Keep Asking

(Jesus said,) "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds." - Matthew 7:7-8

So the question today after reading this verse. Is God and Santa one in the same? Now I know that not to be true, but how often do we treat God as if He is Santa? I want. I sit on his knee or on my knees and look up and say "I want this"! I know that I have. Jesus makes an interesting statement here here in that He say God will give to those that ask, and they will receive. He also says that when you seek you will find. So it seems that God will grant your petition, but it may require an action on your behalf as well.

I know from experience that God does not always grant your petition in the exact way that you want it to be done. He grants it in the way that HE wants it to be done. That doesn't diminish our part in looking and finding, but it may change the overall outcome.

As I get older it becomes very apparent that I am not God and He is. I need to trust and seek far more than make decisions. Why couldn't I have learned that years ago?

Lord, thank you for your promise that those who ask receive and that when we seek, we will find. Grant me the grace to persevere, to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking until His answer comes. I also ask that you help me in finding His answer, as I am at times very dense and cannot see your answer because mine is in the way. Thank you for the power and grace of your Spirit, who gives me the strength to persevere in prayer even when I am at my weakest moment and ready to give up looking. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Private Prayer

Today's reading is from Matthew 6:5-6. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

When I first read this I was thinking more on the lines of praying for show vs. praying for meaning. After some time, I have moved to praying quiet time as the theme to this lesson. As you go about your busy day from one task to another, how much time do you spend listening to God? Truly listening to the creator of the universe tell you what He wants for you in your life? I challenge you today to think about a time that you have done this or carve out some time to have an intimate prayer time with the creator of the universe, your Father in Heaven.

LORD, my heart longs to hear your voice just as Jesus did. Help me to draw away from this frantic and busy world to be alone with you. Open my eyes to see what you want to show me, my ears to hear what you desire to tell me. Then and only then will I know what to pray in secret as I respond to your heart. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Praying for your enemies (opposers)

Today we look at Matthew 5:43-45 - (Jesus said,) "You have heard that the law of Moses says 'Love your be neighbors' and hate your enemy. But I say, love you enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven."

Our Lord challenged us to pray and actually love our enemies. Now I can't say that I have many enemies as a person. I may have some folks that I don't see I eye to eye on issues, but I wouldn't call them enemies. So today's challenge is to pray for those that you hold an issue with. Can we write that name or names on a card and pray for them for a week? I am going to try. Now flip that card over and write the name of an enemy of the United States. Osama was my choice earlier, but that isn't going to work anymore. So what do we write down? I ask for names from anyone, on this one.

Here is the prayer of the day in the devotion to get you started on this effort.

LORD, please fill my heart with compassion for (insert name). Help me to pray for this person and to bless, not curse them. I can do this only as I look to you as my example. Thank you for dying on the cross for me so that I could be reconciled to the Father. Let my heart respond to my enemies, even as your heart was poured out on their behalf. Amen

Safe in Him

Today's passage taken from Psalm 4:3, 6-8, is a great prayer in how David is responding to our Lord in prayer. David is being pursued by his enemies and at times not doing well. He still takes the time to praise our Lord no matter the circumstances. How about you? Do you take the time to praise Him no matter the circumstances? Do you only praise Him when you are getting what you want, or things are going your way? How about praying through the hard times as well? How about reaching out to Him that created the universe and saying I praise you no matter what and see what happens to your attitude and your situation?

Lord, thank you for setting apart each of us to know you and for answering when I call you. Let the smile of your face shine down on me and all that I see this day Lord. May I see this day as you see it, not with issues and struggles, but with loving guidance and reassurance that you alone have control and power over all situations! In Jesus' name. Amen

Facing an enemy

O Lord, I have so many enemies, so many are against me. So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!" But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high. I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:1-4

When David wrote this Psalm he was surrounded by an enemy and probably many enemies. Today we are not surrounded by an enemy, or are we? There are no troops waiting to kill us, but are there other things willing to kill our souls? Too often I think today our enemies are hidden and far more stealth than the enemies of David. What are you battling today? Why is trying to kill your soul? Your eternal salvation is on the line, fight for it!

I pray: Lord, you are my shield and eternal protector. When I am in danger or distress, help me trust in your character. Be my glory and the lifter of my head this day. Lift my gaze and my heart from everything on this earth to you, who reign over all. Thank you for answering me from heaven and acting on my behalf when I cry out to you. May you be glorfied in my life. Amen

I leave you with a quote from Oswald Chambers - "The armour is not for the battle of prayer. The armour is not to fight in, but to shield us while we pray. Prayer is the battle!"

Revering God

There are many issues and concerns in our world today. Some are even saying that 2012 is the last year! So I offer this little verse from Proverbs 1:7 - Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

It is a healthy reverence that leads to an understanding that the power of God is residing in each of us and that the Spirit is greater thatn the power of our fears or of our enemy Satan. A deep sense of awe about who God is leads to the true knowledge and wisdom we desperately need for our lives today and in the year ahead.

I pray - Lord, develop in me a deep reverence of you that leads to life, wisdom, and greater intimacy with you. Open my heart to be teachable and to receive correction and discipline willingly. Grant that I would fear you, Father, and not my circumstances in the present or the what-ifs of the future. May I be so filled with your love that faith would replace my fear. In Jesus name, Amen.

My other addition today comes from my brother's blog and I would recommend that you look it up. He offers advice to his son prior to deploying overseas.

http://worldchristians.wordpress.com/#!/cover

I would recommend you give it a read and honestly, he offers great advice for all of us!

Resolutions and Prayer

Every year at this time, many people try to set resolutions and fail within a few short weeks. I have done this samething many times before, and have wanted to do better. So this year I am lauching a change. I am going to pray daily and mean it in 2012. To help me do this with more vigor, I am going to start to post my thoughts here to help me clear the air and hopefully someone will see this post and it will be encouraging to you and it will be a reminder to me that I have set this resolution with God.

To guide me I am using "Praying through the Bible" by Cheri Fuller.

January 1 - starts with a reading from Psalm 1:2-3 and speaks of how trees need to send their roots to water to grow and live. Just as we need to drink deeply of prayer and God within our own lives. Living in Boone has given me a greater access to nature and I am grateful to God for that. He has taught me more in the woods than any church setting and how he is in charge and I need to continue to drink from Him. Over the past few years I have not been drinking as deeply as I should and it has lead to a drought in my walk with God. That will not continue in 2012! I am drinking deeply!

It closes with this prayer:

Lord, by your spirit, draw me to the river of your love. Cause my roots to go deep into your streams of water, and make all that I do prosper. Give me the desire to read your Word and meditate on it day and night. Most of all, empower me to do what it says. And for the fruit that is borne in the year ahead, I give you all that glory! Amen