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On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the power and effectiveness of prayer?
On a scale of 1 to 10 how would rate your prayer life? What is it that could facilitate powerful & effective prayers in your life? Listen to what James says in James 5:16: “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” To be earnest means to have serious intention, purpose and effort while showing a depth of sincerity of feeling. Being earnest in prayer isn’t about volume, length, eloquence or the right words. It’s a heartfelt expression to the Lord. “The earnest prayer of a righteousness person” can best be understood through what Jesus said in Luke 18:9-14: “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Righteousness is made possible from the humbling experience of recognizing and confessing who we are before God, and realizing who He is and what He has done for us. How about it? Would you like to have great power and wonderful results in your prayer life? Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - James 5:13-18 Monday - Luke 18:9-14 Tuesday - 1 Kings 18:41-46 Wednesday - Matthew 7:7-8 Thursday - 1 Kings 19:1-9 Friday - Matthew 6:5-15 Saturday - Jeremiah 29:12 Prayer: Lord, “Be merciful to me for I am a sinner.” Thank you Father for hearing my heart and loving me as you do. Thank you for revealing yourself through your word. Thank you for the way…the truth…the life I’ve found in Jesus. Amen
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What’s God’s greatest promise found in scripture?
I believe it’s the promise of the Messiah…the Anointed One…Jesus The biblical prophecies about the Messiah are not a bunch of scattered predictions randomly placed throughout the Old Testament; they collectively form a unified promise of God. Each promise is interrelated and connected to God’s plan & purpose. The fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the Messiah is the very foundation upon which all of God’s promises are fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 1:20 - “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!' And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes') ascends to God for his glory.” The declaration of the fulfillment of this promise is made by Jesus himself in Luke 4:17-21: “And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” God had a very specific plan and purpose for the fulfillment of this promise, and it really is Good News. Is the fulfillment of this promise evident in your life? Bro. Joe Scripture Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 61:1-3 Monday - Mark 1:1,14-15; Mark 13:10 Tuesday - Psalm 34:8 Wednesday - Revelation 21:4 Thursday - Galatians 5:1 Friday - Romans 6:7-11 Saturday - Romans 5:1-11 Prayer: Thank you Lord for the freedom found in your promise of Jesus . . . Freedom to come to you and to know you. In Christ, I’m standing on the promise found in John 8:36 - “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” Amen 40 Days of God’s Promises
I would like to invite you to join me on a 40 day journey of standing on the promises of God. Choose one of God’s promises everyday for the next 40 days, then focus your heart and mind on the fact that God has made that promise to you. Look up the scripture reference…pray it back to God…repeat it to yourself throughout the day…stand on it. See what God does in and through you. “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:1-11 NLT
What a beautiful imagery Jesus created for us in this passage. What captures your attention the most? The gardener, the grapevine, the branches, or the production of fruit? If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves focused on our need to be fruit bearers. We may even spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what it is we need to do in order to produce the most fruit. However, Jesus makes our focus plain: we are to remain…abide…stay connected to Him (the vine). The branches simply display the fruit the vine produces. Our job is to remain in Jesus, trusting Him to produce His fruit through us. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - John 15:1-11 Monday - Isaiah 40:28-31 Tuesday - Matthew 11:28-30 Wednesday - John 14:23 Thursday - John 1:36-39 Friday - John 14:27 Saturday - Colossians 1:9-10 Prayer: Father, as I abide in Christ, do your work in my life. Lord, produce the kind of fruit in and through me that will glorify you and draw others to you. Thank you God for grafting me into the vine and for pruning me in order that I might grow and produce much fruit. Amen |
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August 2019
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