Lord, Teach Me to Pray (1)

  

'...Lord, teach us to pray...' Luke 11:1 NKJV

         

             


Ever find your self so busy you ask yourself how the day or week went by so fast? Then you realize you haven't spoken to God all week? Busyness is just that; something that keeps us away from what's really important, our spiritual health. So how do we make sure we keep the one essential thing going, prayer, when life seems to pass us by?  All you have to do is ask? In his book, Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray writes: 'None can teach like Jesus...therefore we call on Him, Lord, teach us to pray. A pupil needs a teacher who knows his work, who has the gift of teaching, who in patience and love will descend to the pupil's needs. Blest be God! Jesus is all this and much more...Jesus loves to teach us how to pray.' If you: (a) are not sure God is really listening when you talk to Him; (b) don't understand why some prayers seem to go unanswered; (c) wonder if you are praying 'right' or generally feel frustrated in prayer; (d) are eager to know what to do to feel more connected with God and gain confidence that your prayers really do make a difference, say, 'Lord, teach me to pray.' Although there are principles of prayer that apply to everyone, God will lead each of us individually. He wants to take you just the way you are, and help you discover your own rhythm of prayer; to develop a style of prayer that maximizes your relationship with Him. He wants prayer to be an easy, natural, life-giving way of communicating as you share your heart with Him and allow Him to share His heart with you. Prayer is so simple; it's nothing more than talking to God and taking time to listen to what He has to say to you. God has a personalized prayer plan for you, a way for you to communicate most effectively with Him. So begin by saying, 'Lord, teach me to pray,' and when life seems to be going in all directions, prayer won't because He's right there with you speaking into your life. You are loved...

Imagine Being Adopted by God! (2)

 

  '...Receive the Kingdom of God like a little child...' Mark 10:15 NIV

         

         


Jesus said, 'Anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' You need to become a little child again, and your thinking come on Pastor you got anything else? When you allow yourself the kind of relationship with the Lord that you may have missed as a child; to allow Him to heal and adjust the damaged places of your past do understand why you need thise. God provides arms that allow adults to climb up like little children and be nurtured through the pain of earlier days. The new birth gives you a chance to start over. God will not abuse you when you come to Him. Through praise, you approach Him like a toddler on unskilled legs. In worship, you kiss His face and are held securely in His embrace. He has no ulterior motive, for His embrace is safe. That's why it's important that you learn how to worship and adore Him. Even if you were exposed to grown-up situations when you were a child, God can reverse what you've been through. Here's what He told His people: 'I passed by and saw you kicking about...and as you lay there...I said to you, Live! I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became...beautiful... I...covered your nakedness. I...entered into a covenant with you...and you became Mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.' (Ezekiel 16:6-10 NIV) And God can do that for you too. You are loved!

Imagine Being Adopted by God! (1)

'...You received the Spirit of adoption...' Romans 8:15 NKJV

     

             


Busy day today and I'm sorry it took so long to get this out today, but I'm glad I am adopted into His kingdom as the Bible says, '...[We] received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father'. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...' (Romans 8:15-17 NKJV) Adoptive parents understand what it's like to have an emptiness in their hearts, to search, to set out on a mission, to take responsibility for a child with a troubled past and an uncertain future. And that's what God did for you. Knowing full well the trouble you'd be, and what it would cost, He sought you, found you, paid the price for you, took you home, gave you His name and the right to call Him 'Abba', which means 'Daddy', a term of endearment. Adoption isn't something you earn, it's a gift you receive. You'd never hear adoptive parents say, 'We'd like to adopt little Mary but first we want to know - does she have a house, money for education, a ride to school in the morning and clothes to wear every day?' The adoption agency would say, 'Hold on, you're not adopting her because of what she has, but because of what she needs. She needs love, hope, a home and a future.' You don't earn the Spirit of adoption, you recieve it by faith. That's important, because if you can't gain it by your stellar efforts, you can't lose it through your poor performance. How reassuring! And it gets better; you're an 'heir' to all your Father owns. That means you'll never have a need He cannot or will not meet. How good is that? So don't let the enemy fool you, you are His and always will be! You are loved!

God Looks At Your Heart

 

'...Motives are weighed by the Lord.' Proverbs 16:2 NIV   

             


I just wanted share with you the thanks that we are getting for all your hard work on Operation Thanksgiving. Pastor Manuel from Spanish Ag church writes, "Hi Pastor Daryl, "Once again THANKS for the baskets! Those families were so excited when we gave them their baskets! It was an awesome sight. Please share this with your wonderful congregation. Bendiciones!"
Thanks team for all your hard work and Kim for making it all happen.
What does God see when He looks at your heart? There is a story from Henry Blackaby who tells of a very self-righteous man who prayed: 'Lord, there's something wrong. I read the Bible, pray regularly, attend church faithfully and always give to charity, yet I don't have much. My brother doesn't do any of these things, yet he's got tons of money. How come you've given him so much and me so little?' After a pause, a voice said, 'Because you're a sanctimonious pain in the neck!' The Bible says, '...God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' (James 4:6 NKJV) God looks at your heart's intent; He judges your motives. You can sit in church with a heart that's far from God. The Israelites did (Isaiah 1:10-17). You can help the needy and still be greedy. Judas did (John 12:4-8 NIV). You can proclaim your love for Jesus yet be influenced by the devil. Peter did (Matthew 26:31-35 NIV). You can make sacrifices yet still be living in disobedience. King Saul did (1 Samuel 13:7-14 NIV). You can pray with the wrong motives. Some people in the New Testament church did (James 4:3 NIV). You can even be a pastor who loves crowds but has no time for individuals. Check your heart! The Good Shepherd left His 99 sheep to look for the one who was lost. Then He carried it home on His shoulders, rejoicing. 'Motives are weighed by the Lord.' God sees your heart. Everything you do must be motivated by love for Him and for others. So look beyond your actions to what lies behind them. Ask God to show you what He sees. You are loved into action!

Walking on Water (3)

 

'God is...a very present help in trouble.' Psalm 46:1 NKJV   

             


Let's observe two final things today as we wrap-up how God is always present in our lives: (1) Between the dread and the devastation, look for the Deliverer. Picture a boat lashed by huge waves, and frightened disciples who thought they were going under. They forgot the promise: 'God is...a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear...' (Psalm 46:1-2 NKJV) They didn't look for Jesus to rescue them. Yet as the night advanced and things looked hopeless, '...Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.' (Matthew 14:25 NKJV) Did they rejoice? No, their fear intensified and they said, '...It's a ghost!...' (Matthew 14:26 NKJV) If your not careful you're fear can distort your perceptions and make you see the answer as just another problem. Often what appears a threat is actually a blessing about to manifest itself. For example, you lose your job and God opens up a better one, but your fear and inadequacy make you avoid the interview. Look to Jesus in your time of fear; when He takes away the lesser, it's always to give you the greater. (2) God's best always requires facing what you fear. Jesus called Peter to come to Him. Deciding it was safer in the storm with Jesus than in the boat without Him, Peter walked toward Him. But there's always a moment after you step out in faith when you hear, 'What if I'm not up to this?' Peter heard it, and the waves began to engulf him. Panicked, he called and Jesus immediately rescued him. Peter wasn't drowning; he was learning and growing! When you walk by faith, even your failures will lead to success. I know this to be true in my own life. Everytime I stepped out, God stepped out with me. So step out with Jesus; He won't let you drown. You are loved...

Walking on Water (2)

 

'The boat was...buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.' Matthew 14:24 NIV

         

             


Sorry I missed yesterday, Amy and I went to Seattle for her quarterly checkup. It was a beautiful fall ride with the exception of rain in the pass. Thank goodness it wasn't snow or we wouldn't have gotten over. I felt like we were riding on water a few times as the car hydroplaned. Let's continue from Tuesday's thoughts and Notice: (1) Trouble doesn't mean that God has abandoned you. The disciples learned that Jesus may be out of sight, but He's never out of touch. To '...walk by faith, not by sight' (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV) means sometimes you'll walk in darkness without visible cues. Someone put it this way: 'When you can't trace His hand, you can trust His heart.' When the disciples were being tossed like a cork on the waves, Jesus was up on a mountain praying for them! He was aware of the problem and He was working on the solution. He was their mediator and their 'need meet-er', just as He has one hand on your need and the other on your answer. '...He always lives to intercede for [you].' (Hebrews 7:25 NIV) Can you imagine Jesus praying to the Father for His fear-filled disciples? And can you imagine the Father refusing to answer His prayers? Never! '...The Spirit Himself intercedes for us...' (Romans 8:26 NIV) With both Jesus and the Holy Spirit talking to the Father on your behalf, your victory is guaranteed. (2) Between the command to 'Go' and your safe arrival on the other side, there's often a crisis. Jesus commanded them to cross to the other shore, but before the trip was completed their world experienced upheaval. What's buffeting your life today - loss, guilt, loneliness, financial reversal, illness, addiction, rejection? When our faith is low and our fear high, we cry, 'If only I had (or hadn't)...If only I could...' Learn to trust God. It's not over until He says so. And He hasn't! "We walk by faith, not by sight." You are loved...

Walking on Water (1)

 

'...Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go...' Matthew 14:22 NIV    

             


When you find yourself in trouble, do you sometimes think, 'I must have done something wrong, perhaps I've missed God's will and He's punishing me'? No. Trouble is multi-sourced, and frequently unrelated to our wrongdoing or God's punishment. The disciples weren't in the storm by disobeying, but by obeying Jesus; not by rejecting God's will, but by embracing it. That maybe hard to understand and it took me awhile to see that in my own spiritual life; but the Bible says, '...Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go...', and they obeyed. At times you'll find yourself in troubled waters because you did what was right rather than what was popular, easy or selfish. Here are some helpful lessons from the disciples' experience: (1) Obedience doesn't guarantee there will be no storms.The disciples had just seen Jesus feed 5000 people with five bread rolls and two fish, and end up with more food than He started with. Shouldn't their faith have been strengthened? Yet they forgot it completely when fear came knocking. Jesus had told them He'd meet them on the other shore, yet they forgot His miracle-working power and His promise and gave in to anxiety. Understand this: When God doesn't solve your problem, He will show up in the middle of it and cause you to come out with your faith fortified. (2) Fear doesn't mean you're a failure. It's just a reminder that you're human, and, like the disciples, you've forgotten Who has the power and Who's in charge. Sunday God delivered a powerful message through me. I was filled with the spirit to preach, but at the end I felt like I had to almost apologize for the spirit's presence. Satan tried his hardest to make me feel like I had failed everyone. That I hurt you. That's when God said in a small voice never stop doing what's right. There are so many lessons that transform your life's trial's into triumph. Be patient and learn. You are loved...