John 15:7
Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
A few years ago on Valentine’s Day, my husband gave me a planter filled with beautiful red tulips. After the blooms had faded, I planted the bulbs in our yard. The following year, the flowers sprouted, and we once again enjoyed the bright red flowers… for about a day. One morning I walked out in the yard, and there were my tulip stems. It looked as if someone had taken scissors and snipped every single red bloom from atop its green stalk. The culprits were deer! Apparently deer LOVE tulip blooms, and they had neatly snipped away mine! I had a similar problem this past summer with a pesky squirrel and some begonias on my back porch. The squirrel wanted my ceramic pots full of dirt for his stash of hickory nuts, so he kept digging out the begonias and tossing them aside – and making a royal mess in the process!
Here’s my dilemma… I planted the seed, but apparently, I didn’t do enough to nurture and protect it. So these pesky backyard critters were able to have a field day! Isn’t this how we do in our Spiritual life? We join to Christ… we study His word and allow the seed of God’s wisdom to be planted in us… but then we don’t do enough to guard and nurture that seed. We allow pesky critters – a.k.a. the devil – to get into our heart and dig around… and often he creates a huge mess there.
In recent days, I’ve really tried to “pray the scriptures.” In other words, instead of asking for healing for my friend Joe, I’ve reminded God that Psalm 103:3 tells us…” The LORD forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick”… and I am asking Him to heal Joe according to His word. I have asked for strength and courage in my own life according to Philippians 4:13, which says that “Christ gives me the strength to face anything.” I have praised God with the words of Psalm 100:5…” The LORD is good! His love and faithfulness will last forever.”
By communicating with God in this manner, I am using the wisdom of His word to root the seeds of His promises deeply within my heart. I am not throwing God’s words back at Him… I am letting Him know that I am starting to “get it!” And I am asking Him to answer my prayers, because I have become a part of Him and trust that He will bless my faithfulness and commitment to Him.
I no longer try to grow tulips in the yard. Unlike my confidence in God to help me fight the devil, I don’t think I have the time and energy to guard a patch of flowers against persistent, hungry deer! I may take another stab this summer at growing begonias on the porch. If I do, I will be armed with some protective netting, or pepper spray… or maybe even a slingshot! After all, Ephesians 6:11 reminds us to…” Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks.”
How deeply rooted is your “seed?” How fortified is your arsenal of tools to fight the devil? How confident are you that what you have planted comes from God’s word and will bear “good fruit” in the form of answers to your prayers? Our prayer life should be based on confidence that when we ask God for something, “it shall be done,” according to His will. When we plant the seed of God’s wisdom in our heart and keep it there, we should have no trouble accomplishing all that He desires for us… and more than we could ever imagine on our own!
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label praying the scriptures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label praying the scriptures. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for March 8, 2012
John 16:23-24
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In February, my husband and I both experienced a bout of the flu. For several days, I was unable to do my normal workout routine. Once I started to feel better, I eased back into my almost-daily regimen. I knew that the longer I went without working out, the harder it would be to get back into a groove. In large part, it was about diligence and determination. And the same can be said of our prayer life. When it comes to prayer, many of us find it very easy to fall into complacency. We get in a hurry and let other things get in the way. So instead of truly communicating with God, we give a quick “lip service” to a laundry list of concerns and desires… and we expect God to do the rest.
There is more to prayer than merely listing our needs for God. And while He already knows our heart – and our wishes – there is a “protocol” for effective prayer. In my notes, I have written… “To get results, pray ‘by the rules’: get the Word, know your covenant, understand your inheritance.” In other words, instead of praying, “Lord, heal me…” we might say, “Lord, I know that ‘by His stripes, I am healed,’ (Isaiah 53:5) so I am asking You to make me well, according to Your will – and in your perfect timing.” When we pray for a friend in need, we might say, “Father, You have promised to give us what we ask in Your name, so I am asking for you to do XYZ for Bill or Sue, in line with your plans for them,” (John 16:23-24) instead of merely saying, “LORD, I pray for Bill/Sue.”
I’m not saying that there won’t be times when quickly lifting a concern or naming someone to God is better than no prayer at all… but we should all begin to treat our prayer time with as much reverence and importance as we give to a daily workout, the nightly news, or following our favorite TV show or sport. If we are going to expect answers to our prayers… if we are truly operating in faith that God will give us our hearts’ desires, according to His will – and the joy overflowing that comes with them… we must treat our prayers with care and respect.
Does this mean we should schedule prayer time with God like we do a workout or watching our favorite TV program or sporting event? Not necessarily… although this will often help us make prayer time more of a habit and part of our daily routine. This is not about when we pray… but more about how we communicate with God. Start working on making your prayers more effective… more specific and based in the Word of God and your faithful expectations for His perfect answers.
Try this… offer a diligent, “by-the-rules” prayer for one or two concerns at a time as you go about your day. I’m betting that when you get ready for bed, you can look back and see that you communicated with God far more often – and effectively – than if you had spent a concentrated hour listing your concerns and praising Him. Look for ways all day long to thank Him… take a few minutes here and there to lift concerns as they come to mind… to recall the promises of God’s word with relation to these concerns… and to believe for His perfect outcome. See if you don’t feel closer to God as a result… and more joyful, as He answers and honors your faithfulness.
Father, I thank You for the blood of Jesus and all that He accomplished for us on the cross. I praise you for promising to give us the desires of our heart when we pray according to Your will… and I ask You to bless those who are reading this message. Strengthen each of them as they spend more time in diligent, deliberate communication with You. I ask that You answer them according to Your perfect plans… and that You shower them with the blessings You have promised – and joy overflowing. Thank You, LORD, for hearing my prayers and honoring Your covenant with me… and all who trust in You. Amen.
©2012 Debbie Robus
"This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I've revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In February, my husband and I both experienced a bout of the flu. For several days, I was unable to do my normal workout routine. Once I started to feel better, I eased back into my almost-daily regimen. I knew that the longer I went without working out, the harder it would be to get back into a groove. In large part, it was about diligence and determination. And the same can be said of our prayer life. When it comes to prayer, many of us find it very easy to fall into complacency. We get in a hurry and let other things get in the way. So instead of truly communicating with God, we give a quick “lip service” to a laundry list of concerns and desires… and we expect God to do the rest.
There is more to prayer than merely listing our needs for God. And while He already knows our heart – and our wishes – there is a “protocol” for effective prayer. In my notes, I have written… “To get results, pray ‘by the rules’: get the Word, know your covenant, understand your inheritance.” In other words, instead of praying, “Lord, heal me…” we might say, “Lord, I know that ‘by His stripes, I am healed,’ (Isaiah 53:5) so I am asking You to make me well, according to Your will – and in your perfect timing.” When we pray for a friend in need, we might say, “Father, You have promised to give us what we ask in Your name, so I am asking for you to do XYZ for Bill or Sue, in line with your plans for them,” (John 16:23-24) instead of merely saying, “LORD, I pray for Bill/Sue.”
I’m not saying that there won’t be times when quickly lifting a concern or naming someone to God is better than no prayer at all… but we should all begin to treat our prayer time with as much reverence and importance as we give to a daily workout, the nightly news, or following our favorite TV show or sport. If we are going to expect answers to our prayers… if we are truly operating in faith that God will give us our hearts’ desires, according to His will – and the joy overflowing that comes with them… we must treat our prayers with care and respect.
Does this mean we should schedule prayer time with God like we do a workout or watching our favorite TV program or sporting event? Not necessarily… although this will often help us make prayer time more of a habit and part of our daily routine. This is not about when we pray… but more about how we communicate with God. Start working on making your prayers more effective… more specific and based in the Word of God and your faithful expectations for His perfect answers.
Try this… offer a diligent, “by-the-rules” prayer for one or two concerns at a time as you go about your day. I’m betting that when you get ready for bed, you can look back and see that you communicated with God far more often – and effectively – than if you had spent a concentrated hour listing your concerns and praising Him. Look for ways all day long to thank Him… take a few minutes here and there to lift concerns as they come to mind… to recall the promises of God’s word with relation to these concerns… and to believe for His perfect outcome. See if you don’t feel closer to God as a result… and more joyful, as He answers and honors your faithfulness.
Father, I thank You for the blood of Jesus and all that He accomplished for us on the cross. I praise you for promising to give us the desires of our heart when we pray according to Your will… and I ask You to bless those who are reading this message. Strengthen each of them as they spend more time in diligent, deliberate communication with You. I ask that You answer them according to Your perfect plans… and that You shower them with the blessings You have promised – and joy overflowing. Thank You, LORD, for hearing my prayers and honoring Your covenant with me… and all who trust in You. Amen.
©2012 Debbie Robus
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