Worship - It's not just for Sunday Morning

The exciting thing about life with the Lord and our relationship with Jesus is that it is real and it pleases Him. We know that prayer is more than just reading off a list of needs, it is about a two way communication, it is about communion with the Lord. When we are active and involved with our relationship, when we really “enter in” we can find that it is not just only about praying. There comes a point when we realize that we have entered into the heavenly realm, and we have begun to worship Him.

The word worship comes from "worth-ship" which speaks of His worth - it's all about Jesus, He is worthy. As we read in Revelation we see that heaven is filled with worship and the focus is on the lamb who is on the throne. As we enter into worship, we actually experience a little bit of heaven on earth.

When King David set up what is called the Tabernacle of David, 1 Chron 15 tells about bringing the ark back, 1 Chron 16 tells about setting up 24/7 worship. Many of the Psalms (written by David and by Asaph) were written at the Tabernacle of David. If you keep a journal and write our thought and prayers to the Lord, you have probably already found that there can be a “psalm type” quality to some of the writings.

Worship is more than singing, it is about lifestyle and it is about obedience - and is about devotion and delight. It is about presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices, which is our spiritual worship (Rom 12:1-2).

He is worthy, and as we live our lives focused on Him we honor Him and we give Him glory. Worship is not limited to a church service or to what many see as something spiritual. As we are walking in the grace He has provided and as we are faithful to what He has called us to, we are able to be a worship to Him. It's about entering into and living more in the Spirit, in the heavenly realm; and that is what we are made for. Heb 11:13-16 tells us that we are not of this world, but that we are strangers and pilgrims here on this earth - for we are part of His heavenly country.

Worship is about the Lord, it's all about Jesus, and we have such a privilege to be a part of His Kingdom. Each and every day we have the opportunity to experience this heaven on earth and worship Him. We have the opportunity to join in with the heavenly hosts, to focus on Jesus and to join in with the acknowledgment that He is worthy.

God bless you all.

Oh Taste and See

Ps 34:8 Taste and See that the Lord is good

Taste, perceive, and experience the Lord, who He is and what He is all about. For He is good - He is pleasant, agreeable, excellent, valuable, appropriate, becoming, kind, and right.

David, as the writer of this psalm wants to describe the Lord and his experience of the Lord. David expresses what is to desire the Lord in Ps 42:1,2 where he writes, As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When we taste something that is good we remember it, and if it is really good, something that really "hits the spot" than we not only remember it, but we then use that taste, that experience as a measure to compare other things against. When we have a really good meal, when we taste something wonderfully delicious, the ordinary stuff pales in comparison.

I am one of those who loves chocolate, but not just any chocolate, I am talking about rich dark chocolate. Years ago I was exposed to the wonder of Belgium chocolate; with its rich, smooth, and strong chocolate flavor. What this experience did was spoil me for this type of chocolate. Now, when I taste other chocolate, such as basic milk chocolate, it just does not compare to the rich dark chocolate taste I have come to love (all of you chocolate lovers can relate to what I am describing). I have now had enough of this dark chocolate that I don't eat other "lesser" chocolates anymore. I am totally spoiled for this taste, and have become as some describe, a chocolate snob.

Most of you can relate this to some kind of favorite food or drink, and can identify with having developed a "taste" for only the best.

Well, this is just exactly what David is speaking about in this verse. He is sharing that he has developed such a taste for the Lord, that he has become spoiled for the best. He is saying that only the Lord will bring him satisfaction, nothing else compares.

The Lord wants to spoil us. He wants us to taste Him and experience Him in such a real way that nothing else will satisfy. He wants to have the preeminent place in our life so that we will be fully satisfied in Him.God has given us so much, and He wants each and every one of us to know His love and His goodness in such a way that the things of the world will just not compare. This is not talking about a kind of religious works or will power that we can practice and do well enough to avoid the temptation in the world around us. Rather, this is talking about the reality and the power of the love of Christ that can forever change us.

Let us taste and see that the Lord is good. Let us experience on a daily basis the richness and satisfaction of a close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This will enrich your life, add vitality to your prayers, and make you an effective witness of His love – because you will be a testimony of the truth of His goodness.

God bless you all.

They Had Been With Jesus

Prayer in its basic form is simply communication, or communion, with God. Another way to say this is talking with God or just spending time with Him. It is about relationship and letting Him share His love and heart with us. Prayer is so much more than working through a "shopping list" or "wish list" with the Lord; it is about being with Him. Rom 12;1-2 tells us that as we present ourselves to God He transforms us, or starts changing us to be more like Him.

In Acts 4 there is an account of one of Peter's sermons where he proclaimed the message of the resurrection. Verse 12 – "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Verse 13 provides a powerful insight from those who were listening to the preaching, it reads; "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus."

What a powerful observation, the people who were listening knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus. This realization got the crowd's attention and the result was more people coming to Jesus. Because Peter and John had spent time with Jesus, their lives had been changed, people saw it, and it helped to change them too.

This happens with us too! As we spend time with Jesus it makes a difference in our lives, and the result can be eternal changes in the lives of people we come in contact with. God moves in many ways and answers prayers differently – and one of those ways can be the change He brings about in our lives.

Take some time to apply this, present yourself to God, spend time with Jesus, and see what He will do. Think of the powerful testimony and the powerful working of the Holy Spirit that can come forth from the people of God. May people be able to look at us and see that we have been with Jesus.

Let's make a difference by letting Jesus change us and show forth His love through our lives.

Praying Scary Prayers

I was recently in an online discussion about what it means to pray a scary prayer. Here is what I shared;

I think that any prayer that addresses loss of our own control and depending more on the Lord can be a frightening experience. Those situations and promptings from the Lord where we need to step out of our comfort zone. Any situation that means we have to "step off the cliff" of our perceived safety or step away from the safe routine that we can live in.

However, while it can seem to be scary, aren't these types of prayers the very ones that the Lord wants us to pray? Doesn't He want to draw us more and more into a close relationship with Him where we learn to depend on Him more than the circumstances or our own wisdom?

Yes, this can be a scary process, to start learning about increased dependence and greater obedience - but I would submit that it is as we lose our life that we will find our life. As we give up our selfish and limited ways we will start to experience a whole new level of relationship with Jesus.

I think this is a little bit like learning to fly; we have to step out of a comfortable frame of reference and into one that is not so familiar - but one that is so much more wonderful and awe inspiring than we have ever known before.

I think this process is about learning to walk in the Spirit, really walking in the Spirit and learning to depend on Jesus and not on ourselves. On face value this may be scary, but as we enter into a greater dependence on the Lord there is a whole new dynamic and depth we can enter into. That is where we start experiencing the faithfulness and wonder of the Lord, and start seeing the miraculous more and more.

These, "I will do your will, not my will" or ""what ever you want Lord" type of prayers are not easy for any of us. They may be scary, or seem scary, but they are the way for us to really start living and experiencing the abundant life (John 10:10) that Jesus has for us.

The Little Things

In this world today many of us set high expectations and put pressure on ourselves to do the right thing, or to do something big that impacts many lives. This pressure to do something significant can be pretty big at times. I know I will often look for clear results or some kind of big response from the people around me.

However, what I find works best is focusing on the little things- things like being faithful, being honest, being kind, showing up to work on time, being willing to help another, praying for people and situations, and of course hearing the Lord and doing what He leads us to do. Each of us could develop a long list of the little things that we can do, because chances are most of us are doing several of these little things. Yet, many of us do not look at these little things as significant. Rather, we look for the big things, the big impacts, and when we don't see them we can become disappointed.

The truth is that these little things are in fact big things, or they add up and create a big thing. Doing what is right and honorable, being faithful, showing kindness, and being willing to do for others will always make a difference. In Matt 5:16 Jesus told us to let our good works shine before others, because this brings glory to God. When Jesus said this He did not qualify it and teach that only big and important things make a difference – He simply said to let our good works shine.

Each and every day we do things that bless others and help to make a difference in the lives around us. We may not remember them, but as we walk in the love of Christ, as we are kind, as we listen, as we take a moment to help, as we do something as simple as smile and say good morning – as we do these things we make a difference.

Hang in there, don't give up, and keep on doing what you know to do, for it will make a difference. When we do something in love, no matter how little it may look, it is big.

Little things make a big difference.

God bless you all

Put on your Required Attire

Paul speaks clearly in Eph 6:10-20 about spiritual warfare and about being clothed with the armor of God, or "the required attire" as a friend of mine recently called it.

Paul tells us what the armor is;

The Belt of Truth

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Having our feet shod with preparation of Gospel of Peace

The Shield of Faith

The Helmet of Salvation

The Sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God

We are to put it all on, and we are to stand. It's about being equipped and it's about being ready. Having done all, to stand - having put on all the armor, having received all that the Lord has given us, and putting it to use.

Stand and pray, stand at the ready, and be ever perseverant to enforce the victory that Christ has already won. The sense here is that we are to be on duty as soldiers. We are to be watchmen on the wall, we are to understand that our life and our faith is not just for our own personal benefit, rather we have been commissioned to proclaim the Gospel (Matt 28 and Mark 16 the great commission) , to bring reconciliation (2 Cor 5, new creatures in Christ and ambassadors), and to minister freedom and release (see Is 61:1-2 and Luke 4:18-19 the ministry of Jesus).

What a wonderful opportunity and privilege, to be called and equipped, and be able to serve the Lord. Oh that more Christians would recognize we are to be active and be ministering, we are to be serving and praying and proclaiming. This is about being on the offense. When Jesus talked about the gates of hell not even being able to prevail against the church, He was not talking about the church being defensive and the devil not being able to get us. Rather, He was saying that the Church will be able to expand and have influence, authority, and dominion - that ultimately not even hell will be able to stand. We will see ultimate victory walked out, but for now we are to get ready, to stay ready, and stand.

God bless you all.

Yes, let's put on our "required attire" and be active and engaged as men and women of God.

A New Revelation of the Love of the Father

There are so many who do not know or do not understand the free and flowing love of God the Father. So many, including many of His followers (believers, Christians), only see the requiring and judging side of the Lord. So many walk in guilt and shame because of their sin, and wind up in bondage and condemnation because they think they have to live a certain way, or have to do certain “religious things” to get the Lord’s favor.

Lord, open our eyes and help us to bring revelation to those around us. Help us to bring a new understanding of Your love and the freedom you want all to walk in.

God so loved that He gave.... (John 3:16) – He lives to give out of His love

God demonstrated His love to us that while we were enemies Christ died for us (Rom 5:8) - it is not about being good enough to receive, it is about simply receiving.

Our Father encourages all to ask and lavishes good things to those who come to Him (Matt 7:7-11)

Our Father gives out freely of the Holy Spirit to all who ask (Luke 11:9-13)

The ministry that Jesus was sent to do was to bring freedom to the captives, He came not to rally the healthy, but to gather all the hurting, the sick, and those who need healing. The anointing on Jesus is to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to bring sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19; Is 61:1,2)

So many need to simply know that they are loved and accepted. People need to see that the Lord is not a stern and mean God who is always looking for what is wrong in their life. Instead, people need see the love and compassion of a Father who desperately longs for His children to return to Him. May people see the Lord as the father in Luke 15, who daily looked for, hoped for, and prayed for the return of his son. The father’s heart was poised for reconciliation and reunion - He was not there to judge or require.

Let a revelation come forth, let people see, really see and really understand the love of God.

The best way for us to be able to deliver this message to a needy world is for each of us to receive a fresh new understanding and revelation of the love of the Father. As we experience this and as the love of our Father God embraces us we will be able to minister with a new level of power and effectiveness – because He has made us to be ambassadors of His love.

God bless you all.

Let Encouragement Flow

As followers of Christ we have opportunity to help make a positive difference in the world. This is because our relationship with Jesus makes a difference in us. Following Christ and staying in close relationship with Him is not only wonderful and a blessing for us personally, but it reaches out past our individual lives and touches those around us. The Lord blesses us and in turn we have opportunity to bless others.

Matt 10:8 ... freely you have received, freely give…

In Ephesians we are instructed to speak the truth in love that we may all grow in Him because each joint (each person) is doing its part - the result is the growth of the Body in love.

Eph 4:15-17

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

If we are encouraging and strengthening one another in Christ, the result will be a positive, powerful and healthy Body of Christ - one that will overflow with goodness and life and blessing that will touch the lives of those in the world.

God is so good, because as we are receiving and sharing His life it changes us for the better. Remember, He moves in us so that He can move through us. Let’s poise our hearts toward Him and let His life and love flow. As we do this we will see the Body of Christ come alive in the world and we will see people reached for Christ in a powerful way.

Most of the time in life it is the simple things, it is the small things that make the big differences. So don’t count out the power and the life changing impact there is in simple prayers and simple acts of love and encouragement. As we do this we will fulfill what Jesus prayed in John 17:20-21 – people will see love and unity in us, and they will come to Christ.

Beloved let us love one another, and let the love of Christ be manifest in each and every one of us.

Trusting in the Lord

Proverbs 3 is one of those sections of scripture that is good to keep coming back to. As we read this Proverb it has the effect to help remind us and ground us in the Lord.

Prov 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

To trust the Lord is vital, and without our dependence on Him we have nothing, and we are going nowhere fast.

In the OT (Hebrew) this word trust means to take refuge in, to put your confidence in, to be sure.

In the NT (Greek) this word means to have faith in, to believe, to trust.

Trusting in the Lord is active; it is something that we do. We rely on Him, we depend on Him, we put our hope in Him, we trust in Him. Simply put, as we trust in Him, we don’t have to depend on ourselves; rather we are depending on Him. The consequences of not trusting the Lord, not depending on Him, is that we get into trouble and sin. However, when we trust in Him, when we rely on Him, we are kept safe and life is so much better. Most times when we struggle with sin it is because we are trying to depend on ourselves and not on Jesus and the personal relationship we have with Him.

Prov 3:5 & 6 speaks right to this issue. It plainly says; trust in Him – not in yourself. It goes on to tell us to acknowledge Him, and this means to gain knowledge of Him, to know Him, especially as we look to Him (as we see).

As we look to the Lord and get to know Him better, we are able to see what He is about and we can simply follow Him. As we acknowledge Him (look to the Lord), the promise is that He will direct our paths – He will lay thinks out for us. This is pretty straight forward and simple; look to God, follow Him, and you will go the right way.

This same teaching came from Jesus. This is how He lived His life on the earth, He trusted in and depended on the Father and He looked to Him to follow Him and make sure He was on the right path.

John 5:19

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Let’s thank God for the clarity and simplicity of the Word, and let us continue to look to Jesus, follow Jesus, and keep on the path that He has set before us.

One more nugget from Proverbs 3

Prov 3:13

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding

It’s pretty easy to see that wisdom in the Proverbs is speaking of Jesus. We are instructed to seek wisdom, not our own ways and not the ways of those that would want to seduce us and lead us into sin.

A simple definition of sin is not trusting in Jesus, not depending on the Lord. If we hold fast our relationship with the Lord and walk through life depending on and trusting in Him – things go a lot better.

Prov 3:18 tells us one of the benefits of wisdom.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.

Wow – wisdom is a tree of life.

In the beginning the Lord provided the tree of life for Adam and Eve, but as they got their eyes off of Him, and started relying on their own understanding as they were being tempted they fell into sin. The same happens to us every time when we look to our own reasoning and follow the voice of temptation.

Let us trust in Him, let us follow closely; and as we do He will lay out the path for us and we will find a tree of life.

God bless you all.

Thoughts on Keeping a Journal

Taking time, on a regular basis, to write out thoughts and prayers is more than just going through the motions. There is something about writing that helps to crystallize our thoughts and help us to remember all that the Lord has done, plus those things we would like to see happen.

Writing in a journal also allows a means to get ones thoughts out from inside so they can be expressed and not just held in. Some hesitate to do this because some of what they would write would be complaints and the expression of negative thoughts towards people and/or circumstances. Well, if you think this is wrong because it is negative, then you should avoid reading many of the Psalms written by David. In so many of his writings he is full of complaints, and even lashes out at God, yet before he is done he gets things reconciled. The same thing can happen with us, the writing gives us an opportunity to get our thoughts out and be able to "unload" which can be a very liberating experience. Many find this a good way to keep negative thoughts from piling up inside, where they become very heavy to carry, and even depressing at times. Prayer and crying out to God can do the same thing, yet I have found more ongoing help as I have been able to write things out. I don't know whay it works that way, but it seems to for lots of people.

A friend of mine writes out things that he prays for, including the date, the person/event, and a short description. Periodically, he then goes back through the journal and takes time to write in how and when the Lord answered prayers. This is somewhat like a spiritual checkbook, where one reconciles answers to prayers instead of checks that have cleared. Even though this sounds simple it is a powerful tool that demonstrates the fact that God answers prayer, and does so on a very regular basis.

I like to write out verses from scripture and what they mean to me, or what way I can apply them. There is something powerful about writing out the scriptures, it's like there is some connection to my mind (spirit) that happens as I write that doesn't when I just read or hear the verses. I also find that as I write out the verses that I wind up remembering them very well. I don't go out of my way to try and memorize, but I find that memorization is a side benefit of writing the verses out.

One last thing (at least for now), is that when I write verses out I also will write down the meaning of the words, mostly from the Strong's Concordance (for both the Hebrew and the Greek), but I also use the dictionary and other study aids, or even commentaries. This helps me to get the word into my life, to not just read the words, but to gain more understanding as I see how I can apply it in my life. There are times the Word excites me and gets me into praising the Lord, there are other times that I see promises or keys to pray for (in my life, for others, or in certain situations), and sometimes I get convicted by the Holy Spirit as I see short comings and sins in my life, which will then give me an opportunity to confess and receive forgiveness. This is putting John 1:9 into action - why don't you write that one out and see what the Lord shows you.

Journaling is a practice that I recommend.

Unlimited Resources

Praying for others is a wonderful opportunity to serve them and help them in all sorts of situations. When we pray for people in need we are not just thinking good thoughts for them, but we are tapping into the resources of heaven. This is not a "hope so" exercise where we have tried every thing else to help so now we pray. Rather, this is going beyond any earthly help or wisdom and going to God Himself, who has all power, who knows all, and is able to do far above and beyond what we ask and think because He has no limits.

As great as needs are in peoples' lives, God is so much greater. He has the means to do anything, so when we pray we can have absolute confidence that He is able to move in any and all situations. He sees more than we see, He knows how to move in a situation, and will do what is best, even though we may not understand it all. The point is that we can have faith in the resources and abilities of God, and in His wisdom.

We have all seen, or heard about, miraculous answers to prayer. God just plain does awesome things. In addition, God does more than to move in just the immediate situation. There are times that it may seem like God does not bring an answer, mostly because it looks like nothing happened. Yet, as time goes by we can see that He really did move in the situation and so much great than we realized.

God is awesome, and His power in beyond comprehension. As we pray, these unlimited resources are released, so be encouraged this day in the greatness of the Lord.

God bless you all.

Choose the Good Part

One of the most wonderful things about prayer is that it is so varied, and there are so many ways to pray. Prayer is so much more than we realize and as we understand this we can experience so much as we pray.

In Luke 10 we read of the story of Mary and Martha. Where Martha is busy serving the Lord and doing things for Him, but her sister Mary does nothing except to just be with Him – and we find out that is okay with Jesus. To understand that just being with Jesus is okay can be so liberating. I know that I can too easily get into the frame of mind that my prayer life must have a purpose and that I need to work at it.

Take a moment right now as you read this, pause, and just be with the Lord. It is so good for us to simply be with Jesus and enjoy His presence, so refreshing and so renewing.

In Luke 10:42 Jesus tells Martha (and all of us) that Mary was not wasting time, in fact He says that she has chosen the good part and it will not be taken away from her.

Let's follow this example and chose that good part which will not be take from us.

God bless you all.

Different is Okay

Let's face it, we are all different, and we do things differently. And being different is okay, even in how we pray.

There are some who are really good about praying with a list. They are gifted with an organized and ordered personality and as a result are able to be faithful and diligent in their praying. This is great and many intercessors are tremendous in their regularity and discipline in their prayer lives. If you are not like this, don't worry. Appreciate their strengths, and learn what you can from them.

Others do better when praying for an event, or during a crisis. These are the people who can wake up in the middle of the night and pray for someone across the world. They are the ones who will pray almost continually when a person is sick and in the hospital or has some kind of personal crisis, or is in need of salvation. They are the ones who bathe a special event in prayer as it is in the planning stage. These folks may not as regular or consistent on a daily basis as those in the first group (above), but they play a vital part in God's kingdom. These people have a dogged determination and will not let go of a burden until they pray it through.

There are also others who pray based on relationships, as we shared on a previous note. They are the ones that will pray for their Pastor or other leaders, and carry them in their hearts. These are the types of intercessors who are extremely loyal and grow close to those they pray for. At times these people are trusted with confidential matters because of their close relationship, fidelity, and loyalty.

In addition to these three types of praying there are many other kinds. Whether it is praying the prayers of the Bible, or it is praying short prayers all through the day, or it is experiencing personal intimacy with the Lord, or it is laying hands on the sick and praying for healing, or it is praying with people to become saved – all of these types of prayers are okay.

Most of us are not in any one group, and find there can be a lot of variety in our prayer lives. The exciting thing is that all of this is a part of the big picture, it all pleases God, and it all works.

I hope this has been an encouragement to you. God bless you as you grow in your prayer life, and in your relationship with Jesus.

Summer Prayer Walking

With the warmer weather, earlier sun rises and later sun sets (at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere) there are more opportunities to take our praying to different places. This also gets us out of our routines and into something new.

Prayer walking is intercession and others focused. As you are out walking in your neighborhood or other places around your community you look to the Lord for what to pray. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide as you quietly intercede for your neighbors, for the local businesses, for the local government and services, for those around the parks, and other places around your area.

Your prayers can help in so many ways, most that you will never know about. You may pray blessing for your neighbors, or success for some local business. Or you may find yourself praying for peoples' salvation, or you may be moved upon to pray for healing from sickness or injury. Many find that this type of praying helps them grow in how they pray. There are times that you may be general in your praying, and other times find a very specific item that you have a urgency to cover in prayer. It is not uncommon to get burdens for people and things as you go prayer walking. You may feel that this is crazy, or what am I thinking as you walk and pray, but give it a chance and simply be open to what the Lord will lead you into. This can be like going on a short term missions trip in your local area.

Prayer walking is great, it is refreshing, and it can be very powerful in touching lives. Why not give it a try this weekend?

God bless you all.

Don't give up on your dreams

As we pray, we know that patience and trust are needed, because not everything we pray for is answered right away. Often we need to wait and keep on praying until we see an answer come. Some times this goes well and other times not so well, and we might find ourselves praying something like, Lord, give me patience and give it to me NOW.

This applies to the dreams and the promises God gives to us, often they take a long time to come to pass. Sometimes the wait is because God is working in our lives or in others lives and this process can not be rushed. But hang in there, it is worth the wait.

In Genesis there are a couple examples of those who waited. It was a 25 year process for Abraham to see a son born. Joseph had dreams at the age of 17, but had to wait till he was 30 to see them come to pass. I may be reading between the lines, but both Abraham and Joseph were people like us, so I am sure there were times that they were ready to give up. Yet, God was faithful and the dreams were realized.

You may have a dream of being a missionary, or of having your own business that can also be a ministry. Our dreams can also be for others, to see them saved, to see the Lord bring them into a particular situation or ministry, or to see something happen in our community or country. Many parents have faithfully prayed for children for years before a dream or promise come to pass.

God shows us things so that we can pray for them and see them happen – so don't give up. There may be some of you who have laid some dreams and hopes aside or have almost forgotten about them because it has been so long since the Lord first put them in your heart. Be encouraged to stir up those dreams and to start believing again for the promise He has showed you. It may take a long time for some things to come to pass, yet when they do, it can make an eternal difference for many.

God bless you all.

Abiding in Christ - Key to Answered Prayer

Our relationship with Christ is vita, and so is our relationship with His word. Here is a verse that addresses both being in Christ and His word being in us.

John 15:7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (NKJV)

The word "abide" here means to dwell and to be at home with, it speaks of an ongoing and developed relationship, not a quick or casual one. As we are in love with Jesus and keep in close relationship with Him, and as His word dwells in us, we are told that our prayers will be answered. Being in sync with Him and His word helps to keep our focus and perspective right.

One more thing about this verse; His "word" is the Greek word rhema (Strongs #4487) which is the living and inspired word. This is the fresh word or today's manna, that is a wonderful benefit of a close personal relationship with the Lord.

Here is this verse in three other translations;

But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. (Message)

If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. (Amplified)

But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! (NLT)

May the truth of this verse be an inspiration to us all and help us become closer to and deeper in relationship with Jesus Christ. And may answered prayer flow as never before.

God bless you all – be enriched in Him.

National Day of Prayer - May 3, 2007

This coming Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. Join with Christians across the Nation in praying together for the Lord to move powerfully in land. See http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ for more details on the National Day of Prayer, including locations where rallies and prayer events are being held in your area.

The 56th Annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 3, 2007. The theme for this year is "America, Unite in Prayer" and is based on the verse from II Chronicles 7:14 which states: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

God bless you all.

A Living Sacrifice

The Lord is calling us to Himself; He wants to know us in a close relationship. He is not only interested in our intercession; He is also interested in us. Yes, we are called to pray, but our relationship with the Lord is so much more than our prayer requests. He desires fellowship and communion with us. We are His family and friends, He longs to be with us and spend time with us.

Rom 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We are exhorted to present ourselves as living sacrifices, which are holy and acceptable to God. The Lord has made us holy (and is making us holy), we are acceptable to Him. Heb 10: 19-20 tells us that the blood of Jesus opened the way to God for us; we can enter in boldly because access has been provided. The phrase “reasonable service” is not about work; in fact this can be translated as our spiritual worship – which is something that He delights in. You can find this in the Greek and also in the Amplified Bible translation.

The point is that our spiritual devotion, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, is well pleasing to the Lord. Not only does He accept us, but He works in us. We are transformed and He renews our minds. He changes us and demonstrates His love to us.

God bless you and may you enjoy a new depth of experience as you come to Him.

He Cares for us

Today I rejoice in the faithfulness of the Lord. As you know I have written some recent notes about encouragement and what a blessing it is to hear God and bring encouragement to another.

Well, I am thanking Him this morning as I have been the recipient of some wonderful words of encouragement and hope, mixed with some wisdom.

Prov 25:25 tells us that news (communication) from others can be refreshing, as a cool drink of water on a hot day.

I encourage all to a moment to pause and listen to the Lord, and see if the Holy Spirit has given you something to share with another. When it’s God’s word and His timing, it does not have to be a big word, or something that you have to make just right. You can simply share what He gives you, for He cares for all of us more than we know.

Jesus has the words of life, and as His ministers we are able to deliver these messages of love and hope to those around us.

God bless you all

A Living Hope

On this Easter Sunday we celebrate Jesus Christ. Let us join together in prayer that the message of the resurrection would resonate in and through all of God’s people, and be heard to the very ends of the earth.

The words of Peter provide a powerful declaration of this event.

1 Peter 1:3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Blessed be the Lord!

By His mercy – because He loves us, and He keeps on loving us!

A living hope – for He’s not dead, but He is alive!

The Resurrection from the Dead – He triumphed over principalities and powers, the grave could not keep Him down, and hell could not hold Him captive!

An incorruptible and undefiled inheritance – this is what has been provided for us through the resurrection of Christ!

Kept by the power of God – His power that works mightily in us!

God bless you all, have a blessed Easter and Resurrection Sunday

He is Risen

As we come into Easter we can all remember, and rejoice together, that Jesus was raised from the dead. The power and might of God was demonstrated by the resurrection, nothing could keep Jesus from rising from the dead. He triumphed over death and hell and sin – the grave could not hold Him down.

The empty tomb and the living Christ testify to the power of the resurrection. It is no longer us who lives, but it is Christ who lives in us. We now know the mighty power that works in us, the power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand of God in the heavenly places. And in us dwells the living hope, the hope of glory, Christ Himself.

Not only can we remember and rejoice, but also we can proclaim the new life we have in Christ. We can reach out with a message of hope and new life, to a world that is full of people without hope and who do not know the freedom and new life there is in Christ.

It is my prayer that all of us who are in Christ, who know His life and hope, will be able to reach those around us with the good news of the resurrection. The message of Easter, the empty tomb and resurrection, is too powerful not to share. Lord give us boldness, and let those we come in contact with be hungry and ready to hear of this message of new life and freedom in Christ.

God bless you all

Seeing the Bigger Perspective

One of the exciting things about prayer is that God shows us things; He opens our eyes and we are able to see past the tough circumstances.

2 Kings 6:15-17 is the account where the prophet Elisha and his servant are surrounded by the Syrian army. It looked like a hopeless situation to the servant, until Elisha prayed for him. Then, the servant's eyes were opened and he saw that there was a greater host of angels in chariots of fire. At that time his perspective changed, because he saw the bigger picture.

There is much help as others pray for us, and as we pray for others. Our prayers for each other help us to get through the tough times. It is through these prayers that we are helped to experience times of revelation and empowerment where the "lights come on" and we see things in God's perspective. We know God moves and brings us enlightenment in our lives, yet how much more when we are praying for others and they are praying for us.

Not only can we pray for each other as Christians, we can also pray for the unsaved – and they too can experience this eye opening. Prayer helps to bring light into the dark places, prayer softens the hard hearts, it also answers the questions people have, because it gets the Holy Spirit working in their lives.

God bless you as you help make a difference with your prayers.

Thank God for Interruptions

I am always amazed at the ministry of Jesus as I read the Gospels. He preached to multitudes, He fed thousands, He moved in power to bring healing and deliverance, He walked on water – yet, in all of this He did not lose sight of the individual people around Him. We read how He was moved with compassion as He saw a need, and moved into the situation to meet that need. He did not let interruptions get in His way; instead He used the interruptions as an opportunity to minister and to touch lives.

When the blind man came on the scene and yelled out, Son of David have mercy on me, the disciples tried to quiet the man up. When the little children came to Him, the disciples tried to shoo them away because after all Jesus was important and could not be interrupted. Well, we know that in these situations and in so many others in the Gospels Jesus did not put the people off who interrupted, what He did was stop and meet the need in their lives.

Wow, what a response. I have to admit that so many times when I am interrupted I will get impatient, feel put out, or worse yet – react at someone (ouch). And too many times that person I react at is someone who is in need. Yes, I find myself acting just like those who were with Jesus, and I try to avoid the interruption. However, I see there is a better way to handle things, and that way is to follow the example of Jesus.

I invite you to join with me as I reflect on the example of Jesus and how He did not let things get in the way of people. Jesus was always ready to serve, to give, and to minister to a need. Mark 10:45 tells us that He can not to be served, but to serve…

Paul has some great insight about Jesus regarding this issue.

Phil 2:3-4

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Paul then goes on in verse 5 that we need to have this same attitude, this same mindset that Jesus had, which was (which is) to look out for the interests of others, and not to think we are more important than others, or that our time is too valuable to not help someone (another ouch).

Lord, we pray that You will help us to see interruptions from a different perspective from now on, that You will help us to look past our own interests and agendas, and to be sensitive to how You may want us to move in a situation. Help all of us Jesus to walk with a greater sensitivity to You so that we might see lives touched and the hand of God move.

God bless you all

Tent of Meeting

Many of us have a special place where we go to meet with the Lord. Whether this is a certain room in our house, a place in our yard, having a place where we can go to get away from our normal routine is a good thing. My brother in law goes up by a certain water tower in his town; it is a place where he goes when he really needs to be with God.

In Exodus 33 we read how Moses would leave the camp to go be with the Lord, and to hear from Him. I have always been stirred about this place and how the cloud of His presence would descend upon the tent and Moses would speak face to face with the Lord. It’s a good thing to love the presence of the Lord, for as we spend time with Jesus, it changes us and when we go out in the world we can help make a positive difference because of the touch of the Lord on our lives. Now, we may not literally shine like Moses did when he came out of the presence – but we are different as we spend time with the Lord (but it would be great it God would do some shining in us).

While this tent of meeting was where Moses would go, he was not the only one who went into the tent. We read in verse 11 that his servant Joshua would not leave the tent, he simply hung out in the presence of the Lord. This is a great part of the story because as Moses had relationship with the Lord and had this special place, he was able to lead and mentor Joshua in what it meant to have a close relationship with the Lord.

What a powerful example this is to all of us. Not only can we be strengthened and enhanced in our relationship with Jesus as we set a time and place apart to be with Him – but we can set an example for others to follow.

Lord we love you and it is our desire to be with you and to know you more. Hear the cry of our heart this day to be with you and know you more. Lead us Lord, as we lead those who follow us. May there be a renewed love for your presence in our lives and in all of your church.

God bless you all

Thoughts about Prayer

I love to pray and see prayer as communication with God. I see prayer as interaction with the Lord, it is not just me coming to Him with a list of things to ask for. To me prayer is about my relationship with Jesus and how I devote myself to Him. God is not hung up with forms and methods, rather He looks at our heart and our relationship with Him.

John 15 speaks of the picture of the branch abiding in the vine. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you will and it will be done for you.

Jesus taught us to pray to the Father (the Lord's prayer), but we are also told to pray in Jesus name.

The Psalms and David's relationship with the Lord show me that He wants us to be honest and open with Him.

At the core level my prayer life is devotional, based on my realtionship with the Lord. I love to pray what I learn in the Word and even Pray the Word.

I figure if I base my prayer life on relationship with Him - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and on the Word, that all else can just flow out of this.

Besides devotion to Jesus, I pray for people (intercession). There is a core group of family and friends and others that get regular prayer. Then there are other people and many situations and circumstances that get my attention in prayer - most of these come from what the Lord lays on my heart as I am in fellowship and relationship with Him. Jesus followed the Father, and did nothing of His own initiative (like, not my will, but your will be done). I figure that's not a bad pattern to follow.

As I have prayed more and as I get older, I am less hung up on the mechanics of prayer and just try to flow in Him. Prayer is about bringing the Kingdom of God into the world.

God bless you all

Light Brings Illumination

When we have a new idea or new insight, we say we have "new light" on the subject or have illumination. When God moves on us He also brings new light and we call it revelation.

Here is a verse that describes the light bearing quality of God's word;

Ps 119:130
The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

As we pray, God will open our spiritual eyes, and He will also move on those that we pray for. In Eph 1:18 Paul prayed that the eyes of peoples' understanding would be enlightened. This is one of the reasons we intercede for others, that they would be able to see the light of Christ and become saved.

Every day we come across people who are in the dark about something, and we have the answer for what these people need. God's Word and our prayers can bring light into dark situations. Yes, this is simple and this is basic – but it is real and it is powerful.

It's easy to turn on a light switch, and it is also easy to use the Word and prayer to turn on the spiritual light. Be encouraged to make a difference by letting His light bring illumination.

God bless you all.

When Light Shines Darkness Flees

Light not only attracts, but it is powerful. When there is light the darkness flees, this is true both naturally and spiritually. All through the gospels Jesus taught that He was the light, and that the light shines in the darkness. He was making the point that the life He has to offer is so much better than what the world has; there is no comparison at all. Additionally, we don't need to fight the darkness; we can simply let the light shine.

We have the opportunity and privilege to be His light bearers in the world. As we abide in Him and grow in relationship with Him, He shines His light in and through us. Each and every day we can help show that there is a difference as we let His light shine in our lives. We don't need to be shy or apologetic around others; we are called to reaching out to others and representing Christ. He has changed us and made us new, and we can help show others they don't have to stay in the dark – or be afraid of it.

God bless you and you let the light shine.

Light Attracts

One of the things about light is that people notice it, and it will attract them. If there is a light on, especially in a dark place it will be seen. Jesus knew this when He spoke this verse,

John 12:32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

When we give Him praise, or acknowledge Him in front of others we lift up the light. This can also be done as we share from His word; even if people are not familiar with the Bible it will show forth the light of Christ as they hear it. In 2 Cor 5:5-6 we are told that preaching (proclaiming, sharing) His word is like shinning a light in a dark place.

The thing that is so exciting about this is that as we spend time with Jesus and in His word, it will show, people will notice. Being a Christian and having an ongoing relationship with Him is one of the best ways that we can make a difference in the world. The point is that we don't need to work it up, as He moves in our lives, He will also move through our lives. Just think how much light would show forth if all of us Christians were actively relating to the Lord on a daily basis.

Have a great day in Him, God bless you all.

Let Your Light Shine

When Jesus was in the world He was the light of the world, He showed that light and made a difference in the lives of those He came in contact with. Today, as Christians, we carry the light of Christ, and it shows in the world (see Phil 2:15). Jesus said in Matt 5:14-16 that we are the lights of the world and that as we shine the light, it gives glory to God.

Each and every day we have the opportunity and privilege to show the light of Christ. Some may ask how we do this, and the answer is there are many ways, but the key to this is being in Christ and Christ being in us. As we take time each day to be with Jesus we renew the light that He has placed within us.

Many of us have been around others who had close relationships with Jesus, and they helped motivate and encourage us to grow in our faith. My mother-in-law was a big inspiration in my early Christian life. I remember being around her after she had her quiet time with Jesus, I loved it; it made me hungry to be with Jesus myself. There is something about a relationship with Jesus, when it shows, it is contagious.

All of us have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those we come in contact with. As we love the Lord and let Him love us, His light will shine forth.

God bless you all

Seeking God Early

We know that we can seek God at all times, that we do not need a special appointment. All we need is the desire in our heart to be with Him.

Over the years I have found that there is something special when the first thing I do each morning is take time with the Lord. Practically speaking it makes all the difference in the day. In Him I find all that I need, and as I poise my heart before Him, it helps to set my course for that which is ahead of me. Probably, the best way for me to explain this is to comment on how different it is when I do not take the time to just be with Him in the morning.

If you are like me, there is a time in the morning when the activities of the day start, and they keep me busy from that point on. Sure, the Lord is with me no matter what, yet when I have been with Jesus first thing, I know the difference. His presence and His love make a difference in me, all the difference. As I am with Him, whether in prayer, or in the Word, or just enjoying His presence, there is something wonderful that happens. All I can say my day is better when I take time each morning to be with Him and focus on His love and the relationship I have with Him. This is not a religious duty; it is the wonderful opportunity to begin the day with Jesus.

David had a heart to seek God early.

Ps 63:1-5
1 O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

Even Jesus took time in the morning to pray.

Mark 1:35
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

As I said there is just something special that can happen in the morning when we spend time early with Him. In the Old Testament, when the Children of Israel were in the wilderness, the Lord brought manna for them each day (except the Sabbath). The people would get up and go out while it was still early and gather the manna, because if they waited till later, the manna was gone. He provided something special, something from Heaven for them each morning.

This is not to say that He does not provide for us at others times, that is not the case at all. The purpose of this note and this example from the OT is simply to illustrate how wonderful and special time in the morning with the Lord can be.

If you have not been spending time with Him in the morning, I encourage you to give it a try. There is nothing that compares to time with Jesus, and as we start our days with Him, we can have a whole new outlook on life.

God bless you all.

When is the best time to pray?

God is always there to hear and to receive our prayers; He is always available to us. He loves it when we come to Him, and He encourages us to seek Him out. In both the Old and the New Testaments we are told that that if we seek Him we will find Him (Deut 4:29; Prov 8:17; Jer 29:13; Matt 7:7).

People always ask, what is the best time to pray? If we look at prayer as simply a cause and an effect, the answer would be when there is a need that is the time to pray. However, prayer is so much more than coming to the Lord with a list of requests; it is about growing in our relationship and developing a level of ongoing communication.

One way to answer this question about when to pray is to look at it terms of how we communicate today. Prayer can be like making a cell phone call, sending a text message, or sending an email. We have our phones and computers around us all time (many people actually have them with them all the time) and at anytime we can send a message. When we want to communicate, we just do it. However, we can take this a step farther and we can just go online and stay online, we don't have to be limited to making multiple calls. With today's technology there are anytime minutes and there are online chat features; people can stay on line all the time, if they want to �" and there are people who come close to doing this.

Today's technology is great and it has opened up communication to a whole new level. All the different communication providers continue to make it easier and easier for us to be in touch with others. However, none of this technology compares to what God offers us. He is always available and He is always there for us. All we need to do is simply seek Him. This invitation, this benefit, this relationship is open to each and every person. All of us at any time can simply talk to the Lord, we can pray, we can ask questions, or we can just simple be with Him. He is always there, because He is everywhere all at the same time.

So when is the best time to pray? My simple answer is now. Now is the best time to pray. Now is the best time to be in relationship with Him and to be in Him.

God Bless you all.

Being and Encourager is Encouraging

I had a couple great incidents this week where I was praying for a couple of friends of mine. While I was praying I was "inspired" to call each of them (one on one day, and another the next day). The purpose of this note is to remind us all of the power of prayer and encouragement. We don't always get responses when we pray, but there are times when the Lord let's us see just how powerfully He can move when we pray.

What started off as my simple attempt to encourage each of these men, wound up being a wonderfully encouraging experience for each of us. The other evening I was praying for the first man, and I had such a sense of God's heart of love for him, as I prayed I stopped for a moment and called him to share that I was feeling the love of the Lord for him. He was not there so I left him a voice mail message. Here is what he wrote to me the next day.

"I got your voice message. I was commenting to my wife last night that while driving home at about 5:30 or so I had the most amazing thing happen. I felt the strongest downdraft of the love of God I had ever experienced. It was so amazing. It was very warm and I felt like my spirit was filling up with the concentrated, warm love of God. I have never experienced anything quite so intense that seemed like pure love before. I wonder if this was when you were praying for me?" (Note – yes, it was the time I was praying.)

In the other case I prayed for this brother who is in a job transition. We have both been busy and haven't seen each other for a while, so I wanted to call him and encourage him, especially as I was prompted by the Holy Spirit. I left him a voice mail message, and let him know how much I appreciated him, that I was praying for him, and that I knew the Lord would be making a way for him in this time of change. The next day he calls me and he was just blown away, the message I left him was a tremendous blessing for him, he went on and on and told me he had just thought about me the day before and told his wife he had missed talking to me.

I know these men were blessed – and so was I. As you can imagine I am going to continue to pray for people and encourage them as I hear from the Lord.

It is my prayer that this "testimony" is something that motivates people to pray and encourage others. Just imagine how much the Lord can do in changing the world as we simply start hearing and doing, and letting Him touch others through what we do.

God bless you all.

He moves in us and through us

In Matt 13 and Luke 8, Jesus teaches about the planting of the seed (Word of God) in four different kinds of soil, which He uses to explain four types of response in the hearts of people.

There is the seed that fell by the wayside, it did not get planted, because it was not understood and the wicked one came and stole the word away. Then there was the seed that went into the hard and rocky soil, it was received with joy but because of the soil was not able to root so when pressure and tribulation came the person stumbled. The third type of soil was filled with thorns, so when the growth came it was choked out by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of sin. However, the fourth and final soil was the good soil, and the seed became fruitful, even bring a harvest of 30, 60, and 100 fold.

As intercessors it is easy for us to apply this teaching only to others and pray for the soil of their heart to be good and for the seed of the Word of God to flourish in their lives. This is a great thing to do, and we can all see positive change and powerful things happen in peoples' lives as we pray for them.

In addition to the work of God in others, we know that He also want so move in us. Yes, the Lord wants to move in us and through us. Our intercession can have maximum results as we experience and know the truths that we are praying for others. If we know the moving of the Spirit of God in our lives, if we know the taste of a fresh and living Word, then we can pray more specifically for others.

We can see application of this parable in our own hearts; we can come to the Lord and let Him "break up the fallow ground of our hearts" (Hos 10:12). As we present ourselves to Lord and we are open to His Spirit's moving, we are able to keep focused on Him, to keep distractions out of our lives, and keep the soil of our hearts soft and receptive to His Word. Breaking up our fallow ground is being open and humble, being willing to hear and obey, and it is being quick to respond to the Lord in repentance.

God bless you and you keep your hearts soft and receptive to Him – may the Lord move powerfully in and through you. That He will not only enrich the lives of those you pray for, but that you too will be enriched in Him.

God bless you all.

One Thing

In the midst of a busy world that can be full of all sorts of distractions and troubles there is a place of hope and quiet – that place is the presence of the Lord.

No matter what is going on, or how you feel, He is there for us. Whether you are overwhelmed, or tired, or you have circumstances that are pressing in on you from all sides, the Lord is there for all of us. He is there for us even when times are good, we don't have to issues or use problems as a reason to cry out to the Lord. At anytime, in any place, and no matter what is going on. or how we feel, He is there for us.

The Psalms are a favorite part of the Bible for me, I love reading them all the time. David and the other writers share their real life experiences. They all have their ups and downs, their troubles and complaints, and the times they feel on top of the world. These writings are not canned religious rhetoric; rather these are words from the heart.

Psalm 27 is one of my favorites; it has spoken to me and refreshed me, encouraged me, and given me hope for years. David opens up his heart in the middle of a tough time when he is overwhelmed and surrounded by the enemy. Yet by the time he is done writing he is sharing about the hope and strength and rescue he has experienced in the Lord.

Verse 4 shares a great heart cry of deep passion, which demonstrates David had experienced much in the presence of the Lord.

One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

David was able to reach past his circumstances and grab a hold of the Lord. It is my belief that David found a bit of heaven on earth in His relationship with the Lord.

The same place and the same reality of His presence is there for each of us, all we need do is cry out and reach out. What a difference there will be in our lives and even in the world around us as we too cry out for One Thing.

God bless you all.

Always be Ready

1 Peter 3:15 is a favorite verse of mine, and it seemed appropriate to look at this verse as we start this New Year in 2007.

New Kings James version
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Sanctify is a great word, it means to consecrate, to set apart, and to dedicate to. We get to offer our hearts to the Lord, as worship and service to Him. What a wonderful opportunity to honor God and serve Him as the Priests He has made us to be. As priests we offer praises and worship to the Lord, and also minister on behalf of the people we have the opportunity to carry in our hearts. As intercessors we know about the sacred charge to pray for others and help bear their burdens.

The second part of this verse speaks of the message that we are to carry to the world around us. We are to always be ready to speak to people about the hope that is in our hearts. This is being able to explain and answer questions about what it is to be saved and have a living hope in Christ.

The world does not have hope, in reality those without Christ are without hope in the world (Eph 2:11). That is where we come in; we are the ones who are hear to help show the way. Not only are we to bear burdens and pray for people, we are also to be prepared to be able to communicate what it means to know the love of Christ. We are called to be His witnesses and the messengers of His hope.

Be encouraged to take time this week to sanctify your hearts to the Lord and be renewed in what it is to be one who carries the message of Christ to the world.

God bless you all.