Are You Praying the Wrong Prayer?
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Many of us who are praying for our unsaved friends, family, and neighbors are directing our prayers in the wrong way. We are saying, “Oh God, help them to see.” But they are blind—they cannot see! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 explains: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
ACTION POINT:
We must first bind the blinder. We’re not in a battle of flesh and blood. We are in a battle with Satan himself, and we will never rob his house until we first bind him.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Many of us who are praying for our unsaved friends, family, and neighbors are directing our prayers in the wrong way. We are saying, “Oh God, help them to see.” But they are blind—they cannot see! 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 explains: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
ACTION POINT:
We must first bind the blinder. We’re not in a battle of flesh and blood. We are in a battle with Satan himself, and we will never rob his house until we first bind him.
~Adrian Rogers~
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Joseph’s master took him and threw him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. So he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden. The warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care. He was in charge of whatever they were doing. The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him and whatever he was doing the Lord was making successful. (Gen 39:20-23)
When God lets us go to prison because we have been serving Him, and goes there with us, prison is about the most blessed place in the world that we could be in. Joseph seems to have known that. He did not sulk and grow discouraged and rebellious because “everything was against him.” If he had, the prison-keeper would never have trusted him so. Joseph does not even seem to have pitied himself.
Let us remember that if self-pity is allowed to set in, that is the end of us—until it is cast utterly from us. Joseph just turned over everything in joyous trust to God, and so the keeper of the prison turned over everything to Joseph. Lord Jesus, when the prison doors close in on me, keep me trusting, and keep my joy full and abounding. Prosper Thy work through me in prison: even there, make me free indeed.
A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.
My cage confines me round,
Abroad I cannot fly,
But though my wing is closely bound,
My soul is at liberty;
For prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.
Abroad I cannot fly,
But though my wing is closely bound,
My soul is at liberty;
For prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.
I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow; there you see the brightness of His face.
~L. B. Cowman~
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A Godly Heart
The Lord promises to give us the desires of our hearts. But many people take this passage out of context, forgetting that their own mindset plays a vital part in bringing it to fruition. As my mother once said, "Where your mind goes, your feet go, so be careful what you think about."
What is your responsibility when it comes to claiming promises from God?
Delight yourselves in the Lord (Ps. 37:4). Christians should rejoice in God and desire to walk in obedience. The Lord must have first place in your life before you can claim the promise in this verse.
Commit your way to the Lord (v. 5). Allow God to change any aspect of your ambition that is not His will.
Remember that when He doesn't answer a prayer as you wished, it is for a reason.
Remember that when He doesn't answer a prayer as you wished, it is for a reason.
Trust in Him (v. 5). God is merciful, all-knowing, kind, and generous. You can trust Him with your hopes and dreams.
Rest in Him (v. 7). Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His timing or transform your aspirations so they conform to His will.
Wait upon the Lord patiently (v. 7). Jesus waited three decades before beginning His three-year ministry on earth. According to His example, waiting is one of the key principles of Christian living.
Do your desires align with God's purpose and plan for your life? He longs to give His followers abundant blessings and fullness of joy. So allow your dreams to be conformed to the Lord's will, and follow His guidance faithfully. Only when you surrender to Him will you experience God's best for your life.
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
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Patience with Perspective
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31
Are there ever times when you become tired of trying? From work to your family, the list of needs seem endless with all fingers pointing to you. You know the promises of God and know that He is absolutely working in your life, but the “flesh” part of you becomes worn out and on edge.
The other night, at dinner time, I was trying to cook…and help with homework…and talk to my mother who was visiting. In addition, the phone was ringing, the news was on and my youngest child was singing for everyone to hear. I could sense the tension rising within me. The noise seemed too loud and the night was becoming too long. Because I recognized these feelings and knew how poorly I have handled them before, with all the self control I could muster, I prayed to the Lord and said, “Please help me do all this with an attitude and with words that would please You.” Immediately I sensed the Lord say to me, “Enjoy it; find peace right now.” That thought was the furthest thing from my mind but those words pierced my heart.
It just doesn’t matter if everything gets done on time or in the right order. It just does not matter if there are grease stains on my daughter’s homework paper and there are dishes left in the sink when I go to bed. What does matter is that I honor the Lord by pouring out His love through me especially in the times that push and pull on my nerves. What matters is that I find the joy of the Lord in everyday challenges and appreciate every passing moment of the day. It is in these most challenging times, when you feel as if everyone is looking to you, that you can only endure by continuing to look to the Lord. God hears and answers the smallest of prayers when they are dripping with honesty. He knows us and understands us. Today, when the anxiety is increasing and your patience is decreasing, turn to the Lord so that you can soar above the circumstances while renewing your perspective and strength.
~Daily Disciples Devotional~
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The Blessing of God's Spiritual Influence
In the beginning of Isaiah 55 God invites His people to come to Him and fellowship with Him. In verses 3 and 6 God says,
"Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near."
In verses 10-11, we are told what happens to those who respond to this invitation, to God's call to come and seek Him and listen to Him,
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
In the same way rain brings blessing when it waters the earth (causing it to bring a bountiful harvest and fruitfulness into the lives of the people), so God's spiritual influence brings refreshment and fruitfulness to our lives.
What is God's spiritual influence? It is the impact of His Word and His Spirit upon the hearts of His children.
When you come to God, when you respond to His call to seek Him and incline your ear, He will speak to you. And the effect His Word has when He speaks it into your life, into your heart, is the same effect that rain has on the earth.
His Word, as it penetrates your heart, will bring refreshment, enlightenment, and ultimately, fruitfulness. It will bring revival into your heart causing spiritual growth and progress.
~Bayless Conley~
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31
Are there ever times when you become tired of trying? From work to your family, the list of needs seem endless with all fingers pointing to you. You know the promises of God and know that He is absolutely working in your life, but the “flesh” part of you becomes worn out and on edge.
The other night, at dinner time, I was trying to cook…and help with homework…and talk to my mother who was visiting. In addition, the phone was ringing, the news was on and my youngest child was singing for everyone to hear. I could sense the tension rising within me. The noise seemed too loud and the night was becoming too long. Because I recognized these feelings and knew how poorly I have handled them before, with all the self control I could muster, I prayed to the Lord and said, “Please help me do all this with an attitude and with words that would please You.” Immediately I sensed the Lord say to me, “Enjoy it; find peace right now.” That thought was the furthest thing from my mind but those words pierced my heart.
It just doesn’t matter if everything gets done on time or in the right order. It just does not matter if there are grease stains on my daughter’s homework paper and there are dishes left in the sink when I go to bed. What does matter is that I honor the Lord by pouring out His love through me especially in the times that push and pull on my nerves. What matters is that I find the joy of the Lord in everyday challenges and appreciate every passing moment of the day. It is in these most challenging times, when you feel as if everyone is looking to you, that you can only endure by continuing to look to the Lord. God hears and answers the smallest of prayers when they are dripping with honesty. He knows us and understands us. Today, when the anxiety is increasing and your patience is decreasing, turn to the Lord so that you can soar above the circumstances while renewing your perspective and strength.
~Daily Disciples Devotional~
____________________________
The Blessing of God's Spiritual Influence
In the beginning of Isaiah 55 God invites His people to come to Him and fellowship with Him. In verses 3 and 6 God says,
"Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near."
In verses 10-11, we are told what happens to those who respond to this invitation, to God's call to come and seek Him and listen to Him,
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
In the same way rain brings blessing when it waters the earth (causing it to bring a bountiful harvest and fruitfulness into the lives of the people), so God's spiritual influence brings refreshment and fruitfulness to our lives.
What is God's spiritual influence? It is the impact of His Word and His Spirit upon the hearts of His children.
When you come to God, when you respond to His call to seek Him and incline your ear, He will speak to you. And the effect His Word has when He speaks it into your life, into your heart, is the same effect that rain has on the earth.
His Word, as it penetrates your heart, will bring refreshment, enlightenment, and ultimately, fruitfulness. It will bring revival into your heart causing spiritual growth and progress.
~Bayless Conley~
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