Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
The United States Military is one of the most decorated, powerful military forces in the world. America the Beautiful is armed and dangerous with a long list of weapons of mass destruction; the computer operated drone, satellite detection for bombings, secret mission submarines, Delta Force for counterterrorism, and last but not least, Navy Seal Team 6. These massive weapons and special teams are designed for the most elaborate covert operations of their kind to accomplish only one thing –to abolish the most powerful enemy.
I love my country and am blessed to have such a powerful military organization guarding me at all times. But, you see, I have found in my spiritual life to have a very powerful special weapon of my own – Prayer. I have oftentimes been on the receiving end of this most powerful weapon of prayer and have reaped eternal benefits on more occasions than I could count. The fruits of this powerful weapon have been evident in my life through and through and have on many occasions significantly changed the course of life. This massive harvest of fruit in my life from being on the receiving end of others praying for me has caused me to take this most significant opportunity to pray for others to the deepest of levels. Join with me in this most elaborate military operation with our greatest weapon of mass destruction of all – Prayer.
Why Do We Pray?
We pray because God hears us and responds by fighting our battles.
James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
When we pray, God hears us. And when He hears us, the Word of God says it avails much. God responds to whatever our battle is and He is ready to fight for us.
We don’t need an army of thousands of people or the Delta Force or Navy Seal 6, we just need the most effective weapon against the enemy…prayer. These people prayed and the Lord came to their rescue and He is still rescuing us today. If anything makes the enemy shudder, it’s the power and effectiveness of prayer to the One who answers.
God fights for us.
Joshua 23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you.
I know first-hand the power of prayer and how the Lord rescued me by winning the battle for my soul. In 2003, I was a guest speaker at a missions banquet in Wisconsin. I gave my testimony and shared several instances where God had answered my prayers. At the end of the evening, a shy red-haired woman came up to me and in a very small voice said, “God has answered my prayers about you.” I was struggling to make a connection with who this lady was. Looking a bit confused, I said, “Do I know you?” She shyly answered, “No, but I know your father. He used to tell me about you and all you were going through. Whenever I would drive past your father’s house, the Lord would put you on my heart and I would pray for your salvation.” I am certain I am saved today because of this woman’s prayers on my behalf. I am forever in debt to her for her faithfulness to pray.
We pray because we acknowledge our dependence on Christ.
Matthew 15: 5 I am the vine, you are the branches, He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
We pray to Him because He is our only source. We must completely depend on Him to plan our attacks and fight our battles. We will have our “battle success” only through remaining in Him.
Ephesians 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence in faith through Him
We can be bold when we ask God and we can expect Him to answer. We have access to the One who has all the resources to provide solutions and we can come to Him with confidence knowing that when He hears us, He answers.
I sat on a plane in 2004 ready to return home from a visit with a friend. It had turned out to be quite a disaster. My ex-husband had gotten remarried that weekend and I was on a huge pity party. He had moved on and remarried and I was still waiting for God. I was really broken that weekend. I sat there on the plane ready to return home and I poured my heart out to the Lord. I asked God if He would send me a woman to minister to me. Right after I prayed, I just knew with confidence that He heard me and I knew He would send her. I cried out to Him and said it was very seldom that I ask, but this time I needed someone to minister to me. I was sitting in the middle seat. I looked at the man on my left who had his headphones on and the woman to my right was reading a book and not at all interested in talking with me. In my heart, I said, “Lord, you are either going to change this woman’s heart next to me or you are sending someone else. I watched and waited for the woman to arrive. Person after person boarded the plane and sat down until the plane was almost full. The very last woman came through the door. She was an older woman in her 60s. She started coming toward me and said to the woman next me, “Excuse me, I think you are in my seat.” The woman to my right looked up from her book and said, “No, this is my seat.” The gray-haired lady pulled her ticket out of her purse and showed the woman next to me. It was indeed her seat. I knew as soon as she sat down it was the woman God had sent. This lovely woman ministered to me the whole way home. She shared her own faith in Christ, several scriptures to encourage me and loved on me the whole way home.
My God heard my prayer and not only did He hear it, but He responded. He sent her for me not only to minister to me, but to pray for me. We exchanged addresses before we parted ways. The next week, I was thinking how special that was that God heard me and responded to my plea. When I thought of this woman, I had this deep feeling in my heart that she was praying for me. Immediately after this thought, I went right to my mailbox and pulled out my mail. When I pulled my mail out, a letter dropped out on the ground. I knelt down to pick it up and it was a letter from the woman on the plane. It had just eight powerful words. It read: Stacy, I am praying for you. Love, Elaine. God hears prayer and He responds powerfully.
We pray because we are not ignorant of our enemy.
1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
We are in a battle. If you don’t realize you are in a battle, it means you’ve been taken captive. This battle is like no other. The most powerful of all military weapons of mass destruction pale in comparison to the weapons needed for this battle.
Join with me to arm yourself with the most powerful secret weapon available – Prayer. Make a commitment to step up your prayer. Get a prayer journal and pray specifically, fervently and consistently. We must completely depend on Him to plan the attack on the enemy and to completely annihilate him. He will respond powerfully to our prayer. This is a weapon available for our taking. Take hold of this secret weapon of mass destruction, our prayers, and stand back and watch the Lord fight our battles!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
I am God’s Favorite…and So are You!
Psalm 16:3 As for the saints who are on the earth, They are excellent ones, in whom is all my delight
For the past several weeks, I have taken hold of such an awesome truth. The truth is, I am God’s favorite…and so are you! The Lord has reached deep down in my soul to show me this beautiful reality. It struck me deep in my being when I first read my pastor’s wife’s blog. In recent months, she has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She shared with our congregation that late one evening, her husband insisted she go to the Emergency Room because she was complaining of pain in her chest. Like any other trip to the emergency room, they had waited hours and hours until they both finally dozed off. When she awoke, she looked over at her sleeping husband who was still clutching her purse that the nurse asked him to hold hours before. What a sweet picture. It made me smile at the love she had when she looked at her husband still holding her purse. When she saw her husband’s faithfulness and love, she said, “He really is my favorite.” Deep in my heart, for just a moment, I realized that’s what God thinks of me. This profound statement really stuck with me. The Lord has continued to bring that saying to my attention ever since. And every time I turn around, I am hearing God’s people sharing that same truth with me. Yes, I am God’s favorite…and so are you!
1. You are God’s Favorite because He is not partial. Webster’s definition of Partial: Inclined to favor one party more than the other.
Job 34:19 Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor: For they are all the work of His hands & Romans 2:11 says For there is no partiality with God.
I have had people respond to me from time to time, “Wow, You must be really special. God must really love you. He really favors you.” But God says in His Word, He is not partial. He will not favor me over you. You see, I am His favorite, but you are too! I rejoice with you that you share in this great reality. We are God’s own favorite people.
2. You are God’s favorite because He died for you and took you to be His own special treasure. Webster’s definition of favorite: one that is treated or regarded with special favor or liking; especially a person who is specially loved, trusted, or provided with favors by someone of high rank or authority.
Titus 2:12 who gave Himself for us, that He might purify for Himself His own special people. He gave Himself for us. He was beaten beyond recognition as a man for our sins. He died a violent, horrible death for our sins. On the third day, He rose again to save us from our sins and now He has revealed to us that we really are His favorite. What a delight to be His favorite.
God delights in us and to Him, we are precious beyond compare. I have a special saying when I am sharing the love of Jesus to the world. I tell them, “Don’t you know, Jesus adores you?” Just a few days ago, I had my 5 year old daughter with me while getting my hair cut at a salon. The door of the salon opened and a thin, tattooed gentleman brought his little 4 year old daughter in the salon. He asked my hair stylist could his daughter play in the salon with my daughters. She came in and my 5 year old, Grace whispered in my ear, “Does she have Jesus in her heart?” I smiled and whispered back, “I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?’ Grace shared with the little girl the simple bible truths of the gospel that I had taught her and the she opened her heart and prayed with us to accept Jesus in her heart. My heart melted inside when her big brown eyes widened when I explained Jesus now lived in her heart. This beautiful, blonde girl had just become God’s own favorite. When I walked out of the salon, I saw the parents of the little girl outside the door. Their bodies were riddled with the effects of drug addiction. I wanted to hug the mom and tell her, “Don’t you know, your little girl is God’s own favorite? She is His treasure and He wants you as His favorite too.” My heart hurt inside when I saw the emptiness in her eyes and that she didn’t know the depths of this great love for her.
3. You are God’s favorite FOREVER. Webster’s definition of forever: For a limitless time; at all times: continually.
You are God’s special treasure and this astounding promise lasts forever and FOREVER! This reality has brought me to my knees in tears countless times over the past several weeks. I am His favorite and this warms me from the inside out and blesses me beyond words.
Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life.
Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
It’s hard to imagine that this great God is not partial. We are, in fact, His favorites. We are His own special people and so are any of the “whosoevers” that John 3:16 talks about. Let us live every day in the reality that we are God’s favorite. Let us live our lives out loud for those who are lost and hurting and have no love. Let us bring them this great love that cannot be compared…that they would know they are God’s favorite and this great love lasts FOREVER!
For the past several weeks, I have taken hold of such an awesome truth. The truth is, I am God’s favorite…and so are you! The Lord has reached deep down in my soul to show me this beautiful reality. It struck me deep in my being when I first read my pastor’s wife’s blog. In recent months, she has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She shared with our congregation that late one evening, her husband insisted she go to the Emergency Room because she was complaining of pain in her chest. Like any other trip to the emergency room, they had waited hours and hours until they both finally dozed off. When she awoke, she looked over at her sleeping husband who was still clutching her purse that the nurse asked him to hold hours before. What a sweet picture. It made me smile at the love she had when she looked at her husband still holding her purse. When she saw her husband’s faithfulness and love, she said, “He really is my favorite.” Deep in my heart, for just a moment, I realized that’s what God thinks of me. This profound statement really stuck with me. The Lord has continued to bring that saying to my attention ever since. And every time I turn around, I am hearing God’s people sharing that same truth with me. Yes, I am God’s favorite…and so are you!
1. You are God’s Favorite because He is not partial. Webster’s definition of Partial: Inclined to favor one party more than the other.
Job 34:19 Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor: For they are all the work of His hands & Romans 2:11 says For there is no partiality with God.
I have had people respond to me from time to time, “Wow, You must be really special. God must really love you. He really favors you.” But God says in His Word, He is not partial. He will not favor me over you. You see, I am His favorite, but you are too! I rejoice with you that you share in this great reality. We are God’s own favorite people.
2. You are God’s favorite because He died for you and took you to be His own special treasure. Webster’s definition of favorite: one that is treated or regarded with special favor or liking; especially a person who is specially loved, trusted, or provided with favors by someone of high rank or authority.
Titus 2:12 who gave Himself for us, that He might purify for Himself His own special people. He gave Himself for us. He was beaten beyond recognition as a man for our sins. He died a violent, horrible death for our sins. On the third day, He rose again to save us from our sins and now He has revealed to us that we really are His favorite. What a delight to be His favorite.
God delights in us and to Him, we are precious beyond compare. I have a special saying when I am sharing the love of Jesus to the world. I tell them, “Don’t you know, Jesus adores you?” Just a few days ago, I had my 5 year old daughter with me while getting my hair cut at a salon. The door of the salon opened and a thin, tattooed gentleman brought his little 4 year old daughter in the salon. He asked my hair stylist could his daughter play in the salon with my daughters. She came in and my 5 year old, Grace whispered in my ear, “Does she have Jesus in her heart?” I smiled and whispered back, “I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?’ Grace shared with the little girl the simple bible truths of the gospel that I had taught her and the she opened her heart and prayed with us to accept Jesus in her heart. My heart melted inside when her big brown eyes widened when I explained Jesus now lived in her heart. This beautiful, blonde girl had just become God’s own favorite. When I walked out of the salon, I saw the parents of the little girl outside the door. Their bodies were riddled with the effects of drug addiction. I wanted to hug the mom and tell her, “Don’t you know, your little girl is God’s own favorite? She is His treasure and He wants you as His favorite too.” My heart hurt inside when I saw the emptiness in her eyes and that she didn’t know the depths of this great love for her.
3. You are God’s favorite FOREVER. Webster’s definition of forever: For a limitless time; at all times: continually.
You are God’s special treasure and this astounding promise lasts forever and FOREVER! This reality has brought me to my knees in tears countless times over the past several weeks. I am His favorite and this warms me from the inside out and blesses me beyond words.
Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life.
Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
It’s hard to imagine that this great God is not partial. We are, in fact, His favorites. We are His own special people and so are any of the “whosoevers” that John 3:16 talks about. Let us live every day in the reality that we are God’s favorite. Let us live our lives out loud for those who are lost and hurting and have no love. Let us bring them this great love that cannot be compared…that they would know they are God’s favorite and this great love lasts FOREVER!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Hurry Up and Wait!
Isaiah 49:23 "Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."
Have you ever said to God…”Hurry up….only to hear Him answer, “…Wait. We are always in a hurry aren’t we? It’s fast food, instant messaging, and the microwave. I used to put my food in the oven and wait for it. These days, I decline to purchase a meal if it takes longer than 2 minutes to prepare in the microwave. I’ve found no satisfaction to use the mail service at Netflix anymore. I want the instant stream from the internet right to my television. I don’t want to have to wait the extra day to get my favorite movie to watch. The fact is, we want what we want, and we want it right now.
This concept of waiting has been on my heart for a couple days now. I’ve come to realize, I am not that great at waiting on God. I am impatient, demanding, and always being reigned back in to wait for God. I was driving home today from my bible study, and literally at every stop light I was jotting down revelation at the Lord gave it to me. Since it’s been a long time since I’ve written, I hope to bless you with what the Lord revealed to me today.
There are three things that stood out to me as the Lord poured revelation into my heart:
1. Everything has an appointed time.
2. It’s essential to wait on the Lord for the appointed time.
3. It’s absolutely necessary to be ready when He calls.
I have many times been impatient with the Lord and nagged God to Hurry Up! It’s like holding back a race horse when they open the shoot. But contrary to what I think, Scripture is filled with examples of God having an appointed time to accomplish His will and His purposes.
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. God had an appointed time for Sarah to receive her promise to conceive her baby. Sarah’s appointed time came when she was 90 years old!
John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. There is an appointed time that God heals. And for this man who had an infirmity for 38 years, this appointed time of God’s healing touch was what he had been waiting for.
John 7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come. There was an appointed time for Jesus to go into Jerusalem, suffer, be crucified, and an appointed time that He rose from the dead on the third day. This amazing event was to happen at a special time and it happened not one second before it was supposed to. He waited for His appointed time, and therefore, it accomplished all that it was meant to.
These great men and women of faith had an appointed time and they waited for that appointed time. Abraham was considered to be righteous because He knew God who promised, was faithful to deliver that promise. And after waiting 91 years, Sarah received her promise. The man with the infirmity sat at the pool day after day waiting for his miracle. He had waited 38 years for his appointed time and his miraculous healing and God delivered not one minute too late. Jesus waited 33 years for His appointed time. He did not go ahead a second before His appointed time. He waited for the Father to give direction and He followed and delivered our promise.
As we wait on the Lord, we can wait with expectancy. 2Peter The Lord is not slack concerning His promise. God will deliver, but we must see we have an appointed time, wait for our time, and be ready when He calls.
Exodus 12:11 And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. He wore his belt and had his shoes on and a staff in his hand. Why do you think he had his shoes on and his staff? Because after he was done eating the Passover, he was planning to go. He was ready, with his belt, shoes and his staff. He was prepared to leave.
Matthew 25:3-8 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold the Bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. The wise virgins had oil in their lamps and they were prepared when Jesus arrived. When He called, they were ready.
Jesus has an appointed time for us for His purpose. It’s not our timeline, but His. He has it calculated down to the second. Join with me as we wait on the Lord for His appointed time and His call. Let us fill our lamps with oil, gird our waists with a belt, and place sandals on our feet. Let us be ready for the call of God and go at once when we hear Him!
Have you ever said to God…”Hurry up….only to hear Him answer, “…Wait. We are always in a hurry aren’t we? It’s fast food, instant messaging, and the microwave. I used to put my food in the oven and wait for it. These days, I decline to purchase a meal if it takes longer than 2 minutes to prepare in the microwave. I’ve found no satisfaction to use the mail service at Netflix anymore. I want the instant stream from the internet right to my television. I don’t want to have to wait the extra day to get my favorite movie to watch. The fact is, we want what we want, and we want it right now.
This concept of waiting has been on my heart for a couple days now. I’ve come to realize, I am not that great at waiting on God. I am impatient, demanding, and always being reigned back in to wait for God. I was driving home today from my bible study, and literally at every stop light I was jotting down revelation at the Lord gave it to me. Since it’s been a long time since I’ve written, I hope to bless you with what the Lord revealed to me today.
There are three things that stood out to me as the Lord poured revelation into my heart:
1. Everything has an appointed time.
2. It’s essential to wait on the Lord for the appointed time.
3. It’s absolutely necessary to be ready when He calls.
I have many times been impatient with the Lord and nagged God to Hurry Up! It’s like holding back a race horse when they open the shoot. But contrary to what I think, Scripture is filled with examples of God having an appointed time to accomplish His will and His purposes.
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. God had an appointed time for Sarah to receive her promise to conceive her baby. Sarah’s appointed time came when she was 90 years old!
John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. There is an appointed time that God heals. And for this man who had an infirmity for 38 years, this appointed time of God’s healing touch was what he had been waiting for.
John 7:8 You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come. There was an appointed time for Jesus to go into Jerusalem, suffer, be crucified, and an appointed time that He rose from the dead on the third day. This amazing event was to happen at a special time and it happened not one second before it was supposed to. He waited for His appointed time, and therefore, it accomplished all that it was meant to.
These great men and women of faith had an appointed time and they waited for that appointed time. Abraham was considered to be righteous because He knew God who promised, was faithful to deliver that promise. And after waiting 91 years, Sarah received her promise. The man with the infirmity sat at the pool day after day waiting for his miracle. He had waited 38 years for his appointed time and his miraculous healing and God delivered not one minute too late. Jesus waited 33 years for His appointed time. He did not go ahead a second before His appointed time. He waited for the Father to give direction and He followed and delivered our promise.
As we wait on the Lord, we can wait with expectancy. 2Peter The Lord is not slack concerning His promise. God will deliver, but we must see we have an appointed time, wait for our time, and be ready when He calls.
Exodus 12:11 And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. He wore his belt and had his shoes on and a staff in his hand. Why do you think he had his shoes on and his staff? Because after he was done eating the Passover, he was planning to go. He was ready, with his belt, shoes and his staff. He was prepared to leave.
Matthew 25:3-8 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold the Bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. The wise virgins had oil in their lamps and they were prepared when Jesus arrived. When He called, they were ready.
Jesus has an appointed time for us for His purpose. It’s not our timeline, but His. He has it calculated down to the second. Join with me as we wait on the Lord for His appointed time and His call. Let us fill our lamps with oil, gird our waists with a belt, and place sandals on our feet. Let us be ready for the call of God and go at once when we hear Him!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)