him as “Abba, Father”. This translates to “Daddy” or “Papa.” This is so personal and intimate. God wants to relate to us in an affectionate and loving manner.

God wants us to run to Him just as a child would run to his or her earthly daddy.

Psalm 139 – Shows how much our Daddy knows and cares about us. He knows everything we are thinking about and how we are feeling. Verse 3 says that He is very familiar with all of our ways, and verse 17 says He thinks about us that we couldn’t begin to add up all His thoughts of us. Verses 7-10 beautifully declare that His presence is always with us. Reading Psalm 139 helps us to become aware that our Father God lovingly created us, knows us perfectly well, will never leave us, and will care for us always.

Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths,] you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

God is a better father than the very best earthly father, and like any good father, God loves to give His children good gifts.

Matthew 7:11 – Says “If you, then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to you children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

God has given us everything – life, breath, and blessing in abundance. He has made the whole universe. It belongs to him. It is His to share with us and He does so gladly because He loves us very much. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”. James 1:17 God delights in giving us good things.

God Has A Personality





God Has a Personality

God has given us many detailed descriptions of His “personality”. His nature and His character are described throughout the His word.









Exodus 34:5-7
The Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with (Moses) and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”

The Bible also gives us other images.

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe.

Psalm 25:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, and He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Revelation 5:5
One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.”

When we feel frightened, we need to picture God as a strong fortress. He wants us to run to Him and hide. When we need comfort, we need to picture Him as a compassionate Shepherd holding us tenderly as one of His precious little lambs. When we need protection from evil, we need to think of Him as the mighty Lion of Judah roaring at our adversary.

As we grow closer to a friend the more we spend time with them, prayer will help us grow closer to God!

God wants us to know Him for who He really is. He has feelings and desires and emotions and opinions. He has many wonderful characteristics. We can never know everything about God – no one can – but there are many things we can tell about Him from His word.

“Strong Tower”
by Kutless

When I wander through the desert
And I'm longing for my home
All my dreams have gone astray
When I'm stranded in the valley
And I'm tired and all alone
It seems like I've lost my way

I go running to your mountain
Where your mercy sets me free

[chorus]
You are my strong tower
Shelter over me
Beautiful and mighty
Everlasting King
You are my strong tower
Fortress when I'm weak
Your name is true and holy
And Your face is all I seek

In the middle of my darkness
In the midst of all my fear
You're my refuge and my hope
When the storm of life is raging
And the thunder's all I hear
You speak softly to my soul

Monday, July 12, 2010

God Is A Person



God is a person. When we pray, we aren’t speaking into the air. We aren’t just talking or thinking to ourselves. We aren’t just connecting sentences that sound good together. We are talking to a real live Person who is listening intently to every word we are saying. This Person is God Almighty, our Creator. He can be anywhere and everywhere. He knows everything about us. He knows what is happening in the world each and every moment. God is awesome. He deserves our sincerity and our full attention.

God is a Spirit, but he is also a Person who wants us to relate to him. To help us he uses language that we can understand. This is why the Bible is full of passages that refer to him with ears, eyes, hands, arms, feet, a face, a back, some nostrils, a mouth, etc.

God describes himself
Isaiah 48:13 – My own hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens.

Isaiah 60:13 – The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the pine, the fir and the cypress together to adorn the place of my sanctuary, and I will glorify the place of my feet.

Exodus 33:21-23 – Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen.

God knows that mankind has very limited ability to comprehend him, so he refers to human characteristics in order to give us a picture we can understand – so that we can relate to him better and visualize him in a way that is familiar to us. You may try using some of these descriptions about God when you pray.

If you need help, ask God to stretch out his mighty arm to rescue you. If you want to ask him something important, ask him to open his ears to hear your request. If you need him to give attention to a certain matter, ask him to turn his eyes upon you – to fix his grace upon your situation.

Remember that the more you get to know God, the more you will love to talk with him.

God has given us a wonderful gift of imagination. Don’t be afraid to use it when you pray. Let the graphic description of the glorified Christ given in Revelation 1:12-16 inspire your imagination as you pray and worship him. You will see that John described God’s feet, chest, head and hair, eyes, voice, right hand, mouth and face.

“I turned around to see who was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man, “dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:12-16

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Approaching God With Confidence



When we pray we should talk to God about everything, whatever is on our mind and in our heart. He wants to hear about our frustrations, fears, likes, dislikes, struggles, weaknesses, goals and dreams whether big or small. He wants us to talk to Him when we are happy and when we are sad. We can pray to Him short or long prayers.

The more opened and honest we are when we talk to God the more He will change our heart and help us to become, loving, patient, kind and wise. Praying scripture back to Him reminds us and God of His promises. God always proves Himself faithful, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways when we go to Him for solutions to our problems in our life.

Prayer isn’t just a way to communicate with God to share our burdens and needs. It is also a time to ask Him questions and to know what He is thinking and feeling. Simply pray to God just to let Him know you are thinking about Him.

It is easy to pray to God when we know in our hearts that He loves us. Prayer is vital to growing a relationship with Him. God has wisdom to help us and it is important to simply enjoy His presence. The more you pray to Him and communicate with Him, He will give you great strength and comfort through your conversations with Him. Prayer should be a part of everyone’s everyday lifestyle.

Have you ever walked into a room where you were a stranger and had to introduce yourself to someone you didn’t know? It can be real unnerving. Have you ever seen someone somewhere who was clearly a newcomer? You may have found it difficult to approach them? That’s because whether you are a newcomer or not, getting to know someone new feels a little awkward at first. Once you get past the awkward first words, you begin to reap the rewards of friendship.

Maybe you felt a little nervous praying. You may feel timid or shy with God and it might be hard for you to get started having a conversation with Him. Because He may seem strange, talking to Him may seem uncomfortable at first. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives on our behalf the privilege of approaching God the Father with confidence. There is no need to be nervous or unsure when we go to Him in prayer.

Heb 10:19—22 says, “Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” It is simple but this means that we can go to God with assurance that He will warmly receive us and be interested in hearing our prayer.

Heb 4:14-16 “Since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest which is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need”.

We can approach the throne of grace with confidence. This means we don’t need to feel shy. When we pray we can leave timidity and insecurity behind. God understands even our weaknesses. He wants to give us grace and mercy. He wants us to go to Him with our needs.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

A City On A Hill That Can Not Be Hidden From God




“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden” Matthew 5:14

Do you want to grow closer to God? Do you want your life of faith to be more exciting? Do you want wisdom from Heaven that will help you with the day-today issues of life? Do you want o feel continuously connected to God? “Prayer is the Key”.

Prayer can be creative, satisfying and exciting. You will learn how to draw near to God with confidence as you encounter God through your prayers and see Him working in a marvelous ways through the answers to those prayers. God will become more and more real to you. Soon you will find yourself living a vibrant, dynamic life of faith.

Developing a prayer life is one of the main ways you unlock the door to the great mysteries of God.

You might start your adventure through prayer with God by keeping a prayer journal. This will allow you plenty of space to write daily reflections, as well as record your prayers, answers to prayers, your favorite scriptures and more. When God answers a specific prayer write how He did it. Don’t forget to put the date when you started to pray for a particular request and how it was answered. Don’t give up though if He doesn’t answer it right away because in His timing He will surely answer it one way or another.

Can you imagine a roller-coaster ride? It is not a one person ride however, is it? There is always a seat for two and it certainly is more fun when you share this experience with a friend. You hold hands, scream at the scary parts, grasp one another tightly and excitedly agree to try it again.

Can you imagine this experience with your friend and not laughing and screaming together through the twists and turns? Can you imagine not talking to your friend about the exciting experience once the ride was over?

The roller coaster of our lives is not meant to be ridden alone. We are meant to ride hand in hand with our Lord, and our Creator. He wants to go on our journey of faith with us. He wants to be there every step of the way. As we travel on this journey He longs to talk with us and listen to us. He wants us to hold onto His side when the road gets bumpy or scary. He wants to point out all the wonderful sights along the way. He wants to make special memories with us.

Talking to God throughout the ride is what prayer is all about. To God prayer isn’t boring at all. Like our walk with faith, prayer is an exciting journey with twists and turns, spectacular views, and wonderful surprises. Prayer is a multifaceted, uplifting, awe-inspiring adventure.

Say “hello” to the One who created you He is anxious for you to know Him better, and He has many things to share with you as you explore a life of prayer with Him.

Prayer is the glue that holds our relationship with God together.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Be Still and Be Encouraged As You Learn To Hear God's Voice



Listening to God - Preparing Your Heart to Hear Him

Listening to God is like listening to anyone. Before you can hear Him, you must be ready to listen. Just as in a conversation, you cannot hear the other person if you are talking or if your mind is distracted. So it is with God. If you want to hear Him speak, you must be quiet and you must be focused on what He is saying. Regular conversation with God can transform your life! Consider having a place and time to meet with God everyday.

Prayer is how you begin a conversation with God. Think of it as saying "hello."

Listening to God - How Can I Hear Him?

Listening to God requires a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos around you and focus your thoughts. Is God someone you can hear? The Bible says He is, and the Bible is one of the main tools through which He speaks.

We live in a world of noise. Almost everywhere we go, we find sounds competing with our minds, keeping us from letting our thoughts get below the surface level. Hearing God's voice means to not listen to the noise of the world around us. It's not easy, but it can be done.

King David, author of most of the book of Psalms, gave us a model for meeting with God, "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul" (Psalm 143:8).

He sought God's direction in the morning, at the beginning of the day. Like a general in God's army, he wanted to hear from his Commanding Officer before he entered into battle. Beginning each day fresh with God is a great reminder that, as the Scripture says, His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22, 23). You must find the time of day that works for you, but morning is the best time if that is possible.

Do you want to hear God speak to you? Listening to God requires regular Bible reading, since the Bible is the Word of God.

Listening to God - Get the Picture

Listening to God requires a heart committed to understand His message. God often speaks to us in visual images. Consider the example of the prophet Habakkuk, in Habakkuk chapter 2. The prophet longed to hear from God! He was so determined that he was willing to stand and wait as long as it took. "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me…" (Habakkuk 2:1).

Habakkuk found that God was faithful. "Then the LORD replied, 'Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:2).

Listening to God - What Now?

Listening to God requires a right attitude in our hearts. In order to listen to God and receive His instruction, we must want to do His will, much as Habakkuk did. God honors the heart that is fully surrendered to Him. If we are stubbornly clinging to our own desires, we are likely to get a garbled message that will not be God's voice at all. As a result, we are likely to continue pursuing a path that is contrary to the one God has designed for our lives.

Psalm 40:8 says, "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Do you desire God's will for your life above every other desire? If you do, you can trust that He will direct your path. Listen to His message, and be quick to obey. Write down what He tells you and be ready to share it so that others may understand.

The more you make a practice of listening to God’s voice and obey Him you be encouraged as well as discover a life that is full and rich with purpose. You will be confident you are following the Master's plan.

Whatever You Want



1 Kings 3:1-5



3:5 God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

C.L. Lewis once wrote, “God’s complaint is that we want too little, not too much. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

3:5 Scripture is telling us to let your prayers be big. As big as the great and wise God we worship.

The way we respond to an unlimited offer says allot about who we are inside. God says, “You can have anything you want, go ahead and ask, and it shall be yours”, and He adds implicitly, “and what you ask for will reveal you.” Is that why Jesus said, “You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14)? The sky is the limit, if you ask in His name. We have to keep in mind though that what we ask for will reveal what we know about His name. How harmonious is our heart with the heart of God? Our desires say allot about us.

Solomon’s response could have not been better. Recently being established as Israel’s king he asked for a discerning heart to govern the people. When he asked God for wisdom he got all the other things he might have asked for as well. If he only asked for a good thing, he would have gotten the good thing and nothing more. Asking for the best got him the best and the good as well. It is like seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, when we do, “all these things will be added unto you as well”. (Matthew 6:33)

Good things are the red herrings of life. In mystery novels, red herrings are false clues meant to lead the detective down the wrong path. They get their name from the practice of criminals in the 19th century. They dragged smoke herring down a path to mislead police bloodhounds. The enemy of God’s best is not the worst, but the less than the best, the good things.

My prayer: Father God, teach me to know you and cause me to so love you that I ask for precisely what you want me to ask for. In Jesus’ name I pray this day, Amen.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Why Even Try?




Mathew 9:35-38

There are so many people, so much need, and so few resources. If you and I were faced with the crowds that Jesus saw before Him, we probably would have given up. No amount of love and food would have been enough to meet their needs, so why even try?

Jesus saw the crowds; harassed and helpless and His first impulse was not hopelessness, but compassion, not just on the crowds before Him, but also on all humanity. The first thing He tells His disciples (and us) to do is pray.

Prayer is primary because only God is big enough to do the impossible. Only God, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, can marshal the resources and the people – especially the people – necessary to care for the helpless and the harassed. Prayer is not the last resort, it is the first. It is not something to be done instead of compassion; it is the beginning of compassion. Jesus’ heart goes out to the lost ones, so He prays.

Prayer is the beginning of compassion but not the end of it. True prayer comes from love and leads to more love, active love. Those who pray authentically are always ready to be the answer to the prayer they have prayed. Jesus urged the disciples to pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out workers, and in the very next verse (10.1), He equipped them to go out and be the workers they prayed would come.

Prayer comes from compassion and leads to hope. It opens our eyes to see the possibilities. We see a multitude of lost and needy people. God sees a harvest of souls for eternal life. To pray with Jesus for the lost is to put our love and hope to work.

My prayer: Lord of the harvest, Shepherd of the sheep, because of your great love, please send your people to love those who are helpless and lost. In your name I pray. Amen.

Just like the violent winds and floods caused by Hurricane Katrina with all its horrendous destruction, once more the Gulf Coast is being unmercifully attacked by the enemy. This time it is the great oil spill that is harassing not only God’s chosen people but those who are helpless and lost. Please pray with me as a body of believers that the eyes and hearts of our leaders and those who the Lord can use as vessels to fix this situation use Godly wisdom to make decisions that will give humanity hope and will turn what seems to be an impossible task around. Pride breaks down, compassion builds up. My question to you is, “Why even try?” It is simple, but true, “Until the Lord comes and takes us to be with Him, we need to be reminded that if we all do even the smallest something, it will make a difference in someone else’s life”. “There is a kingdom to build and a harvest to reap”. (Matthew 16:18-19).

Sincerely,
Bonnie

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

God's Armor



Don’t take it personally when you are attacked and opposed. You are in a battle. It is not about you; and it goes with the territory. That advice is relevant for all believers. A soldier in a war gets shot at. His feelings don’t get hurt when that happens; he doesn’t take it personally; he knows it comes with being in combat.

Eph 6:10-17 – Paul assumed his readers knew about the battle part, that every believer is a soldier. He wanted to remind the believers of the nature of the battle that was spiritual. The battle wasn’t against the things that physical senses can comprehend, the things we can taste, touch, hear, smell and see. It was against the power of the unseen realm, things seen only through the eyes of faith. Spiritual warefare calls for spiritual weapons. Worldly weapons are useless in a spiritual conflict. 2 Cor 10:1-6. It is as if hunting a lion with a squirt gun. Spiritual armor and spiritual weapons are essential and are such things as the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness and the shield of faith. We put these weapons on by prayer. At the end of the list of spiritual armor comes the “sword of the Spirit”. This is the “word of God.” Eph 6:17, the next verse reads, “And pray in the Spirit”. The Greek is literally something like, “by means of prayer.” The idea is that the armor is donned by prayer and the sword of the Spirit is wielded by prayer.

We are to pray on “all” occasions, with “all” kinds of prayers, with “all” perseverance and for “all” the saints. Prayer is the one thing that fits all the circumstances of spiritual warefare. It is always appropriate. It isn’t enough to have the heart to change the enemy; we also need the head to know when and how. This is essential for us as Christian soldiers to fight a good fight.

My prayer: Father, give me the heart and the head I need to fight a good fight. Give me courage and teach me wisdom. Amen

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

From the Bible and From the Heart


July 6, 2010

Daniel’s prayer is marvelous – truly a great prayer of Scripture. Its structure, content and methods are timeless and worth imitating.

What makes Daniels’ prayer so worthy of imitation? First it is a Biblical prayer. When studying his prayer we see that has vast knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. His prayer is laced with references and allusions from the Bible he knew. Daniel’s prayer shows that he doesn’t just know the Scriptures, but that he breathes them in and out.

Prayer is “God’s breath in man returning to its birth. When Daniel prayed he breathed the same Spirit that Abraham, Moses and Jeremiah breathed. He prayed what they prayed. Even when he was most alone he wasn’t. He was with the faithful people who came before him.

The language of prayer is overwhelmingly the language of the Bible. This is not to imply that using contemporary was something that Daniel never did or that it is less Spiritual than the Bible’s language. It is just that the Bible’s language dominated Daniel’s prayer life. The words of Scripture are not dead words they are alive and active. This kind of liturgical prayer can give new life and energy to our more spontaneous prayers.

Daniels’ prayer is a heartfelt prayer with passion. The strong biblical content and liturgical style did not take away from his sincerity. They strengthened it. Heartfelt prayers come straight from the heart, but sometimes the heart needs to be carried along. That is where the Bible and liturgy can serve us so well.

Powerful prayers come from a heart transformed by the Word of God and informed by the distilled wisdom of the church through the ages

Reading Psalms is like pushing a canoe and letting oneself be carried along on a stream of devotion that flows though the entire book.

My prayer: God open my ears to your Word that I may open my mouth in heartfelt prayers that are pleasing to you, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen

Revive Us Again



Our prayers are like church bells. Can you imagine how beautiful the sound would be if all these bells would be ringing? It is a heavenly sound of music when we as Christians are in unity and we offer our prayers up to the Lord.

July 5, 2010

Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version)
14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
Love grows cold and passion fades as what once was once personal and intimate become rote and formal. Even if the memory remains, it can be enough to spur a revival. This is especially the case with God’s people.
Rev 2:4-5 – “You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen. Repent and do things you did at first”. Psalms speaks about prayers for the revival of God’s people, “Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you”. To be revived in faith is to be renewed in love and joy. To have a powerful faith that can move mountains and a courage that will be willingly consumed by fire but to have no love, is a dead religion. 1 Cor 13:1-3. This is far from being honored by mere empty obedience. God is insulted.
John Piper once wrote, “God is glorified in us only as we are satisfied in him.” “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. “Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.
John 1:14 – provides a lovely picture of revival. Revival is the presence of Christ, dwelling among us in love, in our hearts. Eph 3:17
The history of God’s people seems to be a history of recurrent spiritual decline. That’s the bad news. The good news is that God is always ready to hear His people pray. “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

My Prayer: Dear Father, our love has grown cold, our faith is weak. May Christ dwell fully in our hearts; revive us again that we might rejoice in you. Amen

Sunday, July 4, 2010

With Our Lives and Our Lips





July 4, 2010 – With Our Lives and Our Lips

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

In order to be “One Nation under God”, we as Christians need to stop being disrespectful and begin to live a life that gives honor or else we will continue to play a part in our Nation gone under. One way to accomplish this is to stop complaining and begin doing while praying for our government officials and leaders. We need to do what is right and God will commend us and take control.

The messenger from the Lord came to Daniel when he prayed. His persistent prayers changed things. In order for God to give us His favor we need to begin by getting on our knees and start praying in union as a nation for it. We need to praise God, pray and not stop. Just because we may not see results immediately does not mean that God has not answered our prayer. Prayer allows the eyes of our heart to be opened in order to know the hope that God has called us to.

My Prayer: Heavenly Father, God Almighty, may we show forth your praise not only with our lips, but with our actions by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness before men all our days, though Jesus Christ our Lord…Amen.