Importance of God’s Word
QUESTION: Importance of God’s Word - A Prayer of CommitmentANSWER:
Importance of God’s Word -Insights from God’s Word
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ''Be holy, because I am holy. - 1 Peter 1:13-16
Importance of God’s Word – Spiritual Nourishment
Prayer: I am recognizing more and more each day that although I still have a lot of questions to one day lay before You, You are working overtime to draw me closer as You prepare me for what lies ahead. There is an almost daily reminder coming from Your Throne of Grace, that surrender is the key to unlocking the door to my destiny -- which also means my life will change.
Your Word is the source of my food and it is the fuel You use to turn me upside down and even inside out as You remove the bad seeds of my life. This process of preparation is often challenging, but I know if I want to grow and be used by You, I need to be ready for the new wineskin You are preparing for me.
Knowing You as a "Holy God" has caused me to seek holiness for my own life. You are helping me to see that You are the most important relationship I will ever have in my life -- and no counterfeit substitute will satisfy the depth of hunger I have for You. Walking with You has uncovered my tendency to isolate and revealed it for the dangerous evil it really is. You have used my family and my church to teach me a great deal about the need for healthy relationships in my life. You created me to live in fellowship with You and with others -- and You will no longer let me hide away.
How do I thank You for the freedom I have today? The closer I grow to You, the more dependent I become -- and that looseness often shines a bright light on the things in my life that try to eclipse my love for you. It is impossible for me in these days to love You as I do without also loving all the other people You have put in my life -- many of whom I don't even know.
I have been taught that we must "keep the main thing, the main thing" -- which tells me that only as my love for You grows and grows, will I really be able to love as You want me to love.
I am praying today, Lord, for You to touch us all with an understanding of what is available to us as Your kids. Clearly, You are pruning away anything that is not of You in our lives -- so that our own human concerns do not overtake us and stop us from growing closer to You.
I am asking You to clear the debris on the pathways we walk so we don't get tangled up -- and therefore waylaid from the purposes You have outlined for our lives. I ask You to remove the envy, jealousy, and pride You see lurking in the shadows of our lives before conflicts emerge and destroy all the good that has gone before. Help us to be flexible and tolerant with one another so You can fill our new wineskins to the brim.
Your Body is in fluid motion in these days, and I know how important it is that we truly love one another, understand and value what God is doing in our lives, and cooperate with His Holy Spirit as we go. The most important thing any of us can do is to recognize what we are doing -- and follow Your lead. Otherwise we will waste far too much time and resources building something that will only burn up in the end.
We need Your help, Jesus! We need a fresh, new visit from You, Lord! We need to grab on to the Holy Spirit's "eagles wings" and allow Him to teach us where, when, and how high to fly. Only You know the direction You want us to take. You have clearly chosen man to be the instrument You use to wipe away the tears of oppression and bring hope to the hopeless and helpless -and that humbles me!
We need Your Holy Spirit to help us remain focused and alert to the cry of Your heart! So I pray that all my brothers and sisters will keep the promises of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 in their minds and hearts -- so they can wisely use the spiritual weapons You have given them -- which are more powerful than anything the world can throw our way!
Even though the enemy is prowling and devouring, You are raising up Your Body to take charge -- and this means a change is coming which will most likely remove our comfort zones and turn our focus back in Your direction. Give us the strength to persevere so we will all cross the finish line well. To You be all the honor and glory!
Importance of God’s Word – Making it Personal
Reflect: Preparation seems to be the battle cry for the Body of Christ in general. In my own life I recognize the path on which I have walked to get to where I am today -- and it has humbled me. I realize how hands on Jesus has been with me -- even when I didn't see it. For the most part my preparation has been to draw me closer to Him so I will not doubt His marching orders when they come. He is wiping away fears, anxieties, and confusions and is teaching me how to use His weapons of warfare to do away with these counterfeits of Satan. The enemy would love to get us to war with one another. He wants to blur the lines between real authentic leadership and the world's leadership. He seeks to destroy families, churches and nations -- and he is very successful at it. Therefore, the times are ripe today for a great harvest -- so many of you are most likely emerging from "wilderness training seasons". If this applies to you, be grateful for all you have learned and trust God to show you the path that HE has prepared. Our roots are being grown deeper in these days so that real fruit will permeate everything we touch with the love of Christ and with His Holy Spirit's power to overcome. Now is the time to get ready. His will is being done on this earth as it is done in heaven -- and we are all a very important part of His grand design. Praise Him! Trust Him! Thank Him! Don't be afraid!
Increase Our Faith
QUESTION: Increase Our Faith - Dig Deeper!ANSWER:
Increase Our Faith – Insights from God’s Word
Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. - 1 Chronicles 28:20
Increase Our Faith –Take Me Deeper in Your Word
Prayer: Lord, Your ways astonish me. This morning I awoke aware of the tug and pull of my heart being led into my quiet devotional place. I obeyed -- with some trembling -- wondering what You had prepared for me. Just knowing that You had something prepared was enough to cause me to pray for Your Holy Spirit to ignite my spirit with His discernment and wisdom.
I approach You, and this time together with a grateful heart, knowing already that You never disappoint, You never discourage, and You always bring about a clarity that I need. It is beyond my comprehension to understand why You do what You do -- but I am completely convinced that part of it is stretching me beyond my own comfort zones and teaching me that I can indeed grow and accelerate the progress of my ministry by meeting with You every day.
Today, my King, it seems to be all about faith and believing that You do what You say You do. You helped me this morning to recognize once again how powerful faith is and how necessary faith is to navigate the muddied waters all around me.
I thank You today for the reminder I received years ago about faith, as You helped me to see that it was through my faith that I was able to receive all I needed from You. You also reminded me about the second part of faith which is the obedience part -- when I act on Your instructions, by obeying Your Word and listening to the Holy Spirit.
The challenge for me today centered on the magnitude of Your commands. I recognize with excitement and anticipation the potential for my life, and I trust You, and turn over control of it to You. You have been teaching me for many years now about how to recognize Your voice and to discern when I am not. The sense I received today was that I was going to need even greater faith in the days ahead so that I will obey You and follow your direction at every turn.
Thank You, Jesus, that for many years now You have been about the business of alerting me to the kingdom possibilities that can be achieved by even the newest believer in Christ. This has sustained me and helped me to grow. But today, I sense You reminding me that there is much more ahead -- more seeds to be sown that have the potential of going down deeper than we understand to be possible. To the extent that we are willing to listen and obey that "still small voice" and the commands of Your Word, we will be used.
I pray today for my brothers and sisters that they will recognize the potential they have to make a difference. I pray they will be convicted and shown the areas of their lives where they have sold out to self. I pray that the Holy Spirit would ignite a flame every time they lay down an old bondage. You showed me just this morning how easy it is to be deceived by pride. You reminded me how I used to put myself down and call it humility -- when in reality it was a prideful thing and a bondage that held me firmly. It made me dwell on myself and my own needs -- sometimes to the exclusion of anything else. It stopped me from recognizing that I was Your child and that I have Your Holy Spirit within me. It stopped me from recognizing that I was who I was because of Your goodness -- and not because of my own talents and strengths. It was Your walk that mattered, and it was service to You that became my tool of freedom.
I ask You, Lord, to help my brothers and sisters to recognize that they may be held back because of their small faith -- they may be hemmed in by boundaries erected by Satan to confuse and stop them from moving ahead. I pray You would help them to recognize their need for a deeper, more abiding faith and a closer, more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. We will never find true fulfillment until we redefine our own limitations which are holding us back from pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. May all we do bring You honor and glory!
Increase Our Faith – Making it Personal Reflect: This morning as I prayed, I recognized I was being challenged to go deeper in my faith, and I recognized I needed to understand just what that meant. I sense that the Body of Christ will need faith more than ever -- as it is through our faith that we learn to hear God’s voice, and we receive His supernatural help to persevere and endure. This walk is not for the timid, and if you think you are timid, you need to realize that Satan has fooled you. You have the greatest Resource in the world on your side against whom nothing can stand. I challenge you to listen and learn as you never have before, and to ask the Holy Spirit to supply all your needs, knock down all your bindings and bondages. Fill you lamps with oil now and keep them filled.
People of God
QUESTION: People of God - Learning from the PastANSWER:
People of God – Insights from God’s Word
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. - Psalm 33:11
And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is his Body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. - Ephesians 1:22–23
People of God – Learn from the Past, Live in the Present Prayer: Lord, I am not quite sure where You are taking me with this prayer, but I do know I want to go where You are leading me. I am amazed how often You take my attention off of what surrounds me and cause me to dig down deep in Your Word and strong biblical teachings to uncover whatever golden nuggets You have prepared for me. My own perspective on life is quite shallow, and I often have a difficult time just seeing beyond my own nose. However, when You take control of my footpath, I am astonished at the places You have taken me and the revelations You have chosen to share.
I am so aware this morning of the men and women of God who walked this way before me. There are so many lessons to be learned from them. I sense You reminding me that many before me have been persecuted and died for their faith. I also hear You remind me that You never forget, in Your divine accounting, anyone who has surrendered their life to You and walked the road You paved.
Today we seem to be on the verge of a fresh, new movement of God, and as we approach the fullness of that time, I know You want me to look at past revivals to gain understanding from them -- and gain Your divine perspective on that which worked and that which failed -- and why. I do ask myself why You would want me to look deeply at this -- given the fact that I have little or no influence in the Body of Christ -- yet I hear Your challenge and bow my head and follow Your lead.
You are reminding me also of the different perspectives we have seen through the ages by great men and women of God who allowed the Holy Spirit to work in and through them. They were able to successfully stop the criticism of others from derailing what You had for them to do.
My limited view of history shows me that great men and women of God do not allow anything to derail them from the genuine move of the Holy Spirit. They refuse to accept the criticism of the few -- and look toward what You had to shown them -- recognizing that a few bad oranges were not going to destroy the entire crop.
We live in awesome times today, and as has often happened before, the critics are all around us attempting to counterfeit and destroy this genuine move of the Holy Spirit. It should not surprise me -- but I must admit it does. I have watched mean spirited men attempt to cast doubts on the authenticity of great men of God. I have cringed and felt the sting of anger -- but I have also felt the hand of my Savior simply showing me that critics will always be a part of any great move of God -- and we are not to judge but simply pray for them. I think this is why my knees are often raw.
Thank You, my King, that we can look back at the history of other great movements of God and find comfort, learning, and empowerment. Thank You that You are in control -- not me -- and that it is Your verdict that really matters. I praise You for all the lives being changed through our work here among the Body– and I give you all the credit and all the glory! I pray for my leaders here -- and for all the other churches around the world -- asking for Your Holy Spirit’s protection from the attack of the enemy and the criticism of the critics set against us. I choose today to set my feet firmly on the ground previously walked by many other great men and women of God. I choose to learn from their mistakes and from their accomplishments -- but I also choose to walk on the new, fresh ground You are planning for us -- surrendering its direction to the control of the Holy Spirit. To You my King be all the honor and glory!
People of God – Making it Personal Reflect: There is great value in learning from other great men and women of faith who have gone before us. However, our primary focus must be on what God is doing right now -- in us, our churches, and in our nation. All throughout history great successes have come to the humble few who have put following Christ at whatever the cost as their goal -- irregardless of the criticism they received. God is always at work refining and purifying His leaders. It is vital to our success or failure that we work to fulfill His purposes -- not our own.
Relationship with God
QUESTION: Relationship with God - How Close Are You?ANSWER:
Relationship with God - Insights from God’s Word
What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, jealously longs for us to be faithful? He gives us more and more strength to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God sets Himself against the proud, but He shows favor to the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. -James 4:5–8
Relationship with God - You Are as Close to Him as You Have Chosen to Be
Prayer: Lord, I come to You this morning hungrier than I have ever been -- while at the same time being at peace in a way that is new and fresh. As I seek Your face about this, I am beginning to understand -- and I do mean beginning -- that there is a reason for this increase in my hungering and thirsting after You. I acknowledge I don’t understand all of it, but the part I do understand fills me with hope.
My understanding of Your Nature and Character is helping me to lay aside old prejudices and old desires – and it is helping me to dig down and dig in. I keep praying to get closer to You, and I keep asking You to help me understand You better. You keep reminding me that if I seek You, I will find You. You promise to fulfill my hunger needs, and You promise to draw closer to me if I will draw closer to You. It seems so simple to say, but the reality of the work needed is not for the faint of heart. I have needed to persevere every single day to dig a little deeper. Some days I barely made a dent, while other days I found a revelation of a basic truth that I had never fully grasped before.
Lord, I pray today that my brothers and sisters will become avid students of Your Word. I pray they will begin to read and study -- and go down deeper, so they can discover for themselves that You have the answer to every human problem. You are Wisdom and You are the reason for everything. You wait to help Your people understand their own purposes. As they draw closer in intimacy and worship, You help them to see that all the treasures of their lives are summed up in You. You have given us truly valuable gifts, and You have helped us to grow in power and perseverance as we looked to You and called on Your name and Your power.
I yearn for the day when all of us can be together sharing with one another, endlessly celebrating the victory we have already received. I yearn for a time when the fire and passion of the Holy Spirit will be felt in all of our churches, and boundaries and borders will no longer hold us back from sharing the truths we have been given. The life You give us to live is an exciting life – vibrant and fresh each new day. It is not a life of bondage.
There is in me this day, Lord, a deep cry coming from my spirit that is reminding me that along the path we walk there will be many challenges -- and I feel no fear. We will sometimes feel like we are the walking wounded as You form us all into one fighting army. You are helping me to see that the path is often not pretty, but You are not in the business of allowing us to hold on to our dignity and comfort zones when the world is dying. You are on the move, my King, and we are grateful. You never change -- You are the same today as You were yesterday and will be tomorrow -- but You are also on the move.
You are stretching us, growing us, challenging us, and sustaining us. You have me pray often to have Your eyes to see and Your ears to hear so Your Holy Spirit‘s control can go down deep. You are reminding me that with every new revelation we receive, it does not necessarily give us the accompanying authority to create structure or make other people take action. That is Your prerogative, and in Your timing You raise up the proper authority to handle what You want done.
Help us not to presume on You, and help us to be wise in Your ways and committed to Your will. Help us to not jump out ahead of You, or behind You, and help us to walk in Your perfect timing. Teach us patience, perseverance, and trust so we can be used by You -- wherever You have us and in whatever gift we operate. Fit us together like living stones and cement us with Your Kingdom principles and truth -- against which no enemy can conquer. May all we do bring You the honor and glory!
Relationship with God – Making it Personal
Reflect: There are certain basic Biblical truths we all need to understand; truths that will sustain us, truths that will grow us, and truths that will often challenge us. The Bible is our road map, and it will get you to the destination of God’s choosing -- if you read it and absorb it. More and more every day I am reminded by God that I am as close to Him as I want to be. So, I turn the tables on you and ask you – how close are you to the King of Kings? Take an honest look at it -- examine it -- because in truth, you are also as close to Him as you have chosen to be.
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