About Prayer

Read this quote from Catherine Marshall, “The reason many of us retreat into vague generalities when we pray is not because we think too highly of God but because we think too little”.  Good reminder for us all.

I’m thinking that our prayer life can get too vague when we are lackadaisical (lacking life, spirit, or zest) about praying.  I started reading Luke 22 as I was delving into the reasons behind vague praying and immediately identified with the disciples.  Jesus had just finished praying in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion.  Verses 45 and 46 really spoke to me,  Luke 22:45-46 (NLT)
⁴⁵ At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. ⁴⁶ “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray…

I can hear Jesus saying to me, Yvonne, are you feeling sluggish in your prayer time, then be specific, and GET UP AND PRAY!  I am convinced that sluggish, rote prayers are a result of vague prayers – prayers that lack zest and enthusiasim.

How do I avoid that? I want to share two Scriptures with you that have refocused my prayer life…refreshed it and empowered my prayers to be more than generalities – more than “Bless, Betsy” kind of prayers:

Read Psalm 132:3 for some prayer direction. Psalm 132:3-5 (ESV)
³ “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, ⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, ⁵ until I find a place for the Lord….   The place for the Lord in my life involves prayer that trusts, ask specifically, intercedes, and doesn’t quit.

Read 2 Chronicles 14:11 and pray in such a manner that you recognize the power available to answering your prayers – it is a shot of spiritual adrenalin 2 Chronicles 14:11 (ESV)  ^…“O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”

I really am filled with practical inspiration when I personalize my Scripture prayers…O Lord, there is none like you to help me, between the mighty and the weak.  Help me, O Lord my God, for I rely on You, and in your name I have come…O Lord you are my God; let no one prevail against you…

I want to share two more Scriptures which lift me up and encourage me to be a praying woman but before I do, just a reminder:  We are able to talk to God about anything…our hopes, fears, desires, and struggles. We do not have to be afraid to pray because we think our prayers might be selfish nor do we need to pray less because we are afraid God will not answer. Our prayer relationship with God is not based on our deserving it nor on our ability to pray; our prayer relationship with God is based on His Grace received through the gracious work of Christ in our lives and on His Power, not ours for sure!

Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Jesus assures us,as He did to His disciples, that He continues to delight in showing us His Grace:  John 16:24 (NIV) …Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

I want to close these prayer reflections with four cardinal rules of prayer written by Brennan Manning which I copied years ago:

1. The most important is: one learns to pray by praying. What is crucial is that we are really on the journey, not just thinking about the journey or reading or talking about it.

2. Pray as you can; don't pray as you can't.

3. Don't just pray when you feel like it. Showing up and shutting up is a discipline. Each day that rests on the twin pillars of the morning and evening prayer is a step on the journey from belief to experience, from theory to reality.

4. When a man or woman has an intense desire to grab aholt of God, they move and act, they respond and pray. Without that hunger, they are dilettantes playing spiritual games. If the intense desire is lacking, fall on your knees to the God you half-believe in and beg for the gift. As the late Rabbi Abraham Heschel remarked, "God is of no importance unless He is of supreme importance."

Reflect on these prayer thoughts yes, but most importantly PRAY WITH FERVOR AND ZEST!!!

Joyfully,

Yvonne

LIFE'S GOAL

 

 This is a wonderful quote from Rick Warren...

"Life is not about the acquisition of things or the achievement of goals. Life is about getting to know God — the one who loves you and made you for a purpose. You’re not really living until you’re right with God and have a relationship with him."

 

OUTDO IN LOVE

Hi !

I’ve been reading a Christian novel by Gary Smalley, The Dance, and in it a character said to another, “outdo” yourself in love.  That word got me curious and here is the verse I found:   Romans 12:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

A good direction for us to take, don’t you think?  Paul is talking about belonging to the family of God and how to behave.  I think this kind of godly love will also work for the unbelievers with whom we live and witness. 

Seems to me it’s a two-part directive for living – a directive that depends on God’s supernatural love and power living in us.  Our natural nature is too selfish to live in such a way. 

Directive One – Love one another with brotherly affection.  How do I do that? John MacArthur offers this possibility: Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love!  Redundant or is that the supernatural, godly way to treat others? I saw an ad on TV recently for a restaurant that caught my attention: “When you’re here, you’re family.”

This is a good motto for us…when you’re in my home, my car, my church, my Bible study class…my presence – YOU ARE FAMILY.  As believers we are given many instructions about how to treat family, Hebrews 13:1 (NLT)  Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters, is a good example.

John 13:34-35 (ESV)  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 John 3:18 (ESV)
¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

We are talking about loving others the way Jesus loved us and others…supernatural love.  This kind of love is more than having warm feelings – it is having a loving attitude that is shown by our actions.

Loving the way Jesus loves is not always convenient; it requires giving when it hurts; devoting energy to others’ well being; it also means absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back.  THIS KIND OF LOVE IS HARD TO DO…that’s why people notice it when we love that way.

Family love – action love -  also allows for weaknesses and imperfections; it communicates; deals with problems; affirms and encourages; and has a strong commitment to others in the family.  Sure am glad I am not expected to love this way without His help!

Directive Two – Outdo one another in showing honor. 

To “outdo” means to go beyond in action or performance. We are directed to go BEYOND the ordinary when we are putting others before ourselves.  We are to value others and respect them. We are to do this because they are God’s creation; because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ; and because God, Our Father, values them.

The word “honor” literally means a “heavy weight.” It implies that we assign the greatest possible weight to a person in terms of respect by holding them in “high regard.” To honor someone is to measure his or her value on a scale and conclude that it is “heavy.” On the other hand, to “dishonor” means to treat someone as if they were “light or insignificant.” We’re called to prefer (favor, give preference to, choose) others above ourselves. The idea is that we will take the lead in showing the honor that is due to each other in the family of God.

Well, girls, we know what to do – the directions are clear. Let’s us be woman today, this week-end, for our lifetime…that Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Joyfully,

Yvonne

A SHINING LIGHT

In my guest bedroom I have an antique, hand-painted lamp that I dearly treasure; it belonged to a good friend of my mother’s.  It doesn’t give out a whole lot of light, but its light is soft and welcoming.  That lamp sets a warm tone for our guest room.  Thinking about lamps, let me share this quote from June Masters Sacher,

   The world can be a dark, chilly place or it can be warmed by lamps of love.

Don’t you agree? Our world needs the warmth of love.

Luke 8:16 (NLT)
¹⁶ “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

In these verses, the “lamp” is those of us who have been illuminated by our faith in Jesus; in other words, we reflect the light of Christ that lives in us.  Let me share a few “lamp” thoughts.

Our lamp is to be seen.  In a world that is increasingly hostile to Christianity, we are to shine. We cannot let our light be so dim that our faith in Jesus is invisible to those around us.  One of our daily goals must be to seek ways to let our lights shine for unbelievers to see.

Our lamp is to honor the Father.  The light we shine (our actions – our good works – our kindness – our helpfulness) has one purpose and only one purpose: so that others will see God.  We are not shining so we look good, but so that others will see the Father and be drawn towards Him.  Our lives are what people see; through our actions we choose what we are going to spotlight - we choose who is going to be seen and honored.

Our lamp is to show our character. Christ said, "I am the Light of the world" (John 8:12; John 9:5). He also says that His followers are to be like Him—"the light of the world."  As we become like Christ more and more we are to shine brightly with the light of Jesus pouring through us to light the way for others. WOW – that is a challenging responsibility Jesus has given us; sure am glad we don’t have to do it in our own power!

For us to be bright, shining lamps in the world, we must live as Jesus lived – do what Jesus did – think as Jesus thought. Our lights shine when we surrender the power to the Everlasting Light Source.

Sing with me….

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Won’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Won’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel, no!
I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine over the whole wide world,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine over the whole wide world,
I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…

Choose to be a brilliant, beaming spotlight today not a dim, flickering stub of a candle!  SHINE GIRLS, SHINE!

Joyfully,

Yvonne