By Jessica Finney
How many time have we all worried about something? It could be about our job, unemployment, illness (ours or a family member's), and the list goes on and on. We sometimes forget the other circumstances that God has got us through in the past.
Mathew 6:25-34 Therefor I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for thy neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing/ Consider the lilies of the field how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or 'What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Isn't it wonderful? All we have to do is seek God and tell him our troubles, and He will take care of us. So why do we try do it all on our own?
I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't tell God everything that I should. Sometimes I think my worries on the little things are silly, but sometimes they are big to me. And you know what if they are big or little to me, God loves us so much that He wants to be in every part of our lives. By trusting God in all parts of our lives brings us into a closer relationship with Him, which He longs for.
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for always being there for me in the small and the big parts of my life. Please help me not to worry and give all my troubles to you. I know that you have my best interest in mind and your ways are better then mine. Help me to go in the direction that you want me too. In Jesus name, Amen.
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Changes...and a prayer!
As you can see, what was once The Olive Branch has changed. New name, new look, new layout. And lots of good things in store. Our mission is the same. We hope you will continue in your journey with us as we serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
God bless!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for instilling in us a desire to serve Your kingdom. Lord, we are so far from perfect, yet You equip us and use us for Your glory. We love You, Lord, and seek to complete the work you set before us. Help us to reach those who desire to know You more. It is in Your name we pray, Amen.
God bless!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for instilling in us a desire to serve Your kingdom. Lord, we are so far from perfect, yet You equip us and use us for Your glory. We love You, Lord, and seek to complete the work you set before us. Help us to reach those who desire to know You more. It is in Your name we pray, Amen.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Devastation of Sin
by Charity Pence
This Week's Verse: Psalm 1:6 "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (NKJ)
What comes to mind when you think of sin? I've been reading through the book of Psalms, and there is a particular passage that stands out to me. "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness." Psalm 38:3-5. My wounds are foul and festering. When I picture that, I see a terrible, painful sore oozing with pus. It's a nasty image, isn't it? But that is exactly what sin does to us.
The consequences of freely partaking in sin can be devastating. Sin weakens our body and makes us physically ill. David, the writer of the 38th Psalm, understood this very well. The physical toll is not the worst consequence, though. Sin wedges itself between us and God, causing a separation between us and our Heavenly Father. Isaiah 6:3 tells us God is holy, holy, holy. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 we are reminded, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but God, who also has given us His holy spirit." So in choosing sin, we forsake God. For how can we stand in His presence, He who is most holy, when we are full of sin?
We can find comfort in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Whew. We can breathe easier now, right? Perhaps. But only if we've truly repented and made Christ our Lord. The question is this: if we are freely partaking in sin, are we truly repenting? Or are we foolish enough to think sinning is okay because we can repent for it later and be forgiven? Now don't get me wrong. The Bible assures us of God's grace and forgiveness. But that means we have to continually check ourselves and be sure we are truly striving to resist sin. This is where prayer comes in. The truth is, we can't do this on our own. We have a sinful nature. However, God fills us with His strength when we pray which allows us to resist the temptations we are faced with daily. Prayer is our strongest tool. We should use it more often.
Dear Heavenly Father, You know what sins we struggle with daily. You know the burden sin places on us. You call us to a life without sin because you know the damage it causes. Therefore, be with us, O Lord. Please fill us with your strength so we can resist the traps set for us by the devil. We are your children, and we wish to draw near to You. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: When you find yourself tempted this week, call out to God. He will always show us the correct path as long as we seek it.
Power Verses:
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Titus 2:11, 12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
This Week's Verse: Psalm 1:6 "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (NKJ)
What comes to mind when you think of sin? I've been reading through the book of Psalms, and there is a particular passage that stands out to me. "There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness." Psalm 38:3-5. My wounds are foul and festering. When I picture that, I see a terrible, painful sore oozing with pus. It's a nasty image, isn't it? But that is exactly what sin does to us.
The consequences of freely partaking in sin can be devastating. Sin weakens our body and makes us physically ill. David, the writer of the 38th Psalm, understood this very well. The physical toll is not the worst consequence, though. Sin wedges itself between us and God, causing a separation between us and our Heavenly Father. Isaiah 6:3 tells us God is holy, holy, holy. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 we are reminded, "For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but God, who also has given us His holy spirit." So in choosing sin, we forsake God. For how can we stand in His presence, He who is most holy, when we are full of sin?
We can find comfort in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Whew. We can breathe easier now, right? Perhaps. But only if we've truly repented and made Christ our Lord. The question is this: if we are freely partaking in sin, are we truly repenting? Or are we foolish enough to think sinning is okay because we can repent for it later and be forgiven? Now don't get me wrong. The Bible assures us of God's grace and forgiveness. But that means we have to continually check ourselves and be sure we are truly striving to resist sin. This is where prayer comes in. The truth is, we can't do this on our own. We have a sinful nature. However, God fills us with His strength when we pray which allows us to resist the temptations we are faced with daily. Prayer is our strongest tool. We should use it more often.
Dear Heavenly Father, You know what sins we struggle with daily. You know the burden sin places on us. You call us to a life without sin because you know the damage it causes. Therefore, be with us, O Lord. Please fill us with your strength so we can resist the traps set for us by the devil. We are your children, and we wish to draw near to You. We love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Application: When you find yourself tempted this week, call out to God. He will always show us the correct path as long as we seek it.
Power Verses:
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Titus 2:11, 12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
Friday, September 9, 2011
My Life Today - in Prayer
by Bethany Lashbrook
Today's Verse: 2 Chronicles 6:19, "Yet, LORD my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence." (NIV)
Dear Lord, May your blessings continue to flow on my family and my town and my church as you have always let them. May you continue to find favor with my friends and family and keep your ever present arms around us. May you continue to guide and lead us in the direction we are to go. Thank you for being there. Thank you for the good times. And thank you for the bad in which I could grow.
Please be with my work friends. Help me to show them the love that I have in my life, and not the nastiness that a long day brings my way. Please continue to watch over my church family and help me to remember to pray for each of them - specifically by name - when they have entrusted a prayer request to me. Send something my way (a reminder if you will) if I am not holding up my end of the bargain. Help me to pray YOUR prayers and not MY prayers. Please guide me, Holy Spirit, in my life. Guide my words and my actions. Help me to be the Lord's hands, feet, ears, mouth, LIFE!
Continue my growth in you Lord and when I am headed down the wrong path, help me to turn around - to repent - and go about the right way. And thank you for being there with open arms (once again) when I walk towards you. Help me to find joy in you, life with you, and forgiveness through you. Remind me when I can't love, that you can. Thank you for healing within when I didn't know it could be possible.
Remind me to smile at someone when it looks like they need a smile. To hug someone when they need a hug. To shut my mouth when they just need an ear.
And when I come home after having all these thoughts swarm my head all day, remind me to be nice to my family, to be the mom who makes everything "just right", not perfect, Father, but just right for my family. Help me to walk through that door reenergized, full of life, and definitely full of YOU! Give me compassion towards my children; to give time to kiss the booboos, to give the 30 second hug that makes them push me away, to listen to their fun-filled stories about school. And when my husband walks through the door, fill me with a longing to talk to him, to share with him, and to LISTEN to him (you know that's hard, and not because it's not interesting, but because I don't shut up). Help me not to bombard him with my issues but to be the mate that listens as well as shares.
Thank you for keeping us happy, healthy, and for the roof over our head. Thank you for air-conditioning, heat, refrigerators, carpet, grilled food, corn on the cob, and smiling kids with full bellies as we tuck them in. Thank you for this blessed life in this blessed country where I can speak freely. Thank you for those that have served so I can live and love as I please.
Please repair those friendships with which I have failed. Please be with those family members who don't believe in You and with those who do believe in You but struggle everyday with convictions and aggravations towards themselves. Please show me tomorrow what I can repair in which I have ruined.
Please give me the time, the energy, and the will power to either get up early or stay up late to learn about you, read about you and give you the time in prayer, quiet study, and concentration that you deserve. Then guide me in sharing it all with my children. Help me to be that brave warrior that you call for. Thank you Father for listening to me complain, for listening to my excuses (even when there shouldn't be any) and for being there every step of today, even when I didn't acknowledge you.
And as I go to sleep, Father, help me to wake up, and to think of Creation and thank you for the awesomeness of it. And if you so choose to take me before I wake, help my family to know that I love them, more than they will ever know.
Please help me get rid of all the worry, the regret, and mistakes I made today and remember that you sent your Son so that I may wake up, start afresh and begin anew. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
So be it. Amen.
1 Samuel 12:23, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right." (NIV)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Conversation with God
by Karen Keim
“Lord, I am really hurting right now. I can’t quit crying. That person once again spoke to me and treated me in a manner that I don’t deserve.”
“I know how you feel, Karen. I didn’t deserve the treatment I received so long ago. And you know what else? Not that I want to hurt you more, but I don’t deserve the way YOU treat me sometimes either.”
“I know, Lord, and I’m sorry, but can we deal with that later? Right now can we just talk about me? I mean, how much more can I take? How much more SHOULD I take? I have a notion to just e-mail them and give them a piece of my mind!”
“You know, if you really consider yourself religious and don’t keep a tight rein on your tongue, you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“So I’m just supposed to sit back and continue to take this treatment at their will?!? Psshh!”
“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:29b)
“But who do they think they are?”
“I could ask you the same thing, Karen. Who do YOU think YOU are? You’re a sinner saved by my grace. You were once lost, too, you know.” (Ephesians 2:5)
“All right, all right. But, Lord, you know my friend and I have even been praying for them, even going so far as to literally hold in our hands things that belong to them and praying that they would soften their heart, that they would in some way come to accept You. Boy, that’s sure done a lot of good!”
“You don’t think so? Sounds to me like you’ve gotten the attention of satan! Sounds to me like he is on the prowl, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you going to let him get you?” (I Peter 5:14)
“Great! So now what am I supposed to do? I can’t fight SATAN!”
“Resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Be self-controlled and alert.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“I can’t, Lord! Don’t you hear me crying? All I want is to give them a piece of my mind!”
“Don’t you trust me? Don’t you think I can handle this one for you? Don’t take revenge. If there is revenge to be taken, I will take care of it.” (Romans 12:19)
“Well, okay. But I’m just not going to talk to them! If they’re going to treat me like that, I’ll just treat them the same way!”
“Would that really make you feel any better? How about just forgetting about it and turning the other cheek?” (Matthew 5:39)
“Oh, for goodness sakes! I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is I should overcome their evil by doing good to them, so it’s kind of like heaping burning coals on their head!” (Romans 12:21)
“You got it! I love you, Karen! Isn’t that enough?”
“Lord, I am really hurting right now. I can’t quit crying. That person once again spoke to me and treated me in a manner that I don’t deserve.”
“I know how you feel, Karen. I didn’t deserve the treatment I received so long ago. And you know what else? Not that I want to hurt you more, but I don’t deserve the way YOU treat me sometimes either.”
“I know, Lord, and I’m sorry, but can we deal with that later? Right now can we just talk about me? I mean, how much more can I take? How much more SHOULD I take? I have a notion to just e-mail them and give them a piece of my mind!”
“You know, if you really consider yourself religious and don’t keep a tight rein on your tongue, you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“So I’m just supposed to sit back and continue to take this treatment at their will?!? Psshh!”
“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:29b)
“But who do they think they are?”
“I could ask you the same thing, Karen. Who do YOU think YOU are? You’re a sinner saved by my grace. You were once lost, too, you know.” (Ephesians 2:5)
“All right, all right. But, Lord, you know my friend and I have even been praying for them, even going so far as to literally hold in our hands things that belong to them and praying that they would soften their heart, that they would in some way come to accept You. Boy, that’s sure done a lot of good!”
“You don’t think so? Sounds to me like you’ve gotten the attention of satan! Sounds to me like he is on the prowl, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you going to let him get you?” (I Peter 5:14)
“Great! So now what am I supposed to do? I can’t fight SATAN!”
“Resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Be self-controlled and alert.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“I can’t, Lord! Don’t you hear me crying? All I want is to give them a piece of my mind!”
“Don’t you trust me? Don’t you think I can handle this one for you? Don’t take revenge. If there is revenge to be taken, I will take care of it.” (Romans 12:19)
“Well, okay. But I’m just not going to talk to them! If they’re going to treat me like that, I’ll just treat them the same way!”
“Would that really make you feel any better? How about just forgetting about it and turning the other cheek?” (Matthew 5:39)
“Oh, for goodness sakes! I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is I should overcome their evil by doing good to them, so it’s kind of like heaping burning coals on their head!” (Romans 12:21)
“You got it! I love you, Karen! Isn’t that enough?”
~This is a rerun of a post in July 2009
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Precious Prayers
by Kathy Lay
This Week's Verse: Revelation 5:8, "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."(NIV, emphasis mine)
Devotion
I was reading in Revelation 4 about the infinite praise taking place in heaven. It blew me away on several levels that this praise was, is, and is to come. It's going on right now. When we offer our own praises, we're simply joining a chorus already in progress around the throne of God.
And then something else struck me. Each of the 24 elders sitting around the throne is holding a golden bowl of incense. What's the incense? Our prayers! A scent pleasing to the Lord!
If you've ever felt "disconnected" in your prayer life, there might be an issue God wants you to address. Maybe you have some unrepented sin. Maybe you need to humble yourself. Maybe you just flat out aren't praying the things God would have you pray. But if you've given everything to the Lord in repentance and humility and are praying His will and still wonder if it's making a difference, know this: Your prayers are precious in heaven.
Consider the following scene: Up to this point in Revelation we see the beings, the creatures, the surroundings in heaven and there is quite a commotion. The praises are constantly being sung, the elders are falling prostrate before the throne, and the scroll is being revealed. And then suddenly, it all stops!
"When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out" (Rev. 8:1-4, NLT).
The trumpets were present, but silent. The heavenly hosts were watching in anticipation, but uncharacterically quiet. I don't know if it's possible to hear footsteps in heaven (you know, with the clouds for a floor and all!) but I imagine the angel carrying the incense burner echoing them as he makes his way to the alter. All of heaven stops and holds its breath in anticiption.
The continual praise of the Lord stops for one thing--the prayers of the righteous. That'show important your prayers are to God.
God, in this season of celebrating how precious You are to us, thank you for the reminder of how precious we are to You. Thank You for holding our communication with You in such high regard that You quiet all of heaven for it to be offered up to You.
Application:
Read Revelation 4, 7, & 8:1-5 from a few different translations and really soak in the vivid scene. Notice that John writes about his vision in past tense (because he's telling about a vision he had seen) but presents some elements in the present tense to convey that these events are occuring in the present. Praise and thank God as you visualize that at that very minute, heaven's stopping to hear your heartfelt prayer offering.
Power Verses:
2 Chronicles 6:39, "then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."(NIV)
Daniel 10:12, "Then he said, 'Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer'."(NLT)
This Week's Verse: Revelation 5:8, "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."(NIV, emphasis mine)
Devotion
I was reading in Revelation 4 about the infinite praise taking place in heaven. It blew me away on several levels that this praise was, is, and is to come. It's going on right now. When we offer our own praises, we're simply joining a chorus already in progress around the throne of God.
And then something else struck me. Each of the 24 elders sitting around the throne is holding a golden bowl of incense. What's the incense? Our prayers! A scent pleasing to the Lord!
If you've ever felt "disconnected" in your prayer life, there might be an issue God wants you to address. Maybe you have some unrepented sin. Maybe you need to humble yourself. Maybe you just flat out aren't praying the things God would have you pray. But if you've given everything to the Lord in repentance and humility and are praying His will and still wonder if it's making a difference, know this: Your prayers are precious in heaven.
Consider the following scene: Up to this point in Revelation we see the beings, the creatures, the surroundings in heaven and there is quite a commotion. The praises are constantly being sung, the elders are falling prostrate before the throne, and the scroll is being revealed. And then suddenly, it all stops!
"When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out" (Rev. 8:1-4, NLT).
The trumpets were present, but silent. The heavenly hosts were watching in anticipation, but uncharacterically quiet. I don't know if it's possible to hear footsteps in heaven (you know, with the clouds for a floor and all!) but I imagine the angel carrying the incense burner echoing them as he makes his way to the alter. All of heaven stops and holds its breath in anticiption.
The continual praise of the Lord stops for one thing--the prayers of the righteous. That'show important your prayers are to God.
God, in this season of celebrating how precious You are to us, thank you for the reminder of how precious we are to You. Thank You for holding our communication with You in such high regard that You quiet all of heaven for it to be offered up to You.
Application:
Read Revelation 4, 7, & 8:1-5 from a few different translations and really soak in the vivid scene. Notice that John writes about his vision in past tense (because he's telling about a vision he had seen) but presents some elements in the present tense to convey that these events are occuring in the present. Praise and thank God as you visualize that at that very minute, heaven's stopping to hear your heartfelt prayer offering.
Power Verses:
2 Chronicles 6:39, "then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."(NIV)
Daniel 10:12, "Then he said, 'Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer'."(NLT)
Friday, February 25, 2011
Holy Spirit, Rain Down!
by Denise Reed
This Week’s Verse: Acts 1:4-5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit’”. (NIV)
Devotion: Our Life Group read the book ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’ by Jim Cymbala. I had heard a few people talk about this book and how awesome it is. I’m one of those people who get disappointed after seeing a movie or reading a book that’s been ‘talked up’. It raises my expectations too high. This book, however, did NOT leave me disappointed in the least bit. In fact, I don’t think it could be ‘talked up’ enough, I recommend you reading it if you haven’t.
This book tells about how the Brooklyn Tabernacle went from a small, dysfunctional church to a very active mega-church. What is so amazing is not the high attendance numbers or the award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, but what God has done with the church. Back when it had few members, who were only there out of duty, the church (with Pastor Cymbala’s lead) broke down and cried out to God for His Spirit to move. And from that very simple, but humble act, modern-day miracles happened. The book recounts story after amazing story of personal spiritual transformations of people in the community (which is considered a rough area). It just amazed me and humbled me to read how powerful the Holy Spirit is. Not too long ago, the Holy Spirit was something foreign to me. Of course I’ve always known about the Trinity, but the Holy Spirit was an unknown, therefore neglected by me.
Back to the Brooklyn Tabernacle, the only reason the Holy Spirit moved was because the congregation started pleaded for it during their weekly prayer meetings. They prayed out loud, in unison – as one voice lifted to Heaven. As it states in Matthew 21:13 “It is written”, he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer…” Jesus didn’t say “My house will be called a house of great sermons, or great music…” Those things are good, but not the emphasis of Jesus’ teaching. In our Life Group we end our meeting praying this way. We pick a few topics to pray for that are weighing on our hearts and we pray for them at the same time – as one voice. It really is invigorating!
After reading the book, God heavily laid it on my heart that our church needs to have a time of corporate prayer, calling out for the Holy Spirit. I feel that if I ignore this nudging, I will be disobedient to God. So, I have spoken to our minister and plan on beginning weekly prayer meetings sometime in March. This is all very exciting and scary to me, but I know that is will be a ‘success’ as long as the prayers are sincere and heartfelt, and there is a true calling out to the Holy Spirit. To quote Jim Cymbala from his book ‘Fresh Power’ (a follow up book to ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’) he states the following very clearly:
1) The Holy Spirit’s power is our greatest need.
2) This power and blessing is freely promised to all of God’s people,
3) This promise can only be fully received through sincere praying in faith and through waiting of God for His blessing to come.
Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and please help us know the Holy Spirit and His blessings. Please send the wind and fire of your Spirit upon us, transforming us from the inside out.
Application: If the Holy Spirit is an unknown to you, pray that God will reveal His Spirit to you and be willing to wait upon the Lord.
Power Verses:
Phillipians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)
1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (NIV)
Acts 2:42-43, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” (NIV)
This Week’s Verse: Acts 1:4-5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit’”. (NIV)
Devotion: Our Life Group read the book ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’ by Jim Cymbala. I had heard a few people talk about this book and how awesome it is. I’m one of those people who get disappointed after seeing a movie or reading a book that’s been ‘talked up’. It raises my expectations too high. This book, however, did NOT leave me disappointed in the least bit. In fact, I don’t think it could be ‘talked up’ enough, I recommend you reading it if you haven’t.
This book tells about how the Brooklyn Tabernacle went from a small, dysfunctional church to a very active mega-church. What is so amazing is not the high attendance numbers or the award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, but what God has done with the church. Back when it had few members, who were only there out of duty, the church (with Pastor Cymbala’s lead) broke down and cried out to God for His Spirit to move. And from that very simple, but humble act, modern-day miracles happened. The book recounts story after amazing story of personal spiritual transformations of people in the community (which is considered a rough area). It just amazed me and humbled me to read how powerful the Holy Spirit is. Not too long ago, the Holy Spirit was something foreign to me. Of course I’ve always known about the Trinity, but the Holy Spirit was an unknown, therefore neglected by me.
Back to the Brooklyn Tabernacle, the only reason the Holy Spirit moved was because the congregation started pleaded for it during their weekly prayer meetings. They prayed out loud, in unison – as one voice lifted to Heaven. As it states in Matthew 21:13 “It is written”, he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer…” Jesus didn’t say “My house will be called a house of great sermons, or great music…” Those things are good, but not the emphasis of Jesus’ teaching. In our Life Group we end our meeting praying this way. We pick a few topics to pray for that are weighing on our hearts and we pray for them at the same time – as one voice. It really is invigorating!
After reading the book, God heavily laid it on my heart that our church needs to have a time of corporate prayer, calling out for the Holy Spirit. I feel that if I ignore this nudging, I will be disobedient to God. So, I have spoken to our minister and plan on beginning weekly prayer meetings sometime in March. This is all very exciting and scary to me, but I know that is will be a ‘success’ as long as the prayers are sincere and heartfelt, and there is a true calling out to the Holy Spirit. To quote Jim Cymbala from his book ‘Fresh Power’ (a follow up book to ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’) he states the following very clearly:
1) The Holy Spirit’s power is our greatest need.
2) This power and blessing is freely promised to all of God’s people,
3) This promise can only be fully received through sincere praying in faith and through waiting of God for His blessing to come.
Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and please help us know the Holy Spirit and His blessings. Please send the wind and fire of your Spirit upon us, transforming us from the inside out.
Application: If the Holy Spirit is an unknown to you, pray that God will reveal His Spirit to you and be willing to wait upon the Lord.
Power Verses:
Phillipians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)
1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (NIV)
Acts 2:42-43, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” (NIV)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Simple Prayer
By Bethany Lashbrook
This Week’s Verse: Jeremiah 29:12, “In those days when you pray, I will listen.” (NLT)
Devotion: Sometimes during my quiet time with the Lord, when I bow my head to pray, either the words out of my mouth or the thought prayers in my head are truly wonderful. The Holy Spirit leads me so beautifully.
Then, I go to my Mother’s Prayer Group – and we pray out loud. I stutter, speak short words and stumble all over the place. Why is that?
I try not to worry about it much because I know the Lord knows what I am trying to say – even when the words don’t come out right.
Jesus provided specific instruction on how to pray. He says in Matthew, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be hard because of their many words. Do not be like them for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts
As we also have forgiven our
Debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.’ (6:6-13, NIV)
This is so simple and beautiful. And perfect.
Lord, help me to revive my prayer time. Help me to remember the instructions you gave us in your word. Thank you for your son Jesus and for the Holy Spirit within us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Applications: Having trouble praying? Go to BibleGateway.com and type in ‘prayer’. Wow – lots of others have had similar situations that you and I have!
Power Verses:
Isaiah 63:7 [Praise and Prayer], “I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.”
Acts 20:36, “And when he [Paul] had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.” (NKJV)
Hebrews 13:18, “Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do.” (NLT)
Friday, December 3, 2010
Distress: Do Prayers Matter?
By Melissa Milbourn
This Week’s Verse: 1 Kings 8:49, “then hear their prayers and their petition from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause.” (NLT)
Devotion: Recently, while going through a season of distress, a friend reached out to me. This friend is not in my day-to-day life, so she really had no way of knowing what I was dealing with, or going through each day...but God did.
She reached out saying that God had put me on her heart and that she was praying for me, and is praying for me. This happened about a month or two ago, and God has not changed my circumstances. But what has changed is ME. Through her prayers, God has changed me, and because of that, I am able to handle the situation I'm in much better. I can see and feel the difference, because of her prayers.
In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul is talking about a season of distress and what helped him through, and here is what he says:
"8-11We don't want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn't think we were going to make it. We felt like we'd been sent to death row that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he's the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he'll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. YOU AND YOUR PRAYERS ARE PART OF THE RESCUE OPERATION—I don't want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part."
Maybe you've been praying for yourself, or someone else, and you feel as if your prayers don't matter. Be reminded today, that God hears your prayers, and your prayers make difference. Your prayers are part of the rescue operation. Keep praying!
Dear Father, if a woman reading this needs prayer, I lift her up to you now. Just as you placed my friend in my life to pray for me, I lift these women up to you. Lord, please help us to remain women of faith as You continue being our light, our love, and our encourager. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Application: Is God placing someone on your heart? Maybe it is because you are to pray for her. In some circumstances, the Lord will want you to tell her you are praying for her. In others, he might want you to remain silent. Whatever the case, pray for your Christian girlfriends! We all could use some encouragement from time to time!
Power Verses:
Daniel 2:21, “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” (NIV)
James 5:16-18, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.” (MSG)
Friday, October 22, 2010
All Prayed Out!
By Denise Reed
This Week’s Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray continually” (NIV)
Lately, I have been feeling like I am all prayed out. I pray before every meal. I pray throughout the day if something is weighing on my mind and when God reminds me of something or someone to pray for. I even ask God to help me remember to do things (when I’m not able to write myself a reminder) and He has never failed to remind me! Sometimes when I check my e-mail there is a prayer concern for a friend and I pray instantly. I pray with my children before bed.
Then I sit down to do my ‘serious’ praying and get out my list of prayer concerns. Oh my! The list is long. There is my immediate family to pray for, more further removed family who are struggling with issues, friends, and people who have not asked for prayer, but am praying for anyway (such as their salvation). There is my list of prayer concerns from my Sunday school class, my Life Group, my Mother’s in Touch group, prayers for the ministries I’m involved in, and of course, my own personal needs and wants. And this list does not even include national and global issues, which quite possibly need the most amount of prayer. I guess I think I’m too far removed from those issues that I don’t need to pray for them. Somebody else will, right?
I think, boy, that’s a long list and more are added to it every week. If I pray for everyone, I feel like I’m just going down the list to get it done. So, maybe I should break it up and pray for half the list now and the other half tomorrow. Then I feel guilty for not praying for everyone everyday. How often DO I really need to pray for all these people, especially the people I don’t even know? And how long should I keep someone on my prayer list? With all these thoughts running through my head, my prayer time is stressing me out! Satan knows my weaknesses, so he works on me during my prayer time.
However, when searching the Bible for verses about prayer, I did not find ONE verse where we are told to pray every single day for the same person in order for God to answer our prayer. This gives me encouragement to continue on. James 5:15 says “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.” (NIV). So maybe it’s not about how OFTEN I pray for something, but rather, HOW I pray for it. It’s more a matter of the heart. When I am praying for someone, am I doing it in faith that God can and will answer my prayer? Or am I praying for someone just because his or her name is written down on my piece of paper?
Lord, thank you for your examples and instructions on prayer. Help me block out distractions and other thoughts that try to creep in while we are having a one-on-one conversation. I have faith that you can answer every single prayer request I have, and help me understand if you don’t answer it the way I want. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Application: If you have been feeling all prayed out like I have, take heart. It’s not a bad problem to have. Just make sure your heart is in the right place when you are praying.
Power Verses:
Mark 11:24 “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (NIV)
1 Samuel 12:23 “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.” (NIV)
Romans 8:26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (NIV)
Friday, July 16, 2010
Prayer Modeling
by Kathy Lay
This Week’s Verse: Luke 11:1, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."(NIV)
Devotion:
Prayer came hard for me on a recent morning. I’d been praying for a lot of people’s health issues lately, as well as my own “usual” stuff, and I just felt I couldn’t ask God for one more single solitary thing. Do you ever get to that point? He’s just given us so much, ya know?
Plus, I’d just woken up and wasn’t fully engaged mentally. Trying to put aside the grogginess, I told God, “I have no idea what to pray, Lord. You take care of all things, I know that, so I’m finding it hard to put thoughts into words. And you already know it all anyway.”
Instantly, my mind woke up to a verse in Luke 11 where the disciples ask Jesus how to pray. Jesus’answer? The Lord’s prayer. I felt like God responded to me by saying, “Just pray that.” So I did, in a personalized way:
Lord, you are my God in Heaven. Holy is your Name. Let your Kingdom burst forth here on earth just like in Heaven and allow my family and me to be a mighty part of that. Show us your will and give us the strength to walk in it. Thank you for providing food, shelter, transportation and so much more and I do ask your continued provision. Thank you for your forgiveness and please keep extending grace, helping me to do the same with others. Keep temptation to sin at bay governed by the self-control your Spirit allows and keep evil from us by your wall of protection. To You is the power and glory, Jesus, forever. Amen.
By the end of the prayer I felt that wonderful peace that passes all understanding. God reminded me that I sometimes make things more complicated than they really need to be—even talking to Him, when he modeled how to do it.
In this simple prayer, all the power of heaven is released to do its work here among us.
Lord, thank you for modeling prayer for the disciples, both then and now.
Application:
Practice putting the Lord’s Prayer into your own words, including more specific and detailed requests, if you’d like. Or revel in the simplicity of keeping it general. Anticipate the Kingdom descending to earth as it is in heaven.
Power Verses:
Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”(NIV)
1 Kings 8:28, “Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you today.”(NLT)
1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”(NIV)
This Week’s Verse: Luke 11:1, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."(NIV)
Devotion:
Prayer came hard for me on a recent morning. I’d been praying for a lot of people’s health issues lately, as well as my own “usual” stuff, and I just felt I couldn’t ask God for one more single solitary thing. Do you ever get to that point? He’s just given us so much, ya know?
Plus, I’d just woken up and wasn’t fully engaged mentally. Trying to put aside the grogginess, I told God, “I have no idea what to pray, Lord. You take care of all things, I know that, so I’m finding it hard to put thoughts into words. And you already know it all anyway.”
Instantly, my mind woke up to a verse in Luke 11 where the disciples ask Jesus how to pray. Jesus’answer? The Lord’s prayer. I felt like God responded to me by saying, “Just pray that.” So I did, in a personalized way:
Lord, you are my God in Heaven. Holy is your Name. Let your Kingdom burst forth here on earth just like in Heaven and allow my family and me to be a mighty part of that. Show us your will and give us the strength to walk in it. Thank you for providing food, shelter, transportation and so much more and I do ask your continued provision. Thank you for your forgiveness and please keep extending grace, helping me to do the same with others. Keep temptation to sin at bay governed by the self-control your Spirit allows and keep evil from us by your wall of protection. To You is the power and glory, Jesus, forever. Amen.
By the end of the prayer I felt that wonderful peace that passes all understanding. God reminded me that I sometimes make things more complicated than they really need to be—even talking to Him, when he modeled how to do it.
In this simple prayer, all the power of heaven is released to do its work here among us.
Lord, thank you for modeling prayer for the disciples, both then and now.
Application:
Practice putting the Lord’s Prayer into your own words, including more specific and detailed requests, if you’d like. Or revel in the simplicity of keeping it general. Anticipate the Kingdom descending to earth as it is in heaven.
Power Verses:
Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”(NIV)
1 Kings 8:28, “Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you today.”(NLT)
1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”(NIV)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Precious Prayers
by Kathy Lay
This Week's Verse: Revelation 5:8, "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."(NIV, emphasis mine)
Devotion
I was reading in Revelation 4 about the infinite praise taking place in heaven. It blew me away on several levels that this praise was, is, and is to come. It's going on right now. When we offer our own praises, we're simply joining a chorus already in progress around the throne of God.
And then something else struck me. Each of the 24 elders sitting around the throne is holding a golden bowl of incense. What's the incense? Our prayers! A scent pleasing to the Lord!
If you've ever felt "disconnected" in your prayer life, there might be an issue God wants you to address. Maybe you have some unrepented sin. Maybe you need to humble yourself. Maybe you just flat out aren't praying the things God would have you pray. But if you've given everything to the Lord in repentance and humility and are praying His will and still wonder if it's making a difference, know this: Your prayers are precious in heaven.
Consider the following scene: Up to this point in Revelation we see the beings, the creatures, the surroundings in heaven and there is quite a commotion. The praises are constantly being sung, the elders are falling prostrate before the throne, and the scroll is being revealed. And then suddenly, it all stops!
"When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out" (Rev. 8:1-4, NLT).
The trumpets were present, but silent. The heavenly hosts were watching in anticipation, but uncharacterically quiet. I don't know if it's possible to hear footsteps in heaven (you know, with the clouds for a floor and all!) but I imagine the angel carrying the incense burner echoing them as he makes his way to the alter. All of heaven stops and holds its breath in anticiption.
The continual praise of the Lord stops for one thing--the prayers of the righteous. That's how important your prayers are to God.
God, in this season of celebrating how precious You are to us, thank you for the reminder of how precious we are to You. Thank You for holding our communication with You in such high regard that You quiet all of heaven for it to be offered up to You.
Application:
Read Revelation 4, 7, & 8:1-5 from a few different translations and really soak in the vivid scene. Notice that John writes about his vision in past tense (because he's telling about a vision he had seen) but presents some elements in the present tense to convey that these events are occuring in the present. Praise and thank God as you visualize that at that very minute, heaven's stopping to hear your heartfelt prayer offering.
Power Verses:
2 Chronicles 6:39, "then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."(NIV)
Daniel 10:12, "Then he said, 'Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer'."(NLT)
This Week's Verse: Revelation 5:8, "And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."(NIV, emphasis mine)
Devotion
I was reading in Revelation 4 about the infinite praise taking place in heaven. It blew me away on several levels that this praise was, is, and is to come. It's going on right now. When we offer our own praises, we're simply joining a chorus already in progress around the throne of God.
And then something else struck me. Each of the 24 elders sitting around the throne is holding a golden bowl of incense. What's the incense? Our prayers! A scent pleasing to the Lord!
If you've ever felt "disconnected" in your prayer life, there might be an issue God wants you to address. Maybe you have some unrepented sin. Maybe you need to humble yourself. Maybe you just flat out aren't praying the things God would have you pray. But if you've given everything to the Lord in repentance and humility and are praying His will and still wonder if it's making a difference, know this: Your prayers are precious in heaven.
Consider the following scene: Up to this point in Revelation we see the beings, the creatures, the surroundings in heaven and there is quite a commotion. The praises are constantly being sung, the elders are falling prostrate before the throne, and the scroll is being revealed. And then suddenly, it all stops!
"When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets. Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out" (Rev. 8:1-4, NLT).
The trumpets were present, but silent. The heavenly hosts were watching in anticipation, but uncharacterically quiet. I don't know if it's possible to hear footsteps in heaven (you know, with the clouds for a floor and all!) but I imagine the angel carrying the incense burner echoing them as he makes his way to the alter. All of heaven stops and holds its breath in anticiption.
The continual praise of the Lord stops for one thing--the prayers of the righteous. That's how important your prayers are to God.
God, in this season of celebrating how precious You are to us, thank you for the reminder of how precious we are to You. Thank You for holding our communication with You in such high regard that You quiet all of heaven for it to be offered up to You.
Application:
Read Revelation 4, 7, & 8:1-5 from a few different translations and really soak in the vivid scene. Notice that John writes about his vision in past tense (because he's telling about a vision he had seen) but presents some elements in the present tense to convey that these events are occuring in the present. Praise and thank God as you visualize that at that very minute, heaven's stopping to hear your heartfelt prayer offering.
Power Verses:
2 Chronicles 6:39, "then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you."(NIV)
Daniel 10:12, "Then he said, 'Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer'."(NLT)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Conversation With God
by Karen Keim
“Lord, I am really hurting right now. I can’t quit crying. That person once again spoke to me and treated me in a manner that I don’t deserve.”
“I know how you feel, Karen. I didn’t deserve the treatment I received so long ago. And you know what else? Not that I want to hurt you more, but I don’t deserve the way YOU treat me sometimes either.”
“I know, Lord, and I’m sorry, but can we deal with that later? Right now can we just talk about me? I mean, how much more can I take? How much more SHOULD I take? I have a notion to just e-mail them and give them a piece of my mind!”
“You know, if you really consider yourself religious and don’t keep a tight rein on your tongue, you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“So I’m just supposed to sit back and continue to take this treatment at their will?!? Psshh!”
“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:29b)
“But who do they think they are?”
“I could ask you the same thing, Karen. Who do YOU think YOU are? You’re a sinner saved by my grace. You were once lost, too, you know.” (Ephesians 2:5)
“All right, all right. But, Lord, you know my friend and I have even been praying for them, even going so far as to literally hold in our hands things that belong to them and praying that they would soften their heart, that they would in some way come to accept You. Boy, that’s sure done a lot of good!”
“You don’t think so? Sounds to me like you’ve gotten the attention of satan! Sounds to me like he is on the prowl, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you going to let him get you?” (I Peter 5:14)
“Great! So now what am I supposed to do? I can’t fight SATAN!”
“Resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Be self-controlled and alert.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“I can’t, Lord! Don’t you hear me crying? All I want is to give them a piece of my mind!”
“Don’t you trust me? Don’t you think I can handle this one for you? Don’t take revenge. If there is revenge to be taken, I will take care of it.” (Romans 12:19)
“Well, okay. But I’m just not going to talk to them! If they’re going to treat me like that, I’ll just treat them the same way!”
“Would that really make you feel any better? How about just forgetting about it and turning the other cheek?” (Matthew 5:39)
“Oh, for goodness sakes! I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is I should overcome their evil by doing good to them, so it’s kind of like heaping burning coals on their head!” (Romans 12:21)
“You got it! I love you, Karen! Isn’t that enough?”
“Lord, I am really hurting right now. I can’t quit crying. That person once again spoke to me and treated me in a manner that I don’t deserve.”
“I know how you feel, Karen. I didn’t deserve the treatment I received so long ago. And you know what else? Not that I want to hurt you more, but I don’t deserve the way YOU treat me sometimes either.”
“I know, Lord, and I’m sorry, but can we deal with that later? Right now can we just talk about me? I mean, how much more can I take? How much more SHOULD I take? I have a notion to just e-mail them and give them a piece of my mind!”
“You know, if you really consider yourself religious and don’t keep a tight rein on your tongue, you deceive yourself and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
“So I’m just supposed to sit back and continue to take this treatment at their will?!? Psshh!”
“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:29b)
“But who do they think they are?”
“I could ask you the same thing, Karen. Who do YOU think YOU are? You’re a sinner saved by my grace. You were once lost, too, you know.” (Ephesians 2:5)
“All right, all right. But, Lord, you know my friend and I have even been praying for them, even going so far as to literally hold in our hands things that belong to them and praying that they would soften their heart, that they would in some way come to accept You. Boy, that’s sure done a lot of good!”
“You don’t think so? Sounds to me like you’ve gotten the attention of satan! Sounds to me like he is on the prowl, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you going to let him get you?” (I Peter 5:14)
“Great! So now what am I supposed to do? I can’t fight SATAN!”
“Resist him. Stand firm in your faith. Be self-controlled and alert.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“I can’t, Lord! Don’t you hear me crying? All I want is to give them a piece of my mind!”
“Don’t you trust me? Don’t you think I can handle this one for you? Don’t take revenge. If there is revenge to be taken, I will take care of it.” (Romans 12:19)
“Well, okay. But I’m just not going to talk to them! If they’re going to treat me like that, I’ll just treat them the same way!”
“Would that really make you feel any better? How about just forgetting about it and turning the other cheek?” (Matthew 5:39)
“Oh, for goodness sakes! I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is I should overcome their evil by doing good to them, so it’s kind of like heaping burning coals on their head!” (Romans 12:21)
“You got it! I love you, Karen! Isn’t that enough?”
Friday, July 24, 2009
Heart Cry
by Marsha Loftis
This Week's Verse: Psalm 5:1-3, "Listen, God! Please, pay attention! Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries? King-God, I need your help." (MSG)
Devotion:
I saw the words "heart cry" as I tried to catch up on my daily readings from Tim. He was describing David crying out to God.
I was immediately taken back to a time where I didn't know what to pray, how to pray, or what to hope for or dream of. A time where I was completely at His mercy, where I should be more often, but this particular time I was really lost. I could not form words or thoughts. I could only fall on my face and weep. Jesus knew what I was doing. I was praying. I was communicating with Him in a cry directly from my heart.
At times when you are so lost, so weary, so confused, so .... whatever! Know with every thing in you that Jesus understands. He cares about the smallest detail of our lives. He cares enough to number the hairs on our head. He collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). He is there for the little things, the big things, and every THING in between! His love is unimaginable. He knows all. He knows when we cry, when we sigh, and when we are too weary to try.
Thankfully, Jesus cares enough to be my intercessor and go to God on my behalf and interpret my 'heart cry'.
Lord, search my heart. Know that I long to be at Your mercy in all my 'things'. Thank you for sending your Son so that we may have a personal relationship with You, allowing your Holy Spirit to dwell in us. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Application:
Have you ever been unable to 'talk' to God? Every moan, groan, or sigh can be a prayer. Whether that prayer is out loud, silent or in the form of a heart cry. Each time you communicate with God you are releasing His power here on earth. Wait, watch, and be exalted!
Power Verses:
Lamentations 2:18 "Give out heart-cries to the Master, dear repentant Zion. Let the tears roll like a river, day and night, and keep at it—no time-outs. Keep those tears flowing!"(MSG)
Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."(NIV)
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."(NKJV)
Matthew 11:28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."(MSG)
This Week's Verse: Psalm 5:1-3, "Listen, God! Please, pay attention! Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries? King-God, I need your help." (MSG)
Devotion:
I saw the words "heart cry" as I tried to catch up on my daily readings from Tim. He was describing David crying out to God.
I was immediately taken back to a time where I didn't know what to pray, how to pray, or what to hope for or dream of. A time where I was completely at His mercy, where I should be more often, but this particular time I was really lost. I could not form words or thoughts. I could only fall on my face and weep. Jesus knew what I was doing. I was praying. I was communicating with Him in a cry directly from my heart.
At times when you are so lost, so weary, so confused, so .... whatever! Know with every thing in you that Jesus understands. He cares about the smallest detail of our lives. He cares enough to number the hairs on our head. He collects our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). He is there for the little things, the big things, and every THING in between! His love is unimaginable. He knows all. He knows when we cry, when we sigh, and when we are too weary to try.
Thankfully, Jesus cares enough to be my intercessor and go to God on my behalf and interpret my 'heart cry'.
Lord, search my heart. Know that I long to be at Your mercy in all my 'things'. Thank you for sending your Son so that we may have a personal relationship with You, allowing your Holy Spirit to dwell in us. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Application:
Have you ever been unable to 'talk' to God? Every moan, groan, or sigh can be a prayer. Whether that prayer is out loud, silent or in the form of a heart cry. Each time you communicate with God you are releasing His power here on earth. Wait, watch, and be exalted!
Power Verses:
Lamentations 2:18 "Give out heart-cries to the Master, dear repentant Zion. Let the tears roll like a river, day and night, and keep at it—no time-outs. Keep those tears flowing!"(MSG)
Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."(NIV)
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."(NKJV)
Matthew 11:28 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."(MSG)
Friday, June 12, 2009
Why Wait?
by Kathy Lay
This Week’s Verse: 2 Chronicles 6:40, "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”(NIV)
Devotion:
Now typically, I like frogs. They're kind of cute, they eat insect pests, and my kids love to play with them. But imagine being completely overrun with them. Exodus 8 describes the plague of frogs as being so thick that they were even invading beds, ovens, and kneading bowls. It'd be kind of hard to sleep with those slimy, ribbitting things trying to slip into your PJ's for warmth. It would also be a bit disconcerting to bite into your bread and sense something unusually chewy, only to look down and see half a frog oozing out at you. And then there's what they leave behind. Everywhere.
So Pharaoh--fed up with all this--summons Moses and Aaron to pray to their God to remove the frogs. Moses challenges Pharaoh to determine the time the prayer should take place. (Now here's the part that makes my jaw drop...)
Pharaoh responds, "Do it tomorrow."
(Okay, re-read that first part of v. 10. because I KNOW he didn't just say "tomorrow.")
"Do it tomorrow," Pharaoh said.
What?! Why on earth would he allow the frogs to remain one more day if he didn't have to?! Unless it was exactly 11:59:59 p.m. (or whatever the ancient Egyptian equivalent would be), then I simply do not understand how Pharaoh could respond this way in the midst of such nastiness. Why did he not burst out desperately, "Today! Do it right now to end this!"
But then as God so often does, He transported me from His Word to my life...or more accurately, His Word IN my life: "Kathy, why do you judge Pharaoh? You do this all the time. When you're worrying about a decision to make, you tell yourself that you need to pray about it—and sometimes you do—but sometimes you forget entirely. Or someone who is struggling will confide in you and you tell her “I'll pray for you,” implying that you'll do it later. Why not do it right then? By waiting, you're postponing resolution or healing, just like Pharaoh did. So quit judging."
Wow. Lesson noted, Lord. Thanks.
And you know what? A few plagues later when the flies swarmed in, Pharaoh gave Moses permission to take the Israelites on a three-day trip to the wilderness to offer sacrifices. But in verse 28 he doesn’t say, “Pray for me in a few days while you’re out there.” No, this time he asks for immediate prayer.
Even though he still struggled with a hard heart in later chapters, Pharaoh was beginning to learn his lesson: why wait?
Father, I am not so different from Pharaoh with my hard heart and my delayed or often omitted prayer. Help me finally come to realize the urgency in prayer to the point that it becomes second nature to do it at the exact moment a need presents itself.
Application:
Have you ever wondered if a situation could have been averted had you prayed about it sooner? I know I have. I Thess. 5:17 tells us to pray continually, which lends itself beautifully to timely, urgent prayer. Try to develop the habit of turning thoughts into prayers. It takes discipline, but it will enable you to stay in constant contact with The One who has it all under control.
Power Verses:
Exodus 8:28, “'All right, go ahead,’ Pharaoh replied. ‘I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God. But don’t go too far away. Now hurry and pray for me.’”(NLT—emphasis mine)
Psalm 102:1, “God, listen! Listen to my prayer, listen to the pain in my cries. Don't turn your back on me just when I need you so desperately. Pay attention! This is a cry for help! And hurry—this can't wait!”(MSG)
Psalm 86:6, “Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry.”(NLT)
This Week’s Verse: 2 Chronicles 6:40, "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”(NIV)
Devotion:
Now typically, I like frogs. They're kind of cute, they eat insect pests, and my kids love to play with them. But imagine being completely overrun with them. Exodus 8 describes the plague of frogs as being so thick that they were even invading beds, ovens, and kneading bowls. It'd be kind of hard to sleep with those slimy, ribbitting things trying to slip into your PJ's for warmth. It would also be a bit disconcerting to bite into your bread and sense something unusually chewy, only to look down and see half a frog oozing out at you. And then there's what they leave behind. Everywhere.
So Pharaoh--fed up with all this--summons Moses and Aaron to pray to their God to remove the frogs. Moses challenges Pharaoh to determine the time the prayer should take place. (Now here's the part that makes my jaw drop...)
Pharaoh responds, "Do it tomorrow."
(Okay, re-read that first part of v. 10. because I KNOW he didn't just say "tomorrow.")
"Do it tomorrow," Pharaoh said.
What?! Why on earth would he allow the frogs to remain one more day if he didn't have to?! Unless it was exactly 11:59:59 p.m. (or whatever the ancient Egyptian equivalent would be), then I simply do not understand how Pharaoh could respond this way in the midst of such nastiness. Why did he not burst out desperately, "Today! Do it right now to end this!"
But then as God so often does, He transported me from His Word to my life...or more accurately, His Word IN my life: "Kathy, why do you judge Pharaoh? You do this all the time. When you're worrying about a decision to make, you tell yourself that you need to pray about it—and sometimes you do—but sometimes you forget entirely. Or someone who is struggling will confide in you and you tell her “I'll pray for you,” implying that you'll do it later. Why not do it right then? By waiting, you're postponing resolution or healing, just like Pharaoh did. So quit judging."
Wow. Lesson noted, Lord. Thanks.
And you know what? A few plagues later when the flies swarmed in, Pharaoh gave Moses permission to take the Israelites on a three-day trip to the wilderness to offer sacrifices. But in verse 28 he doesn’t say, “Pray for me in a few days while you’re out there.” No, this time he asks for immediate prayer.
Even though he still struggled with a hard heart in later chapters, Pharaoh was beginning to learn his lesson: why wait?
Father, I am not so different from Pharaoh with my hard heart and my delayed or often omitted prayer. Help me finally come to realize the urgency in prayer to the point that it becomes second nature to do it at the exact moment a need presents itself.
Application:
Have you ever wondered if a situation could have been averted had you prayed about it sooner? I know I have. I Thess. 5:17 tells us to pray continually, which lends itself beautifully to timely, urgent prayer. Try to develop the habit of turning thoughts into prayers. It takes discipline, but it will enable you to stay in constant contact with The One who has it all under control.
Power Verses:
Exodus 8:28, “'All right, go ahead,’ Pharaoh replied. ‘I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God. But don’t go too far away. Now hurry and pray for me.’”(NLT—emphasis mine)
Psalm 102:1, “God, listen! Listen to my prayer, listen to the pain in my cries. Don't turn your back on me just when I need you so desperately. Pay attention! This is a cry for help! And hurry—this can't wait!”(MSG)
Psalm 86:6, “Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry.”(NLT)
Friday, October 24, 2008
To Train A Child
By Bethany Lashbrook
This Week’s Verse: Proverb 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (NIV)
Devotion:
When I was growing up, my parents were firm believers in the church, and I grew up in a small country church right outside of Marshall. There I learned what every child learns in church. I grew up rich in the Methodist faith and confirmed my belief by accepting God into my life at age nine at church camp.
By age twelve, I became vastly aware of the world around me. I was interested in boys and what boys thought of me. I liked to wear makeup to change my appearance. Already church and religion were taking a back seat in my life.
By age fourteen, religion was practically gone. I started maturing, therefore, started making my own decisions. I decided God was not needed. By fifteen, I didn’t believe in a godly lifestyle at all. I decided that life was more “fun” without God in my life and I didn’t need a list of rules to follow in order to make it in this world.
The rest of the story is pretty easy to fill in. I went through lots of trials and tribulations the next ten years, and started wanting LIFE again when I fell in love with my future husband and had my first daughter Savannah. After having my second daughter, Gabrielle, in 2005, I decided it was time for a permanent change in my life. Not only was I responsible for my own life now, but for my two children’s lives as well. I was baptized in 2007 to confirm my faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, and have since strived to be a Christian woman and mother strong in faith.
I used to think I had failed my parents because they had “trained me” to live in faith and I did not follow it. Recently, I heard a sermon I found online. This man proclaimed a new way to look at this week's verse, Proverbs 22:6. He said not to think of it as raising a child in church and she will not depart from it, but raising a child to understand fully and wholly whom she is and she will not turn from herself. WOW! So, these personality characteristics of mine that my parents and I really didn’t appreciate are what actually eased my way through those ten years of constant struggle in my life.
I am strong-willed. I am independent. I tell a person how it really is. I can take a beating and get right back up. I don’t get my feelings hurt too often, yet am sensitive to how others feel. My parents raised me to use these characteristics of mine, no matter what situation in life I had gotten myself into. Not only did these characteristics help me stay strong through some of the worst years of my life, but they also led me back to Christ.
They continue to direct me today into such things as having a strong Christian faith, trusting other believers with some of “my story”, asking God to help me heal from situations from my past, writing devotions, and praying with other women for my children in our Mother’s Prayer Group.
My oldest daughter (who is six) and I are already arguers. We have the same personality. I used to think that this would inhibit our growth. Instead, my other praying mama’s and I have used this to enhance our growth. By praying that God uses these traits of hers to His best ability, then she will surely know who she is and who He has intended for her to be. I also pray that I will not get upset at her for having these traits. She is God-made and he did make her in His image and I cannot get mad that He wanted her to be this way. Therefore, even if she goes through a period in her life like I did, she will not turn from herself, but find herself and come back all for the Glory of God.
Lord, Thank you for making me “ me”. Thank you for making my children to better compliment my life. Help me to remember that you have made each of your children in your likeness. You have formed us completely to be whole and to worship you. Guide and direct each one of us. Amen.
Application:
*Don’t worry about praying the “right” prayer. Remember, the Lord knows what you are trying to say. Let the Holy Spirit guide your words. If you are having a tough time in your prayer life, try changing your routine!
*Use a list that has the things you would like to pray for daily, weekly, and has room for additional prayer requests during the week
*Find a prayer partner. Start by praying for a half hour a week and see where it leads.
*Set aside time every day for prayer. Prayer does not have to be with your eyes shut, it can be in the shower, on your drive to work, while exercising, or while waiting for your children at soccer practice!
Power Verses:
Deuteronomy 14:1, “You are the children of the Lord your God.” (NIV)
Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” (NIV)
Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (NLT)
This Week’s Verse: Proverb 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (NIV)
Devotion:
When I was growing up, my parents were firm believers in the church, and I grew up in a small country church right outside of Marshall. There I learned what every child learns in church. I grew up rich in the Methodist faith and confirmed my belief by accepting God into my life at age nine at church camp.
By age twelve, I became vastly aware of the world around me. I was interested in boys and what boys thought of me. I liked to wear makeup to change my appearance. Already church and religion were taking a back seat in my life.
By age fourteen, religion was practically gone. I started maturing, therefore, started making my own decisions. I decided God was not needed. By fifteen, I didn’t believe in a godly lifestyle at all. I decided that life was more “fun” without God in my life and I didn’t need a list of rules to follow in order to make it in this world.
The rest of the story is pretty easy to fill in. I went through lots of trials and tribulations the next ten years, and started wanting LIFE again when I fell in love with my future husband and had my first daughter Savannah. After having my second daughter, Gabrielle, in 2005, I decided it was time for a permanent change in my life. Not only was I responsible for my own life now, but for my two children’s lives as well. I was baptized in 2007 to confirm my faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, and have since strived to be a Christian woman and mother strong in faith.
I used to think I had failed my parents because they had “trained me” to live in faith and I did not follow it. Recently, I heard a sermon I found online. This man proclaimed a new way to look at this week's verse, Proverbs 22:6. He said not to think of it as raising a child in church and she will not depart from it, but raising a child to understand fully and wholly whom she is and she will not turn from herself. WOW! So, these personality characteristics of mine that my parents and I really didn’t appreciate are what actually eased my way through those ten years of constant struggle in my life.
I am strong-willed. I am independent. I tell a person how it really is. I can take a beating and get right back up. I don’t get my feelings hurt too often, yet am sensitive to how others feel. My parents raised me to use these characteristics of mine, no matter what situation in life I had gotten myself into. Not only did these characteristics help me stay strong through some of the worst years of my life, but they also led me back to Christ.
They continue to direct me today into such things as having a strong Christian faith, trusting other believers with some of “my story”, asking God to help me heal from situations from my past, writing devotions, and praying with other women for my children in our Mother’s Prayer Group.
My oldest daughter (who is six) and I are already arguers. We have the same personality. I used to think that this would inhibit our growth. Instead, my other praying mama’s and I have used this to enhance our growth. By praying that God uses these traits of hers to His best ability, then she will surely know who she is and who He has intended for her to be. I also pray that I will not get upset at her for having these traits. She is God-made and he did make her in His image and I cannot get mad that He wanted her to be this way. Therefore, even if she goes through a period in her life like I did, she will not turn from herself, but find herself and come back all for the Glory of God.
Lord, Thank you for making me “ me”. Thank you for making my children to better compliment my life. Help me to remember that you have made each of your children in your likeness. You have formed us completely to be whole and to worship you. Guide and direct each one of us. Amen.
Application:
*Don’t worry about praying the “right” prayer. Remember, the Lord knows what you are trying to say. Let the Holy Spirit guide your words. If you are having a tough time in your prayer life, try changing your routine!
*Use a list that has the things you would like to pray for daily, weekly, and has room for additional prayer requests during the week
*Find a prayer partner. Start by praying for a half hour a week and see where it leads.
*Set aside time every day for prayer. Prayer does not have to be with your eyes shut, it can be in the shower, on your drive to work, while exercising, or while waiting for your children at soccer practice!
Power Verses:
Deuteronomy 14:1, “You are the children of the Lord your God.” (NIV)
Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” (NIV)
Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (NLT)
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