Tag Archives: prayer

Prayer Of Trust

Lord,

You’re holy and I’m unworthy of your daily presence in my life. Who am I that you should choose to call me your own, much less your child? I don’t know that I’ll ever understand why you choose to continually pour out blessings on me. I can’t comprehend the love you have for me. I can feel it and I can see it, but I know I don’t deserve it. In your grace, you have chosen not to give my what I deserve of have earned, but what you desire to give your children. You have given me peace, comfort, security and salvation. You have blessed me beyond words and I say, “Thank you!”

Thank you for not giving up on me when I most deserved it. Thank you for not turning your back on me when I have turned my back on you. You have remained true to II Timothy 2:13 that says even when we are unfaithful, you remain faithful. You cannot deny who you are. You are the steady constant in my life. You are my rock, my fortress, my hiding place and my deliverer. I trust you and run to you when things come at me faster than I can handle. I hide behind your shield when it feels like everyone is against me.

In those moments, you have never failed me. You have never left me out alone to face my battles. You have always stood with me, right beside me in the hardest of times. When others have left, you stayed. When others said that I got what I deserved, you put me back on me feet and showed me the path you wanted me on. You have always been my guide even though I haven’t always listened. You have pointed me to greener pastures, but I’ve procrastinated because I’ve been complacent with where I am. Continue to show patience towards me as you guide and direct me.

Give me the courage to leave those familiar fields to go where you would lead me. Give me peace as I walk away from the things I’ve known. Forgive me for finding my security in them instead of in you. Help me to trust you more and my surroundings less. Show me the greater plan you have for my life and nudge me when I stray from it. I ask for wisdom to recognize the time and seasons of change and for strength to bear the load you’ve given me. Thank you again for all you’ve done in my life and all you’re going to do. Thank you that I haven’t gone beyond the point of being used by you. I love you.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Umbrella Of Praise

20140520-074803-28083214.jpg

Have you ever just allowed your mind to worry? I’m sure you’ve been there where your every thought is consumed by all the possibilities. You replay the scenario in your mind over and over again until you can’t think of any good outcomes. Your heart rate goes up. Your stress increases. You get that feeling in the middle of your chest that something’s not right. Your sleep then gets affected and your exhausted because you’re mentally drained. It happens to the best of us, but it doesn’t have to. We don’t have to let worry consume our mind and lives. There’s a better way.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers…Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Worry takes a lot of energy. It takes a lot of time and effort too. God would rather we spend that time, energy and effort in prayer. That’s what David did when he worried. He spent a lot of time in dark caves hiding from people who wanted to kill him. His mind would wander in the darkness and worry would creep in.

It was in the darkness of those caves in the stress of worry that he wrote so many Psalms. We like to think of him as the giant slayer, but he was also a worrier. Writing the Psalms helped him channel that worry into prayer and praise. When we worry, we take control of the situation that we have no control over. When we pray, we give God control of the situation that He already knows the outcome of. If we can learn to hand that off on prayer, we can displace a lot of worry in our life and use the energy for productive things.

The scripture also said to let petitions and praise shape our worries into prayers. I’ve found that when I’m most stressed, most worried and most consumed with a problem that I need to break away and spend time listening to Praise and Worship music. When I begin to praise God and worship Him, I invite His presence into my situation. I invoke all of Heaven’s authority to come stand by my side and fight on my behalf. I’m then surrounded by God’s peaceful presence because He dwells in the praises of His people. When that peace comes over me, I begin to see the battle is not mine, but His.

Worry doesn’t change my situation, prayer does because it moves the hand of God. Worry leaves me empty and broken, but God’s presence makes me whole. Worry sees every negative outcome in a situation, but praise sees everything working together for my good. The choice is ours. I personally like the outcome of prayer and praise than worry and fret. If you’re caught in that storm of negative thoughts, put up an umbrella of prayer and praise today and let the peace of God that passes all understanding come and rule in your heart and mind. Leave worry behind. Give it to the One who already knows what’s going to happen and is in control. It’s a wonderful feeling when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

9 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

The Mom Who Wouldn’t Quit

It’s Free Friday! Today is the day you let go of the things in your life that keep you down or hold you back from all God has for you. To celebrate, I’m giving away an autographed copy of “What Happens When Women Say Yes To God” by Lysa TerKeurst. Keep reading to find out how to enter.

I’ve always heard that if your mom is praying for you, you might as well stop running because God is going to answer her prayer. There us a lot of power and passion in a mother’s prayer. I believe it’s because God puts something special in them. They have the power to love their children unconditionally. When a dad is ready to give up, a mom keeps believing against all hope and prays even more fervently. There is power in a mom’s prayer.

There is a mom in Matthew 15:22-28 who approached Jesus for her child. We don’t know her name, but we know about her persistence. She had a daughter who was being tormented by a demon. It was unbearable for her to watch her daughter be miserable and to be powerless against it. When she heard that Jesus was coming through her area, she made it her mission to get His attention and to get Him to heal her daughter no matter what. She knew that Jesus had the power to make her daughter whole.

With a loud voice, she began to make a scene trying to get Jesus’ attention. The Amplified Bible says it was a loud, troublesomely urgent cry. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David,” she cried out. Jesus could hear her, but He ignored her. He kept walking and gave her no reply to her shouts. She then began to pester the disciples. She begged them to get Him to touch her daughter. If she couldn’t get The Lord’s attention, she would find those who could and get them to plead with Him on her behalf.

When the disciples got tired of being bothered by her, they said to Jesus, “Now she’s bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She’s driving us crazy.” Jesus refused again. He said He had His hands full helping the lost sheep of Israel. When the woman saw that Jesus wouldn’t grant her request even though the disciples asked Him to, she marched right up to Him, dropped to her knees and begged, “Master, help me.” You can hear the desperation in her voice as she wanted nothing more than help for her daughter.

Jesus then said one of the most harsh things He ever said. He looked at her and said, “It’s not right to take bread out of children’s mouths and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus had not only ignored her and refused to answer her, now He was insulting her. Instead of walking away or throwing an insult back, she quickly replied, “You’re right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master’s table.” Verse 28 says, “Jesus gave in. ‘Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get.’ Right then her daughter became well.”

If you feel like God has ignored your prayer, keep praying and get others involved. If God is refusing your request, go straight into the a Throne Room and make your request known. If God is still refusing, don’t quit praying. If you feel insulted because you have prayed so long and so hard, don’t stop. Your answer could be just around the corner. God will test our faith to make sure it’s what we really want. He will answer when our faith is something else. Mom, you have a gift for never giving up when it comes to your children. Keep going to The Lord in prayer until He gives in and grants your request. There’s something about a praying mom that touches the heart of God.

If you would like to win an autographed copy of “What Happens When Women Say Yes To God” by Lysa TerKeurst, all you have to do is go to my Facebook page here and “like” it. I will randomly pick one person tomorrow (May 10, 2014) who has liked my page. If you have already liked my page and enjoy reading these daily devotionals, you are already entered. Please invite your friends to like my page so they can receive encouragement from God’s Word too

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

The Mom Who Was Granted Grace

I want go focus on mothers in the Bible this week. Today, Hannah comes to mind. She was the mother of Samuel. Her husband had another wife named Peninnah. She had blessed her husband with children, but Hannah had not. She struggled with infertility. I’m sure it bothered her all the time, but each year when they would travel to Shiloh to worship God, it would become a major issue. Her husband would give a portion of the sacrifice to Peninnah and to each of her children. To Hannah, he only gave one portion. Peninnah would taunt her and make fun of her for not having children.

I’m sure that Hannah struggled daily with not being able to have children. The voice in her head constantly tormented her making her feel like she was somehow less of a person because she couldn’t have kids. She must have felt like God was punishing her or that there was something wrong with her. Every time she saw a mother with their children, it was like a knife in a wound reminding her that she was barren. Having the other wife taunt her and make fun of her was just salt in the wound.

Her husband would say things like, “Aren’t I worth more to you than ten sons?” Men really don’t understand what a woman goes through. We aren’t wired the way a woman is. Instead of doing something consoling, we say something stupid. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her husband, she wanted fulfillment that only a child could bring. Her husband’ swords weren’t meant to hurt, but spoken out of ignorance, they did more harm than good. She would have preferred he prayed for her there while we sacrificed.

Since he didn’t, she did. She went into the sanctuary to pray. She began to weep as years of pain, suffering and mental anguish released. When she ran out of tears, her body dry heaved as she tried to pray. The words wouldn’t come out. Her mouth was moving, but the prayer was coming from her heart. Eli, the priest, saw her at the alter. He assumed she was drunk by her behavior. He called out to her, “Must you come here drunk?” Sobbing she replied, “I haven’t been drinking. But I am very discouraged and I was pouring my heart out to The Lord.” He said, “In that case, go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

She went away happy and began to eat again. She believed the word from Eli. She conceived and gave birth to a son. When he was old enough to be weaned, she took him back to Eli and gave him to The Lord. She left him there as an offering for God answering her prayer. She gave back the thing she wanted most. When I looked up the name Hannah, it meant “grace”. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines grace as “an unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration.” God gave Hannah grace just like he gives it to us. When Samuel was born, Hannah became a new person. She was free of the thing that haunted her. God is still in the business of answering our deepest desires and granting us grace when no one else understands.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Prayer For Difficult Times

Father,

Some days I feel like David. It seems like the world is chasing me and I’m in an endless cycle of running for my life. I try to hide out in caves of seclusion, but the darkness can be unbearable and lonely. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown and fear of dropping the ball keep me from doing everything I should. I feel like I’m juggling everything and barely keeping it together. I worry that if I drop something, everything will all come crashing down. It’s overwhelming at times and my mind rarely gets to rest. I need your help.

Like David, I reach out to you in my despair. I call on your name to be my refuge when others are attacking me. I know that you are my rock when everything else seems to slip beneath my feet. You are the one who holds me in your hands when I miss the mark. I thank you for being my shield that protects me from the fiery darts that the enemy throws. You give me strength to stand when that’s all that I can do. You have never failed me nor have you ever left me alone. I’m asking that you continue to stand by my side.

When I feel you standing with me, I get encouraged. I know that nothing can come against me that will defeat me. I know that even though I can’t see the path to my victory, it’s already won. Just because I can’t see how you will move or act on my behalf, it doesn’t change the fact that you will. You have always come to my rescue in my time of need. You have been the one constant in my life that I always knew would be there no matter what. Your hand has guided me through tough times in the past and you will continue to guide me no matter what I face.

I pray that you would help me to keep my thoughts on you as I face these struggles. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on your promises rather than my circumstances. Your truth is greater than what my reality tells me. Your Word is the light to my path that shows me where to go when I can’t see what my next step should be. Above all else, I will hold on to you through difficult times. You are the anchor that keeps me from going out to sea when the storms of life try to put me on the bottom of the ocean floor.

Thank you for hearing my prayer. You are a faithful God who is concerned about my life, my needs and the things that I face each and every day. Because I know you hear me, I know that you will answer me. I love you for all that you’ve done, all that you’re doing and all that you’re going to do. I know that you love me despite all I’ve done or am going to do. Your love and concern for me has nothing to do with my actions. You simply love me and care for me because you created me and I am your child. Help me to be at peace just in knowing that. Calm my fears, help me to catch my breath and to walk in your strength.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Calling Me Out Of Darkness

20140409-075201.jpg

Lord,

I want to say, “Thank you,” because you’ve given me another day to walk this earth. It’s not something I take lightly or for granted. Because of what you set in motion so long ago, the sun came up this morning. Sometimes it reminds me that I have so much to do. Sometimes it reminds me of the problems I have to face. Sometimes it’s an unwelcome light because the night was too short. Each time it rises though, it reminds me that you are in control of everything that goes on in my life and in this world.

I know that because you live in me, there is nothing I will face today or any day that is stronger than me. There is nothing that is able to defeat me because you are greater than anything that will ever come against me. Sometimes I lose sight of that and start to feel defeated. Sometimes I think that the whole world is crashing down and it will take me down with it. In those times, I ask that you would remind me of your promise to never leave me nor forsake me. Remind me of who I am in you. Remind me that I am more than a conqueror through you.

When I think of the story of my life, I think of all the ups and downs, the good times and the bad times. Through it all, you have constantly been by my side. At times I couldn’t see your hand at work. All I could see were the problems that had me closed in on every side. Looking back, I can see your hand on me even in the darkest of nights. I can see that you were developing me and pushing me to grow closer to you. Like a seed under ground struggling to break through the dark, dirty soil trying to get to the light, you were using the dark times to strengthen me and to push me toward your light.

I have always grown the most when I couldn’t see the light. It was hope that helped me push through the hard places. At times it seemed like I would never come out of the darkness, but you were there with me, encouraging me, pushing me and calling me into your marvelous light. You weren’t content to leave me as a seed sown in soil laying dormant. Your plan for my life is to use the dark places to grow my roots in you. To make me stronger once I reach the light. To have me firmly planted so that when the winds of life blow and the rain beats down on me, I’ll look back, remember what you’ve done in my past and my roots will hold strong.

I don’t know what the future of my story looks like, but with each sunrise, you give me one more day to live it out. You give me one more chance to trust you, to open up and share your beauty. Keep writing my story as you always have. Keep giving me opportunities to grow and to trust in you more. Let the water of your word feed me and strengthen my roots. Let your face shine on me and draw me closer to you. Let the story of my life show that you are a faithful God who never abandons His children and calls them out of darkness into light. I love you with everything in me.

Thank you for all you have done and are going to do in this story.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

A Prayer For God’s Love

Dear Heavenly Father,

When I stop and consider who you are, I’m humbled that you would desire to use me. Everywhere I look in creation, I see your fingerprints. I see your handiwork in the stars at night and your compassion in the love of a child. I can’t help but try to imagine how big you must be since everything exists in you. I also can’t help but wonder how you care so deeply for me when you have so many other things you’ve created that you can be proud of. I’m in awe that you bless me daily with your presence.

I confess that I’m imperfect and am unworthy of your love. I do things that grieve you and make you disappointed in me. I fall short of who you want me to be so often. I don’t understand how you can still love me or desire to use me. My life is full of broken pieces that somehow you use to create a beautiful mosaic. Your desire is that when I sin and when I’m broken that I come to you and offer the pieces for you to use. My sin may be great, but your grace is even greater. I’m thankful for the forgiveness you offer when I don’t deserve it.

Thank you for the work you did on the cross. The blood that flowed from your body still offers forgiveness and healing today. The stripes you took on your back from the whip still offer healing. The crown of thorns that they placed on your head still pierces my heart and convicts me. Thank you for not calling 10,000 angels to come and rescue you. Thank you that you chose the Father’s will instead of your own. I’m forever grateful that your love for me was stronger than the pain you endured. It was stronger than the desire to come down from the cross, destroy the world and to start over. I don’t ever want to think of the love you have for me as ordinary.

I pray that you would help me to not only receive your love daily, but also help me to show it to others. Teach me to extend grace to those who need it most. I don’t want to be like the man in the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor. I recognize that you have forgiven me for a lot. Help me to forgive those who have wronged me. Help me to express your kind of love to them. I want to overflow with your love until that’s all that comes out of me. Let me be the expression of your love here on Earth. Let your love flow through me so I can point others to you. It doesn’t matter what I do in my life, if I don’t show your love, it’s all in vain.

Walk with me today. Open my eyes to see those in need of your love. Open my ears to hear what others are really saying that they need. Open my mouth to speak the words you want me to speak. Open my hands to give what you want me to give. Open my path to lead me where you want me to go. Give me the strength to go where you’ve called me and give me the courage to do what you ask me to do. Let my life make a difference in someone else’s today. Let others see you in me today so they can see how you can take an imperfect, broken vessel and use them anyway. I love you, Lord.

I ask these things in Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

A Prayer For Trust

Lord Jesus,

I come to you today knowing that you are in control of my life, my country and my world. You are the God who spoke into darkness and created light. You spoke and the world took shape. In fact, the words you spoke back then are still creating today as the universe continues to expand and birth new galaxies. Your word is powerful beyond anything I can imagine. It creates rivers in the desert, life in dry bones and hope in impossible situations. I honor you for who you are and because you take an active interest in my life.

I confess I don’t have everything figured out. I try to create things using my own power and wisdom instead of relying on yours. I constantly make a mess of things and then ask you to come clean it up. I often act as though I’m independent as if I don’t need you. I think I’m helping you out when I don’t see how your plan can come to pass and I try to figure it out on my own. I know that the closer I get to you, the more dependent I should become, but my selfish nature wants to prove to you and others that I can do things on my own. Somehow I lose sight of my role in our relationship.

I thank you that you forgive me when I’m selfish and try to do your job. You are always right on time when you come in and pick up the pieces from the mess I’ve made. I’m in awe when I watch you put them back together again in a fashion that is more complete and greater than I could have ever imagined. Thank you that you don’t get tired of me making a mess so often. Thank you that no matter what I do, you still love me and call me your child. I’m honored that you do and I don’t want to take it lightly. You sacrificed everything to give me that honor and in return, I sacrifice myself daily for you.

I ask that you would help me to become more dependent on you each day. Teach me to trust in you and your plan. I don’t know why things happen the way they do, but I know you are in control. Give me peace when I look at everything around me and I can’t see the way from point A to point B. Help me to stay still when you ask me to. Give me courage to move and step out when there’s no dry land around. Teach me to be patient when I don’t understand why things happen. Remind me that you’ll show up in time like you always do so I won’t worry. I want to do my part and let you do your part.

Give me strength to face today and peace that you have tomorrow under control. Put people in my path who I can speak life into and who can in return encourage me. Help me to build relationships with people who will help me accomplish more for you than I ever dreamed. Stir up the gifts you’ve placed in me so that they are active and are ready to be used by you at a moment’s notice. You are my God and my king. I owe my life to you. Let me live that way today and show others who you are by my actions, by my faith and by my trust in you. I love you with all my heart.

In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Who Was Saint Patrick Anyway?

20140317-073755.jpg

Not many of us know who Saint Patrick was, but we’re more than willing to join in the celebrations of Saint Patrick’s Day. Unlike most holidays named after a person, this holiday is on the date of his death rather than birth. He was raised in a Christian home, but refused to accept the faith of his parents. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped, taken to Ireland and sold as a slave. During his time as a slave, he became a Christian and became a man of prayer. After seven years, he escaped and returned home. Once home, he felt God call him into ministry and to be a missionary to those who enslaved him.

There are a lot of myths and legends about him that have grown over the years, but these are the things that everyone seems to agree on. One of the first things that stood out to me was that we celebrate him on the date of his death. As I like to look at it, we celebrate on the first day of his real life. The day he walked through Heaven’s doors is the best way to remember anyone. We focus so much on the date of their death and our loss that we forget, that’s the day Christians really celebrate life.

Another thing about his life that stood out to me was that he didn’t accept his parents faith. Many of us have experienced that in our own lives or we have kids who have wandered from the faith we’ve tried to hand down. I’m sure his mother and father prayed for him daily after he was kidnapped. I’m sure they were just as concerned on getting him home to Heaven as they were to their earthly home. I’ve learned that parent’s prayers are powerful. They are effective and touch the heart of God. We don’t always see immediate results, but God is working in your child’s life.

It was in his time of distress, in his time of trouble that he realized he needed a savior. He remembered the teachings of his parents and those at church. He called out to God and God answered him. I’ve learned that for some of us, myself included, we have to endure hardship and pain before God becomes real in our lives. We have to be tested before we know that God truly is the answer. Once we find that peace and security in Him, the rest of our lives and world around us will be changed.

The last thing I love about his life is that he went back to those who oppressed him to reach them with the Gospel. He wasn’t content to let those who had done him wrong to go to hell. I’m sure his flesh cried out like Jonah did and didn’t want to take a salvation message to others whom he disliked. However, he went and God rewarded his obedience. He saw many people come to The Lord and changed an entire culture. His obedience has left a legacy of faith in a land where there was very little.

What will our legacy of faith be? Will we be obedient to anything that God asks us to do? Will we swallow our pride and see that the people who have done us wrong need Jesus too? Will we be able to show them love when all we’ve received from them is evil? It all comes down to being obedient to what God asks you to do. You may not change the world, a country or a state, but you will change the world of those you reach. You will create a new culture in the lives of those you lead to Christ and start a chain reaction that will continue. It starts with being obedient.

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Free To Pray Boldly

It’s Free Friday! Today is the day you let go of the things in your life that keep you down or hold you back. To celebrate, I’m giving away a copy of “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson. Keep reading to find out how to enter.

There’s a video that has gone viral of a toddler trying to convince his mom to give him a cupcake. He’s not shy about what he wants and is very determined to get it. A few years down the road, he’ll change his tune and try to butter up his mother for what he wants. A few years after that, he’ll begin to feel like he’s bothering her if he wants something. Not long after that, he will be embarrassed to ask anything of her because he’ll think he shouldn’t need her help anymore. That’s how life goes. The older we get, the less likely we are to ask for something we need.

I’m taken back to Jesus’ words when He encouraged us to have the faith of a child. When you watch the video of that child arguing with his mother, he has no doubt he’s going to get the cupcakes. The doubt I do have is that the mother can hold out and not give him what he wants. His persistence and determination are what we need when we go to God in prayer. He wasn’t willing to take no for an answer. He knew what he wanted and he wasn’t going to stop until he got it. If you have kids, you know this is true!

Jesus told a parable in Luke 11:5-13 about prayer. He used the example of a neighbor who had a friend show up in the middle of the night unexpectedly. He wasn’t prepared to feed his friend so he went to his neighbor’s house. The neighbor told him to go away because they were sleeping. Finally, because of his persistence, the neighbor got up and gave him food. Verse 10 really hits home. It says, “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need.” Instead of hinting around to God at what you need, be direct. Instead of being embarrassed that you need something, be bold.

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” We need to be like that kid with our prayers. We need to be like that neighbor who won’t give up when praying. Just because you don’t see an immediate answer, it doesn’t mean that God isn’t working on it (see Daniel 10:12-13). We can’t give up on our prayers when we don’t see an immediate answer. We can’t quit knocking just because the door hasn’t opened yet. We can quit seeking because we haven’t found it yet. James 5:16 says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.”

Today, I want each of us to have the faith of a child again. I want us to be free to shed the things that hold back boldness in our prayers. I want us to be like that neighbor and never give up on our requests to God. He hears each prayer and begins to work on our behalf the moment your prayers enter the Throne Room. Be earnest in your prayers. Keep them heartfelt and continue to bring them to His attention. I am confident that when we do, He’ll have no choice but to answer us. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Your answer is on its way.

If you would like to win “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson, all you have to do is go to my Facebook page here and “like” it. I will randomly pick one person tomorrow (March 15, 2014) who has liked my page. If you have already liked my page and enjoy reading these daily devotionals, you are already entered. Please invite your friends to like my page so they can receive encouragement from God’s Word too.

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized