February 28, 2008 at 11:21 pm (Prayer)
Spending the past two years traveling across the country teaching “How to Get Prayers Answered by God,” the elderly Pastor and his wife were returning to their home church ready to retire.
They were prepared to share how God had moved in response to their prayers and blessed them with many who had taken their seminars and learned the guidelines of prayers as set forth in the scriptures. Things such as asking in faith, the importance of being specific and believing you receive. Many were seeing significant results for themselves.
When they arrived home, their home church gave them a big retirement celebration and knowing the pastor’s life-long desire to go to Africa sent them on a safari. They arrived and daily the pastor would walk the jungle paths amazed by the beauty and the many different animals of which he could photograph since he didn’t want to harm them in any way.
One day he started down this particular path and a huge lion jumped up and roared so loudly the pastor fell to his knees praying, “Oh Lord, please make this a Christian lion.”
The lion sprang from his perch, ran down the path, knocked the pastor on his back, put his paw in the middle of the pastor’s chest and said, “Father, thank you for this food.”
Are we being specific enough when we pray? I have found in my experience that it’s only after I start getting into the details of the situation or circumstance I’m communing with the Lord about do I really start to have the assurance my prayers are being effectual.
I think sometimes we must ‘labor in prayer’ as the scripture say, being as persistent as Daniel, remembering this is our greatest weapon against the enemy. And this ‘labor of love’ is two dimensional. First for the ones we are praying for, and then to the One we are praying to; the Lord, who considers our prayers as incense, a sweet smelling savor unto His nostrils.
Here’s His number, just call Him up. He will answer.
“Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell you wonderful and marvelous things that you know nothing about.” Jeremiah 33:3 gnb
Rejoicing with Power!
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February 28, 2008 at 7:40 am (Faith)
One day Moses was high upon a mountain speaking to all the Israelites. In his zeal to relay the Lord’s message to them he stepped off a steep cliff that was behind him. Just as he started to fall he reached out, grabbed a branch jutting out from the side of the cliff, and shouted, “Oh Lord, please help me get back on top of this mountain.”
A voice from above said, “Moses do you love me?”
Moses said, “Yes Lord, I love you more than anything in this world. Please help me get back on top of this mountain.”
The Lord answered, “If you love me you will obey me.”
Moses said, “Lord you know I love you and yes I’ll obey you. But please help me get back on top of this mountain.”
The Lord said, “Moses, let go of the branch.”
I can’t count how many times in my life has God said to me to just let go of the branch. And sometimes, especially when I was new in my walk with Him, I reluctantly did as requested and see Him work; His wonders to behold. It’s all about faith.
Thanks be to the Lord it gets easier as we grow. Amen?
Rejoicing with Power!
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February 28, 2008 at 4:41 am (Christlikeness)
Have you paid any attention to the current political races? I know it’s boring a lot of times. We hear all the same rhetoric in debate after debate from candidates that make promise after promise; and never say anything that has any real substance.
One thing I have found interesting in it all is some of the statistics that have come out in the discussions of the races. For example; it was reported that up to 87% of the American population profess to be Christian. That got me thinking, if there is that many people here in the US who claim to be Christian; how can we have so many marriages (53%) ending in divorce? And that’s of those who attend church regularly. How can we have over 40,000 unborn babies being aborted each month? How can we have so much lawlessness in not just the cities but in rural America where just a few years ago you didn’t even lock the doors at night?
“It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and servant like his master.” Matt 10:25 nkjv
What does is mean to be a Real Disciple? To translate it roughly from the Greek this means; disciplined, learned, follower. When Jesus made this statement to the first-century followers it implied the possibility of not only being persecuted, but also being put to death. And although that is happening at an increasingly alarming rate in other parts of the world; here in our country that’s not the case.
Jesus said His followers would “be like Him.” So let’s explore what that means for those of us who call ourselves Christian in today’s complex world. In the next few posts we will look at a few illustrations we can glean from the Gospel of Mathew
Post your questions so we can look for the answers together as we allow God to transform our lives as we align ourselves with His word.
Rejoicing with Power!
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February 22, 2008 at 11:09 pm (Unity)
These words describe a dangerous condition we may find ourselves in if we don’t pay close attention to the way we are living. But at one time or another we have all found ourselves feeling all the above.
“Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” (1 Cor 12:27 nlt)
Do you consider yourself to be “a loner”? It may be this very mentality that has led to all these negative feelings. Then these negative feelings have motivated you to take action. But in what direction have you been led?
There’s an old song that has a line in it that says, Looking for love in all the wrong places. When we are trying to escape from the circumstances we don’t like, many times we resort to a number of ways that only compound the situation and we end up in a worse condition than when we started.
Although Jesus could have accomplished His earthly ministry all alone, He chose twelve disciples to work with him. They went on to accomplish even greater works after Jesus departed. As we examine their lives it is clear to see the commitment they had for their decisions to follow Christ. They answered Jesus’ invitation to become one, as He and the Father are one.
It has always been our Heavenly Father’s design to enjoy oneness with Him, as well as a oneness in all our relationships. The cure for those feelings of isolation is to be obedient to Christ’s command to be connected to the other parts of the Body. Regular church attendance is a great place to start.
We want to help you to get the most from your walk with the Lord. Here’s how.
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Use this as a place to share what you are learning in your walk with Christ then invite your friends to join you here to encourage one another.
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Start a local group to meet and discuss the topics we have discussed here.
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As we continue together, spiritual growth will happen not only in your own life, but the group as well.
As you earnestly seek God and his righteousness, God will move on your behalf. As His Spirit speaks into your intimate relationship you will soon discover those negative feelings have all been replaced with His love and a sense of purpose.
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