Five Days of Prayer - Day Five

 

Hebrews 13:15-16 (NLT)     ¹⁵Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. ¹⁶And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Romans 12:12 (NLT)    ¹²Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Colossians 3:17, 23-24 (NLT)     ¹⁷And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. ... ²³Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

James 1:5-8 (NLT)     ⁵If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ⁶But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

At first glance, this may appear to be a random selection of verses. However, when taken as a collective, these verses can be powerful reminders to continue in prayer with praise and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father as the priority. Remember that God has given to each one of us some gift, ability, or talent to use for his purposes; be faithful in using what he has given you. When you are uncertain, unsure, or lack understanding; ask God to allow his Spirit within you to guide your understanding.

I humbly believe that God has given me an ability to encourage others through the writing of short devotionals. That is why I “Write From My Heart”, although to be honest, sometimes the intended reader is myself as well as others. The following prayer is my daily prayer before I sit down to write. I do not know what God has asked you to do or what talents, gifts, and abilities he has given to you. Perhaps my prayer might inspire you create your own daily prayer; that is my deepest hope. Blessings to you, Dear Reader.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

Help me to be obedient to whatever nudgings You place on my heart. Guide me in the diligent study of Your Word. Provide the measure of understanding You trust me to handle correctly. Provide the thoughts You want me to write for others to read, even if the reader is me. Open the doors You want me to use, and give me peace about the doors You close. I pray that in all things You receive all honor, glory, and praise. May Your will be accomplished and may I be useful to You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Five Days of Prayer - Day Four

Isaiah 55:6, 8-9 (NLT)     ⁶Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. ... ⁸“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. ⁹For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Psalm 62:8 (NLT)     ⁸O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

Daniel 3:16-18 (NLT)     ¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. ¹⁷If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.

One of the most devastating teachings about prayer is that you do not receive what you asked for because you apparently did not have enough faith. Teachings of this sort typically misuse the “grain of mustard seed” scripture. Nothing could be further from scriptural foundations regarding prayer. The truth is that God does want you to pour your heart out to him – the good things, the bad things, the questions, the concerns – all of it, in daily communion with him. But true faith is recognizing that God’s ways are always best. His solutions are flawless; His timing is perfect. You may see responses that are in line with your thoughts, but even when you don’t; true faith is still trusting in your Heavenly Father.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

You are God; I am not.

You know what is best; I do not.

I haven’t come to tell You what to do; I’ve come to ask you to do what is best.

I don’t know what that will be; but I know it will be the right thing.

I trust Your wisdom. I trust You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Five Days of Prayer - Day Three

John 17:20-23 (NLT)  ²⁰I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. ²¹I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. ²²I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. ²³I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John records the most wonderful words of Jesus’ prayer for himself, his disciples, and for all generations to follow. I encourage you to take a moment to read the entire prayer. My heart tells me this is a wonderful reminder that we not only pray for ourselves and our families, but for generations to come. The ladies’ Bible study group at our church has a wonderful tradition each year of dividing up the names of all students in our children’s and youth Sunday School classes, and each of us takes a card with a few names on it—to remember those young lives in prayer (and their teachers) throughout the year. One of the ladies made beautiful cards with prayer suggestions, and although I am unsure of the original source, I share with you 14 Ways to Pray... for all the young lives you know as well as for generations to come:

·         Pray that they will come to know Christ as Savior.

·         Pray that they will love God with all of their hearts.

·         Pray for their parents and families.

·         Pray that they will choose the right kind of friends.

·         Pray for spiritual stability during tough times.

·         Pray for the needs of their hearts that you may not know about.

·         Pray for physical protection in their lives.

·         Pray that they will love God’s Word.

·         Pray for their continued connection to the body of Christ.

·         Pray that they will find their identity and worth in Christ and not in our world.

·         Pray that God will give them compassion for others.

·         Pray that they will have integrity in all areas of their lives.

·         Pray that they will look for ways to serve the Lord.

·         Pray that they will learn to pray too!

 

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Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Five Days of Prayer - Day Two

Ephesians 6:18-20 (NLT)     ¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. ¹⁹And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. ²⁰I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Colossians 4:2-4 (NLT)     ²Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ³Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.  ⁴Pray that I will proclaim his message as clearly as I should.

Yesterday we embarked on a week-long exploration of favorite prayers and scriptures regarding prayer. The apostle Paul reminds us to be alert and faithful in prayer, especially remembering to pray for others. There are times when we know specific concerns to voice on behalf of others; yet there are also times when there is a name on our heart, but we don’t know what to pray. My uncle once shared with me suggestions for “What to pray, when you don’t know what to pray.”

Gracious Heavenly Father,

Today I come to you in prayer for __________, and although I am not aware of their specific needs, I trust Your Wisdom. I pray you grant them strength and courage to cope with whatever they may face today. I pray that they may be aware of Your Presence around them. Grant them grace for every spiritual need. Grant them guidance in setting direction. Grant them wisdom to discern Your Will. Grant them courage and boldness to live according to Your Way. And Lord, in the words of an old hymn, I pray you grant them “strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow.” 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

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Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Five Days of Prayer - Day One

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)     Never stop praying.

There is an old, falling-apart, Webster’s Dictionary (1965) sitting on my desk. Every now and then I take a moment to look up a definition of a word...sometimes an unfamiliar word...but as in the case of today, it is the transitive verb and noun form of a word frequently used; pray, prayer.

pray (v.t.);   to implore; beseech; to ask for; to make supplication (e.g., to make a humble request)

prayer (n.);  a humble entreaty made to God

Prayer is talking with the God who created you, loves you, saves you, comforts you, restores you. He always listens. He always responds in his perfect timing and in his perfect way. I often wonder why we make prayer such a difficult task. We have no trouble chatting or texting with our friends; why do we leave our Gracious Heavenly Father in the distance? Why do we only seek him when we have a problem?

This week my heart wants to share some of my favorite prayers and scriptures with you. My hope is that something will inspire you to develop a deeper prayer life with your Gracious Heavenly Father. He already knows your heart, your needs, your concerns, your joys, and your hopes...but he longs to hear from you, personally.  Blessings to you, dear Reader.

Gracious Heavenly Father,

For what I am, that I ought not to be; Forgive me.

For what I am not, that I ought to be; Forgive me.

Be with my mouth in what it says.

Be with my hands in what they do.

Be with my mind in what it thinks.

Be with my heart in what it feels.

Work in me – through me – for me – in spite of me.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional Five Days of Prayer – Day One appeared first on 

Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Renaissance Hope or Reformation Hope

Psalm 42:5 and 11 (NLT)  ^5&11Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

Micah 7:7 (NIV)  ⁷But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)  ³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

History records many important time periods and I will reference two of them for today’s devotional on hope. Both were significant periods of hope in the timeline of humanity; but hope held very different definitions in each period.

The Renaissance Period occurred approximately 1400s-1600s after the Middle Ages. It was a time of secular hope placed in man’s self-confidence and trust in one’s own accomplishments. It was a time of self-assurance and self-affirmation. There was a cultural “rebirth” in art, science and humanism. Renaissance Hope places one’s trust in man.

By contrast, The Reformation Period occurred toward the latter part of the Renaissance approximately 1500s-1600s. It was a time of revival toward God and away from secularism. It was the renewal of hope placed not in man’s ability, but in God’s sovereign control. There was a spiritual “rebirth” in salvation through faith alone; a belief in Scripture alone; and the promised Blessed Hope of Christ’s return. Reformation Hope places one’s trust in God.

We still see evidence of both Renaissance Hope and Reformation Hope in our world today. Christians hold fast to Reformation Hope and we place our trust in God’s sovereign and providential control. We are confident of the future hope of the resurrection and soon return of Christ Jesus. Yet all the while, the world and it’s Renaissance Hope—hope in self—grows astoundingly pervasive.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)  ¹³May 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.

Renaissance Hope or Reformation Hope—which do you choose? Hope that places one’s trust in man, or hope that places one’s trust in God?

Gracious Heavenly Father,

As the world draws us toward all things self-oriented, draw us back closer to You. You are the God of all true hope—a living hope through the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ. We place our hope in You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  Renaissance Hope or Reformation Hope appeared first on

Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

It's Only Yellow

Romans 15:4 (NIV)  ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

1 Corinthians 10:6-7, 11-13 (NLT)  ⁶These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, ⁷or worship idols as some of them did. ... ¹¹These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. ¹²If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. ¹³The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Psalm 119:10-11, 18 (NIV)  ¹⁰I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. ... ¹⁸Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

As I have so often written, the Bible is first and foremost a book about God. It reveals Creator God and his desire for his creation. It tells of the sin, rebellion, and fallen nature of his creation. It speaks of God’s redemptive plan through his only begotten Son,  Jesus Christ. And it gives us the Blessed Hope of resurrection and life in God’s new and pure Kingdom soon to come.

The Bible is not a book about us. Yet through the careful reading and the diligent studying of God’s Word, we can understand Him better; and when we understand Him better, we can see the flaws and failures in our own life more clearly. When we read the expectations God had for his chosen people in Old Testament times, and we read of their failures; we understand more clearly God’s expectations for his people—all Christians—today. Things that were written so long ago alert us to pitfalls and temptations in the fallen world in which we live today.

The yellow light of a traffic light seems to be the most abused of all three lights. The intention of the yellow light is to warn the light will soon change to red, and you must stop. Every single one of us knows the failure of so many drivers to recognize and obey the yellow light. Yet that is so very much how Christians treat their Bible, “It’s Only Yellow, I’ve still got time.” We eagerly read the “green” scriptures and we ignore the “red” scriptures completely... and we excuse the “yellow” scriptures as a reason to put off study for a later time. Perhaps it is time to consider Paul’s admonition, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us...”

Gracious Heavenly Father

What a privilege we have of unlimited access to Your Word. Forgive our neglect to read and study the Scriptures You have provided. Open our eyes to all the blessings and cautions it contains.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

The devotional  It’s Only Yellow appeared first on

Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.