Lord have Your way in me ... I surrender.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Day 12: Pray to Listen
Today our devotional led us to a story in Acts 10. Two men who prayed on separate occasions, yet their prayers are undoubtedly connected. One man had a need which the other one met.
Coincidence? Hardly.
Our prayer time with the Lord goes beyond our self. We may use this time to send our petitions to heaven, but God, in His infinite ways, can use this time to meet the needs of other people.
Yes. Our prayer time can meet the needs of other people.
This is where being quiet and listening becomes important. Crucial really.
God may be asking us to do something for Him or He may reveal a truth about Him and His ways, as in Peter's case in Acts 10. The revelation to Peter of God's desire to save all men allowed Peter to deliver the Good News to a Gentile family. That wasn't what Peter was praying for at that time, but God used his prayer time to answer someone else's prayer.
It's so easy to forget to listen when we pray. Often our prayers are one-way. We don't give God a chance to speak, and we miss the opportunity to help answer someone else's prayer.
God connects prayers. It's up to us to listen in order for those connections to transpire.
Lord, help me to remember to give You a chance to speak during my prayer time. Allow me to be quiet and listen for Your leading and direction that may be for other people's benefit.
Coincidence? Hardly.
Our prayer time with the Lord goes beyond our self. We may use this time to send our petitions to heaven, but God, in His infinite ways, can use this time to meet the needs of other people.
Yes. Our prayer time can meet the needs of other people.
This is where being quiet and listening becomes important. Crucial really.
God may be asking us to do something for Him or He may reveal a truth about Him and His ways, as in Peter's case in Acts 10. The revelation to Peter of God's desire to save all men allowed Peter to deliver the Good News to a Gentile family. That wasn't what Peter was praying for at that time, but God used his prayer time to answer someone else's prayer.
It's so easy to forget to listen when we pray. Often our prayers are one-way. We don't give God a chance to speak, and we miss the opportunity to help answer someone else's prayer.
God connects prayers. It's up to us to listen in order for those connections to transpire.
Lord, help me to remember to give You a chance to speak during my prayer time. Allow me to be quiet and listen for Your leading and direction that may be for other people's benefit.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Day 11: On My Knees
As I study the book of Mark in my Community Bible Study class, I am struck by Jesus' prayer life. We are no stranger to his miracles and his love for all people. But I believe that Jesus' success in His ministry was a result of His prayers to God the Father.
Jesus recognized the importance of "breaking away" from His mission. To rest. To be strengthened. To be reaffirmed by the Father. He did not neglect to stay connected with God, the source of all power.
Even in His agony over His impending death on the cross, He prayed to God.
Even as He was hanging on the cross, He cried out.
Our 21-day devotional noted that "God does not want merely to answer our prayers; He wants to spend time with us to prepare us for the answer that will come."
Jesus' prayers prepared Him for what was to come. And He won the battle on His knees.
Lord, help me to follow in Jesus' footsteps and win battles on my knees. Help me to be prayerful and stay connected with You during trying times and also during joyful times. May You find me more often on my knees than doing Your "work".
Jesus recognized the importance of "breaking away" from His mission. To rest. To be strengthened. To be reaffirmed by the Father. He did not neglect to stay connected with God, the source of all power.
Even in His agony over His impending death on the cross, He prayed to God.
Even as He was hanging on the cross, He cried out.
Our 21-day devotional noted that "God does not want merely to answer our prayers; He wants to spend time with us to prepare us for the answer that will come."
Jesus' prayers prepared Him for what was to come. And He won the battle on His knees.
Lord, help me to follow in Jesus' footsteps and win battles on my knees. Help me to be prayerful and stay connected with You during trying times and also during joyful times. May You find me more often on my knees than doing Your "work".
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Day 10: Heart of Worship
The cry of my heart in this season of fasting and prayer.
"I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You Jesus"
Lord, may I return with the right heart of worship and make this year about You.
"I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You Jesus"
Lord, may I return with the right heart of worship and make this year about You.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Day 9: Be Intentional
Fasting is allowing me to be intentional with my relationship with God. He's my main focus ... daily seeking to meet Him and hear His voice.
One thing is for sure, I will not be able to do this out of my own strength and will power. My spirit may be willing, but my flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Distractions will come. Life will happen.
However, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) and "the Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26a).
Yes Lord. I will rest on those promises.
But what happens after the fast? Will life go back "as usual"?
It's easy to go back into the routine of things. I start eating normal, and I return to the same activities before the fast. I know this from experience -- I was in this same boat a year ago. Next thing I know, I am far from Him (again) and I'm just going through the motions.
But how will this year be any different? What do I need to remember?
I must remain intentional.
It's no secret. It's no gimmick. It's a daily choice ... to walk towards Him or away from Him. To seek Him or hide from Him.
To live a life of passion for God requires a daily commitment. It's not "life as usual."
To live a life of passion for God requires a daily commitment. It's not "life as usual."
One thing is for sure, I will not be able to do this out of my own strength and will power. My spirit may be willing, but my flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Distractions will come. Life will happen.
However, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) and "the Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26a).
Yes Lord. I will rest on those promises.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Day 7: Focusing on God's Goodness
I am a perfectionist at heart. I can get bogged down with the details. Rules matter to me. And these attributes easily spill over into my life as a Christ-follower.
Attributes that may seem harmless and insignificant. It may even seem useful and important. Going to church. Reading your Bible. Prayer. Bible studies. Ministries. Serving. Those are all good things. Right?
Not if they become a source of pride or condemnation. Yes! Because perfectionists thrive on tasks and performance.
But I forget that salvation is free!
"For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Today's reading in our 21-day fasting points us to focus on God's goodness, rather than an inward focus on our own works and performance.
"The way we love God more is by focusing on His love for us. You will live more holy on accident by focusing on the goodness of God than you will by focusing in all the 'thou shalts' and the 'thou shalt nots.'"
Walking in grace.
And we can see other people through the same filter of grace. Our spouses. Our children. Our friends.
How incredibly freeing is that? Knowing that God loves me because of who He is and not if I obey Him perfectly. And that I can love others for who they are because God loves them.
Because of His goodness, we can live a life of peace and joy. By believing and not achieving.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Day 6: Watch and Pray
"Watch and pray," Jesus tells His disciples as He enters into prayer at Gethsemane. Jesus even gave them a reason why, "so that you will not fall into temptation." (Matthew 26:41)
He told them to be ready or they will crumble under pressure. He found them sleeping at least three times. And when the pressure came, they fled ... they failed the test.
Watching requires being awake, paying attention, being in tune with God.
And watching goes hand in hand with prayer.
We pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us, so that we may do things out of His power and not our own efforts, for "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). We must allow the Spirit to lead us to do the things that are pleasing to God. Left to our own, we mess up ... we fail, just like the apostles did when they abandoned Jesus at His arrest. To be led by the Spirit is to yield to the Spirit ... to surrender.
Watch and Pray.
Be awake and Be filled with the Spirit. Two crucial responses. Our victory to win daily battles depends on it.
He told them to be ready or they will crumble under pressure. He found them sleeping at least three times. And when the pressure came, they fled ... they failed the test.
Watching requires being awake, paying attention, being in tune with God.
And watching goes hand in hand with prayer.
We pray for the Holy Spirit to fill us, so that we may do things out of His power and not our own efforts, for "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41). We must allow the Spirit to lead us to do the things that are pleasing to God. Left to our own, we mess up ... we fail, just like the apostles did when they abandoned Jesus at His arrest. To be led by the Spirit is to yield to the Spirit ... to surrender.
Watch and Pray.
Be awake and Be filled with the Spirit. Two crucial responses. Our victory to win daily battles depends on it.
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