FAITH

 

FAITH

Fantastic Adventure In Trusting Him!

"Remember and use the 4 P's in 2013"

Pray, Plan, Pursue, Praise.

As we seek His presence in the name of Jesus.

Pray. "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the way; walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). ... As we pray, we draw closer to God’s presence.

May 2013 be the year we hear His voice louder than ever in our lives.

Plan. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). ... God is a winner and therefore only produces winners. As we tap into His plans we see they include victory, not defeat.

 

Pursue. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). ... God’s Word works. Refusing to compromise the pursuit of Truth in our lives is where we will find our unshakable.

Praise. “Celebrate what God has done as we look ahead as to what God is going to do.”

Biblical prayer preparation habits: Be still and quiet. The Bible says in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Focus your mind on Him. Calm down, relax, and recognize His presence. Take a deep breath and focus your thoughts on the Lord.

Get into the Word of God. It's better to start by reading the Bible than it is to start in prayer. It is more important for you to hear from God, even than for God to hear from you. God already knows all about you, but you need to know a lot more about Him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Read the Bible for quality and not quantity. It's good to have a goal to read the Bible through in a year, or a similar goal; but that's not the purpose of your quiet time. Also, devotional books are wonderful. But again, this is not the place for them. This is the time when you simply read the Bible with an open mind.

Meditate. As you focus on the Word of God and meditate, let it permeate you. Ask:

• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a new truth to carry with me?

Record a note what God has given you. Write down what God says to you and what He tells you to do. It doesn't have to be flowery. You're not writing it for publication or to impress other people.

Pray. As you pray, pour out your soul. Be natural and honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. As appropriate, pray out loud. It keeps your mind on track and enables you to stay focused.

Begin to share out of your quiet time. God did not make us to be reservoirs; He made us to be conduits. Tell others what it is God is showing you.

Obey what God tells you. Your spiritual train is running on two rails. One is revelation and the other is obedience. And if either rail stops, your train stops. Learn to obey the Word of God and enjoy His love.

After Meditation…

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart…
I Peter 1:22