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prayer

Eating the Meat

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“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

God made each of us unique with different talents and tastes. And I’m very thankful for the plethora of ways we can spend time with God. But from my reading of the scriptures I believe there are aspects that we need to focus on during our regular quiet time with God. It’s not that we never do anything different; it’s just that we focus on, if you will, the “meatier” methods when spending time with God.

The first one is prayer. Pray is “tapping into a level of reality in which we have no right, but to which we have been graciously welcomed by the love of God in Christ” (David Mathis and Jonathan Parnell, How to Stay Christian in Seminary, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014, 47). God calls for us to be still and know that He is God (Ps 46:10). He longs to communicate with His children. And that means not only taking the time to talk to God, but also taking the time to listen and hear from Him.

The second important dynamic is worship. God inhabits the praises of His people and we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (Ps 22:3 and 100:4). Praise and thanksgiving are powerful tools for entering into the presence of the Almighty.

And finally, the last important dynamic is the Word. God’s Word is breath to our souls. It is living and active and more powerful than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). We are transformed by it into the likeness of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a lamp to our feet and without it, our path is going to be sadly dark.

I hope this encourages you today to go for some meat!

God bless!

Noree

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/pig-1367786

When We Ask For Prayer

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“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”
1 Timothy 2 NIV
When prayer request time comes around in my small group, I usually ask for prayers for other people close to me and not myself.

What will people think of me if I ask for this?

I don’t want to waste their prayer time asking for prayers when someone else may need it more.

Can anyone else relate?

These thoughts and feelings are a direct result of pride. You want to uphold your reputation and self-image and asking for prayer might affect that.

“Being humble is asking for prayer and not being too proud to admit that you need it.”

I shy away from asking for prayer because I either feel selfish or like my prayer is silly and that it is something I can do on my own (as to not bother anyone with it)

I don’t need to ask others to pray for my continued battle with that sin.

I don’t need to ask others to pray for my issue because it is something that I can handle with your help God, so I don’t need anyone else.

Self-reliance is not Omnipotence.

I have developed this image of myself and what it is supposed to be, and asking for prayer seems like defeat. Like I am giving up on myself, and asking for prayer is my “surrender” flag.

We need to wave our white flag more.

No prayer is too small. No prayer is not important.

As a church and community, we are called to pray for each other. We pray for each other’s sin, struggles, health, marriages, kids, addictions and spiritual relationships.

It’s ok if it is YOUR sin we pray about. It is ok if it is YOUR marriage we pray about.

Asking for prayer is not a sign of defeat. It does not mean that are weak. It is a sign of surrender and with that surrender there is strength.

It is an honor and a privilege to pray for others. So, love and serve others by giving them the privilege them to lift you up in prayer.

Lifting you up in prayer,

Stephanie

 

 

Photo Credit: image created via wordswag

Unlimited Talk and Data – For Free!

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“Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
Ephesians 5:16 NASB

It’s rare to go anywhere these days and not see folks with a phone in hand, talking, texting, or scrolling up and down. They’re on the phone while driving, walking on the sidewalk, or dining at a restaurant. Kids riding on the school bus, passengers at the airport, families sitting at home – all busy on their phones. Standing in line or in a waiting room, it’s not uncommon to see people playing a game or typing on the keypad. Bluetooth or ear buds make it convenient to talk hands free while shopping or working at home.

Can you picture what it would look like if Christians spent as much time communing with God and studying the Bible as they do on their phones?

I’m not suggesting we ignore people and have our heads bowed in prayer all the time, oblivious to those around us. Rather, I am hinting at putting those phones away and being with Jesus instead. Access to Him is unlimited, free, and available – ALL THE TIME! No dropped calls ever!

Next time you’re riding in the car or waiting for an appointment, put the phone away and spend time praising God or interceding for your family, friends, church, or your country. Ok, I will concede that you could use your phone and read the Scriptures while you are waiting if you have a Bible app. That would be a good thing!

As you stand in line at the grocery store or wait as your kids play at the park, be aware of those around you. The Holy Spirit can certainly prompt you to pray for that frazzled mom with three restless little ones in tow. The disgruntled cashier may need a loving smile and some intercessory prayer on their behalf.

If you have a cell phone, or even a land line, I challenge you to assess your time spent on it daily. Commit to spend at least half that amount of time or more with your heavenly Father each day. Time spent talking to Him and reading and studying His word is invaluable. And remember, you’ll never have to ask Him, “Can you hear me now?!”

[Digging deeper – Luke 18:1; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 4:16]

Blessings,

Beverly <><

 

Photo Credit: used by permission from www.flickr.com; Paul L. Dineen, three women walking together while on cell phones