Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 4
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 48
"Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Like Your name, O God, Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with righteousness." (vs. 9 - 10)
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end." (vs. 14)
God will never stop being our God. He will guide us till the end if we let Him. His love for us is unfailing and as high as the heavens are above the earth. His love never fails. Everything else will. I have experienced that. At the waterpolo reunion I went to last week end, the memories of failing to win the National Championship in my senior year of college haunted me. After playing my freshman year, I took two years off. My team won the championship one of the years I did not play and then won once again the year after I graduated. The elusive victory that was so important to me never came. I failed. I had a chance to win the game for us, as did many other of my teammates. All we had to do was tie the game and we would have been the champions but we could not do it. I missed a shot that I had taken many other times over the years, my easiest shot and I barred the ball.
I again asked myself the question I had asked off and on for the past twenty years - Why? Why couldn't I have made it? It haunts me still, if I let it, although everyone else seems to have moved on. It was a lifetime ago, but for me, if I allow myself to think about it, it seems like yesterday. I wanted to be the best. For once in my sporting life, I wanted to be a winner. I was always the next best, always on the losing teams. Always -almost, but not quite. I wanted to win this last time, this last chance for me. I was sure it was going to happen this time. So when the game was over, it was devastating to know that that victory would never come for me. It was over. My waterpolo career was over. Waterpolo had failed me. I had failed me.
As I walked around the campus of my Alma mater, the questions came back up for me - Why? I had prayed. I had always tried to put God first, even in my waterpolo. I had not missed church for a game. I did not party. I tried to be a good example. So why had God not answered my prayers that day when He knew how important it was for me. This thought of having missed the mark and having failed echoed in mind, but it echoed over more than just my waterpolo career. It seemed to loom large over my entire college experience. Mediocre grades, mediocre relationships, always on the outside looking in at what others were experiencing. Always - almost victorious, almost good friends, almost happy. Almost.
I missed out on so much being so "almost". I felt like such a failure most of the time I was there in college. So much sadness. I had done so well in high school and yet I had struggled so much in college just to make it. So I asked myself - Why?
As I walked through the Eucalyptus forests on campus, a thought came to me. Maybe it was because God wanted me to realize that I was a winner already. I was a Christian and I had a relationship with Him. I was willing to forgo the immediate gratification that the world offered for something that would be longer lasting. I was willing to walk a different path and I was willing to do the hard work of dealing with my character and striving to become like Christ. That is true victory, anyway, not a fleeting athletic victory that is remembered only by a handful of individuals and posted in old scrapbooks.
I had won the victory in Christ; an eternal victory, and I have still won that victory. God had not failed me at all. He was guiding me to a greater victory. The peace that I feel now with my life and the blessings I have in my husband and children were bought with the hard work that I began in college. I have won the victory, the one that really matters, because Christ has won the victory, and that should be enough.
Here are additional verses to consider on the victory we have already won if we are right with God and Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all." (1 Chronicles 29:11-12)
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35 &37-39)
“This is the love for God: to obey His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" ( 1John 5:3-5)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the victories You give. They are eternal victories and far outweigh anything we can win here on earth. Temporal victories can be so fulfilling and we enjoy Your blessing but often even better comes for us when You say no to something we desire. Help us to not be like spoiled children who sulk and pout over not receiving something we have asked for. You are looking at these moments of our lives from the perspective of eternity and we cannot even fathom the riches and depth of Your wisdom and knowledge. We are grateful that You give us each new day and we are grateful for what our momentary troubles are gaining us. Help us to be obedient and joyful despite failures because they are really not failures in the long run. Keep our perspectives right and help us to let go of any past regrets. We cannot go back and take anything over so let us truly forgive and forget. Let us live today and each day from now on like there is no other for us and then we will find we can look back with a happy heart. We are grateful for Your directive to forget the past and strain toward what is ahead. Grant us obedience in this so that we may truly live.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God be my guide? How can I do that?
2. Do I have any past regrets or failures that are haunting me? Have I ever talked to anyone about them? How can I let them go?
3. How do I feel when God says no or wait to me regarding something that I am praying about? Do I lose faith? Do I pout or sulk?
4. Do I have God's perspective about who is a winner? Do I consider myself a winner because I have a relationship with God or am I looking at more worldly achievements for my feelings of success?
5. Do I feel that my work for the Lord is worthwhile or am I tempted to feel discouraged when results are not readily evident? How can I keep the proper perspective on eternity?
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/17/10 (10/17/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
Day 3
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 47
"He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved." (vs. 4)
"For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. " (vs. 7-9)
God is in control. I will say it again to myself. God is in control. He has my inheritance chosen for me if I will embrace it. When life seems difficult, I need to remember this and remember that He does not give us more than we can handle. Every difficult situation has a silver lining somewhere, if only we look long enough and wait long enough. I am reminded of Hebrews 12: 1-3.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
The witnesses we are surrounded by are all the great men and women of faith mentioned in the chapter before, Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter which talks of men's weaknesses becoming their strengths. They are looking down and cheering us on, as is Jesus, who ran this race first for us to show us how to do it. Because of this, we have to throw off all the things that trip us up and entangle us. For me it is frustration over a never ending "to do list". It is frustration at myself for not being a good enough mother. It is not accomplishing enough, not being enough, not controlling my anger or frustration. It is depression. It is so many things, but I need to just let them go. I am not a very good runner, so when I run, I can't think about much of anything except putting one foot in front of the other. I can't talk with anyone or think about anything. I can't even get distracted by the scenery. I just have to run. In a way, this is a good analogy for me to remember. In my spiritual life, I just need to run and concentrate on one spiritual foot after another. I must narrow my focus down and get rid of all these distractions just like I have to do when I am physically running. Then I will be able to run with perseverance this race marked out for me.
The other thought I always have about these verses is that my race is marked out for me. I don't have to trail blaze. I just have to follow the course. God does have a good inheritance for me and a race that is my own for me to run. I need to stop looking at the race others are running and wanting theirs. I must learn to be satisfied with the one I was given. It is just right for me even if it may be difficult. Then finally, I have to focus on joy. I have to think of the joy that will come from me being faithful. I have to visualize the success that might be mine someday. I have no guarantees, but I can dream of those I love becoming disciples. I can dream about really transforming my community, and even the world. I can dream about a life of impact, and I can let that inspire me on a day to day basis. Without dreams, we all die inside. God has dreams for me and I need to praise Him for it. When I praise, I am happy. When I focus on joy, I am happy. It is no good for me to sit around moping. Moping and worrying never solved any of my problems. I need to praise first and then God will be able to move in my life. God has everything in His hands, even the kings, so what am I worried about? He is able to handle my race for me. He is able to handle everything.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Today as we go about our business and travel to and fro on this earth, remind us of Your sovereignty. Help us to see the sunrise and remember Your glory. Help us to see the birds flying in the air and look at the mountains so majestic and remember that the mountains are small in comparison to the rest of the earth and they are minuscule in comparison to the whole universe. Help us to remember that despite this smallness of the large mountains, not one little bird that flies over them falls to the ground without You knowing. How amazing is that. We are so grateful that You pay attention to us at all.
I praise You for Your victories and I praise You for taking hold of us and giving us life. Thank You for the purpose that You have given us and thank You for walking with us all of the way. We glorify You this day and everyday You give us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I view God as King of the Earth? Do I take time to enjoy nature and His grandeur that is evident in it? How will this help me when I am dealing with my life and its difficulties?
2. Am I known for my positive and joyful attitude or am I a negative and complaining person? How can I become more positive and joyful?
3. What I need to throw off? What hinders me and what entangles me? Why? Who can I get to help me deal with these things?
4. Am I satisfied with the race set out for me and the inheritance God has chosen for me? Why or why not? What can I do to cultivate a better attitude about my life?
5. What can I visualize as happening in the future due to my continued faithfulness? How can this help me not to grow weary? What can I do to help me focus on these goals and dreams on a day to day basis?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/16/10 (10/16/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Day 2
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 46
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (vs. 1-2)
Tomorrow I am going to a reunion in San Diego. As I was preparing to go, I became very sad and frustrated. I was afraid to go. Afraid to face my out of shape body and my inability to play a sport I once loved and still do. Afraid of what I have cut myself off from. Afraid of bad memories and feelings of failure that I left when I left that city. I haven't been back in many years. I haven't had any desire to return except perhaps to play waterpolo. That I have missed and longed for. That is why I am returning. But I know that my body will betray me. My life is so different now. But God is still my refuge. Even in these vague murmurings and sadness. I am still going. I am going to face my fears and my sadness. God is my help and this is my time to deal with my six years in San Diego. I cannot cut out so many years anymore. I must begin to synthesize my life and accept all of it.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 7)
And God will be with me. He is my fortress as I deal with my soul. He is the healer of wounds we cannot see. No one else knows the aches in our hearts as He does and no one can be a fortress for us. No one else can save us from ourselves.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (vs. 10)
I will be still and know that God is God. I will go to the bluffs and the ocean and all the old places and I will feel once again all the pain and I will let it go. I will let God be God and I will be still. I will listen to what those years have brought me to now. I had to go through the fires. I had to experience it. I would not go back or take it over and yet I would not wish it on anyone else either. But I will be still tomorrow, all day, and I will listen. I will laugh and do my best and reconnect and be someone that I was not in a place that I once was. God will be exalted, somehow, because God is always exalted whether we do the exalting or not. Hopefully, I will join in with the earth and exalt as well. It will be okay. I will be okay and when I return home, I will be better than I was. I will be more complete.
"The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacobs is our fortress." (vs. 11)
Amen
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You know the sadness and the wounds of our hearts. It is so easy to put band aids on gaping holes and move on but You know and You arrange for us to meet the healing forces or face the pain again so that there may be closure. As we face our fears, help us to remember that You are our refuge and strength and that You are our ever present fortress. Help us to stop running from our painful pasts. Help us to embrace them and learn what You would have us learn.
We respect those that are able to face great tragedies and turn them into triumphs. Most of our pains are of the lesser type but in our souls they are festering and they are keeping us from fully living. Help us to come to grips with all our experiences, good and bad, and help us to use them to glorify you by strengthening others. You have great plans for us. You allow us to suffer so that in the end You may be lifted up through us and used, just as Jesus suffered and was used to save all those who would come to Him. We are grateful for all of our experience and we are grateful for Your saving grace. We will be still and know that You are God. Help us to do this. Help us to quiet our souls and hear Your voice. Help us to know now and always, that You are God.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I running from any past memories or experiences? Why am I doing this?
2. How can I face these experiences and work through them so that I can have closure and move on in my life? What help is available for me?
3. What am I afraid of? Am I giving these things over to God in prayer? Am I remembering God in these moments of fear?
4. Am I still before God? How can I be still before God?
5. What does it mean to me to know that God is God? How can I practically do this more and more in my life?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/15/10 (10/15/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 1
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 45
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." (vs. 7)
I believe we all want to be great and make a difference in this world. If you ask any child what they want to be when they grow up, they have great dreams. They don't plan on having a life of failure and mediocrity. It is only as we age and face failure and difficulties that we start to lose our dreams of making a difference. Even God, Himself has great dreams for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29: 11). So if it really is okay to have grand dreams of world impact, how will we accomplish it?
The world has one idea. There is the dog eat dog business model - the feeding with the sharks mentality where it is survival of the fittest and each man is out for himself. Then there is God's way. When Jesus' disciples were arguing over who would be greatest, Jesus' did not get mad at them for the question, but rather He pointed out their lack of righteous perspective on the matter. He told them they needed to become like little children to be great and they needed to become servants in order to lead. He told them the first would be last and the last would be first and that to truly be first, one would have to be the slave of all ( Matt 18:1-4 & Matt 20:20-28). Leadership and greatness for one who follows God comes in a completely different manner than it does for those in the world. Yet this is what it will truly make the greatest impact in the long run and the legacy that this type of leadership leaves will follow us into eternity. Jesus made a difference. He stood out. He changed the whole world. The original disciples turned the whole world upside down as well. It is okay to make a difference and want to be great as long as we go about it God's way and become servants.
In this psalm, we learn two more of the keys to greatness. They are to love righteousness and hate wickedness. We need to get our focus aligned with God and love what He loves and hate what He hates. We need to go beyond thinking that it would be nice to be a good person and beyond disliking when people are irritating and rude. We need to love and hate. We need to get passionate about life. I, personally, am such a middle of the road kind of person. I don't like to make waves but yet this is very unChristlike. He wasn't a mild mannered guy. He loved and hated. He laughed and cried. He was fully alive. We need to open up ourselves to this and stop being afraid to live if we want to experience true greatness and purpose.
When we are finally willing to fully embrace this philosophy, then God will set us apart from our companions. He will set us apart and above them by anointing us with the oil of joy. Joy comes when we do right. Joy comes from stepping out and doing something. We need to stop worrying about whether it will be right or wrong, and just jump into the fray of life and saying, "I am here. I am here. I will do something. I will speak. I will serve. I will get in and get dirty. I am getting off the sidelines and I am living." Joy will come bursting forth. Jesus came to give life and life to the fullest. We need to embrace this. We need to leave the past. Stop looking back and build a life anew with what we have, with our spouses and children. We can do all things with Christ. We truly can.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for giving us the desire to make a difference. We want our lives to count for something and we ask You to help us to see how we can achieve that. Focus our eyes and our hearts on Your way. You and Your Son have had the greatest impact on the world and we are called to do even greater things than what Jesus has done. It seems impossible, but if we really start living and doing and feeling, You will be able to work through us. Free us from all that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with perseverance. Let us be clear channels for Your power to flow through. Allow us to love righteousness and hate wickedness. Help us to overcome our fear and do this so that we may receive the anointing of joy. You are the truth and the way and the life. We know. We desire to do Your will; increase our desire. We are letting go of the past and starting anew, today and everyday, we pray this. Father, hear our prayer.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What were my dreams when I was young? Have I given up on them? Do I have new dreams to make a difference?
2. Do I love righteousness? What part of righteousness is the most difficult for me to embrace and love?
3. Do I hate wickedness? What is the hardest for me to hate about wickedness? Is there some sin that I accept, tolerate, or even like? What should I do about this?
4. What is my idea about how to become great? What is my idea about leadership? Am I a servant of others?
5. How is my joy level? Could renewing my dreams and embracing life increase it?
Day 1
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 45
"You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." (vs. 7)
I believe we all want to be great and make a difference in this world. If you ask any child what they want to be when they grow up, they have great dreams. They don't plan on having a life of failure and mediocrity. It is only as we age and face failure and difficulties that we start to lose our dreams of making a difference. Even God, Himself has great dreams for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29: 11). So if it really is okay to have grand dreams of world impact, how will we accomplish it?
The world has one idea. There is the dog eat dog business model - the feeding with the sharks mentality where it is survival of the fittest and each man is out for himself. Then there is God's way. When Jesus' disciples were arguing over who would be greatest, Jesus' did not get mad at them for the question, but rather He pointed out their lack of righteous perspective on the matter. He told them they needed to become like little children to be great and they needed to become servants in order to lead. He told them the first would be last and the last would be first and that to truly be first, one would have to be the slave of all ( Matt 18:1-4 & Matt 20:20-28). Leadership and greatness for one who follows God comes in a completely different manner than it does for those in the world. Yet this is what it will truly make the greatest impact in the long run and the legacy that this type of leadership leaves will follow us into eternity. Jesus made a difference. He stood out. He changed the whole world. The original disciples turned the whole world upside down as well. It is okay to make a difference and want to be great as long as we go about it God's way and become servants.
In this psalm, we learn two more of the keys to greatness. They are to love righteousness and hate wickedness. We need to get our focus aligned with God and love what He loves and hate what He hates. We need to go beyond thinking that it would be nice to be a good person and beyond disliking when people are irritating and rude. We need to love and hate. We need to get passionate about life. I, personally, am such a middle of the road kind of person. I don't like to make waves but yet this is very unChristlike. He wasn't a mild mannered guy. He loved and hated. He laughed and cried. He was fully alive. We need to open up ourselves to this and stop being afraid to live if we want to experience true greatness and purpose.
When we are finally willing to fully embrace this philosophy, then God will set us apart from our companions. He will set us apart and above them by anointing us with the oil of joy. Joy comes when we do right. Joy comes from stepping out and doing something. We need to stop worrying about whether it will be right or wrong, and just jump into the fray of life and saying, "I am here. I am here. I will do something. I will speak. I will serve. I will get in and get dirty. I am getting off the sidelines and I am living." Joy will come bursting forth. Jesus came to give life and life to the fullest. We need to embrace this. We need to leave the past. Stop looking back and build a life anew with what we have, with our spouses and children. We can do all things with Christ. We truly can.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for giving us the desire to make a difference. We want our lives to count for something and we ask You to help us to see how we can achieve that. Focus our eyes and our hearts on Your way. You and Your Son have had the greatest impact on the world and we are called to do even greater things than what Jesus has done. It seems impossible, but if we really start living and doing and feeling, You will be able to work through us. Free us from all that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with perseverance. Let us be clear channels for Your power to flow through. Allow us to love righteousness and hate wickedness. Help us to overcome our fear and do this so that we may receive the anointing of joy. You are the truth and the way and the life. We know. We desire to do Your will; increase our desire. We are letting go of the past and starting anew, today and everyday, we pray this. Father, hear our prayer.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What were my dreams when I was young? Have I given up on them? Do I have new dreams to make a difference?
2. Do I love righteousness? What part of righteousness is the most difficult for me to embrace and love?
3. Do I hate wickedness? What is the hardest for me to hate about wickedness? Is there some sin that I accept, tolerate, or even like? What should I do about this?
4. What is my idea about how to become great? What is my idea about leadership? Am I a servant of others?
5. How is my joy level? Could renewing my dreams and embracing life increase it?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/14/10 (10/14/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Day 7
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
One family member that you have difficulties with
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"It was not by their sword that they won the land nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them." (vs. 3-4)
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through You we push back our enemies; through Your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but You give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise Your name forever." (vs. 4-8)
If anything is to be accomplished in life, it will be through God. God sustains and grants the victories. I will not win the land, God will. I will not be successful with my life. It is too much for me. It really is, but God is here. He is pushing back my enemies. He is taking care of my children. He is getting me through my days. It is all too much for me and on some days I can not even think straight. I just keep going and somehow, everything keeps getting done. I will boast in God and I will go to sleep now because I am very, very tired.
Good night.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary sometimes and exhausted. Life can be so overwhelming and yet You are always there. You are waiting for us. Help us not to miss You in our frustration and sorrow. Help us not to miss You in our often frantic endeavours. Help us to slow down and recline at Your feet, to know that You are truly God and You are all we need. Remind us that the world will keep turning without us and that our jobs will go on. Help us to do our best, but help us to remember that there is more out there than what we see. We are so small and our worries so insignificant. You can solve them all. You are still in control, no matter how out of control we feel. The battle is Yours, let us give it to You. Grant us the rest we need tonight for we know that You grant sleep to those You love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. What are the battles I am fighting right now? Am I winning or losing?
2. Am I fighting them by myself or am I giving them over to God? How do I know?
3. Am I keeping my perspective right? Am I focused on knowing God first and foremost?
4. Am I seeking first the Kingdom of God (church) and His righteousness (my relationship with Him) and letting God take care of the rest? How do I know? If not, what am I seeking first in my life?
5. How can I seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness? What does that mean to me, and what would this look like in my life?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/13/10 (10/13/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 6
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.
Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (vs. 3-4a, & 5)
God is amazing. Tonight as we watched a video of a talk/sermon by Leo Giglio on God and the universe (Indescribable pt 1-5), I felt an incredible urge to fall to my knees in awe of God. The grandeur of our Lord as evidenced by the universe is beyond comprehension. He truly does send His light and His truth out to us. The majesty of His creation is astounding and I was awed by the photos from the Hubble telescope of the structures in space. Being a science teacher, I had seen many of them before but some were new even to me. The universe truly declares the glory of God and I found myself bowing my head and praying "forgive me, forgive me" as I watched the film. I am so unworthy and insignificant in the light of creation and yet here is God paying attention to me. He is able to guide me. I have no doubt of this. I only need to keep this perspective of His grandness on a daily basis to tap into this confidence. Daily troubles can shake us but if we go back to creation, we can be renewed in our faith in His power to take care of everything for us. Our God is enormous. He holds the universe in His hands. He spoke all of it into existence. He can lead me to the place He dwells. He can get me to heaven if I let Him, if I follow. I want to go to there, to this place where He dwells. I want to praise Him with all of creation.
As I go about my day tomorrow, I will look anew at creation and I will worship God - my God, my Joy, and my Delight. He is what I will delight in. I will not let my soul be downcast. I will put my hope in God and I will yet praise Him.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for Your grandeur and Your amazing power and creation. You are able to do all things. All we have to do is look around us at creation. It is truly declaring Your power and glory. Let us join in in praise and worship. Let us remember how small we are and let us worship You for caring about us despite that fact. What are we that You are mindful of us? It is beyond our comprehension. We turn to You and put our hope in You. We know You will not disappoint. We are so grateful.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God guide me? How can I do this?
2. Am I recognizing God's power in creation? How can I get in touch with this in a greater way?
3. Am I praising God or am I complaining about what is happening in my life right now? How can I praise Him more?
4. Is my delight in God? What would my friends and those closest to me say? What else might I be putting my delight in? How can I change my perspective?
5. Am I putting my hope in Him? How can I change if I am worrying?
Day 6
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
One family member that is supportive of you
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 43
"Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.
Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (vs. 3-4a, & 5)
God is amazing. Tonight as we watched a video of a talk/sermon by Leo Giglio on God and the universe (Indescribable pt 1-5), I felt an incredible urge to fall to my knees in awe of God. The grandeur of our Lord as evidenced by the universe is beyond comprehension. He truly does send His light and His truth out to us. The majesty of His creation is astounding and I was awed by the photos from the Hubble telescope of the structures in space. Being a science teacher, I had seen many of them before but some were new even to me. The universe truly declares the glory of God and I found myself bowing my head and praying "forgive me, forgive me" as I watched the film. I am so unworthy and insignificant in the light of creation and yet here is God paying attention to me. He is able to guide me. I have no doubt of this. I only need to keep this perspective of His grandness on a daily basis to tap into this confidence. Daily troubles can shake us but if we go back to creation, we can be renewed in our faith in His power to take care of everything for us. Our God is enormous. He holds the universe in His hands. He spoke all of it into existence. He can lead me to the place He dwells. He can get me to heaven if I let Him, if I follow. I want to go to there, to this place where He dwells. I want to praise Him with all of creation.
As I go about my day tomorrow, I will look anew at creation and I will worship God - my God, my Joy, and my Delight. He is what I will delight in. I will not let my soul be downcast. I will put my hope in God and I will yet praise Him.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We praise You for Your grandeur and Your amazing power and creation. You are able to do all things. All we have to do is look around us at creation. It is truly declaring Your power and glory. Let us join in in praise and worship. Let us remember how small we are and let us worship You for caring about us despite that fact. What are we that You are mindful of us? It is beyond our comprehension. We turn to You and put our hope in You. We know You will not disappoint. We are so grateful.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I letting God guide me? How can I do this?
2. Am I recognizing God's power in creation? How can I get in touch with this in a greater way?
3. Am I praising God or am I complaining about what is happening in my life right now? How can I praise Him more?
4. Is my delight in God? What would my friends and those closest to me say? What else might I be putting my delight in? How can I change my perspective?
5. Am I putting my hope in Him? How can I change if I am worrying?
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Daily Devotional - 9/12/10 (10/12/09)
Prayer Focus - Family
Day 5
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 42
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (vs. 1-2)
God's desire for us is that we live in Him; that we hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. We can not live by bread or worldly things alone, although we try (Matt 4:4). We turn to so many things to fulfill us and yet we are still empty since only God can suffice. When we begin to truly realize this, then we will be on the path to restoration. We need to take a look at our priorities and align them with God's will. Perhaps we are so frustrated because we are trying to force our own will to happen in various situations. We want that job or that person. We long for marriage or children, fame or fortune. We struggle our whole lives for these things and often tear down what God is trying to build in our desperation. We need to stop looking for love and fulfillment in this way.
We need to fall in love with God instead. Think of all the dreams we have had over the years about that "special person" we would find someday. The excitement and thrill we experienced in just being with them or thinking about them. As young people, we are filled with hope about this love of our life, who will be our everything. Obviously, at first, a person may meet many of these expectations but in time we all fail. We can not be the ultimate love for anyone nor can anyone meet these expectations for us either. But God can.
Then as we get older, the desire for this all encompassing love often fades away as discouragement and disillusionment takes its place. Love fails us and so we accept that we have to go on with our lives, taking care of business and making ends meet. Sometimes, we become roommates with our spouses. Sometimes we give up and leave them. While it is extremely important that we keep working on our marriages and keep trying to rekindle a lost or fading love, there is a better solution. What we ultimately need to do is turn to God and allow Him to fulfill those need for deep love that still exist. He is our ultimate and perfect groom and He longs for us with the deep affection of a perfect love. If we can cultivate our longing for and relationship with God, all the other relationships will then improve as well. We will be able to truly love our spouses in a way greater than the way we did even as newlyweds. Our relationships will be deeper as well because of the ups and downs we have been through and for how we have grown to know each other so well. But it all depends on us coming back to God, however, and letting Him fill us up so that we can in turn fill up others, including our spouses.
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (vs. 5-6)
This is not always easy to do, however. When we have times of sadness, this is especially the case. This psalm and other places in the Bible make it clear that there will be down times. It is how we deal with them that makes the difference. We can turn inward, or we can turn to God. We need to put our hope in God and praise Him despite our emotions. Our feelings do not dictate truth. Only God's word can do that. We need to remember God and turn to Him for the love and security that we need to get us through the troubled times. We need to remember the victories He has brought us in the past (vs. 6a). We need to figure out why this is a down time as well. If we are being refined, we need to turn to God for comfort. If we have done wrong or sinned, we need to repent. If we are just tired or sick and so are more emotional, we need to sleep and strengthen our physical body. If there is really no reason for how we are feeling, we need to just move on and continue to do what is right. Our emotions will soon follow. God has not forgotten us. It will be alright. We need to let Him comfort us and lift us out of our fog. It will happen as we deal with what we need to. God is here. God is always with us.
We cannot let our enemies whisper in our ears, "Where is your God? Where is your God?" God is right here. So put your hope in God! He is the answer.
Prayer of the Day
Dear Lord,
You know that we are often lonely and downcast. We pray that You will help us to put our hope in You, today and always. Help us to remember the victories that You have brought about in the past in our lives. We are grateful that You are bigger than our emotions and that You do hold the truth. We are glad that truth is not relative or subject to our shifting emotions. We can be so unstable. Thank You for Your stability and unchanging nature. You are truly our Rock and our Refuge. We ask to fall in love with You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We want to cling to You and be consumed with You. We know that in falling in love with You all over again, there is hope for all of our other relationships to be rekindled as well. You are love and if we have You, we will be able to love so much more. We are so incomplete without You. Surely we do pant and long for You as a deer pants for water. We will come to meet You. Please wait for us to be there.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I hungry and thirty for God? Am I longing for Him or fitting Him into my schedule when I have time?
2. What are my dreams for the perfect spouse? Do I see God in this manner? Am I letting Him love me as He desires? Am I in love with Him as I would be a mate?
3. How can I cultivate this type of relationship with God? How do I think this will help my other relationships?
4. How do I deal with my down times? Am I able to discern why I feel down most of the time? Do I turn inward or to God when I feel this way? How can I turn to God next time?
5. What situations make me feel that God has forgotten me? What victories can I remember to rekindle my faith?
Day 5
Pray for:
One family member that you feel close to
One family member that you are not close to
One family member that lives far away from you
One family member that lives near to you
One family member that you are concerned about
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Help me to listen to You each and every day and please grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 42
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?" (vs. 1-2)
God's desire for us is that we live in Him; that we hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. We can not live by bread or worldly things alone, although we try (Matt 4:4). We turn to so many things to fulfill us and yet we are still empty since only God can suffice. When we begin to truly realize this, then we will be on the path to restoration. We need to take a look at our priorities and align them with God's will. Perhaps we are so frustrated because we are trying to force our own will to happen in various situations. We want that job or that person. We long for marriage or children, fame or fortune. We struggle our whole lives for these things and often tear down what God is trying to build in our desperation. We need to stop looking for love and fulfillment in this way.
We need to fall in love with God instead. Think of all the dreams we have had over the years about that "special person" we would find someday. The excitement and thrill we experienced in just being with them or thinking about them. As young people, we are filled with hope about this love of our life, who will be our everything. Obviously, at first, a person may meet many of these expectations but in time we all fail. We can not be the ultimate love for anyone nor can anyone meet these expectations for us either. But God can.
Then as we get older, the desire for this all encompassing love often fades away as discouragement and disillusionment takes its place. Love fails us and so we accept that we have to go on with our lives, taking care of business and making ends meet. Sometimes, we become roommates with our spouses. Sometimes we give up and leave them. While it is extremely important that we keep working on our marriages and keep trying to rekindle a lost or fading love, there is a better solution. What we ultimately need to do is turn to God and allow Him to fulfill those need for deep love that still exist. He is our ultimate and perfect groom and He longs for us with the deep affection of a perfect love. If we can cultivate our longing for and relationship with God, all the other relationships will then improve as well. We will be able to truly love our spouses in a way greater than the way we did even as newlyweds. Our relationships will be deeper as well because of the ups and downs we have been through and for how we have grown to know each other so well. But it all depends on us coming back to God, however, and letting Him fill us up so that we can in turn fill up others, including our spouses.
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (vs. 5-6)
This is not always easy to do, however. When we have times of sadness, this is especially the case. This psalm and other places in the Bible make it clear that there will be down times. It is how we deal with them that makes the difference. We can turn inward, or we can turn to God. We need to put our hope in God and praise Him despite our emotions. Our feelings do not dictate truth. Only God's word can do that. We need to remember God and turn to Him for the love and security that we need to get us through the troubled times. We need to remember the victories He has brought us in the past (vs. 6a). We need to figure out why this is a down time as well. If we are being refined, we need to turn to God for comfort. If we have done wrong or sinned, we need to repent. If we are just tired or sick and so are more emotional, we need to sleep and strengthen our physical body. If there is really no reason for how we are feeling, we need to just move on and continue to do what is right. Our emotions will soon follow. God has not forgotten us. It will be alright. We need to let Him comfort us and lift us out of our fog. It will happen as we deal with what we need to. God is here. God is always with us.
We cannot let our enemies whisper in our ears, "Where is your God? Where is your God?" God is right here. So put your hope in God! He is the answer.
Prayer of the Day
Dear Lord,
You know that we are often lonely and downcast. We pray that You will help us to put our hope in You, today and always. Help us to remember the victories that You have brought about in the past in our lives. We are grateful that You are bigger than our emotions and that You do hold the truth. We are glad that truth is not relative or subject to our shifting emotions. We can be so unstable. Thank You for Your stability and unchanging nature. You are truly our Rock and our Refuge. We ask to fall in love with You with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We want to cling to You and be consumed with You. We know that in falling in love with You all over again, there is hope for all of our other relationships to be rekindled as well. You are love and if we have You, we will be able to love so much more. We are so incomplete without You. Surely we do pant and long for You as a deer pants for water. We will come to meet You. Please wait for us to be there.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I hungry and thirty for God? Am I longing for Him or fitting Him into my schedule when I have time?
2. What are my dreams for the perfect spouse? Do I see God in this manner? Am I letting Him love me as He desires? Am I in love with Him as I would be a mate?
3. How can I cultivate this type of relationship with God? How do I think this will help my other relationships?
4. How do I deal with my down times? Am I able to discern why I feel down most of the time? Do I turn inward or to God when I feel this way? How can I turn to God next time?
5. What situations make me feel that God has forgotten me? What victories can I remember to rekindle my faith?
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