It Is Finished!

Then Jesus cried with a loud voice and died. Mark 15:37 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus finishes his work as our ransom from sin and death. Please ponder
the incredible words of Mark 15:37. God in human flesh dies. He dies
because he allows his life to be taken. He dies as one of us. He dies
in pain, humiliation, rejection, and ridicule. He dies because he loves
us and wants to free us from our sin by his blood. He completes the
work that God has given him to do in his incarnation.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Almighty God, I cannot even begin to imagine how this moment of Jesus'
death impacted your heart and the hosts of heaven. In my human heart,
just reading this story makes me want to shout "Hallelujah!" in praise
to your Son for the victory he wins by laying down his life. At the
same time, my heart breaks at the thought of our human rebellion -- our
utter sinfulness -- that placed Jesus on the Cross both physically and
spiritually. During this time of year as we think of Jesus' birth, I am
reminded once again that he was born to pay this horrible price. Thank
you for my redemption. Thank you for paying such a horrible price to
win that redemption. All praises be to you, O God, the Father of grace
and to your Son and my Savior who paid the price for my sin.
Hallelujah! Amen.

www.heartlight.org

Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love

Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love--not death, not life, not angels or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us--nothing in the whole created world--will ever be able to separate us from God's love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38:39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scriptures. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death. Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated by Christ.

Teach God's Commandments To Your Children

VERSE:
Teach them [God's commandments] to your children, talking about
them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when
you lie down and when you get up.- Deuteronomy 11:19

THOUGHT:
Moses gives us three crucial messages about God's commandments.
First, as parents, it is our responsibility to teach them to our
children -- not the responsibility of the government, or of the
schools, nor even our churches. Second, we are to teach them in the
everyday course of life as we go about our routines as a family.
Third, we are to teach them continuously by both our words and our
lives as we raise our children.

PRAYER:
O LORD God, please bless me as I seek to impart my faith to
others, especially to those in my family. Please bless me with a
consistent and faithful witness to them and the right words to say
when the time is right. Give me the courage and sensitivity to say
it with loving respect, and the courage to live as a strong
Christian example for my children and grandchildren. In Jesus' name
I pray. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

Seasons of Dryness in Prayer

I ask God to use the time of spiritual dryness to prepare me for future growth. Jesus hints at such a process in his analogy of the vine: "Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." As any vintner or rose-grower knows, the act of lopping off lush branches, which at first seems cruel and destructive, actually causes the pruned shoots to grow back more productive than ever. A vintner explained to me that he refuses to irrigate because the stress caused by occasional drought produces the best, most tasty grapes. Seasons of dryness make the roots run deep, strengthening the vine for whatever the future holds.

-Philip Yancey in PRAYER Does It Make Any Difference?, p.203-204.

God Is Worth Waiting For

Waiting for God is not easy. Often it seems that he isn't answering
our prayers or doesn't understand the urgency of our situation. That
kind of thinking implies that God is not in control or is not fair.
But God is worth waiting for. Lamentations 3:24-26 calls us to hope in
and wait for the Lord because often God uses times of waiting to
refresh, renew, and teach us. Make good use of your waiting times by
discovering what God may be trying to teach you in them.

-Application note from Psalm 27:14 in the Life Application Bible

Thankfulness

The following quote is found in the introduction to Deuteronomy in the
Prayer Devotional Bible: - The spiritual disciplines of Scripture
meditation and prayer are like covenant renewals. Daily we need to
remember God's mercy and goodness, give thanks and pray for his
purposes to be accomplished in us, and confess our failures to let him
do so. Gratitude for God's mercy is the foundation of all spiritual
renewal and right living. . . 

Prayer is the first act of that thankfulness.

God's Promise

VERSE:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all
things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in
every good work.
-- 2 Corinthians 9:8


THOUGHT:
What a powerful promise! If we are willing to generously share
with others in the name of Jesus as the apostle Paul discusses in
the previous two verses, we will have what we need and our lives
will be full of good deeds that bring glory to God. So let's remind
ourselves of one the very first lessons we should have learned as
young children: share! Only this time, as children of God, let's
share in the name of Jesus to bless others so they may come to his
grace.

PRAYER:
Thank you, dear Father, for all the incredible blessings you
have poured into my life. You have richly blessed me physically and
spiritually. Now I ask that your Spirit will help me be generous
with the gifts you have so richly given to me. May my life, O LORD,
be a consistent conduit of your blessings so that others may come
to know your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

When In Prayer

"When in prayer you clasp your hands, God opens His."

 -German Proverb

Be Faithful

"It is better to be faithful than famous."

Roosevelt, Theodore

Jesus Is Calling You!

He's Calling You!


Jesus stopped and said, "Tell the man to come here." So they
called the blind man. They said, "Be happy! Stand up! Jesus
is calling you." The blind man stood quickly. He left his
coat there and went to Jesus.

-- Mark 10:49-50 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus still calls to us! He wants us to hear the message of his life --
you can come to me and receive life, he speaks to us. He wants us to
hear the message of his teaching -- you who are heavy burdened come to
me and learn from me and find rest with me, he tells us. He wants us to
hear the message of his resurrection -- you can come to me and find
rest, safety, and joy in my presence, he wants us to know. Jesus is
calling to you. Will you follow him?


TODAY'S PRAYER:
O Father in heaven, help me hear the voice of Jesus calling to me to
follow, to find rest, and to focus on the glorious future that I have
in him. Give me courage to keep hearing his voice and following him
faithfully. In Jesus' name. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

God's Plan

God's Plan


"But when God made the world, 'he made people male and
female.'" Mark 10:6 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
God's plan, rooted in the creation story of Genesis 2, is that one
woman and one man be married for life. As male and female, they are
different, yet each one is created in the image of God. They are
different -- not just because of the difference in their two lives,
with different experiences and different tastes, but also because they
are made fundamentally different. Learning to blend these differences
through mutual love and submission reflects the mystery of God himself,
who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.


TODAY'S PRAYER:
O Father in heaven, help the marriages among your people today more
fully reflect your divine intention. Teach us to submit to each other
out of love and respect -- not just love and respect for our marriage
partner, but also love and respect for Jesus as our Lord. In his name I
pray. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

God, You Are My Refuge

VERSE:
O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from
all who pursue me...
-- Psalm 7:1

THOUGHT:
Who or what is pursuing you? Is it a past mistake? Is it an old
enemy? Is it your conscience? Is it a nagging sense of guilt? Is it
someone who wants to do you physical harm? Is it a physical
illness? In the middle of all the storms and struggles of life,
where do you go to find peace and security? There is only One who
can be a true and lasting refuge. Just One!

PRAYER:
Father God, you are my refuge and source of strength when my
courage is gone and my soul is weary. Please, dear Father, destroy
all the forces and powers and enemies that pursue me and seek to
take me captive and draw me away from you. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

www.heartlight.org

Real Prayer

Believe me, prayer is our highest privilege, our gravest reponsibility, and greatest power God has put into our hands.

Prayer, real prayer, is the noblest, the sublimest, the most stupendous act that any creature of God can perform. -

The Kneeling Christian

Honesty

Don't worry about having the right words; worry more about having the
right heart. It's not eloquence he seeks, just honesty.

-Max Lucado (The Great House of God,p.50)

Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you
won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and
honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God and
you will begin to sense his grace.

-Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:6 in The Message

Knowledge of the Bible

A knowledge of the Bible is essential to a rich and meaningful
life. -- Billy Graham

A Blessing for Prayer

Be a soldier of prayer.  Seek the Father before, during, and after your time of struggle.  May the Spirit constantly remind you of the need for prayer, and the Father's desire to hear your voice.

Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayer, asking for everything you need.  To do this you must always be ready and never give up.  Always pray for all God's people.  Ephesians 6:18

Faithful

It is better to be faithful than famous.

-- Theodore Roosevelt

Prayerlessness?

Why don't I pray more? Here is what I have come to believe is the
number one reason for my on prayerlessness: I don't pray because I'm
not desperate. I'm not fully conscious of my need for God.

-Nancy Leigh DeMoss in Pray!

Prayer Is Work

We need to realize that prayer is not just for personal use, nor is it

only for devotional purpose. Prayer is a ministry. Prayer is work.

-Watchman Nee

Be Glory For Ever and Ever

VERSE:
To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:20


THOUGHT:
When was the last time that you prayed and didn't request things
from God and you simply thanked and praised him? Why not use today
as a day of thanks and praise? Don't ask for anything; just praise
and thank the Father! Praise him for who he is, what he has done,
and what he is going to do! Thank him for blessing you, saving you,
and bringing you into his glory! Let today be a day of thanks and
praise.

PRAYER:
You are worthy, dear Father, of every word of praise my
imagination can find and every word of thanks my tongue can
pronounce. You are glorious, majestic, holy, mighty, and awesome.
You are patient, forgiving, sacrificial, loving, and tender. You
are more than I can imagine and closer than my very breath. Your
greatness exhausts my vocabulary and your generosity overwhelms my
heart. Please be glorified in my every thought, deed, and word. In
Jesus' name I praise you. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

Revealing Prayer

Prayer itself is revealing. It is the most sincere thing that we ever
do. We cannot pray that which we are not. We literally pray what we
are. Now there's a difference in saying prayers and in praying. I'm
convinced that too many times we say prayers without really praying. .

When we truly pray, we bare ourselves before God. Tell me what
you are in your prayer life and you've told me really what you are. We
cannot pray that which we are not.

Alan Bryan in The Meaning of Prayer

On God's Side

"Pray not that God is on our side, but that we are on God's side."
-Abraham Lincoln

Jesus keeps things so SIMPLE!

I just love how Jesus keeps things so SIMPLE!

When he was asked what the greatest command was, Jesus did not even blink - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12)

Is it really that SIMPLE? Seriously? I can do that, right?

Sometimes we make things far more complicated that they were ever meant to be. Think about all the books and magazines and research about how to be healthy. And yet we continue to have poor health. But if complexity creates confusion, simplicity brings success.

I pray that this month would be a return to the Simple Life. Keep it simple. Do the little things every day that lead to a life that matters!

In this Wellness E-Zine you will find terrific articles to help you as you pursue God and a healthy life!

To the Simple Life,

Jimmy PageFCA! Health & Fitness

jpage@fca.org
http://www.fcahealthandfitness.org/

Rule Of The Kingdom

"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 (NLT)

"Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom."
-Charles H. Spurgeon

Alone With Jesus

Time spent alone with Jesus each day will order our hearts and grant a
sense of direction, enabling us to live purposeful, useful lives,
directed by the power of the Holy Spirit, rather than being driven by
the expectations and demands of others.

-Nancy Leigh DeMoss in A Place of Quiet Rest p.236

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward
him for what he has done. Proverbs 19:17

Please Others and Not Yourself

If our faith is strong, we should be patient with the Lord's followers whose faith is weak. We should try to please them instead of ourselves. 2 We should think of their good and try to help them by doing what pleases them. 3 Even Christ did not try to please himself. But as the Scriptures say, "The people who insulted you also insulted me." 4 And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5 God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6 Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Roman 15:1-6

Kindhearted

A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Proverbs 11:16

Not My Will

"Not my will, but yours be done'' Luke 22:42

This week let these words be the only prayer you pray about situations that confront you. Focus on relinquishing every situation to Him to be a platform for His power.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean
The Praying Life Foundation

www.nationaldayofprayer.org

Prayer Is Warfare

Prayer is warfare. Just getting to prayer is half the battle;
staying there is the other half.

-anonymous

"O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth" (Psalm 78:1).

Read your Bible this morning with the awareness that you are listening to the words of His mouth. Stop at the first word, phrase, or thought that captures your attention and let the Father speak to you about it and let it shape your prayers.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean
The Praying Life Foundation

www.nationaldayofprayer.org

2007 Ford Ironman World Championship Promo

Pray for Election Day on You Tube!

God's Love Is Total

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:20

God's love is TOTAL, says Paul. It reaches every corner of our experience. His LOVE is deep - it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death. When you feel shut out or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to GOD'S LOVE.

The fullness of God's is fully expressed only in Christ. In union with Christ and through his Spirit, we are complete. We have all the fullness of God available to us.  We must appropriate that fullness through faith and through prayer as we daily live for him. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians is also for you. You can ask the Holy Spirit to fill every aspect of your life to the fullest.

Encouragement To Be Faithful

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgement. 

2 Timothy 1:7

Paul mentions three characteristics of the effective Christian leader: power, love, and self-discipline. These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. Follow his leading each day so that your life will more fully exhibit these characteristics.  The power of the Holy Spirit can help us overcome our fear of what some might say or do to us, so that we can continue to do God's work.  When we allow people to intimidate us, we neutralize our effectiveness for God.

Keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you.

Lord, I receive the promise of your Word. I will walk in faith and not fear and I believe my setback become a comeback.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

"When we begin to fan the flames of strength and boldness that are within us by praying, studying God's Word, and fellowship with other believers, we soon discover the coals that were about to go out will burst into flames again."  - Pat Street

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" Luke 5:16

Find a place in your home where you can be alone and undistracted during your prayer time. Keep your Bible, prayer journal, pen, and whatever tools you use in that place so that everything is ready. During your prayer time each day, this is a sacred place.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean
The Praying Life Foundation

www.nationaldayofprayer.org

Daily Time with The Father

Quiet Time with God

The next morning, Jesus woke up very early. Jesus left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. Mark 1:35

KEY THOUGHT: Jesus had a regular, disciplined time to be alone with his Father each day. His quiet time with his Father was intentional; it was a priority he built into his day and it required his effort -- effort to wake up early before everyone else, and effort to go out away from everyone else so he could talk with God by himself. How intentional is your daily time with the Father?

TODAY'S PRAYER: O loving and tender Father, God Almighty who has the power to save, forgive me for those periods in my life when I have let my time with you suffer. I confess that I let other things and the hectic pace of my life steal away my time with you. Empower my resolve to put you first in my heart and in my daily schedule. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

www.heartlight.org

"Man is looking for better methods, God is looking for better men. Man is God's method."

- The Power of Prayer

You!

You were planned for God's pleasure. ... God did not NEED to create you, but he CHOSE to create you for ... his benefit, his glory, his purpose, and his delight.

Rick Warren