Pray Without Ceasing

As I work towards my new year's resolution to pray increasingly, I've been reading John MacAurthur's book, Alone with God: Rediscovering the Power and Passion of Prayer.  In today's reading, I was intrigued by the writing of a19th century preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon: 

Like the old knights, always in warfare, not always on their steeds dashing forward with their lances in rest to unhorse an adversary, but always wearing their weapons where they could readily reach them, and always ready to encounter wounds or death for the sake of the cause which they championed.  Those grim warriors often slept in their armor; so even when we sleep, we are still to be in the spirit of prayer, so that if perchance we wake in the night we may still be with God.  Our soul, having received the divine centripetal influence which makes it seek its heavenly center, should be evermore naturally rising towards God himself.  Our heart is to be like those beacons and watchtowers which were prepared along the coast of England when the invasion of the Armada was hourly expected, not always blazing, but with the wood always dry, and the match always there, the whole pile being ready to blaze up at the appointed moment. Our souls should be in such a condition that ejaculatory prayer should be very frequent with us.  No need to pause in business and leave the counter, and fall down upon the knees; the spirit should sent up its silent, short, swift petitions to the throne of grace... 
The soul should not always be in the exercise of prayer, but always in the energy of prayer; not always actually praying, but always intentionally praying...
I think of praying at all times as living in continual God consciousness, where everything we see and experience become a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to our Heavenly Father.  It is something I share with my Best Friend- something I instantly communicate with God.  To obey this exhortation means that, when we are tempted, we hold the temptation before God and ask for His help.  When we experience something good and beautiful, we immediately thank the Lord for it.  When we see evil around us, we ask God to make it right and to allow us to help accomplish that, if it is according to His will.  When we meet someone who does not know Christ, we pray for God to draw that person to Himself and to use us as faithful witnesses.  When we encounter trouble, we turn to God as our Deliverer. 
Thus life becomes a continually ascending prayer: All life's thoughts, deeds, and circumstances become opportunities to commune with our Heavenly Father.    -Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Snow

 Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

 New Years is the perfect time to start fresh.  I also celebrate the first day of the new year...this day seems so clean, hopeful, and full of potential. 

I have many goals for this new year. 

 1)  Continue reading through the entire Bible and continue my Bible studies with Adam.

2)  Spend more time in prayer throughout the day.  I want to pray more often and longer.  I plan to set my cell phone alarm to go off at regularly scheduled times to remind me to pray.  I can also pray more during my drive to and from work and while I cook dinner at night.

3)  Become more healthy.  Christmas cookies, candy, and party food was delicious...but now I need to loose the weight I gained over the holidays.  I need to exercise daily to get ready for swimming and fun in Paradise Cove!

4)  Clean out my apartment and give away extra things...our apartment is too cluttered to clean properly and is full of items my husband and I have not used since before we were married.  We need to purge so that we can better access the things we want to use. 

5)  Finish all my California teacher training and obtain full, valid status. 

6)  Seek a better job.  Pursue more promising career opportunities. 

7)  Forgive myself and trust that God has forgiven me.  It is easy for me to get caught up looking back at last year regretting mistakes and wishing I could change the past.  I need to let go of the errors I have made.  I can forget my failures and move on with my new knowledge and experience, letting Christ wash me clean and bless me with with His forgiveness. 

 Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Christmas

Today is a most lovely Christmas...

Christmas card perfect in every moment.



For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 9:6

 

Hard to Believe

Adam found a new book to use in his devotions yesterday.  We were browsing John MacArthur's book store, and this book caught his eye: 

Hard to Believe: The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus

This book explains many reasons why Christianity can be hard to embrace.  It tackles topics of evangelism while addressing how to present God's message of salvation in today's pop and media based culture. 

I Corinthians 1:19-21
For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring nothing to the understanding of the prudent."

Where is the wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the disputer of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For since. in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 

Perseverance

He who perseveres will receive the crown of life...

My father made this bookmark for me years ago.  I keep it in my Bible to daily remind me of the importance of perseverance. 

One of my favorite Bible verses is James 1:4.
But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking nothing.  

You cannot  enjoy life fully if you rush through it.  You cannot develop fully if you race through tasks without learning from them.  You cannot become your true self, the person God is shaping you into, if you do not endure the circumstances he has set in your life to mold you into a well rounded person.   Our heavenly father loves us just the way we are, but he loves us too much to allow us to waste our potential.  With perseverance and God's strength, slowly he is transforming our lives daily. 

Thankful

Exodus 34:6-7a
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  

I'm feeling incredibly thankful today.  I have a roof over my head.  I have my husband, who is my best friend and soul mate, here with me.  We have the basic necessities of life.   We  have love from our friends and family.  And we are growing in grace and knowledge through all the experiences God leads us through. 

"What I like about experience is that it is such an honest thing.  You may take any number of wrong turnings; but keep your eyes open and you will not be allowed to go very far before the warning signs appear.  You may have deceived yourself, but experience is not trying to deceive you.  The universe rings true whenever you fairly test it."  -C. S. Lewis

At times when I feel impatient with my growth, I remind myself that Jesus spent thirty years in preparation for his short years of ministry on earth.  Joseph spent many years in slavery, and in prison as he grew in experience and wisdom to serve God as a leader in Egypt.  I've been discouraged at times, thinking of all the classes and courses I have taken and must still take to prepare for teaching full time in California.  I am sometimes discouraged when I see all the tasks and financial responsibilities we must address before Adam and I are ready to financially afford children of our own.  I worry or feel disappointed in myself because I am not ready to reach all my dreams now.   But, if Jesus in his humanity went patiently through things that equipped him to do what God called him to do, I know I must also be patient as God develops my character and skills through hard work.   

I'm thankful that pouring myself into my studies and my teaching work is enabling me to better serve God's children.  I'm grateful that Adam's career is progressing too- he is becoming well respected for his talents and professionalism.  Adam is now in high demand for student and independent films. 

We don't have much: no full time jobs, no fancy home or car.  However, we have each other.  Life is about serving God through serving others.  Having things is not that important.  I pray that we can use the blessings God gives us to make the lives of those around us better.  I pray that God continues to help us enjoy what we do have.  I thank God that we can admire the things we see around us without feeling the need to acquire more possessions. 

We don't need much.  All we need is God.  Adam & I want to live gratefully, noticing all the small blessings God pours into our lives every day. 

I thank God for his deliverance.  I praise God for the wisdom he gives his children when they ask for understanding.   I am grateful for health, a part time job to help pay for life's necessities, and I praise God for the strength He gives me to face the challenges I meet every day. 

Psalm 33:18-22
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.  We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us Oh Lord, even as we put our hope in you. 

God's Power

Adam and I have recently been amazed at God's work in our lives.  Our eyes have been opened to specific situations where his perfect timing and unseen guidance in our lives has protected us.  We thank God for all the little ways he has made our way smooth and set us on the right path. 

God's greatness and power is displayed in so many aspects of our lives.  God has delivered us from many difficult and dangerous situations.  He has always shown us his way and helped us in our times of need. 

After attending church with Mike and Kim today, Adam and I recounted the many ways God has used his perfect timing to set us on our life paths.  As we drove home together, Adam and I felt incredibly blessed to look through this window that is rarely so clear, and to see God's fingerprints in every part of our lives. 

We are continually supported by friends and family.  We are prayed for by our brothers and sisters in Christ.  God speaks to us daily in his word. 

Adam and I praise God for his guidance.  We trust that as we pursue his will for our lives, and as we grow closer to Him through prayer and Bible study, we will continue to see his blessings in our lives.