Every morning (Monday – Saturday), there is a 10minute message prior to our time of worship + intimate prayer and I love taking notes during this time and being able to share them with you. I hope you can gleam something from them.
{all scripture is from the NIV version unless otherwise noted}
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Monday || 8.15.16 - Aldger Armstead
Ezekiel 37:1 ~ “The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.”
Sometimes we can get distracted by being obedient and being upset we’re still in the valley when God is trying to teach us to be like Him.
If we stick close to God, we’ll learn how to be like God while we’re in the valley.
Every hard time is not God punishing me, every valley is not God abandoning me.
How to pray for our valleys rather then try to get out of them:
- See what God sees
- Hear what God is saying – 1 Samuel 3:10 ~ “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.””
- Say what God is saying
Every valley has a purpose.
TUESDAY || 8.16.16 - Steve Blair
Mark 6:45-51 ~ “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,”
When life isn’t going the way that I think it should, prayer is my anchor to God.
Keep in mind:
- Jesus is near, even when you can’t see him.
- Jesus does not respond often the way we think he should, but he does respond.
- Jesus does the impossible.
WEDNESDAY || 8.17.16 - Allen Pedram
Revelation 12:10 ~ “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.”
We need to quiet the lies of the enemy and amplify the word of truth.
Psalm 109:1-4 ~ “My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.”
I am a person of prayer. We are church of prayer.
Put on the armor of God everyday.
Ephesians 6:11-12 ~ “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
THURSDAY || 8.18.16 - Kyle Cantrell
What is God actually seeing?
2 Kings 6:13-17 ~ ““Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he senthorses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
How to help people see what God is seeing:
- Pray “God, open their eyes.”
- See through the eyes of faith – Ephesians 3:20 ~ “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”
- See people as God sees people.
FRIDAY || 8.19.16 - Caleb Chambers
Have I ever been in a situation that seemed hopeless?
Romans 4:18-21 ~ “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
Believe in Hope:
- Eliminate doubt by praying truth. God’s truth trumps man’s facts every time.
- Raise my expectation by praying specifics. When we magnify God’s power, we minimize the problems in our life.
SATURDAY || 8.20.16 - John Larson
What do you do when you’re still waiting for your prayers to be answered?
Ephesians 6:10-11 ~ “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Even while I’m waiting for my prayer to be answered, I need to still give glory to God and proclaim in in my life.
3 thoughts on what do while waiting:
- Stand up & declare God. Be proud of who I serve.
- Gear up and use the weapons God has given us. Ephesians 6:13-17 ~ “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
- Stay up & keep going. Ephesians 6:18 ~ “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”