This morning we wrapped up week 3 of Church of the Highland‘s 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting. It was a great final week I am so excited to share with you the last week’s 10minute messages we’ve been receiving every morning.
{scripture is from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted}
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SATURDAY - 1.16.16
When I start counting down the days until 21 Days of Prayer is over, I start focusing on the process and not the purpose.
What is GOD’s finish line? Not what is MY finish line. Make sure not to confuse the two.
Matthew 6:9-10 (NIV) ~ “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Our goal is to reach up for heaven & reach down to the earth and pull them together until heaven & earth collide.
Acts 3:1-8 ~ “One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look here.” He looked up, expecting to get something from them. Peter said, “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked.”
The miracle in this story (in the verse above) happened outside of the church.
These 21 days is about God adjusting our eyes to see what God sees
Pray & ask God to fill me!
MONDAY - 1.17.16
Have I ever prayed and just wanted the answer NOW!?
Even in the waiting, there is a right way to respond.
Daniel 6:10 ~ “When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God.”
No matter what happened to Daniel, he still did what he had always done – prayed.
Daniel 6:23 ~ “When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had trusted his God.”
In the midst of my situation, I can respond with TRUST.
Romans 12:11-13 ~ “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.”
- when I rejoice in my hope, that’s WORSHIP
- Be patient in my times of trouble, TRUST HIM
- KEEP ON PRAYING!
TUESDAY – 1.19.16
What is my job as a believer? to pray.
My job is to pray for my sphere (spouse, jobs, friends, etc.). No one can pray for sphere like I can.
Matthew 8:5-11 ~ “As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, “Master, my servant is sick. He can’t walk. He’s in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.” “Oh, no,” said the captain. “I don’t want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I’m a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Taken aback, Jesus said, “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know all about God and how he works. This man is the vanguard of many outsiders who will soon be coming from all directions—streaming in from the east, pouring in from the west, sitting down at God’s kingdom banquet alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.””
- it’s my job to seek out Jesus. || Philippians 4:6
- It’s my job to say the word.
- stand upon and speak his word
WEDNESDAY - 1.20.16
At the end of 21 Days, I won’t be glad that I’m good at praying, but that I’m more in tune with God.
Prayer is not a bargaining tool, it’s a turning key. Prayer is taking His will and my wants and turning them into one.
John 1:36-37 (NIV) ~ “When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”
Jesus conducted the first ever small group.
John 1:42 (NIV) ~ “And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).”
Talk to God to “name” me and tell me my purpose.
John 1:43-45 (NIV) ~ “The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.””
Found people Find people.
THURSDAY - 1.21.16
How many of you have received shocking news? What do we do when we receive shocking news that isn’t so good?
Nehemiah 1:3 ~ “They told me, “The exile survivors who are left there in the province are in bad shape. Conditions are appalling. The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble; the city gates are still cinders.””
Nehemiah shows us how to respond in tragedy::
- worship (vs 5-6 ~ “I said, “God, God-of-Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to his covenant and faithful to those who love him and obey his commands: Look at me, listen to me. Pay attention to this prayer of your servant that I’m praying day and night in intercession for your servants, the People of Israel, confessing the sins of the People of Israel. And I’m including myself, I and my ancestors, among those who have sinned against you.”)
- remember God’s promises (vs 7-9 ~ ““We’ve treated you like dirt: We haven’t done what you told us, haven’t followed your commands, and haven’t respected the decisions you gave to Moses your servant. All the same, remember the warning you posted to your servant Moses: ‘If you betray me, I’ll scatter you to the four winds, but if you come back to me and do what I tell you, I’ll gather up all these scattered peoples from wherever they ended up and put them back in the place I chose to mark with my Name.’”)
- refuse to give up (chapter 2)
FRIDAY - 1.22.16
Do I have a definitive, well thought out plan for day 22?
Hebrews 10: 22-25 ~ “So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
God’s presence is where my idenity changes.
God is faithful. Never doubt that.
Attach a scripture to what I’m praying for.
There is no “bad” in God & no “good” in the devil.
Isolation is a firm ground for the devil to pound me.
What are my next steps?
SATURDAY - 1.23.16
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ~ “Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.”
- Bless me. Give me more than I need!
- Increase my influence
- That God’s Presence would be with me – all the time!
- Protection
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I’ll write more in depth about the conclusion to 21 Days of Prayer shortly! 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 😀