The Impact of Prayer..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Impact of Prayer

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Prayer is the lifeblood of an intimate relationship with the Father. But believers often have questions about its power and effectiveness. Don’t hesitate to take your queries to the Lord, dig into Scripture for answers, and seek the counsel of a trusted spiritual mentor. Prayer is too important to neglect.

Will God’s plans fail if I don’t pray? God is not subservient to believers or dependent upon their prayers. The time we invest in speaking with Him involves us in the work that He is doing in our lives and in the world, but He will carry on without us. Laboring alongside the Lord is our privilege.

Does my prayer (or lack thereof) impact God’s work? I believe that Scripture indicates the answer to this question is both yes and no, depending upon the situation. There are times when God’s purpose is set. He is in control and has determined the best course. In the Old Testament, the Lord often prophesied what He would do and then brought those events to pass.

In other cases, “you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). There are some good things that He holds back until we put out prayerful hands to receive them. But because God is a loving Father, He also pours our blessings that we wouldn’t even think to request.

Believer’s prayers have tremendous impact, particularly on their own faith and life. Do you understand what an awesome privilege it is to kneel before the all-powerful Father and know that He listens and will respond? God loves to be good to His children and answer their prayers.

Abide in the Vine..... Craig Denison

 Abide in the Vine

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview: 

The absolute, most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter our heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots which enable us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. It guides us to constant refreshment and revival in God’s presence, thereby supplying and sustaining the abundant life God intends for us. My prayer is that you would be marked by wonderful, satisfying, and fulfilling encounters with the presence of God as we look at John 15:1-17 this week. Make room in your heart and mind to rest in the love of your heavenly Father as we look at the different ways we are to abide in true vine of God.

Scripture:“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4

Devotional:    

I am amazed at the ways in which all of creation visibly demonstrates important spiritual principles. Romans 1:20 says, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Job 12:7-9 says,“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” All throughout the Gospels, Jesus likens spiritual principles to the surrounding creation. From the parables of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) and pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46) to his teaching on the grass of the field and birds of the air (Matthew 6:25-34), clearly God uses creation to illustrate important spiritual principles we need to adopt as believers.

One such important principle is found in John 15:1-17. In verse 4 Jesus says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Reflect for a minute on the process of a vine bearing fruit. It takes time, patience, and consistent nourishment for fruit to form on the branches of the vine. So it is with you and me in God. We have the most abundant source of life available to us in God. God waits, patiently beckoning us to simply come and abide in him that we might bear the fruit of abundant life. And once fruit is cut off from the vine it loses its source of life. In order to consistently bear the fruit of God, we have to go back to our vine time and time again to receive all that God longs to give us.

You are created for intimacy with your heavenly Father. Just as God designed grapes to only grow in connection to the vine, you are designed for intimacy with God as your one, true source. There is no other supply of true life. There is no other process by which we experience abundant life outside of abiding in him. Spending time resting in his presence and receiving what he longs to give us is the most important thing you can do on a daily basis. The days we try and bear fruit apart from him are the days we will be overrun with the cares and stresses of this life. The Holy Spirit longs to fill you with the fruit of his presence every moment of every day. All that is required of you is to submit to the reality of his presence rather than go your own way. Choose to listen and receive from him rather than leaning on your own understanding.

By God’s grace we can always return to him as our source. It is never too late for us to connect ourselves to the vine and receive the life only God can give. It is never too late to experience the revitalization that can only come through encountering him. And it is never too late for us to bear fruit of eternal value. God has wonderful plans for you that begin today. His mercies are new every morning. The Bible promises in James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Take time to submit yourself to God as your source, receive all that he longs to give you, and find your satisfaction in the reality of his powerful presence.        

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on your need to be continually connected to God, your true vine.

 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4

2. Ask God to make his presence known to you. Believe his word that his presence is real and tangible and that you can experience him by his grace.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

3. Draw near to your God and find life in his presence. Allow his nearness to heal the broken and weary places of your life. Let his Spirit flood the dry areas with his perfect love. Have patience and rest in God. Be slow to speak and move as the Spirit lays a foundation for you to continually bear the fruit of his presence in your life.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

As believers we are created to live, think, act, and feel with the Holy Spirit. We were never intended to do life apart from God’s presence, and through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we don’t have to. We’ve been filled with the very Spirit of God himself who longs to shepherd us into the deeper things of God. May we have the humility to acknowledge our need of God and the faith to believe that he is real and will guide us into a better, more fruitful life in him.

Extended Reading: John 15:1-17

The Antidote for Procrastination: Godly Grit..... JASMINE WILLIAMS

 The Antidote for Procrastination: Godly Grit

JASMINE WILLIAMS

Lee en español

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

Have you ever noticed the beautiful rhythm of Olympic runners?

Their mechanical strides are so impressive that it’s almost hard to believe they’re human. Their eyes stay fixed as if crossing the finish line is their sole purpose in life. Neither the roaring of the crowd nor the commotion on the sidelines is enough to shift their vision.

What discipline! I could use some of that in my everyday life. Imagine being so mission-minded that nothing could break your focus. Imagine procrastination not creeping its way into everything you set out to do.

Sometimes it’s life. Things happen that slow us down, hurt us and even force us to stop and press the reset button on everything we thought we knew.

Sometimes, though, it’s not life. It’s not circumstances. It’s just us.

On more than a few days, I’ve spent too much time on social media or binge-watched half a season’s worth of TV shows. Then I look back on my progress with my everyday tasks and cringe at the lack of productivity.

After a momentary episode of shame and blame, I promise myself I’ll do better. And for a day or two, I do. It’s not long, though, before procrastination comes showing its awful face again.

You’ve probably experienced this same cycle of planning-procrastinating-failing-regretting. The truth is, this cycle will continue for as long as we let it … until we develop some godly grit.

While God is gracious and appreciates our efforts, how awesome would it be to overcome the habits that keep us from reaching our greatest potential in Him?

I think we all want that, deep down. So what is this godly grit, and where do we get it?

First, let’s talk about grit. Merriam-Webster defines it as “firmness of mind or spirit, unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.” That alone could help me to stop scrolling Facebook and take care of some priorities!

But how do we do this in a way that honors God and doesn’t become about our own ability to be disciplined?

Therein lies the “godly” part. Second Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” If our motivation comes only from what our eyes can behold, we’ll give up as soon as things look bleak. Instead, we can turn to God and use His eternal rewards as the reason for our perseverance.

In this verse, Paul was talking about his ministry and how the struggles of this life weren’t enough to make him quit. That’s huge coming from someone who was being physically persecuted for spreading the gospel. In verse 17, he said, “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory” (CSB).

What amazes me here is the word “light.” When we look at Paul’s situation, we see there was nothing light about it. That’s the thing, though. He wasn’t looking at his situation. Like Olympic runners zoom in on their goal, Paul had his eyes fixed on his eternity. He knew everything we experience here on earth is light compared to the glory God has in store for us.

Of course, it doesn’t always feel light. We have every earthly reason to feel sad, to grieve loss or to simply spend too much time on Instagram when it’s been a long day. However, if we could muster up the godly grit that Paul had, we’d see that while sometimes we have every reason to give up, we absolutely shouldn’t.

There’s a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) Every earthly thing is temporary. That’s every heartache, every disappointment and every overwhelming moment that makes us feel like it’s OK to put off our calling for just one more day. While most of us won’t do all that Paul did, to minister simply means to serve, and we each have that ability.

It’s found at the intersection of God’s great grace for us and our fervent commitment to Him. That’s where we’re our absolute best selves. And that’s the place of godly grit.

God, thanks for Your patience on the days I do much less than I could. Help me to develop godly grit and do everything You’re asking of me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Galatians 6:9, “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” (CSB)

Learning from the Proverbs 31 Woman..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Learning from the Proverbs 31 Woman

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Today's Bible Verse: An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. - Proverbs 31:10

I used to read the verses in Proverbs 31:10-31 with a sinking heart. Sort of how I feel after reading to the end of an advanced baking recipe. I think: “well that’s not going to happen.” Ha!

In the same way, it’s easy to read these verses and think we’ve stumbled upon Super Woman. She even sews her own cape! How can we ever live up to this lady? And worse yet—is the Bible instructing us to do that? Instant failure. No wonder we might be tempted to look upon this woman with disdain.

However, as I’ve grown older and researched more into the context of the verses, I realize this passage isn’t a condemnation of what most women will never be or achieve, but rather, a declaration of all the attributes women already display.

I love that these verses, while occasionally mentioning the word “wife,” aren’t exclusive to married gals. I know so many women today who are single and successfully running their own businesses, providing for their household after unwanted divorces, raising their children to the glory of God, and even occasionally making those super fun Pinterest-worthy lunches for their toddlers. These verses aren’t meant to shame women who can’t sew into creating their Etsy shop, but rather, to point out the crucial way women contribute and support and serve in the way we are uniquely wired to do.

Verse 30 really sums it up and gives us hope. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (ESV) This means that even on our worst days, the days of messy buns and stained clothing and Pringles for breakfast, we’re not failing if we’re fearing the Lord. We can fear the Lord just the same whether we’re a CEO or in the PTA, whether we’re toting a Prada bag or a drooling toddler, whether we bothered with makeup or whether the bed is made. Fearing the Lord is a heart posture, not a high-heel stature.

The Book of Proverbs tells us that it was written so that we could find wisdom (Proverbs 1:2). And before the verses about “the Proverbs 31 woman” begin, we see that they were part of an oracle by King Lemuel’s mother - written by a woman! Obviously, she wasn’t trying to set an unreachable bar, but was encouraging her son toward seeking out a wife in the ways that mattered.

Proverbs 31 isn’t a daunting checklist of things to achieve, but rather, an example of a heart to develop. She is trustworthy. She is hard-working. She is ethical and motivated and has a heart for her family and for those in her charge. She is modest and is a good steward of money and supplies and resources. She helps the poor and has compassion for others. She isn’t afraid of what’s outside of her control, but rather, is prepared and trusts the Lord. She has a reputation of character and humility. She is classy and dignified. She is wise. She is kind. She’s smart and savvy. And most importantly, she fears the Lord—which is the beginning of wisdom.

What woman in your life today could use a compliment on the way she’s currently modeling these verses? Take some time today to tell her—and don’t forget the one in the mirror.

"Whatever": Simultaneously the Worst and Best Word We Have..... by Shawn McEvoy

 "Whatever": Simultaneously the Worst and Best Word We Have

by Shawn McEvoy

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute… dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8).

On the one hand, it's always good to get scientific affirmation for something you believe or suspect.

On the other, it's never fun when you've been planning to write about that same belief or suspicion for over a year and someone goes out and steals your thunder.

But that's okay - a Fox News report about a survey by Marist College on the most annoying words in American conversation just gives me the excuse to get around to it now.

The article states:

47 percent of Americans surveyed in a Marist College poll released Wednesday [found "Whatever" to be the most annoying word we use].

"Whatever" easily beat out "you know," which especially grated a quarter of respondents. The other annoying contenders were "anyway" (at 7 percent), "it is what it is" (11 percent) and "at the end of the day" (2 percent).

"Whatever" — pronounced "WHAT'-ehv-errr" when exasperated — is an expression with staying power. Immortalized in song by Nirvana ("oh well, whatever, nevermind") in 1991, popularized by the Valley girls in "Clueless" later that decade, it is still commonly used, often by younger people.

It can be an all-purpose argument-ender or a signal of apathy. And it can really be annoying. The poll found "whatever" to be consistently disliked by Americans regardless of their race, gender, age, income or where they live.

I've felt that way for years. When someone uses "whatever" on me in a conversation or email, it's a kick to the groin of non-importance. Beyond annoying, it's rude and dismissive. It's also ignorant, especially when delivered at the end of what was supposed to be a friendly debate or argument, because it illustrates that the person had no better retort and is now summarily ending the conversation with a parting shot connoting that nothing you just said mattered anyway. "Whatever!"

In a country sorely lacking in civility, manners, and conversation skills... and ripe with apathy and self-importance, "Whatever" is the motto du jour.

Then again... what a powerful word it can be for our walk with Christ.

It's kind of like when you are reading a play, or preparing to act in one. You have the script before you. There are minimal clues for how any word in the text should be read. What inflection, what level of voice, what tone shall I use? What does the context and the setting and the personality of the character tell me in regards to how this word or line is going to sound? Ultimately, you and the Director decide.

And I've decided that "Whatever" can be, if we so choose, the defining word of the Christian life. Because while few other words carry the same potential for dismissive rudeness, no other word holds the same potential for all-out surrender and steadfast faith. As my mother-in-law is fond of saying, spiritual maturity for her has involved moving from a "What-If?" faith to a "Whatever" faith.

I find you guilty in your sins.
Whatever you say, Lord, I repent and accept the sacrifice of your Son who atoned for them.

This situation you're in is going to hurt.
Whatever. I know my faith will be made strong through trials, and that I can do all things through your strength.

You don't know what the future holds; only I do.
Whatever it is, you deserve glory and honor and praise. Bring it on! 

I want you to [go to Africa / give to this homeless person / quit this job / plant this church / preach my Word]
Whatever!

I know you think this is unfair compared to that person's situation, but do not let comparison steal my joy from you.
Whatever, God. Whatever.

The Apostle Paul was the master of “whatever.” To wit:

Phil. 4:11: I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

1 Cor. 10:31: Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Gal. 6:7: Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Eph. 6:8: Whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

Phil. 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

So... Whatever!

A Prayer for When the World Expects More Than You Can Give..... By Lori Freeland

 A Prayer for When the World Expects More Than You Can Give

By Lori Freeland

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

I should be doing laundry, cleaning my bathroom, making a much-needed grocery run, checking my daughter’s homework, calling about a prescription for my son, editing a client’s chapters, and starting my new book—or at least returning my writing partner’s frustrated texts. But I can’t.

Every minute I spend thinking about doing even one of those things tightens my chest, and I find myself trying to breathe under a 100-pound weight.

Crazy, right? Every item listed above is menial. Normal. Things most people do every day—if you substitute my writing tasks for your job.

But I can’t do normal. I can’t jump—or even crawl—out of bed most mornings and look forward to my day.

It’s the expectation of “normal” that feels overwhelming.

I’m exhausted and sad and lost. Every little thing on my to-list, every call from my friends,  and unfinished project makes me want to run away. So I stay in bed, avoid the phone, put off my friends, and procrastinate the things I should be doing until we run out of clean underwear and milk, and I worry the only friend I’ll have left is my cat.

There are a lot of words thrown around for these kinds of feelings—depression, anxiety, grief—but other people’s labels cease to matter when you find you’re the one who can’t get out of bed.

Your story might be different than mine. I’m not a psychologist, and everyone’s situation is unique. All I can share is my experience and what is helping me move forward.

I’ve found Christians are sometimes the worst when it comes to understanding what I’m going through. We’re taught to believe all we need to do is pray harder, believe more, and “turn it over to God.”

And as Christians, we’re blessed to have that option. But “turning it over” isn’t always simple. It’s never been for me. It’s been a process. A long process depending on where I am in my faith walk.

So what do I do while I’m walking the journey God’s laid out for me? While I’m in the process of “turning it over?” What can you do?

As I peel back the covers and step out of bed, I’m choosing to give every second of my day over to God. I’m choosing to tear up the world’s to-do list, walk away from what others expect, and ask God what He wants from me today.

Here's my prayer for me and for you.

Lord, be with me when the only thing I can even ask for is peace. Be in the big moments, the little moments, the in-between and uncertain moments. Thank you that you are, “…not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV) and that Your peace, “transcends all understanding, (and) will guard (our) hearts and (our) minds in Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 4:7). Help me to trust in Your word and in this verse. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” ( Romans 15:13). I’m so glad You’re a God who understands—even when the world doesn’t. In Jesus' Name, Amen.