by Alisha | Aug 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
So many people think that when they pray, they have to be very formal with God. I’ve even heard lots of people using Elizabethan English to address Him. They throw in a few “Thees,” Thous” and “Thys,” apparently thinking that they will sound more spiritual to the Lord. Huh?!? Since when did the language of Shakespeare become the spiritual means of communication with our heavenly Father?
James 5:16 (AMP) says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available – dynamic in its working.”
So, from this verse we see that it’s not the words we use that make our prayers effective. Instead, it’s whether or not the prayer we pray is coming from an earnest, sincere heart toward the Lord. If someone is just rattling off a prayer from their head instead of speaking to the Lord from the depths of his or her heart, then that is not an effective prayer.
Prayer is simply talking with God from your heart. Prayer is your avenue for communicating with Him. And it is very important that you cultivate the daily habit of talking to the Lord. This is something you must schedule into your day right from the beginning.
It’s important to remember that because prayer is such a vital time for each Christian, this is one area the enemy works especially hard to hinder or destroy.
In just a couple of weeks you can develop the habit of daily prayer so that talking to God will become as natural to you as breathing.
What is your plan for daily prayer?
It is helpful to schedule a specific time each day when you will meet with the Lord and share with Him from your heart. You may want to start your prayer life by using some of the suggestions listed below.
To get into the habit of daily prayer, you may want to start a systematic program and keep a prayer journal. As you become more comfortable in prayer, you will depend more upon the Holy Spirit and less on lists and programs. However, many times in the initial stages of developing your prayer life, some prayer tools can help you develop discipline and consistency in your prayer life.
Daily Prayer Suggestions:
- Praise & worship God for Who He is. (Ps. 107: 1)
- Thank God for what He has done & for what He will do. (1 Thess. 5:18)
- Confess any known sin. (1 Jn. 1:9)
- Make specific requests for yourself & others. (Phil. 4:6)
You may also want to make a list of those you want to pray for. Your list might include the following:
- Government leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-3)
- Ministers (pastors, missionaries, leaders) (2 Thess. 3:1)
- Fellow Christians (Jms. 5:16)
- Enemies (Mt. 5:44)
- Non-Christians (Ps. 2:8)
- Personal needs (Phil. 4:19)
God has given us anointed prayers in His Word. We can pray these prayers for ourselves and others, and we are guaranteed to get results. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul and others to pray certain prayers that are recorded in the New Testament. Use them as a pattern for your own prayers. To pray them for yourself and others, simply insert your name (or another’s) in them. You will see dynamic results!
These prayers can be found in: • Ephesians 1:17-20 • Ephesians 3:14-20 • Colossians 1:9-12 • Philippians 1:9-12 •
How to pray for a specific need or request:
- Decide what you want from God. (James 1:6-8)
- Read scriptures that promise the answer you need. (Josh. 1:8)
- Ask God for the things you want – praying to the Father in the Name of Jesus. (Mt. 7:7-8; Mt. 16:17-18, Jn. 14:14, Jn. 16:23-24)
- Believe you receive when you pray. (Mk. 11:24)
- Forgive when you pray. (Mk. 11:25-26)
- Meditate on the promises. (Pr. 4:20-22)
- Give God the praise. (Phil. 4:6)
- Depend upon the Holy Spirit in your prayer life. (Rms. 8:26, 1 Cor. 14;4)
- Pray the prayer of intercession. (Rms. 8:26)
- Edify yourself by praying in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 20)
This post is excerpted from my book, A Life That Flourishes. Click on image below to purchase.
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by Alisha | Aug 24, 2012 | Uncategorized
The Bible is not just another book of rules and regulations for how a Christian should live. Instead, it is the living Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power…”
God’s Word is alive and powerful, and inside, there are answers to any situation you could ever face in life. Therefore, if you want to grow strong spiritually, then you need to develop the habit of studying your Bible on a daily basis, and letting it dwell in you richly (Col. 3:16).
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” One of the most important ways to seek first the kingdom of God, is to give the Word of God first place in your life.
I. How do you give God’s Word first place?
- Commit to a regular time of reading the Bible each and every day – even if it’s only a few verses or one chapter at first. Then, once you develop the habit, you can gradually increase how much you read each day.
- It’s important to read both the Old and New Testaments, but since the New Testament was written to the Church (Christians), you should focus most of your time there.
The New Testament is made up of:
- The Gospels – (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) These are records of the life and ministry of Jesus.
- The Epistles – (Acts through Revelation) Epistles are “letters” written to the Christian Church teaching and instructing us in how we should live.
II. How to Study the Bible
- The King James Version is an excellent version, however, it was translated in the 17th century, and therefore, it was written in Elizabethan English. Since it can sometimes be difficult to understand, it is very important that you find a version of the Bible that you can understand. NIV, NKJ, NLT, Amplified, The Message, etc., are all good translations. (NOTE: Free Bible apps are available for smartphones and tablets. I recommend YouVersion, which has numerous Bible translations available at the touch of a finger!)
- It’s also important that you feel free to write in your Bible. You can underline or highlight scriptures that have special meaning to you. This will help personalize the Word for you. Marking these scriptures will also help you find them more readily when you need them.
- When you sit down to read the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and help you understand it as you read. (John 14:26, Psalms 119:18)
- When you read, think about each word in each scripture. You can check meanings, too, by using a concordance to study the Greek or Hebrew root words and their meanings. If you don’t have a concordance, a dictionary will help you. (2 Tim. 2:15)
- Carefully consider how the Word applies to you personally and to the situations you are facing. (2 Tim. 3:16, Ps. 119:105, 111)
- Compile a “Scripture Notebook” with different topics, such as faith, love, peace, healing, provision, etc., and every time you find a scripture on a certain subject, record it in its appropriate place. (2 Tim.3:15)
- Speak the Word of God over every area of your life — health, mind, problems, money, family, relationships, business, future, etc. (Mt. 8:8)
- Think about God’s Word and speak it to yourself continually. This is called “meditating on the Word.” (Josh. 1:8, Ps. 119:97)
- Accept God’s Word as the final authority. (Ps. 119:89)
Remember, the Bible is a personal message from Almighty God Himself to you! While the Bible is God’s inspired Word, it was also meant to be down-to-earth. Don’t just reverently give it a place of honor on your coffee table or bookshelf, but treat the Word as your personal hands-on reference book on life — a “how-to” book for everyday living!
This post is excerpted from my book, A Life That Flourishes. Click on image below to purchase.
by Alisha | Aug 20, 2012 | Uncategorized
Is there something that you’ve prayed about but you haven’t received yet? If so, I want to encourage you to not give up. Keep standing in faith. The answer is on the way!
Jesus said in Mark 11:24 (NKJ), Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
And 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJ) says, Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 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 the petitions that we have asked of Him.
There is almost always a waiting period from the moment we say “Amen” until the moment we receive. But if you’ve asked according to the will of God (His Word), and if you believed that you received when you prayed, then according to these scriptures, you can be confident that the Lord heard you and that you will receive what you’ve asked of Him.
But what do you do while you’re waiting – especially when the answer is l-o-n-g in coming?
Hebrews 6:12 tells us that through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God.
And Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT) says, Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
So first of all, exercise patience. Don’t be quick to give up just because it takes some time to receive. Don’t throw away your confident trust in the Lord. Keep believing!
James 1:6-7 (NKJ) says, But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
If you want to receive, then make sure that you don’t allow doubt to creep in. If the Word says you will have it, then you will have it. God is not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19). He is always faithful!
Heb 4:3 (NKJ) says, For we who have believed do enter that rest…
Another thing to remember is to rest. You don’t have to beg, manipulate or try to persuade God to answer your prayer. If you prayed in faith, then enter into rest. It’s not up to you to figure out when and how the answer will come. It’s up to you to trust and rest.
And finally, learn to be thankful, (Ps. 100:4, Col. 3:15). If you believe that the Lord has answered your prayer, then thank Him for doing so. Don’t wait until you have the full manifestation – thank Him in advance. When we are thankful to the Lord before we receive the answer, it demonstrates our faith and trust in Him.
God’s Word is true. If you pray according to His will, and believe you receive when you pray, you will have the thing you asked of Him.
Keep standing in faith. Keep exercising patience. Keep believing that you will receive the thing you asked for. Enter into rest and just thank Him for the answer. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Keep expecting. The answer is on the way!
(Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis)
by Alisha | Aug 13, 2012 | Uncategorized
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV) – But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord.
You are the beloved of God – greatly loved, adored, cherished, and dear to His heart. No one could ever love you as deeply and as passionately as God does. No one and nothing will ever satisfy your spiritual and emotional needs like He can. You were created for Him and you exist to be the focus of His love. He desires you. He yearns for you.
James 4:5 (AMP) says, …The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us…
In his book, Sparkling Gems from the Greek, Bible teacher and Greek scholar, Rick Renner tells us that in this verse, the Greek word for “yearn” is epipotheo. He says, this word “portrays an intense desire, a craving, a hunger, an ache, a yearning for something, a longing or pining for something,” (p. 91).
He goes on to say that James 4:5 conveys this compelling idea:
“…The Spirit has an all-consuming and passionate desire to have more and more of us. In fact, this desire to possess us is so strong that He literally yearns, craves, and pines after us,” (Ibid., p. 92).
Deuteronomy 4:24 (CEB) says, …the LORD your God is an all-consuming fire. He is a passionate God.
How often have you thought about God’s love for you? And even then, did you realize that His love for you is so intense, so strong, so passionate?
One of my favorite verses that I quote over and over in my posts is Ephesians 2:4 (AMP) which says, But God – so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us.
Stop and think about that. The Lord has a GREAT and WONDERFUL and INTENSE love for you! He has an all-consuming and passionate desire to have more and more of you! You are His beloved!
In the Song of Solomon we read a story of marital love, but it is also an allegory of God’s love for Israel, and Christ’s love for the Church (His Bride). This book shows the overwhelming love that God has for us.
In Song 1:15 (NLT) He says to you, How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful!
And in Song 5:9-10 (NLT) He tells you, You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes…Your love delights me!
You are beautiful to the Lord. You have captured His heart. You delight Him!
We cannot begin to fathom the vast and boundless love the Lord has for us, but we must begin to meditate on it. Understanding His love for us will cause us to love Him more and more. The more we spend time in His Word and in communion with Him through prayer, the more we can begin to understand His vast love for us.
Jeremiah 31:3 (KJV) says, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. The Good News Translation of this verse says, I have always loved you, so I have continued to show you My constant love.
The Lord loves you with an everlasting love! There’s nothing you can do to earn it and there’s nothing you can ever do to cause Him to stop loving you. His love is unconditional. His love is boundless. His love is constant – and it belongs to you because you are His beloved!
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by Alisha | Aug 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
Psalm 84:1-2 NLT How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
You were created for the presence of God.
There is a desire – a yearning – in each of us to be with Him, to experience His holy pres-ence, His love, His peace, His joy, and to gaze upon His beauty. There is no place else that can satisfy this longing. Nothing else will do.
His presence has everything you need. If you need answers or direction for your life, or if you’re in need of more joy, then you must make time to be with Him: Psalm 16:11 (NKJ) You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Do you need to be refreshed, revived or rejuvenated? Then enter into His presence: Acts 3:19 (KJV) …times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Are you weary, tired and in need of rest? Exodus 33:14 (AMP) And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.
Are you feeling weak? In His presence is strength: 1 Chronicles 16:27 (KJV) Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
Do you need a place to run and hide, or to just get away from the cares of this life and its strife? Psalm 31:20 (NKJ) You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
The presence of the Lord is our refuge. It’s our secret place. It is where we partake of intimate union and communion with Him. In His presence we receive His mercy and unfailing love. We experience the warmth of His embrace.
It’s no wonder our hearts “faint with longing” for Him.
The Amplified version of Psalm 84:2 says, My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God.
Once you’ve experienced the beauty of His presence, you will yearn for more of Him!
But how does one enter into the presence of God?
Psalm 100:2,4 (KJV) says, Come before His presence with singing…Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
And Psalm 95:2 (AMP) says, Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!
In Psalm 22:3, we see that God inhabits the praises of His people.
The door to His presence is thanksgiving, praise and worship. If you will cultivate a lifestyle of praising and worshiping the Lord, then you will begin to sense His tangible presence more and more. He will inhabit your praises!
The Lord loves you! He desires you! He created you to be with Him — to live in His presence. So enter into His holy presence with thanksgiving. Sing songs of praise and worship to Him throughout the day.
Develop a lifestyle of love and adoration toward Him. Then you will find yourself dwelling in that secret place. You will experience the beauty of His presence like never before, and you will truly satisfy that deep longing and yearning in your heart for the living God!
(Photo: Thinkstock/The Knot)
