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 Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:41 am
Prayer 102
Jesus only lived 33 years, and His last three years were devoted to public ministry. Since time with His disciples was so limited, He had to prioritize what He would teach them in three short years. We might think He'd cram in a few of the following:
o Creating a buffet for 5,000 with just a few fish.
o Providing 20/20 vision without contact lenses or laser surgery.
o How to cut down on funeral costs by raising the dead.
o Building the world's largest church with only 12 members.
o Who Needs Skis? Walking on Water.
But instead of spending time of what may have seemed important, Jesus got right to the basics. He taught his followers how to pray. He modeled His own prayer life for them, and instructed them to follow His example. We refer to this specific prayer as “The Lord's Prayer.” Let's take a closer look at this prayer as revealed in the New King James Bible.
Jesus begins with, Our Father in heaven.
Why did Jesus begin with this? Did He need to remind Himself who He was talking to? Oh, yeah. It's the Father.
No. But He did want to quickly remind us of who's in authority. We tend to think as a father-figure being the head of the family, or the one who's in charge. Jesus wanted His followers to remember that God, as their heavenly Father, is in control. He is God; we are not.
And why did He bother praying “in heaven”? Did God forget His address, and Jesus was simply reminding Him of where He lived?
Heaven is a perfect place - God's kingdom - and it symbolizes everything that's perfect. Jesus wants to remind us that we're praying to a perfect Father in a perfect place. And by stating “in heaven,” Jesus automatically separates and lifts God above all other fathers and all other gods.
Our Father: The Perfect One who's in absolute control and cares for my well-being. By admitting that He's in control, we also recognize we're in submission to His authority.
In heaven; The perfect kingdom of the Almighty. No other gods dwell in this kingdom. It is eternal, and the only way we can receive entrance is through the Son of God the Father.
Think about your prayers for a second, and answer this question:
When I pray,
a. my prayers are usually filled with gimme's.
b. my prayers are . . . well, I really don't pray that much.
c. I talk with God about everything, but it's easy for me to forget that I need to come to Him in total submission - recognizing He's the authority in my life.
d. I try to say stuff I think God wants to hear.
With all the things Jesus could have spent time on with His disciples, He must have thought prayer was important, because He made time to deal with it. And if Jesus needed to pray daily, how much more do we need it! Maybe it's time we take His lessons seriously.
Know It!
God longs to hear His children pray. Don't think of “The Lord's Prayer” as a specific formula. But let it teach you how to get into the proper mindset for approaching God.
Read It!
Matthew 6: 9-13; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 32:6.
Pray It!
Heavenly Father, I realize You're in charge and I'm not. I want to learn how to communicate more effectively with You. Please teach me - as you did Your disciples - how to pray from the heart.
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 5:50 am
Prayer 103
It's almost impossible to turn on the TV and not hear someone using God's name. It's frequently being used as a punch line, to denote anger and to express a variety of other emotions. In fact, it's become so common most of us don't even blink when we hear someone say, “Oh, my God!”
Guess what - God not only wants us to blink twice - He wants our stomach to twist in knots whenever we hear His name being misused. And unless the name of GOD is being used in prayer or in talking about Him, it's being misused.
In continuing to teach His disciples how to pray, Jesus says to His Father, Hallowed be Your name.
In other words, “I give the utmost respect and honor to Your name, Almighty God.”
First, we recognize that God is our Father. He is in authority over us and reigns in a perfect kingdom that can someday be our home if we follow Him. Then we recognize that His very name is holy and set apart from all others. When we approach God with this mindset, we're laying out the proper ingredients for a fantastic recipe of genuine communication with our heavenly Father.
In Leviticus 22:2, God tells Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons how to treat the sacred offerings with respect, “so they will not profane my holy name” (New International Version). And in Dueteronomy 28:58, the children of Israel are told if they don't revere God's name, they'll suffer fearful plagues, prolonged disasters and sickness that will seem to hang on forever.
Isaiah 29:23 talks about the rewards of keeping God's name holy. And in Isaiah 57:15, we're reminded that even though God is holy, He pours Himself into the hearts of those who revere His name. He is extremely focused on His children who desire to honor His name.
How can you revere the name of God? (Mark all that apply.)
- Hit anyone who misuses God's name.
- Only wear clothing that has God's name written across the front.
- Leave the room when someone takes God's name in vain.
- Ask the person misusing God's name if he realizes what he's doing.
- Start a “Revere God's Name” club on your campus.
- Make sure whenever you use His name, it's always done with respect, honor and reverence.
- Share your thoughts on honoring His name with some of your friends. Discuss it. Pray about it.
While you can't rewrite television and movie scripts, you can ask God for a tender heart so that when you hear something you shouldn't, you'll wince. Or walk away. Or write a letter. Or make your thoughts known. After all, if someone used your mother's name, your best friend's name or even your name in a derogatory way, you'd probably take a stand. Will you do the same for God's name?
Know It!
God never wants you to become comfortable hearing His name taken in vain, used as a punch line or in negative terms. If it doesn't bother you, it needs to!
Read It!
Matthew 6: 9-13; Psalm 33:8; Psalm 89:7; Ezekiel 36:23.
Pray It!
Oh, dear Jesus, I confess I'm often not even aware of Your holy name being used in vain. I've become used to hearing it in ways I should have never gotten comfortable with. Will You forgive me? Create in me a sensitive heart and teach me how to revere Your holy name with my life.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:55 am
Prayer 104
It's hard to imagine a perfect world, isn't it? Our minds often drift to fairy tales when we think about a perfect kingdom. But God assures us that heaven is no fairy tale. It's an actual place that truly exists - God's perfect kingdom - and we can live there eternally with Him if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
Are there days you long to be in God's perfect kingdom? When you're faced with a pop history quiz, when you've been rejected by someone you care deeply about, when your heart is torn in two, do you find yourself longing for heaven - for a time and a place where there will be no more hurt, no more illness, no more death and no more tears?
Jesus knows exactly how you feel! As He faced persecution, rebuke and rejection from those He loved, He too, longed for God's perfect kingdom. In praying Your kingdom come, we can imagine Jesus lifting that portion of His prayer as a plea to His heavenly Father. “Come quickly, Lord! Remove the sin and injustice from the world and let Your kingdom reign.”
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We've already recognized that heaven is a perfect place where God's perfect will is constantly in effect. But wouldn't it be incredible if that happened on earth as well? Can you even imagine going to a school where everyone loves one another? A place where no one cheats, lies or puts anyone down. Can you visualize being employed in an office where honesty reigns and the other person always comes first? Imagine playing sports against a team who actually cared about your physical well-being and never intentionally fouled another player or spoke negatively about him? It's almost impossible to imagine a godly environment that's here on earth.
Though the entire earth is not a godly place, you can ask God to help you create a holy environment where you live and work and interact with others. What if everywhere you went, people saw God's perfect kingdom being lived out through your life? Talk about a powerful influence!
Yes, we know God's will is being done in heaven. But He wants you to yearn for His will to be accomplished right now . . . on earth . . . through your life!
Know It!
You don't have to wish for God's will. You can actually live in it each day of your life. You have the power to make that choice. And you can ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit to live out God's will through your thoughts, actions and attitudes.
Read It!
Matthew 6: 9-13; Psalm 40:8; Psalm 143:10; Matthew 26:42.
Pray It!
I want to live in Your perfect kingdom, Father. But until I'm in heaven, help me to allow You to establish Your kingdom within my heart. I desire to do Your will. Please show me anything that's keeping me from living out Your will in my life.
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 5:46 am
Prayer 105
Isn't it exciting to know you serve a God who is extremely focused on meeting your needs? A missionary once told the story of a poor widow living in Mexico. She had two small children, and her husband had been dead for several years. She was down to her last few cents. She had 22 cents to her name.
But she believed God would meet the needs of her little family. So she spent three hours in prayer seeking the Lord's direction as to how she should spend her last few cents. She wanted to act wisely. “Lord,” she prayed, “should I spend this last bit of money on bread for the children, or should I buy milk for them?”
After three hours of prayer, she sensed God directing her to a large market in a nearby village. She had never been there before, but she was familiar with it. When she arrived at the market, she was overwhelmed with the enormity of it. She'd never seen a shopping area so expansive. There were 122 checkout lanes!
She entered the building and sensed God telling her to get a shopping cart and fill it with three months supplies of groceries! She obeyed, seeking out the necessities she and her two children would need for 90 days. When her cart was overflowing with the essentials for her little family, she approached the 122 checkout lanes and sensed God directing her to lane number seven.
There was only one man in front of her being checked out. When the clerk was finished with him, she pulled a chain across the lane number seven and said, “Sorry. It's my lunch time. You'll have to go to another lane.” The widow looked the clerk in the eyes and calmly said, “No. My Father told me to come here. I'll wait.”
An hour later, the clerk returned to find the widow standing patiently beside her cart of groceries. Together, they unloaded the items onto the conveyor belt. The widow's heart was pounding as the bill began to mount. She nervously fingered the 22 cents in her worn purse.
When the next-to-the-last item was being rung up, the noise of the supermarket was interrupted by the sound of the manager's voice through the intercom. “Attention, shopper!” he announced. “Today is our seventh-year anniversary at this market. Whomever is being checked out right now in lane number seven will receive all groceries absolutely free - compliments of our market.”
When Jesus prayed, Give us this day our daily bread, He knew His Father was in the business of provision. Even before we were born, God was already working to meet our needs - creating oil in the ground, filling oceans, lakes, rivers and streams with water to quench our thirst. Let this portion of “The Lord's Prayer” be a constant reminder that God has promised to take care of His children.
Know It!
You can trust the Creator of the universe to take care of you. If He cares for the animal kingdom, the plant life and all of nature, think how much more He'll care for you!
Read It!
Matthew 6:9-13; Psalm 37:25; Hebrews 13:5; Revelation 7:16.
Pray It!
Dear Jesus, how can I ever thank You enough for caring for my deepest needs? When I start to doubt Your provision, please remind me that You long to give me physical and spiritual nutrition on a daily basis.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:09 pm
Roadblock to our destiny: Pride
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more….When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him…
Gen 37: 5,10
Most all of us have dreams that God has given us either a long time ago or recently. However, there are times when the dream does not come true right away. As a microwave society, we have a hard time waiting for something. Sometimes, even our microwaves are not fast enough. God does not work in our time schedule though.
Joseph was given his dream at age 17. It did not come to pass until he was 30. There were several reasons for this but the first reason that we see is because God needed to work out the pride in him. If you read all of Genesis 37:1-11 you find that Joseph tells his brothers and his dad both dreams he had and basically is boasting about them. It is one thing to share the dream God has given you, but to brag about it is another. God knew that it would take time to work the pride out in Joseph’s heart before his dream could become his destiny.
How long has it been since God gave you your dream? Have you given up on it or do you still pursue God about it? Take a look, pray about it, and see if the reason God hasn’t allowed that dream to come true yet is due to pride. Pride is innate in humans. We all have to deal with it in some area of our life. Even if we have passed a pride test in the past, God tends to go just a little deeper or into another area just to show us that we continually have to rely on Him to purify us. He keeps turning up the heat. If we can’t handle the dream, we can’t handle the destiny. When we continue to pass God’s tests and prove to him we are ready, it is at that point, He will give us our destiny. Next week’s roadblock: Difficult times and how we handle them.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:36 am
Prayer 106
“I can't believe Ryan!” Brent screeched. “He told Coach Andrews I failed the math test, and now the coach is talking about suspending me until I can bring my grades up. I'll never forgive Ryan for that!”
* * *
“Ugh!” Katie groaned. “I knew I shouldn't have trusted Julie with my secret. Now she's told the entire Zip Code that I'm planning on breaking it off with Matt. How could she do this to me? I'll never forgive her for this!”
* * *
You understand, don't you? When someone hurts you, disappoints you or breaks a trust, it's often hard to forgive. Our emotions take over and anger rules the decision to hold a grudge. After all . . . he had no right!
But for you to fully experience the forgiveness of God, Jesus teaches you must also forgive those who have wronged you. Read carefully this line in His prayer as He's teaching the disciples how to pray: And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
That little two-letter word “as” really connects the process, doesn't it? It works like an equation. We forgive, and we're forgiven. But if we hate, hold grudges and let bitterness fester in our lives because of the wrong we've suffered from someone else, how can we expect to experience forgiveness from God whom we ourselves have wronged and hurt?
When God forgave us of our sin, He made the ultimate choice. We were the ones who crucified His Son. Think about it: His only Son died for our sins - us, the ones who have failed, tuned Him out and walked away. Do we deserve His forgiveness? No. Do we need His forgiveness? Yes.
Maybe you feel as though the people who have hurt you don't deserve to be forgiven. It doesn't matter. You don't deserve it, either. But because God chose to forgive you; it's essential that you choose to forgive others. And when you do? God's freedom is unleashed in your life. There's absolutely nothing in the world more freeing than forgiving someone.
Make that choice. Decide right now to forgive. Go ahead. Let it go.
Know It!
You'll never be all God intends for you to be, until you allow Him to help you forgive those who have hurt you. So if I say I forgive someone, does that mean the hurt automatically goes away? No. Your wounds may require time to heal. Yeah, but what if I don't feel like I'm actually forgiving someone? Forgiveness is a decision. Tell God you consciously choose to forgive, and trust Him to eventually match your feelings with your decisions.
Read It!
Matthew 6:9-13; Daniel 9:9; Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 6:14-15.
Pray It!
Dear Jesus, there are some people I don't even want to forgive! Please help me to want to want. And though I don't feel it . . . I choose to forgive. I refuse to hold a grudge. And I'll trust You to do the rest.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:38 am
I was crushed!
“Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me . . .” Ezekiel 6:9
As I think back over my life, I cringe as I remember 6th grade – it was the worst three years of my life. Just kidding! But something tragic and horrible happened to me in 6th grade. Something so dark and filled with horror that just the thought of it causes me to shrink into a corner. Okay that may be a bit dramatic, but it wasn’t exactly my proudest moment. That particular day started out just fine as I passed a note to the girl of my dreams during class. The note held the future of our relationship with those immortal words, “Will you go with me? Check yes or no!” I was thrilled to get the note back and see the big checkmark next to yes. What a feeling! I had a girlfriend and life was good. Then. . . we went to recess.
Recess wasn’t bad, in fact, I liked it a lot. Until that day, anyway! As we headed outside our teacher informed the class that we would be playing softball. Great, one of my best sports, this should be good! After splitting up teams we came to the pivotal moment. My newfound girlfriend was pitching for the opposing team and I was up to bat. The pitch came lofting in like a beach ball and, man, I got all of it. I just knew the sight of that ball flying way, way, way over the fence would impress her and let her know that she made the right choice. That is, if in fact, the ball had gone over the fence. Instead with all the blistering speed of a rocket it went . . . squarely into the nose of my new girlfriend. Needless to say the romance was over. It lasted a whopping 15 minutes. I was crushed!
Being crushed is not a good feeling. I hated it. What hurt the most was the fact that she was “attached” again as soon as the swelling went down. In Ezekiel, God tells us that He was crushed. Why? Because his people had dumped him and fallen in love with idols. God has real emotions and His love for us runs deep. His desire is that we remain in a love relationship with him and not allow anything to come between us and Him. When it does, you can expect Him to be hurt.
God is real! His love for you and me is very real! And He desperately wants more than anything else. . .you! Try returning the favor and see what happens. By the way, if you see my “girlfriend” from 6th grade, tell her I’m now rich and famous! I’m not, but tell her that anyway!
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 5:48 am
Prayer 107
“Hey, Matt! How's it goin'?” Paul yelled across the parking lot. He sprinted to catch up with his friend.
“OK.”
“You don't sound too convincing. And you sure didn't seem like yourself at practice today.”
“Yeah . . . well. I guess I'm just going through a tough time right now.”
“Come on, Matt. What gives?”
“Paul, God's just really giving me a work-over this week.”
“Whaddya talking about, Matt?”
“Everywhere I turn, I'm being blasted in the face with temptation.”
“So?” Paul prodded. “All of us are tempted; you know that. Why do think Pastor Steve talks about it so much in youth group?”
“Nah. This is different. I think God's trying to see if I can handle being tempted. He keeps tripping me up.”
“Whoa, Matt. Wait a sec. God isn't out to trip you up. Remember what Pastor Steve said last week? God is on your side, Bro! No way does He want you to fail.”
“We got a new computer at our house last week.”
“Uh, oh,” Paul said. “I know what that means.”
“Yep. You guessed it. I mean . . . I don't even know where this stuff comes from, but I'm getting all kinds of porn e-mails and junk that shows up! I accidentally opened one.”
“Then what?”
“I quickly deleted it, but it's still hanging on my mind.”
“You did the right thing in deleting it. But Matt, it's not God's fault you're being flooded with junk like that.”
“Yeah, I think He's bringing all this stuff on me to see how I'll handle it.”
“Look, Matt. First thing you gotta do is get your parents to get one of those protector devices put on the computer. That'll block most of the junk.”
“I just can't figure out why God threw that stuff right in my face - especially when I was tired and vulnerable. He keeps tempting me, and I can't stand it!”
“Hey, Matt, you need to talk to Pastor Steve. I think you're confused about some stuff. Remember that line in The Lord's Prayer: And do not lead us into temptation. I don't think God's tempting you, Bro. Hey, Steve and I are gonna shoot hoops tomorrow after school. Why don't you meet us at the gym, and we can both talk to him?”
“I guess it couldn't hurt. Deal.”
Know It!
God never tempts us! The only one who tempts us is Satan. God equals holiness, goodness and purity. Satan equals deceit, hate and evil. God will never contradict His holy character. And Satan will never contradict his wicked character. Bottom line: Satan will never do anything good, and God will never do anything evil.
When you're tempted, don't blame God. It's not His fault. He's here to bring you through temptation. Satan, on the other hand, is out to tempt you, trip you and hate you.
Read It!
Matthew 6:9-13; Mark 1:13: Luke 4:1-15; James 1:13- 16
Pray It!
Dear Father, I'm tired of being tempted, but I realize now it's not You who tempts. It's Satan, and it's my own evil desires. Jesus, please cleanse my mind. Purify me within. Help me to be disgusted with sin. And thanks so much, that Your desire is to help me be victorious over sin.
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Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:48 am
Prayer 108
“Not bad, Steve . . . for an old guy!” Paul teased after a quick game of basketball.
“Hey, watch it!” Steve said as he popped Paul with his towel. “My days of college ball aren't just a memory. I'm a legend in my own time!”
“Yeah, right!” Matt joked. “Let's see if you can eat like you can dribble.”
“Oh, I get it! You guys ask me to shoot hoops just so you'll have someone to stick the burger bill with.”
“Actually . . . we're thinking pizza, Steve!” Paul said as he grinned at Matt.
“Yeah,” Matt continued. “Seriously . . . I wanna talk about some stuff.”
“Well, what are we waiting for? We've got a double- pepperoni thick crust with extra cheese to order!” Steve said. “I'll call it in now.”
Paul rolled the ball across the gym floor as Steve dialed the pizza place from his cell phone. Matt sprawled across one of the bleachers and waited for Steve to finish placing their order.
“So, what's going on, Matt?”
“Well, you know all that temptation stuff you've been talking about in youth group?”
“Yeah. We're all tempted. No one's exempt.”
“Especially me, Steve! I can't stand it. I'm constantly barraged with temptation. I've been okay so far, but it's only a matter of time, and I'm afraid I'll give in.”
“Okay, Matt. First of all, you do know who's behind the temptation, right?”
“Paul and I were talking about that yesterday. I've been thinking that God was tempting me - just to see how I'd hold up underneath it all.”
“You can sit on that for good, Pal. God never tempts us. Never!”
Matt told Steve about the new family computer and the pornographic mail he was getting. “I asked my parents last night to get some kind of block for the computer, and Dad's looking into it today.”
“Good move, Matt,” Steve said. “And until that block is installed in another day or two, just stay away from the computer.”
“Yeah, but . . . how can I resist the temptation if I don't have it in front of me to say no to?” Matt asked.
“I'm not following you,” Steve said.
“Well, don't you think the way we resist temptation is to stand up against it? You know - stare it down.”
“No, I don't, Matt. God gives us a terrific strategy for temptation, but He never once told anyone to handle temptation by facing it.”
“Then how are we supposed to resist?” Paul asked.
“But running away from it.” Steve explained. “You see, God knows you can't escape being tempted. After all, you live in the world. But He wants you to stay as far away from temptation as possible.”
“So when I'm being tempted . . . run the opposite direction?” Matt pressed.
“Exactly,” Steve said. “And the cool thing is that God will deliver you from Satan's grasp. Remember The Lord's Prayer? Jesus prayed, And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. God wants to give you victory OVER temptation.”
“Hey, guys! Pizza's here,” Paul announced. “I'm starving!”
Know It!
God will not put you in a vacuum and exempt you from temptation. But He will provide a way out. Every single time. Your job? When you're tempted, run! And while you're running, pray!
Read It!
Matthew 6:9-13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15.
Pray It!
Dear Jesus, I'm sorry I've been so confused about temptation. From now on, I'm going to ask You for the strength to help me run the opposite direction from temptation.
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Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:40 am
Prayer 109
It's hard for our human minds to understand that God never had to be created. That He's always been in existence. That He was never born. There's no beginning with Him, because He is the beginning. That absolutely nothing - zero - nada - existed before He was.
Humanly, we want to create a beginning for Him, because that's how we understand life. Our lives had a beginning, and our lives will have an end. So we naturally want to put God in that same box of limited understanding.
But know it: He is the beginning and the end. God is all. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere at once and yet is also able to be intimately involved in every area of our lives. He created the smallest ant, and He created the mammoth grizzly. He designed the Appalachian mountains, and He designed the Sahara Desert.
He invented music, color, rhyme, motion, laughter, surprise, adventure and mystery. He masterminded the intricacies of the human body, all of plant life and even snowflakes.
He called into being the vastness of the Grand Canyon, the strength of Niagara Falls and the wonder of the ocean waves. He put the spring in a kangaroo's foot, the squiggle in a worm and the roar in a lion. He alone decided why donkeys are stubborn, when water would freeze and how the earth rotates.
God IS. And He is above ALL. He's wonder and miracles and clarity and purpose. He's the definition of good and holy and absolute truth. He is Genesis, and He is Revelation. He is now, and He is eternal.
God is the supreme Being and authority over all. There has never existed - nor will there ever be - anyone or anything greater, more powerful, more holy or more mighty than Him.
God is the Father of time, the Father of the universe and the Father of humanity. He is eternal glory and righteousness. His faithfulness will never end.
No human has eternal life without him, and every human will bow in allegiance to His holy name. He will judge, He will forgive, and He will punish. He is grace, and He is wrath. He is perfect and beyond our finite understanding.
Man cannot escape God's sight. No rocket or submarine can propel a person beyond or beneath God's creation. His all-seeing eyes know exactly where each life on the planet lives and breathes.
He IS. Above all things, He IS.
And He is forever.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Know It!
You can't outhink, outsmart or outgive God Almighty. He's the reason you live, and He wants to fill your life with incredible meaning. Make time to think about His vast goodness. Praise His holiness. Ponder His faithfulness.
Read It!
Matthew 6:9-13; John 1:1-14; Romans 8:35; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:13.
Pray It!
Wow, Jesus. I don't often think about how powerful You really are, and how You are my bridge to God, to heaven and to eternal life. Thanks for reminding me that there is nothing and no one above God Almighty. Help me to think about His sacredness more often.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:49 am
Quiz Time
Prayer is a DIRECT LINE to heaven. Think about it: GOD'S LINE IS NEVER BUSY. He doesn't have “call- waiting.” When you call, He answers, Every time.
Let's recap from the past few days on prayer. Ready for a quiz?
(In each question, mark all answers that apply.)
Jesus begins His prayer by addressing God as OUR FATHER. What are some of the other names God is addresses with throughout Scripture?
a. Alpha and Omega (Beginning and End).
b. The Big Guy in the Sky.
c. Jehovah.
d. Supreme Being.
When Jesus referred to God as being “our Father in heaven,” He reminded the disciples that while God is MAJESTIC AND HOLY, God is also
a. easy to hide from since heaven is far away.
b. extremely personal and loving.
c. perfect and in a perfect Kingdom.
d. a holy version of Santa Claus.
Jesus taught His disciples to HONOR God's HOLY NAME. How do you hear God's name in ways that aren't honoring?
a. I hear God's name used on TV shows all the time- and it's definitely not to honor God. It's usually done to get a laugh at His expense.
b. I hear it in the hallway at school.
c. I've heard people use it when they're angry.
d. (other)
When we ask that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we're saying . . .
a. “What will be, will be.”
b. “If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen; there's nothing we can do about it.”
c. “God, I know You're in charge. Turn the hearts of our people to You.”
When Jesus asked God to give us food again today as usual, He
a. was afraid God would forget supper.
b. was hungry.
c. wanted to remind the disciples that we are not our own providers; we trust our heavenly Father to meet our needs.
When Jesus asked God to FORGIVE OUR SINS, it served as a reminder
a. that God actually can forgive our sins.
b. that we should forgive others, because God forgives us.
c. that we only have to forgive immediate family members and close relatives.
Jesus asked our heavenly Father to DELIVER US from TEMPTATION. This serves as a great reminder
a. to do our homework.
b. that God really can save us from being defeated through temptation.
c. that every Christian in the world is tempted.
d. that even though we're tempted, God can help us live victoriously.
Jesus asked God to DELIVER us from the evil one. Who is the evil one?
a. My biology teacher.
b. Satan.
c. I don't know.
Know It!
God not only wants you to pray consistently, He wants you to understand why and how Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
Read It!
2 Chronicles 6:39; Psalms 40:1; Psalm 50:15; Psalm 118:5; Matthew 6:9-13.
Pray It!
Dear Jesus, I don't want Your prayer simply to become something I've memorized. I want to live it! Please help me make your prayer part of my lifestyle.
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:32 am
Don't Worry . . . Be Happy
Dear Diary:
OK, I admit, I'm not a diary-writing person. In fact, this is my first time. But hey, I got this thing for my birthday from Aunt Rosie, and I have to try it out, because I know the next time I see her, she's gonna ask me if I've used the diary.
So here goes.
Hmmm.
I'm not even sure what to put in a diary!
Guess I could just write about my day, huh?
OK. So today reeked. I was so worried about track team tryouts, I bombed my speech for class treasurer. And I was so worried about my speech, I couldn't eat lunch. And I was so worried about being seen with this huge zit on my face when I walked into school, I didn't even look up when Katie said hi. Now she thinks I'm mad at her.
Sigh.
Why is life so hard?
Now that I'm home, I'm worried I won't get my homework done before I have to go to work this evening. And I'm worried my boss is going to yell at me when I do get to work. He's always in such a bad mood. Guess I'm still worried about what happened yesterday at work. It was an honest mistake. I gave a customer change for $10 when he really gave me $20. He came back later and complained to my boss. I apologized and told him I thought he'd given me $10. Now I'm worried he's gonna think I'm trying to rip off the customers.
And I'm worried about the tennis match tomorrow. I'm really not ready for it. I need to work on my serve for about three hours straight. But how can I when I have homework and my job?
And I'm worried people are gonna laugh at me tomorrow cuz I've still got this Mt. Everest-sized zit exploding on my face.
Sigh.
Life is reallyreallyreally hard.
Yep. I can do that - write all weird and stuff. Cuz it's just a diary. It's not like anyone's ever gonna read this, right?
Know It!
God doesn't want you burdened with worry. He wants you to love life and experience the joy He offers. Do you realize that every time you worry about something, you're robbing yourself of God's joy?
Worry is different than concern. It's OK to be concerned - even burdened - about your nonChristian friends, your grandmother who's in the hospital or the fact that your dad was recently laid off his job. But to obsessively worry about things over which you have no control, goes against God's best for you. Worry causes you to forfeit God's peace.
Read It!
Proverbs 3:6; Matthew 6:25-34; Matthew 10:19-20; Philippians 4:6-7.
Pray It!
Dear Jesus, I'm glad that You're concerned about everything that concerns me. Knowing that, You'd think I'd realize I don't have to worry, wouldn't You? But I forget. I take my eyes off of Your faithfulness, and I jump into my worry-mode. Please forgive me, Lord. I don't want to miss Your joy and Your peace.
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Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:16 am
Nehemiah's Construction Company
You probably remember where you were, what you were doing, and maybe even what you were wearing when you heard the devastating news on September 11 that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York City.
I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news that the Alfred E. Murrow building in Oklahoma City had been bombed. Though I was living in Colorado Springs, Colo., my family was in Oklahoma City, and I immediately wanted to find out if they were OK.
Nehemiah was in a similar situation. He was away from his hometown of Jerusalem when he received the news that the wall surrounding the city had been torn down. If he were alive today, he could probably tell us exactly what he was doing when we got the news. Tragic events tend to freeze details in our minds - even the seemingly unimportant details - such as where we were, what we were doing, what we were wearing, who we were with when we received the news.
Nehemiah immediately thought of his family and friends still back in Jerusalem. He yearned to help, so he asked his boss (the king) if he could have some time off to go home.
Nehemiah was a young man of integrity and a hard worker. He kept his word. If he said he'd be on time, he was. When he worked at the palace, he gave 100 percent. He was dependable. The king trusted Nehemiah and granted his request to return home.
It may not sound as though a wall is really that important. After all, a wall is just a pile of bricks and stones, right? Well, yes and no. This was a physical wall of protection that surrounded the city of Jerusalem, but it was also a spiritual wall of morality that encompassed the city.
A physical wall protected the citizens from neighboring enemies, war and terror. When the physical wall was torn down, the spiritual atmosphere was also damaged. It gave immoral people from other cities, a chance to invade Jerusalem with their evil ways. Nehemiah cared about his people too much to let neighboring influences flaunt sin and wickedness inside Jerusalem's city limits.
So he headed home to begin reconstruction on the city wall. A big task? Yes. A bigger God? Definitely.
Know It!
God will sometimes ask you to step out in faith and complete a big task. Know this: He will never ask you to do something without equipping you with everything you need! Think about your own life right now. Do you have a spiritual wall of protection around yourself? Have you established accountability with other Christians? Or are you leaving yourself wide open to the attacks from Satan your enemy?
Read It!
Nehemiah 1-3; 1 Peter 5:8-9.
Pray It!
Jesus, I confess I often leave my spiritual wall in shambles. Help me make time to build a strong spiritual wall around my life by reading the Bible daily and developing an intimate prayer life with You.
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:59 am
Nehemiah's Building Crew
Nehemiah arrived home and immediately began recruiting a construction crew. Imagine the excitement of the Jerusalem citizens when they saw Acme Brick Company's trucks pull onto the work site. Next came the concrete mixers, the building supplies and the youth group across the street who had set up a hot dog stand to earn money for next summer's missions trip.
Nehemiah and his building crew got right to work. They built with purpose and determination. They were extremely focused on this all-important task. That is . . . until Sanballot and Tobiah tried to get in on the action.
Sanballot and Tobiah were neighboring officials in nearby cities. They didn't want Jerusalem's wall rebuilt, because that meant they'd no longer be able to influence the people of God's city with their wicked ways.
So Sanballot flew into a rage and recruited the Samaritan army officials to help him mock, insult and laugh at Nehemiah and his crew. When that didn't stop the construction process, Tobiah and his cohorts began mocking the building crew. (Who knows? With names like Sanballot and Tobiah, these two probably suffered major inferiority complexes!)
Nehemiah's instructions were direct: “Keep working!” He reminded his crew that nothing was more important than doing God's work. Sanballot and Tobiah then launched into Plan B: They began physically attacking the construction crew. Nehemiah merely paused long enough to put half his crew on guard against the attacks and instructed the other half to continue their diligence for the task ahead.
Time for Plan C. Sanballot and Tobiah sent a prestigious note to Nehemiah inviting him to an elegant meeting with important officials. God enabled Nehemiah to see through their evil plot (they actually planned to kill him), and he continued building the wall.
Finally, just 52 days after they'd started construction, the wall was complete! Amazing! Nehemiah and his crew rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in only 52 days! Question: How in the world were they able to accomplish such an incredible task in such a short amount of time? Answer: Nehemiah refused to be sidetracked! Despite all that was going on around him, Nehemiah determined to keep intensely focused on his goal. And what was his goal? Doing God's work. And what was God's work? Building the wall of righteousness that would guard the city.
Know It!
God is calling you to build a strong, spiritual wall of righteousness around your own life. Question: How do you do that? Answer: First you lay a solid spiritual foundation in Jesus Christ. Then you lay spiritual brick upon spiritual brick upon spiritual brick. Make reading your Bible and praying a daily priority.
Read It!
Nehemiah 4-6; Isaiah 40:31; Proverbs 4:25.
Pray It!
Dear Lord, I never thought of building a spiritual wall around my life. But it makes sense! Like a hedge protects a backyard, and like a fortress protects a village, a spiritual wall can protect my relationship with You. Help me as I begin to lay my spiritual bricks.
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:03 am
Nehemiah's Wall of Righteousness
Imagine the shock (and disappointment) of Sanballot and Tobiah when Nehemiah's building crew completed the entire wall surrounding the city of Jerusalem in just 52 days! They were boiling mad. They'd tried to stop the construction through mockery, physical attack, emotional abuse and intimidation. But nothing worked.
Know this: When you're smack-center in God's will, others will try to lead you astray. Remember Satan hates you, and he'll stop at nothing to discourage you and tempt you to toss in your spiritual towel. He'll use people to make fun of you, gossip about you, lie about you and laugh at you. Don't give up! There is absolutely nothing more important than being in the smack-center of God's will doing what God is calling you to do.
And just what is He calling you to do?
1. Lay a strong spiritual foundation upon Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
2. With the help of the Holy Spirit, build a strong wall of righteousness around your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you set up defenses against worldly things that could knock holes in your spiritual wall.
3. Reach out and help others lay a strong spiritual foundation upon Jesus Christ.
4. Aid others in building a wall of righteousness around their lives.
Nehemiah was not only physically successful in rebuilding the wall, he was also spiritually victorious! How?
He realized the importance of the individual. (Reread Nehemiah 6:3.) He knew that what he was doing mattered! Do you know that? Really know that? What you do for God matters! It may seem insignificant to you, but your spiritual activity is important to the Almighty! So, what specifically are you doing for God right now?
Nehemiah knew how to protect himself from attacks. At one point, he paused long enough to put half his crew on guard while the other half continued to build. What are you doing to protect yourself spiritually? Do you take time daily to clothe yourself with spiritual armor? What are you doing to protect yourself against movies, music, relationships and activities that go against God's will?
Know It!
God's plan for your life will involve a variety of things through the years. But His immediate plan for you right now is for you to develop a solid, intimate, growing relationship with Him and to guard that relationship (wall) with your life!
Read It!
Nehemiah 7-13; Jude 24-25.
Pray It!
Jesus, I confess that I haven't spent time with You every single day. I want to be more consistent in reading the Bible, and I want a tight prayer life with You. I realize doing those things will help strengthen my spiritual wall - my relationship with You. And Father, please help me say no to the stuff that's harmful to my relationship with You. I realize what I do matters. So guide me in my involvement with spiritual activities.
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