Bold Prayers. I’ve been thinking about what is impossible in my life and in the lives of those I love. I know with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), but I know this intellectually and theologically. What I know humanly and practically is life throws you curve balls and, in our humanity, we sometimes can’t see beyond the illness, the addiction, the brokenness, the loss of a job, kids running from God, and so forth.
Today, I’m asking God to help me see beyond my humanity. To see what could be when He gets involved. I’m not going to demand, but I’m going to boldly ask for some things that seem impossible to me right now. My mom’s blindness and arthritis. My dad’s health issues. The salvation of every one of my relatives who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. My good friend Steve Stern’s complete healing. For our high schools to experience the life changing love of God that is not manipulated by outside forces, but birthed through people God has placed there who have an authentic relationship with God. The foster care system in Central Oregon would be strengthened and God would somehow use us to bring healing to broken families.
Every one of these requests are outside my ability to solve on my own. I can play a part, and I must play a part, but they rely on the strength that is in God’s hands. I want to walk in step with His will.
Jesus, as Westside Church prays bold prayers today, would you give us a spirit of faith that transcends our circumstances and sees with your eyes. Help us to pray with that awareness, with courage and an authority that can only come from being in You.
The older I get, the more I ponder God’s will. I find myself weaving His will into my prayers more and more, especially when I pray for others. I have heard that we can “influence” God’s will but I’m not sure. I think we we ought to be careful to believe God will do what “we” want. I have seen countless people get hurt because they believe God did not hear their prayers or answer their prayers- in the way they wanted. As we (as Christians) continue to journey down this road called “sanctification”, I become more confident in my prayers that all of my prayers get answered. They just get answered according to God’s will and not mine! This has given me a great deal of comfort and peace to finally come to that understanding.
I am taking my walk through my neighborhood now. We really do have so much beauty, natural beauty in our city and region.The Sun sets, the mountains of course, blue sky so many days. As our city grows and grows, I feel the need to pray for people who are moving here to be able to experience the same beauty and wondermeant that I have. Oftentimes when a small gem-like Central Oregon is discovered and becomes more populated, people can become unhappy about losing their little secret. I just want everybody who moves here or visits to be able to experience the beauty God has blessed us all with.
Thank you Steve! 🙂 Praying bold prayers along with all of you at Westside, from Southern California! 🙂 We WILL miss first Wednesday this month and I am so sad about that, however we are rejoicing with you as you celebrate all of God’s marvelous break-throughs & victories! 🙂
So awesome AJ. My wife and we’re talking about your post and the word “reset” came to mind. This has been an opportunity for us to reset our priorities and focus. To take the time to pray for our kids, our finances and our church. I’m so glad that God is doing a good work in your life. I’m also looking forward to tomorrow:) , but re energized to hit the ground running on Monday as we lead up to a time of celebration and testimony during our first Wednesday service. Bless you bro!
Day 3. Last night, the end of day two, I nearly quit my fast. I was very hungry, and my mind was rationalizing why I had done enough to that point. I talked to my wife, and truly felt god talking to me by pointing out what may have already been done in two short days. With a playfully begrudging attitude, and renewed determination, I re-committed to finishing out the fast. I have to say, I am looking forward to eating on Sunday :-).
I mentioned in one of my earlier posts what my three big main goals are. My wife and I have been going through the hand out we recieved on Sunday with the verses to read and things to pray for. She has asked God to help her pray more, and pray more with me. The last two nights, for the first time in our marriage, she has played out loud with me and that has made me so overjoyed! I have been spending more time in my day while being hungry praying to him and asking his spirit to fill my place of hunger and to speak to me in place of my hunger. I found myself a day or two ago hoping and waiting for a big magical movement from him in my life, and as I have walked through this fast with him, I am starting to think and look for smaller but very impactful interactions with and from him. I still pray for our finances to improve, or that my outlook of what we currently have improves. I continue to pray for his presence to be felt more impactfully in my life, and that he firmly implants himself in the core of my marriage and relationship with my kids.
I will be boldly asking God to guide me to a career that is both satisfying professionally and monetarily. But just as important, I want to be placed in an area where I can do his work, and impact people. For so many years, since before I even got married, we have always struggled. It has felt impossible to ever get further along than just living paycheck to paycheck.
I will be giving praise to God, because I am aware that we have so much more than so many other people, and we are forever blessed.
I will be boldly asking God to show himself in an unmistakable way to several of my friends and their life. These are people who either claim to be Christian, or used to be at have lost their way.
I said before, this is my first fast and even though I feel like I am really focusing in on a few key items like our finances and our marriage….almost to the point where I am concerned I’m focusing too much on them, I really pray God sees my heart and my hope and guides me in this fast as I want him to guide me in life.