Give thanks for the inheritance

God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance -
  His faithful love endures forever.
a special possession to his servant Israel.
  His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136: 21, 22

As the children of Israel were obedient to God's call, He rewarded them. They had to fight the battles, but in faith they knew God was with them, giving them victory over the enemy. When the battle was won, God gave them their inheritance - something that would always remind them of the battle, their obedience, and God's faithfulness. He gave them the very land the enemy had possessed.

Father God, thank you for going ahead of us in battle. Thank you for your faithfulness and love as you give us victory. Please help us stay faithful to you. Help us win the battle and take possession of the inheritance you have prepared. In Jesus' name, Amen.

What battles do you fight today? We pray that you meet the enemy with faith, knowing God is with you and giving you victory!

Mighty kings

Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever.
He killed powerful kings. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:17-18

Though there are many gods in our culture, the God of creation is the one who deserves our praise and thanks. He is capable of building up and destroying. Is there any other god who can claim the same power? Often in our lives, we give a created idol the adoration that belongs to God alone. Money, power, relationships, and celebrities are a few of the created idols we might be giving an inappropriate place in our lives.

Father God, thank you for your power and your faithful love. Please forgive me for worshiping anything besides you and help me turn my entire heart to you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

What idols exist in your life?

Give thanks for protection

Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.
but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:13-15

Not only did God deliver His people from the overbearing and wicked hand of the Pharaoh, God protected His people as they obeyed His call to move on. Be assured that no matter how impossible your task seems, God will give you the strength, the means, and the protection to proceed. But you have to be obedient to the call! To get fresh perspective on the magnitude of what God did for the ones he loves, read Exodus 1-15.

Dearest God, thank you for your endless love and protection. Please help us recognize Your voice and be obedient to your call. In Jesus' name, Amen.


How do you recognize His voice and His protection in your life?

Give thanks for deliverance

Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:10-12

More miracles! God brought the Passover to atone for the sins of His people. He delivered them from a controlling and unbelieving Pharaoh. Today, we have Jesus Christ, who delivers us from sin and disbelief. Indeed, His love is faithful and endures forever!

Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness! Thank you for delivering your people. May we share this good news with someone you love today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Have you experienced the strong hand and powerful arm of God? What is your deliverance?

Give thanks to the God of gods

Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:2

The world creates many gods (sex, television, money, self, etc.) but they are fleeting. They don't have the power of the Creator or the love of the Savior. None of the world's gods are faithful to you or to themselves. They are demanding, demeaning, and degrading.

By contrast, we are invited to get to know the God of all gods, the timeless Creator of the universe, the One your soul loves (even if you don't know it yet). What better reason to give thanks?

Dear God, thank you for your faithfulness and for your endless love! Please help us recognize you and share your light with others. Amen.

Reasons to give thanks

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

With the holidays beginning, it's easy to lose focus and forget the purpose behind the music, lights, food, and gifts. It's common to practice thanksgiving on Thanksgiving day, but how do we show gratitude the rest of the year? Psalm 136 is a beautiful expression of thanksgiving. Over the next several days, we'll look at it more closely. As the psalmist demonstrates, there are many things to be thankful for no matter what life looks like.

Dear Lord, help us develop an attitude of thanksgiving that we demonstrate every day. Reveal your faithful love to us. Thank you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

What are you thankful for today?

Seeing the one who controls the wind and the waves

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.... And [the disciples] awoke [Jesus] and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" Mark 4:37, 38-39

Storms are going to rise up in our lives. Whether we believe in Jesus as Savior or not, as humans in an imperfect world we face trials and difficult times. The key is in how we respond to the trials. Too often, we focus on the storm, as the disciples did. Huge waves roll in, threatening to topple us. Cold, wet wind bites through our clothes and skin, soaking and freezing us. Darkness falls, oppressing us and the light of hope.

This is a vital time to plant seeds of faith for those who don't know God, who don't know His faithfulness, who don't know His unchangeable love. Instead of seeing the storms that blow around us, we can choose to watch the One who controls the wind and sea.

And if we listen closely enough, we can hear His voice speaking calm to the storm and to our hearts.

Dear Jesus, please speak calm to the wind and the sea that rage in my life. Show Your power, and help me point people to You. Amen.

What storms are you facing? Can you plant a seed of faith for someone who watches as you face the wind and water and yet see only Jesus?

Four ways to sow for the harvest

In an earlier post, we said one way to reach people for spiritual harvest is to pray for them. That is the first thing and the most consistent action we should be taking to show others the way to eternal life and freedom in Jesus. But let's look at other ways. How did Jesus reach people when He walked the earth?

Talking to the Samaritan woman at the well:
Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." John 4:10

Jesus knew people at the heart level. He spoke to this woman's deepest need. I believe what he says is not arrogance, but prophecy. He knew she would ask Him for the living water. Showing her sincere desire to understand, the woman questioned Jesus about the contents of the well and how He could possibly get living water for her.

The next thing Jesus does is speak in practical terms:
Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again." John 4:13


We can meet people with things they understand and with facts they can relate to. We drink, we get thirsty, we drink again, and on the cycle goes. But Jesus says the person who drinks of His living water will have a "fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (John 4:14)

After revealing her life situation, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. He reveals Himself to her, saying, "I AM the Messiah!" We must not rush people into a heartfelt decision for Jesus, but we must not delay. How can we know when the time is right? We listen to them, and we listen to the Spirit reveal His perfect timing.

What was the result of Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well? She didn't walk back to her people, calmly and quietly replaying her interaction with Him. She raced back to the village so fast that she left her water jug at the well. And she didn't keep her new-found knowledge to herself. She told everyone she'd come face to face with the Messiah.

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" John 4:39


Then  they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world." John 4:42

The Bible tells us that Jesus is love, and as He doesn't tolerate lies we know He spoke the truth. I believe His actions are prompted and characterized by love. The people He met recognized this, and the people you meet will recognize it, too. Speak the truth in love, waiting on the word of the Lord, and pray for the people you want to see added to the Kingdom. Then watch the Spirit move.

What would you do if you met Jesus face to face? Can you be a physical representation of His love and truth to anyone in your life?

Does seeing and hearing lead to believing?

"We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:3

I'm sitting in a popular coffee shop, listening to the elevator music and pieces of conversation that float around me. Over the din comes a man's voice, speaking slowly, carefully forming each word.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" He's on the phone several booths away, but I hear his voice as if he sits beside me. He waits while she speaks.

"I know you're tired. Let me pray for you before we go." He has to repeat it twice, and each time he expresses patience and kindness.

And to my astonishment, he prays. Loudly. Slowly. With the entire coffee shop listening. I'm embarrassed and saddened to admit that this astonishes me. How different would our world be if we all took opportunities as this man does, as the disciples did, to pray for others? To do so without shrinking or puffing ourselves up? And in praying, to actually see and hear and have fellowship with Jesus and His followers?

For those of you that don't know Jesus, let me say this: sometimes having a personal interaction with Him looks different than we expect. It's not ethereal or mysterious. It's not soul-shaking. It doesn't alter the planets. But hopefully it alters us, and in time it should shake our souls to the point of seeking Jesus and everything He stands for.

This man's simple action of love altered my day. Changed the course of my actions. I pray you see and hear Jesus in your life through simple actions of love, that your actions and your souls are shaken by knowing Him. And I pray that, seeing and hearing, you believe and accept Him.

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn - not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God." John 1:12-13

Whether or not you believe Jesus is the Savior of the world, have you had a personal experience that brought you closer to accepting Him? Please share your thoughts with us!

Witnesses to the ends of the earth

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus tells us to spread the word, to share His Good News and teach others all over the globe about Him. It's one of the best known commands in the New Testament: The Great Commission. If you've ever had the thrill of leading someone to salvation in Jesus Christ, you know it often doesn't come quickly or easily. In our sin, we resist even the security of unconditional love and acceptance. How, then, do we fulfill this desire to go and make disciples, to sow seeds that will reap a bountiful harvest?

We pray. We ask for souls, for guidance, for boldness. And we trust that the Lord gives it.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

We don't have to go to the ends of the earth to find someone who needs Jesus. Often, it's someone we know. The lonely, troubled, endangered, weak, and unprotected all need Him. But so do those who outwardly appear strong, intimidating, and in control. Who can you pray for today?

Father God, we covet souls for Your divine grace and gift of salvation. Please reach them with Your love. Open their ears and eyes to see their need. Prepare their hearts to receive Your word, and may we experience the power of Your Holy Spirit as we witness to them. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Bringing His Kingdom

"Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Darrell W. Johnson, in his book Fifty Seven Words that Change the World, says this section of the Lord's Prayer, "is one of, if not the most radical things a human being can do."

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray this, they were starving for revolution. Rome ruled and did so with deadly force. The spiritual climate of the day was lukewarm. People felt the very real need for political change, as well as religious freedom and revival. Sounds much like the world we live in now, doesn't it? On the surface, these words sound like a prayer for temporal, or earthly, relief. In some ways, that's true.

To pray God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven is to pray that His perfect will be done. We often don't realize all that encompasses. And we fail to recognize the upheaval that must take place to bring His will and His kingdom on earth - both in our personal lives and in world events. Think about the change you must make in your daily life to give in completely and live God's perfect will.

A little uncomfortable? Radical? Does it take a truckload of trust to obey God's perfect will? It does for me.

When we pray for His kingdom to come, we must recognize that it is partially here in the form of believers in Christ. The Holy Spirit ushers in His kingdom, and when we accept the Holy Spirit into our lives WE usher in the kingdom. Jesus' return is still to come, so we pray, "Your kingdom come." We're asking Jesus to come back! Even so, Lord Jesus, come.

We'll be finishing up the Lord's Prayer in the next few posts. Don't forget this month's challenge to pray daily, and don't forget to use your prayer journal! We'll talk about that in a few days, too.

Lord Jesus, we pray for your kingdom to be evident in us as we interact with the world. We ask that You would shine through us so everyone would know Your love and grace. Please help us live Your will, Father God. On earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' holy Name we pray, Amen.

Blessings on you today,
Shelley

A Hannah story

Happy Friday, dear readers! And Happy January 28th. How are your New Year's changes coming along? If you feel discouraged or off track, don't fret. We have eleven months and three days to work the kinks out.

I'd like to give you a morsel of prayer thought to consider this weekend. Call it encouragement to keep reaching out to God and believing in His goodness. And something to record in your prayer journal. <chuckling> I just won't give this month's challenge a rest...

1 Samuel 1 records the story of Hannah, a woman brokenhearted by the lack of provision in her life. Hannah deeply desired children, yet "the Lord had closed her womb" (verse 5). In spite of the abundance her husband tried to bestow on her, Hannah felt the emptiness of a mother without children, and she mourned.

But she didn't stop there.

Hannah prayed. This is interesting to me because God closed her womb, but she didn't get angry at Him and stop talking because of the unfairness of her life, the way I sometimes threaten to do. Hannah cried out to God, "weeping bitterly" (verse 10). And she kept praying until she got an answer (1:12, 15-17). The answer didn't seem to come directly from God, but from His prophet, Eli. What did she do next?

Hannah rejoiced.

She didn't see the answer to her prayer, yet she took it on faith that God heard her cries and she rejoiced (1:18, 19). No longer did she wander around, downcast, taking the pain of loneliness into her heart. She believed, and what happened?

God blessed Hannah with a child.

You might know this story, but it highlights a very important aspect to prayer, one we've mentioned already. To pray, believing in the goodness of the Lord, is a very powerful thing, dear readers. To talk to Him and recognize that He loves you with the desperation of a father changes the entire landscape of our lives. This story also highlights the way God might choose to answer your prayers. Hannah didn't hear a voice from Heaven and she didn't feel His still, small voice in her heart. She heard the words of God's servant, the prophet Eli. God used another person to speak His truth and His love to her.

Is God using someone in your life to answer a prayer, to speak words of truth and love? Listen up! What a miraculous event, that He would not only speak to someone on your behalf, but that the person in your life would choose to listen and obey and send His message on to you.

That's the power of prayer.

Here's your assignment: Record in your prayer journal your own Hannah story, and keep your eyes and ears open for the one He might send with His answer. Don't give up on this thing you desperately desire, but take it to God and trust that He hears you and He loves you. You might be surprised at the change in the landscape of your life.

Leave a comment about your own Hannah story. We'd love to join you in prayer! And keep working on those New Year's changes. The year is young.


Shelley

Put on a new man (or woman!)

"... put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:24

When I was a teenager, I had a favorite pair of jeans. I'll bet you had a pair, too. You know, the ones that made you look fantastic. Worn and faded in all the right places, they made you look skinnier here, rounder there, and longer there. Every time I put them on - which was nearly every day - I felt like a new person. I stood taller. I felt stronger. Boys and beautiful cheerleaders no longer sent me cringing to the other side of the school halls. I had more confidence, but not in myself. It was the jeans.

The Spirit of God can be compared to those jeans. Stay with me while I explain.

Much like a wardrobe, you choose to put on the Spirit of God every day, in every situation. You could go into the world without Him, but why would you want to? He makes you stand taller. He gives you confidence in situations that would otherwise make you cower. He makes you strong, able to withstand anything life throws your way.

He makes you a new creation.

Becoming a new creation is not something we do easily or lightly. It's not a choice we typically rush into because it's the popular thing to do. This isn't putting on a pair of pants just because we want to impress the school ranks. This is taking the Spirit of Jesus and putting Him on over our own spirit. To be in the world with the image of Jesus shining out of us. To interact with others as Jesus might. To overcome our own evil and selfish desires and do the will of God.

No, not the popular thing to do at all, is it?

And yet when we see someone who has done this, we want the same thing. To shine with love and grace and mercy. To treat people, regardless of their station in life, with respect and honor. To bring light and life to people who struggle in the darkness. That's Jesus, and that's putting on the new man (or woman) which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Did you put on the new person God created you to be today? If not, it's not too late. Do it now. Go to your prayer journal and write your requests to God about this. Then remember to record how He answers you.

Father God, may we remember each day to put on the new person you created us to be. May we always look to You and to Jesus for wisdom and direction in this new creation. May we be a light in the darkness for the ones we love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Blessings on you today, dear ones.
Shelley

Love of God

Human beings are fickle when it comes to love.  We rely on emotions that ebb and tide with situations or mood and then respond to those emotions.  (I know this is a very simplistic statement but I am not a psychologist nor do I want to spend a great deal of time expounding on this topic.)  The love of God toward us is the total opposite; it is not dependent on who we are, what family we're from, have we been "good" today, all of which boils down to do we deserve His love.  Scripture says, God is love and the goodness of God toward us comes from that love.  Wow!!  What a statement!!   (See Psalm 69:16 and Psalm 109:21)  Can we accept and believe in God's love without question, even in tough times??  What does God's love look like and what does it mean to return God's love?  Lofty conversation for a little blog!!! 

God's love and what God expects as our response to love is described very succinctly in the New Testament book of 1 John.  Chapter 4 verses 7 - 12 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."   This one passage tells us that God is love and His love is demonstrated for all through the atoning sacrifice of Christ for sin so that we might live. Our love is demonstrated back to God by our love towards each other.  In fact, this passage says that IF we love one another then God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  Another WOW statement!  We show each other the love of God by our love toward one another. 

1 John 4 continues in verses 13 - 17, "This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."   God IS love (again) and whoever accepts the sonship and sacrifice of Jesus can know and RELY on the love of God.  Not only that but God will live in us and we in him by his Spirit.  God's character is constant, it does not change which means that his love toward us does not change.  As I said earlier this is the opposite of human love and can only be accomplished through the Spirit which lives in us when we believe in the work of Jesus. 

We all struggle with very individual situations.  It is easiest to question God's love in the struggles but scripture indicates that it is by holding on to our faith during struggles and allowing God's work to take place that we gain a character that will be rewarded with the crown of life promised to those who love him.  See James 1. Hold on to the love of God toward you and continue in faith and love.  Don't doubt but pour out your heart to a God who loves you and gives of his goodness in many ways both seen and unseen.  

Blessings to you,
Carol

Please read the whole book of 1 John which compares and contrasts the love of God with love of the world, light versus darkness, and love versus hatred. 

A resolution to fall in love

Falling in love is great fun, isn't it? Your beloved spends all his or her time with you, surprises you with tokens of affection, tells you how wonderful you are, and makes you feel like the most important person in creation. Fun indeed.

And a lot of work. No wonder the fires of passion cool after a few months (years, if you're especially fortunate). It's not much different in our walk with God. As new believers, we read our Bibles and pray often. We spend time getting to know this Almighty One who fills a place in our hearts we never knew existed. We tell Him we love Him and we list all the reasons He is the most important thing in our lives.

And then we get busy. Kids come, work calls, distractions abound. Little by little, we stop spending time with Him. We forget to pray. We don't have time to read our Bibles. We grow distant and God grieves our absence. We mourn the relationship that once was so precious and important and seems to have taken a back seat to everything else in the world.

Maybe it's time to set another kind of resolution. A resolution to fall in love with your Creator again. Here are some of the many reasons to spend time enacting this change:

• God is love. (1 John 4:8)
• We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
• God loved you so much that He sent His only Son as your Savior from eternal death. (John 3:16)
• As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed your transgressions from you. (Psalm 103:12)
• He heals all your diseases, redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. (Psalm 103:3-4)
• He is faithful even when we are faithless. (2 Timothy 2:13)
• He provides rest for our weary souls. (Matthew 11:28)
• He has redeemed you and called you His own. (Isaiah 43:1)
• He is patient and waits for you with mercy. (Isaiah 30:18)
• He is your rock, your fortress, and your deliverer. Your stronghold and your refuge. (2 Samuel 22:2-3)
• He is worthy. (Revelation 5:12)

Scripture is full of people who loved the Lord and followed His ways. They give us a solid foundation for loving Him, too. When you feel like you're slipping away, take a few minutes to catch up with some of those followers and see yourself in them. Use your prayer journal to record these and other reasons you have for loving the Lord.

Praying many blessings on you,
Shelley

Shaping your prayers

Worry has a powerful impact on our lives, doesn't it? It invades our thoughts. It tends to shape our actions and interactions with others. Sometimes the shaping is beneficial, but worry often causes increased - and unnecessary - stress.

I'll admit it: I'm a worrier. From something as trivial as what I'm wearing to more weighty issues as how my Christian testimony affects others, I spend time and energy fretting. Is this shirt appropriate and does it look okay? Did I upset my friend with that comment I meant to be funny? Are my kids healthy and getting enough sunshine, exercise, variety of foods? Am I being a faithful witness, turning others to Christ or turning them away? On and on it goes.

Yes, I'm a worrier. But I'm not supposed to be. Worry takes the focus off God, and His power in my life is diminished when I worry. It says I don't trust God to be Himself - good, loving, kind, generous, to name only a few of His attributes.

I love how The Message translates Philippians 4: "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Wonderful indeed. Praying in faith takes the worry from my life and shapes it into a petition, a praise of God's goodness. Praying in faith takes the power out of my hands, out of everyone's control, and puts it back on God where it belongs. It allows God to reveal Himself and His nature to me, which allows me to reveal it to others.

What are your worries, dear readers? How can you shape them into a petition or a praise? Spend time today simply asking God to fix that situation burdening your heart, then thank Him for doing it. Thank Him for His faithfulness. He loves you!

Praying many blessings on you today,
Shelley

Heavenly Father, please take these burdens from us. Help us to give them to you. Help us live according to your word, which says to praise you instead of worry. We thank you for your faithfulness to us, for your love and your power and your personal touch in our lives. As we pray, may we focus on you and on the sacrifice made for us. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Light in the Darkness

I was driving to work early this morning and was struck by an image from nature.  It was still dark but the moon was shining bright over the Rocky Mountains.  Glory be what a beautiful sight!!  As I drove towards that image, a small, wispy cloud moved  horizontally in front of the moon.  The moon was shining through the cloud from above, below, and ever so gently through its wispy tendrils.  I could barely take my eyes off it.  While continuing my trek to work and gazing at the moon, the words "light in the darkness" came to mind and made me think of the scriptural truths of the light that Christians bring to the darkness in another. 
I often find myself feeling quite guilty at my human failings and of the fact that others see them.  I can be moody and anxious, and my faith falters at times when I look at obstacles that seem bigger than I.  But this morning as I looked at the light pouring through the cloud, I felt the Lord tell me that it is natural for the light to be filtered through the cloak of humanity.  Glimmers of light are used by God to bring another soul to Him.  Glimmers of light through a struggle can offer hope to another.  Glimmers of light bring joy and peace to someone who is hurting. 
Jesus is the true Light of mankind and we are but a reflection of His light.  We gain His light in our own lives as we pray and read scripture and then practice its truth.  The light of Jesus shines through my character and my life as I live to show others how much He loves them.  The light of Jesus shines through your character and your life as you show others His love for them.   It is the nature of God to move while using a human vessel.   Scripture indicates that when perfection comes in the form of Jesus that the shadows are removed.  I have to believe this is true with light in the darkness as well.  The power of God far outweighs my weakness.  Praise God!! 

1 Corinthians 13: 12  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Lord Jesus,
Be our light and guide on this journey.  I pray that you will draw us to yourself and that your light is evidenced in our lives even if through glimmers.  Let us more and more see you as you are; our Lord and Saviour, the light of the world. 

Blessings. 


Scripture references:  John 1:9; John 8:12, Romans 13:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:8, 1 John 2:9

Praying according to the Scriptures

"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Luke 11:1-2

And my prayer is pure. Job 16:17

One thing we want to do here is teach you how to pray according to the Scriptures. There are so many aspects to think about when we begin praying this way, but one of the most important is praying in Jesus' name. What does that mean?

Think about the things you know about Jesus. Even the unbeliever knows His name, knows His nature. Jesus is love, peace, and POWER. It is undeniable the things He did while walking the earth - the people He touched, healed, blessed. And though Jesus was kind about most things, He was firm about everything. He prayed expecting to see results. He knew the power at work in Him - because it came from the Father and was His own - and He instructed His followers to recognize that power also.

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him" (John 14:7).

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17).

So, praying in Jesus' name is to pray with purity, love, and power. It is to talk to God and expect to see a change. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have the Spirit of truth dwelling with us and in us. The most powerful force in the universe. The Spirit of the One who indeed created the universe. Shouldn't our prayers reflect that power and love and grace?

Think about that as you go into prayer. If you are asking inherently selfish or harmful things, or things otherwise against God's will, be prepared to wait for God to answer it. Be prepared for Him to work a change in your heart.

If you want nothing to do with prayer, think about it anyway. Consider your reasons for avoiding that Power or for misusing Him.

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites... Pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 5:5, 6

Monday Prayer

Happy Monday morning, Pray-ers! Let's start the week talking to God.

Father God, thank you for another day to praise and worship you. Thank you for the many gifts you give us, and help us to recognize them. Help us to hear Your voice this week, and guide us in the ways You would have us go.

This week, I especially pray for Your children to prosper in Your name, Jesus. Many of us are weak, faltering, and disillusioned. We have asked, we have believed, and we have not received as Your word says we should. We see the wicked prosper while our works and faith seem fruitless. Where the enemy is lurking and stealing from us, I pray that You would bind him in Your power and in Your might. Give us victory and show us how to take it. Give us unending hope that does not disappoint. Give us power to win this fight for Your glory.

You are good and kind and generous, Lord. We praise You for it, and for covering us with love, courage, kindness, and hope. In Your holy Name we pray, Amen.

What's so important about prayer?

Sunday night. I sat on my queen bed, loathing the thought of sleeping in it alone, holding my five-month pregnant belly and fighting the lump that lodged itself in my throat. My husband quietly packed his bags.

“Can’t you quit?”

“You know that better than I do. We need the money.”

I cleared my throat, trying to find that eternal spring of hope. “You’ll find something else. They’re not paying enough for this.”

“There’s nothing else in this economy.” He placed his hand against my cheek and rubbed. “You’ll be staying home when the baby comes, and we need this job.”

“I need you, and so does this baby.” My face crumpled and I gave in to the tears. They rolled hot and fast down my face. My emotion made it harder on him, but I couldn’t stop.

He frowned and gathered me in for a hug. “I don’t want to do this. Don’t you know that?”

I nodded, but my sobs wouldn’t allow me to speak. Desperation filled my being.

And I began to pray.

Prayer is the most important and most powerful weapon in our arsenal against the enemy. As Ephesians 6 says, we do not fight against flesh and blood – or in my case, against employers and the economy – but against the powers and principalities of darkness. We are instructed to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), to pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18), and to continue steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12).

The desperate words I poured out to God that night continued for three years. They continue today. My husband did find another job – by the grace of God and no effort of his own – but we lived through two childbirths, two job losses, and the most frightening financial times of my life while God listened to my cries and comforted me. He drew me near and encouraged me as my friends and family supported me in prayer.

The Bible mentions prayer or some form of it nearly 600 times. What’s so important about it? Prayer is our lifeline to the eternal. Prayer keeps us connected to our Creator. Prayer changes lives, situations, and people.

It is my partner’s vision to teach us to pray. We offer unique, hand-crafted prayer beads with prayer guides to aid in teaching. These beads and prayers are absolutely Christian and point to the power of the triune God as our source.

It is my vision to illustrate the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ that opened the door so we can pray, with boldness and confidence before the Throne of the Almighty. We are given a tremendous opportunity to approach the Creator of the universe and talk as though we would to our best friend. He longs to hear from us. So, let’s get talking. What are you saying to God? What does He say to you?

Let this be a place to share your prayers, but just as importantly, to share answers to your prayers. Let this be a place to support our brothers and sisters in Christ as we live through some of the most difficult times we will ever face. Let this be a place to learn about true love, true freedom, and true communion with our God.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

We look forward to hearing from you!

Praying God’s richest blessings on you,
Shelley