A Way to Pray

I dont offer this to anyone as a formula or as a legalistic "you must pray this way" method. I only tell this because i have found it to be very effective in my own prayers. Instead of plunging right into your own needs, take a silent moment or two and let your soul and spirit attune themselves to the Holy Spirit. Quietly welcome Him to dwell with you in your prayer time. When you begin to pray aloud, start off by saying something like, O Lord of all love and mercy, Giver of life and grace, and/or Jesus, the One Who gave all of Himself for me. These are merely suggestions. You can say whatever comes to mind. The point of this exercise is to put our focus on the One we are praying to, not only our prayers. Try it if you like. It works! It definitely draws me closer to God. And if you enjoy engaging your emotions in prayers like i do, you will love this!

Religion And Relationship

A lot of believers fear that word "religion". But there is nothing to fear. There is a certain aspect of religion in what we do. We pray, read the Bible, go to church, observe the Lord's supper, etc. These are all good and noble things. And to say we have religion is not a bad thing. The point of the whole thing is that when we have only religion and no relationship that our practices are ineffective. There must be an inner relationship with God through Jesus Christ for our religion to effective. So do not fear religion since it is one of the means by which our relationship with God grows.

Don't Waste Your Life!!

God did not send Jesus to die on the Cross so we could have a life of ease, health, and wealth. God sent Jesus to take upon Himself that which we could not do ourselves. He paid the price for OUR SIN. I do not usually speak strongly against false doctrine. But this so called "divine health wealth, and prosperity" doctrine is a false and perverted gospel. And untold millions are buying into its deadly deceptions. This angers and troubles me very deeply. Jesus came to give us abundant SPIRITUAL life. And He promised us we would have trials and tribulations. But the reason for them is to make us more like Him and to bring GLORY TO GOD. This one precious life is easy to waste. Dont waste yours on this foolish drivel. We are called to DENY OURSELVES, TAKE UP OUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW JESUS. Not to expect everything in this life to be perfect and easy. Perfection and ease comes in the next life when we are with Jesus Christ in eternity. But on earth we are to be slaves to His cause. And His cause is to seek and to save that which was lost and to bring glory to His name. Our lives are to be poured out for the cause of Christ, whatever the cost! Let this one idea capture you and your life wont be wasted: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". Ask God to show you what it means. And He will. LET HIS GLORY BE YOUR ONE PASSION!

From the book, Valley of Vision, a collection Of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

The Convicting Spirit" Thou Blessed Spirit, Author of all Grace and Comfort: Come work repentance in my soul; Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God; Show me my ruined self and the help there is in Him; Teach me to behold my Creator, His ability to save, His arms outstretched, His heart big for me. May I confide in His power and love, commit my soul to Him without reserve, bear His image, observe His Laws, pursue His service, and be, through the efficacy of His grace, a trophy of His victory. Make me willing to be saved in His way, perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus: to walk with Him, imperfect but still pressing forward, not complaining of labor but valuing rest, not murmuring under trials, but thankful for my state. Give me that faith which is the means of salvation, and the principle and medium of all Godliness; May I be saved by grace through faith, live by faith, do the work of fath. Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find Christ : wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

My Husband's Hands

I noticed a few weeks ago my husband's hands. They have big and small cuts. There is dirt under the nails and embedded in the creases of the skin. They look worn and well worked. But as I looked at them, I realized: Here is beauty in an unlikely place. These hands are battered because they work hard to provide for me. I was humbled by the sight of these hands. And felt undeserving of such love. Beauty in something not viewed the same by others. Beauty in the scars, cuts, and dirt. Much like the CROSS of our beloved Lord: beauty in an unlikely place.
See Jesus on that cross. He is covered in blood, deep wounds, and is crying out in anguish. Can anyone see the beauty in this? Our Saviour, pouring out His Life for ours. Giving what only God could give. Beauty in a most unlikely place. Paying a debt that He didn't owe and that we could not even hope to pay. We are not worthy of such love.
O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns, thine only crown: how pale thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn! 2. What thou, my Lord, has suffered was all for sinners' gain; mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve thy place; look on me with thy favor, vouchsafe to me thy grace. 3. What language shall I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend, for this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end? O make me thine forever; and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for thee.

The True Gospel and the Importance of Remembering The Cross

The last couple of days have been ones of much heavy Holy Spirit conviction for me. God has used many avenues to bring one thing to my attention: the seriousness of sin. That little 3 letter word that encompasses the whole nature of man apart from God through Jesus Christ. I have been so gently reminded by the Holy Spirit of my insensitivity to God's commands and the law of sin and death. I have taken it for granted that Jesus died for MY SIN. Even the ones I will commit in the future He has paid for with His life and HIS BLOOD. God was on that cross paying the penalty for MY PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING HIS LAW!! How could I be so foolish to not keep this as the most important thing in my life?
The Law of God, better known as the Ten Commandments is the tool God uses to bring to our attention the disease of sin. And He constantly uses it to remind us that we are sinners in desperate need of a Saviour.
It's like this: Let's say I go to a doctor and he hands me a cure for a disease. I look at him and ask why is he giving me this cure? I am not sick as far as I know. I'm bewildered by the actions of the doctor. He tells me to take it because its good for me. I argue that I am not sick. I hand him the cure back and walk away, completely confused and perhaps a little offended at the implication that I am sick when I am certain I am not.
Now let's say I go to the same doctor and he examines me and finds a terrible disease in my body. He tells me I have about 2 weeks to live. Of course I am terrified. I don't want to die! Then he tells me he has the cure for the disease I have and he will give it to me free of charge. I immediately ask him for it and apply it by whatever means necessary to be cured completely of the disease threatening my life.
How would I feel towards this doctor? I would most likely be very grateful. I would tell everyone I know about him and how he cured me from a life threatening disease. I would especially tell those that may have the same disease. I would rejoice that I got the cure in time. I may even love this doctor for saving me.
How did the doctor come to the conclusion that I had the disease? He diagnosed me. He did a series of tests on me to find out what was wrong.
Now turning to spiritual things. The Law of God is the diagnostic tool by which God measures our lives. It's a Holy Standard that He created for the express purpose of showing us our disease. It's purpose is to show us that we have the disease of sin. It can't save us. But it can show us that we need a cure for our disease. What is the cure? Why it's the GOSPEL!! The GOOD NEWS!! Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to earth and gave His whole life, blood, and everything He had taking the punishment and paying the penalty for the sin we commit. And when we repent from our sin, meaning to turn away from it once and for all, put our faith and trust in Jesus and His sacrifial Cross as payment for our sin, then we are truly truly born again.
My conclusion is this: We need to understand we have the disease of sin before we can see our need for the cure. The Law is the means by which God diagnosis the disease of sin, bringing conviction to our hearts. Grace is the means by which salvation comes. Grace through faith. Faith is first, then grace to embrace Jesus Christ as Saviour, Lord, God, our everything, our all in all.
Listen with discernment to modern evangelism. Ask these questions: Is the speaker helping people to understand that they have a disease called sin by presenting them with the Law? Or are they just saying that if you get saved you will have a life of love, joy, peace, everlasting happiness, and that you will go to Heaven when you die? Or worse, do they make statements about how "getting saved" means you will perfect health, lots of money, perpetual happiness, very little if any suffering while still on earth? If you hear any of these false statements about what salvation is I would strongly advise not to listen to this person anymore. If we do not show people their disease, they will not understand why they need a cure.
There is only one true gospel. It is the one that uses the Law to show us our disease of sin and uses grace to show us the loving sacrifice that Jesus gave so that we would have the cure for the disease we all suffer from.
This is the essence of my faith. I thank God for His sacrifice everyday.