PM#0513 Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

PM#0513

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, decision, decisions, we are all faced daily with decisions.  With so much demanding our time how do we decide what is important?

What happens to many of us is our plans change because of a circumstance that has come up. 

Circumstances in a military battle can keep a commander from achieving his objective by distracting him.  If we allow ourselves to be run by circumstances then those circumstances may be distractors.

How do we avoid this?  We need to spend time in prayer and ask the Lord to give us wisdom if a circumstance that just came up can be dwelt with later.  We need to be open to the Lord speaking to us.

Consider this prayer:  Father, help me in prayer to listen to you.  Guide my day, and give me wisdom about the circumstances.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection questions:

Have you ever taken time to really look at how much circumstances control us?

Are circumstances really distractors?  Explain your thoughts.

How might prayer be helpful in keeping circumstances from controlling us?

PM#0512 Encouraging Others

PM#0512

Encouraging Others

Heb 3:13

Let’s ask the following: are we encouraging others?  Heb 3:13 says to encourage one another daily.  Great idea—but what are we actually doing?

One thought is that what we do for the Lord is not to be broadcasted—Therefore we shouldn’t say anything that would encourage someone because that would be bringing attention to them.

On the other hand, others have found that when they encourage people, God has honored that encouragement, and it has challenged others to be more focused on their obedience to the Lord.  It has also helped new ministries move forward and be able to help others.

As we pray, let’s take time to ask the Lord, how does He want us to encourage others.

Consider this prayer: ‘Father, Your Word says that we should encourage others daily.  Please show us how.  We ask Your help.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection questions:

What source has the greatest influence on how we encourage others?

1. Our Parents
2. What we learned from teachers
3. What we learned from reading
4. How others have encouraged us

Why does an approach that we learn from parents affect how we may encourage others?

What about what we learned from teachers or reading—how does that affect use in how we encourage others?

If you were personally encouraged by someone where that encouragement made a difference, how has that affected you?

There is a lot to think about in how we go about encouraging someone.  One more question, especially for those who pray a lot—have you found that as your relationship with God has grown, has it lead you to encourage others more?

PM#0511 Listing to God Speaking Through Others

PM#0511

Listing to God Speaking Through Others

I Cor 12 vs 14 and 18

What keeps us back from accepting the vision God has given others?  Are we making our selves a judge of another person’s calling or dreams? Or is it that it does not fit our personal focus?

The Bible says in I Corinthians 12: 14.  For the body is not one member, but many…18.  … God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

Now consider that if someone who carries the gospel, or the foot, should to say to the eye—I do not need you—don’t you think it would stumble?  That is similar to not accepting a vision of someone else in the body of Christ.  

What should we do?  Here is a prayer to consider:  Father, I ask you to help me listen to you speaking through others who love you.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

PM#0510 Finding Time to Pray

Finding Time to Pray

Life seems to be so full of many things, and it seems that we do not have any time free to spend time in prayer.  Yet God, throughout the whole Bible, encourages us to spend time with Him.

Many of us struggle in finding time to spend with God in His Word and Prayer.  Maybe we should consider even just a short prayer, asking for help.

Father,

May I have the Time to meditate on the Word of God;

Help me to listen to Holy Spirit speaking to my heart;

Help me to write the vision that the Holy Spirit when He spoke to my heart, in my journal;

May I have the Time to focus away from work or other cares, to focusing on You;

May I Time to read God's Word;

May I have Time for personal prayer and personal requests of mine and others;

May I always have Time for praise and worship of God.

Thank you, Lord, for helping me to have time to spend with You and your Word and in Prayer.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.