Have you ever been afraid to ask God for something in prayer? I have. Often.
I know that God always listens to and answer my prayers. I also know that whatever I ask for in the Name of Jesus Christ for the glory of God the Father will be granted. If only I has faith the size of a mustard seed, I could move mountains, and when I delight in the Lord, He will give me the desires of my heart. (Psalm 37:4, Proverbs 15:29, Matthew 17:20-21; 21:21-22)
I know and believe everyone of these things. So why am I afraid to ask for definites in prayer? Because I also know me.
I know my weaknesses and frailty. I know that I am easily led astray, and my heart is full of selfish ambition. More importantly, I know I don't deserve it.
Then I had an amazing talk with God.
It's been a trying few weeks, but was able to be part of an unexpectedly delightful and emotionally uplifting Bible study class Wednesday morning. It was one of those times where the comfortably polite walls of, “How are you today? Great! And you? Fine!” crashed like Jericho before Joshua, and we were real with one another. We discussed how God blesses us through His mighty hand when we believe and expect it. It really was a true blessing itself.
Later that evening after trying unsuccessfully to post a blog for the umpteenth time amongst other blogging issues, I was beyond frustrated again. So God and I had a meeting in our Holy of Holies: The shower – as any mother knows. There is no better place to cry than in the shower, because it all washes away. I was honest with the Lord and He was honest with me:
Why won't You let this blog post? Because you haven't prayed for that.
But what if I pray and it still won't work? So why don't you ask and find out?
Because I'm afraid You won't allow it after I ask. What is it that makes you afraid?
I'm afraid of being disappointed. In Me?
No. I'm afraid You are disappointed in me, and that will be proof. Do you believe it will?
I don't know. What DO you know?
I know that You told me to write these. Yes, I did.
I know that it is full of Your Words today. Yes, it is.
I know You've made it a desire of my heart to share Your Word. Yes, I have.
I know that I am desperate to please You. Yes, you are. So, now what do you know?
I know I need to jump out of the boat, walk by faith and not by sight, and pray – knowing You will answer it. Thank you for respecting prayer. I'm listening My child...
God and I have shared a special “time” during the day for several years where He reminds me of His presence: 3:33. Look for entries posted at that time. God had a unique hand in those...
I praise my God whom I know moves mountains!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Blessed Are: You, When...
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12
Honestly, this verse makes no sense what-so-ever to a non-believer. Perhaps even those who are weak in their faith believe that it's wrong to think this way, yet time and time again we are told to consider difficulties that come because of our belief as a blessing.
Read through the following verses and decide for yourself. Remember though, we are never instructed to comprehend why it's a blessing. We are just told to know that it is.
Matthew 13:20-21 The Parable of the Sower and the Seeds
“And the one sown on the rocky ground – this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but is short lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”
Romans 5:3-5
“And not only that, but we also rejoice in our affliction, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
2 Timothy 3:12
“In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
James 1:2-4
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trails, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
1 Peter 1:6-7
“You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith – more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Amen and amen to that! Though I don't understand exactly why, isn't the eternal worth it? I'll end with yet another Scripture I love to cling to:
“Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So that we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Matthew 5:11-12
Honestly, this verse makes no sense what-so-ever to a non-believer. Perhaps even those who are weak in their faith believe that it's wrong to think this way, yet time and time again we are told to consider difficulties that come because of our belief as a blessing.
Read through the following verses and decide for yourself. Remember though, we are never instructed to comprehend why it's a blessing. We are just told to know that it is.
Matthew 13:20-21 The Parable of the Sower and the Seeds
“And the one sown on the rocky ground – this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but is short lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”
Romans 5:3-5
“And not only that, but we also rejoice in our affliction, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
2 Timothy 3:12
“In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
James 1:2-4
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trails, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
1 Peter 1:6-7
“You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith – more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Amen and amen to that! Though I don't understand exactly why, isn't the eternal worth it? I'll end with yet another Scripture I love to cling to:
“Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So that we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Blessed Are: Those Who Are Persecuted
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Matthew 5:10
Do you remember the definition of the word righteousness? "What is right, justice, the act of doing what is in agreement with God's standards, the state of being in proper relationship with God." (Strong's)
I'd like to ask you take some time to surf a website that is dear to my husband and I. It is always heavy on our hearts. Make sure you take some time to read some of the prayer requests and articles. The links are on the top of the page under "Pray" and "Newsroom".
Voice of the Martyrs
Tomorrow I'll talk more about how it effects our daily lives.
Matthew 5:10
Do you remember the definition of the word righteousness? "What is right, justice, the act of doing what is in agreement with God's standards, the state of being in proper relationship with God." (Strong's)
I'd like to ask you take some time to surf a website that is dear to my husband and I. It is always heavy on our hearts. Make sure you take some time to read some of the prayer requests and articles. The links are on the top of the page under "Pray" and "Newsroom".
Voice of the Martyrs
Tomorrow I'll talk more about how it effects our daily lives.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blessed Are: The Peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9
The next verse in the series of the beatitudes is on the blessing to peacemakers. I want to do this verse justice, since there are so many wonderful applications possible. However, they just aren't meshing in my brain well right now. Why? I am not at peace!
It has been a very long week - I know it's just Monday, but I'm counting since last Monday. I'd have to say that it has crescendoed to last night where I left my phone in the rain and I'm fighting getting sick. Some of that said, I decided to go out to get my writing done elsewhere since the Wi-Fi at my house isn't working and I can't really complain since it's not mine anyway... Also, have you ever tried to study or write with a pile of laundry staring at you from right next to a very wonderful and loving, yet talkative husband?
So here I am sitting at a bread place staring down a gentleman eating a warm, crispy baguette and trying to write about peace. God has such a sense of humor.
That's when the Lord seems to speak to me most clearly. Today He reminded me that the kind of peace He gives comes when it really doesn't make any sense to the rest of the world. I should be ornery and frustrated, but deep down, I'm really not. Even Jesus said to His disciples at the last supper, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful." John 14:27
Another important lesson He taught me was that Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers..." Not 'Blessed are those who are at peace all the time...' We show ourselves as God's children (sons) not by the fact we seem to float around in a state of bliss, but that we strive to make peace - especially when we don't want to. We are to be makers of peace, and in order to do that we have to be in situations where peace needs to be made: Even if it's just acknowledging that it is within ourselves.
Today, take some time to find places to be a peacemaker, and say a pray of thanks for the peace that comes to you in order to do it.
Matthew 5:9
The next verse in the series of the beatitudes is on the blessing to peacemakers. I want to do this verse justice, since there are so many wonderful applications possible. However, they just aren't meshing in my brain well right now. Why? I am not at peace!
It has been a very long week - I know it's just Monday, but I'm counting since last Monday. I'd have to say that it has crescendoed to last night where I left my phone in the rain and I'm fighting getting sick. Some of that said, I decided to go out to get my writing done elsewhere since the Wi-Fi at my house isn't working and I can't really complain since it's not mine anyway... Also, have you ever tried to study or write with a pile of laundry staring at you from right next to a very wonderful and loving, yet talkative husband?
So here I am sitting at a bread place staring down a gentleman eating a warm, crispy baguette and trying to write about peace. God has such a sense of humor.
That's when the Lord seems to speak to me most clearly. Today He reminded me that the kind of peace He gives comes when it really doesn't make any sense to the rest of the world. I should be ornery and frustrated, but deep down, I'm really not. Even Jesus said to His disciples at the last supper, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful." John 14:27
Another important lesson He taught me was that Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the peacemakers..." Not 'Blessed are those who are at peace all the time...' We show ourselves as God's children (sons) not by the fact we seem to float around in a state of bliss, but that we strive to make peace - especially when we don't want to. We are to be makers of peace, and in order to do that we have to be in situations where peace needs to be made: Even if it's just acknowledging that it is within ourselves.
Today, take some time to find places to be a peacemaker, and say a pray of thanks for the peace that comes to you in order to do it.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Blessed Are: The Pure In Heart
Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.
Matthew 5:8
Something that struck me while searching for the word pure in the Bible was how many times it was used to describe the construction of the Tabernacle. Everything was to be pure; from the gold and spices of incense, to the candlesticks and the priests. We were being shown from early on that the things which were to be in the presence of God were to be pure.
When Jesus says that those who are pure in heart are the ones to see God, He is opening salvation up to anyone who is willing to go through the refining process of salvation. Before Christ came, only specific priests of the Hebrew race were allowed to enter near to God's presence at the Tabernacle. Now, we who accept redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ are those serving priests with Christ as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). We are the only ones chosen out of the human race to come before Him.
Unfortunately, the only way to become pure when there are impurities present is through a refining process - and that involves heat. We must allow God to take the impurities out of our lives so that we may better glorify Him through a pure life. This doesn't happen all at once, or we wouldn't survive the process! There are many different aspect of our lives which need to be cleaned up for God, and as we allow Him to burn one thing off at a time, we turn into beautiful and loved creations of His, who are worthy through His work in us to be in His presence.
Something we also need to remember is that just because you are becoming a pure gold candlestick to shine before the Lord doesn't mean that everyone else is a candle as well. I may be incense or oil with a different set of impurities to be taken in a different manner. The point is that we are being purified.
Praise the Lord of our purification that all you need to do in the process is turn yourself over completely to Him! Then "...He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) "...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14 NIV)
Matthew 5:8
Something that struck me while searching for the word pure in the Bible was how many times it was used to describe the construction of the Tabernacle. Everything was to be pure; from the gold and spices of incense, to the candlesticks and the priests. We were being shown from early on that the things which were to be in the presence of God were to be pure.
When Jesus says that those who are pure in heart are the ones to see God, He is opening salvation up to anyone who is willing to go through the refining process of salvation. Before Christ came, only specific priests of the Hebrew race were allowed to enter near to God's presence at the Tabernacle. Now, we who accept redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ are those serving priests with Christ as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). We are the only ones chosen out of the human race to come before Him.
Unfortunately, the only way to become pure when there are impurities present is through a refining process - and that involves heat. We must allow God to take the impurities out of our lives so that we may better glorify Him through a pure life. This doesn't happen all at once, or we wouldn't survive the process! There are many different aspect of our lives which need to be cleaned up for God, and as we allow Him to burn one thing off at a time, we turn into beautiful and loved creations of His, who are worthy through His work in us to be in His presence.
Something we also need to remember is that just because you are becoming a pure gold candlestick to shine before the Lord doesn't mean that everyone else is a candle as well. I may be incense or oil with a different set of impurities to be taken in a different manner. The point is that we are being purified.
Praise the Lord of our purification that all you need to do in the process is turn yourself over completely to Him! Then "...He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) "...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (Titus 2:14 NIV)
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