Tag: Courage

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Lots of Hallelujah Shouting!

JUNE 8

MATTHEW 6:10_in earth, as it is in heaven.

If you think it is easy to pray, “not my will but Thine be done” – you’ve never really prayed it. In this same account of Gethsemane, we find in Luke 22:44 (KJV),“And being in an agony he [Jesus] prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Praying for God’s will to be done caused the Holy Son of God to sweat blood! 

During my time on earth I want the strength and faith to seek God’s will above my own. God’s will is always greater, and it is always full of love and mercy – although I may not see that until His will has been done.  God’s will is always goodness and kindness toward people, and is founded on love.

In heaven, God’s will shall be done. I won’t have to be anxious about caving in to my own will. No wonder there will be lots of praising in heaven! Lots of hallelujah shouting! Lots of adoration worship! God’s will is done daily, hourly, and moment by moment. That’s reason to rejoice!

I couldn’t make it in this life without prayer. I need to talk with the Father. I need to pour out my heart before Him. I need to feel His comfort and reassurance in my uncertainty.

God’s will causes my light to shine.         

 PRAYER

Omnipotent God, Praise You that Your will is always better than mine. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Christ knows God’s will—His will make me shine!

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The Choice

JUNE 7

MATTHEW 6:10_Thy will be done…

You can learn from Jesus’ prayer life. Matthew chapter 26 (KJV), “38Then saith he unto them [Peter, James, John], ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.'”Jesus shares a prayer request.

Jesus knew He was facing rejection, ridicule, abuse, and death. Does He cry out for mercy? How specific is He?  “39And he went a little further [to be alone], and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’” Jesus asks to be released from what He is about to experience. “42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.’ 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.” Jesus prayed the same request three times, but each time He asked God’s will over His own.  When Jesus knew it was not God’s will to deliver Him, He made the choice to fulfill His purpose. 

Jesus entered His prayer closet, prayed the same request repeatedly, and added two more aspects in how to pray – ask for prayer support, and God’s will to be done.

If Jesus had not placed the Father’s will above His own, no one could be saved.         

 PRAYER

God Who Hears, Give me the wisdom and courage to pray for Your will. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ chose God’s will—I ask for that courage!

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He Should Be Revered!

JUNE 5

MATTHEW 6:9_Hallowed be thy name.

Hallowed can be defined as to hold someone or something in reverence. This is a recognition of God as—the holy, revered God of Heaven. This is who you pray to. Don’t take this too lightly. It is important to hallow God in your prayer life. 

Recognizing the holiness of God adds faith to prayer. You are not praying to someone who may or may not listen because He is too busy running the world. This is the Luke 1:37 (KJV) God, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” This is the God who created all of heaven and earth -He should be revered! This is the God who parted the waters of the Red Sea – He should be revered! This is the God who made the sun stand still – He should be revered!

The more you hallow God, the more you pray with courage. This is the God who gives you the ability to slay giants. Giants who taunt you with your weakness. This is the God who frees you from any shackles of bondage the devil has lured you into.

The Father in Heaven is pleased when you talk to Him about the cruelties of the world. He has already answered. Hebrews 13:5 (KJV), “… for he [God] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”    

PRAYER

God of Heaven, I do hallow Your name. You only do I serve and give my heart to. You are God Alone, God of the Impossible, God of Creation. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to hallow the Father—I do!

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You're On Your Way!

MAY 5

MATTHEW 5:48_Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The Holy Spirit pleads for you in prayer. James 5:16 (KJV) “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Fervently praying attracts the attention of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit pleads your prayers before God.

One of the loveliest things about your prayer life and the Holy Spirit is He understands – even when you are too overwhelmed to know what to pray.  Romans 8:26 (KJV), “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” The Holy Spirit can translate your groans and moans into prayers! Thank You, Spirit!

You serve an amazing God. He wants you to reach this kind of perfection. Let go of your own will long enough to succumb to God’s. Enter a supernatural realm … a realm of virtue and integrity.

Talk about being unique! Talk about being salt and light! If you reach the place where you look like your Father – you’re on your way to perfection.

This is a calling to courageous radicals who believe there is more to life than the physical.

PRAYER

Jesus Who Hears, I praise the Spirit who prays for me when I don’t know how. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                            

Christ hears all my prayers—He hears all my groans, too!

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Some Turn Away

MAY 1

MATTHEW 5:45_for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendest rain on the just and on the unjust.

I can’t say this too many times: God understands the kind of struggles we face in our earthly life. He knows our enemy, the devil, is subtle. God knows the devil’s power to deceive and to persuade. We face the devil daily. Without the Holy Spirit we don’t stand a chance. 

Courage and power are available for us. Power comes through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants this for everyone, but some turn away. 

According to what Jesus teaches, God loves the evil and the unjust. He gives them a new chance every day the sun rises. God sends rain on the crops of the evil, the same as on the crops of the just. He gives the unjust the same chance He gives the just. That’s the kind of heart God has, but it’s not the kind of heart we have – unless we allow The Great Surgeon to operate.

If God rejected those who hurt Him as easily as we reject those who hurt us – no one would be saved.

As our heart begins to transform, we become shining lights to those searching for Jesus. Our saltiness will cause someone to thirst for truth – real truth.

PRAYER

Dear God, Teach me how to love the unjust. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                             

Christ’s heart cares for the unjust—He helps me to care!