I'm Praying for Me

Weekly Word Decades ago, I embraced what I believed to my calling to be an intercessor. Back then there were suggested formats to help focus one’s prayer. Among these were ACTS — adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, or PRAY which stands for praise, repent, ask, and yield. One of my favorites is definitely PUSH which is not a template but a reminder: pray until something happens. I still do that. The trouble is one can be so schooled into praying for others we forget one important person — ourselves. In fact, we may even think we are doing a great job praying for the needs of the world and then basking in the afterglow of time in God’s presence. Or maybe, praying for ourselves evoke feelings of selfishness because we know there are people with worse problems who have no prayer support. Whatever the reason, we skimp on persistent personal petitions. Using the Psalms as our example, it is safe to say there are more specific and very personal prayers in this portion of scripture than anywhere else in the Bible. Praying for ourselves forces introspection, and by God’s grace, complete honesty. We are given insight into who and where we are, and by the Holy Spirit, are able to pray according to God’s perfect will for our individual lives. Being intercessors does not make us immune to the contaminants of the world. And it is easy to “lose our shine” if we are not taking deliberate steps to submit to the washing of the Word and the gentle counsel of the Lord to us, as we talk with him. The old spiritual “It's me, it's me oh Lord/ Standing in the need of prayer” packs a powerful truth. We will never be as effective as we can be until we stand in the place of prayer, often, on our own behalf and PUSH. It is not selfishness, just good sense to bind up our wounds before we engage in healing the world. When was the last time you prayed a “no holds barred” prayer for you?

Losing it

Weekly Word Conversation flows freely as we are sitting socially distant, scattered around the lunchroom. Inevitably, someone looks at their lunch, either the quantity or the quality, and starts the lament. “I need to lose X number of pounds.” “Me too,” another person answers and usually, this number of pounds to be lost is always a little more than the first. “Well, I know what I’m doing wrong.” Then, the roll call of foods and their matching negative symptoms whether as a chronic disease trigger or weight gain would begin. We are all nurses we know this. Still, many of us have had this same conversation for years along with cycles of good eating patterns, only to fall off the wagon weeks down the road. The issue is not what we know but the will to begin and follow through for our own well-being. The problem is not knowledge but nature. Here is what the Apostle Paul said when he found himself with sinful habits he needed to lose: I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:21-25). In the same way that health professionals develop and keep unhealthy habits all while knowing the consequences, you will sometimes do the wrong thing despite having the right resolve. The victory comes when we do not stop doing what is right because we are not able to get it done perfectly every time. Every right deed or thought is a step in the right direction whether we are on the road to health, weight loss, or heaven. Don’t be sabotaged by imperfection. You may fail, correction, WE will fail at times but that does not make us failures. Thanks be to God who causes us to walk in triumphant procession with Christ (despite who we are).

Galatians 5 – Driving a Point Home

I approached the intersection preparing to stop if the U-Haul decided to come through instead of making a right turn. It stopped made the turn, to the sound a two loud bangs as a child-size sports car and a box loaded with “stuff” fell from the truck and into the street. I was on my walk, but I waved frantically hoping by some miracle he would see me and possibly notice he was losing his load. But he kept going. I smiled as I heard myself use the biblical expression, “to what shall I liken this? The more I pondered as I resumed my pace was that’s all of us. We pack things up, store them in our hearts and no one sees what those things are until we hit a bump in the road. Then whatever is inside, comes flying out. The people around us are either left to pick up the pieces or reap the rewards. God says we all speak from the fullness of the storehouses of our hearts. When I am full of the fruit of the Spirit and I hit a bump, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. On the other hand, no matter how great I look or if I seem to be just cruising along with everything under control but my heart is full of what the world has, this is what happens when I hit a bump. Out comes, sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Fill up on the spirit! And if you are moving and using a U-Haul, (or any kind of vehicle) make sure it's securely locked so you don’t’ lose your valuables on the way to your destination.

Just Give it up... Perhaps like me, you find it easy to walk into Walgreen’s (or your favorite store) with the intention of getting a single item and walk out an hour later with a bag full of stuff. Not too long ago I made one of those fateful trips. I grabbed a basket while resolving to stick to buying only the few items on my list. As I wandered the aisles, I came upon a lady with both arms overflowing. As one item dropped and she bent to scoop it up another would fall. After the second or third round I said, “Here, you can have my basket.” A huge grin of relief lit up her face as she said thanks and emptied her arms. Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-29 immediately came to mind: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Life gets busy and we keep picking up things we must have, must do, or must attend to. Pretty soon our arms get too full and items start falling by the wayside. We try to get them back under our control, but something else falls and before long, we become stressed and frustrated. All while Jesus is standing there with open arms (like an empty basket) saying, “Here, just dump everything in here.” Burdens are inevitable but God’s help is always available. Right where you are in the aisle of life with stuff falling from your arms just as fast as you try to pick them up, do this instead. Give the whole scattering mass of confusion to Jesus. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC).

Daniels's answer

Daniel’s answer If you are like I am, there is probably something you have been praying for almost daily for some time without seeing the answer you expect. It gets hard. Sometimes I find myself asking, how long? I get impatient because I just know if this one thing would happen … and I fill in the blanks about how much better life would be. Thing is, I can’t stop praying. For one, if I stop praying, who will? I am the watchman on the wall with the task of not being quiet as long as there is a threat of danger. It doesn’t matter who else is praying, or if the person I am praying for is conscious of a need for God’s intervention, or if I am just agreeing with them in prayer. I must do my part. Persevere. Press. Even when it seems all I fear is already happening. I must continue to pray. That’s what Daniel did and he discovered after twenty-one days, persistence pays. Just as he remained diligent in his faith and sealed it with fasting, let us also resolve not to stop praying. Maybe we have been crying out for way longer than twenty-one days. It may even be closer to twenty-one years. Still don’t stop. God will send an angel with your answer.

Daniel's prayer

Daniel's prayer The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him" Daniel 9:14. "...yet we have not obeyed him." This is the crux of the matter. In spite of all the turmoil, in spite of all the distress, in spite of all the favor we received where punishment was our due, yet we have not obeyed. I reference a recent post I saw where Charlie Brown is having a conversation with Snoopy. To paraphrase, it says we are waiting for God to heal our land while he is still waiting for us to humble ourselves and turn … Disaster is a signal all is not well and should act as a prompt for us to seek God. Remember, God is our "parent" we are taught to approach him as Father whenever we pray. We don't reward our children for disobedience or celebrate them when they do things detrimental to both themselves and our family. In fact, even if as parents we would choose to turn a blind eye, actions bring their own consequences. Though God loves us with all his being, he cannot excuse sin. But there is hope. Look at the time Daniel started his 21 days of fasting and prayer. It was already a year into what would be 70 years of exile. He did not think to himself, oh well we are already Nebuchadnezzar's captives, Jerusalem is ruined, what's the point? No. He lived his faith, he fasted, and he prayed sincerely to the one God whom he knew was still able to help. What a great reminder to us that it is never too late for God to move. Next week as we continue, we will just how God answered Daniel. Photo credit Dee Kamp .

Daniel's prayer

Daniel's prayer continued... Daniel 9:5 Before we look at the stark simplicity of this verse, I want us to be aware, sin's effect is both immediate and cumulative. Immediate because it puts us outside of the will of God and cumulative because we reap what we sow. Israel's Babylonian captivity did not happen because of any one, great sin. Rather, disobedience to God and walking away from the covenant had become a lifestyle. Prophets warned repeatedly, the priests were carrying out their functions, but the people wouldn't change, would not repent. Finally, God had enough. The covering of blessings lifted and the promised judgement fell. Babylon swooped in and decimated the nation. A free, vibrant, prosperous, and proud people found themselves enslaved to a foreign nation. It all started when God's people turned their backs on him. So, In the 1st year of captivity, Daniel prayed: "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws..." No excuses. No rationalizing. Can we be as honest and just call our present dilemma what it is when we pray?