WILL I ACCEPT & BE CONSISTENT IN THE CHALLENGE OF KEEPING A PRAYER JOURNAL?

For a long while, I have heard many very great messages on prayer and have been encouraged to "do it" --to pray--more. Through the years, I know that I may have given up on praying for people or certain requests possibly just before GOD answered. I've knocked upon the door of heaven, then ran to hide... like a childish game. Even in the past, I have been encouraged to keep a prayer journal, but that never became very consistent. My desire has been to begin this special journey with GOD and continue until my death, but it seems to get diverted. I know this is a journey that has been encouraged and experienced by many others before me, yet I wonder if they face or have faced the same challenges. I'm sure they do, have or will because praying is a very intimate bond we have with GOD that the devil does not like; therefore, he tries to make sure we are hindered by any means possible.

In a past sermon, Dr R G Smith, challenged our church to have and keep a prayer journal  I have always had a prayer list containing many requests that may have been written down, somewhere, and other requests that have been kept within my heart, but never in a day by day journal. Through the message, I realized just how little I really know about prayer and praying. The quote was given... "Prayer, without a promise, has no real/sure foundation." We were challenged to review the scriptures on prayer, look for the promise, and claim the promise for ourselves. In my past praying, I have included praying scripture back to GOD, but I realized I have been arrogant in how I had used it. We can pray HIS promises back to HIM.

As a mom, I was thinking about where to begin and my mind was drawn to Matthew chapter 7, but not in the order the scriptures were written down. I went to verse 13 first... "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" I thought of the pleasure and joy that it gives me to "give " to my children and others especially when it is something they have asked for... I would move heaven and earth to grant those requests, yet I am limited, but GOD is not limited nor can/should HE be. The phrase, "... how much more shall your (PERSONAL) Father which is in heaven (HIS POSITION) give good things things to them that ask him?" (HIS PROMISE). Promises, usually, yield a result and we can be assured that GOD'S promises are always going to be kept. My part is to "...ask him" and remember that HE is always available, approachable, and awaiting my petitions. As a child, I know I bickered with my siblings when we wanted something or to go somewhere with a conversation like-- "you, ask him/them... No, you, ask him/them" referring to my parents; however, would it really make any difference who did the asking? We ALL belonged to the family and there were no favorites... this is, also, true with GOD. Then, I went to verses 7 & 8, looking at the three "action verbs" and their results--"ask=receiving, seek=finding, and knock= reveals a door is opened or a barrier is removed." When these words are written down in acrostic form they form the word "A-S-K, again." Do I think this is a coincidence? No, it assures me that GOD is never bothered nor gets tired of hearing me ask for things AND I can be very graphic and specific to HIM.

The following comment was given by my pastor, Bro Bobby Thomas, at a Wednesday night's service--"There is nothing within my own power, in my pocket/purse, or in my pantry to meet my need, but GOD has plenty." HIS storehouse can never be emptied. I, ONLY, NEED TO DEPEND UPON GOD... I do not need to share my requests and needs with anyone else. HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN MEET THEM ANYWAY. I am truly desiring that prayer becomes the greatest and most beneficial exercise, in and to my life. May GOD help me and be glorified!!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

BITTERNESS OF SOUL AND BROKENNESS

Have you ever wondered why our lives and churches have become so content and complacent? Being content and complacent... oh, it's very sad that we do not desire anymore than what we have or are experiencing and we are satisfied with things as they are without considering or desiring change. We are self-satisfied and unconcerned about souls dying without knowing the LORD. Yes, change is an unknown and it's unfamiliar, but it can and should break us out of our "traditional" mold. Our following or holding on to old traditions have a great, yet negative impact upon our present and future "walk with the LORD" and service to HIM. Traditions may keep us in motion, but we get nowhere... going in a never-ending circle.

My thoughts go to the words of the chorus of a familiar, yet forgotten song, "Souls are crying, men are dying... won't you lead them to the cross? Go and find them, help to win them... win the lost at any cost. Go out and win, rescue from sin... day's almost done, low sinks the sun. Souls are crying, men are dying... win the lost at any cost." These words issue a personal challenge to every believer. Do we hear their cries... are we listening? Do we realize the darkness of the hour on GOD'S time clock? How do we become so unconcerned about the soul's eternal destiny? I ask myself, "am I concerned or have I become complacent?" In all honestly, many times I have allowed the "normal busy-ness" of every day life to have its effects upon my view of those laden with sin and who are on the broad road to a GOD-less hell... and have allowed my mind to be deterred from its main purpose.

While on this exciting journey with GOD, I have been blessed beyond measure. I can document and have documented answered prayer... GOD is so good and always faithful!!! A few months ago, my prayer verse for the day was taken from 1 Samuel 1:10, When Hannah prayed for a child, the WORD said, "... and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore." Hannah had become dissatisfied with how her life was... she wanted a child and specifically, a man child. She did not want to be barren or the brunt of another's mockery; therefore, she cried out to the ONE who promises that HE "... shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 37: 4) When she went before the LORD, she was very heavy-hearted, discontent, and in mourning... her very soul groaned before the LORD and her heart's cry was beyond words, only her lips moved. Have we ever gotten to this place? Hannah's praying drew the attention of the priest, Eli, but more important it got GOD'S attention. Eli, the priest, thought she was drunken, but GOD knew she was desperate in her desire and petition. Her cry was from the depths of her soul. She was no longer thinking selfishly of her request for a child, but she vowed that if GOD answered, she would give the child back to HIM for HIS use. I'm sure this was a difficult decision for her, as a mother, but GOD knew she was very serious and sincere... she would be grateful and make the most of the time GOD would give her with the child. After her son was born she named him Samuel, whose name meant "asked of the LORD". Are there things that we are asking of GOD? How serious are we? GOD knows our heart. Do we desire the birth of "spiritual" children enough to be "in bitterness of soul"... to weep for those who need salvation?  Are there times when we become so burdened, in prayer, that the groaning of our spirit is all that can be heard?

For this generation to be touched by GOD, we are going to have to experience "bitterness of soul" and a spirit of brokenness. The words to the song, "The Spirit of Brokenness" by Rodney Griffin of Greater Vision has been upon my heart for a quite a while, so I'd like to share the lyrics: "I remember the night, so long ago, the first time I called on YOUR name. Empty and broken, ashamed of my sin, I asked if this sinner YOU'D save? But the cares of life have darkened the light and I feel like I'm drifting away, so break me, mold me, cleanse me, then hold me... I want to be near YOU, today. LORD, give me the spirit of brokenness, like YOU gave when I first called YOUR name, and replace my pride with humility... LORD, a broken, willing vessel I'll be. I never set out to drift into sin... my intentions are never to stray, but my flesh is weak and I'm so prone to fall... like a child, I go my own way. Then I hear YOUR cry from deep down inside, saying, "Go back to Calv'ry again... there you'll see MY flesh opened and MY Spirit broken, then surely, your drifting will end. LORD, give me the spirit of brokenness, like YOU gave when I first called YOUR name, and replace my pride with humility... LORD, a broken willing vessel I'll be." GOD help us to be broken because of our sin that we might be more concerned about the lost condition of others.

"Oh, GOD, our HEAVENLY FATHER, help us to reach out to and win lost souls for YOUR honor and glory. Give us compassion... let us make a difference. Let us run to the aid of the lost, as if we are pulling them from a burning building. Souls are falling... falling... they're on a downward spiral toward a CHRIST-LESS eternity. Help us get a grasp upon their need and upon their souls, for YOUR sake."

IS THIS THE GENERATION THAT WILL SEEK THE LORD?

"The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost... He came in mighty fullness then. His witness, through believers, won the lost and multitudes were born again. The early Christians scattered o'er the world... they preached the gospel fearlessly. Though some were martyred and to lions hurled, they marched along in victory. Come Holy Spirit... dark is the hour. We need Your filling, Your love, and Your mighty power. Move, now, among us... stir us, we pray. Come, Holy Spirit... Revive the church, today.  Then in an age when darkness gripped the earth... the just shall live by faith was learned. The Holy Spirit gave the church new birth, as reformation fires burned. In later years, the great revivals came... when men would seek the LORD and pray. Oh, once again, we need that holy flame... to meet the challenge of today. Come, Holy Spirit... dark is the hour. We need Your filling, Your love, and Your mighty power. Move, now, among us... stir us, we pray. Come, Holy Spirit... Revive the church, today." These words, penned by John W Peterson, are very powerful and needful for this period in time... they can be and, probably, should be used, as a prayer for this generation.

For the past few months, I have felt that GOD has been and is preparing my heart and the hearts of many of HIS people with a deep stirring and yearning for a greater moving of HIMSELF in and among us - personally and collectively. Our hearts have been challenged to PRAY... pray more, pray often, pray specific, pray in faith, and to pray - believing that GOD can and will answer because we know that HE is the promise keeping GOD, who never lies... we have HIS WORD, written to/for us and passed down to every generation, as our surety. In our thoughts, we all may say... I hear this all the time or have heard it all my life, if this is TRUE/TRUTH, why are there not more "miracles" happening, today, and/or more souls being saved? Have we accepted the challenge and made prayer our lifeline to GOD? An acrostic is given for PRAY = Praying Requires A Yearning... do we have a yearning in our heart and soul for GOD to do "great and mighty things" that we have never seen or experienced?

In an earlier post, I shared this quote, "A prayer, without a promise, has no foundation." When concentrating upon our needs and desires before we come to GOD, in prayer, do we think about a scripture verse or passage of scripture that we may have read, heard taught/preached, or memorized that may speak to our hearts concerning those needs and desires, at the time, and can we find GOD'S promise there? How many of our prayers are or have been prayed in unbelief? We pray, for sure, but do we expect to receive an answer? Are our prayers sincere or half-hearted? 1 John 5:10 b, states, "... he that believeth not GOD hath made him a liar;" are we accusing GOD of lying? Oh, that we would realize the seriousness of totally believing, relying upon, and trusting GOD in every situation and/or circumstance. GOD deserves our respect and complete trust that HE can and will do what HE says. The Word of GOD is and always will be, as current as tomorrow's newspaper and it is for this present time and future generations, as much as it was for those past.

In praying, when we acknowledge our sin, we come to a place of being open and honest before/with GOD, with ourselves, and others; however, our sin is against GOD and HIM, alone... but HE is waiting for us to come before HIM, acknowledge our sin, and ask HIM for forgiveness and cleansing. We must pray... search me, show me, forgive me, and cleanse me of any and all things displeasing to YOU, and those things that would hinder my life from being useful or usable. The WORD tells us in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." We are responsible for our sin - to confess and forsake it... HE is responsible for forgiving and cleansing us. As believers, we can be confident that GOD hears us and will hearken (listen intently, give attention to, & heed) unto our prayers. This manner of praying will draw our hearts and souls to seek a more intimate relationship with GOD and an intimate relationship will cause us to desire to please our beloved ONE, rather than ourselves or others.

A few months ago, my prayer verses were Psalm 24:3-6, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the GOD of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah." These are some powerful verses... sobering and soul-searching. The questions asked caused me to ask myself a few, also. How is my heart before the HOLY GOD? Am I at a place to receive "the blessing from the LORD" and what, exactly, is this blessing? It must be something specific, but what does GOD want to give me... to give us? However, the underlined portion caused me to ask, "Is this generation the one that will truly seek the LORD or could it be, if so what would it take for this to be true?" My heart yearns to see and experience a true moving of the HOLY SPIRIT - in my life, in my family, in our community, and in our churches. We have heard and read about the "revivals" of yesteryear... they are past - they're just a moment and memory recorded in history... good, yes, but gone. Those who experienced and/or witnessed those moves of GOD tell about it, write about it, but did the experience wane from their thoughts and lives? If so, what caused its gradual decrease? Did man step in and rob GOD of HIS glory? Did he add his programs and agenda to what GOD was doing? Duncan Campbell, a preacher who was well-known during the, 1949-1952, revival on the Isle of Lewis, stated that..."We must leave the work to GOD. May we remove our programs and allow GOD'S presence to be welcomed." (Emphasis mine.) Do we invite and welcome GOD'S presence in our lives and church services? HE IS ALWAYS NEAR, BUT DO WE WANT HIM TO BE INVOLVED IN THE FULLNESS OF HIS POWER AND GLORY???

We, all, have probably seen the picture of JESUS standing outside a door knocking... looking more closely, you will notice there is no latch/knob on the outside, so the opening of that door must be from the inside... it represents HIM knocking at our heart desiring to be asked and/or welcomed inside. This illustration can be for, both, the sinner and the saint... to the sinner for salvation and the saint for service, fellowship, and building an intimate relationship with HIM, but HE leaves the choice, of opening the door, to us. It's very sad, to say, but some will never open the door and others may open it for salvation; however, will never know or experience an intimate relationship with GOD. We are, actually, guilty of using GOD - just when we need HIM or when we want HIM to give us something and/or do something to benefit us... we are such a selfish generation. Oh, how this must grieve HIM!

WE ARE A GENERATION, DESPERATELY, NEEDING TO CRY OUT TO GOD TO HEAR OUR PRAYERS, TO FORGIVE OUR SIN, AND TO HEAL OUR LAND... but we must realize that HE will never intrude, so we have to take the initiative... do we want HIM to "come down", to work in and among us, to make a difference in our lives/churches or are we going to remain self-satisfied and complacent? When will we grow tired of being stirred with no change(s) - in our lives, in our churches and in our society? When will the "true Christians" acknowledge that we serve the GOD, who desires to walk with and among us to show us HE is capable of so much more than is accredited to HIM and when will we allow HIM to be GOD - for WHO HE IS?

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:..." Jeremiah 29:12-14 a. When will we claim these promises? Our generation needs GOD, but most importantly, we need to seek HIM to see and experience what HE can and desires to do in/for us, in this generation.

 "Oh, Heavenly Father... thank YOU, because YOU said that YOU would hearken unto my prayer. This is YOUR promise... my part is to seek and search for YOU, wholeheartedly. I know that YOU aren't lost, but I want to find YOU in the way YOU have written of here... YOU are enough and will continue to be sufficient for and in me... yet, YOU desire to meet with me and show me YOUR power and glory. YOU are the foundation upon which I am firmly and eternally established. With my physical eyes, I cannot and do not see YOU, only the evidence of where YOU'VE been, of what YOU'VE done, and continue to do, but I ask YOU to please, open my "spiritual" eyes to know/have the wisdom and discernment needed for this journey. My heart's cry is for YOU to "rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down," ... do YOUR work in my heart, in my home, in our church, and in our land. Show us YOUR power and glory. Hover over us and come near... let us experience the great and mighty works YOU promised to those who would call unto YOU. Please let there be a few brothers and sisters in CHRIST, who have the same desire, as myself ... and that we would pray, in confidence and complete trust, until YOU show up and show off, in YOUR MAJESTY. Father, before YOU, I am anxious and restless; nonetheless, waiting on YOU. PLEASE LET THIS BE THE GENERATION THAT WILL SEEK THE LORD... TO YOUR HONOR AND GLORY FOREVER... IN JESUS' PRECIOUS NAME, I PRAY... AMEN."