Category: prayer

Alone and Exposed

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian, Freedom, God, Love, prayer1 Comment

We all tend to view ourselves and others as parts of groups. Even when asked about ourselves, we tend to put ourselves in a group or groups. For instance, we will say something like: I am (blank); I am a (blank). Maybe it’s what we do for a living, our relationship with another person or group, etc. We tend to think that way don’t we? That’s not a bad thing but somehow we can turn it into a bad thing. It’s easy to see that there is an all-out effort these days to pit one group against another. Usually one is “supposedly” good and one bad, depending upon which group you prefer.

God woke me up this morning with some reminders. I want to share them with you.

We may look at the things going on in our world and think all hope is lost. Remember the old saying, “It’s not over until the fat lady sings”? I heard something recently – “The fat lady hasn’t started warming up yet.” In other words, it’s not finished until God says it’s finished.

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; All things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

God reminds us that what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears is only outward appearances but God judges the heart.

“However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 2 Corinthians 2:9-10

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

He reminded me of Saul. He tried to destroy the Christians. He thought he was on the “good side”, doing a “good thing”.  When we look back at what he did and the group he associated with, we would certainly not consider him good, would we? However, God had a plan. It couldn’t be seen at the time by eyes or heard by ears but then, in God’s perfect timing, a miraculous thing happened. God got a hold of him and things changed dramatically. I won’t type his story here but check out Acts 9. We may not have been against God like Saul, but God tells us that if we aren’t for Him, we are against Him. Standing on the fence doesn’t give us “brownie points”. We must choose a side.

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” Matthew 12:30

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.“ Hebrews 4:13

The thing is, none of us will be surrounded or sheltered by whatever group/groups we associate with when we stand before the Lord, whether each day on earth or on judgment day. We will all stand alone and exposed. We will give an account for our lives, our thoughts, our words, our actions. We can’t hide from what we might think we have kept hidden deep inside ourselves. God sees and knows all. We better come clean now and allow God to reveal any sin in our lives and repent (turn away from it), seeking His will, His way, His glory.

“Do not {translation – never, never} repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written “It is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21

As a dear friend told me once (thank you Connie), God doesn’t call us to judge others, but we should be “fruit inspectors”. Just as people will view us by the fruit we produce, we view others by the fruit they produce. We should not condone evil behavior or join with it. We should fight against evil. But, we should leave room for repentance by praying for them. ALL things are possible WITH GOD.

So, while evil is out in the open and becoming bolder every day, remember, God isn’t finished yet. The fat lady isn’t warming up. People get ready…

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians6:18

After all, God wants ALL to come to a saving knowledge of Him through Jesus Christ. Our job is to point people to Jesus, share the Good News of salvation, and walk out our faith in loving obedience. There is a spiritual war going on – a war between good and evil. Let’s join God’s army and follow His plan of attack!

It’s a War – Prepare for Battle {8.31.16}

On By Leslie AnnIn Christian, God, prayer

If you remember 9/11, you know that many people sought God after those horrible attacks on our soil. Sadly though, many turned away as it seemed our nation was “back to normal” so to speak. Well, it’s not back to normal. Look around. Turn on the news. Read the paper. We don’t have to look far to realize that we are in the middle of a war. There are battles all around us – in our homes, our neighborhoods, our communities. Though the fighting is much fiercer in our nation than ever before, war is nothing new. It’s been going on since the Garden of Eden. What we often fail to realize is the war is not between ethnic groups. It is not between classes. It is not a fight between the law makers, law breakers, law enforcers or law abiders. It is not between special interest groups. The war is between good and evil, God and Satan. We know that in the end, GOD WINS and Satan loses. But, we must still fight the daily battle here on earth. Satan is a liar and deceiver. He wants us to believe that our enemy is flesh and blood (our neighbor). We are all so worried about “self” sometimes that our vision is clouded and we don’t really see or care about others. Satan tempts us to evil and then by our own fleshly desires, we head down that path of us versus them, our way is the only right way. Don’t give in to that temptation.

Matthew 5:44 “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

God created us all equal, all formed in His likeness, wonderfully made and perfectly formed for His glory and purposes. It is a spiritual battle. It is here and it is fierce. We must prepare to fight and win!

The thing about war is – we must choose sides.

We are either for God or against Him. We can’t sit on the fence or bury our heads in the sand any longer. The “silent majority” in America has been silent too long!  We woke up from our slumber and realized things were not what they had been, not what we wanted. It’s time to take a stand and kneel in prayer.

In war we must also prepare for battle.

We can’t just jump in and do something. We can’t just start shouting ideas that we have not thought completely through, let alone prayed about. We must prepare. God has provided the weapons we need (the armor of God) in Ephesians 6:10-18. He tells us to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.the whole armor of god.png It’s not us against them, it is good against evil. It’s not the people we are fighting, it is the spirit behind their words and actions.

If you have seen the movie “War Room”, you have seen a battle fought and won by the power of prayer. Prayer isn’t just a way to change a circumstance, it changes us in the process. Whether we know it or not, sometimes our attitudes need a little adjusting. God can help us with that as we seek a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus, prayer, and reading His Word. There is a reason God tells us to pray for each other (friends and enemies). Prayer is powerful. In prayer, we invite God into the situation and surrender to His will and His way. Be persistent in prayer. I’ve seen prayers answered that frankly I had almost given up hope on – you just never know when or how God will answer but He Always Does! It’s been my experience that’s it’s usually just in the nick of time.

Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

So…whose team are you on? Are you preparing for battle? Are you fighting the war on your knees?

Romans 2:6-11 “God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.”

The Guys in My Life {7.27.16}

On By Leslie AnnIn Children, Christian, prayer4 Comments

There are a lot of guys in my life. My Dad was the first guy I loved. My “forever love” is of course my husband, Pete. We have four sons, a son-in-law, grandsons, brother, brothers-in-law, nephews and a host of other guys who have been a part of our lives. Our only daughter and I have been outnumbered for years but that’s ok. It kind of makes us feel special and we’re surrounded by some fantastic guys.

This summer I had the opportunity to spend some time with three guys that I want to recognize. These young guys (ages 9, 10 and 11) impressed me so much that I can’t stop thinking about it and praising God for them. Each one of them have a bold, brave and humble spirit with a confidence that comes from knowing who they are, whose they are, that they are loved, and that they have a responsibility which they take seriously. They are fun-loving kids and I enjoyed spending time with each of them. However, that’s not what has impressed me the most. strong and courageous Each of them have no hesitation to pray both privately and publicly. I’m not talking about “now I lay me down to sleep” or “thank you for this food” prayers. Their prayers are heartfelt, timely and personal. They are not ashamed, embarrassed or intimidated when it comes to their faith. These guys have prayed at restaurants, in front of each other before going to sleep, whenever and wherever without hesitation. I am so proud of them I could bust! They are living out this scripture to be strong and courageous and I don’t think they even realize it! Many adults, even though they have a strong faith, still find it difficult to publicly pray to  or praise God. I know…I was once one of them. God has brought me a long way with regard to praying publicly and it all started with children. He is so gracious.

Matthew 18:4-6 “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Sam (10), I had the blessing of spending 3 days a week with you this summer. We played games, the piano, rode bikes, watched movies, went swimming, joined reading clubs at our local library and did a Bible study together. We studied Titus, Ezra and Proverbs. We read, discussed and wrote down our observations. I could not be prouder of you. You inspire me to be a better person and set a good example as you watch me live my life. Thank you for still thinking it fun to spend time with Grandma.

Jonah (9), You are new to our family but even though you spent some overnight time with us right away, you were not intimidated at all. You volunteered to ask the blessing over our food when we went out to eat. You didn’t even mind when I put you on the spot to pray with Sam at a family gathering. You are a very social person yet secure in your own skin. It is a blessing to have you in my life.

Caleb (11), I knew your parents before I knew you and then you and Sam became friends. What fun! God gives us unexpected blessings all the time. I am so thankful you were able to have a sleepover this summer with Sam. You also impressed me with your faith and bold confidence. You felt quite comfortable praying in public and in our home. I hope you join us again.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

There are many guys and girls who are just as great as the three I have mentioned above. These three just touched my life personally this summer. praying boys.jpg How about you? Are you encouraging a child? Are you leading by example? Are you praying for them? They need us – all of us.

Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ – which is the first commandment with a promise – ‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

I want to encourage these guys’ parents to keep leading, keep praying, and keep teaching your children. They are our future and when I look at them, the future seems bright. The fruit you are producing in your children is visible and good. You’ve done a fantastic job but your job is not yet finished. They will encounter opposition, ridicule, etc. and need to be strong to stand firm. So, don’t stop – keep praying, keep ministering, keep walking in faith. You are their role model of what it means to be Christ-like.

Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

We all need to pray for the children in our families, country, and other parts of the world. Pray they all will receive love, guidance and instruction in the Lord. Pray they will not let society, peer pressure, teenage years, etc. to come in and steal their bold faith and witness. Pray for a renewed faith as they continue to grow and that they will be bold witnesses in their schools, neighborhoods, future workplaces, and communities. Prayer is powerful. It’s something we can all do and that we all need.

Thanks to all the guys in my life. You are a blessing!