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NLCCH DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FRIDAY August 26, 2010

The Prayer of Agreement

In the last two devotionals, we have learned about the prayer of dedication and the prayer of faith. Today I want to help you understand the prayer of agreement.

This prayer is found in Matthew 18:19, where Jesus says,

"Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven."

When I pray with other people, nine times out of ten this is the prayer that I pray with them. And most of the time I will quote this verse to them.

I remember working for a ministry years ago and praying with the folks who called on the phone. When I prayed with someone, I would walk them through this verse before we prayed.

The steps I pointed out were simple:

There needs to be at least two of us praying.

We need to agree.

We need to be on earth (I usually got a laugh out of this one).

What we are asking God for needs to come under the category of "anything" (which their request always did).

God will do it.

The only part people ever got hung up on was the agreement. "What does it mean to agree?" they would ask. I would say, "Simple, to agree means to agree." Don't over-spiritualize it. If we decide to get lunch together at a certain time at a certain place, and you say, "Ok, see you there," we have just agreed.

To agree in prayer is no different.

Read this verse again. Look at it step by step, and follow it—in all its simplicity. If we do our part, God will do His.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY August 26, 2010

The Prayer of Dedication

Yesterday we began a journey to understand the different kinds of prayer for the different circumstances we face in life. The first kind of prayer I want to point you to is the prayer of dedication.

Mark 14:32, 35-36 helps us understand this type of prayer,

Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."...He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

Here we find Jesus dedicating and consecrating Himself to the will of the Father. He is in agony; He is in distress. This is the eve of His crucifixion. And Jesus is saying, "Lord, if we can redeem humanity some other way, God, please! But Your will is what is important. So I am consecrating Myself to Your will, Father."

This prayer of dedication and consecration is one that believers should pray. In fact, I believe every Christian should pray this prayer in a general sense after they get saved. Just like the apostle Paul on the road to Damascus, "Lord, what would You have me to do?"

Also, when you come to specific crossroads as you follow God, if you are unsure of God's will, or you feel He may be leading you into a specific area that will require sacrifice, reestablish that consecration and dedication to God through this kind of prayer.

Christ was dedicated to do the will of the Father, and yet He reaffirmed that dedication as He prayed, "I am willing to submit Myself to You."

Pray it. Vocalize it. Submit yourself to His will as He reveals it.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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WEDNESDAY August 25, 2010

Prayer?

In Ephesians 6:17-18, the apostle Paul tells us,

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Today I want you to take special note of that phrase, "Praying always with all prayer." In Goodspeed's translation, he puts it this way, Use every kind of prayer and entreaty; and at every opportunity, pray in the Spirit.

I believe Paul is pointing you and me to the fact that there are different kinds of prayer. Over the next few devotionals, I want to talk to you about those different types of prayer.

Now, I know you may be thinking, "Well, prayer is prayer. Let's not get so technical." There is a truth there because prayer in its simplest form is just talking to God, and that is something anyone can do.

But to say, "All prayer is prayer," is equivalent to saying, "All sports are sports." It is true in one sense, but you cannot play one kind of sport with the rules that govern a different kind of sport.

I remember when I was coaching Little League. A ground ball was hit into the outfield. When the outfielder got it, he threw it at the kid running to second base and hit him. Then the outfielder started screaming, "You're out! I got you!"

Well, that works in dodge ball, but it doesn't work in baseball. There are different kinds of prayer for different kinds of circumstances, which I look forward to helping you understand in the coming devotionals.

Be diligent to talk to God every day, but along with that commitment, make it your aim to learn the "rules" that govern different kinds of prayer.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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TUESDAY August 24, 2010

Grumbling and Complaining

One of the things I believe grieves the heart of God is when His children grumble and complain. In Jude 6 we find some interesting insight into this destructive behavior,

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

The word complainer is really two Greek words stuck together. The first word means to blame, and the second word means your fate or lot in life. The point is that complainers blame someone else for their lot in life.

Isn't it always amazing how someone can make wrong choices, and when they have to face the consequences of those choices, it is always somebody else's fault?

I have two pieces of advice for you on this. First, if you are a complainer and grumbler, stop. God is not honored, and you are only showing that you are "walking according to your own lust," not according to God's Spirit.

Second, stay away from people like that or you will end up being like them.   Proverbs 22:24-25 says,

Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.

Their attitudes and mindsets will bleed off on you.

Did you ever throw a pair of jeans in the washing machine with a red shirt? What happened to your blue jeans? They turned pink, didn't they? The red dye bled over into the blue jeans, and the blue jeans were no longer blue. They were pink.

If you hang around with people who grumble and complain, their attitudes will bleed over into your way of thinking. And the last thing you want to be is a grumbler and complainer.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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MONDAY August 23, 2010

Unless They Are Agreed

Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? (Amos 3:3).

In order to walk with God, one must agree with Him. In order to experience the fulfillment of His promises in our lives, we must agree with what those promises say—whether we understand how they could ever come to pass or not.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth to a son, she asked, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" (Luke 1:34).

A pretty fair question, don't you think? It seemed impossible to Mary. She could not get her mind around how Gabriel's announcement could ever come to pass.

I love the angel's response to her question, "The Holy Spirit..." (Luke 1:35). That is the answer to your impossibilities as well. When you can't understand how a promise from God could ever be fulfilled, the answer is "The Holy Spirit!"

At this point Mary could have said, "No way! This makes no sense to me. I don't accept it!" But she didn't. She said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

Mary agreed with God's promise and accepted it. Then the miracle happened.

Whatever you are facing today, make the decision to agree with God and His promises. The Holy Spirit can bring His Word to pass!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SUNDAY August 22, 2010

Listening and Believing

For the last several devotionals we have been looking at heart attitudes that are conducive to receiving God's blessings. Today we will discuss a few more.

·        A listening heart. Luke 5:15 says, However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

The people came to hear and then be healed. Some did not want to take the time to listen, they just wanted the blessing so they could be on their way.

Listen to what the apostle Paul said to some people in Acts 28:27, For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.

We must have listening, receptive hearts if we are going to experience healing or any other of God's blessings.

·        A believing heart. Proverbs 3:5 says, Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.

Many years ago I was hiking up a canyon with one of my sons. He was about eight years old at the time. We reached a place where he could only get up by trusting me.

I dropped him a rope and pulled him up to where I was. He needed to believe that I would not let go. Because he did, and put actions with his belief, my strength was made available to him and he reached a place he could not have gotten to on his own.

God's strength is made available to the believing heart, and as we believe He brings us to places we could never reach on our own.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SATURDAY August 21, 2010

Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth

In yesterday's devotional we began looking at different conditions of the heart—conditions that are necessary in order to experience the richer blessings of God. Today we will continue looking at those conditions.

·        A grateful heart. Deuteronomy 28:45-47 (Amplified) says,

All these curses shall come upon you and shall pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. They shall be upon you for a sign [of warning to other nations] and for a wonder, and upon your descendants forever. Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of [mind and] heart [in gratitude] for the abundance of all [with which He had blessed you].

William Shakespeare said, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child." Do you express gratitude to God for all the things He has blessed you with, or do you take His blessings for granted?

Many years ago, when I was serving in a small church, one of my duties was to take groceries to families in need. I was shocked at the ingratitude of some that received the gift of food delivered to their homes. While some were truly grateful, others acted as if it was somehow owed to them—even complaining because their favorite foods were not included!

Hopefully you have taken time recently to thank God for the blessings He has bestowed on your life. If not, take time today to express your gratitude to Him who is the source of every good thing you enjoy.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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FRIDAY August 20, 2010

Clean and Committed

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

When God looks at us, the first thing He sees is the state of our heart. In the next few devotionals we are going to look at several different aspects of the heart—things that must be present in order to experience the richer blessings of God.

·        A clean heart. Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Every once in a while I have to clean out the drains throughout our house. It is amazing how quickly they become clogged. If I do not clean them, before long, the sinks get stopped up and the water will not flow through anymore.

If we don't periodically take time before God to have our hearts purified and cleansed, pretty soon His blessings can no longer flow to us or through us.

·        A committed heart. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV) says, "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."

I believe it is important to be committed to God before seeking His blessings.

God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that they may serve me." Most people want to be delivered from their captivity, but they are not so keen on the "serving God" part of the deal.

The Lord is looking for committed hearts. Does your heart belong fully to Him? If not, commit it to Him today!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY August 19, 2010

Criticizer or Encourager?

Verse 10 in the book of Jude talks about those who "speak evil of whatever they do not know."

Criticism, many times, stems from ignorance. People tend to criticize things they do not know anything about.

A number of years ago, a man came up to me after a service. He had never been to our church before, but he was pretty upset. I had taught that particular night about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and what the Scripture had to say about speaking in other tongues.

He told me, "This church is really off-balance. You overemphasize speaking in tongues." I asked, "Really...how many services have you been to at our church?" His reply was, "Just this one."

So I asked him, "How many of my recorded messages have you listened to?" His response was, "None." I told him, "That seems a little imbalanced. Why don't you stick around for a while and find out what we're about, then see if you feel the same after staying here for a few months."

He said, "Okay, I will." He ended up staying and loving the church.

Too often we are quick to criticize, even when we don't know the whole story. Be careful about criticizing others. Too often what you hear is just rumor.

Do not be a criticizer. Be an encourager. Be a person who is known for always seeking to lift and bless, not speaking evil of whatever you do not know.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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WEDNESDAY August 18, 2010

Resist the Devil

In Jude 9 we are told how Michael the archangel dealt with Satan.

Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

My concern is that some people have tried to use this Scripture to say that we do not have authority over the devil. They believe we have no recourse other than to pray that the Lord will do something about him.

But that is not the point he is making here at all. Jude was referencing the previous verse where some would "speak evil of dignitaries." He used Michael's conversation with the devil to show that this was wrong. To say that we do not have the right to resist the devil and cast him out on the basis of this Scripture is ridiculous. Here are five things to think about:

1.      This event between Michael and Lucifer (Satan) happened before New Testament times—before Jesus defeated the devil and broke his power.

2.      James 4:7 tells us, Resist the devil and he will flee from you. It does not say, "Pray that God will resist the devil for you."

3.      Jesus, in the Great Commission, told us to cast out devils (or demons). Jesus wouldn't tell us that if He hadn't given us the authority.

4.      In Luke 10:19 Jesus said, "I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

5.      In the book of Acts, as the Church carried out their mission, they commanded demons to come out, and they came out in Jesus' name.

My friend, Jesus has broken the authority of the devil in your life. Resist him and he will flee!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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TUESDAY August 17, 2010

Come Over and Help Us

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them (Acts 16:9-10).

The world is in need and they are calling! I can hear Africa, Asia, voices from South America and Europe calling out. China and Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines…voices from around the globe crying out, "Come over and help us!"

The call may be coming from down your street or from the next aisle in the grocery store. "Help me! I'm lost. I want to find God. I have problems I can't cope with. I have an aching void in my heart that I don't know how to fill. Is there anyone out there with answers?!"

Who will go to them if not you and me?

To say, "I don't feel called to go to them," is equivalent to a strong swimmer standing on the shore of a lake saying he doesn't feel called to save the man drowning before his eyes.

Ask God today to direct you to someone whose heart has cried out for answers and help. Chances are you won't have to go too far to find them.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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MONDAY August 16, 2010

Inwardly Compelled

It was love that motivated the Father to send His Son Jesus to redeem mankind. That same love has been poured out into the heart of every believer.

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5).

God's love in us calls and compels us to do something about the plight of lost people. Even as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:14, For the love of Christ compels us.

A few years ago, late at night I would hear what seemed to be a very faint chime or bell. Several times I got out of bed to try and find the source of the sound, but it always stopped before I could discover it.

Finally, one evening, I found out what it was. It was an old watch I had, tucked away in a drawer under some junk. Every evening, the alarm would go off at the same time.

The call of God's love in your heart can be like that. Sounding regularly but seldom heard. Buried under personal ambitions, cares and problems, daily routines and the general busyness of life. But it is unmistakably there!

The same love that moved Jesus to heal the sick and minister God's life to broken people is in you! Listen to it. Get in touch with it and express it to someone in need.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SUNDAY August 15, 2010

No Unbelievers in Hell

In Luke chapter 16, Jesus tells a very sobering story,

"The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom... Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment'" (Luke 16:22b-23 and 27-28).

Everyone in hell believes in evangelism. They are crying out lest their loved ones end up with them.

Two thousand years have passed and this rich man has had no relief. A billion years from now he will just be getting started in his torment and pain. Listen to his cry, "My brothers! Send someone to my family!"

Hell is for unbelievers but there are no unbelievers in hell!

Several years ago a man came weeping to the altar of our church. A message had been preached that night from these very Scriptures. After giving his heart to Christ (and after a long time of almost uncontrollable weeping), he told us this story:

He said, "I died twice on the operating table during heart surgery. Each time I died, I left my body and went to hell. It was so horrifying that I tried to put it out of my mind. As the message was preached tonight, all the details of my experience came flooding back into my mind."

He did not need to be convinced that hell was real. That night he accepted Christ and was liberated from the fear of returning to that place of torment.

Jesus alone can rescue us from the terrors of hell and bring us safely to heaven. Shouldn't we be telling people there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? Shouldn't we be warning them and encouraging them to accept Christ—while there is still time?!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SATURDAY August 14, 2010

God in Nature

God has made Himself known to mankind in a powerful way people often ignore...His creation. Romans 1:18-20 tells us,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

God speaks to people through nature...through His creation. I am confident that there is a point in every person's life where there comes an awareness of God. Whether it is looking at a shooting star, or at a sunset, or at a blade of grass, the thought occurs to them, "This didn't just get here. This didn't just happen. There must be a God."

Creation speaks to us of the Godhead. It is a revelation of God. The book of Psalms says, Night unto night shows forth knowledge. And it says the heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows His handiwork. Creation speaks to us of God.

But notice what this passage says. This revelation of God has come to men, but some have wanted to suppress it. They came to that point and thought, "You know what? If I find out about this, then I'm going to become responsible. So I don't think I want to know."

The natural bent of men and women is to suppress the truth, but God is speaking loudly and clearly of His greatness and reality through His creation. Praise Him today for revealing His beauty and power through nature, and use it to point people to Him.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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FRIDAY August 13, 2010

Search the Scriptures

After Paul preached the gospel to the Bereans, they did something that others had not done—they searched the Scriptures.

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).

According to the next verse, the result of their search was that many of them believed.

Jesus said in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."

I once heard a Jewish believer share his testimony. His daughter, who had become a Christian, challenged him to read through the New Testament.

He began in Matthew and was astonished to find so many Old Testament references to the Messiah being fulfilled by Jesus.

His initial reason for searching the Scriptures was to prove that his daughter was wrong, but instead, he ended up giving his heart to Christ. The Scriptures testified of Jesus!

Look for Him as you read the Holy Scriptures, and encourage others to do the same.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY August 12, 2010

True Redemption

The passage of Scripture I want to call your attention to today is Ephesians 4:8-10,

Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended"—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Before Jesus ascended, what did He do? He descended. I didn't write that. The Bible says that. And when He descended, what did He do? He led captivity captive. That refers to the Old Testament saints who were in what is called "Abraham's bosom" or Paradise.

Jesus went down there. They were in captivity in the sense that they could not go to heaven until Christ's sacrifice. But after Christ died, having paid the price for our sins, He went and emptied Paradise and He led captivity captive. He brought those saints up to heaven.

Here is what I want you to picture. Jesus, through His death and resurrection, defeated hell and death. He took the keys away from the devil, stripped him of his power and his authority, and won redemption for the human race. Then He went to Paradise and there He saw Abraham, David, Moses, Ezekiel, Joshua, Esther, Ruth—all of the people who served the Lord under the Old Covenant.

He threw the door open and said, "Hey, guys! Time to come home! It's been done! The thing the prophets prophesied about, here I am! I am the reality. Time to leave this place and come to heaven with me!"

Then He who descended, ascended, leading all of those Old Testament saints to heaven with Him! And He sent back the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost to empower us to tell the story of His resurrection and His victory.

Let us make that our passion! To proclaim the resurrected Jesus who has paid the price for our redemption.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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WEDNESDAY August 11, 2010

True Satisfaction

Isaiah 14:12-15 records the fall of Satan. Created as God's archangel, we read about the dissatisfaction that got him in trouble,

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit."

Clearly his problem was pride. "I will, I will, I will...I am going to be like God." He wasn't satisfied with being the archangel that God had created him to be. He wanted to take God's place.

The root of Satan's pride was his discontent with the post and station that the supreme Monarch of the universe had assigned and allotted him. He thought he deserved better.

We all have our sphere of influence, and we all have our gifting from God. Your sphere of influence and gifting are different than mine, and mine are different than yours. It is unwise to desire something that someone else has rather than exploring what God has given you and developing that to its highest potential.

When you look over the fence, it looks like the grass is greener on the other side, but when you hop over, you find out it is spray-painted!

You will only be satisfied if you will develop what God has put inside of you and take that to its highest level possible. That is what you will be rewarded for.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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TUESDAY August 10, 2010

Six Times We Should Seek God (Part Two)

In yesterday's devotional, we looked at three times we should seek God. Today we will look at three more:

4. When we are in trouble.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted (Psalm 77:2).

In Hosea 5:15 the Lord says, "...in their affliction they will earnestly seek me."

I don't like to admit it, but the truth is that at times I have sought God more earnestly when I have been in trouble. Problems have a way of getting us on our knees. If you are in trouble today - seek Him!

5. When all is well.

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! (Psalm 105:4).

If you will carefully read the preceding verses of this psalm, you will find that the context is one of blessing and not trouble.

This may be the most important time of all to seek Him. May we never become smug and think that we do not need God when all is well.

6. Continually.

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! (1 Chronicles 16:11).

The word evermore in this verse means continually or at all times.

When you have sinned, when you are dry, when you are afraid, when you are in trouble, when all is well, and in any other situation - you need to seek God!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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MONDAY August 08, 2010

Six Times We Should Seek God

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).

In today's devotional, I want to show you the first three of six times we should seek the Lord:

1. When we have sinned.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

If you sin, do not run from God, run to Him. Do not allow shame to keep you away.

2. When we are feeling dry spiritually.

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1).

When you sense a distance between you and God, or if you feel dry spiritually, do not delay! Seek Him early.

When my potted plants feel dry, I water them. I do not wait until they turn brown and are almost dead. If the soil is dry and the leaves begin to droop, they are in need of water right then, and so it is when you are feeling spiritually dry.

One of the keys to keeping potted plants—and our spiritual lives—healthy is to tend to them early.

3. When we are fearful.

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4).

When you are fearful or anxious, it is time to seek the Lord. When you seek Him you can expect to be delivered from all of your fears!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SUNDAY August 08, 2010

The True Grace of God

Yesterday we read Jude 4 which states, For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Before we move away from this verse, I want to point out a phrase that I believe is very dangerous ground for the Church in America today. It is the phrase, "Ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness."

Lewdness literally means unrestrained lust, wickedness, and immorality. These people believed that once you were saved, you could live however you wanted.

There are people in the Church today with this type of thinking. They believe that if you are saved by grace, and good works do not merit salvation, then you can do whatever you want.

You can sleep around, commit adultery, get drunk, the sky's the limit. It's grace, baby! Your works don't have anything to do with it. You can live however you want!

One of the things that I have heard throughout the years is, "Hey, it doesn't matter. It's grace. God will forgive me, so I'm going to go ahead and do this anyway."

You do not want to live that way. Believe me, something begins to break down inside of you, and you will pay the piper eventually.

If you are turning the grace of God into lewdness through immorality, or any other sin, I challenge you to stop today. Confess your sin to God, turn from whatever it is that you have been doing, and ask God to help you live for Him. If you do, you will experience the true grace of God, which teaches us that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SATURDAY August 07, 2010

The Entrance of Error

Jude 4 gives us an ominous warning : For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude is giving us an idea of how the devil brings error into a church. The key phrase is men have crept in unnoticed. That phrase literally means to come alongside by stealth. It pictures someone creeping in and coming alongside, like coming in through a side door.

The folks Jude is talking about look like everyone else, they talk like everyone else, but they are not like everyone else.

That is the way the devil brings error and false doctrine into the Church. It looks like the truth, sounds good, seems like the truth, and it may even be partially true. But there is enough poison in it to kill you.

It's like the guy who wanted to break into a used car lot to steal a bunch of auto parts. The only problem was the two guard dogs. So for the next week he showed up every night with some pieces of meat.

At first the dogs would bark like crazy, but after the man left, they would eat the meat. By the end of the week, they didn't bark at all, they just wanted the meat. So, having become familiar with the dogs, knowing that they wouldn't "sound the alarm," he approached them one last time—with poisoned meat. The dogs ate, and he was able to get into the lot and steal all he wanted.

That is the way the devil does it a lot of times. He sends someone among the believers in order to distract and detour them from the truth. But it is calculated and happens by degrees. Do not let your "inner alarm system" go silent through familiarity.

Beware of those who would move you away, even subtly, from the clearly revealed from the clearly revealed truth of God's Word.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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FRIDAY August 06, 2010

No Plan B

Have you ever thought of the fact that in eternity past God planned for you, me, and every other believer to be His Plan "A" to take His salvation to the world?

Read the words of Jude 1:3,

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

In this verse, Jude is telling those to whom he is writing, "I have written to exhort you, to call you near to God, and that you might contend (literally fight) for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

He is referring to the doctrine of Jesus Christ: His crucifixion, His suffering for our sins, His resurrection from the dead, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His imminent return.

Notice his words, though, that it "was once for all delivered." In other words, God is not changing His plan now. It was delivered to us to both defend and to declare, once and for all. There is no Plan B. We are it.

This means the gospel has literally been entrusted to you and to me as the Church...the body of Christ. God has chosen that through the foolishness of preaching men would be saved.

The good news of Jesus Christ, God's only method of bringing salvation to a lost and dying world, the only method of changing men and women's eternal destination, has been delivered to us.

Isn't that an awesome thought? That is why my passion is to bring a living Jesus to a dying world. Because there is no Plan B.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY August 05, 2010

Your Calling to Judgment

One of the three ways in which we are called as believers, which we looked at in yesterday's devotional, is a call or summons to judgment. And frankly, the thought of it unsettles me.

In fact, when I read what the apostle Paul says about the judgment seat of Christ, it is very sobering. He tells us that someday we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for the works done in the body. In 2 Corinthians 5:11, he states this about that day,

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Think about that for a moment. Isn't that unsettling to you?

The apostle Paul who wrote the great majority of the New Testament, who walked the known world three times to establish churches and to preach the gospel where it had been previously unpreached, who gave his life, and according to church history, was even martyred for the cause of Christ, refers to the judgment seat of Christ as "the terror of the Lord."

Wow! That is just unnerving.

Someday I really want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I'm taking God's call seriously. Now, I am enjoying life to the max, but there is always that serious edge knowing that I am going to have to stand before Jesus someday.

My prayer for you today is that you, too, would take your call before the judgment seat of Christ seriously. Someday you will stand before our Lord and give an account of every part of your life.

May you hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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WEDNESDAY August 04, 2010

Your Three-Way Calling

In Jude 1, we read the following greeting,

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.

The Greek word for called here is used in three different ways. As believers in Jesus Christ, this word tells us we are called to three things:

1.      It is used for those who are summoned to an office, duty, or a responsibility. Friend, every believer has been called. You have a duty, you have an office, and you have a responsibility. We have all been called to do something for Christ. We are ambassadors for Christ, and we need to represent Him to a lost and dying world.

2.      The word called is also used in the Greek language to summon someone to a feast or a festival. And you know what? You have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and you will sit down one day to enjoy all the things God has planned for eternity.

3.      Finally, the word translated called in this passage is used to summon someone into court to give an account for themselves, or to summon them to judgment. One day we will have to give an account of our lives. One day every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for the works done in the body.

You have a responsibility to represent Christ to our dying world, to someday celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb, and to ultimately give an account of your life.

I pray you will embrace and fulfill your calling today!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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TUESDAY August 03, 2010

The Prize

If you have read the last couple of days' devotionals, you know we have been focusing on Philippians 3:12-14. Today I want to give you one final truth from this passage of Scripture.

It is found in verse 14 where Paul says,

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

What I want to focus our thoughts on today is the prize. According to this passage, there is a reward for finishing, a reward that will be given openly to all those who are faithful.

In fact, the Greek word translated prize literally means a reward that is given publicly. This is not something that is given in private.

In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul says,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

This crown of righteousness is synonymous with the "prize." Paul said, "It will be given to me on that Day." Not the day Paul died, but rather on a day that has yet to arrive, when we are gathered before God's throne.

On that day, everyone will be there. King David, Samuel the prophet, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Moses, the apostle Paul, Peter...every saint who has lived for God in every generation since the Resurrection.

On that day, we are going to be standing before God giving an account of our lives. We are going to be rewarded publicly if we have fulfilled our job description and run within the lines of our calling while on this earth.

I urge you to prepare for that day!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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MONDAY August 02, 2010

Your Lane

Yesterday we discovered that God has given each of us a call...a destiny designed by God for His glory.

In Philippians 3:12, Paul gives us some additional insight into that call,

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Paul—when he was still an unbeliever and on the road to Damascus—had an encounter with Jesus. Our Lord laid hold of him and Paul realized God had not only put a call on his life, but that the call was unique.

He was driven to fulfill that call. He states it this way, "Since that day, I have been trying to lay hold of the reason for which He laid hold of me."

You also have a unique call. And whatever it is, you need to stop comparing yourself to others and competing with others. That is a terrible way to live. Find out what your lane is, what your gifting is, your calling, and run in that lane.

You are unique! God has not called anyone else to do exactly what you do. Find out who you are and forget about what anybody else thinks. God is not comparing you to another person. You do not have to compete with anyone or be compared to anyone. Just do what He has asked you to do.

That is running in your lane. Do not run in somebody else's lane. Now you can certainly learn from others, but you don't want to copy them. You were born an original; you don't want to die a copy.

Determine God's unique design for your life and run in the lane of that design. That is when you will know satisfaction, blessing, and contentment.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SUNDAY August 01, 2010

Running Inside the Lines

In Philippians 3:14, Paul provides a powerful insight into his passion. Here is what he says,

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul clearly had a goal in mind, a sense of his destiny. And he was undaunted in seeking to reach it.

In fact, the phrase "I press toward the goal" could literally be translated from the Greek text this way, "I run within the lines." It paints the picture of a runner, running down a track, staying in his lane.

He is not overreaching his bounds, running in someone else's lane. Rather, as he goes for the goal, he is running within the lines with the goal in mind.

In a little mission in Medford, Oregon, many years ago, there was a young man with a terrible drug and alcohol problem. One night God got a hold of his life. It was a truly dramatic conversion.

I was that young man. And for several decades now, I have been seeking to lay hold of the reason for which He laid hold of me. I knew that night that God had a destiny for my life. And that is the goal I strive and press forward to achieve.

God has a destiny for your life, too. God laid hold of your life just like He did mine, for a purpose. If you have not already done so, you must understand and press forward to fulfill the destiny God has for your life.

If you don't know what that might be, then start asking God to reveal that to you. Ask Him to show you the lane you are to run in.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SATURDAY July 31, 2010

Forgetting the Past

Yesterday we looked at Philippians 3:13. I want to draw our attention to this verse again today, but for another reason.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

The key word I want to have you focus on today is forgetting. I want you to understand the importance of forgetting the past so you can move forward.

Some people—perhaps you—cannot reach forward because they are continually looking backwards. Their focus is on their past sins, their past mistakes, their past failures, their past hurts.

God does not want you to live in the past, but rather focus on the future.

A while back I was visiting a friend who had a great impact on my life as a young believer. As I was sitting at a meal with him and his wife, he began to share with me a great personal failure.

About ten years earlier, when he was pioneering a church, he fell into an adulterous relationship. It rocked the foundation of his marriage; but he repented, got out of the relationship, and over time, God healed his marriage. But he has not been in ministry since.

As he told me, tears began to stream down his face. He got up from the table, went to the bathroom, and his wife looked at me and said, "Bayless, if you can help him, please do. My husband has lived a holy life for the last ten years. God has forgiven him, I have forgiven him, but he hasn't forgiven himself."

This man chained himself to this one past failure, and he can't get on with what God had called him to do.

Bury your past so you can uncover your future.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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FRIDAY July 30, 2010

Focus

In Philippians 3:13, Paul says,

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

The phrase I want to direct you to today is Paul's statement, One thing I do. These are echoes of words King David spoke when he said, "One thing I desire," and Jesus, who said to the rich young ruler, "There is one thing you lack."

Then there is the blind man, who had been blind from birth, whom Jesus healed. When he was questioned, he said, "There is one thing I know: I was blind, now I see." One thing I do; one thing I desire; one thing you lack; one thing I know.

Each of these statements points to a vital thing needed if you are to grow in your spiritual life: FOCUS.

The problem with many people is they are far too scattered. They are trying to do everything and be everything. They try to be a jack-of-all-trades and end up being a master of none.

If that describes you today, let me ask you a question: What is the one main thing that should be the focus of your life?

I have a very gifted friend who drives me crazy. We can spend an hour in the car; and, in that hour, he has shared 21 new ideas with me. He is trying to be so many things and do so many things that he is not as effective as he could be at anything!

My question to you is this: If you died and stood before God today, what is the one thing He is going to ask you about? Paul said, "One thing I do." What is that one thing for you?

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY July 29, 2010

Growing Up—Part 2

Yesterday we began a list of ten areas in which Scripture says we should be growing. In today's devotional, I want to complete that list for you.

1. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 teach us that we should grow in our love for others. I would hate to think that I have plumbed the depths of love for my wife, for my children, for my friends, or for God.

2. Ephesians 2:21 speaks to us of growing in unity. You and I ought to grow better and better at getting along with other believers, especially those in our church.

3. Luke 2:52 speaks of growing in wisdom. God is so anxious to provide you and me with His wisdom, but it is something we need to seek. Are you growing in wisdom?

4. Luke 2:52 also speaks of growing in favor. Are you obnoxious and hard to get along with? Do you find it difficult to get along with others? I challenge you, if that is true, to consider the model of Jesus for our lives. He grew in favor with both God and men.

5. 2 Peter 3:18 says that we can grow in grace. I don't know about you, but I am deeply grateful for God's grace in my life. And for those who extend me grace when I blow it. Is grace a hallmark of your life?

According to Scripture, these ten areas—the five from yesterday and the five today—are vital areas in which you and I are to grow. I challenge you to read each Scripture and take each area before the Lord and ask Him to reveal where you need to grow.

You will be amazed at the change for good that will come about in your life!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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Wednesday July 28, 2010

Growing Up

The Scripture says in Ephesians 4:15 that we should grow in all things. In today's and tomorrow's devotionals, I want to give you ten areas in which the Bible teaches us we should grow. I hope you will take time to read each passage and answer the question of whether you are growing as you should in each of these areas.

1. In Colossians 1:10 we are told we should increase in the knowledge of God. You ought to know more about God and His Kingdom this week than you did last week.

2. Psalm 71:21 tells us we are to be growing in our influence. I hope I have not reached the pinnacle in my life when it comes to the influence I have for good in the lives of others. If you call yourself a leader and no one is following you, then you are not influencing them, you are just taking a walk. You and I need to grow in influence.

3. In Proverbs 13:11 it says we are to be growing and increasing materially. I don't know of many who couldn't grow in this area!

4. Isaiah 29:19 speaks of increasing in joy. From appearances, some people seem to grow more and more sour as the days go by and have less and less of a sense of humor. Listen, the more you advance in age, the more your capacity to laugh at life's ups and downs should grow.

5. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 teaches us that we should grow in faith. Now faith certainly touches all areas of life; and, hopefully, today you don't freak out like you used to when you are faced with a trial, because your faith has grown and you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.

In tomorrow's devotion we will complete this list.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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TUESDAY JULY 27, 2010

Pressing On

In Philippians 3:12, Paul says,

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Paul's challenge in this verse is for you and me to press on, to keep growing. I believe one of the greatest assets in life that you and I have is the capacity to grow and change. We have the capacity to press on.

One of the first steps in pressing on is to realize that you have not yet arrived. Even the apostle Paul acknowledged and recognized that he had not yet arrived. He said, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected.

Paul understood that he had a lot of room for growth. And if he did, so do we.

If you have grown stagnant in your spiritual life, you need to ask the question, "Why?" Why is your spiritual life stunted? Why are you not growing? Why are you stymied in your spiritual progress? What are your barriers to growth?

I believe that if we are willing to admit that we need to grow, then identify the barriers that are keeping a lid on our spiritual lives, and finally, by the grace of God, deal with those barriers and remove them, we will begin to press on and grow.

If you were to take a catfish and put it in a small fish tank, that fish would only grow to be 12 inches long and it might weigh a quarter of a pound. But if you took that identical catfish and placed it into a lake, it might grow to be three feet long and weigh 60 pounds.

What was the barrier to its growth? The tank kept it contained. It grew to the limit that the environment allowed.

Remove the barriers to your spiritual growth and press on!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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MONDAY JULY 26, 2010

YIELD: The Fourth Step in Effective Prayer

Psalm 37:4 provides us the "Y" in the acronym P-R-A-Y, the four elements to effective prayer we have been discussing over the last few devotionals.

Here is what Psalm 37:4 says,

Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Now the Hebrew word for delight in this verse literally means to become soft or pliable. This means that "delighting" in the Lord is assuming a yielded posture before God.

So the "Y" in P-R-A-Y stands for yield. The question is: How do you practice yielding to God when you pray? Yielding is when you stop talking, and you wait, listen, and seek to hear from God.

In my own practice of prayer, I will often bow before God and ask Him, "God, is there anything You want to say to me? Do You have any instructions for me? Is there anything You want me to change?"

Then I silently wait for Him to speak to me.

As you assume this posture of being yielded and waiting quietly before Him, you will be surprised at some of the things that come to your attention: "You need to spend more time with your daughter," "Take your wife out on a date," "Bake your neighbor a pie and build a bridge over which the gospel can travel," "Spend more time praising Me," "Show your gratitude and appreciation for those who have been helping you in your life."

You will indeed hear from God if you ask Him to speak into your heart, and wait silently before Him.

That is the last element of effective prayer: praise, repent, ask, yield. Your prayers can indeed be effective if you commit to these four principles. That is how to  P-R-A-Y.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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SUNDAY JULY 25, 2010

The Conditions for Answered Prayer

Yesterday we talked about the "A" in the acronym P-R-A-Y, which is our way of understanding the steps in effective prayer. That "A" stands for ask, and I have come to believe that too many Christians don't believe that God wants them to ask.

God wants you to ask. He really does. But there are some conditions He gives in order to answer your requests. In John chapters 14-16 we find a number of these conditions.

We need to remember that these are Jesus' last hours with the disciples; and He wants them to understand how prayer really works. Over and over He emphasizes the need to ask, but His answers will be based on three conditions.

First, in John 14:13, Jesus says your request must glorify God,

"And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

Second, in John 15:7, He says your request must be consistent and in harmony with His Word,

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."

And finally, in John 16:23-24, Jesus sets the condition that your request bring you joy,

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Over and over, Jesus commands you to ask. But when you ask, make sure your request will glorify God, that it is consistent with His Word, and that it will bring you joy.

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SATURDAY JULY 24, 2010

ASK: The Third Step in Effective Prayer

So far we have discovered that praise and repentance are the first two steps to effective prayer. Today I want to show you the very important third step of asking.

Yesterday we talked about how repentance is searching your own heart and asking God to put the spotlight on it, and then repenting of anything that He shows you. When your heart is clean, you can have confidence before God when you ask. As 1 John 3:21-22 says,

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus tells us,

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Pretty clear, isn't it? God loves you and wants the very best for you. Be careful not to water down the words of Jesus, or somehow try and explain them away or complicate them. He meant just what He said.

But there are some conditions. And tomorrow we will look at those conditions for receiving what you ask God for.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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FRIDAY JULY 23, 2010

REPENT: The Second Step in Effective Prayer

Yesterday we began to look at what makes for effective prayer by using the acronym P-R-A-Y. The first step is praise. Today, I want to focus on the second letter of our acronym, "R", which stands for repent.

By repentance in prayer, I mean taking the time before God to search your heart and repent of anything that has come between you and Him. Psalm 19:12-13 expresses it well,

Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Verse 12 begins with the question, "Who can understand his errors?" The psalmist is telling us, "You will not always know when you do something wrong. You will not always know when you get into an area that is not right."

What David is pointing to are the secret faults and presumptuous sins which can still have dominion over you—even though you may not be aware that what you did was wrong.

For example, sometimes we can allow attitudes to get into our hearts that we don't realize are inconsistent with God's character. Or sometimes we can do and say things that are detrimental, not only to us, but to others, and not really understand the damage we have done.

How do you deal with these sins? You come before God and say, "God, put the spotlight on anything in my life that has raised a barrier between You and me, and I will repent of it."

So when you pray, ask God to reveal any sin in your life you may be overlooking. God will honor your heart of repentance.

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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THURSDAY JULY 22, 2010

PRAISE: The First Step in Effective Prayer

Praying consistently will change your life. In fact, many of the blessings God wants you to enjoy will never be realized unless you pray.

I think all Christians know they are supposed to pray, and all Christians want to pray. But many of God's people, if they are completely frank and transparent about the issue, would have to admit their prayer life is somewhere between mediocre and non-existent.

Over the next few devotionals, I want to share with you four simple points which I have put into an acronym: P-R-A-Y. If you can spell the word pray, hopefully you will be able to remember how to make your prayer life more effective, and you will be inspired to pray more consistently.

Psalm 100 helps us understand the first letter, "P", in the word P-R-A-Y, which stands for praise. Psalm 100:1-4 states it well,

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Verse 2 tells us, Come before His presence with singing. And in verse 4 notice the words "enter into." In other words, praise is how you are to enter God's presence. It is the best way to begin your prayer.

When you want to come to God, you start with thanksgiving. You start with singing. You start with praise. Or, as The Message says, Enter with the password: "Thank you!"

Today, and every day, make praise the starting point of every conversation with God!

Put your trust in Him. He will bring you to the place of your breakthrough, and you will find the strength and direction you need.

Remember...every word from God brings a blessing when obeyed.

And if anything you've read here today has touched your heart, don't be afraid to pray and talk with God about it - even if you have to keep praying about it every day. He knows anyway, and is more than willing to help you through today's devotional.

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