40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 21
Fasting and prayer
Have you ever fasted and if so, how was it connected to prayer? The definition of “Fast”; is to abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, especially as a religious observance. We already know the the definition of prayer, simply stated, talking to and with God. Prayer and fasting being connected is not explained in scripture, but we see them intertwined through out the Bible. In the Old Testament, we see prayer and fasting when there is a need, or when the situation seems hopeless. We see prayer and fasting at times of mourning, repentance or deep, deep spiritual need. When you look at the book of Nehemiah, you see him fasting and praying because he is broken in hearing the news of Jerusalem being destroyed. He spent days, tearfully fasting and confessing the sins of his people. Pleading for mercy. Daniel had a similar response.
Daniel 9:3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.
There are several places in the Old Testament that fasting is linked with intercessory prayer. Even King David prayed and fasted over a sick child in 2 Samuel 12:16, weeping before the Lord in deep heart felt intercession. Even Esther encouraged her uncle Mordecai and the Jews to fast as she planned on appearing before the King, that act could have cost her, her life. In the New Testament, prayer and fasting is evident, but not in regards to repentance and confession. The prophetess Anna fasted and prayed.
Luke 2:37and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.
84 years old, and determined to press in at the temple with anticipation of the coming of the savior! The church at Antioch was fasting as they worshipped, when the Holy Spirit spoke to them about commissioning Saul and Barnabas into ministry. They fasted, prayed, laid their hands on them and sent them off! So in these few examples we see, worshiping the Lord and seeking favor. Fasting and prayer shows how sincere the people are as they pray, it shows that they we can go in times of crisis to the Lord, fasting and praying. The more intense and critical the situation, the more fasting and prayer seems necessary. Jesus casts out a demon from a boy whom the disciples could not, even though Jesus gave them the authority to do so (Mark 6:7 and 6:9). The disciples asked why they couldn’t do it. Jesus told them, this type comes out only by prayer (Mark 9:29) and Matthew adds in his account prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). Jesus’ point? If there is a determined foe, you MUST meet them with an equally determined faith. Remember that prayer is a weapon that is at our disposal and when we fast it helps us focus on what the target of prayer is.
Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
So fasting helps us prioritize and give intense devotion to the Lord and the spiritual concerns we have. So what to fast? Food, maybe a meal a day? How about technology? Maybe shut off the TV or stop surfing the web. Fasting is not a diet or fad. Its taking the time you would have spent preparing and eating a meal and devoting it to prayer. Or shutting off the tv, internet or social media and focusing on prayer. We must spend uninterrupted time with the Lord.
Hebrews 10:19 ... we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…
Prayer and fasting is not a burden, or something to brag about. It is an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord and watch with anticipation on how He will respond to you and how you will change as well.
Prayed for you all today!
Much Love and Blessings, Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 20
"What is forgiveness?"
According to the dictionary it is the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.According to the Bible it is releasing or dismissing something. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have access to forgiveness from God. He releases or dismisses all of the charges against us, releases us from the just penalty that we should have gotten by God.
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:13-14 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Amplified Bible translates the last phrase like this: “the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
There are those who view forgiveness as a weakness, or even letting someone who doesn’t deserve to, win. However, forgiveness has nothing to do with weakness or emotions. Forgiveness is a choice an, act of will and is given to a person even if they do not deserve it. God set the example, forgiveness is a deliberate act of love, mercy and grace. It truly is a decision that we make, stating we will not hold something against somebody, no matter what they have done to you. This is hard to do without the Holy Spirit. But let me throw something else in the mix. God has forgiven you, and maybe you have forgiven others, but, have you forgiven yourself? If we are to pray effectively, we must humble our selves in such a way that we can… forgive ourselves. I am my worse critic. When I owned my own business, I learned custom woodworking and cabinetry. I had a chance to work on some pretty amazing projects. But I would always see where I didn't get the cross sand marks out or if a mitered joint was not perfect. I would always come down on myself, for missing it. No one else could see it… But I did. That seems trivial. What about the time I was following my dads footsteps, becoming an alcoholic and and leaving my wife and 5 year old son? By the grace of God I came to the end of myself, surrendered my life to God and reconciled my marriage. God forgave me… Pam forgave me. But I had to forgive myself as well. That was a hard one. Remembering how awful of a human being I was and the stupid mistakes I made haunted my thought life. Forgiving yourself isn’t specifically in the Bible. But the principles of forgiveness are. When God forgives us He doesn’t remember our sins. It doesn’t mean that God, the all knowing and all powerful forgets, he forgives and doesn’t bring our sin up in a negative way.
Acts 10:34 Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,
Not one to show partiality, He forgives those who seek Him and ask for it. He forgives everyone who believe in Jesus. So here is the reality, we can and should apply the “no partiality” standard to ourselves, it is just as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others. Forgiving yourself is not forgetting about what was done, but allowing the enemy to use it in a negative way. Letting go of what you are holding against yourself so you can grow in your relationship with God. Once we ask for forgiveness, God moves on, shouldn’t we?
Philippians 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
We are to put into practice the things we have learned in Gods word.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Proverbs 16:25 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Unforgiveness if left unchecked brews anger, hatred, and resentment towards yourself, it will wipe you out. Every minute we waste on the negative, robs us of time that we should be spending with God, learning and growing, becoming the man or woman of God that He wants us to be. Our journey through life is full of daily life choices, that will either take us in a positive or negative direction. If we forgive ourselves, it does not let us off the hook or justify what we have done, nor is it a sign of weakness. It is a courageous choice that requires courage and strength, this gives us an opportunity to become a victorious overcomer, instead of wallowing in our own scorn. If we cannot forgive our selves its showing how prideful we are. Thinking we are the ones in control.
Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
So, if you cannot forgive yourself it will bring self destruction. A Haughty spirit-will bring a fall. Christian forgiveness will bring peace. If you can forgive yourself, it will be a testimony to those who are around you. Unforgiveness puts you on edge, eventually you will blow, and consequently hurt those closest to you. The harsh reality is that you can’t change what has happened. You can’t restore the lives that were damaged by what you did. But, you can start the healing process by forgiving yourself. If you can forgive yourself, it will change the direction of your life. I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and meditation on Gods word… ask for forgiveness and ask God to help you forgive yourself.
This is a prayer taken from allaboutgod.com … maybe use it as a template…
Dear Heavenly Father, I understand that there is nothing to gain by holding myself in unforgiveness and there is everything to gain by releasing myself from unforgiveness and beginning the process of healing. I want to move forward and make a positive difference in the future. I confess the ungodly accountability, self-abasement, and the vows I have made to never forgive myself. Because Jesus died for my sins, I choose to forgive myself--to no longer punish myself and be angry with myself. I forgive myself for letting this hurt control me and for hurting others out of my hurt. I repent of this behavior and my attitude. I ask for Your forgiveness and healing. God, help me to NEVER again retain unforgiveness of myself or others. Thank you for loving me and for Your grace to move forward with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Praying for you all!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 19
Gods ProtectionMatthew 6:13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
I grew up reading the Lords prayer and really didn't have a clue as to what I was actually reading. One day two or three years ago I was studying this prayer and when I got to this verse, I had an Aha moment ! You mean I can actually pray that God helps me NOT be tempted? I do not want to sin, so if I can pray asking God to keep my mind away from tempting situations, thats powerful. People use the catch phrase all the time; “The Devil made me do it”, but I would remind us all that we have free will, and can choose what we are going to do. Just as God is not going to make us do what He wants the Devil cannot make you do anything either. So the responsibility falls on us. God sends His Holy Spirit to help us, to empower us to stand against the enemy, to walk away from sin, and to seek God and His truth in all things. Satan wants to distract us, even more he wants to steal Kill and destroy all hope and especially our relationship with God. God gives us weapons, for defense and offense. We must watch and pray everyday as we battle against the evil that is in our world.
James 1:2-4Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Ephesians 6:10-13Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
(Then notice down in verse 18, the armor is tied together with prayer)
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit….
1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Temptation-in this instance has to do with the trials or testing, not just enticement to sin. Gods word is clear, God is good and set apart-Holy and will not lead us into temptation.
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
If this is the case than why would we even bother praying this? I would say its better to be proactive and not reactive on a daily basis, watching for the schemes of the devil and fighting with the power that God gives us. Satan hates God and he hates His creation, if we can mature and stand strong it puts the Devil in his place. For us to be genuinely free, we must make the choice between good and evil, it cannot be made for us. As it is pointed out in James 1, trials bring strength, and we get closer to God through prayer and scripture. If we can resist temptation it shows that we are getting stronger in our walk with the Lord, we are maturing. It doesn’t mean that we wont struggle or fall, but the time we do sin will get less and less. We need to daily surrender and ask that God helps us, He will never leave or forsake us, He will protect us from the evil one, he will protect, deliver and always forgive us.
Prayed for you all today!
Much Love and Blessings, Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 18
Gods MercyMatthew 6:12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Forgiveness is a huge deal. We ask God to forgive us for sins that we commit, as well as sins of omission, meaning things that we know we should have done but did not. But there is a condition on forgiveness according to this verse. God will indeed forgive us, as much as we have forgiven others. God is merciful and extends grace to us every day. But if we refuse to forgive others, how arrogant are we to expect God to forgive us?
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Psalms 103:11-13 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”
SIN- What is sin? There are 5 Greek words that talk about sin in the New Testament.
Slipping and falling (thats unintentional sin)
Missing the mark (As an arrow would miss the intended target)
Stepping across the line (intentionally sinning)
Lawlessness and open rebellion against God
And then the word used in our text today, referring to a spiritual debt to God.
Jesus tells an amazing parable that fits this concept perfectly (of coarse its perfect, Jesus told it).
Matthew 18:25-35 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
Jesus is pretty clear here, God will NOT show mercy to the merciless. There are times that we are unaware of our sins. We must in humility, consistently ask God to show us where we have sinned.
Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
I heard someone say it this way once. God help me see the sin and anxieties in my heart, forgive me and help me understand what my salvation truly means. That means we need to be having continuous conversations with God. But remember that conversation isn’t just about you talking, you need to listen as well. Let the Holy Spirit reveal the acts of disobedience, bitterness or unresolved issues. We are human, sin is in our nature, but as we mature in Christ, the sins we commit should be less, and we should become sensitive to what sin is. So, what is sin? Simply, disobedience to God. It is sin that separates us from God, sin destroys friendships and families. Forgiveness is a must if we want restoration at all levels.
It may even start with you forgiving yourself...
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 17
Gods Provision
Matthew 6:11
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
Bread: More than just food that we require on a daily basis, but Gods divine provision for ALL, we need as believers. As we are surrendered or yielded to God on a daily basis, He provides the very sustenance that we need. Aa we pray for our daily bread, we are asking that God provide for all of our NEEDS for the day, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, material and physical. This prayer can and should include, Family, friends, ministries, our community, leaders both local, nationally and globally, even praying for our personal needs. God is the ultimate provider, He provides ALL that His children need. We can have great confidence in that. Again, proper perspective as we pray, if we are praying daily for what we need for the day, we are not assuming or trying to take God for granted. We realize and acknowledge that He provides for us according to His mercy. Keep proper perspective EVERY time you go to the Father in prayer. It really is ALL about him and His will.
Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
John 6:35
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
I dont know about you, but as a human, I want everything lined up for me. Provision well in advance of what is needed. Knowing that “I” have it covered. Even when I know better. When we pray “this day” it truly is a sign of us recognizing that we rely on God a day at a time. We are so blessed in our nation, we really are wealthy Christians. None of will go hungry, if we make some sort of effort. Even as you read this today, you can go to the kitchen and get something to eat, or a snack at the office… daily bread is at our fingertips. This makes it easy for us to forget that everything comes from God, the time we have, the talents, resources, opportunities from God, and our next meal.
If we can make it a habit to ask God for our daily needs, even though there is food in our pantry or fridge, it helps us establish a relationship of reliance on Him, the very one who gives us everything. God wants to here from us at all times, not just in times of want or need, good times and bad. Part of that provision includes the very basic of needs, the discipline of our kids, conversations with our spouse, spiritual growth, conflict resolution, restored relationships with family or friends, leading a meeting in the office and even engaging socially at a movie. There is nothing to big or small to take to the Lord.
So, what if we ask for the wrong things, where they may not be sinful or against God, but just not where God wants us to focus? We serve an amazing God, who covers us with His umbrella of grace. God will always give what is best for us, not necessarily what we want. What God gives us will be what he sees that we need, and through all that He gives us He will transform us into all He wants us to be, to be more like Him.
Give us this day our daily bread… what is it that you need? Ask Him.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings,
Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 16
Gods Authority
Patterns of prayer continuing.
“Your will be done”
Matthew 6:10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Can we really understand that Gods perfect will is always being done in Heaven? Its difficult to understand because we see the continuous human free will being done on Earth. Pride, selfishness, greed and evil. As we pray this we are asking that Gods will be accomplished on planet Earth. Really what the heart of this is that we pray, is that Gods will becomes our will. I have said it before, God, what do you want for me? Help me desire that and please provide all I need to accomplish your will. What does God call us to do as believers?
Micah 6:8He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
We are to live upright, doing good to others, caring for others as much as we would care for ourselves. As we pray it should include praying for others, that they would submit to the will of God as well, that they would love others over their own desires. Loving God, loving people. Our relationship with God is dependent on our obedience to His will. Seeking Gods will should be the starting point of everything we pray, ask and do.
Psalms 143:10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Matthew 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Matthew 12:50For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Proper Perspective:
Philippians 2:3-8Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Can we have a Christ like attitude? We should. Think abut it for a min. We usually approach God with our own agenda. We want to pray, “may our will be done”. Grant my wishes according to my will, answer according to my own desires. God will always answer our prayers, but it may be a different answer than we want. He knows what we need. The ongoing debate among Christians about praying and Gods will, is that he will answer wether or not we pray. Or, why pray if God knows everything we need before we ask? Some wonder if God will take any action if we do not make a request? We must trust that God is sovereign, and wants the best for us, we exercise our faith muscles and put our will in its proper place. As we pray, we pray in faith, believing ALL of Gods promises and that he truly wants the best for us.
Luke 18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
All of us pray for change in our circumstances or surroundings, but the real work of prayer is that it changes us from the inside out.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
As with any relationship, the more we talk with God, the more we find ourselves changing to please him, to do His will. There are many times I have prayed and seen circumstances change, but I have noticed something even more important, prayer changes me and my priorities.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much Love and blessings, Pastor Scott
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 15
Gods Sovereignty
Continuing with a pattern for prayer using the Lords prayer as an example. Look at the first part of Matthew 6:10-Your kingdom come...
Matthew 6:10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
What is sovereignty? According to the dictionary it is supreme power or authority. It refers to the state or governments rule over others. Biblically, the Sovereignty of God means He has supreme authority in ALL things. Everything is under His control. Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines Gods Sovereignty as His "absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure.” As followers of Christ when we understand and accept His sovereignty, we are literally welcoming Him to rule and reign in our lives. In doing so, we must commit to live in a God honoring way. His kingdom is here now and is to come at His return.
While Jesus was here He proclaimed freedom…
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon ME, Because HE anointed ME to preach the gospel to the poor. HE has sent ME to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
In the short time Jesus was here He did indeed free people from sickness, suffering and pain. When He returns again for us, He will rule supreme, NO more suffering, pain, evil or tears. God will make everything right again, the way He created it.
Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
Revelation 21:3-4
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Jesus even said that the Kingdom of God was near;
Mark 1:14-15
Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Luke 17:20-21
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Or “within you”
We see that the kingdom go God is evident in the lives of all who make Him their Lord. So as we pray, we ask the Lord to change our lives so He is seen in and through us as we walk through this life. This prayer has been abused and misinterpreted as a call to make new laws calling people to make safer moral standards. Jesus’ mission was very clear, to lead people to himself. He then commissioned His disciples to proclaim truth, that Jesus is King and Lord over everything we know and experience in creation.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The Great Commission! We are all called to fulfill this, this helps in the spread of the kingdom of God throughout our world. This prayer, if we use it correctly, petitions for the strength and power we need to usher in God’s kingdom on our planet. So, as you pray, recognize and embrace the fact that God is sovereign and is reigning even now, we can help make it visible.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings,
Pastor Scott
*** Rose Publishing has a great pamphlet on the Lord’s Prayer. This is where I am taking the format for our study from. It would be a great resource to add to your personal study material.
Click the link above to see additional resources on prayer!
40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 14
Gods Sovereignty
As we continue in our study on patterns of prayer look at the end of verse 9.
Matthew 6:9 “ Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
What does it mean to be Holy? The word Holy is the description given to God who is exalted, worthy of devotion, and is perfect in goodness and righteousness.
Psalm 99:9 Exalt the Lord our God And worship at His holy hill, For holy is the Lord our God.
To “Hallow” is to make Holy or to set apart, it means that the very name of God is a sacred name. Do we really understand the power of prayer? Or the attitude that we should enter into prayer with? A sense of awe, reverence, worship and thanksgiving. Not flippant or passive aggressive. As I pray I thank God for what He has done, but I have learned to simply thank Him for who He is. He is great and worthy, regardless of my circumstances, He is worthy of praise, honor and Glory at ALL times. I asked a friend who was struggling with His life and where He thought he should be. I asked him, is God still God if you get ALL of your hearts desires? He answered YES! Then I asked, Is God still God if you don’t get any of your hearts desire.... he said, “don’t ask me that”! That same question came back to bite me as Pam laid in ICU fighting for her life. Is God still God if she is healed and walks out of the hospital? Yes !!! Is God still God if she dies tonight in ICU? Insert quiet pause and reflection here... YES. God is God, period.... exclamation point! So as we pray understanding that He is Holy no matter what is happening will bring us into the proper mind and heart set. Everything belongs to God, we are thankful for the gifts, talents, treasure or possessions, jobs and even our kids or grandkids. But it all belongs to God. Hold on to all of those things loosely.
Exodus 20:7
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Can we have the same mindset the Jewish people did? They had so much respect for the name of God, they wouldn’t write it or even speak it. They wanted to do everything they could to keep the name of God Holy. Set apart. The power of Gods name, is representative of His character, His plans and His will. When ever I hear someone use the names of God or Jesus as a part of their cursing tirade, it turns my stomach. But the reality is that it starts in the heart, the attitude of aspersions heart towards God is just as sinful as what they spew out of their mouths. If a follower of Christ is indifferent or lacks respect for Gods name, it is sin.
Revelation 3:15-16
‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
I never want to be in that position, the word spit is actually translated “vomit” meaning you will be spewed out of His mouth with force. Jesus always encouraged His followers to honor God with their speech and to honor the name of God. He is indeed holy and worthy of ALL praise and glory. If you want to show the depth of your faith and reverence for God, let it be seen by your actions and words.
1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Interesting thought... we are to be Holy... set apart from this world as we follow Jesus with eyes fixed heavenward. This is the attitude we should have as we begin our prayer. Know and understand who it is that you are addressing.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings,
Pastor Scott
*** Rose Publishing has a great pamphlet on the Lord’s Prayer. This is where I am taking the format for our study from. It would be a great resource to add to your personal study material. G post here:
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 13
The Love of the Father
Matthew 6: ...Our Father who is in heaven...
Do we understand what it means to call God Father? God is the author and creator of all we know. He gave us life, he protects and provides for those who call upon His name. We all are born with the desire to know our father and I know as a father I desire to know and care for my children. How much more does God want to interact with us? When we start by praying “Our Father” it changes our perspective on who God is. I watch how my Son in-law responds to my Granddaughters, he patiently listens and talks with them, holds a hand, hugs and even kisses them. He is lovingly inclined to respond to their best interests. The girls know that their father will answer. This is the instruction for us from Jesus, approach God as a child approaches their father, trusting and patient.
John 1:12-13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
1 John 1:3
what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 4:16
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We are adopted into the family of God as we surrender our lives to Him. If we could only understand the awe and reverence we should have even at the mention of the name of God or the Father. The Jews of Jesus’ time understood that God was far away and untouchable. Their respect for God, wouldn't allow them to speak or write His name. The Old Testament spoke of God the Father as the creator, never in a million years would they thought of personally addressing God as the Father. Once again Jesus’ use of Abba father (which is much like us using Daddy) would have even set his disciples back a bit. It is this use in such a familiar way that send Jesus to the cross accused of blasphemy, he was crucified because He identified himself as the son of God.
Matthew 7:7-11
“ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
God your father will take care of you. Patterns of prayer… start your time acknowledging God as Father, He loves you! You are His child! I know that it can be hard to understand that the God who created the heavens and the Earth and has all the power of the universe actually listens to our prayers, but He does because of the actions of His son, Jesus!
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much Love and Blessings,
Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 12
Pattern for Prayer
We have already defined prayer as; simply conversation with God. When we pray it is based on our relationship with God. We have been looking at different aspects of prayer in the Bible. How then should we pray? What is the “best” way? Christians are the most wide spread group that prays. Jews are supposed to pray three times a day, Muslims pray 5 times a day, Buddhists meditate-they dont necessarily pray (and they do not pray to God), Hindus pray 3 times a day at their self made shrine, and those practicing Wicca use “prayer" for their spells. As followers of Christ our world view is based on Gods word and our faith in Him. Chants and repeated prayers are meaningless especially when the person that is doing them, is NOT a Follower of Christ.
Matthew 6:7-8 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
The King James says; “Use not vain repetitions”, The ESV says; “Do not heap up empty phrases”, or my favorite the NIV “Do not keep on babbling”
When we pray we must stay focused with the right mindset that we are praying to the author and creator of everything we know. The Bible shows us examples of different types of prayer but does not explicitly tell us that any of these ways are the way we “must” pray every time. Having said that, we are going to take the next 12 days of our prayer blog and look at the Lords prayer. The Lords prayer, is an example, not a prayer that we mindlessly chant expecting to get results or use out of context.
Matthew 6:9-13 9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]
The disciples were inquiring, Lord teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught his disciples. This is an amazing pattern to help you as you strive to be consistent in your prayer life. Jesus gave them and us guidelines for prayer based on the characteristics or attributes of God.
The beginning of the prayer focuses making sure we understand where God is in our priorities. We must always start by understanding that we are praying to the author and creator of everything we know. This helps us keep proper perspective of our personal needs.
The second portion is focused on our needs, body soul and spirit as well as the needs of others. Jesus gets to the point… notice that this prayer does not go on and on and on, Jesus targets all of our human behavior and gently reminds us that we need Him. If we can pray through this pattern with a genuine and pure heart, what else needs to be said?
Prayer must be part of our daily walk with the Lord, depending on Him for any and everything, and God wants to provide for us. Can we pray with such focus and intensity that God moves? This was a dangerous prayer for Jesus and the disciples. Jesus was killed for stating that He and the Father were one, Jesus addressing God as Father was blasphemy in their eyes, Jesus also gave the disciples the right to be called children of God. We take prayer for granted in our country, in our community… and especially in our homes.
I challenge you over the next 12 days to look at the Lords prayer for what it is… a pattern, a pattern that brings great results in and through our lives.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 11
Get Mad !
when was the last time a pastor told you to get mad?
If something makes us angry, we have a choice. Stew on it and let it dictate our attitude and actions in a negative way, becoming bitter or even lash out and end up in worse trouble. Or, take positive action to resolve the issue. Can anger be a positive action?
Proverbs 6:16-1916 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
We all know that we can get angry but, but do we sin in that anger?
Ephesians 4:26-27 says; BE angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
So what can we get angry at with out sinning? The last thing we need to do is give the devil an opportunity or foothold in our lives. Look at what Jesus did in the book of John.John 2:15 “And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables”
They were engaged in taking advantage of people. They were sinning and Jesus put an end to it. Righteous anger!
So, today I ask you a tough question. Are you mad at the devil for wearing you out? Are you mad at the sin that has entangled you? Then do something about it!
Hebrews 12:1Jesus, the ExampleTherefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God hates sin! We need to pray that He helps us HATE the sin in our lives and get so angry at it that we drive it out, James 4 says we are to resist the devil and he must flee. Thats a promise! Jesus is in Heaven going to the Father on our behalf. He’s got our back. Can we not turn from the sin and weariness that the devil throws at us, square our shoulders and have the attitude that we are not going to take it anymore? That we are not going to engage in sinful activities of any kind ?!
Psalm 139:23-24Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Prayed for you all this morning! Much love and blessings,Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 10
Are you feeling worn out?
We already know that Satan wants to steal kill and destroy. But do we think about the tactics of the Devil? If you have not taken an opportunity to read Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, I encourage you to do so. In it Lewis paints a picture of the subltle moves of the enemy to to distract us from our relationship with the Father. It gives a visual image of what some of the tactics the devil and his minions may use.
The main demon character, Uncle Screwtape says; "Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment".
The most effective way that the enemy stops us is in our thought life. It is so easy for us to allow our current moods or feelings dictate how we are doing spiritually.
Screw tape also says; "There is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a human's mind against the Enemy. He wants men to be concerned with what they do; our business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them".
This is why you will see me repeat Philippians 4:6-7 throughout our 40 days of prayer.
Philippians 4:6-7
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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We all like to make plans, I even encourage you to set goals for the future, I TRY to plan my time, because I know if I don’t, then I tend to accomplish... nothing. But we cannot allow anxious thoughts dictate our prayer or actions.
This was one that really made me stop and think, because I like to focus on the future and try to plan my time. I think it is important to make sure that doesn't morph into a lack of action in the present, by worrying about the possibilities of what could happen in the future.
We must guard against the gradual slide away from God and His purpose for our lives. Guard against complacency and lack of seeking God in everything. Jesus evens warns us in Matthew 24:12; Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
Don’t let your love grow cold. Stan wants to wear out our body, heart, life and time. There is story after story in the Bible of men being worn down and allowing the enemy to dictate their actions.
Samson is one such example, you can read about him in the book of Judges. He was born with a purpose, God had great plans for him. But he lost perspective, he allowed the enemy to dictate his thought life until it dictated his actions. His desire to serve God was soon replaced with the desire to serve his flesh. He lost his power, his testimony was destroyed, the presence and favor of God left him. He was consecrated, he had taken a Nazarite vow. Satan new that was where he must attack. Enter Delilah, she appealed to the flesh. He eventually was worn down and gave in. It all starts with the thought life, what we desire. Samson’s desires became all about his flesh. He said see that woman? I want that, give that to me! Regardless the cost. When his prayer should have been, What do you desire for me Lord? Help me desire that!
That should be our prayer as well. God what do you want for me? I want that. Help me desire what you want for me. I also pray thet we keep our eyes open to where the devil may be wearing people out, where he may be wearing us out. It’s not a blatant and viscous attack, but little by little, slowly distracting us. Resist the devil and he WILL flee (James 4:7).
2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Hold every thought captive. This means we must stay in the Word on a daily basis. Use scripture to bring strength and resist the devil. Use scripture to keep your perspective.
Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
Persevere…..keep proper perspective. Hold the line!
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings!
Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 9
Ancient Recipe for Prayer
If you are to make that special family recipe you must use all the ingredients in the proper order for it to be successful. 25 fresh Pueblo chiles, 1 stick butter, 3 Lbs. pork cubed, 2-large onions, 1 TBS of salt, 1 3/4 TBS black pepper, 2-TSP oregano, 2-TSP of minced garlic, 10-large diced tomatoes, 3-fresh diced jalapeños, 1-cup of flour…
Guess what this makes? Green Chili ! Delicious!!! But you not only need all the ingredients, you need ALL of the instructions in order to complete the recipe.
(If you send me $19.95 … Just kidding, if you want the recipe, let me know).
We have an ancient recipe for prayer and there are many pieces given to us from Gods word that require our attention. Here is a list of a few.
Daily conversation with God, fellowship:
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Don't worry about anything, take everything about your life to the Lord. There is nothing that is insignificant or so common that the Lord does not care about it. So going to Him in in simple conversation should be a daily habit.
Ask God:
James 1:5-6 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
God wants us to ask of him, in faith and with the proper perspective. Pushing the desires of the flesh out of the way. Asking with confidence because of who Gods word says HE is. this will bring stability to your life.
James 4:2-3 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Heart check… Asking includes trusting and making sure our desires are pure. If the motives of our asking are pure, well, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Intercession and meditation:
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
Something amazing happens when we approach the Lord on the behalf of other people, it takes the focus off of ourselves. This is actually what Jesus does for us as well. He goes before the Father on our behalf. He intercedes continuously for his people. Meditation is taken out of context in America… its not yoga, or moving your Shakra, taking control of your own body and mind. Im talking about biblical meditation. It is slowing down, focusing on God and his word. Being intentional with your time and conversation with the Lord. Even sitting in silence…
Keep the prayer lines open:
Going into prayer we must do so with the understanding that God wants to talk with us and answers our prayers. Pray with persistence, pray, then when you have prayed, pray some more. How come God doesn’t answer immediately? How many days will he remain silent? A couple possibilities as to why. a) God wants us fully engaged with Him, knowing we cannot do it on our own and that he desires to assist us. b) Sometimes constant and consistent prayer is needed due to the need or environment or the strongholds Satan has built. More intensified prayer is needed to destroy the strong holds or to break through.
Matthew 7:7-8 “ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Mark 9:28-29 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”
Executive Prayer:
The understanding that Jesus is Lord of all as we pray. He is the name above every name! You can pray with confidence because of who Jesus is!
Philippians 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.
Warfare prayer:
We all have battles and will have as long as we are on the earth. We pray from victory, victory that was obtained on the cross. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, putting on the whole armor of God…Tying it all together with prayer.
Ephesians 6:10-20The Armor of God10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.Pray with faith.
There are certain times and circumstances that the Holy Spirit strengthens us and our faith and assurance is boosted, helping us know the will of God. Its in these times we see immediate responses like in Acts 9.
Acts 9:40-42 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Oh…. That we would all pray that way! It has to be led by the Holy Spirit. If you are in daily conversation with the Lord and Meditation on His word, you will be able to better respond as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Prayer burden:
As the Holy Spirit brings the burden, it helps drive us to the Lord with that request. Don't ignore or dismiss it. When the Holy Spirit brings a concern to us we begin to intercede on their behalf. This is a special task that the Lord gives us, He intensifies our desire to pray, giving us a sense of responsibility. It is a great indication by the Holy Spirit of the importance of that need. Pray unto that burden is released!
Prayed for you all today!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
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40 Days of Prayer: Day 8
Corporate Prayer
We have been focusing on personal prayer so far, but what about corporate prayer? That is us, the Body of Christ praying with and for each other. When Jesus cleansed the temple he stated:
Matthew 21:13 ...“It is written, "MY house shall be called A house of prayer”
It the book of Acts we see fruit from praying together consistently.
Look at the first part of Acts 1:14 "These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer…”
Then; Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
And; Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
So the early church set the model for corporate prayer and the Apostles taught this as they established new churches. Paul taught a young pastor named Timothy that he should get the church together for prayer.
1 Timothy 2:1-2, 8A Call to PrayerFirst of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:8Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
Jesus’ tells us in his own words that as we gather together he is with us.
Matthew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Although we are also admonished to communicate with God personally, there is something emboldening and powerful that happens as we gather together to pray. Our faith gets stronger and we pray with a prayer warrior mentality when we stand together.
When Pam was going through the worse part of battling Leukemia and we were not sure if she was going to live or die, a friend reached out with scripture and and encouraging visual image that fits here. She said as she was praying for us, she saw a line of fellow believers in battle with us, linked arm in arm, no man or woman stood alone. She said the the battle cry was, “Hold the Line”! Hold the Line!
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
I encourage you, to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might !
Hold the line !!!
Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: Day 7
Provision forPrayer; Trust and Help
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit bring everything to the “Prayer Table” we need. God has literally given us everything we need to pray with confidence. If we did not have such amazing provision, we would shy away from prayer, or would most likely reject it all together. As we pray two words bring the focus and power of prayer to the limelight, Trust and Help. Trust, means that we have the understanding and ability to boldly rely on God, and can be fully assured that our dependence on Him will not fall short. Trust is imperative as we pray and really effects our lives as Christians. In our walk with the Lord the state of trust must stay even keeled. We cannot be up and down or in and out of our relationship with God. If we are constantly in a state of flux with God, how can we ever be confident that He will meet us at the point of our need?
Hebrews 10:19-22 "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water".
Romans 5:2 "through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God".
Ephesians 2:18 "for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father”.
Ephesians 3:12 "in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him".
Confidence in who Jesus is, what He accomplished on the cross and how it affects us, especially when it comes to prayer, this is trust. God Himself provided the opportunity to trust. Also brought us the ability to communicate with Him at anytime and anywhere. We can go to the Father in Jesus name. As we have seen in Romans, we all have sinned and fallen short of the Gory of God, but Jesus literally takes us by the hand to the Father. As Followers of Christ, we have been cleansed by the blood of the lamb and can indeed approach God with great trust and confidence. It all starts with trust in Jesus first. Where does help come into play?
Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Do we even understand how much of this is a privilege? But even if we do understand, we are still in the flesh, weak and in all honesty foolish at times. Even to the point that we do not know how to pray. This is where the help comes in… The Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
When we are weakest is actually when God moves and we become the strongest, our weakness easily comes out as we pray. We are in a spiritual battle, look at how the disciples struggled in the garden. They couldn’t watch and pray, they fell asleep. Watch and pray so you do not fall into temptation.
Thank God we have the Holy Spirit. We have to rely on the Holy Spirit when we are at the end of ourselves, the Holy Spirit works in power and might in our darkest hours, our sickness and in our storms. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit, who knows the will of God, teaches us how to pray according to Gods will. So, as you pray, trust that Christ will move on your behalf and that the Holy Spirit will indeed help us.
Prayed for you all Today!
Much love and blessings to you all!
Pastor Scott
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40 Days of Prayer: Day 6
Resisting Satan Through Prayer
We see instruction on the defeat of Satan from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis 3 God cursed the Devil after the fall of Adam and Eve. Ultimately Jesus would crush Satan at the Cross. This speaks to the authority of God and that God will protect us and that Satan has NO authority over us. Jesus wouldn’t even let the demons speak in the book of Mark
.Mark 1:32-34 When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
Jesus did not allow them to speak! When Satan is attacking, he spews words of deceit, confusion and even violence. I pray that God rebukes the enemy, forbidding him to speak or interrupt, causing disturbance or confusion. A simple and very effective prayer, just like Daniel in the Loins den. Pray that lord shut the mouth of the lion, that God would not allow his people be hurt. God puts the devil in his place in more than one instance.
Zechariah 3:2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!As you pray remember, that Jesus came to defeat the devil. 1 John 3:8 “...the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil”.We know that we are in a spiritual battle…
Ephesians 6 is where we find the armor of God and see that we are to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
There are many people who spend way to much time talking to and rebuking the devil, when really we should be praying to God that HE rebuke the Devil. We are told in scripture, not to rebuke Satan, but rather to resist him. The Bible does not give a Christian instruction or authority to rebuke the devil, we are however told to resist him. James 4:7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.As we saw earlier in Zecheriah, God is the one who rebukes the enemy, at a time when even one of the most powerful angels relied on the Lord to rebuke him. Where does this leave us as Christians? Satan, we know is looking ultimately to steal, kill and destroy, but he will subtly step in and cause confusion. Instead of focusing on defeating the devil with a personal rebuke, our first response should be prayer, and our first prayer should be to Christ, asking that He rebuke Satan and that He would give us strength.
Hebrews 12:12Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,Trust and know that Satan is a defeated foe, he has no authority over you. Prayed for you all this morning! Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott
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40 Days of Prayer: Day 5
Once, twice, three times in prayer...
2 Corinthians 12:8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
There is an interesting thing we see in scripture about taking something to the Lord three times. This doesn’t mean that we are only to pray about something 3 times and then move on. But, in the Garden Jesus asked the Father three times if he could be released from what was about to happen. His prayer was heard and He stopped praying, knowing that he was in Gods will and must fulfill it.
The Apostle Paul also prayed three times that the thorn in his flesh be removed and God answered.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
So what does this mean for us? It means that we must pray thoroughly for our request, until we know that God has heard us. Because of our flesh and a society that is instant self gratification oriented, we expect a microwave answer to our prayers. Or even a fast food drive through experience. Order and 80 seconds later receive… don’t let your prayer time be governed by that mentality. Genuinely approach God with confidence and a sincere heart, seeking His intervention, what ever that may look like.
I have said it before, God will always answer your prayers!
But it may not be the answer that you were anticipating. Just like Paul, Gods grace was sufficient for all he was experiencing or going through. I would also say that as we are meeting together Sunday mornings, Sunday night or mid week at a small group bible study that we should press in a bit as we pray. We used to use the word Tarry at altar time prayer, we have forgotten how to do that. It means that we linger in expectation for God to move. It doesn’t mean we drum up emotion or start praying in King James or as the Pharisees prayed. But that we humble ourselves and continue to pray. With the heart desire of knowing Gods will and praying accordingly. Are you burdened for someone or for something? Pray until that burden lifts. It may be 3 times, it may be 10 times, or more. Don’t bounce around your prayers, be intentional be specific.
We are not trying to make a new law or regulation about prayer. But recognizing that we need to slow down and pray until the burden is lifted or God answers. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you as you pray, if you do this, its easy to feel the burden or when it is lifted. In corporate prayer as the body takes requests before the Lord, we need to be just as sensitive. Two or three may pray over the same request or continue to pray until as a body they feel God has answered or released the burden.
Praying in one accord, is powerfully unifying for the body of Christ.
Matthew 18:19-20
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Praying as a genuine Spirit Filled believer with other genuine Spirit filled believers brings great answers!
Prayed for you all this morning!
Blessings, Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: Day 4
Just how free is free will?
God has created us all with free will. We are not a bunch of programmed robots. We consciously make daily choices. We exercise our will in what to wear, where to go, when to get out of bed (or not), why we want to do something and how we will do that thing we want to do. Including our relationship and interaction with God.
In the creation we live in there are 3 differing wills at work, Gods will, Satans will and mans will. In my walk with the lord I have often wondered why God just doesn’t take Satan out now? In my perspective life would be so much easier, right?But God wants us to work hand in hand with Him to put Satan in his place. That requires our surrender, self discipline, perseverance and a healthy understanding of Gods will that works in and through us. We cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the mess that the will of Satan has created on our planet.
Ephesians 5:15-21 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
Be careful how you walk, spiritually. We know the way to walk according to scripture… so walk as it instructs. Dont waste time, this is pointed at me as much as any one else. I must be a good steward of my time and the platform God has given me, you must be a good steward of your time and the platform God has given you, in your family, place of employment, position in the community. Be filled with the Holy Spirit, sacrifice your time to be in fellowship with other believers. Speak and sing Gods word into each others lives. It really is a heart issue… the human will is all about the heart. Do you try to accomplish all that you want? Or do you look to the Lord and say; Lord, what do you desire for me? Help me desire that“!
Free will has a cost, its not free… you must surrender your will and resist the will of the devil. James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
This verse in James is a command with a promise attached.
COMMAND: Submit to God and resit the devil !
PROMISE: He Will Flee! Let your daily actions, thoughts and words be worship to God. Dial in, focus on God.
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Do not be conformed to the world, but transformed by His word, worship and time in prayer… this is how you will know the will of God.
Prayed for you all this morning! Have a great Day!
Much Love, Pastor Scott
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40 Days of Prayer: Day 3
PRAYER REQUIRES WORK AND DEDICATION
Remember our train analogy from Watchman Nees book? Prayer is like laying the tracks for the train. Our main theme has been out of Ephesians 6:18; look at the first part of the verse; "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit”. As we pray, our prayers should be for many different things and continuously. There are times we pray specifically, but I don't know about you, but I find myself expanding my prayers to other things as the Holy Spirit leads. But in doing so, don't be complacent, don't pray weak prayers. The enemy wants to distract us and weaken our prayers. Sometimes in my prayer time, I am distracted, that is the enemy, seeking to devour us.
1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
I love the example the Lords prayer sets Matthew 6:13a; lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
We can ask God for help and to rebuke the enemy… talk about a relief! And the Blood of Jesus, takes care of ALL the work of the enemy. Prayer is hard work. Thats why I loved the praying hands graphic we used last year for the 40 days of prayer. They reminded me of my grandpas hands as he worked as a mechanic. If we want to accomplish anything, we cannot be lazy. Your hands are going to get dirty. Do the work. If Railroad tracks are not laid correctly, the train will derail. Dont let the devil derail your prayers.
This years graphic, is a human heart. What is at the heart of your prayers? In your time of prayer I challenge you to stay focused. Dig in. What or who do we pray for? What does your day look like? Who will you interact with? Family, friends, co-wrokers, what about the waiter or waitress? Someone going on a trip? Pray that all goes well, that they make their connections and that their luggage arrives with them. Pray for the place he will be staying and all whom he will interact with. Rely on the Holy Spirit and pray boldly. Pray for your leaders, teachers and pastors.
I would agree with Watchman Nee as he says that genuine followers of Christ MUST pray. As we pray, God works in and through us, He works in and through the people and situations we pray for. God desires that we pray, so as the Holy Spirit brings someone or something to mind… PRAY. Not just a flippant prayer, but do the work, pay the price. Let it become a habit that you respond in prayer at all times in conversations and situations, at first it will seem difficult, but as a habit, it will get easier.
Ask God for help praying, ask Him to help you to be faithful in your prayer time. If you are praying and the burden of that prayer does not lift, dig in. Fast and pray until you feel that there is an answer or release. If we can be consistent in our prayer time, we will indeed know and operate in the will of God. God prompts people to pray, He wants to work in and through our lives. Gods will is always looking for a way to be accomplished by His creation.
Can you imagine what would happen if every genuine follower of Christ would obediently pray as the Holy Spirit prompted? Gods will would be unleashed and many amazing things would be accomplished.
Prayed for you all this morning!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Scott
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40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 2
Prepare the way for the Lord
Prayer makes a way for us to have a relationship with God and helps to prepare the way for Jesus to be Lord of our lives, as well as for us to proclaim the gospel message to others. It is indeed personal, first.(John 3:16/John 1:23/Isaiah 40:3)
Watchman Nee said; “Prayer is the rail for God’s work. Indeed, prayer is to God’s will as rails are to a train. The locomotive is full of power: it is capable of running a thousand miles a day. But if there are no rails, it cannot move forward a single inch“
Thats why it is so important to lay the foundation of prayer. If we truly want to see Gods will in our lives and know how to pray His will, start doing the ground work, lay the rails. Think about it, in your personal relationships, which relationships are stronger? Relationships with people that you speak to once or twice a year, or when there is a crisis?
Or those whom you have a daily conversation with? Obviously, those you communicate with more frequently. The same applies to our relationship with God. The more time we spend walking and talking with Him, the closer we get, the more dialed in we are to His will for our lives. What is Gods will and how can we determine that, so we pray in line with His will? After all, Jesus gives us an example in what we call the Lords Prayer.
Matthew 6:10 "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven".
Years ago I purchased a book on knowing Gods will. I don't remember now how much I paid for it. $20 I think. I read the whole thing, because I wanted to know Gods will. Guess what wisdom it bestowed upon me? The book that I paid good money for, told me to read my Bible and have conversations with God ! Read my Bible and pray.
If we want to know Gods will, we must do the work, read, study and meditate on Gods word, spend time praying and listening for God to speak into your situation.
Psalms 119:15-16 I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways.I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
Psalms 1:1-3 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither;And in whatever he does, he prospers.
So as you pray today ask God to help you lay the foundation. Humble yourself and your desires and genuinely go to the Lord. Lord, what do you want for me? What is your will for my life or your will for me in this situation? May my desires reflect your will and direction for my life…in Jesus name! Prayed for you all this morning!
Much love!Pastor Scott
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