Don’t know if you have been up to date with the current scams going on out there, but every week hackers and scam artists are crafting ever so creative new ways to scam us all.
It seems every week I get a phone call from the IRS saying they have a warrant for my arrest for unpaid taxes.Or I get an email phishing for personal information impersonating my bank or fake profile friend requests on Facebook.
The hacking and scam attempts have become so heightened to the point the IT Security team at my work sends me a scam of the week email with the new bad guys’ scams.
Just like these online predators, the enemy likes to invade when we least expect it.
With all the new technology and security measures in place, the little thieves in waiting learn how to adapt and discover different ways to break the boundaries of security to rob us of our identities and take everything they can get at our expense!
I appreciate my work emails warning me of the ever-evolving and lingering scams waiting to attack and invade my bank accounts.Their message is know before the scam.If it weren’t for them warning me I may fall victim to even more scams.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we were all warned about the scams and tricks of Satan before the attack?
A Scam of the Week email would be nice right?
These scams remind me of the Bible verse, “Watch out for false prophets.They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”Matthew 7:15
Imagine a wolf lurking around wearing a sheep’s costume.I know this isn’t possible, but just think for a moment what does a wolf gain by pretending to be a sheep?His next meal.
“For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”2 Corinthians 11:14
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I hope you read last week’s post The Top 5 Most Googled and Viewed Posts on my Blog. I was really surprised what people want to know, what they’re searching for and where they were spending the most time on the blog.
This week I wanted to focus on the top Prayer posts since these posts were one of the top searches and shared the most on social media.
Prayer has been ever evolving in my life. There’s been times I’ve been distant in my prayer life and times I’ve had such a passion for prayer I can’t imagine it not being a part of every single moment of my day. But there is a recent revelation about prayer that has impacted my life tremendously I would like to share with you.
Whatever you’re going through in your life. Whatever trial, struggle or burden you’re carrying, what if these things are God answering a prayer you prayed before? What if the things we go through is God preparing, equipping us for what we have prayed for?
Top 3 Prayer Posts on my Blog:
Living on a Prayer- When you read the title of this post I bet the first thing that comes to your mind is Bon Jovi’s hit song, ‘Living on a Prayer.’ It’s a song about struggle trying to make ends meet, the people in the song have to keep going and hold on to what they got. They are walking a fine line between making it or not and they are living moment by moment–living on a prayer. Click on link to read more.
Imagine if we lived life like that? Every moment of every day was dependant upon our prayers?
Or each moment was dependant on God for every breath, every step, every need of our day?
2. Breaking the cycle of Prayerlessness- Do we depend on God for our needs? Prayer is our lifeline to God. No prayer, no relationship. Maybe you’ve been praying a prayer for a long time and wondered is God listening or even care? How long have you prayed for your request?
Do you pray for your request regularly, over a period of time? Our prayers don’t change God’s heart, they change our hearts. We don’t know when God will answer our prayers but don’t give up, that’s exactly what the enemy wants us to do. Keep Praying! Click on link to read more.
3. 5 P’s to Pray Over Your Marriage-Marriage is one of the biggest blessings in life, yet 40%-50% of marriages end up in divorce. If marriage is such a blessing, then why do so many marriages fail?
I think there are many factors at play–a person’s background and upbringing, parents who had a loving successful marriage, children, poor role models, trials, dysfunctional habits. But I think one of the most important factors that help couples STAY together is PRAYER. Click on link to read more {Also a FREE Printable!}.
These top posts remind me how important it is to depend on God, stay near to him to prevent broken cycles of prayer and how important it is to pray for our relationships. I personally need to stay accountable and be disciplined and intentional in my prayer life or it doesn’t happen.
I hope and pray these posts can be a reminder to make prayer a priority in all of our lives, to be intentional, to allow God’s plans to be the greater purpose in our lives.
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Have you ever prayed so hard for something, for someone a situation for weeks, months, years and the outcome still hasn’t changed? What if that miracle, that outcome we’re praying for isn’t what God wants?
Of course we all WANT good health, our families to be SAFE, our kids to make good choices and not fight, our spouses to love us unconditionally even when we mess up. Lately I’ve been seeing so many families going through so some hard devastating circumstances–their child has cancer, dad has cancer, there’s been an accident or a death. There is a desperation for God to come through to resurrect our devastating circumstances.
But, what happens when God doesn’t come through and grant us the Miracle we’ve been asking for?
Doesn’t God care?
Why wouldn’t God want to heal a child whose about to die?
Why wouldn’t God want a family to stay together and heal the person with addictions?
Why wouldn’t God want tofix this unbearable, horrendous situation that will only lead to more destruction?
In the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), there is a pattern of a message from Jesus and then a miracle to follow. Behind every miracle lies a deeper message. There is nothing wrong in wanting, hoping or praying for the Miracle. Not to sound depressing, what if the miracle NEVER happens? Where does that leave us?
When a Miracle happened in the Bible, they all started one of two ways–without any expectation/anticipation of the miracle or with a believing person or crowd who was seeking the Messiah not the actual miracle.
When Jesus healed the official’s son (John 4:46-54), the official sought out Jesus for a miracle to heal his son. He traveled a far distance to find him. The man believed Jesus had to be present to perform the miracle, but in this case his mere spoken words healed his son. The official sought out the one who was able to heal and Jesus granted the miracle.
In John 5, the handicap man sitting by a pool was not expecting Jesus to approach him and ask, “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus merely instructed the man, “pick up your mat and walk.” This man had no expectation to be healed and simply followed his instructions and was healed.
When Jesus fed the crowd of the 5,000+ people in John 6, they were seeking more of the Messiah and what he was able to do. When they were seeking and following him, they had no expectation he would feed the entire crowd with just two loaves of bread and five fish. They were seeking what Jesus was able to do, wanted more of Him not the reward of the miracle.
When We Let Go of the Miracle-
Letting go of the Miracle is HARD.
When we hold onto the Miracle, we put our Hope in WHEN or IF THE MIRACLE happens, we’re then seeking the GIFT.
Letting go of the Miracle, puts our Hope in what God is ABLE to do and TRUST He knows what’s BEST,we’re then seeking the GIVER.
Sometimes we have to ask ourselves hard questions and sit in the reality of the truth. What am I putting my Hope in the GIFT or the GIVER?
I’m not saying let go of the miracle and lose your hope. I’m saying let go of OUR expectation of WHEN the miracle WILL HAPPEN. We can’t put God in a box and DEMAND, ‘God, I want this miracle to happen, DO IT!’ We can’t EXPECT God ‘toFIX it‘ the way we want it. When we do, we’re putting a limitation on the miracle of what He’s ABLE to do.
Behind Every Miracle There’s a Deeper Message
Sometimes the deeper message isn’t God changing our outcomes, isn’t ‘fixing it,’ or even the miracle–it’s changing our perspective and changing our hearts. Sometimes God is waiting for the Breakthrough or the Miracle to Happen within US. If our hearts aren’t in the right place, we will never be able to receive the greatest miracle God has for us–Peace and Freedom. Eternal peace and freedom resides in God’s outcome of what He’s holding in His Hands not our circumstances that fall in this world.
Jesus NEVER performed Miracles to PROVE Himself or give another sign He was ABLE. He is ALWAYS Able and CAPABLE of the IMPOSSIBLE.
Are you praying for a Miracle?
Where Do you put your Hope, in the Gift or the Giver?
Is there an unsettling struggle in your life and you can’t put your finger on it? I challenge you to sit with these hard questions and be truthful and honest with your answers. We will never regret pursing the truth. Join me next week when we discuss, “When God’s love is the outcome.” Your are loved my friend!
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Many of us have read or heard of the very popular Bible passage Psalm 23, where David talks about God being his Shepherd, how he leads him beside still waters and restores his soul. One part of this verse stirs something deep within my heart in verse 4.
Psalm 23:4 ESV
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,they comfort me.”
Have you ever had a season in your life you didn’t want to be in, where you asked God, “Why am I here?” “What am I doing in this place?” With fists clenched, heels digging in the ground, telling God, “I don’t want to be here!” Sounds like the valley of the shadow of death is one of those places. Other versions of this verse also read valley of darkness or death.
What do you think David saw when he walked through the valley of darkness?
The valley David refers to in this verse is a valley in the desert of Judah. Anyone who walks through this valley is putting themselves at risk of encountering anything lurking in the darkness, wildlife, bandits, even a random flash flood.
What strikes me, David is walking through the valley where there is a shadow of death. Where there was a lot of unknowns surrounding him. Anything could attack or happen to him at any moment. Yet, he didn’t run away from the darkness, he didn’t take a different route, he walks right through it.
Do you think David knew he was going to walk through a valley of death?
I think many of us would have turned around if we knew what lied ahead. We always wonder why God doesn’t share details with us. If we really knew, we wouldn’t go where God was asking us to go. David then says in response to walking in the valley, “I will fear no evil, you’re rod and staff comfort me.” David knew even if he was in the valley he was safe and protected because God was with him every step of the way.
In Everybody Always, Bob Goff talks about fighter pilots who train in the valleys in between the mountains. When asked why do they train at lower elevations where winds can get them, their response was, ‘so we can get better.’
David knew walking through the valley would be hard. But he also knew in the valley is where he learned to depend on and trust in God the most. Walking through the valley will be dark and seem like God is far away. When we trust in what God is able to do and not in what we see, He walks us safely to the other side every time.
It is so easy to praise God when we’re standing on the mountain but not always so easy when we’re deep in the valleys.
Imagine what would happen if we took the same approach as David? If we faced our fears, our darkness and walked through them, depending on God for our guidance and comfort when we’re afraid?
In the valley is where we grow the most and receive the sweetest most unexpected victories when we trust God to walk us to the other side of our darkness.
Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
God goes and prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. God doesn’t promise we won’t have to walk through our valleys in the absence of our enemies, but in their presence. As our enemies surround us God our Shepherd, the master of provision provides for us everything we need in the midst of our battles.
The enemies in our lives are powerless over us when we praise him in our darkness–when we push through holding onto God’s hand, when we trust and don’t know how everything will turn out. God’s generosity of mercy and grace then overflows in us, all the days of our lives and we will dwell in his house forever (Psalm 23:6). In God’s house lies a sanctuary of peace and love like none other that sets us free from the fears of any darkness.
The next time fear gets the best of you, allow God to be your Shepherd leading you through your dark valleys. Pray Psalm 23 over your situation. Close your eyes and follow the voice of the Shepherd. Trust in Him, take His hand, He knows the way.
A voice cries:[a] “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Isaiah 40:3-5
What season are you in?
How do you allow God to lead you through your valley?
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I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below!
This year has been a really hard year for me in regard to discovering things about myself I never knew. It’s been a year God has been using to grow me in ways I never knew I needed. I’ve done a lot of soul-searching, reading and just spending time with God. I’ve read books like “Kill the Spider,”“Soul Detox,”“Nehemiah,” and “The Road Back to You.” Based on the titles of these books you can guess what kind of person I am, which ironically I didn’t know about myself until just recently–I’m a perfectionist. Anyone who knows me would say, ‘there’s no way you’re a perfectionist’ based on what they see outwardly, but inwardly quite frankly, I beat myself up every day.
In Kill The Spider, I learned I need to kill the spider creating cobwebs in my life. If I never target the very thing creating the mess, the mess will just keep reoccurring over and over.
In Soul Detox, I learned I need to get rid of the things contaminating my life, whether it be relationships, things in my environment, or what I’m goes into my ears and eyes, holding onto things that are toxic will only make for more toxicity.
In The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, I learned I am a one with a two-wing, which in enneagram language means I am a reformer at heart, I want to change the world and I have helper qualities. For anyone who has taken a personality test and doesn’t like to be pegged to a number, this is more than labeling you into a certain category. This book has helped me see myself the way God sees me, to not allow my flaws and inadequacies define me or make me stumble, but embrace them to be used the way God intended for them.
I can be overly critical or judgmental of myself at times. I constantly go over in my head how I could have done things better, how something could be improved, what I wish I would have said. It can get tiring hearing these voices in my head over and over pointing out mistakes I’ve made, telling me whatever I did wasn’t good enough.
Sometimes I just need a break from myself and replace these nagging voices with what God says about me. I have to be careful not to allow the inner critic in me or my constant comparison to unrealistic standards pull me down to the point I can’t hear God’s voice. So I turn to the One who knows me best.
A Letter From Jesus:
Dear Child, You are loved. I want to remind you, you are good enough. You are more than your failures, you are more than your past mistakes. You aren’t the labels you have put on yourself. You are definitely not the lies the enemy has told you. You are who I say you are. I have created you just the way you are for a reason. Your flaws don’t define you, I do. I will use your flaws for my greater plan. Stay close to me. Depend on me for all your needs.
Find refuge and peace in my presence, don’t go ahead of me. I have the greatest plans for you. Trust in my goodness and in what I’m able to do. Don’t focus on your obstacles, your mistakes or flaws, stay focused on me and my purpose for you. I will guide you if you let me. I accept and love you for who you are. Don’t allow your flaws to hold you back or keep you from participating in the plans I have for you. Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t seek your value and worth in the comparison of others, find your value and worth in Me. Be gentle and forgiving with yourself when you make mistakes.
Surround yourself with my truth in who I say you are. I created you. Seek your identity in me, guard yourself against the lies of the world surround yourself with my truth. You may not be where you want to be, sweet child, this is a journey, not a race, enjoy it. You are one of my best creations. I find joy in you. I will be your strength. You are loved whether you succeed or fail. It’s okay if things aren’t perfect. I will use you to display my perfection. You are loved and you are good enough. I will never leave you. I am here for you, hold onto my promises, we will do this together.
Love, Jesus
A couple pieces of advice I give myself to help battle through the process of perfectionism are,
Give yourself permission to laugh at yourself. I tend to be serious at times and just need to have a good ole chuckle when I do make mistakes or don’t say things perfectly.
When the volume of your inner critic starts getting loud, smile and say I appreciate your help but I am learning how to accept and embrace my imperfections. Say, “I am who God says I am, He loves me just the way I am, it’s okay if it’s not perfect.”
Find a hobby you enjoy doing just because you like doing it. I have picked up card-making (I’m not that good at it), but it’s one of those hobbies I enjoy and give myself the liberty to mess up and be okay with it, because the cards I give to people give purpose to the reformer in me, helping others when life hurts.
If you know anyone who struggles with perfectionism or who they are in Christ here are other helpful articles I’ve written that have helped me in the process.
God is refining us. One of the best lessons I am learning on this journey is to embrace God’s purpose for me despite my flaws and obstacles. If you are a One on the Enneagram and can relate to this message please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you. Authors of The Road Back to you write, “May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, behind every facade of your life is something eternally beautiful. May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride and expectation which God sees you in every moment” (Cron and Stable).
Join me in the journey of embracing who you are in Christ by taking the Free Enneagram test and reading “The Road Back to You.” It’s not about labels but living in the healthiest version of yourself and allowing God to use all of you including your flaws.
Can you relate to this article? Please share. Want more encouraging messages sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to my blog and receive a FREE mini E-book “The Jericho Prayer,” and a weekly Monday Message or like my Author Facebook page to catch the latest posts. Have a blessed week!
I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below!
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Parts of Mark Batterson’s Whisper How to Hear the Voice of God 5-day Reading Plan from the You Version Bible reading plan were used for this post.
Cron, I. M. (2016). The road back to you: An Enneagram journey to self-discovery. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press
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Have you ever prayed so hard for a prayer you desired God to answer?
Not just any ordinary prayer haphazardly thrown up to heaven, in hopes God will answer. But praying like you believe God is able to move the mountains. Praying as your life depended upon it.
Maybe you’re praying, for your marriage to be restored, for someone to be healed from a sickness, or for a struggle or temptation to be removed from your life.
Whatever circumstance you’re praying for, do you believe God is able?
One person in the Bible who reminds me what happens when we pray like it counts is Nehemiah. Two main events happen in the book of Nehemiah, the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem and the return of the Jewish exiles, none of which would have happened without prayer.
When Nehemiah heard about the suffering of his people and the destruction of Jerusalem’s walls, his heart was broken.
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel”. Nehemiah 1:4-6
This was not the first time the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed. They had been rebuilt under the leadership of Ezra in 516 BC which took almost 20 years.
When Nehemiah heard the news the city wall of Jerusalem had been destroyed and his people were in exile, he prayed for an entire 4 months, before making any decisions. After the 4 months of prayer were over the wall was rebuilt in just 52 days.
What was the difference?
Nehemiah didn’t let the knowledge of the previous wall under Ezra’s care deter him from rebuilding the wall.
Nehemiah never lost sight of God’s purpose of doing this WITH God not FOR God. He stayed in prayer to receive God’s mission until the job was done.
Nehemiah’s strong leadership skills- He knew his team. He dealt with noblemen, priests, tradesman, servants, etc. Although they didn’t have the enneagram personality test to determine what everyone’s skill sets were, Nehemiah had wise decisive skills that allowed him to use his team to the best of their abilities. When the complaints and doubts poured in, he put a stop to them before they could undermine the work.
Nehemiah never allowed the obstacles of the wall to be bigger than God. Even though Nehemiah faced a lot of inward and outward opposition during the wall rebuilding, staying in prayer allowed him to discern when someone or something was trying to throw his mission off course.
Nehemiah’s story is a testimony of what God is able to do when we pray like it counts. His fervent prayer was enough to move God’s heart, to help him stay focused on God’s purpose in completing the wall. When we embrace God’s purpose for us, staying focused on his purpose and not our obstacles, God will move our obstacles.
Click To Tweetit, and it will be yours’ Mark 11:24.'” quote=”Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received[a]it, and it will be yours’ Mark 11:24.'”]
What obstacles are you facing?
Do you believe God is able?
Did you enjoy this blog post? Please share with others! Want more encouraging messages sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to my blog and receive a weekly Monday Message or like my Author Facebook page to catch the latest posts. Have a blessed week!
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Have you ever sat down to pray and just didn’t know what to say? Or felt like your prayers were empty and meaningless? Or if God was even listening?
Prayer is one the most important things we can do in our lives, yet when life gets busy, its one of the first things we omit out of our daily schedules and what we give up when we do don’t see ‘our prayers working.’
Maybe one of the reasons prayer can be so difficult is because of it’s meaning.
In English, Pray means ‘to ask or beg.’
In Hebrew, the word for Pray tefillah means to ‘self-examine.’ The root word for tefillah is tofel, which means to ‘attach, join or bind together.’
In Aramic, the word for Pray salah means ‘to bow, worship.’
In Greek, the word for Pray proseuchomai means to ‘supplicate, to worship.’
As one can see, the definition for pray has a variety of definitions. So which definition is correct?
All of them.
Prayer is way to worship God, it is a way to sit before God to self-examine ourselves and how we ask God to intercede on our behalf and bow before Him in His presence.
Nonetheless, prayer doesn’t have one singular definition and fit into a box. Making prayer fit one singular definition would limit God’s abundant meaning, purpose and power for prayer. The purpose of prayer isn’t solely meant to just ask God for our own needs and personal gain, or just to ‘self-examine’ ourselves or just to worship. Prayer goes way beyond that.
Prayer is our invitation to God to open the door for His divine power to move the mountains in our lives and others. Taking our struggles to God through prayer invites Him into our lives, brings us into His presence and binds us closer together with Him.
So How Do We PRAY?
God doesn’t judge our prayers. They don’t have to be filled with eloquent words or with verbatim Scripture. We don’t have to be on our knees, bow our heads or even fold our hands. The prayer posture and how we pray is God’s least concern. God is more concerned about when we don’t pray and the condition of our hearts. Our prayers are a way to get our hearts right with God and communicate with Him.
If you struggle with what to say during prayer here is a prayer tool that may help.
PRAISE
If you don’t know what to say, start with the very nature of what prayer is, praise. Some of the best prayers written in the Bible are prayers of praise spoken by David in the Psalms. Start telling God everything you are thankful for. Praising God first, sets our hearts and minds on our Creator and His greatness and puts us in His presence. Praise purifies and softens our hearts, so we can hear what God is saying. (James 4:6-10)
REPENT
Next comes the hard part of what prayer is—repentance. No one likes to admit their wrongs or even speak them out loud. Confessing our sins to God, opens a door for His forgiveness, so we don’t allow sin to reign in our lives but allow more room for God’s truth and grace. Confession allows us to humbly come before our Lord, lay our burdens at His feet, so He can do something greater than we ever could on our own. Confession invites God in to intervene on our behalf. (Matt. 3:8, Isa. 30:15).
ASK
Next, tell God all that is troubling you. He wants to hear what is in your heart. He wants every part of you, struggles and all. Ask God for help and healing, to supply for your needs, your provision, safety, wisdom, discernment, guidance, direction. God is always bigger than our struggles and can handle anything we ask of Him. (Phil. 4:19)
YIELD
Lastly, yield to God. Submitting our ways to God to His will and way, allows for God’s greater plan to happen through us. Pray for God’s desires to be your desires. At the end of the day, it’s about God’s plans, not ours. (1 Peter 5:6, James 4:7)
We may not always know what to say, but know when we are silent that is what Satan desires for us.
Next time you pray, don’t allow Satan to keep you silent. Cutting prayer out of our lives, cuts our direct communication and relationship off with God, which is exactly what Satan wants. Your prayers matter and make a difference to God. Never stop praying, He is listening.
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“When a believing person prays great things happen.” James 5:16 NCV
Do you believe prayer changes everything?
I admit, there have been times in my prayer life when I’ve prayed but didn’t really believe God was able. I threw prayers up to heaven not truly thinking anything was ever going to change in my life. But then something happens when we pray when we believe God is able.
When we start praying like it matters.
When we focus on His purpose.
God has the power and strength to do anything at any time, anywhere, yet he patiently waits for us in our unbelief. He uses prayer to shape and mold our unbelieving hearts, to make room for what He desires for us.
Our prayers mean so much to God. They move His heart. Imagine our prayers have the ability to move the heavens.
In Matthew 18:19-20 says, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Have you ever had an experience when prayer changed everything?
Many times I’ve believed, God isn’t listening. I have prayed the same prayer for over 20 years and God still hasn’t answered it. Does that mean He doesn’t care or we should stop praying?
God hears our prayers. I believe God cares about what we care about because we are His children. Our persistent consistency gets God’s attention and shows our faithfulness. When we are constant in prayer, God sees what we’re passionate about. He sees what matters to us. A prayer a person has prayed for years is never wasted and will be used in greater ways than we could ever imagine.
We are only one prayer away from the sick being healed. One prayer away from someone else’s breakthrough. One prayer away from lives being changed. One prayer away from God doing the impossible.
Nothing changes when our prayers are silent and when they go unspoken.
Would you like to make a difference with your prayers?
Whatever is important to you. Whatever concerns you. Gather two to or more friends to come together and pray about what’s weighing heavy on your heart. Meet together in numbers, pray consistently with a fervent passion that shows God I’m serious, please hear my prayers. One of the greatest tragedies is when a prayer goes unspoken. God will use us to carry out his greatest plans. God uses our prayers to fill our hearts with what He desires for us. Our prayers matter and make a difference. Don’t give up, keep praying with a believing heart. God hears our prayers and is able to accomplish the impossible.
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The other day I had the most vivid dream. I’m not much of a dreamer, but for some reason, this dream was so vivid and clear. I could remember the details and emotions elicited by the dream like I was there experiencing it first hand. From past posts I’ve shared, I like to run. In this dream, I had trained and prepared for a race.
I remember being in a car driving to the race, trying to get there, but something was always getting in the way–traffic, crowds, roadblocks. I remember feeling anxious thinking I wasn’t going to make the start of the race. Then the race started and I wasn’t at the start line. The crowds of runners passed by me. Feelings of disappointment and failure rummaged through my heart as I watched the runners pass me. I had prepared and trained for a race I could only watch and not participate in. Every which way I turned, every time I tried, something got in my way to prevent me from getting to the start line.
After I awoke from my dream, I felt like I failed (nice way to start the day). I felt the devastation of not completing the race, thinking what does all this mean? I spent time in prayer asking God the meaning of the dream and heard his gentle response. He asked me a very simple question, “Are you going to continue to focus on your stumbling blocks or allow me to take care of them?” “Focus on my purpose for you, I will take care of your stumbling blocks.”
God was right. At the time of this dream, I was a hot mess. I was in an ugly rut of taking matters into my own hands, trying to handle things my way, amplifying the stumbling blocks that laid before me. God was trying to show me, my struggles, my inadequacies, my unbelief will always keep me away from His purpose for me. Focusing on my struggles making them bigger than God will always take me out of the race, not allowing me to participate and worse yet not finish.
At the time of my dream, I was studying the book of Nehemiah. If you haven’t read Nehemiah, it is such a wonderful reminder of what God can do when we discover and live in His purpose. God chose Nehemiah to carry out what He had promised to Abraham. The Jewish people spent many years in exile and now it was time for God to come through with His promise for restoration of Jerusalem, their holy city.
Nehemiah’s heart was broken when he received news his people (The Jews) were in great trouble and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down. Once Nehemiah heard of the turmoil, his burning desire to help his people became the sole purpose of his existence. Two qualities I admire most in Nehemiah were his wise, decisive leadership skills to lead people in the hard work of completing the wall and his prayerful heart.
Before taking on this task of rebuilding this massive wall, Nehemiah devoted four whole months in prayer, praying and fasting before taking action! Once the four months was over, it only took 52 days to rebuild the wall! What is so amazing about this task, about 60 years prior Jerusalem’s wall was destroyed and rebuilt which took 20 years to rebuild!
What was the difference?
In both occurrences of the wall, there were obstacles, inward and outward oppression getting in the way of God’s purpose of rebuilding the wall.
Neh. 2:10- There were enemies getting in the way of rebuilding the wall
Neh. 4:10-11 There was doubt, discouragement, laziness, and fear
Neh. 5:1-5- The Jews and their families were being exploited as slaves
Neh. 6:1-8- There was an evil conspiracy plotted against Nehemiah to lure him away from the wall
Neh. 6:10-14- Lying prophets tryied to tempt Nehemiah to sin
Nehemiah was successfully able to complete the task of finishing the wall because He stayed in prayer and focused on God’s purpose, not the obstacles.
Our obstacles will always prevent us from finishing the race. Satan will throw obstacles in our path to prevent us from living in God’s purpose for us, to keep us from His plan because He knows God’s ways are greater and better than anything we could ever imagine.
We have a choice– Focus on our problems or Focus on God’s purpose.
Nehemiah never lost sight of completing the wall WITH God not FOR God. He stayed in prayer and asked for God’s wisdom never faltering from His purpose. Our struggles, our unbelief, our doubts, our past, and insecurities will always keep us away from God’s purpose. We can choose to amplify our struggles or allow it to be God’s platform for what he’s able to do.
What is your focus?
Do obstacles get in the way of God’s purpose for you?
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Have you ever been so afraid of something it kept you from engaging in life? It kept you from travel plans, going out with friends or being involved in relationships. I’ve been there, allowing my fears to linger and build to the point of isolation. Fear can be so crippling, not allowing us to live life, keeping us from God’s abundant plans.
Faith and fear cannot reside in the same heart. Fear alters our vision making it difficult to see God’s plan for us. God never intended for us to live in fear, but to live in the abundance of everything He has to offer. Today I pray our eyes are opened to see a clearer vision for our lives, the way God sees us.
In 2 Kings 6, there was an ongoing war with the Arameans and Israel. The king of Aram became infuriated when he learned Elisha the prophet warned the king of Israel of the plan to set his army’s camp by the border of Israel. Once King Aram’s officials told him where Elisha was, he made plans to capture him. He sent horses, chariots, and a strong force to surround the city of Dothan ( 2 Kings 6:8-13).
The next morning Elisha’s servant saw the army of horses and chariots surrounding them. The servant asked, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).
I love this next part. Elisha’s response wasn’t to engage in his servant’s fears but to give him encouragement and invite him in to see what he saw.
Wow, I can’t imagine Elisha’s bold confidence. His eyes saw the same thing his servant did, yet he did not waver. His response could have only come from God Himself. Even though Elisha saw the danger with his physical eyes, he stood firm in God’s divine power of what He is able to do.
Elisha then turned to God in prayer and said, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).
Elisha’s prayer amazes me. He didn’t ask God to help save them from the attacking enemy armies, instead asked God to open the eyes of his servant so he could see what Elisha saw.
I would surely think the next thing Elisha would ask God for was protection against the attacking enemy army. Instead, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike these people with blindness.” God heard Elisha’s prayer and struck them with blindness, as Elisha asked (2 Kings 6:18).
The servant witnessed firsthand the power of Elisha’s prayer for vision. His eyes were opened to see what God and Elisha saw. Elisha’s prayer took the focus off of the enemy/fear and prayed a prayer for vision to see God’s divine power more clearly. We may not always see God’s bigger plan, but He is always at work behind the scenes.
Our own physical vision can limit us to focus on the circumstances that surround us, but God’s vision can free us to focus on His abilities, putting our trust in Him. We can follow Elisha’s pattern of prayer when we feel our fears caving in.
Elisha’s Vision of Prayer:
He recognized the enemy’s plan to instill fear. Instead of being a victim of fear, He put his hope and trust in God’s abilities of what He was able to do.
He turned to God in prayer. Instead of worrying, He sought God and prayed.
He stood firm in God’s promises, his faith did not waver.
Satan will always try to keep us from God’s plans by instilling fear in us. Fear will always blind us to God’s presence. We must recognize the tactics of the enemy, stand firm in God’s promises, seek God in prayer and trust in Him. The closer we are to God, the more clearly we can see His vision for us and hear His voice.
Are you struggling to see past your circumstances?
Write your own prayer for vision. Ask God to see what He sees.
Prayer- Lord Jesus, open our eyes so we can see what you see. We pray our vision will not blind us to your presence of voice, that we will see and hear what you want us to. We pray we will stand firm in your promises and trust in your divine power. You are greater. We pray your desires will be greater than our desires. You are our God who loves us more than anything. We praise you and thank you for your eternal gifts.
I pray for God’s vision in your life to see more clearly what God sees. You are loved!
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