Prayer

March 31st – Luke 6:12

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Luke 6:12

Jesus was a very real person like you and me, experiencing every temptation that we too face in our lives. And just as Jesus often went off by Himself to pray to the Father, so should we. Praying as Colossians 4:2 tells us, with an attitude of thanksgiving. Many times Jesus left the disciplines to be alone in secret with God. Because spending one on one time with the Father was vital. And it’s just as vital for us. Because prayer is a powerful weapon against the Enemy, we should be praying often throughout our day. Always looking for opportunities to pray and to be bold in those prayers. Pray according to His will and it will be done. And remember, that sometimes our prayer requests are a long time in coming but don’t give up. Because in His perfect timing, God will answer!

Blessings, Lyn

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March 30th – 1 John 1:9

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1 John 1:9

If we’re honest, there isn’t a single day that we can say “I’m good enough”. We may be born again Christians and sin no longer has reign over our souls, but we still fight with the flesh daily. The apostle Paul, who called himself “chief of sinners”, knew this battle well. In Romans 7:22-23 he says, “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” 

God doesn’t want sin to have a hold on us, and longs for us to be free of its crippling grasp. The Bible devotes much to the topic to make us aware of its toxic effects. God doesn’t want us to cover up and hide our sin, but rather expose and uproot it. Because unconfessed and unrepentant sin festers under the surface. It spreads like cancer, destroying us from deep within. And it hinders our relationship with God, keeping us from being able to glorify Him.

We may be sinners, but we have forgiveness and atonement for our sin through the blood of Christ. And because we have confidence in that forgiveness, we can be free. Free to ask God to shine the spotlight into the deepest, darkest recesses of our being. And to expose and cleanse any unrecognized or unrelinquished sin. Because even if we fool other people or even ourselves, God knows our true motives and agendas.

What a privilege it is to be able to go to God in prayer and confess our sin. To share with Him our struggle, and to ask for victory. And as we surrender to the process of being shaped into the image of Christ, we will be renewed, strengthened, and refreshed!

Blessings, Becky

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March 28th – Ephesians 6:18

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Ephesians 6:18

After telling Christians about each piece of the armor of God, Paul adds on another crucial part of our uniform. Prayer. And although it’s not something we wear, without it, winning any war is impossible. Why? Because prayer is our lifeline to the power of God. And as our great Commander, the instructions we receive through prayer can mean the difference success and failure.

To be a victorious prayer warrior, Paul goes on to give us, the soldiers of God, practical applications when praying. First he tells us to pray in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit isn’t about the words we say. Instead it means praying according to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then carries those petitions to our Heavenly Father and lays them at His feet. But praying in the Spirit can only happen when we have a close, personal, relationship with God.

Next Paul tells us to stay alert. Being alert includes being sober minded and watchful. (1 Peter 5:8) For the Enemy’s attacks are never ending, and his deviousness knows no bounds. But nothing stops Satan faster in his tracks then when we drop to our knees in prayer. So just like soldiers who keep their guns at the ready, we are to be ready at a moments notice to go to God with all perseverance in constant and fervent prayer.

Paul ends by telling us the the importance of praying for the needs of other believers. I once read that as prayer warriors, we are spiritual weapons in God’s mighty hand. I love that! That means we have the honor and great privilege of being part of God’s master plan. And when we pray for others, we become important, intricate, parts of seeing that plan come to fruition. Both in the world, and in the lives of other Christians.

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March 27th – 2 Chronicles 7:14

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2 Chronicles 7:14

With all the troubles filling the world, it’s easy to see why people today feel helpless and hopeless. But Christian’s can still have hearts of optimism. For God says that if His people humble themselves, pray, and seek His face, restoration will happen. Humility means surrender. Surrendering our hearts and minds to God’s perfect will, including confessing and repenting from our sins. Next comes prayer. No matter the circumstance, our first response should always be prayer. In all things we need to be pleading for ourselves, each other, and our leaders. Finally we must seek God’s face. The Hebrew word for “face” is often translated as “presence”. And to seek His presence means wanting to know God intimately. If we, God’s people, truly want to see a change in the world, we must as one body follow these guidelines.

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All The World Is Not A Stage – Matthew 6

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In Matthew chapters 5-7, Jesus delivers His most famous sermon of all, The Sermon on the Mount. In it He instructs us how to live a life that is both dedicated and pleasing to God. And in chapter 6, Christ makes very clear the importance of doing the right things for the right reasons. Saying, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (v. 6:1)

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March 25th – Mark 1:35

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Mark 1:35

Everyone needs a little me time. Time away from everyone and everything. Jesus was no different. Everywhere He went people swarmed Him. And so to refresh and reflect, Jesus turned to God in prayer. Many times throughout the gospel, before preparing to take on God’s calling, Jesus slipped away for some valuable one on one time with the Father. And we should do the same. For we cannot answer God’s call if we have nothing left to give. Which is why it’s so important that we too, recharge our batteries. And we do that by spending time with our Heavenly Father. Through prayer, His Word, and God’s still small voice, we have all the strength and energy we need to accomplish God’s will. For like Dr. Charles Stanley says, “We can be tired, weary, and emotionally distraught. But after spending time alone with God, we find He injects into our bodies, energy, power, and strength!”

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March 24th – Proverbs 15:8-9

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Proverbs 15:8-9

In reading reading these verse in Proverbs, we find that the prayer of a child of God is a pleasing offering. Our Father delights and loves those who fear Him and want to live in His ways. That’s why we are so privileged to not only have God’s word, but be able to pray His word back to Him! Just like David did. Throughout the Psalms we see David’s passion for God. And although he wasn’t a perfect man, He continually prayed to the Lord, and offered his heart with praise and worship. Let us do the same! Let us rejoice in God! For He listens, cares, and delights in us seeking Him. So the next time you approach the Lord in prayer, pray from your heart. A heart that is humble and repentant. And release the beautiful fragrance of a child praying to His heavenly Father!

Blessings, Mari

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March 23rd – Matthew 7:7-11

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Matthew 7:7-11

Do you ever doubt that your prayer makes a difference. Based on God’s Word prayer is vital in our relationship with God. Jesus encouraged us to pray and when we put forth the effort to pray, God responds. 

ASK: We need to make our requests known. Going to God is a recognition that you have needs and you need His help. God doesn’t want us to think that we are self sufficient and do not need Him. Contrary to what some may teach, however, this is not a promise that God will give us our every whim and desire. He is not a genie in a bottle. But, He will give us what we He determines we need and what is best for us according to His will. 

SEEK: God wants us engaged with Him and His Word. He wants us to have an inquiring mind and a teachable heart. Seeking God grows our faith and prayer is an act of faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”  Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭

KNOCK: We knock on a door when we seek admittance. That means we believe that someone will respond and give us access. Prayer becomes that knock on heaven’s door and through the blood of Jesus, we have access to the very throne of God. We have access no matter our race, sex, age, position, etc. We can enter even though we are not worthy. Christ makes us worthy. He is that door of access to our Heavenly Father. 

We aren’t promised every thing we desire,  but we are promised that God will give us good things. Just think. If selfish, human parents can provide what they know is good for their children,  how much more can we trust in the goodwill of our Heavenly Father to provide what He knows will be for our ultimate good.

May I encourage you to embrace prayer as vital to your Christian growth and wellbeing. It’s very simple. Your Heavenly Father is waiting for you, His beloved child ,to meet with Him. Ask, seek, knock. He will provide, be available and bless You with what is meant for your ultimate good.

Blessings, Becky

March 23rd – Matthew 7:7-11 Read More »

March 22nd – John 14:13-14

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John 14:13-14

What did Jesus mean when He made the promise that “whatever you ask in My name, that will I do”? Does it simply mean we should end each prayer with, “in Jesus name we pray“? Or is there more to it than that?

Jesus makes this promise while speaking to His disciples the evening before his arrest and crucifixion. Christ, knowing all that was about to transpire, was imparting full authority to them. How? By giving them the power to ask in His name. For at that time, to speak in the name of a person meant to fully represent them in all ways.

Therefore, Jesus was promising His disciples that while they were fulfilling their mission; He would do anything they asked Him to do while asking with the authority of His name. In short, He was handing His disciples a great privilege as well as a tremendous responsibility, but what does this promise mean to us?

First and foremost asking in His name is acknowledging His authority. In other words, our standing before the Father is based solely on the finished work of Jesus alone. We come to Him in prayer, not through our own  merit, but in the name of Jesus.

Secondly, we must pray wholly surrendered to His will not ours. How often have we prayed believing we know what the answer should be and were disappointed when the outcome did not turn out as we planed?

Finally, we should pray seeking His glory, not our own,. because glorying the Lord is our sole purpose for being here on this earth.

Keeping these three objectives in mind makes it easier to pray for each of His children. For prayer is a beautiful and precious privilege. It is an honor to be given the right to come before God at any time and in any place, bringing all our petitions before Him. But we must pray in a way that acknowledges Christ and seeks to glorify Him always.

Blessings,

Sue

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March 21st – Philippians 4:6-7

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Philippians 4:6-7

The faith and love of the Lord exhibited by Paul never ceases to amaze me. No matter if he endured beatings, persecution, imprisonment, or a shipwreck, he never gave up. Nor did he give in to anxiety or despair. Does it mean he didn’t have those feelings, even for a brief minute? Of course not. For Paul, like us, always battled his human nature. But because of his close, personal, relationship with God, Paul experienced a peace beyond human understanding. And we can too.

Anxiety and worry go hand in hand with life. Especially as the days grow darker. But that doesn’t mean we have to stay trapped in the swirling cyclone of turmoil. We have a choice. But unfortunately some people get so used to being surrounded by anxiety and drama, without it they feel incomplete. And sadder still, some even thrive on it. But that’s no way for Christians to live. Because God wants to fill every area of our hearts, minds, and lives, with His perfect peace.

First we need to believe in our minds that God is the Author of peace. Next we need to believe in our hearts that He will overflow us with that peace. And we do that by following Paul’s example of prayers and thanksgivings. How do we learn to pray and give thanks? By spending time in God’s Word, and applying His promises to our lives. For as we grow in our understanding of the overwhelming love our Heavenly Father has for His children, our minds can find the peace they so desperately crave. And our hearts can’t help but burst with thankfulness for all God is and does.

As long we the earth is our home, we will encounter situations that will test our faith, and attempt to rattle our peace. But remembering that nothing happens without God’s say so, and He uses all things for our good, gives us a peace that transcends human understanding. I love the analogy of living in peace being like the petals of a flower unfolding in the morning sunlight. Our petals of peace open as we learn more about God. And as we soak in the sunshine of His perfect love, our petals blossom in His warmth and goodness.

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