Sunday, January 29, 2012

Write On!

And then God answered: "Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what's coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn't lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It's on its way. It will come right on time.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 MSG

Have you ever written a petition?  Petitions are longer written prayers that ask for a very important specific request in a particularly urgent time frame.  I have written 5 petitions so far.  The Lord has answered two of my petitions right on time.  The other three have future dates but I have no doubt the Lord will answer these, too. The dates are determined either by the Lord himself (I just ask him for his time frame) or by specific dates set by outside influences (such as a surgery date, court date, foreclosure date or the like).

The introduction to my petition is based on Nehemiah’s prayer to God in his first chapter then adding the new covenant of Jesus.  All my petitions have started with this introduction.  Then I write the actual petition like a legal document.  State your request, then why you need this request answered and remind the Lord what is in His Word regarding this request (not that God needs to be reminded, but it is for our benefit as we read through it). Finally, restate your request in a sentence or two.  Date it and sign it.  I share my petition with a few faithful friends who will agree with me and add their names to my petition.

Here is my introduction to each petition (based on Nehemiah 1:5-11):

O Lord, God of Heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands:  Let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer Your servant is praying before You day and night.

I confess the sins of myself, and my family that we have committed against You.  I plead Your sacrificial blood over our sins.  We have not obeyed the commands that are in Your Word.  I thank You that as we confess our sins You forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I stand with and for my family that we confess Jesus as our Christ, Messiah, Lord and Savior and we believe in our heart that You raised him from the dead.  Therefore You have adopted us into Your family.  We are sons and daughters of You and are in right standing with You.  We have chosen your Great Name to call our own.

You said that if we ask anything in Your Great Name, my King of Kings, You will grant it.  As a matter of fact You’ve already sent it because You want to bestow wonderful benefits and gifts upon those You love and those You call Your own.

O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, your daughter (son) and to my family who delight in revering Your Name.

Give me success today by granting me favor in Your sight and swiftly answering my petition today.

Kingdom Rebels will take back what the enemy has stolen.  We will not sit back and hope or wish that God will answer our prayer.  We will be active, effective and take charge through our petitions to see God move on our behalf. 

Give me courage to activate my faith to what You want to do in my life, Jesus. I will take back what the enemy has stolen from me!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Act NOW, Lord!

It is time for You to act, O LORD,
For they have regarded Your law as void.
Psalm 119:126 NKJV

Native Alaskans possess an incredibly big faith. When they are Spirit-filled they hear from God through dreams and visions. When they pray, in their mind, the request has already been granted. Absolutely no doubt!  I hope to develop a faith like that. One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t want to make a spirit-filled Native mad in the spirit.  It is the second most thing I fear, right next to my fear of the Lord.  They hang on to the scripture tenaciously and won’t let go until they see the fulfillment.

I was talking with a dear Tlingit friend (SE tribe in Alaska) who remembered a sermon she heard years ago that the Lord brought to her mind.  “It’s time for you to act” was all she could remember.  So my friend looked up the verse and we read Psalm 119:126 together.  The scripture quickened in both our spirits.  Yes, “it is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void.”  I needed the Lord to act on my behalf in a perilous situation.  The sinful person set against me disregarded the Word of God. Evil was prevalent.  The Lord will serve justice; He will get vengeance, and now is the time to act.  My dear Tlingit friend and I took the Word of God and claimed it together out loud. Jesus is victorious!

Do you need the Lord to act on your behalf?  Is it urgent?  Let’s claim this verse together.  Post a comment or message me privately and I will pray and believe that God will act on your behalf.

Lord, thank you for acting on my behalf
against the injustices done to me.

Friday, January 20, 2012

I am so Weak

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9


A dear friend shared this poem with me.  I want to share it with you.

I am so weak, dear Lord, I cannot stand
One moment without Thee:
But, oh, the tenderness of Thy enfolding,
And, oh, the faithfulness of Thy upholding, 
And, oh, the strength of Thy right hand —
That Strength is enough for me.

I am so needy, Lord, and yet I know
All fullness dwells in Thee;
And hour by hour, that never-failing treasure
Supplies and fills in overflowing measure
My last and greatest need, and so
Thy Grace is enough for me.

There were strange soul-depths, restless, vast, and broad,
Unfathomed as the sea –
And infinite craving for some infinite stilling;
But now Thy perfect love is perfect filling;
Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God,
Thou, Thou art enough for me.

George MacDonald 1824-1905

Help me to remember that Your grace is enough and that You work through my weaknesses for Your glory, Lord Jesus.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Aching Groans

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:26-28 NLT

If anything lies at the center of God's heart, its His loving redemptive nature.  He is a restorer, a rebuilder, and a renewer of broken dreams and broken lives.

Romans 8 has been such a comfort to me during an emotionally wrenching time in my life. When I could not pray or barely breathe, due to the brokenness of my heart, God heard me. The Spirit took my groanings and wordless sighs and turned them into an incense of prayers before the throne of God. And then turns them all into something good!

It's this certainty of God's nature that equips you with confidence that God is taking every circumstance you encounter – the good, the bad and the ugly – and transforms it into an unstoppable force for good in your life.

WOW!  Is that incredible or what?  God's Spirit really does know you better than you know yourself.  He knows that you are expectant with destiny.  And so, He keeps you centered in the goodness of God.

Jesus, I know that not all my circumstances are good.
But I also know that You can and will, release good things
 in my life through them.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Risky Faith

Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.  Hebrews 11:1 HCSB

A life of risk is a life of faith, a life trusting your future to things that are unseen and intangible.  But real, very, very real!

The willingness to accept this quality of risk into your life acknowledges several realities:  First, that life is risky anyway.  There is no way of fully protecting yourself. The only real question is whether you will take a defensive position in life (not me!) or an offensive one (yes!).  Second, there is something worth hoping for – a vision for something immensely good to happen on Planet Earth on your watch.  Finally, risk acknowledges a power much greater than you.  The acceptance of risk is the humble response to the bigness of God.  He is the safety net – not what you think He will or won't do, but He is himself the safety net, His person, His character, and His overwhelming passionate love for you.

God, Grant me certainty in Your promises, trust in Your character,
 and faith to face risks for Your Kingdom.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Personalize the Scriptures

Psalm 112 (author's paraphrase)
 1 Praise the LORD.
   Blessed am I who fear the LORD,
   who find great delight in his commands.
 2 My children will be mighty in the land;
   the generation of the upright (me) will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in my house,
   and my righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for me (the upright),
   for me, who is gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to me who is generous and lend freely,
   and I conduct my affairs with justice.
 6 Surely I (the righteous) will never be shaken;
   I will be remembered forever.
7 I will have no fear of bad news;
   My hearts is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 My hearts is secure, I will have no fear;
   in the end I will look in triumph on my foes.
9 I have freely scattered my gifts to the poor,
   my righteousness endures forever;
   My horn (authority) will be lifted high in honor.
 10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
   they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
   the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

When you speak forth the Word of God, you speak authority and power into every situation you are encountering.  Try personalizing other scriptures. Some of my favorites are 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Philippians 1:9-11, Numbers 6:24-26, Ephesians 3:16-19 and Psalm 1 (I especially like this one for my children). Watch God move on your behalf!

Thank You, Lord, that You move in my situations for my benefit and Your glory.