365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 332

I always consider “ceasing” mean not stopping but always doing. But the language the bible was actually written in and the translation can be not always what you think. Stretching ourselves beyond our selves is the key. It is about releasing the emotions and words in your heart to God in such a way that there is no matter to who hears or sees, only what is between you and God. I can’t tell you how bad I have been about the distraction of what others think when I pray or the hurriedness I often feel from my family as we do our bedtime praying. Lord, help me to let those distractions and things that are holding me back from fully expressing my heart to you go. My heart is yours and let that show in my prayers. Amen.

We are told that that “prayer was made without ceasing...” The word “ceasing” means “to stretch forth”. It is a medical term that refers to a stretched ligament or a pulled muscle. It has the idea of “going beyond the boundaries”. When applied to prayer, it is a picture of fervency. It is the picture of people pouring out their hearts in prayer before the Lord as they seek His face for their needs.

That’s the kind of praying we need to undertake. The promise of God is that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous men availeth much,” James 5:16. The words “effectual fervent” refer to “energetic passionate” prayer. It is not prayer that is sluggish, lifeless, unconcerned, casual, halfhearted, blasé and apathetic; it is prayer that pours forth from a burdened heart. That kind of prayer reaches heaven and moves the hand of God.

http://www.sermonnotebook.org/new%20testament/Acts%2012_1-24.htm

James 5:16 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 46

I awoke several times last night due to my shoulder. In that last waking, it came to me that I had no idea where my camera was. My new camera I got for my birthday in November. I fretted over it and tried to think of the last time I saw it and could only remember seeing it in the suitcase at the hotel in Sterling where we were that last weekend of December. I couldn’t remember if my husband may have taken it out to charge the battery or not. So, I prayed that the camera would be found. I thought about the scripture about the woman who has ten silver coins and loses one. She searches everywhere and finds it and calls all her friends and neighbors to celebrate and rejoice with her over finding the lost coin. My focus ended up on wanting my joy to come back in finding my camera that when I asked my husband about it this morning, I ended up coming across accusatory. He found the camera where I had put it in the glove box in the car and told me in no uncertain terms that I was wrong in how I came across. My joy at seeing the camera and having it back turned into grief for the wrong I did towards my husband. I mumbled out a sorry but he was in no mood to hear it. My emotions definitely take hold of me and I do or say things that should not have been done or said in such a way. I was just reading about this idea of emotions ruling over us yesterday in a book about temperament so I am sure there is a lesson for me in all of this from the Lord. I have often said things in not the right way due to the emotions running through me at the time. It is a weakness in my temperament that I apparently need to work on.  But I think I am finally seeing that it is the emotions that are causing the issue. My temperament makes me an emotional person and I have to call on the Lord’s help to make the weaknesses of letting my emotions control my actions to letting the Holy Spirit guide my actions.  Lord, please help me to let go of any emotions that can turn out to be hurtful and anger-inducing to others when instead I can ask the Holy Spirit to fill me up with peace and please help me find a way to make this up to my husband who found my camera. Amen.

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 294

Our family was watching the first show of the season for The X Factor. It's a singing competion kind of show like American Idol but with some different twists and formats. On this show the contestants have to try out in front of a stadium full of people and the four judges. One in particular really stood out from the show last evening because of all the emotion she had. Her background story was one of pain. She had been severly bullied during her middle and high school years but she found a way of healing throughy singing. Her voice and stage presence were great but it was the raw emotions that captured us all.  People were in tears and even Simon the judge known to have a heart of stone was moved. This is what is so amazing about these kinds of shows because you see the human heart and we all connect with it. We all live through pain, grief, depression and all those emotions that come up from the not so good things that occur in our lives. Thankfully many are able to find ways to express their emotions outwardly like in singing but what if you can't carry a tune or don't have a dancing bone in your body or can't paint a moving picture, taking an amazing photo or write a story that will help you get out those emotions out in a health way. There is always the way that many of us turn to in our desperate moments. We pray to God for help, or we turn our negative emotions towards Him. He wants you to call out to him in the desperate moments and in the joyful moments, when life is taken a bad turn and when life is being good to you. He is always there waiting for us to talk to him. He is the great counselor for us all, who will listen and will understand, who will give us what we need and will guide us to the healing through His love. It was amazing to watch this bullied girl end up crying with tears of joy. God wants that for all of us.

Psalm 63: 5-7 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 175

I prepared myself yesterday as I was about to call back the alarm company that left the angry message the day before. I put a smile on my face and in my heart and had an attitude of serving and caring. The man, from the get-go, was aplogetic and embarrassed by his words in the voice mail the day before. Together, we went on to solve his issue and discussed how things have been changing and I am looking for ways to improve the process of communication with alarm companies. Attitude is everything! We all can let the angers, frustrations and challenges in our life take away the positive attitudes like forgiveness and having a servant heart.  Our emotions can really dictate our actions if we let them. Thankfully, we have the power of God on our side. We have to work with the Holy Spirit in us to cultivate these positive attitudes everyday. In this way, we can be prepared for the emotions we may face in the day ahead and be able to maintain the positivie attitudes. Make it a committment to pray every morning as you are brushing your teeth, in the shower or some other day to day thing asking for the Holy Spirit to fill you with the fruits and all those positive attitudes that come with them.
Galations 5: 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.