DAY TWENTY-THREE - Little foxes

Read Verses: Song of Solomon 2:14-17

Key Verse: Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

The Song of Solomon is a book about love.  And it has one verse in it which is particularly pertinent at this time.  Catch the foxes.  What are the foxes?  Why worry about them?  In the Song of Solomon the foxes were a destructive little creature.  Cute...but destructive.  They run around a vineyard and can do a lot of damage.  But this is a picture of problems that can happen between 2 people that love each other...in or study its between us and God.  Although this principle holds true in marriage, dating, friendship...anywhere love is trying to grow.

The little foxes are problems which come into a relationship and threaten to destroy it.  Why kind of problems might they be?  Well, they can be anything that starts to bring distance between two people. It could be a sin, a small one like not listening at the right time.  It could be a word spoken in haste. It could be an hour here or there spent on something trivial at the cost of togetherness.  My wife and I love each other, and we have a trick....we stop every once in a while and ask each other "What have I done that  you don't like".  We call them pebbles, small rocks.....small foxes.  The big things don't need any explanation, these are small things.  The other person can say whatever they want about the pebbles...one talks, the other listens not matter what.   Guess what we have noticed?  If you take care of problems when they are small, you get along way better.

Too often in relationships we let things build up....and BOOM, an explosion occurs.  And when things get that big, nobody wants to listen cause everyone gets defensive.  Ears start building up callouses.  We really don't want to listen cause the pebbles have become a boulder....but the boulder is made up of pebbles from both parties.  It's inseparable and painful to talk about then.  This is exactly what Solomon is saying.  Let catch the little foxes and get rid of them.  Give love a chance.

Applying this to God, a lot of times its not the big problems that cut us off from Him.  Its the little problems, the foxes.  It's a small area of life we don't want him to have control over.  It's a small sin we don't want to acknowledge.  It's one particular person who hurt us that we don't want to forgive. In the overall scheme of things, its just a small problem...but guess what?  These small problems are big problems when you want to get serious with God.  Think of the small problems which can really build up and affect our intimacy with God....
   Skipping church once in a while.....you're too busy this Sunday
   Not talking to that one person after church......skipping around so you don't cross paths
   That extra steak the cashier didn't ring in by accident......we are all trying to survive
   I'm so tired, no time for prayer tonight before I go to bed....I'll double up tomorrow
   Oh he makes me so mad, I won't make him the desert he wanted...more for me anyways
You know what its like.  Nothing major, nobody is really going to gasp...but it is the small things which ruin our spiritual life.  There is an old saying which goes like this "Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."  It captures the same idea.

How would our relationships be better if we sat down once a week and cleared the slate, started fresh with our friends, our kids, our spouses, our families.  Or twice a week?  Here is a question for you - "When was the last time you took a hard long look at your life and what your flaws are?"  An inventory of where you need to work and grow.  A list of problem in your life that you need to work on.  A list of sins that you've gotten used to.

You'd be surprised, but Satan knows its the little things that will mess us up.  He's trying to get you to ignore them and go after the big things in other peoples lives.  Listen to this and apply it if you have wisdom...Nothing in another persons life can affect your relationship with God or your happiness. You got problems, guess what...they are your problems.  You deal with the little foxes in your own life...it will pay dividends.  Don't give up.  Satan tries to convince us that our problems are so small compared to others. Well, they might be....but its the little problems, the little foxes you have to look out for.  GET YOUR WALK WITH GOD UNDER CONTROL.   You and the Holy Spirit are the only ones who can.

That deeper life with God which makes life so satisfying...its the little foxes which dry out the vine.  Its the little foxes which come between the Father's love and us.  Then we try to settle for this person not bugging us, and that problem getting fixed.  The Secret to Life is in Christ...He came that we might have life to the full....a full and meaningful life.  What little things are coming between yourself and Jesus?  Make a list and confess them.  Make a habit of coming before God and saying "What pebble is in my life that I must confess".  Cry out to God on a regular basis and ask him to be merciful to you a sinner.  Are you serious about getting closer to God in prayer...in your walk...in discernment and wisdom?  Do you thirst for his presence more than anything?  Get rid of the little foxes...those little things that are coming between you and God.  Get rid of them and keep them out.

Heavenly Father, what things in my life are coming between us?  Perhaps I have some sins I need to confess.  I bring my heart before you today and ask Lord that you cleanse me from all unrighteousness and free me from sin.  My problems are mine, let me see that and get my mind off what other people do.  Make me a disciple that puts you first no matter what is going on around me.  Take my pride, my selfishness, my anger and false dreams....smash my false ideas about who you are and about how "self-sufficient" I am.  I need you, I need  you now and I need you to be close.  I draw near to you, draw nearer to me.  Reveal to me what the little foxes are.  In Your name I pray AMEN

DAY TWENTY-TWO - Are you ready

Read Verses: Proverbs 2:1-11

Key Verse: For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

People toy with prayer, many times it is something they turn to as a last resort.  Duty, duty, duty, panic, duty duty.....does that sound like your prayer life.  There are some things we've covered over the last 3 weeks which can really help our prayer life.  We can liken prayer to a dysfunctional family. What happens in such a family?  There are times of joy and fun, but they are sparse.  More time is spend worrying about expectations and worry and self and getting what  you want.  We aren't equipped with the skills to get along well in life.  We plod along doing our best, we try and we try but it doesn't seem to fix the family.  Have you been there?

At some point, you get to the place where you say "I want more."   I want to be friends with my parents, I want to know my siblings.  I want forgiveness...healing...and end to the abuse, name calling, etc.  Perhaps we even run away saying I will start again somewhere else, but it seems like the same problems arise again and again.  Our walk with God seems to hop around in the same vein.  Will it ever get better?  It can!!!!

In our walk with God, the Father tries to get us to the place where we want more.  More out of life, more out of Him, more of Jesus.  That's the goal of the Father.  When the prodigal son went off, he waited for his son to want more and return.  Do you want more?  Have  you reached that place of deep hungering and thirsting that David speaks about in the psalms?  That desire for more is where it starts.  That's the moment where our desire for growth overcomes the need for whatever the world can offer.  Our WANT for Him must become greater...our WANT for everything else must become less. Are you there???

Do you want God more than anything else?  I'm not asking if you want some chicken wings.  Spiritual growth isn't like a new piece of furniture.  You must desire it, and seek it out.  You must be willing to leave it all behind if necessary.  Most people only want what God has to offer if it will benefit them and not cost them too much.  Well, count the cost.  DO YOU WANT IT?  If you are genuinely hungry and thirsting for righteousness your life will show it.  Decide.

Here is a question for you...do you go to Bible studies and make a point to go out with the Pastor in order to ask questions???  Do you eat eat eat the Word of God?

Without counsel purposes are disappointed; but in the multitude 

of counselors they are established (Proverbs 15:22)  

When I was a new Christian and really wanted answers, I practically lived at the Pastor's house.  I am sure I was annoying as all get out, but I needed answers...I craved information...I wanted to study.  It was that thirst that propelled me into a closer walk with God.  I was from a family where joy was rare, but I sensed something powerful in the Father...I wanted more.

Listen to what Proverbs 4:7 says...Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.  Though it cost you all you have, get understanding.   Wisdom is supreme.  Supreme is a beautiful word...a supreme pizza or sundae...you know its good.  Though it cost you everything you have...get understanding.  Tonight we ask God for more.  Tonight you stop trying to protect yourself from pain and you start going all out for God.  Stop toying with prayer and your spiritual life and take your place in the Heavenlies with Jesus.  He who seeks his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake, will find it.

Heavenly Father, I want more.  I am convinced that you died for me in order to adopt me into  your family...not as a servant but as a Son, an heir.  I want my spiritual life to go deeper, I want my commitment to you to mean more, I want prayer to be joyful and full of life.  I want to seek out Your truths in the Word.  I want to seek you more and put a full effort into being who you want me to be. As a deer thirst for water, my soul thirst for you.  Fill my thirst, fill me with life giving water, be bread to my soul.  Guide me into wanting more.  In Jesus name I pray AMEN

DAY TWENTY-ONE - Jesus prayed

Read Verses: Luke 6:12-16

key Verse: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

“I’m praying for you.”    “I’ll pray for that.”    “My prayers are with you.”

If you are like me, you've said phrases like this a thousand times to people at church.  Words like this can make someone's day because they know they are cared for...and we follow through, adding that person to our list of people to pray for.  Why?  Because we know God listens.  J.I. Packer got it exactly right, “If you are a Christian, you pray; and the recognition of God’s sovereignty is the basis of your prayers.”  Convinced that God is powerful and in control, believers go to him in prayer, entrusting him with every detail of our lives.  We know he hears us without fail.

But there also is a problem with phrases like those.  Sometimes we say stuff like that, but do we actually pray?  We want people to know we care, but out of sight, out of mind.  I've even heard of people putting off decisions by saying "Let me pray about that first."  or "Give me some time to ask God what He thinks."  I’m convinced a lot of us talk and read about prayer much more than we actually pray. It shouldn’t be this way.  NOW, The last thing I want to do is heap guilt upon someone in the area of prayer...because guilt does nothing for prayer at all.  Instead, I’d like you to reflect for a few moments on the life of Jesus. I’m hopeful that his example and ultimately his sacrifice will motivate you to be more faithful in prayer.

In Luke 6:12 we encounter something extraordinary. Jesus prayed: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.”  It appears that Jesus was praying for wisdom to know whom to select as his twelve apostles. This is a reasonable conclusion. The first thing Jesus does after praying is gather together his disciples and choose the twelve. Not only that, in Matthew’s account, before settling on his apostles, Jesus exhorted the disciples to pray. And notice what he told them to pray for: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37). Given that Jesus told his disciples to pray for workers, it seems likely that Jesus was praying for workers, too, specifically, the workers who would be his apostles.

Jesus was a man of prayer. NOBODY on earth was closer to the Father than the Son...but nevertheless he prayed. Throughout the gospels we are introduced to lessons on prayer, lessons designed for his disciples to carry on the example he was displaying to them.  What do we learn from Jesus as we watch him pray and listen to his teachings?  I believe one thing we learn is that the closeness and intimacy in their relationship (Father and Son) was one fostered by prayer.  Jesus "enjoyed" spending time with His Father.  I remember being taught about prayer...its a discipline...its something you do even if you don't want to...its a duty...yada yada yada.  When we see Jesus praying in the Bible, I don't know if we are ever brought to these conclusions.  Pray is not a duty to be dispatched, but a place of peace and beauty where our spirits and the Spirit of God can mingle in a soul searching dance.  Prayer is to be enjoyed as it ushers us into the presence of God.  I find too many people do not enjoy prayer...perhaps too many see it as a burden...perhaps too many don't know the real purpose of prayer.

What does Jesus teach us?  First...prayer is necessary...vital...important...significant.  Jesus prayed before major decisions.  It could be that his future was shaped by prayer.  That prayer was one of the elements in his life that was making the road before him smooth.  Maybe when Jesus said that he was going to prepare a place for us, part of that preparation was intercessory prayer.  We see Jesus praying before great decisions...but also before great struggles.  Perhaps our victory in the Christian life is also marked by times of prayer.  Here is what I know...we must pray...prayer brings us closer to God...the closer to God we are the more He impacts our lives...the more our lives are impacted by his grace, the more satisfying life will be. Prayer is essential to a meaningful life.

Secondly, prayer has a purpose. Jesus had real work to do. Apostles must be chosen. These apostles would go on to preach and write the words the Spirit would use to build the church (Eph. 2:20). Jesus had a church to establish, and so he prayed. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, he said "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  God has a determined purpose for each of our lives, a work that we need to do in order to further his kingdom...a calling if I could put it that way.  Prayer is one of the tools God uses to enlist us into our calling.  Whether that calling is to be an evangelist, or to be a church greeter, all are necessary for the Body to function as Christ.  While action is necessary, informed action with purpose is critical.  We pray so we can see our part in the process, not because we are going to miss it if we don't pray.  God will still use us as he did Jonah, but we may miss the joy of understanding.

Thirdly, prayer is effective. Having stayed up all night talking to his heavenly Father, Jesus was ready to pick twelve men to serve him on earth. Jesus prayed, the Father answered, and Jesus chose the twelve. Perhaps it’s not a stretch to say that in Luke 6:12 we see something of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Jesus prayed because he knew no decision is outside the will of the Lord. But having prayed, Jesus acted. He stepped out and selected the men he believed best suited to do the work he needed. And so it is with us. We pray, because we know that God is sovereign. And then we act, trusting that God will guide our steps (see James 5:13-18).  Could it be that the steps guided by pioneering prayer are blessed by God more so than decisions not preceded by prayer?  If so, prayer could be a missing element in many of our struggles with faith.  Prayer is like the heavy machinery that levels the ground for a road just before the paving begins.

Lastly, prayer is an act of grace.  Jesus is our example, but He was perfect.  In many ways its humbling to think that we could even live up to a tenth of what He was.  In fact, we can't.  But Jesus' whole life was not just an example for us, but an encouraging pathway to closeness with God.  Jesus came to live and to die for us.  When he went to the cross, he suffered a horrible death, one that pales in comparison to any other death ever experienced. He drank the cup of God's wrath for us, and by so doing has freed us to enter freely into God's presence.  He opened a door into prayer for us that we could have never entered.  By dying for us, he not only paid for our sins but also declared us righteous.  We have been adopted into God's family and can come boldly before the throne of grace. We have confidence that the Father always hears us.  We can be close to God and experience that closeness in prayer because Jesus has removed every last barrier between us and the Father.  Prayer is the birthright of every born again child of God.  Do we see it as a birthright?  Do we see it as a privilege purchased for us by the death and resurrection of our Saviour and Friend?  Fact is, we don't need to learn how to pray better, or longer, or harder...we need to experience how joyful it is to come into God's presence as one who is so precious to him.  We need to experience the fullness of Sonship and inclusion into the family of God.   This is prayers true purpose.  When we see it as a relationship builder, it ceases to be a drudgery or discipline.  It becomes a blessing in and of itself.

Lord Jesus, transform our thinking about prayer.  Change our hearts and speak to us about the joy of praying.  Help us focus our minds on the heart of the Father and not so much on the thickness of the ceiling.  You died to usher us into the presence of God, bring us there, introduce us to the fullness of the Father.  Fill us with Holy Spirit and let us know the depths of the love of the Father towards us.  Let our hearts cry out "Behold what manner of Love is this, that the father has lavished upon us?"  Our desire is to be one with our Family, both in heaven, and on earth.  AMEN

DAY TWENTY: Got a question for God

Read Verses: Psalm 2:1-7

Key Verse: Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

God loves questions, its one of the ways he interacts with his people throughout the Bible, Do you have a question you'd like to ask God?  Questions can sometimes be aids to our faith and vital to our prayer life.  Our God is the lover of questions...sometimes he answers them.  Think about how many things we have read in the Bible, how many doctrines we've studied, how may passages we've read that were unclear. How many choices we need to make in order to follow him.  We know God has the answer to these questions as well as questions like "who do I marry" and "what kind of career do you want me to go in".  Spend a minute and write down some questions you might have for God.

In the Bible we read of people asking God for information on a wide variety of subjects, as wide as their interests. For example, one of the psalmists, probably David, asked God why the nations were in turmoil (Psalm 2:1). Joshua asked God why He had brought the Israelites across the Jordan River miraculously only to allow them to fall before their enemies (Josh. 7:7-9). David often asked God if he should take a particular course of military action (2 Sam. 2:1). Job pled with God to identify his sin, sin that he could not identify himself (Job. 7:11-21). One of the psalmists wanted to know why God would not respond to his prayers when everything around him seemed to be falling apart (Psalm 10:1-2). The Apostle Paul asked God who the Person was who appeared to him on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:5). These are some types of questions that biblical characters asked God in prayer.

I know the question you have, does God still answer questions today?  He can, he may, it's really up to Him.  He is free to do so.  However, many times we don't need new answers, because the answer to our specific question might have already be answered in the Bible.  In which case, our answer involves reading God's word in a prayerful way guided by the Holy Spirit, allowing him to illuminate scripture. God has a way of answering us without needing to speak directly to us.  But we need to be open to all the ways that God speaks and not limit him to the way we want Him to speak.  

Before we read scripture, offer up your questions to God.  Write all your questions down on a piece of paper, and as you read, see if any of them get answered. Write down all of our needs for direction. Essentially He has told us to make those decisions in dependence on Himself and by applying the wisdom and the examples that He has recorded for us in the Bible (Prov. 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit enables us to make wise choices when we seek to live in the light of what God has revealed. An audible voice giving guidance was necessary when disciples lacked the full revelation that we enjoy in Scripture today. However, we have a better guidance system that helps us avoid the ambiguity that people face when they hear voices today. People who hear voices have to ask further questions? Was that the voice of God, or was Satan speaking to me, or am I going crazy? Today the Holy Spirit guides disciples of Jesus into the truth by illuminating the truth that God has given us in Scripture (John 14:23-26).

Be assured of this, God takes all of your prayers, all of your questions, all of your petitions for guidance very seriously.  In every case, they reveal the desire of our heart to be guided by God and to be faithful to His Will on earth.  He does not brush them off or ignore them.  We need to keep asking and searching.  This is a heart that God can work with.   The heart that gives us and says "I'll find my own way" is a heart which is not really looking for truth, but just a simple fix.  Open up your heart and don't stop asking.  However, God may not answer immediately or as soon as we might want (Job
7:11-12). Moreover sometimes no answer is His answer. Frequently God has already given the answers to our inquiries, and we can find them by searching the Scriptures (Psalm 144:3; John 5:39).

Lord Jesus, I lift up my heart to you today and I want to be led by your Spirit.  Often times I think that means to hear a voice, or some supernatural leading.  Teach me to ask in faith, and then to keep my eyes open for your answer.  Answer me in a sermon, by a bible study, by a friends conversation, or from you directly.  No matter how  you choose to speak I open up my heart to you and ask that you make me sensitive to your leading.  In Jesus name I pray, AMEN

DAY NINETEEN - Praying for a rebel

Read Verses: Hosea 2:5-8

Key Verse: Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;    I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.

The book of Hosea is a picture of God's love for Israel while Israel is flirting with other gods.  This is pictured in the marriage of Hosea and His wife Gomer. Gomer was a wild woman, constantly going after other men, Hosea played the part of God faithfully chasing after her time and time again.  God doesn't like to give up on anyone.  If you know anyone who has been hurt by marital infidelity, then you know the pain Hosea is going through.  But he chooses to go through this pain time after time.  He refuses to give up on Gomer.  In the same way, God refuses to give up on us.

Do you have someone in your life who has turned away from God and is going a different direction.  Maybe its a spouse, maybe a child...a friend...some other member of the family.  People struggling in their walk with God is not a new thing.  Even coming to the place where they seem to give up on God and start trying something else to satisfy.  What can we do when we come across a person like that?  Where can we go?  We can lift up our hearts in prayer, God knows the ways of a loving parent and a rebellious son.  He's been there, he's shed tears for his children.  In chapter 2 of Hosea we see how God deals with such rebellion.

How does Hosea handle Gomer?  How does God handle us?  There's a sense in which God allows the rebellion to happen and allow it to reap its own consequences.  From the passage, others lose interest in her and she comes back to her husband.  This is what also happens with the prodigal son.  But note in Hosea, God is actively blocking her path with thornbushes.  He is walling her in.  Things are getting difficult for Gomer, she isn't very happy with her new found freedom.  God isn't blessing her choices, rather, he setting up life to be discouraging to her.  You could say Hosea and God are refusing to be enablers.  

We should work with God on a similar plane.  Here is a pattern for how to pray for that rebellious person.  "Lord, block their path with thornbushes."  We further lift up our hearts and pray that they find quickly that sin ends in emptiness.  Nobody likes to see their loved ones suffer.  But we do want them to gain Christ.  Rebelliousness is a hard lesson in life.  I remember rebelling against my parents and doing my own thing.  Nobody could tell me what to do.  Things got worse and worse to the point I was living on the streets in Toronto.  A few times I was so hungry I found thrown away food in garbage cans to eat.  It wasn't that long before I was like the prodigal, begging my mother for another chance to change.  Within three months of going through all those experiences, I found Jesus in a church meeting in Mississauga.  God was there to turn my life around, he was close by all the time.  

God knows we don't help people by blessing their sin, but by praying that people would see that the world has nothing much to offer.  Jesus, he's the answer to all our needs.  He's the one who has life giving water.  He is the only one who can set us free and give us life to the full.  Gomer, she made a bad choice...the quicker she learns that she made a bad choice the better.  And when we turn around to make the right choice...God is there.

Our Father in Heaven, We lift up the lives of ______________ .  We pray Lord that you would put a hedge of thorns around their life...that wherever they move they are struck by the pointlessness of the world.  Show how lost they are and how pointless and directionless life is without your Spirit guiding them.  Lead them back to the Rock, to the Fountain of life giving water, to the living bread...that they may find peace and rest in Your presence.  Place a burden in their hearts to return home to the grace which exceeds our sin and our guild.  In Jesus Name we pray...AMEN.

DAY EIGHTEEN - Let love flourish

Read Verses: Matthew 24:9-14

Key Verse: Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Jesus speaks of a day coming when lawlessness will increase, and with this increase the love of many will grow cold. What a sad picture of our future. But it doesn't only have to be the future, there is a causal relationship here. Whenever a community or person increases in lawlessness, love decreases in warmth. Sin has an effect on people, it causes them to love less...it causes their love to grow cold. Perhaps we can see it today in the sense that we lose the ability to love each other deeply but find no problem in loving ourselves more. The world needs to remember how to love deeply...but they are trapped by sin.

Some people see this verse as a commentary on the church. Surely the cause and effect principle described here works with Christians as well. But hopefully Christians won't be the people whose lawlessness is increasing. I think this is a commentary on the surrounding culture, not necessarily the church...although the church can succumb to the same problem. Time after time Israel left God and God promised to heal the land if they returned. A few days ago we studied a passage from Revelations where the love for Christ has grown cold. This verse goes farther. The love of most grow cold. A world where people either have forgotten how to love each other deeply, or are unable to take love to its depths.

One commentator puts it this way "But real love is impossible for the lawless person. By definition the lawless person is motivated by personal, selfish concerns, not by any regard for others or for the rules that govern our intercourse with one another. So with the upsurge of lawlessness there is a cooling off of love. The one necessarily involves the other." Look around outside, do you see people with a depth of love for each other? Do marriages seem to be depots of love? Are families a safe place for children to be loved and learn to love? Does our justice system and its workers show a world of love and grace...or do law officers care more about rules than people. What a sad world we will live in when people forget how to love.

Fear not...God's love never grows cold. Where can the world go to find true love, deep love, love that is warm and open and freeing? It can go to Christ, they can go to his body, all can join the people of God who are called to imitate Christ. This is why its so important to love our enemies. Jesus knows that true love is what changes hearts. We need to show the extent of his love to others who are trapped in the clutches of lawlessness. We need to show them the way back to love.  Our churches need to be places of love, where Christ is loved and so is everyone else.

Think of yourself as a huge signpost saying "True love available over there" with an arrow pointing to Jesus. Have you ever experienced the drawing power of the Love of Jesus? We need to keep the flames of true love burning in our churches. We need to have families others want to be a part of. We need marriages that can be testimonies to the permanence of true love. Again, prayer can be that lifeline that keeps us connected to Jesus in a love-giving way. Keep our love for Jesus alive, but then allow that love to fill us and overflow into the lives of others. In 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 Paul prayed for the young Christians to whom he was writing, that they might become more loving. What a great prayer this is for us to pray for each other! In fact, not only loving each other, but going out and loving the world...planting seeds of true love into hearts that have grown cold. Sow love...the fields are growing weeds of selfishness and lawlessness. Sow seeds of eternal love and wait for the harvest.

Lord Jesus, fill us with a deep and abiding love for you. Cause that love to abound more and more and then cause that love to flow through us to others. This is our greatest need. Without your love living in my life, I am a banging gong or a clanging cymbal. Empower me to love you and others with your unconditional love. I want to love others as You have loved me, with a deep abiding supernatural all powerful encompassing love which drives me deeper into your presence. Make me not only a more loving person, but a person who sows seeds of love into the lives of people who have forgotten how truly wonderful true love is. AMEN

DAY SEVENTEEN - Be one in Christ

Read Verses: Psalm 133:1-3

Key Verse: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” 

If you think about it, Christians should be fighting darkness instead of each other.  Think of it, what would the world be like if we spent out time fighting racism, child poverty, famine, literacy, peace instead of fighting each other?  The devil likes to throw us off track and his plan is to get the church to fight each other over silly little things.  We talk a lot about maturing in Christ...or basically, growing up.  Stop behaving like children, put away childishness.  Start acting mature in Christ and learn to get along with people.

In proverbs 6 it says God hates "a person who stirs up conflict in the community"   Why do you think that is?  Its because God loves unity.  Where there is unity you will find God's peace ruling in people hearts.  So much energy wasted on conflict.  It's not worth it.  Life is too short to pick on every little thing that annoys us.  Instead...Consider the beauty and pleasing atmosphere created in the vision described in Psalm 133. When a congregation is unified around knowing and serving God in the fulfillment of His purpose and vision for the church it is a beautiful thing. Not only is God pleased
with appropriate church unity, but also the people of God are pleased and enabled to experience more of the power of the Holy Spirit in their work for the Lord.

Think about your life, is there anyone you need to work things out with?  If its possible, go and work it out.  We are all called to be people of peace...peacemakers.  The world is watching us to see what Jesus is like...well, lets show them.  Show the world peace.  Jesus makes reference to worshiping God and leaving your gift on the alter in order to fix things up with a brother. God loves when relationships are healed...its part of his healing power.  He loves to work through his church, he loves to work through his people.  And when his people are loving each other and working in harmony then there is a beautiful Spirit in that place.  People who are at peace with others have an easier time praying to God.  Part of  our prayer life should include a prayer for peace in the church.  Lord, let your love and the unity of the Spirit flow in this place.

Unity helps our prayer life, but it is also a key to joy in our lives.  Unity and joy and peace are all dependent on each other.  Have you noticed, the minute you get upset with someone at church, your peace is in danger...and soon, maybe you don't even feel like going to church.  Amazing how one small problem can blind us to how amazing God is.  Life is like that.  The smallest problem can seem so big when we focus on it.  Why not give it all to God and spend your energy making friendships and adding your gifts to the world.  The world will be a better place with you showing the true nature of Jesus instead of fighting over some small problem.  That's where you can be, that's where we all need to be.  Let's lift up Jesus by lifting up each other and showing true love.

Lord Jesus, I pray for my church, my family, my friends, even my enemies.  Help me be the kind of person that looks past problems and reveals the true nature of  your love to the world.  I want to be filled with your love, not hatred...with your peace, not anxiety, with your Spirit and not loneliness.  Do a work in my life and help me keep my eyes on you...and help me be a peacemaker.  AMEN

DAY SIXTEEN - remember how much we love Jesus

Read Verses: Revelation 2:1-7

Key Verse: “… But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first.”

Prayer helps us re-focus on our love for God.  Its a reminder that we need him every day to provide for us.  Sometimes we get busy, and the devil starts working on us getting us to doubt the reality of God in our lives.  Sometimes we slip us and we have a rough spot.  If we aren't careful we can slowly forget how awesome God is.  And slowly we get busy with doing things, important things mind you, but we put our walk with God on the back-burner and He seems to get distant.  And sometimes we aren't sure what to do to get that connection with God back.

Well, here's some good news...pray.  Prayer is designed to foster closeness with God.  While it can be difficult at times, if you stick with it, there are some awesome times with God ahead.  Prayer can help us get our love for God back to where it should be.  The Love of God is the motivating force in our lives.  We need to walk in that love constantly.  When we try to live our Christian life without God's love filling our hearts it can get quite dull.  The fear is we can become legalistic in our walk with God.  

Legalism in this sense is defined as doing all the stuff God wants us to do, but with some different motivation that His love.   Oh, I need to do this so people will not think I am bad.  Oh, I need to do this because its expected of me.  Oh I can let this person down.  See how easy it is to start doing things for the wrong reason?

The church at Ephesus outwardly appeared to be a wonderful congregation. Jesus Himself pointed out their hard work, faithful endurance, worthy walk, and doctrinal integrity. The problem was that these works were performed out of duty, rather than out of love for the Savior. Though they did not know it, the Ephesian Christians needed revival. They were running the risk of losing their light for the Lord. They got busy and getting closer to God didn't seem as important as doing ministry.  So, work work work they did, and they forgot how important it was to love God first.  

Many believers are wearing themselves out with a crazy schedule of church programming while seeing few results. In their harried lifestyle of “Christian” activities they do not spend time cultivating their love for Jesus or each other. They need a revival of the heart. They need to heed the words of Christ, “Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first” Get back to the basics...don't be burning out trying to do this and that...talk to God and say, "Lord I love you, what can I do for you."  They go up and hug a bunch of people in church and tell them how important they are to you.  Go to a bible study and just spend time enjoying fellowship in the Word.  In other words....SLOW DOWN.  Unless you have teenagers, you probably don't have to be so busy.

Is your love for Jesus the motivation for your work for Him?  Tell Jesus how much you love Him. If needed, repent for allowing your love for Him to grow cold.  A common experience for Christians is a panic search for truth stage.  God seems to get distant so we panic, and we read and read and get busy. Peace seems to have left our lives.  God hasn't left, just learn to relax, and when you have doubts, find a friend and talk.

Lord Jesus, I love  you.  Remind me of your love for me and help me get closer to you.  I love you and I want to grow in that love, help me to know how to do that.  If I have put anything ahead of you, let me know...I want  you to be my first priority.  I want to be ruled by your love, cause your love to grow in my life more and more.  Give me wisdom in knowing what I need to do get your love flowing in my church, in my ministry, in my family.  AMEN

DAY FIFTEEN - Our healing Father

Read Verses: Psalm 147:1-6

Key Verse: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

God is a healing God.  And we are a people who need healing.  We need all types of healing.  Some of us need physical healing, some need emotional healing, some need to be healed of memories.  If you could ask God for some king of healing, what would it be?  When Adam and Eve hid from God, they hid because there was an emotional need that they didn't know what to do with.  They experienced anger, and fear, and pain, and guilt and shame.  Their thoughts and feelings were betraying them.  They had sought freedom from God by eating of the tree, but all it produced was bondage and pain.

Sin leaves us all damaged in some degree.  True freedom isn't found in getting away from God, it is found by drawing nearer to Him.  It is for freedom that Christ died.  The Son seeks to set us free, and if he frees us, we are truly free.  Prayer is one of those avenues God uses to bring healing into our lives.  He loves to heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.  Do you want God to heal you?

Let me tell you about a time in my life when I was plagued by emotional pain, gripped with suicidal thoughts, full of shame, fear, hurt.  I thought if I worked harder for God He might heal me.  But healing is not a reward for obedience, healing is an act of grace...something God does for his children in order to bring them out of the darkness and into His light.  His end is not our comfort.  He seeks our freedom.   

Do you want to be free from the past, free from hurtful memories and events?  The answer isn't another self help book.  It's not a new psychologist.  The answer is in Christ.  He is the one who brings true healing to us.  First he frees us from sin, then he begins working in our lives to free us from the effects of those sins.  He works  to guide us into a deep personal relationship with Himself.  Too often we change that idea of a closer walk with him, with the idea of being less sinful.  What God wants is for us to be more like Jesus.   But you ask, isn't getting rid of sin making us more like Christ?  Yes, in one sense...but why are you breaking free from sin?  Are  you trying to earn God's love...you can't.  Are you trying to make a deal, bargain with him...show him you deserve it?   God moves in our heart because he loves us, and because we love him...show him that love in prayer and ask your loving Father to heal.

Lord Jesus, touch my life.  Work in my heart to bring me closer to you.  I want to think more like you, to love more like you, to have emotions like you do.  Bring healing into my soul and heart.  Not because I want comfort, but because I need to be free from the past.  You deal with my past, and I will worry about today and trust you for right now.  Take me on that journey of Christlikeness, and make me more like you.  It is in Your name if pray AMEN.  

DAY FOURTEEN - Make love abound

Read Verses: Philippians 1:7-11

Key Verse: And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

Thessalonians 4:9 says: “About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.”  Most problems in any church can be overcome by love. In fact, most problems in life can be solved by love.  Love for our fellow man can be far reaching if we would make it our goal to love others as we are loved by God.

Paul as he addresses the Church at Philippi asks God to help their love increase.  What an awesome prayer.  Lord, make me a more loving person, make us a more loving people.  Love moves a church to work in unity.  Love drives a person to be more like Christ and use their gifts to edify the Bride of Christ.  Love is a great motivator.  Love motivates us to be like Christ in every way.

Too often, we think we need to shame people into doing ministry...or guilt them.  Shame and guilt are rotten motivators of truth.  They may seem to get things done, but at what cost.  It creates a loveless experience where legalism takes over.  We have to do this or that to meet others expectations.  What would person A or B think of me.  I have to do this.  But the joy of God's love is gone, the peace of Christ bails on us.  We are left with only our force of personality to get things done.  But our relationship with God struggles to be authentic.

Love causes dissensions to be settled. Love prompts a church to serve the poor. Love moves us to do missions and evangelism. Love even makes us want to give more financially, work with children, paint the nursery walls, or build a new building for the youth. Love is the greatest motivator to church action of all types. But what if we just don’t have that much love? Pray and ask God to cause our love to abound more and more.  This is something only God can teach, and provide.  Filling us with his love to do His Service in His Power.  Love overcomes out weakness.

The greatest act of love in history was Christ on the cross. He loved us enough to give his life as a sacrifice for the world.  Why can we love, because he first loved us, and gave His life for us.  What an amazing gift.  Pray and let the love of God fill your life.   Love really does change everything and is a real key to real change, in our lives, in our church, in our world.

Heavenly Father, I pray for _______________.  May they grow in your love, and make our relationship between each other grow.  Heavenly father, fill my son, my church, my parents, my friends, etc, with your love.  Fill my life with your love, and help me to love others...help me be an agent of change bringing the Love of Your Son to all with whom I have contact.  For all my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray the same thing.  Give us all a deeper love for both you, and others.  AMEN

DAY THIRTEEN - Be always thankful

Read Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Key Verse: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

We are coming to the end of week 2 of our prayer commitment. How are you doing? Are you slowing down, some of us might be. Prayer is a spiritual exercise, and it doesn't come naturally. It's like brussel sprouts, a taste for it has to develop over time, so don't give up. Put your jogging shoes back on and lets get going.

Prayer can give us a chance to give thanks. When we read in scripture "this is gods will" we can be assured that this is something God wants us to do...not out of necessity, but out of desire. A heart which is being changed by God is often thankful for the blessings that have come their way. Thankfulness has a way of turning our focus onto God. It has a way of bringing about humility, and meekness, and helping us to understand we are not self-sufficient. What do you have to give thanks for?

It is no secret that we must give thanks to the Lord for all the things that He provides and all of the things He does on our behalf. His goodness and loving-kindness to us should be recognized on a daily basis. In 1 Chronicles 16:34, we are commanded to “give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Think of all the wonderful things Jesus has done for us! When you remember that you have a “priceless Savior” and you remember how much you have been given – you cannot help being filled with gratitude.

There is an old hymn that goes.....

Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your blessings, see what God hath done
Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your many blessings see what God hath done

Take a piece of paper and just write down some of God's blessings, see how much of the paper you can fill up. A thankful heart is a prayerful heart.

Today Heavenly Father we lift up our hearts and we thank you for all the wonderful things you have done for us. We thank you for the gift of your Son, his death, the forgiveness of sins, His resurrection, eternal life. We thank you for your promises, we thank you for Holy Spirit, we thank you for your love and mercy and grace. We thank you for a peaceful life, for the fruit of the Spirit, for prayer, for a loving Father who cares for all of our needs. Fill us with thankful hearts and guide us to see blessings o' plenty. In the name of your Son Jesus we pray. AMEN

DAY TWELVE - Open the garden up for others

Read Verses: Galatians 5:22-26

Key Verse: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

As followers of Jesus we are to daily yield to the control of the Holy Spirit. Verse 25 encourages us to “live by the Spirit” and “follow the Spirit.” Prayer is a key ingredient in "keeping in step" with Holy Spirit.  In all things, Holy Spirit is our guide.  He leads us in our imitation of Christ.  He prays for us when we don't know how to.

How do we know when we are working with Him in our lives? The tangible evidence that the Holy Spirit is in control of our life is spiritual fruit. Just as an apple is the outward evidence of the health of an apple tree, so the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the outward evidence that the Holy Spirit is in control of our lives. When the Holy Spirit is in control, our lives will be characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faith, gentleness and self control. God’s plan is to produce all of these qualities in us as we yield to Him.

When the Holy Spirit is not in control of our lives we are unloving, joyless, restless, impatient, unkind, and out of control. If the person who knows you best, used the qualities in verses 22 and 23 as a checklist, what words would they choose to describe you? Would they describe you as a loving person? A person characterized by joy? Would they refer to you as a patient person? A kind person? Yield today to the work of the Holy Spirit in you. Ask God to produce in you the fruit of His Holy Spirit.

Too often we see prayer as something we do, that addresses our needs.  We need to understand that God has provided much that we need in our relationship with the Holy Spirit.  He is the one that leads us into discernment.  He will be the one who guides us and leads us and talks to us.  The more familiar we are with our friend, the more our prayers will be in God's will.

Too often Christians think nothing of grieving Him.  Their posts on Facebook are not posts which Christ would make.  We may be too serious and miss His joy, we may be too liberal and use words which we shouldn't use.  The Lord's name in vain, sex, gossip.  Keep yourself in good standing with Holy Spirit, it will improve many things including  your prayer life.

Why does the Spirit produce these fruits in our lives...so that other might live.  Think of how fun it is to go to a farm and "pick your own".  We are surrounded by a hurting world, and they need to come visit our garden in order to be refreshed.  The fruit we grow, is not necessarily for us, its for the world to come and pick.  It is to refresh them, to be an answer to their prayers.  Our fruit needs to be fresh, it needs to have as its source, God and not habit or personality.  Our garden might be their first taste of God...tend to the fruit farm.

Heavenly Father, help us to understand your ways better.  When our humor doesn't glorify you, give us a gentle prod and draw us deeper into our walk with you.  I'm afraid when the Son of Man returns that he won't find much faith, but a lot of religion.  Holy Spirit, take control of our hearts and lives and lead us into the depths of the mystery of Christ. Grab our lives and make lots of fruit, fruit that bears witness to all that you are.  AMEN

DAY ELEVEN - Unanswered prayer

Read Verses: Job 30:20-31

Key Verse: I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer;

Listen to the heart of Job.  He has been praying to God for quite a while.  Test after test after test has been coming his way.  He lost his wealth, his family, his health...and all the time he is faithful to God.  He comes to God in prayer but gets no answers.  Do you feel like Job sometimes, you pray and pray but no answers.  You are not alone...his prayer went unanswered. 

An American family turns to God each night, pleading for any shred of employment, any the chance to hold onto their home, yet discovers that income is too small to match expenses and runs out of options. Their prayer went unanswered. 

When someone's father is first diagnosed with a rare illness, they pray first that the doctors were wrong, they pray next to slow his decline, and finally the family prays for his healing, but their prayers did not prevent his death. Their prayers went unanswered.

 Any of us can look at life and see situations where is seems that prayers go without any response from God. The Bible itself tells stories of prayers unanswered: King David spent a week, fasting and on his face before God, praying that his infant son would not die. His prayer went unanswered. 

Many times the armies of Israel prayed for victory over their enemies. And their prayers went unanswered. Jeremiah the prophet prayed that Jerusalem would not be destroyed. His prayer went unanswered. Even Jesus himself, near the end of his life prayed “let this cup pass,” that he would not have to go through the trial laid out before him. And his prayer went unanswered.

The bible is full of unanswered prayers, we gloss over them and we look for promises like 
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”   "If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it."    "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

Promise after promise of answered prayer...all through the New Testament.  Does God hear us?   Do we have enough faith?  Is God mad at me?  Is there sin in my life? To put it simply, real life seems to demonstrate that prayers of petition are not always answered.  It's not as easy as it sounds in scripture.

Prayers without answers really are a challenge to us all. We do a disservice to both God and ourselves when we try to minimize this issue.  What is God trying to do when it seems he is so quiet when I am in so much need?  Writer Philip Yancey puts it this way, “My own emphasis in prayer has moved from petition to companionship and I no longer agonize over the issue of unanswered prayer as I once did.”  

Prayer is more than just asking God for something, prayer moves us into a deeper understanding of what we really need.  Consider Paul, he was praying about a thorn in his flesh, but God answered saying "My grace is sufficient"  Paul was using prayer as a way of getting out of pain, as a way of making life for comfortable.  God was using it as a way to show his power in Paul's weakness.  

When our prayers go unanswered, perhaps we need to spend some time asking God what our real need is.  Sometimes what we ask for is really not what we need, but we think we need it so much it might even block what God is really trying to do.  

God has a universe to run.  That doesn't mean he doesn't care about us as individuals, he does...but maybe, just maybe, when he allows us to question why he is so quiet, like Job, he is trying to bring us to a deeper walk in his grace.  He is trying to show us our comfort is not the meaning of our existence.  Maybe he wants us to desire his friendship and fellowship more than we want an easier road in life.  Maybe God wants something more important from you.  

I wonder if I could take a poll, would I find that people who have unanswered prayers are resisting a deeper walk with Jesus?  Do they really have a "relationship" with him that they want others to have...or are they wanting...really wanting something deeper, but afraid or unwilling to follow God to a new place.  Are they more comfortable on the outskirts of Egypt or following God through the dessert?

Lord Jesus, I ask for so many things, I need so many things...but I need you more than anything.  Let this day be the day of finding a deeper walk with you.  Is there a gift I have you want me to use for your glory?  Do I need to be studying your word more? Do I need to be a better disciple and love others more.  Do you want me in ministry?   Lord, draw me closer to your side and speak to me about my deepest needs.  in your name My Lord Jesus, I pray.  AMEN

DAY TEN - Crop is ready

Read Verses: Matthew 9:35-38

Key Verse: Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Look around you, you will see people who have no clue how much God loves them. That breaks God's heart...and it should break ours. He sees lost people all around us, people struggling through life with burdens they don't need to be carrying. But what to do?

First thing...pray. Ask God to prepare laborers who can go into the fields and gather grain. Pray that the Father will send those who can plant seed and water. His grace has already touched so many lives, they just don't know it yet. He has caused the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. There is much love in this world, there are ways to get food if you are hungry. There are people who will share. Volunteers. Those who donate. Every where you looks is evidence of God's compassion...he has been working. Now pray that there are wise people who can bring in the sheaves.

This is a very short message. Prayer is lining up our lives with God's life. It's sharing the same goals, the same priorities, the same desires. Until we develop a love for the lost, we may be very far apart from the love of the Father...and very far apart in our relationship with God. One thing you can ask yourself...am I doing my part? Not just by praying, but by using your gift to serve the church so these laborers can be sent. I know maybe you aren't one of the ones called to go out and witness. But you may be one of the ones called to set up chairs, or lead worship, or do a bible study...something that can make more time for the leaders to go out and harvest the crop. Many hands make light work.

Lord Jesus, you did so much to bring salvation to the world. You lived a perfect life, identified with us in our lostness, died for us, rose from the dead. There is so much you can offer those who are living...freedom from sin...a new outlook on life...eternal life itself. We pray Lord that you would raise up workers to go out into the world and do the work of an evangelist. Raise up those who can not only preach the gospel, but lead people to Jesus and invite them to church. And pray for them in church, and show kindness, and make them feel part of your kingdom. Make us all part of the team, your team...your church. AMEN

DAY NINE - Search my heart

Read Verses: Psalm 139:19-24

Key Verse: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.”

This psalm is a hard one for many to understand.  But it is an intensely personal prayer from David as he is lifting up his heart to God. In this prayer we see David hating with a "perfect hatred."  Here is an attitude we need in prayer...we need to HATE sin.  Hating sin has become politically incorrect.  We have exchanged hatred for tolerance, and in so doing, we have moved far from the heart of God.  Sure we have a saying, "hate the sin, love the sinner", but do we really HATE the sin.  And as you read these verses, do you really have the feeling that David is just hating the sin?

Let's face it, David is hating the sinner as much as the sin.  Let's look at why David is so upset.  Verse 20 points out he is not concerned about what the wicked do to him but what they do to God. "They maliciously defy thee." In the Hebrew it is even clearer. Literally he is saying, "They speak of thee for wickedness," that is, "they use your name to carry out their evil designs." In effect, he says, "they take thy name in vain for evil." In other words, these are religious hypocrites, and there is nothing more disgusting than religious hypocrites. The sharpest words Jesus ever spoke were against the religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who were using God's name for evil.  Do you see what David sees?  He sees wicked mean using God's name to promote wickedness.  God's name is being dragged through the mud...and this really really upsets David.

Can we hate the sinner?  I reckon some of us do.  But David in his psalm recognizes the contempt he has for wickedness.  I think he also senses that while he is fairly safe hating sin...he has not yet come to the place where he can love the sinner.  He sees wickedness but is unable to come to a conclusion about what to do about it.  His conclusion is "remove it" or "wipe it out".  But the psalm ends with hope.  I think David is aware that despite his hatred for sin, his hatred for the sinner might not be compatible with a loving God.

Here are two thoughts from a commentator on David...

“A good man hates, as God himself doth: he hates not the persons of men, but their sins; not what God made them, but what they have made themselves.” (Horne)

“We are neither to hate the men, on account of the vices they practice; nor to love the vices, for the sake of the men who practice them.” (Horne)

How does David end the psalm?  With a prayer to search his heart and change it.  Is he not saying, "Lord, I don't understand this problem of evil. It appears to me the easiest way is for you to eliminate the evil man. But Lord, I also know that I don't think very clearly, and I don't often have the right answer. There can easily be in me a way of grief (that is literally what 'wicked' means). I have often found, Lord, that my thoughts are not right. So, Lord, in case I don't have the right remedy for this problem, let me add this prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! See if there be any way of grief in me, and lead me in the truth, the way that leads to everlasting life!"

What a wonderful prayer. How often we should pray like this! "Lord, I don't understand what's going on around me, and my solutions may be quite inferior -- may even be wrong. But, Lord, I'll trust you to lead me. Uncover the wickedness that may lie undetected in my own heart, and guide me in the way that leads to fullness of life."

We ask the Lord to search our hearts and attitudes. Is Jesus still our First Love? Are we guilty of simply going through the motions of ministry? Are we putting God first in our lives?  Are we committed to using the gifts God has given us?  Do we love the people at church? Are we flirting with temptation? Do we lead with an attitude of humility or pride? Our transparency with God may lead to personal revival. It is well knows that the hardest sin to see is the one in yourself.  We justify and explain away our own sin.  Our ability to tolerate our own spiritual lack is unparalleled.  What step do we need to take to get closer to God?  Ask him to search  you.

How long has it been since your last spiritual examination? Consider making a decision, setting a time and place, and get alone with God. With an open Bible and blank pieces of paper, ask God to search your heart and attitude. Ask him to reveal anything that is hindering your walk with him.  Is there something about your life which is keeping Him from being in control.  Is there some attitude of self-sufficiency which is keeping you from approaching God in humility and helplessness?  Is there a relationship that needs healing.  Is there a person that needs forgiving?

Heavenly Father, Search me and open my heart.  Reveal my deepest fears and sin.  Guide me into an open and honest relationship with you.  Anything that comes between us, make me aware of it.  Teach me how to get rid of it.  Guide me into the likeness of your Son.  I know you know what is best for me.  Even when I have doubted your Word for put off what you want me to do...give me strength to fulfill your purposes in my life.  Guide me into the way of the everlasting.  AMEN

DAY EIGHT - Primer on childlikeness

Read Verses: Matthew 18:1-5

Key Verse: Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus loves children.  In fact, unless we approach God with childlike faith we'll miss a lot of what God is trying to do.  Now to be sure, I am not talking about childishness, which amounts to immaturity...I am talking about the qualities of a child which we need to imitate.    A young child is void of ambition, pride, and haughtiness and is therefore a good example for us. Children are characteristically humble and teachable. They aren’t prone to pride or hypocrisy. Humility is a virtue rewarded by God; as James says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” Children are always laughing, always skipping while holding their father's hand, always enjoying the company of the family...no worries, no cares.

Have you ever listened to the prayers of a child? They are sweet, innocent, thoughtful, pure, and tender. They are willing to pray about ANYTHING and are not held back by the idea that a prayer is “too small” or “too large”. They share what is on their heart, believe, and trust with everything in them. They believe that God hears them, loves them, and will answer them when they call on Him in prayer.  They lift their hearts up to God without worrying about doubt or whether God is listening. They are content knowing that God has heard them.

What does it mean to be childlike?  At its heart its all about trust.  Trust that God is in control and that he cares about us.  In Psalm 62:8 it says, "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us."  The Bible is always tell us to fear not...because we can trust the Father.  Now, don't do what many others do...I know how you think.  I can't trust God will be there, because I doubt.  My faith isn't strong.  Yada yada yada.  We all have problems trusting God; we all think if my  faith isn't strong enough it will fail.  The Fatherhood of God is something HE does, it has nothing to do with us.  What child doubts the good will of their Father?  It's not the child's faith that motivates their fathers...its the father's faithfulness.  The child simply trusts because the Father has never let them down.  Why do we somehow doubt the Fathers faithfulness because we might have a problem with our faith.

Children are also not in control of things,  Kids trust that someone else is in control.  It's hard for us to give up control of our life like children do.  We have learned from growing up, that when things get out of control we get hurt, as well as people around us.  So, to stop us from getting hurt, we try to control everything around us...our emotions, our environment, our spouses, our friends.  We learn to manipulate the world around us to make it safer.  Our safety and comfort is our only concern, who cares who gets hurt.  But God doesn't want us to have that kind of control.  We start trusting ourselves more than our God.  God will in situations like that, try to remove the controls from our lives,  He want us to allow Him to be in control.  Can you give us control of your life to the Holy Spirit?  Can we trust the Holy Spirit when we serve God in ministry.  What are you scared of?

 A child trusts...a child is not concerned about control...a child is not concerned about power.  When we pray, do we pray from a position of power?  In the garden Satan tried to trick Adam and Eve with power...you will be like God he said.  Adam and Eve wanted that power...they wanted to be like God. In our lives, if you look at it, every sin is somehow designed to get us something God would give us if we waited.  Sin is simply our attempt at being godlike, without waiting for God.  How much do we really control?  We aren't in charge of much, and whatever we are in charge of is an illusion.

One dessert father said this "Even if I achieve inner peace for a moment, I still have a deep sense of my inadequacy and wretchedness and I have to admin my incapacity to make my love greater...Left to myself, with my own strength, I have felt the painful reality that without God's help, we cannot even say "Abba, Father."  There are moments when God makes us feel the extreme limits of our powerlessness; then and only then, do we understand our nothingness right down to the depths.  For so many years I have fought against my powerlessness, my weakness.  Often I have refused to admit it to myself, preferring to appear in public with a nice mask of self-assurance.  It is pride which will not let us accept being inadequate.  God has made me understand this little by little."

We spend our whole lives trying to get to a place of safety of our own making.  We are blessed that we live in a society that affords us that luxury.  Look around the world, there is very little safety anywhere.  But we can achieve it here...or so we think.  Our society is really designed to get us to grow up quicker and lose that childishness.  We all want to be self-made.  To trust number one, to be in charge of our destiny, to rise up and achieve.  But when we bring those qualities into our walk with God, we find ourselves unable to communicate with the Father.  We cannot be his equal, we will always be his creation.  We need to come to him as children and put our hand in His...lead us Father into truth and life.  Can you trust the Father to lead you into His life?

Lord Jesus, we come to you with empty hands.  Teach us to have childlike trust and to pour our hearts out before you.  We live as men and women in this world, but we need to come to you in childlike faith, give us this ability.  We want all our successes to be your successes, all of our fear to be submitted to you, all of our hopes to be in you.  Teach us how to let go of our need for control and to let the Holy Spirit lead us day by day.  We are inadequate until we are transformed into the likeness of your Son.  Fill us Holy Spirit, fill us.  In the name of Jesus we pray, AMEN.

DAY SEVEN - Learn to Discern

Read Verses: Psalm 119:121-128    1 Corinthians 2:14, 11:31

Key Verse: I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

In our prayers, do we ask for discernment?  But wait, isn't discernment a spiritual gift?  Yes, and so is faith. It is both a gift some people have in abundance, and something we all have by trusting in Jesus. Same with discernment. Some have a great gift of discernment, but all of us should be able to discern.  The Holy Spirit working in our lives helps us discern.  It is really Him who has been giving saints insight into God's Word since the beginning of time.  Ask for discernment every time you open the Word.  Every time you read the World of God ask for the Spirit to guide you into a good application of the text...which is wisdom.   Prayer opens the door for a deeper insight into God's Word.  You can study the bible like a book, or you can allow the Holy Spirit to allow the living Word of God to illuminate your heart.  When was the last time you asked for discernment?

"Someone with discernment must be able “distinguish good from evil” but “their powers of discernment” come through diligent training and that training in the Word of God.  The more someone knows the Bible, the more they will be able to discern truth from error and good from evil. This is what Paul essentially wrote about in Philippians 1:9-10 “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” It is easier to approve of what is excellent or truthful and free from error if you have discernment but this discernment comes from experience and from biblical knowledge, but ultimately it is a gift of the Spirit.  Even so, the better you know the Word the more you’ll be able to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).  If a person is consistently in the Word of God and prayer they can acquire discernments skills since “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12)."

Solomon knew the value of discernment and wisdom when he asked God "Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between Good and Evil, for who is able to govern this your great people."  God was pleased with Solomon and gave him such a heart.  He could have asked for money, power, love...anything.  But he knew the value of being guided by the Spirit.  A pastor needs discernment if he is going to lead and preach.  In fact, all leaders in the church, and all members for that same reason  need to develop this ability/gift.  There is so much error out in the world today.  So many people coming together trying to mix religions together, and Gods, and ethics.  So many people getting into a way of thinking which says "what's truth to you might not be truth for me."  But truth is absolute.  What is true about God is always true about God.  What he has revealed he has revealed.  Who He is is who He has always been.  There are wolves trying to infiltrate the church.  Now, those wolves need to be saved as well, even God loves the wolves.  But they need to be taught and helped to understand God's love for them. Unguarded, they can do great damage to God's people.  Loved, they might be won for God.

Do you have an unusual ability to read between the lines?  Do you have an uncanny ability to sense something isn’t right?  Are you able to uncover false teachings fairly easily?  Do you have a great hunger for biblical knowledge and teachings?  Are you able to discern the truth from a lie?  Jesus warns us to “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt 7:15). Yep, they are all around us.  We've met some, they deny the master who bought them.  Some even disguise themselves as workers of Christ.  Some even are on TV.

But discernment has another aspect to it.  It not only something we ask for in prayer.  It is necessary in prayer in order to listen to the voice of God.  I am convinced the real prayer warriors and giants of the past have had this gift in spades.  We need this gift, and I believe God will give us this gift depending on how we handle God's word and who we handle prayer.   Someone who thirsts for truth and longs to get closer to Jesus in prayer will come to know this gift.  Discernment is developed in all relationships.  What parent can't tell there is something wrong with their kid?  !!discernment!!  What husband can't tell there is something wrong with their wife?  !!discernment!!   With great love comes great discernment.  Do you love God?  Do you love studying his word and getting truth from it?  Do you love listening to God in prayer?  With great love come great discernment.  Love God...Ask for Discernment...Study the Word...Pray without Ceasing.

Lord Jesus, we love you.  We've loved you since you lifted the burden of sin from out souls.  We haven't always been able to listen or learn about prayer, but we do love you.  Open our eyes as we seek You in Your Word.  Give us insight, sharpen our minds, give us discernment.  And I pray that you help us to distinguish between the voice of truth and all the other voices we hear.  Both in the world around us, and in prayer.  Guide us into your presence where all thirst ends.  AMEN

DAY SIX - No need to control God

Read Verses Matthew 6:5-14

Key Verse: And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

There is some confusion about vain babbling or repetition.  This is one example of how we need to go back to the time of Jesus and find out how people were praying who were not Jewish or Christian.  We don't want to duplicate the type of prayers that Jesus warns us about.  But in the NT, here is the background of the kind of praying you would be used to if you were around at the time. I found a great article on the internet that gives us some insight. "Vain repetition" refers to spells and prayers used in pagan religious practice. I will attempt to provide some context and background.

Repeating a divine name was thought to cause a god to better hear you and for the one offering up the incantation to better bend the ear of the subject of his prayer - typically in order to cause the spell or incantation to have more effect.

This principle is best illustrated in the form of a legend about the Egyptian god and goddess Ra and Isis. In this legend, Ra becomes injured, and Isis uses this fact as leverage to learn the divine name of Ra. Isis tells Ra that she could only heal him if she knew his secret name. Isis immediately cured Ra, but he could not take back the power that he had granted her by telling her his true name and from that point on Isis was equal even to the sun god in power.

It was believed in most mesopotamian cultures in antiquity that a god's true divine name contained power and that by learning that divine name an individual could control a god and gain power over that god. Therefore, most ancient spells spells and incantations involved some wording along the lines of "By the name of [divine name] I command [action]" - because it was believed that this lent the spell power. For example, on page 124 of Jewish Aramaic Curse texts from Late-Antique Mesopotamia by Dan Levene we see a spell in which the canter is instructed to use the name of Hadriel and Shakniel to silence "evil and violent people who stand gainst Berik-Yeheba son of Mama"

"In the name of Hadriel, Shakniel, the well, the stone, and the pit, I adjure, I adjure you, in the name of he who is great and frightful, that you may silence from Berik-Yehaba son of Mama the mouth of all the people who write books, who sit in forts, who sit in market places and in streets, and who go out on the roads."

Another on page 46 seems to utilize as many names as possible as a power-enhancement tactic for the spell

"I have adjured you by the holy angels, and by the name of Metatron the pure angel, Nidrel and Nuriel and Huriel and Sasgabiel and Hapkiel and Mehapkiel, shose seven angels that are going adn overturning the heavens and the earth and the stars and the zodiac signs and the moon and Plaedes. May you go and overturn evil sorceries and powerful magical acts..."

This is also why Jews do not speak or write the name Yahweh to this day - it is a sign of respect, but few realize that this is the reason why. It would be disrespectful to speak this divine name in any attempt to control the one true God.

This then allows us to better understand why God does not use the actual Tetragramaton when responding to Moses in Exodus 3:14. Moses clearly knows whom he is speaking to, but is fishing for God's divine name. Instead of giving it, God answers with a name similar to his actual name in much the same way Ra answers Isis with his lesser names (notice God's answer is only one letter of difference from the spelling of Yahweh). Instead of giving his name, God responds by saying (as Dick Harfield noted in his answer) "I am who I am and I will be what I will be." With this one pithy response, God has both answered Moses and signaled to him that he will not be controlled by any mere mortal and that no use of his Divine Name will control him.

Jesus actually tells a parable about something similar to vain repetition in Luke 18:1-8:

Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

This parable is distinct from vain repetition however in that it is making the point that God is one who hears. When we pray to God, our prayer is never in vain. God is real true God, unlike other gods who do not hear the prayers of the supplicant. This also means that there is no need for repetitive supplication and therefore discourages it - because God is a God who hears his people.

In this way, God is distinguishing himself from other gods as both a God who hears his people and a God who shall not be controlled..

We are not to be superstitious in prayer.  God is moved by compassion and love.  He hears our hearts always.  We do not have to bang a gong to wake him up.  We don't have to use some special spell or name in order to capture His attention.  He is watching us always, and is very near to us.  God hears the simple prayer, God hears the hearts cry.  God hears even when we don't know what to say, he hears us even in our confusion and silence, for in those times he prays for us.  Trust Him, he always hears.

Lord Jesus, we come to you and ask for faith.  Faith to know that you always hear us and that we don't need magic tricks, spells or incantations to get you to notice us.  You are always watching over us, never sleeping, never slumbering.  There is nothing special we need to do to capture your attention, for you covenantal faithfulness and love is always with us in Christ.  Convince us of our place in your kingdom, convince us of our Sonship and that you have invited us into Your family...my family.  AMEN

DAY FIVE: Don't be discouraged

Read 1 Corinthians 12:21-31

Key Verse: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

This passage is about spiritual gifts, but it also illustrates a truth about the body as a whole.  We are all members of the body and we all have different parts to play.  This is true as well when it comes to prayer.  Prayer is important, but so is scripture reading, so is feeding the poor, so is giving to others, so is volunteering in a ministry.  But consider this...we all give differently to the church...don't we?  We all have different ministries...don't we?  We all ready different parts of scripture for different lengths of time...don't we?  Then it make sense, that in our prayer lives we will all respond to the call of prayer differently...won't we?  We are all called to pray, but how much we pray is determined between the one who prays, and the Lord he prays to.

It would be nice if we were all Billy Graham's, but we aren't.  Similarly, it would be nice if we were all prayer warriors, but we are not...nor do we have to be.  Sometimes it's hard for people to wrap their  heads around this, but there it is.  Some of us are called to pray 5 minutes per day, but serve in some ministry 10 hours a week.  Some of us are called to pray an hour a day but only show up on Sunday for worship.  No rules means No rules.  Everyone should decide how much prayer they are going to do.  Everyone needs to decide who close they want to get to God at this point in their life.  Hey, if God had his preference, he wants to spend His whole day with us...that'll wait for the end of Revelation.  

Free yourself from the expectation that your prayers have to be long, or short, or sound great, or use proper english, or sound professional, or sound knowledgeable, or anything else.  Hey, your prayer between you and God is YOUR business, no one else has a right to judge that you aren't spiritual cause you don't do this or that.  We've all read the works of the Prayer Giants, but not many of us are called to pray like that.  Some of us are called to be a simple Christian who prays 5 minutes per day for their family, friends, church and pastor.  That's something you need to decide between yourself and God.  There's a reason why a lot of the psalms were sung by David, he was gifted in that area and that's how God wanted to use him.  And we are blessed because of it.  Have you had a talk with Jesus about how much time you need to be spending in prayer?  Have you come to the place where you are sick of the guild associated with not praying enough?  You don't need to live up to other's expectations of you, by that, I mean the ones not grounded in truth.  Here is the only question you need to answer, what does God expect of me in this area?  

God loves you, and wants to hear from you frequently and daily.  But he knows where you are at. Sometimes prayer can be hard and there are many lessons to learn on the road to maturity. We don't looks at a 7 year old and expect them to concentrate for hours...we give them a small window and then change activities.  Same with us...at times we will spend a lot of time studying the word, sometimes less time...we will pray lots on some days, maybe not so much on others.  But we do pray, we do seek to be closer to God.  Your experience with prayer will deepen as you grow in your faith, be patient with yourself and take it slowly.  Too much prayer too soon in your walk may not accomplish what you think it should....and it can be discouraging for some.  Better to start small with good quality, then go long without purpose.  

Lord, teach us to pray.  What lessons we need to learn, teach us.  Give us confidence in prayer that you are listening.  Give us patience in prayer that we can wait on you.  Give us guidance and wisdom and direction that we might follow you into wholeness.  We long to enjoy our relationship with You 24/7.  Help us in our prayer life to be real, and find time in the presence of the living God.  We pray in Your name, AMEN!