Pray in the Spirit

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Eph 6:18 nlt
    

THOUGHT: "Pray in the Spirit!" Paul is asking believers to pray consciously recognizing that the Spirit given them when they came to Christ (Eph. 1:13) gives them direct access to God to pray what is on their heart (Eph. 2:18; cf. Rom. 8:26-27) and to intercede for knowledge, power, and boldness for others (Eph. 1:17; 3:16;6:18-20).

Put in cornbread English, the Spirit who lives inside us, empowers our prayers, interceding directly to the heart of God, enabling our prayers to have powerful results! Our prayers are so much more than the words we voice. We pray, consciously, alertly, and persistently, speaking to the Creator of the universe, assured we are heard, knowing that God will respond with power and grace in the lives of those for whom we pray!

PRAYER: Oh Father, thank you for your incredible gift of the Holy Spirit who makes my prayers much more than my words. Thank you that I can
pray in the Spirit, speaking to you Spirit to Spirit, knowing I am heard, understood, and praying according to your will. Thank you that such intentional praying brings powerful blessings for those for whom I pray. In Jesus name. Amen.~~~~~~~~
 The Sword of the Spirit
                                                     

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 tniv
      

THOUGHT: The Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and the Spirit helps us understand the will of God (1 Cor. 2:6-16).
God's message of truth is much more than just the words of mere mortals; it is God's will given by God's Spirit (1 Thes. 4:8). This message has its origins in the Spirit of God, even though it is proclaimed by human messengers (2 Pet. 1:19-21).

In other words, I must not neglect the Scriptures as the Word of God. They must be allowed to teach, rebuke, correct, train, and equip me to live the
life of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17). I must allow the Spirit to use God's Word to convict me and work on the attitudes of my heart as I am trained to distinguish good from evil (Heb. 4:12-13; 5:11-14).

What catches my attention today, however, is that I must "take" it. I must intentionally choose to pick it up, use it, and depend upon the Word of God, inviting the Spirit to lead me in the way of God!

PRAYER:    Holy God, thank you for giving me your Word in Scripture. Thank you for pouring out your truth through human messengers inspired by
the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the work of the Spirit to convict and enlighten me through your Word. I ask today as I seek your will in your Word that the Spirit be active and lead me in the way you want me to go. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" http://www.heartlight.org/  - Please note 'The SpiritFire daily devotional' written by Phil Ware is part of a new year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives - You can subscribe - It's FREE! Just send a blank email to: join-spiritfire@maillists.heartlight.org

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis  (Jan 19, 2012)

 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord -- who is the Spirit -- makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Cor 3:17-18 nlt
    

THOUGHT: Caterpillar to butterfly -- the process of metamorphosis.
This is the word image painted for us in this message from Scripture. While most people are ordinary humans, with ordinary human powers, and ordinary human lives, we are called extraordinary because of the work of the Spirit. While most people are limited to their natural abilities, we are given the freedom to overcome our natural limitations and failures by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to transform us to be more and more like Jesus. And how does this happen? Supernaturally, by the power of the Holy Spirit as we both contemplate and reflect the glory of Jesus.

PRAYER:    Father, thank you for giving me the supernatural ability to become more and more like Jesus. O Holy Spirit, please take control and conform me to the character and compassion of Jesus as I commit to know him more fully and display his life to those around me more completely. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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True Worshipers (Oct 13, 2011)

 [Jesus said,] "But the time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth." John 4:23 nlt
      

THOUGHT: 

Genuine worship involves the Holy Spirit. Jesus had promised this kind of worship to the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus poured out his Spirit at Pentecost and the church was born. The early disciples were filled with the Spirit as they prayed and sang. We are encouraged to pray in the Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit as we worship. The time is here! True worshippers are not bound by place and time, but are connected to each other and to God in worship by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit!

PRAYER: O great God and Father of us all, make your presence known in your people in powerful ways as we seek to honor you and bless each other as we are filled with the Holy Spirit as we joyfully assemble together to worship you! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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 Pray in the Spirit  (Oct 11, 2011)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.  Eph  6:18 tniv

THOUGHT:The Holy Spirit is our constant assurance of our access to the heart of God. The Spirit intercedes for us and communicates our words and our emotions according to the will of God. Like in all worship, the Holy Spirit fills us, is among us, and participates with us as we seek God. In prayer, the Holy Spirit also empowers and enables us as we pray. Prayer is much more than shouting words at heaven or begging God for help. Prayer happens because of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. God himself, in the Spirit, is praying with us and through us!

PRAYER:  Father, please hear the prayer I share with you using words. Father, please hear the prayer I offer you that is deeper than words and beyond what my words can convey. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who intercedes, empowers, and makes possible this prayer. In Jesus' name I thank you. Amen.
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Prayer in the Power of the Spirit  (Oct 12, 2011)

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jude 20 tniv
      

THOUGHT: So much of our physical world is dependent upon power. Yet the spiritual world is even more about power than the physical world. One of the great avenues of power -- a place where power is available to us and flows through us -- is prayer. We are commanded to rely on this power and not our eloquence, position, or physical might. So as we pray each day, let's consciously invite the Holy Spirit into our prayer life and ask the Spirit to empower our prayers.

PRAYER: O God, you are holy! I thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer. I thank you, Jesus, as I pray in your name. I invite you, Holy Spirit, to enter and to intercede for me as I pray. Please empower my prayers to be effective and a blessing, both to those for whom I pray and also to you, O God, the One to whom I pray.
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 Hear what the Spirit Says! (Oct 18, 2011)

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who are victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.  Rev 2:11 tniv
      
THOUGHT:

I remember the old Wolfbrand Chili commercials when we would see a steaming bowl of chili and a voice off camera would say something like, "When was the last time you had a big, steaming, bowl of Wolfbrand Chili? Well, that's too long!" Let's re-phrase that. When was the last time you were part of a church that called all its members to fast, pray, and open Scripture and then ask God to help the church hear the message the Spirit has for them? "Well, that's too long!" Jesus challenges those who heard his message to really listen -- not just with their ears, but also with their hearts. Let's be God's people who hunger to hear what the Spirit is seeking to say to us through Scripture!

PRAYER:  Father, forgive us -- forgive me! We have very seldom sought to hear your voice and your Word and the message the Spirit has for us in that Word. More than forgiveness, O God, give us a yearning to hear the message the Spirit has for our congregation at this time, with our challenges and opportunities. I ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
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Be Filled with the Spirit  (Jan 22, 2012_

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Eph 5:18-21 nlt
     

THOUGHT: When someone is drunk, we talk about them being "under the influence." When a person is a follower of Jesus, he or she should be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul lists five ways that we fill ourselves with the Spirit. Four we would normally identify with worship -- speaking to one another in song, singing, making music in our hearts, and giving thanks to God. Paul adds a fifth way to turn loose the Spirit in our lives: submitting to one another as part of our worship of Jesus.

 I don't know about you, but there are times when I have not wanted to do each of those things, but in doing it with a genuine desire to honor the Lord, I find myself blessed and empowered in ways I would never have expected. But we shouldn't be surprised: the Bible tells us that when we do these things, God's Spirit fills us!

PRAYER:  Loving Father, thank you for entering into me through the Holy Spirit. I am going to try to do all I can to worship you with my words and with my relationships, trusting that you will empower me with your Holy Spirit. Please help me see your presence and power in my life as I do these things. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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 Fruit of the Spirit  (Jan 21, 2012)

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.Against such things there is no law.  Gal 5:22-23 tniv
 
THOUGHT: Sometimes we confuse "fruit of the Spirit" by calling them "fruits of the Spirit." This seems like such a small thing; but, unfortunately, this small thing can lead us to a dangerously false conclusion.

The fruit of the Spirit involves all nine of these qualities. We can't excuse a lack of growth in one area or another as simply not having all the fruits of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is working to create the character of Jesus in us (2 Cor. 3:18; see Gal. 4:19). He wants to see us growing in each area and not excuse ourselves from one of these qualities of Jesus. I don't know about you, but there are several in which I need to grow -- but I believe the Spirit is making progress in them. Let's keep encouraging each other to let the Spirit lead us to become more like Jesus in every way!

PRAYER: O Precious Father, God Most High, thank you for your patience, grace, and forgiveness. I want the Holy Spirit to lead me and empower me to grow in every way, but especially so that I can be more like Jesus in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank you for hearing my prayer offered in Jesus' name. Amen.

Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" http://www.heartlight.org - Please note 'The SpiritFire daily devotional' written by Phil Ware is part of a new year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives - You can subscribe - It's FREE! Just send a blank email to: join-spiritfire@maillists.heartlight.org

Called to Disciplined Prayer

Called to Disciplined Prayer 

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Acts 3:1

Disciplined prayer arises from two things:

First, a good general knowledge of God's Word;

Second, a strong desire to please Him.

In other words, I am talking here about praying as an act of sheer obedience whether we feel like it or not.

And it is the mature Christian who follows this way.

You may decide to spend more time in prayer, but then you find that everything seems to militate against it.

So you think, These things that are stopping me praying are providential. So don't be surprised if, when you commit yourself to prayer, everything seems to be hindering you.

There must be discipline.

One of the forgotten verses in the Book of Acts is the opening verse of chapter 3. The chapter goes on to describe how Peter and John healed the crippled man, but what is interesting is that it happened when they were on their way to the temple to pray. We see that even when the Spirit was present in great power, these early disciples were not afraid to go by a schedule. At this high peak in the history of the church it would seem that the first Christians still observed set times of prayer.

The principle is that if you live by the disciplined impulse, you will get the spontaneous impulse as well .....

 Here were Peter and John on their way to the temple, when the lame beggar held out his hand to them, expecting to receive some money. But Peter just turned to him and said, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (v. 6, KJV). And the man was healed.

You never outgrow the need to pray. It is my job, not only as a Christian minister but also as a child of God, never to excuse myself again for what I haven't done regarding time spent in prayer.

Source:  (R T Kendall) Part Message - Excerpted from Worshipping God (Hodder & Stoughton, 2004).

Your Words Have Power!

Your Words Have Power

If you have ever handled sulfuric acid, you know how dangerous it is. It would eat away at your skin if it spilled on you.

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."

If death is in the power of the tongue, will touching it hurt you like touching acid?

No, obviously that's not how it works. The death and the life the tongue can produce are not about the tongue itself but about the words it helps to create. The words can produce life and death. They can be like an infusion of vigor or like a slow poison.

Words are containers. They carry in them the power to teach and instruct, lift up and encourage, create humor and laughing, to bring peace and joy, and hope where hope was lost. They are also containers that can mock, belittle, embarrass, tear down, deceive, and destroy.

As we just read, "Death AND life are in the power of the tongue..." This is telling us that these containers we let come from our mouths have power—power to bring and support life or power to destroy. We probably don't realize how careless we can be with this power source that absolutely lifts up or tears down.

I wouldn't handle electrical wires without turning off the power source. Even though electricity is meant to be a blessing, it has to be channeled properly or it could kill. The same is true with our words.

As a young Christian, the Lord instructed me to listen to the words I'd hear people speak. This wasn't to be judgmental but to learn and pay attention to the good or bad words accomplished.

I did what the Lord said, except that I started with myself. I couldn't believe the words I'd let come out my mouth. They were often negative and too often words of death such as, "I'm going to lose my mind if this happens to me one more time...." or "It seems like everyone is getting the flu. I'll probably get it next." or "With the way the economy is going, I'll probably be lucky if I have a job by next year and if I do, they'll probably ask for a cut in pay." I could tell you a hundred phrases filled with negative, death-filled words that were a part of my regular speaking.

I began to listen to those around me, "Ha ha! The way I eat I'll probably be dead by the time I'm forty!" "Well, with the way my luck is going, if there is a drive-by shooter, he'll probably hit me! Ha ha!"

I was amazed at what I was hearing from myself as well as from those around me.

As I studied God's Word more, I began to understand that Words are a powerful part of God's creation and a creative force in itself. From the beginning of Genesis with everything He created He began by speaking "let there be...."

Everything God spoke, came into existence. He created everything we see from things that did not appear.

This is exactly what Hebrews 11:3 is telling us. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."

As I journeyed through the Word I noticed that God never spoke an idle word—and neither did Jesus.

My point today is that words are containers of power. They do affect us whether we realize it or not
whether we want to believe it or not. We all have experienced times when someone's words brought hurt to you possibly unbeknownst to the person who said them. They just blabbed them and they hurt you.

How could that happen? It could happen because words contain power.

Does that mean every word I speak is a power source? The answer is yes. It's just that it's not always measurable at the moment. Someone's kind words can make you feel good and even cry. Someone's destructive words can make you feel horrible and cry. We don't grasp the power of our words and all the ways they affect our life but they do. All words always have some effect.

 I learned long ago to make words work for me. Just as a framer frames a house before he can build the rest of it, I purpose to frame my world with words that encourage others and myself in God's will and plan.

If your tongue has power, you have power. You can frame your world with acceptable words that please God and create life and blessing for others, or you can spill words like sewage that bring hurt. God's will is always to bring life!

Psalms 19:14 says, "Let the WORDS OF MY MOUTH, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my Redeemer."

Source: Used with permission: Pastor Tim Burt - Fresh Manna http://www.freshmanna.org/

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"Prayers to pray using Scripture' can be found in September 2009 archive (located on lower right hand side of this page). More articles about using affirmations can also be found in 'Prayer Reflections' May 2007 Archive (link to this can be found at top of page on right side.)

Are You Ready?

Are You Ready?

"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks." Luke 12:35-36, ESV

Jesus so often challenges us and gives us responsibilities. To those who don't yet know Him as their Lord and Master He says 'repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near' (Matthew 4:17), but for those who belong to Him, love Him and know Him there are further responsibilities as they live in His Kingdom.

I like the simplicity of this instruction 'Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning'. Do you wonder what our lamps could be?

How about our passion for Jesus and the things of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus talks about the light in us. First of all, once we have the light of Jesus burning in our hearts, we must let others know.

'No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light' (Luke 11:33).

Then we have the responsibility to make sure the light doesn't go out or grow dim. Jesus says we must be 'careful' about that.

'Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light' (Luke 11:34-36).

How can we keep our lamp burning?

We can fix our eyes on the glory of Jesus and focus on praise and worship to Him. Not only can we pray those prayers of intercession, however short or long, and whatever time of day or night, but we can to continually give thanks and tell Him we love Him (rather than grumbling and complaining).

 We can also saturate ourselves in the Word of God each day.

Our eye can look upon its light and take in as much as possible. And yet even that isn't enough. We must also put into practice what we read in the Bible. 'But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!' (Luke 11:28). Yes Jesus is coming back and we must be ready to meet Him at His return, or meet Him before then as we step into eternity. 'This night your soul is required of you' (Luke 12:19 – 21).

In Jesus' illustration the good servant is alert for the return of his master and aims to please him. The master comes back from the wedding banquet is so delighted with this servant that he gives him a huge reward. He actually waits upon him and serves him. What could be more surprising than that?

But the bad servant will be punished, for 'Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more' (Luke 12:48).

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the light You bring to me. Please help me to keep it burning. I want to be ready when you return so I can open the door for You and welcome You back. Amen.

Source: Devotional from Ellel Ministries International - Seeds of The Kingdom 2011 - Today's Writer : Liz Griffin www.seedsofthekingdom.com

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What the Spirit Says to the Churches

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 NIV

THOUGHT: Jesus uses the Holy Spirit to speak to his people, his churches, in the second and third chapter of the book of Revelation.
 

But don't you believe that if we seek God and are striving to worship God empowered by the Spirit, then the Spirit will also speak to us in fresh and powerful ways through God's word?

When we open the Bible, more happens than mere reading!

The Spirit who inspired that word also convicts us and calls out to us and corrects us and seeks to conform us to the will of God and the character of Jesus. So let's open our Bibles with expectation that the Spirit will use these old words in fresh and new ways and give us new insights for our old battles.

 PRAYER:  O God, help me hear your Word in the ways you want me to hear it. Shape and make me more like Jesus, your Living Word and Ultimate Word, as the Spirit works on my heart. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Source: Used with permission from "Heartlight" October 15, 2011 The SpiritFire daily devotional email is written by Phil Ware and is a year long devotional walk focused on the blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Visit http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals  for other devotionals.

Stand Fast

Stand Fast

God only knows
God makes His plans
The information's unavailable
To the mortal man
We're working our jobs
Collect our pay
Believe were gliding down the highway
When in fact we're slip slidin' away

Those are the words of Paul Simon. A rather cynical perspective, wouldn't you say? God, powerful as He may be, is removed from the affairs of all of us little people. He doesn't speak to us, hasn't the courtesy to even let us in on His big plan. We simply glide down the highway of life, uninformed, unaware of the profound reality. Life is just slip sliding away. . .so the song goes. Deal with it.

This song could melt some of us into a puddle of melancholy goo. But before we run to the freezer to soothe our inner angst with a pint of Häagan Dazs, we need to hear the words of another Paul.

 "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved" (Philippians 4:1 NKJV).

How can you stand fast when at times your life feels like it is completely out of control?

Let me answer that question with another question.

 How do you think Paul the Apostle could have the stability to endure all those beatings, storms at sea, stonings, shipwrecks, cold, hunger, attacks against his authority, attacks against his message, attacks against his integrity, and still be a rock?

He gives us the answer in verse 20 of the previous chapter.

"Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body" (NIV).

Okay. . .if that doesn't blow your mind, you didn't get it. Read it again. . .Our citizenship is in heaven!

• And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ!
• who by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control,
• will transform our lowly bodies so they will be like his glorious body!

God is able with His power to bring everything under His control! That is how you stand firm in shaky places. You, right down to your littlest concerns, are under His control. So you can take your hands off the steering wheel!

In the big and small things we face in life, no matter if it is a crisis or a petty quarrel, when seen in the context of the hugeness of the universe—and the God who hangs the stars in space and also loves you—this truth should have a stabilizing effect.

If not, perhaps it is because you haven't really believed it is true.

Can you see your life in the view of God's ultimate big picture?

Until you do, you won't have the inner stability to stand firm.

Maybe you need to step outside your front door and look up at the night sky and the vastness of space. If you can see the Big Dipper or Venus, let it thrill you.

Or simply google the Hubble telescope and gaze at the images of the universe. Think about how great and powerful this God is who has etched you on the palms of His hands!

• Remember who you are in Christ.
• Remember all Christ has done for you.
• Remember where you are headed.

Source: Cathe Laurie Harvest Ministries

THE SKINNY ON THE BIBLE

I have posted the link below as found this short movie illustrates how many view reading the bible. May it bless you & inspire you to be encouraged to read God's word.
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THE SKINNY ON THE BIBLE

Skit Guys - Mini-Movies

At the center of our faith is a book that tells the story of God and his activity in the lives of men and women throughout history–yet everyone seems to have their own unique perspective on it.

http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/mini-movies/17213/The-Skinny-On-The-Bible