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PRAYER
July 10
"What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let
satan have one more
What if the church, for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took a stand upon God's
promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates
Chorus:
What if His people prayed
And all who bare His name
Would
humbly seek His face
And Turn from their own way
And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead
the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day
What if the life that we pursue
Came
from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus
Stopped asking Oprah what to do
He said that they
would hear
His promise has been made
He'll answer loud and clear
If only we would pray
If My people called
by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray
If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and
pray"
This is a song by Casting Crowns, "What if His People
Prayed", I thought it would be a good way to start this week's topic.
There's many reasons why one should pray. An important
one is to develop a close relationship with God. Prayer can allow God to fill our hearts with laughter, even during
hard times. Prayed is like talking to God like you would with your best friend.
"Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God."
(Colossians 4:2)
What is prayer? Prayer is simply communication
with God - just like talking and listening to Him. You see, prayer moves the hand of God, and the hand of God moves
the WORLD. He wants us to come to Him in prayer. There's not a right or wrong way to pray. All you have
to do is talk to God like you would with your best friend.
A lot of people have the idea that prayer is only
talking to God. That's only half of it. You can't really communicate with someone without another important activity--listening.
Prayer is a two-way street. Not only does God want you to talk to Him; He also wants to talk to you. (through
His word, of course)
"I will provide for their needs before they ask, and I will
help them while they are still asking for help." (Isaiah 65:24)
Your best friend is lying in a hospital bed.
She was in a car wreck over the weekend and the doctors have said she probably won't live through the night. You remember
when your parents used to make you go to Sunday school. You remember God. You pray, for the first time in years,
and beg God to let your friend live. He does.
Do you believe God answers you prayers?
Not "Do you believe because you think you're suppose to?" but do you really believe it? When you pray, do you
just hope your prayer makes it all the way up to heaven, or do you know in your heart that God is listening to you?
God says He will answer your prayers before you even get through praying. Now that is awesome! He knows you so
well that He gets to work on your request before it even gets out of your mouth. Remember, not all prayers
have the same "yes" answer. God is totally wise, and He knows exactly what's best for you. It's important for
you to pray according to God's will, and you can find that in His Word. Sometimes He says, "Not yet." Whether
your answer is yes, no, or not yet, He hears you and goes to work before you finish praying.
Right with God
June 28
"1Since
we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we have
of sharing God's glory. We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience.
And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has
poured His love to fill our hearts. He gave us His love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given us.
6 When we were unable to help ourselves, at the moment of our
need, Christ died for us,although we were lving against God.
Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although
perhaps for a good person someone migh possibly die. But God shows His great love for us in this way: Christ died
for us while we were still sinners.
9 So through Christ we will surely be saved from God's anger, because we have been made right with God by the blood of
Christ's death. While we were God's enemies, He made friends with us through the death of His Son. Surely, now that
we are His friends, He will save us through His Son's life. And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we are now God's friends again." (Romans 5: 1-11)
"Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace
with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Now that you are a believer, the battle for your
spirit is over. You chose the path of victory when you chose Jesus. When you trusted Him, God gave you peace.
Are you enjoying the peace you have, or are you trying to fight a battle that's already been won? God wants to come
into your life and bring calm to the chaos. He wants you to let Him be the light that shatters your darkest storm.
A lot of people give their hearts to Jesus and then keep fighting the same old way they used to. With the peace of God,
you can let go of some of your anxiety about grades, college, finances, family, whatever. Do everything you know to
do and trust God. You don't have to go through life by yourself anymore
Obedience
June 20
"But Jesus said, "No, happy are those who hear the teaching of God and obey it."
(Luke 11:28)
"Hear and obey God's message." You've probably heard it said before.
"It is better to obey than to sacrifice" (1 Sam. 15:22) And you know what? It's true. When we begin walking
in obedience, that's when the blessings of God begin to flow. It's one thing to just hear the Word of God, or to read
it, but it's something else for us to start obeying it. God's Word says that if we love Him, we will obey Him. (John
14:15 & 15:10). That's why when we seek God and His goodness first, then all these things will be added to us.
As we begin to seek goodness and walk in obedience, blessings will find their way to us.
"But if you do not obey Me and keep all My commands, and if you turn away from My
rules and hate My laws, refusing to obey all MY commands, you have broken our agreement. As a result, I will do this
to you: I will cause terrible things to happen to you. I will cause you to have disease and fever that wil destroy
your eyes and slowly kill you ... If after all this you still do not obey Me, I will punish you seven times more
for your sins." (Leviticus 26:14-18)
God intends for us to obey His laws. He gave us laws in order to give us guidance
and boundaries. God designed our lives, so He knows better than anyone how they need to operate. Breaking God's
law is a sin. God punishes sin for the same reason that a parent fairly punishes a child for disobedience.
"Try to do good, not evil, so that you will live, and the Lord God All-Powerful will
be with you just as you say He is." (Amos 5:14)
"The Lord searches all the earth for people who have give themselves completely to
Him. He wants to make them strong." (2 Corinthians 16:9)
God watches you constantly. He's not peering down from heaven so He can whack
you on the head when you blow it, but to give an extra measure of strength to people who are being faithful. He gives
strength and support to those who are obedient-to those who hearts belong to Him. If you've ever tried to be obedient,
you know that most of the time it takes more courage to do the right thing than to follow the crowd. He promises to
see you and your efforts. Your job is to be faithful. God promises to never miss a thing. And God doesn't
break His promises.
God's Love
June 8
Give thanks to the Lord because He is good. His love continues
forever. (Psalm 136:1)
This whole chapter in Psalm 136 tells about God's enduring love.
He loves us with merciful, unconditional love. It doesn't matter what you look like, how much money you have, or what
your past is like. God loves you anyway! Regardless of anything, God loves you just the same. That's the
kind of love we need to have for each other. We need to look at the world through Jesus' eyes.
There's a story in Mark 2 about four men who brought a paralyzed man
to Jesus for healing. There was not enough room for them, so they ripped a hole in the roof where Jesus was teaching
and lowered the man down through the hole. Now that's compassion. When Jesus saw their faith, He healed the man.
These four men loved their friend with unconditional love. They were willing to rip off a roof to get him healed.
Even though they probably had needs themselves, the only thing they were concerned about was getting their friend to Jesus.
Unconditional love.
Next time you've failed and feel like nobody cares, remember
that God loves you unconditionally. Like those friends, He's willing to rip a roof in order to show you the love
and mercy you need.
Here's a thought to close with: "To me the only important
thing about living is Christ, and dying would be a profit for me." (Philippians 1:21)
Think about that verse ... Can you relate to it? If not, what
do YOU need to do to change that?
Love
May 31
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy
and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain
nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,
they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For
we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When
I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and
love. But the greatest of these is love.
Something to Look Forward to
May 21
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:1-2)
Your body is just a temporary home. That's right, it's just
like a tent--a place for the real you, your spirit, to live in. It's important to exercise, eat right, and take care
of your body, but someday your tent is going to check out of here. That's just the natural cycle of life. Your body
cannot live forever, but thank God, death is not the end. You're on your way to a much greater place--a place where
there's no more sadness, a place we've all heard about, a place called heaven! Your body may be like a tent down here on earth,
but someday you're going to live in a home that God himself has prepared just for you. Just think--He made the whole
world in seven days, but He's still working on your eternal home. Your mind can't even imagine how awesome that place
will be. So don't be discouraged with your home here on earth. It won't be long, and you'll be walking those streets
of gold.
"If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old
things have gone; everything is made new!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The Bible talks a lot about God's power. There are lots of stories
about how He wiped our armies, cured diseases, and brought dead people back to life. Here, Paul is talking about one
of God's less spectacular miracles. Its an invisible thing, but it's very real. When you let your life belong to Jesus,
He makes you a new creation--a new person. What happens is this: Your spirit--the real you-- is made new.
Your mind and body are not. They are your responsiblity. Once you make Jesus your Lord, your job is to renew your mind
with His Word and to practice purity and self-control in your body.
Here's another miracle: The past IS forgotten. It's
like all the bad things that hurt you never happened. You don't have to define yourself by things that have
happened in the past; instead, you can define yourself by what GOD says about you. He made you to be happy, confident,
and complete. The old junk passes away and you become a brand new person.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
May 1
This week is just going to be lyrics.
I heard these songs on WAYFM and it is just a great reassurance knowing that God is always by our side and heals us from our
pain, so I encourage you to read the lyrics to these two songs.
Joy Williams-Hide
To anyone
who hides behind a smile
To anyone who holds their pain inside
To anyone who thinks they're not good enough
To anyone who feels unworthy of love
To anyone who ever closed the door
Closed their eyes and locked themselves away
You don't have to hide
You don't have to hide anymore
You don't have to face this on your own
You don't have to hide anymore
So come out, come out, come out wherever you are
To anyone who's tryin' to cover up their scars
To anyone who's ever made a big mistake
We've all been there, so don't be ashamed
Come out, come out and join the rest of us
You've been alone for way too long
And if you feel like no one understands
Come to the One with scars on His hands
'Cause He knows where you are, where you've been
His scars will heal you if you let HimI know that this song is on the first page,
but it is my favorite song and the lyrics are so strong, so incase you didn't read it before, now
is your chance. :)Building 429-No One Else Knows My world is closing in
On the inside
But I'm not showing it
When all I am is crying out
I hold it in and fake a smile
Still I'm broken
I'm broken
Only One can understand
And only One can hold the hand
Of the broken
Of the broken
When no one else knows how I feel
Your love for me is proven real
When no one else cares where I've been
You run to me with outstretched hands
And You hold me in Your arms
Again
I need no explanation of why me
I just need confirmation
Only You could understand the emptiness inside my head
I am falling
I am falling
I'm falling down upon my knees
To find the One who gives me peace
I am flying
Lord I am flying
When no one else knows how I feel
Your love for me is proven real
When no one else cares where I've been
You run to me with outstretched hands
And You hold me in Your arms
Again
I have come to you in search of faith
Cause I can't see beyond this place
Oh You are God and I am man
So I'll leave it in Your hands___________________________________________________________________
What Kind of Friends Do You Need?
April 24
"You are not the same as those who do not believe.
So do not join yourselves to them. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together."
-2 Corinthians 6:14
"Leave those people, and be seperate, says the Lord.
Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will accept you. I will be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the
Lord Almighty." -2 Samuel 7:14
"Do not be fooled: 'Bad friends will ruin good habits.'
" -1 Corinthians 15:33
Parents know that sooner or later you begin to look
and act like the people you hang out with. You start wearing the same kind of clothes, speaking the same lingo, hanging
out at the same places, doing the smae things. Eventually your friends begin to give you advice. If your friends
are wise and make wise decisions, then everything's cool. It's the foolish friends that get you into trouble.
Proverbs 13 affirms that in verse 20, "Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer."
______________________________________________________
God Will Reward Fairly
April 2
Don't be upset because of evil people.
Don't be jealous of those who do wrong, because like the grass, they will soon dry up. Like green plants, they will soon die
away.
Trust in the Lord and do good. Live in the land and feed on
the truth. Enjoy serving the Lord; trust Him, and He will take care of you. Then your goodness will shine like
the sun, and your fairness like the noonday sun.
Wait and trust the Lord. Don't be upset when others get
rich or when someone else's plans succeed. Don't get angry. Don't be upset; it only leads to trouble.
Evil people will be sent away, but those who trust in the Lord will inherit the land. -Psalm 37:1-9
This was our Wednesday night lesson
last week and it really, really opened my eyes and these verses just ... I really don't know how to explain, but if you read
them, maybe you too will gain an understanding of how important it is to follow God, and not those who aren't following God.
The rest of the chapter is very good too, but that's a lot to type, so I encourage you to read the rest of the verses.
It goes on to say that "The power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports those who do right."
______________________________________________________________________
March 30
"No one has ever given Me anything
I must pay back, because everything under the sky belongs to Me."-Job 41:11
Ever feel like the world is out of
control? People are doing the craziest things with the place God has given them. Abusing their bodies with any
substance imaginable. Treating one another with total disrespect. Violent attitudes and behavior are rampant.
It would be easy to think that God has turned his back and left. He has gotten fed up with the wole mess and jsut quit.
Who would blame Him? We should have quit a long time ago. But not God.
He is still in the command of the
world. His power has not been weakened. His plans have not been changed. He isn't even surprised at how
badly we've messed up. He knows that when we choose not to follw Him, we wander around, trying to fix everything ourselves,
and finally make things worse. The Commander is still leading. Will you follow, or will you join the world and
its chaos?
"God wanted to prove that His promise was true to those who would
get what He promised. And He wanted them to understand clearly that His purposes never change, so He made an oath.
These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when He makes a promise, and He cannot lie when He makes an oath.
These things encourge us who come to God for safety. They guve us strength to hold on to the hop we have been give."
-Hebrews 6:17-18
Do you ever doubt God? Maybe you doubt the whole thing--God,
the Bible, and all the Jesus stuff. Do you think that everyone who belives must be out to lunch? Maybe you do
believe in God, but aren't sure that He's really going to come through for you. Hebrews says that the hope of Christ
is right in front of you. You are holding a record of the promises God has made to you. He has told the truth.
He has kept His promises. His vows have never changed. Be encouraged and run to Him because He never lies.
You've got to make up your mind to believe that you've got to decide that you are going to believe in His Word. Until
you've mdae that commitment, you'll constantly struggle with doubt.
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