“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it” (Psalm 37:5).
Here we find the formula for praying effectively.
1. “Commit your way to the Lord.” “Give it to God,” I once read on a bumper-sticker. That is what David is encouraging us to do in this verse. We are to make a deliberate transaction with God by which we release control of our situation, whatever it may be, and place it squarely in the hands of the Lord. “Lord, here is the issue that is bringing concern to my soul and trouble to my mind. I know You have a perfect plan for its resolution, so I give it to you with the simple pledge to cooperate with whatever You show me as being your plan in the matter. The problem is now no longer mine, but Yours, and I await your direction concerning it.”
2. “Trust also in Him.” Having given the problem to God, now leave it with Him!” When a farmer places seed in the soil, he doesn’t return to the field day after day, dig up the seed and examine it to see if it is growing. He must commit the seed to the earth and leave it there. Once we have given our problem to God in prayer, we must avoid the temptation to wrestle it back from Him so that we may worry about it for a season. We must give it to God, then leave it with Him. If worry and concern begin to filter into our mind we can simply admit it to the Lord. ” Today I am being tempted to take back my problem as my own, but by your grace I am determined to overcome that temptation and constantly remind myself that the situation is in your hands. All I need to do is await Your direction. Thank you Lord, for moving in ways that are not seen by me.”
3. “He will do it.” “He works!” the Psalmist is affirming here. If you have made the transaction, giving your problem to the Lord, then you can safely assume that God is at work bringing about a resolution that will benefit you and bring glory to Him. You may not see God at work any more than Joseph of old could see Him at work from his vantage point in an Egyptian prison. But He was! And Joseph had to constantly remind himself of that fact. Though Joseph was in chains “until the time that His word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him” (Psalm 105:18-19). That is why Joseph could later say to his fearful brothers “You meant it unto me for evil, but God meant it for good.”
“But,” you might protest, “what if I find myself worrying all over again?” The answer is simply the same as before!
Give it to God. Leave it with Him. He works!
You might find yourself actually praying more than ever before.
12/16/10
12/14/10
12/3/10
40 Days of Fasting
Why Fast?
As Jesus was about to begin his official earthly ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the desert to fast (Matt 4). For some reason, the son of God thought it worthy to begin this new venture in ministry with an intentional focus on abiding with the Father.
Years later, as the church in Antioch is fasting, the Lord tells them to send out certain men to start a new ministry. After fasting some more, the church sent out Paul and Barnabas to go plant new churches (Acts 13).
When new ministries are started, battles intensify. The enemy will work hard to discourage, deceive, and destroy these new works in their infancy. For that reason, we fast. As we experience a physical hunger and desire, it awakens our spiritual desires and reminds us that our true nourishment comes through us spending time with the Father. Our fasting helps us focus our hearts on God.
What not to do?
Don’t pick something so hard just to “see if you can do it.” This should not be war against body, but a time of focus on this new ministry and asking God for His direction and blessing upon something He’s already called us to do.
Don’t do it for the praise of men. Matthew 6 reminds us that the hypocrites would put on a gloomy face and neglect their physical appearance in order for others to notice. Jesus says of them that they have received “their reward in full.” He goes on to explain the proper way to act when fasting. “ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)
Some practical tips
There is no official recipe for fasting. You can fast from food, or just certain foods. You can fast from certain elements in your life that seem to take up a large part of your time but ultimately are unnecessary. Either way, the goal is to give up something for a certain time period. When your body or mind craves that thing, it is a constant reminder to turn your thoughts toward God. Take some of the time that you would have spent eating or on facebook or on the phone and read some Scripture, pray for Covenant Church, tell God why you are doing this and what you long for.
40 Days
My challenge to our faith family is to fast for 40 days in preparation and expectation of GIC. Let us join together and “pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38
Why Fast?
As Jesus was about to begin his official earthly ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the desert to fast (Matt 4). For some reason, the son of God thought it worthy to begin this new venture in ministry with an intentional focus on abiding with the Father.
Years later, as the church in Antioch is fasting, the Lord tells them to send out certain men to start a new ministry. After fasting some more, the church sent out Paul and Barnabas to go plant new churches (Acts 13).
When new ministries are started, battles intensify. The enemy will work hard to discourage, deceive, and destroy these new works in their infancy. For that reason, we fast. As we experience a physical hunger and desire, it awakens our spiritual desires and reminds us that our true nourishment comes through us spending time with the Father. Our fasting helps us focus our hearts on God.
What not to do?
Don’t pick something so hard just to “see if you can do it.” This should not be war against body, but a time of focus on this new ministry and asking God for His direction and blessing upon something He’s already called us to do.
Don’t do it for the praise of men. Matthew 6 reminds us that the hypocrites would put on a gloomy face and neglect their physical appearance in order for others to notice. Jesus says of them that they have received “their reward in full.” He goes on to explain the proper way to act when fasting. “ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)
Some practical tips
There is no official recipe for fasting. You can fast from food, or just certain foods. You can fast from certain elements in your life that seem to take up a large part of your time but ultimately are unnecessary. Either way, the goal is to give up something for a certain time period. When your body or mind craves that thing, it is a constant reminder to turn your thoughts toward God. Take some of the time that you would have spent eating or on facebook or on the phone and read some Scripture, pray for Covenant Church, tell God why you are doing this and what you long for.
40 Days
My challenge to our faith family is to fast for 40 days in preparation and expectation of GIC. Let us join together and “pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38
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