Day 11 – First Class Noticer -
“Devote yourselves to prayer. Be watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
We become God’s watchmen when we pray. Being watchful is a reference to the Old Testament - era practice of watchmen who sat on the wall of a city, keeping watch. They were the first to see everything and any potential danger. Prayer is the difference between seeing with our physical eyes, and seeing with our spiritual eyes. Through prayer, we get a “God’s-eye view”.
Day 12 – Sow a Seed -
“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…” Matthew 17:20
To understand the potential of faith, we need to understand the power of a seed. Like every seed, the mustard seed must germinate; and this particular seed can take up to 10 days. And some plants, like some dreams, take longer. Faith is what keeps dreams alive even when it seems like they are dead and buried. This is very nature of seeds. They go underground and disappear. They appear to be dead, but they are not; they are germinating beneath the surface. Each prayer is like a seed that gets planted in the ground. It may disappear for a season, but it eventually bears fruit that blesses future generations. Our prayers bear fruit forever. For even when we die, our prayers don’t. Sow a seed!
Day 13 – One Day -
“One day, at about 3 in the afternoon, he had a vision” Acts 10:3
Pastor Batterson talks about the hope that is inspired by the two-word phrase, “one day”, because one day could be today. Today could be the day that God answers a prayer or performs a miracle. “In one day, God can bring back a prodigal child…in one day, God can provide more than someone has accumulated in a lifetime.” If we are to experience a miracle one day, we must pray every day. Prayer is not like playing the lottery. Prayer is an intentional, active investment in an intimate dialogue with God – and ONE DAY (and there will be many “one day’s”) those daily prayer deposits will pay dividends beyond our wildest imagination!
Day 14 – Speak to the Mountain -
“Say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” Matthew 17:20
“There comes a moment when you must quit talking to God about the mountain in your life and start talking to the mountain about your God.” How does that “look”? When we proclaim His power, declare His sovereignty, affirm His faithfulness, stand on His Word and cling to His promises, we are speaking to the mountain about the Rock of our salvation and the Lifter up of our heads. When we remember: “if God be for us, who can be against us?” ; and when we trust and BELIEVE that the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world – and that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us because ALL things (good and bad) God will work together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose – MOUNTAINS HAVE TO MOVE! (Paraphrased Romans 8:28,31; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 4:13)
Day 15 – Contend for Me -
“Contend for me, my God and Lord.” Psalm 35:23
Author, Pastor Mark Batterson says “God loves it when we fight for Him. But God loves it even more when we let Him fight for us! How do we do that? When we hit our knees, God extends His mighty right hand on our behalf. When we pray, He fights our battles for us. So keep fighting the good fight, but let God fight for you.” Prayer is the way we take ourselves out of the equation and let God handle things. And we have two intercessors fighting for us, lifting us up before the Father – the Holy Spirit and the Son of God. With this kind of Power packed “double circle” around us, we can have holy confidence in any situation. Even through the sacrifices and the setbacks – we know that the war is already won.
No comments:
Post a Comment