Bottled Tears

What is your vision of how God would be storing all of our tears?  

Do you think that there is one large bottle with all of our tears mixed together?  If so, when Jesus wept his tears would also be in the bottle with my tears and your tears.  

It gives me peace to feel that God also holds onto our prayers, much in the same way that he collects our tears.  If he feels our tears and sorrows are so important then you know that God must feel that our prayers are also important.  Just because our prayer is not being answered today does not mean that God has not heard us or that it is unimportant to him.  You never know when he is going to give us an answer.    

Double Anointing

I had not thought about the story of Elisha asking for double anointing as something we could ask for in current day.  It seemed like an Old Testament kind of thing.  

Can or have you asked for a double portion of anointing?

There are so many people that I would be happy if I had half of the spiritual gifts that they have.  Why would I be happy with half?  Why would I not want double?

Do I ask for half because I feel unworthy? 

In the Old Testament the mantle was given to another and represented their being called by God.  Elijah threw his cloak/mantle around Elisha.  But Elisha did not 

just accept the mantle, he also asked for double the anointing.  How bold of him to ask!

So we circle back to being bold.

  

Bottled Prayer

"Every prayer prayed in that place would be passed on to us."

When I think about the possibility that our prayers do not end, it gives me joy.  

To think that the prayers my grandparents and parents prayed for me are still at work in my life is exciting.  It also makes me realize how important my prayers are for my children, my grandchildren, friends, family and church.  

As we near the end of this book I have to say that it has definitely changed my perspective on prayer.  I think that I took prayer lightly.  Now I feel that prayer is so powerful!  It can change things for generations.  It draws me closer to God.  It has created a more personal relationship with my savior.

Double Miracles

There are so many things we pray for that require another parties participation.
When we pray are we considering how our prayers will affect the lives of others outside of our direct circle?

The miracle that we pray for may require someone else to also take a leap of faith.
The miracle that we pray for may require someone else to suffer a loss.
The miracle that we pray for may be a blessing for both parties.

I pray for a friend to sell her home so she can live closer to her family, but this may require another family to move further away from their family.  I have added to my prayer request to also pray for the family that God places in her home.

I think it is easy to forget that our prayers may affect the lives of others when God answers them.

ASAP

Is ASAP our attitude with our prayer life?  We live in a society where most everything is instantaneous.  It can be difficult to be patient and wait for anything, this includes answers to prayer.  When we have to wait we start to plan how to accomplish it on our own, and if it takes to long we will probably try our plan versus waiting and continuing to pray.

I agree with Mark when he stated "I have a tendency to mishandle the blessings that come too easily or too quickly."

I think if God answers our prayers to quickly we are more likely to take credit for the accomplishment or to feel like it was going to happen anyway.  

What do you do to give God all of the glory for answered prayer?

Do you think that you give God all of the glory when the prayer has been circled for a longer period of time?

Life Goal List

"Setting goals is a practical way of dreaming big."

This section was crazy!  Just take a look at the first one on the list!  Milk a poisonous snake??!!

Do any of you have a life goal list?

I do not have one written out, but I know that I do have some life goals.

• Celebrate 50 year wedding anniversary.
• Celebrate one of our anniversaries on a world cruise
• Go on a missions trip with my Sunday School class
• Go to Machu Picchu with Richard
• Walk where Jesus walked with Katie
• Take a train trip in Alaska with my family
• Get down to my ideal weight of 120 lbs
• Read the Bible within 1 year
• Go cave spelunking with Richard
• Go to Egypt and see the pyramids

10 steps to goal setting

Prayer

Check your motives

Think in categories

Be specific

Write it down

Include others

Celebrate along the way

Dream big

Think long

Pray hard

My goals seem so insignificant compared to the goal lists in the book.  I do not think I am dreaming big.  I am selecting things that I mostly think I will be able to successfully do.  

What would I write on my goal list if there was nothing off limits?  I will need to rethink about my list.

What do you have on your list?

Do you have a list? 

Daniel Fast

"Fasting has a way of fast tracking our prayers."

I have been very curious about fasting.  I have never fasted.  There have been times when I have thought about fasting, but was concerned that others would think it was bizarre and not necessary.  

We have many social activities in my family that revolve around food and it would be difficult for me to fast in secret.  There are many places in the Bible that talk about fasting being private and secret.

In  doing research for this post I found there are lots of different ways of fasting.  

The first Daniel fast was vegetables, fruit and water for 10 days.

The second Daniel fast was similar but also eliminated leavened bread, wine and sweetener.
In Esther the fast was 3 days with no food or drink.
There is a partial fast where you may be called to give up specific foods.
A Juice Fast
Regular Fast - most people still drink during this type of fast

The book says "Some miracles are only accessible via prayer and fasting."
I am not really sure that I agree with that.
I think fasting is more to put us in the correct frame of mind.
To make us more reliant on God.

What are your thoughts on fasting?

"Fasting gives you more power to pay because it's an exercise in willpower."

Prayer Experiment

"The Game with Minutes"

"We try to call Him to mind at least one second of each minute.  We do not need to forget other things nor stop our work, but we invite Him to share everything we do or say or think.  Hundreds of us have experimented until we have found ways to let Him share every minute of our waking hours."

This called to my mind Proverbs 3:6

" In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

If we were calling God to mind every minute of the day he would be definitely be directing our path.  

Our relationship with Christ should be like our relationship with a new love!  

You think about the new love so much.  

Can you commit to calling God to mind every minute?  I am not sure that I can.  I am not very good at multi-tasking.  My husband is not allowed to talk to me when I am working on our business accounting because I can not think about 2 things at once.    

I would love to be "God-intoxicated"!

How about you?  Do you want to be God-intoxicated?  

What are you going to do to accomplish it?

Larks and Owls

"One of the reasons that many people don't feel an intimacy with God is because they don't have a daily rhythm with God."

What is your intimacy level?

In the past I felt like there was no intimacy.  That being said, my prayer life consisted of my desires or my wish list.  It was not about worship and praise.  

Neither Lark nor Owl is better.  If you are a lark you begin your day by praying, pray throughout the day and end the day with prayer.  If you are an owl you just start later and close later.

Do we work at making time for our Savior?

I am going to try to get up earlier each day to read my Bible and pray.  My prayer life is always at a time that requires no planning or commitment, whenever it is convenient for me.  

"Praying hard is hard."

I sometimes do not start my day with prayer.  As most of you know, I work from home so I tend to make my coffee and depending on what is going on with my business, I sometimes go right to work.  My day should always be primed with prayer.  

I thought the study about priming was so interesting.  When I was a teenager I worked at McDonalds in the drive-thru.  My hours were the breakfast hours.  Looking back I am so glad that I always was cheerful with the customers.  Maybe I helped prime someone to have a good day!

Be sure to make your own routines and rituals for prayer and growing your relationship with Christ.  

Proximity

"Proximity creates Intimacy."

Have you ever felt like you were supposed to place your hands on someone while you prayed for them?

I have. .  . . . confession time . . . . I did not do as I felt God was leading me.  

I was so fearful of what the other person might think of my behavior.
What if God really was not telling me to do it?
All the "what if's"

What miracle may I have missed but not doing as I felt led?

I recently read a book . . . I wish I could remember which book this story comes from.  If I remember I will post the name of the book.  It was also a very good book!

It tells a story about a speaker at a youth conference.  He is speaking and a woman walks down the center isle of the church carrying a young child.  She tells them that she was told by God to bring her child to them and they were going to heal him.  The pastors spoke among themselves unsure how to handle the situation.  They decided that if God sent this woman that they would do their best.  They advised the teens that if they did not believe the child could be healed that they should leave.  Only people who believed that the child could be healed stayed.  They placed their hands on the child and prayed.  They prayed hard and with boldness.  Well, after the prayers were done nothing obvious had changed.  The child was still cripple.
Years later the speaker ran into the same woman.  He asked about her child and as they were speaking a child ran up to his Mom!  It was that child. A very short time after they laid hands on the child the child's legs straightened and he was able to walk, with no medical intervention.

Was the healing due to proximity?
 I do not know, but it surely can not hurt!

When you pray do you face anything in particular?
Do you think facing something changes the result of your prayer or does it make your heart more receptive?

Prayer Posture

"Physical postures help posture our hearts and minds."

This section was very interesting.  I have been trying to talk with God more frequently, and have been making it a part of my normal day to day activity.  

That being said, I pray while at my desk, while driving my car, while loading the diswasher, etc etc.  

How important do you think posture is?  

Do you think our posture when casual is disrespectful to our father?

I thought the Quaker position that was discussed was interesting so I did a little more research.

1. Find a comfortable seat. Don’t lean forward, though neither should you slouch as if attempting to sleep.  I like to sit in a hardwood chair or even on a stool.  
2. Close your eyes.
3. Place your hands face-down on your lap. This represents letting go of all that has filled your mind.
4. In silence, give to God all your anxieties, concerns, and worries.  Surrender to him all those thoughts which occupy your mind.  I begin by thinking this phrase:  “Lord I give to you….”
5. Now, maintaining this same posture, rotate your hands so that your palms are face-up.  This is symbolic for receiving blessings and peace from God.
6. In silence, ask God to grant you peace.  You may ask for any number of blessings (such as strength, courage, faith, patience, etc). I begin by saying:  “Lord, please fill me with your…”
7. Sit in silence for some time, focused on God — and simply resting in his presence

Excert taken from http://jamesbrett.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/meditative-prayer-centering-down/

I am sure if you are like me you will try the above posture . . . . I am always looking for ways to eliminate the outside distractions of my my life from overtaking my prayer life.  

Many different postures were used in the Bible, I think your posture really depends on the situation.   I do not think that our posture changes how our prayers are heard, but I think our posture puts our hearts in the position they need to be in.  

Kneeling - Psalm 95:6, Daniel 6:10, 1 Kings 8:54, Acts 21:5

Bowing - 2 Chronicles 7:3, 2 Chronicles 29:29, Romans 14:11, Psalm 22:29, Mark 5:6

Prostrate - Numbers 20:6, 1 Chronicles 29:20, Revelations 7:11, 1 King 18:39, Matthew 2:11

Arms Raised - Psalms 134:2, 1 King 8:54, 1 Kings 2:22

Familiarity with God

"He had a familiarity with God that was disarming.  He had a faith in God that was reassuring."  

Familiarity is relaxed friendliness or intimacy between people.  

I want this with God!

There are times that I feel so far away from God.  My life can become so busy that the most important things get left by the wayside. . . . .sadly this can be my time with God.  

I want so much to have that relationship with my Savior!  That all who know me will see Christ through me!

I want to pursue Jesus and know his ways.  I want to spend time with him so that I will he his soft voice. By becoming more familiar with our Father my faith will grow!

Open Doors

"These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.  

What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  

See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut."

How many of us only pray for open doors?  After all most of us want what we want, when we want it.  We are currently living in a time where lots of things are instantaneous.  If you need an answer right away you can go to your computer and have multiple answers in seconds.  We go to the store and can buy all of our food, we do not need to grow it or slaughter it.  We live in the here and now.
I know that I get frustrated when doors are closed, because I feel like I know what is best and I am sure that it is something God would want me to have.  It is difficult to remember that sometimes a door is closed because God knows what is coming, something that would be bigger and better for me.  We struggle as finite beings to see much beyond our current needs and desires.  God see our entire future, and he wants to give us great gifts!  

No Answer

Do you trust that God is for you even when you do not receive what you have prayed for?

Do you trust the God has a better plan than you do?

Do you trust that his reason for not answering your prayer with a yes may be beyond your understanding?

I think we have all had some aha moments with what we initially perceived as an unanswered prayer. 

I know when my husband and I were trying to buy our first home we found a home that we loved.  We made a full listing offer on the home.  The next day we heard back from the seller that a cash buyer has also made a full listing offer and they were going to take the cash offer.  That unanswered prayer turned into a blessing, we found a house that was larger and in a better location and were able to close!  

Imagine if God gave us everything we asked for?  I know that I would not feel as blessed as I do now.

In some areas of my life I never would have imagined the blessing that God has provided me.  

Blessings that I do not deserve.     

"Sometimes God gets in the way to show us the way."

Wet Feet

"When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river."

Why do you think God wanted them to take a few steps into the river?

I think it was to show their trust in him.  This is a situation that they could not handle on their own and they had to put their trust in God!

I sometimes stand on the shore, waiting for God to clear a path for me.  Sometimes I wait a very long time before I take action, and other times I am continue to wait on the shore.  I am sure that I am missing out on some miracles!

"If you make a move, you'll see God move."  

Have you ever made a move out of obedience and then seen God move in powerful ways?
How can we be sure that we are moving out of obedience and not craziness?

How crazy was it for Jesus to command Peter to go fish and the first fish would have a coin in its mouth?
I love fishing, and can say I have never found a coin in the mouth of a fish!
We need to stay prayerful and pay attention to Gods still soft voice.

The Cattle on a Thousand Hills

God loves showing up in unexpected ways at unexpected times.

How often has God shown up at the last minute for you?  

Do you become afraid and change course? or do you pray through?

Could this last minute answer to prayer be God making us understand that we need to depend on him all the time?

I  know that I need reminders to rely on Christ.  I am a  planner and want to know where I am going to be and all the details long before the required time.  

I am praying for a miracle, something that I have no way to provide, only Christ can provide it for me.  I am being bold.  I am being persistent.  I am being thankful.  

JEJIT - Just enough just in time

If you think about it, that is all we need, Just enough and just in time.

I feel like God shows up in unexpected ways all the time.  Our God is such an awesome God, just look around you!  What a gorgeous world he has created for us!

God is awesome!

The Favor of Him Who Dwells in the Burning Bush

Watching and Waiting


I thoroughly enjoyed this section!
I also do not like to wait to give gifts!  As soon as I have a present wrapped, I want to present it.
I had not thought about our heavenly father being excited to give us gifts.
"He can hardly wait to keep his promises, to perform his word, and to answer our prayers."
I think sometimes we do not truly feel that God is our father.  As a parent, I desire to give me children the best that I can provide.  This is how God is with us.  He wants what is best for us.  We sometimes need to be reminded that his best is better than anything we can possibly imagine.

In the beginning of this chapter it discussed special places to pray.  Do you have a special place that you like to pray?  I do not know about you, but I tend to have lots of distractions in my life and struggle to be focus only on my conversation with God.  I am going to work on thinking of a place that I can go free of intrusion from the outside world!