Learning to pray again…

Have you mastered prayer?

I haven’t.  I suspect few Christians would report having mastered this great privilege and discipline.  In fact, I suspect that most Christians may even feel burdened by their lack of prayer and the seeming ineffectiveness of prayer.  We read “pray without ceasing” and it becomes “guilt without ceasing.”

If our failures at prayer leave us feeling condemned, we’ve probably begun to think of prayer as one of those spiritual duties that keeps God happy with us.

To be clear, prayer pleases God (1 Tim. 2:3).  Christians ought to pray.  But many of us need to learn how to pray as well as fail in prayer in light of the good news that Christ is our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30).

I feel like I’m in a season of learning to pray again.  This is good.  I’m not burdened but eager, which I know does not come from my flesh but God’s Holy Spirit.  I welcome God’s vision for my life: “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” (1 Tim. 2:8).  God wants me to pray, and I want to pray to God.  And I’m praying.

But I’m not “good at it,” whatever being “good” at prayer means.  Even thinking of being “good” at prayer reveals an insidious performance mentality and pride.  Why not be rough and unpolished but genuine with God?  Why not depend upon Christ’s offering of himself as my High Priest and righteousness rather than seeking to be “good” at prayer?

My mind still wanders.  I talk too much in prayer.  My petitions dominate rather than praise, though a bit less right now.  My requests seem hopelessly earthbound and physical rather than heaven-soaked and spiritual.  I battle fatigue, which seems to pounce on me the moment my mind turns to prayer.  And when I think of what God has done in my life through Christ His Son, I must admit that my prayers are weak and uninspired.  He does far more than I have ever asked or thought.

So, I’m learning to pray… again.  And I’m enjoying the learning.  For instance, in two conversations in two weeks I’ve been reminded of the opportunity to “pray specifically.”  Too often my prayers are general and vague.  I’m praying for the right things in those general ways (i.e. conversions, God’s glory, etc.), but I’m not venturing a request that makes those desires tangible, specific, and so on.  I suspect I don’t pray that way for one primary reason: a lack of faith masquerading as submission to God’s will.  I don’t ask specific things of the Lord because I’ve learned to cover up unbelief with religious talk of God’s sovereignty and humility before God.  Now God is sovereign and I want to be humble before a sovereign God, but does not God say simply to us, “Ask and you shall receive?”  He does.

I’m learning to pray this way again.  I suspect that once I’ve “learned” this time, the Lord will teach me yet more.

In His Grip,

Mary

Memorial Day, something to think about…

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13 (NIV)

On May 28th, 2012, the US is celebrating Memorial Day, which is a time set aside for remembrance and appreciation of those who have served their fellow-man self-sacrificially.

If you are planning on attending a church of your choice Sunday, or picked up your Bible today…or any day, thank God for the freedom that was bought for you to do this. Even today, in some countries, we could be arrested for attending a church not approved by the government (as in China), or just for reading a Bible. Some Christians lose their jobs, are tortured and even killed.

Throughout the years, members of the armed services have sacrificed their “normal” lifestyles, their well-being – and sometimes their very lives, to secure and preserve freedom for their own countries, as well as for others.

And every day, our police officers and firefighters risk their safety to “protect and serve.” It used to be said that police work was “99% boredom and 1% sheer terror.” No more can that be said. There is potential danger on every call. And instead of thanks, too often law enforcement personnel – who are understaffed as well as underpaid – face abuse and lack of respect from the very ones for whom they sacrifice. Just today in the time you spent reading this blog, many have died for our freedom…

I encourage you that the next time you see someone from the armed services or law enforcement, you show them appreciation – and thank God for providing these examples of Christlike sacrifice.

In His Grip,

Mary

I don’t know how you feel…

We cannot know for certain how another person feels–the depth of their pain…their emptiness, loss or fear. We may think we know how a person feels when we see them under fire, trial, or difficulty. We may have had some similar situation in which we felt a specific heartache or crisis. However, unless we are the other person, we cannot know the loneliness, the grief, the anxiety, or doubt another has.  We cannot know their brokenness or experience their suffering.

Likewise we cannot know how deep their faith is based on their tears or depression. They may be trusting in God and clinging to Him with all that is within them in order to keep from totally falling apart. We cannot know what ”falling apart” looks like–the end of another’s rope to us may be the knots the LORD has tied around their wrists to keep them from slipping in the mire of circumstance. We cannot know another’s heart.

That’s why sometimes our impulsive words like “you just need to trust in the Lord”, sound so hollow and trite.

Yes…we all know we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us”, but we do not all know when Christ designates the strength to meet the problem or trial we face. We who care would do well to exercise discernment and restraint when we seek to comfort or minister, or advise another in need.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  Proverbs 25:11

Words that have helped me in trying times are:

“I am so sorry. I wish I had answers.”

“I don’t know how you feel right now, but I care that you hurt.”

“I can’t know the confusion and betrayal you feel right now, but I will pray for you during this time.”

“I can’t imagine how hard it is for you to deal with this, but please know that I care and will be here if you need someone to just sit with you. No need to talk. No explanations needed. Just someone in the room.”

“Do you care if I pray for you?”

Sometimes just a hug, and pat on the arm, or squeeze of an elbow is all a person needs to know someone cares and feels their pain. The best cards are blank cards with appropriate pictures and a handwritten, “I care” inside with a phone number.

LORD, give us wisdom to discern the words another needs to hear as a soothing balm. Help us be sensitive to another’s pain and heartache so we treat others with kindness, love and gentleness. And, if there is someone in need of comfort, direction, or peace who read these words today, I pray You have mercy upon them and pour out Your abundant grace that they may know You are God and that You care for them. 

In His Grip,

Mary

Radical Faith…

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…Hebrews 11:1.  What do you believe God for?  Do you have faith that He can do it?

In my opinion, many people say, “I have faith that God can do all things” but do they really?  It’s easy for a person to say they have faith In the Lord when everything is going well or when one believes God for very little.  I believe God is calling His people to a new level and that new level requires a new level of faith–radical faith.

When you say, “God is the same God yesterday and today”, what does this mean to you?  Do you believe God is more than able to separate a body of water just as He did for Moses for YOU?

Do you believe God can hold the sun still and make the moon stop for 24 hours just for YOU?

Do you believe God can stop rain from falling for 3 and a half years just for YOU?

When I say I believe God is the same yesterday and today, it means I believe God is able to do these things and exceedingly more.  Am I saying that you should have the same measure of faith I have?  No. Why? Because just as God is strengthening and developing my faith in Him, I know He’s doing the same with many others.  I’ll be the first to say I have a LONG way to go spiritually and need a lot of strengthening and sharpening when it comes to faith.

However, I am saying that as Christians we need to have the type of faith that believes God for radical things, even if it goes against nature.  Who would think to pray and ask the Lord to hold rain for 3 and a half years?  I know I wouldn’t have thought such a thing because rain is just something that happens.  Why would God hold up rain for me?  But He did for Elijah.

2 Chronicles 16:9 lets us know that the eyes of the Lord searches the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 

The Bible lets us know that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2), so what does this mean?  You can pray for anything and if you have faith, you will receive it (Matthew 21:22).

This means you can pray for a mountain in your life to be moved and if you pray and believe it, that mountain will be moved.  This also means that as Elijah did, if you pray earnestly that it wouldn’t rain, if it pleases God, He will do it.  God seeks to show himself.  God searches the whole earth looking to show his magnificence and great power to those who earnestly seeks Him.

So now the question is…Are you believing God for the impossible?

Are you believing God for radical things?

In my own life, I execute the four things listed below when I’m believing God to move mightily on my behalf and I want to share them with you:

Ask: bring your petitions (request) before the Lord.  The Lord already knows what you need, but as a child going to their father, He wants you to ask Him.  I also recommend finding a scripture that speaks on what you’re believing God for.  For example, if you’re believing God to heal your body from a sickness, you might want to bring up the scripture that states, With his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).  It helps me.

Have radical faith: the type of faith that believes God no matter what the circumstances look like.  The type of faith that asks God for things that people typically wouldn’t ask God for.

Believe and don’t doubt: Believe in your heart that it’s already done in Jesus name and praise Him in advance for it.

Last but certainly not least, receive.  If you can’t receive, you won’t get.

Start believing God to do the impossible.  Start believing and asking God for things that naturally don’t make any sense.  Believe God for 100 PERCENT COMPLETE HEALING AND WHOLENESS, believe God for checks in the mail, believe God for promotions on the job, believe God for $0 balances with creditors, believe God to slice bills in half, BELIEVE GOD FOR THINGS THAT’S CRAZY AND IMPOSSIBLE IN THE NATURAL REALM.  If God can separate a body of water, If God can turn water into wine, If God can say, “Let there be light” and there was light…how much more are you (being his child) able to ask God for these things and He does it.

Be encouraged today.  Don’t be afraid to ask God for crazy-radical-just don’t make sense kinds of things.  God wants to do such things in your life; He just requires you to ask Him, have radical faith, believe and receive in Jesus name.

If you say, “I don’t have faith” or “how do I get radical faith”, I want you to know that as Christians we all have some measure of faith; in my opinion, the radical faith comes into play when you start believing and asking God for things that goes against nature and don’t make sense in the natural realm.  Pray; pray and ask God to increase and sharpen your faith.  That’s what I’m doing.  If you ask God for this, He will do it; after all, is not being a Christian heavily tangent upon your faith that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose again?  God wants to increase your faith, so ask Him for it.

In His Grip,

Mary

Your pain touches Jesus…

Surely he hath borne our grieves, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  Isaiah 53:4

Grief comes through many avenues and in many forms. It comes when we lose a loved one to death. It comes when we have to say, “Good bye” to a child that is going to war. It comes when a relationship is severed. It can come when something that you looked forward to eludes your gasp. It can come when your hopes and dreams have been shattered. It can come suddenly and without warning. Grief is something that touches the lives of everyone- the young, the old, male, female, rich or poor, no matter where in the world you live- no one is exempt. If you live in this world it’s certain that it will touch your life one day if it hasn’t already.

While grief is something that will touch everyone’s life at some point in time, it doesn’t have to destroy us it doesn’t have to become our “master”. We don’t have to let grief control our lives and take us down the path of depression and misery. How is that possible? Because Jesus bore our “grieves and carried our sorrows”. Not only did Jesus die on the cross to save us from our sins and give us eternal life, He also bore our grieves. What a loving God we have that cares about our hurts and pains. He knew our lives would be touched with heartaches that would be too great for us to bear, so He bore them for us so that the weight of them would not crush us when they came. This means that we can turn to Him in our times of grief and pain and have confidence that He not only hears our cries but also “understands” them and can give us the peace that we need. Only He can touch our lives with peace…a peace that passes understanding. A peace that can dry our tears and mend our hearts. He knows what it’s like. He knows what it means to hurt and suffer grief…because He has already bore it.  He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.  Isaiah 53:3.

Your pain touches Jesus. He does care that you hurt. He understands your grief. And He’s already done something about it. He’s provided peace, joy and strength for you. Turn to Him; put your trust in Him; know that He is the one who binds up broken hearts and brings peace and healing once again. He wants to do it for you. He is the Comforter, and He can comfort you today.

Have a blessed day. He knows what grief is like; therefore, He knows exactly how you feel.

In His Grip.

Mary

Not guilty…

 

And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth (John 14:16-17 NIV).

During Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, He reassured them that He would not leave them as orphans. He said, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15). The Greek word which is also translated Helper (NASB) and Comforter (KJV), isparakletos and means a “person summoned to one’s aid.” Originally it was a term used in a court of justice to denote a legal assistant, counsel for the defense, an advocate; then, generally, one who pleads another’s cause, an intercessor.

I love the image of the Holy Spirit representing me in a court of law. Satan is called the accuser and he accuses us day and night (Revelation 12:10).  He points His gnarly finger in our faces and says things like:

“You aren’t a very good Christian.”

“Jesus doesn’t really love you.”

“You were a mistake when you were born.”

“You’ve really blown it this time.”

“What makes you any different now than before you accepted Christ?”

“I don’t see much fruit in your life.”

“You’re a pitiful excuse as a wife, as a mother, as a child of God,” etc.

Now tell me, have you ever thought any of those words before? That’s exactly what Satan wants you to believe, and he does a pretty good job at making us believe them. They sound like us, it feels like us, but those words are from the accuser himself. It is always amazing to me that while I might have trouble hearing God’s voice, Satan’s usually comes through loud and clear.

On the other hand, the Holy Spirit is our counselor, our attorney, who comes along side us and repeats, “Not guilty!  Not guilty!  Not guilty!” He says, “No jail time!  You, my child, have been set free!”

Now, who are you going to believe?

Dear Lord,

there are many days when I feel guilty.  I know now that it is Satan who tries to make me feel guilty and whispers accusing thoughts into my head. Thank You that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin so that I can walk in freedom and live for eternity in heaven with You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What about you?

Do you feel guilty because of past sin?

Have you asked God to forgive you for those mistakes?

If so, have you accepted God’s forgiveness or are you listening to the lies of Satan that continue to taunt you?

Who are you going to listen to?  Are you going to listen to God who says you are forgiven or Satan who says you are guilty?

In His Grip,

Mary

Don’t hit another brick wall…

“TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3: 5,6)

As we face the day -to -day challenges of life we are told to “trust God” with the uncertainties that worry us.  Trust God with the blind corners and with that next step – even when it feels there is nowhere to place your foot. It can sound so difficult at times when our minds swim with the “what if” possibilities. When we are in the trenches of financial struggle; relationship anguish; health crisis; joblessness; or any number of seemingly brick walls it can be difficult to know how to actually put feet to trusting God in those moments.

There may be a big issue facing you right now OR it may simply the small stuff of every day life that can become perplexing and confusing. It may be something within yourself that causes you to stumble as you walk.  In whatever it is that concerns your heart and mind today these 3 steps will bring your heart to rest in God and trust Him fully with the outcome.

RELEASE – Name the concern, the issue, the source of confusion, the circumstance that is worrying you or the thing within yourself that you know you need to change. Then offer it to God sincerely.  Take it out of your mental backpack and place the weight of it in Jesus’ lap.  See the love in His eyes as He takes your burden from you.

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) 

Releasing your worry to God means that you place it entirely with Him. You give up your need to control the outcome and you give it to Jesus to deal with as He sees fit. It doesn’t mean you no longer take any actions, it simply means you leave the outcome for God’s to manage. This is the hardest step. We all have solutions that we feel would be best and we often want God to work things out according to our plan.  Releasing our current concern to Him means we leave the outcome in His hand.

RESIST – The enemy of your soul will come to steal from you.  He wants to rob you of your peace and your confidence in Jesus’ ability to carry your burden for you. When the negative and doubting thoughts come, and they will, resist the desire to play them over in your mind.  Capture them and stand firm on the truth that “the Lord will perfect that which concerns me…” (Psalm 138:8)

“…Resist the devil and He will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Capturing your thoughts means paying attention to what is playing in your mind. When worry begins to take hold recognize it and resist the thought. Declare again that you have cast that worry onto God and you are believing the Word of God which says He cares for you and will perfect what concerns you.

REJOICE – Give God praise for who He is and for His love and faithfulness to you. Thank Him, in all your circumstances, that He is the author and finisher of all things. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Offer your thanksgiving as a sacrifice to Him. Declare it out loud even when your feelings aren’t following. The sacrifice of thanksgiving has great power in the spiritual realm as it honors God and actually paves the way for God to work.

“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23)

Father God,

Thank you that You are with me and able to help me trust You with my life. Please help me today to identify what it is that is stealing my joy. Help me to give it completely to You and to release my need to control the outcome. When worry tries to settle in help me to resist letting it take hold in my heart and mind as I set my thoughts on You and Your promise to perfect what concerns me. Help me grow in thanksgiving and offering my thanks to you especially when it is a sacrifice to do so. I trust You today with all my heart. May I not lean on what I think is best but simply look to You to direct my path this day. Thank you that You hear my prayer and know my concerns. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Questions: Are you struggling with anxiety and worry and having a hard time trusting God with a particular situation? Release, resist, and rejoice and give your cares to God today.

In His Grip,

Mary