Isa 40:31
31 But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
NKJV
Hab 2:1-2
1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
NKJV
My Comments:
Some people seem to think that 'waiting on the Lord' involves just sitting there, emptied of mind, and just hoping for God to talk to them. It's like a Que Sera Sera moment where they go "If the Lord will talk to me, He'll talk; If He doesn't, He doesn't"
Have you ever observed how waiters wait on people in the restaurants? You won't find them just lazing around, being slothful and sloppy in taking their orders. You'll find them literally standing at attention; notepad and pencil at the ready, prepared to hear and write down the orders of the diners before acting on those orders. You can almost feel the expectancy in the air.
Habakkuk is a biblical example of a waiter who waits on God. He waits
for the Word that comes from God, and he writes it down, that it can be
read by others who would then run with it. It's almost like he has the expectancy that "I'm going to hear from God, and I'm waiting for it. He will speak to me!"
In my own prayer life, I'm still learning to develop that same kind of attitude towards the things of God. At whatever time, I always make sure that I have at least a pencil and a paper to jot down things I get from my time in prayer.
I've noticed that in Spirit-led prayer, there's a certain pattern to what I'm led to pray for. I recommend that if you are serious about developing your own individual prayer lives, get a journal to write down things that you get from God in your times of prayer.
Over time, you'll start to take note of certain trends or patterns that God leads you to pray for. As an example, some people may be led to pray for the Church as a whole, or for certain nations, or certain ministries in the local church; anything!
It is amazing when you find yourself praying things out through the Spirit, and writing it down. And you find yourself enjoying those times of waiting on Him, that constant renewing of your spirit. And when you see what you prayed about come to pass; you're just in awe of what God's doing!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Just Give Him ALL Your Worries!
1 Peter 5:7
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
AMP
My Comments:
In my own prayer life, another thing I found important was the act of just giving God all my worries, care and concerns; and simply refusing to take that burden up again.
In the Greek, the word 'casting' is the word 'epiripsantes' which consists of two root words, the word 'epi' and 'rhipto'. The word 'rhipto' is used to give the idea of flinging (or quickly tossing) the object. The Greek word 'epi'; when used after verbs expressing motion, indicates rest following the motion.
By putting both 'epi' and 'rhipto' together, we could look at the word 'casting' at a different angle; that being to quickly toss the care and resting after having tossed it. Some Greek scholars have said that the word 'casting' is written in the aorist participle, which denotes an act that is once and for all.
The word 'all' is the word 'pasan' which has several meanings, including 'thoroughly' and 'as many as'. If we look at the first half of 1 Peter 5:7, we could re-read it as 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back'
Peter, in writing to the Church, emphasized that they should cast all their care upon the One who is more than able to take up their burdens. By virtue of reading it in the Greek, it gives the understanding that the moment you find yourself saddled with a worry or a care, be quick to toss it to God!
The phrase 'cares for' in the second half of 1 Peter 5:7 are two words, 'melei' and 'peri' respectively. The root word of 'melei' is the word 'melo', which means 'to be of interest to' or 'it matters to'; and the root word of 'peri' is 'peran', which could mean 'beyond, over, or farther' We could therefore look at the phrase 'for He cares for you' as 'because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Therefore, if we re-read 1 Peter 5:7 as a whole, it would read this way: 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Isn't that a joy, to know that we matter to God beyond all other things; that even when we have a worry, we quickly toss it to Him, and we won't take it back because we know that above all things, we matter to Him!
7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
AMP
My Comments:
In my own prayer life, another thing I found important was the act of just giving God all my worries, care and concerns; and simply refusing to take that burden up again.
In the Greek, the word 'casting' is the word 'epiripsantes' which consists of two root words, the word 'epi' and 'rhipto'. The word 'rhipto' is used to give the idea of flinging (or quickly tossing) the object. The Greek word 'epi'; when used after verbs expressing motion, indicates rest following the motion.
By putting both 'epi' and 'rhipto' together, we could look at the word 'casting' at a different angle; that being to quickly toss the care and resting after having tossed it. Some Greek scholars have said that the word 'casting' is written in the aorist participle, which denotes an act that is once and for all.
The word 'all' is the word 'pasan' which has several meanings, including 'thoroughly' and 'as many as'. If we look at the first half of 1 Peter 5:7, we could re-read it as 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back'
Peter, in writing to the Church, emphasized that they should cast all their care upon the One who is more than able to take up their burdens. By virtue of reading it in the Greek, it gives the understanding that the moment you find yourself saddled with a worry or a care, be quick to toss it to God!
The phrase 'cares for' in the second half of 1 Peter 5:7 are two words, 'melei' and 'peri' respectively. The root word of 'melei' is the word 'melo', which means 'to be of interest to' or 'it matters to'; and the root word of 'peri' is 'peran', which could mean 'beyond, over, or farther' We could therefore look at the phrase 'for He cares for you' as 'because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Therefore, if we re-read 1 Peter 5:7 as a whole, it would read this way: 'quickly tossing as many cares as you have thoroughly and resting after tossing them, refusing to take them back because you matter to Him beyond all things'
Isn't that a joy, to know that we matter to God beyond all other things; that even when we have a worry, we quickly toss it to Him, and we won't take it back because we know that above all things, we matter to Him!
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Pray - Don't Give Up!
Luke 18:1
18:1 ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).
AMP
Gen 32:24-26
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
NKJV
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
NKJV
My Comments:
One thing I've learned concerning prayer in my own life is simply this: don't give up. You may have held to the promises of God regarding a situation in your life at some point, but because you didn't see the breakthrough come, you just gave up.
Sometimes, all it takes is you just refusing to give up and continue to hold on to the promises of God even through the pain, heartache, and storms of life that we all go through.
Jacob literally had his back to the wall when he wrestled with God. Death was staring him in the face through his brother Esau, and he had no where to run. He wrestled with God until daybreak until he received his blessing.
Jesus taught on the importance of what I call prevailing prayer, that when you pray, don't lose heart but keep your focus on His promises, that they are true in your life, and that they will come to pass. And also, the Word of God promises that we would reap in due season; if we don't give up.
Refuse to give up when your problems stare you in the face! Continue to wrestle, to contend for your breakthrough until you get it! Say it just like Kenneth Hagin Jr said; "I cannot be defeated and I will not quit!"
18:1 ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).
AMP
Gen 32:24-26
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said,"I will not let You go unless You bless me!"
NKJV
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
NKJV
My Comments:
One thing I've learned concerning prayer in my own life is simply this: don't give up. You may have held to the promises of God regarding a situation in your life at some point, but because you didn't see the breakthrough come, you just gave up.
Sometimes, all it takes is you just refusing to give up and continue to hold on to the promises of God even through the pain, heartache, and storms of life that we all go through.
Jacob literally had his back to the wall when he wrestled with God. Death was staring him in the face through his brother Esau, and he had no where to run. He wrestled with God until daybreak until he received his blessing.
Jesus taught on the importance of what I call prevailing prayer, that when you pray, don't lose heart but keep your focus on His promises, that they are true in your life, and that they will come to pass. And also, the Word of God promises that we would reap in due season; if we don't give up.
Refuse to give up when your problems stare you in the face! Continue to wrestle, to contend for your breakthrough until you get it! Say it just like Kenneth Hagin Jr said; "I cannot be defeated and I will not quit!"
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
NKJV
My Comments:
One of the things we must learn from the disciples is found in what they asked of Jesus. They saw His miracles; how He healed the sick, cast out demons, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, raised the dead.
All they asked Him to teach them was how to pray, and not any of the above. They recognized that all the signs and wonders didn't matter as much as having a relationship with God like the Master did. As much as signs and wonders help to point to God, it doesn't replace the absolute necessity of cultivating a relationship with Him!
Likewise, we should also cry out the same way they did, "Lord, teach us to pray," to know our Father more; that we be more like Him, that we can walk in the fullness of His plans for us in this day and hour; that we may manifest His power!
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
NKJV
My Comments:
One of the things we must learn from the disciples is found in what they asked of Jesus. They saw His miracles; how He healed the sick, cast out demons, caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, raised the dead.
All they asked Him to teach them was how to pray, and not any of the above. They recognized that all the signs and wonders didn't matter as much as having a relationship with God like the Master did. As much as signs and wonders help to point to God, it doesn't replace the absolute necessity of cultivating a relationship with Him!
Likewise, we should also cry out the same way they did, "Lord, teach us to pray," to know our Father more; that we be more like Him, that we can walk in the fullness of His plans for us in this day and hour; that we may manifest His power!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Keep His Promises Before You!
Ps 119:89
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20-21
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Prov 4:20-22
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
NKJV
My Comments:
At times we've probably confessed the Word of God and laid hold of His promises for our lives. Somewhere along the line, we tend to lose sight of what we're believing for and get discouraged because "It seems to be taking so long". After a while, we stop believing that God's promises are true in our lives. I've been there. Most likely you have too.
However, Prov 4:20-22 tells us just what we're supposed to do even after we've prayed and believed God for that breakthrough. Continue to keep His promises before us! Don't give up or let up just because we don't see the breakthrough around the corner!
There are four things to note in Prov 4:20-21, that I will give in terms of holding fast to God's promises:
1. Give attention to what He says regarding your situation.
2. Incline your ear only to what He says.
3. Don't let His promises slip from your gaze, keep looking at them!
4. Keep believing His promises for your circumstances, don't give up!
Prov 4:22 tells us the result of acting on v20-21, that His promises are life to us! We will see that breakthrough come to pass!
I will be dedicating the next few posts to sharing some things regarding prayer, and some things I do in my own prayer life that may bless you.
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20-21
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Prov 4:20-22
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
NKJV
My Comments:
At times we've probably confessed the Word of God and laid hold of His promises for our lives. Somewhere along the line, we tend to lose sight of what we're believing for and get discouraged because "It seems to be taking so long". After a while, we stop believing that God's promises are true in our lives. I've been there. Most likely you have too.
However, Prov 4:20-22 tells us just what we're supposed to do even after we've prayed and believed God for that breakthrough. Continue to keep His promises before us! Don't give up or let up just because we don't see the breakthrough around the corner!
There are four things to note in Prov 4:20-21, that I will give in terms of holding fast to God's promises:
1. Give attention to what He says regarding your situation.
2. Incline your ear only to what He says.
3. Don't let His promises slip from your gaze, keep looking at them!
4. Keep believing His promises for your circumstances, don't give up!
Prov 4:22 tells us the result of acting on v20-21, that His promises are life to us! We will see that breakthrough come to pass!
I will be dedicating the next few posts to sharing some things regarding prayer, and some things I do in my own prayer life that may bless you.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
God's Promises - Settled, So Pray It Down!
Ps 119:89
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Matt 6:10
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
My Comments:
David said of the Lord that His Word was settled for all eternity in heaven. That it is unmovable, unchanging, eternal through all ages.
F.F Bosworth said that "Faith begins where the will of God is known". God's will is revealed in His Word! All His promises have been revealed to us through the Word of God, that has been given to us! We have promises that are settled forever!
However, note what Jesus taught in His lesson on prayer in what we call the Lord's Prayer. He instructed them to pray along this line, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." For Him to say that, it could be said that the will of God was not being accomplished on the earth; and that it could only be accomplished when they prayed.
Based on the above, we see three things:
1. God's Will is revealed in His Word.
2. His Word (or His Will) is forever settled in heaven
3. Jesus said to pray that the Father's Will be done on earth as it is in heaven
The Word of God is full of "exceedingly great and precious promises" for us. We also know that all the promises of God are Yes and Amen. But we can see that that's all they'll ever be, until we pray them down!
Pray this way, that God's promises are already settled in heaven, and that it will be done on the earth in our lives as it has already been done in heaven!
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens].
AMP
2 Cor 1:20
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
NKJV
Matt 6:10
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
My Comments:
David said of the Lord that His Word was settled for all eternity in heaven. That it is unmovable, unchanging, eternal through all ages.
F.F Bosworth said that "Faith begins where the will of God is known". God's will is revealed in His Word! All His promises have been revealed to us through the Word of God, that has been given to us! We have promises that are settled forever!
However, note what Jesus taught in His lesson on prayer in what we call the Lord's Prayer. He instructed them to pray along this line, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." For Him to say that, it could be said that the will of God was not being accomplished on the earth; and that it could only be accomplished when they prayed.
Based on the above, we see three things:
1. God's Will is revealed in His Word.
2. His Word (or His Will) is forever settled in heaven
3. Jesus said to pray that the Father's Will be done on earth as it is in heaven
The Word of God is full of "exceedingly great and precious promises" for us. We also know that all the promises of God are Yes and Amen. But we can see that that's all they'll ever be, until we pray them down!
Pray this way, that God's promises are already settled in heaven, and that it will be done on the earth in our lives as it has already been done in heaven!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Believe God, Sow, And Don't Dig It Out!
Mark 11:23
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
Mark 4:14
14 The sower sows the word.
NKJV
Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
NKJV
Gen 8:22
22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."
NKJV
My Comments:
Jesus taught on the parable of the Sower and the power of the seed in the major part of Mark 4. Notice the 5 word statement He made in v14, "The sower sows the word.". He equated the Word to seed being sown!
Way back in Genesis 8, God made an oath that stands firm to this day, that while the earth remained, these four laws would remain in effect, and the very first thing He said was "seedtime and harvest". In relation to what we see in the world today, that simple law has not changed. Wars come and go, famines come and go, pestilences come and go, the law of seedtime and harvest remains.
No farmer; after having sown his seed into the ground, would be insane enough to dig the seed he sowed the day before to see whether it started growing. He would leave it there, do his part to take care of the soil, water it, then leave it to grow. He has confidence that the seed will grow and sprout as in the parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
Likewise, when we hold to the Promises of God in our lives, confessing it; we don't 'dig the seed' out to check. We have confidence in the Seed, because we know that it will grow! At times we may not see any physical changes in our circumstances, but we have full confidence that a change is working because Seedtime and Harvest is still there. And when we know that we have sown, Harvest is on the way!
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
NKJV
Mark 4:14
14 The sower sows the word.
NKJV
Mark 4:26-29
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
NKJV
Gen 8:22
22 "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."
NKJV
My Comments:
Jesus taught on the parable of the Sower and the power of the seed in the major part of Mark 4. Notice the 5 word statement He made in v14, "The sower sows the word.". He equated the Word to seed being sown!
Way back in Genesis 8, God made an oath that stands firm to this day, that while the earth remained, these four laws would remain in effect, and the very first thing He said was "seedtime and harvest". In relation to what we see in the world today, that simple law has not changed. Wars come and go, famines come and go, pestilences come and go, the law of seedtime and harvest remains.
No farmer; after having sown his seed into the ground, would be insane enough to dig the seed he sowed the day before to see whether it started growing. He would leave it there, do his part to take care of the soil, water it, then leave it to grow. He has confidence that the seed will grow and sprout as in the parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
Likewise, when we hold to the Promises of God in our lives, confessing it; we don't 'dig the seed' out to check. We have confidence in the Seed, because we know that it will grow! At times we may not see any physical changes in our circumstances, but we have full confidence that a change is working because Seedtime and Harvest is still there. And when we know that we have sown, Harvest is on the way!
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