JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(Deuteronomy 31:8) “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you."
It’s a common feeling to be or feel anxious when you don’t know what you’re walking into?
Israel was going into a “good situation”… the Promised Land.
They had just come out of a bad one… a back-breaking, soul-destroying, hope-extinguishing 430 years of slavery.
But now they were about to face new opportunities that were totally outside their realm of knowledge or understanding.
Now they were going to be free to own their own homes, raise their own families, work at jobs they liked, and be well paid for it.
But the Promised Land wasn’t problem free.
And many times when we are faced with opportunities that are foreign to us or different than what we are used to… we can feel overwhelmed or hesitant
In experiencing the “promised Land”, there were enemy strongholds that had to be conquered one by one, and it would take time.
When the ten spy’s were sent into the promised land to spy out the land they returned with great news about the opportunities that were before them… but they brought a negative report of doubt and fear.
Read the story in Number 13 and 14.
So here is a challenge for you to consider.
Are you facing unfamiliar circumstances today!
Are you having to make decisions concerning your future… but have no idea what’s ahead of you?
You’re embarking on a new relationship, a new job, a new ministry, or an unfamiliar area where you don’t have all the answers?
And because you don’t know exactly what’s involved, you’re feeling doubtful, whether your up to the task .
Don’t be!
God says… “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you… He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid… do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8)
In order for us to experience Gods richest blessing, there are times we must follow Him and walk with nothing to lean on, depend on, or utilize for back up… only Him and Him alone.
And when your confidence starts to falter and your faith fluctuates… when fear and doubt start to attack your mind,
That’s when you need to stand on the Word and the promises of God.
Paul said, “let the word of Christ dwell within you richly” (Colossians 3:16)
Jesus said “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Luke 4:4)
There are many, many promises of God in Scripture.
In each promise, God pledges that something will (or will not) be done or given or come to pass.
These are not flippant, casual promises such as you and I often make.
These promises of God that are rock-solid, unequivocal commitments made by God Himself.
I do not have time or space this morning to list all of the promises that God has made to you and I, His children.
Those promises of His care and keeping grace in every situation that we might face in life.
There are just to many to list in this blog this morning.
But know that all of them find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3).
“No matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 1:20).
If your needing some encouragement, if your needing some confidence this morning, then do what I do.
Search out the scriptures and the promises of God.
Let them wash over you and refresh you.
Read them, stand on them, pray them… and count on… have confidence that what He said He meant and He meant what He said.
That is what is called confidence.
(Psalm 107:19-21) “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
He sent forth His word … He rescued themfrom the pit.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men…”
(1st John 5:14-15) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God… that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us. And if we know that he hears us…whatever we ask…we know that we have what we asked of him”.
Good Day!
(Exodus 15:26) "I am the Lord who heals you."
Why isn’t every sick person who is prayed over healed?
We don’t know, and God doesn’t tell us.
We know that “doubt and unbelief” can hinder His “miracle-working” power in our lives.
(James 1:6) tells us… “we must ask in faith without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind… that man should expect to receive anything from the Lord”.
We read that when Jesus returned to His hometown, to those who knew Him best, “He did not do many miracles there… because of their lack of faith” (Matthew 13:58)
So there are aspects of healing we will never fully understand.
Paul wrote, “I left Trophimus sick in Miletus” (2nd Timothy 4:20)
So why would Paul, whom himself had prayed for people and seen them healed… who had prayed and then seen the dead come back to life when he prayed… why would he leave a friend sick instead of praying and seeing him healed?
There are many things about God we don’t know, but here’s one thing we do know… God says in His Word “I am the Lord, who heals you.”
And since He said, “I am the Lord, and I do not change” (Malachi 3:6), and His Word tells us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8)… we can have hope and be encouraged to go to Him for healing “based on His Word”.
One of the last statements Jesus made before leaving earth was this… “These signs will follow those who believe. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18)
So the question I want to challenge you with today is this.
Do you believe God still heals people today?
Do you believe that God can heal you today?
In (Matthew 9:29) two blind men made their way into a house where Jesus was staying and begged Him to heal them…
Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
Then He touched their eyes saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”
The scripture says “immediately their eyes were opened and they could see”
In (Mark 9:24) Jesus said to the father of a young boy that needed deliverance and healing, “if you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe”.
In a world where disease and pestilence is running rampant, man (in all of his knowledge and education) has come up with all kinds of medications to combat many of the diseases that are a plague, in and to our society.
I thank God for His gift of knowledge bestowed upon humanity that has helped many that have been and are sick in their bodies.
But medicine and pharmacy are “mans ways” of dealing with sickness and disease.
They are not perfect and they are not “wholly” effective.
Just read the warnings that come with every prescription.
Unfortunately many “believers in God”, yes “Christians”, remain dependent and bound “to the addictions of their flesh”… and the frustrating part is that many of these believers are not new Christians, but Christians who are leaders of others.
Those addictions of the flesh have caused much damage to the health of many.
I am going to step on some toes right now that might offend some of you but truth is truth no matter how you deliver it… and the truth is, many of you are sick in your bodies because you refuse to listen to the truth.
The three main diseases in our society today come from “overindulgence” and “submission” to the lusts of our flesh.
The three main diseases are heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
All of which science has proved can be eradicated if we will feed our bodies properly and be involved with proper exercise.
Even our spiritual leaders have fallen prey to the worldly attitude of “carnal indulgence”.
Just look at the “sin of obesity” that stands on the platform of many of our churches today… and that walk the streets of the western hemisphere today.
And unfortunately many of these “leaders”… are people whom have not learned or practiced self discipline in governing their own “fleshly lusts and activities.”
When spiritual leaders are still bound to fleshly addictions, how can they be a qualified vessel that the Holy Spirit can work through?
They are like the Pharisees of the New Testament in (Matthew 15:14) whom Jesus called “blind leaders of the blind”.
I know this sounds harsh but it is time that “Christian leaders”… pastors and elders become the sacrificial… self disciplined servants… and caring shepherds of Gods church… setting a “Godly, sacrificial and disciplined example” to the people that God has sent them too.
Unfortunately what we are increasingly seeing in church… are immature believers and so called Christian leaders who think the Holy Spirit is all about dancing around the floor and getting a fuzzy feeling inside.
They are people that are moved by their emotions and emotional experiences.
They then pass this misconception that they call "the moving of the Spirit”, on to others whom they are leading.
Is it any wonder that there is a lack of the “transforming power” of the Holy Spirit in Churches today?
As it says in (James 5:13-15) “Is anyone among you suffering… let him pray?
Is anyone cheerful… let him sing psalms?
Is anyone among you sick?
Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord… and the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up”.
Many people misunderstand what “elder” means in this passage.
They think that because someone has the official title of “elder or pastor or leader” in a church, then that person’s prayers will be more effective.
But the emphasis here is not on the official position of elder or leader, or pastor,
It is “the spiritual condition” or level of “spiritual maturity” that the elder, leader or pastor walks in… “governs or disciplines his life to”… that determines the effectiveness of his calling as an elder.
As in James day, to be an elder meant you were a mature Christian who exhibited the power of the Holy Spirit in your life… which meant you were not bound to “fleshly” or carnal activities and addictions.
The sad spiritual condition of the church today… is a direct result of the sad spiritual condition of its elders, its leaders and it’s pastors… and as their spiritual condition worsens… the weaker the church becomes in its ability to be the transformative light of Jesus to the world.
When you mix, prescription drugs, a heavy emphasis on “revelation and experiential and emotion driven religion”…
Over Biblical Doctrine and obedience to the Word… then you wind up with a church ripe for deception and lying spirits and death to its members.
The gateways to satanic influences have been thrown wide open within the church today… because of a lack of unbelief in the capabilities of the Holy Spirit in our lives… and an ignorance of Gods Word and it’s application for our lives today.
Jesus said (Mark 9:23) “All things are possible to them that believe”
He also asked “Do you Believe”? (Mark 9:24)
(Mark 10:27) he said “For with God all things are possible”
(Mark 11:24) “Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire, when ye pray… believe that ye receive [them]… and ye shall have [them].
Do you believe that God can still heal the sick?
Do you believe that God can heal you?
If you do, then obey this scripture… “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:14-15).
So the challenge for each of us today is this… “don’t give up… believe God for your healing”.
“Man shall not live by bread alone (or the ways and devices of man) but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Luke 4:4).
Good Day!
(Luke 22:40) “Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
Let’s face it and be honest with each other!
We all have issues in our lives that we struggle with.
Bad habits, sin’s that we struggle with and succumb to time after time, but we manage to keep them in the closet hoping others never see them.
You can put on your best game face in an attempt to convince others you’re doing better than you are, but deep inside you know the areas where you’re most often tempted and fail.
In fact, if you are gut-level honest, chances are you even keep a mental scorecard.
Others may give you an A or B on your report card, but you give yourself a failing grade.
And when that happens often enough, you reach the place where you start thinking, “What’s the point in asking God for forgiveness? I’m just going to repeat the same sins over and over and have to go back to Him again.”
But there is a solution.
Jesus told His disciples, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41).
In other words, pray “before the temptation comes” and you’ll be strengthened and fortified to handle it.
Spend time with God, in prayer, and in conversation with Him.
“But I have prayed!” you reply.
Then increase the dosage and pray more!
Before Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, He spent the whole night in prayer.
Turn off your TV, your computer, your smart phone, and any other distracting connections and purpose to spend time with God.
What did the old-timers mean when they talked about “praying through”?
Simply this… you can reach a point in prayer where you “know” God has heard you, given you the strength you need and victory is assured.
Paul said, “Let us…approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We all face the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1st John 2:16)
However, the Bible tells us that when we are tempted, God will always give us an escape option.
(1st Corinthians 10:13) “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful… who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able… but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”
No matter how tempted you may be in a situation, Jesus has felt that same temptation.
He knows what your going thru… and He is ever interceding to God our Father for you and I, and the Holy Spirit is lending power to the prayers we issue heaven ward.
Answers are on the way as we pray!
God promises us that no matter how hard the temptation is, He will always provide an escape route.
And it’s time spent in prayer that paves that way to victory!
We can always choose obedience over sin.
How should we respond to these temptations?
The same way Jesus responded to Satan.
When Satan tempted Him, Jesus took the Word of God and rebuked him.
All of us need to have God’s word in our minds and our hearts, so that we can use it as our defense mechanism when temptation comes.
Remember, the Bible says the following in (Hebrews 4:12)
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”
What do you need when you keep failing?
God’s grace to forgive you… and His help to overcome temptation.
So pray and spend time with God in His presence and in His word before temptation comes, and God will make you an overcomer.
Good Day!
(Isaiah 41:10) “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.
Every day I wake up, especially as the years are starting to catch up with me, I’m reminded of my weaknesses.
The things I used to be able to do with out any thought, now take careful planning and consideration.
Especially in activities that need physical strength and stamina.
I find that I am continually challenged in the areas of endurance and physical ability.
Things like driving for long hours, or carrying heavy sound gear into the shows or concerts.
The constant grind of always having to go somewhere, be somewhere, gets very heavy on my shoulders at times.
Worrying about enough financial resources to survive and live and do the things required in the life and the business of what we do… knowing that physically I am getting to the point where I can’t do what I used to do to create financial income.
But the thing is, that as much as there are these constant requirements and or demands on my time or abilities that are frustrating for me to fulfill, I still enjoy doing them.
It’s just that I don’t have the physical abilities or the mental strength to keep it all happening, and I tend to get very frustrated and some times ted to get discouraged.
But I have learned and I know… that the goodness of God provides for me and can be found in His promise to provide abilities beyond our natural abilities.
Such as this promise from (Isaiah 41:10) in that God promises his strength when we are weak.
In His grace, you and I can live with the real, meaningful, and powerful strength of our God.
I find great strength and comfort and yes even ability and drive when I read Gods word that tells us that in Him “we are well able” (Numbers 13:30)
“I can do all things thru Christ whom strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)
Creator God in His infinite wisdom and love, choose to create mankind even knowing full well that we would often choose our ways over His.
We’re made with a terrible drive or passion to live out of our own strength.
As a result, we see in both Scripture and our own lives… incredible failures… examples of our collective weakness played out before our very eyes.
We see it in the declining morality of society.
We see it in the very lives of those around us that just can’t seem to get it together.
Weakness seems to be threaded into the very fabric of our world.
The world is plagued by the weakness of those who inhabit it.
But the Bible also contains incredible stories and testimony’s of the victory of God’s people strengthened by God… that bring inspiration to me.
The list goes on and on… Moses and the Egyptians… David and Goliath… Samson and the Philistines… and the early church spreading the gospel across the world despite insurmountable odds.
And along with all the stories of victory… scripture also contains many stories of failure that I can identify with as well.
So, what made the difference?
What separates the stories of success from the stories of failure?
The difference is found in the people of God allowing God to be their strength.
The success that people enjoyed, (found in the testimony of scripture), came solely when God was made strong in man’s weakness
.
(Psalm 103:13-14) says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
God created us.
He knows our weakness.
He knows that apart from Him we can do nothing.
But the beauty of the gospel is that as believers, we are no longer “apart” from Him.
Through the death of Jesus, we are now “one with Christ”, wrapped up in His story of redemption.
We have been saved from having to “do life” or “live life” on our own, in our own strength.
Your Heavenly Father says to you today, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”(Isaiah 41:10).
Your God is the same God of David, Samson, Paul, and John.
The success they had was the direct result of their choosing God’s strength over their own.
Paul wrote in (2nd Corinthians 12:9), “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Paul chose to boast of His weakness because he knew of the steadfast strength of God in his own life.
He knew that his success, was solely by the strength of his God.
Your heavenly Father promises His strength to you today.
Just as he worked to help Paul spread the gospel, just as he helped David slay the giant Goliath, He desires to help you today in whatever lies ahead.
Acknowledge your weakness but at the same time, hold fast to the knowledge of the incredible strength of your Heavenly Father and His promises to provide it to you and for you in your time of need for you and I.
(Deuteronomy 31:6) says, “He will not leave you or forsake you.”
The strength of God is always with you and there for you to draw from.
All you have to do is choose His ways over your own.
Live in light of the revelation of your own weakness and God’s strength, and you will experience the power of the Creator of the universe working directly in your own life.
Where do you need God’s strength?
What area of your life seems to be plagued by weakness?
Ask God to work in your life, and experience the fruit of co-laboring with your heavenly Father today.
Good Day!
(Thessalonians 5:18) “In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus concerning you”.
King David was a man who was very familiar with hardship, trials and the temptations of the flesh that follow success.
One of the character traits I see in this man David… whom God called “a man after His own heart” (1st Samuel 13:14)… is that yes, in the middle of being a man who struggled with the temptations of his own flesh… he was still a man that loved God intensely.
Yes I use the word intensely!
In spite of His “short comings”, he loved God passionately.
Throughout the Psalms… his passion for God is portrayed in scriptures verse and songs like the following.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth… Worship the Lord with gladness… come before him with joyful songs”.
“Know that the Lord is God, it is He who made us and we are His… we are His people, the sheep of His pasture”.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and praise His name”.
“For the Lord is good…His love endures forever, His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:1-5)
David was a thankful man… thankful to His God whom he was devoted too… even despite His many failures and faults.
So to… you and I can be… and should be thankful.
Thankful that “God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve” (Psalms 103:10-14)
Yes there may be times of loneliness and struggle as we go thru this life.
Some are experiencing deep loss and feelings of hurt… pain resulting from circumstances that you’re still trying to get over.
Whatever you’re facing in the midst of it all, may we remember that God gives us the opportunity each and every day, to give worship and thanks to Him and promises to make all things new… and that all things work together for good to those whom love the Lord.
Every morning He gives us breath, and it is at His invitation to come joyfully into His presence.
He reminds us that He alone is God and we belong to Him.
He assures us that His plans in our lives are for good… that His love covers us securely and His faithfulness extends from generation to generation.
No matter what, He’s given us many reasons to choose “thankfulness” and joy this day.
Today, let’s put into daily practice what the Psalmist says in this great exhortation of praise from (Psalm 100:1-5)
- Shout for joy.
- Worship the Lord with gladness.
- Come before Him with joyful songs.
- Acknowledge that He is God.
- Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
- Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
- Recognize His goodness, His love, and His faithfulness,
Be thankful and remember that God says He has a plan for you, “plans for good and not for evil”(Jeremiah 29:11)… so start thanking Him for it.
Remember that He promises to never leave us or forsake us, (Hebrews 13:5)… so start thanking Him for it.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus… (Philippians 4:19)… so start thanking Him for it.
(1st Corinthians 2:9)… “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”… so start thanking Him for it.
Don’t wait for the annual holiday of thanksgiving to be thankful.
I challenge you today to make this day, and every day here after… a day of thankfulness.
You can start with this following prayer and thru out the rest of the day, and each day forward, keep the promises of God at the for front of your thoughts and activities.
“Dear God”,
“Thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over our lives.
Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough… for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given.
We’re so grateful you for your amazing love and care, for your mercy and grace, and for always working on our behalf, even behind the scenes when we’re unaware.
Thank you that you are always with us, and will never leave us, even through loss and the most difficult of times.
Thank you for your incredible sacrifice on the cross so that we might have freedom and life.
Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh.
Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy this day and every day to come.
We give you thanks and praise, for You alone are worthy!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen”.
(Philippians 2:14) “Do everything without complaining"
Chronic complainers are almost impossible to help.
It seems like you can never satisfy them… but they won’t let you stop trying, so you end up feeling trapped.
Once you get a reputation as a chronic complainer, people avoid you like the plague and you end up feeling lonely and unappreciated.
And chances are you’ll never really understand why!
Attitudes don’t just happen…“you choose them”.
Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4)
Joylessness is something many people… even church folks are prone to indulge in, and it’s usually not the kind of problem that gets you tossed out of the choir or removed from the church board.
The psalmist writes, “This is the day the Lord has made… we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24)
Now the reason the psalmist refers to “this day”… is in keeping with the context of his subject in the whole of (Psalm 118)
That subject is in relation to the coming of the Lord and the blessing, the deliverance, the freedom from condemnation, the redemption that He (Christ) brought to humanity.
“That day”... or, “this is the day that the Lord has made”... reminds us that we have another day to live, and I, “we”, get to enjoy it because of the work of the cross… not just because its another day that we get to live.
We need to always recognize as Paul said in (Galatians 2:20) “and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me”.
That’s why we should “rejoice and again I say rejoice” (Philippians 4:8)
Now (Psalm 118 verse 24) is often used to encourage people to choose to be happy, joyful… and to not let the cares of this world bring you down.
Every day we live, we live in the shadow of the cross and the blessings of God.
We can and we should rejoice in the redemption, the salvation, the grace of God, that is poured out to humanity from the depth of His great love.
Notice that the writer of (Psalm 118) doesn’t say, “Yesterday was God’s day, how happy I was then.”
Or “tomorrow will be God’s day, I’ll endure until then.”
No, "this is the day"... is a gift from God!
This day is called the "present".
This day is a present from God to you!
So stop complaining about it and see it for what it is!
Another day to live!
Another day to rejoice!
Another day to experience Gods blessing upon your life!
Another day to celebrate being one of Gods kids!
Complaining is often self-centered… it’s about what you like and don’t like.
It is often “self-focused”.
Real joy is a choice... and its found by looking outward not inward.
It comes to those who devote themselves to something greater than their own happiness.
There are decisions you get to make every day like what you eat, the clothes you wear, and the attitude you project.
(Philippians 2:12–18) explains how Christians ought to live, considering all that Christ was willing to do for them.
The writer says… “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed…not only in my presence… but now much more in my absence…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling… for it is God who works in you… to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault” in a warped and crooked generation.
Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.
And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”
The command for us to ''work out'' our salvation is a directive to let the new birth in Christ translate into action on our part.
As a part of this, we as believers and followers of Christ should serve God without griping or complaining.
Paul knows that his service to God has been hard, but he considers it as simply another form of offering.
All Christians are invited to serve in the same selfless way.
Paul was in prison with no hope of release when he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
His circumstances didn’t dictate his joy, his focus did!
And the same goes for you and I.
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1st Thessalonians 5:16-18)
So today choose joy! Choose to be happy!
Besides when you choose to be happy, people will wonder what you are up to… and it gives you another opportunity to share your faith and the great things that God has done for humanity… with them and for others around you.
I like what St Francis of Azzis said.
He said… “I preach the Gospel and if I have to, I use words”.
Jesus said so let your light shine before men (Matthew 5:16)
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Believe me folks… people love to be around joyful and happy people.
You want people to like you, then choose to be joy filled… and stop belly aching complaining and grumbling no matter what the issue is!
Good Day!
(Hebrews 10:23) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”.
I have to confess that the subject of prayer has been an elusive practice thru out my walk with Christ.
Elusive in the fact that I don’t often take “time out” for prayer.
I have to confess that thru out my life and my relationship with God in the past, much of my prayer life took place “on the run” as it were.
Lately however I have determined to try to take time for prayer.
So at night before we go to sleep I pray for Debbie, I pray for our marriage, I pray for my sons and those that are close to our family and I pray for Gods will to be accomplished in my life.
In that quite time just before my eyes close in blissful sleep… I also try to lift up the various needs of our country, the government, believers that I know that are struggling, and what ever else the Holy Spirit reminds me of.
However, I think my most effective prayer time is each morning… as I write these devotional challenges for all of us to meditate on.
Since I have made these two commitments to write and pray each morning… and pray before I go to sleep… I have to admit that my life seems to have taken on a new spiritual dimension that I can’t honestly say that I experienced prior.
Its not that I think I have arrived or am perfect or better than any one else… Its just that my spiritual perception and awareness of spiritual activity around me seems to be sharper and more clear.
We all want our prayers to be “effective,” so much so that when we focus on the “results” of our prayers, we tend to lose sight of the incredible “privilege” that we have in prayer.
That people like us can speak to the Creator of the universe is itself an amazing thing.
Even more astounding is the fact that He hears us and acts on our behalf!
The first thing we need to understand about effective prayer is that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to suffer and die on the cross to even make it possible for us to approach the throne of grace to worship and pray (Hebrews 10:19-25).
Although the Bible offers a great deal of guidance on how we can deepen our communication with the Creator, “effective prayer” has more to do with “the one doing the praying”… than it does with “how” we are to pray.
Indeed, Scripture says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16),
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer” (1st Peter 3:12; Psalm 34:15),
(Proverbs 15:8) “the prayer of the upright pleases Him”
The bible says “the passionate prayers of God’s righteous children can accomplish much” (Numbers 11:2)
We need to make sure that our prayers are in line with God’s will.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God… that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1st John 5:14-15)
Praying in accordance with God’s will is essentially praying in accord with what He would want, and we can see God’s revealed will throughout Scripture.
Now we may not completely understand Gods revealed will… and if we do not know what to pray for or how to pray for it, Paul reminds us that as God’s children… we can rely on the Holy Spirit to intercede for us,
(Romans 8:27) “the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will”… and since the Spirit of God knows the mind of God, the Spirit’s prayer is always in keeping with “the will” of the Father.
So in a sense… when we pray, it ignites the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf to
Additionally, prayer is something believers should do “continually” (1st Thessalonians 5:17)… and I think this is where most of us break down when it comes to our prayer life.
In (Luke 18:1) for example, we are told to pray with persistence and “not give up.”
As I’ve wrote over the last couple of posts, when we present our requests to God, we are to pray with faith (James 1:5)
(Mark 11:22-25) with a spirit of forgiveness toward others
(Philippians 4:6) with thanksgiving
It’s the strength of our faith, not the length of our prayers that pleases Him to whom we pray… so we don’t need to impress God with our eloquence or intelligence.
After all, (Matthew 6:8) tells us God knows what our needs are even before we ask.
Also, we need to be careful that we are not harboring “un-confessed sin” and iniquity in our hearts, as this would certainly be an impediment to effective prayer.
(Isaiah 59:2) “But your iniquities have separated you from your God… your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear”
(Psalm 66:18) “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened”
Fortunately, thankfully (1st John 1:9) says “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”.
Another barrier to effective communication with God is praying with selfish desires and wrong motives.
(James 4:3) “When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”
Rejecting God’s call or ignoring His advice (Proverbs 1:24-28),
Worshiping idols (Jeremiah 11:11-14),
Turning a deaf ear to the cry of the poor (Proverbs 21:13)… these as well serve as additional obstacles to an effective prayer life.
Honest, humble, unselfish, passionate prayer is a way to strengthen our relationship with our Father in heaven.
Notice I used the word relationship!
That’s what this walk with God is all about.
It’s about a relationship with Him!
It’s an ongoing continual relationship with God… the Supreme ruler of heaven and earth… the Almighty… your Heavenly Father.
With out talking to the one you want to have a relationship with, there will be no relationship!
When we pray, when we study and obey His Word and when we seek to please Him, the same God who made the sun stand still upon the prayer of Joshua (Joshua 10:12-13)… invites us to come boldly before the throne of grace and pray with confidence that He will extend His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
I think that’s what prayer is all about, not these desperation cries we often throw Heaven ward when we come to the end of our rope.
So lets try to take time on a regular basis to kindle the flames of our relationship with God.
Good Day!