Do you ever find your mind wondering off in several directions? A certain worry or concern sets your mind in panic mode? I don’t know if it’s just a ‘Mommy’ thing, but when it comes to my kids, my mind can easily wander off before I know it. Just for example, a few days ago when I was brushing my daughter’s hair, I noticed a tick stuck to her head. I tried all of the tick removal ‘tricks’ that I discovered on Google, and after several attempts, I removed the tick. Well, the following day my daughter started complaining of a headache and not feeling well. That quickly my mind began to go in a million directions, “I wonder if her headache is related to that tick bite?” “What if that tick had Lyme’s disease?” “Should I call the pediatrician and ask them if I should be watching my daughter for any symptoms?” Seriously, my mind started going a million miles a minute!
Ever been there?
Maybe it’s some worries with your children. Your marriage. Or any of the other hundreds of things that can flood our minds and rob our joy?
An unusual doctor’s report on our child?
Your child looks like his heart is far from God?
A marriage that looks completely hopeless?
Aging parents with health issues-and a future that is looking bleak?
Financial difficulties?
Fortunately, I recognized this worry sooner than later and gave my motherly panic over to God. I reminded myself that it’s at these times in our lives where we have to continually meditate on the scriptures, Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he’s done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Did you notice that?
As we pray instead of worry and be thankful for all He’s done… then God is going to give us a supernatural peace that will guard our wandering minds! It's a supernatural peace-one that's given by our loving Father not a peace we can muster up on our own. This is the kind of peace I need at times my wandering mind has the best of me!
We need to fix our wandering minds on God-the maker of this world and the creator of the planets and stars. Let’s agree together today that the next time our minds begin to wonder and worry, we’re going to give it ALL to Him! I know we can trust Him! :)
Love,
Stephanie
More to meditate on: Philippians 4:8-9
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Luke 11:1-4
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“ ‘Father,hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
So often these verses are used to teach on prayer. The disciples had just asked Jesus to teach them how to pray in this passage of Luke. What I want you to see is that verse 4 isn’t where Jesus stops his teaching on prayer. He continues on here in Luke 11. It's the following verses that I feel like give us the best insight into the type of prayer God is looking for from us.
Read Luke 11:5-13
Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’
7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus uses this parable to continue answering the disciples question regarding how they should pray. There are a few things we need to understand to be able to really get this parable. This man shows up at his neighbors house in the middle of the night asking to borrow some bread simply because he had an unexpected guest at his own home. In this culture when you had guests show up you needed to have something to feed them. Hospitality was the basic law in the East at this time especially if the guest was a stranger. If a person refused to entertain a guest, he brought disgrace on the whole village and the neighbors would have nothing to do with him. The man in the house knew this and did not want to embarrass himself, his family, or his village; so he got up and went to his neighbor to help meet this need for food. He had to make a choice to either be a poor host or a poor neighbor and the choice was easy to make, he chose to be a poor neighbor.
As he visits his neighbor to find food, the neighbor refuses to get up. The whole family would have been sleeping all together in the same room. So getting up would be sure to cause a disturbance among the whole household.
Look again at Luke 11:8
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
In other versions you will see the word persistence or my favorite…importunity. Scripture tells us that the man does finally get up and give the bread not because he wanted to be nice but because of the importunity that his neighbor showed. That word importunity is the word anaídeia; and it means: impudent, without shame; Recklessness, audacity, shamelessness, insolence or persistance; Recklessness or disregard of consideration by the one making the request. It’s only found here in the New Testament and it’s a very strong word. It’s the idea that you know that who you are asking has what you need and you are not giving up until you get it. You have no shame in making it known that you have a need and you have boldness in asking for it.
The argument Jesus is making here is if the reluctant friend would finally give in and get up, how much more will a loving father answer the door when we come knocking. How much more would that shameless persistence bring blessing as we pray and seek God. Remember Jesus is telling us that we should pray with importunity, with persistence, with boldness, with shamelessness. Acknowledge that we have a need and that we are quite sure God can meet it. God reminds us all throughout scripture that he is the creator and owner of all things. He is not like this neighbor, for He never sleeps, never gets impatient or irritable, is always generous, and delights in meeting the needs of His children.
Why does our Father in heaven answer prayer? Not just to meet the needs of His children, but to meet them in such a way that it brings glory to His name. “Hallowed be Thy name.” When God’s people pray, God’s reputation is at stake. The way He takes care of His children is a witness to the world that He can be trusted. Phillips Brooks said that prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness. Persistence in prayer is not an attempt to change God’s mind (“Thy will be done”) but to get ourselves to the place where He can trust us with the answer.
Let's pray today with a little...no ALOT of importunity and recklessness!
REMINDER!!
The Exeptional Woman Bible Study online starts tomorrow! Sign up today. It's FREE and you can do it anytime...anyplace.
Register For Study Here
Download Study Here
xoxo,
Justeina
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“ ‘Father,hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
So often these verses are used to teach on prayer. The disciples had just asked Jesus to teach them how to pray in this passage of Luke. What I want you to see is that verse 4 isn’t where Jesus stops his teaching on prayer. He continues on here in Luke 11. It's the following verses that I feel like give us the best insight into the type of prayer God is looking for from us.
Read Luke 11:5-13
Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’
7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus uses this parable to continue answering the disciples question regarding how they should pray. There are a few things we need to understand to be able to really get this parable. This man shows up at his neighbors house in the middle of the night asking to borrow some bread simply because he had an unexpected guest at his own home. In this culture when you had guests show up you needed to have something to feed them. Hospitality was the basic law in the East at this time especially if the guest was a stranger. If a person refused to entertain a guest, he brought disgrace on the whole village and the neighbors would have nothing to do with him. The man in the house knew this and did not want to embarrass himself, his family, or his village; so he got up and went to his neighbor to help meet this need for food. He had to make a choice to either be a poor host or a poor neighbor and the choice was easy to make, he chose to be a poor neighbor.
As he visits his neighbor to find food, the neighbor refuses to get up. The whole family would have been sleeping all together in the same room. So getting up would be sure to cause a disturbance among the whole household.
Look again at Luke 11:8
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
In other versions you will see the word persistence or my favorite…importunity. Scripture tells us that the man does finally get up and give the bread not because he wanted to be nice but because of the importunity that his neighbor showed. That word importunity is the word anaídeia; and it means: impudent, without shame; Recklessness, audacity, shamelessness, insolence or persistance; Recklessness or disregard of consideration by the one making the request. It’s only found here in the New Testament and it’s a very strong word. It’s the idea that you know that who you are asking has what you need and you are not giving up until you get it. You have no shame in making it known that you have a need and you have boldness in asking for it.
The argument Jesus is making here is if the reluctant friend would finally give in and get up, how much more will a loving father answer the door when we come knocking. How much more would that shameless persistence bring blessing as we pray and seek God. Remember Jesus is telling us that we should pray with importunity, with persistence, with boldness, with shamelessness. Acknowledge that we have a need and that we are quite sure God can meet it. God reminds us all throughout scripture that he is the creator and owner of all things. He is not like this neighbor, for He never sleeps, never gets impatient or irritable, is always generous, and delights in meeting the needs of His children.
Why does our Father in heaven answer prayer? Not just to meet the needs of His children, but to meet them in such a way that it brings glory to His name. “Hallowed be Thy name.” When God’s people pray, God’s reputation is at stake. The way He takes care of His children is a witness to the world that He can be trusted. Phillips Brooks said that prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness. Persistence in prayer is not an attempt to change God’s mind (“Thy will be done”) but to get ourselves to the place where He can trust us with the answer.
Let's pray today with a little...no ALOT of importunity and recklessness!
REMINDER!!
The Exeptional Woman Bible Study online starts tomorrow! Sign up today. It's FREE and you can do it anytime...anyplace.
Register For Study Here
Download Study Here
xoxo,
Justeina
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encouragement,
prayer,
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Psalm 86 (MSG) is one of the five Tephillahs or “prayers” in the psalms, and is a prayer of Davids. It’s a beautiful and powerful prayer, one that has done much to encourage my heart. It is the insert of praise within the prayer that I find especially nice.
For today, I would like to look specifically at the latter part of the psalm, beginning in verse 11. David says, “train me, God, to walk straight.” The KJV puts it, “teach me thy way, O Lord.” I don’t know what it is, but something about this particular verse in the KJV in this context is so intimate. “Teach me thy way, O Lord.” Don’t you want to repeat it a hundred times!
We are to be constant students in the school of God. Ever learning, and desiring to learn, from the King of Kings. David willfully wanted to follow God. I like Charles Spurgeons commentary, “not my way give me, but thy way teach me.” That is my daily prayer if I’ve ever had one.
David takes it a step further by taking it to the heart. “Put me together, one heart AND mind.” To be made whole, undivided. A (wo)man divided can not stand, but a (wo)man made whole can “worship in joyful fear.” We are being called to rise up as women undivided in heart and mind, free from any fear but holy awe.
Praise should never be lifted unless it is whole. When we give anything but, it is not complete, therefore it is not real and authentic. God doesn’t deserve divided and conflicted praise, but whole heart and mind within the avenue of glory we give above.
In verse 13 David continues with, “You've always been great toward me—what love!” I really don’t know what I could put here that would highlight your understanding of it any better. We all have come from a low place; we are all sinners who botched it up. But those of us who know the immeasurable grace and mercy of God can testify that He has been great towards us! Which is indeed an incredible love!
“But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit.” Verse 15 is without a doubt my favorite verse in this psalm. David has just talked about the enemies rising against him and continues the thought with, “BUT.” But God is tender.kind.not easily angered.immense in love.and He never quits. What a contrast he has painted for us!
David turns to bold requests at the end of the psalm. “So look me in the eye and show kindness.” I’m pretty sure that’s a bold request...and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to ask God to look you in the eye. Don’t be afraid to ask for His attention and kindness. By asking this, David is asking for mercy and strength. “Give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child!” When God gives us His strength, we are sufficient in all times.
With one last bold request, David says, “Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, as you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.” God makes a show of His love for us by taking care of us. By saying “make a show,” David is asking God to assure him of His mercy by delivering him out of his current trouble.
We serve a pretty amazing God. And it must be our desire to understand Him that nudges us to move forward as students eager to learn. Students of our mighty God made whole in heart and mind. It must be our pursuit of God and His truth that defines us. And it will be within our pursuit, bearing fruits of praise, that we will see God show us (and others) how much He loves us!
For today, I would like to look specifically at the latter part of the psalm, beginning in verse 11. David says, “train me, God, to walk straight.” The KJV puts it, “teach me thy way, O Lord.” I don’t know what it is, but something about this particular verse in the KJV in this context is so intimate. “Teach me thy way, O Lord.” Don’t you want to repeat it a hundred times!
We are to be constant students in the school of God. Ever learning, and desiring to learn, from the King of Kings. David willfully wanted to follow God. I like Charles Spurgeons commentary, “not my way give me, but thy way teach me.” That is my daily prayer if I’ve ever had one.
David takes it a step further by taking it to the heart. “Put me together, one heart AND mind.” To be made whole, undivided. A (wo)man divided can not stand, but a (wo)man made whole can “worship in joyful fear.” We are being called to rise up as women undivided in heart and mind, free from any fear but holy awe.
Praise should never be lifted unless it is whole. When we give anything but, it is not complete, therefore it is not real and authentic. God doesn’t deserve divided and conflicted praise, but whole heart and mind within the avenue of glory we give above.
In verse 13 David continues with, “You've always been great toward me—what love!” I really don’t know what I could put here that would highlight your understanding of it any better. We all have come from a low place; we are all sinners who botched it up. But those of us who know the immeasurable grace and mercy of God can testify that He has been great towards us! Which is indeed an incredible love!
“But you, O God, are both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love, and you never, never quit.” Verse 15 is without a doubt my favorite verse in this psalm. David has just talked about the enemies rising against him and continues the thought with, “BUT.” But God is tender.kind.not easily angered.immense in love.and He never quits. What a contrast he has painted for us!
David turns to bold requests at the end of the psalm. “So look me in the eye and show kindness.” I’m pretty sure that’s a bold request...and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to ask God to look you in the eye. Don’t be afraid to ask for His attention and kindness. By asking this, David is asking for mercy and strength. “Give your servant the strength to go on, save your dear, dear child!” When God gives us His strength, we are sufficient in all times.
With one last bold request, David says, “Make a show of how much you love me so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, as you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.” God makes a show of His love for us by taking care of us. By saying “make a show,” David is asking God to assure him of His mercy by delivering him out of his current trouble.
We serve a pretty amazing God. And it must be our desire to understand Him that nudges us to move forward as students eager to learn. Students of our mighty God made whole in heart and mind. It must be our pursuit of God and His truth that defines us. And it will be within our pursuit, bearing fruits of praise, that we will see God show us (and others) how much He loves us!
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psalms,
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I have been a Christian for almost nine years now. For the longest time, I was hesitant to ask people to pray for me. Not because I thought it wasn’t important, but because I would feel like I was burdening people by asking them to pray for me. I didn’t want to add the weight of my problems to someone else, and it seemed mentioning requests to a few close friends was good enough.
Now things are different. More and more I’m asking people to pray for me because I want as much prayer as I can get! I know that with more people praying for me, the far better off I am.
Intercessory prayer is when a person intercedes on another's behalf and pleads their cause. Essentially, they are standing in the gap between God and that person. This intercession is a calling placed on all Christians. Not everyone is called to pastor, write, sing, or lead bible studies, but everyone is called to a ministry of praying for others.
One Bible scholar defined standing in the gap as the call “to expose oneself for the protection of something.” That isn’t always the easy thing to do, but it's certainly the necessary thing to do.
Now things are different. More and more I’m asking people to pray for me because I want as much prayer as I can get! I know that with more people praying for me, the far better off I am.
Intercessory prayer is when a person intercedes on another's behalf and pleads their cause. Essentially, they are standing in the gap between God and that person. This intercession is a calling placed on all Christians. Not everyone is called to pastor, write, sing, or lead bible studies, but everyone is called to a ministry of praying for others.
One Bible scholar defined standing in the gap as the call “to expose oneself for the protection of something.” That isn’t always the easy thing to do, but it's certainly the necessary thing to do.
Ezekiel 22 shows what happens when there is no one to stand in the gap between God and others. Verse 30 says, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” (NIV)
Israel was in a bad place. Murder, idolatry, mistreatment of others and adultery are just a few of the sins listed in the chapter. It was here in Ezekiel 22 that God’s anger began to burn against the sins of the people, and he looked for one righteous man to plead the cause of the wayward nation. But he found none. Therefore, the wrath of God was poured out upon the nation. It was destroyed, along with the temple, and the people went into captivity.
What if there had been one, just one person, who would have stood in the gap between God and Israel? It had happened before. Psalm 106.23 illustrates a moment that it did, “So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.” (NLT)
You could read further of Moses intercession in Numbers 14. Moses was one man who stood in the gap between God and others, and a nation was spared judgment. Just think of what could happen if one person stood in the gap for another. If you stood in the gap for another. Imagine what would happen if you became an advocate for others. Perhaps you can’t sing, or you’re not gifted with preaching, but prayer is more effective than anything, so if you would pray for another, imagine what could happen?!
Charles Spurgeon said when referring to Moses, “Like a bold warrior who defends the wall when there is an opening for the adversary and destruction is rushing in upon the city, Moses stopped the way of avenging justice with his prayers.”
To intercede in prayer is to be like a bold warrior. If the battle is won in prayer (and it indeed is), than there must be warriors who will be willing to stand in the gap and fight. Moses isn’t the only one either. A few weeks ago we looked at Romans 8. Verse 34 in the ESV reads, “Christ Jesus…who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Every moment, of every day, Jesus is standing in the gap between God and you. Fighting on your behalf.
There is something very powerful when one person will pray for another. Even more powerful, when many will intercede and advocate on behalf of another. My prayer is that God’s people would turn to these examples given, to Jesus Christ, and incorporate intercessory prayer for others into their daily lives.
Give me a man of God, one man
Whose faith is master of his mind
And I will right ten thousand wrongs
And bless the name of all mankind.
Give me a man of God, one man,
Whose tongue is touched with heavens fire
And I will flame the darkest hearts
With high resolve and pure desire.
Give me a man of God, one man,
One mighty prophet of the Lord,
And I will give you peace on earth
Bought with prayer and not a sword.
Give me a man of God, one man,
True to the vision that he sees
And I will build your broken shrines
And bring the nations to their knees.
One man.
Whose faith is master of his mind
And I will right ten thousand wrongs
And bless the name of all mankind.
Give me a man of God, one man,
Whose tongue is touched with heavens fire
And I will flame the darkest hearts
With high resolve and pure desire.
Give me a man of God, one man,
One mighty prophet of the Lord,
And I will give you peace on earth
Bought with prayer and not a sword.
Give me a man of God, one man,
True to the vision that he sees
And I will build your broken shrines
And bring the nations to their knees.
One man.
Who has God placed in your world for you to be an advocate for? Your family? Certainly. A neighbor, a friend, a casual acquaitance from the soccer games? There are people all around you that God has placed there for you to be a warrior for. So fight for them.
Stand in the gap between God and that person!
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encouragement,
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prayer
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