Passion Week Prayer--Day 4

The Lord Appears to Solomon

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." 2 Chronicles 7:14-16 NIV

When we humble ourselves before the Lord and approach Him in reverence, He promises to hear and answer our prayers. Notice that repentance is the key. God said He would bring healing to the land of His people.

1. What sins are to struggling with?

2. What "land" are you needing God to heal? (Relationships, health, emotions, or spiritual.)

3. Ask God for the mercy and grace to help you repent.

4. Ask God for forgiveness and healing for your "land."

5. Please always remember to thank God--prayer & praise should go hand-in-hand.

Passion Week Prayer--Day 3

Thanksgiving and Prayer

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:18-22 NIV

I think that most of us have too small a picture of ourselves and Jesus. Therefore many of us walk in hoplessness and defeat. The world seems overwhelming. But the Bible says that we are more than conquerers in Chrsit. Pray like Paul for God to open your eyes to see Him and yourself through His eyes.

What obstacles cause you hopelessness and despair? Pray for the truth to set you free!

Passion Week Prayer--Day 2

"Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:7,11-13 NIV

God promised to bless His people. Notice that He instructed them to pray for their city and it's prosperity.

Pray today for the prosperity--financially and spiritually--of the merchants and businesses in your city or town.

Passion Week Prayer--Day 1

The Bible says that our prayers are like incense or sweet aroma that is pleasing to the Lord.

This week as we reflect on the suffering of Christ as He made His way to the cross, let us do so in prayer. We have the opportunity, privilege, and responsibility to pray to Almighty God.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you pray. Delight yourself in the presence of God. Let His waves of mercy and grace wash over you.

Blessings,

Eric

Jesus at the Temple

"Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 'It is written,' He said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'

The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple area, 'Hosanna to the Son of David,' they were indignant.

'Do you hear what these children are saying?' they asked Him.
'Yes,' replied Jesus, 'have you never read,
'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise?'" Matthew 21:12-16 NIV

The first thing Jesus did was to reestablish the temple to it's intended purpose, to be a House of Prayer. He did this by driving out people and things that did not honor God and therefore had no place being in His house.

The Bible says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God dwells within us individually and corporately. What is the Holy Spirit driving out of you? What things are hindering you from a deeper and closer relationship with Christ Jesus?

Remember that hands that held the whip are also the hands that were pierced with nails for your salvation.

The Christ-Centered Life

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;
the whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:1-3 NIV

One of the identity markers of New Life Christian Fellowship is being Christ-centered. That means that Jesus is the center and focus of our lives. Every decision, thought and action, must put Jesus at the center. That takes intentionality on our part. It also takes the ministry of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Jesus must be foremost. How we respond to each other, our world, our hopes, dreams and challenges, all must come under the Lordship of Christ.

Jesus cares for us. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us. He rose on the third day to give us forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. He is more than able to care for us. Our response should be to honor Him in all we do.

Our world tries to distort our focus. Satan tries to distort our focus. We can put the economy, taxes, crime, self-advancement, and problems on the throne of our souls. But when we intentionally place Christ first in everything, we find that His glory and grace fills every area of our lives.

As we approach Easter, it's easy to get distracted with eggs, bunnies and brunch. We can focus on Good Friday, and forget Resurrection Sunday. The grave couldn't hold our Lord down. Our world and it's challenges are not greater than the love of God in our lives.

So, who or what is the center of your life?

Spirit, Soul & Body

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV

When we come to Christ Jesus for salvation, I think some of us sell ourselves short. We accept the grace of God as it relates to salvation, but not to our entire being. We believe Jesus will forgive our sins, and receive us into heaven. We believe in eternal life. Spiritually speaking, we are set. But what about the rest of us?

We are comprised of a spirit, a soul, and a body. Many of us neglect our soul and body. Emotionally we don't grow up. We live bound up in hurt, insecurity, fear, doubt, depression, and so on. We neglect and even abuse our physical bodies. I look around the church and see obesity, disease, and just a general lack of care for the amazing bodies that God has given us. The attitude is like we have just given up.

God's grace is sufficient for not only our spiritual well-being, but our emotional and physical well-being also. Why not receive God's grace today for your entire being? If you are wrestling with an emotional issue, talk to someone that can help walk with you through the healing process. If you are struggling physically, change your diet. Go for a prayer walk.

Make the change today for wholeness in Jesus. Treat yourself as the temple of the Holy Spirit!

"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it." Psalm 139:14

How do You See Yourself?

“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.

“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future." Acts 26:15,16 NLT

This passage provoked me today. I was reading in Acts about Paul being on trial for following Jesus. The above statement stopped my reading. Jesus said that He appointed Paul as His servant and witness. Think about it. Jesus hand picked Paul and then commissioned him to tell the world about the hope of everlasting life in Jesus Christ.

I have to ask myself if I see myself as a servant and a witness to the good news of salvation in Jesus. The Bible says, that we are chosen by God to share the wonderful good news of Jesus Christ. But do I? Do you?

Do I see myself as a servant of Jesus? Or do I view Jesus as my personal attendant, my genie in the lamp?

What about my witness? Could you look at my life and tell that I have something that the world doesn't--Hope. Am I exemplifying the fruits of the Spirit in my life? Can you see love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self control in me?

What about you?

"Yes, I am sending you...to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me." Acts 26:17,18 NLT