April 2004
Monthly Archive
Thoughts of The Day
Posted by Paul on 30 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
The one thing that is really amazing to me today, is that, our relationship with the Lord is not based on feelings.
My walk with the Lord is not based on how I feel today or tomorrow, or if I am feeling up or down.
My walk with the Lord is based on the fact that He is Lord, that He is with me no matter what my moods. He is still Lord and He is still here, carrying me through the day, whether I am on the mountain top or walking in the Valley below, I can still can call upon Him and He hears and He cares and He answers.
May not always give me the answer “I want” but He will answer, if we let Him.
Today has been a sort of blue day, not really down but not really up either, could have a lot to do with allergies also 
I do know one thing, that the minute that I begin to think on the Lord as I begin to praise Him in my heart and mind, then my spirit begins to rise.
I noticed through the week, that when I was visiting with various people, at different meetings, when I began to share what is going on with me and share what was on my heart, that the more I shared, the stronger the presence of the Lord and the more excited I became, almost to overflowing. The more that I shared, the more the tank was filled.
Even as I write this, it is the same thing. It is like being renewed each time, filling up with the presence of the Lord. As we are filled then we can become a blessing to others.
That we can encourage, exhort and lift up one another in the Lord. Then we can share the living reality of the life changing power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Isn’t that what this is all about, being a Christian? Sharing the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ with others.
It’s all about Him!!
Be blessed this day and rest in the Lord!!
Paul
A Call To Prayer
Posted by Paul on 29 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
By Paul E. Dawn Jr.
The basis of prayer is hunger and desire that rise within. It can only be fulfilled by God. To the extent that we desire or hunger after the Lord we will obtain, or be filled. If we put little in, we will get little out. The degree of relationship that we want to have with the Lord is up to us. It is up to us to hunger and desire after the Lord; it is our individual relationship with the Lord. When our spirit is open, then the Lord can deal with us, speak to us and bring forth the changes that are needed within. The more that we want to be like the Lord, the more time we will spend with Him, cultivating an individual relationship, communing daily with the Lord and learning to talk to Him.
Discipline is an important factor in our prayer life. When we discipline ourselves, we put ourselves into submission to the Lord, allowing Him to have His way. It is a time of putting down all the activities that keep us from communicating with the Lord, being still before Him that we might hear His voice.
To come before Him, we must set time aside and purpose in our heart to hear from the Lord. It is not based on our feelings, but on the Lord. No matter what, we must purpose to set time aside, not allowing anything to interrupt our prayer and time with the Lord.
The Lord desires us to come to a face-to-face relationship with Him; a place of knowing Him, and not just about Him. When we come to the Lord in prayer we are ministering to Him. He desires that we minister to Him, worshiping and loving Him; for as we come before the Lord we will begin to love the Lord God with all our heart and with all our soul. We will worship and exalt Him with our whole being
In Proverbs 8:34 we are told, “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my door.” Blessed are they who hear, who are waiting upon the Lord, watching, observing and seeing with the eye of the Spirit: for in Him we find wisdom. We are to dwell and reflect upon the Word of God and allow it to become alive within; we are to meditate and think upon the Lord. Prayer requires action on our part, a response to the call of God in coming before Him.
We must learn to respond to the Lord no matter what time He calls us to prayer, for when we respond to the voice of the Lord we will not only fulfill God’s purpose in the call to prayer, but it will do a work within us.
Wesley says of him that prays, “For Indeed he prays without ceasing. It is given him always to pray; and not faint. Not that he is always in the house of prayer; though he neglects no opportunity of being there. Neither is he always on his knees. although he often is on his face before the Lord his God nor yet is he always crying aloud to God, or calling Him in words: For many times the ‘Spirit maketh intercession for Him with groans that cannot be uttered’ But at all times the language of his heart is this: ‘Thou brightness of the eternal glory, unto thee is my heart, though without a voice, and my silence speaketh unto thee.’ And this is true prayer and this alone. But his heart is ever lifted up to God, at all times and in all places. In this he is never hindered or interrupted, by person or thing. In retirement or company, in leisure, business or conversation his heart is ever with the Lord. Whether he lies down or rises up, God is in all thoughts; he walks with God continually, having the loving eye of his mind still fixed upon Him, seeing Him that is invisible.”
(Wesley’s Works, Vol. 8, Page 343).
Wesley had a real insight into prayer. He was a man who spent much time before the face of the Lord, a man for whom God answered prayer.
Andrew Murray in Secret of Believing Prayer, said, “It is only when we live and associate with God in a personal living relationship, where God Himself is all to us, where our whole being is continually opened and exposed to the might influence at work where His Holy Presence is revealed, that the capacity will be developed for believing that He gives whatever we ask (according to His will). He said, “The power to believe a promise depends entirely on faith in the promisor. Trust in the person begets trust in His word” As we pray, we are to be full of the Lord; our heart is to be filled with the Lord and with His presence.
In Psalms 55:16-17, David says, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud and He shall hear my voice.” David sought after the Lord. Speaking of a relationship with God he said, “I will call upon God,” and he states that God will save, for God shall hear his voice. If we are walking in right relationship with the Lord we shall be able to say as David said, “The Lord will save; He will deliver.”
Our prayers are not to be an outward show for man, but unto the Lord, to His glory and honor (Matthew 6:6). We are to please the Lord and not man, going to our secret place (our prayer chamber) and communing with our Father.
In Matthew 26:41, we are told to watch and pray, to be alert, to enter not into temptation and not be ignorant of the tactics of the enemy, but to be prepared at all times, knowing that the enemy will try to trip us up. Therefore, let us always be in the Word and in the presence of the Lord, attuned to the Spirit that we might combat that which the enemy throws our way. We are in a warfare.
Prayer is one of our main weapons of warfare against the enemy, for it prepares us to enter into spiritual warfare. Prayer prepares us and makes us pliable in the hands of God so that He can take that which He can use to bring honor and glory to Him. The most important thing that we are to learn is that the Lord looks for and desires those who allow Him to speak to their hearts, to use them to stand in the gap, to call upon the Lord and to do battle in the Spirit, for the Lord will keep us as we cleave unto Him.
We have just begun to touch on the true meaning of prayer!
Copyright (c) 2002
Walking With Him
Posted by Paul on 28 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
The Lord is really making me know what it means to walk with Him, allowing His word to become real within, applying the principles that He reveals. That wither we are on the mountain top or in the valley, we can walk in the center of His will, of His presence and have that peace which passes all understanding.
I think that after nearly 30 years, I am beginning to understand a little of what the Lord has been trying to show me, to teach me, to make real in my life. It is like the Lord is renewing me, restoring my first love for Him, for His word and He is making it real in my life, that I can have the joy of the Lord. That I can be a blessing to others, that I can encourage them in the things of the Lord.
The Lord does not want this to just be a tempore thing in our lives. He wants us to live in the reality of it, on a daily basis.
I have much to be thankful for.
Let us rejoice and be glad in the Lord this day!
Each day is a new day, a new beginning!!
Paul
Sitting In The Study
Posted by Paul on 28 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
Sitting here in the study reading, writing, going through a lot of e-mails and spending the last couple of days reading a variety of Blogs.
There are a lot of really interesting people blogging! Sharing thoughts and ideals and just expressing themselves and not realizing how much of an impact they may have on someone who is reading their thoughts and ideas.
There is one particular blog that I have been reading that I have enjoyed thoroughly. It is called The Happy Husband – Celebrating Marriage in a Hostile World.
It has ministered to me in a number of ways and the links to other blogs and thoughts that others have shared have done much to help me in the path that I am presently walking with the Lord in life.
Knowing that the Lord is in total and complete control and that whither I am on the mountain top or in the valley, I can walk in the center of His will for me, by staying focus on Him.
In a time such as this, we need an anchor and that anchor for me is the Lord Jesus Christ!
May all be blessed this day that read this post.
Paul
Just A Quiet Day Today!!
Posted by Paul on 28 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
It is just a quite day today … kind of reading, relaxing, getting ready for Men’s Bible Study tonight which is always a blessing to be part of. To have around a dozen men to come together on a Wednesdays night to study the word and talk about the things of the Lord is really awesome and it is good!
I would say that most of today has been a reflective day. Just thinking about all that the Lord has been doing over the last couple of weeks, of making himself more real to me through the reading of His word, of being in His presence in prayer and praise and just sensing the closeness of the Lord even in the midst of battles of life, we can have that peace and rest of the Lord that carries us through all that is set before.
I think one of the things that the Lord really wants, is for us to be real in Him, to know that the Lord is with us in our daily life, as we go about our daily tasks, that He wants to lead us in our conversations, our relationships and He wants us to draw us together so that we might know Him.
The Lord is calling for a people who will be willing to pray, to come together and seek Him. All it takes is two or three people coming together in His name and He makes His presence known!
Well … gotta get ready for the evening … might be back later to add to todays blog, if not, I will catch you all tomorrow!!
Paul
Reading The Word
Posted by Paul on 28 Apr 2004 | Tagged as: General
Reading the word has become a real excitement, an anticipation, a revelation of the Lord in newness of life, going from theory to reality of the Lord’s presence. He wants us to live in that fullness. He wants us to partake of Him. He wants us to live in His promises. To Have faith, to believe and to know that He is Lord!
Phew, I can hardly write because of the presence of the Lord that I am feeling, so I will close for now and add more later on!!
Paul
