Archives for July 2011

I was raised by a Christian mother and went to church two to three times a week, so I knew “something” about God. I remember my innocent talks with God as a child. After that, my prayers became bedtime rituals . . . but when I made a profession of my love for Jesus/Yeshua at the age of 22, my first two experiences with prayer didn’t seem quite adequate enough.

• First of all, I did have to come as His child, but all those public prayers that I heard in church did not sound like a child talking to a Father. They were more like guilty people talking to a judge or a sick person imploring a healer to make Him well.
• Just as I did as a child, I knew I had to talk to Him with genuineness and sincerity, but this time I had made an open, public declaration of my love for and my faith in Him. What was I to do?

Understanding what I went through, I want to lift up “those who are learning about prayer,” a focus again taken from my UPPER ROOM Devotional. Would you pray with me today?

• Father, those who are learning to pray, be with them as you were with me.
• Teach them that all they need is a sincere heart to talk to you. Teach them the truth of your words, that if they seek you they will find you.
• Teach them that prayer is not linear; it’s not just they talk to you and you listen. Teach them that prayer is cyclical. They talk, you listen; you talk back; they listen; and they respond. And the wonderful cycle continues. Let them know that their response to hearing you in the secret place is also a part of prayer.
• Abba, let them know you as Daddy. Show them what it means to be your child. They never need to be ashamed or scared to come to you. All they need to do is just come — just as they are!

Let their talks with you be exciting, edifying, sobering, and elevating! May they find incredible communion with you in the secret place!

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I woke up the morning after my flight to West Palm Beach with great neck and ear pain. Ironically when I read my UPPER ROOM DEVOTIONAL, the prayer focus was “airline and airport personnel.”

So will you join me as we lift them before God today?

Father, we pray for the airlines, everyone connected with them. The ticket agents who deal with short-tempered people, late for their flights and taking their frustration out on the agents. Bless these ticket agents. I pray for baggage personnel who need to make sure that the correct baggage is transferred to the proper planes. Give them great strength and wisdom. I pray for ticket/ID checkers & x-ray machine operaters; give them keen eyes and alertness to see any device that will potentially harm the passengers and workers and to detect anyone traveling in subterfuge. I lift up flight attendants who serve to make our flights pleasant; some of them do it for the money, the adventure; for some it is a passion. Give them your grace to give that grace to others. For the pilots we pray rest before their flights; against any kind of substance abuse; we pray for disciplined lives; we pray for vigilance and sobriety, for mental acuity and success in every flight. For the air traffic controllers we pray that they would have great vision and alertness and seriousness for their jobs and a greater passion to see planes make safe landings. Thank you for the ground crew who make sure that the way is clear for planes to connect to the concourse; give them great success on their jobs as well, Father. And for technicians and mechanics, give them great expertise in their craft and thank you for their wisdom in judging the integrity of planes and halting them for departure . . . even though we as passengers complain and berate them. All we’re thinking about is getting home, and they are thinking about the safety of the plane and our safety.

Thank you for all those who make air travel as safe and as pleasant as possible. Thank you for the wisdom you have given man to travel this way. You are indeed an amazing God! Amen!

“I try to get up in the morning and spend time with God like others do,” a woman confessed, “but I can’t seem to do it.”

I knew right away that she had been trying to fit into a mold that someone else had carved out for her. We do it all the time. We have done it our entire lives, so then it would only make logical sense to carry that “I-want-to-be-a-part-of-the-club” mentality with us into the Kingdom of God.

For instance, there was a time that I would fall to my knees and pray before I went to bed. Then I heard someone telling us how to get closer to God. “You don’t have to get on your knees,” he said. “There are so many postures to prayer. I can pray lying in bed.”

So I tried it. I tried to do what he said. After all, he had more experience with the Lord than I did, and if I wanted to fit into this new club, I should do the same. It did not work for me . . . it only serve to break a rhythm for me.

We must remember that God is our plumbline. He is the one upon whom we should set our sights and focus. He is the One who tells us how He likes us to worship Him or commune with Him. I am the only one who can be ME with Him. You are the only one who can be YOU with Him.

Notice, God did not give a hard and fast rule on how to spend time with Him. Yeshua got up early in the morning — but He never said, “This is how it is to be done.” He prayed on a mountain, in a boat, before a tomb — but he never said, “You need to kneel here or lie there!” And if He did not say it, maybe I should not listen to others who tell what posture I should take or the time of day I should pray. Yeshua just wants us to love Him. He just wants our time! If that works for you best lying in bed, then do it! Kneeling! Do it! Lying prostrate! Do it! Praying in the morning! Yay! At night! Hurrah! All day long! To God be the Glory!

PRAYER: Forgive us for allowing others to fit us into their molds. Help us to forgive them and ourselves for placing the thoughts and ideas of others above yours. Show me how to worship you as only I can do it! Show me how to spend time with you as only I can do it! Thank you for putting my gaze back upon you.

Enjoy this prophetic song by Misty Edwards: “I Knew What I Was Getting into“:

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ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

My prayer focus this morning from my UPPER ROOM Devotional is “those who repair roads.” As I prayed for them, I thought of all the others we fail to mention in our prayers who make our lives a little easier. So I want to thank God for those working in the heat today to earn a living and to make it easier and safer for us to drive and to be safe on the roads — those with jackhammers, and cement trucks, holding flags and signs. Bless them today, Father!

I ask you today to bless janitors, secretaries, bricklayers, masons, welders, carpenters, roofers. Thank you for their service to us and especially to your people.

I bless hair stylists and barbers, telephone operators and “go-fers”! May a kind word be spoken to all of them today, especially from your people. May we be an instrument of your love to those who serve in the trenches and are seldom recognized! Bless these unsung heroes today, Father.

I Dedicate this song to the unsung heroes and those who will bless them: “Prayer for a Friend” by Casting Crowns:

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After having devotions with my niece, it was time for us to pray. Our prayer focus was “those who needed comfort.” I thought about the encounters  just this week I had of those who needed comfort:

1. a woman who had lost her sister and was not able to attend the funeral services.
2. another woman who was told by her doctor that the cancer had spread to her lungs;
3. a man whose marriage is failing;
4. a young woman with a chronic illness that debilitates her for long periods of time;
5. a woman whose husband has missed three days work because he is under spiritual attack;
6. an older woman who was involved in her first car accident at the age of 88;
7. a young woman who had surgery to her leg;
8. a mother who can’t seem to trust God for the welfare of her son;
9. a family traveling from Atlanta to Virginia with no money;
10. a woman of God who had been awake for 2 nights with chronic asthma;
11. another woman who was sitting in a credit counseling service because she is being overwhelmed by debt;
12. a young woman on whose heart the doctor found scar tissue–signs of a previous, undetected heart attack;

THAT WAS JUST THIS WEEK, but the list goes on! Apostle Paul called God “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1) My niece prayed something that I wish all of us could do, exhibit, manifest . . . show. She said, “Father help us to comfort others with the same comfort that you give us.” That’s exactly what Paul prayed: “…so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4b).

PRAYER: Abba, Ava Rachameen/Father of Compassion, you comfort us in all our troubles. You promised that those who mourn would be comforted. Touch all your children who need to be comforted today, so that we, in turn, will be able to comfort others. Amen.

Be comforted by the anointed music of Dennis Jernigan, “When the Night is Falling”:

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In my Upper Room Devotional, today’s prayer focus was for those recently released from prison. Of course I prayed for those who are still in prison, for mothers who are still trying to instill hope in their children’s lives, even though many, or few, years of their lives will be lived behind bars.

I thought of those who had been released. What about the fear they must face! What about the changes in the environment that they are thrust back into! What about the patience needed to become more acclimated to the world! What about the frustration they will undoubtedly feel on the work force — even finding a job — in their familes, their churches. Will we, believers, as an extension of the hand and heart of God, love them back to life?

Then I thought about the prison that we had been released from when Yeshua rescued us! He set the captive free! He preached liberty to those of us behind the bars of sin and depravity! Our walk with Him is just like the ex-prisoner . . . but we have Him!

I encourage you today to understand that your walk with God is so much easier than your walk without HIm! It will be difficult either way . . . but with Him ex-prisoners (which is what we were) can live victorious lives!

PRAYER: Father, bless those coming out of prison. If they don’t know you, help them to find you. Bless your laborers who will point them in Your direction! Thank you for freeing us from spiritual captivity and for helping to bear all the feelings and hurts that we have developed because of our past imprisonment! Freedom with You is real freedom!

Rejoice in the freedom with Ross Parsley, “I am Free to Run”:

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One of my prayer topics this week was “Those Estranged from Loved Ones.” I realized that that prayer focus would affect every family in America, probably around the globe.

What keeps us apart — differences, hurts?  The bottom line just might be unforgiveness.

Consider these scenarios: A sister said something to another sibling when she was young and the sibling has not been able to shake it and never able to confront it. A father abandoned you, and you never got over it. A brother did not defend you and you have never been able to forgive him because that moment hurt you deeply. Your children did not turn out the way you intended, and you cannot forgive them for destroying your dreams. A friend did not support you when you really needed him/her and the relationship has never been the same again. That pastor overlooked you and focused on someone else you felt was less worthy of his attention.

What will it cost to mend these relationships? A lot of vulnerability. A lot of grace! A lot of desire for God‘s heart!

What will it do for you? It will release you from the curse of carrying these weights on your shoulders. You probably did not know they were there! They had become comfortable. But they manifest themselves in short-temperedness, anger, seclusion, loneliness, stress, tumors, high blood pressure, cancer . . . the list is endless.

When we forgive, we get to walk in freedom and not have that person control our lives!

PRAYER: Father, help us to walk in forgiveness 24/7! Help us to trust in your love! Amen!

Here’s to mending relationships!

Enjoy this song by Dennis Jernigan “It’s Gonna Be Alright.” Let God just wrap you in His arms and teach you how to forgive yourself and forgive those who have offended you.

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I’d like to encourage all believers today! We live in a time that is so pregnant with signs of the Lord‘s return. I know that every generation has said this — and has believed it! Paul even said it (that the Lord would return in his day) — and believed it! He went on to do some amazing things because he believed it!
THERE is the nugget of wisdom that you should take away from this exhortation!

1. If you really believe that the Lord will come in our day, you will do great things.
2. If you really believe it, you will believe that the things you do in the natural realm have direct, eternal consequences.
3. If you believe it, you will tell everyone you know about the Love of Messiah Yeshua;
4. If you really believe it, you will know that those without Him are doomed and dying;
5. If you really believed it, you would know that the salvation of the Jewish people is so important to God‘s heart!

Father, help us to believe that your return is imminent and to work in that attitude! It will reap the greatest results for our lives and for the Kingdom!

“The effectual, fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much,” so says James 5:16b. That means there must be energy behind our prayers. That means we have to really want what we are praying for. No wonder it sometimes takes desperation and persecution to drive us to desire the things of God more than life or necessary food.

Father, if my prayer is lacking fervency, help me to love you more and to understand that this is what you require if I am to have what I ask for. It is not necessarily tears that move You, but a deep desire for your heart! Amen!

“Blessed are the Hungry. You said it-I believe it. Hunger is an escort to deeper things of You!”

These are lyrics from Misty Edwards’ song “Soul Cry” (boldface mine).

Everyone of us is hungry for the things of God. Some of us just don’t know it! I just encourage you not to eat too long and voraciously from the table of this world. It will never fill you! You will just eat because your soul is hungry, but the things of this world will never satiate the hunger.
God has given us that hunger so that it will escort us to the deep things of God!

1) the grace of a Redeemer who was not satisfied to leave us without access to Him;
2) the compassion of a Creator who says I want to give you all that I have;
3) the unconditional love of a Father who says I have graduated you from servant, to child, to joint-heir!

Is anyone hungry? Yes, we all are!

Thank you, Father, for making us hungry, for putting the hunger within us so that we would want you, so that we could not miss your divine encounters, so that we would not be satisfied by anything  or anyone but You! Make us aware of our hunger, Father. You are the best “thing” for us! You are what we need! . Even if we never acknowledge it cognitively, the yearning in our spirits say it is so. You are absolutely amazing! Amen.

Enjoy Misty Edwards’ song “Soul Cry.”

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