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Pastimes : Ask and You Shall Receive -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: calgal who wrote (5947)	9/1/2004 2:36:50 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

21 September Listening With Purpose NEHEMIAH 8:13-17 In 1 Samuel 3, the aged priest Eli teaches young Samuel one of the most valuable lessons of his life. The boy is hearing directly from God, and Eli counsels him to reply, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening." (verses 9-10) This is how we, too, must pray before hearing the Word of God—then our hearts will be open and prepared to receive the Lord's special message for us. Listening prayerfully is one of two things we must do to open our ears to God's message. The second is that we are to listen with a purpose, namely, to understand who God is, what He is like, how He works, and what He has to say to us today. Listening specifically for such information will help us recognize how we are to apply the message to our own lives. We all encounter challenges, and a personal teaching from God will equip us to face any harsh realities in life. The Israelites listened with purpose as Ezra read to them from the Book of the Law. When they heard that the Lord commanded the nation to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month, they quickly got busy doing His bidding. Purposeful listening results in action. A church service or Bible reading is never boring if we understand the secret of how to listen. We might arrive at church in distress or sorrow, but if we surrender to God's Word, we may come under conviction while hearing the sermon. Then, though our outward circumstances haven't changed, we can leave joyful at the work of the Lord in our life.

To: calgal who wrote (5947)	9/1/2004 2:37:33 AM
From: calgal	Respond to of 14396

22 September The God to Whom We Pray NEHEMIAH 1:1-11 Nehemiah demonstrates power in prayer. As a servant to King Artaxerxes of Persia, he had no right to request leave to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, much less to requisition materials and protection. Yet Nehemiah could act boldly since he understood the nature of the God to whom he prayed. His prayer begins, "I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven." LORD, when it appears in all capital letters, denotes the word Jehovah (a form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God). It means "God who is eternal in His being"—everything everywhere is in His presence. So, when God makes a promise, He already knows exactly how He will keep it. That is why Nehemiah called Him "the awesome God who preserves the covenant." He knew God was committed to bringing repentant Israelites back to their homeland to dwell in His presence. (v. 9) The next Hebrew word, Elohim, is translated "He who is absolutely sovereign." This name refers to the Creator and speaks of His omnipotence. If He spoke the world into being, then He is certainly more than able to provide Nehemiah with a little wood and time off from work. There are many other names for God, such as Adonai ("master"), Jehovah-Jireh ("provider") or Jehovah-Rapha ("healer"). Since the Hebrew language is precise, it can help believers to better know who He is—when we need solace, we call upon the God of comfort; in our confusion, we have the God who teaches. The foundation of all prayer is our view of God.

To: calgal who wrote (5947)	9/1/2004 2:37:41 AM
From: calgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14396

23 September How Knowing God Impacts Us MATTHEW 6:9-13 Yesterday's devotion explained that the foundation of prayer is the way we view God. It's not enough to mouth the words of the Lord's Prayer; we must also believe God can meet the needs we bring to Him. That is why our understanding of Him has such an impact on our lives. First, our view influences what we ask—specifically, the size of our petition is affected. People often say, "I couldn't ask God for that" because they considered the request too much—but what could be too big for an omniscient and omnipotent God? We limit our blessings when we ask only for what we can accomplish with our own resources, rather than depending on Him to provide the will and the way. Second, our understanding of God affects our lifestyle. Recognizing that He wants to walk with us should produce the desire for a pure heart. We know that living in deliberate sin short-circuits our fellowship with Him. Consequently, the way we view God affects how we think, behave, and relate to other people. Finally, our perspective on God impacts our faith. If we see Him as some distant being who plays favorites, then we will not expect much from our prayers. But if we realize He is an all-powerful Father who loves us personally, then we can pray with the confidence that we will be heard. Knowing God intimately will transform our natural tendency toward doubt and sin into an underlying sense of immense peace and faith. Our prayers are heard by a personal God. Have you taken the time to get to know Him?