Dear Sisters,
Hello! How are you? I pray well. I remember a Pastor once asking our congregation if we’d lost our “Wow”. We sometimes lose our “Wow!”, don’t we? We can lose sight of His amazing grace and His generous gifts. Be prayerfully determined to journey through December (that’s tomorrow already!) and be wowed by His love and grace. Have a great week!
RECOGNIZING HIS VOICE
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4
Admittedly, it started after I turned forty. When I’m in large groups I have an increasingly difficult time hearing. But no matter how loud the crowd, there’s a voice that I can always discern . . . my hubby’s. It’s not because he’s blaring or boisterous, I just recognize his voice. Even when he’s across the room and I can’t physically hear his words, I can interpret his body language. I’ve been accused of reading his mind and have charged him with reading mine, too.
That doesn’t just happen because you’re married. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love one another more and more.
Many Christians are finding it increasingly difficult to hear God’s voice. The culture has moved from whispering subliminal messages to cranking the volume on its lies. And in all the noise some of God’s children struggle to hear and recognize God’s voice.
Jesus said, “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:2-4).
Knowing His voice doesn’t just happen because you’re a Christian. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love our Savior more and more!
That was the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Philippians. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).
When we seek to know Jesus better, we’re able to discern and recognize the voice of Truth in the midst of a persuasive world that rejects Him as Lord. For it’s in knowing His voice that we can follow wherever the Good Shepherd leads – whether quiet waters, the valley of the shadow of death, or a table prepared in the presence of our enemies. When we follow His voice, goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23).
Prayer Step: How well do you recognize Jesus’ voice? Spend time in prayer and His Word to know Him more and more.
The value of prayer is not that He will hear us...but that we will finally hear Him.
William McGi
Grace and peace,
Lenae
A connecting place for British Columbia GEMS counselors and club coordinators. . .
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
One Thing
ONE THING
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
David prayed for a great many things: he begged for mercy in times of trouble: O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony (Psalm 6:1-2). He praised the excellence of God’s name revealed in creation: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (Psalm 8:1). He rejoiced in God and thanked Him for His portion: LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6). He committed his words and meditation to the Lord: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).
David’s prayers were many, his requests broad and deep. Yet when it came down to one thing, one request, one petition to God in prayer it focused down to this: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).
David’s prayer to dwell in the house of the LORD may have been literal. He had it on his heart to build a house for the Name of his Lord and God, but God assigned the building project to Solomon, David’s son (1 Chronicles 22). It may also have been the one thing needed most – a request to daily dwell in God’s presence.
Is that your primary prayer request, too? Do you long to dwell, live, inhabit, and stay in God’s presence all the days of your life? Is being with God your one thing?
It’s a difficult thing for children to narrow Christmas gift lists down to one thing. I know firsthand the challenges of narrowing a week’s worth of clothes and seemingly essentials into a carry-on suitcase.
It can be a difficult thing for God’s children to narrow their thinking, choices, and actions to one thing, too. Even as we seek to serve our families, our churches, and the ministry of GEMS we can become distracted Martha’s missing the one thing Jesus wanted for her and for you and me – to sit at His feet (Luke 10:35-42).
Prayer Step: What is your greatest prayer desire today? Seek the one thing needed most – to daily linger in God’s presence.
So often when I’ve rushed through my prayer time, jumped up off my knees, quickly shut my Bible, closed my notebook, and hurried to take on my day, I wonder what blessings I missed because I haven’t made the time to stay in His presence?
Anne Graham Lotz
In Grace and Peace,
Lenae
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
David prayed for a great many things: he begged for mercy in times of trouble: O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony (Psalm 6:1-2). He praised the excellence of God’s name revealed in creation: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (Psalm 8:1). He rejoiced in God and thanked Him for His portion: LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6). He committed his words and meditation to the Lord: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).
David’s prayers were many, his requests broad and deep. Yet when it came down to one thing, one request, one petition to God in prayer it focused down to this: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).
David’s prayer to dwell in the house of the LORD may have been literal. He had it on his heart to build a house for the Name of his Lord and God, but God assigned the building project to Solomon, David’s son (1 Chronicles 22). It may also have been the one thing needed most – a request to daily dwell in God’s presence.
Is that your primary prayer request, too? Do you long to dwell, live, inhabit, and stay in God’s presence all the days of your life? Is being with God your one thing?
It’s a difficult thing for children to narrow Christmas gift lists down to one thing. I know firsthand the challenges of narrowing a week’s worth of clothes and seemingly essentials into a carry-on suitcase.
It can be a difficult thing for God’s children to narrow their thinking, choices, and actions to one thing, too. Even as we seek to serve our families, our churches, and the ministry of GEMS we can become distracted Martha’s missing the one thing Jesus wanted for her and for you and me – to sit at His feet (Luke 10:35-42).
Prayer Step: What is your greatest prayer desire today? Seek the one thing needed most – to daily linger in God’s presence.
So often when I’ve rushed through my prayer time, jumped up off my knees, quickly shut my Bible, closed my notebook, and hurried to take on my day, I wonder what blessings I missed because I haven’t made the time to stay in His presence?
Anne Graham Lotz
In Grace and Peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Theme Night Olympics at Duncan New Life Church
We are having fun at our New Life club in Duncan. Our meetings are going great, our registrations were up again this year and we are in the midst of planning a camp out on November 21st and 22nd.
Our theme to go with having a "fit" prayer life is the silly Olympics. We thought we would tie in with the Olympic buzz. It also ties in with praying for all the continents, because there are athletes from all over the world coming to the real Olympics. We have a guest speaker coming to talk about prayer and prayer boot camp/ personal training just like the athletes train hard for their sport we can do spiritual boot camp. We will have an opening and closing ceremony with the GEMS showcasing their talents, Olympic torch replicas and silly games like cotton ball shot put. We will tie dye their Olympic uniforms and we have so many other things planned.
We have so many girls this year we are not sure we are going to fit in the facility we rented! SO EXCITED!!
Please pray for us pulling it all off in such a way that the girls are impacted for life.
Our theme to go with having a "fit" prayer life is the silly Olympics. We thought we would tie in with the Olympic buzz. It also ties in with praying for all the continents, because there are athletes from all over the world coming to the real Olympics. We have a guest speaker coming to talk about prayer and prayer boot camp/ personal training just like the athletes train hard for their sport we can do spiritual boot camp. We will have an opening and closing ceremony with the GEMS showcasing their talents, Olympic torch replicas and silly games like cotton ball shot put. We will tie dye their Olympic uniforms and we have so many other things planned.
We have so many girls this year we are not sure we are going to fit in the facility we rented! SO EXCITED!!
Please pray for us pulling it all off in such a way that the girls are impacted for life.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Prayer Motives
PRAYER MOTIVES
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
When the Philistine and Israelite armies drew up their battle lines across the Valley of Elah they were equipped with armor, javelins, and a mixture of motives.
Goliath’s motive was to defy the ranks of Israel and make them subjects to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:9-10). When David delivered meals to his brothers and asked the men standing near him about this disgraceful Philistine giant, his oldest brother Eliab accused him of having motives that were driven by conceit, wickedness, and curiosity over an upcoming battle (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Saul’s motive was to win, even if it meant sending an untrained boy against a proficient Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:33). David’s motive was that every person that was gathered in that valley would know with absolute certainty that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47).
Scripture records that Goliath came forward every morning and evening for forty days to take his stand and threaten the Israelites. Saul and his army heard Goliath’s repeated intimidation and were dismayed and terrified (1 Samuel 17:11). Although specific prayers aren’t recorded within this story, we can be fairly certain that the valley was probably filled with foxhole prayers – petitions initiated by an extreme crisis and uttered in panic.
David’s prayer motives were pure. He desired to bring glory to the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath defied. Although Saul’s words to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:37), sounded godly and good, his prayer motives were wicked as is seen in the post-victory party. When the women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him (1 Samuel 18:7-8).
Before a word of prayer leaves our lips or is penned in our journals, God is weighing the motives to our requests. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3).
What is the fundamental motive to your and my prayers? Do we have underlying prayer motives to have more possessions, more money, higher status, recognition, approval, significance, comfort, or fame? Or is our pure motive to give glory to God? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, emphasis mine).
Prayer Step: Ask the Holy Spirit to give discernment to your prayer motives today.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: it is to this end that Jesus on His throne in glory will do all we ask in His Name. Every answer to prayer He gives will have this as its object. Andrew Murray
Grace and peace,
Lenae
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
When the Philistine and Israelite armies drew up their battle lines across the Valley of Elah they were equipped with armor, javelins, and a mixture of motives.
Goliath’s motive was to defy the ranks of Israel and make them subjects to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:9-10). When David delivered meals to his brothers and asked the men standing near him about this disgraceful Philistine giant, his oldest brother Eliab accused him of having motives that were driven by conceit, wickedness, and curiosity over an upcoming battle (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Saul’s motive was to win, even if it meant sending an untrained boy against a proficient Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:33). David’s motive was that every person that was gathered in that valley would know with absolute certainty that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47).
Scripture records that Goliath came forward every morning and evening for forty days to take his stand and threaten the Israelites. Saul and his army heard Goliath’s repeated intimidation and were dismayed and terrified (1 Samuel 17:11). Although specific prayers aren’t recorded within this story, we can be fairly certain that the valley was probably filled with foxhole prayers – petitions initiated by an extreme crisis and uttered in panic.
David’s prayer motives were pure. He desired to bring glory to the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath defied. Although Saul’s words to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:37), sounded godly and good, his prayer motives were wicked as is seen in the post-victory party. When the women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him (1 Samuel 18:7-8).
Before a word of prayer leaves our lips or is penned in our journals, God is weighing the motives to our requests. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3).
What is the fundamental motive to your and my prayers? Do we have underlying prayer motives to have more possessions, more money, higher status, recognition, approval, significance, comfort, or fame? Or is our pure motive to give glory to God? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, emphasis mine).
Prayer Step: Ask the Holy Spirit to give discernment to your prayer motives today.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: it is to this end that Jesus on His throne in glory will do all we ask in His Name. Every answer to prayer He gives will have this as its object. Andrew Murray
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
What Does the Lord Require of You?
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?
He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8, TNIV
A rich tradition has been established in GEMS Girls’ Clubs throughout the fifty plus years that clubs have been meeting. At each meeting, girls and counselors often repeat in unison an acknowledgment of the club aim based on Micah 6:8.
Counselor: GEMS and GEMS counselors, what does the Lord require of us?
All – girls and counselors: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.
How does that club aim fit with each year’s annual theme? Because God is consistent to His nature and true to His Word the aim perfectly intersects with each season’s annual theme, including this year’s theme, Prayer – No Worries!
Act justly. As we do justice – taking action to help set the wrong right – may our prayer be Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: That God may count us worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of ours and every act [of justice!] prompted by our faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).
Love mercy. As we love mercy – showing compassion at all times by loving like Jesus – may our prayer be that God’s love is truly made complete in us and that we will know we are living in Him because we walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:5-6).
Walk humbly with God. As we walk humbly with God – getting rid of our pride and stop depending on ourselves and start trusting and depending on God – may our prayer be that in all our relationships with one another, we have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant . . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8)!
Watchmen Nee once said, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” The same holds true of prayers for the GEMS ministry. Pray that God’s might and power will equip women and girls to do what the Lord requires of them: to live radically faithful lives – doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Prayer Step: Spend 15 minutes or more today praying for GEMS International, your area, and the club that you call home.
Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.
D.L. Moody
Grace and peace,
Lenae
He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8, TNIV
A rich tradition has been established in GEMS Girls’ Clubs throughout the fifty plus years that clubs have been meeting. At each meeting, girls and counselors often repeat in unison an acknowledgment of the club aim based on Micah 6:8.
Counselor: GEMS and GEMS counselors, what does the Lord require of us?
All – girls and counselors: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.
How does that club aim fit with each year’s annual theme? Because God is consistent to His nature and true to His Word the aim perfectly intersects with each season’s annual theme, including this year’s theme, Prayer – No Worries!
Act justly. As we do justice – taking action to help set the wrong right – may our prayer be Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: That God may count us worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of ours and every act [of justice!] prompted by our faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).
Love mercy. As we love mercy – showing compassion at all times by loving like Jesus – may our prayer be that God’s love is truly made complete in us and that we will know we are living in Him because we walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:5-6).
Walk humbly with God. As we walk humbly with God – getting rid of our pride and stop depending on ourselves and start trusting and depending on God – may our prayer be that in all our relationships with one another, we have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant . . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8)!
Watchmen Nee once said, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” The same holds true of prayers for the GEMS ministry. Pray that God’s might and power will equip women and girls to do what the Lord requires of them: to live radically faithful lives – doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Prayer Step: Spend 15 minutes or more today praying for GEMS International, your area, and the club that you call home.
Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.
D.L. Moody
Grace and peace,
Lenae
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