21 Days of Prayer - Day 17 - August 18, 2020 Praying in the name of Jesus.

Praying in the name of Jesus.

That’s the name that has the power over all other names!

Why should God answer our prayers?  God does not answer our prayers based on who we are but on who He is.

Often prayers start in the Bible talking about the character of God.

Eight characteristics of God.  Covenant names.

Psalm 23:1-6

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2    He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters, 3     he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me; your rod and your staff,  they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me  all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

1 You are my Shepherd. (You’re my pastor.. We have the Pastor, The Shepherd)He leads and feeds. Jehova Raah. God wants to lead us and to feed us.

2 You are my provider - Jehova Jire .. You provide for me. You take care of me. I will not lack, God, if you take care of me.

3 Your are my peace… Jehova Shalom .. you lead me by still waters and green pastures that I may have rest.  

4 You are my healer -- Jehova Rapha (you restore my soul).. You put us back into the condition we should be in. (soul, body, my life).

5 You are my righteousness. Jehova Tsidkenu   You are letting me have spiritual perfection and I’ve done nothing to deserve it. You are my righteousness. 

6 You are my constant companion  (you are with me) Jehova Shammah. In the New Testament, the person of the Holy Spirit. He’s with all of us constantly. He never leaves our side.

7 You are my defender (prepares a table before my enemies). Jehova Nissi.  I have a place to eat .. to be refreshed while He defends us, while he fights the spiritual battle for us.

8 You anoint my head with oil. You are my sanctifier.  Jehova Mekoddishkem.  I’m set apart by God to make a difference in the world. 

God answers prayer based on who He is not on who we are.

21 Days of Prayer Day 16 - August 17, 2020 A fresh relationship with God!

Let’s get fresh!  I do not like things that are stale!

We like things that fresh.. Food, coffee, ideas, etc.!

A fresh relationship with God! 

Fresh does not happen automatically. It’s easy to drift into staleness (marriage, friendships, relationships, family, work, parenting, and the worst would be stale in your relationship with God).

God wants us to have a freshness, a vibrancy in our relationship with God.

Key word today. Renew.. Revive a freshness for 2020. We won’t be stale but fresh to finish strong

3 Keys to renewal .. to stay fresh

1 God renews our mind by His word - 

Romans 12:2 (NIV) 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God’s word gives a new or fresh mind.  Perhaps you’ve been flooded with fear or negativity, maybe you have some stinkin’ thinkin .. get into God’s word,. Study, meditate, listen to it speak it .. stay in it and let it in you.  You will have a fresh mind.

2 God renews our heart when we turn away from sin.

Some may be holding on to some things (bitterness, unforgiveness, secret sin, bad habits, bad behaviors) and doing this will cause us to be stale in our relationship with God.

Ephesians 4:22-23 (NLT) 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Let the Spirit “renew” our thoughts and attitudes. When we throw off these bad habits, the Holy Spirit will renew us.

Acts 3:19 (NIV) 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Times of refreshing will come from the Lord. We need this in 2020.  It happens when we repent, that is turn away from the sin, the bad habits, the bitterness and turn to God and allow Him to give us a season of freshness.

3 God renews our strength when we wait on Him.  

Isaiah 40:30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

We go through life and there are times when we get tired (daily grind, bills, work, family, schedule). We all tire, even young people, it’s not just an old person thing.

God says “I will renew your strength if you will wait on me.”

Waiting upon God is not sitting and doing nothing, waiting on God is waiting on Him with praise, prayer, by serving, by giving, by worshiping Him. That’s action. That’s doing something. When we do, He will renew our strength.  

21 Days of Prayer Day 15 - August 16, 2020 Bold Prayers Produce Bold Faith in Turbulent Times

Today on day 15, I want to share that I believe when we approach God with faith and boldness,  not only does Jesus intercedes on behalf of those prayers; we also receive confidence. We can be assured that not only have those prayers been heard, they will be answered (John 15:7) and … that allows us to stand with confidence and boldness in turbulent times.

Hebrews 4: 14-16  14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Because of Jesus’ priestly ministry, we can approach God’s throne with boldness, knowing we receive mercy and grace .. and we receive when we need it most.

The troublesome times that we may be living through, we have mercy and grace for these times.

However, not only can we approach the Father’s throne with boldness because of Jesus’ prayers on our behalf; but also, when we keep our faith and trust in the Lord, we do not need to be shaken by bad news.  

It seems everywhere, if you look, you’ll see some type of bad news. Whether it’s the current pandemic we find ourselves in, or an economy that is up, down and all over the place with no seeming stability,  we can stand firm. We do not need to be shaken. Such news does need to overcome us. Why?

Because we have put our confident trust and faith in the Lord.

Psalm 112:6-8  6 

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;     they will be remembered forever.

7 They will have no fear of bad news;  their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

8  Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;  in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

Faithful confident trust in the Lord then produces bold prayers, a bold lifestyle of reverence before God, and true security.  There is no security found anywhere else but in the Lord. 

Some think they may have financial security,  but markets can plunge with earnings and savings wiped out.

Some think they may have job security, but businesses can suffer, shrink, move or worse, close.

Some think they may have family security, because of loving spouse, children, parents and siblings.  Yet, we can’t control their decisions and thoughts. Families can experience factions, struggles of all kinds and loss (physical or emotional).

However, coming boldly before God’s throne, knowing He hears and answers our prayers, knowing we can receive grace and mercy… this then allows us to live in fear and wonder and awe of our great God and Savior. When we do, we do not fear the losses life can impose on us. We might not like it, but we do not need to fear it.

We can boldly pray and boldly stand with confidence in turbulent times.