Can You Hear Me Now, God? – Thankful that He Listens

November 8, 2012 by Lisa Burgess 20 Comments

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer.
Psalm 61:1

I failed this week. My husband Jeff needed to talk about his frustrations at work. And he needed me to listen. But instead I twisted something he said about himself into something about me. I grew insecure, the conversation got derailed, and he felt unheard.

Who listens to you?

When you have something you need to pour out, who do you talk to? We all have go-to friends or family we know will hear us out.

But what about God? Do you go to Him?

Because you can’t watch His eyes to see if He’s paying attention, do you wonder if you have coverage? Do you think He’ll tune you out if you don’t pray with the right words? Do you think you have to be perfect to deserve an audience?

If so, it’s time to believe differently. God does listen. Here’s how you can know.

God hears because:

1. God is alive

When Elijah, God’s prophet, contested with Baal’s prophets, it was only the real God who heard and acted (1 Kings 18:36-38). Idols of wood and stone can’t hear (Deuteronomy 4:28). You have a Savior who is very much alive, inviting you near to His throne of grace to talk with Him (Hebrews 4:14-16).

2. God is with you

As a believer, wherever you go, there goes God. You are the temple for His Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). He’s always close and is never out of range.

3. God delights in delivering

When Hagar and Ishmael cried out, God heard and delivered (Genesis 21:16-17). When the Hebrews groaned in slavery in Egypt, God heard and delivered (Exodus 2:24). When you cry for help, He hears and will deliver you, too (Psalm 34:17).

4. God is your Father

Would you turn a deaf ear if your child said, “Mom, I have something I need to talk about”? If you in your imperfect parenting can listen, how much more will God, the perfect Parent, listen when you have something to say to Him (Matthew 7:11)?

5. God loves you

God listens because He cares (Psalm 145:17-18). When Nehemiah cried for God’s ears to be attentive, God gave him favor with King Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 1:5-6). He longs to give you what you need, too, if you will ask Him for it (Matthew 7:7).

God hears you because of who He is (Psalm 143:1). And whose you are. Not because you’ve mastered a prayer formula. Not because you’ve been good enough to earn His attention. But because you are His.

He will never fail to listen to His own.

Jesus thanked God that He heard Him (John 11:41).
Will you thank Him for that, too?
He’d love to hear you right now.

But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Psalm 66:19

Let’s start a thank-you list to God. Can you add a thankful comment about a blessing you’ve received this week, large or small? He’s listening!

Bible Notebook: Prayer Album for Women on the Go

September 18, 2012 by Julie 11 Comments

I’m pretty sure I frequently look like a refugee. Women have a lot of “stuff” to take with us. Maybe it’s because we want to be prepared for any possible scenarios. Maybe it’s because we want to justify having large floral bags. Maybe it’s because people get used to us with a diaper bag appendage, and that matures into carrying extra snacks, random trash, and assorted fast food coupons. Or maybe it’s that we want to be ready to use our spare moments well.

When life is busy, we need to think ahead about how to make the most of time to turn our hearts to the Lord. There are many ways to organize simple devotional, study, and prayer resources we can take with us.

As a woman often on the go, there are times when I just can’t take my Bible Study materials with me. I want a handy, easy-to-carry, mobile tool for unexpected times I can turn my attention to the Lord. Imagine yourself sitting in a school pick up line … because you didn’t have time to go home. Think about waiting at the doctor’s office … because she was called away to an emergency. Or envision the 30 minutes wait during a music lesson, because it’s not long enough to leave and come back. Women have little time to waste, yet we have to learn to wait. In the waiting, it’s good to have a Prayer Album for Women on the Go. Pull it out of your purse, glove compartment, lunch bag, desk, diaper bag, or other case and use your time to do a little “praying without ceasing.”

We created these Prayer Albums as an activity at a women’s shelter. We talked about, “How do you really pray without ceasing?” It was a fun way to spend an evening with other women, putting together a tool we can all use to make the most of our time and help us abide in the Vine (John 15:1-11) in our busy lives, talking to God throughout our days.

Five sections for prayer include: Praises (giving thanks), Pits (temptations/sin), People (specific needs/hopes), Pleas (burdens/requests), Promises (scripture to guide/encourage).

Download The Prayer Album for Women on the Go here.

10 Steps to Make Your Prayer Album for Women on the Go

Purchase a 4×6 slide in photo book (Ex. $2 option & $4 option at Target) & index cards
Print out the 6 pages on to card stock
Carefully cut out the divider cards
Prepare 2 tabbed cards for each section: Praises/Pits/People/Pleas/Promises
Trim away extra words, preparing 2 cards per section
The final card can be used as a cover card
Put two cards, back to back, into a pocket, so that they show on each side
Fill 3-4 pages with index cards in between each section
Repeat for each section
Use index cards to write down requests, answers to prayer, and scripture, and update regularly. You can even add pictures or notes unique to the content.

Click here to download your free printable Prayer Album cards.

And when you carve out sweet time to open up your Bible Notebook, use the Bible Notebook tabs, the Meditation Worksheet, pages for Seminar and Sermon Notes, and Prayer Calendars to dig deep in God’s Word.

Unshakeable Faith Testimony ~ Week 1

September 14, 2012 by Julie 8 Comments

On the journey from a shaky to an unshakeable faith, it can be really hard to “count it all joy,” and in the midst of a trial, a “little while” can seem like a long time. Ground Zero in your trial may feel like the loneliest place you’ve ever been, with few rays of sunlight. In those moments, we may lift our eyes heavenward and wonder if God sees us and our pain, if He’s working, and if the disappointment covering us as we tremble in front of that roadblock could possibly be used for good.

As we shore up the foundations of our faith during these weeks together, our team invites you to sit down with us on Fridays as we share first-hand experiences of watching God use trials to strengthen our faith and that of women where we live.

Today I want to share the story of a U-turn, a desperate prayer, and God’s amazing provision in the middle of one woman’s trial. None of it was by chance; it was all part of His perfect plan to give a group of woman Unshakeable Faith.

How is God strengthening YOUR faith this week?

Bible Notebook: Prayer Calendars

September 5, 2012 by Teri Lynne Underwood 10 Comments

I used to be an organizational ninja! In fact, just a couple of years ago I wrote a post called The Type A Person Prays. As I was praying and contemplating what to share this month as we highlight tools you can use for Bible study, I came across that post. And, to be honest, I was very convicted … it’s been far too long since I have been focused and intentional in my prayers.

In that post, I shared about using Prayer Calendars to organize your prayer times. Perhaps you are like me and often find yourself lost in the daily demands of mothering, wife-ing, housekeeping, working, and laundering. Prayer calendaring is a great way to maintain focus in your prayers.

I have used both weekly and monthly prayer calendars. First, the weekly:

I assign a specific prayer need to each day of the week.

For example:

Sunday – church services, both my church as well as other churches in my community and those pastored by family and friends

Monday – our church staff and the ministries of our church

Tuesday – my daughter’s school system and the teachers

Wednesday – my family

Thursday – Scott’s family

Friday – my community, the ministries that happen here, our local government, etc.

Saturday – the week ahead. I like to use my calendar and pray over any activities, etc., we have coming up.

Using a weekly prayer calendar helps me spend quality time praying for the needs of those close to me as well as in my church and community. I am adding a new component to my prayer calendar – focus Scriptures. As I find passages or verses that pertain to the specific areas about which I am praying, I will be making note of them on my prayer calendars.

The other type of prayer calendar I use (at the recommendation of my daddy) is a monthly prayer calendar. I assign a specific prayer theme to each month. Then with the monthly calendar I fill in a person, situation, etc., to pray for during each day.

Here are some of the prayer themes I have used for my monthly prayer calendar:

myself
my husband
my daughter
national, state, and local governmental leaders
foreign mission fields and ministries like One Verse and the Gideons who provide the Bible in many languages
North American mission fields, church plants, etc.
summer months – how we should use them, etc. (I typically do this in May.)
focus and direction for the year ahead (typically in January)
adopting families and ministries like Compassion and World Vision
my friends
gratitude (November is a great time for this!)
friends we have in ministry
crisis pregnancy ministry
La Clinica Cristiana (the local health care ministry where I volunteer)
back to school (teachers, home school families, etc.)

The options are endless … but I have found that by devoting an entire month to praying for such specific topics helps me keep those things on my mind throughout the whole year.

You can download both of these calendars and use them for your personal prayer time. (To download the weekly prayer calendar, click here, right-click on the image, then choose “Save As…” to save the file on your computer. To download the monthly prayer calendar, click here, right-click on the image, then choose “Save As…” to save the file on your computer.)

How do you organize your prayer time? Have you ever used a prayer calendar or similar tool?

Hitting Rock Bottom and Finding THE Rock

May 3, 2012 by Teri Lynne Underwood 7 Comments

As the wife of a worship pastor, I’ve heard the explanation of “Here I raise mine Ebenezer” more than a few times. But there are moments when all we’ve heard transforms into all we know.

In 2007, my husband spent ten days in ICU. Seven of those days he was on life support. I needed a stone of help like never before in my life. You see, for me, my husband has always been the rock, the steady one, the person who helps me. In those moments when the only sounds were the rhythm of the ventilator and the melody of beeping from the symphony of machines keeping him alive, I hit the bottom, rock bottom, so to speak.

I was drained. Empty. Helpless.

These are the words God spoke to me through His living Word:

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:5-8, emphasis added

He reminded me, gently and tenderly, as He is wont to do that He ONLY is my rock, my mighty rock.

I sat there, alone, yet not alone. Surrounded by the heavy presence of the Most High God who beckoned me softly to trust Him. Even now, even with this.

Tears streaming down my face, blurring the words on the pages of my Bible, I cried out like the man who longed for healing for his child, “I believe, help my unbelief.” And this God, this Rock, this Refuge, He met me where I was. He accepted my fears, my doubts, even my anger and my hurt.

There in an ICU room in a hospital in south Georgia, I laid down me and I raised my Ebenezer. I chose to walk in faith that the road ahead would not leave me alone, for He would be with me. I chose to trust in Him. And He has been my refuge.

My husband has on his desk at the church a set of prayer rocks with various words for prompting prayers. A few years ago my daughter made sets of prayer rocks for her great-grandmother and her great-aunt. I have a little rock myself. A piece of gravel from the driveway of our home in south Georgia. I picked it up one morning after Scott was home from the hospital and doing much better. Because I wanted something to remind me … not a prompt to pray for my husband but an Ebenezer, a rock of help, to remind me of the God who is my Rock.

How has Scripture been an Ebenezer in your life? Are there passages that refocus you, remind you of the faithfulness of God in your life? Would you share them with us in the comments today?

The Most Powerful List You Can Make :: Run to Him :: Psalm 77

March 9, 2012 by Do Not Depart 8 Comments

We make lists. To do lists. To read lists. To buy lists.

We live in a fast paced society that is all about getting things done. Go. Go. Go. Our culture sees the power in movement. But in all that getting ahead, we miss the power of remembering.

Sometimes? At the end of a day, I make a list of the things I accomplished simply so I can check them off. Yes, I’m one of those people. But there is a certain power and momentum in remembering what we’ve done.

Photo credit

Apparently, the Psalmist was a list maker too. But he didn’t make a list of all the things he has or hasn’t done. Instead, he made a list of all the things God has done. And wow what a difference it made!

In Psalm 77, the writer was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

…I would not be comforted… (v. 2)

I was too troubled to speak. (v. 4)

Ever had one of those days? Ever wonder how to change the course of one of those days? Here’s how he did it:

Starting in verse 13, he began to simply list the wonders God has done.

Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. (v. 13)

The change in tone, attitude and hopefulness of the passage is simply remarkable from verse 13 onward.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph…You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (vv. 15, 20)

He may not have immediately felt different, but he immediately spoke different and that changed everything.

He took his eyes off of himself and what he could or couldn’t do. Instead put his eyes on God and what He has already done and will do again.

You see, God doesn’t change. He has been faithful to do wonders and He will be faithful to do wonders. Our greatest times of struggle are simply when we forget to remember.

Make a list

Keep a journal of the things God has done in your life. When troubles come your way, fight them with remembrance of the wonders He’s done.

What is one thing He’s done that you can remember today?

What did you learn from your study of the Psalms this week?

________________________________

Kat blogs at Inspired To Action, a site dedicated to helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world. Kat and her husband live in the great state of Texas and have 3 children ages 7, 5 and 2.

Top Ten Android Apps for Spiritual Growth

February 29, 2012 by Do Not Depart 33 Comments

Heather’s “Top 10 iPhone Apps for Spiritual Growth” post was great, but I am an Android user. (I did send it to all my iPhone-owning family members and friends who found the post useful though.)

So, below you will find some Droid apps that I have found to be helpful for my spiritual growth. (Some are the same as on iPhone, but links are to Android apps.)

Best Bible Study Apps

Christian Droid Apps 1. YouVersion Bible (FREE)
*Read/listen to the Bible with over 150 Bible versions and almost 200 Bible reading plans to help you read the Bible and track your progress.
*Easily search the Bible for either a reference or a keyword.
*Connect Twitter and Facebook accounts to easily share Bible verses.
*Bookmark your favorite Bible verses and sync them with YouVersion.com.
*Make public or private notes on your bible reading.

Christian Droid Apps 2. Daily Bible (FREE)
*Daily Bible Verse with daily notification
*Daily Bible Reading Plan
*Easy & Fast Search any Bible verse or topic: Easily search any verse of any topic.
*Daily Bible devotionals: Choose from a huge list of podcasts. Read or listen from devotions. Save a podcast and listen to it offline.
*Save or share Bible verse or plan or devotions easily on Facebook, Twitter, email, text etc.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 3. Logos Bible Software (FREE)
*Thousands of books and tools for Bible study
*Easy to read, verse preview, footnotes, and easy navigation.
*Includes powerful study tools: Passage Guide, Text Comparison, and Bible Word Study.
*When you download the app you get access to all features and more than 30 resources. When you sign up for a free Logos account, you get access to an additional 30 resources as well as access to over 16,000 resources for sale from the Logos and Vyrso libraries.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 4. MySword Bible (FREE)
*Multiple off-line Bibles, Commentaries and Dictionaries
*Bible version verse comparison
*Highlighting
*Bookmarks
*Type your personal notes and insights
*Search (concordance) for Bible, Commentaries and Personal notes
*Dictionary, Commentary and Journal/Book picture support
*Paragraph or Verse mode for the Bible view

Scripture Memory Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 5. RememberMe Bible Verses Memory (FREE)
*Listen to verses
*Study flashcards and play word puzzles
*Obfuscate a passage and fills in the gaps
*First letter and placeholder methods
*Line by line practice
*Daily reminders
*Flashcard widget for your home screen
*Numerous Bible translations
*More than 100 verses preloaded

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 6. Fighter Verses ($2.99)
*Over 520 verses included
*Add ANY VERSE using “My Verses” and optionally define topics for topical memory.
*SIX Bible translations – ESV, NIV, NASB, HCSB, KJV, LBLA
*Fill in the blank QUIZ
*SONGS to help you learn verses (ESV only)
*TOPICAL index for topical memory
*Configurable SCHEDULE for weekly memorization
*REMINDERS to memorize daily or weekly

Best Prayer Apps

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 7. Prayer Journal ($0.99)
*Keep a running list of topics that you are praying about
*Share entries or the entire journal with friends (email/text messaging)
*Set notifications to remind you to pray for the topic.
*Upload journal to Google Docs.
*When you feel you have reached an answer to your prayer topic(s), mark them as answered and keep them available for later viewing, to remind yourself of God’s goodness to you in those requests.

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 8. Prayers to Share (FREE)
*Share your prayers with people around the world
*Pray along with others
*Write out your prayers
*Keep track of those you pray for
*Share your prayers anonymously with others who can pray along on our Social Prayer Network
*…or just keep them private
*Receive inspiration from reading everyone’s prayers

Best Worship Apps

9. Pandora (FREE)
*Personalized radio streams music to your phone.
*Type in the name of a favorite artist, song, or composer and a station will be created to play their music and music like it.
*Here are some of the stations on my Pandora app:
Casting Crowns, Addison Road, Nichole Nordeman,
Chris Tomlin, Hillsong, and Brooke Fraser.
If you use Pandora, what stations do you have for your worship times?

Christian Droid Apps Christian Android Apps 10. 1000 Gifts (FREE)
*Quotes on awaking to the joy-filled power of grace and gratitude at your fingertips … to get you started
*Photo and video stream, texts, and voice recordings of your gifts … to keep you going
*A one-tap option to instantly share captured gifts to Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr … to keep friends and family inspired on their way to their one thousand gifts

Thanks Heather, for reminding me about this one!

11. And I have to sneak one more in here: KLOVE Positive & Encouraging (FREE). Commercial-free contemporary Christian music.

Which apps for spiritual growth would you add to the list?

_______________________________________________

Joyce is a business major turned PreK teacher turned stay-at-home mommy to 2 little girls (ages 5 and 2.5.) She likes to dabble in a little bit of everything, from writing newsletters (for our family and for MOPS) to crafting to trying out new recipes…basically just trying new things.

She loves God, family and friends, date nights, board games, books, and blogging. You can visit her over at Keeping Up with the Moys.

Climb out of the wine press! ~ Jehovah-shalom

October 24, 2011 by Julie 2 Comments

He was the least important child in the least important family of his tribe, in a nation oppressed for seven long years. Watched by the angel of the Lord from beneath a tree, Gideon threshed wheat in hiding, where the Midianites wouldn’t find him or his precious grain. He believed God had forsaken them, despite their unfaithfulness to Him. When the Angel approached Gideon to declare God was with him, Gideon spoke the honest, desperate words of a man whose daily life had worn deep ruts in suffering’s path. “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us …?” (Judges 6:13a).

Tired of being beaten down from his start on the lowest of places, Gideon asked what the honest among us will admit to wondering, “If God is with us, why is life so hard?”

Last week I created a spiritual life map of my journey with God. Some of my greatest discoveries about who God is came in my darkest places. I noticed that “valleys” were often followed by strength and advance. Gideon was in a low place when the angel of the Lord came and patiently answered his honest question. It wasn’t until the weary Israelite realized, “I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face” (v.22) that his desperation turned to fear. As if things weren’t bad enough, Gideon went from fragile to freaked out. Can you relate?

The Lord answered him where he was: “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” (v.23)

The only thing worse than being insignificant and insecure in the face of a marauding enemy is understanding how insignificant you are in the face of a holy God. Realizing he was part of a divine encounter with the God who had NOT forsaken him, Gideon built an altar of worship and named it for the discovery of his darkest moment: Jehovah-shalom. The Lord is peace. (Judges 6:11-24)

When we’re under attack, uncertain, in need, and painfully aware of our weakness, the world only offers illusions of temporary feelings suggesting peace. Jehovah-shalom IS peace, so He can promise, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

Gideon couldn’t conceive of what happened in the wine press that day, stunned as he served meat and unleavened bread to the angel of the Lord. The peace he found “passed understanding;” he encountered true peace in the midst of hardship. He discovered what God offers each one of us reading now: real peace.

“… do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

Yes, it surpasses understanding, but it can guard our hearts and our discouraged thoughts when we find ourselves in the wine press, hiding from our hardships and fighting fear. We can know the peace of Jehovah-shalom. We are meant to know the peace of Jehovah-shalom.

Let’s climb out of the wine press and get down on our knees, so He can cover us in peace that’s out of this world!

Live ready

September 27, 2011 by Julie 2 Comments

As we’ve been getting to know Mrs. P31, I can’t help thinking about what we aren’t told … What were her heartaches? What losses did she know? How did she suffer? What did she cry out to God about? Did she experience a miscarriage? Did she suffer from a chronic illness? Was her heart ever broken? Was her vineyard stricken by blight or theft?

Every woman’s life will encounter the unexpected, but an excellent wife is prepared.

In just the last few weeks within my “circle of wives,” I’ve heard friends facing surprises like job loss, family illness, husband’s emotional strain, and reject ion by children. As I sat in a waiting room today, a lady came in and sat down to watch the tv showing the national news. A perfect stranger, she turned to me and poured out her fears about family life in the world we live in. She was filled with dread. There’s a lot to dread. There’s a lot to fear. That’s the meaning of the word “afraid” in Prov. 31:21.

The excellent wife “is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet” (v.21). She isn’t afraid of the unexpected occurring, because she has readied her heart and her home for the challenges of life. Sudden changes will come, but she won’t be caught unprepared. Her husband is blessed because of her foresight.

Every woman’s life will encounter the unexpected, so before hardship hits, live ready:

Prepare your heart –

Walk with God. Be in His Word regularly, having a habit of going to His truth for your guidance and help. Hide it in your heart.

Worship God. Practice an attitude of gratitude to the Lord for Who He is and what He does. Don’t wait until it’s hard to rejoice.

Hear God’s Voice. Set a routine of prayer, but not routine prayer. Learn to talk to your Father now, so you go to Him first when trials come.

Fellowship with God’s People. Women who live isolated struggle more when hardship comes. Connect with other followers of God now.

Prepare your home –

Yield your home to God’s values by letting go of the convenient, comfortable, and cultural. God wants our homes to be:

peaceful

orderly

fruitful

godly

If our hearts and homes are prepared, we’ll be free to help our husband when he needs it. We’ll be able to reach out on behalf of our family. We’ll be able to give to others instead of being under our own load. Our heart and faith will be prepared to weather the storms that WILL come as we live out life as our husband’s wife.

Today is the day to prepare for tomorrow. Every woman’s life will encounter the unexpected, so before hardship hits, live ready. An excellent wife is prepared, and her husband is blessed because of it.

Fight the dread, and prepare instead!

Are you always waiting to prepare?
What are you waiting for?
What excuse do you need to confess to God and ask Him to change for a “more prepared” you?

Laundry Lessons

May 18, 2011 by ScriptureDig 2 Comments

I can’t help it. I see God’s Word illustrated in the real things of life, in the daily, the mundane, the dirty, the extraordinary, the usual, the familiar. His truth just reaches out and grabs me from places like the kitchen counter and the post office window. When I read “Laundry Lessons” from Teri Lynne, the truths resonated as an everyday reminder of our amazing God.

Teri Lynne writes, “Pulling warm clothes from the dryer, I carefully folded each piece. Smoothing out the wrinkles on shirts and pants, I thought of all the ways the Lord has smoothed out wrinkles in my life. Taking the trials and making them joy as He guides me along the path He has laid out for me.”

Tired of doing laundry? Teri Lynne will change the way you think of every load from this day forward.

Laundry Lessons

“Every thirty minutes the buzz echoes through my otherwise quiet house. I quickly finish the task at hand and redirect my attention toward the interrupting sound.

The day is spent in a mindless cycle of sort, wash, dry, fold, put away. I am struck by the simple truth that since God fashioned the garments of animal skin for Adam and Eve, fabrics of all types have been beaten with rocks, scrubbed on washboards, and tossed into machines. Those same garments have then been stretched out, hung up, and shoved in to dry. Carefully folded, they’ve been placed in drawers and baskets, on shelves and floors – prepared for use by the wearer …” (Read the rest here)

Paul on Prayer

April 7, 2011 by ScriptureDig 8 Comments

When you read through the Pauline epistles, you can’t help but notice that Paul was a man of prayer. In every one of his letters he mentions prayer. At times, he asks for prayer (Romans 15:30-33, Colossians 4:2-4), sometimes he explains how to pray or what the church should be praying for (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Timothy 2:1) and in most of his epistles he prays about how thankful he is for the church of the Living God.

An exhaustive study of Paul’s prayers reveal his heart for God and his heart for the church. Each prayer is rich with lessons that can change our own prayer life.

When he wrote to the church at Ephesus, he mentioned two specifics prayers he was praying for the body of Christ in that Greek city on the west coast of Asia Manor. They are found in Ephesians 1:15-19 and 3:14-21.

Paul’s prayers for the church of Ephesus have become prayers our own hearts often echo. Prayers for our families, our friends and ourselves.

Paul prayed because he knew it mattered – he understood that prayer changes things. Paul knew that prayer was getting ahold of Heaven for the needs we have on this earth – asking the God of heaven to intervene in the affairs of man.

Sometimes people don’t pray because they don’t think they know how. Maybe some don’t believe their prayers matter. Perhaps they have a hard time believing God will really respond to the cries of their heart or maybe they just don’t realize the gift they have beautifully packaged the privilege of prayer.

And while this example falls woefully short in significance, prayer is kind of like voting. Your prayer counts…it matters…it can change a destiny.

One prayer caused the sun to stand still. One prayer caused fire to come down from heaven. One prayer caused the Creator of the Universe to speak to Abraham, Moses, Jacob and David.

Do you think your one prayer is any less significant when it stems from a heart of faith?

If you struggle with how to pray, what to pray for or if you’re wondering if God will hear your prayer, take a look at what Paul’s prayers looked like in his prayer for the Ephesian church:

Thankfulness – Paul was thankful for the faith and love displayed by the church at Ephesus (I have not stopped thanking God for you).

Consistent Prayer – Paul was consistently thankful and consistently prayerful. (I pray for you constantly)

Wisdom & Insight – Paul was concerned enough about the spiritual growth of the church to pray for them. (that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him)

Enlightenment – Paul knew that only God could shed spiritual light on their understanding. He prayed they would have a confident hope and understand their calling in light of their position in Christ. (the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling,what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints).

Power & Strength – Paul prayed for the Ephesian church to understand and walk in the power that was theirs through Christ – to be strong. (that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being).

God’s Unmistakeable & Welcomed Presence – When Paul prayed, “Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him” he used the word “dwell” meaning to settle, to find His home there, as well as govern and prompt. Paul prayed that the church would be surrendered to God’s work in their individual hearts and in their midst.

Love – That they would grasp the depth of the love God has for them which would enable them to fully become who they were created to be. (to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God).

Worship – Paul finishes up his prayer with words of praise for the Living God and in so doing, he gives the Ephesian church (and us) a glimpse of what worship looks like. (Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen)

If you ever feel as though you aren’t sure what to pray for, you can always follow Paul’s lead as you pray for your family, your friends, the church and even yourself like he did.

Does Paul’s example of prayer help you in your own prayer life? What other lessons can we learn from Paul’s prayers for the Ephesian church? What does your prayer life reveal about your heart?

By the way – since we’re talking about prayer today – would you make it a matter of prayer to pray for the Scripture Dig team this weekend while we speak and minister to some wonderful women in Pigeon Forge?

Silence Is Not Prayer

January 12, 2011 by ScriptureDig 10 Comments

You can tell what subjects people are passionate about by looking at their books. If you come over and look at my shelf, you will see book after book on prayer. Some of my favorites include The Complete Works of EM Bounds on Prayer, How to Pray by Ronnie Floyd, All the Prayers of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer, and A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. You would think after reading all those books on prayer, I’d be an expert. But unfortunately, it’s just the opposite. I read all those books on prayer because I feel so inadequate. And my feelings of inadequacy have led to periods of prayerlessness in my life. But in the last year or so I’ve had some “ah-ha” moments in my prayer life. Realizations that changed my heart.

First, I pray more. In the words of EM Bounds, “Silence is not prayer.” He goes on to write, “Prayer is asking God for something which we have not, which we desire, and which he has promised to give us in answer to prayer. Prayer is really verbally asking. Words are in prayer. Strong words and true words are found in prayer. Desires in prayer are put in words. The praying one is a pleader.” My passive prayers like “Dear God, please bless so and so…” weren’t going to cut it anymore. If I wanted to feel the power of prayer, the power that changes hearts and lives and circumstances, I would need to realize the power of my words, and use more of them more often.

Second, I pray Scripture. Part of my struggle with prayer was that I felt like it was my will versus God’s will, and I know God’s will always win. So why pray? Well, the quickest and best answer is that we pray because we are commanded to pray. We’re even told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). So to get over feeling like it was my will vs. God’s will, I put myself on God’s team. I do this using prayer cards. I write names or areas of prayer on index cards and list Scripture verses that apply. For example, I have the names of family members who need salvation, and I pray Romans 10:1 for them, “my heart’s desires and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” For families I know who are adopting I pray, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised” (Heb. 10:36). For myself I pray, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3). Praying Scripture for people and situations helps me know I’m praying God’s will for them!

Third, I give myself grace. Apart from the focused prayer time I have with my prayer cards, I’ve tried to just relax and let prayer happen. In A Praying Life by Paul Miller writes, “Jesus did not say, ‘Come to me, all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest.’ No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28, NASB). The criteria for coming to Jesus is weariness. Come overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy” (31-32). I come to prayer like a child–not perfect with all the right words in the perfect posture, but trusting, dependent, and desperate.

My prayer life is certainly an area of potential growth, but God has taught me a lot in the last year. What has God taught you about prayer recently? What works for you in the spiritual discipline of prayer?

What’s Inside?

January 10, 2011 by ScriptureDig 10 Comments

First, may we thank you all for your gracious response to the posts last week? This past week we averaged 200 readers per day {not including the 250+ of who you receive our posts daily in a reader or by email} … a new record for our site. We have been so encouraged by your comments and interest in the Spiritual Disciplines and hope we can offer you information and insight that will be an encouragement back to you as invest time in growth through these long-honored methods.

As we launch into the specifics of the different disciplines, we begin with what Richard Foster calls “The Inward Disciplines.” These four practices, while they may also be done publicly, are most effectively used in our own prayer closet and times of private time with the Lord.

And so, as we spend this week exploring meditation, prayer, fasting, and study, our earnest desire is to encourage you to be intentional in each of these areas, equip you with a solid foundation of what Scripture says about each, and empower you with tools and exercises to put each into practice.

Which of these four inward disciplines comes most easily to you? Which is the biggest challenge? Why do you think that is the case?

Shepherds, Kings, and the Gifts They Bring

December 21, 2010 by ScriptureDig 3 Comments

I love to wrap gifts … finding coordinating papers and ribbons, looking for the perfect embellishments and gift tags. I love the way my tree looks with all the presents tumbling from it and the joy of handing someone a present chosen especially for them and wrapped beautifully.

But I’ve noticed something – it doesn’t matter how lovely the paper and bows are if the gift inside isn’t meaningful.

Likewise, a thoughtful, perfect gift handed to someone in a WalMart sack can be the favorite present of the year.

We are constantly trying to impart this simple truth to our daughter: It’s what is on the inside that matters. In gifts and in people.

I suppose that’s why I find such grace in the gifts brought to the Christ Child. The first gift laid before Him was simple, wrapped in shepherd’s garb … presence. These men, who had heard the angels sing, were there, in the stable. That’s all … they simply came to the Babe bringing themselves.

Isn’t that the first step for all of us? We have nothing to offer, nothing of value in ourselves. We bring what we have – our filthy rags of righteousness – and when we lay them down wholly before Him who is Holy, we find ourselves changed, made new.

For if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. 1 Corinthians 5:17

But there are other gifts we find laid before the Christ Child … the presents of the Magi. I’ve heard many explanations for why these gifts were given and what they represented. I love that each word in Scripture is rich with meaning and detail.

However, for this day, may we consider that these gifts may also reflect the presents we bring to our Redeemer?

The Magi brought gold to the King of Kings, the Son whose Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. May we offer back to the Comforter of widows and orphans from our abundance that He will multiply in His economy the present we offer?
The Magi brought frankincense to the One who intercedes on our behalf, the Risen Son who sits beside His Father. May our present be the fragrant aroma of our prayers, rising with the sacred incense as an offering to the Most High God?
The Magi brought myrrh to Him who was pierced for our transgressions, wore our stripes on His back. May our present be the gifting of healing grace and words to those who are weary, weak, and burdened around us, that they might encounter the Great Physician through our faithfulness?

While our wrappings are all different, we can be assured that our Father, who has lovingly created each of us in His own image, desires what is inside each of us. When we begin by giving Him our presence, the overflow of the gifts He bestows on us will be reflected in the multitude of presents we give back to Him and to those with whom we interact.

Our Father, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, on this day we thank You for the most good and most perfect Gift of Your Son … born, crucified, raised, and reigning on high. We lay before You what we have … our presence, our hearts to change and conform as You desire. We offer to You the presents of our abundance – graciously given to us by You, of our prayers – continual connection of our hearts to Yours, and of our words and deeds – humbly used to point in all ways, at all times, to You alone. In the name of Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer, and King. Amen.

Prayer Theme Recap

August 30, 2010 by ScriptureDig 3 Comments

In case you missed any of these incredible posts, here is a recap of the past month here on Scripture Dig.

What is Prayer? Introductory post to this series.

Jesus’ Prayer Lesson: Kathy spent three days examining the Lord’s Prayer. Part One gave us some general principles about prayer. Part Two covered three of the six components of the prayer – Our Father, Hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom Come. Part Three discussed the remaining three components of this prayer – Give us each day our daily bread, Forgive us our debts, Lead us not into temptation.

Using Prayer Cards: Sandra shared how she uses prayer cards to guide her prayer time.

Write … in a Prayer Notebook? Julie gave some counsel about using a prayer notebook to organize your prayer life.

Double Whammy: Teri Lynne shared how to gain the power of using Scripture as a foundation for prayer.

Prayer: Graphic Organizers: Julie offered four different organizers – downloadable as PDF files – to use as tools for praying for others.

The Type A Person Prays: Teri Lynne shared how she uses a prayer calendar to organize her prayer life.

Praying for Your Spouse: Kathy gave insight into the types of prayers we can offer for our husbands and the significance of doing so.

Praying for Your Children: Stephanie shared parental prayers for children of all ages and situations.

Praying for Your Church: Kristi encouraged us to remember how necessary our prayers for our churches are.

Repentance: The Power of Painful Prayers: Examination of David’s prayer in Psalm 51 by Teri Lynne.

Confidence: Finding Rest in the Sovereignty of God: Looking at Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2 with Kristi.

Intercession: Pleading for Undeserved Mercy: Kristi gave insight into the reality of intercession by studying Nehemiah’s prayer.

Jesus Prays for You: Sandra took us through Christ’s prayer in John 17.

Which of these posts was your favorite? Any ideas you have put into practice yet?

Jesus Prays for You

August 26, 2010 by ScriptureDig 18 Comments

Do you know someone who seems to have a direct line to God? Maybe her prayers are so full of praise and adoration, you instantly feel better when you hear her pray. Or maybe she’s the church prayer warrior–the go-to person when anyone has a request because everyone knows she will pray and keep praying. These people are a blessing (especially to those of us who sometimes struggle to find the “right words”).

I believe there is no more precious prayer that has been prayed over me (and you!) than Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-26. In the hours before His betrayal, trial, and crucifixion, Christ prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers.

What did Jesus Christ pray on your behalf?

He prayed for unity among believers (v. 21).
He prayed that we would point others to Him (v. 21).
He prayed that we would be made perfect (v. 23).
He prayed we would be with Him, so we can behold His glory (v. 24).
He prayed that the world would know God through our witness (v. 25).
He prayed that the love He has with the Father would be in us (v. 26).

His prayer that evening stretched years and miles to reach you! He prayed for your unity with others, your love, and your witness. Hearing His words for me motivates me to want to live His words!

This isn’t the only prayer Christ prayed for you. Hebrews 7:25 says, “Consequently [Jesus] is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” He continues to pray for you–seated at the right hand of God!

Just as you feel empowered by the words a friend prays over you, realize the power of Jesus’ prayer for you. Live in unity, love, and with a burden to tell of God’s love to others today!