Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation
Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 82
"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" ( vs. 2 - 5 )
The world that we live in is very confused. We can also be very confused. We do not really understand what truly matters anymore. Sometimes we call wrong right, and right wrong. Sometimes we are defending the wrong people and things. I don't know why we do this, but I have seen this struggle in myself. Even in my teaching, sometimes I have caught myself trying to cater to the students who cause trouble in the class instead of the ones who are trying so hard to learn. I often see myself looking at people in a worldly way, thinking about who makes a lot of money or who is more popular and successful in the world. I can be fooled by glitz and glamor. I can be envious of people that have a nice car or house and a lot of money. I can want a life of leisure instead of a life of purpose. Then I become very dissatisfied with my life and all of its blessings.
I often think it would be good if we could go back to a simpler time so that we would not have so many distractions from the pursuit of values and integrity. We would have a completely different perspective, but unfortunately, we can not go back. And, I must remind myself, there have always been problems. But, I do often think about the story of Pandora's Box. Once the box was opened, there was no going back. This is similar to our world now. Everything is out of the box and evil just seems to keep expanding. But despite all of this, we are still called to a better life. We are challenged with our thinking and taught about what is truly life.
This short psalms calls us out. It asks, "How long will we keep valuing what is wrong?" It challenges us with purpose; defend, maintain, rescue, and deliver. It calls on us to change the world; to stop being blind to the truth and to start to understand. The earth is being shaken right now by ignorance and hatred. Horrible things are being done, and evil men are being regarded as good in many parts of the world, but if we look to the scriptures, we are still commanded to focus on what is good and noble, perfect and true (Philippians 4:8).
We are still called to rejoice. Consider this:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)
We are still called to love. Consider this:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
We are called to make a difference by being different, and loving in a different way. We are called to look at people from God's perspective and have His priorities in dealing with them.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:16-17)
We tend to look at the outward appearance of others and judge them by our standards of what we like and dislike (I Samuel 16:7). We are doing wrong when we do this. I am definitely glad that God looks at my heart because I know I would never measure up outwardly; yet why do I forget that with others. Often the best people are so far removed from what we would have imagined or picked. We need to take care of everyone that we can because that is what God desires. He has called us to use whatever strength and resources we have to help. We are not to just look at people outwardly, we are to look at need. We are to help the weak and the poor. We are to protect others from evil. We are called and if we are called, we will be equipped.
Let us keep our priorities right and remember we are here to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28). There are so many people who need us. Let us place others above ourselves today and everyday. We can make a difference.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help us to see people as You do. Help us to focus on the heart and not on the outward appearance. Help us to not be drawn to what society promotes as the "beautiful people". We are all precious to You and so we should all be precious to each other. Help us to not miss out on the joy of serving and help us to help those who need it. Show us the good works You have for us to do and grant us the strength to do them.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I view people? Why? How do I see the poor, fatherless, oppressed, weak, and needy? Do I have any stereotypes about others? Why? How can I change this?
2. Do I defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked in any way? Why? How do I feel about doing this? How can I change?
3. How do I deal with spiritually needy people? Am I willing to sacrifice my money to help them mature spiritually or would I rather just meet their physical needs? How can I start giving more to others spiritually? Is there someone I know that I can help today?
4. Do I make time for those in need? Do I defend and protect them in any way? What can I do to change? What can I do to help the poor, weak, needy, oppressed, or fatherless? What opportunities already exist? Is there something I could help begin? Is there someone I know personally that I can help?
5. Do I believe that I can make a difference in the world? Why or why not? What can I study out in the Bible that will remind me that I can? What vision or dream can I develop about impacting the world in a great way?
Day 4
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 82
"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" ( vs. 2 - 5 )
The world that we live in is very confused. We can also be very confused. We do not really understand what truly matters anymore. Sometimes we call wrong right, and right wrong. Sometimes we are defending the wrong people and things. I don't know why we do this, but I have seen this struggle in myself. Even in my teaching, sometimes I have caught myself trying to cater to the students who cause trouble in the class instead of the ones who are trying so hard to learn. I often see myself looking at people in a worldly way, thinking about who makes a lot of money or who is more popular and successful in the world. I can be fooled by glitz and glamor. I can be envious of people that have a nice car or house and a lot of money. I can want a life of leisure instead of a life of purpose. Then I become very dissatisfied with my life and all of its blessings.
I often think it would be good if we could go back to a simpler time so that we would not have so many distractions from the pursuit of values and integrity. We would have a completely different perspective, but unfortunately, we can not go back. And, I must remind myself, there have always been problems. But, I do often think about the story of Pandora's Box. Once the box was opened, there was no going back. This is similar to our world now. Everything is out of the box and evil just seems to keep expanding. But despite all of this, we are still called to a better life. We are challenged with our thinking and taught about what is truly life.
This short psalms calls us out. It asks, "How long will we keep valuing what is wrong?" It challenges us with purpose; defend, maintain, rescue, and deliver. It calls on us to change the world; to stop being blind to the truth and to start to understand. The earth is being shaken right now by ignorance and hatred. Horrible things are being done, and evil men are being regarded as good in many parts of the world, but if we look to the scriptures, we are still commanded to focus on what is good and noble, perfect and true (Philippians 4:8).
We are still called to rejoice. Consider this:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God , which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)
We are still called to love. Consider this:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
We are called to make a difference by being different, and loving in a different way. We are called to look at people from God's perspective and have His priorities in dealing with them.
"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!" (II Corinthians 5:16-17)
We tend to look at the outward appearance of others and judge them by our standards of what we like and dislike (I Samuel 16:7). We are doing wrong when we do this. I am definitely glad that God looks at my heart because I know I would never measure up outwardly; yet why do I forget that with others. Often the best people are so far removed from what we would have imagined or picked. We need to take care of everyone that we can because that is what God desires. He has called us to use whatever strength and resources we have to help. We are not to just look at people outwardly, we are to look at need. We are to help the weak and the poor. We are to protect others from evil. We are called and if we are called, we will be equipped.
Let us keep our priorities right and remember we are here to serve and not be served (Matt 20:28). There are so many people who need us. Let us place others above ourselves today and everyday. We can make a difference.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Help us to see people as You do. Help us to focus on the heart and not on the outward appearance. Help us to not be drawn to what society promotes as the "beautiful people". We are all precious to You and so we should all be precious to each other. Help us to not miss out on the joy of serving and help us to help those who need it. Show us the good works You have for us to do and grant us the strength to do them.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. How do I view people? Why? How do I see the poor, fatherless, oppressed, weak, and needy? Do I have any stereotypes about others? Why? How can I change this?
2. Do I defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked in any way? Why? How do I feel about doing this? How can I change?
3. How do I deal with spiritually needy people? Am I willing to sacrifice my money to help them mature spiritually or would I rather just meet their physical needs? How can I start giving more to others spiritually? Is there someone I know that I can help today?
4. Do I make time for those in need? Do I defend and protect them in any way? What can I do to change? What can I do to help the poor, weak, needy, oppressed, or fatherless? What opportunities already exist? Is there something I could help begin? Is there someone I know personally that I can help?
5. Do I believe that I can make a difference in the world? Why or why not? What can I study out in the Bible that will remind me that I can? What vision or dream can I develop about impacting the world in a great way?
