Predestination & Prayer

2 Kings 20:14-19 – The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”

God had just told King Hezekiah that he would die from an illness, earlier in this chapter, but when Hezekiah prayed, God used his prayer to change the outcome of his life. He added 15 more years to his life. (2 Kings 20:1-7)

After just going through that–watching God change what He had decreed, based on a single prayer–why didn’t Hezekiah pray for God to save them from Babylon too? His one prayer could’ve saved all of Israel.

Our prayers, or lack of prayers, can change the outcomes of nations. We should be praying for the coming generations, even in times of peace; and especially when the coming generations are reaping what we’ve sown.

#Pray #PrayForParis

God doesn’t change, nor does He think like us. He doesn’t change His mind, as if He can learn of some better way to do things. He has a plan that has been in place since the beginning of time. His plan includes your prayers. Your prayer is a tool in the hand of God. When you pray, His will comes on earth as was planned in heaven before the dawn of creation. Don’t water down the power of prayer. Every prayer is important, and every prayer changes the course of history.

A Pregnant Creation

Figured I’d share some of my recent artwork with you today ❤

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Psalm 139:11-15 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

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John 3:3-4, 6-7

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”… Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

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Romans 8:14-39

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him (Jesus), were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

ACTS Prayer Model

ACTS is a popular prayer model. It’s an easy way to remember the various parts of prayer. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.

I personally would add in Listening.. LACTS… err, maybe CLAST would be the better acronym. Clast means a fragment of rock. God is called our Rock, so this makes us ‘a chip off the old block’. 

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• Adoration means worship. Praise Him for who He is. God delights in your praises! Our God always hears us, but consider an earthly parent. If their child enters the room talking about how awesome their dad is, isn’t the dad going to feel honored and be moved to do anything for his child? Love on Him today.

• Confession means agreeing with God about the things that you have done wrong. In this stage we take the time to quiet ourselves to reflect on the day, and express sorrow about whatever we said, thought, or acted on that was not pleasing to Him. As we recall instances, we ask God to forgive us and bless those we harmed. Likewise, we choose to forgive those who hurt us and release them to God’s judgement.

– 1 John 1:9-10 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

• Thanksgiving means thanking God. Thank Him for His love, protection, and provision just to name a few things. Realize that others may be in worse situations, and thank Him for all the things He has done for you.

– 1 Thes. 5:17-18 – Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you

• Supplication means asking Him to meet your needs, and the needs of others. We ask Him to help situations, friends, family, leaders, nations, etc. God hears our heart’s requests, but say your prayers out loud anyway. Sometimes we are the ones that need to hear them. Prayer helps us notice when the hand of God is moving in our lives. We more easily recognize when He comes through for us, when we are focused on what we have asked Him for. Also, God gives us 7,000+ promises in the Bible. When you remind God of His promises, it causes things to happen. Pray God’s Words back to Him.

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• Listening means being quiet and giving God a chance to speak and respond. God can respond in many ways if we believe God is real, then we should expect prayer to be a two-way conversation. Read the Word, search out His wisdom, listen for an unction, close your eyes and look for a vision, see if your emotions are reflecting His own. I promise to do a blog on how to hear His voice soon.

– Ps. 85:5 (ESV) – Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people

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God’s promises are prophecies for your life:

Promise defined means: a declaration or ASSURANCE that one will do a particular thing or THAT A PARTICULAR THING WILL HAPPEN.

Prophecy defined means: the FORETELLING or prediction OF WHAT IS TO COME

Faith activates the Promise. Stand on His promises/prophecies for your life.

–  2 Cor.1:20 – For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Amen defined means: it is so; so be it

If you need something today, stand in faith on the promises of God, and Jesus will agree with you. The Spirit, the Amen, the breathe of God, will blow life into the situation.

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Worship: We Speak to Nations, Judy Jacobs

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Finding your Purpose & Giftings

The gifts of the spirit don’t have to be scary. They aren’t all speaking in tongues… Encouragement and teaching are gifts too. There are lots of giftings! Find out what giftings you have by taking this quick test. It’ll help you see your purpose and where God might be leading you in ministry. Once you know what your giftings are, go use them! Click the link below to download the test as a fillable form:

Giftings Fillable pdf Form

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If you are scared to download it, here’s a preview:

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My highest ranking gifts were: Mercy (15), Craftsmanship (14), Discernment & Knowledge (12). I joined an outreach team to work in the community using my gifts of mercy and craftsmanship. I know for a fact that I have a musical gifting, but at the moment it hasn’t been developed. In a few years, my strongest giftings may have changed. Why would God give us only one gift in our lives? He loves giving! God tells us to ask for the gifts and to excel at the gifts that build up the church.

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“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Cor. 13:2-3

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” – 1 Cor. 12:31

“Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.” – 1 Cor. 14:12