"And do not let us give in to temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Please pray this over your life my dear daughter! It's not just an empty prayer. Jesus commanded us to pray this prayer and He will most definitely answer this prayer!
What does this mean??
Well, you have many temtations that are put in your life everyday by the "evil one" (the devil's team)
Temptations are ideas, or voices, telling you to do the wrong thing.
Growing up, I prayed this over my life, and God surely answered it.
While my friends were getting into trouble by cheating on tests, God put it deep in my spirit to NOT cheat, and I didn't want to have anything to do with it. And not only did God put that deep in my heart, he also protected me from the temptation.... meaning, He gave me friends who never asked me to cheat for them. They would ask other people, but I believe He's stop them from asking me. And if someone DID ask me, He gave me the courage to say no, and protected me afterwards, cuz they never made fun of me.
I never had anyone tempt me, asking me to ditch class with them, to sneak out of my house, to go to a "bad" party. I never had friends tempt me to use bad language, instead, they would try to protect me from it.
I never had friends asking me to drink (alchohol) or do drugs with them or smoke with them.
And I never had boys tempting me to do notty things with them.
God protected me!!
and if anyone, who wasn't my friend, asked me to do something wrong, God helped me say no.
Monday, June 20, 2011
22: The Lords Prayer: Part 4
"And forgive us our sins just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us."
Yes, daily ask God to forgive your sins. It's best to ask forgiveness the moment you realize, you have donw wrong, or you feel convencted. But if you maybe forget about one, it's ok to ask a general "forgive my sins" as long as you mean it and try to change.
In addition to teaching us to pray, and ask forgiveness, he also teaches a VERY IMPORTANT lesson:
Matthew 6:14
"If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But, if you refuse to forgive others, Your Father will not forgive your sins."
These are the words that Jesus Himself spoke, so we know they are unmistakable
We aren't talking about missing a blessing if we don't forgive, or about having some hard days if we don't forgive. He is saying, if you don't forgive someone, you are forfeitting God's forgiveness, and ultimately His Salvation!
Forgiving others is a commandant, and we must be obedient. Working with teenagers, and young adults, I hear "I can never forgive him/her for what they did to me!"
What that attitude comes pride, bitterness, disobedience, hate, and selfishness. And it only leads to death.
Death of love, death of healthy relationships, death of your physical life, and your salvation.
Jesus says we should be praying: "forgive me, as I forgive others."
I have made it a habit to consider this everything I've been hurt by someone.
When someone would hurt my feelings by forgetting about me, I consider how I often forget about God, but He still forgivers me. When I'm hurt because someone doesn't do what I ask them to do, I remember how I often disobey God, but he always forgives me. When I'm hurt because a friend does something mean to me, or says something mean about me, I think about how sometimes I am mean to God, or who sometimes, we as people say very mean things about Him, but He always forgives me for everything I do, it's very easy to decide I also must forgive. I pray and ask God to help me forgive me.
Sometimes, forgiving someone can be extremely difficult, but Since Jesus Commands us to forgive, He also promises to Help us try and obey Him. He helps us to forgive others and keep all the hatred, bitterness and ugly thoughts out of our mind.
It's important to ask Jesus for help!
Continue to ask Him for help, as long as your need it.
Never EVER feel bad for asking God to help you. Even if you have asked 20 times! or 100 times !
He loves helping His chidlren ! He's not impatient like your mom or dad, He's ready and waiting to help no matter how much help you need.
Yes, daily ask God to forgive your sins. It's best to ask forgiveness the moment you realize, you have donw wrong, or you feel convencted. But if you maybe forget about one, it's ok to ask a general "forgive my sins" as long as you mean it and try to change.
In addition to teaching us to pray, and ask forgiveness, he also teaches a VERY IMPORTANT lesson:
Matthew 6:14
"If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But, if you refuse to forgive others, Your Father will not forgive your sins."
These are the words that Jesus Himself spoke, so we know they are unmistakable
We aren't talking about missing a blessing if we don't forgive, or about having some hard days if we don't forgive. He is saying, if you don't forgive someone, you are forfeitting God's forgiveness, and ultimately His Salvation!
Forgiving others is a commandant, and we must be obedient. Working with teenagers, and young adults, I hear "I can never forgive him/her for what they did to me!"
What that attitude comes pride, bitterness, disobedience, hate, and selfishness. And it only leads to death.
Death of love, death of healthy relationships, death of your physical life, and your salvation.
Jesus says we should be praying: "forgive me, as I forgive others."
I have made it a habit to consider this everything I've been hurt by someone.
When someone would hurt my feelings by forgetting about me, I consider how I often forget about God, but He still forgivers me. When I'm hurt because someone doesn't do what I ask them to do, I remember how I often disobey God, but he always forgives me. When I'm hurt because a friend does something mean to me, or says something mean about me, I think about how sometimes I am mean to God, or who sometimes, we as people say very mean things about Him, but He always forgives me for everything I do, it's very easy to decide I also must forgive. I pray and ask God to help me forgive me.
Sometimes, forgiving someone can be extremely difficult, but Since Jesus Commands us to forgive, He also promises to Help us try and obey Him. He helps us to forgive others and keep all the hatred, bitterness and ugly thoughts out of our mind.
It's important to ask Jesus for help!
Continue to ask Him for help, as long as your need it.
Never EVER feel bad for asking God to help you. Even if you have asked 20 times! or 100 times !
He loves helping His chidlren ! He's not impatient like your mom or dad, He's ready and waiting to help no matter how much help you need.
21: The Lords Prayer: Part 3
"Give us our Food for today."
Many times we think of God as a genie in a bottle who we can make wishes and see our fantasy dreams come true. But here, Jesus teaches us to ask God to humbly supply all we need for Today.
Yes, we could ask God for a Billion dollars, and then just plan on using that as our supply for the rest of our life, but then, if God did that, we'd have no need to come to Him, and ask for more, until we needed Him again.
He doesn't want to make life so easy for us, that we no longer have the need to ask Him for anything, or stop coming to Him with our cry for help.
No.
He desires a daily relationship with us. He wants us to DAILY tell God how much we need Him.
Let's face it, we don't just need His provision for food and drink, money and clothes. We need him daily to give us our joy, life, passion, grace and mercy.
So, pray daily for him to supply all you need FOR TODAY, and HE WILL!
Many times we think of God as a genie in a bottle who we can make wishes and see our fantasy dreams come true. But here, Jesus teaches us to ask God to humbly supply all we need for Today.
Yes, we could ask God for a Billion dollars, and then just plan on using that as our supply for the rest of our life, but then, if God did that, we'd have no need to come to Him, and ask for more, until we needed Him again.
He doesn't want to make life so easy for us, that we no longer have the need to ask Him for anything, or stop coming to Him with our cry for help.
No.
He desires a daily relationship with us. He wants us to DAILY tell God how much we need Him.
Let's face it, we don't just need His provision for food and drink, money and clothes. We need him daily to give us our joy, life, passion, grace and mercy.
So, pray daily for him to supply all you need FOR TODAY, and HE WILL!
20: The Lords Prayer : Part 2
Dearest Daughter,
You know it's a lovely morning, when you rise to pray and spend time with your creator.
As a very young little girl, you are a champ at your prayers, but I also want to teach you to pray, in the same way that Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
Luke 11:1-3 - Please take the time to read it.
A disciple asks Jesus to teach them how to pray, and Jesus responds, "Pray Like:
"Father, may your name to honored, May Your kingdom come soon. Give us our food, day by day, and forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And do not let us yield to temptation."
Let me begin to teach you, in the same way as I was taught by my mother, following the pattern Jesus gave his disciples that day he spoke those words.
"Father, may your name be honored."
The first thing Jesus does, is HONOR THE FATHER. He comes, not with requests and complaints, He comes and first focuses on the greatness of God. Come into prayer with this same attitude, taking time to realize you are talking to God Almighty. Honor Him, tell Him you Love Him, acknowledge His Holiness.
"May Your Kingdom Come Soon."
Take time to acknowledge His return, and remember that this world and all it's issues, (and yours) will soon pass.
"May Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in Heaven."
Pray to God that His Will be done. This is a prayer of the heart, confessing that yes, you may have plans of your own, but ultimately, you desire for God's will to be done, because you know it is best for you and all the Kingdom. God's will is done in Heaven, and it's a wonderful place, if we all followed God's will, Earth would be just as wonderful as we could imagine... so pray to God, that HIS will be done in your life, and do not be upset when it comes to pass!
You know it's a lovely morning, when you rise to pray and spend time with your creator.
As a very young little girl, you are a champ at your prayers, but I also want to teach you to pray, in the same way that Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
Luke 11:1-3 - Please take the time to read it.
A disciple asks Jesus to teach them how to pray, and Jesus responds, "Pray Like:
"Father, may your name to honored, May Your kingdom come soon. Give us our food, day by day, and forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And do not let us yield to temptation."
Let me begin to teach you, in the same way as I was taught by my mother, following the pattern Jesus gave his disciples that day he spoke those words.
"Father, may your name be honored."
The first thing Jesus does, is HONOR THE FATHER. He comes, not with requests and complaints, He comes and first focuses on the greatness of God. Come into prayer with this same attitude, taking time to realize you are talking to God Almighty. Honor Him, tell Him you Love Him, acknowledge His Holiness.
"May Your Kingdom Come Soon."
Take time to acknowledge His return, and remember that this world and all it's issues, (and yours) will soon pass.
"May Your will be done here on earth, just as it is in Heaven."
Pray to God that His Will be done. This is a prayer of the heart, confessing that yes, you may have plans of your own, but ultimately, you desire for God's will to be done, because you know it is best for you and all the Kingdom. God's will is done in Heaven, and it's a wonderful place, if we all followed God's will, Earth would be just as wonderful as we could imagine... so pray to God, that HIS will be done in your life, and do not be upset when it comes to pass!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
19: The Lords Prayer: Part 1 - Making it Real.
Dearest Daughter,
I know for a fact that God answers your prayers even though you do not use this format for each prayer, but Jesus DID tell his disciples this passage of scripture, So I need to make sure I teach it to you as well. Please don't make the mistake of trapping yourself in the religion of this prayer, because it's NOT the only way to pray, I know this because I remember your "Thank you for my Daddy's owie." prayer that worked miracles. But I still want to teach you what Jesus taught his disciples.
Through the next few chapters I'll brake apart the famous "Lord's Prayer", but here, I'm going to share with you the version that I've come to learn from Jesus. I hope as you study this passage, you too, will be able to pray your own version of this prayer as well. It's not about "memorizing" it and saying it outloud as a group, it's about learning what Jesus was teaching us, and applying the teaching to our regular prayer life.
For today, pray this over your life.
"My Father in Heaven, your name is Holy. You are Holy and Worthy of Praise.
I love you.
Father, I pray you complete your will for my life. I give my life to you, do whatever you dsire with me, I am yours.
Continue to provide my every day needs. I do not fear, I know you are taking care of me.
Please forgive me of all my sin, and help me to completely fogive others for the sin they make against me and others.
Protect me from Satan's evil schemes, and help me say NO to sinful temptations.
My life is Yours. "
I know for a fact that God answers your prayers even though you do not use this format for each prayer, but Jesus DID tell his disciples this passage of scripture, So I need to make sure I teach it to you as well. Please don't make the mistake of trapping yourself in the religion of this prayer, because it's NOT the only way to pray, I know this because I remember your "Thank you for my Daddy's owie." prayer that worked miracles. But I still want to teach you what Jesus taught his disciples.
Through the next few chapters I'll brake apart the famous "Lord's Prayer", but here, I'm going to share with you the version that I've come to learn from Jesus. I hope as you study this passage, you too, will be able to pray your own version of this prayer as well. It's not about "memorizing" it and saying it outloud as a group, it's about learning what Jesus was teaching us, and applying the teaching to our regular prayer life.
For today, pray this over your life.
"My Father in Heaven, your name is Holy. You are Holy and Worthy of Praise.
I love you.
Father, I pray you complete your will for my life. I give my life to you, do whatever you dsire with me, I am yours.
Continue to provide my every day needs. I do not fear, I know you are taking care of me.
Please forgive me of all my sin, and help me to completely fogive others for the sin they make against me and others.
Protect me from Satan's evil schemes, and help me say NO to sinful temptations.
My life is Yours. "
18: Living Sacrifice: Part 4 - Knowing His Will
KNOWING HIS WILL
"Therefore, as brothers and sisters in Christ, Offer your bodies as living sacrifices for the Lord, Holy and Pure, for this is your spiritual act of Worship. And do not be conformed any longer to pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will know what God's will is For your Life- His Holy, Perfect and Pleasing Will."
Romans 12:1-2
You wanna know what God's will is for you life?!
His PERFECT will?!
This passage says:
"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is for your life, his Holy, Perfect, and Pleasing will."
Wow!!
Once we allow the Holy Spirit to Transform our lives, we'll be able to "Test and Approve", meaning perhaps before your mind was thansformed you loved to sing and dance, and you thoughty you wanted to be a holly wood rock star, but now, when you think to be a Hollywood rockstar, but now when you imagine your life like that, you don't feel comforatble... you don't approve. And then, God opens the door for Him to use your giftings for the purpose He created you for - and you imagine your life like that - and you do approve - it's because God has transformed you. Many times I have have had a hard time "approving" my new life as a full time minister, mom and wife- until God "transformed" my mind. Then I was able to approve of my life- because I saw it as the blessing God had always created it to be for me.
Thank you Jesus!
17: Living Sacrifice: Part 3 : RENEWING your Mind
RENEWING YOUR MIND
Romans 12: 1-2
Therefore, as brothers and sisters in Christ, offer your bodies as living sacrifices for the Lord, holy and pure, for this is your spiritual act of worship. And do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind- then you will know what God's will is for your life- His holy, Perfect and pleasing will."
Romans 12: 1-2
Therefore, as brothers and sisters in Christ, offer your bodies as living sacrifices for the Lord, holy and pure, for this is your spiritual act of worship. And do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind- then you will know what God's will is for your life- His holy, Perfect and pleasing will."
Paul says not to be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
When I read the word transformed, I picture the final scene from Beaty and the Beast, when the Beast is set free by Bells love and magically raises from the ground, his body spining around as his beastly hands and feet turn to a handsom prince.
I only wish it was that quick and easy for us to be transformed, but, it's not that easy, it only happens by the renewing of your mind.
IF we're not careful, our minds are influenced by this world, by watching worldly lifestyles, most TV, reading worldly magazines and listening to worldly music.
Most of it doesn't scream "This is Bad! It will destroy your spirit man!" but trust me, Satan is Tricky, he won't even let you know he's leading you down a bad path, he'll only trick you there.
Our easy downfalls, are wanting love and being selfish.
Well, those are my downfalls of how I fall into a worldly nature.
Keep your mind pure, by listening to worship music, reading your bible or christian book, watch Christian new and radio. Be a faithful church attender, (pick one that you really enjoy!), and remember when you're tired and really don't feel like going to church, that's the Service that God is really going to bless you the most!
Continue to Ask the Lord to Transform you. He will. And sometimes he will use hard situations to help you grow, don't be discouraged when that happens!
James 1:2-4
2 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
You're wise. Already at four years old, you stop in the middle of a "problem" we're having and say, "Oh, I get it... This is a test, right?" You understand that God tests us, and helps us grow through each test he gives us. Stay alert, keep growing, He's got a great prize awaiting you baby girl.
I love you.
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