Matthew 17:14-16
We see in these scriptures a man who desperately wants a miracle to be performed on his son. He goes to the disciples and asks them but they are unable to fulfill his request. So instead of being disappointed he continues on to come before Jesus with his request. When he reaches Him he kneels before Jesus. What a humble place to be in. On your knees after you have already been let down once. But this man continued to believe that Jesus was the one that could work miracles. We all should model this persistence and humility every day in our prayers.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Taking Off the Grave Clothes
John 11:44
Today is just what I have been praying about during this fast. Well, not resurrecting someone from the dead. Because I am a chicken, and that would scare the bajeeppers out of me! But this is about being apart of the transforming power of God. God will use us to complete some of the tasks that He has here on Earth. We can be a key figure in life change. Here God used the disciples to take the grave clothes off of Lazarus after he was risen from the dead. So they are a piece of the miraculous power of God. And this is my prayer: I want to be an integral part of a substantial life change for someone. I don't know who. I don't know how. But I am willing to let God put the situation in front of me, and I am making it my prayer that I will seize the opportunity to be a part of His story.
Today is just what I have been praying about during this fast. Well, not resurrecting someone from the dead. Because I am a chicken, and that would scare the bajeeppers out of me! But this is about being apart of the transforming power of God. God will use us to complete some of the tasks that He has here on Earth. We can be a key figure in life change. Here God used the disciples to take the grave clothes off of Lazarus after he was risen from the dead. So they are a piece of the miraculous power of God. And this is my prayer: I want to be an integral part of a substantial life change for someone. I don't know who. I don't know how. But I am willing to let God put the situation in front of me, and I am making it my prayer that I will seize the opportunity to be a part of His story.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Spiritual Hunger
Today is Friday. It is the day that we spend eating lunch with my wife and getting prepared for the weekend. Normally I don't do my Bible study on Fridays, I take this day to prepare for weekend worship. But today is different. Today I have a desire to read, learn, and pray. Today I want to continue my fasting devotional.
Today's devotional is an overview of fasting. A general look at fasting. It all started with Jesus, Mark 1:12-13. He did it, so then we should also. He withdrew from the world to focus and pray. So we should also. He was tempted. We will be also. He was ministered to by angels. We will be also. What an encouragement. To know that when we withdraw and start to have a spiritual hunger the angels of heaven will begin to minister directly to us.
Today's devotional is an overview of fasting. A general look at fasting. It all started with Jesus, Mark 1:12-13. He did it, so then we should also. He withdrew from the world to focus and pray. So we should also. He was tempted. We will be also. He was ministered to by angels. We will be also. What an encouragement. To know that when we withdraw and start to have a spiritual hunger the angels of heaven will begin to minister directly to us.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Praying Boldly
1 Kings 18:36
Hebrews 4:16
Today is all about coming before God with boldness. Not because of who we are, but because we know God. We come to Him in the name of Jesus, who did the work for us on the cross. We can come to the throne with outrageous boldness because of Jesus outrageous righteousness. What an honor to know that God wants us to come and talk to Him with boldness. He would have it no other way. We shouldn't come weak and broken, we should come with confidence in Him. Today I will make it a point to come stronger!
I also learned today that there is a version of the Bible called the amplified version. I like what I see so far, more research to come.......
Hebrews 4:16
Today is all about coming before God with boldness. Not because of who we are, but because we know God. We come to Him in the name of Jesus, who did the work for us on the cross. We can come to the throne with outrageous boldness because of Jesus outrageous righteousness. What an honor to know that God wants us to come and talk to Him with boldness. He would have it no other way. We shouldn't come weak and broken, we should come with confidence in Him. Today I will make it a point to come stronger!
I also learned today that there is a version of the Bible called the amplified version. I like what I see so far, more research to come.......
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Prayer and Process
Today I said a prayer for something that I was heartbroken over. Not something that directly effected me, but something that I know would break the heart of God. It is something that I have no control over, nor when or if the prayer gets answered I will even know. But I prayed anyway. And now it is out of my mind. I have done all that I can do. When we lift up in prayer the things that are out of our control we can let God get to work rather than take on whatever is bothering us.
"It is through the process of prayer that God prepares us for the answers He brings."
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Faith and Wavering
James 1:6
Faith and wavering are opposites. James tells us in this verse that we can't have one without the other. We are to have unwavering prayers. We are to come to the Father with faith. We aren't supposed to not pray for something because we think it is impossible, that would show us wavering on our faith that God can do ANYTHING. We should stand firm in our believe that with faith God can do the unthinkable. And when we come to God with that in our hearts He will do amazing things in our lives.
Faith and wavering are opposites. James tells us in this verse that we can't have one without the other. We are to have unwavering prayers. We are to come to the Father with faith. We aren't supposed to not pray for something because we think it is impossible, that would show us wavering on our faith that God can do ANYTHING. We should stand firm in our believe that with faith God can do the unthinkable. And when we come to God with that in our hearts He will do amazing things in our lives.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Let the Light Shine
John 1:17
Scriptures tell us that when Moses came down from the mountain with the commandments his face shined so brightly with the glory of God that he had to wear a veil. WOW! Talk about getting close to God. He was so close to Him and so in tune with Him that his face shined. That is amazing. Makes me think about what people see in me. Seems like I am not close enough to God. People should take one look at me, one listen to my words, see one act of my day, and from just a glimpse be able to see the presence of God within me. I am sure there are many times throughout my day that people would question me. Times when I don't think anyone is looking. But the truth is that the light should shine in our days all the time.
Scriptures tell us that when Moses came down from the mountain with the commandments his face shined so brightly with the glory of God that he had to wear a veil. WOW! Talk about getting close to God. He was so close to Him and so in tune with Him that his face shined. That is amazing. Makes me think about what people see in me. Seems like I am not close enough to God. People should take one look at me, one listen to my words, see one act of my day, and from just a glimpse be able to see the presence of God within me. I am sure there are many times throughout my day that people would question me. Times when I don't think anyone is looking. But the truth is that the light should shine in our days all the time.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
In Agreement
Amos 3:3
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"
This time in my life is all about getting on the same page as God. We are starting to work together. We are in agreement. During the next few week I will work harder on discovering what God's will in my life is and then doing all that I can to accomplish it. I know that to achieve that perfect relationship I must be the one that changes. God is already perfect, now I must start to change myself to be closer to Him.
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"
This time in my life is all about getting on the same page as God. We are starting to work together. We are in agreement. During the next few week I will work harder on discovering what God's will in my life is and then doing all that I can to accomplish it. I know that to achieve that perfect relationship I must be the one that changes. God is already perfect, now I must start to change myself to be closer to Him.
Day 3
Yesterday I read Matthew 17:18-21, it was the perfect scripture to get me pumped up. It was like a cheerleader that knew right what to say at just the right time. It said nothing is impossible with prayer and fasting. What a way to get you fired up!
Yesterdays Focus:
As I start to copy Daniel as he fasted, as I start to pull away from what the world has to offer me in the way of food, and as I start to draw closer to God I want to rely on Him for all my strength, focus, and energy; and as I do this I want to in turn reflect back to the world a love that is only given by God. I want to world to know that the love that pours through me is so pure and with such reckless abandon that they will know that the only source it can come from is the Father himself.
Yesterdays Focus:
As I start to copy Daniel as he fasted, as I start to pull away from what the world has to offer me in the way of food, and as I start to draw closer to God I want to rely on Him for all my strength, focus, and energy; and as I do this I want to in turn reflect back to the world a love that is only given by God. I want to world to know that the love that pours through me is so pure and with such reckless abandon that they will know that the only source it can come from is the Father himself.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Allignment
Today I read Daniel 1:1-20
Today I am praying that God set me aside from others in the world and make my thoughts more focused on what He would desire for me. While going through the Daniel fast I am excited to see what will happen when I step up and step back from what is the normal eating routine and instead focus my attention on prayer. In the book of Daniel when he was offered food from the king's table he instead asked for pulse and water. When everyone thought he would become weak and not prosper he knew that if he drew near to God he would prosper in ways that no one else could. He became focused. And it says in scripture that Daniel and the others were found ten times better than the others when it came to wisdom and understanding.
Today I am praying that God set me aside from others in the world and make my thoughts more focused on what He would desire for me. While going through the Daniel fast I am excited to see what will happen when I step up and step back from what is the normal eating routine and instead focus my attention on prayer. In the book of Daniel when he was offered food from the king's table he instead asked for pulse and water. When everyone thought he would become weak and not prosper he knew that if he drew near to God he would prosper in ways that no one else could. He became focused. And it says in scripture that Daniel and the others were found ten times better than the others when it came to wisdom and understanding.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A Heart that Jesus Enters
Hebrews 11:6
What a recap. This sums it all up: seek Him. When you seek you will find. When you find you can understand. When you understand you can transform yourself. But when you find Him, He will do the transformation in you.
We can never settle though. We have to continue to push forward to discover more and more of how we can become more like Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:18 is a perfect way to end this book,
What a recap. This sums it all up: seek Him. When you seek you will find. When you find you can understand. When you understand you can transform yourself. But when you find Him, He will do the transformation in you.
We can never settle though. We have to continue to push forward to discover more and more of how we can become more like Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:18 is a perfect way to end this book,
"And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us,
we become more and more like Him"
Friday, January 8, 2010
A Heart Fixed on Jesus
Ephesians 1:18
I read this yesterday. But, since we are not back into our daily routines yet, I had to unexpectedly cut my quiet time short to nap with the little ones. I hate that I had to do it, but they need me. So here goes, getting back into the swing of things.
Today was about seeing and seeing. Yes there is a difference. You can look at something and not truly see it. You can take a glance but not be engaged. You can catch something out of the corner of your eye and not be enamoured. But when we see Jesus, when we are truly seeing Him, we will be transformed. We will be transported to a level of believe that is beyond just taking a peak at the savior, we will see Him for who He truly is.
Another thing in today's reading is that I was made aware of the availability of Jesus during His time on Earth. Everyone that wanted to see Him saw Him. If they wanted to touch Him, He was there. If they wanted to talk, He talked to them. No one who sought after Him didn't encounter Him. Only those who didn't seek didn't find. So if we are willing to look, He will be seen.
(Attention blog readers, all 10 or 7 of you, this is day 29 of 30 of my Just Like Jesus Devotional. I have no clue what I will blog about next. Any suggestions are welcome. Help me please.)
I read this yesterday. But, since we are not back into our daily routines yet, I had to unexpectedly cut my quiet time short to nap with the little ones. I hate that I had to do it, but they need me. So here goes, getting back into the swing of things.
Today was about seeing and seeing. Yes there is a difference. You can look at something and not truly see it. You can take a glance but not be engaged. You can catch something out of the corner of your eye and not be enamoured. But when we see Jesus, when we are truly seeing Him, we will be transformed. We will be transported to a level of believe that is beyond just taking a peak at the savior, we will see Him for who He truly is.
Another thing in today's reading is that I was made aware of the availability of Jesus during His time on Earth. Everyone that wanted to see Him saw Him. If they wanted to touch Him, He was there. If they wanted to talk, He talked to them. No one who sought after Him didn't encounter Him. Only those who didn't seek didn't find. So if we are willing to look, He will be seen.
(Attention blog readers, all 10 or 7 of you, this is day 29 of 30 of my Just Like Jesus Devotional. I have no clue what I will blog about next. Any suggestions are welcome. Help me please.)
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