MATTHEW 5:6
"When a woman bakes a cake, at some point, she has to close the oven door so the cake will actually bake."
Before we can fight the darkness, plant these churches or free the oppressed, we need to shut the door.
Why is shutting the door so important:
1. It guards your heart against hypocrisy: There's a temptation to pray extra-spiritual prayers, but it's ok to pray short prayers, or to even use white out on some prayers. The devil doesn't want you to pray, and even if you do pray, he wants you to pray in a way that isn't really heartfelt. Jesus said, when you pray be careful that you don't babble.
When you go into the secret place, rote memorization becomes real. The secret place is where you get rid of the hypocrisy of having to please people.
Secrecy is the antidote for the hypocrisy gene that we have.
2. Shutting the door saves my mind from complexity: In a world when there's so much going on around you, Jesus said, shut the door! You've turned off the cell phone, you're not looking at your emails, it's just you and fazher.
Shutting the door is like your Sabbath, it's where you find your rest.
"Jesus is a better Savior than you are a sinner." So, when you say, "I'm not faithful" that's exactly why you need him.
If you don't shut the door, you're gonna work so hard and you're never gonna find your rest.
3. Your heart needs you to shut the door because that's what leads you to your Father:
There's a way in which God manifests himself in the secret place in a way that he doesn't manifest in another place.
Mike's example of Isaiah sneaking a cell phone away to say hi and get his buddy to talk to Mike.
"I love this kid so much, he has this curly hair and this little lisp...sometimes when he's asleep, I just touch his hair or speak into his ear 'Isaiah, your Father loves you."
What if your Father in heaven feels this way about you? I like my son's hair, Jesus, apparently has numbered your hairs..."number one, number two..."
Behold the manner of love the Fathe has bestowed on us, that we should be called sons of God.
Hebrews 4:16, Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace.
I don't know how Jesus did this, but after sweating blood, going to the cross and praying "Father forgive him" he made the throne of justice a throne of grace. Now when you approach , you don't approach on your own righteousness, you approach because of that one who died.
Shut the door, not because you're worthy, but because he is. Not because you're a better sinner, but b/c he's a better savior.
Shutting the door is not a command, it's an invitation.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Psalm 18: 6-7
"In my distress I called to the Lord. I called to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountain shook; they trembled because he was angry."
Medidation
These are such crazy verses. I love them. The image of me, or David, calling out to God in distress and having him respond with such passion and anger on my behalf. I guess it's the way any parent would respond to their child's cry for help when being attacked by bullies...I don't have any kids yet, but I can just imagine my indignation and anger. I felt a littlebit of it when i found out my nephew was being buillied; my whole body got tight and uncomfortabale because of how outraged I was on his behalf. I imagine that's how God must feel, but more. It's such a beutiful thought to know that the most powerful, awesome person allows my cry to come before his holy throne; among a crowd of beggers and praisers and whatever else, he hears me and attends to my requests. Moreover, he doesn't just respond, he feels deeply my distress and is angry on my behalf. Kind'a reminds me of that verse: "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord."
Application
Lord I'm distressed about work. Not full out worry or anything, but still, I'm a little concerned. I don't know why I don't seem to get promoted. I don't know why I haven't gotten any trials; I'm a little nervous and scared at the prospect of them, but I know that I need to do them, that's the whole reason I took this job in the first place. And yet, here I am, preparing case after case, and nothing goes. Worse than that though, I've got the dissapointment of this JOA hanging over my head.
My application of this verse is now, right here. I'm in distress Lord, about this situation, and also about my parent's medical condition. I'm in distress and I'm crying out to you. And as I cry out right now, I am assured by your word because I know that you hear my voice from your temple and that you care and respond, one way or another, I know you hear me and care.
Memorization
In my distress, I called to the Lord. I called to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and quaked and the foundations of the mountain shook; they trembled because he was angry.
Medidation
These are such crazy verses. I love them. The image of me, or David, calling out to God in distress and having him respond with such passion and anger on my behalf. I guess it's the way any parent would respond to their child's cry for help when being attacked by bullies...I don't have any kids yet, but I can just imagine my indignation and anger. I felt a littlebit of it when i found out my nephew was being buillied; my whole body got tight and uncomfortabale because of how outraged I was on his behalf. I imagine that's how God must feel, but more. It's such a beutiful thought to know that the most powerful, awesome person allows my cry to come before his holy throne; among a crowd of beggers and praisers and whatever else, he hears me and attends to my requests. Moreover, he doesn't just respond, he feels deeply my distress and is angry on my behalf. Kind'a reminds me of that verse: "Vengeance is mine, says the Lord."
Application
Lord I'm distressed about work. Not full out worry or anything, but still, I'm a little concerned. I don't know why I don't seem to get promoted. I don't know why I haven't gotten any trials; I'm a little nervous and scared at the prospect of them, but I know that I need to do them, that's the whole reason I took this job in the first place. And yet, here I am, preparing case after case, and nothing goes. Worse than that though, I've got the dissapointment of this JOA hanging over my head.
My application of this verse is now, right here. I'm in distress Lord, about this situation, and also about my parent's medical condition. I'm in distress and I'm crying out to you. And as I cry out right now, I am assured by your word because I know that you hear my voice from your temple and that you care and respond, one way or another, I know you hear me and care.
Memorization
In my distress, I called to the Lord. I called to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and quaked and the foundations of the mountain shook; they trembled because he was angry.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Psalm 18: 2-5
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me."
Meditation
I: not somebody else, not my friend, or my mom, or my sister
Will: I'll do it, not gonna leave it to chance, going to will myself
Call: I'll cry out for you Lord, I'll say your name and ask for you
Upon the Lord: I'll cry out for you, not for anything else to save me, just you, b/c you alone are Lord
Who is worthy to be praised: I'll call upon you because you are God, and you inspire praise in every situation just by the fact of your Deity and also by your wonderful acts
So: in this way, and this is the only way
Shall I: It's not a matter of question or a matter of chance, it's a sure thing
Be saved: you will deliver me, you will rescue me
From my enemies: from everything that is against me, from the orchestrations of hell, from the traps of my flesh, from the people who seek to do me evil
Application
If I was in this situation, I don't know what I would do right now. If death encompassed me and "sorrows of hell" were all around me, I'm not sure how I would stand. God, I need to learn to call upon you more often. When I am at work faced with a distressing situation, when I am in bed struggling with my flesh to get up and seek you....That's when I need to call upon you. Even if these things aren't as serious as death, they're still my enemies seeking to rob me of joy and of my communion with you. Stress and laziness are my enemies.
And in the future, when i am scared and facing a situation like death I will also call upon you and be confident in the fact that I will be saved.
Memorization
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Meditation
I: not somebody else, not my friend, or my mom, or my sister
Will: I'll do it, not gonna leave it to chance, going to will myself
Call: I'll cry out for you Lord, I'll say your name and ask for you
Upon the Lord: I'll cry out for you, not for anything else to save me, just you, b/c you alone are Lord
Who is worthy to be praised: I'll call upon you because you are God, and you inspire praise in every situation just by the fact of your Deity and also by your wonderful acts
So: in this way, and this is the only way
Shall I: It's not a matter of question or a matter of chance, it's a sure thing
Be saved: you will deliver me, you will rescue me
From my enemies: from everything that is against me, from the orchestrations of hell, from the traps of my flesh, from the people who seek to do me evil
Application
If I was in this situation, I don't know what I would do right now. If death encompassed me and "sorrows of hell" were all around me, I'm not sure how I would stand. God, I need to learn to call upon you more often. When I am at work faced with a distressing situation, when I am in bed struggling with my flesh to get up and seek you....That's when I need to call upon you. Even if these things aren't as serious as death, they're still my enemies seeking to rob me of joy and of my communion with you. Stress and laziness are my enemies.
And in the future, when i am scared and facing a situation like death I will also call upon you and be confident in the fact that I will be saved.
Memorization
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thanksgiving Psalms, Psalm 18: 1-2
Thanksgiving Psalms
18, 21, 30, 32*, 34, 40:1-11, 66:13-20, 92, 108*, 116, 118, 138
http://www.crivoice.org/psalmtypes.html
A study based on Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods (Devotional Study Form)
I love you Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2
Meditation
I love the Lord, so much because among other things, he is the strength of my life. He is my source of life and the reason life is worthwhile.
Application
My actions speak louder than my words. If the Lord really is the strength of my life and I love him as I say, then I need to be communing with him every day. If he is my source of life and the reason that life is made worthwile, then why no speak to him and draw from his strength and goodness? I need to make a strong resolution to seek you. I will wake up tomorrow to pray as well.
Memorization
I love you Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1
18, 21, 30, 32*, 34, 40:1-11, 66:13-20, 92, 108*, 116, 118, 138
http://www.crivoice.org/psalmtypes.html
A study based on Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods (Devotional Study Form)
I love you Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:1-2
Meditation
I love the Lord, so much because among other things, he is the strength of my life. He is my source of life and the reason life is worthwhile.
Application
My actions speak louder than my words. If the Lord really is the strength of my life and I love him as I say, then I need to be communing with him every day. If he is my source of life and the reason that life is made worthwile, then why no speak to him and draw from his strength and goodness? I need to make a strong resolution to seek you. I will wake up tomorrow to pray as well.
Memorization
I love you Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1
Sunday, January 22, 2012
New Year...
Yes, it's a new year. Shame on me, I haven't even written about it...life's been so busy with this new job and this incessant commute. I will try to catch up by writing with more frequency in the coming weeks...
My Decision to Become A Morning Person
I decided to become a morning person. I've made this decision several times. Each time, it's been triggered by the same thing...my prayer life, my absolute failure in establishing a constant, steady and fixed prayer life. I hate it. I hate that about me, how I can't seem to pray for longer than a few weeks at a time without ceasing. So here I go again one more time.
My goal is to get up with sufficient time to spend at least one hour in quiet time. The problem with this is that I've discovered that I don't function very well unless I have eight hours of sleep. The hours of a day, are working against me. I'm thinking 7 1/2 will have to do. So here's the plan, from now until March 22 (I hear it takes six weeks to form a habit)...
1. I will go to bed at 9:30 every weekday.
2. I will wake up every morning (including the weekends) at 5:00 a.m.
3. I will read my Bible in my quiet time.
4. I will eat breakfast every day.
Ok, so there it is. I made this resolution at the beginning of the year but I messed up already. Let's see how I fare this second time...God, please help me.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Prayer and Supplication...
So, I've arrived at the conclusion that life just gets more complicated the older you get. Dear Lord, I've got such a headache. So many worries, so many things going all at once. Work, Fabian's situation, my brother, the list goes on and on. Oh dear Lord, all it does is show me how much I need you everyday. You are the reason I can get thru it all. You fill my life. And I know that your word prevails.
"Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication make your requests known to God." That's what I'm doing today, Lord. I know I can only find myself in you. I know my life is hidden in you. This world will pass, these troubles of today will pass, but you remain as the steadfast rock in my life. My God, in whom, I lean on, rely and confidently trust. I want community with you, God. Give me dove's eyes, to only see you. Fill my life with you, make me that woman of faith, that woman who lives out of every word that proceeds from your mouth.
Father, I lift up Fabian to you. Dear God, you know how troubled my heart is. I don't know what to do but pray. And so I am praying. Dear Lord have mercy upon him, send your angels to guard him and keep him. Reveal yourself to him. Jesus, save him! Lift him out of the miry clay and show him your goodness, your everlasting life. Please, Dear Lord, bring the things that are hidden into the light. Give David wisdom and discernment to speak to him. Give A visions and dreams, reveal to her the things he is hiding. Father be his potter. That you would mold and rebuild him. Have mercy on him, Father.
Lord I lift up EF to you. My God, how I love him. How my heart hurts for him. I don't know how much suffering he is feeling right now, but I can only imagine. Father, please set him free from bitterness and unforgiveness. Erase the visions that torment him. God fill him with your love, your strength. Raise him up as a strong man of unwielding faith in his Lord. Change her as well God. Please work in her. Bring her to true repentance and fill her with your spirit, with your meekness. Give her wisom, give her the mind of Christ. And please protect the little one. Oh, God, send your angels to surround that little one right now. God, that nothing would impede his or her entrance into this world. Please make it so that little baby comes into a loving family, a family that is directed by you, that is filled with your spirit and your love. Dear Father, saturate that home with your spirit. Please send your angels to protect her and her womb, please God. Work a miracle, God. Please give them your joy. Set him free from debt, from financial bondage. Lord, be his provider, be his direction. Give me wisdom to speak to him, please give me your words and multiply our seed into him.
Dear God, help me at work. Sometimes I feel so discouraged, so overwhelmed, so un-animated. But Father, that is where you have put me, and so I am asking you to be my joy and my strength. Give me favor Father, but please keep me from idolatry or from desiring man's praise. God, show me what it is to live and work for you. To look to you for everything, for approval, for favor, for satisfaction. Help me, God. Help me to do well, to lift your name on high everywhere I go. Give me your eyes, your hands, your feet. God let my career be a living worship and sacrifice to you. Take away my fear, my insecurities. Help my unbelief. God, I surrender anew to you. I adore you my Father. You are the strength of my life.
Please help my friend. God, awaken her heart to you. Fill her with your spirit, with your joy. God ease her frustrations, and her fears. God, be her all. Surround her with your love, fille her with you. God that you would be more than enough for her. Father, bring her back to her first love, to that momen of utter and complete abandon in you. Grant her desires Father, but help her find all that she needs in you. Take away her anger. God bless her marriage. Give him wisdom, show him how to love and encourage her. God bless her womb. Make it fertile, and in your time Lord, bless her God. Oh Lord, how my heart desires to see my friend standing tall and strong, and unafraid of whatever this world throws her way right now. God, that she would be complete in you. Set her soul afire for you once again. God, touch her. Touch her heart, show her how to love you more and more everyday. Awaken her hunger and thirst for you. Show her how to live in you and walk with you everyday. Father, do an amazing work in her. Do a new work in her. Speak to her Father. Tune her ears to you. Take away her rebellion, her stubborness, her idols, her disillusionment. Dear Lord, that she would arise. Bless them financially, bless his studies. God make him a man who depends on you for every step. God give him more of you everyday. Save his family, his sister, have mercy on her. Dear Lord, cover my friend. Dear Lord, sanctify them for your good works. God, envelope them in your loving embrace. Make their home, a home where love and peace and joy would abide. Just take them all into you Lord.
And my parents. Lord where to start. I am tired, weary, almost losing faith. God, please, make me understand. Give me your eyes, give me your spirit. Father, please work in them. Work in that church. Take away my father's stubbornness. Give mami wisdom, give her patience and love. God please humble him. God help him to stand before you naked and show him your way. Show him how to do it your way. Dear God, they work so hard. They have devoted so much of their time and life to this ministry. Dear Lord, please, please, please. That they would see your goodness in this life, that they would see the fruits of their labor bloom. God take down all the idols that they may have, give them wisom, make things simple. Help me believe, I almost can't believe any more. Father have mercy on them, show them the error of their ways and bless their labor, God. Please, Dear Lord, they need your help, your guidance. They need you.
"Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication make your requests known to God." That's what I'm doing today, Lord. I know I can only find myself in you. I know my life is hidden in you. This world will pass, these troubles of today will pass, but you remain as the steadfast rock in my life. My God, in whom, I lean on, rely and confidently trust. I want community with you, God. Give me dove's eyes, to only see you. Fill my life with you, make me that woman of faith, that woman who lives out of every word that proceeds from your mouth.
Father, I lift up Fabian to you. Dear God, you know how troubled my heart is. I don't know what to do but pray. And so I am praying. Dear Lord have mercy upon him, send your angels to guard him and keep him. Reveal yourself to him. Jesus, save him! Lift him out of the miry clay and show him your goodness, your everlasting life. Please, Dear Lord, bring the things that are hidden into the light. Give David wisdom and discernment to speak to him. Give A visions and dreams, reveal to her the things he is hiding. Father be his potter. That you would mold and rebuild him. Have mercy on him, Father.
Lord I lift up EF to you. My God, how I love him. How my heart hurts for him. I don't know how much suffering he is feeling right now, but I can only imagine. Father, please set him free from bitterness and unforgiveness. Erase the visions that torment him. God fill him with your love, your strength. Raise him up as a strong man of unwielding faith in his Lord. Change her as well God. Please work in her. Bring her to true repentance and fill her with your spirit, with your meekness. Give her wisom, give her the mind of Christ. And please protect the little one. Oh, God, send your angels to surround that little one right now. God, that nothing would impede his or her entrance into this world. Please make it so that little baby comes into a loving family, a family that is directed by you, that is filled with your spirit and your love. Dear Father, saturate that home with your spirit. Please send your angels to protect her and her womb, please God. Work a miracle, God. Please give them your joy. Set him free from debt, from financial bondage. Lord, be his provider, be his direction. Give me wisdom to speak to him, please give me your words and multiply our seed into him.
Dear God, help me at work. Sometimes I feel so discouraged, so overwhelmed, so un-animated. But Father, that is where you have put me, and so I am asking you to be my joy and my strength. Give me favor Father, but please keep me from idolatry or from desiring man's praise. God, show me what it is to live and work for you. To look to you for everything, for approval, for favor, for satisfaction. Help me, God. Help me to do well, to lift your name on high everywhere I go. Give me your eyes, your hands, your feet. God let my career be a living worship and sacrifice to you. Take away my fear, my insecurities. Help my unbelief. God, I surrender anew to you. I adore you my Father. You are the strength of my life.
Please help my friend. God, awaken her heart to you. Fill her with your spirit, with your joy. God ease her frustrations, and her fears. God, be her all. Surround her with your love, fille her with you. God that you would be more than enough for her. Father, bring her back to her first love, to that momen of utter and complete abandon in you. Grant her desires Father, but help her find all that she needs in you. Take away her anger. God bless her marriage. Give him wisdom, show him how to love and encourage her. God bless her womb. Make it fertile, and in your time Lord, bless her God. Oh Lord, how my heart desires to see my friend standing tall and strong, and unafraid of whatever this world throws her way right now. God, that she would be complete in you. Set her soul afire for you once again. God, touch her. Touch her heart, show her how to love you more and more everyday. Awaken her hunger and thirst for you. Show her how to live in you and walk with you everyday. Father, do an amazing work in her. Do a new work in her. Speak to her Father. Tune her ears to you. Take away her rebellion, her stubborness, her idols, her disillusionment. Dear Lord, that she would arise. Bless them financially, bless his studies. God make him a man who depends on you for every step. God give him more of you everyday. Save his family, his sister, have mercy on her. Dear Lord, cover my friend. Dear Lord, sanctify them for your good works. God, envelope them in your loving embrace. Make their home, a home where love and peace and joy would abide. Just take them all into you Lord.
And my parents. Lord where to start. I am tired, weary, almost losing faith. God, please, make me understand. Give me your eyes, give me your spirit. Father, please work in them. Work in that church. Take away my father's stubbornness. Give mami wisdom, give her patience and love. God please humble him. God help him to stand before you naked and show him your way. Show him how to do it your way. Dear God, they work so hard. They have devoted so much of their time and life to this ministry. Dear Lord, please, please, please. That they would see your goodness in this life, that they would see the fruits of their labor bloom. God take down all the idols that they may have, give them wisom, make things simple. Help me believe, I almost can't believe any more. Father have mercy on them, show them the error of their ways and bless their labor, God. Please, Dear Lord, they need your help, your guidance. They need you.
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