Written by Pastor Greg Laurie and submitted May 19, 2009.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” -John 15:7
How often have you felt that your prayers were hitting a glass ceiling—as though the Lord were saying no?
Maybe it is because you are praying outside of His will. Maybe it is because you were praying for something that God didn’t want you to have.
We need to remember the promise Jesus spoke of in John 15, which says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” Another translation puts it this way: “If you maintain a living communion with Me and My words are at home with you, you can ask at once for yourself whatever your heart desires, and it is yours.”
I really like that translation—especially the part that tells us to ask at once whatever our hearts desire. But let’s remember the condition: “If you maintain a living communion with Me and My words are at home with you. . . . ”
If you are maintaining a living communion with God, and His words are at home with you, then your desires going to change. Your prayers will not necessarily be the same as they were before.
As you get in sync with the will of God, you’ll see that prayer is not getting God to do what you want Him to do, but that prayer is getting you to do what God wants you to do.
You will discover the important truth that prayer is not bending God our way—it is bending us His way. And then, you just may see your prayers being answered in the affirmative.
http://www.harvest.org
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Filed Under: John
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted March 31, 2009.
In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. -Judges 21:25 (NLT)
“People did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” That’s the final note the book of Judges ends on, and it’s a pitch-perfect description of the period in history that it covers.
With the passing of Moses and Joshua, the children of Israel were forced into a new phase of existence. Their larger-than-life leaders who served as a go-between with God were now gone. Israel’s training wheels were off; now it was time for her people to start forging ahead on their own with the Lord.
God was there for them in every way they could possibly need. His only requirement was that they seek and obey Him. Yet as we’ve seen, they typically didn’t do things His way. In general, they didn’t turn to heaven for help. Instead, they turned to their own hearts, which only led them into sin and enslavement.
That’s what will always happen when people follow their own hearts instead of God. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the human heart is the most deceitful and deceptive thing in all creation. Apart from God’s gracious influence, our hearts will take every opportunity to distort reality and blind us to God’s truth.
How many people over the years have walked straight into an inferno of affliction because they were following their heart and doing what seemed right to them? There’s a way that seems right to the human heart and mind, but it’s a path that leads to disaster. The book of Judges is the ultimate illustration of this fact.
Knowing this, how could we ever make the same mistake? Our training wheels are off, God wants us to forge ahead in a relationship with Him, but the only way to keep our balance is to turn to His heart and not our own.
Discuss, Dig, Decide:
Discuss with your group: As you observe our culture today, how do you see people doing whatever is right in their own eyes? Give some examples.
Dig into Jeremiah 17:9-10. What does this Scripture say to you about God’s intent? How have you followed your own heart instead of God’s? What steps do you need to take to reconnect to God’s heart? Who in your life can help you take these steps?
Decide with your group to finish out this study with a time dedicated to confession, repentance, and sharing about what God is doing in your life. Plan an evening together to pray and seek God’s Spirit. Let this be a time to hear from the Lord as to the direction He would have you go.
http://www.activeword.org
Written by Pastor Greg Laurie and submitted March 8, 2009.
I remember when each of my sons took their first steps. Like most parents, we desperately wanted to see our kids take them. We were so excited.
Once they started walking, though, we sometimes wished we had never taught them how to do it, because we had to constantly keep an eye on them.
My youngest son Jonathan fell so many times when he was learning to walk that he had a permanent bruise on his forehead. A bruise would start to heal, and then he would fall again. He had bruises on top of bruises. We didn’t recognize him without that bruise in the middle of his forehead.
The spiritual walk can be like that, especially when we are taking our first steps as a new believer. We stumble and fall. We get up. Then we stumble and fall again. It is all part of growing spiritually.
In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul speaks to us about our spiritual walk, about how to walk spiritually.
Walking is an act that speaks of effort and of having a direction with a destination in mind. It speaks of steady motion, regularity, consistency, activity, movement, and progress. In Ephesians 4, God is telling us that it is time for us to walk in light of what we have already learned.
Prior to these verses, Paul has spent three chapters telling us what God has done for us, what God has given to us, and what God has provided for us. He has reminded us that we were all separated from God, alienated from His promises.
We were aimlessly walking through life with no purpose or direction, heading toward a certain judgment. But God loved us so much that He chose us before the foundation of the world.
Then He redeemed us. He bought us out of slavery to sin, adopted us into His family, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit.
If that were not enough, He then placed all of His resources into our spiritual bank account so that we would have everything that we need to grow spiritually.
In Ephesians 4, we learn more about what we are supposed to do for God. Notice the order. First, Paul tells us what God has done for us (as you read the Bible, you will find that the primary emphasis is just that). Then he tells us what we must do for God.
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV).
We may read that verse and think, “I am in trouble. How could I ever be worthy? There is nothing I could ever do to deserve God’s grace.” But that is not what the word “worthy” means here.
This word could be translated as, “to balance the scales.” In other words, what is on one side of the scale should be equal in weight to what is on the other side of the scale. This word can be applied to anything that is expected to correspond to something else. Another way to translate it is, “I want you to live a balanced life.”
But what is the balance he is referring to? Paul was telling us that there needs to be a balance between our belief and our practice, between our doctrine and the way that we live. The two need to go together.
Some people are lopsided. They may be strong in one area and weak in another. I have met people who have an incredible and impressive knowledge of the Bible. They know Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. They dazzle you with what they know. But their personal life is in shambles.
The problem is that they are imbalanced. They have the knowledge. They have the doctrine. But their life is out of balance.
Then there are those who don’t know much doctrinally. They don’t really know what the Bible teaches on certain subjects, but they love the Lord. They are passionate about their faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, you might hear them say something like, “Let’s not quibble over doctrine. I just love Jesus.”
That sounds admirable, but it is a dangerous statement. If they are not careful, they might end up loving the wrong Jesus. They might end up believing the wrong gospel, and that is where doctrine comes in.
We need the balance of having both of these areas working together. That is what it means to walk worthy of the Lord.
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted February 25, 2009.
“But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. -Numbers 32:23 (NKJV)
Under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte, France expanded and exerted its control over all of Europe. But as with every rising star, Napoleon’s was destined to fall . . . and it did when he tried to invade Russia. His forces were turned back, and he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena where he lived out the rest of his life as a prisoner under British supervision.
Napoleon died just six years after being exiled. Officially, he died of stomach cancer, but there were suspicions at the time that the British had actually poisoned him. Recently, his remains were forensically examined, and they revealed that Napoleon had thirteen times the normal amount of arsenic in his system, which suggests that he had been slowly and systematically poisoned over a period of time.
Back in the 1800’s, arsenic was undetectable in small amounts, and to the British, it must have seemed like every possible track had been covered. But in this age of technology, new evidence has been brought to light, and it appears to blow the whistle on what the British were really doing to their prisoner.
Sometimes sin can be like that. We think we’ve got all the tracks covered, and there’s no way that anybody will ever know about it. We’re under the delusion that it will stay “our little secret.” But time goes on and the truth comes out, all because we didn’t take God’s warning about sin seriously.
If we’re persisting in some sort of secret sin, then mark it well, that sin will find us out! Sin will work its way free and eventually expose us, which is why God commands us to execute it (Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5). If we do, then we can experience God’s cleansing and favor.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss the danger of a secret sin. Share an experience where your sin, though it seemed personal and private, had an impact on others. Discuss what you learned from the situation.
Dig into Numbers 32:20-23. What does it mean when it says “your sin will find you out”? Read 1 John 1:9 and Romans 6:1-11. What should be our response to sin? What is keeping you from the freedom God wants you to enjoy? What will you do about it today?
Decide as a group to support one another and offer up to God a time of confession and repentance. Pray together, inviting those who need to obey James 5:16 to do so with the confidence that they have the love and support of the group.
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted February 9, 2009.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. -2 Chronicles 7:14( NKJV)
God honors prayer. When we call out to Him, He listens and He reacts to us. This reality is clearly conveyed to us in this verse. If God’s people humble themselves in prayer, then God promises to move on their behalf.
“But what if we don’t pray? Isn’t God in control of everything anyway? Won’t He make sure His will is accomplished regardless of what we do or don’t do? What if we pray for something that He doesn’t want to happen? Why do we even need to pray at all if it’s all predetermined?”
Sadly, untold hours have been spent arguing over questions like these-hours that could have been spent instead on prayer. The bottom line is that we’ll never fully understand the exact relationship between God’s control and our responsibilities. This doesn’t change the fact that prayer is a powerful force that the Lord honors and responds to. It’s His job to reconcile our prayers with His pre-determined plans. It’s our job to pray.
We need to take care of the “if” part of the equation, and entrust the “then” to God. If we do, then we and everyone we pray for will be better off because of it.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15 NKJV)
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss the difference prayer can make. Share about a time when you saw the results and power of God’s people praying. What happened?
Dig into 2 Chronicles 7:14. What are the specific instructions God is providing here? How does this promise offer you hope for the future? What would it be like if the Church obediently followed this command?
Decide as a group to dedicate yourselves to prayer for our nation. Challenge one another to set aside a time this week when you will fast and pray for our country and its government.
http://www.activeword.org
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted January 16, 2009.
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. -Romans 8:30 (NKJV)
There’s something incredible being communicated to us in the passage above, and if we’re not careful, we might miss it. It’s very subtle, but it’s found in the single and unassuming word “glorified.”
When you pull back and look at this verse you can see that it’s tracking the progress of God’s influence in our lives. First, He predestined us. Next, He called us. Then, He justified us. Those are all things that have been accomplished in our past. God chose us, He drew us near, and then He cancelled our debt against Him based on what Jesus did on the cross.
But notice that it doesn’t end there. The verse goes on to state God also glorified us. Just so we’re clear, the word “glorified” refers to the final, completed, perfected state that we will all attain in Heaven. Now, all of us are painfully aware that none of us are there yet-not even close. So how can the Bible speak of this in the past tense as if it’s happened already?
Here’s how: From God’s eternal perspective, He doesn’t view us as we are now, in a state of sinful struggle and frequent failure. Instead, He sees us as we will ultimately be. In other words, God always sees the final product when He looks at us. He sees us as perfect because we have been covered by Christ’s perfect righteousness.
That’s very welcome news for us, especially in those moments when we fail miserably. Even when we’re at our very worst, God Almighty sees us at our very best-and He always will.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss and share about this amazing attribute of God. How would you describe the way God sees you? Why is it sometimes difficult to understand and believe God’s perspective of us?
Dig into Romans 8:30. How is this progression now being played out in your life? How does this promise give you hope? What’s God’s ultimate plan and purpose for you?
Decide to encourage one another with the gift of scriptural truth. Have each person in the group find a specific verse that speaks about our blessed future in Christ. Close out your meeting time by giving each one a chance to share their verses with the members of the group.
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted January 14, 2009.
Pray without ceasing … -1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)
There are two ways of looking at this verse. One is to view it from a totally man-based and earth-bound perspective. “Pray without ceasing? Wow, really? You mean on top of everything else in life, now I also have to fold my hands and close my eyes 24/7? How is that supposed to work? That sounds kind of boring, actually. I’m not so sure I’d want to do that even if I was able to.”
Unfortunately, that’s how a lot of people look at this verse. That’s a tragedy because when viewed from a God-based and heaven-bound perspective, it looks like something completely different. “Pray without ceasing. Wow, really? Do you mean to tell me that God is inviting me to talk to Him 24/7, that I can always access Him no matter what? You mean to tell me that God always wants to talk to me?”
See the difference? What may seem like a burden is actually an unimaginable blessing. As our Heavenly Father, God always wants to be in communication with us. He always wants to hear what’s on our hearts and always wants to make His wisdom available to us. He never takes an attitude towards us where He “punches in” or is “on the clock.” He’s our Divine Dad and always wants to hear from us no matter what the issue is.
You can’t find another person like that, someone who says, “I’m willing to talk with you, in fact I really want to talk with you, anytime-even if it’s in the middle of the night.” You may find someone who’s like that for a season, but not for the rest of your life.
But with God, we enjoy a relationship where He always wants to talk, and that’s something worth talking about.
Discuss, Dig, Decide
Discuss with your group the privilege of prayer. How would you describe your personal prayer life? What three adjectives would you use? What changes would you like to make in your practice of prayer?
Dig into 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Why would Paul give this command to the church? How important is it for you to stay connected to God through prayer? What do you think would be the cost of disobeying this command? How about the benefit of obeying it?
Decide to pray for one another. Have your group share specific prayer requests and take some time to intercede for each other. During the upcoming week, remember to faithfully pray for your friends in the group. Let them know you are praying for them!
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted December 7, 2008.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast . . . Hebrews 6:19 (NKJV)
It is an unfortunate fact that Christmas has become so commercialized. The effect is that we can become so preoccupied with the material trappings all around us that they start to become our sole focus in life. How many times have you found yourself meditating on the mountains of merchandise or the special sales that will dictate your agenda over the next several weeks?
Before we allow this to get out of control, we need to recognize that true satisfaction will never be found in the midst of materialism. No amount of money can produce lasting peace or joy. Jesus warned us that in the end everything in this world will wear out, break, or get stolen:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal . . .” (Matthew 6:19 NKJV)
Real satisfaction only comes from one source-the hope that we have in the eternal things of God. The writer of Hebrews describes this hope as “an anchor of the soul.” The picture is powerful. Our flesh and our feelings are constantly pulling on us in an effort to drag us down paths that end in emptiness. But through it all, our hope in Jesus and all that He has promised us keeps us firmly fixed and steadfastly satisfied.
This is something we need to keep in mind over the coming weeks. When we start to feel the pull toward the material, when we find ourselves focusing on the things of this world, we would do well to remember that these things will always leave us lacking. And above all, we have a Heavenly Hope who produces a satisfaction that can’t be bought.
Discuss and share with your group what shopping is like for you this time of year. What pressures do you feel in regards to Christmas gift-giving?
Dig into Matthew 6:1-21. What does this passage say to you regarding the Christmas season? Why is this hard to obey this time of year? What steps can you take to avoid the traditional trap of “stuffing” your Christmas?
Decide to journal about the things that really matter most to you this Christmas. Create a Christmas list of intangible gifts you’d like to receive this season. Then make a list of the intangible gifts you’d like to give and to whom. Write about what will really satisfy your soul this Christmas.
Written by Pastor Bob Coy and submitted .
Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? Jeremiah 12:1 (NKJV)
As the prophet Jeremiah cried out to the Lord, he expressed his frustration at the hypocrisy of his fellow Jews. On the outside, everything seemed fine and fruitful. The praises of God were on everyone’s lips, and there was no shortage of prophets who proclaimed, “Thus saith the Lord.”
But when it came to their minds, God was a total stranger. He was on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but He had no real place in their inner lives. Their mouths and their minds didn’t match and what followed was a sad lesson of bondage and bankruptcy.
You are near in their mouth but far from their mind. (Jeremiah 12:2 NKJV)
There’s a real lesson for us to learn from this, especially at this time of year. Over the next several days we’ll hear Christmas carols practically everywhere we go. There are going to be countless references to the Lord on television and radio. The name of Jesus is on the tip of everyone’s tongue, including ours.
This is wonderful in and of itself. But we need to be sure that the words of our mouth match the meditations of our mind. We need to examine whether or not Jesus has a place of prominence in our thought life during this season. If not, we’re making the same mistake as those in Jeremiah’s day. What can we expect when our mouths don’t match our minds? Sooner or later, we can expect spiritual bondage and bankruptcy.
The Bible tells us to set our minds on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2) to think on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good, and virtuous (Philippians 4:8). What better way to do this than by thinking about Jesus? Let’s not just give the Lord lip service this season, but let’s be sure to give Him His rightful place in our minds as well.
Discuss and share with your group. How many references to “Jesus” have you heard today? How have you seen people honor or dishonor the name of Jesus during this holiday season?
Dig into Jeremiah 12:1-2. What is the prophet saying? How does this verse explain the plight of our world today? How does it inspire you to live differently?
Decide to journal about the place of prominence that Jesus will have in your Christmas holiday. How will you honor Him and His name in the days ahead?
Written by admin and submitted November 19, 2008.
A story about serving, compassion and ”washing others feet”.
