Category: Prayer

Trust and Obey

We are called to trust and obey from a very young age. We are instructed by our parents and teachers to trust and obey them. Not everyone has a godly example to follow but I thank God for those who lead by example. Growing up, I loved the hymn ‘Trust and Obey’ even though I wasn’t always the most obedient child. The events that were reported Sunday night regarding our military remind me how our military leads by example. They are given orders and they carry them out by trusting their superiors to give them the instructions which are best for our nation. They obey them out of a mutual respect even if they don’t agree with those in charge. They protect our nation. A leader doesn’t have to be godly to follow God’s will. They can rule by the faithful earnest prayers of a nation who seek God and justice.

This morning as I was reading my Bible, I read about a woman whose faith and prayers brought about a favorable outcome with an enemy of hers. This story parallels our current events. It was through her persistence and faith, that a judge, who didn’t follow God and didn’t respect his fellow man decided in her behalf. Jesus relates the following story:

““There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”” Luke 18:2-8

To me this shows that even though our leaders may not fear God or follow Him, they can make decisions based on godly principles through the faithful prayers of a nation. The main point is we need to pray earnestly and continuously and hold our leaders up. We should pray that justice is served. When we have war, people die. I just pray the ones who die have made a commitment to follow Jesus and for those who haven’t, I’m sorry for them.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. I Timothy 2:1-4

Thank you to our military who have the discipline to trust and obey even when the task may go against their beliefs. Thank you to those who pray earnestly and sincerely for our leaders by asking God to direct them to make the right decision(s). To trust and obey our earthly superiors and our God is an act of humble submission we should all support. I pray everyone seeks God our Father and his son Jesus Christ.

Father, May I

As a child I played a game called ‘Mother, may I?’ with my friends. One person portrays the ‘mother’ and stands at the victory line, the rest of the children line up in a row facing ‘mother.’ Then ‘mother’ called each child by name and told them to take some steps and how big and what type of steps. For example, ‘mother’ might say, “Kimberly, I want you to take three giant steps.” Then Kimberly would have to say “Mother, may I?” If Kimberly took the steps and didn’t say, “Mother, may I?” she would be sent back to the starting line. Think how different the rules would be if it were our Heavenly Father who was standing at the victory line. God might say, “Kimberly, take two baby steps.” Kimberly would not be sent back to the starting line if she took those steps, because God, our Father is more benevolent. God would then give her something else to do and as long as she continues to obey Him, the closer and closer she will get to the victory line or God. If she is not obedient to God, she won’t get more instructions from God until she continues in obedience.

Our Father wants us at the victory line with Him. He has given us the tools to get there through the sacrifice and redemption of his own son and through the Word. He wants to give us instructions. We must be willing to listen, by reading the Word, and by doing what He tells us.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” In Proverbs 8:33-35 “Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Instruction and wisdom go hand in hand. We get wisdom and instruction through asking God and by reading the Bible. God will make his words come alive for you if you ask.

Once in a church I was attending, God told me to get on my knees during praise and worship. I was hesitant at first, then I felt the Holy Spirit urge me again by saying “If you won’t obey me in the small things, I can’t give you bigger things.” I knew I must be obedient to God, I knelt that Sunday night. A couple of weeks later, on a Sunday morning, sitting towards the front of church, I received the same message to worship on my knees. I was more hesitant, reasoning in my mind that I was sitting at the front and didn’t want to make a spectacle, the lights were brighter, not dim as that one evening before. At the urging of the Holy Spirit I finally said in my mind, “Okay Father, I know.” I knelt again and I felt an indescribable peace. God blesses us when we are obedient.

When we are obedient, God can use us. No wonder the Bible refers to us being molded like clay. An obedient heart is pliable like a potter’s clay but a disobedient heart is hard like a brick. The brick can be broken or crushed and used again, where it is refashioned into another purpose but how much better to be fashioned into God’s purpose from the beginning! We do not need to see with our physical eyes the works of God. If he tells us to do something and we’re obedient he will get the glory. If we obey his instructions, great things take place. God is not a God of failure. He tells us in Joshua 1:5 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” He won’t tell us to do something without backing us up. He is just looking for an obedient person to carry out his work.

In ‘Mother, may I’ the children are ready to get to the victory line. Sometimes they take even bigger steps than instructed. God wants to see us get to our victory line, the line where we hear his exact instructions and do them willingly. We just have to open our hearts. If we haven’t heard from God lately and want to, all we have to do is ask and be obedient. Psalm 32:8 “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” We need to want to take giant steps but be willing to take baby steps if that is what our Father instructs. If we are in tune with what our Father wants, then we have his vision. How wonderful to see through God’s eyes and walk in his will, helping others to know that he is God, our Father who loves us so much! “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!” 2 Corinthians 5:16 Oh, to see through the eyes of God!

Prayer for each day: ‘Father, May I – have help to see through your eyes and know your will for my life. I willingly accept what you have for my life and walk in your instruction. Please guide me in every hour of each day. Amen.’

The Lord is My Shepherd, I have All that I Need!

Early in the morning, a shepherd would lead the flock to a spot to graze. He watched them the entire day, making sure not one of them got away. If any did wander off, he would find them and bring them back with the rest. In these lands the sheep required water and he would have to guide them to a running stream or wells where he would fill up troughs for them to drink. At night he brought the flock home, counting each one as they passed through the gate to make sure none were missing. His day didn’t end when they were corralled at sunset. Many times he had to guard them in the night through the darkest hours from attacks of wild beasts or attempts from thieves. Ever vigilant, ever protective, and always loving is the shepherd’s heart towards his sheep; seeing to their every need.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23 (NLT)

Father, today we commit our brother into your shepherding hands to watch over him as he goes on this long journey away from his family. We know that you will be his shepherd both day and night, his guide, because he follows after you Lord. We thank you for protection for him wherever he is while he is on this journey and we thank you that he will be a beacon shining for you. We also commit his wife and boys to you to watch over her and lead her in her daily life while he is gone. We know that you provide All that we need and we thank you for your provision and your comfort. We love you Father and we thank you for your wisdom and guidance. We thank you for your goodness and your unfailing love in this difficult time and we know that your plan is better than ours. We submit to your will Father and we thank you again for loving us and providing for us. In Jesus name, Amen!