Welcome to Prayer Reflections

If this is your first visit you will find an introduction message & affirmations (located on top left side of page). Above intro you will also find a link for a new series I have started called "Reflection Jewels" -
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Psalm 91:1-7

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.

Word in Season:

I have continued to admonish you to be strong and stay steady as the storm rages around you, but some have seemed not to hear Me, says the Lord. It is essential that you maintain as much stability as you can in the face of difficult conditions. Refuse to be blown about by the winds of adversity. How do you do that? By shifting your focus from the chaos and self- preservation to concentrate on My word of promise for your life. You must trust Me more than believing in the circumstances that shake you.

Source: Marsha Burns -- July 3, 2009:

God Is With Us In The Storm!

This is a great poem that blesses me each time I read it. When we go through the tough times it is an encouragement to know that God Almighty is right there with us. He promises never to leave our side but will be right there with us no matter what we may be going through.

Hebrews 13:5-6, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

THROUGH THE STORMS

I did not know His love before,
the way I know it now.
I could not see my need for Him,
my pride would not allow.

I had it all, without a care,
the "Self-sufficient" lie.
My path was smooth, my sea was still,
not a cloud was in my sky.

I thought I knew His love for me,
I thought I'd seen His grace,
I thought I did not need to grow,
I thought I'd found my place.

But then the way grew rough and dark,
the storm clouds quickly rolled;
The waves began to rock my ship,
my anchor would not hold.

The ship that I had built myself
was made of foolish pride.
It fell apart and left me bare,
with nowhere else to hide.

I had no strength or faith to face
the trials that lay ahead,
And so I simply prayed to Him
and bowed my weary head.

His loving arms enveloped me,
and then He helped me stand.
He said, "You still must face this storm,
but I will hold your hand."

So through the dark and lonely night
He guided me through pain.
I could not see the light of day
or when the storm might wane.

Yet through the aches and endless tears,
my faith began to grow.

I could not see it at the time,
but my light began to glow.

I saw God's love in brand new light,
His grace and mercy, too.
For only when all self was gone
could Jesus' love shine through.

It was not easy in the storm,
I sometimes wondered, "Why?"
At times I thought, "I can't go on."
I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry.

But Jesus never left my side,

He guided me each day.
Through pain and strife,
through fire and flood,
He helped me all the way.

And now I see as never before
how great His love can be.
How in my weakness He is strong,
how Jesus cares for me!

He worked it all out for my good,
although the way was rough.

He only sent what I could bear,

and then He cried, "Enough!"
He raised His hand and said, "Be still!"

He made the storm clouds cease.
He opened up the gates of joy
and flooded me with peace.

I saw His face now clearer still,
I felt His presence strong,
I found anew His faithfulness,
He never did me wrong.

Now I know more storms will come,
but only for my good,
For pain and tears have helped me grow
as naught else ever could.

I still have so much more to learn
as Jesus works in me;
If in the storm I'll love Him more,
that's where I want to be!

I know that sometimes things may get overwhelming, but I encourage you to take a minute and remember God is still on the throne and He is still in control. Instead of worrying about your problem, you should just give it to God because He is faithful to handle any situation.

Keep in mind Jeremiah 33:2-3, "Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

There is great wisdom in the Word of God so I encourage you to read with expectation that God will speak to your heart.

Used by permission. Dwayne Savaya Gods Work Ministry http://www.godswork.org/
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Preparing for the Storms of Life!

In early 2003 I put together a collection of messages about 'Preparing for the Storms of life" which helped & encouraged many. Last week I felt a leading to repost some of these messages with some new ones. Whilst praying & reflecting I am aware many (myself included) have undergone storms in the natural & spiritual.

Here in Australia it is winter so it is not unusual to have storms & in summer we have to prepare for cyclones & bush fires. In the last few years part of the coast line were I live has been called "Tornado Alley' because we have had many small tornados cross from the coast & go inland with no warning. One came at night with no warning & went straight through the City & literally lifted the Cathedral from its foundations later the building had to be demolished because of concrete cancer, some lost homes & whilst cleaning up many were found to have termites hidden in the walls.

Storms can cause such shaking of beliefs & foundations & expose many hidden problems leaving much devastation!

Last week the evening news revealed we had a cold front on its way - severe weather warning of gale force winds were updated every half hour. I went around the garden ensuring gardening items etc were put away & our animals indoors. Having done all I could I went inside & prayed with my family before going to bed. The storm came through about 2 am & we slept reasonably well. The next morning we heard on the news the worst was over for a few days as only expecting some showers, damage had been minimal & we had good levels of rain which was so needed after drought.

Later in the morning to my surprise I noticed the cats suddenly jumped up & hid under the sofa – then I noticed the trees almost bending as the wind got stronger then I heard a loud roaring noise followed by loud claps of thunder - the power went out a huge squall went through bringing hale stones the size of golf balls.

The storm came unexpectedly & quickly with no warning then was gone – in our case the power came back on & damage was just a few small tree branches on the ground & a lot of leaves covering the garden. Later we found out it was a tornado that had just whipped up along the coast & turned inland fortunately no one was hurt however most of the City was without power for two days till power lines were fixed & several homes lost roofs & trees up rooted a friend lost half her house & the damage was devastating to many. The community immediately started helping those in dire need by assisting in clean up & helping those in need.

The purpose of the following messages is to ensure you are prepared for coping when or if storms happen in your life. To those in a storm may you be encouraged. If you are able please pray & ask for wisdom how the Lord would have you pray and help those you know going through trials. Be blessed today - Jan Lyall
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Preparing for the Storms of Life!

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not feint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Our cat T2 was a stray that appeared one day on our doorstep. It decided for reasons known only to him we would be the ones to provide his needs. He is much loved by all the family. We have noted over time how approximately twelve hours before a storm he suddenly disappears under the sofa and curls up into a small ball. No amount of coaxing or treats will bring him out.

Once the storm is over he appears and acts as though nothing had happened. Many times we are amazed as we have not heard the weather forecast and are unaware of pending bad weather. The sky is a beautiful blue and the sun shining however we have learnt that are furry weather barometer is always right. Due to being a stray cat we do not know T2's history, one can only guess he has been at some time in his young life caught in a storm. He has learnt to recognise the signs and his survival instinct is to dive for cover.

One day we noted T2's disappearance and checked the forecast. Later that day we were to have storms so we rushed to attend to daily tasks of appointments and shopping.

As we drove along the coast road we spotted a lone sea eagle, rising higher and higher, drifting safely on the air currents above us. We stopped to watch this beautiful bird. The sky appeared very calm and we admired the new improvements to enhancing the beach & sand dunes in preparation for winter. Each year the Local Council debate the issues of sustaining the sand dunes. The ideal solution would be a solid stone wall however the cost always brings about the cheapest solution, replenishing the washed away sand.

This left me wondering do we prepare for storms? Do we consider the cost? What are our survival instincts?

Reading in Luke 8:22-26 tells us that Jesus slept whilst a fierce storm rocked the boat on the lake. During this time the disciples were fearful and woke their master. Jesus rebuked the wind and raging sea and immediately all was calm.

Can you sleep in a storm or are you rocked by fear, worry and unbelief? Do you have a storm in your life?

We all at times experience storms in our life, setbacks, unemployment, sickness, trials and discouragements. Like the eagle we can use the storm to lift us higher & draw closer to Abba. We can turn our focus away from circumstances and believe God to lift us above the circumstances. When we rest in the Lord and give him our burdens we to can soar like the eagle above the storms of life.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

Used by permission Jan Lyall © 2003
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Refuge In The Storm.

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 9:9,10 KJV

When we awoke in the morning T2 emerged from his hiding place hungry and telling a story. As a family we had all slept soundly despite the pending storm. We were amazed on opening the blinds to see garden chairs lying down and the garden littered with leaves and debris.

Turning on the radio the news revealed that the storm had been so fierce people had lost roofs, trees had been uprooted and many roads were closed due to flooding. The words of Psalm 9 immediately came to mind and we praised God that he was with us and that we had his peace and love.

Later in the day we tried to drive along the coast road into town. We were utterly shocked to see the devastation the storm had created. The sand dunes along the area known as 'the Back Beach' had gone. Sand was piled high across the road and Council workers were busy trying to clear the problem so the road was safe to use. We sat in the car mesmerised by the pounding waves along the remaining seashore.

It is no surprise a week later there is no longer a debate about sustainability or saving costs. The storm has taken its toll. Finally a solid limestone wall will be built to protect the remaining dunes along the coast. Discussion is now on ways to enhance the waterfront.

This left me reflecting how often do we put things off till tomorrow? Is our foundations and faith secure to survive storms, trials and testing?

Jesus said, Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. Mathew 7:24-27.

This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have I not commanded thee be strong and of a good courage: for the lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:8-10

Used by permission Jan Lyall © 2003
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From Stormy to Peaceful in an Instant!

Then they were eager to let him in, and immediately the boat arrived at their destination! John 6:21, NLT

Imagine the scene, the disciples had just had a busy day with Jesus (feeding 5,000 people!) and were waiting for Him at the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Darkness was falling and there was still no sign of Jesus, so the disciples got into their boat and headed out across the lake towards Capernaum.

Before long a strong wind was blowing and the waters were very rough. It was then that Jesus appeared to His disciples - walking on the water. Their standard response followed - terror! But Jesus called out that it was Him. At hearing this, the disciples were eager to let Him into their boat and immediately they arrived at its destination.

The Greek word used to describe how they immediately arrived at their destination is the same word used to describe the miracles of healing that Jesus did - the man with leprosy in Matthew 8, the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5, the deaf and dumb man in Mark 7.

It was a dramatic change from one moment to the next. In an instant the disciples were taken from a place of darkness, turmoil and storm to their destination - a place where they could secure the boat and find refuge from the storm. This happened the moment they welcomed Jesus into their boat.

You may feel that you are in the middle of a storm. It might feel as though you will never escape it - that all your energy has gone. The truth is that Jesus will come to you and, when the time is right, is able to take you from that place of turmoil and darkness to a place of peace in an instant.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus that your presence always transforms every situation. Help me to trust you in the storms of life, knowing that you are sufficient for every need. In Jesus, Amen

Devotional from Ellel Ministries International - Seeds of The Kingdom - Andy Taylor http://www.seedsofthekingdom.com/

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Life After the Storm.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Last winter, a massive ice storm struck the mountains where I live. Power was lost for days, many homes were damaged and countless trees were split and broken down the middle from the weight of the ice. I was sure that the forests around my home would never look the same again. Imagine my surprise then when the green mountains of spring and summer looked as vital and alive as ever this year.

I received a special gift too when I was picking up garbage on my son's local playground. There at the edge of the woods surrounding it was one of those trees that had been split in two. The part of it that had been broken off was lying on the ground barely hanging onto the rest of the tree by a small bit of bark.

Growing from every twig of its fallen limb, though, were new, fresh, green leaves full of beauty and full of life. What a wonderful sight that was to see. It showed me that no matter how battered and broken the storms of life may make us, if we only stay connected to God we can still be full of life and still produce our own green leaves of love and joy to share with others.

Never let the storms of life destroy you. Stay connected to God always. Fill yourself daily with His energy, love, joy, light, and life. Let the tree of your soul be full of love, laughter, goodness, and delight. Let the green leaves of your loving acts branch out to provide shelter and shade to all who need it. Let even your broken and battered parts grow in new life and new joy. Share your growth, joy, and love with the world. Let God make your life an example of love as beautiful as any Pine, Maple, or Oak out there.

Show the world that there can always be life after the storm.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers. But they delight in doing everything the LORD wants; day and night they think about his law. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1)

Used with permission (c) 2003, Joseph Mazzella.
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When The Winds Blow

(Author Unknown)

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Moral: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We, as believers in Christ, secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.

We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms. Trust In the Lord, Be Not Afraid, Remember God Loves YOU!
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Hope For The Future: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you (I PET 1:3-4).

The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27 1

But I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble (Psalm 59:16).

The Coming Storm

Are you a mature Christian who has gone through many trials & asking what is this all about may this message answer your question:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there by any virtue, and if there by any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." Philippians 4:8, 9

There are some Christians who have been strong leaders in the Lord who have suddenly found themselves undergoing a storm that is shaking the foundations of their faith – Please remember no Christian is perfect however we should be constantly being perfected, striving to obey God, reading the word & praying. Many times we become so busy with life & its distractions or busy Ministering to others etc we become slack & begin to lose focus & disciplines. Because of these dangers I have included this message written by Ron Schwartz during a shattering time in his life (the break-up of his marriage) - I am praying that through Ron's revelations the Holy Spirit will minister to you today.
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The Coming Storm - "Drifting away:" the slow deceptive flood

In the first chapter of Hebrews, Paul talks of the majesty and glory of the Christ. Paul writes that the Christ wasn't simply a man even though that is how He appeared. He "is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being… After He had provided purification for sins [through His sacrificial death upon the cross], He sat down at the right hand of [God] the Majesty in heaven (Hebrews 1:3)." Consequently, those who were alive and witnessed the life and works of the Christ were witness to a heavenly event unparallel in the dispensation of time. Therefore he concludes, we must not forget the importance of these events. We must keep top of mind the words and actions of the Son of God.

Paul knew that events, no matter how miraculous, astonishing, and incredible, have a way of diminishing in significance over time. Therefore, he recapitulates in the beginning of chapter 2, "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away (Hebrews 2:1-4)."

The words "drift away" are from the Greek word pararheo which means "to flow past or glide by." It is sometimes translated "slipping past" as in a ring slipping off a finger or an idea that slips from mind. An analogy is of people in a boat floating along on a river observing activities taking place on the banks of the river, but then drifting on by they forget what they saw. The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" captures the idea of this word. Paul issues a warning. "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard." In other words, "don't let it slip away" because then, he asks, "how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?"

All born again Christians have, through salvation, experienced a miraculous relationship with God. They've known much of God's goodness and provision. Many have seen God's power perform miracles, and many have been brought to tears while experiencing transformational worship and God's manifold love. However, as life goes on, Christians often become complacent in their walk with Christ and begin to drift with the current. As life drifts along, our past experiences and the intimacy of our relationship with God seem to slowly drift away until it is little more than a distant or forgotten memory.

Many Christians remember their relationship with God and tell the story of the sweetness of His fellowship, but at present, that's all it is: a story or forgotten memory. We must strive (or as the KJV says, "give more earnest heed") to keep in mind both our experiences and the words that God has spoken to us. Both our experience and relationship with God must be current tense. We must swim against the flow of life's river to keep in sight the work of the Lord. We must reconcile in our minds that this will be a continual battle because the flow of life, like the flow of a river, never ceases to push us onward and away from that which God wants to do in and through us.

Life is a distraction, but painful experiences in life are even more so. ..... No matter what adversity you face or tragedy you endure, you must fight against the current that wants to sweep you away from God and return to that place where God is at work and keep Him in sight and in mind. It won't be easy, because the greater the adversity, the faster the raging current. Just keep in mind that somehow, you must not lose focus or sight of the work of God. You must fight with all your spiritual might against the raging current to maintain your position in the Lord.

..... If you are one of the many Christians who are currently caught up in the flood, then you must understand how important it is to maintain your spiritual position with God. Far too often, we find ourselves battling against that which is causing our problems such as an employer, church, spouse, or friends. Instead of doing this, our battle must be to maintain our (spiritual) position with God so that we keep God in mind and in sight. We must rise above the raging torrent. Merely fighting the flood is not the answer. The answer is in maintaining our position and relationship with God. ... Find a place in God where you can rest in His love and grace, and then fight to stay there.

The book of Jude instructs us to "keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 21)." The word "keep" is the Greek word phulasso which means "to be on guard, to watch, and to keep." In other words, be ready to do battle to stay in God's love. The armies of darkness are marshalling their forces against Christians so be on guard. Be ready to fight to defend your position in God's love.

Reflective Thought: When circumstances removes the things we love the most, perhaps it so that for the first time in our lives we see, know, and understand God's great love for us. That is why it is important when our hearts are broken to turn to God for comfort. If we run from one lost love to another, we are running from the experience that God is trying to get us to come to understand: His infinite and abounding love. No other love can compete with or compare to it. It is ever present with us, if we'll simply surrender ourselves to it.

So there it is. Sometimes, when God has no other way to get us to comprehend His love, He must allow us to be wounded the deepest. God reveals His love through hurt and tragedy. True happiness comes through the greatest sense of sadness and true love through the deepest sense of grief and rejection.

... I realize that my storm is not without purpose. It came to shake the foundations of my faith and it left me with a choice. I can either allow the fleshly part of my life that is not submitted to God to be shaken away until only that which is of God remains, or I can cling to my flesh and sacrifice my spiritual man to the storm. I cannot cling to both.

Finding the Eye - Not all storms are the same. Though all storms wreck havoc and disaster, the very largest ones have a place of complete tranquillity. In the worst storms at sea, in the worst storms that nature can foster, there exists a place of absolute stillness. This place, found only in the very center of the storm, is called the eye. The eye is a place where the sun shines and the seas are at rest. It is a place where death and destruction cannot touch the mariner. And yet, it's impossible to find that place without going through the worst devastation that the storm offers. You can try to avoid the storm, but in doing so you will never experience the peace that can be found in the heart of its adversity.

Matthew 14:22-31 NIV 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Like the disciples in this story, we too are facing perilous storms. Also like the disciples, we often we have a tendency to see Jesus as just another danger in the storm: "a ghost." We blame our Lord and resent Him, and we fail to see through the storm to realize that the only place where the wind and waves are not battering about is the place where He stands.

Consider the actions of Peter: while the others fear the presence of the Lord, Peter said, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." Even in peril for his life, Peter sought to know Christ. Sometimes, the best place to come to know our Lord's hearts is in the storm. Sometimes, when all our strength, faith, and hope has been lost to the sea, it is then that the true nature of Christ's love and power becomes real to us.

In this hour, as storms rage and ravage the lives of so many of God's people, He wants them to know Him like they have never done so before, because He knows that there is only one place of absolute certainty and safety, and it is not in the sinking boats of their lives. True safety can only be found in Him.

Peter understood was that the only place in the storm where he could find peace was where Jesus stood. As Peter saw it, by stepping out of the sinking boat he was not endangering his life, but saving it. Even though his faith was not strong enough to resist the danger of the storm, he was at least close enough to Jesus to reach out his hand. As he threw all caution to the wind, gave up the security of his boat, and allowed himself to be swallowed up by the waves, it was at that moment that he found there the storm's center. There he found the peace and tranquillity that can only be found in the very heart of God.

The storm was not over. It still bellowed and blasted all around him. But he had discovered the eye. He would not be the victim of this storm.

If we are truly brave, if we truly want to know Him, then we must first weather the storm. We must not despair. We must not hang on to the temporal sinking boats of this life, but instead we must fix our eyes on the Savoir and give it up to the sea. You cannot save it anyway. Your goal must be to go where the peace is.

In life, not every story has a happy ending. One tragedy is sometimes simply followed by another. We can't always choose what storm we'll weather, nor can we choose its outcome. What we can choose is the level of our resolve, and whether or not we're willing to press through to find its center.
When we weather our own individual storms, we will have a choice. We can be like the other disciples who clutch tightly to the security of their sinking boat, or we can release it and give it up to the sea to be swallowed by the storm – the storm will have it anyway. And we can press in to discover the Lord, and to see life from His vantage point.

Vantage Point

Over the past few weeks as I've told you of the tragedy and pain I've had endured through the loss of my wife. Like many of you have assured me, there is much that I will learn from this experience.

What I've learned is that the heart of God is His center, and none but the brave will ever find it. To find God's heart is not for the lethargic and selfish, but for the person who earnestly desires to know God. To find God heart will take a life time of suffering through adversity and storms as well as the utmost resolve. The few who eventually do manage to find God's heart find, at His center, a language which few understand or have ever heard or spoken.

Years ago, when I was in my early twenties and had just experienced a deep sorrow, God spoke to me as I lay before Him something that has taken me a lifetime to even begin to understand. He said, "You wish to know Me? Understand this: My ultimate will for your life is that you see life from My point of view." It seemed simple enough. How complicated was that? What I didn't understand then was that to see life from God's vantage point meant that I would need to cross through the storm to standing in the place where He is, because, like Christ in the disciples' storm, He's at the very center of the storm. ............

I've come to understand that most Christians are like me. We really don't know God. We have an intellectual understanding of Him and His grace, but we've never really come to know Him. We're like the eleven disciples who resisted the storm and hung tightly to the boat and feared the Lord as He drew near. We've understand our lives from our vantage point. We've come to know God through the sermons that are preached, the books that we read, and the songs that we listen too. We view our lives from the vantage point of our trials and from the safety of our fleshy boats – boats of life that are not surrendered completely to the Lord - and from there we seek to understand life.

This is why there are so many useless books – most writers have never seen life from God's vantage point. To many of us, God, like a piano, is little more than a wooden box that makes sounds. But He is so much more than what most Christians will ever know. God is dwelling in a place of absolute security and peace where the winds and waves have no power. He sees our lives much differently than we. What He wants for us is NOT merely to survive our storms with our boat intact. God wants us to arrive at the place where He has been all along and to see our lives from His vantage point. And to do that it means that we must let go of our boats and cast self-interest aside. If we can find that place of tranquillity – the eye of the storm – our trials will no longer matter.

What I have learned from my tragedy is that I did not know God at all. I thought I spoke His language, but I was simply making sounds. I've learned that His Spirit is the most violent force in the universe. Today it is shaking the heavenly places where many Christians dwell and stripping away the flesh that is not submitted to His will. I've taken the worst of the storm, and through it, I've come to see the eye of the storm. I know that just beyond my reach, in the centre of all this chaos, is a humble and loving Lord. I know that there with Him is true peace - the kind that I have never really known.

I realize that over the course of my live, the peace I attributed to Him was merely the calm before the storm. So as I sink beneath these waves, I am reaching out my hand. I know that from the eye where he dwells, He is able to reach forth and pull me close to Him. I've let go of the boat of my marriage, I've thrown caution to the wind, I will either now be swallowed by the sea or I'll know the true peace that can only be found with Him.

Bearing the initial vengeful blasts of the storm and pressing on through to find the eye may seem daunting, but there is something that lay ahead that is perhaps more trying than your journey to find the eye. It is the other side of the storm.

Finding the peace and tranquillity of the Saviour's embrace in the eye of the storm may be short lived, because storms choose their own way. The mariner who tries to stay in the eye may find himself being driven in a direction away from his home, or one that has other obstacles. Eventually, you will be forced to step out of the eye. Eventually, you will be forced to bear winds that come from the opposite direction. Eventually, you'll need to press through to the other side of the storm.

When you come out of the other side of the storm, you are left with a whole different perspective from the one you had going through it. Don't think that you troubles are over because you've finally found peace in the eye, because when you are forced to leave, the hard part may be just beginning. What you'll find on the other side of the storm is devastation and desolation of unimaginable proportions. Literally everything you once owned may be gone.

When a storm hits our lives, we have already had years--possibly decades--of choices that have fashioned what we have become. If we were given our past opportunities, would we really make all the same choices again? Probably not, but that doesn't mean that our present choices are any better or worse, they're just different.

Most Christians assume that when God restores our lives following the storm, everything will be put back as it was. In reality, what you rebuild after a storm may look nothing like the original. It's impossible to predict what the outcome will be. Understand that a city, when originally constructed, was a result of decades of growth through political and economic influences of the time. When it is rebuilt, past forces and dynamics have changed and a whole new set of factors will shape its eventual construction.

Don't expect God to put everything back in place just as it was before. The very fact that your life was devastated should tell you that what was built was not as storm proof. Why reconstruct something that is doomed to fail again? More than likely, the parts of your life that are left in ruin are the result of you using inferior material in its construction. It was destined to fall when you constructed it.

Picking up the Pieces

Storms cause unfathomable disaster. Most of us have seen pictures of the devastation left in the wake of hurricanes like Katrina. During the storm, victims are not worried about their property: they are simply trying to survive the storm. However, once the storm is over, survival takes on a whole new meaning.

Viewing the desolation left in the wake of a great storm can be as breathtaking as it is heartbreaking. When viewing mile upon mile of destruction, flattened cities, and the demolished utility infrastructure, one can be left bewildered, not knowing where to begin. It is no different when it comes to the totality of destruction that individuals face in their own personal life.

There is life after the storm. The question is: what is the quality of that life? The view of the storm is totally different once you're on the other side. Once you've passed through the storm, it's no longer a question of surviving the storm, but of picking up the pieces of your life and wondering how to go on.

Many storms in life leave a person in almost irreparable devastation. Like Katrina, cities and states can be rebuilt and reconstructed, but they can never fully be restored to their original state. Like Humpty Dumpty after his life was shattered, he could never be put back together as he originally was. In the same way, life after devastation can never be as it originally was. ......

There is only one way to piece together the life of someone ravaged by the devastation of life's storm: finding the road to forgiveness.

Forgiveness allows you to bury the broken pieces of your life and to start again. It's like a bulldozer that pushes away the debris of your life and put the past behind you. If you struggle to fix and correct the past, it will rob you of the future. Look ahead, down the path of forgiveness and there you'll find the Savoir. Jesus weathered His storm and then found restoration down the path of forgiveness by forgiving those who sought to murder Him. .....

The road of forgiveness is the only avenue that God has set for us His people to restore the devastation of the storm. If your life is still in ruins, consider finding the way home. It will be down a well trodden path, one which our Savoir walked. It will be the only way you'll ever find the answers to the most difficult questions in life and complete healing for your soul.

Protect your hearts from blaming and resentment because forgiveness cannot exist while these are present. See yourself as the one at fault and it will change your perspective. Remember, forgiveness comes when we are first able to ask it of others. "Let love be without dissimulation."

Staying Ahead of the storm - The Farmers Choice

Matthew 13:24-30
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

We find here an inherent problem with what the farmer chose: to leave the weeds will stunt the growth of the wheat. The wheat will survive till harvest, but its ability to produce fruit will be questionable. Only a farmer who is unconcerned about the productivity of the wheat would leave the weed. A farmer who is concerned with productivity would rid the weeds, no matter what the cost to the wheat.

Like this farmer, at times, God is faced with a similar dilemma. Quite often sin, compromise, and other forms of carnality--weeds--become an intrinsic part of our lives. It is so embedded within our hearts that it becomes part of our person. Does He remove the weeds and risk destroying our spiritual being along with the sin, or does He allow the weeds to remain regardless of how it may stunt our spiritual development? In this parable, the farmer chose the solution that posed the least amount of risk to the wheat: He chose to allow the weeds to remain.

It would be nice if there were a painless way for God to remove the weeds from our lives like a surgeon removing a tumour - we would simply go to sleep and when we awake, the tumour would be gone. But we all know that that's not always the case. Not everything in our lives can be surgically removed. Sometimes, our sin is so much a part of our being that to cut it away would inadvertently remove part of our heart.

There is not one of us who have experienced the storms of life that cannot point to the cleansing and spiritual growth as well as transformation that has come about as a result. Weeds have grown throughout our lives to the point that they have stunted our spiritual growth. We've reach a point of spiritual equilibrium where our spiritual lives come into balance with our carnal lives and we become spiritually inert. It's not necessarily that we are spiritually bankrupt; instead, we have become spiritually ineffective. So what should God do? Does He stand by as the precious fruit of our lives are choked away? Is the fact that we're saved enough, or does God remove the weeds?

Profit or Loss

John 15:1-2
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

This particular allegory is not a contradiction of the parable of the tare and wheat, but it could appear that way. In contrast to His parable of the tare and wheat where the farmer seems less concerned about quality, here we find that the farmer is only concerned with quality – so much so that He goes so far to say that, "every branch… that beareth not fruit he taketh away." He goes on to say that the branch is "cast forth" as it "is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 16:6)."

There are things in our lives that can be spiritually surgically removed. It happens when we heed the conviction of the Holy Spirit and make changes that consequently result in our spiritual lives becoming more fruitful and effective. It is our yielding to the influence of the Spirit that allows the scalpel of the Spirit to remove the weeds. However, we don't always yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the sin and carnality is so intrinsic that escaping the sin is simply not possible. .............

This is where the storms of our lives come from. When we repeatedly fail to follow through with our decisions to flee sin and carnality, God will often send a storm. He knows that conviction from His Spirit is not enough to cause us the repent from our fleshly path; a more direct approach is necessary. That is why a storm doesn't seek permission or request consent, but instead blasts away without regard or respect to the things we value.

Summary
There is a pruning that is taking place to the vine (body) of Christ. Some Christians are so intertwined with the sin of the world that when the Lord comes to prune, He roots them out along with the sin. Others submit themselves to Him and once again become a profitable member to the body of Christ.

So many Christians are suffering the violence of storms in their lives and none of them seem to understand why. The truth is that they are far too concerned about their own happiness and have carelessly partaken in sin, gambling away their spiritual future by the carnal nature of their lives. They have become spiritually incompetent in their ability to prune sin and carnality from their life and have thus become unfruitful. A storm is their last chance. By sending a storm, God has resolved to drastic measures to bring fruitfulness from them. The storm will either prune their branch or cut it off to be burned. One thing is clear: they will never again be the same.

Perhaps you have unsuccessfully been able to escape the sin, apathy, or carnality in your life. Perhaps you have become unfruitful and unproductive in your spiritual life. Perhaps you've repeatedly struggled to overcome sin and temptation, but in the end, you find yourself drug back under its bondage and have now succumbed to the knowledge that you cannot change. You've given up. If so, look around. There is a storm looming. Dark clouds are gathering overhead and blackness is developing. A faint rumble of thunder can be heard in the distance. Perhaps rain drops are beginning to fall. A storm is about to hit your life with resounding violence. It will pound and rip away at the very foundations of everything you value. It will impale your soul and steal away your strength. It will shake your life of everything that can be shaken.

If I were you, the question in my mind would be: "so why did you, Ron, not stay ahead of your storm?" The answer is obvious: there were things (i.e. carnality and compromise) that were so intertwined in my life that I was unable to change on my own. That is why God sent a storm. But though it has ripped and shredded all I once was, the storm is far from over. The winds, the floods, and the rain continue to pound away at the fabric of my life with unrelenting resolve, and the carnal fulfilments that once stained my heart have slowly eroded away. This has been a time of transition and change – a metamorphosis, a transformation has occurred. My heart is now no longer a chaotic field of conflicting values. The weeds that once cluttered my heart have inexplicably died away, and the once barren field of my life has curiously become fertile ground again. My life is free of so many things that weighted down my soul. I am not happy about the pain that has transpired to rid my life of its carnal treasures, but I cannot help but wonder what God has in mind for me.

When I look back over my life, I can recognize the many storms of varying time and intensity that have come and gone. Each storm changed me spiritually in ways I was not able to do out of my own accord. These storms have been God's way of taking matters into His own hands. There have been small changes in my life between the storms that have come and gone, but the most dramatic changes have all been a result of storms. I am who I am today largely as a result.

Perhaps you stand before the precipice of your life's journey. Before you is an abyss of what was once your happiness, but not only tragedy and destruction. You feel despair washing over you like the storm surge of a mighty hurricane. If you are enduring a storm then examine your life carefully, because one of two things will inevitably be a result. If you have become more fruitful to the body of Christ, then you are being pruned. This is a good thing because it means that God still has use for you. If your effectiveness to the body of Christ is drying up, then you're being rooted up to be cast into the fire. Don't forget the final words of Jesus regarding the foolish man's house at the end of the story: "and great was the fall of it."

Don't wait for the storm to hit! Look at the direction the storm is moving and get onto your feet. Shake off the carnality and apathy before it is too late and move. Redouble your resolve to purge and prune carnality from your lives. Listen to the Holy Spirit because He will tell you from which direction the storm will come. Move once again in the Spirit and function as an active part of the body of Christ. Do what you were born to do and become that for which God has destined you. You must stay ahead of the storm.

At the conclusion of your storm, the house of your life will either stand as a memorial before the Lord or a great tragedy. It is your choice.

Source - Part message from several messages written by Ron Schwartz ron@ronschwartz.net
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One Hour Prayer Guide

You will notice at top left corner of page is a picture of a "Prayer Wheel" each portion is broken into twelve five minute segments that give suggestions of how to spend one hour focusing on God. Each segment also has a scripture to reflect upon - Note these are only guidelines & each must follow what they are comfortable with many find after a few times they increase time in each segment & start finding these prayer times are very special. There is also a brief article in February 2006 archive "Tell me what to pray' that is encouraging for those new to praying.
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Spend an hour with God?

Its easier than you think. Break it up into 5 minute blocks and focus on the following during each 5 minute segment:

1. PRAISE

Start your prayer hour by praising the Lord. Praise Him for things that are on your mind right now. Praise Him for one special thing He has done in your life in the past week. Praise Him for His goodness to your family. (Psalm 34:1)

2. WAITING

Spend this time waiting on the Lord. Let Him pull together reflections for you. Think about the hour before you and the things you want the Lord to do in your life. (Psalm 27:14)

3. CONFESSION

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life which might be displeasing to Him. Ask Him to point out attitudes that are wrong, as well as specific acts for which you have not yet made a prayer of confession. Now confess that to the Lord and claim 1 John 1:9 so that you might be cleansed for the remainder of the hour before you, and then pick up and read the Word. (Psalm 51:1-19)

4. READ THE WORD

Spend time reading promises of God in the Psalms, in the prophets, and passages on prayer located in the New Testament. Check your concordance. (Psalm 119:97)

5. PETITION

This is general request for others, praying through the prayer list, the prayer cards, or personal prayer interest on behalf of yourself and others. (Hebrews 4:16)

6. INTERCESSION

Specific prayer on the behalf of others. Pray specifically for those requests of which you are aware. (Romans 15:30-33)

7. PRAY THE WORD

Now take the Scriptures and start praying the Scriptures as certain sections of Psalm 119 lend themselves beautifully to prayer expression. (Psalm 119:38-46)

8. THANKSGIVING

Spend these minutes giving thanks to the Lord for things in your life, things on behalf of the church, things on behalf of your family. (Philippians 4:6)

9. SINGING

Take your hymnal and sing a prayer song, sing a praise song, sing a song regarding soul winning or witnessing. Let it be a time of praise. (Psalm 59:17)

10. MEDITATE

Ask the Lord to speak back to you and keep a paper and pen handy, ready to relate the impressions that He makes upon your life. (Psalm 63)

11. LISTEN

Spend time merging the things you have read from the Word, the things you have prayed, the things you have thanked the Lord for, the things that you have been singing, and see how the Lord brings them all together to speak to you. (I Samuel 3:9-10)

12. END WITH PRAISE

Praise the Lord for the time you have had to spend with Him. Praise Him for the impressions that He has given you. Praise Him for the prayer requests He raised up in your mind. (Psalm 145:1-13)

Source: Spiritual Formation - Becoming Like Jesus http://www.christianchallenge.us/Spiritual_Formation/Prayer/onehour-prayer.html

Original Source: 1 Calvary Baptist Church, Prayer Wheel, http://www.calvarynow.com/partner/0,,320286,00.html
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May this message below encourage you further - you will also find an article in September 2006 Archive 'A Model Prayer" compliments this article:
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"How To Talk To God In Prayer"

The Scriptures tell us in Luke II: 1-2 that Jesus' disciples came to Him and asked Him, "Lord, teach us to pray."

And then in Matthew 6:9-13, which is a corresponding passage, Jesus gives the "model" prayer that we incorporate into our worship services each Sunday. I am of the opinion that many times the recitations, etc. that we utilize in our worship can become ritualistic (which is not necessarily bad) and so routine that we do not think about what we are saying (or praying). What follows is an attempt to bring us back to consciousness and "prayerful" meditation about the significance of the Lord's Prayer.

Yes, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord teach us to pray." This simple prayer which Jesus taught His disciples can show us too, how to talk to God in prayer.

Our Father, who art in heaven - Jesus taught His disciples to call God our Father.

It is this intimate Father/child relationship that makes prayer possible. As children of God, we come to His throne expectant and unafraid because we are accepted in His beloved Son (Hebrews 4: 15-16).

Because we are His children, we can come often and speak with our Heavenly Father, for He delights to hear our prayers!

Hallowed be Thy name - Worship!

To honour and adore God is the highest privilege of the Christian. We who have experienced this miracle of His saving grace can praise Him for His love. Every day, we can offer praise and thanksgiving as He showers us with His blessings. I Chronicles16:29 says "Give unto the glory due unto His name. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven - is the next phrase.

As Gods children, we long for His righteous reign throughout the earth. But His reign must first begin in our own lives. We are made sensitive to His will for us as we prayerfully read and meditate on the Word of God. As we pray, God measures our spiritual condition and brings our desires into conformity with His will. From these first three petitions, the Lord teaches us that His glory and kingdom must have pre-eminence in our prayers and lives.

God promises those who put Him first - "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

Give us this day our daily bread - We are dependent upon God for all our needs, both spiritual and material. Daily bread, in Bible times, referred to daily necessities. He is speaking of necessities, not superfluous wants (although there is freedom to ask for anything). Like any loving Father, He desires to richly bless us. Nothing is too great for His power and nothing is too small for His love. My advice is to share the most intimate details of our life with Him.

Phil.4:4-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors -

As we speak with our loving Father and read His Word, realizing that He expects us to be gracious to others, we must confess all sin, including our unforgiveness toward others. Unconfessed sin hinders our communication with God.

The Psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Our hearts must be clean before He can hear and answer our prayer. Of course, He always hears the sincere prayer of confession because He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - The Lord has promised to protect His children in the hour of temptation.

We're told in I Corinthians10:13 that ".. .there is no temptation taken us but such as is common to all; but God is faithful, Who will not permit us to be tempted above that which we are able, but will, with the temptation also make a way of escape, that we may be able to bear it."

Let us, therefore, pray for wisdom to see His way of escape. As we learn to pray to the Father, we will enter the glorious doxology which closes the prayer.

For Thine is the Kingdom - we know that God has control over all matters and we can trust our deepest needs to Him.

And the power - He has power to accomplish all that we ask, for "He is able to do above that which we are able to think or ask.

And then the phrase... And the glory forever. Amen. -

We worship Him as the Almighty God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

This is how the Lord taught His disciples to pray and by His example He showed them the need for time alone with the Father in prayer.

We, too, must set aside a time to talk with God and read His Word. Many Christians find that the morning is the best time for this. Others say that late evening is the. best.

The following suggestions are given for your time with God:

1. Understand the necessity of prayer.

Our Lord taught that prayer is not an option, it is a command. It is not something to do when we feel like it, it's a God-given responsibility. We must make the time to labour in prayer. Jesus said, "People ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18: I).

2. The Bible and prayer goes hand in hand.

Pray as you read and meditate on God's Word. As you read the Bible, praise God for what He has revealed of Himself and pray for strength and wisdom to obey His commands. What you read will give fresh insights as you prayer for yourself and others. Try using some prayers of the Bible as patterns (Matt. 6:9-13; Ephesians I: 15-23; 3: 14-21 and many of the Psalms).

3. Draw up a prayer list.

A list of prayer requests reminds you of specific needs and will keep your mind from wandering. By recording how God has answered a request, you will be encouraged to keep praying. But don't let this steal your spontaneity. Remember, you're praying, not just compiling a list, although I believe that a prayer list (journal, diary) is an important aspect of prayer.

4. It's good to have a prayer partner to help you pray consistently.

Ask the Lord for a friend with whom you can share and pray. Meeting regularly provides mutual encouragement.

5. Be careful of distractions.

Because prayer is a spiritual exercise, you can expect it to become a spiritual battle. If you have trouble with wandering thoughts, try changing positions. Praying aloud, starting a prayer list in your Bible, singing a hymn or whatever you find most effective.

But whatever you do - PRAY!

Source: * From the September 2005 monthly publication "Communiqué" of Community Church in Pastor Ken's message

Stay Focussed

Stay Focussed

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets.

So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away.

Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. he squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.

As he went further, he saw a large wild 'Tom' turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.

A voice spoke to him and said, 'Pray first, aim high and stay focused.

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.

Still, the voice said again to him, 'I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused.'

So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.

He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.

When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.

The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God & obeyed Him.

Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, 'the past.' Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow. Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there!

His plan for you is good

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 NASB

Blessings of obedience: Observe and to do all his commandments

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deuteronomy 28:1-11 KJV
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Power In Prayer

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."1 Timothy 2:1-4
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"Tremendous Power In a Praying Christian!"

In our rapidly changing times people are desperate to know the future. Barely do we adjust to the last changes, when totally new realities explode into our world.

In answer to the common fears spawned by change, society has seen a plethora of occult and demonic sources—fortunetellers, astrologers and psychic hotlines—all pretending to be able to peek into the mystery of tomorrow. Indeed, how many otherwise intelligent individuals glimpse, at least occasionally, at their "astrological signs" trying to get an edge on knowing the future!

Why anyone would consult someone who can't predict their own future is beyond me. These fortunetellers almost always live in abject poverty. Shouldn't their ability to predict the future at least work for themselves? They could invest in the stock market or pick the right lottery numbers. They can't even predict or better their own fortune, yet people go to them for discernment. For Christians, God condemns this demonic, fleshly probing into the unknown.

Indeed, as intercessors, He has called us not to wonder about the future, but to create it through the knowledge of His Living Word and prayer!

Our Father gives us access to the future right now. You ask, How do we know what to pray?

The Lord Jesus told us plainly,
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." Matthew 6:9-10

We can look at the conditions of the world and faint or look at the possibilities of God and take faith. To bring revival is to pray for the reality of God's Kingdom to manifest on earth. Jesus was not offering His disciples a millennial prayer focus, for that rule of God's Kingdom is coming whether we want it to or not! No, but Christ calls us to pray for God's Kingdom to manifest in our world today.

How will tomorrow look if God answers the prayer Christ gave us?

Read the Gospels. What we see in the life and power of Jesus Christ is a faith picture of God's Kingdom. Jesus said that we can have that same full manifestation. In fact, He actually commanded us to pray for Heaven's release!

The reality God has planned will always manifest first in the prayer life of His intercessors.

When you hear from God and then pray His Word, you are impacting the unformed essence of life with the Spirit of God Himself! Thus, God calls us, not only to know His Word, but to pray it. We must go from intellectualizing God's Word to being impregnated by it.

I know churches have special areas where intercessors can pray or people meditate. But maybe we ought to change the name from "prayer room" to "prayer womb."

For everything good and holy that we see manifested in people, in churches and in life is first conceived, and then birthed, in the womb of prayer.

We have answers to prayer all around us. The place you are living in is an answer to prayer. Your church is an answer to prayer, as well as are your pastors, teachers and youth workers. As a church member, your attendance and participation is an answer to the prayer of your pastors and intercessors. When you asked God to lead you to the church you should attend, your current church became God's answer to your prayer!

Paul wrote, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might" (Ephesians 1:18-19).

If you are a Christian, there is a power accompanying your life that is greater than great—the "surpassing greatness of His power." It is not human power, but the actual "strength of His might."

Think About It: The Strength of God Almighty is Attached to Your Prayer Life!

The power of God's might is His resurrection power. What does resurrection mean? It means that things which look dead, smell dead, and act dead, can be touched by God and raised to life!

God demonstrated this "power toward us who believe" first "in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the Heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:19-20).

Right now, you have resurrection power attached to your prayer life!

You can look on things that are absolutely dead and pray forth eternal LIFE! The power in us is the same potency God demonstrated when He raised Jesus out of the grave; it is resurrection power. Our mission is to bring resurrection life to situations that are dead.

If the devil challenges your prayer, remind him that you are seated with Christ, "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come" (Ephesians 1:21).

Christ's authority is final. But not only has the Father put "all things in subjection under His feet," but He "gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Notice the Lord uses anatomical metaphors to explain the downlink of authority:
Christ is the "Head" of a "Body" that has all things put under its "feet."

This is a most profound understanding of our role: What the Head, Christ, has attained, the feet of the Church walk out. In other words, God has positioned the Church as the living bridge between the terrible conditions on earth and the wonderful solutions from Heaven!

As we truly, passionately, and accurately submit to Christ in prayer, the Kingdom of Heaven steadily enters our now prayed-for world.

The key of course, is to know Christ's Word. We do not have authority; Christ has authority. What we have is revelation and submission. But as we submit to the Word, and persevere in prayer, we can see the future conformed to God's will.

Prayer Warriors Are Positioned By God

Jesus told a parable to show that men ought to pray at all times and not lose heart (see Luke 18:1-8). In other words, if you are not praying, you will lose heart. Most of the things I pray for I have to persevere and pray through to get the answer.

God desires to see something deeper come out of my prayer time than just answered prayers. He wants me to become like Jesus, so He arranges battles that are character-forming. Not only will they ultimately change the world around me, but they'll change me first. This is what all true prayer warriors have discovered.

When we picture a prayer warrior, we usually see a great-aunt or grandmother. I think that every family has one. You never find them looking into a crystal ball to know the future for little Johnny—they are at the throne of God creating Johnny's future in prayer. They are not wondering if Mary is going to make it; they are praying her through to victory. They do not have time to lament Harry's drinking problem; they are storming Heaven to see him delivered.

Prayer warriors are the most frightening, powerful, demon-chasing, world-moving beings on earth. In truth, they act like children of God!

If they were to gaze at a crystal ball, it would explode! They look at astrological predictions and rebuke them. They never wonder about the future because they are too busy creating it through their faith in God.

Prayer warriors are positioned by God to pray for their families.

I remember when my Dad came to the Lord. For ten years we would intellectually clash about God during our visits. Finally, on one trip he arrived at our home "armed" with an argument against God. He said, "If there really is a God, why doesn't He always answer prayer?" He was secure in his position, and I was tired of the argument. I went into another room for a few minutes and prayed, "Lord, You've got to give me an answer."

When I returned I could see my Dad felt he won this round. I love my dad very, very much, but I said, "Dad, forget all the people that you think didn't get answers to prayer—you yourself are an answer to prayer! You are alive today because our entire family daily prays for you." (He was very overweight and smoked a pack of cigarettes daily). Then I continued, "But let's experiment. You say God doesn't answer prayer; we say He does. So, for one week we won't pray for you, and we'll see what happens."

I can't remember ever seeing my dad turn so pale. He looked over at my Mom and said, "Hon, tell the boy not to do that." Then, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead, he said to me, "Okay. What do I have to do to keep you praying for me?"

In three minutes, he went from not believing in prayer to begging us to keep praying for him. I said, "Dad, the only way I'll keep praying for you is if you pray right now and give your life to Christ," and my dad at that moment received Christ. The Lord answered my prayer.

Prayer anchors us in God's strength for our battles. Each of us knows prayer works: we are saved because someone else prayed for us! Thus, looking at the miracle of our own conversion, we gain confidence in God's help to transform others.

You Are a Prayer Warrior!

Luke 21:36 tells us to be "praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." Every time the Bible talks about standing before God, it is speaking of a position of anointed authority and commissioning. Elijah stood before God as did Gabriel. It speaks of one who stands before God as an attendant to the Almighty. When they decree God's Word, it comes to pass.

Jesus said, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
Under that banner, we pray and believe God. The Holy Spirit ever lives to make intercession. All we need to do is open our hearts to Him and prayer is going to come forth.

Look at the terrible issues of our world right now. Every need we see is where God wants us to release, through prayer, His future for that situation. God shows us what is wrong so we can pray for things to be made right. Why waste energy criticizing what's wrong when our prayers can change it!

The Lord our God in the midst of us is mighty. Our weapons are mighty to pulling down strongholds. Stop thinking of yourself as unable to pray. That's a lie out of hell. You are a prayer warrior!

There was a time when that great aunt or grandmother was a younger woman. She might have been just like you, and God showed her the needs around her. His grace came and she made a decision not to judge, but to pray. She didn't start off strong, but she became strong. Now it's your turn to make that decision to be the prayer warrior for your family, church or city!"

Let's pray: Lord Jesus, You said that the armies in Heaven follow You, and Your name is called "the Word of God." Help me to not only believe Your Word, but pray it in the power of the Holy Spirit! I accept that You have called me to be a prayer warrior. By Your grace, I receive a new anointing in intercession. Amen!

Author: Francis Frangipane - Ministries of Francis Frangipane
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Keys to Effective Prayers

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son that who so ever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16


The Duck & the Devil (Author Unknown)

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it.

He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes' But Sally said, 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.' Then she whispered to him, 'Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.' Sally just smiled and said, 'Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help' She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?'

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is...

You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved. When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

* For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor 5:21 KJV

* But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil 2:7, 8 KJV
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Thank God for the Cross!

"God...reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV

Tim Miller writes: "My nine-year-old daughter Jennifer was looking forward to our family holiday. But she became ill, and a long anticipated day at Sea World was replaced by an all-night series of CT scans, X-rays and blood tests at the hospital. As morning approached the doctor told my exhausted little girl that she would need to have one more test, a spinal tap. The procedure would be painful, they said. The doctor then asked me if I planned to stay in the room. I nodded, knowing I couldn't leave Jennifer alone during the ordeal. The doctor gently asked Jennifer to remove all her clothing. She looked at me with child-like modesty as if to ask if that were alright. They had her curl up into a tiny ball. I buried my face in hers and hugged her. When the needle went in, Jennifer cried. As the searing pain increased, she sobbed repeatedly, 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,' her voice becoming more earnest with each word. It was as if she were saying 'Oh Daddy, please, can't you do something?' My tears mingled with hers. My heart was broken, I felt nauseated. Because I loved her, I was allowing her to go through the most agonising experience of her life.

In the middle of that spinal tap my thoughts went to the Cross. What unspeakable pain both the Son and the Father went through - for our sake."

But because of the Cross of Christ we have:

(1) Reconciliation. "God...reconciled us to Himself" (2 Cor 5:18 NKJV).

(2) Regeneration. "Having been born again" (1 Pet 1:23 NKJV).

(3) Resurrection. "Everyone who...believes...I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40 NKJV).
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Jesus conquered death for you! "He has given us...a living hope." 1 Peter 1:3 NIV

Ernest Becker wrote a book called The Denial of Death. In it he said we live our lives ignoring, avoiding and repressing the truth that we are mortal, and sooner or later we are all going to die. He pointed out that it's the reason for our workaholism, approval addictions and obsession with money and security. Becker published his book in 1973 with great acclaim, and in 1974 he won the Pulitzer Prize and became famous. That year he found out he had cancer. That year he turned to God. That year he died.

It's said that Arizona has the largest cryonics foundation in the world. For a healthy fee your blood can be filled with anti-coagulants, your body frozen and stored in a capsule of liquid nitrogen at minus 160ºc until you can be reheated later. At that point advanced medical technology can cure whatever disease killed you and you can live again. Or if you don't like being cold, another company offers "eternity in a paperweight". For a small fee your DNA is put in a little box for the next 10,000 years so that you can be cloned whenever it's convenient. They also offer a 10,000-year money-back guarantee, though it's hard to say who will collect it if things go wrong.

John Ortberg writes, "We try to outsmart death in more subtle ways; health clubs, skin creams, surgical techniques, new diets, warmer climates, better medication, smarter doctors and more. Perhaps science will help us live forever, like Gulliver's toothless, hairless, memoryless race of Struldbrugs."

Rejoice, Jesus conquered death, and His resurrection guaranteed yours:

"He has given us...a living hope through the resurrection...into an inheritance that can never perish" (1 Pet 1:3-4 NIV).

Mount Auburn, America's first cemetery, was so beautiful it became the number one tourist attraction in Boston. When they created Central Park in New York they modelled it after Mount Auburn. The rallying cry was, "Why not have it all, but without the graves?" We keep trying to have it all, but without the graves! But we can't. We live only a heartbeat from eternity.

So here are two truths you must keep in mind:

(1) God put you on this earth for a specific purpose. Have you found yours yet?

Are you pouring your life into it and making every moment count?

Paul did, and he ended up writing: "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Tim 4:6-8 NKJV).

(2) When you know Christ as your Saviour, the best is yet to be. It is said that on his deathbed, D.L. Moody suddenly sat upright, opened his arms as though embracing something wonderful, declared that earth was receding, Heaven was near, and that it was his coronation day. What a way to go!

You don't need to fear death because Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NKJV). Believe it, it's true!

Written Bob Gass Ministries Used with Permission from "The Word For Today": April 2009 http://www.blogger.com/
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Jesus as someone has said passed from gory to glory in a short space of time; from tragedy to triumph; from the cross to the crown; from despair to delight, from rejection to rejoicing, from villain to victor. Isn't that wonderful. May our hearts be glad because of all that He has done. But please don't take my word for it - look beyond the cross to the crown, beyond the grave to the skies. Be blessed and have a wonderful Easter.

If you do not know Jesus & would like to know more please write to me Jan Lyall at email: prayer@swpwarriors.com & I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Whilst tidying the "Reflection Archives" I became aware of one consistant theme that the Lord has impressed upon me over over the years - Abba wants us to spend more time with Him so that we can know Him at a deeper level may this message bless You!
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The Secret to Knowing God - How to walk in deeper intimacy with your Creator (Bayless Conley)

Deep down, I truly believe every Christian wants to experience a deeply personal and intimate relationship with God. And I also believe each and every believer in Christ can have this kind of relationship with their Creator.

But there is often a problem in how we approach God. We often go to Him looking for rewards… or we’re constantly asking Him for things. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t go to God with our cares and burdens. In fact, He tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 to tell Him about our concerns because He cares so much for us.

But if you want to know God… I mean, really know Him… there is another prayer He wants to hear from you. It’s a prayer like the one we hear Moses pray in Exodus 33:13. In my mind, this is one of the greatest prayers in all of Scripture:

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.” Moses didn’t just say, “Come with us, God” but he said, “Show me Your way because, God, I want to know You.” And then Moses added to it in verse 18, when He said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

The Hebrew word for “glory” literally means “weight, mass, or substance.” So in essence Moses is saying, “God, I want to know what You’re made of. I don’t just want to know about You. I want to know You. I want to know who You are.”

The word that Moses used when he said he wanted to know God is the same word that’s used in Genesis 4:1 where it says, “Adam knew Eve his wife.” Moses is requesting to have the most personal, intimate relationship with God. He wants to draw close to God.

Friend, prayers like that touch the heart of God because not too many people pray them!

I read a story about Abraham Lincoln that took place during the Civil War. A woman actually came to the White House and somehow got in with a plate full of cookies. When she finally got through to the president, she said, “Mr. President, I don’t want anything at all. I was just thinking about you today and the load that you are carrying… and I just thought maybe some cookies would brighten up your day.”

Lincoln began to weep and said, “Madam, I see a great many people every day, and they want a great many things from me. But of all the people I’ve seen since being in office, you are the first one that has ever come not asking something of me but wanting to bring something to me.”

While God delights in answering our prayer, He also desires for us to bring something to Him. But how often do we... do you… come just to bring Him something?

It’s the kind of prayer that says,

“God, I want to know You. I just want to hang out. I want to find out who You are. Show me what You are made of.”

Friend, I think we can all know God in a personal and intimate way… just like Moses did… the way Paul did… even the way Abraham did.

Paul cried out in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection.”

And Abraham discovered what God meant when He said in Genesis 15:1, “I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Life is about knowing God! So let me challenge you today to pray a prayer like this:

God, show me who You are. I’m not coming with a request. I’ve got a long list, but I’ll leave it outside the door for now. God, I’m just coming to You because I want to know You. I just want to make Your heart happy. I want to make You smile. God, show me Your ways.

Doing this will delight the heart of God! And you’ll be surprised at some of the things that begin to happen within your life when you pray this prayer. Because I truly believe God is crying out, saying “Oh, that they walk in My ways!” He wants you to know Him today!
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When You Speak, God Hears

Those who pray keep alive the watch fires of faith. For the most part we don't even know their names. Such is the case of someone who prayed on a day long ago. His name is not important. He is important not because of who he was, but because of what he did.

He went to Jesus on behalf of a friend. His friend was sick, and Jesus could help, and someone needed to go to Jesus, so someone went. Others cared for the sick man in other ways. Some brought food; others provided treatment; still others comforted the family. Each role was crucial. Each person was helpful, but no one was more vital than the one who went to Jesus.

John writes: "So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick'" (John 11:3, emphasis mine). Someone carried the request. Someone walked the trail. Someone went to Jesus on behalf of Lazarus. And because someone went, Jesus responded.
In the economy of heaven, the prayers of saints are a valued commodity. John the apostle would agree. He wrote the story of Lazarus and was careful to show the sequence: The healing began when the request was made.

The phrase the friend of Lazarus used is worth noting. When he told Jesus of the illness, he said, "The one you love is sick."

The power of the prayer, in other words, does not depend on the one who makes the prayer but on the one who hears the prayer.

We can and must repeat the phrase in manifold ways. "The one you love is tired, sad, hungry, lonely, fearful, depressed." The words of the prayer vary, but the response never changes. The Savoir hears the prayer. He silences heaven so he won't miss a word. The Master heard the request. Jesus stopped whatever he was doing and took note of the man's words. This anonymous courier was heard by God.

John's message is critical. You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter his presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God--and he listens. Intently. Carefully.

The prayers are honoured as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord. "The smoke from the incense went up from the angel's hand to God" (Rev. 8:4). Incredible.

Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God. One call and heaven's fleet appears. Your prayer on earth activates God's power in heaven. You are the someone of God's kingdom. Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don't need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!

When you speak, Jesus hears. And when Jesus hears, the world is changed. All because someone prayed.

Source: UpWords with Max Lucado Feb 6th 2009
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Keys To Effective Prayer

1. - Being Specific in what you request of God

In Mark 10:46-52 we find a very intriguing story.
Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

The question Jesus asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?", seemed obvious, didn't it? Everybody present knew Bartimaeus needed his eyes to be healed. Why would Jesus ask this question? He wanted us to understand how important it is to be specific when we ask something of God. Bartimaeus' faith had to become specific before it made him well. It was after he said, "Lord, that I might receive my sight," that Jesus said, "Your faith has made you well."

2. -- Being Connected - The need to have a close relationship with God.

In John 15:5, Jesus says, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

God wants every part of our life to be connected to Him. And He tells us that as that happens, as we have our lives connected with Him, we bear much fruit. A few verses later Jesus directly connected that fruit to prayer.

In John 15:16, Jesus goes on to say, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

If we are connected to God and we abide in Him, Jesus says we will bear much fruit--prayer fruit.

Think about a fruit tree for a moment. The leaves come out because the branches are attached to the tree. In the spring the branch will blossom, and from those blossoms comes the fruit. But if something happens and the branch is not solidly connected to the tree, it will probably not bear any fruit at all. There may be a few leaves, but the blossoms won't come and there won't be any fruit. The blossoms and healthy fruit will only come if the branch is fully connected. God wants us connected to Him in every part of our lives. When that happens, our prayers will be in line with His desires, and we can be confident that He will answer.

How to Stay Connected - While there are many things we can do, I want to focus on two things.

First of all, if you want to have a close relationship with God, it is important to realize just how much He desires to have a close relationship with you.

This is an amazing truth when you stop to think about it. He is Almighty God, and yet He wants to have a close relationship with you.

Romans 5:11 in the New Living Translation says, Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Through Jesus, God made us to be His friends! So connecting with God starts with remembering He desires to be your closest friend.

Second, you need to practice His presence. Right now God is with you. He is everywhere you go. He is at your job; He is at your home; He is with you wherever you might be, even in the hardest time of your life.

The last part of Hebrews 13:5 says, For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

There was a monk in the seventeenth century named Brother Lawrence who wrote a book called The Practice of the Presence of God. In the monastery there were chimes that rang every hour, and Brother Lawrence would use that as a reminder to connect with God. If you have a PDA or a wristwatch or a cell phone, you might consider setting it to go off throughout the day to remind you that God is with you. Each time it goes off, spend a few moments communing with Him. Practice His presence. That will help you stay connected to God

3. -- Praying From the Heart
Romans 10:9-10 says, If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Prayer must come from the heart. These verses in particular teach us that if a person is going to pray a prayer of salvation, the heart and the mouth must get together. It is not good enough to just have the words. Your heart and mouth must be in agreement.

I believe this truth applies to every kind of prayer. It is not good enough to just use eloquent words. There has to be heart behind them if you are going to realize results from your prayers. I think only those things that burn brightly within our hearts truly touch the heart of God.

When I was young, I would go fishing with my cousins. At night, the bats would come out and my cousins would take a lure, and they would cast it up in the air. Every once in a great while one of the bats would hit the lure and get snagged. I think when we pray, it is like casting lines up into the heavens. But it is only the prayers that come from our heart that ever hook onto anything in heaven.

4. -- Consistent with God's Will -

Effective prayers are those that are in line with God's Word and will. This means you must have knowledge of God's Word.

In John 15:7, Jesus says, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."

If you abide in God and His words abide in you, your desires will line up with His will. How important it is for us to know the Word of God!

As Hebrews 4 reminds us, the Word of God is living and active and powerful. It is spirit; it is life. It's not just pages on a piece of paper. And as you are in the Word of God, I believe the Holy Spirit will paint heaven's pictures, heaven's thoughts, and heaven's ideas on the canvas of your heart and your mind.

As you read the Word of God, you will have confidence in your prayers because you will have God's heart. And when you have God's heart, He is going to answer your prayers because that is what He desires.

I also want to point you to 1 John 5:14 which says,
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. His will, of course, is His Word. So if you ask anything according to His Word, He will hear you. And if you know that He hears whatever you ask, you know you have the petitions you have asked of Him. This means you and I need to know what the Bible says so that our prayers will be answered.

5. -- Endurance - Whatever you are praying for, patiently endure.

Hebrews 6:11-15 says, And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Do you realize that once God gave Abraham and Sarah the promise of having a child, it was 25 years before Isaac was born? There was some patient enduring that took place before they obtained the reality of God's promise in their lives. And so it must be with us.

Perhaps you have been praying for things in your life, and you are getting discouraged.

You must remember that God does not always work things on our timetable. He works according to His. I just want to encourage you today: Be patient. Patience is that long-lasting quality of your faith.

A number of years ago I heard one person say that faith is like your hand and patience is like your arm. When you exercise faith, it is like holding up your hand against the problem, and as you do, things are being worked out. But if you take your patience down, your faith comes down with it. Patience is the thing that keeps your faith applied until the answer comes.

6. -- Humility - God resists the proud. He gives grace to the humble.

In 1 Peter 5:5-6 we read this, Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Humility, more than anything else, is an attitude of the heart that says, "I recognize I am not self-sufficient. I am open, I am teachable, I am thankful. God, I am willing to bow my heart before You and confess that I am in utter need of Your assistance."

Contrary to what some people say and think, humility is not to be equated with lack of courage. in fact, it takes great courage for a person to admit they have need. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is a sign of strength.

King David said in Psalm 18:35, Your gentleness (or Your meekness) has made me great. Moses was called the meekest or the humblest man on the face of the earth, and yet we don't think of him as a weak person. He is one of the greatest leaders to ever step out of the pages of the Bible, and very few people in history have had power with God in the place of prayer like Moses did.

Jesus, our Savoir, said, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" (KJV).

Friend, that ought to be one of the hallmark qualities of our lives-- especially when we are praying.

7. -- The Holy Spirit's Help - Take time to praise God today for His provision of the Holy Spirit.

In John 16, Jesus is talking to His disciples, and He is trying to prepare them and let them know that He is going away. In John 16:7 He tells them, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."

Do you know who the Helper is? It is the Holy Spirit. Earlier in John 14:26 he had told His disciples this, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

The Helper, the Holy Spirit, has been sent to come alongside and teach us all things. He will teach you how to pray; He will teach you things about prayer. The Holy Spirit will help you in that way.

Then He said, "[He will] bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." The Holy Spirit will help us remember the promises. The things that God has taught us He will bring to our remembrance, so we can pray effectively.

The Holy Spirit is like having a personal assistant. A personal assistant will help you remember your appointments or show you something you do not know. Every moment of every day He is there for us.

8. -- Forgiveness - Jesus cited unforgiveness as the number one reason for unanswered prayer.

In Mark 11:24-26 Jesus says, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Pretty strong, isn't it? If my prayers were not being answered, this would be the first place I would look--into my own heart, to see whether I had allowed bitterness toward another human being to reside there. Whether I was harbouring a grudge or had strife in my heart toward anyone else.

Jesus said if you have anything against anyone, anything--big or small, new or old--or anyone--yourself, your husband, your wife, a family member, a loved one, a neighbour, a co-worker, a relative, an enemy--if you have anything against anyone, it will lead to unanswered prayer.

Sometimes people hold things against themselves. They do not forgive themselves, even after God has forgiven them and after others have forgiven them. They just want to whip themselves for their stupidity for falling into the same stupid sin again, or for whatever they have done, and they don't release themselves!

There are others too, including those closest to us, whom we must forgive. If your prayers are not being answered, then look there.

Perhaps you have searched the Scriptures, filled your heart with the Word, you are praying from the bottom of your heart, and you are expectant of answers; but before you can partake of the fruit of your prayers, you must forgive if you have anything against anyone!


Hindered Prayers

1 Peter 3:7 says, Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honour to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Notice it says, "Husbands, likewise," which means, gals, you are not off the hook. The following truth applies to you as much as it does to the boys. That truth is simply this: If there is bitterness or unforgiveness in your heart toward your spouse, your prayers will be hindered. That word hindered literally means to be cut down in the same way one would cut down a tree.

I once had this incredible tree called a cherimoya tree. One of the things about a cherimoya tree is that it is not indigenous to our country, and the insects that pollinate it do not exist here.

In order for the tree to bear fruit, I needed to pollinate it by hand with my little artist paintbrush. I would get pollen on the brush from one flower and pollinate other flowers. Eventually the little buds I had pollinated began to turn into fruit. I was so excited! They were getting close to the time to be harvested. Then I came home one afternoon to find my whole tree hacked to pieces. Every branch and piece of fruit was in the trash. The gardener had cut my tree down!

I believe that can happen with our prayers.

You can be intensely committed spiritually, searching the Scriptures, filling your heart with the Word, praying from the bottom of your heart, but if you are not honouring your spouse or you are treating them in a bad way, the devil has the authority to waltz right in and chop your prayer tree down. Let's keep the axe out of the devil's hand by honouring and forgiving and valuing our marriage partner.

The Power to Forgive

There are times when we need to forgive someone for something they have done. On occasion it can seem so difficult...almost impossible. But forgiveness is not an option for you and me as followers of Jesus Christ. Forgiveness is an act of the will. You can forgive. In fact, Jesus said that we even need to love our enemies, those who may not want peace with us.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."

How can you do that? Because God has done the same thing for you.

In Romans 5:10 it says, When we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. When you and I embrace salvation through Jesus Christ, that same love of God is poured out in our hearts. (See Romans 5:1 and 5). As a result, we can forgive those who have wronged us.

Once you have forgiven someone, it can still affect your emotions. I like what Corrie ten Boom shared. She went through several sleepless weeks over something that someone had done to her. She tried to forgive the person; but, still, when she would think about it, she would respond emotionally.

When she shared this with her pastor, he had her look up at the bell tower of the church. He reminded her that the bell would continue to ring even after the person ringing it had let go of the rope. But given a little time, the bell would slow down until it was silent. It may take time for your emotions to settle even when you have let go of the rope. Just let go of the rope and forgive. You can do it!

Source: By Janet Conley - From Answers For Each Day - Dec 2008
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12 Steps to Change Your Prayer Life -

1. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” (Prov. 21:1)

If your thoughts wander during your prayer time, instead of trying to force them back into your pre-set agenda, try following them. Perhaps the Lord has another agenda.

2. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” (Matt. 6:5-6).

Set a time for daily prayer. Consider it an unbreakable commitment. Keep your set appointment every day for one week. For one solid week, let your scheduled prayer time be the centrepiece of your day: arrange everything else to fit around it.

3. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

Give God the first fruits of your day. For one week, give the very first 30 minutes of your day to prayer.

4. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

Find a place in your home where you can be alone and undistracted during your prayer time. Keep your Bible, prayer journal, pen, and whatever tools you use in that place so that everything is ready. During your prayer time each day, this is a sacred place.

5. “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah. 6:1)

As you start your prayer time, before you say anything, let your mind’s eye see Him, high and exalted, and yourself in a position of worship before Him. Stay in that inner posture until His glory fills your thoughts as the train of His robe fills the temple.

6. “But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’” (Luke 8:46 )

Take time to become truly alive to His presence with you. Be aware that as you touch Him through prayer, His power is released into your life.

7. “O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.” (Ps. 78:1)

Read your Bible this morning with the awareness that you are listening to the words of His mouth. Stop at the first word, phrase, or thought that captures your attention and let the Father speak to you about it and let it shape your prayers.

8. “We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isa. 64:8)

This week, practice the prayer of pliability. Instead of focusing on what you want God to do for you, focus on allowing Him to shape your desires until they match His. Accept each situation in your life as His hand shaping your thoughts, character, and longings.

9. “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
This week, let these words be the only prayer you pray about situations that confront you. Focus on relinquishing every situation to Him to be a platform for His power.

10. “I will remember the deeds of the LORD.” (Ps. 77:11)
This week, try writing out your prayers. It will help you stay focused and will create a record of God’s work in your life.

11. “My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.” (Ps. 35:28)

This week, practice praying out loud during your private prayer time. It will make your prayer experience more concrete and will help you keep your mind focused.

12. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; …talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut. 11:18-20)

This week, try walking as you pray. Walk through your neighbourhood or around your yard. You will be more able to keep your mind open to new thoughts the Lord might introduce. You are likely to find yourself spending more time with Him.

Author: Jennifer Kennedy Dean - Right to the Heart of Women
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