Mustard

Just a Mustard Seed

It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds
Mark 4:31

Jesus replied, "You stubborn, faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?" "You didn't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:19-20

Small mindedness is not the worst of things. Smallness in faith is the worst thing. Small mindedness keeps us from seeing the plan of God.
Small in faith means we see little more than what we can pull off ourselves. Jesus had said that he gave his followers authority to cast out demons and cure diseases. The issue is not whether they were capable or had the power. They simply had very small faith. They lost faith that Jesus would do what he said he would do. So many of us lost that faith. Jesus reminds us that it doesn't take alot -- just a mustard seed amount. If that's there, then incubated with faith it becomes powerful and mighty.

Father,

You are glorious and majestic. Your deeds areawesome. I ask you to grow my faith stronger and bolder. Father, I beleive, but help me believe even more. I will seek to serve you trusting in your supply of power and strength. Lord, use me.

In Jesus name I asked.
Amen.

It is like a tiny mustard seed planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds come and find shelter among its branches. Luke 13:19

"Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed," the Lord answered, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,' and it would obey you! Luke 17:6

Back-To-School Prayer

Parents and children are probably experiencing those Back-to-School jitters today.

Pray.

Pray with your child before bed. In the morning, pray a blessing over your child before she leaves for school —for example:

Numbers 6:24-26: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."

A family prayer or devotional reading each morning before everyone goes separate ways will draw you together as a family and help you focus on what matters most. Nothing fancy required: some verses, a song, a prayer, a blessing.

Jabez: Remembered for A Prayer Request

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez is remembered for a prayer request than a heroic act. In his prayer, he asked God:

1) Bless him
2) Help him in his work ( "enlarge my terrority")
3) Be with him all he did
4) Keep him from evil and harm.

Jabez acknowledged God as the true center of his work. When we pray for God's blessing, we should also pray that he will take his rightful position as Lord over our work, family time, and our recreation. Obeying him in daily responsibilites is heroic living.

Jabez prayed specifically to be protected from harm and pain. We live in a fallen world filled with sin and it is important to ask God to keep us safe from the unavoidable evil that comes our way. But we must also avoid evil motives, desires, and actions that begin with us. Therefore, not only must we seek God's protection from evil, but we must also ask God to guard our thoughts and action. We must begin to utilize his protection by filling our minds with positive thoughts and attitudes.

Effective Prayer - Ask Him

Effective Prayer

God is our awesome provider. He has given us countless blessings to those who love and seek Him. We often do not come to Him with our needs. We miss His blessings by not seeking His hands, by not asking, or by asking the wrong motives.

Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. You parents – if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Matthew 7:7-11

The Golden Rule
Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

If you need wisdom, if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. James 1:5

You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:2-3

Dear Father,

I praise Your holy name. You are worthy to be praised. Your wisdoms abounds. Let everything that has breath on earth praise Your holy name. I thank You for those times when I have cried out to You and You have provided. I thank You that I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me. Forgive me for the times when I have been in real need and forgotten to call out Your name. Forgive me for those times when I did call Your name and asked for the wrong things because of my own personal desires. Teach me to rely on You for all things. Let me first look to the needs of my family and neighbors before I seek my own needs. Use me to help those in need. Let me always be dependent on you.

In Jesus name I asked.
Amen

Give God thanks for all that He has provided. Pray that you will bring every request, every need to our Father.

Blood

The Blood of Christ

This is part of the Lord's Supper I talked about two weeks ago.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrew 9:22

Why does forgiveness require the shedding of blood? There is no greater symbol of life than blood. Blood keeps us alive. Jesus shed his blood - gave his life - for our sins so that we would not have to experience spiritual death, eternal separation from God. Jesus is the source of life, not death. He gave his own life to pay our sin for us so that we might live. After shedding his blood for us, Christ rose from the grave and proclaimed victory over sin and death.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrew 9:14

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new convenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me".
1 Corinthians 11:25

How do we remember Christ in the Lord's Supper? By thinking about what he did and why he did it.

Paul's Letter - Examine Yourself

Examine yourself during the Lord's Supper.

http://denniscesone.blogspot.com/2005/04/examine-yourself.html

Try Prayer Power

Try Prayer Power

The Kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

Pray without ceasing. I believe that prayer is sending out of vibrations from one person to another and to God.

Follow ten rules for getting effective results from prayer:

Set aside a few minutes every day. Do not say anything. Simply practice thinking about God. This will make your mind spiritually receptive.

Then pray orally, using simple natural words. Tell God anything that is on your mind. Talk to God in your own language. He understands it.

Pray as you go about the business of the day, on the subway or washing dishes or at your desk. Utilize minute prayers by closing your eyes to shut out the world and concentrating briefly on God’s presence. The more you do this every day, the nearer you will feel God’s presence.

Do not always ask when you pray but instead affirm that God’s blessings are being given. Spend most of your prayers giving thanks and praising Him.

Pray with brief that prayers can reach out and surround your love ones with God’s love and protection.

Never use a negative though in prayer. Only positive thoughts get results.

Always express willingness to accept God’s will. Ask for what you want, but be willing to take what God gives you. It may be better than what you ask for.

Practice the attitude of putting everything in God’s hands. Ask for the ability to do your best and to leave the results confidently to God.

Pray for people you do not like or who have mistreated you. Resentment is blockage number one of spiritual power.

Make a list of people for whom to pray. The more you pray for other people especially those not connected with you, the more prayer results will come back to you.