AWAKE MICRO PRAYER
PRAYER IS AN ACT OF HUMILITY.
Sometimes prayer looks a lot like God I cannot ____________ (fill in the blank)
But you can!
AND THIS TRUTH IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR DAILY BURDENS. And then when the thing actually happens we’re more likely to give credit where credit is due and stay humble and gentle towards one another. AMEN! Don’t forget, our power and ability and sufficiency are from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (the Message version)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
Only Jesus can declare HE is humble and then still really be humble. HA! ONLY JESUS. He skillfully connects how burdened we are with how prideful we are. Ouch. Often when stress becomes overwhelming it’s because I’m living as if it all depends on me. Humble and gentle followers of Jesus make tremendous impact. They just don’t seek the ends. They seek the means. They seek personal connection with God. Most of us forget that rushed reading isn’t the same as a flourishing spiritual life. WE need awe and wonder to shrink the self into a healthy size. God isn’t found in the push and grind as much as in the trust and wonder of worship.
When you know it’s God’s earth, we are God’s people, it’s God’s will that is most needed we will rest. We will find ourselves trusting that if I don’t have a thing, I must not need it. We will continue to spend time understanding God’s mind about things, but we need not be the enforcer. This is where the religious turn the wrong way altogether. External controls and boundaries don’t bring internal conviction. They are nice for order but not enough when the rule enforcers aren’t present to be followed. Much the way I was when I was a young driver. If there was no cop in sight I would drive as fast as I wanted. I needed more than a rule. Don’t we all? Only the Spirit of God can do this. Religion will aim at the earthly paying no attention to the importance of connective prayer.
In our lives we need a connection to God in order to act humble and full of love. John Newton the author of ‘AMAZING GRACE’ said, ‘I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our master.’
I need an active connection for internet to do anything. Yesterday when we were attempting a MICRO ZOOM PRAYER MEETING the internet dropped, not even FaceTime would connect us. All our efforts were useless. This is the same way our efforts spent disconnected from Jesus fail.
AND so we pray, not to enforce but rather to align.
Align our lives with God’s will.
Align our actions and motives to the Holy Spirit.
Align our hearts to a posture of humility.
God I cannot ____________ (fill in the blank) But you can!
And when the connection is strong the download capacity is quick! Jared often checks our connection speed because he and the kids do online gaming and there will be a glitch or a lag mid FORTNITE which will cause their game to not perform at it’s best capacity. Our connection is important and then the strength of our connection is even more important especially when you are in a battle.
In our weekly prayer gathering at church our Pastor Bud reminded us. In a spiritual battle? Don’t forget to aim your prayers at the heavenly! Pray into atmosphere above, and then pray into the earthly circumstances. Don’t fight the earthly first, people, arguing beliefs, debating policy, seek first the KINGDOM of heaven in the precious powerful place of prayer. Be irritated but not offended. Irritating circumstances happen, don’t rush to respond when you haven’t addressed the spiritual. Get on it in prayer, then act. Love you and am praying for your battles, and burdens! We all have them. Just remember wherever you go, your God goes with you, and it’s like walking in with a dreaded champion. TRUST HIM to fight the battles you can not. Love Char!
GOD TAKES GREAT DELIGHT IN YOU Jer. 20: 11
But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.
God I can not control the people around me or every circumstance but YOU CAN. Charity you hit every point on here so incredibly well! God bless you and your heart. My relationship with God, knowing Him, it comes FIRST. For as my relationship and knowing Him grows, so follows the growth/change/development of my heart. He makes me better, He gives me strength, He gives me wisdom, and I choose to have faith and lean in. I praise Him in the dark because He’s shown me time and time again He is faithful. The things and people I worry about come to pass, in His timing. Why work harder when we can work smarter!? With God we can do all things, by HIS strength. Coming to understand this deeper and deeper gives me the trust to rest and let go. Love this whole post charity. So SO good. 🤟🏼