Hearing from Heaven.... Meditation #23

The Bible Says.....

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me"

John 10:27

In this meditation, the writer, Dr. Alvin VanderGriend reminds his readers that :

Prayer is all about hearing our Shepherd's voice.  In fact, when we pray, its pprobably more important to listen than to speak.

I long for the voice of God in so many areas in my life.  like Eli told Samuel to say "speak Lord, for I your servant am listening"  1 Samuel 3:8-9

I want to bre as listening servant!!!!

Equally as much as I cherish the opportuntiy to talk to the Lord, I also long for the opportunity to be still before the Lord, and listen for his voice to my spirit.

This meditation reminds us, again, about intercession.  The lesson reminds us to

"Intercede for those who are not listening to God'wss Word or Spirit and as a result are straying from the truth."

As we intercede for others and listen to the voice of the Lord, may we find his peace  in our souls.......

Living Prayerfully..... Meditation #22

The Bibler Says....

Pray Continually

1Thessalonians 5:17

"Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise"

James 5:13

As a wife and  mother who works outside of my home, I often feel deprived of time alone.  I sometimes find myself looking  forward to those moments when I am not answering to someone's needs or wants or answering some question or solving some problem or dilema.

When I say I want time alone, what I really want is time with God.  I long to be alone with the Lord and just reflect or just fellowship with him. I often long for time to share with  him things on my heart that  really matter.  There is an intimacy in those times that can't be explained.

I learned this "continuous" conversation with God as a teenager when my mom died.  I started talking to the Lord in my mind.  I started sharing my hurt, my pain, my longing for my mom with the Lord.   As time went on, I found myself sharing my joy and the ordinary feelings  and thoughts in my life.

In this week's meditation the writer talks about "prayer triggers"......  those things, places and situations that prompt us to pray.    For me, these are many places. 

I can't define all of the situations that cause me to pray, but I do know that conversation with God comes natural for me. 

One thing I know for sure.....

When I pass from this life to the next, I expect to do so in conversation with God.......

Prayer as a Conversation with God Meditation Number 21

The Bible Says:

 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8

The writer describes this passage as a "talk" or a prayer with Adam and Eve in the garden.    The writer contends that God takes the initiative in prayer.  This passage  shows us that we need only make ourselves available to him.

 
Since prayer begins with God, it is commonly understood that sin inhibits that "talking part of a love relationship"  Sin hinders prayer because of guilt.  Its hard to look at someone when you know you have wronged them intentionally or not.

I have felt this guilt myself all too many times.

The beauty of Jesus love is that it removes the guilt and sets me free to praise him.

Its in the praise that the fellowship resumes.

God....and me.....In that secret place....where I can go.......

....and talk to the Lord.....

Interceding for the Unsaved BlogPost Number 20

The Bible Says:

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Isralites is that they may be saved.

Romans 10:1

Back on BlogPost Number 18, I posted about 2Timothy Chapter 2.  In that, we read that God wants everybody to be saved.  Jesus prayed for the unsaved.  So did Paul in our focus scripture in Romans Chapter 10.

The nature and impact of this Blog Post is so important, so powerful, that I dare not edit or digress from

Dr. VanderGriend's teaching on this....http://bit.ly/hC46Bn   He writes three directives for us....

First, we should pray that the unsaved will be drawn by the Father.  Jesus said "No one comes to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44)

Second, we should  pray that those who hear the gospel will understand it.  Jesus warns that the evil one will come an dsnatch away the gospel seed sown ina person's heart if it is not understood (Matthew 13:19).  The spiritual understanding and enlightenment required must come from God who is moved to respond to the prayers of his people.

Third, we should pray that unbeliever's eyes will be opened so that they can see the light.  As we pray this prayer, we will once again be contending with the adversary, "the god of this age who has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" (2Corinthians 4:4)

Dr. VanderGriend, in Love to Pray, gives this testimony

A lighthous in Grand Rapids, Michigan, prayed for a yong man who had run away fromn home and joined a gang.  The young man returned home and made a commitment to Christ.  Later his gradfather gave his life to Christ shortly before he died, also in response to prayer.

Another Lighthouse in western Michigan saw four families come to the Lord after eight months of weekly meetings to pray for their neighbors. 

This is prayer evangelism, evangelism in which God moves in the hearts and lives of people in response to teh earnest prayers of believers. 

Church, Who are you praying for?



Intercedng for those who can't pray for themselves Meditation #19

The bible says.....

After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. ⁸So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”  So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer.

Job 42:7-9

I am digressing from my previous posts commenting on Love to Pray http://bit.ly/hC46Bn

The remarks in this post are taken from a sermon by Pastor Jeremiah Booker at Hamilton Park UMC in Dallas.  http://bit.ly/i3AX39

Dr. Booker preached a sermon reflecting Job 42:7-9 on April 2nd.  My own spiritual journey has taught me that the preached word of God is the ultimate blessing in the Body of Christ.  I take sermon notes and read them at various times during the week. I am sharing my highlighted notes from this sermon with you....

Dr. Booker made 4 points about the above scripture:

• God uses intercessors to help those who have a need.  In this way an intercessor becomes a "friend in the middle."
• God is generous, especially when you ask on behalf of others.  A lighthouse of prayer can be a teacher.  An individual can just walk outside and look around then begin to pray for the peace, the marraiges in their neighborhood.  "Wherever we find ourselves  it is a mission field for Christ"
• God sends people for you to pray for them.  It is good to ask ourselves, "When God sees someone in need of prayer does he send them to us?"  In the bible verses above,  God sent Job's friends to him.  God had confidence in Job.  Job prayed for his friends, though they had heaped guilt upon him.  God will bless us when we intercede.
• God blessed Job when he prayed for someone else.  God is calling us to intercede. 

Do you consider yourself  an intercessor?

If you begin to intercede, you will see a difference in your family.  God can transform your community.......

The Scope of Intercession Meditation number 18

Christ in me...The hope of Glory.....

The Bible Says:

The first thing I want you to do is pray.  Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.  Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.  This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.  He wants, not only us, but everyone saved, you know, everyone  to get to know the truth we've learned.

1Timothy 2:1-4   The Message Bible

In the book Love to Pray,http://bit.ly/gLheoL Alvin VanderGriend says:

"My prayers can release a blessing or bring change anywhere in the world without my moving from my chair.

If our prayers focus only on those who are nearby, we have not caught the scope of what God intends through prayer....".

In this meditation on the scope of intercession, we are asked to focus on two scenarios

• Imagine your prayers transmitting heavenly power and blessing to people in every corner of the world.  Think of some of those people and places
• Imagine persons experiencing the joy of being saved and coming to knowledge of the truth as a result of your prayers

As I began to ponder this and pray to be more of an intercessor, I began to think.....

I began  thinking of the Imagine No Malaria Campaign.http://bit.ly/ejtsLd

As I read the webpage, I learned that the UMC is involved in this in so many ways.  I began to think of those responsible for the direct care of administering aid to those in need because of the disease.

....and so I pray.....

Lord, in the name of  Jesus, thank you for the workers  who have left their homes and traveled to Africa to work with those effected by this disease.  Father grant them strength and resolve to continue ministering your love to your people.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Did you know God is looking for U? Meditation Number 17

The Bible Says:

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."

Eziekiel 22:23-30

In this devotional, God makes it plain to Eziekiel that he is looking for someone to stand in the gap before him on behalf of Israel.  Because no such person could be found, scripture says God would have to "pour out wrath on them...."

Further study of this meditation reminds us that Moses was an intercessor interceeding for the children of Israel over and over before the Lord.

Abraham was another known intercessor in the bible.  He interceeded for his nephew Lot.

This lesson is so significant because I know so many people in my own family and neighborhood who need intercession.  I want to be a more consistent intercessor.

There are 3 points for you in this devotion

• God governs the world through the prayers of his people.
• In order for intercession to be effective, we must believe that our prayers as intercessors do make a difference
• "Things will happen when we pray that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't prayed.  And things will not happen if we do not pray that would have happened if we had prayed" http://bit.ly/fh6UfA

My prayer,

God, in Jesus name, help us to remember those in our world who need prayer.  Give us grace to  lift them up before you as one friend petitions on behalf of another.  I just pray to grow in my ability to walk and talk with you more each day.   Amen.