All People, not just some

“First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, even for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

1 Timothy 2:1-2 NET

It is so easy to pray for people we like, to pray for those we don't know but who we know are struggling, to pray for that child over in Africa that is starving. But how easy is it for you to pray for someone you don't like, or even better...a leader who you don't agree with or like? I know I am going to step on a few toes on this one, but regardless of whether we like someone or not, or whether we like their politics or not, or whether we like their sermon or not, we are instructed to pray for ALL people. ALL people doesn't mean only those you like, or those whose views you agree with. It also doesn't mean only those bosses that treat you well. ALL people means just that...ALL people, church leaders, friends, neighbors, co-workers, politicians...and yes even the president of the United States. It is so easy to complain about people, our bosses, our church leaders, our politicians, our president, but why is it so difficult to pray for them? God never did say complain about your neighbor or complain about your leaders. God DID say pray for them, and that's what we as children of God need to do!

Take Away: the next time you feel the urge to complain about someone, stop yourself and make the decision to pray for them instead.

Your Answer or God's?

“He prayed to the LORD and said, “Oh, LORD, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish! – because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.”

Jonah 4:2 NET

This is the story of Jonah, a man who God wanted to go to Nineveh and prophecy. This scripture occured after Jonah was spit up by the fish and he had just finished prophesying at Nineveh. The people, upon hearing God's word, repented and God spared them. Unfortunately Jonah didn't like the outcome, in fact he was quite furious and got angry with God because he didn't get the result he was expecting.  We read this and shake our heads....but don't we do the same thing? Don't we pray for God to help us, or help that person, or help our situation, and when we get a result that is different than the one we were expecting, we get angry with God? God sees the big picture, we only see what is right around us, probably not more than the few feet we can see. We've got to realize that when we pray about something, God is going to answer in the way He is going to answer, with an answer that has the best result. When we pray, we have got to take our self-centered life and perspective out of the equation, and we've got to open our hearts and our minds to whatever and however God is going to answer...KNOWING that He is going to give us the best answer possible!

Take Away: when you go to God in prayer, don't go already having an outcome you can picture in your mind...but open your heart and mind to however God is going to answer!

Prevention, not Rejection

“Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.”

Acts 16:6 NLT

I used to think that everytime I got resistance from someone or even a group of people or perhaps a potential job, I would think that a) I was being rejected...and coming from a life of co-dependencies and insecurites...that was what I mostly thought, or b) the devil was keeping me from what God wanted (yeah, like the devil can stop God?). The reality is that while I was being rejected, it was really God keeping me from something He didn't want me to be a part of. For example, when I was a kid, I hung around some neighbor kids like one would normally do. But there came a time when I was with them and they flat out rejected me, told me to go away. As a kid, yes I felt hurt and rejected. When I asked God about it, He said He didn't want me around them. That was a good thing because later I found out as they got older, they got into drugs, some ended up in jail. What I took as rejection, God was actually protecting me! As a Christian, we are God's possession, we belong to Him, Jesus PAID for us to be His. We have got to remember that there is always a reason why things happen they way they do, and if you are being prevented from doing something (like the Apostle Paul in today's verse), don't look at it as a hurdle, look at it as God's intervention and He is keeping you from something you don't need to be involved in.

Take Away: When you are being prevented from something, rejoice in the fact that God is protecting you from something. Remember God is in control!

Through the Valley

“who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

2 Corinthians 1:4 NET

Ever wonder why you go through so many troubles, why you have so many issues? Ever wonder why God just doesn't snap His fingers and take them away? As a counselor I can easily say most of our troubles are brought on by ourselves. Yep, we are our own cause of problems. But still, why doesn't God just take them away? When we are going through that "valley" when we are dealing with issues in our life, and we listen to God and work with Him in healing those issues, we learn a lot. We learn about ourselves, we learn about God and what He can do. We learn about how to trust Him to help us with our issues. And during that time that you are in the valley, God is not only teaching you, but He is also comforting you, giving you what you need to make it through the valley. So again, why do we have to go through the valley? Simple...to comfort those we see going through that same valley with the same comfort God gave us. We help those so that hopefully they wont have to go through what we went through to get through the valley.  I've seen this happen time and time again in my life where God crosses my path with someone who is going through what I had gone through, and I was able to teach them what God taught me. 

Take Away: Allow God to work in you and take you through the valley, and then be ready to help someone who is going through the same thing.

Elijah was a human

“Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!”

James 5:17 NET

Have you ever thought that God couldn't use you because you thought "I have so many problems, and I have done some really stupid things that there is no way God could use me or answer my prayers." Look at what James said in chapter 5, verse 17. He said Elijah was a human being like us. In another translation it says Elijah had a nature just like ours. What James is trying to point out is that Elijah was an ordinary human, and that means with being human, problems come along. Yes, Elijah was a prophet...BUT he was also human which meant he wasn't perfect. It meant he flew off the handle at times, it meant he said some bad things at times, it meant he hurt people at times, it meant a lot of things...yet God still worked through him. I used to think God would not answer my prayers because I got angry, or I said or did some stupid things, or I lied about something to get my way. But when I realized that God already knew that about me and yet still chose me to be His, I started praying to God with surety that He heard me and was going to answer me. Now this doesn't give me license to do bad things, I want to make that clear. We should always strive to do better and correct our bad behavior. However, what it does mean is that God answering my prayers and working through me is not dependent on my nature, its all dependent on Him!

Take Away: the next time you feel like you can't pray to God because of something you do, remember the Elijah was just like us, and God worked through him...then go in prayer!

Don't Forget God

“Seven times a day I praise you because of your just regulations.”

Psalms 119:164 NET

One of the problems I have through the day is getting so focused on my tasks, or on my job at work is that I forget about God. Yes, you heard me, I forget about God until something goes wrong, or I have my "coffee" with Him in the mornings.  The writer of Psalms knew how he could keep God in the forefront of His daily life, and that was to acknowledge Him by praising God 7 times a day. Wow! Can you image what your life would be like if you took time out of your daily schedule seven times a day to praise God? I think we would see a HUGE change in our daily life. Now I'm not talking about spending an hour worshipping God each time. What I am talking about is as simple as just saying "God, I love You, I adore You, You are my everything!" This would take just a few seconds, but imagine how your daily life would change if you did this seven times a day, every day! Now I don't think we need to get legalistic about this where you come down on yourself if you miss a day, or do it 5 times a day instead of 7. I think what is important is that we make a point to acknowledge God several times throughout our day by praising Him...and that we do it on a consistent basis. 

Take Away: make a point, set a reminder on your phone, do whatever it takes to praise God several times a day, each day...and watch how your daily life changes! As you develop the habit, you will no longer need reminders...it will come naturally!

The Potter and the Clay

“Yet, LORD, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the product of your labor.”

Isaiah 64:8 NET

We have all heard it before, God is the potter and we are the clay. Yes, if we allow God to mold us and make us into what He wants us to be, then He can continue to work through us. But how many of us stick around long enough after He molds us? I'm sure some of you are like me that when we get our "marching orders" we take off, we don't look back, we just start running...and then when things don't work out, we say "what happened, God? You molded me to do this, why isn't it working out? You told me to start this ministry, or you told me that I was going to do this, why didn't it happen?" What we, myself included, failed to do was to stay in His hands. When a potter molds a cup, the cup is only useful when the potter holds it. Same with us and God, we are only useful when we stay in His hands. But noooo, we think we know all about what we are to do, who needs God, I know how to do this...and off we are running. When we realize what God wants to do in our lives and what He is molding us into, we need to stay in His hands and not run. We can't do anything on our own, we absolutely need Him to accomplish through us what He is molding us to do!

Take Away: if you have been running and not including God, it is never too late. Run back to Him and stay in His hands as He works through you!