21 Days of Prayer - Day 16 - Monday, August 22, 2022 Jesus Can Fill Your Gap

21 Days of Prayer - Day 16 - Monday,  August 22, 2022  Jesus Can Fill Your Gap

We face a challenge throughout our life .. it’s a gap. .from where I am and where God is.

We have all felt this gap from time to time.

Prayer is inviting Jesus into that gap!  It’s inviting God to get involved in the gap.

An English phrase “Mind the gap.”  It was used to help people be mindful of the space of stepping off the train to the railway.

Today we need to “mind the gap.” Be mindful of having Jesus be in our gap.

Psalm 31:21-22 (NIV) 21 Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege.22 In my alarm I said,   “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy  when I called you for help.

This city under siege is a picture of attacks on all sides. Ultimately the enemy wants to cut that city off from any resources.

David feels like he’s in a gap from the help he needs and what he actually receives.

Gaps might be sickness, feelings, thoughts or any area of our life where we feel that we are falling short and lacking.  But the greatest thing to know is Jesus fills every gap. 

Romans 8:38 (NIV) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

Jeremiah 23:24 (NIV) Who can hide in secret places  so that I cannot see them?”

declares the Lord.   “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.

Today if we’re going to invite Jesus into our gap, we can be like David in  this Psalm.

David approached God with honesty and transparency.  We too should approach God with our most honest and transparent thoughts.

In every honest conversation we have with God, He does not flinch. He’s not afraid. He’s ready to fill the gap.  When this happens, we can then stand in the gap for others through intercessory prayer.

21 Days of Prayer - Day 14 - Saturday, August 20, 2022 Open Your Eyes & Look At the Field

21 Days of Prayer - Day 14 - Saturday,  August 20, 2022  Open Your Eyes & Look At the Field

We pray first!  That’s a rally cry for us.  Prayer is a weapon not a last resort. It’s my first response. Everything we do about prayer is intentional.

We have 21 Days of Prayer in January. It’s the first thing we do at the start of the year.

We have a Sunday morning prayer team that prays before the service. We pray with our Dream Team before the service. We pray first. 

What do we pray for in August?  Souls! For a great harvest!

Michelle and I live in between farmers and watch them get ready for the harvest in the natural realm and this gives us fuel to pray for a harvest in the spiritual realm.

Jesus is ministering to this woman at the well of Jacob.

John 4:27-35 (NIV)

27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

They keep putting off the work, but Jesus says to them “open your eyes and look at the fields.”

If God answered all my prayers would it change the world or just change me?

So in August we pray for lost people. At BLC we have a prayer card for us to pray for lost people. “Prayers for God’s Promises” which is code for praying for lost people.

If Jesus could tell you what He sees, 4 billion people who are lost. Jesus cares for those that are far from God, they are lost. 

So open your eyes and let’s look to the fields of a fall harvest.

21 Days of Prayer - Day 13 - Friday, August 19, 2022 Before Action, Always Pray

21 Days of Prayer - Day 13 - Friday,  August 19, 2022  Before Action, Always Pray 

Thought from yesterday: God answers prayer based on who He is not who we are.

That statement is “base camp” for prayer.  There are certain statements that are said, that you remember over the timeline of your faith, and this phrase “God answers prayer based on who He is not who we are”  is one of those.

ow for today, we’re looking at the prophet Nehemiah and his life. As we do, we’ll learn another principle that God has for us.

Before action, always pray!

Nehemiah 1:4-11 (NIV)

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”  I was cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah is in action but he’s in prayer. Before the project he’s going to add power to the project.

Nehemiah prayed for 4-6 months before he appeared before the king. But while he prayed, he also prepared for the power that God was going to bring to this project.

The way Nehemaih prayed brought consistency.

Prayed with fervency.

He didn’t let up. When there’s stubborn situations it requires relentless seeking.

So you lock in. For Saturday prayer and good to do at home, praying verbally out loud helps me to lock in.  It helps drive out the voice of the enemy and doubt. It builds up my faith.

Prayed with focus.

He prayed with God’s greatness not his own weakness. 

We’re going to be faithful. We are going to complete the task.

We are to believe God will do as He said, and pray with His greatness.

Prayed with favor.

Just because you’re in a storm or struggle doesn’t mean you’re not in favor.

Just because the other team scores a touchdown doesn’t mean that you can’t score a 

Touchdown.

Prayed with a “full steam ahead” faith.

Everytime Nehemiah made a move, someone would try to cancel him.

But everytime he moved forward, God would give him a new plan or direction.

God’s word doesn’t just stop the enemy, it will push the enemy back.

Because of Nehemiah’s prayer, the wall of Jerusalem was built in 52 days and God was glorified!