Several days ago, I expressed a thought that I struggle with prayer – how, when, where, etc. Then I got my Daily Bread devotional in my e-mail (for free! Check it out here) and I had an answer!
Our Daily Bread Devotional for 11/11/2010:
In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. —Psalm 120:1
Several years ago, I was driving down the freeway when my car died. I pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car, and opened the hood. As I looked at the engine I thought, A lot of good this does me. I know nothing about cars. I don’t even know where to start!
That’s how we might sometimes feel about prayer: Where do I start? That’s what the disciples wanted to know when they asked Jesus, “Teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). The best place to look for instruction is in the example and teaching of Jesus. Two questions you may have are:
Where should we pray? Jesus prayed in the temple, in the wilderness (Luke 4), in quiet places (Matt. 14:22-23), in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22), and on the cross (Luke 23:34,46). He prayed alone and with others. Look at His life, follow His example, and pray wherever you are.
What should we pray? In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to ask that God’s name be honored and that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Ask Him for your daily provisions, for forgiveness of sin, and for deliverance from temptation and evil (Luke 11:2-4).
So if you’re looking for a good place to start, follow the example of the Lord’s Prayer. —Anne Cetas
The Lord has shown us we can pray
Wherever we may be;
And when we say, “Your will be done,”
His work on earth we’ll see. —Sper
If Jesus needed to pray, how can we do less?
Showing posts with label Devotional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devotional. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Missed the weekend devotionals
I accidentally left my devotional book at work last weekend, so I read through them yesterday. I love when a devotional speaks to me - it's amazing that no matter how many times I hear that God knows my heart and knows what I need, that each time I'm blown away by things that speak to me. It's like God is saying "duh!!" So here are my thoughts on my "missed" devotionals...and, if you read all the way through, some prayer requests.
October 30 - Hebrews 12:1 - Let us run with patience.
There are 2 kinds of patience. The kind where you are still and reflective. But, even stronger evidence, is the ability to cope with problems in the public eye, and continue on being "strong" in the presence of others and supporting them, giving them joy. You must really "run" with patience, because you still have to continue to function in the public eye while continuing to sort through your personal issues. Jesus did this on his time on earth - dealing with the immortal struggle of good versus evil, but in the meantime going out and creating joy for others, and helping them with their issues.
I pray that I will have that kind of patience. I do agree that it is hard to go through the daily motions while dealing with personal issues. But I have also realized recently that helping others actually does help me - not only does it make me feel better, but it puts things into perspective for me. I am not the only person in the world dealing with issues and trying to live "around" or "through" them. And there are people with bigger and harder problems that I have, and they don't have the support on earth that I do. So the patience that I want to pray for is the ability to perservere through my issues and problems, while being able to live my life to the fullest and to help others when possible. Patience will help me understand that my issues will be worked out and resolved over time, and I can't just sit around and wallow in self pity - that won't accomplish anything for anyone.
October 31 - Romans 8:26-27.
Sometimes I just don't know how to pray. I don't know what I should pray for, or if I should pray in a certain order, or "Should I thank God first, or should I come right out and ask for help?" or "Is it selfish for me to ask for things I want and need when I should really be praising God for what he's already done?" It's actually a big conflict for me. It's actually part of why I don't like to lead public prayers - I don't pray outloud in bible studies or before meals for example.
This verse talks about how it doesn't matter if you don't know what to say outloud, or even to yourself in your head. All that matters is that God knows the matters of your heart, and even things you don't even realize you're feeling, and he can see that and can act on that. The whole point is that you ask for help and thank Him for his help, in the past, present and future and he knows exactly what to do.
I struggle with control. I like to be in charge of things, and be able to control what happens to me and around me. That's a hard thing to let go for me. I want to control my job, my friends, my relationships, etc. But I need to pray for the ability to let go! I know that's my main issue, but I don't know what else I'm really feeling or thinking about it deep down inside. But God knows. And He knows that I am aware of my basic flaw, and he knows everything else and what needs to be done to help.
The devotional also gives an example of a mother and child seated next to each other, while busy with other things. They may not be speaking to each other, but there's a peace - the mother knows the child is there, and the child knows the mother is there. So they are in fellowship. And a calm that you are not alone. In the same way, a believer can be going through their day as normal, and even though there may not be a constant verbal communication with God, they can beleive and take comfort in the fact that God is always with them and has a hand in all that they are doing.
October 30 - Hebrews 12:1 - Let us run with patience.
There are 2 kinds of patience. The kind where you are still and reflective. But, even stronger evidence, is the ability to cope with problems in the public eye, and continue on being "strong" in the presence of others and supporting them, giving them joy. You must really "run" with patience, because you still have to continue to function in the public eye while continuing to sort through your personal issues. Jesus did this on his time on earth - dealing with the immortal struggle of good versus evil, but in the meantime going out and creating joy for others, and helping them with their issues.
I pray that I will have that kind of patience. I do agree that it is hard to go through the daily motions while dealing with personal issues. But I have also realized recently that helping others actually does help me - not only does it make me feel better, but it puts things into perspective for me. I am not the only person in the world dealing with issues and trying to live "around" or "through" them. And there are people with bigger and harder problems that I have, and they don't have the support on earth that I do. So the patience that I want to pray for is the ability to perservere through my issues and problems, while being able to live my life to the fullest and to help others when possible. Patience will help me understand that my issues will be worked out and resolved over time, and I can't just sit around and wallow in self pity - that won't accomplish anything for anyone.
October 31 - Romans 8:26-27.
Sometimes I just don't know how to pray. I don't know what I should pray for, or if I should pray in a certain order, or "Should I thank God first, or should I come right out and ask for help?" or "Is it selfish for me to ask for things I want and need when I should really be praising God for what he's already done?" It's actually a big conflict for me. It's actually part of why I don't like to lead public prayers - I don't pray outloud in bible studies or before meals for example.
This verse talks about how it doesn't matter if you don't know what to say outloud, or even to yourself in your head. All that matters is that God knows the matters of your heart, and even things you don't even realize you're feeling, and he can see that and can act on that. The whole point is that you ask for help and thank Him for his help, in the past, present and future and he knows exactly what to do.
I struggle with control. I like to be in charge of things, and be able to control what happens to me and around me. That's a hard thing to let go for me. I want to control my job, my friends, my relationships, etc. But I need to pray for the ability to let go! I know that's my main issue, but I don't know what else I'm really feeling or thinking about it deep down inside. But God knows. And He knows that I am aware of my basic flaw, and he knows everything else and what needs to be done to help.
The devotional also gives an example of a mother and child seated next to each other, while busy with other things. They may not be speaking to each other, but there's a peace - the mother knows the child is there, and the child knows the mother is there. So they are in fellowship. And a calm that you are not alone. In the same way, a believer can be going through their day as normal, and even though there may not be a constant verbal communication with God, they can beleive and take comfort in the fact that God is always with them and has a hand in all that they are doing.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Numbers 9:19
Yet another good devotional passage. “When the cloud remained…the Israelites…did not set out.” - Numbers 9:19
Yet another wonderful reminder that storms will come and it may seem like the smart thing to do to pack up and move away from the storm. Or, it may feel like a storm is approaching, and you’re stuck, and there’s nothing you can do but wait for it to hit you.
But it’s a great reminder, especially for me, that while I may either be in the middle of a storm, or see one approaching, that I am equipped to handle the storm. I may feel trapped in the storm, sure, and feel like I’d rather be anywhere else where I didn’t have to handle the brunt of the bad weather. But just like the metallurgist doesn’t leave the precious metal alone in the fire, God doesn’t leave you empty handed in the storm. That’s what the Bible and church and family and support is for – they’re your rain gear, to help protect you and get you through the storm!!
The devotional book starts off by saying it’s a test of obedience – rather than picking up and abandoning things, by staying put and sticking out the storm (with help), you’re showing God your obedience and trust that he has you there for a reason, and he has every intention of seeing you come out the other side safely, and a better person for it.
It’s also all about patience. It may be a long, tough storm. No one knows when the storms will end. Rather than praying for the storm to end, I need to work on being patient, and know that God has everything perfectly planned, and I should really be praying that he will give me the tools and equipment to get through it. That will be hard for me. I’m not naturally a patient person – I want it done right now.
So maybe, I should actually pray for patience. And maybe God has me going through this long storm so that I may actually learn patience. While it’s only been 2 weeks, I can actually look back at the last 2 weeks and see my change – while I’m still struggling with patience, I’ve seen a lot of things that I can put my trust in and ways that God has improved my patience. It’s just evidence that patience IS a virtue and there are benefits – I just have to keep reminding myself of that.
Yet another wonderful reminder that storms will come and it may seem like the smart thing to do to pack up and move away from the storm. Or, it may feel like a storm is approaching, and you’re stuck, and there’s nothing you can do but wait for it to hit you.
But it’s a great reminder, especially for me, that while I may either be in the middle of a storm, or see one approaching, that I am equipped to handle the storm. I may feel trapped in the storm, sure, and feel like I’d rather be anywhere else where I didn’t have to handle the brunt of the bad weather. But just like the metallurgist doesn’t leave the precious metal alone in the fire, God doesn’t leave you empty handed in the storm. That’s what the Bible and church and family and support is for – they’re your rain gear, to help protect you and get you through the storm!!
The devotional book starts off by saying it’s a test of obedience – rather than picking up and abandoning things, by staying put and sticking out the storm (with help), you’re showing God your obedience and trust that he has you there for a reason, and he has every intention of seeing you come out the other side safely, and a better person for it.
It’s also all about patience. It may be a long, tough storm. No one knows when the storms will end. Rather than praying for the storm to end, I need to work on being patient, and know that God has everything perfectly planned, and I should really be praying that he will give me the tools and equipment to get through it. That will be hard for me. I’m not naturally a patient person – I want it done right now.
So maybe, I should actually pray for patience. And maybe God has me going through this long storm so that I may actually learn patience. While it’s only been 2 weeks, I can actually look back at the last 2 weeks and see my change – while I’m still struggling with patience, I’ve seen a lot of things that I can put my trust in and ways that God has improved my patience. It’s just evidence that patience IS a virtue and there are benefits – I just have to keep reminding myself of that.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thoughts...
I must admit, I haven’t done a daily devotional probably since high school, or at least my freshman year of college. I can’t even say that I’ve thought about it, or missed it, or wished I had been doing them. However, some recent events have prompted me to go back to it, as I find myself needing daily encouragement and words to help me get through the day. I’ve struggled with finding the right time for me to do this, but I think I’ve started to figure out that starting my day with a devotional will help prepare me for the day, and I can constantly remind myself of what I’ve read and refer to it throughout the day.
A while back, I bought a 366 Day Daily Devotional book called “Streams in the Dessert” by L. B. Cowman, edited by Jim Reimann. I couldn’t tell you when I bought it, but I can tell you I most likely purchased it because it’s an “updated edition in today’s language”. I have My Utmost for His Highest, and sometimes the language is a little over my head, but “Streams in the Dessert” Revised seems to speak to me.
Today’s devotional talks about the refiner’s fire. The verse is Malachi 3:3 – “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver”. It talks about how God is like a metallurgist; the metallurgist knows that only a refiner’s fire will melt the metal enough for it to finally be molded to its perfect shape. Similarly, God knows that we all need to essentially go through a “fire” to come out perfectly shaped and molded on the other side. It’s almost like life is a series of “fires”, because in my opinion, while we strive to be perfect, and that’s God’s sincere goal for us, we will never achieve perfection in this lifetime. He’s getting us ready for what’s after this lifetime.
The line that really struck me the most from the devotional is “It is with the most precious metals that a metallurgist will take the greatest care”. I haven’t really been feeling like a very precious “metal” lately. I’ve been disappointed in myself and have felt that others have been disappointed in me too, or that others deserve to be disappointed in me. Everyone makes mistakes, but recently I’ve had a hard time understanding that God wants you to make mistakes. Because ultimately, in the end, it’s those mistakes that will make you who you are (which is who He wants you to be). And they’re “planned” mistakes, meant for a purpose. While what you’re going through may not be perfect to some people, and it’s hard to see while you’re right in the middle of it, that’s the fire that’s melting you so that you can become the person God wants you to be. I’ve just been struggling with feeling “precious”. It’s hard for me to feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when I’m in the middle of the “fire”. But reading a devotional like this seems like it’s exactly what God wanted me to hear.
It goes on to say that while the metal is in the fire, the metallurgist doesn’t leave it; rather, he sits down next to it to watch it so it isn’t overheated and the fire won’t harm the metal. In this same vein, God made choosen to put me “through a fire”, but He will never leave me and doesn’t want to see harm done to me; rather he wants to make sure I get exactly where I need to be so I can be molded to be perfect.
To pick up a random devotional book that I haven’t looked at in years, and have this be the particular passage I’m “scheduled” to read when this is how I’m feeling, can only be explained by the simple fact that God can see and hear my fears and knows that I need comfort. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and this “fire” I’m feeling will pass and will only make me a better person at the other end; the mold of what He wants me to be, perfect in His eyes. It’s just hard for me to be in the fire, but it wasn’t meant to be easy.
Excerpt from a poem by Arthur Tappan Pierson –
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw the fire - not the Master’s hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
There is more before and after that section, but that part sticks out the most for me. Like I’ve said, it’s hard to be in the middle of the fire and see that there’s something good that will come out of this, or to understand that we’re going through something for a reason. And it’s easy to cry and have anxieties and fears and question your life – I’m just glad that I have this devotional today to help remind me that it’s all for a greater purpose, and while it’s not up to me what happens, God is in charge and is keeping an eye on the “fire” and he knows what he’s doing and when we’ll be ready.
Should we think that is pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment’s pain?
Not so! For He saw through the present cross
The joy through eternal gain.
Amen!!
*On a side note – I took a page from my dad’s devotional “playbook” and brought my devotional book into work this morning, since I knew I’d have a least half an hour to myself before people started to arrive. Shortly after arriving though, a co-worker of mine also arrived and I thought my plans would have to wait. However, she left the office for what I thought was a quick run to the kitchen for coffee, so I thought I’d just read through today’s passage in the 5 minutes or so she’d be gone. But…I was able to spend the next 35 minutes reading and reflecting on the passage and she never came back. As soon as I was done, my boss arrived for the day.
How’s that for God’s perfect timing???!!!
A while back, I bought a 366 Day Daily Devotional book called “Streams in the Dessert” by L. B. Cowman, edited by Jim Reimann. I couldn’t tell you when I bought it, but I can tell you I most likely purchased it because it’s an “updated edition in today’s language”. I have My Utmost for His Highest, and sometimes the language is a little over my head, but “Streams in the Dessert” Revised seems to speak to me.
Today’s devotional talks about the refiner’s fire. The verse is Malachi 3:3 – “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver”. It talks about how God is like a metallurgist; the metallurgist knows that only a refiner’s fire will melt the metal enough for it to finally be molded to its perfect shape. Similarly, God knows that we all need to essentially go through a “fire” to come out perfectly shaped and molded on the other side. It’s almost like life is a series of “fires”, because in my opinion, while we strive to be perfect, and that’s God’s sincere goal for us, we will never achieve perfection in this lifetime. He’s getting us ready for what’s after this lifetime.
The line that really struck me the most from the devotional is “It is with the most precious metals that a metallurgist will take the greatest care”. I haven’t really been feeling like a very precious “metal” lately. I’ve been disappointed in myself and have felt that others have been disappointed in me too, or that others deserve to be disappointed in me. Everyone makes mistakes, but recently I’ve had a hard time understanding that God wants you to make mistakes. Because ultimately, in the end, it’s those mistakes that will make you who you are (which is who He wants you to be). And they’re “planned” mistakes, meant for a purpose. While what you’re going through may not be perfect to some people, and it’s hard to see while you’re right in the middle of it, that’s the fire that’s melting you so that you can become the person God wants you to be. I’ve just been struggling with feeling “precious”. It’s hard for me to feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when I’m in the middle of the “fire”. But reading a devotional like this seems like it’s exactly what God wanted me to hear.
It goes on to say that while the metal is in the fire, the metallurgist doesn’t leave it; rather, he sits down next to it to watch it so it isn’t overheated and the fire won’t harm the metal. In this same vein, God made choosen to put me “through a fire”, but He will never leave me and doesn’t want to see harm done to me; rather he wants to make sure I get exactly where I need to be so I can be molded to be perfect.
To pick up a random devotional book that I haven’t looked at in years, and have this be the particular passage I’m “scheduled” to read when this is how I’m feeling, can only be explained by the simple fact that God can see and hear my fears and knows that I need comfort. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and this “fire” I’m feeling will pass and will only make me a better person at the other end; the mold of what He wants me to be, perfect in His eyes. It’s just hard for me to be in the fire, but it wasn’t meant to be easy.
Excerpt from a poem by Arthur Tappan Pierson –
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw the fire - not the Master’s hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
There is more before and after that section, but that part sticks out the most for me. Like I’ve said, it’s hard to be in the middle of the fire and see that there’s something good that will come out of this, or to understand that we’re going through something for a reason. And it’s easy to cry and have anxieties and fears and question your life – I’m just glad that I have this devotional today to help remind me that it’s all for a greater purpose, and while it’s not up to me what happens, God is in charge and is keeping an eye on the “fire” and he knows what he’s doing and when we’ll be ready.
Should we think that is pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment’s pain?
Not so! For He saw through the present cross
The joy through eternal gain.
Amen!!
*On a side note – I took a page from my dad’s devotional “playbook” and brought my devotional book into work this morning, since I knew I’d have a least half an hour to myself before people started to arrive. Shortly after arriving though, a co-worker of mine also arrived and I thought my plans would have to wait. However, she left the office for what I thought was a quick run to the kitchen for coffee, so I thought I’d just read through today’s passage in the 5 minutes or so she’d be gone. But…I was able to spend the next 35 minutes reading and reflecting on the passage and she never came back. As soon as I was done, my boss arrived for the day.
How’s that for God’s perfect timing???!!!
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