I don’t know what to pray about? Does that sound familiar? It has to me, but this morning (9/2/2012) I had the great blessing of learning that prayer is simply a two-way communication— God’s Word coming into us, and God’s Word coming out of us.
Let me explain: As we read His Word, let us not pray to God simply about helping us fulfill some obligation financially, or seek healing emotionally, but let us ask that God would ‘Open our eyes so that we may contemplate wonderful things from His instruction.’ (Psalm 119:18 HCSB), so we can be blessed by God to say confidently, “Your decrees are my delight and my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24 HCSB)
Amen.
Showing posts with label Direction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Direction. Show all posts
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
A testimony of His grace
Last night I found myself in a familiar place as of lately... Being aside from the Lord’s peace. Then something happened. Transition took place. Instead of lingering about in that moment I stepped away. I forgot about that moment where I was not experiencing the Lord’s peace but experiencing aggravation over something so trivial.
When I returned back to the situation, instead of focusing on it, I decided to lay down, and behold, I went into my YouVersion bible application and I started to read in a suggested text starting in Genesis 6. Before I knew it, not only was I experiencing something I hadn't experienced lately (Peace!), but I was also sharing it with my beloved (Mishel) and our evening that started out rocked by struggle and sadness ended in peace, gladness and praise to the Lord for who He is and all He has done and is doing. Amen!
Amazing how that happens. Steadily as you look away from God and towards yourself you experience lack. Not necessarily lack of material things, but lack of peace, joy, passion and love. And just as that happens, so does the steady return to His peace, joy, passion and love as the gaze of life is turned towards Him. Amen.
This I know! I have struggled greatly in my life, and for the most part it’s an inward battle, but the Lord is faithful and true to His Word. He will establish us in His grace but our decision must be to look towards Him.
Therefore beloved, you can rest assured God’s grace is sufficient to give you peace in times of struggle as His Word so comforting tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So as you look to the Lord, let yourselves be at peace, as we have an advocate with the Father, and we can ‘boast all the more gladly about our weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on us.’ He is Jesus Christ the Righteous. Amen!
With that being said, this simple and amazing prayer I learned, I lead you in now.
Let us pray:
God, give us the serenity we need to accept what we can’t change. The courage to change what we can, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
When I returned back to the situation, instead of focusing on it, I decided to lay down, and behold, I went into my YouVersion bible application and I started to read in a suggested text starting in Genesis 6. Before I knew it, not only was I experiencing something I hadn't experienced lately (Peace!), but I was also sharing it with my beloved (Mishel) and our evening that started out rocked by struggle and sadness ended in peace, gladness and praise to the Lord for who He is and all He has done and is doing. Amen!
Amazing how that happens. Steadily as you look away from God and towards yourself you experience lack. Not necessarily lack of material things, but lack of peace, joy, passion and love. And just as that happens, so does the steady return to His peace, joy, passion and love as the gaze of life is turned towards Him. Amen.
This I know! I have struggled greatly in my life, and for the most part it’s an inward battle, but the Lord is faithful and true to His Word. He will establish us in His grace but our decision must be to look towards Him.
Therefore beloved, you can rest assured God’s grace is sufficient to give you peace in times of struggle as His Word so comforting tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So as you look to the Lord, let yourselves be at peace, as we have an advocate with the Father, and we can ‘boast all the more gladly about our weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on us.’ He is Jesus Christ the Righteous. Amen!
With that being said, this simple and amazing prayer I learned, I lead you in now.
Let us pray:
God, give us the serenity we need to accept what we can’t change. The courage to change what we can, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
They’re In A Better Place Now
Beloved, I got to thinking of the phrase, “They’re in a better place now.” This phrase is the epitome of one’s condolences to another when they have lost a loved one. I can’t recall if I ever used this phrase, although it’s most certainly probable. Have you said this to someone?
No one says when someone dies, ‘there in a worse place now’ but rather, “They're in a better place now.” it’s thoroughly clear that we all share the same common hope— We all want to end up in a better place, and resting in dirt isn’t it!
If dirt isn’t the last resting place, where do we all go? And while we’re alive, don’t we need directions to get where we’re going? And the more we’re familiar with this precise direction to this precise destination, the more assurance and peace we have. Right?
So, we can all confidently say that “heaven” is the place that’s better. Right? And we can confidently understand that in order to get there, we all need direction. Right? And we can all know the more we become familiar with this direction, the more peace and assurance we’ll have at arriving at this destination, that we call “A better place.” Right? But do we have the faith to believe it?
Therefore, know there is only one hope and confidence in arriving to this better place. It’s in the loving invitation God presents to us, through His Son Jesus.
For this is the invitation, and this is the direction to this “Better place”:
[The Invitation] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
[The Direction] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
[The Better Place] And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4 NKJV)
Beloved, I leave you with this— Do you desire to end up in this better place? If so, will you humble yourselves before God to receive God’s invitation, journey with the chosen direction to end up at the better place? Something to think and pray to God about.
As always...YOU ARE LOVED.
No one says when someone dies, ‘there in a worse place now’ but rather, “They're in a better place now.” it’s thoroughly clear that we all share the same common hope— We all want to end up in a better place, and resting in dirt isn’t it!
If dirt isn’t the last resting place, where do we all go? And while we’re alive, don’t we need directions to get where we’re going? And the more we’re familiar with this precise direction to this precise destination, the more assurance and peace we have. Right?
So, we can all confidently say that “heaven” is the place that’s better. Right? And we can confidently understand that in order to get there, we all need direction. Right? And we can all know the more we become familiar with this direction, the more peace and assurance we’ll have at arriving at this destination, that we call “A better place.” Right? But do we have the faith to believe it?
Therefore, know there is only one hope and confidence in arriving to this better place. It’s in the loving invitation God presents to us, through His Son Jesus.
For this is the invitation, and this is the direction to this “Better place”:
[The Invitation] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
[The Direction] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
[The Better Place] And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4 NKJV)
Beloved, I leave you with this— Do you desire to end up in this better place? If so, will you humble yourselves before God to receive God’s invitation, journey with the chosen direction to end up at the better place? Something to think and pray to God about.
As always...YOU ARE LOVED.
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