2022-06-06
1 John 5:14 NIV
Knowing God’s will. John wrote: ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him’ (v.14-15 NIV). One of the surest ways to know we’re praying according to God’s will is to pray according to His Word. We can use the Scriptures to back up what we’re praying for. Say, ‘Lord, you promised it in your Word, and I’m believing you for it.’
Sometimes there are things we want to pray for, but we aren’t sure whether those things are God’s will for us according to Scripture. In that case, we need to ask God to give it to us if it’s His will, and to help us be satisfied with His decision if He says no. Saint Augustine prayed, ‘Grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.’
D.L. Moody put it this way: ‘Spread out your petition before God, and then say, “Thy will, not mine, be done.” The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me.’ We might have to wait, because God’s timing is part of His will. But be patient; if God says it’ll happen, it will happen. We might not see it yet, but God has promised and it’s on the way. And remember, if He doesn’t give us what we asked for, it’s usually because He wants to give us something better. Our part is to walk with Him in faith and keep a good attitude.
1 Kings 18:16-20:43; Matt 14:22-36; Ps 116; Pro 12:25
2022-06-05
Hebrews 11:6 CEV
Just like the right key opens the door, there are scriptural truths that can act as keys to prayer. For the next few days, let’s look at them.
Faith. ‘Without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him’ (v.6 CEV). God doesn’t necessarily respond to our needs. If we look around, we’ll see that everyone has some kind of unmet need. So what does God respond to? Our faith!
But Satan will try to fill our minds with doubts. And when he does, we need to examine our hearts. You can believe God’s Word in your heart even when your mind questions it. So let’s stand on what’s in our hearts instead of what’s in our heads.
Sometimes doubt begins with distraction. When we’re distracted from God’s promises, we can start to doubt. And as we focus more and more on our problems, our faith begins to waver. When that happens, we need to refocus like a laser on God’s promises, and give nothing more than a glance at our problems. That doesn’t mean we should deny them, just that we don’t give them more attention than they need.
The Bible says: ‘When you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all’ (James 1:6-8 CEV). If we stay anchored to God’s Word, we won’t be as likely to drift all over the place when things begin to change in our lives.
Lev 23:15-22; Acts 2:1-18
2022-06-04
Philippians 3:10 NLT
Paul said, ‘I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.’ Let’s take an in-depth look at this verse.
1) ‘I want to know Christ.’ There’s a difference between knowing someone and knowing about them. We can learn all about Jesus’ life, the miracles He performed, what others said about Him, and so on. But what really makes the difference in our lives is having a personal relationship with Him.
2) ‘And experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.’ What’s dead in your life that needs to be raised? There’s no problem that Christ’s resurrection power can’t handle. And we access that power when we make intimacy with Christ our top priority.
3) ‘I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.’ We’d be more comfortable if the verse ended after the words, ‘the mighty power that raised him from the dead’. But the truth is, if we want intimacy with Christ, we must be willing to ‘suffer with Him’. For Paul, it meant being beaten, betrayed, and beheaded. But it brought a level of intimacy with Jesus that can’t be experienced any other way. If you’ve ever walked through suffering with another person, you’ll have experienced the way the experience brings you closer together. We’ll never experience true intimacy with somebody by telling them, ‘I only want to share the good times with you.’ The strongest relationship bonds often come from the suffering we go through together; the trials that cause us to know, love, and trust each other in a newer, deeper dimension.
1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Matt 14:13-21; Ps 121; Pro 12:23-24
2022-06-03
Psalm 37:8 NLT
A weapon can either protect or destroy; it all depends on who is using it. Anger works the same way; that’s why it’s good to learn what our particular triggers are. Some of the most common triggers surface at these times: 1) When our rights (or someone else’s) have been breached. Anger isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes the problem that infuriates us the most is the one God’s calling us to help solve. This world is a better place because of people who said ‘this isn’t right,’ and devoted their lives to fighting disease, poverty, corruption, and injustice. Anger prompted Jesus to purge the temple of extortionists, and cheating money lenders. The Bible says, ‘If you are angry, be sure that it is not out of wounded pride or bad temper… don’t give the devil that sort of foothold’ (Ephesians 4:26-27 PHPS).
2) When we’re frustrated because things aren’t going our way. A news report told the story of a man who went hunting on his mountain bike. When it broke, he got angry and shot it to pieces. That makes no sense! One author wrote that, ‘Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.’
3) When we’re under constant stress. Paul writes, ‘Have a sane estimate of your capabilities’ (Romans 12:3 PHPS). By cramming too much activity into too little time, we set ourselves up for stress. Like a violin string that’s pulled tighter and tighter, we’ll eventually end up snapping. Then we’ll feel guilty and think we’re not good enough.
There’ll always be something to go wrong in life, so let’s try to anticipate challenges and allow time for the unexpected. And most importantly, ‘Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm.’
1 Kings 14-15; Matt 14:1-12; Ps 117; Pro 12:20-22
2022-06-02
Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
Here are two very important rules for us to live by: 1) Don’t speak without thinking. 2) Don’t say things that contradict God’s Word. The Bible says, ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue.’ Our words have the power to hurt or the power to help. ‘People in the land who ask for blessings will ask for them from the faithful God. And people in the land who make a promise will promise in the name of the faithful God, because the troubles of the past will be forgotten.’ (Isaiah 65:16 NCV).
There are two important things to learn here: 1) Your own words have more power to influence you than anyone else’s words. In the end, it’s not what others say that matters, it’s what you tell yourself when they’ve stopped talking. You always have the last word!
2) You won’t be able to move into what God’s planned for your future if you’re living in the past. You can’t undo your past, so try not to relive it over and over in your head. God said, ‘Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am about to do’ (Isaiah 43:18-19 NCV).
Come into agreement with Him and start saying what He says about you. What you say from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night doesn’t just influence your day; it influences your whole outlook and the direction of your life. If you’ve been praying and asking God for specific answers, make sure what you say lines up with what He says. And whenever you speak, make sure your words reflect God.
1 Kings 12-13; Matt 13:47-58; Ps 82; Pro 12:18-19
2022-06-01
2 Corinthians 5:2 NCV
Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Dr Raymond Moody Jr, two well-known psychiatrists, researched the cases of over five hundred people who came back to life after being pronounced dead by their doctors. The people in the study described either a place of beauty, wonder, joy, and peace, or they described something dreadful. And although their bodies were real, they reported floating outside them. After being confirmed ‘dead’, some who were blind were able to see. They talked about people who came into the room, what they looked like, and what they did while they were there. But when these people were brought back, the ones who were blind could no longer see.
In his book Life After Life, Dr Moody wrote: ‘A doctor told me of his experience in attending a man who had been pronounced clinically dead. He succeeded in resuscitating the man, who then sued the doctor for bringing him back into this miserable existence from the glory he had experienced. One woman, describing her situation after she had suffered a respiratory arrest, reports that the doctors trying to resuscitate her were pounding on her body trying to get her back while she was over them, looking down, and saying, “Leave me alone!”‘
The apostle Paul explained why: ‘We know that our body – the tent we live in here on earth – will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever. But now we groan in this tent. We want God to give us our heavenly home’ (v.1-2 NCV). When we believe in God, death isn’t the end. It’s just a new beginning.
1 Kings 10-11; Matt 13:36-46; Ps 113; Pro 12:15-17
