Author: timewithourcreator

Scripture #7

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Photo taken in Nebraska.

“There is no fear in love [thank you]; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

“The Lord’s mercies are new every morning [thank you]; Great is Your faithfulness [thank you].” Lamentations 3:23

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus [thank you].” Philippians 4:6-7

A Method for a Believer’s Prayer of Confession: Part 2

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***To find Part 1 of this series, click here.***

11. Hebrews 10:25 “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”

  • Are you irregular in your church attendance?
  • Do you attend services in body only and do other things like planning your day while God’s Word is being preached?
  • Have you neglected family devotions or regularly skipped Bible study, small group, etc.?

12. Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,”

  • Do you ever lie or exaggerate?
  • Do you fail to see white lies as sin?
  • Do you tell things the way you want them rather than as they really are?

13. 1 Peter 2:11 “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,”

  • Do you lust after others?
  • Do you fill your mind with sex-centered TV shows, movies, books and magazines?
  • Do you indulge in any lustful activity God’s Word condemns, such as premarital sex, adultery or perversion?

14. John 13:35 “‘By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.‘”

  • Are you a part of factions and divisions in your church?
  • Would you rather fuel a misunderstanding than help correct it?
  • Have you loved only the ones in your own church, feeling that those of other denominations are not of the body of Christ?
  • Are you secretly pleased over another’s misfortunes?
  • Are you annoyed by others’ successes?

15. Colossians 3:13 “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

  • Have you failed to forgive anybody anything they have said or done against you?
  • Are you holding grudges?

16. Ephesians 4:28 “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor…”

  • Do you steal from your employer by doing less work or staying on the job for less time than you are paid for?
  • Do you under-pay your employees?
  • Do you shop lift?
  • Do you borrow and not return?

17. Ephesians 5:16 “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

  • Do you waste your time or others’ time?
  • Do you spend too much time watching TV, playing video games, checking social media, etc.?
  • Do you procrastinate?

18. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.” (ESV)

  • Is your goal in life to make as much money as possible or accumulate as many things as possible?
  • Have you withheld your money from God?
  • Is money your god?
  • Do you fail to use your financial resources to help those in need?

19. Matthew 23:28 “So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

  • Do you know in your heart that you are only pretending to be a Christian?
  • Are you hiding behind church membership or attendance to cover a life full of sin?
  • Are you faking Christianity for social status or acceptance in your church or community?
  • Are you a “Sundays-only” Christian?
  • Are you the same person at home or in public as you are at church?

20. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

  • Do you enjoy listening to gossip and/or passing it on?
  • Do you believe rumors or partial truths, especially about an enemy or competitor?
  • Do you fail to spend time reading the Bible every day?
  • Do you fail to always think on the things of God (good, true and pure things)?
  • Do you fail to allow the Holy Spirit control over your life?

*** This post concludes the series “A Believer’s Prayer of Confession.” We pray that by completing this series you have been convicted of the sins in your life, and through confessing them, have become closer to God. Feel free to repeat this process any time you like. ***

 

A Method for a Believer’s Prayer of Confession: Part 1

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“True prayer begins with confession of sin and repentance.” -Charles J. Stanley

“Dealing with my personal sins is one of the areas that I struggle with most in my Christian walk. The use of the 2 parts of the prayer, each containing 10 Bible verses and questions, has really helped me to effectively understand how important confessing my sins, asking for forgiveness and repenting is to an effective prayer life. It allows me a free and clear path of communication with God. Give it a try and I think you will experience the same results.” -Mike, bank president

This series is intended to cleanse you as a believer, the vessel in which the Holy Spirit dwells. This prayer of confession has 2 parts, each including ten sets of Bible verses and questions to help you recognize the negative behaviors and attitudes you may be struggling with and encourage you to confess them to God through prayer.

This post contains the first part of the prayer. The second and final post in this series will come out on October 14, 2016. We have adapted the information for these posts with the permission of Evelyn Christenson Ministries.

One of sin’s most negative effects on a believer’s life is that it blocks our communication with God. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Psalm 66:18

No prayer will work if sin is not taken care of first because sin grieves the Holy Spirit who lives inside every believer. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

However, confession of sin only affects our communication with God, not our salvation. Once we have put our faith in God, He says in John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” Whether we choose to confess our sins or not, we are still God’s children. Confession is simply what allows us to better communicate with Him; it is not what saves us.

***If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please do not start this program. Instead, go to the “Salvation” page on our blog to learn how to become a child of the only God who loves you enough to give up His Son to save you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

A verse to keep in mind as you go through this series is Psalm 139:23-24, which says: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties [thoughts]; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Dealing with sin is a process that will continue throughout your life, and while this prayer may not be the most comfortable or exciting one to pray, God promises that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

God also says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

If you are not sure how to pray a prayer of confession, you can use the following prayer as a guideline:

“Lord, I bring to You the sins that You have shown me which are currently in my life. I ask You to forgive me and help me to turn from the sin of ______ and set me free. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me‘ as  Your Word says in Psalm51:10. I come to You in Jesus’ Name and put my trust in You to help me make the corrections needed. Amen.

A suggested way to go through this prayer is to print out the verses and questions and read one verse every day with your devotions or during your quiet time. Confess any “yes” answers to God.

  1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
    • Do you worry about anything?
    • Have you failed to thank God for all things, the seemingly bad as well as the good?
    • Do you neglect to give thanks at mealtimes?
  2. Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…”
    • Are you proud of YOUR accomplishments, YOUR talents, YOUR family?
    • Do you fail to see others as better than yourself and more important than yourself in the body of Christ?
    • Do you insist on your own rights?
    • Do you think that you are doing quite well as a Christian?
    • Do you rebel when God wants to change you?
  3. Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”
    • Do you fail to attempt things for God because you are “not talented enough”?
    • Do feelings of inferiority keep you from trying to serve God?
    • When you do accomplish something for Christ, do you fail to give Him all the glory?
  4. Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…”
    • Do you ever use dirty language?
    • Do you tell crude jokes?
    • Do you condone others doing so in your presence or in your home?
  5. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
    • Have you failed to be a witness with your life for Christ?
    • Have you felt it was enough just to live your faith and not witness with your words to unbelievers?
  6. Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”
    • Do you complain, find fault, argue?
    • Do you have a critical spirit?
    • Do you speak unkindly about people when they aren’t present?
    • Are you angry with yourself? Others? God?
  7. 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
    • Are you careless with your body?
    • Are you guilty of not caring for your body in your eating and exercise habits?
    • Are you remaining sexually pure?
    • Do you self-harm?
  8. Ephesians 4:27 “nor give place to the devil.”
    • Do you expose yourself to Satanic activity such as psychics, occult literature and movies or “games” like ouija boards or tarot cards?
    • Do you get advice for daily living from horoscopes rather than from God?
    • Do you distract from Christ in your church through criticism, gossip or being  unsupportive?
  9. Romans 12:11 “not lagging in diligence…”
    • Do you fail to pay your debts on time or avoid paying them altogether?
    • Do you overuse your credit cards?
    • Are you dishonest on income tax records?
    • Do you have unethical business practices?
  10. 1 Corinthians 8:9 “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.”
    • Do you feel that you can do anything you want because the Bible says you are free in Christ?
    • Even though you were strong enough not to fall, do you fail to take responsibility for a weaker Christian who has fallen because of following your example?

***To find Part 2 of this series, click here.***

Scripture #6

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Photo taken in Colorado.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose [thank you].” Romans 8:28

“The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear [respect] Him [thank you], and delivers them [thank you].” Psalm 34:7

“Fear not, for I am with you [thank you]; Be not dismayed, for I am your God [thank you]. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Scripture #5

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Photo taken in Colorado.

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally [thank you] and without reproach, and it will be given to Him.” James 1:5

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds [thank you], casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ [thank you].” 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord [thank you].” Romans 12:19

 

 

 

God as My Fortress and Refuge

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Photo taken in Colorado.

“But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.” Psalm 59:16

Lord, thank you for the image this verse portrays of You being all around me. I praise You for being my strong anchor against all foes.

Thank you for the promise in Your Word: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

What a wonderful comfort it is to know that as your child, I can always find refuge in You, my fortress. Teach me how to better grasp the concept of Your faithfulness and to experience it through Your Word.

You have told me many times in Scripture that You want to be my first line of defense. Therefore, I bring to You the following concerns:

*Insert your own concerns here (examples: rejection, illness, children, marriage, friends, travel)

I release these concerns to You so that I, by faith, may receive Your mercy, grace, and help in my times of need. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

I ask that believers in many parts of the world who are suffering from poverty, war, persecution and natural disasters would turn to You as their shelter and refuge as well.

Thank you that I can rest in Your powerful might, which is stronger than any method of self-defense I could ever devise.

I ask and pray these things to You in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Quote #4

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Photo taken in Florida.

“A good way to start the day, every single day, is to declare the Word of God and thank Him for it.” -Sheila Walsh

“Lord Jesus, my Beloved, may I be a joy to Thee.” -Amy Carmichael

“Praying God’s Word means reading or reciting Scripture in a spirit of prayer and letting the meaning of the verses become our prayer and inspire our thoughts.” -John Piper

Sheli: A Journey of Obedience

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Prayer Through a Divorce and Weight Loss Program

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Photo provided by Sheli.

Written by Ali

Sheli became a Christian at a young age and “grew up in a Christian home with a very solid, loving family,” but it took the unthinkable for her relationship with God to become more personal.

Not only did she go through a divorce, she was also faced with the daunting prospect of losing over 100 pounds.

Her story is one of discovering the power of prayer and grace of God, trusting Him in the hard times and choosing to obey Him in all things.

Q: When did you begin to develop a stronger prayer life?

A: “Prayer had always been important, but about a year before I was separated from [my ex-husband] was when it became more personal. [A friend] reached out to me and she really challenged me to start praying for [my husband]. She also asked me to read The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian. I don’t really enjoy reading, and it was the last thing I “felt” like doing at that moment in time, but it was powerful.

I think I had to be in a valley before prayer became really personal and real to me. Praying for [my ex-husband] didn’t change the outcome or what ultimately happened with our marriage, but it changed my heart.”

Q: How is your prayer life different now than when it first began?

A: “I finally understand the power and importance of prayer in so many ways; it impacts the physical journey, the spiritual journey and the emotional journey. [When you don’t understand the power of prayer], you don’t look for God to work. You’re comfortable and you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing (sort of).

I discovered on this journey that God really does bring just what you need right when you need it. It has been amazing to see how God would give me the verse or the song that I needed that spoke to what I was struggling with or what I was celebrating. Sometimes, it was a simple verse like “Be still, and know that I am God…” [Psalm 46:10], or “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” [Philippians 4:13], but it was always timely.

There were many songs that spoke to me and that I prayed through during this time. ‘Blessings’ by Laura Story was probably what I would call my journey song.

“‘Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops, what if Your healing comes through tears, what if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You’re near? What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” -‘Blessings’ by Laura Story

I saw God’s faithfulness sustain me through a storm I never dreamed I’d face. He showed me the blessings of His faithfulness in ways I may never have seen apart from the rain. I truly learned to praise Him through the storm.

There have been so many circumstances [that God has orchestrated] that were a direct result of my prayers; I’m not just throwing words out anymore. I know that God is hearing me, which is still kind of mind-blowing to me sometimes.

I don’t let my feet hit the floor in the morning before I have my quiet time and pray, which was not really a thing in my life before. It’s a huge part of my day. I started journaling [what I was experiencing] and praying through [it].

Another special part of this journey for me has been my time spent at the Monument [a local hiking trail]. It’s become a symbol to me personally of obedience, physical and spiritual discipline. I listen to praise and worship music while I’m out there and I pray some of the lyrics of the songs and some of the Scriptures that I’ve read. It’s super effective.

In that hardest time of my life, I had to choose a direction: do I want to trust God or do I want to stay bitter and miserable? I determined that prayer and trusting God were acts of obedience.”

Q: Do you have a specific method or way of praying?

A: “I’m fairly conversational [in my prayers]. I certainly maintain reverence and I try to remind myself of Who I’m [praying] to. I challenge myself to take that seriously. I like to connect Scripture in my prayers, partly through song.

The song ‘Just Say Jesus’ by 7eventh Time Down says “when you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus”- I do that sometimes if I don’t know what to say [while praying]. I just call out His Name when I’m struggling with fear or anxiety. The key is to just call out and be available.

I keep a list of people I say I will pray for and I use that in the morning because I don’t want to forget and say I’ll [pray for someone] and not mean it. Another part of my prayer is listening [to God].”

Q: What do you typically pray about?

A: “Every single day I ask God to let me shine. I want to be noticed for Him, not for my glory, but for His. I want people to see something different [in me] so I’ll have the chance to share [my testimony]. I also have to make a point to tell God thank you.”

Q: How do you pray for your children?

A: “[I pray] very purposefully and very specifically for each child. Sometimes I don’t know what to pray, so I tell God that and recognize that He knows their circumstances. I tell God I put them at His feet.”

Q: How do you include Bible reading in your daily routine?

A: “I don’t like to read big segments of Scripture. When I’m doing devotionals, I try to focus on the Scripture and pray through that. The Bible verse I claimed the most through all of this was Jeremiah 29:11 ‘”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future“‘ (NIV). Sometimes I don’t feel that that verse is true, but I choose to believe that it is.”

Q: How did your walk with God influence your struggle with weight?

A: “I asked God to help me make good choices about what I ate and what physical activities I did. I knew I couldn’t do it [alone]. A lot of days I didn’t want to [obey] and I had to pray, “God, let me make the right choices today.”

I couldn’t even run ten feet when I started, and I’m not kidding. [When I began losing weight], I had to watch pride because people would tell me “good job” for what I was doing. I had to pray and ask God to help me give Him the glory. Not that I didn’t appreciate the encouragement, but I needed to say “God got me here.” I only lost all that weight in God’s strength.

A lot of this has felt like it would be impossible without Him. I was pretty athletic growing up, but I didn’t see myself as a representative of Christ in that way. [Now physical fitness has] become an opportunity to be obedient to God.”

Q: What is your advice to other believers?

A: “Choose to be disciplined in prayer even if it hasn’t become personal to you yet. Pray before your marriage goes bad, before your parents get sick, etc. [That way] you’ll be better prepared to manage those times.”

Q: Do you have any advice for married couples?

A: “For young married couples, it’s so critical to pray together and to pray privately for each other. That’s one of my biggest regrets. I didn’t know the power of doing that, and it’s real. I’m also not sure I told [my ex-husband] I was praying for him. You can’t show more care than to pray for someone and let them know what you’re doing. I would encourage people to pray for their spouse no matter the circumstances. It might not change their behavior, but it [does change] your heart.”

Q: What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned through your divorce and weight loss journey?

A: “Obedience is really big for me. People ask why I’m out at the Monument so much, and it’s not because I’m a fitness freak. Every step onto that path is, for me, a symbolic act of obedience to God. The times I don’t feel like going, I sit there and I pray and then I go.

I had the chance the other day to forgive [someone who had really hurt me]. I told [them], “I want you to know I forgive you.” It was a really tough circumstance but we had a nice conversation and [they were] very grateful for my forgiveness. I thought, if I had to go through all this just to show [them] Jesus, then okay.

Only God could bring me to where I am. The thought that I would ever be standing there [forgiving that person] never occurred to me. God goes before me [and He sees] the big picture. There is no way [our encounter] wasn’t orchestrated.

I spend time every day dealing with forgiveness and still, to this day, I struggle. I think you can be disappointed in someone but still forgive them. God has given me an understanding of the need for forgiveness and the power that is involved in it.

I don’t know if these things happened so I could minister to divorced women, but I think God has used my experience [to help me] encourage another woman going through divorce as best I can.”

Q: Any last thoughts?

A: “I would never recommend the path I’ve been on for anybody, but I wouldn’t change it either because it got me where I am with God. God showed up. I have absolutely no doubt that God will lead a believer through anything and everything if they will ask and let Him lead. Only God’s grace can take a person through what I have experienced [ “…My grace is sufficient for you…” 2 Corinthians 12:9].

 

 

Praying for Children and Grandchildren Experiencing Temptation

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Photo taken in Florida.

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Thank you, Lord, for Your promise that You will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Help my children and grandchildren to be vigilant and aware of the ever-present temptations in their lives. If any are getting close to the dangerous territory of temptation and sin, have the Holy Spirit make it loud and clear to them that they need to seek protection immediately.

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Lord, keep my loved ones constantly aware of what the Bible says about our bodies and remind them that we should not make provisions for the flesh. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Through the Biblical example of Samson in Judges 16:15-22, teach them what happens when we give in to temptation. Father, help them not to be like Samson; give them the strength to resist temptation and the eyes to see evil in whatever form it takes.

Thank you for providing a way for all of us to overcome: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15

I humbly come in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture #4

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Photo taken in Florida.

“Call to Me, and I will answer you [thank you], and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know [thank you].” Jeremiah 33:3

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world [thank you].” 1 John 4:4

“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” [thank you].” Matthew 19:26