This year I began reading Draw the Circle; The 40 Day Prayer Challenge. It's a great book/devotional and I recommend it to everyone. Here's a few things that God put in my spirit. Let's just call this an open letter to myself because Lord knows I'm a hot mess and need to remember this stuff on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.
There are a few things in my life that have been a continuous prayer for sometime. I've often wondered if I'm like a broken record to God and he's up there thinking "Goodness Lacey! I heard you the first time!" When I have this thought, I tend to back off a bit and just let Him be Him. Part of it is because I lose faith and say I trust Him but really don't because it's not happening in the time I want it to happen in. But by reading this book, I've changed. The Bible says we are to go BOLDLY before our God. It also says we have not because we ask not. So basically, stop being shy or timid or scared or doubtful and ASK!
Sometimes God will push us to our absolute limit- the limits of our faith, of out patience, of our gifts. That is how God stretches our faith and builds our character.
None of my dreams have happened quickly or easily. ...When you quit circling your prayers, you don't just compromise the present. Every promise, every miracle, every blessing in your future is forfeited.
WOW! Conviction!
What if the Israelites had stopped circling Jericho on the sixth day? What if Moses told God NO that he would not speak to pharaoh because he was too scared? What if Noah questioned God or didn't have the relationship with Him that he needed to have to hear his voice? In all of these situations, it took great faith and persistence and trust! You don't think Noah got tired of being ridiculed or tired of being the only one to have heard His voice. You don't think Moses was a bit scared to go into the Pharaohs throne room knowing he wasn't a "speaker?" What about Abraham who continually said he would follow God and then was asked to sacrifice HIS PROMISE - ISAAC! And the Israelites- After a few days of walking around a city, ever wonder if they thought "This is crazy! Nothings happening?"
These situations seemed impossible. But these men of God fought through the lack of understanding. They trusted. Simply that. And I'm sure they had multiple talks with the big man upstairs during the situations. Abraham didn't understand what was going on, but he trusted. Noah had never heard of rain, but he trusted. Moses had to go before the pharaoh with a speech issue, but he trusted. All of these men trusted.
So what does that have to do with praying prayers boldly and often. TRUST! At least for me. I have to trust that He knows what He's doing. I have to trust in the authority He's given me as his child. I have to trust that my prayers change things. I have to trust in a faith that sometimes waivers but is also said can move mountains. I have to persist and trust that my God will answer my prayers whether the answer be yes, no, or not now. My future, my miracles, my promises, my blessings (all of which are given to me by Him and are only possible because of Him) depend on my persistence and my trust.
There are a few things in my life that have been a continuous prayer for sometime. I've often wondered if I'm like a broken record to God and he's up there thinking "Goodness Lacey! I heard you the first time!" When I have this thought, I tend to back off a bit and just let Him be Him. Part of it is because I lose faith and say I trust Him but really don't because it's not happening in the time I want it to happen in. But by reading this book, I've changed. The Bible says we are to go BOLDLY before our God. It also says we have not because we ask not. So basically, stop being shy or timid or scared or doubtful and ASK!
Sometimes God will push us to our absolute limit- the limits of our faith, of out patience, of our gifts. That is how God stretches our faith and builds our character.
None of my dreams have happened quickly or easily. ...When you quit circling your prayers, you don't just compromise the present. Every promise, every miracle, every blessing in your future is forfeited.
WOW! Conviction!
What if the Israelites had stopped circling Jericho on the sixth day? What if Moses told God NO that he would not speak to pharaoh because he was too scared? What if Noah questioned God or didn't have the relationship with Him that he needed to have to hear his voice? In all of these situations, it took great faith and persistence and trust! You don't think Noah got tired of being ridiculed or tired of being the only one to have heard His voice. You don't think Moses was a bit scared to go into the Pharaohs throne room knowing he wasn't a "speaker?" What about Abraham who continually said he would follow God and then was asked to sacrifice HIS PROMISE - ISAAC! And the Israelites- After a few days of walking around a city, ever wonder if they thought "This is crazy! Nothings happening?"
These situations seemed impossible. But these men of God fought through the lack of understanding. They trusted. Simply that. And I'm sure they had multiple talks with the big man upstairs during the situations. Abraham didn't understand what was going on, but he trusted. Noah had never heard of rain, but he trusted. Moses had to go before the pharaoh with a speech issue, but he trusted. All of these men trusted.
So what does that have to do with praying prayers boldly and often. TRUST! At least for me. I have to trust that He knows what He's doing. I have to trust in the authority He's given me as his child. I have to trust that my prayers change things. I have to trust in a faith that sometimes waivers but is also said can move mountains. I have to persist and trust that my God will answer my prayers whether the answer be yes, no, or not now. My future, my miracles, my promises, my blessings (all of which are given to me by Him and are only possible because of Him) depend on my persistence and my trust.
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