Day 7: Pray for Boldness

Ephesians 6: 1O-19

“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me SO that I will fearlessly make known the myste, of the
GosPel” (Ephesians 6:19).

Paul was in prison and would Probably have been advised to keep silent Instead Paul asked the Ephesian believers to pray that he would have boldness to proclaim the Gospel. Now how many people can a Prisoner con tact? Every time the guard changed Paul told the new guard about Jesus Soon there were many who had become true believers

I am a Gideon Auxiliary member. Each member is asked to give out two New testaments a month. At one time I had Probably given out two in the last two years. I needed this prayer for boldness. Being rather shy, I tind it very hard to speak up and share the Gospel.

One December, as we traveled to California for Christmas Ideterjnined to give out at least two New Testaments. As we checked out of our hotel room I mustered up my courage and offered a New Testament to the hotel clerk. She was delighted to accept it.

Then, as we finished breakfast in the restaurant i thought of Our young waitress. She was so busy. Dare I ask her? I did, but she had to leave in a huny to get an order out to another customer To my delight, she came back, received the New Testament and gave me a big hug! My hear was tilled with0 I had trusted the Lord for boldness, and He had helped me.

Insight Pray for boldness to share the Gospel. God
 will give you courage to make the contact, and He will give you the Words you need.

DAY 6: Pray for Mercy

Luke 18:9-14

“Hear my ‘oice when I call, 0 Lord; be .. mercful to me and answer me” (Psalm 27:7).

We all struggle with pride, either thinking we are better than someone else or thinking that no one could possibly love us. Too high or too low an estimate of ourselves is still pride because we are still centering on ourselves.

That pride must be broken if we are ever to come to Jesus as our Saviour. We must realize how much we need Jesus and we must acknowledge what He has done for us by dying for our sins. We need, like the tax collector in Jesus’ story, to utter a sincere cry for mercy (Luke 18:9-14). When we do, Jesus saves us and makes us a part of God’s forever family.

Mercy is God placing the punishment for our sins on His Son, so He can freely forgive us, not treating us as we deserve. Mercy is God welcoming us, though we have rejected Him in times past.

Have you ever come to that point of realizing how poor, sinful, and needy you are? Has your stubborn pride been broken? With a truly humble heart, have you come to Jesus and uttered a prayer for mercy?

Then you belong to Him forever. He promises never to leave you nor forsake you. You will never be alone again. What a wonderful promise! Once you come to Him, He will begin to bring forth His glorious plan for your life.

Insight:God is at work in your life to humble you, Insight breaking your stubborn pride, that He may
show you His mercy.

DAY 5: Pray with Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:l- 8

Do not be anxious about anything, but in ? everything, by prayer and petition with thanks “ giving, present your requests to God”
(Philippians 4:6).

We have learned to come to God asking Him to meet our needs, to pray with Confidence
according to His will, and to come boldly into God’s presence. Now we need to learn to pray with thanksg iving.

I have always Struggled with worry when faced with a problem. My custom has been to worry over an issue
much like a dog worries over a bone—-gnawing and gnawing, unable to let go of it. However, over the years
I have tried to do exactly what Paul admonishes in our verse for today.

First, to stop Worrying and begin to pray about the matter, laying it out before the Lord. Then to begin to
give thanks for everything i can think of that Surrounds the problem Then, most of all, to thank God that He is still in control and that He is going to work things out in His Own time and way.

I have learned that there is something about thanksg iving that begins to release the power of God in even the most difficult situation

Are you troubled about something today? Use these steps in prayer and experience the peace of God that
passes understanding (v. 7). Begin today to learn to pray with thanksgiving and praise.

Insight: End your worry by praying with thanksgjv Insight ing. You’ll begin to experience God’s
Wonderful peace.

DAY 4: Come Boldly

Hebrews 4: 14-16

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne ç of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, KJV).

When Jesus died on the cross, He did a marvelo us thing. He opened the way into the very presence of God for us.

In Old Testament times, the only one allowed into God’s presence was the high priest and then only once a year. All others must stay in the outer court.

Today, Jesus, our High priest, is entered into the very heavenlies for us. He know; how weak, poor, and needy we are, and how much we need His strength and grace. He invites us to come boldly, without fear, into the very presence of God, there to have our needs met.

Do you need strength just to face another day? Come!

Do you need wisdom to make a decision? Come!

Do you need joy to lift your heavy spirit? Come!

Do you need an awareness of how close and how loving the Lord is to you? Come!

Do you need love for someone who is hard to love? Come!

Do you need patience with young children, or with an elderly person who is dependent on you? Come!

Do you need grace to live with continued physical weakness? Come!

Whatever your need, the door is open. God’s invitat ion is out. Come boldly! Your need will be met.

Insight:Jesus has opened the way so that you may Insight come boldly to the throne of God in your
time of need.

DAY 3 Prayer With Confidence

DAY 3 1 John 5:13-21

 

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that f we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And f we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

 

I f prayer is asking, then how do I ask? How can I be confident that God will answer my prayer? God says I need to ask according to His will. Then I ask, how can I know I’m asking according to His will? God’s will is revealed in His Word. If I’m filled with His Word and pray His Word back to Him, then I’m sure of His answer.

 

My husband Dan and I were praying for another car. Our LeBaron had 190,000 miles on it, and four months before, the engine burned up in it. We replaced the engine and kept on praying. At that time Dan was driving 20 miles to another town to work, and the prison where he Volunteered as a chaplain was 17 miles away. We needed a dependable car. So we prayed the promise of Philippians 4:19, confident God would meet our need in His time and in His way. What we needed was patience to wait until God answered. By one miracle after another, God provided our car fund goal and we purchased a car. Two weeks later, Dan would be Jet go from his job and be officially retired.

 

Hold God to His promises in your life. You can be confident that He will answer. He will meet your needs, whatever they are.

 

Insight You can come boldly to the throne and pray with confidence, relying on the promises of your Heavenly Father.

DAY 2:Invitation to Pray

DAY 2 Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you” (Matthew 7.7, KJV).

 

Prayer is our means of communicating with God, and His invitation is an open one. We can come to Him anytime, anywhere, with anything that is on our hearts. We can ask Him to meet a need, or we can talk over a problem, or we can lift up someone else’s need before the throne of God.

 

Why does He tell us to ask when He already knows our need? Most of us have raised the question. Through my work with children in my day care, I have found an answer that satisfies me. I know the needs of the young children, and I am committed to their care. However, I don’t want them going to the refrigerator and pouring their own juice or climbing into the cracker cupboard
and helping themselves. They may have those things, of course, but they need to come to me and ask. When they do, I gladly take care of their needs.

 

Similarly, our Heavenly Father wants us to come and ask, believing in His loving-kindness. He wants us to know from experience that He delights to give good gifts to His children. He hears our requests, and He answers in the way that is best for us.

 

His invitation is open. Come, make your needs known to Him. Your Heavenly Father’s cupboard is full to overflowing, and He never has to go to the grocery store to replenish it.

 

Insight God is committed to you. Prayer is asking
 and receiving. It is your Heavenly Father
giving to meet your need.

Day 1:Why Pray?

DAY 1 Psalm 34

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and His ears are attentive to their ciy”
(Psalm 34:15).

 

Have you ever asked, “Why pray?” I have. At one time when I was going through deep depression, I wondered if it was worth praying at all. My devotion time was a mere routine and it meant little to me. The only cry I could utter was, “Restore my joy.” Did God hear me? So far as I could see, nothing was happening very fast.

 

Three-year-old Lexie made a nest out of her quilt on our lawn. Stopping her constant chatter for a moment, she looked up to the sky and called loudly, “Jesus, are You awake?” Then a little louder, “Jesus, are You
awake?”

 

I could have assured her, “Yes, Jesus is awake, and He heard you just now.”

 

Jesus never left me in those dark days of depression. He stayed close beside me, and He heard the cry of my
heart. In time He healed me, and my zest for life returned.

 

Why pray? Because God is listening for your voice, and He is more than willing to help you. He has a generous, compassionate heart. You may not feel Him there, but He has never left your side.

 

Yes, Lexie, Jesus is awake. He has heard you, because He never sleeps. 

 

Insight God is always listening for the faintest cry from one of His children. Remember, you
are precious to Him.

Starting Tomorrow The God Who Hears

Day 31: Wa1killq with God

Micah 6:1-8

 

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”(Micah 6:8).

 

 

What does it mean to walk humbly with my God? Use a few questions to help you evaluate what you have been learning from Christ about humility.

·         Am I learning to welcome trials, knowing they will reveal what is in my heart and whether I will obey God?

·         Am I living in complete dependence on God, not assuming I can handle everything on my own?

·         Am I becoming less self-seeking and more willing to unselfishly reach out to others?

·         Do I have a growing sense of being loved by God, in spite of my many imperfections?

·         In my relationship with others, am I showing more patience and gentleness?

·         Am I grateful to God for all He does in and through me?

·         Do I have a realistic opinion of myself in the sight of God?

Which will it be: pride or humility? Christ invites us, “Come, and learn humility of me.”

 

INSIGHT: Would you like your life to over-flow with God’s grace? While He opposes the proud, He lavished His grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5).

Day 30: We1come Suffering

HEBREWS 5:1-10

 

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered “ (Hebrews 5:8).

 

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

 

No one welcomes suffering, yet it comes to all of us. And in each painful thing that happens to us, God has some lessons for us to learn. It is important that we do not lose faith, that we endure the test, and that we cling to God. The way we react to suffering can bring great glory to God and help turn others to the faith, or it can bring shame on God’s name.

 

1f Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering, how much more do we!

 

When I went through TMJ treatment several years ago, my dentist had to sharply rebuke me. I had not been out of pain in 30 days, and I developed a long face. The treatment did not go well for me. I thought my dentist was going to give up on me. I greeted him with a complaining attitude and disappointment. I deserved the dressing down he gave me, and I determined that with God’s help I would smile when I entered his office, no matter how much pain I was in. My changed attitude helped both of us.

 

INSIGHT: Let’s submit to the lessons God has for us in pain and suffering and let His joy shine through our tears.