Freely Let Go

JUNE 9

MATTHEW 6:11_Give us…

To give is to freely let go. There is no holding back when you give. If you have something that meets the need of someone else, will you give it? 

There is no charge involved in giving. Giving supplies needs, fills an empty place. Giving comes from one who has the supply. Would you ask for supply from someone you knew did not have it?

God worked many miracles in the process of freeing the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Psalm 81:10 (KJV), “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” God says don’t be afraid to open your mouth and ask for your needs. He calls you to remember His miracles of the past.

Psalm 143 (KJV) is one of those Psalms to pray, especially when going through a time of trial. Verse 5 says, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy works; I muse on the work of Thy hands.”

God gives.

God wants to give.

God has a full supply – to give.

If he can, the devil will intimidate you into feeling it is selfish to ask God for your needs.

Go back to Psalm 81:10!

 PRAYER

Giving God, Thank You that You want me to ask for my needs. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                      

Christ teaches me to ask in prayer—I will!

Amazing and Miraculous

JUNE 4

MATTHEW 6:9_Our Father which art in Heaven…

Jesus begins by recognizing who God is. Remember how Elijah began his prayer in I King 18 (KJV), “36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel.”Recognizing God through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be important to the Jewish community. Jesus’ recognition of God as Our Father which art in Heaven, opens up a prayer path for Gentiles. This says God is the Father of all mankind—not just the Jews. All people are made in His image. 

God’s creation is amazing and miraculous. God’s DNA can connect you to your biological parents, whom you may have never met. You may blame God if you’ve never known your parents, or if you know them but have a poor relationship. Don’t blame God for the mistakes of people. Rather, praise God that He can help you overcome – anything. 

Without the Savior people are sinful. They cause pain – lots of pain. Your Father, which is in Heaven, wants to love you through the pain.

Include Him in your sorrow – don’t blame Him for it.  

PRAYER

Father God, I worship You as the One True God, Creator of all of Heaven and Earth. I praise You there is nothing I face in life that You cannot give me the ability to overcome. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to know God is my Father—I do!

Prayer Encourages Seekers

MAY 20

MATTHEW 6:5_thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men…

Oh my goodness! Here we go with the hypocrites again! And, they are back in the synagogues and the streets! Jesus doesn’t want the praying there any more than He wanted the alms giving there.

Don’t get confused about this – the devil would love to deceive you into believing that you should not pray out loud. If you are a part of a youth group that prays together – stay with it and pray together.. 

Praying out loud is a part of the salt and light process. Prayer encourages seekers who may be a part of your group. Helping the seekers find their way is what salt and light are meant to do.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He prayed out loud. John 11:41-42 (KJV), “And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

There was a large crowd gathered to comfort the sisters of Lazarus. Jesus purposely prayed out loud. Any unbelievers in the group would know first, that Jesus was sent by God, and second, that God always hears prayer.

The result was the greatest miracle Jesus performed in His earthly life!

PRAYER

God of Heaven, Please let my prayers give attention to You, not me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. 

Christ’s prayers were salt and light—mine should be too!

Jesus Hands the Broom to You

MARCH 21

MATTHEW 5:23_Therefore, if thy bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberst that thy brother has ought against thee;

Don’t be confused about altars. When you come to Jesus’ salvation altar, come with your broken, bleeding, messed up life. This is the time to ask Jesus into your life. He accepts you just as you are. It’s Jesus’ job to clean you up. His full forgiveness is immediate. Then He begins the process to repair the breaks, bind the wounds, and sweep up the mess you call your life. This doesn’t happen overnight – but it does happen.

Jesus cleanses like Dove™ – He is not a soap, He is a beauty bar!

The altar in this verse comes after your salvation experience. You are ready and eager to serve Jesus. You come because you want to be a part of the earthly kingdom of heaven. Now Jesus hands the broom to you.

If there are people in your past with wounds you’ve inflicted, Jesus wants you to repair the wounds as much as is possible on your part. 

Possibly the Scribes and Pharisees didn’t like this teaching. They believed the Law had to do with loving God, not people. Jesus says the two go together. This is why the Scribes and Pharisees did not know the Messiah when they saw His miracles, or heard Him teach unconditional love.

Neither did they know Him when they slapped Him in the face, spat upon Him, or saw Him die in their place – and asked God to forgive them.

PRAYER

Forgiving God, Praise You that You take me just as I am. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ accepts me—He makes the necessary changes!

Drenched in Love

MARCH 12

MATTHEW 5:20_But I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and the Pharisees…

The Greek translation for the word righteousness used here is, whatever is right and just within itself; whatever conforms to the revealed will of God.

If the Scribes and Pharisees couldn’t recognize Jesus as an extension of God then according to the above translation, their righteousness failed coming out of the gate! 

Jesus was certainly just and conformed to God’s will – He was the very revelation of it. No one can recognize Jesus without recognizing His heart of love. The person who comes to Jesus with a willing and repentant heart, or the one who comes to Him kicking and screaming with a rebellious heart, end up the same way – drenched in love. 

The love of Jesus is overpowering. It is life changing. It is heart healing. No force in this life is stronger. Any righteousness we have comes from the love of Jesus. When the Scribes and Pharisees’ saw Jesus’ miracles, they not only didn’t recognize Him, they said He was demonically possessed!

No wonder Jesus says our righteousness should exceed that! 

PRAYER

Jesus Savior, I want to conform to Your will. I want Your will in my life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is God’s will covered in flesh—I want His will in my life!