Tag: hope

How to have an Awesome Iron Pumped Prayer Life

How to have an Awesome Iron Pumped Prayer Life

This Christian pilgrimage is laden with many dangers. It is filled with adversities whose battle cry is for the vanquishment of true joy from our hearts. So often we live on an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. Too often, our prayer lives follow that same rollercoaster of disparate cries for help to fleeting waves of “hello” as we skip along the path. We remember to pray most when we have our bucket list of wants to present or when tragedy strikes. Yet, prayer is meant for so much more than that. Look at Ephesians 6, where Paul warns us that we are in the midst of war and must be prepared at all times. Our only weapon is the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit” (Ephesians 6: 17-18). The strength and muscle which wields the sword in battle is prayer. We need our prayer muscles built so that we can wield the Spirit’s sword of the Word with powerful might. A body builder spends hours in the gym to develop strength.

muscle builderPicture used by permission of the artist Ronald Barba who owns the copyright.  For information on go to http://www.barba-art.com

[bctt tweet=”To have strength to wield our spiritual sword in battle, we need an awesome iron pumped prayer life”] How do we do that? We begin by daily setting aside time to be with our heavenly Father. We need to realize that prayer is much more than our “to do list for God.” Prayer is the power source for our sustained joy in this Christian life. Prayer is the power source for our victory in the battles of this life. And prayer is the power source for our hope. Prayer is the power lifting exercise that gives us the strength to wield the Spirits Sword of the Word. At the same time, the weights needed to spiritually pump iron are the words of God!

IRON PUMPING WEIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURE

 

There are 5 ways that the scripture serves to strengthen our prayers.

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Really, God? That is the battle plan for Victory?

Really, God? That is the battle plan for Victory?

Truth is hard sometimes. Today it felt like a knife ripping through my heart. A Battle was raging within my spirit and I needed to know the battle plan. I needed to know God’s battle plan for my life. When I started my blog in 2010, I started it with one purpose in mind. I wanted just to tell any weary disheartened soul that might find my page; “There is hope in Christ.” Occasionally along this path of blogging, speaking and writing; I get caught in the dream of growing this to where I could do it full time. How glorious it be to be able to make a living helping people find a joyous life in Christ!! Yet, I have been unwilling to compromise and allow advertising on my site; because, I haven’t found a way to control the advertising well enough. I want the message of Christ to go out to the world!! Not a bunch of conflicting commercials that may cause harm.   For me the time, the money and the work I do with this website is a labor of love first and foremost for my Savior and for you whomever might come to read for a while.

smcas0189© Steve Creitz/Licensed from GoodSalt.com

[bctt tweet=”I write because deep within me is a burning passion that I must write. Hope cannot be silent.”]

REFLECTION AND REFOCUS

Today I realized that once more I had allowed myself to become concerned about “growing my numbers and pressing forward to success.” I have been studying, rewording, revamping and doing what all the sources say do. That is not the problem. The problem comes only if I lose sight of the true purpose for which I began this ministry.

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How to Actually Conquer Your Fear of Inadequacy

How to Actually Conquer Your Fear of Inadequacy

Sometime in 2005 the desire to be an orator for God began. It was about the same time that I was drawn to writing “A Broken and Contrite Heart.” I began to study, pray, and journal as I prepared to write this book. Occasional words of poetry began to be also in my journal. Still there was another voice inside that paralyzed me from continuing, “Why would God choose me to speak or write? I had speech therapy as a child and I still sometimes stutter when I get nervous. I don’t have any special talent like comedy or singing to draw the people. I am just me. If the people look deep and discover how often I have failed in this Christian walk, the times I have been filled with trembling fear, or lost my way because of jealousy-anger; they might condemn me. Instead of helping God, I might just mess things up. Why would anyone want to hear my story?” Still, deep within me a soft voice pushed me forward.

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[bctt tweet=”The next step to your Destiny is Now!!”]

JUST TELL YOUR STORY

Then, I heard David Ring say, “If you want to make an impact for Christ, just tell your story.” So, I began; but only intermittently until emergency surgery forced me to sit down for two months. I had to smile, as I told God, “I guess I have run out of excuses. I will finish the book now.” I did and I published it later that year. My hesitation had been my own fear of inadequacy. I was so afraid that I might fail God in what I wrote. Or worse, if I let people too close and they see my scars will God be embarrassed of me. Sound familiar? It is the story of almost every one of God’s Biblical Heroes of Faith. God was so kind that in each of their stories, He included all the blemishes and all the failures in the narratives of their stories. Yet, in Hebrews 11; they still were the heroes. That is God’s amazing Grace and love. He chooses ordinary people (like me) to do His extraordinary work.

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5 Truths to Audacious Faith in a Parched Life

5 Truths to Audacious Faith in a Parched Life

All alone, I once more was packing up a house to load a truck and cross the country to go where I was certain that God had commanded I go. Going through all the “stuff” and downsizing. How do we accumulate so much stuff over time? Stuff that seemed so trivial and unnecessary. Trinkets and objects that perhaps once seemed important were now what I was discarding. I sighed with the thought, “How much money wasted that could have been used for something more important?” I was tired of moving while at the same time filled with the anticipation of what God had planned. Though I was wearied by my life’s journey, I had over the years learned that God loved me with an everlasting love, God had a perfect plan for my life, and He was the treasure I sought in what was often a dry and thirsty land. Through all the pains, sorrows, surgeries, and losses of this life; God had been there to guide me. I had loaded the final box. Then the trailer hauling my car was attached behind. Tired and exhausted I went to the empty house to sleep on the floor before leaving the next day. I wasn’t certain what awaited me in Missouri; but, this I knew. God was with me and before me. He had a plan and that was for my good.

 

In the deserts of lifeoriginal photography courtesy of Jim Peregoy

TENTS IN THE DESERT

Abraham had headed out into a land unknown because God said go. There were times when Abraham got lost along the way. There were times when Abraham’s faith waivered; but, in his heart—he loved God. He believed God. He always returned to the altar where he was willing to place his greatest earthly treasure because he trusted God. His faith had grown wandering in that desert. He had come to learn of God’s faithfulness. More importantly, he had come to realize that the promises of God were still yet to come. God would one day, through the seed of Abraham send down His own greatest treasure to be poured out as a sacrifice that all nations might be blessed. Christ would come; just not in Abraham’s earthly lifetime.

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Can Fear Engender Faith?

When I walked into the assisted living where mom is now staying, it was about 5 pm. She wasn’t at the dinner table where she normally would be at that time of day. They didn’t serve the food until about 5:30; but she always got there early to “make certain they didn’t forget her.” This time, I found her in her room with the lights off. She was lying in bed and kept saying, “I am just sick because I am so afraid I am going to run out of diapers. I couldn’t even sleep last night.” I went over to her closet to find she had over 50 pull ups there. She was in a complete panic. I could see the fear in her eyes. I tried to comfort her with the reality that she had more than enough to last at least two weeks and that I would bring them later in the week. No decrease in her panic. I reminded her that never over the 13 years that she lived with me did she run out of anything that she needed; because I had always provided. Still, no decrease in her panic. Again, I reminded her that I came regularly with additional things at least 2 times per week. She had a pantry of food in her room that I kept stocked, “just in case they forget her or are late.” Finally, I promised to return the next day with a fresh new supply of 72 more and then she was content.

faith to trust

DOES GOD WEEP WHEN I AM DOUBT HIS GOODNESS?

For me there was the blend of frustration and sadness, that after all I have done to try to ease her anxieties, she was still afraid over what for me are trivial things. Then I realized that for an all-powerful God who has provided for me every step of the way, how often I have sounded just like Mom sounded. Throughout the scripture, God has written; “do not fear for I am with you.” Yet, how often have I in my lifetime felt fear; even panic while awaiting His answer to something I am certain would now seem trivial. How often in my lifetime have I caused God sadness because I didn’t see that He was enough? Jesus wept when the crowd did not recognize that He had come with the gift of life to raise Lazarus from the dead. He had come to demonstrate His Glory that they might have joy in Him; yet, no one saw that(John 11). Have I caused Him to weep when I have failed to trust Him? He is all I need. He is working out the best for me. He has promised to be faithful and to complete the work He began in my life.

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