Day 7 of 30: Out of Death is Life

Many characters fill the pages of the bible, from the Old Testament through the New Testament.  The people of the Old Testament provide us with life as a believer before Christ had died and was resurrected.  The Old Testament gave us a view of life under the Law, a law that proved to show it's followers they were far from perfect and able to live the God-kind of life in it.  

The New Testament begins in the four Gospels by sharing with us the birth, the life of Christ as a man on earth, His death, and His resurrection.  From this point forward, the New Testament shares with us the life we are able to have in Him today, if we choose it.  And, it gives us a peek of what eternity has in store for the Christian.  

The Old Testament points us to Christ.  In 1 Samuel you will find today's passage for study, meditation, and prayer.  The passage is about a woman named Hannah, and has much to do with prayer (in the Old Testament).  More importantly, this passage is about being a part of God’s greater plan of salvation, and gives us an understanding of moving from death to life, from death to resurrection.  

Today's passage is 1 Samuel 1 (KJV) .  

1Sa 1:1  Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 

1Sa 1:2  And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 

1Sa 1:3  And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 

1Sa 1:4  And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 

1Sa 1:5  But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. 

1Sa 1:6  And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. 

1Sa 1:7  And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 

1Sa 1:8  Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? 

1Sa 1:9  So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. 

1Sa 1:10  And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 

1Sa 1:11  And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 

1Sa 1:12  And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. 

1Sa 1:13  Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 

1Sa 1:14  And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 

1Sa 1:15  And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 

1Sa 1:16  Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 

1Sa 1:17  Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 

1Sa 1:18  And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. 

1Sa 1:19  And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 

1Sa 1:20  Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. 

1Sa 1:21  And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 

1Sa 1:22  But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 

1Sa 1:23  And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. 

1Sa 1:24  And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. 

1Sa 1:25  And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 

1Sa 1:26  And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. 

1Sa 1:27  For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 

1Sa 1:28  Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there. 

Day 6 of 30: Do Not Be Shaped by This World.

We have read and prayed through scriptures for five days.  Why is it beneficial to pray through the bible? 

God has provided us everything we need for successful living in His Word.... this is where we find His personality, His character, His will, and how to live as His child.  

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."   Romans 12:1-2

God's powerful, living, effective Word provides us His Will on everything, giving us all we  need to live a holy life, abundant, successful, Ambassadorship in Christ.  His Word equips us to live a life is as an Ambassador, a representative, of Christ (a Christian) to those of this World.  ("...we are ambassadors for Christ..." 2 Corinthinians 5:20)  

When we pray according to God's Will we are putting ourselves into a position for God to answer.  He always answers prayers that reflect His will (His Word) in the bible.  

Praying through the scriptures is just one way to pray, there are many types of prayer.  Praying through the Word is key to unlocking the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  This is why daily reading and study of the Word with prayer, with eyes of seeing, and with ears to hear is so important.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.   Joshua 1:8

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  2 Timothy 2:15

Develop and plan and establish a habit of prayer.

Trail and error will help you figure out what works best for your prayer and study time.  It may be early in the morning with a cup of coffee, your bible, and a prayer journal.  It may be in the car, parked in a quiet place with soft music in the background.  Maybe a picnic bench under a tree while the children play at the park.  (Note:  I do not recommend the bathroom.  Children seem to have a sixth sense and know exactly when and where to find you when you think the bathroom will provide a brief escape...LOL!)

The time of day and where you pray is not what's important, its the quality time you spend with Him that makes the difference.  All else will fall into place as you day to day 'renew the mind' and receive 'the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him'.  

Begin by reading a scripture and praying whatever comes to mind and heart as you read it.  It may only be 10 minutes of reading and prayer.  The main point is to establish the habit.  Not to do something that is going to be a struggle so much that you regret starting the task.  The more time you spend talking with God and in His Word, the more you will enjoy prayer, and the more you will look forward to the special time awaiting you with Him.


Today's passage is Psalm 103.  

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 

Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 

Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 

Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 

Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

Psa 103:6  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 

Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 

Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 

Psa 103:9  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 

Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 

Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 

Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 

Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 

Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 

Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 

Psa 103:17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 

Psa 103:18  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 

Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 

Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 

Psa 103:21  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 

Psa 103:22  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. 

Day 5 of 30: Heart's Desire

Day one and two of this prayer challenge discussed portions of Ephesians Chapter 1.  Let's go back to this passage for a moment.  In Ephesians 1:17 Paul says, "...In the knowledge of Him."  Notice this verse does not say that you will have a spirit of wisdom and revelation.  It does say, "...a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."

Why is this important?  Because as we draw closer to Him through prayer and His Word, we know knowledge in Him is available to us, and God wants us to have it.  

Let's go a little deeper into verse 18, which says, "...that the eyes of my understanding be enlightened."  Do you realize we can have knowledge without understanding?  

My Little Ladybug (my granddaughter) is four.  From books, she can tell me all about different kinds of animals; lions, elephants, zebras, horses, and such.  We often take walks after lunch, just before her nap time, and I noticed many birds in the area.  She only knew them as birds, so I collected photos of these common  birds and gave them to her.  Then, we grabbed a camera and went on our usual walk.  Suddenly, the world of birds opened up to her.  She not only had knowledge that there were different kinds of birds, but she now had means to understanding how to identify the different kinds of birds.  Her face lit up as she matched an American Cardinal with the pictures we had, and learned there were different colors for boy birds and girl birds of the same kind.  We take those photos with us on every walk now, and occasionally we find a new one that she gets all excited to see.  

God's Word is the same.  We can have knowledge that Noah, Abraham, David, and others in the bible exist.  We can also have knowledge that we are born again in Christ and God is our loving Father.  However, with time in the Word and in prayer we get to know God.  Eventually, there is a day that we read a verse, and it jumps off the page at us.  Our face lights up with not only knowledge, but also understanding of what God's Word is saying.  When it hits you, you know it.  That is the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  

Today's passage is Romans 10:1-13 (KJV).

Rom 10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

Rom 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 

Rom 10:5  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 

Rom 10:6  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 

Rom 10:7  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 

Rom 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 

Rom 10:12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

Prayer In the Name

Prayer In the Name

Why pray 'in the name of Jesus Christ"?

July 15th -August 13th, 2013 is the 30-Day Challenge: Prayer for MIssions in Asia .

To aid those who find it difficult to spend time in prayer or have not really checked out what God's Word has to say about prayer, the next month of posts to Discovered Treasures Bible Study and Who Am I? DailyDevo will focus mainly around prayer - how to talk to God.

Where do we learn how to talk to God? The same place we learn about His character, His likes, His dislikes, what pleases and displeases Him - In His Word.

There is one thing I want to point out in the Word before we go further on prayer.

The bible is divided into two covenants, the Old Covenant (before Christ died on the cross and rose again for us), and the New Covenant (after Christ died on the cross and rose again.) This is very important because many people go to scriptures like the Lord's prayer to learn to pray. There is nothing wrong with praying what is in the Lord's prayer. However, if you will note, it was a prayer example prayed before Christ had died.

When people prayed before Christ died, they did not have the Holy Spirit within them. This did not come until Christ died and rose again. It was not until Jesus died that the curtain (veil-Heb 9:1-9) that separated the Holy of Holies from man was torn from the top down. "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:50-51). It was not until then that we could become temples of the Holy Spirit. You will see this in Acts 1 while the disciples were in the upper room and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer before this event, was not guided prayer by the Holy Spirit directly to the Father. Rather there were rules of the Law (located basically in the first five books of the bible) to follow, sacrifices to be made, and a representative (the priest) just to talk to God and get right with Him.

In Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. And He did. But this is not the New Covenant Church praying, it is the Old Covenant Church. Jesus had not yet died and rose again. The Holy Spirit was yet dwelling within their renewed spirit, and they had no authority over satan yet. Why? Because man had not yet been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus Christ at that time.

You will notice that they did not yet pray IN THE NAME OF JESUS in that prayer. Why? He had not yet paid the price for sin of mankind. We did not yet have authority in the name.

"And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23-24

At the end of His ministry, just before he died on the cross, Jesus changed the way they were to pray.

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14

By praying "In the name of Jesus" we are going to the Father with authority given to us by Jesus. Through faith and by grace we are saved (Eph 2:8), we receive a new spirit man making us an adopted child of God, and we can boldly go before the throne of God in prayer "in the name of Jesus Christ."

Watchman Nee

"Prayer is the most wonderful act in the spiritual realm, as well as a most mysterious affair." Watchman Nee

Therefore....."

"When you see a 'therefore' in the bible, stop and see what it is there for." Kenneth Hagin

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:23-24

When you pray believe that you have what you prayed for. Notice this says, right at the moment that you are praying, BELIEVE that you received what you have prayed for.

"But I don't see it, I don't have it. I need to keep praying for it." you may think. We walk by faith, not by sight. God's Word says to BELIEVE you have received WHEN you are praying for it, at that moment.

When you pray, and when you believe that you have received as you pray, faith begins to work. If you believe you have the answer you do not ask for it again. Rather, thank Him for giving you the answer to your prayer.

He continued on to say "AND"...

Jesus did not stop with verse 24 in Mark 11. He continued on to say "AND"...

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:24-25

Why? Because prayer and your faith will not work in unforgiveness. Unforgiveness allows the devil to enter in and play with your mind, even causing guilt and condemnation that draws you away from your Heavenly Father.

Unforgiving is defined as "Not willing to gorgive or excuse people's faults or wrongdoings." This means forgiveness is a choice. We make a conscious choice to forgive others.

"But, you don't know what they did, I can't forgive that." According to the definition and according to God's Word, you can forgive them. It is as much of a choice as it is to choose to love someone.
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Col 3:13

Why is this so important in prayer? His Word is clear. To be in willing obedience to God, we must make the decision to forgive, otherwise we are not forgiven of our sins.

"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." Isaiah 1:19

According to Isaiah choosing not to forgive (being unwilling and disobedient) prevents us from receiving "the good of the land." This prevents us from receiving the desires of our hearts that we pray.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:24-25

Opening the Eyes of Our Understanding

Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in prayer.

The Holy Spirit lives within believers, and He will help us in our prayer lives.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27
The Holy Spirit is our helper. We often do not know what to pray for ourselves or others. We do not know the full situation. However, if we pray with the help of the Holy Spirit, we pray out the full situation.

We do not have to pray prayers that say, "If it be your will God." We can know His will by the Holy Spirit's help in understanding the His Word, the Bible.

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." Ephesians 1:17-19
As New Covenant Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to help us in our prayers - to help us communicate with God. If you find yourself not knowing how to pray often in situations, turn to the passage in Ephesians above and begin to pray it for yourself. This prayer alone, will change your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of God's Word as your read it and begin to apply it in your own life and in your prayer life.

"Listen well and listen good. Listen like you should. Open the eyes ofy our spirit. Close the yes of your mind. Close the eyes and ears of your mind to religious thoughts and training in church praying. Listen to the New Covenant, the Truths unveiled. Rejoice in them and walk in the light of them, and act upon them. And, prayer will become real. The supernatural will be an everyday affair, and you will love the Lord. And, worship and honor Him. For you see, He hears and answers prayer." Kenneth E. Hagin

Intercession? What is that?

Intercession is defined as an interposing or pleading on behalf of another person, a prayer to God on behalf of another.

An intercessor is one who take the place of another while praying for God.

While praying for others, an intercessor (someone praying for someone else, on their behalf) may be praying for someone lost, or someone sick, or someone in despair, or someone who needs direction in an area to move forward.

An intercessor can change the lives of one person or a whole nation just by taking the time to pray guided by the Holy Spirit with understanding of God's Word (His Will) in every situation.

"...and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

By being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will help us pray out God's will in situations in the lives of others, whether we know the other person or not.

After a while, you will begin to notice that people will come to mind, and you will have an urge, a need to pray for that person. You may not even know their name. As you obey and begin to pray according to God's Word a life is changed, a situation altered, a sickness healed, a life spared, and the enemy hindered.

If you are a Christian parent you will know what this is like. I have heard countless stories where a mother or father knew to stop what they were doing and pray for their child. As they did, miracles happened.

The same is true of those who choose to intercede for others.

Praying God's Word

Moves Every Mountain

In life, it seems, things can be moving along just great, everything going smoothly. Then, all of a sudden, "BAM!", a mountain pops up right in front of you.

That mountain may be an illness, a job loss, a child in trouble, or a parent hit with disaster. Mountains are any circumstance that comes up between us and living the life God has intended for us to live.

Recently, my mountain happened right in the middle of a church service. I had a full stroke. What made it worse was that it was three days before I got to the hospital for treatment, and the damage was done. Healing is quickly taking place just as God has promised.

I will give a full testimony another time, right now I want to share one of the many things during this time that the Holy Spirit has shown me regarding faith.

When a mountain pops up right in front of you, what do you do?

You're walking along, the earth shakes, and a mountain just rises right in front of you. It's huge! You cannot even see the top of it through the clouds. You cannot see around it, and you cannot see the other side but you know this is the route you should take to get to what is on the other side. Now, how do you get there?
Three tools appear right before your eyes; a a shovel, a bulldozer, and dynamite.

What are you going to do? You know you need to get to the other side.
Some will sit down on the ground, scratching their heads, and say, "It's too big. What do I do?" And they just sit there staring at it.
Others will take the shovel and begin to dig into the mountain. Some of these will grow weary and quit, while others will persevere and dig till the mountain is moved.

Those who are a little more educated and know how to run a bulldozer (licensed to use it) will dig faster and move the mountain at a much greater pace. They, also, are more likely to succeed because they are a little more experienced at moving mountains.

Then, a few who are experienced, trained to use dynamite, and understand their authorization (the rules and regulations of how to use it) will take the dynamite and blast the mountain right out of the way.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Our words are the tools God has provided us to move the mountains (as we speak His Words) that pop up in our life. As our faith increases (as we renew our minds and get to know how to use God's Word and the authority we have in the name of Jesus) we move from shoveling, to bulldozing, to blasting right through the mountain.

The key is to get up and start using the tools, and do not quit. He has given us all the tools we need to live an abundant ly blessed and overflowing life if we just start digging into the Word of God and renew our minds, gaining wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Day 4 of 30: I Don't Understand. Why, God? Why?

Have you asked, "God why?  Why did that happen?  I don't understand, God?"

Through prayer and study of God's Word, we can get to know and trust God, even in the things we do not yet understand.  Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we to can trust God during both, our success and when we are in the fire, because we know that in Him the fire has no power.   (refer to yesterday's post:  Day 3 of 30)

Situations come along in life that we cannot even fathom, until they happen.  This is where we put our faith to work, and we command the mountain to be removed, and believe that it does (Mark 11:22, 23).

Our eyes cannot see, our head cannot comprehend. how this terrible circumstance will ever turn.  Yet, we can get to the other side and still believe in God.  It takes a personal experience, a personal relationship, with God to trust Him well enough to go into the fire and come out without as much as a stench from the smoke (Daniel 3).

Remember the things God has done.  Remember that He is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  Then, when it feels like our prayers are going unanswered, we are able to continue to give thanks and believe.    As my pastor, Pastor Dale Durant says, "I can have, I can do, I can be what the Word says to me!."  What does God say about your situation?  What does the Word say about every circumstance? 

What you see around you may be a fact in this world, but what God says is your Truth.  "...as he is, so are we in this world."  1 John 4:17 KJV

Today's passage for prayer and meditation is Genesis 22: 1-18 KJV

Gen 22:1  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

Gen 22:2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Gen 22:3  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Gen 22:4  Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

Gen 22:5  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Gen 22:6  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

Gen 22:8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Gen 22:9  And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Gen 22:10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Gen 22:11  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Gen 22:12  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

Gen 22:13  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Gen 22:14  And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Gen 22:15  And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

Gen 22:16  And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

Gen 22:17  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Gen 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Day 3 of 30: Fireproof Begins with Our Relationship with God

Some people asked Smith Wigglesworth, a great Apostle of Faith in the first half of the 20th century, about prayer.  They said, “Smith Wigglesworth, you’re a man of faith and miracles, you’ve raised people from the dead. You’ve cast out more demons than we’ve had hot dinners. Tell us, how long do you pray every day? 

“Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.”

“What?” his questioners exclaimed.

After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

Can you imagine a talking to God all day, every day?  What would you talk about?  

Having a relationship with God is key to trusting and believing His Word.  Think about it.  When is the last time you trusted someone walking down the street to hold your purse or wallet for you?  Would you leave your child in the hands of some sitting near you at a restaurant, a perfect stranger?  A young man comes up to you on the street and says he needs to borrow your car to run to the local grocery store.  Would you give him the keys and tell him to drive safely?

We trust those we know.  Proverbs 3:5,6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."  

Trusting God and acknowledging Him puts us in a position for Him to give our lives direction.  How can we trust a God that we only meet on Sunday mornings a few times a month for an hour or so?  

Liken a relationship that creates trust to a spouse or close, long-time friend. At first meet, both are a bit awkward.  Why?  Because they want to impress each other, but really do not know what each other likes, thinks, or even hates.  Both parties do not want to make a mistake.  It is only after spending time together that they get to know each other well enough that they are comfortable to talk and express themselves freely.  Often times, it is not even until after the honeymoon phase of a marriage before the two show each other their true selves.  

Your relationship with God is the same.  Our prayers at first may be awkward.  We do not want to say anything wrong.  We don't know what pleases and displeases God.  After much time in His Word, learning His will, His likes and dislikes, what pleases Him, and what displeases Him, we can begin to truly trust Him completely. (But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6)  

Today's passage is Daniel 3 (KJV).  This chapter describes the complete trust three men had in their God and His Word.  Read through the chapter, and as your read ask God to give you "wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."  You see, the Old Testiment points us to Christ.  Do you see this in today's passage?

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 

Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 

Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 

Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 

Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 

Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 

Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 

Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 

Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 

Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 

Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 

Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 

Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 

Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 

Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 

Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 

Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 

Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 

Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.