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POINTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
There
are three different points I wish to share with you today. And in
them, I hope you find encouragement.
If
you have kept up with the 40 Days of Prayer (a daily email sent to church members) as I have tried to do
leading up to this drama, you will know that today marks Day 40. And
of them all, today's devotion hit close to home for me. I don't have
the time to read it all right now, but in it we were reminded of the
many prayer requests affecting a good number of our cast and crew,
which were closely followed by the amazing praises of answered
prayer. However, all too often we dwell more on the suffering and
sorrows of this life than on the blessings. In doing so, we give the
Enemy far more credit than he deserves. Yes, he may have had a hand
in our trials and troubles, but we know how this battle ultimately
ends, and more importantly SO DOES HE. God is in control.
And I believe it's time our focus was kept solely on Him.
Scripture
says to “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight
ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet and all your ways
will be established. Don't turn to the right or to the left; keep
your feet away from evil.” (Pro. 4:25-27) If we keep our eyes
fixed on Christ, those blessings come to the forefront and we find
the strength and courage to press on amidst the suffering.
I
love this Jewish proverb that says, “I ask not for a lighter
burden, but broader shoulders.” Our prayers these days should
be for strength to stand for our God in this fallen world.
In
1 Peter 4:16 we are encouraged in that “If you suffer as a
Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that
name.” (NIV) When you accept Christ as your Savior, you gain a
new name. Maybe not one that goes on your legal documents, but a new
name nonetheless: Christian, which essentially means “little
Christ.” This is probably our ultimate calling. You may serve as
the only image of Christ that your friends, family, or co-workers
will ever see in this lifetime.
Here's
something else to ponder: “What if you woke up tomorrow morning
with only the things you thanked God for today?”
That serves as a great reminder, at least for myself, to never take
for granted the little things in this life that I have been given.
My
second point is this: Spend your days in ceaseless prayer.
Now,
this is not to say that we should be on our knees all day long,
though there is absolutely no wrong in that. To me, ceaseless prayer
is beginning the day with a brief word of thanks to my God, with
perhaps a specific prayer request for how the day will go, and
strength to live it for Him. But instead of closing with a typical
“Amen,” I leave it open and add to that prayer as I go about my
day.
In
Ephesians chapter 6, we find the challenge to put on the full armor
of God. But those verses continue in saying “Pray at all times
in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this
with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” 1
Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you.” (ESV) And Romans 12:12 puts it
rather simply, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful (or persistent) in prayer.” (NIV) But I can't say it
any better than Max Lucado, who writes “Our prayers may be
awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer
is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our
prayers do make a difference.”
And
finally, as Christians, I believe we are called to live fearless.
Here's
a little fact for you: The phrase “Do not be afraid,” is found
in the Bible (respectively) 365 times. This is a daily reminder that
God wishes us to live every day FEARLESS.
Psalm
27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I
fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be
afraid?” (ESV) And in chapter 56, verse 3, we find “When
I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in
God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
If
we can learn to count our blessings more than our sufferings,
clothe ourselves in prayer and, like the Proverbs 31 woman, in
strength and dignity, then we can “laugh without
fear of the future” and rest in the knowledge that
this battle, both physical and spiritual, is already won.
These are excellent points. Timely, too. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a beautiful and encouragement devotion, Sarah! Thank-you so much for sharing it with us! God has definitely just used your words to meet a need in my life. So again, thank-you!
ReplyDeleteI am praying for you and all of your church during your performances. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest on {you}; establish the work of {your} hands for {you} — yes, establish the work of {your} hands." Psalm 90:17
Love and prayers,
Risa
Blue: Thank you! I am so glad you think so. It gives me pleasure to know God can use me to help encourage others in their walk with Christ.
ReplyDeleteNightingale: Thank you, dear girl! It is my absolute pleasure. So glad to hear this has encouraged you. You are always in my prayers! And thank you for your own. Love ya bunches!! <(^-^)> <3