Taking God with You
In Hebrews 13:5, God says 'I will never leave you nor forsake you." But are you actively taking God with you wherever you go? Here are 25 ways you can make God a part of your daily routine:
- As you drive around, tune in to a Christian station or play your favorite praise and worship music. Don’t be afraid to sing along as you drive. No one can hear you. And besides, your smile will be contagious.
- Sing your favorite praise songs as you mop up your chores.
- Whenever you’re faced with a dilemma, thank God for being with you in the midst of it. Then ask God to give you wisdom.
- Count your blessings whenever you write a check. Thank God for providing for you.
- On a 3X5 card, make a list of people who need prayer. Beside each name, jot a note to remind you of that person’s prayer need. Post the note in your kitchen. While you prepare a meal or clean up, glance at the list and pray.
- As you drive to work, think about each staff member. Create a prayer acrostic for each person to help you pray for him or her. For example, T — time he wants with his family; O — obedience to God even when it hurts; and M — ministry with fifth-graders will flourish.
- When you see a school, skyscraper, hospital, prison, business, or cult meeting area, ask God to break the power of the enemy on the lives of the people inside.
- At the sound of an approaching siren, ask God to protect the people involved in the emergency. Pray that God’s love will shine into that situation.
- If a face stands out in a crowd, pray for God’s blessing and guidance in that person’s life.
- Stuck in a traffic jam again? Don’t sweat it; pray for the other motorists around you.
- Get some fresh air and a renewed spirit with a listening walk — even if it’s only a quick trot to the mailbox or a whirl around the grocery store. Ask God to speak to you. Listen quietly for God’s voice.
- Whenever you look at your watch, take time to ask for God’s presence to guide you through the day.
- When you stop at a stop sign, stop and pray for someone in your family.
- Pray for your city, country, and leaders whenever you see a flag.
- Whenever you think of someone who has wronged you, ask God to give you the grace to forgive the person.
- If someone is rude to you, ask God to bless the person.
- As you kiss family members goodbye, ask God to bless and protect them through their day.
- Instead of looking at your speedometer when you pass a policeman, pray for his or her protection. Do the same for firefighters.
- Pick a different neighbor family to pray for each week. Whenever you pass their home, ask God to bless them and pray for any needs you know of.
- Whenever you see a cross, remember that Jesus died for you. Thank God for the gift of his Son.
- If you drive through the country, let the sight of sheep remind you of your good shepherd. Thank God for his love and care.
- Allow the sight of stained glass to remind you of the stains Christ removed from your life. Thank God.
- Leave your Bible by the television. Before you turn your television on, read a verse or two from Proverbs or Psalms.
- Trade Bible teaching tapes with your friends or church library and listen while you work.
- Listen to the Bible as you run errands in your car or wash dishes.
These tips were taken from Children's Ministry Magazine, read the full article HERE
The Season for New Beginnings
It's the season for new beginnings, new eras, and new commitments. High school and college graduations are happening all over the world! A lot of people are very excited but also may be a little nervous as well. No matter what transition is going on in your life, don't forget to PRAY! Sometimes we don't know how to pray or what to ask for, so we are going to be posting prayers for the next couple of weeks to get you started. Below is a prayer for transition, we encourage you to pray this prayer with those in your life who are experiencing change.
Dear Lord,
As I start a new era and a new chapter in my life, please guide and direct me to the path you have chosen for me. Block my way if I go the wrong direction. I am available to you, please give me YOUR wisdom and knowledge. Help me be aware and attentive to what is going on around me, so I can see how you are working in my life.
I trust you Lord, it is in YOUR name, the name of Jesus I pray these things,
Amen
When You Feel Like you Have Lost Everything...
When you pray, are you asking God for something? Do you thank Him when he answers your prayers? Do you see how he is working in your life? Do you feel God blesses you? Even in a crisis?
As you might have heard East Texas was in the path of 5 tornadoes April 29th, 2017.
I drove to Canton, Texas to volunteer and help bring food, water, encouragement, prayer, and the Amazing Grace booklets to the survivors of the devastating storm system, I call them little “love gifts.” I had never done this before, and I had no idea what to expect. As I pulled into an area that was in the path of the tornado, it amazed me that more people didn’t die*.
When I heard about the storms, I began to pray immediately for the people in the path of the storms and God heard my prayers along with everyone else who was praying as well.
As I drove down the country roads to deliver “love gifts” to people, I wasn’t sure how they would respond. I smiled really big as I approached a man cleaning up his yard and said, “Hi! I’ve brought you some food and water.” He was so appreciative, and I found out his is a policeman. His girlfriend was so appreciative and nice. She told us the whole story of what happened. I told them, “even though I don’t know your names, I was praying for you.” The man’s eyes teared up, and he said, “I know that’s what got us through.” He got choked up, the so did I. My friend Joy, who is part of the AmazingGrace.Life team asked, “Can we pray for you?” So the six of us stood there in the midst of crushed trees, and metal wrapped around phone poles, and prayed. Joy thanked the Lord for sparing their lives and prayed for continued health and safety throughout the days ahead. She prayed for a lot of things, but mainly thanking the Lord for these people. That he saved them from injury and death. As she closed the prayer, she prayed, “and we pray all of this in the name of Jesus.” I noticed the man had taken his hat off to pray and again his eyes filled with tears.
We talked to a lot of people that day, and I was so encouraged that they had such a good attitude, they seemed happy and were so appreciative of our small little love gifts. They were happy because they were alive! God answered so many prayers that night. These people were blessed and spared by God. They had lost everything, and they were not afraid to say, “God has His hand on us.” They knew, because they experienced God’s grace and protection in the midst of the storm.. literally!
These people have a story. It’s their story. God intervened and saved their lives. They will forever be grateful for His mercy and protection. Like the man said, “God was with us.”
So even though these people lost everything, they were thankful to God for what they had… eachother, their lives being spared, and a new understanding of the power of prayer.
*Unfortunately, several people died in the storm. I did not meet anyone that knew that families of those that passed away. My heart goes out to them, and I pray for the Lord to bring them peace and comfort.
Lent: Day 39: Come to the Lord
Last August, my husband and I went to Seattle for a Christian counseling conference. The entire city was experiencing an “unprecedented heat wave” of 80-degree days, which to us felt like a welcome reprieve from the sweltering weather we’d been suffering in Tennessee. On the second to last day of the conference, we noticed another couple at our table smirk when the facilitator apologized yet again for the weather, and quickly struck up a conversation about our common hatred of humidity.
As it turned out, they were from Atlanta, and since we only had a few minutes to chat, the couple asked if we wanted to join them that night for dinner. They’d had reservations for their anniversary at an acclaimed waterfront restaurant for more than six months, but the wife assured me that she could call and get the hostess to add two more seats to the table.
What unfolded that night over dinner was nothing short of the gospel. As the sun melted into the water, our conversation went wide and deep, covering the vast terrain of our lives. We tasted grilled octopus and braised lamb shoulder and homemade pastas. When the entrees arrived, Patrick and I ordered the most expensive bottle of wine we could afford, hoping to offer a small gesture of gratitude to our new friends for sharing their anniversary reservation with us. I still remember looking at the price and wondering if we’d gone a little overboard. But this night was special; there was something providential about it.
Several hours later, I noticed the waitress drop a black folded book in front of our new friends. I elbowed my husband in the ribs hard—the universal wife-code for ‘get out your wallet!’—but it was too late. The check had been paid. A signature was already on the bottom of the receipt.
“But,” I started, embarrassed. “That was a really expensive meal. We wanted to…” I looked to Patrick for back-up. “…This was your anniversary!”
It’s hard to think of the extravagance of that night without imagining the extravagance of Jesus. Isaiah paints us a picture of the most opulent love—a free gift available to anyone and everyone. No one is excluded. No one is unwelcome. Our God says, “Come!” He prepares a table before us with food—not just for our bodies, but for our souls. And it costs us nothing. The view from that table will be magnificent because our host, our friend, is the Son of God.
Isaiah and Jesus invite all to come. But as the bride of Christ, we, too, can join in offering the invitation, which echoes from the Old Testament straight through the book of Revelation:
The Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty let him come and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
- Revelation 22:17
Let nothing keep us from joining in the feast. For as gracious as our God has been in His invitation, not one of us can fathom the goodness He’s prepared for us—for all who love Him—in the days to come (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Thanks be to God.
By Claire Gibson
Claire Gibson is a freelance writer and editor whose work has been featured both locally and nationally in publications including The Washington Post, and Entrepreneur Magazine. An Army kid who grew up at West Point, New York, Claire is currently growing roots in Nashville, Tennessee. She loves her husband, Patrick, and their dog, Winnie.
What does the Bible say about overcoming grief?
Grief is an emotion common to the human experience, and we witness the process of grief throughout the biblical narrative. Multiple Bible characters experienced deep loss and sadness, including Job, Naomi, Hannah, and David. Even Jesus mourned (John 11:35; Matthew 23:37-39). After Lazarus died, Jesus went to the village of Bethany, where Lazarus was buried. When Jesus saw Martha and the other mourners weeping, He also wept. He was moved by their grief and also by the fact of Lazarus’s death. The astounding thing is that, even though Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, He chose to partake of the grief of the situation. Jesus truly is a high priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).
One step in overcoming grief is having the right perspective on it. First, we recognize that grief is a natural response to pain and loss. There is nothing wrong with grieving. Second, we know that times of grief serve a purpose. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” This verse implies that grief can be good because it can refresh our perspective on life. Third, we remember that feelings of grief are temporary. “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). There is an end to mourning. Grief has its purpose, but it also has its limit.
Through it all, God is faithful. There are many Scriptures that remind us of God’s faithfulness in times of mourning. He is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). When David sorrowed, he prayed this in Psalm 56:8: “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (ESV). The touching image of God catching our tears is full of meaning. He sees our grief and does not disdain it. Like Jesus entered into the grief of the mourners in Bethany, God enters into our grief. At the same time, He reassures us that all is not lost. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “be still” and rest in the knowledge that He is God. He is our refuge (Psalm 91:1-2). He works all things together for the good of those He has called (Romans 8:28).
An important part of overcoming grief is expressing it to God. The Psalms contain numerous examples of pouring out one’s heart to God. Interestingly, the psalmist never ends where he began. He may start a psalm with expressions of grief, but, almost invariably, he will end it with praise (Psalm 13; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 30:11-12; Psalm 56). God understands us (Psalm 139:2). When we commune with Him, we are able to open our minds to the truth that He loves us, that He is faithful, that He is in control, and that He knows how He is going to work it out for our good.
Another important step in overcoming grief is to share it with others. The body of Christ is designed to ease the burdens of its individual members (Galatians 6:2), and fellow believers have the ability to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). Often, the grieving tend to shun others, increasing feelings of isolation and misery. It is much healthier to seek counseling, and group settings can be invaluable. Groups offer listening ears and helpful encouragement, camaraderie, and guidance in working through the grief. When we share our stories with God and others, our grief is lessened.
Sadly, grief is part of the human experience. Loss is part of life, and grief is a natural response to loss. But we have the hope of Christ, and we know that He is strong enough to carry our burdens (Matthew 11:30). We can give our hurt to Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We can find solace in the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Paraclete (John 14:16). In grief, we cast our burdens on Him, rely on the community of the church, delve into the truth of the Word, and ultimately experience hope (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Read the original article HERE