"Praying with a Purpose" Part II

Last time we went over four parts of prayer: praise, waiting, confession, and watching.  If you took just five minutes on each one of those aspects you'd have twenty minutes of prayer time!  That would be revolutionary for most Christian young ladies.  The next part of prayer is really the heart of prayer - intercession - praying on the behalf of another.
If we would look at the average prayer list, most of the requests would be for others.  This is important. Praying for others is prayer that pleases God and helps us become more caring Christians.  We should pray for ourselves and we'll get to that part, but others should come first in our lives, right after the Lord!
Types of intercessory prayer...
1. Praying for those that don't even know they need prayer
a. the unsaved
b. those we minister to on a weekly basis - Bus route riders, Sunday School friends, elderly, visitors at church, neighbors
c. friends who are out of church or who are struggling
d. our authorities at school, work, or in the community
2. Praying for those who ask for and desire our prayers
a. missionaries and evangelists around the world - I pray for several missionary families every single day, plus I have a list of thirty-one missionaries and I pray for a different one each day of the month.
b. church leadership - pastor, assistants, Sunday School teachers, bus captains, music leaders
c. ministries in the United States - churches, camps, evangelists, colleges
3. Praying for our loved ones
a. parents
b. siblings
c. grandparents
d. uncles and aunts
e. cousins
f. nieces and nephews
4. Praying for our friends
a. close friends
b. acquaintances
c. new friends
d. sick or injured
e. those who've had a tragedy or bad news
Just listing the options of those can pray for makes for a long list!  When we turn our spiritual vision outward we can have a wonderful prayer time of intercession - praying on the behalf others!

Praying with a Purpose, Part I

Hello Bible girls and ladies,
2012 has been a year of learning and blessings.  Right after the holidays I had the chance to spend an hour on the phone with my sister, Paula.  We don't talk much on the phone because it will last over an hour each time.  We love to talk about what the Lord has taught us along with what our kids are doing, how we're getting old, and the books we've read.
She recommended that I get a book about prayer called "The Hour that Changes the World".  I've never been able to spend an hour in prayer, much less thirty minutes without falling asleep, getting distracted, or running out of things to say.  Basically, the book teaches that prayer has several components and if you spend five minutes on each area it will equal one hour with God.  Wow.  I wanted that.  I have to say that I believe it has changed me for the better.  I'm not bragging but I wish that someone would have taught this to me when I was a teenager.  I might not have been able to spend five minutes on each area and have one hour, but I could spend two minutes on each area and have 24 minutes, or one minute on each area and have twelve minutes.  Girls, anytime that we spend with God is a help and blessing in our lives.
Here are the components to a time with the Lord - prayer time.
1. Praise - Praise God for who He is, what He does, His name, His qualities, His work - make a list and focus on several different areas each day.  He is the Almighty, Bread of Life, Comforter, Deliverer, Everlasting Father, Friend, Guide, Healer, Image of God, Judge, King, Lamb, Master, Nazarene, Omega, Power, Prince of Peace, Rock, Shepherd, Teacher, Vine, Way, etc.
2. Wait - This is where we put ourselves in our place.  We are to wait on the Lord, to listen and realize that we are existing only for His glory.  This is a time to humble ourselves before God's throne.  Sometimes we treat God like Santa Clause, just show a list of what we want.  We need to realize we are nothing without the Lord.  He is all.
3. Confess - This is where we remove the barriers between ourselves and the Lord - our sins.  I John 1:9 says that we should confess our sins and He will forgive us.  Doing this daily takes a load of guilt off of our hearts and keeps the channels open and clear between us and our Lord.
4. Watching - Jesus told his disciples to  "Watch and pray".  It has nothing to do with keeping your eyes open, but being alert.  What's going on in the world, in your neighborhood?  Are you aware of the needs of the lost around the world?  Expand your prayer life globally instead of thinking only of yourself.

Part II coming next.

"Jesus First"

Choices, choices, choices.  We all have so many choices and decisions to make every day!  What to do with our time.  What cereal to eat for breakfast. (like the bookmark idea?) How to spend our money. What to read.  What to watch.  What to listen to.  What friends to call or spend our time with. It keeps going and going.   

The best path to take is the "Jesus First" path.  If we consider Jesus in every decision we can stay on track and have a blessed day and future!

Jesus First

First day of the week - John 20:19 - Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

First hour of the day - Psalm 5:1- Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. ² Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.³ My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 199:62 - At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

First book to read - the Bible!

First 10% of each dollar earned

First Love - Deut. 6:4 - Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: ⁵And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

First Name on my lips - Phil. 2:⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

First call in a crisis – Ps. 107 :13 - Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

¹⁴      He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

¹⁵      Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

First counselor in a decision - Proverbs 3:5 - 10 - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

⁷Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁸It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁹Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

First defender in danger

First friend to consider

First song played or sung

First physician to seek

First fashion expert to follow

First appointment to schedule

First comforter in sadness

First face I will see in death

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

John 3:30 - ³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Giving God our Mind

Hello Bible Girls!
I hope you are still working on your walk with the Lord.  There are so many things, even good things that compete for our time with God.  Have you ever noticed that when you sit down to read your Bible a hundred things start going through your mind of things you could do?  Things like...
...checking email
...answering the phone
...letting the dog out
...straightening a picture
...texting
...studying for a test
...taking meat out of the freezer
...checking the weather
...filing your nails
...putting lotion on your elbows
...turning on your curling iron
...turning off the curling iron
I've just listed some of the things I've thought about.  If I listed all of them we'd be here all day.  The battle that the devil wants to fight is for our mind.  If he can get our mind off of the Lord he's got us where he wants us - too busy doing and not thinking or meditating on the Lord.
When we don't put the Lord first in our thoughts we will quickly follow our own path.  Doing things our way seems right but it will never work out right.  God's ways are so opposite of ours.  God says "give and ye shall receive", "die and you will live", "weeping endures for the night but joy cometh in the morning".  God's ways just don't make "sense" sometimes.
If we give God the first minutes of the day He makes the other minutes so much more productive and flowing.  Days aren't perfect, but we know that they are ordered by the Lord since we have gone to Him first for the days instructions.
How many minutes should we give God?  In truth the whole day belongs to Him, but why don't we set aside some special time that's His alone?  If I were eight-years-old again, I would try to give the Lord the first eight minutes of my day.  If I were ten-years-old, I would try for ten minutes.  If you aren't doing this I think the Lord would be pleased with FIVE minutes!
As school begins, schedules get tighter, and lives get busier, let's keep our Lord first every day.

Others

One of the best ways to encourage yourself in your Bible time is to share what you learn with others.  It doesn't matter how old you are, how young you are, or how long you've been saved.  The more you share with others, the more excited you will be.  The next time you see the person you spoke with they might ask you about your Bible reading!  That is real motivation.
Accountability is a big part of success in your daily walk with God.  The Walking with God notebook has been used by our teenagers for years and might help you stay on track.  However, vocalizing what God has given you does MORE!  You say it, you hear it, someone else hears it - then it becomes a part of who you are and it helps develop your testimony.
Take this challenge: Tell one person every week about what you read in your Bible.  Tell your Sunday school teacher, or pastor's wife, or mom, or sister.  Just say something for Jesus - that's what being a Bible girl is all about!

"Making Minutes Count"

Are you as busy as we are? Are you doing homework, studying, doing your chores, and not having the time you had before for your Bible?
Well, you can make your minutes count and still spend quality time with the Lord.
Here are a few ideas:
1. Have your mom or sister read a chapter to you while you eat your late night snack!
2. Keep a Bible or New Testament in the glove box in the car.  On the way to school, read a chapter of the Bible to your family and then pray before you get out of the car.
3. Get a copy of "Bible Stories" by John R. Rice.  Read one aloud to your family before you turn on the TV...good idea, huh?
4. Before you eat your dinner, ask your mom or dad if they could read a chapter from the Bible and lead the family in prayer.
Matthew 4:¹Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. ³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God,command that these stones be made bread. ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
There is no excuse, you HAVE to get into the Bible, your spiritual life depends upon it!  God will forgive you if you don't read it, but you will not grow in Him.  You need to think of it like food, you need it for survival!
If I have to choose between typing this blog or reading my Bible, which one should I choose?
It is a choice, please make the right one and choose the Bible!
Be a Bible girl tomorrow!

"Countdown to School Time..."

Pencils sharpened, backpacks ready, new socks and shoes, school supplies marked with your name, checklist checked....Are  you ready for school?

Around here we have just SIXTEEN days until school starts.  It is a mixture of anticipation, excitement, and sadness as our schedules will change.  We love the routine of school but we also love the time together as a family during the summer time.

Even though the seasons change, we want to keep our Bible reading and time with the Lord as a top priority, which can be hard to do when the demands of school begin. What can you do to get ready for the schedule change? 

• Start going to bed a little earlier each night.  Yuck! I'm a night owl but I have to adjust my schedule in order to function when I have to be somewhere by 7:55 a.m.  Most young ladies I know need at least eight hours of sleep or more.  So, if you've been staying up until 11:00 p.m., then maybe tonight you can get to bed by 10:30 p.m., by Thursday move it up to 10:00 p.m., then 9:30 p.m, etc...until you're getting your full rest. 
• Start waking up earlier.  Yuck! So, you've been sleeping until 8:30 a.m., well, you'll have to adjust to an earlier schedule.  How early do you need to get up?  I've always done a backwards countdown to know when to get up.  Example:
• 7:40 a.m. - time to walk to the car
• 7:37 a.m. - get backpack, lunch, music books, p.e. clothes, kiss mom
• 7:35 a.m. - put shoes on
• 7:30 a.m. - Brush teeth
• 7:15 a.m. - Eat Breakfast, clean up
• 7:00 a.m. - Read Bible and pray
• 6:55 a.m. - Make bed, put up nightgown
• 6:45 a.m. - comb and style hair
• 6:35 a.m. - Get dressed
• 6:30 a.m. - Wake up, wash face, brush teeth
• Go through your closet and try on every outfit and pair of shoes.  You'll save time if you have your clothes ready.  If clothes are too short, tight, or small give them away.  Someone will appreciate getting "new" school clothes and you'll be a blessing.
• Start praying for a great school year.  
• Write a note of thanks to your teacher and give it to her on the first day of school.
• Start doing more mental activities in the next few days.  Look over some of last year's school books, especially English and math.  Review rules and formulas just for fun, not punishment!
• Take advantage of these last few free days and do some fun things: go to the park, go swimming, play with the water hose, have a picnic, bake some cookies, do crafts, etc...

Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."  Why don't we make up our minds to be happy to go to school, happy to get up early, and happy to spend time in God's word every morning.