Prayer of Devotion of Our Salvation

Dear Heavenly Father, I come into your presence with thanksgiving. It is by fearful and glorious things [that terrify the wicked but make me sing praises] that you answer my prayers in righteousness (rightness and justice). You are the God of my salvation. You are my confidence and hope. I know that in the morning you hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for you and watch and wait [for you to speak to my heart]. Thank you for answering me from your holy heaven with the saving strength of your right hand. For in you, O Lord, do I hope; you will answer, O Lord my God. I love you with all that is within me, and I praise your holy name.  (Psalm 20:4-6)

My desire is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before others or have their good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Philip. 3:10 (NIV); Galatians 2:20 (Message)

In the name of Jesus, I shall go to all to whom you send me, and whatever you command me, I shall speak. I will not be afraid of their faces, for you are with me to deliver me. Whenever I feel afraid, I will trust in you. I will praise Your Word, in you I have put my trust; I will not fear, what can man do to me? You have spoken, and my faith is in you. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Jeremiah 1:6-8: Psalm 56:3-4; Philippians 4:13)

I will look for occasions to bring healing, to strengthen and bless others. I purpose to do good every time it is possible. I will not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of my hand to do so. If my enemy is hungry, I will feed him; if he is thirsty, I will give him a drink. In the name of Jesus, I will overcome evil with good.  (Proverbs 3:27; Romans 12:20-21)

Holy Spirit, I ask you to perfect the fruit of my lips giving praise. Thank you for this mighty weapon of praise, which stops and stills the enemy. I am joyful in the Salvation of my Lord. I greatly rejoice in your strength, O LORD; and in your salvation! You have given me my heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of my lips. You meet me with the blessings of goodness…you give me life and length of days. You have made me exceedingly glad with your presence. Be exalted, O LORD, in your own strength!  (Psalm 8;  Psalm 21)

This is the day the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it! My delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on Your law I habitually meditate (ponder and study) by day and by night. Then I shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water; ready to bring forth fruit in my season; my leaf shall not fade or wither, and everything I do shall prosper and come to maturity.  (Psalm 118:24; Psalm 1:2-3)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth and pray for you.  I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.  (Ephesians 3:17-19 MSG)

Prayers that Avail Much

Matthew 6:25-34 / Do Not Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 / Do Not Worry 

Jesus resumes the theme of single-hearted devotion to God and deals with the related attitude of freedom from anxiety over daily needs. He illustrates the worthlessness of worry by showing that it is unnecessary (vv. 26, 28–30), unfruitful (v. 27), and unbecoming to a Christian (vv. 31, 32).

6:19–34 Jesus warns against avarice and its corresponding anxiety, contrasting the uncertain temporal nature of earthly treasure with heavenly treasure, which is enduring.   He demanded that his disciples invest their treasures in God’s kingdom, not in earthly possessions  

6:25 The noun form of the Greek word merimnao (worry) used in this verse is found in the Parable of the Sower (“cares”; see ch. 13). Jesus’ admonition here is important because it indicates that there are those who are hearing His teaching but, because of daily cares, will allow it to be “choked” and become unfruitful in their lives. 

6:27 Stature here probably means “length of life,” or age. Cubit then means a “length” of time, not a distance.

6:32 — “ … For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”  God doesn’t tell us to stop worrying over food and shelter and clothing because we don’t really need them; He knows we need them. We can stop worrying because He has promised to take care of the essentials.  (Life Lessons - Charles F. Stanley)

6:33 Rather than being preoccupied with material things, our ambition should be to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, knowing that as we do so, He has pledged Himself with covenant faithfulness to respond—all these things shall be added to you.  

To seek … the kingdom of God and His righteousness means to desire God’s righteous rule on this earth (vv. 9, 10).

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Financial Fear Is:  

1. Unreasonable (v. 25)

2. Unnatural (v. 26)
3. Unhelpful (v. 27) - Worry and fear do not produce anything worthwhile.

4. Unnecessary (v.30) - God promises to take care of our needs.

5. Unbelieving (v.31,32) -  We are acting as if God does not exist.

Answers to Life’s Questions

NKJV Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes

How can I overcome anxiety?

Matt. 6:25–34

God did not design you to be anxious or nervous. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowds, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ … Therefore do not worry about tomorrow .…” (Matt. 6:31, 34).

All of us have worried about the basics of life. When we reduce most of our anxieties to their lowest terms, we discover they involve fundamental things: where we live, what food we buy, what clothes to wear, what friends we have, what others think about us. In all these concerns, the issue for believers in Jesus Christ comes down to trust.

Do you believe that you are in charge of your life? Or do you acknowledge that God directs and provides? Your answer has everything to do with your anxiety level.

Have you ever watched a mouse running inside a wheel? The faster he runs, the faster the wheel moves—but he doesn’t make the slightest progress. He does not even have the sense to get off the wheel.

That is what anxiety does to you. You run faster and faster, trying harder and harder to meet demands or prevent disaster—and still you do not have control over your circumstances. So when something does not go quite right, your frustration level continues to mount.

There is a way off the wheel, however. God created you. He knows your deepest needs (Ps. 68:19). He longs for you to end the anxiety cycle and let Him lead (Matt. 11:28). First Peter 5:6, 7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” The word “casting” is related to the Greek verb used in Luke 19:35, when on Palm Sunday the people of Jerusalem threw their garments onto a colt for Jesus to ride. The word describes the same motion: a deliberate action of setting something down and leaving it there.

Jesus wants you to throw your cares on Him and leave them there. You depend on Him for life itself, and you acknowledge this reliant relationship by saying, “Here, Jesus. Take my problems. You have the answers! I trust You to show me what to do and to take care of the consequences.

”PRAYER TO CAST CARES ON THE ALTAR 

"Father, I am carrying the burdens of my relationships and circumstances.  I choose to lay all my cares, all my worries, all my fears, all things I cannot change on Your altar.  Father, I lay my spouse on Your altar.   Father, I lay my children on your altar.  Father, I lay my job, my finances on Your altar.  Father, I lay (name the circumstances that you cannot change) on Your altar.  You are my supply and You alone can move in my circumstances.   I give these to You and trust You with them, in Jesus' name.  

LIVE TO LOVE

ROMANS 12

12:1 Therefore: In light of the great plan of salvation outlined in chs. 1—11, particularly all the mercies (benefits) it brings to us as Christians, let us respond appropriately.

12:2 World is literally “age,” referring to a godless system. We are not to accept the pattern of an age whose god is the Devil (2 Cor. 4:4). On the contrary, we are to be transformed by a renewed mind committed to the ideals of the kingdom of God. Prove means to test and to prove by practice in everyday life that God’s will for us is good and acceptable and perfect.

12:3–8 Transformed kingdom living calls for lives marked by humility and service through giftedness to the body of Christ. In discussing the matter of giftedness, Paul reminds us that just as the physical body is made up of many members, each with a different function, the church is a body of many members, but all closely related and constituting a unity in Christ, with each one having individual functions and responsibilities. We are not to inflate our own position nor to begrudge others their office.

12:3 Paul refers to his own function in the body as an authoritative apostle through the grace given to him. The measure of faith is not saving faith but the faith to receive and to exercise the gifts God apportions to us. The term “measure of faith” is best understood as a synonym for “spiritual gift.”

12:4, 5 Our different gifts and abilities should make us love and depend more on one another, and therefore should make us more united as one body in Christ.

12:6–8 There are basically two interpretative approaches to this passage on gifts: 1) To see them as a category distinct from that of other NT passages, often referred to as the Father’s creational gifts. See note on Eph. 4:8, 11; or 2) to see them as a repeat or overlap of many of those mentioned in either 1 Cor. 12:12–29 or Eph. 4:11.

Ephesians 4:8 Amplified Bible (AMP)

8 Therefore it says,

“When He ascended on high,

He led captivity captive,

And He bestowed gifts on men.”

Ephesians 4:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)

11 And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct].

12:6 Prophecy refers either to those whose creation gift from the Father enables them to view all of life with special ongoing prophetic insight, independent of public office or special use by the Spirit in giving public prophecy; or to the manifestation of public prophecy, speaking something that God has spontaneously brought to mind (1 Cor. 12:10). In proportion to our faith likely means that prophecy of any sort is to be exercised in accordance with the biblical maturity God has granted the speaker, recognizing that God is the originator of the gift.

12:7, 8 Ministry suggests either those whose special creation gift enables them to most effectively serve the body in physical ways; or the rendering of any type of service by anyone in the church (1 Cor. 12:5). Teaching refers either to those who are specially gifted to keep an eye on and instruct the revealed truth of God’s Word, regardless of public office; or to those in the public office of teacher (Eph. 4:11). He who exhorts describes either those whose creation gift enables them to best apply God’s truths through encouragement; or to those (such as pastors) who are called to publicly bring encouragement to the church.

12:9–21 Love is to be the guiding principle in Christian relationships not only with fellow believers (vv. 9–13), but with enemies as well (vv. 14–21). Paul mentions many specific Christian duties that are to characterize transformed living, but love is the dominant note in all the exhortations.

-Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy].

-Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good.

-Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor.

-Never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord.

-Constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength].

-Contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.

12:13 Hospitality is the fruit of a transformed, Spirit-filled life. It is showing an interest in others and giving ourselves to loving and supporting them, even as God does us (see Phil. 2:4). Leaders are to be front-runners in the practice of hospitality (see 1 Tim. 3:2).

-Overcome evil with good, having love for God and love for others your motive.

12:18 Because some people may remain violently opposed to us, there are times when all efforts toward peace fail. However, the Christian is to make certain that he is not at fault when peace breaks down.

12:19 Instead of taking vengeance ourselves, we should give it over into God’s hands and thereby give place to wrath. God will exact vengeance at the final judgment or even in this life, sometimes through the instrumentality of civil government (13:4), When government officials use force to restrain and punish evil, they are not doing wrong. Rather, they are God’s minister (servant) and are doing good. Therefore, Christians may serve as police officers and soldiers in good conscience.

In the book of Romans the Holy Spirit gives power in preaching the gospel and in working miracles (15:19), dwells in all who belong to Christ (8:9–11), and gives us life (8:11). He also makes us progressively more holy in daily life, empowering us to obey God and overcome sin (2:29; 7:6; 8:2, 13; 15:13, 16), giving us a pattern of holiness to follow (8:4), guiding us in it (8:14), and purifying our consciences to bear true witness (9:1). The Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts (5:5; 15:30), along with joy, peace, and hope by His power (14:17; 15:13). He enables us to pray rightly (8:26) and to call God our Father, thereby giving inward spiritual assurance that we are God’s children (8:16). We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit if we wish to be pleasing to God (8:5, 6). Though Paul discusses spiritual gifts briefly in Romans (12:3–8), he makes no explicit mention of the Holy Spirit in connection with these gifts, except to refer to them as “spiritual” (or “of the Spirit”) in 1:11. The present work of the Holy Spirit in us is only a foretaste of His future heavenly work in us (8:23).

In the book of Philippians the Spirit’s work in three areas is mentioned in the letter. First, Paul declares that the Spirit of Jesus Christ will direct the accomplishment of God’s purpose in his own experience (1:19). The Holy Spirit also promotes unity and fellowship in the body of Christ (2:1). Common participation in Him breeds singleness of purpose and maintains a community of love. Then, in contrast to the lifeless ritual observance of formalists, the Holy Spirit inspires and directs the worship of true believers (3:3).

Direct references to the Holy Spirit in 1 Timothy are rare, but He was at work from the inception of the church at Ephesus (see Acts 19:1–7). The “intercessions” (2:1) are prayers that involve the Holy Spirit’s assistance (Rom. 8:26, 27). The statement that “the Spirit expressly says” (4:1) underscores the continuing activity of the Holy Spirit and Paul’s sensitivity to His promptings. In 4:14 Paul reminds Timothy of “the gift” that was given to him “by prophecy,” a special ability for ministry given as a charisma of the Spirit when hands were laid on him. Further, “a good testimony” (3:7) would also include a leader’s being “full of the Holy Spirit” as with the first appointment of leaders (Acts 6:3).

In the book of 1 Corinthians (12:13) Paul states the basis for the principle of unity within diversity. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the common life of Christians and a greater dynamic than all human distinctives. The Greek grammar in this statement parallels other passages that speak of being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (see Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16). While Spirit baptism describes a primary spiritual reality for all believers, Paul still pleads for a Spirit-filled experience (Eph. 5:18) that includes the manifestations listed here.

1 Cor. 12:8–11 These nine gifts specify the varied distribution necessary for a full manifestation of the Spirit: The word of wisdom is a spiritual utterance at a given moment through the Spirit, supernaturally disclosing the mind, purpose, and will of God as applied to a specific situation. The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation of information pertaining to a person or an event, given for a specific purpose, usually having to do with an immediate need. The gift of faith is a unique form of faith that goes beyond natural faith and saving faith. It supernaturally trusts and does not doubt with reference to the specific matters involved. Gifts of healings are those healings that God performs supernaturally by the Spirit. The plural suggests that as there are many sicknesses and diseases, the gift is related to healings of many disorders. The working of miracles is a manifestation of power beyond the ordinary course of natural law. It is a divine enablement to do something that could not be done naturally. Prophecy is a divine disclosure on behalf of the Spirit, an edifying revelation of the Spirit for the moment (14:3), a sudden insight of the Spirit, prompting exhortation or comfort (14:3, 30). Discerning of spirits is the ability to discern the spirit world, and especially to detect the true source of circumstances or motives of people. Different kinds of tongues is the gift of speaking supernaturally in a language not known to the individual. The plural allows different forms, possibly harmonizing the known spoken languages of Acts 2:4–6 and the unknown trans-rational utterances in Corinthians, designed particularly for praying and singing in the Spirit, mostly for private worship (14:14–19). The interpretation of tongues is the gift of rendering the trans-rational (but not irrational) message of the Spirit meaningful to others when exercised in public. It is not the translation of a foreign language. Note: None of the gifts require a “public” setting, although each may and should be welcomed in corporate gatherings.

1 Cor. 12:12–26 In comparing the church to the human body, Paul shows how the wide diversity of gifts assures unity in the church. Each gift contributes something necessary to the common life and growth of the whole.

1 Cor. 12:27–30 Members individually: The lessons from the human body are now practically applied to individuals. No one has all the gifts. Any order of ranking would contradict the context, which is a mix of the gifts, ministries, and activities of the Trinity, illustrating how variety and diversity operate in different people (12:4–6). Helps describes all forms of loving service and support, a manifestation of the Spirit often overlooked. Administrations is another of the less honorable, that is, less noticeable ministries (v. 23), giving guidance and assistance behind the scenes. 
~Bits and Pieces of NSFB