Prayer

Revive Us Again: A Prayer for 2023

Faith, prayer, Spiritual warfare / By / January 3, 2023 / , , ,
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Jesus alone is our hope!

We cringe at the darkness descending in our culture. We pray for revival in the world to reverse the evil we see but do we understand revival begins with us, dear sisters?

“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

Will you join me in humility, prayer, and repentance in 2023?

Abba, we cry out to You.

You are holy and call us to be holy.

May we be women on our faces, dependant on You alone.

May we

Adore You intentionally,

Confess our sins promptly,

Thank You continually, and

Supplicate specifically.

May You graciously revive our hearts so that we will be lights that shine bright in this present darkness.

Amen

Stuck in a Devotional Rut? Two Ideas That Will Give You Traction

1 Comment / Faith, Knowing God / By / May 18, 2021 / , , , ,

Relief for Bible Boredom

Routines dig ruts in our lives. Sometimes sticking to our way gets us stuck, and we don’t try new things. This lack of variation leads to boredom and inflexibility—especially in relationships. Relational monotony stunts our growth. We fail to discover new avenues to deepen friendships.

Mature Christians often encourage new believers to have a daily quiet time (a time to read Scripture and pray). A healthy spiritual life depends on these two essential elements. Unfortunately, we can turn these things into another to-do on our list; we cease to view our daily devotions as a time devoted to our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Variety sparks new interest; switching things up leads to discoveries of delight. Does your fellowship with Jesus feel stale at times? Does He seem distant? Here are a few ideas to spark new vibrancy in your intimacy with God.

First, New Perspective

The Bible speaks the very words of God (1Timothy 3:16). It’s living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). Don’t focus on the pages; focus on the Person. The Lord calls us into an intimate conversation when He instructs us to pray. When we pray, we need to focus on our Bridegroom—the Lover of our souls—not our honey-do list. Keep in mind this is not a time to read your Bible like an ordinary book and recite a list of your needs. A devotional time should be an intimate conversation with the One who knows you better than you know yourself. Listen. Ask good questions. Be honest. Be vulnerable.

Second, Vary Your Habits

Here are a few suggestions. Of these ten variations, try one that’s new to you and get out of your rut.

  1. Read in a different translation for a time

Reading a diversity of translations develops a fuller understanding of the text.

  1. Read the sixty-six books chronologically

The books are not listed that way. However, there are chronological reading plans online and chronological Bibles in print. Watch the story of redemption unfold from beginning to end.

  1. Intentional Rereading

Imagine you received a letter from a loved one who lived hundreds of miles away. Would one quick reading be enough? It wasn’t in the days before texting and the internet. People would read those letters over and over to treasure every thought. Do this with the Epistles. Read the whole book in one sitting. Then repeat until you see: the book’s theme, main ideas, and flow. This method applies well to short stories in the Gospels or Old Testament narratives, too.Spend a week with Sarah or the woman at the well. Put yourself in their place. Can you feel, hear, and see what they did?

  1. Speed Read

This practice requires ambition; it’s not for the faint of heart or slow readers. Read large passages in one sitting (10-12 chapters at a time). Speed Reading will take you through the whole Bible up to three times in a year. This approach brings the panoramic scope of redemption into view. You’ll see how each book of the Bible fits into God’s story. If you only get through one and a half times, don’t be discouraged. Speed reading is not an easy discipline.

  1. Read a Messianic Jewish version (Living Tree Version is one example)

Doing this will teach you some Hebrew words and expose you to a different Old Testament arrangement. Most importantly, it will remind you Jesus is Jewish, and our spiritual genealogy came through these chosen people. Their law, holidays, and worship foreshadow the wonders of our Messiah.

  1. Do Different Styles of Bible Study

Try inductive studies like those produced by Precept Ministries. Try lessons without video teachers.

  1. Do Topical Word Studies

For example, how many times is the word “love” used in the Bible? What kind of love does each passage talk about (there are two different Greek words and an interesting Hebrew word translated “lovingkindness” in the Old Testament). Are your ideas consistent with God’s definition?

  1. Journal

Reinforce your discoveries by writing love letters to God. Write out prayers, observations from Scripture reading, even your confessions of sin, and don’t forget to record your praise and thanksgiving. Try the S.O.A.P. method of journaling that Love God Deeply publishes.

  1. Pray as you read

Communicate your thoughts and questions as you read. You’ll be amazed at how personally God interacts with you through His Word. Inquire, and He may answer in the next sentence. Are you reminded of a friend? Pray for them from the text. This approach turns reading and praying into a divine conversation, a unique discussion.

  1. Pray Scripture

When we pray the prayers in the Bible or promises and principles from God’s word, we know we are praying according to His will. For example, try praying James 1:2-4 for a hurting friend, “Lord, please help my friend learn the patience You want to develop in them. Give them joy through this difficulty.”

Keep in mind; no particular method is exclusively the best or the only way to get closer to Jesus. The only wrong routine is the one that got us stuck. Each approach provides different benefits to Spiritual growth. Change stretches us; it expands our capacity to know Him. The Lord is, after all, a God of the infinite, creative variety. So, reflect His image by being creative in relating to Him. And enjoy the spark it brings to your fellowship with Him.

(If you want more ideas for enjoying time with the Lord, I recommend Oxygen By Keri Wyatt Kent and Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas. You can find reviews of these books on my books page under Library, and  affiliated Amazon links to help you acquire a copy.)

Failure Due to Forgetfulness

1 Comment / Faith / By / July 29, 2021 / , , ,

“What if . . . ?!”

I pounded my fists on the door in the dark—darkness like a tomb. “Please, let us out! Don’t lock us in here,” My toddler and baby wailed in response to their mother’s frantic furry. Just seconds ago, light illumined this store restroom where we came for a potty break. The lights went out as I washed my hands. “What happened?” I wondered. Then it dawned on me it was late afternoon on a Sunday. The mall was closing. With my hip along the counter to guide me to the exit, I rushed to the door. I pushed hard; the door didn’t budge. I panicked.

 “What ifs” flooded my mind. What if they can’t hear me? What if everyone leaves, and the kids and I are stuck in the dark until tomorrow morning? What if? What if ?! What if?!! Not once did I think about “what is.”

After what felt like hours but was merely a minute or two, the door pushed against me. A wedge of pale light grew as a clerk opened the door. Like a sunrise, the irony of my situation dawned on me; I had been trying to push open a door I should have pulled.  How foolish I felt all because I failed to focus on my reality—the what is.

You see, my babies and I were never alone in the dark. God is ever-present, everywhere. If I had just taken a deep breath when my anxiety started and prayed a simple “Help, Lord,” I know He would have impressed me to pull the door instead of pushing. But, no, I listened to all of satan’s “what ifs.”

There’s an old saying, “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.”  While if’s and buts are helpful in strategy games like chess and checkers, they hinder our present appreciation of life circumstances. The only if we should consider is, “Lord, if you will” ( James 4:13-15). I forgot in that scary, dark place that the Lord was there and willing to Give me wisdom (James 1:5). I forgot that He is my protective Father who provides for all my needs (Matthew 6:26); when we forget, we fail. We fail to do the right things. We fail to honor our Savior. Just like the forgetful children of Israel, we wander in the wilderness and go into exile. Forgetfulness of Who our Father is and what His will is for us leads to sin. Yes, my frantic screams and blows against that bathroom door were sinful acts of unbelief, but I learned a valuable lesson from my regrettable actions. I knew not only did I need to pray instead of panic, but I also realized what a terrible example I had set for my children. I became aware that my failure to practice what I preach affects others, not just me.

As my children grew, they heard me say this a lot, “Smart people learn from their mistakes. Smarter people learn from the mistakes of others.” So, my prayer for you today, dear Reader, is that you’ll learn from me to be mindful of the truth of what is and not let the what-ifs send you into a frenzy.

What truth do you need to remember today?

SerendipiTea

Faith, prayer / By / August 9, 2021 / ,

Welcome to Tea Time

Tea Time is a quarterly (February, May, August, and November) reflection on various qualties.

Ser*en*dip*i*tea \ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē\ n. 1. To discover God’s pleasant providence in life, like sipping high-quality Darjeeling for the first time.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21.

Eureka! The fragrance of sunshine, like my grandmother’s apricot tree, filled my nose as I sniffed in the glass canister of loose-leaf tea. That day I lifted the lids of every jar on the sandwich shop’s tea shelf where I worked. I was trying to decide what I should sip on break.  When I discovered Darjeeling, I sniffed no more. That was the tea for me.

            My Darjeeling discovery, serendipitous as it was, pales compared to the providence of God’s answers to prayer. He not only answers our prayers—but He often does so in ways that exceed our expectations.

             I remember the wonder of the answer to prayer early in my walk with Christ. I was between paychecks, and as often happens in life, I reached the end of my money before the end of the month. Desperate for clean clothes to go to work in, I cried out, “Lord, I need some laundry money.” Two steps later, I noticed a quarter on the ground, the exact change I needed to do one load. Serendipity! A delightful, unexpected treasure! I burst into praise as I picked up the gift from my newfound Father. He really does care for me; I thought as I walked home.

            Glimpses of God’s serendipitous nature fill the earth. The flash of a cardinal’s wings, finding an unbroken sand-dollar on the beach, the fragrance of lilacs, all the beautiful wonders that surprise and delight us prove His glorious grace to humanity. The earth declares His extravagance.

            How has He inspired awe and wonder in you? When has He stepped into your life with serendipity? How can we provide serendipity to others, perhaps sending a handwritten note or an unexpected gift that adds delight to an ordinary day?

Father, You are the personification of serendipity! You never cease to surprise us with the riches of Your glory. Thank You for being You! Please, open our eyes in wonder to the Wonder that You are. Amen`

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