Habit of Powerful Prayer

    We have talked about how truly important prayer is. In the bible, prayer is a well known action on a wide scale. In most bibles there are dictionaries/concordances, this is where I found two huge sections jammed full with verses about prayer. So if it's in the bible pretty much 24/7 then you'd think that's when the red flag goes up. Prayer to most people is something you do every night before you go to bed to give yourself a good word with the big man upstairs. For the longest time this sad reality of prayer was being practiced through my life. I just saw prayer as one little piece of the puzzle to my relationship with Christ. I made prayer too small and I was made too small in return. When we rid of prayer we call it unimportant...we just stuff it into the back of our minds as fluff.

"I pray that you hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.       ~Ephesians 1:18

   

    Well pretty much anyone can pray. Anyone can think of a list of things they either need or don't need in their life. Anyone can then clasp their hands or bend their knees to speak to God...I like to think of these kind of prayers as costume prayers. The difference between a "costume prayer" and a "radical prayer" is passion. It takes a true Christian to pray with passion.....okay, hold the phone their Kaitlyn. So you're saying that if I don't put passion into my praying that I'm pretty much a horrible Christian? So when I pray I should speak or even think in a dramatic tone of voice and maybe even cry...alright I can do that.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

   ~Philippians 4:6

 

    Nobody is a bad Christian by all means just for not praying with passion. It is hard finding that feel for passionate praying. Especially when you're praying at night it's hard to stay focused or even keep yourself from falling asleep half the time. When we take the time and effort to really prayer you can almost feel the automatic change. I don't know about you but when I finally get that one time to pray a really good prayer. The one you just have that much needed convo with God just life he is your best friend here. Those prayers are SO FREEING! It's something about just knowing that God is right there with you listening and just taking it all in but give you the answers right back! Passionate praying needs to become a habit in our lives because this shows that we have crossed that fine line where we openly admit to God what we need to happen and what other need through Christ.

    THE POWER OF PRAYER

"Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such  a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayer earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops."

~James 5:13

 

 

This week CHALLENGE YOURSELF to truly submit to powerful prayer. Open your eyes fully to everything around you. The people, the places, the times, the love, everything and anything! Pray for things you love and need and things you really don't care for either. God listens to any prayer that we pray so why not get in as may as we can. Pray on your way to work, pray in school, pray before bed, pray when you wake up. You can simply think the needs in your head or just worship the man! These things are so freeing and this is what keeps us as genuine followers. Keep it real and make your words powerful. Make it important to pray. Have the passion to everything through Christ for the rest of your life.

 

 

 

Stepping out: Ask at two people this week how you can pray for them this week and console them if desired and pray for them. But of course pray with power:) 

Living Stones for God's House

    "You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor."
                                                               ~ 1 Peter 2:4

    According to Wikipedia a cornerstone is a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. An important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based. If you look back at the verses you will realize that Christ was described as the cornerstone. So Christ was consider the base of a building and not just any building but God's temple! Even though Christ was rejected so many times for simply being a part of a better kingdom. But despite others rejections Christ was made the most important part of the heavenly temple. I sure you have heard several times that you can't listen to the people that reject you because they obviously can't see your true awesomeness!

    Just like Christ we are destined for greatness. We are to be a piece of God's temple. The walls that are supported off of the cornerstone is what we are a part of. We are called the living stones of God's house. Now of course stones aren't alive but the metaphor for us being stones is very symbolic. Stones are very small but when is the last time you successfully crushed a stone. I don't mean with something else...just you and your bare hands. Unless your the Hulk I doubt you alone can crush a rock. Now if you had a hammer or a professional rock crusher I'm sure you could smash that one stone in a second. But if you had a bunch of stones together it would be a lot harder to crush all those stones especially with your bare hands.

    When we all put ourselves into the walls that are built off of Christ we find ourselves a lot stronger as a body. But that doesn't mean that we can't go outside of the wall to effect the rest. We need to build ourselves up through the body of Christ so we have the ability to go out and spread our knowledge. This analogy really explains the relationship of becoming rooted in Christ. We need to build strong foundations so we are stable in all of our ventures. We need to realize all of the duties we have for being built into God's temple. God himself built it...nobody else which shows so much love and commitment from the big guy. If you really think about it...the only reason we truly stumble is if we don't listen to God's words.

 

    "Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God's people.

Once you received no mercy;

now you have received God's mercy."

~ 1 Peter 2:10

 

 

    Being a small stone of Christ's temple gives us an identity. We get our own identity as well as identity as the body of Christ. We don't just get any name we get the name of Christ and the least that we can do and represent that house the best that we can. Through this we would receive mercy but clearly not by our own standards but through the name of Christ. This week focus on being in the mind set of being a living stone for Christ and his house alone by crying out for spiritual nourishment.

 

 

 

Word of the Day: "This Book of the Law hall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, then you will have good success."

                                            ~ Joshua 1:8



1 Peter 4

    "Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."    ~Ephesians 5:2

    As a believer we hear this scripture come to life every single day. We are always told to strive to become Christ-like and live a life that is fulfilling to Christ. We are often told how to become like him and ultimately how to be an awesome person. I mean the man is genius no wonder we are to strive to be like him! Setting our goals to reach his sets us up for a better direction and purpose for everything to come. The process of setting these goals are sometimes twisted in this world we live in but never forget the true meaning.

    The other day I caught myself drawn to 1 Peter 4 which is just loaded with what it means to actually LIVE for Christ. It was such a refresher to read as well and not to mention I wrote down awesome points to live by. Let's read the passage below before we jump into the amazement of Christ!

    "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.  With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;  but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.  For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

    "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."

 

 

   It brings me to life at how real this message is! To arm ourselves through the attitude Christ had WHILE suffering is a whole new way to suffer! Try to think back to times of your greatest suffering and think how you reacted. Did you arm yourself like God did? Or did the worldly you handle it? When we only arm ourselves with God and his attitude then the only thing we leave ourselves to be anxious about is to do the will of God. Doesn't that sound so much easier than taking the world along with Jesus? One of the most simple things that stuck out to me that isn't thought of this way a lot. The word of God was preached to the dead so they could be alive through Christ. We are to be totally dead so that we can only be alive in Christ...only him. Im sure you all know how life God when you try to squeeze Christ in.

 

    I was told a story about a preacher that preached about always putting God first. He illustrated this sermon with a jar of beans and some medium sized stones. The beans are to represent everything in our life...our job, school, activities, friends, anything that is of this world. And the stones represent Christ and our relationship with him. If you start out with the jar of beans and try to fit the stones in, not all of them fit in. This is when he dumped all of the beans out and placed all of the stones in but then poured the beans on top to fit all of the beans plus the stones all into one jar. To put God first doesn't mean that we don't have anymore room for the things we love to do. It is simply putting him first but having the other things come later which is most of the time better than the usual.

 

    Above all we are to use God's words, strength, and energy. But yeah your right...why should we take all of that from him, that's not right! When you take it to bring him the glory...its more than okay, he wants you to take and use it! One last main point of this passage is being ridiculed for your faith. Isn't it amazing how God calls us to be joyous about being ridiculed!? This is a chance for others to see that yeah you are a strong believer and that is never anything to be ashamed of! We need to let that boost us up so that we realize how much God truly is on our side.

 

 

 

Word of the Day: "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts."

                                            ~1 Peter 4:10

 

 

Teachable Heart

    Our whole life we are told to stop and listen. We were told by our elementary school teacher to stop talking so we can actually learn something. Can you imagine if we never listened? First we wouldn't have barely any rules plus our attention span would be non existent. We were actually all made for talking and listening...crazy right???

    Besides the obvious...God calls us to listen. It might actually sound weird knowing that God wants us to be leaders through our faith and teaching others. But in order to teach you have to be taught. That's an understanding that most of us have already picked up. We need to learn that once we agree to have someone teach us we are not only surrendering our attention span but our will to grow.

    Agreeing to listen to someone shows others that you will be changing. That'd the whole purpose of agreeing to a teachable heart. It is definitely a hard thing to have a teachable heart though. It takes a lot surrender let alone expect to change by someones teachings. We often think that we can just commit to listen to someone and then expect to change from that. But we need to commit to that as well. But don't think that these teachable moments that also transform you just come from people of this world. The most important transformations come from God. Steps to get there and understand this go like this...

1. Study the word

Deuteronomy 17:18-20: "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book. . . . And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom."

2. Be attentive.

Isaiah 51:1: "Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord. . . ."

Matthew 13:16-17: "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear. For assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

3. Seek God.

Jeremiah 29:13-14: "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," says the Lord. . . ."

Proverbs 2:3-6: "Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. . . ."

4. Always be humble.

Psalm 25:9: "The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way."

Proverbs 11:2: "When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom."

5. Be meek.

James 1:21: "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

James 3:13: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."

    This week don't not only work on humbling yourself but understanding the fact that you will undergo a good amount of change. And accept that.