Thy Word:

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. 

“I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” Matthew 8:1-4 NLT

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My Thoughts: Leprosy was a terrifying disease in Jesus’ day because there was no known cure. Once a person contracted it, they were banished by the High Priest to colonies outside of their home and city. By law they had to stay there until they got better or they died. 

Let’s take a look at several important things about this unnamed man as he approaches Jesus.

1. He boldly goes against the High Priest and the laws that prohibited him to leave the colony or go around other people. We read “large crowds followed Jesus” so not only did he leave the colony he put himself amid the people.
2. Next he kneels before Jesus (an acknowledgment Jesus was a man of royalty, or a King). 
3. He knew Jesus could heal him but he humbly asks if he would. 
4. Jesus recognizes his heartfelt faith and heals him instantly. 
5. Jesus then tells the man to present himself to the priest as clean, and bring the offering required by law (usually doves). That offering was taken to the high priest who would confirm he was healed and then make the blood sacrifice at the altar (Leviticus 14:2-32).

Let’s take a deeper look at item #3 and what this man says to Jesus. I almost missed it until I felt a little nudge from the Lord in my soul! 

“Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

We can see the leper knew that Jesus could heal him but what if he didn’t believe he was worthy of being healed? 

Leprosy is a disease that is typically found in the poorest of the poor. Maybe this man lived a lifestyle of such hopelessness that he commonly practiced immoral, illegal, and/or unjust habits, that eventually led to leprosy? In other words, he believed Jesus might not be willing to heal him because of his past. 

Here is the real question: How many of us are so sick with sin that we also believe we are unworthy of healing? Maybe we believe we’ve crossed a line in our sinful behavior where there is no longer hope for us? 

If you believe that, let me just tell you that is a lie from the pit of hell!! It is NEVER too late to turn from our sins and be ‘healed’ by the grace of God! 

God is very clear about this in the Bible:

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” Ephesians 2:1-5 NLT

Just as these verses say, although we are sinners and we may have lived under the rule of Satan, now because of Jesus we can be healed from our sins! All of them no matter what they are! When we kneel before Jesus and humbly ask for His healing, He is gracious to heal. 

Therefore, our verses for today in Matthew 8 represent a perfect picture of salvation and everlasting life. 

In contrast, if you think “hey, I’m not sick, so this doesn’t apply to me,” you are wrong. We are all sick from sin and it is absolutely incurable and will bring everlasting death without Jesus. 

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 NLT

We must surrender our hearts to Jesus to receive everlasting life. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

 The day will come when every knee will bow before Jesus; willingly or unwillingly:

“It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” Romans 14:11 NIV

“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” Philippians 2:10 NIV

The bottom line is, we have complete freedom to make one of two choices: 

1. We bow before Jesus and from our heart, we ask for forgiveness (healing) of our sins. We declare that we believe Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave after three days, and now sits at the right hand of God. If we declare this truth from our heart, we will receive everlasting life. 
2. Or, we can choose to deny this truth or refuse to ask for His healing. At the day of judgment, when Jesus returns we WILL bow before Him, where He will declare us guilty and our judgment will be everlasting death. 

Lastly and thankfully,  because Jesus is the last and perfect sacrifice we no longer have to present ourselves before a high priest or go through sacrificial rituals to be healed. We are healed by the grace of God when we surrender our hearts to Jesus.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT

It’s never too late nor can things ever be so bad that God won’t save us. All that is required is we humbly ask from our heart. 

(Aside Information: I was curious to learn if leprosy still exists and whether it is still incurable, so I did a bit of research. Leprosy is now called Hansen’s disease, named after the man who discovered the cure in 1873. Cases are still reported around the world, however, once the malady has been detected early enough, it can be cured.)

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Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for nudging my soul to remind all of us it’s never too late to surrender our hearts to You. We thank you that You are so gracious to heal based purely on Your love and grace for all of us, no matter what we have done. As a horrible sinner I am so humbled and thankful for this truth. Father I pray today that those of us who are saved by grace live lives that mirror Your grace. For those who need to receive Your grace, I pray there are no more delays; I pray a full surrender to Jesus right now (Romans 10:9-10). In the precious name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Thy Word:

Building On a Solid Foundation

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Matthew 7:24-29 NLT

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My Thoughts: Have you ever watched a toddler suddenly decide to ignore a parents request to ‘hold my hand?’ They will walk fast and shake their entire arm by their side in an attempt to stop Mom or Dad from holding their hand. It’s one of the silliest images demonstrating that child’s effort to become independent. In many ways our verses for today remind me of that independent toddler and our relationship of growth with God.

As babies grow, the level of assistance they receive changes to encourage growth and development. God does a similar thing with us, so we can develop and mature spiritually. When we are newly born again (saved) and filled with His Spirit, for a season He manifests Himself at our every cry. But then after a while He allows us to go through times in which He does not respond instantly to our every call.

I remember when I suddenly realized that God wasn’t responding to my prayers as quickly as He did after I was saved. I began to research and look for answers in the word of God (the Bible) and I prayed frequently as I sought guidance. I was already attending church and studies so I listened closely to the messages as I earnestly sought answers. It was a great time of learning to apply what God had been teaching me. In other word, I was still clinging tightly to His hand even as I grew in my faith and walk with Jesus.

But over time I began to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-reliance (sand), rather than clinging to God as my foundation. Things were going well in my life, and as I became more confident in my faith, like that toddler, I began to intentionally let go of the hand of God. I began to believe that I didn’t need to bother Jesus with my simple problems; I only needed to be in touch, or hold His hand, when I had big problems.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that by relying on myself I had no strong foundation and I was in sinking sand…, drowning in confusion.

You see, Jesus wants us to listen to Him, learn about Him, while we hold onto Him tightly all the time! He wants us to share all of our problems with Him, big or small, so we build and develop a strong foundation. When we hold firmly onto Him, as difficulties arise, and they will, we are prepared and can stand strong in the storm.

Remember, Jesus warned us hard things will happen:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT

Our spiritual maturity guides us to cling tightly to Jesus who is our strong foundation. When we rely on anything but Jesus, we are in sinking sand and we will crash because we have nothing to keep us standing during any storm.

Is your faith built on solid bedrock?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16 NIV

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Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for giving me this visual of growth in my relationship with You! I have learned that when I stay close to You I have the strength to withstand any storm in my life. Father, I know the strength of my relationship also includes never being ashamed to admit I need You for everything in my life whether it’s in a time of blessing or hardship. Thank you for all of these reminders. Father I pray we all hold tightly to You as we walk with You and grow in our faith. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Thy Word:

The Tree And It’s Fruit

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” Matthew 7:15-20 NLT

True Disciples

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

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My Thoughts: Jesus opens this section by warning us to beware of false prophets and He specifically says they will be well disguised. I certainly don’t want to get into scary details but we’ve seen some terrifying news stories about false prophets that were disguised like sheep. As the lives of their followers were lost or seriously maimed it supports what Jesus warns; these false prophets were vicious wolves!

So how do we recognize a wolf that is disguised like a sheep? We must know and understand the word of God, which is the Bible.

When I committed to learn the Bible, I purchased a “Life Application Study Bible.” I love LA Study Bibles because they have comments at the bottom of each page to help us learn what many scholars believe the verses are saying. It’s a fabulous tool to aid in understanding the Bible.

There are also multiple Bible translations to help us better understand what Gods is saying to us. When I purchased my first LA Study Bible I chose the same version my church used which was the New International Version (NIV). I now use the English Standard Version (ESV) for church, and for my blog I primarily use the New Living Translation (NLT) or a combination of multiple translations.

The more I read the Bible the more I like to compare what each version says. Although I do own multiple translations of Bibles, I frequently use an online Bible application called YouVersion so I can easily move between different translations. It’s a free app that can be downloaded to your smartphone or tablet.

Other ways to learn more about the Bible are through studies provided at your local church. If your church doesn’t have the resources to provide studies, a fabulous group to get real biblical teaching is called Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF). These groups are hosted by local churches all over the world and they provide day and night classes. It is a very comprehensive way to learn more about the Bible. You can do further research about them on their website at www.bsfinternational.org.

I cannot stress how critical it is to know and understand the Bible. It truly will help us to know and understand if what is being said or taught is coming from a false prophet, which means we will know they are a ‘wolf’ fairly quickly and therefore must remove ourselves from their presence.

Jesus tells us that another way to detect a false prophet is by the “fruit” they are producing. As we encounter or consider leaders, friends, teachers, and even someone we might want to date, we must look at what fruit they are producing in their own lives. Is their fruit encouraging, does it teach us to become a better person, or look more like Jesus? Then they are modeling and producing good fruit. If it feels uncomfortable or consistently embarrasses, it’s probably bad fruit. If it’s illegal, immoral, or unjust, it absolutely IS bad fruit! Run from these people!

In the final section Jesus tells us that not everyone who calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. How do we know whether they will or they won’t? Well, you might not ever know because it’s a decision we all make in our heart.

Do you remember what Jesus said about that?

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 NLT (emphasis mine.)

Jesus is the only one who can truly know what we believe in our hearts. There will come a day when we will all stand before the Lord and what we believe not what we do is what will determine if Jesus knows us by name. Faith in Christ is the only thing that “counts” on the Day of Judgment.

It’s time for us to take inventory of our lives again. What is the status of our heart? What type of fruit are we producing? What type of fruit are our leaders, teachers, and friends we associate ourselves with producing? Is it time for a change in our lives? Is it time for us to truly surrender our hearts to Jesus? What better time than Christmas when Jesus came to save us all from our sins!

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Closing Prayer: Father God we thank You for this warning that in our lives we may encounter false prophets and we must know You to recognize these wolves. Now that we know how to detect them, Father I pray that if we have aligned ourselves with these wolves you give us the strength and courage to leave immediately and bring new people in our lives that produce good fruit. Father I also pray that if anyone is reading this and they need to surrender their hearts to You, I pray that they have a supernatural courage to get themselves to a church that follows Jesus and Your Word so they can surrender their hearts to You. I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

Thy Word:

Golden Rule

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

The Narrow Gate

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:12-14 NLT

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My Thoughts: Has any child ever escaped hearing about the Golden Rule from their parents? If so, I’m so sad!!! It truly is one of the most powerful and loving verses for which we can model our lives!

The Golden Rule was not just spoken by my Mother it was expected behavior for her children, and with five kids, it was necessary! Before one of us would start to toss an ugly word or throw a punch, my Mother would say, “I want you to stop right now and think about what you are about to say or do…, is that how YOU would want to be treated? Remember what the Golden Rule says!” I can’t say it kept us from misbehaving 100% of the time, but it sure did make us think!

We were introduced to the Golden Rule in a new way one morning when my Mother was walking her three oldest children to school while pulling the younger two behind in a wagon. I remember seeing a child with a cast on her arm trying to maneuver herself out of the car with her mother’s help.

My sister and I were very curious and we wondered aloud what happened to her. Squatting down to our level, Mother softly said, “Girls, I better not find out either of you asked that child what happened to her, do you hear me? The only thing you are allowed to do is ask her what you can do to help her. What happened to her is none of your business, but it is always your business to help. That’s the Golden Rule.”

Suddenly the Golden Rule had a whole new meaning for me and my sister; it wasn’t just about behaving, it included kindness, respect, and compassion. I loved it then and still love it today.

When I look at the conflict in our world I can’t help but wonder how many have never heard the Golden Rule? What if everyone who is reading this blog committed to not only make this Rule a priority in their life, but also agreed to tell someone about it and encourage them to take the same challenge? I truly believe over time it would change our world from being inwardly focused to a world where we are more outwardly focused! Let’s do it!

As popular as the Golden Rule is our next set of verses is very unpopular, even with many believers, but the message is quite clear. Let’s look at these words again:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 NLT

I’m going to get right to the point and tell you that Jesus Christ is the narrow gate. The Bible specifically tells us that there is no other way to salvation or to enter into God’s Kingdom than through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself says:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NLT

When people are presented with this truth, usually disbelief, anger, or indignation will follow. It is not popular to believe that Jesus is our only hope, and our only way into heaven. Because this is an unpopular truth, the road to that gate will be difficult, but always remember, The Lord is with you every step of the way!

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

I once saw an interesting video from a pastor who randomly questioned a large number of people “how do you get to heaven?” While there were many responses, the primary answer we heard was you had to be a good person. I found that interesting because who gets to determine what defines a ‘good person?’

The Bible says:

“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 3:10-12, 23 NIV

So if none of us are good and we are all sinners, how in the world do we get into heaven?

We have the answer in our verse: through the narrow gate which is Jesus Christ! The following verses give more specific instructions for how we are to do that:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” Romans 10:9-13 NIV

The best and most important decision we will ever make in our life is to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we can enter through the narrow gate. If you need help making this decision, please bless me by asking and I will be delighted to pray with you about giving your heart to Jesus!

On the flip side, we read some harsh words in our verses today that tell us the “The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.”

I can’t think of a better visual description of this verse than the entrance to some of the rides or shows in Disney’s theme park. There may be anywhere from five to ten gates to enter into each event. However, people will run and pour into those first two to three gates and end up standing in a long line to get in. But if they go into one of the last gate openings they will most likely be first in line and get very good seating when the gate opens! Yet people will practically run each other down to get into one of those first gates. It’s one of the oddest things I have ever seen.

That’s what I think of when I read this verse, people mindlessly following other people in large numbers like clueless sheep:

“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.” Isaiah 53:6a NLT

When we follow our own way or the ways of most people just because it’s what “everyone else is doing” we may be following the highway to hell.

Let’s take a good hard look at who we are following today. Is the way we are going leading to the highway of hell, or are we following the path that leads to Jesus Christ and everlasting life?

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Closing Prayer: Father God, let our hope be in Jesus Christ, who made His identity and mission clear as the narrow gate; He is the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life. He offers us what we have no power to provide for ourselves: a restored relationship with you Lord. We also gain knowledge of what is true, and a life that will never end. We praise you Lord, for this miraculous truth! We also ask that our hearts be softened to use the Golden Rule as a way of life and change the direction of conflict in our world back to a foundation of love for each other. We ask this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Thy Word:

Effective Prayer

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Matthew 7:7-11 NLT

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My Thoughts: Today we have some of my favorite verses so let’s dig right in!

Effective Prayer

Jesus starts by telling us He wants to hear from us through prayer, and not just any prayer, but effective prayer. Let’s look at the definition of the word effective:

“Effective-producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect”

Jesus is encouraging us to not only ask for a specific outcome, but to do so with confidence, expecting a desired effect.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 NLT

These are action words (asking, seeking, and knocking) therefore we must actively pursue God through our prayers. However, is that what we do, or do we give up after a few half-hearted attempts? Do we assume God isn’t listening or doesn’t care when we don’t get an answer immediately, or worse, if we don’t get the exact answer we want? Hmmmm…

It’s not surprising that we want instantaneous answers when our world is built around attempting to gain instant results. However, Jesus wants us to take our time and get to know Him as we pray. If we don’t get an answer right away, He wants us to seek what He says about our issue in the Bible and through what we learn in church or by discussing it with a trusted friend. As we learn more about Jesus through our reading and studies we develop knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. These characteristics definitely help us pray and ask for the things that are in line with what God wants for us.

To clarify how and why we pray for what is in line with what God says, He adds some unusual verses:

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:9-11 NLT

These verses might sound confusing because there might be a misunderstanding that God will give us what we ask for, but notice what it says is our heavenly Father gives good gifts. The children ARE asking for good things (bread and fish) and no loving parent would ever give a child something harmful instead of something they need. It is the same with God. Although we may be praying for something with heartfelt consistency, God may tell us ‘no’ or give us a different answer if what we are asking for will harm us. That is why it’s critical for us to get to know Him so we pray for what we need and not necessarily for what we want. God is a loving God and he wants to give us good gifts.

This is why it is so important for us to be in a Bible believing church and to have trusting and supportive friends to pray with us. I recently read some verses in the book of Esther (Old Testament) that opened my eyes to the importance of prayer support in times of critical needs.

Esther was a queen, but she and her people (the Jewish nation) were facing certain death because of one evil man’s treacherous plan to kill all the Jews. Many people quote a verse a cousin said to her about using her position as queen for “such a time as this (Esther 4:14).”

But it was Esther’s response to her cousin that spoke deeply to me:

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16 NIV

A call to fast in the Old Testament included a call to pray. There are two things I want us to note about Esther’s request to fast. First, Esther was not alone in her pledge to fast; she had a nation of Jews and her servants fasting with her as she prepared to ask for her husband’s intervention. Second, Esther did not sit and wait for God to miraculously save her and the Jewish nation, but rather she sought God’s direction through prayer and ultimately followed that with her actions.

When we face challenges in life we are to seek what God wants us to do, and then do it, with confidence that God will do his part. However, sometimes the best way to do that is with a ‘nation;’ meaning we ask other believers to pray with and for us. God does not expect us to walk through difficulties in life alone. That is why it is so important for us to be attending a Bible believing church and attend classes to not only learn more, but also develop those critical personal relationships with other believers.

Finally, you may have been praying for a long time about something but haven’t received the answer you seek. Don’t give up. I have been praying for almost 19 years for one thing and I still do not have an answer. There are days I cry to God and ask why…, He comforts me. There are days I ask when, Lord, when? However, I know it will be in His perfect timing, and not a minute sooner. I’ve asked the same thing in a lot of creative ways, but that’s just for me to keep praying and not for God, because I know He hears me. That gives me peace, comfort, and strength and I am not discouraged. Why? Because when I studied God’s word He revealed to me that He would answer my prayer. However, he didn’t say when or how, so my faith trusts He will do what He says He will do. Therefore, I keep praying, and I will do so until it is answered, because God’s will and God’s timing are always perfect.

Praying consistently and with the hope of God does not scare or upset me. Why? I’ve seen the work of God in my life and it’s far better than any plan I have ever had! So I praise Him and I thank Him in advance of the answer!

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Closing Prayer: Father God, I love these verses and the promises You have wrapped around them about effective prayer. I pray that every person who reads this spends time alone with You each day so they can learn more about You and grow in their knowledge and relationship with You. Father, guide us as we pray so as we seek, ask, and knock, we understand more about what we need. We pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

 

 

Thy Word:

Do Not Judge Others

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”

Matthew 7:1-6 NLT

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My Thoughts: In today’s verses, Jesus is calling us out on the ugliness of wrongful judgment and He isn’t mincing any words!

I once judged a woman who came to church in an outfit that can only be described as risqué. (You can read that story in a previous blog from Matthew 3:4-10  https://thywordmythoughts.com/2018/08/13/matthew-34-10/ ). I wish I could say the shame of that incident put a stop to my judging, but my words and actions often reflect otherwise. Jesus sternly reminds us we have a lot of cleanup in our own lives to address before we even think about judging others:

“Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:5

In other words, “Cecilia, you better clean up the mess in your own life before you even consider what someone else is doing!”

So why do we so recklessly and carelessly judge? The obvious reason is because we are all sinners. However, I also think it is because of a basic human frailty; we want others to like us and/or we care about what they think about us. That need is a good reminder for us to examine our own motives and conduct. What I have learned about myself is that the habits or traits I often dislike in others are habits or traits I dislike about myself. Yikes! Therefore, when I find myself about to magnify someone else’s faults what I am really doing is attempting to excuse my own.

Jesus tells us this:

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” Matthew 7:1-2

I don’t know about you, but the stark truth in this verse terrifies me! Jesus tells us how we judge and treat others, will be the standard by which we will be treated and judged as well! In other words, before we judge anyone we better examine ourselves first to see if we deserve the same criticism!

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3 NIV

As I was studying judgment I found this verse and the associated notes from my NIV Study Bible:

“My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight.” Proverbs 3:21

Notes: “What is the difference between sound judgment and discernment? Discernment (or discretion) is the ability God gives to many people to think and make correct choices. Sound judgment, includes discernment, but goes beyond it. It also includes the knowledge that comes from instruction, training, and discipline, and the insight that results from knowing and applying God’s truths.”

The notes point out that we can only have and use good judgment when we know and apply God’s truths. The key to battling our tendencies to judge is keeping our relationship with God close, and asking Him to open our eyes to see what might cause us to misuse judgment or discernment.

When I (personally) make that assessment, I see that I tend to lean towards judgment when I feel insecure or when I fail at something. I usually do this as an attempt to make myself feel or look better, but the result is always the opposite; I feel and look worse. Not a flattering assessment, but this truth empowers me to turn my weaknesses into strength.

To sum it up, we have to understand that part of our personal growth is an ongoing process of learning and becoming more self-confident. That cannot happen without a combination of successes and failures. What that means for us is our failures (as painful as they may be!) provide us with a great treasure of knowledge towards that personal growth. It happens when we choose not to see our failures as a negative happenstance (tempting us to judge), but rather a positive experience that promotes personal growth!

The last portion of the verses we read today is sad and heartbreaking. We all know people who refuse to take responsibility for themselves or their actions. No matter how hard we try to help or encourage them, they just want us to solve their current problems today so they can create new ones tomorrow. That’s what Jesus describes:

“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” Matthew 7:6

Sometimes we have to leave people in the hands of the Lord. We have to allow them to hit rock bottom before they are willing to take responsibility for themselves and for what they have done. Don’t fall into the trap of judgment and bring shame on yourself when you encounter someone like this, just walk away quietly. Until they are ready to repent and take ownership for their own lives and responsibilities there is nothing we can do. How do we know when someone is ready to take ownership? They exhibit it by consistent and repetitive actions; it is not a single event or flowery words or empty promises.

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Closing Prayer: Father God, this lesson today was very eye-opening and convicting to me. Although I didn’t like it, there is a lot of truth I need to own and face. Father, guide my actions every day to mirror Yours and not those of a hypocrite. Open my eyes immediately to know where I must face my own mistakes and not sin by attempting to pass judgment on others. Father, thank You for Your words that guides us all to look more like You. I pray that every day I reflect compassion and reach out to understand rather than judge. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

 

 

 

Thy Word:

Do Not Worry

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Matthew 6:25-34 NLT

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My Thoughts:

I’m going to confess straight up this lesson is going to convict me in a big way! I cannot wait to share my awful truth with you about my relationship with worry (said no one ever!).

As I spoke these words in my heart, “oh dear, how am I going to do this,” my soul immediately responded with “by telling the truth.” (This may be why I didn’t want to start a blog! Just kidding…., maybe…🙄 )

Worry is one of my root sins, and I’d be willing to bet many of you suffer from the same thing. As a child I worried a lot because I had an abusive alcoholic father (story told in an earlier blog “The Power of Words” part 1 and part 2). By the time I ended my first marriage (more dirty laundry); I was an expert in worry. I used to say very flippantly, “I’m a worrier; if I have nothing to worry about, I fabricate something!” In hindsight, I’m mortified to even say I used to think that was funny.

It gets worse. 😱

Occasionally, one of my sisters and I would talk to each other and play what I’m going to call the “what if” game. We would take a situation that was happening in our lives and “what if” it to death. What if this happens or what if that happens? Our theory was that if we said it out loud to each other, it wouldn’t come true, but do you know what actually happened? It led to wilder and wilder “what ifs” until we were about half convinced the things we fabricated were actually going to happen so we worried more!

Do you know what we were doing? We were not only playing into the hands of Satan with worry, because we were tormenting our minds. We were also predicting the future, or to put it simply we were being fortune tellers!

CAUTION! CAUTION! This is NOT a game! This was us aligning ourselves with Satan! This is what God says about fabricating what we think is going to happen (fortunetelling):

“Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:31 NLT

This is the definition of defile:

“To make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating.”

Just to make sure you understand what I’m pointing out: we were literally pouring out piles of toxic and contaminated lies which turned into bigger worries in our hearts and souls.

“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 NIV

Our spirits were crushed with the perverse (and fabricated!) worries we were telling ourselves! 😱

God asks us a very serious question in our verses, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” WHEN has a worry EVER been beneficial in ANY situation? N-E-V-E-R!!!!!

I only wish someone had shared this truth with me all those years ago.

[Worry] dominates the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs [God is referring to us!]. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Look, I know it sounds like I’m handing out platitudes but when God speaks it is the truth. As a single Mom when I didn’t know how I was going to feed my children two days before payday, God provided. When I didn’t know how I could take one more day as a caregiver for a dying man, God provided. Clothes? Not trying to be rude, but in America most of us have more than one outfit in our closet don’t we? Yes, we do. Do we need more? I doubt it, but I know for a fact that God provided for a young woman when she and her husband committed to get out of debt before starting a family. After a long stretch of time with no money for extra’s, she needed a pair of black slacks for her job but they had no extra money to get them, so God provided.

Each of these real life stories (from above) have what I believe are miraculous provisions, and if you are a believer and have faith in God, I know He will provide for your needs too. How do I know that? Let’s look at those verses again:

“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? …your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:30, 32b, 33, 34

1. Lay your worries at the feet of Jesus and ask yourself, “What can I do to change the situation?” The answer may be “nothing,” which is a difficult command for someone (me) who is a servant. That takes us to step #2.
2. You must surrender your worry to prayer. God absolutely commands us to pray often and regularly for the situation, and we don’t need to pray the details because Satan uses that to put us back in the “worry loop.” If you pray sincerely, with faith and trust, God will hear and answer your prayer (assuming you are a believer in Christ*). It may not be in your timing, and it may not be the answer you wanted. But God’s ways are better than our ways, every time. I promise.
3. If there is something God wants you to do, He will guide you, but you won’t hear it if you are too busy reliving every detail about your worry. Remember this verse: “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33). If your mind is in a state of disorder then it is not from God. Peace is from God. Ask yourself: who/what am I allowing to guide my thoughts? That will tell you who you are listening to the most.
4. The last is the hardest. Ask yourself, “What is my sin in this worry? Have I done something to offend, or hurt someone?” If so, you must repent (cut it out!), and you might have to ask for forgiveness. Like it or not, you already know the answer to these hard questions and the sooner you face it, the sooner you can put it behind you.

 

[*Do you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Remember what Jesus tells us: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NLT

If you believe this in your heart, follow this link and pray this prayer from the late Billy Graham (you may have to copy and paste the link into your browser):

https://binged.it/2pwNzyJ ]

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Closing Prayer: Father God, thank you for reminding me how worry can be so destructive in my heart and mind. Father, I pray that when I have a worry I go through Your Word to learn the truth or ask someone who is following You to help me learn what Your Word says. Father, if someone asks for my help, please guide me to show them how to look to You and Your Word for answers. Today we learned an important lesson about Satan and how he wants to destroy us with worry and I pray that we remind ourselves of this: disorder is from Satan, peace is from Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for this simple truth. We thank You that we have Your Word to guide us every day. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thy Word:

Lay Up Treasures In Heaven

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

The Lamp of the Body

Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
Matthew 6:19-24 NLT

*****

My Thoughts:

I apologize for my blogging tardiness; I’ve been reading a pre-released copy of one of my favorite authors, Jerry B Jenkins. I’ll share more about that in another blog, and until then, here is the next set of verses in our study of Matthew!

Treasures: This first section I call “the desire to acquire!” We all seem to have a built in desire to want things but it appears more intense around the holidays, don’t you think? Our mail, newspaper, and television commercials are filled with material things that bring on those feelings of want with more intensity. I have even encouraged those desires from my family by asking them to tell me what they want for Christmas in the hopes that I could fulfill their wishes and make them happy.

There is nothing wrong with having goals to acquire things when we are wise stewards of our finances and if those “things” don’t consume us.

But how do we know when we have crossed the line of healthy versus unhealthy desires? I think it begins with a lack of contentment. Our desires begin to surpass our common sense or financial means, and eventually turn into greed, meaning we are never satisfied and we want more and more.

For example, one of the most common things I have seen in my own neighborhood are three car garages so filled with “stuff” the owners cannot even get their cars in the garage! That blows my mind! Other examples include boxes of items that we have had so long we don’t even know what are in them anymore. Maybe we have too much clothing because we won’t downsize our closets? (I know, I know, we might lose weight and be able to wear those things ‘someday?’) Or maybe we just can’t pass up a great sale, so we buy whether we have a need or not! The example I find the most terrifying is when we see someone finally part with an item but they keep talking about it or asking about it when you are with them, maybe even for years! If we find ourselves doing that, it is clear we may have physically turned loose of the item, but it still very much has control over us!

If any of these categories sound familiar, perhaps it is time to ask some hard questions. Why? Because what we treasure the most controls us, whether we want to admit it or not! If our treasures or possessions become too important to us, we must re-establish control and/or get rid of some stuff.

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.” James 1:14

Instead of storing earthly treasures in garages or storage facilities, we are told to “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:20-21 NLT

If our homes were destroyed tomorrow, everything would be gone in an instant. Even the best home insurance policy could not fully reimburse us for all that we have in our possession. However, if we spent our time and effort in building a relationship with God and our families, our treasures would be forever intact.

What are the desires of our heart? If it is just for material things I believe we are missing out on moments of beauty and priceless treasures!

Lamp of Our Body: There is a child’s church song that always comes to my mind when I read these verses:

“O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see.”

The song has additional verses that include warnings for our ears to be careful what we hear, our feet to be careful where they go, our hands to be careful what we touch, and finally our mouths to be careful what we say. (Are you squirming like I am, especially on that last one?)

What have we seen (watched), listened to, touched, gone to, or said lately and has it provided “light” for our body? Would we be willing to share all that we have done with everyone? If the answer is “no,” oh goodness people, we are probably deep in sin!!  Please understand that you cannot keep secrets from God! He knows all and sees all!

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”  Hebrews 4:13 NLT

What do our eyes say about us?

“But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” Matthew 6:23 NLT

If we believe a sin in our life is actually light, brother/sister, we are in deep darkness and there will be serious consequences! I once knew a man who was cheating on his wife, but he believed it was okay because “she makes me happy and God wants me to be happy.” Have mercy! Sin never makes God happy! If you believe otherwise, that is a lie from the pit of hell! This man lost his family, his home, his job, his friends, and the “other women” eventually left him too when she realized it cost him all he had. (Clearly her treasures were misplaced as well, wouldn’t you agree?)

God or Riches: I almost think these last two verses should have started with the word “therefore” because it perfectly ties together all that we have learned! Let’s look at our last section again with that word included: 

[Therefore,] “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money, [or to any earthly treasure, or anything that is unhealthy].”

One verse summarizes our entire set of verses today: “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:21 NLT

Where is the desire of your heart? What would God say is your primary focus?

*****

Closing Prayer:  Father God, thank you for these lessons that remind us that we must carefully audit our lives to see what/who/where our treasure lies. Do we see changes that need to be made? Are we putting too much importance on what we have or what we incorporate into our lives? If we lost everything today, would we believe that because we have You in our heart and the love of our family, we would still have a storehouse of treasures? May it be so, Lord, may it be so. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

 

Thy Word:

Fasting Is To Be Seen Only By God

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:16-18 NKJV

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My Thoughts:

My hands are shaking and I’ve walked away from this blog three times this morning. I started to leave the house and Jesus encouraged me to sit down again. But tears keep clouding my vision…

I wanted to skim through these verses about fasting because they are very clear, right?

1. Don’t be a hypocrite when we fast.
2. Consider whose approval we are seeking when we fast; God or man?
3. If it is man’s approval, this will be our only reward.
4. If we fast in private to the glory of God, He will reward us openly (God’s reward will always be better than any reward we get from man!).

But I’m in trouble, friends. Jesus is asking me to look at these verses from a different angle, and worse, He has asked me to share it with everyone. I’ve been bargaining with Him all morning but He keeps asking me to be brave.

You see, fasting is not difficult for me. In fact, I’ve fasted multiple times but God reminded me that I have not always done it correctly. This is not a revelation for me and because of that I have been creative with my fasting so it would have more impact. I’ve fasted from coffee (that does hurt!), I’ve fasted from sugar (when did I start loving sweets so much?), I’ve fasted from technology (big ouch!), and I once fasted by only eating one meal a day for a week (this is hard people!) and in each of these specific instances my heart was in the right place and the Lord rewarded me.

But that is not what God asked me to share.  {Deep breath…}

Why is fasting easy for me? Oh my word, I confess to you that my shame wants me to keep this to myself. Shame? Wait…, did I really just type that word?

Ding Ding Ding!!!!

Oh. My. Word. Now I understand what Jesus is revealing to me! He wants to heal me of another broken thing in my past.

You see…, I did not want you or anyone to know that as a child my Mother would ask me and my older sister to “fast” from meals when she could not afford to feed all five of her children.

This is not my shame! But I suddenly realize I took this on as shame as a child because I did not want anyone to know that we were that poor! I wanted to be like everyone else, so I kept quiet out of shame and pride.

Even as I type this truth to you, it seems surreal to me that any mother would ever be in a position where she would have to ask her child(ren) to miss a meal because she didn’t have the resources to feed them. However, whether we want to face it or not it happens every day all over the world and in the USA, a country that is known for being a land of plenty. 💔

Take a deep look into the face of your children and imagine that this is you…, I can’t even… But don’t close your eyes to this truth ladies and gentlemen. Look around you today and ask yourself this question: how many single parents or struggling families are “fasting” today so their children can eat? How many children are “fasting” from several meals a day so they can have one meal before going to bed? We have to put a stop to this.

We are about to enter into the holiday season and we should be receiving “giving” opportunities to provide food or money to local food banks or homeless shelters. If you haven’t received anything yet, reach out on your own and find one in your community—they are there—and give responsibly not just today, but all year long!

If we find ourselves struggling with this, this would be a perfect time for us to truly fast and pray according to Jesus’s outline from above and for all the right reasons.

If you are reading this today, and you are fasting or asking your child to fast because you don’t have enough, it is time to lay down your pride and go to a local agency to help you put food on your table.

*****

Closing Prayer:

Father God, thank you for revealing this hard lesson to me today so I am freed from another burden in my past. Satan can no longer use this as a weapon against me because I choose to use this revelation to Your glory. Father I pray today that we all take a good hard look at our finances and commit to give responsibly so that no family, no child ever has to “fast” because there is not enough food to go around. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

 

 

Thy Word:

The Model Prayer

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Matthew 6:5-9a NKJV

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, .

and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9b-13 KJV

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV

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My Thoughts:

You probably noticed I changed Bible versions and even included The Lord’s Prayer in the traditional King James Version (KJV). I know we don’t speak language like this anymore, however, I used this version, mixed with the New King James Version (NKJV) because I memorized The Lord’s prayer as a young girl in that language. I really do recite the Lord’s Prayer in my head or out loud in the KJV and love the beauty and musicality of those verses in that language.

But question really isn’t about what language or version we pray, rather it is more about how to pray, wouldn’t you agree?

Years ago when I became a new believer one of the most challenging things for me was to understand how to pray. In fact, when I attended a women’s Bible class I was in a constant state of fear that one of the leaders would ask me to “close the class in prayer.”

The Lord being a gracious and loving God heard my fear and very soon our pastor gave a service on how to pray. I’m going to share the very helpful acronym he used to teach us how to P.R.A.Y.

PRAISE-start every prayer by praising the Lord, because He is worthy of our praise. Thank Him for all the goodness in your life and yes, even for the hard things because through those hard things we learn and grow.

“With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,” Psalms 86:12 NLT

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5 NLT

There are many verses in the Bible that remind us to praise the Lord and be thankful. Our thankfulness absolutely should include the things we take for granted. In other words, do you have a roof over your head? Running water and electricity? More than one set of clothing in your closet? Food in your pantry? A car? Spouse? Friends? Children? The list is endless!

I once read a very profound statement:

What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?

I’m just going to leave that thought right here for you to consider carefully.

REPENT-we probably need to look at a definition of repent so there is no misunderstanding about what this means.

Definition: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment [correction] of one’s life.

In the repentance part of the prayer we confess our sins. Yes, God already knows but this is for US! It is important to hear ourselves admit our sins because we don’t like to do that, do we? We have no problem blaming someone for our sins, but the reality is we really do know they belong to us and no one else.

We want to free ourselves from the burden that sin creates in our heart and life by confessing them to God. Next, we are to make things right with others when it’s applicable, and finally promise to turn from our sins as we pray.

“People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 NLT

“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” Isaiah 59:2 NLT

“Then he [Jesus] said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3 NLT

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” Matthew 5:23-24 NLT

Since we are confessing sins, let me confess this to you: many times I find it easier to confess my sins to God than it is to confess my sins to man. Why do we put so much emphasis on what man thinks about us? Pride…, we want approval…, we don’t want to admit our mistakes…, and this list can be long but more importantly, it is usually filled with reasons comprised of sin. Ugh.

From You Heart JUST SAY: I’m Sorry!

However, here is what is more important than that ugly list: unconfessed sin separates us from God and He doesn’t hear us. (Isaiah 59:2) Man cannot save us from our sins, only God can, so don’t delay, let’s “clean house” by confessing our sins so we can move forward to the next step: ask!

ASK-because we have confessed and committed to repent of our sins, we can come before God and pray for our needs. We have the assurance of God that He will answer our prayers when we pray expecting an answer according to His will not ours.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

Never forget, God is NOT our magic genie and our prayers are not to get our own way. We ask for His will because our own will is faulty and we don’t understand all the details surrounding a situation. God knows all and He sees all, therefore, we know His way is better than our way!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV

YIELD-we are to surrender our own personal desires and our own will for the better choice, which is God’s will.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10 NIV

From the Lord’s Prayer:

“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 NIV

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 NIV

I hope and pray this acronym for prayer will give everyone more confidence to pray daily to the Lord, and not be afraid when we are asked to pray in a public forum.

*****

Closing Prayer: Father God, I cherish this prayer, Your prayer, that took me on a journey leading directly to You. I know that all that is in my life, good and bad, is because You gave it, or You allowed it, so I can be more like You. Father, You are Holy, You are my King, and I pray that all I do brings glory to You. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.