Grace of God

Grace of God~

I have been in a real funk lately.  I have felt so disconnected from the Lord and didn’t completely understand why I felt so alone.  God has been working in my life lately and I have reluctantly allowed Him bits and pieces of me but didn’t really want to give Him my all.  Well last night he really got a hold of me.  It wasn’t a slight nudge, or a quiet whisper, it was a hang on tight I am bringing you to your knees.  And He literally brought me to my knees.  I was in the youth worship service and the first song I only half-heartedly sang.  Then Rick pointed out that we were more excited to play the game than to worship our Lord.  I have to say “Guilty”.  My heart wasn’t in the worship.  I was honestly there partly for show.  So we prayed and I felt my heart soften and open up to the words I was singing.  The second song was The Great I Am… for those of you who don’t know this song please go listen to it!  While this song moved me it wasn’t the one that brought me to my knees.  The third song was Grace Flows Down. 

 

 Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,

Amazing love now flowing down,

From hands and feet that were nailed to the tree,

And grace flows down and covers me, 

 

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,

Amazing love now flowing down,

From hands and feet that were nailed to the tree,

And grace flows down and covers me,

 

 It covers me,

 It covers me,

It covers me,

And covers me.

 

Last night I could not help but fall to my knees and know that Gods amazing grace is covering me!  Well it didn’t stop there!  It always amazes me the way God talks to me.  I picked up my bible to do my quiet time (which I must admit very sadly that this is my first time since September) and started studying Acts 11:19-30.  We are walking through Acts in our Bible study class on Sunday morning and so I thought what better place to start than what we will be studying this Sunday.   Acts 11: 23 (ESV) When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. There it is again Grace.  I really started digging into what the Grace of God is.  I have always believed that Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God meant that grace was a free gift from God and that was the end of it.  But in my study this morning I realize it means so much more.  Yes the Grace of God is a gift from God, which God bestows upon those who have true faith in Him!  But the Grace of God doesn’t stop there.  The grace of God was sent with a purpose.  It seems so silly to not have realized this sooner.  Of course it has a purpose.  But I never realized it.  Maybe it’s in the way it was always worded or in the way that I heard it, but I always thought the grace of God was simply that the Grace of God. 

Well in my study I found myself in Titus.  It amazes me that when you follow the footnotes where it takes you. 

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

There it is.  The grace of God appeared, bringing salvation for all people (no this does not mean universal salvation, this means it is available for all who accept it), and it is there to train us.  The Grace of God did not stop on the cross.  And it gives a whole new meaning to the words Grace falls down and covers me.  The way that I will live a life glorifying God and walking in His light so others may see, is by accepting the training of the Grace of God, by realizing that it has to cover me completely in His strength and power.  I have to believe that one of the ways that this training comes is from the Holy Spirit.  Acts 11:16-17 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’  The Holy Spirit was sent here to be our helper.  We are to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not just listen to Him now and then but to be submerged under His power. 

In the past few months I have not allowed the grace of God to work in my life, the Holy Spirit was shushed by the business I allowed in my life.  It is a very humbling experience when you realize that the silence and loneliness is a result of your own walking.  The longer I focused on the business of the world the farther I was from God.  I was knocked to my knees last night realizing that His grace covers me (not by my own doing but by the faith I have in Christ), and today He revealed to me that I do not get to just sit in the midst of this Grace but I must allow it to work in my life.  Good works do not result in faith but faith results in good works.  It is time for my faith to result in action as I wait for the Lords return.

This may not be something you are struggling with, and honestly I hope it’s not.  I pray that your walk with the Lord is strong and you are not struggling as I am.  But for those of us who are, this is a gentle reminder that God’s grace is there for us, and in our true faith we can accept it.  But it is not a gift to accept and put on the shelf.  It is a gift given to us to train us, in His perfect way.  It will not always be easy, it will hurt some, but it is done so that we may bear fruit. 

I Will Pray...(part 4)

I WILL PRAY FOR THE LOST PEOPLE:

I will pray for those who have yet to trust Christ. Jesus referred to the them as "lost" and said, "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10

Allow Romans 10:8-17 to guide your praying for those friends and family members who are lost.  Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  What is the process?  Work backwards from the last verse and pray each step God uses to bring people to faith.

Romans 10:8-17
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between the Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel.  For Isaiah says, "Lord who has believed what he has heard from us?"  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

1. Pray God will send someone to them to five them the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. Pray they will hear the gospel with understanding in their inner being.

3. Pray they will believe the gospel.

4. Pray they will call on the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved.

5. Pray they will believe in their heart God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with their mouth Jesus is Lord.




Lord~
I come to you with a humble heart asking for you to grant me a sensitivity to the lost.  Lord help me to move past my prayers of just need, thankfulness and such in my own life to prayers that also and primarily center around others, especially those who do not know you!  Lord I lift up my family and friends who do not know you as their personal Savior.  Lord you say the Harvest is plenty but the laborers are few.  Lord I ask that you raise up more laborers.  Lord I pray that you will help me to be one of these laborers.  God I ask that you will send someone into the lives of my family and friends to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Lord use me if it is your will.  Lord I pray that you will open their eyes and ears to have an understanding of the gospel.  Let them hear the gospel, let them understand the gospel and let them believe the gospel.  Lord for some they hear and understand, yet for some reason they choose not to believe.  God I lift these up to you that you might soften their hardened hearts to know you personally.  Soften their hearts so that they may call upon you and be saved.  Soften their hearts so that they may truly believe that God raised you from the dead and they may confess that you, Jesus, is Lord.  Father let those of us who believe life a life for you that is a true testimony to you and your Glory!  Let the lost see you clearly and believe you are Lord!
Amen

I Will Pray... (part 3)

I WILL PRAY FOR MY CHURCH:

*I Did my reading yesterday but I allowed the distractions of life keep me from honestly praying.  So I am posting it all this morning having prayed this morning and will be posting the part 4 a little later today!*

1. Pray for the unity of the church.

Read John 17 and pray through the prayer of Jesus for unity.
2. Pray for the mission of the church.

Matthew 9:35
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Matthew 9:37-38
Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest that He will send out laborers into His harvest.


Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth.  Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you.  And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.


3. Pray for the revival of the church. The basic prayer for revival of spiritual awakening is to pray that God will be known and served as God. It is a prayer for the Glory of God and the manifest presence of God.


Psalms 51:12-13
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall be converted to You.

Psalms 80:7
Turn us again, O God of Hosts, and cause Your face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Habakkuk 3:2
O Jehovah, I have heard Your report; I am afraid. O Jehovah, give new life to Your work in the midst of years; in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

Mark 11:17
And He taught, saying to them, Is it not written, "My house shall be called the house of prayer for all nations?" But you have made it a den of thieves.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches... Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22

2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Revelation 2:4-5
But I have against you that you left your first love.  Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent.

Acts 4:31-33
And when they had prayed, the place where they assembled was shaken.  And they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.  And the multitude of those who believed were of one hear and one soul.  And not one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own.  But they had all things in common.  And the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power. And great grace was on them all.


Lord God~
Forgive me for allowing the distractions from the world to keep me from truly lifting this up to you.  Father God yet again I find myself distracted and my thoughts wandering.  Lord I lift up my church.  God first of all I lift up the entire body of believers, all across the world.  I pray for unity amongst us, that we quit thinking and believing that its about what "church" we attend and start focusing on the fact that WE ARE THE CHURCH!  Lord I pray that we understand that it is the church's responsibility to teach the truths found in your word. And I pray for a revival to spread like a wildfire! Father God let that revival start here!  Let that revival start in me!  Let that revival start in Mescalero Baptist Church.  Le your glorious light shine so brightly in our church that it cannot be hidden!  All that keeps going through my head is the song This Little Light of Mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine let it shine let it shine...Hide it under a bush OH NO! I'm gonna let it shine... Won't let Satan Blow it Out!  I'm gonna let it shine... Father as simple as this song is that is my hearts desire for this church!  My hearts desire is for us as individuals to stand with our light shining so brightly, united together to become a beacon on the hill for Amarillo Texas!  Lord at times I know Satan is trying to come in and cause a sense of tension in our church.  Lord I pray for unity amongst the believers at Mescalero Baptist Church.  Lord I pray that you help ALL to see that what matters is coming together to worship you and sharing the Good News with others.  Lord help us to continue our growth to being outwardly focused not just inwardly focused.  Help us to continue to get out into the community sharing Your LOVE!  Help us to go and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you.  Lord I lift up this revival asking once again to let the spark start in me, let the spark start in each one of us as individuals and then let it unite together so that it may be spread like a wildfire her and Amarillo, then continue to spread out and across the world.  Lord let this revival no be just another spiritual high that lasts for a while then gets snuffed out.  Let this be a life changing, church altering renewal in each of us that DAILY we take up our cross and follow you.  Lord let us never be the same again.  Lord let your joy shine so brightly in us that while others may not understand it, they see it and want to know more about it. Thank you Lord for the mighty works you are doing and will be doing in Mescalero!
Amen

I Will Pray... (part 2)

I WILL PRAY FOR MY PASTORS:

My Pastors include: Pastor Kevin, RC, Jesse, Bobby, All Sunday school teachers, anyone in leadership positions, and Bro Bruce.

1. Pray for their holiness.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all, even as we also toward you, in order to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

2. Pray for their families.

1 Timothy 3:4
Ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all honor.

Also Psalms 78:1-8


3. Pray for their protection.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
Finally, my brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it also is with you.  And pray that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for all do not have faith.

4. Pray they may preach the Gospel of Jesus among unreached and unengaged people.

Romans 15:20
Yea, so I have been eager to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation.

5. Pray for their life and ministry to be served in joy.

Psalm 90:17
And let the beauty of Jehovah our God be on us; and establish the work of our hands on us; yea, the work of our hands, establish it.

Hebrews 13:17
Yield to those leading you, an be submissive, for they watch for your souls, as those who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.

* Just a note I have struggled with whether or not I should put the prayer part on these posts because I do not want to be like the Pharisees praying for others to hear.  I have chosen to go ahead and put them on to hold me accountable to praying them over and over.  You have the choice to read them or skip them.  This is my heart to the Lord! *


Lord God~
Lord please clear my heart of any hindrances that keep me from coming to you with a clear and humble heart.  Lord as we are all humans it is easy for us to justify any hard feelings towards one another but you tell us to make things right.  Lord it is also easy to justify any sins, thoughts or actions, in our lives but then we are not in complete obedience to you.  Lord forgive me!  Forgive me for allowing others and sin and Satan any control in my life.  Help me to walk in complete obedience to you!  Lord today I come to you lifting up my Pastors.  Lord as the leaders of the church, whom watch for our souls and must give account I pray they are completely sanctified for and by you!  Lord I pray that they are made holy in your eyes and strive to live a life completely obedient to you.  Lord I pray that their life and ministry are served with an attitude of joy.  Help them to live a life with an eternal perspective not a worldly perspective.  Let them live a life of joy and serve in joy based on the hope and knowledge that you became sin, died on the cross and rose again ~ you overcame this world!  Our joy is founded in you and the hope you give us, not on the circumstances of this world.  Lord I lift up their ministries, that they preach the Gospel in its entirety, not water it down for fear of offending people.  Lord help them to reach the lost and unengaged as well as disciple and help others to grow in their walk with you!  Lord I lift up their families that they might walk along side them growing daily in you.  Lord when they surrendered to the ministry of serving you in the church their families surrendered right along side them.  I pray for the attacks that can come upon them and that they all get the encouragement they need.  Lord I know sometimes its easy to fell judged and depleted because of being in this position but Lord I ask for your strength to flow through us.  Lord I pray for you protection around the Pastors as they walk in you daily.  Lord we know that Satan hates this and therefore attacks with a vengeance.  Lord I lift them up to you, knowing you hear my prayer!
Amen