The last few lines of the text today struck me: God wants to use us to answer prayers for those in need/those suffering. I always pray for little things. Things that relative to life and health are relatively insignificant, time wasters to God healing a grieving family or removing cancer from a sick woman. Then I remember how powerful God is and how He wants us to bring our "crosses" to Him and ask for what we need and want. I do thank him first but after today's first paragraph I know that He accomplishes the answering of many prayers with us his prayer warriors. Our lives are to be the answer to prayers for other people. People need to see God in us so that God can tackle the more important prayers. It's twofold - you get the answered prayer and I become more Christ like. I love that idea. Do small things with Great love. I think I read this same devotion with Dynamic Catholics Advent program...it all sounds familiar to me, but I like that statement - do small things with great love. "Everything comes down to love..." (First verse in a song by Addison Road called Hope Now, it just made me think of that line).
Miracles don't have to be big. Today we're just reminded that we can do small things in the lives of other people that could possible help make BIG differences in their lives. Let's build on our Christlike qualities this season. I can't believe we're almost half way through LENT. I can't believe that it's almost March. This year is flying by faster than ever. It's a sign that we need to slow down, enjoy life, change our focuses and look forward to what God has in store for our hearts, families and lives.
POINT TO PONDER:
God wants to see our amazingness.
Hmm. Do we turn to God periodically through the day? Do we thank Him for the little things, the little blessings? We'd honestly spend all of our day doing just that if we thought about ALL the things that we are thankful for in our lives. Even praying with Claire and having her point out what's important and what she is thankful for was joyful, we are so blessed: "toys, you, Daddy...." You meaning me...love that she put toys first. That was only because we were in the bathtub. I'm teaching her that no place is too odd or too abnormal to pray there. Prayer can be done anywhere.
How will you be amazing today?
VERSE TO LIVE:
"The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do, in fact, will do greater works than these." JOHN 14:12
QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
Whose prayer can you be the answer to today? This is a good question to consider everyday..
I was thinking this exact question. I wonder who I will encounter today. They may only need a smile to comfort them or a simple gesture of appreciation. The little things can make a big impact - we never know what is going on in the lives of others. Even our closest family and friends could be struggling with something that we are unaware of and a simple phone call/note "thinking of you" can make the world of a difference.
PRAYER:
Jesus, teach me to recognize the opportunity for everyday miracles.
This can be really profound. It's like the whole pay it forward movement. If every Christian wakes up each day and says "thank you God for this day" and then asks "how can I be a miracle in someone's life today? or how can I answer someone's prayer today?, show me the way. We can change the world, this struggling, cruel and ugly world. It starts with me.
Carey and Gwen
Showing posts with label promises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label promises. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Friday, February 12, 2016
LENT 2016 Day 3 - An Invitation
"Are you ready" Are you ready for Jesus to perform a miracle in your life? Hmmm. I have a particular miracle in mind, but i'm only speculating. And no, regardless of what the miracle is, it's highly unlikely that I'm ready. But then again, what things are we really every ready for.
Jesus Calling today says the following:
"Delight yourself in Me; let Me become the desire of your Heart." Jesus wants to be our tour guide on this life journey, we just have to get into the passenger seat and listen to Him. Every day we wake up is the invitation from Him to do that and BE that in our lives.
POINT TO PONDER:
It's time to stop everything, pause a little and consider God's invitation.
Think about it like we would a regular invitation to a party. I can promise you that the party in heaven after we accept God's invitation will be unlike any other experience we've ever had. But will we be truly ready for it? Probably not. But like Nirvana said "Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be,." Comforting part of that is God knows us, we were made like him remember? So he understands our desires just as much as he knows our faults. He waits for us to enter the party of eternal life with Him with open arms.
That is what LENT is about. I think we "give up" things for Lent because that's what we're taught when we're young. It's showing God that we too can make "sacrifices." But what is it really doing for our lives? for our relationships? to help our journey to a closer relationship with God and Heaven? God is not waiting for me to say "Gwen, that Dr. Pepper you had each day is what is keeping you out of heaven. You know have to wait in anxiety in purgatory for x amount of time." Um...No. What that action is saying, is that instead of spending money on a small addiction, take the time to spend it with God. Use the time to nourish the body with water and prayer. "Fast" from the routine. It's a way to show devotion to the Lord. It's a great way to "give up" extras in our lives that take away from our true purpose and journey to that relationship that we all desire with Christ Jesus. I am the prime example of the sinner who just keeps trying over and over again. It almost makes for a boring story because it's just my routine life; it's me asking for forgiveness and starting all over again. Because I can.
VERSE TO LIVE:
"I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly."
We can give up things and be without, or do more for others during this time so we can live more abundantly. There is so much this life has to offer and if we're thankful everyday first and foremost and we pray to God, listing all that we're thankful for, we may never get to the true prayer/needs part of the conversation. We come to realize that He's already given us so much, how can we not accept His invitation? The devil keeps us from truly enjoying the life God has planned for each of us. We just have to keep calling on the name of Jesus in everything we do and think and see.
Phil 4:6 "Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
In what area of your life is God inviting you to experience a new beginning?
This is a really good question.
I think there are multiple areas of my life specifically that God invites me to experience a new beginning. I think when we get complacent in our routines he "stirs up the pot" and asks us to start a new. He has to keep us awake and fresh. He wants to help us to continually see him and know that His invitation is always open. That even when we come to Him and leave again we can ALWAYS go back. Even when continually turn down his invitation, he will keep asking.
Since God is in everything...I guess really He is asking us to experience a new beginning in EVERY aspect of our lives.
PRAYER:
Jesus, thank you for all the times you have invited me to rediscover you and your message. Help me to squander this opportunity.
Makes me immediately start singing Meredith Andrews "You invite me in." Crazy that I didn't know until just now the album is called the Invitation. How appropriate. She's an amazing artist.
You invite me in. Doesn't matter where I've been. Your arms are open wide, there's nothing left to hide."
She says we are all broken...but we can come as we are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHkcGVlvOU4
Here are all the lyrics:
Jesus Calling today says the following:
"Delight yourself in Me; let Me become the desire of your Heart." Jesus wants to be our tour guide on this life journey, we just have to get into the passenger seat and listen to Him. Every day we wake up is the invitation from Him to do that and BE that in our lives.
POINT TO PONDER:
It's time to stop everything, pause a little and consider God's invitation.
Think about it like we would a regular invitation to a party. I can promise you that the party in heaven after we accept God's invitation will be unlike any other experience we've ever had. But will we be truly ready for it? Probably not. But like Nirvana said "Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be,." Comforting part of that is God knows us, we were made like him remember? So he understands our desires just as much as he knows our faults. He waits for us to enter the party of eternal life with Him with open arms.
That is what LENT is about. I think we "give up" things for Lent because that's what we're taught when we're young. It's showing God that we too can make "sacrifices." But what is it really doing for our lives? for our relationships? to help our journey to a closer relationship with God and Heaven? God is not waiting for me to say "Gwen, that Dr. Pepper you had each day is what is keeping you out of heaven. You know have to wait in anxiety in purgatory for x amount of time." Um...No. What that action is saying, is that instead of spending money on a small addiction, take the time to spend it with God. Use the time to nourish the body with water and prayer. "Fast" from the routine. It's a way to show devotion to the Lord. It's a great way to "give up" extras in our lives that take away from our true purpose and journey to that relationship that we all desire with Christ Jesus. I am the prime example of the sinner who just keeps trying over and over again. It almost makes for a boring story because it's just my routine life; it's me asking for forgiveness and starting all over again. Because I can.
VERSE TO LIVE:
"I came so that they may have life and have it more abundantly."
We can give up things and be without, or do more for others during this time so we can live more abundantly. There is so much this life has to offer and if we're thankful everyday first and foremost and we pray to God, listing all that we're thankful for, we may never get to the true prayer/needs part of the conversation. We come to realize that He's already given us so much, how can we not accept His invitation? The devil keeps us from truly enjoying the life God has planned for each of us. We just have to keep calling on the name of Jesus in everything we do and think and see.
Phil 4:6 "Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
QUESTION TO CONSIDER:
In what area of your life is God inviting you to experience a new beginning?
This is a really good question.
I think there are multiple areas of my life specifically that God invites me to experience a new beginning. I think when we get complacent in our routines he "stirs up the pot" and asks us to start a new. He has to keep us awake and fresh. He wants to help us to continually see him and know that His invitation is always open. That even when we come to Him and leave again we can ALWAYS go back. Even when continually turn down his invitation, he will keep asking.
Since God is in everything...I guess really He is asking us to experience a new beginning in EVERY aspect of our lives.
PRAYER:
Jesus, thank you for all the times you have invited me to rediscover you and your message. Help me to squander this opportunity.
Makes me immediately start singing Meredith Andrews "You invite me in." Crazy that I didn't know until just now the album is called the Invitation. How appropriate. She's an amazing artist.
You invite me in. Doesn't matter where I've been. Your arms are open wide, there's nothing left to hide."
She says we are all broken...but we can come as we are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHkcGVlvOU4
Here are all the lyrics:
I've been searching
Wandering and hurting
Ashamed of the shape I'm in
Afraid You'll see who I really am
But, You invite me in
Doesn't matter where I've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
How can this be?
A love so unfailing
Reached down and lifted me
From ashes to beauty
And You invite me in
Doesn't matter where I've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
For You invite me in
Doesn't matter who I've been
Your arms are open wide
Pulling me to Your side
And now I'm walking away
From the life I once knew
And running into Your grace
That covers my shame
Again and again, I find my life in You
You invite us in
Doesn't matter where we've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
You invite us in
Doesn't matter who we've been
Your arms are open wide
Pulling us to Your side
Your arms are open wide
Wandering and hurting
Ashamed of the shape I'm in
Afraid You'll see who I really am
But, You invite me in
Doesn't matter where I've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
How can this be?
A love so unfailing
Reached down and lifted me
From ashes to beauty
And You invite me in
Doesn't matter where I've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
For You invite me in
Doesn't matter who I've been
Your arms are open wide
Pulling me to Your side
And now I'm walking away
From the life I once knew
And running into Your grace
That covers my shame
Again and again, I find my life in You
You invite us in
Doesn't matter where we've been
Your arms are open wide
There's nothing left to hide
You invite us in
Doesn't matter who we've been
Your arms are open wide
Pulling us to Your side
Your arms are open wide
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