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Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Praising God

Today is just one of those days that I feel so deep to just PRAISE GOD!
Praise in the dictionary says: to express approval or admiration of (that's just ONE of the many, but the one I like best for today!)

To express approval or admiration of God!
I praise Him for the new, the old, the trials, the hardships, the good, the bad.
I praise Him for the still small voice and the thunderous calls He sometimes uses to get my attention.
I praise Him for the husband He has blessed me with, the children He has entrusted me with and the future He has planned for me!
I am praising Him because I approve!
I am admiring all that God has done in my life, even when it is hard, even when the puzzle seems to be missing pieces and I can't find them or make out what the pictures is supposed to be!

What do you have to praise God for!?!
What can you 'express your approval' for in your life that God has done?

God inhabits the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3) inhabits means to live or dwell.
When we praise God, He comes to live within us. He comes an make residence in our hearts! It's an invitation for God to come be apart your of your day and life.

Maybe you are facing something that you just can't get a hold of the words to bring it to God. Or maybe you come before Him sometimes and just don't know what to say: PRAISE HIM! Just praise Him!

He is worthy!
He deserves!
Just Praise Him!

Blessings,
Praying Mom

Other Scriptures about praise:
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him;
bless his name!
Psalm 100:4



Oh give thanks to the Lord;
call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Psalm 105:1-2


About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. Act 16:25-34


Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15

Saturday, September 6, 2008

A House of Prayer... Part 2

(BEFORE READING- Scroll down to MP3 Player and play My Desire by Jeremy Camp.)

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
God's Spirit lives in us and therefor we are the temple.

The same way Jesus spoke of the Temple on earth being a House of Prayer, so we should be a House of Prayer... What does that mean?

Always praying... always being in an attitude that is pleasing to God. Well, let me put it this way- always STRIVING to be in an attitude of prayer and be pleasing to God in our thoughts, actions and intentions!
There's that word again- intentions.
Ask yourself, why I am doing __ or ____. Is it for the pat on the back? IS it because no one else has stepped up to take the toddler Sunday school class so you decide to 'just do it'? Are you singing on the worship team or choir just to be on stage and show off your wonderful voice? Are you pulling your hair out with all these activities and extra things you have taken on your plate and unsure where you are going to find 6 extra hours a day to accomplish them?
Step back... ask yourself and God why you are doing these things.

God wants us to be intentional not only in our 'spiritual' life but in our life in general!

Be intentional!
Live- but live totally sold out for Jesus!
Make everything you do for Him, because of Him or to Him!

Let your desire be what God desires!
Your return to God can be in everything... letting Him us you in EVERYTHING. Not just ministry within the church walls, or in the sermon or the preaching or the teaching of a class, but in EVERYTHING!

I pray you let God help you live intentional for Him!

Letting your heart and mind always be in prayer to Him is a good way to live intentionally for Him. That doesn't mean lock yourself ina room and pray 24-7 on your knees... it means always having you mind and heart set on Him. Saying those little prayers as He bring people to your mind.
So your driving to pick up your kids from soccer practice and an old friend pops into mind... say a prayer for her. Not just a "God please bless___." a REAL prayer, a pray that you would want someone to say for you!
When you get woken up from a sound sleep and ___ it on your mind.. GOD woke you for a REASON! PRAY!
There are lots of opporurtinites for us to change earht and shake Heaven with our prayers. Though our 'Quiet Prayer Time" with God is importnat, so are the INTENTIONAL prayers throughout the day!


THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER!


PRAYER:
Lord, I want my life to have purpose! I want to be someone who points all eyes back to You! In everything I do! In homeschooling my kids, in maintaining my home, in my business, in my ministry, in my worship, in my whole life! I want to live intentional in all I say and do and think! I want the mind of Christ to be my mind. Lord, I know you an touch many lives that might not ever lace foot in a church, and Lord, I ask that you allow me to put myself aside so that I can let your light shine through me and let me point all eyes, honor and glory given- right back to You!
Lord, You deserve all the glory, so take it!
Thank You Lord!
In Jesus Name, Amen


Be encouraged!
Intentional living takes some faith sometimes,
but mostly it is about getting out of the way and letting God live through you!
Keep on keepin' on!
Prayers always,
Praying Mom

A House of Prayer...

'My house shall be called a house of prayer...'

Remember the story of Jesus over turning tables in the Temple? Running out money changers and those selling the animals for the offering?

I watched an excellent video today, a sermon by Jim Cymbila from the Brooklyn Tabernacle in NY. He spoke an awesome message about God's House being a house of pray. It got me thinking- Do I treat God's house like I do my house? (Ouch! The dust in piled high at the moment and the kitchen needs a good scrub!) Am I really treating God's House (the church building) as a House of Prayer? I am going there with Him in mind and ready to devote myself to Him for the time I am there- placing my full attention on Him?

One thing that Jim pointed out in his sermon (though not his main point) was that the people that Jesus drove out of the temple were SUPPOSED to be there. You needed the correct money type (currency) to pay your taxes/temple fee and those selling animals there were needed. Many people could not bring animals from their home due to the distance and conditions. BUT the point Jim made was that they changed it from a heart of worship to a means to rip the fellow worshipper off. Charging and an arm and a leg for the sacrifice needed knowing that the people would pay!

SO- has my attention shifted from going to God's House for worship and time with Him to a social gathering or a just because it is Sunday?

My prayer:
Lord, I know that I have let the reason for going to your house slip away... why I go, I sometime don't really know! But I know that you want it to be because I want time with you. I want it to be for the time with you. I want it to be all about You, Lord. So Lord, please forgive me! Forgive me for making it in to something that it was not meant to be and help me make it all about YOU! All about You and what You want to do in and through me!
In Jesus' Name, Amen

I challenge you: Take a look at your intentions. Not just in going to God's House (your church) but in your daily activities. They can all be all about God and for God's glory! If you need to, ask for God's forgiveness. Ask Him for help to make him the center of it all!